"Frustrated of the world, unite!"
931389
It is an acknowledged fact that revolutions and most mass movements are not ignited by those on the lowest steps of society's ladder, but usually by middle-class intellectuals with intellectual weapons and leisure time. In order to gain supporters, these people idealize the masses and portray the poor and the meek as full of spirituality and virtues forgotten or perverted by the rich and successful. Sadly, the fact is there is no more spirituality in poverty than in wealth. At least not necessarily. Of course, the jet-set lifestyle may give you opportunities for expensive drugs or sophisticated sexual perversions, but in general where you can find the most depravity, promiscuosness and general spiritual misery is within the poorest classes. Now, you don't have to be poor to be frustrated, and it is with the latter that this book is concerned. One of its major attractions lies in the fact that it was written, alas, not by a middle-class intellectual but by a proletarian philosopher, a man who did physical labor all his life, mostly as a longshoreman at the docks of San Francisco. So, contrary to Lenin, Mao and Pol Pot, this particular philosopher knows what he's talking about.

"Thoughts on the nature of mass movements" is the subtitle of this classic of social thought, first published in 1951 but never as extant as today. Exactly 50 years after being published, this book acquired a new relevance when some loonies blew up the WTC in NY, and then when middle-class, Britain-born youths boomed themselves -and a host of innocents- in the Lonodon subway. Many people thought then: What kind of people ruin their lives and those of others in such a gruesome way? Who are they? What can make you do that in the name of invisible gods or crazy doctrines? You need look no futher, the answer lies in this slim volume where no sentence is wasted, for all of them are full of wisdom.

They are called the frustrated. Those who can not find their place in this world and hence they hate it. Who, by the way, as said before, are not the poorest of the poorest. The latter are more occupied looking what to eat and where to find shelter. As Hoffer says, they lead purposeful lives. It is rather those who have a glance at success, happiness and balance, but don't know how to achieve them and so hate the ones who manage to do so. In the words of Howard Bloom, the frustrated are the cells in the social tissue who, by not contributing, don't receive. The true believer is the empty individual -"the hollow men, the stuffed men" of T.S. Eliot-, who desperately cling to fallacious doctrines which give them a sense of belonging and a mission in life. The rest of us are busy looking after ourselves, our families and our social circles, and we move on with our lives. The rest of us fill our lives with knowledge, pleasures, personal aspirations, and we somehow surmount the obstacles according to our resources and capabilities. We believe, do, belong, but we also reflect, question, doubt, and refuse to give our lives to crazed tyrants. We are not fanaticals, but guys inserted in several communities, for better or for worse.

One of the best books on philosophy that came from the wonderful but also terrible XX Century, its voice is more pertinent today than ever. Get this: for all his wealth and cunning, Osama is one big frustrated poor (...).
4607723
Organization and focus were superceded by anger, disappointment, and frustration. With no reason to doubt the writer's veracity, one can only weep for this scary picture of a government hijacked by the rich and operated by idiots. It's probably information we should have, from someone who knows, and it wasn't all that hard to read.
172260
Here's another one of the daily indications that these must be end times.  This world has gotten unbearably ridiculous.  May I remind the remaining rational human beings out there: you are not alone!
Happy Thanksgiving and God bless (and help) America!
I have several copies of the original, some beautifully illustrated.  I will probably buy an e-book version someday too, but I will not be downloading this one, even for free.  And I'm a cheapie!  (Frugal).
2186012
This is a part of the world we live in. We have all played a part in not only creating this world, but allowing it to continue. Each and every day, with the choices we make, we either tear each other down or we build each other up. I happen to believe that we are responsible for each other. If we see a film like this and we take it to heart, then how can we be so self-indulgent and uncaring toward our fellow human beings? How can I buy an expensive car or TV or suit of clothes when there are people like this in the world? Can't I do something better with my money? When you witness these powerful and horrifying images, you get a chilling sense of what hell must be like.

Babenco, though he would probably deny it, is a true prophet. No, not in the sense of predicting the future, but in the mere act of sharing reality with us. He is telling the brutal, unvarnished truth. Many of us are uncomfortable with the truth. And so we make fun or ignore or hate those who deliver it. We would all be wise to heed these prophets.

These children happened to be born when and where they were, in the midst of hell. They did not choose this; who in their right mind would? I happened to be born in relative comfort and ease, in upper-middle class America. I have always had huge advantages over most of the people on this earth, simply because I have never been hungry. Do I think that God does not expect much of me because of this disparity? I would be a fool to think so. Therefore, I need to do what I can to make this world more equal. Why should I have everything I would ever need, and most people on earth not even have enough to eat? There is something dreadfully wrong here.

As Americans we need to do everything we can to help those who have so little in this world. In a way, we should thank God for these poor unfortunates because they have a way of helping us see what our priorities should be. They are Jesus on the road to Calvary. Do we stop and help them? Do we carry the cross? Do we wipe the brow, and give water to drink? If we do not, we reject God. And then God, in the fulness of time, will allow us to exist without him.
2638696
What. This makes no sense. Nobody acts like this. This is ridiculous. They're trying to get a message across, but they're doing it by depicting an unrealistic scenario. You can't do that; it doesn't work. It doesn't have a bad message; it just fails utterly at getting that message across.

Mama stubs her toe, the baby screams, and people aren't polite to each other at the breakfast table and call each other names. Everybody's mad. They get in fights. Mama takes the television away. Everybody's basically just hanging out and holding a grudge against each other, just glowering all day. Then Sister starts laughing at Mama for trying to read a magazine upside-down. Then instead of taking that as an insult, Mama starts laughing too and everybody else starts laughing like insane people, and they make up. Even the illustrations look like the Bears are forcing the laughter.

"But it's hard for folks who love each other to stay angry all day, especially if they really don't have anything to be angry about." No it's not! And when people are done being mad at each other, it usually takes a long time for them to get over themselves enough to accept, or offer, an apology. This type of deus ex machina resolution just irritates me.

The best part: "Who are you calling a slowpoke, you dumbhead!" Or, "'I wouldn't sit next to him if he were the last bear on earth!' said Sister. 'That goes double for me!' said Brother." What, if she was the last two bears on earth? What? I also appreciated when they were "looking daggers at each other" and the illustration actually had little daggers floating in the air between them. And how you could tell Sister is really upset because she is failing at staying within the lines as she's coloring in her coloring book. Furiously.

For more children's book reviews, see my Amazon profile for my website.
3253028
Reminds me of what the globalists are trying to do further here in the U.S.,
with the help of the puppet president.
Allegiance only to the state. I'm sure you've heard the words before: "You're either with us or against us."
and the propaganda to stir up hatred for foreign govts. It's coming folks, this IS the goal of the zionists,
what you see in this movie. Now get back in your cubicle and get ready for your long work day tomorrow.
801233
I think the world has gone crazy.  We expect___what we don't do.  We all have made mistakes even racial slurs in one way or another, be serious we have.  We sometimes let our mouths over ride our thoughts.  That doesn't mean we should be condemned for the rest of our lives, or deprived of a lively hood. We also shouldn't be judging others, what makes us think we are so perfect.  Someone even makes an apology from the bottom of their hearts and that still isn't enough. When will we all learn to forgive and forget and not continue to dwell on the negative.  Life is too short to not look at an issue, form an opinion, express it and then let it go, and let that person go on with their life.  Why do we feel we need to tear down others, could it be to cover up our own shortcomings? People wake up, look at the positive, forget the negative and move on to a happier life.  Remember the phrase "What Would Jesus Do".  I wish all the luck and happiness to all of the Deens and hope they have a great future.  Please continue to make us happy with your delicious food and future tv shows.
2611468
An amazing an inciteful book that should be reminding us all of the trouble our planet is in.... and how we might change our attitudes to help!!!
2480855
Keep on going Dinesh! America needs you to counteract the vitriolic poison espoused by the spoiled and inconsiderate people who live..and TEACH  in this country.!
3891291
I , when I whine or complain daily, stop, open up Mr. Plaster's book and  Photo History book; and think: wow! I am so stupid; I have "no  right" whatsoever to ever complain about anything! How we all are  today! How lucky I am that I am here in America; never knowing what it  would be like to be in a foreign land, fighting for "our great  country" or to be a P.O.W.! mR. pLASTER'S BOOKS HELP ME  "DAILY" APPRECIATE MY LIFE, FAMILY, AND MY COUNTRY so mush  better! The book's by Mr. Plaster helps us to understand just what our men  and women had to endure in S.E. ASIA! Yet these (SOG) men goes mant steps  further; out on-a-limb; for you and I; risking their lives and limbs to  keep us all safe and "free" here, in America on some of the  most-dangerous-secret missions ever done  during The Vietnam War for our  country!  If only "we" in today's society could be (true) team  players such as these fine-brave men of SOG were; our country wouldn't have  the disrespect problem that it has today! We "all" need to go  back, read Mr. Plaster's book and photo history; and realize how "  truly-really" blessed we "all" are to have had such a  "fine-brave-unselfish" units of men like the SOG units; that  so-gallantly fought in S.E. Asia in Vietnam War; so that we all might be  here, today, free and  democratic! Mr. Plaster's work's are; as far as i am  concerned; true/definative and complete work's of the SOG units! Can't get  any better than this! Thank's Mr. (Major-ret.) Plaster/ SOG! I'd give  anything to someday be able to meet "all" you brave men in  person, GOD BLESS YOU ALL! Much respect!
4680920
Retail Anarchy? More like full scale Retail Guerrilla Warfare! Sam Pocker, "stand-up economist," is an angry man. At least that's his shtick. Channeling Sam Kinnison and Don Rickles, he rants and insults his way through the shopping mall. I started Retail Anarchy looking forward to a James Twitchell or Paco Underhill-type examination of consumer culture. But after a few chapters of vitriol, I put the book on the donation pile. Sometime that night, I woke up thinking "What did he say about laundering Disney dollars?" The lure of a scam, especially a legal one, made me retrieve the book and try again.

When Pocker is talking about the mechanics of getting a deal, even a steal, he's good. But you'll have to wade through his comedy routines and pet peeves and irrelevant interludes into the history of funk, rock, and doo-wop. He excuses the disorganized nature of his book on the fact that he intends it for people who rarely read books. I don't understand that logic, but then, I read a lot of books so I am not his target audience. And yet I still managed to learn a lot about couponing, refunding, and rebates.

I enjoyed Pocker's explanations of scoring carloads of bottled teriyaki sauce, kitty litter, and Sunny Delight. Often, he actually makes money by buying in bulk. A combination of coupons, a store sale, and refunds can mean he gets cash back for buying a freezer load of frozen waffles. When he can't use a product, he donates to the local food banks and homeless shelters. And there's nothing shady about what he's doing -- for the most part, he's just taking advantage of the sales and deals the stores or manufacturers are offering to get people to try their products. He just does it on a larger scale than most people do.

Occasionally, Pocker lets his take-no-prisoners persona get out of hand. His description of dealing with an immigrant cashier who questions his coupons borders on racism. And his method of getting free batteries is downright cheap - he gets his money back from the manufacturer by claiming the batteries don't work. But maybe these are exaggerations intended to make the book more entertaining.

In any case, there is plenty of legitimate information here: websites and newsletters, and explanations of different kinds of deals and promotions and how to maximize them. Even if you don't make couponing a full time job, as Pocker has, to his profit, you can pick up a few tips that will save you far more than the cost of this book.

<a data-hook="product-link-linked" class="a-link-normal" href="/Why-We-Buy-The-Science-of-Shopping-Updated-and-Revised-for-the-Internet-the-Global-Consumer-and-Beyond/dp/1416595244/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8">Why We Buy: The Science of Shopping--Updated and Revised for the Internet, the Global Consumer, and Beyond</a>

<a data-hook="product-link-linked" class="a-link-normal" href="/One-Nation-under-Goods-Malls-and-the-Seductions-of-American-Shopping/dp/1588341526/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8">One Nation under Goods: Malls and the Seductions of American Shopping</a>

<a data-hook="product-link-linked" class="a-link-normal" href="/Living-It-Up-America-s-Love-Affair-with-Luxury/dp/0743245067/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8">Living It Up : America's Love Affair with Luxury</a>

<a data-hook="product-link-linked" class="a-link-normal" href="/The-Overspent-American-Why-We-Want-What-We-Don-t-Need/dp/0060977582/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8">The Overspent American: Why We Want What We Don't Need</a>
888682
Do people really have lives like this? so much frustration and tension palpable within each mundane aspect of their lives? If so, I wouldn't wish you were here. Blame and resentment permeates almost every exchange and interaction. I don't know who O'Nan hangs around with but if this is in any way a reflection of that company, God help them, because they are helpless to do anything constructive for themselves while they wallow in self-pity. Ick!
356282
Bolton is at his best describing how we are backing away from international leadership by angering allies and presenting a Casper Milktoast approach to the troublemakers in the world. In the bipolar world, we led the forces for freedom and self-determination, but now appealing to the isolationist tendencies of the American people, the current administration no lo longer sees us as a leader, but a member of the coalition of nations to try to stabilize the world. Instead the response to our lack of leadership is a fracturing of the allied nations' solidarity and the rise of the terrorist franchises.
4148900
I think people make a lot of money off of selling this fear based propaganda.  It
Is keeping America and the world locked in this truly damaging mindset of "the world's gonna end! The World's gonna end!" And it turns neighbor against neighbor
And family against family, thinking "dayz DA davil!" People have thought it was the END TIMES since so many have turned the book into some kind of LITERAL HISTORY because they've lost the keys to understand it. Not talking about some secret code embedded within to "Take over The World" or any such Nonsense to "Set the  People in the near east wrote in using many symbols and metaphors. We still speak in symbol in our everyday talk.
"Hi honey. I'm home!"
"Did you have fun while you were with the guys?"
 "Well we didn't go anywhere, We just 'Shot the bull'." ......Well the way many people read scripture, would lead them to think that someone SHOT A BULL RIGHT WHERE THEY STOOD, when all he meant was that they sat around and talked.

"How'd the fight start"
-"well officer, everything was fine and dandy until all the sudden Tommy, "Shot his mouth off.". .  after that Joe "LOST HIS MIND",AND "KNOCKED TOMMY'S SOCKS OFF".
We would get ahold of it and think out of nowhere Tommy pulled a gun out and shot his own JAW OFF (and eventually split into 50 different sects about what kind of gun it was) Then Joe's brain jumped out of his head right before he KNOCKED Tommy's Socks off with to disturbance of his shoes!

The world is not going to have an "ending". People are so stuck on their traditions and want this imaginative view of the world to be true soooo bad, they'll believe just about anything.

This book is doing nothing but selling fear, and perpetuating ignorance. We are the laughing stalk of the world, and have our eyes closed and our make-believe glasses on (WE DO and we have to MAKE OURSELVES BELIEVE-because deep down, just like when we were children and heard these stories for the first time...WE KNEW THEY DIdN'T FIT.)
Our bibles tell us truths through our minds eye about what goes on inside not about something that happened to someone else or a race of people, those wars,all the wanderings,the plagues,those are metaphors of OUR trials-We are Judah, the tribe of Light,We are Jesus struggling in the wilderness of our minds--once we've thought about and try to intellectualize it or make materialize as something in reality-things that never were nor belong (like loafs of bread falling from the sky), we've lost it.
  -"The kingdom of god is within."
  -"Hypocrite, you take away the key of knowledge because you didn't enter within yourself, and those who were trying, you hindered."

The only Temples not made with hands are on top of your shoulders! WE ARE THE KINGDOM OF GOD AND THE TEMPLE SITS IN SILENCE atop the Mount where the Father dwells in secret.  As Paul says, circumscision is not of the Flesh like we have turned it into, by taking it literalizing it...its a renewal of the mind.
2219505
As strange as the title I gave my review might sound, this summarized what was running through my head in this book. The book was good as usual, but I wanted to yell at them so much! Brambleclaw faced so much prejudice in&nbsp;<a data-hook="product-link-linked" class="a-link-normal" href="/A-Dangerous-Path-Warriors-Book-5/dp/0060525657/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8">A Dangerous Path (Warriors, Book 5)</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a data-hook="product-link-linked" class="a-link-normal" href="/The-Darkest-Hour-Warriors-Book-6/dp/0060525851/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8">The Darkest Hour (Warriors, Book 6)</a>&nbsp;due to his father-his nighttime meetings just make the problem more difficult. His relationship with Squirrelflight is already down the Twoleg drain, must he alienate everyone? He's seriously creeping Leafpool (who's caught him with Tigerstar and Hawkfrost in his dreams!) out in this book, which brings me to her and how I grew to dislike her for this book and&nbsp;<a data-hook="product-link-linked" class="a-link-normal" href="/Sunset-Warriors-The-New-Prophecy-Book-6/dp/B000WPPW1U/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8">Sunset (Warriors: The New Prophecy, Book 6)</a>. (She manages to redeem herself in&nbsp;<a data-hook="product-link-linked" class="a-link-normal" href="/Warriors-Power-of-Three-1-The-Sight/dp/0060892048/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8">Warriors: Power of Three #1: The Sight</a>, but channels Yellowfang like Cinderpelt does in this book. [I don't find this a bad thing, Yellowfang's cool.]) She enters a doubly forbidden romance (medicine cats aren't supposed to fall in love) with a character who hasn't been exactly stable about love. (In&nbsp;<a data-hook="product-link-linked" class="a-link-normal" href="/Dawn-Warriors-The-New-Prophecy-Book-3/dp/006074457X/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8">Dawn (Warriors: The New Prophecy, Book 3)</a>, this cat didn't care if he died as long as he could be reunited with his beloved.) He seems to think he is Graystripe, and he's not. Graystripe lost his mate, your relationship with a certain cat didn't go anywhere, foolish warrior! This is what annoys me about this romance-Leafpool knows about Graystripe's affair with Silverstream, I assume? So how does she think this romance will work? Spottedleaf didn't get the cat, either, so why does Leafpool think she will get lucky? Her poor judgement leads to an ending that is guaranteed to make you sad-but don't worry, there's quickly hope at the end of the tunnel. Despite my ranting, this was a good book. Check it out!
2181564
This is a great book by a very angry man.  The world has turned horrible as we have watched, and Bywater tells us some, only some, of the ways in which this horror has been foisted on us.  Many of the essays are very funny ..... and then not so funny.  He has seen the absurdity of life and has now told us about it.  Anyone who is satisfied with the modern world and does not feel that much has been lost will hate this book.  Anyone without a sense of humor will hate this book.  Anyone incapable of feeling outrage at what "they" (and we all know who they are!) have done to us will hate this book.  Anyone lacking a soul will hate this book. Anyone who thinks that the government/the corportions/the people across the street have our best interests at heart will hate this book. Anyone who thinks he will live forever will hate this book. I love it.

At first and to a shallow mind the essays seem random and unfocused, but gradually the theme emerges:  we've been had.
4235823
The JSA wiping out coast-to-coast fifth-columnist organizations and rounding up all their members in a fell swoop! If only the same could be done today with the countless terrorists, subversive agents and foreign criminals that seem to pour in to America. I can truly see how comics like this became so popular at the time: they gave the average citizen hope that justice would triumph in a dangerous world, and that world could become a safer place for decent folk. The parallels to today make the situation disturbingly familiar...unfortunately, the enemies of America today are not necessarily the Aryans wearing grey shirts, and political correctness prohibits us from recognizing the enemy as the enemy. Alas, the emperor has no clothes, but no one wants to point this out, for fear of offending...somebody!? In any event...GO JSA!