Dear Mr. Bush

[Eirene]

I think Danny should sum up his post in 10 words of less. Americans now live in a sound-bite generation. Many people rather watch other points of view (that are drummed up in 10 words or less) than read or listen to long ass monologues on why their point of view is superior.

After reading the first 2 paragraphs, the same ideology of conservatism is better than liberalism became a neverending run-on sentence.

Michael Moore has made a few documentaries since 1989 with Roger and Me and 1996 The Big One. No one said anything about those except they were both "humorous". But since Moore attacked the Gun Lobby in Bowling with Columbine, now Moore becomes Public Enemy no.1. Then all the propaganda starts exploding on how Moore is a dolt and menace for expressing a different point of view of the 2nd Constitutional amendment (The right to bear arms...). In a similar manner, Morgan Spurlock took on Worldy renowned McDonald's in Super Size Me and made McDonald's change their marketing and operations to their consumers. McDonald's changed so much (where I live) that you can only get salads and yogurt there. So what happened. Both documentaries were similar but one affected change and another was branded as a "useless liberal asshole".

I agree that Moore is on the Sheehan bandwagon and using it for his own gain. I'm not a fan of Sheehan (actually she's from a town 40 miles west from me). I think she should let her son rest in peace and move on. I don't see Moore on the bandwagon of Lori Piestewa, the first Native American woman died in combat. Extreme Makeover: Home edition of remodeling Piestewa parents home made me bawl for 2 hours.

Well, we live in a world of 20 second soundbites and 1 min video clips. It brings more meaning of a picture is worth more than 1,000 words.

[Augomatic]

I think Danny should sum up his post in 10 words of less. Americans now live in a sound-bite generation. Many people rather watch other points of view (that are drummed up in 10 words or less) than read or listen to long a*s monologues on why their point of view is superior.

After reading the first 2 paragraphs, the same ideology of conservatism is better than liberalism became a neverending run-on sentence.

Michael Moore has made a few documentaries since 1989 with Roger and Me and 1996 The Big One. No one said anything about those except they were both "humorous". But since Moore attacked the Gun Lobby in Bowling with Columbine, now Moore becomes Public Enemy no.1. Then all the propaganda starts exploding on how Moore is a dolt and menace for expressing a different point of view of the 2nd Constitutional amendment (The right to bear arms...). In a similar manner, Morgan Spurlock took on Worldy renowned McDonald's in Super Size Me and made McDonald's change their marketing and operations to their consumers. McDonald's changed so much (where I live) that you can only get salads and yogurt there. So what happened. Both documentaries were similar but one affected change and another was branded as a "useless liberal a*****e".

I agree that Moore is on the Sheehan bandwagon and using it for his own gain. I'm not a fan of Sheehan (actually she's from a town 40 miles west from me). I think she should let her son rest in peace and move on. I don't see Moore on the bandwagon of Lori Piestewa, the first Native American woman died in combat. Extreme Makeover: Home edition of remodeling Piestewa parents home made me bawl for 2 hours.

Well, we live in a world of 20 second soundbites and 1 min video clips. It brings more meaning of a picture is worth more than 1,000 words.

I only read the first 10 words of that

[Phineas]

Michael Moore has made a few documentaries since 1989 with Roger and Me and 1996 The Big One. No one said anything about those except they were both "humorous". But since Moore attacked the Gun Lobby in Bowling with Columbine, now Moore becomes Public Enemy no.1. Then all the propaganda starts exploding on how Moore is a dolt and menace for expressing a different point of view of the 2nd Constitutional amendment (The right to bear arms...). In a similar manner, Morgan Spurlock took on Worldy renowned McDonald's in Super Size Me and made McDonald's change their marketing and operations to their consumers. McDonald's changed so much (where I live) that you can only get salads and yogurt there. So what happened. Both documentaries were similar but one affected change and another was branded as a "useless liberal asshole".

Sorry, Cele, I must respectfully disagree. Here's the difference:

Supersize Me showed concrete results as to what happened when Spurlock ate McDonalds' food for a month. He quite literally put his money where his mouth was. He made parts of his message with humor, but didn't come off as preachy or smarmy. I can respect that.

Supersize Me effected change because people can relate to it. Americans are fat. We know it. The world knows it.

We didn't need a documentary to learn that eating healthier is the best way to avoid getting fat, it's common sense. People don't get fat because of ignorance that fast food is bad for you. They get fat because they're too lazy to exercise and too lazy to prepare balanced, healthy meals. That's not McDonalds' fault. No one in this country takes personal responsibility anymore. It's the same as those people who complained about smoking and not knowing that it was bad for you. C'mon. You mean the coughing, hacking up phlegm, and shortness of breath wasn't a clue? Take responsibilty for your own weaknesses.

Comparing the public's reaction between the two filmmakers is spurious logic. It's a poor comparison, because the fix for the problem of obesity is cut-and-dried: Don't eat so much, and when you do eat, eat healthier things. Problem solved.

Supersize Me should have been called: Morgan Spurlock Points Out The Painfully Obvious In A Way That Will Make You Want To Pummel Yourself For Not Thinking Of It First And Winning Sundance And A TV Development Deal. But they picked Supersize Me because the other one wouldn't fit on the poster.

On the other hand, for the issues that Michael Moore discusses, the solution is not so simple.

Unlike Spurlock, every viewpoint Michael Moore makes comes across like he's saying "I'm smarter than you and I'm smarter than these people as well." When you come across as pompous, arrogant, and self-important, you are going to open yourself up to attacks. In fact, this effect is even more pronounced when you base most of your arguments upon pointing out the EXACT SAME FLAW in the people you're trying to portray. It's hypocracy in its most basic form. I don't believe he would arouse nearly so much public ire if he presented things without that attitude.

You can disagree with someone's viewpoint without belittling them. Moore seems to forget that one can "win" an argument by actually making points and allowing his audience to gauge their merits, rather than spending the majority of your time trying to make your opponent look stupid. He, like his opposition pundits on the right, assumes that people are too stupid to make their own decisions when presented with salient facts, so he dazzles them with cheap shots, mean-spirited jokes, and out-of-context quotes.

Unfortunately for us as a race, too many people simply accept what he says as truth rather than bothering to look at both sides of an issue. That's why I despise him. He, and others like him, I believe have a responsibility to provide a balanced viewpoint. Or, failing that, they should include a disclaimer stating exactly what their own agenda is.

My opinion is: If you have a better way of doing it, tell people about it. You serve no one's interests through hollow critcisms. If you disagree with the current system, show us the alternative. Show us something better. Spurlock didn't need to do this as common sense already told us what the alternative was.

Edit: Don't use the replace option on the phpBB spell checker. It sucks ass. It doesn't actually replace stuff that it "fixes." I spent more time going back and fixing crap after using it than I would have if I'd just proofread it myself.

[Winke]

Nice Phin

Winke

[Sectoid]

Michael Moore has made a few documentaries since 1989 with Roger and Me and 1996 The Big One. No one said anything about those except they were both "humorous". But since Moore attacked the Gun Lobby in Bowling with Columbine, now Moore becomes Public Enemy no.1. Then all the propaganda starts exploding on how Moore is a dolt and menace for expressing a different point of view of the 2nd Constitutional amendment (The right to bear arms...). In a similar manner, Morgan Spurlock took on Worldy renowned McDonald's in Super Size Me and made McDonald's change their marketing and operations to their consumers. McDonald's changed so much (where I live) that you can only get salads and yogurt there. So what happened. Both documentaries were similar but one affected change and another was branded as a "useless liberal asshole".

Sorry, Cele, I must respectfully disagree. Here's the difference:

Supersize Me showed concrete results as to what happened when Spurlock ate McDonalds' food for a month. He quite literally put his money where his mouth was. He made parts of his message with humor, but didn't come off as preachy or smarmy. I can respect that.

Supersize Me effected change because people can relate to it. Americans are fat. We know it. The world knows it.

We didn't need a documentary to learn that eating healthier is the best way to avoid getting fat, it's common sense. People don't get fat because of ignorance that fast food is bad for you. They get fat because they're too lazy to exercise and too lazy to prepare balanced, healthy meals. That's not McDonalds' fault. No one in this country takes personal responsibility anymore. It's the same as those people who complained about smoking and not knowing that it was bad for you. C'mon. You mean the coughing, hacking up phlegm, and shortness of breath wasn't a clue? Take responsibilty for your own weaknesses.

Comparing the public's reaction between the two filmmakers is spurious logic. It's a poor comparison, because the fix for the problem of obesity is cut-and-dried: Don't eat so much, and when you do eat, eat healthier things. Problem solved.

Supersize Me should have been called: Morgan Spurlock Points Out The Painfully Obvious In A Way That Will Make You Want To Pummel Yourself For Not Thinking Of It First And Winning Sundance And A TV Development Deal. But they picked Supersize Me because the other one wouldn't fit on the poster.

On the other hand, for the issues that Michael Moore discusses, the solution is not so simple.

Unlike Spurlock, every viewpoint Michael Moore makes comes across like he's saying "I'm smarter than you and I'm smarter than these people as well." When you come across as pompous, arrogant, and self-important, you are going to open yourself up to attacks. In fact, this effect is even more pronounced when you base most of your arguments upon pointing out the EXACT SAME FLAW in the people you're trying to portray. It's hypocracy in its most basic form. I don't believe he would arouse nearly so much public ire if he presented things without that attitude.

You can disagree with someone's viewpoint without belittling them. Moore seems to forget that one can "win" an argument by actually making points and allowing his audience to gauge their merits, rather than spending the majority of your time trying to make your opponent look stupid. He, like his opposition pundits on the right, assumes that people are too stupid to make their own decisions when presented with salient facts, so he dazzles them with cheap shots, mean-spirited jokes, and out-of-context quotes.

Unfortunately for us as a race, too many people simply accept what he says as truth rather than bothering to look at both sides of an issue. That's why I despise him. He, and others like him, I believe have a responsibility to provide a balanced viewpoint. Or, failing that, they should include a disclaimer stating exactly what their own agenda is.

My opinion is: If you have a better way of doing it, tell people about it. You serve no one's interests through hollow critcisms. If you disagree with the current system, show us the alternative. Show us something better. Spurlock didn't need to do this as common sense already told us what the alternative was.

Edit: Don't use the replace option on the phpBB spell checker. It sucks ass. It doesn't actually replace stuff that it "fixes." I spent more time going back and fixing crap after using it than I would have if I'd just proofread it myself.

/agree

[Hall]

I still think republicans are assholes

and democrats are pussies

[Beratuul]

Dicks fuck pussies.. Dicks fuck assholes... sometimes, assholes shit all over everything.

[Xarkon]

[aroep]

someone get me a beer and a bowl of kettle corn. my leather recliner has created a high level of ahesion to my ass and i cant get up.

P.S. Fuck demos, Fuck Repubs, Fuck Moders, Fuck Radics, Fuck 'em all.

P.S.S. I'll fight you.

P.S.S.S. Where's my beer?

[Twystyd]

I love this thread and thats no joke. Thanks for everyones input.

My thoughts -

- Derek I love you and I only gave hand jobs to get through Brown fucker.

- Always prepare for the worst, if you live below sea level expect to flood when class 4 storms hit. When you live on a volcano run when fire spits out the top. Dive out of the way of cars on the street, you get my point. I was happy about the amount of time people with means had to evacuate, but was ashamed of the aftermath response rescue speed for those that had no hope.

- Both Brown of FEMA and the Gov. Haley Barbour (R) were unqualified. I can care less about there status, gender or race I judge results and they both proved shit.

- Ignorance is not owned by whites, its time for everyone to put their 'Kanye West' albums down and scrape reality. The 'let the darkies drown' scenario feeds the socially brainwashed, granting far too much faith in the current emergency plan.

- George Bush loses more of my respect every year, not that I thought he was ever stunning. But hiis 5 week 'working vacation' was in poor timing.

- I'm ready for a change; but it's a one party clusterfuck, the Dems have no agenda to sell to us. Obama, Barack- (D - IL) is fucking impressive in almost every way, but likely to young run.