August 2003
Moscow's Polar Bears Get Summer Snow
Posted by Anon on Sat 2 Aug 2003 - 09:19MOSCOW - Christmas has come early for the polar bears of Moscow zoo: It's started snowing in midsummer.
"Martenizing" your car takes on a whole new meaning
Posted by MelSkunk on Sat 2 Aug 2003 - 09:20Stone martens are making their mark on automobiles all over Germany. They love chewing through rubbery cables and hoses, causing thousands of breakdowns and hundreds of thousands of euros of damage to German cars.
Conifur program book needs you!
Posted by GeneBreshears on Mon 4 Aug 2003 - 01:46Less than two weeks remain before the deadline for the Conifur Northwest 2003 program book! We need your art. We need your stories. We need your poetry. We need your cartoons. (Face it, we're very needy!)
New issue of Tai-Pan available
Posted by GeneBreshears on Mon 4 Aug 2003 - 09:09Tales of the Tai-Pan Universe #33 is available now! Tales… is the publication of the Tai-Pan Literary & Arts Project, a not-for-profit founded 15 years ago to produce the best anthropomorphic art and fiction in known space.
Furtopia Art & Poetry Contest! Now open! :)
Posted by whiteshepherd on Wed 6 Aug 2003 - 08:16Hello this is WhiteShepherd announcing a third Furtopia art and poetry contest. The art contest can be found here: http://artcontest.furtopia.org and the poetry contest can be found here: http://poetrycontest.furtopia.org :) Any fur is welcome to participate in these contests. It’s a nice chance to have your furry artwork/writing reviewed for comments and judging. You will be able to show your work and explain with your post to your public “what” makes this art special to you. Winners in the contest will get their work put up in lights with comments to the work on a link off of Furtopia’s main page.
Giant rats allegedly spread disease, save lives
Posted by Mistletoe on Wed 6 Aug 2003 - 08:17The public image of the African (or Gambian) pouched rat has taken a drastic swing for the better. Recently blamed for the spread of monkeypox in Midwestern America, the exotic rats have been trained to locate landmines by sniffing for dynamite. They're said to be more effective than dogs since they have a better sense of smell, they're too light to set off the mines, and they are easier and less expensive to maintain. The rats will soon aid the hunt for unexploded mines in war-torn Mozambique, where they will potentially save many lives.
Feral! full of good, clean fun
Posted by Branwyn on Thu 7 Aug 2003 - 00:11The deadline to register for Feral!, August 13, is fast approaching.
Prometea: World's First Cloned Horse
Posted by Cordite on Thu 7 Aug 2003 - 00:11The list of successfully cloned species was lengthened this week when Italy announced they had succeeded in cloning a horse.
Earlier this year the mule Idaho Gem was the first successful equine clone, but the Haflinger filly Prometea marks the first time a horse has been so reproduced. She is effectively a copy of her surrogate mother, the result of samplings from skin cells fused with an empty equine egg. As with Idaho Gem, over 300 attempts were made before a viable embryo was attained.
Conifur dealer packets available
Posted by GeneBreshears on Thu 7 Aug 2003 - 00:22We're a little late getting out the dealer packets, but now they're available. You can download the Dealer's Packet from the website: www.conifur.org.
Yes, there are still some Dealer's Tables available, but they could go fast!
Researchers Help Fat Felines Battle the Bulge
Posted by Anon on Thu 7 Aug 2003 - 22:25About 25 percent of American kitties are overweight, according to the latest statistics, and vets say the number of fat cats prowling - or rather, waddling - around is growing.
Conifur registration deadline just five weeks away!
Posted by GeneBreshears on Fri 8 Aug 2003 - 20:54Just five weeks left to pre-register for Conifur Northwest at the low price of $40! Pre-registration must be received by September $12. Don't forget to reserve your hotel room. Hotel rooms must be reserved by Spetember 4 to get the discounted rate (that date is set by the hotel, we can't move it!) You can register for the convention on-line at www.conifur.org. You can reserve your hotel room at the Sheraton Tacoma/Tacoma Convention Center at (800) 325-3535. Don't forget to mention Conifur to get the discounted room rate!
Going Ape Over a Possible New Species
Posted by Rabbit on Wed 13 Aug 2003 - 14:39Everyone knows that we discover new sea-dwelling species on a regular basis. And, new species of arthopods are hardly news, unless they happen to be found in NYC's Central Park. But a new species of large ape? Is it even possible? Read this article at CNN for more information.
This find looks very interesting on several fronts. Bipedal specimens six feet tall have been observed, and the species has shown an unmistakable interest in eating meat.
A skull picture is provided; there is physical and DNA evidence as well as anecdotal. Unless the find proves to be some kind of chimp hybrid or subspecies, something quite possible from the initial DNA findings, it looks like we might well have to find more room in the primate family tree.