tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7797188666559531190.post5389032288326928606..comments2024-03-08T15:14:31.312-05:00Comments on Landless: #FridayFlash: Ayers Rock, By GodTony Nolandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15090583562737225942noreply@blogger.comBlogger24125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7797188666559531190.post-11482877058297335132010-11-23T23:58:53.765-05:002010-11-23T23:58:53.765-05:00How do you possibly manage to write great stories ...How do you possibly manage to write great stories and do the nano thing?Cathy Olliffe-Websterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12729578896443750402noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7797188666559531190.post-17811901503617616062010-11-22T18:18:27.096-05:002010-11-22T18:18:27.096-05:00These areas were seas much like your photoshoppery...These areas were seas much like your photoshoppery, several times, and is how the limestone in the Nullarbor was laid down.<br /><br />mega engineering has been proposed several times, most studies do in fact suggest that evaporation is so great that it would just increase the salt, of which is there in vast quantities already. The area below sea level looks big but is not big enough, deep enough.<br /><br />I remember, from the early 80s late 70s, a proposal to build a 2km high artificial mountain range across Australia north-south, to capture rainfall and meliorate the climate, with a navigation sea moat on one side.<br /><br />Best advice to remake Australia:<br />http://www.jeremy-gordon.com/?p=20<br /><br />Gamers version:<br />http://forums.civfanatics.com/showpost.php?p=8674428&postcount=245<br />(Tasmania survives quite well)<br /><br /><br /><br />see also:<br /><br />http://www.thefullwiki.org/Prehistoric_migrations#wikipedia_South_Asia_and_Australia<br /><br />http://elainemeinelsupkis.typepad.com/earth_news/2007/04/elaine_meinel_s.htmlmeikahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17410659353169461214noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7797188666559531190.post-40717667747324971972010-11-22T09:51:34.802-05:002010-11-22T09:51:34.802-05:00Thanks for all your comments, everyone. I'm es...Thanks for all your comments, everyone. I'm especially grateful to the antipodeans (to use Adam's word) who read this.<br /><br />@ meika: You raise a couple of interesting points. The nomenclature of geographical features is certainly a point of contention, and reflects political power as much as cultural values. Witness the Uluru/Ayres Rock issue within the story.<br /><br />I checked the geography before writing this. Lake Eyre and surrounding salt flats are below sea level, so if someone were to dig the appropriate channel to let the ocean in, you would have an inland sea. What would that mean for Australia's climate, especially that of the interior? Would the source of water vapor mean lots of rainfall in the desert? Unless you have a flow-through to renew the water, evaporation would increase the salinity of the area until you were right back to precipitated salt flats.<br /><br />Fascinating to think about, though.<br /><br />Oh, and as a side note, I just write and post these FridayFlashes all by my lonesome. Nobody beta reads them before they go up.Tony Nolandhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15090583562737225942noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7797188666559531190.post-56168312348425082010-11-22T00:49:14.822-05:002010-11-22T00:49:14.822-05:00Indians are unlucky to invade Australia as they th...Indians are unlucky to invade Australia as they then would have no one decent to play against in cricket.<br /><br />see also: <br />http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Southern_Ocean<br /><br />"Australian authorities regard the Southern Ocean as lying immediately south of Australia."<br /><br />It goes all the way round and is second biggest ocean after the Pacific, we argue, and of which the "Indian Ocean" is just a small embayment. Disagreements about this nomenclature may have given rises to excuses for war and invasion though...<br /><br />also: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inland_sea<br /><br />"In Australia the promise of an expected inland sea was one of the prime motives of inland exploration of Australia during the 1820s and 1830s. The main champions of the theory were Charles Sturt and John Oxley, but it had a number of other supporters. Notable sceptics included Edward John Eyre."<br /><br />(I gladly would have beta'd the odd two word point of information for context.)meikahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17410659353169461214noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7797188666559531190.post-57499614367396686592010-11-21T13:37:44.389-05:002010-11-21T13:37:44.389-05:00You set the stage very well. The characters manner...You set the stage very well. The characters mannerisms were very believable. I'm interested to know more of Bala's story.Lara Dunninghttp://laradunning.wordpress.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7797188666559531190.post-85822308645255825902010-11-21T12:56:41.382-05:002010-11-21T12:56:41.382-05:00Interesting premise you have here. You have a nic...Interesting premise you have here. You have a nice frame to exhibit this premise as well.AidanFhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09876041003278004627noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7797188666559531190.post-89190551969581533332010-11-20T20:07:09.426-05:002010-11-20T20:07:09.426-05:00Very intriguing tale, Tony ... and it's beggin...Very intriguing tale, Tony ... and it's begging for a longer treatment. But very well done!PJhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07521953491880916840noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7797188666559531190.post-16459423265693388512010-11-20T13:43:23.696-05:002010-11-20T13:43:23.696-05:00Love the scientific elements of this. Great, great...Love the scientific elements of this. Great, great future history. Love it!Joz Varlohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12750541029227514781noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7797188666559531190.post-55029955758362362282010-11-20T13:04:46.477-05:002010-11-20T13:04:46.477-05:00You are a step ahead with this story. Geopolitics ...You are a step ahead with this story. Geopolitics meets "geosculpting" as a match made in hell. Good story.Jasonhttp://fridayafternoonpress.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7797188666559531190.post-60634296192204806782010-11-20T09:47:35.518-05:002010-11-20T09:47:35.518-05:00Wonderfully written details in this piece, Tony. Y...Wonderfully written details in this piece, Tony. You captured the reader and let them see this newly constructed world as you see it. Thanks for sharing.Stephenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04753736809917062955noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7797188666559531190.post-45399128041964084162010-11-20T08:21:19.761-05:002010-11-20T08:21:19.761-05:00Wow! Great story, Tony, but bleak, very bleak. I ...Wow! Great story, Tony, but bleak, very bleak. I wonder, did the driver roll his eyes at the sight of Bala's water because he knows it's recycled and Bala doesn't?Samhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00361651251233078437noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7797188666559531190.post-84618812643179947252010-11-19T23:55:23.611-05:002010-11-19T23:55:23.611-05:00Is this an exerpt from your nanowrimo? Even if it&...Is this an exerpt from your nanowrimo? Even if it's not, wow. Some great description and set up here. This story feels bigger then what's being told. Nice.Cat Russellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14160039271069426174noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7797188666559531190.post-73105428389314917442010-11-19T16:56:09.339-05:002010-11-19T16:56:09.339-05:00Good story! Loved the science of it. Don't kno...Good story! Loved the science of it. Don't know if it's possible or not, but you made it believable, so all is good.Eric J. Krausehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05774468607814244185noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7797188666559531190.post-49555281970028357642010-11-19T16:31:29.913-05:002010-11-19T16:31:29.913-05:00Very good, Tony. Something futuristic from you thi...Very good, Tony. Something futuristic from you this week. I like the science, the descriptions, and the ending.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08236529774839136879noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7797188666559531190.post-24066365937065486772010-11-19T16:25:37.826-05:002010-11-19T16:25:37.826-05:00Wow. I stand in awe of your diverse abilities Tony...Wow. I stand in awe of your diverse abilities Tony. Truly well done.Carrie Clevengerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05093923008179106837noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7797188666559531190.post-11531558395300297522010-11-19T12:55:17.100-05:002010-11-19T12:55:17.100-05:00Thanks for reading and for your comments, everyone...Thanks for reading and for your comments, everyone. Thanks especially to my friends from Oz, and I hope you enjoy all the new beachfront property.<br /><br />@Icy & Jason: Sci-fi has always been a love of mine, and it will creep into a lot of writing that would otherwise be straight lit-fic. It's clever that way.<br /><br />@Chris: Ballsy? In what way? I've killed off the entire human race before, so one continent isn't too bad, is it?<br /><br />@John: Modern H-bombs can be tuned to yield as much or as little fallout as you want. It's all in how you formulate the cladding around the initial fission reaction. In my photoshoppery, I forgot to indicate that the shattered rock from the excavation was used to divert part of the antarctic current through the new channel (which should more properly be called a straight than a sea, but nevermind). The flow scoured and widened the channel, and moved exceptionally cold water cooled the Pacific Ocean. This will be fine to offset global warming for a while, but once the overall temperature of Antarctica rises because of the diversion, the rest of the world will be plunged into a thermal inversion. Glaciers will advance, and the world will freeze solid, covered from pole to pole in ice two miles thick.<br /><br />Pity, really.Tony Nolandhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15090583562737225942noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7797188666559531190.post-66225975025877261572010-11-19T12:12:53.040-05:002010-11-19T12:12:53.040-05:00"The skiff bumped against the dock, like the ..."The skiff bumped against the dock, like the firm kiss of an overly fond aunt."<br /><br />This is my favorite simile that I've read in a long time.<br /><br />Do hydrogen bombs leave no radioactive fallout? It strikes me I heard that as a kid, so using them for geosculpting is a brilliant idea.John Wiswellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07416044628686736927noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7797188666559531190.post-24820265563824776542010-11-19T03:16:36.572-05:002010-11-19T03:16:36.572-05:00You've got some cool ass, subtle sci-fi magic ...You've got some cool ass, subtle sci-fi magic going on with this one Tony. I wonder if you were deliberately riffing on the paranoia percolating in the Australian psyche regards on culturual/economic/military invasion from either India or China?Jason Cogginshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09509338964933754054noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7797188666559531190.post-14959429553276491892010-11-19T00:28:55.611-05:002010-11-19T00:28:55.611-05:00Ballsy, Tony. Exceptionally ballsy.Ballsy, Tony. Exceptionally ballsy.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12766213009757900187noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7797188666559531190.post-58651238517946281732010-11-18T20:01:02.123-05:002010-11-18T20:01:02.123-05:00As an Antipodean, this is remarkably bleak, but ve...As an Antipodean, this is remarkably bleak, but very evocative. Striking in its effect.<br />Adam B @revhappinessAdam Byattttp://afullnessinbrevity.wordpress.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7797188666559531190.post-79005423509666011722010-11-18T19:38:11.678-05:002010-11-18T19:38:11.678-05:00snigger!! as always - strong imagery and great tal...snigger!! as always - strong imagery and great tale with depth.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01308937047474819914noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7797188666559531190.post-78841938890189631362010-11-18T18:32:15.576-05:002010-11-18T18:32:15.576-05:00Very clever. It's almost like futuristic alt-h...Very clever. It's almost like futuristic alt-history, in a way. I truly think your strengths lie in your science fiction.Icy Sedgwickhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11501193571425442406noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7797188666559531190.post-45283189511243315872010-11-18T16:35:43.554-05:002010-11-18T16:35:43.554-05:00You have some beautiful descriptions here Tony, an...You have some beautiful descriptions here Tony, and the voice down-pat. Nice work.Deanna Schrayerhttp://theothersideofdeanna.wordpress.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7797188666559531190.post-78061573248017985312010-11-18T16:26:38.538-05:002010-11-18T16:26:38.538-05:00A strong little tale here, Tony, nice work. I take...A strong little tale here, Tony, nice work. I take it Bala may be a representative of the original bushmen of central Australia? I can almost taste the irony of his final response.Mike Robertsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09067537471948526219noreply@blogger.com