Lego, which began its meteoric life 90 years ago in a small carpenter’s workshop, is an abbreviation of the two Danish words ‘leg godt’, meaning ‘play well’. The company, quite validly, claims this as both their name and ideal.
The brick in its present form was launched in 1958.
Its famous interlocking blocks and tubes made it unique and offered unlimited building possibilities. Its design was a matter of getting the imagination going and letting a wealth of creative ideas emerge through play.
It is the format that my generation and beyond grew up with – a bundle of brightly-coloured plastic that could become anything we desired.
The advent of Lego Technic in the 1970s simply extended and challenged that ingenuity for older children.
But then something strange began to happen. Kits were designed to produce specific items, from castles to Formula 1 cars.
I have noticed that the youngsters of today can put these together as easily as they can work a smart TV or laptop.
But throw them a box of the kind of bricks we grew up with and they ask: “What will I build?”
The suggestion to “Just build what you like” is anathema to them; they seem stumped by the concept of inventiveness from scratch.
To counteract this, the company has produced ‘Creative Ideas’ books, which is a paradox to me. Creativity is surely starting from a blank page – not from a printed one!
Granted that adult Lego enthusiasts can build their Star Wars, Twilight and cityscape models from such plans.
But let’s go back to introducing kids literally to the basic building blocks unless, like restricting the use of smartphones for children, the genie is already out of the bottle.
Jim Thomson, Balfron.
More letters...
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Value of libraries
It is clearly of concern when one reads, with regard to Scottish libraries, that we have “decline, decline, decline for the last 10 years”, according to Alison Nolan, Chief Executive of the Scottish Libraries and Information Council (“How do you fix Scotland's public libraries? Government handed 10-point plan", The Herald, March 12 ).
Such a state of affairs has been graphically described in the phrase ‘incremental erosion’.
In this context the name of the great Scottish industrialist and philanthropist, Andrew Carnegie, springs to mind.
He provided funding for over 2,000 libraries in Scotland, England and elsewhere.
His words should be distributed to all who are charged with making decisions on the continued use, or otherwise, of libraries in their communities, for he said: “The best means of benefiting the community is to place within its reach the ladders upon which the aspiring can rise.”
Ian W Thomson, Lenzie.
Einstein's monsters
Sue Wade rightly bemoans man's inhumanity to man, and wonders if animals will eventually "rule the Kingdom" (Herald Letters, March 13).
Well, the way things are going it is certainly on the cards.
There is a saying that there are two infinite things, the universe and human stupidity.
This has been attributed to Albert Einstein, whose scientific discoveries were instrumental in the creation of the atomic bomb.
Even a limited nuclear exchange between, say, Pakistan and India would cause so much dust and ash in skies everywhere that a nuclear winter, with massive crop failures, would occur.
And this in turn might even trigger the next, overdue, Ice Age.
Carpe diem, folks.
George Morton, Rosyth.
Driven to distraction
It hasn’t taken long for the banning of pavement parking to create problems ("Nearly 10,000 pavement parking charges issued in Edinburgh", The Herald, January 29).
Already narrow streets are narrower.
This creates a hazard in negotiating a path between cars parked parallel to each other. It also creates more pollution from braking, and from the extra fuel used to crawl past obstacles.
This does not even take into account the frustration of motorists.
Add 20mph zones and you create a hostile environment.
Cyclists and pedestrians managed for many years by simply taking a little extra care on roads.
Now all of that is being reversed.
Politicians seem obsessed with net zero to the exclusion of education, the Health Service and the economy. Is making life difficult for vehicle users really more important?
Dr Gerald Edwards, Glasgow.
Devine calling
Please believe me that all of the following is meant with the greatest respect to all parties.
The lovely photograph of Sydney Devine's daughter unveiling a memorial plaque to her dad at his former primary school in Cleland brought to mind another, perhaps apocryphal, event.
Sydney's manger was having a meal with friends when the announcement of Elvis's death was made.
His comment was: "This could be the opportunity Sydney's been waiting for."
And why not?
Brendan Keenan, Glasgow.
What’s in a name?
Following the fire in the building at the corner of Union Street and Gordon Street in Glasgow, many articles and letters have referred to said building as ‘Union Corner’ (“Massive blaze in city centre”, The Herald, March 12).
I’ve clearly missed any such reference to it in my seventy-plus years in Glasgow, because it is not a description familiar to me.
Boots’ Corner and the Hielanman's Umbrella are well known landmarks to my generation -
Union Corner? Not so much.
Are there any references to it in past newspapers or other sources?
And what of the other three corners - do they have any designation? Enlightenment would be appreciated.
Bill Stewart, Partick.
Building for the future?
Fantastic news!
The SNP run Glasgow City Council is looking for a Compulsory Purchase of the ill fated Union Street building ("Council to pursue Compulsory Purchase of Union Street site", The Herald, March 13).
I predict that in eight years time this newly completed example of renaissance architecture will have 20 mm cracks and require new propellers.
Peter Wright, West Kilbride, Ayrshire.
Anger (mis)management
I read today that there are just a few weeks until the dissolution of the Scottish Parliament, ahead of the Holyrood election.
This will probably temporarily deprive me of a regular source of entertainment. I refer to the sight and sound of John Swinney losing his temper during First Minister's Questions.
Warmer weather to come signifies, however, the approach of the putting season for geriatrics, a more fulfilling source of entertainment.
David Miller, Milngavie.
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