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submitted by flying_tiger_
[link] [6 comments]

With strong language from the start (well, there's a jingle at the start, but the cussing kicks in soon after), the cast of TigerTails Radio manage to fill a whole two hours with the fun that you've come to expect from an episode...  We discuss all the important things this week, like how playing Football Manager could land you a job...  Kinda.  This episode features TK, Xavier, Felis, and Hedgie.  Backing music by Sanxion7.

For Done and Dusted:
Hedgie talks about Wreck-It Ralph.
TK reviews Pixar's Brave.
Felis waxes lyrical about Global Frequency.
Xavier gives us his thoughts on  The Lorax.

Television Talk:
Merlin

Question of the Week:
With the Wii U now out, what would get you to play with your Wii (U)? 

 

Download the Podcast - Watch the TubeCast 

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Season 7 Episode 02 Podcast Uploaded

TigerTails Radio Season 7 - Episode 02
With strong language from the start (well, there's a jingle at the start, but the cussing kicks in soon after), the cast of TigerTails Radio manage to fill a whole two hours with the fun that you've come to expect from an episode... We discuss all the important things this week, like how playing Football Manager could land you a job... Kinda. This episode features TK, Xavier, Felis, and Hedgie. Backing music by Sanxion7. From: TigerTails Radio Views: 0 1 ratings Time: 02:03:24 More in People & Blogs

The show is on, right now. All the way until 10pm, unless we overrun again. Join us by clicking on the links on the Listen Page, and then join in the fun in IRC.

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submitted by FortBriggs
[link] [1 comment]

submitted by huskeh
[link] [48 comments]

Chicago’s Midwest FurFest took place last weekend. It’s our second-biggest convention (larger than California’s Further Confusion, smaller than Pittsburg’s Anthrocon), with around 3200 attendees in 2012. I’ve never been to Midwest FurFest but many of my friends have, and by all accounts it’s one of the best-organized and most enjoyable conventions.

Last weekend my Twitter feed was filled with those enjoying the convention, easily identifiable by the #mwff hashtag. From many miles away, I vicariously observed a fursuit parade, mutual friends meeting for the first time, a hotel evacuation, and any number of social antics.

Searching for all those on Twitter using #mwff, I watched many furries – largely strangers – explore the convention. I saw expressions of furriness, geekiness, drunkenness, flirtatiousness, and happiness. It was like peering into an alternate reality, one filled with good-natured animal people.

Furry conventions have a culture of their own. The culture is especially strong within those conventions that are able to monopolize an entire hotel or convention centre. When you pull into the carpark or walk through the front doors of such a convention, you enter a different world. It’s a lot like visiting a foreign country.

Arriving at a furry convention can be disorienting. There is a lot of information to assimilate: a different culture, an unfamiliar geography, and new rules. (Where do I check in? Do I need to wear my badge? How do I get to my room? Are my friends here?) It takes some time to adjust to these surroundings, which might be as little as a few minutes (for a seasoned convention-goer) or many hours (for the unsuspecting newbie).

This feeling of disorientation also occurs when you arrive in a foreign country: it’s known as information overload. The human brain does a great job of identifying important signals – human faces, voices, road signs – amongst the noise of the world. When walking into a new environment, such as a furry convention, it’s difficult to determine what is relevant – and so our brain tries to manage more information. The extra demand on our unconscious brain comes at the cost of conscious brain power, reducing our ability to make decisions or think logically.

Information overload can make us feel disconnected from our surroundings. We become less mindful, and we may feel like we are observing ourselves from a distance. This disconnection combined with reduced cognisance creates confusion. This is why furries tend to aimlessly mill around the front entrance on opening day, and why many retailers think a ‘greeter’ provides a positive focus for a new customer who might otherwise be hesitant.

We, hopefully, adjust fairly quickly. In a particularly unfamiliar environment – perhaps your first visit to a furry convention or your first time in a new country – this adjustment can be a slow process. The safety of a hotel room can often be a relief, and courage can be required to open the door and try again.

Once we adjust to the new environment, we tend to accept otherwise novel experiences as a ‘new normal’. At a convention, the new culture is a mix of the exotic and the familiar.

A furry convention is neither high-culture nor low-culture, although there are elements of both. Avant-garde art sits next to pornography; philosophical discussions compete for time with drinking games; ruminations on sexual politics give way to lists of the sexiest football team mascots. The tone is not exactly lowbrow, but it’s not exactly transcendent either.

More tangibly: furry friendships tend to be quite tactile, so there is a lot of interpersonal physical contact, most obviously when fursuiters are around. Friendly (platonic) physical contact at a furry convention might, outside of the convention doors, be perceived as sexual. The physical closeness seen at conventions seems to be tied into a kind of physical exuberance as well, and it’s easy to guess that this is because touching and being touched makes us happy.

There is also a kind of collective delusion at furry conventions, where we tend to treat each other as if we were really our animal-person avatar. Our conbadges supply the picture and name of our alter-ego, and we tend to accept these as true. There is even a tendency for convention-goers to organize by species, and there are many versions of a [species]-only room party. It’s tempting to regard this as trivial, but I think this reinforcement of our furry identity helps us relax the masks that hide our furriness in day-to-day life.

Finally, the outward traits of furries as a collective are on display, for good or for bad. We are very male-dominated (about 80%) and we are largely non-heterosexual (about 65%). We’re also techy, fussy, sexy, obstinate, poorly dressed, and unathletic.

This all requires adjustment, and it’s not always conducive to relaxation and enjoyment.

The cultural differences are not the only challenge. Conventions are, fundamentally, a social environment. It’s important to either have plenty of friends or have the opportunity to meet new people (perhaps by attending a [species]-only room party). Without a large social group, a convention can be a very lonely place. Much like a visit to a foreign country, if you can’t engage with the local culture on some level, your only other option is to retreat to your hotel room. And when that door closes, you find yourself wondering why on earth you came here in the first place. It’s not nice to feel out of place in a situation you’ve spent a lot of time and money to put yourself in.

For those that thrive in the convention environment, it can provide an immersive counterpoint to the real world. The convention culture is one in which we can relax and feel liberated from stifling social norms. Like an overseas holiday, we can temporarily disregard our responsibilities and failures in the real world. However, when the convention is over, we must cross the border and readjust. This can be disorienting, a phenomenon known among travellers as ‘re-entry shock’.

The real world can feel unfamiliar when we return. Compared to a furry convention, the culture can feel restrictive and faintly ludicrous. We may find ourselves feeling slightly disconnected as we leave, just as we did on arrival.

The phrase “you can’t go home again” refers to the feeling experienced by someone from a country town, who returns home after living in a city for a while. The person who grew up in the country town is different from the person who returns: the reality of rural life jars with the rose-tinted glow of nostalgia.

If we find comfort in the culture of a furry convention – the tactile friendships, the connection with our furry self, the acceptance, tolerance, exuberance – we might be unwilling to readily reintegrate into the real world. We may feel some resentment toward society’s norms, even though we had accepted these before the furry convention. It can take time to overcome post-con depression. We have changed. You can’t go home again.

What does an aspiring action hero mouse do in the face of boredom? He
goes out looking for a little excitement, of course.

"CHEVALIER: The Queen's Mouseketeer" by writer/creator Darryl Hughes and
artist Monique MacNaughton. It's a fabled fairy tale of enor-mouse
proportions.

Chevalier: The Queen's Mouseketeer

submitted by N4N4KI
[link] [27 comments]

I know "Kill Everybody" is a song by Skrillex but i'm fairly certain that's not what it's from/means. Does anyone know who made this or what it is? Or is it just a random picture with a random phrase? And what is he standing on, a bun or a cookie or something?

Here's the pic: http://i3.minus.com/ixwfisAybaz3h.jpg

submitted by XiamTheFox
[link] [2 comments]

submitted by linty-lint
[link] [3 comments]

submitted by r3drocket
[link] [15 comments]

I've liked the idea of this for a few years now, maybe more. Had no idea it would all be so expensive... lol. Anyways, I've been looking around and can't find a single suit to be a Cardinal. Always have liked them, plus I'm from STL so it feels only right, Haha.

So in other words... I don't have a fucking clue what I'm doing... LOL

submitted by twistedflames
[link] [12 comments]

Hello Again Papabear,

I need your help. I am currently friends with two furs I know locally. These two have been childhood friends since before I moved to this town to be with my mate. The first one, who we will call the wolf, is about a twenty minute drive from where I live. The other, the bat, lives two blocks away from me, about a five minute walk. Currently these two are not on speaking terms and I am caught in the middle. Here is why.

Here recently, the bat has been living in uninhabitable conditions. Black Mold, leaking roof, and no heat have been making him and his mate sick. I offered to go with them to my landlord to see about getting them settled in an apartment in my complex. They complete moving on in Monday, November 26, 2012. But until then, they are living with me and my mate by request of my landlord. 

The wolf, however, feels that because we are housing these two, we are pulling away from her and becoming more friendly with the bat than her. By no means are we pulling away from her. I have explained this to her many times, but her insecurities keep her from honestly believing me.

This drama is also bleeding over onto another site that all three of us frequent. Fur Affinity (FA). I'm sure you have heard of it. The wolf bought the bat gift art and such while they were on speaking terms. Now that they are not, she is demanding that the bat give back all the art and such so she can gain back her "Losses". The wolf is threatening to go to admins of FA and the artists that made the gift art to have the bat take it down. He has taken counter measures himself by messaging the artists as well. 

TO CUT TO THE POINT!!!

I am stuck between these two who are now doing the whole "NO SHE IS MY FRIEND.... NO SHE IS MINE!!" stuff. I don't want to loose either of them as friends. I don't have many friends here as it is. 

(sorry for such a long read.) 

Blaze Neko

* * *

Dear Blaze Neko,

*Deep breath.* Okay, this certainly falls into the category of “unnecessary drama.” The whole problem is entirely caused by wolf’s insecurities. You have already tried repeatedly to reassure her that you are her friend and she has nothing to worry about, but she is not buying that argument. The issue about the artwork between bat and wolf is their problem, not yours. Let them claw each other about that one, if they must. In bear’s opinion, though, wolf trying to take back the art is a very petty thing; she has no right to take back what was given, and, besides that, the argument was not about financial losses, so the gift should not come into play whatsoever.

Papabear understands that you do not wish to lose a friend. If I were you, I would go to her one more time. Explain that you have been her friend, but that she is actually driving you away by her uncalled-for actions. If you wish to go the extra mile, you might try to find out if there is something else going on in her life that is causing her to behave this way. If she at any point gives you an indication that she would like you to help her resolve her emotional issues, be there for her, but on condition she stop treating bat this way.

If she insists on being unreasonable, then, for your own sanity, I would suggest that you back away from wolf. Tell her exactly why. If she can’t be at least civil to your friend bat, then the you and wolf cannot be friends any more.

Sometimes, try as we might, we cannot keep people from being self-destructive and unfriendly. Wolf has to make a choice: will she grow up or will she insist on wallowing in her own self-pity? The answer should determine whether or not you continue your relationship with her. Don’t be so desperate for friendship that you stay friends with someone who makes you miserable. You deserve better.

Hugs,

Papabear

Have you ever wished there was a furry music station? Well here is your chance to check in and listen. Potoroo chairmen of Camp Feral has put together Episode 1 of “Fuzzy Notes” HEARD HERE. Basically it is what you hear, furry musicians and Potoroo giving you some narration on each. I’m pretty hooked and hope more episodes come out soon! And no there is no sex stuff as far as I heard, but his voice basically makes you feel giddy.

 

submitted by Adamant_Monster
[link] [comment]

Just after Thanksgiving, and you probably still have some turkey left over in your fridge. Today, we’re discussing turkey as a food, and a few ideas that might just make you loose your appetite.

Hosts: JWingy, Levi, Silent, Wolfin.
Picture by: avlxyz

Daily Show: November 26, 2012 - Just after Thanksgiving, and you probably still have some turkey left over in your fridge. Today, we're discussing turkey as a food, and a few ideas that might just make you loose your appetite. - Hosts: JWingy, Levi, Silent, Wolfin. Picture by: avlxyz

You guys loved my first post so I decided to scam... err... make some money off you guys! So here are my COMPLETELY reasonable prices!

Flat Color: 1 metaphorical internet dollar or your regional equivalent per pixel. Comes with an long explanation of how this is furry related. Example

Completely Unrelated Fridge Art: 523 Kajillion metaphorical internet dollars or your regional equivalent. Make a request for what you want and don't forget to be very detailed with your instructions. I will completely disregard these instructions and draw whatever the fuck I want. Comes with a magnet to hang it on your fridge while supplies last. Example

Totally Not Stolen Art: 19 Bajillion metaphorical internet dollars or your regional equivalent. Tell me what you want and I will use the magic of Google to draw you something that is somewhat related to what you requested. Please don't PM MY account that I uploaded my OWN image to. Example

Refrigerator Worthy Furry Art: 2790425870254 Katrilligillion metaphorical internet dollars or your regional equivalent. Your mother will be proud as fuck when she comes to visit your smelly apartment and she sees a beautifully drawn picture of a slutty fox taped to your fridge. Comes with a pizza grease soaked piece of tape so your mother thinks its actually your picture. Example

Epicly Photoshooped Photo: -6 Kentillion metaphorical internet dollars or your regional equivalent. Give me any number of pictures and I will create an AMAZING combination. The sheer unbeleiveableness that these images were once seperated proves that I am, in fact contrary to popular belief not using MS paint, but instead using that one $1000 program that all the professionals use! Example

Reference Sheet: 7 Sextillion metaphorical internet dollars or your regional equivalent. Tell me what your fursona looks like and I will draw it in a few different poses and put the 3 different colors I used in the bottom right. If your fursona is cute enough then you might get a little star sticker for being such a good little furry! :3 :D :) :( :0| Example

Really Colorful Drawing: 10 Lazorcatillion metaphorical internet dollars or your regional equivalent. Bring out the inner homosexual inside of you and buy this amazingly priced drawing guaranteed to have more than FIVE different colors!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! That's more than four!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Note: it takes me a very long time to find a way to implement more than 3 colors naturally so the drawing may take up to 3 years to finish! This drawing I have been working on since before I came out of the womb! Example

LOL Cat: FREEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! For all you poor people who can't afford to pay me 2790425870254 Katrilligillion metaphorical internet dollars or your regional equivalent. Example

tl;dr Learn to read you lazy bum!

submitted by Lazorcat6
[link] [16 comments]

Author: E-Mail Hidden This week on KnotCast, special guests Avery and Sairo give Savrin and Shiva the mega 411 on lube, condoms, and toys. Get educated! Use our coupon code ‘knot’ at AdamEve.com for a great deal. Episode 201 – How To Lube Your Dragon (AAC; 37.6 MB)Episode 201 – How To Lube Your Dragon [...] KnotCast: Episode 201 – How To Lube Your Dragon