Thus The Guardian today. “UN weather body says man-made global warming and El Niño oceanic phenomenon made 2011-2015 the warmest five-year period on record,” explains the newspaper. According to the World Meteorological Organization’s report in question, this year is set to be the single hottest ever registered, as well. The planetary temperatures will pass the symbolic milestone of one degree Celsius above pre-industrial levels. The report comes just in time for Paris climate talks, and the article closes with words of hope for its success in preventing the planetary temperatures from passing the other and even more symbolic milestone of two degrees Celsius, which would spell disaster for life on earth. The chipper conclusion notwithstanding, the article seems to skirt mentioning the likelihood of a happy end. Apparently, that likelihood is so low that it is best left unmentioned. We are entering an era of tacit self-censorship that does not even need to be enforced by anyone. Just keep mum and everything will be hunky-dory…