Tuesday, December 31, 2002

Good Morning!


Ok, it's almost afternoon, but it sure feels quiet today, for once.

An addendum to yesterday's closing questions: "And should we care?" I think we should to some extent, it always helps to know when someone is twisting the facts to show results that are more favorable to them. But let's not take it too seriously. I like Dirk's less-than-serious take on the matter. I just wish more of the fan press would realize that Marvel's number-twisting ought to be revealed.

I finally get to see the Two Towers today! My little sister let me borrow her copy of the Special Edition of the Fellowship of the Rings, and I've been really enjoying it. Added scenes, extended scenes... fun stuff. I haven't even managed to get to the final two discs yet!

Some of you may have noticed my odd archive. I do it manually on my own page so that I don't have to rely on Blogger's archiving. While it makes my archive slightly more reliable, it also means that I've got to actually remember to update it. It also makes it very hard, if not impossible, for me to create a permalink to it from the regular blog. There are probably ways around it, but I have other things to worry about.

I got a new LEGO catalog in the mail yesterday. The new sets include an NBA themed line (yes, you too can get your favorite basketball players as a LEGO minifig!). This line is notable because it includes the first non-yellow minifigs. See, yellow is the "skin color" of all regular LEGO minifigs. LEGO minifigs don't have to worry about race, since all of them are yellow. But for the NBA line, LEGO has created minifigs with more natural skin tones. None of the figures based on actual people are yellow. Every other minifig in the line is yellow, but the ones based on real people have "skin tone" colors. It's interesting. I actually would quite like to have the one Seattle player they show in the catalog, just for the fun of it...

Also new is a continuation of the Adventurers line into the Orient. These sets include an elephant (that I really want) and a tiger (which I dont). I need to get one of those neat curves swords for my minifigs, too. The Adventurers also roam un into the Himalayas and meet a Yeti (I want that set too!).

There are two new Star Wars lines. One is the Star Wars MINIs, which have very cool small models. If I had money, I'd get them all! (which translates to: I'm getting none of them, bummer). The other neat Star Wars set is Jabba the Hutt's palace. These fit in with the rest of the Star Wars line. I wouldn't mind getting them, but I really completed my Star Wars collection when I got the Millenium Falcon. As much as I'd like all the other sets, that was the one MUST-HAVE on my list.

In the train line, some neat things are happening. You can buy train cars individually, and there are some awe-inspiring models. I wouldn't mind a small train engine (with tender) in green with a load of passenger cars... They also have the Metroliner listed as a classic, but it's the Railroad Club Car that goes with the Metroliner that I'd want. The last page of trains shows LEGO cars designed by James Mathis, big time LEGO Train fan (and member of PNLTC).

LEGO has definitely started to respond to the fans, and try to provide them with what they want. I hope they succeed with this business plan, since it would prove that catering to the fans isn't always a bad thing.

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