Comments on: It’s raining, it’s pouring… http://tomandzoe.com/log/2007/02/its-raining-its-pouring/ tales of life from North Queensland, Australia Thu, 08 Jan 2009 23:19:52 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 By: Kiki http://tomandzoe.com/log/2007/02/its-raining-its-pouring/#comment-6734 Kiki Mon, 05 Feb 2007 09:11:01 +0000 http://tomandzoe.com/log/?p=577#comment-6734 I agree, here in Europe, we are facing in the Moment a kind of different catastrophe in terms of climate change. The government wants to make high regulations on cars, using more than 5 L, so that would mean that vans, station wagons and 4WD are gone, at least with the current technology. Maybe a Japanese car with Hydraulic can help! Our winter is extremely warm and the glaciers are melting- Greenland will become a green island, soon!! By the way i like the little movies from You (Tom) and Alex, great music! I agree, here in Europe, we are facing in the Moment a kind of different catastrophe in terms of climate change. The government wants to make high regulations on cars, using more than 5 L, so that would mean that vans, station wagons and 4WD are gone, at least with the current technology. Maybe a Japanese car with Hydraulic can help!
Our winter is extremely warm and the glaciers are melting- Greenland will become a green island, soon!!

By the way i like the little movies from You (Tom) and Alex, great music!

]]> By: Rodders http://tomandzoe.com/log/2007/02/its-raining-its-pouring/#comment-6717 Rodders Sun, 04 Feb 2007 03:38:27 +0000 http://tomandzoe.com/log/?p=577#comment-6717 Yeah, no more riding under there! I guess that would have made a funnier story: "after an evening of drinks I was riding my bike under the bridge... then suddenly the current took me away and I woke up on Magnetic Island" Yeah, no more riding under there!

I guess that would have made a funnier story: “after an evening of drinks I was riding my bike under the bridge… then suddenly the current took me away and I woke up on Magnetic Island”

]]> By: ylm http://tomandzoe.com/log/2007/02/its-raining-its-pouring/#comment-6689 ylm Fri, 02 Feb 2007 15:01:37 +0000 http://tomandzoe.com/log/?p=577#comment-6689 It is probably just as well that Rodrigo had given up riding his bike under the Ross Riover bridge It is probably just as well that Rodrigo had given up riding his bike under the Ross Riover bridge

]]> By: tom http://tomandzoe.com/log/2007/02/its-raining-its-pouring/#comment-6688 tom Fri, 02 Feb 2007 11:56:25 +0000 http://tomandzoe.com/log/?p=577#comment-6688 As I'm now apparently an expert in anything to do with science, I get some pretty funny questions at the pub/dinner parties etc... Such as, "What are the chances of being reincarnated as a tuna?" and, "What's the deal with the global rainfall budget anyway?". Yeah, like I know... These guys went part way there, saying that it is now drier than during the last ice age: http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v253/n5486/abs/253033b0.html These guys mapped it in 1915: http://etc.usf.edu/maps/pages/4600/4629/4629.htm More tomorrow... As I’m now apparently an expert in anything to do with science, I get some pretty funny questions at the pub/dinner parties etc… Such as, “What are the chances of being reincarnated as a tuna?” and, “What’s the deal with the global rainfall budget anyway?”. Yeah, like I know…

These guys went part way there, saying that it is now drier than during the last ice age:
http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v253/n5486/abs/253033b0.html

These guys mapped it in 1915:
http://etc.usf.edu/maps/pages/4600/4629/4629.htm

More tomorrow…

]]> By: Liz http://tomandzoe.com/log/2007/02/its-raining-its-pouring/#comment-6687 Liz Fri, 02 Feb 2007 10:59:18 +0000 http://tomandzoe.com/log/?p=577#comment-6687 We had a light shower today!!!!! but we need much more to revive our white cedar which is not looking at all good after experiencing 40 degrees plus! We had a light shower today!!!!! but we need much more to revive our white cedar which is not looking at all good after experiencing 40 degrees plus!

]]> By: Retired Lady http://tomandzoe.com/log/2007/02/its-raining-its-pouring/#comment-6682 Retired Lady Fri, 02 Feb 2007 05:50:06 +0000 http://tomandzoe.com/log/?p=577#comment-6682 I learned in physics when I was at school that matter in the Universe is neither created or destroyed. Given this I was led to believe that the amount of water vapour in the earth's atmosphere remains pretty well constant. If this is so then if it rains less in one part of the world it must rain more somewhere else. From this I would reach the conclusion that global warming has no effect on the amount of water in the earth. But, if the atmosphere is warmer then there should be more water vapour in the atmosphere and therefore more rain. I think we should therefore all relax, have a nice long shower, and a couple of ales. I learned in physics when I was at school that matter in the Universe is neither created or destroyed.

Given this I was led to believe that the amount of water vapour in the earth’s atmosphere remains pretty well constant.

If this is so then if it rains less in one part of the world it must rain more somewhere else.

From this I would reach the conclusion that global warming has no effect on the amount of water in the earth.

But, if the atmosphere is warmer then there should be more water vapour in the atmosphere and therefore more rain.

I think we should therefore all relax, have a nice long shower, and a couple of ales.

]]> By: tom http://tomandzoe.com/log/2007/02/its-raining-its-pouring/#comment-6676 tom Fri, 02 Feb 2007 04:20:41 +0000 http://tomandzoe.com/log/?p=577#comment-6676 Australia's water shortages are due to the clearing of native vegetation for European agriculture, which has two main effects: 1. When all the trees are removed, the natural buffering capacity of catchments (i.e., the retention and slow release of water) is lost; and 2. Following clearing, water is pumped out of natural systems (rivers, lakes, streams and the aquifers) for crops and stock, where it evaporates. In urban areas, much of the water is used by industry (http://www.ozh2o.com/h2use2.html). Calls to pump water around the nation in massive pipes are as ludicrous as the original land clearing. We must return to sustainable water use through sustainable agriculture and wise urban and industrial use - not do this: http://www.wilderness.org.au/campaigns/landclearing/nsw/lc141004/ Having said that, it's fucking wet here! Australia’s water shortages are due to the clearing of native vegetation for European agriculture, which has two main effects:

1. When all the trees are removed, the natural buffering capacity of catchments (i.e., the retention and slow release of water) is lost; and

2. Following clearing, water is pumped out of natural systems (rivers, lakes, streams and the aquifers) for crops and stock, where it evaporates.

In urban areas, much of the water is used by industry (http://www.ozh2o.com/h2use2.html).

Calls to pump water around the nation in massive pipes are as ludicrous as the original land clearing. We must return to sustainable water use through sustainable agriculture and wise urban and industrial use - not do this:
http://www.wilderness.org.au/campaigns/landclearing/nsw/lc141004/

Having said that, it’s fucking wet here!

]]> By: lock http://tomandzoe.com/log/2007/02/its-raining-its-pouring/#comment-6674 lock Fri, 02 Feb 2007 01:23:36 +0000 http://tomandzoe.com/log/?p=577#comment-6674 Now all we need is a bloody great pipe heading south so we can all have green grass and proper showers again... There was a map printed in the Herald the other day showing that there were only very few parts of Victoria that, over the last 10 years, were having the lowest rainfall on record, the vast majority of the country has had average, or well-above average, rainfall in the decade since 1996. Surely the problem is simply population growth and the resulting increase in water consumption. 'The Drought' is mearly a political construct. Tomo? Now all we need is a bloody great pipe heading south so we can all have green grass and proper showers again…

There was a map printed in the Herald the other day showing that there were only very few parts of Victoria that, over the last 10 years, were having the lowest rainfall on record, the vast majority of the country has had average, or well-above average, rainfall in the decade since 1996. Surely the problem is simply population growth and the resulting increase in water consumption. ‘The Drought’ is mearly a political construct. Tomo?

]]> By: Karin http://tomandzoe.com/log/2007/02/its-raining-its-pouring/#comment-6673 Karin Thu, 01 Feb 2007 23:44:34 +0000 http://tomandzoe.com/log/?p=577#comment-6673 crazy! look at all that water! hope you are all well! Karin. crazy! look at all that water!

hope you are all well!
Karin.

]]> By: Kiki http://tomandzoe.com/log/2007/02/its-raining-its-pouring/#comment-6659 Kiki Thu, 01 Feb 2007 10:32:11 +0000 http://tomandzoe.com/log/?p=577#comment-6659 Savita wrote already "Head Home", as Karin says, if you are not a PhD student!! Take care, Townsville people! Tom and Zoe, you can be happy that you are on the safe hill! Savita wrote already “Head Home”, as Karin says, if you are not a PhD student!! Take care, Townsville people!
Tom and Zoe, you can be happy that you are on the safe hill!

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