LEGO 'Star Wars' Death Star - Ultimate Collector Series (75419) – The Most Expensive Set Ever Released!

 

I love Star Wars, and I love LEGO sets. There is no denying these facts. Over the years I have built countless LEGO sets from Star Wars – and many sets from other series – with my son that have provided hours and hours of pleasure. However, this new set – LEGO Star Wars Death Star - Ultimate Collector Series (75419) – takes us to boldly go where no other LEGO set has gone before. It costs $1000. Yes, dear readers, you're not reading it wrong. One thousand bucks!

This unprecedented price for what is ostensibly a big toy seems completely overwhelming. What, you may ask, are you getting for the money spent? According to the LEGO website, you're getting "...the largest LEGO Star Wars set to date, designed to transport fans into the heart of the Galactic Empire's most infamous space station." 

Okay, not sold yet? You get 9,023 pieces and 38 LEGO Star Wars minifigures, including the most popular characters like Han Solo, Emperor Palpatine, Luke Skywalker, Princess Leia, and more. Of course, many of us have all of these characters from other sets we have collected, but here they are for good measure to populate the various sections of this set.

One of the immediate problems I have with the set – besides the astronomical pricetag – is the shape of it. While the inside sections are well crafted, it's the exterior that is unsettling. This Death Star is a cross section of what is a sphere in reality of the films. I find that very disappointing considering the price of this set. 

Looking at it makes me feel like something is off big time. Perhaps, if the set was half the price, I wouldn't feel as cheated, but it really feels like something is missing when I look at it because there is something missing. This extremely large set is more like a diorama to display rather than a toy for play. So, parents, this is certainly not something that kids can actually play with, and the box does indicate that it is meant for the 18+ builders out there. 

The Superlaser – which should be an impressive element – seems to be jutting out of the side of the build like it was just tacked on there, making me feel like it was not as important as it was in the films. In fact, the main reason that the Death Star was so feared was that laser.

If you look at this older set – which my son and I built five years ago – it appears more like the Death Star from the films. The Superlaser is attached to a working chamber where technicians are poised to fire it. Its sphereical shape is intact, and the set is extremely playable. While it is great to look at on the table, it is not meant to be just on display but for active play scenarios. 

Over all, it seems like a cruel joke to release this set right before the Christmas toy buying season because it is not a toy at all, but no doubt kids will be putting it on their lists for Santa before they get mailed to the North Pole. If I were you, I'd make sure that letter never makes it to the mailbox. We don't want Santa to get any wrong ideas about us, you know, like we're a greedy spoiled family or anything like that. 

In the end the verdict is clear – this is way too much money to spend on a toy that is not a toy. If you have the money and the space necessary to display this behometh, then by all means shell out the bucks and happy building. You will even receive a LEGO Star Wars TIE Fighter and Hangar Rack (40771) if you purchase the Death Star between October 1 through October 7, 2025. 

As always, may the Force be with you!

My Novel 'Life and Death in Venice' in Kindle Countdown Deal

 

My new novel, Life and Death in Venice, is entering a Kindle Countdown Deal. The promotion begins with the book being available for 99 cents starting on September 28, 2025, at 11:00 EST. It will end on October 5, 2025 at 11:00 EST. 

With the summer over, Life and Death in Venice makes for a good read as the leaves fall from the trees and the air gets colder. Why not experience a few moments each day reading about a hot summer in one of Europe's most beautiful and magical cities? 

So, please get in on this great deal today, and thank you to everyone who has already ordered a copy. 

Also, the paperback version of the book is coming soon. Please keep checking back here for details. 

Get your deal here: Kindle Countdown Deal 

Blast from the Past – Old Magazines Bring Back Good Memories

Sometimes cleaning out a closet can be a drag, but once in awhile you find something unexpected. Such was the case when I was cleaning out a basement closet and stumbled upon three perfectly intact magazines from 2007. 

These were my daughter's magazines, and the stars featured on the covers were ones she loved as a little girl. At the time Miley Cyrus was on the Disney Channel's Hannah Montana, and it was certainly my daughter's favorite show. She had the dolls, playsets, and the tour bus that was a big hit with her. Miley appears on two of the three covers. 

Also appearing on two of the three covers, the Jonas Brothers were another of her favorites. She loved their music and the Camp Rock movies. 

Danielle Radcliffe appears on two of the covers – solo on one and with his Harry Potter co-stars on the other. At that time she was reading the books and loved the movies. 

Zac Efron (at the time the star of the High School Musical Disney movies) appears on two covers, and on the TV Guide cover Zac's co-stars from those movies appear. My daughter watched these movies over and over again after they debuted on a Friday night and were also broadcast on Saturday and Sunday nights of the premiere weekend. Of course, we watched all three nights on those weekends. 

My daughter was totally thrilled to have these magazines back. Talk about a blast from the past – she gleefully took them and got a chance to revisit 18 years ago. It was a time that was more innocent and seemingly much easier than today now that she is an adult with responsibilities. 

So, of all the people on those covers, I would say Miley Cyrus is still the biggest star. The Jonas Brothers have made a comeback, and Zac Efron still makes movies. I may be wrong, but for the most part I am not aware of any current projects that the rest of these former stars are involved in now.

As I look back at these faces, I am remidned of how important many of them were in my daughter's life. I know that she still likes Miley and the Jonas Brothers, but it must be strange for her to see the faces of many people on the covers that are not doing much anymore. 

While I was happy to find the magazines, they also are a double-edged sword. They are a reminder that she and I are 18 years older. It saddens me that those days of playing with her and watching her favorite TV shows are over. I can never recapture those moments, but I can remember them fondly, and I'm happy that I have them.

Now that I am done cleaning out that closet, who knows what other hidden treasures await me in the boxes stacked in the garage. If I find anything of note, I'll write about it here.   

Fondly Remembering the Game of Wiffle Ball

 

When I was in a store a couple of weeks ago, I came across something that I haven't thought about in over 30 years – a display of Wiffle Ball bats and balls – triggering a memory of the joys I experienced playing the game so long ago.  

What is Wiffle Ball?

Classic Wiffle Balls and yellow plastic bats

Wiffle Ball is a game played with a plastic bat and white plastic ball with holes in it. Invented by David N. Mullany in Fairfield, Connecticut, in 1952, as an alternate game to baseball that his 12 year old son could play in their backyard – without breaking the neighbors' windows. The name derives from what his son and friends called "a whiff" when they would swing and miss the ball. 

The ball is about the same size as a baseball, with one side solid plastic and the other side having oblong holes in it. This ball design – as someone who extensively played the game – enables the pitcher to get the ball to make impressive curves and other motions that can indeed cause the batter to "whiff" when trying to hit it. 

Great Memories

Seeing the display of Wiffle Balls and bats brought back great memories. Growing up in the NYC borough of Queens – a bus ride away to our beloved Shea Stadium where our NY Mets played – the dead end street where we lived provided us a field for sports of all kinds. 

Our main sport was stickball – we even spray painted bases on the street. We played this game with a rubber ball and usually did so when we had enough players. I can still hear us yelling and laughing and the distinct clack of the bat hitting the gutter after a batter got a hit and ran toward first base.

We also played touch football and hockey there in the winter months. The street was our playing field, and sometimes parked cars changed the rules – a ball hitting a parked car could be considered a foul ball or cause a do-over – depending on the opinions of who was playing that day. Boy, I wish I could get a do-over now and then these days. 

Wiffle Ball Days

On the days when we had fewer friends hanging out, Wiffle Ball was a good alternative to stickball. Instead of using the full street from homeplate to the dead end sign at its end, we would play sideways from sidewalk to sidewalk. We used chalk to make home plate and two bases – first and third only – and a pitcher's mound in the center of the street. 

Wiffle Ball had two things going for it – it could be played with two or three players on each team and the ball couldn't break windows. The game was fast paced and was played without a glove – as opposed to stickball when we used our baseball gloves. Home runs were hit when the ball sailed over our heads and fell into the front gates of the houses across the street. 

Wiffle Ball Inside 

The great thing about Wiffle Ball is that it can be played inside on a rainy day. My basement was big enough to play the game even if there were just two to four kids. Yeah, it was a little cramped, but it was still fun.

At school we sometimes played Wiffle Ball during gym classes. There we had more room and a bigger playing field. It was exciting but the balls sometimes hit the cieling – that was always considered a foul ball. 

Back in the Store

After I checked out, I stared at the Wiffle Ball display one last time. It had triggered all those memories, and then I realized something. It was late August and only two bats and balls had been purchased. Almost an entire summer had passed, and if it was back in my time as a kid that display would probably have been empty or almost empty.

Sad Realization

I walked out of store and looked up at the sky. It was a beautiful late summer day and, if I were still a kid, I would have been outside playing all day on a day like this. I got into my car and started driving around the neighborhood. The streets were eeriely quiet – no kids were out playing any games. 

Despite all its advantages, phones and technology had snatched childhood from today's kids. They were all inside on a gorgeous day with back to school time only a week away. I felt bad about those Wiffle Balls and bats going unused. They would never know the joy I had from playing that game and many other games. 

Happy with My Memories

I went home, put my things away, and I sat out in the yard looking up at the cloudless blue sky. I took a deep breath, and I knew how lucky I was to have the memories about playing with my friends. I can still hear our voices across time, and I cherish that I experienced those childhood joys.

I got up to go inside but I felt thirsty. Instead of going into the house, I went over to the garden hose, turned on the faucet, and let the water flow onto the grass. I took a long drink of water, savoring the cold water from the hose the same way I used to do so many years ago. For just a moment, I was a kid again, and it felt damn good.    

 

Why Are They Pushing Halloween in August?

 

I was in the store the other day wearing shorts and flipflops, and I was shocked to see a display of Halloween themed items. Halloween in August? Something doesn't feel right about this. Kids, who haven't even gone back to school yet, are going to get unnecessarily excited about a holiday that is two months away. 

I texted a few people about it. The reactions ranged from "What's the big deal?" to "What the hell is that about?" No one really felt offended or anything like that, and neither do I; however, something doesn't feel right about it.

One person got back to me and explained that it has to do with Christmas. I asked for an explanation, and she basically said that they are pushing Christmas earlier and earlier every year, so the idea is to push back all the other holidays too. Right, I've got it. 

So, I'm thinking that means let's celebrate Labor Day in July, Halloween in August, Fourth of July in May, and Easter in February. This would, of course, push Valentine's Day into January, but who really cares at this point?

I love holidays, but I want them the old fashioned way. I want firecrackers going off on a hot summer night; I want my kids trick or treating on a chilly autumn evening with leaves falling off the trees, and I want snowflakes coming down as we await Santa on Christmas Eve. This is the way it should be, but the powers at be aren't concerned with my or your feelings.

Of course, this has been going on for years. I have even written about how the so-called "holidays" have been corrupted. The "holidays" refer to the period from October 1st - December 31st that is referred to as HalloThanksMas. I have even seen Halloween decorations on houses in early September in recent years. This boggles my mind and lessens the joy of individual holiday celebrations. 

So, for now, I will overlook the Halloween displays in the stores, but if I hear Christmas songs in the mall before the kids get their costumes for Halloween, I think I'm going to write a strongly worded letter to Santa. If anyone can do something about this, I believe it's the Jolly Old Elf. 

Oh, dear readers, now I am done. Happy New Year!

Mom, We're Running Out of August!

 

While I don't remember saying it, my mother told me that I did. We had a calendar in the kitchen, and Mom would cross off the days each morning. I came into the kitchen as she was doing it and saw that there were only a few days left in the month. She told me I said, "Mom, we're running out of August!" She said that she laughed when I said it and that I started to cry. 

The End of August Still Hurts

All these years later, I know my own kids are worried about August ending. Kids all over the country are trying to get the most out of these final days, and it is like Labor Day is – as one of my friends once said – the "Absolutely the worst holiday ever!"

When I was a kid, I felt empowered as school ended in June and my parents took us to our beach house on the Rockaway Peninsula where there were sun kissed sands and a beautiful clean ocean. We had friends there – we called them our "summer friends" – to differentiate between our city friends and school friends. 

Beach Fun and Games

As I went down to the beach and played slap ball (you make bases in the sand and hit the ball with your hand) at low tide. My Mom would sit there talking to other moms, and any time I needed a drink or wanted lunch she was there with a smile. 

After swimming, I recall standing in the surf with a towel wrapped around me staring out at boats on the water. It was the end of June, and I had a whole summer ahead of me. There was nothing like the feeling I had – I was on top of the world and school was but a distant memory. I was free, free, free! 

Ah, the dream of an endless summer! On rainy days I would sit on my covered front porch and read for fun – there's nothing like reading a book for fun rather than for a school assignment. Sometimes I would go to my friends' houses and we'd play Monopoly or Risk for hours on those inclement weather days.

Holding on to Summer

But, as for all kids and former kids, I would mourn the day when Mom turned the calendar to August. I would stand there and see 31 days left, feeling confidant that I still had time, but when Mom started crossing out the days, I would get sick to my stomach each time. 

I remember getting the TV Guide in the mail, and it would be a big special issue with all the new fall TV shows and returning shows. I remember sitting on the porch looking at it and thinking, well this is something good about September. Then I would think about watching Jets games and hoping the Mets would be in the playoffs, and maybe things would be okay. 

Now, as an adult, I don't get TV Guide anymore but do look forward to Jets games, and I'm hoping this year that the Mets find their way and get into the playoffs. My kids are grumbling about going back to school, and I'm going back to work too. Reality rears its truly ugly head, and we have no choice but to look at it.

Enjoy These Final Days

So, wherever you are, enjoy these last few days of August. Jump in the pool, go to the beach, barbecue some hot dogs and hamburgers, and sit on your favorite lounge and read a book. Yeah, we're running out of August like this year and every year before it. 

Goodbye, eighth month of 2025. I really do hate to see you go! Take a listen to the Beach Boys' Endless Summer album. I can listen to it in January, and it takes me right to the surf and sand. Enjoy!

Is Honesty Really the Best Policy?

 

Have you ever asked yourself this question: Is honesty really the best policy? Ben Franklin said that it was, and old Ben is someone I respect, but I was watching a video that features British comedian and writer Athena Kugblenu, and she discusses “The Fine Art of Fibbing” in a rather humorous way. It really got me thinking because the idea that lying is socially acceptable seems a bit odd to me.

George and the Cherry Tree

Unlike George Washington, who supposedly said, “I cannot tell a lie,” when his father asked him about cutting a cherry tree, we have all told lies big and small. When we were kids, we learned about “white lies” that were supposedly okay to tell. If I knocked over the flowerpot and my mother yelled at me, I would say, “The dog did it.” That was a so-called white lie. Thankfully, unlike little Pinocchio, we didn’t have a nose that would grow when we lied and give ourselves away.

White Lies?

White lies were rather inconsequential. If I broke a glass in the sink, I could be spared if I started to cry and say, “It slipped out of my hand,” when in truth I had knocked it over carelessly when I went to wash my hands.

So, we have all told white lies. “The dog ate my homework” was an often-used lie told to teachers, but my teachers – stern, habited nuns – weren’t buying it. Either way I was punished, so that white lie had consequences.

Truth or Consequences

As I got older and started working in an after-school job, white lies wouldn’t cut it. If I was late and blamed the bus for not being on time, it didn’t matter. My pay was still docked. If I dented my father’s car and said that I didn’t do it, I could count on getting driving privileges taken away for a while. What worked for me as a kid no longer worked because there were always consequences involved.

In the adult world we can lie to the boss about why a report isn’t done on time, but that won’t make things any better. Coming home from work late, we can say that the boss insisted we stay for overtime when we really stopped in the bar for a few drinks with our coworkers. Our partners might believe us until they smell the whiskey on our breaths, and then the crap will hit the fan.

Parenting White Lies

Athena Klugbenu

In Athena’s video she gave a good example of a parenting white lie. Her kids always don’t want to brush their teeth, so she warns them if they do not brush them that she will throw their iPads in the garbage. Of course, she has no intention of doing this, but it gets them to brush their teeth every time because they don’t know that.

As a parent, I have used many threats – some of which I cannot believe I used – but had no intent on carrying them out. One of the best was “If you don’t do (blank), I’m not mailing your letter to Santa.” It worked every time!

Awkward Fib Situations

If I go to work on Monday morning, and my boss comes in wearing a new toupee, I can be diplomatic or I can be honest. If I tell him, “Gee, you look great,” what harm will that do? If I say, “It looks like you have a gerbil on your head,” I could be looking for new job before lunchtime.

We have all faced situations like this. I remember a funny Seinfeld episode where the group went to a beach house and were asked to come in and see the new baby. From Jerry and the rest of the gang’s reaction, we know the baby must have looked like an ogre, and it is funny because they cannot say that.  

When You Cannot Lie

So, you might ask, when does lying or fibbing or whatever you want to call it reach a point of being unacceptable? The answer is simple – your untruth cannot be told if it seriously damages a person or a business. This is where we must draw a red line.

One example of this is when your best friend tells you that he is going to ask his girlfriend (let’s call her Jill) to marry him. Now, you didn’t want to tell him what you know – you saw Jill out in a club with another guy, she slept with one of their friends, and so on – but now you don’t want him to ruin his life. Of course, telling him what you know and kept from him might just ruin your friendship, but you’re trying to save the guy.

Lying about someone’s clothing may seem inconsequential, but let’s say that they are going to a job interview later that day; it is probably best not to fib and tell them the truth. This will give them a chance to either reschedule or go home and change their clothes before they sit down with the hiring manager. They can be mad at you because you hurt their feelings, but if they get the job, they will probably rethink their anger.

To Fib or Not to Fib?

As a writer and editor, I have read many essays and stories over the years. If it something personal – like a diary or journal – I might be tempted to gloss over issues that do not matter to the person because nothing is at stake. However, if that person is looking to publish that book or submit an essay for a grade in school, fibbing time is over. I must be truthful with the person, and I’ll even offer my help if they want it.

In the end, we all know we cannot lie all the time. If someone invites you to a party on Saturday night, and you tell them that you have other plans and stay home and watch Netflix, you can do that once. If you continue to do that, you are probably going to lose that person. Maybe you do not care, but maybe you should if the person means anything to you.

Pinocchio or Ben?

So, is honesty still the best policy? In the best of all worlds, no one would ever have to tell a lie – white or otherwise. However, fibbing has its place in situations where you don’t want to hurt someone’s feelings unnecessarily. The bottom line is that if the lie is going to harm anyone or destroy someone’s livelihood, then honesty is the only way to go. While we can all be Pinocchio occasionally, lets strive to be more like honest Ben Franklin as much as we can.