Links of Distraction

This is where I go to lose myself for hours on end. Come get lost with me!

(click on blue text links)

ASIFA and Animation - Lots of text, but it's all about animation.... or zucchini bread 

The Animation World Network hunt for jobs, hook up with (er, connect with) other animators, and lookit the pictures!  Dan Carto has the BEST Hawaiian shirts!

The Animated Cartoon Factory -- career and Canadian animator Brian LeMay has put out a series of amazing "how to" books on animation, layout, and storyboarding. His website is very LIVELY, and his learning guides are insanely thorough. 

Sharon Katz - a wonderful resident of Canada, a brilliant artist, an installation imagineer, and - did I mention she's from Canada!?  Visit early and often!!!!

ASIFA Central Website - The group has been going strong since 1975 - EGAD, nearly 50 YEARS!!! So this is their website, yr hmbl typst is the secretary, and here is where you go for news, newsletter archives, IAD information, and membership information!  Wanna be a member?  Wanna be a member?

Inkwell Images -- Ray Pointer is a man of passions about the Fleischer studios and has taken it upon himself to share the treasures of his archives. The FIRST SOUND CARTOON did NOT have Mickey Mouse (if copyright even allows me to write the MM word) and here's proof.  ALSO here are sources for the first sound films of Lee DeForest, Mutt and Jeff, and other DVDs you cannot live without.  His recent historic overview of the patents of Max Fleischer is a must have.  Buy two copies and you'll learn twice as much!

Sally Cruikshank's Etsy Site - She animated the opening credits to Desperate People and Mannequin, in addition to providing a substantial boost to the 1980's theatrical version of The Twilight Zone.  Sally has been making animation since the 1970s, the hand-drawn 2D type, with a wonderful bouncy style reminiscent of the best of 1930s cartoons.  Quasi at the Quackedero made it to Jerry's Beck's "Best Fifty" of all time list.  Her Etsy site takes you to her merchandise, much of which are original autographed cels and frequently customized backgrounds, along with a compilation DVD (yes, we boomers like our tangible media).  

Signe Baumane Website - An incredible independent animator from Latvia, trained in philosophy, tutored by Bill Plympton, and now starting her third animated feature (following her two dozen short films, along with Rocks in My Pockets, and My Love Affair With Marriage).  Unfiltered talent ascends daily from her studio in New York. 

Nina Paley's Site -- a cartoonist for many years and now an animator with her amazing Fetch, her handmade features Sita Sings the Blues and Seder-Masochism, and copyright-free mission!  She needs to hear from you! In the meantime, catch her on bike trails around northern Illinois.

The Center for Visual Music (CVM) , a source for the amazing work of pioneer abstractionist Oskar Fischinger.  Say Hi to Cindy!

Animating Apothecary - on Vimeo! - here is where the Animating Apothecary tosses its animation, early films, ongoing experiments, and a few things available by invitation only - woo - NEVER THROW ANY DRAWING OUT!  MAKE A VIMEO INSTEAD!!!!

Random Acts of Fun
FunnyTimes -- the best collection of the best collection of the best collection of the best of humor!

Pharmacy and Related Stuff and Things
SRS -- "Scientific Retail Systems"  - The ONLY Pharmacy Computer System you'll EVER need!  

Medscape --the best medical newsletter and information source--sign up and learn stuff! FREE FREE FREE! (I likes free!) 

Pharmacy Times -- "back in the day," these guys actually PRINTED stuff I wrote!

Ancient Audio and Video

Tinfoil.com  - a great source for historical audio, recording history, and neat illustrations. Glenn Sage ROCKS - popular music on CDs from 1888, with lots of additional resources and further distractions.  

TV on 78s -- the world of MECHANICAL TELEVISION from the 1920s-1930s! This site is too incredible - they recreate live broadcasts from the era.

Battle Creek
Willard Library -- find pages of historic images of Battle Creek (where boxtops were invented and cereal used to be made!)

Friends and Other Assorted Ne'er-do-wells
The Sherwood Page of Too-Much-Fun John Sherwood, sci-fi impresario, re-creator of Sherlock Holmes and Charles Dickens, newspaperman par excellence, has a lot of great stuff on his site.  

Bri Yarhouse -- a Master Animator from Grand Rapids, Michigan ... amazing work from an amazing educator now at Interlochen

Joe Cartoon -- home of the Frog in a Blender animation and other NSFW material 

The Library of Congress - yeah, that library!  Just click and click and then click some more.  Download whatever you can!  Lose it on an unmarked thumbdrive, and then download it again!  

The Internet Archive - and if you still have time, loads of it, go to where the internet is backed up daily, to the chagrin and delight of copyright lawyers everywhere.  My audio collection is ever so slowly (too slowly!) being uploaded to their site.