Re:Fire, rain and our water, a muddied matter of chance
Fires may affect water supplies for 30 years
tinyurl.com/asfpyt

There is no mention of the effects of the fire retardant phoscheck !

SueM was correct.

get close and get nobbled !

JeffT
Don't apologize.
I'm so objective about this topic lately that I have to spend 20 mins. editing my posts before submitting so as to remove the swearwords.
I don't see NASA starting a sex education division..........it's about the only subject I haven't heard any Hansensprout.

JoT
Instead of continuing to blame Global Warming why don't you take action that will save lives NOW ?
On Feb 16th 2009 in the Daily Telegraph Piers Akerman tells you how.
<a href="http://tinyurl.com/bt2dc9" target="_blank">http://tinyurl.com/bt2dc9
Here is a life saving partial quote:
"DEAR Justice Teague
You're not a corner-cutting person, but as you and your assistant commissioners have to present an interim report before the next bushfire season, you could save some time by reviewing the findings of the previous inquiries into bushfires in Victoria and elsewhere in southeastern Australia
Start with Judge Leonard Stretton's 1939 inquiry into the Black Friday fires, fast forward to the 1984 review of the Ash Wednesday fires the previous year, the report on fire prevention by the Auditor-General in 1992, the CSIRO fire management paper prepared by Phil Cheney in 1994, the Victorian inquiry and the federal inquiry - A Nation Charred - in 2003, and you will find that the principal problem constantly identified over the span of your life as a determinant in the ferocity of the fires is the level of fuel available.
The Victorian Government, and local councils, have ignored all the warnings."

JoT Why don't you listen to over 60 years of wisdom?

JoT, why don't you tell your mates in power that they need to listen and act NOW ?

Why don't you tell your mates in power that by slavishly following the "green" mantra they are costing lives NOW ?

Why don't you tell your mates in power that they can start saving lives NOW ?

edit:
And in the same vein:
The age:
"http://tinyurl.com/cal3eg"

JeffT
Todays announcement from the Bush Fire Commissioner
<a href="http://tinyurl.com/cbxkcl" target="_blank">http://tinyurl.com/cbxkcl
I spoke too soon !
You were right and I foolishly was wrong.
History is repeating itself from day one !!
quote:
"raising public consciousness of threats are among the urgent issues to be addressed in time for next fire season. Fuel reduction burning and planning and building issues are expected to be tackled in the second phase." [read 18 months]

Oh! Was Camilla driving ?

JeffT
So far so good!
The Premier of Victoria has announced the terms of the Royal Commission into the recent bush fires. The terms are very wide ranging. It would appear that concerns that the Commission would be nobbled by restrictive terms of reference were premature.
Quote:
"The most open inquiry that is possible. No stone unturned. Every bit of information on the table. And if that means calling ministers or premiers, or whoever it is, we will be happy to assist."
The leader of the Victorian opposition has already given an up front commitment to implement the recommendations of the Commission.
Now all we need is the same commitment from the all the other Governments, Councils, regulative authorities and the environment groups.
Read more: <a href="http://tinyurl.com/d4kr57" target="_blank">http://tinyurl.com/d4kr57

Re : The Prince of hypocrites.
A quote from the linked article caught my eye:
"[He] converted his classic Aston Martin to run on biofuel made from wine."

I can't work out which is the bigger waste............the wine or the Aston !

Re: "Angry fire survivors launch class action against Vic Gov and power company"
THE WHEELS TURN TOO SLOWLY
The Sliddens Lawyers website reveals that litigation as a result of the excessive fuel load issues and lack of effective fire mitigation processes has been ongoing for some time.

It is worth noting that these pending cases commenced before February 2009.
Is the only way that accountability for collective and individually culpable actions achieved through the courts?

If that is correct then the process is too slow.

The conservation groups can immediately rethink their policies with a revised ethic. An ethic that replaces trees with human life at the top of their priorities.

Governments, at all levels, can immediately change their mindset in these matters to reflect the revised conservation ethic and filter that change down through the ranks.

Ponderous inaction has already cost too many lives
Too many more lives are at ongoing risk to move slowly.
.

JeffT
Thanks for that article.
The conclusion is apt.
Quote:
"The Australian tragedy tells us nothing about global climate. Meanwhile, what the alarmists are saying, in effect, is that instead of protecting their property by taking local precautions, by prudently burning and cutting vegetation, ;homeowners should be preparing for the fire next time by lobbying for more subsidized windmills in Denmark, more “clean development” boondoggles in China, and bigger and more intrusive bureaucracies at home, all managed by the U.N., the most corrupt and incompetent organization on earth.

The policy arson has to stop.
End quote