After supper they got on their jammies and set up the sleeping bags. We have a Spiderman sleeping bag for Andrew and are still on the lookout for a princess one for Morgan. She used Mom's green one instead. The living room campout included watching Andrew's favorite, the Jonah Veggie Tales movie.

Then it was time to be all tucked in for a night of restful sleep ...

I thought things were going pretty well. I expected they would not go right to sleep, but I didn't expect Morgan to suddenly want to use the potty. She's resisted that mostly lately. I think she just wanted to see what she could get away with, because she did not really have to go. That started a whole slew of things ... I'm hungry ... I'm thirsty ... my sleeping bag is all twisted ... All the while I'm trying to get Paige, our little night owl, to go to sleep. Andrew was going to give up and go back to his bed, then he changed his mind and wanted to sleep by the "fire." I think he was trying to get away from Morgan who kept talking. When 10:30 arrived, Morgan was soon sleeping in her bedroom, not by her choice. She cried for two seconds and then seemed to go to sleep. I think it was the only way it was going to work. Paige and Mom fell aleep in the living room chair and Mom later put Paige in her bed and went back to camp (on the couch). Sometime in the night Andrew moved away from the "fire" and over by the couch, but all in all, we got some decent sleep. I think we'll try this again sometime, but only after Paige is a bit older and better at sleeping ... and maybe only when there are two parents home. :0) Andrew was the one who really wanted to camp, and he said he had a lot of fun, so I think it was worth it!

She's had a lot of changes in her own life: she was there to nurse her mother through the end of her life a few months ago, she changed careers, she wrote a book and a screenplay, she moved.  But another change is that she's started channeling.  Meaning, she considers herself the "bridge" between living beings and spirits that are no longer in physical bodies.  She says that this ability seems to come naturally to her.

I showed her the view from Morgan's memorial bench that I have on the screen of my phone.  She responded by saying that Morgan had told her to bring something to me.  As she was pulling it out of her purse, she said that Morgan had spoken with her a number of times, that she wanted me to know that she (M) was there, that I need to keep on living in the moment and knowing that she is present and close to me in spirit, that our bond is strong.

My friend hands me this little rectangle.  I open it up.  It's a painting of the view from the hill in Laguna Beach where we all met up and had our pictures taken together in August 2006.  The exact same view, looking down toward the beach.

Now my friend had never seen these photos.  She had no way of knowing that this place was the last spot Morgan and I had our picture taken together, or that the photo that Mom loves so much of the three of us kids was taken on the same memorial bench that's in the corner of the painting.

It felt like my heart stopped for a moment.  Then the tears welled up.  Then I felt happy looking at this place that has good memories attached to it.

I'm not ruling anything out, and I'm not quite sure what I do and don't believe these days.  I still question why God, if such a being exists, would let what happened to Morgan happen to her.  But this experience gave me the chills.

Here, I start on a fresh page with Newsreel 34, which lasts a page and a half. Then there's a four-page real biog section called 'The House of Morgan', followed by Newsreel 35 (page and a half), The Camera Eye (39) (also page and a half) then Newsreel 36, which is nearly two pages long. So there's not really any PLOT to report back on. But the timeframe is commendably tight - things are happening around the end of the war, mostly in Paris, and the focus is definitely getting clearer. It's about how America forced itself into becoming the most powerful nation in the world as the twentieth century progressed. Which, given that Dos Passos is writing only in the mid-30s, is pretty good, and pretty prescient.

The main interest in this ten-page burst (and ten pages isn't enough, given how close the election is now) is the history of the Morgan financial empire. Isn't this apt, my smirking self acknowledged, what with the current financial crisis. I'm very clever to have though of this idea, of reading this seminal American text at the very moment when American ideas and influence are having such a meltdown and (maybe) rebirth in the glare of the global spotlight. I'm obviously not clever enough to understand even a percent of what's actually happening, but here a few quotations from Dos Passos's life of JP Morgan and his ancestors.

the interwoven cables of the Morgan-Stillman-Baker combination held credit up like a suspension bridge, thirteen per cent of the banking resources of the world.

(Wars and panics on the stock exchange,
machinegunfire and arson,
bankruptcies, warloans.,
starvation, lice, cholera and typhus:
good growing weather for the House of Morgan.)

Dos Passos has an amazing way with a tiny phrase that creates a gemlike image. The suspension bridge, the hymn being sung alone, the staring eyes and glass case. Someone should make a film of the whole of 'U.S.A.', like when you hear about people making films of Proust which no-one will ever watch. It deserves it, really.

Last night fucking rocked.

After a day filled with details I don't really want to post on here, I went to the pub for some food.  While I was there, I ran into an exgirlfriend and we proceeded to talk and do shots.  We had four shots and I had part of her Jack and coke.  I didn't overly care for it.  Don't think I'll be doing that again.  We were flirting and having fun, and life was good.
Then her boyfriend showed up and we went back to our lives.  LOL.

I started to walk back to the library to get a little work done before Karaoke and talked to my friend Tim about a brand new movie idea.  This one is fucking killer.  I'm excited.  This may be THE ONE, if you know what I mean.  I'm sure some of  you have heard me say that before, but this one really could be the one that puts us on the map.  I'm going to be heavily researching it while finishing FC and trying to graduate and get a job... oh the long months ahead of us!

So I get off the phone, and I run into another ex, Lindsay, who was back in town for D-Days.  She invited me in to her friend's house for some drinks, and we proceeded to drink some Zinfindel (4 glasses each) and talk about her recent move to Colorado.  That was pretty awesome.  She made some comments about me being able to stay the night there, but I had plans already.  I left there and went back downtown, to Maya Jane's for the Karaoke Contest round one.  I ran into Jared and Jeremy and we proceeded to throw a few back.  I had more shots while they drank Morgan and cokes... yucky.

Bryan came down after work and he ordered two pitchers of Blue Moon and one cup.  "Two Pitchers, One Cup" should be a new YouTube video.  Bryan drank them both as we watched [name deleted]dance and I drooled over that ass. :)  We played pool, but we were both so trashed that we were both shooting for the stripes.  Finally, we both tried to take solids and got mad at each other for not just taking stripes.  I hit on M for a while, and she flirted back and I'm still counting down the days til I make a move on her... if I make a move on her.  But I was way to drunk to talk to girls, let alone try to do anything else with them.

We left there at closing time and made our way past the Char, where Bryan informed a black guy who was with a white girl that white girls will let black guys "stick it in their butts."  Then Bryan talked to J and informed her that I was only talking to her because I thought she was twins, but it turned out to just be her.  "But you're both very beautiful when you're both here."

From there, we made our way to a house party, but along the way, I was frightened by a parked boat that I thought was trying to run me over, and Bryan insisted on playing MARCO POLO with anyone who would play.  So I decided to yell "WATER" and wait for someone to get it and yell "POLO" back to me.  I finally met a guy who did, named Adam, who let us go to his house.  Ironically, his roommate was the other guy who had invited us to his house for the after bar, so we ended up at the right place.  We ate pizza and drank some more.  Charlie, the other roommate, was hanging out with our friend Roger, so we were all reunited in a way that only happens in bad teenage comedy movies.

Bryan loaned his phone to Charlie and then found their other roommate's phone and proceeded to prank call the front desks of the dorms asking for crazy things like directions to strip clubs and whether or not the girl at the desk dated black guys.  She did not, so he told her I would be disappointed because I'm black.

We ate a bunch of pizza, being drunk enough to believe it was the greatest pizza ever cooked.  Roger fell down, knocking over the garbage, and I watched him pick it up, knowing I should help him, but being unsure how to go about it.

Finally, Charlie got off the phone, but managed to lose Bryan's phone in the 30 seconds it took him to walk back to the kitchen to give it to us.  So then we got to seach for the phone.  Roger fell over on the stairs and I took a picture of him.  Bryan was given a white russian in a 32 oz glass and I videotaped him trying to drink it.

We laughed.  We cried.  We did that thing where you stand in a doorway and push out and then step out and your arms have to go up in the air.

Then we decided it was time to go to Bryan's and make breakfast.  It was early morning and people were getting up to go to work.  [name deleted] kept texting me and trying to get me to come over when her boyfriend went to work, but I knew I'd just fall asleep anyway, so what would be the point?

Finally, around 6:30 this morning, I went to bed.  I got up at 1:00.  Time for day four.

I DRANK:

3 Rumplemintz

4 Dead Nazis

4 Red Headed Sluts

2 Washington Apples

1/4 glass Jack and Coke

3/4 bottle of Zinfindel

1 Squirt

7 Cherry Cokes.

The (Private) Federal Reserve banking system has been used as a tool by the rich and powerful to implode the U.S. Economy.

While people are angry at the current financial crisis, and rightly so, they are angry at the wrong people. The CEO’s were only players and the lenders were only taking orders, while the true culprits remain well-hidden.

The real reason the housing bubble burst is because it had been planned that way.

Right now the world’s markets are in turmoil, and people are scrambling for a solution to quick-fix the crisis.

World leaders like Nicolas Sarkozy of France, are calling for a (NWO) World Banking system in order to address the crisis.

``It is the duty of the heads of state and government of the countries most directly concerned to meet before the end of the year to examine together lessons of the most serious financial crisis the world has experienced since that of the 1930s,'' Sarkozy said.

It is quite curious to see how more centralized power is an answer to world problems, when it was the centralized power of the Federal Reserve that caused this whole crisis in the first place.

Do you see how this works? They create the crisis and then offer the solution to it.

The real culprits behind this financial implosion are the elites of the world. A few names that come to mind are Rockefeller, Warburg, Rothschild, and Morgan.

These are some of the same people who pushed so hard for a private central bank in the United States. They got their wish in 1913, and look what they’ve done ever since.

Since the introduction of the roller-coaster economy in 1913, we’ve seen a major depression (1929), countless recessions, and are likely to face another depression in the coming months.

How is a privately-based fiat system better than a gold-backed treasury system?

It’s not. This is precisely the reason these elites wanted the banking system in the first place. They wanted to be able to control the economy, and consequently the population.

They have been draining the public of real wealth for decades, and now own a vast number of properties nationwide because of the sub-prime bubble-bursting.

And now they want control of a world financial system?

Unless the people wake up and realize what’s going on, they will get their wish. You can almost be certain that if they achieve their goal, there will be countless worldwide depressions and recessions in the coming years.

If they have absolute power, just think of the damage they can cause. Just look at what they’ve already done by imploding the U.S. Economy; now imagine that on a world-wide scale.

If there was a disagreement between the elites and the leaders of a country, they could just financially manipulate that country into compliance. They have done it in the past to countries like Argentina, and would gladly do it again in a moment’s notice.

The best part (for the elites) is that no one would be able to contest them. If the people demanded answers, they would just throw a CEO or treasury secretary on the chopping block while they remained hidden from the public eye.

The whole system is a fallacy. A handful of very powerful families are controlling the world’s financial systems.

These criminal bloodlines have been manipulating countries and killing people for years.

When will we put an end to it?

The Rockefellers, Warburgs, Rothschilds, and Morgans are responsible for this entire mess and need to be brought to justice.

They engineered it; they need to be held responsible.

In der vorherigen Nacht ist es mir sehr schwer gefallen einzuschlafen. Ständig musste ich darüber nachdenken, mir selbst nicht mehr helfen zu können. Alles geht wieder aufs gleiche hinaus, einpaar Wochen schaffe ich es mich auf einer guten FrequenzLaune zu halten und wsccht geht wieder alles in den Keller. Ich kann nicht andauernt ein Lächeln zaubern, und mich jedem so zeigen wie sie es wöllten.
Nein, ich werde mir kein längeres Bein amputieren lassen, ich werde mich nicht weniger schminken, meine Piercings abnehmen, anfangen andere Musik zu hören und schon ganz nicht mich der Gesellschaft anschließen.

Bin ich etwa doch blind oder tue ich zu wenig?

Ich mein ich habe mich selbst in einem Sportverein - Verein angemeldet indem ich andauernt allein gegen die Wand spielen musste weil ich nie einen Partner hatte. Auch in der Schule gehöre ich immer zu der Gruppe die einen zuwenig hat. 2er Partnerarbeiten mache ich entweder zu 3tt oder allein. Wieso weisst mich jeder ab geht überhaupt auf mich zu, bin ich denn so schrecklich, habe ich denn so eine Negative Aura/Anziehung (was auch immer). Selbst die Arogantesste, Hinterlässtigste oder Despressivste Person findet freunde Menschen, oder sogar Zugeigung. Von all dem finde ich nicht mal einen. Da kann es doch nicht mehr an mir liegen.

Ich fühle mich schrecklich und ertrage diesen druck nicht mehr, der mich manchmal zu boden drückt. Immer und immer tiefer falle ich in ein schwarzes loch von Gefühlen, die ich verzweifelt zu verstehen versuche. Ich weiss nicht wie oft ich noch falle, wie oft ich noch aufstehen kann, wie lange ich das noch mitmache, aber ich ständig das Gefühl, das so nicht mehr schaffen zu können.Wie oft habe ich versucht etwas zu verändern, ich kann nicht mehr.

Alright guys, think I got about 40 new pics uploaded, they are in the same folder so the slide  show will seem to be the same until you get past them, or you can just to the album online.

Enjoy, I know we have - Morgan

Alright gang, we were able to get some more pics uploaded. These are between Munich, Amsterdam and 1 or 2 from London so far, hope you enjoy.

[vodpod id=Groupvideo.1627956&w=425&h=350&fv=host%3Dpicasaweb.google.com%26amp%3Bcaptions%3D1%26amp%3BRGB%3D0x000000%26amp%3Bfeed%3Dhttp%253A%252F%252Fpicasaweb.google.com%252Fdata%252Ffeed%252Fapi%252Fuser%252Ftravis.abbott%252Falbumid%252F5253271022792692289%253Fkind%253Dphoto%2526alt%253Drss]

Our train out of London was at 5:20 a.m. this morning. The ''Tube'' doesn't start running until I believe 5:30 and the station we needed to leave out of was in a different part of town. Not wanting to wake up only to have to waive down a cab we decided to look for a hostel in that area, a quick Google search and we had located London's second largest hostel, Generator, andmade reservations for the night. Upon arrival both Travis and I had an uneasy feeling. After checking in we headed to our rooms only to find one of our roommates had apparently been smoking in the room but the apparent smell. Not much in the area to do and having pretty much seen all the sites in the area we decided to just hang out at the hostel in the common areas. Already having been let down by the smell in the room we were not exactly thrilled by the mixed group in the hang out room. The hostels we had been staying at up to this point were generally like minded people in the same age group.

Just across from us in the common room was a family, yes family, ranging in age from 60+ to a toddler. Trying to relax was a decision only the crying kid could make for us at this point.

We are now at our destination in Paris, a hostel called Oops. And yes, oops it was a mistake staying here. Not having got much sleep the night before needing to get up early for the train we were looking forward to checking in and hitting the bunks. To our surprise at Oops you can't check in until 4pm. having arrived at the hostel just before 10:00 a.m. and ultra tired you can see how this is a let down. Our first couple nights into the trip we had to switch rooms daily and enjoyed being able to sleep in while we were in London. that will not be the case with Oops, you see they have a 4-5 hour period each and eveyday that you are not allowed in your room.

One last frustration and this is a big one, make adjustments to our flight. So our tickets are rountrip in and out of Munich. Our return flight has a lay over in Paris so we didn't see the need in traveling to Munich form Paris just to turn around and fly right back. This shouldn't be a problem for the airlines as we just want to pick up the rest of our flight and miss the first leg starting in Paris. Well the airline says if we miss the first leg they will cancel the rest of the flight and to make the change hey want $200+. This is very disturbing to us as we are not really changing anything but rather giving them the opportunity to sell our seats on the first flight for a profit. Imagine ordering a Big Mac meal and hen deciding you don't want the fries, you tell the cashier and they say that will be $3 more. It makes no sense at all!

Well that is my Euro rant, hope you have enjoyed.

-Morgan

Ancora una stagione delle "Invasioni barbariche" su La7 e poi via verso la pole position del telecomando: in primavera Daria Bignardi potrebbe iniziare un nuovo programma su Rai2. Spiega questa sofferta, ma a quanto pare inevitabile decisione nel suo blog su Style.it (in cui vengono pubblicati gli articoli della sua rubrica su Vanity Fair).

Via Campo Dall'orto, l'ex direttore di La7, via Daria Bignardi. Sarà per scelta personale, sarà perchè il bilancio economico della rete non poteva coprire le spese del programma "barbarico", fatto sta che non vedremo più la conduttrice sul canale dei "fighetti" (quest'associazione, poi, me la devono ancora spiegare...). Di sicuro è stata "una scelta difficile perché ho avuto il privilegio di lavorare in una rete in cui mi riconoscevo", quindi, il profumo dei soldi non dovrebbe aver influito eccessivamente su questa migrazione. Poi, si sa, tutti devono mangiare. Ma non è così scontato trovare persone, soprattutto del mondo dello spettacolo, che si sbilancino in complimenti e convenevoli. Sentiti, ovviamente. Non per il semplice gusto del lecchinaggio tout court. "Se La7 deciderà di continuare il format senza di me, mi farà solo piacere: è bello quando una tua idea funziona e rimane". Pensa al futuro, ma non dimentica il passato. Anzi.

Per me è una delle migliori in tv, una vera conduttrice: sa come stuzzicare i suoi ospiti, sa come far tirare loro fuori il meglio e il peggio di sè. Ma sempre con rispetto, con classe, mai invadente. E, nonostante  io sia dispiaciuta di non vedere più le Invasioni, sono anche curiosa di scoprire cosa stia preparando per la prossima stagione.

Ha 47 anni, è una giornalista, ha lavorato con Gad Lerner e Gianni Riotta, ha condotto programmi di spessore (eccetto "Il grande fratello", unica pecca a mio avviso). Ma a 50 anni vorrebbe lavorare solo per Vanity Fair. Io ci credo poco. O, forse, mi costringo inconsciamente di non prendere in considerazione un precoce abbandono da parte della "femminista radical chic per eccellenza", come qualcuno è abituato a chiamarla. Che, poi, "femminista" e "radical chic" suonano anche bene insieme. Quindi, niente polemiche a riguardo.

Intanto è impegnata nella scelta dei nuovi ospiti, che da venerdì saranno vittime delle sue immancabili pistole alla tempia e fra i nomi spunta quello di Morgan, "l'alternativo". Quello che, se non vi avesse preso parte, "X Factor" sarebbe stato l'ennesimo flop della Rai (e non significa che non lo sia stato veramente!). Magari un po' di "assenzio" ci potrebbe far dimenticare l'imminente "perdita" della migliore conduttrice di La7 e, forse, sperare in un nuovo inizio su rai 2. Almeno per disintossicarci un po' dalla Ventura.

[Sursa: Autoblog]

I honestly was so surprised to see this when I got home.  I am so lucky to have these people.

Yes, my friends and I have Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants nicknames for each other.  What you gotta say about it.

I had received a few documents sent to me by Mr. Gregg Ward, the Vice-President of the Detroit-Windsor Truck Ferry. My blog posting about the Truck Ferry caught his particular attention. He had told me that he sent his matter to the US congress dated in June 2007.  By reading pages 6 to 8 of the TI testimory, a few lines about accessing the truck ferry from the U.S. is pretty clear:

On the Canadian side of the border, directional signage to the ferry exists on
highways as well as county and local roadways. These signs identify the U.S. hazardous
material restrictions at the border and provide excellent trailblazing to the truck ferry
terminal. On the U.S. side of the border before the entrance to the bridge and tunnel, not
a single sign exists on the state, county or local roadways providing information on the
US National Hazardous Materials Route Registry restrictions or the alternate hazardous
material crossing of the Detroit-Windsor Truck Ferry.

He also states that after the events of September 11th, 2001 - Detroit media clearly sees that fuel tankers and other trucks carrying hazardous materials were able to cross the Ambassador Bridge illegally. Even though that there are signs clearly state that dangerous goods are NOT allowed to cross the Ambassador Bridge (and the Windsor-Detroit Tunnel).

There was a little sign that was posted on the Ambassador Bridge - but after the toll collection procedure. In addition, there are no toll booth operators on the Canadian side to prevent a vehicle who carries dangerous goods across the Ambassador Bridge.

While prohibition signs exist in a few areas in Montreal, Quebec (notably the Ville-Marie Tunnel of Autoroute 720, Melocheville Tunnel, Louis-Hippolyte-Lafontaine Tunnel) and Quebec city, Quebec to notify truckers that carrying dangerous goods are prohibited in addition to signs in Windsor, Ontario leading to access to the truck ferry to inform truckers who carries dangerous goods, nothing physically exists on the American side in Detroit, Michigan.

Something should be done to avoid such a catastrophe. This reminded me of a Sesame Street segments, "Danger's No Stranger" and "The word is Danger" (sung by Little Jerry and the Monotones) - but to make matters more serious and to tie in with the HAZMAT loophole, the song "Danger's No Stranger" is used. I want to thank Mr. Gregg Ward for sending me all the information that he provided.

Changing gears, I stumbled upon watching a music video up on Youtube from a band based in Edmonton, Alberta called Social Code. They recently released their new music video "He Said, She Said". By watching this particular music video and to my "sharp" eye, I can see that Josh Ramsay of Marianas Trench made a cameo in this music video. The music videos sets at a local baseball park (or field) and as the music video plays, there is some Japanese text on it! I literally laughed on what the music video unfolds and there is even a shot of a random person in a Gorilla costume!! I wonder what if Bobby Foley has his say about that particular music video. It's anyone's guess. The saddest part for Josh Ramsay - his signature blue hair is gone!!!!!!! The music video reminisces me of Nelly's "Batter Up". Anyways, enjoy the music video(s) below.

Social Code - "He said, she said":

Sesame Street - Danger's No Stranger:

Social Code's "Behind the Scenes" of "He said, she said" plus their tour with Theory of a Deadman:

SURVIVOR: GABON
Episode 1.1: Tribes are picked, Kota wears yellow Fang wears red. GC won Fang's individual immunity and Marcus won Kota's, whereas Kota won reward. Kota also wins immunity, sending Fang to Tribal, where they send Michelle home.
Episode 1.2: Kota wins immunity again (and in the process creates mild controversy when Marcus's privates briefly slipped out of his underwear, which is not caught by CBS's censors), sending Dan to Exile where he doesn't find the hidden immunity idol, and sending Fang to their second straight Tribal, where they send home Gillian.
Episode 2: In a challenge borrowed from Survivor: Cook Islands, Fang finally wins something and sends Sugar to Exile, where she finds the hidden immunity idol. She returns at the immunity challenge, which resembles a slip 'n' slide, where Kota loses again, this time at the puzzle, with Bob, the physics professor, at fault. At tribal, they send home Paloma.

THE AMAZING RACE 13
Episode 1: Nick and Starr, the siblings from New York and Texas respectively, win the leg and a trip for two to Belize. Anita and Arthur, the hippie beekeepers and also the oldest in the race, come in last and are eliminated.
Episode 2: Ken and Tina, the separated couple and now the oldest remaining in the race, win the leg and an off-road vehicle for each. Anthony and Stephanie, the couple dating for four years who was barely showcased in episode 1, come in last and are eliminated

There's the basic details, pretty much all you need to know. Next time, is a full, detailed recap of Episode 3 of Survivor: Gabon, probably on Friday.

-Morgan, Stjimmy61892

Over the next couple of episodes the twists get twistier and the suspense gets intense. The introduction of new characters like the Assistant District Attorney, Miguel Prado, and the new blood in the department, Joey Quinn, leaves some mystique that we know will play out big in the story but are left wondering how.

I can't get in as much depth as I would like in an attempt to save spoiling the next couple of episodes but if you were a fan of Dexter in season 1 and 2 then season 3 will not disappoint. So far what we know is that Dexter has killed a man that didn't fall into his "code" and that he is about to be a father. In the next couple of episodes, we see Dexter's paternal instincts kick in and things start to get weird between him and Miguel Prado.

I will write a more in-depth review after the next few episodes air but for now leave a comment and let us know what you think of "Dexter" season 3 so far and any predictions of how you think the season will progress. We will choose the best comments to receive some official "Dexter" gear including bumper stickers, buttons, and t-shirts.

"The Bucket List"

While not a perfect film, "The Bucket List" does bring up three important aspects of relationships.  Freeman's character, a middle-class mechanic and family man, must deal with possible infidelity and the attempt to relight the embers of his long-standing marriage.  The third aspect affects both men in the idea that life is too short and too important not to live.

The movie entertains and hopefully it will stir in you the question of what makes life worth living and what you do to live it.

Good life and love,

CH & the IW

Signup for more Innerwife here! 

Purchase "Love life, ultimate strife, how-to lists from the Inner Wife: THE How-To book of Dating, Marrying and Understanding," the ebook to relationships

I was amazed and disappointed with what Wizards of the Coast was able to do with the new Magic sets of Lorwyn/Morningtide and Shadowmoor/Eventide. They brought the basics back in terms of "creature matters" and "color matters" with new innovations on each like new Tribal spells and Hybrid color cards. These new additions to the ever-growing world of Magic astounded me in so many ways, but also brought pain. To me, WotC seems to be focusing a bit too much on newer players, even if this entire year is focused on them. As I spoke to many older players, namely my friends and people down at The Grid in Manchester, CT, I got mixed reviews. Some thought that the cards WotC were pumping out were useable in most environments and forms of play, but others thought that the game of Magic was moving a lot slower and losing more than it were to gain, much like it did after Kamigawa's horrible debut. I'm still developing my opinion, but it's the little things like this that make you wonder if a game like Magic will be worth playing years from now. Maybe it's just me. For now, let's focus on the new set, Shards of Alara, to see if it's really as worth it as WotC proclaims.

Unfortunate as it may be, I am unable to attend the Shards of Alara Prerelease or the Launch Party. But just because I won't be one of the first to get the cards, that doesn't mean I'm not going to give input on the set. So without further ado, here's my set review for the latest expansion set of Shards of Alara.

http://www.wizards.com/Magic/TCG/Article.aspx?x=mtg/tcg/shardsofalara/spoiler

Ratings are done in *s in a range from one to five.

White

Akrasan Squire - ***
A 1/1 with the potential to become stronger when it attacks alone? Count me in. Not only that, but the Exalted ability stacks if it has three of it's pals on the field. I repeat, it stacks. And not just with the cards they're on either. Any Exalted ability stacks with others, regardless of the card it's on. This is a very powerful one-drop.

Angel's Herald - ***
An excellent setup to bring out Empyrial Archangel. I definitely see the Herald cycle being used a great deal. It is rather weak, and the overall cost may be difficult to set up, but I'm confident that this will turn out to be a great combo.

Angelic Benediction - **
Provides Exalted and tap-out defence for creatures attacking alone. Not the best, seeing as the creature you attack with taps one creature on the opponents field. Who's to say they don't have more backing it up? You're only attacking with one guy to get Exalted and the ability, but they can still block it if they have more creatures than you. The tap-out ability is easily nullified.

Angelsong - **
Pretty basic. Prevents combat damage for a single turn or you can cycle it. Not amazing.

Bant Battlemage - ***
My least favorite in the Battlemage cycle. It provides some combat tricks, but other than that it's not as great as the others. It is still playable though, and it has some potential. 

Battlegrace Angel - *****
This card is pretty amazing. It's got the magic toughness of 4, Flying, Exalted, and gives Lifelink to creatures attacking alone. I can think of a few friends who would want to get their hands on this card.

Cradle of Vitality - ****
Two words: Kitchen Finks. These two cards combo so well it's not even funny. Kitchen Finks dies, Persists back, you gain life, activate Cradle of Vitality, place +1/+1 counters on Finks and reset Persist, rinse, lather, repeat.

Dispeller's Capsule - *
I have definitely seen way better enchantment/artifact removal than this. Pay 4 and tap-sac to get rid of one? I'll pass.

Elspeth, Knight-Errant - ****
I have to give Wizards props on the new Mythic Rares. I had my doubts, but this is one of many cards that proved me wrong. Elspeth can make 1/1 Soldier tokens, pump them into 4/4 flyers for a turn, and make everything you control indestructible for the rest of the game. Holy crap, do I want this planeswalker. Unfortunately, the speed of Elspeth sets players off when looking at this. Yes, it does take a little while to start Elspeth up so your permanents can be indestructible, but once it does, it pays off big time.

Ethersworn Canonist - ****
Excellent two-drop. Limits other non-artifact decks to one spell per turn, and allows artifact decks to process and set up. Easily gotten rid of, but definitely a good card.

Excommunicate - **
Very basic, but good. Puts a creature in play on top of it's controller's library. Not really too much to say about this, especially with it's competition against other removal spells like Oblivion Ring.

Guardians of Akrasa - ***
An 0/4 defender that provides Exalted support. Definitely not bad, but not overly great either.

Gustrider Exuberant - ****
Provides flying to really big creatures when it is sacrificed. I understand how really big creatures get some really big bonuses if their power is 5 or greater, but is it really that easy to play them that fast? I can see some combos with Giants and Stinkdrinker Daredevil from Lorwyn/Morningtide and Shadowmoor/Eventide.

Invincible Hymn - **
This may probably only be useful in a deck where you normally use a lot of cards or in very stange formats nad variants, such as a "Battle of Wits" deck where the win condition is to have a library with over 200 cards in it. Frankly, this card is labelled to me as a "junk rare".

Knight of the Skyward Eye - **
A two-drop with the potential to be a 5/5 fatty each turn sounds good, but the overall cost is much too high for my tastes. It pales in comparison to it's brother...

Knight of the White Orchid - *****
Possibly the best two-drop in Shards. A 2/2 with First Strike and the ability to search up an extra Plains and put it into play untapped. A-fricken-mazing.

Knight Captain of Eos - ***
Not sure what to make of it. Pay 5, for a 2/2, that makes two 1/1s, and the 1/1s can be sacrificed to prevent all combat damage for one turn. Eh, sounds kind of average to me.

Marble Chalice - *
Tap: Gain 1 life. It's ok, but it's not gamechanging.

Metallurgeon - ****
Artifacts regenerating, now there's an oxymoron. Cheap and quick to use, overall very good.

Oblivion Ring - ****
I was surprised when I saw Oblivion Ring reprinted in Shards. Then again, with all these new Planeswalkers running around, it was needed. Great removal spell, as always.

Ranger of Eos - ***
Great for searching up smaller creatures fast. I can definietly see this running alongside Figure of Destiny in a Kithkin/Weenie deck.

Resounding Silence - **
Overall the worst spell in the Resounding cycle. Removing attacking creatures from the game for 4 or 8 if you cycle? No thanks. I'll stick with my Unmakes and Oblivion Rings.

Rockcaster Platoon - **
This guy can take out any tiny flying creatures in your way, but there are way better things to spend seven mana on.

Sanctum Gargoyle - ***
A Gravedigger for artifacts. Not overly amazing, but still good and playable.

Scourglass - ****
Another Wrath of God-esque card, but this one seems to be the best one so far. It destroys everything that isn't an artifact or land. Artifact decks are going to love this thing. Especially with all the ways they can fetch Scourglass back from the grave. Kind of slow and prone to be removed quickly, but still a very good card. Man, does Esper have it made in this set or what?

Sighted-Caste Sorcerer - *
I question this card's existance. A 1/1 that provides Exalted support and can give itself Shroud? It really doesn't seem playable at all.

Sigiled Paladin - ***
A good two-drop that provides Exalted support and has first strike, but with all the other great two-drops in Kithkin and Weenie decks, I wonder how he'll ever fit in.

Soul's Grace - *
Best combo with this is to use Mirror Entity with Ceaseless Searblades to get infinite power, then gain infinite life through Soul's Grace. I ask this, if you have that kind of power in creatures, do you really need that much life?

Sunseed Nurturer - *
Kitchen Finks is a much better solution to lifegain. Espeically since this needs beefy creatures to even start gaining the life.

Welkin Guide - ***
A 2/2 flier for five that provides his abilities to another creature when he comes into play sounds good to me. +2/+2 and Flying is definitely something to think about. Overall good, but the cost is rather unnerving.

Yoked Plowbeast - *
A giant 5/5 with cycling. Too basic, too unplayable. White doesn't have a lot of big creatures like this guy, but this is way too "vanilla creature" for me.

There's my opinion on White's slice of the pie in Shards of Alara. I'm working on reviews for the other colors and will get them up as soon as possible.

- Chad, Nintendude331

       Morgan

 
- Light switches are backwards

- There aren't 1eu/pound bills, rather they use coins and there is even a 2eu coin

- want your food To-go, ask for take-away

- We were in a small cafe at a 4 person table and another guest was seated at our table.

- coffee (cafe) is really really small

- most places won't serve you water and we have been charged for tap water

- Ice, there is none. You get a coke in a cup, no ice.

- Refills don't exist

Bildquelle: AutoExpress

Der Morgan AeroMax.
oder: das Batmobil der realen Welt.

Aufgebaut wurde Karosserie auf einem Eschenholz-Rahmen. Das Chassis besteht dagegen aus leichtem Aluminium. Mit dem 4,4-Liter-V8-Motor, seinen 333 PS und 450 Newtonmeter erreicht der AeroMax eine Höchstgeschwindigkeit von über 260 km/h und benötigt 4,5 Sekunden für den 100-km/h-Sprint. Der Verbrauch liegt bei 11,5 Litern auf 100 Kilometer.

Dummerweise kostet der Wagen ca. 160.000 Euro. Hat jemand einen passenden Lottoschein für mich?