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Dakimbrell

IPMS/USA Member
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Everything posted by Dakimbrell

  1. Nick, This is what I don’t get. It is such a small thing that can help so much and the top people on the pandemic are recommending it! I have spent 30 years working in an environment that requires safety gear. I even worked with radioactive materials. Wearing a mask is no big deal Those opposed to masks run to videos and such which show masks don’t guarantee protection and have problems if worn too long. They ignore that no one says they absolutely guarantee protection. Like all safety equipment, they only improve your odds. Dak
  2. I see the top medical people in the country saying wear a mask if you are going to be in a large group. Why isn’t this enough for us to require attendees to wear masks? Why do we have to wait for the reluctant government of Texas to mandate such things? Dak
  3. I have heard a rumor that the San Marcos Convention only has about a hundred pre-registered attendees. I do not know if this is typical or not as I always register as early as possible and never given it much thought, however, it does not sound good. I expected to see some drop off because of loss of income and illness or fear of contracting the Covid19 virus, but I have know idea how much. A good clear statement is needed from the convention and IPMS leadership to clarify the situation. And to clearly establish what safety steps they plan to take assuming it all goes on as planned. Masks, or no masks, social distancing, will the hotel bar be open, what specifically is the hotel requiring convention attendees to do? I know things can change over night, but we know it won't before the better. Keeping people clearly informed is the best way to instill confidence. Dak
  4. Then those who don’t want to wear a mask should not attend, IMO. Dak
  5. Repeated tests are showing masks of any type are better than no mask in REDUCING the spread. No one says anything but distance really stops it. In a room with a couple hundred people at any given time, the temperature and humidity go up. In the vendor’s room, we will have the added effect of people touch lots of stuff. People will get closer together than they should. Throughout the world we daily rely on safety equipment. None of it is guaranteed to stop anything, but it gives you a fighting chance. We also accept many things in today’s society we would not 30 years ago. We currently worry about a child seeing a naked lady, concentration camp stuff, or a soldier peeing. But some how, asking everyone to wear a mask is a horrid violation of your civil rights. If a family comes to the show and contracts Covid19 resulting in a long hospitalization or death, IPMS could be held responsible if we do not follow CDC guidelines. We can’t guarantee no one will catch something. But we can take precautions. Simply requiring the wearing of masks is good faith start. A lot can happen in 36 days. Today,Texas hit 112,944 documented cases with 2191 fatalities, according to John Hopkins Start watching the daily spikes. Dak
  6. Yes, I have been re-evaluating the whole thing. Depending on what happens nationally in the next month, I may go, but not enter any models to avoid excessive contact. Dak
  7. In this case John, we are in a public, but closed space, and your casual cough may spread your asymptomatic Covid19 filled spittle into the air I'm breathing, or deposit it onto the table I happen to touch a few minutes after your cough. You would not just throw a snot filled tissue on the floor of the model room, would you? You would not just spit on the floor either...I hope. I remember sitting in restaurants with cigarette smoke drifting across from the next table. Now we know second hand smoke is dangerous too. Like I say, you guys win. The Covid19 crisis is all made up and there is no problem. Dak
  8. Well, I’m already registered and have sponsored two trophy packages. Three, if you count my club sponsoring one. Certainly, you can tell people what to do and wear. No shirt, no shoes, no service is seen in many businesses. You are required to wear seatbelts in most states. Hard hats on construction sites. Do you ignore the seatbelt light on the airplane? Would you take your gun into a store with a no firearms sign? I remember the outrage over stopping people from smoking in a restaurant. IT WAS THEIR RIGHT TO SMOKE ANYWHERE THEY WANTED! Or so they thought. We now say you can’t take pictures during judging. Isn’t that my right as as a paid attendee and member of IPMS. What is a personal right is often dependent on the venue. Why being required to wear a mask upsets so many, ....is such an unbearable burden....I will never understand. I can sympathize with the blackout wardens during the Blitz. What will you do if the hotel or local government requires wearing masks? Will you comply or stay home in protest? Dak
  9. Ok guys, you win. Covid19 is nothing to be concerned about. Masks don’t work so there is no point in even trying. Filter masks don’t stop you from breathing in paint fumes when you airbrush your model. Asbestos and smoking doesn’t cause cancer. Drinking alcohol doesn’t impare driving. Hard hats and safety goggles are worthless. Seatbelts and airbags have no effect. Sharks aren’t attracted to blood. Smoking at the gas pump is perfectly safe. Denial is a wonderful thing. So, when IPMS gets sued because they failed to follow CDC guidelines and several die, we can deal with that then. We’ll never be sued? We have worried about a lot less over the years. FYI, I have four nurses in my family and they will not go out without a mask these days. Dak
  10. COVID 19 numbers as of 8 am June 22, 2020: 2,280,969 confirmed cases in USA 119,977 deaths since January (5.26%) the peak death rate was around 6.2%. Flu death rate is less than 1% for 2019. We can hold the National Convention, but don't pretend this is not a deadly virus. Dak
  11. Regardless of the specific local rate of infection is, the overall death rate in the USA has been 5-6% of those catching the virus. Also, these local figures are based of a period of shut down, not the latest data. And they are local data not accounting for an influx of people from other areas into a small venue versus walking around in an the open air. And it doesn’t mean demanding the wearing masks is a bad idea Dak
  12. Note, based on what those who attended SoonerCon told me, only about 1/3rd wore masks. I resigned from IPMS/Metro because I suggested they maintain a contact tracing list of attendees and was mocked. At least one of the members said the Covid19 was fake and only an excuse to embarrass Trump. I felt that was a callous disregard for the safety of others. I want to have a National Convention, but the Covid19 numbers for Austin and Texas, as a whole are climbing. I also want to live to enjoy any awards and models I bring home. My son and daughter-in-law just got back and reported that Vegas is not as open as some would think. Paris and several other casinos were closed when they were there last week. They wore masks everywhere they went. Masks in the contest area and vendor rooms should be mandatory. And I don't see how we can judge and maintain social distancing, so masks should be required for that, too. I certainly don't want to hang with people who have such a careless disregard for the safety of others. You can't smoke or drip pizza grease on the models, and wearing a mask to reduce the spread of a deadly virus seems to be a small thing. Dak
  13. Well, You appear to be in the area of six or seven local chapters around the bay area. Check the chapter listings off the Home page of the website. As for publications, I recommend AFV Modeller and Airmodeller magazines along with Airfix Model World and Tamiya Modeling Magazine. Military Illustrated is also good. FineScale Modeler also puts out a magazine called Damaged which has some good articles. All are available through various sources. Tile grout makes great dirt. Dak
  14. Hobby Boss kit with MiniArt commander (with Alpine head), Alpine driver, and MK35 MP. Stowage gear is from Squadron. The pigeons are from MiniArt. Kit has all the armor and stowage baskets. Fit is very good. Tracks are from the kit and are single link, snap together. They work very well. Sorry the images aren't bigger, but I only was allowed .61MB. Dak
  15. Pictures aren’t bigger because they won’t give me more memory. Dak
  16. I have the kit. Got a good deal at my local shop for about $60. I plan on starting it tonight, so we will know soon how well it goes together. Good or bad, I will have another article for the Journal. Dak
  17. Is anyone working on this kit? I got one a couple weeks back and it looks like a superb kit. I was wondering if anyone has any comments. Dak
  18. This is the Tamiya 1/12th Ducati 900SS with the Tamiya Street Rider figure. The pictures make it look a bit better than it really is. I managed to screw up things attaching the windscreen so it has a bad spot. The helmet comes with the figure. I used Alclad on the engine and exhausts. The tires were soaked in Armorall before I put them on the model. The University of Oklahoma markings were made with Woodland Scenic dry transfers. The rider also sports a Oklahoma Historical Modelers Society club logo and nose art on his jacket. Dak
  19. This is a 3D printed1/35th Cape Buffalo figure from Shapeways. I'd post bigger images , but the forums is only giving me .71MB to work with. The figure comes as one piece molded in white. The hunting rifle mon the ground is an old H&R white metal casting with a lead foil strap. The animals weigh in at about 2000lb and often kill more people than Lions or crocodiles. Dak
  20. What is has to do with general modeling is how it effects what we show on the website and at the contests. If we do not discuss these things, then people begin to feel disenfranchised when they are not allowed to enter a favorite model at a show. Also, the people righting the rules need feed back from the membership. Many years ago, the contest committee made a bunch of very arbitrary rules without good feed back and that cost IPMS members and still effects the shows to this day. I have had heat discussions with several of those posting here and yet nothing said here seems political. Only by ignoring the subjects do we create problems down the line. I don't see the Baron as a serial killer....at least in a criminal sense. I just felt that was a good place to start the discussion. I like pretty girls, so nude or sexy figures don't bother me in the least. However, there are some subjects I do find inappropriate for public display at a convention....that sadomasochistic stuff. It generally doesn't "offend' me, but I can see why it might surprise and offend those not expecting at a model show. Of course, the only people I know who have purchased things like the Mascot figures have never built them. LOL I don't see any difference between McVeigh's car and Galland's Me-262. The only difference to me is time: the OKC attack is too close for some people. Some things are just going to offend some people. One guy I know thinks models which display any human remains or children's toys (dolls, tricycles, or teddy bears) should not be allowed. My friend Foster did a superb Mercedes 170 delivery van vignette with the title Arbeit Macht Hungrig and someone was offended by it. One reason he used that title was his Jewish ancestry. This year at Chattanooga, Mike Fleckenstein did a very nice vignette Will Someone Say Kadish For Them. I really liked it, yet I know there were some that felt it should not have been there. Personally, I have been doing "Germany in defeat" for about a quarter century. (The only exception being the Battle of France.) Yet, I would never ban a swastika as an historical marking. I also see myself as an artist and the models...particularly the dioramas...tell a story and show something I want the public to see. I recently did a ADGZ armored car placed in the town of Lidice, Czechoslovakia because I want people to remember. Dak
  21. The Baron, stalked his prey and attacked from behind and kept trophies of his kills. Just like a serial killer. Is it appropriate to do a model of a serial killer's stuff? I was looking at the contest rules and those that have won over the years and wonder what most serious members think is an inappropriate model or contest entry. Personally, I'm an artist at heart and find very few things offensive enough to be band or remove it from a contest. However, I am aware others may not feel that way. So, what offends you and why? Would a model of one of the 9/11 planes be ok? If so, how is it different from the plane that sank the Arizona? Is a model of Timothy McVeigh's Car ok form the National? If not, why would a model of Hitler's big six wheeled car be ok? We do swastikas and naked girls all over airplanes, but showing a dead body seems to upset many. Seems strange to me. Thoughts? Dak
  22. Have you posed the model beside the real thing? At least, Panzer Grey and Olive Drab look way to dark if you don't lighten them. Now, what about seams that SHOULD be there, but have been removed or filled by the builder? I see this a lot on aircraft undercarriage and the rubber tires on tank roadwheels, in particular. Thoughts? Dak
  23. This is why we don't judge the shade or color of paint at most contests. However, the shade of paint does effect the opinions the viewer. Those final moments of the judges trying to decide which will be the last three models and which will be first or second, etc, everything comes into play. I use to use Model Master paint straight out of the bottle, but now I do a 50-50 mix of flat white and RAF Middlestone to get the Panzer Yellow I like. I prefer a bluish tint to my Panzer Grey, even though evidence shows it has a brown tint. As far as I know, there is no exact scaling of paint chart. When it comes down to it, people see colors differently...at least they seem to....so the best you can do is try to find a shade you like and hope it works for others. However, on very dark colors like black, Panzer Grey, etc, I would recommend lighting the color a bit regardless of scale. Tires should always be done in dark grey, not black. Dak
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