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.

The Essential Pandaness of Being

I just came home from a small memorial gathering for a friend who died earlier this year. He was a sweet man who definitely should not have gotten cancer and died, because he was one of the nicest men I ever met, and his wife is a lovely person who did not deserve to lose her best friend.

As you might imagine, I have quite a list of people who definitely would not be missed should they vanish from the face of the earth. I suspect you could guess who at least some of those people are. I suppose it is not very charitable of me to have this list, but after the last 5 years, I am not concerned with the justice or fairness of my list.

I thought of this ‘toon, made for a dear departed friend 8 years ago…

This one’s for you, Jude.

It’s hard not to think about justice or fairness when you watch even a little bit of the hearings for the SCOTUS nominee Ketanji Brown Jackson. I admit to wishing that a piano might fall on the head of some of her interrogators. Why is it that an eminently qualified and compassionate individual like Judge Brown Jackson should be rudely condescended to by people who have less integrity than something I scraped off my shoe? To quote (with a slight paraphrase) the SNL parody of the Justice Beer Keg hearing, “You give her a damn robe and let her do what ever she wants, and put her on the court NOW!!!”

I hope that when she returned home each day from this circus, that she was met at the door by her husband and daughters, with a pitcher of martinis, confetti and balloons, and a stack of plates to smash on the back patio. I will be so proud when she takes her place on the court.

And if we need a reminder of what we have endured these last 5 years…

day after
Remember the song “The Eve of Destruction”? That’s what today feels like.
March
Whats a protest without pandas?
inauguration
Hey, save some cuppycakes for me!
Clear as mud!

I’m about to send a nice big check to the Whatcom County Humane Society because you, the panda (and cat!) fans have supported my Felty Cats for Actual Cats project. Thank you for all who have chosen a little felty companion (and helped to make a little more space on the windmills in my felty studio). I still have 10 kitties left if you were waiting (for some reason). If you order before the end of March, you will get an extra surprise!

Be the Bear! (or cat)
Bob T Panda

A Panda of Mystery: Maybe a new story!

Sometimes I have ideas, and sometimes I don’t necessarily know where they are going. In the way of pantsers* everywhere, I will just start writing and drawing and see where it goes. (*Pantser: a writer who writes with no plan or plot in mind)

Over on #PandaTwitter Six and Sebben are on the loose! Who knows what they will get up to, or where they will turn up. Mama Lun Lun bought them around the world tickets, paid extra for their passports, turned up the music and locked the door. Not necessarily in that order.

Sometimes Twitter #PandaImprov turns into ‘toon story lines. Sometimes we are just having fun!

But meanwhile, Babette de Panda has turned up like a bad penny!

Stay ‘tooned!

Be the Bear
Bob T Panda

Nixon’s Ghost Has a Few Thoughts

As I mentioned on Sunday, (did you read Sunday’s post? No? I’ll wait…) this April is the 50th anniversary of the arrival of pandas at the Smithsonian National Zoo. Long time panda fans remember the excitement of their arrival. And with the birth of Tai Shan to the second pair of pandas (also our current panda family) at the zoo, it seemed that the pinnacle of happiness had been reached!

And then in 2013 there was another arrival…

#ClapLouder for Pinky!

In 2015 bouncing big boy Bubba came along, and in 2020, one of the darkest years of the last several decades, our little miracle Bikkie arrived to cheer us all up!

Technical Trevails

I’m happy to report I finally got more ink cartridges for my printer. I never did figure out how to print with just the black and white ink when a color cartridge was empty. There are days when I really hate technology!

This means that little felted kitties will be headed out into the world this week! There are still 12 kitties remaining! Check out the Felties Revisited page for ordering information!

Be the Bear!
Bob T Panda

Spring has Sprung!

Today is the first day of Spring, the Vernal Equinox, a day of equal day and night (in theory, any way!) It is also the 50th anniversary year of pandas at the Smithsonian National Zoo, in the other Washington!

So, of course, we must celebrate the Nixon pandas!

I am only making some of this up.

Let’s see what other Spring ‘toons might be lurking in the archives…

The secret lives of the wild panda!
On my honor, I will try…to eat as many cookies as I possibly can….

And, as the unionization effort ramps up at Starbucks, I am reminded of my experience in the coffee mines, lo these many years ago!

This was way too much fun. :o)

Solidarity forever, guys!

There are still about 12 felted kitties left! Check out the Felties Revisited page for details!

Be the Bear!
Bob T Panda

Back in the Panda House …at Last!

It was 50 years ago in April when when the Nixon Pandas came to live in DC. They were not the first pandas to arrive in the US…that honor goes to Su Lin the first, who lived for several years at the Brookfield Zoo in Chicago.

40) Su Lin the first. From a a personal photograph that found it’s way to me.

But 50 years of pandas at the Smithsonian National Zoo is a big milestone to celebrate. The arrival of Mei Xiang and Tian Tian, after the deaths of Ling Ling and Hsing Hsing was cause for celebration. The pictures of Mei Xiang as a demure cubbie make my heart sing.

Who would have imagined the bounty of cubbies, from Tai Shan to our beloved miracle, Xiao Qi Ji (aka Bikkie), who arrived when we thought all hope had flown.

And now, the Panda House runneth over!

Be the Bear!
Bob T Panda

PS there are still 13 felty kitties remaining!

Visit the Felties Revisited page for details!

Pand-O-Lympics Finale!

The actual Olympics may have ended weeks ago, but time has no meaning here! Here with the final event, are our favorite pairs of twins, The Meihems and their…um…”differently behaved” younger zizzies, Six and Sebben!

Let the games begin!

We will now bid the Panda-O-Lympics a fond fare the well, for another 2 years. Who will the torch bears be this time? Perhaps Fleur and Snowy? Stay ‘tooned in to find out!

Be the bear!
Bob T Panda

Don’t forget the felty kitty project! Still 19 kitties available for their forebear homes!

Spring Back, Fall Forward!

If you didn’t set your clocks back last night, you are already late! That’s right! Most of the country goes on Daylight Saving Time today! I know I posted the following ‘toon. last week, but I love it so much I’m posting it again!

Fabulous Furry Friday KNOWS that this is one of your favorites!

I was informed by some very pedantic grammar person, that it is “daylight saving time” and NOT “daylight savingS time.” Sigh…there is no spell check in the inkwell!

Tomorrow is the favorite holiday of mathematicians everywhere: Pi Day (3/14)

Pandas, of course, think of it as “Pie Day” Because…who wouldn’t?

The Life of PIE….get it? *chortle chortle*

Or was it “The Life of Pooh?”

The irony of Mehitabel criticizing Pooh Bear for his wardrobe, does not escape me.
I’m not sure Mehitabel has anything to talk about.

A reminder: The Felty Cat project is still going strong!

Check the felties revisited page to learn more about the project, and to fill to the form to order your felty kitty. At the moment there are still about 20 felty kitties remaining.

Be the Bear!
Bob T Panda

Don’t forget to spring back!

Frank and Mikey Got Some ‘Splaining to Do

I’m pretty sure you are not surprised

You’re not surprised, right? I sure hope Mommee Mei does not find out about this! I’m sure this is not what it looks like.

Be the Bear!
Bob T Panda

I wanted to announce my felty cat project. It is explained in more detail on the Felties revised page, but here’s the gist:

I have now made about 25 felty cats. I want to do a special benefit with them, so after my production and mailing costs, I’ll be making a donation of $25 per (felty) cat to the Whatcom County Humane Society, in Bellingham WA. They do a wonderful service with their animals and even though I’m not in a place where I am ready to have another cat, I want to support them. For now, I am going to limit it to 25 cats, but if I find I make another surplus, I will do something like this again. I’ll post the remaining number of cats each day I post a new ‘toon. Cats are $55 each, including US shipping. (I can ship internationally, but the actual shipping charges will be added to the amount.)

Given the state of the world right now, I expect I will continue to need to keep making felties. It is almost as relaxing as watching panda videos!

Hank the Tank has Something to Say

I love bears in the Nooz stories!

Last week (or was it the week before? #TimeHasNoMeaning) Hank the Tank, a totally chonk black bear, was all over the inter webs, as he was accused of breaking into more than 30 houses in the Lake Tahoe area.

What’s a bear to do?

Does Hank have accomplices? Is he being framed? ‘Toon in again on Thursday and find out!

#ItWasntUs
#BearsWillBeBears

Be the Bear
Bob T Panda

It’s Sunday Funday!

When I don’t have a planned theme for Sunday’s panda ‘toon Palooza, I sometimes randomly spin the date listing wheel and see what comes up. Maybe that will suggest a theme, or maybe I’ll just find some of my all time favorite ‘toons! Next week we return to Daylight Savings time, so that is a good place to start…

Maybe it’s an all Panda Kindergarten day!

Bob explains daylight savings time to the panda kindergarten
spring back, fall forward?
The panda kindergaten knows where you live.
this old den 2nd episode
The panda kindergarten is so very helpful.
Nothing like a bit of the great outdoors to straighten up the panda kindergarten.
paws
Put your paws together for the panda kindergarten!

Don’t you want to hire…

Nobody expects the panda kindergarten.

Available as a t-shirt and other items on Redbubble!

Be the Bear and have a happy Sunday!
Bob T Panda