Go Takes Over Seoul Streets

American Go E-Journal:
Go Takes Over Seoul Streets

"Hundreds of people gathered to play Go in Korea’s Gwanghwamun Square, on September 21. The event was part of Seoul’s Street Without Cars 2014.09.21_Simultaneous-Go-Games-Seoul-550x367Festival and Learn Go Week"

Would have loved to attend this event.

The Surrounding Game trailer

An extended trailer for the upcoming "The Surrounding Game" has just been posted. This is a Kickstarter Project about the Game of Go (my favorite game for over 35 years). I am a humble contributor to the project and wish I was a stronger player (don't we all)?

Meet Go - humanity's oldest and most magnificent game. Behind the simplicity of black and white, wood and stone, lies a vast world that can change your perspective on life forever.

GO World ceases publication after 35 years

After 35 years, Go World ceases publication reports the American Go Association.

I have been playing Go since the 1976 and saw the magazine start in 1977. I still have many issues (but not all) and will keep them as a treasured collection.

Today with the Internet the game is more accessible than ever and a printed magazine does not make sense anymore. Still it is with a bit of nostalgia that I remember how I waited for every new issue to appear.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Issue #45 from Autumn 1986 is available for free from the American Go Association in PDF format.

If you play GO and do not have this issue do yourself a favor and go get it!

FSX flight simulator–Scenery by Orbx

 

FSX:  Orbx Pacific Northwest scenery very well presented by Misha.

This is why I love the third party market, even years after Microsoft disbanded the Aces Team, development continues and the action still goes on!

YouTube link

The Surrounding Game, a documentary film on the Game of Go

 

I have been a Go Player (Wikipedia link) for more years than I care to remember. I loved the game from the moment I learned it, from an uncle that taught me the basics. I then started avidly learning all I could. Back in those days it was not easy. Nowadays, with the internet, live servers where you can play 24/7, and countless books on opening, middle game, endgame, and much more, it is more fun than ever.

I never became a strong player, but I enjoy my game whenever I get a chance to play. I even played in the National US tournament a few times, albeit in the lower ranks and I always try to make it to the Florida State Tournament in Orlando every year.

A group of very talented people has put a video showing a documentary, introducing the wonderful new opportunity for people to become Professionals and represent the USA in the international pro scene. Even though there are three American-born professionals (Michael Redmond 9-Dan, Janice Kim 3-Dan, James Kerwin 1-Dan) they all become professionals abroad (Michael and Jim in Japan, Janice in South Korea). This endeavor will give plenty of kids the opportunity to become American Pros for the first time, something I support.

Got the new Orcas Island (KORS) scenery for FSX - I’m in awe

 

See for yourself. The detail available today in Flight Simulator (FSX) is unbelievable. A pleasure to fly.

This video uses a different technique, stop motion instead of true video. It shows off the detailed work ORBx did in this scenery.

I just got it and can’t believe how good it is.

KORS: see it in HD

YouTube link

This is one of my shots flying in Orcas Island for the first time (the plane is an L-19 Birddog amphibian by Sibwings). It was a dreary day, as I fly with real weather, you never know what you’ll get.

KOREA WINS 2010 World Amateur Go Championship

With a perfect 8-0 score, Hongsuk Song 7d of the Republic of Korea is the new World Amateur Go Champion (photos courtesy John Pinkerton and AGA)

The 2010 World Amateur Go Championship has just finished in Hangzhou, China. As many of you know I have been a Go player for a long time, playing regularly at the Miami Go Club and very often online where you can catch a game at any level 24x7 at KGS Go Server. I am not in the same league as these top amateur players but I do enjoy the game.

The American Go Association (AGA) newsletter has been following the proceeding with many commentaries on games by Michael Redmond 9P (an American top professional player).

The USA representative to the tournament (and International Go Federation Director), Thomas Hsiang 7D placed 12th.

My friend Fernando Aguilar 7d, represented Argentina as he often does and placed 15th.

Robin Williams does Call of Duty

I need a joystick!

 

YouTube link (if you can’t see the embedded video)

Flight Sim (FSX) – Piper Cub

The A2A Simulations J3 Piper Cub is a very detailed modeled aircraft. The Cub is a light airplane built by Piper between 1937 and 1947. It is one of the most sought-after light and simple aircraft and a joy to fly. A2A Simulations did an outstanding job with this airplane, built for FSX.

 

Version with Tundra tires

 

Tundra tires

 

Regular yellow Cub with Australian registration

 

Parked at Boonah (YBOA), a small airfield south of Brisbane, Australia.

Flight Sim: OZx Team’s Australia!

As many of you know, I like the realism of Microsoft Flight Simulator. Besides the excellent world-wide coverage of the sim, and the default planes, enthusiastic simmers have a lot of choices to improve the hobby, with freeware and payware planes and sceneries.

One of the usual producers, the OZx Team has just released OZx_AUS_v3.0,  freeware for Microsoft Flight Simulator – FSX. It is a big download, in two parts, that covers the continent in 3Gb with over 5,000 files!

It has 20 new fields and heliports, 13 water landing ports and new VFR sceneries covering the Aussie landscape. This makes a total of over 300 sceneries plus oil rigs and farm silos. It provides wonderful flying opportunities, from the lush green landscapes of eastern Australia to the red outback, from farming areas in the west to the oil fields in the Indian Ocean.

As I do not know much of Australia (having never flown there), I decided to do a tour with a few hops a day, to get to know the terrain. This one started at Canberra (YSCB) going North, with Plan-G maps (beta) open on my second monitor. Very nice scenery, very well done. Plane is A2A's Piper Cub (payware), and excellent choice for model realism, if you like laid back, low and slow flying.

On to some screenshots:

1. Plan-G flight plan 

2. NE of Canberra (YSCB)

3. Farmland near Lake George, NSW

4. Goorooyarroo Natural Reserve

5. Over the Shoalhaven River canyon

6. Goulburn (YGLB) ahead

(click on the images for larger size)

I like the realism of the plane, an excellent rendition of the venerable Piper J3 Cub, and OZx’s Australia scenery. The passenger is Heidi, and she talks and reacts to the kind of flying you do, so better be a good pilot.

I plan to continue flying hops around Oz and see what the land has to offer.

Bobby Fischer passing

Bobby Fischer passed away. He was a chess genius and a certifiable nut.

I vividly remember seeing him when I attended the Fischer-Petrosian match in Buenos Aires in 1971 where I lived at the time, which he won allowing him to challenge Boris Spassky for the World Championship.

That is one of the memories from childhood that I never forgot as I was a chess-enthusiast at a young age.

Update: Jason Rosenhouse has the best article and remembrance on Fischer I've read.

Alaska Bush Flying At Its Best

I always loved Alaska bush flying. I do that in Microsoft Flight Simulator online with several friends, in very realistic commercial after-market sceneries like Tongass and Misty Fjords. So much so, that we use real flight maps to navigate in FS.

This blog entry shows somebody doing it in real life with excellent photos to boot!

(Via iBlueYonder)

The Wargames Journal

For all you people addicted to wargames, I found a wonderful site: The Wargames Journal.

Every issue is full of interesting information, mostly in PDF format. Check it out.