Lego, a great invention

Lego started in 1932, being led by a man named Ole Kirk Kristiansen. Lego is an extremely popular brand and its name is known all around the world.  Lego produces 1 million bricks per hour and only 18 of those are discarded.  Lego is loved by everyone for their plastic, interlockable toys.

  At first, Lego only produced wooden toys, like pull-along-animals and wooden cars.  Lego’s motto in Dutch was Det- Bedste-Er-Ikke-For-Godt, which means the-best-is-not-for-good.  Ole was grateful for his workers.

In 1924, Ole’s sons were playing with matches [Not a good toy at all] when they accidently burned down his entire workshop.  Kirk built another workshop, renting out the extra space.

Then, Ole had a keen idea.  Why not make wooden bricks that could snap and cling to each-other?  Ole then invented the first Lego bricks.  That was when he noticed that the bricks had flaws, for they were whittled by hand.  They also did not snap together easily enough for Ole.  He had heard of England’s plastic injection machines.  So he purchased one and started creating plastic bricks, hoping they would pass muster.  His son helped him produce the first plastic Lego bricks.

Lego’s logo has changed a lot since 1934, when it was black with small streaks of white, to todays, the red background, white bubble letters and yellow stripe outlining the letters.  Lego Dupo’s logo changed also.  The original rabbit looked active and sporty, but the other looked cuter and relaxed.

Lego manufacturing is a complicated process.  The bricks start as small grains, as big as pieces of rice.  A vacuum is then sent over and it gobbles up the grains and carries them to capacious tanks, when, at their fullest, can hold 33 tons of plastic.  The plastic takes a journey through pipes to the molding machines.  The machines suck up the plastic and heat it at 455F, also squashing them between 28 and 165 tons of pressure.  Any leftover Legos or any that fall on the floor are recycled to reduce waste.  The bricks cool, are put on a conveyer belt and tumble into boxes, soon to be organized and packaged by hand.  The machine signals a robot to come over, stamping the boxes as he carries them away to be stored at the warehouse and later shipped to eager children worldwide.

You can tour the Lego factory in Billund, Denmark, or just tour it on You Tube.  They have each stage of manufacturing available for you to see.  You can even receive a Lego Factory brick to take home!  Lego also has a magazine you can subscribe to and many Legolands for you to explore and enjoy.  Lego’s name has become so wide-spread that they now have a website that you can play games on, order sets on and much more!  They also have an activity called Design by Me.  It allows you to design your own Lego set and have it shipped to you!

Lego minifigures are the most important part of sets. [Pirates, city, space, there are minifigures in all of those sets] The first minifigs were buildable families with spherical, yellow heads.  They were too big to fit into Lego sets.  So Lego designed minifigures that would be small and compact enough to fit.  The minifigs today have removable hair, heads, hands, body, pants and moveable legs and arms.  Whew, you could do a lot of mixing parts with those!

Did you know that some people design Lego sets as their jobs?!  Would you like that job?  That’s Nathan Sawaya’s job.  He once was a Lego employee, but now is living in New York and is an artistic Lego designer.  Who would not love to have that cool job?

There are also Lego stores that you can visit if you would like a new set or new bricks.  There are many colors to choose from*, and many designs.  They also sell a variety of key chains.

Through studying a company, you can learn their past, present and sometimes their plans for the future.  I look forward to learning about other companies, perhaps Playmobile or Crazerasers.

-Bella D. March 2, 2011

*Here you can even find customized pieces!

      

India and Ethiopia

India and Ethiopia are extremely different, yet shockingly similar. This is the first Trip Through the World.  Through this vacation, you will learn about Daily Life, Religion and Celebrations in India and Ethiopia.  Have fun!

  When the woman of India get married, their hands and feet are decorated with a plain or simple design in a die called henna.  Also when they get married, the lady receives a dot inbetween her eyes to show what caste she is in.  After marriage, the bride’s family pays a gift to the groom’s family.  Even though this act is considered illegal in India, all still contribute.  During the twenty four hours of the  day, the children of India either put on their uniform and head to school or get ready for a long day of work at home. But on the other hand…   

A great majority of Ethiopians are urban.  The families are literally judged by the number of cattle they own, which is their caste.  The woman’s jobs include carrying water to their families, weaving baskets, making cooking utensils, clothing and toys.  At mealtime, the woman makes Injera, delectable bread that tastes somewhat like sourdough.  It is part of nearly every meal.  To eat this palatable bread, the Ethiopians serve it with a spicy soup called Wat.  At Ethiopian markets, you can discover many native fresh fruits.  Unfortunately, Ethiopians raise a drug called Khat, even though the government deems trading of this drug illegal.  One of Ethiopia’s building materials is Amole, salt bricks.  Long ago, the Ethiopian landscape was dotted with salt lakes.  Another building material is stone.  India, otherwise…

Most of the Indian festivals are Hindu, for the majority of the people are Hindu.  Here are a few festivals.  Diwali is the best festival by far in India.  It falls in fall, over a time period of 5 days.  In Diwali, every Hindu lights paper lanterns welcoming Rama, said to come in the nightfall.  The food eaten at this festival is vegetarian, for Hindus do not believe in sacrificing another life for themselves.  They also eat sweets, like coconut pancakes and samosas filled with coconut.  Durga Puja is biggest in the state of Bengal.   It is also celebrated in fall and worships the Durga, wife of Shiva.  In some spots in Bengal, schools close for 9 days.  During the ten days of this festival, clay statues of Durga are paraded through the streets and priests perform their dramas of how Durga defeated the demon.   Feasting is also a part of this festival, and many eat fish, chicken and flavorful meat.  On the last day, sweets are given to friends and relatives.  Pongal is a festival donated to the cow and cattle.  Celebrated over a period of four days, Pongal is widely based in Tamil Nadu.  On the third day, cows and cattle are bathed and receive a miniature bell.  Some paint designs on their animals.  Women make rice mats, creating patterns of rice and filling the spaces with colorful flower.  Ethiopia has its own festivals…

Ganna [Christmas] in Ethiopia is jolly and cozy.  After 43 days of fasting, Christians feast on traditional food and delectable meats.  These include chicken, lamb and beef.  They also carry out modern habits, like caroling.  Maskal is a Christian festival.  This is a time to give winter a last goodbye.  It is celebrated with bonfires and plays.  Men dress up to prepare for a small parade in Maskal.  Other festivities are dancing and singing to drums.  Enkutatash is the Ethiopian New Year.  It is celebrated in September and is held in tradition for the Queen of Sheba.  It marks the day when Sheba returned from Solomon’s palace and received valuable stones.     Enkutatash means “Gift of Jewels.”  Timkat is the most important festival in Ethiopia.    It celebrates when Jesus was baptized.  During this festival, Christians hold parades, carrying golden elaborate crosses through the streets.  India is a whole different matter…

Hindu is the major religion in India.  Hindus do not eat beef, leaving many a cow to roam the roads.  Hindus, like Buddhists, believe in reincarnation.  Therefore, to leave the cycle of reincarnation and join their god again, Hindus have to complete the pilgrimage to the “Holy Mother Ganges” once in their lifespan.  Millions are trampled each year in the frustration to get to the holy waters.  If a person died before they were able to visit this sacred river, they would be cremated and their ashes sprinkled into the water.  Keep in mind that millions of humans bathe in this water, believed to save them from reincarnation.  80% of Indians are Hindu, 12% are Muslim, 2.5% follow native traditions and less than 1% follow Buddhism.  The Taj Mahal is Islamic architecture.  Have you ever seen a picture of this magnificent structure?  It is symmetrical.  Symmetrical means that if you drew a line down its center, you would end up with two equal halves.  All Islamic architecture is symmetrical.  If you looked at this building, you would never guess this astounding fact I am about to share with you.  The Taj Mahal, this beautiful palace, is a tomb!  It was built by an emperor, Shah Jahan to be exact, for his favorite wife [Meaning that he had multiple wives, required in Muslim laws].  It was constructed out of marble and 20,000 workers were needed to construct it.   

Ethiopia has four main religions.  They are Christianity, Animism, Judaism and Muslim.  F.Y.I, animism is a belief that animals are gods.  Many Australian aborigines believe this.  Another word for Muslim is Islam, which I used in the paragraph above.  Muslims do not eat pork, making me feel sorry for them because bacon is delectable.  Muslim’s temples have high, vaulted ceilings.  In the innermost part of the temples are worship rooms where you can make offerings to the gods.  Muslims can only pray five times a day, no more, no less.  They have to pray facing Mecca and on a prayer mat.  While worshipping, they wear head wraps.  They worship Allah and his prophet, Muhammad. 

This closes our trip through Indian and Ethiopian culture.  I hope you find this trip useful for your studies.  Join me on another trip, or visit my blog, Owls with Towels.

A Trip Through the World essay

A review of all

  Yes, the report I did on India was a time to learn.  Recently our family read a book called Teresa of Calcutta.  Teresa founded the Sisters of Charity.  This was a group that helped the needy, lepers, ill and dying.  Teresa was an encouraging nun. 

Walrus Got His Tusks

How the Walrus got his Tusks   Bella D.

Long long ago, Stubborn Walrus did not have tusks.  Therefore it was extremely hard for him to catch his prey.  This starved him of many a meal.

One day, when Stubborn Walrus was complaining about being hungry, Snowy Egret came along.  “I will help you make tusks.  What do you want yours to look like?”  “I would like mines to look like Strong Elephant’s.  But theys will be removable.”

So, from 7:30am to 9:30am, they searched for tusks like Strong Elephant’s.  Snowy Egret found a long stick, sharp rocks, and an old water bottle.  “Snowy Egret, I would likes a smarter lad to search with mes,” said Stubborn Walrus.

Stubborn Walrus called Sassy Rabbit and informed her of his request.  From 9:30 am to11:30am, Sassy Rabbit searched.  She found a way to make tusks out of pine needles and a stick.  Sassy Rabbit fastened a long blade of grass around Stubborn Walrus’ snout, therefore making it removable.  “Aaaccchhhooos!  I am allergic to pines!  Someone else will have to search with mes!” said Stubborn Walrus.

While searching, Stubborn Walrus discovered Sarcastic Owl.  “With a rubber band, mud and two pieces of wire, I can do this!” exclaimed Sarcastic Owl.  So from 11:30am to 1:30am, the two searched.  Under a Balsam fir, Sarcastic Owl found the wire and rubber band.  Soon, Sarcastic Owl stumbled upon mud.  She piled the mud onto the wire and fastened it securely to the rubber band. “Perfecto!” Sarcastic Owl exclaimed.  “This rubber bands digs into my snouts!” Stubborn Walrus exclaimed.  “I’ll chooses a different partner!”

Sly Fox volunteered to help.  “I have just what you need!” he said, darting into his den.  He emerged with two wooden shapes that looked Just like Strong Elephant’s tusks.  “Wows!” Stubborn Walrus exclaimed.  “Carved them myself from a Maple tree,” Sly Fox replied. “Now with these works of art and some sap, (On his paw, Sly Fox held Maple syrup) you will have the best tusks ever!  Wait there for one hour.”

After the hour passed, Stubborn Walrus did have tusks, but they were not removable.  “Cheaters, Sly Fox, you Cheaters!”

That, dear reader, is how the Stubborn Walrus got his tusks.  He should not have trusted Sly Fox.

-Bella D. Mar. 10^th, 2011

Courage

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