Found this great page on Instagram called HillaryLooks where they post various photos of Hillary Clinton from throughout the years. It’s a sort of look book for Hillary’s fashions. One image is better than the other. They have Hillary from her younger days to present and along and with well-known figures. These are a couple of my favorites, but check out the page yourself to see which ones you like: instagram.com/hillarylooks
There’s a website called Blendle which started up two years ago. It’s a site where you can pick and choose stories from various newspapers and magazines – The New York Times, Time magazine, Barron’s, Newsweek, etc. And they have a paywall for each article you read, where you pay something like 25 cents per article and if you don’t like the article, you can ask for a refund on the spot!
They do ask you why you didn’t like the article first before giving the refund, but I’m not sure why you wouldn’t like an article other than boredom. I mean if you disagreed with what the writer was saying, would that be a reason not to like it? If it has bad grammar, is that a reason? I don’t know, but I don’t see myself asking for a refund if I didn’t like an article. Unless it was something bad about me, of course.
Blendle has 1 million members already. You sign up with your email and then pay as you go.
The New York Times calls it, “The iTunes of Journalism.”
It turns out that people don’t like paying for actual news stories, as you can get them anywhere, but they are willing to pay for more in depth stories and articles. Stories they can’t get elsewhere.
This might be a good model for comics – pay as you go for each comic you like. 25 cents for Peanuts or $1.00 for any six comics, or whatever, although you can read them free at GoComics or Comics Kingdom, so maybe not.
10 With Tom
10 questions in 10 minutes
You probably know Ryan Holt, a favorite survivalist, from the Discovery Channel’s hit, “Naked and Afraid” and “Naked and Afraid XL“ – “Survivor” on steroids. Ryan is a friend in my head, that’s why I reached out to him.
“Naked and Afraid,” now in its 5th season is about a random couple – a man and woman, dumped somewhere remote, exotic and dangerous in the world and they have to survive for 21 days. They have no food, water or shelter and they are on their own. No one wins anything at the end of the show, the prize is the knowledge that you survived the wilderness. Each hour episode each week consists of a different man and woman.
“Naked and Afraid XL” has 12 survivors from past shows, dumped in a remote place with the same premise, but they are in groups of three and they have to last 40 days. No one is voted off but they disappear little by little due to sickness or just leaving, which they call “tapping out.” XL is interesting in that the intensity is different with each episode as the teams randomly come upon each other and one group of three that soon becomes five or six, totally mixes up the dynamic. XL has the same “characters” on all season, so each week you see the same people unless they’ve left (tapped out).
Ryan is home now in Maine. He runs the Human Nature Hostel and the Wilderness Warrior Project, which he created to assist returning Veterans who may be struggling with PTSD, like he was when he returned. He served eight years in the US Marine Corp Infantry and by his own admission was lost when he returned home. He explored the Appalachian Trail after an honorable discharge and “walked off the war.” Now he wants to do the same for other returning vets.
Ryan is a good sport, he agreed to participate in “10 With Tom.” What I find funny is that I picture him as being a primitive man in the forest, but according to his answers, I can see he lives with all the comforts of home in Maine.
I asked him the following questions:
Tom: Are you recognized on the street?
Ryan: I live in a very mountainous and rural part of Maine (Roxbury: population 370). Not many people to be recognized by, although the other day I was at a local swimming hole and a family of “flat landers” approached me and said, “Hey! Are you famous!? The guy from Naked and Afraid?” I said, “Ayah, that’s me.”
Tom: If you were able to vote off members of the XL cast, who would you have voted out of Africa first?
Ryan: Since I was only paired with two other survivalist (Angel and Steve) for the first few weeks, I would have voted off Steve because, well, we all know “he’s kind of a big deal” and there is no room for such an arrogant ego and no existent humility.
Tom: You live in Maine, you’ve “lived” in the Everglades and Africa. What’s the perfect outdoor temperature for you?
Ryan: Having been born and raised in Maine might make me a little biased but there truly is something unique and special about my homeland. It is the perfect temperature in the summer and offers four seasons to ensure a wide range of every single outdoor activity. Not the best state for couch potatoes, Maine is for the adventure and nature lover.
Tom: Name 3 things in nature you find most beautiful?
Ryan: I find everything in nature to be beautiful, but if I had to pick three things that really resonate with me… Mountain Summits, Trees/Plants, Observing Wildlife.
“Anyone can love a rose, but it takes a great deal to love a leaf. Its ordinary to love the beautiful, but its beautiful to love the ordinary.” -Unknown
Tom: Last place you visited outside US
Ryan: My last trip outside the US was South Africa. This Fall I plan to explore Iceland.
Tom: What do you usually order at Starbucks?
Ryan: If you were searching for me inside a Starbucks, you would NEVER find me. I don’t drink caffeine or pay extra for name brands.
Tom: Other than Naked and Afraid, favorite tv show
Ryan: Other than Naked and Afraid, my favorite TV show is Alone.
Tom: What scares you the most, and why?
Ryan: Other people. They are the most unpredictable.
Tom: What are your three favorite foods (other than alligator and snake).
Ryan: Other than alligator, lizard and snake, my favorite foods are Sushi, BBQ, Fresh local cafes.
Tom: Tell me about someone you really admire?
Ryan: I really admire my Girlfriend Dani Beau. Not only is she beautiful, skilled and passionate about nature and all living beings, she completed 21 days and the first 40 day challenge of Naked & Afraid as a Vegan. You have to be driven and dedicated to your morals & beliefs to accomplish such a challenge as a Vegan and to be doing it with laughter and a smile!? She’s a total badass! I will always admire her for her accomplishments, how she cares for the Earth and for putting up with me, haha.
Thanks, Ryan!
Naked and Afraid XL is on Sunday nights, 9 pm, on the Discovery Channel, you can see Ryan and gang in action, there.
Who did this? Randomly saw it on social media.
And the New York Daily News’ front page is really funny, too.This guy climbed Trump Tower today. The whole country was glued to their tv’s and social media, watching it all happen live.
Such a great idea – the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam is asking people to sketch the art they see in the museum, rather than take photos of it! Love this.
I’m at museums often and there are different policies, many allow you to take photos if you don’t use the flash, others are strict about you not taking photos, but this idea of recreating the art by drawing it yourself is really cool in that you can appreciate the art even more so when you get into every detail of the subject.
I see many people taking photos of themselves in front of the art and I can understand that, years ago, when I saw Starry Night for the first time, I was in a trance, I just stared at it and one time I had my cousin take a photo of me in front of it. Back then it wasn’t behind glass, I can’t remember if it was framed or not, but the fact that it wasn’t behind glass and you could get right up close to it and almost smell the paint was special.
Next time I’m at MOMA, in NY, I’ll be sure to sketch Van Gogh’s Starry Night, which is my favorite work of art. Maybe.
Probably not, but it’s a great idea.
10 With Tom
10 questions in 10 minutes
After looking over the 10 With Tom I did with Stephan Pastis, Pearls Before Swine cartoonist, I thought why not ask the 10 questions of Scott Adams, creator and Dilbert cartoonist, after all, it was Scott who was Stephan’s tipping point. He liked the strip when it was kind of new, talked it up and overnight it became a sensation, something like that.
Here are my 10 With Tom questions with Scott Adams.
Tom: Are you recognized on the street?
Scott: Almost never, except locally.
Tom: If you had to kill off one of your Dilbert characters, which one would it be and why?
Scott: I have a character named Ted the Generic Guy. I kill him whenever I need something bad to happen in the strip. After that, probably Dilbert, but he’d come back to life somehow later.
Tom: What newspaper(s) did your family subscribe to/read when you were a kid?
Scott: Albany Times Union
Tom: Which comic strip, past or present, would you like to crawl into and spend the day?
Scott: Sounds like a sad life any way you look at it. But I’d go with Mutts because I like pets.
Tom: Without looking, what color is Lucy Van Pelt’s dress?
Scott: I’m thinking yellow or red. My final answer is…yellow?
Tom: No. It’s actually blue.
Tom: What do you usually order at Starbucks?
Scott: Cafe Mocha (hot) with whipped cream.
Tom: Me too! Always.
Tom: Last book you read
Scott: Hard to Ignore by Dr. Carmen Simon.
Tom: What bores you?
Scott: Listening to someone describe food or TV shows.
Tom: Tell me about someone you envy.
Scott: Someone has a better life than I do? My life hasn’t always been easy, but at the moment it’s spectacular. I honestly can’t think of anyone I envy. (But envy isn’t a big part of my personality in general.)
Tom: Do you still feel that Trump will win the election? (I know you endorsed Hillary)
Scott: It wouldn’t be any fun if I changed my prediction now, would it? My prediction assumed Trump goes into a deep hole before powering out toward the end. So we are right on schedule.
Thanks, Scott. Good sport.
Scott has gone digital as many cartoonists have these days, but Stephan still uses pen and ink. They did a funny video, “Digital vs Analog,” a couple of years ago. Here it is.
Garry Trudeau, Doonesbury cartoonist, talks with Rachel Maddow about his early recognition of Trump as a political contender. He was almost psychic in his comics of 1987 and 1999.
But before that, there’s a funny scene from The Simpsons about the election.
I bought a few pieces of original comic art on Ebay today. I got an original Mutt and Jeff Sunday strip from July 16, 1961, by Al Smith and 10 Winnie Winkle originals by Frank Bolle, from February 1987. Frank drew Winnie two-up – meaning, two strips per page. The pages are 11.5″ x 16.5″
I bought these two sets outright but I bid on an original Bringing Up Father strip from February 21, 1945. I lost out on that one. I thought I had it and as is the case on ebay, someone swooped in at the last second and outbid me. That would have been a nice piece to have.
It’s pen and ink with slight blue pencil and Benday shading causing some staining as seen in scans below.
About 10 years ago, I bought this image of Dick Tracy drawn by Chester Gould and this shoe drawing by Andy Warhol. I don’t have any proof that these are real, but I believe they are. Warhol drew shoe ads for I Magnin, the department store, before the soup cans and before he became ANDY WARHOL.
A couple of years ago, I bought some Flintstone’s cells. I bought four of them, different images, signed by co-creator, Joe Barbera. But they are not cells from actual tv shows or movies so not sure of the value. I’ve tried to resell them over the years with no luck, but I actually like them so I don’t mind keeping them.
I think I may have found a new favorite place in New York City; in Brooklyn, to be exact.
I was wandering around the other day and I checked Google Maps on my iPhone and as I was navigating my way around, I noticed that the New York Transit Museum was highlighted on the map. I was right around the corner, so I walked over. The funny thing is that I couldn’t find the entrance to the museum until I realized that it’s the actual subway stop at the Court Street station. You literally walk down the subway steps and there is the museum. It’s two floors below street level.
On the first level there are lots of items from the past including turnstiles from almost every decade, there are old buses that are deconstructed and you can sit in them and get the feel of driving them.
The purpose of the museum is to “interpret and preserve the history, sociology and technology of land-based public transportation systems in New York City.” There are small replicas of stations from the past and rebuilt trolley models and the best part of all is down below. One platform below the main platform is a trip into the past. Old train cars from the past are right there on the tracks. The old cars are in almost perfect condition. There are cars from 1915 and 1925 and 1938 and so on. There are cars from the 1960s and the red cars you’ll remember from the 7 Line.
Vintage ads are all still in the cars, so you really feel as if you are going back in time when you enter the cars, ghosts of the past fill your mind, just seeing the worn seats and turnstiles makes you wonder and think of all the people who have used the mass transit so many years ago.
When I picture the past, I usually think of sepia tones, but the bright colors of the old cars are amazing.
The older the trains, the more comfortable they seemed to be. There were ceiling fans before air conditioning was introduced and as the years moved on, the trains became less luxurious and more plastic.
The older subway cars reminded me of the old trains you see on westerns, you know, the trains used for long distance travel across the country.
The New York Transit Museum is located at the corner of Boerum Place and Schermerhorn Street in Downtown Brooklyn and accessible by over 20 bus and subway lines. The entrance to the Museum is down two flights of stairs. A second wheelchair accessible entrance is located on the corner of Schermerhorn and Court Streets.
Hours
Tuesday-Friday: 10am – 4pm
Saturday & Sunday: 11am – 5pm
Closed Mondays and major holidays
Admission
Adults $7
Children (2-17) $5
Seniors 62+ $5, free on Wednesdays
Museum Members free
Children under the age of 17 must be accompanied by an adult.
10 With Tom
10 questions in 10 minutes
I got the chance to ask Stephan Pastis, creator of the comic strip, Pearls Before Swine, my Ten With Tom questions last July. I do the Ten With Tom feature once in awhile for the Huffington Post. Stephan has one of the most popular comic strips around, his tipping point was when Scott Adams, creator of the Dilbert comic strip, noticed his work and mentioned it in a blog post. The rest is history. His online readership went through the roof overnight.
He won the 2015 Reuben Award for best newspaper comic strip. I’m trying to follow in his footsteps with my comics, so it truly was an honor doing Ten With Tom with Stephan.
Do people mistake you for Seth Macfarlane?
I’ve heard that before, but the one I hear more is Robert Downey, Jr. I even had a restaurant owner in Dublin, Ireland tell me what an honor it was to have Robert Downey, Jr. in her restaurant. I told her that I appreciated it, but that I didn’t like to be disturbed while dining.
Why do you create your comics 7 months in advance, why so far ahead?
I’m anal retentive. I need to relax.
Are you recognized on the street?
Almost never. Except as Robert Downey Jr. in Dublin.
What are a few of your favorite classic newspaper comics from your childhood?
Far Side
Calvin and Hobbes
Peanuts
Bloom County
Flintstones or Scooby Do?
Scooby. There’s always someone trying to scare away prospective house buyers by filling it with fake ghosts and/or monsters. Knowing that the ghost thing is a sham, I could probably get a great deal on real estate.
Which comic strip would you like to crawl into and spend the day?
Krazy Kat. Lots of peyote and throwing bricks at others.
Dick Tracy or Little Orphan Annie?
It wouldn’t be Annie. Her lack of pupils would be disturbing, particularly if you fell in love. You could never look into her eyes.
What section of the printed daily newspaper today should be eliminated to add more comics?
Many of the comics.
Without looking, what color is Olive Oyl’s dress?
Top half of her is red. Bottom half of her is black. Both halves are probably stained by spinach.
Do you think you’ll ever go digital in creating Pearls Before Swine? Why?
No. Too lazy to learn. Plus, it doesn’t seem like something Robert Downey Jr. would do.
Thank you Stephan!
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