The weather is inherently unpredictable. But its a way to beat people up over, and raise the price of such things as scientific advance, food, travel, heating, transport, cultural exchange, international trade. Because of that, its threat to freedom and human liberation is immense. This theory has terrifying implications for us all as there will be few activities soon that are not seen as bad for the planet, and these same people always kill solutions before they can happen (nuclear power, GM food, nanotechnology etc) so that they can rule over us and what we do.

I notice it a lot in London. If you are ruder you get served quicker and given what you want how you want it. If you complain you get a replacement. I've seen this happen over FREE soup in a Chinese Restaurant that unusually gives free soup to diners "Waiter: theres not enough meat in it; get me another one!" If you are in the queue before these people, they might still get served first as its easier for the staff. After a while everyone gets ruder.
At bus queues, many ignore the queue and march to the front. Others hang back from it and then contrive to be offended when you assume they must be waiting for someone but not a bus. So we end up marching to the front too, because the hassle isnt worth it. Complain nicely to the train company and they will "Note your letter". Complain loudly and theylll buy your silence..

Welcome to your country, the USA.
Must visitors be treated like this?
We found a weird robotism and desire to be offensive among your officials, and that was in 2000 at LA airport!
Since then airport officials have gone moron internationally, and I am in no hurry to visit the capital of official humourless-ness!
Enjoy the recession you are intensifying, suckers!

We here in England are suffering a severe outbreak of You know, particularly among formerly erudite people, strangely, you know.

And as for the effect of the olympics - we have new verbs "To medal" "To Podium", as in "He podiumed three times" (yecch) joining other awful verb converts like "dialoguing" and "main-streaming"

Yeah, arrest these dudes and export the law to Catford South East London. It'd wipe out a third of da yoof and the 75 bus would have seats free all the way to Croydon.

He's been caught, as of Friday 13th, after this picture was shown in London's Evening Standard.

Ivor Cutler sadly died a couple of years ago, but left a lot of vivid poems behind here in his native UK. Some are nonsensical or just love the sound of words, others very revealing about the human condition, and some, about his childhood in Scotland, very moving (e.g the "Life in a Scotch Sitting Room" series). He was a regular guest on John Peel's legendary Peel Show on Radio 1 between 2006 and at least 1974. A true original indeed.

Who started the craze for turning nouns into verbs? They should be shot for "dialoguing" "mainstreaming" etc
Also why must everything have its own "vision and values" and why must every sports team play with "Pride and passion". I saw a Charlton (soccer) fan with a coat saying "Charlton Athletic - 70 years of pride and passion". I'd date that coat a 2007 vintage!
Oh, and our workplace have just dredged "core competencies framework" out of the pond to assist in the annual review process. Its a bit moss covered by now that phrase, but thats when they join our lexicon here.

The presumption is that global warming, if it happens, will be a disaster. Why? We will be able to grow wine and olive trees in our yards, and save on heating bills.
No, repetition and propaganda are not the truth.
Soil erosion from logging, salination of soil from excess agriculture, they are mans fault. Just blaming Global warming is a cop-out and excuse for woolly thinking. Oh, and new jobs for redundant politicians.

You cannot be too careful with those terrorist squirrels still at large and just awaiting their orders

Seen near Sydenham Station, London "Jean's for Sale!"