Distrust of the Banks

In the United Kingdom feelings run high against banks and bankers. I think that the nation has decided that the bankers are primarily to blame for the depth and duration of the recession. People do not accept that very small increases in growth are meaningful, and so for most people the recession is a continuing [...]

Emma Thompson’s lecture on the English language; what does she mean?

Emma Thompson is a successful actress who in a recent interview complained that people who do not speak properly upset her. The words she used, as quoted by the BBC, included “we have to reinvest, I think, in the idea of articulacy as a form of personal freedom and power.” She objects to the use [...]

Cutting through the climate change anomalies

The problem with climate change is that the topic is genuinely complex, from a scientific point of view. This complexity shows itself in many anomalies. Anomalies are any phenomena which are odd, unusual; they are often unique and deviate from established norms. Climate change science is bursting with anomalies. Scientists, in trying to develop a [...]

Mr Huhne’s Green Deal – but don’t hold your breath

Mr Huhne is the Secretary of State for Energy & Climate change in the United Kingdom. This post was previously held by Mr Ed Miliband, who is now leader of the opposition. I can only hope, for the sake of the environment, that Mr Huhne makes a better fist of the job than his predecessor.

Motives of politicians

It is interesting to speculate on the reasons that people have for becoming politicians. I think most politicians would say that they went into politics because they wanted to improve the lot of people and to put something back into society. They believe that their ideology or political party was the way to do this [...]

Killing People

I have never supported capital punishment. It is a topic that excites people often into irrational arguments. Personally I have never though it right to kill people convicted even of the most heinous crimes; I have seen the judicial system in action. It is not perfect and frequently grave injustice is done. If a person [...]

The Balance Sheet of Earth’s Energy –does it add up?

Temperature ranges from the coldest possible temperature (−273.15 degrees Celsius) to the hottest possible temperature. the highest temperature is tens of thousands of time higher than the hottest temperature on earth. Temperatures on Earth range from -89 °C to 58 °C. Humans cannot live within the whole of this range, but part of it, so when compared [...]

How to decide if there is anthropogenic climate change

The problem with climate change is that the science involves several branches of physics including thermodynamics and electromagnetism, chemistry, biology, as well as interdisciplinary fields such as meteorology, geography, and oceanography. In some ways these various disciplines compete for centre stage in climate change theory and very few scientists are expert in every field of [...]

Sweep down to the sea in nature

Irish song writers have written the kind of songs that stay in my memory. Often things that happen can trigger an Irish song in my mind and once in the mind it does not easily leave. One of the greatest Irish song writers was a fellow called Percy French and when I learned about a [...]