:: Running from the Thought Police ::

:: Wednesday, December 24, 2003 ::

What Is This?!?

I go home and ignore the majority of the internet for a few days and Brad Delong decides to be more prolific now than he has been this past month. He has thoughts on The Key Problem of Modern Liberalism, the Origins of a Christmas/Boxing Day Tradition, and the Congressional Budget Office's awarding of the Worst Fiscal Policy, Ever award. Oh, and his kids had to drag him away from a gizmo that makes waffles in the shapes of barnyard animals.

"Dad?"

"Where else but at Williams & Sonoma could you find a waffle iron that makes waffles in the shapes of farm animals?"

"You're not thinking of buying it, are you?"

"And it's on sale! Only $76!"

"Think of how humiliated your children would be to have their friends be served waffles in the shape of farm animals!"

"Must... purchase..."

"Help! Help! We need to pull him out of the store! He's been trapped by advertising!"

[Later]

"There. Aren't you glad we pulled you out of that store before it was too late? We don't need a waffle iron that makes waffles in the shapes of farm animals. Nobody needs that."

"We don't need very much. All we need is enough food to not be terribly hungry, enough clothing to not be shivering cold, enough shelter to not be miserably wet, and enough books to not be deathly bored. Everything else is a 'convenience' or a 'luxury'."

"Why isn't he saying that we need to buy the waffle iron to stimulate the economy?..."

What's sad is that my own father, who himself holds a Masters in mathematics, was for a few days also saying that he wanted such a waffle iron.

:: The Squire 8:54 PM :: email this post :: ::
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