Union Brigantine Constructo Wooden Ship Model

I purchased this easier kit to occupy me when I get annoyed with the Britannia. It is an entry level kit of the Union Brigantine. The never was a real brigantine with the name Union but it is representative of the type. Brigantines were small ships that had sails and oars. It got it’s name as a favorite of pirates as Brigantine from the Italian brigantino – Brigan’s ship. Brigantines are two-masted sailing ships, square-rigged on the foremast and having a fore-and-aft mainsail with square main topsails.
Union Brigantine Kit

I hope to practice my airbrush skills and get some experience with rigging by building it. Here is what I completed on it yesterday.

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The decking is simulated by drawing lines with a lead pencil 3mm apart and then divided into 50mm planks. The hull was not properly cut out at the box for the bulwarks so I did have to chisle a bit. I wonder if there is a wooden ship model kit out there that has all the pieces cut properly?

At least the instructions are translated into proper english. Very little verbage but lots of pictures and a diagram of the rigging.

Wooden Ship Model Britannia

I am sure that some of you are tired of my wooden ship models. Oh-well.

I have finished the decking on the Britannia and have run into an annoying problem. The rudder is held on to the hinges? by a wire that runs along the edge of it. It keeps coming undo! Augh!

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More People Who Take No Responsibility

Ok, when I am on a topic I get stuck on it sometimes. It makes it easier when the news keeps on the same topic. I am left wondering what is going on? Why do young people have this idea that running over police officers is ok?

Wednesday a punk went to a Stockton hospital, beat up on his girlfriend whom just had his baby, took a hospital visitor hostage and then during a chase with the police police, Berumen’s car crashed head-on with another vehicle. When confronted by officers, police said Berumen put his car into reverse and pinned an officer between two cars, which prompted five Stockton police officers to open fire.

Yeap, you quested correct, his brother with him at the time has decided that it was not right. After all he says, they did put their hands out the window. Come on folks! Police said officers got out of their cars and tried to corner the man, but he put his car in reverse and tried to run down one of the officers. The officer was hit and the other officer at the scene opened fire.

The brothers version: “I put my hand up and he put his hands out the window and they started shooting and shooting and shooting, and he leaned over to cover me up so I wouldn’t get shot,” Alan Berumen said.

Tough #$% dude. Sorry your brother is dead but perhaps you might try looking at taking responsibilty for your own actions and the part you played in those around you. It is not acceptable to beat up your girlfriend, take hostages, run over cops, or be willing with the person doing these things.

Accountability

At times a wonder what ever happened to personal accountability. Taking responsibility for yourself and your children.

Tuesday an officer shot and killed a young man after the car driving by the man tried to run down the officer. The car hit the officer the officer now on the hood of the car shot at least 8 times and killed the driver of the car. I saw an interview on tv with the mother of the youngman where she made a statement along the lines that she did not thing that her son tried to kill the officer because if he wanted to the car would have been going faster and the officer would have broken legs or more injuries. The clip now on the news station web site has cut this part of the interview out – but I know what we heard her say. Video tapes from the shopping center where this all transpired back up the police officers version of the incident.

Now all the news hub bub is all about the young mans family another person in the vehicles oppinions on how the policeman was wrong, unjustified –

Meanwhile, the fourth person in the car, 18-year-old Hallie Boatright, said Wednesday that while the group did rob the victim, Gallegos was not attempting to hurt Howland and was only trying to make an escape when the officer opened fire.

“We were trying to avoid the cop and get between the cop and the cop car. Nobody tried to kill the cop, nobody tried to run over the cop, nobody said hit the cop,” Boatright said. “We weren’t even going that fast. We were trying to get between the cop and the cop car.”

“Next thing you know, the cop is on the hood of the car and he starts shooting into the car and he just keeps on shooting and shooting and everybody is like let’s go, let’s go,” Boatright said. Boatright was questioned by officers and released after the shooting.

Gallegos’ mother, Michelle Andrade, questioned how the car could have been traveling fast enough in the crowded parking lot of Natomas Marketplace to threaten the officer’s safety.

She also wondered if the officer was actually hit by the car, or instead voluntarily jumped on the vehicle’s hood to begin shooting into the vehicle.

Hello? They committed a crime, they robbed at gun point ( don’t think the victims knew it was fake), they hit a police officer with a car. The officer did his job, what he was trained to do, protect and serve all the innocent bystanders in the shopping center. Boo hoo, I am sorry that a young life has been wasted but it is what it is.

Next on my list is the mother whose son came home from school and complained that he did not like a book assignment he was given and it contained the usage of foul language and Gods name in vain. That is his right. It does not stop there – oh no – now mom wants ratings on all school reading assignments similar to those on movies and CD’s. So parents will know what their kids are reading. Ok, what was wrong with what my parents did. (First off I was lucky they are very well read and knew the contents of standard required readings – you know – the classics.) If you pay attention to your kids assignments and read the book yourself then you would know what language and ideas are included.

I do not want to get into the aspects that involve a well rounded education. If you are so worried about your childs assingments then read the book yourself! If you object ask for a substitute reading assingment for your child. This of course assumes that you can read or you are capable of overseeing your own childs upbringing. The schools are not for raising your kids folks, they are there to educate them.

Enough ranting for now