Michael Moore

[lwesty]

is in a movie called "Lucky Numbers" with John Travolta and Lisa Kudrow (made in 2000). It's on right now on FX. He's clean shaven and wearing a suit and tie, made me think of him the other night with Leno. Does anyone remember this movie? It's about John and Lisa trying to fix the lottery. Coincidence, maybe...until we remember that there are no coincidences!

[BlackVelvet04]

1. Maybe.

Isn't it sad though that liberals feel like they have to fly under the radar? Do we really need to or are we just fearful of public opinion?

[lwesty]

2. Well

MM doesn't really fit the fly under the radar profile, he's usually flying directly into it, trying to take it out! It's the smart one that knows when to fly under the radar and I think this is one of those times.

[seito]

8. OMG, I just busted a gut

"..he is usually flying directly into it..."

Thank you for that analogy.

[mattclearing]

3. Interesting.

Kinda subtle. He would have to be pretty dim to do that and not pick up on the self-effacing irony. He doesn't strike me as dim. It is an extremely vague reference though, if he is trying to communicate something under the radar.

[lwesty]

6. Yes

but isn't vague, subtle, self-effacing and under the radar, all the same thing? It would be dim to do it any other way if there is a message meant to be given. I don't believe in coincidences. Everything is for a reason and there is a reason for seeing Moore on Leno (which I never watch) and my 5 yr old changing the channel from Nickelodeon to FX (which she never does) just when the scene with Moore conspiring about fixing the lottery is on ( which is comparable) and I just happen to turn away from the computer and DU to see it...

[thephaseshift]

4. Side note: of course there are coincidences

"Shit happens" and sometimes we see patterns in it. Whether something is a coincidence or not can only be talked about in terms of probabilites, and often that's real hard in real life.

I can't leave the topic without using my favorite example:

FIRST, we can all agree that "sometimes strange things happen". Simple observation. "Shit happens".

SECOND, we know that a full moon happens once a month and lasts a few hours.

THEREFORE it HAS to happen sometimes that "strange things" will occur on nights of a full moon. There's no law that says they CAN'T, right?
This is the definition of a coincidence - two events happening at the same time by chance (although we sometimes think it's more than chance).

BUT, if we notice something strange happening on such a night, we'll likely remember it as a 'strange coincidence' (if we're paying attention to the moon).
ON THE OTHER HAND, if the moon isn't full, we'll write it off as 'some weird shit happening, like it sometimes does', and forget about it.

RESULT: we store the events (strange shit during a full moon) much more often than (strange shit without a full moon), giving the false impression of a pattern, and so people start coming up with werewolf stories and claims of vague 'recent studies' showing that more weird things happen during the full moon.

Of course I'm preaching to the choir here, but I couldn't help myself ; )

[mattclearing]

5. True.

But I wouldn't discount the possibility. After all, MM wears the slacker gear as a uniform.

The Leno appearance was like Charlie Brown without his zig-zag stripe.

[lwesty]

7. OK, but...

you say there ARE coincidences and then write this long theory as to why there are NO coincidences. At least as far as the full moon is concerned. But THAT is a subject for another room! My husband and I plan on renting the movie tonight so we can watch it without kid interruption!

[mattclearing]

9. Just for the sake of argument

Perhaps we can get a screenshot of the two events in question.

If it is the exact same suit (and chances are he doesn't have many, and I doubt the wardrobe people for the movie kept one in his dimensions), I might be swayed.

[lwesty]

10. it wasn't

the same suit, on Leno he wore black and I think it was a seedy tweed in the movie...but if the last time he sported this look was for the movie...