In the Loop: February 5, 2009 Archive

Move over Batmobile, Obama's got the tricked out ride now

Posted at 10:01 AM on February 5, 2009 by Sanden Totten

It's got no official model name, so they simply call it "The Beast." I'm talking of course about President Obama's new ride, an armored missile bunker with an international communication system cleverly disguised as a Cadillac. (photo from General Motors)

From Wired: "Limo One is believed to weigh between seven and eight tons . . . The body is sheathed in military-grade armor as much as 8 inches thick on the doors (each of which weighs as much as the cabin door on a Boeing 747, Motor Authority says)." Don't get your finger caught in one of those puppies. Ouch!

"Enter the cocoon Mr. President"Photo by Max WhittakerGetty Images

Other reports say it has 5-inch thick ballistic glass, Kevlar mats, a closed circuit ventilation system, night vision cameras, shot-guns, tear gas launchers and a 10 disc CD player with a leather interior. See a picture of all the features here.

Sounds pretty rad, but I'm waiting to see if it can launch Obama from it's wreckage in a speedy big-wheeled motor cycle in time for a chase scene with the Joker.

Of course a lot of this is rumor since GM, not wanting to lose what may have been their only customer all year, is keeping many specifics secret. But some are claiming that the car even totes along containers of the President's own blood for emergency purposes.

This has some doctors scratching their collective heads. After all, would the President ever be so far from a hospital that he needs his Secret Service dudes to start a transfusion? Also, donated blood only lasts for a short while, so unless Obama is making monthly trips to the blood bank the stuff would have to come from others as well.

But maybe it's not for him, perhaps they keep it on hand to use as a decoy in the face of a vampire attack? Or maybe it's there to feed the blood thirsty media once the Honeymoon Period is over?

Playing refugee in Davos

Posted at 5:05 PM on February 5, 2009 by Steve Mullis (1 Comments)
Filed under: News, People, Politics

There is something that just feels wrong about this Refugee Run that was held at the Davos conference. I understand the idea behind it, which is to give these rich and powerful folks an inside view of what life is like as a refugee so that they may be better able to sympathize with their plight. Here's Richard Branson participating in the run:

(Photos: PIERRE VERDY/AFP/Getty Images)

FP: Passport has more photos here. Ooh, he looks really frightened doesn't he?

The thing that bothers me here is how it is advertised on the flier: EXPERIENCE LIFE AS A REFUGEE IN DAVOS! It's as if being a refugee is a fun rollercoaster ride that the Davos elite will get a chance to ride on.

"You must be this tall to ride this farce."

If they really wanted to do this effectively, there should have been no advertising and no signing up for the fun. Right in the middle of their banquet dinners or as they slurped down their gourmet soup in a hotel bathrobe, armed militants should storm in a take the place over. Storm the keep, string up the monarchs!

Now that would change some stations.

What do you think, useful exercise or not?

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