Polar bears

“Anybody have any experiences with polar bears?”

“I saw one at the zoo once. I was skeered!”

“You cant blame a polar bear for eating a Canadian.”

“I hear if an unarmed man sees a polar bear on the ice, it's already too late.”

“You like saying that don't you?”

“I know you can't eat a polar bear liver! It has a high toxic level of some vitamin that will kill you.”

“SHEEEWWW! I'm glad you told me that. I almost picked up a couple pounds of Polor Bear liver at Kroger yesterday! Thanks for tellin me BR.”

“No sweat Dude! I forget whom the early Brit's or Canucks were that found that out the hard way. It is quite interesting story almost on par with the Donner incident, I think.”

“Hey Chaboinyap, I'm not feeling to good. I think there's something wrong with this Polor Bear liver. I'm going outside the igloo to puke.”

“Donner? I thought he was a deer not a polsar bear.”

“To see polar bears go here: http://tqjunior.thinkquest.org/3500/polarbear.htm”

“Here in Arkansas there`s no polar bears to see
So, go ahead and let one of `em try and eat on me
Should I see one, I won`t show any fear
I`ll just lay down and let him get near
I just think that would be a treat
Bear liver anyone, come on lets eat
I just love these threads, they`re always a lot of fun
What you and the bear didn`t know is, I don`t go without a gun”

“I though the way to deal with polar bears was to chop a hole in the ice and when the bear goes up to the hole to look for seals you sneak up on him and kick him in the icehole. Moohahahaha!

Yeah, that one?s as old as the hills on my grandma?s chest?and she farts dust!”

“Be warned: in Alaska it is against the law to kill a polar bear with your bare hands for the purpose of impressing a woman.

The bears are mighty lucky this law is in effect, I'm telling you!”

“Nigal
I reeeealy hoped nobody was gonna tell that joke. LOL”

“You want to see polar bears?

Buy a canrail pass from via rail (www.viarail.ca). It costs $399 and lets you take the train for 12 days out of a 30 day period anywhere in Canada. This includes Hudson Bay and polar bears.

Or, you could just fly, but that wouldn't be much fun.”

“BTW, that's $399 Canadian dollars. Considering the current exchange rate, that's less than $280 American dollars. Cheap. Cheap. Cheap.”

“Reformed lurker has no affiliation with Canrail...he's just another satisfied customer!

I saw a special on Discovery Channel about polar bears. They had an old Inuit hunter who actually stood toe-to-toe, UNARMED!, with an angry polar bear protecting her cubs and lived to tell about it.”

“Rav, you forgot to mention he was in a body cast minus arms and legs.LOL”

“I heard this story somewhere, but I may not tell it straight
If you see a polar bear, for you it`s already to late
Who`s afraid of Teddy,
he just wants a hug
About that story, I`ll tell you when you see my new rug”

“oh big foot... I search out your posts just to get to read your poetry...I like that one and the idea of a polar bear gug! I had a grizly one when I was little that my father got...it tasted good too soo sweet the meat not the fur... I remembere being able to put my head inside the mouth! I thought it was great... now I am not so keen on the idea of my head in a grizlies mouth... oh why can't we stay naieve about some things as we get older! Pout! keep the poetry coming bigfoot!”

“Thanks Trailartist,
that makes it worth doing for me.”

“See Bigfoot, Your poetry is very popular here. Keep it comming!
Oh yeah, I wanna see that Polar Bear rug. LOL! You are to wild bro!!!”

“Thanks Dude,
Any time!”

“Decision on polar bear listing to be announced Wednesday
The Associated Press

Published Wednesday, May 14, 2008

Print story
E-mail story
Comments WASHINGTON -- The Interior Department has scheduled a news conference for Wednesday to announce a decision on whether to list the polar bear as threatened and in need of protection under the Endangered Species Act.

Interior Secretary Dirk Kempthorne proposed such protection 15 months ago because of the disappearance of Arctic sea ice, which is a primary habitat for the bear. Last September, scientists said up to two-thirds of the polar bears could disappear by mid-century because of sea ice loss due to global warming.

However, it's not certain the bear will be listed as threatened. Recently the United States and Canada agreed to conduct additional research into the future survival of the bear. That memorandum did not mention global warming.”

“Alaska Will Sue to Block U.S. Listing of Polar Bears as 'Threatened'”

“Alaska Will Sue to Block U.S. Listing of Polar Bears as 'Threatened'
Thursday , May 22, 2008

ANCHORAGE, Alaska —

The state of Alaska will sue to challenge the recent listing of polar bears as a threatened species, Gov. Sarah Palin announced Wednesday.

She and other Alaska elected officials fear a listing will cripple oil and gas development in prime polar bear habitat off the state's northern and northwestern coasts.

Palin argued that there is not enough evidence to support a listing. Polar bears are well-managed and their population has dramatically increased over 30 years as a result of conservation, she said.

Climate models that predict continued loss of sea ice, the main habitat of polar bears, during summers are unreliable, said Palin, a Republican.

The announcement drew a strong response from the primary author of the listing petition.

"She's either grossly misinformed or intentionally misleading, and both are unbecoming," said Kassie Siegel of the Center for Biological Diversity. "Alaska deserves better."

Siegel said it was unconscionable for Palin to ignore overwhelming evidence of global warming's threat to sea ice, the polar bear's habitat.

"Even the Bush administration can't deny the reality of global warming," she said. "The governor is aligning herself and the state of Alaska with the most discredited, fringe, extreme viewpoints by denying this."

As marine mammals, polar bears are regulated by the federal government, not the state. Interior Secretary Dirk Kempthorne last week made the listing decision and said it was based on three findings.

"First, sea ice is vital to polar bear survival. Second, the polar bear's sea-ice habitat has dramatically melted in recent decades. Third, computer models suggest sea ice is likely to further recede in the future," he said.

Summer sea ice last year shrank to a record low, about 1.65 million square miles, nearly 40 percent less than the long-term average between 1979 and 2000.

Polar bears rely on sea ice for hunting ringed seals. In recent years, summer sea ice has receded far beyond the relatively shallow, biologically rich waters of the outer continental shelf, giving polar bears less time in prime feeding areas.

The bear's numbers rebounded after the 1970s, but conservation groups contend that was in response to measures taken to stop over-hunting.

Polar bear researchers fear recent effects of the loss of sea ice on Alaska polar bear populations. A 2006 study by the U.S. Geological Survey concluded that far fewer polar bear cubs in the Beaufort Sea were surviving and that adult males weighed less and had smaller skulls than those captured and measured two decades previously — trends similar to observations in Canada's western Hudson Bay before a population drop.

A U.S. Geological Survey study completed last year as part of the petition process predicted polar bears in Alaska could be wiped out by 2050.

Kempthorne said last week he considered every point Palin made, and rejected them.

However, he sought to limit the economic effect of the decision with the inclusion of "administrative guidance" that said the listing would not be used to create back-door climate policy outside the normal system of political accountability. He also said that the threat to polar bears did not come from the petroleum industry.

In response, conservation groups including the Center for Biological Diversity, Greenpeace and the Natural Resources Defense Council are seeking to overturn Kempthorne's administrative actions and seek limits on greenhouse gas emissions.

Palin and other state officials called arbitrary a decision to list a healthy species judging by what they deem uncertain modeling of future climate change and unproven long-term impact of any future climate change on the species.

State Natural Resources Commissioner Tom Irwin said it could have wide economic effects.

"Inappropriate implementation of this listing decision could result in widespread social and economic impacts, including increased power costs and further increases in fuel prices, without providing any more protection for the species," he said.

Deborah Williams, a former Interior Department special assistant for Alaska and an advocate in the state for global warming response, said Palin's lawsuit was not a prudent use of state money.

"Clearly Secretary Kempthorne put a tremendous amount of thought into the listing decision and concluded correctly that listing was required," she said.”

“Up here, polar bears are not threatened.

I'm going to go out on a limb here - you guys know I avoid controversy and refuse to get into Canada vs US subjects, but this really bugs me.

Politicians - Canadian as well as American - love to ride a media wave when it doesn't mean they actually have to do anything.

Everyone is talking about global climate change (another subject) and if a politician can ride that wave without actually doing anything useful - it's like shyte to a fly.

These guys could and should do something about rivers like the Colorado and those which never make it to the ocean.

The Inuit get a permit to control the polar bear population which is in no way threatened and they can sell this permit and a hunting package to a (very) wealthy tourist to do the hunt. The permit is about US 10 000$ and then there is traditional lodging and the provision of an authentic Inuit skin hunting suit and a hunt by traditional means (dog sled).

Think what you will of this form of hunting, but it brings in millions of dollars to the local community and re-inforces traditional practices.

Most (not all) of these tourists come from the US and it will catastrophic effect on the local communities because American hunters will no longer be allowed to bring home the pelt.

It's easy for these pr!cks to point to Canada and sit on their arses with a smug smile while those who know nothing about the subject applaud them.

That said, if polar bears are determined by your very competent National Wildlife Service to be in danger I have complete confidence in your people to take care of the problem without people up here moralising about yor efforts.

The Canadian Wildlife Service and Canadian wildlife are doing just fine.
last edited: 5/22/08 11:31:09 AM”