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Valiant Dancer
Forum Goalie
USA
4826 Posts |
 Posted - 01/05/2004 : 09:22:47
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Could one of you explain what the hell Steve Irwin was thinking? Terri is one of ours and she wasn't thinking in the least.
If you don't know what I'm talking about, it's about the Crocodile Hunter (Steve Irwin) holding his one month old child while feeding a 13 foot long croc in the same enclosure as the croc. Steve and Terri are old enough to make decisions to do completely dangerous things. Poor little Bob isn't.
gezzam, WTF, dude?
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Cthulhu/Asmodeus when you're tired of voting for the lesser of two evils
Brother Cutlass of Reasoned Discussion |
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gezzam
SFN Regular
Australia
751 Posts |
 Posted - 01/05/2004 : 15:03:18 [Permalink]
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quote:
Originally posted by Valiant Dancer
Could one of you explain what the hell Steve Irwin was thinking? Terri is one of ours and she wasn't thinking in the least.
If you don't know what I'm talking about, it's about the Crocodile Hunter (Steve Irwin) holding his one month old child while feeding a 13 foot long croc in the same enclosure as the croc. Steve and Terri are old enough to make decisions to do completely dangerous things. Poor little Bob isn't.
gezzam, WTF, dude?
I dunno what was going on there....I have always maintained that the guy is a few cans short of a six pack anyway.
He did the same shit with his daughter Bindy (what kind of name is that???) when she was a baby. His statement to the media said that he was in complete control at all times. The dickhead had a snake out at an awards night here and the bloody thing bit someone on their "meat and two veg" in the crowd. All live on television.
It has caused a fair bit of controversy down here with the media having a field day....front page stuff.
Valiant, please don't think all Aussies go around with our eyes popping out of our head and screaming "crikey" all the time. The average Australian is like the average American....quite normal. It's the stereotypes that put everyone off.
That being said, he does contribute a lot of money to the environment....as we say here in Oz..."He means well"
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Mistakes are a part of being human. Appreciate your mistakes for what they are: precious life lessons that can only be learned the hard way. Unless it's a fatal mistake, which, at least, others can learn from.
Al Franken |
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Kil
Evil Skeptic
USA
13477 Posts |
Posted - 01/05/2004 : 15:55:59 [Permalink]
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quote:
Gezzam:
The average Australian is like the average American....quite normal.
Oy. |
Uncertainty may make you uncomfortable. Certainty makes you ridiculous.
Why not question something for a change?
Genetic Literacy Project |
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Woody D
Skeptic Friend
Thailand
285 Posts |
Posted - 01/06/2004 : 01:00:32 [Permalink]
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quote:
Originally posted by Valiant Dancer
it's about the Crocodile Hunter (Steve Irwin) holding his one month old child while feeding a 13 foot long croc in the same enclosure as the croc.
Hasn't anyone got anything better to do than pay attention to the news media trying to get ratings?
There's real news out there that really affects our personal lives, like Congress pulling the wool over our eyes passing laws they don't want us to know about. |
www.Carabao.net
As long as there's, you know, sex and drugs, I can do without the rock and roll.
Mick Shrimpton
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Valiant Dancer
Forum Goalie
USA
4826 Posts |
Posted - 01/06/2004 : 07:45:18 [Permalink]
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quote:
Originally posted by gezzam
quote:
Originally posted by Valiant Dancer
Could one of you explain what the hell Steve Irwin was thinking? Terri is one of ours and she wasn't thinking in the least.
If you don't know what I'm talking about, it's about the Crocodile Hunter (Steve Irwin) holding his one month old child while feeding a 13 foot long croc in the same enclosure as the croc. Steve and Terri are old enough to make decisions to do completely dangerous things. Poor little Bob isn't.
gezzam, WTF, dude?
I dunno what was going on there....I have always maintained that the guy is a few cans short of a six pack anyway.
He did the same shit with his daughter Bindy (what kind of name is that???) when she was a baby. His statement to the media said that he was in complete control at all times. The dickhead had a snake out at an awards night here and the bloody thing bit someone on their "meat and two veg" in the crowd. All live on television.
It has caused a fair bit of controversy down here with the media having a field day....front page stuff.
Valiant, please don't think all Aussies go around with our eyes popping out of our head and screaming "crikey" all the time. The average Australian is like the average American....quite normal. It's the stereotypes that put everyone off.
That being said, he does contribute a lot of money to the environment....as we say here in Oz..."He means well"
Gezzam,
I've never thought that Irwin was particularly normal nor representative of all Aussies.
I've heard his statement and seen the footage. He may have been in complete control of himself at all times. I would not believe anyone who said that he was in complete control of the croc.
I wonder if he was dribbled as a baby.
[edited because i sometimes miss words. But gez got my drift anyway.] |
Cthulhu/Asmodeus when you're tired of voting for the lesser of two evils
Brother Cutlass of Reasoned Discussion |
| Edited by - Valiant Dancer on 01/13/2004 08:34:50 |
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gezzam
SFN Regular
Australia
751 Posts |
Posted - 01/13/2004 : 07:17:35 [Permalink]
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Yeah I get your drift Valiant,
It makes me wonder why other countries fall in love with these guys. Look at Crocodile Dundee and Steve Irwin, they are so freakin' Aussie they make me and my friends seem fairly un-australian.
He can't honestly carry on like that all the time....or can he????
Anyway, he came out with all guns blazing after the controversy and gave some poor interviewer over here an absolute mouthful.
On the American news he was much more apologetic and subdued.....he knows where his bread is buttered. The big bucks are over your way.
That's why everyone from over here tries to make it in America.
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Mistakes are a part of being human. Appreciate your mistakes for what they are: precious life lessons that can only be learned the hard way. Unless it's a fatal mistake, which, at least, others can learn from.
Al Franken |
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filthy
SFN Die Hard
USA
14408 Posts |
Posted - 01/13/2004 : 08:59:47 [Permalink]
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Irwin is highly skilled, indeed highly enough that I'm a bit envious.
However, I disapprove of some of his methods. He gets bitten by this, that, and another, way too often. Even though none of it is hot, it's not necessary. He is also a bit rougher with the animals than need be.
And then, he totally fucks up by exposing a child to a very real hazard. That croc obviously has a feeding response to him, and that baby would have made a nice snack.
I am, frankly, disgusted. He knows better..... doesn't he?
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"What luck for rulers that men do not think." -- Adolf Hitler (1889 - 1945)
"If only we could impeach on the basis of criminal stupidity, 90% of the Rethuglicans and half of the Democrats would be thrown out of office." ~~ P.Z. Myres
"The default position of human nature is to punch the other guy in the face and take his stuff." ~~ Dude
Brother Boot Knife of Warm Humanitarianism,
and Crypto-Communist! 
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Woody D
Skeptic Friend
Thailand
285 Posts |
Posted - 01/14/2004 : 00:04:19 [Permalink]
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quote:
Originally posted by filthy
And then, he totally fucks up by exposing a child to a very real hazard. That croc obviously has a feeding response to him, and that baby would have made a nice snack.
Filthy, you know about what a croc would do than I and maybe he was wrong but he made an educated risk.
My problem is not what he did, that's his problem and the authorities there, but the idea that people are making a big deal out of it and falling into the media net of sensationalizing.
I can't understand why there isn't more outrage about people who RISK other innocent peoples lives EVERYDAY, when they do more serious things like get in a car when they are dunk. There are things that happen all the time that people don't either know about or seem to care. It's only what a celebrity does one thing one time that it's in the 'news' for days and people talk about it.
I think, before we get upset about things like that, let's protest about things we can try to change in our own backyard. |
www.Carabao.net
As long as there's, you know, sex and drugs, I can do without the rock and roll.
Mick Shrimpton
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filthy
SFN Die Hard
USA
14408 Posts |
Posted - 01/14/2004 : 04:17:32 [Permalink]
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quote:
Originally posted by Woody D
quote:
Originally posted by filthy
And then, he totally fucks up by exposing a child to a very real hazard. That croc obviously has a feeding response to him, and that baby would have made a nice snack.
Filthy, you know about what a croc would do than I and maybe he was wrong but he made an educated risk.
My problem is not what he did, that's his problem and the authorities there, but the idea that people are making a big deal out of it and falling into the media net of sensationalizing.
I can't understand why there isn't more outrage about people who RISK other innocent peoples lives EVERYDAY, when they do more serious things like get in a car when they are dunk. There are things that happen all the time that people don't either know about or seem to care. It's only what a celebrity does one thing one time that it's in the 'news' for days and people talk about it.
I think, before we get upset about things like that, let's protest about things we can try to change in our own backyard.
You are right, to a point. However, Irwin is a famous name in a very esoteric field. I hold him to a higher standard.
I don't recall doing a presentation in the last, few years when I was not asked something about him. His influence among the kids, even kids that have little interest in natural history in general and herpetology in particular, is huge.
My experience with crocodilians is pretty much limited to Alligator mississippiensis, which are not particularly aggressive (for a crocodilian). But, they develop a feeding response to a keeper very quickly and will sometimes rush him. The risk Irwin took is unacceptable, as all it takes is a stumble to expose the baby. It is one thing to risk yourself, but quite another to drag a child into it, especally with an animal with the potential of a medium-sized, Saltwater Crocodile. It's one of the most aggressive in the world.
And, this sort of thing reflects upon me, personally. The community already doubts my sanity; I don't need Irwin to help confirm those doubts. I am not looking forward to my next M/C meeting, this Sat., where I will hear about it ad nauseum. 
The difference is, I think, that the drunk driver can be anyone who imbibes alcohol, or any intoxicant for that matter. Anyone can just stagger to his/her wheels and go, and all too many do. They are rarely professional drivers. Irwin is not only a pro, and very good at what he does, he's also an expert showman. He knows all there is to know about public opinion and the media. And one assumes that he was not intoxicated at the time. Therefore, this incident demonstrates a lack of judgment that is unpardonable. I cannot fathom what possesed him to do it. It is no different than if I were to drag out a big Rattlesnake and wade through an audence of grade-schoolers with it. Unthinkable!
I am reminded that Roy Horn is arguably the best there ever was at training big cats. He got mauled. No matter how good one might be, it can happen.
I have heard that Irwin might retire from public life over this. I think that would be a shame, as he has a lot to contribute to the public knowledge of reptiles. I would like to see him continue, but with a somewhat more restrained style.
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"What luck for rulers that men do not think." -- Adolf Hitler (1889 - 1945)
"If only we could impeach on the basis of criminal stupidity, 90% of the Rethuglicans and half of the Democrats would be thrown out of office." ~~ P.Z. Myres
"The default position of human nature is to punch the other guy in the face and take his stuff." ~~ Dude
Brother Boot Knife of Warm Humanitarianism,
and Crypto-Communist!
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