A pithy comic strip about life, love, lust and puthy cats.

Est. 1985

Extra, Extra!

Mr. Strand Man

By Jimmy Johnson


We were talking yesterday about the online fundraising entity “Kickstarter.” There are many sites out there these days for the suddenly popular practice of “crowdfunding.” It isn’t so different from old-fashion panhandling, except you do it on the Web. I chose Kickstarter for our experiment, because it has been around; it’s a pioneer. Plus, they have real people in a real office somewhere in San Francisco. Several other things make Kickstarter different. It primarily serves creative projects, projects that supposedly have an appeal and a benefit to more than the supplicant. The biggest difference, however, is that fund raisers set a goal for a Kickstarter campaign at the outset, and if that goal is not met, no money is collected. I’m not sure why that’s a good thing, but it seems reasonable to me. Potential donors don’t get nickeled and dimed to death, I suppose. If the goal is exceeded, that is,well… exceedingly good.

It will work something like this. Readers, hereafter referred to as “you,” will not be buying anything. You will be contributing money to the project. More about that later. However, if you contribute at certain levels, you will receive a “reward.” Much more about that later, too. For example, you might choose to receive an Arlo & Janis back scratcher as a reward for pledging $25. Or more. (Did you catch that last part?) But don’t get excited; the back scratcher is just an example. More tomorrow.

Buy the new book, "Beaucoup Arlo & Janis!"Today's "Arlo & Janis!"

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182 responses to “Mr. Strand Man”

  1. Mindy from Indy Avatar

    !!!!!!!!
    I love my job.
    I love my job.
    I love my job.

    …. yeah, still nope.

  2.  Avatar
    Anonymous

    Back to your court Ghost. https://youtu.be/WaY2l-ZPLGU

    Music lobbing is fun.

  3. Mark in TTown Avatar
    Mark in TTown

    I’ll see yours and raise you a Mark Knopfler and Emmylou Harris:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fSv26NWtv8o&list=PL741B17B698F8B758&index=7

  4. Mark in TTown Avatar
    Mark in TTown

    Sorry, out of all the tracks, I picked one without Emmylou. Here you go: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vvaz_kNZqpY&index=13&list=PL741B17B698F8B758

  5. Ghost Rider 6 Avatar
    Ghost Rider 6
  6. Jerry in Fl Avatar
    Jerry in Fl

    Remember “The Trio” cd?

  7. Old Bear Avatar
    Old Bear

    Lost a whole post This is what I remember.

    Jerry
    The other day my wife asked why anyone would want a convertible , we have air-conditioning.
    Then said she was getting old.
    When we visited FL 60+ years ago folkes rented a convertible – in April – It was too hot to ride with top down during the day. But then they did go out at night – without us kids.

    Mine was a ’64 Corvair Monsa Spyder White & White with Black interior.

    Dad gone 17 years – still talk to him every day.

    “Plants die, animals die, but as long as we tell stories about them loved ones will never die”

    Charity Auction of Bachelors — Groundhog Day

    I often quote Rumpole’s “House Plunk”

  8. Old Bear Avatar
    Old Bear

    Jerry
    You go for that convertible – You can always put the top up for shade.
    Here in MN they are ONLY summer cars.

    Glad Midsommar all

  9. Debbe Avatar
    Debbe

    Good morning Villagers…

    Well, it happened. Dad was backing out of his driveway and instead of hitting the brakes…he hit the accelerator. Right into the neighbor’s modular home. He moved the foundation and the modular is on Dad’s car. Thank God no one was hurt. What does Dad say? Guess I’ll get another car!!!!

    Didn’t go shopping, didn’t get out of work until 3:30. Ian took yesterday off after working 19 straight days, and I don’t like shopping alone as I usually fill two carts. Will try today.

    gotta go…..got uniforms in dryer

    ya’ll have a blessed day

  10. Rick in Shermantown, Ohio Avatar
    Rick in Shermantown, Ohio

    Mindy from Indy:

    Here’s my mantra: I love my job better than no money.

    (Actually, I’m one of the lucky ones. I really do love my job.)

  11.  Avatar
    Anonymous

    Thanks Mark for posting Captain Ledge. The beautiful blonde is the wife and this is a family band, mom, dad and children played a as part of it. They write a lot of their music and just got a recording contract with major label. Wonderful talented family. Dad is insurance agent, family business and an ordained minister besides playing gigs, keeps bees, ranches and owns family farm going back to Indian Territory days. Cliff’s energy levels tire me out.hw is sailor with a 40 foot center cockpit boat he keeps on lake here.

    Okies can be complex people.

  12.  Avatar
    Anonymous

    Getting up and packing a suitcase to head to Missouri. Get to meet another Villager, Llee and she can report I am real person. Need to look at where she is relative to that boat I need to pick up. Both are in small towns in Missouri and I confess that is my sum of knowledge.

    My friend began building my boat a year and a half ago to deal with his grief over my husband’s death. It is a beautifully built boat and I need to paint it so it can be launched. The boats name is Bottoms Up! Ghost should like that one. It’s a bar toast.

  13.  Avatar
    Anonymous

    Goody goody. My boat building friend lives just north of Lee, not far at all. On same side of state and just a short distance. Both are north of Joplin.

    My friend lives in a town of 270. I imagine he is related to majority, it is his home town. Since his career was as helicopter pilot in Army, finishing as instructor and test pilot, he traveled the world. This wasn’t where he was intending to end. Boat building is his passion and refuge and I understand that.

  14. Llee Avatar

    Looking forward to it, Jackie. Oh, the highway has been renamed…49 and 71 are the same…just in case you are looking at old map (as I did to see where Walker is). See you later!

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