Joe the Plumber has left the building with Elvis!

Joe Flaherty as vampire Count Floyd in Second City Television's Monster Chiller Horror Theatre - "This is going to be scary, scary boys and girls!"
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Joe Wurzelbacher, also known as" Joe the Plumber," appears at a rally in Ohio with Rupblican nominee Senator John McCain (National Post/Reuters/Brial Snyder)

The Increasingly Complicated Life Of Joe The Plumber
Kelly McParland, U.S. Politics
October 30, 2008

Life sure has been heady for Joe the Plumber since that fateful day when Barack Obama appeared in his neighbourhood and Joe wandered over to ask him a question.

Joe is Joe Wurzelbacher, the unlicensed plumber from Toledo who became famous when he was repeatedly mentioned during the final debate between Obama and John McCain. Caught in the lights of the great U.S. media machine, Joe has been turning up all over the place, endorsing McCain, campaigning with Sarah Palin, and taking a whack at a little foreign policy analysis in the bargain.

As Palin discovered, though, this fame thing can work both ways. Especially when you start talking about the death of Israel and a socialist takeover of the U.S. Maybe he should have had a word with Palin before freelancing his opinions; the Alaska governor has become an expert on the trouble you can get into when you start offering the inside scoop on other countries.

Joe has been campaigning with the McCain camp in Ohio for several days now, first with Palin, and lately with McCain. His first bit of bother followed comments he made about the likely fate of Israel should Obama be elected president.

Asked by a McCain supporter at a rally in Columbus whether he agreed “a vote for Obama is a vote for the death of Israel,” Joe responded "I’ll go ahead and agree with you on that" he said.

That wasn’t all, though. He let loose on the dangers to America as well, acknowledging he was “honestly scared for America,” should Obama win.

“I love America. I hope it remains a democracy, not a socialist society. ... If you look at spreading the wealth, that’s honestly right out of Karl Marx’s mouth,” he said. “No one can debate that. That’s not my opinion. That’s fact.” Joe ackowledged he’s no expert, telling Fox News: “You don’t want my opinion on foreign policy. I know just enough about foreign policy to probably be dangerous.” But the McCain people weren’t so reticent, issuing a statement hinting Joe could just be the next John Foster Dulles:

“While he’s clearly his own man, so far Joe has offered some penetrating and clear analysis that cuts to the core of many of the concerns that people have with Barack Obama’s statements and policies,” it said.

The Republicans were so happy with his first few appearances, they invited him back for more.

He was supposed to show up at a rally in Defiance Thursday morning -- or at least John McCain thought he was.“

Joe’s with us today,” McCain told the crowd, beckoning for Joe to show himself.

No sign of Joe. “Joe where are ya?” McCain tried again.

Still no Joe.

“Joe, I thought you were here today…,” the Republican nominee tried one more time before giving in. Oh well. Let’s try another tack. “You’re all Joe the Plumbers! So all of you stand up!” he yelled at the crowd.Turns out Joe was at home, unaware he’d been expected in Defiance.

Contacted by CNN, Joe said it was news to him. He must have beat it out of there pretty fast, though, because he did show up later in Sandusky, where McCain told another crowd about the mix-up.“I was at an event earlier and I introduced you and even though you weren’t even there they cheered for you loudly, so thank you,” he said, telling the folks that Joe is “what the free enterprise system is all about.” There are reports that Joe has signed up with an agent to manage all the requests for his time, and another report that someone started poking into his records after the debate made him famous.

The Columbus Dispatch reported that someone accessed information on Wurzelbacher’s driver’s license and his vehicle registration from the Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles database three times after the debate, It said the records were accessed using accounts assigned to the Attorney General’s office, the Cuyahoga County Child Support Enforcement Agency and the Toledo Police Department.

The information was not sought by the attorney general’s office, but the accounts were used by other law enforcement agencies, according to the report.

American cousins remember "Joe the blogger" started in Winnipeg, Manitoba C-A-N-A-D-A!

Tansi/Good Day Folks:

If you've been following the American election they've gone bananas over "Joe." First it was "Joe Six Pack!" next came "Joe the Plumber!" followed by "Joe The Biden." Well we in Canada need our own "Joe the Blogger." What about "David the Blogger!" or "Murray the Blogger?" Got ideas please e-mail them.

Also, as we increasingly market this site internationally, we've come to realize we really need an instantaneously recognizable global online corporate logo. Any ideas?

Sincerely,

"Clare the Blogger"

Found him - Courtroom 127!

Tansi/Good Day Readers:

Encountered the always affable, witty, charming and chatty Counselor Trachtenberg this morning in of all places Courtroom 127, Provincial Law Courts Building. He always seems so thrilled to see me probably because I've made him a lot of money. Prior to the arrival of slightly late Co-Defendant Terrance Paul Belhumeur, was able to inquire as to his son Aaron awarded a 3-year Rhodes Scholarship at England's Oxford University.
Offered as to how both he and his Ex must be very proud of their son to which he readily agreed. Young Aaron is planning a career researching Alzheimer's disease which is most commendable. Besides, can you imagine two Trachtenbergs simultaneously practicing law in Winnipeg? Always enjoy our little tete-a-tetes.

Today's session was shorter than anticipated as Justice Simonsen had to seek leave to attend jury selection for an upcoming trial over which she will be presiding. Shortly Her Honour will be issuing a memorandum outlining this morning's undertakings, however, as many of you know its contents are covered by a publication ban which will be in force only during the Pre-Trial Conference phase of the proceedings. Therefore, we cannot go into any more detail other than to tell you the third P-TC is scheduled for January 14, 2009 at 9:00 a.m.

Sincerely,
Clare L. Pieuk

Anyone seen MMF lawyer Murray Norman Trachtenberg this morning?

Me and My Family!

Tansi/Good Day Readers:

Were we suprised or what? Before retiring for the evening we like to do a late night sweep of our favourite blogs for pictures and ideas we can use. Imagine how we were taken aback to find the following story posted on Truth To Power (http://www.accesstoinfo.blogspot.com). In a few short months TTP has made quite a name for itself exposing power abuses by the rich, not so rich and famous. Looking at visitor numbers it's attracting quite a following throughout North America because of its many links - look at them!

As for the picture, the only people we recognize are Plaintiff David Chartrand and trusty brother Plaintiff Elbert to his immediate right. The backdrop suggests it was taken at a 40th anniversary celebration of the MMF's founding. Don't see Murray Trachtenberg. If you know anyone locate them and we'll post your reply.

By the way, Counselor Trachtenberg did not have the common courtesy to reply to our generous offer.

Clare L. Pieuk

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MANITOBA METIS FEDERATION INC.

NEWS BULLETIN!

Co-Defendant Pieuk caves in - offers MMF deal they can't refuse!
As originally posted on: CyberSmokeBlog.blogspot.com
May 16, 2006

Tansi/Good Day Folks:

Word has reached me David Chartrand is desperately looking for a way to end this turkey of a defamation lawsuit which has become an MMF public relations nightmare in the midst of an election! Therefore, to be Big about it, I've decided to help The President, his fellow Plaintiffs and Counsel Murray Norman Trachtenberg by making the following generous Offer To Settle which was surface mailed today.
Sincerely,

Clare L. Pieuk
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File No. CI 05-01-41955
THE QUEEN’S BENCH
Winnipeg Centre
(Expedited Action – Rule 20A)

BETWEEN:

MANITOBA METIS FEDERATION INC., ANITA CAMPBELL, DAVID CHARTRAND, ELBERT CHARTRAND, RITA CULLEN, DARREL DESLAURIERS, JEAN DESROSIERS, WILLIAM FLETT, JOHN FLEURY, LAURA HYRICH, JULYDA LAGIMODIERE, JOYCE LANAGAN, LEAH LAPLANTE, JUDY MAYER, ROSEMARIE McPHERSON, CLAIRE RIDDLE and DENISE THOMAS
Plaintiffs

- and -

TERRY BELHUMEUR, CLARE L. PIEUK and VANESSA EVERTON
Defendants
________________________________________
OFFER TO SETTLE

________________________________________
CLARE L. PIEUK
2-371 Des Meurons Street
Winnipeg, Manitoba
R2H 2N6

OFFER TO SETTLE – WITHOUT PREJUDICE
Defendant Clare L. Pieuk offers to settle this action on the following terms and conditions:
1. Co-Defendant Pieuk shall pay to each Plaintiff the amount of $1.00 Canadian (one Loonie) with the exception of Mr. David N. Chartrand who will receive $2.00 Canadian (one Toonie) in recognition of his position as President, Manitoba Metis Federation. Such payment shall be by way of certified cheque or bank draft or lawyer’s trust cheque and shall be received by the Plaintiffs’ Counsel within 7 days of the acceptance of this Offer and in any event, no later than 12:01 on Friday May 26, 2006.

2. The Co-Defendant will provide an original signed letter of apology to Counsel for the Plaintiffs at the time the amount of $18.00 is paid.

3. The following apology/retraction letter will be posted on http://www.cybersmokeblog.blogspot.com for ten (10) calendar days:

There has been an exchange of opinions expressed by David Chartrand and his supporters, on one hand, and myself (and others) on the other in relation to Metis hunting rights and the role of the MMF. Some of these views have been expressed publicly through a number of media – websites, newspapers and public gatherings and meetings. A number of Metis, through various means, including letters to your website have expressed a level of discomfort with all of the "arguing" going on. Some of these opinions, on both sides, have bordered close to being personal attacks and possibly dafamatory – probably because both sides speak about issues close to their hearts and what they have been fighting for a longtime.

As some point there needs to be a re-examination of the process. I won’t repeat some of the comments made about me but I believe that some of them are undeserved and go beyond what is appropriate. As for my contributions – sure I disagree with and oppose the position of the MMF on how to further our people’s hunting, fishing, harvesting and other Section 35 constitutional rights. That is my right as an MMF member. If I do not agree with my politicians – I can express that along with my reasons. Similarly, the MMF and its President can be critical of any Metis Member or any lawyer’s opinion on how these issues should be handled.

For my part, I would like to say for the record that while I have my own personal views of handling these complicated issues arising from court decisions on harvesting rights, I respect our democratic system and rules for governance. I also respect our right to free speech and the fact that we can push through advocacy and through the courts if we feel this is the better way to make our points.

Once elected, the Board of Directors and the President have the mandate to act in the manner they believe is in the best interests of the Metis in Manitoba. Judging by the diverse comments on different websites, it is clear there are vast differences of opinion on what this may be. Some people have expressed to me the belief that my comments go too far. I want to make it clear that while I may have used strong language to make some of my points, I do not intend to suggest or insinuate that the MMF Inc. or its President are doing anything illegal or malicious. I also do not intend to cast any personal attacks about any person’s personal abilities, characteristics or their personal lives. I agree with one of your reader’s comments that the interests of the Metis Nation will not be promoted by any of us "going overboard" and commenting on things that go beyond the immediate issues we are giving our opinions about.

Lionel Chartrand
February 11, 2004

4. The Manitoba Metis Federation also post this apology on its website http://www.mmf.mb.ca for ten (10) calendar days.

5. The Plaintiffs agree to pay all Co-Defendant Pieuk's legal costs plus interest forthwith

6. Within 7 days from the receipt of the funds and documents referred to in paragraphs 1, 2, 3 and 4, Counsel for the Plaintiffs will provide:

(a) A Release in a form mutually acceptable to the Plaintiffs, their Counsel and Co-Defendant Pieuk

(b) A Notice of Discontinuance without costs in a form mutually acceptable to the Plaintiffs, their Counsel and Co-Defendant Pieuk

THIS OFFER IS OPEN for acceptance until 12:01 a.m. Friday May 26, 2006 after which time it will expire.
DATED May 16, 2006.

CLARE L. PIEUK
2-371 Des Meurons Street
Winnipeg, Manitoba
R2H 2N6

TO: POSNER & TRACHTENBERG
Barristers, Solicitors & Notaries Public
710 – 491 Portage Avenue
Winnipeg, Manitoba R3B 2E4

MURRAY NORMAN TRACHTENBERG
Solicitor for the Plaintiffs

It's time to play, "Smile you're on Candid Camera!"

Truth To Power has left a new comment on your posting, "Picture, picture who's got the picture?"

Rod (almost certainly before winning his seat) was likely caught in this memorable garb - and in this memorable state of ........... - by an onlooker and fellow partygoer. I simply located it on a google search of "Rod Bruinooge MP."

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Dear Truth To Power:

Thank you for writing. Now that we've got the who we'll need the where. Could it have been taken while he was in the Yukon prior to the October 14, 2008 federal election handing out those silly, little Conservative flyers and annoying Rachael Westfall (http://www.thewaxing moon.blogspot.com) so much so she felt compelled to write a letter to the Winnipeg Free Press.

Since you're so good at this sort of thing find the where?

Clare L. Pieuk

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Candid Camera was a television series created and produced by Allen Funt, which initially began on radio as Candid Microphone June 28, 1947. After a series of theatrical film shorts, also titled Candid Microphone, Funt's concept came to television on August 10, 1948.

The format has appeared on network, syndicated or cable television in each succeeding decade, as either a regular show or a series of specials. Funt himself hosted or co-hosted almost all of the TV versions until a 1993 stroke from which he never recovered. Funt's son Peter Funt, who had co-hosted the specials with his father since 1987, is now the producer/host of the format. The premise of the show involved concealed cameras filming ordinary people being confronted with unusual situations, sometimes involving trick props, such as a desk with drawers that pop open when one is closed or a car with a hidden extra gas tank. When the joke was revealed, victims would be told the show's catch phrase, "Smile, you're on Candid Camera." With humor based on putting real people in fabricated situations, the show was a precursor to the more recent wave of prank shows such as Punk'd, Girls Behaving Badly, Fear Factor, Just For Laughs Gags and Boiling Points.

Writer Woody Allen got his start writing for the show in the 1960s and performed in some scenarios. Buster Keaton and Muhammad Ali also appeared in Candid Camera segments.
The show often played its hidden camera pranks on celebrities as well. One memorable episode had actress Ann Jillian (who is Lithuanian) scheduled to make a small donation to a Lithuanian charity. When police officers informed her a con artist was behind the charity, they convinced her to donate a much larger amount with the assurance that he would be arrested when he accepted the check. After the arrest attempt, Jillian was told the man was running a legitimate charity, a set-up that forced her into acting as though she had intended to donate hundreds of thousands of dollars all along.

Google!

Fascinating interview well worth watching!

Good Day Readers:

Found this interview on the Charlie Rose page (http://www.charlierose.com/home) with Larry Page and Sergey Brin who invented Google (1998) while Ph.D students (computer science) at Stanford University. Today it processes over 100 million information requests daily.

Can anyone please explain why Shaw Cable:

(1) airs this outstanding educational program so late (week days 11:30 - 12:30 p.m.)

(2) often runs the same show simultaneously on the Detroit and Fargo, North Dakota public television stations

Sincerely,
Clare L. Pieuk

Photograph of the day!

Good Day Readers:

Our photograph of the day award goes to The Waxing Moon for its picture entitled, Son of God? Truth To Power (http://www.accesstoinfo.blogspot.com) receives honourable mention for its example of innovative advertising.

Sincerely,
Clare L. Pieuk
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http://www.thewaxingmoon.blogspot.com

This remarkable photo of Prime Minister Stephen Harper is on the CBC news website today. I have to admit I've never seen anything quite like it. I'm sorry I ever doubted the man.

Son of God?

Over worked, underpaid over sexed are we?

Good Day Readers:

One of the early precedent setting cases occurred in Winnipeg at Nygard International where a management level employee claimed she could not meet the terms of her contract working a 40 hour week necessitating significant unpaid overtime. Here's a brief summary.

Sincerely,
Clare L. Pieuk
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Former Nygard Manager Wins Landmark Case For Overtime
Martin Cash
CanWest News Service
Wednesday, April 25, 2007

A former employee of Nygard International won $11,000 in overtime pay, a decision that could see managers across Canada be paid overtime. The Winnipeg-based women's fashion manufacturer and retailer, learned last week its final appeal to the Supreme Court of Canada was dismissed with costs. When Sharon Michalowski resigned as a regional retail supervisor in 2003, she claimed for 280 hours of overtime pay. She received rulings in her favour from Manitoba's Employment Standards Branch, Labour Board and Court of Appeal. Nygard argued each time that Ms. Michalowski signed an agreement her $42,000 annual salary "was inclusive of all hours required to fulfill" her duties. Her lawyer, Garth Smorang, argued Nygard had agreed anecdotally to give her time off in lieu of pay.
© National Post 2007
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Lawsuit Seeks OT For Bankers - CIBC Targeted
Jim Middlemiss, Financial Post

Wednesday, October 29, 2008

Class-action overtime lawsuits took an interesting twist yesterday with the filing of a $360-million suit against CIBC World Markets Inc. claiming pay on behalf of highly paid, white-collar employees, such as stock analysts, investment bankers and financial advisors.

Employment lawyers say the growing number of overtime lawsuits sends a warning to employers that they need to address their overtime policies around salaried workers.

Rob Bayne, a lawyer at Filion Wakely Thorup ... Angeletti, said, "I have no doubt that there are going to be additional class actions for issues related to salary and overtime."

Kevin Coon, a labour lawyer at Baker ... McKenzie, added that the regulation governing who is exempt from overtime laws in Ontario "hasn't been amended in quite some time."

He said the rules "were cobbled together over the years" and don't reflect today's workplace, where professional employees work long hours in exchange for lucrative pay plans.

But Henry Juroviesky, one of the lawyers who filed the suit, disagreed, saying, "The law has to protect those that are either unable to protect themselves or have extremely uneven bargaining power."

He said investment banks are full of young workers who will "do anything in order to please their employer." They are "being stepped on" and companies are "squeezing them for every waking hour of work. You don't have to be a coal miner to have protection under the [Ontario] Employment Standards Act."

Michael Brown, a former senior analyst who earned a base salary of $50,000 and provided administrative support for syndicated loans, said his employment contract with CIBC World Markets required him to work 40 to 45 hours per week. However, he claims he had to work 60 to 70 hours to achieve goals set for him by management and was never paid overtime.

Mr. Brown, the proposed lead plaintiff, claims there are other "employee categories that were required to, and expected by management and defendant to work overtime hours in order to complete job requirements without getting overtime pay," including analysts, investment bankers, investment advisors and support staff.

A CIBC spokesman said, "We intend to defend this action vigorously. Our overtime policy is clearly defined, exceeds legislative requirements in Canada and is easily accessible. It contains a clear process to resolve any questions or concerns an employee may have about overtime.

Under our policy, where overtime is requested or required by CIBC, overtime is paid. We believe that this action is unnecessary given our clear policy and process to resolve employee issues internally."

CIBC is already fighting a $600-million overtime suit involving bank tellers. Scotiabank and CN Rail are also facing multi-million-dollar overtime lawsuits. The Big Four accounting firms have all settled overtime claims with their employees.

Richard Nixon, a labour lawyer with Davis LLP, said, "Employers think that because someone is paid a salary they are not entitled to overtime pay. [That's] wrong."

In Ontario, employers can require an employee to work 44 hours a week before they have to pay 1.5 times their hourly rate. A regulation sets out which jobs are specifically exempt from the overtime provisions. It's mostly certified professionals, such as doctors, lawyers, engineers and accountants. Managers are also exempt. Everyone outside of that list is entitled to be paid overtime. Moreover, employees are limited to working 48 hours a week and employers must ask the Labour Ministry for an exemption to that rule and the employee must agree to it, even if they are being paid over time.

Mr. Coon said employers need to review their employment contracts with salaried workers who work long hours to ensure the remuneration covers some aspect of the overtime they are expected to work, otherwise employers could be on the hook for more.

Picture, picture who's got the picture?

Tansi/Good Day Readers:

We e-mailed a copy of The Waxing Moon's (http://www.thewaxingmoon.blogspot.com) Rachel Westfall's letter to us mentioning she was not the source of the party picture plus our posting, "The case of the Yukon Gold!" to Mr. Bruinooge. After an exhaustive search of his site we still couldn't find it. However, we did get this automatically generated response. Guess we'll have to hope Truth To Power (http://www.accesstoinfo.blogspot.com) will solve the mystery.

Sincerely,
Clare L. Pieuk.
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Dear Constituent,

Thank you for taking the time to contact me. I value constituent feedback as it helps me to better represent Winnipeg South. If you have not already, I encourage you to visit my website: www.voterod.com. If you would like information about the election campaign, please contact my campaign office at 989-8180. Please note this response is simply to acknowledge that I have received your email. Constituents' questions will be answered as soon as possible.

Sincerely,
Rod Bruinooge
Member of Parliament for Winnipeg South.

The mysterious "party shot!"

RachelW has left a new comment on your post, "The case of the Yukon Gold!"

Hi Clare, thanks for the plug for my blog... much appreciated! I think Mr. Bruinooge's "party shot" came from Truth to Power. I can only take credit for Mr. Pasloski's duct tape photo.
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Dear RachelW:

Thank you for writing. When we first saw your letter Mr. Bruinooge's "party shot" accompanied it so we incorrectly assumed both came together. Wonder where Truth To Power (http://www.accesstoinfo.blogspot.com) obtained it unless, of course, they too were partying with him.

Really like your logo and colour scheme - we think it may be time to "tart up" our site.

Sincerely,
Clare L. Pieuk

The case of the Yukon Gold!

Good Day Readers:

We first discovered The Waxing Moon

http://www.thewaxingmoon.b.ogspot.com

last month while viewing one of its postings on Truth To Power (http://www.accesstoinfo.blogspot.com). The site is hosted by Rachel Westfall from Whitehorse, Yukon Territory.

The article which caught our attention was a well crafted September 17, 2008 open letter entitled, "Who the hell is Rod Bruinoge?" In it Ms Westfall expresses concern over the content of flyers being distributed during the last election by the re-elected Winnipeg South MP and Parliamentary Secretary to Indian and Northern Affairs Canada Minister Chuck Strahl claiming in essence they talked down to their intended audience. Although a copy was sent to the Winnipeg Free Press by Ms Westfall, to the best of our knowledge it was never printed.

We also enjoyed this photograph posted on The Waxing Moon of Mr. Bruinooge enjoying a lighter moment in what must be a very busy schedule.

Next we were introduced us to Darrell "Duct Tape" Pasloski the unsuccessful candidate for the Yukon Territory.

Now we have this - what we're calling "The case of the Yukon Gold!" Ms Westfall is articulate, writes very well and is artistic as evidenced by the photographs and layout of The Waxing Moon. We highly recommend the site to our readership who should bookmark it.

Clare L. Pieuk

Strahl.C@parl.gc.ca/rod@bruinooge.com

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A heartfelt apology

In today's paper, Erich Stoll offered a full apology for his comment about buying votes with beer in Old Crow, Yukon. Thank you, Mr. Stoll, for your sincerity.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

I apologize for my comments Erich Stoll, Whitehorse Star, October 27, 2008.

I would like to apologize for the stupid and hurtful comments made by myself regarding the people of Old Crow and Erik Nielsen. The comments were based on a story I had heard years ago which I know not to be true, and they were made in jest in casual conversation and never meant as an official statement. These stupid and horrible comments are an example of the horrible things people can say in jest and which they do not mean and would never want showing up in a public newspaper. These comments should never have been printed in the Yukon News in the first place, but what’s done is done, and now it is a shame I will have to live with. I want to offer my deepest apologies to the people of Old Crow, the family and memory of Erik Nielsen, Darrell Pasloski and his family and supporters, and to the Yukon Conservative Party and all its members. I did not mean to cause any of you any hurt or embarrassment.

Erich Stoll, Whitehorse

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Saturday, October 25, 2008
Newsflash! The beer's on Darrell

Darrell Pasloski, Conservative candidate for Yukon in the recent federal election, probably should have shared his supply of duct tape with his supporter Erich Stoll. On election night, Stoll put his foot squarely in his mouth by suggesting, in the presence of Yukon News' senior reporter Genesee Keevil, that Pasloski could have easily bought votes in the dry community of Old Crow, had it been legal to take beer there.

Vuntut Gwichin MLA Darius Elias expressed his distress at Stoll's comment in a letter to the editor yesterday. In doing so, he spoke for many members of the Old Crow community, for other Yukon residents who don't like the implication that their votes can be bought, and quite frankly, for any community that has struggled with alcohol-related social and health problems and has taken the brave and difficult step of going dry. Thank you, Darius Elias, for saying what needed to be said. You must make your mother proud.

Update: Erich Stoll offered a full apology for his comment on Monday, October 27th's Whitehorse Star.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Editor's Note: This letter addresses a federal Conservative Party supporter's suggestion that former Yukon candidate Darrell Pasloski's campaign should have offered beer to obtain votes of Old Crow residents in the October 14 election. The speaker also suggested that former Yukon MP Erik Nielsen engaged in that practice to win votes. Long-time friend Ken McKinnon, who made many trips to Old Crow with Nielsen refuted the supporter's allegation earlier this week.

We reject your vile cultural prejudice
Darius Elias, Whitehorse Star
October 24, 2008

The people of Old Crow are offended by Erich Stoll’s comments last week in the Yukon News. I don’t usually give ugly words credibility by responding to them, but I will respond to the repeated requests from my constituents.

Old Crow residents are requesting that I address Erich Stoll’s thoughtless remarks and Darrel Pasloski’s unwillingness to discourage his supporters from communicating poisonous messages.

Erich Stoll: you obviously do not know how hurtful your comments are to the people of Old Crow or how offensive they are to all Yukoners, especially on the eve of the late honourable Erik Nielsen’s memorial! Classless, to say the least.

The community courage required by the proud people of Old Crow to decide to continue with the prohibition of alcohol in the community speaks for itself. Such spiteful characterizations of your fellow Yukoners won’t change that.

While I’m disappointed that Mr. Pasloski didn’t set the record straight and disavow his supporter’s statements, my biggest concern is for our youth and ensuring that they recognize this behaviour for what it is.

I’ve repeatedly explained to the young people in Old Crow that there are all kinds of people in the world and, yes, these kinds of people do exist, even in the Yukon. I’ve asked the youth in my community to celebrate the differences among people, all people, even these kinds of people.

I’ve asked them to reject the vile cultural prejudice that’s inherent in Eric Stoll’s message. I encouraged all youth to appreciate the vast differences in all people. and not judge them.

Darius Elias MLA
Vuntut Gwitchin Old Crow
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Pasloski restores party prospects
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
Genesee Keevil, Yukon News

Conservative candidate Darrell Pasloksi lost to incumbent Larry Bagnell, taking 32.8 per cent of the vote.

Competitive swimming and politicking are almost the same, said Conservative candidate Darrell Pasloski’s daughter Bronwyn. “It’s just I’m in the water and he’s on the land — and there are fewer competitors for him.”

It’s been a great fight, said Pasloski, thanking a crowd of about 40 supporters at the Gold Rush Inn on Tuesday night.

Although Liberal MP Larry Bagnell won the Yukon riding, with more than 45 per cent of the vote, Pasloski gave the incumbent a good run, earning almost 33 per cent. “I don’t think Larry slept as well the last few nights as he did during the last election,” said Pasloski campaign worker Craig Tuton. “Darrell worked hard,” he added. “Since Thursday I don’t know how many phone calls he made, but he was calling people 14 hours a day. “Now I know why his kids are successful swimmers, because they’ve got that drive.”

Pasloski made it to every community in the territory, except Old Crow. “I would have gone to Old Crow with a few cases of beer, then you’d get all the votes you want — that’s what (Conservative MP Erik) Nielsen used to do” said Pasloski supporter Erich Stoll. “But today you can’t take beer to Old Crow,” he added.

Stoll tags himself a realist. “I think Harper’s doing a good job because, jeez, we’re not going broke, are we?” he said.“

I like business and the economy, so I think the Conservatives are better,” said David Cerezo. The 17-year-old Venezuelan exchange student has been in the territory a month, and is interested in politics. His exchange family is Conservative, he said.

Longtime Conservative Don Cox was also a young man when he decided to join the party. “I met Diefenbaker when I was 20,” he said. Over the years, the party has changed, but Cox doesn’t “disagree with anything Harper stands for.

“Although, I have some misgivings about how Harper sells the Conservative movement to the country,” added Cox, referencing Harper’s refusal to talk to the media."

He’s making sure the things that have gone wrong for others won’t go wrong for him.” Cox, who ran as the federal Conservative candidate in the territory in 2000, was impressed with Pasloski’s showing. “It’s close right now,” he said, watching the election results roll in earlier in the evening.“

And when you consider Larry is a household word — Larry Bagnell’s on people’s tongues as much as ‘morning’ and ‘evening.’ “But Larry’s been in public life for almost all of his adult life, and he’s not been able to shine like he should have.”

"Mike's Rescue Plan - Here's How to Fix the Wall Street Mess!"

Born: Michael Francis Moore April 23, 1954 (Age 54)
Occupation: Director, Screenwriter, Producer Actor (1989-Present)
Spouse: Kathleen Glynn (1991-Present)

Good Day Readers:

A special thank you to Truth To Power (http://accesstoinfo.blogspot.com) which first brought this article to our attention.

For those not familiar with the work of Michael Moore we've included his Wikipedia profile. Growing up in Flint Michigan he was deeply troubled seeing the city economically ravaged during the 1980s as General Motors closed several of its facilities shifting them to lower paying jobs in Mexico. In 1989 he produced Roger & Me a documentary chronicling his attempts to meet with then GM President Roger Smith which gained him national prominence.

You must admit his Points: 1 (appoint a special prosecutor to indict anyone criminally responsible); 7 (cap executive salaries); and 10 (create a national bank - a people's bank) make a lot of sense.

Interesting how nothing has changed. In 1992 Ted Koppel host of ABC's Nightline interviewed then Chrystler Chairman Lee Iacocca who had just returned from a trip to Japan with a group of senior executives from the US automobile industry where they had met with their Japanese counterparts. Guess what? The hosts were amazed at the salaries of their American guests.

Michael Moore was inverviewed on Larry King Live late last week from a private citizen's home in Michigan. Barack Obama's camgaign team have set up a Joe the Plumber program which does below cost or gratis work for low income Americans who can't afford it

It has been suggested by some critics Mr. Moore sometimes plays fast and loose with the facts.

Sincerely,
Clare L. Pieuk
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Here's How to Fix the Wall Street Mess
by Michael Moore
As originally posted on: The Huffington Post
October 1, 2008

Friends,

The richest 400 Americans - that's right, just four hundred people - own MORE than the bottom 150 million Americans combined. 400 rich Americans have got more stashed away than half the entire country! Their combined net worth is $1.6 trillion. During the eight years of the Bush Administration, their wealth has increased by nearly $700 billion - the same amount that they are now demanding we give to them for the "bailout." Why don't they just spend the money they made under Bush to bail themselves out? They'd still have nearly a trillion dollars left over to spread amongst themselves!

Of course, they are not going to do that - at least not voluntarily. George W. Bush was handed a $127 billion surplus when Bill Clinton left office. Because that money was OUR money and not his, he did what the rich prefer to do - spend it and never look back. Now we have a $9.5 trillion debt. Why on earth would we even think of giving these robber barons any more of our money?
I would like to propose my own bailout plan. My suggestions, listed below, are predicated on the singular and simple belief that the rich must pull themselves up by their own platinum bootstraps. Sorry, fellows, but you drilled it into our heads one too many times: There... is... no... free... lunch. And thank you for encouraging us to hate people on welfare! So, there will be no handouts from us to you. The Senate, tonight, is going to try to rush their version of a "bailout" bill to a vote. They must be stopped. We did it on Monday with the House, and we can do it again today with the Senate.

It is clear, though, that we cannot simply keep protesting without proposing exactly what it is we think Congress should do. So, after consulting with a number of people smarter than Phil Gramm, here is my proposal, now known as "Mike's Rescue Plan." It has 10 simple, straightforward points. They are:

1. APPOINT A SPECIAL PROSECUTOR TO CRIMINALLY INDICT ANYONE ON WALL STREET WHO KNOWINGLY CONTRIBUTED TO THIS COLLAPSE. Before any new money is expended, Congress must commit, by resolution, to criminally prosecute anyone who had anything to do with the attempted sacking of our economy. This means that anyone who committed insider trading, securities fraud or any action that helped bring about this collapse must go to jail. This Congress must call for a Special Prosecutor who will vigorously go after everyone who created the mess, and anyone else who attempts to scam the public in the future.

2. THE RICH MUST PAY FOR THEIR OWN BAILOUT. They may have to live in 5 houses instead of 7. They may have to drive 9 cars instead of 13. The chef for their mini-terriers may have to be reassigned. But there is no way in hell, after forcing family incomes to go down more than $2,000 dollars during the Bush years, that working people and the middle class are going to fork over one dime to underwrite the next yacht purchase.

If they truly need the $700 billion they say they need, well, here is an easy way they can raise it:

a) Every couple who makes over a million dollars a year and every single taxpayer who makes over $500,000 a year will pay a 10% surcharge tax for five years. (It's the Senator Sanders plan. He's like Colonel Sanders, only he's out to fry the right chickens.) That means the rich will still be paying less income tax than when Carter was president. This will raise a total of $300 billion.

b) Like nearly every other democracy, charge a 0.25% tax on every stock transaction. This will raise more than $200 billion in a year.

c) Because every stockholder is a patriotic American, stockholders will forgo receiving a dividend cheque for one quarter and instead this money will go the treasury to help pay for the bailout.

d) 25% of major U.S. corporations currently pay NO federal income tax. Federal corporate tax revenues currently amount to 1.7% of the GDP compared to 5% in the 1950s. If we raise the corporate income tax back to the level of the 1950s, that gives us an extra $500 billion.

All of this combined should be enough to end the calamity. The rich will get to keep their mansions and their servants, and our United States government ("COUNTRY FIRST!") will have a little leftover to repair some roads, bridges and schools.

3. BAIL OUT THE PEOPLE LOSING THEIR HOMES, NOT THE PEOPLE WHO WILL BUILD AN EIGHTH HOME. There are 1.3 million homes in foreclosure right now. That is what is at the heart of this problem. So instead of giving the money to the banks as a gift, pay down each of these mortgages by $100,000. Force the banks to renegotiate the mortgage so the homeowner can pay on its current value. To insure that this help does no go to speculators and those who have tried to make money by flipping houses, this bailout is only for people's primary residence.

And in return for the $100K paydown on the existing mortgage, the government gets to share in the holding of the mortgage so that it can get some of its money back. Thus, the total initial cost of fixing the mortgage crisis at its roots (instead of with the greedy lenders) is $150 billion, not $700 billion.

And let's set the record straight. People who have defaulted on their mortgages are not "bad risks." They are our fellow Americans, and all they wanted was what we all want and most of us still get: a home to call their own. But during the Bush years, millions of them lost the decent paying jobs they had. Six million fell into poverty. Seven million lost their health insurance. And every one of them saw their real wages go down by $2,000. Those who dare to look down on these Americans who got hit with one bad break after another should be ashamed. We are a better, stronger, safer and happier society when all of our citizens can afford to live in a home that they own.

4. IF YOUR BANK OR COMPANY GETS ANY OF OUR MONEY IN A "BAILOUT," THEN WE OWN YOU. Sorry, that's how it's done. If the bank gives me money so I can buy a house, the bank "owns" that house until I pay it all back - with interest. Same deal for Wall Street. Whatever money you need to stay afloat, if our government considers you a safe risk - and necessary for the good of the country - then you can get a loan, but we will own you. If you default, we will sell you. This is how the Swedish government did it and it worked.

5. ALL REGULATIONS MUST BE RESTORED. THE REAGAN REVOLUTION IS DEAD. This catastrophe happened because we let the fox have the keys to the henhouse. In 1999, Phil Gramm authored a bill to remove all the regulations that governed Wall Street and our banking system. The bill passed and Clinton signed it. Here's what Sen. Phil Gramm, McCain's chief economic advisor, said at the bill signing:

"In the 1930s ... it was believed that government was the answer. It was believed that stability and growth came from government overriding the functioning of free markets.

"We are here today to repeal [that] because we have learned that government is not the answer. We have learned that freedom and competition are the answers. We have learned that we promote economic growth and we promote stability by having competition and freedom.

"I am proud to be here because this is an important bill; it is a deregulatory bill. I believe that that is the wave of the future, and I am awfully proud to have been a part of making it a reality."This bill must be repealed. Bill Clinton can help by leading the effort for the repeal of the Gramm bill and the reinstating of even tougher regulations regarding our financial institutions. And when they're done with that, they can restore the regulations for the airlines, the inspection of our food, the oil industry, OSHA, and every other entity that affects our daily lives. All oversight provisions for any "bailout" must have enforcement monies attached to them and criminal penalties for all offenders.

6. IF IT'S TOO BIG TO FAIL, THEN THAT MEANS IT'S TOO BIG TO EXIST. Allowing the creation of these mega-mergers and not enforcing the monopoly and anti-trust laws has allowed a number of financial institutions and corporations to become so large, the very thought of their collapse means an even bigger collapse across the entire economy. No one or two companies should have this kind of power. The so-called "economic Pearl Harbor" can't happen when you have hundreds - thousands - of institutions where people have their money. When you have a dozen auto companies, if one goes belly-up, we don't face a national disaster. If you have three separately-owned daily newspapers in your town, then one media company can't call all the shots (I know... What am I thinking?! Who reads a paper anymore? Sure glad all those mergers and buyouts left us with a strong and free press!). Laws must be enacted to prevent companies from being so large and dominant that with one slingshot to the eye, the giant falls and dies. And no institution should be allowed to set up money schemes that no one can understand. If you can't explain it in two sentences, you shouldn't be taking anyone's money.

7. NO EXECUTIVE SHOULD BE PAID MORE THAN 40 TIMES THEIR AVERAGE EMPLOYEE, AND NO EXECUTIVE SHOULD RECEIVE ANY KIND OF "PARACHUTE" OTHER THAN THE VERY GENEROUS SALARY HE OR SHE MADE WHILE WORKING FOR THE COMPANY. In 1980, the average American CEO made 45 times what their employees made. By 2003, they were making 254 times what their workers made. After 8 years of Bush, they now make over 400 times what their average employee makes. How this can happen at publicly held companies is beyond reason. In Britain, the average CEO makes 28 times what their average employee makes. In Japan, it's only 17 times! The last I heard, the CEO of Toyota was living the high life in Tokyo. How does he do it on so little money? Seriously, this is an outrage. We have created the mess we're in by letting the people at the top become bloated beyond belief with millions of dollars. This has to stop. Not only should no executive who receives help out of this mess profit from it, but any executive who was in charge of running his company into the ground should be fired before the company receives any help.

8. STRENGTHEN THE FDIC AND MAKE IT A MODEL FOR PROTECTING NOT ONLY PEOPLE'S SAVINGS, BUT ALSO THEIR PENSIONS AND THEIR HOMES. Obama was correct yesterday to propose expanding FDIC protection of people's savings in their banks to $250,000. But this same sort of government insurance must be given to our nation's pension funds. People should never have to worry about whether or not the money they've put away for their old age will be there. This will mean strict government oversight of companies who manage their employees' funds - or perhaps it means that the companies will have to turn over those funds and their management to the government. People's private retirement funds must also be protected, but perhaps it's time to consider not having one's retirement invested in the casino known as the stock market. Our government should have a solemn duty to guarantee that no one who grows old in this country has to worry about ending up destitute.

9. EVERYBODY NEEDS TO TAKE A DEEP BREATH, CALM DOWN, AND NOT LET FEAR RULE THE DAY. Turn off the TV! We are not in the Second Great Depression. The sky is not falling. Pundits and politicians are lying to us so fast and furious it's hard not to be affected by all the fear mongering. Even I, yesterday, wrote to you and repeated what I heard on the news, that the Dow had the biggest one day drop in its history. Well, that's true in terms of points, but its 7% drop came nowhere close to Black Monday in 1987 when the stock market in one day lost 23% of its value. In the '80s, 3,000 banks closed, but America didn't go out of business. These institutions have always had their ups and downs and eventually it works out. It has to, because the rich do not like their wealth being disrupted! They have a vested interest in calming things down and getting back into the Jacuzzi.
As crazy as things are right now, tens of thousands of people got a car loan this week. Thousands went to the bank and got a mortgage to buy a home. Students just back to college found banks more than happy to put them into hock for the next 15 years with a student loan. Life has gone on. Not a single person has lost any of their money if it's in a bank or a treasury note or a CD.

And the most amazing thing is that the American public hasn't bought the scare campaign. The citizens didn't blink, and instead told Congress to take that bailout and shove it. THAT was impressive. Why didn't the population succumb to the fright-filled warnings from their president and his cronies? Well, you can only say 'Saddam has da bomb' so many times before the people realize you're a lying sack of shite. After eight long years, the nation is worn out and simply can't take it any longer.

10. CREATE A NATIONAL BANK, A "PEOPLE'S BANK." If we really are itching to print up a trillion dollars, instead of giving it to a few rich people, why don't we give it to ourselves? Now that we own Freddie and Fannie, why not set up a people's bank? One that can provide low-interest loans for all sorts of people who want to own a home, start a small business, go to school, come up with the cure for cancer or create the next great invention. And now that we own AIG, the country's largest insurance company, let's take the next step and provide health insurance for everyone. Medicare for all. It will save us so much money in the long run. And we won't be 12th on the life expectancy list. We'll be able to have a longer life, enjoying our government-protected pension, and living to see the day when the corporate criminals who caused so much misery are let out of prison so that we can help reacclimate them to civilian life - a life with one nice home and a gas-free car that was invented with help from the People's Bank.

Yours,
Michael Moore
MMFlint@aol.com
MichaelMoore.com

P.S. Call your Senators now. Here's a backup link in case we crash that site again. They are going to attempt their own version of the Looting of America tonight. And let your representatives know if you agree with my 10-point plan.
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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Moore

Michael Francis Moore (born April 23, 1954) is an Academy Award-winning American filmmaker, author, and liberal political commentator. He is the director and producer of Bowling for Columbine, Fahrenheit 9/11, and Sicko, three of the top five highest-grossing documentaries of all time. In September 2008, he released his first free movie on the Internet, Slacker Uprising, documenting his personal crusade to encourage more Americans to vote in presidential elections. He has also written and starred in the TV shows TV Nation and The Awful Truth, both of which continue his trademark style of presenting serious documentaries in humorous ways.

Moore is a self-described liberal who has explored globalization, large corporations, gun ownership, the Iraq war, U.S. President George W. Bush and the American health care system in his written and cinematic works. In 2005 Time magazine named him one of the world's 100 most influential people. In 2005, Moore started the annual Traverse City Film Festival in Traverse City, Michigan. In 2008, he closed his Manhattan office and moved it to Traverse City, where he is working on his new film.

Biography - Early Life

Moore was born in Davison a suburb of Flint, Michigan to parents Veronica, a secretary, and Frank Moore, an automotive assembly-line worker. At that time, the city of Flint was home to many General Motors factories, where his parents and grandfather worked. His uncle was one of the founders of the United Automobile Workers labor union and participated in the Flint Sit-Down Strike. Moore has described his parents as "Irish Catholic Democrats, basic liberal good people."

Moore was brought up Roman Catholic and attended St. John's Elementary School for primary school. He then attended Davison High School, where he was active in both drama and debate, graduating in 1972. At the age of 18, he was elected to the Davison school board.

Post-School Career

After dropping out of the University of Michigan-Flint (where he wrote for the student newspaper The Michigan Times) and working for a day at the General Motors plant, at 22 he founded the alternative weekly magazine The Flint Voice, which soon changed its name to The Michigan Voice as it expanded to cover the entire state, which Moore later regretted. In 1986, when Moore became the editor of Mother Jones, a liberal political magazine, he moved to California and The Michigan Voice was shut down.

After four months at Mother Jones, Moore was fired. Matt Labash claims this was for refusing to print an article by Paul Berman that was critical of the Sandinista human rights record in Nicaragua. According to the story, Moore stated that he would not run the article because Ronald Reagan "could easily hold it up, saying, 'See, even Mother Jones agrees with me.'" Berman described Moore as a "very ideological guy and not a very well-educated guy" when asked about the incident. Moore claims that Mother Jones actually fired him because of the publisher's refusal to allow him to cover a story on the GM plant closings in his hometown of Flint, Michigan. He responded by putting laid-off GM worker Ben Hamper (who was also writing for the same magazine at the time) on the magazine's cover, leading to his termination. Moore sued for wrongful dismissal, and settled out of court for $58,000, providing him with seed money for his first film, Roger & Me.

2004

Moore was a high-profile guest at both the 2004 Democratic National Convention and the 2004 Republican National Convention, chronicling his impressions in USA Today. He was criticized in a speech by Republican Senator John McCain as "a disingenuous film-maker." Moore laughed and waved as Republican attendees jeered, later chanting "Four more years." Moore gestured his thumb and finger at the crowd, which translates into "loser."

During September and October 2004, Moore spoke at universities and colleges in swing states during his "Slacker Uprising Tour". The tour gave away ramen and underwear to young people who promised to vote. This provoked public denunciations from the Michigan Republican Party and attempts to convince the government that Moore should be arrested for buying votes, but since Moore did not tell the "slackers" involved for whom to vote, just to vote, district attorneys refused to get involved. The "Underwear" tour was a popular success. Quite possibly the most controversial stop during the tour was Utah Valley State College in Orem, Utah. A fight for his right to speak ensued and resulted in massive public debates and a media blitz. Death threats, bribes and lawsuits followed. The event was chronicled in the documentary film This Divided State.

Acting Career

He has also dabbled in acting, following a 2000 supporting role in Lucky Numbers as the cousin of Lisa Kudrow's character, who agrees to be part of the scheme concocted by John Travolta's character. He also had a cameo in his Canadian Bacon as an anti-Canada activist. In 2004, he did a cameo, as a news journalist, in The Fever, starring Vanessa Redgrave in the lead.

Marriage

Since 1990, Moore has been married to producer Kathleen Glynn, with whom he has a stepdaughter named Natalie. They live in New York City and spend quite a bit of time in Traverse City, Michigan.

Religion

Moore describes himself as a Catholic.

Directing, Films and Adwards

Moore's most recent film, Sicko, released in 2007

At the Cannes Film Festival Roger & Me

Moore first became famous for his controversial

1989 film, Roger & Me, a documentary about what happened to Flint, Michigan after General Motors closed its factories and opened new ones in Mexico, where the workers were paid much less. Since then Moore has been known as a critic of the neoliberal view of globalization. "Roger" is Roger B. Smith, former CEO and president of General Motors.

Canadian Bacon

In 1995, Moore released a satirical film, Canadian Bacon, which features a fictional US president (played by Alan Alda) engineering a fake war with Canada to boost his popularity. It is noted for containing a number of Canadian and American stereotypes, and for being Moore's only non-documentary film. The film is also one of the last featuring Canadian-born actor John Candy, and also features a number of cameos by other Canadian actors. In the film, several potential enemies for America's next great campaign are discussed by the president and his cabinet. (The scene was strongly influenced by the Stanley Kubrick film Dr. Strangelove.) The President comments that declaring war on Canada was as ridiculous as declaring war on international terrorism. His military adviser, played by Rip Torn, quickly rebuffs this idea, saying that no one would care about "...a bunch of guys driving around blowing up rent-a-cars."

The Big One

In 1997, Moore directed The Big One, which documents the tour publicizing his book Downsize This! Random Threats from an Unarmed American, in which he criticizes mass layoffs despite record corporate profits. Among others, he targets Nike for outsourcing shoe production to Indonesia.

Bowling for Columbine

Moore's 2002 film, Bowling for Columbine, probes the culture of guns and violence in the United States of 1999. Bowling for Columbine won the Anniversary Prize at the Cannes Film Festival and France's Cesar Award as the Best Foreign Film. In the United States, it won the 2002 Academy Award for Documentary Feature. It also enjoyed great commercial and critical success for a film of its type and became, at the time, the highest-grossing mainstream-released documentary (a record later held by Moore's Fahrenheit 9/11). It was praised by some for illuminating a subject slighted by the mainstream media, but it was attacked by others who claim it is inaccurate and misleading in its presentations and suggested interpretations of events.

Fahrenheit 9/11

Fahrenheit 9/11 examines America in the aftermath of the September 11, 2001 attacks, particularly the record of the Bush administration and alleged links between the families of George W. Bush and Osama bin Laden. Fahrenheit was awarded the Palme d'Or, the top honor at the Cannes Film Festival; it was the first documentary film to win the prize since 1956. Moore later announced that Fahrenheit 9/11 would not be in consideration for the 2005 Academy Award for Documentary Feature but instead for the Academy Award for Best Picture.
He stated he wanted the movie to be seen by a few million more people, preferably on television, by election day. Since November 2 was less than nine months after the film's release, it would be disqualified for the Documentary Oscar. Moore also said he wanted to be supportive of his "teammates in non-fiction film." However, Fahrenheit received no Oscar nomination for Best Picture. The title of the film alludes to the classic book Fahrenheit 451 about a future totalitarian state in which books are banned; according to the book, paper begins to burn at 451 degrees Fahrenheit.

The pre-release subtitle of the film confirms the allusion: "The temperature at which freedom burns." At the box office, Fahrenheit 9/11 remains the highest-grossing documentary of all time, taking in close to US$200 million worldwide, including United States box office revenue of US$120 million.

Sicko

Moore directed this film about the American health care system, focusing particularly on the managed-care and pharmaceutical industries. At least four major pharmaceutical companies—Pfizer, Eli Lilly, AstraZeneca, and GlaxoSmithKline—ordered their employees not to grant any interviews to Moore. According to Moore on a letter at his website, "roads that often surprise us and lead us to new ideas – and challenge us to reconsider the ones we began with have caused some minor delays."

The film premiered at the Cannes Film Festival on 19 May 2007, receiving a lengthy standing ovation, and was released in the U.S. and Canada on 29 June 2007. The film was the subject of some controversy when it became known that Moore went to Cuba with chronically ill September 11th rescue workers to shoot parts of the film. The United States is looking into whether this violates the trade embargo. The film is currently ranked the third highest grossing documentary of all time and received an Academy Award nomination for Best Documentary Feature.

Captain Mike Across America

In Captain Mike Across America Moore takes a look at the politics of college students in what he calls "Bush Administration America" with this film shot during Moore's 60-city college campus tour in the months leading up to the 2004 election. The film was later re-edited by Moore into Slacker Uprising.

Television Shows

Between 1994 and 1995, he directed and hosted the BBC television series TV Nation, which followed the format of news magazine shows but covered topics they avoid. The series aired on BBC2 in the UK. The series was also aired in the US on NBC in 1994 for 9 episodes and again for 8 episodes on FOX in 1995.

His other major series was The Awful Truth, which satirized actions by big corporations and politicians. It aired on Channel 4 in the UK, and the Bravo network in the US, in 1999 and 2000.

Another 1999 series, Michael Moore Live, was aired in the UK only on Channel 4, though it was broadcast from New York. This show had a similar format to The Awful Truth, but also incorporated phone-ins and a live stunt each week.

In 1999 Moore won the Hugh M. Hefner First Amendment Award in Arts and Entertainment, for being the executive producer and host of The Awful Truth, where he was also described as "muckraker, author and documentary filmmaker."

Music Videos

Moore has directed several music videos, including two for Rage Against the Machine for songs from "The Battle of Los Angeles," as well as, "Sleep Now in the Fire" and "Testify." He was threatened with arrest during the shooting of "Sleep Now in the Fire", which was filmed on Wall Street; the city of New York had denied the band permission to play there, although the band and Moore had secured a federal permit to perform.

He also directed video for "R.E.M." single "All the Way to Reno (You're Gonna Be a Star)" in 2001. In 2003 Moore directed a video for "System of a Down" song "Boom!"

Appearances in Other Documentaries

Moore appeared in The Drugging of Our Children, a 2005 documentary about over-prescription of psychiatric medication to children and teenagers, directed by Gary Null a proponent of Alternative Medicine. In the film Moore agrees with Garry Null that Ritalin and other similar drugs are over-prescribed, saying that they are seen as a "pacifier."

Moore appeared on fellow Flint natives Grand Funk Railroad's edition of Behind The Music.

Moore appeared as an off-camera interviewer in Blood in the Face, a 1991 documentary about white supremacy groups. The film centers around a neo-Nazivgathering in Michigan.
Moore appeared in The Yes Men, a 2003 documentary about two men who pose as the World Trade Organization. He appears during a segment concerning working conditions in Mexico and Latin America.

Moore was interviewed for the 2004 documentary, The Corporation. One of his highlighted quotes was: "The problem is the profit motive: for corporations, there's no such thing as 'enough.'"

Moore appeared briefly in Alex Jones's 2005 film Martial Law 9/11: Rise of the Police State. Jones asks Moore why he did not mention some of the information regarding the September 11 attacks in his film Fahrenheit 9/11, in particular, why he did not explain why NORAD stood down on that day. Moore replied, "Because it would be Un-American."

Moore featured prominently in the 2005 documentary This Divided State, which followed the heated level of controversy surrounding his visit to a conservative city in the United States two weeks before the 2004 election.

Moore appeared in the 2006 documentary I'm Going to Tell You a Secret, which chronicles Madonna during her 2004 Re-Invention World Tour. Moore attended her show in New York City at Madison Square Garden.

Writings and Political Views

Though Moore rejects the label "political activist,"he has been active in promoting his political views. According to John Flesher of the Associated Press, Moore is known for his "fiery left-wing populism."

Moore Has Authored Three Best-Selling Books

Downsize This! (1996), about politics and corporate crime in the United States, Stupid White Men (2001), ostensibly a critique of American domestic and foreign policy but, by Moore's own admission, "a book of political humor," and Dude, Where's My Country? (2003), an examination of the Bush family's relationships with Saudi royalty, the Bin Laden family, and the energy industry, and a call-to-action for liberals in the 2004 election.

Despite having supported Ralph Nader in 2000, Moore urged Nader not to run in the 2004 election so as not to split the left vote. (Moore joined Bill Maher on the latter's television show in kneeling before Nader to plead with him to stay out of the race.) In June 2004, Moore claimed he is not a member of the Democratic party. Although Moore endorsed General Wesley Clark for the Democratic nomination on January 14, Clark withdrew from the primary race on February 11. Moore drew attention when charging publicly that Bush was AWOL during his service in the National Guard (see George W. Bush military service controversy).

With the 2004 election over, Moore continues to collect information on the war in Iraq and the Bush administration in addition to his film projects. On several occasions during 2007, he called for Al Gore to run for President.

On April 21, 2008, Moore endorsed Barack Obama for President, claiming that Clinton's recent actions had been "disgusting."

Controversy

Moore has been at the centre of several controversies, mostly as a result of his political views and directing styls. Main article: Michael Moore controversies

Published Work - Bibliography

Moore, Michael (1996). Downsize This! Random Threats from an Unarmed American New York: HarperPerennial. ISBN 0060977337

Moore, Michael; Glynn, Kathleen (1998). Adventures In A TV Nation. New York: HarperPerennial. ISBN 0060988096

Moore, Michael (2002). Stupid White Men ...and Other Sorry Excuses for the State of the Nation! New York: Regan Books. ISBN 0060392452

Moore, Michael (2003). Dude, Where's My Country? New York: Warner Books. ISBN 0446532231

Moore, Michael (2004). Will They Ever Trust Us Again? New York: Simon & Schuster. ISBN 0743271521

Moore, Michael (2004). The Official Fahrenheit 9/11 Reader. New York: Simon & Schuster. ISBN 0743272927

Moore, Michael (2008). Mike's Election Guide 2008. New York: Grand Central Publishing. ISBN 0446546275

Filmography

Roger & Me (1989)
Pets or Meat: The Return to Flint (1992) (TV)
Canadian Bacon (1995)
The Big One (1997)
And Justice for All (1998) (TV)
Lucky Numbers (2000) (as actor)
Bowling for Columbine (2002)
Fahrenheit 9/11 (2004) "Palme d'Or" in Cannes
Sicko (2007)
Captain Mike Across America (2007)
Slacker Uprising (2008)

Television

TV Nation (1994)
The Awful Truth (1999)
Michael Moore Live (1999)