Filled with angst, I share with you today another version (what is this, version XXMVII?) of Snarky Snippets.  Deep breaths … in … out … in … out …

You know how, if you tell a child not to do something, he/she will do it or die trying? (I know this because I was once that child!)  It seems that such stubbornness is not limited to children, for humans around the globe are guilty of the same.

There has been no dearth of information about how CO₂ emissions are causing damage to the atmosphere that will ultimately be fatal to the human race.  Humans have been advised, on a large scale in every nation on the globe, to cut back on energy use, and that the burning of fossil fuels such as coal, oil, and gas are among the largest offenders, putting more CO₂ into the atmosphere, when renewable energy sources are more efficient, less toxic, and ultimately less costly.  But have we listened?  Apparently not!

The International Energy Agency released a report yesterday saying that energy demand around the world grew by 2.3 percent over the past year, marking the most rapid increase in a decade.To meet the increased demand, the report continues, some nations did, in fact, turn to renewables such as water, wind and solar energy.  Other nations, however, responded with increased use of fossil fuels, which satisfied nearly 70 percent of the skyrocketing electricity demand.  As a result, greenhouse-gas emissions from the use of energy — by far their largest source — surged in 2018, reaching a record high of 33.1 billion tons. Emissions showed 1.7 percent growth, well above the average since 2010.

Even as renewable energy rapidly expands, many countries — including the United States and China — are nevertheless still turning to fossil fuels to satisfy ever-growing energy demand.

Way to go United States and China!  Why not just sign our death warrant?

Michael Mehling, deputy director of the Center for Energy and Environmental Policy Research at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, described Monday’s findings:

“To me, all this reflects the fact that climate policies around the globe, despite some limited pockets of progress, remain woefully inadequate. They’re not even robust enough to offset the increased emissions from economic expansion, especially in the developing world, let alone to spur decarbonization at levels commensurate with the temperature stabilization goals we’ve committed to under the Paris Agreement.”

Yo, Republicans … want to pat your ‘hero’ on the back and say, ‘Way to go, Prez’?

In yet another effort to quash freedom of the press, the jerk-in-chief has urged major news networks to not allow on their shows several people, including Democratic lawmakers, who have been critical of him.  WHOA … STOP THE PRESSES!  Not even the president, as if we had one, has the right to dictate to the news media what of who they can or cannot cover!

Tim Murtaugh, director of communications for Trump’s 2020 re-election campaign, called on the networks to refuse six commentators:

• Senator Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut
• Representative Adam Schiff of California
• Representative Jerry Nadler of New York
• Representative Eric Swalwell of California
• Democratic National Committee Chairman Tom Perez
• Former CIA Director John Brennan

Why?  Because they, as well as millions of others of us, have criticized Trump and stated they (we) believe Trump did conspire with the Russians to sway the 2016 presidential election.  THIS is illegal.  It goes against the First Amendment of the United States Constitution.  I believe Trump conspired … I KNOW he did … so, come on, Murtaugh … I dare you to try to stifle me!

What a ‘fearless leader’ Trump is to be so scared of a little bit of criticism that he would willingly violate the very Constitution he took an oath to uphold!  Look how much criticism President Obama had to contend with, but never once … NOT ONE TIME … did he suggest stifling the freedom of the press!

Lastly (bet you’re glad, aren’t you?), you don’t hear much from or about ol’ Alex Jones lately, do you?  It could be because he’s been tied up in court a lot these days in the suit brought by Six families of victims of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting in 2012.  Or, it could be because he has been banned by Twitter, Apple, YouTube, and Facebook.  Personally, I find it like a breath of fresh air not to see his ugly mug and hear his ranting conspiracy theories all over the ‘net.

But apparently, he still does a radio show … or internet show … does anybody still watch this crap?  Anyway, yesterday he began his show by saying ‘traitors’ should be executed, and defining traitors as, I gather, anybody brave enough to stand up to, or disagree with, Donald Trump.  Okay, typical fare for the Jones-inator, yes?  But in the background, while he was spluttering his message of hate, he was playing a video of MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow in the background.  Maddow took it all in good spirits …

Y’know, Alex, your brand of ‘humour’ went out in the 1930s.  It’s old, Alex.  Take your retirement package and go live on an island somewhere, please?

Okay, folks, that’s all I’ve got for tonight.  You may have noticed that I haven’t written yet about the Mueller report, William Barr’s brief summary, or the right-wing street dances.  I will.  Give me a moment, please.  If I had written on Sunday or Monday what I thought, I would be sitting in a jail cell now.  I need to take just a few more deep breaths, let the hand pull me a bit more out of the rabbit hole, then you will hear my take.  Meanwhile, both Robert Vella and Jeff over at On The Fence Voters have written excellent posts on the topic.