It appears there was more action outside of the film festival's theatre than inside.

There was a loud <a href='http://www.cbc.ca/arts/stories/frenchprotest20040422' target='_blank'>protest</a> among various entertainers and technicians who were furious at a plan to cut back on their unemployment benefits:

Quote:Current conditions require approximately 100,000 actors and technicians to work 507 hours each year to qualify for 12 months of unemployment pay.

The new plan [would] shorten the period to 507 hours worked during approximately 10 months to receive eight months pay.

The government said the changes were the result of wide abuse of the benefit plan.

In other words, we have 100,000 people who work less than three months per year who want to be paid as if they are working all year long. Of course, this is all funded by the French public, by force. Three months work + nine months on the dole = Full annual benefits. Gee, I'm just so surprised this program was abused so much. I would've never thought... :rolleyes:

As if on cue, publicity hound and leftist multi-millionaire Michael Moore <a href='http://www.reuters.co.uk/newsPackageArticle.jhtml?type=topNews&storyID=511417§ion=news' target='_blank'>came to their rescue</a>, supporting the part-time workers' cause for full-time pay. Since Moore is obviously loaded, and will make a mint off his new "documentary", why doesn't he offer to pay the benefits for these protestors? Or is he just good at supporting the massive expenditures of other peoples' money, abuse of the system be damned?

BTW, one of the most popular films shown at this festival thus far has been "The Edukator". It received a 10-minute standing ovation. The 'plot' of the film is of three young teens who break into rich peoples' homes, scatter their belongings around the floor, and leave notes that read, "you make too much money" or "your days of plenty are numbered". (ah... class warfare always gets a good cheer from the crowd)

Shouldn't these guys be breaking into Moore's million-dollar Manhattan home sometime soon?

Kinda what Boortz said:

Quote:MICHAEL MOORE A HERO ..... IN FRANCE.&nbsp; GO FIGURE.

Earlier this week I told you that the winning film at the Cannes Film Festival would be either anti-capitalist or anti-American.&nbsp; It looks like the Prophet of the Church of the Painful Truth has scored another one.

There are two real hits at Cannes so far.&nbsp; One is a German film&nbsp; called "The Edukators" which features a gang of teenagers who break into the homes of wealthy Germans, rearrange their furniture, and leave behind a not saying "You have too much money."&nbsp; And just why do these people have too much money?&nbsp; Because they buy expensive things, that's why.&nbsp; Because they have worked smart, they have worked hard, they have planned wisely, and they have prospered.&nbsp; To the leftist, anti-capitalist mind, this is bad.&nbsp; Everybody should have an equal amount of stuff.&nbsp; Individual accomplishment is bad ... because it exalts the individual over society.&nbsp; Mind you, this German film made no mention whatsoever of what would be the fate of the people who earned their livings making all of this expensive stuff that the teens found so distressing.

The other big hit?&nbsp; Well, no surprise here.&nbsp; It's Michael Moore's "Fahrenheit 9/11," an anti-Bush screed from the hyper-liberal who developed a compilation of lies and half-truths called "Bowling for Columbine" that thrilled the Hollywood crowd mightily.&nbsp; Drudge was reporting yesterday that Moore's hit-piece drew the longest standing ovation in the history of the film festival.&nbsp; This is supposed to be news?&nbsp; Hey, folks.&nbsp; Cannes, in case you didn't know, is in France!&nbsp; And the people who are swarming around that place, especially in the showings, are the Hollywood elite!&nbsp; Of course they're going to jump to their feet and applaud anything that denigrates Bush, America, or our efforts to make the world safe from Islamofascist terrorism.

If you're surprised that Michael Moore received a standing ovation from that crowd, you need to increase your dosages.

When Boortz is on, he's on. I wish he'd stick more to these kinds of topics (individuality, free market, federal spending, etc). He's been a little too pro-Iraq/pro-Bush for me lately. But, regardless, I still enjoy his columns when I remember to check it out. He's done a fine job exposing abusive eminent domain over the past year.

Motown Bronco Wrote:As if on cue, publicity hound and leftist multi-millionaire Michael Moore <a href='http://www.reuters.co.uk/newsPackageArticle.jhtml?type=topNews&storyID=511417§ion=news' target='_blank'>came to their rescue</a>, supporting the part-time workers' cause for full-time pay. Since Moore is obviously loaded, and will make a mint off his new "documentary", why doesn't he offer to pay the benefits for these protestors? Or is he just good at supporting the massive expenditures of other peoples' money, abuse of the system be damned?

Why doesn't our millionaire president and his millionaire cronies put up some of their own riches, not to mention the riches that their companies are making off the war, to fund some of our effort and particularly increase the 18K the likes of Pat Tillman are "making" by fighting it for them? :mad:

HuskieDan Wrote:

Motown Bronco Wrote:As if on cue, publicity hound and leftist multi-millionaire Michael Moore <a href='http://www.reuters.co.uk/newsPackageArticle.jhtml?type=topNews&storyID=511417§ion=news' target='_blank'>came to their rescue</a>, supporting the part-time workers' cause for full-time pay.&nbsp; Since Moore is obviously loaded, and will make a mint off his new "documentary", why doesn't he offer to pay the benefits for these protestors?&nbsp; Or is he just good at supporting the massive expenditures of other peoples' money, abuse of the system be damned?

Why doesn't our millionaire president and his millionaire cronies put up some of their own riches, not to mention the riches that their companies are making off the war, to fund some of our effort and particularly increase the 18K the likes of Pat Tillman are "making" by fighting it for them? :mad:

Because much of this war has "private" funding.

Regarding Moore: my favorite commentator and writer, Christopher Hitchens, addressed the Cannes controversy on Scarborough Country tonight the following way:

Hitchens: "As an intelligent, sophisticated, polished European, I must acknowledge that of course, most of the antagonism towards America comes from fellow intelligent, sophisticated, polished Europeans who tend to condescendingly describe Americans as obnoxious, fat, ignorant, stupid, overly-ambitious slobs with no self-control. It strikes me as ironic then, that these people have selected as their representative an American who embodies each and every one of those characteristics."

Thats not an exact quote, but its close. It had me cracking up. Hitchens is a genius, and one of the most naturally brilliant public intellectuals of the day.

Quote:Hitchens is a genius, and one of the most naturally brilliant public intellectuals of the day.

Right. Most brilliant intellectuals I know use insults like fat, ignorant and stupid. Indeed, I was talking with one of those brilliant intellectuals in a run down trailer park the other day and, between drags on her cig and yelling at her 7 kids, she used precisely the same language.

MAKO Wrote:

Quote:Hitchens is a genius, and one of the most naturally brilliant public intellectuals of the day.

Right. Most brilliant intellectuals I know use insults like fat, ignorant and stupid. Indeed, I was talking with one of those brilliant intellectuals in a run down trailer park the other day and, between drags on her cig and yelling at her 7 kids, she used precisely the same language.

I bet you're a lot of fun at a cocktail party.

OUGwave Wrote:

MAKO Wrote:

Quote:Hitchens is a genius, and one of the most naturally brilliant public intellectuals of the day.

Right. Most brilliant intellectuals I know use insults like fat, ignorant and stupid. Indeed, I was talking with one of those brilliant intellectuals in a run down trailer park the other day and, between drags on her cig and yelling at her 7 kids, she used precisely the same language.

I bet you're a lot of fun at a cocktail party.

Probably not as much fun as the intellectual genius with 7 kids from the trailer park.

Quote:Right. Most brilliant intellectuals I know use insults like fat, ignorant and stupid.

Those juvenile insults are usually only reserved for Michael Moore and Al Franken book titles. :D

Somewhat related, I do like the quote that says (paraphrase): "How can a 320-pound man lecture us on the evils of overconsumption?"

Motown Bronco Wrote:

Quote:Right. Most brilliant intellectuals I know use insults like fat, ignorant and stupid.

Those juvenile insults are usually only reserved for Michael Moore and Al Franken book titles. :D

Somewhat related, I do like the quote that says (paraphrase): "How can a 320-pound man lecture us on the evils of overconsumption?"

There was a news report the other day that Michael Moore had actually been targeted by PeTA as a celebrity to send a care package to. This package supposedly included a personal letter of concern, diet plan and ( of course) a starter kit on becoming a vegan. Gotta love it! :D

MAKO Wrote:Right.&nbsp; Most brilliant intellectuals I know use insults like fat, ignorant and stupid.

Actually, Hitchens was describing the sophisicated Europeans condescending views of Americans, as opposed to using the terms himself. Try to actually READ something before you leap to conclusions, or weren't you taught that in university? You guys remind me of some of my history students.

tiger85 Wrote:

MAKO Wrote:Right.  Most brilliant intellectuals I know use insults like fat, ignorant and stupid.

Yes, well that does indeed pose a bit of a problem for "intellectuals" like Al " Rush Limbaugh Is A Big Fat Liar" Franken. Shall we concur then that Mr. Franken was raised in one of the trailer parks you so obviously disdain? :D