In case you missed it, Michael Moore has a new “documentary” he recently premiered at the 60th Cannes Film Festival. Prior to its grand opening the film’s notoriously outspoken (loud-mouthed) director told reporters how the original copy had to be flown to a secret location-on the advice of lawyers-to avoid confiscation by the US government. Isn’t that convenient? The director would like you to believe the current administration does not want you to see this movie, so much so that the government would be willing to suspend the director’s first amendment rights in order to censor him. Fooey! Personally, I would prefer LESS of Michael and his propaganda. The new feature is entitled “Sicko” and details the many shortcomings of the United States of America’s health care system. Do not believe the hype.
First of all, to this critic, Moore’s films are not documentaries. A documentary should present factual information about a subject in an unbiased and objective fashion. Certainly, Moore’s films do not fit this definition for a documentary, if anything the films would be labeled anti-documentary. Second, Moore has been alacritous to brow-beat anyone and everyone who dare criticize his work. Because of this the critics all praise his work despite its obvious and glaring deficiencies. Seriously, if anyone else made movies like Moore they would be universally panned by the critics.
Moore’s films typically present factual and/or fictional evidence to support the director’s delirious conspiracy theories about controversial subjects (gun control, terrorism, health care) and neglect all evidence that might refute or contradict the director’s theories. In Bowling For Columbine, Moore asserts that Canadians do not lock their doors (never mind the relevance of locked/unlocked doors and the connection to gun violence). Moore affirms this in the film by crashing through the unlocked doors of a few of our unsuspecting neighbors to the North. What we do not see is how many doors Moore was unable to open because they were locked. Since viewing the movie I have made it a point to ask Canadians I meet if they lock their doors. Their overwhelming response has been OF COURSE they lock their doors. Most of them said they even lock their doors when they are home, not just when they go out. Duh?! In Fahrenheit 9/11 Moore makes all kinds of accusations about the Royal Saudi family and does not allow the Saudi’s to respond despite the fact that the Royal Saudi family granted Moore a rare opportunity to access family members and to interview them explicitly for his film. Denied. Nothing the Saudis could say that would strengthen the director’s case, I mean, they are not all suffering from Alzheimer’s disease like the head of the NRA (poor Mr. Heston, being badgered by the ridiculously opinionated Moore) and therefore easy pickins. And yet, for being so subjective, Moore’s films do not provide the audience with any substantial solutions to the topics at hand. The films do not inspire anything (except rage in a few).
So why do we watch Moore’s films? I guess because he is presenting a counter to the Neo-conservative administration. But Moore’s movies are just that, movies. That’s why the current administration could give two shits about Michael Moore’s film: it isn’t policy and it doesn’t influence policy or legislation. Sure, a few liberal jerks gobble up Moore’s drivel but they are so far left (read: “whacked”) and so disorganized that sane people have a difficult time listening to them. Besides, they don’t vote like the evangicals. No, I am afraid Mr. Moore’s new movie was never in any danger of being seized or censored; it may very well have been in danger of being a flop. If we give the movie its proper due I am sure it will flop. Nice try, jerk ass.
Spring has sprung. My allergies swing has swung. Summer is just around the corner-I can almost taste the BBQ chicken, beer brats, and beef kebabs-and that can mean only one thing: “Schools out for summer! School’s out FOREVER!” Of course, ‘forever’ only applies to those students lucky enough to be graduating and smart enough to NOT be considering graduate school. Everyone has advice for the recently graduated and so without further to do, here is mine.
Let me be the tenth person to congratulate you on your graduation. If you are a high school graduate my advice is simple and straight forward: get a summer job, get laid, and in the fall, matriculate your arse to a University-and get laid for the next 4-7 years before you take a degree.
Now then, for the newly indoctrinated collegiate graduate my advice is more, evolved. The world is a many splendid thing. Now that you have spent thousands of dollars to be educated do not succumb to the pressure to find a job. Trust me, your student loans are not going anywhere, as a matter of fact, they will always be there, or, at least it will seem that way. Besides, you are not as qualified as you think you are. Instead, get out there and experience the world’s brilliance organically. You have earned a break. Start off easy, especially if you have limited or no travel experience. You can not go from ‘never been 50 miles from home’ to vagabond over night. Take a short vacation (3 months or less) not to discover yourself but to discover what kind of world appeals to you. Travel does not have to be exotic or even international but it should take you out of your comfort zone and expose you to unfamiliar cultures. If the East coast has been your stomping grounds, head West and vice-versa. If you spent a summer studying in Italy and/or tramping across Europe, maybe you are ready for Central or South America, Africa or SEAsia. Wherever you go, plan to be back within 3 months. After this quick jaunt the travel bug (and hopefully only the travel bug) will have bitten and soon you will know if you caught travel fever. If nothing else you will probably have a new found appreciation for running water, or cleanliness and sanitation, or high speed internet, or air conditioning.
At this point you will be in debt but do not despair and DO NOT let your credit be ruined. Find a job, keeping in mind the sentiment that you are not as qualified as you think you are. Pay your bills and your loans, build up your experience and your credit and savings. Once you are qualified to do something, quit everything and do nothing but travel and that is my advice. Considering my history this advice is probably not all that surprising but then again, nothing’s shocking. Of course you could always go to graduate school (and become even less qualified to work) or you could find an underpaid overworked job like the rest of your friends. The choice is yours, you have earned it.
Do not forget to check out our updated photo gallery with pictures from our recent trip to Boonville for the 11th annual beer festival and my parents 40th anniversary bash. It’s all there and MORE!