GeneBreshears's stories

Endangered bird set for come back
Wed 23 Apr 2003 - 15:08

BBC Online reports that plans to restore the great bustard to the environs of Salisbury plain are progressing well. The great bustard is the world's largest flying bird. It once flourished in Wiltshire, and many other parts of the world, but now wild populations survive only in Russia and Ibera.

Tai-Pan celebrates fifteen years of furry art and fiction
Tue 15 Apr 2003 - 22:43

There's a new issue of Tales of the Tai-Pan Universe available! Issue #32 features a front cover by Jennifer Anderson, and back cover by Sky Rigdon. The issue contains "Suffer the Children" written by Chuck Melville and illustrated by Bill Koonts, "Kiss and Tell" written by Gene Breshears and illustrated by Sheryl Schopfer, "Chop Job" a graphic story by Bill Koonts, and "Fifteen furs on a dead man's chest, yo ho ho! And a bottle of rum" a little commemoration of Tai-Pan's fifteenth anniversary.

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Pair of servals roam residential Seattle
Wed 5 Mar 2003 - 14:24

The Seattle P-I reported that two adult servals, de-clawed and litter box trained, were found roaming in north Seattle about two weeks ago. There's a nice picture in the article from Feb. 22, and another picture from today's front page.

Sloth bear sanctuary opens in India
Tue 21 Jan 2003 - 14:44

BBC Online reports that India's first bear sanctuary, paid for by the World Society for the Protection of Animals (WSPA) and Wildlife SOS, is now open to take care of "dancing bears." The sloth bear is a threatened species. Even though the practice of capturing and training the sloth bears has been banned, about 100 cubs are taken illegally each year.

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Aardvark genes closest to common mammal ancestor
Tue 21 Jan 2003 - 14:37

BBC Online reports about a new study which indicates the aardvark, of all modern mammals, may be the closest, genetically, to the common ancestor of all placental mammals. As the story says, this isn't to say that the common ancestor looked like an aardvark, but rather, it appears that the aardvark's genome has had "fewer shuffles" than any other species.

Conifur announces dates, guests for 2003
Fri 13 Dec 2002 - 20:11

Conifur Northwest will return to the Sheraton Hotel and Convention Center in Tacoma, Washington, September 26 through 28, 2003. We are very pleased to announce that Brent "Grrrwolf" Spotswood and Chuck Melville will be our Guests of Honor.

Florida bears going bald!
Wed 11 Dec 2002 - 15:41

The SeattlePost-Intelligencer ran this AP story about a mange epidemic in Ocala National Forest. Poor bears!

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Rare farm breeds make modest come back
Tue 5 Nov 2002 - 14:52

The Seattle Post-Intelligencer reports that many hobby farmers in western states are forming a network to preserve endangered livestock -- breeds which have fallen out of favor for one reason or another. The article includes pictures of several rare Jacob Sheep, once much prized for its multi-colored wool

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UK Water voles threatened
Wed 16 Oct 2002 - 18:00

BBC Online reports that the endangered water vole (a mouse-like, aquatic rodent) is being killed in large numbers by people who mistake them for rats.

More awards
Thu 5 Sep 2002 - 12:55

In addition to the Hugo Awards, several other science fiction and fantasy awards were handed out at the World Science Fiction Conventions last weekend. Locus Online has a nice summary (with links) of the winners of the Chesley Awards (sf & fantasy artists), Prometheus Awards (libertarion sf), Sidewise Awards (alternate history sf), Golden Duck Awards (children & teen sf), and the Gaylactic Spectrum Awards (sf & fantasy with a positive gay/lesbian/transgender theme).