>>clearly aren't listening to themselves.

That's going a littlel far, I think, no? [/friendly] That the solstice should be the *start of the season is something I've wondered about -- but I'm willing to accept the definition, if, indeed, it is so defined.[/also friendly]

Added: Faldage's url says the 'atmosphere' stores heat. I would think the ocean was the thermal mass. But, speaking of definitions, I wonder why the atmosphere and oceans are considered separate, altogether, and not as a single system.