Saturday's monthly international Citizens Climate Lobby meeting featured Anthony Leiserowitz, Yale Program on Climate Change Communication. They do a new survey every year to test the political climate of climate change. They've been doing this for fifteen years. The new survey is just starting now, but we heard about this year's survey.
The news is good and bad. Climate change is more politically divisive than abortion. That showed up in one of the best slides. It showed how different shades of political thinking rank about 28 issues. I'd post it here, but it's got so much on it, that it would be hard for anyone to read here. Here are the categories they used.
All Reg. Voters
Liberal Dems
Mod/Cons Dems
Lib/Mod Repubs
Cons Repubs
Global Warming was the 4th most important issue for Liberal Democrats and ranked 28 for Conservative Republicans. My interpretation is different from Tony's. It were as divisive as abortion, it would be more important to the conservatives.
It just isn't that important to anyone besides the Liberal Democrats. It only ranks 16 for the Moderate/Conservative Democrats. But the upside is that with more education on the topic, it will gain a greater base of support.
Another chart shows that most American believe global warming is happening.
Click on the charts to enlarge and focus
He attributed the drop after 2008 to the Tea Party, and it's taken ten years to get back to 70%. He mentioned that in Japan about 98% of the population believe it is happening.
The chart on Potential Political Movement shows a huge potential of people who would be ready to work on action to reduce global warming.
More encouraging, perhaps, was this chart that showed across the board strong support for moving to more Climate Friendly policies.
You can see the presentation here. Actually the link takes you to the whole meeting. Tony starts at 3:32 or so (there's a dot on the video timeline there). His presentation is short, but packed with interesting data and interpretation. And the charts are easier to read than here.
I've been going to these monthly meetings for many years now and I'm almost always impressed by the quality of speakers and I almost always get some new data or thought that significantly adds to what I know on this topic.
The Anchorage Chapter meets at 8:30am, second Saturday of the month, at the Rasmuson Building 220, at UAA. Free parking Saturday mornings. Here's where others can find out about their local chapters. Don't be shy, everyone is delighted when a new member arrives.
Here's a link to the Yale Climate Connections where Tony works. There are lots of videos on different climate related topics.
Someone in Holland got here (this blog) via a browser called "Ecosia." I'd never heard of it before so I checked it out.
The image isn't too clear, but if you click on it you'll get to Ecosia search engine and you can play around there to find out more about what they're about.
For those wondering why planting trees is a good thing, here's a list of reasons from ClimateRally
An average size tree creates sufficient oxygen in one year to provide oxygen for a family of four.
Planting trees in the right place around buildings and homes can cut air-conditioning costs up to 50 percent.
Planting trees for the environment is good as they are renewable, biodegradable and recyclable.
If we plant 20 million trees, the earth will get with 260 million more tons of oxygen.
Once acre of trees can remove up to 2.6 tons of Carbon Dioxide each year.
During photosynthesis, trees and other plants absorb carbon dioxide and give off oxygen.
Trees keep in cheek the air and water pollution.
Why planting trees is important is evident as they are the natural habitat of the animals and birds, as well as many endangered species.
Planting trees means more wood and paper products which can be easily recycled.
A newly planted whole forest, can change tons of atmospheric carbon into wood and other fibrous tissue, thus reducing global warming.
I was really excited about this, but figured I better do some checking to see how they can do this and whether I can trust them.
Does Ecosia do what it says?
Reviewopedia discusses what Ecosia says about itself, but doesn't seem to have any independent analysis.
Green Review gives a fairly harsh review, saying that Eosia uses Bing, which is owned by Microsoft and that clicks, not searches, generate money for trees. But only after Microsoft gets its cut. It recommends Google over Ecosia.
A Path Around The World - has a long and thoughtful review. But it doesn't mention the connection to Bing and Microsoft at all. But it looks at Ecosia's financial reports (unaudited self-reporting) and does some comparisons of its utility as a browser to Google.
Being ethically responsible isn't easy. Make your own evaluation.
Shorts are fiction 10 - 55 minutes. In competition means they were selected to be eligible for a festival award. Super Shorts are under 10 minutes.
Shorts are generally shown in groups, called programs. The shorts in competition this year fall neatly into two programs. The first is "Shorts on the Edge" but it's also called "Opening Night Soirée."
The second program is called "Love and Pain." I've color coded them to make it even easier.
BUT, I've combined the shorts and super shorts on the chart below, since they are showing together in the programs. The super shorts have an * after them.
To make it easy for you to figure out when and where to see these films, I've divided the list of shorts in competition into two groups so you can see what program they're in, and when and where each program is shown.
[NOTE: I try to be completely accurate here, but there's a lot of details and I can make a mistake. To be safe, double check the times and locations before you go. If you see an error please let me know in the comments or via email - in right column above blog archive.]
The first program is:
Opening Night Soiree
Fri Dec 1 Bear Tooth 7 pm
Shorts on the Edge
Sat Dec 9 AK Exp Sm 9 pm
Shorts In Competition
Director
Country
Length
Cold Storage*
Thomas Freundlich
Finland
9 min
Game
Jeannie Donohoe
USA
15 min
Whoever Was Using This Bed
Andrew Kotatko
Australia
20 min
Iron
Gabriel Gonda
USA
17 min
Must Kill Karl
Joe Kick
Canada
12 min
The Robbery
Jim Cummings
USA
15 min
8:AM*
Emily Pando
USA
5 min
Brain Storm*
Christophe Clin
Belgium
6 min
Couples Night*
Russell & Robert
Summers
USA
4 min
Temporary
Milena Govich
USA
12 min
Remember, the blue ones are in the program called:
Love and Pain
Which shows:
Sat Dec 2 AK Exp Large 12 pm
Fri Dec 8 AK Exp Small 7pm
* means it's a Super Short.
###############################################
This first group of shorts in competition all are part of the Opening Night Soirée which repeats as the program "Shorts on the Edge." I've done it this way to help you identify which films are shown together so you can easily find when and where to see them. If they are in red, they are together in this program. Also, both Shorts and Super Shorts* are together in the same programs, but they are eligible for separate awards. The * marks the Super Shorts. These are films under 10 minutes long.
Opening Night Soirée
Fri Dec 1 Bear Tooth 7pm
Shorts on the Edge
Sat Dec 9 Ak Exp Small 9pm
**********************************************
Cold Storage* (*Super Short)
Thomas Freundlich
Finland
9 min
This one should appeal to all Alaskans, especially ice fishers, glacial archeologists, and dancers.
"Thomas Freundlich is one of the leading practitioners in Finland’s vibrantly growing independent dance film scene. Mr. Freundlich’s work ranges from dance shorts, documentary work, performance videography and 3D projects to music videos and projection design for the stage. His work has been seen at dozens of film festivals worldwide as well as broadcast TV both in Finland and internationally. From 2012 to 2014, Mr. Freundlich was the co-artistic director of Finland’s Loikka dance film festival."
This story takes place during tryouts for the high school basketball team. It's a very well made film. To add a little moral crunch to all this, the Weinstein Company was involved with this film. Just yesterday (Nov 20), I read an article from the Paris Review, "What Do We Do With The Art Of Monstrous Men?" I suspect that the Weinstein Company, particularly Harvey Weinstein had little to do with the making of this film. But it's something to think about as you watch this gem of a film. I know this film is good because you can watch it online, and I did. Below is a trailer. I'd note, watching it online probably won't take anything from the experience of seeing it on the big screen opening night of the festival. There's lots I'm sure I missed the first time.
**********************************************
Whoever Was Using This Bed
Andrew Kotatko
Australia
20 min
Go to the the film's website. Scroll through the credits and connections of the cast and the director and others. This is NOT a film by new faces showing what they can do in hopes of making it. But the fact that these aren't newcomers to the film industry tells us something about the competitiveness of the world of film-making.
"Iron is a short period drama set in the Pacific NorthWest inspired by the true stories of women railroad workers during the early 1900’s.
Lily Cohen escapes the the crowded tenements of New York to take on a demanding railway job. Determined to work on a steam engine, a position not traditionally held by women, Lilly faces the hostility of her fellow railroad workers while finding her own inner strength.
While America is very familiar with the iconic image of Rosie the Riveter, the women laborers of the First World War are mostly forgotten by history. The American railroad represented freedom and adventure in a time when most women had very little opportunity for either. These opportunities disappeared when the soldiers returned home."
I haven't seen the whole movie, but the trailer . . . judge for yourself. I had it up here for a day or two as I worked on the rest of the films. I decided to take it down because I thought the thumbnail was gross and I didn't see any redeeming features that would make it worth keeping up. I'm not censoring it - you can go watch it here. Remember, the programmers thought it was worth being 'in competition'. I'm waiting to be pleasantly surprised.
**********************************************
The Robbery
Jim Cummings
USA
15 min
Cummings won the best Short Award last year at AIFF with his film "Thunder Road." It also won at Sundance which led to a slew of opportunities which are described in this IndieWire article. The article also includes a full version of of The Robbery. I don't recommend seeing it now if you plan to see it at the festival. I'm not sure how much it offers with additional viewings.
It's about a robbery that goes badly. It's well made. It spoofs our national (global?) cell phone addiction among other things.
###############################################
This second group of shorts in competition all are part of the program "Love and Pain." I've done it this way to help you identify which films are shown together so you can easily find when and where to see them.
If they are in blue, they are together in this program Also, both Shorts and Super Shorts* are together in the same programs, but they are eligible for separate awards. The * marks the Super Shorts. These are films under 10 minutes long.
In this group, all but "Temporary" are Super Shorts.
Love and Pain
Sat Dec, 2 12pm AK Exp Large
Frit Dec 8 AK Exp Small 7pm
**********************************************
8:AM*
Emily Pando
USA
5 min Can't find much on this film, though it was at the festival in August 2016, the Cleveland International Film Festival and the Seattle International Film Festival's Shorts Fest this year if I'm reading the Facebook page right.
**********************************************
Brain Storm* (Remue-Meninges)
Christophe Clin
Belgium
6 min
(Also Showing at Martini Matinee - Friday December 8, 2017 2:00pm - 4:00pm)
Another film that's got few internet footprints. From Augohr:
"What happens in our heads when we are about to meet someone on the street? Anguish, prejudice, expectation, surprise, disappointment … These few very brief moments are the nest of a real brainstorm!"
I had to look much harder to find Christophe's Vimeo page. (His Youtube page was blank. You really don't need a link to a blank Youtube channel.) But it was worth the effort. (Actually, if you only google his name, there's more, mostly in French.)
This is one of the most tantalizing trailers I've seen. It could be a super short all its own.
This is a four minute movie. What do you want? A ten second trailer? Christophe Clin found a way to do a trailer for a six minute movie (above) but . . . And why would you want a description? This is part of a program of other shorts. Just sit back and watch it. I can give you one hint - it's been in some horror movie festivals.
**********************************************
Temporary
Milena Govich USA 12 Min
The first few minutes of this probably tells you what you need to know about this film. It comes from her Kickstarter page and I found the embed code at Vimeo.
I'd also note there are other Shorts programs. Global Village has a series of international shorts.
There are Made In Alaska shorts. And Martini Matinee will play a mix of narrative shorts, short docs, and animation. I'm not totally caught up (and probably will never be) with all these programs but I did want to give you an alert that the narrative shorts and super shorts in competition aren't the only shorts.
It's Monday Dec. 7. Films in competition tonight include:
Feature: Hong Kong murder mystery, Jasmine, (by LA filmmaker) at Bear Tooth at 8pm
TwoAlaska Made films in competition at the Alaska Experience large theater: From 7- 8 pm: We Are All Related - Newtok is an Alaska Native village which has to move because of flooding problems, which is, apparently, the focus of the movie. But there is a current court battle between the new village leaders and the old, who refuse to give up their offices. A Law 360 article earlier this year said:
Leaders of an Alaskan Native tribe situated on the Bering Sea coast
are asking a federal court to halt three members of the Newtok
Traditional Council from misrepresenting themselves as members of the
tribe's legitimate tribal governing body, according to a complaint filed
on Tuesday.
Newtok Village and the Newtok Village Council are asking the court for
an injunction that would prohibit Andy T. Patrick, Joseph Tommy and
Stanley Tom from telling any federal, state or private agency that they
are the rightful leaders of the tribe, as well as an order for them to
turn over certain financial records and other property that they have
allegedly wrongfully retained.
The Newtok Village Council claims that the three defendants, all members
of the tribe's former governing body, are attempting to convince state
and federal agencies that they continue to exercise leadership over
tribal members and can rightfully ask for money on behalf of the tribe,
despite decisions by federal agencies, including the U.S. Department of the Interior's Bureau of Indian Affairs regional office, recognizing the Newtok Village Council as the official governing body.The
dispute arose in 2012. Prior to that time, the governing body of the
tribe was the Newtok Traditional Council. But a tribal election dispute
arose later that year, out of which two groups emerged, each claiming to
be the bona fide tribal governing body, according to the suit. . . .
The dispute arose in 2012. Prior to that time, the governing body of the
tribe was the Newtok Traditional Council. But a tribal election dispute
arose later that year, out of which two groups emerged, each claiming
to be the bona fide tribal governing body, according to the suit."
The Alaska Dispatch had an article yesterday saying a judge had sided with the new leadership Nov. 4 and they are asking the judge to enforce that ruling.
I'm hoping the movie might include some of the players in this struggle not only against the climate change caused flooding, but also against the human actors in the way of the move. The trailer doesn't hint at the human dimension.
The director Brian McDermott is scheduled to be there.
8:30- 10:30: Degrees North - is about freeriding, best as I can tell. The trailer doesn't show as much gliding through the sky or skiing down vertical slopes as I expected, but there's plenty of equipment with sponsor logos. There's some "you really see the true nature of people when they're out here, exposed" and 'one minute without your gloves outside and you can't feel your fingers any more" dialogue but not too much. You get the picture - sponsors pay crazy young men to risk their lives in Norway and Alaska mountains. Sure to have a good audience in Anchorage. (The second trailer shows them near Anchorage in what appears to be the year we had so little sonw.)
This is preceded by a film on the Mt. Marathon race called 3022 ft
