Just your average run-of-the-mill vengeful cop story. Practic singurul rol ce i se potriveste lui Mel Gibson.
Sunday, January 31, 2010
Saturday, January 30, 2010
Card shuffling techniques
Prin hiturile de pe tweeter am dat de un articol interesant scris de un level 5 Judge din Italia. Column-ul nu este deloc rau iar ce mi-a luat privirea in articolul acesta sunt explicatiile tehnicilor de randomizare ale cartilor.
"Today, I would like to discuss a few shuffling techniques.
Pile Shuffling
This is an ordered shuffling technique; it’s mainly used to make sure that the number of cards is correct; for example, with 5 piles you should make 12 circles in Constructed and 8 in Limited. Pile shuffling is recommended both for your deck (to be sure that you are presenting a legal deck) and for your opponent’s deck (to check if he presented a legal deck); since it’s an ordered shuffling technique, it’s forbidden to use only this technique to shuffle your own deck, because it might be a way to mana weave your deck (That means to make sure that the distribution of lands and spells is the same in every portion of the deck); on the other hand, it’s allowed as the only technique to shuffle your opponent’s deck (because the deck should have already been randomized when you received it; using an ordered shuffling technique on a randomized deck will give you a randomized deck).
Extra: If you think that your opponent stacked his deck (by making it 2spells – 1 land – 2spells – 1land…), the appropriate action is to call a judge. Even though it’s not illegal, I don’t recommend shuffling his deck with 3 piles, so that if the deck is actually stacked, you would put all the lands together, because it would be a kind of “self-administered justice”, which I don’t consider very sporting.
Riffle Shuffle
This is an almost random shuffling technique; it’s the most common way of shuffling you see at Magic and poker tournaments; I say that it’s not fully random, because the first three/four cards at the top stay at the top and the last three/four cards stay at the bottom. It’s also highly inappropriate to shuffle the deck face up (a few players have this quite bad habit).
Japanese Shuffle
I don’t recommend this random shuffling technique, because it consists in moving the central portion of the deck on top of it; this way, you are randomizing blocks of your deck, but you aren’t fully randomizing. It’s a technique I saw only used by Japanese players (the reason for the name is just this) and it’s highly recommended not to use it as your only shuffle technique; if your opponent shuffles only with this technique, I encourage you to ask him to shuffle in a different way too.
Kid Shuffle
This is the way I shuffle, because my dexterity is awful; think about a six year old kid who shuffles his first deck of cards… that’s it! It’s the first shuffling technique we learn and it’s the most used by new players; I consider it a fully random shuffling technique, as long as two conditions are met:
1. You don’t look at the deck while shuffling (differently from the other techniques, here your cards are in a vertical position and you might be able to see some of them; this is why you often see players looking to the right while shuffling this way)
2. You don’t keep the first or the last cards always on top or at the bottom.
The most important things to keep in mind: Always look at your opponent when he’s searching or shuffling and always shuffle your opponent’s deck!"
Pentru tot articolul intrati pe http://www.blackborder.com/q/node/5256
"Today, I would like to discuss a few shuffling techniques.
Pile Shuffling
This is an ordered shuffling technique; it’s mainly used to make sure that the number of cards is correct; for example, with 5 piles you should make 12 circles in Constructed and 8 in Limited. Pile shuffling is recommended both for your deck (to be sure that you are presenting a legal deck) and for your opponent’s deck (to check if he presented a legal deck); since it’s an ordered shuffling technique, it’s forbidden to use only this technique to shuffle your own deck, because it might be a way to mana weave your deck (That means to make sure that the distribution of lands and spells is the same in every portion of the deck); on the other hand, it’s allowed as the only technique to shuffle your opponent’s deck (because the deck should have already been randomized when you received it; using an ordered shuffling technique on a randomized deck will give you a randomized deck).
Extra: If you think that your opponent stacked his deck (by making it 2spells – 1 land – 2spells – 1land…), the appropriate action is to call a judge. Even though it’s not illegal, I don’t recommend shuffling his deck with 3 piles, so that if the deck is actually stacked, you would put all the lands together, because it would be a kind of “self-administered justice”, which I don’t consider very sporting.
Riffle Shuffle
This is an almost random shuffling technique; it’s the most common way of shuffling you see at Magic and poker tournaments; I say that it’s not fully random, because the first three/four cards at the top stay at the top and the last three/four cards stay at the bottom. It’s also highly inappropriate to shuffle the deck face up (a few players have this quite bad habit).
Japanese Shuffle
I don’t recommend this random shuffling technique, because it consists in moving the central portion of the deck on top of it; this way, you are randomizing blocks of your deck, but you aren’t fully randomizing. It’s a technique I saw only used by Japanese players (the reason for the name is just this) and it’s highly recommended not to use it as your only shuffle technique; if your opponent shuffles only with this technique, I encourage you to ask him to shuffle in a different way too.
Kid Shuffle
This is the way I shuffle, because my dexterity is awful; think about a six year old kid who shuffles his first deck of cards… that’s it! It’s the first shuffling technique we learn and it’s the most used by new players; I consider it a fully random shuffling technique, as long as two conditions are met:
1. You don’t look at the deck while shuffling (differently from the other techniques, here your cards are in a vertical position and you might be able to see some of them; this is why you often see players looking to the right while shuffling this way)
2. You don’t keep the first or the last cards always on top or at the bottom.
The most important things to keep in mind: Always look at your opponent when he’s searching or shuffling and always shuffle your opponent’s deck!"
Pentru tot articolul intrati pe http://www.blackborder.com/q/node/5256
Friday, January 29, 2010
The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus review
The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus este un film ... ciudat. La inceput ne este prezentata o sleahta de actori ambulanti care isi imbie putinii spectatori la o experienta senzoriala extraordinara. Si aparent tot ce trebuie sa faca este sa intre printr-o oglinda de plastic. Dupa cateva minute in film acea oglinda se dovedeste a fi o poarta spre cele mai arzatoare dorinte ale individului. O lume fantastica in care fiecare vede ce vrea si care poate exista doar cu ajutorul doctorului Parnassus.
Parnassus(Christopher Plummer) este mai mult decat un batran alcoolic ce traieste de pe-o zi pe alta dand reprezentatii stupide pe o caruta transformata in scena. Dupa prima calatorie dincolo de oglinda ne dam seama ca in acest film orice poate fi adevarat iar cand batranul ne dezvaluie faptul ca are peste o mie de ani parca nu provoaca atata mirare pe cat ar fi trebuit. Totusi pana la final filmul are destule momente care sa ne uimeasca. Cum ar fi de exemplu povestea in care Parnassus ii explica fiicei lui originile sale si in care isi aminteste de pariurile facute cu Diavolul. Apparently the Devil is a gambling man. I know, right? Who knew?!
Primul pariu a fost si cel care i-a conferit nemurirea si a fost in esenta o cursa de a aduna 12 discipoli. Dupa ce aflam ca una dintre identitatile trecute ale lui Parnassus a fost insasi Iisus, intra in scena Tony(Heath Ledger). Tony spanzuratul care nu moare, Tony barbatul cu amnezie, Tony cu rune satanice desenate pe frunte.
Acest Tony fugea de cativa mafioti pe care-i trasese pe sfoara si este in esenta un om rau pe care chiar Diavolul il vrea mort, desi acest lucru nu este evident de la inceput. Principalul atu al lui Tony este ca mereu reuseste sa scape cumva din orice incurcaturi ajunge. Acesta si faptul ca e chipes. Macar isi pune talentele la lucru si aduce trupei de actori mai multi clienti decat au avut vreodata. Apparently he had a way with the ladies. Punctul culminant al filmului incepe cand aflam ca fiica lui Parnassus trebuie sa fie luata de Diavol in momentul in care implineste 16 ani si prezinta ramasagul sau mai bine zis cursa dintre Parnassus si cel necurat prin care batranul incearca sa-si salveze fiica de la o eternitate in Iad.
Ca si The Men who Stare at Goats, The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus este alt film care ne uimeste prin distributie. Daca nu e de ajuns ca este ultimul film in care va juca Heath, aflati ca in el ii veti gasi si pe Colin Farrell, pe Jude Law si nu in ultimul rand pe Johnny Depp. In ce roluri? Pai in rolul lui Tony. Si nu, nu pentru ca Heath nu a apucat sa duca proiectul la sfarsit (desi nu sunt sigur de acest lucru, dar oricum nu se observa nimic evident) ci pentru ca anumite persoane, odata aflate in spatele oglinzii in lumile fantastice ale lui Parnassus, apar avand alta fata. Astfel personajul lui Tony este un efort colectiv al patru dintre cei mai cunoscuti actori de sex masculin de astazi. In plus, am impresia ca destule fete se vor duce la film doar ca sa-i vada pe toti patru (sau trei, necrofilia cred ca este o boala strict masculina) pe aceeasi pelicula.
Nivelul actorilor numiti pana acum nu umbreste reprezentatia celorlalte personaje si avem placerea sa mai gasim si un Mini-Me(Verne Troyer) la fel de nervos ca in orice film in care l-am mai vazut. Rolul fiicei este jucat de Lily Cole, o prezenta noua pe marele ecran care vrajeste privitorul cu o fizionomie as putea spune "ciudata" dar placuta in acelasi timp.
Asadar intrebarea ramane: a meritat filmul doua ore din viata mea? Tinand cont de distributie si de faptul ca este ultimul film al lui Heath Ledger raspunsul este da. Daca adaugam faptul ca reprezentatia actorilor a fost fara de cusur si ca povestea este interesanta ajungem la un Da cu majuscula si care se termina cu semnul excalamarii. Vizionare placuta.
Thursday, January 28, 2010
Why you shouldn't steal electronic apparatuses in the age of information
Aparent decat sa furi ceva electronic in ziua de azi mai bine te duci direct si te predai politiei. Dispozitivele electronice din ziua de azi au atat de multe metode prin care pot fi accesate sau gasite prin internet incat nu ai cum sa scapi daca te incumeti sa te si conectezi la net dupa ce le-ai furat.
Mai jos gasiti linkuri la trei astfel de furturi ce s-au incheiat cu incarcerarea hotilor sau simpla terorizare a lor prin telefoane si internet.
http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/97110-Xbox-Thief-Nabbed-By-Playing-Online
http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/97245-Theft-Thwarted-by-PlayStation-Eye-PSP-Connection
http://iphonetheif.blogspot.com/2010/01/iphone-theif-bust.html
Povestea despre recuperarea iPhone-ului takes the cake.
Mai jos gasiti linkuri la trei astfel de furturi ce s-au incheiat cu incarcerarea hotilor sau simpla terorizare a lor prin telefoane si internet.
http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/97110-Xbox-Thief-Nabbed-By-Playing-Online
http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/97245-Theft-Thwarted-by-PlayStation-Eye-PSP-Connection
http://iphonetheif.blogspot.com/2010/01/iphone-theif-bust.html
Povestea despre recuperarea iPhone-ului takes the cake.
Record of Agarest War Limited Edition
Editia limitata de la JRPG-ul Record of Agarest War vine cu un mousepad cu "sani" 3D si o fata de perna cu o tipa semi-dezbracata desenata in stil anime. Now that's a marketing scheme!
Ah si sa nu uitam de website! http://www.aksysgames.com/agarest_war/
Ah si sa nu uitam de website! http://www.aksysgames.com/agarest_war/
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