As I mentioned in a similar report a couple of years ago, I consider myself a fringefur because I don't do things that more committed furries do (writing, art, fursuiting, taking on a fursona). Mostly I just like to read furry comics; most of my favorite Webcomics are furry, and I first got into the fandom when Fantagraphics stopped publishing Critters and I had to find another source. Text stories don't appeal so much, though I loved Michael Payne's Blood Jaguar, for instance, and I don't much care for movies or TV of any sort. I've never seen Disney's Robin Hood, which I gather is something of a furry gateway drug.

So why did I go to Anthrocon at all? Well, I'll tell ya.

Last weekend I went to Anthrocon in Pittsburgh, the biggest anthropomorphics (furry) convention in the world, with 3390 in attendance. I thought some of a conreport might be of interest to some of my correspondents.

This year I attended my first Further Confusion, and I have to admit I liked it. Of course, I'm the more social kind of con attender, going to meet people, wander and catch a little bit of everything going on. And I should admit to having friends who were execs and staff, which might colour my views a bit, but I liked the con a lot. But it seems not everyone did...

Anthology of Sex Stories features piece on Furry.

It's been five years since I wrote a short editorial here, called “State of the Fandom”, and to my suprise it's still in the top 10 of most read articles here. So I felt it was time to give you all an overdue follow up, and grade the fandom on it's progress. So I submit to you, the Fandom's Report Card.

(From here)
Columnist
dwiesend@uwm.edu

I have written about many diverse subjects in the genre of sexuality, but this takes the cake. Let me tell you a little bit about a subculture of people who call themselves “furries.”

As this was my first furry convention, I decided to write it up in a little more detail than I would do otherwise. Read on to see what a con virgin thought of Midwest FurFest 2005. You should also read KinkyTurtle's MFF 2005 con diary, which is far funnier than mine! :-)

DNA Press Publishes "Dragons: Lexicon Triumvirate" by Kenneth C. Eng on March 20th, which Coincides with the Show Dragons on the Discovery Channel - Animal Planet

Nartea Publishing, a division of DNA Press (www.dnapress.com), announced that the book “Dragons: Lexicon Triumvirate” (ISBN 0-9748765-0-X) has been shipped to bookstores. The publication of this book coincides with the much-anticipated show Dragons on the Discovery Channel – Animal Planet (http://animal.discovery.com/convergence/dragons/dragons.html) to be seen on March 20th. The book features technologically advanced dragons battling one another in the Middle Ages, and contains fantastic fight sequences that span across time and space with an array of amazing weaponry. Philosophy is intrinsic to this writing.

Exposing the lies that $leazy World has been telling for decades, Dolphin Reef Eilat, of Israel, is planning another release of captive-born dolphins.

The dolphin population there has dwindled and is on the verge of extinction. The efforts of all the countries surrounding the Black Sea (ACCOBAMS Organization), as well as the recognition of the dolphins living in it (TURSIOPS TRUNCATUS PONTICUS) as an endangered species (according to the international CITES treaty), has contributed to significant improvement and rejuvenation of the Black Sea. The transfer of the dolphins from the Reef to the Black Sea is one of the rehabilitation measures, carried out in cooperation between the Severtsov Russian Academy of Science and Dolphin Reef. Two dolphins, Shandy (10 year old male) and Pashosh (12 year old female), born at Dolphin Reef to parents originally from the Black Sea, are being transferred back to the Black Sea. Shandy and Pashosh will fly on Monday, July 26th, from Eilat to the Utrish Biological Research Station at the Black Sea, where they will meet a pair of local dolphins. After a stay of about one month at the Research Station, the four dolphins will be released into the Black Sea. This release project is backed and accompanied by local and international environmental groups, such as the Nature Reserves Authority in Israel and in Russia, and ACCOBAMS organization.

Dolphin Reef Eilat

Anthrocon guest-of-honor Michel Gagne has posted his convention report, with lots of fursuit photos.

Morphicon has concluded, and the convention was a success beyond our wildest dreams!

Given the unfortunate proximity to other conventions, we anticipated only about 80 attendees. When registration closed on Sunday, 120 furries had registered for the convention, 113 of them paid registrations! 115 furries in all attended the convention, 108 of them paid.

Those who registered but were unable to attend con will be sent convention materials through postal mail (including sponsor goodies for sponsors), so they can still have something from us.

(more below)