Back in Iowa for a few weeks and at first the promised heatwave failed to materialise. In fact, when I arrived it was positively... nippy. The first few days were very up and down temperature-wise, ranging from early 60s to late 80s - as all-over-the-place as British weather but without the sunny respites between the rain. And at the end of last week, the rain did indeed fall... with massive night-long thunderstorms and a huge surge in the water-table. The Big Sioux River floods at 15ft... by today...

I wanted to lighten the regular postings up a bit, but watching the news about Pastor Terry Jones, a Florida man who will, with his congregation, be conducting a public Qu'ran burning is one of tose things begging for comment.  Jones says he's sick and tired of the Bible being disrespected and wants to show those pesky muslims that he can dish it out too. He's been told by Hillary Clinton, the Pope and other religious leaders of the disrespect he's showing to an entire faith and General...