Just got done watching this.

I'm somewhat biased as I am just through getting just hammered by our current healthcare system. Understood, but...

This is (or should be) a major issue --if not the issue going forward. IMHO, his view on how good other systems is, seems a bit rosey. Let's say it's half off. No biggie. Leagues better than what we are currently dealing with.

The core problems exposed in our system?

We are getting hosed. And that's really all I need to know.

Moore was successful in getting across the point about profit and health care being bad for us when linked as we are currently doing. It's just not possible to serve two masters and a large number of us suffer as a result.

Well done in that regard.

I like how doctors are free to treat, rewarded for pre-treating and for reductions in known bad conditions. Living well seems a solid trade for that.

Socking a batch of dollars away for the shareholders is not. I've had to deal with insurance companies a coupla times in my life. The elements of this documentary that focus on profit are accurate and this is a systemic issue we need to just change.

We really don't need insurance companies, nor the many middle men that buffer them and big pharma.

One line really struck me. If there is money to wage war, there is money helping people. I could not agree more.

Having faced not being able to get insurance for many of the reasons listed below. (Actually I could, other members of my family could not at rates that were less than a solid mortgate and even then it was a long wait before any help kicked in.)

There is gonna be the maximum noise possible trying to marginalize this film. Do yourself a favor, tune out until you've watched it. Forget the messenger, your party, whatever. Just watch and think about the questions and our lack of answers.

...then go take a friend.

I'll be handing copies of this out on a regular basis for a while.

Earlier tonight, I went down to the friendly local establishment where a certain radio personality with no current radio gig hosts an open forum on Monday nights. (I honestly doubt they'll get in trouble, but this is still the Internet, who knows who's reading this, so I won't name the place.) I walked in about 20 'til 8, and saw the very end of the movie. I'll describe my reaction in one word: shocked. Makes me want to run out and get a copy as soon as it's legitimately available.

I think "Sicko" may get some dialogue going - temporarily - but is it really going to change anyone's mind? People are already in a mind to fix the healthcare system, even some conservatives (who of course have a different idea of how to do it). I've heard enough about the movie already to know what Moore's general approach is. I do want to see it but I don't expect it to change my outlook or opinions at all.

Andrew

Damn good point.

It didn't change my mind on healthcare, but I'm pretty sure it raised the bar for what is and what is not an acceptable solution.

It's also somewhat motivating. Should I end up with some time and or resources in the future and something comes up where people can act, I'll do it for sure. It's likely I would have done this anyway, but now I can't wait to be able to do it.

Hearing how some other nations felt about this matter was difficult and brought some perspective. We changed the world. They have listened, followed our example in some cases and made their mistakes, of course. ...but so have we! Why can't we go about fixing them?

(The movie addresses this and it's chilling and ties directly into the corruption thread I brought up here.)

Not sure where that all goes just yet, but it's rumbling around inside, bumping into things, making me think about what is important. I will tell you this: Getting the max dollars everytime, no matter what, is not what is most important. Period, end of story. Call me socialist, call me naive, whatever. It's just not the most important. There is such a thing as plenty of money.

If one is all absorbed into the anti-universal health care POV, watches this, and does not at least go do some looking to validate these things, there are deeper problems. Moore made some strong emotional points. I try very hard to not engage in these because it's all very subjective.

I must admit, I do not find fault with the ones made. It's moving.

Yes I snagged this via bittorrent. Watch this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OlAB0v8wHdc&mode=related&search=

"I don't agree with the copyright laws. ... I make these books and movies because I want things to change. ... If a friend hands you the movie to watch for the might, is he doing something wrong? ... I don't see any money from that."

I do not download a lot of stuff. Almost nothing really, that I've no permission to download. Family is coming and it will not be easy to get them to see this in the theatre. They want to see it --I want them to see it.

I've some new hardware and haven't taken the time to learn about transcoding for DVD. Well, that's done and the result was totally watchable. Now it's time to attack some old VHS home movie tapes before they degrade too much.

When his DVD comes out, I'll return the favor, just like I did last time. I'll buy a batch of them and hand them out to people, and encourage them to do the same when they are done. I do not retain copies of this kind of thing. (Including this one --I'll toss it when it's all over.) I always buy it, consume it, then encourage others to do the same. If I need to see it again, I'll buy it, then repeat the exercise. That's very effective advocacy. Advocacy needs to be heard period.

If nobody shares, Moore makes the maximum money, but does not get the max impressions per dollar. If people do share, and return the favor, he gets max impressions and still makes a whole lot of money. Finally, if people share and do not return the favor, he still gets the max impressions, and makes plenty of money ---likely enough money.

In the end, he makes the money necessary to empower the next film, and gets the impressions he is looking for, no matter what. And, promoting the film by word of mouth is powerful and inexpensive all things considered.

The amount of traditional media noise against this film is already quite high. It's likely to be sustained. For every negative impression seen this way, having someone you know generate a postive one, and keeping the barrier to entry low, people end up seeing the movie and that's the greater point.

No harm, no foul. Say what you want on that, I feel zero shame.