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IS THIS THE WORLD'S MOST STUPID MAN? -
Western Daily Press - UK ^ | September 20, 2003

Posted on 09/21/2003 3:47:42 PM PDT by UnklGene

IS THIS THE WORLD'S MOST STUPID MAN?

20 September 2003

Tv cameras have captured the agonising moment when a 350lb bull shark attacked a man convinced "yoga" would protect him from one of nature's most dangerous predators. The shark's razor-sharp teeth tore a chunk out of scientist Erich Ritter's leg as he stood in waters off a Bahamian beach that had been heavily baited with fish parts, it was revealed yesterday.

He suffered massive blood loss before being attended by first aiders and flown to hospital in West Palm Beach, Florida for treatment in intensive care.

The Discovery Channel will broadcast the incident on Sunday next week, claiming it as the first TV footage of a shark attack on a human being.

They say his brush with death has provided a unique insight into how and why different breeds of shark bite.

Dr Ritter's terrifying ordeal was filmed from above and below the water as he stood bare-legged in the shallows trying to attract sharks for a scientific study.

He had persuaded himself that special breathing techniques would safeguard him from an attack.

He practised yoga to reduce his heartbeat when swimming with sharks to make them believe he was a fellow predator and not prey.

Before the attack, he claimed that because of his ability to understand the sharks' body language he had never even been "nipped".

But the 43-year-old behavioural scientist badly miscalculated when a remora, a semi-parasitical fish associated with sharks, swam between his legs in search of shelter.

One of the sharks pursuing the remora missed the fish in the low visibility and sank its teeth deep into his left calf.

Dr Ritter, who spent six weeks in hospital, admitted he was lucky to be alive.

"When my conscious mind finally kicked in, I had the impression everything had slowed down around me. The pain was excruciating, but there was something else.

"I was not angry, upset or anything like that, but I just understood what had happened, and what had to be done," said Dr Ritter.

"On my way to the hospital I started to get cold, and I felt disconnected to what had happened to me. Then I found some form of peace and acceptance that I may die."

The two-hour documentary, Anatomy of a Shark Bite, sets out to discover whether all species of shark bite the same way and examines the amazing strength of the shark's powerful jaws.

Dr Ritter was bitten while carrying out research on the island of Walker's Cay, famous for its large population of sharks.

Unless provoked, the bull sharks of Walker's Cay are generally placid and conservationists have even used them as evidence that sharks are not the indiscriminate killers many people suppose.

The documentary is being screened on 'Shark Sunday', when the Discovery Channel is also showing Great Whites Down Under (8am), Ancient Sharks (5pm), Top Ten Shark Encounters (6pm) and Air Jaws 2 (8pm).


TOPICS: Culture/Society; US: Florida; United Kingdom
KEYWORDS: darwinaward; shark
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1 posted on 09/21/2003 3:47:43 PM PDT by UnklGene
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To: UnklGene
Where's Darwin when you really need him?
2 posted on 09/21/2003 3:52:23 PM PDT by SAMWolf (Click...click...click...damn, out of taglines!)
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To: UnklGene
I was not angry, upset or anything like that, but I just understood what had happened, and what had to be done," said Dr Ritter.

This guy sounds like "Robert Fisk of the Ocean!" Perhaps it was "Yoda," and not "Yoga" that wpold protect him.

3 posted on 09/21/2003 3:52:32 PM PDT by UnklGene
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To: UnklGene
I wonder if his techniques would work with lightning?
4 posted on 09/21/2003 3:52:45 PM PDT by Agnes Heep
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To: UnklGene
This is definately an instance of a liberal scientist trying to socially engineer the lifestyle of a Conservative shark.
5 posted on 09/21/2003 3:52:46 PM PDT by Noachian (Liberalism belongs to the Fool, the Fraud, and the Vacuous.)
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To: UnklGene
This was shown here in the US several weeks ago. They took a 1/2 hour story and dragged it out for 2 whole hours. More compelling was the woman who was attacked by a great white shark on video. THAT would ruin your day!
6 posted on 09/21/2003 3:53:19 PM PDT by Trust but Verify (Will work for W)
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To: UnklGene
Hard to say. We've had so many Darwin Award winners over the years. I do note this person is supposedly an educated Doctor. He needs more learnin.
7 posted on 09/21/2003 3:53:22 PM PDT by xp38
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To: UnklGene
Another Darwin candidate
8 posted on 09/21/2003 3:54:12 PM PDT by ditto h
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To: UnklGene
I think he must try that again.
9 posted on 09/21/2003 3:55:42 PM PDT by ditto h
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To: UnklGene; mhking
*Chomp!*
10 posted on 09/21/2003 3:56:01 PM PDT by Normal4me
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To: Trust but Verify
Years ago Dave Barry had a hilarious piece about how sharks get so much coverage on channels like Discovery. Sort of like the Nazis for the History channel.
11 posted on 09/21/2003 3:56:30 PM PDT by xp38
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To: ditto h

12 posted on 09/21/2003 3:56:55 PM PDT by Normal4me
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To: xp38
Isn't that the truth. It really does seem like every time I stop on the History Channel it is Hitler, WWII, Nazi's, etc.
13 posted on 09/21/2003 3:58:01 PM PDT by Trust but Verify (Will work for W)
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To: UnklGene
Oh. I got it wrong. Thought this thread would be about Wesley Clark.
14 posted on 09/21/2003 3:58:13 PM PDT by Allan
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To: UnklGene
What a f***ing idiot. He's probably a registered Democrat.
15 posted on 09/21/2003 4:00:15 PM PDT by rickmichaels (The root cause of anti-Americanism is envy.)
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To: UnklGene
Close second.


16 posted on 09/21/2003 4:00:16 PM PDT by Madame Dufarge
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To: UnklGene
uh huh, ramora ran by his legs, yeah, that why he was bitten, yeah, that the ticket!
17 posted on 09/21/2003 4:01:04 PM PDT by Johnbalaya
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To: UnklGene
...swam between his legs in search of shelter.

Whoa. He's lucky the shark didn't aim a little higher.

18 posted on 09/21/2003 4:01:31 PM PDT by lonevoice
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To: UnklGene
Welll, he may have understood the shark's "body language", but it's also apparent the sharks recognize a meal.
19 posted on 09/21/2003 4:09:26 PM PDT by bereanway
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To: UnklGene
I saw that "Anatomy of a Shark Bite". Ritter may be an idiot but it did make for a good program. Sharks have always faxcinated me. I certainly wouldn't presume to enter the chummed waters of their domain though. I have a very healthy respect for the the forces and creatures of nature.
20 posted on 09/21/2003 4:11:01 PM PDT by sweetliberty ("Having the right to do a thing is not at all the same thing as being right in doing it.")
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