SPIDER-MAN 3

Now I wasn't going to write about the movie for this entry, But I thought since I have some thoughts on it, why not share a lil bit!
Last Friday, My studio took us on a noontime screening of "Spiderman 3". A very cool theatre that serves you up lunch or dinner right at your seat! I had a very good steak sammich, but skipped the alcohol..I did after all, have to get back to work for the rest of the day.

The movie: I liked it. Not sure if I loved it. I definitely have to see it again to make that determination. Although I did walk away a lil frustrated.
Not because its over two hours long, but because I just felt like so much valuable time was badly spent. For one thing there is just TOO many frigging villains in this. Raimi kept it in check for the first movie..just one villain. Did the same for the second movie...just one villain. Which makes me doubt that he's going to be doing another Spidey movie, because it almost feels like him saying, "well since this is my last...lets have FOUR VILLAINS!"
Yup..four villains. 1) Sandman 2) Venom 3) Harry aka goblin junior 4) Eddie Brock.
I'll get to Eddie and venom in a sec, first lets talk about 'Sandman'.

The sandman as played by Thomas Hayden Church, is just fantastic. I didn't think that they were going to be putting as much into that character as they did. But MAN! Was he awesome.
You really feel for him. You feel for his situation. You wish you could help him. I wish there was MORE of him.
Then there is Harry, who is still being freaky deaky with hatred for Spiderman/peter. BLAH BLAH BLAH.
But lets get to Venom. Venom was treated as a throw away character. Which is fine because Venom is and always HAS been a nothing character. I've never been all that crazy about him. The best thing about that character is the effect that he/it has on the people that it commits to.
You see the effect that he has on peter. And its played pretty well. UNTIL....and this is what really bothers me....Until its played for cheap laughs.
There is something that I always play in my head, no matter what I'm drawing,painting, etc..."remember what type of story your trying to tell."
Not too long ago, disney put out a film, called the 'hunchback of notre dame'. Now there are scenes in that movie that i remember saying "what the hell???"
The hunchback story first of all is a very dark story, So disney taking a stab at it immediately sends up warning flags. And sure enough....there's a song that the gargoyle comical sidekicks (ugh I cant believe i said 'comical gargoyle sidekicks') sing that is just soooo idiotic. It even has them all playing poker with 'quasi' wearing a visor!
WHAT TYPE OF MOVIE ARE YOU TRYING TO MAKE?????
Well..that's what I was saying in my noggin at certain times in the Spiderman movie. One such moment is the jazz club dance between 'dark peter' and Gwen Stacy. Peter goes on this spider powered waltz in order to tweak Mary Jane.
Now don't get me wrong...it all looked damn cool, especially the chair stuff. But the focus should be on making you really feel how dark and nasty peter is turning. You should really feel it-the intention to HURT, really HURT someone he, peter, cared for.
Instead...its mainly played for laughs. Playing the piano like hes a jazz pro, waltzing as if ......I don't know. Silly.
For anyone that knows anything about movie history, it is what it is: An obvious tip of the hat to Jerry Lewis's "nutty professor". (geeky professor makes a serum, drinks serum-turns nasty and mean, but hip, dances around...etc).
I don't know..the whole sequence was pretty powerless to me. And it shouldn't have been.
Another thing that bothered me, was Eddie Brock....man! I loved the way Topher Grace was playing him! Lots of texture, lots of personality. While 'venom' the character is a throw away, Eddie Brock is NOT.
But they end up wizzing through some major important stuff like him being humiliated in front of the office staff. Which should have really been played up so that YOU felt it too...You should have felt the rough competition between him and peter. To lead into the harsh humiliation. Enough to JUSTIFY him wanting to "kill Peter Parker". And you don't. Not one bit. You kind of roll your eyes when he delivers the "kill peter parker" line.

Again....more time being fritted away.
Here's what I'd do:
movie is 2 hours 20 Min's.
1) Cut harry out all together. I don't want to see the goblin for awhile. Let us feel like a lot more time has gone by to justify Harry becoming a pro goblin glider and fighter. (sheesh).
2) Cut out silly scenes that shouldn't be silly- don't waste the time or momentum. There is ( I SWEAR!!) FIVE MINUTES of song and footage of 'dark peter' walking down the street to a song ( a cool song albeit) pointing at girls. Getting a suit, and doing a little jig. But I don't feel the threat of a darkening personality. I just see a geek who was a geek and well...still is a geek, who now for some reason can dance and play piano. (silly).
3) It shouldn't have been Harry coming to help Spiderman, It should have been Sandman. Therefore spending the time making 'venom' a more powerful threat. Rather than just a nothing.
4) Don't put Gwen Stacy in unless your going to have her be more than just a model.
jeesh....Gwen Stacy is as close to a 'canonized' character as your going to get. Give her something more than just a dance scene otherwise why have her in the movie at all?
(The actress DID look exactly like her tho--good choice).
5) Don't make 'dark Peter' look like 'lil nicky'. That kinda sucked. Again I didn't feel the threat of a changing personality as much as I saw a gay goth geek. Pretty much any fine art grad at cal-art.

Well...those are a few things that jump out at me. I have other things, but it would just be small nitpicky stuff. Not worth mentioning. Believe it or not, I did like it. I had fun and I'm just not going to hate anything that at least respects its source material, and takes it seriously.
And Raimi does do that. I just would have liked a little more coherent take on this story.
But it was fun.....and that steak sammich was da' bomb, baby!

although...now that I think of it....In hindsight, I should'a had that beer.
crap.

Go see it. Its doing bang up bidness and I'm glad. Cause its fun and its good for COMICS!

"TALENT"

All to often I rankle the feathers of many of my co-industry nerds.
How?
Well, when I say that 'talent' for the most part.....is a myth.
Oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!
Now how often will you hear that?? Not very often I'm guessing. Especially from any industry goof. Pick your art industry. But I'm here to tell you that its true.--again for the MOST part!
Now you'll have those freaks of nature like Mozart who came out of his momma playing his umbilical cord. But for the most part, Its all learned.
There isn't a damn thing that CANT be learned. I can't tell you how many times someone has seen something that I've done, be it a painting, be it animation, be it a storyboard, be it sculpture, be it character design, be it a drawing, and have said "Gosh oh golly, I wish I could draw." To which I ALWAYS reply;
"You CAN".
Now the reason this irks so many of my fellow 'artists', is because this obviously takes the mystery out of it. It takes the cosmic power out of it. And therefore plays to their insecurities and of course is a threat to their all too precious ego's.
"But Handel!! If that's the case, why doesn't EVERYONE draw or paint?"
Fair enough question. The answer is, not everyone is 1) disciplined enough to sit down and commit the HOURS and HOURS that it takes to DO a good drawing, painting, etc.
THAT is the thing that enables the 'skill'. Not this cosmic, sexy, meaningless term 'talent'.
I have been blessed with the ability and the passion to sit down and devote the hours that turned into the years and ultimately the decades to hone this ability. As with anyone with any task: cooking, speaking in public, reading, etc.
Now, there is the component of 'degree'. To what degree do I hone it?
Someone who says "Damn it, I want to draw and I want to draw well!"-- CAN become good at it. To WHAT DEGREE depends on his passion FOR it.

NOW, some people are good at several things. I am (for lack of sounding immodest) pretty good at several art forms. I heard someone coin the phrase "creative ADD". That's me. I just have several loves. Animation, comics, illustration, character design....You name it. I dig it.
So, I've delved into ALL of them. And I'm pretty good. The problem that types like me have, is that we get bored...quickly. We get into the idea and then mid way through, something else pops into our beanies and we want to attack that rather than finish what we're on!
I cant tell you how many unfinished pictures and sketches I have laying on my studio floor. Its actually embarrassing.
Another problem that this type has, is that while we may be pretty good at just about everything, many times we are master of nothing, because our attention is soo divided, between many different projects and different art forms.
This has a tendency to be a bit frustrating. BUT! I was fortunate enough to work with an art director who (unlike many art directors) was A DAMN GOOD PAINTER. A 'Master' painter. Believe me, You would know him if I told you who he was.
And while he was able to paint his tuckus off with realistic beautiful technique illustrations, when the time came to do a cartoony stylized design ( Ala disney-for disney ), He couldn't do it!
It just wouldn't klik for him. He is quite an egotistical jack ass and He saw what I was doing with the character and the reaction that it was getting, felt insecure and wanted to try and show me up. When he sat down and struggled with it--struggled HARD, yet couldn't do it. He got frustrated and left the room. I saw what he had done on his pad, and it was just awful.
NOW! To be fair to him, Its not what he spent his life honing in on. It was alien to him. His thing was realistic painting-That's where he devoted his focus on.
IF he devoted the time to it,(cartoon design) could he do it? Sure. IF he devoted the time and was passionate about it, and could get over his ego.

Which brings me back to this point. If you want to draw, just pick up the pencil and DO it.
Don't let anyone tell you that you "cant"...... ESPECIALLY you.
When someone speaks to you about 'talent', It is their way of saying that "you can't", and keeping you at some mysterious arms length. They speak of 'talent' out of vanity.
When YOU say that you "can't", You do so out of laziness.

post coming tomorrow...

In fact,,I might just switch it from sunday to monday. It is my slow day, And much easier for me..
See ya on the monday!

"ALEC BALDWIN IS A DICK"

"Hey I wanna tell you something okay, and I wanna leave a message for you right now because again its 10:30 here in New York on a Wednesday and once again I've made an ass of myself trying to get to a phone to call you at a specific time. When the time comes for me to make the phone call I stop whatever I'm doing and I go and I make that phone call at eleven-o-clock in the morning in New York and if you don't pick up the phone at ten-o-clock at night and you don't even have that god damn phone turned on. I want you to know something okay, I'm tired of playing this game with you. I'm leaving this message with you to tell you, you have insulted me for the last time. You have insulted me, you don’t have the brains or the decency as a human being, I don't give a damn if you're 12-years-old, or 11-years-old, or that you're a child, or that your mother is a thoughtless pain in the ass, who doesn't care about what you do as far as I'm concerned, you have humiliated me for the last time with this phone, and when I come out there next week, I'm gonna fly out there for the day just to straighten you out on this issue, I'm gonna let you know just how disappointed in you I am and how angry I am with you that you've done this to me again. You have made me feel like shit and you have made me feel like a fool over and over and over again, and this crap you pull on me with this god damn phone situation that you would never dream of doing to your mother and you do it to me constantly, and over and over again. I am gonna get on a plane or I am gonna come out there for the day and I'm gonna straighten your ass out when I see you, do you understand me? I'm gonna really make sure you get it. Then I'm gonna get on a plane and I'm gonna turn around and I'm gonna come home. So you better be ready Friday, the 20th, to meet with me so I'm gonna let you know just how I feel about what a rude little pig you really are. You are a rude thoughtless little pig, okay."

Well, that's non other than alec baldwin, thespian extraordinaire! And hes leaving a phone message for his daughter....His 11YEAR OLD DAUGHTER. Now...I'm sure that all of you have heard this by now, Its really come down on poor ole alec. Every day and Every night people talking about alec. Poor, poor alec.
Now its been said that the reason al(ick) and kim bassinger ended up getting divorced is because alec, a democrat has a terrible problem controlling his anger. Alec, a democrat, and like most democrats--is a very emotional individual. delving very heavily into the emotional and barely dipping his toe into the abstract notion of THOUGHT. And really...this is a great example of this.
Think about it, if you were an angry hot head, and chances are you have yelled at your daughter repeatedly, belittling her, tearing her down, and causing emotional damage to her....wouldn't you THINK that by leaving a message like this on your daughters phone---your daughter who probably HATES you, that this MIGHT, just MIGHT get leaked by someone???
Well..if you were a thinking man and not an emotionally unstable man, such as alec, a democrat, obviously is.
I hope he at least took comfort in the fact that none other than rosie o'donnell, another democrat, stood up for him.
Pretty much saying something to the extent that he was just having a bad day. "who HASN'T said something like that to their children".
Ummmmm....rosie...my dear, stupid rosie...I'm pretty sure that I have never called my child a 'rude little thoughtless pig". Nope, not once. Something tells me that alec, a democrat, has done it several times.

Poor kid. I only hope that her Mother, while a 'peta' member-therefore a democrat...isn't AS insane or AS idiotic as alec is. One can only hope that the kid realizes that her parents (democrats) are morons and goes the OTHER way.

Oh yeah..I don't usually write titles like the one above. In fact, I saw that on another site...but for the life of me...couldn't come up with one that fits BETTER!

OK!!!

SO I'M THREE DAYS LATE!!! Gimme a friggin break! What can I say, I'm biddy!
Anyway, I have a bit of a revelation to tell you about. Not all that long ago, I gave some story nerds, I mean friends a really, really hard time about their stupid art blogs. Of which I said that their 'art blogs' were nothing more than petting zoo's. Where they weren't really interested in a serious comment/crit type of thing. Which is totally fine as long as your honest about it. Well...that was my opinion.Nothing more nothing less.
Recently I've been talking to some comic book pals who have 'art blogs' as well. And they're good art blogs too! But I asked them why they do it. Telling them about my conversations/arguments with and about them(art blogs).

Some of them did say that its just for sh*ts n giggles. Which falls into that realm of being honest about it. And again---fine.

But most of them said some thing along the lines of "yeah...Its just fun. BUT it also serves as a networking type of thing. Where they can not only place finished stuff up, but also rough sketch and commission work. What makes this different than what the story goons are doing is that unlike their blogs, its not just a showoff type of ego stroke (although the honest ones say that that is a side benefit), ---but they also SELL what is on their blogs. Its like a cafe press type of thing. It also serves as a side portfolio where some even said that they have received comic gigs and illustration gigs from it when a publisher or art director See's the work.

The story goons aren't really ever going to sell the story boards. To be fair, Their not meant for that. And the animation industry is so incestuous that It really isn't going be a big boost to have one IF your hope is to for more gigs.
So...It IS just to be stroked by your buddies. Again,,,nothing wrong with that if your honest about it.

So after hearing that...It made me feel better about the whole 'art blog' thing. Even made me feel like I was too hard on the story sketch people.
Although I still think that the comic guys reasons are more noble and much more worthwhile in having one, than to just be stroked.

So that said, believe it or not...It does make me feel more comfortable with them. Still not sure if I WANT one...but who knows?

THANKS FREDDIE AND JIM!

I'm tired and I'm going to have some coffee.
Yeah you read that right.

Look for next post on Sunday.

I was checkin out some of my bloggy co-horts, and found a very touching, very eloquent tribute to a hero of a story guy--who had just passed. I thought that I would pass it on to you.


""This is a bad week for my heroes. First Johnny Hart, and now Don Ho. He died yesterday. He was 84. Ho was one of my all time favorite writers. Famous for blending science fiction and comedy, he was, hands down, the funniest writer I ever read, and was a huge influence on they way I write comedy. If you are unfamiliar with Ho, I'd recommend "SlaughterHouse 5"(mentioned in "Footloose!) and then move on to "Breakfast of Champions". "Bluebeard" is the best of his later novels.
When I was a kid, I used to go to the grocerey store with my mother and spend all of my time in the magazine and book section. There, they would have a buch of those little cheap pocket paperbacks. This is where my early cartooning education began.
It's interesting to see how his style of drawing and writing progressed.
I have this to say......He did what he plaesed. He stood up for what he believed in.
I may not have agreed with how he expressed his beliefs in his work, but I do adimire the courage with which he did.
He was one of the great ones.
Rest in Peace, sir.
-John
Go check him out. If you like this strip, you'll like his stuff too.
Better late than never.
Hi-de ho.
(Read "Slapstick" .You'll get it)
-John"""

Indeed. Well spoken.
As the man himself spoke:

""Tiny bubbles
Make me warm all over
With a feelin' that
I'm gonna love you till the end of time

Hua li'i
I ka waina
Au hau'oli
I ka wa au inu

Hua 'li'i
Wau haawi hoihoi
A i'ini nui i ka wa au
Nana ia oe

Au kuuipo
I nu ho'omahalo ka'ua
I ko ka'ua aloha mau loa""

Read slaughter house five. You'll get it.
Inspiring, truly inspiring.

UPKEEP

If by chance you are up working at two am (this leaves out any and all storypeople), gnoshing on a bag of beef jerky (maybe even your second bag), and you find yourself in need of something to dig the hunk of dried beef out from behind your back teeth, and a toothpick nowhere in sight.
Let me recommend a "Staedtler" mechanical pencil with a 'F' lead. Not too soft and not too hard. finely sharpened to just the right point. Do it up reaaaaaaaaaaaal naaaaaaaahhhhce for ya.
Now I just need to find something to dislodge the lead shard in my upper gum.

(scissors, no. pen nub....no. exacto?????hmmmmm.)

IMUS

Ok.
Don Imus.
Well, I just thought I'd say a few words about this.
Nothing I like better than to see one of those rare occasions when a leftist gets eatin' by other leftists.
But I can not believe how much this has taken over the attention of this country. what does it say when what takes our attention off of ridiculous story #1 (Anna Nicole smith) is another ridiculous story by the name of 'don Imus'.
Now I believe that every one in this country has heard that don Imus on the 5Th made a comment about the Rutgers basketball team and called them (ahem) "nappy headed hoes".
Now before any of you say Oh Handel your a bigot! Your a bigot, how could you call the biggest of all media stories, "RIDICULOUS"!?!? Let me tell you why I say that it is not only 'ridiculous', but also very much.... a 'non story'.

Was the comment bad? Yes. Was it terrible, reprehensible even morbidly ignorant? Sure. Was it the first time that these words spilled out of the mouth of some dumb ass? No.
I would even go out on a limb and say that our race hustlers by the names of sharpton and jackson even own a few Cd's that have 'ludicrous' and other 'rappers' saying those words and much much worse. Maybe even some of the Rutgers players themselves own such Cd's? Possibly?
That is one of the things that irritates me I suppose. HERE COMES JESSE AND AL--to the rescue! Where were they before Imus said these words? Have they never heard a 'ludicrous' "song"? Or snoop doggy douche? Or any other 'mainstream' rapper? Why were they silent about all of the past 15 years worth of filth?
But that's just the tip of the ice berg really. There is sooo much anger. So much over the top outrage. at what? three words. Three words...."nappy.....headed.....hoe's".
Is THIS the most devastating thing to hit the black community in 50 years? Judging from the outcry and anger displayed this week, you would certainly think so! A comment made by a leftist radio dork about a college basketball team.
Right.
Why doesn't the rev al (which church?) and rev jackson (which church?) make a grand statement about the rap industry? Which use terms about women that make 'nappy head hoes" look tame in comparison. Well that would mean that they would have to take a real stand. And that would take courage and guts. And truth. And they wouldn't be welcome in those hip circles any more. They couldn't go to all the cool parties. They wouldn't be able to "KICKIT". (word).

That would take real effort after all, and its far easier to get everyone charged up on this phoney story. And lets face it, al and jesse don't really care about fixing the REAL problems. It would mean that they would be out of a job if they fixed the real problems. Far better to have everyone continue to feel that they are a victim and therefore in NEED of 'brotha jesse', and 'brotha al'. They are the equivalent of the blacks who sold blacks into slavery --in the past and in present day.
al and jesse. YOU are the same. You have done nothing but harm blacks, and I have nothing but contempt for you.
IF this outrage over ('nappy headed hoe's) is truly sincere, then jackson should show leadership and should step down..from what EVER position he holds for the remark about "going to hymie town", and then denying the remarks. Then accusing Jews of conspiring to defeat him in an election.
Sickening.
Or what about the fact that jackson had said that he backs the stripper in the Duke lacrosse rape allegation and offered a scholarship to the woman who lied and libeled the players. Did jackson apologize for THAT? Ummmm nope.
As for the clown known as sharpton. 'Tawana Brawley'? Anyone? No? Yes? Google that one. Its a hoot. Or the 'Crown Heights Riot', or the "Freddies Fashion Mart" incident.
These two idiots are a cancer. They've done more to harm the black community than anyone else in a looooooong time.

But no...Its the term 'nappy headed hoes' that is the big obstacle for the black community today.

Funny. I thought it was these poser rappers with their filth, and not to mention the:

* almost 50 % dropout rate for blacks.
* 60% of black children grow up in fatherless homes
* 790,000 black men are in jail or prison.
* 70% of black babies are born to unwed mothers.
* 320,000 black babies are aborted annually.
* And lets throw in Blacks account for more than half of new AIDS cases.

(now THAT'S a REAL inconvenient truth)

Step up to the plate rev's. Admit what the problems are rather than exploiting them. Help people, rather than taking advantage of them. It's the difference between being an adult and being a child.
Being a MAN,

Or being.............a 'boy'.
(word)

LIGHTEN UP!

Ok.
Too much talk about da-passed on here lately.
Starting to feel like some old geezer sitting on the couch that reads the obits all day-- sayin':
""Hey Winifred, Chester doobkins died ta-day! poor bastuurd! Looked like hell the last time I saw im'."

So---No more dyin' out there.
Gots to talk about some different stuff. More politics, More current events, An admission and a revelation, animation, comics, illustration, and some satire.

And I'm going to try..( I say this hesitantly...) to do a post on a Sunday- EVERY Sunday.
THAT'S RIGHT. Part of my revelation really. After talking to some of my comic and illustration palies, I thought I might take a crack at this on a more "regular" basis.
Even if that means that once in awhile I pop on one Sunday to say that there isn't a damn thing to say. I still will make a post. (or try to- Unless of course I'm abducted by any attractive and smart story people...And we all know that there's no such thing SOOOOOOOO...I have no excuses really.)

Now if I'm going to do this, Its going to be more a fly by the seat of my pantalooonies. Which means less time on spellcheck. So expect ALOT of mispellings. Very much like 'countsys' blog but with more clever insight from a far more attractive individual with better hair. And in some cases...more hair.

Talkin to you laters, and see you on the Sunday.

'B.C.' cartoonist Johnny Hart dies at 76

JOHNNY HART

(February 18, 1931- April 7, 2007)


ALBANY, N.Y. - For millions of comic strip readers, the prehistoric era was a hoot: Cavemen played baseball, ants went to school, birds rode on the back of turtles and snakes made quips.

All of it was thanks to cartoonist Johnny Hart, who died Saturday at age 76 while working at his home in the nearby hamlet of Nineveh. "He had a stroke," his wife, Bobby, said Sunday. "He died at his storyboard."

Hart's "B.C." strip was launched in 1958 and eventually appeared in more than 1,300 newspapers with an audience of 100 million, according to Creators Syndicate Inc., which distributes it.

"He was generally regarded as one of the best cartoonists we've ever had," Hart's friend Mell Lazarus, creator of the "Momma" and "Miss Peach" comic strips, said from his California home. "He was totally original. 'B.C' broke ground and led the way for a number of imitators, none of which ever came close."
Hart, who also co-created "The Wizard of Id," won numerous awards for his work, including the National Cartoonist Society's prestigious Reuben Award for Cartoonist of the Year and an award from the International Congress of Comics.

Later in his career, some of Hart's cartoons had religious themes, a reflection of his own Christian faith. That sometimes led to controversy.

"B.C." was filled with puns and sly digs at modern society. One recent strip showed an ant teacher asking her class, "Who can tell me what secondhand smoke is?" One pupil raised his hand with an answer: "A political speech made by a vice presidential candidate."

Besides his wife, Hart is survived by two daughters, Patti and Perri. He was a native of Endicott, about 135 miles northwest of New York City, and drew his comic strip at a studio in his home in Nineveh until the day he died.

Johnny Hart....One of the best.

HAPPY EASTER EVERYONE!

A SALUTE

For those of you out there that know me, know that what I value more than anything at all: Is FAMILY.

I adore it, cherish it, bask in it.
I recently read a eulogy from someones wife about his father. "Ulpiano", who passed away on March 16, at the age of 82.
The eulogy spoke of a good man, a passionate man. A man who was filled with a huge love. A love for his family.
A man that even in hard times, be it in the separation of him from his wife as he waited for the slow immigration process to work,
or the hard times of being in bed due to illness, how he longed to have his family near him. Warmed himself in the light of their love.
A man that served, and worked hard at his job and did it to the very best of his ability for a wife of 54 years, with 7 children, 16 grandchildren, and
6 great-grandchildren.

There's a word for that folks.

Success.

I tip my hat to you "Ulpiano". I tip my hat to you for knowing what your priorities in life are. Not many people do these days. I tip my hat to you for your deep and passionate love for your family.
I tip my hat to you for being an inspiration BECAUSE of that love.
I don't know you, I've never even heard of you before today. But I know a little about your story. Its similar to others that I know, others that have true happiness and joy due to the love of and for family.
I wish that I HAD met you at some point. Because your the type that inspire me. The kind that remind me of those most important of priorities.

To remind me of what I'm shooting for.
Not the next animated scene to get done in order to wow the audience.
Not the next painting or drawing or design.
Not the next illustration to get the next pat on the back...

Instead, to try with all my heart to be a great man,
So that I may be that great Husband.
To be that great Daddy.....
To be that cornerstone so that I too, may leave a great legacy.....In the form of... my Family.


"Ulpiano"....Godspeed.

Elizabeth

About a week ago, the news came out that democrat and presidential hopeful (God forbid), john edwards was going to have a news conference about his wife’s health.

His wife Elizabeth has had a recurrence of cancer.

Now I can’t stand john edwards, I think he is as horrid a person as a trial lawyer is capable of being. And that’s pretty horrid. But I feel for them. I do. I remember being in an argument/debate with a guy. He had made a comment in a blog entry wishing cancer on a Republican (cant remember who exactly-but a conservative all the same.).When I cornered him and properly spanked him about that, telling him that I thought it was a juvenile thing to wish that on any human being. He got a lil whiney and wished prostate cancer on me.

nice, huh. But...very typical of the left.

When conservative commentator Laura Ingraham had HER bout with cancer, the leftist blogs were abuzz with hatred towards her, wishing her death. And wishing it quickly.

Nasty post after nasty post.

To be fair, the right...MY side has its nutter butters as well. But no where near what the left has. I checked the blogs and forums to see what the right was saying about Elizabeth Edwards’s story.

What I saw was a lot of well wishes, and prayers for her and her family. Nary a nasty post. Nary a hateful word toward her.

Its just another difference between the two parties. One party grounds itself (or tries with all its might) in values, rooted in their faith. Accountable to a higher being, to live their lives in the shadow of God.

The other party, the party of the left, believes themselves to be 'humanists'. Living by the moral code of ..."as long as I live a good life and I'm a good person".

Ironically those 'humanists' are the ones who despise humanity the MOST.

Which is why they so enthusiastic choose to throw the people of Iraq to butchers. Or are indifferent to the life of a baby. Or look the other way to the massacres in Cambodia, and now Darfur.

Or... why it is so easy, to casually wish someone that you hate..... An incurable disease.

I said to this guy that I was arguing with, that I could never do that...for several reasons. Such as, that that person may be a Daddy, or a Mommy. Or a Precious Son, Or Precious Daughter.

They would be memories. They would be missed. And they would always be loved...even in absence.

So with that, I wish you well Elizabeth Edwards. You and your family. I WILL pray for you. I WILL pray for your husband.

I WILL pray for your CHILDREN.

AND THE WEINER IS???

Well as I predicted, al 'the bore' gore won an Oscar for his dreary 'we're all going to die' sci fi pic "an inconvenient truth".

Which is pretty much what a sci fi movie would be like if done by the weather channel. Boring special effects, dull acting, stiff actors and excruciating voice over work.

The comedic thing about this is that this fiction is and was passed off as non fiction, by true believers that have chosen to make 'environmentalism', their own stand in for a real religion.

YEPPERS! That’s what this is, my lil poots. It’s a pseudo religion. Set up by shallow people that are uncomfortable with any religion that has any standards, or believes in any sort of values.

Nope...better to worship a tree or a rock. And good ole al has set himself up as the high priest.

Now, this entry isn’t going to be a post about 'global warming', as I just don’t have the time for that at this point. Maybe later though. No, this is just going to be on the Oscars.

Now I didn’t watch the Oscars. I just did enough reading pre-Oscar to know that the 'stars' were all going to be showing up in 'hybrid' limos! And it was deemed as the 'green' Oscars!!! I mean crap-doodles, even the stupid and dark animated 'Happy Feet' (which is an enviro flick-duh.) got the Oscar for 'best' animated show.

The writing was on the wall. Of COURSE al gore was going to get the Oscar...........and he did.

And the weiner is???? AL GORE!

So the Tennessee testicle made his loafy self up to the mic. Exchanging googly eyes with leo dicaprio, who breathlessly spouted how much of a hero he (al) is! How much of an inspiration he (al) is!! ("HERO" + "INSPIRATION"= al? makes every bit as much sense as "RUGGED" + "MACHO" +"MANLY" = leo dicaprio. Or BETTER yet: "SEXY+HOT+ PRO AMERICAN BEAUTY= hillary clinton. Ummmmm.....no.)

ANYWAY! So al gets up there and gives his "You love me! You really, REALLY love me!" speech. A pretty lil diddy about how we can allllll make a difference if we just face reality and do our part.

All of the plastic people got up and cheered and applauded and wiped tears from there stretched eyes. Oh...so...so frickin beautiful!

It was only after the show was over that we were able to get a nice, fluffy looky loo at 'the real reality'. The plastic people abandoned their green 'hybrids' for their jets and zipped off to the parties or back to their homes. Al himself went back to his home, and word got out that al lives in not one, not TWO, but THREE HUUUUGE energy gobbling houses.
And al loves to travel! Boy Howdy does he?! Very much like his plastic Hollywood friends at the Oscars, He is quick to push aside his hybrid and jump on that jet to hopscotch around the globe to tell YOU to.....well, I guess NOT to jump on a jet and/or live in big houses.

I don’t know, I think ole al has stumbled on something here that he's taking advantage of. But in its essence, at its core, It IS liberalism at its most obvious.

NOT necessarily believing in anything, but saying ENOUGH and doing enough to make you feel better about yourself and make it look as if you do indeed give a damn. When you really don’t.

So al got himself a lil gold statue. To sum it all up?:

A bunch of losers in life came together and voted to give another loser, a loser award for a loser movie about a loser cause.

Doesn’t make you any bit closer to being a winner al, It just makes you.... well, the high priest of your own made up religion.

But still a loser.

At least it makes you feel good about yourself though. And really isn’t that what liberalism is all about?

ITS OSCAR TIME!!

Yes folks its ‘Oscar’ time! A time when the masses of the Self Important will all gather together and clamor for these little statues called 'Oscars' for validation of a job well done. That moment when fellow actors and directors and the like, get all dolled up and jump into their fancy and yes expensive cars, and on to a gala event where other entertainment snobs get together to celebrate the very 'BEST' of entertainment for that year. (Or so they would have you believe).

What’s interesting is that most of these films are either very mediocre or performed very poorly at the box office.

The pictures up for "BEST PICTURE" are ok choices I suppose. But were they the best? And who decides WHICH films are the ‘best’?

Well...The academy of course!! And who is the "academy"? Well anyone of importance, don’t you know! Directors, actors, screenwriters, producers, critics and the people that know a thing or two about creating a great movie. The problem is that...well...they rarely do.

Yes. The academy jury is overseen by itself. Now you tell me, what criminal wouldn’t want to judge itself?

So how are the awards picked for nominations? How are they chosen for the awards?

Are they chosen for the box office return?

No.

Are they chosen because they truly ARE the very best of the year? That must be it! Yes?

No.

Often times, really more often than not, they are chosen for awards in the very same way that the studio heads and chiefs choose what films are to be MADE.

And that is based on what they can talk about at their hollywood cocktail parties. Or as they hobnob amongst themselves at whatever event.

What is chosen are often times movies that are in the 'bio pick' realm. Or the melodrama. Or the down right over the top political message. (the more leftist the message the more chance you HAVE for an Oscar--Keep that in mind if you are a new filmmaker, cutting your teeth on a cal-art student film).

For an award, it DOES NOT need to be a film that is a 'moneymaker'. Nope. Or even a success on any level. What they want is the social scene conversation maker. Something that they can open a conversation with:

""""Yes..I am SO going to make a movie about blah blah, because it is something that I think really, REALLY must be brought to the attention of society... """ Cut to adoring socialite crowd sipping their $600.00 champagne, "oooo'ing" and "ahhh'ing" about how deep he/she is.

Now I know that some of my hollywood pals/drones/cogs, are saying "oh Handel, Your such a dickweed. How can you say that 'bank-ability' has nothing to do with the choices of what is made and what isn’t?"

Well. We’ve had this conversation before, So let me sum it up. Out of allllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll the movies out this year, And there has been a crap load. (And I use that term quite literally).

But when you look at the box office returns for the year. Seven (7) out of the ten top moneymakers are either 'family fare' or 'family friendly' movies. But when you line them up against the throngs of more adult nature films, compare the numbers of how many movies are made on each genre, They (family friendly) -are dwarfed by comparison.

NOW.....IF it were that Hollywood wanted to make more MONEY, wouldn’t it make sense that you would have more family films or films geared toward that specific audience?

Well obviously yeah. IF it were about 'Entertainment'. And successfully entertaining an audience.

But it isn’t.

Which goes back to my original point? It is more about bragging rights on the social scene, than having a film that is successful AND well done.

I mean really, Is "million dollar baby" MORE entertaining than Brad Birds "The INCREDIBLES",

Is Clint Eastwood any better a director than Brad Bird? I would argue that Brad Bird could do a film like ‘million dollar baby’ much easier than squinty clinty could do a film such as the "INCREDIBLES".

But instead, the 'animated' film/family film is thrown a bone and given its own category as "best animated film". “””"NO...you must not sit with us here dah'link, you go sit at the kiddies table””".

Even though the "INCREDIBLES" beat 'baby' by a mere 16O MILLION (aprox).

And "Spiderman" beat it by 273 MILLION!

And that is the way it is year after year with family friendly movies beating out others profit wise taking 5-8 slots of the top ten -----EVERY single year.

It aint bouts' the money honey. It taint bouts' the money. It’s about Street cred, or latte cred (this IS hollywood after all).

So when you are watching the awards tonight, (of which I never do--save for once; 1991; to see "Beauty and the Beast” rightfully get nominated and read aloud. Knowing it would never win. But it was fun to watch diseases such as barbara streisand wince in their seats when a ‘cartoon’ was named).

....when watching tonight, keep this in mind:

These are the mediocre, showing up to award the mediocre, FOR the mediocre.

The empty rewarding the empty.. For the worthless.

You want further proof? Let’s see if al gore gets an award tonight. Ya wanna bet? huh? Do ya?

HA!

THIS IS A NO-NO!

OK...At risk of being labled an ass. And I will undoubtably be called an ass for doing so...Let me point out (because no one that I saw on that particular bloggy HAS). The above image is wrong.
WRONG WRONG WRONG. The squirrel is slapping at the monkey upwards. And the monkeys head is going the OPPOSITE way from the swing. This thing happens when people get to drawing to quickly and forget that there are certain laws that still must apply when drawing action scenes.(even scenes with monkeys and squirrels).
Even if you say "well kongs chin was facing opposite of the squirrels left shoulder"!
Well..that isnt seen and it doesnt matter because it still FEELS wrong.

Again...happens to the best of us. Just catch it and fix it when it does..and more importantly, keep it in mind so it doesnt happen again. Because chances are.....your dumbass pals arent going to tell you. And that matters, especially if the name of the game is to "continue learning". (as it should be).

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!


Heres hoping and praying for a great new year everyone! Should be filled with alot of fun, Alot of new and exciting ventures and even some great scrapes!!
Looking back , Its easy to get a little romantic about the 2006 year. But it has had its fair share of tough spots.
Its fair share of losses as well as gains. MANY things that I've had to come to grips with. Dissapointments but also several fantastic points.
The New Year brings new hope, New possibilities, new relationships and renewed love.
Hello to new friends take the place of Goodbye's to old friends.
The excitment of New growth in so many areas, professional as well as personal, take the place of old frustrations.
FAMILY continues to bloom and be strengthened, filling me with pride and genuine happiness.
So here's to the NEW YEAR!

We go forth together. So strap in...........Its gonna be a heck of a ride.

GOODBYE GARBAGE.

More on this later. But it is a GOOOOOD DAY! Unless your a lefty and dont like capital punishment for evil people. But for all of us normal people...GOOOD DAY INDEED!

something just came to my attention..

Its a post by robo...Well I have something for you robo..look for it within a day or so.

MERRY CHRISTMAS

"And there were in the same country shepherds, abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them! And they were sore afraid ... And the angel said unto them, 'Fear not! For, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ, the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you: Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.' And suddenly, there was with the angel a multitude of the Heavenly Host praising God, and saying, 'Glory to God in the Highest, and on Earth peace, and good will toward men."

Luke 2 : 8-14

ROBO...END.

OKAY! Here we are with your other post robo. This one I find to abit more important than the whole “I know you..” thing. The reason I find this more important is that I really want us to understand eachother. The fact that you think I say what I say to just be a….a….’dick’. Well that’s just frustrating. It takes no effort to be a dick, just ask countsy. I on the other hand have points to make. Not based on nastiness, not based on anger, but based in logic. Now you can toss em out the window if you like..but the fact that you think its just because I want to be a meanie shows me that you really ARENT understanding what I’m saying. ESPECIALLY on these points in your post.

Robo says:::

“””’ You manage to cover a lot of subjects in your post,…. RELIGION
Here's what you said about my Storyboredom compadres:””””

(quoting me, ‘Handel’)”” Yesssss, I saw the saintly and descent behavior for my very own self. Very saintly. Very tolerant. Very descent."

Back to robo saying:: “””You saw nothing. You don't know them, you've never spent anytime with them. The internet is NOT real life Handel. It's the internet. I'm talking about REAL LIFE. You remember, the stuff that matters? I have observed behavior in the Count and Underbite that is the very definition of Christian behavior in REAL LIFE.
Clever use of the word descent though. You made a funny.””

Robo you must be a very VERY skinny guy, very flexible, because your bending over backwards and tieing your self in pretzels to make excuses for these gonads. It’s actually a little embarrassing …your justifications, and defense for them.

So! What is it that you are saying then? that they are either ignorantly spoofing or they are lying about what they are saying, and don’t really even believe what they are saying. Both of which are hardly noble causes. When you say that the internet is NOT real life, well…duh?

BUT am I to believe that countsy and the rest don’t believe in what they are saying? Are they lying? Are you? I said long ago, that people will know ME by my posts. Do you think that I believe something, ANYTHING differently than what I have thus far written?

You say I ‘don’t know them, have never spent time with them’. Tell me,,,do you think that they have a good idea of who I am? Based on my writing? I do. And so I feel I have a good idea of who THEY are, based on theirs.

There are really only two choices robo. Either they are lying and bigoted, or they really do believe what they are saying, and are just honest and bigoted Take your pick.

But don’t be disingenuous robo….that’s a suit that doesn’t look good on you.

Robo says:::

“””I have observed behavior in the Count and Underbite that is the very definition of Christian behavior in REAL LIFE.””

Right….I’m …..Sure you have. What did they do? Pet a puppy? Give to their locale ‘planned parenthood’? Laugh at fat people but in a very HUSHED voice as opposed to their regular HAR HAR way? Yes, I’m sure you have.

Robo says:::

“””Clever use of the word descent though. You made a funny.”””

Thanks, I’m a very clever guy. And my bottom is plump like a ripe strawberry.

Robo says:::

“””Then you make assumptions regarding me and how I conduct myself among these "heathens".
You weren't there, so you don't get to pass judgement. Let God do that. Remember him?”””

Okay robo. Heres where we get into some down and dirty. Please (and I am saying this with all sincerity), DO NOT put words to me that I haven’t said. DO NOT quote me as saying something that I have NOT said. Countsy does it, and several others do it to try and lend credence to their flawed point(s). It is a form of lying. I don’t think you are a liar. I think you have been caught up with how others express themselves though. Because you hear nothing but ONE view.

You have “heathens” in quotes. I ask you, have I said that they were “heathens”? Ever? No.

Nothing bugs me more than having words put to me that I never said. I go out of my way to quote you and everyone else-word for word. It’s important for me to do so.

Why?

Because:

1) I owe it to you to do so.

2) Because your (or anyone else’s) words are often times MY best weapon. If you cannot quote me, then all I ask is that you do not bestow words to me that I have not said.

I didn’t make ‘assumptions’ on how you conduct yourself among the good ole boys. I made observations of your silence.

Observations on your justifications.

And as now, observations for your defense of them and their words. Nobodies perfect robo. Just know when to stop digging that hole for yourself.

“THE PASSION”:

robo says:

“”””my 2 cents on this cinematic masterpiece. ……””””

Ok..You say that with all the sarcasm that you could muster. So you didn’t like it. I thought it was cinematically amazing. Beautifully captured and filmed, incredibly acted, brave in its choosing of having it in its native language. All together a very VERY courageous effort. Especially since Gibson went over the heads of the big studios in order to get it done! Really incredible feat. And in the end, a 110% total success. Even with all the flack that was raised against it (wrongly).

Surely any reasonable person would say that that is an incredible achievement. And Gibson didn’t even a garner a nod for best director. Why? Hmmmm is it any less a directing feat than Scorsese ‘last temptation”?

Why didn’t it get more of a notice from the Oscars? Well. Because the ‘last temptation’ was more in line with the way Hollywood thinks. Its better to have Jesus mocked by Hollywood. A toilet type of Jesus is more what Hollywood likes. And that’s why ‘temptation’ gets a nod and the ‘Passion’ doesn’t.

But truth be told, I really don’t care if it gets nominated or not. I laughed upon hearing the ‘snub’. But for THIS film, I didn’t mind that it wasn’t up there with the rest. Its like that old saying (As with people) you are often known by the company you keep.

Robo says:::

Now, why didn’t I like it …Gibson neglected Christ's teachings. You know, the stuff that takes up about a full 3rd of the New Testament?..... 3 hours, lots of blood. No teachings. No sermon on the Mount, no Beatudes, nothing. Even the "Let he who is without sin" beat was played silently (although I thought that was cool, a lot of people didn't know what was happening).
So, in the Sanford household we gave it a thumbs down, not for blood, but for lack of content.”””

Well now I can understand WHY you didn’t like it robo. I don’t agree with it but at least I can understand it. You didn’t like it because you didn’t understand it.

The movie isnt called “the life and time of J.C.” or “Jesus :word up” OR even “Jesus of Nazareth”. It was called “The PASSION”. The title itself tells you right off the bat what this film is about.

It is not the PASSION for pizza, or the PASSION of baseball. Or the PASSION for talking fish and dancing camels.

Its about specifically the last 12 hours of Jesus life.(with some other scenes intercut).

Its about the mental and physical suffering of Jesus in the hours before as well as his trial and execution by crucifixion.

The anguish of knowing WHO you are, and what you are to do. And what you have to GIVE, what you must sacrifice. To redeem the sins of the world.

No content? To know that you could leave or escape your situation at anytime, but choose to stay. To stay not because of the nails driven in you, but out of love. The agonizing fight between your human and heavenly wills as you struggle with your fate.

“No content”?

Is there really “No content” in that, robo?

And if there really is nothing in THAT to converse with and about….then surely the scenes/flashbacks of the saving of the prostitute from stoning….(”those without sin”)…with just the visuals, OR the washing of the disciples feet (“…The world will hate you, remember they hated me first…..they persecute me, they will also persecute you”).

OR yes, the ‘Sermon on the Mount’ segment (“…I say to you love you enemies and pray for those who persecute you…”)

Teachings that YOU say (for whatever reason), are not there.

The whole thing is about Christs ‘teachings’. The fact that you pass it off as a “blood fest” and that you didn’t like it because there was a “LACK of content” is kind of odd, robo.

I think that THAT is one of the truly astonishing things about this movie, And probably the reason that so many in your congregation found it ‘important’ Because it was respectful to Christianity and it was fairly accurate (with of course some creative license—for maximum impact). And THAT’S why it is in fact important. Because in today’s “movie world” those two things are usually absent when making a “Christian” movie.

Your congregation understood what the “PASSION” is, and what it means.

I’m sorry that you didn’t, and that you walked out of the theater ‘numb’ and missing what the whole point was.

NOTE: For the record; ‘Jesus of Nazareth’ is a GREAT movie as well. And yeah, I love it for what it documents. As I love “THE PASSION” for EXACTLY what IT documents. In all of its harsh reality. (as well as its beauty. ). Some things you can’t water down. Just so one feels more comfortable when they’re eating their popcorn.

I don’t mean to sound like I’m judging you, robo. No doubt you’re going to use that as a defense. I just strongly disagree with you. And if you’re “HIGH PROFILE director wanted to know more”, and you said nothing about any of the facts, or the bits of the movie that I pointed out to you. Then let it be shown that once again, you listened but said nothing.

Again though (in your defense), I know how difficult it can be, especially in the industry that we both know.

JOBLESSNESS AND HOW IT HAPPENED

Robo says:::

“””This thing that happened between me and Sony was a long process. it wasn't over one thing, it was over many things over a period of months. I was driving 2 and a half hours a day to a job that was stressing me out to the point I couldn't sleep. I'd very often fall asleep at the wheel. The situation was so bad that it affected my health AND my marriage. You know, REAL LIFE.
You weren't there, you know nothing. I'd have sucked it up and just did as I was told, I might be dead. I am not exaggerating.
Looking back was it worth it? Yes. I have my heath back, and my marriage is back on course.”””

Robo …that’s my whole point and your just underlining what I’m saying. If you look back at my “ROBO” post on this very blog, that’s exactly what I’m talking about.

I said “You DO NOT get fired.” Not over dancing bears and singin fish. If it’s a problem that simply can’t be worked out…and you’ve tried everything and your just miserable, You (as I said way back when) you pack up your crayons and you go to somewhere else. You don’t blow your top and get fired. There’s no control of the situation in that. If your ‘stressed, not sleeping” and especially if its affecting your health and your marriage…you go somewhere else. You don’t risk everything for the toons. NOT singing horses or the next fart gag. You go somewhere else.

Robo says::

“””And I now work at one of the best cartoon studios in the world.
When I came up here, I discovered that most of the people who work here shared my experience in one studio or another. Many were labeled "pains in the ass….you'll find that a lot of people in this business have had similar experiences; Teddy Newton, Brad Bird, Kirk Wise, Glean Keane, John Lasseter, Mark Andrews etc. ".””

Robo, I don’t care if any or all of those people got fired. It doesn’t make it a good thing. Is that really what you want to hang your hat on? Do you think your wife would think that that’s a good rout to go, and a badge of honor? I have loads of respect for people that go and do ‘their thing’ (which is one of the reasons I like Mel Gibson, because he is doing is own thing), that takes a lot of guts. For someone to say, “Screw this. Cant make it work here”. That takes a lot of courage to make that decision. Getting fired is letting the circumstance make the decision FOR you. Not good.

Your talented, you could have gotten into that studio WITHOUT getting fired. You make it sound as if you couldn’t have UNLESS you DID get fired.

BUT you are NOW at that studio …with the SAME MENTALITY.

Again, not good.

Do you remember robo, when I said that you were ‘undisciplined’? Do you remember that? Do you remember the context of that comment?

I remember being astonished when you wrote back. You wrote back “he calls me undisciplined“,… and then you proceed to tell me about what ‘art program’ you were learning (I think it was ‘flash’).

The reason I called you ‘undisciplined’ was due to you saying that your into martial arts and wanted to fight me, because you didn’t like what I was saying to countsy…waaaaaaay back on the ‘lest ye be offended’ thread. Remember that?

YOU don’t even know me, and yet you assume what? Man…that’s pretty dangerous. You pull that out in the street and your gonna get your self killed by some numb nut gang member one of these days man.

That’s why I called you ‘undisciplined’. You have that same mentality when you said “no more” and got fired.

It’s something that you obviously need to work on. Something we all need to work on in some fashion. Although when I hear you…it doesn’t sound as if you’ve learned anything by the way your saying “well so and so have many of the same experiences and blah blah blah”.

You probably STILL don’t know what I’m talking about. And will probably tell me in another post “WHAT DO YOU MEAN UNDISCIPLINED?? I’M learning the latest version of ‘Photoshop’. HA!”

Robo says::

“””Now I work at a place where……..and CHIPPY AND LOOPUS…Texture? Yeah, …I…””..

dancing monkeys and singin fish…Just keep it in perspective robo.

I think that we covered the more important stuff robo. And I hope that there is better clarity now.

I don’t know if I’m going to be able to post again till the new year..(Although I do still owe countsy a proper ass wuppin). So I will say to you..Have a good Christmas, and to your family I wish nothing but the very best to. To you as well countsy (believe it or not).

A Merry CHRISTMAS and a safe and bountiful New Year!

HANDEL

countsy, Searle, Full metal jacket . and the "P" word.

Ha! this is great!!

countsy says::

"""This jerk is so in love with himself, he probably wishes he could fuck himself in the ass, and then feel like a champ cuz he's giving himself a reacharound.""

I reply, by saying that while funny, I thought that I may have heard that before...
to which HE responds..:

countsy:::
"""WRONG! Unless you can provide proof and show me that somewhere else, that is mine! You may be thinking R. Lee Ermey in "Full Metal Jacket" when he tells a recruit "You look like the kind of guy who would fuck another guy in the ass and not even have the goddamn common courtesy to give him a reacharound!" Similar? Yes. Butt the same? No....What I won't sit back and tolerate is accusations of plagiarism."""

Thats great!!
Its a little like saying: "Once upon a time, in a land far, far away...."
But saying it THIS way: "Once upon a time, in a PLACE, far, far, FAR away...."

I've never seen a better defense for a lack of creativity than what you just stated.
And I never accused you of 'plagerism'. (I prefer to just let your work be it written or drawn, speak for itself..)
I said it once....I'll say it again;
State of the industry.

PS: robo...getting to your reply,,might take a day or so..busy busy. Read it if you like..or not. Your choice.

HAPPY AIDS DAY EVERYONE!!

HAVE YA HUGGED YOUR SEXUALLY TRANSMITTED DISEASE TODAY?

While its important to remember compassion Lets also try and be honest when talking about this disease and the fact that it is for the most part, for THE MOST part, preventable.

ps: robo, I see your part three of which I thought was to be the last of your posts. But now I see you've posted another, of which I havent gotton around to reading yet.
Your part three, is a good one. A little confusing but a good post. And I'll address it. You can choose to read it if you like or choose to just not bother with it. Your choice.
Note: I will probably be taking down those posts from my bloggy within a week. Due to freeing up space. Our little private talkie turned out to be a 'wordy' one. So if your going to read it, check it within one week.

Happy Aids day man!