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Post by bixaorellana on Jan 2, 2020 5:34:19 GMT
Good grief ~ people must be up in arms not only about the money spent on fireworks, but the breathtaking stupidity of shooting them off in the current weather conditions. Are there any examples of a fireman's life in jeopardy because of photo-journalists? I would think with modern cameras and, I assume with whatever security is in force in a fire zone, that the photographer would not need nor be able to get too close. That callously cruel interview style has been going on for years. What always gets me is when the victim/interviewee politely answers instead of physically attacking the "journalist". Thanks for the map information, which I will check out. A map is why I came on this thread just now. We keep seeing maps showing fire locations, but I came across this one & it answered the question, "just how big is Australia, anyway?"
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Post by kerouac2 on Jan 2, 2020 5:49:55 GMT
For the last couple of weeks, they have been telling us on the news that the burnt area is the size of Belgium. That is the sort of image that makes sense to Europeans but is meaningless to most other people. Today the fires graduated to being the size of "the Netherlands and Denmark combined." Except for us geography freaks, I doubt that most people will get an idea of the size from that. Most of the French would already have trouble identifying Denmark on a map.
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Post by whatagain on Jan 2, 2020 22:48:04 GMT
Seems to me a lot can still burn 🙁
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Post by lagatta on Jan 3, 2020 3:25:07 GMT
Yes, I guess I've always thought of Oz as a hotter version of another very large place with rather dispersed human settlements. So I obviously think about the humans but also the other critters. I would like to hear some of the interviewees telling clueless journalists to Shut the F*** UP.
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Post by questa on Jan 3, 2020 13:35:06 GMT
All along the east coast from Sydney to Victoria are retirees homes and holiday cottages.These now have the flames at their backs pushing the people into the sea. All the roads have been closed...sick, old or wounded have been driven out a few days ago. Police begging ppl to bug out on a navy troop ship that will make the trip to a safe area. Ship carries 700 people but this trip holds 1000 including all the family pets. Back on the beaches all the mini-stories are happening...well dressed lady going to fishing boats and finally chartering one to take her and friends to safety. Prime minister gets a bollocking k
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Post by mickthecactus on Jan 3, 2020 13:57:51 GMT
Do they have insurance questa?
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Post by kerouac2 on Jan 3, 2020 14:19:01 GMT
Since we don't have words bleeped out on French television, particularly foreign words, it was a pleasure to see that guy calling Morrison a fuckwit to his face.
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Post by bixaorellana on Jan 4, 2020 2:35:50 GMT
Questa's post at reply #34 sounds like a pitch for a suspenseful movie with lots of opportunity for human interest -- improbably disaster making for edge-of-your-seat viewing ................. except that she is reporting current events, not fiction. I know nothing of Morrison, but seeing exhausted firemen refusing to shake his hand makes me think he must have done something to deserve that reaction.
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Post by questa on Jan 4, 2020 12:39:14 GMT
I couldn't finish last night...asthma from smoke. There was a good looking woman standing near where Morrison was.He reached for her hand to shake it but she pulled it away saying,"I will not shake hands with you until you have actually done something to alleviate this destruction of climate change."(or similar words)He reached out and used both hands to shake hers (See, Ive won attitude.) I would have thumped him!Turns out she is 20 yrs old and an old hand at this.
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Post by kerouac2 on Jan 4, 2020 13:17:59 GMT
I read that for three days running, Canberra was the most polluted city in the world. Considering how bad some cities are in various countries, that takes some doing.
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Post by lagatta on Jan 4, 2020 13:48:08 GMT
Hmm, including some in Indonesia, to their north... Things are really bad there too, right now.
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Post by questa on Jan 4, 2020 13:49:18 GMT
Cruise ship Vasco de Gama standing by to take off ppl trapped on KI Army reserves have arrived with heavy machines here to . Computer booked for Monday de-bugging
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Post by bixaorellana on Jan 4, 2020 16:44:47 GMT
This disaster just seems to get worse and worse, with no end in sight. Every single aspect of life must be affected.
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Post by lagatta on Jan 4, 2020 17:21:29 GMT
It will affect the economy too, certainly agriculture.
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Post by questa on Jan 5, 2020 0:00:23 GMT
Woke to find Temp 13 C, grey skies and 5mm rain. No wind. Fires will take months to kill but people are taking hope again. Tourism and holiday destinations are major industries around the area here. Mick asked about insurance. Most people would have some insurance...probably not enough. Farmers have been buying lots of high tech planting and harvesting equipment. The drought caused the sale of stock but they would have kept their prime animals to build new herds.
I think that most of the houses, shops etc carry insurance but I saw a mechanic tell a reporter he had none. Usually after a disaster ordinary people just get in and help clear, replant parks and gardens, rebuild fencing and homes as well as donate generously. The assessors get in very quickly with their reports so clean-up can begin.
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Post by bixaorellana on Jan 5, 2020 0:52:46 GMT
That temperature and rain must feel like a major respite & blessing right now.
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Post by questa on Jan 5, 2020 22:46:46 GMT
January 5th 2020...the coldest January day in Adelaide New record.
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Post by bixaorellana on Jan 6, 2020 1:14:39 GMT
I saw the most wonderful pictures of Australian firefighters dancing in the rain.
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Post by questa on Jan 6, 2020 3:33:04 GMT
They are a funny mob! Lots more women joining up last few years. My d-i-law has friends who both spent 3 days in the bush fighting blazes. 11 and 9 yr old girls were minded by grandmother who muttered,"They (CFS) wouldn't let women fight bushfires in my day"
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Post by bjd on Jan 6, 2020 8:39:58 GMT
Questa, it would be tempting to wish you heavy rains to douse the fires, but that would probably create landslides and flooding, so I hope you just get steady gentle rain for a couple of weeks.
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Post by mickthecactus on Jan 6, 2020 18:47:41 GMT
I see Tony Abbott is a volunteer fire fighter.
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Post by questa on Jan 7, 2020 6:39:07 GMT
Tony has been a firey for a long time I think he is an officer now and has been known to leave official duties to don the yellow gear. Best rain is gentle steady stuff every 2-3 days to allow for it soaking in. Then watch out as the big trees keel over. Saw video of men planting new trees outside the wreck of their houses. By the time they will have re-built. those trees will be giving shelter to small birds.
My computer is fixed...it was running hot. doing 60 somethings instead of 50 which caused constant crashes. Should be OK now.
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Post by mossie on Jan 7, 2020 8:03:43 GMT
Pleased to hear that your magic box is doing well. I always watch your reports on these terrible fires with interest, Australia is having a very rough time. Hope things improve from now.
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Post by kerouac2 on Jan 7, 2020 8:30:01 GMT
If the Australian Open is not cancelled, I hope that the big stars will at least donate their winnings to disaster relief.
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Post by questa on Jan 7, 2020 9:00:18 GMT
I heard that the big names are giving $200 each ace
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Post by kerouac2 on Jan 7, 2020 9:24:40 GMT
How marvellously generous! I see that this year's winner gets $4,120,000 and the runner up gets $2,065,000. Those aces are really going to hurt!
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Post by whatagain on Jan 9, 2020 15:45:55 GMT
We saw in the press that authorities will slaughter 100 000 camels ? Because they would be a kind of threat to humans ? After half a billion animals killed we see the need to do that ?
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Post by lugg on Jan 9, 2020 19:38:22 GMT
I saw that too Whatagain - the explanation was that they are drinking too much of the badly needed water. I cant comment on the rights or wrongs of that but it is just another terribly sad fact.
One of my friends moved to Australia a few years ago but to the Western part - ( Perth area) They too are suffering but not on the same scale as the eastern areas. She also told me that in the Adelaide area they have run out of face masks that filter the asbestos that is burning in some areas there. That is something I have not seen reported and may have health implications for some in the long term.
I am so glad you remain safe Questa , I hope the smoke has lifted with the recent rain and your asthma is better.
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Post by questa on Jan 9, 2020 22:58:36 GMT
It is sad to see any animals hurt or killed but camels are not Oz creatures but introduced species. They not only drink the scarce water but churn it up to a quagmire so smaller animals get trapped and die. There are camel breeders who produce the best racing camels with a big business selling them to Saudi Arabia. This drought and fire event is going to threaten many of our species. School kids have organised search parties to rescue any they find. People are carrying water bottles on bikes or in cars to stop and give drinks to koalas. These little guys have somehow learned to sit by the road and drink from a bottle.
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Post by bixaorellana on Jan 10, 2020 0:13:18 GMT
Awww ~ and I thought koalas couldn't get any cuter!
I knew that about camels being an introduced species, but didn't know they had proliferated so much. Maybe it's logistics, but it seems it would make more sense to try to sell the camels to another country, rather than slaughtering them and then ... ? Turn them into food? Have to dispose of the carcasses along with all the other problems the country has right now?
Isn't it true that rabbits were also introduced and are kind of a pest in Australia?
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