I am pleased that my friend, Bob Bookmyer, read my recent letter regarding the positives resulting from global warming. We agree that Greenland's warming results from a natural force and is not manmade. This is great news for the farmers and cattle raisers in Greenland.

Unfortunately, Dr. Bookmyer is misinformed when he wrote "There aren't any polar bears in Alaska." I suggest Dr. Bookmyer and any Pilot reader who wants to be well informed go to the Internet and type in "Polar Bear -- Wikipedia," which tells us polar bears' main population centers are Wrandell Island and Western Alaska; Northern Alaska; the Canadian Arctic archipelago; Greenland; Svalbaro-Franz Josef Land; and North-Central Siberia.

Yes, Dr. Bookmyer, there are polar bears in Alaska. And, although their population has increased from 5,000 in 1972 to between 20,000 and 25,000 today, the environmentalists still want to stop oil drilling in the Chukchi Sea off Alaska to protect the existence of the polar bear.

Do we want to reduce our dependence on foreign oil and reduce the cost of oil? Let's open Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and Chukchi Sea to drilling and stop hiding behind the frivolous facade of making the polar bear and the caribou endangered species.

When you pay $4 a gallon, don't blame the administration. Hold Congress accountable. They are beholden to the environmentalists.

Monroe Diefendorf

Pinehurst