Sorry for the delay, our Intarwebs were screwy yesterday. Wave 3 sees a return to dullcote laquer. I think the dullcote spray I have on order might work a bit better. But I am pleased. They have a nice worn look, as if they were fighting in a tropical zone.


Wave 3 Assemble!



The Trebuchet (or as we called it, Trenchbucket)



The Enforcer - Smaller but a good scrapper



Grasshopper - A big but surpisingly agile Mech



Cyclops - A big Mech with good communcation capabilities.


I will try to get Wave 4 up tonight, it is done, just need to take the pictures.

More painted Mechs for your perusal. This time I used Army Painter's Soft Quickshade dip. While the protection it provides is nice, the minis need to be shaken really well or it starts to pool up on the ends of the arms other protuberances. Brown on brown makes them look like they had maple syrup dumped on them but overall I am pleased. I will probably put some dullcote on them to mute the shine. These are supposed to be machines in the field, not on the showroom floor. More pics as soon as my phone/camera gets recharged.



The gang!



The Commando



Quickdraw



Hunchback - That's not a camera on his shoulder. It's an Autocannon/20. The mech is a bit of a one trick pony, but that trick will kick like a mule if it hits.



The Zeus

Having cunningly convinced my friend to run a Battletech/Mechwarrior game at some undisclosed point in the future I got in the mood to paint some machines. I like this kind of painting. It is easier as there is not as much fine detail (i.e. faces). I think the camo patterns came out nice.  More to come. Sorry about the focus, still figuring out the camera on my phone.



Atlas - One of the baddest mechs around (one of my favorites)




Panther - A light mech with a big punch. What I hope to pilot in the upcoming game.




Hermes II - Quick as a bunny



Dervish - Missile love



The whole gang together

Tags: battletech mechwarrior mini painting

Current Mood: giddy

An important theologian comments on the Large Hadron Collider project:

"Beware, you who seek first and final principles, for you are trampling the garden of an angry God and he awaits you just beyond the last theorem."

• Miriam Godwinson, "But for the Grace of God"

Current Mood: Srs

How I started today's conversation with my friend Kail:

"Where have I seen raver ferrets going dook in hell?"

I am in dire need of help.

Origination point

Those in bold I have ingested.

1. Venison
2. Nettle tea
3. Huevos rancheros
4. Steak tartare (Does the pink hamburgers my Grandfather use to cook count?)
5. Crocodile
6. Black pudding (Is this a food or D&D monster?)
7. Cheese fondue
8. Carp
9. Borscht
10. Baba ghanoush
11. Calamari
12. Pho
13. PB&J sandwich
14. Aloo gobi
15. Hot dog from a street cart
16. Epoisses
17. Black truffle
18. Fruit wine made from something other than grapes (Check out my earlier review of a nice Blackberry Wine)
19. Steamed pork buns
20. Pistachio ice cream
21. Heirloom tomatoes (Sorry allergic)
22. Fresh wild berries
23. Foie gras
24. Rice and beans
25. Brawn, or head cheese
26. Raw Scotch Bonnet pepper
27. Dulce de leche
28. Oysters
29. Baklava
30. Bagna cauda
31. Wasabi peas
32. Clam chowder in a sourdough bowl
33. Salted lassi (Mmmmm...love that collie!)
34. Sauerkraut
35. Root beer float
36. Cognac with a fat cigar
37. Clotted cream tea
38. Vodka jelly/Jell-O
39. Gumbo
40. Oxtail
41. Curried goat
42. Whole insects
43. Phaal
44. Goat’s milk
45. Malt whisky from a bottle worth £60/$120 or more
46. Fugu
47. Chicken tikka masala
48. Eel (in a sushi format)
49. Krispy Kreme original glazed doughnut
50. Sea urchin
51. Prickly pear
52. Umeboshi
53. Abalone
54. Paneer
55. McDonald’s Big Mac Meal (Quarter Pounders only - no tomatoes)
56. Spaetzle
57. Dirty gin martini
58. Beer above 8% ABV
59. Poutine
60. Carob chips
61. S’mores
62. Sweetbreads
63. Kaolin
64. Currywurst
65. Durian
66. Frogs’ legs
67. Beignets, churros, elephant ears or funnel cake
68. Haggis
69. Fried plantain
70. Chitterlings, or andouillette
71. Gazpacho
72. Caviar and blini (Just the caviar)
73. Louche absinthe
74. Gjetost, or brunost
75. Roadkill
76. Baijiu
77. Hostess Fruit Pie
78. Snail
79. Lapsang souchong
80. Bellini
81. Tom yum
82. Eggs Benedict
83. Pocky
84. Tasting menu at a three-Michelin-star restaurant.
85. Kobe beef
86. Hare
87. Goulash
88. Flowers
89. Horse
90. Criollo chocolate
91. Spam
92. Soft shell crab (Blech...west coast crab rules)
93. Rose harissa
94. Catfish (Under protest as catfish isn't food but a bottom dwelling scavenging vacuum)
95. Mole poblano
96. Bagel and lox
97. Lobster Thermidor
98. Polenta
99. Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee
100. Snake

Current Location: Where I always am

Payment Approved
Woo Hoo!

Mr. Adima Edo( Legal Representative )
No: 12, Satellite Town Lagos Nigeria
Cool, a space community.  Do you eat food from a tube?

Tel: +234 8051509665
Email louisjohnson9@yahoo.co.in
Wasn't he in Blazing Saddles?

Hello ,

Get back to me immediately for necessary steps concerning your inheritance,Sequel to your none -reply of my earlier email to you dated 02/03/06.

Sequels are never as good as the original.

On behalf of the  Trustees and Executors to the Will of your deceased relation in 2002, I wish  to  notify you that your name appeared in the codicil and last statement of the deceased and you entitled to his fund US$11,000,000.00   deposited with a Bank  here. You are advised to  reconfirm to me your details as required below to enable me  obtain the legal certificates from Federal  High Court of Justice to enable  the release release of your funds  worth US$11,000,000.00  from Nigeria AccountBroker in United States of America from the Federal Government of Nigeria Reserved Account with  Citibank of America:-

:-  <- is this a new emoticon, perhaps a reflection of the sender?  (Think anatomically)

(1). Your full names,

Am I disqualified if I only have one name?

(2). Contact address,
(3). Phone
(4). Fax
(5). Profession
(6). Female/ Male
(7). Age
(8). ID

ID?  What the hell are the first 7 items?

These legal documents will enable Nigeria Account Broker in United  States of America to contact you for the release of the US$11,000,000.00.

Is Nigeria Account Broker a person, position or place?

Regards,

Barrister Adima Edo.

--
STATEMENT OF CONFIDENTIALITY "The information in this email and in any attachments may contain confidential information and is intended solely  for
the attention and use of the named addressee(s). It may not be   disclosed to
any person without authorization. If you are not the intended  recipient, or a
person responsible for delivering it to the intended   recipient,
  you are not authorized to and must not disclose, copy,distribute or retain this message or any part of it.

If you do something illegal with this illegal spam you will be in trouble!!!!!

FINAL SCORE: 

Names Used:  Good enough. 6/10.
Believability:  Nothing doing  2/10.
Presentation:  Meh.  4/10.

Overall: 3/10 - A good effort. 

The Junk Mail filter is full of worse crap than usual.  Need some good stuff.  Sigh.

Tags: spam
Current Mood: disappointed

STANDARD BOILERPLATE TEXT:  I am not a vintner, sommelier, wine merchant or otherwise connect to the wine industry.  I am just a budding oeniphile who believes life goes better with a touch of the grape.  The recommendations, comments and suggestions contained in this Report are the work of an enthusiastic amateur.  My focus is on exploring the world of wine, from the perspective of a cost conscious (read: broke) consumer.  My palate is uneducated and my tasting skills unrefined, but improving, so caveat emptor.  If you are looking for the perfect drink for that special moment (such as weddings, anniversaries, promotions, birthdays) you may want to consult more experienced resources.

The primary rule here...if it tastes good it is good!"


I decided to celebrate the new year with a libation.  Having a cold I didn't want anything too complex, no sense trying to explore a full bodied red with my taste perceptors as clogged as my sinuses.

Chateau Ste Michelle Riesling 2006

First Impressions:  A very nice color, a light golden yellow in the bottle that becomes a pale tan when held up against white paper.  

Schnozz:  The aroma is crisp with a hint of bite.  

Tastee Tastee:  A medium to light body, what one would expect from a wine of this nature.  The bite hinted in the aroma is born out, a little edge to remind you that this is not sparkling grape juice.  Very crisp tasting and fresh.  A medium length, enough to let you think about and enjoy the taste, but not so long that it gets old.  A good palate cleaner.

Overall:  Reinforces my good feelings towards Rieslings.  A good wine for snacking with cheese and antipasto type foods.  It would work well with certain Chinese dishes (lo meins, fried rices, moo shu) but would probably get lost with the richer sauces such as Sesame Chicken or General Tso's (hello Gewurz!).  A good variety for sushi as well.  It is not the fanciest bottle in the store but a good team player that should be on hand for those times when you want a nice refresher.

Final Call:  It's probably hometown bias but I rarely am dissappointed by the stuff from Woodinville and this Riesling is no exception.

MB

Tags: wine

SENT: Sat 9/1/2007 8:50 PM

FROM: Mrs.Suha Arafat [mm3317731@earthlink.net]
TO: mrssuhaarafat54@netscape.net

From Suha to Suha?  What the hell am I being bothered for?

SUBJECT: About Mrs.Suha Tawil Arafat

From: Mrs.Suha Tawil Arafat

Dear Intending partner
Intending to do what?

This mail may not be surprising to you if you have been following current events in the international media with reference to the Middle East and Palestine in particular. I am Mrs. Suha Tawil Arafat, the wife of Yasser Arafat, the Palestinian leader who died recently in Paris France. 

Uh Mrs. Arafat?  Your husband's been dead since 2004.  I hope you got the memo.

Since his death and even prior to the announcement, I have been thrown into a state of antagonism, confusion, humiliation, frustration and hopelessness by the present leadership of the Palestinian Liberation Organization and the new Prime Minister. 

You, me, the Israelis, the US and Hamas as well.

I have even been subjected to physical and psychological torture. As a widow that is so traumatized, I have lost confidence with everybody in the country at the moment.

Torture?  But you at least had internet access.  Or was the torture having to write this email, because it's sure hurting me!

You must have heard over the media reports and the Internet on the discovery of some fund in my husband secret bank account and companies and the allegations of some huge sums of money deposited by my husband in my name of which I have refuses to disclose or give up to the corrupt Palestine Government.

Yes, because we wouldn't want the corrupt government to get any of the money your husband skimmed from his people, foreign donors, and various and sundry other sources.

In fact the total sum allegedly discovered by the Government so far is in the tune of about $6.5 Billion Dollars. 

What about the sum you actually have?

And they are not relenting on their effort to make me poor for life. As you know, the Muslim community has no regards for woman, hence my desire for a foreign assistance. You can visit the BBC news broadcast below for better understanding of what I am talking about (URLS REDACTED);

I have deposited the sum of 10.5 Million dollars (Ten Million Five Hundred Thousand United States Dollars) with a security firm abroad whose name is withheld for now until we open communication. 

You deposited your money with a security firm you don't know the name of?  Lady, you've been reading your own email.

I shall be grateful if you could receive this fund into your bank account for safe keeping and any Investment opportunity. This arrangement is known to you and my personal Attorney. He might be dealing with you directly for security reasons as the case may be. In view of the above, if you are willing to assist for our mutual benefits, we will have to negotiate on your Percentage share of the $10,500,000 that will be kept in your position for a while and invested in your name for my trust pending when my Daughter, Zahwa, will come off age and take full responsibility of her Family Estate/inheritance. 

Oh yes will you have to negotiate my percentage.

Please note that this is a golden opportunity that comes once in life time and more so, if you are honest, I am going to entrust more funds in your care as this is one of the legacy we keep for our children. In case you don't accept please do not let me out to the security and international media as I am giving you this information in total trust and confidence I will greatly appreciate if you accept my proposal in good faith. Please expedite action. I want you to reach me as soon as you receive this message for more important discussion and on how to proceed.

Reach you?  Sorry, but my arms aren't that long.

Yours Sincerely,

Mrs.Suha Tawil Arafat

FINAL SCORE: 

Names Used:  Excellent use of celebrity. 10/10.
Beliveability:  With such a good name you need to dress up the Nigerian scam a bit better, although the BBC references probably impressed upon someone the credibility.  6/10.
Presentation:  Almost there.  6/10.

Overall: 7.33/10 - A good effort.

Tags: spam
Current Mood: amused