A few Unpublished favourites from recent months on assorted topics

Just a reminder: Please click on any cartoon if you need to make it bigger.

It's almost March and I've got some catching up to do: Here are a few of my favourites from the past few months that weren't printed in The Sun Times

An assortment about the Conservative Party in general and our two local reps in particular.

Here are a few recent ones from the Oct. -Dec./08 period that went unpublished: All on a Big Business theme

On the top one: The Line up for hosting a nuclear waste site forms on the left. On the right will be the line for hosting a military weapons test site. Hey... it's money! Maybe you can even "take it with you".
On the middle one: I had one published on the sad story of PPG pulling out of town.... just part of the whole global free trade/cheap labour thing that's been happening ever since Mulroney and Reagan were playing around in the sandbox. I still feel bad about the PPG thing.... which by the way ended up shutting down even sooner than they announced.... and the image in this cartoon came to mind... I think it's grimly funny. Hey, it's my job to be grim sometimes.
And the bottom one: I don't know what the hell the dispute was about... details were never released, but Disney was having a hissy fit about something. Anyway, turns out the movie that they weren't going to show in town, eventually got shown. I guessed they kissed and made up. Gee, lucky us. I wonder what it's like to kiss a rat anyway?

Cartoons on Health Care that didn't get published

Health Care is really starting to suck in Canada. Sure, it's still better than some third world countries and slightly better than the U.S. still, but it's nowhere even close to what it used to be.
And it's in critical shape and deteriorating rapidly. Is there nothing we can learn from history?

three more recent ones with some political connections

Comments:
The top one.... I don't want you to get a pulled muscle trying to read the upside down answer, so here's what it says: "Thomas Jefferson and the Declaration of Independence."
Just keeping the self perpetuated image of Bill alive. Much to his credit, I haven't heard him use the phrase "Maverick" and I hope to God he doesn't. That's been worn out and was full of a lot of false hype, too. Just like McCain was accused of.... if you were so radical and independent, how did you vote, if you bothered, on a lot of that crap that Harris passed (forced) down our throats in health, education, welfare, environment, labour, and a whole lot of other socially sensitive areas that we're still suffering from. I don't recall you speaking out much, if at all then. And trust me, I watched a lot of the parliamentary session and read lots of papers.
The bottom one pretty much speaks for itself..... although I'll just add this one shot.... I guess the dropping price of gasoline is our one consolation prize while many of us suffer through most of the really bad stuff that's happening now. Pardon me if I don't celebrate too much.

a few miscellaneous ones from recent elections

comments: the top one..... I don't know about you, but I got really sick of hearing that term "maverick". The whole word has been given a comical spin that it may never recover from. I cringe now every time I use the phrase "common sense". Thanks to the Tories for ruining that one. And I'll take bets right now that Sarah Palin will be totally gone from the national scene by the time of the next election. It is my theory that both her and McCain were dupes set up to lose by their own party. Too bad that these two intellectual light weights were apparently not in on the joke. Anyway, they were kind of fun while they lasted. I suspect the Republicans will be a whole lot more serious about winning in four, or certainly eight year's time.
The middle one..... Boy the brain trust behind the real power base of the Republicans were probably getting really nervous when it seemed like Palin might actually help old John win. I think the right wing was quite willing just to pass over the "power" temporarily after they had gotten themselves even richer than when the whole Bush fiasco started and then had screwed everything up so badly in that process. Who would want to take power now??? Well, I guess anyone who feels that anything would be better than more of the same. Anyway, if the Rep's had won, somehow, then even more of the public would have turned against them and for a much longer period of time. So, poof, as if by magic, we have a big economic crisis to turn the attention away from McCain who was pathetic on just about anything, but especially economics. Just a
coincidence?
The bottom one.... let me just say that I actually saw those two signs on one person's property.
Oh, the irony.

some fairly recent cartoons that are tied into education

a brief word about each: the top one... I just wondered about the situation some of the kids and their parents are in. And since I did this one, the economic news has only gotten worse. I hope the government plans to take care of these people through the tough times. I doubt it. But I hope it.
The middle one.... I think it was pathetic regarding the record low turnout we had for the last federal election. If you just couldn't be bothered then maybe your opinion on other matters shouldn't count. If you were totally skeptical of any of the parties, I understand. But even if it's a case of name your own poison I, for one, would like to have that choice. Some are just a little less painful than others. So, thanks to all the people who didn't vote, we got stuck with the really painful one.
The bottom one.... just before we get too carried away with the more angelic view of youth, let's just remember that most of them are just old people passing their time until they too can turn down votes. Yes, there are good ones..... but there's a whole lot of silly ones too. And let's not forget that even though some of them will turn out just fine, while they are in the teen years, most of them have their wiring mostly screwed up.

A few more from the recent election here

Please note: Double left click on any cartoon (above or below) to get a bigger, easier to read image. When I post these cartoons, a few, for some reason, appear tiny and difficult to read.

Larry's always good for a few quotes that one can have fun with. I actually took the time to go to the library and check out a whole pile of reference books to see if his statement had any merit. As far as I can tell, it doesn't...... just what I expected.
The other one seems to contain some really absurd math. But, what do you expect from the right wing? I mean, they were the ones who came up with the "trickle down" math that never added up, and they're the ones who never seem to be able to get fiscal projections correct. But I guess if you deliberately put in a false set of numbers, you're going to come up with a false answer. That's what usually seems to happen from my perspective.
P.S. How's it going, Lar. Having any more fun these days dealing with a meglomaniac like Stephen Harper. Getting a little frosty on the back benches?

recent, unpublished editorial cartoons: Our '08 federal election

Here are five I did during our whirlwind federal election. Harper called it, they all campaigned, and it was over in about a month. The American thing has been dragging on for almost two years. The real interesting thing about ours was that Harper broke the very law he introduced and got passed by having the election before the newly mandated four year point. He thought he was going to get a majority. Fortunately most Canadians who voted weren't that stupid. Unfortunately only 58% voted. If more had voted... the people whose lives are getting screwed up by these Conservative, pseudo right wing Republican ideas.... maybe Harper wouldn't have even won a minority government. So it goes.

recent, unpublished editorial cartoons

Here are a couple based on the recent snafu with our local MPP, Bill Murdoch. Personally, I don't give his "maverick" any more credence than I give John McCain's. When the infamous Mike Harris was in power I wonder how many times Bill voted against all those cuts to things we all hold near and now are into a long lasting state of damage control. Things like Health, Education, the Environment, Infastructure, etc. etc. (And if not voted against, I wonder how many he just didn't show up to vote on... which is the cheap way out... kinda what we call the Silent Consent.

recent unbuplished cartoons: an assortment of topics

Just a variety pack of cartoons on a couple of recent issues in Owen Sound, and also a little fun with the newspaper's readers choice awards. I'm sure that one will strike a chord with a few parents. (By the way, I find the category of funeral home a tad weird. What???... are there people going around trying out different ones. I guess many of us have done visitations, unfortunately... you know what I mean.... but are we really making notes and comparing... what makes one better than the other... more comfy chairs, better coffee?? I don't mean to be offensive.... I deeply respect the services provided by funeral homes... but should this be a category for readers choice. Couldn't we have had favourite pool hall, or favourite fry wagon instead???

some recent unpublished cartoons:

I like to take note of local events and activities. Summerfolk's an obvious one. But Sauble Beach is a fun destination in the summer. Too bad it was somewhat mired in this parking fee controversy this year. I'm not so sure it was something that would cause any negative impact. It certainly didn't this past Labour Day. Anyway, it's not a problem for me because I park a block away from the beachfront where it's free (for now, anyway), cause that's the kind of cheap @*%#^! I am.
I love pipes and drums.... well a few minutes of them anyway. So I am not putting them down. So before you go hiring some Scottish hit squad, I'm just saying the animal population probably doesn't share our enthusiasm.
And as far as the annual Salmon Spectacular is concerned let me say that I'm not a fishing person by any means, but that doesn't mean it doesn't deserve my attention and a little shot of publicity and if I can use it to take a well deserved shot at a certain politician who has been severly abusing the postal privileges at tax payer expense lately. Don't worry, Larry, I'm not going to mention any names.... whoops.

Unpublished cartoons from July 08: Heritage Day

PLEASE NOTE: FOR SOME REASON THIS ONE APPEARS SMALLER THAN NORMAL AND I CAN'T SEEM TO CHANGE ITS SIZE, BUT, IF YOU LEFT CLICK ON THE IMAGE IT SHOULD APPEAR AT A MORE READABLE SIZE.
Apparently there are rules about how the flag is flown and displayed. I love a whole lot about this country, but I don't believe in blind patriotism... that's how countries get into a lot of trouble. Heard of Iran, and Iraq, etc. etc. So all I'm saying is that perhaps some of us get a little anal about symbols sometimes when we should be worrying a whole lot more about making sure that the good things the symbols represent live up to its more humane ideals.

A couple of unpublished Summer Cartoons on the topic of Education

The top one was done in August, before the new school year starts. The bottom one was done in July, just after the last school year ended. Seems the school board here is determined to stop rotary education, even though that move is proving to be hugely unpopular and, seemingly just a stupid idea. It probably has something to do with money. Seems most bad things happening in Education and Health... and other things have something to do with money. Once again a hearty "Thanks for nothing" to the previous provincial Conservative government.
And here's something to ponder.... have you tuned into the fact that during the last few decades (at least) how everytime there is a Conservative government in Canada, or a Republican gov't in the U.S. of A. the defecit in each country goes WAY up? And they alway b.s. about how they're the fiscally responsible ones? One of them once leaked out that the reason they DELIBERATELY raise the deficit is to have a convenient excuse to cut social spending. Now when social spending is cut, do you think those at the top suffer much? God, I hope Obama gets elected in the U.S. and that Harper is defeated in our upcoming elections. Of course the mess that the "fiscally responsible" ones will have to be cleaned up, and it won't be easy, but at least we'll both have a fighting chance to live in a more honourable and fairer society. 'Nuff said.

Unpublished cartoons from July 08:

Two cartoons with animal themes. The top one I did in July, even though it was an August event. Talk about being prepared, eh? I sat and patiently waited for it to make an appearance, but it never did. Oh well, there's not room for everything, and I got my share in, so I'm not complaining... it's just too bad, though, because here was something nice, and or cute, about Meaford, and how often has that happened lately?
The second one is based on this true story about some couple living in a trailer home in Keady who have taken in something like 70+ stray cats, most of which were likely unsold at the Keady Market. Now, don't get me wrong... it's nice what they're doing for these poor cats, but I just can't imagine for a millisecond how it could be nice sharing a small space with 7o+ cats. Heck, I've got a relatively large space and we have four cats. Two were strays taken in a couple of winters ago, and one is a "gift" from a relative who got a new spouse who had low tolerance for cats. Four cats is much more than plenty... 70+??? Well that's just unimaginable.... except in nightmares.

More unpublished cartoons from July '08

One of my favourite targets for satire is the sad, sad state of our Health Care System. Yeah, Yeah, I know it's still better than what they've got in some Third World Countries, but we're quickly losing our previousl lofty ranking in First and Second World Countries. Tommy Douglas and Lester Pearson are likely rolling over in their graves. Shame on us.

Unpublished cartoons from June/July 08

A variety pack of topics covered here. I liked all of these, a lot.... still do... which is more than I can say for some of my cartoons... and there was no room for any of them. Oh well, they're here now. Hope you enjoy... and feel free to leave comments.