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Old 09-04-2006, 09:18 AM   #1
Auburn Annie
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Steve Irwin died today from a stingray barb to the heart. They were on location filming a documentary when the stingray came up from under and shot the barb into his chest where it made a hole in his heart. He died instantaneously. His wife and children were not present, as they were off on a hiking trip. He was 44.
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Old 09-04-2006, 09:20 AM   #2
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Crikey!
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Old 09-04-2006, 09:24 AM   #3
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I was just about to post something on this, but Annie beat me to it! (again)

He always seemed so invincible on the TV shows. I'm sure he'll be missed.
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Old 09-04-2006, 09:39 AM   #4
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It was really a freak accident; there have only been 2 similar deaths previously recorded in Australia, 17 worldwide. Those barbs can be 8-10 inches long. In this case it managed to miss the ribs and puncture a hole in his heart. His camera man who was filming didn't realize anything was wrong until he saw blood in the water, then got Steve to the surface, onto a small rubber raft and got him to their ship where a doctor on board gave him CPR for 30 minutes until they got to a chopper to airlift him but by then it was determined to be too late, that he'd likely died when hit.
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Old 09-04-2006, 09:41 AM   #5
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Auburn Annie, I wanted to post it, this morning. Didn't know what to do, so now here's a little more on it. Sad Story...


Entertainment News


Australia's 'Crocodile Hunter' Steve Irwin killed by stingray's barb


BRIAN CASSEY


CAIRNS, Australia (AP) - Steve Irwin, the ebullient Australian TV personality and conservationist known as the Crocodile Hunter, was killed Monday by a stingray barb to the heart during a diving expedition, police and his wildlife park said.

Irwin, 44, was filming an underwater sequence for a television series on remote Batt Reef off the far northeast coast of Australia when he encountered the ray and was stung about 11 a.m., Australia Zoo, Irwin's park, said in a statement.

Crew members aboard Irwin's boat, Croc One, called emergency services in the nearest city, Cairns, and administered cardio pulmonary resuscitation techniques as they rushed the boat to nearby Low Isle to meet a rescue helicopter.

Medical staff pronounced Irwin dead at about midday, the statement said.

"The world has lost a great wildlife icon, a passionate conservationist and one of the proudest dads on the planet," John Stainton, Irwin's friend and producer who was on board Croc One said in the statement.

"He died doing what he loves best and left this world in a happy and peaceful state of mind," he said. "Crocs Rule!"

Queensland state police said Irwin's family - which includes U.S.-born wife Terri - had been notified of his death.

Irwin is famous for his enthusiasm for wildlife and his catchcry "Crikey!" in his television program, Crocodile Hunter, which was first broadcast in Australia in 1992 before it was picked up by the Discovery channel, catapulting him to international celebrity.

Irwin, who made a trademark of hovering dangerously close to untethered crocodiles, often leaping on their backs, talked mile-a-minute in a thick Australian drawl and was almost never seen without his uniform of khaki shorts and shirt and heavy boots.

His ebullience was infectious and Australian officials sought him out for photo opportunities and to promote Australia internationally. Irwin was among guests hand-picked by Prime Minister John Howard to attend a barbecue to honour U.S. President George W. Bush when he visited Canberra, the national capital, in 2003.

The public image was dented in 2004 when Irwin triggered an uproar by holding his baby in one arm while feeding large crocodiles inside a zoo pen. Irwin claimed at the time there was no danger to his son, and authorities declined to charge Irwin with violating safety regulations.

Later that year, he was accused of getting too close to penguins, a seal and humpback whales in Antarctica while making a documentary. Irwin denied any wrongdoing, and an Australian Environment Department investigation recommended no action be taken against him.

He is survived by his wife, from Eugene, Ore., who was Terri Raines before they married in 1992, their daughter Bindi Sue, 8, and son Bob, who will turn 3 in December.

Foreign Minister Alexander Downer, who used a photograph of his family at Australia Zoo for his official Christmas card last year, hailed Irwin for his work in promoting Australia through projects such as the "G'Day LA" tourism and trade promotion in Los Angeles in January.

"The minister knew him, was fond of him and was very, very appreciative of all the work he'd done to promote Australia overseas," Downer's spokesman Tony Parkinson said.
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Old 09-04-2006, 09:50 AM   #6
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Unbelievably sad and tragic end for a very unique individual. My heart goes out to his family.
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Old 09-04-2006, 10:11 AM   #7
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Steve Irwin's death reminds me of Timothy Treadwell, whose love of nature (esp. bears) ended in his tragic death also.
www.adn.com/front/story/4110831p-4127072c.html
(hope this link works)
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Old 09-05-2006, 09:02 PM   #8
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The World is certainly a much less colourful and certainly less exciting place with the passing of Steve.

He has been a fantastic ambassador for Australia, and has been responsible for attracting billions of dollars worth of tourism to our country.

Like most Australians who enjoyed and admired the man, there was always a “cringe” factor when ever I saw him ( OMG what will the rest of the world think of Australia when they see this ?? ).

He has always been much more popular overseas than he was in Australia. When my son returned home after a year in the US in 2001 he said you will never believe who the most famous ( and popular) Australian is ?, “ The Crocodile Man!”, he was not that well known in Australia at that time, but has grown in popularity in recent years.

Swimming in the tropical waters of Northern Australia is very dangerous, ( so many creatures are armed with very fast acting venom ) , all beaches north of Rockhampton are protected with shark nets, and when you get north of Townsville there are bottles of vinegar available on every beach for people who get attacked by jelly fish, and at certain times of the year it is just too dangerous to swim in the ocean. And on the Coral reefs this danger is magnified. No one is invincible in these waters.

Even eating fish caught in these waters can have very bad effects, like effecting the nervous system with reverse sensation, where you think cold things are really hot, and hot very cold.

Still we are all very sad to loose a great Australian, rest in peace Steve.

All the best Ron.
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Old 09-06-2006, 08:15 AM   #9
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Catmanron has asked me to post the following picture for him regarding Croc Dangers in Queensland. (Hear ya go, Ron!) Just click on the thumbnail for a better view.

This picture was taken on the boardwalk in Cairns less than 50 metres from the Restaurant strip (obviously in the Croc Restaurant area).



[ September 06, 2006, 08:30: Message edited by: mnmouse ]
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Old 09-11-2006, 09:57 AM   #10
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I watched an interview on FNC with a doctor. He said, had Irwin not pulled the barb out of his heart, he probably would have survived. He bled to death very quickly as soon as the barb was removed.
I suppose it's just human nature to grab it and pull it out.
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Old 09-11-2006, 10:17 AM   #11
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He might not have survived anyway - the longer the barb is in, the more toxins it pumps into the body. It was a lose/lose situation.
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Old 09-11-2006, 11:18 AM   #12
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Supposedly, the toxins are usually not enough to cause death but being that it was in the heart and directly in the main blood supply it could have caused significant problems, also with the barb being in the heart, which continued to move around the barb it would have increased the size of the hole just by beating. the length of time that it took to get him to the island to be flighted out, he would have been dead anyway. it just would have taken a bit longer and been more painful. Then on the other hand, anything going directly into the heart can cause it to go into shock and cause irratic beating which would have caused the heart to be ineffective. First Aid 101, never pull anything out. But, it probably was a blessing in this case.
The autopsy said the toxins weren't the cause of death, but they probably contributed.
Sad for his family and the world.
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Old 09-11-2006, 12:05 PM   #13
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Quote:
Originally posted by brink-:

Sad for his family and the world.
I've read a few commentaries on his passing, and I found it interesting that many people believe he was more popular outside of Australia than within. Many in that country thought he was a caricature of their land and culture.

I always enjoyed him.
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Old 09-11-2006, 12:40 PM   #14
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What always saddens but never surprises me are the number of folks who post spiteful remarks about Steve and his work, assuming his death was somehow deserved/to be expected because he allegedly "antagonized" or "harassed" crocs and other animals, in their view.

If you watched the shows for any length of time you'd see he was very respectful of their wildness, their habitat, etc. He would never do talk shows, for example, if he felt the animals had been in the 'green room' too long or were showing signs of stress. In the case of this stingray he was literally on top of it before he was aware that it was there.
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Old 09-11-2006, 02:39 PM   #15
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auburn, if you're referring to germaine greer, take no notice of the comments. she jumps at every opportunity to slag australia.

i'm surprised she hasnt hasnt said anything peter brock yet
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Old 09-11-2006, 02:47 PM   #16
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catmanron says it well from the Oz perspective, though all the comments here are smart IMO. a freak accident occurred, wouldn't you know it, and the poor guy was instantly caught between a rock and hard spot (ironically, so too was the stingray in its own mind's eye I bet). Not sure whether Irwin and his cameraman inadvertently "crowded" the ray or not, but we all know it would not have been intentional or born of ignorance if it did occur as such. it's just "one of those things", sadly enough.

Steve should be remembered for all the good and joy he brought the world, especially his promotion and defense of the animal kingdom that - let's face it - now sits at our mercy. He was a showman and avid enthusiast into the bargain, but underlying it all was an expertise in that field of endeavor. He was rightly admired the world over because of it. When folks like Jim Fowler and Jack Hanna pay him the kind of props they did, you realize he was no mere invention for the cameras, but a worthy defender of the wildlife he loved, and an ambassador for conservation causes the world over. Everything beyond that in his persona was icing on the top, so why the need by some to criticize the poor guy for that secondary aspect? After all, it's what got folks to sit up and pay attention to him and the causes he believed in, just as he wanted. And it worked, while it lasted.

RIP SI

PS. Can't agree with the comparison to Tony Treadwill, with all due respect MNIA. While I realize that TT loved the bears he was studying just as Steve loved his crocs, Tony showed an almost insane disregard for his own safety, against all protests from those around him who knew better. In his case, it was not a matter of if, but when. Steve was in no way reckless in his approach or methodologies. Everything he did was strictly by calculation and experience. TT unfortunately bought into his own myth of invincibility, one that was born of the notion that bears were mostly "party animals" not fully understood or even terribly dangerous to humans when approached and treated right. As all knew otherwise, and he came to learn the hard way, they are not. Like Irwin, Treadwill did a lot of good for the causes he believed in, that's true. He was certainly an accomplished observer in that field of study and had guts beyond compare, but his lack of a defensive posture or recourse in the case something went wrong was just plain stupid. It not only cost him his life, it cost the life of his girlfriend too who already thought he had gone over the edge, and was desirous to get out of there for good. As it turned out, she missed her opportunity by one bloody day.
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Old 09-11-2006, 06:36 PM   #17
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Quote:
Originally posted by joveski:
auburn, if you're referring to germaine greer, take no notice of the comments. she jumps at every opportunity to slag australia.

i'm surprised she hasnt hasnt said anything peter brock yet
Her comments were among the most egregious but news blogs had all sorts of nasty posts. Most who read her column, even those who usually enjoy her barbs, were offended and thought she was a right nutter. She has a decades long history as a sensationalist; she's sort of the Ann Coulter of her generation.

Re Greer on Brock, here's a satire from The Chaser:

Germaine Greer struggling for insensitive angle on Brock's death

Monday, 11 September 2006

Iconoclastic feminist Germaine Greer has struggled to arrive at a contrarian position on the death of Peter Brock, having prematurely exhausted her anti-ocker arguments on Steve Irwin. It took Greer several attempts to create a tenuous link between Brock's death and social issue of some import.

"Motor 'sport' is of course not a sport at all, and Peter Brock was not a sportsman," wrote the permanently disgruntled feminist icon, in a draft version of an opinion piece for the UK's Guardian newspaper. "He was a rubber-and-fuel burning environmental vandal. That one of the trees he had done so much to harm in the end came to harm him, is perhaps not surprising."

Unhappy with having to repeat the "ironic death" motif for both figures, and regretting using up her self-description as "a citizen of the rain forest" too soon, Greer then rewrote the tart piece, instead attacking Brock for his hypocritical stance on road safety. She also took the opportunity to criticize the media's anodyne and cynical commercialization of grieving, while at the same time drawing attention to her own deep respect for Aboriginal spirituality.

Peter Brock could not fool even himself with his belated reinvention as a road safety campaigner," she wrote, trying to muster up some indignation. "Many foolish young men who watched him emulated him off the race-track with consequences that were fatal, not just to themselves, but also to the blameless drivers who got in their way." "That Brock himself came asunder speeding on a country road is not fair, but it is fitting," wrote Greer in her conclusion. She will now attempt to make the sentiment marginally less contrived by asserting that "many Australians will agree with me," in subsequent media interviews.

Greer is now hoping that Shane Warne die suddenly, as she has a highly controversial post-mortem pre-prepared.
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Old 09-11-2006, 07:57 PM   #18
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Although I was never big on "The Crocodile Hunter",I was very surprised at the news last week. I am sad for such a tragic loss of life and how it was lost.

I will say this,he was quite a unique individual.
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Old 09-11-2006, 11:40 PM   #19
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Poor Steve, all that running around with poisonous snakes and crocs with huge teeth and a dang sting-ray gets him, of all things.

He was quite a character, wasn't he? Funny, boisterous and interesting. It's a shame his time was cut short. Peace be with his spirit.
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Old 09-12-2006, 12:58 AM   #20
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Shane Warne ??????

NOOOOO !!!!, please don't let anything happen to Shane, at least not until after this summer, when he will help the Australian Cricket Team, to win back the "ashes".

Please Shane don't go swimming or drive fast racing cars.

Keep Smiling.. Ron.
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Old 09-12-2006, 03:55 AM   #21
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I'm still in mourning myself. I feel almost as bad as if I'd known Steve Irwin personally.

Germaine Greer can just bloody well get over herself.

The thing is, there are several websites I go to, and of course at every one of them Steve Irwin's demise is being heavily discussed, but I'm surprised at the amount of disrespect that's being shown at other sites. It isn't just Greer. "He was a loudmouth twit. Are all Australian men like him?" My answer: "If so, I'm moving to Australia. Give me any day a man who is full of passion and shows the full spectrum of his emotions." I'm glad to see that such Irwin-bashing isn't being done here. This, I've noticed, is a very polite and respectful bunch.
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Old 09-12-2006, 02:31 PM   #22
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> "He was a loudmouth twit. Are all Australian men like him?"

only when we've been drinking :D
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Old 09-17-2006, 08:50 PM   #23
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He has been deeply mourned in this house. Leading conservationist, continually giving of time and money and knowledge, excellent husband and father, the world could use more like him.
Vale Steve Irwin.
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Old 09-18-2006, 06:11 AM   #24
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Quote:
Originally posted by joveski:
> "He was a loudmouth twit. Are all Australian men like him?"

only when we've been drinking :D
You probably STAY drunk then, don't you? :D (just kidding; sorry, I saw this and I couldn't help but crack a joke)

But seriously though, I don't see why anyone would have any disrespect for a man like Steve Irwin. What was so bad about him?
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Old 09-23-2006, 02:47 AM   #25
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I found this tribute to Steve Irwin, how very fitting:

"S.B.
AN INTERESTING DAY AT THE RAINBOW BRIDGE A tribute to Steve Irwin by drharper on Livejournal The Rainbow Bridge is a place of both peace and anticipation as departed pets await their beloved owners. There are plenty of things to keep them contented while they wait: trees you can't get stuck in, endless meadows, splashing streams, thickets perfect to hide in for pouncing games. But one day the residents noticed some rather unusual newcomers arrive. The koalas and the kangaroos slipped in rather quietly, but then came the bearded dragons, the skinks and the goannas. The influx of snakes startled an entire family of cats up a tree. Pythons, cobras, tiger snakes, brown snakes and even fierce snakes. There were so many at one point, it seemed the ground itself was alive with writhing. A burly wombat shouldered his way through the crowd and plopped down in a shady spot, barely missing a Jack Russell terrier who yapped indignantly as he abandoned his position And then the crocodiles showed up. Finally, a Great Dane managed to get up enough nerve to approach one of the reptillian giants. "Um... excuse me," he said hesitantly. "But why are you all here?" The croc dropped her jaw and laughed. "Same as you, mate," she said. "Waitin' for someone who loved us." The dogs, cats, gerbils and other "typical pets" looked at each other in confusion, then at the plethora of weird, ugly and downright deadly creatures assembled. Who on Earth could possibly love some of those faces? "I see him!" shouted a green mamba from his vantage point in one of the trees. A cacophony of squeeks, hisses, bellows and roars erupted as the mob surged forward toward a lone human walking across the field toward the bridge. The other animals managed to catch a glimpse of him before he was overwhelmed by the crowd. "CRIKEY!" he shouted joyously right before he was bowled over by the wombat. "Well I'll be," said a Persian as she tidied up her fur. "It's that Aussie my human liked to watch on TV. Had to be the craziest human on the whole planet." "Oh, please," remarked an echidna as he hurried by. "Is it really that crazy to passionately love something God made?" RIP mate, we'll miss you in the USA."

[ September 23, 2006, 03:09: Message edited by: brink- ]
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