Diatomaceous Earth - what you need to know!

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I thought I would impart an update on my using Diatomaceous Earth. As it turns out, if you google the side effects of using Silica suppliments (Diatomaceous Earth is Silica), you will find side effect warnings all the advocates of Diatomaceous Earth never seem to mention.
Here are some results of my search:
Overdosage, toxicity and cautions for silica
Vital Health Zone
Some of the possible side effects are

Silica can lower your blood sugar levels, which can be particularly dangerous if you have diabetes.

Silica acts as a diuretic, so you shouldn't take it if you take water pills. Combining silica with other diuretics can lead to dehydration and dangerously low levels of potassium.

Taking silica with chromium supplements or herbs that contain chromium, such as brewer's yeast and bilberry, can increase your risk of chromium poisoning.

Long-term use or very high doses of horsetail (or silica) supplements have caused irreversible kidney damage, especially in people with existing kidney or heart disease. People with eodema should also not take silica (or horsetail) supplements.
I bring this up because my dog developed a uriniary tract infection as a result of getting DE. For that reason I wanted to get some of this information out because you generally won't find these cautions when you read about the wonders of DE. I didn't realize what was going on with my dog at first. In retrospect I wished I had heeded the signs sooner. But you know, denial is alot more fun!

Billy's in the dog house now!

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And back into the story we go. The last post about the nuclear survival handbook was in keeping with part of my mission for making Smithee - that is to give real world survival information.
Well, folks, I'm getting closer to wrapping up this issue. But as I begin to think about that, a whole new bunch of issues rise up. I figured out the only way to format these comics in a book is in landscape format.Won't that be unique? Also, I have learned alot about comic writing since I began Smithee and see things I want to improve.
Like I want to insert some panels where need be, add a Zombie character in issue 1, a splash page, etc. But, it is emotionally challenging to take those extra steps. I wanted this to be easier. But, I'm just a naive newbie and I have to suck it up and do it right. Growth doesn't always feel good. It's humbling to look at what you have poured so much of yourself into for months and gasp when you now realize "I coulda done it so much better" - had I known.

Nuclear War Survival Skills

 

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I Found this nifty free guide to share with you all. Something Smithee wishes he had! Smithee cares about YOU'RE survival, so he shares this link with you all.

If you're new to my blog,click HERE to go to the start of the Ware-Wolf story.
Enjoy and SURVIVE!

brewmaster

 

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Finally, another Smithee page is done! I drew a couple of the panels this morning. Haven't had much of a chance for cartooning this week since I've been learning alot about comic script writing and doing the second draft of my script. The second draft was a major reformatting into something reasonable and script-like. I'm glad that script-writing involves multiple rounds of drafts. I can see that it takes time to whittle it down to the final mature entity your after. And I'm REALLY glad to have editors looking it over and showing me what I can't see all by myself because doing everything on my own limits how fast I can learn.

Anyway, Billy finally gets his soothing soda brew. I'm thinking Smithee added a 'special' ingredient to calm Billy down. We'll see.

Time To Die!!

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Billy can be temperamental, but this time he really might have a screw loose!
In other news, I have thought about it and I'm going to split this ware-wolf story into 2 issues so it can go to print sooner. Plus, I have signed up for a table in artists alley at the upcoming Vegas Valley Comic Book Festival on 11-3-2012,  which is held at the Clark County Library on 1401 E. Flamingo Rd. and I want to be certain to have a book ready since Garvin said he would be there if I had a new book finished. I mean you would want to meet the man who inspires the character of Billy wouldn't you? Garvin Lee is an independent film actor who is actually on IMDB. This will be my first time tabling and I'm both really excited and really intimidated. Though, I actually was behind a table once back in the 90's at a Trek Convention where a buddy was trying to sell Enterprise phones. Never sold one, but I met someone who actually was a Borg and I won the costume contest with my Borg costume. So, we didn't make a dime, but it was a blast!

Smithee page 10 - I ain't crazy!

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Billy is a bit wild-eyed and on edge after his encounter with the ware-wolf, and Smithee is obviously skeptical.

My Facebook Page

Uncle Smithee

 

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Welcome to page 6. It was fun making the 3 cell spanning word balloons. Smithee tests Billy with a little sarcasm to asses his true state of mind. I woulda made this sooner,but I had a jammed packed weekend of the MLAA artist meeting, then a printmaking workshop. Not much time left over for a Smithee page.

But, here ya go!

Home Brew Medicine

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Welcome to page 5. Billy get's his wounds cleaned with home-brew alcohol. I re-drew Billy in panel 2. I like how haggered he came out looking.

I have switched ISP providers and now have regular service back - yippie! It is good to post from the comfort of my own home again, let me tell ya!

Incase you didn't notice, I have a new page of survival links reachable under the banner.Today I'm adding the CDC's info about zombie outbreaks I thought you all might be amused by. That's right folks, the CDC jumped on the Zombie bandwagon to utilize the metaphor of Zombies to teach the public about emergency preparedness, like I'm trying to do.

I've been learning about lettering and word balloons and had fun with them in this page. Thanks for reading!

NO more knitting!

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Well, here I am again posting from the Apt. complex computer center, but surprise - on a thursday! I don't think will mean another post on this weekend. Depends on if my ISP gets thier act together.
This computer is really limiting what I can do like putting in those handy PREVIOUS links. So, this will have to do.
So, here we get Smithee's reaction to having a gun put to his head. The humor is based on sarcasim, I especially like Billy's last word on the subject. The next pages will be basically chapter 2 - about how Billy ends up in a cage overnight.
Dang, I can't even put tags on this post!

Don't shoot!

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]Don't push Billy's buttons, or your liable to see his dark side. Of course Billy has good reason to be so testy, as we shall see. Everyone has thier limits you know, and Billy certainly had his pushed in the last 24 hours!
And let me introduce Rex - the dog. Rex ended up here to provide a beat between cells and balance things out. Also, Rex has to be in this comic since it is about fur- yarn-making, etc. The duo has to have a source of fur after all, don't they? Believe me, there are worse places to get your fur from...
I'm not posting from the comfort of my own home because my ISP provider is being uncooperative. Perhaps all the Solar Erruptions lately disrupted things? Speaking of which, when I can do this from home again, I'm thinking of putting up some usefull links to survivalist related info like SpaceWeather. For now, posting from the computer center of the Apt complex will have to do. But as in all survival situations, you have to remain calm and utilize what is at hand.

Get ready to rumble

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Welcome to page 2. Spent most of my time making the fence cage. The cage is in the "Cold Room" where perishables are stored. Billy isn't very fond of it, considering recent events, so Smithee decides to tease him a little about it by tossing his new mitten into it. Probably not such a good idea. Billy can be temperamental. The cage is an emergency refuge incase they are cornered by Zombies. Or, to keep Billy from pilfering sodas. Also a safe place for valuables while they are out on a mission. Why doesn't everybody have a chain link cage in the spare bedroom?

Ware-Wolf begins

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And our exciting introduction into the world of Smithee Zombie Hunter begins! Here we catch Billy sneaking a home-brew soda. He kills people (well, hopefully not real people - just Zombies) for a living, so upsetting Smithee's inventory is no big deal. Besides, he has had a harrowing time lately getting that one mitten he is wearing.
I enjoy doing these drawings. With each one my pen & ink style gets better and I learn a little bit more. I use a digital pen to draw with in photoshop and compose it all in CorelDraw. My plan is to update every week, probably on the weekends like today. It all depends on what's going on.
Enjoy & Survive!

Blog re-design

I hope you like the cleaner re-design of my blog. I'm gearing up to devote this blog more towards the Smithee story's and putting up the first chapter of the Ware-wolf story here (updated weekly) as a teaser to the printed book. I now have links across the top to access other information that was cluttering up the main page.
The more personal stuff about me will go into the Plutonium Casserole blog - which is what it is there for.
The re-design was prompted after reading another Zombie themed webcomic and realizing what potential there is for Smithee as a webcomic.
I think the smaller top banner is less gaudy and the color theme more dark like a blog/comic about a dark world should be. Plus, it is a great chance to refine by blog design skills.
Enjoy and Survive!

Plutonium Has Moved!

Rather than make you go through all my blog to find plutonium, I moved it to it's own brand spanking new home
at PlutoniumCasserole. Infact, if you go there now, you'll see the strip I did about the inner struggles of writing comics!
I'm hoping to get some assistance from my comic buddy tonight on Smithee #2, but he is about as easy to nail down as Jello to a tree! But, he is a good guy and it's worth the wait!

                        

Hello and welcome fellow Zombie enthusiasts! This is the home of my innane ramblings and superficial attempts at meaning. As well as share my twisting odessy into comic publishing, and some of my free spirited attempts at sketching just for the pleasure of it.
It began with those plentyfull Christmastime full color flyers with all kinds of pretty people.
well, it goes further back, about 2 years back.

I have B&W survallence cameras and wondered to myself if I was in a survival world, or say back in the 1800's, could I make color pictures? Kind of like Doc made ice in the wild west in one of the back to the future movies. So I reasoned it out, did some research, and took some pictures with 3d glasses for filters and took the pics into photoshop and messed around. and to my amazement, color pictures from B&W!! Then I took my fantasy further and wondered if I could publish without a real press, with just crude tools? Instantly it came to mind the kind of pictures I have always loved in told books.
You know, before half-tones came to be where tonality was done thru lines. That always captivated me. But how did they do that? Can I do that?
They did it by taking a needle and etching lines in copper plates and printing them. Hmmm.
what about plastic plates?
Well, I came upon a large supply of cheaply framed posters thrown away with plastic sheets covering them, and the quest was on! It was quite a struggle to get it to work. I very nearly gave it up. I decided one last attempt and took a chance and got some Akua color itaglio ink and hesitantly tried it. And lo, it worked!
Over the next year I did etching after etching. I soon made my own press from a metal rollar and a clipboard along with some padding - since that's all an intaglio press it. And it has worked nicely and I have shaved down a clipboard in the process and had to get another.
I eventually moved to doing 4 and 5 colors. But after a year, I was looking for something different. Then the Christmas flyers started coming out, and I was intrigued to try drawing some people. So after doing a bikini lady, I got the idea it might be fun to do a bunch of etchings and make a comic!
With the help of some supportive friends, I arrived at the Zombie hunting theme.
I created a couple characters and layed out a couple comics. But I wanted to get my feet wet and just put out a Zine incorporating the characters and my methods for making color pics from B&W. I have them for sale on Etsy for a mere $2.00!
http://www.etsy.com/people/CalvinTheEtcher.
So far those who have read it have liked it. It is also in the Las Vegas Zine Library.
Feel free to stop by my store and tell me what you think!