Category Archives: Pandas speak out

The Scandals Keep Mounting…

Will we ever see the end of this? Voter suppression, lies from what should be trusted government spokespersons, feeding and ramping up the fears of the American public.

But where traumas and tribulations are rampant, pandas ride in to save the day. With humor, at least. That’s something, isn’t it?

Before we get to today’s ‘toon, I want to tell you about a little project I have in mind. A couple years ago, Kickstarter came up with a concept for small projects for the month of January. The idea is that you create a project with rewards limited to 100 “things”, so there is only 1 reward level.

I’ve been thinking about this for a year, and doing some sketches. There have been some great enameled pins being designed by artists, and I think a series of Panda Chronicles pins would be a great addition to the pins that are now available. Depending on the response for this pin, I can do additional projects with additional images. I

I bet you want to know what the pin will look like…

Of course, Pinky demanded to be on the first pin. Proposed size, approximately 1 inch high by 3/4 inch wide.

Please feel free to share your comments, let me know if this is something you might be interested in. I’m working now on setting up the project over on Kickstarter, and plan to go live around the middle of January, with a 2 week funding period. (not much time, I know!) More information will follow soon!

Meanwhile, here are Tuesday’s pandas!

Is there no end to our misery? The chill of voter suppression can’t be alleviated by putting on a sweater!

Panda on, Panda on!
Bob T Panda

Zero Degrees of Separation

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It’s happened again.
It’s happened on multiple fronts in one week.

An attempted church shooting in Kentucky, foiled by locked doors, still results in two dead in a nearby grocery store.
Pipe bombs mailed to prominent Democratic leaders, including 2 former Presidents, and critics of the current “president”. (quotation marks intentional)

And now a massacre by a deluded, angry, bigoted gunman in a synagogue in Pittsburgh, my hometown. I knew it was only a matter of time until this plague of gun violence hit close to home. Way too close. One, and possibly two, of the shooting survivors are people I know.

Our bigot in chief riles up his base. Makes sly comments about violence against those who disagree with him and do not give him the “credit” he believes he deserves. He calls the press “the enemy of the people” and equates desperate migrants fleeing violence in their own countries with an army. He flings words out into the crowds like lit sticks of dynamite and dares them to use them, then claims he did not ask for this action. How can you blame him?

I do blame him.

I blame him for creating the conditions that put one of the kindest, caring people I know in a hospital room fighting for his life. I hope he survives, because the world will be a poorer place without him. I blame our enabler in chief for amplifying the injustice that has caused the deaths of school children, of POC just going about their lives, of people in their place of worship. Each time an attack of this or greater magnitude occurs, those in thrall to the NRA and their contributions say, “now is not the time. Don’t politicize this tragedy.”

But when one tragedy follows on the heels of another, when they pile up like bumper cars at a macabre amusement park, when IS the time? I think the time is now.

Vote like lives depended on it, because they do.

Stop the chaos and VOTE!!!

And now, let there be pandas…

Be the Bear
Bob T Panda

One More Saturday Night (Massacre)

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I wish I could take credit for planning this out so well, but really, it was sheer chance that I scheduled my “salute” to Richard Nixon this week, what with the anniversary of the Saturday Night Massacre happening just last week. (Saturday, October 20th being the date that Richard Nixon fired special prosecutor, Archibald Cox, to keep the Watergate investigation from moving forward.)

It didn’t work then and we hope that it won’t work now, but the only thing that can prevent it is…

…As many people voting as are eligible!

“And they called ME a crook!”

Now if those pesky Republicans would quit trying to suppress voting rights for people who are not…um…white Republicans, we would see what’s what.

Now would ya just get out there and VOTE???? (I voted today!)

Be the Bear!
Bob T Panda

The Ghost of Nixon Returns

Apparently not.

Um…

Be the Bear
Don’t forget to VOTE

Bob T Panda

The Lions Eat Tonight

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Many apologies for my neglect of the blog! I have been running at double speed as I work on various projects (still secret, don’t ask!) and have not been diligent about sharing the posts on Fezbook and Twidder, or answering/approving comments! please don’t let that discourage you from leaving comments. I will get to them when I can! My first priority is getting new ‘toons done and getting them posted on schedule.

Tell me you love me anyway! (#Clap Louder #DontMakeMePoofYou )

But meanwhile, I have a special treat for you! remember that “little incident” when a group of rhino poachers got…um…eaten by a group of lions? Of course I felt compelled to comment! (YAY!!!!!!!) enjoy this series about animals striking back!

Ooooooo-oooo-oooo-we have food tonight…

Panda On!
Bob T Panda

Pinky in Wonderland Episode 4

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Pinky makes the spontunerous decision to follow Mr. Bun down the rabbit hole! What is waiting for her there? Was this smart? Was this prudent? What will happen?

And, if you are just tuning in, you can start with episode 1 here.

Well, if you’d post the darn ‘toon, we’d all know, wouldn’t we???

Sometimes being spontunerous can get you in over your head, Pinky!

And speaking of spontunerous, I thought that this comment posted by Jeannie on last Friday’s post had so much good information about voting, that it bears (bears! Get it?) repeating, in case you didn’t see Friday’s comments!

If you’re not a voter, make the spontunerous (that’s a Pinky word) decision to get registered and get ready for the November 2018 midterm elections! Pew Research says, “since 1842 the President’s party has lost seats in 40 of 43 midterms — the exceptions being 1934, 1998 and 2002.” Midterms are a great for “expressing dissatisfaction with the president’s performance or ensuring that his party doesn’t control all the levers of government.” http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2014/07/24/voter-turnout-always-drops-off-for-midterm-elections-but-why/

470 seats in the U.S. Congress (35 Senate seats and all 435 House seats) are up for election on November 6, 2018. You know your vote can make an impact! https://ballotpedia.org/United_States_Congress_elections,_2018

Voting can be overwhelming — so many boxes to check! Check out helpful voter tools like: vote411.org, factcheck.org, votesmart.org, votersedge.org, ballotready.org to make voting easier for yourself. Panda on!

And a big thanks to all who went out and marched yesterday to show your support for #FamiliesBelongTogether! I attended a small but sincere gathering in Coupeville WA, of just a couple hundred people, but I saw pictures from Seattle, DC, and many of the other large marches and they were awe inspiring! Dis. Will. Not. Stand!!!!!

#PandasResist!
Bob T we shall overcome Panda

PS: It’s Canada Day today! Happy Panada Day to our neighbors from the north! get those guest rooms ready in case…um…any of your panda satirist friends have to make a speedy retreat!

Oh Panada, Oh Panada, how tasty are your maple leaves….

Oh, Canada
Our country’s in a state,
We don’t know how we
ever got to here,
our leader spewing hate.

Oh, Canada
We feel like such a fool.
Would it be okay,
for a little while
we come swim in your pool?

Oh Canada
Your PM is so grand.
Warmly welcoming
The world’s refugees,
a panda in each hand!

Oh, for a Friday that would be Fabulous again.

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So…if I went to bed, turned out the lights, with the covers over my head, and I shut my eyes really really really really tightly, when I woke up in the morning, would all that has been going on, turn out to be just a bad dream?

No…I didn’t think so.

The atrocities are piling up too quickly for me to discuss here, but if you really want to have them spelled out for you (intelligently and insightfully) in one place, check out Amy Siskind’s podcast The Weekly List, accessible from the website of the same name. Other podcasts I’m listening to are Pod Save America, Lovett or Leave it, as well as the rebroadcasts of The Rachel Maddow Show. I’m not sure whether listening to these things is helping my mental health, but I do feel a lot better informed. News and analysis from people who are smart, funny, and knowledgeable about politics. I know no one here watches Foxy News.

But enough reality already! Let’s have some pandas, as we await the really important news of the day: Is Mei Xiang going to have another cubby or two?

we are still hoping for a panda cub trifecta

Hey! watch where you put that torch!

Despite the fact that Bob is still wearing his vacation outfit, he’s back and ready to report!

Sometimes real life news stories make it Just. Too. Easy

Foxxy “News” lies like a rug.

Well *bleep* and take your *bleep* and stick it *bleep*!!!!

Don’t let you know who take all the whippy cream!

Pandas RESIST!!!!
Bob T see you on the barricades Panda

#PandaSatireIsNotACrime

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Well, at least it’s not a crime YET…

I hope everyone who had either a primary election or a special election in your state/district went and voted. It is important that everyone who can vote does. Yes, I meant everyone. If you have to cheat to win an election, well, then it’s not really winning, is it?

Because if you don’t vote, we might end up with something like this:

Things are about as real as they can get.

Oh. Yeah. We did. Well, you should vote anyway, ‘kay?

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.