Thursday, March 27, 2014

Random Shots


These photos are primarily random shots taken as I walked through the Cold Wars show.  The scenes just caught my eye for one reason or another.


This was a game I actually participated in, Major Dundee, after the movie of the same name by Peckinpaw.  It was a confused affair and I developed roving eyes.     



These photos are of a 54mm Civil War game and it was quite impressive to bear witness to.  I live in an apartment, so games and collections of this scale are hard to imagine.  I prefer 1/72 figures (and even smaller).  I can run a game with 2-20mm.  My war-gaming friends blanch at games smaller than 15s, however.  I cut my war-gaming teeth on the Marx 54mm Civil War figures.  Truth be told, I would return to them in a heartbeat.  



Wednesday, March 26, 2014

All I Have To Offer


Depending on what side of the machine gun you are on, of course, WWI can be a beautiful site to behold. These, I believe, are 25mm planes from an aerial game from the first world war.  I think you had to have a big set of wrenches to fly one of those babies.  
I have a friend who, along with his wife, are considered aces because of their series of success in this kind of thing.  


Tuesday, March 25, 2014

A Civil War Battle - And I Was There!


These photos are rare for me, shot without players or paraphernalia!  I love this kind of photography because it makes it look as if I were at an actual battle and capturing it all by myself.



I end up at Best Buy looking for the latest cameras with the higher mega pixels.  You can never catch up with technology (especially on a budget).  Trust me.

Monday, March 24, 2014

For Those of You Who think I Don't Care About Good Photography

Great Things About Photography

Are you thinking about taking up the hobby of photography? Many who have already discovered this exciting and fulfilling hobby can tell you the top ten reasons why photography is so great. Maybe you will be captivated by this compelling and diverse art as well.

1. The Challenge of Getting the Perfect Picture
If at first you don't succeed, try, try again. Sometimes a hundred shots have to be taken and you have to try for several days to get just the picture you want. An individual must have patience, but at the end of the day a great sense of accomplishment is felt from capturing the best part.

2. Tell A Story
From beginning to end of a snowball fight, with people throwing their first snowball and eventually rolling in the snow and then dusting off, you can see the event and it tells the story of friendship, fun and joy of life. Looking at pictures of an old family farm from its humble beginnings to the growth and increase over a hundred years it tells a story of family, hard work and sacrifice. Everyone has a story, photos can share that story and bring it to life.

3. Express Individuality
A photographer subject matter will reflect their interests, likes and preferences. A photo can also reflect the individuality of a subject. The clothes they choose to wear and the location they want the pictures shot all show who they are and their personality.

4. Joy and Laughter Increase
Anyone who looks at their first grade picture can attest to this fact. What is more fun than looking back at your younger years or seeing the awkwardness of adolescence? In your later years of life, seeing a picture of your family working or playing together warms your heart and lets you remember good times and better health. A photo lets us travel over the decades and brings back moments that make us laugh and carries us through the hard times.

5. See Things Truly As They Are
Somethings are so perfect- the petals of a flower, the height of a Redwood, the still calm of the lake at dawn. They draw you in to the grace of nature and life in purity and simplicity. The sweet smile of a child reflects the goodness of life and all the hope for what we can become and achieve. This is what life is and who we are in it.

6. Solitude of the Dark Room
The magical atmosphere of the dark room leads you to discover the potential of the photograph. Lightness, darkness, shadows all are in the control of the photographer. It is a work done alone with your ideas and skills combined to bring out the story of the photo before you.

7. Understand the Emotions of Others
As you look over the events of history and witness the faces of those who endured the depression or see victims of the Holocaust you can see in their eyes what they have endured. Their faces portray their hearts and hurts and although you were not there, you understand what they carry with them a little more.

8. A Gift to Others of Their Most Precious Moments
After the couple returns from the honeymoon one of the first priorities is to get the wedding photos. One of the happiest days of their lives is recorded forever. When someone does something for you that you can't do for yourself you feel indebted and forever grateful. It is a special gift to give someone their special memories and most cherished events.

9. Once You Capture a Moment You Can Display it
From the famous to the personal, photographs reveal lives of people. Some are placed in history books, some on the walls of a museum and some in the home. When they are displayed they are able to reach into the lives of others and stir emotion and thought. Photos are meant to be shared and seen.

10. The Only Way You Can Freeze Time
A photo is a moment frozen in time for a person to enjoy and remember whenever they want. The look, the expression, the emotion only happen for an instant. Although someone might carry it in their heart, with time the memory fades. If a photo is taken a child is able to see the happiness of their parents on their wedding day, a parent can see how small their child was the day they brought them home for the first time and all the years after as they grew to adulthood. All the birthdays, first days of school, vacations and friends can be captured and with you always. Time and space do not take a loved one from us when we can see them and the moments we share together, always.
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Author Bio
Francesca Black enjoys photography as a hobby and manages content at Future Photo http://www.future-photo.com and Photo Wizard www.photo-wizard.net

Whoa! An Interesting Game....


I passed by this space-age game and it took my breath away.  The first picture doesn't do the game justice, but this is almost the angle my attention was stolen.
Years ago I thought those Star Wars vehicles were pretty cool and would serve in our games, but not enough of my friends took me up on it so I let it go.  Then the games started to become more numerous at the convention.  Now I could kick myself for not buying these ships when they were cheaper.   Now Barnes and Nobles sells them and,... well, they're not cheap anymore.  I do have some paper ones, however,,,.


Saturday, March 22, 2014

The Role of Private Enterprise in Putting Man into Space

The Role of Private Enterprise in Putting Man into Space

By: Thomas Sullivan
Has NASA, the monolithic space agency, failed in it's quest to put man out into the cosmos. Will profit coupled with mans need to explore be the driving engine which sends man into the cosmos. Think about what has moved technology forward within the American society over the past 100 years or so. Was Orville and Wilbur Wright employed by the government. Of course not. Most of their research and development for the invention of the airplane took place within a small bike shop in western Dayton, Ohio, the birth place of aviation. Thomas Edison, who is accredited with 1,093 patents earning him the nickname "The Wizard of Menlo Park" used his own money to build the Menlo Park research labs in New Jersey. In 1889 Thomas Edison established the Edison General Electric Company. Thomas Edison is considered the most prolific inventor of our time and his inventions were created within the realm of private enterprise. Did the seed for the invention of the personal computer germinate within a government lab. The invention of the personal computer came from an assortment of various inventions and from the tinkering of Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak in Job's garage in an area now called Silicon Valley. Their tinkering led to the development of Apple Computers. The story of Bill Gates and the development of the Microsoft family of operating systems took place within private enterprise. The Windows family of operating systems is the most widely used on earth and has been a major player in bringing information technology to the developed world.

Examples of major technological advancement within the realm of private enterprise are numerous. Most major technological advancements within society have occurred outside the purview of government intervention. Governments were intended to govern the people. The governments role is to preserve the environment of freedom and democracy so that intellectual curiosity can flourish within this environment. The governments role is also to provide funding, and should not be in the nuts and bolts operation of putting man into space. The ingenuity of man within the realm of private enterprise has resulted in most of the technological advancements we enjoy today.

The cosmos will be explored by man operating from the base of private enterprise and the technology needed to explore the cosmos will be developed within that enterprise. Why is this so. NASA is an agency driven by fear of tragedy. More mishaps will decrease the probability of sufficient government funding. This cycle of fear, mishaps, and the hope for continual funding is one that seems to have no end. But mishaps are part of the business of putting explorers into space. What can better withstand the expected mishaps. A government agency or private enterprise. If a private enterprise fails, it's competitor can step in to fill the gap and the engine of private enterprise can continue to push man into space. NASA is not a private enterprise competing within the world market place.

NASA is not what it used to be during the Apollo days. Given it's current mind set and culture, it will be difficult within this framework to send man out into the cosmos as true explorers. They have given the nuts and bolts of putting man into space to private contractors. But these NASA contractors have the same NASA mind set because they are under the dominion of NASA. There is a fear of mishaps within contractors without true competition within the market place. NASA awards contracts to the lowest bidder. Does the lowest bidder provide the highest level of safety. Once a company is awarded a contract, they remain a NASA contractor for many years and simply become an extension of NASA. Therefore NASA becomes a autocratic agency with it's arms extending outward to many companies. NASA's manned space flight program can do no more then low earth orbit. Year after year of low earth orbit does not excite the American people. Astronauts today are no longer household names. An American president here and there will give a speech saying we are going to Mars. Even President Bush's January 14, 2004 speech seems to have already been forgotten by the American public.

When we went to the moon this was the start of an exploration. A goal was set on May 25, 1961 by President John F. Kennedy, during a speech before a Joint Session of Congress, to reach the moon before the end of the decade. NASA kicked into high gear and achieved one of the greatest accomplishments in the history of mankind. We took the first step into space and then just stopped. Since then all of the manned space missions have never gone beyond low earth orbit, and the American public becomes bored easily. To gain the American interest and support of the Apollo days, we must send true explorers out into space. NASA wants to take such small, time consuming incremental steps that by the time comes when the really exciting work begins, the American support and interest may be eroded to the point where NASA may no longer have the financial means by which to accomplish such an endeavor. Hence, the need for private enterprise to accomplish such an endeavor. If we are going to go into the cosmos, then lets do it and stop the futile activity.

A private enterprise is not a bureaucracy. If safety issues arise from qualified personnel within a bureaucracy, these issues may not resonate to the proper people within the organization. A case in point, the knowledge of a strong potential for a O-ring failure at low temperatures between the segments for the solid rocket boosters of the space shuttle, existed within the bureaucracy of NASA before the Space Shuttle Challenger explosion. More specifically, this critical information in terms of probability of O-ring compromise was expressed by engineers at Morton Thiokol, the contractor for the development and production of the solid rocket boosters. This information never percolated upward from Morton Thiokol to the proper people within the NASA organization.

In private enterprise, which is non-bureaucratic by nature, a relatively small group of people are working toward a common goal. In this situation, safety issues which arise will be known by all members of the organization. Safety issues will not get lost in a bureaucracy. NASA depends on it's contractors to deliver a high level of safety. A private enterprise depends on itself to provide a high level of safety. The structure of a private enterprise is more suited to the endeavor of sending out explorers into space. The government should award grants to the most promising companies with the understanding that the sending out of explorers into space does indeed benefit mankind.

Americans are at their best when they compete. Competition is an integral component of American society. What was the driving force that put us on the moon. It was the competition with the Russians. At the present moment in time, this type of competition does not exist. Although, it appears as if China may be a future competitor. Americans need to compete to accomplish something. It is competition which drives the advancement of technology. Why not let companies compete for government funding and let the research and development occur within these companies, and most importantly let them compete. These companies can have the same characteristics of any company that wants to produce a viable product. They will not be under contract from NASA and will operate as a separate private enterprise entity. A company can make money from space tourism and the same company can be involved in sending explorers out into space. Government grants can be awarded based on how strong the potential exists for space exploration. A company can be involved in space tourism, exploration, or can provide a research and development platform. This is the future of man's endeavor into space.

Man will be exploring the cosmos with private enterprise being the driving engine. If one enterprise fails, one of the competing enterprises will win out. Sure there will be some disasters and risks will be taken because that is the nature of the business. But when unfortunate disasters or mishaps do occur, the private enterprise engine will not grind to a complete halt. Burt Rutan and his Scaled Composites team have taken the first steps toward this archetypical dream of exploring the cosmos, and they did it with a fraction of the budget that NASA uses and with a team of 130 or so people to boot. They won the Ansari X-Prize by sending a man into space and returning him safely to earth and then they repeated this within two weeks. An absolutely unbelievable accomplishment given the facilities and resources which were available to them. This could only occur within a society where freedom and democracy are regarded as a right to all individuals. The United States is such a society.

Burt Rutan has said that he has never worked a day in his life. He only plays. His passion for his work is what produces results. Burt Rutan and his team represent the core of what makes the United States the greatest country in the world. May be terrorist can get it through their thick heads that freedom does work. Most importantly, Scaled Composites has shown the world what private enterprise can accomplish. Even if Scaled Composite's endeavors never go beyond earth orbit, they have taken the first step within the proper mind set and culture, and this is what will put man into the cosmos. This mind set and culture of pure unadulterated intellectual curiosity is what really will put man into the cosmos. Not NASA's mind set of fear.

NASA has played it's important role by lighting the torch in sending man to the moon. We are now at a point in the history of mankind where that torch should be passed to private enterprise. The developer of the Ansari X-Prize I'm sure shares my thoughts. God has placed the planets and all the stars within the universe there for a reason. It is God's intention for us to move outward into the final frontier. We do this to fulfill the natural curiosity that God has given to us and in the process we better the lot of mankind. Lets go...
Author Bio
Thomas Sullivan, the author of this article is an IT Consultant/Search Engine Optimizer, Pilot, and Space Enthusiast. He manages the website Pilot Portal USA - Pilot Weather Briefing, Flight Schools USA, Aviation Directory. Send questions or comments to Thomas Sullivan. His email address can be found on his website.

More Random Photos from A Good Show


I guess most of the shots I took were just good eye-candy.  The shot below is just such a situation.  The picture does not do the terrain justice.  This was of a game from Sergeants 3.  I  'm too old to begin a new era, complete with figures and terrain.  Most of my friends do not like board games, so I'd be playing by myself.  It has very high production qualities, however, with some of the terrain features being able to transfer to games with more 3 dimensional figures.  maybe some day, O'll give it a try.



Thursday, March 20, 2014

A "Stop Doing List?"

Could you use a 'Stop Doing' list?

By: Inez Ng
One of the tried and true organization and time-management tools is the trusty old "to do" list. I was trained to diligently put one together at the end of the day for the following day, and whatever tasks I failed to complete, to carry it forward. This system has worked well in helping me prioritize and focus. But I have also heard many of my colleagues complain about having too much on their list, and feeling very discouraged and overwhelmed by the sheer number of items on their "To Do" list. To help ease the overwhelm, I want to introduce the concept of the "Stop Doing" list.
I first read about the "Stop Doing" list in "Good to Great" by Jim Collins. He stated that one of the commonalities of the companies who were able to propel themselves from being just good to being great is that they all looked at what they were currently doing that they needed to Stop Doing. I am implementing this idea in a slightly different way, but I think a "Stop Doing" list can actually help your productivity and effectiveness.
So how do you decide what goes on your "Stop Doing" list? Here's what I suggest you do.
For the next week or two, each time you work on your "to do" list (and if you are not using one currently, I strongly recommend you start), or blocking off time for specific tasks in you planner, ask yourself this question: "does this task add value or generate positive results for me and my organization?" If the answer is no, it should go right on top of your "Stop Doing" list.
If the answer is "yes", ask yourself a second question: "am I the best person to do this task?" The first question tells you whether you can eliminate a task. This question tells you whether you can delegate a task. I know for solo-business people, you automatically think that you have no one to delegate any tasks to. But actually, that might not necessarily be true. Today, there is a whole network of virtual assistants who can handle a myriad of administrative work for you. Some accept work by the hour, and some accept work by the project. If you are interested in this resource, check out www.assistu.com
For some people, you may have to then overcome your resistance to delegating. I've heard many of the reasons. Do these sound familiar?
  • "By the time I explain it to someone else, I could have done it myself."
  • "I can't trust somebody else to do it right."
  • "It costs too much money."
Some of these are completely legitimate concerns. However, before you dismiss the idea, consider the following:
  • Is the task repetitive so that the up-front time investment to train someone is actually worth it 3 months down the road?
  • Are you the most qualified person to complete the task, or could someone else do it in less time with less effort for better results?
  • If you didn't have to do the task, what would you choose to spend that time on, and what impact will that have on your business, or your life?
So, after considering these tough questions, add your delegated task to your "Stop Doing" list as well and send them elsewhere, and I guarantee you will feel better.
Even though I wrote this article for people struggling with overload at work, the same approach can be applied to create a "Stop Doing" list for home. Think of the possibilities - you can delegate laundry, and cooking, and yard work, and cleaning, and what else?
Seriously, the current state of our lives is that there is generally too much to do and not enough time. So, go through this exercise at least once and see what you can shed from your "to do" list. If you like the results, then establish a routine and do this every 6 months or a year. The point is that you want to spend your time on high impact tasks, and work that you enjoy.
Author Bio
Are your business results suffering due to an ineffective leadership team? Find out what coaching with Inez Ng can do for your leadership team at www.Realizationsunltd.com Want to know about saving time handling emails? Check out her ebook at http://easyemailstrategies.com.
Article Source: http://www.ArticleGeek.com

A Gigantic Game That Covered Two Large Tables!


I walked by one table, represented by the first two photos, and marveled at the figures and terrain and then I was floored to see reinforcements coming from a second table, which is the third photo in this set.  This was a casual walk-by and I didn't stay and dwell on the goings-on.  The 28mm figures and beautiful terrain are what caught my eye.



Wednesday, March 19, 2014

How Enthusiasm Can Help You Reach Your Goals

How Enthusiasm Can Help You Reach Your Goals

By: Arina Nikitina
If enthusiasm can be bought as an item from a store, do you think it will sell? And if it does, just how much are you willing to pay for it?
I believe your response will be: "You must be kidding. It'll be a sellout. The store might probably run out of stock, you'll have to wait in queue for a long time before you can get your order no matter the price."
Just how important is enthusiasm in goal realization; in one's life? It is so important that it occupies one of the top slots in the list of elements needed for successful living. It is so important that it is one of the deciding factors to realize one's goal.
There is no doubt that everyone likes talking to enthusiastic people, unless a person likes to be in a gloomy state, which I doubt that person does. Enthusiastic people keep the conversation alive and upbeat. You feel like you are partying. And when you feel like partying, you'd wish the night will never end.
Enthusiasm brings out the hyper character in us. It is like adding more wood to a bonfire making you feel like you want to roast marshmallows in it. Honestly, as I am writing this, I'm beginning to be more enthusiastic myself.
The point is, enthusiasm is contagious like a disease. This is one contagious disease that has a desirable effect. Matter of fact, enthusiasm is the only disease everybody wants to contract. If there is a category in the Guinness Book of World Records of being the contagious disease most people would like to have with them, it is enthusiasm. Law enforcers would probably ban quarantine of this disease.
Now, just how do you get enthusiastic especially when your surroundings, the weather condition, and the general situation feels down and out?
Here are some helpful tips to develop enthusiasm:
- Adopt the "as if" principle. It is believed that this was first stated by Professor William James, at times known as the father of American Psychological Science. This is an effective time and people tested principle.
I would suggest at this point that you try to apply the "as if" principle with someone near or beside you to confirm its effectiveness. Think creatively.
Another similar principle is the "what if". If you are in the business of developing products of specialized use, you are most likely exposed to a lot of experimentation. When you come up with an idea on a product you'd like to try even if the idea seems unconventional, would you try it? Would you be saying to yourself: "What if I try to... "
- Adapt enthusiasm into the "practice makes perfect" principle. In other words, be enthusiastic on almost everything you do every day no matter how insignificant they are, no matter how small they are. All those small things when added up become big. This is the "as if" principle in small ways.
- As you wake up each morning, be enthusiastic about the things you are going to do that day. Bring enthusiasm to even the routinely morning chores like taking a shower, getting dressed, eating breakfast, taking the bus or driving your car (even in heavy traffic), in the office up to the time you reach home for dinner till you go to bed, enthusiastically looking forward to tomorrow.
- Remember that each day in your life is God's gift to you. Show your appreciation to Him for the gift you receive by being nice to other people, helping others and thanking Him through prayers.
Author Bio
Arina Nikitina is the owner of www.RecipesForYourSuccess.com website where she shares proven tips and techniques on how to lead happy and fulfilling life you deserve.

A Touch of Zombies, The the Real Stuff


I saw this imposing assault by Zombies, but the game was not going to start for some time, so I moved on.  At the end of the game, the zombies looked as if they overran the defenses.  Interesting start to a game, don't you agree?




This was another game that was not ready to start for a while or perhaps just finished.  I don't know about the game, but I liked this complex and the rest of the terrain looked pretty good as well.
Here's another building that I wouldn't mind adding to my collection.

Sunday, March 16, 2014

Time-Sucking Reading Mistakes

Speed Reading Strategies: The 3 Biggest Time Sucking Mistakes

Expert Author Remy Roulier
Mistake #1 - Reading word for word - This first inefficient old reading habit usually comes from childhood, when the child is following the text carefully with his finger, word after word.
You have to know that while reading, the movement of the eye is not continuous and rectilinear along the text lines. It is a false belief. In reality, the eye moves along the text line by successive jumps, because the eye can only see when it is motionless.
Thus, reading word for word forces the eye to have a big quantity of fixation points per line, as many as the number of words per line. For example, if a line contains 16 words, the eye will stop and fix each word, and will do 16 fixations.
What to do instead - Make as few fixations points per text line as possible. This way, instead of seeing only one word at a time you will see several (but this shouldn't affect your reading comprehension). A slow reader perceives 1 or 2 words per fixation point, a medium reader 3 to 4 words, and a fast reader 5 and more.
Mistake #2 - Vocalization and sub-vocalization - Vocalization is another habit that comes from the childhood, when children are learning to read and pronounce the words aloud.
Many readers have kept this bad habit, or have transformed it into sub-vocalization (when you pronounce words mentally but no more aloud). Vocalization and sub-vocalization consistently reduce the reading speed because pronouncing a word is approximately four times longer than just reading it.
What to do instead - To know if you sub-vocalize, place a paper between your lips and read the following sentence:
"In the Christian Tradition, there's a particularly applicable rural brewery on the Marlboro reservoir."
If the paper has moved, then it means you are sub-vocalizing. So, correct as soon as possible this bad habit by supervising you while you are reading.
Mistake #3 - Frequent verifications - This habit consists to skip back over the text to reread a word, name or sentence in order to verify and make sure that you understood correctly.
The main reason is anxiety and fear to misunderstand something. It is often due to a lack of self-confidence (unconscious).
No matter the reason, note that regressions are in 90% of cases useless and are one of the major obstacles to fast reading.
What to do instead - If you are in this case, the simple fact of being aware of it could help you to suppress this bad habit. So, regain self-confidence in your reading comprehension ability. You will see that you will still understand everything even if you don't make any regression. Naturally, it is normal to make some verification when the text is difficult to understand, but it should remain exceptional.
Following these simple steps will definitely put you on the good way to become a successful speed reader.
Click here: http://www.exams-success.com to get the best speed reading strategies with the method "The Most Efficient Study Techniques For Exams Success". It gathers the best study skills ever developed by a team of world class Doctors, Psychologists, Educational Experts and Scientific Researchers dedicated to your success.

Photos from a Real Good-Looking 28mm WWII game at Cold Wars


These photos were taken in the downstairs lobby at The Host.  I must say the game was hard to walk past without marveling over the terrain.  It wasn't until much later in the day that I was able to witness a skirmish between some Brits and Germans.  

Friday, March 14, 2014

Just Another big Bang

Big Bang Booming - Back to the Future

By: Michael Strauss
Then God said, "Let there be light," and there was light. This ancient description of the creation of the universe found in the Book of Genesis may be accurate after all. The big bang theory describes the beginning of the universe as having been precipitated from an infinitesimally small point. In this small volume, all matter and energy was concentrated until its contents exploded in either a smooth expansion or an incredibly violent energetic explosion that formed the planets, stars and galaxies. Originally this theory had competition from what is called the 'steady state' theory whereby the universe is forever expanding and new matter and energy is created spontaneously within the space left by the receding galaxies. However, empirical observations have directed astronomers and scientists into the acceptance of the big bang model. But how did we get to this point in our understanding?

In the early part of the twentieth century the American astronomer Vesto Slipher and the German Carl Wirtz made some important astronomical discoveries. Using spectral analysis, Slipher deciphered the mixtures of gases contained in planetary atmospheres as well as nebulae. What distinguishes his findings is the discovery that most if not all galaxies outside of our own demonstrate what is called a 'Red Shift.' This shift is simply a change in the wavelength of the light emitted by those objects under investigation towards a longer wavelength. Wirtz similarly catalogued many red shifts of the nebulae which he chose to study. But it was still to early for them to realize the full potential meaning of their observations. That would wait until Einstein's General Relativity would be interpreted by other scientists through further mathematical analysis.

His contemporaries demonstrated to Einstein that his new Theory of General Relativity published in 1916 was not compatible with a 'static' universe of space time. The theory predicted an expanding or collapsing universe but not a fixed cosmos. Because he personally believed the universe to be an invariable space time continuum, Einstein engaged in a degree of scientific legerdemain. To correct what he perceived to be as 'flaws' in his theory he added the contrivance of a cosmological constant known as lambda to force the static universe into reality. Einstein's view of perfection in an unchanging space time continuum had led him down a blind alley as much as Aristotle's concept of perfection had brought that great philosopher into the error of believing in a static Earth at the center of the universe.

But even with the addition of the cosmological constant lambda, the universe was still found to be unstable and this whole affair would later be viewed by Einstein as his "greatest blunder." His cosmological acrobatics behind him, Einstein yielded the stage to others for a clearer understanding of his own theory. It fell to Alexander Alexandrovich Friedmann to consider the consequences of General Relativity without the constant lambda interfering with his study of these relationships. In doing so, the Russian mathematician and cosmologist derived the solution which predicts an ever expanding cosmological structure (1922), a prediction which was disagreeable with Einstein's concept of universal perfection. A couple of years later, Friedmann published his findings in "About the Possibility of a World with Constant Negative Curvature of Space." But the entire hypothetical construct still lacked a complete verbalization mathematically and theoretically.

Enter the Reverend Father Georges Lemaitre, a Catholic priest from Belgium. Rev. Fr. Lemaitre provided the equations necessary to formulate the basis of Big Bang theory in his work entitled "Hypothesis of the Primeval Atom." He postulated that the universe began as a primordial atom of infinitesimal volume and enormous mass energy as well as space and time and everything else comprising the future universe. At some point the universe began with the explosion of this super atom. Lemaitre published his theoretical ideas between the years 1927 and 1933 and speculated that the movement of the nebulae demonstrated the validity of the explosion of his cosmic super atom. Unfortunately, he also wrongly believed that cosmic rays might be an after effect of the super atom's big bang. These are now known to be generated not from a universal conflagration but from galactic sources unrelated to the big bang.

However, the new theory still lacked a major source of observational support. This would be provided by Edwin Hubble's observations of the redshift of galaxies. Taking up where Slipher and Wirtz left off, Hubble employed a novel technique to discern the properties of the galactic movements. By choosing to observe stars that are known as Cepheid Variables he could more accurately make measurements. Cepheids are a type of star that brighten and darken and lighten back up in regular periods of time that are well known. Cepheids that have identical cycle times of brightening darkening and brightening again also have identical or nearly identical luminosity. Thus, if one compares the length of the cycle to the amount of light apparent to the observer it is possible to accurately prepare an estimate of the distance to the cepheid.

In this manner, Hubble had found that the nebulae or galaxies exhibited a galactic red shift; in other words, that galaxies were receding away from ours at a speed which is correlated directly with the distance between our vantage point and the galaxy being studied. The further away the galaxies were the faster they appeared to be going in moving away from us. The results of these investigations is now known as Hubble's Law. Essentially, this law states that universe is in an ever expanding mode whereby the intergalactic distances continue to grow without bound into infinity. Hubble's Law depends upon the shifting of the wavelength of light and after having been delineated in 1929 has been subsequently proven over and over again. Further, Hubble's constant has been recalculated to a more 'perfect' value and retains a great probability of being 'recomputed' in the future based upon new observations.

Thus, it should be clear to the reader that our scientists have a fateful habit of introducing their preconceived notions of beauty into their models. From Aristotle's static Earth to Einstein's greatest blunder, the constant which forces a static universe, we proceed only from the wisdom of our weak minds. The more things change the more things stay the same. Man's hubris knows no limits in our attempts to understand things without the wisdom to comprehend its underlying meaning. Humble we are not. We are making the same mistakes we always have. Back to the future. To be continued...
Author Bio
Michael Strauss is an engineer and author of Requiem for Relativity the Collapse of Special Relativity, a serious critique on the fallacies of Special Relativity. To contact the author visit: www.relativitycollapse.com

How I Lost The Battle of the Alamo


I must have walked by this great-looking 15mm Alamo game twenty times and each time I promised myself I'd take a few shots the next time I passed by.  Did I?  Well, you don't see the photos, so I guess the answer is no.
By the time I came by with my camera at the ready, the Alamo was gone and the above space battle took it's place.  This game looked better than my picture allows.  I should have taken the shot from a perpendicular approach, but.... You guessed it - no dice there either.  It does amaze sometimes how cleaver some people can be.
Lesson learned, though.  When you see something good, take a photo quick, before it's gone.
Looked at in proper perspective, this game looked very good and you could almost forget it was only a game in miniature.

Thursday, March 13, 2014

Aliens: Where SETI Astronomers Can Find Them

Aliens: Where SETI Astronomers Can Find Them By: Gersiane De Brito SETI, or Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence, has been an ongoing endeavor for many decades. In the early days, it was expected to be a quick success, so much so that national governments even helped fund these projects. Like the Moon race, there was something of a "find E.T." race. All that is gone now. Government funding has virtually evaporated around the globe. The explanation is simple: no one likes a perpetual failure. The few remaining SETI efforts have to count on private funding to scrape along. Well, the objective of this article is to come to the rescue of the last of the SETI astronomers, to tell them where they can find E.T. so that they can regain the world's respect. That last sentence was not meant to be cynical. As noted in my article "Decoding Book Resurrects the Ancient Astronaut Theme," author Morten St. George claims that some of the prophecies of Nostradamus are of alien origin, and that those prophecies tell us how to calculate the galactic coordinates of where E.T. came from. In a follow-up interview, I posed the following question to St. George: Do you agree that contact with intelligent aliens could be of immense importance to humankind? He agreed. Then I asked: Do you agree that this is more important than your selling a few copies of your cryptic thinking book? He agreed. This article will be a little longer and a little more technical than the others. According to St. George, three prophetic stanzas combine to provide information about E.T.'s location. The first of these is stanza number I-81. Here, the first four words of the fourth verse are the most relevant: "Kappa, Thita, Lambda, mors." St. George says he has an etymological dictionary that defines "mors" as the "bite of a scorpion." Consequently, Kappa, Theta, and Lambda are the names of three stars in the tail section of the constellation Scorpius. (Note that the use of Greek letters for star names postdates Nostradamus). It's a star arrow, and Lambda is the arrow head. Elsewhere, the prophecies name three cities to form an arrow circling around the globe; thus, St. George believes the three stars should be viewed as points on a sphere. Where does the star arrow point? St. George says he followed the star arrow upwards on a star map and it hit or passed close to a dark cloud called Barnard 72, for which he already had other indications. So that's the answer. E.T. came from or near Barnard 72. But we're not done yet. We're looking for precise coordinates. The second stanza is numbered IV-32. According to St. George's decoding, this stanza tells a story: Once upon a time, Triton, Pluto, and Charon formed a triple planet system with a distinct orbit around the Sun. Then one day, the aliens came along, grabbed hold of Triton, and pushed it into a retrograde orbit around the planet Neptune. In route to Neptune, Pluto and Charon hung on for a while, then broke loose and drifted off into a new orbit. When did this happen? St. George says the aliens were here in 580 A.D., so that would be his guess for the date of these planet manipulations. I mentioned that I had read on the Internet that Pluto has been downgraded, that it is no longer considered a planet. St. George responded: "I believe that was because they found that Pluto didn't clear away debris in its orbit. But since 580 A.D., a contemporary date in terms of solar system history, Pluto in its new orbit would have made only a handful of complete orbits around the Sun, hardly enough time to clear away much debris. In any case, the astronomers got it all wrong. What they should really be looking for is Triton's original orbit, a cleared-out orbit with no planet in it. And I doubt that we're talking about an orbit at the outer edges of the solar system. Triton's original orbit may have been closer to the Sun than Neptune. They need to figure out where Triton could have been in 580 A.D., then they will know where to look for that orbit." Why did the aliens move Triton? A display of power? St. George remarked that the star arrow only provides longitudinal coordinates. We also need to know the latitude . The planets have to be in the right position at the right time. And the three stars too, for that matter. The last stanza of the three stanzas is numbered IV-33. It begins: Jupiter closer to Venus than to the Moon, appearing in full whiteness. According to St. George, Earth and Jupiter would have to be pretty much on opposite sides of the Sun for this to be true, and the full Moon (more likely seen from the Alien Planet than from Earth) serves as a timer. The alignment is Alien Planet, Sun, Moon. The next line of IV-33 goes: Venus hidden under the whiteness Neptune (discovered more than two hundred years after the death of Nostradamus). Note that there's no "of" between whiteness and Neptune. Meanwhile, the French words following "hidden" (used elsewhere in the prophecies to cryptic ends), "soUS la bANcheUR," allows the extraction of "Uranus." Thus, the whiteness (partial rather than full) is Uranus, not Neptune, and we have a second alignment: Alien Planet, Uranus, Venus. IV-33 has one more line: From Mars struck through the white granary. Since Neptune was left hanging at the end of the preceding line, it should come into play here, meaning Neptune from Mars struck through the white granary. According to St. George, the "white granary" refers to a star cluster called the Pleiades, which happens to lie at the opposite side of the sky from Barnard 72. Until recently, St. George thought the planetary arrow to Barnard 72 commenced with Mars, so he not yet had a chance to check out if a Mars, Neptune, Pleiades alignment, or a Pleiades, Mars, Neptune alignment, is even feasible. Overall, there are only a limited number of possibilities. IV-33 gives us two inner planets, Venus and Mars, and two outer planets, Uranus and Neptune. Mars lines up with Neptune to hit the Pleiades, and Venus lines up with Uranus to hit the Alien Planet. Depending upon the Pleiades direction, Uranus and Neptune need to be together on the same side of the solar system or on directly opposing ends of the solar system. Also remember to check that you're viewing a full Moon from the Alien Planet, and that Jupiter is closer to Venus than the Moon at the same time. When? The skies and planets are in constant motion. In what year does all this happen? St. George is convinced that the date of the given configuration should somehow or somewhere be provided in the prophecies. Other than the stanza number, 433, we have 580, 700, 703, 882, 883, 1204, 1559, 1571, 1607, 1609, 1649, 1666, 1689, 1690, 1700, 1727, 1781, 1813, 1832, 1858, 1859, 1861, 1928, 1952, 1955, 1979, 1982, 1999, 2001, and 2006. The years 1571, 1607, 1781, 1859, and 1982 were astronomy related. St. George suspects one of the later years is more likely mainly because astronomers may not have accurate data the position of the outer planets in earlier times. "We have to assume that they want us to get it right, and precision is clearly required here." 2006? What happened in 2006? St. George replied: "Absolutely nothing. 2006 was a second, inferable date in a London catastrophe stanza. The date does not necessarily have to come from an astronomy stanza. It can be provided elsewhere." Please excuse the digression. My final question was: Do you realistically expect SETI astronomers to take you up on this coordinate stuff? St. George responded: "Yes. It would be foolish of them not to. The way they're going now, their odds of finding E.T. are not even one in a billion. If my theories merely reduce the odds to one in a thousand, their chances improve immensely. Moreover, I think they've forgotten; SETI was originally based on the premise that there are lots of intelligent civilizations out there, which in turn implies that at least one of them should have succeeded in exploring the entire galaxy by now." So there you have it, SETI astronomers, go forth and become famous, work out the coordinates, point your radio telescope there, and tell the world you heard from E.T.! Author Bio By Gersiane De Brito with special thanks to Morten St. George and the http://www.crypticthinking.com website. Article Source: http://www.ArticleGeek.com - Free Website Content

Leonardo Buscaglia - Only you can make the difference

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He should never be forgotten.

Tuesday, March 11, 2014

First Sights at Cold Wars Were Impressive!




These photos were of the first game we saw upon arrival at the show - right after breakfast, that is.  I was taken back by the models and their position on the field.  Maybe because many gamers are getting on in years, but the figure scales are rising.  This was a 28mm game as many of the newer games are.  My son has a large collection of 28mm figures covering cowboys, Northwest Frontier, and Sudan and they are beautiful to behold.  I also have a growing collection in 28s, but most of my collection is 20s, some 25s, fives, and even 2mm.  My eyesight is not as good as it used to be, so I find painting fives and twos difficult.  
The hobby has come a long way from the days when we used to use tape roads and felt terrain.  I always liked 1/72 plastic figures, a holdover from my Airfix days, I guess.

Monday, March 10, 2014

From My Fort Capuzzo Battle


This is the fort produced by the same folks that make Flames of War and its a beaut!  It is the first time I tried to produce a set of rules, stealing from where I could, of course.  It was a little bit of Donald Featherstone, a little Bruce Quarie, and the rest me.  The design of the game proved to be a tad ambitious, but in the end it worked like a charm.  I tried to incorporate the element of air power, armor, and infantry - a little too much for a five hour game.  I am continually trying to improve my effort and I'm sure the next engagement will be much smoother.  


Behind those crumbling walls are 40mm anti tank weapons and I have more on the way.  I hadn't painted for years, but it all came back to me.  I was fortunate to be able to add some German and British transport when I attended the Cold Wars convention.  Believe it or not, I was able to add 13 pieces of transport for a total investment of $7.00.  Now, that's a bargain!

More to follow on Cold Wars.

Friday, March 7, 2014

Just a Couple of Random Shots at a HMGS Convention



I put these up (and I have more) because I am off to Cold Wars tonight with my son.  I hope to take some photos tomorrow and post them soon.

Thursday, March 6, 2014

From the "All The Help You Can Get" Department...

Do You Know The Best Way To Respond To A Job Announcement Via Email?

Expert Author Michael M DeSafey
The Right Way To Respond To A Job Announcement Via Email?
As a professional recruiter who has been working and recruiting professionals in the environmental, engineering and construction industries for over 18 years now, I receive a lot of emails, sometimes 100's per day from prospective candidates; but what is the right way to respond to a job announcement via email?
When a company posts a job announcement online, one of the first thoughts they have is how they are going to deal with the large amounts of replies they are going to receive. Human Resource Managers, recruiters and sometimes hiring managers are trained to quickly sort out the pile of applicants into yes, no or maybe categories; by quickly glancing at the resume.
So how do you utilize email to apply for a job opening and make sure that you get put into the Yes pile; By utilizing these basic tips you will increase your chances of being selected each and every time.
1. Keep Your Inquiry Short, Simple And To The Point...
Human resource managers, recruiters and hiring managers are busy people. They are looking at hundreds of inquiries each day. So when you respond to a job announcement via email, you need to stay focused on your message. Highlighting a few points from your resume that are relevant to the position they have available. Focus on your strengths, key attributes, and skills to demonstrate how you would be of value to their organization. The key in the body of the email is to get the hiring manager's attention; show you are qualified for the opportunity.
2. Use confident and positive language
Be confident in your response. Keep it positive, demonstrate your eagerness to perform, your skills and abilities to do the job. You want to avoid any type of negativity in your response. In today's marketplace managers receive so many applications for jobs that it is easy for them to skip right over your application and on to the next. So capture their attention, show you can do the job and are eager to perform.
3. Attach a Complete Resume
Make sure you attached you resume to your email!! One of the biggest mistakes applicants make is that they are concentrating so much on the body of the email response that they forget to attached their resume before sending off the email. Your Resume should for professional, focused on the opportunity at hand and contain your complete contact information. Sending a resume that does not have your contact information, is simply wasting your time. The employer needs to know how to contact you!!
4. Submit at least two samples if requested
When an employer asked for samples of your work, make sure you send them with your resume. The samples will be the key item that will get you in front of the employer. You can have an amazing resume but if your work samples are not up to par, you will never receive a call from the employer. Essentially the work samples will carry more weight than your resume when applying for a position that requires technical knowhow or extensive writing skills. Make sure the samples are exceptional, relevant to the position you are applying for, are correct and do not contain any errors.
By utilizing these basic email response tips when applying for a opportunity via email, will assure your resume will get noticed and increase your chances of being called in for an interview.
Michael DeSafey is a leading executive recruiter for professionals in the construction, engineering and environmental industries. He is currently the President of Webuild Staffing ( http://www.webuildstaffing.com ). To learn more about Michael or Follow his Blog please visithttp://www.michaeldesafey.com

Tuesday, March 4, 2014

Timex Men's T49859 Intelligent Quartz Adventure Series Tide Temp Compass Watch - Free Shipping!

Timex Men's T49859 Intelligent Quartz Adventure Series Tide Temp Compass Watch
$119.95 (NY residents pay 7.375% sales tax)






    An exceptional and rare combination of cutting-edge outdoor technology and sophisticated analog casing are featured in this watch from Timex. This watch features distinctive 4th hand functionality with a tide tracker, temperature sensor and accurate electronic compass. 

    • Case: Stainless steel
    • Caseback: Stainless steel snap-down
    • Dial: Black dial with bright blue accents
    • Hands: Luminant hands
    • Markers: Luminant markers
    • Calendar: Day feature at 6 oclock
    • Tide tracker, temperature sensor, compass
    • Strap: Black silicone
    • Clasp: Tang buckle
    • Crystal: Plastic
    • Crown: Push/pull
    • Movement: Quartz
    • Water resistance: 10 ATM/100 meters/330 feet
    • Case measurements: 45 mm in diameter x 13 mm thick
    • Strap measurements: 16 mm wide x 8 inches long
    • Box measurements: 2.5 inches wide x 3.5 inches long x 3 inches high
    • Model: T49859DH

    All measurements are approximate and may vary slightly from the listed dimensions.

    Men's watch bands can be sized to fit 7.5-inch to 8.5-inch wrists.

    This item cannot be shipped to a PO Box.

    Dimensions:
    8.5" x 3.9" x 4.3"
    Warranty:
    1 year Limited Manufacturer
    Materials:
    Silicone
    Model No:
    T49859DH

    Features

    • Material
      Silicone, Stainless Steel
    • Feature
      Water Resistant
    • Movement
      Quartz
    • Strap Color
      Black
    • Dial Color
      Black
    • Gender
      Male
    • Luxury Watches
      Fashion Watch
    • Water Resistance Depth
      100 Meters
    • Case Diameter
      35mm, 45mm
    • Closure Type
      Box, Buckle
    • Strap Width
      16mm

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