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An article dated July 4, in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette:

http://www.post-gazette.com/stories/local/neighborhoods-city/furries-leave-visible-prints-downtown-and-in-pittsburghs-coffers-694266/

The woman working at the Hudson News store at the Pittsburgh International Airport did not know John Cole.

But she knew why he had come to town.

On Tuesday, Mr. Cole, a 44-year-old who works in human resources in Orlando, Fla., walked into the airport store to buy an Anthrocon shirt that was on sale, a purchase that he said thrilled the woman working there.

"Her exact words were, 'I love it when the furries come to town,' " Mr. Cole said Wednesday, recounting the story as he sat in the Westin Convention Center Hotel, next to a person dressed in a full Arctic fox suit.

One woman's words may well have been a citywide chorus: This city seems to love it when the furries come to town.

It's hard to put a finger -- or a paw -- on why, but there's just something about the furries. The annual Anthrocon convention, now in its eighth year at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center, is first and foremost a gathering of thousands of people who are fascinated by anthropomorphism, or putting human characteristics on non-human objects; many of them wearing full fur suits or ears and tails. The gathering also has become somewhat of a Downtown attraction.

"It's gone from a curiosity to being embraced in the city," said Craig Davis, president and CEO of VisitPittsburgh. "A lot of people tell me that it's their favorite time of the year to come down and people-watch."

So while Anthrocon's approximately 5,500 participants this year are expected to generate $6.2 million in direct spending, the actual economic impact is likely much higher.

"It's become an economic driver," said Mr. Davis, who was not wearing a fur suit, making him one of the few people standing in the third-floor lobby of the Westin Convention Center Hotel Wednesday morning who wasn't.

The four-day convention doesn't officially begin until today, but by Wednesday, the fur had already arrived.

The furry fans included Cyndie Boster, a 33-year-old leather crafter originally from California now living in France, who wore ears and a tail to become the fox character she named Zura. And Chaz Beckett, a 20-year-old biology student from Phoenix, wearing a fur suit of a lion-tiger-wolf-fox hybrid to become the furry character he calls Wuffy.

"You come for the animals and you stay for the humans," said an electrical engineer from Stockholm, who wore a partial fur suit and called himself Jake Greystripe.

Inside the Westin, the humans dressed as animals were attracting some long glances from the humans dressed as humans.

Jeff Smith, manager of the Westin's gift shop, said he sold out his stock of 30 Anthrocon T-shirts in less than 24 hours and had placed an order for more. Some were purchased by furries, but they also were selling well to non-furries.

"Some businessmen buy them for people back at home who don't believe it," he said.

Most city residents -- or at least people who work or visit Downtown -- believe it by now. Begun as a small party in Albany, N.Y., in 1997, Anthrocon has been in Pittsburgh since 2006.

"We're here to stay," said Samuel Conway, the CEO and chairman of Anthrocon. This year, Anthrocon will try to set a Guinness World Record for the world's largest fur suit parade, anticipating more than 1,000 participants inside the convention center.

If there's anyone who believes in the furries, it's Fernando DeCarvalho. Last year, Fernando's Cafe, the Liberty Avenue restaurant that became a destination for the furries, was struggling and due to shut down before the start of Anthrocon. The furries found out, however, and raised enough donations to keep the business open during the convention.

A short time later, Olie Budak, owner of Pizza Parma, purchased his friend's restaurant, and Mr. DeCarvalho departed to achieve his dream of becoming a pastor.

But for Anthrocon, he has returned to the temporarily named Furryland Cafe as its temporary manager, selling special Anthrocon T-shirts and dog bowls for eating.

"They won't let me not come back," he said.

Mr. Budak, like his predecessor, loves the furries, and not just because they are good business.

He likened the Pittsburgh furry attraction to the way the person dressed as a dancing cow outside a Chick-fil-A restaurant catches the eye: When you see someone in a costume, you want to take a picture with them.

"Especially," Mr. DeCarvalho added, "if there are 800 of them."

What if the world knew you were furry? Would that be a good thing, or do you think it would be bad? We here at WagzTail are not always fond of keeping the furry identity secret, although we do know there is a time and place for it. So listen in, and give your thoughts below!

Also, we hope those of you at Anthrocon enjoy your weekend!

Metadata and Credits WagzTail Podcast 2.0 Episode 85
Runtime: 30m
Cast: Crimson X, JWingy, Levi, Near, Wolfin
Editor: Levi
Format: 128kbps ABR split-stereo MP3
Copyright: © 2013 WagzTail.com. Some Rights Reserved. This podcast is released by WagzTail.com as CC BY-ND 3.0. If distributed with a facility that has an existing agreement in place with a Professional Rights Organisation (PRO), file a cue sheet for 26:00 to Fabien Renoult (BMI) 1.67%, Josquin des Pres (BMI) 1.67%, WagzTail.com 96.67%. Rights have been acquired to all content for national and international broadcast and web release with no royalties due. Podcast image belongs to Michael Adams-Wade, used with permission. Episode 85 — What if the World Knew? - What if the world knew you were furry? Would that be a good thing, or do you think it would be bad? We here at WagzTail are not always fond of keeping the furry identity secret, although we do know there is a time and place for it. So listen in,

Don't really have much to say other than happy fur-th! don't burn your fur off!

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Aloha and guten tag! Welcome to Fuzzy Logic, episode 87!

Due to circumstances beyond their control both Kyo and Halfwit could not be present. We missed them terribly but the show must go on… and since it would be awkward just Smokey and Isty, we invited Mitch to sit in with us!

Topics discussed included the changes to the Voter Protection Act, the overturning of DOMA and Prop 8, the Texas Legislature scandal, and Mitch’s air conditioning woes… as well as his word of the week and his streaming channel!

When the emails came, there were quite a few!

Loona starts us off with a brief discussion about his job, as well as a few practices that go on there and moves on to tell us a little bit about a former significant other. Kuchi the bear tunes in next about the difficult job market in his town. Legionbunny reveals to us the details of the most recent conversation with his brother… we feel for you man. Jawbreaker paints a picture of the hotel he works in, which we feel a little baffled by its lack of AC for so long, and then tell us of how his boyfriend has helped him with managing his money.

Stratosfear Tully provides a fairly detailed description of how he handles his finances… oh if only more of us were so disciplined! Mycroft provides a link to an article about tipping and then discusses how he’s making very intelligent use of a service his bank offers, sub-accounts! Brilliant! Kia follows with discussion on acronym- based words and how it’s easy to believe some of the stories of where some of them came from. Marcus Nobel updates us on his job, how he was recognized for his hard work, and how he’s doing with managing his own cash flows. Great job buddy!

We get introduced to Jacky, a first time writer that tells us of Kyo’s potential progeny. I told him to be careful with the glitter… too much and a bud might break off and spawn a new colony! Last but certainly not least, Ryo writes in with a short but sweet take on how to look at one’s finances, a metaphore that no doubt most furs will be able to relate to. He also bemoans the “fans” wanting Microsoft to recant their recant… about how the X-Box 1 would have it’s restrictive ‘features’ removed after a great deal of pressure from the gaming community at large.

Next week’s show is all about space! How do you use your space? Do you need to organize it? Do you need advice on keeping it clean? How many people use your space? Do you share it often or only on special occasions? Do you wish you had more? Write in and chat us up!

Links:
LUCHA YO!
Mitch’s streaming channel where he plays all sorts of games and does goofy things! It’s quite horrible and entertaining! Be ye warned, all who enter, the sense of humor you may encounter is similar to what you get in the show here.

Should Tipping Be Banned? A New Freakonomics Radio Podcast
An article/podcast episode about tipping and the aspects that affect it, linked to us by Mycroft.

Music Break: Macklemore & Ryan Lewis – Same Love feat. Mary Lambert

Episode Summary Music: Crash Test Dummy Man: Mega Man 2 – OC Remix

Episode 87 – Moniez - Aloha and guten tag! Welcome to Fuzzy Logic, episode 87! Due to circumstances beyond their control both Kyo and Halfwit could not be present. We missed them terribly but the show must go on… and since it would be awkwar[...]

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But I posted here once before, and got a really big welcome. Then, I lurked. For a long time. In recent days i've decided I really want to be an active participant in the communities and fandoms I like to consider myself a part of. The problem is I don't know what to do. How can I be a part of the fandom? What does everyone else do? I'm very confused, and at a confusing point in my life, so i'm trying really hard to get things straight. So i'll tl;dr.

TL;DR- I posted, then lurked, and want to participate. Tell me like i'm new. What do I do?

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Like like there are doing a family vacation theme
https://www.google.com/

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An article about Anthrocon 2013, dated June 3 on the CBS Pittsburgh website:
http://pittsburgh.cbslocal.com/2013/07/03/furries-return-to-pittsburgh-going-for-world-record/

(Some fursuiters are "frustrated clowns"?)

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) – The Furries are back. Pittsburgh is hosting the annual Anthrocon convention for the eighth year in a row.

Visit Pittsburgh CEO Craig Davis says the four-day event is one of the city’s top ten conventions, revenue-wise.

“This year alone,” he says, “will be 6-point-three million dollars in economic benefit for the city.”

With nearly six thousand visitors, downtown restaurants like Tonic Bar and Grill are happy to temporarily waive the “no pet” rule.

Anthrocon chairman Sam Conway doesn’t wear a costume, but helps explain those who do.

“Different people have different reasons,” he says. “Some are frustrated clowns, others are just natural performers. Others just like the reaction that it gets.”

Saturday at the Convention Center, more than a thousand Furries will march in what they hope is a record setting “fur suit parade.”

“So we’re going to be numbering these people as they go in,” Conway says. “We’re going to try to certify this as a Guinness World Record: Largest number of fur suit costumed characters in one place.”

Having made waves and conquered new worlds with their wildly-successful new-storyline comic book series My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, IDW now turn their eyes on a more obvious task: Adapting the TV series to comic books.  Witness My Little Pony: The Magic Begins, coming in full color this September. Using a combination of screen-grabs and original artwork, this 112-page trade paperback tells the story of our hero-fillies from Ponyville, just as they came to us in the first-season episodes (as created by Lauren Faust, of course!).  Amazon is already taking pre-orders.

image c. 2013 IDW Publishing

And I cried at the end. There were a few close calls throughout the game but the ending got me.. I loved everything about this game. Everything. The gameplay was great, controls were easy to get used to. The scenery was BEAUTIFUL. The monsters were fun to fight too. I loved the voices of every character along with their design. I quickly became best friends with Fidget and thoroughly enjoyed the company of Ahrah. I quickly found myself staying at the map selection screen(at the campire) just sit there, watching the stars with Fidget sleeping on the tree or eating a marshmellow, I found some peace sitting there for 10 mins every time in between the fighting(I figured Dust could use it). I HIGHLY recommend that anyone who hasn't picked this up, to do so.

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Here is an article on the website of Pittsburgh radio station 90.5 WESA, about Anthrocon 2013:

http://wesa.fm/post/world-s-largest-cartoon-animal-convention-returns-pittsburgh

Billed as the world's largest furry convention, Anthrocon is returning to Pittsburgh Thursday through Sunday. The much-anticipated Pittsburgh tradition is expected to attract more than 5,500 participants, some in costume, some not.

“We’re all furries,” said Anthrocon Inc. CEO Samuel Conway. “That’s the catch-all term for the fandom. We are furries. The people in the costume – we refer to the costumes, our own little lingo, they are fursuits. So they are fursuiters, the people who are wearing them.”

Anthrocon started in Albany, N.Y. in 1997 and has been held there, as well as in Valley Forge and Philadelphia, before coming to Pittsburgh seven years ago. Conway said he fell in love with the Steel City, and the convention has been here ever since.

“It is gorgeous, and then when I got to know the people here, the people are gorgeous,” Conway said. “They rolled out the red carpet; they threw open their collective arms for us. We have been here since 2006 — We’ve doubled in numbers since then, and we’re going to continue to grow and we do not foresee ever going anywhere else. This is our home.”

Goldenwolf is a yellow and white wolf husky. He said he comes to Anthrocon because it’s the most social, memorable and fun convention he’s ever been to.

Due to television and movies, Furries can sometimes be misunderstood, but Goldenwolf said attendees of Anthrocon are just looking to have fun and share their furry fandom.

“With any type of group, no matter what group it is, there’s always going to be negativity for it, but it’s better to get your own personal view, and actually go out there and see what it’s all about instead of just looking online and talking to people,” Goldenwolf said.

Anthrocon 2013 includes numerous events such as dances, lectures, an art show, performances and Saturday’s big event: a furry parade. This year, the Anthrocon will attempt to set a Guiness World Record with the “World’s Largest Fursuit Parade.”

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An article in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette of July 3, 2013, about the upcoming Anthrocon convention:

http://www.post-gazette.com/stories/local/neighborhoods-city/return-of-the-furries-an-annual-pittsburgh-event-694178/

It's hard to put a finger on it -- or a paw -- but there's just something about the furries.

The annual Anthrocon convention, now in its eighth year at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center, may be first and foremost a gathering of thousands of people who are fascinated by anthropomorphism, many of them wearing full fur suits or ears and tails.

But it's also become somewhat of a Downtown Pittsburgh attraction.
Furry convention considers Pittsburgh home

"It's gone from a curiosity to being embraced in the city," said Craig Davis, president and CEO of VisitPittsburgh. "A lot of people tell me that it's their favorite time of the year to come down and people-watch."

So while Anthrocon's approximately 5,500 participants this year are expected to generate $6.2 million in direct spending, the actual economic impact is likely much higher.

"It's become an economic driver," said Mr. Davis, who was not wearing a fur suit, making him one of the few people standing in the third-floor lobby of the Westin Convention Center Hotel this morning who wasn't.

Yes, the four-day convention doesn't begin until Thursday, but the fur has already arrived.

The furry fans included Cyndie Boster, a 33-year-old leather crafter originally from California but now living in France, who wore ears and a tail to become the fox character she named Zura. And Chaz Beckett, a 20-year-old biology student from Phoenix, wearing a fur suit of a lion-tiger-wolf-fox hybrid to become the furry character he calls Wuffy.

"You come for the animals and you stay for the humans," said an electrical engineer from Stockholm, who wore a partial fur suit and called himself Jake Greystripe.

Inside the Westin, the humans dressed as animals were attracting some long glances from the humans dressed as humans.

Jeff Smith, manager of the Westin's gift shop, said he sold out his stock of 30 Anthrocon T-shirts in less than 24 hours and had placed an order for more. Some were purchased by furries, but they were also selling well to non-furries.

"Some businessmen buy them for people back at home who don't believe it," he said.

Most city residents -- or least people who work or visit Downtown believe it by now. Begun as a small party in Albany, N.Y., in 1997, Anthrocon has been in Pittsburgh since 2006.

"We're here to stay," said Samuel Conway, the CEO and chairman of Anthrocon.

If there's anyone who believes in the furries, it's Fernando DeCarvalho. Last year, Fernando's Cafe, the Liberty Avenue restaurant that became a destination for the furries, was struggling and due to shut down before the start of Anthrocon. The furries found out, however, and raised enough donations to keep Fernando's Cafe open during the convention.

A short time later, Olie Budak, owner of Pizza Parma, purchased his friend's Downtown restaurant, and Mr. DeCarvalho departed to achieve his dream of becoming a pastor.

But for Anthrocon, he has returned to the temporarily named Furryland Cafe as its temporary manager, selling special Anthrocon T-shirts and dog bowls for eating.

"They won't let me not come back," he said.

Mr. Budak, like his predecessor, loves the furries, and not just because they are good business.

He likened the Pittsburgh furry attraction to the way the person dressed as a dancing cow outside a Chick-fil-A restaurant catches the eye: when you see someone in a costume, you want to take a picture with them.

"Especially," Mr. DeCarvalho added, "if there are 800 of them."