March 9, 2009

Coolness Hierarchy of Commonly Known Bears

Ok, so everyone these days is thinking about the bear market. I feel that real, actual bears are getting overlooked amid the frenzy. Here are several famous other kinds of bears, listed in my order of preference.
  1. Polar Bear
    What's not to love about the polar bear? The world's most adorable bear is also probably the world's most vicious and toughest bear. Only thing this guy can't survive is global climate change but, uh, I guess we're working on that. Pretty much king of the hill in every conceivable way.
  2. Grizzly Bear
    Also a really classic and great type of bear, but slightly below the polar bear because of the whole Arctic factor. Still one of the very best bears.
  3. Chicago Bears
    I've pretty much always been a fan of the Bears' style of play through the years and I think it matches up quite well with what I think a member of the ursine family would do if it ran a football team - imposing defense and a strong ground game with a modicum of passing. Bears don't really take to the air that much.
  4. Gummy Bears
    Gummy bears are one of the only solid-sugar type candies that I will eat. Many other styles of these candies are coated with sugar, and that's kind of weird. Some are excessively sour, which has its place, but I'm not into it that often. Gummy bears, when soft and fresh, are consistently delicious and pleasing, particularly if you stick with well-established brands. They also now come in vitamin-enriched forms, continuing the long tradition of tricking kids into taking vitamins.
  5. Black Bear
    The black bear is not a bad bear, but he just looks kind of stupid. It definitely lacks the ferocity of the grizzly or polar bear. How can you take an animal whose nose and ears stick out so ridiculously seriously?
  6. Berenstein Bears
    Even though I read most of the books that were published through about 1990, I never really got the Berenstein Bears. There was never that quirky hook that made books like "Where the Sidewalk Ends," Dr. Seuss, or even "Arthur" worthwhile. They were just kind of a deprived kid's neutered Simpsons while dressing weirdly.
  7. Bear Grylls
    Although I couldn't do most of the things he does, Bear Grylls is still a pretty boy. His accent, good looks, and whining while eating snakes just render him intolerable.
  8. Bear Bryant
    Never beat Notre Dame, Alabama fans still secretly bitter about it.
  9. Panda Bear
    Pretty much the most overrated bear there is, the panda kind of sits around all day looking moderately cute, if you're into the panda sort of thing, eating bamboo. I think a bear should be fearsome, above all else, so the panda totally fails in this regard. Fans love its squeezeable physique, I just see it as weak.
  10. Red Panda (not really a bear)

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