For Better or For Worse - Official website for Lynn Johnston's comic strip of the Patterson family

This is the cartoon equivalent of my daily journal reads. It's in my daily paper, but I'm pretty much always behind with those, so I read it online. It's done in real time, which I like, as opposed to say, Family Circus with its 40 year old 8 year olds. This is a very well done website, regularly updated content, intuitive linkage and navigation, simple but not dull. Lynn Johnhson markets her strips very well, without crossing that over commercialised line. She's also got a goo rep in cartooning circles In 1985, she became the first woman to win the National Cartoonists Society's Reuben Award, (named after Reuben Goldberg; check out his incredible inventions cartoons) for Outstanding Cartoonist of the Year. She also won the award for Best Syndicated Comic Strip in 1992. Johnston was appointed to the distinguished Order of Canada in 1992 and nominated for a Pulitzer Prize in 1994.

Endgame Draws Near For Big Brother Inmates

I'm proud to say I haven't watched a single episode of Big Brother. Course, I got sucked into Survivor something fierce at the end of each series, so I'm not claiming any higher ground here. This picture reminds me of a Twilight Zone episode, where if you get voted out, you gradually fade away into a B&W 2D version of your previous self.

I could go all D&M about how this is an insightful take on the fleeting fame this gives these contestants, but it's a dodgy theory and more'n likely a rushed graphic person's best effort with the only damn picture released that's of any decent res from the show. More than likely.

In the interest of cultural fairness, I've dug up the winners for the Australian Internet awards. It's in my Australiana file "Ozwords" at http://www.amandasprecipice.com/Burbs/ozwords.html

The Webby Awards: 2001 Winners

A picture of the (mostly USA'n but nice to see Sydney getting a nod under Government) web for 2001. Try Dancing Paul, it's a hoot. You need an operational sound card, Flash, and probably more than a 56K connection. Volunteermatch is a service I've not been getting my optimum use out of, completely my lack of time, but for the time I was, I can highly recommend it.

Information on X10 Advertising "Can you turn your ads off so I never see them again? Click here!"

Click! Clickclickclickclick!

Did they not approach GeocitiesYahoo and find out that their popup ads which were Waaay smaller than these new x-10 monstrosities made people leave in droves? Made them leave in such droves that YahooGeocities has now a discreet piece of code that opens up the window within that window, and you can minimise it?

"Please try to understand that this type of advertising is what keeps the Internet enjoyable as it pays for operational costs behind the sites you enjoy visiting for free. There are some content based sites that do not accept advertising, yet charge a subscription fee to view their content. This tradeoff is the current environment of the Internet today."

I'm not going to buy your stupid little camera, all you've managed to do is to associate the X10 brand name with terminal stupidity and annoyance. Is that the branding you fancied?

smh.com.au - Click go the sheilas

""She's not really a very hefty bird but she's got a good chassis under her, though," Mr Houghton said."

A compliment women would die for, you reckon?

"Not everyone was as happy as Mr Houghton, though, with one of the male shearers turning in his handpiece in protest at Ms Hamilton's presence."

Yeah, well, I'm thinking his handpiece is not all he thinks it is.

Kidman 'in shock' over Cruz affair - smh.com.au - Arts & Entertainment

"When Kidman, now in Sydney, heard the news that Cruz and Cruise were tanning together, she was, a friend told People magazine, "just totally in shock". "She said, 'He flat out swore to me up and down that there was nothing going on'."
Added the friend: "All this time she's been wondering why the marriage ended, and this could be it."
A friend of Kidman's told the magazine: "She said he's obviously had her waiting in the wings and just waited until he started looking like a nice guy again.""

Um, Tom Cruise? That looking like a nice guy again? Not going to happen.

Sex show has the good vibrations on what women really want - smh.com.au - Arts & Entertainment

"Sexpo (motto: "Don't leave without buying your mum a vibrator")"

I'm speechless.

Aussie Abortion Clinic Guard Killed

"The president of the anti-abortion group Right to Life, Margaret Tighe, said her organization rejected the use of violence, but said it was not surprising.

``Given the nature of what occurs in these places, it is a wonder there have not been any more of these incidents,'' Tighe said."

Ah Lovey? Rejecting the use of violence and saying it's not suprising are not exactly logically bound together. The nature of what occurs in these places would seem to be shooting a man to death in the face as a statement in support of life. Doesn't seem to be a ringing endorsement of caring for other human beings, really.

And then you read this, when the guy is so courageous in his convictions that he refuses to indentify himself. Even when it's revealed that the mother of the man he killed, her husband just died of cancer within the month. What a complete and utter fucking bastard. I'm against the death penalty, but I would really very much like to see this man removed from society for good. So he can't harm anyone else in the name of life.

Katharine Hepburn Admitted to Hospital

This has the air of those stories about Bob Hope. You can hear the Celeb Editors checking their obit files, adpating them since the last time she was in hospital..

ABQjournal Opinion

"An innovative summer camp for kids in Albuquerque is also part of the solution. Camp Love a Pet, organized by the Animal Humane Association of New Mexico, pairs 13 children with 13 dogs, and teaches the campers to train, feed, groom and pick up after the specially selected shelter dogs. The goals are to prepare the dogs for adoption, but more importantly, to instill a sense of compassion for animals in the children. A second three-week session will begin July 23. "

This is a fabulous idea. Instilling care and concern for animals into kids just has to be good for them as caring human beings. I remember reading abotu a prison that does this too. It's socialisation on both sides. So many of the strays are twitchy and scared around people because of their earlier abuse and neglect, that they don't seem attractive pets to people coming in to adopt. Contact with people and care and love helps to socialise them and makes them infinitely friendlier and more adoptable. One of the prisoners commented that it made her feel good to be helping to save a life, and feeling good about her actions was a rare and new feeling for her also.

Yahoo! News - Reuters Photo

This is just so sad on many different levels. The animals being sold into who knows what, and the woman that has to sell them in order to survive.

Marbles

I picked up this time suck from Diane's journal. You know, putting it in a link and saying "Do Not Click Here!" is just tantamount to coming to my house and Loading the damn game on my computer! At least I didn't have to pay a registration fee, as with Snood!.

Actress Drew Barrymore marries comic

Really, I hope they're very happy, but enough with the weddings, real, fake or brindle coloured.

Actor Downey must remain in drug rehab

I hope he makes the best of this.

Vancouver Sun - Top Stories
"And while he never ate duck before, he says he wouldn't dream of it now."

I'm feeling really guilty about my wild duck soup recipe right about now..

Nine Injured in Bloody Start to Pamplona Bull Run

"Another man was seen to be lifted up in the air by a bull that caught him in the leg with one of its horns."

My sympathy and support go to the bulls.

U.S. Donors Provide Eggs, Sperm to Make Stem Cells

I'm pro-choice, but this makes me uneasy.

'Road Rage' Dog Killer Gets Maximum Sentence
"Burnett's fiancee, Jackie Figgins, expressed disbelief at the sentence, calling it completely out of proportion with the crime. ``You think of all the things people do to human beings and they get less time than him,'' Figgins told reporters."

One of the most surprising things in this case for me? He still has a fiancee.. Anyone who could toss a small defenseless animal into heavy traffic is not someone I'd trust to be safe around.

Charity Cites Bush Help in Fight Against Hiring Gays (washingtonpost.com)

This makes me very sad. The Salvos, as they're known in Australia, always struck me as being very fair minded. This article does not cast them in that light. I may have to examine my donations. This makes me very sad.