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| Cartoon by Stilton's Dad! |
Moreover, I'm currently busy digitizing absolute reams of documents from my late parents, including lots of cartoons drawn by my Dad - including the bucolic apocalypse seen above. I'm genuinely not sure if the intent of the cartoon is showing how disaster can strike when you least expect it...or if it's meant to say that, even in the worst of circumstances, there can be a benefit to staying mindful of the good things around us. Come to think of it, I adhere to both beliefs simultaneously.
It's bittersweet work going through those cartoons. Lots of funny stuff and good memories, but each page is also a reminder that he's not here anymore - though as exemplified by this blog (and Johnny Optimism, for that matter) at least his unusual sense of humor lives on.
The Hope n' Change comments section is open for business, and there's plenty to talk about. See you there! -Stilton
PS: For thorough and entertaining coverage of today's news, check out our good friends at The Daily Gouge!
26 comments:
Stilton, I hope you will publish a book of your father's cartoon drawings, if you haven't already done so. It would find a place in my reading room, for sure. Love the sarcasm, love the message, and most of all, love the truth~
The cartoon appears to be a comment on the cold war, but then I tend to see things from that perspective.
@Dr. Strangelove- I just saw your namesake film on the big screen last Sunday. What a pleasure. One of Kubrick's best ever, and if you don't agree you are a deviated prevert.
@Stilton- great cartoon, more please.
@Sandy Link- I may publish a book with my father's cartoons one of these days. I've always thought it would only be of interest to friends and family, but thanks to Hope n' Change that's a larger audience than it used to be.
@Dr. Strangelove- I see things the same way. Funny how a childhood in the 50's, learning "duck and cover" drills, sort of instills that "anywhere, any time" expectation of seeing a mushroom cloud bloom on the horizon.
@TrickyRicky- Kubrick's film is genius, and one of my favorite pieces of black comedy.
Regarding my Dad's cartoons, rest assured there will be more.
I see two meanings to your father's cartoon. Either an optimistic view that whatever man does to civilization, the world will remain beautiful...or the liberal view of ignoring reality. I prefer the optimistic view.
Thanks for sharing, Stilton. Your father was a fine artist, and I'm looking forward to enjoying many more tidbits of his creativity. Enjoy the memories!
Keep the cartoons of your father close to you and look at them often. I do that with some of the things that belonged to my late father, who I was very close to. It helps keep your parents alive, and with you. Best wishes and thank you for sharing that one with us. .
PS: For thorough and entertaining coverage of today's news, check out our good friends at The Daily Gouge! Since their "contact" doesn't work maybe you can answer this question....."why is it called the Daily Gouge when sometimes it 5 or 6 days between posts?"
I think the cartoon vividly expresses how the globalists wish to celebrate today: the International Day of Peace.
Wow, your dad could really draw! Love it.
Reminds me of one of my favorite cynical cartoons (Far Side maybe? sorry I can't remember the artist)
Two guys in a boat fishing and a big mushroom cloud behind them. The line is: "I'll tell you what it means: No size restrictions, and screw the limit!"
Years ago I sent that to a client whose business was tanking. Then I worried. But yes, he laughed.
Whoever said we have to laugh to keep from crying was clearly correct.
"not sure if the intent of the cartoon is showing how disaster can strike when you least expect it...or if it's meant to say that, even in the worst of circumstances, there can be a benefit to staying mindful of the good things around us."
Like Judi said, the gubbermint is ignoring the face that we, as a nation, are being destroyed while they continue to line their collective pockets. Sort of like Nero fiddling while Rome burned. And the heathens and savages will soon be upon us as well. And jugears is like the Emperor with his new clothes made from spun gold.
Sarah Rolph, yes, it was The Far Side by Garry Larson. My favorite cartoon until Stilt came along.
Love your Dad's work. Am a cartoon junkie, but was unaware of his work except what you have shared. Seems he did have the only perspective which would allow mental and emotional balance.
This reminds me that no matter how bad things get in this world, we can still have "the peace of God which passeth all understanding". I think that your dad had that. It also reminds me that this world is not our final home....we are only passing through.
That cartoon may be from a Brother Dave Gardner skit.
"Brother Dave, where is the best place to be when the bomb goes off?"
Brother Dave, "Anyplace is good if you can say, 'What was that'?"
Very funny old time comedian that did not use rude language or jokes.
Yes, I like seeing your father's cartoons. Very talented and insightful.
And that apple did not fall far from the tree. Yours are magnificent.
Reminds me that I've got to go through a pile of my father's stuff sitting in the back of the office here. Sigh.
As for the rest of the world, again I feel like I've been taking crazy pills.
Liz Warren vs Wells Fargo: I watched her live yesterday as she blasted Wells Fargo CEO John Stumpf. She was right. He oversaw a culture of corruption and was totally indifferent to it. People at Wells Fargo who complained about the corruption were fired, while those who defended and promulgated it were rewarded.
Meanwhile, Liz Warren oversees a massive Federal government that has embraced a culture of corruption and is totally indifferent to it. People in the Federal government who complain about the corruption are fired, while those who defended and promulgated it are rewarded. And since she enthusiastically endorses the most corrupt candidate for President ever, she's making a clear statement that "corruption" is more an idea of ideology than it is a practical concern. This is why we're now officially a banana republic.
Our 858 new "citizens" who should have been deported: Ooopsie. It's not 858. It's actually over 1,800. Which probably means it's really 2, 4, or 8 times that.
An honest mistake the Democrats say. These are the people responsible for our national security? Why would anyone who sees this think that allowing our government to have even more control over our lives would be a good idea? Soon, the people responsible for this will be directly responsible for your health care. Think about that. Please!
Speaking of refugees: Notice how they never seem to end up in the districts of those Progressives fighting hardest to admit them?
Nancy Pelosi’s Congressional District Has Taken In Zero Syrian Refugees
And if you're looking for good bedtime stories for young liberals, here's a good one.
If you need something a bit more cerebral: "Star Trek: The Libertarian Edition"
More news of the insane:
Anthony Weiner carried on a months-long online sexual relationship with a troubled 15-year-old girl telling her she made him 'hard,' asking her to dress up in 'school-girl' outfits and pressing her to engage in 'rape fantasies'
Remember, "deplorables" support Donald Trump. But the politically connected sexual deviant child molesters are all in for Hillary.
Oh, want to see smarmy? Watch this "serious" interview with him from July (before the divorce announcement) as he shills for and excuses Hillary's email shenanigans. I post this for two reasons, 1) to demonstrate the absurdity of the mainstream media in taking this guy the least bit seriously and worthy of being interviewed on any topic, and 2) just to show how sleazy the guy is. He is (or was) in fact connected to the Clinton inner circle.
Obama Says America Can Only Defeat Terrorism By “Limiting Freedom”
Obama used the occasion of his last UN speech to pitch more megagovernment and to clamp down on pesky freedom that's inhibiting it:
"...we can only realize the promise of this institution’s founding to replace the ravages of war with cooperation if powerful nations like my own accept constraints. Sometimes I’m criticized in my own country for professing a belief in international norms and multilateral institutions, but I’m convinced in the long run giving up some freedom of action, not giving up our ability to protect ourselves or pursue our core interests but binding ourselves to international rules, over the long-term, enhances our security.”
Surrendering ones sovereignty does not enhance security, in the short or long runs, especially when you're surrendering it to transparently corrupt institutions that have repeatedly demonstrated that their priorities are to serve their own interests over those of the citizens.
@Anonymous The Daily Gouge is like HNC, he publishes every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. Last week he announced that he would be out of town, and the postings would be sporadic. He should be back on schedule next week.
Join move to pass laws to control pressure cookers (Do you really NEED a high-capacity assault pressure cooker to cook a rutabaga?).
You can be justifiably proud of your Dad, Stilton. Even 10 years after his passing he is still influencing people positively, like the 'campaign button' strip a while ago. That caused a lot of people to recall fondly their youth and the 'good old days' in their posts to which I fully agreed but with an Australian flavour for my memories.
@Judi King- I sort of like the ambiguity in my Dad's cartoon. He was the sweetest guy in the world, but a lot of his cartoons are hilariously dark. He was, however, an optimist - and sometimes played "the glad game" just thinking of things that made him happy.
@Jim Lane- Glad you enjoyed the cartoon. A lot of my Dad's cartoons are hasty doodles, because his ideas came so fast and furious. He was also trained in fine art, and produced award-winning canvases. I'll definitely be sharing more of his work in the future.
@Gary Godley- You're exactly right. When I look at my Dad's cartoons, I recognize the style of his drawing and his delightfully subversive sense of humor. Each time I look afresh at one of his pictures, it's like he's there by my shoulder sharing a joke. This would be a good time to mention that my mother was a wonderful artist, too. In fact, my parents met at John Herron Art School in Indianapolis. All of their friends were artists, and that's the delightful environment I grew up in.
@Anonymous- I'm not sure if "The Daily Gouge" was formerly a daily (as was Hope n' Change once upon a time) but its creator packs so much in to each post that it all evens out. I'm glad to say I've become good friends with the Gouge's creator, and I know that he's a busy guy with an actual day job and commitments. So sometimes it's hard to hit those self-imposed deadlines (as was the case for me today).
@Geoff King- Well, there's nothing more likely to insure long-last "peace" than nuclear armageddon!
@Sarah Rolph- I remember that cartoon well. Gary Larson, I think. And yes, I think we have to laugh to keep from crying. That's the whole logic behind my Johnny Optimism strip.
@Fred Ciampi- Sadly, it's pretty clear that the government isn't on our side at this point. Although I did enjoy hearing Paul Ryan tear John Kerry a new butthole regarding Iran.
@Berferdt- My Dad didn't really submit cartoons to magazines and papers. Rather, his work turned up in advertisements and other industrial applications. Significantly (and a story for another day), he created a stationery company with his cartoons (and cartoons by some close friends) that became very successful, spinning off into additional funny products like aerosol cans with wild labels, funny matchbooks and a lot more. The company actually went International! It never made him rich (indeed, he kept working his "day" job) but it was all great stuff.
@chef621- My Dad would like that interpretation. He never failed to say his prayers.
@James Daily- I like the "What was that?" joke! And I hold the comics who work "clean" in the highest regard. That doesn't mean I'm especially put off by crude material, but it's a cheap (and frequently unsuccessful) way to try to get a laugh. That's why I love old TV shows like Andy Griffith and Dick Van Dyke. It took 10 times the talent for the writers to keep us laughing without resorting to innuendo or rude situations.
@John the Econ- Thanks for adding so much content here today. Your Warren vs Wells Fargo observation is right on the money, no pun intended.
The government giving citizenship instead of deportation to those who need it, and vastly underestimating the number of times they've screwed up, reminds us that there is an agenda at work here which puts us all at risk. Oh sure, ineptitude too - but I think a lot of this is policy driven.
I don't have much to say about Weiner, other than it's remarkable just how horrible a person can get away with being if they're a Democrat.
And finally, my (expletive deleted) blood boils when Obama says we need to give up freedoms and bow before foreign powers. He hates America, always has, and always will.
@robsan19- Thanks for the additional information. I can assure you that the Gouge's publisher takes his schedule and blog very seriously. AND he's a really smart and funny guy!
@Larry Sheldon- My Dad loved to make "beef heart and noodles" in a pressure cooker, and that damn thing always scared the bejeebers out of me and my siblings. It had a little round piece of metal on top that would spit, judder, and spin as high-pressure steam would shoot out...and we always thought that the thing was going to explode. Frankly, I can only imagine being slightly more scared of one that had obvious wires and a timer attached.
@Popular Front- I like the fact that my Dad's stuff can still elicit a grin or a laugh after all this time. It's definitely what would make him happy. And hey - if his work is being seen in Australia, he's gone international again!
Regarding the "Ooopsie, we gave them citizenship instead of deporting them" thing, "...the number of times they've screwed up, reminds us that there is an agenda at work here which puts us all at risk..." Definitely agree about the agenda thing.
But it also reminds me of my Army days. There were many things that an experienced soldier could get in trouble for, but if a Private did it, then we'd just sorta slough it off as him just being an inexperienced dumbass. So over the years, as we rose in rank and gained in seniority and experience, we also learned that if you needed to do something outside of the rules, just do it then act like a Private: "Gee, I didn't know you couldn't do that." "I really thought I was doing the right thing." "No one ever showed me how to do it correctly, I guess."
So if you really broke the rules (without moving into the courts-martial area), just pretend you didn't know any better, or nobody ever showed you the "right" way, or it was an unfortunate accident.
Act like a Private.
reminds me of a quote: "Some folks just love to watch the world burn." Not saying your dad was like that...
About the so called “Ooopsie”
There are many bureaucrats that have their own political agenda and act on it. A couple of small examples; After they passed the California “motor voter law” where they hand out voter registration forms when you have any transaction with DMV it was found that someone was pre-checking “democrat” on the forms.
When one applies for a new driver’s license in California one would check the “yes, I want to be an organ donor” box or “no, I don’t want to be an organ donor” box. Seems that someone was erasing the “no” check and checking the “yes” box. Few people noticed the small pink circle on their new license or know what it means.
A guy had to go to Family court over child support. The child’s mother (his former girl friend) told the court that he beat her. The Judge explained to her that if that was true he would likely lose his job as a Police Officer. She then admitted that the woman it the county office told her to say that so she could get more money.
This stuff happens at all levels of government! None of it is an “Ooopsie!”
@Joseph ET, which is why the more government we have, the more "Ooopsie" we should expect.
Every so often when there's one of those 9-figure lottery jackpots out there, someone inevitably asks, "What would you do with $xxx,xxx,xxx dollars?"
One of the things I'd do is found a non-profit foundation with the following mission:
Every time there is some sort of "man caused disaster" that harms innocent citizens, my foundation would research and then personally identify the activists, lawyers, bureaucrats, and/or politicians that made the fateful decision to mindlessly exercise the reckless compassion ultimately responsible. For example, in the case of Kate Steinle, we'd personally identify and name all of the people personally responsible for Juan Francisco Lopez-Sanchez being loose on the streets of San Francisco.
Perhaps if these activists, lawyers, bureaucrats, and politicians understood that some day someone would hold them responsible for the collateral damage of what they see as their cheap political vanity, they would no longer consider it so cheap.
If this prevented at least one "ooopsie", it would be worth it, would it not?
Regarding pressure cookers--I grew up with three of them (that come quickly to mind--they were pretty common in the houses I might visit, when I was little).
(I feared the products more that the devices--we were sorta poor folk* and mom canned a lot of stuff--one of the things was rabbit meat, which I learned to hate. Dunno why, it tastes like chicken, as I recall.)
The big one (pressure canning kettle she called it I think) would hold a box (I think) of quart mason jars. That one had gauges and vents and valves and was sorta awe-inspiring when it was running.
The big one had hand-tightened bolts around the perimeter of the lid and I was never worried about it.
The smaller one scared me while she was opening it because the handle split and you had to twist the lid off and was never clear to me what the likely trajectories would be for the lid, the bottom, or the contents.
The little one got used to make the cuts of beef they could afford edible, it seemed to me to impart a flavor that I don't like.
*I was about 30 when I figured out that the then-prevalent "poverty definitions", if extrapolated back across my childhood clearly put me in the 'out-of-place' group because by that time I had graduated from high school, done a hitch in the Navy, moved up through several progressively better jobs, and had never** been in jail.
**If you don't count the two weeks in the "restriction" barracks because I was a few hours over leave due to some monumental planning errors in getting myself from Great Lakes, Illinois (via the light-of-my-life's*** neighborhood in Milwaukee) to Norfolk, Virginia****,
***Whose name I no longer remember.
****I was originally charged with "missing movement" (not a digestive disorder, but not being on a ship when it leaves port) but fortunately for me the Captain (at the "Captain's mast" a "non judicial punishment" thing in the Navy) was bright enough to realize that there was never any intention on the part of anybody (except maybe me) to get me aboard that ship had I not been late--it got underway for the annual "Middy Cruise" where they transfer about half of the Ship's Company off, replacing it with Midshipmen.*****
*****They make two cruises as Midshipmen--the first, occupying "enlisted" billets, the second occupying junior officer billets. It was interesting and instructive for me to see the severe class distinctions between the NROTC cadets, on the one hand, and the Academy Cadets (who would one day be called "ring knockers".
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