According to three separate studies released in the United States earlier this week, the sun might be sputtering up its last few flares for a while. The studies show that the absence of a jet stream, fading spots and some missing solar activity, might point towards a longer period of calmness than the usual 11 year solar minimum. In fact, the last (and only recorded) Maunder Minimum, lasted 70 years, between 1645 and 1715 when only a few sunspots were observed.

It is worth mentioning that in those days, astronomers observing the sun had no solar filters, and were thereby slowly going blind, but their data must be taken as credible for otherwise the three studies, and thereby this article would be useless.

As it turns out, another Maunder Minimum would chill the earth and reverse global warming (if it does indeed exist), thus creating a kind of mini-ice-age as was observed during the last Maunder Minimum.

Having said that, I think the studies are absolutely correct, and given the correlation we’ve had between weekends and cold, rainy weather, I tend to agree with the mini-ice-age theory. But eco-disaster alarmists would have you believe that it’s all part of global warming and that the earth will cool down “at first”. I’m sorry but that’s like saying that to test a bullet proof vest you’ll be shot while wearing it, and not to worry, we won’t shoot hard. It’s a ridiculous theory fueled by a growing “green” economy. Anyone notice the Internet’s President’s net worth? He didn’t make that much money by recycling milk cartons…

Don’t get me wrong, I’m all for better fuel performance, recycling, clean power and all, but when I’m being asked to keep a compost bin in my own kitchen, and to use the toilet paper on both sides to recycle, I think it’s a bit on the overkill side.