Jerry we'd love to have you (you too Brian) but you might want to avoid Queensland this week...
http://www.bom.gov.au/gms/IDE00035.201102010030.jpg

Cyclone Yasi is going to be a killer. It's already Cat 3 & intensifying, should turn S/W during the next 12hrs - which will aim it right at the flood affected areas

Very glad I don't live in Qld!

Mind you Sydney is in the middle of a heat wave...

Tuesday
Sunny
Min: 23°C Max: 36°C
UV: Extreme
http://weather.smh.com.au/images/icons/31_blue/w08.gif Wednesday
Possible shower
Min: 24°C Max: 32°C
UV: Extreme

http://weather.smh.com.au/images/icons/31_blue/w09.gif Thursday
Possible thunderstorm
Min: 25°C Max: 34°C
UV: Extreme

http://weather.smh.com.au/images/icons/31_blue/w08.gif Friday
Possible shower
Min: 24°C Max: 32°C
UV: Extreme

http://weather.smh.com.au/images/icons/31_blue/w08.gif Saturday
Possible shower
Min: 25°C Max: 34°C
UV: Extreme

http://weather.smh.com.au/images/icons/31_blue/w08.gif Sunday
Possible shower
Min: 24°C Max: 32°C
UV: Extreme

Thank you
 

Thank you PBO I would love to visit some day soon, but not today. You guys are having some very freaky weather and I believe I will avoid it for now. We are having enough trouble just getting our orders so we can move to Prague, just because of the snowfalls on teh USA eastern seaboard. Apparently it is causing a shortage of staff in DC to handle the current workload. Maybe Australia next post. We shall see. Good luck with the weather there over the next week or so. We hope things get better.

Well Yasi is about 12 hrs from landfall & is a massive Cat 5. It will arrive with a king tide so the damage will be equally massive. Fingers crossed for all those in the area

Fingers crossed. We have friends and extended family in Cairns.

Prayers
 

Our prayers are with all of you down under. We all wish for the best. Please stop back when all is well and let us know how things went. God bless.

I live in MN, one of the northern most states in the USA and the origin of the Mississippi river, which runs all the way down to the gulf. Almost every year there is flooding all along the river in the spring, starting from the melting snow in MN. Almost every year. And those flooded look for insurance and bailouts to take care of them. And they continue to live there!!

I believe anybody that lives anywhere with a history of flooding should do so at their own risk.

Some industry is necessary along the river, but residence is just stupid.

Good luck aussies, and congratulations on being a heartier and smarter lot than the spoiled americans.

Are we smarter or luckier Harold? These events are not quite the annual expectation. The floods have shown how good spirited and compassionate people can be but there is no getting away from the ball and chain that an unfortunate event is about to happen. I truly hope the devistation is far less than expected. The only positive I can see is the good and strong spirit that people have, such as the compassion you guy's have shown here.

Well FNQ appears to have dodged a bullet. No reported loss of life. Here's a few images...

http://images.brisbanetimes.com.au/f...lantation2.jpg

No more bananas for the next year

http://images.brisbanetimes.com.au/f...5798/mega5.jpg

Some cheap boats soon to hit the market

http://images.brisbanetimes.com.au/f...5794/mega1.jpg

And some typical damage

This little piggy made his house out of aluminum siding, and the big bad wolf huffed, and he puffed, and he blew the house down!

Lots of work for shipwrights & roofers in the near future I suppose...

funny how the pole building in the last pic is undamaged except for maybe the garage door lol.

No loss of life.
 

Well like you said PBO no loss of life is good. We expect some level of damage with these storms, and considering it was a Cat-5 storm on apporach I would say things worked out well. Yea if you build cheap trying to save money it can cost you big if mother nature decides to pay you a visit. I would have to say putting stuco on a wood framed house is your best bet. Otherwise go for solid concrete or block filled with cement.

The building codes changed in 1975 & most buildings suffering structural damage were most likely built before '75

I like the last picture because it does show the difference in the structures

Happy
 

We here on RCM are just happy to see that you are here with us safe and sound. Most property damages can be repared, and we always recover on some level. So good to see you here with us again and doing well.

Korea has gotten quite warm considering it is still Feb. We are now in the mid 40's and looking forward to warmer days ahead.