In normal times, this piece wouldn't get a look-in, although it does have a certain interest, with the headline: "Heavy snow forecast to continue in wide areas". What really makes the story though is the picture.

As for the detail we learn that snow covered the city of Osaka on Friday for the first time since 2008, shutting down highways in Osaka Prefecture and Shikoku. The Meteorological Agency warns that snowfall through today in wide areas of Japan could cause traffic disruptions and accidents.

View full article here

I bagsy first slot....

I will attempt to give the article the full benefit of my analysis whilst maintaining, at the same time, a composure commensurate with the subject matter.


Hahahahahahaahahahahahahahahahahahahaahhaahahahahahahahahahahaa..........
..............aaaaaand................hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha............

Tis the best I could manage.

Apologies.

I would welcome alternative perspectives.

Hmm, that looks like a roof for rain, the designers didn't expect too much snow.

It such a long time since I visited Osaka and Nara --- can't remember whether the names were so frogified. I think I'd have noticed even then, though.

Anyroad up, (and I remember a long haul), it wasn't hot, and the pollution was as bad as in Tokyo's.

Btw - At 28F, the N. Fla. temps are touching a bit below average (41F).

FULL CIRCLE, KYOTO
(Hat tip, Richard North, EU Referendum blog)

As of today, there is no doubt
our Gods are angry, news is out
that humankind betrayed their trust
for poor Earth is doomed, gone, a bad bust, flushed

They had warned us to change our ways
clean up our act, it’s Earth that pays
climb big summits, to Kyoto
low carbon is the only way to go

We took no heed, belched carbon fumes
direct result, dread fate now looms
of extinction, sour medicine
our “fin de siècle” is truly fin

At what to point, to prove this point
Gods say sad Earth is out of joint
a simple thing, today there’s snow
on Byodo In Temple, Kyoto !

Alan McAlpine Douglas

Make good ski jumps (for kids) when they get the Winter Olympics next time.

Just woken up to this…delicious!!

I must tell my mate Charlie.

Ol Charlie is being touted as a 'big-gun' of the cause......

A flagship even.

HMS Hood?

Does rather put me in mind of this. Ahh, the 90s. So very gay.

I bet Fatso, Slobbo, Lord Of The Pies won't even notice.

And over the Pacific to Mexico some of the corn crop has been damaged by cold weather. http://www.indiainfoline.com/Markets/Ne ... 3550511580

More like USS California, sunk at moorings with watertight doors open.

As Mexico crops are hard hit by frost: http://www.digitaljournal.com/article/303583
the GOP comes with a bill that prohibits EPA from regulating CO2 emissions from stationary sources.
How hilarious snowfall in Kyoto might be, there is also a great warning.
Human kind thrives when it's warm but survives when it's cold.

All we need now is some bad weather in Copenhagen. That'll show the so-and-sos.

Oh.... er... hang on a bit...

As a used-to-be keen photographer it's clear the pic of the temple has been photoshopped or whatever....where are all the wires & cables?
It's almost impossible, in Japan, to find a wire-less view &, should you be so lucky, you'll find the lower part occupied by rows of smiling, waving schoolgirls.
My one & only visit to Kyoto was specifically to visit the Golden Pavilion....closed for maintenance. That apart it was a great trip & we met some interesting people.
As for the global warming theme, I do believe that it gets hot or cold occasionally & that we are as responsible for that as Father Christmas.
(How true it is I don't know, but I was told that once, a Japanese shop, in an effort to cater to the Christian Christmas, had a garish window display which featured a crucified Father Christmas .....well, full marks for effort!)