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The White Screen of Death

The saying is wrong. Deaths happen in fives, not threes. First Ed McMahon, then Farah Fawcett and Michael Jackson, then Billy Mays and his beard*, and finally, my iPhone. I picked up the phone about 1/2 hour ago and saw the white screen of death.

First came denial: Maybe I’d somehow booted up my “Flashlight” app. Or maybe it was the glare of the California sun. Maybe Al Qaida was jamming iPhones on Hollywood Boulevard and as soon as I turned the corner I would see my beloved home screen again.

Then came the anger: I paid $300 for this piece of shit just eight months ago! I was just minding my own business, walking home with my Hawaiian Barbecue. I didn’t hurt anybody! What business does it have crapping out on me in the middle of a busy street! Steve Jobs is going to pay for this! He’s going to paaaayyy!!!!!

Bargaining: I’m going to turn the phone off and wait ten seconds before rebooting it. If that works, I swear that after this meal, I will never eat meat again on a Tuesday evening from that particular barbecue place. For at least a week.

Then came depression: It’s no use. I can’t even turn it off. And now there are strange gray lines on the right side of the screen. Even Phaktor’s solution didn’t work. There’s nothing I can do. I’ll never save all my voice memos and that photo of a fire hydrant I took earlier today. They’re gone forever, like they never even existed in the first place. What’s the point of it all? There is no point. Because there is no phone.

Finally, acceptance: It’s no coincidence the phone died right now, just a week after the brand new video-capable iPhone 3Gs hit the streets. It’s a sign. I shall take it to the Apple Store, and if they tell me it cannot be fixed, as I know they shall, I will buy a new 32GB iPhone 3Gs. It’s the circle of life. Hakuna matata, old dead iPhone 3G. Hakuna matata.

*I’m posting this clip in tribute to my dear departed iPhone 3G:

***EDIT – And no, I’m not getting paid for posting this clip, I just find Billy Mays sticking his head in a box of kitty litter to be particularly funny.***

Candorville’s Twitter posts for the week ending 2009-06-28

  • A reader tells me today’s comic is too arcane for my audience. I say Google & YouTube make concept of “arcane” arcane. http://bit.ly/JbxzL #
  • Watching paparazzi film of ambulance w/ Michael Jackson’s dead body. Can’t cameras EVER leave him alone? #
  • Now we’ll NEVER know what “mama-say, mama-sa, ma-maku-sa” means. #
  • If any edcartoonists draw Michael Jackson moonwalking through the Pearly Gates I will personally beat them down w/ a sock full of quarters. #
  • I’ve got a sock full of quarters with Bruce Plante’s name on it. Try harder, cartoonistas! RT @gnostinews Http://tinyurl.com/ly9gda #
  • True story: Elderly reader just asked me about an Iran tweet I posted last week. Had to first tell him “twat” is not past-tense 4 “tweet.” #

Moonwalking Through the Pearly Gates

God. I didn’t really think any gainfully employed cartoonist would look at the Pigma Micron pen gripped between his/her fingers, then down at his/her 2-ply Strathmore Bristol paper, and think “Yeaaaah, THAT’s what I’m going to draw.” I was only half-kidding in my Twitter post yesterday, when I said “If any editorial cartoonists draw Michael Jackson moonwalking through the Pearly Gates, I will personally beat them down w/a sock full of quarters.”

That was a mistake. We’re in a Recession and I think an awful lot of cartoonists want my quarters. Here’s the first one I saw after a Tweeter sent me the link:

Bruce Plante
Tulsa World
Jun 26, 2009

I’m afraid to visit Cagle.com to see how far this virus has spread.

Candorville’s Twitter posts for the week ending 2009-06-21

  • Fox “News” tries 2 win 2009 Irony Award by being SHOCKED that we haven’t stood up & said (2 Iran) “stealing elections is unacceptable.” #
  • Paste yesterday’s Candorville in2 your 2009 tax return, send me proof & be entered 2 win signed copy of next Cville book http://bit.ly/DWjdf #
  • Obama Inauguration posters are now back in stock if you didn’t grab one the first time around: http://bit.ly/C99x #
  • The #IranElection battles sure are exciting. Their “Green Revolution” may actually bring about a kinder, gentler oppressive theocracy. #
  • Adventures in Idiocy: Just discovered #Indesign image catalogue script could do in 5 seconds wht ive spent the past 2 months doing by hand. #
  • Sen. Alexander (R) on CNN now. Sez govrun healthcare wastes 10% of its $$ so it’s better 2 help poor buy private insurance which wastes 25%. #
  • I was thinking about running #DiskDoctor on my #Macbook to get rid of some bugs, but I don’t want PETA coming after me. #
  • See America? THIS is how U respond 2 stolen elections. RT @Gul546 Video of Iran rally http://lurl.me/piseo4 #iranelection #gr88 #tehran #

Senator Ensign demands Senator Ensign’s resignation

Senator John Ensign demanding accountabilityNevada Senator John Ensign (R), “a leading conservative mentioned as a presidential candidate,” told reporters today that he is shocked and disappointed to learn he had an extramarital affair with an ex campaign staffer. He went on to demand his own resignation.

“This wouldn’t be making the national news if it was an ordinary affair,” Ensign said. “But I’m the guy who went on national TV and suggested that my fellow Republican Senator Larry Craig resign because he admitted to lewd conduct.”

Indeed, this is not the first time Senator Ensign has taken to the airwaves to demand accountability from another senator. In 2007, when Republican Senator Larry Craig was caught and convicted of trolling for sex in an airport men’s room, Ensign was unforgiving, saying “This wouldn’t be making the national news if it was an ordinary misdemeanor. He pled guilty to something that, you know lewd behavior, that’s not the behavior a United States senator should be engaged in.”

When he was informed that Nevada Senator John Ensign has praised Senator Ensign’s decision to call for Senator Ensign’s resignation, Senator Ensign explained that conservatives like him consider adultery to be lewd conduct, no matter with whom it’s committed. “If I held myself to a different standard than that to which I held Larry Craig, I would be admitting two things: First, I’d be admitting I’m a homophobe because I think Craig’s failed attempt at a homosexual tryst was worse than my successful – and very sweaty – heterosexual boot knocking. Second, I’d be admitting I’m a hypocrite. And I’m no hypocrite.”

So far, Ensign has received no reply from Ensign.

Candorville’s Twitter posts for the week ending 2009-06-14

  • Riding train thru majestic redwood 4est. Trees older than country. They’d make a gr8 bookcase & matching armoire. http://yfrog.com/5b5u9j #
  • Driving down PCH, looking at all the off-shore oil drilling rigs wrecking the view. Was about 2 complain, then I remembered we’re DRIVING. #
  • RT: Dick Cheney just refuses to get off my TV. Apparently during the years 2001-2008, his secret undisclosed location was the year 2009. #
  • Previous post re-tweeted for new followers & because I used it in a strip yesterday. #
  • Glad to be home. It’s just like the redwood forest I just visited, only with a lot less wood and a lot more plaster. #
  • It takes balls to publicly mock the IRS. But I’d like to keep mine, so I won’t.
    http://bit.ly/K8Z1I #
  • At banquet, watched drunk friend accept award & tell a story about how the guy sitting next 2 me was killed by the cops. Best. Monday. Ever. #
  • 88 year-old racist who denied Jews were victims of atrocities shoots up Holocaust Museum in attempt to win 2009 Irony Award. #
  • After Obama = Hate-mongers R shooting people cuz they fear their country is dying. Thank God it IS dying. I like the new one better. #
  • Called 2 ask bank 2 reverse newly-decreased credit line AND THEY DID. Gonna go buy lottery ticket & see where this unnatural luck takes me. #
  • GOP sez NO 2 public health plan b/c it’d kill HMOs. It’d be cheaper, more attractive & every1 would choose it. Yeah, save me from that, GOP! #
  • Grabbed “darrinbell” Facebook name in rush 2 beat 14 other Darrin Bell’s. Regret not picking “BarackObama” instead. http://bit.ly/ohJHH #

Twit Wisdom by Senator Grassley

As reported in today’s Boston Globe, eight year-old Republican Senator Chuck Grassley went straight to Twitter to vent his outrage at President Obama’s request that Congress deliver on the stalled healthcare reform legislation.

Grassley’s first tweet: “Pres Obama you got nerve while u sightseeing in Paris to tell us ‘time to deliver’ on health care. We still on skedul/even workinWKEND.”

A short time later: “Pres Obama while u sightseeing in Paris u said ‘time to delivr on healthcare’ When you are a ‘hammer’ u think evrything is NAIL I’m no NAIL.”

I’ve scanned through the Senator’s old twits looking for similar condemnations he must have issued every time President Bush said “I want that legislation on my desk” while vacationing at his ranch in Crawford, TX. I couldn’t find a single one. Call me crazy, but I suspect Twitter not having existed back then is only part of the reason.

Candorville’s Twitter posts for the week ending 2009-06-07

  • New blog post: What Time It Is? http://bit.ly/VPuRF #
  • Anyone else having iTunes problems? First all apps on iPhone stopped working. Then tried logging into account on iTunes & got error message. #
  • My iPhone apps won’t open & I need their data b4 I restore. How can I see the directories & drag files stored by 3rd party apps to my Mac? #
  • Fixed #iPhone by restoring from oldest backup. Wonder if I can also fix credit score that way. #
  • New blog post: Where’s Cheney? part 1 http://bit.ly/ahbGD #
  • #Candorville starts in Santa Cruz Sentinel 2day. Will break in2 stands & autograph all papers when there this weeknd. Hope fans have bail $. #
  • Walking thru supermarket, noticed a vibrating razor. 5 sharp blades. Vibrating. Yeah, that sounds like a good idea. Naturally I bought it. #
  • Note 2 self: go on Amazon.com, buy shoulder-mounted insect-devouring lizard for next mid-day hike through Griffith Park. #
  • REALLY weird vibe in #Griffith_Park 2day. Guys keep stopping mid-trail& staring@me&each other. Finally stared back&1 dude ducked bhind tree. #
  • New blog post: Fan-Made “Green Lantern” Movie Trailer http://bit.ly/4A9Sb #
  • New blog post: Where’s Cheney? part 2 http://bit.ly/VJoLm #
  • New blog post: Where’s Cheney? part 3 https://www.candorville.com/2009/06/ #
  • Just saw Tom Hanks get smashed by huge meteor on Tonight Show. This was actually the original ending 4 “Angels & Demons.” True story. #
  • NEW COMIC: Dick Cheney’s In the Closet
    http://tinyurl.com/rbz8tf #
  • There were clouds today but no rain. Then the sun came out & it rained. Now rain’s gone but clouds are back. It must not be opposite day. #
  • Ken Burns sent me ALL his documentaries in xchange 4 a signed Candorville print. Speechless now. http://yfrog.com/0nvulpayj #
  • Readers R funny. Use “you’re” when u should use “your” ONCE & ur illiterate. Even though you’ve used your & you’re correctly for 5 years. #
  • Ate a sandwich while hiking on the trail. Came home. Sat on couch & had trail mix for lunch. Something’s wrong here. #
  • On road trip to Santa Cruz. It’s a tour of California wildlife: oxen, cattle, rest stop perverts… http://yfrog.com/29gjyj #

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