06/29/26 Afternoon CommStock Report – French-like Heat in the Corn-belt?

I was surprised to learn that only 25% of the French households have air-conditioning. By contrast 90% of US households have cooling systems. There were reportedly 40 people in France who drowned after jumping into water to escape their record heat wave. Plunging quickly into cold water while the body is severely overheated caused “hydrocution”. This extreme thermal shock causes blood vessels to suddenly contract, frequently leading to instant breathing difficulties, panic, and cardiac arrest. All-time record high temps are being reported in Europe, 40^C or 104^ F. That can’t be doing their crops and livestock any good. Busses, trains, schools, and even hospitals are not airconditioned in France. School children are being sent home. Aged housing is not easily adaptable to new AC systems. Over the last 30 years, temps have risen .56C per decade in Europe. This is more than twice the world average temp increase. Only temps in the Arctic have risen more. It is attributed to less snow and ice which deflect the sun’s energy. The WHO has tracked what they believe to be 200,000 heat related deaths in Europe over the past 4 years. High pressure lowers wind speeds so there is less turbine power…