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submitted by Fenno
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Author: Higgs Raccoon

This week, stage plays with anthropomorphic animals are being performed on both sides of the Atlantic.

An adaptation of Rudyard Kipling’s The Jungle Book is being presented at the Lyric Theatre in Belfast, Ireland. The classic tale of man-cub Mowgli’s adventures amongst the denizens of the jungle is brought to life with actors in animal roles wearing minimalist animal costumes.

Meanwhile, in Decatur, Georgia, USA, the PushPush Theatre company is presenting The Squirrel Trap. In this play, office drudge Gil finds his attic is inhabited by a talking squirrel – who readily dispenses advice on personal relationships. The role is played by a bearded actor in ordinary clothes with the addition of a large bushy tail.

Author: GreenReaper

British medical researchers are calling for tighter regulation on research involving animals with human tissue or genes, while cautiously approving some experiments, the BBC reports.

Professor Christopher Shaw highlighted objectionable ‘category three’ experiments such as:

• the mixing of non-human primate and human cells to make an embryo
• the mixing of human and non-human gametes (reproductive cells)
• the replacement of monkey brain cells with human ones to gain human characteristics

Dr Robin Lovell-Badge suggested a gap between fantasy and reality:

Everyone laughs at talking meerkats and cats with opposable thumbs, but if we were actually doing that in the labs I don’t think people would be so happy.

Read: Animals containing human material (synopsis) – Exploring the boundaries (evaluation)

The Academy of Medical Sciences called for the Animal Procedures Committee to be expanded to provide advice and oversight of such research.

However, group members concluded that the benefit of humanizing animals for medical research could justify harm to animals, and were:

…not persuaded by the argument that humanising animals to benefit our own species introduces a new level of exploitation into the relationships between humans and animals.

The Academy claimed their survey “showed a high degree of public acceptance of ACHM research provided it is well regulated, and justified”.

Medical correspondent Fergus Walsh solicited comments in his blog.

http://www.actfuronair.com/main/podcast/season-3-eps/s3ep08/

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ActFur s3 ep08 - MidSeason

submitted by HappyWulf
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New series, airing on MTV as I write.
[link]
Finally, the weres are something besides foils and sidekicks for the
sparklebats again.

Wow! Looks like you really liked this topic, because this time we have TEN e-mails! We discuss Facade, Genghis Khan, Google+, parental neglect, Furry Fiesta’s origins, nicknames for the podcasters, latex dice, the furry survey, living in Texas, accelerated learning, manipulative parents, and lots more! This episode is SUPER-SIZED, running double our normal length at just under two hours!

Our next episode is about school! Things you did while in school, things you’re doing while in school, how you got through it, and others! Wanting to go to school, but not sure how to get funding or what to major in? Trying to pick up some good studies, or just have good stories to share? Write in and let us know, we’re waiting to hear from you!

Twitter: fuzzylogiccast
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E-mail: fuzzy.logic.podcast@gmail.com

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Episode 12 – He Shoots, He Scores!
File modified July 22, 2011 – 108.6 MB – downloaded 322 times so far

Episode 12 – He Shoots, He Scores! - Wow! Looks like you really liked this topic, because this time we have TEN e-mails! We discuss Facade, Genghis Khan, Google+, parental neglect, Furry Fiesta’s origins, nicknames for the podcasters, latex dice, the furry[...]

So, here I am, trying to help out. Self post so there is no karma whoring.

Here is her Commission Info

And here.

Are.

A few.

Samples

I've known her for like, forever. And still, to this day, the icon she made for me over 10 years ago I still consider the best icon out of anything I've had. ^.^ So please show me some love, and show her some love.

submitted by HappyWulf
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submitted by xandertheblue
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submitted by lastres0rt
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Author: actfuronair

http://www.actfuronair.com/main/podcast/season-3-eps/s3ep08.html

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Find the full article here: ACTfur On Air

This podcast may contain coarse language and adult themes. It is being provided as a service and is not the property of Furry News Network

Syndicated from Flayrah.com – Author: Rakuen Growlithe

At the end of 2009, Yiffstar was relaunched with ‘completely new code’ as SoFurry. Reactions were not entirely positive; the forum was horrible to use, and the main site had numerous navigational and performance issues, though the latter improved over time.

In April 2010, work began on SoFurry 2.0, originally planned to release in first quarter 2011. As time passed, various previews of the new Espresso theme were released and covered by both Flayrah and FNN – the latter reporting on SoFurry’s 150,000-user mark by interviewing SoFurry owner Toumal and lead designer Alex Vance.

On 8 July, Toumal announced a public beta of SoFurry 2.0, running in parallel with SoFurry 1.0 for ‘some time’. If all goes according to plan, the beta will launch today, albeit without chat.

In stark contrast, Fur Affinity‘s plans for new software, Ferrox, were announced in 2006, but stalled in 2009. Since then, the site has beenplagued with coding problems.

It took two years for FA to remove the broken commission info tab, two and a half to implement search, and six months to restore registration. Fur Affinity was also meant to be upgraded to a new interface on 21 May. That did not happen. On 1 July new screenshots were shown but no date for an update was set, despite plans to build a new interface on the original codebase dating back to 2007.

In addition to the standard art, story and music capabilities, SoFurry 2.0 is to have groups, an integrated forum, the ability to filter tags and its own chat. The ability to filter by tags – shared with Inkbunny, a project started just two years ago – has often been requested for Fur Affinity.

In an attempt to improve efficiency, Fur Affinity has joined forces with fellow furry site Furocity, hoping to acquire new coders and administrators. However, the ability of SoFurry to answer the call of users and develop itself may make it a more attractive choice for furs.

Find the full article here: flayrah – furry food for thought

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submitted by Fenno
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Author: Rakuen Growlithe

A: Basket sponge
B: Dolphin wearing sponge
C: Debris on the sea bed
D: Hidden fish

Researchers in Shark Bay, Australia have identified tool use and cultural transmission of the tool use in dolphins.

The scientists observed some dolphins occasionally pulling basket sponges from the sea bed and using them to cover their snouts as they foraged for food on the sea bed. The sponges presumably provided them protection from the rocks and shells on the sea bed. However, it wasn’t known why the dolphins bothered to forage there.

The research team now report that dolphins perform this activity to catch fish living under the sand’s surface.

read more

Find the full article here: flayrah – furry food for thought

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Kyell and K.M. answer questions about showing vs. telling and the importance of adding detail to a scene. Kit and K.M talk about wine! Unsheathed #83 - Status, Pitch Show instructions, Showing vs. Telling, Inserting Detail and Gateway wines! It's Unsheathed!

submitted by AstronotusOcellatus
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submitted by evilsibe
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The New York artist known as Dyna Moe has created a series of art prints known as Hipster Animals. That’s animals with names (or designations) like “Free-Form Radio DJ”, “Clipboarding Progressive”, and “Blase’ Street Fair Browsers”. Recently, several of these designs have become available on t-shirts for sale. You can find out more about Hipster Animals and see the new designs at the Hipster Animals site on Tumblr.com.

 

image c. 2011 Dyna Moe

Author: Higgs Raccoon

Legend of a Rabbit (Tu Xia Chuan Qi), a 3D animated film from Tianjin Film Studio and Beijing Film Academy, premiered in China earlier this month. [tip: Andrew Pam]

Featuring a variety of anthropomorphic animals and kung-fu sequences, Legend of a Rabbit had a budget of RMB120 million ($ 18 million), required 500 animators, and was in production for over three years.

The movie’s synopsis reads:

One day, a dying Kung Fu master flees from the Imperial City to a small village. He’s been betrayed by his number one disciple and is on his last dying breathe. He is found by a humble farmhouse cook named Tu who, at the request of the dying master, must return a very important Kung Fu Academy Tablet to the master’s daughter Peony in the imperial city. Tu made a simple promise that turns out to change his life forever.

Never having been to the city, Tu already got off to a dangerous start. He finds the Kung Fu Academy but finds that it has already been taken over by the number one disciple, a ruthless bear named Slash. The old master and his daughter has gone missing. But to keep to his promise, Tu has no choice but to stay in the Academy to wait for their return. He’s bullied from day one for knowing no Kung Fu. But serving as a cook there, he picks up some Kung Fu as the days go by.

At the imperial city he meets a mysterious girl (Peony) who keeps herself anonymous to keep her own safety. Rabbit never knew that this girl is the one he’s supposed to pass the tablet to. After many misunderstandings, they finally are able to connect – but not before the big bad villain Slash decides to kill Peony and Tu for intervening with his evil plan to take over the entire China.

07/20/2011
By: bluebarker

Synopsis: In a world were heroes and villains exist, Santat takes us to the perspective of the rather neglected pets of a superhero that sees villains more often than he does his new pets. With a recent tussle with some super villains, the superhero thinks its time to enlist the aid of a sidekick. Word spreads out to the four corners, and many will come. He doesn’t need to look far as none more eager to be his sidekick than his own pets. With the cat out of the house, the dog thinks he’s the most likely candidate against the chubby hamster named Fluffy and the newly arrived chameleon-lizard dubbed Shifty; they don’t really stand a chance. A friendly face from the past comes and helps the two tiny terrors have a fighting chance against the dog let alone against the scum of the city. The journey is long and filled with plot twists and humorous one-liners that will get anyone laughing, kids and adults alike. Pet competing over the love of their owner really takes a step back from the usual stories. Its a graphic novel about the value of family, forgiveness and all-around good fun.

Review: Dan Santat started out as an illustrator for some time now, but turning to illustrating his own stories his craft really shines through. From the looks of the art and design it is reminiscent of those Sunday Morning Comics with a splash of color and some dark moments as well. The overall look of the Graphic Novel is rough in stuff places giving it texture and real attention to detail in certain areas adds to the story and never takes away. Keying into the superhero element is just one factor of many that puts stresses on any family, whether its a family of parents and kids, or the caped crusader with pets to keep his company. The value of family and the importance of relationships really shines through with other themes such as “it doesn’t matter how small you are, you can still make a difference”, “wit and brains over brawn” and “always looking for the alternative to senseless violence, because once you cross that line you can’t go back”. Filled with nod offs to familiar figures, epic rivalry and witty humor of both the slapstick and verbal, its quite the page turner.
The real meat of the story comes from the tension between the dog and the cat. We know why dogs and cats don’t get along, but this time its personal and has some real weight behind it. Manny and Roscoe have been there from the beginning and yet they fight constantly. While Fluffy gets saddled with the new pet who doesn’t have a lick of sense about him. Yet more comes as Fluffy, a small hamster, how can he fight against bad guys who are bigger than him? Stronger than him? Manny comes in and tries to help out Fluffy for personal reasons and is reunited with an old friend with an even more malevolence than we first realize. And Shifty? Scared of everything and his only defense is to go invisible, how can he fight crime? Our heroes must find their place and learn life the way anyone with super powers can, which is to say that behind the super powers, behind the cool costumes and behind the mask, they really are just people and animals trying to do what they were meant to do.
By the end you’ll want more because it really is a great story that touches the soul and deserves to reread again and again. The cover alone says it all. The pets themselves are rather anthromorphic in a way through their proportions, expressions and ability to talk its no wonder they have so much fun being crime fighters. The camaraderie alone is enough to make any furry laugh their fur off. Personally to me its gets five out of five stars and two paws up all the way. But why don’t you be the judge of it and read it yourself. Available at booksellers nationwide and online, you don’t want to miss it. The expressions on page 5 are priceless.

This trailer was made by the the author of the graphic novel “Sidekicks”.

Review by VG (bluebarker) is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License.Based on a work at www.dantat.com.