“Bermuda and the Azores share a deep connection, extending beyond our shared history and into our environments, cultures, and identities,” Deputy Premier and Minister of Home Affairs Walter Roban said as he spoke at the banquet to celebrate the 175th anniversary of the first arrival of Portuguese immigrants to Bermuda. A Government spokesperson said, “He addressed the […]

“The narrative surrounding school reform in Bermuda has long-since reached a boiling point, and now the strain being heavily imposed upon teachers in the Bermuda Public School System [BPSS] is manifestly unbearable, and entirely unacceptable,” the Bermuda Union of Teachers General Secretary Dante Cooper said. Mr Cooper said, “Recent actions have exposed the Department of […]

[Opinion column written by OBA’s Dwayne Robinson] It is very clear that Bermudians would like to see changes within our education system. It isn’t a matter of whether Bermuda requires education reform, it’s more about how that looks. The One Bermuda Alliance wants all students to have access to a world-class education, which will enable […]

Minister of the Cabinet Office Crystal Caesar “welcomed chairs, union partners, and technical officers to a training session on interest-based bargaining.” A government spokesperson said, “Representatives from the Bermuda Industrial Union [BIU], Bermuda Public Services Union [BPSU], Prison Officers Association [POA], Fire Services Association [FSA], Bermuda Police Association [BPA], and Bermuda Union of Teachers [BUT], […]

[Updating] The Convening of Parliament is taking place this morning [Nov 8], with Governor Rena Lalgie delivering the 2024 Throne Speech, which outlines the Government’s Legislative Agenda for the year ahead. The proceedings are set to get underway later this morning and we will provide what coverage we are able to while it is live, […]

[Updated] Premier David Burt and Minister of Youth, Social Development and Seniors Tinee Furbert are holding a press conference this afternoon [Nov 12] to discuss the recently announced Throne Speech initiatives. We will have additional coverage later on and in the meantime the live video is below. Update 5.56pm: The Premier’s full statement follows below: […]

In This Episode Erin and Weer’d discuss: a factual clarification about the procedure to get a Massachusetts Non-Resident License to Carry; a 4th Amendment case that went in the favor of liberty; a vehicular assault that was stopped by a … Continue reading →

Several classic Star Trek books from the Simon & Schuster era of publishing Trek novels are on sale...

A car driver was injured after crashing into a wall in Southampton last night. A police spokesperson said, “Around 9pm on Friday, August 2 2024, police and other emergency services were dispatched to a report of a single vehicle collision on Middle Road near the junction with Lighthouse Road, Southampton. “Details are limited at this […]

[Updated] A motorcyclist was injured in a collision in Southampton this morning. A police spokesperson said, “Around 9am Monday, 23rd September 2024, police officers responded to a reported two vehicle collision at the junction of Middle Road and South Road in Southampton. “Early information indicates that a tractor trailer truck driven in the eastbound lane […]

There has been a two vehicle road traffic collision involving a motorcar and a motorcycle in the area of Barnes Corner in Southampton Parish. A police spokesperson said, “There has been a two vehicle road traffic collision involving a motorcar and a motorcycle in the area of Barnes Corner, Southampton Parish. “Details are limited at […]

[Updated] “There has been a serious road traffic collision involving a PTB bus and a pedestrian at the junction of Bermudiana Road and Front Street in the City of Hamilton,” the police said this morning [Oct 30]. A police spokesperson said, “Details are limited at this time, however, the scene is currently being processed and traffic […]

“More than sixty cannabis plants in various stages of growth” were “seized and subsequently destroyed,” the police confirmed. A police spokesperson said, “Shortly before 6:00 p.m. on Tuesday, September 3, 2024, police officers were on mobile patrol when they had occasion to attend a property in the area of Mission Lane, Pembroke. “A check of the […]

Police “attended a residence in Warwick and recovered what appears to be a firearm and ammunition” and “three persons have been arrested in connection with this matter.” A police spokesperson said, “Shortly before noon today, Friday, September 13, 2024, acting on information received, police attended a residence in Warwick and recovered what appears to be […]

Police have arrested three men and “seized two firearms, a quantity of ammunition, as well as a large quantity of controlled drugs with a street value of over $700,000.” A police spokesperson said, “On Monday, September 30, officers from the Specialist Investigations Unit and Task Force conducted an operation that resulted in the arrests of […]

[Written by Stephen Wright] Entrepreneur Shi-Vaughn Lee will celebrate the third anniversary of her online skincare business, Dove & Butterfly, by hosting a “Sniff and Shop” event on Friday and Saturday [June 23 and 24]. Created during the height of the Covid-19 pandemic, Dove & Butterfly offers products made in Bermuda by Bermudians, including whipped […]

Premier David Burt and his family released their annual Cup Match photo, featuring clothing by Bermudian designer, business owner and creative Jordan Carey, founder and Creative Director of the Loquat brand. A spokesperson said, “Premier David Burt, JP, MP and his family have today shared their annual Cup Match photo. “This year’s official photoshoot is particularly […]

TABS Apparel is launching its latest print, dubbed Wild & Restrained. A spokesperson said, “TABS Bermuda, renowned for its distinctive and stylish collections, announces the launch of its latest print, Wild & Restrained. Created in collaboration with Lemoncello Design, this new design seamlessly blends Bermuda’s unique architecture with exuberant colors inspired by the island, and […]

Gold The Label collaborated with media professional, Mikaela Ian Pearman to “anchor the idea that luxury is for every woman, every occasion and can be implemented in their daily lives from their accessories right on through to the way they take care of their bodies and overall well-being.” A spokesperson said, “Recognizing the importance of […]

Fenty Beauty, Fenty Skin, and Fenty Fragrance will officially launch at 59 Front in Hamilton today [Oct 24]. A spokesperson said, “Fenty Beauty, Fenty Skin, and Fenty Fragrance have officially landed at 59 Front, with the full collection available starting at 4:30 PM on Thursday, October 24, the company announced today. “To celebrate, the line […]

A jury has found Zane DeSilva and his daughter Zarah Harper not guilty, returning a unanimous not guilty verdict this afternoon [Oct 18] in the Supreme Court. The charges related to a party back in 2020, with the crown alleging that the defendants gave a Public Officer at the Ministry of National Security, information which they […]

The trial of Sophia Cannonier and Michael Watson has been delayed. The couple –  who are accused of matters related to Covid-19 quarantine rules which are alleged to have occurred in July 2021 – appeared in Magistrates Court court this morning [March 7] however the matter was delayed, and another court date has been set, with a mention […]

TBi has ”acquired the business and certain assets” of WoW, with TBi saying they “have an exciting vision to take the company to new heights.” A spokesperson said, “TeleBermuda International Limited [TBi] today announced that it acquired the business and certain assets of World on Wireless Limited [WoW], acting by its Joint Provisional Liquidators [JPLs], Michael […]

West Hamilton Holdings Limited has “entered into an agreement and plan of merger with Princess West Limited which will result in the sale of 69 and 71 Pitts Bay Road, representing approximately 86 percent of the Company’s property assets. The filing said, “In a filing with the Bermuda Stock Exchange West Hamilton Holdings Limited, is […]

ESC Limited and Frameworks announced the “successful merger of their operations” which they said “brings together both entities’ strengths, creating a comprehensive and seamless shopping experience. A spokesperson said, “The union of ESC and Frameworks, effective 31 May 2023, is a testament to their shared vision of providing customers with an integrated and comprehensive shopping […]

BF&M and Argus Group announced today that they “have signed a definitive amalgamation agreement, pursuant to which BF&M and Argus will combine in an all-stock transaction.” A spokesperson said, “The transaction is subject to required regulatory approvals and shareholder approval with a planned completion date for the amalgamation in the fourth quarter of 2024. The amalgamation “Under […]

BF&M and Argus announced their Executive Leadership Committee for the new combined company, pending regulatory and shareholder approval, with the announcement noting that the appointments are “effective upon closing of transaction.” A spokesperson said, “BF&M Limited and Argus Group Holdings Limited today announced the composition of the Executive Leadership Committee for the newly combined company, […]

[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 […]

“This is exciting news,” stated Clarence Hofheins, President of the Bermuda Hotel Association [BHA]. “We are delighted to hear that our largest member property, The Fairmont Southampton, will begin its planned redevelopment this October. “The hotel has long been a cornerstone of our destination’s offerings, particularly in providing essential convention and meeting spaces. Its redevelopment […]

The cruise ship Nautica recently visited the island, stopping in both St. George’s and the City of Hamilton during its visit. To see more of our cruise ship coverage, click here. Related Stories Photos & Video: MS Insignia In St. George’s Photos: Pride & Breakaway Ships In Dockyard Photos & Video: MS Silver Shadow Visits […]

The Bermuda Tourism Authority [BTA] has released the KPMG Economic Impact Report for the 2023 Butterfield Bermuda Championship, stating that the “event contributed $17.7 million to Bermuda’s economy.” A spokesperson said, “The Bermuda Tourism Authority [BTA] has released the KPMG Economic Impact Report for the 2023 Butterfield Bermuda Championship, revealing that the event contributed $17.7 […]

The cruise ship ‘Star Pride’ recently visited the island, and a look at the ship in the east end is below. According to the 2024 schedule, the 436 foot long ship was carrying an estimated 212 passengers and 164 crew. To see more of our cruise ship coverage, click here. Related Stories Photos & Video: […]

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

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 […]

The 593.7 foot cruise ship MS Insignia is paying a visit to St. George’s, featuring a guest capacity of 670 people. The Oceania Cruises website says, “The better-than-new Insignia blends sophistication with a contemporary flair to create a casually elegant ambiance that embodies the most treasured elements of our celebrated ships. “Every surface of every […]

Se skvěle kurátorovaným programem přichází do dvou pražských kin, Lucerny a Edison Filmhubu, festival Aussie & Kiwi Film Fest. V pátek 15. listopadu začne ve velkém sále Kina Lucerna jeho 11. ročník uvedením svérázného animovaného snímku Paměti z ulity, jehož režisér Adam Elliot byl před sedmi lety hostem Anifilmu a při té příležitosti poskytl Reflexu rozhovor. A co další snímky z druhé strany zeměkoule, které nás až do 20. listopadu čekají?

Honor готовится выпустить новую модель смартфона Magic7 RSR Porsche Design, которая снова будет привлекать внимание своим дизайном, напоминающим стиль автомобилей Porsche.

МТС подвела итоги чемпионата True Tech Champ по программированию и робототехнике. Это серия масштабных ежегодных событий от МТС на российском ИТ-рынке с разнообразной образовательной и развлекательной программой. Турнир включал два трека: индивидуальный зачет по алгоритмическому и командный по робототехническому программированию. Всего было подано более 12,5 тысяч заявок на участие, но в финал попало чуть больше...

We have another GIANT list of games this season for the Fall 2024 Steam Next Fest! We're looking forward to a ton of these, and have compiled as many as we could find with animals and/or anthropomorphic characters featured in them! Be sure to let us know of any others you find by commenting below!

We'll be playing some of these demos this week and next, and hopefully providing some previews and progress updates throughout development! Additionally, we have an actively updated Furry & Animal Games List over at @GamingFurever that you can follow and get updates for lots of indie titles with TONS of lovely furry characters!

If you're a developer of any of these games, feel free to hit us up on email over on our Contact Us page!

We're sure everyone will find at least a couple games that strike their fancy during this Next Fest!

Check out the full October list here!

Glenn Greenwald: "So you have huge number of journalists who believe that, they have the right to lie and even when they get caught, they don't care because they know their audience won't hold it against them." Continue reading →

Lords Of Fyre, новое видео FEUERSCHWANZ & LORD OF THE LOST, доступно для просмотра ниже.
#Feuerschwanz #FolkRock #Folk_Rock #FolkMetal #Folk_Metal
Видео: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eJnlT_7YWmg

#55 Enlightenment - How to Let Go of Our Suffering & Live

The post #55 Enlightenment – How to Let Go of Our Suffering & Live appeared first on Enlightenment Podcast.

Learn Astral Projection Easily-CLICK HERE!

1. What is Astral Projection?

Astral Projection or Out-of-body experience is a process through which our consciousness leaves our physical body and is free to travel anywhere, unrestricted by  our normal physical boundaries. We all unconsciously travel outside our bodies every night when we are asleep. But with the right guidance and practice, we can train ourselves to achieve this with 100% consciousness and awareness.

2. Is everyone able to do Astral Projection?

As I mentioned, everyone does Astral Traveling at night when they sleep. But since they are asleep, they are doing it unconsciously. And when they wake-up, their astral experiences get distorted and they feel they have just had a dream. But with training and guidance, almost anyone can have a conscious Astral Projection.

3. When one does Astral Traveling, what is it that "projects" out of his body?

We are made up of several bodies. The grossest and the densest body is our physical body. The next one is the etheric body or the astral body. This is much less dense compared to the physical body. So during Astral Traveling, it is the astral body that gets “projected”.   I should also mention that for each these bodies, there is a corresponding “plane”. So there is a physical plane, astral plane and so on. So during Astral Projection, the astral body is projected into the astral plane.

4. Should we be really doing Astral Projection?

When we are born on this physical plane, we all come with a specific purpose. That purpose may be different for different people. But as we grow older, we forget why we are here. So we wander aimlessly and often end up wasting our lives.
Astral Projection is one way to help us know why we are here in the first place. So I sincerely feel we all should learn this amazing art and give a positive direction to our lives.

5. How much does Astral Projection cost?

You would be surprised, but there were actually 4 people who asked me this question!
The answer is - Astral Projection doesn’t cost you anything in terms of money. It is not something that you purchase. It is an art that you learn. The only real cost  involved is your time, effort and dedication.

6. What is the best, easiest, infallible and fastest method that works for  everyone?

Everyone is different, with different personalities and beliefs. So unfortunately, there is no best and easiest method that works for everyone. There are hundreds of Astral Projection techniques available. You need to see which one suits you best.

7. What are the best visualization techniques for reaching the vibration stage quickly?

As I said earlier, there is no best technique that will help everyone to achieve the vibration stage. However, Robert Monroe’s vibration technique is the most popular since many people have reported great success with it.

8. How can I learn to project quickly without having to take herbs such as  Salvia
Divinorum?

I never recommend taking herbs or drugs to achieve Astral Projection. It is safest to practice without any external aids. Also, unfortunately, there is no “quick” way to achieve Astral Projection. You will require patience and dedication. But if you follow the right guidance, you can drastically cut down on your learning curve, and often see success in a few weeks instead of years. Also, I would recommend staying away from anyone who claims to teach you “techniques” that can help you  project “instantly”

9. How to get into a trance easily for intentional OBEs

A good way to get into a trance is to comfortably lie down at night, and watch yourself going to sleep. Try to relax your physical body, but at the same time, try not to  go to sleep. For the first few nights, you might end up sleeping. But with practice, you will learn how to control your mind and stay awake during the entire process.

10. Can Astral Projection actually be done?

Yes, Astral Projection is definitely possible, and can actually be done consciously. There are thousands and thousands of people who can do it at will.                  

Learn Astral Projection Easily-CLICK HERE!
11. How often should you project?
Once you learn how to Astral Project at will, you can project as often as you want to. But don’t forget that you have a life on the physical plane too. You need to  maintain a balance.
12. What is the real trigger to leave the body? Where it is located?
No one really knows where the real trigger to leave the body is located. But I believe that out of the seven major Energy Chakras in our spiritual body, the trigger lies in
the most active Chakra for that person. Most people report leaving through the Third-eye Charka, the Solar Plexus Chakra or the Heart Chakra
13. What can I do about my belief that I can only perceive through my physical senses?
Since our birth we have perceived everything through our physical senses. So it is very difficult to imagine that we can have other senses as well. The only way to shed that belief is to experience Astral Projection yourself. Once you are out of your body, you will realize that you can actually perceive your surrounding without the physical senses that we are so used to. Moreover, you will realize that your new set
of senses is much more enhanced and powerful.
14. While Astral Projecting are we able to use our senses? See in color, hear, feel cold or heat etc?
As mentioned in the answer to the previous question, in the astral plane, we do not use our physical senses. We can see, hear, and feel using our astral senses. I should also mention that we do not feel cold or hot in our astral body. If we do feel them, it is because our physical body is feeling hot or cold, and that feeling is  transferred to the astral body via the Silver Cord.
15. Can Astral Projection be done without being taught by some one specialized who knows what is going to happen?
Yes, Astral Projection can be done without being taught by someone. It might take you longer or you might do it the wrong way. But it can be done. There are many people who have done it alone consciously or unconsciously. But it always helps to have the right guidance.
16. What is the best time to practice Astral Projection? Day, night, or early in the
morning?
There is no best time to practice. But because of our busy lives, most people prefer to practice early in the morning or at night, before going to sleep. But if you have time, you can very well practice during the day.
17. Should I practice lying down or sitting cross-legged?
Astral Projection can be done in any position you are comfortable with. But I recommend the lying down posture, because this is the way we sleep, and it is very
natural. This position also distributes our weight throughout the body, and makes it easier for us to relax. But as I said, you can choose any position you want to. As long as you are comfortable                                   
18. I have heard of people who can Astral Project at will, like a normal daily activity. Can I do the same, whenever I command? If yes, when will I succeed?
Yes, there are many who can Astral Project at will. You can do it too. But to get to that stage, you have to project several times, get rid of your fears, get used to the astral environment, and you should have also learnt to control your thoughts.
19. Do I need to meditate first, enter a supportive state of mind to successfully Astral Project? If yes, for how long should I meditate?
For a proper, conscious out of body experience, you should be in a meditative state where your physical body is completely relaxed and your mind is completely clear of unwanted chattering. This will give you good control over your thoughts, and help you focus on Astral Projection.
20. What triggers Astral Projection? And when does it actually happen?
Your goal is to reach a stage where your physical body is completely  relaxed and your mind is completely awake. And then deepen that stage using visualization exercises. This is the magic moment where the separation of the Astral body from the physical body takes place.
21. How can I avoid being anchored to my body when I go into trance?
If you go into a deep trance, where your body is asleep and mind awake, your astral body WILL separate – either partially or fully. If it is a partial separation, you need to exercise a strong will power and visualization exercises so that you can achieve a full  separation.                                   

NEWS – The Petromax HK500 is a pressure outdoor kerosene lamp invented in 1910. It’s hand-assembled in Germany and features temperature-resistant borosilicate glass and optional accessories that will turn it into a heater and a stove. The one quart tank has a burning time of 8 hours and a light output of 500 CP (candle […]

I had the opportunity to play a preview edition of Quests & Cannons: The Risen Islands  from Short Hop Games in advance of the game’s upcoming Kickstarter campaign. Designed by Eric and Shannon Geller, the preview edition arrived in a bright and colorful cover box that hinted at the beautiful artwork within.

We got it on the table for a family game straightaway. As we unpacked the contents of the box, I was impressed with the quality of the wooden components. Especially for a preview copy, everything was incredibly well made and sturdy, which speaks to the care and enthusiasm Eric and Shannon have put into the game. The illustrations on the components are just lovely! The artists (Lily Yao Lu, Tony Carter, Regis Torres, Sita Duncan, and Lilia Sitailo) did a really great job integrating the theme into the materials. 

Quests & Cannons  is very easy to setup and the rules are straightforward,  so you can get started playing pretty quickly; no one is going to be stuck spending an hour reviewing the rules upfront. The only thing you really need to work out is whether you want to play the game solo, cooperatively, free for all, or in teams.  Regardless of the mode you choose, you’ll sit down as a leader of a kingdom, tasked with bringing prosperity (i.e. victory points) to your people as you explore new islands that have suddenly cropped up in the sea. The revelation of the islands has coincided with devastating famine and drought hitting the kingdoms to varying degrees, so you’re also on a quest to find a way to reverse these plagues.

And since prosperity can be gained through attacking other leaders during explorations, you’ll need to be thinking about battle defense and offense.  My kids are teens, so they handled the attacks pretty well, but your mileage may vary with your youngsters, depending on their age and temperament.

The underlying mechanics of the game are pretty simple:

• Explore to gather resources across the islands and turn those resources in to complete quests (pick up and deliver)
• Follow explicit instructions on map clue cards to do X action at X location
• Attack rival ships

Players can do three actions on a turn, choosing freely between move, gather resources, and attack. 

All of the how-to and particulars governing these actions are detailed in the rulebook (and in video play-throughs online). Variability in movement rules, attack/defense power, and resource storage capacity is dictated for each player by the leader card they’ve chosen at the beginning of the game (each one comes with special powers and differing stats) and the upgrades performed on their ship.

I did find a few issues with the mechanics for the Geller team to address before the final version is distributed:

• Explain in the rulebook what should be done if the map clue drawn cannot possibly be used
• Add a 0 space to the action point track on each player’s ship to track the exhaustion of the final action point
• Implement monsters or other descriptive elements with differing effects into the treacherous sea spaces to add more complexity

Outside of these issues, I recommend Quests & Cannons as a family game for gateway gamers (i.e. new to the hobby) or those who gravitate toward light strategy games. It’s kid-friendly and there isn’t any analysis paralysis inherent in the game.  It plays in under 90 minutes, gives kids exposure to different play modes within the same game, tackles conflict resolution, and comes with a variety of board layouts to keep things interesting over multiple plays. Note that this is not a game I’d recommend for players who prefer deeper strategy. Highly experienced gamers drawn to seafaring themes and beautiful artwork can find similar mechanisms with a bit more depth and complexity in other games such as Islebound (designed by Ryan Laukat from Red Raven Games).

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

Publisher: Short Hop Games
Players: 1-6 (We played with 4 and 5)
Actual Playing Time (vs the guideline on the box): about 90 minutes per game
Game type: pick-up and deliver,hand management, action points, kid-friendly, solo

Rating for Gateway Gamers: 

Rating for Advanced Board Gamers:                                          

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.

I really love the card game Lost Cities, designed by Reiner Knizia. When my husband Christopher and I were first getting to know each other, we used to meet up at Starbucks sometimes and play games. Lost Cities was one of our frequent picks. It’s a head to head, two player game in which both players are trying to outscore each other by laying down ascending runs of card suits on a small board between the two of them. There’s a theme laid over the mechanism (completing expeditions in the lost world) but it’s basically pasted on and so that is the last we will speak of it. So there we were, newly in love, eyeing each other across the table, smiling and flirting, and doing our best to beat one another at Lost Cities. It was awesome. And now, with the roll & write genre having made an impressive rebound a few years ago (let’s not forget the mechanism has actually been around since the 50s with Yatzee), Knizia has ported his award winning game Lost Cities  into this format, releasing Lost Cities Roll & Write  in 2021. 

You can play the new Lost Cities  with up to 5 players, but in an ode to our romantic beginnings, Christopher and I played it exclusively with one another in successive matches.  The components are compact, lacking the pretty illustrations of the original game, and few in number – the rule book, a scorepad, three pentagonal trapezohedron dice (that’s 10 sided dice for the uninitiated), and three 6 sided custom dice with color suit symbols. Oh, and some pencils. That’s it. We could have played on an even smaller Starbucks table if we had this back in our dating days.

The cards from the original game (wager cards and numbered cards 2 to 10, in five different suits) have been translated into dice roll results. On each turn, one player rolls all the dice and chooses one of the six sided dice to represent the suit and one of the ten sided dice to represent the number. A zero on the number die can represent either zero (mimicking the wager card from the original game which serves as a multiplier for the total score in the selected suit) or ten (mimicking the highest card in each suit).

In place of the tableau built up on a central board, each player tracks the progress of wager and number cards they’ve collected for each suit in color coded columns on their individual score sheet. Wager cards have been transformed into little circular boxes to be marked off from a suit column when rolled, while the numbered cards from the original game have expanded to include the number 1 and are recorded as numbers written manually in the square boxes running up each column. Whereas in the original game, only cards higher than the last card played in a suit were permitted to be played on subsequent turns by the same player, in Lost Cities Roll & Write, numbers that are higher than or equal to the last number recorded for a suit may be written into the column after future dice rolls. Expanding beyond the concepts from the original game, Knizia has included artifact icons on select spaces in each column and when those spaces are filled by a player, they may fill in one of the jars in the artifact column. Likewise, he’s included arrow icons on select spaces and when those spaces are filled by a player, they may fill in the next box in one of their suit columns with the number from the previous box in the column – note that it does not have to be the same column in which the arrow was filled.  There’s also a column for filling in dice shapes to represent rolls where a player could not or did not want to use any of the dice results. The latter column is particularly tricky to manage effectively, as it provides a similar point progression as the rest of the columns (negative scores for the first 3 boxes filled and then positive score for the rest) up until the last box in the column. If you color in that box, your score for the dice shapes column drops from 70 to 0. The bonus points awarded in the original game (20 points for laying down at least 8 cards in a suit) have been implemented in Lost Cities Roll & Write  for each column (including the artifact and dice shape columns) as a 20 point bonus to the player who is the first to fill in 7 boxes in the column on the scorepad. The roll & write game ends when either both players have filled in the dice shapes column completely or all eight columns have passed the bonus point marker. In our experience, the completed dice shapes column is a much more common trigger.

I’ve played a ton of roll & write games over the past few years. Some are instant objects of adoration, while others are infuriating piles of poo (I’m looking at you Imperial Settlers R&W). Lost Cities Roll & Write is fantastic; a great addition to the genre. Knizia did an excellent job of translating the feel of the original game into the new mechanism. The iconography is clean and easy to read and the game can be taught and played in less than a half hour. And of course, it takes up very little table real estate, making it perfect for travel or tight spaces (when traveling as a passenger, simply roll the dice into the box cover). If you twisted my arm and forced me to choose between Lost Cities or Lost Cities Roll & Write, I’d be forced to pick the original, but only because of the lovely artwork on the cards and the sentimental value I have attached to the game after my love and I played it in our early days. But who would go around doing such arm twisting? Nobody. Therefore, with a retail price point under $15 for each of these, unless you’re down to your last $15, I recommend you pick up both. Play the card game with someone you love when you have a little more table space. Play the roll & write anywhere, with up to four additional friends. 

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

Publisher: Kosmos
Players: 2-5 (We played with 2)
Actual Playing Time (vs the guideline on the box): about 20 minutes per game
Game type: roll & write, dice rolling

Rating:

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.

The good folks at Stonemaier Games sent us a review copy of the newest expansion for Tapestry recently. We have the base game and the previous expansion, Plans and Ploys, in our game library. Arts & Architecture is designed by Jamey Stegmaier and Mike Young, with artwork by Andrew Bosley and landmark sculptures by Rom Brown. The expansion adds more of the familiar components: five new civilizations, six new capital city mats, 5 new landmark cards with landmarks, twenty new tapestry cards, and eleven new tech cards. Arts & Architecture also adds completely new features to the game, including an arts track with accompanying landmarks, twenty masterpiece cards, twenty inspiration tiles, and an upgraded science die to include iconography referencing the arts track.

The new arts development track is quite useful and thematically blends well with the overall concept of the game.

It gives you the opportunity to place more of your income buildings, score victory points for tech cards and exploration tiles, acquire masterpiece cards which provide benefits during income turns, and place inspiration tiles on your income mat over existing income tracks to improve the rewards gained during income turns. In the first few games I played (2 player), I concentrated heavily on the arts track, progressing to the end of it easily before game end, all the while also making steady progress on two of the base development tracks.

In the most recent game (4 player), I didn’t use the arts track much at all, which was a huge mistake, landing me in third place while the frontrunners leaned on the arts track significantly. I’ve previously noted in my review of Tapestry (https://www.thatswhatjennisaid.com/2020/07/board-game-review-tapestry.html) and Tapestry Plans and Ploys (https://www.thatswhatjennisaid.com/2020/12/board-game-review-tapestry-plans-and.html) that to win the game, you must diversify and progress on at least two tracks simultaneously, but to be careful trying to do much more than that or you’ll spread yourself too thin. With this expansion, I’ll amend that to note you’re unlikely to win the game unless you focus on the arts track as well as two of the base development tracks, as the arts track is really an enhancer for all the other tracks. It will be interesting to see how development track focus will need to be adapted when Stonemaier releases additional expansions for the game (anticipating a religion track at minimum; every civilization has its religious scholars).

The additions to the tapestry deck include a new ability type - continuous. These abilities begin when played and continue for the duration of the game instead of just the current era. There are also new tapestry cards that allow you to place landmarks on them for scoring as an alternative to placing the landmarks on the capital city (or on the map as some civ powers allow you to do). I did not have a chance to play any of the continuous tapestry cards during my recent games (although they look useful), and I passed over playing any of the landmark tapestry cards I acquired as they did not seem as beneficial as the other tapestry cards I had in my hand.  I don’t think I’m a big fan of any of the cards that let you place landmarks on the for points (including the new tech cards with this feature); I prefer to prioritize my city map for landmark placement first. Maybe I’m just doing it wrong, but I haven’t made use of my landmark cards at all, even in the games where I won by a large margin. They seem to be an entirely optional aspect of the game and not necessary for a win.

 

One more change with the Arts & Architecture expansion is another refinement of the civilization adjustments first introduced in the Plans and Ploys expansion. This fine tuning of civilization powers comes as a result of extensive real-world player testing and aims to rebalance the game for greater fairness. I think it might need further refinements because my husband Chris played the Architects civilization in our last game and the adjustment afforded him 30 VPs at the start of the game as some sort of handicap to balance out perceived weakness, but his city mat was so perfectly attuned to his civilization (the mesa) that he won in a landslide (80 points above the second place player).

Overall, I think that the Arts & Architecture expansion is a great addition to the Tapestry portfolio. It adds more variety, layers in additional ways to strategize and score, and provides some new opportunities for player interaction on the map, without causing any additional complexity. While it’s not a must have for the base game, it’s certainly a nice-to-have addition that I’m happy to recommend.

Beyond the details of the new expansion, I did want to take this opportunity to mention that with repeated plays of the base game as well as across the expansions, I’ve noticed that 4 player games are much more competitive than two player games (at least in our household). There isn’t a single time Chris and I have played the game by ourselves that I haven’t walloped him by 100+ points, yet when we play at 4 players, he has won twice or been neck in neck with the winner, whereas my scores are significantly lower. That’s got to be tied to the dynamics of how this game plays at higher player counts because it doesn’t make any sense that all on my own I could go from being a genius at 2 player to just average at 4 player.

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Publisher: Stonemaier Games
Players: 1-5 (We played with 2 and 4)
Actual Playing Time (vs the guideline on the box): About 3 hours per game
Game type: tile placement, hand management, dice rolling, area control
Retail Price: $45 direct from the publisher https://store.stonemaiergames.com/products/tapestry-arts-architecture

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.

Shiva Baby [US, Emma Seligman, 4] The ambient social pressures of a post-funeral gathering skyrocket for a directionless college student (Rachel Sennott) when attendees include not only the expected ex-girlfriend (Molly Gordon) but also the sex work client she’s caught feelings for. Knife-edge comedy of emotional suffocation uses a plucky suspense score for that extra frisson of social anxiety.

If you've been missing family events during the pandemic, this film is the cure for that. Polly Draper and Fred Melamed appear as the loving but insufferably intrusive parents.

Night of the Kings [Côte d'Ivoire/France , Philippe Lacôte, 4] When the red moon rises over MACA, the Ivory Coast’s toughest prison, its inmate boss appoints the new arrival as storyteller—a post that results in death if the tale ends before sundown. Prison drama with compelling narrative hook widens out to encompass ancient warfare, contemporary politics, and even a wizard duel.

Spring Blossom [France, Suzanne Lindon, 4] Bored with her classmates, an awkward 16 year old (played by the writer-director) pursues her attraction for a ruggedly handsome stage actor (Arnaud Valois.) Character drama sets aside the sexual aspect of this staple French cinema situation to focus on the emotion, periodically breaking from naturalism to have its characters express their feelings through dance.

This year’s Q&As are Zoom interviews between the programmers and filmmakers, which drop on YouTube when the films become available for online viewing. In the Q&A for this one we discover that the director wrote it when she was 15, a year younger than her character. She’s 20 now. Lindon is the daughter of well-known French actors Vincent Lindon and Sandrine Kiberlain.

Get the Hell Out [Taiwan, I-Fan Wang, 4] Taiwan’s notoriously pugilistic parliament tips into arterial spray when the effluent of a controversial chemical plant triggers a zombie epidemic. Zombie comedy features an eye-searing palette and an onslaught of optical overlays, and is paced like a quarter kilo of crushed Adderall. 

It’s quite an achievement to find the worst hue of every color on the visible spectrum. Fortunately the underlying message, that government officials would respond to a pandemic by idiotically making it worse, has no bearing on anything that comes to mind.

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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.

Wildfire [UK/Ireland, Cathy Brady, 3.5] After going missing for a year, a bipolar woman (Nika McGuigan) drops in on her sister (Nora-Jane Noone), opening the wounds of shared tragedy. Raw, unsubtle family drama against the backdrop of Northern Irish politics as Brexit threatens a fragile peace.

The film is dedicated to the memory of lead actor McGuigan, who died of cancer last year.

40 Years a Prisoner [US, Tommy Oliver, 4] Documentary recounts the 1978 standoff between members of radical Black back-to-nature organization MOVE and Philadelphia police through the efforts of the son of two of the group members to secure their parole. A strong emotional hook greatly assists in telling a tenaciously complicated story.

I would like to have seen more on the genesis of the group and the first stages of their conflict with the mayor and police. So much needs to be unwound in the 1978 standoff that the even more astonishing story of a 1985 confrontation, which resulted in Philadelphia authorities dropping a satchel bomb from a helicopter, killing 11 and burning down 65 houses, goes unmentioned here. Another doc I haven’t seen, Let the Fire Burn, focuses on that part of the story.

True Mothers [Japan, Naomi Kawase, 4.5] Parents of a kindergartner react with dismay when a woman contacts them claiming to be his birth mother. Luminous, delicate drama of shifting perspectives.

Limbo [UK, Ben Sharrock, 4] Syrian oud player grapples with guilt over family left behind as he cools his heels with other refugee claimants at a center in the bleak and isolated Outer Hebrides. Moments of deadpan humor and stark landscapes layer this exploration of displacement.

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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.