Actually, I thought better of making a snarky comment.

I'm flattered that you study my drawings so closely, tu_quoque.

Dude- So, tell me, what was the glaring error in 'The Exam' cartoon to which tu_quoque referred. You seem to have figured it out.

Thanks, Clay

PS: Thanks also for your continued efforts to bring some light into the discussions on the Times Free Press site. I always look forward to your posts.

tu_quoque,

So, curiosity got the best of me. In commenting on 'The Exam' cartoon (3/17/2012), you wrote, "You would think that an award winning Toonboy could at least draw a technically correct toon. This one has a error so glaring that it hurts the eyes to look at it."

I'll bite. What was the glaring error?

Hey, even a cartoonist needs to take a vacation every once in a while.

Being Thanksgiving Day, I'd like to take this opportunity to say thanks.

We editorial cartoonists can only hope that our work stimulates thought and inspires vigorous debate about the issues we tackle on a daily basis. The best confirmation that my own cartoons might be serving just that purpose, are the discussions that regularly take place on this very forum. Whether you like my work or not, I am grateful to each and every one of you. I am thankful for your dedication to the public discourse and I'm most appreciativel for your willingness to participate in the discussions here on this page.

Happy Thanksgiving to you all.

Clay Bennett

FM_33-

I don't mean to inhibit any debate or criticism about my cartoons, but you should really try to consolidate your thoughts more than you have in this thread. I understand that there are several regular participants in these debates, many of whom jump into the conversation repeatedly along the way.

That's fine. That's the nature of the back and forth that takes place here.

But as I scroll down the comments, your screen name starts to dominate the discussion. In a period of just over two hours, 29 of the 37 comments that were posted were from you. I'm not asking you to hold back, as much as I'm asking you try and express your thoughts in fewer posts, and to try your best to suppress the urge to post comments in rapid succession.

I think your comments will actually get more notice if you do.

kmcgehee writes: "Nine years ago today, I was in Jackson, Miss. I was getting ready to go clean my co-worker's beer brewery when I saw the news. Where were you?"

I was in St. Petersburg, Florida drawing a cartoon for the next day's edition of The Christian Science Monitor. Needless to say, that cartoon went unfinished so I could address the tragedy that was unfolding on the television screen in my studio.

It would be a month-and-a-half before I would draw a cartoon that didn't (in some way) relate to the events on that fateful day.

dewey60- Could you please do me two favors?

1) Could you please refrain from using offensive words in your comments. The discussions on this page already get raucous enough without adding inflammatory words to the mix.

2) Would you please, please, please, stop posting links to music videos, or other unrelated material. I understand that conversation and debate can take unexpected twists and turns, but an inexplicable post (like a link to some music video) is just annoying.

I'm not usually one to set any rules of engagement, but your posts are starting to get out of hand. Please try to respect the public nature and the general intent of this page.

Thanks in advance, Clay Bennett

Mister Bennett?

I thought we were on a first name basis, Rolando.

Your cartoonist, Clay