My brother qualified for nationals playing Zoo... (this is magic: The Gathering)
I don't have all the cards for a proper Zoo deck (i do think it is an incredibly powerful deck though)
So I'm going RWu weenie
3 Mountain
2 Plains
1 Hallowed Fountain
4 Battlefield Forge
1 Boros Garrison
1 Azorius Chancery
4 Steam Vents
4 Sacred Foundry
// other 19
2 Genju of the Spires
1 Remand
4 Umezawa's Jitte
4 Seal of Fire
4 Lightning Helix
4 Char
// creatures (21)
4 Kami of Ancient Law
4 Frostling
2 Eight-and-a-Half-Tails
3 Azorius Guildmage
4 Savannah Lions
4 Isamaru, Hound of Konda
SB: 3 Hand of Honor
SB: 3 Remand
SB: 3 Ninja of the Deep Hours
SB: 3 Blood Moon
SB: 3 Ghostly Prison
Currently the Sideboard is yet undecided. The azorius guildmage is a house.
And Jitte too.
Other possible sideboard cards include:
Azorius herald
pyroclasm
shattering spree
condemn
flames of the blood hand
pithing needle
etc.
It is a RWu sligh deck... It works remarkably well
Thursday, July 06, 2006
Monday, May 08, 2006
Zuma's trial
My previous post did not publish for some reason. Got it right now.
So today is Zuma's rape trial verdict. Personally I feel that I should follow it, because it may cause a HUGE swing in south african politics.
When one political party wins more than 70% of votes in a democracy the only way that the country will get a tight election is when that party divides. So if Zuma is found not guilty and decides to make his own political party, that will be *good* for south african politics. (as long as he does not win the next election)
Currently the verdict is not yet published.
So today is Zuma's rape trial verdict. Personally I feel that I should follow it, because it may cause a HUGE swing in south african politics.
When one political party wins more than 70% of votes in a democracy the only way that the country will get a tight election is when that party divides. So if Zuma is found not guilty and decides to make his own political party, that will be *good* for south african politics. (as long as he does not win the next election)
Currently the verdict is not yet published.
Tuesday, May 02, 2006
Harry Laurie
Hey people (this post did not publish the first time somehow)
I took off friday and did very little other than magic this weekend. We did have a family meeting on monday, 1 May. It is sort of in memorial of my grandfather's birthday. His name was Harry Laurie.
Well... He was a great man. He had 7 children (of which the eldest is my dad).
He died in 1998, and still every year, his children and grandchildren gets together in his honor. I think what he did well was he taught everybody that family counts. He had to work hard to support a family that size, but he was a clever man and studied to become an actuary and eventually he could provide quite easily for his large family. His sense of humour was very witty and clever. He was someone who enjoyed a good wine, of which there was enough of at this gathering.
He taught me to value family and precious times higher than money. That money was only a means to an end.
I took off friday and did very little other than magic this weekend. We did have a family meeting on monday, 1 May. It is sort of in memorial of my grandfather's birthday. His name was Harry Laurie.
Well... He was a great man. He had 7 children (of which the eldest is my dad).
He died in 1998, and still every year, his children and grandchildren gets together in his honor. I think what he did well was he taught everybody that family counts. He had to work hard to support a family that size, but he was a clever man and studied to become an actuary and eventually he could provide quite easily for his large family. His sense of humour was very witty and clever. He was someone who enjoyed a good wine, of which there was enough of at this gathering.
He taught me to value family and precious times higher than money. That money was only a means to an end.
Monday, April 24, 2006
Magic over the weekend
Well this weekend was the dissension prerelease and it was loads of fun.
Friday night was FNM, and I played a UWb honden control deck. I went 2-2 (2 wins 2 losses).
Can't remember too much about the tourney... Too much happened in between.
I do remember playing against Pierre, and sideboarding, but never putting the cards into my deck. My deck was therefor, too small and I received the appropriate penalty (a game loss). I proceeded to lose game three. That was kind of dissapointing, mostly because I beat him in the friendly game 4 we played.
I also remember getting smashed by Durham's lightning quick burn/zoo deck. The other 2 matches was reasonably easy I think.
Afterwards, Tiaan, Jerall and I went to Jerall's place and played Zombies until 4:00 (Cassey pleyed along). I was glad that I did not oversleep the next morning, since I was organising the saturday event. But that was great fun. (I won the first game and the last game was so close, that any one of the other 3 could have won it. Eventually Tiaan grabbed the victory just ahead of Jerall (who needed 1 kill) and cassey (who was also less than 5 squares from the helipad).
Saturday, I am head judge of the Dissension prerelease. I got another judge that I judged with in 2004 nationals to help me. He was a little rusty, but I think I got him interested into getting more active again. Loads of interesting rulings. --- I'll make a separate post later on.
Sunday, I decided to go to play in Cape town's prerelease against my knowledge that I was overly tired and still had to work today.
But it turned out I opened a great set of cards. Difficult to decide what not to play though.
I opened wonderful Rakdos (BR) stuff.
Rakdos, the defiler
some 9/9 trampler that gets -4/-4 for each card in hand
seal of fire
galvanic arc
keening banshee
And I opened great GWu stuff.
Azorious guildmage (this is the bomb)
minister of impediments (tapper)
Faith's fetters
some 2/1 viper that puts 1/1's into play
vinelasher kudzu
2 of the 2/2 graft dudes for 1G
compulsive research
another 2/2 flyer for 2W
1/4 wall for 2W
2 Carum's
seeds of strength
My deck was just very well costed.
And I had 3 bounce lands (one of each, simic, selesnya, azorius)
My curve was about like this
1
2 - - - - - - - - 8
3 - - - - - - - - - 9
4 - - - - - - 6
5
6 - 1
Which is great, because you keep dropping good stuff on turns 2 and 3.
I eventually went 4.5/6 or 13 points. I played against the winner in the last match, and had I won that one, I would have one the event. But he overpowered me.
Still I had fun and did well.
Oh and then I evaluated Tiaan for his judge test. Obviously it is more difficult than he thought being a judge. Magic is very intricate. But I have faith in Tiaan's abilities. I think there is a different mindset though. I am intrigued by interesting and difficult interactions. It has to be FUN to judge. I enjoy judging almost as much as I do playing.
Friday night was FNM, and I played a UWb honden control deck. I went 2-2 (2 wins 2 losses).
Can't remember too much about the tourney... Too much happened in between.
I do remember playing against Pierre, and sideboarding, but never putting the cards into my deck. My deck was therefor, too small and I received the appropriate penalty (a game loss). I proceeded to lose game three. That was kind of dissapointing, mostly because I beat him in the friendly game 4 we played.
I also remember getting smashed by Durham's lightning quick burn/zoo deck. The other 2 matches was reasonably easy I think.
Afterwards, Tiaan, Jerall and I went to Jerall's place and played Zombies until 4:00 (Cassey pleyed along). I was glad that I did not oversleep the next morning, since I was organising the saturday event. But that was great fun. (I won the first game and the last game was so close, that any one of the other 3 could have won it. Eventually Tiaan grabbed the victory just ahead of Jerall (who needed 1 kill) and cassey (who was also less than 5 squares from the helipad).
Saturday, I am head judge of the Dissension prerelease. I got another judge that I judged with in 2004 nationals to help me. He was a little rusty, but I think I got him interested into getting more active again. Loads of interesting rulings. --- I'll make a separate post later on.
Sunday, I decided to go to play in Cape town's prerelease against my knowledge that I was overly tired and still had to work today.
But it turned out I opened a great set of cards. Difficult to decide what not to play though.
I opened wonderful Rakdos (BR) stuff.
Rakdos, the defiler
some 9/9 trampler that gets -4/-4 for each card in hand
seal of fire
galvanic arc
keening banshee
And I opened great GWu stuff.
Azorious guildmage (this is the bomb)
minister of impediments (tapper)
Faith's fetters
some 2/1 viper that puts 1/1's into play
vinelasher kudzu
2 of the 2/2 graft dudes for 1G
compulsive research
another 2/2 flyer for 2W
1/4 wall for 2W
2 Carum's
seeds of strength
My deck was just very well costed.
And I had 3 bounce lands (one of each, simic, selesnya, azorius)
My curve was about like this
1
2 - - - - - - - - 8
3 - - - - - - - - - 9
4 - - - - - - 6
5
6 - 1
Which is great, because you keep dropping good stuff on turns 2 and 3.
I eventually went 4.5/6 or 13 points. I played against the winner in the last match, and had I won that one, I would have one the event. But he overpowered me.
Still I had fun and did well.
Oh and then I evaluated Tiaan for his judge test. Obviously it is more difficult than he thought being a judge. Magic is very intricate. But I have faith in Tiaan's abilities. I think there is a different mindset though. I am intrigued by interesting and difficult interactions. It has to be FUN to judge. I enjoy judging almost as much as I do playing.
Wednesday, April 19, 2006
I'll be the judge
Ok, it had to happen eventually.
I am a magic: the gathering (to know more, this is their official website) judge. Level 2. This basically means I am an 'area' judge, which is more than a 'local' judge (level 1), although I have not done the last PTQ (pro tour qualifier). I organise events and be there for rules queries and penalties. I love the logic involved in the game. Intrigueing and complex interactions between cards.
I'm excited about the new set Dissension that is coming out this saturday... Well, actually the prerelease event is this saturday, the official release date is only later.
Many of the cards are already known (it's supposed to be a surprise, but info always leaks to the internet) and it's enough to really get people's attention.
The spoiler can be seen at http://mtgsalvation.com/spoiler/dissension
Tuesday, April 18, 2006
Tests and the rests.
It's been a craze for a while to do some internet tests. My brother mentioned OKcupid on his site. And it's OK, even if a bit rude at times.
My interest lies with words and here is an interesting test.
http://similarminds.com/intdoor-verbal.html
It is a vocabulary test, and it is really difficult.
My interest lies with words and here is an interesting test.
http://similarminds.com/intdoor-verbal.html
It is a vocabulary test, and it is really difficult.
You be the judge
The unfortunate thing is that only my brother and maybe a few others read my blog. The reason is that I want to guage what other people feel is fair. I think many people will be able to guess who is who in the scenario if you know me and the situation, but still...
3 people involved. Abe, Bob and Charles
Abe, Bob and Charles shares a house in a security complex. Abe pays R800, Bob and Charles both pay R1000.
In exchange for the extra R200, Bob gets to use the garage and gets the biggest room, while Charles has a an ensuite bathroom and a balcony.
The house only provides two parking spaces, the garage and the driveway. The third car (all have cars), stops just outside the house ... on a yellow line.
Now... a parking fine arrives. The fine is addressed to the household (Bob, Charles and Dave --- Abe replaced Dave in everything except the contract... Dave did not have a car). The registration number of the car mentioned in the fine is that of Abe. Abe was the one who most often stopped there, being the one who arrives first, so that Bob can get to the garage (without him having to move when Bob arrives).
A letter of warning had arrived a month or so ago, and Charles claims to have never stopped there since that letter.
The parking fine is R250.
The question is: How should the fine be handled?
3 people involved. Abe, Bob and Charles
Abe, Bob and Charles shares a house in a security complex. Abe pays R800, Bob and Charles both pay R1000.
In exchange for the extra R200, Bob gets to use the garage and gets the biggest room, while Charles has a an ensuite bathroom and a balcony.
The house only provides two parking spaces, the garage and the driveway. The third car (all have cars), stops just outside the house ... on a yellow line.
Now... a parking fine arrives. The fine is addressed to the household (Bob, Charles and Dave --- Abe replaced Dave in everything except the contract... Dave did not have a car). The registration number of the car mentioned in the fine is that of Abe. Abe was the one who most often stopped there, being the one who arrives first, so that Bob can get to the garage (without him having to move when Bob arrives).
A letter of warning had arrived a month or so ago, and Charles claims to have never stopped there since that letter.
The parking fine is R250.
The question is: How should the fine be handled?
Thursday, April 13, 2006
Tom Lehrer
Recently one of the words on Merriam-webster's (http://www.merriam-webster.com/) word of the day was "yen". It is actually a chinese word that means "a strong desire" initially, it was more specific though, a strong desire for opium.
And the previous time I saw that word was in a song by Tom Lehrer. I thought he just sang "yearn" with a bit of an accent. He was a singer (and also a mathematician), who sang amonst others this song... The first part is his little speach before he starts to sing. This is from http://members.aol.com/quentncree/lehrer/
MY HOME TOWN
Next we have the dear-hearts-and-gentle-people's school of songwriting, in which the singer tells you that, no matter how much sin and vice and crime go on where he comes from, it's still the best place in the world because it's home, you know? Sort of gets you. This example is called My Home Town.
I really have a yen
To go back once again,
Back to the place where no one wears a frown,
To see once more those super-special just plain folks
In my home town.
No fellow could ignore
The little girl next door,
She sure looked sweet in her first evening gown.
Now there's a charge for what she used to give for free
In my home town.
I remember Dan, the druggist on the corner, he
Was never mean or orner-y,
He was swell.
He killed his mother-in-law and ground her up real well,
And sprinkled just a bit
Over each banana split.
The guy that taught us math,
Who never took a bath,
Acquired a certain measure of renown,
And after school he sold the most amazing pictures
In my home town.
That fellow was no fool
Who taught our Sunday School,
And neither was our kindly Parson Brown
-(We're recording tonight, so I'll have to leave this line out.) *
In my home town.
I remember Sam, he was the village idiot,
And though it seems a pity, it
Was so.
He loved to burn down houses just to watch the glow,
And nothing could be done,
Because he was the mayor's son.
The guy that took a knife
And monogrammed his wife,
Then dropped her in the pond and watched her drown.
Oh, yes indeed, the people there are just plain folks
In my home town.
Notes
* In the studio recording this line is: "I guess I better leave this line out just to be on the safe side".
* In some live performances, this line is given as: "Shall I? No, I'd better not."
* The question that comes up over and over again is what is the line that is being omitted here? Answer: There isn't one. Leaving it to the imagination is funnier than any line could be. But for those who doubt that, feel free to try to come up with one and send it in. I've had little luck myself. One possible line I've come up with is "He knew to pull the blinds at all the 'parish meetings' in my Home Town," which at least has the virtue of having the proper number of syllables, but is hardly worse (or even as bad) as most of the lines that didn't get omitted. Anybody think they can do better? (I mean worse).
And the previous time I saw that word was in a song by Tom Lehrer. I thought he just sang "yearn" with a bit of an accent. He was a singer (and also a mathematician), who sang amonst others this song... The first part is his little speach before he starts to sing. This is from http://members.aol.com/quentncree/lehrer/
MY HOME TOWN
Next we have the dear-hearts-and-gentle-people's school of songwriting, in which the singer tells you that, no matter how much sin and vice and crime go on where he comes from, it's still the best place in the world because it's home, you know? Sort of gets you. This example is called My Home Town.
I really have a yen
To go back once again,
Back to the place where no one wears a frown,
To see once more those super-special just plain folks
In my home town.
No fellow could ignore
The little girl next door,
She sure looked sweet in her first evening gown.
Now there's a charge for what she used to give for free
In my home town.
I remember Dan, the druggist on the corner, he
Was never mean or orner-y,
He was swell.
He killed his mother-in-law and ground her up real well,
And sprinkled just a bit
Over each banana split.
The guy that taught us math,
Who never took a bath,
Acquired a certain measure of renown,
And after school he sold the most amazing pictures
In my home town.
That fellow was no fool
Who taught our Sunday School,
And neither was our kindly Parson Brown
-(We're recording tonight, so I'll have to leave this line out.) *
In my home town.
I remember Sam, he was the village idiot,
And though it seems a pity, it
Was so.
He loved to burn down houses just to watch the glow,
And nothing could be done,
Because he was the mayor's son.
The guy that took a knife
And monogrammed his wife,
Then dropped her in the pond and watched her drown.
Oh, yes indeed, the people there are just plain folks
In my home town.
Notes
* In the studio recording this line is: "I guess I better leave this line out just to be on the safe side".
* In some live performances, this line is given as: "Shall I? No, I'd better not."
* The question that comes up over and over again is what is the line that is being omitted here? Answer: There isn't one. Leaving it to the imagination is funnier than any line could be. But for those who doubt that, feel free to try to come up with one and send it in. I've had little luck myself. One possible line I've come up with is "He knew to pull the blinds at all the 'parish meetings' in my Home Town," which at least has the virtue of having the proper number of syllables, but is hardly worse (or even as bad) as most of the lines that didn't get omitted. Anybody think they can do better? (I mean worse).
Wednesday, April 12, 2006
Blogging, RSS feeds and apostrophe
I'm someone who really tries hard to spell correctly and increase my vocabulary. In my Gmail inbox (or just above actually) there is an RSS feed.
I am subscribed to various different RSS feeds, many of which are 'word of the day' of some dictionary or whatever.
I would really like to put those feeds up on my blog, but don't know much about HTML. I guess I'll need some HTML to do that.
One of my pet hates is the incorrect usage of the apostrophe in the english language.
I saw a billboard in Cape Town last year:
--- Overtake the Jones'
Now, that is wrong.
The apostrophe in English is used only to:
a) denote possession and to
b) show an omission of a letter.
That sentence should be:
Overtake the Joneses
I know it looks funny, but it is right.
How about this one.
The princess' dress is beautiful.
Again wrong ... If singular, it takes " 's ", and it does not matter how many s-es there are already... (whoa that is a difficult one, how does one spell the plural of "S" IMO you would *not* use an apostrophy, an apostrophy is not used for plural forms)
So it should be:
The princess's dress is beautiful.
Now:
The Princesses' dresses are beautiful.
That is correct, it is plural, now because there is an S, the apostrophe is not followed by an additional s.
However words where the plural does not end on an S, do get the 's. Like :
The mice's cheese.
Lastly, the usage of "then" when "than" is meant.
From a magic card: (frazzled editor)
So, the picture is not quite as clear as I hoped, but it is still one of my favourite magic cards from the unhinged set. (will make a post about that later)
I am subscribed to various different RSS feeds, many of which are 'word of the day' of some dictionary or whatever.
I would really like to put those feeds up on my blog, but don't know much about HTML. I guess I'll need some HTML to do that.
One of my pet hates is the incorrect usage of the apostrophe in the english language.
I saw a billboard in Cape Town last year:
--- Overtake the Jones'
Now, that is wrong.
The apostrophe in English is used only to:
a) denote possession and to
b) show an omission of a letter.
That sentence should be:
Overtake the Joneses
I know it looks funny, but it is right.
How about this one.
The princess' dress is beautiful.
Again wrong ... If singular, it takes " 's ", and it does not matter how many s-es there are already... (whoa that is a difficult one, how does one spell the plural of "S" IMO you would *not* use an apostrophy, an apostrophy is not used for plural forms)
So it should be:
The princess's dress is beautiful.
Now:
The Princesses' dresses are beautiful.
That is correct, it is plural, now because there is an S, the apostrophe is not followed by an additional s.
However words where the plural does not end on an S, do get the 's. Like :
The mice's cheese.
Lastly, the usage of "then" when "than" is meant.
From a magic card: (frazzled editor)
So, the picture is not quite as clear as I hoped, but it is still one of my favourite magic cards from the unhinged set. (will make a post about that later)
Hello world...
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