Water holding trees

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Persimmon

http://www.google.com.au/search?hl=en&source=hp&q=water+holding+tasmanian+trees&meta=&aq=f&aqi=g10&aql=&oq=

Establishing which are native plant species.

http://www.google.com.au/search?hl=en&source=hp&q=carpobrotus+rossi&meta=&aq=f&aqi=g1g-v9&aql=&oq=
http://www.google.com.au/search?hl=en&source=hp&q=carpobrotus+edulus&meta=&aq=f&aqi=&aql=&oq=
In the past i have just assumed that Iceplants were all introduced species. I assumed this as they are sometimes very bright crimson and people go for that in a plant. No this was not correct in the case of carpobrotus r which is Australian native. 
 The lemon and sometimes lilac coloured carpobrotus e which is a very similar succulent Iceplant is not Australian native. It is South African native established widely as a pest elsewhere.
Iceplants or Pigface plants are featured at the above links.
Scroll down to the images of 2 pigface types at the above links, both of which appear similar.    Yet the lemon and lilac coloured one- carpobrotus e is not Australian native whilst the crimson one-carpobrotus r is.      *lux1930 is not a science site.
 carpobrotus e has become an established(not native) in California where it was introduced and is now a pest plant.

Truth in Sting's poetry

Contemplating the words of Sting - they build machines that they cant control-
  

           Are alternative forms of power generation so accident prone? many people may ask.  
        

          

Earth's satellite appears bigger.

  The astronomical news is that the Moon next week will be closer to the Earth and so will appear bigger than usual to us here on Earth.  Since it is both claimed and denied that this -Supermoon-phenomena can cause earthquake, I looked up a few sites to check as the moon does pull the tides across the planet and thats a lot of water so it is pretty strong.  Incidentally this might cause King tides in the next week apparently.  So is the moon's pull powerful enough to move Earth's tectonic plates?  Or displace water on the planet's surface of sufficient weight to move the tectonic plates?

     On the morning of February 22 2011 I was driving to Launceston and as I drove up a hill through Goshen, I noticed a round daylight moon quite large in the sky. I also remember that the road after Little Plains Lookout was thick with butterflies. Just before Scottsdale, I stopped for a bite and glanced at my watch-it was almost 12noon.      I continued on my journey and at sometime while I was driving from Scottsdale to Launceston the Earth under Christchurch New Zealand was moving radically. The butterflies and I oblivious.
  The same afternoon, on the return journey I pondered the butterfly volcano theory as I drove through the butterflies again, the poignancy in the earthquake aftermath as yet meaningless to me as I only learnt of the quake when I got home and switched on the radio.

http://english.pravda.ru/science/mysteries/14-03-2011/117184-supermoon-0/#

Quake resistant architecture

http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Japan/DH17Dh01.html

 The pagoda as a quake resistant architectural structure is explored at the above link.
 It seems the pagoda design is a good structure as the tiers are able to move independently in their joints in response to the shaking whilst being stabilized around the central column.

 Other traditional Japanese buildings with wooden block roofs are cited elsewhere on the net as having collapsed in quakes more readily than modern buildings. These roofs were likened to a small book placed on a house of playing cards. Too heavy for the structure to avoid collapse when shaken.   Also these buildings were not anchored or attached to the ground but merely self supporting structures placed upon the ground.

 Constructions which have air space under the building, have been cited as not quake resistant as they are on supporting posts, poles,pillars or columns which rely on the stability of the ground into which they are placed.

 Brick buildings readily collapse when shaken.

 Concrete has no ability to move with shaking and responds by crumbling, collapsing and breaking.

  This seems to leave wood as preferred option and it seems crucial that the building is able to move about in it's joints sufficiently when shaken.

 The pagoda link mentions an expressed opinion that ancient builders of this structure would not have known why the design was quake resistant.          This means they were making visual assessments about what looked stable when designing.         The pagoda base being larger than consecutive upper tiers does make the pagoda appear stable.       Pyramids also have this effect on the viewer and have probably survived quakes.          The pagoda like the pyramid, sometimes has been constructed with an underground story for tombs and relics.   Pagoda underground chambers were lined with stone and sometimes leaked water up to the surface from quake disruption, perhaps having some structural function to contain underground water displacement.

 The buildings in Tasmania for the most part do not seem particularly quake resistant in appearance. One exception might be the Scottsdale Ecocentre building which appears as larger at the base and tapering upwards. Although the exterior and interior materials might be hazardous if detached and falling.   I cannot guess what the buildings frame or scaffold would perform like if shaken. The appearance gives no indication.                       

 Other disasters such as floods have effected Tasmanian buildings badly in the case of those built directly onto concrete slabs.
 Fires are also a risk to houses built very close together as they jump from house to house.   Some countries are concerned about defining minimum distance rules. 10 feet between houses and fences is suggested as a minimum distance but it is not proven this is sufficient.   Houses in Australia are being built closer to the fence than this.
   Density has obvious implications in quakes and the death toll is obviously higher in built up areas as falling buildings are a risk and reduced open space means nowhere safe outdoors to flee to.
  * There is much speculation in this. Lux1930 is not a science site.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Earthquake_engineering
Earthquake engineering science is at the above link and largely applies to building standards for large structures which conform to quake resistance building regulations.       Domestic housing may not have to conform to such standards so the home builder has to make their own choices.

wombat

http://www.wombania.com/wombats/wombat-enemies.htm

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Suddenly sunshine

http://www.imagesaustralia.com/mycountry.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dorothea_Mackellar

 Are Australians brainwashed to be stoic?
 This question I ask as Australia is currently flooding in 5 states and is also in bush fire season and cyclone season with the usual assorted droughts.
 UK newspapers have praised Australians for not complaining or appearing to be self pitying as allegedly do the UK populace when faced with disaster- I remain objective. This is the analysis of a UK journalist not myself.
  If this is so then it could be, ironically, the English -stiff upper lip- influence on Australian culture. This manifests as the Australian -she'll be right mate- attitude, also corresponding to popular culture music lyric -dont worry, be happy- considered inane by some.
 Another reason could be more sinister. Brainwashing. Generations of Australian kids have been forced to recite the poetry of
Dorothy Mc Kellar and others of similar genre. See above links. Is this a bad thing? I am uncertain on this. Maybe it is boring and low level anti social to whinge but if not complaining helps incompetent administrators get away with it then stoicism could be a counterproductive aspect of the national psyche.  
 I have analysed this because people are continueing to migrate to Australia and there is really no habitable space left so people will continue dwelling in flood plains and marginalizing the remaining wild life thats not yet extinct.  And suffering consequently. 
 Yet another reason Australians can be stoic is if they have pioneer blood they may in the course of  a harsh upbringing by a harsh line of battling settler soldiers/convicts/agriculturalists or very poor people, have got the impression they are born to suffer.
 Who knows the true reasons for Australian's stoicism if it actually exists.                   Most Australians cope by going to the beach. Australians are for the most part, coastal dwellers as frankly the climate is very harsh and hot everywhere else on the sunburned country with droughts and flooding rains, terror and beauty you might have to be indoctrinated to love.

   I had a splash in the sea this morning and it was cold and brackish.  Far out towards the horizon -brown water with an aquamarine line delineated in the distance. Suddenly sunny yet yesterday flash flood warnings.
  Australia's current floods are connected to record warm ocean temperatures off the north coast apparently.
  Intrepid people in Scotland, England and Russia are in the news for bravely swimming in their oceans in the current northern winter. Yet their sea surface temperatures may be equal or more than their land temperature whilst mine was colder.  
 There was a lot of froth in the sea this morning and the water was brown as mentioned with rotting kelp washed up and stinking, a lovely quite big hairy dead crab on it's back and missing a leg and beautiful slimy red jelly cups sucking to rocks. The gas emitted by the sea weed is actually carbon monoxide as in car fumes apparently.  Maybe this is why the beach can be soporific? 

 

Bridge over the River Cocoa

The weather had normalized so i walked over the bridge to town to buy a few things. As far as the eye could see from the landward side of the bridge the river was the colour of cocoa from mud upturned in the powerful currents created by the torrents of rain.        On the way i could see through the grating, that an extremely powerful torrent of water was absolutely gushing through the roadside culvert down from Ripples Restaurant at Queechy Cottages corner.  At the sea edge the council sewage system overflow alarm beacon shone brightly in the complete absence of any visible sun all day.
 The chemist, discount and hardware stores had -Closed due to flooding- notices posted. I bought strawberries, a lime and calcium tablets from IGA.
 When I got home SES had sandbagged the door so I thanked them just as they were driving out down a drive nearby which had been like a gushing creek earlier in the day. It must be a long day for the SES and it will not end yet as a storm is expected tonight.
  Down at the docks the jetties were crowded with vessels among them Emnicus which was not in it's usual mooring at the edge of the river just bayside of the bridge where only a few days ago in sunny weather people bought fish straight off the boat. -$24., $33.- Customers watched as they weighed and agreed prices and if filleting was requested this was deftly accomplished in view by a girl with a knife working from a work surface on the boat.
 As people walked off with their whole silvery fish fresh and probably bursting with Omega 3 and 6 to improve intelligence, I felt the inadequacy of the imported, cardboard packaged, crumbed fillets in my own freezer that seemed more affordable.
 At home I got the candles and matches ready in case of power failure. The carpet is still partially squelchy from flooding which i referred to in the prior post. I am hoping water will not invade the house again and that the carpet hurries up and dries. The problem is partly due to the situation of the house-downhill- and also because the house is built at ground level. A few steps up to the ground floor may have elevated the interior above the water level.   
 Birds are calling to each other outside and all is peace before the forecast storm. Yesterday evening before the deluge the crickets had been very shrill and highly audible dominating out all other sound.  Then a shower came down suddenly and voila, the crickets stopped their incessant racket.  I have heard but not sighted the nearby crickets. Their kind along the Bay of Fires are black and can be present in quite dense concentrations when mating in sunny weather. They cluster on big trees near the beach and dart about through the air looking for each other. They can be heard while in the car driving out to Binalong Bay. Probably they make a feast for the bird life in the area, but the trees unfortunately are getting thinner as people hack them away for a view of boring ocean but then lose their lovely natural wind break, privacy screen, water sponge flood preventative and bird life habitat.

Inside the flooded house

Drowsily I aroze from the nights slumber, just like a million previous mornings.  So initially everything seemed usual and I padded out to the bathroom. Still half asleep, I noticed the bathroom, toilet room, laundry and kitchen floors were awash with water.  Of course there had been a torrential downpour last night, but nonetheless I was surprised to be in a flooded house.  
 At first the carpets in the other rooms were not affected. Unfortunately water subsequently got in almost all around the house perimeter and now the carpets squelch beneath my bare feet as I pass through the house.   I go about my business almost as I normally would. At least this is not as bad as Queensland, I agree with the SES guy who pops by for a few words. A stranger has placed a rolled beach towel and a small bank of tiles against the outside of the laundry door to stop the water. This is very considerate. Thank you whoever you are.
 The water inside the house had taken on the hue of dark brown mud as I mopped up and this was a messy task. The rain continues and has not stopped at all although is lessened and the water is under better control.
 I saw the first multipede since a month or so (as they are supposed to be  hibernating), on the laundry lino and the snails are climbing joyfully up the exterior house walls, windows and anything vertical outdoors as is their privilege.
 Many roads in North East Tasmania are blocked. Binalong Bay is inaccessible. More rain is forecast. I am expecting electricity supply failures, but hopefully they will not occur.
 This house has flooded before I suspect as there were rusty marks on the lino in the laundry cupboard when I moved in and the lawn is sometimes very swamp like when it rains. It is situated at the bottom of a watercourse. Up at the top of the hill, the houses are not flooded.  Obviously it is smarter to live on high ground. TV reception is better there too probably. I have no functioning TV anyway though so who cares about that, I dont miss it much since its mainly rubbish.
  The  TV programs I like are art, lifestyle,architecture and nature related for the most part. A sweet movie I viewed the other day was from 1971, set in Paris and the Camargue region titled - Friends - with music of Elton John.
 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Camargue
 All about the Camargue at the above link.

  The rain has now practically stopped falling and I am just waiting for the squelchy floors to dry. Just now I enjoyed sipping a beverage concoction of my own design which I make from mixing some of the hot water that I cook red kidney beans in with creamy milk. Delicious and nourishing.  Earlier for morning tea I ate a slice of buttered carrot ginger cake which I made sans recipe. By chance nonetheless edible although I am definitely not a gourmet cook. I am prepared to eat cooking mistakes as long as they are my own making. I am happy as long as I know what went into each unappetising bite.
 Recently I read Alain De Botton's book titled- The Pleasures and Sorrows of Work.- Which I describe as a profound and readable analysis of work and economies.
 I am currently reading Lisa Jardine's - Going Dutch - How England Plundered Holland's Glory.    In this I find interesting information about art dealing and sales in that period. All of which are enmeshed in the history, politics, dynastic interests and liasons of the time. A lack of photographic evidence is made up for by the inclusion of descriptive historical illustrations and exquisite  paintings from the Northern Rennaisance Dutch and Flemish schools of perspective realism including works by Titian, Rubens and Vermeer.
 Because of the flood problem where I currently live almost at sea level and in a watercourse as previously mentioned, I have decided to sale price some paintings to raise money for a house up the hill where flooding is not a problem. Examples of these contemporary paintings of abstract and modernist genres can be seen at Aquamarine Art Gallery :http://konstsian.blogspot.com/
If considering purchase telephone:
61 from outside Australia 03 0488002412

Zug system for Tasmania- Would it work?

http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,2040142-1,00.html
The above link to an article about an obscure town in Switzerland whose economy profits from the non physical presence of global corporations, is interesting as Tasmania needs an economy not based on development or increased population.
 Tasmania might benefit from becoming a banking low tax island dominion and places such as Jersey, Guernsey, Isle of Mann and Zug have got systems to look to for Tasmania's future.
 Locals get reduced rates for housing so they are not priced out of the market and everyone profits. The traditional pace of life is preserved as population is not increased just capital base.   In this way the wildlife and habitat could stand a chance and mainland Australia could also benefit from proximity to the financial products available and from reduced Commonwealth funding required to keep Tasmania afloat.