Which don't really fit in any other forum.

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: Tim Walker on 2002-01-10 21:21 ]</font>

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: Tim Walker on 2002-01-26 20:00 ]</font>

On 2002-01-06 19:45, Tim Walker wrote:
...but if the double rhythm is correct, the New Prophets will have an awakening that is man centered rather than God centered...

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: Tim Walker on 2002-01-06 20:30 ]</font>

Woohoo!!!!

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: Tim Walker on 2002-01-26 19:03 ]</font>

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: Tim Walker on 2002-01-26 19:58 ]</font>

Perhaps Australia will become known as the Republic of Oz. The U.S.A., on the other hand, may be renamed as The United Red and Blue Zones of America.

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: Tim Walker on 2002-02-10 08:57 ]</font>

Would this be the place to discuss the ever-increasing spiral of materialism, how we have traded God for the promise of "stuff", and what will happen in the upcoming war: a war between the haves and the have nots?

Trained to work and consume all I can, I have second thoughts today. Perhaps the change around the corner will be a social revolution, one that shatters confidence in the acquisition of property. One that sends Martha Stewart and Tommy Hilfiger packing their bags.

I'm I wrong to long for a garden, a wood stove and a warm blanket, and not, say, a cuisinart, a mall full of do-dads and a shiny new BMW. I can afford it all, but is "all" worth it?

What should I do?

http://www.getasia.com.ph/getasia/th...1channelcolumn

Suburbianism and Consumerism, Part 1
By Chuck Syjuco
Friday, August 03, 2001



Despite the urbanity of soaring cement and concrete dimensions ?
don't be fooled ? Metro Manila is the epitome of Suburbia. Perhaps
not in the picket-fence view of the word, but in the ideology and
insidious implications that are found in the very fabric of what Metro
Manila is. The city without its people would be but a shell, as the
city's populace wears the city like a jacket. Metro Manilans yearn for
Suburban bliss. Ergo, Metro Manila is Suburbia, albeit rendered in
grey and grime.

We Metro Manilans suffer from this Suburbianism: The tendency
toward the blind acceptance of the illusory utopic nuclear family,
where everything has its place in the society's scheme of things, and
human growth is measured by what one has. It all goes back to the
Consumerism that I've discussed in past articles, where we fulfill our
inherent quest for self betterment with the foolish instant, but
short-lived, gratification of purchasing something new.

We Metro Manilans consume in an effort to build up a suburban
heaven of material security. We yearn for something new in life, and
rather than create something new for ourselves (art, crafts, work,
experiences, etc.), we go out and buy the latest golf clubs, or CDs, or
gorge on grill food and San Miguel Beer or Sioktong, or buy ourselves
a movie experience, or purchase the latest car ? all poor facsimiles of
satisfaction in humanity's inherent hunger for self-betterment. Where
once humans would create symphonies, or go trekking, paint
portraits, learn new skills or master a new language ? all in an effort to
satisfy the malaise of hunger of the human spirit; humans these days,
especially Metro Manilans, would rather quench that hunger with a
quick swipe of the credit card, because even if it is not a lasting
fulfillment, there are so many things readily available in the malls or by
home delivery when our human spirit hungers once again. We're an
age of people grown on fast-food, convenience stores, and instant
gratification (Jollibee, 7-Eleven, and Instant Mami).

On my recent trip abroad, I saw the forest from the trees: Like all
Filipinos will at some point of their trip, I went to Costco. It was a sea
of suburban consumers, from the trailer trash type, to the stylish but
thrifty Chinese immigrant. What was astonishing was their sameness.
I noticed one fellow who was different from the rest, wearing slim
pants, a sleaveless tight black shirt showing his toned arms,
sunglasses, tousled hair -- an image right out of a Details Spring
fashion issue. The poor fellow stuck out like a sore thumb. He was
young, possibly 18 or 19, looked to be of a family of means, but was
pushing a cart around for his mother whilst she loaded wholesale
boxes of juice cartons for lunch along with piles of other suburban
housewife/mother grocery purchases. The boy obviously chose to be
different, but at the same time the same -- different from the rest of the
suburban mob, but the same as the stars on tv and models in the
magazines. This scene struck me.

Suburbia frowns on such displays, and yet, it feeds suburbanites with
such images on the TV and other media. This hypocrisy/confusion is
what I feel may be a big element of suburban angst. It is the same
society that urges (through peer pressure, family units, and local
norms) same-ness; but at the same time urges (through advertising,
media, and consumer targeted marketing) differences and self
expression.

It's funny, this suburbia, it's utopia and hell at the same time. It's
functional as well as dysfunctional. What could be more functional
than the order of symmetrical street plans, logical zoning, efficient
public utilities? But what could be more dysfunctional than the
standardization of individuals into cookie-cutter drones, fashion
victims, and aspirational tendencies so ingrained they have become
unconscious? Suburbia is hell, especially for the individual or creative.
Suburbia's blank canvases are t-shirts for slogans, paint colour of the
walls, mom's flower bed, the make and colour of dad's car. In a world
where the houses -- world's unto themselves in their own right -- are
exactly the same, identity (that which is the essence of an individual
human being) is difficult to come by. So begins stereotypes, then
archetypes, then alternativism, which becomes appropriated by the
mainstream, which turns full circle to effect (or is it 'infect') the
suburban consumer. We are urged to BUY something to be different
or to fit in, whatever the poison.

If the phrase 'you are what you eat' can be paraphrased (whilst
maintaining its gist) to: 'you are what you consume', then it is easy to
understand that consumers are precisely the same, since they
consume precisely the same things.

And what is the typical aspiration of the Metro Manilan? To have a
family and home and nice car and good job, while living in a safe
secure village. Good dreams to have, to be sure, but one realizes that
the only missing thing is the picket fence and dog named Spot. And
where is the excitement? Where's the lust to make a difference? It's
no wonder we get bored and sack the newest bars to open, leaving it
barren and bankrupt as yesterday's newspaper. It's no wonder that the
highlight of who we are is determined by our latest purchases.

And this is the Consumerism that characterizes Metro Manila, turning
it into the suburbia that it is ? neither salty nor sweet, simply bland.
Until we can cease to be Consumers, then we will always be
hungering for something. And this is the tragic irony of Metro Manila.

About The Author
Chuck Syjuco is the Editor in Chief of GetAsia Philippines.

On 2002-01-15 21:51, Boomer Consumer wrote:
Would this be the place to discuss the ever-increasing spiral of materialism, how we have traded God for the promise of "stuff", and what will happen in the upcoming war: a war between the haves and the have nots?

I'm I wrong to long for a garden, a wood stove and a warm blanket, and not, say, a cuisinart, a mall full of do-dads and a shiny new BMW. I can afford it all, but is "all" worth it?

What should I do?

As one with a garden, a wood stove, and a warm quilt; I must say I use my Cuisinart (about 20 years old-from the Robot Coupe days) nearly everyday and would miss it dearly. I don't care for malls (I love the superstores such as Home Depot, Barnes and Noble, Office Max), and drive a 27 year old Ford P/U...so one can have much of both worlds if they wish. HTH

On 2002-01-16 07:19, Virgil K. Saari wrote:

...and drive a 27 year old Ford P/U...

How many miles do you have on that thing?

It just occurred to me that, as a kid, I would occasionally see a car from the 1940s or 1950s driven around by a hobbyist or "buff" or someone who just took good care of his car. Today, your truck is as much of a novelty as those old cars were then. But today's hobbyist probably wouldn't be driving a pick-up. What then? An AMC Matador? Gremlin? :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

On 2002-01-16 10:28, Stonewall Patton wrote:

On 2002-01-16 07:19, Virgil K. Saari wrote:

...and drive a 27 year old Ford P/U...

How many miles do you have on that thing?

It just occurred to me that, as a kid, I would occasionally see a car from the 1940s or 1950s driven around by a hobbyist or "buff" or someone who just took good care of his car. Today, your truck is as much of a novelty as those old cars were then. But today's hobbyist probably wouldn't be driving a pick-up. What then? An AMC Matador? Gremlin? :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

I have less than 50K... my nephew when to Engineering school in the 1964 Plymouth Savoy that had been his grandfathers, his fathers, and now awits a transmission in my garage. HTH

Here is a possible design for a new WTC: http://www.ananova.com/news/story/sm...atestheadlines

I drive a 1986 Oldsmobile with 190,000 miles on it. The original engine is still great (the transmission has a few problems)...hey, I just might make it to 230,000 miles--I could have driven to the Moon!

I ride a 1977 Yamaha XS750D. I bought it four years ago with 15,000 miles on it. It's at 70,000 now. On a whim, I checked the factory serial number plate right after I bought it. It rolled off the line in June 1977. I figure my bike is within fifteen days of my age.

Of course, it's starting to get old and cranky, and needs to be coaxed into working on cold mornings -- just like me.:grin:

In the past I was very interested in vehicles and thought they reflected the personalities of the people who drove them. Now I am of the opinion that vehicles are both disposable and without true personality. Since 1989 I have owned 5 pickups and logged over 475,000 miles on them not counting my family cars. Though these have driven from the earth to the moon. Most in the end were just another ride.

Old cars? At the place I work, Arnold Engineering Development Center, at Arnold Air Force Base, vehicles from the 1940's and 1950's show up as daily drivers. My two VW Diesel Golf's -- 1985 and 1986 have over 500,000 miles each on them. They too are daily drivers. AEDC still uses compressors that the Luftwaffe used to develop jet engines in the late 1930's. So, old things still abound if you know where to look.

This day, here in Seattle, was a T4 metaphor. Late in the morning, when I did my power walk around the neighborhood, it was chilly but dry and sunny. By the middle of the afternoon the first snow flakes of the winter were falling from a gray sky.

The first person to decode the secret message here wins the prize (10^6 brownie points). HINT: "you need to 'watch your backs'" ANOTHER HINT: I am not the author of this message.


mdgsgeqprgggptsseqimktgalllqgfiqdragrmggeapelaldpv pqdastkklseclkrigdeldsnmelqrmiaavdtdsprevffrvaadmf sdgnfnwgrvvalfyfasklvlkalctkvpelirtimgwtldflrerllg wiqdqggwvrllkpphphhralttapappslppatplgpwafwsrsqwcp lpifrssdvvynafslrv

OMG!! God has a monopoly!!

http://www.theonion.com/onion3803/judge_orders_god.html :lol:

"...dozens of passengers stared out in amazement."




This is the kind of 4T I like. Cool. :smile:

Marc--What's so 4T about sex with a goat? Is it any more perverted than drinking the transubstantiated blood of a corpse, or eating its transmogrified flesh?

On 2002-01-31 09:33, Croaker'39 wrote:

Marc--What's so 4T about sex with a goat? Is it any more perverted than drinking the transubstantiated blood of a corpse, or eating its transmogrified flesh?

Croaker, having read as many posts about Marc's view on whether we are in 4T, I think we can safely assume that his post about a "cool 4T" is satirical.

I'll ignore the second line on your post, except to note that I don't believe Marc Lamb is Roman Catholic. Protestant groups believe that the act of taking communion is symbolic, not that the wine (or juice) actually becomes the blood of Christ, which is what I understand Catholics believe (having recently attended a funeral mass for a friend whose mother passed away last week.

Well, I suppose as long as he was wearing a condom, no, Croaker.

Otherwise, is there not certain biological dangers associated with humans engaging in such fun? And, if so, should the kind citizen taxpayers of Britain pay any price, bear any burden, to insure that science finds a cure for any dire health issues that might result of such fun, Croaker?

Lighten up, Croaker. I could have been mean like you and wrote something like, "Croaker --What's so 4T about sex with a goat? Is it any more perverted than a grandfather having sex with their grandchild?"

On 2002-01-31 10:07, Marc S. Lamb wrote:

Lighten up, Croaker. I could have been mean like you and wrote something like, "Croaker --What's so 4T about sex with a goat? Is it any more perverted than a grandfather having sex with their grandchild?"

Marc, that is enough. Start acting your age, not your shoe size!