All We Are Saying Is...Oh, Forget It.

Well, the Pax Silva Plan has failed. And now, the blame throwing begins.

The Ketchup Post

This past week, I got the opportunity to draw more cartoons than usual. Here they all are with the exception of one cartoon that was pulled right before publication because it was a little bit too biting. (I must confess to being more flattered that I crossed the line of decency than angered about not getting a cartoon published that I worked all day on.)

So, without further self-congratulations on my own cartoons which are so scathing that I don't even want to post it on my blog for fear of being sued by a senator who's careful to never smile wide enough for fear that his fangs might show, here are the "safe" ones:

Jet-setting Tasmanian multi-millionaire David Walsh has escaped his problems with the Tax Office and now plans to build a massive hotel that's the exact height as the Wrest Point Casino Hotel.

In retrospect, I think I might have made the visual pun for this a little too subtle.

This cartoon is about Lara Giddings seeing the glass as overflowing instead of half full - or completely empty, as the Federal Government sees it.

Joe Hockey, you are much harder to caricature than I thought you would be.

I ran out of drawing paper before I started on this cartoon. It was raining outside and I was too lazy to get suited up to go across town to buy more paper which would potentially just get wet anyways.

So, this cartoon is drawn and coloured completely with my WACOM tablet.

PS: Sorry, I haven't put any links with this post. I'm sure you can find information about these news stories if you google them. 

Mamma's, Don't Let Your Babies Grow Up To Be Politicians

Everyone in Australia and many people all over the world have seen the YouTube clip of our Prime Minister, Julia Gillard giving Leader of the Opposition, Tony Abbott, a verbal castration in front of Parliament. There was even an article about it published in The New Yorker!

Now, I'm fully behind Julia standing up to Tony. He's said some really horrible things in the past and I'm glad he's being called out for it. But some people are saying that these politicians might not be the best role models for kids. (Sorry, I can't find the link for that particular story. But it's not much of a stretch for the imagination to believe that it was said.)

I'm gonna be honest here. I would MUCH rather see my daughter look up to someone like our female Prime Minister than someone like Tony Abbott. Or even worse, this woman.

I Won't Cooperate Until They Cooperate!

If you live in Tasmania and are somewhat concerned about the forests and/or the forest industry, then you are probably sick of the on and off again Forestry Peace Talks - where leaders of major environmental groups and leaders of major forestry groups chuck tantrums and say they have to leave for a few weeks while they cool down.

Now the latest news is that they've all decided to agree that they'll definitely for sure (maybe) come up with a resolution as long as things go according to each of their individual plans. No one in Tasmania is holding their breath.


And now for something completely different:

I've got a really cool project up on a site called Pozible. (It's very similar to kickstarter.com in the states.) I'm trying to get myself to the Stanley Awards - which is like the Oscars for aussie cartoonists. Or, maybe it's more like the Golden Globes. Or maybe not at all. Who knows? I certainly don't. I've never been to the Stanleys.

What I do know is that there's gonna be a LOT of very talented people there and I would really like to meet some of them. It's one of those things where I'm sure I'll learn a ton of great information and make a few great contacts, too.

And to get me there, I'm selling some zines and some watercoloured drawings of dinosaurs acting like parliamentary politicians. Oh, and I've got an option for a doodled-on postcard, too.

So, click on the big link to the left and you can watch the corny little video that I patched together from various public domain movies. And, you know, maybe donate a few dollars? Please?

Sinkin' Down To Alan Jones' Locker.

You know, I've lived my entire life without listening to any sort of shock-jock radio. I have never listened to Howard Stern, Kyle Sandilands or Alan Jones. Part of the reason why is #2 on this great list from Cracked.com: The 10 Most Important Things That They Didn't Teach You In School. (Warning: Some of the things on this list might not be safe for work.)

Alan Jones is once again in the news for saying that the Prime Minister's Father probably died of shame over his daughter's so-called "lies." (For the record, I don't believe making a promise and then breaking that promise is actually a "lie." It's unfortunate, yes, but I believe a lie can only exist after the event to which it refers has occurred. But that's just me being pedantic.)

From what I've read, Mr. Jones has a penchant for saying that things he doesn't like should be thrown in a chaff-bag and dumped in the sea. Well, guess what his sponsors are doing?