The NFP will be undergoing a major system upgrade over this weekend (March 13th – 14th).

During this process it will be necessary to shut the site down for an undetermined amount of time. The site will more than likely be shut down on Sunday, March 14th. But it may be off during other moments.

Along with the system upgrade a few new design changes will take place for you to check out when you return!

We hope this won’t interfere with your reading enjoyment at the NFP for too long!

The NFP is proud to announce the arrival of our latest Cartoonist Jennett Meriden Russell and her humourous collection of outstanding cartoons! Her first cartoon ran in the Long Island Traveler/Mattituck Watchman when she was 13!

Born in Connecticut in 1960, the Coram, New York resident was a former disc jockey, news reporter, and radio commercial producer for various Long Island radio stations.

A freelance journalist and photographer with The Press of Manorville and the Moriches, Miss Russell won six New York State Press Association Better Newspaper awards last year including three first place standings!

National Doodle Day, was founded as a way to have fun while raising funds that help people whose lives are affected by epilepsy and neurofibromatosis. Since 2004, over £120,000 has been raised to help support the work of two charities, Epilepsy Action and the Neurofibromatosis Association. The fundraising success is mainly due to the support of many celebrities from the worlds of TV, film, theatre, politics, sport and the arts, who donate their doodles and drawings for sale and auction, with all proceeds going towards the effort. Funds raised from the Doodle Day auction will go to support education, advocacy, coalitions, and research for treatments and a cure.



As part of NF Awareness month, Celebrity Doodles are available for auction on eBay. The specific launch date for the U.S.A. National Doodle Day auction is set for Thursday, May 13th, 2010. National Doodle Day in the U.K. is set for Friday, March 5, 2010. These doodles have a very important aim: the funds they raise will benefit NF, Inc., an organization dedicated to providing support to individuals and families affected by neurofibromatosis (NF).

Celebrity Doodles Gallery

Here are a few examples from notable National Doodle Day participants.



       Elaine Bogan                                              Mike Peters



       Harry Bliss                                                Sergio Aragones

Click for more information about the American National Doodle Day, and the United.Kingdom National Doodle Day

The National Free Press' Editorial Cartoonist, MJ, has also contributed to the cause, you can see his work here: MJ Doodle One 2010 and MJ Doodle Two 2010.



Neurofibromatosis is a genetic disorder that affects one in every 2,500 births. NF is more common than Cystic Fibrosis, Muscular Dystrophy and Huntington's Disease combined.

To learn more about Neurofibromatosis, please visit www.nfinc.org.

The NFP salutes the many Doodle-ists whose prized work has contributed to the public awareness of Neurofibromatosis.

Congratulations to our Free Press Community Member “joe t” on winning our latest contest of a Set of 4 NFP Mugs featuring the Editorial Cartoons Joel Barbee!

Stay tuned for more Member Contests!

If you’re not already a FPC Member, click here and use the Facebook Connect, or the quick and easy Registration form and start using your “Free Press”!

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Inspired by the Reporters Without Borders editorial cartoon (The Russian School of Journalism) regarding the state of journalism in Russia, G. Tod Slone of the American Dissident (Blog), created a rendition of his own entitled The American School of Journalism.

The American Dissident (Website), was created as an IDEAL in direct opposition to the mass of indistinguishable journals that serve literature as status-quo-friendly entertainment and diversion. It seeks instead to publish literature that questions and challenges that status quo. It seeks to promote the ideal of DEMOCRACY (vigorous debate, freedom of speech and expression, and encouraged criticism of all institutions and icons).

Our hat goes off to Mr. Slone for his cartoons and his effort to uphold democracy in America.

We’re thrilled to announce that one of our Editorial Cartoonists, MJ, has had another Cartoon chosen for the second year in a row for Charles Brookes' “The Best Editorial Cartoons of the Year for 2010”!

From the U.S. and Canada, Charles Brooks collects and compiles the best editorial cartoons that are available and then publishes them in the Pelican Publishing’s ‘Best Editorial Cartoons of the Year!’ annual edition series that was started in 1972.