What are you happy about right now?

[Thescarredman]

better drink milk!! it's making me drunk now

In this part of the world, we take great pains to make sure our milk DOESN'T ferment.

[MP5]

better drink milk!! it's making me drunk now

In this part of the world, we take great pains to make sure our milk DOESN'T ferment.

I dunno, I think that's actually an allergic reaction on his part.

[Kurosaka "Ery" Erika]

i was appointed as the Moderator in this website:
http://modelbus-sailormoon.webs.com/

cheers for me n_n

if anyone from here is good at papercrafting, join us here

[Alfisti]

I need another me... or at least a Monty to deal with the bits of life I don't have time for.

One of those days, the sort that makes you really want a holiday...


...I'll be in Tokyo over New Years if anyone feels like catching up.

[Kiskaloo]

I'll keep an eye on my schedule and award tickets at UA, SQ and NH.

[Kurosaka "Ery" Erika]

apart from archery training, some shooting for myself and big time studies, i've completed 9 papercraft this year (Which is less for pro, too many for amateur) The list are: M1 Abram (rescaled, 1/50) LAV25 (rescaled, 1/50), USS Iowa (rescaled, 1/800) Arleigh burke calss Destroyer (1/700), FN SCAR MK16 (Life sized), Yokosuka E14Y scoutplane (rescaled, microscale 1/200) F-14 TOmcat (unknown scale), F-15J Eagle (unknown scale), Misaka Mikoto (30cm tall papercraft figure)

[Thescarredman]

Pretty cool, Yuki. The girl figurine looks particularly difficult.

[Professor Voodoo]

i've completed 9 papercraft this year

Wow...I had no idea they could get that complex. If you hadn't told us I would not have known that a few of those were made of paper.

[Kurosaka "Ery" Erika]

Pretty cool, Yuki. The girl figurine looks particularly difficult.

it's not that hard compared to USS iowa, only took 4 page under 6 hour, it's a piece of cake for me n_n

[Kurosaka "Ery" Erika]

i've completed 9 papercraft this year

Wow...I had no idea they could get that complex. If you hadn't told us I would not have known that a few of those were made of paper.

my philosophy: anything can be shaped from a paper

[Alfisti]

Just got back from seeing Melburnians Loon Lake and local Brisbanites Ball Park Music live...



They were awesome.


Had the slightly surreal start to the night of watching a mate get picked up by the police, litterally on the other side of the street. No idea what happened, could possibly have been for running a red light or being on a bike a night without lights... dunno; he's another madman on a fixie and going by the face paint I'm going to guess there was some sort of halloween alley cat on. Who knows.

[Alfisti]

Haha! I was right, it was an alley cat. Facebook says so, vindication is mine!

[tremec6speed]

I'm happy right now that I finally finished my 2nd Hunters in the Dolomites installment! Now I can concentrate on more stuff like reading others cool tales of adventure und mayhem!
Yahooooo!

[Awinnell]

Happy the power came back on,no not a Hurricane ,just some berk with a JCB

[Kurosaka "Ery" Erika]

one of the PASKAL soldier died today, he was my teacher(sharpshooter teacher),my rival, my friend, my companion,my idol........22 shot from m16 as a salute...... i slapped myself why i can't cry.........

but at the same time, i finished this model:

for his memory though............

[Thescarredman]

Just got back from seeing Melburnians Loon Lake and local Brisbanites Ball Park Music live...


They were awesome.

I know it's not my imagination, Alfisti. The lead singer resembles you.

[Robert Frazer]

Sorry to hear that you've lost a friend KuroNeko, God rest his soul.

[Professor Voodoo]

one of the PASKAL soldier died today, he was my teacher(sharpshooter teacher),my rival, my friend, my companion,my idol........22 shot from m16 as a salute...... i slapped myself why i can't cry.........

Very sorry to hear that, Kuro. Was it a training accident or something different?

[boomer_gonz]

You know that moment when you right click on a link in Firefox and you have two bars of options and suddenly you're thinking... "Damn I have a lot of add-ons....sweeet!"

Yeah...that just happened here.

[Kiskaloo]

I have ham.

[Three Dog]

I'm gonna get soem Fruitloops! I'm gonna get some Fruitloops! I'm gonna get some fruitloops!(Fruitloops are worth more than gold in this house)

And gongrats on the ham, Kisk.

[Three Dog]

Interperate that however you wish.

Hint:

Spoiler:

[Three Dog]

Just filled out my expression of interest for the ADF. I also learnt that to be a heli pilot I have to join the navy, not air force since the air force is only fixed wing aircraft.

[Alfisti]

Home!

So, about lunchtime on Monday our Gladstone head of pre-contracts stuck his head through my door "Alfisti, Estimator X can't do this thing, can you go in his place?"

Alfisti: Sure. What am I doing?

Pre-contracts: Going to take a look at some roads for a tender. You fly back to Brisbane tonight, then out to Emerald [to quote another mate: butt-fuck-nowhere - A] on the quarter-to six tomorrow morning. Get back Saturday.

Practical upshot is that, for the last week, I have been donig the Jethro + Monty thing and haring around the countryside. This has been the view from my "office" window:


And this has been my "office" (parked on right):


Over four days we did just on 3000km, mostly on unsealed roads in various states of disrepair.

Actually, it was a lot of fun... sure beat sitting at my desk.

[Awinnell]

as long as you didn't end up like Jenny Agutter in walkabout,or have to go the whole Bear Grylls piss drinking thing, i guess it could be fun out there !

[Alfisti]

as long as you didn't end up like Jenny Agutter in walkabout,or have to go the whole Bear Grylls piss drinking thing, i guess it could be fun out there !

Nah, fortunately there was a pub or motel to stay at each night thank God. Actually, my accomodation made this sort of downhill slide through the week: started at the Novotel Airport... all "yessir, nosir, three bags full sir" and fluffy bathrobes; then went to a pretty good motel; then to what I'd consider a "classic" country town motel (straight out of the 80s and a bit run down, nothing fancy but still resonably comfortable) and finally to a pub, which was also serving as a camp for one of our other jobs.

Actually the pub was pretty awesome; classic country pub so big out-door area, nothing's too much trouble and in the middle of nowhere right next to the highway... but very much camp accomodation, just a couple of dongas out the back. Kara would have hated it.

[Officer_Charon]

Had to Google donga. I feel all enlightened and multi-cultural! *grins*

[Alfisti]

Had to Google donga. I feel all enlightened and multi-cultural! *grins*

Yeah, I think it's something of a uniquely Australian term; but basically refers to any building intended to be dropped on the back of a truck and driven out into whoop-whoop.

[Awinnell]

Had to Google donga. I feel all enlightened and multi-cultural! *grins*

Yeah, I think it's something of a uniquely Australian term; but basically refers to any building intended to be dropped on the back of a truck and driven out into whoop-whoop.

A portacabin ?

[Officer_Charon]

Or any single-piece pre-fab, really...

[Alfisti]

Or any single-piece pre-fab, really...

Pretty much, though it's sometimes applied to modular buildings as well: anything which can be put on the back of a truck and bolted together onsite.

In other news... thanks to the lady I normally keep it with having a garage sale the Alfetta needed to be relocated for the weekend. First time I think both cars have been in the same spot:



It's difficult to see in this picture, but if you ever needed an idea of how much cars have grown, the 30y/o (31 this year) Alfetta looks miniscule next to the 135i. All the more graphic when you consider the Alfa is based on what was at the time a medium-size family car, and the 135i on a "small" hatchback.

[Kiskaloo]

The growth in cars was really driven home to me the other day when I saw a current generation Mini parked next to an original formula model. The original Mini was like a 50% scale model in comparison to the current model.

[Alfisti]

The growth in cars was really driven home to me the other day when I saw a current generation Mini parked next to an original formula model. The original Mini was like a 50% scale model in comparison to the current model.

Oddly enough (or perhapse not) this was one of discussions at breakfast on Sunday; how much cars have grown. Now, I realise people are getting bigger too... somewhat graphically illustrated by getting into my mate's MGB GT afterward. Now, I'm not a big bloke: 5'9", pretty much bang on 60kg, but that's not a feat to be accomplished gracefully without a bit of practice... obviously not helped by the fact that the doors were designed for a soft-top and therefore to be stepped over, not through. It's pretty small inside too: not uncomfortable but certainly not commodius, so there's a few fixed design issues which aren't going to change. I realise to that there's a lot more safety gubbins needs to be fit inside as well, but surely with the way materials are going we can start making things smaller and lighter again.

I honestly think that half the problem is that people have been convinced they need a whole heap of additional empty space that they actually don't.

[Kiskaloo]

The growth in cars was really driven home to me the other day when I saw a current generation Mini parked next to an original formula model. The original Mini was like a 50% scale model in comparison to the current model.

Oddly enough (or perhapse not) this was one of discussions at breakfast on Sunday; how much cars have grown...I honestly think that half the problem is that people have been convinced they need a whole heap of additional empty space that they actually don't.

Here in the United States there is very much a belief that "bigger is safer". People - especially women with children - drive SUVs because they feel safer in them than they would in a minivan or estate, even though both of those vehicles are much more sensible and economical and in many cases are safer (due to needing to meet car-safety standards as opposed to truck-safety standards).

I take it the United Kingdom feels somewhat the same ("Chelsea Tractors"), though they at least have estates.

[Thescarredman]

The growth in cars was really driven home to me the other day when I saw a current generation Mini parked next to an original formula model. The original Mini was like a 50% scale model in comparison to the current model.

The same for Jeep Wranglers, possibly the commonest make and model in my neighborhood. The current Hummer-sized four-door beast makes my '66 CJ5 look like a golf cart.

[Alfisti]

Unfortunately the "bigger is better" mentality seems to be endemic across most of the planet right now: certainly here and, from what you hear in the two big markets of China and the Middle East. That said, the trend seems to be slowing a little here, with more people "downsizing" out of large cars into medium and small cars... which says to me at least that what you get in a Golf, Cruz or Mondeo these days is plenty for most families and, hey, guess what: they're about the size of a medium or large car two decades ago; which were cars that suited families. Odd that.

The big one here right now though are small SUVs and softroaders. Again though, part of me can't help but think that it's very much a case of the vehicular design mainstream having edged away from what people actually want/need. As roads have gotten better, cars have become more road-biased to the point where they don't work so well on unsealed or poor quality surfaces. No longer can one look at a side track in a family saloon and say "hey, lets see what's up there). All a softroader does is bring people back to being able to do what could be undertaken in a EH Holden Wagon thirty years ago.

The growth in cars was really driven home to me the other day when I saw a current generation Mini parked next to an original formula model. The original Mini was like a 50% scale model in comparison to the current model.

The same for Jeep Wranglers, possibly the commonest make and model in my neighborhood. The current Hummer-sized four-door beast makes my '66 CJ5 look like a golf cart.

You got a picture of that? I'd be keen to see it

[Thescarredman]

The CJ is long gone, I'm afraid. It was my first car.

[Kiskaloo]

Unfortunately the "bigger is better" mentality seems to be endemic across most of the planet right now: certainly here and, from what you hear in the two big markets of China and the Middle East.

Well for those areas, it is about status. They all drive Land Rovers, Cayennes and G-Wagens.

The big one here right now though are small SUVs and softroaders. Again though, part of me can't help but think that it's very much a case of the vehicular design mainstream having edged away from what people actually want/need.

I'd argue it is the manufactures adapting to market desires. Women bought SUVs because they liked the high ride height and the sense of safety from both the mass and 4WD, but early SUVs were based on body-on-frame truck platforms and had poor ride quality and handling. So car companies started to develop new SUVs based on unibody car structures and an emphasis on reduction in NVH on paved roads. Women didn't care about off-roading, so manual 4WD systems were replaced by electronic AWD systems that provide improved traction in wet and snow conditions, but couldn't climb a grassy knoll much less a riverbed.

As roads have gotten better, cars have become more road-biased to the point where they don't work so well on unsealed or poor quality surfaces. No longer can one look at a side track in a family saloon and say "hey, lets see what's up there). All a softroader does is bring people back to being able to do what could be undertaken in a EH Holden Wagon thirty years ago.

See above. That being said, there still are plenty of "real" SUVs that can "push into the bush". Land Rover and JEEP both pride themselves on their vehicles being able to do so.

[Robert Frazer]

I take it the United Kingdom feels somewhat the same ("Chelsea Tractors"), though they at least have estates.

Unless you're actually a farmer 4x4s/SUVs in the UK aren't really anything to do with safety - it's purely for luxury and status, and perhaps a delusion that you too can be a fine country gentleman of landed estate. I took a ride in a friend's Range Rover once - his dad actually specifically pointed out to me a gyroscope set into the dashboard which showed the vehicle's camber, so you could be sure of your position when clambering over stony off-road mountain trails (we're in deepest flood-plain suburbia). When you accelerated on the road the gimbal was knocked forward to 50 degrees anyway, so it didn't even work. He seemed a little embarrassed about that.

[Officer_Charon]

I remember our Range Rover, back in the day... I couldn't tell you the year, but I was young, so it was definitely no older than an 86... I remember enjoying it, up until it got stolen by Gypsies out of our driveway (no, seriously).

Recovered weeks or months later (I can't remember), after having been used in a bank robbery. We had it for a short while, before my mom drove it through a T-junction without yielding, and it was written off in a wreck.

I don't recall us doing much in the way of rock-climbing with it, either.... but we COULD have! *grins*

Now, Dad had a Tinkertoy when we lived in California that was a true off-roader. A '53 Ford F-150 body over a '75 F-150 chassis that had been specially lifted and reinforced for trail-riding. We called it Babe, the Big Blue Ox, because that thing was HUGE. And being that we lived in front of Sierra Nevada National Forest... oh yeah, it got used.

[Alfisti]

As roads have gotten better, cars have become more road-biased to the point where they don't work so well on unsealed or poor quality surfaces. No longer can one look at a side track in a family saloon and say "hey, lets see what's up there). All a softroader does is bring people back to being able to do what could be undertaken in a EH Holden Wagon thirty years ago.

See above. That being said, there still are plenty of "real" SUVs that can "push into the bush". Land Rover and JEEP both pride themselves on their vehicles being able to do so.

I wasn't saying that to be disparaging of softroaders mind you... just making comment on how car design has changed and adapted over the years. I actually really like the softroader concept: just so long as no-one tries to sell it to me as an actual 4x4. I'll be honest: I've seriously considered buying one when it comes time to replace the BMW, or taking a leaf from J+M's book.

But yes, some manufacturers will still give you a genuine 4x4, able to go bush straight from the showroom: Land Rover/Range Rover, Jeep, Toyota and Nissan are the ones which come to mind... though the Nissan Patrol is getting a little long in the tooth, and they're not offering the new one with a diesel: massive fail.

The big one here right now though are small SUVs and
softroaders. Again though, part of me can't help but think that it's
very much a case of the vehicular design mainstream having edged away
from what people actually want/need.

I'd argue it is the
manufactures adapting to market desires. Women bought SUVs because they
liked the high ride height and the sense of safety from both the mass
and 4WD, but early SUVs were based on body-on-frame truck platforms and
had poor ride quality and handling. So car companies started to develop
new SUVs based on unibody car structures and an emphasis on reduction in
NVH on paved roads. Women didn't care about off-roading, so manual 4WD
systems were replaced by electronic AWD systems that provide improved
traction in wet and snow conditions, but couldn't climb a grassy knoll
much less a riverbed.

Maybe I didn't phrase that so well: what I was saying was that what the market to want is what a softroader offers... not what car manufacturers seem to be designing as "road" cars; despite a softroader essentially doing what a road car used to. People still want essentially the same thing, it's just coming in a slightly different package.

That said: good points all on how the manufacturers have hit market wants with the soft roader: not to mention they're easier to see out of, access, and put shopping/kids into. I'd also argue that, practicalities aside, there's a certain "lifestyle" perception associated with a small SUV: just watch the ads, particularly for young couples. Having a small SUV (particularly a luxury one) is sort of perceived, at least by the owner and those whom aspire to do so, as saying "I may work a dull 9-5 office job through the week, but come Saturday I'm a Weekend Warrior! Kite surfing, and mountain bike riding before chortling up to a winery for the night and taking a hike before driving back into the city for a latte on Sunday afternoon".

Whether it's true or not, the perception's still there.

Now, Dad had a Tinkertoy when we lived in California that was a true
off-roader. A '53 Ford F-150 body over a '75 F-150 chassis that had been
specially lifted and reinforced for trail-riding. We called it Babe,
the Big Blue Ox, because that thing was HUGE. And being that we lived in
front of Sierra Nevada National Forest... oh yeah, it got used.

Yeah, Hiluxs are the vehicle of choice to do that with here... in fact it's almost unusual to see one (not counting company vehicles, though they too tend to get bull bars and snokels) in regional areas without at least a snorkel, bullbar and lift kit

[Three Dog]

I'm happy that I started reading Robert Jordan's The Wheel of Time again and stayed up till 1:30am reading it. In case anyone is reading it I won't spoil anything, but the plot thickens... which shouldn't come as a surprise to anyone who does so happen to be reading it considering that by book 10 the plot has thickened to the point where it is no loger a liquid by a highly dense solid mass.



And my Zero Punct. shirt arrived just now Unfortunately, it's a bit big... I can wear it as a dress.

EDIT: I also figured out why I like Strike Witches: Aes Sedai. That is all.

[Alfisti]

So, as some are aware; I'm off to Tokyo for New Year with a couple of mates. For part of the trip we decided to hire a car and get out of town for a day, maybe up to Fuji.

Now, the instruction given to the mate organising this was "find something large and comfortable: good for four adults to spend a day in and which won't end with us in a tree (seeing as only one of four has any experience driving in potentially icy conditions). If you don't feel like walking to Ghibli, we can keep it for another day".

Somewhere along the line this was translated into, and I quote: "two MX-5s and an electric car called Carol".




Can't say I'm disappointed, but really wonder why we even bother giving the man instructions. For the record, he is one of the inspirations for Jethro... now you know where he gets (some of) it from.

[MP5]

So, as some are aware; I'm off to Tokyo for New Year with a couple of mates. For part of the trip we decided to hire a car and get out of town for a day, maybe up to Fuji.

Now, the instruction given to the mate organising this was "find something large and comfortable: good for four adults to spend a day in and which won't end with us in a tree (seeing as only one of four has any experience driving in potentially icy conditions). If you don't feel like walking to Ghibli, we can keep it for another day".

Somewhere along the line this was translated into, and I quote: "two MX-5s and an electric car called Carol".

An MX-5 for a mountain drive? Not a bad idea. I guess your hire service will let you have the new models... hopefully with standard transmission.

[Pax]

My 7 day stretch from hell, during which I will have worked >80 hours without a day off ends later today! I get to work on Broken Toys and hit the bars tonight!! WOOHOO!!!

[Three Dog]

Well, I had a small party at my place last night - a small get together with a few close frineds. Well, one of them had a resentation he had to go to for a club he's in, and so arrived at 10:30. Everyone esle got here around the 4:00 - 4:30 mark, and started drinking around 5:00. As you could imagine, we were quite intoxicated (the plethora of drinking games probably did not help, and neither did letting my older brother mix a drink. Half and half of Canadian Club and Coke is unpleasant). Now, at about 9:30 - 10:00ish, I got the idea that we should all glomp said late friend when he came in...

... And glomp him he did! Sort of turned into a dog pile though.

[Pax]

nothing beats a good old fashioned drunken dog-pile, haha

[Alfisti]

and neither did letting my older brother mix a drink. Half and half of Canadian Club and Coke is unpleasant

Hmm... sounds like that time we ran out of tonic water so started making gin and tonics with just the gin (and a slice of lime).

[Pax]

and neither did letting my older brother mix a drink. Half and half of Canadian Club and Coke is unpleasant

Hmm... sounds like that time we ran out of tonic water so started making gin and tonics with just the gin (and a slice of lime).

reminds me of my buddies bachelor party bar crawl... someone got the bright idea that we should all do shots of London Dry... straight. ended with one of us in tears

[Kiskaloo]

Sitting in front of the fire in a French cafe (though not in France) on a foggy, cold, wet afternoon with a creme brûlée and hot chocolate listening to a choir sing "Ave Maria".

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