Highlander

I was just looking for a simple answer. Which seems, as I read these, that there is or was a program, about three years ago, to recognize members with 25 years of continuous membership. Current status is unknown.

I recall that, some time ago, an announcement was made that IPMS members who had continuous membership for some number of years (20?) would be recognized by being given a pin or a plaque or a tattoo or an autographed picture of Darth Vader or some such. And, if I have recalled this correctly, how many of these recognition items have been awarded? Can someone with the correct information send me to a link or provide the information here? Thank you.

Nice recovery achieving nice results.

Really convincing.

Yeti or not!

Your palette is perfect.

IPMS Nationals or bust?

Really nice work.

Did you get the figure you needed?

Wow!

A motorcycle?

Masterful.

I was just looking at a $119 kit. I really want it. But I just can't pull the trigger.

My price point is about $65. Somehow, I just can't get above that. To be candid, however, what I can get for $60 today is a world of quality better than what I could get for $40 10-15 years ago. I consider most "classic" kits, at $10-$20, to be too expensive. Since their quality is very inferior. I'll pay twice as much to have a kit that is enjoyable to build and which looks good.

Good men and women (and children). All true and strong.

Another OOB thread! With the same players, arguments, assertions, defenses, substantiations, and challenges --- pro and con. I ought to know ... in years past, I was an enthusiastic OOB debater. I do not impinge upon the motives of the poster, as he is yet another innocent who has looked at the OOB situation and said, "Hmmmm. Hey, what about .....?". Like many before him. And like more to come. It seems to me that, if this pattern repeatedly repeats, maybe the OOB rules are not crystal clear. Doesn't make me no never mind anymore. I do know this. I recently acquired both the Eduard 1/48 P-51D-5 (Profipack) and the Eduard 1/48 P-51D-5 (Weekend Edition). Identical sprue but, OOB, very different kits. Fine. As long as everyone, particularly judges, understands. Hey. I also go the 1/48 Eduard P-51D-25 in the Iwo Jima version. IMHO, the best aircraft kit ever. Not that I'm partial to WWII Pacific.

As I've posted elsewhere, I stopped ordering from Squadron about a decade ago. Up until then, Squadron was my primary source. As a casual consumer, I got weary of dealing with the common notification --- "Out of Stock". After that, I did look at their site about a half-dozen times ... desperately looking for an item. In each case, it was out of stock.

I have a Chess event at the Rio in September. Today I received a mailing that explains their specific requirements, in detail, about wearing masks. The event organizers have prominently posted that players will not be allowed to bring their own boards and pieces ... they will be provided by the tournament. I expect they will be wiped down after every match. Social distancing will be observed in the placement of tables. All in all, I know what to expect in September; I don't know what to expect in July. And that is my issue.

I've updated my investigation on current and projected Wuhan restrictions in San Marcos. They remain, as I read them, as a limit of 50% capacity on nearly all businesses and events. I asked earlier how the Nats plans to operate within the ES with this restriction. I still don't know. I am scheduled for another major hobby event in September. This event has published, in a prominent way, exactly the precautions and requirements that will be enforced for the attendees. My current thinking is that I will not attend. Based upon the lack of information on what I may expect. I'm willing to make a personal risk decision if I have substantial information on the restrictions and precautions I can expect. I'm not willing to take a personal risk without that information.

I have not decided if I will attend. My immediate concern is lack of detail on the measures that will be taken and the actions that will be required to make the Nats "safer". To date, all I've seen is that the San Marcos requirements will be followed. At last check, San Marcos allows 50% capacity for events and facilities. How will that work at a Nats?

Dave Doyle, thanks for the quote on your force majeure clause. In general, force majeure applies if forces or events beyond the control of one or both parties cause one or both parties to be unable to fullfill their contractual obligation. One line of logic is that, if the Embassy Suites is open and local regulations permit the Embassy Suites full exercise of their contractual obligations, then IPMS would have to show that it is unable to fulfill its contractual obligations. That is doubtful. But it depends upon the specific wording of the clause and whether IPMS wants to hire lawyers. It also depends upon the goodwill of the ES, which, as related here, does not seem to exist. Our ES was willing to work with us and we have been impressed with their goodwill. Having worked the budget for our convention for almost two years, I am intimately familiar with our spending plan. Due to cash flow, we delayed spending until the last moment (with a buffer for various delays and catastrophies). Even though we had a good chunk of money from the Astronomical League, we did not project sufficient cash to purchase shirts, programs, bags, and other paraphernalia until about five weeks before the convention. It appears that the Nats cash flow allowed significant purchases further out than did ours. We had signed our contract with the ES about sixteen months before our convention. But, when the Wuhan appeared on the scene, we addressed the ramifications beginning in January and pulled the plug on our convention in mid-February. That limited both our exposure and freed the ES to book other events in July, if warranted. Having been there, I emphatically sympathize with San Marcos. They seem to be pinned and have to choose between the lesser of two financial and scheduling evils.

The 2020 Astronomical League Convention (ALCON) was also to be held in Albuquerque this summer. It has been moved to 2021. But that was relatively easy. First, there had been no bidder for a 2021 convention, so the Astronomical League was very happy to fill that gap. Second, the Embassy Suites was cooperative, especially in light of the force majeure clause in the contract. Our exposure was $76K, but the exposure was the League's, not the local club's. And third, our financial analysis indicated that we would loose our shirt, pants, and cowboy hats if we pressed on. Registrations had simply stopped; vendors refused to commit, and speakers were bailing out. HST, I was the Registrar for ALCON, but have bowed out for 2021. Although about 80% of our registration team's preparatory work had been done, I wasn't willing to add another year to the already year and a half's work (hundreds of hours) which had blown my 2020 summer to shreds. Our club bailed out over two months ago; and it has become clear that we made the correct decision.

Actually, you have to be able to explain your choice to someone ... the head category judge, for example. I offer that no two models are equal and that an experienced judge can note and cite differences between them. I have yet to see the perfect model. The challenge is not, IMHO, when discriminating between two very good models, but between 2 or 3 or 4 models with multiple problems. The best of best is relatively easy, the best of the worst is tough.

Well, I guess this settles it. I suppose one could discern these traits from the models they constructed.

They don't like you anymore?