There is a new very short film on mercury in your body from the Minamata Convention on mercury. There are a whole series of short films on the subject produced by UNESCO with the Convention secretariat. On YouTube under the tag #MakeMercuryHistory there are several short films that might answer questions you have about mercury. People are still asking me about it over the fish couters in various markets.
Remember Governments may come and go, and a million people are tweeting about the USA excutive officer while he gives a life feed speech in Mississippi — but heavy metals are here to stay so the Mercury Convention folks are working internationally to: contain mercury, reduce technology that uses mercury, find alternative technologies to replace them, remediate the environment and the improved or compensate lives that have been damaged by this particular heavy metal. Also, I’ve been updating the Mercury and Minamata Convention on Mercury page of my website. So have a look. And use that #MakeMercuryHistory.
The business of being a writer is much harder than that of being a physician — well on me anyway. They taught me how to practice medicine while have to teach myself or find those to teach me the trade aspects of being a writer.
I wanted to thank all of my family, friends and readers for the outpouring of greetings for my birthday and the support for my work you have shown. Though these are enormously hard times for the nation, the world, the ecology… I am heartened by the interest my peers and my children and therir peers have shown in making the world a better place — PLEASE MAKE TIME AND SPACE TO GET OUT THE VOTE FOR THE PRIMARY ELECTIONS — Which begin in February see https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2019/us/elections/2020-presidential-election-calendar.html.
The first Primary/Caucus is in February — only 4 months away. To make the world inch those two steps forward — even if we then go one step back—we have got to get out the vote. I’m looking forward to sharing reviews of 8 films over the next months before Christmas the will help you feel why I believe we really have to make this the focus for the end of the year year. I believe each film I’ve screened for this collection of reviews have profound implications bioethicaly and in terms of what my nephew, grandchildren and baby cousins will be facing. Though I am also busy working on Book II of the Chasing Mercury Toxic Trilogy- Weighing Lead. I consider getting out the vote as a part of that work — because the lead and the mercury cleanup work can’t properly happen under the current political circumstances in our nation.
Meanwhile keep an eye out for the film reviews in the pre film award season screenings — just a heads up —PLAN TO SEE THE FILM ‘JUST MERCY’ on Christmas Day. Everyday someone does the impossible and let it be me and you. I’ve screened Just MERCY and let’s just say —- we pulled off a film industry coup with our support of HIDDEN FIGURES openning on Xmas Day in 2016 — which financially helped fuel STEAM programs but we lost the momentum by loosing a government that cared about STEAM. Let’s support JUST MERCY and work and get a government back that believes in JUST MERCY.I write about films I want to support and I want you to help me support! …Oh yes, and if you haven’t, have a look at my new review on bioethics.net of the film: THE LURE OF THIS LAND directed by Alexandra Lexton. http://www.bioethics.net/2019/10/a-film-review-the-lure-of-this-land/
I really have to stop writing notes late at night! Thanks for reading.
I’m delighted to be introducing my this year’s book THE ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM:BIOETHICAL CONCERNS IN HUMAN MILK BANKING to the independent book store community beginning at the guiding light of community based readers BOOK PASSAGE CORTE MADERA, on Saturday, AUGUST 3, 2019, at 4PM. Joining me will be Pauline Sakamoto the founding director of Mothers Milk Bank San Jose — the organization to whom the proceeds from the sales will be allocated and Susan Martinelli of the California Breastfeeding Coalition—who is a lactation consultant with the County of Marin— my own home county.. Please join us, kids welcome, as we celebrate and promote the international WORLD BREAST FEEDING WEEK !
Well, this year has been a heck of a ride — On August 16, 2017 the World Minamata Convention on Mercury was ratified and thus transitioned from a convention to treaty to international with the strength of international law . That means the first year anniversary of the treaty has just passed.http://www.mercuryconvention.org.) I was able to be at the first convention of the parties signatory to the convention in Geneva this past September. Over this year my romance suspense novel Chasing Mercury seems to have opened up the dialog on environmental toxins to several thousands of people who otherwise might not have cared as much — and hopefully more will come. Here are some reviews from the past month— but what is clear to me is what readers are appreciating is not me — but the story of a group of people who came together to make change and who are still working at it. Hope people will continue to support Chasing Mercury and remember that a portion of the proceeds continue to go to greenaction.org and http://freegrassy.net/mercuryhome/
Tracking the process of application to the convention has been brought with joy and fear as I begin to understand how hard people worked to achieve the convention and how much work still has to be done —
Mercury is a natural element: it is found in the Earth’s crust and naturally released through volcanic activity and weathering of rocks. It exists in various forms, each with a varying degree of toxicity but all equally harmful, affecting the nervous system, the brain, the heart, the kidneys, the lungs and the immune system of all living beings. Because exposure to mercury – even small amounts – may cause serious health problems, including in utero, the World Health Organization considers it one of the top ten chemicals of major public health concern.
