I think that you should all go see the movie "An Inconvenient Truth".
I feel so strongly that you should see it, in fact, that if you see it and you somehow feel that it was both a waste of your time and money, I will send you your money back myself. Just PM me and I will send you my address, and you can send me your ticket stub and proof of receipt. I will then send you a check for the amount that you spent on your ticket. Please also tell me who you are.
No, I am not made of money but I do think that we need to change our lives, and quickly, and this is my contribution.
Also, this is not an official endorsement of the movie or of Al Gore, but a personal conviction.
thanks JdesP. I did hear about that movie. I think that what strikes me in the preview of that one is that I feel angry, like I have with all the previous movies.....the wal-mart movie, etc. After "An Inconvenient Truth", I guess I just feel like I want to start writing letters to people, and I can't write fast enough.
not much new information, but Gore's presentation is clear and effective. The graphics used to convey the argument are great.
Climate scientists have been screaming about much of this for 20 years. I applaud Gore for trying to get "people" to listen.
[tangent]
Denmark's contribution to the 2004 Architecture Bienalle in Venice centered around issues of global ecology. One of their 7 "ideas" was presented with help from Bruce Mau: What if Greenland was Africa's Water Fountain?
[/tangent]
for more info - re: climate crisis - directed at the architecture/building industry, go to architecture2030.org
Hey I'm just trying to do my part. It's no problem.
Although if I really want to make a difference I should probably go post my challenge on the forum that all the "Intelligent Design" people use. However, as I said, I'm not made of money. ;o)
This isn't a political or partisan, religous or denominational issue.
but...since I.D. got brought up - a true follower of Biblical Scripture would have every interest in protecting Mother Earth, impending rapture or not...
You know I could swear I heard something on NPR a while back about a branch of evangelicals that were huge environmentalists. I suppose the people this issue is most relevant with would be the CEOs of the oil companies, however, I think they are the last people that need to be reimbursed for a movie.
I don't want to turn this into a 2-person conversation, so I'll shut up now.
To offer my devils advocate thoughts. WonderK - You sure you really want to put up that offer?
Nothing against the message, although I'm assuming it's much more alarmist than my personal thinking. I just don't see how this film is different from any other media on global warming, nor do I see how it will make me (or anyone else) abandon all fossil fuel transportation, reduce their carbon footprint, etc. Have you sold you car? Plan to never fly in a jet? Unplugging from the electric grid and installing a windmill? Adding geo-thermal to your house? I see you are eager to do something. So are you?
Without seeing it (of which I do plan to do) I'm troubled this film will have too much similarity to Michael Moore's Farenheight 911. It will just split down ideological lines. All the global warming proponents will get fired up - like you. While the people that don't belive before viewing won't be coverted by the film.
Hate to say it, but I think these docu-dramas have become nothing other than a form of entertainment.
agreed. i think the whole paranoia-spin strategy is the wrong way to address environmental issues. is the world going to end in our lifetime thread anyone?
it should be on an science-educational tip, not a political one. putting al gore in front of a camera assures political debate.
saw it a couple of nights ago. i agree that the presentation was really clear and very effective. and i thought the graphics were great. really shows the power of what graphic illustrations can have. anyone know who made those graphics? it'd be interesting to see tufte do some of these graphics.
The reason that I put up the offer is because it is precisely NOT like Farenheit, or the Walmart movie, etc. The presentation, as Cris mentioned, is clear, straightforward, and not angry or sarcastic. It's not meant to make you mad or paranoid. Those movies made me angry and then I went home and I did little things, like not stepping in a WalMart for 4 years. Which is great but I didn't do much else.
This movie is presented like a quirky slide show, with anecdotes and cute jokes, and the science is laid out for you. It displays graph after chart after image of how we are going wrong, and how, based on simple calculations, we could do devastating damage to our planet. And at the end it gives you a list of ways that you can limit your wastefulness and do your part to curb global warming.
And actually after this movie I did go home and start researching hybrid electric bicycles, but I'm going to have to spend some money that I don't have to get one. But I will get one.
So if you go and see the movie and you still think it's all hellfire and brimstone and it doesn't do anything for you, then let me know.
i haven't seen the movie, but want to comment on thistrailer.
in the first few seconds you see destructive images of natural disasters, hurricanes, tornadoes, etc. then the text reads "the most terrifying movie you will ever see"
again, this is only a critique of the delivery (not the message). to me that paints a picture of paranoia and is almost a dealbreaker for me going to watch it. nevertheless, i will go see it and will hold my comments until then.
do hold, dot. it's not Moore-ish at all. While it may be valid to critique the movie poster ("most terrifying blablabla"), the movie is a scientific presentation of facts sans drama (There are personal anecdotes. There is a bit of a side narrative. There is not any Michael Moore "paranoia spin-strategy" whatsoever.)
As far as Al Gore's presence "assur[ing] political debate:" He's a politician. His actions (traveling the world making the presentation that the film is based on) are in line with true civic leadership. He is being a politician, in the best sense of the word. I'm no democrat (or republican for that matter), but I would vote for Gore if this film represents his platform.
Also, as I said above, this issue is not political in nature, and it certainly is not partisan. I'm gonna link architecture2030 again because it is in line with the message of the film:
This is the situation. Now you are informed. Take action.
now i really wanna see the damn film. would think gore would make it available through bittorrent so everyone who wanted to watch it could do so...also no gas used ala vado retro' comment...no? ah well.
off topic a bit but discussion above of environmental evangelicals is ironic to me as the first modern suburbs were CREATED (yes, suburbia began as a christian movement !) and promoted in UK and NA by evangelical groups. think they are feeling guilty now?
you know, i have seen/read most of that already. Is the gore movie new info or more of a better organised version of all the science that has been floating round?
mostly a "better organized version." There wasn't anything that I could identify as new, especially since he has been giving this presentation for some number of years (evidently). The organization of the material is very good, however. It's the strongest condensed argument that I have heard to date...although a scientist or someone very familiar with the various sub-issues involved may see the film/presentation as a survey-like introduction to a greater conversation...
for my fellow angeleno archinectors, there's going to be a free screening @ california plaza downtown, on saturday @ 8. details [http://www.grandperformances.org/index.cfm/fuseaction/season_schedule.show_detail/s_id/130]here[/url]
oops. must learn to follow directions... details can be found [url=http://www.grandperformances.org/index.cfm/fuseaction/season_schedule.show_detail/s_id/130]here[/img]
honestly wouldn't have considered seeing this flick until reading the dialogue above.
like dot and A, i tend to be a lot more receptive to messages communicated logically and critically sans sensationalist uber-drama. sounds like that's the delivery here, so i'll check it out...amazing, the effect of input from respected sources. thanks AP and dubK
I finally got to see it this morning at Auckland Film Fest. I had to pay $14 for it, but it was worth every cent. And man, what a doco. I have a newfound respect for that Al.
I also went to see "Sketches of Frank Gehry" later in the day, and Gehry's narcissistic ramblings (no offence to Gehry worshippers) just did not compare with the wake-up call that Gore provided. Seeing the melted glaciers eat up the prime land along the coastline and displacing 100million people had me questioning the value of my 5 year education in architecture. I am furious at the tycoons fuelling our hunger for the kind of self-destructive lifestyle we lead, and I am enraged at being part of the unsustainable cycle myself.
He's said to have given the slideshow to over a 1000 cities already. But it appears that good majority of the people, even the ones on this forum, are refusing to wake up. Methinks by the time they do, it will be too late.
As good as the movie was......didn't anyone else notice find it odd that in alot of the movie he was riding around in the back of a lincoln town car for the narration portions of the film....okay I'm not sure it was a lincln, but I'm pretty sure it wasn't a hybrid......and how come I never saw him walking. Hell he couldn't even climb a ladder, he used an electric lift, which was probably charged thanks to a coal plant.
I'm not sure that it is an important film. It's not really much of a 'film' or 'movie' per se, as mostly it is a camera on Al Gore giving a feature film length slide presentation. It's like a return to absolute propaganda film that tauts an implicit anti-aesthetic attitude. It's a terribly unsophisticated film.
I saw it on the same day as the recent docu-celebration of Gehry, by that filmmaker who has that big mask sex party in Kubrick's Eyes Wide Shut. Don't know his name.
These two films back to back, seemed to both fail in a big way. An Inconvenient Truth has no architecture - and proposes the conservative option of 'biographical solutions to systemic contradictions', as some sociologists may put it; it is not a political film; it wants to be.
The Gehry film has nothing but Gehry, and at the Lincoln Centre Cinema I was in the bloody audience clapped when the credits rolled. I sank low low in my seat.
WonderK, thanks but I sort of did get my money's worth.
crgixxer, I sympathise - as good as its intentions, it's a ridiculous viewing experience.
This is my first post on this wonderful blog…and since the last entry, (Aug. 2006) this entry is somewhat belated.
I recently watched ‘An Inconvenient Truth’-a compelling and eye- opening film. Mr. Gore brings up many, many subjects and their affects on our planet (some familiar and some new). As an architect who has a foot in the sustainable design world, this data and the projections, will no doubt affect building design in the coming years. Besides the WOW factor of the film’s info, was a sense of fear. I found myself after the movie having a hard time falling asleep. In fact, I stirred for many hours wondering what is in store for my family; and me what can my family and I can do to help; and what I can do as an architect? Etc.
Then I started thinking of a book I read a couple of summers ago called: State of Fear, by Michael Crichton. Moreover, started wondering/ doubting the bigger message in the film, and whom it is targeting. , Wondering if the facts presented are sponsored by big money. Unfortunatly in my time, I have come to question all information: who is dishing it, who is paying for it, whom it is intended for and for what purpose. SOF really challenges the current scientist’s opinions, their agenda, and most global warming data.
This, in turn, leaves me somewhat in a ‘state of confusion’. Anyone care to clarify? Are Crichton and his 12 pages of scientific bibliographies off base, or is Gore telling us the truth?
Lastly, global warming and environmental issues should not be political subjects. They are ‘world community’ and personal issues. Unfortunatly, the US is the biggest contaminator and our current leadership cares little about it. So it becomes political, which is a real shame. We all know how our political system is flawed with inefficiencies, special interests, and big business values, renders too much mud to see the light.
Dot: ‘it should be on an science-educational tip, not a political one. putting al gore in front of a camera assures political debate.’ I could not agree with you more.
Crgixxer: I agree with many of your points. There is an element of ‘practice what you preach’ in the film. Well put.
Citadel: Too bad you found little value in the film. In addition, your comments confuse me. Remember, AIT is a documentary, and many docs have odd cinematography styles. They are not typical films. In addition, even if it was a glorified slide show, that is what it, was documenting- Al Gore’s slide show. I thought it presented the somewhat dry info in a fairly compelling and engaging way.
I'm glad you reacted critically to the film. I think that it's important to critique these types of films and to come up with our own opinion on them, to decide for ourselves what is right and wrong.
Regarding your comments on Crichton, I have never read the book (or heard of it for that matter), but what I will say is that on face value alone, I believe that Gore's movie holds a lot more sway. I guess that this has to do with motives. Crichton has made a career out of being an entertainer and would stand to gain financially from the sales of his book. Of course Gore would stand to gain financially from his movie as well, but he already occupies a very high-profile as it is, has plenty of money, and made the movie in what I might call "Bill Clinton" mode. Meaning, you notice how many good things Jimmy Carter and Bill Clinton have done since they left office? Gore seems to be in this swing right now too, and he has always been passionate about environmental science.
Everyone has their reasons for being perched on their soap box. Gore's soap box happens to be supported by facts, and they are pretty clear:
I was out of the country when those last few comments showed up in August. citadel's comments confuse me a little. Also I don't know that I would qualify "AIT" as a political film, but it could be so imbedded in my psyche that I am all mixed up. :o/
if only gore was as funny and charismatic during the presidential debate as he was on 'an inconvenient truth', maybe he could have won and mobilized some changes!
btw, no matter how much people say it's just the voice of the alarmist, i think there is startling evidence in our weather patterns that cannot be ignored. i thought the documentary was very profound and it totally got me when i saw the little polar bear hanging onto a thin sheet of ice. i think i even cried during that scene. hehe.
I recommend that you listen to the scientists themselves, crichton and gore at the end of the day dont know jack.
As part of that, I recommend that you tune in to the 2010 Imperative Teach-in www.2010imperative.org this Tuesday the 20th at noon. I am excited to hear one of the leading scientists on climate change, Dr. James Hansen, speak direcly to designers.
Thanks for all of your reponses. I appreciate the dialog, greatly. I know that Gore and Crichton have their own agendas and will or have made millions on their efforts. But I recommend, if you found the facts in Gore's movie compelling, to read Crichton's fictional book. Then page thru the bibliography. It is very impressive and extensive. I have explored a few of his biblography leads, and so far, spot on.
All good my freinds, and any more links or info you might have, are always greatly appreciated.
i was in seattle last june on vacation... i was riding the bus through downtown on my way to a mariners' baseball game when we stopped at a traffic light... there was this guy walking through traffic in the middle of the intersection screaming at the top of his lungs about the end of the world... i assumed that he was some crazy nutjob bible thumper until he walked over to the SUV that was stopped next to us in traffic and slammed the book that he was carrying up against the driver's window... i was able to see that the book was actually not a bible, but rather a copy of An Inconvenient Truth... the look on the face of the female SUV driver was priceless...
that was by far the most surreal moment of my vacation...
also, i haven't seen the movie yet, but i hope to rent it sometime soon...
I can't remember where were having the conversation about Al Gore and his big house, so I'm putting this information here:
~~~~~
Gore defends energy saving efforts
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- A day after actor Leonardo DiCaprio hailed Al Gore on the Oscar stage as a "inspirational leader in the fight against global warming," the former vice president was forced to respond to charges from a Tennessee organization that his home consumes significantly more energy than the national average .
The Tennessee Center for Policy Research charged Monday that Gore's "mansion" "consumes more electricity every month than the average American household uses in an entire year."
"The average household in America consumes 10,656 kilowatt-hours (kWh) per year, according to the Department of Energy. In 2006, Gore devoured nearly 221,000 kWh -- more than 20 times the national average," the group charged in a statement.
"Al Gore has to be willing to walk the walk, not just talk the talk, when it comes to home energy use," the groups president Drew Johnson said in the statement.
But a spokesman for Gore quickly fired back Monday night, claiming, "The Gore's purchase all of their power through the local Green Powerswitch program -- it is 100 percent renewable power."
"In addition, they are in the midst of a renovation which includes installing solar panels on their home, which will enable them to use less power," Gore's spokeswoman Kalee Kreider said in a statement.
...here's the thing, i don't need Bono to be poor or infected with AIDS or Al Gore to hoof it across country, for them to do something about the issues they care about. it's not about one individual it's about all of us deciding that change is necessary. i care that these celeb's keep the media on the issue and that it doesn't settle back into the softening grey matter in our domes.
beta I agree. It's fantastic to hear that Gore buys all of his energy green though, even if it is an enormous amount of energy!
And actually vado, I think they were saying in the "pre-oscar" show that all of them were showing up in hybrid limos.
It saddens me to think that so many people reject "Hollywood" values when there are many high-profile figures* in Hollywood who are setting good examples....
*Clearly I am not talking about Baldy and the rest of those girls.....
New York Times
From a Rapt Audience, a Call to Cool the Hype
By WILLIAM J. BROAD
Published: March 13, 2007
and an excerpt:
Geologists have documented age upon age of climate swings, and some charge Mr. Gore with ignoring such rhythms.
“Nowhere does Mr. Gore tell his audience that all of the phenomena that he describes fall within the natural range of environmental change on our planet,” Robert M. Carter, a marine geologist at James Cook University in Australia, said in a September blog. “Nor does he present any evidence that climate during the 20th century departed discernibly from its historical pattern of constant change.”
In October, Dr. Easterbrook made similar points at the geological society meeting in Philadelphia. He hotly disputed Mr. Gore’s claim that “our civilization has never experienced any environmental shift remotely similar to this” threatened change.
Nonsense, Dr. Easterbrook told the crowded session. He flashed a slide that showed temperature trends for the past 15,000 years. It highlighted 10 large swings, including the medieval warm period. These shifts, he said, were up to “20 times greater than the warming in the past century.”
Getting personal, he mocked Mr. Gore’s assertion that scientists agreed on global warming except those industry had corrupted. “I’ve never been paid a nickel by an oil company,” Dr. Easterbrook told the group. “And I’m not a Republican.”
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE MEDIA CONTACT: Ken Slavin
February 1, 2007 210-736-0856
AL GORE TO SPEAK IN SAN ANTONIO
Former Vice President is Closing Keynote Speaker for
AIA 2007 National Convention and Design Exposition To Be Held
In the Alamo City May 5-7
SAN ANTONIO -- Former Vice President Al Gore will be the closing keynote speaker at The American Institute of Architects (AIA) 2007 National Convention and Design Exposition on Saturday, May 5, in San Antonio.
The convention’s theme, “Growing Beyond Green,” will focus on future endeavors by architects to incorporate environmentally friendly concepts fully into their designs. Gore, who will talk about the built environment and its impact on greenhouse gas emissions, has recognized the recent partnership between the AIA and the U.S. Conference of Mayors to advance the concepts of environmentally conscious building design.
“We are thrilled that former Vice President Gore will be delivering his message of environmental responsibility to thousands of architects here in San Antonio,” said Chris Schultz, AIA, president of AIA San Antonio, host chapter for the national convention. “Knowing that the building sector produces almost half of the all the greenhouse gas emissions while consuming almost half of all the energy produced in the U.S., it is vital that architects assume a leadership role in reducing both statistics. Mr. Gore’s call for environmental action is a fitting way to end what will be one of the most important conventions in AIA’s history – and the second largest in San Antonio this year.”
Schultz said the convention will attract nearly 25,000 attendees, including more than 200 national media. To date, more than $3.5 million in hotel rooms in downtown San Antonio have been blocked and the estimated overall economic impact of the convention on the city will be $24.9 million.
“San Antonio is a perfect choice for this gathering because of our rich heritage in building conservation and adaptation, both highly prized in the burgeoning green building movement,” Schultz said. “In our own way, we were ‘green’ before ‘green’ was cool.”
He added that the national organization will acknowledge its 150 years of service to society during the convention.
“We are honored to have Vice President Gore, a champion of solutions to combat global warming, speak at our 2007 national convention,” said AIA CEO/Executive Vice President Christine McEntee. “We are fortunate to have someone of Mr. Gore’s stature help shine a spotlight to an often overlooked element—the impact that buildings have on the health of the overall environment.”
The AIA 2007 National Convention and Design Expo will be held May 3-5 at the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center. In addition to Gore’s speech, the event will include numerous talks and presentations by major figures in the architectural and design industries, a massive exhibition of the latest architectural products and services, more than 100 tours of local and area architectural projects, dinners, receptions, workshops and other activities. The San Antonio chapter will also present a host chapter party at La Villita for several thousand attendees, showcasing the city’s ethnic diversity with a wide variety of foods and entertainment.
AIA San Antonio is the fourth largest chapter of the AIA in the state of Texas. Nationally, AIA has nearly 72,000 licensed architects, emerging professionals, and allied partners who express their commitment to excellence in design and livability in the nation's buildings and communities. Members adhere to a code of ethics and professional conduct that assures the client, the public, and colleagues of an AIA-member architect's dedication to the highest standards in professional practice.
For additional information, contact AIA 2007 Host Chapter Convention Manager Torrey Carleton, executive director of AIA San Antonio, 210-226-4979.
Free Movie/The Challenge
I think that you should all go see the movie "An Inconvenient Truth".
I feel so strongly that you should see it, in fact, that if you see it and you somehow feel that it was both a waste of your time and money, I will send you your money back myself. Just PM me and I will send you my address, and you can send me your ticket stub and proof of receipt. I will then send you a check for the amount that you spent on your ticket. Please also tell me who you are.
No, I am not made of money but I do think that we need to change our lives, and quickly, and this is my contribution.
Also, this is not an official endorsement of the movie or of Al Gore, but a personal conviction.
www.climatecrisis.net
Thanks for your time!
-dubK
ahhh....wonderK. very admirable.
here is another you may tack onto that list. there was a screening in sf a little while ago...it's good.
http://www.sonyclassics.com/whokilledtheelectriccar/
thanks JdesP. I did hear about that movie. I think that what strikes me in the preview of that one is that I feel angry, like I have with all the previous movies.....the wal-mart movie, etc. After "An Inconvenient Truth", I guess I just feel like I want to start writing letters to people, and I can't write fast enough.
would love to see it, but don think it's coming to japan anytime soon...is it?
Anyone else seen the movie yet? Or do I have to drive you there too?
saw it last weekend in D.C.
not much new information, but Gore's presentation is clear and effective. The graphics used to convey the argument are great.
Climate scientists have been screaming about much of this for 20 years. I applaud Gore for trying to get "people" to listen.
[tangent]
Denmark's contribution to the 2004 Architecture Bienalle in Venice centered around issues of global ecology. One of their 7 "ideas" was presented with help from Bruce Mau:
What if Greenland was Africa's Water Fountain?
[/tangent]
for more info - re: climate crisis - directed at the architecture/building industry, go to architecture2030.org
oh, no re-imbursement needed. thanks dub K...kind gesture. :-)
Hey I'm just trying to do my part. It's no problem.
Although if I really want to make a difference I should probably go post my challenge on the forum that all the "Intelligent Design" people use. However, as I said, I'm not made of money. ;o)
This isn't a political or partisan, religous or denominational issue.
but...since I.D. got brought up - a true follower of Biblical Scripture would have every interest in protecting Mother Earth, impending rapture or not...
You know I could swear I heard something on NPR a while back about a branch of evangelicals that were huge environmentalists. I suppose the people this issue is most relevant with would be the CEOs of the oil companies, however, I think they are the last people that need to be reimbursed for a movie.
I don't want to turn this into a 2-person conversation, so I'll shut up now.
i will see the movie and WonderK this is the group i think you might be refering to - http://www.sojo.net/
pretty progressive group of people, intelligent, and down to earth....
To offer my devils advocate thoughts. WonderK - You sure you really want to put up that offer?
Nothing against the message, although I'm assuming it's much more alarmist than my personal thinking. I just don't see how this film is different from any other media on global warming, nor do I see how it will make me (or anyone else) abandon all fossil fuel transportation, reduce their carbon footprint, etc. Have you sold you car? Plan to never fly in a jet? Unplugging from the electric grid and installing a windmill? Adding geo-thermal to your house? I see you are eager to do something. So are you?
Without seeing it (of which I do plan to do) I'm troubled this film will have too much similarity to Michael Moore's Farenheight 911. It will just split down ideological lines. All the global warming proponents will get fired up - like you. While the people that don't belive before viewing won't be coverted by the film.
Hate to say it, but I think these docu-dramas have become nothing other than a form of entertainment.
agreed. i think the whole paranoia-spin strategy is the wrong way to address environmental issues. is the world going to end in our lifetime thread anyone?
it should be on an science-educational tip, not a political one. putting al gore in front of a camera assures political debate.
its playing at the art cinema which is at the fashion mall. i would use petrol to get there thus nullifying the point of the movie.
saw it a couple of nights ago. i agree that the presentation was really clear and very effective. and i thought the graphics were great. really shows the power of what graphic illustrations can have. anyone know who made those graphics? it'd be interesting to see tufte do some of these graphics.
A and dot-
The reason that I put up the offer is because it is precisely NOT like Farenheit, or the Walmart movie, etc. The presentation, as Cris mentioned, is clear, straightforward, and not angry or sarcastic. It's not meant to make you mad or paranoid. Those movies made me angry and then I went home and I did little things, like not stepping in a WalMart for 4 years. Which is great but I didn't do much else.
This movie is presented like a quirky slide show, with anecdotes and cute jokes, and the science is laid out for you. It displays graph after chart after image of how we are going wrong, and how, based on simple calculations, we could do devastating damage to our planet. And at the end it gives you a list of ways that you can limit your wastefulness and do your part to curb global warming.
And actually after this movie I did go home and start researching hybrid electric bicycles, but I'm going to have to spend some money that I don't have to get one. But I will get one.
So if you go and see the movie and you still think it's all hellfire and brimstone and it doesn't do anything for you, then let me know.
PS. However if you do send me your ticket stub, don't expect me not to talk about it on here.
wonderk,
i haven't seen the movie, but want to comment on thistrailer.
in the first few seconds you see destructive images of natural disasters, hurricanes, tornadoes, etc. then the text reads "the most terrifying movie you will ever see"
again, this is only a critique of the delivery (not the message). to me that paints a picture of paranoia and is almost a dealbreaker for me going to watch it. nevertheless, i will go see it and will hold my comments until then.
do hold, dot. it's not Moore-ish at all. While it may be valid to critique the movie poster ("most terrifying blablabla"), the movie is a scientific presentation of facts sans drama (There are personal anecdotes. There is a bit of a side narrative. There is not any Michael Moore "paranoia spin-strategy" whatsoever.)
As far as Al Gore's presence "assur[ing] political debate:" He's a politician. His actions (traveling the world making the presentation that the film is based on) are in line with true civic leadership. He is being a politician, in the best sense of the word. I'm no democrat (or republican for that matter), but I would vote for Gore if this film represents his platform.
Also, as I said above, this issue is not political in nature, and it certainly is not partisan. I'm gonna link architecture2030 again because it is in line with the message of the film:
This is the situation. Now you are informed. Take action.
If this guy sends me a ticket stub, I am NOT reimbursing.
What if it were a ticket stub from handjob femmine grasse?
what ! ?
now i really wanna see the damn film. would think gore would make it available through bittorrent so everyone who wanted to watch it could do so...also no gas used ala vado retro' comment...no? ah well.
off topic a bit but discussion above of environmental evangelicals is ironic to me as the first modern suburbs were CREATED (yes, suburbia began as a christian movement !) and promoted in UK and NA by evangelical groups. think they are feeling guilty now?
Earth hottest in 400 years
This is a sampling of the type of stuff you'll get in the movie. jump, we'll send it to you if it doesn't show up over there.
thanks wonder k. very kind of you.
you know, i have seen/read most of that already. Is the gore movie new info or more of a better organised version of all the science that has been floating round?
mostly a "better organized version." There wasn't anything that I could identify as new, especially since he has been giving this presentation for some number of years (evidently). The organization of the material is very good, however. It's the strongest condensed argument that I have heard to date...although a scientist or someone very familiar with the various sub-issues involved may see the film/presentation as a survey-like introduction to a greater conversation...
for my fellow angeleno archinectors, there's going to be a free screening @ california plaza downtown, on saturday @ 8. details [http://www.grandperformances.org/index.cfm/fuseaction/season_schedule.show_detail/s_id/130]here[/url]
oops. must learn to follow directions... details can be found [url=http://www.grandperformances.org/index.cfm/fuseaction/season_schedule.show_detail/s_id/130]here[/img]
dammit!!! ok, third time's the charm
honestly wouldn't have considered seeing this flick until reading the dialogue above.
like dot and A, i tend to be a lot more receptive to messages communicated logically and critically sans sensationalist uber-drama. sounds like that's the delivery here, so i'll check it out...amazing, the effect of input from respected sources. thanks AP and dubK
Knock, knock.
Who's there?
Global warming.
Global warming who?
Global "I'm going to dump 7 inches of rain on your capitol until you pay attention to me" warming.
Oh. OK.
...Of course, there are those who will argue that this film could be used as a clever prelude to a Gore presidential run in 2008.
Frankly, though, the film just doesn't come off as a self serving project. Gore seems to genuinely want people to learn about this issue.
taken from a review in EU Jacksonville, a free weekly newspaper.
I finally got to see it this morning at Auckland Film Fest. I had to pay $14 for it, but it was worth every cent. And man, what a doco. I have a newfound respect for that Al.
I also went to see "Sketches of Frank Gehry" later in the day, and Gehry's narcissistic ramblings (no offence to Gehry worshippers) just did not compare with the wake-up call that Gore provided. Seeing the melted glaciers eat up the prime land along the coastline and displacing 100million people had me questioning the value of my 5 year education in architecture. I am furious at the tycoons fuelling our hunger for the kind of self-destructive lifestyle we lead, and I am enraged at being part of the unsustainable cycle myself.
He's said to have given the slideshow to over a 1000 cities already. But it appears that good majority of the people, even the ones on this forum, are refusing to wake up. Methinks by the time they do, it will be too late.
What can architects do about it?
be a politician.
stop developers.
change current zoning codes back to pre-war days.
nah, the last two isn't possible.
turn the united states of america into the socialist states of america..
bush should make friends with fidel castro.
As good as the movie was......didn't anyone else notice find it odd that in alot of the movie he was riding around in the back of a lincoln town car for the narration portions of the film....okay I'm not sure it was a lincln, but I'm pretty sure it wasn't a hybrid......and how come I never saw him walking. Hell he couldn't even climb a ladder, he used an electric lift, which was probably charged thanks to a coal plant.
I'm not sure that it is an important film. It's not really much of a 'film' or 'movie' per se, as mostly it is a camera on Al Gore giving a feature film length slide presentation. It's like a return to absolute propaganda film that tauts an implicit anti-aesthetic attitude. It's a terribly unsophisticated film.
I saw it on the same day as the recent docu-celebration of Gehry, by that filmmaker who has that big mask sex party in Kubrick's Eyes Wide Shut. Don't know his name.
These two films back to back, seemed to both fail in a big way. An Inconvenient Truth has no architecture - and proposes the conservative option of 'biographical solutions to systemic contradictions', as some sociologists may put it; it is not a political film; it wants to be.
The Gehry film has nothing but Gehry, and at the Lincoln Centre Cinema I was in the bloody audience clapped when the credits rolled. I sank low low in my seat.
WonderK, thanks but I sort of did get my money's worth.
crgixxer, I sympathise - as good as its intentions, it's a ridiculous viewing experience.
Chris - "the presentation was really clear and very effective". This is what scares me most with so-called political films.
This is my first post on this wonderful blog…and since the last entry, (Aug. 2006) this entry is somewhat belated.
I recently watched ‘An Inconvenient Truth’-a compelling and eye- opening film. Mr. Gore brings up many, many subjects and their affects on our planet (some familiar and some new). As an architect who has a foot in the sustainable design world, this data and the projections, will no doubt affect building design in the coming years. Besides the WOW factor of the film’s info, was a sense of fear. I found myself after the movie having a hard time falling asleep. In fact, I stirred for many hours wondering what is in store for my family; and me what can my family and I can do to help; and what I can do as an architect? Etc.
Then I started thinking of a book I read a couple of summers ago called: State of Fear, by Michael Crichton. Moreover, started wondering/ doubting the bigger message in the film, and whom it is targeting. , Wondering if the facts presented are sponsored by big money. Unfortunatly in my time, I have come to question all information: who is dishing it, who is paying for it, whom it is intended for and for what purpose. SOF really challenges the current scientist’s opinions, their agenda, and most global warming data.
This, in turn, leaves me somewhat in a ‘state of confusion’. Anyone care to clarify? Are Crichton and his 12 pages of scientific bibliographies off base, or is Gore telling us the truth?
Lastly, global warming and environmental issues should not be political subjects. They are ‘world community’ and personal issues. Unfortunatly, the US is the biggest contaminator and our current leadership cares little about it. So it becomes political, which is a real shame. We all know how our political system is flawed with inefficiencies, special interests, and big business values, renders too much mud to see the light.
Dot: ‘it should be on an science-educational tip, not a political one. putting al gore in front of a camera assures political debate.’ I could not agree with you more.
Crgixxer: I agree with many of your points. There is an element of ‘practice what you preach’ in the film. Well put.
Citadel: Too bad you found little value in the film. In addition, your comments confuse me. Remember, AIT is a documentary, and many docs have odd cinematography styles. They are not typical films. In addition, even if it was a glorified slide show, that is what it, was documenting- Al Gore’s slide show. I thought it presented the somewhat dry info in a fairly compelling and engaging way.
shogo664, thanks for joining in! Nice to see you.
I'm glad you reacted critically to the film. I think that it's important to critique these types of films and to come up with our own opinion on them, to decide for ourselves what is right and wrong.
Regarding your comments on Crichton, I have never read the book (or heard of it for that matter), but what I will say is that on face value alone, I believe that Gore's movie holds a lot more sway. I guess that this has to do with motives. Crichton has made a career out of being an entertainer and would stand to gain financially from the sales of his book. Of course Gore would stand to gain financially from his movie as well, but he already occupies a very high-profile as it is, has plenty of money, and made the movie in what I might call "Bill Clinton" mode. Meaning, you notice how many good things Jimmy Carter and Bill Clinton have done since they left office? Gore seems to be in this swing right now too, and he has always been passionate about environmental science.
Everyone has their reasons for being perched on their soap box. Gore's soap box happens to be supported by facts, and they are pretty clear:
I was out of the country when those last few comments showed up in August. citadel's comments confuse me a little. Also I don't know that I would qualify "AIT" as a political film, but it could be so imbedded in my psyche that I am all mixed up. :o/
if only gore was as funny and charismatic during the presidential debate as he was on 'an inconvenient truth', maybe he could have won and mobilized some changes!
btw, no matter how much people say it's just the voice of the alarmist, i think there is startling evidence in our weather patterns that cannot be ignored. i thought the documentary was very profound and it totally got me when i saw the little polar bear hanging onto a thin sheet of ice. i think i even cried during that scene. hehe.
I definitely cried during that scene. I also cry whenever they talk about the polar bears dying on NPR.
Well, it's not their fault!
Hi Shogo,
I recommend that you listen to the scientists themselves, crichton and gore at the end of the day dont know jack.
As part of that, I recommend that you tune in to the 2010 Imperative Teach-in www.2010imperative.org this Tuesday the 20th at noon. I am excited to hear one of the leading scientists on climate change, Dr. James Hansen, speak direcly to designers.
Thanks for all of your reponses. I appreciate the dialog, greatly. I know that Gore and Crichton have their own agendas and will or have made millions on their efforts. But I recommend, if you found the facts in Gore's movie compelling, to read Crichton's fictional book. Then page thru the bibliography. It is very impressive and extensive. I have explored a few of his biblography leads, and so far, spot on.
All good my freinds, and any more links or info you might have, are always greatly appreciated.
Adios.
Save the polar bear
(the pictures seem to be a bit wacky but the content is there)
a slight detour/tangent... and funny anecdote...
i was in seattle last june on vacation... i was riding the bus through downtown on my way to a mariners' baseball game when we stopped at a traffic light... there was this guy walking through traffic in the middle of the intersection screaming at the top of his lungs about the end of the world... i assumed that he was some crazy nutjob bible thumper until he walked over to the SUV that was stopped next to us in traffic and slammed the book that he was carrying up against the driver's window... i was able to see that the book was actually not a bible, but rather a copy of An Inconvenient Truth... the look on the face of the female SUV driver was priceless...
that was by far the most surreal moment of my vacation...
also, i haven't seen the movie yet, but i hope to rent it sometime soon...
I can't remember where were having the conversation about Al Gore and his big house, so I'm putting this information here:
~~~~~
Gore defends energy saving efforts
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- A day after actor Leonardo DiCaprio hailed Al Gore on the Oscar stage as a "inspirational leader in the fight against global warming," the former vice president was forced to respond to charges from a Tennessee organization that his home consumes significantly more energy than the national average .
The Tennessee Center for Policy Research charged Monday that Gore's "mansion" "consumes more electricity every month than the average American household uses in an entire year."
"The average household in America consumes 10,656 kilowatt-hours (kWh) per year, according to the Department of Energy. In 2006, Gore devoured nearly 221,000 kWh -- more than 20 times the national average," the group charged in a statement.
"Al Gore has to be willing to walk the walk, not just talk the talk, when it comes to home energy use," the groups president Drew Johnson said in the statement.
But a spokesman for Gore quickly fired back Monday night, claiming, "The Gore's purchase all of their power through the local Green Powerswitch program -- it is 100 percent renewable power."
"In addition, they are in the midst of a renovation which includes installing solar panels on their home, which will enable them to use less power," Gore's spokeswoman Kalee Kreider said in a statement.
-- CNN Ticker Producer Alexander Mooney
i wonder how many of those limos were hybrids???
...here's the thing, i don't need Bono to be poor or infected with AIDS or Al Gore to hoof it across country, for them to do something about the issues they care about. it's not about one individual it's about all of us deciding that change is necessary. i care that these celeb's keep the media on the issue and that it doesn't settle back into the softening grey matter in our domes.
beta I agree. It's fantastic to hear that Gore buys all of his energy green though, even if it is an enormous amount of energy!
And actually vado, I think they were saying in the "pre-oscar" show that all of them were showing up in hybrid limos.
It saddens me to think that so many people reject "Hollywood" values when there are many high-profile figures* in Hollywood who are setting good examples....
*Clearly I am not talking about Baldy and the rest of those girls.....
New York Times
Geologists have documented age upon age of climate swings, and some charge Mr. Gore with ignoring such rhythms.From a Rapt Audience, a Call to Cool the Hype
By WILLIAM J. BROAD
Published: March 13, 2007
and an excerpt:
“Nowhere does Mr. Gore tell his audience that all of the phenomena that he describes fall within the natural range of environmental change on our planet,” Robert M. Carter, a marine geologist at James Cook University in Australia, said in a September blog. “Nor does he present any evidence that climate during the 20th century departed discernibly from its historical pattern of constant change.”
In October, Dr. Easterbrook made similar points at the geological society meeting in Philadelphia. He hotly disputed Mr. Gore’s claim that “our civilization has never experienced any environmental shift remotely similar to this” threatened change.
Nonsense, Dr. Easterbrook told the crowded session. He flashed a slide that showed temperature trends for the past 15,000 years. It highlighted 10 large swings, including the medieval warm period. These shifts, he said, were up to “20 times greater than the warming in the past century.”
Getting personal, he mocked Mr. Gore’s assertion that scientists agreed on global warming except those industry had corrupted. “I’ve never been paid a nickel by an oil company,” Dr. Easterbrook told the group. “And I’m not a Republican.”
this just in;
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE MEDIA CONTACT: Ken Slavin
February 1, 2007 210-736-0856
AL GORE TO SPEAK IN SAN ANTONIO
Former Vice President is Closing Keynote Speaker for
AIA 2007 National Convention and Design Exposition To Be Held
In the Alamo City May 5-7
SAN ANTONIO -- Former Vice President Al Gore will be the closing keynote speaker at The American Institute of Architects (AIA) 2007 National Convention and Design Exposition on Saturday, May 5, in San Antonio.
The convention’s theme, “Growing Beyond Green,” will focus on future endeavors by architects to incorporate environmentally friendly concepts fully into their designs. Gore, who will talk about the built environment and its impact on greenhouse gas emissions, has recognized the recent partnership between the AIA and the U.S. Conference of Mayors to advance the concepts of environmentally conscious building design.
“We are thrilled that former Vice President Gore will be delivering his message of environmental responsibility to thousands of architects here in San Antonio,” said Chris Schultz, AIA, president of AIA San Antonio, host chapter for the national convention. “Knowing that the building sector produces almost half of the all the greenhouse gas emissions while consuming almost half of all the energy produced in the U.S., it is vital that architects assume a leadership role in reducing both statistics. Mr. Gore’s call for environmental action is a fitting way to end what will be one of the most important conventions in AIA’s history – and the second largest in San Antonio this year.”
Schultz said the convention will attract nearly 25,000 attendees, including more than 200 national media. To date, more than $3.5 million in hotel rooms in downtown San Antonio have been blocked and the estimated overall economic impact of the convention on the city will be $24.9 million.
“San Antonio is a perfect choice for this gathering because of our rich heritage in building conservation and adaptation, both highly prized in the burgeoning green building movement,” Schultz said. “In our own way, we were ‘green’ before ‘green’ was cool.”
He added that the national organization will acknowledge its 150 years of service to society during the convention.
“We are honored to have Vice President Gore, a champion of solutions to combat global warming, speak at our 2007 national convention,” said AIA CEO/Executive Vice President Christine McEntee. “We are fortunate to have someone of Mr. Gore’s stature help shine a spotlight to an often overlooked element—the impact that buildings have on the health of the overall environment.”
The AIA 2007 National Convention and Design Expo will be held May 3-5 at the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center. In addition to Gore’s speech, the event will include numerous talks and presentations by major figures in the architectural and design industries, a massive exhibition of the latest architectural products and services, more than 100 tours of local and area architectural projects, dinners, receptions, workshops and other activities. The San Antonio chapter will also present a host chapter party at La Villita for several thousand attendees, showcasing the city’s ethnic diversity with a wide variety of foods and entertainment.
AIA San Antonio is the fourth largest chapter of the AIA in the state of Texas. Nationally, AIA has nearly 72,000 licensed architects, emerging professionals, and allied partners who express their commitment to excellence in design and livability in the nation's buildings and communities. Members adhere to a code of ethics and professional conduct that assures the client, the public, and colleagues of an AIA-member architect's dedication to the highest standards in professional practice.
For additional information, contact AIA 2007 Host Chapter Convention Manager Torrey Carleton, executive director of AIA San Antonio, 210-226-4979.
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