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Child Of Light
Child of Light Review
Forgottenlor played Child of Light and decided to write up a review for us
» Continue reading the article...
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
The Witcher 3 Review
The fastest gamer of RPGWatch - Maylander - has already finished The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt and reviews the game for us.
» Read the article
Recent articles
Poll Watch
For the most part
Really don't know
Maybe a bit
No Way
Recently ReleasedJun: Barony
Jun: Masterplan
Jun: Enchanted Cave 2
May: Serpent in the Staglands
May: Van Helsing III
Expected ReleasesJul: Knights of Pen & Paper 2
Jul: One Samurai: Dusk
Jul: Legends of Eisenwald
Jul: Interstellaria
Jul: Unsung Story
News Watch
Van Helsing III - Review @ GameBanshee by Farflame
Piranha Bytes - New Game for Nordic Games? by Format92
Serpent in the Staglands - Review @ Niche Gamer by Edgy
Bard's Tale IV - Game Details by Archangel
Piranha Bytes - Announcement On Friday by joxer
Forum WatchHearthstone by GothicGothicness
The "I Just Bought" thread by Toff
Alrik - if he's not banned already, let's deal with him NOW! by txa1265
Uncharted 4 by danutz_plusplus
Divinity:Original Sin - Interview @ RedBull by Couchpotato
Sunday - June 21, 2015
Matt Chat - Richard Bartle Interview #1
This time Matt Barton interviews Richard Bartle the co-creator of MUD (=Multi-User Dungeon) - the grandfather of all MMOs:
Matt Chat
Enchanted Cave 2 - Rogue-like released for PC/Mac
The Enchanted Cave 2, sequel to a popular roguelike flash game from 2010 by developer Dustin Auxier, has recently been released for PC & Mac.
The Enchanted Cave 2 is an RPG with heavy roguelike elements featuring a randomly generated 100-floor dungeon of monsters and treasure. During a run you'll find both normal treasure and special items called artifacts, with the difference being normal treasures last for that run only, while artifacts and other stat increases, exp, and gold you keep permanently to use on future runs when you successfully escape. The paid versions differ from the flash with 20 more floors + extended story, 4 playable characters, a new game+ feature, longer and higher quality music, higher resolution, and of course more npcs, items and monsters.
- Randomly-generated floors of loot, monsters, and minibosses
- Secret areas hidden in the walls of the cave with loot + plot details
- A thriving town of tourists and eager explorers to talk to and trade equipment
- Over 300 items, equipment, spells, and crafting ingredients
- A soundtrack by the legendary Grant Kirkhope
The Enchanted Cave 2 is absolutely worth a look. It's a huge step forward from its fun but flawed predecessor and features a ton of new features, abilities, skills and more to keep you playing.
The Enchanted Cave 2 is one of those games that pulled me in to the point that I lost track of time, unable to resist taking just one more dive into the cave. It's impressive that it manages to be a relatively gentle example of a dungeon crawler while still having enough teeth to keep from becoming a grind.
Overall, Enchanted Cave 2 offers loads of loot, dungeon strategies, and the tensions of a roguelike, without the punishing forced replaying found in many roguelike games.
The game's free version is available as a flash game on Kongregate. The premium version includes playable characters to choose from, more NPCs, items, monsters, spells, longer music, fullscreen support and is available for PC and Mac on Steam, as well as for Android and iOS.
Enchanted Cave 2SP/MP: Single-player
Setting: Fantasy
Genre: Roguelike
Platform: PC, Mac
Release: Released
Find of the Day - Broederbund: What makes a good game?
Brenda Romero tweeted the Author's Guidelines by Brøderbund Software from 1984:
What makes a good game?
It's no secret what makes a game stand out as a winner.
Here are some of the key elements we consider when adding a new game to our line:
- The game should have increasing levels of difficulty.
- There should be plateaus for the player to reach, each with a qualitative difference, new elements brought into the play, new 'twists' and challenges.
- When a player suffers a defeat, it should be due to his own actions. Never escalate the difficulty simply by programming in random events a person can't respond to.
- The game should project a"personality". A good way to do this is to work with identifiable objects rather than abstract shapes.
- The game should maintain a consistent point of view. Events and displays should add to the sense of reality, not confuse it.
- The game should make full use of the specific computer's technical capabilities - sound color and graphics.
- Most important of all, the game should be original, unlike anything else on the market.
Quest Heroes - Raw Gameplay Footage
Quest Heroes ist a tactical dungeon crawler with a board game flavor. The devs released a video that shows the current development state of the game:
● A rule set totally compatible with real life board-gaming. We will release a free print-and-play version at a later stage of the development process.
● A not-so-serious medieval fantasy world in which, for instance, the mayors are exploiting zombies to clean out their sewers and sending adventurers to teach them a lesson when they go on strike (even the dead feel entitled to at least one day off per week).
● You manage a pool of heroes: before each quest, you select the members of the party.
● Ultimate party-building freedom. If you'd rather have an adventuring party made up of three wizards and a thief instead of the traditional warrior-archer-dwarf-wizard combo, then go for it! It's totally up to you.
● No frustrating class-based gear limitations. Characters can equip and use any weapon or equipment as soon as they have the required stats, regardless of their class.
● Permadeath. However, there are resurrection scrolls (extremely rare, and usable only right after the death) and you can pick up a dead character's gear, so nothing is ever completely lost.
● Heaps of magic, monsters, missions, skills and items... indeed.
● Randomly generated quests.
● Multiplatform: Windows, Mac OS, Android, iOS.
Join the devs on Twitter to show your interest in the game and help them to find a publisher.
Dungeons 2 - Review @ Brash Games
Steve Dutfield (Brash Games) has reviewed the Dungeon Sim/Strategy RPG Dungeons 2:
(...) You get to build a fabulous intricate network of tunnels, where you can place a brewery, treasury, tinkering workshop, hospital, guard-room and many more plus a host of others you unlock as you progress. As you do you mine gold to buy/upgrade and gather troops and harvest magic to unlock and wield spells to buff your progression and devastate your enemy's.
To protect your lair is the brute force of the orks, the hired muscle who protect you from attackers who earn experience for levelling up with each kill they make. With each new level they acquire they get a fancier new name, harder to kill and hit harder. For added protection you get to place a guard-room that alerts you to danger and traps which when strategically placed cause devastation, slow them down or blow them into bits.
While all this is going on the game is sprinkled with humour, especially from the dry talking narrator who quotes lines from made up hero's, books or just informs you about story related anecdotes. It's actually a great little accompaniment to a well put together, fun and enjoyable game. You will get held back at some points as each level starts off quite slow as you have to build up and establish a new dungeon each time but once you've built up a solid force, upgraded a few rooms, levelled up the orks and increased the population you can pretty much steam roller your way through the level.
The main aim of the game involves taking your rag tag militia into the bright, vibrant world outside your cave filled with babbling brooks, colourful flowers, windmills and nature. All of which is trampled underfoot and replaced with lava flowing pools, poisonous swamps and destruction as you hack your way to the objective in the form of capturing a location, rescuing a new ally or killing a hero. This game places you in the evil side of the camp like that older game Overlord and it's a refreshing change to beat back the pathetic, neatly dressed good guys. (...)
Final Score: 8/10 - Very Good
Dungeons 2SP/MP: Single + MP
Setting: Fantasy
Genre: Strategy-RPG
Platform: PC
Release: Released
Witcher 3 - Review @ gamesTM
Another favorable review for The Witcher 3 - gamesTM:
The Witcher 3 surprised us. Sure, we had been primed to expect to find ourselves let loose in a gargantuan open world, but we can't be the only ones who, calloused by the characteristic bombast of triple-A marketing, were at least a little cynical about how the fantasy we were being sold ahead of release would look in reality. As it turns out, the game is startlingly close to being everything CD Projekt Red claimed it would be.
That's most obvious when it comes to the game's sheer scale. Travelling through thick forests and open plains, small villages and huge cities, you gradually begin to appreciate how staggeringly colossal Wild Hunt's world is. To say we are impressed by the scale of The Witcher 3 doesn't quite capture what it is that makes it so brilliant, however. The fact that a game is big does not in and of itself make it compelling. The trick is to leverage that scale in such a way that it impacts on your relationship with the world that you're exploring in a meaningful way – that is what Wild Hunt achieves and that is what makes it such a fantastic game. (...)
Final Score: 9 - Unquestionably a Game Of The Year contender
Witcher 3SP/MP: Single-player
Setting: Fantasy
Genre: RPG
Platform: PC
Release: Released
Saturday - June 20, 2015
Dragon Wars - Review @ The Escapist
At the end of of May Dragon Wars was re-released at GOG. Stew Shearer has reviewed the game:
One thing that I'm really interested in (especially after writing up the history of a whole bunch of them) is old school CRPGs. A lot of my curiosity comes from the fact that I haven't really played many of them. Setting aside the fact that I was born at the tail end of the genre's golden age, I just never had much interest in them when I was younger. After all, why would I waste when my PC time playing RPGs when I already had Final Fantasy on consoles? (Remind me to kick my 15 year old self.)
It makes me sad because, the more I learn about them, the more fascinating I find them and the era that produced them. It was a pioneering time where developers were striving not just to make products, but to adapt complex worlds and rules into gaming experiences unlike anything ever made before. The ambition of that period alone is something that I find to be inspiring. (...)
Luckily, Dragon Wars wound up being a fun and, in places, impressive RPG. Dropping the player into the world of Dilmun where magic has been outlawed, it begins with the player party being placed under arrest under suspicions of spell casting. Thrown into the prison slum of Purgatory, the player has to find a way to escape, bring peace to the land, and defeat the evil wizard Namtar. The story itself is pretty basic as far as fantasy titles go. You're the good guys and there's a baddie. Go forth and smite. That said, it's well-written and the text does a great job of illustrating the game's world where technical limitations prevented the graphics from doing so.(...)
What perhaps sets Dragon Wars apart from other RPGs of this era is just how much effort has gone into giving you choices as to how you proceed and complete the game. Take the opening section where you have to get out of Purgatory. Rather than forcing you into one set method of escape, the game gives you five completely different paths out of the slum that range from selling yourself into slavery to disguising your party as dead bodies to get tossed into the sea. The game, overall, does a great job of giving you moments where there's more than one solution to your problems. (...)
Dragon WarsSP/MP: Single-player
Setting: Fantasy
Genre: RPG
Platform: PC
Release: Released
Soma - Preview @ theKoalition
Stephanie Burdo (theKoalition) : Some first impressions from Soma:
SOMA Preview – 10 Seconds Before Death
Frictional Games, the developer behind Amnesia demonstrated SOMA at this year's E3. The demo followed the same gameplay trailer that had been released by the team earlier this month. The begin portion of the previous gameplay trailer was removed and replaced with a more intriguing conclusion. As I left the PlayStation 4 demo, I had many questions, all of which I cannot wait to have answered after SOMA's release.
You play as Simon, a man roaming about an abandoned science facility. Simon has a special ability; he is able to hear the last 10 seconds before someone's death. Similar to the earlier demo, you encounter a wounded mech claiming to be a man named Carl. As I roamed the halls I found a deceased male with the same name as the mech I had just encountered, which left me feeling…confused.
I used the code on Carl's identity badge to log into the staff computers, opening a door to the main power system. Next to the power switch there was a note that warned me of the repercussions that would follow powering on the system, "there is no turning back". Following the actions of the earlier demo, I decided to power up the system and take my chances. In doing so, I unknowingly released a frightening and quite frankly, very noisy creature. (...)
SomaSP/MP: Single-player
Setting: Sci-Fi
Genre: Adventure-RPG
Platform: PC
Release: In development
E3 - The 10 most exciting PC games @ PCWorld
PCWorld's top 10 games of the E3:
Another year, another E3 gone by. Between the conference's first-ever dedicated PC event and the slew of newly revealed PC games hiding among the console announcements at Day Zero's massive showcases, this was easily one of the most exciting E3s for PC gaming fans ever.
Forget Xbox. PlayStation? Pfah. PC gaming is the real cutting-edge of gaming, and here at PCWorld we covered more than fifty titles prepared to grace computer screens. Even crazier, that wasn't even all of them. Heck, AMD even announced its new flagship Radeon Fury X graphics card at E3 this year.
In such a swelling sea of games, it's good to highlight a chosen few that stood out from the rest. These are the PC games that got us personally excited at E3 2015, in no particular order. What were your favorites? Drop a line in the comments.
Top 10
- Fallout 4
- Master of Orion
- Ghost Recon Wildlands
- Sword Coast Legends
- Deus Ex: Mankind Divided
- King's Quest
- Pillars of Eternity: The White March expansion
- Need for Speed
- Shadow Warrior 2
- Soma
- Tony Hawk Pro Skater 5
- Rock Band 4
- Mass Effect Andromeda
Friday - June 19, 2015
Steam - Some things you should know about it
Sales and genres
I will start by saying that Steam's own genre categories aren't really useful because a lot of games have to be assigned to several genres and the list is limited. User tags, on the other hand, are a bit too vague to be used for analysis, but much more useful when you're trying to find a game to play.
The average game on Steam does not sell really well, at least not since 2012. While we all heard about breakdown success of some big titles, it doesn't apply to your average title. "The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim" has about 8.6 million users on Steam, "Grand Theft Auto V" sold about 2.2 million copies in less than a month, but how does the average game on Steam perform?
It is a bit better if you check the genre distribution with RPGs selling 55,000 copies on an average while Early Access games (that is a genre by Steam's definition) only sell around 9,000 copies. And while free to play games look lucrative with 330,000 owners on an average, when you consider a rather optimistic conversion rate of 10 percent, you will end up with about 33,000 paying users – not really different from the average paid game on Steam.
Dark Souls II - The Bits That Didn't Work
Rock Paper Shotgun give their opinion in below video what bits of Dark Souls II (and the first Dark Souls) did not quite work, in their Fail Forward series.
Dark Souls IISP/MP: Single + MP
Setting: Fantasy
Genre: Action-RPG
Platform: PC
Release: Released
Gate of Memories - Official Trailer
A new trailer for Anima Gate of Memories, a game set in the Anima fantasy book series, was recently published.
Anima Gate of Memories is a third person action RPG. The game is mostly focused on combat and exploration, but it will also have a huge roleplaying elements. While it is story driven, it doesn't force you to ride along rails to complete it. The game gives players freedom to explore a rich world and tackle only the obstacles that they want. This way, each player can visit many diverse places and reach very different endings depending on their choices.
Anima Gate of Memories is based in the international Anima Beyond Fantasy RPG books, and the game is being developed by the same team who wrote them.
More videos to be found here.
Gate of MemoriesSP/MP: Single-player
Setting: Fantasy
Genre: Action-RPG
Platform: PC
Release: In development
Serpent in the Staglands - Art Book & Expansion
Whalenought Studios developers Hannah & Joe posted an update about their Transylvanian inspired party-based CRPG Serpent in the Staglands on their Kickstarter page. The contents:
- A video
- Marketing without an easy button
- Expansion announcement -- apparently the expansion it will be automatically added with a big update
- Art book is finished
- The Future, in which they will try to get community members on board earlier
Here's a snippet about the difficulty they face in trying to get the press to review their game:
While we've had and cherished a modest amount of user reviews, marketing continues to be a bit tough — it's a game without an easy mode, and journalists can't just jump in and make quick impressions, and we think that makes it difficult to get those early impressions reviews. We hear of a few folks that attempted that and got whiplashed with a learning curve like they haven't seen in years, which though kind of humorous to hear about, does filter the reviewers down to gamers that have patience, which is of course an incredibly slimming population. But learning to play and learning the world is part of the game, and a part we're really proud of.
There's also a demo available for Windows, Mac and Linux, for those of you who want to try before they buy.
Serpent in the StaglandsSP/MP: Single-player
Setting: Fantasy
Genre: RPG
Platform: PC
Release: Released
Original Sin EE - E3 Diary Part 3
Here is the final diary video of Larian Studios' presence at E3. In this diary there is also a contest in which you can participate and win a unique t-shirt.
Original Sin EESP/MP: Single + MP
Setting: Unknown
Genre: RPG
Platform: PC
Release: In development
Fable Legends - Isn't Really a Fable Game
IGN let us know that Fable Legends isn't really anything like the previous Fable games.
If you go to the official Fable Legends website and click the "What is Fable Legends" tab, these are the first words you see. The thing is, they don't actually tell you anything about what Fable Legends is at all. In fact, it almost makes it sound like Fable Legends is a direct continuation of the core Fable series, which it couldn't possibly be farther from. I'm not pointing this out because I think there's something devious about it though. I'm pointing it out because even though it has, as near as I can tell, no substantive similarity to Fable or any action RPG of any kind, it's piqued my interest. I actually quite like its novel take on wave-based, co-op PvE, so if you want to know what Fable Legends really is, read on.
Fable Legends is actually two completely different games depending on whether you play the Heroes or the Villain. The Heroes are playing a four player co-op action game where waves of monsters attack them as they make their way through a series of connected arenas. They enter the first arena, kill all the monsters, then move onto the next until they die or reach the end. SImple. As the Villain, you're playing a real-time strategy game, in which you set monsters and traps on the board, and then issue move and attack orders to try and overwhelm the Heroes. Like Evolve, this is 4v1 asymmetric multiplayer, but unlike it, the two sides are playing different genres altogether.
Fable LegendsSP/MP: Single + MP
Setting: Fantasy
Genre: MMORPG
Platform: PC, Xbox One
Release: In development
The Bard's Tale IV - First Song, Lore and Monte Cook
In this update for The Bard's Tale IV we learn that Monte Cook will join the team at the $1.4 milion stretch goal.
Monte will be taking charge of the design for one of our dungeons with your support. We look forward to working with him to deliver some mind-bending designs!
Furthermore there is this song from Mark Morgan.
And there is some information on the lore.
In a hundred and fifty years even the bravest deeds become nothing more than bard's tales. Most people today in Skara Brae don't believe Mangar, Lagoth Zanta, Tarjan, or the brave adventurers who defeated them and their horrors were ever more than legends - and those that do still believe keep silent.
Ever since the Church of the Sword Father civilized the land of Caith and chased out the heathen a hundred years ago, the new Skara Brae, built on top of its ruined predecessor, has become a god-fearing town, where it is dangerous to admit to harboring such superstitious notions or knowing anything of the old ways.
Which is unfortunate, because it's starting to look like the trolls and bloodfiends and hobgoblins from all those fairy stories have returned. Terrible things have been happening in Skara Brae - people slaughtered in their beds by unseen beasts, holy sites desecrated, folk disappearing between field and home, statues of the Mad God found in bloodstained back alleys, and the Song of the Maiden heard again for the first time in a generation. And worse, the people most equipped to deal with these old threats have been made outlaws.
Bard's Tale IVSP/MP: Single-player
Setting: Fantasy
Genre: Dungeon Crawler
Platform: PC
Release: In development
Deus Ex: MD - E3 previews and more
The full 25 minutes long "E3 World Premiere Demo" of Deus Ex: Mankind Divided has been released.
Note that the video shows alpha footage, was played in God mode to ensure a smooth play-through and contains story spoilers from 18:25 to 22:20.
- Deus Ex: MD is beautiful, brutal and seriously ambitious @ arstechnica
- Deus Ex: MD left me obsessing over cyborg oppression @ The Verge
Video Interviews
- Activism & Terrorism in Deus Ex: MD, interview with the game's narrative director @ IGN
- Getting to the Bottom of the Sunglass Implants @ Polygon
- Deus Ex: MD makes Adem Jensen even more Baddass @ ZomminGames
Deus Ex: MDSP/MP: Single + MP
Setting: Sci-Fi
Genre: Shooter-RPG
Platform: PC
Release: In development
The Banner Saga 2 - E3 previews and more
Stoic Studio gave a brief presentation of The Banner Saga 2 in E3's last day Twitch stream.
There's also the intro cinematic for you to enjoy, plus 15 minutes of gameplay.
- Video interview by GameSlice
- Video interview by The Technology Tell Apple Channel
- Video interview by Engadget
- The Banner Saga 2 Revealed @ PCGamesN
- Hands on Review @ iDigitalTimes
- Hands-On @ the escapist
- Hands-On Preview @ TechnoBuffalo
- Preview @ TouchArcade
- Preview @ GameSpot
Bullet points (digested from the Twich stream by Infinitron from the Codex):
- A more systemized approach towards caravan management, where you have to make a choice between promoting your clansmen to warriors, or leaving them to generate more supplies and Renown.
- An increased emphasis on cinematics, including "in-engine" scripted scenes during combat.
- More variety in combat, including the addition of destructible barricades on the battlefield.
- A significantly different campaign experience depending on the outcome of the big choice made at the end of the first game.
The Banner Saga 2 is due out in Winter this year.
Source: RPG Codex
Banner Saga 2SP/MP: Single-player
Setting: Fantasy
Genre: Strategy-RPG
Platform: PC
Release: In development
Eitr - New gameplay trailer
Developer Eneme released a new gameplay trailer for their upcoming Vikings themed Action-RPG EITR.
Thanks Couch.
EitrSP/MP: Single-player
Setting: Historical
Genre: Action-RPG
Platform: PC
Release: In development
Fallen: A2P Protocol - Major Update #4
The 4th major update for Fallen: A2P Protocol was pushed out.
Hey there,
We wanted to let you know we just pushed another major update.
Here is what you will find:
New maps/missions
We implemented 3 new missions/maps. 2 of them with new winning conditions and an interesting twist to the standard missions.
There's much more. Check it out in the Steam community hub.
Fallen: A2P ProtocolSP/MP: Single + MP
Setting: Sci-Fi
Genre: Tactical RPG
Platform: PC
Release: Released
Rampant Games - Sequels and Remakes
Rampant Coyote posted a new blog post about the flood of sequels and remakes, and how the press is involved in this:
Games based on existing IP always seem to make up the bulk of the E3 announcements. And yeah, as budgets have risen, so has the ratio of proven titles to new IP. So they aren't wrong there.
But here's the funny thing - and again, this is hardly new this year: The bulk of the media coverage has been on this existing IP, while there have also been quite a few brand new titles announced which have gotten scant coverage. Why? Because [...]
Rampant Games
Shenmue 3 - Kickstarter Secures Sony's Co-financing
You didn't really believe a AAA title like Shenmue 3 could be made for 2 million dollars, did you? As it turned out, the Kickstarter was meant to prove there is indeed sufficient demand for a new Shenmue game. On that condition Sony agreed to co-finance the game. As you already know, Ys Net's Kickstarter campaign succeeded within a day. So Sony is officially on board now. Kotaku has some infos:
With Shenmue III, the rest of the money seesms to be coming from Sony. How much? No idea.
"Sony and PlayStation is definitely a partner in this game," said Corsi, "and it's going to be run through third-party production. We're going to help Ys Net get the game done, we're going to be partners on it the whole way, and really excited to see this thing come out in a couple of years."
In an interview with Engadget Sony Playstation's Shuhei Yoshida revealed this whole PR stunt wasn't their idea:
So I want to switch gears a little bit. I want to talk to you about Shenmue and crowdfunding. That was announced onstage on Monday and it's at about $3 million now. So let me ask you: Why did Sony PlayStation decide to allow that crowdfunding announcement as opposed to funding it?
Ah, no, no, no. It's a very exciting project and there are lots of PlayStation fans asking for it. But it's a Sega IP and of course Suzuki Yu-san is the creator. So somehow Suzuki-san was able to work out with Sega to allow them to Kickstart the project. And because we liked the project, our third-party relations team struck a deal to help Kickstart the campaign at the E3 conference. That's great PR.
Shenmue 3SP/MP: Unknown
Setting: Unknown
Genre: Unknown
Platform: Unknown
Release: In development
Original Sin EE - Gameplay Demo @ IGN
IGN meets Larian at the E3:
Check out this new gameplay of two player couch coop in Divinity Original Sin.
Original Sin EESP/MP: Single + MP
Setting: Unknown
Genre: RPG
Platform: PC
Release: In development
Thursday - June 18, 2015
Vampyr - Announced... Again
We had the news about Vampyr being announced in January, but here is a new announcement with a video to go along with it.
Focus Home Interactive and Dontnod Partner for New RPG, Vampyr
The next great game from the creators of Remember Me and Life Is Strange unveiled in concept video
Acclaimed game-development studio Dontnod and publisher Focus Home Interactive are pleased to officially announce their partnership for the development of Vampyr, a new role-playing gamepowered by Unreal Engine 4 for PlayStation 4, Xbox One and PC.
The studio behind Remember Me and Life is Strange unveils a concept trailer for Vampyr, which sets the mood and universe of this new license, which promises to offer a unique, deeply immersive role-playing experience steeped in vampire mythology.
Vampyr is set in early 20th century Britain as the country is gripped by the lethal Spanish flu and the streets of London are crippled by disease, violence and fear. In a disorganized and ghostly city, those foolish, desperate, or unlucky enough to walk the streets lay prey to Britain's most elusive predators: the vampires. Emerging from the chaos, a tormented figure awakens. You are Jonathan E. Reid, a high-ranking military surgeon transformed into a vampire upon his return home from the frontline.
Explore the darkly atmospheric streets of early 20th century London, and interact with a multitude of characters with their own identities and importance. Accept and fulfill the missions they give you, but don't forget: sooner or later, you will have to feed, and make a difficult choice... who will be your prey? Absolutely all characters in the game are potential victims of your vampiric lust. Carefully study the habits of your next victim, his or her relationships with other characters, and set up your strategy to feed, unnoticed: seduce them, change their daily habits, or make sure they end up alone in a dark street...
Be careful who you choose to hunt, as they will be gone forever, and their death will impact in a meaningful way the world that surrounds you. Feeding on human blood will not just keep you "alive"; it will also unlock new vampiric powers to use.
There will be times when exploration and seduction will only get you so far, and you'll need to resort to engaging in Vampyr's dynamic real-time combat. It blends hard-hitting melee combat with ranged shooting mechanics and the supernatural vampire powers. You'll face many types of enemies: different species of vampires and creatures, as well as vampire hunters who want to hunt you down with their weapons, tools and traps. In Vampyr, your health and the "energy" that drives your supernatural powers are one and same! Using powers will drain your own blood, giving you an edge in battle but also leaving you weaker. You will have to find a way to feed during combat to replenish your strength.
Vampyr also offers a deep crafting system. Find and loot materials and components from the fresh corpses of your victims or during exploration, in order to craft and improve tools, melee and ranged weapons, as well as special ammunitions and coating to exploit the weaknesses of your enemies.
As you cling to what remains of your humanity, your decisions will ultimately shape the fate of your hero while searching for answers in the coughing, foggy aftermath of the Spanish Flu.
Vampyr will release in 2017 on PS4, Xbox One and PC.
VampyrSP/MP: Single-player
Setting: Historical
Genre: Action-RPG
Platform: PC
Release: In development
Fallout 4 - Todd Howard Presents...
Presentation of Fallout 4 (Gameslice TV):
Interview with Gameslice TV:
Details on Fallout 4:
00:17 How Does it feel to Bring Fallout Back?
00:55 What does the new trailer tell us about Fallout 4?
01:45 How will current gen. systems/PCs take advantage of graphics?
03:00 How does the new weather/water and lighting affects the look?
04:18 Fallout 4's new color theme
04:45 Where do the bombs fall in Boston?
06:45 Todd discusses the main story of Fallout 4
07:54 Can Dogmeat Die?
Fallout 4SP/MP: Single-player
Setting: Post-Apoc
Genre: RPG
Platform: PC
Release: In development
BioWare - David Gaider Interview
Video Game Sophistry talks with David Gaider about the story, what characters failed, what is next and what was cut from the game.
Thanks Couch.
Fable Legends - E3 News
As you know Fable Legends is shown at E3 and you can play together with your friends on Xbox One and PC to gang up and beat that one openent with the four of you. It will eb released this Christmas and it is meant to last for some time as it is supposed to have years of contents (thanks Couch), which measn that it will be supported for a long time after its release with new content being added, although nobody knows how long a long time actually is.
GamesRadar got the chance to play the game and share with us some information of that session.
At first blush, Legends looks pretty similar to what you might expect from the Fable series, at least in visual design. The forest I traverse throughout the demo has that olde England fantasy vibe synonymous with the franchise, and the characters on my team - including an elaborately dressed sorceress and a sentient suit of armor able to steal the souls of nearby monsters - play well to the semi-sinister fairy tale tropes that Fable is known for. However, the gameplay has a wholly different aim, focusing on tasks your team of four must accomplish together. That means traditional RPG elements like talking with strangers and completing story-based quests have been sidelined (at least during my demo) in favor of killing waves of enemies as a team.
Specific character roles are fairly obvious from the start, based on the weapon each character is holding, but while a clear bit of ambient tutorial, that almost makes it too easy to charge in headfirst without checking with your team. That can result in disaster, because once you're dead there's no way to respawn without being revived by another team member. If they don't see you or don't want to stop and perform the revive spell, that's one less person on the field, and more for the remaining players to deal with. A team that doesn't coordinate properly will be easily picked off one by one, as their already incapacitated comrades look bitterly on.
Fable LegendsSP/MP: Single + MP
Setting: Fantasy
Genre: MMORPG
Platform: PC, Xbox One
Release: In development
Original Sin EE - E3 Diary Part 2
Here is part 2 of Larian Studios' E3 diary for Divinity: Original Sin Exhanced Edition, showing a bunch of people playing the game and commenting on what they think about the game.
Original Sin EESP/MP: Single + MP
Setting: Unknown
Genre: RPG
Platform: PC
Release: In development
Sword Coast Legends - E3 News
Here are a few news bits for Sword Coast Legends from E3.
PC World thinks the game will be a candidate for the best game at E3.
All in all, it's looking great! I don't love the 3D aesthetic quite as much as Pillars of Eternity's Infinity Engine-esque art, but the game still looks pretty good (at least as good as Wasteland 2 and Divinity: Original Sin) and it plays well. Some of the animations still need more feedback and movement could be a bit more fluid, but overall I have no huge complaints on that front—it played like an isometric CRPG.
It's almost like the genre never died in the first place. Almost.
Couch forwarded us the link to VGChartz, who are filled with imagination after seeing the demo.
Excited about the prospects of what DM mode could entail, I asked n-Space the extent to which Masters could design stories, questlines, and combat scenarios - could players make their own "Baldur's Gates"? In talking with n-Space, they stated that, theoretically, players could write stories and quest-lines long enough to comprise the length of an entire game. I asked if other campaign settings were on the cards for future Sword Coast Legends content, and I was told "absolutely" by n-Space.
WCCF Tech feels it is an authentic reproduction of the DnD Realm.
Sword Coast Legends wants to bring the true dungeon master experience into the digital realm, and I truly think it's succeeded. Already in this early form it has all the features you'd want. The direction they're taking is phenomenal, and it allows for new ways to enjoy D&D, beyond the table and with absolutely everything you'd want.
Technology Tell played it as well
"For far too long, passionate and dedicated Mac and Linux RPG gamers have been left out in the cold, forced to watch from the sidelines as the industry focused efforts on just a select few platforms. That ends today," said Dan Tudge, President of n-Space and Director for Sword Coast Legends. "With Sword Coast Legends, we are dedicated to delivering exactly the sort of classic, D&D, RPG gaming experience fans on every platform have been clamoring for. More importantly, we're committed to providing the community with the largest possible pool of adventurers and prospective Dungeon Masters by ensuring that all gamers can play together regardless of which operating system they use."
And then there are two videos with hands-on play.
Sword Coast LegendsSP/MP: Single + MP
Setting: Fantasy
Genre: RPG
Platform: PC
Release: In development
Indie RPGs - Indies to Watch @ E3
Gameinformer created a list of four indie games from E3 they feel are worth watching. On the list are games like Banner Saga 2, Bedlam and Moon Hunters.
Originally launched as a Kickstarter, Moon Hunters is a 1-to-4-player, mythology-building action RPG with roguelike elements. Set in the fantastical version of ancient Mesopotamia, the world is thrown into chaos when the moon suddenly goes missing. In true roguelike fashion, the game only takes a few hours to play through, but will be different every time you start it up. However, your actions leave tiny impacts on the world, so you might encounter people who recall your old hero or whisper legends of your heroism. People will remember if you terrorized them just for fun or if you were noble and helped save them from monsters. At the end of your journey, your hero becomes a constellation in the sky, forever marking your progress in the world. Fortunately, every time you jump back into the game you unlock new character classes, tribes, and environments. Combat plays out in real-time and each hero has their own upgrade tree. An up close fighter class called the Spellblade has a shockwave ability that knocks enemies back. However, his vacuum blade upgrade makes it so he actually draws enemies towards him before stunning them for a few seconds. The Ritualist is a long ranger fighter who shoot energy bullets at foes, and one of her upgrade makes her projectiles pass through multiple foes, so you can line up enemies and whittle down their health in one shot. The game encourages players to work together and coordinate their attacks. This is an intriguing little indie game with some great music and a cool pixel art style.
Indie RPGsSP/MP: Unknown
Setting: Unknown
Genre: RPG
Platform: Unknown
Release: In development


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VIEWS: 40 PAGES: 9 CATEGORY: Education POSTED ON: 11/21/2008 Public Domain
An Introduction to the Art of Fencing "Fencing is the easiest sport in the world. All you have to do is touch someone with the pointy end of a weapon. It only becomes difficult when you have to prevent your opponent from doing the very same thing to you." ---)-------------------- ~Coach Brown What Is Fencing? George Washington. Lex Luthor. Napoleon. Zorro. Blackbeard the Pirate. Romeo. Stonewall Jackson. Obi Wan Kenobi. Inigo Montoya. René Descartes. Captain Hook. Errol Flynn. Athos, Porthos, Aramis, and D'Artagnan. Every Knight. Every Samurai. Every Cavalry Officer. All of these people, whether fictional characters or historic figures conjure up grand images and fascinating stories. And they all share something in common. They all studied the art of Fencing! Fencing is the art of swordplay, the combination of offense and defense with a sword. Fencing is both a physical and mental sport. It requires stamina and speed, but even more so, it requires an understanding of technique, a sense of time, balance, finesse and most importantly it requires a sense of distance. A fencer must be able to move quickly and keep the pace up for the duration of a match. A fencer must also compete psychologically with their opponent. The fencer must learn a variety of strategies, various moves and must judge themselves relative to their opponent. Fencing is an intense and fast sport. Most of all, fencing is just plain fun. Fencing is a broad term, but it usually refers to the Olympic style, for which there are specific sub-types of fencing and a strict set of rules. This is the type of fencing to which we will refer. The 3 Weapons of Fencing Foil, épée and saber are the three weapons used in the sport of fencing. Foil and épée are point-thrusting weapons. Saber is a point-thrusting as well as a cutting weapon. The target areas and technique differ for the three weapons. Foil The foil has a flexible rectangular blade, approximately 35 inches in length, weighing less than a pound. Points are scored with the tip of the blade and must land within the torso of the body. The valid target area in foil is the torso, from the shoulders to the groin, front and back. It does not include the arms, neck, head and legs. Épée The épée (pronounced "EPP-pay"), the descendant of the dueling sword, is similar in length to the foil, but is heavier, weighing approximately 27 ounces, with a larger guard (to protect the hand from a valid hit) and a much stiffer blade. Touches are scored only with the point of the blade. The entire body is the valid target area. Sabre The saber is the modern version of the slashing cavalry sword, and is similar in length and weight to the foil. The major difference is that the saber is a thrusting weapon as well as a cutting weapon. The target area is from the bend of the hips (both front and back), to the top of the head, simulating the cavalry rider on a horse. Uniforms The complete fencing uniform consists of a glove, mask, jacket, underarm protector, knickers and breast protectors for women. Knickers are optional but everything else is required in competition. The uniform is essential for providing protection against the weapons being used. Fencing can involve injuries, as with any sport, but with proper equipment and good technique there is little likelihood of injury. Safety -Always wear a mask and a proper uniform (one in good condition), even if only demonstrating. -Always use your weapons as if they were sharp. Don't hit your opponent harder then necessary. They can leave welts and bruises, so be careful. Older and poorer quality weapons also have a tendency to break, thus making the nice safety tip quite useless. It's all fun and games until someone gets a sword in the gut. - Always watch your distance when fencing. Avoid violent contact and roughness. Body contact is illegal anyway, (so don't even try to punch out your opponent, even if he is pretending to be a saber fencer.) -Always make sure you have enough room and light to fence. Dorm halls are a bad idea. They also tend to include many unknowing spectators. See below. -Always exclude spectators from the fencing area. If they get too close there's a good chance they're going to get whacked. The weapons move so quickly, the poor bastards won't even know what hit them. Right-Of-Way One of the most difficult concepts to visualize in foil and saber fencing is the rule of right-of-way. This rule was established to eliminate apparently simultaneous attacks by two fencers. In essence, right-of-way is the differentiation of offense and defense, made by the referee. The difference is important only when both fencers appear to have scored a touch at the same time. When this happens, the winner of the point is the one who the referee determined was on offense at the time. Right of way is established by the extension of the weapon towards valid target area. Épée does not use the right-of-way in keeping with its dueling origin - he who first gains the touch earns the point. However, it is equally important to have a sound defense for épée, since the entire body must be protected from a touch. Distance and Timing Distance and timing are the most important concepts in fencing because if you control distance and timing, you control the bout. Strength, speed, flexibility and even skill mean nothing if you don't have a keen understanding of distance and timing. There are generally considered to be three types of distance in fencing: Close distance is the distance from you opponent within which you can make a touch on valid target area from a riposte, (without a lunge or a forward step.) Medium distance is the distance from your opponent within which you can make a touch on valid target area with the use of a lunge. Far distance is the distance from your opponent within which you can make a touch on valid target area with the use of an advance and a lunge or a jump- lunge. Keep in mind that both you and your opponent have different fencing distances. If your opponent has a greater reach, you may be well within his Medium distance long before he ever enters your Far distance. Also, is not always the case that the length of ones arm determines distance. Although arm length, or reach, may determine a fencer's close distance, their lunge may be deeper or shorter than yours, and they may have a longer advance or a more explosive jump-lunge. To determine your own distances, practice against a padded wall or some other stationary object. How far away from the target can you be and still hit it with just a lunge. What about an advance lunge? Notice how your distance increases if you do a quick advance and perform a more explosive lunge. Determining your opponent's distance is significantly more difficult, especially if you've never fenced this opponent before. First, pay attention to how tall your opponent is. This is your first clue, but not your best one. Some tall fencers will depend on the reach of their arm but never lunge, while others will use every advantage and lunge deeply, touching you in a simple combination from 5 meters away. Test out your opponent and see how they move, how they advance, how they lunge, or even if they lunge at all. Be wary and keep your distance until you feel comfortable with where the danger zone is. My general advice is to remain outside of your opponent's Medium distance until you're ready to make an attack. Then, move close enough to bring them into your Medium distance. Control of distance means nothing if you don't have a sense of timing. Timing is your ability to coordinate your distance and your opponent's distance with your intended action. If you plan on moving just out of your opponent's range as they attack and follow up with an attack of your own, it does no good to retreat 2 seconds too late. By then, she has already scored a touch on you. It also does no good to retreat 2 seconds too early. Your opponent will simply continue her attack, carrying right of way, and score another touch. However, if you time it right, you can retreat just out of your opponent's distance, just as she is about to touch you, she misses, and you make your own attack before she has tim e to recover. This demonstrates a perfect combination of timing and distance. Fundamental Definitions Advance - Basic footwork used to move forward on the fencing strip. Forward step of the front foot followed by a forward step of the rear foot. Attack -Initial offensive action, executed with the arm extending and threatening the valid surface with a progressive forward motion. Beat- Action of hitting the adversary's blade. Counter attack -Attack executed just after the start of the opponent's offensive action. Disengagement -The act of removing the blade from contact or imminent contact. Engagement - Making contact with the opponent's blade. Epee -Considered the direct descendent of the dueling sword. Has a triangular cross-sectioned blade and a large bell guard to protect the whole hand. Right of way rules do not apply. The whole body is a valid target. Feint- Simulation of an offensive, defensive or counter offensive action, intended to draw a reaction or absence of a reaction from the opponent. Foil -Considered the basic weapon in fencing. The blade has a rectangular cross section. Originally conceived as a practice dueling sword. Rules use right-of- way conventions. The torso is the valid target. Invitation - Action which voluntarily opens a line of attack. Normally used to provoke an attack. Jump-lunge -Footwork where a short jump is followed by an immediate lunge. Line- The position of the blade in relation to the portion of the target covered. There are four lines: high outside, high inside, low outside, low inside. Also referred as the line of attack Lunge -Action that consists of an explosive reaching forward of the front foot combined with the extension of the rear leg. On guard -The position most favorable for equal readiness for offense defense, counter-offense and mobility. Parry -Defensive action made with the blade to prevent the opponent's attack from arriving. block Remise- Simple attack after the opponent's parry is delayed or absent. Reprise- Attack made in a same line of the original attack after the original attack has been parried but the opponent's riposte is delayed or absent. Retreat -The basic fencing footwork to move backwards on the fencing strip. Backward step of the rear foot, followed by a backward step of the front foot. Right-of-way -The conventions in foil and saber fencing used to determine who scores, especially in the event of a double touch. Riposte -The simple or compound attack executed immediately after a parry. Saber -The only weapon in fencing which allows fencers to score with cuts using the edge of the blade. Has a wrap-around guard. Has a rectangular cross-sectioned blade which tapers. Simultaneous hit - When fencers score valid touches but right-of-way cannot be determined by the referee. In foil and saber, no point is scored. In epee, both fencers score a point. Strong (of the blade) -Reference to the area of the blade closest to the bell guard. Taking-of-the-blade - Action of seizing the opponent's blade and mastering it until the conclusion of the action. Weak (of the blade) -The area of the blade farthest from the guard. Where to go to get Fencing Lessons In the Woodbridge area, Fencing classes are offered at both the Chinn Center, 703-730-1051 as well as the Dale City Recreation Center (703) 670-7112. Call for availability and prices. For more information on the sport visit the following websites: www.wshsvikings.org/~brown www.usfencing.org
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CVS Caremark has entered into a new clinical affiliation with MedStar Health, a healthcare system with 10 hospitals in Maryland and the Washington, D.C., region.
"We have a system that needs fixing." That comment on the state of the nation's healthcare system, shared by physician and New York Times correspondent and senior writer Elisabeth Rosenthal, served as the springboard for a high-level summit on the future of health care in the United States. The event drew a who's who of nationally known health experts, scientists and government officials.
Walmart is reportedly making a more aggressive push into medical care by not only planning to open additional clinics but it is also marketing itself as a primary care provider.
CVS Caremark has entered into new clinical affiliations with four healthcare providers.
HCA Midwest Health System, a healthcare provider in Kansas City, Mo., and Walgreens on Tuesday announced a collaboration that will provide coordinated and expanded healthcare services for area residents, while enhancing access to high-quality, convenient and affordable care for patients.
Rite Aid and Heritage Provider Network, one of California's largest healthcare provider networks, on Tuesday announced they have entered into an agreement to bring the Rite Aid Health Alliance program to HPN's chronic and polychronic patients across Southern California.
While the upswing in Rite Aid's bottom line and shares continue to gain attention, Motley Fool's consumer goods analyst Sean O'Reilly suggests that the pharmacy retailer has "an even bigger ace up its sleeve." Enter the chain's new Health Alliance program.
The National Center for Health Statistics released a report finding that married men were more likely than not-married men to have had a healthcare visit within the past 12 months.
The Deparment of Health and Human Services on Wednesday announced the availability of up to $300 million under the Affordable Care Act to help the nation's community health centers expand service hours, hire more medical providers, and add oral health, behavioral health, pharmacy and vision services.
The recent American Academy of Pediatrics-issued policy statement opposing retail clinics is disheartening to those of us practicing in this setting. The AAP's commitment to the medical home model of care for children is the crux of the opposition.
Access to good and affordable health care is the No. 1 concern of Americans today, trumping national security, national debt, improving the quality of education, gun violence and protecting privacy rights, according to a survey recently conducted for the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants.
Rite Aid on Tuesday announced it has acquired Boston-based Health Dialog Services Corp., a provider of health coaching, shared decision making and healthcare analytics from Bupa, a London-based international healthcare services group.
Even as millions of Americans gain access to insurance coverage under the Affordable Care Act, there are an estimated 62 million people who remain without access to a primary heath care physician, according to a report by the National Association of Community Health Centers.
The Federal Trade Commission is holding a public workshop in March to examine U.S. healthcare competition issues as healthcare spending swallows up a significant part of federal and state budgets. Among the topics up for discussion, according to reports, are retail clinics and telemedicine.
The American Association of Nurse Practitioners, a national professional membership organization for nurse practitioners of all specialties, is calling on state lawmakers to consider the consequences of undue restrictions on APRNs, or nurse practitioners, as recommended by the Federal Trade Commission.
Led by former U.S. Senate Majority Leaders Tom Daschle, D-S.D., and Trent Lott, R-Miss., and former Senator John Breaux, D-La., the Alliance for Connected Care has been launched to promote policy reform around telehealth and remote patient monitoring.
Forging ahead on its longer-term goal of creating a national platform to support primary care, CVS Caremark plans to open up at least 150 new MinuteClinic locations this year and is now testing telehealth at more than two-dozen sites.
Regional player Kinney Drugs has teamed up with Pulmonary Health Physicians, PC and Franciscan Companies (an affiliate of St. Joseph's Hospital) to open the Healthy You Wellness Center at a Kinney Drugs location in Syracuse.
Recognizing the vital role that retail-based health clinics play in today's healthcare system, the Scattergood Foundation is exploring the most effective way to integrate mental health care into retail clinics through its 2014 Design Challenge.
The healthcare network Centura Health and Walgreens on Tuesday announced a clinical collaboration agreement that will provide coordinated and expanded healthcare services for patients throughout Colorado's Front Range.
The CVS Caremark Charitable Trust, a private foundation created by CVS Caremark, announced a $5 million commitment to expanding access to quality health care nationwide.
Diabetes organizations in several cities are getting a boost in funding from a Danish drug maker that specializes in developing treatments for the disease.
While the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act will undoubtedly reshape the U.S. healthcare industry for years to come, it is only one of many factors that will emerge next year, according to a new report.
CVS Caremark's MinuteClinic has expanded to its 28th state with the opening of clinic locations inside select CVS/pharmacy stores in New Hampshire, and the clinic operator also has formed a new clinical collaboration with Dartmouth-Hitchcock, the largest healthcare system in New Hampshire.
SSM Health Care–St. Louis and Healthcare Clinic at select Walgreens will launch a collaboration in January 2014 that will improve access to care and increase care coordination for patients, the companies announced Thursday.


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2185 Citracado ParkwayEscondido, CA 92029442.281.5000
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Home > Carol LeBeau's Health Journal > Carol's Health Journal
I've been binging…again. It's embarrassing, but I just can't stop.
Oh, the problem isn't with consuming too many adult beverages or watching back-to-back episodes of "Law and Order" all weekend.
My compulsive behavior is seasonal. As soon as summer's fresh fruits arrive, I lose all control…helpless as a kitten…as I bite into my first Bing cherry of the year. Binging on Bings has been a problem for years! Once I start, the binge doesn't end until my stomach starts churning or the bag is empty…whichever comes first. If not for the pits and stems, I wouldn't even slow down to breathe!
It could be worse. At least cherries are a treat with health benefits. In fact, they may be small and sweet, but cherries are actually nutritional powerhouses! They're packed with compounds that can protect your heart, provide antioxidants that may prevent cancers, ease arthritis pain and help you sleep.
But beware. According to Cathy Kapica, Professor of Nutrition at Tufts University, only real cherries deliver the goods! The pigment that gives cherries their signature shade is also what gives them their disease-fighting power. The deeper the red, the better.
But what if you want the benefits of Bings all year?
When fresh isn't an option, go for frozen, sweet cherries. Picked and chilled at the peak of ripeness, frozen cherries are an excellent alternative and come conveniently pitted and washed. They're great in smoothies or throw them into off-season fruit salads. (Just make sure the bag lists cherries as the only ingredient—without any added sugar.)
When it comes to the dried version, many brands use tart cherries, which are too sour to eat…so you'll get some added sugar. Just know a full cup has 533 calories and more than 110 grams of sugar. But full of fiber and potassium, a quarter of a cup or less will liven up trail mix or salads.
Some studies suggest that tart cherry juice can help you sleep better and recover faster after a tough workout. Whether it's straight up or blended with other juices, you're looking at nearly 140 calories per cup. I cut my juice with seltzer or down a "shot" of juice before bed…for a good night's sleep.
That said, avoid cherry jams and spreads…unless they're all-fruit and use juice concentrate as a natural sweetener. And don't be snookered by that healthy-sounding cherry yogurt. There might be a single cherry…maybe one and a half per container…and that lonely fruit is usually swimming in sugary syrup. You might consider buying plain Greek yogurt and swirl in fresh or frozen cherries.
Maraschino cherries? Don't waste your calories! The fruit is bathed in salt to remove flavor and color, then soaked in sweeteners, dipped in artificial dye and packed in sugar syrup. Need I say more?!
Turns out, the cherries used in pie filling are close relatives of the maraschino! At eight to one hundred calories per one-third cup, with 20 grams of sugar and artificial coloring, I'm thinking special occasion only food.
Bottom line? If you want the health benefits of cherries, by-pass the cherry soda (it's mostly flavored, fizzy water!) and go for the real deal.
Just don't eat the entire bag at once!
I'm a terrible cook. And it's my mother's fault! Don't get me wrong. Mom was an incredible cook. But she "enabled" me to become an inept cook by failing to insist I learn my way around the kitchen. Oh, I had to clean and do yard work on weekends, but sports and other after-school activities didn't allow time for learning the fine art of separating eggs or reducing sauces. After swim practice, I'd come home to a foil-covered plate in the warming oven with a beautifully balanced, healthy meal…a la Mom!
I got away with it for years. Working the night shift is a great excuse for an empty fridge. Even my long-suffering husband tolerated his wife's lack of culinary skills. Tom never once complained…even when dinner was a bowl of raisin bran with a side of apple slices!
And now that I've run out of excuses, I'll be honest. When it comes to cooking, I would still rather address a joint session of Congress than prepare a meal for anyone! That's why I'm sold on salads! Even I can toss a decent salad…and with a little planning, I can include enough nutritious additions to turn a salad into a meal!
Lately, I've been using a chart I found in the Mayo Clinic Health letter that has been enormously helpful to me in planning tasty, but well-balanced and filling dinner salads. Even if, like me, you're a kitchen-phobe…I promise, you CAN build a better salad.
Extras—Choose any one or no more than two: No more than 1 tablespoon (T) mayonnaise, 2 -T salad dressing, 3 -T sour cream or 1 teaspoon oil; ¼ avocado, about 6 nuts; about 8 olives; 2 –T chopped pickles; 2 –T dried fruit or ¼ cup salsa.
Herbs—As desired: Basil, chives, dill, fennel, mint, oregano, parsley, cilantro or tarragon
Carbohydrates and whole grains—Choose any one: Whole grains:1/2 cup barley, bulgur, couscous, kasha, millet, quinoa, pasta, brown rice or wild rice. Whole-grain breads and such: 1 small bagel, a slice of bread, a roll or pita. One serving, according to the label, of whole-wheat crackers, crisp whole-wheat bread, matzo, melba, pretzels, rice cakes or ½ cup croutons.
Protein—Choose any one: Meatless: ½ cup lentils, peas, tofu, tempeh, beans such as soy, black, pinto, garbanzo, white or kidney, or one egg. Lean meats, fish and seafood: Up to 2 ounces beef, lamb, pork, poultry, tuna, salmon, trout, sardines, scallops, shrimp, clams or crab. Low-fat dairy: Up to 1 ounce of cheeses, such as cheddar, cottage, goat, feta or Swiss.
Vegetables and fruits—Choose two or more totaling 2 cups: Artichoke, asparagus, beets, broccoli, carrots, cauliflower, cucumber, green onions, jicama, pea pods, peppers, radishes, squash, apples, apricots, berries, citrus sections, grapes, mango, melon, peaches, pears, pineapple, pomegranate or watermelon.
Leafy greens—Choose 2 cups or more: Among the varieties are arugula, watercress, cabbage, Belgian or red endive, escarole, collards, bok choy, cabbage, chard, mustard greens, turnip greens, kale, green or red lettuce, bibb lettuce, iceberg lettuce, mesculin, radicchio, watercress, romaine and spinach.
Then…just add your favorite dressing…perhaps a lite, creamy style or squeeze on some lemon juice or drizzle a little red wine vinegar or olive oil over your salad. Go ahead! Create a healthy salad.
Summer's almost here. Think about replacing your favorite hot meal with a full-meal salad that's cool and delicious. With so many possible combinations of good, healthy foods, you and your family will never get bored.
I love Wednesdays! That's the day each week I get to join some seventy-five of the coolest women I know for Community Bible Study (CBS) in Coronado. We gather first in small groups to discuss and apply the previous week's lesson…then join everyone else to hear a lecture that takes a deeper look at the historical perspective of the scripture text.
And while I enjoy all the teaching and talking—I really look forward to our monthly fellowship "feeds!" Seriously, There's something about women of faith and food! (Think church potluck!) We all bring something yummy to share after class. (They usually have me bring fruit…something I can't screw up!)
Fortunately, we can always count on Trish, my small group leader, to show up with a piping hot pan of her famous "crust-less quiche!" Everyone loves it! No heavy, thick dough…just Trish's fabulous combination of eggs, milk, cheese, onions and spinach. Surprisingly, her quiche slices neatly and firmly…even without a doughy foundation. Trish says it's the cheese settling to the bottom of the quiche that creates the faux crust.
One day, after downing a super-sized slice of Trish's mouth-watering, cheesy egg concoction… I asked her how she, a busy, young mom of four finds time to cook?! With a big smile, Trish assured me her quiche recipe is simple! I begged her to share it with me…then she agreed to let me share it with you!
Now that eggs are once again finding favor with doctors and nutritionists…I've been looking for ways to include the incredible edible into my diet regularly.
So here's an easy egg recipe that's big on protein, low in carbs and positively DEE-lish! (Did I mention it's also gluten-free?!)
Trish's Crust-less Spinach Quiche
1 TBLS vegetable oil
1 onion, chopped
1 10-oz. package frozen, chopped spinach, thawed and drained
5 eggs, beaten (Trish confided sometimes she throws in a sixth!)
3 cups shredded Muenster cheese (or any other cheese blend)
¼ tsp salt
1/8 tsp ground black pepper
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a 9-inch pie pan. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions and cook, stirring occasionally until soft. Stir in spinach and continue cooking until excess moisture has evaporated. In a large bowl, combine eggs, cheese, salt and pepper. Add spinach mixture and stir to blend. Scoop into prepared pie pan. Bake until eggs have set—about 30 min. Let cool for 10 minutes before serving. Enjoy!
Since I can remember, a high-fat diet has been a big, fat no-no.
For years, that message has been firmly ingrained in the minds of every American…touted by doctors, lawmakers and food suppliers. From grocery stores to vending machines, we've been told low fat (or no fat) is the way to go.
Maybe not!
Despite the decades-long fight against fat in food, obesity rates and health complications, including heart disease, continue to rise. After all this time, a growing number of scientists, doctors and dietitians are not only questioning the low-fat doctrine, they now admit the theory that consuming fat causes heart disease is based on bad science.
Are you kidding me?! All those years of sacrificing rich, whole milk and creamy yogurt for their watery, tasteless fat-free substitutes was for naught?
The findings come from the recent publication of a major analysis by a team of British and U.S. researchers. The report looked at previous studies on the topic and concluded there's no significant difference in death rates in people who ate less saturated fat than those who didn't.
Not only that, according to the analysis, while reducing fat intake did result in lower total blood cholesterol levels, it did not correlate with any discernible health benefit. (Check it out in "Open Heart," a publication of the British Medical Journal)
Apparently, the original evidence for the dietary fat/heart disease connection was shaky, but once published, took on a life of its own, causing lawmakers and medical professionals to act without good, scientific validation including:
How could this happen?
It seems a number of studies done in recent years have found the link between dietary fat, weight and heart disease is exaggerated. And get this - researchers now say being slightly overweight isn't harmful and might even be beneficial.(What next? Twinkies found to be a superfood?!)
If these studies and new analysis hold up, the implications for the medical system could be huge. How will doctors advise their patients? Companies could lose billions in sale of low fat fare. Government dietary guidelines would need a major makeover.
But before you run to the store for a quart of Haagen Das, there's no consensus yet, as the debate rages.
Some not only question the validity of the new findings, they wonder how (or even whether!) to inform the public about them. Some say the possible paradigm shift would cause mass confusion. Others say (and I agree) medical science should be concerned with facts first - not with an overly simple message- when the truth is complex and nuanced.
What to do? For now, I'll continue to eat plenty of the "good" fats found in nuts, avocadoes and fish. But I'm done with see-through skim milk, chewy non-fat cottage cheese and eggs without yolks. For now, I'm eating food the way God made it…until I know more.
Stay tuned.
Prunes. The word alone can still make me smile.
As kids, Mom would fix stewed prunes for my sister, brother and me whenever we had trouble, well….going! For years, I actually thought prunes were medicine…like aspirin or cough syrup!
By junior high, I knew better, but still laughed hysterically with my friends while singing,
"Prunes, prunes, the musical fruit. The more you eat, the more you toot. The more you toot, the better you feel. So let's have prunes at every meal." (rolling on the floor laughing!)
What else could you expect from a bunch of pre-adolescent goof balls who believed bodily functions were the source of all humor?!
The poor prune's reputation as a laxative may be unfortunate because it overshadows the fact that prunes are not only sweet and tasty…they're also a rich source of nutrients!
Did you know just one prune contains up to five percent of the recommended daily intake of many essential minerals and vitamins…in addition to its legendary dietary fiber?
Not a fan of prunes? You're not alone. In fact, women ages 25 to 54 react so negatively to the idea of prunes, the California Prune Board pressured the FDA to change their name to the more appealing "dried plums" (which they technically are!)
And it worked! Sales of the super-healthy purple fruit have hit new heights! But prunes (or shall we call them dried plums?) are proving to be far more than a digestion remedy.
Because they contain high levels of phytonutrients called phenols, prunes can protect the brain from free radical damage and can help prevent chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease and cancer.
Prunes and plums help prevent Type 2 diabetes and obesity. They're high in the soluble fiber that help keep blood sugar levels stable.
The soluble fiber in prunes also helps lower cholesterol, improves bone health and are a good source of vitamin K and beta carotene…nutrients that can actually make you happier! So you see, my childhood song is true!...the "more you eat, the better you feel!"
Still, when it comes to constipation, the prune is a rock star…more effective than psyllium, according to recent studies. Only 30 calories, the soluble fiber in prunes also makes you fill up faster.
So for a whole bunch of reasons, I snack on prunes, chop them up in salads and oatmeal and include them in recipes…like this de-LISH dish from my friend, Susan Haber. This one's SO good, I make it for company!
Susan's Chicken Marbella
(adapted from the "Silver Palate" Cookbook)
½ cup olive oil
½ cup red wine vinegar
1 cup pitted prunes
½ cup pitted Spanish green olives
½ cup capers with a bit of juice
6 bay leaves
1 head of garlic, peeled and finely pureed
¼ cup dried oregano
Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
4 chickens (2 1/2 pounds each), quartered
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup dry, white wine
¼ cup fresh Italian (flat-leaf) parsley or fresh cilantro, finely chopped
1. Combine olive oil, vinegar, prunes, olives, capers and juice, bay leaves, garlic, oregano and salt and pepper in a large bowl. Add the chicken and stir to coat. Cover bowl and refrigerate overnight.
2. Preheat oven to 350.
3. Arrange chicken in a single layer in one or two large, shallow baking pans and spoon marinade over it evenly. Sprinkle chicken pieces with brown sugar and pour white wine around them.
4. Bake, basting frequently with pan juices, until thigh pieces yield clear yellow (rather than pink) juice when pricked with a fork, 50 min. to 1 hour.
5.With a slotted spoon, transfer chicken, prunes, olives and capers to a serving platter. Moisten with a few spoonfuls of the pan juices and sprinkle generously with parsley or cilantro. Pass the remaining pan juices in a sauceboat.
Soooooo good! Enjoy!
Throughout my TV news career, covering elections was by far the most stressful and difficult. Hours of live reporting with no script...my head exploding trying to recall details about the candidates, campaigns and issues.
What got me through those chaotic election nights? Weeks of study, detailed notes (cheat sheets!) and a three-egg omelet with cheese and veggies for before work.
Seriously, eggs are my go-to food whenever I need to be sharp, calm and focused for the long haul.
It may be a cute marketing slogan, but I can give you a half dozen reasons for replacing your usual breakfast with the "incredible, edible egg" when you need to be at your best.
If you start your day with cereal or toast instead of eggs, here's a wake-up call. Eggs have six grams of high quality protein. A protein-packed breakfast helps sustain mental and physical energy throughout the day (or night of election coverage!)
Eggs are rich in choline, which promotes normal cell activity, liver function and the transportation of nutrients throughout the body. (It's like a commuter train for vitamins and minerals!)
With no carbs or sugar, you get eat a well-balanced breakfast without widening your waistline!
AMINO ACIDS and VITAMINS
Eggs have all nine essential amino acids…leucine, lysine, methionine, tryptophan, phenylalanine, histidine, valine, threonine and isoleucine. And while they may be hard to pronounce, these amino acids really ARE essential.
Eggs also packed with Vitamins B2, B12, A and E.
Unlike most cereals and yogurt, eggs don't come with a complicated, lengthy ingredient list because they contain only one ingredient. Eggs. Period. And at fifteen cents a serving, eggs are the least expensive source of high-quality protein.
Of course, eggs are naturally gluten-free. Always have been. Always will be. That's good news because there are relatively few gluten-free breakfast options.
But, what about cholesterol, you ask? Well, recent studies have exonerated the misunderstood egg as a contributor to coronary heart disease. In fact, a University of Connecticut study found eggs actually improved good cholesterol in adults with metabolic syndrome.
So, give yourself permission to crack open a couple of eggs! It's a great way to get a health boost (and power through the toughest day.)
To get you started…here's my favorite egg casserole recipe. It's easy, yummy and a gift from my friend and awesome cook, Carol Morrison!
Carol's Green Chile Frittata
½ cup flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
10 eggs, lightly beaten
½ cup butter, melted and cooled
2 cups small curd cottage cheese
1 pound Jack cheese, grated
3 (4-oz) cans diced green chiles
Salt to taste
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 9X13-inch baking dish. Mix flour and baking powder. Add eggs and butter. Blend well. Mix in remaining ingredients. Pour mixture in prepared dish and bake 35 to 45 minutes until set.
Great for brunch! Thanks, Carol!
Have I told you about my amazing nephews? I've been blessed to be "Aunt Carol" to three of the finest young men you'll ever meet.
A gifted massage therapist, Colin is the oldest at 27. Handsome and bright, Colin also has a heart as big as all outdoors!
Nineteen year-old Devin, a sophomore at (his auntie's alma mater!) the University of Northern Iowa is tall, blonde, adorably mischievous and can run like the wind.
Sadly, I don't get to see them as often as I like because, along with their Dad (my little bro, Carter) and Mom, Dana, Iowa is home.
So imagine my delight when my middle nephew, Ian, announced he was moving to California's Central Coast. Now that he's just a five-hour road trip away, Aunt Carol and Uncle Tom get to connect with him a lot more often.
Good-looking, athletic and creative, Ian is also brilliant…with a great job at a large, computer software company in San Luis Obispo (SLO). What I didn't know about the multi-talented "E-Man," (as he's affectionately known by friends and family) is he's apparently also skilled in the kitchen.
With a little help from his Mom's recipe (and a couple of "secret weapons," Ian recently won a chili cook-off in SLO…hands down! Now that I've tried E's chili, I've got to hand it to him. It's absolutely delicious (and hot as a witch's broom handle!!)
Ian agreed to let me share it with you…as long as his Mom gets proper credit. (I told you my nephews are amazing!)
Note the "secret weapons…"Mr. and Mrs. T's Original Bloody Mary Mix and Baker's chocolate.
LeBeau's Chili aka "Mom's Chili"
1 lb. Italian sausage
1 lb. hamburger
1 onion diced
3 celery stalks w/ leaves
1 t. salt & pepper (or to taste)
3-4 T. chili powder
3 T. Cajun seasoning
1/4 C. brown sugar
16 oz. pork n' beans
16 oz. dark kidney beans
16 oz. navy beans
16 oz. black beans
2 cans diced tomatoes
1 can beef consume
2 squares of semi-sweet bakers chocolate
1 bottle Bloody Mary Mix (Mr. & Mrs. T's Original)
Brown the hamburger/sausage and use the grease to sauté your celery and onion. Add everything else! Simmer for one hour.
Make it the day before! And enjoy!
Thanks "E" and Dana!!
On our recent tour of western Canada and the majestic Canadian Rockies, my husband Tom and I learned many "fun facts" about our neighbor to the north. I can actually sing the lyrics to the Canadian National Anthem, "Oh, Canada!"
While Canada may not have an official national bird…because of the loon pictured on one side, Canucks refer to their one-dollar coins as "loonies." (BTW…the two-dollar coin is called a "twonie!")
There's also an unofficial sweet treat unique (almost!) to Canada known as the Nanaimo (nuh-NYE-mo) Bar. If you're into sugar highs, you simply must try this melt-in-your-mouth confection. And I've got the recipe!
But first, a little history.
According to local legend, about 35 years ago, a Nanaimo (city on Vancouver Island) housewife entered her recipe for chocolate squares in a magazine contest. In a burst of civic pride, she chose to dub the entry "Nanaimo Bars." Her entry won a prize…promoting the town, as much as her baking.
Some American tourists may claim sovereignty over the dessert, referred to as "New York Slice," which is sold in other places in the world. But Nanaimo residents refuse to accept this theory, believing that once you set foot on Vancouver Island, there are no other places in the world. The official Nanaimo Bar recipe became available as a handout, as well as on tea towel and apron souvenirs.
In 1986, Nanaimo Mayor Graeme Roberts held a contest to find the ultimate Nanaimo Bar Recipe. During the four-week long contest, nearly 100 different variations of the famous treat were submitted. The winner? Joyce Hardcastle.
Here's her recipe:
Nanaimo Bars
Bottom Layer:
½ cup unsalted butter (European-style cultured)
¼ cup sugar
5 Tbsp. cocoa
1 egg beaten
1 ¼ cups graham wafer crumbs
½ cup finely chopped almonds
1 cup coconut
Melt first 3 ingredients in top of double boiler. Add egg and stir to cook and thicken. Remove from heat. Stir in crumbs, coconut and nuts. Press firmly into an ungreased 8" x 8" pan.
Second Layer:
½ cup unsalted butter
2 Tbsp. and 2 tsp. cream
2 Tbsp. vanilla custard powder
2 cups icing sugar (confectioners)
Cream butter, cream, custard powder and icing sugar together well. Beat until light. Spread over bottom layer.
Third Layer:
4 squares semi-sweet chocolate (1 oz. each)
2 Tbsp. unsalted butter
Melt chocolate and butter over low heat. Cool. Once cool, but still liquid, pour over second layer and chill in refrigerator.
Trust me; you don't even want to know the calorie count. It is decidedly decadent. But this no-bake bar with an international flair may just wow your friends and family this holiday season.
In recent months, I've shared with you about the wonderful birthday group of gals I'm blessed to be part of. We've been meeting to celebrate our respective birthdays for more than 30 years. I'm grateful for all seven of these fabulous women. We've been through a lot together…most of it fun!
Due to my complete ineptness in the kitchen, the "girls" surprised me on my last birthday with copies of their favorite, easy, crowd-pleasing and idiot-proof recipes.
My last entry, in August, was Marlena Brown's all-in-one-bowl chicken pesto pasta. If you haven't given it a try, it's a winner.
Today, I want to highlight one of Kendra Dawson's signature recipes. We call her the soup queen…for good reason. Beef barley to chicken vegetable, Kendra's homemade soups can't be beat. And that goes for her famous Latin American specialty, pozole.
Pozole is especially popular in Mexico and the American Southwest, but my Gringo friend Kendra morphs into "Kendrita" when pozole's on the menu.
Kendra's made this recipe simple for all us Gringos. Add a salad and thick slices of bread and you're sure to get a big !Que Bueno! from your family and friends.
"Kendrita's Pozole"
(serves 4-6)
3 cups cooked chicken (chopped)
32 oz. chicken broth
1 15-oz. can hominy (drain and wash)
1 15-oz. can diced tomatoes
1-2 cups of your favorite salsa
2-3 celery stalks, chopped (leafy tops ok)
1 small-medium white or yellow onion
1 lg. or 2 or 3 small red, green or yellow bell peppers, chopped
(optional) parsley or cilantro sprigs to garnish
1. Chop chicken and place in bowl
2.Chop celery, onions and peppers and place in bowl
3. In a large soup pot, place chicken broth, sliced tomatoes, salsa. Use the tomato can and fill twice with water and add to pot.
4. Bring to a boil. Add chopped onion, celery and peppers. Lower heat to medium. Stir frequently. Cook 10 minutes.
5. Add hominy and chicken. Cook about 10 minutes
Serve in soup bowls.
Garnish with parsley or cilantro, if desired.
Is it me or is this season's watermelon the best ever? Seriously, I can't get enough of the tasty treat. Juicy and super-sweet…it's like candy! Tom and I can devour an entire mini seedless melon in one sitting!
But when it comes to watermelon, apparently, I'm not very creative. At my house, watermelon is served one of two ways…in wedges or trimmed from the rind and cut into cubes. Period.
My friend, Sara, has completely changed that notion. On a hot, muggy day recently, Sara served a salad I'll never forget…featuring—you got it—watermelon! In a large bowl, she whisked two tablespoons each olive oil and red wine vinegar and ¼ teaspoon salt. To that she added three cups each cubed, seedless watermelon, sliced peaches and baby arugula; one-half cup packed basil leaves and ¼ cup toasted hazelnuts, chopped.
Meant to serve four, I think I gobbled down three servings myself! It was like a cool breeze for the palette! Sara's salad is now in the recipe rotation at our house and now I'm on the lookout for other fun ways to enjoy watermelon.
Here are a few of the "wacky watermelon" recipes I've found. From now on, when it comes to watermelon, I'm thinking outside the rind!!
Grilled Chicken-Watermelon Tacos
Toss 2 c. chopped seedless watermelon; 1 jalapeno, minced; ½ sm. Red onion, minced; ¼ c. each lime juice and chopped cilantro; and ¼ tsp. salt. Serve on 8 (6-in.) warmed corn tortillas with 1lb. sliced grilled chicken and ½ c. crumbled Cotija cheese.
Serves 4
Feta-Watermelon Stacks (great for appetizers!)
Cut 1 sm. Seedless watermelon into 1-in. cubes (about 40) Top with 1 (1 –lb) block of feta cheese, cut into 1-in. squares (1/4 in. thick), and 1 c. basil leaves; secure with toothpicks. Transfer to platter; sprinkle with 3 Tbsp. olive oil and ¼ tsp. each salt and pepper.
Serves 10
Frozen Watermelon Coolers
In lg. blender, puree (stopping often to tamp down solid ingredients with wooden spoon) 4 c. cubed seedless watermelon, frozen; 5 c. ice; 1 c. each raspberry sorbet and lime juice; and ½ c. confectioners' sugar until thick and smooth. SO yummy!
Serves 4
No-Cook Watermelon "Cake" (a truly "wacky" watermelon recipe…but looks so cool!)
Slice 2 short ends off 1 lg. seedless watermelon so it sits flat; cut away rink to make cylinder (tricky part!) Transfer to cake stand. Frost with 2 (8-oz.) containers whipped topping. Top with berries and mint.
Serves 10
One more thing. Despite the popular notion that watermelon is made up of only water and sugar…watermelon is actually considered a nutrient-dense food, a food that provides a host of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants for very few, guilt-free calories.
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As an aside - doesn't "Sean and the Moderators" sound like a good name for a band?
I too think Helinophoto is absolutely right..welcome the lomo crowd and let them see what else is available to explore. Matt's idea of a feedback thread is also a good idea to push this along.
Lomographers are good for the analog community in general, since their use of film makes our favorite photographic medium more commercially viable in the long run. Besides that I see little mutual benefit between these two groups, and anyone interested in both is able to join as many forums as one wants to cover the whole range of interests.
Look at this thread if you want to see what happens when APUGs known experts in photo chemistry run into lomographers. Astronomic units can't describe the distances these two worlds are apart.
Lomography is about shooting expired/iffy film, on the fly (more or less to capture a moment) with dodgy cameras, creating unexpected effects from the dodgy optics, light leaks and/or from processing the dodgy film.
- It's just an art-form (hipster art some may say).
The crazy and angry lady in the thread in question was just your average internet passive-agressive weirdo, kind of unfair making her a representative of a whole new generation of photographers.
Besides, that thread should have been moved to alternative processing, where APUG'ers often try out processing film in everything from potatoes to Ketchup :)
Only a small minority on each side is willing to accept the viewpoint of the other side, and I see little point in shoehorning both into one forum. Your posting is a prime example why these two worlds will stay apart for the time being.
I do agree that out of 100 Lomo-shooters, there will be _maybe_ 10 who will grow out of that phase (and they will) and may look to move on to "controllable creativity", because they may want to know why some effect happened and how they can repeat that exact effect. That's new blood to a shrinking community.
- I would say though, that 90% of the people here, did not start out by perfecting the zone system or with "one film, one dev, do not try anything else before you master that first", most folks here shot with what they had and the film they could get hold of in the beginning.
Also, you should consider the fact that the Lomo-shooters are a much younger generation (14-late 20's), off course they want to have _fun_ with it, nothing wrong with that.
APUG stands for Analog Photography User Group, I see nothing that would exclude anyone, based on the fact that they may be shooting with a crappy camera and expired film and really don't care much for the technical stuff.
I don't own any Lomo-stuff myself (was tempted to buy a Lubitel once but...) and I see myself as a pretty "standard" photographer concerning (traditional) photography, but I have absolutely nothing negative to say about the Lomographers. (but I may be in the younger group in here anyway, seeing I am "only" 38, i don't know ;) ).
The part about my posting being a prime example why these two worlds will stay apart, I didn't quite understand.
I see you disagree with me and you have all the right to do so, but I think you are missing my point here.
Helinophoto we agree again :). I do have a debonair lomo style camera I got fro m the "film photography project" and I'm curious what I can get out of it (the first roll I shot was borked due to bad developer) however I shoot mostly with traditional film cameras. To me the point of this is enjoying film. A lot of folks are having fun with lomo products and they should be welcomed to APUG where they can discuss lomography or explore other aspects of film. Lomography can be their chosen art for or a gateway drug depending on the individual.
Indeed, that's exactly what I am thinking as well. (in fact, there are a lot of Lomo-shooters who are developing their own black and white films, but most probably send them in for processing these days). But eventyually, as most people, some of them will naturally ask "why" and "how".
For those who would like to "know their enemy", here is a free documentary on vimeo about the beginnings, meaning and how it is today.
(It also features a cold-war era Putin :) ): http://youtu.be/8TiAsvYgyqU


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The new technologies that have come into the market with respect to the Mobile Phones are of smart phones. These types of phones provide some extra features as compared to the normal phones, which are the best among the all for many people. The college students are more interested for playing lot of games, and some call active diverts that make them alert so that they are almost in touch with one another. This phone provides the mechanism of making you read and sends the emails and one can edit the particular data as per the requirements of the user. When any body is on the tour he /she would not miss any sort of work and it carries all the applications that are related to any type of work. The applications with the Smartphone are quite interesting and it makes one to select this type of phone. One of the most widely used applications is the key finder. This facility of application makes to detect a metal and if it is lost it makes to search for the user the requested key. Second best thing about this type of phone is that it makes you updated with all the information the type of services that one has activated on hand set. One can receive the information about the diets, for those whoa re associated with this type of disease, some precaution measures for pets, animals, and some food tips to serve better food and availing this type of features makes one life easier. With this type of cell phone there are many other fantastic resources that make the best appearance in look. One can receive the leather cover, cool head phones and many more. By the way when purchasing the smart phone one should have gathered all the information about this type of phone and properly checked before purchasing it. The review about the particular product should be seen and some interaction with the friends, family members should be properly consulted before taking it. Through proper reviews about the phone it makes it easier and quick decision to buy it. Through the wide collection of websites and the comparison between all the Cell Phones makes one to choose the better phone.
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TV & Radio
The Mole makes a comeback to TV on Channel Seven with host Shura Taft
- From: News Corp Australia Network
- January 11, 2013
SHURA Taft is the surprise choice to host the new version of The Mole.
The 30-year-old has been selected by Channel 7 to front the rebooted Aussie show.
Up until now, Taft has been best known as the host of children's TV shows Kids WB and Pyramid.
Last year, Taft hosted The Supercoach Show on Fox Footy. He has also co-hosted Uplate! On Go!
Taft admits he is a Mole tragic – something that must have impressed the bosses at Seven.
"I am an absolute Mole nerd," Taft says. "The first series started when I was in secondary school.
"A couple of mates and I used to keep Mole diaries that listed all the challenges and who behaved suspiciously.
"I guess it was a geeky thing to do but we were so into mind games."
Have your say
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Comments on this story
Daniel of Sydney Posted at 7:58 AM January 11, 2013
This bloke is just another TV wannabe.
Comment 1 of 1


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Who wants to read the new IAF blog?
The United States will celebrate the Fourth of July as Independence Day, but elsewhere in the world the first Saturday in July is International Co-operative Day, a commemoration now on its 93rd year.
In 2011 the IAF became the first federal agency to participate in the Center for Effective Philanthropy's (CEP) grantee perception survey. To continue assessing our progress and improving as a donor we participated for a second time in 2014.
The Global Fund for Community Foundations, highlighted the work of two IAF grantees that recently recently participated in a regional planning session of the UNDP Small Grants Programme.
The IAF has awarded Grassroots Development Fellowships to 15 Ph.D. candidates from universities in the United States who will conduct dissertation research in Latin America during the coming year.
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Kids climbing on Vietnam Women's Memorial fuels strong emotions, debate
Caught on video: Virginia horse plays in snow, makes snow angels
Educational toysComment
Some of the hottest gifts this year aren't only fun, but they're educational as well. Ann Dolin, the president and founder of Educational Connections Tutoring and Ravi Robison of Smart Toys talked to Melanie about some gifts that will keep kids entertained while teaching them something valuable at the same time.
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Watch ABC7 News at 4!ABC7 gives you MORE news in your afternoons with an extra hour, an hour earlier! Watch to see what's trending in your community and world every weekday afternoon at 4pm right after back to back "Hot Bench" shows at 3pm on ABC7.


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Tasteless Items Being Pulled from 9/11 Museum Gift Shop
BWW previously reported that the public was outraged at the high prices for admission and memorabilia in the gift shop of the newly opened 9/11 Memorial Museum.
Now, various items are being pulled from the museum due to the tastelessness of the material. For example, a U.S.-shaped cheese platter with hearts marking the spots where Al Qaeda terrorists crashed the hijacked planes has been taken out of the gift shop. Other items being scrutinized by friends and family members of victims include a $39 "Darkness" hoodie, a German Shepherd Search & Rescue Dog plush toy for $19.95, a 9/11 Memorial water bottle for $20.95, and "Survivor Tree" earrings.
Joe Daniels, president of the memorial foundation, told The Wall Street Journal, "We have to remember that the sensitivity around 9/11 is so high."
Most of the victims' family members believe such a gift shop shouldn't exist at all. Kurt Horning, whose son Matthew died in the 9/11 attacks, said, "It's crass commercialism on a literally sacred site. It's a burial ground. We don't think there should be those things offered on that spot."
Read the original story here.
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- Casting Roundup: Sarah Chalke, Kim Raver Headline New Pilots
- ADVENTURE TIME Headed to the Big Screen?
- Pilot Season Roundup: Colm Feore, Daniel Stern, Dave Annable to Star in New Shows
- James Franco to Star in New Fox Comedy, WHY HIM?
- Christopher Meloni to Star in WGN America's Slave Drama UNDERGROUND
- Check Out Alex Dunphy's Full College Essay from Latest MODERN FAMILY Episode
- Photo Flash: HBO Reveals Key Art for GAME OF THRONES Season 5
- Syfy to Honor Leonard Nimoy with Special Programming This Sunday
- Grammy Winner Kelly Clarkson Exclusively Premieres New Music from New Album on MTV, VH1 & CMT First
- CONSTELLATIONS' Jake Gyllenhaal and Ruth Wilson Set for THEATER TALK This Weekend


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Your face on ZyngaJune 25, 2012
There's much speculation that Facebook is in the process of starting an ad network. This is consistent with the reports that Facebook is about to launch a real time bidding service for ads called Exchange.
Facebook ad revenue up 37%April 24, 2012
Facebook ad revenue increased 37% to $872 million in the first quarter of 2012, compared with $637 million in the first quarter last year. That represented 82% of Facebook's total first quarter revenue. Total revenue rose 45% to about $1.1 billion in the first quarter.
Facebook expected to file for IPO todayFebruary 01, 2012
Facebook is widely expected to file a prospectus with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) after the markets close on Feb. 1, the first step in going public, according to multiple reports that cite sources familiar with the matter.
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Cliff Drive / Re: Need volunteers to throw discs on Sunday from 1-3 at Cliff (3-30-14)« on: March 31, 2014, 03:24:54 pm »
bring your bike, we'll ride us some cliff trails after the jlowe goodwill tour stop.
My Big Sur is at Biscarri Bros getting a new cassette and full tune-up as we speak. If I'm to sabotage this trail, I'll need to blend in.


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Benjamin Moore Aura Paint
Benjamin Moore's Aura Paint goes on smooth and, in just one coat, it covers as well as, if not better than, a coat of primer plus paint. We painted over both black and white surfaces with even complete coverage. It held up well to wear, too, and we found we were able to remove stains, ranging from coffee to crayon, with little evidence left behind. Best of all, our consumer testers thought this paint looked the best of any in our test. This paint is low VOC.
Reviewed: July 2013
Price When Reviewed: $67.99 per gallon
- Superior coverage
- Better than average stain removal
- Highly resistant to wear
- Excellent finish quality
- Low VOC
What do you think?
Craftsman C3 1/2-Inch Heavy-Duty Drill
This 19.2-volt beast will help you tackle tough projects quickly and effectively.
BLACK+DECKER MATRIX 20V MAX Lithium Drill/Driver
Compatible with many extra attachments, this drill is a smart pick for those who want more diversity in their toolkits.
BLACK+DECKER 20V MAX Lithium Drill/Driver with AutoSense Technology
This drill's AutoSense Technology will recognize when a screw is in place, and then engage by itself — eliminating any speculation or...
RYOBI 18V One+ Lithium-Ion Drill/Driver Kit
The RYOBI 18-volt lithium-ion kit is a good addition to any toolbox.
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