The Dates for Pre Easter 2016 Lego Store/shop@home Double VIP Points.

Pitfall69

CCC said:

I could care exactly the right amount about the maths, no more and no less.

bandit778 said:

^ but what percentage would that be?
;)

pharmjod

I'm not trying to start anything with this one. It was a genuine question since I've now seen maths written by several people.

TigerMoth

pharmjod said:

I'm not trying to start anything with this one. It was a genuine question since I've now seen maths written by several people.

"Mathematics" is singular - like lots of other "...ics" (think of subjects you might study).

"Math" is only used in the US and Canada; "maths" is used by the rest of the English-speaking world, and it's still singular.

LegobrandonCP

I'm having a bit of trouble deciding what I want to do during double points week. I'm eyeing the Parisian Restaurant and here are my options:

1. Buy the set at regular price and earn 379 points ($15)
2. Spend my points ($95) and pay less for my set, while only earning 189 points ($5)

This is so tough!

MattsWhat

^can. of. worms. 
If you can afford to use money, then you will be better of in the long run to do that.

chrisalddin

LegobrandonCP said:

I'm having a bit of trouble deciding what I want to do during double points week. I'm eyeing the Parisian Restaurant and here are my options:

1. Buy the set at regular price and earn 379 points ($15)
2. Spend my points ($95) and pay less for my set, while only earning 189 points ($5)

This is so tough!

long run use money, if you have the money!
if you can not find the money to pull that off. then use just the points to lower it down to the MAX level of money that you have to spend.

catwrangler

Ah, but it's short for "mathematics", which is already... no. No. @chrisalddin is right; I'm going to step away from US-vs-UK English! ;)

chrisalddin

catwrangler said:

Ah, but it's short for "mathematics", which is already... no. No. @chrisalddin is right; I'm going to step away from US-vs-UK English! ;)

i should frame this.
someone said i was RIGHT!!!!!
YES *dose fist pump* i was right!.

tecjam

So for me I have only used double points for the brick bank so far.

But I managed to snag the Detectives Office & Palace Cinema at over 30% off from another store.

Now which high priced set(s) not available in any other outlets do I get before the promotion is over? SOH or GBHQ or HeliCarrier?

And yes, it is maths but as long as people understand you it doesn't really matter. Just don't tell people they are wrong for being grammatically correct.

madforLEGO

Does LEGO see what they are doing by not regularly EOL-ing sets anymore? We have huge debates about the #@$%ing math regarding double points offers (that is, when we are not arguing about grammar).
C'mon LEGO! Get on the ball and retire the PS already, along with TB, and VW camper Van as our sanity depends on it!!!! And why is Santa's Workshop around still?! For goodness sake LEGO PLEASE... we are going crazy here! Next thing we will be debating how long does it to take paint to dry on walls!!!

CCC

There is a 27% probability that PS will be gone in a week. (No working out shown).

MattsWhat

CCC said:

There is a 27% probability that PS will be gone in a week. (No working out shown).

Is this open to interpretation? ;)

madforLEGO said:

Next thing we will be debating how long does it to take paint to dry on walls!!!

What material is the wall in question made from? Did you put a basecoat on first?

Pitfall69

Is it enamel paint? That has a long curing time.

oldtodd33

Does anyone find it curious that all but one of the modulars are out of stock until the day after double VIP is over?

Pitfall69

Interesting fact about English word Aluminum:

In 1808, Humphry Davy identified the existence of a metal base of alum, which he at first termed alumium. The only reason it was changed to aluminium was because a person who was reviewing his book took the liberty of changing the word because it didn't sound "classic" enough. So, the first and original word IS aluminum NOT aluminium. 

Bumblepants

^It happens just about every 2x point season since that has become about the only time worth ordering them in the US. Most of the time they stock levels bounce back after. If the Modular is named Town Hall it won't though.

chrisalddin

and again i am happy i live in England!

CCC

Pitfall69 said:

Interesting fact about English word Aluminum:

In 1808, Humphry Davy identified the existence of a metal base of alum, which he at first termed alumium. The only reason it was changed to aluminium was because a person who was reviewing his book took the liberty of changing the word because it didn't sound "classic" enough. So, the first and original word IS aluminum NOT aluminium. 

The first was alumium (no n), then aluminum, then finally aluminium.

TigerMoth

CCC said:

The first was alumium (no n), then aluminum, then finally aluminium.

That's not as simple as it sounds.

The sequence above was covered in the first 20 years, with the exception of the general public in the US who didn't make the transition to "aluminium" - but US chemists did. They only switched back to using "aluminum" 100 years later. For a hundred years the Americans disagreed amongst themselves.

Around 1990, the international usage was standardised to be "aluminium"; the Americans refused to go along with that (even though their chemists had been using it longer than the alternative) so "aluminum" was added as an alternative.

3stackshs

CCC said:

Pitfall69 said:

Interesting fact about English word Aluminum:

In 1808, Humphry Davy identified the existence of a metal base of alum, which he at first termed alumium. The only reason it was changed to aluminium was because a person who was reviewing his book took the liberty of changing the word because it didn't sound "classic" enough. So, the first and original word IS aluminum NOT aluminium. 

The first was alumium (no n), then aluminum, then finally aluminium.

Who would like to here a story about a bridge?

Pitfall69

^Is it falling down or is it still standing or both? Is it Schrodinger's Bridge?

TigerMoth

3stackshs said:

Who would like to here a story about a bridge?

Is that an American English or a Japanese English spelling?

CCC

3stackshs said:

CCC said:

Pitfall69 said:

Interesting fact about English word Aluminum:

In 1808, Humphry Davy identified the existence of a metal base of alum, which he at first termed alumium. The only reason it was changed to aluminium was because a person who was reviewing his book took the liberty of changing the word because it didn't sound "classic" enough. So, the first and original word IS aluminum NOT aluminium. 

The first was alumium (no n), then aluminum, then finally aluminium.

Who would like to here a story about a bridge?

Is it a long one?

TigerMoth

CCC said:

3stackshs said:

CCC said:

Pitfall69 said:

Interesting fact about English word Aluminum:

In 1808, Humphry Davy identified the existence of a metal base of alum, which he at first termed alumium. The only reason it was changed to aluminium was because a person who was reviewing his book took the liberty of changing the word because it didn't sound "classic" enough. So, the first and original word IS aluminum NOT aluminium. 

The first was alumium (no n), then aluminum, then finally aluminium.

Who would like to here a story about a bridge?

Is it a long one?

Does it have a slope on it?

monkeyhanger

Pitfall69 said:

Interesting fact about English word Aluminum:

In 1808, Humphry Davy identified the existence of a metal base of alum, which he at first termed alumium. The only reason it was changed to aluminium was because a person who was reviewing his book took the liberty of changing the word because it didn't sound "classic" enough. So, the first and original word IS aluminum NOT aluminium. 

From the story above, the first and original word is Alumium, which no-one uses today, then Humphry Davy corrected his naming twice to Aluminum then Aluminium. The UK use the twice corrected version, the US use the version that still requires correction ;)

Don't get me started on Sulphur/Sulfur type spelling differences - that causes so much bother at work (Specials Pharma) when our American parent company tries to foist USP/NF APIs and excipients on us rather than allowing us to source the BP or Ph.Eur monograph compliant variants we're supposed to be using in the UK market unless there is alternative to the USP variant.

One thing we can all agree on, the American spellings of English words (when they differ from the UK English variant) is always a simpler spell (can't think of an example when that isn't the case).

Just seen the posts under Pitfall's - I really should read the rest of the posts before responding....

CCC

^ I don't agree. There are always counter examples.

For example:
British - burgle
American - burglarize

Pitfall69

monkeyhanger said:

Pitfall69 said:

Interesting fact about English word Aluminum:

In 1808, Humphry Davy identified the existence of a metal base of alum, which he at first termed alumium. The only reason it was changed to aluminium was because a person who was reviewing his book took the liberty of changing the word because it didn't sound "classic" enough. So, the first and original word IS aluminum NOT aluminium. 

From the story above, the first and original word is Alumium, which no-one uses today, then Humphry Davy corrected his naming twice to Aluminum then Aluminium. The UK use the twice corrected version, the US use the version that still requires correction ;)

Don't get me started on Sulphur/Sulfur type spelling differences - that causes so much bother at work (Specials Pharma) when our American parent company tries to foist USP/NF APIs and excipients on us rather than allowing us to source the BP or Ph.Eur monograph compliant variants we're supposed to be using in the UK market unless there is alternative to the USP variant.

One thing we can all agree on, the American spellings of English words (when they differ from the UK English variant) is always a simpler spell (can't think of an example when that isn't the case).

Just seen the posts under Pitfall's - I really should read the rest of the posts before responding....

...and I really need to brush up on my history and facts, or at least Google it before I post. I must have just remembered it wrong. I was close at least ;)

thedingman5

I wouldn't mind a refresher on "-ise" vs "-ize" and "zee" vs "zed".  And, since I mentioned it...vs / v. / versus....

Pitfall69

^The forum is a great place to learn such things; whether you want to or not ;)

TigerMoth

thedingman5 said:

I wouldn't mind a refresher on "-ise" vs "-ize" and "zee" vs "zed".  And, since I mentioned it...vs / v. / versus....

What's to refresh? You're talking about two different languages. Presumably you know your own?

If you go to Eastern Europe, you'll find Czechs speaking Czech to Poles and Poles replying in Polish. Neither can speak the other's language, but they can understand it, and so they can communicate. The same is true for Brits and Americans. And anybody else.

The only fly in the ointment is that Americans want to call their language "English" which is a bit contrary seeing as that obviously has some sort of connection to the country. It's also a bit odd considering Americans are usually very proud to label things as being American, sometimes even when they're not.

If Americans claimed to speak American, then all the arguments about what is "right" would disappear overnight. They might be replaced by arguments about which language is the derivative of the other, but that would be of interest to far fewer people - the problem is telling people that what the say or how they spell something is "wrong" when, of course, it isn't.

oldtodd33

^ The reason we don't call it American is because we aren't the only Americans. America, North America precisely, has two countries in it that speak at least two different languages. People in the U.S. speak mostly English (there's that word) and people in Canada speak mostly French but also English. I have heard the term French Canadian language but never United States English. 

Pitfall69

oldtodd33 said:

^ The reason we don't call it American is because we aren't the only Americans. America, North America precisely, has two countries in it that speak at least two different languages. People in the U.S. speak mostly English (there's that word) and people in Canada speak mostly French but also English. I have heard the term French Canadian language but never United States English. 

You forgot Mexico. 

TigerMoth

oldtodd33 said:

^ The reason we don't call it American is because we aren't the only Americans.

That's a bit of a strange argument. You don't call the language "American" because you are American, but aren't the only ones, yet you call it "English" when you aren't.

Nor does that stop you referring to other things as being American. And does that mean people can make derogatory comments about "most Americans..." and you won't get upset? Hmm... that's probably worth remembering.

In any case, I was using it as an example - you could call the language almost anything else and the arguments would stop.

flord

oldtodd33 said:

People in the U.S. speak mostly English (there's that word) and people in Canada speak mostly French but also English.

Umm, you may want to check your facts against a world atlas, and maybe a history book or two. The French were defeated in 1763 by the English and it wouldn't be long before the French were a minority in Canada. The majority of Canadians today speak English. French would be second, followed by First Nation languages (where I come from Cree is most common) as well many other languages brought to the country through immigration.

graphite

TigerMoth said:

oldtodd33 said:

^ The reason we don't call it American is because we aren't the only Americans.

That's a bit of a strange argument. You don't call the language "American" because you are American, but aren't the only ones, yet you call it "English" when you aren't.

Nor does that stop you referring to other things as being American. And does that mean people can make derogatory comments about "most Americans..." and you won't get upset? Hmm... that's probably worth remembering.

In any case, I was using it as an example - you could call the language almost anything else and the arguments would stop.

Same argument applies to Spanish.  Spain is the reason why Spanish is spoken (mostly) in South America but I'm sure Spain's "Spanish" and Mexico's "Spanish" differ in the same ways US and UK English do.  America didn't invent the language, only morphed it into is own basically "regional" dialect, but it is still English.

pharmjod

And until such time that the British best us in two wars and save us in another I reckon we can call it English and Math and be just dandy. =) 

oldtodd33

Of course there are many languages spoken in both countries, ours is no exception. I was just trying to highlight the fact the the U.S. isn't the only country in it. It's also a long time since I've been up north but from memory French is also a major language there.

 @Pitfall69 I was taught in school to refer to everything south of our border as Central America and have forgotten everything above South America is North America. 

@Tigermoth  I take offense to very little, I'm not a thin skinned liberal who feels the need to be the victim at every turn. 

TigerMoth

graphite said:

Same argument applies to Spanish.

Quite possibly. But such arguments will happen in Spanish and therefore will not be of the slightest interest to me.

As an aside, it can be interesting to hear what native speakers have to say about the language used in a diaspora. Two people may have been raised in the same street and they don't speak the same language.

America didn't invent the language, only morphed it into is own basically "regional" dialect, but it is still English.

But you don't get people from different regions arguing about what is right; they simply note the unusual usage and keep going.

pharmjod said:

And until such time that the British best us in two wars and save us in another I reckon we can call it English and Math and be just dandy. =) 

Maybe not here, but have a look around the Internet for things along the lines of "Is it math or maths", and look at the vehemence of some of your countrymen in insisting that "maths" isn't English, how stupid it is and how and why it's wrong - and then watch someone come along and bait them.

Pitfall69

We need not get into US vs. Britain;  these type of arguments tend not to end so well.

wardm

@LostInTranslation I did the same going to Canada! I bought the Ewok Village for 300 CAD (which is a bit more than 200€, the EV in Belgium costs 260), but got 300 VIP points to spend here in Europe! So you can get even more points if you travel to Canada :)

pharmjod

Pitfall69 said:

We need not get into US vs. Britain;  these type of arguments tend not to end so well.

For Britain =)

CCC

oldtodd33 said:

^ The reason we don't call it American is because we aren't the only Americans. America, North America precisely, has two countries in it that speak at least two different languages. People in the U.S. speak mostly English (there's that word) and people in Canada speak mostly French but also English. I have heard the term French Canadian language but never United States English. 

"US English" is used a fair bit. Just like "British English" is used by mainly non-Brits to refer to the language we speak in the UK.

CupIsHalfEmpty

CCC said:

oldtodd33 said:

^ The reason we don't call it American is because we aren't the only Americans. America, North America precisely, has two countries in it that speak at least two different languages. People in the U.S. speak mostly English (there's that word) and people in Canada speak mostly French but also English. I have heard the term French Canadian language but never United States English. 

"US English" is used a fair bit. Just like "British English" is used by mainly non-Brits to refer to the language we speak in the UK.

Being that I live in Canada, It's always a tough choice when I set up a new electronic device whether I choose UK English, or US English. As far as I'm concerned I don't speak either. ;) . 

SithLord196

Just to chime in, but French is still a major language in use in Canada. Here at work we're finishing up a major project that dynamically translates a web application to French for use in Canada.

Dawn

@SithLord196 it is not major, it is the law. In Canada you can't sell/publish something unless it is available in French and English. Out of 10 provinces, the official language is English in 8 of them, French in Quebec and only New Brunswick is an official bilingual province.

TheLoneTensor

Maths is used to determine great values on Legos.

Rainstorm26

Thanks for bringing us back to maths again and thus lead into percentages....but I really want to know how these VIP point relate to the value of what you are getting. :)

SithLord196

Quick question, I had used $100 in VIP rewards to purchase the Simpsons House, 24 Hours Race Car, and the Doctor Who set. I'm debating about doing a return/rebuy and not using any points at all (would have to run down tomorrow to make sure I still get the double points).

Are Lego Stores usually okay with that? If not, no big deal, but my raise at work was pretty decent so I decided that I didn't actually have to use that reward money yet.