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Monday, June 23, 2008

Headline of the Day

posted by on June 23 at 10:06 AM

Via Original Andrew, in comments: Everything Seemingly Spinning Out of Control.

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1

The point of that linked article is, "Wow, life really sucks right now." Is that news?

Posted by Bub | June 23, 2008 10:18 AM
2

What is it with the polar bears? Are polar bears the final confirmation in people's minds that things are going to hell in a handbasket? They are always being cited in the "we're all screwed" stories. I love polar bears and I'm sad about what's happening, but still, why is it always the polar bears that are written about? Aren't other animals also in trouble? What about sun bears? Panda bears? Teddy bears. For God's sake, think of the teddy bears that have been lost in all the natural disasters.

Posted by PopTart | June 23, 2008 10:47 AM
3

Teddy bears were a symbol of mankind's destruction of the forests, actually, PopTart.

So polar bears are the new symbol of global warming.

Even if polar bears eat seals ...

Posted by Will in Seattle | June 23, 2008 11:18 AM
4

As Polar Bears are at the top of the arctic food chain, perhaps they are also a stand-in for humankind. The imagery of being adrift on an iceberg might also play into people's elemental survival fears (starving, drowning, isolation).

Posted by LMSW | June 23, 2008 11:27 AM
5

You are not your superior awareness how dire things are.

Posted by elenchos | June 23, 2008 11:38 AM
6

@3 I was being sarcastic about teddy bears Will. And teddy bears were not a symbol of mankind's destruction of forests, they were a symbol of Teddy Roosevelt refusing to shoot a bear. Or were you being sarcastic too? Sometimes it is hard to tell with you.

@5 Huh? And when is the baby due?

Posted by PopTart | June 23, 2008 12:11 PM
7

The amazing thing about the article is that the usually staid AP writers are hitting the panic button, yet they don’t seem capable of connecting the dots on why any of this is happening.

Um, gee ya think that maybe three decades of the guvmit actively working against most Americans for the benefit of the super-rich might have something to do with high gas prices, climate change and failing infrastructure?

Or in China, how about the reason so many people died is because their commie bureaucracy refused to force builders to adopt earthquake safety standards and retrofit older buildings??


Just guessin’ here, but they sure managed to write a whole lot without saying much.

Posted by Original Andrew | June 23, 2008 1:12 PM
8

@PopTart

You are not your fucking khakis.

Posted by PdxRitchie | June 23, 2008 1:18 PM
9

@8 I never wear khakis.

I obviously forgot to install the BabelFish translator for Slog comments today because now not only do I not get @5, I don't get @8 either.

Really, I'm not picking on polar bears, I just think the lead in the AP story was weird.

Posted by PopTart | June 23, 2008 2:04 PM
10

You forget where the bear was, PopTart.

It was a lone cub treed in an area where a forest fire had cleared the underbrush, and in some ways it was regarded as kindness to shoot bears and other large mammals after such fires to prevent them from attacking the livestock in farms that weren't as impacted.

Check out any of the many fine books about this.

Posted by Will in Seattle | June 23, 2008 2:11 PM
11

@10 You are confusing Smokey the Bear with the story of how the teddy bear got its name. Here are a couple of links for the story of how the teddy bear got its name:

http://www.americaslibrary.gov/cgi-bin/page.cgi/aa/presidents/roosevelt/bears_1

http://www.theteddybearmuseum.com/history.htm

Fact check first, then post Will.

Posted by PopTart | June 23, 2008 2:30 PM
12

I'm sure Will is speaking as someone who has traveled in Europe when he tells us all about teddy bears. Plus, most people eat rice. RICE!

Baby? July 9.

Posted by elenchos | June 23, 2008 3:46 PM
13

How can facts change a myth?

Because, quite frankly, both Smokey the Bear and the original Teddy Bear are myths.

Stare not into the bright sun, for it will soon turn purple, and you'll have a heck of a time getting prescriptions that work for your eyes.

Posted by Will in Seattle | June 23, 2008 4:15 PM
14

Fine, Will, myth check first and then post. Either way you are fucking wrong about the origin of the phrase "teddy bear" so bite me you arrogant toad.

Or is that too harsh for the new "kinder and gentler" Slog?

Posted by PopTart | June 23, 2008 4:32 PM
15

Having been a pessimist all my life, it's weird to find myself actually feeling like everyone else is more of a Doomer than I am.

@14: I feel like the Gawker mention just convinced everyone to be just that little bit meaner.

Did you read any of the comments on the Fremont Solstice Parade? I never knew so much hate could result from happy, painted, naked people, many of whom were both friendly and attractive.

Posted by Dawgson | June 24, 2008 12:21 PM

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