In a message dated 12/2/98 7:13:48 PM Eastern Standard Time,
[log in to unmask] writes:

>  My war stories, in addition to those shared by
>  all civil servants, have more to do with avoiding bears (white, brown &
>  black), surviving 300 mile road trips at 40 below, trying to make boat
>  props last until you reach civilization and so on. I'd ask for advice on
>  how to dissuade polar bears from tearing up historic buildings, but I
>  suspect I know as much as anyone else.

Bruce,

Please share more war stories.  I think you will find more in common w/ the
BP'rs than lime in mortar.  How do you stop Polar Bears from ravaging historic
fabric?

A friend in Texas recently told me about problems with woodpeckers putting
holes in EFS and building nests.  EFS is the Styrofoam w/ cementitious coating
stuff used on the outsides of many modern hotels.

Another friend told me about his consulting for monkey control in Japan... the
monkeys like to climb in the sacred cherry trees and eat the cherries.  He
told them to put up a fence, which they did, but that did not work so he
suggested a higher fence (50' ?? tall).  The higher fence did not work so he
suggested two fences.  That did not work, so he suggested electrification, but
they did not want to hurt the monkeys or the children.  They then complained
that the monkeys were swinging from tree to tree, so he suggested cutting down
alternating trees.  He has not heard from them since.

][<en Follett