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Zoo Atlanta and Dreamworks Animation Announce Panda Cub’s New Name
Source: ZooAtlanta’s Blog
Dr. Hayley Murphy, director of veterinary services at Zoo Atlanta, right, holds a 3-month-old giant panda cub as actor Jack Black looks on before a naming ceremony Tuesday, Feb. 15, 2011 in Atlanta. Black who is promoting his animated film, 'Kung Fu Panda 2' posed for pictures with the cub, who is the only giant panda born at a U.S. zoo last year. (AP Photo / David Goldman)
ATLANTA – February 15, 2011 ? Officials at Zoo Atlanta and DreamWorks Animation SKG, Inc. (Nasdaq: DWA) have issued a joint announcement that the only giant panda cub born in the U.S. in 2010 has a name: Po. The name is a tribute to the lead character, Po the panda, in the upcoming DreamWorks Animation film, Kung Fu Panda 2, which will be distributed by Paramount Pictures starting on May 26, 2011.
The announcement was made this morning by representatives from Zoo Atlanta and DreamWorks Animation, the official sponsor of the 100 Day Giant Panda Cub Celebration and the naming of Po. Actor Jack Black, who voiced the iconic character of Po the panda in Kung Fu Panda – which grossed over $630 million at the worldwide box office – and who will reprise his role in the upcoming sequel, was present for the naming of the newborn panda cub.
Zoo Atlanta’s Newest Panda Named Po: MyFoxATLANTA.com
You can watch Dreamworks’ own video of the naming ceremony at the Kung Fu Panda Website
“Today’s announcement is the beginning of an amazing alliance between Zoo Atlanta and DreamWorks Animation. Our organizations share a commitment to giant panda conservation, particularly at the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding,” said Raymond B. King, President and CEO of Zoo Atlanta. “We are proud and honored to share this moment with Jack Black, who has already helped to bring the importance of saving this species to a new generation of conservationists.”
Giant pandas are among the world’s rarest mammals, with fewer than 1,600 believed to remain in the wild. The giant panda program at Zoo Atlanta supports conservation programs at the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding and in nature reserves in China.
In the Kung Fu Panda films, Po is an unlikely hero challenged by preconceived notions of what a kung fu warrior should be. Following the likeable but clumsy Po and his allies on a series of adventures, the films celebrate the power of self-worth and the ability of an individual to affect positive change.
These themes are equally fitting for the giant panda cub. He is an ambassador for his species, helping to draw attention to the plight of giant pandas in the wild. Born to Lun Lun on November 3, 2010, the 3-month-old now known as Po is already proving to be a great ambassador. Followed by thousands of fans on the world-famous PandaCam presented by EarthCam, the cub is expected to make his public debut in late March or early April. View PandaCam atzooatlanta.org/panda_cam.
You can watch Dreamworks’ own video of the naming ceremony at the Kung Fu Panda Website
Get Shareaholic Link to this post!“Kung Fu Panda” franchise in 2 legal battles
11:32 AM 2/17/2011 by Eriq Gardner
DreamWorks Animation might need to brush up on its martial arts skills to fight the litigation surrounding its Kung Fu Pandafranchise. The studio is being sued again, this time by a man who claims to have created the inspiration behind its animated hit, which grossed $632 million worldwide.
Represented by two high-caliber IP firms in Fish & Richardson and Duane Morris, an artist named Jayme Gordon yesterday filed a colorfully illustrated 28-page complaint in U.S. District Court in Massachusetts, alleging that Dreamworks and distributor Paramount copied the film from Gordon’s copyrighted works, collectively titled “Kung Fu Panda Power.”
Gordon claims that the defendants took more than just the title of his work, but also featured animated characters that bore a striking similarity to the characters he drew in his own illustrations, which he says were registered with the U.S. Copyright Office in 2000.
The lawsuit comes as Dreamworks is battling another writer, Terence Dunn, who also claims to have pitched the story of a “spiritual kung-fu fighting panda bear” to DWA execs during a series of phone conversations in Nov. 2001. Recently, Dunn won a small victory by getting his lawsuit to the discovery phase, where Dunn will attempt to gather internal DWA documents about boxoffice gross, DVD and merchandise revenue to help support the claims that the studio made millions from his ideas.
Now comes Gordon’s lawsuit. According to the complaint, in the late 1980s or early 1990s, Gordon submitted multiple packages to The Walt Disney Co. containing original illustrations and stories, including components of the Kung Fu Panda Power work. Gordon then visited “Pleasure Island,” a section of the Disney World resort in Orlando, Florida, where he met then-Disney chairman Michael Eisner and president Frank Wells. Gordon says he was invited to send his works to Disney, which he did. The complaint contains a photo of Gordon and Eisner together at a meeting.
At the time of the meeting, DreamWorks topper Jeffrey Katzenberg worked for Disney under Eisner. Katzenberg left Disney in 1994 and launched DreamWorks. Gordon says that in the late 1990′s he sent his illustrations to DreamWorks, where they were rejected with an acknowledgement of receipt.
Asserting copyright infringement, Gordon demands unspecified profits, statutory damages, and an acknowledgment of authorship on both Kung Fu Panda and its forthchoming sequel, scheduled for release in May.
DreamWorks declined to comment on the suit.
Find the full article here: Hollywood Reporter – THR, Esq.
See larger image Kung Fu Panda (+BD Live) [Blu-ray] (Blu-ray) Director: John Stevenson, Mark Osborne
Starring: Jack Black, Ian McShane, Angelina Jolie, Dustin Hoffman, Jackie Chan
Rating: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested)
List Price: $39.99 USD New From: $16.15 In Stock Used from: $12.89 In Stock Release date November 8, 2008.
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Link to this post! School artist? Sometimes that's hard
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Unsheathed #72 - Unsheathed Story Challenge! Also: Not Tube talks about Tube's book, and in a strange coincidence, we discuss mirroring.
Get Ready for Kung Fu Panda — Again
Anticipation is building for the return of Dragon Warrior Po the panda and his compatriots in this summer’s Kung Fu Panda 2, hitting screens in May from Dreamworks Animation. Before that though, Kizoic Comics (an imprint of Ape Entertainment) brings us a new one-shot Kung Fu Panda 2 full-color prequel comic, illustrated by Dan Schoening. Taking place between the two movies, the new comic follows the story of Po struggling to balance being the Dragon Warrior, a good son, and a noodle waiter all at once! The one-shot will be followed by a new Kung Fu Panda comic book series beginning May 4th, as well as a special Kung Fu Panda mini-comic for Free Comic Book Day. Ape Entertainment has a preview of all of this on their web site.
SportyPup Update
From his latest FJ Journal entry: Sporty’s Journal
Guess who?? Nope, it’s not sinabu , Nope, it’s not the pope, hehehe. Sorry, I’m still kinda out of it. Yay!!!! It’s Sporty!! I just wanted to let everyone know that the surgery went well. I feel very weird but that should pass. I just wanted to jump on FA real quick an thank everyone for all the support and love. I’m not a emotional man, but honestly after reading yalls comments and notes that I got while my surgery was going on I actually teared up. Thank you all sooooooo much. *hugs you all tightly never letting go* I’m still kinda out of it so I’m make this short but I’m doing good. Everything seemed to go well. All of you have all of my love and respect. You all are truly Family. Thank you all once again.
Forever Grateful sportypup
FNN will continue to host the Donations button (sidebar) and you can find it at the bottom of this post as well. His surgery may be over, and he may be recovering, but the medical bills will keep rolling in for a long time. If you can spare even a few dollars to help, please donate.
Speedy recovery, Sporty!
UW Furry Survey 2011
I did not make this survey, but want to expand the number of participants. It's pretty long and probably boring, but if you have 30 minutes to kill you should give it a go! (I did so that means you can too)
(plus you can enter to win $50 to amazon at the end)
submitted by hayf[link] [14 comments]
Today, I'm polling the furry masses. I'm asking this question: How does Your Fursona Species Reflect Your Personality?
Furry Fiesta Announces Schedule Online
Furry Fiesta is less than a week away. They have placed their schedule live online. The theme this year is “Disco Infurno”. FNN will be tracking tweets from Furry Fiesta with our Live Tweet site livetwit.furrynewsnetwork.com. Unless we hear different, the hash tag we’ll track is #tff2011.
Guest of Honor: Lucky Coyote, Don’t Hug Cacti Studio
Artist Guest of Honor: Megan Giles
Some schedule highlights include:
Friday:- Duck Pond Yoga
- Alternative Anatomy Panel
- Concert with Bucktown Tiger
- Rocky Horror Picture Show
- Unsheathed Live
- Furoticon – Learn to Play
Saturday:
- Meet the Guest of Honor
- Iron Artist
- Fursuit Design & Construction
- Concert with Matthew Ebel
- KnotCast Live
- Christian Furs Panel
- Furry Fiesta Dance Contest
- Putting the Tea Back in ‘Tea Party’
- Dead Dog Party
You can find the full schedule here: Furry Fiesta Schedule
You can find their website here: Furry Fiesta 2011 – Disco Infurno
Get Shareaholic Link to this post!Brooklyn Anthropomorphic Taxidermy class sold out
Author: Higgs Raccoon
A class on Anthropomorphic Taxidermy was held last Sunday in Brooklyn, New York, suggesting that the hobby is far from a historical pursuit.
Run by taxidermist and tattoo artist Susan Jeiven, the $ 45 class assumed no prior experience, and supplied each student with a deceased mouse obtained from a snake-feed store. The 15 places quickly sold out.
Find the full article here: flayrah
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Get Shareaholic Link to this post!Heidi the Opossum to predict Oscar winners
Author: Higgs Raccoon
Heidi the cross-eyed Virginia Opossum, resident of Leipzig Zoo in Germany, is to predict the winners of the upcoming 83rd Academy Awards.
After being found as an orphan, Heidi was raised in a North Carolina wildlife sanctuary, before being rehomed at Denmark’s Odense Zoo and, later, Leipzig Zoo. She became an international sensation last December, after photographs of her cock-eyed visage were published in the German newspaper Bild. The images went viral, and led to a hit song (“Opossum Heidi Schielt” or “Opossum Heidi Peers”), Heidi’s own Facebook account, and an upcoming line of plush toys.
read more
Find the full article here: flayrah
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Get Shareaholic Link to this post![alt.fan.furry] A Furry Comic Book List
Posting-Frequency: Posted on the 13th and 30th of each month, and Feb. 28
URL: [link]
Last-Modified: December 24, 2005
A Not Quite Complete, but None the Less, Very Thorough Furry Comic Book List
(Updated December 24, 2005)
Larry, new Chief Mouser of 10 Downing Street
Larry, a four-year-old tabby cat, become the newest Chief Mouser to the Cabinet Office this Tuesday. His duty is to suppress the rats that have been sighted in Downing Street in recent weeks.
Previously, Larry lived as a stray and was recruited from Battersea Dogs and Cats’ home. Larry was recommended as the mouser as he showed “a high chase-drive and hunting instinct”. Although an official spokesman described him as ‘easygoing’, Larry proceeded to scratch reporters who tried to do a story on him.
The first Chief Mouser was Treasury Bill in 1924. The position has been held by a number of cats over the years, although the position has been vacant since Sybil left it in 2008.
Find the full article here: flayrah
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Get Shareaholic Link to this post!Furnal Equinox releases February 2011 newsletter
Author: Scani
As the weather begins to warm up, Toronto-based furry convention Furnal Equinox has released its February 2011 newsletter, calling fans to preregister before February 28 and asking them to volunteer at the convention.
The convention has extended its room block and recently announced an expansion at its hotel.
Find the full article here: flayrah
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Get Shareaholic Link to this post!Bolivian lions rescued, sent to U.S. wildlife sanctuary
Two lions rest in a cage at a shelter in Santa Cruz de la Sierra, Bolivia, on Monday. They are among 25 bound for a wildlife refuge in Colorado.
Author: ringtailedfox
Twenty-five lions have been rescued from circuses in Bolivia by animal rights activist group Animal Defenders International.
The thirteen males and twelve females were taken from what were called “deplorable conditions” after Bolivian lawmakers prohibited animals from being used in performances.
Television personality and former The Price is Right host Bob Barker helped finance a jetliner to fly the lions to Denver at a cost of US$ 200,000, in what was called “Operation Lion Ark”.
When rescued, most of the lions suffered from dehydration, as well as foot and eye infections.
Find the full article here: flayrah
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Get Shareaholic Link to this post!Ubuntu Furry Remix gets paint job, Bamboo support
Author: GreenReaper
Remember Ubuntu Furry Remix? There’s a new version out (10.04) with an art software focus.
The distribution ships with GIMP Paint Studio (package) – a set of brushes and presets intended to improve the free image editor’s usefulness for designers and artists. Support for the Wacom Bamboo and many other graphic tablets is included, as are five more furry wallpapers.
Ubuntu 10.04 is a long term release, with full support through 2013.
Find the full article here: flayrah
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Get Shareaholic Link to this post!Critter Costuming: Making Mascots and Fabricating Fursuits
Suit from Running Wolf Productions featured in Critter Costuming
If you have ever wanted to become a fursuiter, you may have thought about constructing your own fursuit. Not too long after really getting my paws wet in the fandom, I decided to research how to make a fursuit. I mean how hard can it be? Glue together bits of foam, cut out a body suit pattern from fur, and then take more fur and cut to fit the head. Then just add finishing details, right? WRONG.
After assisting a friend on his fursuit head construction, and going out and buying a sewing machine, some fur and foam and more hot glue sticks than I can count, I decided that I didn’t have the skills to pull this off by my self. I needed instruction. So I did my research and found “Critter Costuming: Making Mascots and Fabricating Fursuits”.
The spiral bound volume is an excellent guide. It gives several techniques for constructing a fursuit. It covers details such as head construction, making a “duct tape dummy” as well as many other useful tips to successfully make your first fursuit.
For me, however, I had the vision, but not the talent. So after all the failed tries, I turned to having a suit commissioned. I’ve been mostly happy with it over the years. There are a few minor details that I need to go back in and fix – my commission was done as a rush job.After all this, I can highly recommend this book. ”Critter Costuming: Making Mascots and Fabricating Fursuits” is an excellent guide for first timers, and even a good guide for those who have been constructing fursuits for a while but want to step up their game.
Note: At this time, Critter Costuming is considered “Out of Print”. Amazon has a few left in stock. Critter Costuming: Making Mascots and Fabricating Fursuits is the first book of its kind. This ground-breaking book has over 200 pages of detailed directions, hints, and tips for designing, constructing, and performing animal characters. Hundreds of detailed photos and illustrations support the well-researched material. Includes resource listings, glossary, bibliography, and more! From novice costumers to experienced professionals, this book offers new ways of thinking and descriptions of building methods to help inspire your next costuming project. Get Shareaholic Link to this post!