the one thing that i want to add to this is that one of those upper level atmospheric effects that determines the location and duration of an outbreak of the polar vortex is how much sunlight is reaching the earth's surface. the current theory of ice ages, which is still young and will no doubt be much revised, argues that fluctuations in the earth's and sun's orbits can trigger the onset of ice ages. certainly, milder and hopefully less permanent fluctuations in the sun's strength are a dominant cause of the weather we experience in the populated regions of canada.

the weak solar cycle is almost certainly the dominant cause of the prolonged periods of exaggerated winter cold that we're receiving, even as the average temperatures keep climbing up.

here's an interesting idea: is there some force that would come and plunge us into an ice age, right when we're flooding the atmosphere with carbon? if you could imagine it: a higher consciousness in the universe, unleashing the cold almost as a means of self-defence. i admit i like the idea of planets as anthropomorphized objects; the ancients got that right. but, is the sun operating in conjunction with the other bodies, or is it a conspiracy of one? is this a universal force, or many forces in conflict? it's just a thought - imaginary. but, interesting, if you could conceptualize it. but, i want to think of it like running hot feet under cold water.

we can still have some hot summers here. maybe. but these cold winters seem like the norm, until the sun warms up.

https://www.theweathernetwork.com/news/articles/polar-vortex-demystified-bitter-cold-next-week-in-canada/75743/

jagmeet singh must cut his beard.

this article goes on a bit of a rant that i don't think is justified by the comments.

listen, i think that what justin trudeau is saying is what everybody paying attention already knew was true: justin trudeau is a media personality, rather than a political personality. he is the human front on a bureaucratic operation that is a bridge between the liberal party and the civil service. and, that's exactly what i expected him to be when i voted for him as a lesser evil.

talk of ceos is strangely american. the prime minister, today, behaves almost more like a monarch. that is what justin trudeau is, the young dauphin coming into power.

actual decisions are made by the appropriate bodies at the appropriate levels.

http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2017/12/26/this-is-how-justin-trudeau-sees-his-job-according-to-ethics-report_a_23317053/

justin singh must cut his beard