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The Pook #182492 02/09/09 06:11 PM
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My heart goes out to you all. We know the situation in California, usually each year. You are making our news
continually with live update pictures. The very concept
of the poor people is devastating.


----please, draw me a sheep----
olly #182493 02/09/09 06:12 PM
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Originally Posted By: olly
Kia ora Luke,
The little critter is a Kool Koala, especially for our mate Pook across the ditch. And yes it is very hot at the moment but my heart goes out to all our Aussie cuzzies who have been affected by the fires.


I figured it was something like a Koala.
What is Kia ora?


----please, draw me a sheep----
LukeJavan8 #182518 02/10/09 08:37 PM
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Kia ora Luke,
Kia ora is a New Zealand maori greeting It literally means 'have life'. It can also be an acknowledgement of something good or well done.

LukeJavan8 #182519 02/10/09 08:47 PM
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Originally Posted By: LukeJavan8

What is Kia ora?


A brand of orange juice in the UK.

latishya #182525 02/11/09 12:13 AM
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Originally Posted By: latishya
Originally Posted By: LukeJavan8

What is Kia ora?


A brand of orange juice in the UK.


Thanks Olly. I have a friend who always says: "be well",
to end his letters. Now I have something with which to
surprise him. I appreciate your response.

Orange Juice? Impressive: be well, OJ does help us do that.

Last edited by LukeJavan8; 02/11/09 12:14 AM.

----please, draw me a sheep----
LukeJavan8 #182529 02/11/09 02:37 AM
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Originally Posted By: LukeJavan8


Orange Juice? Impressive: be well, OJ does help us do that.


In a British TV comedy featuring a character from the UK visiting New Zealand, the lead character arrives at his destination and is greeted with "Kia ora", to which he replies, "no thanks, water will do fine".

latishya #182567 02/12/09 06:54 PM
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That is an interesting little tidbit. The British OJ is
obviously well known. Well, here, 1000 miles from the big
pond, I've never heard it. However there is a gentleman
who comes to a place where I volunteer is from New Zealand.
I will use it on him next time I see him. I appreciate it.


----please, draw me a sheep----
LukeJavan8 #182570 02/12/09 09:08 PM
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Originally Posted By: LukeJavan8
My heart goes out to you all. We know the situation in California, usually each year. You are making our news continually with live update pictures.

Thanks very much Luke. Likewise we heard of the devastating fires in California the last couple of Summers with massive loss of life and property. I think you lost over a thousand homes in 2007? Australia sent specialist firefighters to help then, and we are presently making use of your big water-dumping helicopters.

There is another Aussie connection with Californian wildfires of course, and that is the Eucalyptus tree. One of the causes of the worsening fires in California (along with increased population and perhaps climatic changes) is the planting of gum trees (Eucalypts). Eucalyptus forest burns explosively, creating firestorms unlike any other, on account of the oil in the leaves.

Quote:
The very concept of the poor people is devastating.

The latest death toll is 181, and that will probably rise into the 200s. Around 800 homes and hundreds of other buildings have been destroyed and thousands are homeless. Perhaps a million native animals have perished. Here is a list of the known dead and missing. Many others will take months to identify. Some will probably never be found or identified.

These fires were totally different from any experienced even in Australia before. The intensity was so great and they moved so quickly, that many people fled when it was too late or were unable to protect their properties if they chose to stay. It moved faster than a car can drive at times and many people died in their vehicles. The heat was lethal at about 100 metres (350 feet) from the fire front. Part of the reason for this was the record high temperatures (see above in this thread re the tennis Open) in the three days prior to it. The day of the fire it reached almost 48 degrees C (118F).

There is an increased alert in the area of one of the fires today, with it flaring up again near the town of Healesville. Thankyou for your thoughts and prayers for the people of Victoria.

The Pook #182578 02/13/09 01:49 AM
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My sympathies, too, for the sufferers and victims.

The Pook #182580 02/13/09 02:44 AM
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Originally Posted By: The Pook
and we are presently making use of your big water-dumping helicopters.


I was very surprised to read one news report which said that the Southern Hemisphere's largest helicopter and Bambi bucket, capable of carrying 5 tons of water, had flown to Australia from New Zealand. I had no idea that New Zealand had any need for such a big fire-fighting helicopter. Apparently it took 15 hours and several hops to make the trip.

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