The Big Smoke

Once upon a time, way back in the Industrial Revolution, in the time of Sherlock Holmes and Charles Dickens (and before the Clean Air Act of 1968), London fogs, "pea-soupers" or "London particulars," river-fogs mixed with ash, soot, coal-smoke and whatever sulphuric grime hesitated in the London air carpeted the city on a regular basis. In December of 1952, more than 4,000 people died as a result of a toxic pall that overlay the city--called "The Big Smoke." (And thus the nickname for London, which is kind of creepy when you think about it.) Today, London fog is just, well, grey. And rainy. And foggy. As you can see here, looking out my office window today.