Posted on 09/07/2006 8:00:37 AM PDT by SmithL
NOW YOU know why Aussie crocodile aficionado Steve Irwin called the new TV show he was working on "The Ocean's Deadliest." After years of poking his boyish face and trademark safari shirt, khaki shorts and hiking boots in front of dangerous animals, Irwin likely would have found some small satisfaction in a deadly animal -- a stingray with a fatal barb -- living up to his PR. Crikey.
With Irwin gone, the world will see a little less swagger. Irwin's enthusiasm was infectious and his love for animals was apparent. You have to admire a man who, trained as a diesel mechanic, parlayed his passion for reptiles into worldwide fame and fortune. Now he leaves behind a wife and two young children, as well as an admirable legacy of donating millions to wildlife conservation.
. . . Australian Prime Minister John Howard called Irwin's death "a huge loss to Australia" and offered to hold a state funeral -- which Irwin's family humbly declined. (Be it noted that Irwin had once called Howard "the greatest leader Australia has ever had.")
Many Australians, however, could not stand Irwin. As ex-patriot Germaine Greer wrote in the Guardian, "The animal world has finally taken its revenge on Irwin."
. . .Irwin's other legacy is that he has passed onto the world's children the fanciful notion that nature is a theme park. He failed to respect the lethal side of his co-star creatures. "I don't want to seem arrogant or big-headed," Irwin once told the Washington Post's Paul Farhi, "but I have a real instinct with animals. I've grown up with them ... It's like I have an uncanny supernatural force rattling around my body. I tell you what, mate; it's magnetism."
No, mate, it's delusion.
(Excerpt) Read more at sfgate.com ...
More liberal garbage and hate-speak. Pathetic.
Irwin's death was a suprise in the way that it happened, absolutely.
I must admit...Ms Saunders attitude surpises me...
Her bio says she is a conservative writer.
Surprising. Irwin supported Howard. I figured it wsa liberal attack on him for that. But not so.
Low blow, mate.
What most of his critics will not give him credit for is that real world relocation of animals from populated areas requires just such skills. The ubernaturalists will not recognize this basic fact.
Sorry to see sour grapes from Ms. Saunders.
I think old Steve was a bit barmy, but he was a thoroughly likable person and full of enthusiasm.
None of us are perfect. Steve Irwin was no exception. But he gave the world a lot more than he got - and that's saying a great deal in a world chock-a-block with celebrities who spend most of their time spewing crud about their politics and their movies.
The world's gonna miss this bloke. He was a good troop.
"...Many Australians, however, could not stand Irwin. As ex-patriot Germaine Greer wrote in the Guardian, "The animal world has finally taken its revenge on Irwin."..."
She says "many Australians" and as proof cites one feminist neer-do-well. Many Australians (other than veggie worshippers) love the guy. But San Francisco sophistos have to put on airs of being more snotty than thou.
"More liberal garbage and hate-speak. Pathetic."
True but Erwin did take risks at times that were not very prudent. Marlin Perkins 0f 'Wild Kingdom' fame was wise to always have his assistant Jim be the one to stick their head into the crocodiles mouth for the camera while he stayed in the helicopter or land rover.
I see nothing wrong with her article. It's her opinion about the guy. That's what she does. It's less mean spirited than anything Ann Coulter writes (and yes I like Ann's hit pieces).
Steve Irwin flirted with death by what he did. His death is tragic and surprising by how it happened but not surprising in the context of the risks he took.
Btw, his stunt of feeding the crock with baby in hand was just stupid on his part. I don't care how well he knows his animal, you don't put a baby or anyone else at risk just because he wants to play for the cameras. Taking a line from Pat Robertson, maybe this was God's punishment for putting his child in harms way.
Steve Irwin saved my life, says diver
By Peter Mitchell September 06, 2006
AN American diver who owes his life to Steve Irwin says he was shattered to learn about the Crocodile Hunter's death.
"He saved my life," an emotional Scott Jones said today from his home in Iowa.
"I've lost a good friend."
Mr Jones was part of a tragic scuba diving expedition in the Sea of Cortez, off the coast of Mexico, in 2003.
Mr Jones' friend, 77-year-old Katie Vrooman, died during the dive after a sea surge knocked her twice against rocks. Mr Jones fought to hold on to her unconscious body for almost two hours and, while hanging off rocks and floating in the water, attempted to resuscitate her.
Eventually Mr Jones had to let Ms Vrooman's body go and he spent a harrowing night alone perched on rocks.
In a lucky twist of fate, Irwin and his film crew happened to be in the vicinity shooting a documentary and heard an SOS call on their radio that two divers had gone missing.
Irwin, who had never met Mr Jones or Mr Vrooman, decided he would abandon his film project to try to find them.
Mr Jones was precariously sitting on a rock outcrop dehydrated and scarred from being battered on the rocks.
Irwin, dressed in his khaki shorts and shirt, dived in the water and swam across to save Mr Jones.
At the time, Mr Jones did not realise Irwin was a celebrity.
The quietly-spoken Mr Jones said he had heard of Paul "Crocodile Dundee" Hogan, but not the Crocodile Hunter.
"After they got me on to the main boat, Steve helped me get my wetsuit off me and he went below to do something," Jones recalled.
"Somebody behind me said 'So what do you think of the Crocodile Hunter?'
"So I was looking around for Crocodile Dundee. I thought when the makeup comes off Dundee's looks must change.
"But, when I finally got home my daughter turned the Animal Planet channel on and I started watching his show from then.
"It was wild. He was jumping on crocodiles and things like that."
Jones and his wife Deborah sent flowers to Irwin's wife, Terri, and kids, Bindi and Bob.
They are also planning a trip to Australia to speak to his family.
"We'd love to go to Australia and tell his wife and kids just what a great man he is," Mr Jones, who declined to tell his age, adding it was a secret, said.
"He was a hell of an educator, from kids all the way up to old farts like me.
"He was a hero." Mr Jones, an experienced diver, said he was surprised a stingray, "one of the most gentle creatures in the ocean" caused Irwin's death.
yeah, she quotes an Australian who does nothing but bash her homeland and calls Aussies stupid. That's a real spokewoman alright...hope Saunders gets the same kind of attention Greer got for her utterly classless and ugly remarks.
I'm not sure if this is a double entendre or not, but it's supposed to be expatriate........
Ah yes, while the Californian sits in her cushy chair, sips her Starbucks and drives her shiney fashionable SUV, she spews contempt for a man who chose to live out his passion and live life to the fullest.
Cheap shot with a reference to the Greer piece.
I know it's mean spirited, but I have to tell you, that was funny. Gallows humor, I guess.
Debra, WTF do you care? Busybody f-ing &unt!!!
Too many people think that all of nature is like a Disney movie. Hopefully, Irwin's death will be a reminder of the power of nature.
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