Media Bias

[guidofatherof5]

I've noticed for sometime that the media doesn't paint a very good picture of snakes. I recently read an article about a young man bitten by a rattlesnake while hunting with his father. The article said the boy was walking through a tall weed area when the snake attacked.
Attacked, more like this guy stepped on it and it defended itself. The snake was killed by the father and the boy recovered from the bite.
I just found it interesting that fault is very rarely placed anywhere but on the snake. I wasn't there but common sense tells me this wasn't a snake attack.

Today, I received my July copy of Reptile magazine and found the ad. on page 43.
Once again, the snake is being portrayed as the aggressor and for what reason? Ticket sales/door admission.
So, they're going to agitated/harass/prod and poke these snake to perform for the audience. All the time sending a negative image of animals that in most cases just want to be left alone.
http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//500/medium/ad.jpg

[ssssnakeluvr]

lots of morons out here.... without the shock factor not as many people would come to see these snakes. and of course....probably no one that doesnt have knowledge of snakes realizes it says the kid was in tall grass when the snake "attackes".....duh...kid stepped on it cuz he didn't see it

[gregmonsta]

I heard the full story on viperkeeper's channel.

Family goes walking .... dad sees big rattlesnake ... wants to take pictures but it slithers off ... they go further up the path ... find a smaller one ... dad harasses it with stick for photos ... snake goes defensive ... dad decides to move it off the path by picking it up with the stick and launching it ... he ends up throwing the snake onto the rear of his kids thigh where it decides to lash out ... dad now sueing the park ... idiot is too mild a word.

[RicMartin]

We need to talk to snakeless people about our snakes;
& keep talking, & talking, & talking, ad nauseam.

[Didymus20X6]

I was deathly afraid of snakes until about two years ago. This forum helped me not only to overcome my fear, but to appreciate these fine animals for what they are: beautiful creatures given to us to enjoy.

The idiot suing the park: I think about him like I think about the people who sue McDonald's because they eat too many Big Macs, don't exercise enough, and consequently die of heart attacks. It's not their fault you couldn't walk your lazy butt across the street to the Subway instead. You play with fire and burn yourself, you shouldn't be allowed to sue the match company.

[drache]

snakes and pit bulls . . .

[BLUESIRTALIS]

I seen a garter on the news last night that popped out the top of somones dishwasher. The reporter said the snake put up a good fight.

[guidofatherof5]

Hype. That's what the media does.
I watched some video of a police arrest. I watched the suspect walk out of his house and lay down on the grass putting his hands behind his back.
The commentator stated that the officers rushed the suspect and slammed him to the ground.

[PINJOHN]

got a demonstration of your point only today, doing a crossword in my newspaper one answer was boa, you might expect that the clue would be large snake or constrictor or something like that, the clue was actually, crushing snake, which is not only alarmist its also inaccurate

[guidofatherof5]

This ad has been eating away at me as I think it goes against "Reptiles" magazine's purpose of presenting reptiles in a positive light. We all know how they are going to display these/this poor rattlesnake and cobra. How they are going to get them to strike and "hood-up". Is this the kind of treatment these animals deserve or should be put through?
I know this magazine would never publish an article that promoted this kind of treatment and or display of these animals, so why accept and ad. Well, I know why $

I contacted the publishing office of this magazine to register a comment. I was given a voice mail where I left a somewhat sketchy message in the hopes they would call back.

A few hours later I was contacted by a representative. I voiced my opinion and was told that he wasn't in charge of that ad and would forward my info. to the right office.
I'm not sure it will change anything now or in the future but I'm not going to be silent.


http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//500/medium/ad.jpg

[guidofatherof5]

I just got off the phone with a "Reptiles" magazine representative. She understood and agreed with my concerns about the ad.
She stated that she would talk with the promoter and voice both mine and her concerns about the wording of the ad.
She pointed out that the magazine is trying to fight against the negative image of reptiles and snakes especially.
I thanked her for listening to me and for taking an interest in this situation. She assured me it would be looked into.

[guidofatherof5]

Saw a promo for a new ABC show "Combat Hospital"
During one of the scenes a snake(looked like some kind of a python) entered the operating room.
The lead Dr. pulled out a gun and killed the snake.

[Didymus20X6]

"Combat Hospital"? You mean like M*A*S*H?

[guidofatherof5]

Yes, modern day M.A.S.H.

[guidofatherof5]

I saw today that "Big Lots" is running commercials using a hooded out cobra as the speaker.
Hooded with fangs out while the mouth is closed.:confused:

[kibakiba]

A lot of people do seem to think cobras "wear" their fangs on the outside. It's kind of silly, I've never, in my life, seen a cobra with fangs outside of their mouth. Maybe they're on something. :D

[guidofatherof5]

I just heard that ABC news is going do a story on a lizard that might be causing gas prices to go up. I'm sure it's one of those loss of habitat issues and now the stupid reptile will be blamed for no new oil being found.

Found it:

Sand Dune Lizard Could Cost Jobs in Texas If Added to Endangered Species List - ABC News (http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/sand-dune-lizard-cost-jobs-texas-added-endangered/story?id=13726850)

[kibakiba]

I cant believe how thick people are. People's stupidity is almost embarrassing to read, hear or watch.

[ConcinusMan]

"Two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity; and I'm not sure about the the universe." - Albert Einstein

[GaiusIuliusTabernarius]

People tend to be very thick headed when it comes to nature, anything that's an inconvenience to them or a threat no matter how marginal is automatically demonized and targeted.

Its like when that baby was killed by the family's pet constrictor and they stabbed it repeatedly, what was the point of that? Its not like the snake knows the difference between a small child and a large rat, they are carnivorous and we are made out of meat... if you go marching through tall grass and step on a rattle snake its your fault for getting bitten, if you bring a large python into your home and it eats your kid its your fault for having it to begin with and not taking proper care of it.

I mean its not just reptiles, there was that woman who's friend got her face ripped off by a pet chimp, and I don't know how many stories there are about people dying and being eaten by pet cats and dogs, ultimately animals are just that, treating them like humans and holding them responsible at that level is just wrong. We should accept and respect them for what they are, and act accordingly.

[Didymus20X6]

That case with the Burmese Python: that guy was a druggie and a criminal to start with. He knew absolutely nothing about how to take care of a snake like that, and didn't even bother feeding it. A snake like that should be kept in a zoo, or at the very least, by a qualified herpetologist (that is, someone who knows what they are doing) with an adequately safe enclosure. This stupid hippie kept the thing nearly starved to death in a plastic tub (probably just big enough to serve as a garter enclosure) with nothing but a tarp and some cow clips to keep it "secure". Heck, he might as well have just put the child in the tub with the snake, for all the good it did! People like that should be neutered so they can't pass their genes on to other human beings. Not only are they a danger to the animals they keep, but to other human beings as well.

[GaiusIuliusTabernarius]

Reminds me of an argumental clip I was watching the other day, (6 minutes in (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fzfrXAJwWh4))

But yeah that story clearly illustrates how profoundly stupid some people are. They shouldn't be allowed to have a pet rock much less a massive python and a small child.

[guidofatherof5]

I just saw that ABC Good Morning America is going to be doing a story on the house of snakes. Looks like the same house Animal Planet covered.
Will be interesting to see the negative tilt towards the snakes.

Check out the title to the web story on this issue.
Snake House': Family Home in Idaho Turns Out to Be 'Satan's Lair' of Serpents - ABC News (http://abcnews.go.com/US/snake-house-family-home-idaho-turns-satans-lair/story?id=13851600)

[guidofatherof5]

I just saw the news story. I must admit they didn't trash the snakes as I thought they would.
They even admitted the people(builder of the home) was the intruder, not the snakes.

[drache]

yeah - I saw that covered somewhere else too
that real estate agent has to be the dumbest donkey's butt ever - I'm sure they all love him or her around there
my vet's real estate agent was much smarter to be up front about a property having "snake problems" - he found a great buyer with no complaints to follow

[Mix]

Satan's Lair? Reeeally?! Ha ha! Overdramatic much?
Notice how the creatures of Satan did nothing, and the residents did all the killing.

[GaiusIuliusTabernarius]

Snake induced post traumatic stress? Are they kidding? I swear some people will work themselves into a fury over anything. Satan''s house indeed... The devil if he existed would have to have a house filled with hamsters... evil little fuzzballs... I had one once, It bit my finger so bad I needed a pressured compress to stop the blood. I'd much rather have a house of snakes than those little smelly abominations.

[guidofatherof5]

Funny, I always envisioned Satan's house having a lot of cats.:D

[d_virginiana]

I always thought Satan's familiars would be guinea pigs... Or maybe chickens.

[kibakiba]

Satan's house is cats and spiders... and hamsters.

[drache]

it's humans

[Mix]

I'm with you on that one!

[mustang]

Satans lair has to have a bunch of fire ants, lots and lots of em

[Mommy2many]

it's humans


I'm with you on that one as well.

[Didymus20X6]

I say the realtor is at fault. You can't possibly tell me that, after the publicity that house got with its previous owners' news story, that the realtor wasn't aware of the snake population there. Even though the snakes are harmless, they still had a responsibility to inspect the house (for termites and other pests, as well as for structural problems) and inform the buyers of any potential problems. If they had done their jobs right, that family would have been informed of the problem beforehand, and wouldn't be filing for bankruptcy now. Bottom line, I can't see how the realtor didn't know about the snakes, and if they did, what their excuse was for not informing the buyers. The only way they could be lower is if they had a mustache, black cape, top hat, and multiple ladies tied to railroad tracks behind their house.

[guidofatherof5]

Shades of Snidely Whiplash.

[ConcinusMan]

I'll sell the house to these suckers while the snakes are hibernating out of site. Genius!
http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/rudy4.jpg

[Mix]

Yeah, I think I'd have wanted the realtor's assurances that the 'snake stories' were false IN WRITING.

[Didymus20X6]

Hopefully, Steve won't get washed out in any flooding, but if he does, I bet he already knows where he'd like to move.

[GaiusIuliusTabernarius]

Not about snakes but relevant to the over all theme (http://www.cnn.com/2011/CRIME/01/11/missouri.ferret.fingers/?iref=obinsite). Humans not taking proper care of or respecting animals leading to human tragedy and dead vilified animals. Which are then blamed for the incident in the media.

That said I'm not a fan of Weasels... but I don't think they should be killed for being what they are.

[Mommy2many]

That last post...How can you sleep thru a baby getting 7 of it's fingers chewed off???

And I understand that you shouldn't fault the animal for being what it is/was a Weasel.

Someone was at fault here and it was not the ferret I have to say.

[GaiusIuliusTabernarius]

Oh, I agree wholeheartedly... as for sleeping through that... its not impossible it just demonstrates a level of negligence and stupidity that would preclude people from having kids in an ideal world. I wouldn't even let them own a ferret...

[guidofatherof5]

Good for the turtles.
Turtles Force Runway Closing at J.F.K. Airport - NYTimes.com (http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/06/29/turtles-force-runway-closure-at-kennedy-airport/)

[flickerfriend]

Snake House': Family Home in Idaho Turns Out to Be 'Satan's Lair' of Serpents - ABC News (http://abcnews.go.com/US/snake-house-family-home-idaho-turns-satans-lair/story?id=13851600)[/QUOTE]

My dream house :D

[RedSidedSPR]

Ditto.

[guidofatherof5]

Last night I watched 2 episodes of Swamp Wars. At the beginning of the second one I wrote down the words they used to describe the snakes and some other reptiles in the South Florida area. This list is from 15 minutes of watching.

Complete destruction
Alien creature
New killer alien is on the loose
Ruthless predator
Invasion
Killer snake
Super sized beast
Marauding killers
Disastrous
Vicious
Mixed breed mega snake
Man-eating super snake
New invasive onslaught

No hype here. This was only 15 minutes of the show. Look at the picture they paint.
They should be ashamed.

[ConcinusMan]

Well, I think they're referring to large non-native species. They are somewhat of a problem and I have to agree that if nothing else is done, then humane culling is not all a bad thing. But still, the language is a bit ridiculous.

[SilasBannook]

The Burmese Python population in Florida is definitely a problem. Snakes are great but the pythons are non-native to the area and are doing alot of damage. At risk of upsetting others on the forum, I do support the management efforts they are putting in place in Florida. Those particular snakes are hurting the ecosystem there. On the bright side of that show, it is because of Swamp Wars that my daughter has gotten interested in snakes and we are now very proud owners of a nice collection of Garters.

[guidofatherof5]

I agree with what you say but the over the top negative hype against reptiles is what I'm against.

[EasternGirl]

That house in Idaho is the house I am always talking about buying one day! My dream house too. I think we should all move there and start a garter commune. :D

I saw on a show last night someone saying that the Mayans used to worship the snake because they felt that snakes were a gateway to the spirit world. I wonder if that is true. If so...that is pretty cool...and good t.v. press for snakes.

[EasternGirl]

Oh you guys are gonna love this one....Snakes, Serpents and Satan - United News | United Church of God (http://www.ucg.org/holidays-and-holy-days/snakes-serpents-and-satan/)

[Stefan-A]

Oh you guys are gonna love this one....Snakes, Serpents and Satan - United News | United Church of God (http://www.ucg.org/holidays-and-holy-days/snakes-serpents-and-satan/)
So many things to rant about, so many reasons not to do it.

[-MARWOLAETH-]

Now that's what I call a load of rubbish:)

[chris-uk]

Oh you guys are gonna love this one....Snakes, Serpents and Satan - United News | United Church of God (http://www.ucg.org/holidays-and-holy-days/snakes-serpents-and-satan/)

I'm not going to bother either. But worth pointing out the author's name is remarkably similar to another source of herpetological BS.