You said: global warming
We are living in a wonderful era
August 9, 2007
I spend my time receiving messages from readers who warmly thank me for... informing them. It's not difficult when one is flooded with media misinformation.
I read recently the record of trivial information: it seems that a boy from Aix-en-Provence is in custody for having put online a pirated translated version of the latest Harry Potter book (350 million copies sold). Fascinating, a subject for debate, on the defense of authors' rights.
Of course, it's summer. People are on vacation, on the beaches. Well, those who aren't seeing themselves in floods, all over the world. Let people rest. It's the press break. But people don't seem to realize that the house is on fire, that the boat is sinking. What are they waiting for? "That everything returns to normal," probably.
I rewatched the 2004 show, aired on Arte, and I rewatched the brilliant interventions of the "sociologist" Pierre Lagrange. He has no shame, that one.
One of my readers sent me the following email:
- Are you really sure that the events of September 11, 2001 could correspond to a terrible conspiracy? Have you considered the number of people who would have had to be involved in preparing such an operation?
To which I replied:
- Go see this video on the collapse of the twin towers. It's the nth one of its kind.
****http://www.syti.net/Videos/Mysteres11Septembre.html
If you persist in thinking that you see evil everywhere, subscribe to the Figaro. Watch the television news for an hour a day, then gradually increase the doses, until complete enlightenment.
Apart from that, here are some small things happening on the planet:
****http://www.wmo.int/pages/mediacentre/news/index_fr.htm
| For more details | : | World Meteorological Organization reports on | extreme weather and climate events | G | eneve, August 7, 2007 (WMO) - Since January 2007, many regions of the world have experienced extreme weather and climate events. January and April were probably the hottest months globally since the beginning of systematic observations in 1880, if we refer to the average surface temperatures over land, with a positive anomaly of 1.89°C for January and 1.37°C for April. In addition, several regions experienced extremely heavy precipitation that caused severe flooding. In its fourth assessment report, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) notes a rise in extreme events over the past fifty years. The IPCC also predicts that heat waves, particularly extreme heat episodes, will continue to increase, as will heavy precipitation episodes. | The WMO and the meteorological services of its 188 Members collaborate with other United Nations institutions and a number of partners to establish a multi-hazard early warning system. In addition, long-term viable observation systems are being set up to detect and assess the impacts of climate change and to determine the priority measures to help the most vulnerable countries adapt. | Heavy rainfall, cyclones and windstorms | During the first half (June-July) of the summer monsoon season in India, four monsoon depressions, twice the normal number, caused heavy rains and floods in India, Pakistan and Bangladesh. Many stations reported 24-hour rainfall totals exceeding 350 mm. These extreme values and the continuous rain caused widespread flooding across South Asia, a situation that persists today and has resulted in over 500 deaths, the evacuation of more than 10 million people, the destruction of large areas of farmland, loss of livestock and significant material damage. | Cyclone Gonu, the first cyclone ever observed in the Oman Sea, hit the coast of Oman on June 6 with sustained winds of up to 148 km/h. Crossing the Gulf of Oman, it made landfall a second time in Iran. In Oman, more than 20,000 people were affected and over 50 died. | From June 6 to 10, heavy rainfall devastated parts of southern China. The floods affected more than 13.5 million people, with 120 deaths, mainly due to landslides. | In England and Wales, the period between May and July 2007 set a new record for rainfall accumulation (406 mm) since records began in 1766, the previous record being in 1789 (349 mm). The extreme event observed in the northeast of England, where 103.1 mm of rain fell in 24 hours (June 24-25), was followed on July 20 by a similar event (120.8 mm of rain) in the center of the country. These two events caused extensive flooding in England and Wales. At least nine people died and damages are estimated at over 6 billion US dollars. | Germany experienced its wettest May since 1901, when national measurements began, with 126 mm of rainfall, compared to the average of 71 mm for the period 1961-1990. In contrast, April was the driest month the country has experienced since 1901, with an average national rainfall of only 4 mm, which is 7% of the normal rainfall. | On January 17 and 18, 2007, a powerful low-pressure system affected much of northern Europe, bringing torrential rains and winds up to 170 km/h. At least 47 people died during the storm and tens of thousands were affected by power outages. According to an initial estimate, the damages could amount to between 3 and 5 billion euros. | Mozambique experienced its worst floods in six years in February. About thirty people died and 120,000 were evacuated from the central Zambezi basin. The arrival of the tropical cyclone Favio on February 22 caused further flooding and new victims. | Unusually early and heavy rains in Sudan since the end of June have caused the Nile and other seasonal rivers to flood. These floods caused widespread flooding that damaged more than 16,000 homes. | In May, severe flooding and significant damage were caused to the Maldives by a series of waves related to a strong swell (3 to 4.5 meters high), which submerged 68 islands in 16 atolls. | At the beginning of May, Uruguay was hit by the worst floods the country has experienced since 1959. Provo...