On Sat, 12 Aug 2000 00:30:38 -0500 (CDT) MichaelP <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: Thanks Oscar: Oscar sez: Great religions have been built on the thought of great social philosophers. The ideas they offered more than 1,000 years ago are still heard and admired once a week or so by millions of people. If I'm not mistaken, these wonderful thinkers were trying to tell us that the world will be a better place for everyone when we learn that doing good for people and for all life is the number one job for people and society. Our culture, although it recognizes this ancient thought, teaches our children that the acquisition of wealth, power and prestige equates to success in life. The corporate charter recognizes only profit a measure of success. When our children learn that Mohandas Gandhi is to be admired rather than Bob Shapiro, that Mother Theresa's life should be emulated rather than Rupert Murdoch's, only then will we have the opportunity to survive. So, we come to the depressing situation described below. Anything to make a buck. Oscar http://www.wirednews.com/news/culture/0,1284,38095,00.html Kids' New Rage: Executing Marv by Michelle Delio 3:00 a.m. Aug. 10, 2000 PDT Flip the switch and a surge of electrical current slams into the figure strapped in the chair. He convulses. His hands tremble. His eyes glow red. His teeth clench. And then he utters his last words. "That the best you can do, you pansies?" No, it's not the nightly news from Texas. It's Death Row Marv, the latest plastic sensation from McFarlane Toys, makers of the Spawn and Austin Powers action figures. Marv is one of the main characters in the Frank Miller comic book series "Sin City." He's a big (7-plus-feet tall), ugly, dangerous, drunk, ex-con medicated into some semblance of sanity by his parole officer's psychiatrist girlfriend. But while trying to do his version of good, Marv eventually came to a bad end. The toy, which comes complete with an electric chair, a wired helmet for Marv's head, and a switch that, when pulled, shoots the juice into the hapless Marv, had a first production run of tens of thousands, according to MacFarlane Toys. No sales figures are available yet, but Marv is feeling a big buzz in more ways than one. New York's Forbidden Planet comic store and Island Comics both have waiting lists with more than 30 names on them. "Kids really love Marv," said Island's Rick Varo. "Teen-age girls think he's cute, which terrifies me." Death Row Marv is also a big draw at Manhattan's Midtown Comics store located near Times Square. A salesman there, who preferred to remain anonymous ("You never know who's looking for you," he said) noted that people have been dropping into the store on a daily basis just to jolt Marv a few times. "It's not just kids, either," he said. "We get guys in suits. We get moms. Old people. They come in looking like they had a rough day, but after they juice Marv they leave with a smile on their faces. It's a happy kind of thing." But not everyone is having a good time playing with Marv. Dennis Golkven, a child psychologist in private practice in New Jersey, says that the toy could be dangerous. "It teaches children that it's fun to hurt people," Golkven said. Ten-year-old Jason Devors of Brooklyn, New York, disagrees. "Marv is not a person," he said. "He's just a toy." ====================== *** NOTICE: In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, this material is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes. Feel free to distribute widely but PLEASE acknowledge the source. *** <A HREF="http://www.ctrl.org/">www.ctrl.org</A> DECLARATION & DISCLAIMER ========== CTRL is a discussion & informational exchange list. Proselytizing propagandic screeds are unwelcomed. Substance�not soap-boxing�please! These are sordid matters and 'conspiracy theory'�with its many half-truths, mis- directions and outright frauds�is used politically by different groups with major and minor effects spread throughout the spectrum of time and thought. That being said, CTRLgives no endorsement to the validity of posts, and always suggests to readers; be wary of what you read. CTRL gives no credence to Holocaust denial and nazi's need not apply. Let us please be civil and as always, Caveat Lector. ======================================================================== Archives Available at: http://peach.ease.lsoft.com/archives/ctrl.html <A HREF="http://peach.ease.lsoft.com/archives/ctrl.html">Archives of [EMAIL PROTECTED]</A> http:[EMAIL PROTECTED]/ <A HREF="http:[EMAIL PROTECTED]/">ctrl</A> ======================================================================== To subscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email: SUBSCRIBE CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED] To UNsubscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email: SIGNOFF CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED] Om
