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Games


 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 


 
 
 
 

Tobit, from NewVenture Games. The rules situation is a mess, but we will dig into that.

I've got "game glow", the nice feeling after discovering or inventing an exciting new game, but before the disappointment of actually playing it.


 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Possession is in flux. There is a new incarnation that solves the A/B problem. But ... is it good?

We could also try combining the earlier version with the newer version. More specifically, the board dimensions of the older version. The same initial setup, but instead of dice on the middle row you have pawns, which would mitigate the A/B problem. From the new version, for the first turns players put their dice where they want, except where the crown is. I must have tried this before and discarded it.

The earlier version of the game was entertaining to play over and over.

NEW There is another option. The original inspiration for Possession was to have just pawns, moving two spaces. Some do the classic capture by jumping, while some, likely a minority, do capture by replacement. The latter would make holes in packed formations. I'm pretty sure that never was tested.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Language, Culture and Geography


 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Americans - not the brightest bunch - may not grasp the meaning of interested and interesting. They get confused. In his defense, this comedian probably made a boo boo and it was on his mind, but Americans really do say "I'm not interesting". Oh okay.
 
 

maaybe here


 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Kamala Harris speaking French. "J'habite à Montréal." I lived in Montreal. Actually je habite is present tense. She went to high school in Montreal. D'accord. Okay.
 
 

The Montreal Canadiens hockey team is often called "The Habs". This is a short version of habitants, the early settlers in Quebec from France.

If you really want to learn more about The Habs situation, look here.
 
 
 
 

Kamala is pronounced .. no, not touching.
 
 
 
 

Kamala Harris code switching.

Some New Jersey code switching.


 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Ukrainian alphabet
 
 

Is Belgorod, in Russia, pronounced Belgorod or Belhorod? Mongolia


 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Music, Film, and Television


 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

recently discovered good songs
 

This has been removed from the library. Mostly 1960s.


 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Military


 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Has Canada ever had an aircraft carrier?
 
 

Canada's Forgotten Aircraft Carriers
 

This 20-minute video is about aircraft carriers during the Second World War and the Cold War. The ownership can be confusing.
 

More clips if that interests you.


 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Ukraine is surviving - here's what it needs to win
 

Defence in Depth, from the tireless folks at The Telegraph. This was just before the Kursk offensive.

Ukraine needs attention, online support, charity, media attention and it needs to be a political priority.

Fighting disinformation and misinformation is good too.
 
 

R.I.P. David Knowles. The crimes of the Russians in Ukraine are big, varied and continuing, and they should be highlighted. However, the treehouse is arguably not the place for this.


 
 
 
 

Ukraine war
 

With an emphasis on the YouTube channels reporting it. In the library, but it won't be there forever.


 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

"How Putin failed to achieve his military aims in Ukraine by satellite | Sean Bell & Philip Ingram"
 

Times Radio. Two military experts explain what happened in the Ukraine war.


 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

drone detector
 

Daily Mail


 
 
 
 

"Darwin's War | Inside the secret bunker of Ukraine's ace FPV drone pilot"
 

This is about a good Ukrainian drone pilot. It illustrates what this drone business is like.

(Putting fiction writer hat on) It's neat to have someone who is very good at a special skill.


 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Where was the battle of Kursk, '43?


 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Other


 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

So you're making a film about the Trump years, roughly the four years he was president in the United States. But since it's such a big topic you will have to focus on one person, although that rule will be bent/broken. Which person will you focus on?
 
 

Your Trump era film will be both abandoned and deleted. Probably.


 
 

The Conways. This pair are a key inspiration for this list. Kelly Anne Conway, who persistently did something in the Trump administration, is famous for the iconic "alternative facts" remark. There's also the lesser-known "Bowling Green massacre". Meanwhile her husband George Conway was a conservative lawyer who was at first proud of his wife who was the first woman to be a successful presidential campaign manager in 2016. They soon split politically as she became a rare survivor in the Trump administration (and probably the biggest leaker, especially if you don't consider Donald Trump himself). Mr. Conway, on the other hand, became an outspoken critic of the Trump administration. This was a real headscratcher because they remained a married couple, an example to others of how people could get along depite political differences.

Eventually they did divorce amicably in '23, which kind of spoils this weird situation. He says she got caught up in the cult.
 
 

Tucker Carlson is going to have a conversation at some point with St. Peter, the ultimate fact checker.
 
 

The Biden family was certainly not without drama. Highs and lows.
 
 

The state of Georgia has drama, stories, importance. There is the sad tale of election workers Ruby Freeman and Shaye Moss. The hour-long phone call with Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger. Troublemaker Lin Wood was a Georgia attorney.
 
 

Trump's Georgia Crimes Were Even Worse Than You Thought

The Bulwark


 
 

Do you remember the assassinatiion attempt against Donald Trump?
 
 

Jamie Raskin, originally a lawyer and professor specialising in constitutional law, was a congressman. On December 31, 2020 it was announced that his son had died. He suffered from depression and committed suicide. Then on Jan. 6 Jan. 6 happened. For Jamie Raskin, who was was in the building being attacked with an unknown result, it must have been .. well, ask him.
 
 

Senator John McCain has a story, and a role. But he promptly died, so no film.
 
 

Somebody might decide that there is a story to tell about the evolving Lindsey Graham. He was close to John McCain.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

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