Month: July 2012

#rsrh Whither the post-Presidential Obama?

Jazz Shaw, in the process of discussing ex-Presidents and their public appearances*, wonders exactly what Barack Obama is going to do with himself after he’s out of office.  I imagine that it’ll end up being something like this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UCCLTy6-0p0

…only without any of the science fiction.  I imagine that there will be any number of rich people out there who will want to have an exclusive weekend LARP with a real, live former President of the United States.  They can all dress up in suits and pretend to be Cabinet officials in an emergency session over the appropriations bill, or something.  Or maybe a crack Secret Service team dedicated to protecting Obama from the evil Republicons ninja strike force…

(pause)

Sh*t, wait, there could be actual money in this.  Look, whoever from the DNC is assigned to monitor this site: tell your people to call me in February, once your guy’s done moving out.  Business is, as they say, business – and you want somebody who is not in love with your guy running this thing.  Love will get in the way of the profit margin… and the margin on this could be huge**. Continue reading #rsrh Whither the post-Presidential Obama?

#rsrh ‘Gun control’ means ‘using both hands,’ Mayor Bloomberg…

…speaking of which: keep both of yours where the rest of us can see them while you’re in the middle of converting an atrocity into a political opportunity.  Or at least wash your hands afterward, Bloomberg.  It’s… unhygienic, the way you’re carrying on right now.

Moe Lane

PS: Neither Mitt Romney nor Barack Obama need to tell you a goram thing about what they’re going to “do about” guns, Bloomberg.  Mostly because nobody appointed you to be the country’s hall monitor.

#rsrh I (unfortunately) called it: theaters cracking down on cosplay.

Via @wbuthod, the word is out: at least two major theater chains will be cracking down on patron costumes.

AMC instituted an outright ban on face-covering masks and fake weapons. It also said that patrons wearing costumes that “make other guests feel uncomfortable” would not be permitted inside theaters.

The L.A. Times reports that Regal Cinemas, the larger of the two chains, was more vague about changes to its costume policy. A representative stated only that ticketholders “should expect stricter controls over character attire and accessories at our theaters,” but declined to provide further details.

…Which sucks; but then, so do punitive lawsuits, which is what theater chains will be facing if there’s another attack like this.  Note that Regal is probably going to end up with more practical restrictions than AMC: “vague rules” = “less tolerance for pushing the envelope.”  At another guess…

Moe Lane

PS: Believe me, I’m no happier about this than you are; and I’m no more happier about this outcome as I am any other outcome from yesterday’s atrocity.

#rsrh QotD, This Sounds Like Good Advice edition.

Glenn Reynolds, offering advice to the guy that ABC News slimed today:

If I were the Tea Party Holmes, I’d have my lawyer talking to ABC right now. My terms: Groveling apology to be repeated on at least two national newscasts, plus This Week and all Colorado affiliates. Plus $250K in damages. No apology by tonight, and the demand goes to $5 million. Oh, and guys, be sure to preserve all records, browser histories, etc. for litigation. . . .

Don’t let them get away with We’re sorry if anyone was upset, either.  No, the proper apology is We’re sorry because we did something wrong.

I’m not really going to have much for today…

…politically, both campaigns have decided to disengage from the election for the day and – well, pretty much “not be dicks.”  I don’t have the heart to slam Obama for making a decent speech, particularly since his own supporters kind of stepped on the message; and this is a bad time to discuss movies or whatnot.

So… I’ll just take it easy today.

#rsrh NRCC passes DCCC in fundraising in June.

Good news for the NRCC, of course – but it’s also kind of anticlimactic, at this stage of the game.  The DCCC was ahead last month, the NRCC was ahead the month before that… I kind of expect that we’re going to see the two committees fighting it out for pole position for the rest of this election cycle.

Besides, Stu Rothenberg doesn’t thinks that it matters, anyway: Continue reading #rsrh NRCC passes DCCC in fundraising in June.

Fourteen murdered, fifty injured at Batman premiere in Colorado.

[UPDATE] Death toll down to 12, thank God; police have identified the murderer as James Holmes. No reports on motives, which will stop nobody from riding their favorite hobbyhorse on this.

This is just awful, especially since those numbers will undoubtedly go up.

A gunman wearing a gas mask set off an unknown gas and fired into a crowded movie theater in suburban Denver theater at a midnight opening of the Batman movie “The Dark Knight Rises,” killing 14 people and injuring at least 50 others, authorities said.

Moviegoers didn’t know what was happening and some thought the attack was part of the show.

Prayers for the victims and their families, of course.  The murderer is in custody; first reports suggest ‘lone nut’ (no sign of assistance); and ‘brain tumor’ (ability to plan and use camouflage/body armor apparently unaffected) rather than ‘jihadi scumbag’ (caught alive) or ‘paranoid schizophrenic’ (no manifesto).  Or, of course, he just could be an evil, malignant bastard.  Sometimes they just are.

Moe Lane