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Clay Jones blog archive
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Turkey - Nov. 24, 2009 1:46 pm - Show/hide this post
I hate the holiday cliche cartoons. I got through Halloween without any and almost made it through Thanksgiving (not counting the cartoon I'll have to do for Thursday which will be all about giving thanks and blah blah blah because my editor loves those kind of cartoons and it's required here). I don't feel too bad about drawing this turkey, and I actually like drawing turkeys. They're fun. I hate drawing anything Christmas. Every cliche for Christmas is boring like Santa, Xmas trees, candy canes, elves, reindeer, etc. I promise I won't draw anyone sitting on Santa's lap with a wish list.
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Caption Contest #51 Winner - Nov. 23, 2009 6:51 pm - Show/hide this post
This week's winner is a three-time winner. Eric Hennessey of Spotsylvania took 93 votes in our weekly challenge to win his third original cartoon along with having it printed in Tuesday's Free Lance-Star on page two. I'm not sure how Eric is going to handle all this fame. Coming in second with 82 votes is Mary Lou Russell of Hartwood who submitted "Shucks! I’ve been practicing my fist bump all week". Coming in third with 56 votes is Calvin Williams of King George who submitted "Now hop on one leg and sing the Japanese National Anthem". Coming in fourth with 26 votes is Justin Lewis of Fredericksburg who submitted "The U.S. economy is worse than we thought. He is trying to shine my shoes". *NOTE* There will not be a contest this week because of Thanksgiving. Bill Freehling, our weekly challenge coordinater, and i will both be out of the office Thursday and Friday. Also, we don't think people will focus much on a contest during a holiday. So concentrate on eating Turkey and watching football. The contest will return next Tuesday, December 1.
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Oprah - Nov. 20, 2009 6:28 pm - Show/hide this post
I drew this for my syndicate. My paper didn't kill it. In fact, I didn't show it to my editor. I drew a local cartoon for Sunday and focused on drawing it for the paper. I did this as a bonus for Creators Syndicate.
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Check!!! - Nov. 20, 2009 2:00 pm - Show/hide this post
I don't know if the check is in the mail or if it's check mate. Ha! Ha! Ha! See what I did there? Ya know, that thing with the pun? I kinda subtly put it in. Oh, never mind! Carry on with your Friday.
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Going Rouge - Nov. 19, 2009 1:05 pm - Show/hide this post
Several Palin cartoons ago, I mispelled "rogue" and made it "rouge". Thankfully, a copy editor caught it. Today, I spelled "rouge" intentionally. I think I kinda freaked out the copy editor, not that it's the first time.
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James Monroe - Nov. 18, 2009 1:56 pm - Show/hide this post
I thought of a lot of diferent ideas on this issue, but I didn't want to beat up on James Monroe High School. To me, it seems like an honest mistake, and not just on the coaches part. Editorial cartoons aren't mean to be fair, but yesterday I didn't feel like being unfair to a bunch of 50 students, not counting the rest of the school, who didn't do anything contribute to this problem. All those kids did was go out and win a bunch of footballs games and qualified for the playoffs then had it taken away from them from someone else's oversight. So this cartoon's kinda light. No, I didn't trace the drawing. I did study it however. Yeah, I've used the Lucy football things one time too many. I've also used the Lucy psychiatry booth idea one time too many. Sorry for being lame, but at least I'm not doing a ton of movie or Wizard Of Oz analogies. I hate those Oz analogies.
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Caption Contest #51 - Nov. 17, 2009 6:27 pm - Show/hide this post
Use our ultra handy online entry form to enter this week's caption contest. Your deadline is NOON Thursday. From there four of the best will be posted on the weekly challenge for readers to vote on the winner. The winner will be announced on this blog next Monday and the cartoon will run with his or her winning caption, inked in by me, on page two of Tuesday's Free Lance-Star. The winner also receives the original art work.
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bowing too low - Nov. 17, 2009 1:12 pm - Show/hide this post
Any misstep Obama makes has conservatives howling. It's bad enough they make stuff up about the guy, so he doesn't need to give them ammo. But hey, at least he didn't try to give one a back rub (W. to Germany's FEMALE chancellor) or throw up on anyone (George H.W. Bush on a visit to Japan).
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Caption Contest #50 Winner - Nov. 16, 2009 3:31 pm - Show/hide this post
Receiving 140 votes in our Weekly Challenge makes Bob Huffman of Hartwood this week's winner. Bob wins the original cartoon with his caption inked in by me. It also runs in tomorrow's Free Lance-Star on page two. Coming in second with 52 votes is Steve McCormick of Fredericksburg who submitted "Protests at home likely". Coming in third with 44 votes is James Bapple of Stafford who submitted "Will I win the Heisman Trophy?". Coming in fourth with 24 votes is Stanley R. Kennedy of Fredericksburg who submitted "You the man". Come back tomorrow for contest #51. We're on our way to 100, which should take us another year or so.
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Acting Gay - Nov. 16, 2009 1:45 pm - Show/hide this post
This is last Friday's toon. I should've posted it then but I had to hurry out of town to speak at a student journalism conference in Washington. Of course I was late. Sorry, kids.
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Blackwater - Nov. 12, 2009 1:41 pm - Show/hide this post
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Caption Contest #50 - Nov. 10, 2009 2:53 pm - Show/hide this post
Can you believe we're up to number 50? That's fifty contests. 50 winners. 50 drawings. 50 times I've had to walk through the office asking someone to stop what they're doing and read a gazillion captions. At least 50 hours of work into this thing. When I think about doing 50 more...I kinda wanna stick an ice pick into my head. No, no no...it's fun.  To enter this week's caption contest use our ultra handy online entry form. Your deadline is Noon Thursday. Friday, we'll post the top four in our weekly challenge and let you decide who wins. Winner gets the original cartoon with their caption inked in by me...along with having it printed in next Tuesday's Free Lance-Star on page two.
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Caption Contest #49 Winner - Nov. 9, 2009 2:32 pm - Show/hide this post
Receiving 97 votes in our Weekly Challenge makes Joe Stange of Orange this week's caption contest winner. Joe wins the original cartoon along with having it run in tomorrow's Free Lance-Star on page two. Coming in second with 86 votes is Samu Qureshi of Bethesda/Montgomery, Maryland who submitted "We would have made the playoffs, if it wasn’t for you meddling fans!". Coming in third with 61 votes is Mike Shaner of Stafford who submitted "Don’t push me. L.A. Redskins has a nice ring to it. Tom Cruise and I have been talking about moving, not movies". Coming in fourth with 27 votes is Charles Osborne Squires of Fredericksburg who submited "From my own wife? That tears it!".
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Muhammad - Nov. 9, 2009 2:56 am - Show/hide this post
This cartoon is pretty mean. I'm against the death penalty in most cases, but not in this one. Here's the rough to show you how simple something can look as I present it ot my editor. 
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GOP Wins!!! - Nov. 9, 2009 2:20 am - Show/hide this post
I like this cartoon. I thought it was funny. I drew it Thursday and it was on the page for Friday. The shooting rampage at Fort Hood bumped it and it didn't run until Sunday. I still think it's funny.
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Redneck!!! - Nov. 6, 2009 3:37 am - Show/hide this post
This is just for my syndicate...oh and the blog. It's not the position of my employer but that's cool. I can still draw it. I'm very much in favor of gay marriage. Actually, I'm anti-all-marriages. But hey if two hetero drunkards can meet in Vegas and wake up the next morning not knowing who they just married...then why can't gay and lesbian couples who've been together for a decade tie the knot? The anti-gay marriage folks talk about the sanctity of marriage. Hey, your marriage is what you make of it. It's not like heterosexuals have done a great job defending the sanctity of marriage. But hey, if I ever do get married again it will be in Vegas and an Elvis impersonator will be conducting the ceremony. Don't hold your breath.
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Fort Hood - Nov. 5, 2009 8:58 pm - Show/hide this post
I had a cartoon on the page. I started working on another one for my syndicate that my editor rejected. Around 7:30 my editor called me and asked me to do a memorial type cartoon on Fort Hood. So I put one toon aside, had the completed one yanked off the page and started working on this. It's not a great cartoon. It's a rush job. I don't mind the art being a rush job as much as I mind the idea being a rush. Sometimes you pull great things out of that...other times, not so much. I think it's OK for a memorial cartoon. I don't like memorial cartoons but I really can't complain about them. I think they're justified. By the way, I was born in Fort Hood. I have my father's military year book from 1966 (kinda looks like a high school year book) that I'll cherish forever. I have pulled a lot of late nights this week in this office. UPDATE: Full clarity here for a mistake in the blog until I corrected it. At first I mentioned "Fort Benning" in the headline knowing full and well it was Fort Hood. C'mon, I was born there. Fort Benning always gets stuck in my head because when I was a teenager living in Georgia I lived very close to that base. Anyway, I was out and called one of our web gurus, Alex Russell, who's always there to help me in a jam. He changed the headline. But since I'm the kind of guy that doesn't mess up once, but twice, I also had "Fort Benning" in the text. So now at 2:23 AM I'm in the office correcting that. Shout out to my best friend Kate Leiss for texting me to alert me about the mistakes (PLURAL). Hopefully, I won't screw anything else up this week.
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Yak and Mac - Nov. 5, 2009 2:49 pm - Show/hide this post
The two candidates against the VRE plans in Spotsylvania lost. Probably the only Republicans to lose in Virginia on Tuesday.
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Election Night!!! - Nov. 3, 2009 10:56 pm - Show/hide this post
It's been a long day. I went through several ideas before I settled on one I liked...or before I thought of one I liked. 
This was not in the stack I took to my editor for approval. We decided on one and just before I started drawing I got this idea. I caught my editor just as he was turning out his office lights and locking his door. It was 9:30. By 10:00 it was drawn and turned in for the editorial page. Election nights are always the most fun nights in the newspaper business...and the most stressful. This cartoon is very rough looking but sometimes I really dig the way they turn out. 
This was the first rough which was quickly rejected. i was told to leave my editor's office immediately. I turned this one in around 2:00 PM. It was gonna be a long day. 
This is the idea we settled on. I wasn't in love with it and it wasn't great. I also didn't like that it wasn't an opinion, it's all fact. That's no fun. I'm glad I came up with the "paper cuts" idea to overrule this one. 
This one sucks. It's not accurate. Most people didn't have Obama on their mind while voting. But I was grasping for straws when I came up with this stinker. 
I liked this one. McDonnell ran as a moderate while he's actually a very strict social conservative. Of course it was killed. 
Again, grasping at straws. I thought it was kinda funny. 
This was the first "sweep" idea. Ya know, since Republicans swept all three statewide races. But this rough and idea really, really, really bores me. 
While I was sitting around trying to come up with an idea, I was itching to draw. So I spent that idea time working on McDonnell's caricature. I'm sure I'll get plenty of practice in over the next four years.
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Caption Contest #49 - Nov. 3, 2009 10:17 pm - Show/hide this post
Yes, we're going to pick on Dan Snyder once again. To enter our caption contest use our ultra handy online entry form. Your deadline is NOON Thursday. Our trusty office judges will pick their top four and we'll post them on the Weekly Challenge this Friday for everyone to vote on their favorite. The winner will receive the original cartoon with their caption inked in by me along with having it printed in next Tuesday's Free Lance-Star on page two.
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Election Day - Nov. 3, 2009 1:52 pm - Show/hide this post
Things are not looking so good for the Democrats this time around. Let's see, Obama turned Virginia into a purple state. Virginia has had two Democrat governors in a row. The Republicans are basically a party without a message. So how did the Democrats blow this?
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Caption Contest #48 Winner - Nov. 2, 2009 12:05 pm - Show/hide this post
This week's winner is Aaron Tlumack of Fredericksburg who won in a landslide in our weekly challenge receiving 174 votes. Aaron wins the original cartoon along with having it run in tomorrow's Free Lance-Star on page two. Coming in second with 52 votes is Mary Raye Cox of Falmouth who submitted "Left at Balloon Boy; Right at the Space Station; just think of the frequent flyer miles!!". Coming in third with 31 votes is Belinda Fletcher who submitted "Where’s Capt. Sully when you need him?". Coming in fourth with 12 votes is Bill Kail of Bumpass who submitted "Welcome to Wilderness Walmart!". Toon in tomorrow for the next contest.
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Milde - Nov. 2, 2009 11:05 am - Show/hide this post
For the most part, I've avoided Halloween cliches this season. This comes close. I did not draw any trick or treaters, pumpkins, ghosts, witches, goblins, etc. Now if I can get through November without drawing a turkey I'll be somewhat unique in this industry.
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Costume - Oct. 28, 2009 1:59 pm - Show/hide this post
Creigh Deeds is failing to harness even a little of that Obama magic that gave the state to the Dems last year. On another note: This is the first cartoon I've done with a Halloween theme this year...and I think it'll be the only one. But I succeeded in NOT having kids trick or treating which is done by everybody, at least more than once. Two years ago I did a countdown of every Halloween cliche/themed cartoon I could find. It wasn't entirely accurate but it had to have been close. It was a huge number. The winner was going to receive all the Halloween candy I could swipe from the staff Halloween party. You'd think that would make the rest of the nation's editorial cartoonists angry at me, but all I got was letters from them asking for the candy. I seriously plan to do it each Halloween, but that was a lot of work. The only reason I haven't done it again is because it's so much work and I think the only people who enjoyed the feature were other cartoonists. Anyway, I've been picking on Creigh Deeds a LOT lately...but he deserves it. I think the state was set up on a silver platter for him to win and he's blown it. Don't worry. After Bob McDonnell is elected I'll have plenty of chances to beat up on him.
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Fore! - Oct. 27, 2009 1:50 pm - Show/hide this post
Much is being made of Obama's golf games. He's played 24 games since being inaugurated which is a lot of golf, especially for a busy man. People are mostly comparing it to how little the last president played. I didn't want to compare that. Bush wasn't on the golf courses much but he was on his bike rides at least 140 times after the war started. He also spent over 365 days of his administration at his ranch in Texas. I don't know how much it affects the job of a president when he plays a round of golf, a pickup game of basketball, rides his bike or stops for a photo-op with Stevie Wonder. I'm just saying when you're seen goofing off, it kinda looks bad.
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Caption Contest #47 Winner - Oct. 26, 2009 4:42 pm - Show/hide this post
We didn't use the Weekly Challenge this week as my schedule clashed with Bill Freehling's. No biggie, we just judged it in-house where the judges as just as insane as our regular readers. This week's winner is Sandy Bodolay of Stafford. Sandy wins the original cartoon along with having it run on page two of tomorrow's Free Lance-Star. First runner up is Dave Kitterman of King George who submitted "has Falcon crested?".
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Security!!! - Oct. 26, 2009 1:42 pm - Show/hide this post
University of Mary Washington Prez Judy Hample made a prank...er...test phone call to campus security to test their reaction. At graduation, Hample refused to shake anyone's hand citing concern for swine flu. I'm not sure anyone will remember that but my editor did.
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Interracial Marriage - Oct. 22, 2009 1:33 pm - Show/hide this post
Usually when someone says "I'm not a racist...but"...that means they're probably a racist. A judge in Jerkwater Parish, Louisiana denied a marriage license to an interracial couple. He says from his experience children from interracial couples don't do well in life. I'm thinking his experience is looking down on people. Here's the thing: A judge in Louisiana doesn't HAVE to marry people. He's also elected. It takes the state supreme court to decide if he's negligent or not up to his job for them to remove him. Even though he doesn't HAVE to marry people, I think he's negligent when he's picking and choosing based on skin color. For that they can throw him out. He's also displayed a prejudice which can carry over to his other judgements. For that they can throw him out. He's also not judging everyone equally if skin color is an option. For that they can throw him out. They can also throw him out for being a huge embarrasing wart on the ass of the state of Louisiana. Throw him out. I'm from Louisiana. It's not all a bunch of racists with pickup trucks with bass boats behind them. I know several liberals down there with bass boats. I really liked today's cartoon which for me, makes up for the cartoon the day before which I didn't like.
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- Oct. 21, 2009 11:38 am - Show/hide this post
This was the second toon submitted and quite frankly, I'm not sure it works that well. I was afraid it was giving the impression Fox News was on Obama's side, or that Robert Gibbs was working for Fox News....which is quite the opposite. After it was done I had to explain to a couple people in the news room who Robert Gibbs was, like a copy editor and my editor. I think the killed cartoon worked much better because of it's simplicity. 
My editor didn't think it worked because Obama was only after one media outlet and he said Republicans were after all of them, which I disagreed with. The GOP was just as selective. Plus, my editor didn't know there was a news story involving Fox and Obama.
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Caption Contest #47 - Oct. 20, 2009 6:58 pm - Show/hide this post
For the caption contest I like to take something that's a cliche or overdone by America's crop of editorial cartoonists. I like to see if our submissions are better than what the professionals are contributing. Usually they are. To enter this week's contest use our ultra handy online entry form. It's easy. Your deadline is NOON Thursday. Winner gets the original cartoon with their caption inked in by me along with having it run in next Tuesday's Free Lance-Star.
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Balloon - Oct. 20, 2009 1:44 pm - Show/hide this post
My editor didn't want any cartoons on the balloon boy thing...but he was out yesteday HAHAHAHA!!!! And honestly, the story changed since we talked about it. It doesn't take a genius to see this is Zorn's last season in Washington. They took control of the offense away from him yesterday...and usually the head coach assigns job duties to his coaches...but not in Washington. I hear how the team is in such shambles it's going to be hard to attract a premiere coach like Bill Cowhan or Mike Shanahan, but I think the way they run the team is also a deterring factor. I suppose if the 'Skins runs the talbes and wins each remaining game with Sherman Lewis calling the plays, maybe Jim Zorn will keep his job. Know what's really bad? This isn't Jim Zorn's fault and he's going to be burned by this. Hopefully he can recover like Norv Turner. Jim Zorn became a head football coach way too early in his career. Now it'll take him even longer for another opportunity. And who knows, maybe Jim Zorn will make a great head football coach someday.
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Caption Contest #46 Winner - Oct. 19, 2009 11:12 am - Show/hide this post
This week's winner is Rob Huffman of Spotsylvania. I've lost track of how many times Rob has won this contest. He's headed to the Caption Contest Hall Of Fame. Rob received 98 votes in the Weekly Challenge. He gets the original cartoon and having his winning entry printed on page two of Tuesday's Free Lance-Star. Coming in second with 81 votes is Gordon Yarboro of Fredericksburg who submitted "Now that’s an Obama-nation!". Coming in third with 58 votes is Jerry Payne of Stafford who submitted "Wow, the Cracker Jacks prize that I won wasn’t that big!". Coming in fourth with 22 votes is Rich Mason of Alexandria who submitted "In elephant land we call that "Mission Accomplished!".
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Stupid - Oct. 19, 2009 10:07 am - Show/hide this post
As a cartoonist a good sign you don't have someone's caricature down is when you look up your subject's photo on Google Image. As people come into the news and stick around, your caricature of them changes over time (at least mine does...a LOT). I can look at the early George W. Bush and even last year's drawings of Obama and the way I draw them has changed. The cool thing is I don't even think about it when I draw them and don't look up any photos. Tim Kaine is the same way (I never really did Mark Warner's drawing that well). For a subject's caricature to become like second nature, they have to stick around for a while. It's not looking good for Creigh Deeds, who may be gone and totally out of the news in November.
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Killed Ideas - Oct. 16, 2009 4:46 pm - Show/hide this post
Here's a few roughs to some ideas killed by the editor. I'm not saying any of these shouldn't have been killed. Maybe all three weren't worthy. You decide. The Rush ideas weren't killed because the topic was a "NO-NO". There were three ideas presented to my editor and he picked what he thought was the funniest one, and I agreed. 
I actually liked this one. It made a bit of a statement while playing off the title to Al Franken's book. 
This one is stupid. My editor asked "what does that mean" and even though I created it I had to say "I really don't know". I presented this idea with three others so I didn't take it upstairs expecting a lot out of it. 
I liked this idea. My editor's first response was "been a while since you've done anything local" and I replied "yeah, like yesterday". Editor then banned anything on balloon boy which means it's a great subject to cover. He might be right though as I know a lot of people were like "wow...three hours on a stupid news story that turned out to be a non-story. However, I bet I see a syndicated balloon boy cartoon in the paper within a week.
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Oh yeah - Oct. 15, 2009 2:05 pm - Show/hide this post
All the information in the previous blog (underneath this one) was provided by Emily Battle's blog. She has more information on city business and the Mayor's comments in her blog. Go check it out. I forgot to give her that shout out.
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Penalty - Oct. 15, 2009 2:02 pm - Show/hide this post
At Tuesday night's city council meeting Mayor Tomzak blasted downtown merchants who opposed the Capital Ale House Oktoberfest. Tomzak said "In the six years I have been mayor, I have not seen the downtown merchants come forward with one positive effort with regards to an event,". Tomzak has been mayor for just over five years. He also said "Why don't they put up capital for an event ... instead of just criticizing other events." I think he's correct for the most part. But I think a lot of his rant was more personal than productive. I'm also thinking since he's being more combative than diplomatic that he has zero intentions of running for reelection. Maybe the Drunken Tree Sloth will come out of political retirement yet.
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Squash - Oct. 14, 2009 12:26 pm - Show/hide this post
Obama seems to be taking a page from the Republican's playbook by criticizing the media. That or he bought stock in Fox and figured his administration criticizing it would make their viewership go up. I'm not a fan of Fox (I think the Daily Show is more accurate) but if you're going to fight someone who controls the message, you lose.
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Zombieland - Oct. 12, 2009 10:56 pm - Show/hide this post
I'm not a big fan of using movie metaphors for cartoons. I think they're tiresome. I had to break my rule for Zombieland because I just think it's the most kick ass movie I've seen in a long time. I don't even like horror movies, but I like zombie movies. Go figure. I rarely go to the theater but I went twice for Zombieland. The second time I rounded up a bunch of friends and there must have been ten of us. When we get to the theater they tell us they ripped the film for Zombieland. I asked why couldn't they rip the Tyler Perry movie instead? Hell, that'd probably be a public service. So I Google the movie time at the OTHER theater in town and we had 20 minutes to get there. We all know movies start later than advertised because of all the ads and trailers, so that really only gave us about three hours and fifteen minutes to get there. Anyway, my friends have discovered I'm right....always. If I tell you to go see a movie you should go. My friend Kate even bought me a box of Twinkies to thank me for my stellar judgement. Don't get the Twinkie reference? Go see Zombieland. Have I mentioned it's the most kick ass movie I've seen in a long time? Concerning the cartoon: I thought mindless zombies was a good comparison to all these Obamacons out there. I like that word. "Obamacons". I don't think I've seen that used yet. I should copyright it. Hours after drawing this I realize I should have included one more zombie yelling "TEA BAG!!!".
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Caption Contest #45 Winner - Oct. 12, 2009 10:45 pm - Show/hide this post
This week's winner is a two-time winner. Eric Hennessey of Spotsylvania won several months ago so his wall is going to look really tacky with all that Clay Jones art hanging up there. Eric's also a friend of mine but that doesn't disqualify anyone. If anything, friends should win more often just for having to put up with me. Seriously and honestly, I didn't realize Eric's submission was even one of the top contenders until after he won and he looked to the left of the form to get the name. So there was no judge bias here as I didn't judge it and the readers picked it. I'm just clarifying here. Eric got 81 votes from the Weekly Challenge and he wins the original art along with having it run on page two of Tuesday's Free Lance-Star. Coming in second with 74 votes is Karen Donnelly of Louisa who submitted "And #1 on "Creepy things to be this Halloween," darn, folks, it’s ME!". Coming in third with 59 votes is Pat Southwick of Spotsylvania who submitted "Regina, Stephanie, ... oops, I picked up the wrong list". Coming in fourth with 37 votes is Rob Huffman of Spotsylvania who submitted "The number one thing I wish I’d done? Kept on my Worldwide Pants". I thought that was going to be our winner. Go figure.
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Ecstatic - Oct. 12, 2009 2:02 pm - Show/hide this post
I always hate having a typo in a cartoon. I think it totally defeats the punch, message, everything. People will focus on the typo. That being said, there was a typo in the print edition. There can be seven typos in one day's sports section, but put one typo in three years into a cartoon and it's much more noticable. I fixed it for the blog and mailing out for the syndicate. Bad thing is, this cartoon went through four people and nobody caught it. Must have been one of those "can't wait to get out of here because it's Friday" things.
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Oktoberfest - Oct. 8, 2009 2:07 pm - Show/hide this post
I love a good local issue. Who would have thought bringing 7500 people downtown would be so partisan?
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Stutter - Oct. 7, 2009 1:54 pm - Show/hide this post
My editor argued against this cartoon. He didn't think Creigh Deeds has a real speech impediment and doubted Sheila Johnson was making fun of him. A couple of colleagues went to bat for the cartoon. Sometimes my editor has a weird standard that can change from toon to toon depending on what day it is, the weather and what he had for lunch. Just kidding. Either way, Ms. Johnson was making fun of stutterers. I'm not trying to do that with this cartoon though I'm sure someone will say I am. I stuttered when I was a kid. It must not have been that big of an issue for me as a years worth of speech classes pretty much got rid of it. Now I just mumble occasionally, usually to myself. My son has a few speaking issues which I think he's mostly overcome. I know when someone stutters or has trouble communicating, they're more frustrated than the person they're talking to. I'm glad I was able to get this cartoon.
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Palin Letterman - Oct. 6, 2009 1:07 pm - Show/hide this post
Originally I was going to poke fun at Palin about her upcoming book. I mean c'mon! Four months to write a book? It took my band six months to make a 30 minute album. I hope it's a pop-up book. But then I figured I should hit David Letterman. A few months ago he made a joke at Palin's daughter's expense, about being knocked up by Alex Rodriguez. I thought how funny for Letterman to make fun about someone else's libido. I always liked Letterman over other talk show hosts, until Jon Stewart came around. I don't see how Letterman can do a stand up routine over anything that involves sex. I think he has a handicap. Most cartoonists are doing a Letterman top-ten list cartoon, so I figured I'd go this route.
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Caption Contest #44 Winner - Oct. 5, 2009 5:01 pm - Show/hide this post
This week's winner is Larry J. King of King George. Larry's caption got 80 votes in our weekly challenge. He wins the original cartoon with his caption inked in by me, along with having his entry printed on page two of tomorrow's Free Lance-Star. Coming in second with 77 votes is Michael Tomeo of Spotsylvania who submitted "Go ahead, Charlie...I mean Jim. You can trust me!". Coming in third with 67 votes is John Williams of Spotsylvania who submitted "If you make it you stay. If you miss, I am the new coach". Coming in fourth with 22 votes is Meredith Rinko of King George who submitted "If I kick where I want to kick we won’t win either."
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Racists! - Oct. 5, 2009 1:15 pm - Show/hide this post
Defenders of Obama, The Obaminos, can't call anyone who disagrees with Obama a "racist". Of course, critics of Obama, Obaminators, shouldn't be racists either. It's like that great line in that great Nirvana song, "Just because you're paranoid doesn't mean they're not after you". I'm surprised Obama didn't win over the Olympic Committee. He had Oprah on his side for God's sake. If Obama and Oprah together can't schmooze over a bunch of lefty Europeans then what do we have left? I'm not sure if this cashes in any of his political capital. Republicans will fight him on everything no matter what his polls say. But the right loves to read any sign of defeat as the end of Obama's reign.
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Running Shoes - Oct. 2, 2009 3:05 pm - Show/hide this post
I believe Michael Vick deserves a second chance. He's served his punishment, he's still on probation, and everyone who does that deserves a second shot. But I think for now that sticks to having a job in the NFL. It's too early, and crazy, to start peddling stuff with his name on it. Maybe subconsciouly I was committed to getting a dog in a cartoon this week. I tried to do one on the pit bull situation but my editor felt it was too strong. He suggested I do a cartoon on dogs barking instead of the dog killing a child. I refused because I thought that would reflect badly on us (ignore the big story concerning a death, and focus instead on the story concerning annoyance). Besides, I've been guilty of having a barking dog and I don't like to throw stones from my glass house. Have you ever heard a Beagle bark? If you live in my neighborhood you have...HAHAHAHAHA!!!! OK, not funny and I think I've fixed the situation. Blogs Numbers Speaking of dogs and stuff like that: Yesterday our Internet editor guru guy Brian Baer gave us the blog numbers. This wasn't numbers for which person's blog was receiving the most hits, but which individual blog received the highest number. The winner was Emily Battle (Congrats, Emily) and mine was second for a blog where I ranted on and on about my Beagle. I've always told cartoonists to stick a dog in your cartoon and people like it (cats, not so much....birds, not so much and fish don't even register). Apparently that goes for blogs too. Anyway, thanks to all of you for making me number two. I'm number two!!! I'm number two!!!
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Muhammad - Oct. 1, 2009 1:47 pm - Show/hide this post
I wasn't sure if this cartoon worked then my editor wasn't sure, which made me sure it did work. HAHA. This was my third idea yesterday, the first one killed because it was too strong and the other because it wasn't local.
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Roman Polanski - Sep. 30, 2009 11:34 am - Show/hide this post
There's currently a left Vs. right thing over Roman Polanski. The guy was convicted over 30 years ago (admitted his guilt) of messing around with a 13 year old girl. Libs point out how it's been 30 years and we should let it go and by the way, he's wonderful and creative and gobbly gook whatever. When he won an Oscar in recent years he got a standing ovation, of which he wasn't there to witness in person because he's been on the lam for 30 years. The right's argument is he's a pedophile who never served his punishment....and ya know....that's not a crazy viewpoint. The guy's a pedophile. He wasn't driving above the speed limit 30 years ago. He didn't make a mistake with drugs. He violated a 13 year old girl. We're supposed to just let it go? What, he's paid the price of the torture of having to live in France for the rest of his life? Have you been to France? They have like a gazillion cheeses over there so it's not that bad. Plus, he's spent a lot of that time married to ANOTHER movie star and having babies with her.....his life doesn't suck. Did I mention the cheese? I like the art in this one. I prefer when my cartoons are darker as they seem to leap off the page. My editor joked that some people might think we're advocating rape in prison. Yes, I advocate rapists and pedophiles being raped in prison....OK, not really. Well, maybe. Here's the rough. 
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Caption Contest #44 - Sep. 29, 2009 6:22 pm - Show/hide this post
The caption contest is back! To enter use our ultra handy online entry form. Your deadline is NOON Thursday. It's like voting in Chicago, you can enter as many times as you want. We'll take the four best entries and put them in our Weekly Challenge and let the readers pick the very best. Winner gets the original cartoon with their caption inked in by me. He or She also gets the cartoon printed in next Tuesday's Free Lance-Star on page two.
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Zorn/Snyder - Sep. 29, 2009 1:42 pm - Show/hide this post
Last week I was thinking how Detroit would probably win their first game in about two years over the Redskins because it would be proof just how much the Redskins suck. For all you Redskin fans, take solace in the fact that my team, the New Orleans Saints, is 3-0. Doesn't that make you feel better? It worked for me. I was afraid they'd fire Zorn before the end of the day yesterday and this cartoon would be outdated immediately. I think they should keep Zorn for the remainder of the season. It's unfair to Zorn he was even hired as a head coach. Now he's going to get fired and never get the opportunity to be a head coach again, like in the future when he has more experience and would actually make a good head coach.
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I'm back - Sep. 28, 2009 2:18 pm - Show/hide this post
I like combining two news stories. But one critique here, I think my Wilder looks too much like a white guy. Lord knows Wilder will give me another shot. I'm back after two weeks. If I haven't replied to your phone call or email, just wait. I'm getting to it. I had a great time while I was out. I drove to Connecticut to pick up my drummer, drove back and we did two shows. One out in Tappahanock County near Warsaw with about 30 other bands. The next night was huge as it was our CD release party. Immediately after our second show the drummer and I jumped in the car and drove back north. He was supposed to wake up in Jersey and drive but he was too passed out, so I got to do the entire trip. The next morning I hit the road by myself headed north. I didn't know what road I was on or where it went, I just knew I was going north. I ended up in Maine and got a hotel by the ocean. After the hectic weekend, and over a year since my last vacation, it was nice to sit back someplace nobody knew me and unwind, even if it was just for a night. The next day I hit the road back to Virginia, got lost in the Bronx, got flipped off, found a White Castle, made it home and spent a fortune on tolls all week. I'm back, buy a CD. http://corporatetshirt.com
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Curse - Sep. 16, 2009 3:42 am - Show/hide this post
I came into the office Tuesday morning with an email from my editor, who's conservative, asking what I thought about the Bob McDonnell Faux Pas, as if I should do a toon on it. Here's what happened. McDonnell said the F-BOMB when he meant to say "funding". My first reaction was: So what? It's no big deal. That's still my reaction. I remember once in fifth grade I was living with my aunt and uncle because my mom wasn't around...and one day I was telling my aunt, my sister and a couple of female cousins how I wanted this prime seat in class, which you got by test scores....and when I said "seat" I accidentally said "sh*t". I was so embarrassed and they laughed really hard at it (and these were bible thumping, literally...they thumped bibles, Baptists). So I figure, if a fifth grader can do a faux pas then why not a candidate for governor? But I did this cartoon just because a Republican dropping an F-bomb is pretty #@%?>!!!*** funny. My editor, however, said "what does this tell you about a guy who would let that slip? I'm thinking..."...uh, he's human?". But editor actually had a slight issue with it....then my editor told me a dirty joke. OK...by his standards it was dirty. For my standards it was corny and the only dirt in it was the word "breast", plus I heard it years ago but laughed anyway as if it was the first time...and I got out of the office before he could tell me another one. Another funny about this issue: McDonnell's campaign is all "of course it was a faux pas...we know Bob doesn't use that kind of language". Yeah, right. Is there anyone who doesn't drop an F-bomb intentionally everday? If there is, I don't know that person (of course I work in a new room so maybe everyone in the real world refrains from that sort of language). Creigh Deeds responded with: we know it's a faux pas because we take him at his word. Idiot. Yo, Deeds. What you should have said was "we're not concerned with what he unintentionally says, but with what he intenionally says like stuff against abortion, women in general, homosexuals in general, anyone living in this century with a rational mind in general, etc, etc." On that note: I'm out of here. I'm driving to New England tomorrow to pick up a drummer and his drum kit. Our album comes out Saturday. We're playing Friday and Saturday night which is our CD release party. You're unaware? It's huge. Go to the band's site, Corporate T-Shirt, and you'll get the dirt on the best raw, punk, garge band with hooks and melodies on the East coast. Would I lie to you? I'll be back next Thursday.
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Caption Contest #43 Winner - Sep. 14, 2009 5:32 pm - Show/hide this post
This week's winner is Devon Rogers of Spotsylvania. Devon wins the original cartoon with his caption inked in by me, along with having it published in tomorrow's Free Lance-Star on page two. Runner up is Stanley Kennedy of Fredericksburg who submitted "and you want HIM to do his homework?". No Caption Contest For The Next Two Weeks That's right. I'll be out of the office from the middle of this week until the middle of next week which cuts into our regular schedule for the contest. Be patient. It'll be back in three weeks. Yes, I'll miss you too.
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- Sep. 14, 2009 2:19 pm - Show/hide this post
Several downtown businesses are upset that city countil granted Capitol Ale House to close down a block on Caroline Street, right where these businesses are. Yeah, The city council does seem to bend over for whatever the Ale House wants, and if told to jump, will ask how high, even in German (haha). The city council didn't alert these businesses that the idea was being discussed, considered, until it was a done deal. That's sloppy governing. But consider Capitol Ale House is paying for all of this, it will bring somewhere between an extra 3,000 to 7,000 people downtown on a busy Saturday thus creating more businesses for these people who won't have to do anything beyond their daily ordeal of being open. I do agree there's many instances where the city doesn't help downtown business enough and they actually hurt them. But I also see that a lot of these businesses don't help themselves. Unless it's a bar the sidewalks pretty much roll up at 5:00 PM. For example, if you're in the business of serving food, you shouldn't close and stop serving food at the most popular hour people want to eat.
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You Lie!!! - Sep. 11, 2009 2:39 pm - Show/hide this post
For some unintentional reason, my angry Republican kinda looks like Fred Thompson. I figured everyone in the country would be drawing 9/11 cartoons. I figured I could go a year without doing it, no disrespect intended, it's been eight years which means I've drawn eight cartoons on it. Also, my editor is out of town and he's not here to make me. Most memorial cartoons you see today will be ones you saw last year and the year before that, etc. I did see a couple of really good 9/11 cartoons, one by Matt Davies. He actually made it topical. Another's by Rob Rogers which also shows the way the mood has changed since 2001. Here's one I didn't get by Mike Lester. I guess it makes sense if Iran was responsible for 9/11. I saw some other "You Lie" cartoons and here's a couple I liked. Bruce Plante points out who the real liars are, or at least the irony. Here's one by Pat Bagley my editor would call crude...which means it's a pretty good cartoon. Rant I have a Beagle. Some of you know him. Animal Control came by and wagged their finger at me to get a city dog license. Yes, sir, I'm on it. To get his dog license he needs to update his rabies shots (the dog doesn't volunteer and do this on his own, someone has to take him to the vet). Sarah, my sister, takes him to get his shot and all is good, right? No. Other than the normal thing of the dog being lathargic for a day (that was actually kinda nice), the city wouldn't give me a license. Why wouldn't the city give me a license? Because his rabies shot had my sister's address on it, which is out of the city. The lady at City Hall told me to get my address on the paper work. My sister claims the vet won't want to change the address on the paper work, I don't know. My question is: What if you just moved here? Will the city refuse to give you a license until he gets a needle poke in the city of Fredericksburg? I guess I should have called Animal Control guy about this, but I didn't. He left a tense message today about how I'm not taking it seriously and I have a citation waiting for me. Yay! The government won't let me get a dog license but they will give me a fine for not having a dog license. I returned his phone call and left a message of my own. If I get a ticket, I'm fighting it. Album The album is due to be released next Saturday, September 19. It's a very stressful time in camp Corporate T-Shirt. I can't even begin to describe the past week...and today. Let's just say it's stressful. Everything has been sent to the printer, art, paper work competed, licensing, songs and I are listed with BMI. We just need one more thing....THE MUSIC!!! The album's done, it's mixed, mastered, fried and boiled. It just has to be delivered but I think it's all sitting on a hard drive right now.
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Poop Czar - Sep. 10, 2009 2:30 pm - Show/hide this post
I'm not sure about all this czar business. I need to do more research. Technically, the titles aren't really "czar", it's just sort of a nickname. What concerns me is, are these positions newly created? How many government jobs is Obama creating for people who think like him? Maybe it's the same number Bush had but they didn't call all of them "czars". Maybe it's all within a White House budget so there's nothing to scream about (or to stand up in Congress and scream "you like!" at the president). More cartoons I said I'd start posting other cartoonists' work again. Well i thought of a theme. There was a bunch of cartoons talking about how nuts people were to be concerned about Obama speaking to students. As it turns out, some cartoonists are nuts too and took the side of the right wingers on this one. These are the kind of people I believe can only criticize one side, even if it means they have to align themselves with a make believe issue. They probably wanna see Obama's birth certificate too. Here's one by Chuck Asay who's very much a social religious conservative. Here's one by Mike Lester and here's another one Mike Lester. Mke's one of the more imaginative guys in this business and I like he at least took a different tact with one of these. That's all I can find. I'm sure there's at least one or two more out there.
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Redskins Suit - Sep. 9, 2009 1:30 pm - Show/hide this post
Yeah, I'm still using that crappy paper. I was talking to my buddy Tim the other night and he said I should go back and post links to other cartoons. Tim might be the only one who ever clicked the links but I think I might do that again. I just kind of got tired, not only of talking about other cartoons, but even reading them. Honestly, I think there's several cartoonists out there who are incredible, but the majority are just repetitive ideas. I'll bite the bullet for you and Tim and start reading what's out there. My friend Matt Bors plans to give an award to cartoonists who use too many labels. I think that's hilarious and I hope I never win it. Labels suck but sometimes you have to use them, especially with local issues. I can draw Bush and Obama without a label, barely make it look like them (which I do) and you'll know who it is. I can draw a portrait of Tom Tomzak or Tim Kaine and you wouldn't have a clue who it was....OK, maybe with Kaine you would. But it's weird when people add labels where you just don't need it. You shouldn't have to label the White House "White House".
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Caption Contest #43 - Sep. 8, 2009 10:43 pm - Show/hide this post
Use our ultra handy online entry form to enter this week's caption contest. Mr. Weekly Challenge Bill Freehling is playing hooky this week so we'll be doing it in-house...as in me and whoever's unfortunate enough to be walking by my office at the wrong time will be picking the winner. Winner wins the original cartoon with their caption inked in by me along with it running in next Tuesday's Free Lance-Star on page two. Your deadline is NOON FRIDAY.
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Caption Contest #42 Winner - Sep. 7, 2009 5:58 pm - Show/hide this post
Huge landslide for our winner in the weekly challenge. With 173 votes Michael Goodin of Spotsylvania takes the original cartoon along with having it run in Tuesday's Free Lance-Star on page two. Coming in second with 33 votes is Greg Upperman of Spotsylvania who submitted "He was about 2' 7" and looked like this..." Coming in third with 30 votes is Shirley Bland of Bowling Green (preventing a full Spotsylvania sweep) who submitted "I don't want these stupid ears, and won't move out in the barn with Charlotte". Coming in fourth with 28 votes is Rob Huffman of Spotsylvania who submitted "They what? I thought they bought my Carvel."
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Commie Terrorist Alien - Sep. 7, 2009 3:05 pm - Show/hide this post
Remember the first couple years Bill Clinton was president? He was torn apart with all sorts of accusations and the negativity was at a fever pitch. He was booed by some Congressman while giving the state of the union. It was getting hostile (which always made me laugh when Republicans talked about how negative people were toward Bush, like they forgot their actions). McCain was telling jokes about how ugly Chelsea Clinton was and Dick Armey was calling Barney Frank "Barney Fag". It seemed to calm down after the bombing in Oklahoma City (you know, when an ultra conservative white guy bombed it killing lots of woman and children). These conservatives who are whipping people up into a frenzy with lies and just outright meanness should take a history lesson. Sure, debate the guy on merits. It's just really getting stupid when people think Obama wants to pull the plug on their grandmother, he's a communist, he's an illegal alien and you won't let your kids listen to him say "study hard". Stop.
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Levi - Sep. 4, 2009 11:42 am - Show/hide this post
Seriously, when is this chump gonna go away? When I was 19 or 20, you definetely wouldn't have wanted to hear my thoughts on anything relating to, well...pretty much anything. All this guy wants is to make a lot of money at doing nothing, become a celebrity and only because he impregnated someone's daughter. Someone get a hook. Also, I admit this text of this cartoon could have worked really well as the opening monologue on Letterman.
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Health Care - Sep. 3, 2009 12:36 pm - Show/hide this post
Warner's town hall meeting on health care is tonight. Maybe everyone who's attending can keep that in mind. I'm totally expecting a shout festival. The Republicans had a town hall meeting the other night and it was a shout fest, but the Republicans were encouraging the shouting. Don't get me started on those nuts who want to take guns to a room full of angry people just to prove a point. Guess where I WON'T be tonight.
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Bunch of Macaca - Sep. 2, 2009 12:45 pm - Show/hide this post
I really miss Macaca. Yesterday some people told me this wouldn't amount to anything. Those same people told me the Macaca thing wouldn't amount to anything and that the Iraq invasion would be a simple inexpensive endeavor after the invasion. Stay tooned.
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Caption Contest #42 - Sep. 1, 2009 6:14 pm - Show/hide this post
Disney bought Marvel. What do you think Spider Man has to say about that? Use our handy online entry form to enter this week's contest. Your deadline is NOON Thursday. From there we'll pick four to post in our WEEKLY CHALLENGE this Friday and let readers pick the best. Winner gets the original cartoon with their caption inked in by me, along with having it run in next Tuesday's Free Lance-Star on page 2.
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Rules At Colonial Beach - Sep. 1, 2009 1:37 pm - Show/hide this post
I could have added rules to this all day if I had the room. There were some rules I thought of that weren't safe for a family newspaper. I'm sure this issue's not going away anytime soon.
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Caption Contest #41 Winner - Aug. 31, 2009 4:39 pm - Show/hide this post
This week's caption contest winner is Sue Frazier of King George. Sue won with 164 votes in our weekly challenge, which is a landslide. Sue wins the original art along with having it appear in tomorrow's Free Lance-Star. Coming in second with 49 votes is Dymond Dempster of Fredericksburg who submitted "Well, I hooked that one left again". Coming in third with 31 votes is Mary Raye Cox of Falmouth who submitted "Michelle sent me out here to take the heat off her shorts". Coming in fourth with 21 votes is David Zacchetti of Fredericksburg who submitted "The country is best when I govern least". Notice I put all the captions in bold? I did that for all your lazies out there who want to cut to the chase. You can thank me later. Also, next time I draw Obama doing something with his hand I'll be sure to make him left handed. Thanks to Jon Sweigart (who submitted an entry) for pointing that out. I did the same thing with Bush once. I gotta stop doing that.
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The Wall - Aug. 31, 2009 1:13 pm - Show/hide this post
We've already received a letter chewing me out over this. They thought I was besmirching (besmirched. HA HA. I like that word) the legacy and memory of Ted Kennedy (they didn't mention anything about Michael Jackson). I was watching TV with a friend last night and I think there were even talking about Kennedy on the food channel, so HEY, bucko!!!...the toon is right. I'm still waiting for my drawing paper to be delivered. I'm still cranking this stuff out on copy paper.
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Goliath - Aug. 28, 2009 2:35 pm - Show/hide this post
The preservationists in Orange County are asking Wal-Mart to reconsider it's location. HAHAHAHAHAHA!!!! I liked the rough of this cartoon, so guess what. You're basically looking at the rough. I just went over everything with a darker pen and shaded it more. That was actually a lot of fun even though the paper I drew it on really sucks.
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- Aug. 27, 2009 2:25 pm - Show/hide this post
I ran out of drawing paper yesterday so this was drawn on standard copy paper. I didn't really enjoy drawing on copy paper. I ordered bristol board about three weeks ago but it's not here yet. Looks like I'll be drawing on copy paper again today.
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Caption Contest #41 - Aug. 25, 2009 6:47 pm - Show/hide this post
Enter this week's contest by using our online entry form. Your deadline is Thursday at NOON. From there, the four best entries will be judged in our Weekly Challenge from which we'll have one winner. Winner gets the cartoon inked in by me along with having it run in next Tuesday's Free Lance-Star on page two.
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crabill - Aug. 25, 2009 5:40 pm - Show/hide this post
We've had trouble with the site all day so my apologies for posting today's cartoon so late. 
It seems Catherine Crabill has ostracized her entire party against her. I was thinking she's kind of nuts, which seems to be what most other people are saying. She made a comment "ballots before bullets" which seems to imply that if she doesn't get her way at the ballot, people can resort to bullets. NICE! My editor asked me to do a cartoon on her then he kills the first idea for being "too strong". Here's the rough for the killed idea. I really liked it. 
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Caption Contest #40 Winner - Aug. 24, 2009 5:49 pm - Show/hide this post
This week's winner is Thomas Garber from Spotsylvania. Thomas was the top vote getter in our weekly challenge with 120 votes. He wins the original cartoon along with having it run in tomorrow's Free Lance-Star on page 2. Coming in second with 82 votes is Kurt Sokolowski of King George who submitted "Watch me slay the judges with my shotgun samba". Coming in third with 33 votes is Beverly Newlin of Stafford who submitted "Michelle said I had the right to bear arms!". Coming in fourth with 31 votes is Justin Hinton of Spotsylvania who submitted "Well I had to promote my memoirs somehow!".
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Pro-Gun - Aug. 24, 2009 1:04 pm - Show/hide this post
The GOP has been down and getting their butt kicked lately, so they should savor being on top of the polls in Virginia's Gubernatorial race. I think the GOP has a good shot at taking Virginia which would make them look good nationally. It would also but a temporary halt (at least) to Virginia going blue....but not from going purple...or whatever color that is. I really don't want either party to take Virginia for granted, like they both did before the last election. Republicans took it for granted we would go their way and Democrats took it for granted they didn't stand a chance in Hell.
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Grandma Unplugged - Aug. 21, 2009 2:16 pm - Show/hide this post
Yeah, I cheated. I made a copy of the art in the first panel then placed it in the second panel. I did some doctoring and such. Sometimes it takes more time to place the copy down and doctor it up than it takes to actually draw it again. I don't like using this technique. Here's the rough which I really like. 
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Freeze - Aug. 20, 2009 11:08 am - Show/hide this post
It's a bit weird..no, stupid, to not let elected representatives votes take affect until after their re-elections.
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Favre - Aug. 19, 2009 1:49 pm - Show/hide this post
My editor wasn't wild about me drawing this cartoon. He thought this was exclusively a Green Bay issue. He relented and left me alone to draw it. He said since it's August and to put more of a local feel into it, I should put a cold beverage in Favre's hand. I didn't understand that.
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Caption Contest #40 - Aug. 18, 2009 6:10 pm - Show/hide this post
We're up to #40 with our caption contest. That's a LOT of cartoons, folks. To enter this week's contest use our online entry form. Your deadline is NOON Thursday. From there we'll hand it off to the weekly challenge where you will pick from the four best submissions. Winners will be posted in next Tuesday's Free Lance-Star on page A2, and the winner gets the original cartoon with their caption inked in by me.
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District 9 - Aug. 18, 2009 1:50 pm - Show/hide this post
It's kinda hard to dream up how the aliens in the movie look, since I haven't seen the movie. I saw a short trailer for it. I know they have face tentacles which reminds me of the alien in Futurama. It seems to me that if you're an advanced species, you wouldn't have dangly parts sticking out of your face. I'm not sure if the aliens have tails, probably not...but since they have face tentacles, why not?
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Caption Contest #39 Winner - Aug. 17, 2009 5:35 pm - Show/hide this post
This week's winner is Ronald Grimm of Colonial Beach. Ronald received 144 votes from the weekly challenge. He wins the original art along with having it run in tomorrow's Free Lance-Star on page 2. Second place is William Armentrout (who's placing so much I'm actually remembering how to spell his name) from Spotsylvania who received 40 votes. He submitted "who says euthanasia has to be painless?". Receiving 30 votes and coming in third is Kurt Sokolowski of King George who submitted "My goal is to cause at least three insurance claims tonight. You?". Receiving 29 votes and coming in fourth is Jim Cummings of Spotsylvania who submitted "Now we can get some intelligent answers". We liked so many of our submissions that we put five finalists up instead of the usual four. Coming in fifth with 16 votes is Helene Kelly who submitted "I'll clobber whoever said the Republicans are the party of NO".
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Obamacare - Aug. 14, 2009 1:22 pm - Show/hide this post
I just like the term "Obamacare". I think we can basically put Obama's name on everything he touches. Obamacare, Obamanmics, Obamaplomacy, etc. You have to be careful when you draw a ghost because you don't want him to turn out looking like a klansman...that just kinda defeats the purpose and would be greatly distracting. On the other hand, if you're drawing a klansman you gotta be careful not to make him look like a ghost.
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Fishy - Aug. 12, 2009 1:33 pm - Show/hide this post
I love drawing tentacles. They're just fun. This might be the best tentacle I've ever drawn...maybe that anyone's ever drawn. I'm pretty psyched about this tentacle. I really think most of these people showing up at town hall meetings on health care are kinda out of their mind. The entire thing is steered to make Obama look bad and a lot of bad information is being tossed out. That said, they have the right to do it. I don't think anyone in the White House should start assembling an enemies list. Here's the rough. 
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Caption Contest #39 - Aug. 11, 2009 4:51 pm - Show/hide this post
To enter this week's caption contest use our online entry form. Your deadline is this Thursday at NOON and we'll select the four best to be picked by you in our weekly challenge. Winner gets the original cartoon with their caption inked in by me along with having it run in next Tuesday's Free Lance-Star on page 2.
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Un-American - Aug. 11, 2009 12:46 pm - Show/hide this post
It was George W. Bush who said "if you're not with us then you're against us". Dick Cheney and his cohorts pretty much treated any differing of a viewpoint as un-American, or in support of terrorists, or they'd accuse you of not supporting the troops. For the last several years the GOP has been the one guilty of distorting it's opponents and critics positions. Shame on Nancy Pelosi for coming off as bad as Dick Cheney. That's quite an accomplishment.
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Caption Contest #38 Winner - Aug. 10, 2009 5:10 pm - Show/hide this post
Voters from our weekly challenge awarded the top spot to Mary Raye Cox of Falmouth who received 115 votes. Mary wins the original cartoon along with having it run in tomorrow's Free Lance-Star on page two. Second place wtih 73 votes is Rebecca Kinson of Fredericksburg who submitted "I'd give it away, but the Republicans won't let me". Third place with 45 votes is Stanley Kennedy of Fredericksburg who submitted "Pimp my ride!". Fourth place with 27 votes is Torey Southwick of Spotsylvania who submitted "better than lobbyists giving cash for congress". My personal favorite didn't meet the standards for a family newspaper so it wasn't included in the weekly challenge but I can print it here on the blog (where we have very low standards). The caption was "not to be confused with Bill Clinton's Flash For Chunkers program". Disgusting and wrong on so many levels. We'll have a new contest up in this blog tomorrow. Come back and play.
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Action Man!!! - Aug. 10, 2009 11:07 am - Show/hide this post
This is yesterday's cartoon. A friend told me very few would get it and I believe him. Basically, Putin went on vacation and released as many photos of him doing action-man type of stuff and a lot of didn't involve a shirt. I don't expect Cheney to be out-manned here. Hopefully, we'll soon have photos of a topless Cheney shooting friends in the face. The other aspect of this, it's really hard not to draw a cartoon about Twitter. I still expect it to eventually go the way of Napster. Here's the rough. 
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baby seat - Aug. 7, 2009 2:53 pm - Show/hide this post
We really gotta clean the glass on our copier. My originals are too big for my scanner, so I make a copy from the original, then scan the copy. Lately our copier has gotten dirtier and dirtier. I don't put the toon down on the glass if the ink or white-out hasn't dried. I might be the only one in the office needs or even cares about clean copies so I might have to be the one to clean it. Unfortunately I'm lazy.
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Clinton Roughs - Aug. 6, 2009 3:35 pm - Show/hide this post
Here's three roughs from the Clinton/North Korea issue. We went with one. 
I thought this one was just "OK". I don't draw planes very well. I wasn't all too crazy about it. 
This one was funny but my biggest problem with it was, I don't get to draw Clinton. 
This is the idea we went with. Not only did I get to draw Bill, but I got to draw Kim Jung iL. Happy day.
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King George VFD - Aug. 6, 2009 2:45 pm - Show/hide this post
Seems to be a lot of news coming out of King George lately. Usually it's quiet and I go years without drawing anything about that area. I'm glad they're feeding me. I have received a couple of phone calls today about this. If I've received two there's no telling how many people have screamed at my editor. Volunteer firemen are very responsive, not just to fires but to cartoons. I've drawn on VFDs before and each time I hear from them...usually quite loudly. Disclaimer: This is not the first time I've used a dalmation in a fire department cartoon.
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Bill Clinton - Aug. 5, 2009 2:35 pm - Show/hide this post
There's a lot of cartoons on this subject focusing on the sex thing because, well, because it's Bill Clinton and he just freed two young women. There's nothing wrong with that but that's just too many for me to pile on. I miss drawing Bill. He's a fun guy to draw. I had a couple other ideas on this and some roughs to prove it which I'll post later. I'm too lazy at the moment to scan them. Stay tooned.
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Caption contest #38 - Aug. 4, 2009 5:41 pm - Show/hide this post
To enter this week's contest use our ONLINE ENTRY FORM. Enter as many times you like. Your deadline is NOON Thursday We'll pick four finalist which will be posted in Friday's weekly challenge. Readers will pick the winner which will run in Tuesday's Free Lance-Star on page 2. Winner gets the original cartoon.
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spending - Aug. 4, 2009 2:54 pm - Show/hide this post
I had some fun with this one. I especially liked adding the coins to the mix. The only part of this cartoon I pencilled in was Obama.
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Caption Contest #37 Winner - Aug. 3, 2009 4:55 pm - Show/hide this post
This week's winner is a repeat Winner. Rob Huffman of Spotsylvania garnered 97 votes in our weekly challenge. Rob wins the original cartoon along with having it run in tomorrow's Free Lance-Star on page two. Congratulations (again!), Rob. Coming in second with 79 votes is Steve McCormick of Fredericksburg who submitted "we also carry 'authentic' documents of W's Air National Guard service." Coming in third with 69 votes is Tim Armentrout (another previous winner) of Spotsylvania who submitted "con't confuse me with the facts...my mind is made up." Coming in fourth with 19 votes is Joseph McCormick of Fredericksburg who submitted "C'mon, Rush! Play this up! Make us look good!". Two McCormicks? Hmmm. We actually get a lot of entries for this contest. You're allowed to submit more than one entry, folks. If you're submitting multiple entries under family members names, stop. We don't mind if you enter again and again and again. I encourage it. Have fun with it. Last week when we pulled the contest, I received a lot of emails, and I do mean A LOT, expressing concern the contest was dead. It's not. I really appreciate the feedback letting me know how much people are enjoying this. Keep playing.
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Beer Czar - Aug. 3, 2009 2:37 pm - Show/hide this post
I've read about Obama having different czars for his administration and thought he should have a beer czar. Who better than Homer? I'm not fond of drawing other characters. Sometimes when I talk to student, the very young ones ask me to draw Garfield. I hate that. But when I do draw them I try to put some of my own style into them. I think in recent history I've drawn Yogi The Beer and Natasha and Boris from Bullwinkle. I really like Boris. He's a fun guy to draw with his trench coat, hat and evil tiny mustache. Maybe I just like drawing evil characters which might explain all those Dick Cheney cartoons I've drawn.
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BARK!!! - July 31, 2009 2:32 pm - Show/hide this post
As many of you know, I'm a dog person. I always enjoy doing a cartoon in support of our furry brethren...even if my own little guy decided to eat the world's gooiest, nastiest, slobberific bone on my pillow last night. Speaking of: friends are going out of town this weekend so I'm taking care of their two dogs this weekend, which if you're keeping score at home, leaves Clay with three dogs this weekend. If you run into me and I smell worse than normal this weekend, that's this week's excuse.
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Birthers - July 30, 2009 1:10 pm - Show/hide this post
When this idea hit me, it just seemed obvious to the point that it should have been done already...but it hasn't (until now...and tomorrow when someone else steals it). I know some very rational right wing types....and I want to ask them about this Obama birth certificate thing...to see if they're really crazy.
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Fantasy - July 29, 2009 1:02 pm - Show/hide this post
I had fun drawing this. I was trying to make the fantasy owner Cheeto nasty. You know what Cheeto nasty is....it's when you've been eating Cheetos and you can't touch anything because that fake processed cheese goodness is stuck to your fingers like glue. With this guy I was trying to make it stick to his face also. Days like this are when i wish I was using color. When the FLS has the new press up and running and I can draw my cartoons in color, I promise at some point you will see someone in a toon with Cheeto nasty. Now I really want some Cheetos.
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Caption Contest #37 - July 28, 2009 6:26 pm - Show/hide this post
The contest is back. To enter use our online entry form and submit your entry. Your deadline is NOON Thursday. From there we'll pick the four best and place them in Friday's Weekly Challenge. Winner will be announced next Tuesday. The winner will receive the original art along with having it run in Tuesday's Free Lance-Star on page two.
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Yay Beer - July 28, 2009 1:33 pm - Show/hide this post
I had three ideas for this one. Idea number one was posted on the blog yesterday after my editor killed it because he didn't understand it. This is idea number three...I went with it over idea number two because I felt it actually had more of a statement. Idea number two, I thought was funny. Two and three were both approved and it was up to me to choose between them...so I stared at both for a while before I made the decision. Maybe I picked the wrong one. 
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More on Orange County - July 27, 2009 2:15 pm - Show/hide this post
At this point I'm gonna burn out on Orange County/Wal-Mart cartoons. There may be a vote this week by the Orange Board of Supervisors on Wal-Mart. My editor, using a tone as if I haven't covered it yet or not enough, asked for another cartoon on the issue. I do like this. It's kinda funny.
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headache - July 24, 2009 1:35 pm - Show/hide this post
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Fish Sticks - July 22, 2009 12:46 pm - Show/hide this post
I hit four out of four with this one....as in the four people who saw the rough cracked up laughing. As you know, I like the bizarre and weird funny stuff. I wish I could find it everyday.
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Worse - July 21, 2009 1:01 pm - Show/hide this post
This is a pretty simple idea but I wanted to point out how honest Obama has been compared to previous presidents. Of course, honesty didn't help Jimmy Carter much.
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Caption Contest #35 Winner - July 20, 2009 4:58 pm - Show/hide this post
William Armentrout of Spotsylvania is our winner this week coming in with 100 votes from our weekly challenge. William wins the original cartoon along with having it run in tomorrow's Free Lance-Star on page two. William has won or come in second in our contest before, I forget which. Coming in second with 92 votes is Wanda McCormick of Stafford who submitted "Time to take care of the state...the state of my financial affairs, that is.". Coming in third with 80 votes was Robert Reese Sr. of Stafford who submitted "Democrats only wish this was a jackass". Coming in fourth with 21 votes was Tim Armentrout of Spotsylvania (not sure if he's related to our winner) who submitted "Ernest Hemingway, Jack London and now ME!".
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Extra money - July 20, 2009 2:18 pm - Show/hide this post
The reality of this is a cartoon. The county government finds $6 million sitting in their bank account unaccounted for, so they spend $7,000 to find out why. Personally, when I find extra money in my bank account (rarely happens), I don't do an expensive sleuthing exercise to find out where it came from, I just usually save it or spend it. I can see where the governtment needs to be accountable, but c'mon....$7,000? Government is like that kid in the candy store who has to spend every cent she has. "What? I have change? OK!!! What can I get with three nickels?". And seriously? You have to find and pay for a firm specializing in finding out how governments mysteriously came up with extra money? Is there anyone on the Stafford County payroll who can simply balance a check book?
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dumb - July 17, 2009 1:32 pm - Show/hide this post
I was thinking about this issue a few days ago and thought it was crazy conservatives are totally absorbed with one sentence in a lifetime of work. There's years of court rulings they can comb through over Sotomayor, but instead they're focused on one sentence she admits she could have worded better. Then I thought about how no politician is immune from saying something stupid on the record yet maybe they don't have to sit in front of a committee and spend three days defending it and maybe not get a promotion because of it. Anyway, today's cartoon is just saying. My editor stepped out for the day so that may have helped this cartoon getting into the newspaper. More Wal-Mart/Orange County stuff This is fun. My friend Steve Mussey, the guy who creates all those animations you see on local cable, has jumped into a local issue and created an animation over the Wal-Mart wanting to build on the Wilderness Battlefield. Check out Steve's video right here.
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Orange Wal-Mart - July 16, 2009 2:00 pm - Show/hide this post
Last time I did a cartoon about the Orange County Wal-Mart controversy, I mentioned how I wasn't drawing on the California Orange County, home to those chopper guys. Turns out Orange County, California isn't home to those chopper guys but Orange County, New York is. Thanks, Christian, for pointing that out. I'm on a path to making at least one mistake a week.
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Right-Handed Obama - July 15, 2009 12:54 pm - Show/hide this post
Major mistake with this cartoon. While watching Sports Center last night I noticed Obama is left-handed...and I drew him pitching with his right. Crap. We've already received a couple letters about that. Apparently that's more controversial than gun control, Abortion and the Confederate flag. Can I blame my editor? 
Here's the rough which is also wrong. 
I changed "Opening Pitch" to "First Pitch".
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Sotomayor - July 14, 2009 1:55 pm - Show/hide this post
I wanted to do something about all the nut jobs over the Sotomayor confirmation hearing. Ya know, I'm still not sure about this. I don't think she's a radical but I do have concern about her putting her personal opinions into her rulings which is pretty much what every judge is doing anyway. The entire "empathy" thing is cool to a point. You don't want to rule in favor of someone because you feel sorry for them. We all know, well most of us know, the Republicans are the real radicals...so basically the crazies are calling her crazy which their craziness will deflect the criticism. But ya know, just because they're a bunch of crazy nut jobs, doesn't mean they're wrong about her. But as usual they probably are because they are Republicans. Here's the rough. 
And here's the one we didn't go with....which might have been the better one though more mundane to draw. 
Now that I see this rough displayed on the page, some things look kinda dirty. They're supposed to be elephants and donkies with Sotomayor thrown in the middle. Remember, this is a rough. I don't really exert any drawing abilities into a rough (why labor over something that editor is going to reject, right?).
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Caption Contest #34 Winner - July 13, 2009 5:01 pm - Show/hide this post
I'm not wild about the contest doing this, but more than one person entered the same caption as our winner. It made the finalists and what we did was pick the one who submitted it first. That person is Clarke Newlin-Justice of Fuquay-Varina, North Carolina (our first out of state winner) who received 135 votes. Clarke wins the original cartoon with the caption inked in by me. It's also running on page two of tomorrow's Free Lance-Star. Others who entered the same caption (they at least deserve a blog shout out) were Jack Chelsea of Fredericksburg and Rebecca Kinson of Fredericksburg. We also had a lot of "I'm good enough, I'm smart enough" and a bunch of "send in the clowns". Coming in second with 71 votes was Colleen M. Geyer from Stafford who submitted "Live from D.C, it's Saturday night!". Coming in third with 54 votes was Jack Chelsea who submitted "And you thought the election was a circus". Coming in fourth with 27 votes was Mary Raye of Falmouth who submitted "actually, we're going to Congress, not Michael Jackson's funeral".
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Popemobile - July 13, 2009 12:39 pm - Show/hide this post
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Censored - July 10, 2009 1:35 pm - Show/hide this post
This issue is on the front page of today's paper. Usually I let an issue wait a day before I cover it, but I couldn't resist this one. I knew since it was so fresh that my editor wouldn't be aware of it. Nobody in the upstairs office had heard of it. So I told them the details and they said go with it. Then my editor said "good job looking out for and being informed on local issues" like that's not what I try to do everyday. He asked how I found out about it. I told him social networking. I didn't want to be too specific because the last thing I want is my editor on Twitter, which probably wouldn't happen but I'm not taking any chances. I found out about the subject because the reporter covering the story, Ellen Biltz, twittered about it. Some of you are thinking "I thought Twitter was only for letting us know you were eating a taco", and it is for letting you know when I'm eating a fish taco at Soup & Taco...but we also use it for information just like Facebook. I follow CNN and several local news Twitterers for local info. Just this morning I found out that Baja Fresh in Central Park is closed which I learned because FLS photographer Mike Morones twittered while trying to get a taco. All this taco talk is kinda making me hungry. I think I'm gonna go get a taco. I'll twitter ya when I get there.
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More Michael Jackson - July 9, 2009 12:46 pm - Show/hide this post
I was with my band in the studio the other day and the TV was on and of course it was all Michael Jackson. We changed channels and more Michael Jackson. On another note: I've lost track of how long it's been since he's died....but how long is his body going to be carted all over Los Angeles?
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Michael Jackson Rough - July 8, 2009 5:18 pm - Show/hide this post
Here's a rough sketch for an idea we're not going to use. I did a second idea which I liked better so I'm going with that for tomorrow's paper. It's similar to this but frankly, I'm tired of drawing TVs. 
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Palin Quits - July 8, 2009 1:04 pm - Show/hide this post
I was reading a story yesterday about how Palin is still the favorite among the GOP for president in 2012, which goes to show how stupid the base of the GOP is. Let's see, she quits before the end of her first term as governor proving she can't take the heat (despite it being in Alaska) but she can handle the most high pressured job in the world. Democrats should stop beating up on Palin so the GOP can nominate her in 2012. Just because the core of their party wants her doesn't mean realistic people do. Tim Kaine, as the chairman of the Democratic Party, should send a directive telling his people to leave her alone, stop the investigations and stop filing complaints. Let the GOP put her on a pillar. Let her ride high for three years, then knock her down. Actually, the Democrats won't do that either because they're about as dumb as the Republicans. They'll destroy her now and pave the path for a much better Republican candidate to take on Obama in '12.
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Palin Idea #1 - July 7, 2009 3:15 pm - Show/hide this post
I produced two roughs today on Sarah Palin. Here's the one we're not using. 
My first desire was to do one with Palin at the window saying "i can see an ethics investigation from my house". But I'm not sure if I saw or heard that somewhere else. I also figured someone else would draw it. Then I went with the elephant saying it. Of course, Palin never did say "I can see Russia from my house", that was Tina Fey.
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Orange County - July 7, 2009 1:31 pm - Show/hide this post
I wanted to draw something on the Supervisor situation in Orange County last Friday. No, not the Southern California Orange County, home of those chopper guys...the Orange County, Virginia. I had to wait for the weekend to see what the Supervisors would do with their county administrator. I think we all knew a firing was coming. 
I think we all knew a firing was coming. Apparently, the supervisors don't like dissenting viewpoints. I thought they'd be better off with a yes man. Here's the rough. 
I had a second idea which we picked over. Here it is. 
We laughed over this one but Linda, Hilary and I each liked the bobblehead idea. I also learned "bobblehead" is one word.
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Caption Contest #33 Winner - July 6, 2009 4:01 pm - Show/hide this post
We had 251 votes in this week's weekly challenge with our winner, Adam Martin of Spotsylvania, receiving 107 votes. Adam wins the original cartoon with his caption inked in by me, along with having it printed on page two of The Free Lance-Star. Coming in second with 66 votes is Torey Southwick of Spotsylvania who submitted "I can't remember where I left my pants". Coming in third with 51 votes is Beverley Newlin of Stafford who submitted "...and which peaks and valleys shall I explore this week?". Coming in fourth with 27 votes is Frank Graebner of Stafford who submitted "Don't cry for me Appalachia".
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Taliban - July 6, 2009 12:52 pm - Show/hide this post
Friday was a slow and dull day for news. i was waiting on some local stuff that didn't turn out. Eventually, I decided to draw this. Shortly after Sarah Palin resigned which is much more exciting news.
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Kim Jong-Il - July 3, 2009 3:04 am - Show/hide this post
I always like the weird ones. No, not Michael Jackson or Kim Jong-Il....weird cartoons. It's 3:00 am and I'm going to bed.
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Al Franken, Tim Kaine - July 2, 2009 12:09 pm - Show/hide this post
Sorry I didn't get around to blogging yesterday. I had to run to the DMV which should tell you why I was thin on time. I didn't want to draw "I'm good enough, I'm smart enough and doggone it, people like me" for a Franken cartoon....not that I didn't go lame with what I used. When I don't put much actual drawing into a cartoon, then you'll see a lot of cross hatching. Al Franken spoke at my cartoonists association's convention once (I think it was in Pittsburgh) and he was a funny guy. He could draw the entire United States, ya know...like the map...state by state. We were impressed. A couple of conservatives from places like Wyoming and Nebraska kinda stormed out of the room in the middle of his talk. Al Franken, at that time, wasn't afraid to talk or play dirty. Here's yesterday's cartoon on Tim Kaine. 
I like drawing Tim Kaine. I'm pretty sure I've mentioned that before. I'm really going to miss eyebrows, specifically his left one.
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Caption Contest #33 - June 30, 2009 11:38 pm - Show/hide this post
I'm not going let a small matter of a few celebrities' deaths push this issue to the back of the news. I can't wait to see what you guys and girls submit for this edition. To enter, use our trusty and handy online entry form. I'll find some unsuspecting sap in the newsroom to help me pick four from which readers will pick the winner in our weekly challenge. Confusing? Nah, just enter and we'll do the rest. Winner gets the original art with their caption inked in by me. Cool, huh?
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Madoff - June 30, 2009 12:51 pm - Show/hide this post
I thought this was a simple idea without a bold statement, but I liked the concept. Only problem is, I don't draw great hands. If I tried to draw realistic hands, I think the cartoon would have looked awful, so I went with simple cartoonish hands. Some days I feel like all I'm drawing is lines.
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Caption Contest #32 Winner - June 29, 2009 1:00 pm - Show/hide this post
We had 288 votes in this week's weekly challenge to determine our winner for the caption contest. Coming in first with 126 votes is Cathy Silk of Falmouth. Cathy wins the original cartoon with her caption inked in by me, and it will run in Tuesday's Free Lance-Star on page two. Coming in second with 64 votes is Guy Reggio of Butler, Pennsylvania who submitted "I’d walk a mile for a government regulation" Tying in third with 49 votes a piece is Randy Jarrell of Spotsylvania who submitted "Now flavored with hypocrisy!"and William Edens of Orange, Va who submitted "I am 95 percent sure I quit".
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Michael Jackson - June 29, 2009 12:32 pm - Show/hide this post
Here's the toon we finally got in the paper Sunday. Here's the way it was originally written before I compromised. 
Gwen is standing outside my office telling me she didn't like my Michael Jackson cartoon and I said "cool". I told her I had worse and now she's checking them out. Quote: "I don't know about you". I had to hassle with editors for a while to get a cartoon in. My editor was for me doing something tough on Jackson and thought our main heavyweight editor should be confronted and told the importance of letting us do something strong...so he sent his assistant to talk to him. Thanks, Linda for helping me get this in.
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Jackson Rough - June 26, 2009 2:44 pm - Show/hide this post
When I first showed this cartoon (minutes ago) to my editor, he laughed so hard the entire editorial staff came into his office and they laughed just as hard if not harder. But there was no way this was going to run. I showed it to an editor downstairs who said "are you serious?". Sorry, I like it! 
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Moral Superiority - June 26, 2009 2:05 pm - Show/hide this post
I really like this cartoon. I was so into it while drawing it. i sent it to press and left the building and then a news event happens that'll totally blow this story out of the news. 
There's always Democrats messing up too, but they're not usually out there sermonizing about family values while getting their thingies caught in the cookie jar. This douchebag was in Congress during the Clinton impeachment and guess which way he voted. Here's the rough which I tried to emulate as possible for the final version. 
On to other things: Michael Jackson died. I've heard so many analogies and jokes that my head might burst. One that sticks with me is "God must love Mark Sanford to have Farrah and MJ die on the same day to take him off the news". This will also scoot aside Iran and Kim Jong Ill will have to shoot a rocket into downtown Honolulu to get any attention this week. I was twittering yesterday (I'm clay335) and posted 'who'll be the third celebrity to die this week?" and two hours later Michael Jackson was dead. That was weird.
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Wegmans - June 24, 2009 11:57 am - Show/hide this post
I used to live in Batesville, Mississippi which is a great city, but tiny. When I moved there in 1989 they had a Pizza Hut and McDonalds and that was about it (funny we took for granted all the great locally owned restaurants). When a Captain D's moved in the entire little city went nuts and everyone had to go...even though we'd all eaten at Captain D's someplace...the thought of a new fast food place was exotic, temporarily. A month later we all realize we live in Mississippi which has the best catfish in the world so why in the Hell are we going to a fast food place to get it?. Batesville is a lot larger now (I hear they got a strip mall) and I really miss the people there and the barbecue. Wegmans landing in our town is a similar situation for me. But while I scoffed at everyone running to Captain D's, I really wanted to go in there and get some of those fake crab cakes. I was doing the same thing with Wegmans, thinking it's incredibly big but isn't it just another grocery store? I was reading the news story, rolling my eyes, then read they had a sushi bar and thought "I really wanna go check that out". For me, it sounds like we got a bunch of new restaurants in one location. Unfortunately, that location is in Central Park which kinda sucks to go to as the road planning was obviously engineered by a mongoose with a crayola. I do want to check Wegmans out. I haven't bought groceries in months so I'll probably just check out the dining. I will not go on opening day, or opening week. There's way too many crazies out there and I don't want to get in their path when they're strung out on an opening day high. I used to work in a grocery store when I was a kid and the one thing I learned that has stuck with me: an old lady will kill you for a half ripe banana.
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heartless - June 23, 2009 12:58 pm - Show/hide this post
I had this idea last Friday but had to put it on the backburner for the ground breaking Father's Day cartoon.
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caption contest #31 Winner - June 22, 2009 4:20 pm - Show/hide this post
This week's winner is Tim Armentrout of Spotsylvania. Tim wins the original cartoon along with having it run in Tuesday's Free Lance-Star on page 2. First runner up is Rob Huffman who submitted "We're guessing this isn't your stamp of approval". There were several popular in the office that weren't clean enough to be published in a family newspaper. In fact, they were a little dirty. But since this is the internet, I'm going to share them. Mary Wilkie of Spotsy submitted "We vote you wear underwear the next time you oppress us!". Yolanda Washington of Spotsy submitted (this is bad) "say 'ello to my little friend!". Jon Sweigart of Stafford submitted "Yuck! He's not wearing boxers or briefs!". Clarke Newlin-Justice of Fuquay-Varina, North Carolina submitted "Oh my God! He's a woman!". Next time I'll try not to draw something that makes you people jump on the filth train....you freaks. We still enjoyed them because, honestly, some of us around here are just as much of a Beavis as you are. The next contest will return to using our weekly challenge to decide the winner.
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Father's Day - June 22, 2009 1:34 pm - Show/hide this post
I hate this cartoon. I hate holiday toons. Why do I hate them so much? Is it because I'm evil, bitter and uncapable of sincerity of any sort? Is it because my father never played catch with me?....maybe. Honestly, I hate them because they're BORING. You can say it's my job to make it "unboring"...but that's not gonna happen. Boring is safe in the short term...but it's dangerous in the long run when people get bored of your cartoon, column, story, newspaper and stop reading it altogether. The entire newspaper industry is fighting for it's life. People can find the content online, or they're plain bored of what's in the newspaper in the term of features....so we're not going to work on the content part? A lot of cartoonists ignore the holidays, or most of them...and the weakest, worst cartoonists (most boring) cover every holiday there is. How creative can I do a Christmas/Thanksgiving/Halloween/Memorial/Veterans/Mothers/Fathers/Groundhog day cartoon when I have to do the same thing every year? Quite frankly, I don't want to be one of those boring cartoonists so I need to ask my editor, stop ordering me to be boring. Also, my father never did play catch with me.
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PETA - June 19, 2009 1:54 pm - Show/hide this post
I love Caddyshack. This was the dumb issue of the day and there wasn't really anything strong enough local....so I went with PETA. Now I think there's probably another dozen PETA toons out there so maybe I shouldn't have gone with PETA...but I'm confident none went with my angle. Corporate T-Shirt plays the Grapevine Cafe tonight at 622 Kenmore. Cover's only $3.00. Showtime's around 9:00 and it'll go until at least 1:00 am.
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horrible day - June 17, 2009 4:07 pm - Show/hide this post
I like this toon. Yesterday was kinda hard to find a subject. Everything in the news was about Iran and I already did that, and even for the caption contest. I should make every slow news day a Cheney day. Didn't he leave office? Why is he still all over the place? We didn't hear this much from Cheney when he was in office. He spent all his time hiding, dodging interviews and shooting people. Now he has time to talk policy when he's no longer a part of it? I'm blogging from home today. I took the day off so I can clean my room and move things around. The band needs to practice and we've spent the last two months in a recording studio. During that time we lost our practice space, so tonight we're gonna do it in my bedroom. We're also teaching a new bass player the songs. I expect our gig Friday to be pretty cool.
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Caption Contest #31 - June 16, 2009 6:45 pm - Show/hide this post
Enter this week's contest by using our trusy ultra handy online entry form. Winner gets the original cartoon along with it running in next Tuesday's Free Lance-Star on page two. We're doing things a bit differently this week. Bill Freehling, our Weekly Challenge guru head honcho guy, is taking the week off. That means it will NOT be judged by readers this week. We'll do it the old fashioned way and judge it in house and announce the winners online Monday afternoon. That also means I'm giving you more time to enter. Your deadline is Monday 9:00 AM. We will return to using the weekly challenge next week.
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I Ran - June 16, 2009 1:29 pm - Show/hide this post
This was kind of a fun drawing. My angles are all screwy. Yeah, that was intentional......maybe.
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Caption Contest #30 Winner - June 15, 2009 4:30 pm - Show/hide this post
We had 299 voters in this week's weekly challenge. Coming in first with 139 votes was John Oplinger of King George. John wins the original cartoon which will run Tuesday on page two of The Free Lance-Star. Coming in second with 69 votes is Richard Church of King George who submitted "Ba Ba Ba Babakoran, Ba Ba Ba Babakoran". Third place is Jeff Dove os Spotsylvania with 54 votes who submitted "I uh uh duh duh...where is my teleprompter????" Fourth place with 37 votes is Vera Huffman of Spotsylvania who submitted "Thanks, Paula Abdullah". On another note, this is the last time I'm going to intentionally encourage readers to submit song lyrics. Going through all the entries got so many different songs stuck in my head...I'll never get "Kumbayah" out of there.
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Molly Hatchet - June 12, 2009 1:40 pm - Show/hide this post
Molly Hatchet did a show in Fredericksburg in 1983. From all the articles I read, their fans basically trashed the city. I'm betting the fanbase is a bit different this time around. If you play a Southern rock song and it's not from Skynerd, then I might give an educated guess on which band is doing the song. I don't know the difference between Molly Hatchet, Foghat, Black Oak Razorback Boys or Kajagoogoo. I grew up in Louisiana so maybe I should, but I was really sick of the stuff. It's impossible to drive through Mississippi listening to the radio without hearing a Skynerd song. Lynerd Skynerd is probably the most talented and creative band from which I NEVER want to hear a song from again.
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On your mark.... - June 11, 2009 2:00 pm - Show/hide this post
I spent yesterday trying to think of something that wasn't too lame. I wanted to focus on the campaign we're about to suffer through. I didn't want to focus on the losing candidates as that was past tense, and I wanted to look ahead. Hopefully this cartoon isn't too lame. We picked it over the second choice because this one is a bit stranger laid out and I go for that. 
it was easy for the rough. For the final version I had to image google both candidates. I think I drew better mud in the rough. I'm gonna retire from mud drawing. For some reason I'm on Bob McDonnell's spam list. I've always meant to have them remove me (like all the other spammers who think I want a daily report from them), but I never get around to it. Now that the campaign has started maybe I'll subscribe to Deed's spam and spend the Summer comparing the two. I was on Obama's and McCain's spam list, and I'm still on Obama's...and for some reason after the election Obama kept asking for money. Here's the rough we picked over. 
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Caption Contest #30 - June 9, 2009 5:57 pm - Show/hide this post
Welcome to the 30th installment of our little contest. To submit your entry use our online entry form. Deadline is noon Thursday. Online readers will select the winner from four finalists at our Weekly Challenge. Winner will receive the original cartoon with their caption inked in by me, along with having it printed in Tuesday's Free Lance-Star. Good luck.
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Caption Contest #29 Winner - June 8, 2009 4:36 pm - Show/hide this post
We had 295 votes in our weekly challenge with Paul Barlow of Spotsylvania winning with 130 votes. Paul wins the original cartoon along with having it run on page 2 of tomorrow's Free Lance-Star.
First runner up was Stanley Kennedy of Fredericksburg with 104 votes. He submitted "I would give them away but Michelle won't let me". Coming in third with 43 votes was Louis Centorcelli of Stafford who submitted "No payment 'til 2013". Coming in fourth with 18 votes was David Anema of Fredericksburg who submitted "Red tape sale this weekend".
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Ice Park - June 8, 2009 2:28 pm - Show/hide this post
A lot of people are really upset over the ice park closing for a Nascar inspired go kart track. The ice park was the only place for skating and hockey and whatever the Hell else one does on ice, but there's other places to race go karts, even in Central Park. I'm not sure how this will work. I have to be honest, I totally forgot the ice park was there. I think I set foot in there once when a friend's band was playing.
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Butt Face - June 5, 2009 5:50 pm - Show/hide this post
I don't usually draw a toon for Saturday, but I had this idea and my editor actually said "yes". So I drew it while keeping a promise to my editor that I wouldn't draw Cheney's butt. This is a sneak peak for tomorrow's cartoon. And in case you're wondering, yes, I'm a sick, sick, sick man. 
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DMV Hell - June 5, 2009 2:09 pm - Show/hide this post
I was stuck in analogy limbo yesterday. I wanted to draw a cartoon on this subject (Gwen Woolf, my office neighbor, stuck her head in my office and said I should cover it). I came up with a couple of really bad ideas (no, not the one you see here) and i was gonna strive for better. I knew I wanted an analogy. A starting point is thinking "smiling at the DMV, that's like telling people not to run in quicksand"....see? That sucks! I really can't think of a good analogy other than the Hell thing. So yesterday, I went to Hell. Confession, I stole the imagery of Satan from South Park. I didn't look at any photos, I just kinda went with memory and thought I'd use a South Parkish type Satan. Another thing: this is probably the closest I'll ever get to draw a butt crack for this newspaper. I don't think I've ever drawn one, I know my editor's killed a few. He thinks public exposure of booty is vulgar. I should send him a link to the Borat/Eminem video. Here's a rough. 
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plea bargain - June 4, 2009 1:29 pm - Show/hide this post
I really enjoyed the cross-hatching in this one. I started experimenting with it a little bit. It's really cool to shade inside something and not worry about crossing a line, kinda like paint by numbers. Here's the rough. 
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Profile - June 3, 2009 12:40 pm - Show/hide this post
It wasn't that long ago everyone was in favor of profiling (maybe they still are). I didn't think it was fair but their argument against Muslims was "who else is going to blow something up"... my response....A WHITE GUY! I saw a few cartoons on this issue that pushed the murder aside to whine about how abortion is still legal, for instance this Gary McCoy cartoon To me, that's encouraging and even sticking up for the terrorist. Here a rough. 
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Caption Contest #29 - June 2, 2009 6:36 pm - Show/hide this post
Obama is in the car business. Insert you caption in our online entry form. You have until noon Thursday. From there we'll pick the four best captions and let you vote for the very best in our weekly challenge. Winners will be posted next Tuesday with the very best running on page two of The Free Lance-Star and taking home the original art with their caption inked in by me.
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monopoly - June 2, 2009 2:35 pm - Show/hide this post
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Caption Contest #28 Winner - June 1, 2009 2:05 pm - Show/hide this post
We had 291 votes this week. This week's winner is Lynn Pardee of King George who garnered 101 votes in the weekly challenge. Lynn wins the original art along with having it run on page 2 of tomorrow's Free Lance-Star. Coming in second with 99 votes is Thomas Garber of Spotsylvania who submitted "So this is what they mean by 'pay at the pump!". Coming in third with 65 votes is Don Baxter of Stafford who submitted "Hosed again!". Coming in fourth with 26 votes is Steve McCormick of Fredericksburg who submitted "You're supposed to be a pump, not a siphon." Everybody come back and play again tomorrow when our next contest will go up.
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Boom - June 1, 2009 12:45 pm - Show/hide this post
The fine folks who always plan the July 4th fireworks display over our fair city's skies are having a rough go of it this year. Maybe if everyone around here stopped eating and spent the money on explosives (like North Korea) we could have a really impressive fireworks display. Just joking. I hope they come up with the needed funds and everyone can watch fireworks in Fredericksburg this year. Ya know, I'm not really that ga ga over fireworks. For me it's, eh, so what? I also don't get distracted by shiny colors and pretty things that easily. Maybe it's because after my year of living in Honolulu I never need to hear an explosion ever again. People in Honolulu go NUTS for fireworks and July 4th and New Years Day nobody sleeps because the noise doesn't stop until around 4:00 am. When you wake up the next morning the streets are littered with tiny slices of paper and there's still gun smoke in the air along with the scent that comes with it. Basically, for two days the entire island smells like a lit match. I would be awake at three in the morning hearing these things thinking to myself "at what point does this become boring?"....it doesn't, they just eventually run out of fireworks. Maybe another reason I'm not that crazy about 'em is because when i was a kid, my brother in law would shoot bottle rockets at me (which would make me smell like a lit match). Being the kind of guy who doesn't like being blown up, I learned how to shoot back and thus we created bottle rocket wars. No one in the neighborhood was safe. Of course, we didn't get bored of it either...we just eventually ran out of bottle rockets or the cops would show up. They had better explosives than we did, so we'd go inside the house until they'd leave. It is kinda hard to convince the police you have no knowledge of a bottle rocket war when you're on fire. Here's the rough. 
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Salsa - May 29, 2009 2:51 pm - Show/hide this post
Seriously? Rush Limbaugh, Ann Coulter and Newt Gingrich are accusing someone else of being a racist? This world is surreal sometimes. What's next, Rush and Newt will give out diet tips? Rush will give prescription advice? Newt will give marital advice? Ann will give....wait....what the Hell is she knowledgable about in the first place? Oh, I got it....she'll give advice on how not to look like a bus stop skank who just won a year's supply of Maybelline. This might shock you, but I didn't have to look at any photos to draw these four goons. It so happens, the more ugly and freakish the subject is physically, the easier they are to draw. I would like to think the entire right wing establishment for giving us cartoonists something grotesque to work with. Stop your crying, righties, I know the left has given us James Carville. Here's the rough. 
I still don't know why these roughs are coming out so big. Here's a rough for the first idea but someone upstairs was bewildered that anyone could think of Rush Limbaugh as some who might let a racist comment slip out here or there. 
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Lexus - May 28, 2009 1:41 pm - Show/hide this post
Apparently we're going to have higher city taxes on property, that's not just on your house but also on your vehicle (OK, it's separate but it's rising too). Here's the rough.  I have no idea why my roughs are showing up larger than the regular cartoons. They're saved at the same size and this used to not be an issue. I'll go ask Alex.
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Caption Contest #28 - May 26, 2009 10:49 pm - Show/hide this post
We're back with the caption contest. Thanks for waiting us out a week. Let the games begin!!!  To enter use our ONLINE ENTRY FORM. Deadline is NOON THURSDAY. From there we'll pick four and post them on the Weekly Challenge. We'll announce the winners next Tuesday online and on page two of The Free Lance-Star. Winner gets the original cartoon with his or her caption inked in by me. The gas pump sticking up a customer is an old cartoon cliche that's been done to death. I've decided to use it this week and have you come up with something funnier than any professional cartoonist can think up. Plus, gas prices were on my mind heavily this week as i drove to and back from Memphis. Ouch! Here's Wednesday's cartoon. 
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Love your pets - May 22, 2009 2:51 am - Show/hide this post
This is my last cartoon until Monday. My son, Clayton Michael, is graduating Saturday night. Unfortunately for me it's in Southaven, Mississippi, a suburb city of Memphis. So tomorrow I'm driving 13 hours 27 minutes and 832 miles to Mississippi. I'm looking forward to my son's graduation and just seeing him and chilling for a day. I'll be back at work Tuesday. I did draw a Memorial Day cartoon which will be in the paper Monday but I'm not going to post it online yet. Here's Friday's toon. You knew this story was too weird for me to resist. 
In the movie "Cats And Dogs" one of the characters tells someone else "it's ok to love your pets, but not looooooove your pets".
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Goodell - May 21, 2009 12:47 pm - Show/hide this post
My editor was concerned with calling Michael Vick a "lowlife" thug. His second concern was that each football player's name I mentioned was black. Here's the rough. 
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zip - May 20, 2009 12:35 pm - Show/hide this post
I felt kinda like dog poo yesterday, much like I feel today, so I admit this isn't a grand slam of a cartoon. You should have seen the one I really didn't like. Here's a rough. 
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Notre Dame - May 19, 2009 1:18 pm - Show/hide this post
Guess what I google imaged yesterday. I'm not a big fan of drawing mascots, but this one turned out easy. Usually when I draw a mascot or an established cartoon character (like Yogi Bear, Snoopy, Spongebob), it can be very boring. I'm sure this guy has a name and someone will now let me know what it is, but he wasn't boring to draw. He's got a great expression which reminds me of people I know. Here's the rough. 
After I copied the guy from whatever website I found him on, I put the rough on my drawing table and just copied that. Even though I was drawing something which was established by someone else, I still like to inject my own style into it. NO CAPTION CONTEST THIS WEEK!!! I will be out of town from Friday to Monday and I don't want to throw the judging and caption inking onto someone else. Nobody here has done anything bad enough to deserve that. We'll return the contest next week.
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Caption Contest #27 Winner - May 18, 2009 1:17 pm - Show/hide this post
We had 292 votes for this week's contest. Our winner with 134 votes is Karen M Donnelly from Louisa. Coming in second with 72 votes is Donald Tompkins of Spotsylvania who submitted "I’ve carefully examined the evidence, twice. You’re hired!". Coming in third with 47 votes is Patrick Fell of Spotsylvania who submitted "Yes, Carrie. Marriage is between a man and a woman, until the next woman and the next and... ". Coming in fourth with 39 votes (this was probably mine and editor Brian's favorite) is John Davis of Spotsylvania who submitted "Either live with it or I’ll have Joan Rivers out here in a bathing suit in ten minutes... " Here's Sunday's toon. 
Here's the rough. 
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Chrysler - May 15, 2009 2:03 pm - Show/hide this post
Originally, I was gonna pick on Chrysler, but after talking to a couple editors, decided to take their name out of the rough. 
I draw a mean Big Wheel
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Skank - May 14, 2009 12:45 pm - Show/hide this post
If you know me, then you know these are my favorite sort of cartoons. How often can I get "skank" in the newspaper? Here's the rough. 
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Manny - May 13, 2009 12:48 pm - Show/hide this post
Somebody somewhere should appreciate when I take a national issue and make a local cartoon out of it. That means I can't do it for the syndicate, I won't receive any cool reprints in Newsweek and I won't get an extra check for it. Someone, somebody, give me an "attaboy". I got a phone call this morning from someone high up. I was expecting him to start barking at me in a furious manner, but then it turned out, he loved the cartoon. That's the second time this week I received a call from someone in a position I did a cartoon on, and they loved it. I'm feeling kinda down about this. Where's all my haters? Someone needs to tell me I really suck before I get seriously depressed over this. Here's a rough. 
I had an idea on Miss California and Donald Trump but nobody got it. So it had to die. The idea was stupid, funny to me, and really disgusting....so you know I really wanted to draw it. Here's that rough. 
Three people saw this and didn't understand the Apprentice reference, the "you're fired" reference, or the topless guy reference. I lost a great opportunity to draw a fat guy with ugly man nipples and nasty shoulder/back hair.
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Terminator - May 12, 2009 1:14 pm - Show/hide this post
I'm sick of these phone calls telling me the warranty on my car is about to expire. PFFFFFTTTT!!! That warranty expired years ago, sucker! A lot of people answer the phone thinking "how do they know what I'm driving?". I wonder if those same people think the same thing when they get spam for Viagra. These scams, spam and phone calls, must be working because we keep getting them. I and everyone I know hangs up the phone and deletes the email, but somebody must be forking over. I loved the first Terminator movie. It was raw, low budget and full of awesomness. The second one really stunk and number three sucked to high Hell. The first movie was Arnold, the second one was a puny white guy much like myself, the third was a hot chick. Why did the Terminator get smaller and less scary in each movie? I half expected the fourth movie's Terminator to be a dwarf (imagine "I'll be back" said with a Wizard Of Oz munchkin voice). So I'm psyched to see the new movie and I hope they don't stink it all over the place. I'm even more excited to see it than Star Trek or the Wolverine movie (which I think will also be cool). I'm going to Memphis week after next for my son's graduation. If he's not too busy celebrating and chasing girls maybe he'll go see one of these new movies with his old man. 
As you can see, the toon changed from rough to final version. I added the "I'll call back" at the last minute. I kinda dug it.
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Caption Contest #26 Winner - May 11, 2009 4:56 pm - Show/hide this post
Once again we had 304 votes. Coming in first with 147 votes is Vera Huffman of Spotsylvania. Vera wins the original artwork with her caption inked in by me, along with having it printed on page 2 of Tuesday's Free Lance-Star. Coming in second with 98 votes is Jackie Yeager of Stafford who submitted "Women and children last! I have to save myself first". Coming in third with 41 votes is Charles Pinto of Fredericksburg who submitted "If only the captain had avoided that iceberg shaped like Rush Limbaugh!". Coming in fourth with 18 votes is Bobbie Huffman (who's probably related to our winner) of Spotsylvania who submitted "O'Reilly, Hannity...all you Fox anchors, away!". Everyone, come back and play again next week.
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Rappahannock - May 11, 2009 1:01 pm - Show/hide this post
I figured I'd get a jump before any catastrophes happened on the river this summer. They should put my cartoons on the warning signs. Here's the rough. 
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Ben Franklin - May 8, 2009 1:42 pm - Show/hide this post
I spent some time on this cartoon. I enjoyed the shading. I'm saddened by the closing of Ben Franklin. To be honest, I didn't go in there very often despite living here for the past ten years. I know you could get something framed there, and I'm not really sure what else they were good for...maybe bying a wicker basket? They did seem out of the times, which is a good thing for reminiscing, but bad if you actually want to stay in business. I am sad to see it go and to see such a huge hole on Caroline St. I just hope we don't get another antique store to replace it. But, Wal-Mart...what's the deal? You can read stories from across the country about this company and it seems they're constantly in a fight to build a "super center" on a piece of historic land. It's happened in Southern Stafford near Ferry Farms, Spotsylvania where they look to build on Civl War battlefields and now, Orange County near the Wilderness battlefield where Lee fought Grant. Is Wal-Mart looking to desecrate what's sacred, history, important? Just how important is a $15 oil change and a huge package of discount toilet paper? Here's the rough. 
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Kirk And Spock - May 7, 2009 12:25 pm - Show/hide this post
It's a good day when I make myself laugh. I had the idea pretty early, and it hit immediately. I love easy idea days as they can be rare at times. I don't know how I got an idea on the D.C. Council's gay vote while reading a story about the new Star Trek movie. Here's the rough. 
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penguins - May 6, 2009 12:52 pm - Show/hide this post
I liked this cartoon. I like drawing penguins. They're just fun. It always irks me when I see cartoons, postcards, posters, soda commercials, etc., where penguins and polar bears are hanging out together. My friend Kate is well aware of this pet peeve of mine. Penguins, SOUTH POLE. Polar Bears, NORTH POLE....and if they were in the same location, they wouldn't be chilling together. One of them would be eating the other, not sharing soft drinks. I'm dedicating the penguin toon to my friend Ginny, because she's extremly goofy about penguins. I think I liked the feel of the rough better than the final version. 
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Caption Contest #26 - May 5, 2009 6:15 pm - Show/hide this post
To enter this week's contest use our ultra handy online entry form. Make your entries by noon Thursday. Our judges will pick four entries which readers and players will choose from this Friday in our Weekly Challenge. The winning entry will be printed in next Tuesday's Free Lance-Star on page 2 along with winning the original cartoon with the caption inked in by me. Have fun.
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Plugs!!! - May 5, 2009 1:21 pm - Show/hide this post
I even made myself laugh when I got this idea. I wonder how many hair plug ideas I can work into my cartoons the next four years. Today is Cartoonist Day, which coincides with Cinco De Mayo, which involves a LOT of drinking. Coincidence? I think there should be a Journalist Day (there probably already is one) which would naturally involve a LOT of drinking, especially in this economic climate with journalist being laid off and newspapers closing.
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Caption Contest #25 Winner - May 3, 2009 9:43 pm - Show/hide this post
We had 305 votes in this week's Weekly Challenge for the caption Contest. Coming in at Number one with 132 votes is Monika Beale of Fredericksburg. She wins the original art for this cartoon, along with having it run in Tuesday's Free Lance-Star on Page two. Coming at second with 99 votes is Sharon Strange of Stafford who submitted "God I hope this is just another photo op!". Coming in at third with 50 votes is Stan Kennedy of Fredericksburg who submitted "I said 'shoo', not 'sooie!". Coming in fourth with 24 votes is Vera Huffman of Spotsylvania who submitted "*&%@* NAFTA!". Thanks to everyone for playing and I hope each of you return to play this week. Sunday's Toon Since I'm blogging, I might as well as publish the toon which ran today. 
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Biden - May 1, 2009 2:19 pm - Show/hide this post
Every cartoonist keeps drawing the same specter toon. I had to think of something different. It's funny to hear Republicans say they're glad he's gone. They don't realize they need numbers in their party, or difference of views. I guess to be a Republican you should all walk, talk, think and look alike, ya know....goose step. Specter is selfish to jump ship, just as Joe Leiberman was. He's a politician, whether he's a Republican or a Democrat he's still a slimy politician I'm not going to trust. I heard someone say Joe Biden is the gift that keeps on giving....to cartoonists he is. Thanks, Joe!!!
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Spotsy schools - Apr. 30, 2009 11:15 am - Show/hide this post
It seems like a no-brainer to suspend a student athlete off a team for being in trouble. Colleges do it. Pros do it. Why not public education? Even if you're not convicted, you're still representing an institution and playing for them is a privilege. Hell, I got thrown off a football team in 7th grade for not getting a haircut. Maybe if some coaches don't want to teach responsibility or set an example, they should be thrown off the team.
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Bubba - Apr. 28, 2009 10:56 pm - Show/hide this post
I was talking to my editor about Bubbas. For some reason he wanted to talk about this. He said he never knew a Bubba in West Virginia so it must be a Southern thing. Well yeah. I've known thousands of Bubbas growing up in the South. Usually it's not their given name. I was asked if I ever met a black Bubba. Uh, no. I know a guy from Mississippi who's last name is Thompson so I wanted to make him a Bubba for one day. He's a busy guy so I'm not sure if he'll catch this. I'll give him a nudge. Trans Am does seem like a car a Bubba would drive (when he's not driving a pickup truck with a boat behind it). I'm really hoping I don't see any editorial cartoons on the death of the Trans Am with Smoky And The Bandit in it.
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Caption Contest #25 - Apr. 28, 2009 4:42 pm - Show/hide this post
I knew the flying pig would be a cliche used by many cartoonists. I have actually only seen one (that doesn't mean there's not more out there). So in keeping with my history of using cliches for the caption contest, here ya go. To enter use our ultra handy online entry form. Have your submissions in by noon Thursday. Friday we'll put up the weekly challenge where readers can select from four captions. Do you have the right stuff to win this porker and take home the original cartoon with your caption inked in by me? Bring it.
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Sam-I-am - Apr. 27, 2009 5:32 pm - Show/hide this post
I've noticed over the years and from knowing a few Sams, that if your name is Sam, you're not really fond of being called "Sam-I-Am". 
This was tedious as I had to letter a LOT. Lettering is the most boring part of drawing a cartoon which is why I try to use as few as possible. Also, I've learned that lots of words deter readers from reading the entire cartoon. Hopefully they'll stick around for this one. I lettered the entire thing then thought each rhyming line needed space between them. I photo-copied the entire thing, then put white-out over the lettering, and pasted the copied text over the white-out. I could have just typed the text in, but that's always been a boring look, at least in my opinion. I know I'm blogging this a bit early as the cartoon doesn't run until tomorrow, and I'm not big on scooping the print edition. But I was kinda proud of my creativity and decided to go ahead and put it online. Shout out to Dr. Seuss!
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Rejected Rough - Apr. 27, 2009 5:15 pm - Show/hide this post
Here's a toon I proposed for Tuesday's paper. It was decided that the issue had passed importance. The first concern from upstairs was that it was too crude. I'm always hearing that newspapers are boring and fuddy duddy. I have to agree if something this innocent is considered crude. 
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Caption Contest #24 Winner - Apr. 27, 2009 1:33 pm - Show/hide this post
We had 304 votes. Coming in first with 135 votes is Thomas Garber of Caroline County. First runner up with 71 votes is Patrick Fell of Spotsylvania who submitted "A good photo op, eh Amigo?". Coming in third with 70 is Alan Branfman of Spotsylvania who submitted "here's a little bookmark to go with the book I gave you". Coming in fourth with 28 votes is Wanda McCormick of Stafford who submitted "This handshake is OK but I wonder what's inside his soul". Here's Sunday's cartoon. 
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Conference on Racism - Apr. 23, 2009 12:28 am - Show/hide this post
This is cool. I uploaded this toon and the rough hours ago at the office. Now I'm at home and I'm loading them onto the blog. Ah, technology. I enjoy drawing Klansmen as they're so ridiculous. About 15 years ago when I was working in Mississippi, I drew a cartoon with a bunch of Klansmen in it. This girl in the office remarked "how cute they look". I was a little disturbed by that. While at that same paper I was eventually banned from drawing anyone ina robe or a sheet. It was deemed too negative. I lasted there about eight months. Hey, it's a been a while since I've posted a rough and I felt good today, so you get one. 
In fact, it's been so long since I uploaded a rough, I totally forgot I need to scan them at a higher resolution so they'll display better in the blog. Sorry about that.
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24 - Apr. 22, 2009 2:02 pm - Show/hide this post
I have never watched 24 but everyone else who works on the editorial page is a certifiable 24 nut. I didn't even bother to check the spelling of "Bauer" when I took the rough upstairs. I knew they'd correct me if I was wrong (I wasn't). Sometimes I have the misfortune of walking in during the middle of a heated 24 discussion and someone's getting so excited you think he's going to hyperventilate. Anyway, I knew this cartoon would be approved. I was informed Jack Bauer was under investigation at some point on the show. Like the dog? I know Obama said the dog wouldn't sleep with them, but as a dog owner I know that's always the intention but somehow it doesn't work out that way. Next thing you know you can't wear a white shirt to the office because you have black dog hair all over it.
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Susan Boyle - Apr. 21, 2009 1:46 pm - Show/hide this post
I enjoyed drawing this despite the funky mood I was in (I didn't win the Pulitzer). But I've seen a few amps in my time so it was fun. Why did I draw on Susan Boyle? My editor wanted me to. He was excited he knew something from the cultural entertaining world I wasn't that clued in on. But I had heard about it and I ventured onto youtube to check it out. It was great. Though, I'm not sure it's not scripted. I totally expect Simon knew what was coming at him as it is his show. I don't think he minds being the bad guy. It was nice to see an underdog come through. Now if only the Pulitzer board could see it that way. HA! Congratulations to Steve Breen for winning the Pulitzer, again, and to Matt Weurker and Mike Thompson for being finalists. All three guys are really good friends of mine so I can't be too bitter.
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Caption Contest #23 Winner - Apr. 20, 2009 4:52 pm - Show/hide this post
We had 295 votes. This week's winner with 147 votes is Jeffrey Shackelford of Stafford. He wins the original cartoon which will be published on page two of Tuesday's Free Lance-Star. Coming in second with 80 votes is D.L. Keffer of Spotsylvania who submitted "I think we tried to rob the wrong nest". Coming in third with 41 votes is Margaret Ann Holt of Stafford who submitted "We though the U.S.A. had lost its claws". Coming in fourth with 27 votes is Andy Hayes of Stafford who submitted "G.M. did it! Why couldn't I?". Come back this Wednesday when we'll have another contest up.
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Tea Party - Apr. 20, 2009 11:47 am - Show/hide this post
I drew a rough for this and instead of "tea party" I wrote "tea bag". Yeah, I already knew there's another meaning for that. I go upstairs and Linda and Karen both warn me there's another meaning to the word. I play dumb and say "whaaaaat? Tell me". They won't inform me. Later I show my editor and he warns me and I ask him to explain it and he can't. So I come clean and explain it to him and totally ruin his weekend. No, I didn't fight to put the term "tea bag" in the cartoon. If you don't know what I'm talking about then do yourself a favor and DONT do a google search. You're better off not knowing. Since I wanted to draw some literal tea bags I did a google image search and that was a HUGE mistake. I should have used the term "tea party". One image invovled a dog and a cat, which was kinda funny...but wrong wrong wrong wrong and I don't endorse that kind of humor. Snicker.
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Twitter - Apr. 17, 2009 12:51 pm - Show/hide this post
Yes, it's a Twitter toon. It seems a lot of people don't know what Twitter is. I didn't just a few weeks ago. If you don't know then I'll tell you. Basically it's a condensed myspace and facebook. You just write down what you're doing within 140 characters. You're asking yourself "what's the point in that?". There isn't a point or a good reason for it. People just do it...and yeah, I'm one of them. For those who follow, you can find me at clay335. I have to warn you, I can get really silly and give you quick updates when the band's in the studio, or at a show. But the last couple days, I've become really bored of it. I think it's all the celebrity stuff. I was following a few celebrities just because they're always liable to say something stupid. But after actor Ashton Kutcher and CNN raced to be the first with a million Twitter followers (Ashton won, not sure how many friends Fez has), I felt all this twittering is kind of lame. Yesterday, I was talking to Bill Freehling about the weekly challenge's Facebook page, and he mentioned how there were more of these social connecting services I wasn't aware of yet....and I think I want to remain unaware. It's getting too much. I predict in six months or less, nobody will be Twittering...except for those two female friends of mine who twittered back and forth a hundred times last night about Hell's Kitchen (which I've never watched).
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Woof - Apr. 16, 2009 1:48 pm - Show/hide this post
The Obamas got a dog. I was watching Jon Stewart a couple nights ago and he said "Bo" is the first openly gay dog in the White House. Apparently Checkers was gay but even dog houses have closets.
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Phillip Rodenberg - Apr. 15, 2009 2:31 pm - Show/hide this post
I drew this while city manager Phillip Rodenberg was on leave. As of late last night, the city has accepted his regignation. My editor didn't want me to do this cartoon. He felt the subject was too sensitive. I was persistent and with a little help from come colleagues the verdict was "d'uh! It should run".
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Caption Contest #23 - Apr. 14, 2009 2:01 pm - Show/hide this post
I've seen cartoons of the American Bald Eagle swooping down on Cubans, Russians, Iraqis, Taliban, etc....and the other day I saw one of it swooping down on a pirate flag. It's a cliche and usually these cartoons are wordless. So today I'm giving you the cliche and seeing if you can make it better than the standard professional political cartoonist's version. You have until late Thursday to submit your entry right HERE ON OUR ULTRA HANDY ONLINE CAPTION CONTEST ENTRY FORM. Friday, we'll publish (online) four finalist in our Weekly Challenge and you'll get to vote for your favorite. The winning caption will run next Tuesday on page 2 of The Free Lance-Star, and the winner will receive the original cartoon.
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- Apr. 14, 2009 3:09 am - Show/hide this post
Yesterday was pretty busy. I had to put together the caption winner with the actual caption. Yeah, lettering can take a little time (I'd like to convince you it takes more time than it actually does). I was trying to squeeze in the caption thing with Tuesday's cartoon along with running an amp back to a shop and then band practice...time is tough. My editor came to my office to see if I had an idea. I had an idea but it wasn't roughed. I basically bic'ed it out for him in a couple of seconds by drawing heads and labels and he loved the idea. I like drawing Michelle Obama. I gave her biceps in case you didn't notice. I kinda liked the idea of Obama not being such a pacifist. I have a few more ideas on the pirate thing though I may not have the opportunity to draw them all. I am really psyched about the rescue from the pirates. It does feel good for our country to demonstrate, though we can be pacifist, not to piss us off. I honestly believe these pirates will avoid ships flying an American flag. Republicans really hate Obama being extremely successful at his job. Sorry, guys. Hey, maybe we shouldn't publicly wish for the president to fail. That sentence just gave me another idea.
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Caption Contest #22 Winner - Apr. 13, 2009 2:42 pm - Show/hide this post
This is the first week of letting fredericksburg.com readers vote from four finalist in the Weekly Challenge. We had 319 votes alltogether. Our winner, with 159 votes, is Dave King of Stafford. Dave wins the original cartoon and will have it featured on page 2 of Tuesday's Free Lance-Star. Coming in second with 107 votes is Patrick Fell of Spotsylvania who submitted "Axis of Evil? Don't you see my halo?". Coming in third with 36 votes is Mary Raye of Stafford who submitted "When I'm having a bad hair day, EVERYONE is having a bad hair day!". Coming in four with 17 votes is Jeffrey Shackelford of Stafford who submitted "Only my hairdresser knows for sure!". Big thanks to Bill Freehling, who runs our Weekly Challenge, for coordinating the vote...and counting the votes. Also, he came up with the idea of having the readers vote on the winner. Check out page 2 of Wednesday's Free Lance-Star for the next contest.
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Pirates - Apr. 13, 2009 2:05 pm - Show/hide this post
This cartoon was set to run today but it didn't. I believe (haven't talked to editor yet) it was pulled after the pirates were killed and the hostage was rescued. I'm really psyched about that and it's almost Reaganesque for Obama to send down that order. I don't disagree with the cartoon being pulled. Events happen and when there's a three day window between the cartoon being drawn and the date it actually runs, you run the risk of the cartoon being outdated. But did it have to be replaced on the editorial page with a cartoon of the Easter Bunny driving Santa's sleigh?
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North Korea - Apr. 10, 2009 2:13 pm - Show/hide this post
Yesterday, a friend and coworker was a bit saddened I'd pick on Obama. I'm pretty much an equal opportunity offender, at least I like to think I am. I can see me being offensive to everyone. I hope everyone voted in the caption contest. We'll reveal those winners Tuesday.
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Weekly Challenge - Apr. 10, 2009 12:24 am - Show/hide this post
This is the first week for our caption contest's inclusion with the weekly challenge. We're letting you decide who wins. To vote, go to our WEEKLY CHALLENGE (that's a link, folks) and decide between the four options we've given you. Fun huh? You can read all the details there. Yay!!!
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Headless Leadership - Apr. 8, 2009 1:54 pm - Show/hide this post
This cartoon was my second choice. My first choice is hilarious and everybody liked it. But I was afraid my editor would hate it, so I went with the safer cartoon because he wasn't around. He showed up right at the point I was finished and he didn't like it. That was just too bad because i was done and it was time to go. He loved the one I thought he'd be afraid of, so that's coming tomorrow. Trust me, it's good. Well, I think so.
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Rogue - Apr. 7, 2009 2:18 pm - Show/hide this post
I like combining two issues for one cartoon. I especially like taking a national issue, lead the reader to think I'm going in one direction, WHAM...we end up someplace else. Kinda like taking your dog to the vet. Did you enjoy the ride? Yesterday was a pretty good day. I finished the cartoon early enough to work on the caption contest. I wish today's idea would come as easy.
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Caption Contest #22 - Apr. 6, 2009 4:28 pm - Show/hide this post
Use our ultra handy online entry form to enter this week's caption contest. It's so easy, cats can do it. Yeah, we're going early this week. It'll still run on A2 of Wednesday's paper, but you only have until noon Thursday to enter. Friday we're going to post four captions and you're going to pick which one you think should win. Next Tuesday we'll announce the winner. Big changes and I hope you like them. It should be more fun and create more reader involvement. About the drawing, there's been a hundred or so caricatures of this guy's hair as a mushroom cloud. I like using cliches for the caption contest. I think the entries are usually better than the actual cartoons I see out there.
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The Queen - Apr. 6, 2009 1:19 pm - Show/hide this post
I had to explain this to my editor and for some weird reason, he still let me do it. I also had to explain it to a copy editor, but at that point it had been drawn. I probably, maybe should have thought of something else Caption Contest Stay Tooned for a slight shake up of our caption contest. I know, newspaper readers hate change. But you're new media newspaper readers and I think you're going to love it. I'll explain more tomorrow, or I'll have someone else explain more.
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Caption Contest #21 Winner - Apr. 3, 2009 4:29 pm - Show/hide this post
This week's winner is Rick Verhaagen of Chantilly, Virginia. He wins the original cartoon along with having his entry run on page A2 of Saturday's Free Lance-Star. Runner up is a past winner. Eric Hennessey of Spotsylvania submitted "Can't I just have an ipod?". There's going to be some changes to the contest starting next week. We here at Fredericksburg.com think it's going to improve the contest and make it more fun and interesting for the readers and entrants. Also, it's going to be more fair because guess who's going to pick the winner. YOU ARE!!! Stay tooned.
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Smoking Area - Apr. 3, 2009 2:29 pm - Show/hide this post
I like this cartoon. I like the art, I like the joke...I LOOOOVE the bubbles. Drawing bubbles is fun. I'll have to think of more bubble content cartoons. Right now I'm still working on Emily's hippo. State of the industry I haven't posted about all the layoffs industry wide, because I'm tired of the bad news. It's been bad. A lot of journalists have been laid off and it's horrible. Yesterday, the Richmond Times-Dispatch laid of over 90 people with one of them being my friend Gary Brookins. Gary has been there for decades, great cartoonist and a super nice guy. My best wishes go out to him. This may make me the last working cartoonist in Virginia. Rock N Roll Tonight The band kicks butt. You'll like it...or maybe hate it if loud garage rock isn't your thing. We don't play any covers, all songs are original...and though it's loud, everything has a hook and a melody. And it's happening tonight at KC's Music Alley, 1917 Princess Anne St. Come check us out. Show starts at 9:00 PM.
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Chris Brown - Apr. 2, 2009 1:46 pm - Show/hide this post
Everyone in the office who saw this cartoon liked it. Nobody had a problem with it. My editor was out to lunch (literally...not a dig here). I show him the cartoon upon his return and I have to take a seat and wait while he does a Wikipedia search on Chris Brown, as if I just made the guy up. After reading all he can or cares to on Chris Brown he decides we can't do the cartoon. I fight for it. The struggle lasted over an hour. I was confident we weren't libeling the guy as the cartoon doesn't say he's guilty. I cite the case of Larry Flynt V. Jerry Falwell where the Supreme Court sided with Larry Flynt. My editor doesn't buy it because it's Larry Flynt. My final argument is: if Oprah can basically label the guy guilty of domestic violence, then I can do this cartoon. We consult Dick Hammerstrom, one of our editors who specliazes in legalese for newspapers and freedom of information and sticky stuff like that. Of course, Hammer was off yesterday. So my editor calls Hammer, then I call Hammer and the cartoon is finally a go. Look! It's published and now you can see it!!!!
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Resume - Apr. 1, 2009 1:19 pm - Show/hide this post
I had a tough time yesterday getting any idea to work. The second worked, but it honestly just wasn't that funny. Maybe this isn't funny either, but it's a big improvement over the other two. I'll show those later. Monkey Remember when the cartoon of a chimp raised all sorts of Hell? Al Sharpton was upset and calling for the firing of an editor and a cartoonist and finally Rupert Murdoch apologizes for it all? Everyone (who was upset) thought the cartoon was comparing Obama to a chimp. There's a lot of concern that we can't criticize Obama, draw him or anything, without being accused of racism. I don't worry about that. I'm just going to do my job. Aparently, Mike Luckovich isn't worried about it either. There's no way he drew this cartoon without being aware of the danger potential. Yeah, it's a looooong way from anything racist, but just the fact it mentions the president and has a chimp in the cartoon may be enough license for the short fused to explode. Maybe Mike is saying "grow up"...or "bring 'em on". Nah, probaly not.
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Caption Contest #21 - Mar. 31, 2009 6:25 pm - Show/hide this post
To enter this week's caption contest simply click this link to our HANDY AND ULTRA EASY ONLINE ENTRY FORM. The winner will receive the original cartoon with their caption inked in by me, along with having it announced on page 2 of Saturday's Free Lance-Star. You have until sometime Friday when I get around to handing the entries to the judges. Have fun.
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yabba dabba doo - Mar. 31, 2009 4:21 pm - Show/hide this post
Yesterday I had that new Plain White T's song stuck in my head. I don't know if you know it, but it's called "1,2,3, I Love You" or something schmaltzy like that. Anyway, it's catchy and extremly dreadful. Thankfully, after drawing this I had the theme to The Flintstones stuck my head which was a huge improvement. In case you're wondering, I did image.google the Flintstones car. Halfway through drawing it, I realized some of my ergonomics (is that the word I'm looking for?), wasn't working out. The Flintstones car has a back seat, mine doesn't. Also, I didn't put Dino in there which was hard because I really like Dino. I also kinda have a thing for Betty Rubble but I shouldn't talk about that. She's like the Mary Ann of Bedrock. It just occurred to me, "Bedrock" may be some vaugue sexual term. Now that I think about it more, that's really some crude programming for way back in the 1960's. Someone should call Tipper Gore and let her know this kind of smut is available to our children which probably encourages all that "sexting" I've been reading about. And have you seen how short the skirts are? And why is Fred and Barney wearing skirts? They can make a car and a pterodactyl airplane but they can't make pants? I'll stop before I get started on Donald Duck never wearing pants. That duck spends waaaaaay too much time around little related ducklings for a guy never wearing pants. He must be the creepy uncle. I watched way too many cartoons as a kid.
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Voucher - Mar. 30, 2009 4:21 pm - Show/hide this post
I'm kinda mixed on the voucher thing. I think the education lobby's reasons are pure protective of itself and political. I find it disengenous for a bunch of people who's children attend private schools to block the same privilege for others.
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Caption Contest #20 Winner - Mar. 27, 2009 7:44 pm - Show/hide this post
This week's winner is Randall Hedge of Spotsylvania. Randall wins the original cartoon along with having it featured on page 2 of Saturday's Free Lance-Star. First runner up is Jim Ogershok of Stafford who submitted "I find it best to talk policy late at night, after the markets are closed!!’' There were a couple others I appreciated. Tom Morrissett of Stafford submitted "Have you seen my stimulus package? Whoa!" Teresa Yarboro of Spotsylvania submitted "Let's see how far I can stick my foot in my mouth". I liked those. We had a huge turnout this week. There mustn't have been anything else good on the internet. I hope everyone takes another crack at it next wednesday.
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Geithner - Mar. 27, 2009 1:58 pm - Show/hide this post
I'm pretty happy with my hamster wheel. It's the day after I drew it and looking at it again, hey....it doesn't suck. I google imaged hamster wheels like crazy. I saw a lot of hamsters. A couple of people in the office said nice things...and one person made a comment about Barney Frank and hamsters which was probably innapropriate...but hey, the toon works. Oliphant I would say "Oliphant is in trouble again", but he's Pat Oliphant and he's never in trouble. But he has pissed off a lot of people during his career and this week it's the Anti-Defamation League. I've seen cartoons of his before that did seem pretty racist, but not the one upsetting people this week. It's a strong cartoon which uses images the Anti-Defamation League thinks should never be used...but that doesn't make it hate. I was watching The Office once and someone pooped in Steve Carrell's office. He called it a "hate crime"...one of his employees says it's not a hate crime...and Carrell screams "well I hated it". Kind of the same thing here. Someone pooped on Israel and the Anti-Defamation League hated it...but it's not a hate crime. The Daily Cartoonist reports the news. This weird blog scrutinizes the bejezuz out of the cartoon. Twitter I have joined twitter and now I'm as geeky as the rest of you. OK, yeah, I know...I've always been geeky. My profile is at http://twitter.com/clay335.
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Adopt a city worker - Mar. 26, 2009 1:51 pm - Show/hide this post
The city council is weighing tax hikes versus paycuts for city employees. I figured we could make it easier on everyone by just moving city employees in with residents who aren't me. I'll take the dog.
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Olde Town Wine And Cheese - Mar. 25, 2009 1:39 pm - Show/hide this post
I sat around with several colleagues to pick the list of business that have closed down over the years. I had a criteria that they had to be downtown traditions. Blue Dog, huge tradition and I miss it a lot. Chords, didn't make my list as it wasn't a tradition and frankly, I never liked it. I was going to pick Roma 52, first place I ate when I visited this city, but they didn't really go out of business. I miss every business on this list except Irish Brigade (because that closed before I moved here) and Merriman's (because, well...you know why). A lot of people are learning about Olde Town Wine And Cheese closing from this cartoon. Even my editor didn't know. He killed the first idea as he thought it was too mean. He didn't like the word "whine". 
I do prefer the toon we ran over the killed idea, so I'm not going to whine about it. HAHAHA!!! Get it? Whine! Nevermind. I am going to miss the place. I used to take my little sister there all the time, and as I recall, she never paid once. Once I took my son and realized he couldn't chew or move his mouth. I asked what was wrong but he couldn't answer. Turns out, he decided to stick the entire sandwich in his mouth. Ah, good times. One thing I never understood about this shop and several others (I've mentioned this to a few friends), but why close your shop that sells food when it's time for people to eat? Seriously, people eat after 5:00 PM. Just about everybody I know eats something after that time. I'm gonna have to visit the shop before it blows town. I will not be taking my sister.
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Caption Contest #20 - Mar. 24, 2009 6:58 pm - Show/hide this post
Hey, we made it to 20 contests and only got in a little trouble along the way. 
Obama appeared on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno. What do you think he should have talked about? Make it funny. Make it short. Make it by Friday. Enter here in our ULTRA HANDY ONLINE ENTRY FORM. Good luck.
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No Offense - Mar. 24, 2009 1:00 pm - Show/hide this post
I like combining issues. I didn't see Obama on Leno (haven't seen Leno in years), but I read the interview and as soon as I came across the line about "Special Olympics", I thought "you're in trouble". There really hasn't been much made of it. Obama was smart to apologize before people had time to get upset, and the fact he's not a Republican is on his side. If Dick Cheney had made that crack, well...nobody would do anything because everyone's afraid of Dick Cheney, and we also wouldn't be able to find him. But you get my point. Dodd is an idiot or a criminal. He had a chance to block the AIG bonuses but he didn't. He's a recipient of huge donations from these insurance companies and a bunch of them are located in his state (that would be Conneticut, in case you're not informed). Dodd's Senate career may be coming to an end.
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Bonus Tax - Mar. 23, 2009 1:36 pm - Show/hide this post
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Caption Contest #19 Winner - Mar. 20, 2009 6:14 pm - Show/hide this post
 This week's winner is Herman Dewitt of Stafford. Herman wins the
original cartoon which will appear in Saturday's Free Lance-Star on
page 2. Runner up is Bev Newlin of Stafford who submitted "Do you really believe if I win, the country loses?". Play again next week.
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Tabs - Mar. 20, 2009 3:04 pm - Show/hide this post
Stafford sent Spotsylvania a bill for what they feel is owed them for VRE expenses. We'll see that bill paid, right? One reader wrote me this morning and I asked permission to post his email on the blog. He hasn't responded yet but I'm going to post it anyway without his name. "Next time you return to the VRE equation you might want to consider putting "taxpayer" bellied up to the bar, with Fredericksburg, Spotsylvania and Stafford tending bar.
Spotsylvania can ask "what can we do for you" Fredericksburg and Stafford can chime in with "a shot or the bottle?" It's strange to receive an email about a cartoon and it doesn't mention how much I suck.
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Zinn - Mar. 19, 2009 1:54 pm - Show/hide this post
This toon was the third attempt to get one past the editor. He killed it, laughed, said it's still dead, Linda walked in the room and laughed at it, so he said it could go....then he killed it, said it could go, killed it, said it could go and then I ran out of the office before he could change his mind again. Here's the first toon killed over. 
My editor didn't want to make fun of people who are trying to ban the book. He was afraid this cartoon would make all of them look like racists or a part of the pro-white movement (which is also racist...DUH!), but I don't know that they're not. So I knew I was gonna have a rough day of it. I was told I can draw a toon saying the book shouldn't be banned, but I had to be careful with how I hit the banners.....which is like trying to cook something without the burners on. Here's the second idea. 
My editor didn't like this one either. While he doesn't think the book should be banned, he agrees with those who think there's not enough white representation in history books. I countered that by recalling how our history books were entirely white, except when we were killing people who weren't white. This was killed for making the critics look like hot heads. By the way, did you know past complaints in Stafford were over "James And The Giant Peach" and "The Color Purple"? Now ya know!
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Online Newspapers - Mar. 18, 2009 1:39 pm - Show/hide this post
The Seattle Post-Intelligencer just went online exclusively. I probably shouldn't criticize online newspapers since we really put a lot of effort into fredericksburg.com. I really like the online stuff and at times it's more liberating. I find the online editions can involve readers more, like with the online contest, and they can comment and reply to what we publish (so I hear). Plus, I can say "suck" in the blog and never in the newspaper. As cool as the online stuff is, I still like holding a newspaper. I like seeing my cartoons in print. I like picking up the newspaper in the morning to discover the front page headline. One little factoid I read yesterday said people who subscribe to their local paper can spend up to five hours a month with their local paper. People who read their local paper online spend about eight minutes a month on it. That's insane. It's probably nano-seconds for a cartoon blog.
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Caption Contest #19 - Mar. 17, 2009 5:56 pm - Show/hide this post
Just about every cartoonist in the country who doesn't feel like thinking is using an image similiar to this for a cartoon. I figured let my readers have it and let them create the caption. Enter your caption at our OFFICIAL CAPTION CONTEST LINKY THINGY PAGE. You have until Friday and Saturday we'll announce the winner here and on page 2 of Saturday's Free Lance-Star.
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AIG - Mar. 17, 2009 2:48 pm - Show/hide this post
I looked at a couple of toon sites today and everyone and their brother is drawing on AIG. Mine's better. HAHAHA!!!! People have a right to be outraged by this. This is our money. This company pleaded for a bailout and now they're giving it away to people who ran the company into the position it needed a bailout. Dammit, now I'm mad again. Here's Monday's cartoon. 
I don't normally draw a cartoon for Monday. My editor asked me to come in on Sunday and do a local congratulatory toon for the basketball teams. Congrats to those teams. Honestly, I hate cartoons like this. I don't even think it's a cartoon. If I didn't do this cartoon I would have had a huge fight. When cartoonists are being laid off left and right, fine. I'll come in on a Sunday and do a nice kudos cartoon. But when I do a nice cartoon I totally expect that to give me leeway to kick someone's ass this week.
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Caption Contest #18 Winner - Mar. 13, 2009 5:36 pm - Show/hide this post
This week's winner is Gregory Baugher of Spotsylvania. Gregory receives the original artwork along with having it featured on page 2 of Saturday's Free Lance-Star. Runner up is Mark Faller of Stafford who submitted "..feeling bear market rally in-your-face happy...today anyway". Toon in next Wednesday and play again.
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Jeff Frederick - Mar. 13, 2009 3:54 pm - Show/hide this post
This was kinda spat out as I had to head out of here yesterday to prepare for last night's show. We rocked. This toon, maybe a little. Here's the two roughs on Douglas Wilder which were killed. This one was killed today. 
Here's the one which was killed today. 
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Obama Money - Mar. 12, 2009 1:53 pm - Show/hide this post
My friend and new roommate referred to his tax returns as his "Obama Money". I liked the phrase and stole it from him. I like the pigeons. My squirrel however, doesn't look very healthy. Next time I'll google image squirrels. Band Here's another cheap plug for the band. We're playing tonight at Colonial Tavern around 10:00 PM. Come one, come all.
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Kumbaya - Mar. 11, 2009 2:53 pm - Show/hide this post
I liked this toon. I had to search "Kumbaya" to make sure I was spelling it right and shocking, I was. Then our copy editor double checked. For some reason he doosent troost my speelllling. I got a second idea for this issue and I might do that for my syndicate. Maybe. I don't know. I'm a busy guy. The band has a gig tomorrow. Here's the rough. 
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Caption Contest #18 - Mar. 10, 2009 6:03 pm - Show/hide this post
I decided to make it a bit more challenging this week. See what you can do with this! 
Use our handy and easy OFFICIAL CRAZY CAPTION CONTEST ENTRY FORM (that's a link for all you nitwits who keep emailing me on how to enter. Don't make me make the fonts bigger next week.). The winner will be announced in Saturday's Free Lance-Star on page 2 and he/she will also receive the original cartoon with their winning caption inked in by me. You have until Friday NOON to enter. Take your best shot and have fun.
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Abort - Mar. 10, 2009 12:47 pm - Show/hide this post
I'm glad Obama has reversed Bush's ban on stem cell research. Having a president do sensible things is something I'm not used to. One of our copy editors was surprised this made the cut. Here's the rough. 
Dave Astor I've written about Dave Astor before. He was a longtime syndicate columnist for Editor and Publisher until he was laid off. He's spent a lot of time hanging out with cartoonists so he's pretty much a friend to anyone who's ever picked up a pen. I'm glad to say he's picked up a gig at the Huffington Post. You can check out one of his articles HERE. Crazy Weekend I just want to write something about it. I haven't even told some of my best friends about it. The band played Friday night and it went really well. Saturday night got really weird. I've been staying with some friends (because someone didn't want me to live with them anymore). My friends are great. I was crashing on their couch for a few weeks. They hardly saw me, between work and bands and such. Saturday night I was on the couch trying to sleep while their ten year old son was playing on a laptop. He had a friend crashing on the other end of the swing around couch. This place is normally a very quiet nice family situation without any stupid drama. Suddenly stupid drama crashed through the door and it was drunk. This guy I didn't know, and my friends barely knew barged into the house screaming about being beaten up by his girlfriend. He started threatening me, and started crying when my friends came downstairs to see what the commotion was. This guy called the cops on his girlfriend, cops show up and arrest him right in the living room where I sleep. At one point he was going to puke but thankfully the police got him out of there before he ruined my sleeping situation. I didn't get to sleep until 6 am. I wasn't planning to sleep on their couch forever and Saturday just happened to be my last night there. Sunday, I worked in the morning, went to the practice space to unload amps and drums, then went to fetch my stuff from my former apartment. Getting my stuff out of the apartment was very sad for me but I think what upset me the most was the person who didn't want me to live there anymore was actually angry I was taking stuff that belonged to me. Her concern for material crap outweighed her concern for me and that saddens me. It also saddened me when I removed my few belongings from my friends' place. They were so cool to me and leaving them kinda crushed. I am so thankful for their generosity and I feel like all I did was take. I can't thank them enough. I had a whirlwind of emotions going to bed that night. The events from the weekend were all in my head and the serious lack of sleep didn't help. I have my guitar, my band and the better friends than I deserve. On top of all this, I really miss my dog.
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George - Mar. 9, 2009 4:13 pm - Show/hide this post
I'm not very wild with this cartoon. The Richmond Times-Dispatch wrote an editorial about how much better Richmond is for the National Slavery Museum than Fredericksburg. There were a couple of mild swipes at the burg over which city was more historic. My editor really pushed for me to do a cartoon on it. Here it is. Here's the idea which was rejected. I liked it and even made myself laugh. 
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Caption Contest #17 Winner - Mar. 6, 2009 3:09 pm - Show/hide this post
Our winner for Contest #17 is Eric Hennessey from Spotsylvania. Full disclosure: I know Eric. He's written letters to the editor, was invited to a dinner for letter writers and his daughter Melissa is one of my best friends. None of those are reasons why Eric won this week. It's just a small town and eventually, someone I know is going to win. Of course, Eric also paid me $500 to win this week. JOKE JOKE JOKE. HAHA. Funny, right? Eric has entered the contest many times without winning, which proves you should keep trying...plus that check thing doesn't hurt. Our runner up is Buzz Owens from Spotsy who submitted "Well...since you insist...I'll lead you...". Here's another I liked that our judges didn't pick: "I know you keep an oxycontin reserve in your trunk!!! Fork it over!" submitted by Chris Jackson of Stafford. One cool thing about this week, I had submissions from conservatives and liberals. I enjoy ideas from both sides.
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- Mar. 6, 2009 1:10 pm - Show/hide this post
Here's today's cartoon. 
FRED is having it's first price hike...EVER!!! With the way prices are rising on everything else, FRED is probably due for a tiny increase. Have you seen the new prices for a Fender Telecaster? Now that's an outrage. 
I like Tim Kaine. I think he's a good guy. His eyebrows have their own personalities. But he hasn't really accomplished anything big during his governorship. You can partly blame the GOP for that, but his party does hold the majority. I believe Virginia should lift the law limiting governors to one term. How much can one actually accomplish in four years? It takes me that long to get around to washing my car. Gig Tonight I'm nervous about the guitar amp I'm using tonight because I'm not that familiar with it. That's important to musicians. My friend Rick is really cool to loan me one of his amplifiers. Down side is I have to drive to King George to pick it up. Come out and see us tonight. We'll be at Central Station which is at 1917 Princess Anne St. Show time is 9ish. I'll post the caption contest winners in a couple hours. Stay tooned.
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Discount War - Mar. 4, 2009 1:31 pm - Show/hide this post
I think Obama has taken up Bush's habit of not telling the truth on how much we're going to spend on a war. Everytime I draw the Angle Of Death, I think of the Family Guy version voiced by Norm McDonald. Band Time to rant. The band has been busy. We have gigs lined up for the next three weeks. At the show before last, the speaker in Tim's amp (bass) came unplugged and we had to do emergency amp surgery on stage before the show started. Then the input jack broke. This week during practice the speaker finally died and now it sounds like a big giant fart. Then Remo, the drummer, broke a skin head after changing the kick head. It gets worse, after breaking a string, my amp died. I had this thing in the shop last October but now the sucker just went and died on me. So he's going to the amp doctor this week. I'm thinking, with all the stuff happening at once, there is a God and he really thinks my band sucks.
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Caption Contest #17 - Mar. 3, 2009 5:52 pm - Show/hide this post
What is Rush Limbaugh saying while he pulls the elephant in the direction he wants? To enter, use our OFFICIAL ENTRY FORM and include your name and zip. The winner will be announced on page 2 of Saturday's Free Lance-Star. The winner will receive the original art with his or her caption inked in my be.
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Rush - Mar. 3, 2009 12:50 pm - Show/hide this post
My editor didn't like this one. He said it was "OK" but said I was kicking the right too much. Naw, I'm kicking Rush and all the people freaking out over snow. These snow days are starting to affect me. How? I'm staying with some friends right now before I move to a new place (roommate spat with the last place) and I'm sleeping on a couch. Phil and Kelly are the friends who are graciously letting me crash on their couch and yesterday I woke up to find Phil on the other side of the wrap-a-round couch thingy watching TV. Not bad....but last night when I came in there were three kids crashing in the living room, and Phil and Kelly only have two kids. This morning I woke up to find five or six kids in the living room playing DS. With all that mayhem I may as well just go to work, and I did. I'm having a lot of fun at their place. I've given a few guitar lessons, made some sloppy joes for the kids and myself and I've sat up late with Kelly watching cable tv which I haven't done in years. Did you know there's this show called "Lost"? Caption Contest Winners I have a new computer at work. I went from a PC to a MAC and the PC was uber slow...and this MAC flies, baby. I love it. It's awesome and scanning, resizing and saving files takes seconds compared to extremly long minutes the PC took. Oh yeah, I have a point to this. With the move from PC to MAC I lost all my old emails. A few caption contest winners haven't picked up their prizes yet. Here's a blog shout out to those I'm waiting for. Todd Mitchell, Sean Cox and Jessica Sullivan...come pick up your cartoons!
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Slavery Museum - Mar. 2, 2009 2:59 pm - Show/hide this post
I think most people will be happy to let Douglas Wilder take his slavery museum to Richmond. I think we would have gotten more of a value by buying a bridge in Brooklyn.
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Caption Contest #16 Winner - Feb. 28, 2009 3:43 pm - Show/hide this post
This week's winner is Stephen Demoratz from Mechanicsville, VA. Runner up is Vera Huffman From Spotsylvania who submitted "I was appalled and sickened by that cartoon - it didn't increase our sales one bit". Toon in this Wendesday for the next contest. Thanks for playing.
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Rocky - Feb. 27, 2009 4:19 pm - Show/hide this post
Today is the last day for the Rocky Mountain News. I've always been a big fan of the newspaper and loved reading it while staying in Denver. The Rocky was unique for employing TWO cartoonists. Drew Litton was their sports cartoonists and I loved his work. Ed Stein was their editorial cartoonist and I honestly think he's one of the most innovative in the biz and that he hasn't won a Pulitzer at this point is a high crime. At a 1992 convention in Colorado Springs I met both guys and they did sketches for me (I have a whole book of this stuff). Check 'em out.  And here's Drew 
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- Feb. 27, 2009 2:09 pm - Show/hide this post
Right now our judges are huddled in a corner deciding the fate of this week's caption contest. Can you feel the tension? Someone's going to go home a lucky winner..and someone will have to live with the crappy home version...HAHAHA. Don't get it? That's what they used to do on game shows....ah, never mind. Here's today's cartoon. 
It always makes Republicans happy when I pick on Obama and criticize his plans. Yeah, our kids are going to have to pay for this, but the Republicans forget how happily they supported excess spending the last 8 years. Basically, our kids will be paying for Obama's plans, and Bush's wars. And look! There's a dog in the cartoon. Anyway, i just read yesterday's blog and noticed I use the word "anyway" way too much. I think I get that from my son who says it all the time when we're on the phone. At least I don't say "anyhoo". We all have key words that make us cringe and "anyhoo" is one of them for me. Another is when people type "LOL". I hate that.
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Text - Feb. 26, 2009 1:37 pm - Show/hide this post
Are you aware the General Assembly just passed a bill banning text messaging while you're driving? Right at this very moment, while reading this, my friend Kate just let out a high pitched wail. Hey, I think I just heard it. Anyway, this law will not affect me as I never text anyone while driving...in fact, nobody ever texts. I don't know anyone and nobody likes me...so there. The law doesn't bother me. Not one bit. Not at all. Nope. Speaking of awareness: As my band was setting up to play last Friday one of the waitresses started talking about the smoking ban. She said they would never pass it and I informed her they already did. She said not in Virginia and I replied yes, in Virginia...in fact, yesterday. Then she said it won't happen and I informed her it was taking effect in December. Then she says the General Assembly would never pass it and I inform her they were the body who passed laws and it was waiting on the governor to sign in. Then she said the governor wouldn't sign it and I informed her he was the major backer of the bill. Then she said "not in Virginia". Then I pulled my hair out. I really gotta stop talking about current events and political issues in bars. Back to this texting law. Our staff Librarian, Craig...who we all affectionately refer to as "C-Man", asked me why I had to pick on text messengers. Then he said they should ban other distractions to safe driving, such as eating and turning on the radio. I suggested we ban riding in cars with babies because God knows there's nothing more distracting than a bowel movement in the backseat....then Craig suggested riding in cars with dogs (again, that bowel movement thing). Craig also suggested they ban driving while drinking sodas and then he went one step further and said they should ban people from drinking beer and wine while driving. We ended our conversation when we realized that's already illegal. Anyway, there were some good ideas from the C-Man. Anyway, I dedicate this cartoon to all of my Facebook friends who are updating their facebook status on company time.
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Employment - Feb. 26, 2009 12:30 pm - Show/hide this post
My editor wasn't too keen on this. I think he was concerned readers weren't aware of the issue...so he wanted me to draw something on the general assembly I wasn't aware of. HAHAHA. Hey, here's a rough. 
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Caption Contest #16 - Feb. 24, 2009 5:37 pm - Show/hide this post
I think we're at 16. I'm starting to lose count. Anyway, here we go. 
Yes, that is media mogul Rupert Murdoch eating a banana in a tire swing. I'm sure you've heard about the New York Post cartoon controversy by now. To enter, click this link to our OFFICIAL ONLY ENTRY FORM and make your submission. The lucky winner will receive the original cartoon with their caption inked in my be, along with having it published on page 2 of Saturday's Free Lance-Star. Cool bean, eh? Good luck. Here's yesterday's cartoon. 
I had a huge scare yesterday and I'm actually still trying to calm down from it. I was in a sour mood so the cartoon above was drawn while I was freaking out. My engine was making that noise it makes when it's low on oil. So I put oil in...and the noise wouldn't stop. I took it to a shop and they told me the engine was dead. I got about a mile down the road and pulled over and Megan picked me up, who also allowed me to load two guitars, an amp, pedal board and a gear bag into her car. I spent the entire day sulking thinking I was out $2000 on a car I still owe money on. Last night my pals Phil and Brian (guitar students) checked it out and reported the good news that my engine was fine and the problem was my oil plug mysteriously unplugged itselt. Later I went back to where I parked it and saw a huge oil slick, but no oil plug. Maybe it ran away after it unplugged itself. I'm calming down now...but my heart was in stomach for a good 17 hours or so. Also, there's a mechanic in town who's opinion I will NEVER ask for again.
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Hiding in Stafford - Feb. 23, 2009 1:18 pm - Show/hide this post
This was the top story of the day. I overheard people talking about it Thursday night and Friday the office was buzzing over it. MSNBC even linked to our newspaper so I figured I had to cover this.
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Caption Contest #15 Winner - Feb. 20, 2009 7:55 pm - Show/hide this post
This week's winner is Bruce Levy of Ruther Glen. He wins the original cartoon along with having his winning entry on page 2 of Saturday's Free Lance-Star. Runner up is Mary Raye of Stafford who submitted "OK, burt first, let's break bread over this".
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peer pressure - Feb. 20, 2009 2:48 pm - Show/hide this post
Maybe I've done enough cartoons on the smoking ban. I have a funny peer pressure story for you. When I was a kid I never caved into peer pressure. I would have a drag here and there, feel sick and not touch a cigarette for a really long time. When i was old enough to legally buy cigarettes I met this girl who lived next door to my best friend. She was always smoking but never had a light...and I wanted her to like me so I finally caved into peer pressure. I started buying cigarettes and lighters just so this girl would ask me for a light and in my imagination, lighting her smoke would lead to great conversations and she would eventually fall in love with me because I was cool enough to smoke Marlboro Lights (which looked like the brand Don Johnson was smoking on Miami Vice). Next thing I know I'm a full fledged smoker along with most of my friends (being this was in Louisiana, a lot of my friends "dipped" instead of smoking). Yes, I was a complete dork...still am. Oh, and that girl never did ask me for a light. Chimp Cartoon Controversy It's finally time for me to talk a bit about the Chimp Cartoon Controversy. I'm not going to link to this as there's enough hits about it, and you should probably be somewhat aware of it by now if you're reading a blog on cartooning. I read today there have been over 3,000 blog postings on the subject and a gazillion Twitters, which I still don't fully understand Twittering (is "Twittering" a word?). Now there's going to be 3,001 blog posts. The New York Post isn't really known as a bastion for good journalism. They're a tabloid and concern themselves more with Paris Hilton than Nancy Pelosi. Their cartoonist isn't really respected among his peers which is something I gather from all the emails I receive on the Association of American Editorial Cartoonists list serve (which has contained a huge debate on this subject). I don't ever really read this guy's work so I don't have a personal opinion on his skill at a cartoonist. Here's my take: The cartoon is horrible not because of a racism angle, but because it just doesn't work. He combined two issues which is fine, but he didn't correlate them well enough. Another reason it's horrible is because people are debating who he's caling a chimp. When you have to explain a cartoon to several thousand people, the cartoon is a failure. I have drawn failures and from one email today, I might have drawn a failure on Wednesday. I don't think the cartoon was meant to be a racist stab at Obama. I don't think anyone at any newspaper, even The New York Post, would stick their neck out there and make a racist joke. The cartoonist says that wasn't his intention and I'm going to take him at his word. I have been called everything under the sun and usually the accusations come from people who don't know me (the people who know me have more accurate insults). I don't know this guy and Al Sharpton doesn't know him...so stop calling him a racist. It's a bad cartoon and that's that. People need to get over it. One Other Thing Corporate T-shirt plays tonight at The Grapevine. That's at 622 Kenmore Avenue, Fredericksburg 22401. It'll only cost you $3.00 to get in the door and allow me to blast your eardrums out. Come out and say hi and watch a cartoonist rock.
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- Feb. 19, 2009 1:20 pm - Show/hide this post
Know why I didn't blog yesterday? Because I was afraid first time readers would come to this page to enter the caption contest, see the new toon, not scroll down to see the caption contest, freak out, and email me on how to enter. Speaking of the contest, this has been a good week so far. I have not received one phone call on how to enter or any snail-mailed or faxed entries. Here's yesterday's cartoon. 
Smacking women around....I'm against it. Just in case you ever wondered where I stood on that issue, now ya know. Here's today's cartoon.  Plastic bags seems like one of those trivial issues...but it bugs the crap out of me when I see it. Did you know that all of the unrecycled plastic bags add up to 22 gazillion barrels of oil a year? OK, it's not a gazillion, but still it's a lot. Think about that next time you're gassing up. See what this blog does? It works to make the world a better place. I'll take my Nobel now, thank you.
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Caption Contest #15 - Feb. 17, 2009 5:29 pm - Show/hide this post
It's time for Caption Contest #15. Look at the drawing and decide what should go in the speech balloon. Here's how to do it.......submit your entry on our OFFICIAL CAPTION CONTEST ENTRY FORM....and no where else. Do me a favor and include your FIRST and LAST name. A lot of putting are just putting in "Bob" and that doesn't work for me. We will announce the winner Friday evening at some point and on page 2 of Saturday's Free Lance-Star. The lucky and talented winner will win the original cartoon along with their caption inked in by me. Good luck!
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Caption Contest #14 Winner - Feb. 13, 2009 5:57 pm - Show/hide this post
This week's winner is Sean Cox from Stafford. Sean's winning entry will be on page 2 of Saturday's Free Lance-Star. Sean also wins the original cartoon with his caption inked in by me. Runner up is Ron Brosmer of Spotsylvania with the submission "Maybe we can get on a WEEDIES box". Thanks to everyone for playing. Tune in next week for Contest #15.
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Corky - Feb. 13, 2009 2:53 pm - Show/hide this post
Corky Trinidad was a good friend of mine and probably the most unique editorial cartoonist working. He passed away today at the age of 69. When Corky took a year off from the Honolulu Star-Bulletin I took his job. He would often come in and hang out and talk shop. I've never encountered a better attitude toward cartooning or journalism. Corky set a high bar for me and in addition to my two daily deadlines, I strived to get near that bar everyday, twice a day. I could tell you everything I know about Corky, but I think this story about him at the Star-Bulletin says it best. Rest In Peace, Corky, and Mahalo for all you've done for me and the world we live in. Hawaii suffered a huge loss today. Here's today's toon. 
Here's the rough. 
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- Feb. 12, 2009 1:09 pm - Show/hide this post
Sorry I didn't get around to blogging yesterday...I was lazy. Here's yesterday's cartoon which I like the art very much. 
I've been wanting to draw these plants for a long time. I found a lot of good images on google. Check out the rough. 
Here's today's cartoon. 
I didn't pencil this cartoon at all. I just drew it straight. It's nice not to erase sometimes. After drawing the fish I wasn't happy with his position...he was too close to the land. So I copied him and put white out over it and pasted the copy a little higher. My editor liked the cartoon around 2:00 PM. At 6:30 he called me saying he had second thoughts about us picking on the GOP. I was out of the office and refused to change the fish. I liked the fish and I didn't want to replace the label. Thankfully he left it alone after that. Here's the rough. 
I hope Megan is happy I'm putting the roughs in here. PS My band, Corporate T-Shirt, is playing tomorrow night at the Loft. Come check it out. If you need more info, email me.
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Caption Contest #14 - Feb. 11, 2009 1:06 am - Show/hide this post
What's A-Rod and Michael Phelps whining about regarding their exposure as drug users? Use our handy and easy contest entry form to submit your caption. One lucky winner will receive the original cartoon with their caption inked in by me along with it being published on page 2 of Saturday's Free Lance-Star. Good luck!!!!
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Octuplets - Feb. 10, 2009 10:51 am - Show/hide this post
This could be the GOP's only hope. I like drawing skeletons. Crazy link This is a link to a San Francisco report on newspapers going online....in 1981. It's Hilarious...and in a way, watching someone create a monster. My favorite part is one of the rare users, tagged as "home computer owner", says he can now print out copies of stories so he can save them on paper. Wouldn't it be awesome if something as innovative as say, uh...holding the news in your hand, on paper, becomes popular? Linky Link!!!
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Smoke 'Em - Feb. 9, 2009 12:22 pm - Show/hide this post
We changed the text of this cartoon at the copy desk. 
I was concered "making up for lost time" was a past tense situation, as if they just lifted a ban instead of starting a new one. No one in editorial was bothered by it so I chugged along with it. My initial concern was raised at the copy desk as soon as I turned it in...and I totally agreed with it. A group of about four of us stood over the cartoon thinking of the caption when somebody said "smoke 'em if you got 'em". A few other captions were thrown out (someone said, it's like our inhouse caption contest), but the "smoke 'em" line stuck.
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Caption Contest #13 Winner - Feb. 7, 2009 1:06 am - Show/hide this post
I had two judges this week and when they got to this entry they both cracked up. It was provided by Andrew Craig of Stafford who now owns this original drawing along with having his name and winning entry in Saturday's Free Lance-Star on page 2. Runner up was submitted by Mary Raye, also of Stafford, with "See! I told you it floated to the top!". Check back on Wednesday for next week's contest. Thanks again to everyone who entered.
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- Feb. 5, 2009 11:54 pm - Show/hide this post
I Enjoyed drawing this one. I felt very spontaneous. Here's the rough. 
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No-Messiah - Feb. 5, 2009 4:54 pm - Show/hide this post
I enjoyed drawing this cartoon. I liked putting "flair" all over the gov's uniform. I'm with the Governor on this. I'm not a religious guy so maybe I just don't understand the obsession of a lot of people who have to praise Jesus in every building they set foot in. Oh, I gotta go to City Council or the General Assembly...that's a good place to praise Jesus. Is there a building where these people can take a pass on praising Jesus? I really don't think so. Nobody is stopping you from practicing your faith. You can pray out loud when you're in church, your house or if you must be a missionary, go to 7-11 and tell the guy behind the counter "Jesus loves you". I typed enough to get me in trouble for one day. Here's the rough. 
I became lazy again and started neglecting roughs. This is only the second rough I've scanned in 2009. A ouple days ago a girl went through some of my work and said she wanted to see more roughs as she likes them more than the finished product, so this is for her. Now she's obligated to read the blog.
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Pork - Feb. 4, 2009 2:23 pm - Show/hide this post
I love poking fun a the Muslim rumors..as they're so ridiculous. I was surprised to come up with an idea yesterday that I like as much as this one. I had a major distraction going on outside of my office and I was frustrated my brain wasn't working through it. Suddenly, in the midst of the distraction, this idea hit. Maybe I should pay those people to come shout outside my door more often.
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Caption Contest #13 - Feb. 3, 2009 6:19 pm - Show/hide this post
Lucky number 13 is here. 
What is the Wall St. Executive saying while he cruises his yacht over his bonuses? It's up to you to decide and you do that by sumbitting your caption on the OFFICAL CAPTION FORM. The winner will receive the original drawing in addition to having it displayed on Page 2 of Saturday's Free Lance-Star. Good luck!
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Up In Smoke - Feb. 3, 2009 1:37 pm - Show/hide this post
I don't like pot. It stinks. I think it's boring and people who smoke a lot of pot only talk about how to find more pot. I also think it's a non-violent crime and we're putting too many resources into fighting to prevent people from sitting around boring each other. It was stupid of Michael Phelps to smoke it and to be photographed doing it. There go his endorsement deals. I don't fault him for smoking marijuana. So what? I don't care and I'm not going to buy a new swimsuit based upon what Michael Phelps swims in (those things look too tight anyway) whether he smokes pot or not. But society will come down on him really hard. But hey, we just elected the first president to admit to past drug use (without an excuse like "not inhaling"), so maybe America will forgive Phelps for a little reefer madness. The only thing that really bugs me is he joines the club for those who are sorry after they're caught.
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Caption Contest #12 Winner - Feb. 2, 2009 12:51 am - Show/hide this post
I thought I had already posted this but I think I was distracted with some contest entries. Here's this week's winner. 
Our winner is Greg Harrod from Spotsylvania. He wins the original of this cartoon. Our first runner up is June Bennett, also of Spotsy, who submitted "Change! I said 'chainge!' not chains!!!" Here's Sunday's cartoon. 
I hate that song and I hate that Show.
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- Jan. 30, 2009 1:10 pm - Show/hide this post
Better a day late than never. Here's Thursday's toon. 
I kinda sorta based the reporter on someone I know. I like drawing people in a big chunk of ice. I think this might be the third time I've done it in the last ten years. Here's today's cartoon. 
Kind of a light issue, but also close to home. We have received complaints about some of the section consolidation around here. I'm sure it's taking place at other newspapers. Caption Contest I think our new entry form is a huge success. I've only received about five responses from people telling me they don't know how to enter. It kinda boggles my mind because we put the addresss on page 2, we put a link on the home page of fredericksburg.com and there was the link in the blog. If you can't find it, you're not looking. Check in later tonight for this week's winner.
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Socialism - Jan. 28, 2009 2:03 pm - Show/hide this post
Elephants and donkeys both like to throw money at the private sector, but with different methods. I think the GOP needs to open it's eyes at the problem and face reality. People are hurting. Of course it would greatly help if bailouts supported by the donkeys wouldn't go to executive bonuses. That makes me very angry. I like to throw in weather scenes in my cartoons to reflect what's going on outside my door. The only times it can really show up in my cartoons is Winter and Fall. My editor complimented the art in this cartoon, which he probably liked more than the idea.
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Caption Contest #12 - Jan. 27, 2009 10:11 pm - Show/hide this post
It's up to you to decide what President Obama is saying while he juggles the assortment of chainsaws. There's a new way to enter the contest and it's the only way to enter. Just fill out the brand spanking new ENTRY FORM created by our multi media content coordinator Alex Russell. It's easy and should create less headaches for your favorite cartoonist blogger. It should also make things easier for my mailbox. Winner will receive the original art with their caption included along with having it lavishly displayed on page 2 of this Saturday's Free Lance-Star. Good luck.
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Blagojevich Returns - Jan. 27, 2009 12:46 pm - Show/hide this post
Drawing Blago makes me wish the Governor of Virginia was easy and fun to draw....oh yeah...he is. Nevermind. But I do envy my colleagues in New York and Illinois. If their governor's not trying to sell U.S. Senate seats then they're caught with prostitutes. My governor actually does his job and works on legislation. I really got a raw deal. Regarding the caption contest... We're moving to an entry form system. There will be a dreaded link which makes me wonder if people will be able to figure that out since they couldn't figure out a link to my email. I'm sure this won't stop blind emails, phone calls and surprise visits. But starting tomorrow it's the only acceptable way to enter. The form is simple and I'm sure it'll be improved over time...but it's extremly easy to do. You'll only need your name, email and zip code...oh yeah...AND A CAPTION!
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- Jan. 25, 2009 3:17 am - Show/hide this post
I usually like to scoop the print edition of The Free Lance-Star a few hours with the caption contest, but this weekend I got caught up in personal stuff. After work (in case you care) I went to band practice, was called to help out a friend with a medical issue, cancelled practice, then I had to hang with someone who felt I was blowing her off (yeah, my life is hard) and before I knew it, it was Sunday morning. Personal comment here: K.L., Ginny, you both owe me a nights band practice!!! Here's this winner. 
This week's winner is Rob Huffman who is now a two-time winner and a one-time runner up. Yeah, we're getting close to disqualifying this guy. We think he might be a ringer. If nothing else, this proves if you win once you can win again. Rob can now put the fact he's our first time two-time winner on his resume which might get him a cup of coffee or an uncomfortable cough in a social setting. Our runner up is Ferris Portner Jr. of King George who submitted "...and Dangerfield thought he didn't get any respect" which proves we don't totally ignore you for living in King George. Mr. Huffman wins the original of this drawing...Ferris wins an "attaboy" (unless he's the persistent type and I'll mail him a copy). And to everyone who's dropping off clips of the paper with their caption, faxing, snail mailing and WORSE, calling me....I have one thing to say. STOP! Seriously, emailing is the way to go. It keeps me from a personal relationship and a committment, not that I don't want to get to know you better...but c'mon, I have seven deadlines a week and an editor I have to explain things to which takes a lot of painful time. I actually received an email this week from someone asking how to email me. On top of all that, I'm not calling back the lady who interrupted her voice mail to me so she could talk to her cat. I haven't even quoted the hate mail from people angry about a cartoon that doesn't even have a caption. I'm like, "dude, wait until we put words in it before you get snippy". It kinda distresses me that I'm angering people with something that hasn't reached a point yet, more than my actual daily cartoons. I was distracted and sorry for the rant...HEY, here's Sunday's toon. 
Enjoy your Sunday. We'll be back on Tuesday with a new cartoon and a new extremly painful caption contest.
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Sardines - Jan. 23, 2009 3:26 pm - Show/hide this post
This is a cliche, I know...I'm guilty. But after talking to several people who clawed their to and from Washington on Inauguration Day I felt it fit better than any other idea. Hey, at least I didn't draw Obama and Lincoln like several other cartoonists did. Sorry no blog yesterday (this toon ran on Thursday), but I took the day off and didn't venture anywhere near a computer. Also A lot of people have complained to me about not being able to see some of the live blog sketches. I heard through word of mouth, email and text messaging (from those who know me). I apologize and will talk to our online team about it. I also received some complaints from people who saw the caption contest in the newspaper that they couldn't figure out how to enter the contest. It seems they couldn't figure out to come to the blog page. Hopefully, we can fix that too.
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Inauguration Day - Jan. 21, 2009 4:38 pm - Show/hide this post
Here's the toon I managed to squeeze out between all the live blogging yesterday. It's in today's paper with a few of the toons from the live blog underneath it. It was a pretty hectic day and I eventually got out of here around 10:00 PM. Fun fun. I'm gonna repost the caption contest toon as it has been buried a little from all the live blogging post. 
We got a bunch of entries already so you better hurry if you haven't entered yet. Send your entries along with your NAME and ADDRESS to me at cjones@freelancestar.com
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Oblog #10 and #11 - Jan. 20, 2009 8:44 pm - Show/hide this post
Here's a couple of bonuses for the live oblog. These were under consideration for tomorrow's paper but we chose something else, so I figured let's throw 'em on the blog. 
Don't you hate it when you move and you can't find anything? After six months in my new place I still can't find my Clash T-shirt. I liked the direction of this toon but I wasn't sure about the rhino being the right image. Dave Smalley suggested a bear and have the new Prez looking for bear repellent. That would make a lot of sense because most people don't like being mauled by bears. 
You could put Obama's image, logo, slogan, whatever, on a litterbox and it would sell. I kinda liked this one. It's been a long day and tomorrow's toon is finally done. A lot of coffee, cokes, pizza and chicken nuggets (thanks, Hammer) were consumed. Did you see all that blog stuff from our staff who ventured up to D.C.? I thought I had a difficult day but decided to stop whining when I heard about the "adventures" of a few of my colleagues. Emily Battle Freehling, Ellen Biltz, Becky Sell, Susannah Clark, Andrea Nealon and Loren Orsini covered the inauguration from Washington and their day made mine look like cake.
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oblog #9 - Jan. 20, 2009 2:50 pm - Show/hide this post
Last post and cartoon for the live blog. Thanks for tooning in and keeping up. It was fun and a pain with the computer issues. I get frustrated easy when technical stuff doesn't work right. I think this cartoon is appropriate for my last post. Today's children don't know face the racism prevalent in their parent's world. It's still not perfect, but I think we're on the path where future generations will only have to read about it and not experience. This was also the last page in my notebook so I quit. HAHAHAHA!!! We have a new president and it's the beginning of a new era. Toon in for the next four years and see how I tackle it. Now I'm off to work on a cartoon for tomorrow's print edition of The Free Lance-Star. Thanks, everybody!
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oblog #8 - Jan. 20, 2009 1:50 pm - Show/hide this post
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oblog #6 - Jan. 20, 2009 1:21 pm - Show/hide this post
This was actually an idea from last week which was killed. We can get away with a little bit more here on the blog than the editorial page.
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oblog #4 - Jan. 20, 2009 12:49 pm - Show/hide this post
Cheney had a "box moving" accident. My buddy Alex thinks he was trying to hide all those secret documents before his eviction.
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oblog #3 - Jan. 20, 2009 12:35 pm - Show/hide this post
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- Jan. 20, 2009 12:18 pm - Show/hide this post
Drawn after Biden was sworn in....the more computer glitches....and Obama is now giving his speech. Great timing here today with the live blog. This isn't fun. It's like work or something. Someone here asked what would happen if Bush had a heart attack after Biden was sworn in...if that would mean Biden was president. That's a good civics question.
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oblog #1 - Jan. 20, 2009 11:56 am - Show/hide this post
I drew this about an hour ago as Bush and Obama left the White House. Major computer issues which just makes me frustrated and unable to think less enough create something new. Let's see what else I can come up with. Hopefully the tech issues are over and we can fly now. AAAAAARRRRRRGGGGHHHH!!!!
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Inauguration Live Blog - Jan. 20, 2009 10:33 am - Show/hide this post
We're gonna kick this off by posting today's toon for the paper. 
I'm up and awake, sorta. I am not a morning person and usually the electrons in my brain won't catch a spark until 1:00 PM and after four cups of coffee. This is my second "live" blog and the first one was pretty successful...but I think that's because it went late at night. I'm in the library doing this today where it's extremly warm. I'm used to the icy temps in my office which the staff affectionally refers to as the "meat locker". The election night blog inspired 17 cartoons out of me. We'll see what today brings. Off to watch some TV, draw some cartoons and drink a lot of coffee. Stay tooned.
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Caption Contest #11 - Jan. 19, 2009 4:32 pm - Show/hide this post
We're doing this a day early this week but you still have until Friday to turn in your captions. What is Bush saying as he's yanked off the national stage? Email your captions to me at cjones@freelancestar.com If the link doesn't work, or you hit the wrong link, just open a new email and write cjones@freelancestar.com in it. There's no dancing with any registration to enter and you don't have to join fredtalk. It's that simple. You don't have to have the computer skills of Bill Gates to send me an email. Seriously, this has been an issue. Include your NAME and ADDRESS or I'm not even going to read your caption. Yeah, I'm turning into a jerk about this but I don't have time to reply to 75 people to ask if they live in Spotsylvania. My inbox has been taking a beating. I love receiving a gazillion entries but I can't reply to all of them. This has turned into work which is a good problem. Thank you, everyone, for entering. This is a lot of fun for me despite adding two additional deadlines a week and watching everyone in the newsroom duck under their desk when I walk through Friday with a stack of captions and looking for judges. I'm becoming very good at sneaking up behind people. The winner will receive the original cartoon with their caption along with having it pubished on Page 2 of Saturday's Free Lance-Star (runner up makes the print edition also). Enter and maybe I'll make you famous. Enter as many times as you want. I will not publish your address and I won't sell your email address to the Phizer Corporation.
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Inauguration - Jan. 19, 2009 12:34 pm - Show/hide this post
This is kinda similiar to the caption contest toon, but I felt I had to do something for the paper on the inauguration...and on the big crowded scene it's going to be. Nobody is going to be able to drive into D.C. tomorrow. Live Blog I will be live blogging the inauguration tomorrow from noon until 2:00 PM. I have no idea what I'm going to do or how many toons will come out of it. I don't expect it to be as big as the election night live blog. We will see what happens. Toon in to this location and see what happens. It's me live without a net.
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Caption Contest #10 Winner - Jan. 16, 2009 5:15 pm - Show/hide this post
This week's winner is Priscilla Sullivan of the 'burg. She wins the original art with her caption inked in along with her having her submission published on page 2 of Saturday's (tomorrow) Free Lance-Star. Congrats, Priscilla. First runner up is Lamoine Knefelkamp, also of the burg, who submitted "Can we have a recount?". A couple of other entries our judges liked were "I've changed my mind. Good luck, everyone!" submitted by Julie Kay of Fredericksburg and "hey judge, how about a game of hoops?" submitted by Bill Duncan also of the burg. We did receive entries from other cities. I want to not just thank everyone for entering, but for including your name and address. I only had one anonymous entry this week. We're about to create an official online form for entering because I'm receiving faxes, snail mail, drop-offs and phone calls with entries and all that makes it difficult since the turn out keeps getting bigger. Also, A LOT of people can't figure out the email thing. I know...there's a link and it's spelled out but some folks are clicking on the wrong link and it doesn't occur to them they can simply put cjones@freelancestar.com into their email. One funny thing being done is, when they hit the wrong link and they're having trouble submitting, some folks are emailing a different employee of the newspaper instead of emailing me. If you can figure out how to email someone at the paper, ho |
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