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Post by enigmas on Jan 24, 2019 22:00:12 GMT
The Sun is out in full force in OZ today with temperatures expected in the high 30°s and up to the 50°s in South Australia. The heat stress is equivalent to that of Black Saturday. (See below) In Victoria close to the southern coast where I live, temperatures will be in the vicinity of 44°C. Over night temperatures remained in the high 20°s. These temperatures and the obsessional focus on 'green' energy production (including the shutting down of reliable traditional power stations prematurely) meant there were (and will be) many power outages in both Adelaide and Victoria with citizens being asked to limit power usage (ie. Switch of air conditioning and evaporative cooling systems.) With virtually the dearest electricity in the western world aged pensioners (are advised to spend their days in large shopping complexes to avoid heat stress!) I think I leave the Rover nestling quietly under the shade of the carport today. * Black Saturday. The Black Saturday bushfires were a series of bushfires that ignited or were burning across the Australian state of Victoria on and around Saturday, 7 February 2009 and were among Australia's all-time worst bushfire disasters.
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Post by Warwick on Jan 25, 2019 3:26:24 GMT
Those photos were taken at the Bunyip state forest fire, where 'our' fire started, Vince. All very front of mind around here today. Not just because the 10th anniversary is only a couple of weeks away. Attachment DeletedThis was taken at the point when the wind changed and it started to come towards us. We were lucky, but neighbours lost buildings, fences and equipment. 173 people lost their lives across the state. This is a significant number as it is, but in a way, it's still just statistics. What really brought it home to me was visiting the State Coroner's Court complex a few weeks later, for work at their forensics labs. My previous visit was a month or two earlier. I found the car park beside the building covered by refrigerated shipping containers. Lots of them. They did not have enough room in the mortuary's coolrooms.
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Post by David on Jan 25, 2019 13:42:08 GMT
Thoughts and best wishes to all. I cannot imagine the horror of such a tragedy.
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Post by enigmas on Jan 26, 2019 1:26:51 GMT
FURNACE FRIDAY (Yesterday) Hi guys...here are a few pix (taken on my outdated mobile phone) from one of today's Papers (The Herald-Sun) whilst having a break at a local cafe. Note the temperatures rise throughout the day and the sudden fall off during mid afternoon. These temperatures have severe consequences for both children and the aged. We're fortunate in having an in-ground plunge pool in our back yard and as we're currently minding our grandchildren, they spend most of the daylight hours in the pool. Our house is also fitted with both evaporative and A/C cooling and being relatively close to the Melbourne CBD (10 -11 kms) are not affected (as yet) by power cuts/outages! Miena is a small town by the Great Lake in the Central Highlands of Tasmania, Australia.
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Post by Brendan69 on Jan 26, 2019 8:26:11 GMT
I know these places are lovely to live in but I just could not do it if these risks were so high and often. A bit like USA with all there Tornado's and alike. I know the UK is rubbish weather wise and we get things bad sometimes but i'd rather have what we have compared to you poor souls.
However, if money were no object and we were 10 years younger we would now be in New Zealand where part of Joanne's family reside. Went there in 2009 for 5 weeks on North island Auckland/Orewa area and loved the place.
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Post by westoz on Jan 27, 2019 5:53:06 GMT
Bring on full renewable power ASAP. No excuse for power station failure during heat waves when Australia is drenched in Solar Energy. My faith is in the younger generations to get us there sooner rather than later. (Queue all the old boys bleating the hydocarbon industries lies about lack of base load etc blaa blaa blaa. A national power system using multiple sources of green energy is the answer) BTW, my partner and i are fully off grid and live in luxury with every possible convenience you can imagine. Rising power bills? Blackouts? What are you talking about😆.
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Post by westoz on Jan 27, 2019 6:01:57 GMT
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Post by enigmas on Jan 27, 2019 11:12:24 GMT
I know these places are lovely to live in but I just could not do it if these risks were so high and often. A bit like USA with all there Tornado's and alike. I know the UK is rubbish weather wise and we get things bad sometimes but i'd rather have what we have compared to you poor souls. However, if money were no object and we were 10 years younger we would now be in New Zealand where part of Joanne's family reside. Went there in 2009 for 5 weeks on North island Auckland/Orewa area and loved the place. They do have the occasional 'severe' earth quake in NZ Brendan. OZ is a land of contrast and extremes it has always has been. I've never been in close vicinity to a raging bushfire but then I don't choose to domicile in dense bushland. These are individual choices people make and like all choices have potential consequences. Most Australian's of my generation (at least) are familiar with this poem. Dorothea Mackellar. "My Country"
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Post by enigmas on Jan 28, 2019 9:18:40 GMT
And to finish off...Although Australia Day fell on last Saturday the public holiday was celebrated today. My parents came out from a devastated Europe after WW2 in 1947 and eventually became Australian citizens. I didn't attend that ceremony but I was fortunate enough to attend the citizenship ceremony today for one of our close friends a former Kiwi. An interesting ceremony with indigenous speakers giving an historical context and also welcoming the culturally diverse range of 'new Australians' into the flock.
This poem was well known to me as a school boy growing up in OZ in the 50s & 60s. with Banjo Patterson's "Clancy of the Overflow"
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