Build Date: Sun Dec 14 11:30:16 2025 UTC
I've been on the Atkins diet for nearly a year now and I'm regular as a clock.
-- Thom Stark
Lego-Man off the Block Comments
1999-01-07 00:07:00
An open letter the Lego Company from Mr. Lego-Man himself.
Howdy,
After spotting the Throwbots in the catalogue, and then coming across a post here that they were on sale at Target, I went and bought 8500 TORCH for $5.99. ( They were not in the computer here yet, but they had someone check the shelf price, so no cut rate deals here ).
Some good...some bad observations:
GOOD: I like the new housing for worm to 40 spur gears lots. I will probably buy some of the other models to have several of these pieces ( used in the giant Throwbot ). I like the half 24 spur element allowing it to be rotated, and can see some neato applications for it. I like gears coming in other colors than grey. I like the ball socket combinations ( more on this next ). It has been awhile...the old supercar had a unique piece for the independent suspension...I am glad these may become widely available. The packaging is kinda cool and I like the art ( three cheers for the graphic artists ).
BAD: I dislike the direction of the theme. Didn't we see this kind of thing before as TRANSFORMERS? Not very creative. I do not like the bent of "THROWBOTS SHOOT DISCS TO COMPETE FOR ULTIMATE CONTROL WHO WILL WIN?" printed on the box. ( Combine this with ruins in the background of the poster ) This is part of my long running complaint that the LEGO GROUP is leaving their core competency behind ( creative constructive uses ) for the glam of violent play. Cut it out guys! I do not like the discs being collectable with two different ones randomly inserted into each package. Does the LEGO GROUP aspire to follow in the wake of POGS? The discs themselves are somewhat flimsy when compared to good old solid Lego ABS. The carrying case is also a departure from LEGO as a well made product. It is thin and tended to fall apart on me. Finally, while I liked the new ball socket combinations, the balls have a neat axle extending from them into a half decorative/beam section. One ball is attatched at about 180 degrees and a second ball is attatched on the other end of the decorative/beam element at slightly more than 90 degrees. I am probably going to carefully cut the ball off to have a unique technic element that is not woefully attached to a decorative element at a fixed angle. Again, is LEGO following in the footsteps of countless Asian toy knockoffs? Finally, I found it to be a pricey kit. 31 pieces for $5.99 ( about 19 cents a piece...many of which are *very* small ones! S@H price is higher ).
I liked Gary Istok's comment to someone about "quit whining and enjoy the variety of pieces that Lego is producing." I do like very much some of the elements in the THROWBOT kits...but I would like to think that LEGO could do a better job!
T O P S T O R I E S
The Crossroads are real and The Blues is a place; The enduring myth of Robert Johnson (More...)
California Glory Hole attracts huge crowds
A glory hole at Napa's Lake Berryessa is drawing huge crowds. According to Chris Lee, the general manager for the Solano County Water Agency, the glory hole hasn't been active since 2019, and only restarted operations on Feb 4. (More...)
Republican State Senator busted after soliciting a teenage girl
Republican State Senator Justin Eichorn of Minnesota was arrested for soliciting a teen girl on Monday just hours after he introduced a bill proposing "Trump derangement syndrome" (TDS) as a form of mental illness. (More...)
Parents claim measles is not that bad after having only one child die
The parents of a Texas girl who died from the measles are defending their decision not to vaccinate their daughter. "She says they would still say 'Don't do the shots,'" an unidentified translator for the parents said. "They think it’s not as bad as the media is making it out to be." (More...)
Delusional rich man tries to fire town staff
"I'm mayor now" said write-in mayoral candidate and founder of Pirate’s Booty Snacks Robert Ehrlich after losing the election for Mayor of Sea Cliff, NY. Then he tried to take over the Village Hall and fire everyone. (More...)
Musk claims Xitter security is staffed by idiots
Earlier this month Xitter experienced a massive outage. In an interview, Musk told Fox Business that he believes the attack came from "IP addresses originating in the Ukraine area." (More...)
C L A S S I C P I G D O G
40 Acres, a Mule, and a Crummy 90-Second Spot on Weekend Update
Consider the plight of the Black Man. The Black Man on "Saturday Night Live," I mean. Has there ever been a more pathetic thing than a token unredeemed for 28 years? Where is the NAACP when you really need them? (More...)
Ah, it's that special time of year again. Chestnuts roasting on an open fire, Jack Frost nipping at your nose, crowded, dangerous streets filled with maniac shoppers rushing to the mall to buy Pokemon action figures, and getting hammered at the Xmas party and insulting the boss's hair weave. That's right: it's time to drink heavily and wait out life's little nagging miseries, holiday variety. Pigdog is here to help. (More...)
Tastes like key lime pie, gets you hammered like nobody's business: Introducing the Key Lime Spocktail! (More...)
During a magnificent sunny day in a fast receding autumn, the Spock Science Monitor reporters once again blew the playa dust off of their computers and covered the 2002 Burning Man Decompression – held every year just east of Portola Hill in beautiful San Francisco. Both an afternoon and evening issues were released to the unsuspecting crowd of freaks attempting to in some small way experience the euphoria of the playa – if but for a brief afternoon far from the desolation of Northern Nevada. (More...)
This week: another fine spocktail from the beverage researchers at SMRL! Drink it in peace, because WE DID THE RESEARCH! (More...)
