DRAWING on OBSERVATIONS

Ball point pen on paper napkin

This week lets take a look at John McCain. Today, McCain on waste. He claims never to have asked for an earmark and wants to do away with them. I’m on board with that. Lets bring the pork above board. The US Dollar has tanked in recent years, in large part due to out of control spending and budget deficits by a republican administration. (BTW, Crude oil is traded in US Dollars) Can he successfully distance himself from that?

Tomorrow, running mates…I take requests.

Ball point pen on the morning newsprint

I have an early photo shoot in the city today, so talk amongst yourselves…here’s a topic:

Yesterday the Supreme Court struck down a 32 year DC law that banned handguns and required that rifles and shotguns kept in private homes be unloaded and either disassembled or protected by a trigger lock. Will other states with tough gun control laws have their laws declared unconstitutional?

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New Jersey State Trooper and Army Reservist Dwayne Kelley died Tuesday in a bombing at a local government office in Baghdad. Dwayne grew up in Willingboro, is the father of two, spoke fluent Arabic and lived in South Orange for the past fifteen years. The tragic loss marks the 101st Jerseyan to have sacrificed their lives in Iraq. Dwayne was 48.

Today I did a second sketch in a newsprint pad free of any text.

Ball point pen on clear newsprint paper

Ball point pen on the morning newsprint

In State after State the GOP brand is suffering. NY State Senate Majority Leader Joseph Bruno plagued by scandal announces he won’t run for reelection.

Ball point pen on our home town paper

There is no bigger news item than our daughter Alyssa Graduating from South Plainfield High School tonight. A member of the National Honor Society, National Arts Honor Society, National Scholastic Society and Girl Scout Silver Award recipient, Alyssa will be a freshman this fall at Rutgers University, New Brunswick majoring in Journalism.

Congratulations Alyssa!

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George Carlin was a rare comedian that made his audience think as well as laugh. His seven words you can never say routine, put him in the center of a legal battle that went all the way to the supreme court. Although the ruling went against Carlin, he never abandoned the material and would be arrested a number of times for performing the controversial routine. Funny how one person can be perceived as dangerous, hip, and finally, affable by succeeding generations. My kids will remember him as the genial narrator … Continue Reading

Ball point pen on the morning newsprint

Our daughter is graduating from High School next week. The Army, Navy and Marines, armed with a list of graduates, have been calling our house over the past few months asking to speak to her about the great opportunities a life in the armed forces can afford. We’re very proud of her as we are of our son, who graduated two years ago. Both worked hard throughout their academic careers and had many opportunities open to them upon graduation. She will be a freshman in September at Rutgers University majoring Journalism … Continue Reading

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Four dollar a gallon gasoline is going to spark another nimby debate. Many believe a combination of building nuclear power plants and tapping the oil reserves in Alaska and off the coast of Florida will decrease our dependancy on foreign oil and lower the cost of energy. It may be true, but the Not-In-My-Back-Yard debate will make it an uphill fight.

Yesterday, the Communication Arts 2008 Illustration Annual 49 arrived in the mail and the CD cover illustration I did for the Sunday Morning Music Series is featured on page 36. If anyone is interested in a signed and numbered, limited edition, archival Giclee Print, on 100% cotton acid free paper, please contact me for the details.

Yesterday I had two reference photo shoots for book covers I’m working on. That means a train ride to the city. Here’s a medley of ball point pen on newsprint doodles I did along the way.

In The Heights wins the Tony Award for Best Musical

Chris Dodd, Chairman of the Senate Banking Committee, accepts sweetheart loan from Countrywide.

Gore backs Obama.

Governor of NY to tap Richie Kessel to run NY Power Authority.

CIA Director Hayden likens Iraq to Vietnam.

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I always route for the underdog. In this years US Open, the choice was obvious… Rocco Mediate only hits the ball about as far as your average Sunday golfer, and at age 45, he would have been the oldest golfer to win his first major. But Tiger Woods showed once again why he’s perhaps the greatest professional athlete in a generation. Six weeks after knee surgery and against his doctors advice, Tiger won his 14th major in a dramatic sudden death overtime.

Last year 2.2 million Americans filed for foreclosure. Predator lenders were making risky loans at a level never before seen. Wall Street was packaging said loans into securities and spreading the risk across the entire economy. The CEO of Counrtywide, the nations largest mortgage lender, sold 138 million dollars of Countrywide stock in an eight month period right before the price of the stock tanked by 80%. Were our leaders looking the other way? Last week the story of how Jim Johnson, as CEO of the Federal National Mortgage Association (Fannie Mae for short) … Continue Reading

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If it’s Sunday, it’s Meet The Press… Never has a slogan been more apt, for my household and for millions of Americans, it was simply a part of our routine. Tim Russert had no equal. His was the only can’t-miss-show on television and his absence will be missed by everyone who cared to be informed. He was 58.

Ball point pen on the morning newsprint

Senator Obama might decide to sure up the mid-west, the moderates, the women and those inclined to vote for someone with gray hair by picking Kathleen Sebelius as a running mate. A two term Governor of Kansas, she also brings executive experience.

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It was Jim Johnson’s job to vet possible vice presidential candidates for Barack Obama, but no one vetted the vetter and he has now resigned from the campaign.

While skyrocketing interest rates on sub-prime loans are causing many Americans to loose their homes, it’s been reported that Jim Johnson, as CEO of the Federal National Mortgage Association (Fannie Mae for short) accepted millions of dollars in sweetheart loans from Countrywide Mortgage at below market interest rates.

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The VP watch is the only game in town. Lets take a look at some of those on the short list. Up first, former Virginia Governor, Mark Warner. Obama would like to sure up the South and those Appalachian voters who aren’t getting the Obama vibe. Warner is a moderate Democrat who might help Obama appeal more to centrist voters.

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As a Yankee fan I remember Ken Griffey Sr. when he played outfield for the Yankee’s between 1982-86. Back then, the precocious little junior would run and play in the tunnels under the stadium. Years later he would return with the Seattle Mariners as a super star center fielder and prolific home run hitter. In 1995 he lead the Mariners back from a 0-2 deficit to end the Yankees season by winning three in a row, taking the short five game series, while contibuting five homers. He was the youngest player … Continue Reading

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No, It’s not Matthew Broderick…todays doodle is of David Plouffe (pronounced Pluff), the campaign manager for presidential candidate Barack Obama. Plouffe is credited with the strategy that won Iowa and prolonged the primary season past Super Tuesday. The idea was to esablish an early presence in states where their opponent (believing the race would be over) had no organization. That strategy yielded twelve consecutive wins after super Tuesday and produced the margin of victory that would never be relinquished.

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I will continue on Monday profiling the team behind Barack Obama.

Today I wanted to take a moment to remember Robert F. Kennedy. On June 5th 1968 he was shot by Sirhan Sirhan at the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles after winning California’s Primary election that day. He died the following day-forthy years ago today.

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Leading off, Political consultant, David Axelrod.

Axelrod is credited with implementing a strategy that encouraged grassroots participation, involving the people and giving them a stake in the campaign. Encouraging bloggers and using the internet to build an army of donors contributing a hundred dollars or less, Obama’s grass roots fund raising soon dwarfed the small number of deep pocketed contributors in other campaigns .

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Congratulations to Senator Obama!

Yesterday in my post regarding the passing of Bo Diddley I linked to some footage of him performing his self titled song released in 1955. That was before Martin Luther King’s I Have A Dream Speech, before the end of Jim Crow laws, before civil rights legislation, and before Barack Obama was born. The camera pans several times to the audience showing white kids bopping to Bo’s rhythm and blues, but in the last few seconds (about 5:17 in) the camera pans to a … Continue Reading

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Three beats, a pause, then two more beats. That was the trademark Bo Diddley beat that Bo used in his self titled song, and as the foundation for so many of his hits. He influenced a generation of artists including Buddy Holly, U2 and George Thorogood, who covered and introduced a new audience to his song “Who Do You Love”. Bo received a life time Grammy Award and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. He was 79.

WATCH BO DIDDLEY HERE

AND HERE

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This weekend at the Democratic Rules Committee, Clinton loyalist Harold Ickes said that Senator Clinton instructed him to reserve the right to appeal to the Credentials Committee at the Democratic convention in August.

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Congratulations go out to Boston’s notorious Yankee killer, Manny Ramirez, who yesterday became the 24th player in major league history to hit 500 home runs.