Bugs Bunny. Daffy Duck. Porky Pig. Yosemite Sam. Foghorn Leghorn. The Road Runner. Wile E. Coyote. Tweety Bird. Sylvester. Elmer Fudd. Marvin Martian. Pepe Le Pew. Speedy Gonzalez. Michigan J. Frog. The Tasmanian Devil.

This is just a small sampling of the amazing alternate world that was created by Chuck Jones, who passed away Friday at the age of 89. Growing up, it was Jones' creations that inspired me more than anything, and now he's gone, and BOY, am I bummed.

I've read other obituaries about the man so far, and they've all been inadequate, save for an obit I found on MSNBC.com, which you have to root around to find. In fact, coverage of his death so far has been an embarrassment. The Cartoon Network, which wouldn't even exist without his contributions, has made no mention of his passing on their web site. Other "news" sites, like CNN and Fox News, have relegated his death to a small corner of their main page, simply saying "Bugs Bunny animator dies." It makes me want to vomit.

Do these people even realize how many childhoods that this man shaped? Chuck Jones was more than a "cartoonist," . . .His cartoons, from his Warner Brothers work to his television adaptation of "How the Grinch Stole Christmas," (which, like his Looney Tunes work, is still played to this day), shaped the childhoods for millions and millions of people, and he brought joy to countless children and adults.

Chuck Jones' work meant the world to me growing up. No matter how down I was, or what kind o' crap was going on my life, I took solace in Jones' creations, like millions of other people did. Plus, Jones educated us all: I would love to know the number of people in this country who know opera only as "Kill Da Wabbit! KILL DA WABBIT!!"

Chuck Jones is one of the great humorists of all time, and his work means a million times more to me than that swill that Disney's churned out over the years. The difference between their work is simple: Looney Tunes cartoons have a soul. And that soul was created by Chuck Jones, and channeled through the voice of Mel Blanc. Chuck Jones' work was more interested in entertaining you, in moving you, in making you think and feel . . . how inspirational was his work? In 1995, a thousand animators were polled and asked to name their favorite cartoons. Four of the top 5 were Jones'.

It is impossible for me to describe the impact that Chuck Jones' work has had on my life. Through his work, I discovered the power of humor, and I discovered that you can pretty much do anything you want, and that there isn't a damn thing wrong with being silly. These are all invaluable lessons that everyone should know, and the majority of people that are alive today that have learned these lessons, learned them through this man. Thank you, Chuck . . . for everything.

This is the MangyDog, over and out.