The bitter chill of winter can be hard to take. But there are people who love all that snow and ice; in fact, some don't know anything else. In this hour of To the Best of Our Knowledge we'll explore the Far North, from the Inuit of Greenland to the bears of Alaska. Also, a musical comedy about ice fishing in northern Wisconsin.

Naturalist Gretel Ehrlich tells Steve Paulson why she visited at length with Inuit people in Greenland. She talks about the beauty of the land, and recalls some of adventures hunting seals, whales and polar bears. She writes about her Greenland experiences in "This Cold Heaven."

Michael Flanigan and Doug Mancheski star in the Madison Repertory Theatre's production of the musical comedy "Guys on Ice." They perform excerpts from the show and talk with Jim Fleming about why snowmobile suits are funny and just how important the Green Bay Packers are to the average Wisconsin ice?fisher. Also, Peter Jenkins spent months on the best seller list with "A Walk Across America." Now he's gone "Looking for Alaska." Jenkins tells Steve Paulson that nature completely dominates life in Alaska and talks about an experienced woodsman who barely survived a bear attack.

Ian Ferguson is the co-author (with his brother Will) of "Why I Hate Canadians," and now, "How To Be A Canadian." He tells Anne Strainchamps that Canadians are passive-aggressive, not polite and that they hate Americans for not knowing or caring about Canada. He also speaks some authentic Canadian, and offers pointers for people trying to pass.

Books:

• Gretel Ehrlich, This Cold Heaven: Seven Seasons in Greenland (Pantheon)
• Will Ferguson & Ian Ferguson, How to Be a Canadian (Even If You Already Are One) (Douglas & McIntyre)
• Peter Jenkins, Looking for Alaska (St. Martin's Press)

Music:

• Shadowy Men on a Shadowy Planet w/ "D. Tour" on "Dim the Lights, Chill the Ham" CD Cargo Records
• Nick Lowe w/ "Freezing" on"Dig My Mood" CD Demon Records
• In "Guys on Ice," performed by Doug Mancheski and Michael Flanigan
• --"The Wishing Hole"
• --Ode to a Snowmobile Suit"
• --"The Beer in the Bucket"
• Shadowy Men on a Shadowy Planet w/ "Running Meredith" on "Dim the Lights, Chill the Ham" CD
• Johnny Horton w/ "North to Alaska" "The Essential Johnny Horton 1956-1960" CD Sony Music
• Shadowy Men on a Shadowy Planet w/ "5 Canadians, 6 Canadians" on "Dim the Lights, Chill the Ham" CD Cargo Records

Distribution dates:

• week of 02/03/2002 - hour 1