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Black Six

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Blog Entries posted by Black Six

  1. Black Six

    Weekly Update - 1/7

    By Black Six,

    Intro
    So I missed last week, sorry everyone. Company and all that. I'm back in 2011 though, and it's time to get the updates back on the rails.
     
    Updates
    We've been laying on the reviews thick and heavy. We wrapped up the 2010 heroes with a Breez review by ToM Dracone and a look at Surge by Shannara. McSmeag finally put together the remains of several reviews that were never quite finished. I had to drag him to my house and sit him down in front of a computer before he would even do that. On the 2011 front, xccj reviewed the Cursed Cobra Statue and ChocolateFrogs shared his thoughts on the Golden Staff Guardians. Those Pharaoh's Quest sets seem popular, I'm sure we'll be reviewing more. We'll also be reviewing more Hero Factory 2.0 sets soon too! Like, maybe even this weekend.
     
    Since the month ended, it was time to record a new episode of the Powercast. In an impromptu recording section, McSmeag even got me to sing. I apologize for the pain I inflicted upon your ears. It was great to hear everything you guys sent in though!
     
    On the story front - it's not dead yet! Sahmad's Tale Chapter 6 went up. I'm glad to see Greg still doing his thing. It's much appreciated.
     
    Going back to late reviews, how about some late BrickCon coverage? Better than never. And speaking of events, there's more on the way! These places really have to stop using 'Brick' in the title, but that doesn't make me less excited for Brick Fiesta!
     
    Mailbag

    1. It was a very good year.
    2. In retrospect, the first thing I did was wake up and remember how much fun I had saying goodbye to 2010 with my friends.
    3. We have lots of ideas for BZPower, I hope we can implement some of them.
    4. It's a tough call between BrickFair and Labor Day - both were great times.
     
    Want to see your questions answered? PM them to me and put 'Mailbag' in the subject line. I'll pick the few I like the best and answer them in the next update.
     
    Conclusion
    Welcome everyone to 2011, I hope it turns out to be a great year. It's already off to an amazing start and I can't wait to see where it goes!
  2. Black Six

    Weekly Non-update

    By Black Six,

    So, I didn't get a chance to post an update this week. It was New Years Eve, and I had a bunch of people visiting, including McSmeag and LehvakLah, who aren't as cool as people make them out to be. (Just kidding guys - love you both.) They're still here in fact, which has limited my online time a bit. Once the week starts everything should even out a bit.
     
    Until then, I hope everyone has been enjoying the holidays!
  3. Black Six
    Readers of the popular webcomic xkcd will know that Randall Munroe posted a revised 'Map of Online Communities,' today. I'm not going to link to it because there's lots of things on there that we can't talk about on BZPower. There is one thing, however, that we can:
     

     
    It's not quite as awesome as if BZPower was on there, but it's still pretty sweet.
  4. Black Six

    Weekly Update - 12/24

    By Black Six,

    Intro
    It's Christmas Eve, so short update today.
     
    Updates
    Go vote in RPG Contest #20! This isn't a shameless self-promotion at all!
     
    We've really been churning out the reviews this past week: I reviewed Furno Bike, Nuju Metru reviewed Angler Attack, and DeeVee reviewed Nex 2.0. Hopefully we'll have even more before the end of the year!
     
    More 2011 set info keeps cropping up. Check out the new NASA sets and the next wave of LEGO board games. They look pretty interesting!
     
    Mailbag

    Things are going fine, thanks.
    1) 2001 - it was full of mystery and set the stage for things to come.
    2) 2004 I think - we finally got some nice posability with the Toa Metru.
    3) I think the new pieces are great and I'm sure people will find good uses for them.
    4) I loosely follow some of the Bionicle RPGs, but don't really read any comics or epics that often, no.
     

    1. I don't recall seeing any owls, but if I do I'll be sure to give them a mouse.
    2. Yes, it has unfortunately happened in the past.
    3. You know, I don't even really remember when that happened.
    4. Nope, I'm not especially superstitious.
    5. I think I've met him three times or so? I'm pretty sure I have a book or two autographed by him, although I might have given them away at some point.
    6. I can't say I'm aware of the Widget-USD exchange rate at the moment, but assuming they're close to parity I'd say I do about thirty to forty thousands of widgets a year's worth of work.
     
    Want to see your questions answered? PM them to me and put 'Mailbag' in the subject line. I'll pick the few I like the best and answer them in the next update.
     
    Conclusion
    I hope everyone has a Merry Christmas and a nice few days off. Time for me to go spend some time with family!
  5. Black Six

    Weekly Update - 12/17

    By Black Six,

    Intro
    Every week I tell myself I'm going to blog about something other than a Weekly Update. Then the next thing I know it's Friday and time for me to look back at the week on BZPower. Enjoy!
     
    Updates
    Don't forget about RPG Contest 20. I'm going to keep reminding you about it because I want to get more people to enter.
     
    Speaking of things you can enter, go check out this story on the BZPowercast - we want you to submit your own sound clips and answers to a question for our end-of-the-year special. So break out your microphone and let's hear what you have to say!
     
    Last week I said there were two things I was hoping to do over the weekend, and I did them both! Check out the new list of LEGO Ambassadors there's even more than there have been in the past, and I look forward to talking to them all and representing BZPower. If there's anything you'd like to hear about from LEGO just let me know and I'll see what I can do. In addition, go look at BZPower's Recommended Builders. I have no idea what LEGO might have in store for them, but they have their info should they need it.
     
    As of late we've been reviewing the Hero Factory 2.0 sets. This weekend we switched things up and I reviewed Thunder. For all of the reviews on BZP that have my name on them, this is the first I've done in it's entirety. I hope you all enjoyed it. I may be doing more once I get a brighter light for taking pictures with.
     
    But hey, back to Hero Factory 2.0. You don't need to wait for our reviews anymore, if you don't want to. The sets are available now! If you've liked what you've seen so far, go pick them up or put them on your wish list.
     
    Speaking of wish lists, if you've been wondering what to get for your friends and family for the holidays, check out the BZPower Staff's gift recommendations. There's still a whole week to shop before Christmas is here!
     
    Mailbag

    #1: Classic rock.
    #2: Too many to pick from. My top five are Harry Chapin, The Beatles, The Beach Boys, The Eagles, and Billy Joel.
    #3: See above. Here's some top picks: Stranger with the Melodies, Hotel California, It's Still Rock and Roll to Me, Revolution, Twist and Shout, I've Got a Feeling, Journey of the Sorcerer, Good Vibrations, Kokomo, Oh, Pretty Woman, A Better Place to Be, Bittersweet Symphony, Piano Man, Life in the Fast Lane, and oh so many others.
     

    1. There have been so many it's impossible to keep track of them all. Excessive use of 'x's and punctuation is pretty dumb in my opinion though.
    2. Same as above. Some people are very... creative.
    3. Yes, but I've yet to play it all the way through. I finally picked it up during Xbox Live's Black Friday sale.
    4. Nope.
    5. Not really. I have no huge interest in owning a gun.
    6. I'm a civilian working for the US Army, so I'm not a soldier, but I do work for the government.
    7. See above.
    8. I like what they're doing with it. I think all the new parts in the 2011 sets are great and I'm sure they'll be put to good use.
     
    Want to see your questions answered? PM them to me and put 'Mailbag' in the subject line. I'll pick the few I like the best and answer them in the next update.
     
    Conclusion
    That's it for tonight. (What, was it not enough?) Have a good weekend everyone, stay warm and enjoy the holiday season. Oh, and leave any questions and comments below if you would.
  6. Black Six

    Weekly Update - 12/10

    By Black Six,

    Intro
    The holiday season is in full swing. I would love this time of year if I was in Australia, where it's warm. But since I'm not - here's a weekly update.
     
    Updates
    Let's start things off with a shameless plug: RPG Contest 20 is underway. If you like controlling other people as an all-powerful GM, go enter. Or if you're a nice person who likes to cooperate with people as a benevolent GM you should enter too. If you have no interest in being a GM, you should read all the entries so you're ready to vote!
     
    Sisen reviewed Breez 2.0! More Hero Factory 2.0 (and hopefully other) reviews to come! Hope you enjoy this early look!
     
    Speaking of next year's Hero Factory sets, the Hero Factory website was updated this past week to show off the upcoming heroes and villains, along with a bunch of other cool content. If that wasn't enough for you, the Pharaoh's Quest website was updated too - LEGO looks like they're doing some great things with next years' themes. I can't wait to get a closer look at them all.
     
    And of course, can't talk about 2011 without mentioning the Pirates of the Caribbean sets. I'm glad LEGO is making good use of their partnership with Disney.
     
    Bunch of things I hope to do this weekend - post the list of recommended builders selected so far and post the list of Ambassadors. Maybe I'll get some other things done to. What would you like to see get done?
     
    Mailbag
    No Mailbag love this week.
     
    Want to see your questions answered? PM them to me and put 'Mailbag' in the subject line. I'll pick the few I like the best and answer them in the next update.
     
    Conclusion
    Enjoy your weekend and your holidays everyone. Questions, comments, and feedback are always welcome!
  7. Black Six

    Weekly Update - 12/3

    By Black Six,

    Intro
    It's a December to remember! Maybe. At least until January rolls around? Well, you'll always be able to come back and read this update.
     
    Updates
    This past weekend we saw the first official images of the 2011 Hero Factory sets. Reaction was mixed, to say the least.
     
    Shortly afterward, however, we revealed that LEGO had sent us some of next years sets. We kicked things off with DeeVee's review of Furno 2.0, quickly followed by Sisen's thoughts on Evo 2.0. You can rest assured there will be more to come.
     
    If you haven't had enough talk about Hero Factory 2.0, be sure to listen to our recently-released BZPowercast. In addition to the new sets, we talk about the collectible minifigs and Advertising on BZPower. Let us know what you think!
     
    In other news, I am officially BZPowers Ambassador again. You heard it here first. There will be an official announcement once I get the complete list from the LEGO Community Team. I look forward to participating in the program once again.
     
    I think that's about all for now.
     
    Mailbag

    1. Maybe? I'd need to know more about it.
    2. Black and maybe gray or some white, with a black Hau.
    3. If a mistake was made, I'd do my best to fix it.
    4. There are so many. Top five: Harry Chapin, Billy Joel, The Beatles, The Eagles, The Beach Boys.
    5. Visit my parents and have a wonderful day.
    6. I don't know what's wrong with it.
     

    1. There is an addon that could be installed, yes.
    2. Each day? Too much time.
    3. I think it's great to see the fans working together like that.
    4. Probably. No idea when that's going to be though.
     
    Want to see your questions answered? PM them to me and put 'Mailbag' in the subject line. I'll pick the few I like the best and answer them in the next update.
     
    Conclusion
    Enjoy your weekend everybody. And by enjoy I mean leave your questions and comments below!
  9. Black Six

    Weekly Update - 11/26

    By Black Six,

    Intro
    I'm not sure that this week's update will be much longer than last week's but we'll see!
     
    Updates
    First off, I hope everyone who celebrates had a happy Thanksgiving. My celebration was small but enjoyable, and of course long weekends are always nice.
     
    I finally got around to talking about that other Ambassador thing I'd been meaning to talk about: Recommended Builders. I still have to contact people on the list that the staff has come up with, but at least the word is out there. Hopefully this weekend will bring some time to do that.
     
    Speaking of Ambassador-ness, the staff has decided on BZPower's next Ambassador from the top three candidates. I'm not going to announce it right here and now (and it may not be me who's announcing it at all). Here's a hint though - things didn't change much from the original poll.
     
    We posted another set review this week finally. Check out DeeVee's thoughts on Bulk and Vapour. You can expect even more reviews coming up soon, I promise!
     
    That's about all I've got. Life has been super-busy and pushing other projects and such to the back burner. Hopefully I'll find some time at some point to rectify that.
     
    Mailbag
    No questions this week. Send some in please?
     
    Want to see your questions answered? PM them to me and put 'Mailbag' in the subject line. I'll pick the few I like the best and answer them in the next update.
     
    Conclusion
    Enjoy the rest of the weekend and all your leftovers. I feel like I'm going to be eating turkey for a month. Just make sure you're not in too deep of a food coma next week or you'll miss some awesome stuff.
  10. Black Six

    Weekly Update - 11/19

    By Black Six,

    Intro
    Quick and dirty update this week. There's lots of fun to be had elsewhere!
     
    Updates
    Go vote for who you think would best represent BZPower as a LEGO Ambassador. Be sure to read the entire first post before voting. Also remember that this is the first round and that the staff will choose the final candidate.
     
    Go congratulate our newest Forum Assistant, Mysterious Minifig! I know he'll do a great job once we figure out what forums to put him in.
     
    So the Ambassador announcement was one part of what I mentioned last week. There's still one other thing that I still need to do. This weekend is going to be busy though, so we'll see.
     
    I also got some really exciting news today from one of our staff members. You guys, unfortunately, won't be able to see what it's about until December. It'll be pretty awesome though!
     
    Mailbag

    1) Would I 'jump' on it? No. Nothing on BZP ever moves that fast. I would discuss it with the other admins, then we'd test it, and then if we still thought it would be useful we'd implement it.
     
    1) I'd rather not say. It's located it lovely rural Northwest New Jersey in roughly the middle of nowhere.
    2) Knowing that the projects I'm working on will be used to help save lives.
     
    Want to see your questions answered? PM them to me and put 'Mailbag' in the subject line. I'll pick the few I like the best and answer them in the next update.
     
    Conclusion
    Like I said, a short update this week. Lots to do. Enjoy your weekends, everybody!
  11. Black Six

    Weekly Update - 11/12

    By Black Six,

    Intro
    Welcome, one and all, to this week's update. As per usual I have no plans for what I'm going to write, so let's see what happens.
     
    Updates
    First and foremost (in my mind) BrickFest 2011 was canceled. I know a bunch of people were planning on going and this is a real disappointment. Look for some smaller BZPower gatherings to be planned at BrickWorld and/or BrickMagic now, two events that have not traditionally had a large Bionicle presence. BrickFair is still the go-to event for BZPower though.
     
    A new episode of the Hero Factory podcast came out this week too. They're fun, sure, but they're nothing compared to the BZPowercast in my opinion. Speaking of the Powercast, don't forget that you can get your voice on the show! Just record some questions or comments and we'll throw them in for all to hear!
     
    On the, 'that's weird' front, some members discovered the LEGO Octopus Beta. There's been no word, even amongst the Ambassadors, as to what this is, but I think you can expect to learn more soon hopefully.
     
    Speaking of Ambassador stuff, I haven't gotten a chance to do anything about that yet, at least in the public's eyes. Maybe this weekend? I hope? I'll let you guys in on some info though - one thing involves the selection of our next Ambassador and the other is about getting LEGO a way to find all the awesome LEGO builders in our community. I look forward to both of these, as soon as I get to them...
     
    Mailbag

    1. There's been a member named "blackfive" for years and years. I guess it's only a matter of time before the other combinations get taken?
    2. I will go with Axonn.
    3. Tahu, although certainly not in that form.
    4. Mata Nui maybe?
    3. (Again?) It's been so long since I've watched DS9 I couldn't name any episodes.
     
    Want to see your questions answered? PM them to me and put 'Mailbag' in the subject line. I'll pick the few I like the best and answer them in the next update.
     
    Conclusion
    And that, as they say, is that. Thank you all for reading - questions, comments and such are always appreciated. Have a great weekend!
  12. Black Six

    Weekly Update - 11/5

    By Black Six,

    Intro
    It's November already? Well, it's Friday, so that means it's time for a weekly update. Here we go!
     
    Updates
    October is done, that means a new episode of the Powercast! Go listen to us have all sorts of fun. It actually wasn't as crazy as some have been, but I think the topics were pretty interesting and hopefully informative. Also, Taped Headphones is awesome!
     
    LEGO recently announced a partnership with NASA. I look forward to seeing these sets, and I know some of you are too, based on the responses to the recent topic asking for theme ideas. This will be the fourth or fifth time LEGO has done a theme like this, and I've always enjoyed the sets they've turned out.
     
    A new chapter of The Powers that Be came out yesterday. Yay Bionicle isn't dead yet! Don't worry guys there's still some life in the old line.
     
    There's been some stuff going on amongst the Ambassadors recently. I think moving forward LEGO is going to be a lot more communicative about things. We're still working on completing our application, but we will be applying. Jim and the gang has put out a request for some other information that we're starting to collect. You may hear more about that this weekend.
     
    I think that is all I have for you for now, folks!
     
    Mailbag

    1. You have no idea.
    2. Either Father's Day or The Empty Child/The Doctor Dances
    3. The Girl in the Fireplace
    4. Blink
    5. Silence in the Library/Forest of the Dead
    6. The Lodger? Maybe?
    7. That is nigh impossible. I think I'll have to go with Silence in the Library/Forest of the Dead.
     
    Want to see your questions answered? PM them to me and put 'Mailbag' in the subject line. I'll pick the few I like the best and answer them in the next update.
     
    Conclusion
    Questions, comments, and feedback are always welcome. Have a good weekend - don't forget to set your clocks back!
  13. Black Six

    Weekly Update - 10/29

    By Black Six,

    Intro
    Welcome back everyone, to the Weekly Update. I'm not sure what's in store for you guys this week, I'm just kind of making this up as I go!
     
    Updates
    We had a new set review this week when Gatanui shared his thoughts on Dunkan Bulk. We're still working on churning out some more reviews. And I recently got word of some exciting news pertaining to the future of our review program. I can't say anything else though!
     
    The second chapter of The Powers That Be also went live. The story keeps marching on, even if some of its characters won't be reaching the end.
     
    I guess now I get to talk about a recent event that some of you may not be quite aware of yet, but is still rather sad. Honorary Forum Mentor and all around great guy Steve Witt (speaknspell) is no longer working for LEGO. The details of his departure have not been made public, and I don't expect them to be (so don't ask). Whatever the reason, this is a huge blow to the LEGO community - Steve spent five years pouring his heart and soul into our favorite toy, traveling across the world, meeting with fans and going to events. His hard work is much appreciated and his legacy at LEGO will be felt for years to come. I hope that he will still remain an active part of the community and come visit us all at BrickFair and other events. Steve is a great person and an amazing friend. I hope you all join me in wishing him the best in his future endeavors.
     
    Mailbag

    1) We can't make people read things, and we certainly can't make them post. That said, we are looking to get more member creations posted on the front page.
    2) I don't think we're dying. The cancellation of Bionicle merely means that we're in a transition period.
    3) Nope, haven't picked up that series.
    4) It's so hard to remember that far back. I played a lot of Star Wars games on the computer back in the day, from Dark Forces to TIE Fighter to Rebel Assault, so I guess I'll go with that.
    5) No, I have not seen it.
    6) I watch a lot of SciFi. This includes, but is not limited to, Doctor Who, Stargate (all varieties), Sanctuary, Caprica, V, Eureka, Warehouse 13, and Supernatural. I've watched many other SciFi series over the years as well, like Farscape, Star Trek, Battlestar Galactica, Andromeda, The Invisible Man, Sliders, and so many others I'm sure I'm forgetting.
     
    Want to see your questions answered? PM them to me and put 'Mailbag' in the subject line. I'll pick the few I like the best and answer them in the next update.
     
    Conclusion
    That's it. Go enjoy your weekend. After you leave some comments or send in questions though, of course. Take care all!
  14. Black Six

    Weekly Update - 10/22

    By Black Six,

    Intro
    It has been a long week over here. I hope it's treated you guys better. But anyway, I guess I need to update you guys.
     
    Updates
    People found some teaser sites for some upcoming LEGO themes: Ninjago and Pharaoh's Quest. They both look like really interesting revamps of older themes. I can't wait to see the sets themselves.
     
    In other news, LEGO has asked the Ambassadors to get some feedback from the AFOLs and TFOLs of the LEGO community. Tell them what you think! They appreciate you sharing your thoughts and listen to all the feedback.
     
    Speaking of Ambassadors - LEGO has revamped the program. BZPower has begun gathering the information necessary to submit an application. Assuming we are accepted, we will figure out a way to select an Ambassador to represent BZPower.
     
    I think that's all I have for tonight.
     
    Mailbag
     
    1. Other than Bionicle I might go with the original Aquanauts.
    2. Were it my choice? Yes, but there would definitely be changes made.
    3. Not having enough time to spend on it.
    4. No.
    5. Because that's how emails work, and I view PMs as a special kind of email.
    6.
    7. The Shawshank Redemption.
    8. Farscape.
    9. I can't say I really pay close attention to food brands.
    10. Apple.
     
     
    1) I really can't think of any that I'm excited about.
    2) I think they're pretty great but that some people don't take them seriously.
    3) Bugs Bunny.
    4a) That is a very good question - I have no idea.
    4b) I sure hope not.
    5) I'm not sure what you mean, but I don't think so.
     
    Want to see your questions answered? PM them to me and put 'Mailbag' in the subject line. I'll pick the few I like the best and answer them in the next update.
     
    Conclusion
    Have a good weekend BZPower. I'm going to do my best to do the same. Feedback, questions, comments, etc are always appreciated.
  15. Black Six

    New Digs

    By Black Six,

    So for the past week and a half or so, I've been in the process of moving from New Jersey to Maryland. I'm down here now (as opposed to up there), but there's still a lot of unpacking and organizing to be done.
     
    I also recently purchased a diffuser for my camera flash to hopefully take some better pictures at BrickFair and other events in the future. Big props to Digi Acc.com - I ordered it from them on Wednesday (through Amazon) and it was here on Friday. Now that's service!
     
    Anyway, despite all the work to be done, I have found a little corner of sanity so far:

    None of the furniture may match (beggars can't be choosers) and that painting may look way too small (I have a lead on another one, and the current one may be moved to the left), but it works. I can sit down, kick my feet up, and relax...
     
    ...before I realize I have no time for that and get back to unpacking.
  16. Black Six

    Weekly Update - 10/15

    By Black Six,

    Intro
    It's still Thursday as I'm writing this, but Friday is going to be super-busy so I'm starting early. Don't expect much this week.
     
    Updates
    If you preordered the game, LEGO Universe is live right now! Everyone else still has to wait a bit. Personally I've barely had enough time these past few months to play Xbox, let alone an MMO, so I'm passing for the time being. I hope it does well though!
     
    You might have noticed that LEGO.com got overhauled earlier this week. It's a brand new design that looks like loads of fun. I look forward to seeing what they do with it.
     
    Speaking of LEGO (oh wait, that's what this entire site is about), Steve Witt has asked you all a question. You really should let him know the answer. So far, I think McSmeag's idea is the best, and I'm sure Steve will go for it. Ancient Greek and/or Romans seems like a popular second choice though. It'll be a close race.
     
    Please note, I'll be passing along all of the ideas, but that doesn't mean any of them will actually be acted on. So fair warning to you all.
     
    On the BZPower front, we recently had an internal revamp in the way we deal with advertising reports. On the outside, the process is still the same: send a PM to AdvertAlert. Behind the scenes, we're trying to make the processing of such reports more timely and efficient. You can expect a wider scale announcement of this once we work out all the kinks. But for now - it's just a secret between me and you (yes, I know there's only one person that actually reads this )!
     
    Mailbag
    No questions this week. I feel so unloved.
     
    Want to see your questions answered? PM them to me and put 'Mailbag' in the subject line. I'll pick the few I like the best and answer them in the next update.
     
    Conclusion
    On to Friday! Leave feedback and send in questions. Have a good weekend everyone!
  17. Black Six

    Weekly Update - 10/8

    By Black Six,

    Intro
    Welcome back, one and all, to another fun-filled installment of our weekly update! Well, 'fun-filled' might be stretching it.
     
    Updates
    BBCC #60 started up last week. I think the theme is amazing - I wonder where they got such an awesome idea. Also you should build something! Just not a horseshoe crab, please.
     
    A lot of 'Brick Events' have been announced for 2011 and beyond. I personally hope to attend BrickFest and BrickFair. If you're looking for events with a large BZPower presence, BrickFair should definitely be on the top of your list, followed by BrickCon, then BrickFest. They're all lots of fun though, so go to whichever you can!
     
    The next phase of the Bricktober event starts on Sunday. I tried to go to my local TRU on Tuesday to snag a magnet, but they were already out. If you want to collect these guys, I suggest going early on Sunday.
     
    BrickCon was last weekend, and the coverage is starting to trickle in. Check out the trophies and award-winning MOCs from the event. It looks like it was a pretty great time.
     
    If you haven't tried for a spot in our Member Interviews yet, you probably should. Cycle Thirty is going to be the last one we do for the time being. Like I said there, the logistics have not been fun, even though the actual interviews are great. We're going to reevaluate the system and maybe bring it back in some form in the future. We'll see.
     
    Mailbag

    1. No.
    2. No idea what that is, so no.
    3. The hero sets are kind of boring, but I think the larger ones aren't bad. I look forward to see what 2011 brings.
    4. Teridax.
    5. There's always room for more.
     

    1) Nope.
    2a) Oh man... I kind of like Karkat is his own way.
    2b) So hard to choose... I guess Jade.
    2c) The Black Queen/Snowman.
    3) No.
    4) Yes, years and years ago. The US Air Force Museum is awesome, let me tell you.
    5) Of course!
    6) No.
    7) I never saw Spiderman 2 or 3.
    8) 'Incence'n'Peppermints' was cute, despite the spelling restrictions.
    9) Yes, can't say I'm a huge fan though.
    10) Sure?
    11) Watching football.
    12a) Giving back to the community through contests, giveaways, and new features.
    12b) Having to ban people.
     

    -1. Null pointer exception?
    0. I think that's German?
    1. 'Cool File, Bro.'
    2. Hardest one that I've gotten? Probably, 'Your Heresy Will Stay Your Feet.' Hardest in the game? 'A Monument To All Your Sins.'
    3. No, usually I die shortly after I actually get a kill.
    4. Warrant Officer.
     
    Want to see your questions answered? PM them to me and put 'Mailbag' in the subject line. I'll pick the few I like the best and answer them in the next update.
     
    Conclusion
    Ok, weekly update is done, weekend can begin. Hopefully most of you in the US get Monday off, so enjoy your three day weekend!
  18. Black Six

    Weekly Update - 10/1

    By Black Six,

    Intro
    Man, weekends are so great. I can relax, be a little bit productive, and write Weekly Updates! Guess which part of that I'm on right now.
     
    Updates
    Don't post or discuss leaked images. 'Nuff said.
     
    Jason went off and reviewed Xplode, one of the larger Hero Factory sets. Go see what he thought of it.
     
    Speaking of Jason, he's off right now having a lot of fun at BrickCon, and you could be too. I'm sure it'll be a fun weekend.
     
    Since it's now October, we of course recently released a new BZPowercast episode! Listen to us talk and rant and rave. Plus, Taped Headphones is awesome! (I may be their biggest fan.)
     
    But hey, back to that BrickCon thing - they're announcing a new set over there. 10217 Diagon Alley looks amazing, and I'm not even a Harry Potter fan.
     
    I think that's about everything this week...
     
    Oh yeah, if you buy a Premier Membership and you're waiting for a while and don't get it (a while being a week or more), send me a PM and I'll work with you to resolve it.
     
    Mailbag

    1. Other than my own? I'm kind of a fan of all the MSPA names going around right now.
    2. I can't see member's passwords.
    3. What are you talking about? Look at my display name history.
    4. Global Moderator - it was a lot easier than being an admin.
    5. Sorry, who?
    6. No, that group did not exist at the time.
    7. Water.
    8. Milk.
    9. Flavored water tends to be kind of gross and sugary.
    10. Tough call between MSPA and QC.
    11. No.
    12. Low 70's partly cloudy. Maybe a little breeze.
     
    Want to see your questions answered? PM them to me and put 'Mailbag' in the subject line. I'll pick the few I like the best and answer them in the next update.
     
    Conclusion
    Have a good weekend everyone. Enjoy the wonderful fall weather! (If that's your thing.)
  19. Black Six

    Weekly Update - 9/24

    By Black Six,

    Intro
    Welcome back, one and all, to this week's wonderful update. In the spirit of mixing things up I think we're going to have a little chat tonight.
     
    Updates
    So Gatanui continued to provide information about the Hero Factory TV series as it aired in Germany. I have more that I need to post, but it's been a busy week.
     
    We also had another set review, courtesy of ChocolateFrogs. Those Atlantis sets sure seem to be pretty popular.
     
    The there was that new chapter of Yesterday Quest, with it's interesting revelations at the beginning about Psionics.
     
    And that brings us to our chat.
     
    Sexism is bad. Just like racism, elitism, and all those other things that hamper our society. Still though, most of us are guilty of them at some point. It's the better people who realize this and strive to avoid repeating the same mistakes. We can never be perfect, but we can do our best.
     
    That said, I personally think it is a bad idea to even bring up gender stereotypes when you're writing for kids, even if you claim your intent is to break them. Just portray women and men for who they are: individuals that can make their own choices and have the power to do what they think is best, not what society tells them is right or proper. That is setting a good example for your readers. It's not confusing them and opening the possibility that you may be misinterpreted. Be sure to remember that kids, especially younger ones, might miss certain subtleties in the story - they might look at only what is on the surface.
     
    This goes for race, status, sexual orientation, whatever the topic may be. Forget about what society has done in the past, and encourage and shape what society should be - a place where such stereotypes don't even exist. Of course there are always exceptions, period pieces and the like, but if you're creating a fictional universe for children there are certainly things that I think are worth leaving out, like some of the worst parts of society. Also, don't get me wrong, I don't think these subjects should be ignored, but they should be discussed in the proper context. I don't claim to know the perfect way to do that, I'm an engineer, not an educator, but I think I can spot a wrong way when I see it.
     
    The discussions raging on our forums prove just how big of an issue this really is, and how these stereotypes still exist and are still perpetuated, and how certain instances can just reinforce it - not to mention bring out the worst in people. It sickens me to see people defend these stereotypes so vehemently in some cases. I had really hoped we had moved beyond that, but I guess I was mistaken.
     
    So, the moral I suppose is that stereotypes are bad, sexism and racism, et. al. are worse, and bringing them into the spotlight in the storyline for a kids toy is never a good idea and can never end well.
     
    Mailbag

    1) The Doctor and his companion try to go to one time, but end up somewhere and somewhen else. Something weird is going on and the must get to the bottom of it. Awesomeness ensues.
    2) They are so cool.
    3) Incineration it great no matter how its done.
     

    1: It's awesome to be told how awesome the site you run is.
    2: It's like children, you can't pick your favorite. (Definitely not RPG. )
    3: See above. (There's no way it would be Comics. )
    4: Sometimes it's time for a change. To something old.
    5: I always like the ones the BZP staff starts.
    6: They're too busy having fun on BZPower or in real life? I appreciate your dedication though.
    7: I've seen you around a bit.
    8: If I was asked, maybe.
     
    Want to see your questions answered? PM them to me and put 'Mailbag' in the subject line. I'll pick the few I like the best and answer them in the next update.
     
    Conclusion
    I hope you enjoyed that. It felt good to get it off my chest. Have a good weekend everybody. See you all next week!
  20. Black Six

    Weekly Update - 9/17

    By Black Six,

    Intro
    Sorry guys, no guest updaters this time around - it's just me, you, and the Weekly Update!
     
    Updates
    Umm... I got nothing...
     
    Wait!
     
    McSmeag reviewed Meltdown, and it was fun! We're slowly getting through those Hero Factory sets. I don't know that well have any reviews this weekend, but soon I hope.
     
    We also had another member creation spotlight on the front page, Toa Cehk's Final Ownage. Be sure to check it out, and watch for more member creations - yours could be next!
     
    So, what else...
     
    Yeah, I think that's about it for now. Plans are losing some momentum due to communication delays, but rest assured we are still pushing forward with some things that may be considered 'big changes.'
     
    Mailbag

    1. Of course!
    2. Deep Space 9.
    3. That is very difficult... There's so many good ones. If I had to pick a few, they would be "Blink," "Human Nature/The Family of Blood," and "Silence in the Library/Forest of the Dead." Oh and "The Lodger"! I'm sure I'm forgetting others though.
    4. Doctor Who (but I do watch Warehouse 13 as well).
    5. 42
    6. Pi
    7. Over 9000
    8. Eleventy one
    9. Infinity
    10. Undefined
    11. 1337
    12. Mac OS X.
     
    Want to see your questions answered? PM them to me and put 'Mailbag' in the subject line. I'll pick the few I like the best and answer them in the next update.
     
    Conclusion
    Sorry about the lackluster update. Between work and Reach and other even more wonderful things it's been a long, busy week. But until next time!
  21. Black Six
    Intro
    Man, so what even happened this week? I don't even know, so I think I'm going to let some other people talk for a change instead. (Like Keanu, who is here and says HI!)
     
    Hey guys. This is totes DeeVee and Nukaya Cloud Fire. We are totes tag-teaming this entry for Mandrew. Why? Because we have the touch! We have the poweeeerr!
     
    Updates
     
    First things first, there's this awesome topic you should post in. Don't look at me like that.
     
    Gatanui did a review of Hero Factory's TV series, episode one! In the first episode, Anakin's all "Hey, I'm ten or something, look at me drive this podracer! Imma gonna be a Jedi someday! Hoor-wait, who's this clearly older and out of the proper age range queen I'm going to marry??" And then Harry's all, "I'm a wizard? And I'm going to wizarding school? That's crazytalk! My parents died in a car crash", so Hagrid's all "CAR CRASH! How could a car crash kill Lily an' James Potter? It's an outrage! A scandal!" And then Peter Parker gets bit by a radioactive pony, and with great powers comes great responsibilit-HAY. Anyways, it's a really interesting review, so go check it out!
     
    In other news, the person of some place did something and something happened and oh look LEGO and kitties and PONIESSS.
     
    On top of that, there were a bunch of promotions this week. Which is cool. Fresh meat is always tender, delicate, and oh so tasty. I usually dice it, and gently roast it, before letting it soak in a delicious concoction that is too awesome to describe. I am grateful to have Aaron added to my minion staff. He will be a good one. Though Nukaya is still my favourite. The rest of you, get to work! :angry:
     
    Also: KEANU REEVES.
     
    I'M BATMAN.
     
    No, I'm Batman.
     
    RACHEL RAY.
     
    RACHEL RAY IS BATMAN.
     
    No, I'm Batman! :angry:
     
    COOKING WITH RACHEL RAYBATMAN.
     
    I am okay with this?
     
    RAYRAYRAYRAYRAYRAYRAYRAY. BATMAN.
     
    Ray -is- Christian Bale. I can't believe I forgot this!
     
    Mailbag

    1. Trolls are pretty cool, especially kid trolls trying to save the world. (This doesn't make sense??)
    2. No.
    3. No. (Or maybe he does, and doesn't want to say??)
    4. Maybe when the big change happens. (Oh man. Ch-ch-ch-ch-changes....)
    5. Nah, I like my name. (I like you )
     

    1. Sure.
    2. Pat and Maddison are pretty cool.
    3. I love both!!1!!11! (Awwwwwwwwww.)
    4. The Fox and the Hound! It is a great movie that offers a fascinating treatise on the nature of friendships, especially as seen through the eyes of those who are 'natural enemies' and set to oppose one another by every force in the world. Of course, as it is wont to do, love through friendship and understanding shines through, through the youngest generation, allowing for a change of heart in even the most gruff and stuck in the mud old fogies!
     
    Also, I weep manly tears of manliness when the voiceover at the very end says "And we'll always be friends forever, won't we." "Yeah, forever."
     
    (OHMIGOD ME TOO! And they are MANLY tears of MANLINESS!)
     
    (It's SADORABLE.)
     
    5. Why yes, I am a handsome devil, who is always fighting off the ladies, none of whom I am interested in, because it is obvious they are only attracted to my physically robust, gruff, yet clearly sensitive outer exterior! I would prefer a woman who is intelligent, and sees me for myself, so I wait until that perfect moment she strikes, like a Cobra!
     
    A Cobra of love!
     
    (COBRA COMMANDER)
     
    Want to see your questions answered? PM them to me and put 'Mailbag' in the subject line. I'll pick the few I like the best and answer them in the next update. (or send it via snail mail or owl post. He's not picky)
     
    Conclusion
    I'm really afraid of what you just had to read (wait, what why?), but hopefully it wasn't too scarring (KITTIES. AND THOMAS O'MALLEY THE ALLEY CAT). See you all next week!
     
    Also, remember kids when left alone for 5-10 hours, finches will begin to resemble Oliver Sacks! Have a nice day!
  22. Black Six

    Weekly Update - 9/3

    By Black Six,

    Intro
    Man, it's been a crazy week trying to juggle all of my priorities, but I think my true colors have finally been revealed. Man, there's about thirty other people who would probably find that statement hilarious, but none of them are here. So instead, a Weekly Update!
     
    Updates
    I should call this week the week of Pat, because he's been on a roll. He tore through a Corroder review earlier in the week, once again showing off his fantastic photography skills. Then he showed up in the most recent episode of the BZPowercast, where he, Smeag, Hahli Husky, Nukaya, Janus, and I talked about how awesome BrickFair was. And then Smeag and Becca sang. But you see, the Powercast was not enough for Pat, because he had to go throw this retrospective together, showing again how much fun we had at BrickFair. I think I should rename this the Pat appreciation topic, since the dues is awesome.
     
    For those of you not interested in hearing what Pat and the rest of us have to say might like an update on other matters.
     
    Unfortunately, things have deadlocked a bit in our internal discussions, and we're awaiting some replies from a third party as we plan out our changes. It always frustrates me, but I guess some people need vacations. Me, I just go to LEGO conventions.
     
    Mailbag

    1. That is a closely guarded secret.
    2. They're pretty hilarious.
    3. I prefer the 'Shift' key.
    4. I think it's blasphemous.
    6. Probably the former.
    7. Only if you don't value your life.
    8. Probably something like 85:15.
     

    8.5 maybe. I'd rate myself higher, but there are some really hardcore people out there.
     
    Want to see your questions answered? PM them to me and put 'Mailbag' in the subject line. I'll pick the few I like the best and answer them in the next update.
     
    Conclusion
    For those of you in the US, enjoy your Labor Day weekend, hopefully you're off on Monday. Comments and feedback are always appreciated. Take care now!
  23. Black Six
    For reference: Round 1, Round 2, and Round 3. I probably should have had a Round 4 before now, but I guess I skipped it.
     
    Today I spent a bunch of time at Office Depot and the USPS. You're welcome. Here's who I'm saying that too:
    All the BBC Contest #59 winners except for Brickthing - Smeag still has your MOC and prize and will be shipping that out to you at some point. Everyone else, your MOCs are on their way home, with prizes too. Except for the CDs, I don't have those and have to get in touch with Advance to have them shipped. A couple stragglers from past RPG and Short Story contests - sorry it took so long guys! A friend who will be getting a fun surprise (I hope). People I'm saying sorry to:
    Aaron - not yet man, I did get some paper to wrap your boxes up in though, so soon I hope. Jason - I got some more padded envelopes so I could send you those things for that thing. Yannick - the envelopes above mean I can send you that thing too. Jon - I am all out of boxes now, but I'll get you that mosaic piece soonish, I hope. Everyone still listed as 'pending,' on the sidebar in my blog. I'm working through the list, you'll get your prizes eventually! So, if I mentioned you, keep your eyes on your mailbox!
  24. Black Six

    Weekly Update - 8/27

    By Black Six,

    Intro
    I am back again, no big stories this week, but I'm going to try to make things more interesting, since that definitely seemed to interest everyone a lot more.
     
    Updates
    The BrickFair coverage has begun! (Slow though it may be.) If you haven't already you MUST watch the Safari. Nukaya was amazing, and of course cameraman Pat was rock solid. We also started posting some pics (of Space and Castle stuff) - hopefully we'll have more soon. In some of the pics floating around from the event you might see some cool shirts that were made by Bionicle Raptor (Waffles' tribe was wearing them in the Safari), you can pick one up if you have some cash! I highly recommend it.
     
    BrickFair may be over, but BrickCon is coming! It won't have nearly as many BZPower people there, but I'm sure it will still be fun. If you're on the West Coast and want to go to an event and meet a bunch of BZPers, you may be better off holding out for BrickFest in Portland, OR next year. That's the rumor I hear at least.
     
    Sisen also reviewed another set. His pictures have been improving a lot since he first started, he really does a great job!
     
    So, as a prime example of persistence paying off, I made this announcement tonight. Don't worry, this wasn't any of the big projects we had going on, it was just something that came up when a certain staff member really wanted to change his name and wouldn't stop bugging me about it. I knew there were other staff who had expressed interest in doing the same, so discussions were had, guidelines were drafted, and the policy was put into place. You won't see me changing my name anytime soon, but I hope other staffers can make good use of it (at the time of this writing, two already have).
     
    Now, this doesn't mean that if you want something changed on BZPower all you have to do is bug me about it. Oh no. There has to be a legitimate reason, and then you have to convince me that any amount of work that has to go into it is worth the end result. At the end of the day, changing a name doesn't take a lot of effort, and it serves the purpose of keeping the staff happy (and believe me, you don't want to see them when they're angry), so I went for it.
     
    There, now you have some insight into how rules and policies are made. Yay!
     
    Mailbag

    1. Yes.
    2. In a league? Not for a long time. I do enjoy the occasional game of volleyball or soccer though.
    3. No, but it's funny you mentioned that, because I was talking to some people about it the other day.
    4. See above.
    5. Farscape. As far as currently on-air ones, probably Doctor Who.
    6. Any reality show.
    7. Of course I do. The classic shot:

     
    Want to see your questions answered? PM them to me and put 'Mailbag' in the subject line. I'll pick the few I like the best and answer them in the next update.
     
    Conclusion
    Weekends are awesome - I hope you enjoy yours. Questions and comments are awesome too. See you all next week.
  25. Black Six

    Weekly Update - 8/20

    By Black Six,

    Intro
    Yay, the weekend is here once again. That means so much more when you're a working stiff. I think I'm going to try something different this week.
     
    Updates
    So, I have a story for you all, hope you like.
     
    Many years ago, almost a decade, in fact, a pretty cool guy who used to really love LEGO discovered Bionicle, and thought it was cool enough that he should make a community site for it. A year later, it merged with a big Bionicle news site, and BZPower was born. During that first year, we hopped servers and changed domains and even changed our forum software. Custom addons and tweaks were made, such as Proto, spinnies, spoilers, and a plethora of other things. Even after that, there were many changes as the site grew.
     
    And then we grew.
     
    And grew.
     
    And grew.
     
    So now here's where things get interesting.
     
    Every member, post, topic, PM, blog entry, etc, on BZP was put into a database. For the uninformed, think of it as a huge Excel spreadsheet, but way more advanced than that, and way bigger too. Imagine putting forty-five thousand members (and all their information), two hundred and seventy thousand topics, almost six million posts, and sixteen hundred blogs with over eighty thousand entries and four hundred thousand comments in an Excel spreadsheet. Now imagine trying to open it.
     
    It would probably take a while.
     
    Every time you try to load the forums or the blogs, BZPower's server has to access this database to find what you're looking for. Now, thanks to the wonders of Computer Science, it doesn't have to search linearly (one at a time) through those millions of entries, but it can still take a while. At peak usage, when lots of people are trying to access it, this can cause things to slow down.
     
    What can also happen is that when lots of posts are made, the server isn't able to put them in a way that makes them easy to access, or that while it's doing so, something interrupts the process. This can cause corruption and potentially loss of data, though not usually. Corruption can prevent portions of the database from being accessed though, which can cause the forums to not load.
     
    But I digress.
     
    So all that stuff was put into a database and it got really really big as the site got really really popular. The site's popularity became its curse, and caused it to get slow and cranky. This made the members cranky too.
     
    That guy who originally made the site hang around, and made some friends who helped him keep it going. Unfortunately, they practically lived in three different corners of the country and all had lives that they wanted to live in addition to running the site. This meant that when they wanted to change things, they all had to find time to discuss it, come to and agreement, and then move forward and actually do it. For some things, it wasn't too bad, but for other things, like a very big database, there were a lot of options to discuss and a lot of things to take into account. And the server wasn't even the biggest problem on their radar.
     
    Despite this, they thought and brainstormed and had an idea for making things better. It was possibly the most ambitious change to the site since the merger that created BZPower. It took a long time plan out, and even longer to implement. So long that it's still going on.
     
    But the plan is there, and it is very sound.
     
    I warn you though, there will be much wailing and gnashing of teeth. There always is.
     
    Sometimes change is bad, but most times I think, change is for the best. That's what evolution is all about - if we don't change we don't survive. BZPower is no different.
     
    I hope you all enjoyed that.
     
    Mailbag

    1. To the forum? No.
    2. In so many ways. In our size, our membership, our coverage. I think perhaps our overall philosophy is about the only thing that's changed.
    3. Not sure what you really mean by that.
    4. I built some parts for the BrickFair Mosaic project, but aside from that I haven't built any original creations in a few years.
    5. Maryland.
    6. Depends if I'm on the giving or receiving side.
    7. I look forward to it, as long as it's not empty.
    8. Of course!
    9. It's a great show - I love it.
     
    Want to see your questions answered? PM them to me and put 'Mailbag' in the subject line. I'll pick the few I like the best and answer them in the next update.
     
    Conclusion
    Comments, thoughts, questions, etc - leave them down below. Have a great weekend everyone, I think I shall.
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