This is really part one, where Graeme talks briefly about himself then touches upon how little assistance was provided by the government.  I feel I must repeat that whether you think he made the wrong decision to accept the contract or if you would have accepted it for half the pay, being upset with Graeme accomplishes little.  In our discussion he repeatedly made it clear that he felt he was helping and making the public safer.  Some of us believe that, some don't.  But those who believe it, why?  Because of what the government said?  If the cull was wrong, those who justified and spent tax payer dollars on the cull are to blame, much more than this contractor.  This employment opportunity did not exist without the government.  And it can only exist next year if the people accept it (silence is a form of acceptance, btw.)  It is clear Barnett, Baston, Buswell, Hunt, and co. can't be trusted to tell the truth under oath, in press conferences, or to do the right thing.  It appears to be in their best interest and their intention to mislead the public, so if you don't want this to happen next year, what exactly are you going to do about it?  Something more than vent on Facebook I hope....

I may have stumbled upon Colin Barnett's environmental advisor at the beach yesterday.  Take a minute to watch the below video which is simultaneously funny and disturbing. 

While filming part 1 of The Price of Existence I've become aware of a trend in people, myself included, to stubbornly hold onto ideals we have already adopted as truth.  Two of the most extreme examples are OCEARCH supporters followed by shark cull supporters such as the man in this video.  One of the reasons miseducation is so dangerous is the difficulty of reeducating those who have been led astray.  The lyrics "Hearing only what you want to hear...knowing only what you've heard" come to mind each time I encounter someone on the street who tells me that the shark cull "had to be done", quickly followed by admitting that they don't know what it is, but they heard on the radio or the TV that the prime minister said it was going to make them safer and preserve the economy.  Those are both lies by the way, and I, unlike the WA government, have the evidence to support my claims (revealed in the film).
The fact remains that most people will continue to believe what they choose to believe despite the fact that we live in the "age of information".  Global warming is a myth, SPOT tags don't damage fins, the war in Iraq wasn't about oil, the world is flat, and baited hooks at beaches will make us safe from sharks.  I'm accepting donations for my shark school, by the way, so we can teach them which beaches they are allowed to swim past.

 A little bit of humor in this video.  This white shark, Mau, returns to Guadalupe looking pretty beaten up from bite marks before having his pride beaten up as well by repeatedly missing "dead targets"
Shot in 2009 by WSV

great white shark eating prey. a great white shark attempting to eat bait.  great white shark video.  great white shark humor.