So, coding problem got you bummed out? VC snoring during your presentation? Another Excel circular reference impossible to find? Do you feel like you need some excitement in your life and/or you want an overflowing email inbox, blog comments, etc?
No problem.
Tre Merrit, Dad Merrit, and Grandpa Merrit have come to your rescue. You see, little five year old Tre shot and killed a 440 pound bear. Grandpa lined up the shot with a whistle to the bear, Dad had tears of joy streaming down his face, and Tre squeezed off the shot. The picture is that happy family giving the bear a big ol, well, big ol bear hug. Sorry.
I ask you, is this a lay up or what.. Just post "congrats Tre" or "shoot the parents" on your blog or the header of your email and link/forward this story. Everybody will cough up an opinion, call you names for whichever side of this you come down on and generally, you will get enough attention, hate/love email, etc, to make you long for a nice quiet evening having to re-build your laptop from scratch while answering inane VC questions like, will Microsoft buy your Linux app and add it to Windows?
When it comes to controversy, after abortion, nothing beats guns and kids.
Now back to my day job.
This is very sad and disturbing. The bear did nothing to harm them. I think you have a sick mind to take pleasure in something like this.
Posted by: Patrick | December 11, 2007 at 14:52
Patrick,
As I said in the email to you, I agree this is not cool. I point it out not condone it.
Thanks for stopping by.
Posted by: rick segal | December 11, 2007 at 16:03
If you're really bored, you can try my special recipe for bachelor crab cakes. It's not as fun as shooting a bear, but it's probably a lot tastier. Here ya go:
Paul's recipe for Baltimore Bachelor Crab Cakes:
1. Buy 3 pre-made crab cakes from the grocery store. Here in Seattle, you can get them for $1 each at Fred Meyer. These are mostly crab-flavored cake, with very little actual crab.
2. Break these up in a mixing bowl so they are no longer cakes, but a mash of crabby cake stuff.
3. Mix in 1/2 pound or so of real lump crab meat. Not that crappy imitation crab meat, but Dungeness or preferably Blue Crab meat. You can use cheap claw meat if they're for your buddies, but use lump meat if they're for a chick.
4. Add 1 teaspoon of Old Bay Seasoning and three or four dashes of Worcestershire sauce, 1 pat of butter and mix thoroughly.
5. Form into big ass cakes and fry in a pan on both sides until golden brown.
Makes three big ass cakes, or six regular cakes.
Serve with very cold beer...National Premium from Baltimore if you want that east coast flavor.
Enjoy!
P.S. - I grew up in Arizona and spent six years in the US Army, so I have no problem with these guys shooting the bear, so long as they eat the meat.
Posted by: Paul | December 11, 2007 at 18:56
I'm with Paul, as long as they eat the meat and complied with the law I have no issue at all with this. People forget that it wasn't that long ago that the majority of the population lived in an agricultural setting and routinely raised and slaughtered animals for food. Now that we have this industrial divide between ourselves and our food supply it seems that personally killing an animal for food has become some social faux pas in the eyes of many. This seems ironic considering people see nothing wrong with enjoying a good steak at the Keg and in that context I don't get why hunting is so vilified.
Posted by: Gerald Nunn | December 12, 2007 at 05:53
Hunting for eating is okay, but hunting for pleasure is not. Do people really need a bear for dinner?
Posted by: Phone Number Trace | December 19, 2007 at 07:53
If you eat meat but don't kill it yourself, you're in no position to look down on someone who does both.
Posted by: Andy Freeman | December 19, 2007 at 10:08
As long as the little guy knows the difference between a bear and a person! :- )
Posted by: Travel Guy | December 21, 2007 at 22:27
"When it comes to controversy, after abortion, nothing beats guns and kids" and cute animals (particularly mammals) of course.
Posted by: hubs | December 31, 2007 at 13:45
When it comes to something tasty, nothing beats Paul's Crab Cakes. But, if you don't like crab cakes, here is another recipe for you: Paul's Cheapo Startup Cheeseburger.
1. Go to McDonald's and buy one of the double cheeseburgers off the dollar menu. In fact, buy 10 of them and freeze 9 of them before the offer ends. I'm not sure if you can get these in Canada though. If not, you'll have to settle for a double-double at Tim Horton's.
2. Unwrap the cheeseburger and add one fat tomato slice and lettuce between the two slabs of beef.
3. Add A-1 Steak Sauce or Lea & Perrins according to taste.
Not as good as the crab cakes, but still really good.
Serve with the cheapo Diet Cola from Fred Meyer, where you can get 4 twelve packs of soda for $10. No fries. Fries aren't good for you.
$10-12 well spent serves from 6-8 entrepreneurs, with enough left over to offer one to your favorite venture capitalist. He'll be impressed at your frugal habits and will offer to take you to dinner. Take him up on it!
Don't sign anything.
Posted by: Paul | January 01, 2008 at 14:14