Sharks Tale

Another summer, another storm.
I'm sitting on the side of a hill at Palmwoods watching a massive lightening storm creep closer from the west. The air is dead still, the frogs are croaking in anticipation and the mozzies are eating me alive as I sit here in the humidity watching the light show. I love this time of year in this part of the world.

Unfortunately this time of year also brings a lot of media hype about a number of things. The one I'm specifically fuming on right now is the hysteria over shark sightings. One man was 'taken' by a shark in WA and the very next day there are several sightings on Qld beaches. What a coincidence! These media outlets will beat up anything for a six o'clock story. Even make most of it up, bit what's new right?

Firstly, this bloke in Western Australia wasn't seen to be taken by a shark, no one actually witnessed it. The only fact regarding this so called 'brutal attack' is that a white pointer was seen in the area.

Closer to home and we're been told to stay out of the water on certain beaches because 'packs of sharks' have been seen. What a load of horse shit! Not one of the countless news stories on the tv showed more than a solitary shark cruising by.

The fact is, if you've been to the beach any time of year, a shark has probably cruised by you, unnoticed. So why all of a sudden are shark sightings the new six o'clock headline? Well that's easy, it doesn't take a genius to realise that it's the middle of summer in a tourist region. There isn't an increase in sharks, there's a significant increase in the number of eyes watching the water.

But ofcourse the ignorant media outlets need to make money so they'll ignore the most logical explanations and continue to instil fear into the public.

Fact: Vending machines kill more people annually than sharks.

Some ISHC lyrics I've messed around with.
"Sharks in the area, mass hysteria. Media's always right, swim and you'll die!"

The wind has just picked up and I reckon I've only got a couple of minutes before this storm hits. Outta here.

Later - scotty


Sharkwater - Watch this movie

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