You can’t know the excitement here about…a Freeway. The worst freeway. The one everyone hates to hate, the 405. The warnings started weeks ago, and lighted signs everywhere else let us know that even on the East side we’re not safe.

They’re closing the Freeway for July 16 and 17 for 10 miles – but they really start work at 7 PM on Friday night, so it’s 2 1/2 days. Just like the riots, they’re warning everyone not to go anywhere. I guess we’re allowed to walk, since they’re into fitness, however.

405 shut down cartoon, as a portent for the future rapture - or rupture

Not that they’re improving the freeway – they’re tearing down a bridge. Half a bridge. The other half comes down a year later, but they aren’t publicizing this part as much, because then everyone would know what an assy plan this is.

I know Rob Long, and he’s a funny and clever guy, but I don’t get his take on the freeway closure here. There’s nothing funny about it…it’s just true. The 405 is horribly unpredictable and terrible.

Cartoon caption: THE PROLOGUE TO THE RAPTURE: The 405 Freeway shuts down July 16 to 17.

Interpretation of cartoon: Well, it’s funny! I saw a postcard years ago of one of the original Rapture paintings, and never forgot it, with people flying out of car crashes, graves, etc, into the sky. I was truly shocked. (Although I’m easily shocked). Somehow that stuck in my head with cars being thrown off the Freeway. Both are sort of unlikely, but hey, one of them is happening this weekend.

Found a good source for all Rapture paintings, and you can see the one I was thinking of there. I give you this link with some reservation, however: the site is called something like Jesus needs new PR, but it is both un-Christian and unethical and BAD BLOGGING for him to use all those images and not link to anyone or mention the artist in any of them!! So there!!

This cartoon also runs in Daily News this weekend.

More cartoons:

1. Second Amendment cartoon on the 4th of July.
2. Am I mean?

Are really good brownies considered a medical miracle?

Oh, that’s interesting. I went to latimes.com to see what was new on the topic and this is the top article:

Peron, a hero to the marijuana movement, started the first dispensary in San Francisco and led the state’s medical marijuana initiative. Now, he and a team of weed-loving friends hope to turn the 106-room Normandie into America’s first pot-friendly hotel.

Well, the article has a particularly boring title, and it must be a slow news day, but you get the idea.

Here’s a poll that says most Americans don’t want legalized pot.

Respondents were skeptical that crime would spike if marijuana is decriminalized or that it would lead more people to harder drugs like heroin or cocaine. There also was a nearly even split on whether government spends too much or the right amount enforcing marijuana laws. Almost no one thinks too little is spent.

Marijuana use — medically and recreationally — is getting more attention in the political arena. California voters will decide in November whether to legalize the drug, and South Dakota will vote this fall on whether to allow medical uses. California and 13 other states already permit such use.

Wow, I didn’t know until I read this that California might legalize it. I can’t stand it on a personal level – druggies are the most boring people in the world, and the smell is nauseating – but I say go for it, get everything legalized, and take your bong and smoke into your bedroom.

LA Curbed has more on the hotel as “stoner-friendly.”

But brownies? I’m up for them any time. Recipes, anyone?

Caption: Medical Marijuana – Sal’s Bakery New: Laugh-a-lot brownies. Crunchy munchies cookies. There! Didn’t I tell you this would happen?

Am I right here?  Will a pot store in the neighborhood lead to better brownies? I did this cartoon for CalWatchdog, the new state watchdog in Sacramento. All my new California cartoons are over there first. They also have comments over there.

I have to say, I think this cartoon is SO DAMN CUTE. And I’m pretty sure I’ve seen stores in this same blue and red many places in LA – or maybe it’s just in my head.

More cartoons:

1. Happy Halloween to the White House Scrooge.
2. Obama, pedophile priests, political Cartoons for April, 2010.

It’s unbelievable, this wretched fire is still burning in places, several weeks later. KHTS:

The Station Fire is 94 percent contained, with full containment now expected September 22. So far, the incident has consumed 160,557 acres of the Angeles National Forest which has not seen major fire activity in more than 40 years. It is the largest fire in the recorded history of Los Angeles County and the 10th largest in California history.

As it turns out, my cartoon is right; there was an arsonist, although I have much stronger words for him than crazy. They’ve established that it’s arson – caused by “some substance” – and it’s homicide, since 2 firefighters died. (also, at least thousands of animals, birds, reptiles and trees – DB)

I was really happy that Daily News ran this cartoon the week of the fire. Not much to contribute, but at least I was doing something to bring awareness to the tragedy. I also took photos and posted them on my park blog; I wanted to get the word out that once again, the whole Los Angeles area is vulnerable to wildfires, because OUR TRUCKS AREN’T STRONG ENOUGH.

But FINALLY -okay, I won’t ask why it took them so long – good old neighbor to the North Canada sent us 2 Super Scoopers! . :( Best part? We get to keep the SuperScoopers til December!

Because I wanted to get the fawn just right – vulnerable, yet real – I looked up photos and for some strange reason, found several of fawns with horses! I could not believe how beautiful, cute,  and squee-worthy these were! Aahhh…!

More photos like this at gentlehorses.com.

And the animalliberationfront includes a story of how they saved this fawn from some coyotes!! Amazing!

Cartoon Caption: Smokey the Bear asks, Can YOU prevent forest fires? Government bailouts? US Forest Service? Local Fire Depts? Crazy arsonists? Careless smokers?

I know, government bailouts don’t seem to fit in with the rest, but the money the state got SHOULD have been used for fire protection in this terrible fire-prone state.

More cartoons:

1. 9-11.
2. California is the place you ought to be – maybe.

"Michael Jackson's funeral cost the city of LA $4 million! LA is asking for Paypal donations. Mayor Villaraigosa says, why didn't Michael die somewhere else? Now Schwarzenegger will really be on my case." ©D.Barstow 2009

No doubt Michael Jackson would have loved it. I’m embarrassed to be living in this city. Doesn’t LA asking for Paypal donations sound like a cartoon or joke all by itself? But it’s true! Los Angeles is a dreamer, all right.

This cartoon is kind of an in-joke to Californians: Mayor Villaraigosa was gone, touring, traveling, who knows what, during the whole Michael debacle. He’s out of the city a whole hella lot. I have no idea if he and Schwarzenegger are friends, enemies, BFF, or avoid each other. Fun to imagine, though.

Here, some Facebook friends and I discuss the issue:  

Me: I find it revolting that part of LA was shut down, and tickets were given out through a LOTTERY for a singer who retired and lived abroad. I hope he’s out of the news now so I don’t have to do a cartoon about MJ.

J. MJ was an icon. You can’t deny him that. Celebrated pedophile, yes, but he did live in California for quite a while. It is what it is.

G. He never retired, Donna. He retreated. And what’s wrong with holding a lottery? You can always turn off the TV.
Like him or not, stars don’t get any bigger and there is no denying his talent and contribution to humanitarian causes. As for the charges and accusations that were brought against him, we live in a country where a person is innocent… Read More until proven guilty. I don’t know what truly went on in Jackson’s personal life. He may have been a pedophile or he may have been a childish man with a kind heart who exercised some very bad judgment.
The bottom line is that the world lost an icon. Fortunately, he left us the gift of his music.

J: Clever PR? Oh God, Donna…. the guy is dead. :(

G:  You’re just chomping at the bit to do an MJ cartoon, aren’t you?
This is going to get interesting.

Me: Both of you brought up that he was a pedophile! Not me. I don’t believe it.
What I do believe is that the entire SPECTACLE, televised funeral, memorial, TICKETS was all carefully orchestrated, and I really resent all this excess manufactured adoration that is treating him like some kind of saint. I don’t find him interesting, and his funeral is certainly not worthy of this hype.

J:He was amazing. He was a pedophile. He had addictions. He was a human.
Jesus said he who is without sin may cast the first stone.

Famous New Yorker Cartoonist: Oh, oh…tell me that’s not MJ’s portrait they’re carving on Mt. Rushmore.

Me: Rev Sharpton wants to make it a national holiday! Oh, PLEASE.

G: I was addressing J’s comment, not yours, Donna, when I replied about the accusations.
It’s not “manufactured adoration” and I don’t see him being “sainted.” (In fact, I was surprised that one of the speakers at the memorial mentioned the negative aspects of Jackson’s life.) His music MOVED generations of people, all over the world. People are genuinely, deeply saddened by his passing.
As for the so-called “spectacle,” have you forgotten that The Jacksons are a show business family and AEG a leading entertainment company? Of course, the memorial was carefully orchestrated. Events of this magnitude and caliber don’t happen by accident. From a business aspect, with a stake in their fallen superstar, I’m sure AEG wants to boost public interest for future DVD sales. And The Jackson Estate has many outstanding debts to pay…. Read More
But NONE of this diminishes Jackson’s impact and legacy as a performer. And billions of people find him worthy of this grand farewell.

Not me. Now, get out of the news, Michael.

* LAObserved reports that the Mayor has stopped begging for money at Twitter. No word on if the Paypal Donation requests remain up. :)

More cartoons:

1. Turn in your red meat! Guns are okay, too.
2. 9/11 Cartoon in 2009.