vsmith wrote: Uggh! What a world we live in...someone like John Allen as suspect, and Paris Hilton as role model....jeezzuuzz can someone call Bruce Willis and tell him not to blow up the meteor?
Uggh! What a world we live in...someone like John Allen as suspect, and Paris Hilton as role model....jeezzuuzz can someone call Bruce Willis and tell him not to blow up the meteor?
No doubt! Just wait. There's another one coming in 2012. I hope Hollyweirds ground zero.
In my neighborhood, more of the ladies look like Maggie Thatcher than like Terry Hatcher. Given that reality, I'll stay in my train room, thank you.
As for the "killer asteroid" scenario, go read "Lucifer's Hammer" by Larry Niven and Jerry Pournelle. A bit dated Sci-Fi, but still the best description of that nightmare. By the way, I'm a real-world rocket scientist. The Liberals who say "Well, we'll just re-program all those nasty nuclear missles and just blow it up." just never did get Isaac Newton.
It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse.
Someone at work who knows I'm into trains mentioned this episode to me and was giving me a hard time. My response was she should get a life if she has nothing better to do than watch stupid shows like that.
3railguy wrote: Someone at work who knows I'm into trains mentioned this episode to me and was giving me a hard time. My response was she should get a life if she has nothing better to do than watch stupid shows like that.
So, is she a Hatcher or a Thatcher?
On a totally different subject, "Give me Magnetraction or give me death."
Oddly, both are related. The unit of magnetic inductance is the Henry, named for the physicist Joseph Henry who did much pioneering work in magnetism. "Give me liberty or give me death" was the famous quote of American patriot Patrick Henry.
I would love to have been standing nearby with a mouthful of cold beer.
Desperate HOUSEWIVES?
OMYGAW! As one of my high-school students would say--you mean that they're going Kraft-Ebbing about the LAUNDRY, for Cryin' out loud?
Let's see. The guy is a Pedophile Serial Killer and he has a large-scale model railroad in his basement? Hm.
Pedophile: A person that will ride nothing other than a Bicycle. No matter how far the distance from his basement to his Abnormal Psychology class at the local University Campus.
Serial Killer: The same bicyclist who invades a supermarket and smashes into a display of Captain Crunch or Kellogg's Bran Flakes. Probably on his way back from his Abnormal Psychology class at the local University Campus.
Hollywood Writers: 100 Chimpanzees at 100 computer keyboards--the whole thing overseen by a Producer who flunked Sandbox, who is hoping that they will eventually write WAR AND PEACE.
Large Scale Model Railroader: The wonderful husband in the wonderful Canadian-based comic strip FOR BETTER OR WORSE. Now, that guy makes the rest of us look REALLY good!
Basement: Something that doesn't exist either in Hollywood, or for that matter, most of the rest of California. We use garages.
Forget those Chimpanzees in Hollywood. Enjoy the hobby and just give those people that watch that crap a smile and a questioning look.
You watch WHAT? WHY?
Tom
Tom View my layout photos! http://s299.photobucket.com/albums/mm310/TWhite-014/Rio%20Grande%20Yuba%20River%20Sub One can NEVER have too many Articulateds!
twhite wrote: Desperate HOUSEWIVES? OMYGAW! As one of my high-school students would say--you mean that they're going Kraft-Ebbing about the LAUNDRY, for Cryin' out loud? Let's see. The guy is a Pedophile Serial Killer and he has a large-scale model railroad in his basement? Hm. Pedophile: A person that will ride nothing other than a Bicycle. No matter how far the distance from his basement to his Abnormal Psychology class at the local University Campus. Serial Killer: The same bicyclist who invades a supermarket and smashes into a display of Captain Crunch or Kellogg's Bran Flakes. Probably on his way back from his Abnormal Psychology class at the local University Campus. Hollywood Writers: 100 Chimpanzees at 100 computer keyboards--the whole thing overseen by a Producer who flunked Sandbox, who is hoping that they will eventually write WAR AND PEACE. Large Scale Model Railroader: The wonderful husband in the wonderful Canadian-based comic strip FOR BETTER OR WORSE. Now, that guy makes the rest of us look REALLY good! Basement: Something that doesn't exist either in Hollywood, or for that matter, most of the rest of California. We use garages. Forget those Chimpanzees in Hollywood. Enjoy the hobby and just give those people that watch that crap a smile and a questioning look. You watch WHAT? WHY? Tom
I will dedicate a 30 ft bronze statue in your honor.
The Dixie D Short Line "Lux Lucet In Tenebris Nihil Igitur Mors Est Ad Nos 2001"
Lego_90 wrote:I think the real question is what is a self-respecting model railroader like yourself doing watching Desperate Housewives? :)
Amen to that. What ever happened to Lassie?
Bob
Haven't seen the question that initially came to my mind.
What did the layout look like?
dwRavenstar
You want "real life" bad raps...
I took my oldest sister and little nephew out to my train room to check out my layout a couple of years ago. My nephew was very impressed, and enjoyed wearing the engineer's cap and pushing the horn button each time the train approached a crossing. After about five minutes, my sister told my little nephew - Okay, that's enough of watching uncle Mark's train go round and round the track over and over again. Let's go. I was like, what's up ?. My sister replied that she didn't want him interested in such things, and hoped that he would focus his life on more important and serious ambitions!. That's the day I found out what my sister thought of me and my train hobby, and yes, it hurt because in her eyes model railroaders are losers...
Tracklayer
Before we keep moving on as to how unfair it is that "tv is giving model trains a bad rap", can we look at some of the bad rap that some of you are giving other hobbies? Video games are not all that bad. I happen to still be an active gamer myself, and I'm 31 years old, I also enjoy the hobby that most of you are involved in as well. That being said, why is it that we take offense at what somebody says about our "passion" but then do that same criticizing about someone else's "passion"? I think that video games are good because they can help develop good hand/eye coordination, and that's something that I've carried over to this hobby. Video games also give you an alternate escape when you really don't want to do anything else, just like many of you find trains to be that escape. Also just like trains, video games are something that can be shared with friends and family. I know that there are people that are plugged into the games 24/7, but we can find this type of habit in almost every hobby or activity. The problem is that the kids who are addicted to these games, don't have parents' guidance and control so that these kids don't act out what they see or do in games. Why can't parents tell these kids that what they see in a game is not a thing that should be acted out in real life. IT"S CALLED PARENTING. I get tired of hearing in the media that video games are to blame for shootings, killings, and other crimes and such. What happens is that people don't want to take responsibility for their lack of parenting, so they look for a scapegoat to pin it on. Why do you think that Desperate Housewives did the bit on the pedophile train modeler? I'm sure that there probably has been ONE or TWO pervs in the past that were arrested who happened to like to model trains. So some mom somewhere probably said: "All train modelers are pervs." Does that make all of us pervs? NO. Same goes for video games, I'm sure that there have been incidents that were influenced by some person playing a video game, but does that make all video games bad? NO. Whew...that feels better.
TONY
"If we never take the time, how can we ever have the time." - Merovingian (Matrix Reloaded)
MisterBeasley wrote:Well, yeah. After all, why should a kid learn electronics and structural engineering when he could be developing bad driving habits and sociopathic tendencies by playing Grand Theft Auto?
Jasperofzeal-I get your point about the video games, but you have to admit, most of the popular games out there depict people doing incredibly illegal and immoral things. I personally don't have a problem with that until it crosses the border into real life. You don't see a lot of model railroaders stealing cars and putting the beat down on some home boy to get their bling.
I am a 38 year old father of three who has successfully run my own business for 14 years and is interested in spending time with my kids away from just the stuff you all mention is on t.v.; if that makes me a geek or a loser, then I am proud to be one!
john
jasperofzeal wrote: I think that video games are good because they can help develop good hand/eye coordination, and that's something that I've carried over to this hobby. Video games also give you an alternate escape when you really don't want to do anything else, just like many of you find trains to be that escape.
Tracklayer wrote: You want "real life" bad raps... I took my oldest sister and little nephew out to my train room to check out my layout a couple of years ago. My nephew was very impressed, and enjoyed wearing the engineer's cap and pushing the horn button each time the train approached a crossing. After about five minutes, my sister told my little nephew - Okay, that's enough of watching uncle Mark's train go round and round the track over and over again. Let's go. I was like, what's up ?. My sister replied that she didn't want him interested in such things, and hoped that he would focus his life on more important and serious ambitions!. That's the day I found out what my sister thought of me and my train hobby, and yes, it hurt because in her eyes model railroaders are losers... Tracklayer
Ouch! My brother and his wife are like that. If their not into it, no one else should be either.
When you think about it from an outsider's point of view Model Railroaders are probably a little twisted. I mean we play with toys. We sit in the basement for hours several days a week and come up with a Jordan car or a couple trees.
But then again, Cowboy Action Shooters, my old hobby are a bunch of big boys that like to dress up like idiots and blast stuff.
Around my house, there are varmint hunters. They make great sport of lying in the grass with high velocity scoped .22s and blowing the brains out of a ground hog at 400 yards.
And what is with stamp collecting.
Let's face it. If you don't veg out in front of the TV with your beer, chips and Prilosec OTC, you're a deviant.
So common you losers. Let's have some fun.
Chip
Building the Rock Ridge Railroad with the slowest construction crew west of the Pecos.
Regarding midnight's comment: "...look at the list of the games that sell the best...those are frequently the most violent games. "
I recall the news report of the Montreal college shooting a few months back. The killer was inspired by a video game portraying the Columbine High School tragedy. How sick is that!
Model Railroading tends to be much more peaceful than video games, movies, and TV shows.
GARRY
HEARTLAND DIVISION, CB&Q RR
EVERYWHERE LOST; WE HUSTLE OUR CABOOSE FOR YOU
Ouch! And that's coming from your own sister?!
Well, one of the reasons that I got into this hobby was beause my dad took me and my brother into a LHS and bought us some model planes when we were younger. And we are interested in building model kits at a ery young age and continue till now. However, when we were about 12 or 13, all of a sudden my dad decide that building plastic models is becoming too childish for us and I remember he got very angry at one stage because we are spending too much time building models rather than studying. The point is, he got us started in it and then change his mind and the thing is, most people don't realise that hobby such as modelrailroading has evolved beyond toys these days but in most people's mind, it's still kid's toys and if you are a grown man palying with kid's toys, you must be sick and that's the real underlying problem. My dad didn't know I got back into model railroading and I am sure if he knew, he would be worried if I am mentally sound.
Anyway, all I can say is, everyone enjoying doing difference things and have different interest just like there are different religions and whatever and you can choose what you believe in and/or what you do with your spare time but I think it is only fair that people don't stereotype other people's interests and/or hobbies. And I think that's also the problem in today's society, people are enjoying a new found levels of freedom but at the same time, they also think they can do whatever they want including stereotyping other people and descriminate against others.
I know I am not perfect but I just wish people can be more unerstanding towards each other. See, people are also very smart these days, they all know about the descrimination laws and defmation laws etc. so they find ways around it and try to use sarcasm instead of direct verbal confrontation in today's society. And of course, this is just one aspect of this multi-faceted problem in today's world but I guess that's just life.
So do what I do, laugh at it and keep watching both CSI an Desperate Housewives while I am having dinner on Mondays and Tuesdays. And when I get sick and tired of them all one day, then I watch something else or one of my DVD's! At such time, I think the networks probably know they have lost some steam for a particular show and moved on. Again, that's just another fact of life! ;-)
I used to play a lot of Flight Simulator. In fact, I was addicted to it, and the main reason my wife wanted me to pull the trains out was to get me away from the computer. (She expected one of those Martha Stuart Santa's Village things. Subways and coal weren't even on her radar.) A few weeks ago I heard about a study that indicated that action-packed automobile video games are actually turning participants into aggressive, dangerous real-world drivers.
SpaceMouse wrote: Around my house, there are varmint hunters. They make great sport of lying in the grass with high velocity scoped .22s and blowing the brains out of a ground hog at 400 yards.
Send 'em to my house. Have them bring silencers, though. Hunting isn't allowed in town. Not enough people have had that mind-altering experience - "Bambi is so cute." "Hey, Bambi just ate all my broccoli plants!" "Bambi tastes great."
MisterBeasley wrote: In my neighborhood, more of the ladies look like Maggie Thatcher than like Terry Hatcher. Given that reality, I'll stay in my train room, thank you.As for the "killer asteroid" scenario, go read "Lucifer's Hammer" by Larry Niven and Jerry Pournelle. A bit dated Sci-Fi, but still the best description of that nightmare. By the way, I'm a real-world rocket scientist. The Liberals who say "Well, we'll just re-program all those nasty nuclear missles and just blow it up." just never did get Isaac Newton.
Ha! I read that...all I can remember is the surfer on the ultimate ride of his live, riding the 3000 foot tidal wave created by the impact...off the coast of SoCal of course....
PS need to redirect an asteroid, takes surprisingly little, maybe only coating one side with white powder to increase the pressure of solar photons to alter its orbit. Fun stuff science...totally uncool to the Paris Hilton crowd though.
Have fun with your trains
MisterBeasley wrote: The Liberals who say "Well, we'll just re-program all those nasty nuclear missles and just blow it up." just never did get Isaac Newton.
The Liberals who say "Well, we'll just re-program all those nasty nuclear missles and just blow it up." just never did get Isaac Newton.
vsmithMisterBeasley In my neighborhood, more of the ladies look like Maggie Thatcher than like Terry Hatcher. Given that reality, I'll stay in my train room, thank you. As for the "killer asteroid" scenario, go read "Lucifer's Hammer" by Larry Niven and Jerry Pournelle. A bit dated Sci-Fi, but still the best description of that nightmare. By the way, I'm a real-world rocket scientist. The Liberals who say "Well, we'll just re-program all those nasty nuclear missles and just blow it up." just never did get Isaac Newton. Ha! I read that...all I can remember is the surfer on the ultimate ride of his live, riding the 3000 foot tidal wave created by the impact...off the coast of SoCal of course.... PS need to redirect an asteroid, takes surprisingly little, maybe only coating one side with white powder to increase the pressure of solar photons to alter its orbit. Fun stuff science...totally uncool to the Paris Hilton crowd though.
MisterBeasley In my neighborhood, more of the ladies look like Maggie Thatcher than like Terry Hatcher. Given that reality, I'll stay in my train room, thank you. As for the "killer asteroid" scenario, go read "Lucifer's Hammer" by Larry Niven and Jerry Pournelle. A bit dated Sci-Fi, but still the best description of that nightmare. By the way, I'm a real-world rocket scientist. The Liberals who say "Well, we'll just re-program all those nasty nuclear missles and just blow it up." just never did get Isaac Newton.
Mister B. Consider the relative impact on history of the two ladies you mentioned. Teri Hatcher reads lines from a prepared script. The Iron Lady scripted the actions that kicked an aggressor out of a far-away possession (and, indirectly, toppled a less than wonderful dictator.)
As for asteroids - the Discovery Channel or one of its offspring did a show in which there was a lot of hand-wringing about some asteroid that could impact Earth 800 years from now. Give me a break!!! 800 years ago the horse cavalry didn't even have stirrups on their saddles. Or don't those Chicken Littles realize how much farther human technology is likely to advance in 800 years?? (Asteroid on collision orbit? Send the mining fleet out. We'll re-process it into spaceship components and fuel - and maybe some widgets to sell to consumers to finance the business. By the time it reaches Earth, all that'll be left is a memory and a handful of pebbles.)
Chuck (modeling Central Japan in September, 1964 - when not reading SF)
Midnight Railroader wrote: jasperofzeal wrote: I think that video games are good because they can help develop good hand/eye coordination, and that's something that I've carried over to this hobby. Video games also give you an alternate escape when you really don't want to do anything else, just like many of you find trains to be that escape. Model railroading does not "allow" me to simulate shooting cops, crashing cars, armed robbery, and the like. YES, I knows there are lots of video games that do not involve those things, but look at the list of the games that sell the best...those are frequently the most violent games.
I've played all kinds of video games ranging from the Mario games to the very popular ones that depict all that violence and gore. I have not shot any cops (my brother happens to be one), I have not crashed a car (other than your regular accident and I'm sure you mean crash a car on purpose), I have not commited armed robbery, or any of the like. I know that many people out there who play games have the same results as myself. The reason I don't get brainwashed by tv, movies, and games is because I know that they are not real, only a form of entertainment. I have common sense and a good head on my shoulders that let me distinguish between right and wrong. This is because I had good upbringing and parents that taught me to stay clean even if I played in the dirt (so to speak). I'm willing to bet that some of you out there with kids have a child that plays video games. Does that mean the your child will grow up to be a serial killer, a high school shooter, or a rapist? No. Why, because you guys probably have decent morals and are teaching your children to not be dummies and realize that games and tv are not real. Yes, model railroading doesn't simulate what video games simulate, and that's the beauty of this hobby, you can filter out the unpleasantries that real life has. Cops being shot, murder, rape, and other violent crimes have been around since the early days of human life. It's not like it's a new thing brought on by TV and music and other media. If we're to believe all that these so called "studies" tell us, then I guess I better quit playing video games and modeling trains or I might become a "cop shooting, road raging, high school shooting pedophile".
tangerine-jack wrote: "Because like it or not, the fact is that millions of people tune into TV shows or go to movies every week which allows a vocal minority to perpetuate a negative stereotype to the mainstream."This has never changed in the history of mankind, ever. The amphitheaters of Rome were built for this purpose, and TV has been called the idiot box since its inception. I agree with you 100%, but what can we do about it? Education works wonders in destroying stereotypes, and don't be a negative role model, ensure that what we do as individuals is positive to society.
"Because like it or not, the fact is that millions of people tune into TV shows or go to movies every week which allows a vocal minority to perpetuate a negative stereotype to the mainstream."
This has never changed in the history of mankind, ever. The amphitheaters of Rome were built for this purpose, and TV has been called the idiot box since its inception. I agree with you 100%, but what can we do about it? Education works wonders in destroying stereotypes, and don't be a negative role model, ensure that what we do as individuals is positive to society.
I agree that the will of the vocal minority has always been an issue throughout history, but with the advent of more efficient and effective communication technologies, I think we have been seeing this occur on an unprecedented scale over the past 100 years. With what is available these days, it has essentially allowed these morons to trade in their allegorical musket for a nuclear weapon.
I also realize that Model Railroaders are just a small part of a very long list of people, races, religions, etc. that the Hollywood brain trust (I use that term very loosely) have victimized with bad stereotypes over the years. It's tough enough to overcome the ‘geek factor' that has commonly been associated with our hobby for a long time, now we face being linked with far more revolting attributes like pedophilia and serial killers. Yikes.
We can easily dismiss what's on TV or in the movies as garbage and nonsense. I agree that most of it is. I've followed this industry with great interest for a long time now with aspirations to get into it someday. It's a very powerful medium, and in my opinion is often grossly underestimated over how much influence it really has on people. I hope not to be just another monkey chained to a keyboard, but someone who will be able to use this tool a bit more responsibly. Sure, it's all entertainment, but at the same time it's wields an uncanny influence.
So if you someday see a TV show featuring a normal character running trains on their nicely done layout, maybe I finally made it...
jasperofzeal wrote: I've played all kinds of video games ranging from the Mario games to the very popular ones that depict all that violence and gore. I have not shot any cops (my brother happens to be one), I have not crashed a car (other than your regular accident and I'm sure you mean crash a car on purpose), I have not commited armed robbery, or any of the like.
I've played all kinds of video games ranging from the Mario games to the very popular ones that depict all that violence and gore. I have not shot any cops (my brother happens to be one), I have not crashed a car (other than your regular accident and I'm sure you mean crash a car on purpose), I have not commited armed robbery, or any of the like.
jasperofzeal wrote:I've played all kinds of video games ranging from the Mario games to the very popular ones that depict all that violence and gore. I have not shot any cops (my brother happens to be one), I have not crashed a car (other than your regular accident and I'm sure you mean crash a car on purpose), I have not commited armed robbery, or any of the like. I know that many people out there who play games have the same results as myself. The reason I don't get brainwashed by tv, movies, and games is because I know that they are not real, only a form of entertainment. I have common sense and a good head on my shoulders that let me distinguish between right and wrong. This is because I had good upbringing and parents that taught me to stay clean even if I played in the dirt (so to speak). I'm willing to bet that some of you out there with kids have a child that plays video games. Does that mean the your child will grow up to be a serial killer, a high school shooter, or a rapist? No. Why, because you guys probably have decent morals and are teaching your children to not be dummies and realize that games and tv are not real. Yes, model railroading doesn't simulate what video games simulate, and that's the beauty of this hobby, you can filter out the unpleasantries that real life has. Cops being shot, murder, rape, and other violent crimes have been around since the early days of human life. It's not like it's a new thing brought on by TV and music and other media. If we're to believe all that these so called "studies" tell us, then I guess I better quit playing video games and modeling trains or I might become a "cop shooting, road raging, high school shooting pedophile".
Tony,
Would you agree that watching - albeit violent and suggestive video or TV programs - can and does "de-sensitize" the person watching them after a while? Whether you do or don't carry out what you actually watch, you have to admit that becoming numb to those sorts of visual stimuli can't really be a good thing in the long run.
https://tstage9.wixsite.com/nyc-modeling
Time...It marches on...without ever turning around to see if anyone is even keeping in step.
Midnight Railroader wrote: jasperofzeal wrote: I've played all kinds of video games ranging from the Mario games to the very popular ones that depict all that violence and gore. I have not shot any cops (my brother happens to be one), I have not crashed a car (other than your regular accident and I'm sure you mean crash a car on purpose), I have not commited armed robbery, or any of the like. No one said ALL video gamers participated in criminal activity.
That's exactly my point. The same way that not all model railroaders (or any if that) are pedophiles or serial killers. That's the damage that stereotypes do and because of such stereotypes, music, movies, tv, video games and such are seen in a bad light. It all boils down to good parenting and education to break stereotypes (as somebody previously stated).