The Cobra

I don't think this set is that bad. I have one and will probably buy another one (that's because I have a 7695, a 5616 and will buy a 5619 as soon as it beacomes available; I like MM colour scheme but quite don't like bigger models so I choose small ones). I guess for 2.90 €uros each, all Impulse sets are worth buying.

If those 2x2 plates are not glued to the base, there are 9*64 = 576.

Sinner is right, but Jawa is right too. 1) If TLCMD people were good on maths, European residents wouldn't have to pay 50% more than U.S. residents. 2) Troll ship costs in the U.K. 25% more than Dwarves mine, right? Check €uro prices on Lego Shop. They are 50 and 70 €uros. That means, Troll ship costs 40% more than Dwarves mine.

It's been on Brickset from a while.

Setting: a) Kitchen b) Bedroom Workspace: a) the dining table b) desktop Food: Nothing! I already leave my fingerprints on some pieces, do I need my hands to be dirty / sticky? Soundtrack: a) soccer games commentary b) Random winamp (J*rock works great when building Exo-Force :-D ) Movies: No way. When I'm done: check Peeron: are those really extra pieces or did I forget something?

Alpha Team- Pointless theme with nothing to offer -> Nah, it was very good IMHO Galidor- need I say more? -> That's like notebooks and that kind of stuff. It's just not Lego. Time Cruisers: Interesting parts but again pointless -> Maybe you could do something with those pieces better than TLC did. Other- Something I missed? (pick this and you get a swirlie) -> Bionicle! But it seems like thay saved TLC from ... (I don't even dare writing that word...) Jackstone- which basically invented the word <insert that tiresome argument> -> That's it. One vote for Jack Stone.

Thanks everyone. I've been reading EB for quite a while and found it's a great place to stay and share opinions. And the new graphics are cool too.

OT: I read about an Italian AFOL's son being presented with lots of Lego and some other bricks. "Dad, this isn't REAL Lego, is it?" >:-) Back to business: national newspaper Il Giorno writes a few more words: link. It's hard to translate from Judgish, but here's a try. Back in 2003, the judgement was that "Since any manufacturer spends money on how to make their product differ from other modular buldings, what MB is doing is disloyal/unfair. Every brand have their own products and should not relate them to other brand's". Now to 2007 sentence. It is 1) Final. Definitive. (I don't know about EC Court). 2) Only to have effect in Italy (but it easily could create a precedent). "For the good of market, competition and final users, it would be unfair to compete by offering exclusives, while it is better to let the buyers make a combined use of different brands". Therefore: can other brands clone Lego sets? No. can other brands clone Lego bricks? Yes.

Yesterday afternoon, most Italian press agencies spread the news around: "(ANSA) - ROMA, 16 MAR - La Cassazione ha tolto il monopolio nella produzione e commercializzazione dei mattoncini 'Lego' per giochi componibili all'omonima societa'. Con la sentenza 5437 la Suprema Corte ha totalmente ribaltato il verdetto con il quale la Corte di Appello di Milano - nel 2003 - aveva vietato alla societa' canadese 'Mega Block' di produrre e vendere i mattoncini giudicandola un'operazione di concorrenza sleale. Per Piazza Cavour, invece, il mercato non si deve 'ingessare'. " La Corte di Cassazione is the third and final judgement grade. They sentenced (opposing to what Corte D'Appello - the second grade- said) that Mega Block has the right to make bricks that fit Lego ones. You can easily check the news googling "Lego Monopolio". Still, I wonder how came a Danish company and a Canadian company had to settle it out in Italy...

My name is Marco, I'm from Northern Italy and am (still) in the lower half of my thirties. I've been a lego fan since my early years (thanks to some Minitalia sets I've been presented with) and after a long time, in 2007 I started buying new sets. City is still great (kind of always been, except the late 90's), and so is the new Castle line. I was a space fan and think MarsMission has a long long way to go; too bad for the Exo-Force line to end after only three years. I tend to hate Limited editions and the fact some interesting sets aren't available in my country (7009, 7695, Advent calendars...) That's pretty much all I had to say. :-)