**Written by Doug Powers
Two prominent figures are in Washington, DC attempting to save the oceans. One of them is best known for playing a lead role in a convincing re-creation of the Titanic sinking, and the other is Leonardo DiCaprio.
Secretary of State John Kerry and actor Leonardo DiCaprio are taking part in the State Department’s “Our Oceans” event.
Here’s video of star-struck Kerry’s reaction when DiCaprio entered the room:
This morning Kerry took questions on Twitter about climate change and the oceans. Read Kerry’s Twitter feed if you’re hungry for a buffet of apocalyptic, fear-mongering predictions that make the book of Revelation sound like Dr. Seuss.
Somebody asked Kerry about his priorities. Kerry’s answer? “But international security!”
#OceanChat How is it you have time to chat with Iraq in flames and a major crisis in Israel? #tcot
— Typo Dynamofo (@TypoDynamofo) June 17, 2014
.@TypoDynamofo: 1/2 Have talked to 3 foreign leaders in the region this morning on #Iraq. What happens to our ocean is int’l security issue.
— John Kerry (@JohnKerry) June 17, 2014
.@TypoDynamofo: 2/2 Big countries handle ore than one challenge at once.
— John Kerry (@JohnKerry) June 17, 2014
So you see, by turning “climate change” into a blanket issue of international security, you can spend a couple of days hanging out with Leonardo DiCaprio and Bill Nye and claim you are doing something about current crises around the world.
Kerry is also addressing the issue of carbon footprints. No, not his:
In winter, he goes helicopter skiing while staying at his wife’s Idaho retreat, a 15th-century farmhouse transported from England and reassembled on the banks of the Big Wood River in Sun Valley. In summer, he windsurfs and sails off the coast of Nantucket, where she has another home. The couple have an 18th-century town house in Boston where the kitchen is two stories high. There is a 23-room town house in Washington, an 88-acre Pittsburgh area estate, a private Gulfstream jet and a personal staff of six, including caretakers and a cook.
Bill Nye the Science Guy warned deniers that unless we want to have more storms that have existed since the beginning of time, we all better pony up for the cause:
What we (you) doing to bring climate change deniers to terms with our situation? Hurricane Sandy was expensive. @JohnKerry #OceanChat
— Bill Nye (@TheScienceGuy) June 17, 2014
As for DiCaprio, this week he’s getting a heck of a view from which to save the oceans from the ravages of man-made climate change — from the deck of a “superyacht” owned by Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan. The Abu Dhabi royal family is reportedly worth about $90 billion, and they didn’t earn all that by selling eco-friendly solar panels. But I suspect DiCaprio already knows that and is willing to look the other way in order to borrow such a choice boat, temporarily re-named the SS Hypocrisy.
The promoter of “green living” was shuttled from Brazil to DC for the “Our Oceans” event and back to the superyacht via Chevy Volt, apparently.
**Written by Doug Powers
Twitter @ThePowersThatBe