Furry News Network
RBW Closes Down
RBW (Rather Brilliant Weekend, formerly Red Blue & White) the UK’s first and Europe’s third largest furry convention, announces that it will not host a convention in 2011.
The statement issued today reads:
Obviously the news that a lot of you are waiting to hear is if there will be another RBW this year. We’ve spent the last couple of months thinking about it, weighing up the risks, the time requirements and most importantly what we’re trying to achieve with the event.
There will not be an RBW convention in 2011.
One of the odd things about RBW is that everyone who’s been loves it, but we never seem to get enough interest the following year. Not enough people want a 3-day residential convention in London to make it a sure thing – for the last three years we’ve been left worrying right up until the last month or two whether we’ll have enough attendees to cover the cost of the event.
We’d hoped that the successes of previous years would fix that problem, but the number of attendees hasn’t changed significantly. We suspect that one of the reasons for this is that London’s already very well served by the thriving LondonFurs community, with its own special events that rival some full conventions. In sales speak, the market is saturated. We think that means it’s time to try something different.
According to the release, the organizers of RBW are going to continue their popular Boat Party, and they indicate they have other projects in the works.
You can read the full release here
You can join their mailing list here
Get ShareaholicGroundhog Day: Shubenacadie Sam predicts early Spring for Nova Scotia
Author: Higgs Raccoon
It is February 2, the day celebrated in the United States and Canada as Groundhog Day. On this day, at several sites in both countries, local celebrations are had whilst groundhogs are observed in order to predict the weather of the next few weeks.
Find the full article here: flayrah
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Get ShareaholicChris Hart to publish ‘Drawing Fantastic Furries’
Author: Higgs Raccoon
Chris Hart, author of several art-instruction books, is to publish Drawing Fantastic Furries: The Ultimate Guide to Drawing Anthropomorphic Characters. The book runs to 144 pages and will be available from March 15, 2011.
Hart’s previous instruction books have dealt with such subjects as manga, cartooning, comics, fantasy art, and anatomy, and have included such titles as How to Draw Cartoon Animals and Manga Mania: Chibi and Furry Characters: How to Draw the Adorable Mini-characters and Cool Cat-girls of Japanese Comics.
This is not the first how-to book for “furry” art to be written. Drawing Fantastic Furries is preceded by Freaks!: How to Draw Fantastic Fantasy Creatures (2004), and Draw Furries: How to Create Anthropomorphic and Fantasy Animals (2009).
Find the full article here: flayrah
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Get ShareaholicSPCA investigates slaughter of 100 Whistler sled dogs
The “execution-style” mass cull of 100 sled dogs owned by Whistler-based Outdoor Adventures has sparked an SPCA investigation into allegations of animal cruelty, outrage from animal welfare groups and suspension by Tourism Whistler of reservations for dog sledding excursions by the company.
The cull came to light because of a successful WorkSafeBC claim for post-traumatic stress by the employee who killed the dogs over two days last April.
Read more: The Vancouver Sun
By Kim Pemberton, Vancouver Sun February 1, 2011 12:21 PM
Everyman or hero? Scott J. Fox
01/30/2011
By: Kamden
Everyman or Hero?
Scott J. Fox
Written By: Kamden G. Blackstone
We all know the story. ThunderRoo was tricked and held against his will by his parents. I can only hope they meant well, but were misguided. And Scott J. Fox, a normal, everyman decides to act and help his friend by liberating him from the paternal kidnappers. I don’t really need to re-hash it again. I am not here to do this. I am here to talk about Scott J. Fox. A man the furry fandom has decided to deem as a hero amongst furries.
The term everyman is used in literature to describe a person like everyone else. And I will use this term to describe Scott, because he is like everyone else. I personally believe that at the end of the day, anyone is a normal person, there is nothing that is really special about them, unless they choose to do something remarkable. It is what we do that makes us remarkable, and sets us apart from the masses as heroes or villains. This is one of those choices that made an everyman, no greater then you or I, into a hero.
I have known Scott Fox for some time, and he has been someone that I considered my friend, so getting to do this interview is something that I literally jumped at the opportunity to do. However, I had to put my personal biases for the individual aside and interview Scott as a normal person, not my friend, and certainly not a hero. He would be treated like I strive to treat anyone else, just like a normal person. I must apologize that the interview is not recorded from the audio word for word, this being my first long distance interview, the audio recording is hard to decipher, but I will be able to convey the basic gist of the interview here.
The thing that stuck me the most about this interview with Scott, was the nervousness in his voice. He seemed to be fidgety while he talked to me about this. Often times restating in many different ways his opinions on the questions asked. He even admitted that he wasn’t used to the attention and “how it seemed to come out of nowhere, I really didn’t know how to handle that.” He then continued to say that he had gotten somewhere north of seven thousand mentions and direct messages over Twitter. It forced him to turn off his Twitter account, just to get some peace of mind. I couldn’t help but to feel impressed that he was not making any attempts to puff up his fame in this interview. That at the end of the day, he really is an everyman.
Yet, he was the everyman that stood up to people causing harm to a friend of his. That, is what makes him a hero. He did what others might have been afraid to do out of fear of the repercussions, saying “I wasn’t really worried about that.” He even said that this was part of his nature to help a friend and that he would do this for anyone.
When I continued to ask about why he would do this, he gave me one last bit of advice. He said that we should be the change that we want to see in the world. It was a concept that Ghandi said and practiced throughout his life. A concept and divine idea that still rings true to this day. We are all an everyman, and yet, we have this potential that allows us to reach beyond ourselves, and choice to act as the hero. Scott J. Fox, is a shining example of this story. If we are to gather enough courage, we can change the world. I can only hope, that when fate chooses me to act, that I will answer her call, and go be as much as a hero as Scott is.
Everyman or Hero? Scott J. Fox by Holden Tanner is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License.
Get ShareaholicKSU’s gay magazine interviews furry students
Author: GreenReaper
Fusion Magazine, published by Kent State University students for the LGBTQ community, has based its latest issue on furries.
The coverage begins with a six-page profile of the fandom featuring Robby Conte (Robbyfox) and other NE Ohio furs.
Robbyfox describes his introduction to the fandom, his trip to Anthrocon 2010, and favourably compares furry fandom to the gay community, which he describes as ‘more intimidating’.
The article then gives an overview of fursuiting and a dismissive mention of Vanity Fair, before diving into quotes from sociological researcher Dr. Kathy Gerbasi, a description of a local furmeet and a sub-interview with ObliviousAlly.
Find the full article here: flayrah
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Get ShareaholicWildCritters divided by policy changes
Author: GreenReaper
What is the nature of a critter? And when the community provides content, who should determine policy – the owner, or the users?
Such questions split WildCritters, an imageboard known for cute feral erotica.
The site distinguished itself from furry competitors like e621 and Fchan by restricting its content to high-quality artwork of ‘critters‘ – minimally anthropomorphic, chibi-like animals.
Now there are two sites: WildCritters.ws and WildCritters.net, both running Danbooru, sharing similar themes and content. How did this come about?
Find the full article here: flayrah
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Get ShareaholicPodcast with Kyell Gold
Author: Red Furros
The following podcast was recorded on Further Confusion, in this podcast we ask Kyell Gold about the release of his new book Isolation Play and about some of his other works like Waterways and Volle.
You can listen at the podcast here:
Cartoonist J.P. Morgan passes away
Author: dronon
Sad news from Roy Calbeck: J.P. Morgan, creator of Fission Chicken, has passed away at 53.
Find the full article here: flayrah
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Get ShareaholicWas the fox prehistoric man’s best friend?
Author: Allicorn
A recently published paper, covered in an article on PhysOrg, discusses the discovery of foxes buried along with humans in ancient graves, and moots the possibility that foxes – not dogs – may have been the animal first domesticated as pets by humankind.
Find the full article here: flayrah
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Get ShareaholicOpinion Poll: Murrsuits
© LOLler-Wear
It’s a fact of the fandom. There is a small number of people in the fandom who own “murrsuits” and participate in sexual activity while wearing these.
The question that has come up – Should these fursuiters keep these suits for private use only, never wearing them out or is it okay for them to wear them at public events like conventions and meets? As seen in an earlier article, there are those who are taking both sides of the issue.
View PollFor other opinions, you are free to leave comments below.
Update: Flayrah has their own poll on Fursuit Sex – Register your vote here:
http://www.flayrah.com/3407/so-fursuit-sex
Get ShareaholicEgyptian Jackal is actually a wolf
Author: GreenReaper
Researchers have found that Egyptian Jackal is actually a member of the Grey Wolf species complex. [thesaprophelite/a.f.f]
Phylogenetic testing confirmed that the species – previously classified as a sub-species of the Golden Jackal – is most closely related to the Indian and Himalayan Wolf, confirming long-held suspicions over its heriatige.
The paper also notes discovery of individuals in the Ethiopian highlands, and suggests the taxon be renamed the African Wolf.
Find the full article here: flayrah
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Get ShareaholicArtist Profile: Silent Ravyn
Who is Silent Ravyn?
That would be me, a female furry artist and fursuit/plushie maker from Canada! I’ve been drawing since I can remember and have never been able to tear myself away from my favourite subject matter, which is of course animals and anthropomorphics. I have a soft spot for drawing ferals, females, canids and exotic species.
I’ve been in the fandom since about 2003 and have been loving it ever since. My fuzzy self is represented as an arctic fox/wolf hybrid named Silent Ravyn. This year I’ll be graduating with a Bachelor of Fine Arts from Mount Allison University, and hopefully pursuing my dream career in art.
My work has been published in Anthropomorphine (http://en.wikifur.com/wiki/Anthropomorphine), Rage CCG (http://en.wikifur.com/wiki/Rage_%28game%29) and several conbooks.
Where to find me:
You can find my art at any of these galleries or my personal website (http://www.foxwolf.ca). I occasionally open for commissions of art, fursuits and plushies, so keep an eye out for updates. Prints are always available, just ask ([email protected]).
FurAffinity (http://www.furaffinity.net/user/silentravyn)
DeviantArt (http://silentravyn.deviantart.com)
ArtSpots (http://silentravyn.artspots.com)
InkBunny (http://inkbunny.net/SilentRavyn)
Conventions:
I attend Anthrocon (http://www.anthrocon.org) every year with art in the Art Show as well as a Dealer’s table. If you are looking for a quick commission or a print from me this is where to look! I also mail art to Further Confusion (http://www.furtherconfusion.org) for their Art Show, and plan to expand my con attendance in the years to come.
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Insane Kangaroo announces “unofficial don’t hug me bro murrsuit database”
Author: Higgs Raccoon
Pittsburgh fur Insane Kangaroo has launched “Do Not Hug” (NSFW), the “unofficial don’t hug me bro murrsuit database”. The database is intended to record those fursuits (or “murrsuits”) used by their owners for both sexual activities and public appearances.
Find the full article here: flayrah
EDIT: Noted as of 3:30pm EST 1/28/2011 – images that were shown on the “Do Not Hug” database have been taken down. There has been no other updates to the site.
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Get ShareaholicMichigan zoo hosts Zoorotica 2011
Author: Higgs Raccoon
The Binder Park Zoo in Battle Creek, Michigan, is hosting an unusual special event on the weekend before next month’s St Valentine’s Day.
For $ 40 per person (or $ 70 for a couple), you can experience Zoorotica, a four-hour tour of the zoo with staff providing commentary on “love lives of the feathered, furry, and fanged”. The tour concludes with hors d’oeuvres and a DVD presentation on animal mating behaviors.
Interested parties must be 21 or older to attend. After Zoorotica, on February 19, the zoo is holding an art workshop for artists wishing to develop their animal drawing skills.
Find the full article here: flayrah
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Get ShareaholicRed Furros interviews Blotch
The following is an interview we had with Blotch last Saturday 15 during the Further Confusion furry convention, who for those who don’t know, Blotch is the collaboration name of two very talented artists: BlackTeagan and Kenket. They have made very popular works like Dog’s days of summer and lately they’ve made cover art and illustrations for Kyell Gold’s books (Out of Position, Isolation Play). They have captivated the furry community’s interest with their unique watercolor style and fantastic sense of animal anatomy. If you are a furry and haven’t heard about them, you have probably been living under a rock.
They were kind enough to give us some minutes from their dealer’s room table at Further Confusion and this is what we asked them:
Red Furros: Who or what is Blotch?
BlackTeagan: Oh, it’s just collaboration between the two of us, you know, when we work together and I do the sketching and she does the painting…
Kenket: Yes…
BlackTeagan: And it is easier to work under one name when you do stuff together than doing it separately, so…it’s less confusing.
Red Furros: You two met on the fandom?
Kenket: Uh… yeah.
BlackTeagan: We met through friends who were in the fandom.
Kenket: Two furries… but not in like, a convention, so we met camping in the middle of the desert.
Red Furros: …you met camping in the middle of the desert?
BlackTeagan: Well… there were different camping groups, we were camping out with friends.
Red Furros: Oh, you like outdoor sports.
BlackTeagan: Yes, we have mutual friends that we met each other and after that, years later, we met together on a furry con.
Red Furros: So, when did you realize that you made a good team?
Read more of the interview at Red Furros Get ShareaholicMovie Review: How To Train Your Dragon
This film follows Hiccup, a teen youth on the viking island of Berk. Hiccup has never fit in to viking society and this is made even worse by being the son of the chief. Hiccup wants nothing more then to be accepted by the rest of the vikings in the village, but every time he tries something disastrous happens. Every viking in Berk knows from a young age that their primary purpose is to fight dragons. Hiccup is no different and tries desperately to kill a dragon, not through brute force as the rest of the vikings do, but through ingenuity and though.
During a dragon raid on the village one night Hiccup manages to ensnare a Night Fury, the most feared of dragons. When he tries to tell his father and the rest of the village of his accomplishment, none believe him. After being escorted home by his father’s best friend Gobber, Hiccup sneaks out a back door to go and find the dragon he brought down. Just as Hiccup is about to give up on his search for the dragon he stumbles upon it. Hiccup tries very hard to build up the courage and convince himself to kill the dragon but cannot. Instead Hiccup sets the dragon free, who menaces Hiccup and then apparently flies away to freedom.
That evening Hiccup’s father, after a conversation with Gobber puts him into dragon training before heading out to try and destroy the dragon’s nest. Hiccup is mocked by his classmates in dragon training and nearly killed by a dragon on his first day, Gobber as teacher saves Hiccup and tells the class that a dragon will always go for the kill. Hiccup then goes out to where he freed the dragon he had downed and asks himself, “So why didn’t you?” The rest of the film follows Hiccup as he learns more and more about dragons, discovering that they are not the vicious monsters the rest of the village believes them to be.
The film culminates with Hiccup’s father freeing the imprisoned dragon Hiccup has befriended and learned to ride. Hiccup and his dragon then proceed to defeat the queen dragon on the dragon’s island, apparently sacrificing their lives in order to spare the others who came to the island to attack the nest. Back home in Berk, Hiccup wakes up in his own home after some nudging from his dragon. Hiccup is surprised to see the dragon in his own home and makes his way outside where the village has embraced dragons as pets. Hiccup’s father too has embraced dragons as more then just a menace.
This film is truly great, the story is excellently written, the voice talent is superb, and the score is masterful. I cannot praise this film enough for the originality and the flow. The story quickly establishes itself and flows seamlessly from beginning to end. I highly recommend this film both to be seen and purchased to own, it is well worth the price you pay for it no matter what price you get it for.
See Marnol’s Movie Review Blog – HERE
- Official website
- How to Train Your Dragon at the Internet Movie Database
- How to Train Your Dragon at the Big Cartoon DataBase
- How to Train Your Dragon at Allmovie
- How to Train Your Dragon at Rotten Tomatoes
- How to Train Your Dragon at Metacritic
- How to Train Your Dragon at Box Office Mojo
Movie Review: Alpha & Omega
Alpha & Omega
This film follows two young wolves, Kate and Humphrey, starting off as childhood friends on the day Kate is set to begin her training as an Alpha female of the wolf pack. Come Spring Kate has finished her Alpha training and is next seen on her first hunt going after Caribou. This hunt is interrupted by another pack of wolves from the East which causes a conflict. Humphrey as an Omega is meant to keep the peace and make others laugh, he quickly defuses the conflict. Kate soon discovers that her father and the Alpha of the eastern pack have made a deal to unite the two packs by marrying Kate and the Eastern packs young male Alpha. That night Kate and Garth are introduced, Kate is very much put off by Garth when he begins to howl at the moon horribly, dropping birds from the sky. After getting away from Garth, Kate runs into Humphrey and begins trying to convince him she’s not running away from Garth. Eventually Kate is hit with a tranquilizer followed shortly by Humphrey. The two wake up after being relocated to Idaho to repopulate wolves at a park there. Kate convinces Humphrey to help her get home and adventure ensues. In the end Garth and Kate are about to be married when Kate backs out. Kate has fallen in love with Humphrey which leads to a battle between to two packs. In the end Kate and Humphrey are together with Humphrey having protected Kate during a stampede of Caribou.
This movie flows well from beginning to end, it keeps you interested from the very beginning to the very end. The best part about this film is the writers actually asked experts about and observed wild wolves in order to understand the pack structure. Toward the end Humphrey is about to do what many Omegas do, take the lone wolf route. This in nature eventually leads to the formation of a new pack, but for the purposes of this film they couldn’t have that happen. All in all an excellent film that does a good job debunking many of the common misconceptions concerning wolf pack structure that were first documented by scientists when they took unrelated wolves from the wild and introduced them to a new pack unlike anything nature would produce. This film is dedicated to the memory of Dennis Hopper, his last film role before his death. I highly recommend this film to adults and children both.
Review by: Marnol – See his Blog HERE
Cast- Justin Long as Humphrey, an omega wolf.
- Hayden Panettiere as Kate, an alpha wolf and daughter of Winston, the alpha-male.
- Dennis Hopper as Tony, the alpha-male of the Eastern pack.
- Danny Glover as Winston, Kate and Lilly’s father and the alpha-male of his pack.
- Larry Miller as Marcel, a golf-playing French-Canadian goose from Idaho.
- Eric Price as Paddy, Marcel’s caddy, a duck, and as Mooch, an overweight omega wolf and one of Humphrey’s friends.
- Vicki Lewis as Eve, Winston’s mate and Kate and Lilly’s mother.
- Chris Carmack as Garth, Tony’s son, an alpha wolf.
- Christina Ricci as Lilly, Kate’s younger sister, an omega wolf.
- Maya Feltheimer as Bear Cub, a small, innocent rascal who plays with Humphrey.
- Kevin Sussman as Shakey
- Brian Donovan as Salty
- Bitsie Tulloch as Sweets
- Paul Nakauchi as Hutch (Uncredited)
- Official website
- Alpha and Omega at the Internet Movie Database
- Alpha and Omega at the Big Cartoon DataBase
- Alpha and Omega at Allmovie
- Alpha and Omega at Rotten Tomatoes
- Alpha and Omega at Metacritic
- Alpha and Omega at Box Office Mojo
Earth Eternal is coming back!
Author: jasper-bear
So get out your katana, because this time it’s kemono style!
Almost a month ago on 31 December 2010, Snoopy007 found a very interesting page on the website of Japanese game company Sankando.
Find the full article here: flayrah
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Get ShareaholicFurnal Equinox releases January 2011 newsletter
Author: Scani
With only 50 days left to go until its second edition, Furnal Equinox has released its January 2011 newsletter, including details of the new “Wolf’s Den” hospitality lounge for sponsors, an update on the hotel room block, and a call for volunteers, panelists and conbook art.
Find the full article here: flayrah
Creative Commons: Full post may be available under a free license.
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