Profile avatar
watoop.bsky.social
Inevitably will be posting about UK politics or board games. Not a big fan of where the human race has taken the planet at the moment. Trying hard to keep the lights on in dark times.
528 posts 70 followers 189 following
Regular Contributor
Active Commenter
Posts 21 Comments 29

Three 'OK' games played last night. Kutna Hora - wanted to like this more but the economy never really felt that important (as you could always get money). Mercado - solid but ultimately dry bag builder (Quacks is better). Bermuda Pirates - simple dexterity game but very limited. #boardgames

submitted 1 day ago • 0 comments

Wildly successful comms strategy.

submitted 2 days ago • 0 comments

Possibly even more astonished at the idiocy of Starmer this morning than yesterday.

submitted 2 days ago • 0 comments

I like Eurovision and every year I keep the top 4 or 5 I like from that year's competition on my 'killers' playlist. When they pop up, I'm always impressed by what good pop songs they are. Hearing them once in the competition means they don't have a chance to hook you. Some are really well crafted.

submitted 2 days ago • 0 comments

Feel like Starmer has really blown it today. Whatever he does now, he'll be hounded by that 'migrants do incalculable damage' line. Will never satisfy the haters and wiped out left-leaning supporters at a stroke.

submitted 3 days ago • 0 comments

The most astonishing part of this. Starmer still avoids to talk about Brexit as one of the main factors why growth has stalled. Instead he claims immigrants aren’t ‚necessarily’ contributing to growth. Which is true. But also dishonest when he omits other factors. Incredibly depressing morning.

submitted 3 days ago • 29 comments

Such disappointing stuff from Starmer. I didn't expect excitement from him, but I expected rationality and common sense. Validating Reform is just catastrophic.

submitted 3 days ago • 0 comments

Amazing news that the Home Office has apparently worked out how to bring hundreds of thousands of native UK workers into the care industry

submitted 3 days ago • 39 comments

Learning Kutna Hora for Games Night this week. Got high hopes for this one as it seems to have a fair degree of interactivity on the map for a Euro. Analogue market 'computers' are also neat. #boardgames

submitted 5 days ago • 0 comments

La La Land / Moonlight at the Oscars. But with someone burning the white stuff at the Vatican instead of the black.

submitted 7 days ago • 0 comments

I'd think it was bad satire if someone came up with REFUK as a name for a political party after what happened with Brexit but here we are.

submitted 12 days ago • 0 comments

Last night we played the upgraded version of Rococo. Still excellent but not going to bin my first edition + expansion. Also had a go at Hibachi - which is an 'economic dexterity' game. I certainly haven't played one of those before but it was fun to chuck poker chips about (badly). #boardgames

submitted 12 days ago • 0 comments

"[T]alking up the challenge of immigration while looking impotent against it, chasing popular ideas that deliver long-term problems, and failing to sing of your success while alienating bits of your bloc." A brilliant warning to Labour from one of the UK's best Tory analysts, @joxley.jmoxley.co.uk

submitted 14 days ago • 0 comments

Such weird framing. Everyone moans about how cold it is and as soon as it gets warm we have to 'brace', apparently.

submitted 14 days ago • 0 comments

Really struggling to give Labour my vote today in local elections. Their recent policy direction on a number of areas (immigration, US etc) make it difficult but it's really that I've no idea what they appear to be in Govt for, except to attempt to remain in Govt. Alternatives are even worse though

submitted 14 days ago • 0 comments

Trump 'wants to be Pope'. I cannot believe how crazy the world has gone.

submitted 15 days ago • 0 comments

Really intriguing medieval games last night. World Without End - possibly better than Pillars of the Earth. Action management system is what makes the game but there are a few silly typos on some cards. Richard the Lionheart - unusual semi coop card management game. Liked it a lot. #boardgames

submitted 20 days ago • 1 comment

Going to get World Without End to the table for games night this week. Intrigued, as I quite like Pillars of the Earth (to which this is the sequel). This kind of weight seems to be my 'sweet spot' at the moment (high 2s, low 3s), even though I've been on manouevers in the 4s lately. #boardgames

submitted 22 days ago • 0 comments

Well I finished unlocking all the decks in Balatro. It was a fun time getting there but I think I'm done for now (endless challenge modes don't really appeal). However I assume there is going to be a sequel as there seems lots of places you could take the game.

submitted 37 days ago • 0 comments

Great game night last night. Last Light - we shaved an hour off it on 2nd play but still 2.5 hours. So close to loving it .. but it does have a few flaws. Medici - bone dry Knizia auction game. Very good but prefer Modern Art / Ra. Harmonies - also good but a bit too 'heads down' puzzle? #boardgames

submitted 41 days ago • 0 comments

Just looking at all the fake board games on Temu etc. Everyone involved in coming up with those games is not getting paid for their creative work. Seems to be the theme - see also AI. Anything you come up with is immediately 'public' & 'copyable'. And, alas, soon we'll have no creators. #boardgames

submitted 42 days ago • 0 comments