MOVIES: Not all films with animal characters in them are animated (such as "Nine Lives", now playing). Here are two such upcoming flicks: "Mascots" is a comedy along the same vein as "Best in Show" (since they are both directed by Christoper Guest) - as it involves a ceremony to announce the 'Best Sports Mascot'! (You 'fursuiters' should be interested in this!) Jane Lynch and Ed Begley, Jr. are among the stars of this film (due out in theaters October 13th)... and the other noteworthy movie is "Fantastic Beasts... and Where To Find Them" (based on the work by "Harry Potter" author J.K. Rowling). Coming to America - to seek out more exotic fauna - Eddie Redmayne plays a magical zoologist, whose search ends up turning 1920's NYC upside-down! (One such critter everyone will fall in love with is the 'Niffler', a platypus-like creature with a penchant for shiny objects - which he hides in his never-ending deep pouch!) "Fantastic Beasts" will invade a cinema near you on November 18th...

As for cartoon fare on the big screen, several more movies with animal characters are going to give Disney's "Zootopia" a run (trot, gambol, and even a charge) for its money. Here's a short list of impending titles: "The Wild Life" (StudioCanal), opening on September 9th; "Storks" (Warner Bros.), featuring the voices of Andy Samberg and Kelsey Grammer, opening on September 23rd; "Trolls" (DreamWorks Animation), debuting on November 4th; "Moana" (Disney), with Auli'i Cravalho (in the title role) and Dwayne Johnson (as the demigod 'Maui'), opening on November 23rd; and the highly-anticipated musical comedy "Sing" (Universal/Illumination Entertainment), featuring the vocal talents of Matthew McConaughey, Reese Witherspoon, Scarlett Johannson, Tori Kelly, Seth MacFarlane, et al, opening on December 21st (just in time to be one of the last entries in the big race to see which ones will be nominated for a 2017 Oscar in the 'Best Animated Feature' category)...

Meanwhile, you still have time to check out these current animated releases with animals, at a theater near you: "Finding Dory" (Disney/Pixar), "The Secret Life of Pets" (Universal/Illumination Entertainment), and "Kubo and the Two Strings" (Laika).

Here's the link to a trailer for one more 2016 animated feature (released in Europe) with a variety of 'talking animal' characters (which, I predict, will only make the 'long list' of nominees for 'Best Animated Feature' at the 2017 Academy Awards ceremony next February):

"Sheep and Wolves" (Wizart Animation): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ShJo2Ndq3Q

TELEVISION: Among some of the fare with 'talking animals' on the tube are "BoJack Horseman" (on NETOV; rated TV-MA), "Future Worm" (Disney XD), new episodes of "Elena of Avalor", "Sofia the First", "The Lion Guard" (these last three on Disney Jr. and Disney Channel), "Polly and the Zhu-Zhu Pets" (Disney Channel), "We Bare Bears", "Regular Show", "The Amazing World of Gumball" (these three on Cartoon Network), "Harvey Beaks" and "Spongebob Squarepants" (both on Nickelodeon)...

GAMES: Last time, I'd told you about "Emoji Blitz" and "Crossy Roads" - which featured lots of Disney characters - most notably 'Nick Wilde' and 'Judy Hopps' from "Zootopia". Well, now there's an actual game revolving around the fictional city and its mammalian population! Disney's "Zootopia Crime Files" gives (worldwide) players a chance to show their worth for the ZPD, by solving mysteries, unlocking clues, and answering all sorts of puzzles. For more details about this challenging game, go to http://di.sn/6009BLyPD

COMICS: For those of you who do not get Disney Channel in your Cable TV subscription, you've probably missed out on a lot of all-new 'Mickey Mouse' shorts (which began its run in 2014). To remedy this problem, IDW offers "Mickey Mouse Shorts/Season One" in the form of 'fumetti' (images from these cartoons, presented in the style of a comic book). Dozens of scenes from four short subjects from the first season (headed by the story "Potatoland") are implanted on paper, along with dialogue balloons and sound effects. Issue #2 is already out in stores... Other anthropomorphic titles I'd recommend include "Duck Avenger" with 'Donald Duck' (IDW), "Looney Tunes" (DC), "The Pink Panther" (American Mythology), and "Uasgi Yojimbo" (Dark Horse)...

OBITS: Character actor Marvin Kaplan passed away (of natural causes) on August 24th. Although he was known for his acting roles in such films as Stanley Kramer's "It's A Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World" and Blake Edwards' "The Great Race", Kaplan will be best remembered (by lovers of animation and anthropomorphism) as the voice of 'Choo-Choo' - one of the feline characters on the prime-time Hanna-Barbera series "Top Cat". (The late Arnold Stang was the voice of the title character, and he and Marvin worked together for the 'gas station scene' in "IAMMMMW".) Additional characters Kaplan provided the voices for included 'Shelley' the turtle in "Frogger" and 'Sidney' the squirrel in "Kangaroo" - segments of Ruby-Spears' "Saturday Supercade" (which aired on CBS, from 1983 to 1985). And he was also a semi-regular on the TV sitcom "Alice", during the 1970s and 1980s. Kaplan was 89...

Actor Gene Wilder died on August 29th, from complications stemming from Alzheimer's Disease. He was 83. Among his film credits were three comedies directed by Mel Brooks: "The Producers", "Blazing Saddles", and "Young Frankenstein". Wilder co-wrote himself in two films: "The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes' Smarter Brother" and "The World's Greatest Lover". Of course, fans of all things anthropomorphic will remember Gene from two films: "Stir Crazy" (in which he and co-star Richard Pryor are dressed up in bird costumes), and the 1974 production of "The Little Prince" - in which he played the role of 'The Fox' (and even without a vulpine costume, he was very convincing). He also appeared in a 1973 film adaptation of the Eugene Ionesco play "Rhinoceros" (opposite "Producers" co-star Zero Mostel). But the film role everyone will remember him for was the title character in "Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory"... Gene also provided voice work in several animated projects - most notably as the voice of 'Letterman' on "The Electric Company" (once again, opposite Zero Mostel as the villainous 'Spellbinder'). As a remembrance of his vocal talents, here are the links to two Alka-Seltzer TV commercials from the 1960s... R.I.P. Gene.

Alka-Seltzer: "Argument" (:60): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FBPPfZCdqYo
Alka-Seltzer: "The Blahs" (:60): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WuvkvXUZF84

As the Games of the 31st Olympiad (in Rio de Janeiro) begin to wind down, Americans are glued to their sets, watching as much televised coverage as possible. And along with the variety of sporting events over these last two weeks, came an equally unique variety of commercials. Here are five such ads - either appearing during the telecast, or having to do with the Olympics in general - followed by the links where you can view each and every one of them on "YouTube"...

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5. Oscar Mayer Lunchables: "Rhythmic Gymnastics" (:30): Simone Biles, Gabby Douglas, and the rest of the 'Final Five' don't have a thing to worry about, getting upstaged by 'Platy' (the platypus) and 'Jacky' (the jackalope), as the dual spokesmorphs for Lunchables try their best at 'rhythmic gymnastics' with ribbons (with some surprising results)!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LfsaRfeEG8M

4. Laughing Cow Cheese: "Cheese Dippers" (:15): A CGI version of the Laughing Cow mascot intermingles with humans (first, in a hot air balloon, and then, during a picnic), while hyping a new product worth trying.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gQAURuWjNBo

3. Laughing Cow Cheese: "Boyfriend Material" (:60): Produced in the U.K. for the British audience, an all-bovine cast promote Laughing Cow Cheese at an appropriate venue: a gymnasium/health spa.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YSOQL5d2KxM

2. Farmers Insurance: "Mer-Mutts" (:30): Once again, J.K. Simmons presents another insurance-related scenario - this time, with a pack of dogs flooding a living room, just to perform some 'synchronized swimming'. Personally, I like Farmer's new slogan: "...we know a thing or two, because we've seen a thing or two!"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rwMba4r6BEc

1. Amazon Prime: "Lion Dog" (:30): I didn't realize that this commercial first aired during the "Super Bowl 50" broadcast earlier this year (which I must've missed); but it had such heavy rotation during the Olympics telecasts, you would think it was brand new. Along the same lines as the commercial about the miniature horse that wasn't accepted by his larger brethren - so his human owner acquired (through Amazon Prime) an extra-large 'doggy door', so that the mini horse can come into the house at anytime - the new spot revolves around a dog (a golden retriever) who's initially rejected by a baby (who would rather play with his toy stuffed lion). The male parent takes pity on the dog, and figures out a way to make the dog acceptable to his newborn... Priceless!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1vf3U4aPiMk

BONUS COMMERCIAL: Nolan's: "Mousetrap Survivor" (1:30): For this bonus commercial, I'd chosen one I recently saw on "Facebook" - and searched on "YouTube" for the same interesting spot - involving a mouse finding some interesting cheese in a trap, only to get caught in it... but the ad doesn't end there. Stick around for the 'surprise twist'!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VcSBO8YAnTQ

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As usual, if I'd made any mistakes in any of the above links, just type out the name of the product and the subject matter of said ad (along with the word 'commercial') in the 'Search' section on the "YouTube" home page, and click 'Enter'. I'll try to present more unusual commercials with animals in them during September (my next 'sweeps month')!

August, in my part of the USA (south Florida), is usually devoid of any holidays. In fact, this summer month has nearly nothing to celebrate - during the period between Independence Day (in July) and Labor Day (in September)...

However, in my family, there is one date of significance that needs to be honored: August 5th. Two moments in time took place on that date... In 1988, my younger brother Glenn moved down (from Elmont, New York) to Margate, Florida, to reside in his own condo apartment, at the same complex where our father Joaquin Martinez had lived (until his passing on Memorial Day, 1991)... and in 2006, our mother Sheila Shell Martinez succumbed after a long illness (spending her last days under Hospice care).

Regarding the latter event, our sister Rhonda came down from Long Island (NY) to share in our moment of grief. (We'd learned that Mom expired at 1:00 PM, E.S.T. - exactly the same time of day when Dad expired fifteen years eariler.) We three siblings were in Mom's condo, when Hospice phoned us with the sad news.

After a good cry, I had made the suggestion that the three of us take a drive north to Boca Raton, and take a stroll through Rutherford Park (where I used to take Mom for a little peace and quiet). The weather that day was sunny enough for the trip, so we ventured into Palm Beach County and went directly to said park...

We trekked along a special man-made boardwalk, located along the Intracoastal Waterway (which separated the mainland from a narrow isthmus just east of it, near the Atlantic Ocean). During our stroll, I would reminisce about the last time I took Mom to Rutherford Park, when we both saw a raccoon in the picnic area (who was skittish of humans, and made its escape climbing up a nearby palm tree).

We didn't see any raccoons, opossums, squirrels, or any other mammals in the park that day, but we did have a tranquil moment of solace from the whole experience...

Now, 'flash forward' to 2016. My brother and I were both unemployed: Glenn retired from his last job several years ago and was collecting a pension, while I (on the other hand) was fired from my last gig (as a janitor) one year earlier and only began to collect Social Security checks. Oddly enough, I was collecting more money than my brother, and he couldn't go anywhere on what few funds he was receiving.

We usually spend a little 'quality time' together on Saturdays - going to venues we'd pay to enter (including sporting events, antique shows, and/or staged concerts) - but this time, Glenn didn't feel like going anywhere.

It was only by sheer coincidence that I'd realized that this was the week - ten years ago - when Mom passed away. So, I'd made the suggestion to Glenn that we'd return to Rutherford Park, and reenact that stroll that we three siblings took on August 5, 2006. (Our sister couldn't make it, because she was spending a little 'quality time' of her own, vacationing in Tennessee and Kentucky.)

At first, Glenn was a little leery of the idea, until I told him that I'd pay for the gasoline for his Mini-Cooper, as well as for our dinner afterward. He finally consented.

So, on Saturday, August 6, 2016 (ten years and one day to the fact), Glenn drove us up to Boca Raton, in honor of the memory of Sheila Shell Martinez. The skies were overcast that day, but I'd figured that we could take in the park before it began to rain...

Out first stop was Mizner Park - an open-air shopping facility with lavish stores (such as Lord & Taylor) - where we usually like to go 'window shopping'. We would check out luxury shops that have (on display) stuff like a glass coffee table supported by an airplane engine, and vintage slot machines dating back to the late 1800s. One other store that sold kitchen wares (and even had its own cooking school), had coffee makers of all shapes and sizes. An employee there, giving a demonstration, gave us each a sample of freshly brewed coffee from said machines. (Glenn had iced coffee, while I asked for a cappucino.)

There was also an ice cream parlor my brother and I used to frequent, but something outside of said parlor got our immediate attention: a pair of full-grown papillons and their owner. It immediately reminded us of our sister Rhonda, who owns three dogs of that specific breed (one of which ['Zipper'] recently turned 19); so, in retrospect, Rhonda was with us (sort of), just like it was a decade ago...

At the north end of Mizner Park, just west of the amphitheater, stood the Boca Museum of Art - which Glenn and I rarely go to, due to its pricey admission cost. But, as luck would have it, a sign at the front desk informed visitors that the admission was free throughout August; so, my brother and I took advantage, and checked out all of the art exhibits. The first floor displayed the works of local Floridians, while the second floor featured classic works from the likes of such art legends as Pablo Picasso, Alexander Calder, and Andy Warhol.

Luck was on our side much further, because by the time we'd left the museum, it began to shower outside (which meant that, if we'd gone to Rutherford Park first, we would've been rained on). So, instead, we took in the rest of the shops of Mizner Park, before returning to the parked car...

The precipitation lightened up enough for the two of us to take a chance and drive further north to Rutherford Park. There, we began to take our stroll on the boardwalk, where we each took turns - pointing out sites we recall seeing on past trips (such as the opossum that got stuck up a tree [before Animal Control rescued him], and the picnic grounds where one of my friends unwisely gave a raccoon a Vienna Finger [cookie], opening the flood gates for other raccoons to approach us for a handout).

Unfortunately, we were unable to travel the complete length of said boardwalk, as a barrier (with a sign that read "Closed for Repairs") blocked the way for patrons. So, instead, we ventured to one of the larger picnic shelters in the park's main grounds. I'd pointed out to Glenn a palm tree next to said shelter, and told him, "That's the tree Mom and I saw that raccoon climb up... That was a long time ago... Too bad there aren't any raccoons out here today."

Well, once again, luck was smiling down on us, as we ran into a young couple under the picnic shelter, who told us about a raccoon they'd seen on that very day. The man told me, "She was a young sow who was feeding her kits, and she usually comes here for scraps that visitors would toss to her... You can tell that she was female, as the rings on her tail were much lighter than the ones on most males. Anyway, she became so friendly, she comes up to us, and allows us to touch her... as long as we have food, of course!"

Glenn joined in on the conversation, while I began to talk to the man's mate (telling her about the various encounters with raccoons - including the time [back in the 1990s] when I'd placed a video camcorder on a picnic table, scattered blondie brownies crumbs on the table top, turned on the camcorder and backed up, as I watched one lone raccoon partake in the sweet treat... all captured on VHS tape). She'd told me about her own animal encounters in the park... when suddenly, a brownish-grey blur caught the corner of my eye.

"Is that what I think that is?" I'd pointed out the woman.

"It sure is!" she replied. "It's our raccoon!"

"Glenn!" I'd tried to get my bro's attention. "Get your smartphone out!"

Sure enough, the critter slowly approached the picnic shelter. She had light rings around her tail... This was the raccoon the couple were talking about!

Now, neither Glenn nor I had any food to offer the sow, but my sibling was bold enough to lower the back of his hand for the raccoon to briefly sniff. She poked her nose against Glenn's hand, before backing away from him.

Another group of picnickers at a nearby table were surprised to see the ringtailed visitor, and slowly walked up to our area (so as not to scare her off).

"Do you have any food?" the man asked the picnickers, and they confirmed that they did.

"Well, toss some of it to her!"

The raccoon feasted on some peanut butter and jelly sandwich bits, before it finally scampered back into the park's wooded area.

Later on, a squirrel came by, and the couple also tossed some food to it. Once again, Glenn tried to capture this rare moment with the camera on his smartphone.

(NOTE: I hope to post some of Glenn's 'photo-ops' on the next "Throwback Thursday".)

All this activity was disrupted by the sound of thunder. Glenn and I looked up, as the sky began to darken rather quickly. It was time for us to leave...

We thanked the couple for making this day quite memorable. "I think Mom would've enjoyed it, if she were still alive," I'd thought to myself.

Heading south on U.S. 1, we'd left Boca Raton just in time, as the skies opened up for a combination of heavy rains, lightning, and thunder.

We ended up having dinner at a Lester's Diner restaurant in Pompano Beach. As promised, I paid for the whole meal (using the money from my Social Security check). Glenn had a beef brisket meal, while I ate a Greek melange (including mousaka and beef wrapped in grape leafs), and all washed down with iced tea. Several big screen TVs adorned the walls, as we were watching an Olympics tennis match from Rio.

We continued to remember Mom - talking about the various eateries we'd take her to (including a Lester's in Coconut Creek, much closer to our Margate home). "She would've loved the food here," I told Glenn. He nodded in agreement, as we'd finished our (rice pudding) dessert.

Our respective meals were so huge, we each had to ask for separate 'take-out' containers. Glenn placed some of the leftover brisket in his container, while I place an untouched slice of mousaka in mine). The waitress even gave us two 'take-out' cups of iced tea, to go with the leftovers.

When we got back to Oriole Gardens in Margate, Glenn turned to me and said "Thanks for the idea, Jed."

"It was my pleasure," I responded. "Let's do this again, next August 5th... I know Mom would've wanted it that way!"

August would ordinarily be a quiet Summer month for me and my "Fur Affinity" site (with fewer images and 'photo-ops' to post); but since the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio De Janeiro are coming up this month, that usually means that I'll be posting all-new "Roly-Polympics" gags (with corpulent competitors), to coincide with the real life games. Watch for the first of these gags, scheduled for Friday, August 5th - the same day that the opening ceremonies take place...

August is also designated (by some "FA" members) as "Fat Cat Month", so I'll see if I can render an image of a full-figured feline, to commemorate the occasion...

Among other images (tentatively) appearing in my "FA" site will be new "EFF" ("Extraordinarily Fat Furries") comic gags, "Zootopia" fan art, and a sketch or two from my "Front & Back" series. I'll also try to find the time to present more rarely-seen 'doodles' (rediscovered in the cluttered chaos that is my Margate [FL] condo). And I'll reserve "Throwback Thursdays" for more unusual 'photo-ops' (taken by me, my brother Glenn, et al)...

As for future journals, I'll have another collection of "Animal Commercials" (past and present) spotted on "YouTube", another edition of "Fur-One-One" ('furry news'), and an occasional look at my own personal life...

And I hope to have a lot more stuff to offer next month, as September is the latest 'sweeps month' in my "FA" site. As always, your 'faves', 'comments', and 'shouts' are welcome... Enjoy these 'dog days' of Summer (not to mention 'cat days', 'wolf days', 'bear days', 'skunk days', and 'any-other-animal-you-choose days')!

Once again, I have a bunch of animal-related TV commercials - seen on "YouTube" (following my viewing them on the tube) - which I'd like to share the links with all of you. I usually post my list in descending order, with the best ad (#1) as my last (and personal favorite) choice. I have five separate sponsors, but eleven different commercials altogether (ranging in length from fifteen seconds to a full minute), so you'll have plenty of fauna fun with this latest collection...

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5. Blue Bunny Ice Cream: Two more ads with the CGI rabbit - first reviewed at this link: https://www.furaffinity.net/journal/7453011/ - finds him interacting with humans and other animals, while hyping the dessert named after him.

"Fun People" (:30): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F8dq2Z31Yqk
"Cone" (:30): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2gYJTDP3yi4

4. Scott Lawn Care: "It's Good Out Here" (:30): In that same above journal link as the previous Blue Bunny ad I'd reviewed, I'd mentioned an ad for Scott's Lawn Care - with a deer who finds a suburbanite's lawn so lush, he takes off his hooves (like loafers) and begins to frolic about on the grass - which I only got to see (months ago) on the big screen as a cinema commercial. I'd finally found a "YouTube" link to this ad, which is worth a look-see...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZSQHyFTXsaI

3. Lowe's: "Make Your Home Happy": I recall recently seeing a three-minute spot for the home improvement store - once again, as a cinema commercial - as a pair of houses across the street from one another become 'anthropomorphized', as their respective occupants interact with one another... but that's not what I'm here to review. Instead, I have the links to six very short TV spots for Lowe's, in which animal-related objects (from a flamingo lawn ornament to a giraffe refrigerator magnet) come to life - each ad being amusing in its own way...

"Boxing Kangaroo" (:30): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B-H7kV1aNsc
"Fine Figure (Flamingo)" (:30): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pAysfn9Xy-4
"Frog" (:15): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QJ2OVJpUS4
"Giraffe" (:15): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nyaTempYMlU
"Lady Unicorn" (:15): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lnF_w2cAjtw
"Parrot" (:15): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wp5yTwPJViM

2. Farmers Insurance: "Romantic Rodent" (:30): Oscar-winning 'supporting actor' J.K. Simmons has had quite a busy year, providing his vocal talents to three 2016 CGI feature films with animal characters ("Kung Fu Panda 3", "Zootopia", and "Rock Dog"). Returning to his role as TV spokesperson for Farmers Insurance, he segues a typical(?) animal-related insurance claim into a separate segment of how the claim got filed (such as the "Stag Pool Party" ad - which you can also find in "YouTube"). In this case, a missing piece of jewelry is recovered from a gopher's den near a golf course. (Shades of "Caddyshack"!) How it got down there... well, that's the gist of the commercial!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ed6NMqX6Cf4

1. Kellogg's Frosted Flakes: "Skate Park" (:30): Since the 1950s, 'Tony the Tiger' had undergone a number of changes in his appearance - from a 2-D cel-animated character to his current CGI figure (towering over the humans he talks to). In this newest spot for the cereal he hypes, 'Tony' tries to console a little girl - who is nervous about going to a skate park for the first time - and, in a moment of poignancy, says (and not roars), "You'll do great..." As it turns out, said girl is confined to a wheelchair, but is still able to make the most of rolling along with the other kids on their in-liners. This is a very rare, and a very sincere promo for the Kellogg's cereal (regardless of how some of you might feel about the 'new look' for 'Tony').

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=neph9_Zwyw4

NOTE: Stick around after the "Skate Park" ad, and "YouTube" will download a one-minute mini-documentary about the making of this 30-second spot.

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As usual, if I'd made any mistakes in the links to these commercials, just go to the 'Search' box at the top of the "YouTube" home page, and type in the name of the sponsor and the title of the ad, hit Enter, and hopefully you'll find the specific spot(s). Meanwhile, I'll try to find and post more interesting commercials (and their "YouTube") links next month...

Issue #130 of "Rowbrazzle" - the 'funny animal' APAzine (and one of the last surviving 'hard copy' publications of its ilk) - is being distributed to its members (who are also its contributors), as you are reading this. Operating Editor Edd Vick is kept quite busy, between working on the 'zine and developing a "Rowrbrazzle" wall - which now appears in "Facebook". If you'd like to consider being a part of its legacy (and become a 'Brazzler, like some of the "FA" members, such as JoeStrike, TimKangaroo, and yours truly), check out the info at the end of this journal.

But, for now, here's some 'furry news'...

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COMICS: Some of you might've missed out on seeing the Japanimated comedy series "Space Dandy", when it had aired in 2014 on Cartoon Network's 'Adult Swim' (as part of its 'Toonami' block). Well, to make up for it, Yen Press has just published an English translated version of the original manga from whence it came. Created by Bones, Issue #1 of "Space Dandy" is now out in comic stores - starring the alien bounty hunter and his 'crew': 'Q.T.' a maintenance droid, and 'Meow' a Betelgeusian felinoid freeloader (who seems to be very popular with "FA" artists, as many versions of him had been rendered). NOTE: This publication is 'for mature readers', due to its use of profanity and partial nudity... Other anthropomorphic titles I'd highly recommend include "Usagi Yojimbo" (Dark Horse), "The Mighty Zodiac" (Oni Press), "The Pink Panther" (American Mythology), and "Looney Tunes" (DC) - with the latter title reprising a classic in a reboot of "Duck Amuck" in Issue #231. (SPOILER ALERT: It's not 'Bugs Bunny' who is the mysterious cartoonist torturing 'Daffy Duck' this time!)

TELEVISION: A new original animated series for Disney Channel is scheduled to debut on Friday, July 22nd at 7:00 PM, E.S.T. "Elena of Avalor" is yet another 'Disney princess' that young women will admire. It's the studio first 'Latina princess', as she attempts to ascend to the throne as 'queen'. Furry fanatics will like the show for its unique animal characters - most notably 'Skylar' - a winged leopard, one of a flock of similar creatures called 'Jaquins' (and voiced by Carlos Alazraqui) - and 'Zuzo' - a blue canid spirit animal, who is a link between the human and spirit worlds (voiced by Keith Ferguson)... Meanwhile, fans of Disney's "Zootopia" are wishing and hoping - if not for a theatrical sequel to the 2016 CGI feature hit, then (at least) an animated spin-off TV series. Until either of those things comes to be, everyone will have to settle for the next best thing: A three-minute-long condensed version of the film, told entirely with emojis! Because of the popularity of similar shorts in the past (retelling "Aladdin", "Frozen", and "Star Wars: The Force Awakens", Disney Channel will debut the 'emoji version' of "Zootopia", during a new episode of "K.C. Undercover" at 8:00 PM, E.S.T., on Sunday, July 17th (which just happens to be "World Emoji Day").

(NOTE: Since its airing, the emoji-fied version of "Zootopia" is currently playing in "YouTube". So, in case you'd missed its Disney Channel debut, just go to https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SCKCOboB6xQ and see it over and over again!)

MOVIES: It's been 'hit-and-miss' with some 'funny animal' animated feature fare at cinemas. Among the current hits now playing are "Finding Dory" (Disney-Pixar) and "The Secret Life of Pets" (Universal/Illumination). Coming up this Friday is "Ice Age: Collision Course" (20th Century Fox/Blue Sky), and next month "Storks" (Warner Brothers)... Meanwhile, in Asia, another cartoon feature - set in an all-animal world (not unlike "Zootopia") - is having mixed reviews in China, even though its premise sounds quite interesting. "Rock Dog" - directed by Ash ("Surf's Up") Brannon - is the story about the offspring of a long line of guard dogs in the high mountains, who wants to seek his fortune in the big city below as a musician. (Voice actors in this film include Luke Wilson, J.K. Simmons, and Lewis Black.) Long story short, if this film doesn't do well overseas, you can expect to see it here in the USA shortly - if not on the big screen, then definitely as a Blu-Ray home entertainment release... And one more animated feature with yet another all-animal cast is highly anticipated for the holiday season. "Sing" (Universal/Illumination) is a musical extravaganza, as citizens from all over town compete for a top money prize in a talent contest (although the real motivation is for this koala character [voiced by Matthew McConaughey] to save his aging theater). Unlike "Zootopia", there are simians, birds, lizards and other critters among the talking (and singing) mammals in this pictures. Additional voices in this flick include Scarlett Johansson, Seth McFarlane, Reese Witherspoon, John C. Reilly, and Tori Kelly. This film will probably rescue families from the 'holiday doldrums'; but the big question is, will it have enough 'oomph' to garner a nomination for 'Best Animated Feature' at the 2017 Academy Awards ceremony (as the announcement of said nominees will occur right after Christmas)? And will it do better than "Zootopia"? (Or will these two all-animal cartoons nullify each other, in favor of a non-animal animated film to win the Oscar next February?) Only time will tell...

"ZOOTOPIA" NEWS: This is on a personal note. Throughout 2016, I'd been posting my fan art of the "Zootopia" cast (in the form of mostly comic gags), here in "Fur Affinity" as well as in a number of walls in "Facebook" (pertaining to the Disney CGI feature). I had also taken it upon myself to bring full-color 'hard copies' of my art to a local Disney Store in Coral Springs, Florida, just to entertain its staff (also known as 'cast members'). And whenever I had a new "Zootopia Sudoku Puzzle", I usually made 20 black-and-white copies for all employees to work on (off hours, of course), and one full color copy of the answer. Well, my generosity had been rewarded the other day, when I'd visited the Disney Store to look at their newest merchandise, and one cast member (who recognized me) handed me a small envelope containing a 'thank you' message, and three little "Zootopia"-related items: two elastic wrist bracelets with 'TsumTsum' versions of 'Nick Wilde' and 'Judy Hopps' on them, and a plastic 'ZPD" Junior Officer pin. Naturally, I'd promised them to bring in more fan art - not only of more "Zootopia" comic gags, but of additional Disney fare, such as "The Lion Guard", etc. - in future visits...

GAMES: Two game apps with Disney characters are making the rounds. "Crossy Road" is a 3-D variation of the popular game "Frogger", with many Disney characters trying to cross highways, rivers, and other obstacles. The characters range from 'Mickey Mouse', 'Minnie Mouse', 'Donald Duck', and 'Goofy' to more updated characters like 'Timon' and 'Pumbaa' (from "The Lion King"), plus 'Nick', 'Judy', 'Gazelle', and 'Flash' (from "Zootopia") - although how you'll get a slowpoke like 'Flash' to cross the road quickly is going to be the real challenge!... The other new game app is "Emoji Blitz" - a variation of "Bejeweled" - in which you have to get three or more smiley-faced Disney character heads lined up in a row or column to make them disappear and leave more space for additional heads to appear (and for you to line up). Consult your local app store for the availability of either game app...

MISCELLANEOUS: So, here it is, the middle of July in North America. The sun is beating down on us, with high temperatures and even higher humidity. And this can only mean just one thing: Participating Hallmark (greeting card) Stores are about to unveil its 2016 line-up of Keepsake Christmas Tree Ornaments! (Specifically, the unveiling will take place on Saturday, July 16th.) As usual, there will be lot of Disney, Warner Brothers, "Peanuts", and other characters on display. Some of them will be ordinary still figures, while others will have motion and/or sound (such as the annual "I Want A Hippopotamus For Christmas" singing ornament). So, save up your pennies from selling lemonade or washing cars, as these Keepsake Ornaments might start flying off the shelves sooner than you think (in anticipation of December 24th)!

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If you'd like to seriously become a part of "Rowrbrazzle" (which is published four times a year), make sure your material is of a 'funny animal' (and totally original) nature - and don't let said material be disturbing in any way (such as being pornographic, obscene, or offensive towards other members). For more information, contact Edd Vick at edd[at]speakeasy.net or write to him at 1505 SW Alaska St., Seattle, WA 98106.

Since some of you have seen my past journals on syndicated comic strips with fattened animal characters (specifically, "Pluggers" and "Over the Hedge"), I thought I'd provide you with some 'pot-bellied pot luck' from other titles. This is a quintet of recent strips with more obese beasts than you can shake a stuffed-crust pizza at. I'll provide you with the set-up, and you click onto the link to see the visual outcome...

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"Birdbrains": "Secret of the Maze": In this edition of Thom Bluemel's comic, we see a pair of lab mice, about to enter a maze. One mouse is fatter than the other, and it is the more rotund rodent who confides in his leaner associate the secret of how he got this way...

http://www.gocomics.com/birdbrains/2016/06/22

"Rubes": "Bear and Caveman": I have a trio of 'fat furry' gags from Leigh Rubin's strip, beginning with this offering set in the Stone Age, as a bear waxes philosophical upon his encounter with a caveman...

http://www.gocomics.com/rubes/2016/06/23

"Rubes": "Hibernation Hotline": Here's another "Rubes" gag with a fat bear, set in the present. (It can't be the same bear from the last gag, as telephones didn't exist millions of years ago.) This oversized ursine consults with a 'hotline', in the hope that they will solve his current dilemma...

http://www.gocomics.com/rubes/2016/06/30

"Rubes": "Ice Cream Snake": I always loved the 'snake gags' from (the late) Fred Wagner in his comic strip "Animal Crackers". There's just something amusing about seeing those bulges in the serpent's long, slender body (whether they are shaped like the animal he'd just consumed, or it's just a distended accumulation from 'binge eating'). In this "Rubes" gag, even the three bulges from a triple-scoop ice cream cone - swallowed in one gulp by the snake in this strip - make me chuckle. Of course, his two companions show a little bit more concern, at the first one's plight...

http://www.gocomics.com/rubes/2016/07/01

"Magnificatz": "Big Cat Comic": Lastly, I have a gag from one of the newer comic strips - presented in the "GoComics" website - "Magnificatz" by Steve Ogden. These are the misadventures of a pair of creative felines ('Nina' and 'Sam'), whose individual behaviors are tantamount to each side of the human brain... Anyway, in this very recent strip, one cat instructs the other into drawing a comic gag of their own - featuring a 'macro fat cat' and two small human figures standing next to it - which, to them, is the ultimate moment of purr-fection!

http://www.gocomics.com/magnificatz/2016/07/11

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I'll have more 'fat fauna' from the funny pages in future journals (which I hope to post, appropriately enough, on 'Fat Tuesday')!

Meanwhile, if you wish to join the "FFML" ("Fat Furs Mailing List") - where you'll get to see more 'fat furry' imagery - send your request to one of these two addresses:
FatFursMailingList[at]yahoogroups.com
baar_bear[at]cox.net

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BONUS PIC: "Pluggers: "Necktie/Belt Buckle": In a most recent "Pluggers" strip - drawn by Gary Brookins - frequent contributor Reed Hoover of Dallas, Texas provided a classic 'pluggerism' with regular 'fat furry' character 'Carl Rhinoski'. I present it to all of you, as a last-minute bonus...

http://www.gocomics.com/pluggers/2016/07/13

Earlier this week, I saw a "Doc Rat" webcomic strip by Jenner, in which married couple 'Jasmine' (a rabbit) and 'Flopsy' (a wolf) got to view a 'home entertainment' edition of Disney's "Zootopia" for the first time... http://www.docrat.com.au/comic/flop.....e-do-zootopia/

A few days later, the Australian-born cartoonist presented a special blog, offering his own review of the CGI feature (which had already been released in theaters over four months ago) - with a critical viewpoint about the scenes between 'Judy Hopps' and 'Gideon Grey' (first, as enemies in their youth; then, fifteen years later, in a sort of 'reconciliation scene' back in Bunnyburrow).

Although the film mainly concentrates on the relationship between 'Hopps' and scam-artist 'Nick Wilde', the first rabbit/fox encounter had an even more significant meaning to Jenner.

Judge for yourself... go to http://www.docrat.com.au and read the entire blog.

I'll be quite active during July, 2016, and not necessarily at my PC - posting new material in "FA". I have plans for some Summer celebrating (and not just on the Fourth of July)...

But as far as stuff to appear in my 'Rob Cat' site is concerned, I will try to come up with a few more pieces of "Zootopia" fan art, as well as some new "EFF" and "Front & Back" comic gags. Time permitting, I'll try to post some "Colorized Encores" and even the occasional "Fat Furry Doodle" (recently rediscovered in my cluttered condo). And I will have plenty of all-new 'photo-ops' (many of them with real animals), taken by both my brother Glenn and myself. I also hope to post a few additional snapshots on "Throwback Thursdays" (with other subjects of noteworthiness)...

Of course, I'd promised a few "FA" members (and you know who you are) some requested artwork, and I'll see if I can finally render and post those drawings later this month...

But, most importantly, since 2016 is an Olympic year, I'm going to try to get a 'jump start' on drawing all-new "Roly-Polympics" gags (with ample athletes) - with a tie-in to the Summer Games in Rio, Brazil, beginning in August. I'll attempt to render gags involving some new events (such as 'golf') and some returning events (such as 'rugby'). To get psyched up for the new material, go to my 'Gallery' and check out the "R-P" gags from past years (2000, 2004, and 2012).

And, of course, my upcoming journals will include another edition of "Fur-One-One" (anthropomorphic news items), more reviews of "2016 Animal Commercials", and quite possibly some more "Fat Fauna In The Funnies" (links to various comic strip gags with corpulent characters).

All this, and much, much more, during July, 2016 in my "FA" site...

Last month, I had posted a list of links to various 'fat furry' gags from the comic strip "Pluggers" (drawn by Gary Brookins). This month, I thought I'd post a new list of links to a number of 'fat furry' gags from another popular comic strip: "Over The Hedge" by the team of Michael Fry & T. Lewis...

When I first saw the syndicated comic back in the early 1990s, I was already a suburbanite (living in Elmont, New York), and I often wished I that some of the anthropomorphic critters would invade my backyard... especially 'R.J.' the raccoon, who loves to 'pig out' on grilled Summer BBQ meals, Halloween candy, Thanksgiving leftovers, and (of course) his favorite 'vegetable', Twinkies!

(NOTE: I'd heard in the news that Hostess - the makers of Twinkies - had recently acquired the Playboy mansion in California... No doubt, Messrs. Fry & Lewis will have a field day with their strip, getting their rotund raccoon out west, in the hope that he'll get to schmooze with Hugh Hefner, while wolfing down Twinkie after Twinkie!)

I even recall one of the first times I saw 'R.J.' in a shape so obese, he looked like he was immobile - and yet, he was still capable of rolling himself away... usually ending up on top of 'Verne' the turtle! (You can see that gag in the out-of-print, second softcover anthology, "Over The Hedge 2" - published by Andrews and McMeel.)

Anyway, here are some links to gags with 'R.J.' in various stages of fatness, from the last two years of "Over The Hedge" strips - coming directly from the "GoComics" website:

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http://www.gocomics.com/overthehedge/2014/09/06
http://www.gocomics.com/overthehedge/2014/09/13
http://www.gocomics.com/overthehedge/2014/09/16
http://www.gocomics.com/overthehedge/2014/10/01
http://www.gocomics.com/overthehedge/2014/12/01
http://www.gocomics.com/overthehedge/2014/12/02
http://www.gocomics.com/overthehedge/2015/03/27
http://www.gocomics.com/overthehedge/2015/07/12
http://www.gocomics.com/overthehedge/2015/12/21
http://www.gocomics.com/overthehedge/2016/03/21
http://www.gocomics.com/overthehedge/2016/03/22
http://www.gocomics.com/overthehedge/2016/05/17

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And, lest you think that 'R.J.' is the only one in "OTH" who sports a big belly, here are the links to two strips in which 'Hammy' the squirrel gets swollen with water...

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http://www.gocomics.com/overthehedge/2013/06/30
http://www.gocomics.com/overthehedge/2015/08/14

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"Over The Hedge" is distributed by Universal UClick for UFS

Watch for more "Fat Fauna In The Funnies" links in future journals...

Meanwhile, if you wish to join the "FFML" ("Fat Furs Mailing List"), send your request to one of these two addresses:
FatFursMailingList[at]yahoogroups.com
baar_bear[at]cox.net

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ADDENDA: I'd just learned today (6-28-16) about the passing of syndicated cartoonist Fred Wagner, whose credits include the comic strip "Animal Crackers" - which features the occasional 'fat furry' gag revolving around elephants, hippos, and sated snakes. Time permitting, I hope to present another edition of "Fat Fauna In The Funnies" with some of the best gags of these burly beasties from "Animal Crackers" in the near future...

This edition of "Fur-One-One" will just revolve around Disney's "Zootopia" this time.

The PG-rated American-made CGI feature (released in other countries under the alternate title "Zootropolis"), has set several records recently. For instance, two weeks ago, Forbes Magazine declared "Zootopia" to be the second highest-grossing 'original film' of its kind (right behind James Cameron's "Avatar"). And, by 'original film', that means it was not based on any original literature (book, comic book, graphic novel, etc.), movie, TV series or special, stage production, or real life news event...

And, as of last week (on Sunday, June 5, 2016), "Zootopia" surpassed the $1 billion milestone - making it only the third Disney animated feature to make that ten-digit box office figure (behind the leader "Frozen", and Pixar's "Toy Story 3"). Chances look very slim that it will become 'Number One' overall, but to make it this far this soon (in under four months at various international cinemas) is still 'a feather in the cap' (or, in this case, the 'fur on the pelt') for its directors Byron Howard and Rich Moore, and co-director Jared Bush...

And now, of course, copies of "Zootopia" are available on Blu-Ray/DVD/Digital HD (and, in rarer cases, Blu-Ray/Blu-Ray 3-D/DVD/Digital HD). In addition to the feature-length film, bonuses include a look at 'deleted scenes', 'deleted characters', 'Easter Eggs' (hidden surprises throughout the movie), and a look at the story's development (and how it changed from a tale about predators forced to wear 'shock collars' to its present plot about diversity, unity, racism [in this case, 'speciesism'], and acceptance). And special editions of "Zootopia" sold at participating Target Stores have alternate bonuses.

Last, but not least, participating Disney Stores throughout the USA have discounted a majority of "Zootopia" merchandise - including T-shirts (kids and adults sizes), mugs (and other drinking vessels), and "Tsum Tsum" plush mini-figures (and other toys). So, take advantage of the savings!

Meanwhile, I'll try to create more (G-rated) "Zootopia" fan art (and 'fave' additional art pieces from other "FA" members) in the near future. So, watch for them!

I've found five more animal adverts for this year - in the "YouTube" site - that are definitely worth looking into. I'll provide a brief synopsis for each one, as well as its link for easy access and viewing...

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5. Oscar Mayer Lunchables Kabobble: "Car Wash": In a fifteen-second spot, 'Jackie' the jackalope and 'Platy' the platypus land a gig at a car wash (with the usual ensuing chaos). I haven't found a thirty-second version of this ad, so I hope you don't mind this shortened one.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ICKrAm_OMBg

4. Lactaid Milk: "Questions": When I saw the first Lactaid TV spot (months ago) with its CGI spokesmorph, the cow in the supermarket refrigerator was no bigger than a Barbie® doll. Now, in a new series of spots (for the lactose-free dairy product), said cow is as big as the humans she speaks to. In this commercial, another cow horns in (no pun intended), with her take on why regular milk makes some people have upset stomachs - before the Lactaid Cow finally shows up!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xw5qwgP1tZk

3. Lactaid Ice Cream: "Karate Cow": Once again, the annoying cow pays a visit to another human's domicile - comparing eating ice cream to have a karate challenge inside one's stomach - before the Lactaid Cow deposes of her (without lifting a hoof)!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SfINOwOwgSo

2. Mountain Dew Kickstart: "Freak Chain": I'd already thought that the first TV spot (which aired during the 2015 Super Bowl telecast) was as weird as the beverage itself (with its twerking dog, and the deer head on the wall breaking through to reveal its full body). And this year's newest ad "Puppy Monkey Baby" was as off-the-wall as it can get... until I saw this latest thirty-second commercial. A guy drinks some Kickstart, and goes into some wild gyrations, while a mosquito sucks his blood and starts "busting a move" itself. (And you thought Zika was the worst that could happen!) A zany reenactment of the 'food chain' follows, as one animal eats another, and starts dancing themselves! You gotta see it to believe it!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fXV54IwG6bk

1. Kia Soul: "Dueling Banjos": Saving the best for last, the Kia hamsters are back (to promote a new electric hybrid vehicle)! This time, in an all-musical presentation, a simple rendition of the musical number from "Deliverance" turns into a full-scale concert in the park - complete with a banjo, a sitar, bagpipes, violins, and other instruments! (And this is way better than the "Dueling Banjos" commercial with the two critters from Lunchables Kabobble, from a few years back.)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qQQkElKi0NQ

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As usual, if any of the links have mistakes in them, simply type out the name of the product and the subject matter in the 'search portion' of the home page on "YouTube", and hopefully you'll find the same commercials that I saw. (And I'll find more spots for your entertainment next month.)

As June (and early Summer) begins, I hope to have a lot more stuff to present in my "FA" site...

Among other things, I'll have a few more pieces of "Zootopia" fan art, some all-new "EFF" comic strips, more "Front & Back" gags, and an occasional "Throwaway Gag" or two...

I'll have some very unusual 'photo-ops' for the next few "Throwback Thursdays" - including more snapshots of animals, and a few pix of me with my brother Glenn - whose birthday falls on June 10th. So check all of them out...

And upcoming 'Journals' will feature more reviews (and links) of TV commercials with 'funny animals' in them, as well as the latest 'furry news' in my "Fur-One-One: 'FA' Edition", and links to more "Fat Fauna In The Funnies".

Just be patient, so I can present all of the above material. And remember, in July, I'll be making more room in my 'Gallery' for newer stuff, be transferring all of my 'photo-ops', 'doodles', and images from other artists, into my 'Scraps' section - just to give all of you a 'heads up'...

OBIT: Earlier this month, we'd lost a familiar talent who was best known for playing straight man to a talking horse. English/Canadian/American actor Alan Young died of 'natural causes' on May 19. Born on November 19, 1919, Young was exactly 96.5 years of age when he'd expired...

Mr. Young was best known on TV as 'Wilbur Post' (an architect), whose best friend is a talking horse named "Mister Ed" (which aired on CBS from 1961 to 1966). His film credits included "Androcles And The Lion" (1952), and two George Pal features, "Tom Thumb" (1958) and "The Time Machine" (1960). To anthropomorphic fanatics, Young also provide his voice to a number of animated works, such as the role of rodental inventor 'Hiram Flaversham' in Disney's "The Great Mouse Detective" (1986). But he will be best remembered as the voice of 'Scrooge McDuck' on "DuckTales" (1987-90) and in the short subject "Mickey's Christmas Carol" (1993). His last vocal stint in that role was in a pair of 'Mickey Mouse' shorts (which debuted on Disney Channel): "Goofy's First Love" (2015) and "No" (2016)...

VIDEO GAMES: For those of you who used to get your kicks playing "Frogger" at the video arcade many years ago, here's a new variation of this game that allows you to play one (or more) of your favorite cartoon characters, as you dodge traffic in a 3-D environment. Disney's "Crossy Road" (from Hipster Whale) is an 8-bit endless adventure to cross the road without splatting! Besides playing such obligatory characters as 'Mickey Mouse' and 'Donald Duck', you can also play other animal characters from Disney feature films like "Zootopia", "The Lion King", "The Jungle Book", and even "Alice Through The Looking Glass". For more information, go to this link: http://games.disney.com/disney-crossy-road

MOVIES: The folks at Disney believe in this film-making philosophy: "when in doubt, make a live-action version of one of our animated works". The formula seems to be working, so far, with the April, 2016 release of "The Jungle Book". But the real acid test will come in March, 2017, when a live-action remake of "Beauty And The Beast" comes out. The current trailer seems to tempt fans of the early 1990s cartoon feature; but only time will tell... Speaking of trailers, I have a link to a new animated feature from Illumination Entertainment, as the studio behind "Despicable Me" is attempting to release two animated features within the same year: "The Secret Life of Pets" (due out later this Summer) and "Sing" (which hopes for a Christmas release). The latter title seems to be a "Zootopia" knock-off, with other talking animals left out of the Disney feature (including simians, reptiles, amphibians, and birds), as a singing contest (a la "The Voice") is held, helping to raise awareness to saving an old theater where said contest takes place. Having seen the trailer to "Sing" via the "Cartoon Brew" website, this film does show some sort of promise. Here's the link to it:

http://www.cartoonbrew.com/feature-.....ng-139913.html

Finally, one more follow-up about Disney's "Zootopia" (prior to its 'home entertainment' release on Tuesday, June 7th). Earlier this week, I went to see the CGI feature on the big screen for the sixth time (and the first time not in 3-D). I was looking for more Easter Eggs (such as the spoof of other Disney titles in those bootlegged DVDs being sold by 'Duke Weaselton'). Of course, I'd thought that I was an Easter Egg myself - the first time I saw "Zootopia" back in early March - when I saw my RL name JED as the first three characters of the license plate on the back of the van belonging to 'Gideon Grey' (late in the story). But during the sixth screening, I finally got to read the rest of the characters on said plate... and I nearly fell out of my seat! The next two digits following JED were 3 and 1 - which, by coincidence, happen to be the numbers corresponding to my birthday (March 1st)! But that's where the similarities ended. The last two digits were 1 and 3, and I was born in '54. Had I'd been born in '13, that would mean I would be either three years old or 103 years young! Not very likely!

I have yet another batch of TV adverts - with all sorts of fauna - for this year. I saw most of them in "YouTube", so I thought I'd share the links to each and every one of them with you (in descending order from #5 down, with #1 as the best of this latest bunch)...

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5. Volkswagen Golf: "Sleep Talking": In this cute thirty-second commercial, a basset hound and his human owner are both sleeping on the couch, while simultaneously day-dreaming about cruising in the latest model of the VW Golf. The twist ending is predictable, but still funny!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AVYhVDMZsrw

4. Purina®'s Busy Twist'd with Beggin': "Moonwalking Squirrel": In this innovative fifteen-second spot, a CGI squirrel is amazed that a (real) household dog is so engrossed with his latest snack treat, that nothing he does can distract him - including 'bustin'-a-move', a la Michael Jackson!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VSJPfdSe7h0

3. Raid®: "Fridge": In an all-new series of commercials for the familiar ant-and-roach spray, CGI vermin take the place of the classic cel-animated bugs. (Remember the ones directed by legendary animator 'Tex' Avery? Featuring the voices of Mel Blanc and Paul Frees?) In this thirty-second ad, a female human encounters an ant (almost as big as her), as he grabs a midnight snack from the refrigerator!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9s7-JLyMx8o

2. Raid®: "Shower": As a follow-up to the previous spot, we find a male human's shower getting interrupted by a CGI roach (as big as the perplexed person), who has his own hygiene regimen (gross, though it may be)!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vdqlj9WAjNQ

1. Slack: "Rocketship": Last month, when I'd posted "Even More Animal Commercials for 2016" - https://www.furaffinity.net/journal/7507496/ - the Number One spot on that list was a one-minute ad for Slack (which featured a menagerie of CGI anthropomorphic animals in an office). In their newest sixty-second commercial, both humans and funny animals cooperate (as computer animation and 'old school' cel-animation [a la Max Fleischer] merge with each other), when they put together a rocketship, blast off into space, and have a 'close encounter' with aliens in their own spacecraft! Absolutely memorable (and worth sharing the link with others)!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5iJmFcMEuMg

BONUS AD: Listerine®: "Clifford the Dragon": On a recent broadcast of CBS News' Sunday Morning, a moment of history was honored, as May 15th marked the 93th anniversary when Listerine® mouthwash was trademarked registered. Part of the celebration was the airing (for the first time in thirty years) of a classic commercial for the product - animated by Richard ("Who Framed Roger Rabbit") Williams. The advert featured a fire-breathing dragon named 'Clifford', who does whatever it takes to impress the human damsel he tries to date. (It was so cleverly funny, that Williams directed several more Listerine® spots with 'Clifford' - most of which you can also view in "YouTube".)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wRAGnPSrKGg

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If you are unable to bring up any of the above commercials in "YouTube", trying retyping the link, dropping the 's' from the 'https' portion. If that doesn't work, just go to the 'Home' page, type out the brand name and title of the adverts in the 'Search' space, and press 'Enter'...

I'll have some more reviews (and links) of more all-new (and classic) animal commercials for your entertainment in June. So, keep your eyes peeled for them!

Last week, I'd presented a journal - https://www.furaffinity.net/journal/7551639/ - with a number of links to some 2016 'fat furry' strips from the popular syndicated comic "Pluggers" (co-created by [the late] Jeff MacNelly, and now drawn by Gary Brookins)...

I thought I'd provide one more list of links to additional 'fat furry' gags from some of the 2015 strips (all directly found in the "GoComics" website). Not only do they feature 'Andy Bear', but other full-figured characters - including 'Carl Rhinoski' (a rhino), 'Henrietta Beak' (a chicken), 'Claude' (a cat), 'Earl' (a dog), and 'Wilford' (a senior citizen canid) - and not all of the strips contain gags about big bellies and heavy weight; some of them simply make references to the fattening foods they all consume. Regardless, get your fill of these comics now...

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http://www.gocomics.com/pluggers/2015/01/01
http://www.gocomics.com/pluggers/2015/02/08
http://www.gocomics.com/pluggers/2015/03/01
http://www.gocomics.com/pluggers/2015/03/14
http://www.gocomics.com/pluggers/2015/03/21
http://www.gocomics.com/pluggers/2015/05/08
http://www.gocomics.com/pluggers/2015/05/10
http://www.gocomics.com/pluggers/2015/06/03
http://www.gocomics.com/pluggers/2015/06/09
http://www.gocomics.com/pluggers/2015/08/03
http://www.gocomics.com/pluggers/2015/08/25
http://www.gocomics.com/pluggers/2015/10/03
http://www.gocomics.com/pluggers/2015/10/08
http://www.gocomics.com/pluggers/2015/10/17
http://www.gocomics.com/pluggers/2015/10/23
http://www.gocomics.com/pluggers/2015/10/31
http://www.gocomics.com/pluggers/2015/11/03
http://www.gocomics.com/pluggers/2015/11/20
http://www.gocomics.com/pluggers/2015/11/25
http://www.gocomics.com/pluggers/2015/12/09

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In future journals (on "Fat Tuesdays"), I hope to provide the links to 'fat furry' gags from other syndicated comic strips and webcomics. Hang in there!

Over twenty years ago, former "Rowrbrazzle" member (and current "FA" member) Frenata sent me a VHS sampler tape containing 'pencil tests' of various cartoon shorts from CalArts (a southern California school where the art of animation is taught). She had several shorts of her own on that videocassette, each featuring one of her characters ('Don Gato', 'Dumpy' the mole, and 'Shadow' the weasel). Most notably, her best work was "Chicken Reel" - an experimental short about a fox invading a chicken coop - all set to the music of Leroy Anderson.

Additional 'Brazzlers who were also CalArts alumni included RGibson (whose best work, as far as I was concerned, was "Across the Border" - set to the Electric Light Orchestra song) and Chris Sanders (and his short "Fun With Father", in which a papa fox and his kitten son entertain themselves by throwing marshmallows into a lawn mower). Some of them went on to bigger and better things (such as Sanders, whose greatest work was Disney's "The Lion King"). A prime example are the 'pencil test' works of a young unknown by the name of Jim Reardon - "Ouchless" (based on an old Don Martin gag from MAD Magazine) and "Bring Me The Head Of Charlie Brown" (need I say more?) - who truly made a name for himself, as a major contributor to "The Simpsons", and was the gag co-writer who came up with the 'DMV Sloths' idea for Disney's "Zootopia"!

With all that in mind, I thought I'd present the links to two brand-new CalArts shorts (I'd recently seen in "Facebook"), each one featuring animal characters...

"Dogtor" is a cel-animated cartoon about a trio of anthropomorphic canines, who discuss (over lunch) their respective place in the human world (as a doctor, a teacher, and a police officer), while still being treated like dogs. It's poignant, yet very uplifting...

https://vimeo.com/164036464

"Desert Critters" is a CGI short that's played for laughs, as a small fennec fox's plans to steal food (from the campsite of a team of documentary filmmakers) is scuttled by an even smaller (and cuter) fennec fox kit! Watch it, and try not to fall in love with the two vulpine characters!

https://vimeo.com/164132084

Who knows? Maybe some of the folks responsible for these two CalArts shorts might go on (in the future) to win an Academy Award for their terrific talents...

When I'd joined the "Fat Furs Mailing List" (a Yahoo! group) a long time ago, it was mostly comprised of the talents of 'fat furry' anthroartists and writers. But I wanted to contribute more than just my own art and stories...

So, once in a great while, I would post a syndicated comic strip with a gag featuring a fattened anthropomorphic character in it. Examples include "Over The Hedge" by Fry & Lewis, "The Grizzwells" by Bill Schorr, and "Girth" by Steve Powell.

For this journal, I'd chosen to present a list of links to some 'fat furry' gags from one of my favorite strips, "Pluggers" - co-created by Jeff ("Shoe") MacNelly, and illustrated by Gary Brookins. The two main corpulent characters in "Pluggers" are 'Andy Bear' and 'Carl Rhinoski'. Here are an assortment of 'pluggerisms' for 2016 - from the "GoComics" website - with 'Andy Bear' (literally) standing out. (The one exception to said list is the April 20th gag, featuring a nameless full-figured female.) I hope to present a list of past gags with 'Carl Rhinoski' (dealing with his own weighty problems) at a later date...

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http://www.gocomics.com/pluggers/2016/01/02
http://www.gocomics.com/pluggers/2016/02/05
http://www.gocomics.com/pluggers/2016/02/09
http://www.gocomics.com/pluggers/2016/04/05
http://www.gocomics.com/pluggers/2016/04/20
http://www.gocomics.com/pluggers/2016/04/28
http://www.gocomics.com/pluggers/2016/04/30

"Pluggers" © Tribune Content Agency, LLC / Gary Brookins, LLC

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BTW, if you wish to join the "Fat Furs Mailing List", send your request to one of these two addresses:
FatFursMailingList[at]yahoogroups.com
baar_bear[at]cox.net

Welcome to May, 2016 - my latest 'sweeps month' in "Fur Affinity" - when I hope to present more 'funny animal' material in my site than ever before!

For example, I hope to present a special illustration to commemorate reaching my 110,000th 'pageview' (since I'd failed to render a similar illustration in late 2015, upon surpassing the 100,000th 'pageview' milestone)...

Among some of the newer imagery will be a couple of "Artists Jams" from past conventions I'd attended (which I'd recently found in my cluttered condo), as well as a few more pieces of "Zootopia" fan art (in anticipation of the 'home entertainment' edition of the Disney CGI feature - due out in stores on June 7th). Meanwhile, I hope to resume drawing some new "EFF" ("Extraordinarily Fat Furries") comic gags, along with posting more 'fat furry doodles' (which were also discovered among the aforementioned clutter). I hope to post these latter images (like clockwork) on "Fat Tuesday" each week; while all-new 'photo-ops' (of animals, and of yours truly) will be posted on "Throwback Thursday"...

Another item I haven't posted in a long time are some of my lettered sudoku puzzles (with a 'furry theme' connected to each one). I hope to rectify this omission, later this month...

Last, but not least, I'll try to post more journals in May - with subject matter ranging from reviews of more TV commercials with fauna (real and unreal), to my newest editions of "Fur-One-One" (furry news), with some new articles stuffed in between.

All this (and much, much more) during my latest 'sweeps month'. I hope all of you will visit!

MOVIES: The next big trend in cartoon fare on the big screen will be animated features with 'funny animal' characters based on video games, beginning with "Ratchet & Clank" (which debuts this Friday in American cinemas), followed by "The Angry Birds Movie" (opening in May, 2016), and "Sly Cooper" (in early 2017)...

VIDEO GAMES: While we're on the subject, here are a few animal-related titles of all-new video games... Disney's "InfINity 3.0" (for various game systems) has, among its newest characters, 'Mickey Mouse', 'Minnie Mouse', 'Nick Wilde', and 'Judy Hopps' (the latter two from "Zootopia")... For the "PlayStation 4" system, upcoming titles include (an all-new version of) "Ratchet & Clank" and "Snoopy's Grand Adventure"... And for the "WiiU" system, new and current titles include "StarFox Zero", "Rabbids Land", "Animal Crossing: Amiibo Festival", and "Pokkén Tournament"...

TELEVISION: Check out tonight's 'couch gag' on "The Simpsons" (on FOX-TV), as it parodies all sorts of Disney fare - most notably, with 'Homer' imitating 'Baloo' the bear from "The Jungle Book" (the cartoon one, NOT the new 'motion-captured' version)...

MORE "ZOOTOPIA" NEWS: The CGI feature had just made its final theatrical debut in Japan this weekend (ill-timed, in the wake of the earthquake that was experienced one week earlier). Between the newest patrons seeing the film for the first time there, and American viewers still seeing it here (and maintaining its status of being among the Top Five box-office draws), "Zootopia" has already passed $900 million in ticket sales, slowly approaching the $1 billion mark...

LAST-MINUTE BULLETIN: Having spoken to a Disney Store representative, the Blu-Ray, Digital, and DVD version of "Zootopia" will become available on Tuesday, June 7th. And if you make advanced reservations at participating Disney Stores, you'll also receive a set of "Zootopia" lithographs. So, get your cash and credit cards ready! Meanwhile, devoted fans of the CGI feature might want to take in a few more screenings, while it's still playing in theaters. Of course, it's up against stiff competition; from Disney's (reboot of) "The Jungle Book" which is #1 at the box-office for a second week in a row! ("Zootopia" is #4 this weekend.)

"ROWRBRAZZLE" NEWS: Finally, since the "Fur-One-One" journal is based on my column in "Rowrbrazzle" (the long-running 'funny animal' APAzine), here is my usual pitch for "FA" members (artist and writers alike) to consider joining. Commencing with Issue #129 (being distributed to its 25 contributors and 'Waiting Listers' right now), anthroartist/writer Edd Vick is the new O.E. (Official Editor). The 'zine itself is published on a quarterly basis (sent out in January, April, July, and October).

If you'd like to seriously become a part of "Rowrbrazzle", make sure your material is of a 'funny animal' (and totally original) nature - and don't let said material be of a troublemaking nature (such as being pornographic, obscene, or offensive towards other members). For more information, contact Edd Vick at edd@speakeasy.net or write to him at 1505 SW Alaska St., Seattle, WA 98106.

I have found some more new TV spots with animal characters in them (in the "YouTube" site) that are worth a looksee. Check these commercials out (when you click on the link following each description)...

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5. Red Bull: "Dog Catcher": I enjoy seeing the animated 'Red Bull' commercials with animals in them (more recently, the one with the rustler's horse and the one with the hamster who uses his wheel to go places). This 15-second spot features a canine who conducts a one-dog mutiny against a dog catcher, by hijacking his vehicle!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WT6kWNq3utI

4. Lunchables Kabobbles: "Karate": In this latest spot for the edible Oscar Mayer fare, the two 'mixed-up' characters ('Platy' the platypus and 'Jackie' the jackalope) take up martial arts this time - with the usual catastrophic results. (NOTE: Even though it's listed as one minute long, it's really the same two 30-second ads.)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0f_uK6tgMlY

3. Geico: "It's What You Do: Alligator Arms": Another talking animal for the auto insurance company (as if a gecko, a pig, and a camel aren't enough). This time, an alligator among humans at a restaurant has a good excuse not to be able to pick up the check. (This ad would've been even funnier if they'd used a T-Rex with the same excuse... but he would've taken up too much room in the eatery!)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f95abQuPXaw

2. Charmin: "Foreign and Rare Commercials": Having seen the 'Charmin' bathroom tissue spots with the animated bears (both in 2-D and CGI forms) on American TV (with the 'Grandma' commercial being a personal favorite), I thought I'd present a few foreign versions of some 'Charmin' ads for your perusal...

"Dylan And His Pads": In this 30-second spot for Canadian TV, one of the bear cubs is dressed up for ice hockey (natch). He uses one of the rolls of the toilet paper for padding in his uniform!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=--4cm-nQ630

"Camping With The Bears": This commercial was made for Spanish television, as the familiar ursine family are in the woods, and are joined by a father-and-son beaver team - just as the young pup suddenly needs to go!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T-ldskWRmNA

"Commercial Tryout": Finally, for you 'fat furry fanatics', I'd found a rare 2009 piece of footage (over a minute long), as an unusually fat bear (with a New York accent) attempts to be the next spokesmorph for 'Charmin'. Combining cel animation with a live-action set, this corpulent character causes chaos during the casting call!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bYbLhTVlNEQ

1. Slack: "Flying Umbrellas": Saving the (absolute) best for last, I'd found a one-minute spot for Slack (a messaging app), as its anthropomorphic cast (including a lion, a rabbit, a beaver, a sloth, et al) work in an office to make things better for the humans outside of their building. On this particularly rainy day, the critters produce umbrellas with drone-like propellers on top! (Most likely, you'll probably compare the animals in this commercial to the ones appearing in Disney's "Zootopia".) And, as an added bonus, the link not only has the advert, but over thirty seconds of 'bloopers'!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q95kurXLDro

(And for more info on this latter corporation, go to https://www.slack.com/animals )

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As always, if I'd made any mistakes in any of the links, just go to "YouTube" and type out the name of the product/corporation - in the 'Search' portion of the site's 'Home' page - click Enter and look for the specific ad(s) on the next page.

I'll look forward to seeing more animal commercials later this year, and (of course) I'll be sharing them with you in future journals!

OBITS: As many of you know, on March 24, 2016, the world had lost talented actor/comedian Garry Shandling. He'd succumbed to a heart attack, at the age of 66. Shandling was best known for his two TV series "It's Garry Shandling Show" (a take-off of sitcoms) and "The Larry Sanders Show" (a talk show parody). But to 'furry folks' worldwide, he will be remembered for his voice work as two different animals: a nameless pigeon in "Dr. Doolittle" (1998) with Eddie Murphy, and as 'Verne' the turtle in "Over The Hedge" (2006) with the additional voices of Bruce Willis, Steve Carrell, William Shatner. Wanda Sykes, et al... And earlier this year, we'd lost a great multi-talented voice actor in Joe Alaskey, who passed away from cancer on February 3rd; He was 63. He will be remembered for the following cartoon characters he'd voiced: 'Plucky Duck' on "Tiny Toon Adventures", 'Sylvester' the cat in "The Sylvester & Tweety Mysteries", and 'Daffy Duck' in the new "Duck Dodgers" series. He also provided the voice of 'Thomas Timberwolf' in the short-lived "TimberWolf" Internet series of shorts - the last project by Oscar-winning animation director Chuck Jones...

COMICS: Just to give all of you a one-month 'heads-up', May 7, 2016 is "Free Comic Book Day" at most participating comic emporiums throughout the USA. Among the free titles with anthropomorphic characters in them are "The Pink Panther" (from American Mythology), "Pokemon" (Viz Media), "Sonic Sampler" (Archie Comics), and "Spongebob Squarepants" (United Plankton Pictures)... Hot on the box office success of Disney's "Zootopia", Joe Books, Inc. - which already released a 'cinestory comic' version of the CGI film - will be coming out with an original 'graphic novelization', which will also include a 'prequel story' with characters 'Judy Hopps' and 'Nick Wilde'. Watch for it... One of the newest anthropomorphic comic titles, now available in stores, is the premiere issue of "The Mighty Zodiac" (Oni Press) - the story of a band of adventurous animals (based on the ones associated with the 'lunar calendar'). This eclectic group includes 'Tan' the rooster, 'Ko' the cat, 'Kane' the dog, 'Mal' the horse, and 'Ho' the tiger. J. Torres wrote the story, Corin Howell illustrated it, and Maarta Laiho colored it... Other anthropomorphic comic titles available include "Usagi Yojimbo" (Dark Horse), (all-new) "Darkwing Duck", "Madagascar" (both from Joe Books, Inc.), "Penguins of Madagascar", "The Adventures of Puss in Boots" (both from Titan Comics), "Regular Show" (Boom! Studios), "Looney Tunes" (DC), "Angry Birds Comics", "My Little Pony", "Mickey Mouse", "Donald Duck", "Uncle Scrooge", and "Walt Disney's Comics & Stories" (all from IDW)...

MOVIES: Upcoming Spring animated film releases with animal characters include "Storks" (Warner Bros.), "Ratchet and Clank" (Gramercy Pictures), "Finding Dory" (Disney/Pixar), "The Angry Birds Movie" (Sony Pictures) and "The Secret World of Pets" (Universal Pictures). Most of these films are rated PG... And, of course, April 15, 2016, marks the release of a rebooted version of Disney's "The Jungle Book", with a live-action 'Mowgli' (played by Neel Sethi ) interacting with CGI animals with celebrity voices - such as Ben Kingsley as 'Bagheera' the panther, Bill Murray as 'Baloo' the bear, Scarlett Johannson as 'Kaa' the snake, Christopher Walken as 'King Louie' the ape, and Idris Elba as 'Shere Khan' the tiger. (Rated PG) See you at the movies!

Well, here it is, April, 2016, and I hope to post a lot of new (and original) material in my "Fur Affinity" site...

For starters, April is "National Poetry Month", which means I hope to post a few brand new 'Fat Furry' and/or 'Furry Inflation' comic gags with a poem attached to it (usually a limerick or a haiku). So, keep your eyes open for them...

Having performed a little 'Spring Cleaning' in my condo, I came across some older works of 'funny animal' art I hadn't presented on the Internet; so, be on the lookout for this material. I'll also try to post a new ecological comic gag for "Earth Day".

As for my usual fare, I hope to post a few more (G-rated) pieces of Zootopia" fan art, as well as a few new "Front & Back" comic gags (with my alternate feline 'fursona' and 'Bor-Bor Bear'). I'll also have additional 'photo-ops' for "Throwback Thursdays", and all-new journals...

I'll also attempt to render a requested image or two, among other surprises...

And get ready for more surprises in May, as that will be my latest 'sweeps month'. Nobody knows what's going to happen then... least of all, me!

Have any of YOU ever witnessed a fatal automobile accident? Not the kind you see on the TV news, or a fictionalized one in a movie, but a genuine accident right before your eyes? Well, that has just happened to yours truly...

I was taking my bicycle today (3-22-16) to The Last Picture Show (cinema) in Tamarac, Florida, in the hope of catching the 1:15 PM screening of "Kung Fu Panda 3". Part of my route was going westward on the Cypress Creek Greenway (the same bicycle path I used to take -going eastward to Palm Aire - when I used to be a 'janitor'). The Greenway runs parallel, south of a canal that separates the Margate/Coral Springs area (to the north) from the North Lauderdale/Tamarac area (to the south). And even though there was a "Sidewalk Closed" sign at the Rock Island Road entrance (due to construction), I was still taking that particular route...

At about 12:15 PM, I was nearly halfway between Rock Island Road and University Drive, walking my bike around the dirt mound that constituted the 'closed sidewalk' area. Once I'd remounted the vehicle, I was looking down at the path for a mere second... when I'd heard an explosive sound (not unlike a cannon being fired)! Looking up and ahead of me, I saw a cloud of debris to the north of the canal. And emerging from the cloud was a black SUV, which drove off of the embankment and directly into the canal. I pedaled as quickly as I could to the scene of this accident; but with ten-to-fifteen seconds, the vehicle sank below the water's surface...

Apparently, the SUV was heading south, until it reached the dead end of the road; but that didn't stop it from plowing through the concrete barricade (which caused the cloud of debris), and plunging into the water.

A person in an orange shirt - on the north side of the canal - heard the explosion, too, and came out to investigate. I'd shouted from across the canal what had just happened, and asked him what road the SUV was driving down. "Ramblewood Drive," he'd told me, as he took off his shirt and pants and waded into the water (in a futile attempt to find the car and try to rescue the driver).

Quickly, I reached into my pocket, pulled out my cell phone, and dialed 911. A female dispatcher answered and asked me the nature of my call. I'd explained the situation to her, and she asked where I was located. I told her I was on the Greenway, but the accident was on the opposite side of the canal, at the end of Ramblewood Drive. She eventually sent out two Coral Springs Police Department cars and a Fire Department ambulance to the scene. They arrived by the time my 911 call was over (in about four minutes)...

A small crowd began to gather on my side of the canal, as I watched the police and emergency crews snap into action. Eventually, a police vehicle pulled over at the south side, and an Accident Inspector approached me to ask questions. I gave him my Florida I.D. upon request, and he took down all that information. I'd told him what had happened, While all this was going on, two members of the emergency crew put on wet suits, and went under water to search for the SUV and its driver.

Moments later, a stretcher was brought close to the embankment, as the two divers emerged from the murky canal with the limp body of the vehicle's sole occupant. (I had a feeling that it was way too late for the male driver to be rescued.)

I had to stick around, and provide additional information to a few more police officers - giving each one of them my cell phone number (in case they needed me any further). By the time all this activity was over, it was already 2:00 PM. The Accident Inspector thanked me for my cooperation. But I still felt terrible about the outcome.

"You did the right thing by calling 911," the inspector assured me. "It was just a case of 'too little, too late'."

We eventually parted company, and I'd resumed my bike ride to The Last Picture Show - for the 4:15 PM screening of "Kung Fu Panda 3"...

The only 'positive spin' I can put on this episode was that I was fortunate enough to decide to go to that first screening (which I had to miss). If I'd left for the later show, the SUV would've sunk without any witnesses, and its late driver would've not been found for several days, instead of mere minutes.

Still, seeing this deadly auto accident will remain in my memory for the rest of my life.

So, I'll ask again: Have any of YOU ever witnessed a fatal auto accident?

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ADDENDA: Here is a small reprint of the article about said accident from the March 23, 2016 issue of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel (in their 'Local' section):

CORAL SPRINGS: A man dies after his car went into a canal in Coral Springs on Tuesday afternoon, authorities said.
Fire Chief Frank Babinec said the man was driving, possibly speeding, southbound on Ramblewood Drive at about 12:30 PM. The car he was driving crashed through concrete barriers where that street dead-ends into the C-14 canal.
Babinec said rescue divers pulled the man from the car. He was the only occupant.
His identity won't be released until family members are notified, police said.
Lisa J. Hurlash

SECOND ADDENDA: The March 24th issue of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel (in its 'Local' section) had a second article, identifying the fatal victim of said accident. Here's an excerpt from it:

The man who died after driving a car into a Coral Springs canal has been identified.
Police Wednesday said James M. Singh, 22, of Margate, was at the wheel of a 2008 (dark) gray Toyota Scion.
Possibly speeding, the car struck concrete barriers at the end of southbound Ramblewood Drive and plunged into the C-14 canal about 12:30 PM Tuesday, investigators said.
Singh was pronounced dead at the scene after Coral Springs Fire Department divers removed him from the Toyota.
He was the only person in the car, investigators said.
The cause of the crash remains under investigation, police said.
Wayne K. Roustan

Having only witnessed the accident, nothing else I can tell detectives can solve this mystery. So, I'd refrained from further contact with the police. I think I did the right thing...

I've been seeing more unusual commercials with animals on TV and "YouTube". One of the weirdest ones I saw hasn't made it to "YouTube" yet, but I'd viewed it on the big screen at a movie theater showing Disney's "Zootopia". Sponsored by Scott's Lawn Care products, it depicts a deer who loves walking on a human's grassy lawn so much, it takes its hooves off and runs barefoot through it!

Anyway, here are five more TV spots with some funny fauna, followed by the "YouTube" link of each advert.

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5. Lunchables Kabobbles: "Bull Ride": This time, 'Platy' and 'Jackie' are seen in Western garb, as the former mixed-up character rides a mechanical bull, while the latter character gets his paws on the controls (as the usual chaos ensues)!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=toor33oC8X0

4. Lunchables Kabobbles: "Ring Toss": In past Lunchables ads, there was always a 15-second follow-up at the same setting (such as the one for the 30-second "Garage Sale" spot from last year). This time, the follow-up (a sequel to "Bull Ride") finds 'Platy' and 'Jackie' - still in Western garb - playing Ring Toss, with the platypus having the advantage of snagging his rings on the jackalope's antlers!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ixm6EMjSlog

3. TRUTH: #FinishIT "Pets": Last time, I'd reviewed the "Catageddon" ad. This time, the folks at TRUTH emphasize the fact that cigarette-smoking pet owners could easily spread cancer to the dogs and cats they own and (supposedly) love...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=loLpcd7gqNE

2. Geico: "Stuck In Tree": The Geico gecko continues his cross-country trip (in a forest full of California redwoods), as a passenger in a larger vehicle, only to end up in an accident. Thus, promoting Geico's "Emergency Roadside Service", while the unlucky lizard has a tough time describing the unusual 'fender bender' he'd experienced...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zz4bfDgtc8M

1. Blue Bunny Ice Cream: "Bunny Tracks": Set to the Frankie Valli tune "Can't Take You Eyes Off Of You", a CGI blue rabbit is so engrossed with the various flavors of Blue Bunny Ice Cream (especially 'Bunny Tracks') in the frozen food aisle at a supermarket, he doesn't see the human shopper opening the compartment door... directly into his face!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vQ3F3ME8zd0

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As always, if I'd made any mistakes with the links, just type out the brand name and subject matter of the commercial in the 'Search' space on the 'Home' page of "YouTube" and press Enter. Meanwhile, I'll look for more animal-related TV ads to present in future journals!