Persistence of Vision http://www.thempi.org/pov/ en-us Copyright 2010 Wed, 08 Sep 2010 15:05:13 -0500 http://www.sixapart.com/movabletype/ http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss Bob Bowdon on Varney & Co, Mark Levin Show The Cartel director Bob Bowdon made another appearance on Fox Business Network's Varney & Co. on August 30, talking about the recent LA Times article that released teacher effectiveness ratings: He was also recently interviewed by the nationally syndicated Mark Levin Show. Click here to listen to the segment. (Bob's interview begins around the 54:00 mark.) ]]> http://www.thempi.org/pov/2010/09/bob_bowdon_on_varney_co_mark_l.shtml http://www.thempi.org/pov/2010/09/bob_bowdon_on_varney_co_mark_l.shtml Wed, 08 Sep 2010 15:05:13 -0500 Weekly Standard recognizes The Cartel Cartel poster.jpg Recently the Weekly Standard named The Cartel among education documentaries that have blown the lid off the corruption and waste in America's public schools, bringing ideas about reform into the mainstream. They credit The Cartel with hitting the nail on the head, especially concerning New Jersey:
...For the first time in living memory, poor-performing teachers and the unions that protect them are under real scrutiny. So much so that even documentarians--the most liberal enclave of the most liberal institution (the entertainment-industrial complex) in American society--are now taking aim at union excesses. Theaters across the country have seen an explosion of films that cast a critical eye on public schools and the reasons for their failures. First up was The Cartel, a look at the impact teachers' unions have had on schools in New Jersey. Bob Bowdon's documentary...successfully drives home the fact that throwing money at the problem of our public schools will solve nothing: New Jersey has one of the highest per capita rates of spending on education in the country. Governor Chris Christie has taken this lesson to heart; he is waging a fierce battle to improve New Jersey's failing public schools while also tamping down runaway costs.
The Cartel is reaching millions and igniting a movement for real and lasting change. Visit TheCartelMovie.com to learn how you can help promote the film!]]> http://www.thempi.org/pov/2010/09/weekly_standard_recognizes_the.shtml http://www.thempi.org/pov/2010/09/weekly_standard_recognizes_the.shtml Fri, 03 Sep 2010 14:20:03 -0500 New trailer: The Battle of Brooklyn The Battle of Brooklyn, the stunning feature-length film about eminent domain abuse. The Battle of Brooklyn tells the story of a community's struggle to stop government and private developers from seizing homes and businesses in order to build a basketball arena and sixteen high-rises in the heart of Brooklyn. Visit TheMPI.org for more background on the film and learn how you can help ensure that it reaches the widest possible audience. ]]> http://www.thempi.org/pov/2010/09/new_trailer_the_battle_of_broo.shtml http://www.thempi.org/pov/2010/09/new_trailer_the_battle_of_broo.shtml Thu, 02 Sep 2010 17:43:39 -0500 Cartel news: Free ticket promotion, Lou Dobbs appearance, and more The Cartel keeps on rolling. Here are just some of the exciting things the producers have lined up for September:
  • Director Bob Bowdon will appear on the nationally syndicated Lou Dobbs radio show Thursday, September 2 at 4:35 p.m. EDT. Find your local station here and tune in!
  • The Los Angeles Times recently released teacher effectiveness data, and The Cartel is offering free tickets for two to Los Angeles teachers with above average effectiveness ratings*, to the Burbank International Film Festival screening on Saturday, September 11 at 6:45pm. Read the full press release here.
  • The film premieres this Friday, September 3, at the Peoria Theater in Illinois.
  • The Cartel will also screen at the State Policy Network's K-12 Educational Summit and Annual Conference next weekend. The State Policy Network (SPN) is a service organization for the free market, state-based think tank community.
Stay tuned for more updates! And don't forget to join the mailing list at TheCartelmovie.com to become eligible for early DVD purchase. *as presented by the LATimes.com database; defined by the "overall effectiveness" marker appearing to the right of the word "average" ]]> http://www.thempi.org/pov/2010/08/cartel_news_free_tickets_to_ex.shtml http://www.thempi.org/pov/2010/08/cartel_news_free_tickets_to_ex.shtml Tue, 31 Aug 2010 17:50:58 -0500 Cartel DVD on the way! Cartel poster.jpg The wait is almost over. Next month, producers will be holding an exclusive DVD sale to registrants of The Cartel website. To get in and get your copy early, go to TheCartelmovie.com and join today! And while you're there, be sure to check out the screenings page to see if The Cartel is coming to your town -- and if not, drop us a line and we'll see about arranging a screening in your area. Next weekend it opens in Peoria, Illinois!]]> http://www.thempi.org/pov/2010/08/cartel_dvd_on_the_way.shtml http://www.thempi.org/pov/2010/08/cartel_dvd_on_the_way.shtml Fri, 27 Aug 2010 09:39:58 -0500 Clip: Bob Bowdon on Varney & Co. today The Cartel director Bob Bowdon appeared on Fox Business Network's Varney & Co. this morning to discuss the U.S. Education Secretary's move to publicize student test scores. Here is a clip of the segment: ]]> http://www.thempi.org/pov/2010/08/clip_bob_bowdon_on_varney_co_t.shtml http://www.thempi.org/pov/2010/08/clip_bob_bowdon_on_varney_co_t.shtml Wed, 25 Aug 2010 14:42:56 -0500 Success story: New Orleans school choice A decade ago, New Orleans had some of the worst public schools in the nation. For the urban poor, this meant that New Orleans was, effectively, a place without opportunity -- one where kids were condemned to lives of poverty and, too often, despair. But every cloud has a silver lining -- and Hurricane Katrina's was arguably education reform. Today, New Orleans has a thriving charter school system and also offers vouchers to enable disadvantaged kids to attend private schools. And things are looking up. Check out ReasonTV's coverage above -- and visit TheCartelMovie.com to find out more about why we need school choice to preserve our commitment to equal opportunity for all. ]]> http://www.thempi.org/pov/2010/08/success_story_new_orleans_scho.shtml http://www.thempi.org/pov/2010/08/success_story_new_orleans_scho.shtml Thu, 19 Aug 2010 12:10:45 -0500 Cheat Sheet Week Our friends at Bankrupting America are on a tear right now. Every day this week, they are releasing a "fiscal cheat sheet" to explain a different aspect of overspending. Theirs is a non-partisan message that goes to the heart of our jeopardized freedom: "To be clear, overspending is a problem for both Republicans and Democrats; both parties are responsible, and both parties must be held accountable for finding solutions." Today's Cheat Sheet is on irresponsible governing -- with special attention paid to Congress' unconscionable and unprecedented failure to pass a budget, to its continued spending spree, and to its failure to take responsibility for its mounting debt. Check it out -- and feel the pain.]]> http://www.thempi.org/pov/2010/08/cheat_sheet_week.shtml http://www.thempi.org/pov/2010/08/cheat_sheet_week.shtml Tue, 17 Aug 2010 15:44:14 -0500 Rachel Ehrenfeld's victory for free speech libel tourist.jpg The SPEECH Act, the congressional initiative to protect Americans from frivolous libel law suits abroad, has now been signed into law. The president signed the bill yesterday after it had been overwhelmingly passed by the U.S. House and Senate. It is a victory for all American journalists, writers, and publishers, but even more so for Dr. Rachel Ehrenfeld, who fell victim to a harsh libel law suit in the U.K. and has spearheaded a nationwide campaign to end libel suits for the last two years. Her story, told in the MPI film The Libel Tourist, triggered the national movement by prompting the New York legislature to take a look at the libel tourism problem. From there, many states followed suit and it gained momentum all the way to Capitol Hill. Dr. Ehrenfeld acknowledges the role The Libel Tourist played in raising public awareness for libel tourism. "Thor Halvorssen, the Moving Picture Institute, and Jared Lapidus' film have been most helpful in this important struggle to protect and defend our First Amendment rights," she graciously noted. "The Libel Tourist is a masterpiece, and should be viewed by every American and by freedom-loving people worldwide." ]]> http://www.thempi.org/pov/2010/08/rachel_ehrenfelds_victory_for.shtml http://www.thempi.org/pov/2010/08/rachel_ehrenfelds_victory_for.shtml Wed, 11 Aug 2010 10:16:11 -0500 Spreading Liberty Institute for Justice and the Atlas Economic Research Foundation in recent weeks to present our missions and our current projects and initiatives to a wider range of people via Facebook. This month we will partner with Americans for Tax Reform, and in the fall we plan to work with several more organizations. This move will allow us to build coalitions and will ultimately reveal more areas where we can combine our efforts. Here's to synergy! ]]> http://www.thempi.org/pov/2010/08/spreading_liberty.shtml http://www.thempi.org/pov/2010/08/spreading_liberty.shtml Mon, 09 Aug 2010 13:02:39 -0500 The Cartel's coming to the Peach State The Cartel has been selected to screen at the Atlanta International Documentary Film Festival ("DocuFest Atlanta") this month! The screening will be Friday, August 20 at 7:30pm, at the Young Blood Gallery. Admission is $8. Get tickets and learn more about the festival on their website. In September, The Cartel will screen at the Burbank International Film Festival. This will be the film's tenth festival appearance since its release in fall 2009. While being selected is an honor in itself, The Cartel has also won numerous awards. These include the Visionary Award and the Audience Award for Best Documentary at the 2010 Washington DC Independent Film Festival, the Silver Screen Award at the 2009 Nevada Film Festival, and the Audience Award at the 2009 Hoboken International Film Festival, among others. See TheCartelmovie.com for a complete list. Congratulations to The Cartel for its success!]]> http://www.thempi.org/pov/2010/08/the_cartels_coming_to_the_peac.shtml http://www.thempi.org/pov/2010/08/the_cartels_coming_to_the_peac.shtml Thu, 05 Aug 2010 09:35:10 -0500 The Lottery DVD now on sale The Lottery, Madeleine Sackler's new film that follows four families in their quest to flee the New York City public school system, is now available on DVD. The film, along with The Cartel, is among four education documentaries produced in 2010 that the USA Today notes has helped to mainstream ideas and discussion about education reform. Stay tuned for news about The Cartel's DVD release -- due out in September!]]> http://www.thempi.org/pov/2010/08/the_lottery_dvd_now_on_sale.shtml http://www.thempi.org/pov/2010/08/the_lottery_dvd_now_on_sale.shtml Tue, 03 Aug 2010 09:25:45 -0500 U.S. Congress Upholds Free Speech Protections Just last week the U.S. Senate unanimously passed the SPEECH Act, protecting American journalists, authors, and publishers from the enforcement of frivolous libel suits filed in countries that do not have our strong free speech protections. Yesterday, the bill went to the U.S. House and quickly passed with bipartisan support. The legislation is now on its way to President Obama's desk, to be signed into law. Dr. Rachel Ehrenfeld, who fell victim to a libel suit in the U.K., has steered a national campaign to end libel tourism for the past two years. Ehrenfeld's story, told in MPI's film The Libel Tourist, prompted the New York legislature to take action. Since 2008, several other states have followed suit, including Illinois, Florida, California, Tennessee, Maryland, and Utah. The SPEECH Act is the culmination of her national effort. What's more, the effort is being echoed abroad. Britain has been feeling the pressure for quite some time to re-examine its libel laws, and has now stated its plans to draft a revised libel tourism bill for March of next year. Ehrenfeld has graciously acknowledged how The Libel Tourist has had a significant role in raising public awareness about foreign threats to free speech. "Thor Halvorssen, the Moving Picture Institute, and Jared Lapidus' film have been most helpful in this important struggle to protect and defend our First Amendment rights." The Libel Tourist, she says, "is a masterpiece, and should be viewed by every American and by freedom-loving people worldwide."]]> http://www.thempi.org/pov/2010/07/us_congress_upholds_free_speec_1.shtml http://www.thempi.org/pov/2010/07/us_congress_upholds_free_speec_1.shtml Thu, 29 Jul 2010 09:47:48 -0500 Elton John, down on the farm elton-john.jpgThe 1954 allegorical novel Animal Farm will soon become a musical. Elton John and screenwriter Lee Hall are teaming up to bring this classic story to the stage. No producers or actors have signed on yet, and the duo is not anticipating the production to begin for another two years. Still, their plans seem to be concrete. "I'm deep into it, writing songs for pigs and other four-legged friends," Hall tells The Daily Mail. Animal Farm is a Stalinist allegory written by George Orwell, author of 1984, that eludes to the dangers of a totalitarian state. ]]> http://www.thempi.org/pov/2010/07/elton_john_down_on_the_farm.shtml http://www.thempi.org/pov/2010/07/elton_john_down_on_the_farm.shtml Tue, 27 Jul 2010 16:47:54 -0500 The Libel Tourist and Free Speech libel tourist.jpgRecently we shared with you the congressional initiative to protect free speech for Americans abroad. This move was inspired by New York legislation to protect people like Rachel Ehrenfeld, who was the victim of a harsh libel law suit in the U.K. Ehrenfeld's story, told in MPI's film The Libel Tourist, is one of many that prompted the New York legislature to take a closer look at this problem. Now, the U.S. Senate has unanimously passed the SPEECH Act, which will uphold First Amendment provisions for American authors and publishers, protecting them from the enforcement of frivolous libel law suits filed in countries that do not have strong free speech protections. Senator Patrick Leahy commented:
"The freedoms of speech and the press are cornerstones of our democracy...They enable vigorous debate, and an exchange of ideas that shapes our political process. Foreign libel lawsuits are undermining this informational exchange. While we cannot legislate changes to foreign law that are chilling protected speech in our country, we can ensure that our courts do not become a tool to uphold foreign libel judgments."
Ehrenfeld has been enthusiastically committed to ending foreign libel suits and protecting Americans abroad, and she praised the passage of the bill, which she said "protects all Americans in the uninhibited, robust, and wide-open manner that the First Amendment was designed to guarantee." She has also graciously acknowledged the vital role The Libel Tourist played in raising public awareness about these foreign threats to free speech. "Thor Halvorssen, the Moving Picture Institute, and Jared Lapidus' film have been most helpful in this important struggle to protect and defend our First Amendment rights." The Libel Tourist, she says, "is a masterpiece, and should be viewed by every American and by freedom-loving people worldwide." ]]> http://www.thempi.org/pov/2010/07/recently_we_shared_with_you.shtml http://www.thempi.org/pov/2010/07/recently_we_shared_with_you.shtml Thu, 22 Jul 2010 10:58:50 -0500