"Mickey Mouse"

[Patti Kurtz]

I've heard "Mickey Mouse"  used by woodworkers like my husband to describe
a poorly done restoration job:  "That desk was really mickey moused."  or
"It was a real Mickey Mouse job."  The implication seems to be that the job
was both done carelessly and incompetently, usually by someone who is seen
as having no knowledge of how to do it right or no patience for doing it right.


At 07:27 AM 12/7/01 -0800, you wrote:
>I don't understand "Mickey Mouse" the same as you.  To
>me it simply means without substance, something not to
>be taken seriously, something trivial.  The behavior
>of some people or organizations certainly falls in
>this category.  Unfortunatly, Mickey Mouse behavior is
>often backed by, even the direct result of, public
>laws and corporate policies and such.
>
>
>--- Mark.Mandel at LHSL.COM wrote:
> > Does anyone know how the phrase "Mickey Mouse" came
> > to describe "a person
> > or organization with a lot of poorly-justified,
> > nit-picking rules"? IMHO
> > the cartoon character isn't like that and never has
> > been.
> >
> > (This question arises from a discussion of
> > intellectual property rights on
> > another list I'm on. It is completely unrelated to
> > today's being the
> > hundredth anniversary of the birth of Walter Elias
> > Disney.)
> >
> > -- Mark
>
>=====
>James D. SMITH                 |If history teaches anything
>SLC, UT                        |it is that we will be sued
>jsmithjamessmith at yahoo.com     |whether we act quickly and decisively
>                                |or slowly and cautiously.
>
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Patti J. Kurtz
Assistant Professor, English
Advisor, Kilikilik


"Anyone can do any amount of work provided it isn't the work he is supposed
to be doing at the moment."

                                         -- Robert Benchley