Saturday, June 21, 2008
I got an email notice this morning about a free pre-release showing of "Critical Condition", a PBS POV film about the struggles of four families without health insurance, to be shown on PBS on September 30, 2008. The viewing at the arts theater in Rhinebeck would be followed by a discussion with a guy from POV (PBS's "Point of View" series). He'd be looking for comments and questions that might improve the presentation (it's actually still in production).
So, of course, I went. There were only 12 people there. Disappointing attendance, but it WAS a beautiful day, and there was a huge arts/crafts fair at the fairgrounds just up the street (I'll go to that tomorrow), and advertising was word-of-mouth.
I don't have much of an opinion on it. It left us with a lot of questions. Michael Moore's "Sicko" did a better job, but was too sensational for many. "Critical Condition" wasn't sensational enough. ("Sicko" was about people with health coverage getting the shaft from insurance companies. "Critical Condition" is about people who have no health coverage.)
And I hate to say it, but one of the four families, actually with the most critical medical condition, did not generate much compassion. Pity, yes. Compassion, no. You had the feeling right from the introduction that they were asking for it, ignoring health conditions they could have controlled cheaply if they had only thought about it. Political correctness prevented anyone from saying that, though.
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Through a circuitous route I ended up perusing a stranger's Flicker albums this afternoon (he/she had some dance photos someone else had referenced), and I came across a series of photos taken at a conference.
I looked at the people in the photos, and thought "My God! It looks like a Mensa convention, but WORSE!" I'm sorry to admit it, but I looked at those people and thought that they were not people I wanted to sit down and talk with. They had that Mensa unkempt I-don't-care-how-I-look-and-neither-should-you sloppy look, but they also had something weird about the eyes. Something a little bit blank and other-worldly. Like I wouldn't be able to connect with them even if we did talk.
I looked up the name of the group.
It was a hardcore sci-fi fan club.
Oh.
Ner'mind.
.
3 comments:
I met Xman at a SF convention. That explains it all.
Knoxville just had a sci-fi convention, I can't remember the name of it. It's an annual event and brings all kids of crazies...errr I mean "passionate fans" into town. The first year I didn't know it was going on and was shocked to see Jedi knights and such walking down here and there downtown.
Becs - Oops. Didn't mean to imply.... On the other hand, we know well what I think of Mensans, and I and The Man are both Mensans.
Chris - The convention may have been a cover story for REAL alternate reality activities. You may have to crash it sometime, just to be sure.
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