Dogpatch Press

Fluff Pieces Every Week

Category: On the scene

August 21, 2014

Flock of furries in photo book – News of the week (8-21-14)

by Patch O'Furr

In this week’s news and links:
Anthrocon in photo book. Fursuiters in show for Gay Life TV, and French movie “Babysitting”. New con announcements.
And more… Tips welcome- I’d love to post yours!
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Courtesy Arthur Drooker / Coolhunting.com

Courtesy Arthur Drooker / Coolhunting.com

– Photography: “Conventional Wisdom” at Anthrocon

Flocks, pods of whales, conventions of humans… Arthur Drooker seeks unusual human behavior for his photo book. Design and documentary publisher, Coolhunting, posted his report from Anthrocon in July. Here’s the kind of conventions he’s covered, linked on his website : Furries, Santas, Clowns, Reenactors, Bronies, Ventriloquists, Taxidermists, and Lincolns. At a talk in May (at 1:38:00) Drooker described sensitivity of the Clown community to their images in pop culture (like in slasher movies.) Sound familiar?

– Meet the Furries of Rocky Mountain FurCon 2014

The Denver Westword was “the first magazine or newspaper worldwide to employ a medical marijuana critic.” Their staff emerged from the haze to get a slideshow of this con’s fursuiters.

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– French movie: “Babysitting” puts fursuiters on big screens

Commenting on my article about furries gaining respect in movies, Vector tells us:  Fursuiters are in party scenes of the movie “Babysitting”, a comedy that was popular in France, with good reviews and prizes.  It’s released on DVD this week in France. Here’s fursuiter photos from the movie premiere.

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August 8, 2014

The San Francisco Furry Film Festival

by Patch O'Furr

… only exists in my imagination. BOO…

BUT WAIT. This isn’t so far-fetched. Many festivals thrive on weirdly specific subjects. I submit:
The Internet Cat Video Festival, the International Moustache Film Festival, and 9 more of “the world’s weirdest.”

The idea perks up my ears. Now, I say with love, many furries will watch ANYTHING with furries in it… no matter how bad. There’s no harm in that! I love me some bad low budget movies. (By reputation, we could name Alpha and Omega.) Lovingly compiled programming dedicated to furries seems likely to attract a core audience. And for curiosity and weirdness sake, probably nerdy movie lovers too.

Start with fantasy programming. Obviously, screening rights to many fan favorites aren’t even in the same world as us. Disney would sooner let random furries screen the X-rated Mickey Mouse cartoon (that I just totally made up), before letting them charge admission to the Lion King. But after making a fantasy list, actual choices would be left for a practical, lets-do-this film festival, with deliciously one-of-a-kind flavor.

Imaginary programs (AND WHAT CAN YOU ADD?)

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August 5, 2014

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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July 6, 2014

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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July 2, 2014

Making a successful Furry float for San Francisco Pride 2014

by Patch O'Furr

(Video from SFPride/Clear Channel. Unedited here at 2:36:00 – may be NSFW.)

Bay Area Furries brought the first Furry float to SF Pride since 2004 or so. I estimate 50 at the parade (with 20 or more fursuiters), plus 20 or more at attached Pride events we held. We carried out a long-time wish to be in the parade after two years of informal Pride meets.

Setting aside the reason for Pride, here’s stuff I learned about fursuiting – a request for help with contributing photos/videos – and a no-expectation hint that donations would be loved to cover costs (but really, the $1000 budget was a gift.) Read the rest of this entry »

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June 26, 2014

Furry news of the week: Obama likes us (6/26/14)

by Patch O'Furr

Here’s the regular feature of news bites, scoops, and Snausage links. Tips welcome- I’d love to post yours!

Note: Blogging here is going to be very sporadic for a while. I’m an organizer for a furry float in the San Francisco Pride Parade. Phone and email have been blowing up all week, there’s 70 RSVP’s and I have 2 meets to handle. Then there’s Anthrocon, and much more.
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– Russell the Electric Giraffe meets the President
I was amused to see Lindz, owner of Russell the Electric Giraffe, using a Blotch avatar on Facebook. An intro video says:

Lindsay Lawlor once attended Burning Man in a full-sized Giraffe suit, until one day a friend of his suggested he build a mechanical giraffe from metal, electronics, and a slew of flashing LED lights…

Have fun reading about his trip to the White House to introduce Russell and Obama.


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May 29, 2014

Furry news and Snausage links of the week (5-29-14)

by Patch O'Furr

Dutch street fursuiting! – Sakura Fox’s new Suiting Suggestions – Anthrocon programming – Serious crime reported – NYC’s “banned pets” – Furaffinity “Project Phoenix” – Misunderstood Hyenas. – Snausages: a regular feature of links and story samples. Tips welcome- I’d love to post yours!
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Courtesy of NoctisIgnem

Courtesy of NoctisIgnem

– “FURSUITERS TURN THE CITY INTO A HAPPIER PLACE”
This is what furries are for! This is why I post about Street Fursuiting.
Reddit has the article from Dutch news, with English translation from generous sharer NoctisIgnem:

“This saturday Eindhoven got livened up by 30 fantastical animals. Photo opportunities and hugs were available all around. ‘Whenever furries or fursuiters turn up they put a smile on people’s faces, both young and old.'”

– SAKURA FOX: “SUITING SUGGESTIONS 6: WATER CIRCULATING COMPRESSION SHIRTS”
A new addition to a great series from a fabulous fox.
More “Suiting Suggestions” in previous features with Sakura about Street Fursuiting.

– ANTHROCON 2014 POCKET PROGRAM
Panels and programming revealed in latest draft. See you there in a few weeks!

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Video | May 26, 2014

2014 How Weird Street Faire furmeet in San Francisco

by Patch O'Furr

ABC News gave a shout to furries at the 2014 How Weird Street Faire. On May 4, thousands of costumers filled the streets for the 15th annual event. 43 furries RSVP’ed, and fursuiters had changing space in walking distance, thanks to generous member Boiler. (Send her love during misfortune that happened to her family recently.) The previous 2013 How Weird furmeet gave us wonderful photos. This year, I edited them to video, and they’re also in this album.

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May 22, 2014

Renegade fursuiting is BEST fursuiting: chat with Sakura Fox – Part 3

by Patch O'Furr

sakura2
Continued from Part 1 and Part 2: Sakura fox tells more about “renegade fursuiting” in public. I’ve previously written about “Street fursuiting”. Sakura’s convention panels and journals about it are recommended reading (see bottom.)

Patch:
I think public suiting is way better for candid photos than conventions, because it’s outside of predictable space. I love seeing surprised bystanders, or people drawn into furriness for the first time! Do you end up with a lot of photos afterward? Do you get photos taken by people you bring, or find them from searching randomly on the web? Do you have a favorite photo moment?

Has media ever picked you as an attraction to highlight? (It seems to happen to our meets a lot when San Francisco furries do street fairs. Even just to add incidental color to a story.)

Sakura:
Agreed! Photos from public events are always very dynamic and full of surprise.
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May 22, 2014

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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