@SandyS, Apr 25, 2017 at 8:14 AM

Are you suggesting we move back to "Bristol Time" without calling it that?
As the Greenwich Meridian passes through a large part of France (i'm closer to it here than I was in Derby or Perthshire) and Spain it would make more sense for them to switch to GMT/BST; national sensibilities and pride get in the way of that. Being further West compounds the problem, Stornoway time will be different from Edinburgh time.

Bristol Time/GMT - call it whatever you want.

CET is a mess. Bits of Spain further west than Portugal/RoI

USA has 4 time zones across east/west ~double width of EU's single time zone.

@Glebekinvara, Apr 25, 2017 at 8:36 AM

We tried CET in Ireland when we joined the EEC. After 2 years we went back to GMT - even then sunrise in Galway is 40 minutes after it happens in Greenwich. Spain being on CET is a bit of lunacy. The 10ºW longitude passes through A Coruna so their sunrise is 40 minutes after Greenwich and 1hr 40 mins after Berlin time.

Embarrassed I didn't know that. Thanks for info.
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@All
Daylight Delusional Time

...While the ‘official’ reason for Daylight Delusional Time is increased productivity and decreased fuel/electricity consumption, I remember when we were told it was done for the children, so they weren’t waiting for the school bus in the dark. It doesn’t matter they were waiting in the dark all winter. Come spring, let there be light. God forbid we actually change when school opens to keep them out of the dark.

Before that we were told it was for the farmer, because Bessie the cow, lacking an opposable thumb, couldn’t change the time on their hoof watch, thereby forcing the farmer to personally visit each cow twice a year to adjust their watches and bond with Bessie while doing so. After all, a happy cow is a better cow for the milk and leather industry...

@mike fowle, Apr 25, 2017 at 8:12 AM

The only point I was trying to make is that if you work for a number of different clients a "universal" holiday is welcome as a time when most people will be on holiday.

Yep, I understood that first time. However, "universal" holiday no longer exists.

If you favour UK "universal" holiday, then it means everything is shut: TV, public-transport, shops, hotels, fast-food etc. What about police, fire, nhs, rnli - should they too have "universal" holiday?

"universal" holiday:- everyone sits at home bored - is that your desire?

Abolish the BHs and allow individuals to choose.

@stewgreen, Apr 24, 2017 at 8:00 PM

On Twitter I found no mention of todays prog
But I found a 2012 BBC page saying other stuff like
"Drying laundry in the home poses a health risk to those prone to asthma"

Meanwhile in Canada science is progressing identifying a gut microbiota link
"Yeast found in babies’ guts increases risk of asthma"

imho Excessive cleanliness is next to asthmathliness
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@rhoda, Apr 24, 2017 at 8:30 PM

Satellite map of PM 2.5 distribution. The highest concentrations are from the Sahara east throughout the Middle East, Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, up to the Gobi. Industrial areas in the Americas and Europe don't show anything like the intensity.

Conclusion: Don't buy the hype.

Conclusion 2, This has all the signs of an intentional scare.

Conclusion 3. Nobody has a handle on Asthma, don't believe anyone who says he has.

I don't, never did. I (and many born in UK 1940-1990) would be dead if PM/asthma/dirty-sea/etc scare stories were true.