Happy 50th to all things Lego.

[Archeron]

So Lego is 50 years old this year. Nice to see the basic toys are still being used. To celebrate, I reckon we as a nation should celebrate by building the single biggest piece of Lego sculpture the world has ever seen. Something like a full life sized Brontosaurus, and we should put it somwhere odd like balanced precariously on the big ball thing at that Motorway junction in Naas.

I really want to play with Lego now and build a robot or a space ship, but I'm in work, so I cant. Dammit.

Even Googles banner is lego based today.

http://www.breakingnews.ie/business/mheygbcwidcw/


"It has cemented its place in history as one of the world’s most popular toys and is now celebrating its half century.

Lego is 50 years old.

To celebrate, the toy’s manufacturers are planning a series of events, including a world record attempt to build the biggest Lego tower ever.

From Easter onwards, there will be a Lego Brick Road tour around the UK, and a special commemorative pack will be available for collectors.

The simple toy has allowed generations of children to construct everything from houses and castles to monsters and robots.

And it hasn’t just stopped there, adults too are getting in on the act, with many embarking on projects to create models out of the tiny bricks.

In 2005, artists Darren Neave and John Cake recreated pieces including Tracey Emin’s 'My Bed' and Damien Hirst’s shark out of Lego for an exhibition.

In 2006, a team at Legoland in Billund, Denmark created a model of the world’s largest passenger plane, the Airbus A380 superjumbo

Made of 75,000 Lego bricks in eight different colours, it was around 10ft long, and took its creators more than 600 hours to finish.

Last year, an avid Manchester City fan reconstructed the team’s former Maine Road stadium out of the little bricks.

Lego’s enduring appeal has even seen a whole land named after it – the Legoland theme park.
Such is the power of the brick that it has spawned a number of fan clubs.
In Britain, there is the Brickish Association for AFOL’s (Adult Fans of Lego).

Member Warren Elsemore, from Edinburgh, recently completed a scale model of the Forth Rail Bridge, a project that took 18 months to complete.

One couple are set to marry after bonding over Lego.

Pete Reid, 33, from England and Yvonne Doyle, also 33, from Dublin, met at a private gathering of Lego lovers three years ago.

Mr Reid said: “We met at a Lego meeting around someone’s house in Scotland. Our eyes met over a pile of bricks.

“We build together most weekends now. The biggest thing I’ve built by myself is a four-foot space ship. but we’ve made bigger things collaboratively and with others.”

He added: “I’ve never not been into Lego. It’s an all consuming thing for me.”

Lego was founded in Denmark in 1932 when carpenter Ole Kirk Christiansen began making wooden toys.

Two years later he stumbled on the Lego name by putting together the first two letters of the words Leg and Godt, which mean “play well.”

But it was not until 1947 that Mr Christiansen was introduced to plastic, which would form the basis of the toy we still see today.

Of Lego’s enduring popularity, Brickish chairman Simon Bennett said: “I think it is that it is still the same product it was in the 1950s. A brick bought now will connect to a brick bought back then. You can still build the same things that you’ve always done.”

“I don’t think there’s any reason why it should ever fall out of favour. It’s an excellent toy.”

[Tragedy]

We should build an outer ring road out of Lego, cant be worse than the m50!

[Reku]

Originally Posted by Archeron

Even Googles banner is lego based today.

Noticed that, figured it must be a lego anniversery....
Didn't think it'd be 50 years though as I didn't think it'd been around that long. Hopefully it continues to be used, a good wholesome, and harmless (unless you start throwing the bricks like we did with the duplo in my family) toy. The building aspect should also help mental development.

[Dun laoire]

Lego me hole. Give me a big fuk off ball of maula(sp?) anyday.

[Archeron]

Maula was good for throwing at people alright, but it didnt have the nice sharp corners that Lego has, so ultimately was safer, and therefore, not as good a toy.
Any good toy should be simple to use, fuel the imagination, and be easily turned into a weapon when nessecary.

When I was a child, I made a maula graveyard and my teacher got really spooked.

[Reku]

Originally Posted by Archeron

When I was a child, I made a maula graveyard and my teacher got really spooked.

Suppose it did tend to turn grey/brown when you'd mixed the colours a bit.

[Sleepy]

Yay for Lego. All mine is in the attic and will be bequeathed to my first born in a treasure trail once they're old enough not to swallow all the pieces.

[Dord]

Undoubtedly the greatest toy ever!

[seraphimvc]

i miss my castle and pirate ship!!and the marine ship!!ahhh,good times

[H.O.T.A.S.]

Ahhh Lego one of the greatest toys every. You can also make weapons from it Linky

[watna]

God I miss lego. I wonder where mine all went? Me and my bro had boxes and boxes of the stuff. Every Christmas we got more. Actually, there's an idea for mext Christmas. Yay! It's only January and I already know what I'm getting everyone.

[chopperbyrne]

Lego is easily the best toy ever and hopefully it will last another 50 years.

I know if I ever have kids, they'll be playing with Lego on many a Christmas and birthday.

[GhostInTheRuins]

Lego was great, mine's all up in the attic.

The newer lego is crappy though. I remember when my younger bother got into lego it became useless. The main parts were already formed, so to make the base of a pirate ship, all he had to do was put two big parts together, same with a castle he had, most of the castle was already made. That's most of the fun taken out of it.

[Wacker]

Originally Posted by D.T. Jesus

Lego was great, mine's all up in the attic.

The newer lego is crappy though. I remember when my younger bother got into lego it became useless. The main parts were already formed, so to make the base of a pirate ship, all he had to do was put two big parts together, same with a castle he had, most of the castle was already made. That's most of the fun taken out of it.

Yep, I have noticed that myself. They're giving you no choice but to follow the instructions. It was way more fun to build your own castles or whatever from multiple different sets.

I spent most of my formative years building stuff out of Lego. I would have massive dioramas set up where an armada of ships (well, 2 really) attack multiple castles. Yes, I had Robin Hood and the like defending against pirates. It could have happened, dammit!

[Gordon]

Lego club FTW! Happy Birthday