All my life I’ve been a fan of indie games and retro pages, they have a nostalgia value that is highly appreciate it today, but today if you are an indie developer it’s impossible to survive if your games don’t have an update look of the original versions. One of my favorite pages (and it’s free to subscribe) it’s slimergames.com because of the originality of the games as well the easy gameplay each game offers to the players; you don’t have to be an experience gamer to enjoy one of the games offered in slimergames.com because they are easy to understand and even experienced video gamers will have a blast with the games of the page. The graphic of the games varies, some of them look really retro, inspired in the Nintendo / Sega line of the 90’s and others look more modern mixing 3D and 2D in the experience. My overall score it’s a 8 in the design of the interface of the home page, why an 8? Because the interface is and the navigational menu requires some work but it’s something that can be done and improve the quality, the games are a 10. Please support slimergames.com a great Arcadia website.

I would love to lose myself in your thoughts
I want to know what are you looking at
and I want to know what are you dreaming off,
A photo can say a 1000 words,
A photo can say more than a children books,
Were fantasies can fly but not a real true,
I would love to lost myself in your looks,
To know what are you gazing at,
Know the secrets that lay behind those melancholic eyes and that sweet smile,
What can I say?
I day dream sometimes,
I dream when I close my eyes in the midday going to noon.

El Manifiesto Costeñocentrista (Parte Uno)

Por: Gustavo Lequerica-Calvo

Siendo Costeño y orgulloso de serlo he podido ver cómo la costa siempre ha sido puesta en un tercer plano a un nivel nacional, inclusive hasta un punto más bajo que el Choco donde la Costa es solo vista cómo un sitio turístico y no un eje de poder en Colombia donde es más conocida y la influencia a nivel mundial es más fuerte que la misma ciudad capital, Bogotá.

Los Costeños debemos ser mas orgullosos de quiénes somos y de la capacidad intelectual que tenemos ante el resto del país; debemos dejar de sentirnos como los reyes del mundo y poner los pies en la tierra para poder analizar más nuestra capacidad intelectual y política de manera seria, en vez de andar quejándonos de todo porque somos nosotros los que cambiaremos nuestro propio futuro no la misma hegemonía oligárquica entre las mismas familias y los mismos políticos porque solo la gente y por la gente serán capaces de moldear el destino de ellos mismos y el destino de su pueblo. No podemos seguir viéndonos como fiesteros, viendo el mismo ciclo vicioso donde solo habitan las fiestas y los fines de semana tomando en las playas de Bocagrande y el Cabrero. Hay potencial intelectual pero se desperdicia en el mismo conformismo donde la gente se ve que es feliz y no explotan su potencial intelectual.

La Costa ha dado varias personalidades, hemos puesto a Colombia en alto en varias ocasiones y a nivel mundial Colombia es más conocida por el realismo mágico de la Costa y por su gente, más que los mismos capitalinos. No voy a mencionar nombres porque ya ellos son más conocidos y hay más gente que se puede dar a conocer si nos organizamos para salir adelante, no aportando un granito de arena no diciendo dichos estúpidos minimalistas, no hablando mas con ito y esas idioteces, hay que hablar cómo tenemos que actuar de manera proactiva y segura porque esa es la única manera para el éxito, actuar de manera proactiva para sobresalir ante la gran mayoría.

Below there is a video, it’s in Spanish but if you don’t understand Spanish let me give to you a small synopsis. Estratos are like the castes in India, a social scale in the system that separate the people from one or another according to their wealth and their heritage. It’s amazing to think that in America there is a society that excludes their citizens using positive discrimination just to justify the social division and keep the status quo in order. The Estratos are not different from the castes, they prevent most of the time to people getting a better life and they are inherit from father to son, in other words they are a traditional form of discrimination because they are implemented according to the income of the people and there is no equality at all because of that issue. There are six Estratos.

Estrato 1: The untochables, the people that are going to be on the bottom.
Estrato 2: The shudras, the people that work for the upper classes.
Estrato 3: Some shudras other vaishias, they can work for the upper class but they still are in the lower side of the scale
Estrato 4: A mix of the Estrato 3 and some of that are ganing power to become upper 5.
Estrato 5: The chatrias, the people that have money but aren’t powerful enough.
Estrato 6: The Brahman, composed only by a few powerful families that rule the country like priests, in other words the true privildge ones.

I always been thinking what is the meaning of happiness?, I find many answers and all of them goes with the complexity of the person, is difficult what to say what makes us happy?; in my case, the simple things in life - having a good company, eating my favorite ice-cream or just watching my brother having a good time even if I’m bored but it makes me happy to see he’s happy. What makes you happy? I can say in my case I’m happy after reading a book in a hot day of summer, reading a chapter and then wonder about the author and why he or she created the characters. Happiness goes with things that are beyond materialism, happiness goes hand by hand with our spirit and mind, with our emotions and what we like. There are no words to describe happiness, but it can be described by the simple act and the simple feeling of how you feel inside. Remember value life every moment, there is only one and no more, live life at fullest and enjoy those precious moments with the people you love because maybe… that’s where happiness is with the people you love the most and with the person who can make you smile. Happiness is just a simple feeling that can make you smile.

A Dummy’s Guide to Magic Kingdom - Chapter One - The Does and Don’t

By: Gustavo Lequerica Calvo

One of my favorite theme parks in the entire world it’s Magic Kingdom (and all the Disney compound in Kissimme) I feel like a child every time I go and I filled with energy because there is a lot to do and enjoy. In theory the Disney parks are perfect for the people who are seeking mild thrill rides and is the perfect theme park for a child because everything seems to be made just to the child senses development, but at the same time it’s a place that is made without forgetting the parents and older people that are with the children or by themselves. At age 25, I can easily spent the whole day exploring the park even if I know it like the palm of my hands, but I find every time I go a new surprise so technically every time is a new time for me; now I want to share some of my experience if you decide to go to Walt Disney - Magic Kingdom.

There are a few rules around the park, most of them are regarding behavior that almost anyone with some common sense can execute without any problem, but remember; try to be polite as the terrains of Magic Kingdom as well other theme parks are the image to many tourists about how Americans behave and a simple act of kindness can give some positive to the local economy because tourists would want to come back to a place that they feel welcome.

 If you are driving to the park, don’t go to fast, go on a safe speed and distance from the other car because there are many vehicles coming from the entrances of the highway, try to drive on the left side of the road, it doesn’t matter if you drive slow because there aren’t many lanes on the road to the park. If you have a multipass or a one day ticket and when you park, take photos of the surroundings and to the nomenclature of the parking, you will avoid getting lost in the parking lot.

Never push any other people around, be attentive of who is in front of you in the lines or in the fast pass lanes, sometimes people don’t say anything but is best to be polite rather than be uneducated and start an argument in the premises.

Avoid bringing pastes like tooth paste because in most of the parks they are forbidden as tubes of dubious contents, with the exception of sunscreens and sun blockers that are allowed; food and drinks are allowed too, not big quantities but much of the times security don’t put problems with sandwiches and vacuum flasks, you will save money; but, if you don’t want to be carrying anything you can buy a souvenir cup and buy refills in the different islands that are around the park

In Chapter One, we knew the basics about what to do when you arrive in Universal Studios Florida for the first time; right now we are not going to study the parks in further detail because there are different topics regarding each park such as rides and restaurants, best photo spots and how to take videos in certain rides (but not photos because they are annoying to other guests and can ruin their moments) without loosing your cam in the process.

One aspect that is really vital at the moment of your visit is to know the migration pattern of other guests through the parks, it doesn’t matter where you start, you can either start with Universal or Island of Adventures and you will find a similar number of people in both parks; also, depending on the season you will find more or less people in both parks and you can easily expect 2 hour waiting time for a 2 minute ride (i.e. Hulk or The Simpson) and even you can find a 20 minute line if you are buying a meal and not to say the parking lot (it can be a true nightmare). But what is the best time of the year to visit Universal Studios Florida?. My opinion is January to Mid July a little early before the schools are out because of Summer break, it’s a good time, the parking is almost empty and you can visit both parks in no time including the core rides, but if you are planning something magical because at the end of the year, avoid it, but don’t worry if you think you are going to miss the Christmas Parades, they are until mid January and the best is that in January you don’t have to wait to much on any lines because most of the people are back to work after the first and believe me, it don’t need to be December to have a magical time, the magic is in the party and the enjoyment of the individuals.

In December it can be a nightmare, too many people, big crowds and there is little possibility to enjoy at the fullest both parks in one day. I rarely go on December because of the aforementioned issue. Now, the main topic we are going to analyze “The Inside Park Migration Pattern of the Guests”.

Island of Adventures at Universal Studios Florida:
There are six core rides that are popular through the whole year of the theme park, they are:
1) Incredible Hulk Coaster.
2) The Amazing Adventures of Spider Man
3) Dudley Do-Right Ripsaw Falls
4) Popeye and Bluto’s Bilge-Rat Barges
5) Jurassic Park The Ride
6) Dueling Dragons

Number 3, 4 and 5 are more popular during the summer and hot days but on winter they are practically deserted because not many people like to get wet during the cold, but on summer you can wait a lot of time more than a roller coaster line because people want to get chill, so if you go on winter and you want to ride the water rides do it but have on hand an extra set of clothes and a towel. Much of the year the rest of the mentioned rides you can wait about an hour or two just to go and face the experience, one of the most popular rides is the Spider Man Adventures, even much than the Hulk Coaster (I’ve waited 2:45 hours just to get in and there are even vending machines in the outer parts of the ride because people get tired). If you want to visit IOA first than Universal Studios, I highly recommend that you start counter clock because people go first to Toon Lagoon and Marvel Super Hero Island which they are clock wise, probably you will meet the crowd in the middle spot or at twelve o’clock or in other words in the Jurassic Park ride.

Universal Studios Florida:

There are six rides (and in a near future seven) that are the core of Universal Studios Florida, they are:
1) Shrek 4-D
2) Hollywood’s Rip, Ride, Rock It (A Roller Coaster that will open soon in late 2009)
3) Revenge of the Mummy: The Ride
4) Disaster!
5) Men in Black - The Ride
6) The Simpson’s Ride
7) E.T. The Ride (After almost 20 years is popular as ever)

There is not an exact pattern to travel through this park, not even in December but there is something you should know, The Simpson’s Ride in the highest point of the season is the ride that you will wait the most (without exaggerating, you can wait 3 hours) you will wait about 90 minutes to go in, this ride in particular you should ride it first before anything else as soon as you go to Universal because of the popularity and the long waiting time; other ride that you have to know carefully even if it’s not as shakey is Shrek the ride, as The Simspon’s people can wait long enough before entering the actual ride itself and the last ride you need to know is always packed is the M.I.B. ride (5) because of its proximity with The Simpsons but if you go alone to M.I.B. you can skip the line and go in the single rider line (only if it’s open).

Going from one place to another in the Central Florida area while searching for a part time job, I have ate in different places through Central Florida, from Indian, to That, to Japanese and other regional foods (even ice-cream from different stalls, so far my favorites are one located in Ybor City Shopping Mall Marble Slap Creamery and almost any ice-cream from Dairy Queen and Sonic) there is a great world of food, what you want you technically can find it and the best is that there are places that can fit to anyone’s budget.

Yesterday after a long day in the road and after my last stop at the New Port Richey City Hall, motivated by desperation and hunger because I didn’t had lunch earlier, I tuned my GPS and it sent me to a Pizzeria, probably one of the last authentic Pizzerias in the Tampa Bay area, Country Pizza Inn. I never went there before yesterday and when I ended my meal, I had a smile in my face because it was one of the best pizzas I ever had, and probably the best one since I came to Florida.

The Stone Baked Pizza probably has the best crust ever, it’s crunchy, really easy to swallow and it has a great taste, really similar as the real deal where you can taste the herbs and the smoky flavor in the crust. The sauce is delicious, definitely is the yang of the crust, it creates a perfect harmony between the two components and it’s a great catalyst for the cheese. If you are in the Tampa Bay area and you want to taste something that is worth it, you can check here in the website.

The Dualism of Individuality

By: Gustavo Lequerica-Calvo

I’ve been thinking lately about the dualism of the word individuality. Sure, everyone is an own universe, an own mind but when we try to reaffirm of individuality most of the time we dwell in the common majority when we try to express our individualism. Even with our names and birthdays aren’t that common, we share our names at least with 6 million people and our birthday with 9 million (sure I don’t think there are many guys with my name, so far we are 4 only worldwide; and with our talents… maybe with a really large number and the only way we can excel is by being the best at any cost. Sometimes if we try to search our individualism with subcultures, or urban tribes we aren’t searching for anything that can makes us unique, because most of the people in those urban tribes are there for the fad and as soon the fad pass away much of the members will leave the group.

Take an example of the Emo subculture, now they are in vogue and a few years ago the Punks where the dominant majority. Sure, there are some exceptions to the rule, but a lot of people when they are growing up they try to reaffirm their individuality by joining this groups without thinking what benefits can bring to their formation.

There is a dualism in individuality, a dualism that lays in our own egocentrism and our own desires to be known, and in try to be different from the society that surrounds us, but we can’t be different if we can’t accept that we are part of a society.

Why be Normal?  

By: Gustavo Lequerica-Calvo

Lately this question had been pounding my thoughts with frequency, especially since when I open my blog I see that this question is the title of a popular. Why be Normal? I can’t find a reason to be normal, there is no definition of what is normality beyond what is adapted to the routine and an old video game called Normality. But I can’t find a good reason to be “normal”, for me to be “normal” is to be a conformist close minded individual who is defeated and think he can move on in life, for me normality is a synonym of defeat, because much of the breakthroughs in humanity came by thinking out side of the box (damn I feel like Neo with the red pill).   I can’t find any good reason to be “normal” especially if I’m a creative individual, I can’t embrace normality because I don’t see it, I see societies bubbled by a barrier, living in a status quo where much of the population are happy in the conformism and in the same routine. I can’t live in a society like that, because I’m not normal, I’m different, I’m creative and I get bored with normality because I feel it blocks my creativeness. I enjoy seeing different scenarios, listening to different stories and not being stuck in the “same” over and over, much like Bill Murray in Groundhog Day.   It’s difficult to think that normality exists, but for the people who are happy being normal, I ask “Why be Normal?”