[Jeff Higgins]

I'm truly sorry to see the guy go. He seemed like a guy who was genuinly interested in the well-being of, an our understanding of, the species he studied.

That said, he was a showman. He loved the attention and, arguably, put it to good use. It also made him quite well off, I'm sure. I'm equally sure there are others in his field doing just as important work without all the publicity and or risk. One could argue that the publicity he generated helped his cause. I don't think so; it certainly helped him, though.

Some one compared his death to Earnhardt's. The same comparrison came to mind for me; a famous celebrity dies pursuing what they love. A high-risk venture that really does nothing for anyone else. The world mourns. Makes them out as "heroes" of some sort. On the same day, a kid dies in combat in Iraq, or Afganistan; fighting to make the world a better place for people he never knew. And no one knows or cares who he was. They care about the flashy celebrity, in it for himself. As this very thread demonstrates.