Mass heatsteria

It could be the hottest July day in the UK since 1911. Apparently this is significant. Broadcasts this morning are warning me of the consequences of extreem heat should I be daft enough to go out in the mid day sun. Was Rudyard Kipling right? "Mad dogs and Englishmen go out ....... "

I wonder what happened in July 1911. Were there special editions of The Times and the Daily Chronicle on the streets? Column inches filled with health experts and meteorologists spouting on about high factor sun cream, temperatures and humidity. I doubt it. I'm sure people in Britain had their own way of coping with the heat without the siren calls of the media. As Joan, my resident historian wife, pointed out - pale was the fashion for women and to stay like that they sheltered under their parasols. Presumably only ladies of a certain status.

I'm a media person but this morning's broadcasts are beginning to annoy me. If asked, they will point to the warnings issued by the Met Office and the NHS. I suppose it's just so long since the last heat wave - at least a year. Certainly not 97 years. Whatever happened to common sense.

Now they're talking about installing Air Conditioning. Whilst I know how pleasant it is to work in an aircon building - can we really justify the damage to the environment based on a few days when the termperature soars.

Writing this has lowered my temperature by a few degrees already. More light - less heat. Please.