Anchorhead

This is my install\closet conversion for a 120. I did this about seven years ago.  The pics will be somewhat self-explanatory.  I still have this tank. It's primarily a plant tank with Discus.

This started as a double-door closet.  I gutted the interior of the closet then removed all the hardware and part of the framework.  The stand is a piece of furniture from Crate And Barrel. 

I didn't think it would be even close to being able to support the weight, so I came up with a structural idea.  I went to Home Depot and had them cut and thread four pieces of 2" steel pipe.  On each of those I fitted two cast iron flanges for support.  This also allowed me the ability to snug the support pipes once they were in place.

For a final bit of added stability and weight distribution, I cut a piece of 1" plywood the same size as the floor to go between the tank and the furniture piece.  This would eliminate any lateral movement.  I cut holes in the small gap between the tank and the back wall to run hoses for the dual Eheim canisters.  Those two Eheims (not in the picture) have been running 24 hours a day for the past seven years.  Bulletproof. 

Final touches were rebuilding & painting the framework around the opening and frosting the glass on the furniture doors. 

Funny you started an aquarium thread, as I'll be doing a second one of these conversion\installs very soon.  An electrician is coming out Monday to give me a price on drops into a single-door closet. 

I'm planning on a 60 gallon cube, set up very much like this one build-wise.  I'm toying with the idea of a limestone\driftwood hardscape and Cichlids.  Pics when I start the install.

dressing factory, shift manager Tom

As much as I'm looking forward to Star Wars being under the guidance of Abrams and how I think the story is finally in lucid hands;  If there are characters with names as laughable as Dooku*, Plagueis, Sidius, Grievous, or Tyranus - I'm out.

Like the prequel trilogy before it, this set of films will be one and done for me.  Lucas was so fucking unimaginative and terrible at writing, it's mind-boggling.  God, what would have been next if he still had ownership - Admiral Infectious working for Count Contagious on his home planet of Pandemica?  *facepalm*

*Dooku sounds like something a 6-year-old would come up with while playing in the front yard. 

Rise of the Cybermen/Age of Steel in the theater for one night (US only, so far). Monday, June 16th.

Got my tickets already.  TARDIS socks ready to go.

http://www.fathomevents.com/event/doctor-who-and-wings

I agree.  I really enjoyed it both for its high end production values, as well as the story itself.  I found it very interesting.  Crazy to think something so humble in its beginnings would not only stand the test of time but go on to become such a huge deal in the world.

RetroAlien said:

Doesn't make sense that Storm Troopers are clones of a bad-ass bounty hunter but are all killed easily in episode IV.

 Not necessary to post that in more than one topic.

It was a heady year alright.  Great times.

This is the theater where I saw it weekly that year, Meyerland in Houston.  This is from an old article about it, but no pic of the marquee.  I walked in and out of that very spot more times than I can count.

DarthJedi said:

-Leia's lack of emotions concerning the destruction of her home planet with her family, friends, pets, etc.

I would agree with that one.  For the record, it's handled much better in the NPR version of the story.  Leia is considerably upset and distraught over the loss.

 -Luke knows that Leia has Force power, because she is his sister........ but somehow Vader wasn't able to sense in when she was standing right next to him earlier on Death Star and in Cloud City.

This one gets a pass but only because the family connection hadn't been invented yet.  Until Lucas had to ham-fist his way out of writer's block between Empire and Return, Leia was an unrelated princess. 

All that sister bullshit came way late in the process.  He'd literally painted himself into a corner by filming the "There is another" scene in Empire - long before he had any idea who it would end up being.  Lame.

Thoughts, if you're open to them.  I think it's an interesting idea.  Let the audience know where they're headed, but don't beat them over the head with it.*

I'd leave out Luke and just show the long-deserted homestead.  To me it would make the galaxy even more far far away.  We don't need a figure in a in Jedi robe to let us know it's been 37 years.  There are more than a few of us who have literally been waiting that long to return.

To that end, I'd tweak the tagline to Return To A Galaxy Far Far Away.  It's only Luke's  home from decades ago, but we're all looking forward to returning.  Make it inclusive and mysterious.

There is no shortage of folks around here who can jump in with some 'Shopping work, if you needed it.

...............................................................

*  I've long thought the teaser for TPM was terrible.  It's classic Lucas wanting to beat people over the head with the obvious.  The little boy becomes Vader.  Yeah, we know.

Not necessary to place him weirdly close to a wall, his back to it, in mid-stride away from it - just so you can get an entirely too obvious shadow up there.  There is no reason someone would be right there, mid-stride unless they'd just passed through the building.  It's very poorly done.

More of Lucas' not understanding the concept of subtle.  That kid could have been passing by the entrance to that house, where it would make sense for him to be in mid-stride.  Have the shadow not so damn obvious.  The whole thing, tagline included, was ham-fisted. 
[/rant]

Imrahil said:

Henson was a neat guy. He wasn't a god. The muppets are massively overrated.  

 *record scratch noise*

Tyrphanax said:

Oooh, I'd love to see some sweet Anchorhead action.

 Hey!  I'm not that kind of girl.    ;-)

There be comics here!

The larger\color version isn't here yet.  Man, it's tempting to order a second one and take it apart for scanning.  Love the artwork.

CO said:

It was inevitable that the OOT would come out fully remastered the day Disney bought Lucasfilm.  Its not a matter of if anymore, its just when.  Lucas wouldn't release them to spite the fans, but Disney did not plop down 4 Billion dollars to let any money maker of the SW name go.

I have been saying since they announced Episode 7 and the Big 3 were coming back that the ideal time to release the OOT was the lead up to Episode 7. 

The next year will be a throwback year to OOT SW fans, as FINALLY the franchise is catering to us again, and not giving us the middle finger like Lucas has done since 1997. 

 I agree.  I think the original version will be properly released, sooner rather than later.  Four billion means you get to do whatever you want.  No Lucas and not even Fox really.  Money talks and Disney has more than can be imagined.  They'll make Fox an offer they can't refuse.

Plus there is a noticeable lean to the first three films now.  Everything is OT-centric.  The cultural impact and resonance has always been the original films and story, but it even seems more prominent now.  Much more mainstream.  Even from Disney.

It's not just in nerd circles now either.  The OT even made an appearance at New York Fashion Week several days ago.

Added another hive to the yard.  Drove to the bee supplier Friday after work to pick up the new girls.  Bees are sold and shipped (or in my case, picked up) in what's called a Package.  A wooden box with about 4,000 bees. 

The queen is in a separate and very small cage inside the package.  She has to be released by the colony over the course of a few days so that they'll accept her as their queen.  If I were to just put her in directly, they would kill her. Anyway, here are a few pictures from Friday afternoon. I had my hive built a few days in advance.

Package.  Bees, a can of heavy syrup (food), and the queen cage inside at the end of the orange strip.

Spraying them with sugar water to distract them and make them easier to get into the hive.  Bees in a package state are very docile. I'm only wearing a suit because my other hive is about 10 feet away.  I want the new bees distracted (licking sugar water off) so that they don't fill the air panicking.

I drove home with the package in the front seat of my car.  When I picked up the package, there was a bee on the outside.  In this case a drone (male) from some other colony.  He rode all the way home with me, calmly walking around on the package. 

He took a few flights around the inside of the car, but always went back to the bees. Stayed with them during the transfer to the new home, which he adopted. He's visible in the first pic, just below the strap, walking around on the outside.

Queen cage removed and installed between two frames.  It has a marshmallow plug that the workers will eat away and release her. Takes a few days.

Shaking the bees into the hive.  They eventually disperse and crawl in between the frames. Takes them about 20 minutes or so to get their bearings.

All in.  I'll feed them for about a month until they get comb drawn out and honey made.

I'll add a second deep (hive body and ten frames) late summer.  Won't take any honey until next year.

I thought this was clever.

http://vimeo.com/93653271

I have to say, I'm happy at how forthcoming they've been with information so far.  Particularly at such an early stage.  Cast announced as soon as it was certain, picture from the read-through, and now a picture from the first day. 

No complaints here on their connection to the fans so far.  Abrams knows this is a very big deal.

Ordered it.  Looking forward to having a new way to escape to the uncontaminated original story.

Thanks again fellas.

Easterhay said:

..accept that the prequels have their fanbase and are referenced in modern films as much as the original trilogy was in its day. ....you can't deny the success of the prequels and that these "awful" films exist, will continue to exist, and are the reason Star Wars remains so prominent today.

 Not really one of your more subtle attempts at baiting.  The prequels are prominent in pop culture specifically for being so poorly done.  Outside of something as insular as TFN, pop culture references to Star Wars are almost solely the original trilogy.  1977 and 1980 are why Star Wars remains prominent.

SilverWook said:

If you want the most bang for your buck, Dark Horse reprinted the entire Marvel Run in Omnibus form.

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/star-wars-omnibus-howard-chaykin/1110791828?ean=9781595824868

The only downside with all the collected reprints is, you don't get the goofy ads or letters column. It's fun to read what fans had to say back then.

 Oh man.  That looks like the way to go.  Should have it ordered by the end of the day.  Thanks. 

I found a site where someone scanned a bunch of pages.  No kidding on the readers' thoughts.  What a trip.

I've always dug the artwork\style of comic books, but have never been one to sit and read or collect them.  More of an admirer of the art form.  That said, I do read the Star Wars comic strips regularly http://dailysw.blogspot.com/.

Anyway, with all the discussion of the future of the EU and in particular the comic books, I decided to look back at the early versions.  The first ones, to be precise. 

I discovered that they were combined into a paperback many years ago.  Now that is something I'd sit down and read.  Don't care that it's B&W, don't care that it's smaller  (shut up Frink).  ;-)

What are the board's thoughts on this?  There are plenty of them available used;

http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/The_Marvel_Comics_Illustrated_Version_of_Star_Wars

DominicCobb said:

a Ben Kenobi and Owen Lars team up film where they slash and punch, respectively, Tusken raiders to bits in the vein of The Searchers and other Western classics.

 That is an awesome idea!  I'd prefer that over any ideas I've heard yet. 

I agree.  Fett and Solo are givens.  Both had lives and adventures long before we first met them. It will be very easy to move them out of the main timeline and give them one-of films.  I'd be shocked if they aren't two of the three.  Not sure about a third.  Ewoks for sure if one of the three films is for children. Beyond that, I'm not well versed in the franchise after the first two films. 

hairy_hen said:

...many here have become so accustomed to bashing and disbelieving anything George has to say that they'll make dispirited remarks about him even when the topic doesn't warrant it. 

 The article is about the difficulty of finding out the truth about how the score was either chosen or evolved.  It references quotes Lucas made on the subject.  Considering the 30+ years a great many of us have watched Lucas tell wildly different versions of nearly every aspect of the film,  discussion of his dishonesty is warranted.

fishmanlee said:

Ludwig
the book's author J.W. Rinzler quotes Lucas saying....

Honestly, what hasn't Lucas been quoted saying?  Dude has told so many fucking truths and facts about the history of the franchise that it's impossible to make sense of them all.  1 film, 3 films, 6 films, 9 films, 12 films, brother\sister, not related, thought it up on the fly, Original Vision, adventures of Luke, tragedy of Vader, shot first, shot second, etc, etc, etc, etc, ad nauseam.

To paraphrase from Apocalypse Now;  With Lucas, the bullshit piles up so fast, you need wings to stay above it.

I've said it before, I'll say it again;  When he gives an interview, Lucas should just burp the alphabet. 

The relief that it isn't the Chewie costume from the sixth film seems prevalent.  Should I look up how he was portrayed, or will that be something I'm sorry I saw? 

I'm somewhat curious, but hesitant. 

(shut up, Frink)  ;-)