2019 Jun 29 - European Heatwave
This week in Southern Europe, the wave of political populism gave way to the wave of heat, a heat wave, as temperatures crept high enough that the trees are beckoning dogs over to them. Yes, the mercury in the thermometers would be rising to the top, if the EU hadn't banned the use of mercury thermometers years ago. Remember that supposedly silly scene in the 4th Indiana Jones movie where he climbs into a lead-lined fridge, well that seems like a sensible idea now, it's probably quite cold in that fridge.
In France they recorded their highest recorded temperature - 45.9C (115F) and authorities have warned people not to venture outside at mid-day, a rule that the Spanish government has seemingly had in place since records began. That new heat record was measured in the southern village of Gallargues-le-Montueux which is actually quite close to Nimes, although I can imagine that the French deliberately made the recording in that village in order to make fun of British newscasters struggling to pronounce it. Perhaps they can retaliate by recording a world-beating rainfall record in an unassuming Welsh valley. Go on Jean-Paul, give it your best shot!
And of course, queue a line of politicians saying that this is all mankind's doing, including many who would single out the men in "mankind" There's even the occasionally utterly shameless ones who jumped on an airplane and flew there to make their point. They're usually the same sort of people who travel first class to Venice to warn people that the city is sinking, that's kind of the whole point of Venice really. Mind you, the weather does seem a lot hotter than it was back in January so maybe there's something in it after all.
In France they recorded their highest recorded temperature - 45.9C (115F) and authorities have warned people not to venture outside at mid-day, a rule that the Spanish government has seemingly had in place since records began. That new heat record was measured in the southern village of Gallargues-le-Montueux which is actually quite close to Nimes, although I can imagine that the French deliberately made the recording in that village in order to make fun of British newscasters struggling to pronounce it. Perhaps they can retaliate by recording a world-beating rainfall record in an unassuming Welsh valley. Go on Jean-Paul, give it your best shot!
And of course, queue a line of politicians saying that this is all mankind's doing, including many who would single out the men in "mankind" There's even the occasionally utterly shameless ones who jumped on an airplane and flew there to make their point. They're usually the same sort of people who travel first class to Venice to warn people that the city is sinking, that's kind of the whole point of Venice really. Mind you, the weather does seem a lot hotter than it was back in January so maybe there's something in it after all.
This week in Southern Europe, the wave of political populism gave way to the wave of heat, a heat wave, as temperatures crept high enough that the trees are beckoning dogs over to them. Yes, the mercury in the thermometers would be rising to the top, if the EU hadn't banned the use of mercury thermometers years ago. Remember that supposedly silly scene in the 4th Indiana Jones movie where he climbs into a lead-lined fridge, well that seems like a sensible idea now, it's probably quite cold in th ......