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They say you should look for the silver lining in bad situations. The current real estate is so bad that the silver lining is pretty hard to find. Still, it has given rise to a large number of jokes. At the end of the day, a good laugh can go a long way to helping you hang in there.

I listed a maintenance free house. In the last 25 years there hasn’t been any maintenance.

Definition of “potential” in real estate ads - Grim. Steer clear unless you have a lot of money and believe your blind dates really did have nice personalities. See “Ready to Rehab,” and “Fixer Upper.”

The dream of the older generation was to pay off a mortgage. The dream of today’s young families is to get one.

This country is great. It’s the only place where you can borrow money for a downpayment, get a 1st and 2nd mortgage and call yourself a homeowner.

Q: When is a one-story house a two-story house? A: You get one story before you buy and the second story after.

My real estate agent always gives 100 percent: 12% Monday, 23% Tuesday, 40% Wednesday, 20% Thursday and 5% Friday.

If you want to know exactly where the property line is, just watch the neighbor cut the grass.

Did you hear about Robin Hood’s house? It has a little John.

Definition of “one of a kind” in real estate ads - Architect was a heroin addict. So ugly, the neighbors are pooling money to have it demolished!

Yes, the kitchen is a bit small, but with a mortgage like this you won’t do much cooking anyway.

The current real estate market may seem utterly bleak andwell, it is! Sooner or later, however, it will turn around. When it does, you’ll look back on this rough stretch andlaugh.

Humor is a subjective art. It is prone to being offensive or not offensive enough, and arriving at the perfect middle ground between these two extremes is a talent that’s difficult to master. Only a handful of performers throughout the years have been able to accomplish this most daunting of tasks.

What is the progression of the funny film? The answer to this can be as different as the actors involved in them. But if we really look into it, we are able to see trends in comedy throughout the years.

People first started flocking to films in the early 1900s. It wasn’t long before creators of these films realized that many of these people would appreciate a chuckle as much as they would the more serious entertainment of dramatic movies. This is how comedy in film was born. Since then, it has taken on a life of its own and gone in many different directions.

The moviegoer’s preference has always been a personal and ever-changing matter. This applies not just to comedic releases, but to all genres. As a result of this, all genres have to adapt from one moment to the next, resulting in a level of sophistication that waxes and wanes.

Limitations of technology through the years have also most certainly played a part in the resulting films that have come out of any given era. The first films were silent, therefore the stars of that era had to work with what they had. Timing and physical comedy held a major role in the show. Consider the slapstick humor made famous by people such as Charlie Chaplin.

The innovation of sound in film brought the performers whole new ways of practicing their craft. One of the first to perfect an act centered around this new style of entertainment was The Three Stooges. They are responsible for 190 short films, many of which are beloved to this day.

The next technological innovation to come along and change the way things were done was the television. The 1950s saw many films being turned into episodes to accommodate a weekly television schedule. Who among us who grew up in that era doesn’t fondly remember “The Honeymooners?”

The next clear advancement in comedic endeavors would be due not to a bright, new technology, but to a bold, new style. Woody Allen introduced a way of doing things that entailed infusing his characters with colloquy that was well above average. This brand of exceptional speech represented a clear break from anything that resembled the sight gag, and brought in a new era.

Film serves, in part, as a window into the past. We can count ourselves lucky to live in such times when this window is so easily available to anyone interested in looking through it. The next time you’re searching for something to do, why not rent several comedic releases of bygone times, and witness the progression for yourself.

Comedy’s real king may have you fooled. You might be surprised that more people view newspaper and Internet cartoons than all the funny movies, sitcoms, late night shows, and stand-up comedians put together.

In today’s fast-paced world, not surprisingly, many simply do not have time to get their “humor fix” within a thirty minute or hour period. If you really think about it, even when listening to a joke, these days, in person, if it goes beyond twenty to thirty seconds, you are no longer listening, are you? I know I’m yawning by then.

A cartoon tells an entire story in a mere millisecond, and, it may take a few more seconds for the reader to “get it”, based on their own “laughter quotient”, but it can be quite satisfying, and does the trick. A good cartoon that a person enjoys, can actually elevate their mood, or so says science.

My point is not to tell you to boycott Jay Leno, Jon Stewart, Conan, or reruns of Frazier or Seinfeld. They are all very funny, to me, and many others, and I have to see a film in the genre of “Being There”, “Meet The Fokkers” or even an Austin Powers once in awhile. But when I have time.

So we find ourselves living in a world with both joys and disappointments daily, it is nice, no pertinent to have a quick humor fix. No other venue can do that like a cartoon, specifically a single panel cartoon, which, if not wordy, satiates me in a way I love to have my funny-bone stroked.

I hereby submit my complication review favorite single-panel cartoons in the order of which I think they satisfy and/or are the funniest. Of course all humor is subjective, so you may have another take on it. In any case, these are my top 6 choices. Londons Times Cartoons is one you might want to bookmark as there are over 8000 cartoons by Rick London and they are funny. Off TheMark by Mark Parisi also has a large inventory but not quite the size as Londons Times. Londons Times are 99% in color, which is oh so joyful for viewing and chuckling (sometimes very loud).

1. Londons Times Cartoons 2. Speed Bump 3. Rubes 4. Off The Mark 5. Dr. Fun 6. Strange Brew

I love to wax nostalgic, thinking back to being a toddler, and, yes, I do remember, and watching Popeye on television. He was my idol and saint. Bluto was the devil. I fantasized being Olive Oyl, the damsel in distress, always fought over and always saved by you know who.

Later, I learned about newspapers and Charlie Brown, Lucy, Snoopy, and others of the Peanut’s gang became my heroes.

As I became more cartoon-savvy, I started searching for yet more gems in print, which, as a teen, led me to Mad Magazine, Cracked Magazine, and even Playboy (would you believe I was one of the few who read Playboy for the cartoons); okay there was a little more to it than just the cartoons, but I found them very funny. Especially cartoons by Gahan Wilson.

In time, I put all the comics in a box in the closet, andgot on with real life, and, when I had the time, would take the time to find a funny one, which was not easy. My tastes were changing, but the cartoons in the newspapers were getting repetitive and boring.

Enter Gary Larson’s Far Side. I was hooked on cartoons during the entire 1980’s and part of the 1990’s. Even on his worst days, Gary Larson found a way to make me laugh. A good Far Side, and they were usually very good, if not excellent, cut to the chase, and in a tiny one panel frame, told me more than the entire editorial page could convey in any newspaper. I was a happy camper. One of the saddest days of my life was when Gary retired in the early 1990’s.

I kept the faith, and, sure enough, there were others with attempts to fill “the Far Side gap” such as Rubes, Close To Home, Strange Brew, and a number of others. Speed Bump by Dave Coverly came the closest. I still enjoy Dave’s cartoon. It is a 9 out of 10; one can rely on it to be funny.

Finally came another true master. A true original named Rick London founder of Londons Times Cartoons; now, the top offbeat cartoon on the Internet. I have been following Rick’s creative ventures since 1997 when he launched this incredibly funny cartoon. There were less than 100 color cartoons up by 1998. By 2005, he had over 6500 cartoons up (mostly color) and now has nearly 8000. His site, not surprisingly, is one of the top Alexa rated sites on the Internet. Nearly ten million people have visited his website.

He now even owns e-stores selling thousands of products bearing his cartoon images such as LTSuperstore, RickLondonWear, RickLondonCollection, JustFunnyAprons, JustFunnyHoodies, JustFunnyGreetingCards, MirthGirthBirth, AThongInMyHeart, JustFunnyMousepads, and others. The funny gifts and collectibles are as funny if not funnier than the cartoons. I usually buy them for gifts, but have to buy two of each as it is so hard to give them away (I always keep one for myself).

I cannot say enough about Londons Times Cartoons and Rick London. If you’ve not seen his cartoon site, or stores, I highly recommend to do so now.

It seems like a lifetime ago that mom would take me shopping. I had the most fun in the grocery store, for whatever reason, but, as I matured into my teens, fashion and grooming stores became more interesting. Like a lot of teenage boys, upon new information, girls were suddenly a lot more interesting. And to our (boys) surprise, we were becoming interesting to them as well, though, they were better at hiding it. A new thing was happening to us…relationships. They were so much fun back then. Life was simpler. No bills to pay. Never an argument about finances. Those were the days.

Then came a new thing for us kids, sort of brought in from England. Rebellion! I was barely out of third grade. I was still purchasing everything based on my mom’s opinion. Suddenly new clothes were hitting the market that had been worn by the Beatles just a few Sundays before on the Ed Sullivan Show. Though most of us opted out of the nice black suits the Beatles wore, we did want the haircut and sundry other items that became merchandise. Mom was shocked when she gave me some money to buy some new clothes and I came home with mostly t-shirts of my favorite rock groups. By then, the Fab Four had spawned a slew of others from the U.K and many American bands wanting in on the act. Whomever I saw, I demanded the t-shirt. Whether it be The Strawberry Alarm Clock, The Box Tops and later Alice Cooper, Pink Floyd, David Bowie, and so many others, if there was some memorabilia attached to this music, if it was out there, I would go “on the hunt” and spend my allowance on it.

I like malls as well as the next guy, and I still go every now and again, but my expectations are never too high. I rarely find the kind of unique products I must have. We all know there are specialty stores on the Internet that cater just to us. It really depends on one’s tastes. I enjoy these stores because they remind me of my days of youth when I could really sink my teeth into shopping, and, to me, everything looked new and pristine, and different.

Hunting is deeply ingrained in our culture (or any culture), even if we are not members of the NRA nor hunt animals. We love to search and research and find the best, the brightest, and the truly unique gifts or merchandise. It is true human nature to the core.

We are hunters and gatherers by nature, and satisfying that primal urge puts us in touch with ourselves, how we feel. Hence the zen. It is so deeply ingrained in us, though we no longer physically do it, now we love the ease of shopping online, and more importantly being able to find “what is all the craze” without having to drive all over town to try to find it, usually only to be disappointed. Again, I am not saying I have boycotted brick and mortar stores, anything but.

I continue to patronize Wal-mart and other nearby stores for my staple needs. But chances are very good, if I know I want a unique gift or collectible, I am going to find it online.

For the “hunter’s zen” in us, almost nothing is more satisfying to find a very unique gift for a very unique person, and find it at an online store. It really is a great feeling to click that mouse and the postman has it to you within a few days.

Humans are visual animals. We react to what we see. And to a lesser degree, we are auditory. Sounds can cause a reaction.

So you may be asking, “Cartoons too?”

We often feel better when we are laughing. Many eastern philosophers and yoga experts believe that the laughing chakra is in the same area as the sex chakra. I guess the powerful lesson here is to use them wisely and not at the same time. In other words this could be very upsetting to a soul-mate unless you can tactfully explain that your laughter chakra short-circuited during lovemaking. Stranger things have happened I guess. One caveat: If you are the female partner and should this happen to you, please respond, without missing a beat, the predictable compliment/lie “But size doesn’t matter, it is your brain I love the most.” Uh huh.

Men know better but we play along with a smile.

Cartoons are really nothing more than a small piece of art (again, not that size matters) , hopefully humorous, that tell a much longer story, using what I like to call “extreme editing”. Though we call ourselves writers, we truly are more editors than writers. Yes, we can write, and, though a cartoon may not have any caption or “word bubble” at all, generally some text is added to “drive the point home” Most cartoonists are instinctively aware, though, that if it can be done with no wording, a picture only, that is a triple bonus to the psyche, and, when we can occasionally do that, we get complimented way beyond our actual talents. And it makes us look all that much better.

Because cartoonists have such an impact on our society, we often think of them as “bigger than life”. I can assure you, being one, we are just like everyone else. We just don’t crave the limelight; but the limelight craves us, it appears. This fascinates people. When you mention names like Charles Schulz or Gary Larson, some wonder if they are or were even in the same species. They are. They simply enjoy making people laugh.

So laughter, humor, and cartoons all contain zen, if you will. As long as we are alive and breathing, we will love to laugh. And cartoonists, hopefully, will serve it to us on a silver platter. That is our goal.

The most sensual and visual animal is known as the human. We react to what we see. And to a lesser degree, we are auditory. Sounds can cause a reaction too, and the combination of them can change our lives. But even one of the other can do the same, if, it changes our perception of things. Especially in the realm of humor.

So what does all this have to do with zen and funny things we love to see?

Laughter feels good, and there is a good reason for that. Many eastern philosophers and yoga experts believe that the laughing chakra is in the same area as the sex chakra. I guess the powerful lesson here is to use them wisely and not at the same time. In other words this could be very upsetting to a soul-mate unless you can tactfully explain that your laughter chakra short-circuited during lovemaking. Stranger things have happened I guess. One caveat: If you are the female partner and should this happen to you, please respond, without missing a beat, the predictable compliment/lie “But size doesn’t matter, it is what you do with it.”

I never bought this line, and don’t think it should ever be mentioned, but nevertheless, it is what I classify as an “ego test”. A woman will say it, simply for the reaction to see how strong our ego is and how secure we males feel.

Cartoons are truly nothing more than a small piece of art (but size doesn’t matter of course), hopefully humorous, that tell a much longer story, using what I like to call “extreme editing”. Though we call ourselves writers, we truly are more editors than writers. Yes, we can write, and, though a cartoon may not have any caption or “word bubble” at all, generally some text is added to “drive the point home” Most cartoonists are instinctively aware, though, that if it can be done with no wording, a picture only, that is a triple bonus to the psyche, and, when we can occasionally do that, we get complimented way beyond our actual talents. But that’s ok. The male ego loves stroking.

Because cartoonists have such an impact on our society, we often think of them as “bigger than life”. I can assure you, being one, we are just like everyone else. We just don’t crave the limelight; but the limelight craves us, it appears. This fascinates people. When you mention names like Charles Schulz or Gary Larson, some wonder if they are even in the same species. They are. They simply enjoy making people laugh.

There is a zen to laughter and humor and it begins in that silly chakra. Always keep that chakra open, as, as long as there is life, there will be humor. And as long as there will be humor, there will be cartoonists.

Though the cow is not man’s best friend, it is often his best food, or at least best-tasting food, and is possibly the funniest animal on the planet. Though this may be hard for some city-dwellers to fathom, I can assure you Mississippians and other inhabitants of the southeastern states were laughing at cows long before The Far Side was a twinkle in Gary Larson’s eye.

In my youth, and even beyond, I would often imagine cows asking each other questions, gossiping and their take on bulls. “Got Milk?”, was not one of the most asked questions. It was a given. But as we would pass the cows, and there were many, down the many lazy country roads in Ms. we would make believe, as children, that we were the cows talking to each other. Of course our intrepretation paled in comparison to The Far Side but we were able to produce belly-laughs.

“This is simply an isolated southern thing,” I used to think to myself. then came the Internet. By the time I was twenty, I was already collecting “All Things Bovine” as were so many of my peers. It was just the thing to do. Corn was semi-funny, but how many puns and jokes could be made from corn aside from “The Jolly Green Giant had to have been a stalker” or “The Jolly Green Giant’s son is grounded after school as he was caught viewing web corn”. Corny, sure, but had to be said.

I wish cotton had been funny. It was cheaper and much more accessable than cows. But alas, cotton is benign.

The Internet has taught me that cow collectibles, or “cowlectibles” as I like to call them, are valued worldwide. So I got into the business. I sound like the Hair Club For Men president, “I liked it so much I bought the business”.

Maybe it is the way they stare at us with their souldful brown eyes. Perhaps it is the way they stand patiently while being milked for all they have.

Maybe it’s because Ol’ McDonald had a cow e-i-e-i-o. Who knows? We just love our cows.

Before my first (of many) experiences with higher education, when my peers were all checking out med schools, law schools, and how to become CPA’s, I was trying to figure out what cow items would sell the best. I would be the cow selling king of Mississippi if not the world. I had grandoise udderly silly ideas that remain with me.

With a little research behind my belt, I have discovered that many of the most popular cow collectibles today come in the form of funny cartoons manufactured onto products. Aprons, hoodies, t shirts, mouse pads, and other types of gifts that can be utilized are favorites of many. This pertains to me too. I collect a great many cow t shirts for instance and sometimes sweatshirts, a few aprons and mousepads, but I always like them to be funny or silly. I thought silly was a trend, as did my parents (or at least they hoped), but, it became my life.

Humans love to “see” things. And the funnier the things, the more impact they have on our emotions. We instinctively know that if we are not feeling well, sad, blue, depressed or whatever, we can look at a funny picture or cartoon or product featuring a cartoon, and we will often “snap out of it” and even share it with a friend or neighbor.

This is why “cowtoon collectibles” make great gifts as well. I give them to people who grew up in the city. Oddly enough, they seem to enjoy them even more. Maybe its because many of them were not used to seeing cows growing up, and, upon first glance, notice the beauty and serenity of the cow persona (is there a cow persona?); well there is now.

Rick London founded Londons Times Cartoons in 1997. After ten years, it has shot to the top of the Alexa rankings and lures over 4.5 milion visitors per year. He also owns estores that feature his cow cartoons on all sorts of funny gifts and collectibles.

Rick London’s cartoon site is an animal-lovers delight. It is chock full of animal images, but none is more popular and funny than the aardvark. Aardvark Dentistry is the name of one of their most classic favorites and the cartoonist has decided to do a little research on the aardvark. This is the fascinating information he found. If you are looking for aardvarks, you need to go south of the Sahara Desert in Africa. “Earth Pig” is what the Africans call them, and, in fact, the name ardvark means “earth pig”. So, makes sense to me. Their body somewhat resembles a pig which probably has a lot to do with that. But why they call them earth pigs, since regular pigs do not fly (to my knowledge) is beyond me. Their tails resemble a kangaroo’s and ears like a rabbit. Aardvarks are nocturnal.

Actually they burrow fairly deep holes where they rest during the day, since the sun is so hot in that part of the world, and, only come out at night. At sundown, the aardvark goes on its hunt for it’s favorite cuisine, termites. It will also eat ants, but prefers termites, and of course, wouldn’t you? Their hunting and gathering of this delicacy is rather systematic. It digs through the hard shell of a mound with its front claws and with its long sticky tongue, eats what is in the mound, hopefully termites. It has the ability to close its nostrils preventing insects and dust from getting in its nostrils,and has a very thick skin which prevents biting from the live ants and/or termites.

The female species of aardvarks typically give birth to one newborn each year. Baby aardvarks with their mother for about six months before moving out and digging their own burrows, which can be extensive dwellings with many multiple doorways. Oddly enough, almost as odd as the aardvark itself, is the fact that there is a growing number of hobbiest and collectors interested in aardvark gifts and collectibles. Against all odds, one of Londons Times most popular cartoons and gift items is the one regarding an aardvark. Like cows during the days of The Far Side, it appears people, especially cartoon fanatics are enjoying the aardvark in a similar fashion.

I used to joke that the OB/GYN told my mom, “It’s a Realtor” when I was born. My parents owned a very old real estate stable family real estate company and were from a generation where, if and when an offspring arrived, especially a male, they were born to be bred.that is, bred into the family business, or made to be the future superstar salesman. I let them down.

Of course at birth, I was not aware of these southern traditional family values, and, as I became more aware of my environment around me, I was certain I wanted to have something to do with humor as I grew older. How did I know this? The answer was quite simple.

I can remember being grounded, in trouble, about to get in trouble, or locked in my room with no going out with friends for some wrong-doing (never violent or terrible); just pulling pranks since I was very small.

The only time I remember my parents smiling and happy around me is when they had friends over on weekends and were playing record albums by such comedy greats as Don Rickles, Tom Lehrer, Jack Benny, and the like. I introduced them to The Smothers Brothers as a teen, thinking I would earn brownie points but again given the pink slip for buying “bad comedy”.

My first shot at comedy was doing stand-up in New York City. Keep in mind this was straight off the farm from Mississippi to the Big Apple. I won’t “even go there” as to how awful I was. It was sort of like Dan Quayle in his memorable v.p. debate, but more like me debating, say, Steve Martin and my comparing myself to Lenny Bruce. Steve to me: “Mr. London, Lenny Bruce was a friend of mine, and you, sir, are no Lenny Bruce.” I think you get the picture.

In the early 1990’s I went on to write humor for advertising, magazines, and anyone who would buy my “craft”. My future strategy was to publish a compilation book of humor stories. Instead I opted on forming a group of artists and creating a cartoon instead. All of us were surprised when Londons Times Cartoons shot to the top of the statistics sites such as Alexa and we were surprisingly happy.

Reaching mid-life, and suffering a lengthy illness, I decided to start opening stores, selling products with my cartoon images which now amount to over 8500 in number and our Londons Times Cartoons remains one of the most visited sites on the web, again to our surprise (and happiness).

Starting a cartoon is not an easy task, but an interesting and educational one. No matter what branch of humor in which one may find their niche, it is a growth experience and a process. I found out rapidly it is not so much knowing what you are doing when you start, though that doesn’t hurt of course, but being persitent and not giving up in spite of the obstacles, and there will be many, I can assure you. But the obstacles are important in developing one’s creative skills. So take a new attitude toward obstacles and even look forward to them. Believe it or not, I do, and I’m much better at turning them into opportunities.

If it is in your blood, you will know it, and no matter what you were “born to be”, will not matter. It will have to come out in some way, shape, or form. Educate yourself, hang out with others who have blazed the trail, educated yourself and let others help educate you. Don’t start with the attitude that you are going to conquer the net and be the next Ebay or Amazon.com in a day. You aren’t, most likely. But if you are patient, and learn proper netiquette, you will increase your chances tenfold.