ya

NBA Star CJ McCollum Now Owns A 300-Acre Vineyard In Oregon

He first launched his wine label in 2020.




ya

Ryan Russell Says He’s ‘Unstoppable’ Since Making History As Coming Out As The First Openly Bisexual NFL Player

The third-year player got candid about his current life.




ya

Royal Bermuda Regiment Hold Battalion Night

Members of the Royal Bermuda Regiment had the opportunity to socialise and collectively recognise the unit’s achievements at a Battalion Night on Thursday. Soldiers who were promoted during the event at Warwick Camp “highlighted how the RBR helps people to develop personally and professionally as they learn new skills.” Lieutenant Colonel Ben Beasley, the Regiment’s […]




ya

Royal Bermuda Regiment Chainsaw Course

The Royal Bermuda Regiment is hosting an ongoing Chainsaw Courses, in collaboration with Kingswood Training and Lantra. A spokesperson said, “Led by a team of experienced UK instructors comprising of Mr. Graham Dawdry, Mr. Matt Moss, and Mr. Steve Cackett, this comprehensive course aims to equip soldiers with essential skills in chainsaw maintenance and operation. […]




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Royal Bermuda Regiment Open Day On Nov 16

The Royal Bermuda Regiment invites residents to its Open Day on November 16th. A Government spokesperson said, “Residents are invited to learn more about the Royal Bermuda Regiment and try on soldiering when the unit holds an open day on November 16. “The event is designed to help guests gain a deeper understanding of the […]




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Trott & Duncan Appoint Rakaya Simmons-Landy

Trott & Duncan Limited appointed Rakaya Simmons-Landy as its new qualified litigation associate. A spokesperson said, “Trott & Duncan Limited [T&D], a Bermuda-based law firm known for its unparalleled dedication to legal excellence and client service, is thrilled to announce the official appointment of Rakaya Simmons-Landy as the firm’s newest qualified litigation associate. Ms. Simmons-Landy, […]




ya

Brian Desmond Wins 50 Yard Backstroke

The Fordham University men’s swimming and diving team opened its 2024-25 season with a dominant victory over Manhattan College at the Col. Francis B. Messmore Aquatic Center. The Rams won nearly every event, securing a 156.5-83.5 win. Brian Desmond contributed to the team’s success, winning the men’s 50-yard backstroke with a time of 24.09. He […]




ya

Backyard Birds Commemorative Stamp Issue

The Philatelic Bureau of the Bermuda Post Office will be releasing a new commemorative stamp issue, “Backyard Birds” on Thursday, September 21, 2023. A Government spokesperson said, “Today, nine songbird species live in backyards across the Bermuda archipelago. Of these, seven were introduced by humans, while two species are indigenous to Bermuda, their North American […]




ya

Police Renew Appeal: Murder Of Kyari Flood

The police have renewed their appeal for anyone with any information about the murder of Kyari Flood – who was fatally shot in February 2023 — to please contact them. A police spokesperson said, “Around 1:00pm, Monday, February 13, 2023, police received a call from a member of the public who found the lifeless body […]




ya

Photos/Video: Sailing Yacht ‘Adix’ Visits Bermuda

[Updated with video] The 213 foot sailing yacht Adix – a triple masted schooner that accommodates 10 passengers and 14 crew – recently paid a visit to Bermuda. A yacht with the same name and that looks like this one, hence appears to be the same one, is notable for once being used to reportedly […]




ya

Photos/Video: Superyacht ‘Nautilus’ Visits Island

The 239.50-foot long superyacht Nautilus recently paid a visit to Bermuda, with the luxury yacht seen in the east end. The Yachtcharterfleet website said, “The 239.50ft/73m Custom expedition yacht Nautilus was delivered from the Picchiotti shipyard in 2014 and bears an exterior styled by Philippe Briand whilst her refreshing interior has been designed by Remi Tessier. […]




ya

Photos & Video: Two Superyachts Visit Bermuda

Two superyachts recently paid a visit to Bermuda, including the 206.8-foot long 11/11 and the 305.1-foot long Lady S. The YachtCharterFleet website said, “The 63m/206’8″ ’11/11′ motor yacht built by the Italian shipyard Benetti is available for charter for up to 12 guests in 6 cabins. This multi-award winning yacht features interior styling by the […]




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Photos/Video: Kiss & St David Superyachts Visit

Two more superyachts recently paid a visit to Bermuda, with the Kiss, and the rather aptly named St David both seen in the east end. The YachtCharterFleet website said, “The 60m/196’10″ ‘St David’ [ex. Xanadu] motor yacht built by the Italian shipyard Benetti is available for charter for up to 12 guests in 6 cabins. This yacht features interior […]




ya

Aerial Photos & Video: Clipper Yachts In Bermuda

The Clipper Round the World Yacht Race fleet — which consists of eleven 70-foot ocean racing yachts — arrived on the island earlier this week, marking the first time the race has stopped in Bermuda. The Clipper race spans some 40,000 nautical miles as the vessels circumnavigate the globe, with Bermuda one of the eight stops the […]




ya

Photos & Video: Two Superyachts Visit Bermuda

The island continues to welcome marine visitors, as two superyachts recently paid a visit to Bermuda, with the 168.8-foot long Lazy Z and the 125-foot long Odalisque seen in the east end recently. The Yacht Charter Fleet website said, “The 51.4m/168’8″ motor yacht ‘Lazy Z’ by the Dutch shipyard Oceanco offers flexible accommodation for up to […]




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Photos: Superyacht ‘Neninka’ Visits Bermuda

The 220.2-foot long superyacht Neninka recently paid a visit to Bermuda. The Yacht Charter Fleet website said, “The 67.1m/220’2″ motor yacht ‘Neninka’ [ex. Aurora Borealis] was built by Amels in the Netherlands at their Vlissingen shipyard. Her interior is styled by British designer design house Winch Design and she was delivered to her owner in […]




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Photos/Video: Superyacht ‘Freedom’ In Hamilton

The 230-foot long superyacht Freedom recently paid a visit to Bermuda, docking in Hamilton Harbour. The YachtCharterFleet website said, “The 70.1m/230′ ‘Freedom’ [ex. Reverie] motor yacht built by the Italian shipyard Benetti is available for charter for up to 12 guests in 8 cabins. This yacht features interior styling by John Munford. “Built in 2000, […]




ya

Bermuda YAO Baseball Season Underway

The Bermuda YAO Baseball season got underway, with the Phillies, Mets, Blue Jays, and Diamondbacks all earning wins. Cal Ripken Division [ages 10-12]: Phillies 22 Red Sox 9 Shane Reardon and Charlie Szakmary powered the Phillies, who triumphed over the Red Sox in an exciting opening day at Kindley Field. Solid pitching by Charlie Tudor-Thomas […]




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YAO Baseball Season Gets Underway

The YAO baseball season finally got underway, with three games completed in two divisions. Rookie Majors Division: A spokesperson said, “Behind the strong pitching of Henry Brown and fine plays in the field by William Hayne, the Mariners won the first game of the year 4-1 over the Angels. Roman Jagoda had 3 hits for […]




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Crew Evacuated After Yacht Strikes Whale

[Updated] A yacht sailing from Bermuda was abandoned yesterday [May 18], and the crew were evacuated after striking a whale and sustaining damage to the hull. Skipper Joost Gehrels, doubted that the boat — called Outer Limits — could safety return to Bermuda and issued a MayDay to request immediate assistance. Bermuda Radio contacted vessels […]




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Photos & Video: Bermuda vs Guyana Hockey

[Updated] The Bermuda national women’s hockey team is facing off against Guyana this afternoon [Sept 28] for the bronze medal as part of the Pan American Challenge at the National Sports Centre. Update: Guyana won by a score of 2-1 Update | Photos added below Related Stories Video: Cal Field Hockey Team Defeat Bermuda Field […]




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Alizadeh To Race At Henley Royal Regatta

Rower Dara Alizadeh will continue his preparations for the Olympic Games in Paris when he competes at the Henley Royal Regatta. Alizadeh, who races in the men’s single sculls, is scheduled for his first race on Thursday [July 4] at the annual event, which finishes on Sunday. The 30-year-old will become the first Bermudian rower […]




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Dara Alizadeh Begins Henley Royal Regatta

Dara Alizadeh – who will be representing Bermuda in the upcoming Olympics — began competing in the Henley Royal Regatta, hosted by the Rowing Club in Henley-on-Thames, England. Alizadeh took to the water. Competing in the diamond challenge sculls Alizadeh was defeated by Daniel Gutierrez, Team España, Spain by 5 lengths. Related Stories Alizadeh To Race At […]




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Photos & Video: Dockyard Fall Festival

The Royal Naval Dockyard’s ‘Fall Festival’ event was held yesterday [Oct 19] on the North Lawn, with families attending the event and enjoying activities including fun castles, face painting, entertainment, and more. Related Stories Photos & Video: Sandys Club Paddle For PALS Photos: Tree Tops II Preschool Halloween Parade Photos/Video: Tree Tops II Halloween Parade […]




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Column: Bermuda’s Royal Naval Tanks, Part 2

[Column written by Dr Edward Harris] In the first part of this article on the Royal Naval Tanks at St. George’s Island, Bermuda, the earliest [1803] published image of the watering facility for British warships was presented. That picture and several others are discussed here in part two. Discussion of the Porgay Picture of 1803 […]




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NMB Working On New Book On Dockyard History

The National Museum of Bermuda [NMB] Press is currently working on a new publication, Bermuda Sentinel: The Royal Naval Base 1795–1950, by naval dockyard historian Jonathan Coad. A spokesperson said, “The book traces the development of the Bermuda Dockyard from its initial establishment as a group of wooden buildings into its fully-realised role as a […]




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Ryan Outerbridge Wins 5K Invitational Race

Ryan Outerbridge led the Franklin Pierce Men’s Cross Country team to victory in the Ron Ouellette Invitational. The school’s report said, “The Raven’s Men’s and Women’s Cross Country teams traveled to Maine for the Ron Ouellette Invitational, Saturday. Ryan Outerbridge [Paget, Bermuda] led the men’s team to a team win with a 5k time of […]




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Ryan Outerbridge Wins 8k In Massachusetts

Ryan Outerbridge continues his impressive form, this time racing to victory in the 8k race at the Pop Crowell Invitational in Massachusetts. Outerbridge — who recently won the 5k race at the Ron Ouellette Invitational and was named the Male Athlete of the Week by the Northeast-10 Conference — conquered the 8k course in a […]




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Bermuda To Compete In Backyard Championship

Team Bermuda will compete in the 2024 edition of the Backyard World Team Championship, set to take place on Saturday, October 19. A spokesperson said, “After the successful staging of Backyard Ultra running events in 2022 and 2023, sponsored by Monument Re, Team Bermuda is set to take part in the Backyard World Team Championship […]




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Ryan Outerbridge Finishes 6th In Championships

Ryan Outerbridge and the Franklin Pierce University Men’s Cross Country team competed in the 2024 Northeast-10 Conference Championships, hosted by Franklin Pierce at the Hopkinton State Fair Grounds in New Hampshire. In the men’s 8k race, Franklin Pierce secured a commendable fourth-place finish out of 11 competing teams, accumulating 117 points overall. Outerbridge led Franklin […]




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Ryan Rebello Reflects On Karting Success

[Written by Stephen Wright] Ryan Rebello has reflected on his “most challenging season” after claiming the overall combined shifter class title in the Bermuda Karting Association [BKA] campaign. Rebello won the Stock Honda and KZ shifter class, finishing with 1,085 points for his fourth overall title in ten years on the local circuit. The 36-year-old, […]




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Photos & Video: Royal Canadian Air Force Visits

A Royal Canadian Air Force aircraft paid a visit to Bermuda yesterday [June 10], stopping by the LF Wade International Airport in the afternoon. The Government of Canada website says, “The CC-177 Globemaster III strategic airlifter transports troops, cargo and oversized combat equipment. Rapid, reliable and flexible, it is equipped with advanced digital avionics. “The […]




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Photos/Video: Royal Air Force Land In Bermuda

A Royal Air Force [RAF] military aircraft was recently spotted at LF Wade International Airport, making a landing in Bermuda under cloudy skies yesterday [Jan 11], with the aircraft still seen on the island as of earlier today. For our past coverage of military aircraft on the island, click here. Related Stories Photos & Video: US […]




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Photos/Video: Royal Air Force Aircraft Visit

The Royal Air Force [RAF] recently stopped in Bermuda, with the aircraft staying overnight before departing. It is not unusual for military aircraft to make brief stops on the island, and for our past coverage of military aircraft on the island, click here. Related Stories Photos/Video: RAF Typhoons Land In Bermuda Photos & Video: RAF Aircraft […]




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Photos & Video: Royal Air Force Plane At Airport

A Royal Air Force Airbus recently stopped by the LF Wade Airport. To view all other coverage related to military aircraft, click here. Related Stories Photos & Video: Military Aircraft Visit Bermuda Photos & Video: Various Aircraft Visit Bermuda Photos & Video: Military Aircraft Visit Bermuda Photos & Video: Military Aircraft Visit Bermuda Photos & […]




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Photos & Video: Royal Air Force Visits

A Royal Air Force C-17A military aircraft made a brief stopover in Bermuda recently. According to publicly available flight data, the aircraft arrived on the island after departing from Belize. Following its time in Bermuda, the aircraft continued its journey onwards to Canada yesterday. According to the official website, “The C-17 Globemaster III [Globemaster C-17] […]




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Port Royal Join BTA’s Anchor Training Program

Port Royal Golf Course, which recently celebrated its 50th anniversary, made time to allow their staff to receive training organized by the Bermuda Tourism Authority. A spokesperson said, “AnchorBDA is City & Guilds certified and was created by the Bermuda Tourism Authority [BTA] to establish our own industry-recognised designation to empower residents. This designation is […]




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Norwegian Unveils 2026 Bermuda Voyages

Norwegian Cruise Line announced its 2026 itineraries, introducing new cruises from Philadelphia to Bermuda on the Norwegian Jewel, while the Norwegian Breakaway will offer seven-day Bermuda voyages, and Norwegian Aqua will sail to the island from New York City. A spokesperson said, “Norwegian Cruise Line [NCL], the innovator in global cruise travel with a 57-year history of […]




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Vegan Fest In Dockyard Set For August 25

The Bermuda Tourism Authority [BTA] announced that Vegan Fest will take place on August 25th in Dockyard. A spokesperson said, “The Bermuda Tourism Authority announced the second renewal of Vegan Fest set for August 25 in the Royal Naval Dockyard. The sustainably focused event, which debuted in Summer 2023, attracted over 3,600 attendees to the […]




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Photos & Video: Vegan Fest Event In Dockyard

[Updated] The Bermuda Tourism Authority [BTA] is hosting the second annual Vegan Fest today [August 25] at the Royal Naval Dockyard.  We will have additional information later on, and in the meantime the live video is below. Update | Video The 6-minute live video replay is below: Related Stories Vegan Fest In Dockyard Set For […]




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Photos: Pride & Breakaway Ships In Dockyard

The Carnival Pride and Norwegian Breakaway cruise ships recently visited the island, and a look at both of the vessels in Dockyard is below. To see more of our cruise ship coverage, click here. Related Stories Photos & Video: MS Insignia In St. George’s Photos & Video: MS Silver Shadow Visits Photos & Video: Cruise […]




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Photos: MV Sixth Sense Superyacht Visits

The Sixth Sense super-yacht — a 242-foot long motor yacht launched by Amels in 2019 that can accommodate 12 guests and 19 crew members — recently visited the island, stopping in the east end. Related Stories Video: Superyachts Invited To Bermuda Bermuda Called A Superyacht “Playground” $100 Million Superyacht “Rock.It” Visits Island 295-Ft Superyacht “Nero” […]




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Новая игра от создателя Yakuza не отнимет слишком много времени и предложит драматичный сюжет для взрослой аудитории

Автор пока не представил официально свою новую игру, но поделился первыми подробностями




ya

The Mayan Calendar -- Process of Transition

 

 As we've seen, the Mayan Calendar is a chart of the evolution of consciousness in the universe.


Each Cycle or Age has its own dominant paradigm or point of view. As you move up through the 9 Cycles, new perspectives and new ways of being arise.


This new perspective starts to show up in the world, but it isn't an immediate switch from the old way of doing things to the new way.


It takes time, and a process of transition, for a new understanding to gain prominence.


The quantum physics revolution is a perfect example. We've known since the 1950's that matter isn't solid, and reality is nothing like we've imagined. Yet for the most part, our world continues to go along believing in the old materialistic ways... "Reality" is what can be proven with the senses. Medicine sees the body as a machine with unconnected parts. The Earth is dead, and humans are the pinnacle of evolution. And so on...

Yet, as we progress, the old perspective becomes more and more marginalised. People begin to talk about things in a new way. Then people begin to act in a new way. Finally (we're not there yet), the tipping point is reached -- the old way is as disregarded as the once unshakeable "knowledge" that the Earth was flat.


And that process is what the 13 days and nights of the Mayan Calendar describe.


The "Days" are times when consciousness expands, new perspectives arise -- times of fresh beginnings.


The "Nights" are times when the new consciousness is applied, new procedures initiated, and old ways (usually forcefully) overthrown.


And each of these 13 periods is characterised by specific circumstances.


Here's a breakdown of each of the 13 Days And Nights of the Mayan Calendar, and the specific transformation that occurs in each.

The First Day

A period of illumination -- new perspectives arise. Beginnings. Seeds are planted; energy begins to flow in a new pattern or paradigm.

The First Night

A period of darkness, rest. Integration. The new pattern begins to germinate within the dark subconscious of mind.

The Second Day

The second period of illumination. Dual paradigms, the old and the new, overlap -- both can be seen. In history, a time of turmoil, as the old ways (status quo) try to repress the new.


(This is where we are as of April 20, 2011.)

The Second Night

The second period of darkness. Followers of the two different paradigms battle for supremacy. Historically, very violent eras.

The Third Day

The third period of illumination. The new paradigm begins to spread deep and wide, beginning to show up in the world as new methods of doing things, new ways of perception. The new pattern begins to overtake the old, as fables, falsehoods, and failures expose the weakness of the past system.

The Third Night

The third period of darkness. The fledgling perspective of the new paradigm is refined, and the earlier, simplistic aspects fall away. The old system is thrown over, usually by force.

The Fourth Day

The fourth period of illumination. The new pattern becomes stronger and goes deeper into consciousness. A period of expansion, as the new paradigm takes form in the world. New corollaries emerge, as the new perspective takes precedence.

The Fourth Night

The fourth period of darkness. Healing the pain of the transition and the death of the old ways. Rebuilding after the destruction of the old status quo systems. The new, more healthy paradigm is truly established now.

The Fifth Day

The fifth period of illumination, and point of greatest radiance in the Cycle. The new paradigm flourishes, sending information about wonderful new knowledge out into the world. The highest possibilities for this Cycle are attainable.

The Fifth Night

The fifth period of darkness, and the nadir of darkness. This is a time of major hardships, cultural collapse, horrific violence. However, it is also a little like gestation: within the dark, something new awaits. From the death, new life will arise.

The Sixth Day

The sixth period of illumination, a time of Enlightenment. The flowering of the paradigm into stunning new insights and newer perspectives... in fact, sowing the seeds for the new Cycle of evolution to follow.

The Sixth Night

The sixth period of darkness. The paradigm has reached its peak and begins to dry and wither, like wheat in autumn. Typically a time of war and violent conflict.

The Seventh Day

The seventh period of illumination. There is a sense of openness, of being ready for something new. The best of the paradigm has been harvested, and it's time for a new level of consciousness to arise.


From the Seventh Day of the Mayan Calendar, we proceed directly to the First Day... from Light to Light. This demonstrates that whole process, even though it contains much dismantling and death, is finally and entirely a process of Creation.


The Mayan Calendar is an illustration of this process.


That's what makes it so fascinating... How did the Mayans ascertain such detailed information, that accurately predicts the ancient past (of which they could have known nothing) to the far future (which they are scarcely more likely to know)?


We may never know the answer to this question. But at least we finally know enough to appreciate their wisdom at last.


And just in time!



With Bright Blessings,




ya

Royal Architects, Unnamed Noblemen, and Viscounts–A 130 Year Tale of West Francia in Three Parts. Part Two: The Unnamed Noblemen (A Review of Paladins of The West Kingdom)

During the early reign of King Charles III (Charles the Simple) in West Francia, the area was besieged by Viking invasions, while the memory of the previous and frequent Saracen incursions was still fresh in the minds of the general populace. The Saracens were Muslim - mostly Berbers from Africa – and had only let up on the Franks because they’d been pushed back by the Vikings. The local nobles were left largely to fend the Vikings off on their own.

In Paladins of the West Kingdom, players assume the role of these unnamed nobles (most likely Dukes), working to keep the region safe and spread their faith (historically: Christianity).  I really enjoy this theme, and in fact, playing the game nurtured my interest in the historical kingdom of West Francia.  That’s why I can tell you that while the rulebook notes that the King lends his Paladins to the nobles to aid them in their quest, I’m giving all the credit for the loan to the designers, Shem Phillips and S J MacDonald.  Paladins are a fictional group of knights in French lore (think of them as similar to the Knights of the Round Table in British lore),  or alternatively, a translation of the Frankish royal title of Palatine Count, which was a noble that focused mostly on judicial and governing matters and was not known as a knight.

I’ve won a few and lost a few games of Paladins. It’s a worker placement game that incorporates card drafting.  At the beginning of every round, players draw the next three Paladin cards in their deck and choose one to play for the round, one to put back on top of their Paladin deck to draw during the next round, and one to put at the bottom of their Paladin deck. Each Paladin boosts faith, influence, or strength (usually more than one of these), and also provides a special benefit. If you’ve got players prone to analysis paralysis, this is where they may get stalled, especially in the first few rounds. After Paladins are selected and put into play, workers for the round are selected by each player and put into their personal resource supply. You have many stations on your player board to place your workers during the round,  and when you do so, your moves are independent and walled off from your opponents (they cannot tamper with your player board or placement of your workers on it). However, there is one area on the general board (the King’s Favour card area) where you can also place your workers and those spots are competitive. Also contributing to player interaction – some of the stations on your player board where you place workers allow you to move resources (monks and outposts) from your player board to the main board, consuming a competitive spot that provides a placement reward. And all the resource cards on display around the main board – the townsfolk you can hire, the walls you can build, the outsiders you can attack or convert, the tavern cards you draw workers from, and the suspicion cards you gain $$$ from, are all lucrative items for which players must compete. So we’ve got a good mix of independent action and player interaction in Paladins.  There are not a lot of opportunities for  “take that” behavior in this game, other than perhaps timing your draw of suspicion cards to trigger an inquisition when you know your opponents will suffer a penalty and be forced to take on more debt.

Strategy Tips:

[1] Don’t be afraid to take on debt. It’s not too hard to flip debt cards for additional victory points and the income generated from the suspicion cards + the usefulness of the criminal workers are worth the increase in debt.

[2] As with all worker placement games, look for opportunities to get more workers. For example, try to recruit any townsfolk that provide workers as a reward for other actions.

[3] Attacking outsiders is a reliable way to get provisions and build influence, which are prerequisites for building the wall, which in turn give more strength and allow you to attack more outsiders. When paired with the townsfolk card that provide a bonus worker for every attack action, it’s a powerful combination.  

Giving the game more intellectual weight, worker placement on your board and the actions workers trigger often have additional requirements beyond number and types (i.e., colors) of workers. The actions triggered by worker placement may be constrained by your strength, faith, or influence level. And some spots or actions triggered by placing workers in those spots require money or provisions. All of these prerequisites can be gained as rewards from prior actions triggered by various worker placement, so much of the game is finding the most efficient ways to obtain prerequisites associated with the series of actions you’d like to take as the game progresses. I worried this decision making would be a weak point for analysis paralysis (I’m a pretty good candidate for testing potential AP, as I’m prone to it) and while there can be a bit of that during the game, nothing excessive was logged during our plays.  

The artists (Shem Phillips on graphic design and Mihajlo Dimitrievski on illustrations) have printed helpful indicators next to each placement location on boards and cards to identify any prerequisites as well as rewards. It’s an example of how the designers have worked with the artists to layer meaningful game information into the layers of artwork. In fact, all of the symbols implemented across the game components are really quite helpful. Bonus: once you familiarize yourself with them in one of the West Kingdom games, you’ll have learned them for the entire series as the artists reuse the same symbols in all three titles.

Beyond the iconography, the illustrations and other artwork are lovely. As with the iconography, the same style of artwork is implemented across the entire series and it carries the theme well. There was a good mix of cisgender representation, but not a lot of racial diversity, especially as would be suggested by the historical setting of the game (for example, Berbers in the area had skin tones ranging from light to to dark brown).

The components for Paladins of the West Kingdom are well made.

There are wooden meeples, an assortment of foldable boards constructed from cardboard, and various plastic coated card decks. We found the rulebook to be clear and direct, and there weren’t any items we had to look up online. It would have been nice if the designers included a player aid in the components, but I was able to compensate for the oversight by downloading a detailed player aid another user uploaded to the forums on BoardGameGeek.com.

Paladins of the West Kingdom is my favorite game of the West Kingdom series. All of the worker types and available actions make sense within the context of the theme, the mechanisms (worker placement, card drafting) integrate tightly with the scoring system to provide opportunities for building a victory point engine, and the game is complex and interesting yet still accessible for new players. The game is also a great value at its price point (approx $50) given you’ll get dozens of multiplayer games in before even a hint of same-o same-o creeps in. Many games with comparable replayability and complexity are double the price of Paladins. There’s also a solo play mode, which provides an additional way to explore the game.

-------------------------------------------------

Publisher: Renegade Game Studios
Players: 1-4 (We played with 2)
Actual Playing Time (vs the guideline on the box): About 2 hours per game
Game type: card drafting, worker placement
Retail Price: $50

Rating:

Jenni’s rating scale:
OUI: I would play this game again; this game is ok. I probably would not buy this game myself but I would play it with those who own it and if someone gave it to me I would keep it.
OUI OUI: I would play this game again; this game is good. I would buy this game.
OUI OUI OUI: I LOVE THIS GAME. I MUST HAVE THIS GAME.
NON: I would not play this game again. I would return this game or give it away if it was given to me.



  • board game reviews
  • card drafting games
  • Renegade Game Studios
  • worker placement games

ya

TIFF Day 3: Yakuza Redemption

Gaza Mon Amor [Palestine/France, Tarzan & Arab Nasser, 3] Middle-aged fisherman discovers a Greek statue and courts a wary dress shop clerk. Deliberately paced dramedy of life under oppression.

The Way I See It [US, Dawn Porter, 3.5] Documentary profile of Obama-era Official White House photographer traces his arc from work for the Reagan administration to anti-Trump social media gunslinger. Whether American viewers consider this slickly fashioned film heartfelt or sentimental will depend on party registration. It’s certainly explicitly framed to fire up Democrats to get out there to de-elect the current president.

Under the Open Sky [Japan, Miwa Nishikawa, 4] Out of prison after a long sentence, an aging yakuza (Koji Yakusho) struggles with his volcanic temper as he attempts to go straight. Bittersweet drama anchored by a lead performance from Yakusho, a mainstay of contemporary Japanese cinema.

Penguin Bloom [Australia, Glendyn Ivin, 3] A former surfer left paralyzed from the chest down by a freak accident reluctantly bonds with a magpie chick named Penguin, which one of her young sons has rescued. Sun-dappled animal-related family drama about the depression and anger that can accompany a life-changing injury.

In a regular year I would definitely have programmed Under the Open Sky, and would possibly have picked Gaza Mon Amor, depending on its position on the schedule grid.


Capsule review boilerplate: Ratings are out of 5. I’ll be collecting these reviews in order of preference in a master post the Monday after the fest. Films shown on the festival circuit will appear in theaters, disc and/or streaming over the next year plus.





ya

Myanmar Crisis.

Philanthropy online has recently published an article on the initial charitable response to the cyclone disaster in Burma. unfortunately bureaucratic red tape has slowed the initial response some; numerous organizations are preparing a herculean response that will save lives, and perhaps improve the domestic situation in Myanmar over the long term.

Events like these confirm the importance of fund-raising in general and telephone fund-raising specifically. Its one thing to hear about a tragedy on television and remind oneself to try and make a donation. Its quite another to receive a phone call as a situation is unfolding and have an opportunity to directly influence the outcome of that situation.

I participated in campaigns after hurricanes Rita and Katrina. I also worked on the campaign to provide relief to the victims of the Asian Tsunami, and issue of personal significance to me as I lived for many years in Indonesia. It is in times like this when innovative fund raising strategies can truly make a significant difference by fully funding humanitarian emergency relief efforts before a crisis can intensify.

There is nothing like a call to action.




ya

Yarnold secures skeleton bronze

Great Britain's Elizabeth Yarnold wins a bronze medal at the women's skeleton World Championship.




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Yarnold acclaims adaptable Brits

Sevenoaks slider Lizzy Yarnold says the fact Britain has no real purpose built tracks is the main reason behind British success in the sport