The Matrix, Spiderman, and now The Castaway.

Heroes throughout time have struggled against forces of darkness, sometimes winning, sometimes not. Recalling turbulent scenes from films like The Matrix and Spider Man where those heroes are almost consumed by evil, our hero draws from those lessons as he tries to defeat his own black vinyl enemy.
Our very own Castaway recognizes the need to be firm, the need to say no, the need to be true to ourselves and our passions. Demonstrating this kind of personal strength could be enough to keep the dark plastic parasites at bay. The constant threat of being consumed by over-consumption itself lurks dangerously in the shadows so we must stay vigilant. We must say NO to poisonous plastics.

The Castaway Characters' Story Unfolds - 2

Once I had found a way to link the bread tags to the carton stoppers which allowed for them to be easily taken apart and used to make other characters, I looked for other components that could do the same. Key rings and bulldog clips were an obvious choice as they were readily available in the house too. Simply by a continuous process of trial and error, combinations such as the character in this photo began to emerge.

Is LEGO Still Awesome?

As the controversial relationship between LEGO, the world-famous toy maker, and Shell, the petrochemical giant hits the news, LEGO Lovers may start to question where their loyalty lies. LEGO has a positive, family-friendly image, whereas Shell has been accused of environmentally-unfriendly practises. Should long-term LEGO fans stick with the 'awesome' toy maker despite the branding of its bricks with the Shell name or logo, or should these consumers, many of whom are parents, take a stance on the potential brainwashing of their kids.  The argument against this controversial relationship between toy and chemical giants is that LEGO users will grow to see the two brands as one, resulting in a much softer public image for Shell than it currently has.

As this report states, "LEGOS are the perfect toy. They’re affordable, easy to clean up, and they allow children to create objects, people, and worlds using their IMAGINATIONS." Of course, there are alternatives to LEGO, some of which cost nothing. People do have the option of voting with their feet, or wallets.  The alternatives may not be as 'awesome' as LEGO, but should issues other than the range and quality of the product be considered when making future purchases? If the alternatives are free but also allow children to create objects, people, and worlds using their imaginations, perhaps they do a better job. 

If your children's bright future was the reason for choosing LEGO in the first place then perhaps you might consider the bigger picture and how that future may not be the one you imagined when you first considered LEGO as a building block for it. Why not check out what others are saying about this on the internet, or from other sources, to get a more complete picture?

   

Ready For Adventure!

Here are two of the three little guys who took off to visit the USA a couple of weeks ago. The poor little heartbroken baby at the top looks scared stiff at the thought of travelling so far, but with the promise of a new start he was brave enough to go ahead with the plan. His friend in the other pic looks a little glassy-eyed: some Dutch courage perhaps before the flight? Neither of them had flown before so I'm not surprised they were nervous. Stay tuned for news of their adventures with the one and only Darth Kitten at her home in the American desert..