I Love That Minifigure! Book REVIEW!

I Love That Minifigure by DK.

With this small Lego book you receive a exclusive minifigure, a Zombie Skateboarder which is a recreation of the first Lego Skateboarder from the Minifigure Series 1. A great minifigure. Many people simply got this book just for the minifigure alone but the book is equally as good as well.

It is very similar to the Lego Minifigure Year by Year book although it looks at a smaller selection of minifigures, shows more detailed information and shows how exclusive and rare each of them are. It rates the minifigures rarity, on how many were made and how many sets had it in. Funny enough it also describes the exclusive minifigure that even comes with the book.   

Exclusive Minifigure,
Zombie Skateboarder.

Now if you aren't a huge Lego fan then I wouldn't suggest reading this, as this book is more for a Lego enthusiast and collector as it isn't a book for a light read. This book would be extremely useful for anyone who collects minifigures and wants to know information about their collection or to see which ones they might not have. 

Lego Minifigure Year by Year - A Visual History Book REVIEW!

Lego Minifigure Year by Year
by DK

With this very large book, official Lego book by DK, you receive three exclusive minifigures, a plain Townsperson, Stormtrooper and a Robber. The minifigures aren't really that special, I wouldn't advice anyone getting the book just for the minifigures alone. They wouldn't be worth it. Although the book is, as long as you have a huge interest in Lego minifigure. 

You can learn the history of the Lego minifig, how they are made and how they have evolved to the little yellow figures we know and love today. As it shows in the name of the book it goes through each minifigure year by year. Telling you different information about each one. It even touches on the elements that makes up each minifig, such as, the different hats and hairpieces they may use.

Exclusive Minifigures, 
Townsperson, Stormtrooper 
& Robber     

Now if you aren't a huge Lego fan then I wouldn't suggest reading this, as this book is more for a Lego enthusiast and collector as it isn't a book for a light read. This book would be extremely useful for anyone who collects minifigs and wants to know information about their collection or to see which ones they might not have. 

Is Emperor Palpatine the NEW Julius Caesar?

Rise to power.

In light of new Star Wars film being released this year we thought we should do a post based on both the sci-fi film and history. So we are looking at a comparison of two characters, Julius Caesar and Emperor Palpatine. Please do put you opinions on the matter in the comments below. 

Emperor Palpatine, maybe a fictional character in one of the most famous sci-fi films of all time, Star War; but is there a real truth behind the fiction? As many people know that a lot of story writers take true stories and change them to make up their own fictional storylines. Now what I would like to do, is to see if this is the case for Palpatine and histories most famous figure, Julius Caesar. 

They both lived in a Republic which was started after the fall of a powerful dynasty, Roman Kings/Sith Lords. They both worked within the Senate of the Republic and both climbed the ladder of political ambition. With Caesar, he became Senator, then Quaestor in 69, Aedile in 65 and Praetor in 62. Then in 61-60 BCE he served as the governor of Spain and the Consulship in 59 BCE. And with Palpatine, he became Senator and them Supreme Chancellor. Both gaining the highest position in the Republic they served in and needing room to grow farther in power.

Both were clever enough to manipulate the situation they were in, for their own gain. With Caesar, he used the civil war that erupted between him and Pompey in 54 to be giving position of consul and dictator (at this time it was a elected position) of Roman in the time of crisis. After he defeated his enemy he refused to give up his power, and then forced the senate to give him the dictatorship for life in 44. 

With Palpatine, he was given 'emergency powers' in time of war with the Trade Federation and the Sith Lord, Count Dooku. After the Trade Federation and all the known Sith Lord were defeated, he refused to give up his powers when the Jedi Council requested him to do so. In doing so he revealed he was Darth Sidious, Dark Lord of the Sith. Both gained powers bestowed upon them by the Senate in time of crisis and both refused to give up that power after the threats were eliminated and no longer a problem.

The assassination.

In 44 BCE, after alienating the Roman senate, Caesar was assassinated in the Theatre of Pompey by many of the members of the senate, including his close friend Brutus. With Palpatine, he was killed by his padawan, Darth Vader. Both seem to have been killed by their friends because of one reason or another.

So it seems to be quite easy to say that the story of the Emperor Palpatine is very similar to that of Julius Caesar's. Through life and death, they seem to share the same path and plot. In conclusion, essentially the Star Wars character Emperor Palpatine is Caesar in more places than some. 

Michelangelo - 'The true work of art is but a shadow of the divine perfection.'

Michelangelo (1475-1564)

Michelangelo Buonarroti was born on 6th March 1475 in Caprese, Italy. A few weeks after his birth his family moved to Florence.

In 1488 he became an apprentice to the painter Domenico Ghirlandaio. He then lived in the household of Lorenzo de' Medici, the leading patron of the arts and ruler of Florence. In 1496, the Medici were expelled from Florence, Michelangelo then travelled to Bologna and then Rome.In 1497, he was able to make a name for himself after his 'Pieta'. He then returned to Florence. Here produced one of his most famous pieces, 'David' 1501-1504.

He was recalled to Rome in 1505 by Pope Julius II to design Julius' tomb. However, the project was never completed because of quarrels between Julius and Michelangelo, and other projects he had going on at the sametime. Michelangelo was later commissioned to do the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel in the Vatican (1508-1512).

The new Pope, Leo X, commissioned Michelangelo to rebuild the facade of the church of San Lorenzo in Florence. However, it was later abandoned, but it was the beginning of Michelangelo's activities as a architect. Michelangelo also designed monuments to Giuliano and Lorenzo de Medici in the Medici Chapel in San Lorenzo. 

Michelangelo making
'David' 1501-1504

In 1534, Michelangelo returned to Rome, he was then commissioned to paint 'The Last Judgement' on the altar wall of the Sistine Chapel (1537-1541). In 1546 he worked on the great church of St. Peter's.

He the died in Rome on 18th February 1564.

Lord Kitchener - Your Country Needs You!

Lord Kitchener
(1850-1916)

Horatio Kitchener was born on the 24th June 1850 in County Kerry, Ireland. He was educated in Switzerland and at the Royal Military Academy in Woolwich. 

In 1871 he joined the Royal Engineers. Between 1884-1885 he took part in a unsuccessful operation to relieve General Charles Gordon at Khartoum. In 1898 he was appointed Governor General of eastern Sudan. In 1898 he was made Governor of Sudan after he succeed in the reoccupation of Khartoum.

In 1900 he was appointed chief of staff to Lord Roberts, the commander of the Boer War. Kitchener later had to deal with the Boer resistance after Roberts was recalled back to England. The one of the measures he put in place was the use of a civilian prison camp - the first ever use of the term 'Concentration Camp'.

Lego Lord Kitchener's
enlistment poster.

In 1902 after he returned to England, he was made Viscount and Commander-In-Chief of India. In 1911 he became proconsul of Egypt, served there and in Sudan until 1914. In 1914 he was appointed Earl, before war broke out. He was then made Secretary of State for War. Unlike many others, Kitchener saw that the war was likely to last for years, so he started to enlist and train huge numbers of volunteers. 

As many of his cabinet colleagues did not share is warship ideas, he was relieved of his responsibilities. He later lost further reputation over his support of the failed Dardanelles operation and the 'Shell Crisis' of 1915. 

On the 5th June 1916 he drowned, when his ship, HMS Hampshire was sunk by a mine near the Orkney Islands, on his way to Russia on a mission.