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The NTSA will need to prove that Exxon/Mobil has no influence on  
their policy, and I'd venture that'll be easier than trying to  
disavow the implicit politics of "An Inconvenient Truth."

The film clearly falls into a fuzzy space between categories.  I  
don't know of any precedents, but I'd love to know of some, if you  
know of any.

For a documentary, it is certainly curious that the ONLY talking head  
is Mr. Gore's, interspersed liberally with what must be a half dozen  
scenes in which our handsome candidate is shown staring thoughtfully  
--and presidentially-- out a window, contemplating our warming  
planet--and maybe that chilling oval office.  I don't know a single  
person who has seen it who doesn't bring up the political issue in  
their critique.  My Bush-voting parents won't see it because they  
naturally assume it's a political film...(now if they'd had Mel  
Gibson...)

At its core, it's Gore.  It's a "personal journey" narrative,  
complete with walks through the pastures of his childhood, while it  
ostensibly focuses on the development and deployment of a slide show.

Despite the potentially revolting NTSA/Exxon-Mobil issue, and despite  
the hype coming from the already-converted, I'm gonna dare to say the  
film is actually kinda lame & if there's any question as to how your  
audience will perceive your involvement, leave it well enough alone.

Frankly, we need a better film if we're gonna take any heat.


--jasonJayStevens
jasonJayStevensStudios
[log in to unmask]



On Nov 28, 2006, at 2:23 PM, Evan Koblentz wrote:

> ISEN-ASTC-L is a service of the Association of Science-Technology  
> Centers
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>
>>>> Are we going to hide every time we think there might be some  
>>>> pushback
> from the ignorant right? Are we worried about offending Rush Limbaugh?
>
> Hell no, but I think it is crazy to say that Gore is a suddenly an  
> impartial
> filmmaker just because he isn't currently holding or running for  
> office.  I
> honestly do not think that even Gore would tell you that.
>
>>>> even the empassioned words of an ex-vice-president
>
> I can't think of any headline politician in this country who I would
> consider remotely capable of producing an impartial movie about such a
> controversial topic.
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Stephen Uzzo [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
> Sent: Tuesday, November 28, 2006 3:16 PM
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Re: [ISEN] Al Gore's film
>
> ISEN-ASTC-L is a service of the Association of Science-Technology  
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> Incorporated, a worldwide network of science museums and related
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>
> If it was not Al Gore narrating and promoting the movie, would any  
> of these
> doubts exist? The arguments against sound a bit disingenuous. This  
> is not
> "Fahrenheit 911." The content should stand on its own. I think we have
> gotten a pretty definitive answer on that. Al Gore is not running for
> office. What's the problem?
>
> Are we going to hide every time we think there might be some  
> pushback from
> the ignorant right? Are we worried about offending Rush Limbaugh?
> If we believe that global warming is a problem, then we should be  
> pulling
> out all the stops to get the word out, even the empassioned words  
> of an
> ex-vice-president. Am I sounding too empassioned about this?
>
> Jonah Cohen wrote:
>> ISEN-ASTC-L is a service of the Association of Science-Technology
>> Centers Incorporated, a worldwide network of science museums and  
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>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: Informal Science Education Network
>> [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Evan Koblentz
>>
>> I really, truly want to believe both of those statements.  But my
>> training is in journalism, and my brain just can't separate the
>> concepts of "popular politician" and "documentary" without "bias"
>> forcing 'em back together.
>> Sorry.
>>
>> ********************************************************************* 
>> *
>> *
>>
>> I dunno on that, Evan. A reasonably well-respected skeptic (Carl
>> Sagan) would likely include the above statement under one item in his
>> "baloney detection kit" --- the ad hominem attack.
>>
>> "Al Gore is a (retired) politician, therefore anything he says  
>> must be
>> politically biased/political propaganda"... that's attacking Gore
>> himself, not doing anything to demonstrate that the movie in question
>> is, in fact, propaganda or is scientifically flawed.
>>
>> Jonah Cohen
>> Outreach & Public Programs Manager
>> The Children's Museum
>>
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>
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>
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