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| -Short Attention Span Theater- |
| Estonian bear suspends training exercise |
| 2004-03-08 |
| From Baltic News Service, not available online TALLINN, Estonia - The Estonian Environment Ministry has asked the defense forces’ Tapa training center to suspend shelling of the central training ground target area until a bear hibernating there wakes up. The Greens strike again Col. Urmas Roosimagi, chief of the Tapa training center, told the newspaper "Virumaa Teataja" (Viru Times) that on February 5 they had received a letter from the Environment Ministry, saying that there was bear hibernating in the target area and asking them not to use the area for shelling or shooting practise or blasting until May 1. The bear is hibernating in the defense forces central training ground target area where mortar and machine-gun practice is carried out. "What should I tell the Americans? Sould we say, sorry, we’re not going to send a mission to Afghanistan in March but a little later, because we are waiting for the bear to wake up?" Roosimagi said. "What action should I take as unit commander when the question is whether I will send the men as specialists, not as cannon-fodder, or save the bear?" Roosimagi said faulty training could cost the men their lives. But he added that this year there had been no action in the territory in question yet, because there was no government order to permit shelling and shooting practice. They could carry out blasting operations in the training ground, but hadn’t done it because of the bear. All such operations had been trasferred to an old missile base instead. Local residents, too, have protested against the defense forces central testing ground on several occasions this year. So a farmer expressed his dissatisfaction against shelling and shooting practise there, saying he had a stable in the area and the horses could panic when shelling began. Roosimagi should remind them how panicked the horses will be if the Russkies decide to come rolling through again |
| Posted by:Scott |
| #7 There is also another song about my Uncle Walter goes waltzing with bears, that I learned as a wee lad, but let's not go there. Bears are very intelligent and complex animals. Just look at the recent Pepsi commercial. Hey, they can pass checks! Don't underestimate the Estonian bear..... |
| Posted by: Alaska Paul 2004-3-8 9:17:53 PM |
| #6 Seems like Alaskans have this thing about dancing mammals... Not that there's anything wrong with dancing mammals.. it's just uhhhh... different. |
| Posted by: Shipman 2004-3-8 6:40:40 PM |
| #5 In the spirit of Waking the Bear, let me offer the following: Congleton Bear The Wakes coming on and the bear he took ill We tried him with potion, with brandy and pill He died in his sleep at the eve of the Wakes The cause, it was said, was strong ale and sweet cakes [chorus] The cheeses of Cheshire are famed, but beware Of stories they tell of the Congleton Bear Congleton Bear, Congleton Bear They sold the Church Bible to buy a new bear He'd served the town well and he's served town true To lie him in state was the least they could do The old bear was dead, a successor they'd need A new bear was wanted, and that at great speed Now a parson is useful in times of great need And imbibed with strong porter he quickly agreed The parson, his Bible he gave then and there We sold it in Nantwich to buy a new bear. The new bear, a she-bear, was toast of the town To music and laughter she danced up and down So loudly the cheering would waken the dead It caused the old bear for to rise from his bed Pills, potion and brandy induced a deep trance And refreshed by the music he began for to dance He danced down the road causing many a gaze Word quickly spread that the old bear was raised He rolled his dark eye as he spied the she-bear And with an embrace they danced jigs pair-and-pair The cheeses of Cheshire are famed but beware Of stories they tell of the Congleton Bear. |
| Posted by: Alaska Paul 2004-3-8 5:37:42 PM |
| #4 I should think a few HE rounds would wake him up pretty quick... |
| Posted by: mojo 2004-3-8 2:17:34 PM |
| #3 If the Americans donate a MOAB, that would probably give the bear some incentive to wake up. |
| Posted by: Scott 2004-3-8 1:55:38 PM |
| #2 This is a job for a bunker buster. |
| Posted by: ed 2004-3-8 1:34:35 PM |
| #1 Seems like it would be easier to kill it while it was asleep, just me I guess. |
| Posted by: Shipman 2004-3-8 1:23:07 PM |