From the iGoogle News thingy (think it's from the Guardian):

Social services and hospitals set to be put on alert for hot weather
casualties, with no relief from heat expected until weekend

An official heatwave is likely to be declared in Britain today, with
temperatures in the south likely to hit 33C (91.4F) later this week.


If officials raise the threat level from amber to red, measures
including putting social services and hospitals on alert for a wave of
casualties of scorching days and sleepless nights will come in to
force.


Temperatures on the outskirts of London hit 30C yesterday, remained in
the low 20s overnight in some areas and are expected to top that
today.


Torrential downpours have been predicted to hit the north, along with
scattered thundery showers in the south, but without any relief from
the heat until the weekend.


Declaration of a heatwave would reflect an official forecast that the
weather will be hot enough for at least two consecutive days to cause
major health problems for many people.


The hottest spell in almost two years is already leaving the elderly,
very young, frail and those with breathing problems particularly
vulnerable.


During record temperatures in 2003, an estimated 2,000 people died
from heat-related conditions.


NHS Direct and the London Ambulance Service, which will bear the brunt
of pressure in the capital, are gearing up for a major demand on their
services.


The UK's heatwave plan remains at level two, but the Met Office
believes it will be raised to level three.


Official advice says anyone who can should stay indoors from noon to
three, draw curtains to shade rooms, drink plenty of water and wear
sunscreen while outdoors.


Many schools are already keeping children out of playgrounds during
breaktimes.


Care homes have been advised to monitor indoor temperatures four times
a day, identify high risk residents and prepare a cool room.


Officials are urging people to identify the coolest room in their
home, stock up on essential supplies to cut down on shopping trips and
check on neighbours, relatives and friends, especially those with
mobility problems.


The department of health and the lifeboat service have warned people
to be careful if going swimming.


A teenage boy who has not yet been formally identified, was drowned
while swimming with three friends in the River Severn yesterday.


Search teams using a helicopter and boat recovered the boy's body. He
was confirmed dead on arrival at the Worcestershire Royal hospital.

Yes.

hth

Mike P

fishman wrote:
> snipped tale of preparations for people finding that it's a bit warm <

Yes. Apparently we are. I don't know who these people are though - I
can't think of a single person who behaves in the way that we as a
country seem to. Whoever they are they need to be put back into a nice
cosy home with soft walls where none of the imagined nasties can get to
them.

Albert T Cone wrote:
> fishman wrote:
>> snipped tale of preparations for people finding that it's a bit warm
>> <
>
> Yes. Apparently we are. I don't know who these people are though <snip>

I expect they're the incredibly fat, infirm and elderly. Occasionally, all
three at once.

"fishman" <SPAMMEIFYOULIKEBUTIWONTREADIT> wrote in message
news:186e
[..]
>> Torrential downpours have been predicted to hit the north, along with
> scattered thundery showers in the south, but without any relief from
> the heat until the weekend.
>> Declaration of a heatwave would reflect an official forecast that the
> weather will be hot enough for at least two consecutive days to cause
> major health problems for many people.

Major health problems? It does my temper no good... :-)

> The hottest spell in almost two years is already leaving the elderly,
> very young, frail and those with breathing problems particularly
> vulnerable.
>> During record temperatures in 2003, an estimated 2,000 people died
> from heat-related conditions.

A whole 2,000?

> NHS Direct and the London Ambulance Service, which will bear the brunt
> of pressure in the capital, are gearing up for a major demand on their
> services.

What about the bloody water utilities?!

[..]
> The department of health and the lifeboat service have warned people
> to be careful if going swimming.
>> A teenage boy who has not yet been formally identified, was drowned
> while swimming with three friends in the River Severn yesterday.
>> Search teams using a helicopter and boat recovered the boy's body. He
> was confirmed dead on arrival at the Worcestershire Royal hospital.

In a word yes - but don't forget some people are STUPID and still leave
children or animals in cars with a crack of a window open, or don't drink
any more than usual, or go running just after lunch, or whatever.

Plus few offices have air conditioning and mine insists that I wear a poxy
tie, even though I'm not seeing anybody of any importance whatsoever.

"fishman" <SPAMMEIFYOULIKEBUTIWONTREADIT> wrote in message
news:186e
[..]
> to be careful if going swimming.
>> A teenage boy who has not yet been formally identified, was drowned
> while swimming with three friends in the River Severn yesterday.
>> Search teams using a helicopter and boat recovered the boy's body. He
> was confirmed dead on arrival at the Worcestershire Royal hospital.
>

Judging by this you are:-
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/new...cle6501720.ece

Because no one has ever been slashed with a knife.

Fraser

"fishman" <SPAMMEIFYOULIKEBUTIWONTREADIT> wrote in message
news:186e
[..]
> to be careful if going swimming.
>> A teenage boy who has not yet been formally identified, was drowned
> while swimming with three friends in the River Severn yesterday.
>> Search teams using a helicopter and boat recovered the boy's body. He
> was confirmed dead on arrival at the Worcestershire Royal hospital.
>

Maybe it is just the younger generation:-
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...old-boxer.html

Fraser

Fraser Johnston <ftrust> wrote:

> > Social services and hospitals set to be put on alert for hot weather
> > casualties, with no relief from heat expected until weekend
> >
> > An official heatwave is likely to be declared in Britain today, with
> > temperatures in the south likely to hit 33C (91.4F) later this week.

I'm laughing at the thought of 33C as "a heatwave", on the coast in
Italy temperatures hit 45C in the shade.

Steve Firth wrote:
> Fraser Johnston <ftrust> wrote:
>
>>> Social services and hospitals set to be put on alert for hot weather
>>> casualties, with no relief from heat expected until weekend
>>>
>>> An official heatwave is likely to be declared in Britain today, with
>>> temperatures in the south likely to hit 33C (91.4F) later this week.
>
> I'm laughing at the thought of 33C as "a heatwave", on the coast in
> Italy temperatures hit 45C in the shade.

We complain when it's hot. We complain when it's cold. I think the
average Briton is only satisfied when it's wet and miserable...

On Wed, 01 Jul 2009 13:18:17 +0100, Abo whimpered:

> Steve Firth wrote:
>> Fraser Johnston <ftrust> wrote:
>>
>>>> Social services and hospitals set to be put on alert for hot weather
>>>> casualties, with no relief from heat expected until weekend
>>>>
>>>> An official heatwave is likely to be declared in Britain today, with
>>>> temperatures in the south likely to hit 33C (91.4F) later this week.
>>
>> I'm laughing at the thought of 33C as "a heatwave", on the coast in
>> Italy temperatures hit 45C in the shade.
>
> We complain when it's hot. We complain when it's cold. I think the
> average Briton is only satisfied when it's wet and miserable...

Spot on. We're simply not happy if we don't have anything to complain
about.
It's 29c in our garden at the moment. Just nice and warm, I'm off for a
walk as I can't do fuck all else at the moment because I have my right
hand in a splint. I can post to usenet with one hand, that's about it.

Mike

Abo wrote:
> Steve Firth wrote:
>> Fraser Johnston <ftrust> wrote:
>>
>>>> Social services and hospitals set to be put on alert for hot weather
>>>> casualties, with no relief from heat expected until weekend
>>>>
>>>> An official heatwave is likely to be declared in Britain today, with
>>>> temperatures in the south likely to hit 33C (91.4F) later this week.
>>
>> I'm laughing at the thought of 33C as "a heatwave", on the coast in
>> Italy temperatures hit 45C in the shade.
>
> We complain when it's hot. We complain when it's cold. I think the
> average Briton is only satisfied when it's wet and miserable...

I'm not a huge fan of really hot weather, because you can't do very
much, but I love it when it's cold - anything below about +20C and above
-20C is fine with me, but then I'm not a girl. Most of the females I
know seem to have a window of about +/-0.5 degrees over which they are
comfy, although the actual temperature of this window seems to drift
randomly up and down with time of day/mood/price of brocolli/just
because. It's probably something to do with hormones or something.

Mike P <privacy> wrote:

> It's 29c in our garden at the moment. Just nice and warm, I'm off for a
> walk as I can't do fuck all else at the moment because I have my right
> hand in a splint. I can post to usenet with one hand, that's about it.

Is everyone I know trying to injure themselves at the moment? I'm fit
and healthy and I'm starting to get worried that the police will put 2+2
together come to a total of nine and arrest me.

Albert T Cone wrote:
> Abo wrote:
>
> I'm not a huge fan of really hot weather, because you can't do very
> much, but I love it when it's cold - anything below about +20C and above
> -20C is fine with me, but then I'm not a girl. Most of the females I
> know seem to have a window of about +/-0.5 degrees over which they are
> comfy, although the actual temperature of this window seems to drift
> randomly up and down with time of day/mood/price of brocolli/just
> because. It's probably something to do with hormones or something.

Tell me about it. Back in our old house my wife (then girlfriend) used
to really get the open fire going when it was cold, and put her sweater
and jeans on, and then complain she was cold. Sounds reasonable, but I'd
be sat there in my shorts and t-shirt because it was so bloody hot...

Abo <no> wrote:

> Tell me about it. Back in our old house my wife (then girlfriend) used
> to really get the open fire going when it was cold, and put her sweater
> and jeans on, and then complain she was cold. Sounds reasonable, but I'd
> be sat there in my shorts and t-shirt because it was so bloody hot...

I worked in a data centre with a woman like that. It was supposed to be
kept cold in the DC but she didn't like it. One day we were all baking
in shorts and T-shirts while she sat shivering. For a few hours we
thought the A/C was broken then we discovered she had turned up the
temperature to 32C. It became obvious that things were really bad as the
overheated servers started to shut down.

"Steve Firth" <%steve%> wrote in message
news:eve%
> Fraser Johnston <ftrust> wrote:
>
>> > Social services and hospitals set to be put on alert for hot weather
>> > casualties, with no relief from heat expected until weekend
>> >
>> > An official heatwave is likely to be declared in Britain today, with
>> > temperatures in the south likely to hit 33C (91.4F) later this week.
>
> I'm laughing at the thought of 33C as "a heatwave", on the coast in
> Italy temperatures hit 45C in the shade.

Indeed, I regularly pop over to The Gambia, where 25 degrees gets the locals
sticking jumpers and coats on.