Welcome to this weeks Miniatures & Musings!
—000—
This weeks miniature goes by the name of “Commander Slaughter” and is from Hasslefree Miniatures. Not sure if the figure is based on anyone in particular but he is a lovely single piece sculpt in my opinion. A simple base and a straight forward paint job. Nothing much else I can say really.
—000—
Well It Made Me Laugh
—000—
Give Me Five
This week we are back to films. In fact the more I think about it the more I think this will become more about films and TV than anything else! This week we have a very, very tough one, WW2 films. So many great films left out. In no particular order my top five are:
- Saving Private Ryan
- Hacksaw Ridge
- The Great Escape
- The Bridge Over The River Kwai
- Schindler’s List
—000—
IRO’s Podcast
I regularly listen to IRO’s Podcast and enjoy it very much (I know what you’re thinking – “so you’re the one?”) and as we all know he has a face for radio and an unbridled enthusiasm for our beloved hobby in all its forms. His finest work was undoubtedly Episode 9 and I would encourage you to check that out but this little article is about Episode 38.
At the end of Episode 38 IRO refers to an email he received from a guy called John W. Apparently John W had listened to Episodes 1 & 2 and thereafter felt compelled to email IRO to say that having done so he would rather watch paint dry. I thought it was great that IRO was big enough to read the email out and in typical style laugh it off.
Now IRO is six feet two, follically challenged, covered in tattoo’s with muscles in his spit and quite capable of looking after himself. However, he considers me to be his Hobby Dad which therefore makes him my Hobby Son which in turn leaves me compelled to comment. So I will.
Unless someone had to do it for him I assume that John W was capable of switching off the podcast in the same way he switched it on i.e. without the need to email IRO. Then again perhaps someone had a gun to his head forcing him to do so, an option we should not be too quick to rule out. There is also the do-gooder scenario which is to say maybe John W was simply being humorous. Possible but far from rib tickling John W if I may say so.
All in all I am inclined to conclude that John W was simply being sarcastic and couldn’t resist a put down. Sadly we live in an age where far too many people cannot resist the opportunity to put out negative and poisonous comments. We now live in the era of the Troll. The days of saying – “If you can’t say anything nice don’t say anything at all” appear to have gone. Which reminds me of another expression – “If you can’t beat them join them” so if you are reading this John W then “Fuck off and stop being a pratt”.
To my sensitive readers apologies for the profanity.
—000—
This week TIM has been listening to …
“Wake Me Up” by Avicii. Unusually for me something relatively modern! A cracking little number that with a good few beers in me would get me jumping.
—000—
This week TIM has been watching …
The film “Yesterday”. As a general rule I like Richard Curtis films and I certainly like Lily James but personally I found this utter crap. Sorry for sitting on the fence.
—000—
Remember …
If a woman tells you that you’re right that’s called sarcasm.
—000—
TIM
I like the mini – very nice! 🙂 I’d have had Kelly’s Heroes in a top five WW2 films!
LikeLiked by 3 people
Yea I don’t blame you it’s one I um’d and ah’d about. 🙂
LikeLiked by 2 people
Bugger my reply disappeared…. great mini 👍
War film top 5 (cough,cough)
Platoon/Full Metal Jacket
Thin Red Line
Letters from Iwo Jima
Saving Private Ryan
Zulu or Cross of Iron (I cannot decide)
LikeLiked by 4 people
Haha, well I did say WW2 films … 😉
LikeLiked by 3 people
Bugger… my first reply was WW2 ones…
LikeLiked by 3 people
🤣🤣
LikeLiked by 1 person
Okey dokey WW2 films
Cross of Iron
Saving Private Ryan
Letters from Iwo Jima
The Longest Day
Ice Cold in Alex
LikeLiked by 2 people
Yep good shout on the Longest Day, not that the others are bad either.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Nice mini, shite film list though mate, No Platoon? No FMJ?? For shame. Oh, and John W… well, I think we all know what the W stands for,
(wally, obvs)
LikeLiked by 3 people
🤣🤣 Call it the way you see it Alex 😉 it’s an age thing, what can I say!
LikeLiked by 3 people
Nice work on that mini.
Cheers,
Pete.
LikeLiked by 3 people
Thanks Pete.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Oh crap, I hope they don’t realize that I sometimes go by John W…wait, did my phone just type that…oh crap…
Seriously, we’ve been in the age of the critic forever. I didn’t listen to the episode, so I’m not sure how bad John W was, but hopefully IRO was able to laugh it off, from what you said.
I started to listen to the IRO/Mark Morin episode. It’s pretty good, and IRO definitely had the radio host voice down. A bit too long for me though, partially because the whole damn COViD thing had made my job nuts and then there’s the kids to further complicate. But I appreciate what he’s doing and I’m sure there are people who have more time to listen and fully enjoy the podcasts. I hope to listen to some more as I get a chance. But yea, I’m not going to write IRO and complain for doing something he loves for free, and bringing some more attention to our hobby. Like you said, John W could simply turn it off.
Though part of me hopes he keeps listening and writing in, and IRO keeps responding, because that could be freaking entertaining too.
Damn it, I haven’t even commented on the mini yet. Oh hell. It’s a good one mate. Great choice, and I’m not sure if there is a nod to any particular character there. But the paints and all are very nice. Shame on you for that clickbait though, haha! 😜
LikeLiked by 4 people
Sadly it is the world we live in. I hate things like that with a passion. Not sure if that’s an age thing or just a case of having a brain and some elementary good manners.
LikeLiked by 3 people
Well, it’s always worse when it’s your own son! 😉
LikeLiked by 3 people
🤣🤣
LikeLiked by 2 people
“Oh damn it, what kind of mess has he gotten himself into this time…?!”
LikeLiked by 3 people
Not IRO’s fault on the length Faust, I’m not terse! Still, I find listening to his podcasts ( both IRO and FOTW) helps pass time when I’m on a walk or drive or painting. So length doesn’t bother me, but sorry if I droned on too long! His regular ones are quite short.
LikeLiked by 3 people
Haha, no worries Mark. I tried listening while painting, as it’s the small bit of free time I get these days. But I find it hard to not zone out as I paint. Maybe once I’m back to the long commute, these would be a great listen though!
LikeLiked by 3 people
Ooh, nice work on Commander Slaughter, that’s a proper “Tory power pose” he’s doing as well! Another miniature to add to my personal wishlist…
As for John W there’s some right dickheads out there on the internet aren’t there? It does worry me a bit honestly, I know a lot of it is just trolls who don’t get a lot of normal human interaction and get their jollies by being unpleasant, but there seem to be a fair number of people who actually think that by putting people down and being rude they’re somehow doing the right thing. I find it especially worrying on political issues, where someone makes an innocent remark and a huge mob descends on them baying for blood and demanding they be “cancelled”. Usually the subject of this arsehattery then apologises, which is daft because it takes a lot more energy and is a lot less satisfying than just typing “fuck off”, the press report it as “some famous person in (insert issue here) row!” and then, where it gets really worrisome for me, politicians start thinking they can win some extra votes by backing up the mad rantings of a vocal minority with legislation.
For a while I tried using twitter, I’d heard that there was quite a lot of good hobby content there, but I left it recently. Partly I just didn’t want to be supporting the politics of the site (if a woman writes “women have rights too” and gets banned, and a convicted paedophile sends death threats and Twitter is ok with that and rewards them with a “blue tick”, then that’s not a site I’m willing to support with my presence) . Partly however it was because I’d been trying to use it to showcase good work by other people, and generally be nice, and got very little interest. Then I bitched and moaned once, about something shit that a company had knowingly and deliberately done, and got a huge response, most of it agreeing. Partly I thought, if rage is popular and being decent is unpopular then I should stay here and fight the good fight, but honestly I don’t have the energy for it, and these people just drag you down to their level and beat you with experience. Or, to quote Lord of the Rings “What can men do against such reckless hate?”. It’s a big part of why I love blogs though, all the reading puts most of the arseholes off, and when the rest realise that I can filter their comments and deny their bile the oxygen of publicity they tend to go away as well, and what’s left is just healthy, adult discussion. 🙂
LikeLiked by 3 people
Cannot do more than agree with all you say. I hate this sort of thing with a passion, hence the post in the first place. Like you I have neither the time nor the energy for these people. One of the downsides of the technology and era we now live in. If only Covid-19 could target these people the world might become a better place!
LikeLiked by 2 people
Here here.
LikeLiked by 3 people
My only issue with his podcasts is, that they keep banging them out faster than I can listen to them! Like Faust, this working from home malarkey, together with childcare and no commute, my normal podcast listening time has been severely curtailed (I know, first world problems and all).
Like the mini and I have a soft spot for the Guns of Navorone myself. Admittedly it’s a throwback to my childhood and it didn’t quite hold up to my memories when I rewatched a few years ago. I’ll also add in the Dirty Dozen for much the same reason.
LikeLiked by 3 people
Both classic films. I don’tthink you should mess with a classic but I am surprised they have never done a remake of the Dirty Dozen.
LikeLiked by 3 people
Commander Slaughter looks great and I like the texture you added to his armor the your highlights too. He doesn’t look too far removed from Warhammer 40k in my opinion though he does stand on his own as well.
I don’t remember five WW2 movies that I have seen but I remember watching Patton with my Dad when I was young and it made an impression on me. I have no idea if it is actually a good movie or not and Patton himself was crazy and not all that intelligent from what I’ve read though I’m hardly a WWII buff!
LikeLiked by 3 people
Glad you like the mini. As for WW2 films I think we have just highlighted our age difference. 🙂
LikeLiked by 2 people
Great work on the sarge. I echo your comments on the trolls. It’s always easier to tear someone or something down than give constructive or positive feedback. Of course with IRO as a friend it dies get a bit personal, but you’re spot on. I do know that having avatars or non-full names makes one more anonymous, and anonymity makes some folks, well, more effectively asshats. Now, with that said, most of the blogs I follow and folks who follow me and my stuff (such as you and IRO and more) have a degree of that anonymity. But you are devoid of that particular evil aspect, and that speaks to your character. I occasionally will give what is hopefully constructive feedback. Of course, I am sharing my name so I have zero anonymity. I’m cool with others who don’t- different strokes and all. Still, I loved your stance and the sound you hear is one Mark A. Morin clapping and cheering you on.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Spot on Mark. The point about anonymity is a good one. My blog name has it roots but anonymity is something I never gave any consideration to. As you say you are more exposed but then again you are also decent guy!
LikeLiked by 2 people
As shucks 😌!
LikeLiked by 2 people
Interesting post Dave and a good response to our friend John W I’m sure he has realized the errors of his ways and will joyfully continue listing to IRO’s pods. I have started to listen to some now and then when time allows and was chuffed when he mentioned me in one, I sent him an Email but it was returned! he must have mistaken me for John!
It still amazes me how people can do that, Its becoming quite common and as Wuda says a bit of a concern.
Sorry my reply’s are slow but as I’m finishing up in two weeks every thing is topsy turvy, oh nice work on the figure again mate.
LikeLiked by 1 person
There are lots of wankers out there Pat but sadly that is the world we live in these days. Don’t worry about slow replies just happy you take the trouble to comment at all. Exciting times ahead Pat, retirement and house move. Hope it all goes well for you and yours.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Cheers mate, of up the country to hopefully purchase a house on Wednesday, fingers crossed!!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Good luck. 🤞
LikeLiked by 1 person