Grin And Bear It

Here's some news we hadn't expected: a New Jersey state agency will hold hearings this week to legalize bear hunting in the state.

No kidding. It turns out New Jersey is suddenly overrun with bears. No one knows why, but there may be as many as a thousand of them wandering around the state.

Of course, animal rights groups want no part of a bear hunt and they're protesting.

But they haven't said what they would do about all those bears that keep showing up at backyard picnics. And they're not always stopping at the backyard.

The New York Times says one bear removed a window air conditioner, climbed through the window and helped himself to some toffee in one home.

While the state weighs what to do, joggers are wearing large jingle bells hoping that will scare the bears and they'll stay out of sight.

It's none of my business, but I wonder if everyone is going about this all backwards.

The government goes to great lengths to keep bears alive and in plain sight at Yellowstone Park - and so many tourists drive thousands of miles to see them that park traffic backs up for miles.

Why not divert some of those bear watchers to the New Jersey Turnpike? The state would make millions. I can already see the TV ads: New Jersey - Bear Country.