Clouds with PTFE linings

ne of our Application themes this month Drainage and Irrigation

O - has led us to an interesting observation. The Global Update
section of the Applications pages is intended to show the wider context
of pumps in society. For each of the stories we report there, you can be
sure that at their heart, pumping equipment will be heavily involved in
some capacity. This month, under our "drainage" remit, the number of
worldwide flooding stories we encountered was quite remarkable. The
culprit of course is, allegedly, global warming, which seems to have
whipped up foul and unnatural weather in all sorts of unusual locales. As
we watched television pictures of emergency pump equipment being
hauled into position in homes, ~actories, warehouses and open fields, one
had to reflect that all this equipment is hardh/being supplied for free. We
haven't yet seen it reflected in the pulnp industry's strategic plans, but if
we're set to experience rising flood levels fi~r years to come, yet wish to
preserve our existing land and properties, the corresponding rising
demand fi)r such facilities must surely soon be considered.

Particular item worth highlighting is that we've finally dumped

A our old system of handling your advertisement reader enquiries,
in fawmr of a much more efficient, online, automated approach.
Previously, if you took an interest in a particular advertiser's wares, you
completed the card at the back of the magazine by hand, and posted it
off by Ye Olde Snail Mail method. Such procedures are now
considered dreadfully old fashioned of course, so now instead you can
simply head to www.worldpumps.com, punch in a few personal details
and have them processed and fi~rwarded to the advertiser instantly.
The benefits are that the advertiser is made aware of your particular
interest and in what context. It also works well fi~r us in telling
advertisers that, yes, people are actively using the magazine to find out
more about them. Look o u t for the Reader Enquiry Service button,
rather prominently featured on the latest front page of the site.

a final note finally to announce my imminent departure from

World Pumps Magazine this month. I've been attached to the
publication in some fi)rm or another fi~r ahnost five years, which I hope
you'll agree is a reasonable period of service for
an, ahem, 21 year old. Nevertheless, I'll still be
keeping an eye on developments from my new
position in educational publishing, and promise
to take every opportunity to explain to kids
about the importance of proper pump selection,
operation and maintenance. Best wishes
therefi~re to all our readers for the filture.
/
-.y
,,~ MICHAEL COTTER
EDITOR

WORLD PUMPS December2000 [ 3