Just Chris

Despite what CRU and the Met Office would have you believe, I can tell you categorically that the planet is NOT warming, it may well be cooling. We have NOT just experienced the hottest ten years on record, sea levels are NOT rising significantly, the ice at the poles is NOT becoming appreciably less - in fact, it is increasing in places. Himalayan glaciers are NOT receding due to climate change, nor is the snowline at Mt. Kilimanjaro for the same reason. There are plenty of polar bears - their numbers are sustained or increasing. CO2 is NOT responsible for increases in temperature, it's the other way around (atmospheric CO2 levels follow temperature) - nor is it poisonous, it's a life-sustaining colourless, odourless gas, and nor is our emission of it of any consequence. We know the temperature figures were manipulated. We know that CRU and the Met Office organised a deliberate attempt to hide the truth, and fudge and destroy data. These facts are inescapable, however hard these two public-funded institutions may bluster. They have been caught "banged to rights" and they know it - now they are embarking on a damage-limitation exercise. It won't work. The main stream media (who are obviously on-message about man-made climate change) are slowly, but surely buckling under the emerging, and overwhelming evidence that this has all been a monstrous fraud. They are also slowly waking up to public opinion, as they should. If this scam is allowed to continue, it will be to the detriment of all of us.

For all you sad global warming aficionados, winter is a'comin', big time ... http://go2.wordpress.com/?id=725X1342&site=wattsupwiththat.wordpress.com&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.accuweather.com%2Fvideo-on-demand.asp%3Fvideo%3D44795589001%26title%3DWild%2520Ride%2520into%2520and%2520through%2520the%2520Holidays

I didn't know it was developed for "sticking soldiers together"! I was always under the impression, albeit mistakenly, that once it had dried, the skin's natural oils allowed it to be eventually prised off. Chris

Maybe, but sea encroachment and erosion of land is not quite the same thing as sea level rise. Chris

Maybe, but sea encroachment and erosion of land is not quite the same thing as sea level rise.

I wouldn't worry, if I were you, it's only the global warming alarmists trying to frighten everyone - again. The sea levels rise and fall by a considerable amount everywhere twice a day, they're called "tides" - an unlikely change in sea levels of a millimetre or two either way over the centuries will have little effect. After all, levels have remained sort of static for a few thousand years at least, and the residency of humans on this planet for a few seconds in the planet's virtual lifetime will make little difference. Chris

I'm rather keen on my Nespresso machine. This is the third one over the years, and I think they make jolly nice coffee, without the mess. Chris

The frozen legs of New Zealand lamb in our local supermarket are superb, and only around 9 euros. The pork is also gorgeous and cheap, especially when on offer. We find chickens very expensive here, compared with the UK, and the size of sparrows!

At the end of the day, I wonder how many of us would be truly stuffed if Ryanair were not there? There are often few alternatives, other than the ferries. Chris

We went to one locally a few weeks ago. We turned up at the church, and followed the coffin in. We stood at the back because it was packed. It lasted about an hour and was quite moving. It was a catholic ceremony (I suppose most of them are). There were lots of chants and ripostes, and relatives got up and said a few words. There was a collection, and eventually we all made our way out again. The coffin was taken to the cemetery close by, and most people followed. Eventually everyone dispersed. We weren't aware of drinks or eats anywhere, but neither were we close friends or family! Sorry, can't be more specific.

Probably rose chafers - we are plagued with them in pots every year. Chris

I suffered from an apparent hum (that no-one else could hear) in the UK (West London) for a couple of years before moving here. I was convinced it was a large diesel engine ticking over somewhere. I even used to get up at night and look for generators running locally. The GP wasn't particularly helpful, either. I also contacted the British Tinnitus Association for advice. I got used to it in the end. You can get a device which plays white noise, or other sounds which mask the hum, but they are often even more annoying! Having moved to France, I still suffer from time to time. I have to accept that either it is a form of tinnitus, or that I am of a group of people who are susceptible to vibrations in the ether. But there was indeed a Bristol Hum, and one or two others, too - in fact there was an item on the BBC news recently, I recall. Chris

Powerdesal, I think an even bigger con is the "carbon trading" scam. I note that there have been seven arrests for fraud already. It wasn't long before that particular bandwaggon was jumped on! Windmills come a very close second... Chris

Well, you don't need to spot them. If you've any interest in politics and/or follow the better press, the answers are there for all to see. Without setting down a long list, how about G Bruin himself, Mr. Darling, Millipede and "Bumbling" Bob Ainsworth for starters. There has been a long (and well known) association between the marxists and the labour party It's fairly common knowledge what most of them were up to in their "student" days and afterwards, which associations they belonged to, the company they kept, and their leftist and communist leanings. Together they have systematically destroyed what used to be a great country. I have no particular political leanings, Tony, but I assume from your comments that you must be a labour supporter. If so, then it's probably partly down to you that the UK is in the parlous state it's in. I suggest you do a little reading.

He was found guilty by a Scottish court in the Netherlands. He was sentenced, and unless the sentence was successfully appealed against, it should have been served, in full (or until his death). Letting people off for "compassionate" reasons, particularly in the cases of crimes of this magnitude sends out all the wrong signals. It rather lessens the value of the outrage and misery suffered by the families of the victims, who expected justice to prevail (not unreasonably). As for the American involvement, I believe the vast majority of the victims were American, so why shouldn't they have a voice? Was there not an agreement at the original trial that if convicted, Megrahi would serve his sentence in Scotland? So much for Anglo/US agreements. I have little time for Obama, but on this occasion I think he makes a valid point. The UK has gone soft on the wrong people, and it's all part of the spiral into decay and demoralisation brought about by the sad and sorry socialist/marxist government which it has foisted upon itself. My opinion - there are bound to be detractors... Chris

Scandalous. Taxing people on the very element from which they are made, and without which we'd all be dead. Unfortunately the French at the moment subscribe to the current erroneous Euro-belief that human-produced atmospheric carbon is wildly increasing, and we're all going to cook. Neither of which is true. Over sixty scientists have recently petitioned Angela Merkel, begging her to listen to reason and common sense and desist from subscribing to the current AGW religion, and associated money-spinning pointless carbon trading. The earth is not warming, it's in stasis and will probably cool, which really won't be very comfortable for anyone. Carbon is good, warm is good. This nonsense is going to scupper the economy of many countries, and we need all the natural resources we can lay hands on. It'll be too late when we're all freezing with a reduced power-generating infrastructure of worth (other than nuclear) if the alarmists have their way. Taxing people isn't going to stop the change in the planet's climate one jot.

Norman, I'd be very interested in your reasoning behind that assertion, in particular how it has any effect upon the planet having already established that climate change is not caused or exacerbated by the presence of humanity... ... if you are concerned about pollution, then that is quite a different subject. The two are not necessarily interdependent. Chris

Actually, none of it is nonsense. My opinions stem from hard, solid and historical evidence gleaned from considerable research. With respect, I suggest you read Ian Plimer's book "Heaven and Earth - Global warming: the missing science" The stark facts are there - anthropogenic global warming is a myth, and in fact the planet is about to enter a cooling phase, as it does (and always has) cyclically, for many combined reasons, none of which are anything to do with the contribution of humanity. I'm quite happy to debate this with anyone. Chris

I do try to keep out of this silliness, but I can't. You're not going to "save the planet" by changing your eating habits, that's pure unadulterated stupidity. You're not going to "save the planet" whatever you do. The planet is the planet, it's existed for billennia with (but largely without) the presence of man, and will continue to do so despite your puny efforts. What WILL finish the planet will be either an extra-terrestrial influence (asteroid impact, for example, or solar change), or natural catastrophe (like a volcanic or seismic event). Climate change is here to stay - it's always been here, and always will be. Not eating beef, lamb, fish, burgers is going to make s0d all difference, even if we ALL stopped (which of course, we won't). I like vegetables, but not exclusively so, and for me, meat will always be part of my enjoyable, balanced diet. So if you want to indulge your silly beliefs, that's up to you and good luck, but you won't make a hap'ence worth of difference to anything by doing so. Now you can flame me, and/or argue the toss with me until the cows come home (or stop far!ing), it'll make absolutely no difference. Chris

Seems to be behaving itself for me... Chris

We have a mature willow in the garden, and confirm it drips. We discovered last year that this was so, as it dripped all over us and our dinner. A new al fresco dining location has been found... Chris

We got our Remoska back here a week or so ago, after the wife's visit to the UK. I have to say we were expecting great things from it, but are a little disappointed. We weren't expecting cooking in it to be so SLOW!. Maybe we missed the point, or maybe we are misusing it! Maybe a seasoned user can put us right... Chris

That's what I thought at the time, but the advice was from Everblue, who installed and generally maintain the pool. And all was well. Chris

This is our third season with a salt water pool (inherited with the house). As a rough guide, this year we had the liner renewed in our 11 x 5 metre pool, and filled from scratch. We needed to put 18 sacks of salt tablets in. Last year, after winterising and topping up the water level again, we put 10 sacks in. In each case we just chucked a few handfuls of chlor choc in first (yes, I know that's not the way to do it!), and all appeared to be well. Don't turn on your salt chlorination device until all the tablets have dissolved... Chris

We've decided to invest in an Esse woodburner, with an accompanying electric unit (rather similar to an Aga or Rayburn, but a bit less expensive).  I know they're strictly not French, but they were purchased through a French agent.  Apart from the aesthetics, it is hoped that this range will keep the chill off the kitchen during the winter months - it was bl00dy cold this year! Chris