h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Thanks. That was a most enjoyable article. Is any of your knowledge from personal experience of bears?

It's practically offered as public service announcements where I live (Missoula, Montana). Actually, I have had more up-close and personal encounters with moose than bears. Who, by the way, are more dangerous and unpredictable than bears.

I have encountered five bears since living here. Two of which were cubs without a mother in sight--so, needless to say--I stayed far away from them. I've had run-ins with twice that number of moose. Go figure. :D

It sounds wonderful! The nearest I get to wildlife where I live in the NE of England is feeding wild birds in my garden (unless you include my kidlets of course! )

One could convincingly argue most of Missoula's wildlife can be seen downtown on a Friday night at a charming little watering hole called Al & Vic's...

ROFL! They sound a similar speciaes to our local wildlife that has made the council install CCTV to make sure they behave themselves whilst wandering free-range about the town centre!

Now *those* would be some pretty funny home movies! Just imagine the kind of misbehavior, stupid or otherwise, caught on video!

Believe me, you have to see it to believe it. I have occasiionally braved the town centre on a Friday night whilst shopping late and it's not a pretty sight! The local police have a permant live view of the town centre from their station so it must be entertaining for them!

Where I live is an ex-mining town and there is a high level of unemployment, crime and deprivatiion, so much so that the area qualifies for a regeneration grant from the European Community.

Prior to the installation of CCTV, shop keepers in the town were unable to afford to insure their shop front windows. Still, it's much improved now which does I suppose argue that the system works and the shop keepers can now afford to insure their windows. However, the civil rights people aren't always too happy about CCTV and sometimes I tend to agree with them, but in this case it has certainly helped.

My, haven't we wandered from the topic of bears?

Hey, the best conversations are the ones that wander.

You can compare the damage done by hooligans to the damage inflicted on a vacation cabin once a grizzly has broken it. It's common around here in the off-season. A family has gone away and left food in their locked cabin. Bears can and do break in to find something to eat--they'll tear the place apart in their search, then bed down for the night. The smell is atrocious! Think stinky, unwashed carnivorous mammal.... They also try to enter occupied cabins and houses as well...

And *that's* a big mess, because game wardens and police officers are called in to trap the animal if they can catch it.

Although, Fraulein, I think you forgot the Silver Dollar, which I would suggest might just beat Al and Vic's for sheer entertainment value. Frankly, I just like to sit on my front porch of a summer eve and just laugh. Either that, or fend off the passes by men too drunk to know who they are hitting on!
I'm back, you. See you Sunday if not before...
what do you want me to bring?

Your bears really do sound like the local male popultion in the North East of England!!!

You actually get a summer where you are? *Goes green with envy*

Wll, if i were to say it was an actual "summer", well, that might be going just a bit too far. Frankly, we get about 3 or 4 weeks where the temperature doesn't drop below 55 or so at night, and then it is lovely. Although lately, our winters have been fairly tame, and summers a wee bit longer. As a redhead, I must say that I prefer the Devonshire weather...less sun, more rain, and a bit less burning and looking like a lobster!

LOL! Have you been there on holiday?

We hope to move to Devon or Cornwall in the next few years when my daughter has finished at her present school (finances and circumstances permitting). I have friends and family there whilst my parents live in the New Forest in Dorset, which is a bit nearer to Cornwall than the NE of England!

I actually spent a year at Exeter as an exchange student, back in 1987-88. A bit far back, and all I can really remember is that i spent a great deal of time hiking up and down that damned hill! But i had a really great time, and really think the US should go to trimesters...that month off every three was great. I spent some time in Greece, Italy, Yugoslavia (the Wall was still up then). Oh, Dorset. Darn cold, if I recall, and pretty windy!

It's nearly always windy in Dorset! My dad spends a great deal of time reinforcing his prize garden blooms against the wind in the summer!

It sounds as though you had a great time when you visited Europe

I've only ever been to Florida (in 1979) and spent most of my time in lying in the sun and eating massive oranges!

I didn't see any bears though (unless you count the group of English lads that I met whilst there!)

I've heard that Florida is experiencing drought conditions at the moment...

It's nearly always windy in Dorset! My dad spends a great deal of time reinforcing his prize garden blooms against the wind in the summer!

It sounds as though you had a great time when you visited Europe

I've only ever been to Florida (in 1979) and spent most of my time in lying in the sun and eating massive oranges!

I didn't see any bears though (unless you count the group of English lads that I met whilst there!)

I've heard that Florida is experiencing drought conditions at the moment...

Oops! I seem to have found an echo!