Cognitive linguist George Lakoff of Berkeley supports adding the term ‘systemic causation’ to our climate change dictionary and jargon. ‘Communicate the concept,’ he urges.  (Reposted with permission)

In the emotions, joys, and disappointments immediately following an election campaign’s conclusion, the newly re-elected President touches briefly on our warming planet, ending the campaigns’ seeming taboos on mentioning climate change.

Nary a word has been spoken by the major party presidential candidates on an issue some scientists still insist posing the century’s pressing scientific challenges. Obama and Romney remain mute.

Part II on editorials and opinion columns on 2012 weather anomalies covers media in the South, the Great Lakes and Midwest regions, and the West.

Some things never change. Like the endless search for the perfect term to describe those seeing things differently on climate change issues.

‘BEST’ is the acronym physicist Richard Muller has given to his widely publicized research efforts on surface temperatures. But his and protagonist Anthony Watts’ latest campaigns seem more of the ‘best’ of public relations than of the best of science. [...]

Major sea level rise reports forecasting trouble ahead for much of California and the Atlantic seaboard, coupled with blistering heat records across much of the U.S. … Cap it all off with a witty Stephen Colbert commentary and you’ve got [...]