March 28, 2008
Hiatus.... Again
Well friends and readers I hate to say this but I may need to swing into Hiatus mode for a couple of weeks. We have 6 weeks left of courses here at Penn State and I am beginning to feel the pressure, and it only gets worse for the next semester then it gets better. I have a lot of work to do and that has contributed to my lack of posts, I mean right now it is 12:43am in the morning EST and I am typing out a post. I really hope to get back to posting regular stuff soon, but until then I may need a break to catch up on stuff or complete things. Time... it's more valueable than money sometimes.
My First Brawl Tournament
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Penn State Berks held a Super Smash Bros Brawl tournament hosted by my RA's boyfriend. We had about 60 some people (probably more around 70-80) in attendance tonight with 22 teams of two inside a bracket tournament. I got paired up with a friend of mine and we ended up around 10th place out of 22, which isn't bad I suppose.
I played as King Dedede and Captain Falcon my first and second rounds, respectively (double elimination). My partner, another team and I left the tournament when we all got knocked out so I am not sure who won, but we went up onto another floor and played a few private games of Brawl to cool down.
Suprisingly the contest was held in a very organized fashion, and when I lost my controller in the beginning of the tournament someone was polite enough to turn it in, and I got it back. From now on I will be marking my controllers in some way. I had fun, and I got to see how some people fought really well: there was a Falco/Ike team, a Lucas/Lucas team and a Pit/Lucario team that were all really good and challenging.
I think this event was good for me to go to: I got to have fun with people I didn't know over something we all love: there were organized teams there (people who play and train together daily) that played beautifully. I hope to register for another Brawl tournament soon, and I am sure there will be no shortage of Brawl tournaments for my entire college career (There were melee tournaments prior to the release of Brawl!). Roughly 2.5% of the college campus population showed up to the event.
Part 2
Part 3
Penn State Berks held a Super Smash Bros Brawl tournament hosted by my RA's boyfriend. We had about 60 some people (probably more around 70-80) in attendance tonight with 22 teams of two inside a bracket tournament. I got paired up with a friend of mine and we ended up around 10th place out of 22, which isn't bad I suppose.
I played as King Dedede and Captain Falcon my first and second rounds, respectively (double elimination). My partner, another team and I left the tournament when we all got knocked out so I am not sure who won, but we went up onto another floor and played a few private games of Brawl to cool down.
Suprisingly the contest was held in a very organized fashion, and when I lost my controller in the beginning of the tournament someone was polite enough to turn it in, and I got it back. From now on I will be marking my controllers in some way. I had fun, and I got to see how some people fought really well: there was a Falco/Ike team, a Lucas/Lucas team and a Pit/Lucario team that were all really good and challenging.
I think this event was good for me to go to: I got to have fun with people I didn't know over something we all love: there were organized teams there (people who play and train together daily) that played beautifully. I hope to register for another Brawl tournament soon, and I am sure there will be no shortage of Brawl tournaments for my entire college career (There were melee tournaments prior to the release of Brawl!). Roughly 2.5% of the college campus population showed up to the event.
March 27, 2008
A Clever Option- Using the Plague to Stimulate Anime Growth
It seems like a great partnership: anime companies such as Gonzo are ready to team up with crunchyroll.com, which will become a popular stop for many websurfers in order to distribute high quality anime for a good fee. I like the brains behind this idea because the anime industry is changing and adapting to the times, just like I suggested in my previous article about the anime industry crisis. That doesn't mean that I am justifying crunchyroll.com, though.
For years crunchyroll.com has provided and streamed free anime that has been destroying the sales within the anime industry. It seems that a few very intelligent people have found a way to still make money through what could have been considered the death to anime. Companies like Bandai and Funimation claimed that sites such as crunchyroll.com would be the death of the industry, and they are absoloutly correct. They have every right to believe and say that with a valid point, however unless they themselves change then they will begin to lose money. Now only if anime viewers agreed to pay that "fee" and get the high quality stuff... but if you think about problems down the line, say in 2 or more years infrastructures to sites such as Youtube.com and Veoh.com will allow for a higher quality streaming video, allowing fans to post higher quality anime that they paid for "for others".
The plan sounds like a temporary fix in the short run, and at least the industry can bask in this idea for a little while. I am still going to go out and support my writers.
March 25, 2008
Havn't Given Up the Cobra Yet!
Although I have taken a break from spending my cash lately, I still have not given up on the Cobra potato gun. Instead I am designing a more compact system through Solidworks, and here is how far I have gotten. Using the Sweep/Loft technology of Solidworks I can now make those 3 to 2 inch or 3 to 1 inch converters that I need. I need to finish the reservoir, possibly the schrader valve, make a projectile, a sabot, maybe move some planes out and make hooks for a shoulder strap! If I find out that I can make water guns through Solidworks, I am going to die of happiness.
March 20, 2008
Wear your Wrist Strap!
This is exactly why, if you are a Nintendo Wii owner that you need to wear your controller's wrist strap and not throw the thing around like a missile. I use my controllers without a strap, but I don't throw them around like these folk.
March 14, 2008
Update on Super Smash Bros. Online Issues
A couple of posts ago I made a post regarding information about trying to get online with Super Smash Bros Brawl. I wanted to further extend that information.
It has been confirmed that there are indeed problems on Nintendo's end. If you are getting kicked or are just getting plain error messages, and your internet settings are correct, there is a 98% chance it is Nintendo's fault. So many gamers are trying to get into the online service that the "extras" are booted out of a session and you need to re-connect to your Wifi service (through brawl). Again, it is the equivalent of fitting my entire college campus (3,000+ people) into an inflatable kiddie pool: it's just not going to happen.
I have had my share of luck though- and the only way to brawl online (other than the friend code thing) is to keep trying. I have tried around 75 times and got in around 33% of the time. Here are some more statistics I have gathered from watching the spectator mode and playing in brawls online:
How many games had some medium to heavy lag? 4.
How many games had unbearable lag that shut you out? 3.
How many total games had some degree of lag? 7.
How many total online games have you played to date? 25.
How many different groups did you play with? 15.
How many gamers did you watch online and record data for? 181.
Brawl Gamer (Character) Preference (WARNING! Character Revealing SPOILERS!) Highlight the text to see the data:
Ike
14
Snake
14
Link
14
Pikachu
11
Lucas
11
Meta Knight
11
Kirby
10
Ness
9
Samus
7
Luigi
7
Pit
7
Lucario
6
Dedede
6
Sonic
6
Marth
5
Mario
5
Peach
4
Zelda
4
Falco
4
Fox
3
PK Trainer
3
Yoshi
3
Bowser
3
Wario
3
C. Falcon
3
Olimar
2
Ice Climbers
2
Mario
2
Diddy Kong
1
Gannondorf
1
Donkey Kong
0
Toon Link
0
To accuratly represent how many games of lag I had, it is important to note that most Brawls will occur with different groups: people dropping out and coming in have a significant impact on the data, and although I can go with how many games I played, it is more accurate to use the different groups I played in to get a more accurate number through a formula.
7/15= (.466)(100)= expect 46.6% of online brawls to have lag at registration time.
7/25= (.280)(100)= expect 28.0% of online brawls to have lag, including a continuation of games with a "non-laggy" group.
I thought this data would be handy for those looking into the problem and for potential European players. Quote from the Canadian Press:
"And so far, a lot of players, this one included, can't get the multiplayer portion of Super Smash Bros. Brawl to work at all. We're in the early going — four days of playing as of this writing — but not one of my roughly 50 attempts to get into an online session has been successful. I can watch replays of other people playing using the game's "spectator" feature, but that is neither super nor smashing."
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20080313.wgtgaming0313/BNStory/Technology/columnists
It has been confirmed that there are indeed problems on Nintendo's end. If you are getting kicked or are just getting plain error messages, and your internet settings are correct, there is a 98% chance it is Nintendo's fault. So many gamers are trying to get into the online service that the "extras" are booted out of a session and you need to re-connect to your Wifi service (through brawl). Again, it is the equivalent of fitting my entire college campus (3,000+ people) into an inflatable kiddie pool: it's just not going to happen.
I have had my share of luck though- and the only way to brawl online (other than the friend code thing) is to keep trying. I have tried around 75 times and got in around 33% of the time. Here are some more statistics I have gathered from watching the spectator mode and playing in brawls online:
How many games had some medium to heavy lag? 4.
How many games had unbearable lag that shut you out? 3.
How many total games had some degree of lag? 7.
How many total online games have you played to date? 25.
How many different groups did you play with? 15.
How many gamers did you watch online and record data for? 181.
Brawl Gamer (Character) Preference (WARNING! Character Revealing SPOILERS!) Highlight the text to see the data:
Ike
14
Snake
14
Link
14
Pikachu
11
Lucas
11
Meta Knight
11
Kirby
10
Ness
9
Samus
7
Luigi
7
Pit
7
Lucario
6
Dedede
6
Sonic
6
Marth
5
Mario
5
Peach
4
Zelda
4
Falco
4
Fox
3
PK Trainer
3
Yoshi
3
Bowser
3
Wario
3
C. Falcon
3
Olimar
2
Ice Climbers
2
Mario
2
Diddy Kong
1
Gannondorf
1
Donkey Kong
0
Toon Link
0
To accuratly represent how many games of lag I had, it is important to note that most Brawls will occur with different groups: people dropping out and coming in have a significant impact on the data, and although I can go with how many games I played, it is more accurate to use the different groups I played in to get a more accurate number through a formula.
7/15= (.466)(100)= expect 46.6% of online brawls to have lag at registration time.
7/25= (.280)(100)= expect 28.0% of online brawls to have lag, including a continuation of games with a "non-laggy" group.
I thought this data would be handy for those looking into the problem and for potential European players. Quote from the Canadian Press:
"And so far, a lot of players, this one included, can't get the multiplayer portion of Super Smash Bros. Brawl to work at all. We're in the early going — four days of playing as of this writing — but not one of my roughly 50 attempts to get into an online session has been successful. I can watch replays of other people playing using the game's "spectator" feature, but that is neither super nor smashing."
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20080313.wgtgaming0313/BNStory/Technology/columnists
March 12, 2008
Anime Lovers: Here is Something to be Worried About
I have been reading around lately on the current condition of the anime market outside of Japan and things are not looking too good for both the industry and fans.
Illegal Downloading (Piracy) has shown a $200 million loss from 2006 to 2007 for the industry, forcing Geneon out of the business and leaving many titles unfinished (Higurashi No Naku Koro Ni). Companies simply cannot keep up with the costs to dub and distribute anime titles over in the USA. There may not be a waning in the amount of anime fans but there has been a wane in the purchase of DVDs.
DVD sales are the backbone of sales for distributors and the eventually the creators. Liscensed products such as figures and apparel are only helping to bandage the loss in DVD sales, and truly it is the art of purchasing a DVD that supports and helps the anime industry to flourish and produce more works. Let's face reality: you may have a great story to tell the world, however if you cannot market it and make money from the release then there is no point in sharing anime with the world.
In short, piracy is ruining the anime industry and is killing off not only potential titles but is reducing the library of available titles each year to a select few. Simply put, fewer and fewer titles are showing up on store shelves and it has me concerned that the industry will not bounce back if ADV films forfeits it's stake in the industry. In fact, if that were so then the industry can suffer a blow that it will probably not ever recover from, and the only way to get anime titles will be to pirate them.
People tell me because of this exact reason that piracy is the answer. It isn't, and it is only killing the industry more and more. If I ever watched a fansub and liked an anime title, I supported the author by going out and purchasing DVDs when they were released, despite some rising costs. I agree with the statement that a fansub is a good way to preview an anime, but going to the trouble of saving an entire series on your computer and not buying the DVDs is stealing from the industry and fellow anime fans. Anime fans get the end of the shaft because they are beginning to see titles disappear from shelves as sales decline.
I never buy pirated work (ever since I got jipped on a box set) and I always support the creators for their hard work. As painful as it is for fans, both the industry and the fans need to change in order for the industry to survive. Fans need to stop downloading illegally (downloading illegally is defined as downloading a title, keeping it and not supporting a writer), but at the same time I recognize that the industry needs to expand to many other places because there are a few thousand fans off on that remote island, too. Singapore, Indonesia, and many other countries have legions of anime fans that desire better quality out of their purchases.
But then I hear the arguement that "I don't have access to anime because I 1) cant afford it, 2) I don't have access to it that easily.
I don't want to sound like I am a hard knocker or anything, but I cannot afford anime titles either, especially with the economic recession and my unemployment at the moment. As much as it pains me in the wallet, I plan on supporting my anime creators and distributors when I have the chance. I decided back in 2005 that I wanted some stuff of my own earned with my own money, so I set out to get a job. In 2003 I started my own personal lawn care business and made $500 for the summer, (hehe tax free too!). I went above and beyond my normal laziness for the anime and manga that I loved.
A lot of other peeps also cite that since they don't have access to anime that easily (for those of you in Singapore, Indonesia, etc) that fansubs are the only alternative. I have no clear answer or arguement to that point since economic situations vary between countries and so does the situations with the anime industry. I firmly oppose Odex's decision to crack down on illegal downloaders for the sole reason that they had no right to crack down on illegal downloaders when they were putting out crap. I do however, agree that crackdowns on large downloading (torrents, etc) was in the right direction. But then this contradicts everything I just said about trying out an anime series, and herein lies the problem.
Ultimatly it is up to us, the consumers and them, the anime industry giants to make changes and cooperate. Ultimatly, the mesage I want (you) the reader to get out of this post is that you should think about your actions prior to any interest or activity in pirating, because in this niche market Piracy is killing the anime industry. It is also the job of the industry to take risks and further expand their markets while taking advantage of fandubs. Boosting quality is a good start, and heck if it is worth the money I do not mind, as an anime viewer to purchase DVDs for a couple more bucks. Paying $300-400 a box is not my idea of fun, though. The decision is largely up to us, the fans: please support the industry because once it's gone, new anime will be gone outside of Japan.
Illegal Downloading (Piracy) has shown a $200 million loss from 2006 to 2007 for the industry, forcing Geneon out of the business and leaving many titles unfinished (Higurashi No Naku Koro Ni). Companies simply cannot keep up with the costs to dub and distribute anime titles over in the USA. There may not be a waning in the amount of anime fans but there has been a wane in the purchase of DVDs.
DVD sales are the backbone of sales for distributors and the eventually the creators. Liscensed products such as figures and apparel are only helping to bandage the loss in DVD sales, and truly it is the art of purchasing a DVD that supports and helps the anime industry to flourish and produce more works. Let's face reality: you may have a great story to tell the world, however if you cannot market it and make money from the release then there is no point in sharing anime with the world.
In short, piracy is ruining the anime industry and is killing off not only potential titles but is reducing the library of available titles each year to a select few. Simply put, fewer and fewer titles are showing up on store shelves and it has me concerned that the industry will not bounce back if ADV films forfeits it's stake in the industry. In fact, if that were so then the industry can suffer a blow that it will probably not ever recover from, and the only way to get anime titles will be to pirate them.
People tell me because of this exact reason that piracy is the answer. It isn't, and it is only killing the industry more and more. If I ever watched a fansub and liked an anime title, I supported the author by going out and purchasing DVDs when they were released, despite some rising costs. I agree with the statement that a fansub is a good way to preview an anime, but going to the trouble of saving an entire series on your computer and not buying the DVDs is stealing from the industry and fellow anime fans. Anime fans get the end of the shaft because they are beginning to see titles disappear from shelves as sales decline.
I never buy pirated work (ever since I got jipped on a box set) and I always support the creators for their hard work. As painful as it is for fans, both the industry and the fans need to change in order for the industry to survive. Fans need to stop downloading illegally (downloading illegally is defined as downloading a title, keeping it and not supporting a writer), but at the same time I recognize that the industry needs to expand to many other places because there are a few thousand fans off on that remote island, too. Singapore, Indonesia, and many other countries have legions of anime fans that desire better quality out of their purchases.
But then I hear the arguement that "I don't have access to anime because I 1) cant afford it, 2) I don't have access to it that easily.
I don't want to sound like I am a hard knocker or anything, but I cannot afford anime titles either, especially with the economic recession and my unemployment at the moment. As much as it pains me in the wallet, I plan on supporting my anime creators and distributors when I have the chance. I decided back in 2005 that I wanted some stuff of my own earned with my own money, so I set out to get a job. In 2003 I started my own personal lawn care business and made $500 for the summer, (hehe tax free too!). I went above and beyond my normal laziness for the anime and manga that I loved.
A lot of other peeps also cite that since they don't have access to anime that easily (for those of you in Singapore, Indonesia, etc) that fansubs are the only alternative. I have no clear answer or arguement to that point since economic situations vary between countries and so does the situations with the anime industry. I firmly oppose Odex's decision to crack down on illegal downloaders for the sole reason that they had no right to crack down on illegal downloaders when they were putting out crap. I do however, agree that crackdowns on large downloading (torrents, etc) was in the right direction. But then this contradicts everything I just said about trying out an anime series, and herein lies the problem.
Ultimatly it is up to us, the consumers and them, the anime industry giants to make changes and cooperate. Ultimatly, the mesage I want (you) the reader to get out of this post is that you should think about your actions prior to any interest or activity in pirating, because in this niche market Piracy is killing the anime industry. It is also the job of the industry to take risks and further expand their markets while taking advantage of fandubs. Boosting quality is a good start, and heck if it is worth the money I do not mind, as an anime viewer to purchase DVDs for a couple more bucks. Paying $300-400 a box is not my idea of fun, though. The decision is largely up to us, the fans: please support the industry because once it's gone, new anime will be gone outside of Japan.
March 9, 2008
Brawl Online Launch Problems
Hello ladies and gents, reporting in again on Brawl here as I watch a couple of spectator matches.
I am trying to read around the blogosphere and the internet but I have been unable to find widespread news regarding Brawl's launch problems. I keep getting error messages such as the 85150 (something close to that) and disconnection messages. I can connect just fine to Wifi and my Wii Internet works, hell I can watch as a spectator with no lag.
To my best guess and from reading other people's articles, it seems that the influx of players into Brawl's online system is so enormous that the servers are kicking people out. I have tried around 30 times with one successful pairing only to have my partner kicked offline like I was the other 29 times. For some reason I have been very patient with the game and I havn't gotten angry at it (yet).
Honestly I don't think Nintendo expected this amount of players to attempt to get online. I would compare it to trying to fit the entire state of California and Texas into Camden Yards (baseball stadium) in Baltimore: some peeps will get in but for almost all it is not going to happen.
I still have faith in Nintendo because when they have messed up (unexpectedly) due to extreme success they have come up with solutions very quickly and effectively. I don't want to call Brawl's online capabilities a failure yet- afterall it IS launch day (in the USA) and everyone wants to test out the game and what it is made of. Until then I will be satisfied watching others brawl and I will have at it at in the single player and multiplayer (not online) brawls.
I am waiting to hear back from a few friends to test out the friends online brawl system. I am sure Nintendo will find a solution soon! Good luck if you can get in and have a match ladies and gentlemen! =).
Kotaku Report
Gamespot Forum Post
Yahoo Board Post
Yahoo Board Post 2
I am trying to read around the blogosphere and the internet but I have been unable to find widespread news regarding Brawl's launch problems. I keep getting error messages such as the 85150 (something close to that) and disconnection messages. I can connect just fine to Wifi and my Wii Internet works, hell I can watch as a spectator with no lag.
To my best guess and from reading other people's articles, it seems that the influx of players into Brawl's online system is so enormous that the servers are kicking people out. I have tried around 30 times with one successful pairing only to have my partner kicked offline like I was the other 29 times. For some reason I have been very patient with the game and I havn't gotten angry at it (yet).
Honestly I don't think Nintendo expected this amount of players to attempt to get online. I would compare it to trying to fit the entire state of California and Texas into Camden Yards (baseball stadium) in Baltimore: some peeps will get in but for almost all it is not going to happen.
I still have faith in Nintendo because when they have messed up (unexpectedly) due to extreme success they have come up with solutions very quickly and effectively. I don't want to call Brawl's online capabilities a failure yet- afterall it IS launch day (in the USA) and everyone wants to test out the game and what it is made of. Until then I will be satisfied watching others brawl and I will have at it at in the single player and multiplayer (not online) brawls.
I am waiting to hear back from a few friends to test out the friends online brawl system. I am sure Nintendo will find a solution soon! Good luck if you can get in and have a match ladies and gentlemen! =).
Kotaku Report
Gamespot Forum Post
Yahoo Board Post
Yahoo Board Post 2
24 Hour Brawl-A-Thon
I have safely played 4 hours of Super Smash Bros Brawl and I must say: WOW. The wait has totally been worth it, if this isn't the epitome of a Nintendo collection then I don't know what is. Everything about it so far has been Nintendo: the characters (that will change down the line and it is why I can't give the game a perfect), backgrounds and new challenges.
I am very excited about the new online ability, however at the moment I get random error messages, or an 81510 message. In essence, there are so many people overcrowding the servers that no one can get into an online brawl easily. If you are getting these error messages like me, be patient and keep trying, or try later. I can sit in on brawls but not get into them, meaning my router and internet works and yours does more than likely as well.
I still use Link as my main fighter, but I like Donkey Kong, Mario, Captain Falcon and Fox as well. Kirby is also a good play sometimes. I can't wait to find out who else is in the game, besides knowing that Solid Snake and Sonic are in the game. Sonic I can understand, but SNAKE?!? I thought the chant by the crowd "Snake! Snake! Snaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaake!" was HILLARIOUS.
I highly recommend picking up the game. It is a polished Super Smash Bros that promises to deliver. I won't be getting my paws off the Gamecube controller for a while.... (Brawl lets me use the classic gamecube controller, excellent! no new buttons to learn). With that, I am going on a 24 hour brawl-a-thon! Spring Break NEEDS to be made Epic.
I am very excited about the new online ability, however at the moment I get random error messages, or an 81510 message. In essence, there are so many people overcrowding the servers that no one can get into an online brawl easily. If you are getting these error messages like me, be patient and keep trying, or try later. I can sit in on brawls but not get into them, meaning my router and internet works and yours does more than likely as well.
I still use Link as my main fighter, but I like Donkey Kong, Mario, Captain Falcon and Fox as well. Kirby is also a good play sometimes. I can't wait to find out who else is in the game, besides knowing that Solid Snake and Sonic are in the game. Sonic I can understand, but SNAKE?!? I thought the chant by the crowd "Snake! Snake! Snaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaake!" was HILLARIOUS.
I highly recommend picking up the game. It is a polished Super Smash Bros that promises to deliver. I won't be getting my paws off the Gamecube controller for a while.... (Brawl lets me use the classic gamecube controller, excellent! no new buttons to learn). With that, I am going on a 24 hour brawl-a-thon! Spring Break NEEDS to be made Epic.
March 8, 2008
Super Smash Bros Brawl to be released tomorrow morning (3 hours)
The long awaited Wii title "Super Smash Bros Brawl" will be released within the next 3 hours at some locations, including a Sams Club up here in Nazareth. Due to a high wind warning I won't attend the party (as if I have any friends to go with anywhoo!) but I will try and pick up a copy tomorrow morning. I have been playing Super Smash Bros Melee (Gamecube) for the past two nights as part of my "vacation of relaxation" for spring break. I am having a lot of fun and now I remember how much fun the game actually was.
Brawl will feature online play, FINALLY I can play my best friends on other states and countries! (Cloner if you are reading this, you, I, Brawl, tomorrow =p ).
March 7, 2008
2007 Spendings- Beating the Recession
It's always neat to go back and see where my money has been going the past year. I pulled out what I had left of my receipts from 2007 as I put Excel to work to see where my money went to, and here are the results:
I would be one to say that the economy stimulus package did not work.
The numbers were somewhat suprising to me other than a couple of the categories. When I spent money on books I did buy quite a lot of manga from Borders during the summer of 2007 (mainly Rurouni Kenshin but also some Bleach). Some Misc stuff I bought includes your general purpose stuff from Wal*Mart (personal care products, soap, toothpaste, etc stuff like that).
And here is the big suprise: nearly one third of my working money went towards... you guessed it... gasoline. Gas prices are still very high, about where they were last summer (but a little less). On average it will cost me $45.00 to fill up. Because I can't find a job right now and I am in school I am on borrowed money to pay for gas and car insurance. Gas shot up to about $3.35 USD a gallon last summer around the Allentown PA area.
I spent an alright amount on gifts for others, largely in thanks to the Dollar Tree store up in Nazareth. I spent a good deal, but not as much as I wanted to- on anime. I only purchased DVDs this round of the year. I spent a good amount on electronics, most of that money in there is due to my Wii and Nintendo DS purchases from Best Buy. 2007 was my final year for Star Wars Galaxies, so I canceled my subscription around July of 2007. Another good amount I bought was in Hobby materials: model kits, paints, supplies for scratchbuilding and the like. Engineering supplies was money spent on drafting supplies and other important things for college, and 1% accounted for a bit of food I bought when my old folk were too lazy to go out to the grocery store (I am fortunate because I was fed).
I will probably end up paying about the same this year in gas once I can get the money rolling again. I really hope I can find something above minimum wage so I can have more money not only to spend on hobbies but also money that I can save. Everyone is very iffy right now with the recession and I am no different: prices are going up but salaries are not. Lucky for me there was a huge layoff across the country for February (I think around 63,000 jobs) and I have been seeing places looking to hire for the summer. I am thinking about working at an Arts and Drafting store or Radioshack, but I would prefer to work in a Hobby Shop.
I would be one to say that the economy stimulus package did not work.
March 4, 2008
1/350 Missouri- Finishing Touches
All of the major construction stages are complete on the Missouri save the aircraft. It has been a fun build! I just need to finish one turret, the aircraft and all remaining deck details and after weathering the model will be complete. I will be adding the deck chain this evening and hopefully within 1-2 weeks the model will complete (hey, spring break is next week... sitting around at home doing nothing... yeah the Missouri will get finished.
March 3, 2008
Nature Parks Losing Attraction, According to the Reading Eagle
I read an interesting article this morning in the Reading Eagle regarding a study that says Americans are more reluctant than ever to leave home and head for the park. I think the article says a lot, but thinking like an American I would say "So what am I missing?" by examining the photo provided in the article, which researchers say "Americans are missing".
Now by no means do I hate parks- I love them and I regularly head over to Grings Mill (pending very good weather) to drive my RC Ships around. Parks are still popular- according to the article about 275 million people visited parks in 2007 (that number seems a bit odd, I am sure it is not representative of each unique visitor). The study says that children are missing out on a core exercise in growing up: being able to head outdoors and do what they do. I would agree with this statement.
As a kid growing up, mom always made an important note to take us to the park at least once a week in Catonsville, MD. We would always play on the jungle jim and sometimes when we visited the larger park (I forget the name of the park, but it is right down the street of St. Paul Lutheran Church and School) we would play everything from kickball to baseball. Even the elementary school (St. Paul) made it an important point that their students need to get outside once in a while. Each year we had a few class picnics at the park, and I enjoyed myself. Kickball in the sand, water balloons, water wars, and the principal on the grill cooking hotdogs. Please, what is better than that?! (and they were very good hotdogs, too).
I won't harp on video games, I think they are great but really I do think kids need to get out and get some fresh air. It is a great stress reliever and it has allowed me to have a greater appreciation for facilities like parks. I may be too heavy for the jungle jim or seesaw, but I am big enough to head out and enjoy nature, then go back to my truck and drive my RC boats around peacefully for 30 minutes. It's a real head turner for the joggers.
You can find the Reading Eagle's website here. Since I could not find an online version of the article I will cite it:
"Fewer Americans Heading Outdoors, Research Shows." Reading Eagle 03 Mar. 2008, sec. A10.
Now by no means do I hate parks- I love them and I regularly head over to Grings Mill (pending very good weather) to drive my RC Ships around. Parks are still popular- according to the article about 275 million people visited parks in 2007 (that number seems a bit odd, I am sure it is not representative of each unique visitor). The study says that children are missing out on a core exercise in growing up: being able to head outdoors and do what they do. I would agree with this statement.
As a kid growing up, mom always made an important note to take us to the park at least once a week in Catonsville, MD. We would always play on the jungle jim and sometimes when we visited the larger park (I forget the name of the park, but it is right down the street of St. Paul Lutheran Church and School) we would play everything from kickball to baseball. Even the elementary school (St. Paul) made it an important point that their students need to get outside once in a while. Each year we had a few class picnics at the park, and I enjoyed myself. Kickball in the sand, water balloons, water wars, and the principal on the grill cooking hotdogs. Please, what is better than that?! (and they were very good hotdogs, too).
I won't harp on video games, I think they are great but really I do think kids need to get out and get some fresh air. It is a great stress reliever and it has allowed me to have a greater appreciation for facilities like parks. I may be too heavy for the jungle jim or seesaw, but I am big enough to head out and enjoy nature, then go back to my truck and drive my RC boats around peacefully for 30 minutes. It's a real head turner for the joggers.
You can find the Reading Eagle's website here. Since I could not find an online version of the article I will cite it:
"Fewer Americans Heading Outdoors, Research Shows." Reading Eagle 03 Mar. 2008, sec. A10.
March 1, 2008
Heller 1:200 Le Suroit
Here is another project I am working on for a buddy before he leaves college for his job. He was very passionate back in his earlier youth about the titanic and I happened to find a Le Suroit model on sale. The Le Suroit is a French research vessel that aided in finding the Titanic wreckage. The model is in 1/200 scale and is by Heller. On first impressions this kit will take a lof of work because the plastic quality is not the best, but I can live with it.
I began by joining the veritcal halves of the hull and I applied putty once dried. When I get back to campus tomorrow I will apply more putty to spots that need it and I will sand it all flush. A trick I used is to put masking tape parallel to the seem to be filled: this reduces waste and increases the chance of a flush surface (and unwanted hardened putty). I left about 1/32nd of an inch (1-2mm) on each side of the seam line to give the fill stability. I went to Michaels and found a nice base for the Suroit. I will be staining the wood piece a dark mahoghany to bring out the detail of the Le Suroit. This project should hopefully be complete in a couple of weeks, I am anticipating the same amount of time on this project that I spend on the 1/196 Constitution.
Understanding the "Please Don't Touch!" Rule
Part of the problem model builders and curators across the globe have is is the problem of people touching things that have a "please do not touch!" sign nearby. Now I havn't experienced this problem before but I am sure I will in the near future. So why exactly do those really nice things say "please don't touch!" on them?
Model builders put a lot of detail, time, pain and suffering into making their models (whatever they are modeling, aircraft, tanks, ships, cars). The reason that has been proposed is because models are very fragile. This is correct, however many people have always asked why are they so fragile? The answer is small parts. Small parts are adhered with the proper glue, but the key is to reduce having the glue visible the parts are glued with very minimal glue. This means that parts are prone to snapping if they are touched with light pressure. The kind of parts I am talking about, for example can be radar antannae, gun barrels or small protruding parts, the kind of stuff 1-3mm wide (or parts with a 1-2mm radius). When parts like that are broken off, sometimes they are a real pain in the butt to replace. Please respect the wishes of the builder and do not touch!
I think there is also an inclanation in the human mind to want to touch and feel the model to "see what it is made out of". Being the curious beings we are, it is difficult and tempting not to touch models on display. A great way to learn about the model (and possibly touch it) is to ask the builder a series of questions if you are very interested in a piece. The builders themselves know the strengths and weaknesses of their models and where care is necessary in handling. It's always great to wonder how model builders build what they do, but it's also important to respect that art and don't touch it!
I am a visual person and as an engineer, I like picking things up and playing with them to see how they work. Unfortunatly most delicate pieces do not come with a "I'm fragile!" tag on them and they frequently are subject to abuse. One of the worst times for a model builder is when you are relocating, and your models must come along for the ride. The only thing I can say is if you want to get into the hobby and learn how model builders build their stuff, by all means ask all the questions you want. Most are very passionate about what they do, the easiest explanation given is that we own miniature versions of certain things! It's all great and a lot of fun, but please do not touch!
Model builders put a lot of detail, time, pain and suffering into making their models (whatever they are modeling, aircraft, tanks, ships, cars). The reason that has been proposed is because models are very fragile. This is correct, however many people have always asked why are they so fragile? The answer is small parts. Small parts are adhered with the proper glue, but the key is to reduce having the glue visible the parts are glued with very minimal glue. This means that parts are prone to snapping if they are touched with light pressure. The kind of parts I am talking about, for example can be radar antannae, gun barrels or small protruding parts, the kind of stuff 1-3mm wide (or parts with a 1-2mm radius). When parts like that are broken off, sometimes they are a real pain in the butt to replace. Please respect the wishes of the builder and do not touch!
I think there is also an inclanation in the human mind to want to touch and feel the model to "see what it is made out of". Being the curious beings we are, it is difficult and tempting not to touch models on display. A great way to learn about the model (and possibly touch it) is to ask the builder a series of questions if you are very interested in a piece. The builders themselves know the strengths and weaknesses of their models and where care is necessary in handling. It's always great to wonder how model builders build what they do, but it's also important to respect that art and don't touch it!
I am a visual person and as an engineer, I like picking things up and playing with them to see how they work. Unfortunatly most delicate pieces do not come with a "I'm fragile!" tag on them and they frequently are subject to abuse. One of the worst times for a model builder is when you are relocating, and your models must come along for the ride. The only thing I can say is if you want to get into the hobby and learn how model builders build their stuff, by all means ask all the questions you want. Most are very passionate about what they do, the easiest explanation given is that we own miniature versions of certain things! It's all great and a lot of fun, but please do not touch!
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