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Belba Grubb
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 Posted: Tue Jul 29, 2008 2:00 pm Post subject: Russian geologists trapped by bears on the Kamchatka Peninsu |
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It>s serious.
http://www.moscowtimes.ru/article/1010/42/369128.htm
Barb |
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rms
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| Posted: Tue Jul 29, 2008 7:48 pm Post subject: Re: Russian geologists trapped by bears on the Kamchatka Pen |
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[quote]It>s serious.
[/quote]
Yeah it>s serious, for the bears. Another environmental disaster,
portrayed as a human drama, when what it is is a human disgrace. And now
the rabid government-sponsored oilrush claimstakers -- err, 'geologists' --
will be rescued with overwhelming force, leaving behind a bloody killing
field. |
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Jo Schaper
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| Posted: Tue Jul 29, 2008 9:34 pm Post subject: Re: Russian geologists trapped by bears on the Kamchatka Pen |
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rms wrote:
[quote]It>s serious.
Yeah it>s serious, for the bears. Another environmental disaster,
portrayed as a human drama, when what it is is a human disgrace. And now
the rabid government-sponsored oilrush claimstakers -- err, 'geologists' --
will be rescued with overwhelming force, leaving behind a bloody killing
field.
"Officials said a helicopter ferrying officials and hunters could not fly[/quote]
in bad weather, but an all-terrain vehicle was on its way to the camp,
where it would await government approval to shoot the bears."
Why doesn>t the ATV just remove the geologists? I>ve never found fellow
geologists to be that tasty, actually. |
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George
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| Posted: Tue Jul 29, 2008 11:42 pm Post subject: Re: Russian geologists trapped by bears on the Kamchatka Pen |
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"Jo Schaper" <jo345sch765aper@s9ocket.net> wrote in message
news:hMednaTgNam22xLVnZ2dnUVZ_qjinZ2d@posted.socketinternetservices...
[quote]rms wrote:
It>s serious.
Yeah it>s serious, for the bears. Another environmental disaster,
portrayed as a human drama, when what it is is a human disgrace. And now
the rabid government-sponsored oilrush claimstakers -- err,
'geologists' -- will be rescued with overwhelming force, leaving behind
a bloody killing field.
"Officials said a helicopter ferrying officials and hunters could not fly
in bad weather, but an all-terrain vehicle was on its way to the camp,
where it would await government approval to shoot the bears."
Why doesn>t the ATV just remove the geologists? I>ve never found fellow
geologists to be that tasty, actually.
[/quote]
hehehe. Good one, Jo.
George |
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Belba Grubb
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| Posted: Wed Jul 30, 2008 4:34 am Post subject: Re: Russian geologists trapped by bears on the Kamchatka Pen |
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Interesting feedback -- all I knew about the Kamchatka Peninsula was
about its volcanos and so I imagined this was some sort of research
team of volcanologists in serious trouble. Came across the story in
the /Moscow Times/ online while looking to see what coverage they gave
the recent allegedly record-breaking Lake Baikal drive, in an effort
to judge its validity (little, so I>d say it>s likely low).
They called them "Russian bears" in the story, which made as much
sense as referring to "American" grizzly bears -- there was an odd
sort of national pride there, which seemed to indicate that Russian
geologists don>t get much respect in their native country.
Actually it is miners, and it was two guards who apparently were
killed last Friday, no geologists. Now I understand the ire a bit
better. It>s probably all over now, too -- most online stories at
Google were from the 24th. Sounds like quite the ecological disaster
in there, as probably throughout much of Russia, with the predictable
awful consequences for everybody, human and beast.
Anyway, a YouTube search brought up a video of a mother Kamchatka
brown bear and her cub strolling through what appears to be a somewhat
yellowstonesque countryside.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H69Katu519o
One thing about them -- they must have *very* thick foot pads and/or a
very high pain tolerance...then again, maybe they were just really
scared of the nearby humans.
Barb |
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Jo Schaper
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| Posted: Thu Jul 31, 2008 7:08 am Post subject: Re: Russian geologists trapped by bears on the Kamchatka Pen |
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Belba Grubb wrote:
[quote]They called them "Russian bears" in the story, which made as much
sense as referring to "American" grizzly bears -- there was an odd
sort of national pride there, which seemed to indicate that Russian
geologists don>t get much respect in their native country.
[/quote]
I don>t know how much you know about Russian history, Barb, so please
forgive me if I overstate the obvious. The "Russian bear" is as
nationally iconic as the American eagle -- the writer was probably
playing off that long connotation with the animal.
[quote]
Actually it is miners, and it was two guards who apparently were
killed last Friday, no geologists.
[/quote]
I>m sincerely sorry for the loss of life, but think about American
stereotypes of a 'miner' vs a geologist. I think in a fight between a
miner and a bear or a geologist and a bear, I>d bet on the bear first,
the miner second and the geologist last.
I>ve known some Russian cavers with geology degrees, and all I know
about them for sure is they can drink American cavers of all backgrounds
under the table! |
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Belba Grubb
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| Posted: Thu Jul 31, 2008 9:32 am Post subject: Re: Russian geologists trapped by bears on the Kamchatka Pen |
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On Jul 30, 10:30 pm, Jo Schaper <jo345sch765a...@s9ocket.net> wrote:
[quote]Belba Grubb wrote:
They called them "Russian bears" in the story, which made as much
sense as referring to "American" grizzly bears -- there was an odd
sort of national pride there, which seemed to indicate that Russian
geologists don>t get much respect in their native country.
I don>t know how much you know about Russian history, Barb, so please
forgive me if I overstate the obvious. The "Russian bear" is as
nationally iconic as the American eagle -- the writer was probably
playing off that long connotation with the animal.
[/quote]
They sure were. I don>t know as much about Russian history as I>d
like, though I love Russian classical music, but it was precisely the
"Russian bear" phrase and its nationalist connotations that was
intriguing. Well, that and it being the #1 read news story at the Web
site at that time.
I used to read the "Moscow Times" online more frequently, but it kind
of got less interesting as Putin got more aggressively power-hungry,
though they never actually have totally capitulated. (More information/
commentary, probably more than anyone would be interested in:
http://pajamasmedia.com/blog/how-putin-muzzled-the-moscow-times/ .) A
few years ago, they would have told the story more straightly, I
believe. Anyway, judging from the reactions from just about everywhere
in the world on a Google News lookup later on to see how it had turned
out, just everybody was cheering for the bears; and perhaps the best
the MT could do in the current climate for its readers in Russia who
might feel the same way would be an oblique reference to "Russian
bears" and the connotations of pride and family and all that go with
that phrase in Russia.
Yes, I read tea leaves, too (BG).
[quote]I>m sincerely sorry for the loss of life, but think about American
stereotypes of a 'miner' vs a geologist. I think in a fight between a
miner and a bear or a geologist and a bear, I>d bet on the bear first,
the miner second and the geologist last.
[/quote]
Oh, I dunno -- the geologist could scamper up to the top of the
nearest high outcrop, wait for the miner and the bear to start sorting
things out, and then while they were busy, just clear out of there on
the ATV...brains over brawn, so to speak.
Barb
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