What a 'croc' of shit!

[FungalFractoids]

Steve Irwin awarded professorship

November 14, 2007 - 8:55PM

Crocodile Hunter Steve Irwin has been posthumously awarded an adjunct professorship by the University of Queensland, a day before he's remembered on Steve Irwin Day.

Irwin's wife Terri was presented with the award from the university's School of Integrative Biology tonight while father Bob Irwin and staff from Australia Zoo watched on.

"I think that this would be such a tremendous honour to Steve," she said.

"This will be something the Irwin family will treasure forever."

She said that while she was proud of what her husband had achieved, she was excited about the future of the research project he had helped start.

The presentation followed a public lecture by Irwin's friend and colleague Professor Craig Franklin focusing on Irwin's contribution to crocodile research, including a project which tracked crocodiles' underwater movements from space.

He said the groundbreaking project had discovered wide travelling patterns - up to 900km - and that crocodiles had highly developed instincts which allowed them to find their way home after being relocated hundreds of kilometres away.

Prof Franklin said many of Irwin's fans underestimated just how much he had really contributed to conservation.

He said Irwin had "a long history" of publishing research papers and journals, and had even discovered a new breed of turtle - named Elseya Irwinii - in Queensland's Burdekin River 10 years ago.

Irwin had also achieved the extraordinary feat of being awarded an Australia Research Council linkage grant, he said.

"They're highly prestigious ... and that's quite something for someone who's outside of academia to be named investigator on such a grant," he said.

Tonight's award was a pre-amble to tomorrow's Steve Irwin Day celebrations, which will centre on the Irwins' Australia Zoo on the Sunshine Coast.

The day has been set aside to remember Irwin, who died when he was stabbed by a stingray barb while filming an underwater documentary off the north Queensland coast.

Thousands of fans will join the Irwin family at a special tribute concert where his nine-year-old daughter Bindi will perform three new songs and Olivia Newton-John will also sing.

Terri Irwin will launch her new book, My Steve, as well as a yet-to-be-revealed "special tribute" to her late husband.

Fuck Steve Irwin, wanker. That sting ray got him good, the only injustice being that I was waiting for years in the vain hope he might get bitten by an angry snake or something- then when it finally happens they won't release the footage. They denied his fans the one thing that kept them watching his wildlife schlockumentaries

[PD.]

lol, if i keep harrassing poor cacti, cuttin them up and takin their pics i mite get posthumously awarded an adjunct professorship.

now all i need to do is start a cactus sanctuary.

Edited November 14, 2007 by Passive Daemon

[incognito]

far out steve-irwin bashing is weak as piss.

how about u guys go out and make the positive imprint on animal conservation that he has???

cmon peeps..he built an ANIMAL HOSPITAL ffs. have some respect.

[PD.]

Yeh, im just bein a smartass Jono.

Least he was doin SOMETHING, regardless of the way he went about it or the motives behind it.

Jesus i hope this turns into another "steve lover/hater" thread like the last one. hahahahaha

[benjahman]

Sorry Passive

Just wanted to butt in for 2 secs and say that I met the guy a couple of times about 6 years ago, and I have to say he seemed like he had his heart in the right place ultimately, (at least at the time i met him). Believe it or not, he wasn't actually putting on that voice or over the top enthusiasm, that's genuinely who he was. He definitely didn't seem the sharpest tool in the shed, intellectually speaking he came across a LOT like a child- heart in the right place, unbridled enthusiasm for the stuff he enjoyed and oblivious to the full possible ramifications of his actions. Seemed like he really, really dug animals too. His wife was the smart, upwardly mobile, business-based brain of the operation (met her as well), sorting out the merchandise, negotiating the movie stuff, franchises etc. The way he behaved with animals definitely left a lot to be desired in so many ways but from what I saw what he did with the coin he made from his exploits certainly didn't.. He explained to me his long-term desire to use the money he was making from the zoo and videos to buy up massive tracts of land in Queensland (first around the zoo) and then in Tasmania and NSW and make the areas purchased permanent wildlife reserves... you could see in his eyes he meant it, (however hard it might have been to achieve in reality).

The fact that he lived frugally at the zoo in a small three room house with his wife and daughter when not away shooting- A small bedroom for his daughter, another humble one for him and his wife and a conjoined kitchenette living room lent a lot of credence to his claims for me. Most people with that kind of income tend to have more than 3 rooms... The place was quite seriously modester than plenty of student accommodation I've seen.

He definitely did some stupid things, but forgetting those for a minute and putting aside all the deitification and nationalistic bullshit that's followed his death (not his problem obviously), he struck me as a very childlike man trying to be a good person.

Just a little food for thought from someone who's had a good look into his eyes.

[incognito]

The way he behaved with animals definitely left a lot to be desired in so many ways

i just think he grew up around these animals, catching them with his dad. i mean they relocated dangerous crocodiles, and he was doing it from before he could walk and stuff from what ive read.

this comfort around dangerouscreatures ultimately made for his demise, but hey.

i have never reallyseen him mistreat an animal? has anyone else? i think the worst ive seen was him sit on a crocs back, and it didnt really look in pain. where do all these 'roughing up' calls come from? how do u 'rough up' a crocodile?

theres alot worse people in the world to throw poo at, give the dude a break !!

yeah no further coment.

[FungalFractoids]

I'm just happy the animals finally got their own back after being harrassed for years. Stingrays FTW!

[JustAskSally]

how about u guys go out and make the positive imprint on animal conservation that he has???

Dude just for public knowledge every single person at the Australian Reptile Park at Gosford had a huge disliking for this bloke.. He not only underfed practically all his reptiles, he time and time again spread mis-information about reptiles, about breeding, and also stole the credit from those that actually been successful where he wasn't, and also those that had gone before him and deserved the credit.. He wanted to be the only person in the 'reptile business' and that's why he never gives credit to others, always was the be all and end all of any topic on reptiles and also why he fooled the public into believed he was the king of the buis and actually knew what he was talking about..

It was only ever about image with this man, he underfed his animals to save money and amazingly at one point had to send a young Burmese python to the Gosford park because he couldn't figure out why it was sick and in a really bad state... it was sick and in a really bad way because it was being fed a rat a week.. occasionally two where it should have been fed AT LEAST a couple of full grown chickens a week..

He even told everyone a while back that it was impossible to breed ridge tail monitors only because he himself couldn't get them to breed, and when Bob from Gosford reptile park made it public that Steve was full of shit and a dick head to boot Steve took him to court because he claimed that the monitors have 'genetic defects' that make it impossible for them to breed and that Bob was lying to scar his reputation.. Bob subsequently won the case after proving that he had successfully bred these monitors, and in the meantime Steves right hand man was taken off the witness stand because he was actually in Germany WATCHING them breed..

Honestly, everyone in the general public that knows squat about reptiles think Steve was a guru and messiah and there was never a better, more knowledgeable man to trust about reptiles..

And everyone that actually does know about reptiles, thought the man was, although a good showman, the worlds biggest douche, and could barely believe that the public would blindly follow his adventures with awe, and believe everything he said.. But they did know why the public followed him with such high regard, its because when he said things it did sound like he knew what he was talking about, and he put on that good a show well he must know what hes on about, and it only left a small minority who knew the truth, and that small minority were involved reptile keepers around Aus.

It was only ever the general public that loved Steve and it was only for his show boating and arrogant character that they did! Everyone that had and has a honest passion for reptiles thought he was a dick and wasn't fit to run his own park let alone make the doco's he did..

Edited November 15, 2007 by JustAskSally

[JustAskSally]

damn double post

Edited November 15, 2007 by JustAskSally

[PD.]

wooooooooooooo, here we go. hahahaha

Honestly, everyone in the general public that knows squat about reptiles think Steve was a guru and messiah and there was never a better, more knowledgeable man to trust about reptiles..

Nah, good ol Harry Butler holds that place in my heart, i grew up watching his tv show and i have his books, fuggin champion. He IS the main reason for my interest in animals and plants. :D Man, he used to chase down goannas like a mofo, grab em by the tail and hold em for the camera, then he would let him go. Dont hear anyone pissin and moanin about him, but if ya do wanna have a whinge about ol Hazza i suggest you check out what the man did for Barrow island, that outta shut ya up.

If that dont do it for ya i know a dude with a fence pailing that could help you understand.

Go Hazza go.

[FungalFractoids]

At least Hazza did it barefoot, like a REAL man..

Hey, Sally, do you mind if I use your post in a similar thread running over at BL?

[PD.]

At least Hazza did it barefoot, like a REAL man..

LMFAO.

so its goin on at poolite too huh FF, man i gotsta get my arse there, first rubes now stevie, lol. Could be fun. ;)

[apothecary]

An adjunct professorship isn't as flash as it sounds? Most adjunct professors are sort of like freelance professors who teach in specialised fields for short periods of time.

You don't even need a PhD!

[JustAskSally]

What exactly did the man do for barrow island???? as far as i know he brought it to the attention of naturalists (and oil companies) where the naturalists have now recognised 25odd plant and animal species that occur no where else in the world, as well as allowed the oil companies to drill 900 oil wells across the island with 400 still producing today..

Man its not the way Steve physically handled his animals that makes gets all pissy and moany its the fact that it was always more about him than it was the animals, its that he would purposely mislead the public to believe something that he knew to be bullshit, and would take credit for other peoples work to big note himself. I don't know much about Harry Butler but from what i do he seemed more dedicated to his work, and a hell of a lot more genuine, and that is why he hasn't made docos for many years because he is dedicated to his work and not to a ego-boosting capitalising way of life..

[PD.]

Barrow island shows that destruction is not necessary and conservation is possible even in the midst of massive oil drilling operations. Im cbf explaining what Haz did or how he did it, no need to, hes a CHAMPION.

if any of you say one bad thing bout haz ya screwed.

not to a ego-boosting capitalising way of life..

hehe, jeeeeez i wonder where that influence on Stevie came from.

[incognito]

quote-Dude just for public knowledge every single person at the Australian Reptile Park at Gosford had a huge disliking for this bloke.. He not only underfed practically all his reptiles, he time and time again spread mis-information about reptiles, about breeding, and also stole the credit from those that actually been successful where he wasn't, and also those that had gone before him and deserved the credit

sounds like a fair bit of jeolousy here from the austreptile park. underfed my ass.

stole credit my ass.

misinformation my ass.

quote-It was only ever about image with this man, he underfed his animals to save money and amazingly at one point had to send a young Burmese python to the Gosford park because he couldn't figure out why it was sick and in a really bad state... it was sick and in a really bad way because it was being fed a rat a week.. occasionally two where it should have been fed AT LEAST a couple of full grown chickens a week..

haha image my ass!! underfed to save money thats fuken palooka-bullshit man.nsounds like more gosford park propaganda to me.

they should get over themselves, just because all they have going is a fuken paper mache' diplodocus dont vent ur underachieving shit on steve.

quote-everyone in the general public that knows squat about reptiles

i know jack about reptiles but i know u do not feed a python 3 live chickens a week man.

who are u anyways? albey mangels?

ill carry on about this forever man, let the guy rest in peace, its easy to look at bad -sides, why cant he be remembered for the positives hes contributed? i dunno just ragging on a dead man (a good man to idbet my life) sucks.

anyways the gosford reptile park sucks. ive been there about 12 times and every time i go there it sucks worse. the staff look bored and i bet they just love getting together and scowl and bitch aboutsteve irwin. prolly makes em feel big and shit.

to bad their park SUCKS!

and anyways didnt the owner there get killed by a snake??? how dumb is that? took more than a snake to kill steve. he used to piss venom. see the episodes where he was wiping the cobra venom from his eyes?? then he figured hed put on sunnies.

no way took a knife sized barb through the heart to stop steve.

Gosford wildlife park pffffft.

[occidentalis]

An adjunct professorship isn't as flash as it sounds? Most adjunct professors are sort of like freelance professors who teach in specialised fields for short periods of time.

No - although obviously they must be pretty top notch in those fields, which is a bit ridiculous. No matter what you think of Steve you have to admit that he wasn't the brightest.

but the ARC linkage grant is pretty special and makes me think there must have been something else of value going on

The research group I work with is trying to get one of these at the moment, it's a big deal.

What exactly did the man do for barrow island???? as far as i know he brought it to the attention of naturalists (and oil companies) where the naturalists have now recognised 25odd plant and animal species that occur no where else in the world, as well as allowed the oil companies to drill 900 oil wells across the island with 400 still producing today..

As PD says, Barrow Island is one of the best examples of how industry and conservation are not mutually exclusive landuse categories. Of course it's not perfect, no doubt there has been damage to the environment there, but it's probably the best that has been achieved so far.

Edited November 15, 2007 by creach

[incognito]

quote-it was always more about him than it was the animals

guess thats why he built an animal hospital ay? and dedicated his life to them?

my 6 yr old nephew cried when he heardsteve died, and hes extremely passionate about animals from watching steves shows.

he may take that passion steve passed onto kids with himthe rest of his life, and pass it onto his kids and so on.

quote-dude just for public knowledge every single person at the Australian Reptile Park at Gosford had a huge disliking for this bloke..

sorry mate i had no idea u worked for em, no offence intended, though i must admit the last 2 times i went there i was bored shitless. the staff looked real bored as well. I can see how the tall-poppy syndrome could easily be instilled in its employees.

I think ur view is biased. I mean i know that the place has struggled to stay afloat in past years, and seeing steves unbridled, self-made success would make the guys at the top fume no doubt. Who woulda thought that bringing conservation to the common man would work better than bunging a paper dinosaur in front of ur place? now thats how to raise research $.

But to say he wasnt 'in it for the animals' u surely must see as false. That enthusiasm dont lie.

i dont disagree with u that there are more knowledgable peeps in the field, but ive never heard him discredit anyone?

anyhoo i like steve , the bottom line of everything steve has had to say, that even 4 yr olds can understand, is to respect animals/animals are great and respect the environment around u.

as far as mods drilling me for writing what ive written, aernt i entitled to my view?? how i see things??

no offence at all intended asksally.

trust me , if steve hadnt come along, thered be a hell of a lot of people and kids that would be further behind the 8 ball in regards to animal welfare and land conservation had he not have. who else do we have?? australian reptile park? sure they are really getting the message across.

edit- im sorry about my emotion involved in this. been watching 'wiggly safari' the one where steve is with the wiggles at australia zoo . Kids really resonate with steve, my daughter thinks hes the coolest shit, and shes only 3.

That has to say somethin at least, as i swear kids really resonate with the real shit.they pick falcities fairly quickly. they are pretty honest.

i wish he where still alive, so my kid could grow up watching him, and get out of his shows what so many children so obviously did. Thats for real. an appreciation of animals and the environment, with a total lack of pretention(no wonder he doesnt go down to well in some circles) yeah hes real evil.

Edited November 15, 2007 by jono

[FungalFractoids]

guess thats why he built an animal hospital ay? and dedicated his life to them?

my 6 yr old nephew cried when he heardsteve died, and hes extremely passionate about animals from watching steves shows.

he may take that passion steve passed onto kids with himthe rest of his life, and pass it onto his kids and so on.

Oh noe's! Won't somebody puhleeeeeeeeeeeeeeaaase think of the children!!!!!

[incognito]

my premise exactly. funny how most of the peeps u hear slagging steve think they r way to school for school.

yeah shit,, thinking of children? what a bizarre concept? surely their insight must mean nothing?

[FungalFractoids]

I wonder how many kids have been bitten by snakes trying to imitate his silly antics?

[PD.]

i was bitten by a snake as a kid, but i dont blame anyone else for my stupidity.

[FungalFractoids]

Explains a lot...

[PD.]

hahaha, thats just the tip of the iceberg. A snake bite cant fuk ya up THAT bad ;)

[The Dude]

you want my opinion, i know you do...

Steve was...

* Enthusiastic, Yes!

* Dumb, Yes!

* Mishandling animals in what can only be called harrasment with no scientific or knowledge gaining goal other than entertainment - Yes!

* Bringing the thrill of harrassing dangerous animals to the living rooms of the general public... - Yes!

* Transmitting his childlike enthusiasm to those on his exact same wavelength (ie: children) - Yes!

* .: Transmitting that same love of nature to the general public especially young children - Yes!

* Capitalising on his image and in the process bringing conservationism to the masses as not only important but also something 'cool' to do - cuz their hero does it - Yes!

At the same time is that 'love' of animals nothing more than the excitement of poking snakes with sticks? - I mean they're pretty dangerous I'm sure it'd be such a huge rush and I've seen my hero do similar stuff all the time, so I might emulate him, maybe his influence isn't entirely benign?

The rest about him pushing misinformation and trying to take credit for other, smarter peoples work sounds plausible as the American influence must have been one of 'success at all costs'.

Whatever can be said about Steve, the 'Irwin machine' running his life, ran by the wife, is something else entirely. All that genuine character that is obvious of Steve is complimented by her utter fake performance that she puts on to continue milking the steve irwin enterprise for all its' worth and she's exploiting the fuck out of poor Bindee too. I feel sad for what's happening to Bindee and, if I believed in the shit, I'd be offended by what I see as being that womans true motivations. -Yep she got a real catch with that one.