We lost a very good man today. Steve Irwin, the famed Crocodile Hunter of TV and of at least one movie, died while filming a documentary.

Some of the reactions have criticized him for taking unnecessary risks, or for his perceived politics, or for an episode where he apparently put one of his children in dangerous proximity to a crocodile, or for other equally silly reasons.

I prefer to remember Steve as an incredibly enthusiastic person. I had the privilege to travel to Australia and New Zealand several times in the 1980s while I worked for a data communications start-up. Australia is full of enthusiastic people; people who love life and are eager to embrace those who are friendly and return their embrace.

Queensland has lost a great ambassador. The world has lost a great conservationist. My thoughts and prayers go out to his family, his friends, and all who loved him and whom he loved, no matter the species.

CNN.com: State funeral possible for Irwin

The SciGuy exclaims, "Wow ... IPCC report leaked ... most interesting."

For me, not so much. More like, "Grudging acknowledgment in leaked IPCC draft report that global warming disaster scenarios belong in movies, not in real life. For the rest of us, break out the tube tops and sun tan lotion, and get ready for longer growing seasons, better and cheaper food, and more beach music."