If you thought the documentary was amazing, watch the special features on the DVD. "An Update With Former Vice-Preseident Al Gore" will really get your emotions stirring. The year that has passed by since the filming has provided even more scientific evidence, making for a very compelling argument that we are on a self-destructive path... unless we rapidly change our ways. Still to this day, I'm blown away that some people just don't care. Heck, some even insist that there's nothing we can do. Clearly, that simply isn't true. And with Al as my virtual mentor, I've been playing an offense position for many years now to show exactly that. Of course, with such a public standing my intent isn't in doubt anymore. So I will most definitely use this DVD as a major component in my arsenal, to help prove way we can no longer be complacent. Watch it. You'll really be impressed... and shocked... and frustrated... and worried... and motivated to do something.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(john1701a @ Nov, 10:21 PM) [snapback]351937[/snapback]</div> John, it's worse than that. There are some who say Global Warming doesn't exist. Including James Inhofe, the chairman of the U.S. Senate Environmental Public Works Committee, who says GW is a hoax. Thank goodness he will be giving up his chairmanship in January to Barbara Boxer.
One question: Why didn't this film get more press? OK, I know why (the term "liberal media" is like saying "liberal talk show host Sean Hannity" or "liberal author Ann Coulter"), but that didn't stop Fahrenheit 9/11 from getting tons of press. And in case you haven't seen it yet, even if you think you know about climate change, you don't know the half of it (or at least, I didn't).
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(john1701a @ Nov 19 2006, 10:21 PM) [snapback]351937[/snapback]</div> Perhaps you can convince all the people who buy and defend their right to own gas guzzling vehicles like Hummers, SUV's, etc. I said something about people buying practical cars and several of them went ballistic and got very nasty with me for the mere suggestion of them being selfish and self-centered. I referred to SUV's particulary as a "Sea Of Monsters." If we all will be doomed because of GW then the SUV owners will be snuffed also. Do you think they'll change their vehicles after watching the film? I doubt it.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Walker1 @ Nov 20 2006, 02:13 PM) [snapback]352186[/snapback]</div> They might. Everyone has a tipping point. It was having a kid that did it for me....
As Dragonfly commented, many still don't believe the evidence that exists and supports the theory of climate change (my mother and one of my closest friends are two of these people). It will take something that personally affects these people to sway their opinion. I'm not sure if it's a matter that these people don't want to sacrifice anything, and as such they deny the evidence, or if they're truly unable to process the evidence to arrive at a sensible conclusion. In any event, it goes well beyond the types of cars we drive. The types of food products we buy, the landscaping around our houses, the heating and lighting of our ever expanding larger houses and all the "stuff" that we buy affects the climate. There are plenty of things that everyone can do to offset some of their impact on GW. People just have to care and believe.
actually the movie received a good amount of press when it was shown locally here. it actually ran about a month. quite a long time for a documentary.
I just got my copy of the DVD. I totally agree. The updated info is worth the price to see it. But at least now I have a copy I can show my friends. I'm glad to see this thread here letting those of us who didn't know it was out.
I watched it last night. Very impressive. Maybe Gore will make a more useful career as an ex-candidate than he made as a candidate. Just as Jimmy Carter is much better as a former president than he was as president. I didn't get to the bonus features last night. I'll watch them today or tonight. The neo-cons will just keep denying it, baldfaced. A lie is most effective when it's repeated boldly, and neo-cons are nothing if not bold. We'll see if the new Democratic majority is willing to force the issue. I am not hopeful. They don't have a good record where corporate profits clash with human needs.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(daniel @ Nov 23 2006, 11:14 AM) [snapback]353483[/snapback]</div> This DVD is so good, yet very scary. We have 3 SUV's in my family out of eight cars. They don't really get used that much besides the Land Rover which we got last year and already has 18,000 Miles. But, our house has alot of energy efficient technology in it, we do alot of recycle and each of our vehicles have a terrapass just to try to do as much as we can. People really need to watch this!!
Jimmy Carter was chiefly responsible for getting CAFE standards in place and recognized global warming and other environmental concerns at least 15 years before anyone else. we all poo poo his work because of a botched attempt at a rescue, but dont let one incident overshadow the good work he did do.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(DaveinOlyWA @ Nov 23 2006, 12:30 PM) [snapback]353512[/snapback]</div> Unfortunately, I think his work was poo-pooed because of more than the hostage crisis. The phrase (though it was used effectively almost 20 years later) "It's the economy, stupid" comes to mind. (I'm not calling you stupid, btw, just using Carville's words.) I just remember inflation...energy crisis...granted, I wasn't very old then. To me, Jimmy Carter is a GREAT man, but not a great president. It makes me wonder if truly "good" people can be great presidents--like maybe the modern office requires some immorality (lying, cutthroat, whatever) in order for their term to be considered successful. I've long wondered about that...
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(livelychick @ Nov 23 2006, 05:00 PM) [snapback]353544[/snapback]</div> Actually Carter was handed that mess on silver platter thanks to Nixon (who had things on his mind other than the economy in his last couple of years in office) and Ford (surprisingly, "WIN" buttons didn't automatically make inflation go away). Unlike Clinton, who successfully cleaned up the Reagan/Bush I mess, Carter didn't have what it takes to do it. If he had been elected with a good economy coming in, he would have been a GREAT president. I just hope whichever Democrat wins the 2008 presidential election has what it takes to clean up the current mess.
FOCUS! We need to deal with the problem at hand, not discuss stuff that happened decades ago. The current administration has passed on several major opportunities to reduce carbon dioxide emissions, as the DVD clearly points out. Figuring out how to overcome that counter-productive activity is what our resources should be used for.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(john1701a @ Nov 24 2006, 12:55 AM) [snapback]353635[/snapback]</div> Those who forget the past are condemned to repeat it. Actually, what happened in the Nixon/Ford/Carter administrations and Reagan/Bush I/Clinton administrations has a lot to do with what SHOULD happen two years from now. To whit: Republican mess (sound familiar?), weak Democratic president = 12 years more of Republican mess. Republican mess, strong Democratic president = mess cleaned up. OK, so then we got 8 years of Republican mess, at least we can clearly pin the blame on Bush II. And by "mess" I don't just mean economic mess; I mean the war and (especially) the environment, too. The point is, next election we need another Clinton (figuratively, if not literally speaking), not another Carter.
I got it, from Amazon. Nice that the package for the DVD is 100% recycled product...BUT, it came to me in a cardboard box, wrapped in plastic, with more paper inside the plastic...so, several points for trying, minus a few for the Amazon packaging.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Stev0 @ Nov 24 2006, 12:14 AM) [snapback]353638[/snapback]</div> Another point in the DVD is how some intentionally undermine progress by dwelling in the past. Endless discussions without conclusion prevent the next step from being taken. Most of us are already well aware of how one administration makes a mess and the following has to clean it up. The perception is that the first did more for the people, but in reality its usually the opposite. Cost of the war in Iraq hasn't been realized yet. That penalty is what the next administration will have to struggle with. They won't get credit for all that effort though. See the pattern? Just like with hybrids, its not WHY (since that part should be obvious), the real focus should be HOW (since poorly conceived plans usually have consequences). Some hybrids are not actually clean; they don't reduce smog-related emissions. So endorsing them as if they are the same really doesn't help; they are not a worthy solution. Global Warming is not the only problem we have deal with. We need to always keep goals in mind. Awareness is the key. Good intentions mean nothing when an enemy is limited time & resources... hence, inconvenient.
to say clinton was a better president based on the improvement of the economy is like saying al gore invented the internet. the economic upturn on clinton's watch imm was chiefly as a result of computers and the internet. both of them were 300 lb gorillas that would have happened no matter who was in office
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(DaveinOlyWA @ Nov 24 2006, 12:02 PM) [snapback]353687[/snapback]</div> Yes. They are both true. The difference is that the Clinton administration nurtured new technologies much to the chagrin of big business. Bush on the other hand is doind whatever possible to give economic control to oil companies, the military industrial complex, industrial corn monoculture and the most despicable, interfering with basic science research. The latter is reflected in the stem cell veto and the attempts to regulate NASA's output on climate change.