pokemon

the cards ARE expensive. had this theory that the cartoon has subliminal messages in it making the kids go crazy over pokemon. (which stands for pocket monstor, i've heard). my theory was based on the fact that there was a japanese cartoon out that would cause some kids to freak out because of the sequence of colors used and the speed at which they used them.

Taked to the other inhabitant of the place and he said it stood for pocket man. I like pocket monster better...it is trying to relieve you of all your money. About speeding colors and such, kids can go into seizures from sitting too close to the TV trying to watch all of the flashing stuff on cartoons nowadays. I am sure they will have some truly unfortunate incidents with kiddies at the movie. The excitement level of going to see it on a huge screen must add to the problem as much as the sound level does. It is deafening in there!

BTW, are those cards really gold GOLD?! If so, they Are expensive. Even foil...

My new roommate in Cedar Creek, Wingbow (who is native Hawaiian/Chinese massage therapist) took her son, Oma, to a Pokey Mon convention today. She hasn't made it back yet, but maybe I could talk Oma in to posting here about a subject he knows vastly more about than I do.

Excellent idea. Where in Hawaii are Wingbow's roots? Say Aloha to her for me!

Oma is an affectionate form of grandma in Germany! and the $1.99 with the purchase of a value meal pokemon trading card is 23K gold plating over (i don't know what). it can't be worth much considering the total price is roughly $6 (with the purchase). and 23K is a strange mix anyway.

Never heard of anything done in 23K gold. Almost pure but not quite?! Interesting.

Oma is Hawaiian for an oven (roasting), or with different accent ('oma), it is a high official.

Maybe 23K is how much RAM the game thing has...?

LOL

*haha*

(Here's where my "I miss Alexander" comment should have been posted rather than in Barbie...Basketball poisoning over the weekend I guess...)

it happens... hope you're meeting your deadline alex!

There was a cover story in Time Mag a few weeks ago about Pokeman and whether these pocket monsters were a bad thing or a good thing. Am working my way through it between making soup and other things...will report back.

there has been speculation on the kind of message Pokemon is sending to children. well, i found an article in today's local The Times newspaper that probably doesn't help: Pokemon creates wave of violence- by Meki Cox of The Associated Press Philadelphia--Now that the innocent game of Pokemon has become a nationwide craze, children are coming to blows over the trading cards. In the last week in Philadelphia, for example, four children from one middle school were arrested for attacking other students to steal Pokemon cards. A 14-year-old student in Quebec was recently stabbed during a fight over the cards. Even adults are committing Pokemon violence. On Thursday, a North Carolina man was charged with assault for allegedly punching a Burger King cashier after he did not get a Pokemon toy with his meal. "There are Pokemon card sharks out there," said Philadelphia police officer Charlie Sarkioglu. "This is worse than the Cabbage Patch Kid craze because now it's the kids who are actually fighting each other instead of just the parents." Pokemon--popularized by a Japanese video game depicting tiny monsters--has become so popular among children ages 5 to 13, some say it's bigger than past obsessions with Beanie Babies or Star Wars. The card game involves a host of imaginary creatures, each with their own set of special powers. The goal is to win as many cards as possible. The cards cost $3 a pack, but rare cards can can go for more than $200. Pokemon has become so distracting, schools from coast to coast have banned the games and trading cards. Sarkioglu, who visits elementary schools to give children tips on how to avoid getting robbed, said many kids tend to think they need the cards because they are so popular. At Philadelphia's Wilson Middle School on Monday, two boys punched and threw a trash can at an 11-year-old boy in a bathroom. The attackers ran off with two Pokemon cards and 75 cents. They were charged with robbery and suspended for five days. Tony Ward's 10-year-old son and his friend were robbed of $60 worth of cards Sunday in Philadelphia. He said he wishes his son wouldn't trade cards anymore. "But he insists on having them," Ward said. "Hopefully he has learned his lesson and won't carry around as many cards anymore. I tell him when he goes out he has to be more street smart now." End of article. isn't that ridiculous? a 10 year old insisting he have Pokemon cards! i took my son's away because he couldn't leave the house without them and was having fights with his sister over them. the interest in the cards for him is subsiding but he still looks at the games and magazines.

The TIME magazine article came to the conclusion that they in themselves are not the problem - it is the lack of parenting - AGAIN - which rears its ugly head. And, some of the parents seem to be a lot of the problem. I am so happy my son was not a follower of the crowd and that he is too old for stuff like this. How sad...we seem to have lost a few niceties and values along the way! Brava, Wolfie, for putting the right attitude forward for your son to see. He might not like it now, but you just did a real favor to him and I am proud of you! *hugs*

be careful with the too old stuff, i've got barbies and some beanies. but pokemon, i just don't see it. at least star wars fights and wins over evil and doesn't use magic to do it. and besides, the pokemon characters are ugly!! tim understood and got his cards back. but then he left them in his blue jeans and they were washed and dried and now not worth a darned thing!

I have been an ardent disliker of Japanese cartoons. Way too violent and moisy and the sounds they make to appear they are concerting some effort to do things is ludicrous. Don't like the drawings or colors, either. Grouch...grouch...I guess I just am a traditionalist. Oh My!!! Poor Tim!!! He must feel just awful about now. Interesting how everyone has to eat at Burger King on Thursday nights (is it?) now...! ..a fool and his money...and all that!

Burger King is now recalling ALL the Pokemon toys that they sold (25 million worth $22 million). A 13 month old choked on the toy. My question is why did the baby HAVE the toy to begin with? It's not for children under 3 and it is clearly marked. Anyway, as the mother of a pokemonaholic (and it stands for pocket monster), I am sick to death of Pikachu, Jigglypuff, Charizard, and Ash (the trainer). For Xmas, yes, I relented and she received from Santa Claus Pokemon Red, Pokemon Blue Gameboy games. She received the Yellow for her birthday. From her grandmother she got Pikachu slippers. Okay, I'm finished ranting. Thought I'd come over and join in. ;)

Hi Laura! Welcome to the compulsive conference. These things (can't call the creatures exactly) are strange-looking and unattractive. Must be hype driving it. I haven't even seen one I'd like to cuddle with (were I still a kid). Yeah, I know...picky...picky...picky!

well, i hope the child is ok. probably got it from the hands of an older bro or sis. my kids didn't get pokemon games from us but did get a couple of keychains. we downplayed the whole thing.

Wolf, the child died, that is why they are recalling them.

Where were the kid's parents?

ohmygosh, i didn't know. how sad.

Curious...I had not heard that.

This is from CNN: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Safety official: Burger King recall of Pokemon toy not thorough enough December 28, 1999 Web posted at: 9:36 PM EST (0236 GMT) MIAMI (AP) -- A massive recall by Burger King of a Pokemon toy blamed for the death of a 13-month-old girl is not comprehensive enough, a federal safety official said Tuesday. Burger King issued a recall for millions of plastic balls that hold Pokemon toys given away in children's meals. The voluntary recall follows the Dec. 11 death of a Sonora, California, girl, who was found in her playpen with half a ball over her nose and mouth. Miami-based Burger King is recalling -- at most -- about 25 million toys, said Kim Miller, a company spokeswoman. But Russ Rader, a U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission spokesman, said Burger King should recall millions more of the balls. "We have been told by Nintendo, which licensed the Pokemon character to Burger King, that the distribution is probably more than 70 million," said Rader. Miller said the restaurants issued the toys with two meals, one marketed for children 8 years and older, the other for those under 7 years old. She said the balls are only a threat to children 3 years old and under. Burger King said consumers should take the balls away from children under the age of 3 and discard them or return them to a Burger King restaurant for a free small order of fries. Rader said all the balls should be recalled because older children who got the Pokemon ball may have younger brothers and sisters who could be endangered. The balls are used to pack several types of Pokemon toys. They measure from 23/4 inches to 3 inches in diameter and can be opened by pulling their two halves apart.

thanks for the info, laura....how terribly sad.

Thanks from here, too. I have Reuters ticker running across the top of my screen and it tells me all sorts of stuff I do not need to know, but did not cover that story. How tragic. Imagine if it were one of our own...