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Is anyone there?

We have been getting some feedback about how we have handled the Markus Groh fatality. Some have accused us of attempting to profit off Groh's death. Others have said that we have irresponsibly reported sensationalistic falsehoods about Jim Abernathy and his dive operation. Some have taken umbrage that we have called Shark Diving--responsible Shark Diving or otherwise--"Macho."

At the risk of offending some of our loyal readers, let me briefly explain what it is we do here and what The Chum Slick is about. We are attempting, albeit sometimes amateurishly, to promote the idea of wildlife conservation, especially in regards to Sharks, Whales, and Marine Life. From time to time, when we feel like it, we will discuss other political, social, and aesthetic issues usually as relates to wildlife conservation...sometimes Tigers, sometimes Bears, sometimes Crocodiles and other apex predators, more frequently Whales, BUT MOSTLY SHARKS. WE ARE SHARK GEEKS. What makes us unique in our wildlife coverage is our IRREVERENT, SMART-ASS, JIVE TURKEY attitude.

Why do we cop such attitude? We feel like most mainstream left wing and environmental blogs and organizations are catering to the status quo and preaching to the choir or those that will never be converted. So, in order to reach a different audience we use internet humor. This way we can reach the other internet smart-asses: the 4 Chan fags; the hentai perves; video gamers; porn addicts; Comedy Central freaks; cosplayers; etc. before they are completely taken by the dark side--the Republican Party, Corporate America, Mormonism, etc. In other words: we use crass humor to expose people who wouldn't normally give a flying fuck to issues like Shark Finning, Whaling, the Endangered Species Trade, and other critical wildlife conservation issues. Instead of preaching to the choir we are trying to preach to everyone else.

When we call Shark Diving macho it is not to denigrate scuba divers. We are calling it macho because it is a hell of a lot harder and cooler to dive with sharks than to fish for Sharks--which most people only do because they think they are macho.

When we make fun of people who are bitten by Sharks it is to make fun of THE CORNY YELLOW JOURNALISM THAT SENSATIONALIZES THE IRRATIONAL FEAR OF SHARKS.

IT IS SATIRE PEOPLE! MOTHERFUCK ME!

We understand why some people are upset about media coverage of the death of Markus Groh and the safety record of Jim Abernathy. Jim Abernathy has the support of Sea Shepherd, the Shark Angels, filmmaker Rob Stewart, and some of the most respected underwater photographers. We are not the yellow journalists here out to profit off the fear of Sharks.

Look at this...our first complete post without a picture of a severed limb or a Shark fisherman with the word "douchebag" photoshopped over his head. Now I feel a bit sick and I may have to puke up my lentil burrito. There may be something worse than greed, hubris, Ayn Rand, atavistic apathy, and economic and environmental exploitation--a lack of a sense of humor.

Sheesh...

--Sharky

P.S. If you want to read some good commentary on the Markus Groh death, go to Deeperblue.net.