This sounds familiar

Max Keiser:

Maxcoin has a lot of haters. The thing about these haters is that facts don’t matter to them. Their purpose in life is to spread piss and vinegar. Most of these haters are blind followers of the “oh, it’s cool to hate Max Keiser” movement. They have no original thoughts or facts to support their negative claims. Indeed it’s quite clear that most of these guys are probably in their early 20s, have no meaningful source of steady income, and choose instead to live in their parents’ basements, sitting in front of a troll box 22 hours of each day and tending to their group masturbation hate efforts. They can’t be bothered to actually watch/listen to Keiser to understand his credentials because that would require disconnecting from the hive mind for 30 minutes, which might lead to their sudden death.
Read more at http://www.maxkeiser.com/#YMjPTqPhSA9yA5QF.99

http://www.maxkeiser.com/

Why the Stock Market Doesn't Crash

Why doesn't the stock market crash? The short answer: There is no longer a free market in America.

Every pullback is met with shouts of 'buy!' on CNBC and back up it goes. The market goes up despite the threat of war, a possible epidemic and lackluster performances of major companies (Netflix and Amazon are recent examples). It goes up despite high unemployment, lack of buying by consumers and abysmal housing starts. If an asteroid hits the Earth, would the market then collapse? Probably not.

Everyone knows why. It's not a big secret. The Federal Reserve keeps things propped up with endless quantitative easing. They may claim they are 'tapering,' but that's just a token. The Fed may talk about raising interest rates 'down the road,' but they are posturing. They cannot raise rates. The debt has become so massive that it almost transcends imagination. The debt level is nearing $18 trillion, with unfunded liabilities are $127 trillion (Source: Forbes).

Roughly every taxpayer owes over a million bucks. Raising interest rates would make the debt, which has already gone past the point where it could ever be paid off, unmanageable. Taxes would have to be raised drastically. The middle class and small businesses would, as usual, bear the brunt of that. Many global corporations pay zero in taxes thanks to our thoroughly corrupt system. Small businesses take the brunt. Raising taxes even further would bankrupt many. Many would be pushed to the edge into outright revolt. Maybe we should be revolting already, considering how crooked the IRS has become.

Ending the easy money and raising rates would crash the market. That would hurt those who own most of the stock market--the top 1 percent. After all, most Americans own little or no stocks. The middle class is going away and the poor are forced to accept food stamps in record numbers. Most people can't afford stocks--especially at bubble prices. The mainstream media are saying the unemployment figures are low and the economy is humming along just fine and dandy. Try telling that to a jobless college graduate burdened with enormous debt. The job figures are cooked by government propaganda ministries. Real unemployment is over 20 percent. Housing starts remain stagnant. Industries have been sent to slave labor overseas. Real wages are stagnant while the cost of food has risen. Too many Americans live paycheck to paycheck and are burdened with credit card debt.

Meanwhile, the stock market keeps rising, so the media are barking 'all is well!' All IS well for those at the very top. Especially for the 1/10th of the 1 percent. Those that control the printing press make sure the money keeps getting printed and flowing into their coffers. That money doesn't go to the middle class or small businesses. OH NO! It goes to the global banks and corporations who own and control everything and everyone--including Congress. It goes into the stock market and to the companies they own. They are doing quite well and probably hope that most of us 'useless eaters' just go ahead and die so they can enjoy their fantastic paradise of wealth in peace.

When will it end? It will end when the dollar loses its world supremacy. When King Dollar gets dethroned, then we might see some serious crashing. That's why there's endless war. Nobody is allowed to leave the buck umbrella. Certainly not Saddam. Not Gaddafi. Not even Russia.

It's time to end the Fed. It's time to end the sick plutocracy that allows a few at the top to get fabulously richer while most Americans get poorer. If we counterfeit, we get sent to prison. Those who own the printing press can do it at will and without accountability. Those at the very top definitely will not give up their private printing press without a fight. The Congress won't end the Fed. After all, both parties are largely the same and owned by the Fed. They're not on the side of the people. They're on the side of the central banks that own the Fed.

That's why we need a third party--the Libertarian Party.

--Ben Garrison

Tuesday update: The Dow continues to climb back up toward all time highs. 
Friday update: The Dow is at all time highs while silver and gold continue to get slammed.

Butt nut troll exposed

Trolls continue to ramp up their attacks on me. The troll who calls himself 'Butt nut' is so despicable and low that he has attacked my wife and even my son. He wants to destroy my business. He has stamped my name onto a vile anti-Muhammed cartoon and expressed hope that I could get murdered. Yes, he even wants me murdered. Why? Because he is a far-left Obama fanatic and he doesn't like my libertarian cartoons. He gets on /pol and pretends he's a Nazi in order to encourage Nazis there to pile on and attack me. He is very arrogant and he will never stop attacking me. He's made me his hobby. (Aside from growing tiny fruit trees. He also has a giant fruit blossom tattooed on his chest).

Let me say this again as clearly as I can: I don’t hate Jews. I don’t hate Muslims. I don’t attack people based on their skin color, religion, country of origin or their sexual preference. I’ve never drawn a racist or anti-Semitic cartoon in my life.

When my cartoons began getting defaced with words such as "Zog" and "Goyim" starting back in 2009, I didn't even know what those words meant. One thing I do know: I never received hate mail from Jews. The Jews I have met have been fine, caring people and they're the only ones who have tried to help me remove libel on Face Book—and they did that even though I know that few of them agree with my politics. They have helped me and they have done it for free. 

If you see a racist or anti-Semitic cartoon with my name stamped onto it, bear in mind that Ben Garrison did not draw it. 

--Ben Garrison

Ben Garrison Believes in Free Speech

Ben Garrison is a libertarian who believes in free speech. He also favors smaller government and adherence to the Constitution. While hate speech is legal in America, copyright infringement and libel are not. Those things are against the law. People have to make a living and when they are impersonated, defamed and libeled, their name and online reputations are sullied, which makes it more difficult for them to find work.

Hate speech is not permitted on social media--Facebook in particular. There are stated community standards. It's not a violation of 'free speech' when pages calling for the murder of human beings get removed. Trolls do not own Facebook. Nazis are perfectly free to set up their own hate sites and pay for their own servers. Those who do usually have a hat in hand--begging donors for 'support.' To get support, they need attention. That's why they stir up trouble and attack people for no reason. They are children stamping their feet so folks will notice them. The trolls gain some sort of sick, sadistic satisfaction from doing this, but most likely they simply want more traffic on their boring web sites. They want to profit from their hate. Hate is a commodity to them. They want to harvest the haters.

Libertarians are not anarchists, and so it should come as no surprise when a libertarian disagrees with the 'anything-goes-including-vicious-libel' trolls. Libertarians respect property--including intellectual property that is copyrighted. Hate-spewing trolls seem to believe that free speech means they can destroy whomever they wish by posting their 'memes' of libel. They claim a copyright is meaningless. There is no such thing as ownership. They think they are free to edit and deface someone's writing or artwork and then publish it on their site while asking for donations.

Their bullying and defamation is used for entertainment and they want to get paid for doing it. It's done with malice. How do I know? I've received hate mail asking me if my business is suffering. They want to ruin my commercial art business. That's malice. Those who say they can do it because I'm a 'public figure' are wrong. I'm hardly a public figure. Very few know who Ben Garrison is. Just ask anyone on the street. Nope. I'm not a public figure. Even if I were, it's no excuse to trash my reputation using obvious malice. Those who do want to find out who the artist Ben Garrison is via internet searches are now forced to wade through all sorts of disgusting rubbish posted by the trolls.

The haters are so blinded by their own hatred that they're incapable of understanding the difference between libertarianism and anarchism. Their 'philosophy' (if it can be called that) consists of anti-semitism, racial slurs and other ad hominem attacks. It's difficult to tell whether they're really serious about their philosophy of hate or if they're merely spewing nonsense in order to gain attention and money. The 'chuckleheads' also do it for the 'lulz.' (Chuckleheads is a word I came up with to describe them).

When someone rightfully tries to remove Nazi troll libel, the chuckleheads get very angry. They are crybabies when it comes to this matter. They scream, "Muh free speech!" -- even though they have no problem with trampling on the free speech of others by posting defamation and libel. They do not respect free speech. If given the power, they'd take it away from others just like Hitler did.

They're weaklings who have probably been hurt and bullied at some time during their lives. They have discovered that they now have the ability to easily bully others on the internet. They quickly spurt crocodile tears when their libelous hate is threatened.

The Internet Hate Machine

Trolls don't believe in free speech. They overwhelm and shut down reasoned debate and replace it with blind hatred. They believe in hate speech, which is a form of censorship. 

Far left socialists and far right Nazis and trolls of all persuasions in between are routinely defacing Ben Garrison's cartoons. They add in offensive racist and Jewish caricatures, usually drawn by an anonymous racist artist going under the pen name of 'A. Wyatt Mann.' These libelous trolls also stamp the copyrighted Ben Garrison signature onto racist images that Ben did not draw.

They also impersonate Ben by stealing his name and photos and incorporate them into hate 'meme' boxes in order to defame him. They've clearly stated they're out to ruin his reputation and his ability to make a living from commercial art. One of the trolls even stated that he'd like to see Ben get murdered. Ben's family has also been attacked.

Ben Garrison is not against Jews, Muslims, African Americans, Hispanics or any other religion or ethnicity. This is a battle of ideas, not skin color, country of origin or religious heritage. Ben Garrison is against racism, bigotry and libel. Ben is against hate speech on social media where community standards are clearly stated. By 'hate speech' I'm referring to those who want to murder people based on their race or religion. Ben is for free speech and those wishing to express their hatred are free to do so on their own sites and using their own names. 

Ben Garrison is for freedom and the Constitution.

Ann Coulter's Attack on Libertarians

Here's my latest cartoon I drew for the Independent Gazette. It is a honor and privilege to have my work published on real newsprint again!

Ann Coulter is a mouthpiece for the Neocons. She is the attack dog, er, attack horse for the Republicans. She recently joked that she would track down and 'drown' Libertarian voters. Ann is somewhat horse-faced and makes a good cartoon caricature.

Another cartoon I drew for the Independent Gazette:

Dvořák Symphony No 9 "New World" Celibidache, Münchner Philharmoniker, 1991

Hillary's Presidential Race Against Herself

It's Hillary's turn. The CFR, Bilderberg Illuminati and bought-out mainstream media all say so. You will see specials on TV about 'strong women' and you will be groomed to think it's "Hillary's turn." If you disagree, you'll be smeared as sexist.

I'm all for a female presidential candidate as long as she supports the Constitution. Instead, we'll get Hillary. She's pick up where Obama has left off. There will be more war, more taxes, increasing totalitarianism and crony capitalism. The top 1/10th of the one percent will continue to get fabulously richer while the middle class will get poorer. 

In short, the same shabby system will continue to be pushed down the road. The Federal Reserve will print money for their friends and the bought-out Congress will continue to rubber stamp whatever tyranny the president has in mind. 

Hillary doesn't deserve to be president. It's NOT her turn. There has to be thousands if not millions of people more qualified--male and female. Instead the media will drum it into our heads that it's 'her turn.' She'll be jammed down the nation's throat whether people like her or not. Polls and elections will be 'controlled' to make sure she gets in. After all, 'Her Inevitableness" has all the right credentials of corruption.

Shostakovich's 5th

Here is a great symphony conducted by a great man--Leonard Bernstein.

Shostakovich was admonished by Soviet 'authorities' to write a symphony that was not 'formalist.' They wanted something easy to understand. They ordered Shostakovich to produce such a work. Here it is.

This came after Shostakovich wrote what was perhaps his greatest symphony--his 4th. It epitomized the emptiness and heartlessness of forced Soviet collectivization, industrialization and police state of the 1930s. The 4th was written around 1936, but the premiere was cancelled. It was not performed until nearly 30 years later. Shostakovich heard it performed live for the first time when he was an old man. The 4th is like a great novel. It is filled with interesting characters and unexpected plot twists. It ends at first monumentally and then mysteriously and quietly. It is not easily understood at first, but gets better with each hearing. The Soviets detested such work and made it clear to Shostakovich that he must produce something simpler and instantly understandable--or else.

Shostakovich delivered the goods. It is perhaps his most popular symphony. The third movement was an elegy to the suffering of the people under the Soviet regime. People listening knew that and many were moved to tears. It is pure Russian poetry.

The last movement is also very Russian and easy to like. The finale in particular was especially easy to understand. After all, Shostakovich was under orders. Listen for the string section at the end. They repeat the same note over and over and over again as if to say, "There. Is THIS simple enough for you?" It was Shostakovich's way of showing contempt for the Soviets and yet the ending is still marvelous.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0FF4HyB77hQ

Painting Sold

I sold "Sioux War Party" recently at the gallery in Bigfork. I can't tell you how good it feels to sell a work of fine art. I spent a lot of time on the painting. It was based on a watercolor sketch by CM Russell. I considered the work to be my masterpiece and someone recognized that and bought it. Hurrah!

The REAL Ben Garrison

I posted on /pol for the first time today. Yes, it was the real me and this is the proof. For the record, I, Ben Garrison, am neither anti-Semitic nor a Nazi. The hate memes repeated there have nothing to do with me.

It's good that there's a place for unfettered dialogue and expression, but all-too often the conversations are reduced to the lowest common denominator: Hate.

Hate is like a bar room brawl. Instead of having a lively discussion with friends over a beer, all attention gets riveted to the brawl. Conversation ends and hate takes over.

The hate memes must be repeated over and over by their perpetrators. That's why the same hate memes are reposted daily on /pol with mind-numbing regularity. The same 'Jew-meme' character rubbing his hands together is seen hourly. The same Hitler memes are repeated ad nauseum. Day after day. Week after week. Month after month. Year after year. Wouldn't it be more interesting to see posts that escape morass of hate? Hate is not cool. Hate is destructive. Hate is boring. You've been there. You've done that.

4chan is a disgusting snake pit of hate. It's a perpetual 7th grade hell of put-downs and lies. Don't expect it to ever mature.

4chan long ago surrendered to the FBI due to illegal content allowed on /b. It's now a honeypot to snare criminals. That's fine, but it's also being used to smear and discredit those who really do value free speech. Are you a blogger who values liberty and the Constitution? Are you against the unfolding police state? On /pol you can expect to be smeared regularly. You'll be called anti-Semitic and a racist. Straw men and ad hominem attacks are typical tactics used by the far-left who grab the spigot of hate on /pol and aim it at their libertarian targets. Anyone can post using the name Ben Garrison--or any other name. It's a free for all of impersonation, lies and deception. There's no responsibility or accountability there.

Never believe anything you might read on 4chan's /pol. Any so-called 'free speech' existing there operates at a very low level of consciousness. Stay away.

The Internet Hate Machine

Far left socialists and far right Nazis and trolls of all persuasions in between are routinely defacing Ben Garrison's cartoons. They add in offensive racist and Jewish caricatures, usually drawn by an anonymous racist artist going under the pen name of 'A. Wyatt Mann.' These libelous trolls also stamp the copyrighted Ben Garrison signature onto racist images that Ben did not draw.

They also impersonate Ben by stealing his name and photos and incorporate them into hate 'meme' boxes in order to defame him. They've clearly stated they're out to ruin his reputation and his ability to make a living from commercial art. One of the trolls even stated that he'd like to see Ben get murdered. Ben's family has also been attacked.

Ben Garrison is not against Jews, Muslims, African Americans, Hispanics or any other religion or ethnicity. This is a battle of ideas, not skin color, country of origin or religious heritage. Ben Garrison is against racism, bigotry and libel. Ben is against hate speech on social media where community standards are clearly stated. By 'hate speech' I'm referring to those who want to murder people based on their race or religion. Ben is for free speech and those wishing to express their hatred are free to do so on their own sites and using their own names. 

Ben Garrison is for freedom and the Constitution.

Meanwhile, in Andrew Anglin's basement...”Go away, hatin!'”

Trolls continue to hammer away at me and my reputation on Reddit, 4chan, Twitter and Facebook. They've even attacked my wife and kid. Yes, that's how low they go...there is no bottom to their cesspool.

Let me reiterate: Ben Garrison has never drawn a single racist or anti-Semitic cartoon. If you see my cartoons defaced into hate, rest assured I did not draw them.

For those who skimmed over what I just wrote let me repeat: I've never penned a racist or anti-Semitic cartoon. I've never hated Jews.

What I care about are the deeds of men--not their religion or skin color. If they do laudable things like Ron Paul has, I will draw positive cartoons praising him. If they do corrupt or downright criminal things such as what Obama has done, I will skewer him with cartoons. It has nothing to do with the color of his skin.

When my cartoons began getting defaced with words such as "Zog" and "Goyim" starting back in 2009, I didn't even know what these words meant. One thing I do know--I never received hate mail from Jews. The Jews I have met have been fine, caring people and they're the only ones who have tried to help me remove libel on Facebook--and they did that even though I know that few of them agree with my politics. They've helped me and they've done it for free. Freedom of kindness.

If /pol wants to collectively hate Jews, that's your prerogative. Leave the Ben Garrison name off of your blind hatred.

"Go away!...hatin'!"

Andrew Anglin, Nazi punk.

His dad, Greg Anglin, encourages him.

Lemon Head of Hate

Don't play it. 

Does the two party system work?

I often receive email with suggestions for cartoons. Many are good ideas that require a little development. Many go undrawn simply because I don't have the time. Lance sent me an an excellent idea that I quickly drew. It shows how voters habitually insist on validating the R. vs. D., left vs. right paradigm with their votes. They have allowed themselves to be imprisoned by the two parties.

The two corrupt parties will often use their power to exclude third party candidates. This has to stop. This country needs a viable third party. The Libertarian Party. --Ben Garrison

http://grrrgraphics.wordpress.com/

Zero Hedge

Thanks to zerohedge.com for republishing my cartoon.

I have not penned a lot of new cartoons this year, but I do have a lot of good ideas for more and will be drawing them soon. I also have an ebook in the works.

--Ben Garrison

http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2014-07-13/picturing-march-tyranny

Cartoonist and muckraker--soon to return!

As many of my friends know, I've been the target of vicious attacks by trolls. It has been going on for nearly five years. Their goal is to ruin my online reputation and 'turn' me into a Nazi. The name 'Ben Garrison' the artist has been ruined. Yes, I know it sounds ridiculous--and it is ridiculous. My father was a WWII vet who was part of a generation who fought against such fascism. My best friend's grandfather was in a Nazi prison camp. I detest Nazis. Hitler destroyed Germany. The good people in that country unfairly continue to endure the shame he caused. Hitler deserves perpetual condemnation--NOT praise. Yet the new Nazis attempt to influence young minds and draw them to their cause on places such as the 4chan 'pol' board. Let me clue you young people in: Hitler was NOT cool. He killed millions of innocent men, women and children.

I detest and condemn the neo-Nazi's attempts to rewrite history and claim the holocaust never happened. It did happened. It was documented by the US Army and many others. It's a fact of history. I've seen the Nazis make fun of it. They've made fun of Anne Frank. They are disgusting. They are the lowest of the low. Please young people--do not go down this path. It leads toward destruction. We human beings are all the same species. We all experience the same emotions. We are all capable of great things. Let's all advance in consciousness. Hate is not a high level of consciousness.

As an artist and cartoonist, I want to seek out truth. In my quest to do this, I've been smeared, defamed and libeled as an an anti-semitic racist by young chuckleheads who do it for the 'lulz.' This can happen to any citizen journalist. The haters detest those of us who attempt to ring alarm bells. Those of us who are presumptuous enough to think we can 'make a difference' are targeted most of all. We are not perfect and they look for weaknesses to exploit. "AHA!" He or she said or linked to this, that or the other...therefore they're worthy of our attack!"

Who are the trolls? Most likely they are frustrated young people leading empty, dead-end lives. They are extremely unhappy. They are pizza deliverers and burger flippers with no future. Those that try to help them are hated the most. Someone told me I should pity them. These young people think they can't make a difference and detest those who try.

The Nazis are a different story. They are few and most people ignore them. They are either laughed at and/or scorned. Rightfully so. Their ideology is empty. Their art is empty. There was a thread on one Nazi board where they talked about art. It was so crude and ignorant that my sides left the galaxy. The consciousness of these Nazis (if they have such a thing) is low. From them it's nothing but hate hate hate. BUT...they now have a loud voice on the internet due to the fact that they enjoy relative anonymity. 

I remain a libertarian cartoonist. I am for freedom. With freedom comes responsibility. Freedom of speech does not mean people are free to further their cause by destroying the reputations of others with lies. 

Ben Garrison

Here is a painting I did recently...now featured at ArtFusion, a gallery in Bigfork, Mt.

Happy New Year!

Here's a photo of me in my studio. I'm working on my latest painting. It's based on a watercolor by Charles M. Russell--a Sioux Indian war party. I'm liking it a lot, but that doesn't necessarily mean anyone else will. That's ok.

--Ben

Monday

It's Monday. I have a lot of work to do, but the skies are clear and the mountains are beckoning. It's time to go gold hunting! Or fishing or hiking or...instead I'll be drawing complex illustrations using Adobe Illustrator. I'd rather be painting at least!

Bigfork Art Walk

Here I am standing next to one of my paintings at the Art Fusion art gallery in Bigfork. There was an 'art walk' last Saturday and this one was featured on the outside. It looked good in the sunlight. I have a lot of ideas for new paintings and I hope to sell some this summer. I'm also working on a website for my fine art and I hope to have it launched soon! --Ben Garrison

Gunslinger

Here's my latest painting, "Gunslinger."

Of course, I do support the 2nd amendment!

Walt Garrison

When I was a kid, I was a big fan of the Dallas Cowboys. My dad was born in Denton Texas and attended a game in the mid 60s shortly after the Cowboys were established. One of my best memories as a kid was when my dad took me and my little brother to Texas Stadium in 1973 to see the Cowboys beat the Rams in the playoffs. My dad could only afford Texas Stadium end zone seats, but they were great--especially since our team scored two TDs in front of us.

Walt Garrison was one of our favorite players and he's a distant relative. He had a mediocre game against the Rams, but that was OK. We got to see him in person...as well as Bob Lilly, Chuck Howley, Lee Roy Jordan....all of our favorite players. Walt was 29 when I saw him play. I was 16. Walt was 6'2" when he graduated from high school and weighed 165. I was 6' 3" and weighed 165 when I graduated from high school. Unfortunately, I had no athletic ability aside from being a fairly good shot at basketball. Walt grew up in Lewisville, about 40 miles south of Denton. Walt's dad was a sharecropper-turned mechanic. My dad grew up poor in a sharecropper family and he became a mechanic, too--after spending 20+ years in the Navy. Ironically, Walt named one of his boys 'Ben,' which is my name and also my dad's name.

My dad gave up cigarettes in the late 60s but then became addicted to Copenhagen, a product produced by the company the Walt Garrison endorsed. It was an awful habit that he could not kick. Right up until he died at the age of 79 he could not give it up. I don't blame Walt, of course. A lot of those Texas country boys grew up with such tobacco. It was a matter of course.

The point of this mini-essay? No point. I happened to come across Walt's autobiography and I just finished it. He was a talented athlete, but also had a lot of luck. Mostly, it underlined the fact that time is going by quickly. The bird of time has but a little way to fly and it is on the wing.

While I'm at it, I thought I'd publish my latest 'End the Fed' cartoon.

It has been a long time since I've posted. Fortunately I have had a LOT of work lately and little time to blog or draw cartoons or play my viola. I have also not had time to work on my paintings, but I have plenty of ideas, paint and canvas awaiting me.

More posts to come once I finish up some commercial art projects. Meanwhile, here is a famous ballad played by my favorite Chopin interpreter.

Chopin Ballad in G Minor

Ron Paul Quotes

PERSONAL & CIVIL LIBERTY

“I'm convinced that you never have to give up liberties to be safe. I think you're less safe when you give up your liberties.” “You wanna get rid of drug crime in this country? Fine, let's just get rid of all the drug laws.”"The federal government has no right to treat all Americans as criminals by spying on their relationship with their doctors, employers, or bankers." “Ideas are very important to the shaping of society. In fact, they are more powerful than bombings or armies or guns. And this is because ideas are capable of spreading without limit. They are behind all the choices we make. They can transform the world in a way that governments and armies cannot. Fighting for liberty with ideas makes more sense to me than fighting with guns or politics or political power. With ideas, we can make real change that lasts.”

TAX & ECONOMY

“One thing is clear: The Founding Fathers never intended a nation where citizens would pay nearly half of everything they earn to the government.”

THE WAR ON TERROR & THE PATRIOT ACT

“A citizen walking through the airport today is bombarded with 1984-style propaganda messages that are designed to make us fear some amorphous threat and also be suspicious of others. The government designs these messages to make us feel dependent and heavily lorded over in every aspect of our lives. These messages are becoming ever more pervasive, hitting us even in grocery stores when we are shopping.” 

PRINCIPLES & INTEGRITY

"Unlike my opponents, I'm not running from my voting record. I'm not running from my public statements. I'm not running from my predictions.I'm running on them."

NON-PREEMPTIVE WAR & MILITARY INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX

"When one person can initiate war, by its definition, a republic no longer exists. "“It is no coincidence that the century of total war coincided with the century of central banking.” “Setting a good example is a far better way to spread ideals than through force of arms.” "Another term for preventive war is aggressive war - starting wars because someday somebody might do something to us. That is not part of the American tradition. ""Our foolish policy in Iraq invites terrorist attacks against U.S. territory and incites the Islamic fundamentalists against us." 

LIMITED, CONSTITUTIONAL GOVERNMENT

"In the free society envisioned by the founders, schools are held accountable to parents, not federal bureaucrats." "The moral and constitutional obligations of our representatives in Washington are to protect our liberty, not coddle the world, precipitating no-win wars, while bringing bankruptcy and economic turmoil to our people."“When one gets in bed with government, one must expect the diseases it spreads.” "Every government, democratic or not, is capable of tyranny. We must understand this if we hope to remain a free people.""I will always vote what I have promised, and always vote the Constitution, as well as I will not vote for one single penny that isn't paid for, because debt is the monster, debt is what's going to eat us up and that is why our economy is on the brink.""I will continue in my uncompromising opposition to appropriations not authorized within the enumerated powers of the Constitution."

NON-PREEMPTIVE WAR & MILITARY INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX

"When one person can initiate war, by its definition, a republic no longer exists. "“It is no coincidence that the century of total war coincided with the century of central banking.” “Setting a good example is a far better way to spread ideals than through force of arms.” "Another term for preventive war is aggressive war - starting wars because someday somebody might do something to us. That is not part of the American tradition. ""Our foolish policy in Iraq invites terrorist attacks against U.S. territory and incites the Islamic fundamentalists against us." 

Ron Paul is Doing Great!

Ron Paul is doing great. We can tell by hit pieces such as this:

http://www.unionleader.com/article/20111229/OPINION01/712299993

In it we hear pejorative and ad hominem attacks such as:

Ron Paul..."truly dangerous"

(Ron Paul's platform is) "nothing short of nuts"

"...Paul being the favored candidate of the lunatic fringe (see white supremacists, anti-Semites, truthers, etc.)."

"Paul has been consistently spouting this nonsense." 
In other words, we are called racists for supporting Paul and the Constitution. Oh gee...I'd better vote for one of the neo cons so we can continue to start wars we can't afford and blow up innocent people to get people such as Gaddafi. We will support muslim fundamentalists to do it! Why? So we can replace leaders we don't like with radical muslims so we can...defeat the muslim fundamentalists? Yeah, that makes sense. Oh--and let's make sure America is called a battlefield and everyone give up our rights so that 'terrorists' can be whisked away and tortured. FEAR FEAR FEAR! And our own government creates false flags to get us all scared so we can give up more money, lives, liberty AND DIGNITY (groping at airports) to those at the top--you know who I'm referring to--the ones you admire, Mr. McQuaid...the big banksters ripping us all off. The Federal Reserve who has destroyed our middle class and are propping up the corrupt banks. People such as Corzine who outright steal billions of dollars from private accounts.

YOU and your ilk are 'evil nuts,' not us. I have news for you, Mr. BIG SHOT PUBLISHER JOSEPH W. McQUAID, New Hampshire Union Leader, we 'lunatic fringe' care about the Constitution and ending your ridiculous wars including the war on drugs that sends plenty of minorities to prison just because they have the wrong vegetation in their pockets. We are going to vote for Paul and end the cycle of fear they are using to strip us of our rights, our dignity, our money and our jobs just so your banker buddies can make bigger bonuses. And the traitors who are trampling our rights in Congress? THEY are the enemy--not some turbaned-guy in a cave that was sent there by the evil CIA. And what can be more anti-Semite than dropping bombs on Arab children? (Yes, Arabs are Semites, too). Sorry, Mr. Big shot McQuaid, YOU are anti-American, anti-decency and anti-Constitution. YOUR opinions are warped and truly dangerous.

Ben Garrison, a Ron Paul supporter.

"In Memoriam"

The tempo is a little faster than I've heard on other performances, but just as beautiful. Shostakovich is one of my favorite composers because...well, I'll let the music explain it for me.



http://youtu.be/A2El2BPzZ0Y

The Bank of Dad is CLOSED

I drew this today for Father's Day. To all fathers everywhere, there comes a time when one must say NO to their kids when it comes to money. That way the kids come to appreciate the hard work that goes into earning money.

Ron Paul for President!

Ron Paul's fund raiser yesterday was a big success. He raised well over a million bucks in one day. I was a contributor. (A small amount to many perhaps...but I wanted to help regardless).

Why I support Ron Paul:

• He wants to end the Federal Reserve, which is neither federal nor a reserve. It is an institution owned by elite private banks. The same banks that were TBTF and got bailed out so execs involved could get giant bonuses. Debt money is printed and these crony private bankers receive interest via tax money. They use their money to buy out Congress and oppress the people.

• He wants to audit the Federal Reserve. Then we'll know how much money went to international banks.

• He wants to audit Fort Knox. Is there really any gold left there or has it been stolen by Fed cronies?

• He wants to end the wars that benefit money-mad, power-mad banks and select private corporations. He voted AGAINST the war in Iraq.

• He wants to end the ridiculous and expensive 'War on Drugs.'

• He never voted to raise taxes.

• He wants to end taxes on tips, thus helping hard working lower classes everywhere.

• He has never voted for an unbalanced budget.

• He has never voted for federal restrictions on gun ownership.

• He has never voted to raise congressional pay.

• He voted against the pernicious Patriot Act.

• He is against the TSA.

• He is for sound money based on gold and silver.

• He wants to cut way back on nanny-state government which has continued to bloat and take away our rights.

• He is pro-Consitution and for restoring the Republic.

http://www.ronpaul2012.com/

The Swan of Tuonela

Here's my latest painting. I took inspiration from the music of Sibelius. Namely, "The Swan of Tuonela." I had my son Ian pose as Lemminkainen. I used some reference for parts of the painting, but most of it was done directly from my imagination.

The painting (24' x 36') was done in oil using traditional methods. That is, a complete sketch transferred onto the canvas. Then a sepia wash. Then the underpainting in black and white to establish values. Then thin coats of color built up slowly until this end result.

The black swan on the Black River sings a sad song. Lemminkainen was sent to kill the swan, but the swan's song was so beautiful he was unable to do so. A Finnish god later punishes Lemminkainen for this transgression and his body was cut up and thrown into the river. His mother later rescues him and sews his body back together. Life is infused into Lemminkainen again with the help of another god and a magic drop of honey.

In Sibelius' music, the swan is represented by the English horn.

Click on image to see larger version.

GREAT SITE FOR ART VIEWING

I came across this yesterday and thought I'd post it on my blog. So I'm posting it on my blog! Get ready to lose a few hours gazing at these masterpieces from long ago...

http://www.wga.hu/index.html

The Web Gallery of Art is a virtual museum and searchable database of European painting and sculpture of the Romanesque, Gothic, Renaissance, Baroque, Neoclassicism, Romanticism periods (1000-1850), currently containing over 26.000 reproductions. Picture commentaries, artist biographies are available. Guided tours, period music, catalogue, free postcard and other services are provided.

TSA: HANDS OFF!

The TSA is a harbinger of a police state. Choose to get a radiation dose and a detailed nude scan or 'opt out' for an embarrassing grope by a TSA thug? No thank you to both. It's bad enough we have to take our shoes off as well as our belts and shuffle along on dirty airport floors trying to hold up our pants as well as our dignity. TSA has declared war on dignity. Americans need to draw a line here. Chertoff, former 'Department of Homeland Security' head made sure the scanners were bought so he could profit handsomely from the sale. It's time to put him in prison. It's time to tell 'Big Sis' Napolitano that's it's not OK to completely strip human dignity from Americans in the name of fear. It's time to stand up for our fourth amendment.

Here's a cartoon I drew today (click to enlarge) that sums up what's happening. I am trying to develop a GrrrGraphics.com site and that's why the tagline is on the cartoon. I hope to have the site ready soon--it looks like it will be done by this weekend sometime.

Bean Boopers

I was going through boxes of old papers the other day and burning them in the backyard fire pit. I happened to come across this original. I hadn't seen it in many years and I didn't know I still had it. It's one of the few remaining drawings from my childhood. I drew these two cartoon strips (one sheet of paper--part one on the front; part two on the back) when I was in the 6th grade. I had just started drawing and I was interested in cartooning. I named these original characters "Bean Boopers" and drew them off and on until high school.

The drawings (click to enlarge) weren't bad for a kid my age. Some probably will think I don't draw much better now. I actually had a sense of humor way back then, too. Still, I'm considering revamping the Bean Boopers. I think they might make a good kids book or Flash animation. Maybe I could sell Bean Booper magnets!

The March of Tyranny

Lately I've been thinking of a book I read long ago in high school: "A Tale of Two Cities" and the French Revolution. It was the best and worst of times. America is sliding into the worst of times, but we can return to the best again if we wake up and realize who is really lording it over us: The global elite banks (Fed central banks, IMF and their owners who control the debt enslavement money). If little Iceland can toss them out, then so can we.

My cartoon (click to enlarge) shows how the banking and corporate masters (crony capitalist fascists) control both major parties behind the scenes. They keep us distracted with left vs. right while giving us the illusion that voting for one of the other parties will solve things. It won't.

A good article I read this morning on the matter:

http://matterhornassetmanagement.com/2010/08/16/there-will-be-no-double-dip/print/

"...management has achieved a major increase in income and wealth. In 1973, chief executives in the US earned 26 times the median income. Today they earn 300 times. This enormous widening of the gap between the top few percent in society and the masses is morally and socially unacceptable. When the bad times start in earnest, this is likely to lead to major social unrest and violence directed against the privileged."

Until we return to the sound money of the Constitution, gold and silver, this debt slavery serfdom will get worse.


"Repression is the only lasting philosophy. The dark deference of fear and slavery, my friend," observed the Marquis, "will keep the dogs obedient to the whip, as long as this roof," looking up to it, "shuts out the sky."

Health Care

Here's my latest cartoon that illustrates how I feel about health care. (click for larger view). To be sure, Americans deserve health care considering all the money we pour into the system. The trouble is, the government is broke and won't cut spending (the military, for example) to pay for it. Instead, we'll be taxed more. We'll face a new, inefficient bureaucratic labyrinth. We'll have more tyranny foisted upon us through the IRS. Eventually we'll be told what we can and what we cant eat, drink and smoke and so forth. We'll be told when to die. There will be long waits for care. The doctors won't be adequately paid.

This is not freedom and as usual, we're being forced to pay for our own slavery.

It's Time to Audit the Federal Reserve

Last year when I still lived in Washington State, I wrote my congressman (Jay Inslee) and both Senators telling them to vote NO to the banker 'too big to fail' bail-out bill that cost us taxpayers trillions of dollars. Even though I and nearly 90 percent of the other letter writers wanted 'NO,' it passed anyway. Now they have the gall to say they're against 'too big to fail' after the bail out bill has proved to be an abysmal failure. None of that money trickled down to the 'small bizshnuss' man as Bush promised. Right now credit is tighter than a snare drum, but Goldman Sach certainly made out well--their stock more than doubled. They also raked in record bonuses while many Americans got pink slips. And now they're offering to loan $500 million to small businesses as a PR gesture. What a pathetic joke. Why are so many GS operatives in key government positions? To change the rules to favor themselves. If this isn't fascism, it's at least cut-throat capitalism. Some call it 'crony capitalism.'

Earlier today I happened to catch Sen. Judd Gregg on CNBC getting visibly angry when questioned about Ron Paul's bill to audit the Federal Reserve. CNBC and other media outlets routinely support the Fed, Geithner and the status quo. They repeated the Gregg clip throughout the day. In these days of kelpto-corporatocracy, fair reporting gets replaced by naked greed and self-interest.

I'm paraphrasing from memory, but here's what the foolish senator spouted:

"Auditing the Fed is an outrage!" "The Congress can't manage its own fiscal policy, but now they want to manage monetary decisions?" "The Fed needs to maintain it's independence, but they want to unfairly paint it as a dark entity!" "This reminds me of William Jennings 'populism.' "Paul and his supporters just want to beat up on the Fed to get reelected." "It's the Fed's job to keep the dollar sound--and this bill endangers that..."

======

It amazes me how HE thinks people have lost touch with economic reality when its the FED who has bankrupted America more than any other entity--including our spendthrift Congress!

• Auditing the Fed is not an outrage. The Fed's 'independence' has enabled a cabal of private bankers to control our money system--and us. Paul has said it's not about interfering with monetary decisions. It's about finding out where trillions of dollars went--a lot of it to mystery banks overseas!

• It's not a matter of Dems vs. Republicans and it certainly is not about 'populism.' It's about We The People having some say where OUR money goes--the money we must pay for with interest.

• We need the Fed to keep the dollar 'sound?' That was a howler. How can that guy say that with a straight face. Hard to believe he can say that when, after the establishment of that pernicious institution, the dollar has lost 96 percent of its value--and going down!

Gold and silver are the only safe haven against the 'Fed's monetary decisions' and that's why precious metal has been going up.

It amazes me how some people continue to want to cast a cloak of meretricious goodness over these bums. They're worse than bums. They're greedy, money-mad, power-hungry criminals. Yet how many times have we heard talk show hosts like Alan Colms and Bill Maher say "Oh, I'm no economics expert and I don't understand the Fed...we should just let them handle it!" My jaw drops when I hear this. These guys are experts in politics and have opinions on everything under the sun EXCEPT the most important thing--who controls our money? He who controls the money controls the game! That's why Goldman Sachs has so many operatives and lobbyists in government!

It's time for Americans to WAKE UP and see the curtains pulled back on this money system we have. It's BROKEN.

OK, that's enough from me.

RENSE

My 'Ron Paul/Audit the Fed' cartoon made it on Rense.com today!

Here's the cartoon. Click to enlarge. Click on the link to see the 'toon on rense.com

http://www.rense.com/2009halloween/ex.jpg

GRRRGRAPHICS

I came up with this logo yesterday to help tie together my anti-big government tyranny cartoons and graphics. My point here is this: If we do not exercise our Constitutional liberties, we will see them compromised or lost outright. Therefore, it's important for all of us to speak up and speak out using words and pictures.

Also shown here is my latest cartoon and I have many more ideas!

Spokane Timeline

Here's a graphic I did last month for the Spokane Inlander. It took awhile to get paid, but they came through. Yippee! Waiting to get paid for freelance (or not getting paid at all) is a common lament among freelance artists.

Rather than do the traditional timeline left-to-right bar with lines pointing toward copy, photos, logos and graphics, I decided to make it more visually interesting by breaking up the centuries into hills. I had to build in space in the middle for the fold, which I was told was rather deep.

It was a fun project and I wish I could get more assignments like this, but times are tough and jobs are few.

Big Government BS

Here's my latest cartoon. I have lots of ideas but no venue to post 'em. Newspapers won't touch 'em of course. I want to make these free to the public, but I'm not sure how to do that yet.

Click on the cartoons for a larger view. Feel free to use the cartoon however/wherever. Just make sure my signature stays on.

Tyranny Tree

I drew another editorial cartoon today--this time depicting the 'tyranny tree' that has entwined its roots into the nation. Of course people will call me a conspiracy theorist but the CFR really does exist and Hillary admitted to receiving instructions from them (she actually called it the 'mothership'). The Fed system and its onerous income tax system certainly exists (needs to be audited) and the Bilderbergs meet secretly with top political officials. Nearly every president since Kennedy had to have their stamp of approval. So there you have it.

I also colored the 'audit the Fed' cartoon I did earlier. I have more ideas and will draw them and try to get 'em out on the Web. I submitted the black and white version to the local paper in Missoula. Naturally it was rejected.

Audit the Fed!

I'm a big supporter of Ron Paul's efforts to audit the Federal Reserve. Of course, the international bankster elites are balking. Bernanke claims it will interfere with decision making. Nonsense. What it WILL reveal is where the many trillions have gone. Without knowing, it's no different than a bank robbery. It's taxation without representation. We The People must pay all that money back. WITH INTEREST! It amounts to slavery for us and our descendants. It's time to end the Fed!

In that spirit, I drew this cartoon. (click to enlarge). It's free to anyone who wants it. If you need a larger copy or color version, just let me know.

Flathead River shoot

It's been a long time since I've blogged (not that many read it anyway, but I like keeping a diary of sorts) and there's not much to post. A month ago I had severe heartburn and ulcers and it forced me to radically change my eating habits. No more coffee and now I'm on a strict, more alkaline diet. I've been going on long walks and in four weeks I've lost nearly 30 pounds. Hard to believe, but it's true. I'm getting back to the old 'skinny' me. Not easy for a middle aged guy, but I feel much better.

I've also been out taking photos. I hope to use some for reference for future paintings. I'm not the best photographer but every once in a while I can shoot something that impresses me. Here's a shot of me in action.

More posts soon I hope!

Field of Yellow

I've been too busy to get out and explore the new environs yet, but on Sunday I shot this field on the way to visit some art galleries in Big Fork. It was high noon when I took the picture. That's never an optimal time for outdoor photography, but the intense yellow made the shot. I don't know what the plant is, but I suspect it's canola. This would not make a convincing painting. It would task the viewer's credulity that a field could be this intensely yellow. (Click on photo for larger view).

Water Works

Here are a couple of simple info graphics I did recently. They were a fun change of pace from what I normally do. I miss newspaper work and these reminded me of assignments I'd get as an info graphics artist.