What can I do with 20 tons of glue and 814,000 Toothpicks?

This 0__0

Understanding What Really Happened to that Crane in New York

This has been in the news recently that a crane "collapsed" in New York while on a construction site. I believe the mass media has mis-interpreted the situation and has quite a few facts wrong. As an engineer, I am going to put my two cents in here.

A crane is known as a cantilever- an edge or beam that sticks out from a base. Some news agencies are reporting that the crane fell, and some are reporting that the crane snapped "in half like a toothpick" and I am more inclined to believe that the crane actually did not fall onto a building, because witnesses claimed that the crane snapped. When that crane snapped, it took a few pieces of the building with it. So why did this happen?

A cantilever's beam supports a certain amount of weight, and the base to the cantilever is secured and is engineered to support a certain amount of weight. Let's arbitrarily play with numbers here and say that the maximum lifting weight for the crane is about 500 pounds- which means the crane cannot lift anything more than 500 pounds. As the crane extends towards the sky, the same weight will produce more stress on the members of the base. The problem is very simple- and it is a problem of momentum and torque. When a crane lifts an object, there is considerable stress on where the crane broke in two. If you catch my drift and know what I am talking about here- the crane lifted more than what the maxiumum capacity would allow. The incident was caused by the workers failing to follow proper precautions when operating the machine. In short, it is the operator's fault. When weight is lifted by the crane, that weight wants to cause a rotational motion with the cantilever- but the supports in the base will not let it.

Even if the crane did "fall" on a building, the cause is the same- they were lifting something heavier than the recommended maximum lift capacity. I am not inclined to believe that the crane fell unless they were lifting some ridiculously heavy material and were not set up properly, thus causing what is known as impending motion- and eventually tipping.

The media, as usual has blasted this and has not understood the situation in it's entirety. I think the mayor also is out of line citing that what happened is "unacceptable", and I think he should speak his mind rather than trying to appease the public by giving them an answer they want to hear. Instead, he could have said he would investigate into the practices of workers and worker safety. A lot of the time the problem is caused by a problem "down the line", which means it could have been a supervisor's order to lift more than what was recommended, if that is the case then that person is at fault and could face charges.

A "collapse" is comletely different then something snapping in two. Case and point: a collapse is the fall of a structure to the ground. Since weight produces a rotational motion about some point on the crane, in which that point is the point where the most rotational force is applied, then a cantilever can never "collapse" unless the base was poorly constructed. Reports cited that the cranes were inspected- and I say that there was a 0% chance of the crane being defective. I've said before that inspection can be at fault here, but after looking at the crane I would say inspections prior to this incident were probably spot on.

Folks need to get their facts straight before blowing things out of proportion- goes to show how accurate the media really is. I will keep an eye on what the safety report finds- and I bet a ham dinner I am right, or close.

edit- I get my ham dinner and turkish delight! There was a bribery scandal with one of the supervisors (or inspector?) on duty that passed things along to get things done. Regardless, the crane collapsed having a weakpoint and lifting too much......

Wii Fit Is Not The End of Hardcore Gaming

Many gamers lately are clammoring that the Wii Fit is the beginning to a casual gaming takeover on Nintendo's scene, and that Nintendo in particular is ignoring their fanbase. I could not disagree more. I think gamers are overreacting to the attention that their "favorite" games are receiving. Logically, Miyamoto would want to reveal Wii Fit at E3 and cover it further because the game is to cover a wider audience and thus possibly bring in much more revenue. I also agree with Miyamoto's statement that casual gaming is bringing those who don't like video games into the realm of games, and in the long run this means more players and more players who become challenging.

I also disagree with the rumor going around that video games are doing bad lately. Globally, video games are doing very good- especially in the United States where the average gamer's age is increasing slightly- the last I checked the average age for a gamer in the United States is 27. There has been a problem in Japan though ever since the Gamecube launched- and I am not sure what external factor is affecting the poor sales of gaming consoles in Japan. There are gamers in Japan no doubt, but sales have been slipping lately and I am not sure why. If anyone has any proper insight into this, I would love to know why game and console sales have declined in Japan, but are thriving everywhere else.

More With the Enterprise:

I also forgot to mention earlier that I had my engineering calculations completely wrong before in regards to the proper resistor value for the island motor- I found that there is no relationship between a proportion, resistance and voltage- and that current and amperage draw play a factor. When I physically experimented, the 3400 ohm resistor made the motor do nothing. Then again, 400 ohms made it do nothing either, but then my calculations estimate 790 ohms as the proper resistance? Engineers- help! It seems like I will have to toy with pot values to see what will work- but I am afraid that the motor is not turning because it has a minimum voltage rating that is not being met. I don't have the calculations handy- so I will enter them when I return later.

I'll have to post the calculations later- but if a 790 ohm resistor doesn't work then I will need to play with numbers to see what works- 3.4k ohms did nothing and 400 ohms got really friggin hot.

Brick walls are there for a reason

I failed my Calculus test =/.

But this makes me feel better, it is amusing!

Finishing Up Some Enterprise Work Later Today

After my Calculus test this morning and an afternoon nap (hehe), I will resume some well deserved work on the Enterprise. The paint buildup issue has virtually been fixed. To solve it, instead of building up more paint, I sanded the excess carefully, cleaned the area to get rid of the residue, then I repainted the area, making sure to mask as I did before so the new red blended in with the old- you can't tell the difference because I painted semi-light. There is evidence that dripping occured, but it is so minimal that with weathering I can pass it off as "weathering from the waves".


Last time I was having some issues with fitting the screw shafts (I am going to stop calling them props because props can also be used on airplanes). My issue was that the heat shrink tubing is far too small for the motor shaft, but it is the perfect size for the screw shaft. There are a couple of solutions to this- but I have found that with some encouragement, the motor shafts will fit in there tightly. I can check the quality of the hold by simply running the motors for a bit to see if the heat shrink tears or does something else that it shouldn't. If it behaves I am set- I will just add that area as an area I need to inspect often.


Another issue I had was that although the heat shrink tubing and the motor shaft were turning, the prop was not. This was due to the grease box hole for the shaft not being big enough. I can fix this by reeming the hole slightly larger. I figured the shaft would reem the hole by force, but apparantly they made these brass shafts in mind for frictionless movement- IE these things won't cut very far into styrene plastic so I need to drop the notion that they will. Currently all motors spin clockwise. I need to reverse the polarity on the inside or outside motors to get the others to spin counter-clockwise. This is fundamental and extremely important- if all my motors spin clockwise, the ship will turn to the right and move forward. If two are counter-clockwise, in balance, this will counteract the ship's desire to go left or right (disregarding rudder movement) and it will simply go forward. If I press forward and get reverse, I will simply switch the wires going into the electronics, presto.


Following some shaft fittings I will check the 3rd strut (I broke it off fitting a shaft X___X). It's sitting snug there, but I will keep my eye on it because I am afraid that oscillations traveling down the screw shafts may loosen it over time- in fact when sailing model ships you should always be on the lookout for parts falling off. It is your consequence if they do- and you may have to go swimming! I will paint the black bootline once I can get the shafts installed and ready to go. She is beginning to look like an aircraft carrier.


One more thing: I had a comment by a nice gentleman named Sam. Here is a response incase you don't recheck your comment:

"Hello Sam! The following colors have been used so far:Tamiya German GrayTamiya Mica Red (bottom hull)the rest of the gray is molded color- I usually go back and weather this near the end. Let me know if you have any other questions! (The white for the aircraft tie downs is testors flat white)."


Sam, you can also check out the video series here- Part 2 is on painting.

I have also developed a speaker box system. At first I began engineering it- then came to the conclusion that I am just building a better, American speaker box!

Honoring Those Who I Have My Life To Thank For

Going to College. Living at home- being able to go where I please, think what I please and be what I am. This is independence- and freedom. These things were not just given to me- they were paid for with blood and bullets. I am honoring those 1,000,000+ soldiers who have died (since the Revolutionary War) by giving my sincerest thank you for protecting my life, the lives of others and the doctrine of the country. Most important of all, you have allowed those who are strong to have a future. Completely disregarding politics, the world as it is now, and societal norms, you have allowed a future for those who wish to seek it. I have the deepest respect for servicemen and women, veterans, and most of all the war dead. There is nothing higher than giving your life to protect something.

Throughout the day today I will remember all the sacrifices we have made, all the triumphs, losses and wars. I won't celebrate Memorial Day because that does not make sense, and I won't mourn because this is a day of honor. I strive to be the best person I can be, but find I can never match the integrity that those who paid their lives had.

Boating/Shipping Outlet

It can be tough to find a park that will allow model boat and ship owners an outlet for their hobby. Many parks cite that nitro boats and brushless motor electrics create too much noise and can be heard a couple fractions of a mile away. This is unfortunate for ship enthusiasts like myself who are running clean electrics (6v) only that can only achieve about 5mph. I really like these 130+ mph boats, but I hate how they can get us into trouble.

Areas around the Eastern PA such as Lake Ouantelanee (spelling?) are watershed habitats, and they have a zero tolerance policy when it comes to any human interference at all- go fishing and you will get a ticket. Go boating and you will get a ticket. Drive around your model boat? get a ticket. How can nature be enjoyed by good minded citizens if we arn't allowed to set foot in the area?

Blue Marsh Lake (not too far from Berks Campus) doesn't care what you run, and because of their generosity I tend to obey all rules and requests by the owners of the park. I was able to head down to Monocacy Creek earlier today (at the corner of PA 191 and Brodhead road) and saw fishermen upstream, but downstream there were no fish to catch- and I thought this small stream is perfect for my driving my model boats around. The geese are usually 100 yards from me as well as the fishermen. Of course if one is nearby I will ask their permission first- I won't go there to spoil their catch. If no one is there though- I am going to enjoy a good hour break sailing my Yamato, Missouri and the Enterprise in the future.

I understand that using a body of water for my hobby is a privilidge, and I abide by all the rules (minimize noise, don't bother fisherman, don't litter) so I can enjoy my hobby and so that others can enjoy the area as well. It's a smaller creek then I would like, but it IS better than nothing.

1-35 Tamiya Walker Bulldog

I picked up this kit right before I ended the semester. This is Tamiya's 1-35 Walker Bulldog tank, and apparantly from what I learned this is a reboxed and improved version of a 1970's Tamiya model. I loved the detail when I opened the box, and I am torn between using the actual mold color or a darker green. The parts fit together so well that I don't need putty- the barrel to the main gun was sanded and trimmed and it looks as if it is one piece.

I am in the process of painting the inner wheels, then I am going to add the rest of the smaller parts and begin the installation of the lights. I am going to install a 3volt LED system inside the m41a1, so I need to leave the lower hull, upper hull and turret detachable. Then comes the real fun- weathering the tank. I want to weather it so that it looks like it went through a lot of combat in a mud like environment- something plausible in the Korean War despite it being very cold there. This should be a fun mini-project, this is to distract me as I complete my 1/350 Enterprise.

Solution to Grease Box Problem

Why is it that when I am trying to go back to sleep, I begin thinking about things and I find a solution? instead of building exterior boxes, we are going to build interior boxes with the shaft leading into this hole. The problem- the shaft isn't going through straight so some modifications will be needed, but it is better than what I originally planned- and no additional painting!

Enjoying the Enterprise

Well it's been a couple of days since the formal start of this build and so far I like where the build is going. I'm a little frustrated that some of the mica red paint job didn't come out too well, but there is a solution- I just don't want to do it. Actually, I have had a lapse of boredom today and I did not get to work on the Enterprise. I think this is my cue to begin working on other projects I have not touched- but I do want to do a couple of things with the Enterprise later today, namely fix the motor setup (I glued one in the wrong place, don't want to rip it up because I had a hard time doing so and I don't want to damage the hull) and begin the process of mounting the prop shafts and painting the props. Once that is complete I can begin worrying about painting the bootline and then completing the rudder system.

The rudder system is complex and will require a unique solution. The upper peg needs to be drilled out and a rod inserted down into the shaft to lengthen the rudder. This brass shaft will come up through the hull where I will shorten it and bend the rod 90 degrees. Since the rod may rub up against the interior peg, I will lubricate the area as well as the entire shaft to make sure of a tight, yet free moving motion for the rudder. This ship contains not only one rudder, but two. Double the trouble. I have tried to seal the brass rod and the rudder with plumber's goop and that didn't work too well- so I will need to find an incredibly strong metal to plastic adhesive if guerilla glue doesn't work. Maybe I did not force enough pressure into the rudder- then again it is going in pretty hard.

The rudders will then be connected to two independent rods which will be joined to a cross rod, and at the center of this cross rod will be the arm that connects to the steering mechanism. It's kind of like a fork design, except the fork is two prongs.

Thinking about this a little more, I do have one more design feature to overcome. I would like to build bulkheads inside the hull right in front of the motors. I can drill holes with the pin vice so that the motor shafts fit directly through the styrene, then I can have the prop shaft and motor shafts bound with heat shrink tubing. When heat is applied, the tubing grips whatever is inside it and the shafts will be bound to each other. This recommendation is all thanks to my roommate- I needed a material that could withstand the rotational friction of the motors and this stuff works perfectly.

I will probably need to float test this baby to analyze exactly how it were to sink if it were to. This is very important information in regards to bulkhead protection. I should probably do this after the motor bulkheads are installed to prevent any electronics damage (I will have to cut a hole for the steering later as well). According to my guess, the ship will become heavy with water in the stern section and slowly sink downwards from there, bringing the bow upwards. The tub isn't that deep so from there she will just fill up with water. These tests are important because this will determine what course of action I need to take in regards to the grease box issue (ahh great, I forgot I need to build those too). If there is massive water intrustion, something may need to be done about it. Exterior boxes may need to be installed to stop water intrusion at the sacrifice of historical accuracy- but hey we need to get her running!

Hopefully after that I can finish painting the deck tie downs and then I can begin adding details and working on those. I need to pin vice small holes for the arresting hooks and install them as well. The kit came with some stuff but I think I'll use nylon thread (taught) instead. This will be easy because I can tie tight knots under the deck. Much later on comes the dreadful painting process of assembling and painting EVERY aircraft.... I want to work on the Enterprise, its just lately I have had a lack of motivation, and I have been very bored.

Summer Classes Begin

I don't want to necessarily gain an edge ocver my classmates, but rather I would like to get ahead on Calculus. I am taking Math 180 (Calculus) at a local community college up in Bethlehem, PA (Northampton Area Community College). If I would have taken Calculus at Penn State, I would have had to cram Calc into a very busy schedule- and overload my credits since Calc is 4 credits. In order for the credits to transfer, I need to get a C or better in Calculus. Since I have nothing better to do other coexisting with a job this summer, I can have complete and utter concentration on my work- increasing my chances for success.

Calculus is an upper level of mathematics developed by Isaac Newton and Gottfried Leibniz around the 17th century. It involves derivatives, limits, infinitesimals, and integrals, among many other sub topics. In my field, Calculus is used from finding the area of a complex shape to the volume of it. Calculus is also used in finding the area of graphs, works slopes, and is used widely in finite element analysis.

Back at Penn State I am going to advance all the way up to what is considered Calculus IV, or differential equations. I forget what the label of what Math 250 was, it may have been differential equations. In that case I would take it up one step further. It's going to be a hard and difficult road, but I am ready to give it my best shot.

And after coming back from my first class in Calculus today, I have only one thing to say about it.



Mommy 0___0.

Scientists blame Global Warming on Obesity

Since I am in the science realm of things- I had to comment on this one.

A recent article in the LA Times cited that scientists Phil Edwards and Ian Roberts believe that obesity is a direct cause of global warming because more food must be shipped to these people who eat more. I see a lot of fallacies with this arguement, and I want to see the report in it's entirety; and I cannot find it online.

Obesity is a condition where a person eats too much and gains a BMI (Body Mass Index) that is too high. It's counterpart in the metabolism crisis are those who can eat 3000 calories a day and not gain a single pound or will not need to exercise. What about those people contributing to global warming?

I don't think it is very fair, let alone accurate to put the blame of global warming on a certain group of individuals when we are all more or less equal factors in contributions to global warming. We all can make a difference to curb it, too. We were put on this Earth to take care of the garden (take care of the planet), so we need to start doing it. Until I see that report to reach my best conclusions, I am going to have to side with Yale and throw caution out there- I won't give any credit or recognition to this finding.

We need to focus on Hydrogen fuel cells and gas emissions to get back to pre-1970s level emissions. Global Warming, I believe is not as serious as it has been proposed to be- in that temperatures have not changed much since 1998. I should do a post on Hydrogen fuel cells these days.....

original article- http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/booster_shots/2008/05/what-shall-we-b.html

Lehigh Valley Ironpigs

Yeah, it is spelled like that. "Ironpigs". This is the new AAA league baseball team that has made it's way to the Allentown area. I had the privilidge of going to a game this evening with really good seats. We sat in the 109 section and boy was it a great view. You could see the players clear as day, you could here the crack of the bat, and you could hear how hard the ball hit the catcher's glove.

My first impressions of the stadium were fantastic. The first thing I notied about the stadium was that it was very clean. This is a really nice stadium. Things are swept, surfaces are clean, heck the food smells good and it isn't greasy. The burger tasted home grilled, and the fries didn't have a hint of grease (thats GOOD). Prices were expensive, but hey themeparks and stadiums have a lot in common- they want to make money. It was semi-busy, but that didn't detract from the experience.

The atmosphere was great and the audience was a lot of fun. The park is very fan friendly in that when I got up to go to the bathroom, as I entered the bathroom I could hear the game being broadcast, so really I didn't miss too much. You can also rent out areas for picnic, as well as sit on the sloped lawn in the back. The stadium felt small to me, but not packed or uncomfortable. I had a very good time and I enjoyed myself. This is the first season here for the Ironpigs, and although I am not into baseball that much anymore it is sure great to watch a game once in a while.

I also found the mascot's name "Ferrous" to be amusing.

Lucky Star

Well a lot of folks will know about this one already but I just got into the Lucky Star series to see what it was all about. I am all for anime with no plot! It's mainly a large spoof on otakuism as a whole and the story follows the life of 4 teenage girls in Japan. The english dubs sounded OK, but compared to the original Japanese audio they butchered it. Here is the preview: Heading out to buy once I get the money.

Nintendo Launches New Channel

Called the "Nintendo Channel", Nintendo has released a new channel for Wii owners who are connected to the internet. The channel allows users to preview upcoming titles for the Wii. The channel collects non-personal information from the user's playing habits, such as if you use your Wii for internet browsing (Opera), what games you play, what rating games you play, and when you play your games and how often you play each game.

I think the information will be handy for those looking to learn about new titles. Saves me an hour or so of browsing the world wide web for stuff when Nintendo knows what my interests are. You can download this channel in the "Wii Ware" section of the Wii Shop Channel. Kudos Nintendo! (the channel also features free demo downloads for your Nintendo DS!)

Nasty Critters- What to do about dem Geese

Ugh.... what a topic. I thought the sight of geese in formation was cool, until a couple of days ago when I ran into them personally at Grings Mill. I thought geese and ducks were kind creatures. Ehhh NO. I risk damaging my ships because I don't want the geese pecking at my $400USD plus worth investments. I would get within maybe 15 feet of the fowl and then the thing sticks its tongue at me and begins hissing! I get within 10 feet and it begins to chase me, but quickly loses interest.

My roommate told me these things are just plain nasty, and I agree. I don't want my RC ships around them, and for that matter when I begin visiting nature parks I will start packing plastic heat! I am looking into getting a 36 shot airsoft revolver (orange tip of course) in the event that I get a goose that doesn't want to stop chasing me. The objects not to kill it, or piss it off, but to teach it to stay away from me.

Humans were put on this Earth for a couple of reasons- two of them were to maintain the garden and the rest of the Earth, and to have dominion over all other inhabitants of the Earth. If geese don't want to live harmoniously side by side with me, while I steer my RC boats and not bother them, then they need to be taught a lesson.

unlike many morons on Youtube, I do not provoke water fowl- it is a war crime according the the geneva convention (hehe). I am minding my own business and large groups of Canadian Geese (6-7) can get pissy, especially the alpha males.

USN Cutting Back on Aircraft Carriers- But Not on the War

I was reading this article (more like an opinionary) and I found it very interesting, if the information is true. I believe it is because the website is the New York Post. It has a kind of conservative "ring" to it, but I understand a lot of valid points that the writer is making.

Congress, due to a lack of money is limiting the amount of aircraft carriers the Navy can operate and wants to spend billions of dollars refitting carriers such as the 50+ year old USS Enterprise. I could not disagree with Congress more; and now is the time for the investment into the Gerald R Ford class to replace the aging class of nuclear aircraft carriers. The Gerald R Ford class will be much more economical and cost effective, costing the Navy less in the long run. But still, Congress really wants to shell out the money now for these monstrosities of steel.

The fact is that we need to put old betsy out in the field, and it might be best to shoot her too. With the rising costs in steel, it would be good economically if the 3 oldest aircraft carriers can be recycled. For what the value of steel is today, please, for the love of god do not sink any of them for artificial reefs.

I think Congress has good intentions on protecting this nation: however I feel that they are missing the point and communication with the USN (it's how it's always been) that replacements for these aircraft carriers is vital to the success of national security. Aircraft Carriers are not the end all, be all of warfare (that is the submarine), but their power in their presence is undenyable. The navy has the thought process right: we need to replace our old aircraft carriers- but is taking one out of service really that big of a deal for security? What do you think?

Innovate. Make costs cheaper. Produce. Replace old technology- Technology is the only way that a civilization can advance- that a civilization can protect itself. Another opinionary also stated:

"The big-ticket items in next year’s budget—the CVN-78 Advanced Aircraft Carrier and the DDG-1000 Zumwalt-Class Destroyer—are of little use in fighting terrorism. The Pentagon’s long-range plan to build a 313-ship navy is apparently meant to counter the only potential great power that the United States sees on the horizon: China. "

I completely disagree that the Zumwalt and the GRF class are ineffective against the fight in terrorism. GRF class carriers will carry UAVs and the new F-35 Lightning II. UAVs, as well as the F-35 are capable of carrying light bomb loads (I am talking about 100-500 pound bombs) which can accuratly pin point a terrorist's location and end any business they are conducting. UAVs will also be cost effective in the fuel department. Without carrier strikes, marines on the ground would be slaughtered at a much faster rate, and without carriers in the area our forces would be underestimated, and eventually devalued by the enemy.

There are many rogue nations and organizations now acquiring weapons of mass destruction. By replacing our old tech with new tech, and implementing stealth designs- our nation has that much more of an insurance policy.

http://www.ipsnews.net/news.asp?idnews=41977

http://www.nypost.com/seven/05012008/postopinion/opedcolumnists/flattop_follies_108971.htm

1/48 Revell F-14A Tomcat

Ahh this old bird is a classic. I picked this kit up somewhere and it has been sitting in my stash for a little over 6 months now. It is time to build it now that I am home from College. The Tomcat is legendary, argueably the best interceptor ever built for it's time. This particular model in question was built by Mr. Brian Marbrey, and I would like to simulate the work he did on this one.

The biggest problem will be finding a suitable brush color to paint the canopies with that is really dang close to the spray paint color. There are two things I am NOT good with- Painting figures (faces) and aircraft canopies, so this will be a real challenge. I also have a few more kits down the pipeline, including:

+1/350 USS Enterprise (build)

+1/350 HMS King George V (finish)

+1/700 USS Yorktown (finish)

+1/48 B-25 Mitchell (build)

+1/144 SR-71 Blackbird (build)

+1/35 M41 Bulldog (build)

+1/35 Ford GPA (build)

+1/700 USS North Carolina, Washington, and DD The Sullivans build (Guatalcanal) (build)

ehhh I am going to be busy for a while.

New England Patriots Caught Taping

I don't talk about american football too much, but I do watch it most of the time mainly because our College is in the Big Ten for College Football. I watch the NFL sometimes- my favorite team is The Ravens from Baltimore (no suprise).

I was kind of disappointed when I read this article that an ex-Patriots employee was handing over illegal tapes to the NFL that the team took to study defensive signals. The New England Patriots are one of the best teams if not the best team in the NFL. It's fairly obvious that teams tape games, but getting caught is kind of a disgrace to the other teams who don't do it. I know there is that "we have to do it to keep ahead" mentality, but I think the New England Patriots are setting a bad example for the NFL, who promote fair play and honesty with integrity.

Generally I did not root for the New England Patriots because they had won enough, but now I have a legitimate reason not to like them.

original article- http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/08/sports/football/08nfl.html?em&ex=1210392000&en=92804ef24ff7c213&ei=5087%0A

1/350 USS Missouri Problems

Well the final rudder details have been added to the USS Missouri, and only orliekons and the like need to be added to finish the model. Here is a video of the screw test, and a video will follow tomorrow of a sail test.

- and the sail test proved disasterous. There was massive water intrusion from an unknown source, and the only way I will be able to determine where the leaks are are to have a test bed or place the empty hull in water. I may have fried the electronics.... serves me right I need to build protective boxes!

What I fail to understand is why there is a problem with the distance between the controller and the ship. When I step about 6 feet away from the vessel the props begin to turn less often, and eventually if I step away far enough they will not respond; Yet when I am 1 foot away they are operating. I have tried this in three different locations (in a park, in my room, and in my hallway) and I get the same effect.

I can only conclude at this point that the electronics just suck. I don't know why the system is misbehaving and I am kind of getting tired of replacing the system. I have already had to replace a 27 MHz system with another 27MHz system because the first one failed. What is going on here?

- and the problem was the Nicad batteries, Dern the Chinese. Nicads apparantly have memory cells, so the problem was that the electronics worked and they were sucking amps, the problem was the amp draw died off after 3 seconds! REMEMBER: NICADS, TO WORK PROPERLY NEED A HOT CHARGE- THEY NEEDN'T BE HOT, BUT RIGHT OFF THE CHARGER FOR THEM TO WORK PROPERLY!!
Read more here.

About them Finals

Well, if you are reading this I am probably beginning my Physics final. This week is all about final exams for Penn Staters, and we have been working hard this semester and studying our brains out in order to savor and earn every last point that we can. In all honesty I do not see a point to final exams, but I do understand that tradition and a desire to test if we paid attention all semester is necessary. I can't say much about final exams because practically everyone reading this blog has had one, will have one, or is having one within a couple of days to a couple of hours =p. I won't be able to post for a bit. Maybe if I head down to Grings Mill and sail the USS Missouri; other than that I will need until Thursday. It's time to buckle down for finals!

Super Smash Bros. Brawl Review

I have now had enough experience in Brawl to formulate a good opinion and a review about the game. Brawl is the next in line of Nintendo's all-star shash 'em series. If you have played previous Super Smash Bros. games, you will fit right into Brawl. Brawl features 33 characters from the Nintendo universe and two other party characters (controversial, I will get into it). Brawl also features some 40+ stages for you to battle on, including a new feature that allows you to make your own stages. With new items and some new rules/setups, Brawl will continue to be the party game to play on the Wii.

I have played casual and experienced Brawl players a lot, and one thing is true in all cases- this game gets competitive- and with hardcore players it can get downright nasty, but awesome. I have already participated in one tournament at the campus and I played with friends a couple of times in the MPR (multi-purpose room) after class. If I had to rate my fighting skill, I would rate it at about the CPU's 7 level, maybe in between level 7 and 8.

Brawl features a new single player feature called the subspace emissary- where you play an adventure campaign to unlock characters, stickers, trophies and other features of the game. It will take about 8 hours to complete on average, 6 or 7 if you are good. The subspace was alright, but it felt very repetitive and some elements of the subspace (near the end where I had to go defeat each character's metal form was tedious) just weren't needed.

Among a plethora of goodies and information, Brawl contains a function for multiplayer online play, and this aspect is what lets the game down. The servers to "brawl anyone" are always busy and it can be very difficult to get in. I usually get in after about 5 or 6 tries, but then about a third of the time the game is so laggy that I can't fight properly. This is a gamebreaker for those who bought the game for online multiplayer play. You can also play with friends. Since you don't need to connect to Nintendo's server, play with friends online is painless and typically works.

Brawl is a great party game and a great game to own overall for those who are Nintendo fans. If you are looking for online play and competition, head elsewhere because Brawl does not contain leader boards or anything- you can't even talk with people. If you want the online experience, I recommend checking out games for the Xbox360 or Playstation 3.

I can't say much, other than Brawl will play like predecessors with a bit more bang for the buck. If you are going to unlock everything, you are in for a game. Looking at Brawl's stengths and weaknesses, it is a strong and fun game that we will enjoy until Nintendo tries to top it. I would give brawl a 4.6 out of 5.

1:350 USS Missouri Complete

Well it is time to wrap the pig in the blanket on this one- the USS Missouri is roughly 90% complete. The rudder system, a few 20mm orliekons and a few antannae need to be attached and the model will be complete.


I enjoyed this project in that I was not satisfied with a deck tan paint job- the decks came out hideous. I went and repainted them a gunship gray and approved of the results. I also added a basic camo job to the model, with a blue hull above the waterline, a waterline and a mica red hull. Nearly all horizontal surfaces were painted deck tan, and the AA were painted as well.


This project is unique in that we have very little space left inside the hull, it is a maze! The ship features a speaker system, an LED lighting system (my roommate and I just completed that, the searchlights light up upon a flip of a switch), a basic two way system (steering and acceleration) and a mossfet anti-leak system. Should any water be exposed to the bare copper wires lining the ships interior, a "whirly bird" siren will go off, telling me that there is a problem, and it is LOUD.


The USS Missouri is Ipod compatible and I am able to insert an Ipod, or any MP3 player for that matter. With Itunes I can control a playlist and have a "show" of sounds play as the ship is played with. There is also the capacity to insert an audio presentation into the ship for people who are interested in learning about the ship as it sits where I will put it on display. The search lights light up, but not the superstructure to simulate blackout conditions.


The molded deck chain was removed and scale chain was added to simulate a more realistic look. Smaller deck details were also painted to simulate a more realistic look, including a weathering job.


For a Mini-Hobbies model (chinese) it wasn't too bad, however there were a few areas of the kit that could have used more detail. Overall, for what it is I am very pleased with this model kit and I will be float testing it tomorrow along with a propulsion test. Video should follow!


The next project will be to work on the 1/350 USS Enterprise, and she is a big one. This ship will feature a two speaker system, Ipod compatibility, superstructure lighting, possible runway lighting, a basic two part system (propulsion and steering), a two piece rudder, four piece, 1.5v-3v motor system with an option to cut power to 50%, and a seperate motor system to rotate dishes in the top of the superstructure. It should be a lot of fun! The catch? ehh I won't have my roommate this time- he is off to another state for training and he won't be coming back next year.