| Author | Message | ||
     David Gore Moderator Username: david_gore Post Number: 3145 Registered: 4-2003 |
Portion of the East Coast of Australia not far from where I live is now under threat from tropical cyclone "Omar" [a cyclone is the same as a hurricane or typhoon elswhere in the world]. Omar, please explain why your name should be given to this dangerous form of weather! Other member suggestions are also welcome...........  The following news item relates to beaches just north of Sydney as the future path of the cyclone cannot be predicted accurately due to its behaviour since being categorised as a level 1 cyclone. https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/newslocal/central-coast/central-coast-beach-closures/news-story/3e229c9a5eb229cc67749bbf28deb6d0 and........ https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/powerful-swell-from-cyclone-oma-to-reach-sydney-on-sunday-20190222-p50zp7.html One thing is certain, it will have a mind of its own until it weakens to a normal low pressure system and moves further east away from Australia. | ||
| Steve Emmott Frequent User Username: steve_e Post Number: 79 Registered: 11-2018 |
WOW....I thought these storms/hurricanes/typhoons always started being named in alphabetical order from the start of the year. Alternating from male to female names each year...... Well it is how done in UK and I think USA too....given 'O' is so far down the alphabet and we are not far into the new year you either have a lot of bad weather or different rules. I wonder though how many men's names begin with 'O' so may be a limited choice  | ||
| richard george yeaman Grand Master Username: richyrich Post Number: 1051 Registered: 4-2012 |
Well, as the future path of the cyclone cannot be predicted accurately due to its behaviour, I wouldn't worry our Omar is a bit like that, He dosent stay long in the one place ha ha ha. Richard. | ||
| David Gore Moderator Username: david_gore Post Number: 3146 Registered: 4-2003 |
Steve, There is a list of 26 alternating male and female cyclone names in alphabetical order. When they get to the end of the list; a new list on file is opened. The list can last several years or more depending on the number of cyclones. Our main cyclone area extends from Perth in Western Australia north to Darwin, east to Cape York and south to Sydney with the peak months being late November to late March with occasional rogue winter storms on our east coast called "east coast lows". One recent instance of an east coast low which I experienced personally was in June 2007 when the captain of a bulk carrier named "Pasha Bulker" ignored storm warnings, dragged its anchor and ended up on Nobby's Beach adjacent to the Newcastle Harbour southern breakwater. The ship's hull suffered severe structural damage and refloating became a major exercise eventually involving bringing the ship which was in serious danger of breaking in two into Newcastle Harbour for temporary repairs before the ship was taken to Japan for a major rebuild and renaming to MV Drake: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MV_Drake One of our RROC[NSW] members was actively involved as an engineer in the local tug industry at this time and managed to give me a copy of the ATSB report on the grounding and recovery which is very interesting especially the risks taken bringing the ship into Newcastle Harbour after refloating. It was highly probable the ship could have split in two in the main channel and completely block one of Australia's biggest bulk coal export ports. I have some photos I took when the rescue of the crew was underway on file. I can retrieve them in the next few days and post them if anyone is interested. An interesting set of images including the return of the "Pasha Bulker" as "MV Drake" 10 years later is on the following link: https://www.theherald.com.au/story/4557154/pasha-bulker-returns-photos/#slide=1 . | ||
| Steve Emmott Frequent User Username: steve_e Post Number: 80 Registered: 11-2018 |
Well that seems a fair way David as eventually the whole alphabet names get used opposed to restarting from the letter A every year. However beware then it won't be long till storm 'Vladimir' eventually strikes  I worked at Tamano shipyard in Japan on the new thyristor controlled A/C ships and used to sail into Perth as the first destination on trials. Thankfully the seas were always calm but some huge albatross used to fly alongside us. | ||
| David Gore Moderator Username: david_gore Post Number: 3147 Registered: 4-2003 |
Steve, I spent a year in Perth in 1980 when my employer transferred me as the Acting State Manager to liase with the North-West Shelf project and to set up warehouses in Perth and Karratha in the Pilbara region. I really enjoyed my time in W.A. and seriously considered staying there however there were ominous signs of future economic problems and I decided I would have a more secure future in the Eastern States should this eventuate - history shows this was a wise decision. No doubt you would have experienced Cicerello's seafood on Fremantle Harbour and the Freo pubs whilst docked there!! | ||
| Larry Kavanagh Grand Master Username: shadow_11 Post Number: 342 Registered: 5-2016 |
I would suggest that this unpredictable cyclone is aptly called after Omar because it's a wayward wind and "The wayward wind is a restless wind, a restless wind that yearns to wander and he was born the next of kin, the next of kin to the wayward wind" Stay safe down under guys. | ||
| David Gore Moderator Username: david_gore Post Number: 3151 Registered: 4-2003 |
Latest report at 10am Eastern Standard Time today is cyclone Oma [some media reports initially called it Omar] has been downgraded to a severe weather event located East of Ballina [northern NSW] and is expected to move further away from the coast in a north-easterly direction with a possibly swing back following the mid-north Queensland coast in the vicinity of Townsville which is still recovering from record flooding from cyclone Penny in late January/early February. Cyclone Penny first formed in the Indian Ocean, crossed the width of Northern Australia and the Gulf of Carpenteria to the Coral Sea off the North Queensland Coast where it reintensified and swung back crossing the coast around Townsville leaving record floods. Cyclone Oma first formed near Vanuatu and tracked south-west towards Australia via New Caledonia. Whilst the system is currently weakening, there is still a possibility it could repeat the behaviour of cyclone Penny by reintensifying and swinging west to cross the coast possibly in the region of Townsville. "Details of Ex-Tropical Cyclone Oma at 10:00 am AEST: Intensity: tropical low, sustained winds near the centre of 95 kilometres per hour with wind gusts to 130 kilometres per hour. Location: within 35 kilometres of 28.3 degrees South, 161.2 degrees East , 415 kilometres north northeast of Lord Howe Island and 810 kilometres east of Brisbane . Movement: southeast at 16 kilometres per hour . Oma has become sub-tropical and has been declassified as a Tropical Cyclone. Despite this, strong gales are expected to continue around the system over the weekend and early next week. It is expected to turn to the east today then take a more northward track tomorrow. Oma is forecast to remaining well offshore over the weekend and into early next week however the coastal impacts currently affecting southeast Queensland and far Northern New South Wales are anticipated to continue, particularly throughout the weekend. In the longer term the system will take a northwest track across the Coral Sea towards the North Qld coast. At this stage the system has a low chance of redeveloping into a tropical cyclone, but the system will be carefully monitored." There is always someone who benefits from another's adversity - Saturday 22nd February 2019:  . | ||
| Steve Emmott Frequent User Username: steve_e Post Number: 83 Registered: 11-2018 |
David G, It was around 1976-78 I was in the area. I had done my stint in the Royal Navy for Queen and Country and went to Japan on new build merchant ships for the final commissioning as we moved from DC to thyristor AC control for the motors. Sailed for around a month on the ships maiden voyages. Obviously no crew on board while in dry dock so had to dine in the shipyard canteens and after 3 months in Japan was sort of all 'fished' out albeit the Sushi bars were good. I was more than happy to get to Perth for a nice juicy Aus steak and a change to the Sapporo beer. Grey cells are failing me at the moment and I can't remember the Aus canned beer name but no doubt you can help me so I don't think about it all night. | ||
| David Gore Moderator Username: david_gore Post Number: 3152 Registered: 4-2003 |
Steve, How did you ever miss going to Cicerello's? Their freshly cooked scallops were an absolute treat..... The beer would have been one of these in order of my preference: Emu Green Label Bitter, Swan Lager or Swan Gold Do you recall these?     | ||
| Steve Emmott Frequent User Username: steve_e Post Number: 84 Registered: 11-2018 |
Hi David. That's the one Swan Export. Even looks the same can decals over 40 years later. Had to take enough on board to last several weeks as we sailed round the Cape of Good Hope (that was rough) up to Tilbury London till finally we could get stocked up with Tennants Lager. | ||
| David Gore Moderator Username: david_gore Post Number: 3153 Registered: 4-2003 |
Steve, Unfortunately, the Swan Brewery on the river below Kings Park is no more - it is my understanding the brewery was located on a spring with excellent water quality [a rare thing in Perth!!!] and the original Swan brews were legendary as a consequence. Unfortunately, the Swan brewery was acquired by an International brewer Lion Nathan and the beer is now made in Adelaide which is notorious for its poor water quality. However, there is a bright side, check out the following link and this is definitely a "must visit" next time I am in "sandgroper country" [i.e. W.A.]. https://www.theoldbrewery.com.au/  | ||
| Omar M. Shams Grand Master Username: omar Post Number: 1787 Registered: 4-2009 |
what a privilege... to have a big bad ass wind called after me....... A big bad ass wind also rhymes with that famous boy from the Simpsons. Gents - I don't know what has happened but I have not had a single email from this forum for weeks. I assumed that nothing is going on and nobody is talking. I only purposely looked after one of my stalkers told me that there is a bit of banter on the forum about Omar. That's most strange... that all notifications would suddenly stop. Could this be a Windows update issue? or are others also experiencing the same? Message to my stalker.....thanks Luv... | ||
| David Gore Moderator Username: david_gore Post Number: 3154 Registered: 4-2003 |
Omar - welcome back, Activities have been been quiet for the past few weeks for some reason. Possibly our recent extended spell of hot weather in Australia and our northern hemisphere contributors avoiding the cold are responsible. A "stalker" - this is something associated with this forum I haven't heard of before. Please advise if this is a curse or a blessing........ . | ||
| Steve Emmott Frequent User Username: steve_e Post Number: 87 Registered: 11-2018 |
I lost my email notifications a couple of weeks ago and when I checked my profile settings they had all been set back to un ticked. I assumed it may have been some update from windows or me running a cookie clearance program. I also set autofill on username and password and that seems to quite often lose its memory like me nowadays.  | ||
| Omar M. Shams Grand Master Username: omar Post Number: 1788 Registered: 4-2009 |
thanks David. Yes a nice stalker who I actually quite like... Yes Steve you are right - my problem is that my computer thinks this forum is a risky place to be in and has now shut off all notifications from the site and has taken away my right to reset the "ticks" note the top left hand corner....  | ||
| Omar M. Shams Grand Master Username: omar Post Number: 1789 Registered: 4-2009 |
see......  | ||
| Steve Emmott Frequent User Username: steve_e Post Number: 90 Registered: 11-2018 |
Omar, I was able to just re tick mine and then all worked well but yours looks like you need to go in and add the forum site manually as a safe site. I know it can be done but you need some computer whiz to explain how to do it like David G. and no doubt a few others here on the site will advise. | ||
| Omar M. Shams Grand Master Username: omar Post Number: 1790 Registered: 4-2009 |
Dear Steve, I just got a notification of your post!!! yay!!! its working again | ||
| Larry Kavanagh Grand Master Username: shadow_11 Post Number: 344 Registered: 5-2016 |
As my ex-girlfriend used to say when I returned following an extended and unplanned absence "Well, would you look at what the wind blew in". Omar is back on the crest of a wave. Welcome back Omar. | ||
| David Gore Moderator Username: david_gore Post Number: 3158 Registered: 4-2003 |
"Well, would you look at what the wind blew in" This was often said by all my grand-parents at our family get-togethers when I was a child/teenager when one of the family characters arrived. On one memorable occasion, the oldest grandchild [me] responded "What wind do you mean; the one from the rear or the one from the mouth." Brought the house down................. . | ||
| richard george yeaman Grand Master Username: richyrich Post Number: 1054 Registered: 4-2012 |
in my neck of the woods it went would you look at what the cat dragged in. Richard. | ||
| David Gore Moderator Username: david_gore Post Number: 3159 Registered: 4-2003 |
Richard, That expression is in common use by my generation - haven't heard it used to any extent by younger generations. | ||
| Omar M. Shams Grand Master Username: omar Post Number: 1791 Registered: 4-2009 |
Thanks Larry. Words of today and words of when we were younger are not the same. Many of us definitely replied to the question "how are you feeling today young man?" with "I am feeling gay thank you sir". It was the way people spoke in those days. Meanings were different too. | ||
| Larry Kavanagh Grand Master Username: shadow_11 Post Number: 345 Registered: 5-2016 |
That's news to me Omar, I've never heard of "feeling gay". When I'm asked how I'm feeling I sometimes respond with "I'm feeling like an 18 year old but unfortunately I can't attract one". I doubt that such a handsome chap as yourself could give the same response with the same degree of honesty. | ||
| Steve Emmott Frequent User Username: steve_e Post Number: 91 Registered: 11-2018 |
The term GAY used to refer to light hearted, happy and cheerful. Hence Omar's reference It is now classed as a 'DATED' explanation in most dictionaries being superseded by the modern term of use as its explanation. We would often say many years ago 'have a gay day' | ||
| Omar M. Shams Grand Master Username: omar Post Number: 1792 Registered: 4-2009 |
Larry, A great expression that works well is this..... you are only as old as the woman you feel. Makes me feel great that one.... | ||
| Larry Kavanagh Grand Master Username: shadow_11 Post Number: 346 Registered: 5-2016 |
Good for you Omar, modesty is your middle name. |
