Michael Moore's "Sicko"

Exaggerations or not, the American health care system is claimed to be second to none but the mortality stats from insurance show it to be second to just about every developed country. You have to look overall, not at specific cases, or only the rich or well insured.

Remember too the “great American diet” that consist heavily of fast foods. And the poor eat fast food multiple times per week thereby exacerbating heath probelms and the needed healthcare.

It all goes together. Poverty and lack of education lead to poor diet, no health care, and increased mortality.

Why take the fun out of education?

:slight_smile:

Rupert
CharlieFrancis.com

I know. I’m not saying the healthcare system is good by any means…hell I think Trillium in Toronto is terrible and we’re in Canada. Took me over 2 hours to get a scan done MIDDAY TUESDAY. Completely understaffed.

Just saying that in order for Michael Moore style films (and other documentaries) to not recieve a lot of hostility as they do…they should be showing all sides. You have to admit they do bend the truth a little in their favor but after all, as Tim O’Brien says…a true war story is only a war story if it’s a lie (in this case…slightly and I only say slightly as a very liberal term, exagerated)

Statistically true, but the conclusion drawn is usually used by the wealthy to get out of their responsibility for society as a whole.

Argument in core: “The poor are to blame for their own misery, so why help them?”
On the other hand the poor are used as cheap labour force, sometimes under unexceptable conditions contributing to poor health, not to mention that te poor class can not provide education by and for themselves.

In the end the question is: Do we live in a society where we feel resonsible for even the “weakest link” or just in a more or less stable system which allows the strong to excel?

The continental European tradition is based on idea one (that’s why education and health care is provided by government), the Anglo-American has their principles in two (“try to make it and then pay for what you need”) - a balanced system of both seems to be the best thing, but within the last 20 years the whole world is drifting towards model two…and then we see things like:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bUpBfyxEYfk

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jBPLeKMt1bw

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4wENCIYmzM8

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ayweSDr-2Yo&NR=1

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eXTfM0DVDCQ&mode=related&search=

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Tiu5PkQxjE

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T3HqvVSEmNM

or who remembers - 15 years ago:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qOzQQEJqiok

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FrhzDqfB9kM&mode=related&search=

Paris (the city, not the …) showed: in the future ther’s more to come

Then their are these demonstrations in support of the downfall of the venezuelan president, by extension supporting the hegemonic imperialists.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mb8JVwnUy-M

You use the terms weak and strong when you should be using the terms “connected” and “outside”.
Education has always been the means by which the most talented excel but that has been a target of right wing gov’ts since Reagan/Thacher. By destroying public education, Republicans (vouchers in hand) can guarantee the ascendency of their children regardless of merit.
Bush jr is the perfect example of the triumph of connections- Yale? Harvard Business? What a bunch of horseshit! The guy’s barely literate, and, certainly, the most poorly educated Pres in over a Century!

Well, I’m not so sure about Chavez, neither the NYC councilman, but FOX is incredible. That’s not news, that’s the most stupid form of propaganda I’ve seen since the days of USSR or Goebbels ministry of propaganda, just made in a modern way.
My god, that makes Monty Pythons jokes look like reality…

I’d agree as being “connected” gives you the power and makes you “strong” in these systems.

If you play your cards right, you CAN build connections from having nothing. You just have to break the circles one step at a time. Of course…that is very rare though. Lots of premeditated trickiness :wink:

For the general public though…very true.

Bush seems like a Havard guy to me. As the old saying goes, “Its not what you know its who you know.”

Guy from boston.

Boy! You sure have a low opinion of Harvard!!
You even spell it the way most of em talk!

Its a common mistake. I always do that. Never on a test though. Speaking of grammatical mistakes anyone know what a dangling modifier is? I mean if we are going to get technical, lol. As you know Im not a fan of Bush. As for Hav-vad its a great school, hard to get into. Either you have to be a really great student or have some serious connections, or both usually. My cousin teaches computers at the extension program. I was considerning applying there for grad school because the average GRE scores are only 650, which in my opinion is not very high.

Its a common mistake. I always do that. Never on a test though. Speaking of grammatical mistakes anyone know what a dangling modifier is? I mean if we are going to get technical, lol. As you know Im not a fan of Bush. As for Hav-vad its a great school. Hard to get into. Either you have to be a really great student or have some serious connections, or both usually. My cousin teaches computers at the extension program. I was considerning applying there for grad school because the average GRE scores are only 650, which in my opinion is not very high.

What program is that for?

What do you score on the gre?

Thats a general score. Take for instance the math section is 30 questions. It is comprised of basic high school algebra. If these Harvard students are so gifted, they should be coming close to 800 on this section alone. I scored above 650 on the practice test, close to 800 for math. I’m assuming I will score over 650 easily for all three sections of the GRE based on the practice test scores and my own estimation. For the MTEL I scored in the 90th percentile for all test takers in the state of Massachusetts, which is considered the hardest teaching exam in the country. Keep in mind this test (MTEL) has a fifty percent failure rate. I am going to take a 1500$ course at Merrimac College and then I am going to take the GRE. BU has offered me a scholarship but I have to wait for my GRE results. We will see. Anyways, are you interested in going to Harvard?

Personal responsibility is the only guarantee for success, if you are putting your life in the hands of others to deliver you ‘In the pursuit of happiness’ then you might as well shit in one hand and wish in the other and see which gets filled first!!!

All these people that go to the IVY league schools think there so smart but a majority of school is self discipline. Average college grad has an IQ of 107-112, which is average. Even with a phd, average IQ is 125 which is slightly above average…average being 100-115. To me this shows that school is more self discipline than how smart you are.

Anyways you think someone like me that is so radicial would have a tough time in school. The fact is I do what a lot of people on here do, I always agree with the teacher!

Man your all over the place

What type of program are you applying for?
What type of practice tests are you taking?

I know nothing about the mtel so I wont comment on that.

What level is needed on test is also dependent on what program you are looking at. I know columbia school of education average is only like 1200 whereas there are tech schools i have never heard of that require 750 on the quant alone.

Also average IQ is 100 or slightly over, having a 125 IQ would put you in the top 2% so intelligence does have something to do with it.

Last why would you spend $1500 on prep if you say your getting over 1300 and have a scholarship?

Just one final thought. If any of you want to go to Harvard there is a back door route into the school. If you apply through the harvard extension program you are allowed to take three classes and if you achieve a b or above for all three courses you can enter the “extension program” and recieve an official Harvard diploma. Its also very cheap. Its a little known route but it was first made availabe so the average person could have a chance to go to Harvard.

Also…
Does anyone really believe the average GPA at Harvard is 3.4? Can someone say grade inflation. Guy from boston can.

Yes, 125 is considered high. Your probably smarter then 80-90% of the population if you can score this. Its not spectacular or in the 2 percentile range though. A 145+ is more of like the 2 percentile category, people like Mark Twain ect. Remember 160 is the highest, for people like charlie, haha. The GRE is scored out of 800 and has three sections. Sorry if I confused you. You don’t add the scores you can only get 800 as the highest possible total for each section. Some colleges just require you to take two sections.

My point is why is a school like Gordon College in mass, rival the test scores at Harvard for SAT and GPA. Its actually harder to get into Gordon College non-demon christian school then it is too Harvard, if your going strictly by scores. That being said if Harvard came and knocked at my door tonight I’d be enrolled in the morning.

Answer to your last question, scholarship pending GRE scores.