all that Jazz

"What is the meaning of life ?"
Well i know what it means to me ,Sadly there dead and gone, so you drift aimlessly  until something new comes along ,
I have moved to a gorgeous area in a nice if old fashioned apartment and move in day was fun rushing to get van back so where do my prize possensions wind up ?,In the car park,ever been so sore it hurt to move even breath ?,that was me on my own lumping my goods in ,
 Work is short in coming BUT i am trying isn't that what it is about ?
I cant believe how house proud i am now or the realisation of just how down i was where i was change was defiantly as good as a rest
so here is a really quick catch up of my current situation,

i have returned to the old town recently for a sad occasion a dear close good friend suddenly passed on ,it was heart wrenching shock ,Proof if any were needed that you can literally be dead tomorrow no illness no reason there and then gone deep vein thrombosis was the eventual diagnosis so quick
I tell you this as i know i have changed my attitude in a awful hurry, I always was am and will be a rule breaker "What i wana do when i wana do it " ,is and forever shall be my creed, But this brought it home like a sledge hammer to the skull so im redoubling and pressing forth no more wasted time and im defiantly enjoying myself more, Free of inhibitions that do otherwise hold us back as a species ,Should i do it ? but what if ? ,Sod it do it worry later enjoy and live to the fullest

And i am enjoying spending time and actually talking to friends ok im a guy, so i dunno not in our DNA to go mushy and say how we feel about each other but im certainly taking a keener interest and those who are close one in particular in a recent phone call reminded me it has been more years knowing each other than either would care to admit, listening to him now with family how life changes he is still the eccentric Bohemian I  connect with and his lovely kind sweet wife, feels bad not been down seen the kids but soon it shall be sorted although will be a announced arranged visit  ,As said kind ,sweet wife will swiftly remove from me something vital and add them to her trophy cabinet with her husbands , dumb yes, stupid no,
And my other friend is expecting twins ,well his wife is  that otherwise would be weird, so more sprogs and kaled mutant esque  around  so going to be broke and busy boy where is that job ??
Realised a lot of friends have either gone or moved on so taking a real care of those left life changes part of the fun, I still think and feel 19 I do not recognise that guy in the mirror what's going on ?
 now back to touching up the homestead and getting stuff sorted cleared a lot of old tat and old stored stuff that's not seen daylight for years and feels good to be better organised sorted out long ,long road ahead though now where's my coffee...............

Imperial Daleks

Done and dusted,

Finished my special weapons Dalek off and did the Imperial drone Dalek that came with one 7th Doctor figure

Never wanted or expected a story specific set for "Remembrance of the Daleks" but it has happened and looks great on the shelf and is a great story, and no doubt there will be more Daleks from this story to come

I found through a forum one of the paints used on the props was Nissan gold and this sprayed into a aerosol can top is what i used on the models with a fine Citadel Miniatures brush

The gold was redone on the shoulder armour sections of the SWD ,

lights eye, gun and arm of the drone done in Nissan gold ,The neck bin and slats were done in a gold leaf paint colour, I'm very happy it has given it that edge and lifted it above the mundane and boring

the SWD had slime green added in runs suitably glossed up for that slimy look and charcoal for soot on the gun and gun platform the SWD has come together perfectly and i couldn't be happier

high council of Timelords

or to be more exact there inner council as theres hundreds on the council

OK I'm making some Timelords into the inner high council ,why? well i am a timelord Phoebe love em always have and Character Options have indeed furnished us with some lovely models :)

There is of course rank and order and i see this as a personal modelling challenge a personal one lots of my interests within like my Warhammer Brettonian Army

so i have in mind this

Lord president elect .....insert name .....figure head of Gallifrey

Chancellor .....insert name.....runs Gallifrey she keeps it running and orderly

Castalan Javert, in charge of the laws and Chancellery guard

Cardinal of the Prydonian's ..... Jules Mazaran ..most influential Timelord Chapter and head master of the Academy

Prydonian Timelord.............insert name...........................

and Lady Rommana ..............Chief ambassador to Gallifrey in its affairs off world

so Lord President elect (quite the democracy isn't it) all white general Timelord body, and I'm looking to do a generic bald bearded head for this ,The body is done ,

Chancellor is done,I used the Gelth zombie head (perfect) and generic Timelord body 'just needs detail

and she is from a separate Chapter hence purple robes, Paltrexeans wear heliotrope which is a form of pink,purple

Chancellor is the main authority as seen in both tom baker Timelord sotries, "the Deadly assassin" and "the invasion of time" the Chancellor is the last word and maker of decisions

Javert almost done ill come back to him later he is all blue shades

Cardinal of the Prydonian's Jules Mazarin, (i watched 3 Musketeers to much) so i have the Narrator for this (Timothy Dalton) with simple standard collar looks really impressive and noble as Head Teacher head of the order

general Timelord right out of the box will come later ,and Rommana well Jabe body will suffice head i haven't decided it is a ongoing project will be the Lalla ward version

Javert is one of the most rounded figures so far having been lifted strait from the novel ,

he believes completely in the rule and justice of law. motivated by his utterly set moral code and the unflinching operation of it,

Javert is a person who was brought into the world in a place of chaos and reacted by insisting on total order those who step out of line must be put back otherwise that order will break down

Javert is a character with highly admirable traits, such as devotion, integrity, honesty, and loyalty, yet all these qualities are bent towards an ignoble end. He's a warped character. He's goodness bent toward hideousness. Yet, in that hideous perversion of goodness, Javert remains a highly sympathetic character. Misguided and narrow-minded, yes. But honest and true just the same. And faced with despair when morality and lawful behavior become mutally exclusive
Javert comes from the  House Dvora,(also known as the House of the Devouring Hounds),Of moderate size, House Dvora was nevertheless a cornerstone of the ruling six.
its main colours appear to be greys and blue (Dr Who Big Finish cover)

Romana, In a later of stage of her life, she was the Lady President of Gallifrey now a Ambassador to Gallifrey and holder of a lot of authority and power and influence on Gallifrey beloved and seen as a hero,still more world wise and much her own person after her travels in E Space,some such as Castalan Javert still view her as a renegade
Accompanied by Romana is K9 her faithful robot dog ,51st century technology augmented by Timelord technology 
this is a older model K9 (MK2) but vastly superior in may ways ,time resistant and able to survive in the Vortex and vacuum of space,hover for superior ground clearance and travel over rough terrain and at higher speeds  , learning CPU and updated software ,with higher and more adaptive scanning software and better defence and offence capabilities 

Rommana comes form the Prydonian chapter house 

Cardinal Jules Mazarin (His Eminence), cardinal, diplomat, politician,head master,power-hungry, suspicious, and greedy who serves as the chief minister

was born off world and in a colony by former Ambassadors he is eyed suspiciously by some for this

An able diplomat, who secured for Gallifrey favorable treaties in the Westphalian peace, Corruption and malversations are a part of everyday life in office for this Cardinal

he attained his aims by both scrupulous and unscrupulous means, inspired love in some and hatred in others, and was controversial in his own time and ever since.

study in philosophy, theology and other disciplines, have made him one of the most respected lectures and teachers and he quickly assumed Mastership of the Academy through some help of his elaborate network of personal relations and connections he quickly rose to high office and to be a Timelord of the highest rank

a leading promoter of the arts.An avid art collector, founded the Presidential Academy of Painting and Sculpture, introduced opera , and established an important library in the Capitol.

Still unknown but he has secured the favour of the Chancellor and her sponsorship as next Chancellor
Member of the Prydonian Chapter House

"to conquer oneself and to regulate one's life in such a way that no decision is made under the influence of any inordinate attachment"

and i think i might add a member of the Celestial Intervention Agency,That dark group working in the background manipulating affairs and events for what they see as the good of Gallifrey ,same people who happily use the Doctor to there own ends like in "Genesis of the Daleks " "The Brain of Morbius" and "Attack of the Cybermen "

I hope to build more profiles soon

right said bob lets have another one,we are getting no where

Spot the difference , Anyone ?, no ?

Me either, Sad ain't it, another load of crap dumped on six perspex panel's, they just don't make them like they used to. So huge gramophone and loads of overpriced junk and once again those bloody pie slices AGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH, Why?, it is enough to make you want to tear your eyes out

ED Thomas strikes again you can bet this is his idea like the last one,

I ask for ,form ,function is it a lot to ask ?,

verisimilitude (So much for knowing about Dr who), levers dials knobs switches those toggle variety and rocker ones old and new, seamless blend together a hint of alien advanced tech.

OK OK we have yet to see it on screen but really do you get inspired when you see this ?

come back five Dr's console all is forgiven!

there's a certain sameness that defines the design of certain things until recently the console was only ever one shape since the shows creation in 63 like the exterior was a police box Daleks are pepper pot shaped etc

you can not even get the top right its six flat sides joined together to make flat hexagonal six sides trapezoid shapes ,not that uneven mess

                                                                                  


Am i being unfair ?

to each his own no doubt,there may be those who will love it ( i think personally the epitome of the Dr's console is the very first from 63 to 71 and at a pinch Pertwee's 71 - 75 look them up THAT'S what its superposed to look like, and i grew up with the 5 Dr's console,)

but lets set the brief for you,

A alien control console ALWAYS is, has been, will be hexagonal six sides and needs to be alien far advanced tech yet old low tech and has to seem alien and complex and most of all old with one or two bits added by the Dr in his travels been tinkering ,so dials levers from a power station or off a boat far flung future 51st century ? etc, does this really look like it fits the brief ? once again new Who disappoints

Do your home work, research,dumping bucket loads of old overpriced junk on perspex, a console it does not make !!!

starting to really show you know nothing about the character and the Dr who universe things are not boding well.for this design team


I do however like the new console room ,wow that's BIG it has the Hartnell 63 power diasis thingie on the ceiling it has stairs leading off, AT LAST extra rooms starting to think just that one place and a nice perspex floor for console room floor (Done very effectively in the engine room of the Enterprise in Star Trek Next  Gen),very nice back to golds again, BUT its OK.
White silver would be better ,But its clean tidy & looks like a spaceship and thats what it is about and important.
So like previous  ramp and 2 platforms to console last time, this time one flight of stairs (Hat Stand next to front doors will it be used this time ? ) nice and this feels, I don't know homely 60s maybe? nice either way very retro feel
Not sure about the cavernous holes in the floor you need to get around and about without disappearing into the cavernous depths but i see roundel is every where in different sizes and shapes .............thats, ok
what is letting it down as my good friend would say the dimension gap aka the doors where are the TARDIS  doors ? what's with the police box doors again ?
not exactly sure of the Time Rotor ill wait until i actually see it in use and report back
the McGann scanner screen lowered down for use nice, what a shame about the console its let down the whole room

Now seen on TV in context as it should be and wow wow wow, What a room (Redressed Torchwood set) ,
and what a stinking pile of miscellaneous crap the console is
The room is big, bold and gold (Last bit i can over look) It is without doubt a alien spaceship still not keen on the Swiss cheese holes and the holes in the walls there's tons we don't get yet one giant roundel looked like a scanner screen certainly something going on in it, We have it very very designed ,light box projections ,lit roundel's and stairs with old beacon lights etc, see what as the season progresses this room is about
It reminds me of some 50s Science fiction B movie set


Console ,well its noisy so much so you cant understand it ,etched panels and moving stuff sticking through from Torchwood set or the spares box from left overs of the old console room
 foot pumps Yawn,and various common garden stuff ,bath taps (at there inclusion someone should of stopped themselves ) and a phone and other modern day paraphernalia thrown on,
and the best bit

The but plug (or anal bead) column in the centre, laugh, I nearly split my sides  now we are REALLY taking the mickey ,So proud is Mr ED Thomas "We got this blown glass done specially" etc  etc
Have you stopped to look at it ? why is there a anal but plug going up and down in the centre of the TARDIS ?
and then the pierce de resistance ,a ruddy great big Horn of a old 48 record player ,geee wow fitting and in context really
The scanner screen very designed and like 8th Drs but attached strangely none moving and some weird slabs of wood on the column ??????
Rubbish it most defiantly is ,and you really don't have a clue what you are doing, you proudly show off where each panel and flight plan is but does it make sense as you read it out ?, I was lost
 you truly do not have a clue

EDIT

One panel is a Pin ball machine FFS WHY ??????????????????????

and one Giant round all is a scanner screen along with the old tv set dangling off the console rotor

Special Weapons Dalek

I have a friend who dabbles in fibreglass and resin and he sent me parts to a SWD (Special weapons Dalek)

it was OK typical what you expect from resin really bit dodgy lots of sanding until elbows ache and filling in, but what fun found a Classic Dalek got my Hack saw and removed the skirt and then onto prime and layer and sand and prime ad infinitum etc

the Dalek i have to confess is one of the "oddball" Daleks as there known and i like it, i grew up watching the 7th doctor and this is one of my favorite story's of his from the 25th anniversary year

it has lots of continuity references from the shows history but its just a really good story by Ben Aronovitch who also wrote some of my favorite new adventures books it has the theme threads picked up from previous story and here once again we have 2 rival Dalek factions the imperial white gold livery Daleks and the standard or renegade Daleks in grey and black with black silver supreme (Personally hate that title makes me think of a Dalek cake or something )

The imperials also posses the special weapons Dalek ,if a Dalek is a Tank this is the heavy artillery able to vaporise 2 Daleks with one shot the Dalek survival guide book and Target book adds many colourful layers to this creature and also a name "The abomination"

This Dalek was a heavily-armoured purpose built Dalek a kind of prototype with enhanced defensive capacities and even greater offensive capacities. and in the Dr Who comic "Nemesis of the Daleks" (Brilliant story featuring Dr 7 and Absalom Daak if you can get to read it do its worth it ) it is also seen in the renegade Dalek ranks

It has been stated that the enormous power source required for its weapon resulted in high levels of radiation being released and altering the structure of the Dalek's brain, resulting in insanity.

It was only used in extreme situations and was unofficially known among the Daleks as the Abomination,the Special Weapons Daleks has fire-power fifty times more powerful than the output of the standard Dalek gun stick,so very handy in a fire fight, if it doesn't blow its fellow Daleks up as well as the enemy and the surrounding area and itself it is also leaking a smelly ooze due to this radiation i suppose its frothing more than usual

I really like its character and the fact its a homicidal maniac even by Dalek standards insane self aware and most likely to blow everything up including the friendly Daleks it is with so it is hated and feared by other Daleks this is food for the imagination and something i really like something makes you think putting ideas into practical reality already thinking of scorch marks radiation burns internal fluid leaks ,

i do intend to make best of this as i can and consider it a ongoing project more i learn and if i think something would look good being added it will

So got lot more detailing and weathering & have noticed virtue of the fact a classic "shawcraft" style skirt which is wrong as these were more vertical and the actual top is tall and thin making this tad inaccurate but intimidating and does look good for me I'm happy and that's all that matters to me and just found out these Daleks were some 6 inches taller than standard Daleks any way

alone

positives this was place for me i loved it i want to live in America maybe Portland i don't know but definitely want to live there i loved the city the beach the people the food it was great well USA over with a sumerily dumped in the airport complete no show BUT i managed to have a nice vacation and came away with a lot of positive thought

negative my would be friend left me and didnt turn up

arrive or show so i was left in LAX but booked into a motel and i enjoyed my self none the less