Coss

the question begs to be asked - "did he need to be told?"

At least the Turks had the decency to check that this was a military plane and not a commercial passenger jet with 270 people on board (https://en.wikipedia...ines_Flight_007)

I'm not wanting to be difficult, and I'm not arguing your post, just another perspective on this whole atoll thing. 1 - The oceans are one big pond - so a metre rise, or fall, will be measurable in Auckland, Sydney, San Francisco, etc etc - as well as at the atolls. There is very little geographical variation in the oceans' levels at different locations on the globe. Possibly less than a millimetre. 2 - Atolls are accumulations of coral debris in the most part. As you note, some Islands are Volcanic in origin. Atolls generally, are accumulated on the top of something, mostly volcanic cones under the water's surface, close enough to the sunlight to allow coral to flourish. 3 - The process of plate tectonics, plays a noticeable effect on the movement of land masses (both above and below water). I don't know what the Pacific Islands status vis a vis this process are, but for example, NZ sits astride a more or less, North to South intersection of a couple of plates. The western of these is getting very slowly closer to Australia apparently, but in 2009 a Fiordland Earthquake jumped us a whole 30cm closer, we'll be neighbours soon There is also a height component to these movements. And as change is constant, we can say that most land masses (both above and below water) are rising or falling, by smaller or greater amounts, most of the time. From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_tectonic_plate_interactions - "The oceanic Pacific Plate is subducting under the Indo-Australian Plate north and east of New Zealand, but the direction of subduction reverses south of the Alpine Fault where the Indo-Australian Plate starts subducting under the Pacific Plate." 4 - Atolls come and go - I can't place the study at the moment, but one done in the 70s and 80s, noted, that after a Cyclone, many atolls in the study area (some 20 or so) had been all but obliterated, or degraded in size and area. Some 17 years later, most (not all) had reformed, a few, much larger than before. So from this we can see that an Atoll's substance, is reasonably dependant on wave action. And from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atoll - "For the atoll to persist, continued erosion or subsidence must be at a rate slow enough to permit reef growth upwards and outwards to replace the lost height." ________ So enough of that, from your photo, I reckon that the water level has not risen, or other wise scientists would be able to claim a (my estimation) 40 cm sea level rise and that would have made headlines all over the place. More likely in my opinion (and it's just an opinion), the floor of the lagoon has dropped or the Atoll has dropped, or the outlet of the lagoon has become restricted and is holding more water. Or even more likely, the man made foundations of the old road are disintegrating. It would be interesting to know what the foundations are, concrete? coral? sand? coconut fibre? I listened to a reasonable sounding guy on the radio the other week who built schools and such and lived and married in Kiribati during the 60's and 70's. His comments were that he'd been back recently to see his daughter, and that Kiribati was shit-hole, so no wonder some people wanted to become climate change refugees (refused in NZ - http://www.3news.co.nz/nznews/kiribati-climate-change-refugee-leaves-nz-2015092314) and that he'd gone down to the seashore, where he'd gone in the 60s and 70s, to sit on the same rock he used to sit on and watch the sea. He noted that the high tide came in to the same place it's came to all those years ago.

Saw something today which is un-attributed, about children killing more 'mericans with guns, than ISIS have. May or may not be true. Certainly, 'mericans kill more 'mericans than anyone else does. Maybe it's a right they should enshrine in an amendment to their constitution. "Hereby it be a unalienable right that only 'mericans be able to kill 'mericans and anyone else we want to. Evil foreigners are not allowed"

Akl is not hot in summer, 25~30 max, but humidity as PTBM notes, is a killer.

Whakatane anyone? Tane being a mans name in Maori, the second official NZ language. Whakapapa? Waikikamukau?

There is every chance that the clientele, may remain as the constant in all of this. i.e. new decor, name, menu, uniforms, table advertising... same customers say no more...

"supping Southern Softie" anyone south of the streets of 'Kong's childhood

NEW ORLEANS -- Authorities are still trying to determine what touched off a shootout between two groups of gunmen that wounded 17 people in a crowded New Orleans park, a police spokesman said Monday. The mayor called on witnesses to come forward, but by late Monday morning nobody had offered either video of the shootout or descriptions or IDs of the gunmen, officer Frank Robertson said. None of the injuries is believed to be life-threatening. Robertson did not know how many people were hospitalized or any details such as their ages. Hundreds of people were gathered Sunday evening at Bunny Friend Playground -- most for a block party and some for the filming of a music video -- when two groups in the crowd opened fire on each other, police said. Police were on their way to break up a big crowd there when gunfire erupted at the park in the city's 9th Ward, the police said in a statement. Mayor Mitch Landrieu, speaking at a news conference aired on WWL-TV, called on people who were in the park to come forward with information. Police have also asked people with any video of the shooting to bring it to police. "At the end of the day, it's really hard to police against a bunch of guys who decide to pull out guns and settle their disputes with 300 people in between them. That's just not something you can tolerate in the city," Landrieu said. more at the link http://www.ctvnews.ca/world/several-people-shot-at-park-after-parade-in-new-orleans-1.2670065

Breeding is our problem, more and more people living in marginal and unsuitable areas. Then we send in aid and resources so there are more and more and more and more and more and more and more and more and more and more and more.... In nature, populations that outstrip their resources, crash and burn... Droughts are good for that. Breeding is also a problem with Chuck, he's so distant from the reality of the world, he'll climb on any band wagon. He's becoming his Dad.

Shandy = a drink made from 50/50 beer and lemonade , traditionally for the weak and frail, oh and children.

But it's the Taxi service that draws the most concern: Arle14 Cebu City, Philippines Well actually, im writing this review with still a bit nervous inside. We didn't checked in in this hotel but our good Friends did. We just deposit our bag for a couple of hours before heading to the airport and just to say bye to our Friends. Since taxi service is just in the hotel so we decided to booked and go directly to the airport @ 8pm. I must say without no doubt that the driver drives very bad. Not staying in one lane, stays right, left and suddenly drives 40kph in the highway. We nearly get crashed! I think the driver had a eye problem and his too old too. So please Nana Hotel kindly change your driver for taxi service!!!! --- Benedikt P Vatican City, Italy Well the room was old and the bed was big but dirty looking . I booked in for a night and do i decided to stay but we spent a very bad night with a lot of noise from the floor . The staff was shouting and chatting on the floor and it was impossible to sleep . The Hotel is under construction and renovation .....but after all we will never stay there again . Old , crappy and all is old style . Never again , so you are warned !!! After we booked the taxi service to the airport . An old Volvo 940 with an old driver too so the car was still OK but the driver was really not able to drive in night time and specially after it started to rain . I think he need to wear some glasses because he was driving like blind . The same Arle wrote and it must be the same driver . From the right side of the HW to the left at a max speed of 60 km /H . I had to remind to him to concentrate but he was not able to drive in one lane . After arriving at the airport we saw that he was also happy to arrive there and he was not able to park the car so just stoped in de niddle of the street to let us out . I hope he could find his way home again and we been happy to escape this idiot driver ..... Nana Hotel and Taxi Transport = Avoid it at all cost . B. Room Tip: maybe the newer romms are better but to be sure just book an other hotel ..Nana is crap ! ---

Throughout time, female impersonators have been disappointed, with low grade responses, to feckless performances. Men on the other hand, don't care

Now there's a big assumption

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/world/news/article.cfm?c_id=2&objectid=11549364 Gunshots sent players, officials and spectators running for safety in the fourth quarter of a high school football match yesterday. The game between Carol City and Miami Central was called off with 2:58 still on the clock after gunshots were heard. Video footage shows players lying motionless on the ground, and some were crawling on hands and knees while attempting to escape. American TV network WSVN-7 reported police arrived at Traz Powell Stadium in Miami after reports of gunfire. The station also reported that police had taken five suspects into custody.

And another http://www.nationmultimedia.com/opinion/A-crude-response-to-the-horrors-in-Paris-30273063.html

I won't post the content here, click the link http://www.nationmultimedia.com/opinion/Missteps-hurting-Thailands-credibility-30273463.html

I'm just nearing the end of the 1st series - as you say, brilliant! - I wasn't expecting the subject matter to be so interesting.

"Published on 20 Nov 2015 Glacier collapsing in Mt Cook National Park, New Zealand caught by photographer Ryan Taylor during a ski mountaineering trip. I also captured a series of ice the size of several buildings falling off the Hochstetter Ice Fall below Mt Cook (highest peak in NZ). Similar events are naturally occurring several times a day (at 13 seconds in the video you can see a similar, smaller collapse in the background of the video) but it is evident climate change is causing glaciers to recede at an unprecedented rate. New Zealand’s 1st ski area was once located on the Ball glacier below Mt Cook which is now covered in rock debris. I assume with increasing average temperatures we are seeing more melting and consequently an increasing ratio of rainfall to snowfall in the accumulation areas of glaciers. It is important to raise awareness around climate change at this time with the international conference on climate change in Paris coming up. For those who don’t care about the glaciers disappearing it has potential to effect economies through loss of tourism and means less water available for irrigation." As a humble realist, I'd like to point out that: 1 - Glacier? only if every accumulation of Snow and Ice atop a mountain is a Glacier, in this video it is clear that it's a snow/ice field well up a mountain and nowhere near a melt line. 2 - Climate Change/Global Warming? surely the ice and snow should be retreating under such a scenario, what we see here is clearly the ice and snow advancing and bulldozing rock, vast quantities of rock, out of the way. This is more snow and ice, not less. Impressive video but crap commentary

And then there's Dubai:

I shudder to think what dating a 20 something these days involves:

Here y'go, a story and a link Mali hotel hostage situation over as UN troops report seeing 27 bodies. http://www.theguardi...tel-mali-bamako Raid led by Malian special forces ends nine-hour siege of Radisson Blu hotel in Bamako, though some attacks continuing to resist arrest A nine-hour hostage situation at a high-end hotel in Mali’s capital is over after special forces stormed the building, officials said, but an unspecified number of attackers remain on the upper floors and are continuing to resist arrest. Islamist militants with guns and grenades had taken about 170 people hostage at the Radisson Blu hotel in Bamako on Friday morning. Analysis Bamako attack shows Mali fight goes on, two years after French intervention Northern Mali is still populated by an alphabet soup of armed groups and recently the jihadi problem has shown signs of creeping south There are conflicting reports of the death toll, though UN peacekeeping troops who entered the hotel after the siege said a preliminary search had found 27 bodies. One Belgian national was confirmed as being among the dead. Two gunmen were killed, AFP quoted Mali’s military as saying. Even after the last hostages were freed, Mali’s security ministry said some attackers remained “dug in†on the upper floors. “The attackers no longer have hostages,†said security ministry spokesman Amadou Sanghou. “They are dug in in the upper floors. They are alone with the Malian special forces who are trying to dislodge them.†The attack began when a group of gunmen reportedly used a car with diplomatic numberplates to drive into the compound of the hotel before firing at guards, with witnesses saying they also used grenades. About 170 people – including diplomats, businesspeople and airline crew from France and Turkey – were taken hostage. A military official said the gunmen shouted “Allahu Akbar†as they began the attack. Hotel staff said grenades were used. Malian special forces, assisted by counterparts from the US and France based in the country, stormed the hotel, and were seen on TV footage in the lobby. A security source told Reuters the troops cleared the building floor by floor. The US Africa Command said forces stationed in Mali helped to secure the scene, while France’s national gendarme service said about 40 French special police forces, based in Bamako, took part in the assault on the hotel. After the raid a ministerial adviser told French TV that hostages were safe and out of the hotel. “These people have been taken under the wing of the civil authorities,†the adviser was quoted as saying by AFP. Al-Mourabitoun, an African jihadi group affiliated with al-Qaida, claimed responsibility in a message posted on Twitter. The claim could not immediately be verified. Among the freed hostages was a famous Guinean singer, who told reporters he heard some of the attackers in the room next to him speaking to each other in English. “I heard them say in English ‘Did you load it?’, ‘Let’s go’,†said Sékouba “Bambino†Diabaté. “I wasn’t able to see them because in these kinds of situations it’s hard.†The Pentagon said 22 military and civilian employees at the defence department were accounted for after the attack. Air France said 12 of its crew who were staying in the hotel were safe. It has cancelled its scheduled flights to and from Bamako for Friday. India’s foreign ministry said 20 Indian nationals were among the hostages, but that they were all known to be alive. Seven Algerians, including diplomats, were trapped in a hotel, according to the country’s foreign ministry. The Chinese state news agency Xinhua said at least seven Chinese tourists were among those trapped inside the building. It broadcast a short video clip said to be filmed by one of the hostages. Mali’s president, Ibrahim Boubacar Keïta, was in Chad for a meeting of regional leaders, but was cutting short his trip, officials said. Mali has experienced significant activity in recent years from Islamist militant groups, who at one point seized the strategic town of Konna. This was returned to government control with the assistance of France, the the former colonial power, which launched a military offensive in 2013 at Mali’s request. On Friday, the French president, François Hollande, who is also dealing with the aftermath of the brutal Islamist attacks on Paris a week ago, said everything possible was being done to end the siege. France’s gendarme service said about 50 specially trained police troops were en route from Paris to Bamako. The hotel is just west of the city centre in a neighbourhood with government ministries and diplomats. The Radisson attack follows a nearly 24-hour siege and hostage-taking at another hotel in August in the central Malian town of Sevare in which five UN workers were killed, along with four soldiers and four attackers. Five people, including a French citizen and a Belgian, were also killed in an attack at a restaurant in Bamako in March, in the first such incident in the capital. Both attacks were also claimed by al-Mourabitoun. Northern Mali was occupied by Islamist fighters, some with links to al-Qaida, for most of 2012. Although they were driven out by the French-led military operation, sporadic violence continues.

http://www.weirdretro.org.uk/out-of-context-comic-panels-having-a-spanking-time.html

How long before cans of drink disappear from drink trolleys ?