lorax

Thanks for that list darkhorse. We picked up the Kings Carriage and the Mill Village raid last night. Kmart Chermside was sadly lacking so we drove up to Caboolture which is always clearance Lego heaven (although it has been a while since any real discounts have happened at Kmart).

I know I shouldn't, but I can't help but respond on the Lego facebook page. Most opponents have not even seen the sets and have made misinformed judgments because they have been told to object to the Friends range. Comments about how they are dumbed down, they are mostly pink, that the figures have 'ample' breasts, that there are no positive role models (it is all pampering and beauty) etc... There is this little cartoon where a person is behind the computer and is supposed to be going to bed and they call out: 'I can't, someone on the internet is wrong'. That is how I am about this

Oh, Brickton, you got front-paged with your Airship (very cool model from a fellow BLTGer).

Merry Christmas Greenpaw (and all other people in this thread). Amazon France also made it a merry Christmas here with Santa giving my husband the Grand Emporium and the motorised excavator. I got whitecap bay (I also got three Lego storage cases early which we sourced locally). I also gave my nieces and nephews toys from Amazon France... Now if they only did groceries I wouldn't have to shop anywhere else.

Very cute kitchen, I love the colours used and especially love the high cupboard, it is really clever and the stove and range hood. I recently did one with the minifig chained to the sink

Received my prize today, thank you so much. Thanks again Whitefang for your work in organsing this, it was great fun.

Here is a tower I built for Nocturnus guild. (Edit: flags added) It didn't quite work as well as the image in my head. Lego Nocturnus Dark Tower by tikitikitembo, on Flickr You silly sod... you twit... I warned you, but no, it is just a rabbit, a little bunny... Lego Nocturnus Dark Tower by tikitikitembo, on Flickr Run away... run away... Oh and here is something I built at the start of the challenge (posted in the Nocturnus thread, but I thought I would add it here). Secret ritual by tikitikitembo, on Flickr

I am glad you joined to add to the discussion PhoBWanKenobi because your post provides such a clear and logical perspective. And on the issue about Lego just being for building, I have a teenage son who only ever played with Lego structures if I built them for him; however, he played a lot with minifigures (customising them and playing with them).

Welcome Brickton from another BLTG member. I am back at uni next year, so I will be handing my life over for a while, but hopefully I will still be participating in displays next year (especially if the current plans come to fruition).

Your room is awesome. (which includes your 'little' Lego town and display cabinets). I love the street with KFC and Chilli's, really lovely buildings in a great layout.

This MOC is full of great details, I agree with Evil Stu, the broken window with glass on the ground is a great touch, the chandelier is awesome and the choice (and positioning) of figures is perfect.

This is a great MOC, I like that the brick Santa messes with the scale of the Queen's Guard, making them look like toy soldiers. It is also a really clever idea turning the fireplace into a bowling alley. Very cool.

Wow, it would be like Christmas going through that big tub (and from the photos, it looks like it is in good condition). Oh my goodness all the treasures it would be hiding. Have fun sorting it.

The interesting thing about this discussion is that we all agree (that I can see) on the most fundamental things (correct me if I am wrong). We all agree that Lego is really a great (and beneficial) toy for children in encouraging cognitive and fine motor skills. We all agree that currently the Lego target audience is largely male (based both on available products and social conditioning). We all agree that some girls like stereotypically 'girly' toys and other girls don't. We all agree that there is nothing wrong with girls liking 'girly' toys, and that there should be a choice for children(so not forcing 'girly' toys on girls and not assuming girls who play with 'girly' toys are vapid). So it turns out, the objection appears to be that the toy will be located in the pink aisle of the store and the further segregating of the genders (and therefore reinforcing any social conditioning). Which is a valid concern and I am not sure how that can be resolved, but I also don't think that the Friends Lego range started the issues with Lego changing from being generally a 'unisex' toy, in my opinion it has been happening since homemaker 40 years ago and has continued since. I also don't think that getting a girl who was going to spend her pocket money on a Barbie, spend it on Lego instead is a bad thing. I must say though... I consider myself a feminist, and I will buy Lego Friends for myself and my daughter.

To include the additional information, if it makes a better comparison. If we were to add average income: Full-time annual earnings in Australia averaged A$68,791 (Income tax (in summary) $4,650 plus 30c for each $1 over $37,000 (not including other levies such as medicare). And from apple, a 8Gb Ipod touch is $219 (includes GST)

I was just in the back of our garage getting some of my sons toys to give away when I found a large sealed Amazon box. I call out to my husband, 'did you know we have a sealed Amazon box in here'. I was about to grab it and tear it open (with confusion and glee) when he runs in to stop me... So I wonder who is getting Lego for Christmas Amazon France needs unmarked boxes

Australia: Sales tax: 10%, always included (in price) $1 US ~ $1 AUS (1.00251 AUD) A McDonalds cheeseburger = I have no idea, maybe $2 An apple= about $1 each Collectible Minifig = $4.99 10222 Winter Post Office = $109.99 10218 Pet Shop = $269.99

But by assuming that there are no gender (as opposed to sex) differences between brain size and areas of activity (leading to preferences) leads us to ignore the nature component of our children (and focus purely on the importance of nurture). We also assume that somehow girls playing with certain toys is negative and 'weak' or 'unintelligent' or the 'lowest common denominator'. That is negative stereotyping, saying that the 'feminine' is somehow inferior. (My teenage son doesn't mind pink shirts, but is mocked because of the same philosophy that it is 'girly' and therefore inferior).

When I was growing up I had lots of lego to play with. But it was originally bought for my older brothers. Generally my girl friends at school didn't have Lego, unless they had older brothers. Most of the females I talk to now about my hobby (non AFOLs) didn't have Lego growing up. It may have been made 'unisex' but it was still largely considered a boys toy in the families I know (so only anecdotal evidence). But Lego has so much to offer girls in encouraging creative, dynamic and interesting play. So I think the Friends theme is brilliant, the sets themselves are very 'brick' focused unlike belville but with figures that more girls will find attractive. I really think that Lego is brilliant for a child's development, and if more girls build it is a brilliant outcome (for Lego, for our girls and for me (who will have access to more colours and pieces).

I just checked as well. Darn, I had a couple of Christmas villages I was going to buy, I should have done it yesterday. Although it is probably a good thing, Amazon France took my Lego budget and stomped it into the ground, spat on it and laughed.

I have a feeling this theme will do well for Lego. My facebook is full of feeds from people about this theme (from AFOLs) and it is also getting interest from the parents of girls I know. I know my daughter will love it (we have playmobil hedgehogs that live in Legoland at the moment, she loves the cute animals that playmobil makes and the Lego ones are even cuter).

The first little pig is building his house out of straw as his siblings go past, one is off to build his house out of sticks and the other to build her house out of bricks, while a shadowy figure lurks, watching in interest as his stomach grumbles. I have always been the first little pig, impatient and wanting to get things completed rather than perfected (so I am ultimately the wolf's dinner). This build is my tribute to being the first little pig. Three little pigs - Lego by tikitikitembo, on Flickr I am hoping to do a number of fairy tales and stories to connect in a modular kind of way (I think I might do Rapunzel or Hansel and Gretel next).

You wrap presents like me... Last year I bought my teenage son a PS3 game and placed it between 6 packs of two minute noodles and wrapped. That way when he picked it up it made a weird crinkling sound I also put another gift in a big box filled with soup cans and wrapped... He is a terrible present feeler and shaker, so I just like to mess with him a little. But he doesn't get Lego (although this year he is getting something that rattles like lego... rather like your partner.

We have a Lego Christmas layout under our tree also which we have also had to 'fix' on numerous occasions thanks to our enthusiastic 2 1/2 year old and a number of train crashes.

I don't know if she is an AFOL, but maybe a lego game you can both play together (I like frog jump and minotaurus). Otherwise, maybe a lego licenced product (stationary, key ring, etc).