Re: The joy of actual numbers, was Democracy

On Mon, 11 Nov 2024 10:22:47 +0100, D wrote:

I always wondered about that climbing thing. If the choice was between
meeting an attacking bear (without guns) on a level field, vs climbing
up a sturdy tree, and trying to kick it in the face from above, I always
thought that it sounded more pleasant to kick it in the head from above,
than being crushed on open ground.

Climbing a tree in this area can be difficult if you're not a bear.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pinus_ponderosa

The other prevalent species, Douglas fir, also tends to have very few
branches. There's a whole set of hardware, climbing tree stands, to allow
hunters to ratchet their way up the trunk.

I'm sort of like a bear; I go up much easier than I go down. I was
returning to the campsite from a trailhead in Kings Canyon when I saw a
bear in a tree by the side of the road. In best tourist mode I stopped to
take a picture. I was standing there by the car when the bear slowly and
carefully worked her way down and walked off. I had missed the cub who was
also up the tree, who also climbed down and followed mom off into the
woods.

The question in my mind was if the bears had no problem coming down with a
human and a running car next to the tree what had caused them to climb it
in the first place?