Larry Roibal

Ray Petronko in ball point pen on my local paper

All politics are local….Yesterday I was listening to the Football Giants game and painting a landscape for a California wine label when my door bell rang. Local Democratic Councilmen, Ray Petronko and Joe Scrudato were going door to door asking if I had any questions about this November’s election and their positions on the issues. The news junkie that I am, of coarse I’ve been following the race, and while I’m not going to go into the local issues here on my blog, I told them they could count on my support… These are genuinely nice guys who put in long hours of service to our community. After a long day of canvassing the neighborhoods they probably wanted to go home to their families, but they were very gracious to humor me when I asked if I could their picture so that I could draw their portraits for my blog, . Thanks guys!!

Joe Scrudadto in ball point pen on my local paper

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Ball point pen on the morning newsprint

Any resemblance that this doodle has to Don Rickles was totally unintentional. But it seems that lately, McCain, like Rickles has to rip his friends to succeed, so maybe I allowed that to subliminally enter into my morning ritual…who knows…Anyway…The latest hockey puck that McCains has to denounce, his top economic adviser, former Texas Senator Phil Gramm. Gramm said the economy would be doing fine if it weren”t for our nation of whiners talking it down. I’ll try to smile the next time I pull up to the … Continue Reading

Ball point pen on the morning newsprint

Youth, Beauty, and Conservative…Governor of Alaska, Sarah Palin is on McCain’s short list. But the last time I checked, Alaska wasn’t in the South, and as much as I hate to admit…it always comes down to the South.

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?

Ball point pen on the morning newsprint

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 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!

Ball point pen on the morning newsprint

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

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.