Lego Obama
January 18, 2009 2:31 AM Subscribe
Barack Lego-bama: Miniland USA's first Pantone 161 C Figurine-in-Chief.
posted by Rhaomi at 3:02 AM on January 18, 2009 [2 favorites]
posted by Rhaomi at 3:02 AM on January 18, 2009 [2 favorites]
Jesus, enough already. Much as I'm glad Obama won, this unrelenting drum-beating is just annoying. He's a politician, not the Messiah.
posted by orthogonality at 3:46 AM on January 18, 2009 [6 favorites]
posted by orthogonality at 3:46 AM on January 18, 2009 [6 favorites]
The Lego Group's motto is "Only the best is good enough", so this Lego representation of Obama's inauguration seems somehow appropriate given that most of the world's population are probably hoping that this will be Obama's approach to the Presidency over the next eight years.
posted by Effigy2000 at 3:51 AM on January 18, 2009
posted by Effigy2000 at 3:51 AM on January 18, 2009
I keep thinking that on his first night in the new bed in the White House, O. gets atop Michelle and shouts Yes We Can. She mutters: how about Change We Can Believe in?
posted by Postroad at 5:11 AM on January 18, 2009
posted by Postroad at 5:11 AM on January 18, 2009
For me, the miracle that is Obama will only become clear when I can understand it through a metaphor that involves a toy I played with when I was ten.
posted by twoleftfeet at 5:57 AM on January 18, 2009
posted by twoleftfeet at 5:57 AM on January 18, 2009
Every time the man takes a shit?
posted by gman at 6:07 AM on January 18, 2009 [1 favorite]
posted by gman at 6:07 AM on January 18, 2009 [1 favorite]
Who invited the Bitters to our Obama party?
Seriously, I would hardly classify myself as a political idealist (Bill and Monica killed that), but it's undeniable that this man has touched something in a lot of people. I have never, in my lifetime, seen so many people so enthusiastically engaged in the political process. So I say bring on the Legobama!
*begins furiously sculpting Obama out of bubblegum*
posted by JeffK at 6:23 AM on January 18, 2009 [2 favorites]
Seriously, I would hardly classify myself as a political idealist (Bill and Monica killed that), but it's undeniable that this man has touched something in a lot of people. I have never, in my lifetime, seen so many people so enthusiastically engaged in the political process. So I say bring on the Legobama!
*begins furiously sculpting Obama out of bubblegum*
posted by JeffK at 6:23 AM on January 18, 2009 [2 favorites]
Eh, suck it, haters. Anyhow, you're missing the point -- this is ostensibly about Obama, but it's mostly about the awesomeness of Lego. Seriously, how long did that take to build?
posted by kittens for breakfast at 6:28 AM on January 18, 2009 [3 favorites]
posted by kittens for breakfast at 6:28 AM on January 18, 2009 [3 favorites]
Blah blah Rick Warren blah blah FISA blah bitter blah
There, now that that's out of the way, on with the Legos.
posted by DecemberBoy at 6:30 AM on January 18, 2009 [1 favorite]
There, now that that's out of the way, on with the Legos.
posted by DecemberBoy at 6:30 AM on January 18, 2009 [1 favorite]
Do I get to see it? Can't see anything at that link.
posted by agregoli at 8:06 AM on January 18, 2009
posted by agregoli at 8:06 AM on January 18, 2009
I like these photos better than any of the videos.
posted by emhutchinson at 8:31 AM on January 18, 2009
posted by emhutchinson at 8:31 AM on January 18, 2009
We need all the kickass Obama Party action we can handle right now. The man does more in an hour that you might given an entire month, year or lifetime.
Sorry, haters - until you all can do something similar, give the man his due.
Anyone can snark, not everyone can get up and do something great that changes the world.
posted by Lipstick Thespian at 8:39 AM on January 18, 2009 [1 favorite]
Sorry, haters - until you all can do something similar, give the man his due.
Anyone can snark, not everyone can get up and do something great that changes the world.
posted by Lipstick Thespian at 8:39 AM on January 18, 2009 [1 favorite]
Miniland trivia: The motorcade is built upon small model car chassis that follow wires embedded in the "street". The cars stop at certain locations where a small wire sticking up out of the street charges an internal capacitor.
posted by Fleebnork at 8:56 AM on January 18, 2009
posted by Fleebnork at 8:56 AM on January 18, 2009
Any bets what his fall from grace will be?
If he learned anything from Clinton, he won't go after tobacco, food, insurance and the healthcare industries. That way there will be no reason for the ruling class to make up smears like Whitewater or Travelgate, etc.. or to trot out an ex-mistress.
Sorry, haters - until you all can do something similar, give the man his due.
It's got nothing to do with "hate".
He was anointed. He didn't really "do" anything. Like I said- if he "plays ball", he won't get smeared out of office.
And I am sure he has already been warned (by the real power) not to try to go after anyone connected to 9/11, like Rumsfeld or Cheney.
It's not about hating him. I love the guy. I would be happy if I were wrong about all this. But I know I'm not.
posted by Zambrano at 9:02 AM on January 18, 2009
If he learned anything from Clinton, he won't go after tobacco, food, insurance and the healthcare industries. That way there will be no reason for the ruling class to make up smears like Whitewater or Travelgate, etc.. or to trot out an ex-mistress.
Sorry, haters - until you all can do something similar, give the man his due.
It's got nothing to do with "hate".
He was anointed. He didn't really "do" anything. Like I said- if he "plays ball", he won't get smeared out of office.
And I am sure he has already been warned (by the real power) not to try to go after anyone connected to 9/11, like Rumsfeld or Cheney.
It's not about hating him. I love the guy. I would be happy if I were wrong about all this. But I know I'm not.
posted by Zambrano at 9:02 AM on January 18, 2009
He didn't really "do" anything.
what
posted by hifiparasol at 9:08 AM on January 18, 2009 [1 favorite]
what
posted by hifiparasol at 9:08 AM on January 18, 2009 [1 favorite]
Tiny lego koran is so cute!
posted by fleetmouse at 9:39 AM on January 18, 2009 [2 favorites]
posted by fleetmouse at 9:39 AM on January 18, 2009 [2 favorites]
Jesus, enough already. Much as I'm glad Obama won, this unrelenting drum-beating is just annoying.
Dude. It's Lego. It's awesome. It would be awesome if it were miniature McCain/Palin.
posted by brundlefly at 9:48 AM on January 18, 2009
Dude. It's Lego. It's awesome. It would be awesome if it were miniature McCain/Palin.
posted by brundlefly at 9:48 AM on January 18, 2009
Wow. I don't know what I was expecting, but not that. Impressive detail.
Seeing Lego Aretha Franklin next to Lego George and Laura Bush puts things in perspective. The fact that they have no faces is somehow comforting ... But Aretha does look dressed up. As dressed up as you can get for Lego.
"...there's even a Lego Oprah Winfrey with tiny Lego curls." She looks kinda lonely up there. Where's Stedman? Where's Dr. Phil?
These captions are great. "...and cheering crowds lining the street, all hoping to catch a glimpse of the plastic President." Someone needs to feed that text into a speech synthesizer and make a song out of it. Hmmm ....
posted by krinklyfig at 10:03 AM on January 18, 2009
Seeing Lego Aretha Franklin next to Lego George and Laura Bush puts things in perspective. The fact that they have no faces is somehow comforting ... But Aretha does look dressed up. As dressed up as you can get for Lego.
"...there's even a Lego Oprah Winfrey with tiny Lego curls." She looks kinda lonely up there. Where's Stedman? Where's Dr. Phil?
These captions are great. "...and cheering crowds lining the street, all hoping to catch a glimpse of the plastic President." Someone needs to feed that text into a speech synthesizer and make a song out of it. Hmmm ....
posted by krinklyfig at 10:03 AM on January 18, 2009
Giant mutant human tearing apart Capitol building!
posted by krinklyfig at 10:07 AM on January 18, 2009
posted by krinklyfig at 10:07 AM on January 18, 2009
I'd say this sums America up completely: hero-worship of its politicians, a commitment to mass consumption and an obsession with plastic.
posted by lupus_yonderboy at 12:18 PM on January 18, 2009
posted by lupus_yonderboy at 12:18 PM on January 18, 2009
Dude. It's Lego. It's awesome. It would be awesome if it were miniature McCain/Palin.
Except we haven't seen non-stop McCain posts on the site. The word "Obama" is on the front page nine times right now. He won, we get it.
posted by ODiV at 12:26 PM on January 18, 2009
Except we haven't seen non-stop McCain posts on the site. The word "Obama" is on the front page nine times right now. He won, we get it.
posted by ODiV at 12:26 PM on January 18, 2009
Giant mutant human tearing apart Capitol building!
That's my friend Gary. He used to live in the Seattle area, but he entered in one of the Master Model Builder Search competitions and won. He now works at Legoland California.
Here's another photo of him with the display.
He's been known to snuggle Moonbases as well.
posted by Fleebnork at 12:49 PM on January 18, 2009
That's my friend Gary. He used to live in the Seattle area, but he entered in one of the Master Model Builder Search competitions and won. He now works at Legoland California.
Here's another photo of him with the display.
He's been known to snuggle Moonbases as well.
posted by Fleebnork at 12:49 PM on January 18, 2009
Minor problem: They have the inauguration on the wrong side of the capitol! In the diorama, they have it on the east side of the building. (You can see this clearly about 5 seconds into the video). However, Obama will be sworn in on the west side of the Capitol. The easiest way to distinguish the two sides is that the east side has pediments (the triangular spaces with friezes) above the colonnades while the west side does not. The west side faces the Mall, while the east faces the Supreme Court and the Library of Congress.
posted by thewittyname at 1:32 PM on January 18, 2009 [1 favorite]
posted by thewittyname at 1:32 PM on January 18, 2009 [1 favorite]
Okay, now do Playmobil.
posted by goodnewsfortheinsane at 1:40 PM on January 18, 2009 [1 favorite]
posted by goodnewsfortheinsane at 1:40 PM on January 18, 2009 [1 favorite]
No wait -- papier-mâché! You have until Tuesday.
posted by goodnewsfortheinsane at 1:40 PM on January 18, 2009
posted by goodnewsfortheinsane at 1:40 PM on January 18, 2009
thewittyname: here's the explanation for the inconsistency you see:
posted by emhutchinson at 1:49 PM on January 18, 2009
posted by emhutchinson at 1:49 PM on January 18, 2009
Sorry, I am new to this. Here it ishttp://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/picturegalleries/howaboutthat/4270990/Barack-Obamas-inauguration-in-Legoland-California.html?image=10
posted by emhutchinson at 1:54 PM on January 18, 2009
posted by emhutchinson at 1:54 PM on January 18, 2009
if at first you don't succeed, try try again. Thanks for your patience.
posted by emhutchinson at 1:57 PM on January 18, 2009
posted by emhutchinson at 1:57 PM on January 18, 2009
emhutchinson,
That makes sense. However, the Telegraph is (partially) wrong about one thing. The east side of the building is considered the traditional "front" of the building. That is the side with the pediments, it is where dignitaries enter the building, and it is also the direction in which the statute of Freedom atop the building is facing.
posted by thewittyname at 2:02 PM on January 18, 2009
That makes sense. However, the Telegraph is (partially) wrong about one thing. The east side of the building is considered the traditional "front" of the building. That is the side with the pediments, it is where dignitaries enter the building, and it is also the direction in which the statute of Freedom atop the building is facing.
posted by thewittyname at 2:02 PM on January 18, 2009
Well, the Telegraph is a UK publication, after all. How many American journalists (or their editors) can orient (or occident) themselves about which direction 10 Downing Street faces?
posted by emhutchinson at 2:17 PM on January 18, 2009
posted by emhutchinson at 2:17 PM on January 18, 2009
So in other words, it's official in plasticland. That's good enough for me.
posted by ob at 6:18 PM on January 18, 2009
posted by ob at 6:18 PM on January 18, 2009
So, is there any reason they don't use minifigs for these dioramas?
posted by bookwo3107 at 7:49 AM on January 19, 2009
posted by bookwo3107 at 7:49 AM on January 19, 2009
So, is there any reason they don't use minifigs for these dioramas?
It's a combination of tradition and scale. The first Miniland was built at the Legoland park in Billund, Denmark in 1968. Miniland is 1:20 scale.
The minifigure didn't make its appearance in LEGO sets until 1974, and the modern version with movable limbs in 1978.
LEGO does create small displays at minifig scale in other areas of the parks and retail stores, however.
posted by Fleebnork at 10:05 AM on January 19, 2009
It's a combination of tradition and scale. The first Miniland was built at the Legoland park in Billund, Denmark in 1968. Miniland is 1:20 scale.
The minifigure didn't make its appearance in LEGO sets until 1974, and the modern version with movable limbs in 1978.
LEGO does create small displays at minifig scale in other areas of the parks and retail stores, however.
posted by Fleebnork at 10:05 AM on January 19, 2009
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posted by bwg at 2:46 AM on January 18, 2009 [5 favorites]