The Zen Of Online Shopping

The Zen Of Internet 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.

I can remember my first shot at rebellion. I guess it was age twelve or thirteen. I was still purchasing everything based on my mom's opinion. Suddenly new clothes were hitting the market that had been worn by the Beatles just a few Sundays before on the Ed Sullivan Show. Though most of us opted out of the nice black suits the Beatles wore, we did want the haircut and sundry other items that became merchandise. Mom was shocked when she gave me some money to buy some new clothes and I came home with mostly t-shirts of my favorite rock groups. By then, the Fab Four had spawned a slew of others from the U.K and many American bands wanting in on the act. Whomever I saw, I demanded the t-shirt. Whether it be Paul Revere And The Raiders, Herman's Hermits, Otis Redding,
and later Alice Cooper, Pink Floyd, David Bowie, and so many others, if there was some memorabilia attached to this music, I had to have it.

Today's shopping malls can be fun, as social adventures, but they certainly are not the place to find today's “forbidden shopping fruit”. We all know there are specialty stores on the Internet that cater just to us.
It really depends on one's tastes. I enjoy these stores because they remind me of my days of youth when I could really sink my teeth into shopping, and, to me, everything looked new and pristine, and different.

Now, at least from my point of view, a mall is a mall is a mall. Sure it is nice when Macy's or Penny's or whomever puts some things on sale and I will drop by to see what is in shop, even though it is usually nothing I've not seen in the past, or a close replica.

We humans are hunters by nature, even if we are not members of the NRA nor hunt animals. We love to search and research and find the best, the brightest, and the most different.

There is a certain zen to the process of hunting and gathering. It is so deeply ingrained in us, though we no longer physically do it, now we love the ease of shopping online, and more importantly being able to find “what is all the craze” without having to drive all over town to try to find it, usually only to be disappointed. Again, I am not saying I have boycotted brick and mortar stores, far from it.

Chances are very slim we are going to find “that totally unique gift” at say, Target Stores or Wal-Mart, though I do feel they have their value in our society.

But finding it online and being able to stare it in the eye on our monitor, click a mouse, fill in the blanks and order, is oh so nice and satisfies the hunter's passionate zen.

Author Rick London is the founder of Londons Times Cartoons in 1997 and numerous online unique funny webstores including www.ricklondonwear.com www.ricklondoncollection.com
www.ltsuperstore.com and others. His main cartoon site is www.londonstimes.us

Why We Laugh At Lawyers Until We Need Them

As a cartoonist, I find myself in the precarious position of writing about law. Though I do take the law seriously, I find humor in it as well. And I believe I have carte blanche to do so.

I come from a family of attorneys. One of my direct maternal ancestors was Supreme Court Judge Benjamin Cardozo. That name might not mean much to many, but it does within the legal community. His word, still, a century or so later, remains the final word on Constitutional Law.

I have dated attorneys. Some are very astute, and some not so good. I have watched them in the courtroom. Sometimes it is dramatic, sometimes a bit drab. But I continue to have an affinity for the law, given that it is in my blood, I guess. Of course my mother insisted upon either law or medical school for me, so like the good rebellious baby-boomer of the 60's, I became a cartoonist. At least I could make people laugh purposely. People laugh at lawyers, and often the attorney in question does not appreciate it. But how can we help it? I know, I know. They are just doing their job, and we laugh at them, until we need them. Then they are our confidants.

To be fair, most lawyers of whom I have met and/or associated, truly take their jobs and cases seriously. Sure, like everyone else in business, money is a motivator, but not always the primary motivator. Many, yes Virginia there is a Santa Claus, (or clause in this case), many have a very altruistic side, and take the law and their clients very seriously and want to help.

As the old joke goes, "It is the 98% of dishonest lawyers who give the other 2% a bad name". It's a great joke, but really far from reality. Many lawyers are just doing their job, just like you and me.

Sometimes hiring a lawyer can be expensive, and several Internet-savvy lawyers have launched websites in which the common layman can read, study, and learn about law and legal forms, and actually pay and download template forms from the sites at a fraction of the cost of hiring a law firm.
Some of these sites include Findlaw.com, Legalzoom.com, and the up-and-coming Lawkipedia.org, which has not yet been launched but is in the plans for this year. It will probably be the most exciting and different of all the other legal websites, just from what I understand regarding the planning.

Still, the saying goes, "The person who represents himself legally has hired a fool for a lawyer. And that is true. Especially regarding courtrooms and criminal law.

But many business conflicts do not have to turn into courtroom law. Mediation has become very popular and there are ways to work out such conflicts, often, and bring the parties even closer, once they realize they have similar goals, simply different ideas as to how to reach those goals. That is okay. It is often done by more professional persons, who is not out to "trash" a partner or remove him/her from the scene. I have seen it work many times.

Because law is of interest to me, I make sure to do a great many law related cartoons, and produce funny lawyer gifts. Even though many of them poke fun at lawyers, I find the majority have a great sense of humor, and more often than not, when the orders come in for our gifts and collectibles featuring lawyer cartoons, the names have a "comma and Esquire" at the end, in other words, our biggest customers who love to make fun of themselves, are, indeed attorneys.

Cat Care & IT

Suffer From Depression: A Dog Can Help Heal

Though it is not something of which I am particularly proud, I struggled with major depression since age thirteen. It may be even further back than that, that is my first memory of "feeling different". I am now fifty three.

Of course I did not even know it was depression, and even if I had discovered it was, it would have been hidden, as, in the polite society of rural Mississippi, at the time, one did not see a therapist or psychiatrist and remain in society. He or she was hidden in the closet. Today things have changed and there are many modern- day state-of-the-art recovery programs and mental health clinics in the region. Alas, mum is still the word. I now live in southern California, where, at social functions, therapy and recovery are often a common them at social functions and events.

It was not until late in life, when I discovered a stray dog named "Thor" that I learned about alternative therapy. I had often heard that owning an animal can relieve depression and even lower blood pressure, but the dramatic changes were yet to be seen for the first few months of owning Thor. I noticed I wanted to get out more and walk him, as he loved that activity. This in itself lifted my depression. A long walk can, in fact, increase endorphins in the system.

Thor introduced me to people. People will open up to a cute dog faster than they will a human, hence they open up to the human as well. Thor loved people. I had owned dogs in the past, but Thor was my first rescue dog. The jury is out whether he rescued me or I rescued him. I did not adopt him from a shelter, but surely would have had I found him at one. He showed up in the rural Mississippi woods with a pack of two other dogs. He was the sickest of them, obviously abused and/or hit by a vehicle as he limped, and was a matted ball of fur. A vet friend took him home and put him on drips, shaved him, and gave him to me.

I researched and put him on the b.a.r.f diet. (bones and raw food). I put him on the same herbal tinctures I was taking. He never had another vet bill for a decade and lived to be nearly twenty two. He had ten very happy years as did I; mostly depression-free. Both of us were quite depressed when we found each other. He passed away nearly a month ago today. I continue to grieve over Thor but feel soon I will be ready for another rescue dog. I will visit the shelter. It is not completely selfless; I understand fully now the meaning of "they do much more for us than we do for them). A rescued dog remembers. He/she gives unconditional love and we get that gift to pass on to other people. I can't begin to tell you the difference in the way I am treated now by other people, and, the way I treat them. I do my best to do what Thor taught me; that is, love them unconditionally. He saw me as one of God's creatures; to him I was a god, and now I see all living creatures as part of God's creation. I never was that religious and am not now. But how can I not be spiritual. Thor helped cure my incurable depression.

Rick London is an e-entrepreneur and cartoonist. Many of his cartoon products are dog-related and a percentage of each sale goes to benefit various animal causes. He is also the founder of the Internet's top cartoon site, Londons Times Comics.

Rick London is a cartoonist and lover of animals, particularly dogs and cats. He founded the Internet's top cartoon Londons Times Cartoons and a number of E-stores featuring his dog cartoons. A percentage of sales benefit animal causes. Some direct pages of dog-related products can be found at http://www.cafepress.com/9500/4383555 at his Rick London Collection store. Another at RickLondonwear http://www.printfection.com/londonstimestees/DOGS-CARTOON-GIFTS-and-TEES/_s_81517 and his main cartoon site, Londons Times Cartoons http://www.londonstimes.us lures over 4000 vistors per day.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Rick_London

The Mutual Benefits Of Giving Humorous Corporate Gifts

Think back in your career lifetime. How many calendars, day planners,
wine gift baskets, and you name it do you have from various people with
whom you've done business or want to do business with you.

How many have you sent as gifts? Probably more than was in the budget.

Though corporate giftgiving is not the same as massive ppc or other major
media advertising, it creates an impact and loyalty that no other type of
advertising or marketing can give, that is, if it is done correctly.

Study after study has found that the them or nature of the gift itself is
not just important but pertinent. If it is something that does not give
the receiver a good feeling about you, the cost or how elaborate the gift is
is a moot point. In fact it is a negative point.

This is why so many major corporations are hiring humor consultants to teach
coping skills and handling stressful situations with humor.

Humor is a staple, not a luxury, in one's personal life as well as the
corporate world. It is a must.

Giving a humorous corporate gift that that is a theme gift will pack a punch
that goes a long way, creating loyalty, word of mouth, and even a community,
generally of people who want to know you and where you got the gift.

If you don't believe me, just try it.

For instance, let's say you own or are partner or employee of a law firm. For years you have given the same staid gifts to your clients. Why not try a professionally-drawn law-related cartoon on a coffee gift basket. Yes believe it or not there are legal-related themed gourmet coffee gift baskets. We know because we invented them and they are only around $40. We know of others, selling the same gourmet beans as non-cartoon gift baskets for $60-$80 with no personalization. We even personalize the basket for only $2 giving the law firm's name and web address. It includes an oversize coffee mug and four coasters, all with an award-winning law cartoon, five distinct blends and flavors of gourmet coffee beans from around the world, and of course the gratutious biscotti.

Don't think coffee is a good idea? Why not a cartoon wall or desk clock. I prefer the desk clock, it is less expensive, and your name and URL appears in front of them every time they look at the clock. You can do this with coffee mugs, aprons, hoodies, framed tiles, Christmas ornaments, and so many other gift ideas, all at the LT Superstore. www.LTSuperstore.com

Our manufacturer, 3drose, is one of the oldest and largest powersellers on Ebay, with a 99.4% positive feedback rating and over 11,000 transactions. This is almost unheard of in this day and time at any auction site.

He purveys our products at Amazon.com, Shop.com and many of the other shopping channels. Or you can order from Londons Times Superstore www.LTSuperstore.com. The price is the same, great quality and customer service, and lightening fast worldwide shipping.

There is a special psychology behind giving a gift of laughter that portrays your name and URL. The client or potential client cannot help but feel good every time he/she sees your name.

It is common sense. It is hard to feel bad about someone who has made you laugh, or makes you laugh on a daily basis.

The cartoons are not "out of line". They are professional art with a serious them, with a funny slant. They appeal to many, in fact so many that Amazon.com's Alexa has named us in their top sites since 2005. We launched in 1997.

We are proud of our work, and we thank you kindly for making us what we are today, the most popular offbeat cartoon site and cartoon gifts for sell on the Internet.

The next time you are thinking of giving a corporate gift, think funny. The returns are monumental.

And we guarantee it, 100%.

Sincerely,

Rick London
Londons Times Cartoons
www.LTSuperstore.com (this is where you can personalize for $2 on over 85,000 funny gifts)
www.londonstimes.us (our main cartoon site and it is free. Over 8500 cartoons)
www.ricklondonwear.com Our casual wear clothing line
www.ricklondoncollection.com A very wide variety of cartoon gifts from beer steins to day planners but not personalized.

Please Put The Blame Where It Belongs: Gary Larson's Far Side

The Far Side Of My Cartoon Life
by Rick London

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.

One day, my friends Julie and Beverly called me and told me to get dressed, that we were going to a Gary Larson Far Side exhibit at the Smithsonian. I didn't want to go.

Don't get me wrong, I loved and still love The Far Side, but at the end of the day I was usually exhausted and the though that went through my head was, "Why wait in a long line for an exhibit, when I can simply open the Washington Post the following day and see the cartoon?"

The girls insisted I go with them. So I did. They picked me up and we were on our way. The lines, though long, moved quickly and the exhibit was beyond my wildest imagination. The panel cartoons had been blown up onto 5 or 6 foot poster boards and were hanging from the ceiling. Many of them were my Far Sides of all time.

I was like a little kid in a candy store running from one cartoon to the next. I had seen almost all of them in the Washington Post. Suddenly I was a kid again and a happy camper.

Then, in the middle of all this fun, my mood started to change. I started getting chills and feeling isolated and terrible. I could not pinpoint what was happening. I continued, I think, to be amused and act happy but all I wanted to do was go home and cry.

It was a long exhibit with hundreds of images but well worth it. Now, back home, I was too sad to eat or watch television. Then I remembered. I had created a similar panel cartoon in the early '70's and stuffed it away in both my psyche and closet. I had done so with so many dreams, I wondered if any of them would ever die. Obviously this one was with me a long time.

Rule number one: Never show your parents any lofty dreams no matter what your age, especially if they are full-blown business professionals. MY mom hated them and insisted my dong my homework first and then deciding. I did my homework but had already decided. I just didn't know how or when, only that it would somebody happen

I remembered sharing them with mom and her negative response, but, I remember thinking, "Even if Mom is not around, I would still be scared to launch such a project for fear that people had thought I lost it". It was then that I realized Gary Larson was not just a cartoonist but a brave pioneer in the world of print journalism.

A decade passed. I created Londons Times Cartoons with one other artist. several top illustrator and I continue writing and assigning the cartoons. to my team illustrators. The site has become the biggest of its kind on the Internet and certainly the most visited (nearly 5 million a year since 2005 when we began counting). Londons Times Carotons was founded in 1997, seven years after that Far Side exhibit.

The motto of this story is "build it and they will come"; though that was not my favorite Kevin Kostner quote of his movie career. But the concept is true. If one focuses hard enough on a project or profession, sooner or later, something will break. The secret is being patient enough to hang in there until it does.

Rick London once considered himself a failure in every aspect of his life. Now he owns 8 e-stores and a main cartoon site of offbeat incredibly funny cartoons It's All Gary Larson's Fault

www.mirthgirtbirth.com
www.justfunnymousepads.com
www.justfunnyaprons.com
www.justfunnyhoodies.com
www.ricklondonwear.com
www.ricklondoncollection.com
www.LTSuperstore.com
www.londonstimes.us

The incredible collectible pink flamingo is one of those type things that are either totally loved or completely ignored. Depends on human taste and objectivity. As many consider it art as others consider it junk.

The evolution of this as a decorative object dates back to the 1940's a company called Union Products in a small Ma. Town called Leminster. They produced bit plastic animals for the front yard, but had not yet thought of the pink flamingo. Even those animals were, indeed, so tacky, they were huge sellers. A good analogy was like having the ugliest dog, so ugly it's cute. People had to have them. They were all two dimensional like a cut-out board reindeer Christmas decoration is.

About a decade later, a serious art student who worked at Union named Don Featherstone was Although Don was a serious sculptor and classical art student, his first project was to redesign their popular duck and this time make it 3-dimensional The company figured it would be a bigger seller. The company was wrong and the 3d duck ended up in the local park. He had used a live duck as a model but still no real success.

He then figured people wanted color and something exotic. They came to mind but he could not find a live one for a model so he turned to National Geographic. Smart move. They had plenty of photos. Using clay, he built his prototype. then used to make a plaster cast. The plaster cast, in turn, was used to form the molds for the plastic. The original design called for detailed wooden legs, but they proved to be too costly and were replaced by the metal ones still seen today. While the exact date was never recorded, the first pink flamingo was created several years before 1960.

The late 1950's just happened to be perfect timing for the flamingo. The American population was moving out of the city and behind white picket fence lawns, a perfect resting place for the big pink bird.

The late 1950's fashion trends were bright, bold colors. Grays and blacks had been here forever and people were ready for a change. The plastic industry was thriving and now allowed for hot colors like bright green, vivid ruby, and, of course, hot flamingo pink. Pink refrigerators, washing machines, and of course who didn't want a pink Caddie?

The love of the pink flamingo was short-lived due to timing. The 1960's was a time of rebellion, especially against anything man-made, and the plastic flamingo was certainly not heaven-sent (though many serious collectors still consider it so). All the major department stores, (Sears being the biggest back then as this was way pre-Walmart) removed the items from lack of sales. Collectors went underground to flea markets and niche gift shops as they still do.

Many collectors are still very serious about them and go so far as to travel with them. We all know that what is art to one person is garbage to the next. Bans have been placed on pink flamingos all over the country. As a result, Union Plastics was forced to introduce a blue flamingo to work inside the laws of city ordinances. But for every action to a reaction there is another action, eh? These towns then changed the laws to ban all plastic flamingos. Many refused to obey the ordinances and the laws have rarely been enforced in most of the communities.

Until this day, pink flamingo items are still some of the most sought after in the country, and the Internet is where the majority of the shopping is done, saving collectors large amounts of money from having to travel to find their beloved bird. Now they are available on everything from coffee mugs to boxer shorts to beer steins to clocks, all valuable and desirable collectibles (for those who love them that is).
Rick London is a cartoonist and E-Store owner who founded the largest offbeat panel cartoon on the Internet, Londons Times Cartoons. He has a number of estores, many of which specialize in animal cartoon products including the pink flamingo. Two of them are http://www.ricklondonwear.com and http://www.ricklondoncollection.com - (Simply click on "Birds" to find the Pink Flamingo collectibles. He only sells factory-sealed new in the box merchandise (though he says it originated from thinking "outside the box".

www.ricklondoncollection.com
www.ricklondonwear.com
www.LTSuperstore.com
www.londonstimes.us

Know Anyone Who Wants That Perfect T Shirt?

Even though nearly every adult in the U.S. is reported to have a favorite t shirt, and at least fifteen in their drawer, how do you know what tshirt to buy as a gift. Sometimes it’s even harder to choose the right one for you.

But what is the perfect tshirt? That can be quite objective, but its not a “hit or miss” proposition.

When choosing a t shirt for someone else, I usually try to get inside their head and heart. What do they feel most comfortable in? Do they love humor or would feel embarrassed wearing a funny item of clothing? Do they prefer a historic place photo? All these things have to be taken into consideration. Like me, most of my friend’s tee philosophy is “the funnier the better”.

Knowing the recipient’s personality is pertinent when choosing the perfect tshirt. Is tha person a visual type or enjoys words more. Perhaps both. I am one of those proud tee owners and so most of my favorite t-shirts have a graphic cartoon image with some text. These never fail to be mentioned in passing conversations when wear them in public. , I am stopped every time by people wanting to know where I got it, or just a simple compliment on it.

Is the recipient a doctor, a lawyer, a horse rancher or cowboy? A scientist or marriage and couples counselor? That kind of information can go a long way in deciding what type of tee to purchase.

The best part of giving a tee as a gift, aside from the price usually being between $14 and $25 depending on the quality and graphic, is the fact that it is something people don’t talk about a lot, but get great use out of them. It is, in many ways, an ideal and unexpected gift, especially when humor or cartooning is involved.

Order your favorite tee or tees online today. Try some for yourself and wear them around, go shopping in them, or walk the dog in the park. Watch the difference in attitude people have when approaching you, especially if you are wearing one that is humorous. It happens nearly every time to me. Someone will stop me and want to know where I got it, and sometimes are even crass enough to ask what I paid for it. But that’s okay. It’s usually a nice person simply giving a compliment and seeking information on how to order a similar one.

Tshirts, historically have been an excellent way to express oneself. If you’ve not tried one on for size,and seen the positive reaction of your circle of friends (and those outside the circle) you will. Order one today and see the difference.

Add a matching cap or dog sweater for your dog and get the attention of a supermodel.

www.ricklondonwear.com
www.ricklondoncollection.com
www.londonstimes.us
www.ltsuperstore.com

Thanks To You Our Sales Doubled In First Year

I am happy to announce that we reconciled the ledger of December '07's sales. As many of you know, we opened the Superstore without much fanfare back in Sept '06 and sales were good by that December. Well this December they doubled and we have affiliates all over Amazon.com pulling the lead. And 3drose is producing and dropshipping each item in a timely fashion, returns are less than .5%. We are very happy. Thanks to you it is working. If you've not dropped by, please do so. www.LTSuperstore.com mousepads, tshirts, caps, aprons, clocks, ornaments, hoodies, sweats, key chains, and much much more.

Oh, the URL. lol

The URL to Londons Times Cartoon Superstore is www.LTSuperstore.com

In case you wondered.

Sorry bout that.

Rick

Our biggest store

I think LT Superstore is by far our biggest store with thousands,
probably over 70k or so products in it. I like visiting the store
and ordering various cartoon collectibles I think my friends around
the country would like. I don't always send them on birthdays or holidays
but just on a whim, as most are under $20 and are great fun. People like
when I personalize them as one line is only $2. That's fun stuff, and makes
a fun corporate gift as well.