Meyers, The Daily Show, and Kimmel take closer looks at Trump's designs on Greenland and Canada

Stephen Colbert, Jon Stewart, and Jimmy Kimmel all returned Monday night and Seth Meyers returned last night, so I'm kicking off today's post with Trump's Insane Press Conference About Greenland, Jack Smith, Gulf of Mexico: A Closer Look, the first of the new year.

Seth takes a closer look at President-elect Trump starting off the new year by threatening to take over a bunch of foreign countries right before getting sentenced for a felony conviction and holding an insane press conference to complain about it.

Yes, Hoover Cleveland is still a convicted criminal, but I doubt Trump will receive any of what I expected last year.

I'm being a good environmentalist by recycling what I wrote fourteen months ago when Colbert's studio audience gave a standing ovation when told about Trump's indictment; Kimmel's was just as loud.

"[J]ail to the chief" is a great line, but it's going to be a while. I expect he'll be sentenced to house arrest in Trump Tower with the Secret Service as his guards, at least for this set of crimes.

I stand by that prediction with the possible addition of $170,000 in fines, $5,000 for each conviction, although Jimmy K's desire for community service to be part of the sentence would work for me, too.

Maybe Judge Merchan will sentence Hoover Cleveland to community service and consider his serving as President to be community service. That would be creative. Unfortunately, Hoover Cleveland is more likely to receive an unconditional release. Sigh.

As for Trump's obsession with Greenland, I turn to The Daily Show, which had more to say about Trump's expansionist ambitions in Trump Ratchets Up Call to Annex Canada & Greenland as Trudeau Says He'll Resign.

Desi Lydic discusses Trump's imperialist push ahead of his inauguration, including making Canada the 51st state, renaming the Gulf of Mexico, and possibly invading Greenland. Plus, Jordan Klepper is hyped about colonialism's apparent comeback.

At least he no longer seems interested in trading Puerto Rico for Greenland. I described that idea as a stupid move unworthy of a board game four years ago.

On paper, admitting Puerto Rico as a counterweight to Washington, D.C. looks like it might work. The problem is that the Republican Party has become Trump's party and the former guy dislikes Puerto Rico and Puerto Ricans enough that he reportedly wanted to swap the island commonwealth for Greenland.* As long as he's the party leader, his prejudices and those of his followers will stand in the way of statehood.
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*This reminds me of a stunt I pulled in a games of Pax Britannica 30-35 years ago when I played the United Kingdom/Great Britain. I called it "Aristotle is not a Belgian." When Belgium, a minor power that runs by automatic rules, made a move that resulted in a Casus Belli, I would call for a Congress of Europe and propose a deal that would give Belgium the U.K's possessions in Newfoundland and Guiana (if I could convince the French player, France's possession in Guiana as well) along with a codominion in whichever territory Belgium had established a protectorate or possession, usually the Congo. That would get get rid of two low-value colonies for the U.K. and one for France, freeing those counters to be deployed in more high-value territories, and use up all of Belgium's counters for protectorates and possessions, eliminating it as a obstacle to the players who had plans for Africa.

What TFG is alleged to have proposed would not have been possible in Pax Brittanica and would have been a stupid deal even if it were. First, Denmark was not one of the minor powers in the game (Belgium, the Netherlands, Spain, and Portugal were) and Greenland was not one of the available territories, so there would be nothing to swap for. Even if it had, I expect Greenland would have had an economic value of 1 or 2, while Puerto Rico, which is in the game, has a value of 5. This would have been a bad economic deal. Then again, if he actually did want to do this, it would have been for irrational reasons. That doesn't surprise me.

And now he's adding Canada to his expansionary "concepts of plans" as the 51st state. I'd only be in favor of that if each Canadian province were admitted as the 53rd through 62nd states after Washington D.C. and Puerto Rico. That's only slightly more likely than "a new constitution that replaces the republic with a constitutional monarchy and invite[s] Meghan Mountbatten-Windsor to be Queen." Monkeys will fly out of my butt first.

I conclude with Jimmy Kimmel, who asked Trump Wants to Buy Greenland!?, Bromance with Elon on the Rocks & Zuckerberg Kisses the Ring.

It is very windy and smoky here in Los Angeles, Jimmy got an on the scene weather report from Guillermo this morning, Cher is here on the show with us tonight, Trump gave a double-doozy of a press conference today from Mar-a-Lago where he covered all the big issues from rebranding the ocean to windmills to water pressure, he suggested that he might buy Greenland and sent his son Don Jr to check it out, Lara Trump is busy ruining Tom Petty songs, Hunter Biden and Flavor Flav hung out at a White House gathering for digital creators, the bromance between Trump and Elon Musk appears to be precarious, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg released a suspiciously Trump-friendly announcement today, Pornhub is no longer available in Florida, and we shine a light on all the craziness with 2025’s first edition of “This Week in Florida.”

Yikes! If he's sending Don Jr. there, then he's serious about Greenland. As I wrote yesterday, "Here's to the comedians keeping us sane in the new year. We need it!"

'Can a twice-a-year shot help end the HIV/AIDS epidemic' — Science Magazine's 2024 Breakthrough of the year

I closed yesterday's entry with a program note and a rhetorical question: "Stay tuned for year-end retrospectives. What did you think were the best and worst of 2024?" I didn't get an answer from my readers, so I turn to Science Magazine as it asks Can a twice-a-year shot help end the HIV/AIDS epidemic, 2024's Breakthrough of the Year.

HIV infects more than a million people every year worldwide. While decades of research have led to effective treatments and pre-exposure prophylactic (PrEP) drugs that have dramatically reduced the impact of HIV/AIDS epidemic, completely wiping the virus out has remained out of reach. Lenacapavir, a new twice-yearly PrEP injection, may be the solution. Two clinical trials this year showed the drug can offer near complete protection from HIV infection, and the long-lasting effects mean daily pills could be a thing of the past, as long as it is accessible to populations who need it most. Science journalist Jon Cohen, physician-scientist Linda-Gail Bekker, and biochemist Wesley Sundquist describe the history of HIV/AIDS prevention and the unique mechanism that led lenacapavir to be named the 2024 Breakthrough of the Year.

I began the month writing about Freddie Mercury for World AIDS Day, who exemplified the human cost of the disease, so it's only fitting that I begin wrapping up the month and year by examining the science to combat it. I already show a SciShow video to my students about HIV/AIDS treatments, but I might add this to the mix.* I learned something new from it, and it's always a good day when I learn something new. I hope my students will agree.

Unlike last year, my reaction is not being "slightly disappointed" and asking "Wasn't there something more impressive among the runners-up?" I think this is worthy of being Breakthrough of the Year. Just the same, I'm examining the nine runners-up for Breakthrough of the Year along with four breakdowns. Follow over the jump.

'Retrograde,' 'Escape from Kabul,' and 'In Her Hands' — three News & Doc Emmy winners about Afghanistan

Change of plans today. Instead of blogging about the solar eclipse happening today, I'm writing about Retrograde's three News & Doc Emmy Awards as I promised in 'The Janes' wins Best Documentary at the News & Doc Emmy Awards.* I begin with my reaction to its trailer from 'Retrograde' about the final 9 months of the U.S. in Afghanistan earned 6 nominations at the News & Doc Emmy Awards.

Retrograde joins Escape from Kabul and In Her Hands as nominated documentaries about the final days of the U.S. operations in Afghanistan. It's the most nominated of the three, earning recognitions for Outstanding Current Affairs Documentary, Outstanding Direction: Documentary, Outstanding Cinematography: Documentary, Outstanding Editing: Documentary, Outstanding Sound, and Outstanding Promotional Announcement.

Retrograde won Outstanding Current Affairs Documentary, Outstanding Cinematography: Documentary, and Outstanding Editing: Documentary. In addition, Escape from Kabul and In Her Hands won their outstanding documentary categories, the former for Outstanding Investigative Documentary and the latter for Outstanding Politics and Government Documentary.

Follow over the jump for the tweets announcing the three films' wins and revisit what I wrote about them and the categories they won.

France hosts India on Bastille Day 2023

Happy Bastille Day, the third patriotic holiday in July I observe on this blog! I begin today's celebration of "Fête Nationale Française" with France 24 English asking and answering Bastille Day: What is the meaning of 'Le chant des partisans' ?

France celebrates Bastille Day, which marks the fall of the Bastille prison in 1789, seen as igniting the French Revolution. 'Le chant des partisans' was part of the celebrations. '"Le chant des partisans" is the perfect symbol of resistance during WWII', French Army Major Antoine explains.

I learned something new from this segment and it's always a good day when I learn something new.

India brought its own marching band, which played one of its country's patriotic songs. The Indian Defence Updates channel uploaded Indian Contingent at French Bastille Day Military Parade 2023 featuring that performance.

The Indian military contingent marched to the beats of ‘Sare Jahan Se Accha’ even as a compliment of Rafale fighters of the Indian Air Force (IAF) participated in a flypast over the Champs-Elysees at the Bastille Day Parade. The Punjab Regiment led the march and was followed by the Indian Navy and then the Air Force as the left their mark at the annual parade to mark the historic fall of Bastille in 1789.

The Indian army, navy, and air force units formed the tricolor of the French flag as they marched down the parade route — nice touch!

France 24 English explained the presence of the Indian units in 'The degree of proximity that India and France share on the world stage is virtually unrivalled'.

India is the guest of honor at this year’s Bastille Day parade, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi watching in the VIP tribune alongside French President Emmanuel Macron. About 240 Indian troops led the march down the Champs-Elysees before thousands of French forces, and French-made Indian warplanes joined the traditional flyby above the event. France often showcases international partners on Bastille Day, and the choice of India comes as France looks to further strengthen cooperation on fighting climate change, military sales and the strategic Indo-Pacific region. But human rights were missing from the vast agenda, despite concerns raised by European lawmakers, rights groups and others. Joining FRANCE 24's William Hilderbrandt on Bastille Day is author, economist and commentator on geostrategic affairs Saurav Jha. He is currently the Editor-in-Chief of Delhi Defence Review.

Saurav Jha tried to downplay India as a counterweight to China, but he couldn't avoid the comparisons and contrasts. His point that consumption composes 60% of India's GDP to 30% of China's struck me. What that means is that India is a better market for exporters, which makes it attractive to other countries to not only invest in India to make things, but to sell them, too. That's a selling point.

Follow over the jump for videos about two other holidays that share today with Bastille Day.

Tides are changing for World Oceans Day 2023

Happy World Oceans Day! I've been celebrating this environmental holiday on this blog for ten years, so today marks one full decade of my observing it.

I begin today's tenth anniversary celebration with France 24 English's Climate change: World Oceans Day to mark the significance of the oceans in our daily lives.*

On 8 June World Oceans Day will be celebrated worldwide, serving as a poignant reminder of the immense significance of the ocean in our daily lives. The importance of a healthy ocean cannot be overstated. They are home to 80 percent of the animal biomass, serving as a vital source of sustenance, nutrition and livelihoods for millions of people worldwide.

I was right when I wrote "I might have more on the Global Plastic Pollution Treaty as soon as Thursday," as France 24 English covered it right after talking about climate change and biodiversity. There should be a draft treaty when the delegates meet again in Nairobi later this year.

United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres mentioned the Global Plastic Pollution Treaty in World Oceans Day 2023 (8 June) - United Nations Secretary-General along with other international agreements.

Video Message by António Guterres, Secretary-General of the United Nations, on World Oceans Day 2023.

Here are the initiatives Secretary-General Guterres listed after declaring that "the tides are changing."

Last year, we adopted an ambitious global target to conserve and manage 30 per cent of land and marine and coastal areas by 2030, as well as a landmark agreement on fisheries subsidies.

At the UN Ocean Conference in Lisbon, the world agreed to push for more positive ocean action.

A global, legally binding agreement to end plastic pollution is under negotiation.

And in March, countries agreed to the historic High Seas Treaty on the conservation and sustainable use of marine biodiversity in areas beyond national jurisdiction.

Realizing the great promise of these initiatives requires collective commitment.

Sustainable Development Goal 14 — to conserve and sustainably use the ocean’s resources — hangs in the balance.

This World Oceans Day, let’s keep pushing for action.

Today and every day, let’s put the ocean first.

As a Crazy Eddie, I approve.

Follow over the jump for two videos I missed from last year's celebration that I found worth watching.

CNBC asks 'Can Sanctions Deter Russia From Invading Ukraine?'

I mentioned the military tensions between Russia and Ukraine as one of the reasons the Doomsday Clock remains at 100 seconds to midnight for 2022 last week. The week before that, CNBC asked Can Sanctions Deter Russia From Invading Ukraine?

Economic sanctions remain one of the most powerful tools the United States has in its foreign policy arsenal. And as Russian forces continue to amass along the border with Ukraine, officials in the U.S. hope the threat of those sanctions can deter a full-scale invasion.

Besides sanctions that target individuals or specific companies, some proposals involve cutting Russia off from the SWIFT system, which would remove Russian institutions from an important global financial network.

Another target is the near-completed Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline, which when operational would double the amount of natural gas moved from Russia to Germany through the Baltic Sea and likely reduce the need for other pipelines, such as the Urengoy–Pomary–Uzhhorod pipeline that runs through Ukraine.

The answer is maybe not, at least by themselves. In addition, the two actions likely to be most effective would require the cooperation of our European allies, Belgium and others for SWIFT and Germany for the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline. That might be possible, but the experts interviewed by CNBC think those actions would be a major sacrifice for our allies and so are unlikely.

Another expert thought that Russia might be motivated enough to go ahead despite sanctions. Vox explained that when it explained Why Ukraine is trapped in endless conflict four years ago.

The present conflict in Ukraine started in 2014. Today, there are 100,000 fighters stationed in the country, making it one of the most heavily militarized regions in the world. In Ukraine's east, Ukrainian forces are engaged in a struggle with Russian-backed separatists.

A ceasefire was called in 2015, with a security zone established that was meant to foster peace. However, today the security zone remains one of the most violent places in the Ukraine. With over 10,000 deaths to date, and over 1.5 million civilians displaced, the cost of ignoring the ceasefire continues to mount by the day. And both sides are still building up their forces.

It looks like things haven't changed much since then, except Vladimir Putin seems to be running out of patience and sees an opportunity. That's not how I want him to be the Most Interesting Man in the World.

Seth Meyers and James Corden team up for Climate Night

I told my readers to "Stay tuned" as "I'll have more Climate Night clips this week" to conclude Colbert and Kimmel kick off Climate Night. Seth Meyers and James Corden made it easy for me to choose which videos to feature next. Watch Seth Meyers and James Corden Join Forces for Climate Night.

Seth and James Corden put aside their intense white-hot rivalry to work together in support of Climate Night.

That was an effective and funny introduction to a joint hour of climate-themed comedy shows for Climate Night. Follow over the jump to watch the clips Seth and James mentioned in their joint segment.

COP24 concludes with delegates reaching consensus on how to implement the Paris Climate Agreement

Delegates to COP24, the U.N. climate conference in Poland, have finished their work, apparently successfully.  Euronews reported SaturdayCOP24 announces agreement in Katowice.

The COP24 United Nations climate talks needed overtime and frantic negotiations to succeed, but the success now means nearly 200 nations have a rulebook to follow to implement the 2015 Paris climate accord.

Not all the details have been worked out, as Euronews also reported COP24 agreement sidesteps financial issues.

Observers give guarded welcome to climate change deal.

I suspect money will always be a sticking point.

Even though President Trump has pulled the U.S. out of the Paris Climate Agreement, prompting criticism and mockery from The Weather Channel, Elon Musk, John Oliver, and French President Emmanuel Macron, the U.S. will not formally leave until 2020 and an American delegation to the conference participated in the negotiations.  PBS NewsHour reported on the conference and especially the U.S. role in them in How a global effort could deliver solutions on climate change.

In Poland, a U.N. climate conference concluded with consensus on several ways to achieve the Paris Agreement's goal of limiting global temperature increases. But with a lack of U.S. support, is the progress enough? Nat Keohane, senior vice president of the Environmental Defense Fund, joins William Brangham to discuss international transparency, renewable energy and "urgency" around climate change.

Given that the conference started with a report stating that humans weren't doing enough to slow down climate change, it was an encouraging outcome, one that prompts me to repeat what I wrote when the Paris Agreement was being negotiated three years ago.

[T]he not good enough but better than nothing solution that Grist predicted will be ratified.  I'm enough of a realist that I'll take better than nothing now in the hope of getting good enough later.

It's still not good enough, but I think it's getting better.  Here's to that progress continuing.

Thanksgiving travel up as gas prices falling but still high

An early Happy (American) Thanksgiving to my readers!*  In Seth Meyers checks in on minority voter suppression, I wrote "it's time to go full Thanksgiving in time for the holiday."  I begin by passing along CBS This Morning reporting yesterday Record number of Americans expected to travel for Thanksgiving.

The Thanksgiving travel rush is underway. AAA predicts more than 54 million Americans will travel at least 50 miles away by Sunday. The holiday weekend is predicted to be the busiest for Thanksgiving travel since 2005. Kris Van Cleave reports.

All of this is despite the highest gas prices since 2014.  Still, oil prices are falling, as CNBC reported in Oil stocks in bear market.

CNBC's Brian Sullivan reports on the crude oil wreck and stocks that are feeling the impact.

The effect of the collapse in oil prices should be lower gas prices, which CNBC reported in GasBuddy: The other shoe has yet to drop with prices at the gas pump.

Dan McTeague of GasBuddy.com discusses the landscape for gas prices as we head into the holiday season, and the lag time between falling oil prices and prices at the pump.

Neither the experts nor I expected oil and gas prices to fall, especially not as steeply as they did.  All of us expected sanctions on Iran to drive prices up or at least support them.  Instead, the Administration has granted so many waivers that the sanctions have had very little effect.  That's a point brought up in Bloomberg's Trump, Saudis Make Fundamental Oil Analysis Impossible, Analyst Sen Says.

Amrita Sen, chief oil analyst at Emery Aspects, examines President Donald Trump's influence on oil prices. She speaks with Bloomberg's Jonathan Ferro on "Bloomberg Markets: The Open."

Once again, Trump is creating chaos.  At least this time, it's helping U.S. consumers.  Give thanks for that silver lining in the cloud of Trump.

*I already wished my readers a Happy Canadian Thanksgiving, so I have to make the distinction.

U.S. leaving Iran nuclear agreement pushes U.S. oil price above $70 plus driving update for May 2018: Pearl

"I'm not done with the effects of Trump pulling the U.S. out of the agreement.  Look for news about the high price of oil when I post my next driving update for Pearl."  That's what I wrote to conclude Vox on U.S. withdrawing from Iran nuclear agreement helps update doom and risk for the seventh year of Crazy Eddie's Motie News.  Since Pearl just passed another thousand miles yesterday, it's time for me to follow through.

Even before the announcement, oil prices were going up.  CNNMoney explains Why oil prices are rising from May 7, 2018.

Oil prices have been climbing, reaching the highest level since 2014. CNN's John Defterios explains what's driving the rise.

That was the environment in which the withdrawal of the U.S. from the Iran nuclear agreement was made. CNNMoney didn't even consider the possible effects of the announcment.  On the other hand, CNBC did in Oil Surges But President Donald Trump’s Iran Deal Announcement Looms.

Jeff Kilburg of KKM Financial and Brenda Shaffer of Atlantic Council discuss the rise in the price of oil how President Trump's announcement on the Iran deal may effect the price which crossed $70 a barrel for the first time since 2014.

After the announcement, WXYZ looked at the effects on consumers at greater detail in US pulling out of Iran nuclear deal raises concerns about rising gas prices.

By pulling out of the Iran nuclear deal, many are worried about rising gas prices.

As predicted, oil prices shot up.  On Thursday, Reuters reported that West Texas Intermediate (WTI), the main U.S. oil future, reached $71.89 and Brent Crude, the main European oil future, hit the $78 level.  Both were three-and-one-half-year highs.  On Friday, Bloomberg reported slightly lower prices.

West Texas Intermediate crude for June delivery fell 66 cents to settle at $70.70 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange. Total volume traded was about 2.3 percent below the 100-day average.

Brent for July settlement slipped 35 cents to $77.12 a barrel on the London-based ICE Futures Europe exchange. Prices gained 3 percent this week. The global benchmark crude traded at a $6.44 premium to July WTI.

Despite the prices settling lower on Friday, the long-term perspective looks grim, as Bloomberg reported Oil at $100 Is a Possibility Next Year, Bank of America Says.

Oil prices could rally to $100 a barrel next year, a level not seen since 2014, as supply risks in Venezuela and Iran strain global markets, according to Bank of America Corp.

Brent futures, trading near $77 on Thursday, are set to reach $90 in the second quarter of 2019 as world inventories shrink, the bank said. As that view hinges on OPEC reviving output and a limited impact on Iran from U.S. sanctions, prices could go even higher, it said, becoming the first Wall Street bank to suggest a return to $100.

Eep.  Remember what I wrote about oil prices in The tax bill and the U.S. economy in 2018 and beyond?  "Three things could trigger the next recession...The second is a rapid rise in oil prices, which has occurred either slightly in advance or concurrently with every recession since 1973."  Here's how I thought that would play out.

[T]he extra disposable income runs the risk of overheating an already booming economy, never mind that the fruits of that economy are very inequitably distributed.  That will increase demand for oil and other energy sources, making their prices go up.  That will cause inflation to rise again as energy costs become distributed throughout the economy.  Higher inflation will prompt the Federal Reserve to raise short term rates, eventually inverting the yield curve.  Viola, recession!

I didn't consider a supply shock caused by Trump's action, but that has now been added to the mix, causing the price of oil to rise above a critical threshold.  The U.S. withdrawal from the agreement has now made a recession more likely, as it has pulled one of the triggers of the next economic downturn.  Therefore, I am not ready to delay my call for a recession beginning by this coming December.  Conditions look riper for it all the time.

Follow over the jump for the driving update that prompted today's entry.

Vox on U.S. withdrawing from Iran nuclear agreement helps update doom and risk for the seventh year of Crazy Eddie's Motie News

Happy Throwback Thursday!  It's time for me to post another retrospective of last year's most read entries.  It won't be what I promised in Holidays for the seventh year of Crazy Eddie's Motie News on Arbor Day, a review of the most popular climate posts.  The current event I mentioned in Bill Nye thinks eating bugs will save the world, the news about Trump pulling the U.S. out of the Iran nuclear deal, changed my mind.  Vox has the story in Trump quits Iran nuclear deal, undoing years of diplomacy.

Why Trump hates the deal, what he wants, and how we got here.
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Trump has been saying he wants to exit the Iran nuclear deal for a long time, a deal that has so far prevented Iran from developing nuclear weapons. And now that he has, decades of negotiations could unravel, with far-reaching consequences for the US foreign policy.

The video notes that three top officials had been in favor of the deal, but two of them, former Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and former National Security Advisor H.R. McMaster, are gone.  They have been replaced with two Iran hawks, Mike Pompeo as Secretary of State and Michael Bolton as National Security Advisor.  I think that this is the first opportunity Trump has had to renew sanctions after both have taken office is not a coincidence.

As for what the U.S. is giving up, Vox posted How the Iran nuclear deal works, explained in 3 minutes, three years ago.

Iran and six world powers just cut a historical deal that would limit the Iranian nuclear program in exchange for economic sanctions relief. The details of the of the 159-page report are terribly technical. But there are some important aspect of this deal that we've distilled into this 3-minute video.

That looks good to me, so I think Trump, following the bad advice of Bolton and Pompeo, made a terrible mistake involving nuclear proliferation.

This isn't the first time I thought so, which leads me to the last time, an incident from January involving North Korea.


I detailed this incident in Vox explains the 'nuclear button' and KFC trolls McDonalds in response to Trump from January 11, 2018.  This entry earned 2499 raw page views by March 20, 2018, enough to place it 31st overall for the seventh year of Crazy Eddie's Motie news and 27th among all entries actually posted during the seventh year of the blog.  It tied for most liked and retweeted on Twitter during January 2018 with one each.  The entry also came in 5th overall and 2nd among entries posted during January 2018 with 2433 default and 2453 raw page views for the month after being shared at the Join the Coffee Party Movement Facebook page.  Later events have made the Twitter fight between Trump and Kim Jong Un look less disastrous.  Maybe Trump pulling the U.S. out of the Iran Nuclear Deal will have the same effect, but I'm not hopeful.

Follow over the jump for the rest of the top entries on nuclear war and other risks not directly related to climate.

John Oliver mocks Trump over leaving Paris Accord

First The Weather Channel, then Elon Musk.  Now it's John Oliver's turn to tell off Trump for leaving the Paris Climate Agreement.

Donald Trump plans to withdraw the United States from the Paris agreement on climate change. That's bad news for anyone who happens to live on this planet.

I'm not done with this subject.  Tomorrow, I plan on posting all of Macron's response, including a promise to "Make Earth Great Again."  Stay tuned.

Climate change for the sixth year of Crazy Eddie's Motie News

As I wrote twice in Gerrymandering and other general politics for the sixth year of Crazy Eddie's Motie News, the subject of today's retrospective is climate change.  Like holidays, climate change is a recurring subject of retrospectives on this blog going back to its very first year.  It's good to know some things don't change.

The twelfth most read entry of the previous blogging year was Seth Meyers takes a closer look at Trump and climate change from December 22, 2016 with 2964 page views according to the raw counter as of March 20, 2017.  While it was posted in December, it was the most read entry of January 2017 after being shared at the Coffee Party USA Facebook page, ending the month with 2631 page views, 2925 according to the raw counter.  While it rose quickly, it showed no signs of making the all-time top ten, so I didn't put in a lot of effort tracking its progress.  Besides, I think I was on vacation at the time I shared the post, so I had better things to do.

Follow over the jump for more of last year's top posts on climate.

Paris Agreement on Climate being signed on Earth Day

Happy Earth Day!  Today's celebration has global significance, as the Paris Climate Agreement, which prompted Colbert to say goodbye to oil, itself the fifth most read entry of the blogging year just completed, is being signed at the U.N. in New York.  Here is U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry giving the opening address to the Signing Ceremony of the Paris Agreement on Climate Change.

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry delivers remarks at the signing ceremony of the Paris Agreement on Climate Change at the United Nations in New York on April 22, 2016.

Next, here is Kerry signing the agreement on behalf of the U.S. with his granddaughter

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry signs the Paris Agreement on Climate Change with his granddaughter at the United Nations on April 22, 2016.

This is a great green day!

Follow over the jump for two videos from The Weather Channel and Test Tube News explaining the significance of the agreement being signed today.

Paris Climate Conference explained by Climate Reality, Grist, and Wochit

One of the phenomena listed as a threat to biodiversity in "Racing Extinction" is climate change.  Right now, governments from all over the planet are meeting in Paris to reach an agreement to limit greenhouse gas emissions and mitigate and adapt to climate change.  Climate Reality explains the importance of the conference along with outlining the stakes in What Is COP21?

What is COP21? Why are the UN climate talks happening in December 2015 in Paris, France, so important? And what can you do about it? Morgan Freeman gives you the details on why this meeting is really your meeting.

Yes, the voice of God Himself is telling viewers about this.  That's how important this issue is.

That's the hope.  What about the reality of what will actually be achieved?  Grist elaborates on those in The Paris climate negotiations, explained.

Has anyone ever tried to convince you to order something off a menu that you couldn’t afford? Or had a friend buy an expensive appetizer and assume you’ll help split the bill? The dynamic isn’t too far from what’s happening in climate policy right now, with hypocritical, richer countries trying to convince poorer countries that green energy is the way forward. At the end of November, diplomats will gather in Paris for the most high-stakes dinner party yet: Their orders are likely to affect our collective climate future. Check out our video above for all the savory details.

So, how is the conference working out so far?  Wochit reports in A First Draft Of Climate Resolution In Paris.

[A]fter four years' work as the basis for ministers to try to resolve hundreds of points of disagreement next week, senior officials from almost 200 nations approved a draft text of a U.N. climate deal on Saturday. The idea is that the text lays out options, ranging from a long-term goal for slowing climate change to rising climate finance for developing nations, that can be resolved by ministers next week at talks lasting until Friday. Many nations said the draft left too many issues unresolved. The draft is the result of four years of work since the process was launched in Durban in 2011.

Looks like the not good enough but better than nothing solution that Grist predicted will be ratified.  I'm enough of a realist that I'll take better than nothing now in the hope of getting good enough later.  That's what I did when it came to the Keystone XL Pipeline and I got not only good enough, but much better than I expected.  May we all be so fortunate when it comes to climate change.