The two-handed shake theory

Do you think devious/insincere people shake hands or greet others often with both hands?

This two handed shake goes for many politicians when they congratulate rivals, people that fawn over superiors, and most anyone that harbors crafty intentions for the hand they hold. This action usually comes with a slight bow and a fully toothed smile - another pointer toward insincerity.

Watch how Tom takes Jerry's outstretched paw, even as he plans to trap him yet again. It's always two-pawed.

Happy thoughts, instant humor, instant cheer - look these up =)

These work at any time for me:

-Beagle in a Sopwith Camel engaging the Red Baron - like this image at left.

-This fictional list of movies to rent.

- Fox News' coverage of anything, with their priceless (inquiring?/analytical?/concerned?) close-up expressions. (Oddly, as I write, their 'no-bias' reporting is in the news now)

- The Tom and Jerry Mice Follies episode - note Tom's expression at 4:29 as he skates past Jerry and Nibbles.

- Any unintentionally funny Bollywood movie, which means most of them. Watch for absurd factual errors, nonsense based plots like in this one here. A disaster movie or a movie that's a disaster?

- Anyone that discusses or professes any of these - 'color/flower therapy, life coaching, past life regression therapy, pranic dieting, Robin Sharma' - with a straight face.

All smiles already?

The most violent show ever

When Joseph Barbera passed on this week, I was amazed to know that one of the creators of Tom and Jerry had been alive until now.

As the owner of about 60 hours of Tom and Jerry DVDs, I watch episodes over and over again - ne'er getting tired of it.

The most violent show ever - with bizarre acts of revenge among the protagonists, diabolical attempts to eliminate each other, all the plotting and scheming... and very quick recoveries. So much of it in every episode. And a lot of the physics involved - elasticity, potential energy, hydraulics, resonance etc all demonstrated often. =)

Fav episodes:
- Tom pole vaults, climbs, flies in the air attempting to catch Jerry and a little yellow bird
- Tom skates around an icy kitchen floor, when the refridgerator is connected to the water supply. His nonchalant 'cool' expression as he skates past Jerry is priceless
- Jerry covets Tom's bubble gum, and what he does with it
- The Cat Concerto episode (1946 - wow!), where Jerry annoys Tom on the piano
- Tom and his alley cat friends in the house disturb Jerry, when the family's out
- Spike the dog (just whistle!) and the puppy episodes
- Episodes when Tom's at the ready to eat Jerry or the bird with condiments, fork, knife etc
- Tuffy the baby mouse and Tom get along

The accompanying music on the show is a big part of every story. I didn't like the later (sharp) drawings as much, and some of the sci-fi storylines.

I've never met anyone that has seen and not liked Tom and Jerry, and have often wondered what goes into creating a cartoon like this - from concept to the final production. Thank you, Hanna-Barbera and producer Fred Quimby.