Michael Winston

Who could have forseen it? Regards, Mike.

Satan? Regards, Mike P.S. Just noticed - this is post 600 for me - shame it isn't 666!!!

''Two nations shall go to war, but only one shall win.'' Woody Allen Regards, Mike.

Here's a but of what she said then................ ''[fossils] and serpents have been found from even more ancient times..'' Serpents? Regards, Mike.

Morning all. Apologies if there is another thread for this - I've searched but couldn't find one. Mods, please delete if this is the case. Dreadful weather in Wisconsin and a heatwave on the East coast of America: details here: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/7443473.stm Regards, Mike.

A great story - many thanks, Mr. Data. Regards, Mike.

What a strange and beguiling story, Mr. Data. A remarkable read. Many thanks, Regards, Mike

What strange and wonderful stories. Many thanks, Mr. Data. Regards, Mike.

Hi, BU. Yes, a frustrating problem. When I'm driving on the continent I use the old ' knock off the zero and times by six ' rule to convert kph to mph. So 80 kph becomes approximately 48 mph. I know - I should get out more! Kind regards, Mike.

A good four centimetres here in Birmingham. The strong sun is causing a rapid thaw, alas, but it looks like there's more to come tonight. Fingers crossed! Have a great day everyone. Regards, Mike.

A fascinating read, as usual, Mr. D. Where do you get them from? Your research skills amaze me! Kind regards, Mike.

.......so it won't happen, then! Regards, Mike. Edit: But if it does, it won't be down to their precognitive powers. See Expresses passim.

Apologies if this is in the wrong thread, but here's an interesting article..... http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/7287988.stm Regards, Mike.

Apologies if this is in the wrong thread, but here's an interesting article..... http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/7287988.stm Regards, Mike.

Here are some of my happy-go-lucky thoughts on, and reactions to, this contentious topic and reflections posted herein: I'm posting them because I feel that such a provocative premise deserves some sort of a response: Malthus was essentially misanthropic. Engels described Malthus's hypothesis as "...the crudest, most barbarous theory that ever existed, a system of despair which struck down all those beautiful phrases about love thy neighbour and world citizenship." The anthropologist Eric Ross depicts Malthus's work as a rationalization of the social inequities produced by the Industrial Revolution, anti-immigration movements, the eugenics movement and the various international development movements (blood for oil, anyone?): eugenics, as Village Plank has so rightly pointed out, is skulking around again, looking for any vague excuse to strike, any claim on credibility. Ask any Fascist. In pursuit of oil and control of the supplies of this deadly AGW agent, Madeleine Albright, in her role as the U.S. Secretary of State, when asked on US television if she thought that the death of half a million Iraqi children as a direct result of Western sanctions was a price worth paying, replied: "This is a very hard choice, but we think the price is worth it." As a Roman Catholic, I deplore the leadership of my church, a cabal which condemns contraception. As a result, I can no longer practise my faith because the dogma of that church is fatally flawed and, in my opinion, contributes to a profound level of human misery unknown outside any theatre of war. I could make many more pessimistic observations but these three random paragraphs dragged from the darker corners of my somewhat damaged mind will have to do for now. I'm humane and I'd hate to bore you all. The human race has plenty of methods of self-destruction, all of which preclude sterilisation. Most countries (or factions within) pursue pathologically sadistic domestic and foreign policies: such administrations will always flourish because it is obscenely profitable for them to do so. Famine and plague are not the great levellers - humans are. We are perfectly capable of destroying ourselves with a little help from warmongering governments, multinational cartels and ideologically fanatical administrations. I'm not, I believe, misanthropic. Unlike Malthus, I don't blame the victims - I blame the perpetrators. Trust me on this one - a society capable of producing ''Lily Allen and Friends'' and calling it entertainment is capable of anything. Kind regards, Mike. P.S. Here's to a snowy March! Edit: I've just noticed that this post is number 555 - shouldn't it be 666?

It's the same here in Birmingham. Light precipitation producing a lovely winter's morning. Great! Regards, Mike.

An interesting link that may provide reassurance or raise concerns, depending on your point of view. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/7170365.stm Regards, Mike.

The UKMO are certainly erring on the side of caution: ''UK Outlook for Wednesday 30 Jan 2008 to Friday 8 Feb 2008: A band of rain spreading across the UK on Wednesday, with the risk of heavy rain in places with the band. More unsettled and colder conditions are likely to follow, bringing occasional showers or longer spells of rain to all parts, with snow in the north. The driest weather most likely in the south. It is likely to be windy at times too with a risk of gales in exposed areas. Temperatures probably slightly below the seasonal average with an increasing risk of night frosts. The rather unsettled conditions probably persisting into the following week with a return to westerly winds, temperatures closer to normal and further rain at times, more especially in the north, with the driest conditions in the south. Updated: 1113 on Fri 25 Jan 2008'' All to play for? Regards, Mike.

A most useful link. Thanks, jethro. A fascinating read, Mr. Data. Many thanks. Kind regards, Mike.

Sorry, Coast - I bagged that job years ago! (Don't tell my wife - confidentiality betweeen weather enthusiasts and all that!) A prat? Nice one, VP. You're the new Henry Root! Try not to freeze to death under 20 foot drifts everyone! Regards, Mike. P.S Interesting link here to the BBC re: road gritting:- http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/7169361.stm

Despite the fact that I have very little faith in these wildly oscillating forecasts, I'll quote the UKMO's further outlook from today just to throw petrol on the fire! UK Outlook for Monday 31 Dec 2007 to Wednesday 9 Jan 2008: A slow moving band of rain is expected to affect many parts on Monday. High pressure will be building though, so by Tuesday, many places should be drier. During the rest of the period this high pressure is expected to lie over the near continent which will allow southerly winds to dominate. There are indications that eastern parts will be rather cold with frost and fog by night, which may be slow to clear in the daytimes and also the threat of wintry showers. Further west there is likely to be more in the way of a breeze, along with the threat of some rain, particularly in the northwest, though it should be milder here. These unsettled conditions could edge across the whole country towards the end of the period. Updated: 1421 on Wed 26 Dec 2007 Apologies if it's been posted by someone previously. Regards, Mike.

Not suffered too much from SAD this year like I normally do. Must be the frosty 'seasonal' weather we've been getting here. However, I suffer from borderline clinical depression ( I have done since childhood) and it's difficult sometimes to separate out what is SAD and what is my more general disposition. Regards, Mike. P.S. Get well soon, Rollo!

Hi, Chris. You can download the Adobe Acrobat reader for free - that will open up the PDF file for you. 'Google' Adobe and it will give you the link to the Adobe home page. Hope this helps. Regards, Mike.

At the moment, if you click onto the BBC weather site, you're invited to take part in a survey of the site; this includes an opportunity to give some written feeedback on what you think of the graphics etc. Not a bad opportunity to let them know what you like or dislike about the site. Regards, Mike.

You got that right with me!! Kind regards, Mike.