Personal Dork Assistant

Shadowmoor Prerelease

After the horrible 0-2-drop waste-of-time at the Ravnica pre-release tournament, I pretty much put Magic out-of-mind. I was better off spending time with the SO anyway. However, I kept getting the DCI spam emails and I clicked on the Shadowmoor Pre-Release notice on a lark. Found out that the Taipei pre-release was being held within walking distance of home instead of being way out in Jiantan. Then the SO mentioned that she had a brunch date that day with a college friend. So I decided to dust off my DCI number and get back into the game.

The emphasis on the set was the use of allied colors. Similar theme in previous sets have been supported by mana-fixers and multi-colored lands or other mana sources. In this set, the multi-color flexibility comes from the hybrid multi-colored cards themselves, where the color-mana costs may be paid with either allied color. This eliminates the possibility of color-screw, and even allows easy splash of a third color through the use of another set of hybrid-color cards. Similarly, enchantments and abilities are designed to offer advantages to each set of allied colors.

The pre-release offered one starter and three boosters. Had to register our decks which I feel is a total waste of time at a pre-release, but I guess Taiwan players are just that lame. All that registration work didn't leave much time for deck construction, and the complex multi-color possibilities made it a real brain-twister to put together a smooth construction.

I had a boatload of U+W cards so that seemed like a good base to build from. There were some real nice G+R fatties but not quite enough support in the individual colors themselves. W+G offered some nice weenies and other tricks, though. So I went with primarily U/W, the blue mostly coming from hybrid U+W cards which lets me play fewer Islands for more Plains. Also threw in the useful hybrid G+W cards that could be powered with white mana so I didn't have to waste land slots on Forests. As befit the color theme, I had plenty of fliers and tricky weenies but not much beef. A few creature enchantments for beefing, topped off with white removal and blue trickery for spells like Turn to Mist, Last Breath, and Æthertow.

Round 1 (0-0)

I nervously shuffled up for my first competitive Magic match in almost three years. My opponent was about college-age and seemed like a tournament regular type. He had R/G fat. He got out a Spawnwrithe early which smacked me around plus got him clones. Other weenies hit me as well while I built up. A Trip Noose held back at least one of his guys during this time to keep me in the game somewhat. I finally put down a Kithkin Rabble which became quite formidable when I armed it with the Steel of the Godhead. Got in one swing which got me back in the game thanks to the Lifelink. But then he found his Trip Noose to neutralize my threat, and I couldn't find enough other blockers (even with a Rhys The Redeemed making elves) as more fatties beat my head in.

Took some early hits in the early game but was starting to drop fliers which were starting to threaten once I armed up with the Steel of the Godhead. But he found the answer with a Conspired Burn Trail to take out my guy plus the Enchantment and the card advantage was too much to overcome.

Round 2 (0-1)

Man it'll suck if I go 0-2 again but I was determined to stick it out this time. Got matched up against a younger kid who seems like an ABC type as he spoke American English with his friends. Once again I got off to a slow start and couldn't really hit back as he whittled away at me. Ashen Gouger is a killer as a 4/4 for 3 mana in either black or red. Can't block don't matter when he's just wailing away. 2xGianbaiting took a big chunk out of me, even with Æthertow at the ready to bounce an Ashen Gouger. The bounce backfired as he slapped down a Cragganwick Cremator which flung the Gouger right back at me to do the last 4 points.

I'd been choosing to go second from old habit for the extra draw, but I finally realized that this is a fast environment and I needed the extra tempo so I started deciding to go first. Turned out to be a good decision as I was able to get in some early hits with weenies. He started to hit back with a Hungry Spriggan but I found a Whimwader which couldn't attack but held back his fatties. He had one more trick with Tower Above on a Hollowswage, which hurt but he forgot to force me to discard with it when it untapped. By then I'm taking to the air with Rune-Cerwin Riders and Glammer Spinners. A Flashed Thistledown Liege knocks out his final defenses and the fliers took it home.

He got down a Manaforge Cinder for mana fixing early but he didn't have enough land. He also missed out on attacking with the Cinder for a couple of turns before I got out my weenies who were able to plink away at him for a while. My Briarberry Cohort and Rune-Cerwin Riders could hit him thru the air but I was mana-shy, too, so I couldn't pump up the Rider. Meanwhile he has that damn Gouger again. Another Giantbaiting hit hard, thankfully no Conspire. A Spectral Procession provided a clutch of chump blockers and flying attackers. The Thistledown Liege pumped up my guys just enough to outrace him before he mustered enough mana to drop the big threats.

Round 3 (1-1)

Yay, my first Magic match win in almost three years. The third round featured a college-aged player who seemed like he knows what he's doing. Up against B+RU this time. Both of us built up at first but I missed my 4th land drop just as he played a Dusk Urchin which hit my defenseless self until it went to the graveyard and got him card advantage on top of that. Knew I was in trouble then. He laid down an unblockable Inkfathom Infiltrator followed by the flying fatty Kulrath Knight and that was that.

Got down an early Somnomancer to peck away a bit. Armed it up with the Steel of the Godhead for a big 4/3 Lifelinked swing before he toasted him with burn the next turn. The Liege got roasted, too. By now he's built up the mana to start dropping bombs. Managed to hold back the Hollowborn Barghest with a Whimwader but I didn't have answers for the damn Infiltrator and Knight once again. A final Tower Above to make sure to kill me off ASAP.

Round 4 (1-2)

Well, this is it. Playing for that one extra booster pack. Was matched with an American English teacher from Michigan. I get the perfect start in game 1. Safehold Elite second turn followed by the Shield of the Oversoul on the third to swing for four and kept on swinging as he was badly mana-screwed and couldn't stop the flying Elite.

He put up some resistance with weenies of his own and we trade off one and two-point hits to start. My Spectral Procession evened up the numbers and a Last Breath put me ahead in the numbers game. Then I put down the Augury Adept and slapped the Steel of the Godhead on her the next turn for a 4/4, unblockable, Lifelinked attacker who gave a card and life every time it hit him. Almost felt bad as my super-Adept slapped him down, since he was a nice guy, but I was happy to end the day with the win.

Summary (2-2)

I think I played reasonably competently without making too many errors in the combat exchanges. So I beat the bad players and lost to the good players. Probably didn't help my rating much. But .500 record was about what I was hoping for, so no regrets there, and even just the couple of wins was a boost to my confidence after the long layoff. Enough for me to be getting that itch again...

Rich Kid, Poor Kid

Some high-school kid asked the Mobile01 photography board whether he should buy a $1700 lens for his $5000 camera because he's poor and he doesn't want to ask the parents to buy it for him. This when his lens lineup already consisted of:

• AF-S Zoom Nikkor 14-24mm f/2.8G ED ($1600)
• AF Nikkor 50mm f/1.4D ($290)
• AF Nikkor 85mm f/1.8D ($400)
• Sigma 70-300mm f/4-5.6 APO DG HSM Macro ($220)

All presumably paid with his parents' money. Then people clicked thru to his blog and found out he's ditching a one-year old CR-V for a brand new VW GTI-turbo while commenting about being poor and having to borrow lunch money. That's when the rabble really let him have it for the next 220 posts... and counting.

Sure, it's no sin to have rich parents, but false modesty is no virtue, either. He defends himself by saying that the things are rewards for his accomplishments. But considering that he admits that he's trying to scrape up the grades to get into art school one wonders how significant those accomplishments may be.

And I thought I was being extravagant when I splurged for the superzoom lens to go with my entry level D40. Seeing the image he posted? Seriously dude, two words: White Balance.

iPod Post

I've been holding off on Apple's latest mobile sensation, patiently waiting for the mythical 3G iPhone. The wife's cousins are a bit more leading-edge, though. He got the iPod Touch, then immediately wanted to upgrade to the iPhone. In fact, he got two, one for his girlfriend, too. However, his mom was concerned by all the expensive gadgets. He was going to put up the iPod for auction but the SO stepped in to take it off his hands for a fair price.

I think the best part of having a new-to-us iPod is how she can accesorize it. But having a portable digital photo album and a portable web browser is useful, too. Put Bejewelled and a couple of episodes of American Idol on there and we've got some real entertaiemt options in the pocket or purse.

This post is brought to you directly from the iPod Touch and the amazing auto-correcting touchscreen keyboard.

Me And Mister Donut

The new video feature has drawn howls of protest from supposed photography purists who fear the YouTube-ification of flickr. On a more charitable day one might see their point. However, the self-righteous indignation and condescension of the protesters made it a ripe target for mockery.

The We Demand Donuts group was founded in 2007 to demand donuts for flickr users. A noble cause, for sure, but most folks saw it as a joke and it quietly muddled along as an in-joke for the Flickr Central socialites. But with the rise of the anti-video crusade, the flickr-donut movement suddenly found its true calling as a humorous antidote to the vitriolic whiners. The flickr staff obviously saw it that way, as they saw fit to agree to the donut demands rather than give in to the video-deniers. Thus April 16 was designated as The Day Of The Donut, as flickr.com gave away free donuts to all flickrites in San Fran, while other places arranged their own meet-ups.

Unfortunately, no meet-ups in Taipei. On the other hand, I'm always up for a good donut, and there was a Mister Donut along the way on my way off-work. So in honor of flickr's Day Of The Donut and in protest against the video-hating protesters, here's a video of me eating a fresh and tasty donut.

The clips were recorded with my cell phone while the wife was getting her hair done and stringed together via QuickTime Pro at home. Did a few takes of each segment and looked like a total idiot in the hair salon doing it, but I suffered for the cause and I believe the results were worthwhile. Go donuts!

And just for the sake of it, here's the first video I uploaded to flickr as a test run, taken with the Elph cam during the New Year's countdown last-last-year:

U2 3D

Movie theaters have been trying to find ways to drum up new business for a while. 3D movies seems like a neat way to draw in movie-goers by offering something that can't be replicated in a home theater (yet). Big blockbusters in 3D are coming soon. In the mean time concert films offer test-run for the technology.

Sure it'd be fun to go check out a 3D movie, but the thought of sitting through Hannah Montana In 3D was too painful to bear. So I was totally stoked when I found out that the U2 concert film from the Vertigo tour was being shown in 3D at the Living Mall Cinemark. Even paid the extra fee to pre-order the tickets for the limited run.

Each of us get a pair of special glasses when we enter the theater. The glasses cut down the light a bit due to the polarization effect, but otherwise don't cause any distortion or discoloration. The 3D effect kicks in right away as the opening credits seem to float out of the screen and the stadium crowds extends out into the distance. Before you know it, Bono's reaching out right at you larger than life, which is a bit disconcerting, at first. The wide shots are great in 3D, too, as there's always some chick in the audience sitting on shoulders to emphasize the sense of 3D depth.

Far as the songs go, the filmmaker stuck to the greatest hits, with only a couple of songs taken from the album Vertigo that was the nominal subject of the tour. The band tried to be a bit more adventurous with the standards, and the big backdrops and swooping camera angles kept things interesting. And it was all I could do to keep from jumping up and signing along. Was quite cool when they took a couple of the backdrop displays and redid them in the 3D effect to present them to the film audience in a more visceral way. Too bad they cut out most of Bono's standard stage banter about human rights, etc.

Only downside? It wasn't loud enough, compared to the real deal. For proof? The SO actually nodded off during the movie, although she did say she liked it. The bass, designed to fill open-air stadiums, created some unwanted resonance within the theater. But the vocals weren't quite as forward as I would like, and The Edge's riffs should always be blasted at 11. A nice Sunday outing.

I Knew It!

That morning cup of coffee is good for something after all.

Coffee may cut the risk of dementia by blocking the damage cholesterol can inflict on the body, research suggests.

That's definitely happy news to hear, especially considering my considerable cholesterol levels. Now they just have to find a health benefit for a daily dose of donuts and we'll be all set.