Harry P.

Yeah... the lesser of evils, I guess...

Don't get me started on the self-employment tax. Those of us who are self-employed have to pay double the SS tax... our part as the employee... and the part as the employer! So we self-employed people have the privilege of paying double the SS tax, yet will only receive a single share... that is, if we receive anything at all. Tell me again why I live in the USA?

Don't you just love being punished for being successful?

Now you've got me thinking. I think I will get a second opinion.

My guy is a CPA and a licensed investment advisor. I have to assume he knows his business. And speaking of government double-dipping... you work all your life to try and save a little bit of money for retirement and maybe to pass on to your kids. Every dime you earn is taxed, and if you're lucky enough to be able to put some of what's left aside, your kids will be taxed on it when it goes to them. They will be taxed on money that you have already been taxed on. The government screws you every way it can.

I have never been more disgusted with our government than I am right now. Follow along closely, this gets a little complicated. I had my taxes done the other day. I have three separate IRA retirement accounts–let's call them accounts A, B, and C. Each account is made up of many smaller pieces... I'm invested in many different companies, stocks, bonds, securities, etc. In other words, I'm not invested in only A, B, and C... but rather my accounts A, B, and C are each comprised of many smaller bits and pieces. It's all about diversification, or not putting all your eggs in one basket (or in my case, three baskets). So it turns out I have to pay taxes on several thousands of dollars of capital gains, even though each of my three accounts (A, B, and C) lost value in 2015. Let me say that again. I have to pay taxes on GAINS, even though my accounts all LOST value overall in 2015. Here's why: Some of the individual investments contained within my three "umbrella" accounts (A, B, and C) actually made money. So there were capital gains in those isolated cases. But most of my individual investments lost value, the bottom line being that my accounts A, B, and C all lost value overall in 2015. Yet the IRS doesn't look at it that way. They see the individual investments that gained value and tax me on those. They don't see the many more individual investments that lost money. Bottom line: I lost money on my investments overall in 2015. I had less money in December 2015 than I had in January 2015. Yet I owe tax on the "gains" I made (but in reality never saw). It' about enough to make me want to pack up and move to Canada.

I'm confused. How is this a VW Caddy?

Beautiful work. Love the dealer tag on the trunk!

Nice and clean, but to my eye it's riding a bit high... an off-road Viper?

Agreed. Welcome aboard.

It happens, even on high-end models. I had a Pocher Mercedes with two left side window frames (metal parts) but no right side. Of course, Pocher was out of business then, so no way to get a replacement. I wound up scratchbuilding the missing part.

Cliff... I've been collecting them for many years, but slowly. I don't have a ton of them... maybe 20-25, tops. But included in my rather modest collection are the 1/12 scale '57 Chevy Belair and '30 Cadillac... both are loaded with working features and are amazing models. And with DM now defunct, their value can only go up...

Photograph that thing outdoors on really fine sand like you can get at Hobby Lobby, and it would pass for the real thing. Beautiful work.

This 1936 Packard is another of my favorite DM models. Yes, it comes with an up-top, too... but I don't know where it is!

The rear window really goes up and down...

Another DM favorite of mine is this '57 Mercury Turnpike Cruiser, one of the more "over the top" '50s designs. This is an older DM model; they were still using those inaccurate "dogleg" door hinges back then... they ultimately got rid of that type of hinge and went with more a more realistic door hinge design. But aside from the door hinges, the rest of the model is first rate, with typical DM level of detail.

Yes.

Wow! Those are all beautiful!

Given the quality of drivers I see on the road every day, a self-driving car would be an upgrade.

I would have no problem with self-driving cars on the road... as long as driver-driven cars aren't outlawed!

Geoff, it's an old MPC kit.

Sorry, Ellen... didn't mean to stir up any political firestorm... But you have to admit, as a society, in some ways, were were smarter in the 1950s than we are today.

Let's see if I can remember all the working features... Operating convertible top. Opening rumble seat. Wheels steer through the steering wheel. Driving lights steer along with the front wheels. Headlights work, dash gauges illuminate, brake light works when brake pedal is pressed, hi-beams can be tuned on and off. Courtesy lights come on when a door is opened. Cowl vent operates. Hood vents operate. Operable golf club door with a set of period-correct golf clubs. Running board toolbox opens, tools included. Moveable "wind wings." Moveable wipers. Did I forget anything?

I've never heard that, Bill. And on mine the whitewalls look as fresh as the day I got it. I bought this one when new, paid $495. And you know what? I'm glad I bought it, even at that price... especially now that it's out of production. The value can only go up over the years. That Caddy is by far the best, most detailed, most impressive model DM ever made.