Cairns - One of the most powerful cyclones on record began pounding Australia's northeast coast, threatening popular tourist cities and sending people scrambling to find refuge after police turned them away from overcrowded shelters.

Cyclone Yasi, packing winds of up to 300km/h near its core, started to come ashore along hundreds of kilometres of coastline on Wednesday night, giving a foretaste of a storm centre described by authorities as "terrifying".

"Tonight we need to brace ourselves for what we might find when we wake up tomorrow morning," Queensland state premier Anna Bligh said.

"Without doubt, we are set to encounter scenes of devastation and heartbreak on an unprecedented scale. This cyclone is like nothing else we've dealt with before as a nation."

Yasi is a maximum-strength category five storm, on a par with Hurricane Katrina which wrecked New Orleans in 2005.

Its centre is expected to hit land a little after midnight.

Cyclone proof houses not safe

Selwyn Hughes, turned away from a shopping centre acting as a shelter, stood with his family in the centre's uncovered car park and said his only comfort for the moment was in numbers.

"There are so many of us here. Surely they have to do something, find somewhere safer to move us to before it arrives," he said, squatting on a pink suitcase with his five children, aged two to 13.

Engineers warned that Yasi could even blow apart "cyclone proof" homes when its centre moved overland, despite building standards designed to protect homes from the growing number of giant storms.

Bligh said the cyclone could batter the state for up to three days as it moves inland and slowly weakens. She said 37 000 homes have already lost electricity.

The greatest threat to life will likely come from surges of water forecast at up to 7m above normal high tide levels in the worst-affected coastal areas. Waves of 6.6m have already been recorded about 20km out from Townsville.

More than 400 000 people live in the cyclone's path, including the cities of Cairns, Townsville and Mackay. The entire stretch is popular with tourists, includes the Great Barrier Reef, and is home to major coal and sugar ports.

Strongest ever cyclone



This image provided by NASA shows Tropical Cyclone Yasi as it approaches Queensland, Australia, Wednesday Feb. 2, 2011. (AP Photo)

In Townsville alone, the storm surge could flood up to 30 000 homes, according to the town's web site. The tourist hub of Cairns also expects its city centre to be flooded.

The military is helping evacuate nearly 40 000 people from low-lying coastal areas, and from the two hospitals in Cairns.

Satellite images showed Yasi as a massive storm system covering an area bigger than Italy, with the cyclone predicted to be the strongest ever to hit Australia.

Mines, rail lines and coal ports have all shut down, with officials warning the storm could drive inland for hundreds of kilometres, hitting rural and mining areas still struggling to recover after months of devastating floods.

Yasi threatened to inflate world sugar, copper and coal prices, forcing a copper refinery to close and paralysing sugar and coal exports. It even prompted a major mining community at Mt Isa, almost 1 000km inland, to go on cyclone alert.

Global miners BHP Billiton and Peabody Energy have shut several coal mines located in Queensland ahead of the cyclone, an official for the union representing Queensland coal miners told Reuters.

Meteorology equipment knocked out

Prime Minister Julia Gillard has put 4 000 soldiers based in the garrison town of Townsville on standby to help once the cyclone passes, as well as military ships and helicopters.

Hundreds of people were lining up in a supermarket on the western side of Cairns, stocking up on staples such as bread, milk and tinned goods.

The centre of the cyclone is expected to make landfall between Cairns and Townsville. Yasi knocked out meteorology equipment on Willis Island in the Coral Sea, 450km east of Cairns.

In Cairns, main streets were deserted. Shops were closed and windows taped to stop glass from shattering.

"We're hoping for the best, but expecting the worst to be honest," Scott Warren said as he covered windows with black plastic sheeting at a coffee shop on the Cairns waterfront.

State premier Bligh warned that the mobile phone network may go down and said current estimates were that 150 000-200 000 people could lose power if winds topple transmission towers.

At Cairns airport, people queued from dawn to catch the last flights out of the city before the terminal was locked down and sandbagged against potential storm surges.

Queensland, which accounts for about a fifth of Australia's economy and 90% of its steelmaking coal exports, has had a cruel summer, with floods sweeping across it and other eastern states in recent months, killing 35 people.

The state is also home to most of Australia's sugar industry and losses for the industry from Yasi could exceed AU$500m, including crop losses and damage to farming infrastructure, industry group Queensland Canegrowers said.

http://www.geekologie.com/2011/02/please_teach_lessons_man_bring.php

40 men armed with knives, swords and guns stormed the train and began robbing the passengers.

Bishnu kept his peace while the gang snatched cell phones, jewelry and cash from other riders. But then, the thugs grabbed the 18 year-old girl sitting next to him and forcefully stripped her naked. Before the bandits could rape the poor girl in front of her helpless parents, Bishnu decided he had enough.

Here's the part of the story that makes you cheer. He pulls out a kukri (i.e. a knife) and proceeds to kill 3 of them, injure 8 of them, and causes the rest to flee. During the battle, he suffered a severe knife injury to his left hand, from which he's now recovered.

Say what?

that man deserves a medal

If you havn't heard yet... Let the revolution begin

Within months, Gauteng residents will have to find hundreds, even thousands, more rands every month just to get from home to work and back.

Yesterday, the South African National Roads Agency Limited (Sanral) announced the highway toll system would come into operation at the end of June – with amounts higher than motorists had expected.

Road users will pay 66c/km – before discounts – if they are travelling in light motor vehicles on the province’s freeways.

Heavy vehicles will be charged what has been described as an “outrageous” R3.96/km, while motorcyclists will be charged 40c/km.

Experts have described these figures as a staggering 30% higher than the initial projections for the 185km Gauteng Freeway network.

These increased costs are likely to hit residents of Gauteng where it hurts. Further costs would be passed on to consumers with higher food prices and public transport fares. The poor are likely to be worst affected, say some experts.

Traffic on suburban roads could get much heavier as people “rat run” through suburbs and use alternative routes.

But Sanral believes motorists will gain more than they think – and discounts will be offered for off-peak travel

The system will use electronic-tag (e-tag) number plates. Tolls will be calculated from overhead toll points, or gantries, which have already been erected. These will recognise the e-tag of a vehicle, or its number plate. Each time a vehicle passes under a gantry, a toll is charged. The cost is determined by the distance between gantries. Money will then be deducted from a user’s e-toll account.

The system will be live on June 23.

Sanral chief executive Nazir Alli said: “When we first projected that it would cost 50c a kilometre, those were not thorough figures. Now we have considered the actual costs.”

He said that the controversial tolling system, which has been on the cards for the past three years, is needed to foot the R20 billion to improve the province’s freeways.

He touts the savings on vehicle maintenance as a plus. “If you travel on a good road the savings that you get through maintenance are greater than if you had travelled on a bad road,” he said.

Alli says if your travel costs are between R380 and R550, you would get a 15% discount and, if the value of your travel is greater than R900 at any given point in time, you qualify for 50% discount.

There are also discounts for travelling on public holidays, weekends and off-peak.

But the AA’s Gary Ronald said: “Looking forward we can see the cost to the consumer and motorists will increase in the next few months with anticipated fuel price hikes and increases in the fuel levy.

“Freight will probably carry the most of these fees paying R1.98 a kilometre for small trucks and R3.96 for bigger trucks, but also this will be before discounts are applied.”

Public transport such as the Bus Rapid Transit System would need to be accelerated to save costs.

He also expressed his concern about the “fairly significant” number of people who would use alternative routes, which are already congested and “that might lead to chaos”.

Phillip Taaibosch, the general secretary of the SA National Taxi Council, said the tolls would hit the taxi industry hard. “If we don’t see any sort of amnesty for the taxi industry, we’ll have no alternative but to recover these expenses from commuters.”

Rob Handfield-Jones said the tariffs may be the “final straw which breaks many consumers financially”.

“Considering that these tolls are actually a stealth tax levied by a privatised arm of government, it’s disgraceful that VAT is being charged on them.

“Having been taxed three times by the time they pass the tollgates, we’ll soon pay a fourth time from the inflationary impacts stemming from the massive increase in the cost of moving goods around the province.” – Additional reporting by Sheree Bega. - Saturday Star

Now that is utter rubbish. You'd think they had forgotten that there is still a recession...

SurrealTiggi said ...

http://www.geekologie.com/2011/02/please_teach_lessons_man_bring.php

40 men armed with knives, swords and guns stormed the train and began robbing the passengers.

Bishnu kept his peace while the gang snatched cell phones, jewelry and cash from other riders. But then, the thugs grabbed the 18 year-old girl sitting next to him and forcefully stripped her naked. Before the bandits could rape the poor girl in front of her helpless parents, Bishnu decided he had enough.

Here's the part of the story that makes you cheer. He pulls out a kukri (i.e. a knife) and proceeds to kill 3 of them, injure 8 of them, and causes the rest to flee. During the battle, he suffered a severe knife injury to his left hand, from which he's now recovered.

Say what?

Give that man a Medal for bravery. and where the hell was this? And here I thought it was bad enough down here on the train. Hope they didn't get to do that to the girl cause seriously what the hell.


PS

AHAHA at JHB Ive heard they wanted to do this for cape Town too but i doubt it will work or come through.

this numberplate thing is nonsense though... Some ppl dont even have number plates on their cars explain to me that. (looking at you BMW's).

they gonna squeeze ppl left right and center from increased food prices to petrol ... its gonna suck for alot of ppl... its not great news ...

i wonder about the cut off point for the new license plates ... havent even got a new one for this e tag biz

Tebulot said ...

If you havn't heard yet... Let the revolution begin

Within months, Gauteng residents will have to find hundreds, even thousands, more rands every month just to get from home to work and back.

Yesterday, the South African National Roads Agency Limited (Sanral) announced the highway toll system would come into operation at the end of June – with amounts higher than motorists had expected.

Road users will pay 66c/km – before discounts – if they are travelling in light motor vehicles on the province’s freeways.

Heavy vehicles will be charged what has been described as an “outrageous” R3.96/km, while motorcyclists will be charged 40c/km.

Experts have described these figures as a staggering 30% higher than the initial projections for the 185km Gauteng Freeway network.

These increased costs are likely to hit residents of Gauteng where it hurts. Further costs would be passed on to consumers with higher food prices and public transport fares. The poor are likely to be worst affected, say some experts.

Traffic on suburban roads could get much heavier as people “rat run” through suburbs and use alternative routes.

But Sanral believes motorists will gain more than they think – and discounts will be offered for off-peak travel

The system will use electronic-tag (e-tag) number plates. Tolls will be calculated from overhead toll points, or gantries, which have already been erected. These will recognise the e-tag of a vehicle, or its number plate. Each time a vehicle passes under a gantry, a toll is charged. The cost is determined by the distance between gantries. Money will then be deducted from a user’s e-toll account.

The system will be live on June 23.

Sanral chief executive Nazir Alli said: “When we first projected that it would cost 50c a kilometre, those were not thorough figures. Now we have considered the actual costs.”

He said that the controversial tolling system, which has been on the cards for the past three years, is needed to foot the R20 billion to improve the province’s freeways.

He touts the savings on vehicle maintenance as a plus. “If you travel on a good road the savings that you get through maintenance are greater than if you had travelled on a bad road,” he said.

Alli says if your travel costs are between R380 and R550, you would get a 15% discount and, if the value of your travel is greater than R900 at any given point in time, you qualify for 50% discount.

There are also discounts for travelling on public holidays, weekends and off-peak.

But the AA’s Gary Ronald said: “Looking forward we can see the cost to the consumer and motorists will increase in the next few months with anticipated fuel price hikes and increases in the fuel levy.

“Freight will probably carry the most of these fees paying R1.98 a kilometre for small trucks and R3.96 for bigger trucks, but also this will be before discounts are applied.”

Public transport such as the Bus Rapid Transit System would need to be accelerated to save costs.

He also expressed his concern about the “fairly significant” number of people who would use alternative routes, which are already congested and “that might lead to chaos”.

Phillip Taaibosch, the general secretary of the SA National Taxi Council, said the tolls would hit the taxi industry hard. “If we don’t see any sort of amnesty for the taxi industry, we’ll have no alternative but to recover these expenses from commuters.”

Rob Handfield-Jones said the tariffs may be the “final straw which breaks many consumers financially”.

“Considering that these tolls are actually a stealth tax levied by a privatised arm of government, it’s disgraceful that VAT is being charged on them.

“Having been taxed three times by the time they pass the tollgates, we’ll soon pay a fourth time from the inflationary impacts stemming from the massive increase in the cost of moving goods around the province.” – Additional reporting by Sheree Bega. - Saturday Star

When I think about this I want to cry Now all the back roads are going to be more over run. They have made a really great highway now and yes we should be paying for it. But this system seems like it will be easily exploited. And if they have a highway toll then there should be no excuse for potholes on the other roads as our tax money should go to that. Wonder if that will happen or if we all should get 4x4s.

... sorry for negativity but the current state of the roads and traffic make me very unhappy.

Thank goodness for company cars...

imagine taxi fares

I take it this is to help...fund the fixing of the roads? and create more lazy ass jobs? with[censored] customer support.

we already pay tax for the roads but seems we have to pay for more of it cause they dont know how to work out budgets and actually use the money given to them...instead they will fund "other" pockets i mean projects and just make us pay more on another made up project

im not sure but if i remember we already the highest paying nation for staple food .. and this will just rise higher... we pay tax on everything ... our government treasurer needs to be slain aswell parts of our useless government

Morschee said ...

Thank goodness for company cars...

The cost doesn't bother me, I avoid highways anyway... But imagine the traffic

@Elena
Indeed, and to think they took how many millions of tax payers money to fund the new infrustracture of roads and bridges in addition to build stadiums.

Only to turn around and request more money to pay-off/support the roads.. hmmm

Snow said ...

Morschee said ...

Thank goodness for company cars...

The cost doesn't bother me, I avoid highways anyway... But imagine the traffic

if the roads get congested cause of ppl avoiding high ways ... you gonna sit and wait and use alot of petrol... note petrol is almost at R9 per l

"Amnesty for taxi's" What counts as a taxi? If I carpool with two people, am I a taxi? What if the taxi is empty?

Think of sales people.
And how much will the price of food rise to counter R4 per kilometer?

Sigh... sad days ahead

Snow said ...

Morschee said ...

Thank goodness for company cars...

The cost doesn't bother me, I avoid highways anyway... But imagine the traffic

As if the traffic isn't bad enough I've applied for our Woodmead store now, so if the traffic gets less on highways it'll actually work in my favour...should I get the Woodmead store that is.

Tebulot said ...

"Amnesty for taxi's" What counts as a taxi? If I carpool with two people, am I a taxi? What if the taxi is empty?

Think of sales people.
And how much will the price of food rise to counter 4 rand per kilometer?

Sigh... sad days ahead

flexIble elena said ...

Snow said ...

Morschee said ...

Thank goodness for company cars...

The cost doesn't bother me, I avoid highways anyway... But imagine the traffic

if the roads get congested cause of ppl avoiding high ways ... you gonna sit and wait and use alot of petrol... note petrol is almost at R9 per l

Still cheaper than all the tolls.

SurrealTiggi said ...

http://www.geekologie.com/2011/02/please_teach_lessons_man_bring.php

40 men armed with knives, swords and guns stormed the train and began robbing the passengers.

Bishnu kept his peace while the gang snatched cell phones, jewelry and cash from other riders. But then, the thugs grabbed the 18 year-old girl sitting next to him and forcefully stripped her naked. Before the bandits could rape the poor girl in front of her helpless parents, Bishnu decided he had enough.

Here's the part of the story that makes you cheer. He pulls out a kukri (i.e. a knife) and proceeds to kill 3 of them, injure 8 of them, and causes the rest to flee. During the battle, he suffered a severe knife injury to his left hand, from which he's now recovered.

Say what?

That's why the British army still has a regiment of these guys.

The Gurkhas in general and the direct predecessors of the Royal Gurkha Rifles in particular are considered by some to be among the finest infantrymen in the world

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

The Kukri must draw blood before it can be sheathed.

LG wants to ban PS3 sales in the US
Electronics firm LG has filed a patent infringement suit against Sony, demanding that the platform holder stop selling PlayStation 3 consoles and Bravia televisions. LG claims that TVs infringe four patents, while the PS3's Blu-ray player infringes a further four.

How long has the PS3 been out?! & only NOW LG has a problem with it! LOL See below for more detail!

http://tukkoreview.com/news-desk/lg-fires-back-at-sony-in-patent-fight-over-tvs-phones/