Hooray for Terri Irwin

In the spirit of science, Terri Irwin, widow of Crocodile Hunter Steve Irvin, has challenged the argument by the Japanese that their whaling is necessary for scientific research, in the most direct way possible: getting a group together herself to go demonstrate that the research can be done without killing the whales.

"The widow of TV "Crocodile Hunter" Steve Irwin announced Thursday she will launch non-lethal research of whales in Antarctic waters next year in hopes of showing that Japan's scientific whale kill is a sham.

Tokyo has staunchly defended its annual cull of more than 1,000 whales as crucial for research, saying it is necessary to kill the whales to properly gather information about their eating, breeding and migratory habits.

Environmentalists and anti-whaling nations say the slaughter is commercial whaling in disguise, because much of the meat from the whales ends up being sold commercially.

Japan had planned to kill up to 50 endangered humpback whales this season, but backed away from the plan in the face of strong international condemnation.

Japan had planned to kill up to 50 endangered humpback whales this season, but backed away from the plan in the face of strong international condemnation.

'We are determined to show the Japanese they can stop all whaling, not just humpbacks,' Irwin said."

Terri ought to be saluted for her efforts. Those efforts also should be considered by stark contrast to the behavior, or lack thereof, from various groups skeptical of mainstream science. Whether they are denying relativity, evolution, global warming or heliocentrism, the pattern is the same: all rhetoric, no research, and no competing theories. Way to show them how it's done Terri.