[cicero2k]

We are at the end of cycle 24, and no sunspots was expected. Sunspots are a symptom of electric magnetic activity. The sun is putting out the same energy per square foot as it always did, but the lack of solar wind allows cosmic radiation to accumulate in our atmosphere possibly affecting weather.

Ice age is the normal climate. We may be going back to it sooner than later.

[Reily]

I had a geoscience professor say (a bit tongue in cheek!) “ The earth is an icy planet with time periods of temperate climate, that's when civilization happens!”

[DuncanWaring]

The sun is putting out the same energy per square foot as it always did, ...

Actually, I've seen recent claims that the sun's output is down about 0.1%.

Taken in isolation, that should cool the earth by about 0.5 degrees F.

Throw in the increased cloud cover due to more cosmic rays, and it cools even more.

Plan for shorter growing seasons.

[DuncanWaring]

Bicentennial Decrease of the Total Solar Irradiance Leads to
Unbalanced Thermal Budget of the Earth and the Little Ice Age.

http://icecap.us/images/uploads/abduss_APR.pdf

(amusingly, found via Bing, not by Google)