Throughout history, it has been said that the Emperor or ruler who can tame the Yellow River and Yangtze River, and delimit the devastation caused by the flooding of their banks will win the people, heart and mind.
Thousands of years on, you can still understand why. Engineers over the millenia have struggled with the problem (early engineering was quite advanced in China), but the logistics are tremendous, given the size of China's prone-to-flooding regions and the sheer numbers of people and communities that rely and live on the fertile plains in those regions criss-crossed by the rivers.
Every year it's hard to tell how bad the flooding will be. I wish all the very best for the rescue workers working hard in Zhouqu at the moment, and hope that there isn't worse coming.
2010年8月11日
2010年1月8日
2010年1月6日
Cold snap
Since when has it dropped to -20 degrees (Celsius) in the UK? Temperatures that low are what I used to associate with Siberian winters, not what I would ever have predicted to occur in Scotland. Even in the south of England, at least around the Luton area, it hasn't risen above freezing for several days, and it's meant to get worse. 
And whilst it's all very picturesque, it's also deeply annoying, and I'm sure, rather deadly for some people in the more remote parts of the country. It snowed again last night, and the number of people at work has dropped to maybe about 30 %, mainly because so many live in semi-countryside areas, or where there are just no trains to get to work. None of us who live in Luton town have been stupid enough to try and drive in, as last time the roads were so congested that apparently it took people over 5 hours to drive the 8-ish miles in from Luton.
When people worry about climate change, they always forget that it's not just global warming. In fact, it's not global warming per se at all. It's definitely much colder than I've ever remembered it in England right now. Perhaps 'The Day after Tomorrow' wasn't so outlandish after all.
2009年12月16日
I'm dreaming of a white Christmas......
It's snowing! A lot.
Sledging tomorrow maybe.
I'm definitely not driving home tonight. Getting the bus.
Is this a sign of climate change? Colder winters are predicted. I don't remember this much snow in December for years. Though it was much more common when I was little.
Sledging tomorrow maybe.
I'm definitely not driving home tonight. Getting the bus.
Is this a sign of climate change? Colder winters are predicted. I don't remember this much snow in December for years. Though it was much more common when I was little.
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