We're on a path where this kind of "strange" weather is the new normal.

We're on a path where this kind of "strange" weather is the new normal.

Are you ready? No? Then what are we doing to change our path?

What an enchanting commercial. Good job, LEGO marketing...seriously.

What an enchanting commercial. Good job, LEGO marketing...seriously.

Originally shared by Beyond the Brick

One red brick.
https://youtu.be/iCTPcWcHzB4

Yes, this flooding is weather.

Yes, this flooding is weather. But, climate change will make flooding more frequent and more disastrous, so get ready to start hearing stories like this with increasing regularity.

Originally shared by Gary Rudd

Paging Senator Inhofe... Senator Inhofe.... Please return your snowball to the front desk immediately

The Mississippi River is flooding in a big way right now, at the wrong time of year, and is forecasted to match or break 22-year-old crest records over the next few days. Meteorologists are calling it “insane.”


http://www.newsweek.com/mississippi-river-about-have-record-flood-completely-out-season-409818

So Couch ran to Puerto Vallarta

So Couch ran to Puerto Vallarta
His "affluenza's" a non-starter
Drunk driving: 4 dead
His mom and he fled
You'd think that the wealthy'd be smarter
http://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2015/12/29/461365287/affluenza-teen-and-his-mother-detained-in-mexico-authorities-say?utm_campaign=storyshare&utm_source=plus.google.com&utm_medium=social

Impressive! Great vision. The rusticness of the house is amazing.

Impressive! Great vision. The rusticness of the house is amazing.

Originally shared by GiocoVisione

★Thoryn Arper Tree House by César Soares★
Tree House in Fantasy Style
http://www.giocovisione.com/thoryn-arper-tree-house/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/124546590@N03/

#LEGO   #MOC   #treehouse  

A local build contest has the theme of "Space" and this is my entry: The Apollo 11 moon landing, with Neil Armstrong...

A local build contest has the theme of "Space" and this is my entry: The Apollo 11 moon landing, with Neil Armstrong planting the flag and the Lunar Module in the background. Oh, and a lovely Earthrise to top it off. :-)

So, LEGO fans, what new sets did Santa bring you?

So, LEGO fans, what new sets did Santa bring you?

Merry Christmas from Brickset! | Brickset: LEGO set guide and database

Originally shared by Kevin A. Hinkle
http://brickset.com/article/18407/Merry-Christmas-from-Brickset!#.Vn3RBFDf1zg.google_plusone_share

Yes, this temperature map is weather. To get to climate, you merely have to read this passage from the article:

Yes, this temperature map is weather. To get to climate, you merely have to read this passage from the article:

"First, let’s recap. June was the hottest June on record. July was the hottest July on record. August was the hottest August on record. September was the hottest September on record. October was the hottest October on record. November was the hottest November on record. The month’s not over yet, but in all likelihood, December will be the hottest December on record."

Crazy stuff. But I'm sure it's just natural phenomena or volcanoes or sunspots or something totally not anthropogenic global warming, right? ;-)

Merry Christmas!
http://gizmodo.com/9-maps-that-show-how-completely-bizarre-your-christmas-1749490826

Amazing! And more gold tiles than I thought existed in the world! ;-)

Amazing! And more gold tiles than I thought existed in the world! ;-)

Originally shared by GiocoVisione

★ Weihnachtspyramide by Gunman ★
Christmassy Project LEGO Ideas!
Support https://ideas.lego.com/projects/125345
http://www.giocovisione.com/weihnachtspyramide/

#LEGO   #MOC   #christmas   #christmas2015  

"...as the evidence for anthropogenic global warming grows ever more certain, and the political costs for Republican...

"...as the evidence for anthropogenic global warming grows ever more certain, and the political costs for Republican presidential candidates of openly questioning science rise, conservatives have shifted their emphasis from denying the science to denying the possibility that policy can change it."

Fascinating.

h/t Jennifer Freeman 
http://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2015/12/climate-change-isnt-real-also-cant-be-stopped.html

Lunch out of the building with colleagues is a ritual I cherish and uphold every day I can, which is to say most of...

Lunch out of the building with colleagues is a ritual I cherish and uphold every day I can, which is to say most of them. :-) And if that means a few fewer pubs, so be it. Life is short...enjoy it while you can.

Originally shared by Filippo Salustri

I guess this explains why I'm not a leading researcher at my university.
The world stops when I need to feed.
https://www.timeshighereducation.com/news/no-time-for-lunch-again-you-are-the-typical-modern-academic

A No-Spoilers Review of Star Wars: The Force Awakens

A No-Spoilers Review of Star Wars: The Force Awakens

Short version: Wow...that was fun!

Longer version: JJ Abrams faced an almost impossible task: Please die-hard fans while making a movie that everyone can enjoy. In my opinion, I think he's done it.

The film is exciting, fun, funny in enough spots without being cutesy, and dramatic without being melodramatic. The special effects are thoroughly impressive (I especially appreciated Abrams' decision to rely more on physical effects than go 100% CGI) and the acting is tremendous nearly start to finish. I hate to say it, but Rey (played by Daisy Ridley) really does outshine pretty much everyone in the film. She's simply fantastic.

How does it compare to the rest of the films? Well, far better than I, II, and III, although that's really not hard to do. Abrams managed to let the actors act while telling a story that's simple enough to understand without knowing all the backstory, but compelling enough to keep even uber-fans engaged. I would say it's on par with IV (A New Hope).

Things I enjoyed most about the film were (a) the new characters -- Ridley, John Boyega, and Adam Driver were all really strong additions to the cast -- and (b) the sense that this movie was made to both celebrate and extend the original trilogy without getting too hung up in the political and plot complexities of the prequels. The one disappointing thing was the original trio -- Fisher, Ford, and Hamill seemed a bit tired, to be honest. Ford pulls out a good performance, but Fisher's acting felt kind of flat and uninspired. But, maybe that's for the best, as it let the new kids shine in their spotlight.

All told, I would heartily recommend The Force Awakens to both superfans and the casually curious. I'm also happy to say that it's probably safe for kids as young as 7 or 8, since there's nothing more violent than people being shot by laser blasters (think "battle of Hoth" level violence)...certainly nothing as upsettingly graphic as the Anakin/Obi-Wan battle on Mustafar. So, go see it, and take your kids...you'll have fun.

Happy, happy nerds at #SWTFA

Happy, happy nerds at #SWTFA

Mwahahaha!

Mwahahaha!

#starwarsallthethings

Booyah!

Booyah!

Originally shared by LEGO

The wait is over! Star Wars #TheForceAwakens

Hahaha!

Hahaha!

#starwarsallthethings

Originally shared by Shannan Froehle

Today's welcome screen in room 215. :D

"I want a wooden snowman" -- BAHAHAHAHA!!!

"I want a wooden snowman" -- BAHAHAHAHA!!!

OK, this is my last Star Wars post for today.*

*That's not at all true.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1w8Z0UOXVaY&feature=share

Remember movie ads?

Remember movie ads?

No? Get off my lawn!!

Originally shared by Jim Tipping

Travel with me to a past many won't remember: Dallas movie ads from the original Star Wars opening.

Via Robert Wilonsky of the Dallas Morning News: https://www.facebook.com/robert.wilonsky/posts/10206957555550993

via Aaron Wood, who reshares some truly magnificant photography.

via Aaron Wood, who reshares some truly magnificant photography.

Originally shared by 500px

A World Apart by Amelie Satzger: https://goo.gl/rghhGU #portraits

Couldn't have happened to a more deserving person.

Couldn't have happened to a more deserving person.
http://www.bloomberg.com/features/2015-martin-shkreli-securities-fraud/

Help Beethoven arrange his masterpieces in today’s #GoogleDoodle

Help Beethoven arrange his masterpieces in today’s #GoogleDoodle

An excellent little distraction for the musically inclined.
https://g.co/doodle/xh7puy

The Fed raised short-term interest rates

The Fed raised short-term interest rates
We're all so tired of its debates
One quarter percent
The market's content
To wait longer would tempt the fates

If you're thinking of buying a house or getting a small business loan in the US, do it ASAP. Every few months of delay means paying more in interest.
http://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2015/12/16/459989461/federal-reserve-announces-hike-in-short-term-interest-rates?utm_campaign=storyshare&utm_source=plus.google.com&utm_medium=social

[Barely controlled giddiness]

[Barely controlled giddiness]

NPR story at http://www.npr.org/sections/monkeysee/2015/12/16/459810515/the-best-case-scenario-star-wars-the-force-awakens

via Aaron Wood

via Aaron Wood

Originally shared by 500px

Vienna's Curves by Alex Gaflig: https://goo.gl/m1Lr9J #architecture #travel

Wield your lightsaber to escape the First Order in this new #ChromeExperiment: g.co/lightsaber #lightsaberescape

Originally shared by Google Chrome

Wield your lightsaber to escape the First Order in this new #ChromeExperiment: g.co/lightsaber #lightsaberescape

Bill Cosby has filed countersuits.

Bill Cosby has filed countersuits.
Their stories of rape he refutes.
The public objects;
If he wanted sex,
He should've just hired prostitutes.
http://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2015/12/14/459750910/bill-cosby-sues-women-who-accused-him-of-sexual-misconduct?utm_campaign=storyshare&utm_source=plus.google.com&utm_medium=social

I just adore Chris McVeigh​'s Brick Sketches.

I just adore Chris McVeigh​'s Brick Sketches.

Originally shared by Chris McVeigh

Brick Sketch #43: The Dentist!

And this concludes my Rudolph series. Which one was your favourite? :)

As a huge fan of the original X-Men movie, I am completely, over-the-top thrilled to see Bryan Singer directing the...

As a huge fan of the original X-Men movie, I am completely, over-the-top thrilled to see Bryan Singer directing the forthcoming X-Men: Apocalypse. He gets the X-Men like no other director, and the movies are incredibly good as a result. And this trailer looks like it might be more of the delicious same.
http://www.digitaltrends.com/movies/meet-new-mutants-explosive-first-trailer-x-men-apocalypse/

This is for everyone who helped me with suggestions for the kids' LEGO table top: Thanks. Here's the final outcome.

This is for everyone who helped me with suggestions for the kids' LEGO table top: Thanks. Here's the final outcome.

Made it with 1/2" MDF for the surface, 3/4" corner trim to finish the corners and provide a border for the LEGO baseplates, and 1x2 furring strips to hold the whole thing in place on the coffee table it rests on.

It holds 15 (3x5) 10" (32x32) LEGO baseplates perfectly. Now we just need to get some baseplates. ;-) Can't wait to see what kind of city they build.

#lego 911 RSR

Originally shared by Inna Smith

#lego 911 RSR

Title

Emancipated from a private share.

Emancipated from a private share.

via Howard Suissa

Must. Resist. Posting this on my office door.

Must. Resist. Posting this on my office door.

[sigh; goes to the printer]

Originally shared by Diane Attaway

I swear...I totally thought this was what it appears to be until I looked closely. Nice job!!

I swear...I totally thought this was what it appears to be until I looked closely. Nice job!!
https://www.flickr.com/photos/7kyubi7/23221732949

Go for it, Lego fans!

Go for it, Lego fans!

http://www.clickondetroit.com/news/lego-looking-for-master-model-builder-for-michigan-legoland/36775366
http://www.clickondetroit.com/news/lego-looking-for-master-model-builder-for-michigan-legoland/36775366

It's true!

It's true!

Wow...that's amazing! A LEGO antique sewing machine.

Wow...that's amazing! A LEGO antique sewing machine.
https://flic.kr/p/AUNnxY

The top movie franchises

The top movie franchises

#DataisBeautiful

Incredible.

Incredible.

Originally shared by Steampunk Tendencies

Nautilus Shell. Laser Cut Steel by Wim Delvoye http://goo.gl/j3MG1d

I always forget to factor in god's will when running my scientific models....

I always forget to factor in god's will when running my scientific models....
http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/inhofe-climate-change-science-ignores-gods-power

Measuring things that are hard to measure is something we need to get better at if education is to reliably improve.

Measuring things that are hard to measure is something we need to get better at if education is to reliably improve.
http://www.npr.org/sections/ed/2015/12/02/457281686/how-schools-are-using-surveys-to-measure-what-tests-can-t?utm_campaign=storyshare&utm_source=plus.google.com&utm_medium=social

For our anniversary, my wife gave me one of those little kaleidoscopes that has no moving parts -- you just look...

For our anniversary, my wife gave me one of those little kaleidoscopes that has no moving parts -- you just look through it at whatever is around you. It dawned on me that I could hold it up to my phone's camera lens and...voila! Instant art. ;-)

Holy heck...look at that Titanic!!

Holy heck...look at that Titanic!!
http://londonist.com/2015/12/build-everything-and-anything-at-london-s-lego-show

via Mark Welch

via Mark Welch

Originally shared by Gregory P. Smith

This is guaranteed to be the only good to come out of the climate farce in Paris this week.
http://google.com/newsstand/s/CBIwm6nMlyc

And yet, no one will go to jail over this.

And yet, no one will go to jail over this.
http://money.cnn.com/2015/12/01/news/companies/volkswagen-sales-plunge-emissions-scandal/index.html