Our dirt bikes bring all the boys to the yard. Damn right, they're better than yours.

Monday, September 04, 2006

Who'll hunt the crocs now, Steve?

Australians are in shock today, sort of.
Steve Irwin, their beloved Crocodile Hunter, while filming a documentary called, more than ironically, "Ocean's Deadliest," was stung in the heart by a stingray, more than likely while holding the li'l buggah and saying, in some way or another, "croikey! What a dahling! What a beauty!" through the mouthpiece of his scuba suit. Medics tried CPR, but doctors still don't have a cure for pericardial punctures by poisonous ocean creatures.
I don't remember when I first saw The Crocodile Hunter show. All I know is that, when I first saw that wily Aussie kiss a croc, kiss a lizard, and then ride a dolphin down the main street of Brisbane, I was hooked. Every episode was supposedly different, but much the same: "Heah, today, we'ah goin' ta foind the great reah forest biter snayke. Heah he is, the little devil! LOOK at him! Isn't HE A DAHLING!?"
Of course, by this point, the snake is hanging from the end of Irwin's nose as blood runs down his face. Change the species of animal, throw in a few uncalled-for pokes with sticks, and you've got a goldmine of TV magic.
And how could the world not watch as a man who has been riding crocs since he was nine brings his one-month-old son Bob (rather than his Eight-year-old daughter Bindy-Sue, named after his favourite dog, Bindy) into the crock pit at his Beerwah, Queensland croc park? It got him a lot of flak, but this guy knew animals. Except the ones that bit him.
Constantly.
So I suppose Australians are in shock at Irwin's death today the same way they're in shock every morning when the sun comes up. "Crikey," they all say at once, as it echoes though the streets, "Oi can't beloive it haeoppened."
Like the sun coming up, it was only a matter of time before a man who picked up and kissed every poisonous creature there is Down Under got stung, bit, or eaten to death by one of them. Despite that, I'm going to miss the li'l buggah.
As he once explained to someone, "I have no fear of losing my life - if I have to save a koala or a crocodile or a kangaroo or a snake, mate, I will save it."
Without Steve, the world will be a much safer, much more boring place.

Sunday, September 03, 2006

Who likes this game?




I found something fun. Play along!