At the phoney peace conference held at Versailles, following WWI, William C. Bullitt resigned from the American delegation. Forthrightly, he declared that he was “going to lie on the sands of the Riviera and watch the world go to hell.”

In Las Vegas recently, U.S. comics and celebrities — claiming to be raising awareness of issues concerning the environment — put on a TV Special which, for all practical purposes, took the same stance as Bullitt’s bullshit. Without nearly as much of an *excuse*.

In fact, TBS’ “Earth to America!” turned out to be a total turn-off, a despicable display of self-centered stage(d)craft(iness), disingenuous and dangerous. Entertainment parading as Environmental Emergency. At very best it represented the height of ignorance clothed in career conservation. Or well-meaning souls…lost.

Talented sparkplugs such as Larry David, Robin Williams, et. al. (and their lesser colleagues) stalled any semblance of “progress” on the environmental front, and actually contributed to making matters worse. With the potential wasted and the impact they did have*, we might as well say…all is dead now, all hope evaporated.

It’s time to see what will happen with putting that notion on the table. Anything less will be stupid and unproductive henceforth. Certainly, the goodies provided thus far from virtually all quarters have been too wanting to justify comment at this juncture. Like most official efforts at recycling and star-studded silliness…out of the gambling center of this country, which *is* this country. Letting it all *ride*.

It may be true that Bush thinks Kyoto is the name of the guy in Nippon who his father threw up on years ago, but the American public and its most influential figures (who pose as his *opposition*) have squandered all remaining opportunities too, their attachment to theoretically sound/politically correct protocols notwithstanding.

Truly, it’s time to say it’s too late…and see what happens to our collective consciousness. As negative as that might sound to some, I submit that following *some kind of new paradigm* is what’s called for. For…*virtual marches* — like the action honored/urged by “Earth to America!” — will only set us up for more skin cancer on the Riviera.

*This ranges all along a spectrum that includes –but is not limited to– Ray Romano and others being ill-prepared (for this all-important encounter), Steve Martin and others acting too cavalier and too confusing/ambivalent about personal stances, a very weak presentation on the crucial website www.stopglobalwarming.org (an address which Tom Hanks flubbed twice!), a lack of urgency about matters (on any consistent basis), some stars playing it all as if Republicans were the main problem, and an all-pervasive (unwarranted, ecocidal) sense that there’s no need to establish a paradigm for action which will require people to be…uncomfortable.