#51st State Master Set

[whovian223]

Friday Night Shots - Birthday Wishes of Unplayed Games

Friday Night Shots - Birthday Wishes of Unplayed Games @trzewik @gmtgames @alderac @thunderworksgam

Welcome back to the bar! I’m so happy you chose to regale us with your presence when it’s such a clear and sunny evening out there. Have a seat, let me turn the music down a bit (who the heck put Air Supply on the jukebox anyway?) and let’s chat. What? Why thank you! Yes, it is my birthday tomorrow, so let’s talk about birthday wishes and unplayed (or seldom-played) games for a bit. One of…

[halechief]

CLAIRE HALE : 47th President of the United States. First Female President. Formerly: 51st Vice President of the United States, US Ambassador to the United Nations, First Lady of the United States, Second Lady of the United States, C.E.O. of the Clean Water Initiative. 

President Hale is a Radcliffe and Harvard University alum, from each respectively, she holds a Bachelor’s in Environmental Health, and a Masters in Public Health. Hale is a registered Democrat, and thus far a vocal supporter of gun control, tax reform, and the reproductive right to choose. As one of her first acts under the newly instated Hale Administration, Hale called for the reallocation, or rather, the return of what she referred to in her own words as misappropriated FEMA funds, the siphoning of which was perpetrated, to no small amount of outrage, by the prior administration. Following the release of the ACN Russo Report, President Hale also called for investigation into the D.C Police Department for their part in the mishandled investigation into the death of the late congressman Peter Russo, an undertaking which revealed in its own turn a litany of coverups and instances of abused power extending back over more than twenty years. 

The Hale Administration, to date, has styled itself to be one of accountability, and this writer would propound that it is as much for the benefit of the institutions and citizens that the President serves and works alongside as it seems to be intended to distinguish herself starkly from the brash, and now allegedly murderous reputation of her predecessor - whose name we do remind was dropped unceremoniously from the end of her own mere weeks after the late Francis Underwood passed. 

Although the as yet adolescent Hale Administration has seen no shortage of critiques and pitfalls, there appears to be no stalling the trajectory that she has set herself upon, no matter the headlines that would seek to call her ability, or even her right to govern, into question. As all others with a political mind and a taste for the operatic are no doubt inclined to do, this publication will be keeping our eyes well trained upon the far future and with it, the looming 2020 election, with nothing short of rapt attention as we await the context required to know if this Presidency will be one of profound and historical legacy . . . 

or one of infamy.

[boardgaminggeek]

Gone for a heavy fuel-based strategy this time in 51st State, let's hope it pays off

[dahanil]

My top 9 board games.

[bunkershotgolf]

14 Top Golf Stories 2021

By ED TRAVIS

At the end of each year, it’s fun to look back and reflect on the stories that attracted our attention. Some are obviously significant and maybe set a pathway for the future of our game and a few are merely interesting.

Lee Elder—Dead at Age 87 Lee Elder was a true pioneer. He was a professional golfer, a multiple winner, first African American to play in the Masters and first to play for the United States in the Ryder Cup. Despite overt racism plus hate mail and threats on and off the course he maintained a professional demeanor while playing at the highest level and set an example for all of us.

Tiger Woods–End of the Era? An automobile accident in February caused a major leg injury sidelining Woods for the entire year and was followed by the announcement even though he was recovering his days of being a fulltime tournament golfer were over. He expects to play in selected events with the first being the PNC Championship with son Charlie.

Ryder Cup Rout—Has the Tide Turned? Captain Steve Stricker couldn’t get rid of the smile as his U.S. team routed the European Team 19 to 9 for the second win in the past three Ryder Cups, both being on home soil. This streak, if it can be called that, will be put to the test in Rome at the 44th Cup. The last time the U.S. triumphed in Europe in 1992 at The Belfry in England.

Women in Golf—A Force to be Reckoned With The effects of the pandemic included more people being attracted to the game with women and juniors making up a major component of the new players. The National Golf Foundation says 40% of new golfers on and off the course are women and Golf Datatech quantified their impact reporting their purchases of golf equipment and apparel will be more than $1.53 billion this year.

Premier Golf League—Well Funded Competition Greg Norman’s quest for a world tour dates to the early nineties and it appears he’s about to fulfill it with the Premier Golf League backed by Saudi Arabian investors. Few details are available but elite players are being courted and ultimately some kind of team play is likely. The competition pushed the PGA Tour to increase total purses for next season by $60 million plus $35 million in additional player incentives.

Whan Takes Over at USGA—Future Relevancy at Stake Michael Whan achieved much greater success than any previous commissioner of the LPGA, but this year jumped over to become the CEO of the United States Golf Association replacing Mike Davis. He needs to solve several important controversies including Davis’ assumption the ball goes too far. As I wrote at the time of the appointment Whan has his job cut out for him, “The relevancy of the USGA is at stake and for the good of the game needs to be improved.”

PGA Merchandise Show—Virtually Not the Same The largest and most important meeting of the golf industry is held annually in Orlando with over 40,000 in attendance but in 2021 the Show was done via smartphones and computer screens. The “virtual” Show was not an overwhelming success and raised questions about the future and if it can fulfill its primary mission of continuing education for PGA Professionals while revitalizing its status of the must-be-there relationship building event.

Mickelson Wins PGA—What Will Lefty Do Next? A month shy of his 51st birthday Phil Mickelson won his sixth major, the PGA Championship, and his 45th PGA Tour win becoming the oldest player ever to win a major. Lefty also took home four PGA Champions Tour trophies in six starts on the senior circuit so is it time to start talking about him in the same terms as the ageless Sam Snead?

Annika Wins Senior Women’s Open—A Classy Victory for a Classy Lady Not to be out done by Mickelson, Annika Sorenstam came out of retirement to win the U.S. Women’s Senior Open at the age of 50 causing a rousing cheer across the golf spectrum. Always a fan favorite Sorenstam all but lapped the field with an eight-stroke victory over runner-up Liselotte Neumann over the classic Brooklawn Country Club layout.

U.S. Open—Even Better Than Ballesteros Jon Rahm closed with birdies on the final two holes for a one stroke victory in the U.S. Open, his first major and became the first Spanish native to win our national championship. His final round of 67 over the difficult Torrey Pines South Course tied the low round of the day and firmly established the affable Spaniard at the top of the World Golf Rankings.

LPGA Names Commissioner–Whan a Tough Act to Follow Mollie Marcoux Samaan took over the LPGA top spot from Michael Whan and has big shoes to fill. Whan’s 11-year tenure saw prize money increase 80% and the LPGA-USGA Girls Golf Program increasing participants from 5,000 to 90,000. So far, the new commissioner has stressed more worldwide publicity for LPGA players and growing women’s participation in the game.

Amateur Status Rules—A Modernization Bowing to the “how-things-are” in the world the USGA has changed the Rules of Amateur Status, dovetailing with the relaxation of NCAA regulations. Effective Jan. 1, 2022, amateurs will be within the Rules to accept payments for travel or use of their name in commercial ventures. This immense shift does away with the reason Bobby Jones, the greatest amateur of all time, after winning the Grand Slam sent a letter to the USGA renouncing his amateur status so he could make instructional films.

Golf Growth—Good for Everyone When final numbers are in for rounds played and the number of golfers, they will both show continued increases this year on top of the gains in 2020. Pandemic-driven golfers and newbies alike found golf to be a remedy to cabin fever and in 2020 36.9 million either played golf (24.8 million) or visited a golf entertainment center (12.1 million). According to preliminary estimates from the National Golf Foundation 2021 will have even higher participation. And it’s not just golf courses enjoying a boom; equipment retailers and manufacturers led by Callaway and Acushnet are having a record year.

PGA Tour-Return to Normal? The 2020-2021 season included a few players and caddies testing positive for Covid-19 but recovery from the pandemic resulted in essentially no restrictions on fans or competitors. The record books will show two Masters tournaments being played but that will be quickly forgotten as we all try to put the disruptive effects of the pandemic in the rearview mirror.

[illuminatinggames]

Playing some Everdell. Not a great photo - with the (gratuitous but very nice) tree thing it’s a fairly attractive game. I was surprised I admit at how similar it is to Imperial Settlers/51st State 2nd - it’s really only a pretty lightly warmed over remake of that design, including the absolutely punishing font and icon sizes. The woodland creature art is terrific, but the usability of the game components is poor enough all around to be a serious disincentive to play. I thought it was fine, but a little grind-y and derivative. I was a bit surprised at how quickly both Imperial Settlers and the 51st State Master Set played out for me - I expected them to have at least some longevity but I was pretty much done with them after a couple games just because of what I felt was a bad combination of poorly-calibrated luck with fairly lengthy, mechanical gameplay. For example, I think Everdell could have benefited a lot from phasing or splitting the huge deck of cards somehow, so the place isn’t clogged up with worthless infrastructure-building cards late in the game, or you don’t get an initial hand full of late-game plays. Anyway, I enjoyed playing it once but it’s just so similar to 51st State that I can’t imagine it’s ultimate fate would be any different. #bgg #boardgamegeek #boardgames #boardgamesofinstagram #tabletopgames #boardgamenight #everdell https://www.instagram.com/p/B6upPwHBu55/?igshid=bmnvw2560y4f

[pitchwisenet]

Essen Spiel 2018 Portal Games konferencija za medije: Najavljene ekspanzije za popularne naslove

Portal Games ne zaboravlja svoje starije naslove. Portal Games je na konferenciji za štampu na upravo završenom Essen Spiel 2018 sajmu u Nemačkoj između ostalog najavio i ekspanzije za svoje popularne igre. Kao što je i obećao na prošlogodišnjoj konferenciji, vlasnik izdavačke kuće Ignacij Trževiček je za iduću […] from Pitchwise.net: Essen Spiel 2018 Portal Games konferencija za medije: Najavljene ekspanzije za popularne naslove

[marcloveskylie]

Kylie Minogue Sunday Times interview in full. (Thanks to Darren Nixon)

Kylie Minogue interview: the pop star talks love, regret and new beginnings ahead of playing the Glastonbury ‘legends’ slot

Kylie Minogue is glowing. Of course she is. As the blue-eyed, blonde princess of pop music and golden girl of pop culture, idolised by millions since the 1980s, Minogue, I imagine, floats around in a perpetual state of looking luminous. She has also been dancing in front of our photographer for an afternoon and, as she puts it, “should be glowing after all that make-up!” It’s not just the make-up. On the brink of releasing a new album, the gig of her career, her 51st birthday and with the thrill of a new man, she is happy. “I could say nothing and you could read everything,” she laughs, pointing to her smiling face. “I’ve met someone who I feel good with. It feels right.”

Post-shoot, Minogue sits upright and cross-legged on a sofa in our east London studio, her 5ft frame wrapped in a barely-there slip dress. Much has been written about her dabbles with Botox, something she admitted in 2009, but today she looks beautiful and natural — faint lines on her face, yet still miles younger than 50. She speaks so softly that I strain to hear her and she answers many questions with a giggle. On the surface, dainty and delicate. Underneath, nerves of steel. “None of this was handed to me,” she says, “but this was my destiny. I was meant to do it.”

The first music I remember was a 1989 VHS tape of Kylie’s videos. Aged five, I watched nothing else for months. Fever (2001) and Aphrodite (2010) — the CDs scratched from overuse — made up much of the soundtrack to my clubbing twenties. Interviewing her is an excruciating test, as I attempt to maintain professionalism while trying not to touch her face. (Full disclosure: when we hug at the end, I scream a bit. She doesn’t mind.) But aren’t we all Team Kylie? In 2005, when, at the age of 36, she revealed her breast cancer diagnosis, support from fans and the press came in floods. When her highly public relationships end, it is always her the world sides with. She is, perhaps, the only non-Brit considered a “national treasure” by the tabloids — The Sun ran a campaign in the early Noughties to have her bottom listed as a World Heritage Site on the grounds it was an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Brand Kylie has mastered the near impossible: triumphing for three decades, with gold- and platinum-certified records, scandal-free and to global adoration. She’s still considered both a reigning disco diva and a bubbly, Aussie girl next door. Underestimate her at your peril, though. Being Kylie, she says, “takes a lot of work, graft and insecurity — not always what the wrapped-up end product looks like. There have been times when I’ve thought, ‘I just can’t.’ But you’ve got to take the knocks because they’re always coming. It ain’t all roses.” A pause. “But maybe otherwise it wouldn’t be as sweet in the end.”

She values her private life as “precious”, and admits that she has “sacrificed some anonymity”, no doubt because her romances have been tabloid fodder for years. Her most high-profile relationship was with INXS frontman Michael Hutchence from 1989 to 1991. In 1997, long after they broke up, he committed suicide. For four years, she dated the French actor Olivier Martinez, who supported her through her cancer diagnosis and chemotherapy (“Olli was there all the time,” she said in 2006). They broke up in 2007, but were rumoured to have reignited their romance in 2017, claims that she has never addressed. Then there was an engagement to the British actor Joshua Sasse. The two started dating in 2015 and that December she told Desert Island Discs that Sasse, then 28, was “my love”. They announced their engagement in February 2016, but broke up 12 months later; last September, he married an Australian entrepreneur. It strikes me as sad, but her steeliness quickly reappears.

You’ve had your heart broken, I begin. “I don’t know about heartbroken,” she flashes. “I’ve made mistakes.” Such as? “I regret lying to myself. Like, ‘This is OK,’ and doing the merry dance. When that honest bit inside of you knows, but you’re busy covering it up? I regret doing that. It’s not fair on yourself. And yet I think we’ve all been there, we’ve all done it. But I don’t see myself doing it again. I’ve met someone who I feel good with.” She has been dating Paul Solomons, the 45-year-old creative director of British GQ, for just over a year. When talk turns to him, she lights up. “I can feel my face going,” she says. “People say, ‘Your face changes when you talk about him,’ and it does. Happiness. He’s an inspiring, funny, talented guy. He’s got a real-life actual job! It’s lovely.”

Their weekends are generally spent in her Knightsbridge home, watching documentaries on Netflix — “We liked the Ted Bundy Tapes. I was too scared to watch them on my own” — or listening to podcasts — “Have you heard Dear Joan & Jericha [Julia Davis and Vicki Pepperdine’s mock agony-aunt podcast]? I’ve literally creased myself to that, it’s so inappropriate.” He does most of the cooking. “He’s got me cooking too, actually. He’s the first to do that. It can no longer be the family joke that I can’t cook.” Her family are all still in Australia. Her parents, Ron and Carol, worked as an accountant and dancer respectively, and her younger sister, Dannii, followed in Kylie’s showbiz footsteps as a pop star. She also has a younger brother, Brendon. They are a close family who text daily and speak frequently. I imagine they are overprotective about any new boyfriends. Minogue tells me that the first time Solomons met her clan was spending last Christmas with them. “They [already] could tell I was good within myself. They liked him before they met him, and they liked him more after they met him.”

Her Australian accent is still distinctive, but she has lived in London since the early 1990s, when Soho was her stomping ground. “I was really deep in London nightlife back then,” she says. Now, generally, the only time she’s up until the early hours is when she’s on tour. Her last big night out was her 50th birthday party, a year ago, at Chiltern Firehouse, complete with performances by Rick Astley and Jake Shears. “I went to bed at about 5am, but probably had no more than a glass of champagne all night. I was talking and dancing and high on life. The icing on the cake was that I had my special someone to share it with.”

It’s remarkable that Minogue has the stamina to dance until 5am at an age when many women are experiencing the menopause. Indeed, she’s already been there, done that. As is common with younger breast cancer patients, her menopause was medically induced when she had treatment, to suppress her oestrogen levels. On Desert Island Discs, she stated that she would love to start a family. It’s a difficult subject to broach, but I wonder if she feels the chance to have children has passed. “I can definitely relate to that,” she answers. “I was 36 when I had my diagnosis. Realistically, you’re getting to the late side of things. And, while that wasn’t on my agenda at the time, [cancer] changed everything. I don’t want to dwell on it, obviously, but I wonder what that would have been like. Everyone will say there are options, but I don’t know. I’m 50 now, and I’m more at ease with my life. I can’t say there are no regrets, but it would be very hard for me to move on if I classed that as a regret, so I just have to be as philosophical about it as I can. You’ve got to accept where you are and get on with it.”

Born and raised in Melbourne, she attended acting school in her home town and became a superstar at 18 as Charlene in the Australian soap Neighbours. Charlene’s wedding to Jason Donovan’s Scott in 1987 was witnessed by 20m viewers in the UK. Despite no formal singing or dancing training, she left the show to pursue music, and her debut album, Kylie, released in 1988, was No 1 in the UK for six weeks. She has since released 13 more studio albums, as well as dozens of compilation, live and remix records. Next month she is releasing Step Back in Time, her latest greatest hits album. All the big hitters are on there: Spinning Around, I Should Be So Lucky, Confide in Me. She doesn’t have a favourite, but points to Where the Wild Roses Grow (1995) and All the Lovers (2010) — “just glorious”. She had to brace herself, she says, to listen to some of the older tracks. “I recorded Locomotion when I was 18 or 19. I was so young and I felt so young.” She shakes her head in bewilderment.

Minogue has just finished the Golden Tour, six months of shows in Europe and Australia. “I don’t know how much time I’ve got before my showbiz hips and knees start to protest,” she laughs. “They’ll be like, ‘You’ve been treading those boards for a long time, we think you should slow down a bit.’ ” This summer, along with gigs in London, Manchester and even Scarborough, she will take to the Pyramid Stage at Glastonbury in the Sunday afternoon “legends” slot, previously filled by the likes of Dolly Parton, Barry Gibb and Lionel Richie. It is particularly poignant as she was set to perform there in 2005, but her cancer diagnosis meant that she had to pull out. She sang at the festival in 2010, as a guest of the Scissor Sisters, but has never performed solo. “I’m bound to cry,” she says. On stage? “It’s going to happen. When I was meant to be there, I watched it from Australia. I was dealing with much bigger things back then, but when I’m there it will take me back to when I wasn’t there. But I’ll work through that.”

She confirms there will be guests joining her on stage, but won’t tell me who. Dolce & Gabbana designed the Greek goddess-inspired costumes for her Aphrodite: Les Folies tour in 2011, but her on-stage style now is “more human, more real”. “But even Elvis had a few diamantés on him,” she continues. “Come on! I’m thinking of it as a big sing-along. It’s daytime, so you can’t have the lights, effects and lasers that I normally have. I think the simplicity is part of what makes that slot so magical. Dolly Parton just walked on out. Lionel Richie just walked on out. I mean, I’ll sashay on out.”

Minogue’s manager then intervenes. The car is waiting and the star has somewhere to be. “I keep threatening my team that I’m going to retire,” she winks, safe in the knowledge that there are decades left of her career. And, with that, she sashays out. Glowing.

Step Back in Time is released on June 28

[abitterlifethroughcinema]

The Wrap, Part II: Return of the Curse of the Creature’s Ghost!

Film Reviews from the 51st Annual Sitges Fantasy/Horror Film Festival

by

Lucas A Cavazos

It would be of utmost denial to oneself to not take part in the occasional puff of marijuana and/or odd glass or two of red wine whilst shuffling about Sitges during this type of festival. I tell you, in this gayest of cities (and yes, I mean that in both senses of the word), nothing says loving like soaking up sun and guts while having the right side of your brain open. To quote Henry Miller…”The aim of life is to live, and to live means to be aware, joyously, drunkenly, serenely, divinely aware.” 

And it is in that vein, I present to you the latest film starring Nicolas Cage, Mandy ###-1/2…Could it be that Nicolas Cage might actually have something interesting to offer now that he’s well past 50 and ready to go beyond simple nut job roles and wannabe-buff, action hits and flops? Last year, this festival premiered the currently in-run and VOD film called Mom and Dad with Selma Blair, and if that was a thing of fun and delight, which is was, this film is much more darkly mirrored and rife with psychedelic imagery, and it must be discussed. To note, it does contain ye olde, ubiquitous screaming-whilst-having-a-psychotic-fit Cage scene, doubt ye not! Set in turn of the decade 80s, Red (Cage) and Mandy (Andrea Riseborough) have removed themselves from the majority of society and live a life of slight isolation, that is until one day, Mandy is abducted by some occult-like sect with grave intentions. Linus Roach (Priest) plays Jeremiah Sands, a man who can call forth demons and demonic creatures, and when psychedelia meets rancour, flames go up and and as they do, someone in them, as well. This is where the film turns into a contemplative narrative tale on revenge and turmoil, highlighted by a tinge of hallucinogens and wasp venom, and I cannot begin to tell you how eerily creepy it is to see Linus Roach after so many years in a role like this that sends chills down your spine in ways that create sheer panic and disgust. Watching Cage take revenge is a joy and wonder, and it should be noted that the film won two of the Sitges 51st Official Selection Awards for Best Director, which went to Panos Cosmatos and Best Actress going to Andrea Riseborough, who also comes up a bit later down below. A piece of rogue psychedelic modern art on celluloid if ever there was one, tinges of Wes Craven, Heavy Metal cartoon imagery and sleep paralysis demons make this Nic Cage vehicle one of the best things he has done in simply years.

Making my way over to The Retiro in the heart of bustling Sitges to screen the noir-like film The Dark ###, I realised that I was late and upon arrival, I was quickly ushered upstairs and had to make do with a single chair propped up next to an upstairs balustrade. The Dark is an eerie piece that preys on the power of the unknown to scare the viewer into wanting to know more about its strange characters…and then the film reveals those secrets in flashback. Despite its title, there is very little in relation to darkness other than the tone of the film and its narrative of teen spirit gone horribly awry. In a former entry, I spoke of how a screened premiere entitled Zoo had encroached upon fresh zombie territory, and until recently as just over a decade ago, zombie cinema was a mostly contained affair, and reserved to a select grouping of films annually. That all changed with the mid-noughties and this latest entry into its subject matter baits us with unexplained tidbits, starting when a one Josef Hofer (Karl Markovics), described as armed and dangerous, makes his way to a rather haunting locale, where death finds him in the form of Mina, perma-resident of this cursed abode in Devil’s Den, a forestal area with a history of hauntings and Mina is that person/monster haunting those very woods. But then she discovers Alex, a blind and also-scarred teen who had been Hofer’s captive, and together the two make off for a disturbing adventure, which borders on heartfelt while also sadistic. If anything, this piece certainly toys with emotions and good cinema ought to do just that.

The Sitges Fantasy/Horror Film Fest is divided into many distinct sections, such as the main Official Selections, Noves Visions,which promotes newer filmmakers and diverse subject matter, Melies Feature and Short Film sections, Asian Focus, Animated Fare, The Orbita promoting mixed big budget and indie fare, Fanastic Discovery Features promoting obscure (and often deeper) cinema, the B and Z-grade fare of the Midnight X-Treme selections, as well as, the Critics Jury Selection. All of that to say that there is nary a specific genre within the fantasy film/horror movie genres that is NOT touched on by this film festival. Winner of the Orbita Award for Best Picture went to the US studio outfit entitled American Animals ###-1/2 and what an astounding effort it provides its audience into a peek at the rather modern mindset of the ageing millennial. Telling a 2004 real-life story by British director Bart Layton, he of the haunting 2012 film The Imposter, this 2018 effort documents how four white youths from good, hardworking families failed to fully realise a masterminded effort to steal one of, if not, the world’s most valuable book. The multi-volume Audubon Society’s Birds of America, not to mention Darwin’s first edition copy of On the Origin of Species were just two of the books to be included in a heist that Transylvania University students Spencer Reinhard and Warren Lipka (played to perfection by Barry Keoghan and Evan Peters) foolishly decided to rob from the special collections library department. To say that the subject matter is mid-level at best might be a tad harsh but only just so; that said, the way Layton maps out the mental state of these middle-to-upper middle class boys should give all of us a hint as to where these boys, and millions like them, are coming from. The plan of a heist is bred with the idea that their spoiled lives have hindered their true creative identities, and so to tell the story, the director secured interviews with the actual perpetrators and spliced that with top grade talent re-enacting the actual events. The film cannot be heralded as a thing of wonder, as it truly details the dumbest snafu of a heist ever on American soil. But what it succeeds in showing is that insecurity, lack of identity, and seeds of doubt are rife amongst today’s young adults, and if we are not fomenting stronger individuals as siblings, educators, parents, et al…we will continue to create these spoiled races of highly non-autonomous individuals. Give them some tough love, for goodness sake. Worthy of a view for any parent or educator.

AND NOW FOR SOMETHING COMPLETELY DIFFERENT…Lars Von Trier, he of the Dogme 95 cinema movement and so many odd, jarring and sometimes good celluloid pieces…see Celebration and this film as examples please…he of the “understanding Hitler, I’m a Nazi” joke he pulled a few years back at Cannes, which then had him banned for half a decade, premiered his latest work last week at Sitges. It a doozy of a film that garnered some decent attention and a European and Spanish distributor, for sure. It’s been a hot minute since we’ve seen Matt Dillon on the big screen, and the brief time with Uma Thurman at the film’s beginning is a dark scene of beauty…and then not. Here’s the thing, as always we are dealing with the tortured mindset of a Scandinavian director who seethes out his demons onto celluloid, but that alone does not make it exceptional art, although I truly believe he thinks it is. In turn, I truly believe that von Trier is quite likely a mitigated sociopath. That said, while there is a bit of reverential awe to his masterful ways of movie manipulation, it is his use of dark comedy that sets this film apart from other recent fare he has brought us. Matt Dillon plays the titular character and while amusing at first, he soon grows languidly repetitive and chauvinistic, and while there are scenes of comedic brilliance, such as an OCD-related clean up job that leads to an incident with a policeman or the bang-down job he does trying to dispose of bodies in a freezer, it is impossible for this student and teacher of history to not associate the fact that we are watching a man, a DANISH man no less (do your research as to why I emphasise that, chirren) play out his darker inner recesses for our viewing interest, but it surely makes me aware that we are also likely dealing with his pathos. That’s what really makes The House That Jack Built ###-1/2 really scary.

Lastly this entry, Nancy ###-1/2 brings up the actress Andrea Riseborough again, and I would like to note that often at awards season and ceremonies, actors get rewarded for an individual work, which often plays testament to all the other work they’ve done in their field that year. As Riseborough won Best Actress at this year’s Sitges Fantasy/Horror Film Fest, I believe this piece was much more deserved than the aforementioned Mandy for that award. I also find it compelling that she as an actress chose to make two, back-to-back films about tortured women with their names as the movie titles. Nancy is a quasi-failed career woman tending to her mum who suffers from some neural disorder and who is unintentionally suffocating her daughter with complaints and stress…but when mum dies suddenly, what is Nancy to do but discover that she was likely abducted years earlier and soon begins to associate herself with a long lost child case never resolved that might fit her theory about herself, however strained it is. What ensues is a emotional tour de force involving the parents of the long missing child, played to award-level precision by J. Cameron Smith as Ellen and Steve Buscemi as her hubby Leo. When Nancy sets up an appointment to meet with them, they take a shining to her at once and while awaiting DNA results, take her in to stay with them, including with her cat to which Leo is allergic. As scenes go by, even though this might be more in order in an indie film fest rather than here at Sitges, you also understand that the fantastical elements lie in the mind of the titular woman, as well as, in director Christina Chloe’s softly brutal touch. A film meant for those who understand healing and suspension of (dis)belief, Nancy gives Andrea Riseborough a chance at becoming a celebrated actress to emulate.

[tabletopgamingguild]

This is the Broken Token insert for the 51st State Master Set. I really like this insert. The saw cut look on the card trays and the insert fits perfectly into the box. I also love how they have provided two trays for the common components. This is really nice to place out for players to be able to easily reach the tokens they need. The insert also will fit all the expansions out for the game and all the cards sleeved. I love 51st State and I am really happy to have a nice insert for it. If you play 51st State a lot I recommend getting this insert to help organize the game and make setup faster. We will be doing a in-depth video review of this insert in the near future. #tabletopgamingguild #boardgames #tabletopgames #bgg #boardgame #tabletopgame #modernboardgames #epicboardgames #boardgamepodcast #podcast #tabletopgamespodcast #epicgamenight #boardgamenight #boardgamesarefun #boardgamegeek #boardgameaddict #boardgamer #boardgamesofinstagram #boardgamephotos #boardgameswithfamily #boardgamesarefun #boardgamephotography #iloveboardgames #boardgameaddicts #boardgamesrock #playmoregames https://www.instagram.com/p/CZKn4GkJBZE/?utm_medium=tumblr

[whovian223]

New to Me - April 2019

New to Me #boardgames - April 2019 - What new games did you play in April? @gmtgames @tastyminstrel @OspreyGames @CranioCreations @trzewik

You know what?

I rock.

Yes, I do. Not only did I manage to get five new to me games played in April when I only was able to play eight in total, but two of those five games are more than ten years old, and one is almost ten years old! (Who cares that all three of them were reprints and I played the most recent editions. Ssshhhhh!!!!!!)

Yes, that just reinforces that being in the Cult of the New…

[friendship-korea-japan]

3.1. Foundation of the Later Three Kingdoms

Question 3: Foundation and fall of Goryeo › 1. Foundation of the Later Three Kingdoms

Click here for table of contents

Question3: Foundation and fall of Goryeo

  Goryeo is the state from which the name KOREA originated. It was established in 918 and continued for 475 years until its fall in 1392. During the Goryeo era, Korea became open to the world. Moreover, during the 475 years of the Goryeo era, the specificity and unity of the Korean race was fostered, giving shape to today’s Korean language and many aspects of the Korean culture, customs and values. In this sense, it is particularly important to learn about the foundation and fall of Goryeo in order to understand today’s Korea.

3.1. Foundation of the Later Three Kingdoms

  Goryeo was founded during the Later Three Kingdoms period, and the process of its foundation is described in the Annals of Silla, Samguk Sagi.

[In 887, the 51st monarch of Silla, Queen Jinseong, acceded to the throne. […] For a long time, she had carried on an affair with the high commander (Gakgan) Wihong. After her enthronement, he frequently visited the royal palace to do small chores. After that, the queen began to invite boys and 2-3 handsome guys to the palace, engaging in extreme lewdness. She gave important posts and entrusted the internal political affairs to them. […]

　In 889, as the transportation of tribute and taxation stopped in various provinces and counties of the state, the treasury of the royal capital ran out, and Silla suffered financial difficulty. Accordingly, the queen dispatched her messengers to various regions to urge tax collection, and this caused bands of thieves in many places to simultaneously rise in revolt. […]

　In 892, Gyeon Hwon, a bandit of Wansan (Jeonju, North Jeolla Province), declared himself king of Later Baekje, with its base in Wansanju. The counties and prefectures located to the east and south of Muju (Gwangju City, South Jeolla Province) surrendered to him. […]

　In July 898, Gung Ye occupied more than thirty fortresses in Ruseo and Hansan provinces, and finally established the royal capital in Song'ak County (Gaeseong City, Gyeonggi Province). […]

In October 900, the heads of bandit groups in such places as Gukwon, Cheongju and Goeyang, including Cheonggil and Sinhwong, surrendered to Gung Ye with all the soldiers of their fortresses.

　In 901, Gung Ye proclaimed himself the king. In 904, he named the state Majin and the new era Mutae. More than 10 provinces of the Ruseo surrendered to him. In July, Gung Ye moved the royal capital to Cheorwon.

　In 911, the king of Silla favored a woman of low status without reflecting on the political situation. His minister admonished him, but the king did not listen, so the minister captured and killed her. […]  

Gung Ye changed the state name to Taebong and the era name to Sudeok Manse. In June 918, Gung Ye’s subordinates suddenly changed minds and put Taejo of Goryeo (Wang Geon) on the throne. Although Gung Ye ran away, he was killed by his men. Taejo acceded to the throne and changed the name of the era. […]

　In September 927, Gyeon Hwon of Hubaekje invaded our state (Silla) and set up a front line in Goulbu. As the king (55th king of Silla, Gyeongae) asked Taejo (Wang Geon of Goryeo) for support, he ordered his commanders and mobilized 10,000 soldiers. Seeing that the rescue army was slow in coming, Gyeon Hwon suddenly invaded the royal capital in November. The king, who was indulging in a banquet with his empress, court ladies and members of his royal family at Poseokjeong (Pavilion of Stone Abalone), did not notice that the rebels were approaching. When he noticed that the rebel army was coming near, he did not know what to do faced with such a sudden situation. The king fled into the inner palace with his empress, while the members of the royal family, as well as the court nobles, grand masters, soldiers and women escaped in all directions. All those who were captured by the rebel army, regardless of rank, were horrified, threw themselves to the ground and begged to become slaves but they could not escape from being killed. […] Although the king was in the inner place with his empress and several concubines, they were captured by Gyeon Hwon’s army. Then, he forced the king to kill himself and raped the empress. He allowed his subordinates to have intercourse with the king’s empress and concubines. After that, he temporarily entrusted one member of the royal family to engage in political affairs. That was King Gyeongsun of Silla.]

  This was how the Later Three Kingdoms were established and what happened to them after that. From these descriptions in Samguk Sagi, we can clearly see how Silla declined. For the 80 years from 685 (year of the unification of the Korean Peninsula) until 765, Silla enjoyed stability and prosperity. However, when King Hyegong, who was eight years old at that time, ascended the throne in 765, the turbulence of Silla started. For the period of 121 years from 768 to 889, there were a total of 19 revolts.

  In addition, the successive kings and the queen, who were addicted to pleasure, did not reflect on political affairs. King Gyeongae, who was enjoying a banquet with his empress, court ladies and members of his royal family, did not even notice that the enemy was invading the royal capital.

   Those who were dispatched and entrusted to administer provincial areas proclaimed themselves commanders without official approbation and ruled the areas by themselves depending on the urgency of the situation surrounding them. In other words, they acted as if they ruled their own small independent country. This situation promoted the transition to the Later Three Kingdoms period.

[boardgaminggeek]

My nice cluttered city at the end of 51st State. First time with the New York Faction, in one of my favourite games.

[saturn-rowlf-wrong]

LAFAYETTE VS ANGELICA

WASHINGTON: Ladies and gentleman.

MADISON: Rivals and brethren.

JEFFERSON: Archenemies and best friends.

WASHINGTON: May we please have your attention?

MADISON: The purpose of criticism should never to eradicate a concept but right it into a nobler state. Thus the attitude of America which drives for change, will always be abundant with hate. The presence of the rude, radical and the radiant is the ever-present reply to the perversions of society. We, the vile voters, refuse to be ill-represented. We may be the victims, but we won’t suffer quietly.

JEFFERSON: As citizens, we are free to pursue any constitution-approved object we choose. And we take the most pride in exercising the right to approach as equals and begin a fight. So I am delighted to announce the next bout of banter, vis-à-vis, two mouths with might. So enjoy the scene as the sand bleeds with each bite, alright?

WASHGTON: I can see you are engaged, you are are listening. Because you wouldn’t want to miss this epic rap battle of history. Angelica Schuyler Church vs. the Marquis de Lafayette.

We’ll establish the champion of rapping, the master, the king. On your feet. Ready? Set? Begin?

LAFAYETTE

I’m irascible. I’m a radical, attacking you, sitting rich to the max, full of stacks in France. With unsurpassable rapping skills, I’m a quick-witted aristocrat of slam, in fact. How did that happen? You’re out of fashion, abandoned from the past. I guess only winners last. And the only love you’ll receive from me, mon Cherie, would be at a tennis match.

You ran away from your father, he said you weren’t blessed to wed. You flirted with Thomas Jefferson, but met only his condescence. No success. The eldest daughter, but you will always be jealous of Elizabeth. Because she got an account with the Hamiltons and was the head of the first orphanage.

I’m America’s honorary alien, your flag’s 51st star. A colonel-general favorite to Washington and the National Guard. I was loved until I was imprisoned for the Massacre at the Champs de Mars. That was my reward for protecting the world’s citizens… no wonder I have such heavy bars. ANGELICA

You think you can rap fast, yeah, you rap fast, it’s true. But anyone can practice and match wits with you. And you can be the king of the triple-time speed, Because it means you can find a single bad thing about me.

History dominates in a pen that spared my narrative. My life is under the reign of men, it’s a wonder you heard of it. Listen, Jefferson didn’t see women fit for politics, Lafayette. We need country of justice and I’m the colonist drafting it.

You’re just like the Bastille you stormed, strong but mostly empty. We did the best we can? Is this how free men think? It’ll take more than gallantry for me to see you as a real For the people, by the people, of the people hero.

LAFAYETTE Excuse me, I was young leader to the colonies, encouraged by the brother of King George. I fought for freedom and I fought for free, since I was nineteen years old at Valley Forge. I create country and constitution and kept them in course. I stopped revolution from becoming disaster and discord. So judge this soldier by his struggles, his colors, and the character of his sword.

I’m invincible. A golden-laced blue-collar wordsmith bursting with verses. Handsome faced, full of honor and purpose, an ardent patriot servant. I’m a lyrical billower, the critical bitterburr. A liberal, a criminal, an American general.

Let’s talk about Mr. Church, a supplier priorly accused of gambling funds. Accused a man for being bribed, so –Burr, you’ve heard of Burr— Aaron Burr dueled John. John survives, but John owns the guns that were used in the same spot. The same guns, Were the guns that delivered twice death at Weehawken to Alexander and his son.

ANGELICA

You exaggerate and don’t act as if when you were imprisoned. My husband got you out because I wrote, I petitioned. And sir, you married Adrienne when you were just 16. Got her pregnant and made an exit with a ship to sea.

You were Washington’s friend? That’s nice, but stay at your station. Cos I was personally to 12th president’s inauguration. I was the royal purple in social circles, friends with artists like Maria Cosway and John Trumbull. You think you can call this your victory? Sorry, wrong number.

[gystink]

Call for Entry: National Western Center South Platte River Bridges Project (Denver)

Contact Email: brendan.picker@denvergov.org Call Type: Public Art Eligibility: International State: Colorado Event Dates: 10/1/19 - 11/4/19 Entry Deadline: 11/4/19 Days remaining to deadline: 10

REQUIREMENTS: Media Images - Minimum: 6, Maximum: 8 Video - Minimum: 0, Maximum: 2 Total Media - Minimum: 6, Maximum: 8

View Site Details

REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS National Western Center South Platte River Bridges Public Art Project Budget: $1.5 million USD (for two bridges) Eligibility: Open to local, national, and international artists DEADLINE: Monday, November 4, 2019; 11:59 P.M.MST Introduction The City of Denver’s Public Art Program seeks to commission an artist or artist team to create original works of art for the two South Platte River Bridges connecting the new National Western Center campus and Elyria Swansea neighborhoods with the Globeville neighborhood. The public art budget is $1.5 million USD for both bridges. The art selection panel may commission one or more artists for this project.

National Western Center (NWC) The National Western Center is a reimagined campus nearly doubling the grounds which have housed the National Western Stock Show for more than 110 years. The new campus will be a vibrant, dynamic, and accessible educational and entertainment environment in the heart of Denver that celebrates Colorado’s western heritage and solves global issues through research and collaboration. https://nationalwesterncenter.com/about/what-is-the-nwc/

National Western Center River Bridges Two new bridges will cross the South Platte River into the western boundary of the NWC at Bettie Cram Drive and 51st Avenue and enhance the gateway approaches to the site from the west, and gateways into the neighborhood from the site. These bridges offer unique opportunities to create immersive experiences. Two-dimensional, three-dimensional, lighting designs, and architecturally integrated works are some of the options for art integration. These bridges will also serve to connect western neighborhoods to the open spaces along the South Platte River. The bridge over Bettie Cram Drive will give visitors direct access to the site and connect to what is envisioned to be the NWC “Main Street” following through the site and connecting across to the eastern neighborhoods. The bridge at 51st Avenue is the NWC gateway that most visitors will use to access the site and will intersect with National Western Drive. It will connect directly into a major underground public and event parking for the site and its programming activities.

Globeville and Elyria Swansea (GES) Neighborhoods Denver’s Globeville and Elyria Swansea neighborhoods are located on either side of the future National Western Center, near the South Platte River. In addition to the river, major physical landmarks in the neighborhood include the Denver Coliseum, I-70, the Nestle Purina pet food facility, and Swansea Elementary School. In the mid-19th century, the area was highly valued by industry and commerce because of the flat terrain and proximity to the South Platte River and rail. It was the epicenter of agribusiness in the region for most of the 20th century, and after 113 years is still home to the annual National Western Stock Show every January. With industry in the area, especially smelting and meat-packing, came settlement and housing. Industry, railroads, and housing grew together over the years. Although the smelters are now gone, and the meat-packing industry is much-diminished, a strong industrial presence remains today, as does an established residential community with a significant supply of workforce housing. Strong community cohesion and civic pride bolster the neighborhoods even when challenged with quality of life issues. Many significant changes are on the neighborhoods’ immediate horizon, including new commuter rail transit stations, changes to I-70, and the new vision for the National Western Center.

Project Themes and Goals The art selection panel members have set forth specific goals and parameters for this public art project with the hope of creating unique and inspiring works of art for the diverse communities that border the site and the many visitors that will enjoy the National Western Center. Works that demonstrate an authentic connection between human activity and the land, and tell the story of the place - historically, agriculturally, socially and ecologically - are encouraged, as are projects that include direct community involvement. During the master planning phase of the NWC redevelopment, extensive efforts were made to document the history of the place; all this research will be made available to the selected artists or artist teams. Works that reflect these guiding principles, aspirations and mission of the NWC—solving global challenges through innovation--as outlined in the NWC Master Plan and other documents that articulate the vision and mission of the revitalized, year-round, center for arts, entertainment, education, research and events are encouraged. The art selection panel is searching for artists who can research and reflect a deep understanding of the site and the vision for its future in order to create works of art that are relevant to the community and are timeless and forward-looking.

Some important themes for the project:

·         Community/ Ethnic History of the GES Neighborhoods/Social impact/Culture/Reflects Past, Present, and Future

·         Connection/Gateways/Access/Porous Borders/Arrival Experience/Inviting/ Crossroads of Rural and Urban

·         The Natural World/The River/The Land/The Sky

·         A Local, Regional, National and Global Campus

The selection panel is open to artwork in materials that are suitable for permanent outdoor display.  The selected artist or artist team will have access to selected historic artifacts and salvage materials from the site that can be repurposed for art. Artists are asked to be mindful and respectful of the bridges’ functionality, users of all ages and abilities, the National Western Center’s initiatives and goals, and the neighborhood and surrounding communities. For more information please visit: https://nationalwesterncenter.com/background-documents/year/public-art/

Maintenance & Durability All applicants are expected to consider the issues of long-term conservation and maintenance of public art, along with time and budget. These projects are located in the public realm and will therefore be exposed to weather and physical stresses, as well as be subject to vandalism. Artworks should be fabricated of highly durable, low-maintenance materials. Finalists are encouraged to consult with a professional conservator prior to the submission of a final proposal. Artist proposals will be reviewed by the City of Denver’s Public Art Committee to ensure conformity with city standards of maintenance and durability, as well as ADA (Americans with Disabilities act) standards. All finalists are expected to stay on budget and to complete work in an approved time frame.

Eligibility This project is open internationally to artists regardless of race, color, creed, gender, gender variance, sexual orientation, national origin, age, religion, marital status, political opinion or affiliation, or mental or physical disability. The art selection panel is particularly interested in artists who can demonstrate a deep understanding of the area’s history, landscape, and surrounding neighborhoods. Artists will be expected to engage with the surrounding communities in the GES neighborhoods to help inform the art design process.

Diversity and Inclusiveness Denver Executive Order No. 101 establishes strategies between the City and private industry to use diversity and inclusiveness to promote economic development in the City and County of Denver and to encourage more businesses to compete for City contracts and procurements. The Executive Order requires, among other things, the collection of certain information regarding the practices of the City’s contractors and consultants toward diversity and inclusiveness and encourages/requires City agencies to include diversity and inclusiveness policies in selection criteria where legally permitted in solicitations for City services or goods. Diversity and Inclusiveness means inviting values, perspectives and contributions of people from diverse backgrounds, and integrates diversity into its hiring and retention policies, training opportunities, and business development methods to provide an equal opportunity for each person to participate, contribute, and succeed within the organization’s workplace. “Diversity” encompasses a wide variety of human differences, including differences such as race, age, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, ethnicity, physical disabilities, appearance, historically underutilized and disadvantaged persons, as well as social identities such as religion, marital status, socio-economic status, lifestyle, education, parental status, geographic background, language ability, and veteran status.

Budget The budget for this commission is $1.5 million USD. These funds come from the City of Denver’s 1% for Public Art Ordinance [DRMC 20-85] resulting from the construction of the National Western Center Complex. The contract amount is inclusive of all costs associated with the project including, but not limited to: the artist’s design fee, other consultation fees such as structural engineering consultation, insurance (including Colorado Workers Compensation), tools, materials, fabrication, transportation, permits, installation, any building or site modification required, travel to and from the site, per diem expenses, project documentation, contingency to cover unexpected expenses, and any other costs. For all work performed on city property, prevailing wage requirements will be applied. The art selection panel reserves the right to commission one or more artists for this project. Timeline (Except for online application deadline, timeline is subject to adjustments)

Monday November 4, 2019; 11:59 P.M. MST              Deadline for entry (via CaFÉ™ system)

December, 2019                                                               Finalist Selection

February, 2020                                                                  Artist Selection and Notification

Project Selection Panel  The National Western Center Bridges Selection Panel is comprised of 12 voting members and additional non-voting advisors. The selection panel is responsible for reviewing the site, establishing criteria, providing guidance on this request for qualifications, reviewing applications, selecting and interviewing finalists, and identifying an artist or artist team for the commission(s). 

Selection Process  Between three to five artists or artist teams will be selected as finalists. Those selected will receive more specific information regarding the site and have the opportunity to meet with site representatives, the design team and public art staff. Finalists will receive an honorarium to prepare and present a proposal in person. The selection panel will review the proposals, interview the finalists and recommend an artist for the commission. The panel reserves the right to split the budget if more than one artist is selected to implement separate projects. The final recommendation of the selection panel will be presented to the Public Art Committee, the Denver Commission on Cultural Affairs, and the Mayor of Denver for final approval. All decisions of the City and County of Denver are final.

Materials to be Submitted  Please read this section carefully. Incomplete applications will NOT be considered. The applicant’s name must appear on all materials submitted.

All materials must be submitted online, via the CaFÉ™ website (www.callforentry.org). There is no application fee to apply or to use the CaFÉ™ online application system.

Digital Images—In order to be considered for this project, the applicant must electronically submit six digital images of previously completed artworks through the CaFÉ™ system. Artists who wish to submit kinetic, sound or media works must submit a complete CaFÉ™ application and will have the opportunity to upload up to two video files.

Instructions on how to format images to CaFÉ™ specifications can be found at https://www.callforentry.org/uploading-images-audio-and-video-files/. Assistance in using the CaFÉ™ system is available here: https://www.callforentry.org/artist-help-cafe/. If an artist does not have access to a computer, they may call 720-865-5563 to make arrangements to use a computer at Denver Arts & Venues offices.

Statement of Interest—Please submit a statement outlining your interest in the National Western Center Bridges Public Art Project and why it is of special interest to you (5,000 character maximum) via CaFÉ™. 

Please be sure to address these specific issues:

·         Describe your interest in the National Western Center and/or the surrounding neighborhoods.

·         Describe your experience in working with similar complex projects with various stakeholders. If you lack this experience, please describe how you would approach the variety of stakeholders on this project – the NWC site users and GES neighborhoods, specifically.

·         How does your past work inform how you would approach a project such as this? Please address your preferred materials and artistic process.

Résumé—Submit a current résumé (no more than two pages) via CaFÉ™ that highlights your professional accomplishments as an artist. Please name your résumé file accordingly: Last name.First initial (i.e. Smith.J.PDF).  Résumés that are more than two pages will not be downloaded. If applying as a team, please submit one résumé with one page per team member.

Survey—All Applicants will also be required to fill out a short demographic survey that will be sent via Survey Monkey to the email on file from the CaFÉ™ application.

Please direct all questions about the project to Brendan Picker at Brendan.Picker@denvergov.org or 720-865-5563. Apply here

[gamethyme]

Gamethyme's Game of the Year

It's weird to me - even though I'm not an attendee anymore, my personal calendar still revolves around GenCon. Which brings me back to today. Today is the Wednesday before GenCon, which means that today is the day I pick my personal Game of the Year.  For those of you who haven't followed me over the years, this is for the best new-to-me game that I have played since the previous GenCon. And it's always a challenge.  This year, I've been focusing on re-playing old favorites more than pushing into new games. That said, there were still a handful of eligible games.  But this was a tough decision. Here are the three runners-up, with a tiny bit of discussion about them: Fist of Dragonstones: Tavern Edition - I sometimes thought I was the only fan of the original Fist of Dragonstones. It was disappointing, as it was a really fun auction game that saw a lot of play in the early days of Game Night. So I was both floored and ecstatic when Stronghold Games announced that this was coming. I pre-ordered from the FLGS as soon as it had a listing, and then ... I waited.  It was worth the wait. It's not the deepest game, and there are still a few rules details that could do with some clarity, but this is a faster-playing better-balanced version of the game than the original. Magic Maze - Cooperative games have lately become My Jam.  Okay, not just lately. But I especially love it when a cooperative game directly impacts how I communicate with other players. Magic Maze doesn't allow players to speak. Each player has one command they can use to move pawns on the board, and everyone has to work together to move the pawns to specific locations. The game is scenario-based, but the replay value of each scenario is crazy-high because of the random deck. And playing with three players is a vastly different experience than playing with four or five or up to eight. Again: not the deepest game out there, but definitely worth checking out. I really loved it, and I thought the expansion was also money well-spent. 51st State, Master Set - This is the second game on the list that is a new edition of an older game that I really enjoyed. The original was very much a multiplayer solitaire game (at least until the expansions started to roll out). The art was decent, but the gameplay was a lot of fun for me. Once I puzzled out the (awkwardly-translated) rules. I became aware of the new Master Set version when I read the back of a box of Imperial Settlers, which uses the same basic gameplay engine. The Master Set has better (clearer) rules than the original version, and it includes direct player interaction right out of the gate. And it includes two small expansions (and there are a couple of other expansions available, too, if you play them to death). These have all been fun to play this year, but the real winner for me? Root - I've joined the band, here. Above, I mentioned that cooperative games are my jam? So are asymmetric games. And asymmetric games are hard to do entertainingly. Root both feels balanced and is fun. The base game has four factions - the cats, who are in power; the birds, who want to return to power; the woodland creatures, who are tired of the cats and the birds oppressing them; and the vagabond who just wants to bum around living his life.  All four factions have different ways of scoring points and they do different things on their turns.  The cats are trying to build an economic engine that supports their armies and lets them crush the opposition. The birds have a rigid hierarchy which tightly restricts what they can do on their turn (and telegraphs some of their planning for their opponents).  The woodland creatures go around drumming up sympathy. When the other factions step on them, they get more powerful. Eventually, the woodland creatures are allowed to act.  The vagabond - seriously - just wanders around doing their own thing. The expansion adds a different economic faction (albeit one without its own army) and more Vagabond options (including a second Vagabond in play). In a full game, players can craft and trade and march and recruit and battle one another. But - again - each faction has its own spin on each of those options. The art is evocative and cute, but not irritating. The components are good quality (wooden units, decent cardstock for the tokens, etc). And the way players interact in the game means that - while there is downtime in larger games, you'll want to pay attention because what they do will impact your turn. It's light enough that you can play it in an evening, but - again - there's enough going on to entertain many hardcore gamers (but, of course, not all of them). And that is why Root is my game of the year this year. from Blogger https://ift.tt/2YAgrta via IFTTT