Rio de Janeiro. The International Uranium Film Festival.

Yesterday, I saw the waves breaking on the shorerline of Rio de Janeiro.  I really did! Well, it was on EarthCam  Rio de Janeiro  If you have a moment, it's a lovely sight.... If I had really been there, I would have been making my way a little further up the coast to Flamengo Park and the Museum of Modern Arts where The Third International Uranium Film Festival  is being held.  They are showing forty eight films from a large number submitted this year from around twenty countries, too many for them all to be shown in the time. I always wonder about the forty ninth film.
This is one of those rare film festivals which shows films that the mainstream frequently seems to shy away from, often made by brave, deeply committed people who are determined that the truth should be heard and the victims given a voice. Even more bravely, when the victims themselves, speak out.
Like me, you don't have to go there to find out about them, the festival has a really amazing website. http://www.uraniumfilmfestival.org/index.php/en/ and if you go to their program, you can find out about individual films.
These people are making waves.

Hot water

On April 1st, Mochizuki wrote in the Fukushima Diary that the sea water off shore Fukushima is warmer than the average of past 30 years by around 2.5 degrees C   http://fukushima-diary.com/2013/04/sea-water-offshore-fukushima-is-warmer-than-the-average-of-past-30-years-by-2-5%E2%84%83/
This dramatic rise in temperature was also picked up in the Fukushima webcam discussion thread, in ENE news.
On  April 4th, I looked at the Unisys Weather - Sea Surface Temperature Anomalies chart and it was still showing up. This is a map from their archives for April 7th 2013   http://weather.unisys.com/archive/sst/sst_anom-130407.gif
This comes from a very helpful SST anomalies archive provided by Unisys.  You can link to it from the previous map, or follow this link, http://weather.unisys.com/archive/sst/ to a list which is updated about weekly for sea surface temperature anomalies.  I couldn't see anything significant in the March 4th weekly map, or in the weeks just preceding it, but there is clear evidence in the week of March 11th onwards of a temperature rise.
There is also a Unisys Weather - Sea Surface Temperature Anomalies chart  (current)  http://weather.unisys.com/surface/sfc_daily.php?plot=ssa&inv=0&t=cur    and Elders has a an excellent chart of current anomalies,  http://www.eldersweather.com.au
If you are also new to this area, don't forget that these are maps of sea surface temperature anomalies, not overall sea surface temperatures.  It can be a bit confusing!
I don't think that global warming is responsible for this.

Uranium Film Festival. 2013

Last year, after a spectacular film festival, the films were taken on tour to Berlin and India. The need for films like these to be shown is becoming more and more obvious.  How many mainstream films do you see about uranium mining and nuclear accidents, and how long have we got left on this planet?
 This year, the festival will be held from May 16th to May 26th in Rio de Janeiro, at the Museum of Modern Art cinema.  If you can't get there, you can still find out about the films at http://www.uraniumfilmfestival.org/index.php/en/   About 150 films were submitted from 20 countries.  They had the hard task of picking just 48 of these for this year's festival.
The website is dramatic and you can read about every film being shown in the program, under 'Films'.  http://www.uraniumfilmfestival.org/index.php/en/programme/films 
by clicking onto each film.  

You can ring the president and perhaps you should.

Just had this letter from "Food Demoracy Now" If you live in the USA, this is for you.

Dear....
We want to thank the more than 175,000 Food Democracy Now! members who have taken action so far. The response has been incredible and a sign of how outraged everyday Americans are at the continued backroom deals struck by our elected officials and Monsanto lobbyists.
How do these things happen? This morning we are reminded of the famous quote from Edmund Burke:

All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing.

Let's make sure our voice is heard loud and clear today!
Right now, the short-term spending budget bill with Monsanto's poison pill is sitting on the President's desk, waiting for him to sign. He has until Wednesday March 27th to sign this into law, unless you stop him.
We need you to do three things:
1. Make a phone call to the White House asking that President Obama veto H.R. 933, and send it back to Congress with the express instructions of removing Section 735: The Monsanto Protection Act.
http://action.fooddemocracynow.org/go/801?t=3&akid=791.402322.4A-_A4
We realize that the phone lines will be very busy today, but please keep calling until you get through. Every voice counts! Update: we're hearing the phone line is very busy today so please click on the link to make a call and report back.
You can call the White House at (202) 456-1111 or if that line is busy, please call (202) 456-1414 - then ask at least 5 of your friends to join you!
2. If you haven't already done so, please sign this letter calling for President Obama to veto the Monsanto Protection Act.
http://action.fooddemocracynow.org/go/791?t=6&akid=791.402322.4A-_A4
If we reach more than 200,000 signatures today, Dave and Lisa will fly out to Washington DC to deliver your comments to the White House.
3. Please consider chipping in $3 to help send us to the White House to deliver your comments and then help spread the word to your friends.
http://fdn.actionkit.com/go/804?t=9&akid=791.402322.4A-_A4
We understand the odds that we're up against, that many will say that President Obama can't afford not to sign this budget bill, which if not signed will temporarily shut down the federal government.
But the truth is there is no legitimacy in elected officials that stand idly by when violations of our basic rights like this happen. Section 735 sets a dangerous precedent that allows corporations to work back room deals to undermine the rule of law.
Obama has a clear choice, veto the Monsanto Protection Act or allow Congress and corporate special interests to continue to lead America down this slippery slope.
Tell President Obama to veto the Monsanto Protection Act! America deserves better. Every voice counts.
Thanks for participating in food democracy,
Dave, Lisa and the Food Democracy Now! team

---

Join 100,000 Americans to Veto the Monsanto Protection Act!

Tell President Obama: "It's time to Vote for Peoples' Rights not Corporations!"

SOS: Last Chance to Stop the Monsanto Protection Act!
Dear.....
This is the fight of the century, either corporations like Monsanto will rule America with an iron fist or we will rise up and take our country back. It's that simple.
Tell President Obama to veto the Monsanto Protection Act!
Late Friday evening we electronically delivered more than 100,000 comments from Food Democracy Now! members from all 50 states to the White House calling for President Obama to veto the Monsanto Protection Act.
This is in an incredible response from Americans who are outraged that once again Congress has allowed Monsanto lobbyists to undermine our most basic and fundamental rights in another shady backroom deal.
Right now, H.R. 933 - with its poison biotech pill - is sitting on President Obama’s desk waiting for him to sign it. We need you to contact President Obama before he signs and HR 933 and the Monsanto Protection Act become law.
Tell President Obama to veto the Monsanto Protection Act! If we reach 200,000 comments, we’ll hand deliver your comments to the White House. Every voice counts!
http://action.fooddemocracynow.org/go/791?t=18&akid=791.402322.4A-_A4
When he first ran for president, Barack Obama promised to clean up Washington’s culture of corruption, pledging to put an end to the revolving door and backroom deals with lobbyists. Sure, we know that hasn’t happened yet, but with your help it could today.
Now is President Obama’s chance to make true on that promise. Either he is for the American people and our democratic rights or he supports Monsanto and corporate lobbyists undermining our basic rights. We already know that Congress has abandoned us.
The choice is clear, President Obama can veto H.R. 933 or he can side with Monsanto.
Tell President Obama to stand up for your rights over Monsanto’s and do the right thing and Veto the Monsanto Protection Act.
Already people are telling us that this is a fight we cannot win. That's because Section 735, the Monsanto Protection Act, is a small provision snuck into a 841 page “appropriations bill for the Department of Defense, the Department of Veterans Affairs and other departments and agencies for the fiscal year 2013” so the President "has to sign it".
We disagree. As a Constitutional law scholar, President Obama understands better than anyone the threat the Monsanto Protection Act poses to our Constitution and our democracy. Unfortunately, President Obama does not have the option of a line item veto, and the only recourse is for him to veto the entire bill.
Don’t worry, we understand the odds. More importantly we know the odds if we don't stand up. This is a corporate coup d'etat and Monsanto and everyone else in Washington DC wants you to be quiet.
But we can’t afford to. There’s too much at stake to sit silent. Some say it will only last 6 months and expire in September. And we think that’s much too long. Here at Food Democracy Now! we’re not willing to surrender our democratic rights for even one second. As long as these bastards work to undermine our rights we will fight them. And with your help, we’re just getting started.
Please join us in telling President Obama to veto the Monsanto Protection Act! If we can reach 200,000 comments by Monday afternoon, we’ll fly to Washington DC and hand deliver your comments to the White House. Every voice counts!
What’s at stake:
By sneaking Section 735 into a federal appropriations bills, Monsanto has successfully planted a dangerous provision in U.S. law that strips judges of their constitutional mandate to protect American’s health and the environment while opening up the floodgates for the planting of new, untested genetically engineered crops.
Even if their new GMO crops are ultimately proven to be harmful to human health or the environment, Section 735 allows them to be planted the minute the USDA approves them!
Even more alarming, currently 13 new crops are awaiting approval at the USDA and AquaBounty’s GMO salmon is on the verge of being approved by the FDA. This new provision opens the door wide open for these approvals.
The floodgates would literally be open for Monsanto, DuPont and Dow Chemical’s new GMO crops that are resistant to more toxic chemicals like 2,4-D, Agent Orange and dicamba that will replace failing Roundup Ready GMO crops.
According to legal experts, this provision would create a precedent-setting limitation on judicial review and is a dangerous assault on fundamental federal and judicial safeguards needed to protect America’s farmers, citizens and the environment from the wanton approval of Monsanto's new GMO crops.
Tell President Obama to Veto H.R. 933 and the Monsanto Protection Act - Every voice counts!
Thanks for participating in food democracy,
Dave, Lisa and the Food Democracy Now! team

Background:
1. "H.R. 933: Consolidated and Further Continuing Appropriations Act, 2013", passed Congress March 22, 2013 containing Section 735, Monsanto Protection Act.
Monsanto Protection Act language:
Sec. 735. In the event that a determination of non-regulated status made pursuant to section 411 of the Plant Protection Act is or has been invalidated or vacated, the Secretary of Agriculture shall, notwithstanding any other provision of law, upon request by a farmer, grower, farm operator, or producer, immediately grant temporary permit(s) or temporary deregulation in part, subject to necessary and appropriate conditions consistent with section 411(a) or 412(c) of the Plant Protection Act, which interim conditions shall authorize the movement, introduction, continued cultivation, commercialization and other specifically enumerated activities and requirements, including measures designed to mitigate or minimize potential adverse environmental effects, if any, relevant to the Secretary’s evaluation of the petition for non-regulated status, while ensuring that growers or other users are able to move, plant, cultivate, introduce into commerce and carry out other authorized activities in a timely manner: Provided, That all such conditions shall be applicable only for the interim period necessary for the Secretary to complete any required analyses or consultations related to the petition for non-regulated status: Provided further, That nothing in this section shall be construed as limiting the Secretary’s authority under section 411, 412 and 414 of the Plant Protection Act.
http://action.fooddemocracynow.org/go/803?t=24&akid=791.402322.4A-_A4
2. “H.R. 933: Department of Defense, Military Construction and Veterans Affairs, and Full-Year ... (Concurring in the Senate Amendment)”, which contains Section 735, the Monsanto Protection Act passes Congress 318-109.
http://action.fooddemocracynow.org/go/802?t=26&akid=791.402322.4A-_A4
3. “H.R. 933: Department of Defense, Military Construction and Veterans Affairs, and Full-Year (On Passage of the Bill)” March 20, 2013
http://action.fooddemocracynow.org/go/797?t=28&akid=791.402322.4A-_A4
4. “House Votes to Prevent Government Shutdown, Support Troops and Veterans”, March 6, 2013
http://action.fooddemocracynow.org/go/798?t=30&akid=791.402322.4A-_A4
5. “Monsanto Protection Act, Section 735 Language from Senate Continuing Resolution, HR 933,” Passed Senate vote 73-26, March 20, 2013  Page 80
http://action.fooddemocracynow.org/go/799?t=32&akid=791.402322.4A-_A4
6. “Sen. Tester: Who Put These Agribiz-Friendly Riders into This Unrelated Bill?” Mother Jones, March 15, 2013
http://action.fooddemocracynow.org/go/800?t=34&akid=791.402322.4A-_A4
7. "‘Monsanto Protection Act’ would keep GMO crops in the ground during legal battles ", Grist, June 29, 2012
http://action.fooddemocracynow.org/go/734?t=36&akid=791.402322.4A-_A4

Streets of London.. Keith the street artist.

Yesterday I watched a grim group of trades union workers unfolding their banners and flags at Kings Cross Station before setting out on the TUC organized march and rally against spending cuts and for "A future that works."  There were more and more people to join them walking or being pushed in wheelchairs down the streets of London on the 20th of October to Hyde Park and I heard that the TUC estimated the numbers at 130,000 people.

Today the streets are fairly quiet, but Keith is back on his familiar territory in Bloomsbury.  In an area famous for writers and artists, Keith spends most of his days on the streets.  He wears his blanket like a cloak as he goes from pitch to pitch and is well known for his good natured and original banter. This is part of one of his pictures.  He draws from imagination or what he sees or often, now, from ideas in old postcards, which he transforms into something alive and dramatic.  "I like the detail in postcards" he says.  I watched him drawing one day, totally intent on what he was doing and immersed in the very detailed sketch.. " I only draw something if it talks to me" he said, when I asked him about it.  Keith is an artist.  He often carries his portfolio, a folder of black and white drawings in plastic wallets to keep the rain off  and is more than happy to sell some of them to people.  My favourite was a wonderfully detailed sketch of St. Katherine's docks full of intricately drawn boats and a bicycle with a lopsided front wheel.

No one should be homeless, however you define that, and no one with a talent like Keith's should be sitting on a blanket on a cold damp pavement where I can see him tonight, with a plastic cup in front of him and a portfolio of pictures tucked away out of the rain.

By the way, Keith gave me this picture. "No, take it," he said.

Other people's posts that leave me humbled.

At present in Rio de Janeiro, The Second International Uranium  Film Festival is taking place. It's on until July 14th and if you visit their website, , the breadth and depth of coverage may surprise you.  This independent  film festival is, amongst  its other virtues, a rich source of the often unheard and certainly unseen history of people caught up in the nuclear legacy. http://www.uraniofestival.org/index.php/en/programme
When I was looking for some more background information about uranium mining, I came across an article written in 2009 by Winona LaDuke in Orion Magazine,  She begins by telling one of the Dine creation stories.... the people were gven the choice of two yellow powders.  They wisely chose the yellow dust of corn pollen and were told to leave the other yellow powder, uranium, in the soil and to never dig it up.  If it were to be taken from the ground, they were told, a great evil would come   http://www.orionmagazine.org/index.php/articles/article/4248/   This is someone writing who knows what they re talking about and has been involved in the outcome of uranium mining.
On Thursday, The return of Navajo Boy will be screened, in Rio de Janeiro, this film is already an acclaimed documentary, and there is a long list of others you can read about, some of which are world premieres. http://www.uraniofestival.org/index.php/en/programme  It is an exceptional list and I certainly had no idea of the range of issues covered, including uranium mining across the world.
What can I do about it all? Only what I can.  At the moment, the world waits while our future is being decided in one of the most consequential games of "Pick a sticks"  imaginable as the engineers face the problems with damaged reactors and the highly radioactive fuel rods in the spent fuel pools in Japan...
I can sign a couple of petitions.  One is for everyone to sign,  to the EPA: Don't Sacrifice Navajo Water for Uranium Mining   https://www.change.org/petitions/epa-don-t-sacrifice-navajo-water-for-uranium-mining  and the other one is for British citizens or a resident in the U.K. against nuclear power in the UK
It's the E petition  http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/1035

And I can leave you with the final question.. How many atom bombs have been dropped on the planet earth between 1945and 1989?  Is is 22...220...1212... or 2201?
The answer is in Peter Greenaway's film, nominated for a yellow Oscar, http://www.uraniofestival.org/index.php/en/programme/53-en/films/46-atomic-bombs-on-the-planet-earth

The Second International Uranium Film Festival

If you ever wonder what the good guys have been up to... well some of them have been making films, brilliant films, courageous films and some of those films are going to be seen at the second International Uranium Film Festival at the Cinema of the Modern Art Museum, Rio de Janeiro from June 28th to July 14th. To get a taste and to read about them, this is the link to their programme. http://www.uraniofestival.org/index.php/en/programme