Alternative Facts

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You know I couldn’t let this one go by without comment, didn’t you? The Institute for Contemporary Panda Satire strives to be the LEADER in the purveyment of alternative facts. Also alternative words. We ~~make up~~ have the best words here!

Our words are the best!!!!!!

We have the very best facts

Meanwhile, I am eagerly awaiting the arrival of a proof copy of The Panda Chronicles Book 7: Don’t call mee boo boo! And as promised, here is a PARTIAL cover reveal. Heh!

And who might that be, trying to sneak onto the cover of Bubba’s book? Tune in soon for the answer and more of the cover.

I hope you notice the very calming blue, bordering on periwinkle, background color. I thought we all needed to calm down just a little bit.

A small housekeeping detail for all the very generous folks who have contributed to my “support a worthy organization of my choosing and get panda stuff” campaign. I just finished the first batch of printing and doing a small drawing on the first group of goodies. I plan to get them in the mail by week’s end. Any one who donates to either Planned Parenthood or the ACLU between now and the end of February, your prints/drawings will go out in early March. Don’t know what the heck I’m talking about? Check out the information HERE!

And I also want to give thanks to my friends Deborah and Leslie, for making donations in honor and memory of the dearly departed Mehitabel, to their favorite cat charities. I can’t think of a better way to honor my sweet kitty. Well, other than having her remain here on The Panda Chronicles as the voice of reason and authority. Someone has to keep those pandas in line!

Keep Being the bear!

Panda on!
Bob T Panda

Brave New Pandas

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Okay. Laugh if you want, but there really is a panda convention. And no, we don’t ALL dress up like pandas. But if there is one thing panda fans love, it’s going to visit actual pandas, and talking about pandas. Do we know how to have a good time or what? Of course, if you are here reading these ‘toons, chances are you are one of those people who stalk pandas at every given opportunity! Be brave and admit it. It’s okay, you’re among friends here.

And of course, there will be cuppycakes, right, Leslie?

Oh, brave new world, with such pandas in it!

Update on the next collection of the Panda Chronicles: I finally successfully uploaded the files (yay!) …always the most stressful part. Now I’m waiting for them to approve my files so I can order a hard copy proof! Stay tuned for a cover reveal next week! Huzzah!

Panda on!
Bob T Panda

A Farewell to Pandas

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We knew this day was coming… the day when we would have to bid a fond farewell to the light and the hope of Washington DC, the inimitable Bao Bao. Here, in these pages, she is better know as Princess Pinky, the terror of Connecticut Avenue, purloiner of Banky Pigs, and tormentor of little brothers. I did not set out to make her a tyrant. It’s just how she evolved. And, I gotta say, she has been a blast to write and draw, and just because the actual Boa Boa is being sent to her ancestral homeland, it’s no reason that Pinky can’t remain here.

Sorry Bubba. She refused to go.

So, as she prepares for her journey later this month, let’s have a tribute to Princess Pinky!!!

Pinky tests her powers….

Pinky has always stood for…um…Pinky’s rights! Aw…this was a cake walk to what’s coming now.

National Zoo cub makes mom Mei Xiang disappear

Pinky gets her wand!

Princess Pinky is fooled by Mei Xiang at the National Zoo

Oh Princess Pinky, mom has a trick or two up her paw, I think…

Princess Pinky and her very first tutu, gifted to her by her big brother Tai Shan!

Pinky answers difficult questions from the press in her own way. So much for Fake News!

Don’t worry, we’ll bring you more of Pinky’s greatest hits all through February!

And hold on to your hats! Book 7 of The Panda Chronicles is making it’s way through production and will hopefully be available by the time of the Atlanta Cubvention! Stay tuned to this station. And in the meantime, make sure your library is up to date with all the other Panda Chronicles collections!

Panda On!
Bob T Panda!

Summit Talks

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The talks between world (cough cough) leaders are not the only summit talks that are now happening around the world. The question is one that has puzzled philosophers for centuries: What do pandas talk about, when they talk about ‘boo? And more importantly, are panda moms the true power behind the curtain?

Give me a cuppycake and a bamboo lever and I will move the world!

“Why can’t my children be as well behaved as Lun Lun’s,” mused Mei Xiang

Meanwhile, my project to raise funds for Planned Parenthood and the ACLU is going very well. The offer is in effect through February and the details are here:

Donate $50 to either the ACLU or Planned Parenthood and get a signed copy of a cartoon, with a hand drawn sketch on it.
Donate $100 to either the ACLU or Planned Parenthood and get 2 signed cartoons with a hand drawn sketch on them.
Donate $500 to either the ACLU or Planned Parenthood and get an original hand drawn cartoon of my* choice (unframed) (* you can tell me who your favorite panda characters are and I will make a selection based on that info)

Just send me a screenshot of your donation receipt dated between January 31st and February 28th, along with your mailing address, and I will send them out as I receive them. US addresses only, please. Send info/receipt to yourbrainonpandas@gmail.com. Let’s see if we can raise some $$ for these organizations! Pandas are standing by!

Thanks to all who have donated so far!

Panda On!
Bob T Panda

Death and Taxes

11 Replies

Accountability is always the question, isn’t it? Especially when it comes to paying taxes and Bubba is right to distrust the tax collector. Should Pinky required to hand over her tax returns? Certainly there are one or two other people around DC who might need to do that.

Meanwhile, I have been so heartened both by the contributions that are being made in honor of The Panda Chronicles (“And Mehitabel! Don’t forget Mehitabel!” said…um…Mehitabel.) and also by the nice notes people have sent me. It means A WHOLE LOT to me that these ‘toons mean a lot to you. I am honored that you spend part of your busy days reading what I do. Those comments really brightened my day, and that is no small thing in these perilous times. You can read about my project here.

Meanwhile, Pinky is up to her old tricks…

Uh oh…it’s the Pinky Revenue Service!

I’m trying not to think about the real Bao Bao leaving DC for China later this month. They haven’t announced the date, and I don’t think they will. She has one last party on February 11th, and sometime after that, a luxury limo will pull up to the panda house, she’ll gather her trunks and suitcases, kiss her mom and dad goodbye, poke her little brother, and head for the airport. But her alter ego is not going anywhere. I hope that will make the sadness of her departure be somewhat less. I know her real life friends Charlene, Maria, and Karen will visit her often.

Panda On and Keep Marching!
Bob T Panda

Keep ’em laughing, Friday

16 Replies

First of all, a big panda thank you to everyone who made a donation to the ACLU or Planned Parenthood so far. You have all of February to do so and get some very cool, not-available-in-any-store panda swag stuff. I’ll do my best to get stuff to you in a timely manner. See yesterday’s post for details! and per my campaign promise to provide a little lighter fare every Friday, so that everyone keeps laughing, (or fiddling while Rome burns?) here are some ‘toons from the past to keep the country’s humor deficit from reaching an apocalyptic level!

And a heads up, I am starting to compile the next collection of Panda Chronicles ‘toons in book form! It’s been a long time coming!

Now! On with the show! Start your engines!

Trick or Trick!!!!!!!

I'm not a doctor but I play one on television

The original panda kindergarten ‘toon!

Entertainer extraordinaire!

Hey! You didn’t use your buzzer!

Panda On!
Bob T Panda

One of these years I need to do a groundhog day cartoon!

There has been a disturbance in the force

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It was bad enough that we lost David Bowie, Alan Rickman, and so many other great talents last year, including Carrie Fisher (and her mom, Debbie Reynolds!) but the final insult to injury was the loss of my beloved cat, Mehitabel. She has been a part of my life and a part of my art since before I can remember, well…at least for the last 20 years. The force was strong in that cat, and she pretty much had me wrapped around her dainty little paws.

Because she was such a part of my life and such an important member of my cast of characters here at the Panda Chronicles, I decided that she would remain here. After all, I am not letting go of Pinky or the Meihems, despite their recent (Meihems) and impending (Pinky) departure to China. So Mehitabel will remain, in a somewhat metaphysical state. After all, SOMEONE has to keep all those pandas in line!

Hey, it’s my cartoon, I can have anyone I want in it, okay???

Sorry I’m “late”

Panda On
Bob T Panda

I just read of a cartoonist who has found a way to use her talent to contribute to some of her favorite non profits. It really is pretty brilliant, and so I am going to say a big, pandy thank you to her, and then STEAL HER IDEA!!!!! I have been feeling the pain of not having the resources to donate meaningfully to these organizations, and this is a way to see if I can make a difference.

So here’s the deal:
Donate $50 to either the ACLU or Planned Parenthood and get a signed copy of a cartoon, with a hand drawn sketch on it.
Donate $100 to either the ACLU or Planned Parenthood and get 2 signed cartoons with a hand drawn sketch on them.
Donate $500 to either the ACLU or Planned Parenthood and get an original hand drawn cartoon of my* choice (unframed) (* you can tell me who your favorite panda characters are and I will make a selection based on that info)

The Year of the Rooster Really

9 Replies

I jumped the gun on Friday. Not really, because Saturday was the actual start of Chinese New Year, and this is the year of the Red Fire Rooster, or as one of the special friends to pandas, Lucilla T. has dubbed it, the Year of the WUster!!!!!! (Referring, of course, to everybody’s favorite panda, Mr. Wu of the San Diego panda clan.) (Okay, I know I am about to get a lot of heat here about who is the best panda ebber. Let’s just say I have a thing for the Wu Self and leave it at that.)

And if you are looking for a special recipe for your celebrations, hop on over to Vicky Vladic’s blog VSomethingSpeaks for a yummy chicken recipe. That’s if you’d rather eat your rooster, rather than party with it.

Meanwhile, here is my actual new ‘toon commemorating the Year of the Rooster!

It’s the year of the WUster!!!!

Panda On!
Bob T Panda

BTW, you’ll notice I did not lead with political outrage, although, trust me, it’s still there and getting worse every day. I just read a recent article on Medium about how to remain outraged without losing your mind. I highly recommend it! I already knew I was going to intersperse snarky political ‘toons with lighter panda fare, and this article confirmed we need to do both, in order to keep our sanity, not burn out, but also not let important crimes against humanity go unremarked. It’s getting very interesting out there. As in train wreck interesting, not fluffy kittens interesting.

The Year of the Rooster

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Yes, Chinese New Year, otherwise known as the Lunar New Year, starts tomorrow (January 28th, 2017) and continues until February 15th! This is the year of the Rooster. That sounds harmless, right? How much trouble can the panda kindergarten get into dressed up like chickens?

It was interesting to read this article, because I was unaware of some of the traditions associated with this event. Like, you’re not supposed to do any cleaning the first three days of the New Year, because you could wash away good fortune. Well, I can live with that. Um…I hardly ever clean anything. Was that too much information?

Anyway, we’ll have a brand new ‘toon for you on Sunday, but for today’s encore presentation, I thought I would post some of my favorite Chinese new year ‘toons from years past.

Huzzah!

The year of the bunny…..

Oh that panda kindergarten!

Huzzah! It’s The year of Pandas on Horsies!

Look out!!!! Oh, those triplets!

Well, the FIRE part had Mehitabel a little worried, but…

And, of course, my personal favorite…

the year of the dragon, panda kindergarten

Huzzah! it’s the year of the Dragon!

Panda On!
Bob T Panda

Have a fabulous furry Friday!

There’s Something Happening Here…

24 Replies

...what it is ain’t exactly clear.…Things are happening very fast and I don’t think it is a good thing. When you are steering a ship of state, which is much bigger, than say, the Titanic, it seems like you would want to chart your course carefully, lest you, ya know, run into an iceberg. Not just barrel on ahead, because you like the sound of your own voice that much.

Heh.

Meanwhile, there is no such thing as an alternative fact, unless you are talking about speculative science fiction. Are we still allowed to use the word “science”? It’s good to remember that not everything is as it exactly appears in any particular snapshot (or screenshot!) But that doesn’t mean we should not pay attention. Or talk about what we’ve read or heard. Question everything, and let your representatives know how you feel, good and bad.

Our Future is at stake. Let’s treat it like it means something. Keep the conversation going.

Are all these paper clips mine?

Panda On!
Bob T Panda