IV KIKS Zikison

2009 Web Contest
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Layout by Kiks/Zikison
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I'll be in the Jury of the IV KIKS Zikison Web Competition
(along with David Baldinger, Ismail Kar, Julian Pena Pai
and Zoran Matic Mazos, founder of Kiks Zikison)

Please check out the rules of this contest at this page
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Virginia Tech Massacre :

Lest We Forget

© 2007 - Ben Heine

Video of David
Baldinger Working

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(Ben Heine © Cartoons)

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Video I Tossed Together
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By David Baldinger

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I wanted to make a short video showing myself working. It was a bit difficult holding a camera and drawing at the same time so excuse the “shaky cam”. Normally I do all my coloring on the computer since I have a tendency to mess real media up.

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--> Also visit David's blog: http://dbaldinger.com/blog

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David Baldinger
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(Ben Heine © Cartoons)

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This is a new portrait of my North American friend David Baldinger. He draws brilliant cartoons for the People's Weekly World. You can see his political artwork on his website, his blog or his Deviant Art page Also read the interview I had with him a few months ago...
Keep doing what you do, David, you rock !

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David in 1966...
:)
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Below is the comment David left to this post :
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Ben, I would argue about the "brilliant" part but I am glad we are friends even over this great distance. The Internet has truly changed the world. Before, I would have been very isolated and unaware of so many great people. I remember growing up as a child out in the countryside of Pennsylvania. I was surrounded by nothing but dairy and horse farms. We had four channels of television--only one of which really opened horizons. That was our Public Broadcasting Service. Through that channel, I was introduced to films from around the world, classical music, art, world animation and great science programs. I consider that channel to have been instrumental in developing my world view. A world view that can see the history and culture of everyone who inhabites this small planet and that the USA is not the center of the universe. I am not a citizen of just the USA, I am a citizen of planet Earth. I am overjoyed that this latest technology has made my personal family so large. I include you, Steve, Dean, Ann, Izzi, Carlos and so many others as my new family. Thank you Ben for honoring me with such a fantastic picture and thank you all, my new family for your constant support and encouragement. Without that support, I don't know if I would continue trying to work through my constant and sometimes debilitating pain. You all make it worthwhile. My greatest wish is that one day I will be able to really meet you all.
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Thanks for using all these new technologies to spread a global message, David, one day we'll meet for sure.
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(Ben Heine © Cartoons)
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Madness in America

By David Baldinger

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Here from the belly of the beast, I must say that the airwaves, cable lines and all the other media outlets are filled with the usual "grieving America" platitudes. Unfortunately it's all a load of bullshit. Except for the family and friends actually touched by this madness, it really is business as usual for the public. It is sickening to say that I believe most people, while horrified, think of this as one of those unavoidable tragedies that happens in a "free and open society." This society has come to expect these kinds of shootings. Sort of like, "oh there's another nut job blowing people away, oh well...Who is Paris Hilton dating?" It has become all so ho-hum to most. It gives the useless news media here something to pretend to analyze. They fumble over each other trying to be the first with the latest info. Generally all we get is bad information and speculation by dim-witted talking heads.

Of all the rights guaranteed by the amendments of the US Constitution, the only one that seems to be absolutely sacrosanct and untouchable is the 2nd. This is the famous "right to bear arms" amendment. The fact that it was intended so that there would be an armed citizen militia is usually overlooked. It is viewed as a license to own every outrageous type of assault weapon ever devised. These are the rights of "hunters" and "gun hobbyists" and can not be infringed. Now free speech, free press and the right of free assembly are guaranteed rights in the Constitutions also but the government has no problem circumventing those. Does anyone complain about this? Not really. Let someone suggest more gun control and all Hell breaks loose. This is the lunacy of "America" in 2007. I can hardly wait for the next couple of years.

UPDATE : My theories of what the actual reactions would be have been correct. Already, the gun nuts are saying that instead of controlling guns, everyone should carry one. Their logic is this: if someone had been armed, that person could have stopped the maniac. I guess forward thinking is obviously not a common American trait. I can image the increase in shootings over petty arguments and other perceived insults. If you have a gun, you are most likely to use it. There is actually a Virginia legislator who introduced a bill (turned down thankfully) that would have allowed students to carry concealed weapons. Totally frickin' nuts! I thinking there is little hope that the USA will be anything other than a madhouse.
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Just Peachy by David Baldinger

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