andrew_jorgensen

Baking Apple Cinnamon Muffins for the week ahead and watching S6 of Call the Midwife on Netflix.

Below is the Good News Report from The American Resistance & It's Global Allies - because we all need a little good news? As always, good news is in the eye of the beholder or mileage may vary on this.

1. The Conservation Fund purchases North America’s largest blackwater swamp, saving over 350,000 acres of designated wilderness from a mining company.

https://augustafreepress.com/news/conservation-funds-purchase-of-georgia-florida-wildlife-refuge-saves-land-from-mining-company/?sh_kit=7a2950363f4b90b1881ae76c68d24551846eea9063b67a6a14e9fa39bc419e40

( Read more... )

2.California takes steps to protect school and college students, school staff, and hospital patients from unjust ICE enforcement activity.Governor Newsom signed the nation’s strongest protections into law to limit tactics being used by Trump’s federal “secret police,” protect children at schools, and patients in public hospitals from Trump’s lawlessness.

https://www.gov.ca.gov/2025/09/20/governor-newsom-signs-laws-to-protect-school-children-and-hospital-patients-and-limit-fear-tactics-used-by-trumps-secret-police-force-to-terrorize-communities/

3. California’s Supreme Court unanimously rules that state regulators were given undue deference in the decision to roll back rooftop solar panel credits for homeowners.

https://www.cbsnews.com/sanfrancisco/news/california-supreme-court-rooftop-solar-credits-cpuc-environmental-groups/

4. Maine fast-tracks plans for renewable energy projects before climate-friendly government incentives are removed under the budget passed this summer. The state is prioritizing projects built on PFAS-contaminated land as it looks to kickstart installations that can help it reach 100% clean energy by 2040.

https://www.canarymedia.com/articles/clean-energy/maine-fast-track-tax-credits

5.Three chemical and materials companies will pay the state of New Jersey up to $2B in a settlement over the environmental hazards of PFAS. "DuPont and two other companies will settle environmental claims concerning PFAS, commonly referred to as "forever chemicals," and pay New Jersey up to $2 billion, the companies announced Monday."

https://www.cbsnews.com/philadelphia/news/dupont-pfas-settlement-chemours-corteva-new-jersey-repauno-parlin/

6.Walmart said it is planning to remove synthetic dyes from all its private label store-brand foods by the start of 2027 (Wall Street Journal).

7.Australia funds solar microgrids to replace diesel in First Nations communities.

https://www.pv-magazine.com/2025/08/20/australia-funds-solar-microgrids-to-replace-diesel-in-remote-first-nations-towns/

8. NIH races to spend 2025 grant budget

The US National Institutes of Health (NIH) is on track to dole out its entire US$48-billion budget by the end of the fiscal year on 30 September, despite the administration of Donald Trump laying off thousands of the agency’s workers and delaying meetings to review research grants. The agency’s staff banded together to “clean up the mess”, an NIH programme officer told Nature, and ensure that the funds were invested in science. Although the agency’s budget will be spent, many fewer new projects will be funded because of a government directive to award large sums to research projects upfront.

https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-025-03168-4

9. Energy-related carbon dioxide emissions in the U.S. have decreased by 20 percent since 2005.

https://www.utilitydive.com/news/energy-co2-carbon-emissions-falling-states-natural-gas-renewables/760374/

10. The city of San Francisco moves to ensure that substantial renovations to existing buildings are all-electric.

https://www.canarymedia.com/articles/carbon-free-buildings/san-francisco-renovations-gas-ban
( the rest of the forty-six )


Here's a flower:

1. Guillermo Del Torro's Trailer for Frankenstein has finally been released. In watching it - I was reminded of the British National Theater presentation (which was also filmed) of Johnny Lee Miller and Benedict Cumberbatch switching back and forth - on who played Frankenstein and who played Victor. One night Miller played Frankenstein, and Cumberbatch played Victor, then the next night the opposite. National Theater filmed both performances and showed them in theaters, and on National Theater website.
I got National Theater so I could watch them.

So, yes, I'm looking forward to seeing Del Torro's Frankenstein - and may make a point of seeing it in theaters. But it looks very similar to the plot of the National Theater presentation - which was excellent.

What the British National Theater presentation got across by having the actors flip roles each night - is that the line between who was the monster and who wasn't - was very thin, and in many ways Victor was far more of a monster than his creation.

2. After listening to a lot of Revamped podcasts, I decided to rent Landau's A Place Among the Dead - which is an independent film that was written by Landau and her husband, directed by Landau, and starring Landau, along with various people they found to do it with them. Including Anne Rice, Charlain Harris, Lance Henrikson, Joss Whedon (who appears for less than a minute - so if that's a problem for you, I wouldn't worry about it), Ron Perlman, Gary Oldman, and Robert Patrick among others. It's filmed like a documentary, and Landau and her husband more or less play themselves, as do most of the name stars. And they interview most of them about vampires and evil, and what it is and means.

Through the use of the vampire metaphor explores the psychological trauma and consequences of being raised by narcissists, and the on-going psychological abuse. Landau has pictures of her parents, and hires actors to play them, and voice them. Harry Groenig plays Dad, and another woman plays Mom. (Landau is the daughter of Barbara Bain and Martin Landau, who met on Mission Impossible. Barbara Bain was the first female actress to win consecutive emmys for a drama role from the same series. And both starred on Space 1999. Whose theme song inspired Nerf Herder's Buffy theme.)

Basically, Landau made the film with her husband to work through her traumatic upbringing.

It's an interesting film, but flawed and definitely low budget. There's a few creepy shots, but for the most part - it drags, and my attention wandered. As a result, I kind of lost the metaphor here and there. I did like how Landau pokes fun at the somewhat cliche/horror trope advice: "you must stand up to evil, and face it head on, to stop it and you can only stop it with love" - because she basically decides to do that - and ends up opening the door to evil instead. She's too vulnerable, and instead of locking it out, it gets in.

The setup? ( Read more... )

3. Finished watching Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret adapted from the novel by Judy Blume, of the same name. The novel was published in 1970. And the film takes place in 1970. I read it around 1976 or 77. I can't remember exactly. I started binge reading Judy Blume somewhere around the third or fourth grade. I've found it interesting that most of my favorite books as a child have been adapted into films, some more than once:

The Hobbit
The Chronicles of Narnia
Escape to Witch Mountain
Are You There God, It's Me, Margaret.
Bridge to Terribetha
A Wrinkle in Time
Dune - I was a bit older - somewhere in high school (it's not a kid's book)
Stuart Little
Charlotte's Web
The Westing Game
The Wizard of Earthsea (and not well)
The Incredible Journey
Watership Down
All Things Great and Small
The Lord of the Rings

There are a quite few that haven't been, and I'm not sure I want them too? The Witches of Worm, Dark is Rising, Perilous Guard, The Wolves of Willoughby Chase, Lisa Bright and Dark, Where the Red Fern Grows, I Am the Cheese, The Girl Who Owned a City, Misty of Chitanoogue, Dragon Riders of Pern, The Ship Who Sang, The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant: the Unbeliever by Stephen R Donaldson (I had to look it up because I couldn't remember the name of it.)

Anyhow, back to my review, such as it is. Are You There God? It's Me Margaret to the best of my memory (which is hazy at best - I can't remember when I read it? Just that it was before the fifth grade?) - is a faithful adaptation of the Judy Blume novel. It's about a 12 year old girl who moves from one state to another with her parents, and at the same time has to deal with change in schools, menstruation, new friends, puberty, etc. I did the same thing - but in the fifth grade - which is when I think I read the book, and that was in 1977-78. So about seven years after it was written - it fit my time period better than it may fit folks now? I don't know? I don't think my niece ever read it.

I found the film charming and nostalgic. I also remembered the book better as I watched it. And it moved me. ( vague spoilers )

Overall? A good movie. I don't remember the book well enough to take any issues with differences or discrepancies, although I sincerely doubt there are any?

1. Do you ever wonder if the way you see things visually aren't how other people see them?

Yes. All the time. ( Read more... )

2. What kind of sounds are the most annoying?

Squeaking sounds. Chalk on a chalk board. Squeaking wheels. High pitched sounds. I don't like high soprano - it's why opera doesn't work for me for the most part, that high squeak. Sirens. Car Alarms. Fire Alarms.

3. When walking through a store, do you shop with your hands by touching/feeling the texture of things

I try not to, but often do. Most stores don't want you to touch things.

4. If you could only smell three scents for the rest of your life, what would they be?

fresh sea breeze or water, sunshine, and laundry

5. What sorts of things do you savour when eating them?

chocolate mousse, apple or pumpkin pie, a good muffin or cookie, savory meal...matcha latte (drinking),

Off to bed. I hope.

1. At least the weather has been nice lately - in the low 50s, 60s, and 70s. Nice breeze. Cool enough for a light jacket. Was able to take a few long walks. One up to the WTC, and another to the South Street Seaport. Played tourist yesterday and took photos.

Here's the Anne Frank Tree - "a white chestnut tree, a clone grown from an original tree outside the hiding place of Anne Frank and her family in Amsterdam, 188 Keizersgracht. Anne wrote about her view from the annex window: “As long as this exists, how can I be sad?” and referred to the chestnut three three times in her diary. This tree in Liberty Park is the eleventh clone of the tree in the United States planted by the Anne Frank Center for Mutual Respect. The date, June 12th, also marks what would have been Anne’s 88th birthday, sharing a birth year with Martin Luther King. Jr and Audrey Hepburn."



2. I can't seem to draw at the moment - which is putting a cramp in my painting project. I keep trying and its not fitting what is in my head. I'm frustrated. It's like I lost the ability or something - all of a sudden. I think I may be too much in my head or too self-conscious. I draw best when I'm not trying to make it fit something, or not worried about it. Art is hard when others eyes are upon you, or rather you feel their critical eyes upon you. It's easier when you or rather I forget they exist.

3. Buffy and Angel Fandom Bits

Started rewatch of Buffy S4 and Angel S1 - I watch an episode of one every other day, skipping episodes I don't want to re-watch, such as the Angel episode "I Fall To Pieces" (I saw that one twice, and that was one too many times, I don't need to watch it again. Angel S1 has some horrible episodes.)

Saw Fear Itself and The Harsh Light of Day - and both hold up really well. ( Read more... )

In the Dark and Room with a View are a mixed bag. I like Room better. Which surprised me. ( Read more... )

Also been listening to podcasts. It's the current trend/fad - actors doing podcasts. (Not the famous ones, the struggling ones, who are also doing conventions to make ends meet - which is a reminder of how tough a profession acting truly is - to make a living in. There are more actors than there are gigs, apparently.)

Of the podcasts - I'd say Juliet Landau's
Re-Vamped is the best.
She's a good interviewer and very funny. She doesn't take herself too seriously, which is more than I can say for a lot of podcasters. ( Read more... )

Landau's podcasts are informative though - about the process, how the series was made, backstage tid-bits, auditions, etc. She also, being a theater geek and theater actress - delves heavily into the theater and the film backgrounds of her guests. If you are interested in the nitty gritty behind the scenes stuff - they are worth checking out. (I found out for example that the actress who portrayed Sheila in School Hard, went on to produce two award-winning documentaries, one about a cult, and one about sexual allegations against a hip-hop record producer. Also, apparently Drusilla and Spike were Seinfield fans, and watched all the episodes more than once.)

5. The First Responder Memorial Statue at Liberty Park at the World Trade Center. (it's also where we're supposed to meet in case of a fire or evacuation of the building at Crazy Workplace. I figured that out today - when I looked up the Anne Frank Tree - because I didn't know where Liberty Park was until I looked it up.)



Here's another photo for the road, before I go to bed..