Money is money. References are made to further sequels to Disney classics in the works in this article from Yahoo, which also covers the mouse's other recent animated forays:

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=493&u=/ap/20020213/ap_en_mo/wkd_disney_sequels_2

From animationblast.com:

Get Ready For The Fun Bird. Baseball's Baltimore Orioles will be adding a cartoon logo to their uniform and jacket sleeves for the 2002 season, the club announced yesterday. The character, called the "Fun Bird," was created in 1997 for the Orioles' "Dugout Club" kids program. Fun Bird was designed by Ken Mitchroney, an animation artist who has many TV credits and was a story artist on TOY STORY II and MONSTERS INC. So to all you out-of-work animators, here's a new potentially lucrative line of work: sports team cartoon characters. Think of all the possibilities - MLB, NHL, NBA, NFL, and all those minor league teams too...

http://www.animationblast.com

Text from animationblast.com:

The 73- year-old mayor of Hurricane, West Virginia is a Mickey Mouse fan...make that a BIG MICKEY MOUSE FAN. For starters, he's got a Mickey lamp, stapler, clock and tissue box on his office desk and over a dozen Mickey watches. Read the CHARLESTON DAILY MAIL for all the mousy details.

http://www.dailymail.com/news/News/2002021425/

From Yahoo News:

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Cereal giant Kellogg Co. is relying on a little magic from Walt Disney to help counter a slump in U.S. cereal sales.

Kellogg, the country's No. 2 maker of breakfast cereal, unveiled Wednesday three new cereals based on Disney characters Mickey Mouse, Winnie the Pooh and Buzz Lightyear from ``Toy Story.''

For the full article:
http://in.news.yahoo.com/020214/14/1gdun.html

Both links have pictures of the coyote aboard the train.

http://www.tri-met.org/pressrel/prfeb0203.htm

PORTLAND - An unexpected rider was spotted on Tri-Met's Airport MAX Red
Line on Wednesday, February 13 around 11:30AM. The small coyote boarded
at the Portland International Airport station. Port of Portland Airfield
Operations and Wildlife staff found the coyote and quickly released the
animal. Coyotes go out of their way to avoid humans and are more likely
to be afraid of people than vice versa. Tri-Met officials aren't sure if
[the coyote] had a valid transit fare.

February 2002 FurEauction Newsletter
http://www.fureauction.com

Hello again, another month and another news letter.

Already a con has past since the last newsletter and talking to users
of the site reminded me of something. Each user described and talked
how they used the site in ways I never even dreamed of. They took a
site designed by a few fans and changed it to be there site. Making it
work their way. From changing the front page to working on integrating
it with their own site. Each user seem to have a special way of using
the site preferences to make it their site.

In the future FurEauction is still committed to continue to expand and
change to help users fulfill their needs. And we will continue to
expand and grow to meet those needs.

The kakapo is the cute, dopey, ground dwelling giant parrot of New Zealand. The biggest. The heaviest. And perhaps the most endangered of the parrot species, with only 67 birds. After most of the animals were killed for food or feathers, or eaten by dogs and cats, the remaining population of the species were brought to predator free islands off the NZ coast.
Repopulation has been slow, but the odds have just gotten better! A BOOM of egg laying, sometimes four eggs at a time for a bird that usually lays one or two has produced 47 eggs in the last few days. And it's not over yet. The boom is linked to mass fruiting of the rihu tree. Kakapo tend to eat the rich fruit to build up strength for laying and tending young.

Read the article here.

Ten resolutely celibate sharks at the National
Sea Life Center are getting a blast of Barry
White in hopes they'll get in the mood for
love.

This article from CNN documents the birth of the first cloned cat, adding that species to the list of animals that have previously been cloned successfully, which includes sheep, mice, and cattle.

It mentions the possibility of pet owners someday being able to clone beloved pets. If you found the pet with the perfect personality, would you want to produce a younger genetic twin of it every few years?

Scotland has taken a bold step in banning foxhunting, the popular, 'traditional' bloodsport. The first part of the UK to pass such a ban, it is nothing if not controversial, pitting animal lovers with supporters of rural sport.
The law bans hunting with dogs, but allows for the shooting of foxes for pest control, and in an odd loophole, the killing of foxes by birds of prey, like trained falcons. It also bans hare coursing, where a hare is chased down by a dog who is theoretically supposed to NOT catch it.

A cartooning contest in Cancun, Mexico has themes of "cloning" and "free theme" (whatever the cartoonist wants) which artists could use to Furry advantage. Deadline: September 30, 2002. Grand prize: $US1,000. Four additional prizes of $US250 each. Humorous photo prize: $US500.

Mike Curtis posted to A.F.F. a link to this CNN story about the world's oldest Koala dying at the San Francisco Zoo. Clarry the koala lived to the ripe old age of 19, as opposed to koalas in the wild who seldom live past 12.

Ichthyosaurs aren't dinos, but the headlines are "Dino vomit!" at the BBC News homepage.
Discovered in a quarry in Peterborough, the fossilized 'puddle' of shells is believed to be an example of prehistoric puke, much like sperm whales throw up squid beaks. This new evidence leads some scientist to believe that ichthyosaurs expelled the shells from their prey before digesting to avoid internal damage.

From the NY Post:

The movie version of "SpongeBob," Nick's top-rated kid's show, will likely hit theaters in late 2003 or early 2004 and will be produced by Paramount, sources say.

Details are sketchy at this point, but there's a chance that SpongeBob and his pals could even leave the safe environs of their underwater home, Bikini Bottom - and venture elsewhere during the course of the movie.

For the full story: http://www.nypost.com/entertainment/41124.htm

Here is a excuse to come to Florida and enjoy a convention at the same time. Pawpet Megaplex is hosting a con March 8-10th in Orlando, Florida at the Ramada Resort and Conference Center at 7400 International Drive.

Look for many events including mascot costume building, performance, Puppetry, Photography panel, a Variety show and Gaming.

Especially Gaming! I am looking for folks that want to run games or play. Miniatures, Role-playing, card games, Board games or CCG's. If you want to run something just go to the URL and follow the links. A nice bonus for pre-registered games is, RUN just ten hours of gaming and the con admission ($25.00) is free!