Though sushi has been a part of civilization longer than one might imagine, it was not always in the current form in which we are used to devouring. It started as a simple “fast food” dish in 2 A.D. in China and was an excellent way to preserve food (there was no refrigeration then). In the early days chefs fermented rice, placed raw fish on the rice, threw the rice out, and ate the fish when hungry.

By 7 A.D. sushi made its way to Japan, where seafood is a staple entrée. However they started making the rice a “side order” with the fish. About 1600, Matsumoto Yoshiichi of Edo (now known as Tokyo) began experimenting with flavors such as rice vinegar and selling this “new dish”. By doing this, they created the world’s first “fast food” and it was more often than not eaten immediately.

Below is a wonderful short YouTube video by my very talented wife Lee Hiller London.

The majority of “sushi” eaten in American restaurants is nigiri (finger sushi) and California rolls, almost no resemblance to the original Chinese food known as “sushi”. An ethnic food that swept the world by storm was developed yet further by the artful experimental restaurant entrepreneurs of north American creating a fusion of food and art.

So not all, but a good deal of the history of my favorite food was familiar. Also familiar was my limited knowledge of design; that is, the best design often reflects the vision of a culture; a modern trend if you will.

Though pizza, hamburger, etc all have their “beauty”, I was not inclined or motivated to purvey the beauty of thousands of mg of trans-fat artery-clogging foods.

But sushi was and is a different story. I started with shoes (mostly womens) but now make mens too. I named the store ShoeShies.com. Then I started designing aprons, mouse pads, mugs, postage stamps, key chains, caps, and just about everything else showcasing dishes of sushi and sashimi and its all available now at Shoeshies.com. I am loving doing it and it has “recharged” me to continue to make cartoon products for Londons Times Cartoons and my love quote Shoes That Amuse…and eat more sushi.

But now, when all the sushi places are closed at 2am and I have a hunger for it, I can look at the sushi mouse pad next to my pc and drool…or drool on my shoes; knowing they will lead me to the nearest sushi bar….tomorrow.

Don’t you just love blog etiquette? Do it this way…no that way, wait, you’re gonna fail, no my mistake you may succeed and leave me behind, do as I say, not a I do. Help I don’t know what I’m’ doing? Why didn’t I simply collect disability instead of call my self a lifecoach and suck money from those who have it?

All those notions crossed my mind because, as I spend my time and observe what happens on Twitter (to a certain extent); I see that it is an acceptable practice. I see “life coaches aka THE VERY worst kind of swindlers” post beautiful quotes that look familiar. Life coaches are in more of a bind than there used to be.  Their “sport” used to be to find positive quotes on the net, take of the title of the person who wrote them, and add their own.

The authors caught on and now there is a software with algorythms that will decipher if it is the same quote with the wording changed around, a few words emitted, etc (soon to be released). I guess that will be the end of “the life coach industry”, that is, unless they learn how to produce a creative thought (many times in a day); which I doubt, given the many I’ve met.

I have a software that untangles that and 9 out of 10 the times they have been lifted from the writer of origin and re-written in a way that nobody can decipher the originator. Nobody until now. Now even the descendants of Mark Twain are in the game.  Along with my offbeat cartoons and funny gifts, and I also create the world’s only love quote shoes with quotes by famous people; Twain being one of them. It is rare that when something is in the public domain that a family goes after someone. The problem was, people only assumed Twain’s quotes were in that category. They were not. I immediately took my Twain love quote shoes down out of courtesy.  As in real life, social media has it’s often large share of arrogant folks who are certain they are above the law.  They think that until the here the clink of handcuffs. Please folks (not everyone but the few who do this); this laws for you to. It is not only to protect the artist/writer, but to protect you from hurting you and those around you. Let’s all play by the rules. End of sermon.

But go to Twitter and other social networks and you’ll see his quotes all over the place (often even uncredited). There are thousands of unlicensed items floating around via Twitter & Zazzle or Cafe Press or wherever which will always be for sale.   These naive people believe they won’t get hit with a summons but guess what.  At least 20-40 people are getting hit per day by the Twain family.  If a Twitterer is smart, he/she will take Twain quotes out of his/her scheduled tweets.  The Twain family has attorneys there looking on for such copyright infringement. Admittedly, it is rare. Most pre-1900 authors and poets are in the public domains and it is relatively easy to tell by seeing their images on prints, coasters, tees, and other licensed items not being sold by the Twain family.  If a family is smart, who has a great writer or artist within that family, they will go to to an attorney or courthouse and keep control of the images.  However things were not as sophisticated back in he 1800′s.  I miss selling my Mark Twain items at my Shoes That Amuse, the world’s only famous love quote gift and shoe shop. But there are plenty more and I’m happy with that.

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I am a writer, inventor, musician, cartoonist, and animal lover. I created the #1 ranked offbeat cartoon on the Internet, Londons Times Cartoons. I founded the world’s only famous love quote shoe in 2008. I love to Twitter @RickLondon and play around with facebook where you can fan our cartoon and gift page .  Lee Hiller-London is the love of my life.  I love her nature/wildlife blog at Hike Our Planet. We’re getting a cat soon.  I’m sick in bet today. Am sure you’d like to know this pertinent info.