Wooden LEGO Minifigs: Because Plastic LEGO People Aren’t Enough

I think LEGO should be a huge part of every kid’s childhood. For one, it’s a toy that develops motor skills and requires kids to think while having fun in the process. Sounds totally win-win to me.

But if you prefer your stuff all natural and biodegradable, then you’ll be pleased to know that someone out there has carved some wooden LEGO-like parts that form a LEGO guy when put together.

Wood Carved Lego

Looks pretty awesome, doesn’t it? This wooden minifig was carved by Thibaut MALET, who hails from France. The entire toy isn’t hinged, though, so you can expect it to have limited flexibility.

Wood Carved Lego1

The bad news? They’re all sold out already. Thibaut explains that only twenty numbered figures made, so if you were one of the twenty people who were able to buy one, then lucky you.

[via Colossal Art+Design]


All the Cyber Monday Deals: 2012

Well Black Friday is over. Maybe you scored some deals, maybe you stayed in this year. Either way, Cyber Monday is here to drag you back for another round of insanely discounted shopping. We found, ranked, and sorted all the Cyber Monday deals (and non-deals) for you. Here’s your definitive guide for Digital Shopping D-Day. More »

Larry Hagman Dead: Tourists Visit Southfork Ranch To Remember ‘Dallas’ Star

PARKER, Texas — Tourists and locals flocked to Southfork Ranch on Saturday, bringing flowers in memory of Larry Hagman, who played the infamous J.R. Ewing on the TV show “Dallas.”

Hagman died in Dallas on Friday at age 81 due to complications from his battle with cancer.

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‘The Wizard of Oz’: Why It’s One of Oprah’s Favorite Stories (VIDEO)

Glinda the Good Witch isn’t just a goody-two-shoes. She’s also one of Oprah’s favorite spiritual teachers.

During a conversation with thought leader Jean Houston about the life lessons everyone can learn from The Wizard of Oz, Oprah opens up about how Glinda’s simple words — “You’ve always had the power” — have never left her.

“I remember I was probably 7 or 8 years old when I figured out [“The Wizard of Oz”] was more than just a story about the yellow brick road,” Oprah says. “I remember when I realized [Scarecrow, Tin Man and Cowardly Lion] were her friends and the yellow brick road means going up the path and looking outside of yourself and that it’s always right here.”

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Hezbollah: Tel Aviv A Target In Future Wars

BEIRUT — Lebanon’s Hezbollah group would fire thousands of rockets into Israel in any future war and target cities in the country’s heartland, the group’s leader said Sunday.

Sheik Hassan Nasrallah’s warning came days after an eight-day Israeli offensive against Gaza ended with a truce. Nasrallah said Gaza militants had won “a clear victory” against Israel with their rocket bombardment.

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Jabin Bogan, Dallas Trucker Accused Of Smuggling, Freed From Mexican Jail (PHOTOS)

EL PASO, Texas — A Dallas trucker imprisoned for seven months in Mexico on accusations that he tried to smuggle assault rifle ammunition into the country broke down in tears Friday when he returned to the U.S., saying he had at times given up hope.

Jabin Bogan maintains he was on his way to Phoenix to deliver the ammunition in April when he took a wrong highway exit and accidentally crossed the border into Mexico. Despite his insistence it was an honest mistake, the 27-year-old was arrested and taken to a Mexican maximum security prison.

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The Week In Arts & Culture: Sumptuous Feasts, Hand Turkeys And Transgender Icons (PHOTOS)

We hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving and are shaking yourself out of that food coma for the week to come. But before you get out of bed, check out what you missed in the art world this week, from artistic hand turkeys to stunning World War II photos.

hirst

This fall has been a rough month for animals in the art world. First, we found out that British bad boy Damien Hirst killed 9,000 butterflies for a questionable installation at the Tate Modern. Then we came across Belgian artist Jan Fabre’s cat-throwing performance video, in which he, well, throws cats up a flight of stairs. This disappointing pair of artsy acts against animals got us thinking… Have artists always been this insensitive to animals’ rights?

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Fiscal Cliff Talks Could Sideline Immigration Reform: Reuters Analysis

By Susan Heavey and Richard Cowan

WASHINGTON, Nov 25 (Reuters) – President Barack Obama’s re-election this month gave supporters of comprehensive immigration reform an immediate dose of optimism.

They hoped that Obama, bolstered by the 70 percent-plus support he received from Hispanic voters, might now feel ready to champion the cause he largely avoided during his first term.

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Meg Ryan, ‘When Harry Met Sally’ Star, And Her Fabulous ’90s Hairstyle (PHOTO)

Don’t tell us you’ve never considered it.
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MechBass robot nails bass guitar sounds with Arduino and a stone cold groove (video)

MechBass robot nails the bass guitar sound with Arduino and a stone cold groove video

End-of-year engineering school projects often pique our interest for their creativity. It’s not every day that they can carry a bassline, however. James McVay’s robot project for his honors year at the Victoria University of Wellington, the supremely well-named MechBass, wouldn’t have much trouble keeping up with a favorite band. It centers on a custom, Arduino-compatible board that controls the plucking, fretting and damping of four strings to faithfully recreate bass guitar sounds from MIDI input. The design even accounts for the unwanted noises of actuators and motors, while virtually everything was either 3D-printed or laser-cut just for the task at hand. Sounds good? There’s more in the pipeline: an upcoming Swivel robot will experiment with different playing techniques, and McVay ultimately sees his work teaching us about robotic music’s interaction with human performers. For now, we’ll be happy with the video after the break and hope that MechBass takes requests.

Continue reading MechBass robot nails bass guitar sounds with Arduino and a stone cold groove (video)

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Source: Hack A Day