Lawyers And Laughter

As a cartoonist, I find myself in the precarious position of writing about law. Though I do take the law seriously, I find humor in it as well. And I believe I have carte blanche to do so.

I come from a family of attorneys. One of my direct maternal ancestors was Supreme Court Judge Benjamin Cardozo. That name might not mean much to many, but it does within the legal community. His word, still, a century or so later, remains the final word on Constitutional Law.

I have dated attorneys. Some are very astute, and some not so good. I have watched them in the courtroom. Sometimes it is dramatic, sometimes a bit drab. But I continue to have an affinity for the law, given that it is in my blood, I guess. Of course my mother insisted upon either law or medical school for me, so like the good rebellious baby-boomer of the 60's, I became a cartoonist. At least I could make people laugh purposely. People laugh at lawyers, and often the attorney in question does not appreciate it. But how can we help it? I know, I know. They are just doing their job, and we laugh at them, until we need them. Then they are our confidants.

To be fair, most lawyers of whom I have met and/or associated, truly take their jobs and cases seriously. Sure, like everyone else in business, money is a motivator, but not always the primary motivator. Many, yes Virginia there is a Santa Claus, (or clause in this case), many have a very altruistic side, and take the law and their clients very seriously and want to help.

As the old joke goes, "It is the 98% of dishonest lawyers who give the other 2% a bad name". It's a great joke, but really far from reality. Many lawyers are just doing their job, just like you and me.

Sometimes hiring a lawyer can be expensive, and several Internet-savvy lawyers have launched websites in which the common layman can read, study, and learn about law and legal forms, and actually pay and download template forms from the sites at a fraction of the cost of hiring a law firm.
Some of these sites include Findlaw.com, Legalzoom.com, and the up-and-coming Lawkipedia.org, which has not yet been launched but is in the plans for this year. It will probably be the most exciting and different of all the other legal websites, just from what I understand regarding the planning.

Still, the saying goes, "The person who represents himself legally has hired a fool for a lawyer. And that is true. Especially regarding courtrooms and criminal law.

But many business conflicts do not have to turn into courtroom law. Mediation has become very popular and there are ways to work out such conflicts, often, and bring the parties even closer, once they realize they have similar goals, simply different ideas as to how to reach those goals. That is okay. It is often done by more professional persons, who is not out to "trash" a partner or remove him/her from the scene. I have seen it work many times.

Because law is of interest to me, I make sure to do a great many law related cartoons, and produce funny lawyer gifts. Even though many of them poke fun at lawyers, I find the majority have a great sense of humor, and more often than not, when the orders come in for our gifts and collectibles featuring lawyer cartoons, the names have a "comma and Esquire" at the end, in other words, our biggest customers who love to make fun of themselves, are, indeed attorneys.

Care For A Cat...Improve Your Attitude

Cats Are 4-Legged Gifts From God
by Rick

I have always owned dogs, but, recently I have learned, mainly from females influential in my life, the wonder and magic of cats and what they have to offer which is much. A lot of men are ware of cats, perhaps because "dog is man's best friend", which we learn from childhood, but, I've also learned, so can a cat. Though not always, a cat can be a bit more standoffish than a dog. Patience is required in cases like this. Many cats love their independence and one must "earn their trust". Once you have, many cats will follow you around like a dog. Of course, most dog owners know it is "love at first bite...of food". Whomever feeds them is their new mommy or daddy, whereas, with many cats, the first few months is spent trying to figure out what value is there in owning this feline anyway.

But as one owns a cat for awhile, it realizes this cat is an amazing intelligent creature, and can be just as loyal if not more so than a dog. Of the many cats I've owned, it has not taken more than a few days for them to want to curl up in my lap and rub its head continuously in a loving way (not to mention sleep on the pillow next to me no matter what).

Many of us struggle with health issues. A cat can be a wonderful therapist, doctor, or other type healer. Many people are unable to own dogs for various reasons, from apartment policies to travel, whereas a cat can be left alone for much longer and be ok. Cat ownership has been medical proven to help everything from high blood pressure to depression to even severe anxiety. Like dogs, cats have an amazing sixth sense, of how you are feeling. Unconditional love eventually evolves from most domestic cats given time. Patience can be the key. Some cats exhibit it right away. Some ask us to earn it.

Alas, cats, like dogs, make the world a much better place. Except for babies, and even babies have "their conditions"; really only domestic animals such as dogs and cats can teach us what unconditional love. I was very skeptical of all this upon learning the importance of animal care. I had read a lot but still did not believe the statistics much less the testimonials. Then I tried it, owning both dogs and cats all my adult life. It has enhanced my life like nothing else.

You may find yourself saying, "I haven't noticed any positive changes in myself". But it doesn't matter. They have already happened. Dog and cat ownership and care offer us the same paradigm shift of behavior that a newborn baby does. It offers us a chance to redirect much of our energies into a living loving creature that is there for us all the time. Yes we are there for it too, but not all the time. It does not care. If you give it a little attention, love and affection, it will give back in time, more than you ever gave it. Many times more in ways you never imagined.

Rick London is a cartoonist/entrepreneur and animal-lover. He founded Londons Times Cartoons, one of the Internet's most visited websites. Many of his cartoons and cartoon gifts and collectibles are cat and dog related. A percentage of those sales go to help stray animals and educate on animal-care.

The Internet's most popular offbeat cartoonist Rick London, founder of Londons Times Cartoons also founded RickLondonCollection.com and other stores that sell funny dog and cat related products. To see some of his line click here:

Major Depression: Try A Dog For Therapy

Though it is not something of which I am particularly proud, I struggled with major depression since age thirteen. It may be even further back than that, that is my first memory of "feeling different". I am now fifty three.

Of course I did not even know it was depression, and even if I had discovered it was, it would have been hidden, as, in the polite society of rural Mississippi, at the time, one did not see a therapist or psychiatrist and remain in society. He or she was hidden in the closet. Today things have changed and there are many modern- day state-of-the-art recovery programs and mental health clinics in the region. Alas, mum is still the word. I now live in southern California, where, at social functions, therapy and recovery are often a common them at social functions and events.

It was not until late in life, when I discovered a stray dog named "Thor" that I learned about alternative therapy. I had often heard that owning an animal can relieve depression and even lower blood pressure, but the dramatic changes were yet to be seen for the first few months of owning Thor. I noticed I wanted to get out more and walk him, as he loved that activity. This in itself lifted my depression. A long walk can, in fact, increase endorphins in the system.

Thor introduced me to people. People will open up to a cute dog faster than they will a human, hence they open up to the human as well. Thor loved people. I had owned dogs in the past, but Thor was my first rescue dog. The jury is out whether he rescued me or I rescued him. I did not adopt him from a shelter, but surely would have had I found him at one. He showed up in the rural Mississippi woods with a pack of two other dogs. He was the sickest of them, obviously abused and/or hit by a vehicle as he limped, and was a matted ball of fur. A vet friend took him home and put him on drips, shaved him, and gave him to me.

I researched and put him on the b.a.r.f diet. (bones and raw food). I put him on the same herbal tinctures I was taking. He never had another vet bill for a decade and lived to be nearly twenty two. He had ten very happy years as did I; mostly depression-free. Both of us were quite depressed when we found each other. He passed away nearly a month ago today. I continue to grieve over Thor but feel soon I will be ready for another rescue dog. I will visit the shelter. It is not completely selfless; I understand fully now the meaning of "they do much more for us than we do for them). A rescued dog remembers. He/she gives unconditional love and we get that gift to pass on to other people. I can't begin to tell you the difference in the way I am treated now by other people, and, the way I treat them. I do my best to do what Thor taught me; that is, love them unconditionally. He saw me as one of God's creatures; to him I was a god, and now I see all living creatures as part of God's creation. I never was that religious and am not now. But how can I not be spiritual. Thor helped cure my incurable depression.

Rick London is an e-entrepreneur and cartoonist. Many of his cartoon products are dog-related and a percentage of each sale goes to benefit various animal causes. He is also the founder of the Internet's top cartoon site, Londons Times Comics.

Rick London is a cartoonist and lover of animals, particularly dogs and cats. He founded the Internet's top cartoon Londons Times Cartoons and a number of E-stores featuring his dog cartoons. A percentage of sales benefit animal causes. Some direct pages of dog-related products can be found at http://www.cafepress.com/9500/4383555 at his Rick London Collection store. Another at RickLondonwear http://www.printfection.com/londonstimestees/DOGS-CARTOON-GIFTS-and-TEES/_s_81517 and his main cartoon site, Londons Times Cartoons http://www.londonstimes.us lures over 4000 vistors per day.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Rick_London

Dog And Cat Ownership Teaches Us Unconditional Love

When entering a relationship, or even considering it, we always talk about unconditional love. We miss it. We sometimes received it from our parents and more often from grandparents.

But when it comes to “leaving the cleavage” of mama, it's a rough world out there. We may find glimpses of love from our mate, and sometimes a lot more than glimpses. Even the best of relationships and marriages can have “conditions”.

Have you ever owned a dog or cat? There are no conditions. We may train our dogs and cats, to do certain tricks (it impresses our friends), but have you thought about what they teach us?

It's called unconditional love and if you don't think we learn it from them, think again. That is one of the few if any places we do learn such a wonderful way to live. We learn tolerance, patience, forgiveness and so much more.

I will give you a ridiculous far-out example, but, more often than not, we have our pets spayed or neutered, which is a smart thing, unless we are breeders of them.

And yet dog remains man's best friend. Can you imagine having the same procedure done to your own human best friend, and he or she come home and lick you in the face the next day wagging his/her tail and wanting nothing but your love or attention? I know that is a bit far-fetched, but it is a reality.

A dog (and even a cat) loves you simply for being you. There is an old Irish prayer, “Lord, please make me half the man my dog thinks I am”.

If only that were true. And if you think a dog or cat will love you unconditionally, you can take that a step further. Try adopting one from your local shelter. Cats and, it seems especially dogs, have a keen 6th sense and memory that is uncanny. They will appreciate you and show you a kind of love you've never experienced.

I just lost “Thor”, my mixed breed that I found in the woods in rural Ms. He looked a lot like Benji. That was 12 years ago. He lived, the vet believes, to be almost 22 years old. Ironically, the first Benji, (there have been more) was found not far from where I found Thor.

After owning Thor a few years, I found people were much more pleasant to me. I thought it was because I had such a cute friendly people-loving dog. Maybe that was a part of it, but the major part of it was Thor had taught me something I had never experienced before, unconditional love on steroids.
That dog loved me no matter what.

I am still grieving over the loss of Thor, and will for quite awhile. But I will soon adopt or find another dog and know that I will experience this most unique phenomena that can be found nowhere else. May you have the same blessing.

Question To Londons Times Cartoons Why So Many Products

I doubt a day does not go by that I'm not asked, "Rick, why so many products, why so many stores? (We have 9 stores). There are a number of answers to that question, but I will start with the obvious.

We want to make money. Ok, ok, that is western education school of thought. Of course we want to make money. But that is a very tiny part of the bigger picture.

We want to dominate the cartoon world on the Internet. Ok. That sounds a bit arrogant but it is true. I am told that in any given year there are approximately 10,000 cartoons on the Internet and out of those 10k cartoons only about 5 or so last longer than a year. This is our tenth year and to be honest, we didn't even start to monetize the site with stores until 14 months ago; and even think about Google Adwords until a few years ago? Why? Because we really looked at the entire thing as a hobby and everyone was pitching in during our spare time. Suddenly we looked up and we had very high ratings, mases of visitors and people telling us, "Figure out a way to make money on this site".

Our main site, Londons Times Cartoons remains free. We want to always keep it that way; as, with 8500 original cartoons, mostly in color, we look at it as a cyber-museum of sorts, and to make it a membership site, as we once thought about doing, to us, would dampen the spirit of the whole idea of it. Why pay for the opportunity to have a good laugh (we hope, anyway).

But, we also now offer various ways to buy products online, at reasonable prices at our various stores.

We have looked at all the available merchandise on which to manufacturer our cartoon images, and stuck with about 60 different items.

Some of the larger sellers are t-shirts, coasters, sweats, hoodies, aprons, clocks, infant wear, thongs, maternity dresses (yes, really), chamisole tops and baseball jerseys, tote bags and a number of other items that have surprised me.

We have two large variety stores that carry it all including LTSuperstore, Rick London Collection, and RickLondonwear, and a number of niche ones like Justfunnyhoodies, Justfunnyaprons, AThongInMyHeart and a number of others.

Why do we do it that way instead of packing everything into one store? A number of reasons. A lot of people don't want to go to a large department store, for instance, for one or two items that for which they are looking.

If they seek a funny valentine's gift, they are more likely to visit our thong store rather than RickLondonCollection simply because they don't have to wade through other items and can find exactly what they want click, buy, and have it at their door within a few days. (or if outside the U.S. within a week or two). Not too bad a deal, and the prices are excellent.

The same is true for hoodies, mouse pads, greeting cards, mugs and steins, and other such online shopping stores in which we have narrowed it down to niche marketing. We do not charge any more for products that are in those stores, that are also in our larger stores, we simply offer an alternative quicker convenient buying method for those who do not want to "go shopping" but have a general or exact idea of the item for which they are seeking.

Just because we do it this way, does not mean it is "the way" to do it. There are so many other ways to sell one's wares on the Internet, and money need not be the only motivator.

We get a kick out of watching the analyticals from sites that measure rankings and such and see how each site is doing. Generally they remain popular and gain in popularity as the days go by (thanks to you) and it keeps us motivated to keep our creative juices flowing.

If just starting on the Internet, it never hurts to try a number of e-stores and see what works. Never get married to one. After your time frame (I generally give it 6 months or so), and if it is not moving up in popularity and/or making a profit, I sadly pull the plug and don't look back.

Another idea will pop up before I know it. And the same is true of most netrepreneurs with whom I associate.