Bernard Kron

Thanks for more detail, Mark. Absolutely fascinating stuff. The things I missed while I was away...

I don't disagree on the history of the evolution. But CNN itself, especially as it evolved into it's 30-minute cycle variant, was an acknowledgement of the vast growth in sources. You're right that it created a demand for "more fodder" and allowed the PR channel to thrive as it never had until then. But CNN pre-dates the Internet boom and itself contributed many elements to the Internet news idiom. It's all part of the cultural maturation process. In many ways the Great Depression and WWII constituted a Big Reset empowering a vast emergent middle class, creating a huge market that allowed a rapid evolution of media technologies. We're now on the other end of the cycle, IMHO. Looking forward we're seeing an emerging cost/quality squeeze where content has rapidly been homogenized and the subscription model has escalated costs enormously. For example $1.00 per song where the consumer contributes essentially 100% of the marginal cost of distribution, packaging and storage represents a gigantic increase in the cost of music over the old "record album" model. So media is now vanishingly cheap to warehouse and distribute but very little of the "savings" have in fact been passed on to the consumer. Affordability and media theft are big unresolved issues IMHO. Recently the torrent swarm for S04E06 of Game of Thrones set a new record of 200,000! S04E08 has yet to be stolen as HBO finally cracked down... But the problem was amply demonstrated. $60+ per month for high speed internet is not a solution, especially when added to monthly costs for 4G data distribution, and (in an era where more and more have decided to "pull the plug") cable television subscriptions. I have no doubt the problem will be solved one way or another...

The scroll-down plug-in sounds cool. IE10 and IE11 have intelligent pre-fetch routines that pre-load and pre-render the next page on a website but they don't append it to the bottom. Page changes are instantaneous but they're still page changes... IE has very effective ad blocking and has had it at least since IE9. I'm virtually ad-free in all its forms. With IE11 when you install it, it defaults to Do Not Track while still giving you the option to allow tracking on specific websites if you desire. I think, like most decent software, a little exploration and native curiosity leads to a vastly improved experience. If Microsoft has made an error, it's not to have developed as visible and engaged a developer culture as Apple and Google have. They really missed the boat with the whole "Apps" thing. On the other hand one thing I do actually despise is the fact that I had to register myself with Google via G-Mail in order to activate my Android tablet, and it's still locked up tight as a drum. Now that's Big Brother talkin' to ya!

Yes. The packaging is the same as I see on eBay:

One of the dominant issues in modern journalism, print or digital, is that of the relationship ,between original journalistic research and public relations. Whether you're consuming broadcast media, on-line print, or paper print, the overwhelming majority of content you will encounter is simply PR material sourced from private and government public relations teams whose sole purpose is the dissemination of publicity representing their point of view and agenda. It has been necessary to invent the phrases "investigative journalist" to "blogger" account for the infrequent exceptions. From the perspective of those who might wish to engage in more rigorous fact gathering and analysis it has the look and feel of highly organized plagiarism. The contemporary phrase for this is "the media echo chamber". The auto magazines have not escaped this. The vast majority of their content does not originate from their editorial staff but through materials supplied by advertisers and trade organizations upon whom these magazines are dependent. It's really not that new. If you go back and read old newspapers and magazines reaching even into the 19th century it becomes quite clear that original content has always been the exception and not the rule. When automobile culture was first booming after WWII things were far less rationalized, categorized and organized than today, so the possibility of encountering excitement and originality was much more likely than today. Whether it's music, literature, the fine arts, television, cinema, etc. etc., the process of rationalization, categorization and homogenization is inevitable. So IMHO I don't think the "24 hour news cycle" and "digital media" are as much causes as they are symptoms of an increasingly mature cultural cycle.

Just updated to IE11. Brett, you are right. What is required is that MCM be included as a Compatibility View site. Interestingly, IE11 transfers your Compatibility View list from IE10 but not from earlier versions. Everything is A-OK now, silky smooth and fast. Thanx for the tip. Hopefully it will be of use to others.

Thanx guys! I just uninstalled IE11 and it rolled me back to IE10. The other day I had tried installing IE10 from IE9 directly and it kept failing, so skipped up to IE11. Since the "versions" are just cumulative patches on a core program it simply deleted the IE11 stuff which yields ... IE10! Anyway things seem to be fine now. Brett. your advice seems to be a good one. I hadn't entered MCM into my compatibility view settings, but if I recall I was running compatibility view generakky in 9 and earlier. I'll check it out and make the appropriate changes. I my try re-installing IE11 after that. Sounds like it should work. I must say both IE10 and IE11 are faster and smoother than IE9. In particular they handle live streaming video much better than IE9. I've tried other browsers from time to time but am accustomed to the general IE approach and have been somewhat underwhelmed by the others. I'm not sure why there's so much hostility to IE, but maybe it's just that you can't teach an old dog new tricks... In any case, thanx again... B.

I just upgraded to Microsoft Internet Explorer 11 from IE 9. I notice that now I can't paste from my paste buffer. I've installed Opera as a workaround to access MCM and do that but I would prefer to use IE 11. Any tips to solve this problem? (I like IE so advice to switch browsers won't address the issue... ) Thanx in advance. B.

I use Ambroid Tac 'n' Place for my removable bodywork panels. It's a temporary adhesive that's quite strong.A thin coat will do the job. I choose a surface where the adhesive contact is hidden. Panels can be applied and removed many times before it loses grip. Any residue on the facing surface is removable with water. It sets tacky but clear.

Thanks Dave! "Some didn't even have chrome plated parts" - Yikes! Talk about de-contenting. Tough times in the model car biz... Reminds me of the plain-box Blueprinter AMT kit marketing campaign.

I know next to nothing about the evolution of model car kit makers and brands over the past 40 years. I keep seeing Advent brand kits on eBay. What's the deal on this? Thanx in advance for any historical lore you can share.

Saw it in pieces at the NNL West and was totally taken in by the concept and the detail. Admired it and followed the w.i.p. Bravo! Meticulous, beautifully crafted and on the money.

Sign me up when it's available. I'm sure I'll buy multiples for various projects...

I've discussed epoxy on this forum before because I've been forced into relying on it by the fact that I developed a bad allergy to CA. I've been using 5-minute epoxy for about 3-4 years now and have gradually developed techniques so that I can substitute it for most jobs where I would have used CA or, more and more often, liquid styrene cement or even plain old Testors red tube. As others have mentioned, epoxy is great for bonding dissimilar materials: plastic to metal, wood to metal, resin to plastic, etc. It's also great for non-styrene substances like resin, metal or wood. Obviously, these are all areas where I would have used CA. The downside of epoxy is that in the early stages of the cure it isn't very sticky. Since the time it takes to "set up" starts at around 3-4 minutes for "5-minute" epoxy it lacks the tackiness properties, at least initially, of something like styrene tube cement, thick CA, or an aggressive liquid styrene solvent for a small joint. That’s where, for small joints and fine detail work, CA was great, especially with a zip kicker. Those were the days... But I've learned to prepare quite small amounts of 5-minute epoxy, let it set for 2-3 minutes, and then, using a tooth pick, pin or other very small pointed object, apply it much as I would have CA with much the same results. So nowadays I use it for engine detailing, for example. When I was first using 5-minute epoxy I would occasionally have problems with a weak joint. I'm not entirely sure why. I suspect it was dirt or air bubbles, but it would sheet and give way under stress. Perhaps this was Bill’s experience, too. Nowadays I just follow the rules of any good bonding job: clean surfaces and a well applied coat of adhesive free of any gaps. I swear by epoxy for final assembly. It's very strong and, as mentioned above, has largely eliminated the need to do repairs when attending model shows, meetings, etc. Again, as mentioned earlier, epoxy can be easily cleaned up using isopropyl alcohol. That means not only is it unbeatable for doing windows or other clear parts, but it’s terrific for final assembly. It won’t mar paint! Just wipe it down with alcohol and it’s gone… So I’m a big fan of the stuff, even if it took a major melodrama to try it. I don’t use it for styrene chassis building, or any small styrene to styrene joints for that matter. For that I use MEK (methyl-ethyl-ketone), the active ingredient in most solvent type liquid styrene cements. But for larger surfaces of styrene to styrene, for any assembly of surfaces that might have been painted already, and most other jobs, epoxy is my weapon of choice. I’m excited to try slow epoxy as a filler using micro-balloons. And, of course, Bill’s technique of using fine fiberglass sheet with it is beyond cool. These are on my “skills to learn” list, along with scratch building wire wheels…

Thanx for the info. I've seen Arrowhead parts being sold on eBay but haven't been able to locate a working web site for them. Machined Aluminum Specialties also seems to have changed hands or morphed into another company. I see their parts available through various resellers but haven't seen a dedicated web site. I'll keep my eye out for the upgrade set! Your build certainly deserves the attention it is getting. Smart idea to post it Under Glass. I keep waiting for it to get moved to the relative obscurity of Drag Racing Models!

Very nice indeed. I agree with Harry, the detailing on the kit wheels makes a very big difference. I also like the body color valve covers. Did you adjust the stance? It's been so long since I built one of these without making changes to the front wheels, or tires, or suspension, I can't remember! This model presents a coincidence for me, as well, as I was considering doing a Revell 3-window using only kit parts, only changing the things that I really can't get myself to keep. This provides much food for thought, it came out so nicely!

Sir Jack Brabham was the epitome of the intuitive, pragmatic, tenacious spirit of what was to become the New Golden Age of Formula 1. He was the pivotal figure among what Enzo Ferrari called (somewhat contemptuously) the “Garagistes”, the specialist racers and constructors that were the bane of the old establishment, the Manufacturer/Constructors. First as the driver/mechanic/engineer/recruiter critically instrumental in bringing Cooper to revolutionary greatness, and then as that purest of all motor racing archetypes, the driver/constructor, he was the only one among them, the McLarens, the Gurneys, the Surtees, the Hills, et al, to win the World Championship in a car of his own making. This unique achievement marked the symbolic end of the old era and the beginning of modern racing as we know it today. He lived a long and significant life leaving behind him several important racing development firms and 3 sons who themselves have greatly enriched motorsport. Rest In Peace, Sir Jack. Nice appreciation of Sir Jack by Mike Lawrence on Pitpass.com: http://www.pitpass.com/51607/Jack-Brabham

Doesn't the Slingster just come alive with a little TLC and upgrading? Beautifully detailed model full of really neat touches. That Altered States pickup looks very sharp. Did you add extra interior panels to fill the space up to the tonneau cover? Also, I went to your web site and couldn't find all the neat little decals and touches on this model. Can we expect a Slingster detailing kit from you? And finally... were the MAS and Arrowhead purchases recent ones or have you had them awhile?

Cost containment + safety = standardization = But then again...

Well! That sure came out nice!

I use a single edge razor blade which I've sanded dull and a mini photo-etch bending tool from The Small Shop (see: http://thesmallshop.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=2&products_id=17&zenid=973c4e96b14cad6b59f077013cc01354 ) which I was given as an Xmas present. But you don't need anything that fancy, just a sturdy, relatively thick right angle surface such as a heavy aluminum or glass or plastic plate or sheet. Slide the p/e grill under the plate to the middle. Line up the center rib of the grill to the edge of the plate, then slip the razor blade under the grill and gently bend upward until you achieve the proper angle. It's a lot simpler and easier than you might think. A couple of test fits and you'll get the proper angle. It's actually fairly shallow. Below is a picture of The Bug tool (SMS002) by The Small Shop, shown in use from their web site. I was given a less expensive version, The Mini (SMS001): One thing a lot of us forget with the MCG '32 Ford p/e grills is to remember to glue the gill trim to the face of it. In fact for a couple of years I didn't even realize one was included! It's extremely thin and delicate. I've found the best way to deal with it is to glue it into place on the p/e sheet before cutting the grill free. That way the grill is nice and flat and easy to handle. Then you can bend the grill and trim together as one piece. Also, the sheet includes the crank whiole trim which I have begun to include in some of more recent traditional street rod builds. P/E grill without trim installed: P/E grill with trim installed:

Some serious stylin' going on here! Please accept any encouragement we can give you to see this beauty through...

Yummy, yummy!!! One Happy Doc, I'm sure!

I dig it! A no-nonsense traditional rod. Switching out the kit tires is always a good thing on the Revell 1/25th kits, IMHO. The kit's "fat fronts" are a real deal-breaker. Nice chop, too.

Did you adjust the stance? It looks like you took the front end down a bit. Looks good. Also nice to see a proper hood and side panels.