Not so fresh news (History)

05/07/09 : Kinder surprise
I just finished building a yellow egg mounted on a skateboard: the Suzuki Swift Super 1600. This is an on-road car based on the M-chassis, very fun to drive.

26/05/09: The band has a new member
A brand new model just arrived: the Dark Impact. I still couldn't run it so I will add news thing to the page in the next days.

17/05/09: Contact info
If you want to, you can now directly get in touch with me: go on this page to know how.

02/05/09: Videos!
I found promotional videos made by Tamiya when they released some models I have in my collection. Watch them on the different model pages: the Hornet, the Fox, the Boomerang, the Monster Beetle, the Grasshopper II, the Ford F-150, the King Blackfoot and the Madbull.

25/03/09 : Lifting !
As you can see, I updated the site look. Good bye interlinked menus that made surfing not that easy: now everything can be reach from the menu on the left.
I aslo reworked every graphical element on the site. I want to warmly thank my friend Daniel for his precious help in making the banners. Take a moment to visit his blog, he's a gifted artist who deserves it: http://daniel-martin.over-blog.com/
Thanks also to my friends from the Roadrunners team for their help and their opinion in choosing the colours for the site.

07/03/09: W3C validation!
The W3C (World Wide Web Consortium) promotes the creation of standards over Internet. The goal is that a web site should be exactly the same whatever browser you use. In fact, for this to happen, every browser and every website should respect these standards. Obvious.
That's what I did on my side for this site: an extended code revision to make it comply the W3C standards. What does it change for you? A better surf and better display (photos well aligned etc...). Hopefully, you'll see this website as I mean to present it to you ... as long as your browser is W3C compliant (none is fully compliant).
This is the meaning of these two icons that are now displayed at the bottom of each page:

02/03/09: Yet another model!
A new model juste arrived in my collection: the Madcap. There quite a lot of work on it before it can run, but I already have everything need in my spare parts stock to rebuild it properly.

26/02/09: New model!
This time, this a double new one: new in my collection, but also a new chassis. It is also a model that does not officially exist. It is a Lancia Delta HF Integrale on a TB-01 chassis.

05/02/09: A new RC models section is open.
Some Tamiya models exist in 2 versions: the kit to assemble and the ready to run version (XB version). XB version are excellent models, but their manual is very simplified and doesn't give much information. So, it is very interesting to find the kit version manual, especially if you want to change parts and if you break something. It is also time to give you an excellent source to get that particular manual you are looking for.

14/01/09: The Mad Bull weaknesses overview
After one year of regular runs with this model, here's an overview of its reliability.

02/01/09: Happy New Year!
All my best wishes for this new year.

02/01/09: Statistics!
I just checked the site statistics: impressive! I did not expect such a success.
You are more than 8.000 to have visited this site (including 25% of english-speaking people), you read over 25.000 pages (!) mainly in the RC Models section (80%). You are mainly interested in big wheels models (the Monster Beetle leads them all), the Tamiya section and the buggies. But the most impressive is the constant audience growth all year long: from 77 visitors in january to more than 1.400 in december.

Thanks to everyone to show your interest: this motivates me to keep on enhancing and completing the site to share my hobby with you.

20/12/08: New ergonomics in the RC Model section
Surfing va becoming somewhat difficult and some pages where too heavy. So I entirely transformed the section, also to make room for a soon to come new tehnical section.

11/12/08: I am weak (again)
I just received an old model: a King Blackfoot. Without its bodyshell, but I have plans for it...
I also had to modify (again) the RC section menu to make room for it.

29/10/08: I am weak
Incidently, I found a new model at a very attractive price while wandering at the supermarket next door. So I came back home holding a big box in which was an XB Sand Viper (Ready To Run version). More details this page.

17/10/08: News from Tamiya !
At the 48th All-Japan Game Model Show, Tamiya just announced several new models among which the Boomerang re-release!!! Tamiyablog is my source for these great news (and photos) that I present on this page.

04/10/08 : Huge update on the Tamiya page.
In addition to the complete overview of Tamiya production so far, I fixed a few mistakes, added a mini navigation menu and listed all model drivers.

27/09/08 : A Fox should be red?
It seems so since I've just received a new The Fox, but this one is painted red. The chassis is in perfect shape, but the body misses the original stickers. More information about it as soon as I can get into it.

08/09/08: Tamiya ... again!
Nope, no new model but the openning of a new dedicated page to the brand.

01/09/08: Updates on the Ford F-150 and the Grasshopper II pages.
I completed the pages dedicated to these two models after their first run.

29/08/08: The Ford F-150. assembly is now done.
After hours spent working on the body shell, I finally finished this model. It is now ready for its first run.

13/07/08: A new model comes in: the Ford F-150.
This is a new type of vehicle: a truggy, the mix between a buggy and a truck.

05/07/08: Update for the Grasshopper II.
It took time, but I finally rebuilt this model and included some custom changes. Needs to be tested now.

16/06/08: General update on RC Models pages.

I added information on each model family.

09/06/08: The Hornet and Blackfoot Xtreme weaknesses overview.

After over one year that I drive them regularly, I updated their presentations with my feedbacks.

05/05/08: Again, a new model!

My last pick arrived today. Again, it is an "old grand'ma" aging more than twenty years: the Fox from Tamiya. As usual, the link is in this news or going through the RC Models menu.

14/04/08: International version of the site.

Several visitors asked me to translate them some pages during the lasts months, Especially in the RC models section. I also corrected some typing mistakes in the French version.

30/03/08: Baja King weaknesses overview.

After almost one year, I completed this model page with my feedback.

21/03/08: The GrassHopper comes in.

Very active week in RC models since I got another time tunnel model: the GrassHopper II. This one needs an almost complete restoration before it can run again.

20/03/08: The Boomerang returns.

My collection grows with a new 4x4 buggy. The very same I was dreaming about 20 years ago, that one I couldn't afford then. By the way, I had to seriously update the RC model section as there wasn't anymore room for new models. Now it's done, and there's even too much room

11/03/08: Another Monster Beetle.

I saw it, I clicked it . It is almost complete : just of few pieces are missing but I already have them in my spare stock. With this one, no fear to push the throttle stick...

24/02/08: Update for the Monster Beetle.

I just finished the built and restoration of my Monster Beetle. It is finally complete including paint details. Over 20 years passed between my dream and when I became true, over 6 months between the first tries on the BeetleFoot and passing by the BeetleFrog project.

20/02/08: The RC family grows up.

I just received a new model: no big wheels, this is my first on-road chassis with a beloved Citroën Xsara WRC 2004 body. This is an XB version (Expert Build), ready to run.

I have now to think about how to redesign the model section of this site as there is no more room for future models (M. Tamiya, when will you re-release the Monster Beetle ?).

21/01/08: New address.

You can now reach this site to the following address www.blackholesun.fr. It is also hosted on a much faster server (in particular for photos display, except those on the gallery). The address at Free will remain available and will be updated in parallel.

02/01/2008: Entire new design.

I finally learned what Content Style Sheets are. Rather handy even if I have to look at the code more often than before. I hope you'll like the new design.

21/11/07 : I got a mad cow!
Nothing wrong, no prion there. I just got a new model: the Mad Bull. This is an XB version (Expert Build) absolutely new that cost the third of its retail price. Even compared to prices over the net, it is a great deal. I'm waiting for the snow to drive it!

03/11/07 : Hardware upgrade and RC model news.
My main computer changes its processor for an Intel Q6600. Its E6600 upgrades the antique Athlon XP 2400+ that also migrate to Ubuntu 7.10 Gutsy Gibbon. The E4400 also goes Linux version 7.10 Ubuntu.
On RC model side, I received parts of the re-released Frog which are compatible with the Monster Beetle. The gearbox was very worn: now it is all new.
I also received a wrecked Monster Beetle that I will use as spare for the Beetle Frog. I also received a complete body set, so this project will soon come to an end... As soon as I have time for it.

21/08/07 : I changed my Internet provider and upgraded one computer.
Le Neuf (french FAI) does nothing to solve its customers problems with mails that don't send among other problems. So I changed for Free and now everything works just fine!
In addition, I upgraded the antique Pentium 4 that had been crunching Seti and Boinc for 5 years. I replaced it by a Core2Duo E4400 running Linux Ubuntu 7.04.

04/08/07 : The Monster Beetle is finished (well, almost).
After disassembly, cleaning and an exhaustive review, I finished the rebuilt of this mythical chassis. 20 years after, my dream almost comes true: I just miss the body shell.

28/07/07 : Site modifications.

You won't notice it unless you surf with Internet Explorer. In Firefox, the layout is just as I designed it. With IE however, it was just a mess. It is now solved.

I add news history of this site.

14/07/07 : 2 more pages in the RC models section.
I celebrate the arrival of the Vanessa's Lunch Box in my collection. Another mythical model arrived: the Monster Beetle that needs a full check and cleaning before it can run. In fact, it is a draft Monster Beetle because it is made of more Frog and Blackfoot parts than Monster Beetle's.

09/07/07 : Moving this site.
Le 9 (my provider) is just unable to ensure a decent quality of service so I move the site to Free. This is the first step before I change my provider in the coming weeks. This will immediately solve part of my current problems with the net before to solve them all definitely asap (I hope).

03/05/07 : Update and anger.
This update applies to the Models section with a new comer: the Tamiya Hornet.
Anger goes to 9Telecom (my provider) for being a poor host. Complaints accumulate for months but nothing changes. They even delete their customers pages without prior notice. Apart from their mail servers that work only when they can. Well, I don't care, I don't use it. It is time to move to a better ISP!

31/03/07 : Changes on the server.
My server motherboard had a strange behavior since the chipset fan died (thanks M. Asus for your cheap fan). Of course, guarantee does not apply. M. Asus is also guilty for having damaged my RAM sticks because of the heat up (fortunately they are lifetime guaranteed!). A proof of Asus quality decline since a few months.

24/02/07 : Modifications in the Model section.

I did it again! After the Blackfoot Xtreme, the Baja King (a 4x4 buggy) has just arrived. I change all the model section layout to make room for the new comer.

17/02/07 : Computer upgrade.

My main computer upgrades from a P4C 3.2 to a Core2duo E6600. More RAM, a better video card, and more power: happiness!

01/02/07 : Fight with the Aussies.

Boinc@Australia team decided to gain our 1st world rank on ABC@Home project during a 15 days rush. The fight was hard but L'Alliance Francophone mobilized MASSIVELY. We finally did more than resist since we overtook them by over 1 million credits. The Aussies lost, we won!

08/01/2007 : A new section is created.
As I finished assembling my Blackfoot Xtreme (an RC monster truck), I've created a new section dedicated to my hobby.

07/11/2006 : Cosmetic update.

Added the functional status of my computers on the relevant page.

01/11/2006 : Resuming the Seti@Home project.

After several months of strike, I decided to resume that project, but on only one host as others are running Einstein@Home (Predictor@Home finished its 1st stage and 2nd is not ready yet).

03/06/2006 : I detached my computer from Seti@Home.

For months, Crunch3r has been greatly enhancing calculation efficiency for this project: thanks to him, calculations became 3 to 4 times faster and still accurate. His enhancement work was even included in the new Seti@Home application version. Then a stupid guy just launched an accusation of cheating to Crunch3r on their public forum. Berkeley team did not react to this, but even threatened Crunch3r about a supposed GPL license violation related to the Seti enhancements. More than anything else, this was a war of egos. Crunch3r decided to stop working on Seti enhancements and to stop distribution its optimized versions. On my side, I decided to stop that project which ethics seem corrupted. My computers will now run Einstein@home after 6 years of crunch for Seti and more than 850.000 credits on Seti-Boinc.

12/03/2006 : Dirty Windows and cosmetic modifications.

While I was setting up administrative authorizations for shared folders on my server, Windows installed one of its update: one reboot later,everything was dead stuck. Couldn't access any folder => format c: and complete server reinit.

18/02/2006 : Server upgrade.

A Dual-core Opteron 170 replaces the dual 3.2 GHz Xeons: reinstalling Windows and setting parameters is such a great pleasure!.

28/01/2006 : Update and changes to ergonomics.

I revised all the site pages and the navigation.

14/01/2006 : Added final Seti Classic statistics.

The project is now completed. RIP.




And even before ....
This site was born in june 2005. Basically, I started it to see if I could do it: it seems so, sometimes painfully. I was already trying to publish at least a news per month (corresponding to the delay I needed to be able to modify something!). They are lost: too sad.
On ergonomics side, well, let's just say the concept didn't exist at all.
On cosmetics side, well, I just did what I could. Even if the current look is not the best you could imagine, I bet you can't imagine what it used to be (or not).

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First publication: april 14, 2008 Last modified: august 05, 2009

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