Dave, Thank you for waking me,FROm being trapped by the media,now I knew there is no global warming. ONLY localized.

The only thing I get rabid about is why is it costing me so much to warm my house if it is getting warmer? Why do petrol prices always go up (here in France) just as it is coming to a holiday weekend?

Hello - people - Norm is being ironic again.

Thought I had better explain.

Cheers,

Norm

Hi Norm, I appreciate (and understand) your sense of humour. I don't think France is unique when it comes to the petrol bandits! They play the same games here! God bless, Dave

Hi, Norm,

Because of the coming ice age I chose my apartment, here in Spain, to save me money. I did look at some houses but the running costs were much too high.

I live on the third floor so there are two floors below me contributing to my apartment heating (actually - I have no heating of my own - I don't need it) and there is one floor above me protecting me from the radiant heat from the block roof if we do get a heat wave. Also, my apartment is north facing and doesn't get any direct sunlight so more protection from the heat.

Fuel prices seem to be fairly stable - I haven't noticed any changes at holiday times. Don't you just wish you had to pay the same ridiculously high prices as the Americans?

I can do irony too, it seems.

The Old Coot

Hi Art, Hoo-hoo!! Yes you can... If people from North America would take a trip through Europe, it would be a great antidote to all the whining I hear about high fuel prices. Here in Canada (at least in my area) gasoline is hovering around $1.16 CA per litre. It is considerably less in the US. As one who has spent my life repairing things that run on gasoline or diesel, I have repeatedly told people that the fuel that makes their machine go is the CHEAPEST thing they can put in it! My old one-ton four-door four-wheel-drive gets about 14mpg on a good day. I also own it, so am not making payments on it. I have to chuckle at people who spend $40 - 60,000 on a new, "fuel-efficient" vehicle to save money on fuel! It's one thing if they're buying such a vehicle because they really want to do their part to cut down on pollution, but I have yet to meet anyone who has spent that kind of money for such an altruistic reason, so... they are really kidding themselves if they really think they're saving money! OK... living accommodations... I live under a roof supported by four walls on a concrete slab that's sitting on hardpan, which, I'm told, will turn to liquid when the expected big earthquake hits. I have a LOT more to worry about than global warming or an ice age... Do you know how hard it will be to prove I even OWNED a house to the insurance company if it sinks out of sight??? God bless, Dave