starling dance

In the UK, birds, notably starlings are swarming early, believing Spring is fully upon us. Birdwatchers are commenting that this may be another sign of climate change, bringing moderate seasons earlier.

Meanwhile, there's been a story about defective petrol being sold in the UK over the last few days. This has been made more real by one of my reliable and non sensationalist colleagues having the juddering symptoms affecting his rather posh German 'vorsprung durch technik' Auto.

The initial discussion has revolved around the potential that this fuel has added ethanol, which has changed its combustion characteristics. I noticed that only three weeks ago, we had the Mr Mantega, Brazil’s Finance Minister, urging Britain to embrace ethanol as a petrol alternative.

Ethanol is a biofuel and part of the arguments for its use are that it can reduce the impacts of global warming, presumably realigning the seasons in the process. Mr Mantega was in London promoting the product and mentioned that Brazil happens to be the world’s largest supplier of ethanol.

In the USA, ethanol fuel is also made, in this case from maize. President Bush currently subsidises this form of production, as a spin off general farm subsidies, bur plans an $18bn reduction in this form of farm support over the next five years.

I suppose over the next few days we will see what, if anything, was wrong with the fuel and whether its a legitimate error, some sort of hysterical co-incidence or perhaps some form of orchestrated climate or other protest.

My friend tells me it is costing £140 ($250) to have the fuel removed from his gas tank, and then he will need to check whether he needs a new oxygen sensor or catalytic converter for his car. I speculate this won't be cheap.

We'll be able to watch it on the news, as it unfolds, unless - that is - that you were hoping to watch it on Sky and are a cable subscriber with NTL/Virgin, which is having its Sky services curtailed as part of a recent commercial decision.