"Corporate Capitalism Runs Amok With Scissors in the Theatre."

Well, it goes without saying that that's a bad thing! But as 2012 winds down it can generally be agreed that on all levels it has been a bad year for Joe lunch bucket, hasn't it? There are examples put forth in the media on a daily basis showing how relatively normal every day citizens have been reduced to being both paying schmucks and shills for the corporate elite and their political enablers who's focus long ago stopped being about providing a product or service and has degenerated to just picking our pockets and inducing some of us to help them do it.

I could pick a lot of examples of this ethos but in this post I'll stick with the great unwashed theatre going public (bread and circuses!) who have for years either watched their beloved neighborhood cinema's closed to be replaced by multi-theater cinema-plex's that have increased the cost of a movie night out in Podunkville to the premium pricing of an on Broadway production in NYC, or had that same Broadway production when visiting the relates priced way out of reach.

I have recently been out on the town here in Riga, Latvia with my wife exactly twice in the last two weeks primarily due to the Mayan Calendar end of days thingy. "Why save that two hundred bucks in the old Mayo jar honey, lets go nuts!" That's been about all we could manage in the last two years so we really expect, unrealistically perhaps, to be treated well and not like cattle and we weren't disappointed. However that doesn't seem to be the trend in the US market which should alarm everyone. 

Minnesota Theater Offers 'Tweet Seats' To Smartphone Addicts

Good news for those who can't go two hours with out checking their phone: A Minnesota theater is giving smartphone and Twitter addicts a break with the introduction of "tweet seats," where audience members are not just allowed, but encouraged to tweet about the performance as they are watching it.

Innaresting, no? You pay for a ticket and then shill for the house for free at the expense of the other paying punters because you are a self important narcissist asshole. How about this!

Man shot dead in Latvian cinema for eating popcorn too loudly

Latest incidence of cinema rage occurred during a screening of Black Swan in Riga.

A man has been shot dead at a cinema in Latvia after a fellow movie-goer objected to the volume at which he was eating his popcorn. 

OK, it was Black Swan, and popcorn, but you see!? People are inherently unstable. Even though this was sleepy Riga it is a cautionary tale, put folks under just the. right. amount. of pressure, arm them to the teeth as in America and WHAM! Even meat thermometers become weapons and how do you legislate that? Actually that was pretty funny in a cruel kind of way.

I personally think that once I have paid for a ticket to view a production I should expect that the house will provide a safe and comfortable atmosphere that is condusive to the positive viewing of that production. Anything else would detract from the experience. Advertise in advance which is your right but don't de-value the experience which I have paid for in advance.

Or they should say something on the ticket when you purchase the thing.

I see stuff like no: guns/bombs/recording/pictures/drinks/umbrellas?/flashlights/dope/dogs.

Just add phones! It's not really about selling seats after all, the house should be full if the product is quality and properly advertised. Why should we, the paying public put up with house shills ruining the evening just so the house can get free buzz?

Just say no.