If any of your idiot friends still believe in AGW, make them read this letter – Telegraph Blogs

Lord Monckton has written a letter about AGW to Kevin Rudd, offering to give the Aussie premier a private briefing to correct a few misconceptions he may have on the subject.

It’s a corker.

Cold Snap: Chicago area copes with bitter cold - WGN

Over the last two years, 17 people have died from Chicago's cold weather.

Great Lakes ice rhythms : [Where's the correlation with carbon dioxide emissions?]

The extent of ice cover on the Great Lakes can also vary greatly from year to year, Leshkevich said.

For example, between 1963 and 2001, the maximum extent of ice cover on Lake Michigan over the course of a single winter ranged from 13 percent (in 1963-64) to 96 percent (in 1978-79) of the lake’s surface, according to one study. The average over that same period was 40 percent.

KMSP Home: 4 Mpls Homes Destroyed in 2010...So Far

Nemes admits this time of year response to fire calls is slower for various reasons.

"Fires go unnoticed longer this time of year things are closed up less people out and the cold temperatures and the amount of fire and the way it burns is remarkably increased," says Nemes. Nemes says once the call is made the challenge for firefighters begins. Before arriving on scene firefighters battle narrow plowed streets, ice or snow filled sidewalks and even have to search for fire hydrants.

"With the rain we had after the snow and the cold temps he could be looking at an additional two to three minutes. That's a long time." "Even then there is no guarantee the fire hydrant won't be frozen and won't work. "This is the challenge, this time of year is tough."

UN chief meets staff in Kabul and IEC declares Karzai as winner

The World Health Organization (WHO) in Afghanistan warned that the H1N1 flu pandemic could affect more people during the looming winter as the disease spreads rapidly in cold weather.

[Since the Copenhagen "failure", Gore's climate fraud organization "RepowerAmerica" goes silent on Twitter: zero tweets since Dec 18]