In a message dated 4/16/2003 9:14:57 AM Eastern Standard Time, [log in to unmask] writes:

MY TWO CENTS' WORTH, WITH APOLOGIES FOR THE APPARENT SHOUTING.
> The fact that the Museum is boasting about its oven mitts and toy plagues (which sounds peculiar and funny to a Protestant but is no doubt meaningful CHRIS, KEEP ON DOUBTING.  IT'S WAY MORE THAN PECULIAR AND FUNNY TO US MEMBERS OF THE TRIBE  to those in the know*) seems to parallel the idea of a trivial work of architecture.
>
> Yr Obdnt Svnt,
> If They Get Passover Every Night, I Get General Confession Every Day THERE ARE THOSE WHO CLAIM THAT MATZOH HAS THE SAME EFFECT ON THE DIGESTIVE SYSTEM AS ATTAPULGUS, AND IT'S VERY POSSIBLE THAT YOU SHOULD BE AS GLAD NOT TO HAVE PASSOVER EVERY NIGHT AS YOU (PRESUMABLY) ARE TO NOT HAVE GENERAL CONFESSION EVERY DAY.
>
> *If that's a plague of toys, I know exactly what they mean.  Otherwise, I assume it's giant motorized locusts, or maybe
> just miniature armies of marauding Catholic inquisitors.

I NEVER HEARD OF TOY PLAGUES BEFORE, BUT THEN I'M FROM THE PROVINCES.  I'LL HAVE TO LOOK FOR A COMPLETE LIST OF THE PLAGUES, BUT IN THE MEANTIME, THE ONES I CAN REMEMBER OFF-HAND ARE: BLOOD, FROGS, MURRAIN, DARKNESS, BOILS, HAIL, LOCUSTS (WITH OR WITHOUT LICE, I'M NOT SURE) AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST, SLAYING OF THE FIRST-BORN. SOME OF THESE ARE EASIER TO MAKE TOYS OF THAN OTHERS (RUBBER FROGS, FAKE BLOOD, PLASTIC BUGS; THEN AGAIN, WHAT WOULD TOY DARKNESS BE?), AND NOBODY KNOWS FOR SURE ANY MORE WHAT THE HELL MURRAIN IS.  IN ANY CASE, HOWEVER, WE'RE SPECIFICALLY FORBIDDEN TO TAKE ANY PLEASURE IN THE SUFFERING OF THE EGYPTIAN PEOPLE AS A RESULT OF THE PLAGUES, SON THE WHOLE CONCEPT OF TOY PLAGUES IS QUITE IMPROPER IN ADDITION TO BEING BIZARRE AS HELL.  WILL REPORT FURTHER ON THIS MATTER AS INFORMATION BECOMES AVAILABLE.
RALPH

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