Thursday, March 01, 2007

Session Report Up, in which I get better at Netrunner

The latest Jerusalem Strategy Gaming Group session report is up here. Games played: Netrunner, Zertz, Boggle, Louis XIV, Power Grid, Puerto Rico, Zendo, The Menorah Game, San Juan, Bridge, Go, Cosmic Encounter.

Josh and Idit inform us that they are engaged. Mazal Tov!

Game News

Le Petit Ney is a literary café in Paris, France, which organizes an evening of board game fun on the 1st Saturday of each month.

Meanwhile, in Philadelphia, even a play about the game Monopoly suffers from bad mechanics, overly long game-play, and weak decisions.

Reuters troubles to tell us that an obese 26-year old man died of a heart attack "after a 'marathon' online gaming session".
Xu Yan, a local teacher, said the "dull life" during the holiday prompted many people to turn to computer games for entertainment.

"There are only two options. TV or computer. What else can I do in the holiday as all markets, KTV and cafeterias are shut down?" the paper quoted Xu as saying.
Gosh, only two options. Of course, all the other obese people dying of heart attacks don't make the news because they weren't playing computer games at the time. (also mentioned in Abbagav)

This kind of dumbing down is well-reflected in a new television quiz game show, Is America Smarter Than a 5th Grader.

During last night's game session, I observed all the players with wrinkled brows, thumping their heads, or doing all sorts of adding or planning, and I mentioned to David that a group of people who liked party games would have no idea why we were enjoying this game club. He laughed and said that that was probably why these games would never make it really big.

On the other hand, with Microsoft embracing Euro-games, such as Settlers, Carcassonne, and Alhambra, and now possibly Puerto Rico, there is still reason to hope.

Lastly, a bill introduced in Minnesota to create a poet-laureate was submitted in verse format:
Section 1. [138.99] POET LAUREATE

Subdivision 1. Appointment.

The Gov' shall appoint a state poet laureate,
Who shall serve for a four-year term.
Because this appointment will always be great,
There's no need for the Senate to confirm.
In appointing a poet for the public good,
And to ensure there's no unjust omission,
The governor shall consider, if he would
Thoughts of the Humanities Commission.

Subd. 2. Removal.

The poet will be free to write rhyming lines,
With removal only for cause,
But we trust that the bard will promptly resign,
If the verse reads as badly as laws.

Subd. 3. Compensation.

'Twould be fair to provide some just recompense
As reward for the poet's tribulations,
But because at this time we haven't the cents
We're afraid there is no compensation.
But we ask as the poet travels the state,
And the people their ears they lend,
That our learned Commission take the position
To provide the poor poet a stipend.

Subd. 4. Gifts and grants.

To provide the support that needs to come
To support our new laureate,
Gifts and grants received of a generous sum,
We hereby appropriate.

(source)
Yehuda

P.S. Oh yes, another subject line from the local Jerusalem email group:
FORSALE: Babies and childrens clothing for Pesach from the u.s.
I ordered a boy and a girl.

Yehuda

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

The word version of Zendo is Silly Sally. A good car game from pre-DVD days. One person gives clues as formulaic sentences. The answer can be linked to the letter and word structure, or meaning. The basic example, related to the name of the game:
Silly Sally likes Zoos but not Animals.
Silly Sally likes Balls but not Games.
Silly Sally likes Books but not Libraries.
Silly Sally likes Streets but not Roads.
Once someone thinks they know it, they try coming up with their own examples.
Nadine