I think researchers work on all three topics. The problem for me is that when they make media appearances they speak as politicians and say we have ‘got’ to combat all climate change. OK if we could but the surely the only realistic prospect is combating anthropogenic climate change.

It seems that the exchange between the two men does reflect the situation in the US. As far as I am aware men (maybe women?) are named snr and jnr, before being numbered the first (1), second (2) and third (3) etc. [ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_F._Kennedy,_Jr. ]

Yes: energy security is desirable and I agree about more research into climate change PROVIDING all the researchers agree to take linguistic care about the distinction between anthropogenic and natural climate change. They slag of ‘climate change deniers’ who are, in reality, questioning the balance between the two causes.
There was a good verbal exchange ub 1963 when Harold Wilson called the former Lord Home ‘the fourteenth Earl of Home’ and the former earl replied by describing him as ‘the fournteenth Mr Wilson’.

It would be good to see some sky research to assist with climate change research, as the more information the better, and over time it will become less an argument on opinion and more an argument based on accepted fact. The problem at present is that there are so many unknowns.

Yes, I am sure you are right that America is not a classless society, it is probably more the case that class is constructed differently. It is good to know that Obama is not from an old political family and has not married into one, as equally as it is good to know that it is possible for there to be a George Bush and a George W Bush as President. That neither is excluded from being President in America is the best news of all.

It is the tone of the articles about about climate change which make me suspicious. Scientists should have open minds and acknowledge each other’s points in a spirit of enquiry. For the climate change now, as for the 1970s peak oil debate, the doomsters are adopting a moral position and raining obloquy on the dissenters.
Wind farms are great for soaking up subsidies but no calculation has shown them to have the remotest chance of saving the planet from climate change.
Very interesting re green skies and intuitively correct to me. I do not know of any research into the subject but I have often noticed that the sky has something odd about it before it deposits something very unusual on the patient earth.
That pic of an old Caddy could do with the attention of a skilled cultural critic. Tom Wolfe or Charles Jencks would do. Compared to an old Rolls, it is classless – just like any other car, but bigger. But I do not, remotely, buy into that line about England being a class-ridden society and American society being class-free. As Gore Vidal emphasised, American politics is dominated by old families and they have powerful arrangements for keeping wealth in families and their scions prefer marrying each other.

I am not sure what consumption patterns were like at the time – but if the American gas guzzling cadalliac’s were any indication – [ http://oldcarandtruckpictures.com/Cadillac/1970FCadillac_CoupeDeville-a.jpg ] there has been significant improvements made in oil consumption patterns of both cars and people.

Anthropogenic climate change, to the extent that it impacts on overall climate, is due a range of consumption factors, of which oil is but one.

So the models need to adjust for changes in behaviour – both increases and decreases in the consumption of fossil fuels.

Perhaps the thinking should be – better a blue-grey sky than a green sky! [ http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=fact-or-fiction-if-sky-is-green-run-for-cover-tornado-is-coming ]

Do you know if there has been any research into sky colour, weather and its frequency in the UK?

The extra rain is good for gardens and good for the land. The depressing thing is the leaden skies. What we REALLY REALLY want is to find a way of making the rain fall during the hours of darkness, so that the sun can shine in daytime.
I read a World Bank report on climate change this morning ( Turn down the heat ) and found myself becoming less-convinced about the problem. This feeling probably resulted from a sense that they are over-stating the case. It reminds me of all those books and reports in the 1970s predicting that we were CERTAIN to run out of oil within the decade. People are still writing these reports and one has to wonder if there are university courses in writing such reports. Of course, the Earth WILL run out of oil – and if it had happened in the 1970s then, presumably, we would not have the present worry about climate change. As Nils Bohr remarked “Prediction is very difficult, especially if it’s about the future.”

If you could collect the excess rain water and use it judiciously (ie. for fountains and other water features during the summer months) it would be a valuable commodity.

However, if we are talking about climate change – natural and manmade – if it is natural there is little we can do but adapt, whereas if it is manmade we have more of a choice!

So, perhaps the best idea is to collect funds for climate change research in the wet and cold weather, because Londoners are less likely to rue the heat waves!

Yes, yes, as they say ‘there is no such thing as bad weather – only bad clothing’. But heck, one needs a ration of warmth and sunshine. This sort of thing is great but …….
http://www.smh.com.au/ffximage/2006/11/01/blackpool21106_wideweb__470x325,0.jpg
http://twinsmummy.files.wordpress.com/2012/06/wet-beach.jpg
http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-OUlgERYQxVI/UMCHqL8M_TI/AAAAAAAAAok/FETJDRV-PNQ/s1600/IMG_8252_2.JPG