It's funny what you can learn historically about popular climatology from watching an old, mildly-amusing, holiday film.  The 1949 movie Holiday Affair, starring Janet Leigh (as the widow Connie Ennis, the love interest), Robert Mitchum (as Steve Mason, the interloper), and Wendell Corey (as Carl Mason, Connie's fiancé), has a scene early in the film when Carl is first introduced to Steve by Connie.  It's an awkward moment.  Both Carl and Steve are standing in Connie's living room, warming themselves in front of the fireplace.  Their small-talk goes like this:    Carl:  Looks as though we might have a white Christmas.    Steve:  That's right.  Never seems like Christmas unless it's white.    Carl:  That's right.  Though, we never seem to get the big snows we used to when we were kids.    Steve:  That's right.  Just comes down slush now. ...(Read Full Post)