Londoners get three more years to live

The Met Office (which is English English for their Meterological service) has developed a new computer model for predicting short-term effects of global warming. Their findings: the really hot times won't begin until after 2009. In London they loath hot days and one newspaper there trumpets the Met's prediction that every year starting with 2010 could be hotter than the current world record-holder, blistering old 1998. The Met set odds of record-breaking heat at 50% for year starting in 2010.

Not only is the predicted heat a source of discomfort, it's a source of danger for London. The city's currently protected by the Thames Tidal Barrier. But you don't have to search far to find predictions the barrier will not withstand the onslaught of rising temps, rising seas and rising tide levels.

If you wanna check out the history of one the world's largest urban flood control projects, click here. The barrier was completed in 1984, and London still stands. I'm sure there's some segue here to Katrina and the former city of New Orleans, but maybe I'll save that for a later tidal wave of news.