Sydney Wakes to ‘Nuclear Winter’ as Dust Covers City

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

I hope they don't lose their International Best-City Awards.

How about bestest dust-covered urban areas? Sounds cool to me.

What the 'eff are you talkin about, ya Drongo?

This is Australia! We have superior dust!

Edited September 23, 2009 by Gene Hunt

[Tinkerbell TX 0]

Sydney University soil scientist Stephen Cattle said the storm was stripping valuable topsoil from far western NSW and the lower Lake Eyre basin. "There could be a few millimeters or more of soil lost from the surface," Dr Cattle said. "We can't afford to lose topsoil."

However, he was quick to say it would be incorrect to blame farmers and graziers for worsening land erosion through poor stewardship of the land: "Australia is basically an arid continent. No matter what we do in terms of land management, there will be times when nature has her way. There's only so much we can do. Nature will win."

While some were quick to point to the storm as evidence of climate change, weather forecasters said the dust did not settle the argument on global warming, with dust storms a frequent occurrence in Australia's history.

"There is no evidence that it is related to climate change; it is a very rare event, caused by the combination of a vigorous cold front and strong winds," duty forecaster S.K. Wong of the weather bureau said.

http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story...299-601,00.html

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

I don't see why it would be incorrect to suggest that agricultural activities play a role. After all, this was largely the cause of The Dust Bowl in the 30's (one of the worst ecological disasters in US history).

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

I don't see why it would be incorrect to suggest that agricultural activities play a role. After all, this was largely the cause of The Dust Bowl in the 30's (one of the worst ecological disasters in US history).

No, I think the Lebanese did this.

NSFW

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

Or maybe it was the aborigines.

[PlatyPius 5]

I don't see why it would be incorrect to suggest that agricultural activities play a role. After all, this was largely the cause of The Dust Bowl in the 30's (one of the worst ecological disasters in US history).

No, I think the Lebanese did this.

lesbians???

[Ban Hammer 14,569]

Cause? Global warming is my guess

or maybe too many bragging australians generating hot air.......

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

Hell is overpopulated, so, with a writ from the World Court, the underword annexed the land down under. Tough break for a former penal colony. It was either there, or Georgia. I guess Australia won.

[Pooky 3,929]

I don't see why it would be incorrect to suggest that agricultural activities play a role. After all, this was largely the cause of The Dust Bowl in the 30's (one of the worst ecological disasters in US history).

So, you will completely ignore the opinions of a scientist familiar with the region (he lives there) and lay an element of blame for causing the event at the feet of the farmers anyway. Remarkable.

Just for the sake of argument, could the activities of the farmers have lessened the impact of the event? Could their stewardship of the land have bound topsoil to the land better and reduced the uplift of material by the dust storm?

I'll be the first to admit that I haven't researched the type of farming carried out in western New South Wales and the Lake Eyre Basin, and would ask any of the Aussies here to fill me in.

But simply to suggest that Australian farmers are responsible for worsening the problem, simply because American farmers did the far worse in the 1930's, despite local expert opinion, is reaching a bit far to find a link.

Edited September 23, 2009 by Pooky

[Heracles 417]

I hope they don't lose their International Best-City Awards.

They would have to Nuke the cities five times over to be on par with some cities here.

Edited September 23, 2009 by Booyah!

[HAL 9000 96]

I don't see why it would be incorrect to suggest that agricultural activities play a role. After all, this was largely the cause of The Dust Bowl in the 30's (one of the worst ecological disasters in US history).

So, you will completely ignore the opinions of a scientist familiar with the region (he lives there) and lay an element of blame for causing the event at the feet of the farmers anyway. Remarkable.

Just for the sake of argument, could the activities of the farmers have lessened the impact of the event? Could their stewardship of the land have bound topsoil to the land better and reduced the uplift of material by the dust storm?

I'll be the first to admit that I haven't researched the type of farming carried out in western New South Wales and the Lake Eyre Basin, and would ask any of the Aussies here to fill me in.

But simply to suggest that Australian farmers are responsible for worsening the problem, simply because American farmers did the far worse in the 1930's, despite local expert opinion, is reaching a bit far to find a link.

Problem is... that he isn't laying an element of blame or causality on them.

[Heracles 417]

Australia's drought and highest temperatures on record have been unanimously linked to global warming.

The ozone layer above Australia is incredibly thin, which means in some place in as little as 15 minutes you are sunburnt. Even during winter over there, the sun is really harsh and you certianly notice the difference from here to there.

Edited September 23, 2009 by Booyah!

[Pooky 3,929]

I don't see why it would be incorrect to suggest that agricultural activities play a role. After all, this was largely the cause of The Dust Bowl in the 30's (one of the worst ecological disasters in US history).

So, you will completely ignore the opinions of a scientist familiar with the region (he lives there) and lay an element of blame for causing the event at the feet of the farmers anyway. Remarkable.

Just for the sake of argument, could the activities of the farmers have lessened the impact of the event? Could their stewardship of the land have bound topsoil to the land better and reduced the uplift of material by the dust storm?

I'll be the first to admit that I haven't researched the type of farming carried out in western New South Wales and the Lake Eyre Basin, and would ask any of the Aussies here to fill me in.

But simply to suggest that Australian farmers are responsible for worsening the problem, simply because American farmers did the far worse in the 1930's, despite local expert opinion, is reaching a bit far to find a link.

Problem is... that he isn't laying an element of blame or causality on them.

I'd disagree with you there, the inference in the opening sentence is plain to see and completely lacking in substantiation.

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

Australia's drought and highest temperatures on record have been unanimously linked to global warming.

The ozone layer above Australia is incredibly thin, which means in some place in as little as 15 minutes you are Sunburnt.

[HAL 9000 96]

The inference is that dust storms can have agricultural causality factors. That does not mean he is blaming this one on the Aussies. AJ probably would do that though.