A Couple Other Things About SiCKO

• Michael Moore has affected this sing-songy voiceover delivery somewhere along the line. He sounded like a normal person in Roger & Me, for example, but in this film he too often sounds like he's delivering a nusery rhyme. I think there was a point to the technique in Fahrenheit 9-11, like he was talking in the manner of George Bush or something, but now it just annoys.

• There's a real rousing sequence from the British Labour stalwart Tony Benn, where he talks about how societies that are demoralized are easily controlled. I do think that's a key feature of the way political power manifests itself in this country, where far too many people don't vote because they don't feel like it makes any difference. Indeed, political consultants have a vested interest in keeping voter turnout low and confined, so the electorate is knowable. In other words, politicians have a directive NOT to inspire.

• In the production notes, Moore laments that John Edwards' health care plan "gives tax dollars to private insurers." I think that's a gross misreading. In fact, Edwards would regulate the insurance industry through guaranteed issue (allowing anyone to sign up for insurance regardless of pre-existing conditions), and would use tax dollars to build a public system that could compete with the private for-profit system in the free market (and it would win, because it wouldn't have any fealty to shareholders).

OK, that's it.