From Scott Malcomson on alt.fan.furry: "ZonieCon will launch a new program in October, awarding an engraved plaque on an annual basis to a notable person within the fandom for Conspicuous Integrity. Bearing Mike's name and Zonie's likeness, it will serve in some way to help keep alive his memory and his spirit, while also serving to recognize those worthies in the fandom who manage to achieve the difficult task of earning their spurs without selling their ideals."

I've finished mailing out the Anthrocon Art Show info packets with reservation forms to everyone on my mailing list, and will shortly finish sending them to those who asked for Art Show info when they pre-registered for Anthrocon. If you're an artist and wish to receive one, please send me your full (legal) name and postal address. The Anthrocon web page will be updated with Art Show info in a week or so, but I still prefer to send the reservation forms by postal mail, as this allows more time to sort out any address difficulties before mailing the paperwork you'll need at the con, as well as your payment check afterwards.

The Wonderland books with their talking griffins, unicorns, lions and other furry creatures are some of the more readily recognized works in the anthropomorphic fantasy genre, taking a place among other classics of its type such as Wind in the Willows, Watership Down and others.

A rare collection of photographs, books, papers and other personal items that belonged to the real Alice In Wonderland, Alice Pleasance Liddell Hargreaves (1852-1934), is to be auctioned by Sotheby's in London on June 6.

A description of the items to be auctioned that includes a copy of Alice's Adventure's Under Ground that the author personally inscribed to Alice can be found here along with a general history of the relationship between Liddell and Lewis Carroll.

If you were wondering about Haul Trek, the comic strip created by Paul Gibbs and Bill Redlern, you're about to be plesantly surprized. Haul Trek's back, but as Freighter Tails and without the Star Trek influence. The rework was due in part of the strip being a derivative work off of Viacom/Paramount's Star Trek, and that any derivative work has alot of legal issues attached to it.

David Cooksey posted the Further Confusion final report on a.f.f.: "Well its time for our final wrapup report, a tradition we were determined to encourage by publicizing as much of our figures as possible.

"First and again, thank you to all of the staffers, panelists, artists,
writers, publishers, dealers, and attendees who made it another success."

The Northwest Science Fiction Convention (NorWesCon) is this weekend, April 12-15, and the Tai-Pan Literary & Arts Project is hosting their annual room party once again.

This party will mark the thirteenth anniversary of the founding of the Tai-Pan Project, which produces a science fiction zine set in a shared anthropomorphic universe. In recent years the Tai-Pan party has been virtually the only furry event happening at this convention, but we're too stubborn to stop doing it. Look for posters at all the normal bulletin locations to find the room number. The party usually starts at about 3:00 on Saturday afternoon. There'll be food, sketch books, a lot of conversation, and probably some Cheapass games to join in. We'll have back issues available.

So if you're in the Seattle area this weekend, drop in and say hello.

From the comic strip site that brings you Satin & Silk, Campus Safari and numerous other titles, one of the titles is increasing its frequency this week to begin updating three times a week.

Some of you may recall our earlier mention of the Norwegian wolf hunt. CNN has a follow-up story. Nine wolves were culled, and a tenth looks to have eluded the hunters.

Contrary to an earlier rumor posted to several mailing lists, Furnation is not being shut down for good, but does have some downtime in its future. Here's the official word, as posted by Nexxus to alt.fan.furry:

From CNN.com: "While U.S. and Chinese government officials square off over an incident involving a U.S. spy plane and a Chinese jet fighter, a joint U.S.-Chinese research team is faulting China's efforts to save the giant panda from possible extinction." Read the full story.

A recent article in the Chicago Tribune discusses online comic strips (yes, we're a bit slow on the uptake; the article ran Feb. 22). Among those mentioned are Kevin and Kell and Newshounds.

4 am Wednesday the 4th of April,Phoenix Arizona. With his father in attendance Michael Scot McMurry died.

Michael Scott McMurry, longtime furry fan and founder of ZonieCon was diagnosed with stomach cancer last year. Despite an aggressive treatment, he is currently in a coma, and is not expected to recover. The following update was recieved through Mel. White via the Curtis family.

Paul Levinson, president of the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America (SFWA), has announced the the National Public Radio series, 2000X - Tales of the Next Millennia will be this year's recipient of the Bradbury award.

Not much information is available about the cancellation of the Pern show, but what there is can be found at SF Wire.