Author Archives: Panda in Chief

About Panda in Chief

Anne Belov paints, writes, makes prints, and is the founder of The Institute for Contemporary Panda Satire. You can find her paintings at the Rob Schouten Gallery and Fountainhead Gallery, her cartoons on The Panda Chronicles, and her new book here. She also writes regularly for The Whidbey Life Magazine, a free journal of art and culture on Whidbey Island. Her main regret in life is that there is no MacArthur Grant for Panda Satire.

Fabulous Furry Friday presents…

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Don’t ask me how I know this:

One other piece of advice for those visiting the PanDiego Zoo (Home of the real Wu Self!) and that is this: Do NOT, under any circumstances, ride of the Skyfari cable cars when it’s raining. Even a seemingly innocent misty rain becomes a driving gale while you are suspended 60 feet above the ground, moving horizontally at a fairly spiffy pace, high above the zoo. Just sayin’.

I mean I would say so if I, or anyone I actually know, had direct experience of this phenomenon.

Meanwhile, on with today’s round up of ‘toons! And what better way to start than with Wu’s birthday ‘toon from last July!

It’s so hard to be cool when you still live with your mom.

In case you have forgotten than tRump has rescinded the ban on the import of dead elephant trophies…

Twinkies 2.0 put on a show!

Mittens is STILL telling anyone who will listen that his inauguration had the highest attendance in the history of the universe. I don’t THINK so!

Huzzah and congratulations to all the students who observed the peaceful walkout to protest the failure of Congress to enact sensible gun regulations. Could they be failing to act because the NRA donates heavily to some members of Congress? Hmmm? You tell me. I look forward to attending a march on March 24th, to remind Congress that we ARE paying attention to what they do (and don’t do) and plan to vote accordingly.

Here’s a photo of my home town, little Langley, having a protest march on the day after tRump’s inauguration.

Women’s March, Langley edition!

Panda La Vida Loca!
Bob T Panda

Notes from the Panda Convention

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A good time was had by all at the Panda Convention!

Well, it was a wonderful weekend in PanDiego once again. I saw the Wu Self, Madame Her Royal Highness, the Empress Bai Yun, and even a glimpse from the bridge far above, of the lovely Gao Gao of the extra fuzzy feet. The Panda Convention drew panda fans from around the globe! Australia, Canada, Switzerland, as well as points from all corners of the US. (Literally!) Washington State, Florida, Maine, and southern California were all represented as well as many points in between.

We had a wonderful panda presentation by Nate Wintle of PDX Wildlife who attended with his delightful 8 year old daughter Dee, who has been best friends with pandas since (before) she was born. Alas, the director of PDX Wildlife, Meghan Martin-Wintle, could not be there as she was in China supervising the incoming interns. Meg is also the mom of the delightful Dee, and with parents like this, it’s no wonder she is smart as a whip.

I have to tell you one of my favorite moments of the weekend…

I…um…strong armed Nate into buying a copy of The Pinky Defense for Dee, and she proceeded to read out loud, the story of KittySue and the Three Pandas. She got to the end, and looked a tad puzzled at the last panel:

What a lovely day for the 3 pandas to relax at home!

…and then she looked at the previous page:

Pandas are very misunderstood, in so many ways….

And then her eyes got really big and she said, “They ATE KittySue!!!!!!”

See what I mean about being smart?

Anyway, Speaking of Pinky…um…we’re always speaking of Pinky aren’t we…

Don’t ignore Princess Pinky!

Alas, there was no cookie balancing competition at the convention, but there was a bit of a scene at the Mexican restaurant where Babette’s many admirers vied for her attention!

Babette and her many admirers

Viva Les pandas!
Bob T Panda

The Panda Convention!

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Yes, Virginia, there is a Panda Convention and it took place this past weekend in Sunny Pandiego California, at the home of one of my favorite pandas, the one, the only, the adorable Wu Self! (Pinky: I thought I was your favorite panda, unka bob!) (Can someone check out why Pinky seems to have comment privileges in my posts? She’s not supposed to have access to my computer!)

And who knew there was a Panda Talent event at the convention?

Can you believe the talent being displayed here? Surely Bob should get an Oscar or something!

Stay tuned for a more complete account of the Panda Convention later this week (after I get all the frosting out of my fur!)

Viva Les Pandas!
Bob T Panda

Fabulous Furry Friday Presents…

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…The Wonderful World of Wu!

Yes, while Pinky tries very hard to have EVERY ‘toon and post be about her, there ARE other pandas out there! (Pinky: dat is just not true, unka bob!) So for today’s encore presentation, let’s look back at some of Mr. Wu’s feature ‘toons, beloved last son of Bai Yun and Gao Gao, from sunny PanDiego!

“Howdy do! I’m Mr. Wu! Who are you?”

And I bet you are happy to see that Little Mr. Wu is safe and sound!

“Wu calls his dance, ‘Ode to a Weaf’ “

Yo ho ho and a bottle of BooBeer!

And, of course my favorite Wu-toon, EVER….

Mr Wu speaks out!

And remember, a day without the adorable Wu Self is a day without sunshine! Hope your Friday is Fabulously Furry!

Viva Le WU!
Bob T Panda

The 2018 Olympics May Be Over, But the Spirit of Competition Lives On!

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Okay. Don’t laugh. But I really have mastered the art of cookie balancing. Using Archway’s Windmill Almond cookies, my current record is 23 seconds to nibble a straight edge at the bottom of the cookie, and balance it on edge so that it stands for 10 seconds or more. Go ahead. You try it if you think it’s so easy. I’ll wait.

Coming soon to an Olympic competition near you!

And now…going for the gold!!!

In other feats of athletic competition, I was working outside yesterday, trimming an out of control Lonicera Baggerson’s Gold (kind of looks like a boxwood, for you non-gardeners) and I had a little six inch piece of branch. Rather than walk over to the trash can where I was putting cuttings to dump in one of my many compost piles, I threw it (left handed!!!- I am right handed) from about 15 feet and sunk the shot perfectly. Am I ready for an award winning sporting career or what?!?! First, cookie balancing and now this!!!! Huzzah!

Viva Les Pandas!
Bob T Panda

No One Except Pinky Should be President for Life

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And probably not even her! Despite her early trauma from the panda cam shut down, she is not entirely trust worthy, if you want to know my opinion. (Pinky: No, we really don’t want to hear your ‘pinion, unka bob!!!!)

But why don’t you tell us what you REALLY think, Pinky?

Well, she does have a valid point…

Viva Les Pandas!
Bob T Panda

Fabulous Furry Friday presents…

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What ABOUT Bob?

Bob was the first panda here to have a name, at least until Babette de Panda arrived on the scene. Then sometime later, the real Wu Self came on the scene and I started to recognize the value of having actual live pandas to inspire the stories that you read here. Even all of my stuffed pandas were named Bob, with some kind of qualifying addition to the name, like Loud Bob and Shy Bob, Vampire Bob, Mini Bob, etc. That shows some imagination, doesn’t it?

A panda by any other name would still be called ‘Bob’

Do you smell smoke?

Bob still likes to get out in the field once in a while.

Bob and the magic slipper….

Always read the directions…

The cake abides….

What’s that stuff getting all over my paws? Oh…it’s frosting!

And what do you know! The Panda Season of Love took place in DC!

It was dark…there were men in masks….

Be the Bob!
Bob T Panda

And now, the moment you’ve all been waiting for…

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Fresh from his triumph when he was named Cubby of the Year of the Universe in the Giant Panda Global awards, The one, the only, the curly furred pink baby panda who has taken France by storm…the entire world has fallen like dominoes in the wake of his unresidabel cuteness. Yes, I’m talking about…

The one, the only, BEBE MAURICE!!!!!!

The world swoons….

C’EST MAGNIFIQUE! Oui?

See being the bear!
Bob T Panda

Double the Pandas, double the fun…

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How can Pinky compete against this????!!!!????!!!

Of course both sets of the Cublanta panda twins had to come up with a crowd pleasing program for the Winter Olympics! Who knew that they would come up with such a brilliant routine?

Four pandas are better than two.

And in other news, (from an undisclosed location) shock ways have been going around the world since the Global Panda Awards finished their voting period and Pinky did not win. Anything. Oh the pain, the pain, the pain. I can’t even.

Pandas shall overcome,
Bob T Panda

Keep Fridays Furry and Fabulous

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Sigh….

Just to warn you…You may want to skip ahead to the ‘toons…or maybe not.

…and due to the International women’s day strike of 2017

The times they are a changing back again. To all of us who were around in the late 60’s and early 70’s, all who marched and protested the Viet Nam war, the killings at Kent State, the corruption that brought down the Nixon administration: We thought those days were over.

But they came creeping back in. Self interest. Corruption. The “Me Generation.” we took our eye off the ball and now it has come back and whacked us in the head.

Can I just say how proud I am of all those students from Parkland Florida, and now across the nation who are standing up and speaking out?

Can I say how scared I am for my friends who are teachers and their students? Arming teachers in the classroom is not the answer. I remember how hard it was to learn when all I had to worry about was whether the mean girls were going to pick on me that day. How do you learn when you think that today might be the day you will die? How do you teach under that threat? I mean, math is hard enough as it is.

For the students who are out there, putting your hearts and minds in the service of stopping the violence: I stand with you. I am so very proud of you. You are the future of this country.