Thursday, November 14, 2013

CHILL OUT BILL SCHMALFELDT! #Photoshop


I am continuing to explore digital effects for the purpose of doing comic strips.  Doing comics is fun and satire is a very effective weapon against idiocy and error.

I have again used Bill Schmalfeldt of Maryland as a subject, since the cartoonist at Kimberlinunmasked.com has used him, and I wanted to use Bill as a standard for comparison.  I created the Photoshop as a learning exercise, exploring the use of various filters and effects, and I may as well post it.

I don't know Bill Schmalfeldt, but he is a liberal writer and blogger who has greatly angered some conservatives, apparently by sending them a stream of twitter messages filled with anger, insulting comments and misstatements of fact.  Bill seems to have an inexhaustible supply of anger, and such anger seems unwarranted, self destructive and ill advised.  I have no animosity towards Bill; he, like I, is an older guy who likes to express himself on political issues.  However, I am puzzled by his degree of anger and by his behavior, especially towards a blogger named W.J.J. Hoge, who blogs at Hogewash.com.  Hoge obtained a "peace order" in a Maryland court last June, asking that Bill stop harrassing him with angry twitter mail and other communications.  Bill appealed the peace order and lost, and shortly thereafter started up sending the same stream of vitriol towards Hoge.  Hoge then served Bill with legal papers, an order to show cause as to why Bill should not be held in contempt of court for massive violation of the peace order.

This week a warrant for Bill's arrest was issued, then cancelled, then reinstated.  Bill may be sitting in a cell even as this is written.  I would ask Bill, if I could, "For God's sake, why, Bill?"  Bill could write as much as he wants, rant as much as he wants, tweet as much as he wants, and no one would really care, as long as he doesn't turn criticism into a personal vendetta against anyone.

If Bill doesn't stop this nonsense, one is tempted to conclude that he has some kind of mental problem.  Seek help, Bill.  Fifty milligrams of Zoloft a day, a cup of coffee and a good cigar are what work for me.

And here's my latest Photoshop of you, Bill.  Use it as you see fit, and everyone else can too.

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