Running Bear's December 2023 Coffee Shop

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Well I almost made a morning greeting---

Last evening I unpacked the four square 5 gallon plastic buckets and one box containing all my brass locomotives. I thought that was the ONLY contents of those containers but there were a lot of other odds and ends and details, including a few I had been scratching my head trying to remember where those went missing. So, my first delve into model photography EVER and wishing I had equivalents of the fast FD "L" lenses I have for the film cameras. This hobby reentry may get more expensive----

First up: Northwest Short Line imported a Toby made model of the Baldwin 0-8-0's that were exported to Japan in the late 1890's. With the exception of the lights, domes, and a few other details, these were classic Baldwin's in every other aspect. The models were relatively cheap and make a great base for building a creditable Baldwin tank mike similar to Alamogordo's No 101 only I wanted them updated as they would have appeared in the 1920's. The basic changes were adding the leading/trailing trucks, swapping the domes, and the addition of many details. The original vertical cab mounted 3 pole motor was swapped out for a more conventional NWSL gearbox and Sagami can motor. The reworked model remains DC but there is room for a decoder.

This is the second model of this I purchased as-is in 1991 with the damaged pilot beam. It is unmodified. IIRC, it was about $100, including shipping.
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My Americanized version. I bought this model new in the 70's for $55:
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Last evening I unpacked the four square 5 gallon plastic buckets and one box containing all my brass locomotives. I thought that was the ONLY contents of those containers but there were a lot of other odds and ends and details, including a few I had been scratching my head trying to remember where those went missing. So, my first delve into model photography EVER and wishing I had equivalents of the fast FD "L" lenses I have for the film cameras. This hobby reentry may get more expensive----
When I retired from professional photography, I sold off my equipment and purchased a retirement camera. All of that L glass gone. Switched to the Fuji line for their old style dials. Retro on a mirrorless digital SLR(ish) camera!

I made sure to keep a tripod, and some "hot lights" Though I'm looking at swapping them out for LED panels with barn doors. I'd rather have that "f/8 and be there!" (sorry, some Weegee lingo for those familiar.) Or f/32. Small scale means you'll have shallower Depth of Field, especially at fast aperture settings.

Now, if I ever get around to putting track on the benchwork... I might have some interesting photos to take...
 


For me, it is only the second day of Christmas! 😁

Twelve Days of Christmas​

Where is Chad?

​


Right here enjoying the 2nd day of Christmas with you.

I need to get back up to the house to work. Was there earlier for a bit to help my son change out a light in the eaves for the proper can and then had to get my daughter from swim practice. And then eat a late breakfast (intermittent fasting and yesterday's Christmas dinner being later than usual). And now here trying to avoid going out in the cold. It's bright and sunny and 31F
 
Afternoon All,

Started out the day sleeping in for a bit. Once I got moving, I headed to the train room where I glued the weight (BB's) into the bottom of both flat cars. When I finished that I was informed we were transferring Shadow (the rescue) to Ocala where the new owner received him. That took about 3 hours. Tomorrow Dad has another VA appointment. This time to fix his CPAP machine (or get a new one). After we got home son helped me put up a shelf that holds a display of 3 Funaro Pennsy FM flat cars acting as "gun flats" with the Laser Kit Battleship gun barrel (how they were transported during WWII). I'll take a photo tomorrow. I built the diorama years ago (before the current layout) and just rediscovered it in my closet. Sometimes I'm not the sharpest tool in the toolbox.

Happy Boxer Day to all my Commonwealth friends (I believe that includes Canada).

Louis- Great looking train.

Todd- They love you. Our skunks are the same. They lay on me but not MOH.

Bill- Neat photo. My fictitious RR is from that general area.

TomO- I'm going to check out "the squealer" I've tried to use switch lists in the past but found them cumbersome, but it's just me operating.

Grizzled- Nice looking brass locomotive.

Chad- It's only 31F.:eek:

I hope everyone has a good night.
 
Well, howdy there internet peeps, and those who are still are not AI.

It's Troy again.

Seems that there is a huge hornet's nest being kicked in the Indie Author world right now: AI

No, this isn't Skyenet levels of sending ARNOLD back as a robot to wipe out Timmy Turner or something.

But it is a discussion that many creative fields are having. Hasbro, you know, the game manufacturer, who have one division that is making money currently, just announced a second round of layoffs. Many of those coming from the Dungeons and Dragons line up, and it's sister product, Magic: The Gathering cards. Mostly informed rumors are that they're keeping the art department wonks who know how to do AI for image generation.

Another author friend/mentor figure (online only) is locked, loaded, and in the IF you're using AI in your business, you are the enemy!!!
Why? Because if I use an AI service to produce artwork for a bookcover.

To illustrate, here's a series of AI generated images I just prompted LeonardoAI to give me (with my daily free credits) of "Illustrate a female librarian, festooned with scifi style weapons, wearing fantasy style armour, in the dimly lit wastelands, ready to fight her machine overlords. hyperrealistic. cinematic." Top 4 - bottom 4 are same with Roman style.

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To use those in a book cover, I'd need to purchase a commercial use package from the AI service. But, that would be pennies on the dollar to hiring an artist. Or, I could go to a "discount art service" like Fiverr, where artists trade their skills for lower cost. I've looked and the number of artists there who are using AI-generated images is mind-boggling.

We're at one of the inflection points where those who don't embrace are about to get left behind. I saw it with digital cameras in the wedding photo industry (I made more than a few mistakes in my business then).

I saw the inflection point coming with the internet and news gathering in the Journalism field (how big is your local newspaper now, compared to 20 years ago?)

We're there again, in a lot of industries. Adapt, or be trampled by those who adopt and adapt.

Unfortunately, when it comes to that online author, whom I highly respect, I see her making the same mistakes I made back in the wedding-photo-going digital era.

Caveat: there is a HUGE issue about AI being "trained" by being fed the works of artists, authors, speakers, actors, etc and NOT compensating those creatives for the use of their past work. That is BAD. But, it needs to work through the court system. Those who say DON'T USE until that is resolved will be years, if not a decade or more, behind the curve.

So, who's right? Morally, those who say wait... But, who will survive?

Just like the real world spiraling into Anarchy: Those with the money to build their little offshore self-sustaining island paradises, and those who are smart enough to adapt and embrace, knowing that fees are going to JUMP when the court cases get settled.
 


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