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Laughter And Cardiovascular Health Laughter is the best medicine. We've all heard that. If not the best, certainly good for you. Scientific studies have shown that mental stress can restrict blood flow to the heart. But now a study has linked laughter to increased blood circulation. Laughter appears to cause the tissue inside blood vessels to expand. Medical science feels that laughter may be important to increase your hearth health Eco-Friendly Retailers Now More Mainstream Than Non-Greenies The facts are obvious. Retailers are retailers, even the big dogs, are "going green". It was bound to happen and it is about time. Of course the Wal-marts, Targets and Sams Clubs of the world, most likely, will never go fully earth-friendly, and merely offer sections in their stores rather than become another Whole Foods, it is still a very good sign. I was in Kroger's last week, a place I'd not shopped in awhile. It is clearly going green with, what appeared to be more than half their groceries stamped organic. Laughter Is The Best Medicine, But Why? There are numerous reasons why we laugh and use humor in our lives. This impulse goes way back to the prehistoric days (I have read). Since that was a few years before my time (but unfortunately not too many years before my time), I will have to take archaeologists word for this phenomena. I remember loving to laugh as a child. My mom was the "sense of humor proprietor" of our home, and making her laugh, was especially fun, as she was a tough audience. Especially when I was in trouble, which was a majority of the time. When Old Hippies Go Green My loved ones know I'm going green and they worry at me. They really shouldn't. It is the right thing to do. Besides this is really not my first time to improve my quality of life. I started recycling many years ago, and other than taking organic vitamins and trying my best to eat natural foods, but that was about as much as I felt I could do at the time. Your Partnership With Our Environment I was still a young man, living in the rural south. I recall hearing my mother speak of a woman who had had incurable cancer, given chemotherapy, and sent home to die by her oncologist. She allegedly took an herb for several years and the cancer went into remission. Of course, I was skeptical, until I met the woman, then in her seventies, and appeared a picture of health. This started my quest at the nearby library, which did not offer much, to read about a more regarding organic lifestyles. You're 15 Minutes Of Fame Is Awaiting You Sir/or Ma'am When I got home last night I grabbed the remote and turned on a cable news program. I was busy in the kitchen and couldn't see the screen but I heard a voice that I remembered always sent chills down my spine. I walked into the living room and sure enough, staring me in the face, swastika on forehead, cigarette in hand, was Charles Manson. 5 Savvy Online Shopping Tips To Save Big & Buy Smart 1. Pricing: Economics, these days can be a big factor. It is common sense that one can get a much better price on virtually any retail product in the "off-season" which runs generally from mid-May through the end of August. Prices can be as low as 80% of their regular prices (even regular discounted prices) than holidays at the mall. How Bono (Of the band U2) And His Wife Ali Launched My Green Biz I owe Bono (of the band U2) and his wife Ali a tremendous thank you for helping me launch my business. The great irony is, they probably will never read this, and will never know what they did for me. But what they are doing for the planet, with Edun Organics is not only a business they launched, of organic cotton textiles to make eco-friendly clothing, but (at the risk of sounding overly-dramatic) a gift to humanity. If Fish Could Talk I am old now and reaching minnowpause, a good many folks think I'm mentally eel. My theory though is that I've haddock with life, not unlike Salmon Rushdie or Marlin Brando. Mahi oh mahi. Since I've always marched to a different drummer, you know, or sang like Tuna Turner. I live down on squid roe. and been a shad bit egocentric, people have tried desperately to save my sole. Holy mackerel, if I could count the times. Those bassturds. They just perch up on their high seahorse and talk down to me as if I'm pond scum. So what's it all about, Algae? You may think I'm shellfish and cruel but read between the lines. Any Size Business Can Help The Environment And Profit More! The transition to start a "green business" or "eco-friendly" one, as it is often called, is not always as easy as it seems. I felt it would be an easy challenge for me, seeing that I had launched one of Mississippi's first health food stores. There was no Internet, no Google, no blogging, nothing. I paid high rent in a mall across from the local university. The local townsfolk felt I might be possessed to believe that natural products might be better than what could be bought at A & P Grocery. (I am showing my age here). Can The Government Really Label You Disabled? In most of the 1980's, I was living in Washington, D.C., working in corporate America, waking up at 6 am, rushing with my coffee while I brushed my teeth and put on my pinstripe suit and yellow power tie, and drove to work, arriving before rush hour. Only to to experience panic and anxiety until daybreak. Can A Cartoon Save Your Life Or Boost Your Immune System? Newspaper or Internet cartoons might save your life or build your immune system at least, that is the thinking of many progressive doctors and psychologists. Mouse Pad Zen Study Call me crazy, but anyone who has studied eastern thought, understands there is a "zen" to everything. What affects us we affect and vice versa. Everything as an energy. Why Do Not Believe In Disabilities It seems like another lifetime ago that I was living in Washington, D.C., working in corporate America, waking up at 6 am, rushing with my coffee while I brushed my teeth and put on my pinstripe suit and yellow power tie, and drove to work, arriving before rush hour. Only to be more anxious at the end of the day. That was my life, day in and day out. The Zen Of Running Long And Eating Right I decided to put all my energies into being "a hippie" rather than athlete while growing up. So when I reached adulthood, I discovered the gym and running to make up for it. Then I went to the extreme and ran several marathons. I thought I was "really something special". The Zen Of Online Shopping I remember in my youth when my mom would take me shopping. I had the most fun in the grocery store, for whatever reason, but, as I matured into my teens, fashion and grooming stores became more interesting. Like a lot of teenage boys, upon new information, girls were suddenly a lot more interesting. And to our (boys) surprise, we were becoming interesting to them as well, though, they were better at hiding it. A new thing was happening to us...relationships. They were so much fun back then. Life was simpler. No bills to pay. Never an argument about finances. Ahhh. The good old days. the zen of cartoon humor Humans are visual animals. We react to what we see. And to a lesser degree, we are auditory. Sounds can cause a reaction. the zen of cartoons Since we were babies, we loved to watch things. We were visual and continue to be. We react to what we see. And to a lesser degree, we are auditory. Sounds can cause a reaction as well as sight. Cartoonists are aware of this and have to work harder than an actor or comedian to get your attention. Should We Laugh At Lawyers? If you find it strange that a cartoonist would be writing a semi-serious article about law and lawyers, please allow me to explain, or lead the witness if I may. In some ways, I have carte blanche to do so. Cow Collectibles: Why Are So Many Into It? Though the cow is not man's best friend, it is often his best food, or at least best-tasting food, and is possibly the funniest animal on the planet. Though this may be hard for some city-dwellers to fathom, I can assure you Mississippians and other inhabitants of the southeastern states were laughing at cows long before The Far Side was a twinkle in Gary Larson's eye. Aardvarks, Dentists, And Cartoons Londons Times Cartoons is loaded with animal images, but none is more popular and funny than the aardvark. Aardvark Dentistry is the name of one of their most classic favorites and the cartoonist has decided to do a little research on the aardvark. This is the fascinating information he found. If you are looking for aardvarks, you need to go south of the Sahara Desert in Africa. "Earth Pig" is what the Africans call them, and, in fact, the name ardvark means "earth pig". So, makes sense to me. Their body somewhat resembles a pig which probably has a lot to do with that. But why they call them earth pigs, since regular pigs do not fly (to my knowledge) is beyond me. Their tails resemble a kangaroo's and ears like a rabbit. Aardvarks stay inside, whatever that is during the day. Dogs & Depression I have battled major depression since age thirteen. It may be even further back than that, that is my first memory of "feeling different". I am now middle-aged. Top Ten Reasons My Parents Didn't Want Me To Be A Cartoonist "Congratulations, Ms. London," I used to joke that the OB/GYN told my mom, "It's a Realtor". My parents owned a very old real estate stable family real estate company and were from a generation where, if and when an offspring arrived, especially a male, they were born to be bred.that is, bred into the family business, or made to be the prodigal son. Buy A Funny T Shirt Help A Dog Or Cat Though humans tend to have very many differences, nothing can bring us closer together than a cute puppy or kitty. They seem to have a special spirit with which humans can connect. Humorous Corporate Gift-giving Why So Important? You have been in business for a long time. When it is time to give a corporate gift, you have a stockpile and automatically send it out. How many calendars, day planners, wine gift baskets, have you sent without even thinking of the consequence? Online Shopping Must Do's For Buyers Or Sellers 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. Where Did Rock And Roll Actually Begin? You'll Never Guess Though I've been telling people since I can remember that Rock And Roll was born in my own little humble hometown of Hattiesburg, Ms., not many believe me. I know it to be true. Even the honorable Rolling Stone Magazine agrees as mentioned in Wikipedia.... Public Schools Benefit From Cartoons The children of our current generation, admittedly are more sophisticated than we were, we, being the baby boomer generation. We felt we were the most insightful generation ever. Of course every generation has its share of egotism. That was obviously prevalent in ours (the baby boomers) Valentine's Day: How To Re-establish A Stale Relationship Even Ozzie and Harriett if not the Cleavers, got bored with each other as the years passed. Of course we still love our signicant other but we are fed up with the day to day routine. Don't just rekindle the flame, or fan the flames, douse it with deisel fuel and make it burn bright! Valentine's Day as a way to show our love, a reason to try something different, and then make it a habit, a new way of life to change the parameters and depth of the relationship. I know from many interviews with couples that these ideas work and are a blast to do. A Thong In My Heart Some guys do things the same all their lives. Women too. We mimic our parents. My mom bought me plain white stretch briefs as underwear all through my childhood, so when I grew into an adult, I bought them too. Little did I know what a fashion sin I was causing. The Magic And Simplicity Of Building Self-esteem Self-esteem can do wonders for your self-esteem. I know you probably are going to go back and read that first sentence to make sure I worded it properly. How Gary Larson (the Far Side) Influnces Me I can drone on and one regarding Gary Larson's Far Side. Just a few humorists who had a great impact on my life before I launched Londons Times Cartoons. Most were movie and television actors, and only two have been cartoonists. Larson was the major influence and continues to be. The others were comedians and actors such as Steve Martin, Mike Myers, Steven Wright, Red Skelton, Jack Benny, Billy Crystal, Dana Carvey, Peter Sellers, and and others of whom I cannot think of at the moment. One other cartoonist was the late great Charles Schulz, and they all influenced me in a different way. Depressed And Alone? It's Time To Succed Using The Internet The system labeled me disabled in 2001. I was thought to have depression. I did feel depressed, but never felt that was the real problem. I turned out to be right. But it took a long time to prove it, and a very astute medical community. I'm Happy, You're Happy....but What Is Happiness? A female friend sent me a private message not long ago and asked me my secret to happiness. There was a long pause. She typed the sound (in text) of the "Jeopardy" theme song in between final jeopardy as if I were running out of time for the answer. It's All Gary Larson's (the Far Side) Fault I was a power-type-of-guy in Washington, D.C. in the mid-1980's. I had a cushy job, and wore nice clothes. I resided near the Smithsonian on Capital Hill, a place I rarely frequented unless company was in from out of town. The Zen Of A New Infant I am a cartoonist who happens to love babies and animals. I get along with them well and they me. Last week I opened a cartoon maternity shop that also sells matching cartoon infantwear and kids tees, along with doggie sweaters and the like. It is more fun than I remember ever having in the world of Internet businesses. It makes a lot of people happy and I know why. T-shirts: America's Most Popular Gift Art and cartoon-designed t-shirts have been a part of my life since I was a child. At fifty three, I still enjoy wearing a tee over a suit. But it has to be the right tshirt, one that matches my personality. There are so many from which to choose. So how do I find that "perfect one"? Art Licensing: The Real Money In Cartooning Many think cartoonists become wealthy from newspaper syndication. They don't. Newspapers only pay a few dollars per cartoon and the cartoonist splits that with the syndication firm. Not only that, of the hundreds of thousands of cartoons that are out there trying to make their way to newspaper print, only about .000000001% make it. One has a better chance of winning the lottery. Valentine's Day Celebration Everythings On Sale But Why? Ancient Rome is riddled with unique traditions. None can be more strange than the beginnings of St. Valentine's Day. Though it was not named a holiday at the time, once a year, for a teenage male to reach his rights of passage (to the God Lupercus) he had to choose a name from a box. In the box were the names of all the teenage girls in the village. She was his for a year. Not until 800 years later did the church terminate this ceremony. It turned out it was a celebration of a man named Christian Priest named Valentine. Art Clock Collecting Top Ten Things To Do 1. Go online and even to museums and see what is out there, the prices, and how they look. Most websites will describe the clock and a museum may even have a detailed brochure. Online is more for newer licensed art clock buying which also generally rise in value along with the artist whose art is on the clock. 2. Shop with more than one dealer. Talk to many and collectors as well. Most of them are generous and will share your enthusiasm. Check online and see what has sold in the past and at what price. Buy prudently but with confidence. Top Ways To Enter The Humor Profession I can't tell you the right or wrong way to enter the field of comedy or how to become a cartoonist and keep a straight face. And that's good. Don't keep a straight face. That is rule number one. Maternity And Infant Wear...should It Be Bundled? I sell bundled products....I sell a unique humor line of maternity and infant cartoon wear that match; parents can match infant for that perfect Kodak moment. I'm proud of it, and I think I should be. It's different than anything on the market. Top Cartoonist Shares Humor Secrets Being funny is not necessarily something with which someone is born. No, it does not hurt, but it it can prevent some major hurdles. In a nutshell, before one even thinks about trying to become funny, that is, if they are naturally not funny, is to learn about editing, and the fact that other people want the punch line and want it fast. Opera Making A Big Comeback With The Vahan Mirakian Foundation I wrote an article last week about meeting opera tenor superstar Vahan Mirakian last year in Mexico during his deportation battle to re-enter the U.S. I am very pleased to say that he has returned and is doing his good works through his nonprofit foundation, the Vahan Mirakian Foundation. I wish everyone would visit his website and experience the music, and some of the videos, hear some snippets of this man's amazing talent at www.vahanmirakian.com. Alternative Medicine: The Real Deal In 1978, I was working as a Realtor in my family's 100 year old business. I "had it all"; of course all but happiness. I believed strongly in holistic medicine, herbs, vitamins, etc. I ran the Lafayette to Crowley, La. 26-mile marathon twice. I owned one of Mississippi's first health and natural food stores. There wasn't an ounce of fat on my body. I could pass for a movie star. A day didn't go by that gorgeous women did not ask me out. I was emotionally, spiritually and physically a mess. Limu Moui Juice: Abc, Cbs, Fox & Nbc News Gives Thumbs Up Most my readers know I am not one to write about health articles though I do have an interest in alternative medicine. In my younger days, having been in the health food business, I realize, in hindsight, a lot of it is hype, in fact most. But I recently had an epiphanany with Limu Moui, or at least the active ingredient fudiocan. How To Find A Corporate Gift That Is Used Daily And Remembered Since retail, including retail giants, are made up of humans, it is prone to error. It is also prone to success. The Art Of Cyber-branding For many years, one was more likely to win the lottery than create his or her own product brand. That was reserved for the Calvin Kleins and Ralph Laurens of the world. But with the Internet, the times, they are a 'changin'. Some Very Interesting Health Facts Regarding Fucoidan & Limu When one thinks of taking a powerhouse drink for their immune system, these days, limu juice wins out over the rest. But which is the right limu juice for the best fucoidan bio-availability. Distributor Sheila Parrish says The Original Limu Company's delicious fruit drink offers 2400% more than its second leading competitor. This is due to a patented process that is over 20 years old. It only makes sense to go with one that stays and works with the immune system. Though Parrish makes no personal claims, she shows the studies summary in this article. How T-shirts Became So Popular In America In my life, for many years, nothing could be so benign and innocent as a -shirt. All that has changed. You May Be A Renegade Entrepreneur And Not Know It How many times have you heard it said "capitalize on what you have".....or "the diamonds are right in front of your nose?", etc. The Renegade Entrepreneur How many times have you heard it said "capitalize on what you have".....or "the diamonds are right in front of your nose?", etc. How The Vns Implant Healed My Depression After 35 Years I remember walking into the counseling center over three decades ago at the University Of Southern Ms. I told them I was feeling "down" a lot and was certain I had depression. So were they. Hence I did. A Strange Fish Tale Salmon Rushdie and Marlin Brando have nothing on life over me, another poor fish swimming in the big pond o' scum. We've haddock with life, living down on squid roe, reaching minnowpause, and for the main part, mentally eel. Newspapers Make No Money On The Comics Page. Why Do They Do It? Have any idea why newspapers print a full page of cartoons every day when they bring in no money? The One Health Product On Which The Medical Community Agrees It is not like me to promote someone else's products or service. It is not that I'm that self-centered, I simply don't have the time. I am generally too busy promoting my own. Last week, after ABC, NBC, CBS, and Fox all had glowing reports on a product called Limu Moui containing a so-called immune system miracle substance called Fucoidan, I felt I received a wake-up call. It was time to put "Rick's stuff" down and begin my own research. I was enlightened and surprised at the clinical studies I found. Only One Limu Moui Juice Contains Enough Fucoidan I am not one to try new health products unless they have been more than adequately researched. Limu Moui Juice made from brown seaweed from the ocean's bottom off the Tongan Islands is one of them. Fucoidan perked my interest after network news reports and medical studies. I am not a distributor or stockholder. Only an interested party. Limu Juice May Save Lives As Seen On Cbs, Nbc, Abc & Fox News My friend Sheila Parrish is a Limu Moui distributor, an allegedly amazing health product according to Fox, NBC, ABC, and CBS news. I was still skeptical. I undestand the difference between hype and research. So I researched. The networks were right on target. Getting In Touch With Your Cartoonist Within I have heard it said over and over again if you are not a good artist, don't even consider the notion of being a cartoonist. An Eastern Philosophy Look At Niche When I was in college (the first time around), I was always told to find a niche and keep it simple. Little did I know at the time, I was learning a sound business principle. After all, there is nothing simple about Ebay, Yahoo, or Google. The Secret. What Would Jung, Aristotle, Jesus Or Moses Say? I used to debate with my former girlfriend, a woman much more socially and finally successful than me, about the business principals to success. Though she did it, like me, the old fashioned way, made a plan and worked the plan and increased organizational skills along the way, she still believes there is some mystique and "laws of attraction" to it. Of course she is a Beverly Hills attorney, I, a cartoonist and e-tailer. Since the times of EST and other "thought mills", California has been a haven for slick re-packaged ancient scrolls disguised as "NEW"-AGE. She partly buys into it. I don't buy into it at all. Let me rephrase that. I do buy into it. I just happen to know it is nothing new except more slickly packaged and worded more for the proletariat. Your Dog Should Live A Healthy Life For 25-30 Years. Here's How By now, many of you who have followed my writings know that I am The Dog Man Of Hot Springs (I also love cats), but I tend to adopt stray dogs. I would adopt the cats but most are feral and remain untouchable so I leave food out for them.

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