christiansen's descendents who still ran the business lost their way. lego had debts of nearly $1 billion. sales slumped 40% in just two years. then a guy called jorgen vig knudstorp was handed the reins. when you took over as ceo, lego was almost dead. >> right. >> reporter: knudstorp, former management consultant, fired 1,000 people and streamlined production. they used to make 13,000 different pieces. now they make just 6,000. >> the lady over there is actually filling in the last packs -- >> reporter: they sold legoland to a company that actually knows how to run a theme park. popular lines, many of them aimed at girls, were discontinued. >> when we were struggling i was thinking, geez, i don't know where the lego brick is part of a future. >> reporter: he figured even in an age of tv and video games kids still want to play with their hands. lego has moved away from the purer, simpler lego i remember from my youth. ♪ >> reporter: these days lego men carry guns. there's more fighting and it seems, more instructions. >> you can build the high-tech leg

let's get to are next email from foster christiansen. he says all this government charade is a scam on the public to redistribute wealth from those who can least afford the loss to political cronies both here in america and all over the world. he has an interesting point and if you take a look for example how the government really has not been tough enough on the banking sector. looking at these numbers, 123 banks missed their tarp dividend payments in august of 2010. that is a huge jump from november of 2009 when it was just 55 banks. now the treasury department is saying it is just now starting to crack down on the problem. i think that just goes to prove that the treasury department is putting these banks interest ahead of taxpayers. that is an interesting statement and whether the government will continue to be weak on banks remains to be seen. certainly voters will be tough on their elected officials maybe in november. and that is a huge factor in this situation. so many people are sick of the way our government officials have been