wow the "when gators/sharks/africanized bees/etc attack" news stories...

are starting early this year! Which relevant story has been bumped because of this???

"LAKELAND, Fla. - A man found dead in a pond was the victim of a nearly nine-foot alligator that was captured and killed, the medical examiner’s office said Tuesday

On Saturday his remains were found by several men fishing in Six Pound Pond. An autopsy determined he had been killed by the eight-foot, nine-inch alligator, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission said.

Trappers caught the alligator Monday. Owen’s forearm was found in its stomach..."

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/7203360/

such a story should not be reported at all?

I never understood why people presume anything other than a "Bush sucks" news story is a "distraction".

Yeah, a guy was eaten by a reptile - it's worth a mention.

How much time does the news spend on sports - a purely useless pursuit? Do you complain about that?

if you're going to presume to tell me that sensationalist stories don't have any impact on deflecting "real" news, well I've got a cheap Neverland Ranch to sell ya. When the hell did I EVER say that anything other than Bush sucks stories are non-news???!!! WHERE??? I was merely pointing out that these stories tend to become more news than they deserve to be. And I know I'm not the only one who feels this way. From another angle sensationalizing these stories by distributing them on MSM created unnecessary fear and loathing of these creatures. This story wasn't bad, I was just shocked to see it so early when usually MSM starts pumping them out around early summer. and YES I DO think sports get way too much media attention but they are big business and many many people are emotionally invested in them. Problems there? Yes...but hardly an accurate analogy. Geez, I really didn't mean to offend your delicate sensibilities.

the fact is, when a man is eaten by a reptile, it's worth reporting. It's not going to be front-page news for a week in the New York Times. It's an oddity, and one worth noting.

Now tell me.... this story was reported. Exactly how much play did it get, and how much did it deserve?

I posit that it got exactly the right amount of attention.

not exactly small readership. And please don't tell me to calm down, like I'm some irrational crazy bitch, which I may or may not be (;) to Rad activist)..I was just shocked that I got jumped on for what was an essentially trivial little discourse which is why I put it in the lounge. Peace be to ya brotha, since it seems to be Jesus Week here.

you got a little snippy with me, out of proportion to the tone of MY post, I felt.

I didn't jump on you. I pointed out one of my pet peeves, which is people complaining about semi-interesting news stories as "distractions". It shows a huge misunderstanding of what the news business is about.

Do you think MSNBC should not have mentioned the story? Was it of no interest to anyone? Personally, I don't mind reading such stories -they're interesting. It will get one story in all the media outlets and then go away. What's wrong with that?

yes it's semi interesting, it was interesting enough for me to comment on it one way or another...but it was right on the front page, when maybe it should have been in "odd news" or something like that. I mean, all this evolution, technology, and social development/urbanization and humanity thinks an animal attack is news. I think it's an interesting commentary on how removed from nature and other animals we have become. On the lighter side, I DO enjoy me some good ole' Darwin Awards! :evilgrin:

They found an arm in the gators stomach. Wicked!

Still, this is a local news story, not something that needs to be picked up nationally by MSNBC.

The last time I was in the Everglads I took a little boat tour and since I was the only one on the boat, the driver got right up next to this ginormous alligator. I think was 7ft long or more. He went right over it. Here's a picture.

I remember once I was on a pontoon boat (sp?) ride through the Everglades and our "guide" (read:enterprisingly hillbilly with questionably credentials and rickety boat)fed them marshmallows! Them gators just loved em some good mallows!

It sounds like we had the same guide except that mine docked at the National Park visitors center so they probably don't let them feed the animals.

Did you notice the part of the story that links alligators eating people to the fact that some people have been feeding them? Maybe the gator that ate this man was the same one your guide was feeding marshmallows.

well, at least those gators know how to thin the gene pool! *here all night folks*