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Climate Change - Whatever happened to the Next Ice-Age ? It may still be coming...and sooner than we think

  A midst all the discussion about the perils of global warming, there has been no mention recently of when we might expect the start of the next Ice-Age.... This was a topic that hit the headlines some years ago and was all the rage for a year or two before fading into obscurity. It is probably no coincidence that this media fade-out coincided with the increased coverage in the media about global warming and its wider implications for our future well-being. But should we be so quick to dismiss the possibility of  a much cooler future ? There is now no doubt that our global climate is warming – and doing so quite rapidly. There is also little doubt that our large-scale release of greenhouse gases since the dawn of the industrial era in the early 1800s will have contributed significantly to this process. However, despite the views of some environmentalists, our planet's atmosphere is a chaotic and unpredictable beast, and the jury is still out on whether ‘man-made’ clim...
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UK Labour Shortage – what has caused it, and should we ask the over 65s to help out ?

I first published this mini-review in July 2022 - and a lot of water has passed under the bridge since then, with a new and highly unpopular government in place and already faltering.  The employment situation has worsened significantly since then due to the NI surcharges leveled by Reeves on Business in October 2024 and the follow-up tightening of labour legislation, substantial rises in the minimum wage and large hikes in Business Rates in 2025.  These tax-raising measures have already hit private industry hard, with many SMEs, particularly in the enterteinment and hospitality sectors already forced out of business. I've recently updated it to reflect recent developments and the prospects for our economic recovery, which are pretty dire, given Reeves' attacks on our only wealth-creating sector . There has been little or no progress on addressing our low productivity and high benefits-dependency amongst the working age population. Unemployment has now started to raise its ugl...
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Do we need another ‘Minister for Drought’ ?

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  Editors note: I wheel this blog out periodically when drought threatens to strike again, as it is doing now despite one of the wettest winters I can remember. The UK doesn't seem to be able to 'hold its water' nowadays...or is it perhaps we're using too much of the stuff cooling data centres ? One way or another, we need a bit of rain....here's hoping the rain gods will read this and oblige again! ------------------- On present evidence, and despite a welcome shower or two over the Bank Holiday weekend (when else would they fall?!), I think we just might….. Those of us old enough to remember the excesses of the 1970s will recall one of the most notable of its meteorological ones - the ‘great drought’ of ’76. Contrary to popular belief, this was even more extensive and prolonged than the current one, with both a dry autumn and winter in 1975 and a dry spring in 1976 contributing.   In June 1976 there was actually a period of two whole weeks where maximum tempe...
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No Standing Charge Electricity Tariffs: OFGEM says they’re coming, but will they save us money ?

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A Warning to low Electricity and Gas users:   If you are anything other than a high user of both fuels, don't be tempted by offers from your supplier to fix your tariffs now.... Suppliers are now piling on the pressure to fix with a plethora of different and highly confusing offers, few if any of which include a reduction in the standing charge . These offers have been coming in thick and fast since the Iran war made a hike in prices in the July price cap almost ievitable. What's more, OFGEM are effectively 'co-conspiring' with suppliers to try to get you to fix now, by soft-pedalling on a final decision on the precise details of any SC reductions. It has allowed the cartel to get away with promises of Low SC 'pilots' rather than an across the board Low SC tariff offer. Their own website gives little indication of any timescale for a future switch, merely referring to a 'consultation' on tariff revisions. There is also a nasty rumour that OFGEM has caved...
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