Look out for Drop Bears
Tuesday, August 22nd, 2006Ohh yes… Bewarned of the danger that is the drop bear, if you ever decide to go camping in Australia’s wilderness.
The following, is a discussion from #gentoo-dev where the topic came up.
23:10 < @mark_alec> christel: the IRC meeting times look good to me, as I shall be on school holidays during that time, so provided I don't go camping I will definately be turning up 23:10 < @christel> excellent mark_alec 23:10 < @christel> <3 23:10 < @beu> CAMPING 23:10 < @mark_alec> YES 23:10 < @mark_alec> in the bush with kangaroos 23:10 < @beu> mmmbush 23:11 < @christel> haha 23:11 < @christel> kangaroos23:11 < @mark_alec> they taste good ya know, very red and very low in fat 23:11 < @beu>
23:11 * beu prefers sheeps 23:11 < @christel> i r go shower 23:11 < @mark_alec> speak english good u 23:11 < @Redhatter-O2> Emu tastes good too 23:11 < @mark_alec> haven't ever had emu 23:11 < @Redhatter-O2> But it's bloody fast food. 23:12 < @phreak``> Redhatter-O2: ostrich too
23:12 < @beu> astral projection goes well with sheep 23:12 < @mark_alec> i had crocodile once, but it was in a sausage so i couldn't tell what it was like 23:12 < @mark_alec> astral projection++ 23:12 < @beu> hah 23:12 < @Redhatter-O2> (Think, the kyote running after the road runner, knife and fork in hand) 23:12 < @phreak``> beu: you like sheep pretty much eh ?
23:12 * beu nods
23:12 < @phreak``> Redhatter-O2: heh 23:13 < @Redhatter-O2> Only thing about camping in the bush... you've gotta watch out for the bloody drop bears. 23:13 < @mark_alec> lol 23:14 * mark_alec remembers ad on TV for that 23:14 < @Redhatter-O2> You'll set your tent up, camp nice and comfortable... then a flaming bear will drop out of the tree, crush your tent... then chase you out of the campsite. 23:14 < @mark_alec> how many chicks have you picked up with that story? 23:14 < @beu> haha 23:15 < @Redhatter-O2> It's true! 23:16 * mark_alec has rescued many a damsel in distress from the bears 23:18 < @Redhatter-O2> I've seen many near misses on my camping trips. 23:18 < @Redhatter-O2> Never managed to get a shot of one though... they're quite camera shy. 23:19 < @ian> riiiight 23:19 < @ian>
23:20 < @Redhatter-O2> ian: You don't believe me? 23:20 < @mark_alec> http://www.bloggerheads.com/images/dropbear.jpg 23:20 < @mark_alec> ^ that is what i save people camping from 23:22 < @ian> silly bears 23:22 < @phreak``> mark_alec: err, that beast has some pretty longish teeth 23:22 < @Redhatter-O2> phreak``: They're nasty... you don't want to cross one. 23:23 < @phreak``> Redhatter-O2: imagined that .. looks like a crossing between tiger and koala 23:25 < @mark_alec> good night, double maths in the morning at school tomorrow 23:25 < @antarus> "A drop bear (or dropbear) is a fictitious Australian marsupial supposedly related to the koala" 23:26 < @mark_alec> s/fictitious/real 23:26 < @lu_zero> dropbear? 23:26 < @lu_zero> as in userfriendly? 23:26 < @mark_alec> scroll up, they are very scary 23:27 < @antarus> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hoop_snake 23:27 < @lu_zero> it's just a koala smiling 23:31 < @Redhatter-O2> antarus: Don't believe everything Wikipedia says. 23:35 < @antarus> Redhatter-O2: heh
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I’ll see if I can dig up the particular podcast from Spoonman’s talkback show where they’re mentioned. But they are a very real danger. Travellers bewarned.
Update: I finally got around to looking at my archives… it seems it was mentioned Tuesday the 8th of August, however, it didn’t make it into the podcast. Due to legal reasons, I don’t think I can publish the recording I have.
