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December 2018

Newsbytes archive for November 2018

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Contributors this month include 2cross2affliction, BlindWolf8, dronon, Equivamp, GreenReaper, InkyCrow, Rakuen Growlithe, and Sonious.

BBC's Watership Down trailer released

Your rating: None Average: 4.8 (23 votes)

On December 22, 2018, Netflix and BBC One will see the second animated adaptation of the 1972 Richard Adams novel Watership Down. This time, it's a four-part miniseries of one-hour episodes.

Unlike the 1978 animated film's trailer, which focused on the story as a philosophical, epic fantasy, this new trailer has more the feel of a modern action drama.

Furry convention attendance reaches 5 digits at Midwest FurFest 2018

Your rating: None Average: 4.7 (30 votes)

Based on preliminary numbers from this weekend, Midwest FurFest 2018 had 10,700 attendees - a 22% increase from last year! [Update: Final count, 10,989!]

Attendance aside, there were many more numbers that furries could be proud of, including:

Artwork courtesy of KunaCoyote
(Image source: @wryote)

Tumblr's Tumble: Furs emigrate as rogue algorithm takes toll on artists

Your rating: None Average: 4.6 (34 votes)

Tumblr has said that all adult, NSFW work will need to be off the site by December 17th, 2018. Any post that is deemed to be adult content will be switched automatically to private mode and not viewable by the public according to an article by the Verge.

As the website is using an algorithm based solution on determining which content is to be cleaned up, the decision has not only impacted those who post adult works, but also clean artists as well. It has been comedically noted that even Garfield pictures are not safe from the computer’s judgement. Reports from several furs that do no sexual content on the platform have indicated their own works being content flagged, leaving some to suspect that the tag of furry is seen as unclean by default.

With this uncertainty, a mass emigration is underway for artists who used the platform as their mainstay. Many furry sites have been trying to lure in new content creators looking for a new home. Inkbunny, for instance, did a full on parody of the Tumblr announcement. Furry Network asks in light of the situation how they can best serve those affected. Weasyl also chimed in, but also with the reminder that they’re trying for more than just the furry market. At this time, SoFurry and FurAffinity have not commented on the situation. Furry sites are not alone wishing to get on this action, with the most strangest instance being PornHub reaching out to inform those leaving Tumblr that their site takes adult art as well.

Further Confusion restricts membership of those with predatory history

Your rating: None Average: 3.9 (14 votes)

On December 17th, 2018, Further Confusion posted an update to its Code of Conduct rules. The update includes a stipulation that membership can be revoked by an attendee's history of sexually predatory behavior.

For the safety of our attendees, Further Confusion does not allow attendance by those with a history of sexual violence or pedophilia. If you are unsure whether your ability to attend is affected by this rule, please reach out to chairman@furcon.org

Update 10:42PM: This code of conduct has been updated further, details marked in article below

This announcement has been made around the time where pictures of a fursuiter named Growly (aka TORA) have been shared on Twitter with furs stating their frustrations about his presence at Midwest Furfest this year. Tora has been a fur fan since 1999, and is infamous due to having served time in prison over sexual abuse of a minor, being arrested and convicted for these activities in 2001. After serving his sentence, and serving three years probation, he has returned to fandom activities. Suspicion of his behavior around minors continues to this very day as his removal from Fur Affinity in 2009 was prompted by being confronted about his interactions in private note system with minors.

Game review: 'Super Smash Bros. Ultimate'

Your rating: None Average: 2.7 (9 votes)

ssbultimate.jpg

Like the Pokémon games, the Super Smash Bros. series has had many releases, adding a few bells and whistles as well as a handful of new characters every console generation or so. Also like the Pokémon games, the new releases have a solid enough base that they're still almost always worth checking out. And also also like the Pokémon games, the Super Smash Bros. series has Pokémon in it.

Happy holidays to one and all!

Your rating: None Average: 5 (28 votes)

2018 has been rough on many of us, so from everyone here at Flayrah, we wish you the best of the holiday season and a Happy New Year!

Here are some cute videos from previous years:

A 2017 ad from Very.co.uk, an online retailer.

A series of TV spots featuring squirrels, made for Russia's Channel One in 2017.

And from 2013, "The Bear and The Hare", an ad from the John Lewis department store.

Get in on the 2018 Best Anthropomorphic Artwork Awards!

Your rating: None Average: 4.6 (34 votes)

Crossing, artwork from 2017 depicting a mammoth by Caraid and Nomax.I found out about the Best Anthropomorphic Artwork Awards only yesterday (Dec. 26th), and I wish I'd known about them sooner!

They're a labor of love to the fandom by Bahu, and I'm not even going to try guessing how many artists he must follow on an annual basis to narrow down 29,000 pieces of art to 875 contenders (3%), then working those numbers down even further. And that's not counting the People's Choice Award, which you can vote on before January 1st if you act quickly!

Add to the 2018 Recommended Anthropomorphics List

Your rating: None Average: 4.8 (25 votes)

The Ursa Major Awards logo.The 2018 Recommended Anthropomorphics List is an annual effort by furry fans to put together a list of what's come out in the last year, both inside and outside the fandom. It also serves as a lead-up to the Ursa Major Awards, founded in 2001 by the late Fred Patten.

Did you see something with furry content that you liked in 2018? Add it to the list! Even though 2019 is just a few days away, you can still send your recommendations in for another two weeks (but don't cut it too close), before January 15.

The list includes movies, videos, novels, short stories, anthologies, comics, artwork on book covers, podcasts, games, websites, non-fiction (informational works, newspaper articles, etc.) - and a lot more. If you're unsure what category to put something into, you can look at the lists from previous years for comparison.