Wednesday, November 11, 2009
The Batcycle, Final Chapter
The final few steps of the build involve the figures of Bats and the Boy Wonder.
First, some yellow on Robin's cape, brushed from bottom to top to keep the darker orange highlights in the folds of the cape. Same colour on Bats' utility belt and Robin's collar.
Light grey drybrushed on Batman's outfit, and some yellow on his chest emblem. Gloss green enamel on Robin's boots and gloves.
Flesh tone on Robin and Batman as well as white in both sets of eyes.
Gloss blue on Batman's cape, cowl, boots and gloves.
Yellow touches on the laces of Robin's tunic and his chest emblem.
Robin in place on his cart, glued onto the handlebars.
Robin, cape in place, now complete.
From the front.
Batman, set in place on the Batcycle. I left his forearms off to allow me to fit his hands onto the handlebars properly. It's a good thing, too, since the fit would likely not have worked otherwise.
Setting the arms in place was a delicate operation, in the process of which I found the handlebars breaking off the bike. It took quite a lot of doing to get everything fit up and in place.
From the side.
From the other side. I am not normally an advocate of the "glob paint into the joint until it disappears" school of modeling, but in this case it's about the only solution that works. I forgot to take the picture of that part...
Cape on. Notice my high tech drying set-up.
The final product.
First, some yellow on Robin's cape, brushed from bottom to top to keep the darker orange highlights in the folds of the cape. Same colour on Bats' utility belt and Robin's collar.
Light grey drybrushed on Batman's outfit, and some yellow on his chest emblem. Gloss green enamel on Robin's boots and gloves.
Flesh tone on Robin and Batman as well as white in both sets of eyes.
Gloss blue on Batman's cape, cowl, boots and gloves.
Yellow touches on the laces of Robin's tunic and his chest emblem.
Robin in place on his cart, glued onto the handlebars.
Robin, cape in place, now complete.
From the front.
Batman, set in place on the Batcycle. I left his forearms off to allow me to fit his hands onto the handlebars properly. It's a good thing, too, since the fit would likely not have worked otherwise.
Setting the arms in place was a delicate operation, in the process of which I found the handlebars breaking off the bike. It took quite a lot of doing to get everything fit up and in place.
From the side.
From the other side. I am not normally an advocate of the "glob paint into the joint until it disappears" school of modeling, but in this case it's about the only solution that works. I forgot to take the picture of that part...
Cape on. Notice my high tech drying set-up.
The final product.
Thursday, October 08, 2009
And Finally for Tonight...The Stars of Our Show...
Bad Daddy! Stop working and pay attention to MEEEEEEE!!!!
My two little superheroes, showing off their amazing super-sleeping powers.
Sorry, no captions on these. Just pretty kitties using me for a bed.
And finally, just in time for Halloween, it's Vampire Kitty!
My two little superheroes, showing off their amazing super-sleeping powers.
Sorry, no captions on these. Just pretty kitties using me for a bed.
And finally, just in time for Halloween, it's Vampire Kitty!
Just a Couple of Pics
I took these a while back, don't recall the pup's name, but dang was he a cute little ball of energy!
And I don't normally like bugs very much, but this fella was just so pretty I had to take a snap. Fortunately he (she?) cooperated by staying very, very still for me. I recommend clicking the picture to open it up to full size to appreciate just how still. My camera is decent, but not that good.
And I don't normally like bugs very much, but this fella was just so pretty I had to take a snap. Fortunately he (she?) cooperated by staying very, very still for me. I recommend clicking the picture to open it up to full size to appreciate just how still. My camera is decent, but not that good.
What I've Been Up To Lately
Aside from work and sleep, I occasionally get a minute to work on something fun. Like this model. It's a reproduction of a vintage (1970 something) model, based loosely on the version of Batman made popular by Adam West in the late 1960s. It comprises four main pieces when complete: The Batman figure, the Robin figure, Robin's removable "BatCart" and the Batcycle (including sidecar) itself.
The components.
Batman and Robin's torsos glued and puttied.
Robin's cart from the top. What isn't apparent is that the top and bottom have been glued and puttied.
The chrome wheels. The small wheels are a single piece, shown with the rubber tires added. The larger wheels are for the Batcycle and are each two pieces carefully glued together. The rubber will be added after the glue has set.
Batman and Robin's arms and legs glued and puttied.
A first coat of gloss white on parts of the Batcycle. The fact that the Batcycle is a combination of white and dark blue makes for a difficult time of getting the paint job to look good, since the white tends to look streaky when painted over the black plastic. It would have been MUCH better if the model company had made the plastic white.
The "BatCart" is actually Robin's (it even has his symbol on it) so I deviated from the schematic by painting it in Robin's colours instead of Batman's. A first coat of gloss green.
Yellow on the seat. Like the white on the Batcycle, the yellow looks quite streaky over the black plastic and requires many coats to even out.
Another coat of white.
And yellow. I've also added the "R" (Robin's symbol) decal.
Robin, glued and puttied.
Here is Robin's cart, complete except for the wheels. I painted the bottom gloss red, but it's tough to see.
Wheels on. Several views.
Another coat of white and a coat of gloss blue on the Batcycle bits. As you can see, I've glued the faring (I think that's how you spell that?) together as well.
A closer look at the faring.
The basic frame of the cycle glued together.
A first coat of brown (and a bit of orange on the collar) on Robin.
Orange on Robin's cape.
Another coat of white and dark blue on the faring.
Steel drybrushed on parts of the cycle body. I also deviated from the schematic by adding the white touch on what will eventually be the gas tank.
Steel on parts of the cycle frame.
A first coat of grey on Batman's bits. I am leaving him unassembled until I can fit him on the finished Batcycle, since his hands are supposed to grasp the handlebars and the pieces don't exactly snap into place. It would be very easy to glue him together incorrectly and have his hands nowhere near the handlebars.
In fact, I had to readjust Robin a bit for similar reasons. See how closely his hands sit together? I had to break open the glued bits at his elbows and reset them further apart than they appear here. Here you see some red on his tunic and another coat of orange on his cape.
More grey on Bats.
The outside wall of the sidecar, glued.
Whoops! I forgot the "rocket exhausts" on Robin's cart. It's also still missing it's handlebars, but they won't go on until Robin is ready to be glued in place.
Handlebars glued in place.
Exhaust pipes.
The headlight. The Batcycle is upside down, allowing gravity to hold the light in place while the glue sets.
The body of the Batcycle in place. Notice the gas tank. I slopped several extra layers of white paint on it to mask the seam. Normally I use putty, but because of the way this model goes together, this time I went with a lower tech approach.
The "Lightning" decal in place.
The schematic had the third "Bat" decal on the dark blue part of the sidecar, but I thought it would look better on the gas tank.
"Bat" decals on either side of the faring.
The Batcycle, complete except for the front fender, the back of the sidecar and the faring.
A close up of the gas cap. It's a very minor thing, but kudos to the model makers for going the extra mile to give the kit a chrome gas cap.
Ditto on the kudos, vis a vis the headlight. Most kits at this scale just make headlights a one piece deal of the chrome variety, but this kit included a clear plastic headlight lens.
The front fender. I had a helluva time painting this, since it offers nothing to hold onto while it's being painted. Tweezers are no good for the same reason that my fingers didn't work, since you have no choice but to hold it on the "up" side at some point. I eventually settled on holding it by the very end, painting it and then balancing it on a paint bottle and giving the bare spot where I'd been holding it a final swipe with the brush.
The BatSeat. Gloss black and glued in place.
The nearly complete unit.
The showroom shot...
Batman's legs glued to his lower body.
The back of the sidecar.
The Batcycle with the faring, complete but for the windscreen..
Gluing clear plastic windscreens into models is about the most nerve wracking part of the build. Unlike the opaque plastic which can be filed flush, the clear plastic will be PERMANENTLY damaged by any stray glob of model glue. And yet, you still have to glue the clear plastic in place.
Several views of the complete Batcycle.
Dark grey on Batman's upper body.
The same again on his legs.
A coat of orange on Batman's utility belt, along with a coat of blue on his cowl, gloves and boots.
From the front.
A coat of blue on Batman's cape and a coat of green on Robin's boots, pants and gloves. A coat of orange/brown on Robin's arms, legs and face.
And that's where I'm at now. It'll take a little more painting and gluing to get Batman and Robin onto the vehicle, but not much. Once I'm done, expect a video to detail the build soon after.
The components.
Batman and Robin's torsos glued and puttied.
Robin's cart from the top. What isn't apparent is that the top and bottom have been glued and puttied.
The chrome wheels. The small wheels are a single piece, shown with the rubber tires added. The larger wheels are for the Batcycle and are each two pieces carefully glued together. The rubber will be added after the glue has set.
Batman and Robin's arms and legs glued and puttied.
A first coat of gloss white on parts of the Batcycle. The fact that the Batcycle is a combination of white and dark blue makes for a difficult time of getting the paint job to look good, since the white tends to look streaky when painted over the black plastic. It would have been MUCH better if the model company had made the plastic white.
The "BatCart" is actually Robin's (it even has his symbol on it) so I deviated from the schematic by painting it in Robin's colours instead of Batman's. A first coat of gloss green.
Yellow on the seat. Like the white on the Batcycle, the yellow looks quite streaky over the black plastic and requires many coats to even out.
Another coat of white.
And yellow. I've also added the "R" (Robin's symbol) decal.
Robin, glued and puttied.
Here is Robin's cart, complete except for the wheels. I painted the bottom gloss red, but it's tough to see.
Wheels on. Several views.
Another coat of white and a coat of gloss blue on the Batcycle bits. As you can see, I've glued the faring (I think that's how you spell that?) together as well.
A closer look at the faring.
The basic frame of the cycle glued together.
A first coat of brown (and a bit of orange on the collar) on Robin.
Orange on Robin's cape.
Another coat of white and dark blue on the faring.
Steel drybrushed on parts of the cycle body. I also deviated from the schematic by adding the white touch on what will eventually be the gas tank.
Steel on parts of the cycle frame.
A first coat of grey on Batman's bits. I am leaving him unassembled until I can fit him on the finished Batcycle, since his hands are supposed to grasp the handlebars and the pieces don't exactly snap into place. It would be very easy to glue him together incorrectly and have his hands nowhere near the handlebars.
In fact, I had to readjust Robin a bit for similar reasons. See how closely his hands sit together? I had to break open the glued bits at his elbows and reset them further apart than they appear here. Here you see some red on his tunic and another coat of orange on his cape.
More grey on Bats.
The outside wall of the sidecar, glued.
Whoops! I forgot the "rocket exhausts" on Robin's cart. It's also still missing it's handlebars, but they won't go on until Robin is ready to be glued in place.
Handlebars glued in place.
Exhaust pipes.
The headlight. The Batcycle is upside down, allowing gravity to hold the light in place while the glue sets.
The body of the Batcycle in place. Notice the gas tank. I slopped several extra layers of white paint on it to mask the seam. Normally I use putty, but because of the way this model goes together, this time I went with a lower tech approach.
The "Lightning" decal in place.
The schematic had the third "Bat" decal on the dark blue part of the sidecar, but I thought it would look better on the gas tank.
"Bat" decals on either side of the faring.
The Batcycle, complete except for the front fender, the back of the sidecar and the faring.
A close up of the gas cap. It's a very minor thing, but kudos to the model makers for going the extra mile to give the kit a chrome gas cap.
Ditto on the kudos, vis a vis the headlight. Most kits at this scale just make headlights a one piece deal of the chrome variety, but this kit included a clear plastic headlight lens.
The front fender. I had a helluva time painting this, since it offers nothing to hold onto while it's being painted. Tweezers are no good for the same reason that my fingers didn't work, since you have no choice but to hold it on the "up" side at some point. I eventually settled on holding it by the very end, painting it and then balancing it on a paint bottle and giving the bare spot where I'd been holding it a final swipe with the brush.
The BatSeat. Gloss black and glued in place.
The nearly complete unit.
The showroom shot...
Batman's legs glued to his lower body.
The back of the sidecar.
The Batcycle with the faring, complete but for the windscreen..
Gluing clear plastic windscreens into models is about the most nerve wracking part of the build. Unlike the opaque plastic which can be filed flush, the clear plastic will be PERMANENTLY damaged by any stray glob of model glue. And yet, you still have to glue the clear plastic in place.
Several views of the complete Batcycle.
Dark grey on Batman's upper body.
The same again on his legs.
A coat of orange on Batman's utility belt, along with a coat of blue on his cowl, gloves and boots.
From the front.
A coat of blue on Batman's cape and a coat of green on Robin's boots, pants and gloves. A coat of orange/brown on Robin's arms, legs and face.
And that's where I'm at now. It'll take a little more painting and gluing to get Batman and Robin onto the vehicle, but not much. Once I'm done, expect a video to detail the build soon after.
Thursday, September 24, 2009
Yes, Power Girl DOES Have Big...Muscles...
...and she's not the only one!
The September 29 release of Superman/Batman - Public Enemies will mark the first time that Power Girl will be seen (properly - click here to see other "homage" versions in the "Other Media" section of her wiki article) on film. Voiced by Allison Mack (she of Chloe - no stranger to cleavage either - on Smallville) the character comes to life in animation very reminiscent of Ed McGuiness's original pencil work on the first 6 issues of Superman/Batman. That's no surprise, really, since the film is a direct adaptation of writer Jeph Loeb's incredibly successful story arc.
As you can see, McGuiness's style is well represented...
...as are the makers of the cartoon version of the Abdominizer.
Holy Six Packs Batman!
I have to say, I love the art in this film. This is the way I see superheroes in my head and it's wonderful to see that on film. While I love the simplified art of the Bruce Timm-verse tv shows and their take on classic heroes, this movie puts superheroes on screen the way I've always imagined them.
For those familiar with the six issues of Superman/Batman in that inspired this film, little will be surprising in the movie, although some things have been cut or compressed. Sadly the film is only 67 minutes long, so it feels a bit rushed. Happily, it's still a helluva lot of fun, with myriad heroes and villains making appearances (Solomon Grundy, Metallo, Mongul, Captain Cold, Giganta, Starfire and the above pictured Power Girl, Captain Atom and Major Force, to name about half of those that show up) either in support of or as adversaries to the main characters. There is no shortage of action, which is a very, very good thing in a movie like this!
Kevin Conroy and Tim Daly reprise their roles from the heyday of DC's television animation in the 90's when they were Batman and Superman respectively. Producer Bruce Timm and his right hand, voice cast director Andrea Romano, brought them back for this project and the two slide back into the familiar roles effortlessly. Clancy Brown returns as Lex Luthor as well and simply owns the movie.
While not the absolute best DC Direct to Video project, an honour still held (in my opinion at least) by Wonder Woman, Superman/Batman - Public Enemies delivers a solid hour of entertainment with lots of boob...er, I mean BOOM!
The September 29 release of Superman/Batman - Public Enemies will mark the first time that Power Girl will be seen (properly - click here to see other "homage" versions in the "Other Media" section of her wiki article) on film. Voiced by Allison Mack (she of Chloe - no stranger to cleavage either - on Smallville) the character comes to life in animation very reminiscent of Ed McGuiness's original pencil work on the first 6 issues of Superman/Batman. That's no surprise, really, since the film is a direct adaptation of writer Jeph Loeb's incredibly successful story arc.
As you can see, McGuiness's style is well represented...
...as are the makers of the cartoon version of the Abdominizer.
Holy Six Packs Batman!
I have to say, I love the art in this film. This is the way I see superheroes in my head and it's wonderful to see that on film. While I love the simplified art of the Bruce Timm-verse tv shows and their take on classic heroes, this movie puts superheroes on screen the way I've always imagined them.
For those familiar with the six issues of Superman/Batman in that inspired this film, little will be surprising in the movie, although some things have been cut or compressed. Sadly the film is only 67 minutes long, so it feels a bit rushed. Happily, it's still a helluva lot of fun, with myriad heroes and villains making appearances (Solomon Grundy, Metallo, Mongul, Captain Cold, Giganta, Starfire and the above pictured Power Girl, Captain Atom and Major Force, to name about half of those that show up) either in support of or as adversaries to the main characters. There is no shortage of action, which is a very, very good thing in a movie like this!
Kevin Conroy and Tim Daly reprise their roles from the heyday of DC's television animation in the 90's when they were Batman and Superman respectively. Producer Bruce Timm and his right hand, voice cast director Andrea Romano, brought them back for this project and the two slide back into the familiar roles effortlessly. Clancy Brown returns as Lex Luthor as well and simply owns the movie.
While not the absolute best DC Direct to Video project, an honour still held (in my opinion at least) by Wonder Woman, Superman/Batman - Public Enemies delivers a solid hour of entertainment with lots of boob...er, I mean BOOM!
Monday, September 14, 2009
The Greatest Human Being In History Has Died
From CNN.com:
Nobel laureate Norman E. Borlaug, an agricultural scientist who helped develop disease-resistant wheat used to fight famine in poor countries, died Saturday. He was 95.
Borlaug died from cancer complications in Dallas, Texas, a spokeswoman for Texas A&M University said.
A 1970 recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize, Borlaug was a distinguished professor of international agriculture at the university.
Borlaug started at Texas A&M in 1984, after working as a scientist in a program that introduced scientific techniques for preventing famine in Mexico, according to the university.
Until recently, he traveled worldwide working for improvements in agricultural science and food policy, said Kathleen Phillips, a university spokeswoman.
Borlaug was known as a champion of high-yield crop varieties, and other science and agricultural innovations to help fight hunger in developing nations.
"We all eat at least three times a day in privileged nations, and yet we take food for granted," Borlaug said recently in an interview posted on the university's Web site.
"There has been great progress, and food is more equitably distributed. But hunger is a commonplace, and famine appears all too often."
He was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1977, and the Congressional Gold Medal in 2006, according to the university's Web site.
The agriculture institute at the university was named after him in 2006.
Borlaug also created the World Food Prize, which recognized the work of scientists and humanitarians who have helped fight world hunger through advanced agriculture, the university said.
A memorial service will be held at the university at a later date.
One thing that the article fails to note, and the one thing that I personally feel qualifies Borlaug as "The Greatest Human Being In History", is the fact that when he was awarded the Nobel in 1970, the committee credited him with having saved over a billion lives. That's billion, with a "B". And that was almost 40 years ago. In the decades since the awarding of his Nobel, Borlaug was hardly idle. It is not unreasonable to think that he easily doubled that number with his tireless work.
Certainly he had his detractors, mostly those feeling that genetically modified foods pose a danger to the ecosystem. Personally, I am of the opinion that until we have the luxury of feeding every hungry mouth on the planet, we need to make use of every trick that nature and science offer. Until there is no longer a single starving child anywhere on Earth, I don't think those folks have a leg to stand on.
I can't be the only one who finds it ironic that all the GMO critics are well fed?
Rest in peace, Norman. I wish I could have met you, to thank you in person for showing the rest of us what humanity should aspire to.
Nobel laureate Norman E. Borlaug, an agricultural scientist who helped develop disease-resistant wheat used to fight famine in poor countries, died Saturday. He was 95.
Borlaug died from cancer complications in Dallas, Texas, a spokeswoman for Texas A&M University said.
A 1970 recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize, Borlaug was a distinguished professor of international agriculture at the university.
Borlaug started at Texas A&M in 1984, after working as a scientist in a program that introduced scientific techniques for preventing famine in Mexico, according to the university.
Until recently, he traveled worldwide working for improvements in agricultural science and food policy, said Kathleen Phillips, a university spokeswoman.
Borlaug was known as a champion of high-yield crop varieties, and other science and agricultural innovations to help fight hunger in developing nations.
"We all eat at least three times a day in privileged nations, and yet we take food for granted," Borlaug said recently in an interview posted on the university's Web site.
"There has been great progress, and food is more equitably distributed. But hunger is a commonplace, and famine appears all too often."
He was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1977, and the Congressional Gold Medal in 2006, according to the university's Web site.
The agriculture institute at the university was named after him in 2006.
Borlaug also created the World Food Prize, which recognized the work of scientists and humanitarians who have helped fight world hunger through advanced agriculture, the university said.
A memorial service will be held at the university at a later date.
One thing that the article fails to note, and the one thing that I personally feel qualifies Borlaug as "The Greatest Human Being In History", is the fact that when he was awarded the Nobel in 1970, the committee credited him with having saved over a billion lives. That's billion, with a "B". And that was almost 40 years ago. In the decades since the awarding of his Nobel, Borlaug was hardly idle. It is not unreasonable to think that he easily doubled that number with his tireless work.
Certainly he had his detractors, mostly those feeling that genetically modified foods pose a danger to the ecosystem. Personally, I am of the opinion that until we have the luxury of feeding every hungry mouth on the planet, we need to make use of every trick that nature and science offer. Until there is no longer a single starving child anywhere on Earth, I don't think those folks have a leg to stand on.
I can't be the only one who finds it ironic that all the GMO critics are well fed?
Rest in peace, Norman. I wish I could have met you, to thank you in person for showing the rest of us what humanity should aspire to.
Wednesday, September 09, 2009
You Haven't Seen Cool Until You've Seen This:
The Chaiten Volcano during a thunderstorm. There are no words.
The phenomenon of thunderstorms forming over erupting volcanic sites has been documented in other instances, but there is no clear cause/effect that scientists can agree upon. There have also been lighting strike/earthquake observations, which I would say seems to indicate a stronger relationship between the earth and the sky than we might normally suspect.
If I were pressed to hypothesize, I would say that the dust and heat react with the atmosphere, bonding with the vapour in the air like a cloud seeding chemical does, to stir up the storm, while the heat from the volcano expands the air above the caldera and that expansion somehow traps the storm in place as it forms. Just a guess.
To see more pictures of the volcano (two more during the thunderstorm and a bunch during the daytime) click here.
And for anyone not certain of the veracity of the images, Snopes.com has an article validating their authenticity (with a couple more images) here.
The phenomenon of thunderstorms forming over erupting volcanic sites has been documented in other instances, but there is no clear cause/effect that scientists can agree upon. There have also been lighting strike/earthquake observations, which I would say seems to indicate a stronger relationship between the earth and the sky than we might normally suspect.
If I were pressed to hypothesize, I would say that the dust and heat react with the atmosphere, bonding with the vapour in the air like a cloud seeding chemical does, to stir up the storm, while the heat from the volcano expands the air above the caldera and that expansion somehow traps the storm in place as it forms. Just a guess.
To see more pictures of the volcano (two more during the thunderstorm and a bunch during the daytime) click here.
And for anyone not certain of the veracity of the images, Snopes.com has an article validating their authenticity (with a couple more images) here.
Monday, August 31, 2009
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
Pictures!
Some things can be taught, but true mastery of a skill also requires innate talent. Napping artistry runs in the family around here.
Anywhere, anytime.
Pretty much anything works as a pillow.
This is Frankie. Short for Frank Sinatra, thanks to her blue eyes, black suit, white tie and (out of frame) white shoes.
One of my customers spends as much time as I do playing with models, only his are trains.
This is the beginning of a new layout. He showed me some pictures of previous layouts and they were just awesome.
They call me "One Eyed Rook".
One Eyed Rook thinks I should clean my windows.
As promised, one of Spencerville's tree frogs.
Only, this is a Cross-Box Frog, 'cuz he's nowhere near a tree.
He had a cool, bright yellow belly, but moved too fast to get pictures of that.
This little fella thought that my customer's vegetable garden made a great buffet. He has since been relocated to a more rustic locale.
Puppies!
I don't know their names, but between the two of them, I had my hand turned into a teething ring and got at least two involuntary french kisses.
That's Right. A Chickenosaurus.
From Yahoo.ca today:
MONTREAL (AFP) - After years spent hunting for the buried remains of prehistoric animals, a Canadian paleontologist now plans to manipulate chicken embryos to show he can create a dinosaur.
Hans Larsson, the Canada Research Chair in Macro Evolution at Montreal's McGill University, said he aims to develop dinosaur traits that disappeared millions of years ago in birds.
Larsson believes by flipping certain genetic levers during a chicken embryo's development, he can reproduce the dinosaur anatomy, he told AFP in an interview.
Though still in its infancy, the research could eventually lead to hatching live prehistoric animals, but Larsson said there are no plans for that now, for ethical and practical reasons -- a dinosaur hatchery is "too large an enterprise."
"It's a demonstration of evolution," said Larsson, who has studied bird evolution for the last 10 years.
"If I can demonstrate clearly that the potential for dinosaur anatomical development exists in birds, then it again proves that birds are direct descendants of dinosaurs."
The research is funded by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada, the Canada Research Chairs program and National Geographic.
The idea for the project, Larsson said, came about during discussions with renowned American paleontologist Jack Horner, who served as technical advisor for the Jurassic Park films.
Horner recently wrote a book entitled "How to Build A Dinosaur," in which he refers to the embryo experiment as part of a quest to create a "chickenosaurus."
Larsson's team has previously worked to uncover prehistoric animal remains, including eight unknown species of dinosaurs and five new types of crocodile in Niger. He also recently uncovered the remains of a new carnivorous dinosaur in Argentina.
So, the answer to the age old question of which came first will one day be neither "chicken", nor "egg" but rather "Dinosaur".
Science. It's not just for breakfast anymore.
MONTREAL (AFP) - After years spent hunting for the buried remains of prehistoric animals, a Canadian paleontologist now plans to manipulate chicken embryos to show he can create a dinosaur.
Hans Larsson, the Canada Research Chair in Macro Evolution at Montreal's McGill University, said he aims to develop dinosaur traits that disappeared millions of years ago in birds.
Larsson believes by flipping certain genetic levers during a chicken embryo's development, he can reproduce the dinosaur anatomy, he told AFP in an interview.
Though still in its infancy, the research could eventually lead to hatching live prehistoric animals, but Larsson said there are no plans for that now, for ethical and practical reasons -- a dinosaur hatchery is "too large an enterprise."
"It's a demonstration of evolution," said Larsson, who has studied bird evolution for the last 10 years.
"If I can demonstrate clearly that the potential for dinosaur anatomical development exists in birds, then it again proves that birds are direct descendants of dinosaurs."
The research is funded by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada, the Canada Research Chairs program and National Geographic.
The idea for the project, Larsson said, came about during discussions with renowned American paleontologist Jack Horner, who served as technical advisor for the Jurassic Park films.
Horner recently wrote a book entitled "How to Build A Dinosaur," in which he refers to the embryo experiment as part of a quest to create a "chickenosaurus."
Larsson's team has previously worked to uncover prehistoric animal remains, including eight unknown species of dinosaurs and five new types of crocodile in Niger. He also recently uncovered the remains of a new carnivorous dinosaur in Argentina.
So, the answer to the age old question of which came first will one day be neither "chicken", nor "egg" but rather "Dinosaur".
Science. It's not just for breakfast anymore.
Monday, August 17, 2009
That Is One Confused Elephant...
...and I'm pretty sure that the Rhino was left a little confused too.
Tuesday, August 11, 2009
Kittens!
A quick video of some kittens. Just sooo cute.
...and some blurry pix of same. Little buggers just wouldn't stay still!
My own not so little "kittens" doing what they do best. Eat.
...and sleep.
Finally, a non-kitty picture. I just loved the composition of the four rusting hulks lined up like old soldiers. I think this would make an excellent picture for one of those 1000 piece puzzles.
...and some blurry pix of same. Little buggers just wouldn't stay still!
My own not so little "kittens" doing what they do best. Eat.
...and sleep.
Finally, a non-kitty picture. I just loved the composition of the four rusting hulks lined up like old soldiers. I think this would make an excellent picture for one of those 1000 piece puzzles.
The Flying Frog of Awesomeness
Seriously. A flying frog.
From WWF.com:
Kathmandu, Nepal - Over 350 new species including the world’s smallest deer, a “flying frog” and a 100 million-year old gecko have been discovered in the Eastern Himalayas, a biological treasure trove now threatened by climate change.
A decade of research carried out by scientists in remote mountain areas endangered by rising global temperatures brought exciting discoveries such as a bright green frog (Rhacophorus suffry) which uses its red and long webbed feet to glide in the air.
One of the most significant findings was not exactly “new” in the classic sense. A 100-million year-old gecko, the oldest fossil gecko species known to science, was discovered in an amber mine in the Hukawng Valley in Himalayan regions of far northern Myanmar.
The WWF report The Eastern Himalayas – Where Worlds Collide details discoveries made by scientists from various organizations between 1998 and 2008 in a region reaching across Bhutan and north-east India to the far north of Myanmar as well as Nepal and southern parts of Tibet Autonomus Region (China).
“This enormous cultural and biological diversity underscores the fragile nature of an environment which risks being lost forever unless the impacts of climate change are reversed,” said Tariq Aziz, the leader of WWF's Living Himalayas Initiative.
Click Here For The Complete Article
From WWF.com:Kathmandu, Nepal - Over 350 new species including the world’s smallest deer, a “flying frog” and a 100 million-year old gecko have been discovered in the Eastern Himalayas, a biological treasure trove now threatened by climate change.
A decade of research carried out by scientists in remote mountain areas endangered by rising global temperatures brought exciting discoveries such as a bright green frog (Rhacophorus suffry) which uses its red and long webbed feet to glide in the air.
One of the most significant findings was not exactly “new” in the classic sense. A 100-million year-old gecko, the oldest fossil gecko species known to science, was discovered in an amber mine in the Hukawng Valley in Himalayan regions of far northern Myanmar.
The WWF report The Eastern Himalayas – Where Worlds Collide details discoveries made by scientists from various organizations between 1998 and 2008 in a region reaching across Bhutan and north-east India to the far north of Myanmar as well as Nepal and southern parts of Tibet Autonomus Region (China).
“This enormous cultural and biological diversity underscores the fragile nature of an environment which risks being lost forever unless the impacts of climate change are reversed,” said Tariq Aziz, the leader of WWF's Living Himalayas Initiative.
Click Here For The Complete Article
Wednesday, August 05, 2009
Last Bit. Really.
I totally forgot about Captain America's wings! Here's one of them, painted dolphin gray. There are two of them, but a picture of one gets the point across.
Cap is now glued to the base. Note the missing element. Not sure what's missing? Scroll down a bit.
A better view of Cap on the base.
That pesky missing element. The "A" on Cap's headgear.
One of those wings, now drybrushed with white. All that remains is gluing them on and the model is done.
No, really. That's the last step. Honest.
Sunday, August 02, 2009
Last Bit
A quick coat of brown on the straps and add two dots of steel on each end of each strap (rivets, naturally) and the Captain America figure is complete.
I am particularly pleased with the strap in Cap's hand. It's molded from two separate pieces of "Green Stuff" and to my eye it really looks like he's gripping a piece of leather.
All that remains is to glue him to the base and let it dry. I will do that part tonight and post final pictures tomorrow.
I plan to do a video of this build, much like the one I did for Ghost Rider. Watch for it in the next few days.
I am particularly pleased with the strap in Cap's hand. It's molded from two separate pieces of "Green Stuff" and to my eye it really looks like he's gripping a piece of leather.
All that remains is to glue him to the base and let it dry. I will do that part tonight and post final pictures tomorrow.
I plan to do a video of this build, much like the one I did for Ghost Rider. Watch for it in the next few days.
One Final Addition
Much like the Ghost Rider kit, ToyBiz messed up on a key part (In the case of Ghost Rider they molded the motorcycle handlebars unevenly and without a brake lever) in the molding of this model. Captain America wears his shield as he should, but there are no straps holding it to his arm. That, and the fact that the model artist put the shield on Cap's right arm, meant that I needed to do some customization. I moved the shield (and filled in the hole) from his right arm to the left, which is the correct position. I used an x-acto knife sort of like a drill to drill a new hole on his left arm to mount the shield there.
The straps I've molded out of "Green Stuff".
All that remains is to paint them (once the "Green Stuff" has dried) and then glue Cap to the base. Another day or two and this one is done!
The straps I've molded out of "Green Stuff".
All that remains is to paint them (once the "Green Stuff" has dried) and then glue Cap to the base. Another day or two and this one is done!
Red Skull and...Skull
A close up of the finished Red Skull figure. The red epaulets and a touch of steel on his top button were the last touch.
From further away without the flash.
The nearly finished product. The skull has been mounted on the pedestal and the Red Skull figure is glued in place.
A little closer, with the flash on.
More Wild (and not so wild) Life.
If I'd been faster with the brakes, I could have got a picture of Mama Wild Turkey and six little ones, but I had to settle for Mama's backside as she ambled into the brush.
This group was kind enough to pose for a picture.
Well, all but the second guy from the left. He's camera shy.
Just a postcard shot I thought I'd share.
Tranquility is almost as cool as wildlife.
That's a llama.
He's easily the coolest thing I saw that day.
Sheeples!
A black sheeple.
Ducks! Have I mentioned that I love ducks?
The biggest, fattest ducks I've ever seen, actually.
This is my leg. I caught it fair and square.
It was a tough hunt and I'm tired now.
It probably doesn't taste good, but it makes a great pillow.
And finally, the closest I've managed to get to one of my local rabbits.
Friday, July 24, 2009
In My Travels Today...
This little guy was one of many animals I ran into today and I happened to have my camera.
He's a Ball Python, but just a little one. He's only about 18 inches long. I tried to hold him and take the picture, but I couldn't quite manage it.
This is Copper. He's just about the most lovable puppy ever. Also the muddiest.
I'd say it's a good thing I planned on doing laundry tonight.
Finally, this guy. Nothing special, really, just a frog (or perhaps a toad?). But I like frogs and toads. I saw him and he reminded me of the tree frogs I keep seeing in the cross-boxes that I work from. I've gotta try and get a picture of one of them...they're very cool.
Thursday, July 23, 2009
More Painting
Cap's nearly done. Touch ups on his stripes and fixed some slops on his arms and legs.
The shield looks better without the flash.
The pedestal with some final touches.
The skull that goes on the pedestal.
From another angle.
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
Progress
A coat of gloss grey on the base.
A coat of gloss red on Cap's gloves and boots. I set him up on the base just to see what he'll look like.
From another angle.
Gloss red on the pedestal. Set up for a look-see.
A first coat of gloss white on the shield.
I used a sharpie to outline the concentric circles.
Gloss black on the base.
Another angle.
Gloss black on one of Red Skull's gloves.
Gloss black on Red Skull's gloves and boots. Notice the extended finger on Skull's left hand. If you scroll down, you'll see the original version, where the finger was far too short.
A second coat of gloss red on Cap's gloves and boots.
Gloss red on the shield.
Steel drybrushed on the base.
Monday, July 20, 2009
What I've Been Up To
A little more painting over the last two nights. Sorry for the quality of some of the pix. Apparently I've forgotten how to use my camera!
Brown drybrushed over the black primer
Another angle.
Brown over the white primer on the unmasked parts of Cap's face.
Brown drybrushed on the extra skull (it goes on the pedestal between the two fighting figures).
Caucasian flesh tone drybrushed over the brown.
Red drybrushed on The Red Skull's...um...red skull.
Another angle.
Cap's eyes, ears, teeth and the red and white stripes (with black outlines) and the star on his uniform.
Another angle.
A first coat of darkened red on Cap's gloves and boots.
From farther away.
Another angle.
Red Skull's teeth. I think I remember how to use my camera, finally.
Brown drybrushed over the black primer
Another angle.
Brown over the white primer on the unmasked parts of Cap's face.
Brown drybrushed on the extra skull (it goes on the pedestal between the two fighting figures).
Caucasian flesh tone drybrushed over the brown.
Red drybrushed on The Red Skull's...um...red skull.
Another angle.
Cap's eyes, ears, teeth and the red and white stripes (with black outlines) and the star on his uniform.
Another angle.
A first coat of darkened red on Cap's gloves and boots.
From farther away.
Another angle.
Red Skull's teeth. I think I remember how to use my camera, finally.
Friday, July 17, 2009
Then, Workin' On My Model
The first coat of indigo blue on Cap (over the white primer).
The first coat of grey on the Red Skull (over the black primer).
Light grey drybrushed over the dark grey on Red Skull.
A second coat of indigo blue on Cap. Since all the shadows are going to come from the indigo blue, not the primer like Red Skull, I wanted a good solid coat. You can't see it too well, but there's also a coat of light grey on Cap's sleeves between his gloves and the blue part of his tunic.
Lightened indigo blue drybrushed over the indgo.
The first coat of grey on the Red Skull (over the black primer).
Light grey drybrushed over the dark grey on Red Skull.
A second coat of indigo blue on Cap. Since all the shadows are going to come from the indigo blue, not the primer like Red Skull, I wanted a good solid coat. You can't see it too well, but there's also a coat of light grey on Cap's sleeves between his gloves and the blue part of his tunic.
Lightened indigo blue drybrushed over the indgo.
First, A Couple of Captioned Cats
So, I did the 2 and 1/2 pike, like this, but lost points for the splash.
I really, really, really shouldn't have eaten all that.
Sunday, July 05, 2009
Attenborough Talks Singing and Sex
In the most recent installment of BBC's series of podcasts by David Attenborough, he talks about something we don't often associate with naturalism. Singing.
The evolutionary roots of singing run deep in humans, something we share with other members of the animal kingdom, like birds and another great ape, the Gibbon.
Oh and big surprise, it's all about sex.
Click here to check out the musical goodness.
The evolutionary roots of singing run deep in humans, something we share with other members of the animal kingdom, like birds and another great ape, the Gibbon.
Oh and big surprise, it's all about sex.
Click here to check out the musical goodness.
Sunday, June 28, 2009
Big Bird!
Attenborough's latest podcast is about the Roc, a not so legendary bird that once inhabited Madagascar and laid the largest recorded eggs.
Ostriches, Emus and Dinosaurs got nothin' on this breakfast special!
Click here to check it out!
Ostriches, Emus and Dinosaurs got nothin' on this breakfast special!
Click here to check it out!
Saturday, June 20, 2009
More From Attenborough, This Time The Platypus
Ok, some pretty heavy stuff has gone down here recently, so it's time to cleanse the palate a little.
Nothin' better for cleansing the palate than a Duck-Billed Platypus. I love the platypus...it's nature's Rube-Goldberg device.
Click here to go to a page where you can listen to David Attenborough talking about the platypus.
Awesome.
Nothin' better for cleansing the palate than a Duck-Billed Platypus. I love the platypus...it's nature's Rube-Goldberg device.
Click here to go to a page where you can listen to David Attenborough talking about the platypus.
Awesome.
Thursday, June 18, 2009
Bankrupt!
Well, I signed everything and that's that. I'm now officially bankrupt. Don't owe a dime to anyone.
Sadly, that doesn't change the current financial landscape much in "real" terms for me. Since I was barely keeping my head above water as it was, I wasn't able to make payments to my creditors anyhow, so the only "real" difference now is that I'm no longer obligated to make the payments that I wasn't making already...
Sigh.
At least from this point on, things can only get better!
Sadly, that doesn't change the current financial landscape much in "real" terms for me. Since I was barely keeping my head above water as it was, I wasn't able to make payments to my creditors anyhow, so the only "real" difference now is that I'm no longer obligated to make the payments that I wasn't making already...
Sigh.
At least from this point on, things can only get better!
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
For the Want of $8800
As most of you already know, the failure of Greybishop's Books has put me in an untenable financial position. I owe far more than I can realistically hope to pay back, leaving me no choice but to swallow the bitter pill of bankruptcy.
For those that have never experienced this, it is fairly simple in terms of the process. The bankruptcy trustee tallies up what you owe, figures out what you are worth and takes all that to court to have you declared bankrupt. At that point, creditors can only demand their share of whatever your net worth is and no more. Once that is paid, you're free and clear, with the tiny trouble of ZERO credit and no chance of getting any for seven years.
My "net worth" amounts to the equity I've built in my home (minus some penalties and fees) which works out to a tidy sum of $8800. That's what I have to pay the trustee, one way or another. If I can't come up with the cash, then there's no choice but to sell the house and get the money that way.
Sadly, I think that is the only option open to me, since there's not much chance of me coming up with $8800 any time soon.
The bankruptcy would be MUCH easier to cope with if I didn't have to add moving to the mix, but there it is.
I'll keep you posted.
For those that have never experienced this, it is fairly simple in terms of the process. The bankruptcy trustee tallies up what you owe, figures out what you are worth and takes all that to court to have you declared bankrupt. At that point, creditors can only demand their share of whatever your net worth is and no more. Once that is paid, you're free and clear, with the tiny trouble of ZERO credit and no chance of getting any for seven years.
My "net worth" amounts to the equity I've built in my home (minus some penalties and fees) which works out to a tidy sum of $8800. That's what I have to pay the trustee, one way or another. If I can't come up with the cash, then there's no choice but to sell the house and get the money that way.
Sadly, I think that is the only option open to me, since there's not much chance of me coming up with $8800 any time soon.
The bankruptcy would be MUCH easier to cope with if I didn't have to add moving to the mix, but there it is.
I'll keep you posted.
Tuesday, June 09, 2009
I, Too, Should Like To Return As A Sloth
[Open fake British accent]
I recommend to you, dear reader, this link to a podcast of Sir David Attenborough speaking about the marvelously sedentary existence of the Three-Toed Sloth. It times at just under 10 minutes long and (if nothing else) will give you cause to appreciate the fine art of the nap.
Enjoy!
Sir David will be recording 20 of these 10 minute broadcasts upon a variety of subjects and I shall do my utmost to provide timely links to each one.
[Close fake British accent]
I recommend to you, dear reader, this link to a podcast of Sir David Attenborough speaking about the marvelously sedentary existence of the Three-Toed Sloth. It times at just under 10 minutes long and (if nothing else) will give you cause to appreciate the fine art of the nap.
Enjoy!
Sir David will be recording 20 of these 10 minute broadcasts upon a variety of subjects and I shall do my utmost to provide timely links to each one.
[Close fake British accent]
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
Telescopes Don't Get Ticker-Tape Parades...
...but anyone who has experienced the Hubble Ultra Deep Field photograph (I say "experienced" because to say one has "seen" it is simply too small a concept) would agree that the Hubble Telescope truly deserves one.
While newer technology in earthbound telescopes has in some ways outstripped the Hubble, no piece of space based technology has ever captured the public's imagination the way Hubble has. It's not about the adventure, the way the Apollo missions were, nor the science the way the International Space Station is. Hubble is (for us earthbound laypeople, at least) about the sheer beauty and grandeur of the universe we live in. It is also the only piece of technology that we have that truly lets us see the scope of the universe.
Sadly, the current mission to resuscitate the aging telescope is the last one planned. Once the current upgrades and repairs start to fail, Hubble's life will come to an end, likely in a fiery plunge into the Pacific Ocean.
Before that happens, however, Hubble is sure to bring us some more staggeringly stunning imagery over the next few years.
From CNN.com today:
The space shuttle Atlantis captured the Hubble Space Telescope with its robotic arm Wednesday, paving the way for astronauts to begin repairing the orbiting observatory.
Using views from a remote camera, Mission Specialist K. Megan McArthur lowered Hubble into a cradle in Atlantis' cargo bay, according to NASA. The telescope will then be latched to the rotating, lazy Susan-type device for five days of servicing work.
An umbilical line will be remotely connected to provide electrical power from Atlantis to the telescope, NASA said. Mission commander Scott Altman also will position the shuttle to allow Hubble's solar arrays to gather energy from the sun and recharge the telescope's batteries.
The robotic-arm operation completed a delicate dance for the shuttle crew, involving periodic firings of the shuttle's thrusters to align it with the space telescope -- all of this taking place about 350 miles above Earth.
The crew plans to perform five spacewalks to refurbish and upgrade the telescope's equipment. The first spacewalk is scheduled for Thursday.
Atlantis launched Monday afternoon for NASA's fifth and final repair visit to the telescope. It has been seven years since NASA's last mission to service the Hubble, which was designed to go about three years between fixes.
While newer technology in earthbound telescopes has in some ways outstripped the Hubble, no piece of space based technology has ever captured the public's imagination the way Hubble has. It's not about the adventure, the way the Apollo missions were, nor the science the way the International Space Station is. Hubble is (for us earthbound laypeople, at least) about the sheer beauty and grandeur of the universe we live in. It is also the only piece of technology that we have that truly lets us see the scope of the universe.
Sadly, the current mission to resuscitate the aging telescope is the last one planned. Once the current upgrades and repairs start to fail, Hubble's life will come to an end, likely in a fiery plunge into the Pacific Ocean.
Before that happens, however, Hubble is sure to bring us some more staggeringly stunning imagery over the next few years.
From CNN.com today:
The space shuttle Atlantis captured the Hubble Space Telescope with its robotic arm Wednesday, paving the way for astronauts to begin repairing the orbiting observatory.
Using views from a remote camera, Mission Specialist K. Megan McArthur lowered Hubble into a cradle in Atlantis' cargo bay, according to NASA. The telescope will then be latched to the rotating, lazy Susan-type device for five days of servicing work.
An umbilical line will be remotely connected to provide electrical power from Atlantis to the telescope, NASA said. Mission commander Scott Altman also will position the shuttle to allow Hubble's solar arrays to gather energy from the sun and recharge the telescope's batteries.
The robotic-arm operation completed a delicate dance for the shuttle crew, involving periodic firings of the shuttle's thrusters to align it with the space telescope -- all of this taking place about 350 miles above Earth.
The crew plans to perform five spacewalks to refurbish and upgrade the telescope's equipment. The first spacewalk is scheduled for Thursday.
Atlantis launched Monday afternoon for NASA's fifth and final repair visit to the telescope. It has been seven years since NASA's last mission to service the Hubble, which was designed to go about three years between fixes.
Horsing Around.
One of the places I visited today was a small horse ranch. As I fixed the phone, I noticed this beauty out in the field and the owner was kind enough to bring her in to pose for some pix. Check out the striking markings on her right in these:
And on her left:
And while the contrast isn't as high, her tan and white friend was equally pretty.
You don't get much opportunity to see stuff like this in a bookstore.
And on her left:
And while the contrast isn't as high, her tan and white friend was equally pretty.
You don't get much opportunity to see stuff like this in a bookstore.
Monday, May 11, 2009
Watch the Birdies!
One of my jobs today took me to a country home where they keep ducks, chickens, geese and even 3 cows! All in a backyard around the size of my entire property. I love ducks! This is a picture of their newest acquisition, some chicks, including two geese (the white ones).
Have I mentioned I love ducks?
Ducks!
And a little closer to home, Ms. Robin under my front door awning has been busy! Three little bundles of avian joy arrived in the last few days. Hopefully this time more than one will make it past the baby stage!
Have I mentioned I love ducks?
Ducks!
And a little closer to home, Ms. Robin under my front door awning has been busy! Three little bundles of avian joy arrived in the last few days. Hopefully this time more than one will make it past the baby stage!
Thursday, May 07, 2009
LOST Chat at TVGasm
Hey folks!
I don't know how many of you check out my weekly chat with Flipit over at TVGasm, but for those that are interested, there has been a change.
NowLive.com no longer supports unpaid shows like ours, so we're moving. The new spot will be at a site called blogtalkradio.com and the show is moving to Monday night for the remainder of this season's run.
I'm not sure if you need to be a member or not in order to listen in, but the shows are fully downloadable once they're in the can, so it might be worth signing up.
On a sidenote, I'll be doing my own weekly show about comic book movies and such from the same site, so keep an eye out at the blog for updates soon.
I don't know how many of you check out my weekly chat with Flipit over at TVGasm, but for those that are interested, there has been a change.
NowLive.com no longer supports unpaid shows like ours, so we're moving. The new spot will be at a site called blogtalkradio.com and the show is moving to Monday night for the remainder of this season's run.
I'm not sure if you need to be a member or not in order to listen in, but the shows are fully downloadable once they're in the can, so it might be worth signing up.
On a sidenote, I'll be doing my own weekly show about comic book movies and such from the same site, so keep an eye out at the blog for updates soon.
Tuesday, May 05, 2009
NowLive,gone
It seems that the folks at NowLive.com have decided to stop supporting free podcasting.
Now, I'm all for free enterprise, but they have my e-mail and never bothered to inform me of the change until I went to do my podcast this evening.
So, pardon my French, fuck them.
Anyhow, I did the podcast as a straight mp3, which you can download (it's tiny) by clicking here.
This week I focused on the just greenlit Wolverine sequel and my shock at learning that a Solomon Kane film is not only in the works, but mainly completed!
I will do some research for another alternative this week.
Enjoy the show!
Now, I'm all for free enterprise, but they have my e-mail and never bothered to inform me of the change until I went to do my podcast this evening.
So, pardon my French, fuck them.
Anyhow, I did the podcast as a straight mp3, which you can download (it's tiny) by clicking here.
This week I focused on the just greenlit Wolverine sequel and my shock at learning that a Solomon Kane film is not only in the works, but mainly completed!
I will do some research for another alternative this week.
Enjoy the show!
Friday, May 01, 2009
Whetting the Appetite
Here's the first look at not this summer, but NEXT summer's big blockbuster, Iron Man II. I can't wait! Behind Tony, we see the Prototype, the Mark I, the Mark II and possibly a battle armour or maybe an undersea version of the suit. Multiple suits means that War Machine is probably going to get to suit up too, which is AWESOME.
And here we have Megan Fox on the set of Jonah Hex, playing...er...I have no idea who she's playing, and frankly I don't care, so long as she wears that outfit (or less) throughout the movie.
And here we have Megan Fox on the set of Jonah Hex, playing...er...I have no idea who she's playing, and frankly I don't care, so long as she wears that outfit (or less) throughout the movie.
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
Wild Life in the Front Yard
It's Wabbit season! This little guy (and/or his brothers and sisters) has been hanging around again this year.
Last year, Mama Robin nested under my back porch awning, this year, she chose a spot under the front porch awning. Makes it easier to watch her...
...and she's definitely being watched!
Last year, Mama Robin nested under my back porch awning, this year, she chose a spot under the front porch awning. Makes it easier to watch her...
...and she's definitely being watched!
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
Sunday, April 12, 2009
More Mindless Filing
So, while I watched Fringe, I had my files out and took a few layers of putty off Captain America and Red Skull. I then glued and puttied on their heads and Skull's hands.
What's wrong with this picture? Skull's forefinger is a wee bit too short. I shall have to rectify that before priming him.
And with the figures complete it's decision time. Here's how they want you to lay out the model.
So, like this:
Strangely, the suggested layout turns BOTH faces largely away from the viewer. While the backdrop is quite neat, I've decided that it has to go, allowing me to display the piece from the "back" or perhaps from an oblique angle, where the faces are. I might cut the backdrop down and use a shorter version, but more likely I'll just ditch it.
That piece of equipment in the foreground of this view will stay. You can't see it very well on the box, but there's a skull and a clear container that goes around the skull which sits on the pedestal. It's worth keeping since it doesn't block the figures.
I've also decided that since I've NEVER seen Captain America wearing his shield on his right arm, I'm going to fill in the hole on his right arm and mount the shield on his left, so he'll have clocked Red Skull with more than just his fist. Further, since this view will show the backside of the shield, I'll have to mold some "leather" straps from "Green Stuff" to create the illusion of functionality.
That's all for now. A little more filing and I'll be ready to prime. Given the numerous folds and creases on the figures, I'll probably end up doing more filing after I prime, since I've likely missed a few rough patches that the paint will highlight.
What's wrong with this picture? Skull's forefinger is a wee bit too short. I shall have to rectify that before priming him.
And with the figures complete it's decision time. Here's how they want you to lay out the model.
So, like this:
Strangely, the suggested layout turns BOTH faces largely away from the viewer. While the backdrop is quite neat, I've decided that it has to go, allowing me to display the piece from the "back" or perhaps from an oblique angle, where the faces are. I might cut the backdrop down and use a shorter version, but more likely I'll just ditch it.
That piece of equipment in the foreground of this view will stay. You can't see it very well on the box, but there's a skull and a clear container that goes around the skull which sits on the pedestal. It's worth keeping since it doesn't block the figures.
I've also decided that since I've NEVER seen Captain America wearing his shield on his right arm, I'm going to fill in the hole on his right arm and mount the shield on his left, so he'll have clocked Red Skull with more than just his fist. Further, since this view will show the backside of the shield, I'll have to mold some "leather" straps from "Green Stuff" to create the illusion of functionality.
That's all for now. A little more filing and I'll be ready to prime. Given the numerous folds and creases on the figures, I'll probably end up doing more filing after I prime, since I've likely missed a few rough patches that the paint will highlight.
Friday, April 10, 2009
Putty and Glue
Red Skull with his joints puttied and glued together. I've left his head off to allow me to file the puttied joints more easily.
Captain America with his joints puttied and glued. He's headless for the same reason as the Red Skull.
Captain America with his joints puttied and glued. He's headless for the same reason as the Red Skull.
Sunday, April 05, 2009
Filing
I spent the evening filing Cap and the Skull. Mindless work, one of the few parts of a model build that I can do while watching TV. M*A*S*H goes great with model building!
Sunday Hobby Stuff
I got a sweet deal on this kit a while back. $1.99 plus $6.00 for shipping. I couldn't pass that up. It retailed for $19.99 when it came out in 1997 or so.
The parts for the base.
The parts for the Red Skull.
Trimmed out of the trees and checked for fit.
The first stage of construction of the Red Skull, putty and glue. It's not obvious, but the two halves of Red Skull's legs and one of his boots barely fit together. It took quite a bit of putty, glue and some creative technique to achieve a proper fit. Even the "well fit" parts require quite a bit of putty to cover the seams.
The parts for Captain America.
Trimmed out of the trees and checked for fit.
Stage one of construction of Captain America, putty and glue. The fit is better on the Captain America parts than the Red Skull parts, but Cap still required quite a bit of putty to cover the seams.
Drying time. Next step is to putty and glue the parts into two figures. Then I have to decide if I like the positions of the figures as they are placed. I may change the layout a bit before I place them. Once I decide on that, then I paint the base. Painting the figures and then gluing them in place are the last stages.
The parts for the base.
The parts for the Red Skull.
Trimmed out of the trees and checked for fit.
The first stage of construction of the Red Skull, putty and glue. It's not obvious, but the two halves of Red Skull's legs and one of his boots barely fit together. It took quite a bit of putty, glue and some creative technique to achieve a proper fit. Even the "well fit" parts require quite a bit of putty to cover the seams.
The parts for Captain America.
Trimmed out of the trees and checked for fit.
Stage one of construction of Captain America, putty and glue. The fit is better on the Captain America parts than the Red Skull parts, but Cap still required quite a bit of putty to cover the seams.
Drying time. Next step is to putty and glue the parts into two figures. Then I have to decide if I like the positions of the figures as they are placed. I may change the layout a bit before I place them. Once I decide on that, then I paint the base. Painting the figures and then gluing them in place are the last stages.
Thursday, April 02, 2009
My new job in the sky!
Below you'll find four videos showing you one of the more unusual parts of my new job.
DO NOT TRY THIS YOURSELF. THIS IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS WITHOUT PROPER TRAINING AND APPROPRIATE SAFETY EQUIPMENT.
DO NOT TRY THIS YOURSELF. THIS IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS WITHOUT PROPER TRAINING AND APPROPRIATE SAFETY EQUIPMENT.
Wednesday, April 01, 2009
R.I.P. Lorne
I am deeply saddened to report the death of a celebrity who would only be familiar to Buffy/Angel fans. Andy Hallett, who played Lorne the green demon on Angel has died.
From yahoo.ca:
An agent for 33-year-old singer and actor Andy Hallett says the former cast member from the vampire TV series "Angel" has died of congestive heart disease.
Hallett's agent Pat Brady says Hallett died Sunday at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles after having problems breathing. Brady says he has battled the heart condition for the past five years.
Hallett was a fan favourite on the "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" spinoff as Lorne, a green-skinned good guy demon who runs a karaoke club and can read a person's aura when they sing.
The show ran five seasons on the WB network and ended in 2004.
Hallett, an only child, is survived by his father Dave Hallett and mother Lori Hallett.
Goodbye Andy and thank you for being you, you horny devil.
There's No Place like Plrtz Glrb.
From yahoo.ca:
An agent for 33-year-old singer and actor Andy Hallett says the former cast member from the vampire TV series "Angel" has died of congestive heart disease.
Hallett's agent Pat Brady says Hallett died Sunday at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles after having problems breathing. Brady says he has battled the heart condition for the past five years.
Hallett was a fan favourite on the "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" spinoff as Lorne, a green-skinned good guy demon who runs a karaoke club and can read a person's aura when they sing.
The show ran five seasons on the WB network and ended in 2004.
Hallett, an only child, is survived by his father Dave Hallett and mother Lori Hallett.
Goodbye Andy and thank you for being you, you horny devil.
There's No Place like Plrtz Glrb.
Monday, March 23, 2009
Apologies
For those who are here looking for LOST recaps, I must apologize. I started a four week training course for my new job two weeks and one day ago and I simply have had no brain power left for LOST recaps since.
I'm still doing the radio show with Flipit, but last week's show went belly up due to technical problems. This week, we plan a double to cover everything.
Sorry for the delay. Once my training is over and I'm on regular work, with any luck I'll be able to get back to recapping as usual. No promises though. It's shift work and I'm new guy, lowest on the seniority list, so I'll get the worst shifts and that might make recapping tough.
As with everyone, earning a living must come first. I've got cats to feed!
I'm still doing the radio show with Flipit, but last week's show went belly up due to technical problems. This week, we plan a double to cover everything.
Sorry for the delay. Once my training is over and I'm on regular work, with any luck I'll be able to get back to recapping as usual. No promises though. It's shift work and I'm new guy, lowest on the seniority list, so I'll get the worst shifts and that might make recapping tough.
As with everyone, earning a living must come first. I've got cats to feed!
Sunday, March 08, 2009
Kepler Launches Without a Hitch
The Kepler space probe, designed to scour deep space for earth-like planets has launched without a hitch.
I am proud to say that a little piece of me went with it. When Kepler launched, it carried with it a DVD copy of messages from people like us.
When this message is found and translated, I will be long dead, long dust. Those reading it will be as different from I as I am from the first humans who harnessed fire, perhaps even more so.
Yet for all our differences, we share something; the longing to know.
The longing to know what is over the rise, across the water, past the moon, beyond the stars.
For this reason we commit this craft to the cold void of space, in the hope of finding other planets like our own and perhaps to one day make contact with beings like ourselves.
It is even remotely possible that this message is reaching just such a being and not the long distant progeny of the third planet of the star we call Sol.
I wish I could offer this greeting in person, whoever you are, wherever you come from.
In a small way this message and the ones with it offer a measure of immortality. Not for myself, nor even those I know, but for the entire race. By the time this message is retrieved and translated, not only will I be long dead and long dust, but the civilization that I know shall also be long past extinct.
I offer my tiny voice from the past to an unimaginable future.
If the technology exists to find this archive on this tiny craft in the vastness of space, I envy just how much more is known and knowable now. As of the writing of this message, we have not found a world that could reasonably be expected to cradle life like our own. We are barely able to send members of our species as far as our local satellite, let alone far enough to find and retrieve this craft at the distance it is now.
I envy a future free of those limitations.
With a limit on the number of words each person can send, the messages on this craft are too short to say much.
Why go to the trouble of sending so few words across the ages?
If that long dead ancestor of mine struggling to harness the power of fire had been able to send a short message across the centuries, the text of that message, the heft of those ancient words would mean more to me than all the artifacts dug by all the archeologists in history. I would treasure them beyond all things.
As it is, we scrabble in the dirt, piecing together a picture of what that long dead ancestor did with his life and by extension what might have been important to him and what he might have thought.
This archive and the messages it holds are our precious gift to you. These voices you have found in the cosmic wilderness offer you something more than just guesses about our thoughts, our hopes, our lives.
Listen to the voices. Treasure them.
They offer you the opportunity to know.
James Richardson, Homo sapiens, Sol III.
Friday, March 06, 2009
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