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Posted by calamity on February 25, 2008 at 3:57:09 pm EST
In reply to Bears, Bears, Bears posted by Timeportalmatrix on August 5, 2007 at 12:57:20 pm EDT

I'm sorry. One difficulty may be that you're confusing the screed on bear spray with the analysis of Alaskan human/bear conflict.

http://www.absc.usgs.gov/research/brownbears/attacks/bear-human_conflicts.htm

To call an analysis that relys on 17,000 bits of data "singularly devoid of facts" wouldn't be accurate.

Also, consider that the piece shown on the Web is not the study itself, but rather an informal presentation of its findings for public consumption sparing us the arcane mathematics and much else.

To say that it merely distorts facts to fit a political viewpoint is a potentially interesting criticism that ignores all but a small part of the presentation. Yet sometimes, science does confirm the counter-intuitive, and the scientist gets burned at the stake.

To criticize the scientists who performed the work for a "lack of field experience," is perhaps ungenerous and not necessarily even credible. But just as importantly, it's not even particularly relevant. The project was not an account nor analysis of personal field experience, which, while perhaps interesting and valuable, probably wouldn't be science and might simply be another "Grizzly Man" story with a happier ending.

Highly trained scientists kill for USGS jobs, for reasons that should be obvious.

Oh, and about the bear spray item: Chiefly, it presents a very systematic, detailed discussion of non-controversial strategies related to bear safety without regard to the particular safety devices employed.

Bear spray is a standard device. The author recommends backing this up with flare guns, and while acknowledging that firearms may also be effective, points out some downsides that are infrequently discussed.

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• Re: Bears, Bears, Bears - overmywaders 18:11:08 02/25/2008

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