ResIpsaLoquitur

So when is the Series 10 contest?

4) Bunny Suit Guy Entry (Build by toutouille) - 1 pt 18) Bunny Suit Guy Entry (Build by genecyst) - 1 pt 19) Ocean King Entry (Build by badgogo) - 1 pt

1) Cowgirl Entry (Build by Yatkuu) - 1 pt 9) Downhill Skier Entry (Build by Majoza77) - 1 pt 14) Conquistador Entry (Build by vecchiasignoraceppo) - 1 pt

15) Fortune Teller Entry (Build by genecyst) - 1 pt 18) Roller Derby Girl Entry (Build by moctown) - 1 pt 26) Hollywood Starlet Entry (Build by vecchiasignoraceppo) - 1 pt

I got mine today! The tape is wrapped around both sides of the storage pocket, if that makes sense, so remove the tape from the top and pull down, then open the container.

I'm taking my first stab at an unofficial review here. I have some free time tonight and thought I'd try doing one. So, be gentle, and here we go... Set Name: 40065 Kingfisher Theme: Promotional Released: 2013 Pieces: 21 Price: Free The promotional Kingfisher is the monthly mini-build for the Lego Store for May 2013. If you haven't heard by now, the Stores do a free promotional build at 5 p.m. on the first Tuesday of every month. (A weird exception was this month, as last Wednesday they also had a free build of a Star Wars droid in advance of The Yoda Chronicles.) The build is often thematic for the month; for example, last month was a pair of lambs for Easter or Spring. This month, we get an appropriate little bird as spring warms up and summer approaches. So let's see what we get... Here's the very nondescript bag for the build. This is honestly the first month we've ever received the bag. Every time my daughter has been to the monthly build (we've been every month since September), the pieces were already provided in a Pick-a-Brick container. This month, the Store rep just handed us the bags as we walked in, although he pre-opened the bag for us. From there, you walk over to a table where the directions have been laid out, and you get to build with other kids. I don't have a photograph of the directions, as none are provided in the bag. Like I said, a copy is put at the table for the kids to use. However, the Lego Shop website is nice enough to post the directions so you can make your own if you can't get to the shop. Here's what you get in the bag: If you're in it for the parts, you do tend to get some interesting pieces in the sets. My favorite are probably the white SNOT pieces, especially since there's four of them. The only disadvantage of the monthly builds is that you tend not to get pairs of the interesting pieces. For example, the blue curved slope is nice, but you only get one of them. If you wanted to build something like a blue couch...well, I hope you brought two kids to the event. Most of the way through the build. I think my daughter put it together in well under 5 minutes. You can see here where the SNOT pieces attach so the chest and wings can go on. You can also see that the bird is somewhat "functional," as the placement of parts lets you rotate the wings and wag the tail. Unfortunately, there's no mechanism to let the wings flap; you're pretty much restricted to posing a perching bird. Here's the completed bird. Personally, I don't like the abstract nature of brick-built animals, but I do admit that the use of parts is clever. The "traffic light" tip as the beak is clever, as is the black jumper plate for the eyes. Also, it's neat how they used the 2 x 4 slope on the SNOT bricks to get the puffed-out chest. One disadvantage is the yellow clips for the feet: you can't directly clip the bird onto a studded surface. You'll have to put a 2 x 2 plate or brick under him before he can sit on something. He is pretty stable and balanced, and will sit comfortably on any flat surface. While waiting in line, you do get a cute little card with a picture of the completed build and a spot for your child's name. This is essentially your "ticket" to get into the build, so don't toss it until after you get into the store. The back gives you a parts inventory, so you can drool over the SNOT pieces you'll be getting while waiting in line. (However, Brickset already has all the parts inventory for the year over on their site.) We typically get to the store an hour before the build to secure our spot in line. A LOT of people show up for these events and the store gets pretty crowded, so an hour before gets us close to the front. Fortunately, while we're waiting, the store often gives you goodies to keep you placated. This month, we got this lovely sticker... That's right, you're more likely to get hit by lightning than to find a Mr. Gold, but you get compensated with a large sticker of him. Here's a big picture of the guy you'll never find! (We've gotten some nice stickers other months, including a bunch of Lord of the Rings and Monster Fighters stickers.) Well, the back of the sticker comes with another shot of the figures, and a teaser about finding Mr. Gold. We at least used this as a motivator to drool over the figures we wanted. While waiting in line, I was able to run in and find a Sad Clown, and another dad found a Trendsetter for me. No Mr. Gold, but a lot of teasers thanks to Warrior Woman's spear. We also got the latest Lego Club magazine and next month's calendar. (We've gotten the Club Jr. magazine as well, but I didn't see them hand it out this month.) You can get these on the Club and Store websites, so I won't overwhelm this review with photos. I will say, though, that they help pass the time while waiting to get into the build. Here's an overall shot of all the loot we got: So, back to the Kingfisher: is it a good build? Well, at an average cost of $0.00 per brick, it's certainly one of your best value sets. Hey, it's free Lego, and given how the cost of sets has gone up, you can't complain. It's an obvious ploy to get you into the store to inspire your kids to yell at you to buy more minifigures, and as an AFOL, you're inevitably going to wander over to the PAB wall. But you do get a cute little model to take home. They can make cute little household decorations; I plan to break out last year's Black Cat at Halloween, the Turkey at Thanksgiving, and the Moose at Christmas. Alternatively, you might be getting some useful parts. I can't think of any alternate builds for these few pieces, but somebody, somewhere, might really need one blue curved slope. At any rate, going to the build is more for the experience than the set: you get to bond with your kid while watching him or her building a cute brick-built model. And isn't your kids what Lego is all about? ...you DID bring a kid to the monthly build, right? Rating Build: 5/10 - it's a quick build with limited parts, but it does look like what it's supposed to be. Parts: 7/10 - the SNOT parts are useful, as is the white hinge. Like I said, your big problem is that a lot of the unique pieces don't come in pairs. Figures: N/A. Playability: 5/10 - This is in the eye of the beholder. A kid under 10 can easily pretend this is a real bird. However, you have very limited poseability--it's really only the tail and (sort of) the wings that can move. Price: 10/10 - It was FREE. However, you do have to wait in line and brave the crowds, and it's a marketing ploy--your kid will inevitably ask you to buy something. Overall: 7/10. It's a free set, so that alone should pump up the rating. In my book, a 10/10 would be a free promotional 10188 Death Star, but that'll never happen. But between the free bricks and the goodies, I can't complain. If you can get to a monthly build, do it (but go early to beat the lines).

I really want this...but I want to swap out the red parts with black and add two skeletal horses and a zombie driver. Instant scary-carriage for the Monster Fighters line, and I think it'd be a bit more appropriate than the hot-rod hearse we got (not a bad set, but not my cup of tea).

Maybe the Holiday Elf will get the Series 6 teddy bear as a toy he's making.

Showing up at TRU in Maryland, USA. I found what appeared to be a new box--I didn't count, but each of the three rows was pretty packed. I think the only figure I couldn't find was Trendsetter, and that's only because I may not have been feeling the packages carefully enough. (I'm reasonably certain I felt everyone else.) Oh, and no Mr. Gold, of course--though I had a few false alarms thanks to Warrior Woman's spear. :P

OK, instead of explaining this one, let's see who among you gets what I'm going for here...

Dang. I was hoping they'd make a Friends game at some point.

I'm dying for Lego to make a Headless Horseman, particularly now that Monster Fighters is done. Maybe a black version of the Revolutionary Soldier with a vampire cape. Add in a black version of the One Ring from the LOTR line to secure the cape on his neck. Accessories should be a sword and a pumpkin for a head (which he'd carry in his hand). Also, how about a Park Ranger? I'm thinking of U.S. park rangers, as I don't know what other countries' rangers look like. Wide-brimmed hat like with the Forest Police, green uniform, binoculars and a map for accessories.

Well, this stopped being fun awhile ago. A few closing thoughts: 1) I used "Bavaria" in the broad sense because I didn't know it was an actual state. So, the Lederhosen guy could be from a broad range of Germany, Austria, Switzerland, etc. I really just meant "that part of Europe." 2) Even if the Hollywood Actress is Canadian or British, her occupational title is in the USA, so I'd call her American. 3) I think that "could be anywhere" is a totally valid answer, since I'm not using the "country where the occupation came from" standard. I mean, if we tried to figure out "Minifigures by Religion," we'd have a lot of unknowns. Sure, the Roman and Greek characters would probably worship their pantheons, and I think I'd have a good argument that Santa is Catholic, but most of the characters would be really indeterminate. Anyway, this thread stopped being fun a few pages back. Instead of fair discussion, there's too much complaining about whose criteria is valid. Lego is fun; this is no longer fun. I recommend a mod closing the thread at this point...

OK, here's my list. My personal criteria are: 1) If it's got an inherent or obvious national identity ("Egyptian queen"), it gets that country. 2) If it could be more than one country, we'll list both, or give it a region or a continent. 3) If it could be any country, we'll call it "indeterminate." 4) If it's a fantasy character (no realistic human country), we'll say "inapplicable." Series 1: The Tribal Hunter and Cowboy could be either American or Canadian. The Wrestler is probably Mexican, but could be from anywhere that has wrestling. The Ninja is probably Japanese (unless there's another country that has Ninjas?) The Forestman is probably English, but could conceivably be from any European medieval nation. The Caveman, Spaceman, and Robot have no inherent country. (Nations didn't exist in caveman times!) The Cheerleader, Clown, Zombie, Skater, Demolition Dummy, Magician, Nurse, Deep Sea Diver could be from anywhere. S2 The Spartan Warrior is Greek. The Pharoah is Egyptian. The Maraca Man is Mexican. The Vampire could be English, Romanian, or Transylvanian, so we'll just call him "European." The Explorer is "probably" British based on his appearance, but could be from anywhere. The Lifeguard, Witch, Pop Star, Weightlifter, Ringmaster, Karate Master, Surfer, Traffic Cop, Mime, Skier, Disco Dude, S3 The Hula Dancer, Race Car Driver, Tennis Player, Baseball Player, Fisherman, Rapper, Gorilla Guy, Snowboarder, and Pilot could be from anywhere. (The Pilot has a bit of an old British look, but I'm open to him being from anywhere.) The Tribal Chief could be American (unless there were any Canadian tribes who dressed like that?) The Samurai Warrior and Sumo Wrestler are Japanese. The Mummy is probably Egyptian, althoug there are other cultures that use mummification. The Elf, Space Villain and Space Alien arren't from any human nation. S4 The Artist, Crazy Scientist, Hazmat Guy, Hockey Player, Ice Skater, Lawn Gnome, Punk Rocker, Sailor, Street Skater, Surfer Girl, Soccer Player, and Werewolf could be from anywhere. The Kimono Girl is Japanese. The Monster, apparently representative of the Frankenstein legend, would be German. The Musketeer is French. The Viking is Scandinavian--probably Norse. S5 The Cave Woman and Evil Dwarf have no country. The Boxer, Fitness Instructor, Graduate, Lizard Suit Guy, Small Clown, Snowboarder and Zookeeper could be from anywhere. The Detective and Royal Guard are probably British based on their appearances. The Egyptian Queen is...Egyptian. The Gangster is probably American, but he could be Canadian, Cuban, or any other country with snazzy dressers. The Gladiator is Italian. The Ice Fisher could be American, Canadian, or any other Northern Country with people who dress like that. The Lumberjack is probably Canadian, but could be an American who likes red, white, beavers and flannel. S6 The Bandit could be American or Canadian. The Butcher, Mechanic, Skater Girl, Surgeon and Sleepyhead could be from anywhere. The Classic Alien, Clockwork Robot, and Intergalactic Girl have no human nation. The Flamenco Dancer is Spanish. The Genie is Arabian. The Highland Battler is Scottish. Lady Liberty is probably American, but could be French. The Leprechaun is Irish. The Minotaur is Minoan (which is now part of modern Greece). The Roman Soldier is Roman (which is now Italy) S7 The Aztec warrior is from what's now Mexico. The Bagpiper is from Scotland. The Bride, Bunny Guy, Computer Programmer, Daredevil, Hippie, Rocker Girl, Swimming Champion and Tennis Champion could be from anywhere. The Evil Knight is arguably British, but could be from any European country. Grandma Visitor appears to be from the Bavarian region. Jungle Boy could be from any country with a Jungle, but presuambly is from Africa. The Viking Woman is from the Scandinavian region. The Galaxy Patrol and Ocean King aren't from any real country. S8 The Thespian is based on Shakespeare and is presumably British. Same with Businessman--his bio identifies him as serving "the crown." The Lederhosen Guy is Bavarian. The Conquistador is Spanish. The Cowgirl is either American or Canadian. The Diver, DJ, Pirate, Cheerleader, Skier and Vampire Bat could be from anywhere. The historic Saint Nicholas is from Myra, which is in modern-day Turkey, so that's where Santa is from. (My Canadian wife would maintain that Santa is geographically located in her country.) The Evil Robot, Fairy, and Alien Villainness aren't from any human nation. S9 The Alien Avenger isn't from anywhere. Mr. Good and Evil and Judge are apparently British. The Chicken Suit Guy, Waiter, Mermaid, Policeman, Plumber and Roller Derby Girl could be from anywhere. The Heroic Knight and Forest Maiden are possibly British, but could be from any European medieval country. The Roman Emperor is from what's now Italy. The Cylops is Greek. The Fortune Teller is probably Romanian, but maybe she just dresses that way. I guess the Battle Mech is Japanese, although his bio says no one knows where he came from. The Hollywood Starlet is American. S10 The Librarian, Skydiver, Bee Girl, Grandpa, Paintballer, Sea Captain, Mine, Baseball Fielder, Trendsetter, Decorator, Motorcycle Mechanic and Mr. Gold could be from anywhere. The Medusa are Warrior Woman are Greek. The Roman Commander is Italian. The Tomahawk Warrior is North American (again, not sure if his tribe went into Canada or not) The Revolutionary Soldier is American. Actually, I'm almost tempted to say that the Bee Girl is indisputably American based on this. (Come on, you were all thinking it too.) Ta-da...I'm done.

Maybe we should just all declare our nationalities of choice for the characters. Itaria has his list, which is fine; we can each come up with our own. I suffer from pro-American bias, so I see most of the characters as being from the U.S.A. Except the Lumberjack; he's clearly Canadian, eh? :D

Not to belabor this, but if the criteria for Santa is that his house is in a certain country...then you should know that there's a Santa Claus House in North Pole, Alaska, USA. Santa's Wikipedia article says that at least by 2,006, France received the most letters for Santa. It says that Finland got letters from the most countries, but not the greatest number of letters.

Just a note: I spotted the Friends animal polys in Five Below today (still at $4.99). I think Five Below is mostly an east coast chain, so if you've got one or know somebody who does, I'd try that if you can't find them elsewhere.

Oh, come on. Look, I was the first person to bring up Santa, and it wasn't to mock or discredit you, but to ask a specific question about your choice of country. (Remember, there's a difference between "critique" and "criticize.") You identified Santa as Finnish; I expressed surprise at the choice, because there's rational arguments that Santa could be classified as American, Canadian, or Turkish. Honestly, I'd never heard of Santa being Finnish before, which may be a Western hemisphere bias. (Look, here's an article where the Immigration Minister of Canada affirms that Santa is Canadian.) Then again, I suspect that every culture is going to make claim to Santa being "theirs" even though, historically, he's from the area which is now Turkey. Listen, this is the internet. You're going to run into as many opinions as you will people. Try to accept that people might see things differently without taking it personally.

I don't think anyone here is trolling you. You've made a fun little list, and that's fine, but your criteria for assigning nationalities to some of the figures is largely subjective. Most of the figures don't have an inherent nationality, so people are going to come to their own subjective conclusions about where the figures are from. Outside of some specified figures, there is no "right" or "wrong" criterion to which country these figures are from. Besides, Lego is intended to be fun and universal, which is why minifigures are a generic yellow color. They're not caucasian flesh-toned because people worldwide play with Lego, so the company wants minis to look like everybody. Projecting a nationality onto figures--while a fun project--risks defeating that.

Oh, I don't know. I think trying to compile a list of nationalities for the figures is fun. Having said that, I agree that assigning a nationality to EVERY figure is going to get arbitrary, particularly where it's a universal occupation (i.e., the nurse). So I don't mind what he did back on the first page by highlighting figures which are indisputably a certain nationality (although even some of those I disagree with). I do need to concur that the Lumberjack is stereotypically Canadian. His hat is Canadian colors and has a beaver on it (a very "northern" animal associated with Canada). Certainly he could be American, so I'd leave his nationality blank, but he definitely has a "Canadian" vibe to him (which was my mixed American-Canadian household's reaction when he came out of a Christmas stocking in 2011). I'd set this as the rule: characters who are either historical (the Roman, Greek, Conquistador, etc.) or wearing a specific nationality's garb (the Native Americans, the Maraca Man, the Bavarian Boy) definitely get a designation. The rest are up for grabs, including Santa. I should point out that there's an honest-to-gosh American Football league in Italy. It was the subject of a John Grisham novel. Canada has one too, but us Yanks tend to look at that with unfortunate amusement. So even the Series 8 Football player is arguably ambiguous.

Santa is from Finland? I thought the historical Saint Nicholas was the Bishop of Turkey. On the other hand, my Canadian wife insists that Santa is from Canada since the North Pole is geographically in their territory. On the other-other hand, Santa's red and white suit is a distinctly American look. So...I don't know.

On that note, I've also seen the Police Helicopter poly at Wal-Mart. This is the new one that was a Store exclusive with a $35 purchase last month. I'm glad I held off on spending $35 just to get one--I think I paid less than $4 for it at WM.

Sid, I've been seeing the Friends Polys at two local Wal-Marts in Maryland. Off the top of my head, I've seen Mia's picnic, Andrea's birthday, Emma's ice cream cart, and I think Olivia's bedroom. I think I've seen a few of these at some area TRUs as well.

Entry: "Free Comic Book Day" Minifigure: Computer Programmer Theme: City (with a hint of Super Heroes and Star Wars) On May 4, 2013, the Computer Programmer rushes down to his local comic shop for free comic book day! Comic writer Cullen Bunn is autographing a stack of books, and members of the local 501st Legion are out for photos. Too bad the programmer converted his comic collection to digital files--but he's hoping he can get his laptop autographed anyway! For those of you outside countries that do it, "Free Comic Book Day" is a real event that's held every year at comic shops, and it really will be on May 4 this year. The scene below is modeled on the shop I frequent, Third Eye Comics in Annapolis, Maryland. They really are having Cullen Bunn and the 501st Legion in the store that day, so I had to throw them in! The Computer Programmer will go on the two studs next to the Stormtrooper. Click here to see the Computer Programmer waiting in the shop!

30222 Police Helicopter is showing up at Wal-Mart. I got it for somewhere under $4. It was previously a Store exclusive, which tells me I made the right move in not spending $35 just to get one.