Not the kind you are thinking of:
"For first time, English sparkling wines compete with rivals" by Anthony Faiola | Washington Post, May 05, 2013
CUCKMERE VALLEY, England — Winemakers crediting climate change for the warmer weather that has seemed to improve their bubbly.
Increasingly hospitable temperatures have helped transplanted champagne grapes such as chardonnay and pinot noir thrive in the microclimates of southern England, touching off a wine rush by investors banking on climate change....
That might be a bad bet:
"Instead of enjoying the onset of spring, travelers shivered in stranded cars, packed onto icy train platforms, or languished in airport waiting halls. Thousands of schoolchildren stayed home. Tens of thousands of homes were without electricity — all because of a sudden dump of oddly late snowfall on Western Europe."
Also see: Maybe It's Not Global Warming
Yes, but somehow the snow in Arkansas eluded them (just like the Exxon spill?) on Saturday, the Midwest is flooding and its forgotten, and today I get this s***?
Related:
"Private Wash. school closes due to nice weather" May 04, 2013
SEATTLE — In sun-deprived Washington state, the promise of nice spring weather prompted a small private school to give students a day off to enjoy the sunshine.
Friday was a “sun day” of sorts for the 205 students at Bellingham Christian School, 90 miles north of Seattle.
“SCHOOL CANCELLED DUE TO GREAT WEATHER! WAHOOO!” the school’s website announced Thursday night. “It’s a Sun Day today and everyone gets the day off.”
Principal Bob Sampson wanted to give students time to re-energize and enjoy the weather, adding that he wanted to re-create the excitement snow days get among the kids.
“In a world that’s got a lot hard things going, it’s fun to create a moment of joy,” Sampson said. The sun day was also possible because there weren’t any snow days off this year.
“Kids just love the anticipation of sitting around to see if school is canceled when it snows,” he said. “So I thought ‘how fun would it be to create that anticipation for kids when it’s nice out?’ ”
The principal asked students to photograph what they did. He plans to show the pictures at an assembly Monday.
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Yes, never mind the record cold winters and lower-than-average spring temperatures and just believe in the paper.
Temperatures here are now about 1½ degrees warmer than they were four decades ago, significantly improving harvests. Many climatic variables affect wine grapes. But by at least one measure — average temperatures during the grape-growing season that are now routinely above 55 degrees here — southern England is beginning to look more like the Champagne region of years ago....
The global wine business is fast becoming a bellwether for scientists monitoring the ability of industry to adapt to climate change.
Winemakers and agricultural experts say warmer, shorter growing seasons are already affecting the characteristics of some well-known wines and challenging celebrated grape regions.
In Italy and Spain, vineyards are seeking higher altitudes to cope with greater sugar and alcohol levels from ever more sun-drenched grapes. In France, slightly higher temperatures are accelerating annual harvests, forcing wine producers in some areas to grow more natural canopy, reduce pruning, and, in extreme cases, phase out more fragile varieties of grapes....
You know, it's funny. I don't like or drink wine.
more warmer-season vintages....
warmer weather....
Globe's choices taste terrible.
One study released this month by a team of climate-change scientists suggested that by 2050, the global wine industry would be turned upside down....
They got the glaciers wrong and were caught hiding the decline, so why should we ever believe them again -- especially in light of our own senses?!
Critics assailed the study for turning guesswork into science, saying there is not enough evidence to support assertions of such dramatic changes ahead for the wine industry.
Related: German Climate Scientists flip on Global Warming
The only ones pushing the $cam now are the AmeriKan media and those it $erves.
Yet within the industry — just as among the public — a heated dispute has broken out over the role of global warming on winemaking....
I thought hot wine was only for cooking.
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Related:
Sunday Globe Special: Wining About Fracking
Sickening Sunday: The Wars Of Wine and Roses
The Globe's Gla$$ of Wine
Let me do a little more before moving on:
NY to add zones in storm response
Forced evacuations after they have taken your guns -- for your own protection, of course.
Drought in West spurs a resurgence of faith
I love it when they push two agendas with one pos.
"Calm, moist air aids fight against Calif. wildfire; But evacuation orders remained for several areas" Associated Press, May 05, 2013
CAMARILLO, Calif. — A big cool-down in weather calmed a huge wildfire burning in Southern California coastal mountains Saturday, and firefighters worked to cut miles of containment lines while conditions were favorable.
High winds and withering hot, dry air were replaced by the normal flow of damp air off the Pacific, significantly reducing fire activity.
‘‘The fire isn’t really running and gunning,’’ said Tom Kruschke, a Ventura County Fire Department spokesman.
The 43-square-mile blaze at the western end of the Santa Monica Mountains was 30 percent surrounded.
The humidity level rose so much that an effort to burn away fuel at one section of the fire did not work well, Kruschke said. Despite the favorable conditions, evacuation orders remained in place for residences in several areas.
Nearly 1,900 firefighters using engines, bulldozers, and aircraft worked to corral the blaze.
Firefighting efforts were focused on the fire’s east side, rugged canyons that are a mix of public and private lands, Kruschke said.
The National Weather Service said an approaching low pressure system would bring a a chance of showers Sunday and Monday. ‘‘Anything we get is going to help us,’’ Kruschke said.
The change in the weather was also expected to bring gusty winds to some parts of Southern California, but well away from the fire area.
Despite its size and speed of growth, the fire that broke out Thursday and quickly moved through neighborhoods of Camarillo Springs and Thousand Oaks has caused damage to just 15 homes, though it has threatened thousands.
The fire also swept through Point Mugu State Park, a hiking and camping area that extends between those communities and the ocean.
Park district Superintendent Craig Sap told the Ventura County Star that two old, unused ranch-style homes in the backcountry burned. Restrooms and campgrounds also were damaged....
The blaze is one of more than 680 wildfires in the state so far this year — about 200 more than average....
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Letting it burn:
"Lowell fire displaces five families
An early-morning fire in Lowell left 11 adults and two children homeless, according to the Red Cross. The one-alarm blaze at 342 Pawtucket St. started about 5 a.m. and caused about $30,000 in property damage, Deputy Fire Chief Robert Flynn said in a phone interview. Initial investigation shows the fire started on the second floor and may have been caused by an electrical problem, Flynn said. Two women and two men were taken to Lowell General Hospital, one for smoke inhalation and the others for preexisting medical conditions, said Flynn. The Red Cross said it is providing temporary shelter for the five families at a hotel. Flynn said residents might not return to the three-story building until various inspections, and perhaps renovations, are complete. Surrounding buildings were not damaged, he said."
"Fire damages 3 buildings in downtown Lowell
Firefighters knocked down a building at 147-151 East Merrimack St. on Saturday after extinguishing a fire that ignited around noon and caused smoke damage to two other buildings. Deputy Chief Jeff Winward arrived at 5:30 p.m., after the flame was put out, and said that two companies remained in the commercial and residential area of downtown Lowell past 11 p.m. hosing down hot spots and debris. There were no injuries, but the Red Cross provided emergency funds for food and clothing to three residents from the apartment building next door, which sustained smoke and water damage. A barber shop, a Brazilian variety store, and law offices, including those of state Representative Colleen Garry, were destroyed by the fire. Preliminary investigations suggest the fire was accidental."
"Blaze engulfs 3 apartment buildings in Northbridge
Firefighters brought under control a five-alarm blaze that displaced 17 adults and three children from three apartment buildings Saturday, according to fire officials. A firefighter and a resident were treated for minor injuries, said Northbridge firefighter Gary Noel. The apartment buildings, each three stories, were engulfed by the fire, which started at 75 Church St. and spread to 35 Cross Place in the Rockdale neighborhood. The first two buildings were destroyed, Powers said. The Fire Department first received a call about the fire at 1:52 p.m, Noel said. The fire spread quickly, causing the first building’s roof to collapse, and spread to the other two buildings, he said. It was brought under control at 5:41 p.m. Red Cross of Eastern Massachusetts set up a service center at St. Peter’s Church to determine the needs of residents."
"Fire destroys three-family home in Worcester
Fifteen people were displaced by a fire that destroyed a three-story home Saturday morning, a fire official said. The three-alarm fire, at 3 Hitchcock Road, was reported just before 5 a.m., said Geoffery Gardell, deputy fire chief. Firefighers used ladders to rescue five residents from the third floor. Seven residents were taken to the hospital for observation, Gardell said. The residents were exposed to smoke, but not seriously injured."
"Boy arrested in Maine arson case" Associated Press, May 05, 2013
LEWISTON, Maine — Another 12-year-old boy has been arrested on arson charges in a second major fire in Lewiston in less than a week, and the fires together left 180 people homeless, authorities said Saturday.
The two fires were just blocks apart.
The boy, whose name was not released, was arrested on four counts of arson for the late Friday fire that destroyed three apartment buildings and left 105 people homeless, state and local authorities said in a news release.
About 20 families, many of them Somali immigrants, were displaced by the fire, and many spent the night at Lewiston High School, the Sun Journal of Lewiston reported. One minor injury was reported.
A different 12-year-old boy was charged Thursday with setting a Monday fire that destroyed four apartment buildings and left 75 people homeless. The boy, whose name also was not released, is to be arraigned Monday....
Adriana Garcia, the manager of a building where one of the fires broke out, told the Sun Journal that one of the displaced residents is a brother of Governor Paul LePage. City fire officials didn’t immediately return a call from The Associated Press seeking comment, and the governor’s spokeswoman, Adrienne Bennett, said she was checking into the report....
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Thank God no one died.
For some reason I'm keep giving the Globe a warm welcome in the morning.
