NEW Video Show Massive 12 mile Iceberg Headed for Australia, 15 dec 09

[DrGee5]

Run time: 01:08 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=78lCi445vmA   Posted on YouTube: December 15, 2009 By YouTube Member: Views on YouTube: 0   Posted on DU: December 15, 2009 By DU Member: DrGee5 Views on DU: 1038

 
Global warming alert.

[ChairmanAgnostic]

1. might help with the drought.

Then again . . .

[Jim__]

2. "It's not unusual, but it's very, very rare."

Is Australian usage of "unusual" and "rare" different from American useage? That sounded strange to me.

[harmonicon]

8. oh, god, not this again.

Look: rare has to do with rate of occurrence, where-as usual/unusual relates to what is habitual or expected. That is, this sort of thing doesn't occur very often (that is, it's very very rare), but such an occurrence is in no way unexpected (that is, for this to happen is not unusual).

Does that make sense?

Some more examples: To see a Siberian Tiger in Siberia would be rare, but not unusual. It would be rare, because there are not many tigers left in the wild there, but not unusual, because that is where they are from and the habitat to which they are adapted. To see an African Lion in Siberia would be rare AND unusual.

[Ichingcarpenter]

3. Its broken up somewhat even causing more concern for shipping

he iceberg, known as B17B, was spotted last week on satellite imaging about 1,100 miles (1,700 kilometers) off Western Australia state, prompting Australia's Bureau of Meteorology to issue a shipping alert.

Since then, it has shrunk from 54 square miles (140 square kilometers) to 44 square miles (115 square kilometers), or around 11 miles (18 kilometers) long and 5 miles (8 kilometers) wide, said glaciologist Neal Young of the Australian Antarctic Division.

The iceberg has broken up into hundreds of smaller icebergs, some up to several miles (kilometers) wide, and spread over more than 620 miles (1,000 kilometers) of ocean, he said.

"I expect it to dissipate," Young said. But exactly when, he added, is anyone's guess.

The iceberg is one of several that split off in Antarctica in 2000 when parts of two major ice shelves — the Ross Sea Ice Shelf and Ronne Ice Shelf — fractured.

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5i2Qwh95B7hrKCT4noVul9lMimLQAD9CJE3E00

[Ichingcarpenter]

7. Look at the bergs that broke off including B17B

Sorry photobucket doesn't work for me now so just click the link

B15B is more than twice as big


http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/slideshow/ALeqM5i2Qwh95B7hrKCT4noVul9lMimLQAD9CJE3E00?index=0

[TheEuclideanOne]

4. It began 10 years ago when parts of two major ice shelfs fractured

What caused the fracture? I am curious to know. Was this some type of seismic event or is it related to global warming? Can somebody fill me in?

[nyc 4 Biden]

5. were those penguins on the iceberg?? n/t

[ProgressOnTheMove]

6. The evidence before my eyes is just not in it's some clever liberal plot I tells ya....

:sarcasm: