You Know, We've Got To Find a Way

Sorry for the lack of posts this week. Mea Culpa.

Anyhow, it looks like Keith Goldman's starting his yearly contest shenanigan, and I must say: this year I am actually much more than "passively, almost kind of but not really" interested in seeing the results. Here's why:

"With a few notable exceptions, Hollywood and popular science fiction novels have taught us that the future is largely populated by caucasians with a sense of celestial manifest destiny. Since LEGO has taken steps to widen the racial rainbow, I think it is time we celebrate the minority in Science Fiction. I can hear those of you saying, “what about Uhura, what about Lando?” All I can say to that is true, but a white man sat in the big chair and Lando was awesome but still a back stabbing criminal and a token character. Lawrence Fishburne in Event Horizon?…well, what happened to his ship and crew? Will Smith inherits the earth?....oh that’s right… it turns out to be ghetto world and the white people are trying to eat him."
I challenge this year’s contestants to play the race-card and bring us unique visions of a racially diverse future, or tackle the delicate subject of racism. For those of you paste-eaters who still don’t get it, think a dream-catcher shaped stargate, a Gambian lunar colony…or a macuahuitl shaped battle cruiser of the New Aztec Empire.

If there was a contest meta-contest - that is to say, a contest based on contest concepts - I'm pretty sure Keith would be taking his own "That's Crazy Talk" award right about now. Taking other cultures into consideration while building science fiction, one of the whitest fiction genres ever? Looking outside the box of "Science-Fiction incestuously inspired by decades and decades of other science fiction"? Tossing aside the tired "Yeah I Watched Battlestar Galactica too" zeitgeist for a moment? That'll never catch on!

In all seriousness: It should, though. It should. If the only thing that changes is that the 501st iteration of a squad of futuristic marines investigating an anomaly has been recast into "Tyler Perry's Attack of the Onslaught on District Junction 17", I suppose the world will be slightly better for it anyway.

Two-Word MOC reviews

Sigh, Brown.

How Clever.

So Cute.

Nadroj: Spoiled.

This Just In: Lego Should be Unlego

Edit:
As people are want to do, there's some flipping out over my mistake (the Mech I mentioned is actually quite old). Still, P-C has built things that could be described as "Lego-Ish", what with exposed studs, joints and the like.
Yes, there are things in Fredo's mech that could be improved, but Phong ended up exploding over a rebuttal, and that's what I'm focusing on.

You guys remember this mech by Fredoichi, right? Of course you do. Everyone and their mother blogged it.

It's Good

Did you like it? Well, unfortunately, you were mistaken. It's actually not that good. As Phong Chang, the true master of all things mechanical says, it's just too Legoish. Fredoichi went ahead and called him out for not making a lick of sense, and a couple encyclopedias' worth of retorts happened, culminating in the claim that Phong Chang knows more about words than people who study language for a living.

Phong Chang is a good builder, of course, but let's take a look at what he's built recently.

!!!!

What's this? The use of large, blank, noticeably studded plates for armor? Scandal upon Scandal! If I didn't know better I'd say this looks very Legoish. There are other examples that look clearly made from Lego as well.

Either P-C really is a master of language and, overnight, redefined "Legoish" without any of us knowing, or he doesn't really know what he's talking about. I'll have to ponder for a while. (Unless he also changed the meaning of the word "ponder" to "punch a wall").

Comeback Saturday: A Micro-Potpourri

*So NoWember, aka "the month for which you don't have to come up with an excuse for building the same thing repeatedly" is coming up. I actually contributed something last year(because I used to have easy access to Lego). There are some hangups as to what qualifies one for Wiperhood, however. Gradius is pretty damn serious business.

I'm actually going to side with Nnenn on this one, because when you post a detailed diagram of what constitutes the thing you would like to see, and people flagrantly ignore it to plug something they built (along with loose justification), well, I'm just gonna say it's frustrating to watch. And he's gonna have a whole month of that.

*This thread about how Mega Bloks are better "because Halo, you guys" bewilders me every time I read it. Here's what ELCH has to say:

"The Halo War theme from Mego Bloks is a nice thing and I would love to see such a topic within LEGO too. LEGO is not always the driving force in the brick-world, a few things were done first by the clones like military and farmer stuff."

Considering that a modern military theme would be the dumbest idea of all time (and if you want proof, here are the kind of people who want it), I wouldn't say they deserve praise so much as acknowledgment for pandering to the "video-game idiots under the age of 18" crowd.

"My second wish is that people are more open to people who build with all kind of brands."

That's what you're doing with your second wish? No money or girls? No notoriety or, at the very least, world peace?

*I'm kind of enjoying Flickr's new "Tag People" system, or, as I like to call it, "The Heather Braaten and Gary McIntire tab".

*Someone wants to start another giant (not P.A. this time, guys) violent military diorama project. You know what I think. You already know.

It's oh so cold

Guys, I'm gonna be totally real with you.

Lately I've been having a kind of emotional breakdown. It's gradual, the kind you notice but don't really talk about. Truth is, I can't really gather up the stones to be sarcastic and mean at the moment. (Also, my internet is prohibitively slow, making research a chore, and also I have midterms coming up). So I'm going on hiatus for a little bit.

This is not a permanent "I'm leaving forever guys!" thing at all. I'm just going to take a bit of time to get my mind and life straightened out.

Yes, I'm a giant puss.

Tried and True Lessons from the "Prophets of Ragnarok"

Young sirs, I have been enlightened. It may seem as though I harbor a disdain for the "Post-Apoc" but in reality, this niche building theme has been rather beneficial. I learned a lot of things from it! Here are a few of those things. If you doubt the validity of any of these points, head on over to the Apocalego group and become illuminated.

1-In the dead future, violence is 100% politically correct and smiled upon.
Yes, reader, it's true - after the bombs fly, every single person in the world is more than willing to pick up an M1 Garand and blow their neighbor's brains out.

2-The Post-Apoc is exactly like the video games I play.
I mean, this one just goes without saying. Judging by what such prophetic games as Gears of War, Army of Two, Half-Life and, uh... Halo say, every single person, following the apocalypse - without exception - will become a gruff, gritty marine in some kind of nebulous army. Not only that, but they will be decked out with some kind of cyber-armor and futuristic Brickarms guns. Don't ask how anyone gets a hold of this stuff, it's just regulation, dawg!
(Strangely, this rule and the next one also apply to Steampunk troopers. Who knew?)

3-Capes are a really good idea.
They're not just for Batman anymore! Yes, that's right, these long-useless pieces of fabric will be absolutely essential and totally in style in the years to come. No colorful, in-tact capes need apply though; only tattered grey rags accepted. If you're a trenchcoat lover, you're also in luck, as are those fond of satchels.

4-Zombies are totes real you guys, oh please please let it happen so I can fulfill my nauseously violent fantasies oh man oh man
Seriously i really want it to happen it would be cool! oh man I could spend all day just shooting things, even if in reality I would be too terrified to move an inch but hey they're all dead so it doesn't matter if I have insatiable bloodlust rite! I can just imagine I'd be all "DIE ZOMBIES" vroom vroom chuggachuggachugga KABOOSH BOOM hahahaha oh god what is wrong with me

5-The ground consists 100% of brown and grey.
Have you looked outside the window recently and seen any hints of "green", "tan", "blue", or other actual colors? well, after the apocalypse, get ready for a palette swap. Even if the nukes (or whatever) never hit those areas, even abandoned places like the western plains and Nova Scotia will be nothing but dirt and dust. Also - and I did not know this - Nuclear bombs are hot enough to melt sidewalks, but definitely not hot enough to melt roads (it does make them look brand-spanking new, though). Don't listen to anyone trying to tell you otherwise.

(I'm just feeling real posty this week)

Some Miscellaneous Brickcon Picture Selections

Yours Truly and Scotty Whitesell, seen here preparing for the Exo-Force combo build, wondering "what the hell are we going to do with these?" (courtesy of Ry Wood)

This vignette showed up on Day 3 and no-one really knows who built it.
(Courtesy of Joe Meno)

The Micro-Mecha display was a success, as evidenced by a sprinkling of pink flowers.
(Courtesy of Arpy)