Thursday 2nd of May 2024

compliments of the season...

season's greetings

from the ABC

India has confirmed it worked with China and other emerging nations to ensure there were no legally binding targets from the Copenhagen climate talks.

Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh has told Parliament that India got its way at Copenhagen.

He says India, China, South Africa and Brazil emerged as a powerful force.

Mr Ramesh hailed the lack of legally-binding emissions targets and said the group had protected its right to continued economic growth.

British Climate Change Secretary Ed Miliband has accused China of hijacking the climate talks.

The Chinese government has denied playing a negative role.

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Who knows... In fact, Copenhagen might have been an unfortunate place to hold a climate warming gabfeist... Especially when the whole of the USA and of Europe are freezing their butts off with snow like during the 1600s...or was it the 1700s?

I did suggest to a few souls that the talks be held, say, in the Simpson Desert, with no cool drinks allowed... but no go.

Things being what they are — as the South of Australia is about to get on fire for the third major time this year, with temperatures breaking all records, plus the "sort of" fiercest winter in Yourp for yonks — if a few things (events of certain climatic magnitude) happen next year, that I more or less predict for 2015, our little cosmic peeble is in trouble.

Have a good festive season, whether you believe in Santa Claus, Jesus or existential presents...

jingle bells...

from the ABC

Residents are continuing to mop-up after severe thunderstorms swept across south-east Queensland, with more storms forecast for inland areas today.

Heavy rain caused flash flooding, while strong winds brought down power lines late yesterday in Brisbane, Ipswich and Logan.

Energex spokeswoman Alissa Clarke says more than 36,000 homes and businesses lost power.

Ms Clarke says about 150 customers in Brisbane's northside have yet to be reconnected.

"We had about 350 crews working right throughout the evening doing a fantastic job getting 36,000 customers back on throughout the evening," she said.

"Lightning strikes recorded about 25,000 - so you can imagine that causes a bit of damage to the network."

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see greetings at top...

snow job...

With just two weeks to go before the Vancouver Winter Olympics, organisers have nearly everything in place - except snow.

It has been unseasonably warm and no snow has been falling so organisers have had to truck tonnes of snow from higher ground.

"The snow that we have up on Cypress Mountain is substantial. It's just on one side of the mountain versus where the competition venues are," said Tim Gayda, vice president of sport for the Vancouver Organising Committee (VOC).

"So we're actually moving it for the freestyle venue, which is aerials and moguls.

"We're pushing snow down one side of the mountain and trucking it over into that venue."

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see toon at top... January in Sydney has been at least 3 degrees C above average so far. Mximums about 1.5 degrees C above average and minimums about 4 to 5 degree above average..