Sad news

[codprawn]

I was shocked to read that the real life Crocodile Dundee - Steve Irwin - has died.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asi...ic/5313078.stm

What makes it all the more ironic is that it wasn't one of the deadly snakes or crocs that got him but a stingray.

I was annoyed by Ray Mears comments

"UK wilderness expert Ray Mears said that Mr Irwin's death was a tragedy and that his thoughts were with his family, but that the incident served as a warning that "some things in nature should be left alone".
"He clearly took a lot of risks and television encouraged him to do that," Mr Mears said. "The voyeurism we are seeing on television has a cost and it's that cost Steve Irwin's family are paying today."

IF it had been through sheer stupidity playing around with a deadly snake then fair enough but apparently this is only the 2nd death from a stingray in years. It wasn't the vewnom that killed him - it was a pure fluke that the barb went through his heart. It was a stab wound.

[Hightower]

Ray Mears might have said those things to discourage budding Steve Irwins out there from thinking that they can do as Steve has done. The ultimate lesson!

[Jon Brooks]

Very sad news.

Steve brought a very different and exciting angle to nature and was a great conservationist.
His work has brought a unique understanding of many animals to the forefront.

Reading some of the posts on the "news" forums he will be greatly missed all over the world.
His fan base is huge.

I for one am a great fan of his, as is my daughter.
Now when she see's a spider in the house she yells in a not to bad aussie voice "crikey, look at the size of this feller"

My thoughts are with his family right now, especially his young children who have not just lost a real life hero but their father to.

Best regards

[Johnwin]

Sad news indeed, its worth checking out the joe cartoon tribute, if you click on the kind words you get to see their cartoon done a few years ago-- seems rather prescient
joe cartoon

[MarkWildey]

Taken from the dark side!

[codprawn]

I reckon it must have been a feud from Neighbours - Steve Irwin looks like Joe Mangle and there is someone called Stingray in the series.

What was REALLY weird was on Sunday a mate was telling his kids all about sharks - they are going to live in Oz - one of the kids asked about stingrays killing people so my mate looked it up on the net - it said only 1 bloke had died in many years. Only the following day the news came out about poor Steve.

[Matt]

No doubt I'll get as much flack for that as when I put rib.net through the pornalyzer.

Originally Posted by MarkWildey

Taken from the dark side!

[prairie tuber]

Sad news, I enjoyed watching him. My heart goes out to his family. Nonetheless Ray Mears comments were spot on, regardless of the likelihood of being killed by a stingray. If someone contiuously plays russian roulette with an assortment of revolvers ranging from a 454 Cassul to a .77 caliber pellet revolver, and the pellet eventually does them in, the odds of a fatal result had still prevailed.

[codprawn]

Originally Posted by prairie tuber

Sad news, I enjoyed watching him. My heart goes out to his family. Nonetheless Ray Mears comments were spot on, regardless of the likelihood of being killed by a stingray. If someone contiuously plays russian roulette with an assortment of revolvers ranging from a 454 Cassul to a .77 caliber pellet revolver, and the pellet eventually does them in, the odds of a fatal result had still prevailed.

I disagree on that - would you have said the same if a goat or a deer had impaled him? The likelyhood of a Stingray stabbing you through the heart is just as remote. It was a FLUKE accident pure and simple.

In some ways similar to the motor racing driver who risked his life every day without problems but was killed driving the family car to the chip shop.(Mike Hailwood).

[prairie tuber]

Originally Posted by codprawn

would you have said the same if a goat or a deer had impaled him?

Hell, YES!

Originally Posted by codprawn

In some ways similar to the motor racing driver who risked his life every day without problems but was killed driving the family car to the chip shop.(Mike Hailwood).

Exactly, sooner or later the odds will catch up and bite regardless. My cousin once told me about afriend of hers who was once an elite skier (was in movies skiing over moutain cliffs and such), who is now a quadriplegic. I mentioned to her that their must be alot of guys who get killed or paralyzed doing that. She then told me it was from an accident inside his home when he stepped on one of his kids toys near the top of his steps and landed head first.

I'm not tying to suggest that this is some form of karma or legalism at work. Rather, quite simply that when you continually put yourself in harms way the chances of catastrophe occuring, even while doing something 'low risk' increase dramatically. Simple probability from a statistical point of view. There is nothing judgemental about either my statement or that of Ray Mears.

We all take risks in one form or another. I love bear hunting from the ground with my bow, which typically involves shot distances of 15-20 yards or less. The fool is not the one who takes risks but the one who does not understand the risks he is taking. I am sure that Steve Irwin uderstood those risks.