The common thresher (Alopias vulpinus) is the largest species of thresher shark, family Alopiidae, reaching some 6 m (20 ft) in length. About half of its length consists of the elongated upper lobe of its caudal fin. With a streamlined body, short pointed snout, and modestly sized eyes, the common thresher resembles (and has often been confused with) the pelagic thresher (A. pelagicus). It can be distinguished from the latter species by the white of its belly extending in a band over the bases of its pectoral fins. The common thresher is distributed worldwide in tropical and temperate waters, though it prefers cooler temperatures. It can be found both close to shore and in the open ocean, from the surface to a depth of 550 m (1,800 ft). It is seasonally migratory and spends summers at lower latitudes.

The long tail of the common thresher, the source of many fanciful tales through history, is used in a whip-like fashion to deliver incapacitating blows to its prey. This species feeds mainly on small schooling forage fishes such as herrings and anchovies. It is a fast, strong swimmer that has been known to leap clear of the water, and possesses physiological adaptations that allow it to maintain an internal body temperature warmer than that of the surrounding sea water. The common thresher has an aplacental viviparous mode of reproduction, with oophagous embryos that feed on on undeveloped eggs ovulated by their mother. Females typically give birth to four pups at a time, following a gestation period of nine months.

Jonathan Bird's Blue World is an educational television program about the underwater world. The show is hosted by underwater cinematographer Jonathan Bird. This series airs on PBS stations in the US. The program is designed for family viewing, and each segment finds Bird trying to unravel a mystery, witness an animal behavior or explore an underwater environment. The first season consisted of 5 half-hour programs filmed in standard definition, and the second season contained 7 half-hour programs shot in high-definition. The second season won four New England Emmy Awards. The pilot episode from season 1 won a CINE Golden Eagle Award. Season three consists of 9 half-hour programs in HD and will be released August 29, 2011. The program is magazine format with each television episode consisting of 2-3 segments. These segments appear individually on the Blue World website as webisodes.

Episode 1: Blue Shark Adventure, Underwater Cavern, Giants of the Depths

Episode 2: Swimming with Jaws, The Bandana Game, The Shark and the Whale

Abner Jay (1921 – 1993) was an American multi-instrumentalist, who is best known for performing eccentric, blues infused folk music, as a one man band. His idiosyncratic lyrics and style can also be considered within the realm of outsider music.

Jay was born in Fitzgerald, Georgia. His father and grandfather were both slaves in Washington County, Georgia. His grandfather was also a banjo player and imparted a vast repertoire of old-time and folk songs to Abner. He started playing in medicine shows when he was 5. In 1932 he joined the Silas Green from New Orleans Minstrel Show and would later go on to lead the WMAZ Minstrels on Macon radio from 1946–56, before going solo. He spent many years travelling the American South and playing concerts from his “converted mobile home that opened up into a portable stage, complete with amplification and home furnishings”. These concerts, as evidenced in his recordings, were often equal parts spoken word (jokes, philosophical asides, rants) and music. Common instruments on his recordings include harmonica, drum kit, a six-string banjo (that Jay claimed was made in 1748), and the “bones”, which were chicken and cow bones that had been bleached in the sun and used to create percussion. Jay’s song repertoire included field songs, Pentecostal hymns and minstrel tunes. He once described himself as the “last working Southern black minstrel”. He also performed original material that was mostly secular, and subjects ranged from politics, relationships, war, the bible and depression. In later years he held a residency, playing shows and selling his LPs and cassette tapes at Tom Flynn's Plantation Restaurant in Stone Mountain, Georgia. Anthony Braxton, renowned American composer and philosopher, called Jay an "American Master".

Conrad Green is a television producer and editor. He is noted for his successful work on reality television shows.

He has been producer or executive producer for such shows as Dancing with the Stars, Big Brother, Ibiza Uncovered, Red Handed, The Pride of Britain Awards and Popstars. In 2001, after his success with Big Brother and Popstars, he was hired as BBC's head of factual entertainment. A year later he was hired by 19TV, the company that produced Pop Idol. He is currently resident in Los Angeles, working as executive producer of Dancing with the Stars. He has won BAFTA, RTS, Broadcast and Montreux TV Festival Awards for his work in the U.K and been nominated for Producers Guild and Emmy Awards for his work in the USA.

Lindsay Hamilton Simpson Thompson AO, CMG (15 October 1923 – 16 July 2008), Australian Liberal Party politician, was the 40th Premier of Victoria from June 1981 to April 1982. He was also notable for his actions in the Faraday School kidnapping, and was the longest serving minister and Deputy Premier in Victorian parliamentary history.

Thompson was born in Warburton, a town north-east of Melbourne. His parents were both schoolteachers. His father died when he was two, and he was raised by his mother, Ethel Thompson in difficult circumstances.

He won a scholarship to Caulfield Grammar School and eventually graduated as both school captain and the dux of school. The school's new gymnasium was opened as the Lindsay Thompson Centre in 1997.

After service as a signalman in the Australian Army during World War II, he graduated from the University of Melbourne with degrees in Arts (Honours) and Education, and became a school teacher, teaching at Malvern Central Primary School and later at Melbourne High School.