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[Cancerian Tiger]

Pangaea:

I'd have to say it happened last year when I was helping lead some kids on a hike in a local state park.  I came within inches of stepping on a thirty inch-long redbelly water snake :!.  They're not venomous, but they do have nasty bites .  A couple of years before, in the same park, I came close to stepping on a copperhead but saw it before I could get within striking distance.  Copperheads are very venomous :blink:.

Another one was this past spring, when I was sorting out some planting pots to put plants in for the summer.  Just as I went to grab a pot, a black widow spider crawled out of the pot .

There is no wildlife that scare me like the ones I can't see, such as spiders, scorpions, parasites, and venomous snakes.  I'd rather put up with bears than spiders .

Rat_lady7:

I'm just out here for the summer .  In the meantime, I'm trying to find winter seasonal employment in other national parks that are open in the winter .

[Pangaea]

There is no wildlife that scare me like the ones I can't see, such as spiders, scorpions, parasites, and venomous snakes.

Yeah, my thoughts exactly. (I don't mind non-lethal spiders, but a black widow? Yikes. :blink:)

Do you think you'll be returning to work at Yellowstone in future summers?

[Cancerian Tiger]

I hope so.  I was told recently that I may have a very good chance at getting next summer if somebody decides to not return for the season .

[Amaranthine]

How are you doing?

[Cancerian Tiger]

Pretty good as usual, and I think I slept better last night so my thought processes are much clearer now .

[Amaranthine]

How are you and your room mate getting along?

[Cancerian Tiger]

Very well, thanks .  We both have random senses of humor, so we get along quite nicely.  

She was sad today though, 'cuz her cat had to be put down yesterday .  We're not allowed to have pets in the employee housing units, and so our pets have had to stay at home with our families, so she never had a chance to see her kitty before the cat was put down.  It was sudden and weird from what I understand.  The cat had not been eating for a few days, and then she all of a sudden collapsed and did not bounce back :blink:.  She was an old cat from what I understand.  It's really, really hard to lose pets no matter what their age is .

[Amaranthine]

^That's good, it's nice to have a room mate that you can get along with. I can only imagine what it's like for the people that have to be with an annoying and obnoxious room mate, or be with someone they just don't get along with.

I'm sorry about that. *hugs you and your room mate*
I'm sort of in the same situation if you don't know already. My oldest cat is very thin and he has his good days as well as bad days. He stays with us even though he might not be eating or might be in pain. It's sort of hard to tell with him if he wants to go or not.

Anyway, speaking of your pets, how are your animals doing?

[Cancerian Tiger]

They're doin' good, thanks .  I ask everyday how they are, and so far they're happy and healthy, not to mention spoiled as always .  I understand Howard has picked up the F-word from TV once again .

[Amaranthine]

^Ah gee...

Have you felt any spirits or ghosts where you live now?

[Amaranthine]

Hey CT, I -believe- you have said you were a religious person, but I still wanted to ask you like I have asked a few others:

What's your opinion on religion as a whole? Or I guess to explain it a bit more, do you think religion is essential to human beings?

[Cancerian Tiger]

To answer your questions:

*I thought I was feelin' a presence some time back.  I felt like I was bein' watched when I went to bed, and sometimes I would hear creaking noises even though it was dead silent :blink:.  Also, the past few weeks, I've noticed my alarm is weird.  In the course of two days on average, it will speed to forty minutes ahead on its own.  I set it back to the right time, and two or three days later, it's back to bein' forty minutes ahead :blink:.  Weird .

*As for religion, I think the reason it was created was for people to live better lives and follow a standard of living that values respect for self and one another.  Sadly, however, many feel that they only have to be a Christian or whatever their religion is for only one hour a week and then they can spend the rest of the time condradicting everything their religion stands for.  I believe that a person should truly "feel" their religion if they are to be a member of it.  They should not just go through the motions and rituals of worship, but should also find meaning in it so they'll be true to what they preach and feel more spiritually wholesome.  That's just my opinion, though, and I hope I did not just offend anybody.  I hope I was able to answer your questions .

[Mirumoto_Kenjiro]

Have you ever thought about starting into paranormal investigating?

[Amaranthine]

I know you like horror movies and rock music, so have you ever heard of Repo: The Genetic Opera?

[Cancerian Tiger]

Mirumoto_Kenjiro: I have thought about it now and then, but investigating paranormal activity as a profession does not seem to entirely appeal to me .

Rat_lady7:  I have heard of this film, but I have yet to see it .

[Pangaea]

What do you know about black bear attacks in Yellowstone? (How common they are, how many people are injured, the severity of the injuries, etc.) When I visited the American Bear Center in Ely, I learned that black bears often bluff-charge humans in an attempt to intimidate them, but very rarely actually attack them. I didn't know, however, whether any studies of their behavior had been done in Yellowstone, so I'm wondering if the bears there are any more dangerous.

[Cancerian Tiger]

From what I understand, Black bears are not anymore dangerous in Yellowstone.  Most times, they do in fact bluff charge in attempts to spook or ward off any perceived threats.  

Bear attacks on humans are extremely rare occurances, though.  For every ONE person attacked by a bear in the U.S. per year, SIXTEEN THOUSAND people are victims of homicide.  People are FORTY-SEVEN times more likely to be attacked by a dog than a bear.  Human maulings and deaths caused by bears account for barely a fraction of deaths people suffer from bee stings, lightning strikes, dog attacks, homicide, suicide, and car accidents each year.

Unless you've been feeding a Black bear or try to pet a cub (or venture into a huckleberry patch when one is feeding ), they tend to have a natural fear of humans.  Their natural reaction is to run up a tree if they see humans.  It's the Grizzly bear that is naturally fearless of humans .  They are the largest predators in North America and they know it.  They have that "Large and in charge!" mentality .

I have not heard of any Black bear maulings in Yellowstone this year.  There have been several folks like myself who have been bluff charged by a Black bear, but so far nobody has been injured by one.

There was one death in Yellowstone this year, and it involved a Grizzly bear being used for research.  Apparently the victim had been warned that there was a tranquilized Grizzly in the area, and yet he still ventured in to get up close and personal with the bear.  Not only did it cost him his life (bears are VERY PISSED after they have been tranquilized and relocated ), but also the life of the bear.  Due to the stupidity of this individual, the bear had to be euthanized .

So, if anyone here is interesting in visiting Bear Country, please do respect the bears by not approaching them too closely or feeding them.  At least most of our bears have been kept wild with the help of our visitors cooperating with the park on bear safety and regulations .  

I hope I was able to answer your question.  Please let me know if further answers are needed or helpful .

[Pangaea]

There was one death in Yellowstone this year, and it involved a Grizzly bear being used for research.  Apparently the victim had been warned that there was a tranquilized Grizzly in the area, and yet he still ventured in to get up close and personal with the bear.  Not only did it cost him his life (bears are VERY PISSED after they have been tranquilized and relocated ), but also the life of the bear.  Due to the stupidity of this individual, the bear had to be euthanized .

Poor bear. I don't see why it needed to be put down. Do bears that kill or maul people once have a tendency to become repeat offenders?

I hope I was able to answer your question.  Please let me know if further answers are needed or helpful .

Hmm…Do you know of any black bear attacks from previous years?

[Serris]

Not only did it cost him his life (bears are VERY PISSED after they have been tranquilized and relocated ), but also the life of the bear. Due to the stupidity of this individual, the bear had to be euthanized .

No idea how someone could be that dumb. I mean, duh!

At the risk of anthropomorphizing, I can see why the bear would be upset. If I passed out in my dorm and William and Mary and I wake up in a dorm at say, Boston University, I would be pissed too.

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Om a side note, are you still following TWV? I am working when I have time on Chapter 36 but my dorm room is not super conducive to story writing.

Also, are you still continuing Darwin's Soldiers? I can give a summary if needed.

[Amaranthine]

How are you doing CT?