Thanks for letting me vent.

Today the North County Times publishes my final 'Thornhill's View' editorial cartoon. Eighteen years ago, during the first week of November, my first cartoon appeared in the Oceanside Blade Citizen (which later merged with the Escondido Times Advocate to become the North County Times). I've probably drawn up to 4,000 cartoons since that first crude rendering, most of which

made it into print. A few didn't -- they were judged too insensitive or too provocative for publication. But, all in all, I was given great latitude to express my opinions.

So I would like to thank my editors over the years (Teresa, Jim, Wayne, Bob, Dan, Denis, Bill, Rusty and Kent) for their generally

undying patience. I sometimes submitted cartoons that I knew would later cause them headaches when upset readers called and demanded my head on a platter. Yeah, there were complaints. At times. And I suppose some readers are wondering if the complaints of some readers had any influence on my decision to leave the NCT. I'm happy to report that no, I wasn't hounded from the NCT by a particular angry mob. I'm choosing to leave the paper to pursue new adventures. I've got some projects lined up. A lot is up in the air. I'll see what happens.

During the past 18 years, while in my capacity as cartoonist, I've had the pleasure of meeting many interesting North County movers and shakers. Some of the local politicians I've caricatured on the Opinion page have been good sports and have even called me to request that I send them original artwork of themselves so they could frame and hang it in their offices or homes.

Other public figures, I'm sure, hated my guts and still do so. I wish to thank them all for helping make North County the great community it is.

I was always somewhat frustrated with editorial cartooning. A typical cartoon picks out a villain and, wham, hits him/her over the head with a sledgehammer, figuratively speaking. Cartoons are often blunt instruments.

There's no room for detailed analysis. Sure, the visual impact of a hard-hitting cartoon can be effective, but many topics are served better by cool-headed dialogue.

Oh well.

The cartoons on this page (and the jump page), are some of my favorites, or at least they highlight some of the big stories I cartooned over the years.

Again, thanks for allowing me to get a few things off my chest.