Dope Collabo. Unlimited edition. Available everywhere.

If aliens come to my house, my little boy CJ has got us covered. What he calls the "bad guy claw," otherwise know as Mommy's hair clip, will be deployed and clamp down on any unruly alien behavior.

This is what happens to "girly stuff" when you have little boys.

El primer contacto con estos robots, pues en mi persona fue ver una caja gris con una especie de carrito dentro, y un monton de piezas sueltas, y la conseguida de 6 baterias 2A para poder probar el funcionamiento del robot.

Antes que todo, pues me dio curiosidad ver cuales eran las piezas que "sobraban" y pues si quedaba buena cantidad, por lo que aun me queda la curiosidad sobre que otros robots se podran armar. Las piezas que quedaba y el robot se pueden ver en la siguiente fotografia.

Despues de esto pues era hora de ponerle baterias y ver que era capaz de hacer el robotito, ya que simpatico si se miraba. El robot tenia conectado un sensor sonico (si no estoy mal), un sensor infrarrojo y un sensor de choque, como partes mas relevantes, se desplazaba impulsado por dos motores y se movilizaba sobre tres llantas.

Despues de aproximadamente 5 minutos de haber aprendido como manejar el control del robot, pues empece a buscar si tenia algun programa cargado, y resulto que no, unicamente tenia los programas de prueba que trae por definicion, asi que correspondia ponerlo en su alfombra y ver que era lo que hacia. En esto fueron otros 10 minutos para comprender como hiciera algo, y la final pues fue interesante, ya que este programa de prueba, era para probrar el infrarojo.

Lo que hice fue lo siguiente: para empezar lo puse en el area de Start que viene indicada en la alfombra y darle play. Al darle play el robot avanzaba hasta encontrar el borde negro, en ese punto daba un giro de 180 grados y regresaba hasta encontrar el siguiente borde negro, en ese punto volvia a girar y avanzaba un poco y se quedaba parado. Pueden ver el video de la prueba aqui.

Y asi es como despues de 18 años, volvi a tener en mis manos los famosos Legos, no los que yo conoci, pero no importa, porque estos parecen ser mas entretenidos.

M-ito's Lego love affair has taken him into the world of Obi-Wan Kanobi and Luke Skywalker. I think he's too young for the futuristic western but he's forging ahead, all six years of him. He's built a good sized Lego Stormtrooper Walker and we've read five DK Star Wars level 1 and 2 reading books so he has some background on the world - the books being my idea on how to prep him for the movies.

So... over the last three nights, we sat down, M-ito half in my lap, curled up and frightened, one eye open one eye closed, a blanket covering us both in case we needed to hide from the movie's images - and watched it from beginning to end. The only scene I skipped for him (and didn't tell him) was the scene when Luke's aunt and uncle are fried and their skeletons are shown toasting in front of their house. Powerful scene - but not for M-ito. It was bad enough that Obi-Wan disappears when Darth Vader cuts him in half. And that the ground is littered with dead Jawas. And that at least twelve rebel fighters get destroyed attacking the deathstar. And did I mention a whole planet? And the Death star. I'd better stop now. I can't take the death toll. 

Let me be clear. I love this movie. I still remember seeing it when was a teenager, first row and in awe of the dream I was watching appear across the screen. But when your son is 6 and he wants to watch the same movie because all of his boy friends have seen it - it's a whole 'nother story. I guess I buckled to pressure. 

What I did was explain every plot point to M-ito before it happened. I told him what would happen to Obi-Wan - with the movie on pause. I told him what would happen at the end - right before the attack on the death star - with the movie on pause. And as long as he was prepared for the next plot point - movie on pause - he was okay. As we lay in bed afterwards, right before singing started, he told me that was the only way he could watch the film.

"It was too scary not to know," he said.

I told him I wasn't happy about all the violence in the movie and all the creatures, human and not human, that were killed.

"But not the important ones," he told me. "As long as the important ones, like Han and Luke and Princess Leia, were okay it was all right." I'm not sure if this is good or bad. It's how I view violence on TV and in film also. It's okay as long as it happens to a character that I don't care about. How smart is my son?

"Do you think you'll have nightmares tonight?" I asked.

"No," he said, shaking his head. He went to bed that night in my arms, holding my hand next to his cheek, a big Star Wars smile on his face while I sang him Twinkle Twinkle Little Star.

My father introduced me to The Mark of Zorro, The Seahawks, The Adventures of Don Juan, The Adventures of Robin Hood, Gunga Din, and Beau Geste. Errol Flynn was my hero. He was my father's hero also. I watched each film with my father at my side - waiting for the next sword fight or battle scene - yawning my way through the love scenes. When we get the chance - very rare these days - we still watch Jackie Chan films or martial arts epics together - modern adventure stories. He gave me the Pirates of the Caribbean for a gift two christmas' back.

I have mixed feelings about the violence in Star Wars. But I am so glad M-ito and I saw the film together.

People doing stuff with Legos!

Vienna breaks world record in Legos

i just found this amazing site that offers lego font.

"This little application was a collaboration between the designers Urs Lehni and Rafael Koch with the developer Jürg Lehni, as a progression from the design of their Lineto Lego fonts. The irresistible logic of the Lego brick prompted them to start thinking about how the fonts could be shown in an interactive type specimen, offering ways to play with it online.

They later developed it into a stand-alone Shockwave application, offering a set of preselected design elements and both Lineto Lego font alphabets to play with. Results can be exported as vector data and opened in vector-oriented graphic design programs like Adobe Illustrator or Macromedia Freehand."

you can go to the site and download the font, which caters to both PC & Macs.

while i am on the subject of legos...

in Vienna, Austria, hundreds of children managed to build the world's largest lego tower, which set a Guiness World Record at 29.48m.

"Organizers were forced to use a crane to complete the highest part of the tower, while support wires helped keep the Lego secure in the strong winds."

i can't imagine the amount of time and effort it took to create such a beautiful masterpiece.  i put together a little batman tumbler in less than an hour and thought i was pretty talented.  i guess i have bigger & better things to strive for!

I dug through dust (which had me in a fit of coughs and sneezes), dirt, hair, tiny rubberbands for my daughter's braces, staples, little pieces of paper and plastic, tape, etc.  And did I find one stickin' lego?  No, of course not!  I did find a green bead (my daughter's), a tiny tea cup from a cute little doll set (my daughter's), a hairclip (my daughter's), a little silver piece (not sure what it is, but I'm keeping it just in case), a clear plastic piece (it looks a little Lego-ish), and a penny (at least I got paid for my troubles).

My husband is going to think I am insane.  I think it's just the OCD in me.  I hate it when we've lost pieces from games or puzzles; I hate it when a deck is lacking a card.  But I keep the incomplete game or puzzle or deck in hopes of finding the missing piece.  And sometimes I do find one, especially when we move.  Moving has been good in some ways in that we find things we've been looking for over the year or two we've lived in that place. 

For now, I will have to deliver the bad news to my son when he gets home from school.  Maybe he can borrow a piece or two from one of the many other Lego sets that he has.

The RNC filed a complaint today alleging that Obama's presidential campaign has received illegal contributions from foreigners and donations that exceed federal limits.

News accounts suggest that roughly 11,500 donors who gave a total of $34 million to the campaign may be citizens of foreign countries, who are not allowed to contribute to U.S. elections, the RNC said.

Cited in the complaint was a Newsmax.com article that asserted "questionable overseas donations that contains more than 11,500 contributions totaling more than $33.8 million." in an FEC records database.

According to Newsweek  two donors using the names "Doodad Pro" and "Good Will" gave Obama more than $11,000 in increments of $10 and $25.

Something the press didn't cover last June were two huge campaign fundraisers in China on his behalf. Interestingly enough the few obscure press releases from last june have been scrubbed. One fundraiser was at the home of a Coca Cola executive in Bejing. The other fundraiser was at the Shanghai home of an executive of a company that manufactures electronic components for cell phones and the like (Richco). There are old blogs still available for view.

There are strict rules that candidates can only receive monies from American citizens. (The FEC  prohibits contributions from corporations and labor unions)

Another press release passed over this last August was the corruption probe in Nigeria for the "Africans for Obama" fundraiser. $630,000 in fundraiser money was seized. The organiser of the August 11 event, Ndi Okereke-Onyiuke, chair of the Nigerian stock exchange, was questioned by corruption investigators but was cleared of any wrongdoing because no Nigerian laws were broken.

The press has also overlooked the website supporting Obama in Nigeria. The site address is www.obamanigeria.org

Obama, mentioned in an op-ed by economics professor Jay Mandle in the Washington Post:

The Obama campaign has repeatedly touted their financial gain from small donations. About $200 million has come from small donations.

During a Feb. 26 debate in Cleveland, for example, Obama said that "we have now raised 90 percent of our donations from small donors, $25, $50."

Mandle's op-ed notes "Contributions of less than $200 do not have to be itemized in reports to the Federal Election Commission, so we have no idea how many are made."

That would mean 90 Percent of Obama donors had not been reported to the FEC.

According to the FEC:
$100 in currency (cash) to any political committee. (Anonymous cash contributions may not exceed $50.) Contributions exceeding $100 must be made by check, money order or other written instrument.

According to the FEC:
Contributions made in the name of another are prohibited. For example, an individual who has already contributed up to the limit for a candidate's election may not give money to another person to make a contribution to the same candidate. Similarly, a corporation is prohibited from using bonuses or other methods of reimbursing employees for their contributions.

According to the FEC:
Foreign nationals, Federal government contractors and, in some instances, minors are prohibited from contributing funds.

According to the FEC:
If you contribute more than $200 to a committee, the committee is required to use its best efforts to collect and publicly disclose on a financial report your name, address, occupation and employer, as well as the date and amount of your contribution.

It would seem, the press is also suppressing the information surrounding the ongoing  lawsuit regarding Obama's eligibility to be a presidential contender. If you do a google search of NEWS with key words obama, lawsuit and birth certificate you will find only a small handful of obscure press releases - none by mainstream news agencies.

Lawsuit website

As I described in an earlier post dated back in late August, there is an outstanding lawsuit pending in the Philadelphia Federal Court regarding the eligibility of Barack Obama to run for President of the United States.

Copies of all filed court records and status updates regarding the lawsuit are encouraged for public scrutiny.

Requested are: (1) a certified copy of Obama's "vault" (original long version) Birth Certificate; and (2) a certified copy of Obama's Certificate of Citizenship; and (3) a certified copy of the Oath of Allegiance taken by Obama taken at the age of majority.

On September 25, 2008 -- the week banks started to fail and the US Government stayed in session to design and pass a $700B bailout bill -- Senator Obama and the Democratic National Committee filed a Motion to Dismiss the suit on the last day to file a response, for the obvious purpose of delaying Court action.

Theoretically speaking. If someone accused you of having an angel tattoo on your back why would you not just lift your shirt and show that there was no tattoo?

There is the question of Obama's citizenship to Africa - which he now fully admits on his fight the smears website. Is that a red herring?

But… there is also the question of Barry's citizenship to Indonesia. Barry Soetoro not only lived in Indonesia but was adopted by his Indonesian father, Lolo Soetoro. Indonesia does not recognize duel citizenship.

Article 2, Section 1 of the US Constitution states:
No person except a natural born Citizen, or a Citizen of the United States, at the time of the Adoption of this Constitution, shall be eligible to the Office of President; neither shall any Person be eligible to that Office who shall not have attained to the Age of thirty-five Years, and been fourteen Years a Resident within the United States.
 
In essence, one must be a natural born citizen of the United States and at least 35 years old.

Part 1
http://willnevergiveup.wordpress.com/2008/08/24/barry-soetoro/

Part 3
http://willnevergiveup.wordpress.com/2008/10/07/lawsuit3/

Part 4
http://willnevergiveup.wordpress.com/2008/10/07/lawsuit4/

Dad:  "Son, hold this.  Daddy's gonna go ride the Top Spin*."

8-Year-Old Son:  [takes Daddy's cigarette and holds it expertly in his sticky paw, then sighs, like this is the last time old man...] "Ok."

The Fair that comes to our area is the second-largest in the State, second only to the big boy: the State Fair in the capital.  It's amazing.  More amazing even than the artery-clogging funnel cakes, grimy Fair workers and rickety rides, though, are the other patrons of the Fair.  I also like how the Fair disrupts your Newsweek notions about society.  Thought that most of the world no longer smoked?  HAH.  Come to the Fair.  Even kids smoke.  Thought that we're a nation obsessed with low-carb diets and gym equipment?  Oh ho.  You haven't seen the totteringly obese line at the Fried Pickle booth. 

Thought moms are so germ-obsessed that junior can't even go to kindergarten without some Purell in his pocket?  You obviously didn't see the mothers last night who unblinkingly picked up filthy Fair-prize toys, newly tossed out of the stroller, into the mire of the Midway, and pop them right back into their small spawn's waiting, gaping maws.  Thought we were a disinterested, unpatriotic nation of complainers?  You didn't get to witness the near-mob that takes place at the Demolition Derby when some poor fool forgets to take his hat off during the National Anthem.  (Yes.  They play the National Anthem at the Demolition Derby and everyone has to stand).  The whole Fair experience just screams at Middle America:  "Bitch!  You don't know my life!"

Let me take you, loyal readers, on a photo-journey of my Fair experience, since I know many of you are not lucky enough to live near this spectacle of shiny things.  First, we planned our arrival cunningly to give us just enough time to eat cheese-steaks before making our way to the Race of the Swifty Swine.  Pig Racing.  It's exactly what it sounds like.  They have names like "Kevin Bacon" and "Brad Pig" and you root for them (much as a pig roots for shit, except, you know, different) from the sidelines.  Who knew pigs could run like the wind? 

Then you try to avoid the Republican mania that's swept, bafflingly, through the disenfranchised lower class of America. 

We also paid a visit to my very favorite Fair Thing, which is the exhibitionist booth.  This is where the local kids submit 4-H projects that are judged on merit**. 

There are several categories, and one, weirdly, is "Lego Sculpture." 

I was also pleased to see that, apparently, some of my former students had entered a selection. 

You'll also be pleased to note that the handicapped in our community are both encouraged and mocked, simultaneously, in some projects: 

Whatever you do, though, don't handle the phallic gourds, no matter how much the mutated fruit flesh beckons you.  It will anger... someone. 

I suppose it's important to some parents that their kids get out and see new things.  Like dinosaur remains sneaking up behind mutated freak-show women with their mouth on the right side of their face. 

There are many options when enrolling your child in a 4H club!  For one thing, it'll get them out of the house and away from that cobweb encrusted 1985 Nintendo system. 

It may encourage them to die headfirst in a puddle instead.

Or take up turn-of-the-century fashion and play golf on their knees.

And finally, it will lead to that proud, proud day of graduation.  Where you sit bonelessly in a plastic blue lawn chair with stylish mittens, in June, and await your diploma. 

We meandered through the Midway, enjoying the rides that happily belt out current hits such as "Danger Zone" to entertain the screaming patrons having their deep-fried tummies flipped upside down.  We also passed a ride that appears to have been named after the gas they used to exterminate Jews at Auschwitz.  Touching. 

We*** were hustled into playing a shooting game, since everyone at the Fair knows your penis size is directly related to the size of stuffed animal your woman is seen carrying from the Fair grounds later that evening. 

Now, my husband didn't want to (because he's a Yankee and thinks that barnyard animals smell funny), but I insisted on petting the live-stock that was on display, from pigeons to goats -- every filthy disease-carrier you can imagine.       

I should mention that one of the longest lines was for the hand-washing station just adjacent to the animal display.  All 15 middle-class folks, most wearing sweaters tied carelessly around their shoulders and sporting visors, were frantically splashing their offspring with egg-scented Fair water, hoping to dispell the ebola that was now imminent. 

Finally we made our way to the highlight of the Fair, the Demolition Derby.  Someone was so excited about the derby that they made a miniature, Lego-version of it.  And entered it in competition.  Naturally. 

This was the REAL derby, though, where everyone was hostilely forced into listening to the National Anthem before letting go with ear-piercing Rebel yells, ignoring the irony in such a display. 

It's also where a grasshopper the size of Minnesota tried to eat my face.  When I screamed, loudly, and tried desperately to guard the precious, precious funnel cake from further onslaught, I was tapped on the shoulder and warned in whiskey breath not to startle it, since it might then come back for seconds.  The elderly asshole giving me such insight was accompanied by his equally elderly wife, who proceeded to give me the stink-eye for drawing the notice of her feller.  Really, lady?  I am noton the prowl for gentlemen of a "certain age" who smell like a distillery and proudly own all 4 of their own teeth.  You can have that man-gem for keepsies. 

So a good time was had by all.  Except for our dog, of course, who had to stay home and then was forced to sniff out all the Fair Fun on our pant legs.  I don't think she could have fully known what she was missing, though.  I do know, though, that next year, we're bringing her home a "turkey" leg****.  And probably some ebola.    

*  The Top Spin was the most horrifying thing I've ever witnessed.  It was like Coney Island and a gun in my face, rolled into a Fair-scented combination of scary.

**  here, the word "merit" denotes an ability to glue giant doll heads onto flat clothing articles creating objects both freakish and disturbing. 

***  here, the word "we" clearly means, "my idiot husband."

****  here, the word "turkey" clearly means "unidentifiable [cat] meat shaped onto a stick"

Ratings-

Lego Batman 8.3/10

Lego Indiana Jones Adventures 8.6/10

Lego Star Wars Complete 9.1/10

Pros-

Dude, it's @#$% Legos!

Humor and brain-dead gameplay galore!

Something for everybody... Young, old, straight, gay, unicorns, etc.

Variation and strong replay value.

Did I mention it's all about the Legos?

Cons-

Lack of online gameplay on the Indiana Jones series.

Gameplay is too dark in Batman.

Sometimes gets a little too brain-dead with instant death/reincarnations.

Camera angles can get a little weird and unruly at times.

Too easy to cheat and unlock characters and skills.

So would I recommend these games to my friends and family? Yes, but only select ones for select people. Die-hards of Batman won't be disappointed as is the case with Indiana Jones or Star Wars. If you couldn't stand any series, pass, pass pass! These games are for kids and for adults seeking hours of mindless two-player fun at home or online. If you have only one to choose from, get Star Wars as it's the broadest and funnest of the bunch! These are the droids you are looking for!

That's right, Old World Limited is having a Toys for Tots Drive, and want you to be a part of it! 

We will be collecting new, unwrapped toys until Nov. 15th.  They will all be donated to the Minnesota chapter of Toys for Tots.

"The Toys for Tots program wishes to play an active role in the development of one of our nation's most valuable natural resources - our children"

What's in it for you?  Besides the wonderful feeling you'll get in helping out a child, we will list your business or family name, in recognition, on our website and blog.

New, unwrapped toys can be sent to:

Old World Limited

PO Box 402

Savage, MN  55379

*UPS Reminder -- UPS does NOT deliver to PO Boxes.  If you will be using UPS, please contact us for an alternate address...Shop@OldWorldLimited.com

***Think Books, Barbies, Cars, Planes, Dolls, Thomas, Building Blocks, Board Games, Legos, & more!***

Q/A's From the Toys for Tots website:

Q :   Is my donation tax-deductible?
A :   A donor does not need a special letter for tax purposes unless he/she makes a donation of money, toys, or services valued at $250.00 or more.   For donations less than $250.00 a canceled check or store/business receipt is acceptable for IRS purposes.   For donations of $250.00 or more that are address of the donor, a receipt will be mailed upon request.

Marine Corps Toys for Tots Foundation is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit charity. Donations are tax deductible.

Q :   What kinds of toys are not allowed?
A :   Toys with military theme. Toys related to weapons/law enforcement type toys.   Toys with candy. Used toys.   No chemicals (i.e. experimental labs, acid, crystal projects, etc.).   The Toys For tots program do not allow these toys.   The Toys For Tots of the Marine Corps reserve will not distribute toys fitting this description that are donated to the program to children.   Instead, these toys will be donated to another charity organization.

Q :   What kind of toys can I donate?
A :   New, unwrapped toys preferably around the $10 or above price range.   It is unsafe to distribute dangerous or dirty toys that could cause injury or illness to a child.

i have been sick recently ( since saturday ). nothing major, no fever. just sinus issues with sore throat and fatigue. major fatigue ( i almost passed out going to the mailbox ), but big deal. i'm not going to die. i've just felt really bad for two or three days.

when i get sick though, it always seems as if the floodgates suddenly break and my dreams get weird as hell.

it seemed average at first. in my dream i was sitting in my front yard when my cellphone rang. i picked it up out of the grass, flipped it open and started to say hello. before i could though, my head fell off.

i repeat: my head fell off.

now, sure, it's a dream, but abrupt decapitation without reason is always going to freak you out. it doesn't matter how sick you are, how many drops of acid you've done that evening or how many mushrooms you've scraped from under a pile of cow shit ( or is it horse shit? one makes you loopy and the other kills you ).

that's not even the creepiest part though. when my head just popped off, like it was a grape at the mercy of some giant, there wasn't any blood or guts. no candy ( although that may've made me feel better ) either. instead, it was like two legos being plucked apart.

three things i desperately want to know.
1. who was calling me? just so i know to never, ever answer my cellphone if they call
2. what the hell does this say about my subconcious?
3. could this possibly be stranger than the dream i had about my friend sean and neil patrick harris sending me on a scavenger hunt so that i could make neil a weird, elvis-esque get-up out of burlaps sacks and animal hides?

Let me preamble with "I was raised in a very strict Seventh-day Adventist home". If you're not sure you know what that means, I invite you to... never find out. LOL. If anything, religion has taught me that nobody can get along because at one point or another, the argument that "my god is better than your god" always brings things to critical mass.

I am now an agnostic, well, actually more pastafarian, really (and if you're not sure you know what that means, you SERIOUSLY need to find out as it is awesome). But I still can't shake my religious upbringing. I still get squeamish when I see "blasphemies" until I realize they're only "blasphemies" if we assign power to the words and images. Long ago I decided to embrace the word "fag", and now I love being called a fag because I AM a fag (although most people say I could fag up a little bit more).

So anyhoo, this was my initial reaction

When I saw: (clicking on the pictures will take you to the site)

The world's a funny, funny place. As for me, I'm just happy I have a long, cylindrical toy to play with.

You sickos.

We had heard they were going to be working on a children's version & I have been waiting with anticipation. IT'S HERE!! Adventures in Odyssey's new CD set is The Truth Project for children - The Truth Chronicles. Can' wait to get my hands on it! Nate listens to AIO literally every time he works with his Legos & if you know him at all, that's pretty often. I'm ordering a copy for our church library & will try to write a review when we're done listening.

·        the ones who keep you alive,

·        the ones who would otherwise cause you to die,  and

·        the ones who somehow manage to do both at the same time J

Keep busy with the Legos Grandpa ;-)

In an earlier version of this creation, the two hoses connected to the back of the booth. One hose had a darker connection than the other. Phillip liked that, saying that it looked like one was for input and the other for output. Later, when I changed the hoses to the upper mechanism, I used the same color for both. Phillip said he missed the output/input effect. It wasn't until I was working with the photos for this post, a few minutes ago, that I realized I had forgotten to change the hose colors. Sorry about that.