Ace-Garageguy

But doncha understand...this is the kind of dweeble who doesn't believe that objective truth or actual knowledge has any value, and besides...he's generating clicks and income by spewing this gibberish, and probably laughing at everyone who criticises it. See man...he doesn't HAVE to actually know anything or how to DO anything, including drive, other than move his little cursor around a screen. In his mind, the quality of what comes out is of no consequence, and people like you are just jealous old fossils who're so stuck in the past-it concept of "physical reality" and "accurate information", you really need to just go away. AND...it's entirely unnecessary for a human to have written the script anyway, what with the current level of consumer-oriented AI video production products. So all Mr. Dweeble has to do is type in a few keywords, or a subject phrase, and the AI will do the rest. It'll even produce an audio track in a pretty decent simulation of his voice He CAN edit it, but you know, why bother? Trash still generates clicks.

Chinese-manufactured parts and tools, while sometimes just fine and good value, are often of inferior quality in fit, finish, material, and durability.

Yeah, and they can do anything they want to their vehicles. I don't care. But I certainly don't have to praise the results, and I'm still free to laugh at and criticise this stuff...for now.

Dude...numbers are hard.

I kinda think it's real. There's no shortage of '90s-2000s pickups around here sporting exactly the same kinds of visual "enhancements". Like this. Honest.

Plans for any military engagement often become useless shortly after battle is joined.

Month to month expenses, like food, energy, and fuel, have gone up faster in the last few years than I've seen over the rest of the last 50+ that I've been paying my own way.

If you watch much history, or aviation, or military technology, or much of anything on YT made these days, the number of garbage vids made either by entirely clueless AI or equally clueless humans is pretty depressing. A lot of the stuff is useless clickbait, with scrambled timelines, mis-pronounced words (sometimes several different pronunciations of ONE word within a single vid), photos from entirely different time periods or of airplanes/tanks/trucks/trains/engines/nuclear reactors/whatever that are not even mentioned in the audio track. The downside of the internet is that it's given a global voice to every fool with a computer and a web connection, and it's becoming painfully obvious that for the most part, AI is doing a great job emulating stupid humans. EDIT: And the fact that Google is becoming increasingly unreliable as a source of accurate information makes it increasingly difficult for YT viewers of trash video presentations to independently check their validity. For a long time, Google has had a propensity to vomit up results that were inaccurate, and in order to glean the actual truth on any subject, a searcher had to have a fair amount of baseline knowledge on the subject being searched going in. With AI Overview often spewing garbled gibberish at the very TOP OF THE RESULTS page, lazy searchers are only going to get worse about accepting lies, whether intentional or not, as truth. EDIT 2: The state of today's mainstream-accessible AI is proof-positive of the old GIGO maxim: garbage in, garbage out. There's no doubt in my mind that AI WILL get much smarter over time, but for now, it's still not ready for the bigtime.

Between Googlie's little idiot AI that scrambles info and doesn't understand context, and dreck like this on YT, the flood of instant internet experts mindlessly rebleating what they've heard from "authoritative sources" is sure to accelerate. EDIT: Is it coincidence that these two massive sources of false or scrambled "information" are both arms of Alphabet Inc.? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alphabet_Inc.

"Find my keys I must" said Yoda, never.

Taste the rainbow.

FeePay has been supplying "help" for ad copy-writing recently. Whether it's "AI enhanced", or just a magically stupid fill-in-the-blanks generic template I don't know, but a large number of feePay items have very similar descriptions now...whether they be cars, clothing, tools, models, parts, whatever. Can you say P A T H E T I C boys and girls? "Introducing this fourth-generation 1964 Ford Fairlane 500 that is finished in Vintage Burgundy with a Wimbledon White roof. This vintage automobile is a true testament to the golden era of American automobiles. With its sleek and timeless design, this American classic is sure to turn heads wherever it goes. Equipped with a manual transmission, V8 engine, 4-barrel carburetor, dual exhaust outlets, "Ford" lettering across the hood, hood pins, rear fender skirts, chrome bumpers, bench seats, manual-crank windows, vent windows, dual-side rearview mirrors, Kenwood radio, and "Fairlane 500" fender badges. The warranty number reveals that this example rolled off the assembly line in San Jose California, further enhancing its historical significance. Additionally, the previous owner has added unique decorations such as decals and other designs, giving this American classic a touch of personal flair and individuality. Do not miss the opportunity to own this unique Fairlane 500 that is well-priced as well as mechanically sound. For $10,750"

"Please and thank you" don't get around much anymore.

More good stuff that followed me home from yesterday's ACME show: Union Porsche 907/908, complete, unstarted, well under online asking prices. I already had some gloobombs, but the cherry kit will let me bugger it myownself. Union Ferrari 330 P4, also complete and unstarted, also under online asking, and it came with a gorgeous extra set of tires from MFH, worth more than the model itself. And a Tamiya Sauber-Mercedes C9, again NIB, unstarted, and cheaper than online, especially after shipping. This one will probably be donating its guts to do a phantasy C-111, based on the awful C-111 1/24 kit (I've forgotten the manufacturer...ARII?...but it's a better than starting with a potato...barely) I got a few years back.

I dunno...maybe a giant prehistoric time-traveling bowerbird that loves shiny sparkly things?

"Mid engined" he says. Pretty funny. Probably ought to put a generator and at least one big honkin' electric motor on the thing too, with enough battery to move it about 10 feet and call it a hybrid as well.

Glance carefully, 'cause in some circles today that's known as "the male gaze" and can get you in deep deepness.

Yup. Remember 'em, but never bought 'em. How 'bout the wobbling kitty heads / demon skulls / whatever with the eyes that lit up when you stepped on the brakes? Pure class. Yeah, all the chicks sure went for that guy.

Ever hear of an increasingly obscure concept called "taste"? Then there's the horrible fit of the wonky front sheetmetal and the paint mismatch...but hey, it's covered in garish stick-on stuff, so don't pay attention to the incompetent workmanship. And "stands out from the rest" isn't always...well, let's just say "an aesthetic improvement".

Something seriously wrong with the fit of the front sheetmetal too.

Beautiful results. THANK YOU.

At the ACME show yesterday I also bought a copy of How to Paint Scale Cars by Nestor Espinoza...which he signed for me. If you're not familiar with his work, you really should be. Besides being a master all-round painter, he's got weathering and simulated metal finishes down...and the book tells you how to do it. May as well learn from one of the best on the planet, and if the Maserati that's on the cover is anything to judge by...which was at the show...he is indeed one of the best ever. This also has to be the best how-to book I've ever seen, including info on decal work, realistic figure painting, etc. And though it is promoting the AMMO product line, it tells you exactly what to use and how to use it for world-class results.

Today I went to the shop early, got a lot done, and I'm taking the rest of the day off to play with the stuff I brought home from the show yesterday...but first a shower and a shave.

The '51 is nothing but a minor facelift on the '49-'50 sheetmetal. Some enterprising scratchbuilder could relatively easily make '51 grille, bumpers, etc., and it's easy to fill the cutout in the hood for the earlier grille hump. Then copy the parts in resin. OR...same thing but 3D modeled and printed. I don't see a major manufacturer tooling an entirely new kit just to do a minor facelift on an existing kit. Maybe, just maybe, a modification of the existing tool into a '51, possibly as a Victoria, but I still don't see it happening.

Shoes of the fisherman often squish when he walks.