Posted on 09/04/2006 7:19:21 PM PDT by Pyro7480
Animal Planet is doing a kind of retrospective of him right now. 9:30 cst. So sad that he is gone.
I'm hoping the terrorists leave this event alone.
International.
One big difference, Steve brought a lot more to humanity than Dale did.
And from what I just saw on Hannity and Colmes, getting killed by a stingray is quite rare, especially how Steve died. Though no one said it, Steve might have been highly careless with the animal to have been stung where he was.
Frankly, I think Australia hands out state funerals much too readily, nowadays. Irwin is probably more deserving than most who get one, but that isn't saying much.
" ... Irwin's fellow documentary maker Ben Cropp revealed that footage shows Irwin swimming alongside a large smooth stingray, also known as a bull ray, in less than two metres of water, while a cameraman from his production company swims in front to film him for a new TV wildlife series.
Without warning, the ray, usually regarded as a placid creature towards humans, stops, turns and lashes out, spearing Irwin in the chest with one of the knife-like barbs at the end of its tail - an action like a paring knife creating "a terrific tearing of flesh", said Bryan Fry, of the University of Melbourne's Australian venom research unit.
It was not known last night whether Irwin, 44, died of a heart attack, blood loss from the wound, venom from the ray or a combination of all three. It was only the third known death by stingray in Australia. ..."
>>>It was possible, some have said, that the ray felt boxed in, with the cameraman in front of him and Steve behind him, so he struck.
He was hit from below the rib cage, with an upward thrust to the heart. Irwin pulled the 8" spine out himself, then lost consciousness as they got him to the boat within 2 minutes.
They did CPR until more medical help arrived (there was a paramedic on the boat) by helicopter 10 minutes later, but by then it was too late.
That last sequence was filmed, and Irwin had said in earlier interviews he hoped it would be on film if he were ever killed by an animal he was working with - that it would show the animal's innocence, just doing what animals do.
The producers of the documentary will talk to Terri Irwin later about the videotape, which is now in the hands of the police, for the coroner's inquest.
If that goes through, only certain members of the Labour Party over there are responsible.
----
Enlightne me. Which 'certain members'?
State Funeral Bump!!
I wasn't aware of any of Steve's political leanings. Was this part of an interview somewhere? Just curious - would love to read more.
BTW, many prayers for the Irwin family.
When Prime Minister John Howard dropped in on Irwin's Australia Zoo on Queensland's Sunshine Coast, the naturally ebullient Irwin introduced him to the crowd as "the greatest leader Australia has ever had" and the "greatest leader in the entire world".
LOL! We post the exact same article.
Well, it's a good article!
Being Steve Irwin
Actually, that could just as well read "hating Steve Irwin", which appears to be the latest fad among Labor, the cultural Lefties, and the Arts chatterati. Miranda Devine has an article on the fallout from Irwin's declaration that John Howard was the "greatest leader ever" and the "greatest leader in the entire world". Of course, you can't say that if you're an actor or on television, so the usual suspects are now doing their best to ruin Irwin.
Suddenly Irwin the likeable, outback ocker became Irwin the greedy "millionaire" Howard-lover. For some people, this was unforgivable.
The letters pages of newspapers exploded with venom and journalists sharpened their poison quills.
"After his public comment to the effect that John Howard is the greatest prime minister this country has ever had, I no longer take him seriously as an apolitical or intelligent wildlife advocate," A. Bass of Sutherland wrote to The Daily Telegraph yesterday.
A reporter from The Age in Melbourne questioned why Irwin had turned down an invitation to Bill Clinton's presidential farewell dinner. "Does it tell us more about Steve Irwin than he might want us to know?" he wrote. Irwin had "thick skin", the article went on to say. "There's no getting through to the heart or the soul. And let's not make the mistake of going for the head."
There were snide stories about Irwin's invitation to the Lodge for a fancy "partisan barbecue" Howard hosted for visiting US President George Bush, complete with snaky references to the $25,000 cost.
There were stories attacking Irwin's character. "For crocodile hunter Steve Irwin charity really does begin at home, with the millionaire 'donating' $175,000 to himself," began one story in The Courier-Mail in Brisbane. This $364 a minute of taxpayers' money was supposedly for "one day's work" shooting a quarantine awareness TV ad. The Federal Opposition and ABC Radio tried to whip up a crocodile-cash-for-comment scandal, linking the payment to Irwin's praise of the Prime Minister.
Finally, last week, Irwin was forced to defend himself, issuing a statement explaining the money was for a whole year's work on the quarantine campaign, not one day, and that he had given every cent to a new koala hospital at his Queensland zoo...
http://www.mediaman.com.au/articles/crocodile_hunter.html
Steve Irwin was a strong supporter of Prime Minister Howard and was an honoured guest when the PM held a BBQ for President Bush on his last visit.
That's the International Left for you. Hatred is par for the course.
Gotta respect a guy who breaks out the smoker for a good ol' fashioned BBQ with the President. Wonder if the President swaped some Texas BBQ tips with PM Howard and Steve.
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