* September Williams supports Thousand Cuts Virtual Livestream Q &A w/Christine Amanpour, director Ramona Diaz & Maria Ressaa →

August 03, 2020 in Baby Boomers, Bioethics, Cove International, Echo Boomers, Human Rights, New Media, Resistance, Social Commentary, Social Justice

This is one to see — my review will follow but I wanted my followers to have a chance to buy tickets from the link on the website for the virtual opening. It is a bone-chilling film and yet so familiar in these times of the USA.

A THOUSAND CUTS produced and directed by Ramona S. Diaz is about the work of journalist Maria Ressa. After studying molecular biology and theater at Princeton she applied for a Fulbright fellowship with which she completed her Masters in Journalism. She has been a journalist in Asia for nearly 35 years. Maria Ressa co-founded Rappler, the top digital-only news site that is leading the fight for press freedom in the Philippines. As Rappler's executive editor and CEO, Maria has endured constant political harassment and arrests by the Duterte government, forced to post bail eight times to stay free. Rappler's battle for truth and democracy is the subject of A Thousand Cuts.

For her courage and work on disinformation and 'fake news,' Maria was named Time Magazine’s 2018 Person of the Year, was among its 100 Most Influential People of 2019, and has also been named one of Time's Most Influential Women of the Century. She was also part of BBC's 100 most inspiring and influential women of 2019 and Prospect magazine's world's top 50 thinkers.

September Williams MD-Author with Director Mike Binder Black & White, at the Mill Valley FIlm Festival, 2014

September Williams Author of Chasing Mercury: The 2020 US Census as An Act of love in the time SARSCoVID-19

March 21, 2020 in Baby Boomers, Bioethics, Death and Desperation, Film, Grief, Healing, Health and Fitness, Health Inequity, Peace, Resistance, September MD-Writer, Social Justice

I very nearly forgot to fill out my household’s United States Census, amid the struggles around the SARS-CoVID19 pandemic. Maintaining social distance is designed to save lives—not to save money and it will do so—if people work hard to adhere to it during the rising phase of this viral epidemic. The USA census is also designed to save lives. Of course, the devil is in the details of the application. But it starts by “We the people” making sure every member of our nations households are fully counted. It’s not about citizenship, but about the distribution of resources in accordance with humanitarian law which demands every nation provide certain things for those living in it. We see the hell on earth when nations stop doing that. By the way, It took me exactly 10 minutes to fill out the US census. Here is how the census is applied. It determines:

1) The way that federal money is distributed to the citizens of the country at local levels when things work at their best—based on the science of health, welfare and economic parameters—consistent with humanitarian law. That includes providing for local communities schools, roads, public services.

2) Funds for preparing for transportation and emergency readiness.

3) THE NUMBER OF SEATS EACH STATE HAS IN THE US HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES AND YOUR POLITICAL REPRESENTATION AT ALL LEVELS OF GOVERNMENT. Have a look and please fill out the census and make sure every member of your household and your family, community and living soul in this nation is counted.

In that obscure way, that I often put things together, I was reminded about a film I reviewed 5 years ago, while completing the last question of the census, That question asks the race of each member of the household is counted. The question is as lousily written this year as those in the past. It mixes up the fallacy of race with ethnicity and nationality all over the place. The film reviewed was Black or White by Mike Bender. The review got picked up by Mixed Race Studies.

September Williams' Bioethics Screen Reflections supports the Film ABOUT SAMA

November 18, 2019 in Bioethics, Freedom of the Press, Marie Covin, Resistance, Waking up in Syria, Victor Hugo

FOR SAMA is a documentary film by International Emmy Award-winning Journalist and film director, Waad Al-Kateab. The project was brought to fruition with co-director Edward Watts. it was my honor to meet Waad and her husband, Dr. Hamid Al-Kateab who is featured in this astounding work documenting about the core of what it means to resist the degradation of the human spirit with persistent humanity. My full review will follow shortly on bioethics.net. See FOR SAMA’s trailer is here on this blog. I am asking you to support FOR SAMA and human rights and the people in the war-torn Syria. You can increase the power of this film through your viewership. PLEASE SEE FOR SAMA’s WORLD BROADCAST PREMIERE this Tuesday. TOMORROW, November 19, 2019. Check your local FRONTLINE PBS/Channel 4 broadcast: HERE

September Williams Author of Chasing Mercury: A short film on mercury in the body →

November 01, 2019 in Bioethics, Baby Boomers, BOOKS, Breast Feeding, Chasing Mercury the Novel, Echo Boomers, Environmental Justice, free grassy.net, greenaction.org, Health and Fitness, Human Rights, ipen.org, mercury pollution, Minamata disease, Nutrition, Peace, Resistance

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.

SEPTEMBER WILLIAMS Author of Chasing Mercury Thanks You and Just One More Thing...

October 14, 2019 in Baby Boomers, Bioethics, BOOKS, Book to Film, Echo Boomers, Environmental Justice, greenaction.org, Health Inequity, Peace, Resistance, Victor Hugo

Hi Folks,

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.

September Williams' BIOETHICS SCREEN REFLECTIONS -Remember the Loving Decision and Families

June 18, 2019 in Baby Boomers, Bioethics, Book to Film, Destiny, Echo Boomers, Feminism, Freedom of the Press, Human Rights, Peace, Resistance, Social Justice, Victor Hugo

Author GiGi Panderian ( the Accidental Alchemist and others) sent a note today reminding me that this is the day that the Loving Decision was handed down by the US supreme court confirming the right to marry and have children under the 4th Amendment of the United States and the 16th Article of the Declaration of human rights. of the Declaration of Human Rights. This is the Anniversary of the Loving Decision in the USA supreme court.Confirming the right to marry and have family as outlined in Article 16 of the Declaration of Human Rights.

It was only in 1968 that the Supreme Court of the USA ruled that interracial marriage is legal to see my the two-part review--and be aware that we, at this time, on this date of today as a nation are moving backward in terms of family protections under the law--if we do not stop it. Have you checked the news today to see what is being done in our name? see both parts of the review Part I and 2 — then watch the movie and recommit to justice for families that are being torn asunder.

SEPTEMBER WILLIAMS' BIOETHICS SCREEN REFLECTIONS NEW POST On BIOETHIC.NET : A NIGHT AT THE GARDEN - A CONVERSATION WITH DIRECTORY MARSHALL CURY

April 29, 2019 in Bioethics, WWII, Waking up in Syria, Resistance

My Review of Marshall Curry’s Oscar Nominated Documentary Short FIlm A NIGHT AT THE GARDEN is on bioethics.net

Posted on April 28, 2019 at 6:02 PM

by September Williams, MD

Boarding my flight from Burbank, I flicked through my phone emails, finding that director Marshall Curry was available for interviews. It was a few weeks before the Academy of Film Arts and Science 2019 shindig. I had not seen Curry’s most recent film nor had I realized it was now also nominated for an OSCAR® in the Best Documentary – Short Subject category. This new work is added to his eight films since 2005 with their 38 awards and nominations. The new film is A NIGHT AT THE GARDEN — The title references New York’s iconic venue, Madison Square Garden.

Photo attached by courtesy of photographer Bill Johnston Caption: Marshall Curry in Conversation with September Williams

I clicked on the email link. The run time was 7 minutes. A bit longer than the usual for a trailer, I thought. But what do I know, nobody ever nominated me for an ACADEMY AWARD®. Seeing the first few frames of Curry’s film, everything around me seemed to grind to a halt. Seven minutes wasn’t the length of a trailer but the whole film. It had been culled from hundreds of hours of 1939, black & white, newsreel camera footage. A NIGHT AT THE GARDEN shows twenty-thousand Americans at a gathering of the German-American Bund. The event was billed as a “Pro American Rally.” They lifted their arms in Nazi salutes, toward American Flags and a portrait of George Washington. This gathering took place a historical breath before the USA would enter WWII against the Nazis. Given the linkage between the development of bioethics to the atrocities of fascism associated with that war, it was clear that on my arrival in San Francisco I would head straight to interview Marshall Curry…

Read the the full interview and click the link there to see the entire film.

http://www.bioethics.net/2019/04/a-film-review-a-night-at-the-garden-conversation-on-moral-intuition-with-director-marshall-curry/

NEW REVIEW ON SEPTEMBER WILLIAMS' BIOETHICS SCREEN REFLECTIONS: ROMA Bioethics and the Mobius Loop

January 25, 2019 in Baby Boomers, Bioethics, Echo Boomers, Environmental Justice, Feminism, free grassy.net, Human Rights, ipen.org, Louis Riel, Resistance, Social Justice

ROMA: Bioethics and the Mobius Loop

It is difficult to describe the number of ways that writer-director Alfonso Cuaron’s semi-biographical ROMA represents an Ichthian leap in cinema. There are no special effects to speak of, no costumes except at a New Year’s Eve party cum fire. To compare the film with the level of change that Italian Neorealism presented in the middle of the last century seems strident, yet true. Equally valid is the sense that this film represents the 7th Art at its best in both the creative and technical expression of cinema. There is not a super hero among them — but a sense of magic at the level of Murakami’s Wind Up Bird Chronicle or Hayao Miyazaki’s Howl’s Moving Castle. It is a universal film from the soul of a Spanish master.

See more at: http://www.bioethicsscreenreflections.com/2019/01/roma-bioethics-and-mobius-loop.html

Cuaron, Alfonso ROMA https://www.imdb.com/title/tt6155172/?ref_=nv_sr_1

Miyazaki, Hayao HOWL’s MOVING CASTLE https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0347149/

Murakami, Haruki https://archive.nytimes.com/www.nytimes.com/books/first/m/murakami-windup.html

Copy of September Williams'Bioethics Screen Reflections : A PRIVATE WAR Bioethics meets the Guardians of Truth

January 08, 2019 in Bioethics, Book to Film, Death and Desperation, Feminism, Grief, Human Rights, Peace, Resistance, Social Justice, Waking up in Syria

As we move into the Oscar Season — I am reviewing films from the fall. A PRIVATE WAR is a film that likely will not win an Oscar, despite an Oscar winning director, and an Oscar nominated actor who gives an Oscar worthy performance. This ought to be the period where male and female actors are held as equal not separate and compete against one another for awards — this past year gave so many stellar leading roles for women that the dramatic bar iis set somewhere in the moons orbit. There are women directors, and directors of color unlike any other — kind of reminds me of the midterm elections in terms of land-slide. I’ll be giving you a look several other films if you want to get a head start: The Hate You Give, If Beale Street Could Talk, The Kindergarten Teacher, Destroyer, Roma, Widows,

So — A Private War— Things are not wrapped up in a tidy fictional bow in the end. I really should have used one of the gorgeous shots of Rosamund Pike in the protagonist role — but that would be misleading. You may want to understand the history in more detail — given the story turns on a region of the world where the USA has troupes on the ground in several countries — at least for the moment. You will be mad as hell and guilty too. So I have posted a two part series on Bioethics Screen Reflections http://www.bioethicsscreenreflections.com — with some references.

It is a hard story to tell, about a woman with a compulsion to change just one thing — the capacity for anyone to say “But I didn’t know that atrocity was going on.” If you vote, anywhere in the world — if you believe science and technology should be used for beneficent purposes and war doesn’t meet that bill, and if you, I dare say —believe in love— this is a film you need to see.

In the spirit of full disclosure — many readers of my novel Chasing Mercury know that one of the protagonist, Forest, is a whistleblowing journalist. They are not easy types to live with— or without.

September Williams' Chasing Mercury Continues to Hold Her Own

September 03, 2018 in Bioethics, Baby Boomers, Chasing Mercury the Novel, Cove International, Eco-Fiction, Human Rights, Environmental Justice, mercury pollution, Occupational Disease, Peace, Resistance, greenaction.org, free grassy.net, ipen.org

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/

Surprising, mysterious, romantic, and smart. A must read!

Chasing Mercury is an incredibly unique book, one that made me realize that I didn’t know there was an entire new way to put together a historical romance, and I was definitely...Read more

Wow! That was my reaction to the quality and fun time I had reading this book, just wow!
Fantastic read, strongly recommend

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.

Sarah Kornfeld's 'What Stella Sees' is proudly offered by Cove International Publishers

September 01, 2018 in Bioethics, Destiny, Human Rights, Resistance

What Stella Sees written by author Sarah Kornfeld is the sort of novel any publisher would want to to share, though few will have the opportunity to do so. Cove International Publishers finds itself with a remarkable author of literary fiction grounded at once in reality and fantasy. Sarah hits it to the horizon on the first swing. The project is accented by the extraordinary editor & book interior engineer, Eric P. Carlson. The cover is by designer Marta E. Johansen, working with the exquisite image of the consummate Danish artist and photographer Lone Morch.

What Stella Sees is equally lyrical as it is brassy in its exploration of love, family, and the environment. It is an inditement of medicine while extolling its processes. Stella awaits her readers, now on Amazon, and coming soon through Ingram Partners to booksellers near you. Here is a little bit more

Copy of September Williams Author of Chasing Mercury and The Canary in the Tunnel Who Refused to Die - Maria Pallante

July 29, 2018 in Baby Boomers, Bioethics, Cold War, Destiny, Echo Boomers, Human Rights, Occupational Disease, Peace, Resistance, September MD-Writer, Social Justice, Librarians, Copyright

In the the throws of of helping the publication of Sarah Kornfeld’s “What Stella Sees” I saw the original certificate of copyright for that book. It was signed by the same person as who signed that of Chasing Mercury. I realized that it was just over a year ago when one of the finest public servants the nation has known resisted collaboration with —well— what we have in our government today— Are is the piece form last year. piece — the “Canary in the Tunnel.” I’ve republished it for you here today.

“I had a very strange experience today. I went to the drawer where I keep my copyright certificates for film and written works. I couldn’t remember the date I received the copyright for Chasing Mercury. I needed it for the front matter of the book as we prepare to publish. I opened the drawer, in the space which we laughingly refer to as my desk. The copyrights are there so my kids can find them when I die. I fished out and unfolded the certificate. Then I saw it—”

September Williams Author of Chasing Mercury Supports Marin City's Performing Stars & performingartstars/national-memorial-for-peace-and-justice-and-the-legacy-museum

April 16, 2018 in ART EXHIBITION, Bioethics, Chasing Mercury the Novel, Echo Boomers, Environmental Justice, Human Rights, Librarians, Peace, Resistance, Social Justice

This project is directly related to themes in Chasing Mercury. I can't begin to express the admiration I have for the founder/executive director of the Performing Stars Youth Program -- Felecia Gaston. She is truly a woman who knows "What plot of ground she has been given to till," As Ralph Waldo Emerson would say. And thanks to my dear friend Ola Bonds for flagging Performing Stars and it's director. PS is onto a new venture after taking children on driving tours across the USA to historically significant sights of contribution to the world of African American figure the program's right place is being honored. Performing Stars' youth ( http://performingstars.org) from Marin City are invited to attend the National Memorial for Peace and Justice, and Legacy Museum From Enslavement to Mass Incarceration in Montgomery, Alabama.

September Williams’ CHASING MERCURY Print Edition Promotion: International Women's Day #PRESSFORPROGRESS

February 23, 2018 in Bioethics, Chasing Mercury the Novel, Echo Boomers, Eco-Fiction, Environmental Justice, Human Rights, mercury pollution, Memoir Environmentalist, Occupational Disease, Minamata disease, Peace, Resistance, Romance Novels, Social Justice, Victor Hugo

International Women's Day is March 8, 2018. http://www.un.org/en/events/womensday/history.shtml. Can I count you in again? I need my "Street Team" of Chasing Mercury supporters to mobilize and buy copies of Chasing Mercury (print edition) on Amazon this Sunday 2/25/2017 (12:01AM to 12 Midnight). If you have any questions shoot me a note. The timing will help assure the now available print version of CM’s success. Go to the Print Edition at https://www.amazon.com/Chasing-Mercury-Toxic-Trilogy/dp/0692059660/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr= Why should you care about Chasing Mercury's success for International Women's Day-- besides your affection for, well, me?

Chasing Mercury is a best Seller in 3 Amazon categories today and #1 in one of those!

February 01, 2018 in Bioethics, Chasing Mercury the Novel, Cove International, Eco-Fiction, Environmental Justice, Memoir Environmentalist, mercury pollution, Resistance, Romance Novels, Romance Suspense Saga, Social Justice

Today, Chasing Mercury is #1 Best Seller in Memoirs/Biographies and environmentalist E books., #7 in all books in that category, and #78 ( Top 100) in ebooks Mysteries, thrillers & Suspense and international Crime!

That will last a day maybe — they recalculate Amazon best sellers every hour! But thank you so much for every one who has been reading and buying Chasing Mercury over the past week!! Part of the proceeds go to Green Action for Health and Environmental Justice, www.greenaction.org and to freegrassy.net

September Williams Author of Chasing Mercury Supports GREEN ACTION (greenaction.org) because as James Baldwin once said of Bayview-Hunters Point...

December 22, 2017 in Environmental Justice, Human Rights, mercury pollution, Memoir Environmentalist, Occupational Disease, Peace, Resistance, Social Justice

“This is the San Francisco, America pretends does not exist.”

Green Action ( greenaction.org) enters its 3rd decade of coalition building and stalwart support for environmental justice, health and against environmental racism and classism in Bay View Hunters Point, Kettleman City, Richmond and in coalition with so many others struggling for Environmental Justice. If you could bear to make it to the end of my ebook or audiobook Chasing Mercury - You would notice that the last point in the final “Authors Acknowledgements” reads, “A portion of the proceeds from Chasing Mercury go to: http://freegrassy.net and also to http://greenaction.org/?page_id=181”

September Williams' Chasing Mercury: Audiobook Coming Soon: Shifting Possibilities

September 19, 2017 in Baby Boomers, Ballet, Bioethics, Chasing Mercury the Novel, Cold War, Destiny, Environmental Justice, mercury pollution, Minamata disease, Occupational Disease, Resistance, Romance Suspense Saga, Memoir Environmentalist

There is something inherently exhausting about compacting 3 years of work into 12 hours of audio recording -- I guess it's what makes diamonds. I had a great 4 days with Greg, a super sound engineer at Command Productions in Sausalito, recording the audiobook edition for Chasing Mercury. It's off to the distributors and hopefully it will be available by the end of this week or next...