CRIKEY! Death by stingray (Steve Irwin killed, RIP)

http://www.theage.com.au/news/national/irwins-diana-effect/2006/09/07/1157222250371.html

Steve Irwin's shocking death has stirred up hysteria comparable to the aftermath of Princess Diana's demise almost a decade ago.

Although the unglamorous Irwin would probably have yelled "Crikey!" at any link with the woman dubbed in death as England's Rose, the response from the public worldwide has been remarkably similar.

Both died unexpectedly in freakish accidents that received saturation media coverage.

Like Diana's death, the assassination of John F Kennedy or the murder of John Lennon, people can remember where they were and what they were doing when they heard Irwin had died on Monday.

Websites have been overwhelmed by people wanting to pay tribute to the Crocodile Hunter, while newspapers have enjoyed a spike in sales due to the public interest.

After spending most of his life risking death from snakebite or wrestling with crocodiles, Steve Irwin's demise was due to a fatal stab wound from a stingray's barb.

Amazingly, there is footage of his dying moments with debate ongoing over whether the film should ever be shown.

The public reacted to Diana's death by swamping London's royal palaces with flowers and other tributes.

The Irwin-owned Australia Zoo, north of Brisbane, has become a mecca for thousands of fans who have turned the entrance of the wildlife park into a massive floral memorial.

Irwin's family has been inundated with messages of support from around the world, particularly America where his death has dominated the news due to his immense popularity there.

Cultural studies lecturer Dr Karen Brooks said even though there was nothing in common between Irwin and Princess Diana, the reaction to their deaths had strong parallels.

"In Britain, they're calling Steve's death our Diana," the University of the Sunshine Coast academic and media commentator said.

"There's a sense in which the outpouring of grief and the shock has been very similar."

The Irwin family seem nonplussed at all the fuss over Steve, a man described by his grieving father Bob as just an ordinary bloke.

The Irwins have already turned down an offer of a state funeral.

Diana, killed in a Paris road crash in 1997, was farewelled at a Westminster Abbey service which featured Elton John performing a Diana-ised version of Candle In The Wind.

There's been talk of a memorial service at Brisbane's Suncorp Stadium for Steve Irwin, but hopefully no bright spark will suggest enlisting Sir Elton to sing Crocodile Rock if that event goes ahead.

so fucking otm.

Now this is a USC I can accept.

which american said that?

Goodbye Australia's Noah
May you ever grow in our hearts
You were the mate that placed himself
Where crocs were thought apart

You yelled out to our country
And you whispered to those animals in pain
Now you belong to heaven
And the stars spell out your name

{Refrain}
And it seems to me you lived your life
Like a warrior in the wind
Never fading with the sunset when the tide came in
And your footsteps will always fall here
Along Australia’s dusty hills
Your Flame’s burned out long before
Your legend ever will

Manliness we've lost
These empty days without your smile
This torch we'll always carry
For our nation's reptile park child

And even though we cry “Crikey!
The truth brings us to tears
All our words cannot express
The joy you brought us through the years

{Refrain}

Goodbye Australia's Noah
May you ever grow in our hearts
You were the Mate that placed Himself
Where animals were thought apart

Goodbye Australia's Noah
From a country lost without your soul
Who'll miss the wings of your conservation
More than you'll ever know

R.I.P Steve Irwin 1962-2006

This is the funniest thing I've read on this thread since "ha bloddy ha"!

(What'll they do when Barry Humphries dies? National dress like Dame Edna day?)

This is easily the bigger national tragedy for Australia :-(

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_Brock

Brock developed an interest in New Age-style spirituality through practitioner Eric Dowker. Brock began publicly supporting, and eventually began to fit to HDT specials, a device called the "Energy Polarizer", containing strong permanent magnets, which, it was claimed, improved the performance and handling of vehicles through "aligning the molecules". The overwhelming majority of the Australian motoring community regarded the device as pseudoscience.[1] Brock also recommended tyre pressures of 22psi (150kPa) for his polariser-equipped vehicles, a level which many regarded as near-dangerously low. Holden, fearing the consequences of being associated with the device, cut ties with Brock and set up an alternative racing/modification operation, Holden Special Vehicles.

BRISBANE, Australia (AP) - Up to 10 stingrays have been found dead and mutilated on Australia's eastern coast since "Crocodile Hunter" Steve Irwin was killed by one of the animals last week, an official said Tuesday, prompting concerns of revenge attacks on the normally docile fish.

The popular television star was killed last week when a stingray barb pierced his chest as he filmed a TV show off Australia's Great Barrier Reef, prompting an outpouring of grief in Australia and among his fans worldwide.

The dead stingrays have been discovered on two beaches in Queensland state, including two that were found Tuesday with their tails lopped off, state fisheries department official Wayne Sumpton said.

Sumpton said fishermen who inadvertently catch the diamond-shaped rays sometimes cut off their tails to avoid being stung, but the practice was uncommon.

Michael Hornby, the executive director of Irwin's conservation group Wildlife Warriors, said he was concerned the rays were being hunted and killed in retaliation for the TV star's death.

"We just want to make it very clear that we will not accept and not stand for anyone who's taken a form of retribution. That's the last thing Steve would want," he said.

"I hope everyone understands we have to protect wildlife now more than ever. This is what Steve was all about."

Stingrays are usually shy, unobtrusive fish that rummage the sea bottom for food or burrow into the sand. When stepped on or otherwise frightened, a serrated spine up to 25 centimeters (10 inches) long in the animal's tail flares up.

The spines emit toxins that can kill many small creatures and that cause excruciating pain in humans. Few people die from the poison, but the spines can badly tear flesh and the wounds are prone to infections, including tetanus.

Oh wait, message coming through from Steve Irwin, from beyond the grave:

"Mate! Don't do it! It was my fault, the ray didn't see me and thought I was a hostile interloper mate. Leave them! Let the Stingrays go, they are innocent. Mate... Mate... mate..."

http://www.steakandcheese.com/content/homepage/steve-irwin-death-pictures.asp

Heh, and I'm not just talking about the guy getting stuck in the chest by a stingray.