Comments on: Ponzzzzzzzzi…

By: bashea

bashea — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 20:03:22 +0000

If you look at the man’s head shadow, and then the OUT box shadow, you’ll see they fall at different angles, as if from two different light sources.

Obviously Matt was enjoying some Oban while drawing this.

Lucky guy.

And still one of the most funny, enjoyable, provocative editorial cartoonists out there.

By: Matt Davies

Matt Davies — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 16:11:38 +0000

Toaster – I’d never really noticed re: the shading. I just kind of do what feels right for the drawing. Also, I noticed that my art almost always flows from top left, across the page to the bottom right. Again, that just feels right and is an unconscious thing. I’m also usually pretty unconscious when I write too.

By: Toaster

Toaster — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 04:45:46 +0000

@DisasterMan: Yep, I’m right-handed. I haven’t yet asked a left-handed person how they shade.

@Topgunner: I certainly understand how we shouldn’t bail out the auto makers because their products are inferior and unaccountable. However, much the same could be said for the financial companies that invented derivatives trading and bought crappy mortgages. Yet they got a massive bailout with no accountability to the taxpayer and still went down kicking and screaming against regulation. The failure of the government to regulate them allowed greed and stupid business decisions to go unpunished and therefore led directly to the failure of the financial institutions. As such, regulation is certainly needed. But that regulation should not be confused with socialism.

I find that socialism, in itself, is not a bad thing so long as it is done in moderation and for the base consumers and not the corporations. We’re currently practicing corporate welfare and underwriting the cost of doing so by devaluing the welfare insurances for base consumers (on that note, why aren’t the Big 3 pushing for universal health care so they don’t have to pay for it directly themselves?). In looking to the Socialist Democratic governments of northern Europe, I cannot help but think that they are doing a lot better job than America’s corporate republic. The government’s first and foremost responsibility should be to its citizens and not to its corporations. In Finland, for example, 18 months of military service (in a military mostly never deployed) will ensure that you qualify for a free PhD education, health care, etc.. Is there really something so very different about that population as compared to this one that makes that kind of social justice impossible in America?

By: Topgunner

Topgunner — Sun, 21 Dec 2008 21:40:07 +0000

Toaster:
The Big 3 might make something that you can touch but far too many Americans have demonstrated that they have no intention of touching it. If they did, the Big 3 wouldn’t be in such disastrous shape. What good is saving a car company that makes cars nobody wants?
True, they employ lots of people, but why should the government underwrite their continued failure to make something that people actually want? I repeat a comment from an earlier post I made a few days ago—- not only do they make crappy cars, they fail to be accountable to the consumer when the car craps out. That, simply, is not good business, and one that does not deserve to be saved.
Watch, the next bailout will be of clients of Bernie Madoff (also known as “Bernie I Made-off with your money”).
I fear we have skipped onto the slope towards socialism.
If not, where do I apply for my bailout?
TG

By: DisasterMan

DisasterMan — Sun, 21 Dec 2008 15:57:28 +0000

Hey Toaster, are you right handed by any chance? Might have something to do with it perhaps…

By: Toaster

Toaster — Sun, 21 Dec 2008 01:06:47 +0000

@Topgunner: The Big 3 are getting far less than the remaining banks did. And the Big 3 actually make something real that you can touch. I do find it…off-putting that they need debt to continue to operate and have allowed themselves to dig such a deep hole (why do they continue to produce lines of cars that have never turned a profit?). Just saying though, perspective, y’know?

@Matt: Why do you shade everything from the upper right? Is that some kind of cartooning rule I had not been aware of? I mean, I by default tend to shade in the same direction, so maybe it’s just habit. I’m just wondering if you have a reason for doing so. Does it print better?

By: Richard

Richard — Sat, 20 Dec 2008 22:24:28 +0000

Huh, I thought the Pyramid scheme was the building of the Palisades Mall.

By: Topgunner

Topgunner — Fri, 19 Dec 2008 17:58:17 +0000

PERFECT!!! When the investigation is complete, you may need to add a few dollars sticking out of the SEC’s pocket, however.

Hey, Matt when will we see the cartoon of “Santa Bush” giving a sackful of money to the three happy children at the formerly Big 3 automakers?