Normally, when people post links on my Facebook wall, it's either something that I've already seen or something otherwise unimpressive.
Today, however, Tarvis (the Mighty) gave me a Shark Attack Education link that was so chocked full of incredible information that I had to share and comment in my own little corner of the Internet.
First: I assume these have to be the number of reported and recorded shark attacks from 1580/1670-2009. Everybody knows that the Really Good Sharks don't leave enough behind for there to be anything to report. Still, I was surprised by how few attacks there really are and how few fatalities have resulted over the past three hundred years. For example: only three Texans have died of shark attacks. (I wonder how many sharks have died in Texan attacks?) In 340 years, only 100 people have been attacked by sharks in California (according to this site). Which is a bit surprising, since the site also shows that the majority of people attacked in the year 1990 were surfers, and Cali has some pretty surf-heavy beaches. (Perhaps something is keeping the California sharks at bay?) Also: sharks are not huge fans of spicy food, as evidenced by the fact that there has only been ONE shark attack off the shores of Louisiana. Florida is the only really shark-heavy state, as there have been SIX-HUNDRED TWENTY-NINE shark attacks in the Appendage State (once again, that have been reported). That is five-hundred twenty-three more than the next-highest total.
Lately, an overwhelming majority of shark attacks have come against surfers. So don't surf in Florida, or you will likely be attacked. (But, again, you will likely survive, as only thirteen people have been killed by sharks in Florida. That we know of) Divers appear to be pretty much left alone. If you really want to be safe in the water, however, the activity you want to partake of is "Other." I don't know what else you do in the water besides swim, dive, or surf, and I don't want to know.
The site also goes on to show you how sharks do and don't attack. Apparently, this does not happen (languuge warning). Nor this. So, shark attacks: Not as frequent or creative as you might like to think.
Finally, you have a list of things more likely to kill you than shark attacks. I hope you go and check out this thing for yourself, because it really shows you who the real enemies are. I always thought that vending machine at St. Luke's was too smart for its own good...
Thank you, Tarvis, for finding what may be the second most informative and second most entertaining thing on the entire 'Net.
