Lower Than The Limestone Beneath The Concrete

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

Although a sudden outgassing of CO2 had occurred at Lake Monoun in 1984, killing 37 local residents, a similar threat from Lake Nyos was not anticipated. However, on August 21, 1986, a limnic eruption occurred at Lake Nyos which triggered the sudden release of about 1.6 million tonnes of CO2; this cloud rose at nearly 100 kilometres (62 mi) per hour.[4] The gas spilled over the northern lip of the lake into a valley running roughly east-west from Cha to Subum, and then rushed down two valleys branching off it to the north, displacing all the air and suffocating some 1,700 people within 25 kilometres (16 mi) of the lake, mostly rural villagers, as well as 3,500 livestock. Worst affected villages were Cha, Nyos, and Subum.[8] Scientists concluded from evidence that a 300-foot (91 m) fountain of water and foam formed at the surface of the lake. The sudden amount of water rising caused much turbulence in the water, spawning a wave of at least 80 feet (24 m) that would scour the shore of one side.

One survivor described himself when he awoke after the gases had struck:

"I could not speak. I became unconscious. I could not open my mouth because then I smelled something terrible . . . I heard my daughter snoring in a terrible way, very abnormal . . . When crossing to my daughter's bed . . . I collapsed and fell. I was there till nine o'clock in the (Friday) morning . . . until a friend of mine came and knocked at my door . . . I was surprised to see that my trousers were red, had some stains like honey. I saw some . . . starchy mess on my body. My arms had some wounds . . . I didn't really know how I got these wounds . . .I opened the door . . . I wanted to speak, my breath would not come out . . . My daughter was already dead . . . I went into my daughter's bed, thinking that she was still sleeping. I slept till it was 4:30 p.m. in the afternoon . . . on Friday. (Then) I managed to go over to my neighbors' houses. They were all dead . . . I decided to leave . . . . (because) most of my family was in Wum . . . I got my motorcycle . . . A friend whose father had died left with me (for) Wum . . . As I rode . . . through Nyos I didn't see any sign of any living thing . . . (When I got to Wum), I was unable to walk, even to talk . . . my body was completely weak."[10]



Well, didn't he look up startled. It was November and everyone seemed to have come to the party with one intent in mind: to relax, get shnickered, mark the end of a tough year. The season was changing; the days warming, summer and the hordes of backpackers just around the corner. Oh how he could have cried, for them, for everybody, as they jogged past in their infinite beauty. He had been determined to be the first to arrive; and had helped set up; but as the evening progressed he and John Price populated a corner; near everything but neatly out of the way; and they just, between them, over the hours, got increasingly giggly. He hadn't laughed so much in years. Everything he said was on the mark; coruscating wit; critiquing everybody with a quick acerbic charm, taking their best and worst points nad making it funny none the less.

You're pissed, she declared, populating the end of the table, a shock out of the mist. Where have you been? What are you doing with these people? They're beneath you. A silence developed around her as people, people he had known for 30 years, began to listen. I told you I could rescue you from all this. I told you I could take you into the light. Everyone's disappointed in you, everyone. I'm disappointed in you. Everyone here is disappointed in you. Your children are disappointed in you. He grew more silent; if that was possibnle, having uttered not a word; as the tirade continued. That's what you get for standing someone up, he thought ruthfully.

One of your girlfriends, mate, John Price whispered in his ear.

And then he really did see the funny side, couldn't help but see the funny side try as he might; collapsing into laughter on the table, dislodging a beer bottle. Which sent her off into new paroxysms. These people aren't worthy of you, how dare you! I told you I could bring you into the light. I was serious. You know I'm psychic. You know I can help you. Why have you turned away from me like this? Why are you choosing to corrupt yourself in this sad, pathetic way? Everyone's disappointed...

At which point he stood up abruptly, walked out of the party and went home.

His son, coming home after midnight, found him sitting in the flat in the dark.

What are you doing? he asked.

Hiding from a woman.

Fair enogh, he replied, and went to bed.

Later, apologetic and avoiding old friends, fearful he had made a dreadful fool of himself, he's not the good friend you think he is, the voice boomed in his head, thinking of his host, and everything was in anguish again, the swirling disqujiet, he found out she had continued to make a presence of herself. You're lower than concerete, lower than the limestone beneath the concrete; she told one old friend of his. She collapsed in the street on the way home; and an ambulance had to be called.

I met her at the pub was his only excuse; much to everybody's mirth.

He hadn't had a drink since.



THE BIGGER STORY:

http://www.smh.com.au/national/parliament-a-charade-says-former-pm-20091229-li7a.html

Former prime minister Bob Hawke has labelled parliament as a "charade" during an animated appearance at Queensland's Woodford Folk Festival.

The Labor luminary also slammed arguments against economic growth as "pig's tit" and expressed glee about Liberal prime minister John Howard's downfall during a public interview session last night.

More than 2000 festival visitors crammed into a marquee at the Sunshine Coast hinterland site last night to see ABC presenter Kerry O'Brien quiz the 80-year-old former union leader about his life, career and political views.

Mr Hawke said he believed the institution of parliament was a charade because all the proposals had already been approved by the ruling party's caucus and cabinet.

"I never liked parliament," he said.

"I was an advocate for 10 years in the Commonwealth Conciliation and Arbitration Commission.

"I was used to an environment in which the argument was real and you'd win or lose on the quality of your argument."

Mr Hawke said politicians would walk into parliament and engage in a "bloody long debate, which is pointless because the decision's been made".

Question time and the senate committee system could provide an opportunity for scrutiny depending on the quality of the opposition, which had been "pretty bloody poor" in recent times, he said.

Later, Mr Hawke fired up when fellow interview guest and public intellectual Clive Hamilton attacked the Hawke-Keating government's economic reforms along with society's obsession with growth and wealth generation.

The former prime minister dismissed the criticisms as "crap".

"I say 'crap' because I find it strange verging almost on the obscene to hear comparatively well-situated people telling the poor they don't need to aspire to improve their condition through wealth," he said.

http://www.itwire.com/content/view/30255/1066/

Duane Hamacher, a doctoral candidate at Macquarie University, used ancient folklore from an Australian Aboriginal people and modern Google maps to locate a meteorite crater in central Australia.

Hamacher considers himself an educator within the field of astronomy. He is associated with the Sydney Observatory and the Foundation for Astronomy at Macquarie University.

He investigates how the Australian Aboriginal peoples have incorporated the darkened sky above their lands into their ancient cultures.

Duane Hamacher looks at paintings, stone arrangements, historical literature, and other ancient folklore to understand their cultures with respect to astronomy, archaeoastronomy, and ethnoastronomy.

And, with his education, experience, and expertise at investigating the Aboriginal peoples, Hamacher has incorporated ancient Arrernte dreaming stories and modern Google maps to find a bowl-shaped meteorite crater at Palm Valley.

Palm Valley is located about 130 kilometers (80 miles) southwest of Alice Springs, which is located near the southern border of the Northern Territory, and near the geographical center of Australia.

http://news.smh.com.au/breaking-news-national/australia-magnet-for-people-smugglers-20091229-lhih.html

The federal opposition says the arrival of another boatload of asylum seekers shows that Australia has become a favoured destination for people smugglers.

A boat carrying 11 suspected asylum seekers was intercepted near the Ashmore Islands off northern Australia late on Monday by Border Protection Command.

Opposition immigration spokesman Scott Morrison says the continuing arrival of boat people is putting the assessment system under too much pressure.

"The government's indifference and weakness, both in their border protection policies and the decisions they've taken, have ensured that Australia has become a magnet for people smugglers," Mr Morrison told ABC radio on Tuesday.

"So we're now left with a situation where we have Christmas Island full, boats arriving pretty much at will and this must be putting extraordinary pressure on the processing systems that need to be undertaken under such overcrowded conditions."

The latest suspected asylum seeker arrivals will be taken to Christmas Island for questioning and to undergo security, identity and health checks.



Bondi Beach in a dust storm.