Please Do NOT Feed the Bears!

As I scanned the news this morning, a favorite Jim Croce lyric ran through my thoughts:

"You don't tug on Superman's cape,
you don't spit into the wind,
you don't pull the mask off the ol' Lone Ranger,
and you don't mess around with Jim"

Sadly, Jim Croce left us in 1973. However, if he was still with us, I am willing to bet he'd be chuckling over breakfast as he pondered inserting the words 'polar' and 'bear' in tonight's rendition.

For those who have sworn off reading the news, let me share the story's timeline:

1) woman goes to Berlin Zoo with husband and child
2) it's feeding time for the polar bears, oh boy!
3) woman climbs fence and dives into polar bear enclosure
4) remember item 2? YouTube, here we come!
5) bear begins feeding on woman, biting her several times
6) onlookers toss a rope and create a Polar Bear Pinata before getting her out

I have only one major lesson to share today: there are some places we just do not belong. Here are a few of those places: under giant beehives, on dark street corners in high-crime neighborhoods, and in polar bear enclosures. Society, nature and sign-makers have a way of letting us know.

Like a child's hand on a hot stove, I am willing to bet this woman will remember the pain and not try this action again. She is very lucky to have a second chance.

As you make your way through the world today, please be conscious of all signs warning you of potential dangers, and heed them.

In this case, there was a sign and a series of fences which were blatantly ignored.

I am not sure if the bear's name was Jim, but I think (and hope) this woman learned not to mess around with him.