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"A young couple move into a new apartment, only to be surrounded by peculiar neighbours and occurrences. When the wife becomes mysteriously pregnant, paranoia over the safety of her unborn child begins controlling her life."
Day 16 of my "Hallowe'en Countdown" brings us "Rosemary"s Baby". Why? Because the story begins in October, and it's full of witches, that's why. Hallowe'en is, after all, still one of the most important of the witches' sabbats whether a new name was slapped on top of the old pagan festival or not.
Although Rosemary is impregnated on the October 4th, 1965 according to her calendar and tells her husband the good news on the 29th, with a further blood test scheduled for November 1st, we can all assume that the witches had a little something extra to celebrate during their Hallowe'en weekend. Bizarrely, no Samhain festivities are shown.
At first, it's surprising that Roman Polanski didn't utilize the obvious cliché, but upon further reflection, maybe not. Even the most superficial searches of the internet reveal many conspiracy theories surrounding Roman Polanski, Satanism and the setting of the movie itself. For those of us who hadn't even been born when the events were going down in real life, it all makes fascinating reading which goes beyond mere coincidence. Did Roman Polanski sell his soul to the Devil in exchange for success or did he get involved with the "pseudo-Illuminati", who knows? If he did either, surely putting a warning message about secret societies into a movie wasn't the brightest idea.
But who even cares about any of that behind the scenes nonsense? We all know that movie people are strange and have pretty messed up lives anyway. If it adds to the appreciation of Polanksi's study of paranoia in "Rosemary's Baby" (which is based on Ira Levin's novel from the year before), so be it. I've always found "Rosemary's Baby" interesting for far less occult reasons.
|Longer hair suits her more than a Vidal Sassoon bob.
As shallow as it may be, the main reason I like "Rosemary's Baby' is because Mia Farrow looks pretty in it, and she gets nude several times. I don't like her acting and could cheerfully strangle her character, but this is the only film I've ever seen her in where she looks attractive. Maybe not so much in the picture above, but for a very skinny and almost skeletal girl, Mia Farrow has several moments where the camera really loves her.
Rosemary Woodhouse is a very well written character and suits Mia Farrow perfectly. Having watched "The Haunting of Julia" (1977) only a couple of months ago and noted the lack of her development as an actress, it's clear that Mia Farrow really only played herself anyway. All that nervousness and neuroses are unlikely to be a product of simply being typecast.
As for supporting characters in "Rosemary's Baby", I loathe them all to different degrees which, obviously, is their raison d'être. From the controlling Guy Woodhouse (John Cassavetes) treating his wife like a child to the excessively irritating Minnie Castevet (Ruth Gordon) pushing the nosy neighbour stereotype to breaking point, they are all shown to be horrible people. If there's a warning in this film, it's never move to New York city.
|It's pronounced "moose" not "mouse", you old bag!
Ruth Gordon does a fantastic (and Oscar winning) job as the ultimate "neighbour from Hell", but I could never tolerate much of her as an actress. Her voice, her face, and the way she delivers her lines just makes me think of the "kill it with fire" meme. Why Rosemary doesn't just deliver a deluge of the expletives which would fall so easily out of my own mouth to someone as pushy as that is one of the weakest parts of "Rosemary's Baby" for me. No matter how naive Rosemary is supposed to be, Americans are generally not so backward in coming forward when something annoys them. It's all part of the sinister plot though.
Since "Rosemary's Baby" is regarded as a classic movie by the majority of critics (not only by horror fans), I'm not going to make myself look foolish by picking any more holes in it. For one thing, I can't really find anything wrong other than how it never delivers the punchline of actually showing the baby. Bearing in mind that it was released during the Summer of 1968, and the effects for the brief appearance by the Devil himself were the best that could be done, it was a wise decision not to show an infant with glowing eyes, cloven hooves, horns, or a long, pointy tail.
If you've never seen "Rosemary's Baby" before, I've no doubt spoiled a lot of it for you. It's nearly 45 years old now though so you've had plenty of time to watch it. With the number of times it's been shown on television across the world, its almost impossible that anyone doesn't already know the story inside and out. The chances are that you haven't put in on for a while though so plonk it in your DVD player tonight and give it another whirl.


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Support of Astropad app for iPad Pro and Apple Pencil:
A great news to the Mac and iPad lovers. Astropad app was now designed to support iPad Pro and Apple Pencil. Before going to the complete details of this let's see what the app is designed for.
Astro-pad is designed specially to edit photos and in creating art for the photo editing apps like Lightroom and Photoshop on Mac. The Lightroom and Photoshop are the two major Mac apps which best provides the photo editing options. The Astro-pad provides the controls in editing the photos on these apps on Mac machine by projecting the Mac screen on iPad.
The app was designed to project the Mac screen on iPad and to provide controls over the photo editing apps like Lightroom and Photoshop. By this you can easily edit the photos on iPad by projecting the Mac screen on your iPad which makes the task easier to you and can have fun editing the photos.
Till now the Astro-pad app has been providing its services on all the latest iPads, but for now the app has extended its services to iPad Pro. With the updated version of the app you can get the services on iPad Pro and it also supports Apple Pencil. The iPad now acts a graphics tablet for Mac using the app. Connect your iPad to Mac and using the app you can easily provide controls to the photo editing apps on Mac using the Apple Pencil instead of your fingers. Enjoy using the app on iPad Pro using Apple Pencil.
Originally posted 2016-01-04 20:51:00.

subset: commoncrawl


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"Get Oakland Connected" Through Service
Today's guest post comes from Jasmine DK Shepard, an AmeriCorps Alum who served with Climate Corps – Bay Area and Oakland Technology Exchange West. Like many Alums, she is looking for a job, specifically one that will help jumpstart her career in engineering. You can keep up with her job hunt at Hire Jasmine.
On July 27th, I was at my graduation ceremony for my second year of AmeriCorps. It was time of celebration, anticipation and reflection. Three years ago I was fresh out Georgia Southern's engineering department set on what I thought was a predictable path and now I found myself a "champion of change and conservation." How did that happen?
All AmeriCorps members are interested in doing their part in improving communities. I too wanted to make the world a better place, with technology. As an engineering grad, I wanted to use my skills to serve my country. Programming, web design, project planning, technical writing, schematic reading, things like that.
Before, when I thought of AmeriCorps I thought of teaching people to read, working on public policy, and with one of my best friends in NCCC, disaster relief. In my 2 years of Americorps I have built websites, wrote and taught curriculum on using software and technology; I've installed solar, trained to be an Energy Efficiency Auditor, and assigned hundreds of volunteers for crews to install residential solar electric systems.
My first year was as a VISTA in the now defunct Digital Arts Service Corps at Oakland Technology Exchange West (OTX West). OTX West is a non-profit that provides refurbished computers to Oakland youth and volunteers. It was founded by a retired IBM engineer and they not only help fight the digital divide but the environment as well. They keep countless computers, monitors, even old VCRs from ending up in the landfill. They fix them, make them better than new, teach a 3 hour class on the computer and included a great warranty.
It was a great year full of change as I moved from my life-long home of Georgia-Carolina and found myself in Oakland, California. I had never been to California, didn't know anything about it. (Wasn't until I got the offer that I learned Oakland, San Francisco, and Berkeley are all next to each other). Sometimes I literally felt like I was in another country.
My assignment was to implement "Get Connected Oakland" I create the website, designed the GCO logo and did lots of research and visiting others in the community who provided no/low-cost tech support and technology education.
Education was happening but it was behind the times. Hardly any classes were teaching Social Media safety as many of the instructors rarely used it themselves. A lot of them already knew the basics but didn't know how to print double sided to save paper, set-up vacation responses in email, or how to change visibility settings on Facebook. Then there's the fun stuff, alot of baby-boomers were more interested in learning website design, photo-manipulation and digital scrap-booking over learning Office. Most of these classes taught using paid software like Photoshop which is very expensive and led to people downloading it illegally in turn getting viruses and warnings from the ISP. So, I started writing curriculum for these topics, using only free web based or open source software.
Eventually I started teaching some classes; I realized that I had enjoyed teaching all along. I was always the one that people called on when they had a tech question because they could understand me easier the the IT guy. Adult education is more about personal choice and they're so passionate about learning skills to help them stay in the know. One of my favorite days was the "BYOD" (Bring your own device) the class would vote on device (cell phones, digital cameras, mp3 players, etc.) and I'd show them what was similar about all of them, then by brand, and then help individually as needed.
Along the way I built computers, helped put together a lab or two, and created forms that helped reduce paper usage at OTX West by 30% and increased data integrity. I had accomplished my goal and along the way found myself more interested in energy conservation and efficiency. I had just finished my first year at a green organization and it wouldn't be my last.


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In a recent judgment concerning the lawfulness of a disciplinary process to which an independent contractor had been subject, the Court of Appeal neatly restated some principles that are fundamental to the fairness of internal disciplinary processes. These principles are equally relevant to disciplinary processes that employees are frequently subjected to. As judgments of the Court of Appeal on such processes are relatively rare, this is a significant judgment that will undoubtedly influence future litigation in which an employer's adherence to these principles is considered.
In Kelleher v An Post, the appellant, a former postmaster in Newcastle West, Co. Limerick, sought to overturn the High Court's dismissal of his action against An Post, in which he sought certain declarations, including a declaration that the termination of his contract for services with An Post was null and void.
The backdrop to the appellant's dismissal was that his son had been kidnapped from his post office while he was on annual leave and, in order to secure his release, the staff of the post office agreed to hand over €105,000 at a 1 [2016] IECA 195 specified location to the kidnappers by way of payment of a ransom demand. The staff's actions, while securing the release of the appellant's son, resulted in a disciplinary process being convened in the course of which the appellant's culpability for the failure of the post office staff to follow An Post security procedures was examined. Ultimately, the appellant was dismissed on the basis that An Post lost trust and confidence in him in circumstances where, amongst other things, he had left a post office employee in charge of the post office while he was on leave who had not been properly trained in An Post security procedures and, as a consequence, did not take appropriate steps to prevent the theft from An Post.


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Sunday, July 31, 2011
Hey guys!
Well the San Diego Comic Con 2011 has come and gone. I wanted to post pics from my iphone to my blog, but I couldn't figure out how to do that. If someone knows an easy way to do so, please let me know, because I want to download some of the pics I took. For those of you who cannot wait, go to my Facebook account:https://www.facebook.com/barrypresh
I had a great time hanging out with my fans, friends and family who stopped by my booth! Thanks to Howard Shum for sharing the booth with me and being a cool wingman throughout the con!
Now, this is the infamous "epic fail" photo of Olivia Munn and me... I swear to God it's her!
The story goes, I was at my booth with Howard Shum, when Randy Green says he saw Oliva Munn by the Dark Horse booth. I'm a fan, so I tell my brother, Ronald to come with me. We get to Dark Horse, she isn't there. I then remember that the G4 booth is nearby, so we walk on over. I have my Iphone in my pocket, ready to take some photos, but my brother pulls out his awesome camera that takes top notch photos, so I say "cool, let's go with your camera". Get to the G4 booth, there is a crowd of dudes surrounding someone. I step closer and there is Olivia, who is very pretty in person and is very sweet to all her fans taking pictures with her. Realizing she wasn't going to be there too long, I stepped up, asked if we can take a picture, she said "sure", and I looked up to my brother with his camera. CLICK! I say thanks and we walk off. Immediately, as we step off, my brother tells me, he forgot to focus his camera! GRAHGHHHHH! So anyways, this is the only proof that I got. You can kinda tell it's her... Oh well, next time I'm using my Iphone.
Wednesday, July 13, 2011
Cosplay Flash Mob Booth
"Hey, It's Bobby Rubio!"
Okay, this idea could probably use some planning, a good choreographer and a stunt double for me, because I (admittingly) am a terrible dancer. So unless those things fall into place... like say sometime on Saturday around 1-2 ish...
See you guys at the CON! Booth#1943, just walk up aisle 1900 and you will see us!
Sunday, July 10, 2011
Zombie Booth Design
Alright, this is San Diego Comic Con Booth Design version 2!
This isn't as sexy as the first design, but it sure Kick Ass! I figure all we would need, would be some volunteers to dress up as Zombies, alot of fake blood, shovel, cricket bat and Howard and I are set!
Although, it might be hard to sell comics with all this commotion...
Anyways, we're still playing around with designs, but fear not, our booth will be ready by the con! See you then at Booth #1943! Just walk up aisle 1900 and you will find us. See you guys there!
Thursday, July 7, 2011
Hot Tub Booth Design
Hey guys, the San Diego Comic Con is coming and I just wanted to let you know that this year I am teaming up with my buddy, Howard Shum.
We are currently designing the booth, which is BOOTH #1943. Right next to Sideshow Collectibles. Just walk up aisle 1900 and you will find us. Hope to see you guys there!
Sunday, July 3, 2011
Sketchbook Cover WIP
Needed some red in there...
I think it looks better, draws your eyes in...
for comparison:
Saturday, July 2, 2011
Sketchbook for San Diego Comic Con
The San Diego Comic Con is just a few weeks away and here I am scrambling to put together my sketchbook. I decided to compile some of the fun and cool sketches I've done in the past couple of years in a book. Inspired by Gainax's Groundwork books, I thought I would just print the linework of these pieces. Seeing the power in the animator's linework has always been an inspiration to me, so I thought," Hey, why not? "
The title of the book is "Classics", I thought it was fitting due to one of the more popular pieces I did this year was the Hangover and X-Men crossover drawing. being that "Classic" was one of the catchphrases in the Hangover movie. Also, it's a total goof on the term "Classics", it seem to befit more refined, more pretentious artwork. So far, I think the title works...
I was thinking of other titles such as: Assassin's Manual, Hello Kitties!, Throwdown, Classified, Rubicon, Grand Schemes, YESH (Yes and Fresh combined. I liked, but my wife vetoed!)
Anyways, If you guys come up with something cool, let me know. There is still time... but not much...
Talk to you later!
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Affordable premises 112sqm - Mt Eden
Mount Eden, Auckland City
By Negotiation
- Proposed Usage
- Office
- Floor Area
- 112.00 m²
- Property ID
- 1c78y34
For Lease & Extremely Affordable: Profile location makes this 112sqm approx level 1 premises strategically located on Dominion Road in the popular Eden Valley Retail & Dining area worth checking out.
Walking distance to Mt Eden amenities including restaurants, super market, bank, fast food chain etc. The office provides plenty of natural sunlight and enough privacy. Space comprises of two individual rooms, open area plus kitchenette, bathroom facilities.
Two onsite yard parking is available for lease by negotiation. Opportunity to catch the attention of approx 2.2 million bus passengers a year and approx. 27,000 cars passing along the road every day, says Millie Liang.


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Simplifying Materials Drying
Flash dryers can solve these problems. They are designed to deagglomerate a wide variety of materials to produce a dry, discrete particle. Additional benefits are short residence times which prevent thermal degradation of products, and with no moving parts, the dryers require minimal maintenance and ensure that product purity is maintained.
Flash dryers can accommodate a wide range of temperatures and drying gases, providing safe processing of all types of materials. Slurries, sludges, filter cakes and moist solids containing up to 95% water or solvent can be dried and deagglomerated in a single system, eliminating the need for additional grinding after drying. Additionally, through continuous operation and automatic conveying, flash dryers can also help manufacturers reduce their labor requirements.
The Flash Drying ProcessTypically, flash dryers employ a recirculating loop that combines air temperature and pressure to simultaneously deagglomerate and dry a variety of materials (see Figure 1). The system works by using low-pressure air, steam or inert gas to continuously deagglomerate and convey materials through the drying circuit.
A heated drying medium (up to 1300F) is introduced at high velocities into the drying chamber from a dryer manifold and through a series of high velocity nozzles, creating a turbulent flow pattern. Material is then fed from the screw feeder into the high-velocity gas stream that circulates within the torus. Drying begins as soon as the feed enters the chamber and encounters the turbulent gas stream. This creates particle-to-particle collisions that break apart the material and expose maximum surface area. Increased surface area reduces drying time by maximizing the heat transfer rates.
During the drying process, material is conveyed to a centrifugal classification zone, where the properly sized dry product is removed by the frictional drag of the exiting gases. Heavier, moist or agglomerated particles are kept within the unit and recycled to the drying chamber.
The airflow can be set manually by adjusting a blast gate at the discharge of the inlet blower. Fine-tuning and control over the drying process is further achieved by setting the drying chamber discharge air temperature to automatically control the firing rate of the air heater. Adjusting the variable-speed drive on the screw feeder manually controls the feed rate of the material.
The dried product can be separated from the air stream by a cyclone, while exhaust gases (containing the fines) are passed through a dust collector or scrubber. If a cyclone is not utilized, the end product can be separated from the air stream directly in a baghouse, where it is transported by a screw conveyor to a collection station. An opening along the length of the volumetric screw conveyor, located above the hopper, can allow all or a portion of the collected end product to be recycled into a backmixer for feed conditioning.
On applications with high inlet temperatures, flash dryers can also be designed with a separate hot air manifold section (with expansions joints) to accommodate thermal expansion.
Solving Drying ProblemsBecause they can be designed to operate with a wide range of temperatures, operating pressures and atmospheres, flash dryers can provide fast, efficient drying for a variety of materials used in ceramic manufacturing. Following are several examples of materials that are usually very difficult to dry, but that can be dried easily with flash dryers.
Zirconium Silicate. When producing matte finish ceramic glazes, the purity and particle size of the raw material are of the utmost importance. Drying is a crucial step in achieving these qualities. If the dryer components are not designed to handle abrasive materials, such as zirconium silicate, contamination can result. Subsequently, if the dryer cannot quickly and evenly evaporate the moisture content of the material, then agglomeration, mass clumping and caking are almost inevitable, and additional grinding operations are required.
A direct, gas-fired flash drying system can eliminate these problems. One such system* was designed to process a slurry of ultra-fine, ball-milled zirconium silicate containing 40% water and convert the material to a free-flowing dry powder with final moisture contents below 1%. Average particle sizes are typically below 5 microns, and production rates of 2200 lbs per hour are well within the system's capacity.
The dryer was designed to be recirculating, continuously drying and deagglomerating the slurry into a free-flowing powder in a closed-loop operation. In conventional zirconium silicate drying, the material slurry had to be manually poured into trays, which were placed on vertical racks and into drying ovens for up to 48 hours. The resulting bricks were then manually loaded and ground in mechanical mills to meet product specifications. With the flash dryer, no prior brick making is needed and no mechanical milling is required, saving both time and energy. Additionally, only a single operator is needed to check the system's operation, providing labor savings as well.
As the material is dried and deagglomerated into discrete particles, the process ensures maximum thermal efficiency—even with moisture specifications as low as 0.1%. Since zirconium silicate is extremely abrasive, and maintaining a white color is critical for end-product quality, this particular flash dryer was lined with 1-in. alumina tiles—a design option that greatly extends the life of the dryer while ensuring product purity.
Talc Powder. Dry talc is a slippery, soft material (Mohs scale hardness of 1) that has two surfaces in its structure—one is hydrophobic and organophilic, and the other is hydrophilic and organophobic. Although talc is not heat-sensitive, wet talc cake will retain moisture. Clumped or agglomerated talc particles will stick together if steps are not taken to deagglomerate during drying.
After months of testing and evaluating various talc-processing dryers, one company determined that the most energy-efficient dryer was a toroidal (or doughnut)-shaped, closed-loop flash dryer. The closed-loop dryer was found to be twice as efficient as the straight-through dryer. In addition, the new unit dried and completely deagglomerated the product. Size reduction was also achieved through the high circulation velocity within the small, closed-loop body. The size of the unit also meant it would require less space compared to other processing equipment.
Installation of the new toroidal-shaped flash dryer system increased talc production capacity at this facility by about 20% due to better thermal efficiency. Using a specially designed heat recovery system also meant that less operator attention was required. With the flash dryer, the operation is now more stable with smaller temperature fluctuations.
Iron Oxides. Rotary kiln dryers are often used for drying and calcining iron oxides. However, this process can cause moisture to be trapped in the material, turning it into hard, lumpy masses. These masses can get very large in size, and additional milling or screening procedures are typically required to deagglomerate the material once it is dry. Additionally, when material is calcined in a rotary kiln, there is often a delayed response to any process changes.
Flash dryers, on the other hand, produce discrete, fine particles without the need for additional milling. A two-unit flash drying system is typically used, with the dryers arranged in a series. The first dryer is used to process the wet, yellow oxide cake with initial moisture of 40% to a deagglomerated yellow powder with 10% bound moisture. The second dryer calcines the yellow powder into a fine, red powder containing less than 1% water. Drying temperatures run from an inlet of 800F to an outlet of 210F, while calcining temperatures run from an inlet of 1300F to an outlet of 750F. When calcining in a flash dryer, any process changes are immediately visible in the material, so no time is wasted on trial and error.
Silicates. Silicates can be very difficult to dry. They are also very abrasive and tend to quickly wear down moving parts in conventional dryers. With a flash dryer, high pressures are used to achieve size reduction in addition to deagglomeration during the drying process. Wet caked silicate having an initial moisture content of 35 to 65% can easily be reduced to 5 and 20%. In fact, final particle sizes of 95% at < 10 microns can easily be achieved. Additionally, the systems have no moving parts, so maintenance is very low. And ceramic or metallurgical coatings can be used to provide even more abrasion resistance to the dryers' internal surfaces.
Other ceramic materials can also be efficiently dried in a flash dryer, including alumina slurries. The systems have also been proven in drying such difficult materials such as food, municipal sludge and agricultural chemicals.
Flash Drying BenefitsDrying difficult materials is a key part of many ceramic manufacturing operations—but it doesn't have to be time-consuming and problematic. By using a flash dryer, manufacturers can eliminate the need for additional milling by simultaneously drying and deagglomerating their material into fine, free-flowing, discrete powder. Flash dryers also prevent thermal degradation of the product through shorter heat cycles, minimize maintenance requirements due to the lack of internal moving parts, and maintain product purity by using air deagglomeration instead of mechanical methods.
For More InformationFor more information about flash drying, contact Fluid Energy Processing & Equipment Co., Corporate Sales & Marketing, 4300 Bethlehem Pike, Telford, PA 18969; (215) 721-8990; fax (215) 721-2355; e-mail a href="mailto:firstname.lastname@example.com">email@example.com; or visit www.fluidenergype.com.
*The ThermaJet™ system, designed by Fluid Energy Processing and Equipment Co., Telford, Pa.


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Paul Neurath is the founder of the mythical company Blue Sky Productions, later renamed as Looking Glass Studios, one of the best videogames studies we've enjoyed to date. His name is for many a solid pillar of videogames history, a point of reference for those who believe that games are more than mere entertainment, indeed a form of artistic expression similar to movies, theater or literature. His role in Looking Glass has been, among different things, the creative director, and that creativity is a vital and defining sign of identity of this study.
After Looking Glass closure, Paul founded the company Floodgate Entertainment, where in addition to mobile games development they have also taken care of 'Neverwinter Nights expansion"Shadows of Undrentide', working again with Arkane in 'Dark Messiah of Might and Magic', the underrated first-person shooter game published by Ubisoft. He has kindly agreed to answer our questions, something we really feel proud of, as you all fans of this humble site can imagine.
Are you aware Looking Glass is a true legend for many players?
Not sure if players consider LookingGlass a legend… are not legends things that are more mythic than real? 😉
I do know there are gamers who fondly remember playing our games more than a decade later. In an industry where memories are often as short as the hit game from last year, it's cool that folks still recall these games.
Would you share with us what are your best memories from that time?
What I enjoyed more than anything as when our teams would pull together to solve some thorny challenge on a project, and come out the other side with something better than I would have thought.
For instance, I recall when we were having difficulty getting the stealth dynamic for Thief. We had spent months trying to get this to work, but it just was not happening. There was no tension, no sense that you as a player were actually sneaking through dark corridors trying to evade guards. Then the programmers took a new approach to the stealth AI, and the audio guys came up with a more effective way to communicate to the player how the guards sensed their presence if they made noise. These two things came together, and all at once we have a version of the game where the stealth dynamic clicked!
You've spent ten years conducting games of quite different styles, all of them displaying great quality at almost all levels. What's the secret?
No secret really. We care greatly about the games we work on. We also try to innovate where we can, bringing something new to the table. I've also been privileged to work with some super talented folks. That's really it in a nutshell.
Having worked as a creative director and designer, we guess that must have posed a lot of challenges when dealing with a project, especially one as complex as a video game. What aspects are the most important for you when setting up the master guidelines for any of those projects?
Reiterating the point above, I believe innovation is an essential ingredient. If you're not innovating in at least some aspect of a new project, then why do the project? Passion is another essential ingredient. If the team is not genuinely passionate about the game then the results are invariably going to be less than great. The third essential ingredient is a strong team who are a good fit for the project.
I also do look for a high-concept design that holds together well. Something that draws together the minute-to-minute game play, and provides the players with a compelling aspiration. Thief is good example. We were struggling in the early months for a high-concept for the game, but once we gravitated to the simple premise that you are a thief trying to steal stuff and using stealth as a tool it all came together very quickly.
Have you ever felt the very well known 'blank sheet' syndrome most writers always talk?
Actually, not really… The way I tend to work is that at any given time I've got a half-dozen concepts percolating somewhere in the back of my head, often only half-formed. The challenge I find is not so much the starting point of a concept, but fleshing it out and finding a way to make it cohesive. Some writers say that they let the story write itself, and I think I fall more into this category. Only downside is that sometimes you just have to be very patient for the right story to surface 😉
Looking Glass has created true masterpieces, none of which cannot unfortunately be considered as a great commercial success. Is there no market for creative videogames?
It is somewhat of a myth that LookingGlass games never had any hits. Ultima Underworld, Flight Unlimited and Thief each sold over a half-million units, which was pretty darn good for a PC game during the 1990s. At the same time, it is true we never had a blockbuster original game, like what Valve did with Half-Life or Id with Quake. We also had a few games, such as System Shock and System Shock 2, which were superb games but only achieved mediocre sales.
I think that there were two likely factors why we fell short of the blockbuster mark at LookingGlass. First, we were more focused on providing a deep, immersive experience than folks such as Valve and Id. For instance, System Shock was a complex game and demanding on players, particularly for a game circa 1994. In comparison, Valve and Id made their games with a lower "barrier-of-entry", and with the focus being more on fast action and great graphics. The latter approach makes it easier to reach a big audience.
The second factor is that we were not always able to get strong marketing support behind our titles. In the game industry there is no question that a big marketing campaign can dramatically increase sales. Games such as Quake had substantially more marketing behind them than any of our titles. This was partly because our games were a "harder sell" for our publishing partners, as we often went outside of the conventions of the day with our designs. Game publishers are most comfortable selling what they know, and we invariably threw some surprises and unknowns into the mix.
To circle back to your question, I do believe there is a market for creative videogames. But if you get "too creative" the risks go up that you may find it challenging to get a publisher behind your title. Likewise you risk getting ahead of the audience. There is a balance. I think BioShock, which in many ways is the spiritual successor to System Shock 2, illustrates what can happen when you strike a commercial balance between being creative and being sellable, and have the benefit of a big marketing campaign behind the title.
Would you say a better promotion and distribution campaign could have changed things for them?
I'm sure it would of helped. Would a big campaign have doubled the sales of a System Shock 2? Who knows, but I would have been nice to see 😉
Videogame distributors and publishers are always looking for an early recovery of investment (logical to some extent), believing also that complex videogames will not be well received by the mainstream videogames market. Do you share that view?
Some of the games we did at LookingGlass were overly complex and deep to readily reach a wide audience of game players. The design of Thief was informed by this knowledge, and indeed Thief ended up being a solid hit for us. Had we done more games at the sales level of Thief LookingGlass would be thriving today.
The original System Shock probably went the furthest into the deep and complex territory. Yet it was an awesome game, and many gamers view it as one of the greatest PC games of all time. I do not in any way regret us making that game. Nevertheless, if we could do it over I would have focused more on making the game more accessible and toning down some of the more demanding aspects of game play — if only so that we had a better chance to commercially establish the franchise.
Relationship between Looking Glass and distributors could be defined as…
Occasionally great, sometimes challenging. Again, we often gave our publishers titles that were challenging to market, and that goes against the strength of these companies.
Over the years people usually realize and accept both errors and successes committed in the past. Looking Glass main successes are evident, but what about errors?
We surely made many errors over the 10 years we were in business. All companies do; more so if they do anything interesting. We did try to learn from our errors.
Some of the errors we made…
– We should have dialed back somewhat the level of depth and complexity we put in some of our games, and put more emphasis on accessibility. We did learn from this, and Thief was the result.
– We did not put sufficient emphasis on pure visual pizzazz for many of our games. Fight Unlimited was an exception; but for our other titles the level visual eye candy, and providing fast and smooth frame rates, was not on par with the blockbusters of the time. This hurt our sales.
– We spread ourselves too thin in terms of genres. Nearly every blockbuster studio of that time had a tight focus, such as only doing PC first-person shooters, as often as not just a single franchise. We did 3D fantasy games, 3D science fiction games, flight simulators, sports games, and others genres. In hindsight, we were slightly crazed to try to tackle such a wide palette as a small company, and it meant that we could not build the level of expertise in any single genre as we otherwise could.
– We were undercapitalized for what we were trying to do. As an small but ambitious studio we tried to push ourselves and do a lot; but often with not quite enough capital. It was a risky strategy that ultimately contributed to our demise.
I could go on, but that's probably enough to mention for now.
After all these years, would you share with us your sincere opinion about the current videogame market state?
Ever since I entered the game industry in 1984 it has been in a constant state of flux. This has not changed, and it something I like about the industry. It means there is always something new; always something to learn. I'd get bored otherwise 😉
Recent industry trends I like…
– Emergence of social network games. Before I got into the game industry I played tons of pen-and-paper and board games. These were all multi-player games, and they were all about being social. Only relatively recently with the emergence of MMO's and now social network games have social games really come into the fore in the game market. No longer is it an anti-social experience of being alone at your PC monitor 😉
– Still creativity going on if you look for it. I continue to be pleasantly surprised by new game that come out every year that do something really cool and creative. Look at what PopCap did in the casual PC market with Plants Vs Zombies; what the Harmonix guys have done with their music games, or outside-of-the-box games such as Katamari Damancy.
– Games reaching much wider audience. Back in the LookingGlass days even the top games such as Quake reached only a relatively small audience of core gamers. If you reached 2M players that was about as good as it got. Today a top social network game or casual game can reach 20M or more players. That that can include Grandmothers in their 60's, kids, and everything in between. I'm a fan of games, so having more people play games is a good thing in my book 😉
– Cool new platforms. New platforms, such as the iPhone, are a great way to deliver cool games to a wider audience than in years past. They are also fun platforms to develop on.
Recent trends I don't like so much…
– For the big, traditional games (e.g. console games), pretty much a requirement today that you spend at least $10M on development with a massive team, and likewise have a massive marketing campaign, if you want to have a fair shot of a hit. Massive teams means more focus is on pure production and managing the team resources than on being creative. Like a big ship, it can be hard to change course if you are half-way through the project and find that the design is not fun. Likewise, at these budgets publishers are, understandably, even more gun-shy than they ever to try out some creative, new concept. Much more of the development dollars get plowed back into doing "safe" sequels of last year's hits.
– Dominance of established brands. Related to the point above, to try to reduce risk publishers are gravitating more than ever to using brands from films, TV and the like to build games around. A strong brand certainly can help, but it also means that what the developer brings to the table in terms of their creativity and design is valued proportionally less. Also, too often publishers overspend on branding and under spend on development, with the result of a mediocre game.
– Focus on fast and cheap in the casual, mobile and social network game market. There is a fairly commonly held belief that fast and cheap is the way to go for these markets, with the expectation that casual gamer care less about quality. The strategy often seems more about throwing a lot of stuff against the wall and seeing what occasional title might stick. Casual consumer are not dumb, and they value quality games. Actually really good casual games, such as Plants Vs. Zombies, sell extremely well. However, the opportunities for developers to do that caliber of casual game are few and far between.
Many veteran or expert players, myself included, feel that current games are less creative than those from ten or maybe fifteen years ago, most of them at least. I am being nostalgic, I know, but it is a difficult task today finding a similar study to those of Origin or Looking Glass, to name two examples.
I think it is true generally speaking. The more recent industry trends have tended to work against supporting the more creative titles. But there is still creativity to be found if you look around.
A lot of publishers and distributors seem to be fleeing from complex or difficult offers, fearing a frustrated player who will stop playing if faced against a really tough challenge.
Certainly for casual gamers this is true. Most casual gamers are not looking for a complex or extra challenging game experience. Among harder core gamers, they want the challenge, and value a measure of complexity if it is done well and translates to compelling game play. But as a business, it is harder today to justify the big development budgets if you are catering to the more niche audience of hard core gamers. Consider that in the 1990's you could deliver a challenging and complex PC game for a few million dollars. Today the cost are about 5 fold that, yet the sales are no higher for these core games than back then. The costs are higher because, generally speaking, core gamers demand the top visuals and deep game play that clearly exceeds the best of such games from a few yeas back, and this is costly to deliver. So there is a bit of a catch 22.
They commonly believe that difficulty and complexity will never favor sales. Your thoughts?
No question that going too difficult or complex will cut back sales, as we saw with the original System Shock. But there is a middle ground, at least for core gamers, where they want enough difficulty and complexity to keep the game challenging and with new stuff to learn.
Time ago, Warren Spector defined both 'Thief' and 'Deus Ex' as 'immersion simulators'. Would you suggest us where to find them today?
At LookingGlass we called this approach "immersive reality", but Warren's term is equally apt. It came out of some of us having worked on flight simulators in the 1980's, and then applying some of what we learned about this genre to Ultima Underworld and System Shock. In flight simulators you bend backwards to give the player as much freedom and control as you can in the simulation, creating a sort of game play "sandbox". To some degree games such as the Sims and GTA took a similar approach.
Many players like being taken off the "rails" of more traditional games and having the freedom to chart their own course in the game. At the same time, if the environment is too open-ended this can lead to frustrations for players, who still need some direction and prodding at times 😉
Anyway, to answer your question I believe that elements of "immersion simulators" can still be found today in a variety of games, but games that have the all-out focus on this approach are few and far between. This is in part because of the belief, perhaps correct, that full-out expressions of this game play style are suited only for harder core gamers, and again, it is hard to justify modern game budgets for just this audience. On a related note, there are notably fewer flight simulators and racing simulators today than ten years ago for much the same reason.
It's true there is fewer Racing and Flight simulators today, but they are better. If you test iRacinc, X-Plane, IL2 Sturmovik series or DCS Black Shark, you can see that they are superb sims. And MS Flight Simulator sold a lot before was discontinued. May be the market is profitable enough for making such of great sims.
I've played a couple of these simulations, and they are very good. Nevertheless, there are many fewer simulations being developed today than in the 1990's years, with the major franchises from that era having been generally discontinued.
What is 'inmersion' for you?
For me, Ultima Underworld was the first game I worked on that achieved immersion. It was a game where you could suspend your disbelief. You could get so pulled into the minute-to-minute game play that you forgot, at least for brief spells, that you were playing a game, and instead felt and acted as if you really were exploring a dungeon. It also gave you the sense that you could problem solve your way around obstacles, finding your own solutions that perhaps not even the game designers had thought of.
We believe games can be not only entertainment but a fantastic way for storytelling, offering many possibilities for singular artistic expression. Looking Glass showed that, but there's still a long way to go in terms of both comparison with the quality of movie scripts, and respect as a truly artistic medium at the same level. What does it take to change this?
Absolutely agree that games have a long way to go to match the level storytelling and character development that a good film can deliver. Part of it is an inherent limitation of the interactive media. It is far easier to tell an story and communicate character in a liner media such as a film or a book. Once you go interactive and non-liner, you introduce all sorts of hurdles, and game designers have not yet found a way to level to fully compensate.
I think the other challenge is delivering believable characters. When a fine actor is on screen, the tone of their voice, the gestures, the non-verbal communication they can deliver — it all adds up to something that no AI can come to close to as yet. The "uncanny valley" effect also factors in, as nobody has figured out yet how to render virtual characters in a fully life-like way, and if you get close but not quite there, it just looks strange.
So there is a lot of stuff to solve yet if games are going to compete with Hollywood on story and characters.
Maybe we need a more mature and specialized press?
There are many in the game press who are well informed about games, and value what LookingGlass and others have done in terms of innovation. What I think might be lacking is the equivalent of the Academy Awards done in a way that the broad audience cares about. There are various awards given out, but the broad gaming audience mostly does not follow these. Without the draw of big movie stars and comedians to get audience attention, perhaps this is just wishful thinking.
It's been established a dependence between distributors and press. Distributors need and use press to promote their product, while press needs and use distributors to attend events, enjoy access to exclusive content and receive trial versions of games before they are released. The obvious result is we have no news, only propaganda. Would you say this tendency is hurting media maturity process?
I suspect, but not an area of my expertise.
May be you could also say that any saga being stretched out does not help too; it seems they fear creating new licenses, and that goes against games evolution.
Yes. Given the big budgets of modern games, publishers are more than ever nervous about backing some game that is novel and innovative. But it still does sometime happen.
Are you following the Thief 4 development?, What do you think about?
Not really. Hope it lives up to the original…
We can find several ex-components of Looking Glass in Floodgate. Any plans to develop a new license for PC?
Floodgate is focused on casual and social games. As such, we're not looking to do the high-end, harder-core PC games that LookingGlass was known for. But we do still push for innovation in our games, and look to do immersion where appropriate.
Would you share with us any fresh news about Floodgate future plans?
We started a big push towards social network games this year. It not simply that it is a "hot" market, but we feel that there are opportunities for us to innovate and raise the quality bar. We'll be announcing some cool stuff soon…
Is it less risky the mobiles market than the PC one?
Yes. Budgets are much lower, marketing is much lower.
Looking Glass final project was 'Deep Cover', which was never finished. Can you confirm us who owns the rights?
Would Floodgate be interested in it now?
It as a cool game concept and I wish we could have brought it to market. But it is not a concept that is compatable with Floodgate's focus on casual and social gaming.
PC platform is said to be not as profitable as consoles, and that's funny as Activision-Blizzard are making a lof of money, working exclusively for PC.
Yes, the broad notion that PC games are less profitable than console games is not accurate. Some PC games are among the most profitable games in recent years, and continue to sell in huge numbers. Many, perhaps the majority, of console games today are break-even or lose money. That being said, top selling XBOX, WII or Playstation games do typically outsell the top selling single-player PC games, and in terms of gross revenues, if you exclude MMO's, I believe that console games outsell PC by a wide margin.
I think it would be hard to justify the economics of a modern single player focused PC game such as Thief or Ultima Underworld, which is why so few are produced. But if you could pull off this same game genre with aplomb on an XBOX or Playstation, you could do just fine.
They say their success is based on just giving people what they want. What do you think people want?
I don't agree with this adage. I think that successful film directors, book authors, and game designers go under the hood to figure out what the audience "really" wants, not simply what they might tell you if you ran some focus group. More to the point, most often this process involves some creative and intuitive leap that the person driving the creative process finds personally compelling.
Floodgate has closely worked with Arkane. I guess you know it's been purchased by ZeniMax Media. Any thoughts on that?
The Arkane guys are great guys, and one of the few studios trying to develop immersive games today. ZeniMax core company is Bethesda, who has likewise continued to do some innovative and great games. So seems like a good match!
Do you think this could affect the creative freedom of the company?
I'm not close enough to how these guys are planning to work together to know. I hope it allows for Arkane to have greater creative freedom than they have in recent years.
Is true creative freedom available only in the independent games, or are there also constraints due to limited budgets?
I'm pretty convinced that any studio can achieve creative freedom if they try hard enough and they have the talent to pull it off. Budgets are a secondary consideration; unless the expectation is that you are building a high-end game with lots of content and features and also trying to be innovative – all while under a tight budget. That combination is not likely to work 😉
What would be your ideal game?
One that I would play again and again, enjoying immensely every time. Probably not going to happen; but that is what ideals are for, something to shoot for.
Still playing videogames? (that's a question my wife asks me)
Yes. I enjoy playing all types of games, so long as they are good 😉
Thank you for this interview, Mr. Neurath, and thanks a lot for creating Looking Glass.
Most welcome.


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by Alison Lueders, Great Green Editing
It should go without saying that wasting food is a bad idea. But the amount of food wasted in the U.S. today is truly staggering. Here are a couple of statistics:
- According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the EPA, food waste in America has grown by 50% since the 1970s.
- Today, as much as 40% of food produced in the U.S. is thrown away.
Wasted food means:
- Wasted money – over $500 per person per year.
- Hungry people – even in the U.S., 1 in 6 people are "food insecure", meaning they don't know where their next meal is coming from.
- Fuel for climate change – wasted food ends up in landfills, where it decomposes and creates greenhouse gases that contribute to global warming. "Food waste is the single largest type of waste entering our landfills," according to EPA Acting Administrator Bob Perciasepe.
Efforts to address this issue include:
- At the national level, the U.S. government launched a "U.S. Food Waste Challenge" this past June. It calls on both the public sector and private industry to find ways to reduce, recover and recycle food waste.
- In 2011, an alliance of food industry companies, including the Grocery Manufacturers Association, announced a 3-year initiative to cut food waste and reduce the amount of food sent to landfills. They would also increase donations to groups that feed the hungry. This initiative is co-chaired by General Mills and our very own Lakeland, Florida based Publix Supermarkets.
- In Tampa Bay, the Whole Foods site offers this post on "12 Ways to Stop Wasting Food." Some great ideas here!
My family sometimes struggles to finish foods before they go bad. We have learned to love soups and omelets for dinner, in order to use leftovers of all kinds. Our next frontier will be composting food scraps instead of putting them in the trash. How about you?


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Glow-worms are alive and well and living in Otari Wiltons Bush. We walk down through the bush at night, past tree ferns, rimu, epiphytes, rata, eels – and glow-worms. This is your chance to see glow-worms up close, complete with their midge-catching, sticky-thread nets. You'll need good shoes, warm clothing, and a torch. All children must be accompanied by an adult.
Meet at the Otari Information Centre.
Leader: Dr Dave Burton


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As flies to wanton boys, are we to gods
It is now time to start sharpening the stick at both ends.
On Wednesday of last week after two hours of what was euphemistically called "debate", the IMF/EU bail-out plan was passed by the Dail. The single most important piece of legislation to pass through the Dail in our lifetime was presented to Deputies at 11:40pm on Tuesday night, and then on the following afternoon after each of the Parties had their opportunity to present their preprepared opening statements barely 90 minutes remained for the debate. To a near empty chamber individual Deputies played to the cameras, soundbites prepared and faces of stoked ire or poker-crafted indifference were carefully affixed, and all the words were but a meaningless charade for the outcome of the vote was never in doubt once "Independents" Michael Lowry and Jackie Healy-Rae announced their support.
On the same day a small article in the Examiner mentioned that Healy-Rae's daughter had been appointed to a Government quango in the run up to the December budget, with a salary and generous expenses allowance.
Never be in any doubt of the way in which our political masters work, as Gloucester says in King Lear, "They kill us for their sport".
Thus on this, the literal low-point of the year, the Winter Solstice, the shortest day, the end of the annual ever-decreasing cycle of diminishing returns, and finding myself once more surrounded by a blanket of impenetrable white and a thermometer that told me it was -10C outside, thoughts and inevitable reflections on all that has come before began to rise unbidden with the steam from the lidless cappuccino that nestled in my protective arms, swaddled like an infant Messiah, as I navigated the unnecessarily treacherous walk (no more than twenty meters) from the coffee shop to my desk.
And the inescapable result that one must come to after such chilled and frosty analysis is that our current political system, and any faith that a thoughtful citizenry could have remaining in it, are no more. No good will ever come from the Dail for it is rotten to its very core and thus the time for rational discourse on how to work within the existing political framework is long past. We are left with the inevitable conclusion that we must now steal away Piggy's glasses, smash the conch to oblivion, and sharpen up a great many sticks on both ends before the IMF arrive to rescue us, castigating us for not being able to put up a better show than that...
Or we could all stay in where its nice and warm, drink some beer, eat some mince pies and watch "The Top One Hundred 'Top One Hundred Shows of All Time' of All Time Show", again.
Which we will.
Like the days can only get longer now, things surely can only get better.
Labels: PoliticsTweet


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The Afrikan Women's Repertory Theater's "The Stranger" and Upcoming Show "Dionne Fairbanks"
Bonnie Wright, founder of the Afrikan Women's Repertory Theatre and writer of "The Stranger," is an unassuming top playwright (who's written over 700 plays in her lifetime)--not snooty and dramatic like you might imagine some in the theater, but warm and friendly, nurturing with a musical laugh. She has the kind of energy that would make you want to sit down and have a cup of tea with her in her living room.
She takes that nurturing energy and applies it to her work: her writing and her actors. "I have my 'number 1's' and we work them to be the stars they should be," she proudly tells me, when I came to the Producers Club in the Theatre District of Manhattan to see the "The Stranger" on a Sunday afternoon. With a colorful cast of characters it delved into the phenomenon that is all present in the days of our lives: different people coming from different places yet ending up at the same place. Although it is a simple play where the set doesn't change, its complete with a gun scene to add spice and suspense to this short comedic piece.
Naomi Taylor plays a bubbly and hopeful "Z," and Haydee Ligeon is a hilarious "Liz." Don Jenkins, Flor E. Johnson, Cassandra C. Fleming, Kossivi M. Alokpovi and Richard "Ibyn" Clarke complete the cast of characters as Brian, Candace, Livie, Bert, and Hal, respectively, along with Ahkai Franklin as Cole.
"I have the training and I did the classics." Says Akhai who has been working with Bonnie for several years. "I acted before I got here but when I worked with Bonnie I became an actor. Seeing great actors consistently helped me be an actor. With her you do the full range. I've learned a lot if not more than Bonnie than working with anyone else. Her approach to theater is more relatable. You can see yourself."
And I did in "The Stranger" is a great show that spoke to the human experience of broken dreams, high aspirations, escaping your self and following your heart. "I usually don't work in the summer," she also told me, but I'm glad she did. Or else I wouldn't have been able to meet her that day, and be cast in one of her next shows for the Fall season: "Dionne Fairbanks," about a snide critic who, in an effort to maintain her power will stop at nothing to assert her independence, fierceness, and conviction that she holds all power to break a man...if not with her bitchiness, than with her pen. This show will be playing at the Producer's Club, Friday October 11th at 8:00PM, Saturday October 12th at 2:00PM and 5:00PM and Sunday October 13th at 1:00PM and 5:00PM.
Photo: Ahkai Franklin who played "Cole" in "The Stranger"
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In order to meet the requirements of constructing Asia's largest laptop production base in Chongqing. Chongqing Municipal Government has put Chongqing-Xinjiang-Europe International Railway into service through further optimization and improvement of the original Eurasian Land Bridge, with the great support of National Ministries and Commissions such as the General Administration of Customs and the Ministry of Railways, the new Eurasian Land Bridge starts from Chongqing Tuanjiecun passes Alashankou, Kazakhstan, Russia, Belarus and Poland, finally arrives Duisburg of Germany covering 11,179 kilometers. Compared with rail-sea combined transport (Chongqing-Shenzhen by rail, Shenzhen-Europe by sea) or river-sea combined transport (by water across Yangtze River to Shanghai, Shanghai to Europe by sea), Chongqing-Xinjiang-Europe International Railway can shorten present shipping times by up to 20 days. The distance covered is at least 1,000 kilometers less than Northern Railway from Manzhouli passes Russia, Belarus, Poland and ends in Germany. Compared with the second Eurasian Continental Bridge linking Lianyungang in East China's Jiangsu province passes Alashankou in Xinjiang with Rotterdam in the Netherlands. The route will be used to link Europe to South China's manufacturing hub and Southwest China's industrial belt.
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Happiness is my weekly trip to the farmer's market at Union Square. Yes, I've only been here for a few weeks, but I've decided to make it a habit to stock up on my fresh vegetables and fruit (maybe meat one day) on Saturdays. Sure, there will be some goods I can't get like almond milk or yogurt, but I might as well support the local farmers and at least I know it's fresh.
I mean, how can you not fall in love with the colors of the tomatoes, the wide range of eggplants, or the free hard apple cider samples? 😉
Happiness is walking everywhere. I love the hustle and bustle (except in Times Square) and all the people watching. Just the fact that there is so much to do, see, and eat 🙂
Funny story. I was out at a bar with my coworkers last week and on my way to the bathroom legitimately found a $5 bill. You know when you are telling a story and it has a terrible ending (or your audience thinks so) and so you recover by saying, "but I found five dollars." No people. I really found five dollars. Being the good samaritan and having a guilty conscious, I asked the people sitting by the bar and when no one claimed the prize, I decided to reward myself with frozen yogurt for dinner. Yes, it was one of those nights.
Not so simple is having to fix your iPhone yet again. Let's just say I was not too impressed with Apple the past few days. After a trip to the store on 5th avenue and two trips to the store in SOHO, I finally was up and running again and yes, the new phone is slowly growing on me. Some data (mostly contacts, pictures, and apps) disappeared, but overall not terrible. I guess it's like a fresh start.
I don't think there has been one person who hasn't told me about the fabulous cuisine of New York. Well, I haven't been out to dinner too often, but certainly was enamored with this latest splurge – dessert crepe cone from SOHO (Eight Turn Crepe). Hope had tested it out a week or so ago and as we were walking along the Little Italy festival and gazing longingly at all the appliances in Sur la Table, we decided to pick up an afternoon treat.
I would have to say I've been blessed to have a roommate that has similar interests like exploring new areas and baking. Last week we tested out some pumpkin products (another recipe to be up on the blog soon) and this week we experimented with Figgy Piggy Chicken and a chocolate strawberry pudding pie. Every week we are going to try to make one special dinner together. Reminds me of my childhood days when our Sunday night dinner was something to look forward to 🙂
For more of life's simple pleasures, take some time and explore this website called Just Little Things. What are some of the things you enjoy?
"Whatever you can do or dream you can, begin it. Boldness has genius, power, and magic in it." – Johann Wolfgang von Goethe


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Monthly Archives: May 2007
Golf Tourney!
As many of you know, I work for the Chattanooga Youth Network. As a non-profit ministry, we rely on donations fromView full post »
Super Suppers…
I just got back from a super fun, whirlwind weekend with my family in Fort Lauderdale, and I can't even blogView full post »
Friends, Franklin, and FUN!!!
Wow. This week has been a whirlwind of activity and we haven't, until now, had the chance to post about our greatView full post »
Chattanooga Fountain at night
The other night, I got hang out with my buddy Matt Dunmore to wander around town at night to see if we could find anyView full post »


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The old time saying "it's so hard to find good work in this town" has held true for decades, though with technology advancements, it's gotten a bit easier to find the right people to do the job. Finding a locksmith used to require hours upon hours of searching and then days of consideration.
Today it's a little bit easier to find the best locksmith you can, but it is still a process. When wondering how to choose the best locksmith Vallejo, it's often beneficial to take it one step at a time. Below you will learn how to choose the best locksmith, one step at a time.
Collect Details
Before you can begin your search for a locksmith, you must consider a few things first. Be sure to ask yourself these questions, and to make note of them. They will aid you in your search later on.
-How big is the job that you need to be completed?
-How much money are you willing/have to spend?
-How far are you willing to search? 5 miles? 10 miles?
-When does the work need to be completed by? Is there a particular date you need it completed?
-Do you have any preferences? Would you be okay with a new locksmith? Or do you prefer one with many years of experience?
These are just a few of the questions that you should ask yourself before beginning. Be sure to have a clear idea of what you need to be done, how much you're willing to spend, and any other little details that may come up later on. The more prepared you are, the easier your search will be.
Ask Around Town
One of the best ways to find the best locksmith in Vallejo would be to start asking friends and family for any recommendations.
This helps you gather information about your possible options, and also allows you to steer clear of any that seem better than they are. If anyone has any recommendations or comments, be sure to make note of them so that you can access them easily when you start to search really.
Begin The Search
Once you have a clear idea of what you need to be done, and any other details, you may start to find that perfect locksmith.
Keep in mind any comments you heard when you asked family and friends, and be sure to steer clear of any locksmith's that received many negative comments. It is, however, important to remember that even the best in their profession can make mistakes. It's often easiest to begin with a local search; there are many ways you can do this, such as: -Looking in your local phone book.
Phone books are a forgotten treasure chest of information, and can be useful when searching for a locksmith. Write down any numbers and names of local locksmiths you want to check out, and keep it safely with the information you collected beforehand.
-Ask Local Businesses
Companies are likely to use a locksmith from time to time, and because of this, they'll likely have some information you could use. This is an excellent way to get a feel for who is good and who isn't in your local area. Be sure to write down any information you get, as you previously have been.
Widen Your Search
After you have checked out some local options, it is always wise to widen your search a little bit. The best way to do this would be to do an internet search. Even a simple keyword search of "Locksmith Vallejo" will reveal multiple results. Carefully go through each option, and always read reviews. When learning on how to choose the best locksmith in Vallejo, it's important to gather as much information as possible.
Most businesses, including locksmiths, will have reviews from previous customers somewhere online. Read these reviews and ask questions if you have any, most previous reviewers will gladly answer questions. Write down any locksmiths that you think would be the right fit for you, and then slowly research them more. By doing this, you'll be able to instantly eliminate any locksmiths that just simply aren't very good. Write down each locksmith, and take notes on the pros and cons of each one.
Once you have compiled a list of potential locksmiths, it's then time to start eliminating and separating the bad from the good. Here are a few suggestions that will help you with this process.
-Call and ask questions. If their websites don't offer enough information, call and talk to them.
-Consider the reviews, are there more bad reviews than good ones? If so, it's probably safe to eliminate. -When viewing pros and cons, decide which cons are acceptable and which aren't.
-Check prices, any locksmiths that don't fit your budget can usually be eliminated.
Review And Decide
After you carefully consider each locksmith and have weeded out some of the less desirable ones, you can start choosing. To choose the best locksmith in Vallejo, you'll want to consider all of the information you have collected. You may also wish to either call them or even go in and meet them, to get a better feel and learn more about them.
The best locksmith will often have great reviews, a few years of experience, and will be eager to speak to potential customers. Carefully match who is remaining to your needs, and decide. Be sure to think about your decision, be careful in the process and give each potential locksmith a fair chance. The best locksmith will usually be evident after all research has been completed. They will be the obvious better choice out of your narrowed down group.
For instance, the best locksmith will have good reviews, be willing to meet and talk with you, will be open about their experience, will be professional and will have just a solid and impressive track record. Learning how to choose the best locksmith Vallejo isn't always an easy process, but it's one well worth the time. After enough research and time, the best locksmith will be evident.
When choosing the best locksmith in Vallejo, it's important to know what you're looking for and to be vigilant. After enough time is spent and enough research is done, figuring out and choosing the best locksmith will be much easier. Always be patient, finding the best of anything isn't an overnight process. It takes time and dedication. However, the time spent is always worth it.
If you want quality work, then the process to find it is crucial. Be sure to keep notes along the way, and try to be fair and understanding, even masters of the craft make mistakes from time to time. After all the work is done, you'll be able to relax with certainty that you have hired the best locksmith that Vallejo has to offer.


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Two and a half years ago I planted four plants of kale in my garden for the first time. The first year the kale did very well and at the end of the season I just left it in the garden until the following spring when I planned on cleaning out the dead remains.
To my surprise, even with a ton of snow and bitter cold temperatures, the kale plants all survived and all last spring, summer, and fall I was able to harvest kale from those same four plants. I attributed the kale's survival to the fact that I hadn't cleaned out any of the garden the kale was planted in and all the other dead foliage around the kale protected it from the weather.
Last fall, when I'd finally harvested the last of the cucumbers, peas, and beans that surrounded the kale, I cleaned out the garden. I wanted to get a head start on the garden for 2016. After I was done, I surveyed my work and realized that the kale was still thriving. Deciding to harvest from it as long as I could, I figured when the snow and bitter temperatures hit, it would wither and die.
So far this year we have had only two snowfalls, but several weeks of below freezing temperatures. With weather like that I assumed my kale was history. Boy was I surprised when I walked by the garden the other day and found this:
How awesome is that! It's the end of January and I'm still harvesting from the garden and I live in Michigan — this has got to be a record!
Well, thanks to this wonderfully hearty plant, I was able to harvest some fresh kale yesterday and use it in my first attempt at Italian Wedding Soup. Check out the recipe at Simply Grateful Cooking – https://simplygratefulcooking.wordpress.com/2016/01/31/deluxe-italian-wedding-soup/.
Boy this really gets me anxious for spring but even more excited for beginning the indoor planting which should be happening in just a month or so now, and for this I am — Simply Grateful.


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Single-party state
|Part of the Politics series
|Party politics
|Political spectrum
|Party platform
|Party system
|Politics portal
A single-party state, one-party state, one-party system, or single-party system is a type of state in which a single political party has the right to form the government, usually based on the existing constitution. All other parties are either outlawed or allowed to take only a limited and controlled participation in elections. Sometimes the term de facto single-party state is used to describe a dominant-party system that, unlike the single-party state, allows (at least nominally) democratic multiparty elections, but the existing practices or balance of political power effectively prevent the opposition from winning the elections.
- Concept 1
Examples 2
- Current single-party states 2.1
- Former single-party states 2.2
- See also 3
- Notes 4
- External links 5
Single-party states justify themselves through various methods. Most often, proponents of a single-party state argue that the existence of separate parties runs counter to national unity. Others argue that the single party is the vanguard of the people, and therefore its right to rule cannot be legitimately questioned. The Marxist theory states that political parties represent the interests, most of which, in a liberal system, respond to the economic power and are part of the system (the superstructure) where whoever wins there will be no substantial changes, once abolished class distinctions no place for the struggle for multiparty own economic interests, however, an organization that is able to formulate national policies and manage their reins to ensure the development of socialism is necessary, this organization is the only party to be the only existing single social class and the common interest of progress.
Some single party states only outlaw opposition parties, while allowing subordinate allied parties to exist as part of a permanent coalition such as a popular front. Examples of this are the People's Republic of China under the United Front, or the National Front in former East Germany. Others may allow non-party members to run for legislative seats, as was the case with Taiwan's Tangwai movement in the 1970s and 1980s, as well as the Soviet Union.
Within their own countries, dominant parties ruling over single-party states are often referred to simply as the Party. For example, in reference to the Soviet Union, the Party meant the Communist Party of the Soviet Union; in reference to the former People's Republic of Poland it referred to the Polish United Workers' Party.
Most single-party states have been ruled either by parties following the ideology of Marxism-Leninism and international solidarity (such as the Soviet Union for most of its existence), or by parties following some type of nationalist or fascist ideology (such as Italy under Benito Mussolini), or by parties that came to power in the wake of independence from colonial rule. One-party systems often arise from decolonization because one party has had an overwhelmingly dominant role in liberation or in independence struggles.
Single-party states are often, but not always, considered to be authoritarian or totalitarian. However, not all authoritarian or totalitarian states operate based on single-party rule. Some, especially absolute monarchies and certain military dictatorships, have made all political parties illegal.
The term "communist state" is often used in the west to apply to states in which the ruling party subscribes to a form of Marxism-Leninism. However, such states do not use that term themselves, seeing communism as a phase to develop after the full maturation of socialism, and instead often use the titles of "people's republic", "socialist republic", or "democratic republic". One peculiar example is Cuba, where the role of the Communist Party is enshrined in the constitution, and no party is permitted to campaign or run candidates for election, including the Communist party. Candidates are elected on an individual referendum basis without formal party involvement, though elected assemblies predominantly consist of members of the dominant party alongside non-affiliated candidates.[1]
The True Whig Party of Liberia is considered the founder of the first single-party state in the world, as despite opposition parties never being outlawed, it completely dominated Liberian politics from 1878 until 1980.[2] The party was conceived by the original Black American settlers and their descendants who referred to themselves as Americo-Liberians. Initially, its ideology was heavily influenced by that of the Whig Party in the United States. Over time it developed into a powerful Masonic Order that ruled every aspect of Liberian society for well over a century until it was overthrown in 1980. While the True Whig Party still exists today, its influence has substantially declined.
Current single-party states
As of 2013 the following countries are legally constituted as single-party states and the name of the single party in power:
Former single-party states
Most states in Sub-Saharan Africa after independence, although all except Eritrea have eventually converted to a de jure multi-party system;
- Angola (MPLA) 1975–1991
- Benin (People's Revolutionary Party of Benin) 1975–1990
- Upper Volta (African Democratic Rally) 1960–1966
- Burundi (Union for National Progress) 1966–1992
- Cameroon (Cameroon National Union) 1966–1985, (Cameroon People's Democratic Movement) 1985–1990
- Cape Verde (African Party for the Independence of Guinea and Cape Verde) 1975–1981, (African Party for the Independence of Cape Verde) 1981–1990
- Central African Republic (Movement for the Social Evolution of Black Africa) 1962–1980, (Central African Democratic Union) 1980-1981, (Central African Democratic Rally) 1987–1991
- Chad (Chadian Progressive Party) 1962–1973, (National Movement for the Cultural and Social Revolution) 1973–1975, (National Union for Independence and Revolution) 1984–1990
- Comoros (Comorian Union for Progress) 1982–1990
- Congo-Brazzaville (Congolese Party of Labour) 1969–1990
- Zaire (Popular Movement of the Revolution) 1970–1990
- Djibouti (People's Rally for Progress) 1977–1992
- Equatorial Guinea (Worker's National United Party) 1970–1979, (Democratic Party of Equatorial Guinea) 1987–1991
- Ethiopia (Workers' Party of Ethiopia) 1984–1991
- Gabon (Gabonese Democratic Party) 1968–1990
- Ghana (Convention People's Party) 1964–1966
- Guinea (Democratic Party of Guinea – African Democratic Rally) 1958–1984
- Guinea-Bissau (African Party for the Independence of Guinea and Cape Verde) 1974–1991
- Ivory Coast (Democratic Party of Côte d'Ivoire – African Democratic Rally) 1960–1990
- Kenya (Kenya African National Union) 1982–1991
- Liberia (True Whig Party) 1878–1980
- Madagascar (National Front for the Defense of the Revolution) 1976–1989
- Malawi (Malawi Congress Party) 1964–1993
- Mali (Sudanese Union – African Democratic Rally) 1960–1968, (Democratic Union of the Malian People) 1976–1991
- Mauritania (Mauritanian People's Party) 1961–1978
- Mozambique (FRELIMO) 1975–1990
- Niger (Nigerien Progressive Party – African Democratic Rally) 1960–1974, (National Movement for the Development of Society) 1989–1991
- Rwanda (Parmehutu) 1965–1973, (National Republican Movement for Democracy and Development) 1975-1991
- São Tomé and Príncipe (Movement for the Liberation of São Tomé and Príncipe/Social Democratic Party) 1975–1990
- Senegal (Socialist Party of Senegal) 1966–1974
- Seychelles (Seychelles People's Progressive Front) 1977–1991
- Sierra Leone (All People's Congress) 1978–1991
- Somalia (Somali Revolutionary Socialist Party) 1976–1991
- Sudan (Sudanese Socialist Union) 1971–1985, (National Congress Party) 1989–2005
Tanzania (Chama Cha Mapinduzi) 1977–1992
- Tanganyika (Tanganyika African National Union) 1961–1977
- Zanzibar (Afro-Shirazi Party) 1964–1977
- Togo (Party of Togolese Unity) 1962–1963, (Rally of the Togolese People) 1969–1991
- Uganda (Uganda People's Congress) 1969–1971
- Zambia (United National Independence Party) 1972–1990
Some Middle Eastern and North African states;
- Algeria (National Liberation Front) 1962–1989
- Egypt (National Union) 1956–1958 and 1961–1962, (Arab Socialist Union) 1962–1976
- Iran (Rastakhiz Party) 1975–1978, (Islamic Republican Party) 1981–1987
- Iraq (Iraqi Arab Socialist Union) 1964–1968, (Arab Socialist Ba'ath Party – Iraq Region led the National Progressive Front) 1968–2003
- Libya (Arab Socialist Union) 1971–1977
- North Yemen (General People's Congress) 1982–1988
- South Yemen (Yemeni Socialist Party) 1978–1990
- Syria (Arab Liberation Movement) 1953–1954, (Arab Socialist Ba'ath Party – Syria Region led the National Progressive Front) 1963–2012
- Tunisia (Neo Destour) 1963–1964, (Socialist Destourian Party) 1964–1981
- Turkey (Republican People's Party) 1924–1950 (de facto)
- United Arab Republic (National Union) 1958–1961
One state in Central Asia;
- Turkmenistan (Democratic Party of Turkmenistan) 1991–2012 (de facto) 1992–2008 (de jure)
One state in South Asia;
- Bangladesh (Bangladesh Krishak Sramik Awami League) 1974–1975
Two states in Southeast Asia;
- Burma (now known as Myanmar) (Burma Socialist Programme Party) 1964–1988
- Indonesia (Indonesian National Party) August 18 - September 1, 1945
The former Soviet Union, Warsaw Pact-States and other Communist states;
- Afghanistan (People's Democratic Party of Afghanistan led the National Front) 1978–1992
- Albania (Party of Labour of Albania led the Democratic Front) 1944–1991
- Bulgaria (Bulgarian Communist Party led the Fatherland Front) 1946–1990
- Cambodia (Communist Party of Kampuchea) 1975–1979, (Kampuchean People's Revolutionary Party) 1979-1993
- Czechoslovakia (Communist Party of Czechoslovakia led the National Front) 1948–1989
- East Germany (Socialist Unity Party of Germany led the National Front) 1949–1989
- Grenada (New Jewel Movement) 1979–1983
- Hungary (Hungarian Working People's Party) 1948–1956, (Hungarian Socialist Workers' Party) 1956–1989
- Mongolia (Mongolian People's Revolutionary Party) 1921–1990
- North Vietnam (Workers' Party of Vietnam) 1945–1976
- Poland (Polish United Workers' Party led the Patriotic Movement for National Rebirth) 1947–1948 (de facto) 1948–1989 (de jure)
- Romania (Romanian Communist Party) 1947–1948 (de facto) 1947–1989 (de jure)
- Soviet Union (Communist Party of the Soviet Union) 1922–1990
- Yugoslavia (League of Communists of Yugoslavia led the Socialist Alliance of Working People of Yugoslavia) 1945–1990
Several nationalist and fascist states;
- Afghanistan (National Revolutionary Party of Afghanistan) 1974–1978
- Austria (Fatherland's Front then Seyss-Inquart) 1934–1938
- Belgium (Rexist Party and Vlaams Nationaal Verbond) 1940–1944
- Bulgaria (Zveno) 1934–1944
- Republic of China (Kuomintang) 1928–1948 (de facto)
- NDH (Ustaša) April 11, 1941 – May 10, 1945
- Dominican Republic (Dominican Party) 1931–1961
- France (Philipe Pétain) 1940-1944
- Nazi Germany (Nazi Party) July 1933 – May1945
- Haiti (National Unity Party) 1957–1985
- Hungary (Arrow Cross Party) 1944–1945
- Italy (National Fascist Party) 1922–1943 and Italian Social Republic (Republican Fascist Party) 1943–1945
- Japan (militarisation by Emperor for two years then Imperial Rule Assistance Association) 1938-1945
- Latvia (Nazi puppet state) 1941
- Lithuania (Nazi puppet state) 1941
- Manchukuo (Concordia Association) 1932–1940 (de facto) 1940–1945 (de jure)
- Norway (National Gathering) 1940–1945 (de facto) 1942-1945 (de jure)
- Paraguay (Colorado Party) 1947–1962
- Philippines (KALIBAPI) 1943–1945
- Portugal (National Union) 1933–1945 (de facto) 1937–1943 (de jure), 1948–1974
- Romania (National Renaissance Front) 1938–1940, (National Legionary State) 1940–1944
- San Marino (Sammarinese Fascist Party) 1926–1943, (Republican Fascist Party of San Marino) 1944
- Slovakia (Slovak People's Party) 1939–1945
- Spain (Spanish Patriotic Union) 1924–1930 and Spain (Falange) 1938–1975
- Ukraine (provisional Nazi puppet government in Western Ukraine) 1941
See also
- Ban on factions in the Communist Party of the Soviet Union
- Political organisation
- Dominant-party system
- Political factionalism
- Outline of democracy
- Multi-party system
- Two-party system
- ^ Cuba: Elections and Events 1991-2001 Latin American Election Statistics Home
- ^ Liberia Country Study: The True Whig Ascendancy Global Security
External links
- Map of One Party States, 1945-95
- Single party states in Africa
- List of One-Party Regimes
- NPOV disputes from September 2014
- All NPOV disputes
- WorldHeritage articles needing clarification from August 2014
- All articles with unsourced statements
- Articles with unsourced statements from August 2014
- Articles containing potentially dated statements from 2013
- All articles containing potentially dated statements
- Single-party states
- Oligarchy
- Forms of government
- Political systems
- Political party systems


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Living in the fog of old ways in the present days is like living in the dense smoke of second hand cigarette smoke. Inhaling burned tar without the euphoria of the exhale and release. Just stank stale smoke clinging to the cotton of first worn clothes. Smoldering bad habits that pile like buts of true smokers.. The lingering smells that never seems to truly evaporate. You no longer carry the fresh packs in purses or pockets.. But the stigma remains. Memories remain piled high in locked closets of brains you have since made amends with. Stating your wrongs, apologizing for the effects of your mistakes. New frames, new takes, down lists of names. Heads nod, lips move with declared understanding. Each day creating new memories that shine with bright intentions and better outcomes.. Yet that fog hangs around your name, your face. You want to emerge from it born anew, but you can't erase your face, your name it still remains. You arrive changed, your thoughts rearranged with new list of to do, for you. They see you still stained by old moments, old ways. We pray each day for another chance, yet at first glance we still look the same. Can't blame a memory that doesn't fade. Even if the price was paid. Restitution applied with time accumulated of perfect days.. Will still just be an ornament of present with the precedent set!
Monthly Archives: October 2013
Between Us Girls (Love Talk)
I hear the whispers of the girls in my world. Playing dress up in suits, sexy evening clothes and man the prime accessory, smell, and earn living just like that woman evolved does. Yet when you say man, they are once again those, sweet, naïve, hoping for that fairy tale, in her mommies heels. Back in elementary at recess, us girls were the mature brave confident girls when it came to this love thing. You had the balls to say how you felt.
Years of being that girl in heart that woman in action that wispy teenager in your sexual desire has left us here in these early years of our decade turn wishing the "boys" had caught up. The unpacked of living and the youthful actions of men have left my ladies so fearful and guarded. They don't even realize that they have become equipped for bullshit so they see phantom bullshit in sincere situations. We have to see the difference in ourselves and men. Just like back on that yard. Pulling hair, slapping booties or even ignoring you got the point across.
Within the relm of words I find myself.. Nya Monea
Filed under Uncategorized


text:
Litigation Release No. 22706 / May 23, 2013
Securities and Exchange Commission v. Blake Richards, Civil Action No. 1:13-CV-1729 (N.D. Ga.)
SEC Charges Atlanta-Area Registered Representative and Registered Investment Adviser Representative with Securities Fraud
On May 23, the Securities and Exchange Commission filed an emergency action seeking a temporary restraining order and other emergency relief in federal court in the Northern District of Georgia, charging Blake Richards (Richards), a Buford, Georgia resident with violations of the federal securities laws for misappropriating investor funds.
The Honorable Julie E. Carnes, the Chief Judge of the Northern District of Georgia, granted the Commission's request for emergency relief, issuing an order that temporarily restrained Richards from further securities laws violations, froze Richards's assets, prevented the destruction of documents and expedited discovery. The Court also set a hearing date of June 6 for the Commission's request for a preliminary injunction. The Commission's complaint also seeks a permanent injunction, disgorgement of ill-gotten gains with prejudgment interest, and civil penalties. Those claims will be adjudicated at a later date.
The Commission's complaint alleges that, since at least 2008, Richards, a registered representative of a broker dealer, misappropriated at least $2 million from at least seven investors. The majority of the misappropriated funds constituted retirement savings and/or life insurance proceeds from deceased spouses.
In its complaint, the Commission alleges that Richards instructed investors to write out checks to entities under his control with the understanding that Richards would invest their funds in fixed income assets, variable annuities and/or common stock. The complaint alleges that none of these investments were ever made. None of the investments appeared on the client's brokerage account statements, and Richards received no commission income from these investments. The complaint further alleges that Richards siphoned off the funds entrusted to him for personal use.
The complaint alleges that Richards violated the antifraud provisions of the federal securities laws, Section 17(a) of the Securities Act of 1933 ("Securities Act"), Section 10(b) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 ("Exchange Act") and Rule 10b-5 thereunder. The complaint also alleges that Richards violated Sections 206 (1) and Section 206 (2) of the Investment Advisers Act of 1940 ("Advisers Act"), the antifraud provisions of the Advisers Act.


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Sat, 17 September 2011
Dave is back!
This week the Prediction Network looks at the return of some popular TV series including HBO's Boardwalk Empire, and the new season of NBC's The Office. We also discuss the recently announced tv series based on DC Comics' 'The Spectre' and 'Deadman'
The Mediocre Minute examines Kevin Smith's 'Red State'...in one minute!!
We give HIGH FIVES to the remakes of Fright Night and Don't Be Afraid of the Dark, Cartoon Network's Thundercats, and some recent DVD releases including Thor, X-Men First Class, Your Highness, and Hanna.
The DAMAGE REPORT takes on DC Comics' NEW 52 reboot, including the truly awful 'Justice League # 1' and 'Action Comics # 1'. Dave also goes off on his displeasure at the new Superman costume in Zack Snyder's upcoming 'Man of Steel'. And of course we also discuss George Lucas' tinkering with Star Wars once again for the new Blu-Ray release.
ALL THIS, and CALLER VOICEMAIL, too !!!
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Direct download: MegaPodzilla_43__NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 10:41pm EST


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I drought it...
OK.. I didn't actually post the photo with the same angle before... I thought I had. My bad. This is a photo (as yesterday's was) from Five Mile Dam in Kyle. Back in August I drove by there to see it empty... I was thrilled to drive by there last week and see what you are seeing in the last two days photos.
If you click on the photo you'll see a shot from August I took (that I posted in December...go figure)
This Hays County park is a well kept secret. Situated on the banks of the Blanco River, the park is a short drive from both Austin and San Marcos, perfect for a day retreat. Although nearby development is encroaching on this swimming hole (notice the houses perched above the river), it remains a beautiful, quiet park.
- texasescapes.com