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OMG!
Feb 1, 2011 13:44:59 GMT 9.5
Post by LorrB on Feb 1, 2011 13:44:59 GMT 9.5
Can things get any worse for poor old Queensland... drought, floods and now this. We can only pray...
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OMG!
Feb 1, 2011 13:52:13 GMT 9.5
Post by LorrB on Feb 1, 2011 13:52:13 GMT 9.5
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OMG!
Feb 1, 2011 13:57:40 GMT 9.5
Post by paul on Feb 1, 2011 13:57:40 GMT 9.5
Queensland is getting pretty well organised on the disaster relief processes. For example we have "swift water rescue teams" now on standby.
Some of the water gets pretty swift too.
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OMG!
Feb 1, 2011 15:04:28 GMT 9.5
Post by LorrB on Feb 1, 2011 15:04:28 GMT 9.5
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OMG!
Feb 1, 2011 15:05:21 GMT 9.5
Post by LorrB on Feb 1, 2011 15:05:21 GMT 9.5
What about the winds? Remember Darwin?
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OMG!
Feb 1, 2011 15:22:04 GMT 9.5
Post by paul on Feb 1, 2011 15:22:04 GMT 9.5
The cyclone season has only just started. It runs to April
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OMG!
Feb 6, 2011 0:48:03 GMT 9.5
Post by mgc on Feb 6, 2011 0:48:03 GMT 9.5
Assuming all this will only get worse, what does the government plan to do about it? Swift water rescue sounds nice, but its symptom fighting in its purest form..
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OMG!
Feb 6, 2011 0:57:49 GMT 9.5
Post by Henka on Feb 6, 2011 0:57:49 GMT 9.5
What do you propose? The "government" can not control nature. There is no greater problem to which this is a symptom, other than the fact that man is building his dwellings in areas of the planet prone to natural disaster. It has been ever thus.
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OMG!
Feb 6, 2011 1:08:46 GMT 9.5
Post by mgc on Feb 6, 2011 1:08:46 GMT 9.5
oh? Perhaps u should investigate the level of control a "government" can have on nature..
"swift water rescue" is a weapon to combat the consequences of flooding.. Stop flooding itself and u wont need swift water rescue.. Its not that hard, is it?
Man would be smart to realize this and take the appropriate countermeasures..
Better watermanagement..
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OMG!
Feb 6, 2011 17:32:25 GMT 9.5
Post by Henka on Feb 6, 2011 17:32:25 GMT 9.5
oh? Perhaps u should investigate the level of control a "government" can have on nature.. No, a government, through engineering programs, can mitigate the worst effects of , for instance, flooding in certain circumstances, but can exert no control whatever over storm systems, droughts, etc. A massive flood such as seen in this case can not be prevented by any sort of engineering feat. Cost. Who is to pay?
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OMG!
Feb 7, 2011 0:33:41 GMT 9.5
Post by mgc on Feb 7, 2011 0:33:41 GMT 9.5
Of course they could.. We know what a storm gets its energy from.. Disturb that and there will not be (as heavy) a storm.. It can be done if u put your mind to it..
Isnt that also a form of control?
Sais who? I dare say it can be prevented..
Australians? We (the Dutch) already payed for our own protection.. I suggest u do the same if u care about your fellow Australians.. The choice is an easy 1.. Pay in money or pay in misery.
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OMG!
Feb 7, 2011 5:49:00 GMT 9.5
Post by Henka on Feb 7, 2011 5:49:00 GMT 9.5
Australians? We (the Dutch) already payed for our own protection.. I suggest u do the same if u care about your fellow Australians.. The choice is an easy 1.. Pay in money or pay in misery. I'm American. Best ask Lorr and Paul before you go spending their money for them.
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OMG!
Feb 7, 2011 8:29:58 GMT 9.5
Post by LorrB on Feb 7, 2011 8:29:58 GMT 9.5
Australia is only slightly smaller than the USA and extends about 4,000 km (2,500 mi) E–W and 3,180 km (1,980 mi) N–S .
Our population is about ? 21 million, half of which are not wage earners.. too old, too young, too whatever. Our population will always be too small for the area that needs protection, because of our extreme climate in some areas (temps in mid-high 40's) and lack of rainfall.
We cannot afford to protect all of our coastline (hence our close assoc with the USA and other allies) let alone protect it against floods, bushfires, locust and cane toad plagues. Also most of the country is flat, which presents problems re dams etc.
Apart from all that... it really is a great place to live, and when the chips are down we all pull together to help out.
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OMG!
Feb 7, 2011 23:58:35 GMT 9.5
Post by mgc on Feb 7, 2011 23:58:35 GMT 9.5
I didnt say u must protect every square inch by tomorrow morning,.. Most logical would be to start with areas that stand to lose most (big cities etc), and then work your way down the priority list untill the cost outways the profit.. Protecting property and lives doesnt necessarily have to be achieved by erecting damms and dykes.. Floating cities would solve many a problem without the need for large scale flood defenses..
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OMG!
Feb 8, 2011 7:25:36 GMT 9.5
Post by LorrB on Feb 8, 2011 7:25:36 GMT 9.5
Floating cities .... ha ... Gullivers Travels....
(ooh - is that you Jonathan Swift?)
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OMG!
Feb 8, 2011 7:36:26 GMT 9.5
Post by LorrB on Feb 8, 2011 7:36:26 GMT 9.5
Which reminds me of a curious coincidence which happened when I revisited my home town of Broken Hill some years ago.
Whilst being driven to a bush destination (semi desert), I noticed for the very first time that the salt bush and other native vegetation resembled miniature trees. Two days later I was in the town museum and saw an exhibit which stated that the coordinates given by Jonathan Swift for Lilliput, was roughly where Broken Hill stands. Lilliput shares several features with Broken Hill yet Swift never left England.
Astral Traveller?
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OMG!
Feb 8, 2011 12:11:18 GMT 9.5
Post by mgc on Feb 8, 2011 12:11:18 GMT 9.5
Perhaps he had a journal with a detailed description of the area which sparked his inspiration.. Anyhow, as often the case in sci-fi, technology now allows us to make real floating cities.. I think i posted a link earlier..
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OMG!
Feb 8, 2011 12:17:32 GMT 9.5
Post by LorrB on Feb 8, 2011 12:17:32 GMT 9.5
Swift died in 1745 Broken Hill discovered 1883
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OMG!
Feb 8, 2011 12:44:32 GMT 9.5
Post by mgc on Feb 8, 2011 12:44:32 GMT 9.5
I guess no journal then, lol
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