Turns out yesterday’s entry wasn’t the only peacock-centric illustrated book we found at the L.A. Times Festival of Books. Peacocks are known for their beautiful feathers, not for their beautiful voices — but what if there was a peacock who actually could sing? What would their fellows think about it? That’s the premise of The Unique Beak, written by singer/songwriter Estani Frizzell and illustrated in watercolor by Sophia Frizzell. “Sai is a kind young peacock who lives with his royal family. He has brilliant blue tail feathers that any regal peacock would be proud of — and Sai loves to sing! But his family laughs at that idea, and at him! They say his beak is too big while making fun of his singing voice. Saddened by their ridicule, Sai finally vows never to sing in front of anyone again! He hides himself away and doubts his dreams. Will he take their criticism to heart? Will he give up? Estani Frizzell’s spirited and unique story shows children how just one special friend’s support can make a difference in carrying us where our talents are meant to take us.” Available now from Greenleaf Book Group.
Chairman Named for Midwest Furfest 2002, New Hotel Announced
Posted by Duncan da Husky on Mon 26 Nov 2001 - 20:56At a meeting of the Board of Directors of Midwest Furry Fandom, Inc. (the parent non-profit corporation of Midwest Furfest) on November 18, 2001, Jim Doolittle (Aureth) was selected to be Convention Chairman of Midwest Furfest 2002. Jim also selected Steven Calica (Stevie) and Paul Lester (Linnaeus) to be his Vice-Chairmen.
Furry Scaley Alien Story!
Posted by Anon on Mon 26 Nov 2001 - 20:53Strange Horizons has published one of my Jokka stories, "Money for Sorrow, Made Joy." You can read it by using this direct URL, or by going to the Strange Horizons website and clicking on it under "Fiction."
Efforts to save the endangered snow leopard
Posted by GeneBreshears on Mon 26 Nov 2001 - 17:56The Seattle Post-Intelligencer recently sent an editor along with a team of researchers from the Snow Leopard Trust to Mongolia to gather more data on the snow leopards and their environment. Click on the first link to see three articles published so far, along with some great pictures.
Thylacine DNA extracted from bone
Posted by Neowolf on Mon 26 Nov 2001 - 08:23Update: Relief on the way for Kabul Zoo
Posted by MelSkunk on Sun 25 Nov 2001 - 21:42Teams of animal welfare specialists, in light of the recient publicity of the conditions in the Kabul zoo, are preparing to fly in and bring emergency relief supplies to the battered and starving animals.
The World Society for the Prevention of Cruelty for Animals and Born Free are both pledging thousands to care and feed the animals of the zoo, as well as sending teams to investigate and administer the care.
This update can be found here
Walk like a bird, breath like a gator:new clues to the dinosaur's active life
Posted by MelSkunk on Sun 25 Nov 2001 - 11:04New research on the respiratory system of alligators helps explain why dinosaurs, unlike modern lizards, could lead such an active, running around life.
A combination of anatomical factors, including a newly discovered mobile hip bone, which allow the alligator to run and breath at the same time, are found in many dinosaurs and desendant birds as well. Lizards, on the other hand, must hold their breath when they run.
"Our hypothesis is dinosaurs were much more active and [alligators] have reverted back to a sit-and-wait lifestyle," says Dr Colleen Farmer, a biologist at the University of Utah, where the tests took place.
Read the full article, with diagrams, here.
Leopard Man shuns society
Posted by Chip_Unicorn on Sat 24 Nov 2001 - 09:00Tom Leppard has had 99.9% of his body tattooed with leopard spots, and has replaced several teeth with a set of fangs. According to Ananova, he lives in a hut, bathes in a river, and has dropped out of society. The Guinness Book of World Records has a short video of him.
Coffee Beans Taste Better Thru a Civet
Posted by Anon on Fri 23 Nov 2001 - 23:10http://www.oldmanila.com.ph/feature.html
Forget the Philosopher's Stone. There is just something about a civet's instestines that makes a coffee bean taste like gold!
Kabul zoo as war torn as the country itself.
Posted by MelSkunk on Fri 23 Nov 2001 - 23:06Years of fighting and famine have reduced the once high class menagerie, which housed over 100 species, to a pitiful collection of animals, many of which sport battle scars from the various military conflicts which have raged across Afganistan in the last few decades.
From a grendade wounded 45 year old lion, to the wild boar which was one of few the edible animals that was not eaten during famine years (prohibitions on pork), the collection has been mainly neglected and sometimes outrightly abused by the various ruling factions which have run Kabul.
Though interest in the zoo is picking up with the fall of Kabul to the Northern Alliance, long time zoo director Sheragha Omar doubts they will bring the money or interest the zoo needs to survive. He currently relies on the kindness of locals, including the local butcher, who supplies his wounded lion and the other carnivores with meat.
Articles discussing the plight of the zoo can be found at the BBC,or Yahoo
Novemeber FurEauction newsletter
Posted by Kurst on Fri 23 Nov 2001 - 23:05When we first started this site we wanted to make the best for the
fandom by the fandom. And we feel we have done it. It has met with
all our expectations but we are still not willing to sit around on our
paws. We want to build a version 3.0 of this site that will be even
better! So we need to ask for you help as asking you as sellers,
buyers, and members of the fandom to provide feedback on what you want
to see FurEauction be like in the future. So contact us at
fureauction@fureaction.com with details, ideas, and general comments.
We will take any opinion and request seriously.
2001 Furry Reading List
Posted by Aureth on Fri 23 Nov 2001 - 23:02From Fred Patten, here is the lastest version of the 2001 Furry Recommended Reading/Viewing List. If you still think something should be on here that isn't, let Fred know, and he'll add it in.
Animal-headed humans appear in earliest art
Posted by Darac on Thu 22 Nov 2001 - 09:11If you thought that the stuff on Avatar was old, then think again. NewScientist has this story about the earliest known Furry art.
They have pictures of 10,000 year old "Antelope-human hybrids" as cave paintings and even mention a 32,000 year old "androgynous feline-headed statuette from Germany".
Further Confusion Hotel Update
Posted by Frysco on Wed 21 Nov 2001 - 21:41Please be aware that Further Confusion is currently sold out on SUITES only. If you call and try to reserve a suite you will likely be told that rooms are sold out at the con rate for that weekend. However, if you then ask to reserve a regular room at the con rate the reservations agent should then be able to pull up open rooms.
Should you be told that neither suites nor regular rooms are available, please get the agent's name, number and location and send these to hotel@furtherconfusion.org and we will try to assit you in completing your reservation.
New fossil puts placental mammals during the dino age
Posted by MelSkunk on Tue 20 Nov 2001 - 15:20Placental mammals had long been thought to have come well after the extinction of the dinosaurs, but fossils of Kulbeckia, a long snouted animal from 85 million years ago, shows signs of being an ancestor of modern rabbits and rodents. Including the possibility of having developed its young in its uterus instead of a pouch or eggs.
ConiFur 2002 Announces GOH Marci McAdam
Posted by Flinthoof on Tue 20 Nov 2001 - 15:12ConiFur Northwest is pleased to announce the Guest of Honor for 2002 will be the talented artist Marci McAdam. This fine artist has been in the genre for years and had her work published in a number of titles. Her cheerful style has been popular amongst the fandom and she's always a pleasure to meet at conventions. Now you will have a chance to meet her in person and learn more about this artist at ConiFur 2002, October 4th-6th.
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