Geoff Engelstein - The Universe Explained with Cookie out now!

If you don't get the oath, you aren't actually a citizen. So effectively the government has stopped all new citizenship.

This was never about illegal immigration.

🧵end

But you may not have heard that over the last few weeks all oath swearing-in ceremonies have been cancelled and postponed "indefinitely". Normally you would go straight from your test and interview to have the oath administered.

2/3

My wife works with immigrants, helping them prepare for the US citizenship test.

You may have heard that the cost of the test has gone way up, and also gone more difficult (and vague - you now need to show you are a "positive benefit" to society, whatever that means).

🧵 1/3

Today is the third anniversary of the most popular thing I’ve ever done - posting a photo I didn’t even take.

Rebecca Heineman, Transgender Video Game Pioneer, Dies at 62

Trailblazing video game designer passes away. Quite a legacy!

www.nytimes.com/2025/12/04/t...

Just another day in the good 'ol US of A.

Hi Nick! Tried to dm you about this but it says I can’t chat with you. ☹️

Dementia researchers cheer Texas voters’ approval of $3 billion funding initiative New effort is modeled after the state’s long-running cancer research institute

I have many disagreements with policy decisions being made in Texas. But kudos to the lt governor and voters for funding a $3 billion neurology research initiative.

www.science.org/content/arti...

The headphones were crucial.

Yeah, but… we’ve never had a good definition of ‘understanding’ or intelligence or consciousness. So all the discussions about it vis-a-vis AI are completely unmoored.

Having just visited the Anne Frank House in Amsterdam, this was a challenging, infuriating, and thought-provoking read.

Unnameable After the first day of SDHistCon, where I played three games about opium peddling, I figured the second would be easier on my stomach. I could not have been more wrong. It has no name. Its designer…

I don't know how to introduce this one. After three titles about opium peddling, I figured the rest of SDHistCon would be breezy by comparison. I was wrong. The next day, I experienced one of the toughest board games I've ever played. Perhaps *the* toughest. spacebiff.com/2025/11/24/u...

Burt Meyer, 99, Dies; Made Lite-Brite and Rock ’Em Sock ’Em Robots

The designer of Mouse Trap, Rock'em Sock'em Robots, Lite Brite, and many other toys has passed away.

What a legacy of joy!

www.nytimes.com/2025/11/21/a...

I am happy to report that we finally have another #RPGDesignPanelcast episode out where @gengelstein.bsky.social‬ explains the fundamentals of boardgame design, from back in 2024. Expect more seminars shortly!

My congressman Tom Kean Jr wants to ban Medicare, social security, farm subsidies, Snap benefits, and more.

Or he doesn’t understand what socialism actually means.

The Batman effect: The mere sight of the 'superhero' can make us more altruistic If "Batman" appears on the scene, we immediately become more altruistic: in fact, research conducted by psychologists from the Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Milan, shows that the sudden appear...

When pregnant woman boarded a subway car, 38% of the time someone offered her a seat. If someone dressed as Batman was also in the car it rose to 68%.

phys.org/news/2025-11...

Mayday Games Crokinole 2026 Kickstarter - What you should know - Statement from BrownCastle Games | Crokinole It’s November 2025 and Mayday Games has released a brand new crokinole padded carrying case to go with their Kickstarter. It’s an insanely better improvement on their previous Kickstarter. This one ha...

boardgamegeek.com/thread/36142...

This thread goes into detail with photos of the design copying… and the replies link to MULTIPLE previous threads about these products and the publisher’s business practices.

Are you an ‘Industry Professional’ who wants to lead a team through our Game Jam at PAX Unplugged?

We’re looking for a few more captains for this Friday.

Play to Z holiday bundle! Try out some of the games that started Play to Z. King's Coalition, kaleiDOS, and Lynx. All at 50% off MSRP.

Play to Z Games 50 percent off holiday bundle: 3 games for $40! (full disclosure: I'm part owner of this company) #boardgames #holidays #sale @playtozgames.bsky.social

www.backerkit.com/c/projects/p...

Now playing on United.

Oh cool!

Do you enjoy science and speak Japanese? I’ve got just the thing for you!!

Yesterday a bird got into my daughter’s office at work.

Here is today’s text exchange:

Well it was just announced today, so don't beat yourself up that much.

Just reviewed the worst game licensing contract I've seen in the 200+ I've reviewed for @ttgda.bsky.social so far.

Not naming names yet, but if they refuse to change it we may have to call them out.

Pokémon Battle Patent Reexamination A 'Disruption Of The Normal Status Quo,' Says IP Law Expert - Aftermath The United States Patent and Trademark Office has ordered the reexamination of a controversial battling patent.

US patent office is reconsidering a recent Nintendo patent on creatures battling.

aftermath.site/uspto-pokemo...

I am excited to be coordinating a couple panels about game design at #BGG.CON in two weeks. I'm new to this so it's kind of an adventure. Wish me luck!

Voting in local elections is also critical! Don’t forget that.

As an additional bellwether - my town of Bridgewater NJ has had an all-Republican town council for over ten years. Yesterday three out of five seats were on the ballot, and all went to dems, flipping control.

We’re also part of the 7th congressional district, currently R, but very flippable.