Don't worry there are no plot spoilers. Last night I went and saw The Avengers. It was a great summer popcorn film. Joss Whedon put together a fun cast of characters and gave them each a unique personality. I was impressed by the effects for the big battle scenes, the S.H.I.E.L.D. carrier, and most of all the new Hulk which looked spectacular.
At this point Marvel has already made movies featuring other Avengers cast members from the comics. I think that Spider-Man and Wolverine would have been some interesting additions to the cast of heroes selected for the movie. Spider-Man is just a reserve member in the comics but his joking while fighting personality could have been entertaining with Robert Downy Jr's Iron Man. Wolverine is the only X-Man to be able to maintain an ongoing comic and get his own movie. The character of Wolverine could have been a good team member to contrast with the Hulk (Wolverine's claws can cut the Hulk's skin and the Hulk can smash Wolverine). In fact, the first appearance of Wolverine in the comic books was as an enemy for the Hulk (1974) and they continue to fight each other to this day.
Here's a page from the newer Old Man Logan series (2009).
Marvel seems to be making a ton of money with this film so I'm sure that there will be a future sequel. Other Avengers that Marvel could consider putting in a sequel are The Vision, Ant Man and The Scarlet Witch. If you haven't seen the movie yet go check it out. A big screen is the best way to experience a blockbuster like this one. 7.5/10
This picture gives you an idea of how many Avengers Marvel has to choose from when producing the sequel!
This is my most beloved guitar. It was built in 1995 and I've had it for a decade now. The owner previous to me modified the guitar with a Bigsby B5 vibrato. In 2002 I was shopping around for a new guitar. At the time I had a Yamaha F310 acoustic guitar and an early 80's BC Rich Bich electric. I was planning on buying a new Gibson faded SG special but the prices here in Toronto were almost double those of the United States. I wound up walking into Long & McQuade on Bloor St. and the used '61 RI SG was just put out onto the sale floor. I played the guitar for a while and I knew that it would be mine. A deposit was placed that day before I left. I was not allowed to buy the guitar that day because the store had to wait two weeks before selling the guitar to verify that it was not stolen.
I have bought and sold many guitars since picking up the SG in 2002 but it continues to be my favourite (I still have 10 electric guitars/bases in my collection) . The guitar plays like a dream and the '57 classic pickups have a great tone no matter what amp I'm playing through. I currently have the guitar set up with Dean Markley Medium with wound G strings (.011, .013, .020, .030, .042, .052) and use it for most of my rocking out. This guitar has earned a 10/10
I have been using this cycling GPS/computer for just over a month now and I have to say that the unit is awesome. I ordered my computer from the UK as most all bike accessories seem to be cheaper over there. I purchased the bundle that came with a cadence and heart rate monitor. The kit also contains a wall charger for the Garmin, a computer cable for transferring data and two sets of stem/handlebar mounts so the computer can be switched between two bikes or one mount kept as a spare. I decided to buy the unit because my phone (which I was previously using to track my bike rides with apps like Stava, MapMyRide, and Sports-tracker) stopped receiving GPS signals for some unknown reason.
When powered on, the Edge 500 usually manages to acquire a strong satellite signal within a minute. You can customise several different screens from within the menus, and you can cycle though your created screens with the Page/Menu button on the lower left side of the computer. I like my main screen to display the time riding, my current speed, the distance travelled, my cadence, heading and current heart rate. I also set up my Garmin to automatically pause itself when I go below 4.8km/h so it doesn't continue recording when I stop for a light, stop sign... The power consumption is very low on the unit and it should have no problem lasting all day. Once the ride is over the data can easily be uploaded to Garmin's own data analysis site called Garmin Connect.
I chose the Edge 500 over the discontinued 705, the 800 and the new 200 for a couple of reasons. The 705 and the 800 both have a colour screen that displays a map (the 705 uses a joystick and the 800 is a touch screen) but I don't need a map for my rides as I always plan my routes out in advance. If I ever were to need a map I always have my Android phone with me and I can easily access Google Maps. Also, the 705 and 800 are both larger than the 500 which fits nicely on my bike's stem. The Edge 800 is also quite a bit more expensive and requires the purchase of an extra SD card loaded with maps of North America. The Edge 200 is less expensive but lacks many of the features that I enjoy in the 500. The 200 does not include the ability to gather data from a heart rate monitor, a cadence sensor or a power meter (which I do not have).
If you're considering a cycling computer I strongly suggest taking a look at the Garmin Edge 500. It's a 9.5/10
This is part 3 of my dental tech tutorials. After the impression has been poured, and the model made you need to trim the dies so you can start making the restoration.
When trimming dies it is always a good idea to use a well lit station and to have some sort of magnification. I use a simple loop.
To trim the dies first reduce the bulk of the stone cervical to the preparation using a carbide bur. Always trim from below the margin coming up towards the margin with the round end of the bur. This will help to prevent chipping.
Once you have done as much as you can with the carbide move onto a smaller round or egg shaped bur to finish the trimming around the margin.
Remove any draws, pulls or other imperfections which may have been present in the impression with a small pointed bur. These are some examples from other models.
Fill any bubbles or undercuts on the die/margin with undercut wax.
Mark the margin of the preparation with a sharpened red pencil. When marking the margin make sure to rotate the pencil as you draw the line. A sharp margin will score a pencil crayon and create a groove which will straddle a margin rather than mark it. To smooth out the pencil again simply rub and spin the point on a piece of paper.
Apply die hardener to the margin as well as round 2mm above and below the margin. Use 2 coats.
Apply die spacer to the rest of the die about 1.5-2mm occlusal to the margin. To apply the spacer shake the spacer bottle vigorously to mix the die spacer within then when it is ready you can work from the spacer that will be in the lid of the bottle. Dip your brush in the spacer then apply as a bead along the the base of the die then pull the bead upwards towards the occlusal. If the spacer is thick one coat will do. If it is thin two coats may be necessary.
This hardcover graphic novel from Dark Horse Comics with writer Jeff Jensen (from Entertainment Weekly) and artist Jonathan Case follows the investigation and subsequent 180 day interview of the Green River Killer, Gary Leon Ridgway, by detective Tom Jensen (writer Jeff Jensen's own father). For those who don't know, Gary Leon Ridgway was convicted of 48 murders and has confessed to almost twice that many. From the 1980's and into the 1990's he stalked the Seattle area and would strangle women and dump their bodies in the forests or overgrown areas.
The book tells an interesting story through the detective's struggles with the investigation, the subsequent interview, and his family life. The story is told through a series of scenes from the interview with Ridgway, and flashbacks to the past of the investigation. The art is simple and clean and conveys the emotions of the characters really well.
I would suggest checking this book out as the story is compelling, the simple art is often striking and it provides a different angle on the capture of one of America's most prolific serial killers. 8.5/10
Sunday was a beautiful day for a bike ride! I woke up at 6:30 this morning to get ready and have some breakfast, and was out the door by 8:00. I have done a similar route to this one many times before but found a variation of my ride on a website for the Tour De Rouge Valley (a free recreational ride held every year). I figured I would give it a try. Here's the map for the ride.
I got a little off course at the beginning of the ride because I missed a turn off of 9th Line for Box Grove Bypass. It was a nice ride except for the busy traffic on Steeles between Reesor and 9th Line (which would occasionally pass a little closely), and the traffic on 9th Line between Donald Cousins Parkway and Elgin Mills (because the road had no shoulder at all and the outer edge of the road was very rough).
The fields were full of bright yellow dandelions and many of the farms had the animals outside for grazing. Once I was off the busy roads the traffic was light, the roads were reasonably smooth and there were tons of cyclists out for a ride. The must have been some sort of organised ride going on because I passed several groups of riders throughout the day (not because I was fast but because they were all going the opposite direction). One group looked to have as many as 100 people.
I would do this ride again with some minor detours to keep me off of the busier roads I encountered. Here's the Garmin data for the ride if anybody is interested in trying it.
In honour of today's first stage of the 2012 Giro D'Italia I've created a list of good cycling movies. I haven't seen all of these but I have seen them all recommended at one point.
American Flyers - Kevin Costner with a massive moustache on a bicycle. What more could you want? A Sunday In Hell - 1976 Paris Rubaix. Very cool to see all the classic riders. Bicycle Dreams Breaking Away - Love this one! A small town American boy dreams of becoming a racer and Italian. Chasing Legends - Following the 2009 TDF. Flying Scotsman - 2006 movie about Graeme Obree breaking the Hour record on his home made bike. The Hard Road Hell On Wheels Greatest Show On Earth La Course En Tete Overcoming Pro Race Across the Sky RAD - BMX racing. This one has a sweet high school dance scene that can't be missed. The Ride Ride the Divide Road to Paris Road to Rubaix Stars and Water Carriers The Tour baby The Triplets of Belleville - Beautiful animated film. Wired to Win
Here is the list of movies I would consider going to this summer.
Currently in theatres The Cabin In The Woods - I actually saw this one already last week and it was great. I can't describe what it's about without spoiling the movie but if you're a fan of horror you probably won't be disappointed. If you're not a fan of horror grow a pair and see it anyway. The Avengers - I'm not too excited to see this so I'll probably wait a couple of weeks if I see it in theatres at all. However, it has been getting good reviews and was directed and written by Joss Whedon (who also wrote Cabin In The Woods) so it's most likely good.
Coming in May Dark Shadows - Tim Burton and Johnny Depp are together again. They've done good stuff and bad stuff together. Hopefully this remake/reimagining of the 1966-1971 television soap opera will be one of the good ones. Battleship - This will most likely suck alien balls but it might be fun for some big budget explosions... but that's probably it. The Dictator - Sasha Baron Cohen is using a non Ali G show character! This also has Anna Farris and John C Reilly so I'm hoping for some funny shit. Men In Black III - Yay!
Chernobyl Diaries - Scary stuff going on in Chernobyl. This is from the creator of Paranormal Activity and the TV show The River. Probably bad but you never know.
Coming in June Piranha 3DD - The first one was way better than I was expecting. If this sequel can live up to the first film's craziness this will be a fun film. Prometheus - This is THE movie I want to see this summer. Directed by Ridley Scott of Alien and Blade Runner and tied to the Alien stories is sweet enough but the trailers look absolutely jaw dropping.
Rock Of Ages - I haven't seen the original play but I know it has some good rock anthems in the sound track. I just hope they don't screw them up That's My Boy - Recently if a film is a Happy Maddison production it's been pretty horrible. I'm hoping this will be good with Andy Samberg playing Adam Sandler's son. Brave - Pixar film. 'Nuff said. Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter - This is based on a book I actually read! The book was fun and the film is directed by the same guy who did the film Wanted which was totally awesome. I have high hopes for this film. G.I Joe: The Retaliation - Explosions and action like Battleship but this one has The Rock, RZA and Bruce Willis for bonus points.
Coming in July The Amazing Spider Man - A reboot of the Spider Man franchise for Marvel. The movie looks darker this time and The Lizard is the main villain from what I've seen in the trailers. Ted - Seth McFarlane of Family Guy/ American Dad directed this film about a childhood wish coming true. Mark Wahlberg is the adult dealing with his childhood wish for a living teddy bear. I like that it's not just Wahlberg who can see the bear walking and talking. Looks like it could be funny. The Dark Knight Rises - The last film in Christopher Nolan's Batman trilogy. This one features Bane and Catwoman. The first two movies were good (but a little long) and I see no reason why this one wouldn't be.
Neighbourhood Watch - A neighbourhood watch group versus an alien invasion. This one is directed by the same guy who did Hot Rod.
Coming in August The Bourne Legacy - Cool! A Bourne movie. I expect lots of cool action and spy crap. Total Recall - When I first heard they were remaking the classic Verhoeven film with Colin Ferrell I was a little disappointed but the trailer makes it look pretty cool. I'm willing to give this one a chance but I'll miss Arnold's TWO WEEKS! scene.
The Expendables 2 - Statham, Willis, Schwarzenegger, Li, Stallone, Van Damme, Norris, Lundgren, Crews and Couture in one film. They don't even have to talk and this will still be cool. ParaNorman - A really neat looking animated feature from the same production/effects company who did Caroline and Corpse Bride. Premium Rush - Joseph Gordon-Levitt is a fixed gear messenger in New York. Looks like lots of chase scenes in heavy New York traffic.
I was just checking to see if there was a new Shad album coming out anytime soon and found this 25 minute mix of appearances he's done on other projects. Pretty sweet.
