Sharks = Public enemy number one?
 

Somebody had to bring this topic up again in light of the past weekend's attacks. I feel soooo guilty! We were in South Carolina last week and I kept reassuring my children that they were in no danger of shark attacks since we were so far North! Was I (and they), shocked to learn about the deaths in Virginia and North Carolina! I think they lost faith in Mom while watching the news this morning. Call me a scaredy cat, alarmist or anything you want, but no way would I be in the ocean for the rest of this season! FYI, did anyone catch Howard Stern this a.m.? He's starting a crusade to kill all sharks and bears!

If you're concerned about teaching your children honesty, morality and respect, public enemy number one is Howard Stern. <BR> <BR>As for the shark issue, your kids won't hold anything against you. Parents can't be right 100% of the time. This latest attack even has me, a true skeptic, a little nervous.

Curious, even with all the media hype and publicity, the statistics STILL indicate that there have been LESS shark attacks this year than in previous years. Why all the hype and publicity? Because a child's arm was severed and reattached and the attacking shark was wrestled onto shore. AT least that's my reasoning.

Sharks attacks are the best thing that happened to Gary Condit

It's a tradgedy when there are fatalities when sharks bite. My prayers and sympathies go out to the families involved. <BR>If we examine the recent attacks,(except for the surfers who look like seals to sharks) all the attacks occured around dusk and on holiday weekends when more people are in the water. It's a lot like crime in the city, if you realize that most crime happens in the dark hours, then stay away from those areas. Sharks have been around for eons and will probably be here long after we are gone. Just use care and common sense.

x, it's more than just the little boy whoses arm was severed, did you read about the three attacks this past weekend in Northern waters? It's freaky! <BR>I am a Stern fan from way back (No my children do not listen to him). I understand that his crassness and crudeness are are part of the facade and that his persona is to be taken as a joke. It really does help to have a sense of humor. Most people realize that as even he states, nothing he says should be taken seriously.

It appears that different x's are floating around on this one. <BR> <BR>Howard can be very funny, but his humor can also send the wrong signal, especially to teenage males, who grow up thinking it's acceptable to be degrading to women and to hold nothing in reverence. I, like you, can separate the fact from the fiction, but it's the others among us who can't that worry me. <BR> <BR>As for the sharks, the odds of you or I becoming fish food are still incredibly small, but all this media coverage is starting to make that pool look mighty good.

curious, <BR>The numbers I heard on GMA this morning were that there have been 39 shark attacks in/around the US this year. Last year the figures were 56. (Give or take no more than 5 on each of these numbers) <BR> <BR>Fewer shark attacks. More publicity. So far, the only major reasoning I can see for the difference in publicity is the UNCOMMON occurance of the boy's uncle wrestling the actual shark to shore and retrieving the severed arm quickly enough that it could be reattached. <BR> <BR>It goes back to the days of the movie, Jaws. Sharks have always been there. Will always be there. As long as we don't have to think about them, we enjoy the water. Personally, I've never like going out into the ocean/gulf deep enough where I can't touch the bottom. But that's just me. Next time, only swim early or late if you see porpoise/dolphins - from what I understand sharks vacate the area when they're around. Or is that just an urban legend? <BR> <BR>Howard Stern? Major League jerk (to be polite). I won't even go there.

The final piece to the puzzle has been found. According to one of those tabloids found in grocery stores, the sharks are under the control of Fidel Castro. Apparently, Castro is "using" the sharks to get back at the U.S. <BR>It's in print so it MUST be the truth! <BR>

There does seem to be more media coverage. What is scary about the attacks is that they do not seem to be in deep water, no more than 4 feet for one of the attacks over the weekend, same thing for the little boy in FLA. <BR> <BR>As for Howard- He should definately NOT be taken too seriously!! Remember he is there for entertainment purposes only- he is not meant to be taken to heart!

Would this, by chance, be the same tabloid in which a space alien endorsed George W. Bush? <BR> <BR>Call it nonsense, but that same alien endorsed Bill Clinton, so he's 2 for 2.

Didn't Orwell predict something like this happening in "Animal Farm"? I also read about some attacks from Sea gulls in Maine this summer . . spooky

I agree the recent attacks are sad. However, I'm not sure why the media has everyone hyped so much about it. The statistics are true that there were MORE attacks LAST year and I don't really recall it being in the news that much last year!?!! On another note, if anyone gets the Encore movie channel, i noticed they ran an entire day of JAWS yesterday complete with movies 1-4 showed in order and then they started again, showing everything twice! I don't know whether this was coinncidence or not. Maybe it was a message to stay out of the water, but it seems painfully ironic considering the attacks over the weekend.

More people die from bee stings each year than from shark attacks. Life is a risk and you never know when your number is up!!! What are you going to do, cower in fear or live life to the fullest????

Could this have anything to do with the great tanning salon lobby, who will do anything to keep people from tanning the natural way?

Well, I won't be quite so smug about sharks never attacking at a Northern beach in the future, that's for sure. <BR> <BR>The whole thing is so weird. Yes, the stats are quite good that nothing will ever happen. But the publicity has robbed me of the one thing I need when I take the kids to the beach -- peace of mind. I'm trying to take comfort in the knowledge that more people have died in drownings at the Delaware/Maryland beaches in the last couple of weeks than the few publicized shark deaths. Drowning is the real risk at the beach, IMHO. <BR> <BR>So far, I've shielded the kids from the media reports entirely, so they did fine at the beach a few weeks ago. And when we go next year, we'll all still go out in the water. I figure letting my kids swim at the beach despite my irrational fears of sharks will prepare me to give them the car keys in a few years. That's when they really will be at substantial risk of injury.

Alright, they say that this year is no different than last year, I see the numbers too, BUT, where were those attacks? <BR>Does anyone know where I can find this info? <BR>I home is Pensacola and for the 25 years there, I never heard about an attack. <BR>I use to always go to the same place that litle boy did to swim (of course not during those hours). <BR>I am originally from Norfolk and my father has always lived in Va.Beach. <BR>They have never had any attacks. <BR> <BR>Why now? THIS IS DIFFERENT from the other years. <BR>

Yes Gina, for awhile anyway I'm going to cower in fear. I don't plan on going back in the water until at least next year!

Sharks are like mice..if they are hungry you are constantly battling their infestation. I propose placing giant glue traps offshore. Large floating cranes could dispose of the traps at the end of the season. Any humans who by accident get stuck will have paid the price of swimming too far out in the first place.

The only place I would go swimming in the ocean is in the Carribean or Meditteranian. The American coastline is dirty & polluted. God knows what's in the water, let alone some sharks nearby. I quit going in the ocean about 10 years ago. NO desire to go back in.

It goes without saying that the greatest enemy to mankind is man himself...Anyone who believes to the contrary is simply deluding himself!

For the person who asked where they could find statistics showing there were more attacks last year, there was a huge article in Monday's Chicago Sun-Times newspaper which is one of the most widely read in the US and is online. I'm sure you could look up the back issue. They had a table that showed attacks month by month last year and this year foor all over the world including the US. If I remember correctly, there were something like 54 attacks last year and only 32? this year. And there were many more attacks in Florida in 2000 than 2001. One difference however was that there were no deaths in the US last year due to shark attacks and there was only one worldwide (Brazil) while we have had this recent death here. I don't understand either why we are hearing more about this year than last!

One reason we may be hearing more about it this year is that more people are perhaps reporting minor cuts and scrapes from sharks this year because of the media frenzy. Maybe they want to get there name in the paper. In years past, swimmers and surfers (particularly) have been "scraped" or "bumped" by a shark. But they just let it go. Not so this year. [many times a shark will graze you with its teeth, and because their teeth are so sharp, you will be cut. usually, it's superficial and doesn't draw a lot of media attention.]

A great website with lots of stats, like who, what, when, what were they doing & wearing at the time of a shark attack is: <BR>http://www.flmnh.ufl.edu/fish/Sharks/ISAF/ISAF.htm <BR>(International Shark Attack File) <BR> <BR>Helps put things in perspective!

It's true. There is nothing unique about this year. There were more shark attacks worldwide LAST year. The real sharks in this case are the media who are having their own feeding frenzy at our expense. <BR> <BR>

Curious, did you also hear that Hank the Angry Dwarf is dead? Stern is right; this is WAR!!!!!!!! Kill all sharks.

Yes I did Mr. X (you're not Robin's Mr. X, are you?). The sad news upstaged most of the shark discussion today. Oh well, there's always tomorrow!

"Public Enemy Number One"? When I hear those words, names like George W. Bush, Rush Limbaugh come to mind. Sharks? Pshaw. They ain't nuthin.

Yes, there is a conspiracy of us sharks to dominate the globe. Humans are our first enemies. After we rid the oceans of humans- swimmers, fishermen, sailors, cargo freighters, oil rigs-, we will then dedicate ourselves to the destruction of our ancient enemies the dolphins. Do not oppose us; we are UNITED as never before. Don't put even a toe in salt water; we'll bite it off. To all the Flippers out there: YOU'RE GOING DOWN!!!!!!!!

Public Enemy, And lets not forget the biggest hypocrite off them all, Dr. Laura!

Shoodle, could you per chance be bought off with a nice meaty politician?

There'll be no quarter for humans.....unless you are female. I have never made love with a human and I would like to.

<BR>"We're gonna need a bigger boat." <BR>

I think the sharks have finally figured out that the pink things in the water are really slow and easy to catch. (Kind of bony though)

F*** sharks! Kill 'em all! Along with all you left-wing liberals!

Gee, Howard, small brain too. Ciao

I took a look at the Chicago Sun Times and did a search. <BR>I tried under shark and shark attacks and found none of the info you mentioned. <BR>I have also tried the International Shark file and cannot access that site for some reason. <BR>I think the problem is coming from my end (server) as I see that the file stops loading when I see an address being used from this country. <BR>Odd, but have tried to get there using both explorer and netscape, and on different nights. <BR>Any other ideas? Thanks.

Don't you people get it yet? The Aliens are manipulating the sharks into attacking so they can control the oceans and once they control the oceans it will be easy for them to gain control of the rest of the world. They have been among us for centuries and they want world domination!

To Beth and others, <BR> <BR>Here is what I want to know: <BR> <BR>While tuning in to the "new" CNN Headline news, I read on one of their noisy side graphics that there were 18 (~) deaths by dog attacks each year, xxx number by bears, etc.. Then I read there were 2 death annually by vending machines! Vending machines. How does one die by a vending machine? <BR> <BR>Hey CNN, your new format has chased me away (I am a news nut). I can't even get simple news. Time to move on to some other station. You have to support facts/details like "deaths by vending machines" statistic without some further information. Maybe CNN joined with the tabloids.. and it really is Castro. <BR> <BR>How does one die from a vending machine?

Death by Vending machines??!!!?? My guess is that they couldn't get the candy bar out and starting shaking the machine until it fell on top of them and crushed them. Death by chocolate! Junk food really is bad for your health!