Politics Not Your Bag? Not interested?

As we approach a presidential debate  many people perk up and decide maybe they should pay some attention, but some still don't pay heed. There are enough non- voters to change the results and for those who do vote, but pay little attention make mistakes against their best interest.

Too bad if you are not interested in politics as there are smart people wanting to pick your pockets and change your life style.  Some of it will be very subtle, some might be a news item on some media platform and some might be in the rarely read fine print.  There is also even more likely to be loads of misleading and falsified information readily available.

Have you heard some leaders, especially of the conservative variety promise to do away with regulations.  Perhaps you have no problem identifying rules that bog down businesses.  Have you also heard about environmental rules being dismissed?  How about gun regulations that fail to slow down mass shootings?  Many of the regulations are really protections that businesses find hurting their profits.  See  http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2015/11/when-public-that-means-you-are-lied-to.html 

Did you think the Trump tax reductions had no harmful effects?  Two effects should be noted:  first it increased inequality and second increased the national debt.  Why?  So rich donators could save huge amounts of money and the government would not be able to spread their money for the benefit of the masses (who helped them make their fortunes)

Ronald Reagan said the government is not the solution, it is the problem.  What is needed is educated co-operation to solve real problems.  He also did away with a Fairness policy that the media was supposed to adhere to.  He also was quite proud of beating down a union.  A bit of an explanation:  http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2024/05/monopolies.html

The Russians and Chinese are very slick and feel just dividing Americans (and other westerners) weakens their opposition. To learn more about Russian influence check http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2022/10/freezing-order.html and check the links for more supporting information.  To learn more about Chinese influence check:  http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2022/04/china-unbound.html

Electoral systems are critical to gain power.  As the American declaration of independence was being worked out rich slave owners realized they could be outvoted by the northerners.  The rich, white northerners needed these southerners to strengthen their own fight against the British so they agreed to some of the demands.  They wanted black slaves to count as 3/5 humans allowing a high count for the House of Representatives with each state having two Senators regardless of population.  They also wanted an electoral college to be set up that gave them greater leverage than their population merited.  The result was the first presidents (except for John Adams) were southerners.  In the past couple of decades the higher voter percentage has lost to the electoral college (witness Al Gore and Hilary Clinton).

You may have heard of "divide and conquer" the great strategy of colonizers.  They always tried to divide their opposition.  The FPTP (first past the post) system gives the advantage to the plurality winner against the majority.  It is not necessary to get 50% so it can be strategic to try to persuade some segments and ignore others.

The electoral system decided on by those able to do so affects everyone.  A lot of decisions like to go to war or not are binary.  But in reality there are usually more than two views on most issues.  Those who obtained power on the current electoral system will resist change, they in effect have a conflict of interest.  Divide and conquer is a tested method of dealing with opposition and money/power. 

To me climate change is THE mortal threat to mankind and requires sacrifices by everyone to make life bearable.  Far too many ordinary people see only the short term, while some of the wealthy see an opportunity to increase their profits.  Dealing with this problem requires political involvement.

Taxes are resented by all.  In effect they enable the government to provide an infrastructure that benefits everyone, but also they do spread the wealth.   If the resources of the poor are reduced they cannot afford to be profitable consumers and most would expect higher compensation for their labor and many fledgling businesses would never get started.   

How should the responsibility for taxing be divided?  If not perceived as fair many will rebel.  Modern governments realize that people need some sort of minimum to survive and taxes should reflect that wealthier people (who in some ways benefit more from government expenses) can afford to pay a larger share.  Some wealthy people advocate a flat rate meaning the poor would pay a higher percentage of the overall taxes.  Capital gains affect both poor and rich, but honestly the wealthy are more interested.  They argue that investments must be encouraged for society to advance and I agree.  Poor people have improved their lot by investing their resources.  An element of progressive rates should be seen as fair.  It is much more difficult for the poor to spare money for investments and everyone should be encouraged to invest.  Many of the wealthy are able to make most of  their income from capital gains.  When taxable capital gains are added to other income it would be subjected to graduated tax levels.  Dividends offer similar issues with in some cases poor people or charitable institutions relying on them to survive.  A complicated concern to be sure, but if you ignore politics the rules are slanted by those who study politics a little bit more.  Check out some of the links:  http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2023/06/the-role-of-taxes.html

Another way of looking at politics is to see it as entertainment as it has most of the elements of your favorite tv. shows.  There are good and bad people, attempts at humor, misleading information, maybe even a little romance.  Bear in mind they are trying to get your vote and you should ask if they deserve it.  Check:  http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2017/02/politics-as-entertainment.html

Politics certainly can be complicated and some people feel their interests are best served if fewer people pay attention to the details.  If you still don't see any merit in paying attention to politics you shouldn't be surprised at the results.

The American Midterms: We live in Anxious times

The American midterms are not quite over and there could yet be significant changes.  Partly because of procedure changes and personal preferences the more prolific mail votes need to be verified more carefully (and slowly).  The final tally will not be available until at least December 9th.  

We were set up for a red wave, but fortunately enough rational people made wiser choices.  There will be Republican obstructionism ramped up, but not unified.  Enough voters rejected bullying, extremism and the lack of real Republican solutions that Democrats are able to maintain some power.  Many voters understood inflation is a problem, but could see that it was not entirely Biden's fault.  The pandemic left a lot of hard feelings and ongoing problems, but some realized the Trump administration was more responsible.  Still it must be admitted that the popular vote for Republicans was millions more than for Democrats which to me reflects poorly on national intelligence.

Apparently the Democrats will control the Senate (even without Georgia).  The House is unsure as of this post, but very likely Republican with a small margin.  This means the Democrats will be able to appoint judges and cabinet ministers without Republican support.  The filibuster will still restrict legislation.  The House will be able to block legislation that does not meet Republican requirements.

It is likely that the Republicans will be argumentative among themselves and with a tight margin the absence of a few members could be decisive. 

My bias is that climate change needs to be the priority.  Yes the economy is critical to getting through the week.  The threat of nuclear war can not be ignored.  Autocracy is taking over huge chunks of the world. Inequality is increasing.  Violence around the world seems to be increasing.  The pandemic and fear of future ones are likely to be a leveler.   http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2020/01/the-great-leveler-violence-and.html  There are a lot of grounds to be anxious.

Al Gore pointed out that we need to fix democracy before we can fix the climate while some citizens seem to feel a need for an authoritarian.    

Donald Trump was a braggart, a blamer and most of all a LIAR.   He should have been kept out of it, but couldn't resist for his own ambitions, ego and perhaps fear of legal issues.  Fortunately he didn't stay out of it and triggered some rational thinking, but perhaps is still part of the stirring pot.

How does one sort out all the problems and how do we make decisions to make things better?  

Politicians cannot do anything until they get elected.  The successful ones are smart to get attention and funnel their concerns.  The smart voters study the issues and take a long term view.

People have short memories.  It was only a very few years ago that people were dying in large numbers messing up things for those who survived.  Large numbers of people were shocked and desperate while others were outraged at they were inconvenienced and  hurt by these unexpected circumstances.  Net response for many was resistance to advice guaranteed a messy situation that soon metastasized to global economic problems and consequently social.  The adjustments are continuing and most of us do not really understand the dangers.

Scientists understand better what we are up against and what might work.  It is too bad that humans have come to discount so called experts.  http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2022/07/expertise-too-often-shunted-aside.html

If climate change is not dealt with we can expect more economic problems.  Insurance  companies are hard nosed and they are raising rates.  Still most people are unconcerned until climate disasters hit closer to home.  Bear in mind that large groups of people do not share a concern for climate change and to date are easily convinced other things such as the economy are more critical.  Or social concerns such as gay marriages, Critical Race Theory and abortion are priortized.

Georgia uses 50% plus 1 criteria. which is a fairer way--losers can better accept the will of the majority check:  http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2017/03/two-round-elections-food-for-thought.html.  Other states use a ranked system to determine who gets elected.

Americans rejected superior candidates such as Beto O'Rourke, Elaine Luria, Val Demings and also accepted election deniers such as Ron De Santis, Ron Johnson and JD Vance.  I enjoyed Vance's book.  http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2017/03/hillbilly-elegy.html

January 6th hearings will likely be curtailed as soon as Republicans can arrange it and replaced with some truly spurious hearings.  Elaine Luria was one participant who demonstrated her ability, but was rejected.  Will there be another hearing before the Republicans take over?  I hope so.

Another concern is that some of the Republicans have indicated that they want a check on money sent to Ukraine.  It has been said Putin delayed a military withdrawal from Kherson to encourage Republican voters.

Speaker of the House will be contested by the Freedom Caucus and Mitch McConnell under attack although his advice was largely ignored and would likely have been helpful for their cause.

For the next month or so the Democrats will control both Congressional houses.  The Lame Duck session is usually limited, but must be taken advantage of while possible.  The Democrats should expect obstruction in new term and need to get as much done before.

Donald Trump has a very high opinion of himself, but for many of us his thinking is distorted.  His credibility is diminishing, but he still has loyal fans.  At his first declaration we learn that he hired people to applaud him.  It looks like we can look forward to many distortions and lies stirring up divisions.

Stolen Focus--you need to focus before it is too late

A concern more of us are waking up to is our lack of focus, of not being able pay attention.  It is not just for individuals, but all of society.  When we need clarity in our thinking we are distracted and confused.  The process seems to have accelerated and we may be headed to a disaster, but there are some insights that might save us.

At first it is easy to blame social media,  Many examples are provided, but the bottom line is that social media companies are profit oriented and the way they profit is through engagement.  Every time you push a link the information is collected to compile a profile on you.  From there, algorithms are developed that steer you to either an advertisement or just as likely more posts that are designed to keep you engaged and exposed to more targeted ads.  Another feature is the infinite scroll which encourages you to stay on board just a little bit longer. 

Another associated concern is multi tasking which social media enables.  As I write this I am also watching a movie on a streaming service.  I used to think I could pay full attention to two or more activities, but the brain was not designed that way.  Probably some of you are multi tasking as you try to figure out how much to pay attention to my words.  Some people are more adept at switching interests back and forth and retaining some value, but science has proved that the mere act of switching guarantees you lose something.  This problem is exacerbated with the multitude of electronic devices.  Distracted driving is an increasing cause of death.

But the problem goes much deeper.  

A lack of sleep slows down reactions, impairs memory and can even raise blood pressure.  Sleep is when your body cleans out toxins.  REM (rapid eye movement) sleep is when your body dreams and sorts out the events of the day.  It occurs towards the end of 7 or 8 hours.  We evolved with the natural cycle of sun and dark, but now artificial light extends our day and disrupts our sleep, further diminishing our focus.  Lack of sleep has many causes:  busyness, stress, light and noise are a few factors.

What you eat and drink affects your ability to concentrate.  We have changed our eating habits very dramatically since our cave days.  In a busy world we eat prepared foods that use preservatives to make for more economical storage.  Supplements we take are not as good as fresh nutrients. We eat a lot of sugar that causes a spike in energy, but crashes.  Caffeine amplifies the effect of sugar making our moods unsteady.  The brain needs a steady supply of fuel provided by what we eat. 

Pollution puts more unhealthy chemicals into our bodies.  What comes out of factories spreads through the air that we breathe.  Chemicals are constantly being added through pesticides, cosmetics, fire retardants and are not always tested adequately.  The level of inspections is subject to political budgets.  All this adds to the body's inability to concentrate

When people of my age were young we played out in the streets without any supervision.  In the past few decades parents have overemphasized the dangers and most youngsters today are heavily involved with supervised activities and/or spend hours every week in front of screens.  It has been found that free play time actually reduces anxiety and promotes social skills.  Jonathan Haidt, a social psychologist noted that increasing anxiety is partly the result of play deprivation has a profound effect on many http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2013/02/the-righteous-mind.html

Jonathan offers some solutions, but feels an individual is limited in dealing with the problem.

There are technical aids to limiting screen time and of course taking responsibility to limit your time.  You can refrain from screen viewing before going to bed.  You can monitor your diet to avoid empty nutrition. 

Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi devoted most of his science career studying what he termed "flow."  That is activities that are absorbing because they are enjoyable and meaningful.  These could be any effort, either physical or mental.  One example that has greatly diminished is reading.  Actually reading a book as opposed to reading online lends itself better to flow.  Reading fiction helps develop empathy.  The author says "...when you widen human empathy, you open the universe a little more."

But the real problem is systemic.  Stress is manufactured by our lifestyle.  It may seem hopeless, but many issues have improved after enough people became aware of a problem and exerted pressure on governments.  Some examples are banning lead in paint and in gasoline, seat belts and alcohol testing on drivers.  In Mexico they raised taxes on some sugary products that helped curb obesity and diabetes.

Online surveillance can be stopped completely which may necessitates new models for some social media providers such as more reliance on subscriptions.  Infinite scrolling can be modified so that a viewer has the option of whether or not to go to the next page.  In France they have stopped emailing employees in specified hours so they can relax.

Stress is unavoidable no matter what system we find ourselves in.  Our present standard  of living owes a lot to economic growth, however the author claims economic growth is a major cause of stress and unless checked will increase to the point of disaster.  Dr Jason Hickel  advocates a "steady-state economy." Instead of working to buy more goods that we don't need, time to enjoy nature, our families.  With a four day work week we ought to be able to sustain ourselves and have security.

Al Gore realized that before we could fix climate change we would have to fix democracy.  Johann Hari is pointing out that before we can fix much of anything we need to fix this attention crisis.

W.H. Auden after looking over technologies of destruction warned, "We must love one another or die."

 I cannot pretend to have done justice to all the thinking in this book.  To do so you should read it for more depth.  You can keep up to date with changes at https://stolenfocusbook.com/  From there you can get on a mailing list.

CLIMATE CHANGE AND THE AMERICAN ELECTION

Although there is increasing acceptance of climate change, both major political parties seem reluctant to prioritize it.  Of course the Republicans are loaded with climate change deniers, but Democrats are reluctant to be too boisterous about the issue.

One candidate Jay Inslee, the Governor of Washington state made it his priority and he was one of the first to drop out.  He did make a point and campaigned for a debate exclusively on climate change, but would not have qualified for it.  His efforts have encouraged other candidates to offer plans for combating climate change.  Perhaps if the Democrats win there will be a national role for him.

A suggestion to have a a debate devoted entirely to climate change was voted down by the Democrats who were forced to accept a sequential town hall discussions with one candidate at a time.  Part of the reason might be not to offend potential donors.  Another part might be to not offend some voters.

The Republicans are indebted to the fossil fuel industry.  Trump at least once admitted that the economic consequences were on his mind and warned voters of the danger.  Of course the economic consequences of not dealing with the challenge are even greater.  Innovative energy solutions are disruptive to the fossil fuel industries, see:  http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2013/03/the-innovators-dilemma.html

The role of money, not only regarding climate change, but of many issues (gun control, healthcare, education, prisons) is overwhelming the concept of democracy.  Al Gore pointed out that America has to fix democracy before they can fix the climate crisis.    See:  http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2017/11/an-inconvenient-sequel-truth-to-power.html

The Republicans are trying to make immigration the key issue as well as touting economic growth.  Racial innuendo is prevalent and has worked in previous elections. 

Fear works.  Voters are reluctant to take risks.  Fear mongering is dangerous.  Educated voters are aware of climate change and find scientists more credible than politicians with vested interests.   On the other hand many voters feel a vested interest themselves or fear life style changes or are wrapped up with other issues (abortion, immigration, gun rights, gay rights) or don't yet take it seriously.

This election cycle is already ahead of previous elections in covering climate change.  It seems not only to be the most serious issue confronting mankind, but also a key to a Democratic victory.  The Republicans are ridiculing aspects of it mostly centering on costs and inconveniences.  Short term thinking appeals to all of us to some extent, but mankind reached our present status with long range thinking.

In a previous election the Democrats had given out tire gauges to remind people they could improve gas mileage by inflating tires to optimal level and were ridiculed.   With plastic straws attracting negative attention from environmentalists, the Trump team sold them as the idea of not allowing "liberals" to change their life style.  Another remembered example was protesting new more efficient light bulbs.  The Democrats need to turn the Republican strategies on their head.  Ridicule can work both ways.

When fear is activated people are willing to change their life style.  The solutions to climate change are pictured as job threatening not only to the fossil fuel corporations, but also to auto industry, airlines, mining, agriculture, etc.  The truth is renewal energy will require lots of jobs.  More important in the long term is a healthier, safer environment.

There are other issues that voters should factor in.  Andrew Yang has pointed out that immigrants are not the threat to jobs that robots are, see:  http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2015/08/rise-of-robots.html  Education, health, nuclear proliferation, inequality and even immigration.

Naomi Klein has some points about how different groups can co-ordinate better for mutual aims.  She also feels like Al Gore that democracy needs to be addressed, but feels it can and should be tackled simultaneously.  It will take a unified effort.
http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2018/05/naomi-klein-writes-another-insightful.html

Flight Shaming is a Modern Guilt Trip

As a private consumer the climate crisis makes me feel almost helpless.  Us Canadians are a privileged part of humanity that can preach to others to curb their desires to help fight the biggest battle of history.  I am not so pure--I drive an older car, eat meat, go through packaged goods and have an appetite for traveling. 

Many political entities are making efforts, but still the biggest one, the U.S. Government is dragging and even pointing out that too many of their competitors are taking advantage of them.  Corporate interests, particularly those associated with fossil fuels are fighting effectively against the tide.

Will greed do us in?  As individuals we are part of the problem and part of the solution, but relatively powerless against vested interests.  We drive gas driven cars because we have limited resources and advertising has convinced us they will fit in with our needs.  We eat meat, because it tastes good and we understand it is the best source of protein.  Packaged goods are practical and necessary.  There is a corporate structure that we fit into which hates disruptive change.

Innovations have always threatened and been resisted by the establishment.   In the past it has often resulted in one set of jobs being replaced by another set of jobs and the economy makes some adjustments.  Most of the suggested solutions for fight the climate crisis involve conflict with vested interests including our own.  Read more about innovative disruption:  http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2013/03/the-innovators-dilemma.html

The environmental movement, necessary as it is has taken on elements of religion.  One critical element is the idea of sinning by not changing your life in enough details for future mankind to survive.  We have saintly leaders--one I recall is Al Gore, often criticized as a hypocrite, but a newer one has emerged to capture our admiration.  Greta Thunberg, a 16 year old from Sweden has thrust herself into the battle and has spoken eloquently to shame much of the older establishment.  I wish her luck and hope that indeed more of us are shamed into being more active.  When asked if she would like to meet Donald Trump she replied it would be a "waste of time."

Her latest effort has shifted the focus a little to the perils of air travel.  Instead of flying to New York for an United Nations environmental conference she will be sailing relying on solar energy.  She realizes that she is privileged to have this option and that in fact it is not totally zero emissions free.  Its main purpose is to set an example and perhaps to shame the rest of us (who can afford it) to reduce unnecessary carbon emissions.

The problem is really two fold.  We as individuals need to do our part by setting an example and spreading the word.  But the bigger task falls to governments and corporations that have immense control over our lives.  Auto emission standards have been a political issue and efforts have been made to encourage electric vehicles.  There have been powerful resistance to these simple incremental improvements.  Technology has developed a lot of innovations that could dramatically help reduce carbon emissions as well as other global warming agents, but in many cases they are up against entrenched interests.

As individuals we have two tasks.  The first might be to temper our greed.  The second set in motion by our collective examples would be to prod the governments and big corporations to join the battle more seriously.  The governments make decisions based on anticipated votes, but also on donations often by those who want to influence policies.  A vote can be powerful, but is limited in many ways (expense of elections, first past the post, gerrymandering, etc) and needs to be strengthened--Al Gore pointed out that we need to fix democracy first .  read more:  http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2017/11/an-inconvenient-sequel-truth-to-power.html

Greta pointed out that it is not just climate change but a "climate crisis," that is gradually becoming part of everyday conversation.  It needs to be more as not only do corporations fear innovative disruption so do most citizens around the globe.

An earlier blog from 2011 gives a little different perspective.  The author, Paul Gilding of "The Great Disruption" had been discouraged by the lack of response for more involvement.  He uses the example of World War II, but also suggests the more work done beforehand the greater chance of success.  http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2011/07/great-disruption-is-it-really-on.html

Still another strategy coming from "The Wisest One in The Room" focuses on incremental steps and suggests that mitigating efforts are not wasteful, but after getting one's foot in the door can lead to more serious results.  http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2016/10/the-wisest-one-in-room.html

Lots of ideas and strategies for us to push buttons individually and collectively.  The basic concern of this blog started out with flight shaming and I am still wrestling with it.  Over my 71 years my flights probably averaged less than one a year, but that average has crept up over the last two decades. Two things:  I will have to be selective and somehow push for more environmentally transportation choices.

This follows a radio discussion on CBC led by Matt Galloway.

NAOMI KLEIN WRITES ANOTHER INSIGHTFUL BOOK

"No is not Enough" was written relatively quickly, but Naomi had a lot of material on hand to build it.  Unfortunately it became outdated probably before it was actually published.   As any regular reader of my blogs would know I detest Trump and think those who voted for him were pathetically ignorant and Naomi provides lots of ammunition.  Her book published in late 2017, but Trump continued to offend most clear thinking people.

But she does not focus on Trump so much as on the system that has made him possible.  De regulations, tax reductions, privatizing government functions, corporate media control--all designed to enrich the already rich by attacking the vulnerabilities of the poor.  Corporations now have legal standing as people and have used their monetary power to steer election campaigns using technical expertise.  Trump epitomizes the merging of business and government.  He used his wealth to get elected and is using his new found power to enrich himself further.

America (and to a lesser degree Canada as well) is based on stolen land and slave labour.  Both these factors indicate a racial bias that puts European whites above all others.  Although these attitudes have mellowed there is still an element in power.  Those who seek power know how to exploit the fears and prejudices

Workers who voted for him should start to realize his priorities are to cut regulations that protect them and funnel more of their money to his 1% friends, including himself.  One good example was that he stated his new tax package would hurt him, but in the end would increase his after tax income by millions and his estate theoretically by billions (if you believe his claims of how rich he is).

Naomi thinks a problem is that people forget.  She quotes a Czech novelist, Milan Kundera, "the struggle of man against power is the struggle of memory against forgetting."  The right wing is following a strategy from decades ago.  They have tied their economic policies to popular but bigoted social policies.

In a previous book she focused on shock therapy.  Many of the neoliberal ideas would not be voted for, but when fear has been created many measures can be enacted.  Iraq under Paul Bremmer  forced many non democratic policies on the people.  After Katrina, New Orleans found most of their schools converted to charter schools.  Today Puerto Rico currently is being restructured after two massive hurricanes that devastated their infrastructure.  

Naomi participated in the Standing Rock protests.  I didn't realize the original route of the pipeline was through Bismark, a mostly white town that rejected it.  The Sioux tribe saw themselves as water protectors.  Corporate entities are only focused on profit.

Climate change in her mind is tied to democracy.  Al Gore has said we need to deal with our problems with democracy first.  Naomi thinks we need to deal with both simultaneiously.  Read my blog on an earlier book:  http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2015/02/this-changes-everything-deserves-major.html

What is the solution?  She agrees that some political parties and some political policies are better than others, but she feels that they don't really get to the basic needs.  What is needed is for people involved in various progressive issues to co-ordinate together and realize where their interests overlap.  She feels it is not good enough to make progress sequentially which often means good people working at cross purposes.  Those concerned with the environment, minority rights, workers rights, gender equality could work together and force solutions that benefit everyone.

Check out her website.  She has many well articulated ideas:  http://www.naomiklein.org/main/

Evaluating negative movie reviews

A lot of us like to check out a few reviews before we actually buy a movie ticket or a DVD and a negative review can cause us to move to another option.  The negative review can come from a media source, a rating site such as IMDB or Rotten Tomatoes or an acquaintance.  Ironically I have found negative reviews sometimes motivate me to watch a movie that mostly turned out satisfying.  Why?

We all have expectations and all too often they are not met.  But the key is our expectations are not all the same.  Some crave happy endings and will be disappointed obviously with a sad ending, or even one that is ambiguous.  Some crave adrenaline pumping action and become bored without it.  Other groups crave explicit sex or romance and will begrudge being teased.  Of course there are increments for these issues and sometimes your comfort level might be stretched a bit.

Mood effects everyone.   Maybe they had a bad day or maybe they were overly exuberant.  Of course movies are supposed to take your mind off of reality and often it does work that way.

Political overtures can of course include actual election political issues, but can tie into whatever group an individual identifies with.  For instance, a union worker, a health care worker, older/younger, different heritages, biker,  church member, etc.  Al Gore's movies attract a lot of opposition that is usually something to be dismissed.

"An Inconvenient Sequel" has suffered from a politically tinged populace who want to minimize its message.  Out of ten stars many IMDB voters chose one.  Much of what was predicted in the first one has become more obvious.

"Miss Sloane" had good reviews, but probably was boycotted by a lot of people reducing its distribution.  Not so much a part of its plot but essential was a gun control theme as a sort of tool of the plot.  It required something controversial, but if you thought they took the wrong side you wouldn't want others to watch it (and be contaminated).  I took the script side, but have occasionally seen movies that didn't agree with my political philosophy, but if well done could be appreciated.  For more:  http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2017/09/miss-sloan-under-rated-movie.html


"A Ghost Story" created a wide range of views.   One viewer's boring is another's profoundness.  Critics as aggregated at Rotten Tomatoes loved it, but much of the audience had less enthusiasm.  Many complained it was slow moving or pretentious.  IMDB voters were overwhelming negative.  This may make many viewers side against the critics, but may have been tempered by their viewing more movies than the average person sees and reading more about them.  Read what they have to say as it might hit a nerve or might reinforce your opinion of critics. This movie can mainly be enjoyed for its philosophy and psychology, but you do not have to accept the path the director has pushed; you can veer off in another direction.  The phrase I would choose is thought provoking.  If you are looking for action or a satisfying traditional romance this is not it.

"Thanks for your Service" got an ok rating, but seemed downgraded by too many viewers with expectations of more battle scenes and disappointed with the human drama of PTSD.  The trailer helped set up expectations, a common enough effort.  But the movie had a message and it also had a plot.  Sitting comfortably in our chairs we may pay obeisance to the flag, but mostly unaware of the feelings of returning combat soldiers.

Many people are sticklers for historical authenticity.  This can be a tricky one as the true facts (and dialogue) are often not really known.  On the other hand historical facts are often distorted for dramatic effect.  Do you demand it, or looking for a feeling.  Several years ago I heard a lot of positive hype for a movie about Rubin Carter who had overcome injustices to become a boxing champion.   It interested me and friends were recommending it,  however I heard a radio commentator saying there were a lot of inaccuracies in it and that he was not such an admirable character as portrayed by Denzel Washington.  At the time I felt the historical inaccuracies were offensive and refused to see it. Now I feel I might have enjoyed it.

Subtitles turn too many people off.  They might be poorly written or executed which can impede enjoyment of movie or cause you to miss a subtlety.  On the other hand don't let subtitles be a barrier   http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2015/09/do-subtitles-scare-you-who-knows-what.html  There is literally a much bigger world out there.

"Ki and Ka"  also had discouraging low ratings.  From Bollywood I have come to expect a traditional male dominant culture.  This movie had a very strong (but humorous) feminist theme.  Not an award winning movie, but worth watching and enjoyable if you don't have any hangups.

"Crooked Arrows" had a personal interest angle for me.  I was interested in lacrosse and native cultures.   I reserved it and then changed my mind after seeing bad reviews.  Later, looking for a time filler I gave it another opportunity.  It was a low budget sports plot--but had an appreciation of native American culture.  Check my blog:   http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2014/04/crooked-arrows-brings-back-memories-of.html   Bottom line don't deny yourself a similar experience but allow that maybe some movies can spoil your memories.

Movies have so many different aspects that most of us most of the time focus on only a few.  I have found otherwise inferior movies a great source of music or sometimes cinematography or even costumes.  Develop an appreciation of different factors involved in a film and you will get more out of good and bad movies.


Many watch a favorite movie star  and can be disappointed if their favorite has only a cameo or a role out of character.  Producers can predict profits if a big draw actor makes an appearance.  Actors are often looking to demonstrate versatility so they can obtain more roles.

Of course it is not only the opinions of the experts, but also of your friends.  Over a period of time one gets a feeling for the attitude of a reviewer.  With a personal acquaintance whether a close personal friend or someone at work or a neighbor you have a good idea of how they value things.  Of course in all instances if you haven't seen the movie you can only guess how suitable the movie is for your disposition.

I am no different.  Like all other movie viewers I bring my expectations and my understanding to each movie.  Maybe I should add that like others my attention is not always constant.  In other words I don't see things quite the same as you.  Hopefully my insights and reactions will overlap a bit with you and you can judge whether or not you want to pursue any further using my words as a guide.

If you can steer these sorts of factors into your evaluation you might benefit from reading more reviews.  What you are looking for and what you can appreciate are unique.  You can usually find a review to rationalize what you want to do or not do.

2017 A GREAT YEAR FOR MOVIES

In truth, many movies are time fillers and a few seem like a total waste of time.  To appreciate quality you have to endure something less than high quality.  A good percentage of the over 300 movies I watched were enjoyable.  Those of you with different tastes may find something worth your while.

"Our Brand is Crisis," gives a back door look at how decisions are manipulated.  Sandra Bullock making a statement as she wanted to do it, not just for the money or contract obligation.  She plays a difficult to like person, but very well working for a Latin American election.

"Trumbo" http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2017/01/trumbo-and-black-list.html  told about the blacklisting era in Hollywood.  It is humorous in parts, but on a very serious topic  Later in year watched "Spartacus" where the actual Trumbo was once able to use his name.   Also watched "He ran all the way" another movie where Dalton used a front man, but wrote the script.

"Spartacus" reviewed after over 50 years after first watching, and again after"Trumbo" and learning this was one of his breakthroughs.  A great movie--well written.  all star cast Laurence Olivier, Charles Laughton, Peter Ustinov.

"Lion" was an inspiring story about tracing what would have been untraceable a decade or so ago.   2 Bollywood stars in very small roles.  Some of the scenery was filmed in Tasmania.  Dev Patel, the main character also appeared in "The Man Who Knew Infinity" another enjoyable movie.

"Hell or High Water" contained a lot of violence, but underneath it was a well written story of a family trying to stick together against human weakness and greed



"The Zookeeper's Wife" another excellent movie with Jessica Chastain.  She contributes to the movie's excellence, but she makes good choices.

"Arrival" directed by Quebecker Denis Villaneuve is told in an inventive style.  Amy Adams and Jeremy Renner perform well in a thought provoking science fiction drama.  What common grounds will we find with aliens.



"Split" acting tour de force with a few twists.  James McAvoy plays a man with over 20 personalities who kidnaps three young women.  Written and directed by M. Night Shyamalan.
 

"The Girl on the Train" after reading the book my expectations were high.  Emily Blunt didn't let me down and it must be admitted it was suspenseful and layered.  But to read the book is to get much more depth.  Ever the complaint of those who read the book first and feel compelled to see the movie.

"Snowden" is a traitor or a whistle blower- or maybe misguided.  I found him very observant and conscientious with a message we need to pay attention to.

"Free State of Jones" presented a mostly forgotten bit of Civil War history including a different perspective than was taught to me in school. http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2017/09/free-state-of-jones.html

"Hidden Figures" was viewed as the Charlotesville Riots were happening.  It is a shame that too many whites feel threatened by blacks.  This movie, based on true events depicts blacks overcoming ignorance to the benefit of all.  Their capabilities might actually make blacks seem more threatening to some, but at the same time take away the notion that they are inferior.  Well produced.

"A Monster Calls" is not a movie for young children.  Deals with an impending death and is very well done.

"Lady MacBeth" seen at the Hamilton BMO International Film Festival and bears little resemblance to Shakespeare's play, but is a worthy movie.

"Miss Sloane" probably suffered at the box office for being too close to how lobbyists actually operate. A great combination of politics and a twist ending. http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2017/09/miss-sloan-under-rated-movie.html

"The Crucible"  by Arthur Miller was inspired by the hysteria of Joseph McCarthy.  Demonstrates injustice when mobs take over.

With "Frida" I enjoyed the biography, acting of Salma Hayek and Alfred Molina and music (done by husband of director and given his own commentary on the DVD).  Later read that Salma Hayek was pressured by the infamous Harvey Weinstein during the filming.  This was a project very dear to her heart and she persisted and resisted to make it an outstanding movie and a tribute to Frida Kahlo.

"The Normal Heart" depicts the beginnings of the Aids epidemic when no one knew what it was or how it was spread.  It was associated with gays, most of them in the closet, but the epidemic proved  a big factor in Gay Liberation.  A little too explicit in parts, but realistic.  Mark Ruffalo, Matt Bonner and Juliet Roberts played historical figures.

Just before Christmas I watched "Dunkirk" on a Air New Zealand small screen, but admittedly this one deserves the big screen.  The story is an old one, but not appreciated this far down the road in history.  The Germans had forced their European opposition into a corner.  There were over 400,000 allied soldiers barely holding on in Dunkirk and it looked like Britain was finished.  The movie depicted the strategic choices made, but also the individual battles on land, sea and air that allowed this most historic retreat to give Britain and the whole "free world" another chance to overcome tyranny.  Very well done.

"Maudie" was about a famous folk artist in Nova Scotia.  My daughter went to school in Nova Scotia and we became aware of Maudie.  Well played by Sally Hawkins and Ethan Hawke.

From New Zealand, "The Dark Horse" based on a story of a man from mental institutions who helps poor Maori youth develop a focus on chess.  Mental illness plays a very big role.

Documentaries get right down to the facts, but of course one has to consider how creditable they are and how relevant.  In some cases they are just as dramatic as fictional movies, but mostly they are sobering.  The ones listed below and in foreign categories all seem relevant and creditable.  Imagination is great, but facts are critical.

"Elian"  was a documentary to cover Cuban/American relations.  At the time events were manipulated for political purposes.  Lots of details I never knew or had forgotten.  It was very emotional at the time with many Americans not respecting international family law.

"Freedom's Furies" was about the reaction of the Hungarian water polo team to Soviet repression during the Hungarian Revolution.  It had two personal connections--Hungarian refugees did cross my life in several ways plus I had in interest in water polo through my daughter.

"Red Army"  would appeal to hockey fans, Canadians and Russians and most sports lovers.  The Russians were very good for the game of hockey. http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2017/09/the-red-army.html

Zero Days (2016) is frightening.  Stuxnet attacks have been hidden, but apparently Israel and United States developed a cyber weapon strategy and Israel jumped the gun to attack Iran.  It stunned Iran, but they recouped and now have a similar ability as now does Russia and North Korea.  It is terrifying because it is subtle and difficult to detect.

"An Inconvenient Truth Sequel" is a reminder that in many ways the climate crisis has gotten more serious despite increased efforts to deal with it.  The vested interests have used their resources to resist.  More at:  http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2017/11/an-inconvenient-sequel-truth-to-power.html

"Score " was devoted to the men and women who write the music in the background.  Lots of movies have catchy melodies, but this documentary reveals a more important role in capturing the mood and enhancing action.  This helped start blog on movie music:  http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2018/02/music-and-movies-part-one.html

"Red Lines"  trying to sort out the mess that is Syria..  Two activists were frustrated that they were unable to get any foreign help.    Truly frightening to see so many dead bodies, many of which were children.  Mistrust was everywhere.  Obama was portrayed as indecisive, but I feel the movie did not do justice to the Congressional mess.

SUBTITLED MOVIES

If you really like movies you owe it to yourself to take a closer look at what the rest of the world has to contribute.  There are a lot more subtitled movies to read about in this blog, but that is mostly due to the fact there are a lot more to watch and I find many of them well worth an extra effort.  Perhaps I am a bit preachy, but here is my pitch: http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2015/09/do-subtitles-scare-you-who-knows-what.html

Bollywood, is one of my obsessions, but it turns out there is much more to films coming from India.   "Sairat,"the best of the year, with the cover photo at top.   It was produced in the Marathi language and is beautiful in music and cinematography.  The story seems stereotypical in the beginning, but the second half the story turns grim in a very realistic manner.

Widening my scope I saw a number of movies from India with different languages.  'Interrogation,' 'Thithli', "Nila," were each excellent and available on Netflix.  "OK Kanani" was the original Tamil version that was copied by Bollywood, but after seeing the two of them, the Tamil version is much superior.  Another highly rated movie, "Wrong Side Raju" is the first Gujarati film for me and was very impressive for plot, music, cinematography.  read more at:  http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2017/01/regional-films-from-india.html

"Dangal" had an odd subject for a blockbuster movie, but the public has taken to the story of the daughters of a wrestler.  Very popular in China.  Anything Aamir Khan is involved is guaranteed to have quality.  The story is very well told and the actors at all levels are very good.

"Madaari" was still another film about political corruption.  Corruption is not personal, it is part of the structure.  The protagonist says he is an ideal voter; too busy to study who to vote for.  Irrfan Khan  http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2017/02/madaari-open-movie-about-government.html

"Hindi Medium" with Irrfan Khan again  this time focusing on education in India.  The private schools favors the rich.

"Newton" was nominated for India's entry for the 2018 Oscar foreign film award.  About an election worker in a hostile territory raising concerns for anyone wanting to promote democracy this gives food for thought.

"Toilet, Ek Prem Katha" has an odd premise, a man's new wife leaves him when she learns they do not have a toilet.  The Indian government has a major campaign to put more toilets available (\http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2014/11/world-toilet-day.html, but getting the toilets built is only part of the problem.  Cultural resistance has made modernization difficult.  This movie deals with it in a very entertaining way.  Another one for Akshay Kumar, a friend to the Harpers.  Bhumi Pedneker was good as the female lead.

"Mom" was a different kind of movie for Srivedi.  A revenge movie with a few twists.  Sridevi plays a step mother who is not accepted by her step daughter who gets gang raped.  Not able to find justice in the courts she with the aid of a private detective takes revenge.  There is a police officer (who does not play by the rules either) is on to her and later one of the targets is as well.  She is excellent and well supported by the other actors.

I watched my favorite actor, Shah Ruk Khan in three movies.  "Raees" with a Pakistanni leading lady and Nawazuddin Siddiqui.  "Dear Zindagi" had Shah Rukh Khan playing a psychologist with Alia Bhatt as a patient.  Gauri Shinde ("English Vinglish") was involved as writer.  A good role for Shah Rukh transitioning from leading male lover to an advisor for young women   On the other hand I also saw "Jab Harry met Segal" where he romanced the younger Anushka Sharma.  Shah Rukh Khan is always charming, but he needs to get roles more suitable for his age   He is still my favorite and most enjoyable actor to watch.  http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2017/02/madaari-open-movie-about-government.html

"Rangoon" was enjoyed by me more than most critics.  Interesting subject; Indian freedom seekers allied with Japanese during World War II.   Good acting, music, cinematography.

"Jolly LLB 2" had a very interesting script.  Akshay Kumar  is becoming the most certain box office success bet.

"Kaabil" with Hrithik Roshan is a very light hearted romance at beginning then a brutal revenge story with a blind man outsmarting his enemies.  Unfortunately Yami Gautam is killed off to make way for the revenge plot.

"Kahaani2' was a bit of a disappointment, but only because the original "Kahaani" had one of the best twists ever.  "Kahaani 2" was an above average suspense movie, just not as unique as the original.  No continuation from the first except Vidya Balan starred.

"Kanoon" (1960) a mystery, but with a strong plea to abolish capital punishment

"The Ghazi Attack" first submarine movie for Bollywood.  An opportunity to create tension.  Based on real events it is like a chess game, but with lots of stress.

"Trapped" has been compared to"Castaway," but with a twist.  The protagonist was a vegetarian trapped in an empty apartment.  Very ingenious how he survives.

"Poorna" watched without the benefit of sub titles.  Well worth it--maybe 20% of the words were in English and I am sure I missed some subtleties.  Raul Bose was the force behind it.  Proves the value of education and motivation.  Poorna was a 13 year old who was the youngest girl to climb Mount Everest.   Excellent cinematography and background music.  Very inspiring.  Had a positive impact on social welfare.  Even some singing from Arijit Singh.

"Phillauri" is a romance, in fact, two parallel romances, one with fantasy elements.  Second producing film for Anushka Sharma and enjoyable.

"The Salesman" won foreign Academy award directed and written by Asghar Farhadi--pleased to learn he is working on a Spanish production with Javier Bardem, Penelope Cruz and Ricardo Darin that I look forward to in 2018.  All three actors are among the world's most impressive in my opinion.

From the Japanese I was glad to watch "Our Little Sister' by writer/director Kore-eda Hirakazu who did  another great family drama, "Like Father, Like Son."

From Sweden "The Emigrants" (1971) and "the New Land' (1972)  in succession was quite the endurance test, but very memorable. Read more http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2017/01/the-emigrants-in-new-land.html

"A Man Called Ove" cautions us not to judge people.  We see a grumpy old man nitpicking, but as the movie progresses we see a different man.  Rolf Lassgard played a key role in my favourite movie, "After The Wedding." http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2017/07/a-man-called-ove.html

A fourth Swedish movie, "The Last Sentence" (with low ratings from IMDB) is a very interesting movie.  It is biographical on Torgy Segerstedt who was a journalist adamantly opposed to Hitler.  Sweden was neutral while it had seen its neighbors Norway invaded by the Germans and Finland by the Russians.  The behind the scenes feature narrated by Jan Troell's daughter was very revealing in her description of the pursuit of perfect details that might not appear in the finished project.  Jesper Christensen was Danish and language was a big concern, but Troeel considered him the ideal choice for the lead role.  New history (for me) plus an open adulterous relationship to demonstrate Torgy was very human and I am left with his quote, "No human can withstand close scrutiny."
 



Italian,  "The Leopard"  Burt Lancaster dubbed--Garibaldi; "Twice Born" between Italy and Bosnia--surprised to learn that Penelope Cruz had learned Italian in order to act in previous film--fluent in special feature  "Paisan" (1946)

Dutch:  "Antonia's Line" was a most unusual film--a variety of characters and circumstances--lots of philosophical views--importance of friendship, love and sex (multiple couples to music)  Read more at http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2017/02/antonias-line.html  Later saw "Within the Whirlwind" by the same director.

The Hispanic film world gave me opportunities to watch good movies on several fronts.

"The Mystery of Happiness"  interesting about business partners who were very close on the job and enjoying some activities, but never mixed up family life--one disappears prompting the wife of the missing partner to get involved with the business and searching for her husband--where do you find happiness.   The lead appeared in the Argentine version of "Corazon de Leon."

Spain  "Julieta" (2016) directed and written by Pedro Almodovar, but inspired by three stories of Canadian writer Alice Munro.

"Corazon de Leon"  Heart of a Lion) seen on Netflix from Colombia--really likeable characters, a black divorced lawyer and a short divorced architect--prejudice (short people, blacks and deaf)--pleasant music--it took a bit of research to learn that Marlon Moreno is over 6 feet tall and had been miniaturized to be 4'6" for the movie.   An outstanding performance by Maria Nela Sinisterra who was very charming, but also demonstrated a range of emotions.  Shah Rukh Khan is to be in a movie as a dwarf next year, but I think with a different plot.

Another one from Colombia was "Maria Full of Grace."  stunning talented lead actress.  Song by favorite, Julieta Venegas.
"
From Chile, "The Club"  was a very blunt movie about abusive clergy--the words may be difficult to stomach.  The same director as for "No"

A documentary from Chile, "Nostalgia for the Light" forged a philosophical insight by juxtaposing a renown telescope site in the Atacama Desert with women sifting through the sand looking for remains of their loved ones that had been murdered and dumped in the desert.

From Korea-"The Handmaiden" with clever plot (borrowed from English tv series) well executed, beautiful cinematography capturing some gorgeous scenery, beautiful acting--a bit too sexual for many, but part of the plot.   Really beautiful music

"Sunny" is about a rejected wife who chases her husband who has been sent with the Korean army to Vietnam.
Another touching movie was "My 11th Mother."

"Okja" a joint project between the U.S. and Korea with elements of fantasy.  Produced by Netflix

I watched a lot of Russian movies and recalled a number of masterpieces from past years.  One that prompted this project that made an impression was "Battleship Potemkin" made in 1925, obviously without sound and in black and white  Amazing what was done with the resources available  Also enjoyed "Sibiriade," a massive movie about settling Siberia and "Solaris" which presented the real essence of science fiction.  Read more at:
http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2017/08/russian-movies.html

French Canadian, "La Derniere Fugue"  grimly realistic--life and death decisions guilt--piano themes from Bach--regrets--marital tensions see more:  http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2017/03/la-derniere-fugue.html

"Laurence Anyways" about a transgender transition--told from the man who always wanted to be a woman and his female lover who felt betrayed.

German:  'Labyrinthe of Lies" set in 1958 with most Germans, denying links to Nazis.
"Toni Erdman" If you are bothered by male and female full frontal nudity you might want to skip this, but you would be missing a movie that will make you laugh and cry (sometimes at the same time).  Really well done.  A fair amount of English dialogue.

French--thought of as a filler--"Rebellion" originally "L'ordre et la morale" is set in New Caledonia in 1988 when a few Kanak natives rebelled and took French soldiers hostage.  It was just before a French election and it was deemed critical to end the crisis as soon as possible.  The director played the key role of a man who wanted to negotiate recognizing the natives wanted independence.  A little bit of action, but mainly dealing with political pressures and how they could undermine negotiation.
Normally I avoid movies with low ratings from IMDB, but picked up from library.  "The Mark of Angels" with Gerard Depardieu and Joey Star--violent in parts, but an interesting plot, believable acting well put together.  One of the contenders for most undeserved low rating.

Over the years I have enjoyed watching a number of mini series.  They have the power to go into more depth than a two hour movie, but they don't have to drag on.  This past year I enjoyed "Shetland" and "River."  "The Crown," and "Line of Duty.:"  "13 reasons." " Broadchurch" (with David Tennant) and "Doctor Foster."

My selection of photos and of links does indicate some difficult preferences, but does not necessarily reflect what would interest you the most.  As with most lists it just helps make you aware of some works of art that might be of interest.  You have to sort through them and your resources.  There are plenty of good and enjoyable movies I will never see, but I enjoy the search.

Check out my year end movie review from last year:  http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2016/12/film-memories-from-2016.html

AN INCONVENIENT SEQUEL TRUTH TO POWER

The real issue is political.  Climate change is a concern that affects everyone, but still there is resistance.  As Al Gore points out "In order to address the environmental crisis, we're going to have to spend some time fixing the democracy crisis."  The subtitle "Truth to Power" is generally interpreted to speak truth to power and Gore bring up another aspect from Gandhi that the word "Satyagraha," a strong force in his efforts means "truth force."  Truth has a force all its own.

During the Zika scare a suggestion of "don't get pregnant " was made in parts of the United States.  This crisis, as with other tropical diseases spreading was a direct result of global warming.

"An Inconvenient Truth" was criticized for projections of water hitting the World Trade Center Memorial, however less than a decade later it actually happened.  Gore pointed out that drought in Syria, its worst in over 900 years forced the closure of many farms and many immigrants to the cities where many were unemployed.  One of many factors leading to a civil war.

When I first researched this movie I checked as usual with IMDB and they had a rating of 5.8 which is normally where I avoid actually watching a movie.  I had seen "An Inconvenient Truth" and felt not only did it tell a valuable story but did so in a professional manner.  How could the rating be so low?  One commenter noted that there were an unusual amount of 1 star ratings and easily I could see a lot of negative comments.  This is only one example of organized efforts to deny climate change.

A common criticism is that the messenger is hypocritcal and greedy.  I would say Al Gore looks like a wealthy man and is able to travel wherever he likes.  Nobody listens much to scientists or poor people  He has found a mission and a purpose.  This movie certainly has an egotistical slant, but Al Gore rightly sees himself in a critical role in a crucial issue.  The Supreme Court decided he would not be president--in reality a lot of corrupt political opposition played a big role (voter suppression, electoral college, big money disinformation).  Just before the pivotal election Gore had succeeded in getting funding for a satellite that would observe the earth with regard to climate change, but after the Republicans took over the funding was ended.

At the Paris Climate Conference he helped bring together an American industrialist, with the Environmental Minister for India.  India was planning to build a large number of coal based generating plants and when they thought of switching some to solar powered were told the interest rates would be beyond their means.  Al Gore helped remedy that obstacle.

When scanning the world it is easy to become aware of an increase in the severity of storms, droughts and forest fires.  Insurance companies are well aware of the risks and are making adjustments.

Nature speaks loudly and scientists are better able to interpret.  Still vested interests have a powerful platform that slants opinions.  Although the average person is becoming more sympathetic to the need to do something, politicians listen more to their rich and powerful donators.  The problem might be summarized that renewable energy is a disruptive innovation that threatens established fossil fuel businesses; read more http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2013/03/the-innovators-dilemma.html

The movie was directed by the husband/wife team of Bonni Cohen and Jon Shenk both of whom also worked with "The Island President" that I had seen recently about the environment.  Music written by Jeff Beal who also wrote the theme for "House of Cards."

Donald Trump will be a blot on American history for many reasons, but his opportunist attitude on climate change will be a primary reason.  Not all Americans voted for him and many others sat out, but it still reflects very poorly on the American electorate.  Although there is increasing awareness of climate change there is a lot of highly financed opposition.  The more people see this film the sooner that opposition will be overcome hopefully soon enough.

Documentaries are thought provoking

For years I have forced myself to read more non fiction books as a self improvement project and find fiction books very distracting.  When it comes to movies I have put the emphasis on entertainment.  However at the library one time Art Dyck told me of his preference for documentaries and thinking about it I decided to check them out.

My favored ones are all about corporate conspiracies.  I like to see progress, but recognize that other people are content the way things are and still others prefer the system to optimize their personal comfort.  It may seem noble to fight these conspiracies, but at one level I admit it is entertaining.

"Who killed the Electric car" (corporate conspiracy protecting fossil fuels).  Electric cars seemed like a significant breakthrough to alleviate pollution and global warming.  Rich people with a social conscience were anxious to buy, but they were forced to lease which gave the lessor more control than a seller.  At one point they were all recalled and trashed.  Most of the leassees were reasonably satisfied, but were given no choice.  The situation has progressed since then.   It leads to the conclusion, that powerful people are able to protect their economic interests at the expense of the rest of us.

Eliot Spitzer is a name I had encountered in the news, but first realized his significance in a documentary, "Inside Job" trying to explain the 2008 financial crisis.  While we were told a lot about foul deeds towards the end we learned Eliot was one of the most effective corruption fighters.  He was brought down as his weakness for paid sex was discovered and exploited.  More details came out with "Client 9" both about his efforts and his fall.  It was fairly clear that those who attacked him included those who were just as guilty as Eliot.  His problem was that he was seen as a knight in shining armor who rubbed too many people the wrong way and they found a way  to bring him down.  He is one of my heroes.

"An Inconvenient Truth" was ridiculed by climate denialists, but hits hard.  Dramatic touches have more impact to make the point.  We need to address climate change.  Al Gore and the Americans were done a grave disservice when the Supreme Court chose the wrong man.


"Why we Fight"  Wars are not always the result of cold military and political calculations as some have vested interest in industrial products (weapons). Politicians are protecting jobs, while lobbyists are protecting opportunities for profit.

"The Smartest Man in the Room" outlined the Enron scandal.  It seems there will always be a few people who use their brainpower to profit at the expense of the rest of us.

"Trials of Henry Kissinger' tells us how a very gifted and realistic political figure maneuvered circumstances to the advantage of American conservatives.

"Half the Sky" was devoted to the status of women that is still evolving.

"Food at the Table" shows us the corporate powers and how their preferences impact the rest of the country.

Michael Moore is the commercial champion of conspiracy documentaries.  Roger and Me was one of the first I saw about General Motors and his home town of Flint (my birth home was Oshawa and my two children took part in the Canusa Games held between Hamilton and Flint).  "Sicko" pointed out the American health care weaknesses that should have offended all Americans instead of the bickering we hear today.  "Capitalism;  A Love Affair" was pointing out many criticisms of the way business operates in the U.S.

"Maya Lin:  A Strong Clear Vision" was a simple film mostly about the Vietnam War memorial.  Maya Lin went through a lengthy competition and then was subjected to some very strong criticism some of which was sexist and racist.  Eventually her vision was accepted and it has generated strong supportive emotion response to and from the veterans.  Maya also did a memorial in Montgomery, Alabama to commemorate Civil Rights.

"Red Reign" was a shocking film about human organ harvesting in China.  According to this documentary the Gulan Fang members were targeted.  I had seen "Inhale" a fictionalized account about illegal organ transplants set in Mexico.  It is a world wide phenomenon that tests our feelings of ethics and equality.

"The Iran Job"got my attention because it was at least on  the surface about basketball.  It did go well below the surface to high light the life of an American basketball player, Kevin Sheppard for a year in Iran.  It was done with one cinematographer/writer/director, Till Schauder (assisted by wife Sara Nodjoumi) with very restricted access.  The key thing was that Iranian people are like us, but government is restrictive and discriminatory with women. 

There are plenty of documentaries that are not primarily political and I enjoy watching some of them as well.  David Attenborough has made a number of remarkable nature films and inspired others.

"The Horse Boy" was experimental and one could easily imagine it might not have succeeded.  Rupert Isaacson had some film background and loved horses.  He learned his autistic son Rowan had some response to horses and searched for a place where he could combine horses and native medicine and fixed on Mongolia.  There was opposition from wife and friends, but he persisted.  In Mongolia things did not progress as he envisioned, but with a lot of effort there was a big breakthrough.  Part of my income is dependent on horses and I like anything that demonstrates that horses can play a significant role in our future.   If Rupert had failed in his quest we would never have known as much about the power of horses to heal and he wouldn't have set up a ranch to help autistic people.

Documentaries don't get the attention of commercial fictional movies.  They are more available on tv.  Hopefully they can generate enough money or support that we can have access to realities our commercial film makers don't have time or other resources for.  I will be watching for more.