Dogpatch Press

Fluff Pieces Every Week

Category: Conventions

News of the week: Furries and rare books (8-6-14)

by Patch O'Furr

In this week’s feature of news bites and links:
Furries and rare books – Pacific Anthropomorphics Weekend set for November – Rocket Raccoon – Furry music vids by Megan Lane, Sheppymomma
And more… Tips welcome- I’d love to post yours!
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spacecat

– Cats on Science Fiction Book Covers

Reddit furries enjoyed the topic. (A “Kzin” book cover led me to find furry on the 90’s internet!) It reminded me of a pleasing find: the 1950’s kid’s book series “SPACE CAT”. It’s full of vintage charm- see the book covers. Here’s a cool fact: author Ruthven Todd had serious credit in poetry, and was good buddies with the O.G. 1930’s Surrealist movement. Look out for this neat collectible, because used copies run for $50 and up online.

– Rare book dealers discuss “talking animal” fables from the Middle Ages

A question was recently raised in a rare books group on a social network: are fables featuring animals for kids? Yes, they are—but of course, not only.

Of Goupils and Men, or the Bestial Condition of Man” is an article in dealer journal Americana Exchange. Author Thibault Ehrengardt shares his find, a 1743 book about classical character Reynard the Fox:

Quite a disturbing reading… a vicious creature who never pays for his crimes; on the contrary, he is eventually appointed to the highest position of the kingdom — a bloody and immoral tale… For kids?

– Pacific Anthropomorphics Weekend announced: November 14-16, 2014.

The newly planned event intends to be at San Jose, CA’s Airport Garden Hotel – two months before Further Confusion, the second largest con by attendance. This follows internal controversy about organizing, possibly resolving a few private issues. Can it make San Jose the first city to have two cons a year?

This year’s “PAWCon” is a fall festival fundraiser with a focus on a social weekend with great music, games, and more. Visit pacanthro.org for more details. Registration will open soon, and hotel reservations open next week.

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Furry news of the week: Pittsburgh’s official “Anthrocon Day” (7-5-14)

by Patch O'Furr

ANTHROCON’s official holiday, world record, FBI investigation – Wolfgem and Beastcub recover from tragedy – New con: Pac Anthro Weekend – More

Here’s the regular feature of Furry news bites, scoops, and Snausage links. Tips welcome- I’d love to post yours!
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– July 5th officially declared “Anthrocon Day” by Pittsburgh’s Mayor!

– WTAE reports: Furries return to Pittsburgh for Anthrocon
Pittsburgh TV on the world’s largest annual Furry convention that brings around 6000 people and $7 million to the city.

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Furry news and Snausage links of the week (5-22-14)

by Patch O'Furr

Worldwide furries: Russia and Belarus – Site losses this week – Fursuiting magic outdoors – Flayrah’s Newsbytes now added here

Do you like links and stories to come? Snausages– a regularish feature. Story tips welcome- I’d love to post yours!
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– WORLDWIDE FURRIES: Russia and Belarus
BELFURENCE 1: “The first furry convention in Belarus. We rented a couple of houses in the middle of nowhere, at Braslav Lakes National Park.”
Amazing photos! Rough translating indicates that trouble in Ukraine led to a new event in a new location.
Some of the same furries appear in this parade: Dreamflash… 5000+ people parading for hugs, positivity, bright costumes, and soap bubbles.
A super cool answer to my older article, “Questions for Russian furry fans about anti-gay oppression“. Could simply wearing a fursuit get you in trouble? Not for these.

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Snausage links and furry news of the week (5-15-14)

by Patch O'Furr

rocket raccoonFurry culture in San Francisco news – Furfling banned on FA – Fur Con reg open, hotel 5/21 – Rocket Raccoon cosplay – And more!

Do you like links and samples of stories to come? Here’s treats of the week. Snausages: now a regular feature!
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– “FUR AND LOVING: UNZIPPING THE SF FURRY CULTURE”
We’re in San Francisco’s XPRESS magazine. (I helped author C. Genest with a little story info and interviewing.)
“The only genuine bond connecting the furry community is a common love for ‘funny animal’ characters in art.”

– FURFLING and FAKE DATING SITE CONTROVERSY
Original story updated with new comment from FA owner Dragoneer. (And a new fake site discussed there.)
“Furrymate was barred from advertising on FA given their deceptive practices.”

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How furries helped Jei Cheetah reach an impossible goal

by Patch O'Furr

Amazing… I saw Jei share that 3 years ago, he was 300 lbs and could only watch others dance. If you can’t dance, you can still watch and learn from videos. Now this cheetah is a dancer. Because of you furries! What a story. This is why I love furries so much. <3 After I saw his video, I asked him to tell his story.


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BLFC’s little snags and big success

by Patch O'Furr

Part 3 of 3

Reno, NV used to be the Wild West. It reminds me of bison, cowboys, cattlemen and sheepmen. Freedom had a lot to do with animals and boundary fights.

On frontiers of culture, furries have a colorful little corner where lines are pushed between normal and weird.

(Pic by PictureNV)

(Pic by PictureNV)

When I started to write about BLFC, I felt sorry about including some gossip in my last year’s con report. I’d love to balance it with pure positivity. It mostly related to locals from Reno, and the way they looked at the con. It was mild conflict between grey conservatism, and colorful, younger, wilder furries.

Unfortunately I saw reminders of the same issues this year. Oh well, let’s be honest, and talk about security. But don’t worry. The con was wonderful.
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More from Reno – Biggest Little Fireside Chat

by Patch O'Furr

Part 2 of 3

(Pic from Hahul.)

(Pic from Hahul.)

You’re at a smarty-pants club that smells of leather bound books and rich mahogany. The wisest animals are here. On a perch, Archimedes Owl thinks egghead thoughts. In a corner, The Great Mouse Detective gives him an eyeball and orates about the rat race. By the bar, a beatnik goat sips espresso and beardily strokes his beard. A sniffy elephant waiter serves a snifter of spirits. Your armchair is waiting. Bring your favorite tweed jacket, and rest your elbow-pads and paw-pads. Have a chess game by the fire and let’s converse.

Now switch the scene to a con hotel room. There’s cartoons everywhere, fursuiters chugging Monster energy drinks, and party music thumping thru the wall. Ooontz oontz oontz. Shove some stuff off the bed, play video games and hang out.

There wasn’t actual fire in the hotel, but when you hang out with furries… you never know…
After Part 1, here’s how smarty-pants it got with Dane, a fur con newcomer.
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Biggest Little Fur Con brings new wave of furs for a second record-breaking year

by Patch O'Furr

(Pic: EmptySetArt and Trip Collie.)

(Pic: EmptySetArt and Trip Collie.)

Part 1 of 3

On March 28-30, 2014, fur met hair band style, for the radical 1980’s-themed Biggest Little Fur Con.

In 2013, I really enjoyed attending the first BLFC in Reno, NV. It had a healthy attendance of 704. At the second BLFC, attendance shot up to 1442 (including 465 costumers in the parade). It broke the 2nd, 3rd, AND 4th year furry convention attendance record. With 105% growth, it became the 7th largest con by attendance at this time. Whoah, dude!

This is a sign of burgeoning subculture. It was a super positive experience. I loved dancing with the 80’s theme, representing it in costume, and playing retro video games in a nicely hooked up game room. (I heard high praise from another con’s game room organizer.) My favorite part was fursuiters on go-karts.

I’d love to give a well-rounded review about the programming, the hard work of the organizers, and charity benefit results. But I didn’t actually DO a lot more than bounce around like an escapee from the Bubble Bobble machine. So… What was your favorite part, fuzzies?
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Andrew W.K. to join panel at Brony convention; let’s discuss furry con guests

by Patch O'Furr

Flayrah news: 9/8/12

Bronies: are they furry? Skipping that topic, let me just say this makes me like Andrew W.K.:

The unruly, boisterous rocker will be part of a panel answering the question, “What Would Pinkie Pie Do?”… The king of partying hard claims that he is the living embodiment of the positive, party pony.

In this interview, the rocker known for a bloody-nosed image discusses why he’s a Brony, his love for cupcakes, and ponies with “nice, fragrant hair.”
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