Thousands of years ago, the very first civilization in written history was a nation ruled by Bears... ok maybe not, but wouldn't that have been cool? Fast forward to today and get ready for the Bears Empire, an event brought to you by the Good Bears. This is an event which will be taking place in Rome from January 1st thru the 6th of '09. What a better way to start the year than with some seriously hot Italian Bears?

From their most excellent site (which comes in many languages): "Bears Empire '09 promises to be a fun filled event with numerous activities such as: a disco party, Bear sauna, tours to visit ancient Rome, happy hour and group dinners for a week of total relaxation among the company of so many other Bears and hunters.

Rome is undoubtedly one of the most visited European cities and the first time you visit you’ll most certainly want to see the hundreds of monuments that make Rome such wonderful artistic city. Rome is also famous for its 'Notti Romane' or Roman nights. When the sun sets, the traffic that complicated the day disappears and the doors of nightlife and entertainment flood open. The possibilities for having fun and meeting new people are endless. The demand of tourists and foreign students who favour the night life at pubs, disco bars and nightclubs is really intense".