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Last year the M.D. Anderson Cancer Center started a Phase I clinical trial for a very interesting peptide based drug on the power of the counterintuitively awesome paper that I'm going to present today. If it works in humans as well and as safely as it does in three other Old World primates it has the potential to be a game changer for the treatment of metabolic syndrome; the primary driver of obesity, Type II diabetes, and heart disease.
A Peptidomimetic Targeting White Fat Causes Weight Loss and Improved Insulin Resistance in Obese Monkeys
KF Barnhart, DR Christianson, PW Hanley, et al. Published 2011 in Sci Transl Med. DOI: 10.1126/scitranslmed.3002621 [REQUIRES FREE SUBSCRIPTION]
Obesity, defined as body mass index greater than 30, is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality and a financial burden worldwide. Despite significant efforts in the past decade, very few drugs have been successfully developed for the treatment of obese patients. Biological differences between rodents and primates are a major hurdle for translation of anti-obesity strategies either discovered or developed in rodents into effective human therapeutics. Here, we evaluate the ligand-directed peptidomimetic CKGGRAKDC-GG-D(KLAKLAK)2 (henceforth termed adipotide) in obese Old World monkeys. Treatment with adipotide induced targeted apoptosis within blood vessels of white adipose tissue and resulted in rapid weight loss and improved insulin resistance in obese monkeys. Magnetic resonance imaging and dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry confirmed a marked reduction in white adipose tissue. At experimentally determined optimal doses, monkeys from three different species displayed predictable and reversible changes in renal proximal tubule function. Together, these data in primates establish adipotide as a prototype in a new class of candidate drugs that may be useful for treating obesity in humans.
Credit: RedOrbit
The basic idea behind this paper started when cancer researchers looking for markers on blood vessel walls they could use to target cancer found a peptide that would specifically bind to markers found only on the blood vessels that supply adipocytes, the cells that generate and maintain fat stores. Figuring that this might be useful for tackling obesity they made that targeting peptide sequence but with a second sequence known to cause cell death shoved onto it. Thus, when injected into mice, it would bind specifically to the cells of those blood vessels that were supplying fat cells, internalize into those cells, and destroy the mitochodria, killing those blood vessels and starving the fat cells. Now adipocytes are serious endocrine regulators that do a heck of a lot more than make you fat, logically this should be wreaking all kinds of havoc with the loss of regulatory function much less all the now unshepherded fat and dead adipocytes overwhelming the liver and kidneys as waste. Indeed they regulate how much fat gets stored and released as well as what kinds of fats get stored and released, they are central to the insulin pathway that regulates blood sugar, they play a role in blood clotting, and heck they are even significantly involved in creating sexual dimorphism. However, these monkeys did shockingly well. The treatment did not seem to cause particularly bad side effects, they only noticed some renal toxicity (meaning somewhat bad for kidneys) and that was reversible, presumably from the kidneys needing to clear out waste in the bloodstream from the cells. Intuitively, I would not have expected mice to live, much less primates, but there you go, this is science in action.
The really cool finding is not so much the weight loss but the increase in insulin resistance which indicates that this drug could actually address the epidemic of metabolic syndrome that is behind so much of the obesity in this country. It has the potential to be a game changer, particularly if the total number of viable adipocytes that is affected by this treatment addresses other problems like the insufficient satiety and chronic fatigue that make healthy diet and exercise that much more difficult for many.
Of course there is a decent chance that there are subtle things that can go wrong in environments unlike the monkeys', in people with odd physiologies, or with weird drug interactions, but the idea would be that anything along those lines would be figured out in trials – the Phase I portion of which is projected to be complete by 2016.


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I started a low carb focused diet 42 days ago. I've lost 30 pounds (detailed analysis)
I'm not a fitness or health professional. Growing up, I weighed 270lb at my maximum when I was 13 years old. I implemented a slightly better diet with workouts and dropped to 195lb during high school. That is my lowest weight. I've come to realize that my ideal weight is somewhere around 190lb. I'm 6'0" with a larger build.
During college I slowly put pounds back on. I saw my weight go from 195lb to 235lb by October 2011, 6 years later. During this time I turned 21 and started drinking every now and then on weekends. It was a somewhat regular thing and I still enjoy doing it.
For all of 2011 I maintained a somewhat unorthodox workout plan consisting of 4-panel dance games. Think DDR, but don't think of the easy stuff. Think of the Asians you see that are impossibly good. That's me. But I'm not Asian. I used a heart monitor to see how many calories one of my 5-6 days a week dance sessions burn. The results were encouraging: 500 calories for a 30 minute session. I play mostly 9-12 difficulty songs using a PC with a metal dance mat.
I make my own lunches and these days I rarely eat fast food or takeout. I calculated my calories and I was consuming 1400-1600 a day at the weight of 235lb. My lack of weight loss seemed impossible according to every caloric calculator I tried. Add to the fact that I burn off 500 of those calories every day and by all counts I should have been losing weight.
The difference in my diet was Fridays and Saturdays where my caloric intake would rise to somewhere around 2200-2700 calories. These are the days I usually consume alcohol.
Understanding Low Carb
I stumbled upon an interesting post at Kristjan Gunnarsson's blog about how many carbs someone should eat per day to lose weight naturally. This sparked my curiosity. How many carbs a day was I consuming? I had added up everything that I'd typically eat in a day to get the total calories before this, but I didn't care about the carbs. It turns out that in my 1500 calorie day I was consuming around 200 carbs. This was well above the weight loss level of Kristjan's post.
Upon further investigation I learned that Atkins is the low carber diet. I typically hate diet plans. I find them too restrictive. Going on this, I chose to avoid conforming to Atkins. I learned some about it, and in fact I use their carb counter PDF to find out what I can eat. Induction is their initial process where you're allowed to east 20-25 effective carbs* a day.
*Effective carbs are regular carbs minus dietary fiber and sugar alcohols.
EDIT 1/22/13: It's been some time since I originally made this post, but I've stuck with my low carb plan for well over a year and I'm still loving it. I weigh 164lb now! Look for a follow up blog post in the future. Since I made this post I've found some fascinating books for low carb, primal eating including The Primal Blueprint and Wheat Belly.
Applying Low Carb to Me
I've always had trouble losing weight. As you read previously, I burn plenty of calories a day and don't eat terribly. I do drink. I didn't want to give up drinking but I wanted to lose weight. At this point I needed to try something different, and Low Carb fit the bill. My carb intake was high, so it couldn't hurt to try.
Making My Changes
At first I believed I could isolate breakfast as a meal that I could remove carbs from. This meal was contributing an obscene amount of carbs to my daily total. I eat cereal and drink orange juice. Recently I've been a Cinnamon Toast Crunch fan. Here are the total carbs and calories for my old breakfast:
Cinnamon Toast Crunch: Serving size 3/4 cup, 130 cal, 22.8 effective carbs*
Tropicana Orange Juice: Serving size 1 cup, 110 cal, 26 effective carbs
1% Milk: Serving size 1 cup, 102 cal, 13g effective carbs
TOTAL: 342 cal, 61.8 effective carbs
It's impossible to find a breakfast cereal with low effective carbs. The ones that come close are Kellogg's Protein Plus and Hi-Low. There's also the matter of milk. If you want cereal you'll want to switch over to some other kind of milk with less carbs. The best low carb milk I can find is Soy Slender (it's in the non-refrigerated boxes). Silk soymilk tastes barf-worthy after a day or so, but Soy Slender legitimately tastes like real milk. It's also way, way more healthy than Silk. I don't know why this milk isn't more popular. If they ever stop making it I'm going to cry a little inside. They sell it at Meijer (they don't have Meijers everywhere). I couldn't find it in Wal Mart. You can also order it online from Netrition.
Eventually I made the transition to oatmeal. There is a low suger cinnamon apple oatmeal that Meijer makes. It's delicious. Avoid maple low sugar oatmeal, it doesn't taste like anything. Make it with Soy Slender and you've got a perfect dish for breakfast with 16 effective carbs.
For juice, I switched to Diet Ocean Spray Cranberry. They make other flavors too. It's 2g of effective carbs and 5 calories for a cup.
My lunches were relatively healthy, though I did make changes to reduce the carbs. I bought Flatout Light wraps, which only have 6 effective carbs. I got sugar free jello with 0 effective carbs, and celery, which has 1 effective carb per stalk (ish). I use turkey lunch meat, cheese, mustard and lettuce on my wraps. All in all, my lunch weighs in around 8-10 effective carbs. And it's still good.
Dinner has also been a high carb affair for me. I can usually go with a bit more carbs here, but if I'm in weight loss mode like I'm in now the only thing that seems to work for me is fish and broccoli. I like both a lot, so it doesn't bother me. If I eat other meats (they don't have carbs) the weight loss seems to stall and I have a feeling it's from this meal. I have done a lot of things for dinner during low carb. Hard boiled eggs, pickles, burgers, lots of cheese and fish. The fish I like is Gorton's since it's easy and frozen shrimp.
Late Night
I work out around 7pm. After my workout I'll drink some Soy Slender (1 effective carb) or Propel Zero (no carbs). If I have hard boiled eggs I'll have one of those.
All in all, my day nets around 30-45 carbs (usually). Above Atkins induction, but low enough for good weight loss. During the week I often wake up and I've lost 2 pounds from the previous morning. Talk about confidence booster.
Eating Out
If you can, find the menu before hand and find the carbs in each dish. Order something appropriate. If you have to guess, go with fish or meat with vegetables on the side. You'll likely end up with high carbs in sauce, starchy sides or bread items. Eating out isn't bad every now and then.
I've maintained drinking throughout my low carb diet. This article contains the truth about alcohol and fat loss. It isn't alcohol that makes you gain weight, it's all the junk you eat alongside it. Alcohol is the first thing that gets processed before fat and carbs in the body. Armed with this knowledge, Atkins and others state that you only stall weight loss when you drink. So, for the days you drink you won't be burning fat. I can live with that.
You have to be smart with what you drink. Some drinks do have carbs. Rum, brandy, whiskey, and other hard liquor have no carbs. Combine them with diet soda.
Red wine has fewer carbs than other wines.
Light beer does have carbs. Some more than others. Bud light has 6 carbs while Miller Light has 4.
Other Foods
I drink a lot of water, especially at work. Water is important and it's "free".
Sauces are a boon. Almost all regular sauces have lots of carbs and will undermine low carb efforts. For the following you unfortunately have to find a health food store that sells them or order them at Netrition. Netrition is easy and cheap:
Ketchup: Heinz reduced sugar (they do sell this at stores)
Mustard: Mustards don't have carbs. Yay!
Cocktail Sauce: Trinity Hill Farms cocktail sauce. The best damn cocktail sauce I've ever had.
Barbeque Sauce: Walden Farms
Dressing: Walden Farms or Wishbone Salad Spritzers (store)
Syrup: Walden Farms
Jam: Nature's Hollow
Peanut Butter: Find a natural one or use PB2 Powdered Peanut Butter
A Note on Breads and Fruits/Vegetables
Breads are high carb. No getting around it. There are some options, however! Julian Bakery sells low carb bread that doesn't taste like crap (it still ain't real bread) and they ship it. It's ridiculously expensive though. Even with a coupon be prepared to spend $13. You'll likely want to go to Netrition and search for "bread" to find low carb pita breads. I wish stores sold this stuff, but the ones around me don't. You can at least use pita bread as a makeshift bun. Your best bet for sandwiches is to switch to wraps and use Flatout light.
Most fruits and vegetables are high carb. "Safe" ones are lettuce, broccoli, cauliflower, celery and berries. Think you like bananas? Oh, well if you like the 50 carbs in a banana, go for it.
Ending Feelings and Thoughts
Even though I'm not at my target weight yet, Low Carb is amazing. For the first few weeks the transition was tiring. I was very tired. After that, my appetite was reduced and I felt like I could think more clearly. I think a lot of these changes are going to be long term for me.
Right now I'm 206lb (ok, 29 pounds lost, I lied). I've got a little ways to go, but I'm getting there.
My caloric intake has been reduced along with my carbs. I feel like this is ok while I'm in weight loss mode, but in the end I think I'll be eating more once I'm where I want to be. Hopefully most of my food will still low carb, as I feel like carbs were the thing preventing me from losing pounds. Some of the low carb food I eat actually tastes better than what I had before. Especially that cocktail sauce. Mmm.
Related Posts
Monthly archive
- June 2014 (1)
- March 2014 (2)
- January 2014 (1)
- December 2013 (1)
- October 2013 (1)
- September 2013 (1)
- July 2013 (1)
- April 2013 (2)
- February 2013 (1)
- January 2013 (1)

subset: commoncrawl


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Our very own food director, and former food editor to Delia Smith, Sarah has written more than 1000 recipes for the magazine. She is also author of the delightful baking book, Family Baking and co-author of The Camper Van Cookbook and Camper Van Coast.
This is perfect for a supper-party starter
Recipe photograph by Karen Thomas
Make the dressing and truffled goats' cheese a few hours ahead.


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Lebanon police officer on leave after DUI
A Lebanon police officer remains on leave after being charged with driving under the influence after a crash earlier this month, according to police.
A vehicle driven by Gary Naylor, 51, went off Prescott Road on Oct. 3 and hit a house, South Lebanon Township police said. No one was hurt.
Baylor, who is a 17-year veteran of the Lebanon force, had a blood alcohol content of .236 percent, nearly three times the legal limit, police said.
Copyright 2012 by WGAL All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.


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Lowes Printable Coupon
Lowes Home Improvement
Home sweet home; this proverb is true when you are having your dream house which contains a number of home appliances which are pretty good, durable, yet affordable. When you want to buy home appliances, hardware, furniture, etc, you can simply choose Lowes Home Improvement. There is nothing more exciting than buying any types of home appliances from furniture to fan in the Lowes Home Improvement. You can also get some advices regarding home improvement from this company. Personally, I really like the ratio furniture from this company. It's all pretty, classy, and simply amazing. Besides, you can also get discounts offered by Lowes Home Improvement.
Lowes Printable Coupon
10% Coupon + Free Shipping – Appliances ( 12 June )
This lowes coupon code is activated by clicking, get a 10% discount on major appliances over $299 plus free delivery, you will see discount at checkout.
Free Shipping Coupon ( 12 June )
Get Free Shipping on Qualifying Parcel Orders of $49.
Free Shipping Coupon – Pick Up In Store ( 12 June )
Lowes coupon codes are not required.
10% Coupon ( Sign Up )
Register and get a 10% printable coupon by email .The 10% off lowes coupon is valid for accessories, paint, flooring or anything else for your home up to $5000.


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You realize the importance of making informed food choices and developing sound eating and fitness habits. The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and registered dietitian nutritionists, the food and nutrition experts, are here to help you find accurate information to support your healthful lifestyle.
In this exclusive member section, you will find valuable information to further your career in dietetics. Access professional development opportunities, the latest research from the Evidence Analysis Library, practice papers, dietetic and member interest groups and much more.
Learn about the dietetics profession, what it takes to become an RDN or DTR, education programs and scholarship opportunities. With Academy membership, you will have full access to our online database of internships and job postings. Become a student advocate for the field of dietetics.
The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics is the best source of accurate, credible and timely food and nutrition information for the public and media. The Academy's volunteer media spokespeople are available as resources for expert commentary, story ideas and background on food and nutrition topics.
Find information on the expertise of RDNs and DTRs, the services they provide and why you should hire an RDN or DTR for your practice. In this section, health professionals can learn more about the profession and how RDNs use their nutrition expertise to help clients make positive lifestyle changes.
The Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act establishes strong nutrition policies for child nutrition programs.
View all infographics
Special Feature
Celiac Disease Nutrition Guide, 3rd Ed. (Single Copy)
This easy to read "survival guide" outlines essential information for people diagnosed with Celiac disease.
Reviewed by Sharon Denny, MS, RDN
Freekeh is an old grain. Ancient, in fact. It's been enjoyed for centuries in countries such as Syria, Lebanon, Jordan and Egypt. Now freekeh (pronounced "free-kah") is gaining popularity in American kitchens, particularly for its nutritional punch. Compared to other grains, "It is higher in protein, fiber, vitamins, minerals and lower in glycemic index," says Vandana R. Sheth, RDN, CDE, Spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.
Freekeh is made from young wheat (typically durum) that is harvested while still green and put through a roasting and rubbing process during production. It has a smoky, nutty flavor and a firm, chewy texture similar to bulgur. It's versatile and easy to work with in the kitchen. "Freekeh cooks in 20 minutes and can easily be substituted for rice or couscous in a meal," says Sheth. "[It] can be enjoyed as a cereal, in the form of puddings, in soups, casseroles or even enjoyed as a pilaf/side dish."
Alternating your rice with freekeh could come with some additional health benefits. For example:
It might help you lose weight. "The fact that freekeh is high in protein and fiber does provide more of a satiety feeling," Sheth explains. "This might therefore lead to less overall calories being consumed and help with weight loss." Freekeh has four times the amount of fiber as brown rice, according to nutrient data from Australian producer Greenwheat Freekeh. And research shows that a fiber-rich diet is linked to lower body weight.
It could protect your eyes. "[Freekeh] is rich in lutein and zeaxanthin both of which have been positively associated with prevention of age-related macular degeneration," says Sheth. Lutein and zeaxanthin are carotenoids (a type of antioxidant) that promote eye health.
It may tame your tummy. Emerging research suggests that freekeh may offer benefits to digestive health. Like other high fiber foods, it may help prevent constipation and lower risk of developing diverticular disease. It can also act like a prebiotic to increase healthy bacteria in your digestive tract.
One thing to keep in mind, however, is that freekeh is not gluten-free, and therefore not safe for celiacs. It may fit into a diabetes meal plan, but it's best to consult with your registered dietitian or health practitioner first.
Freekeh can be found at ethnic stores and is becoming more available in health food stores and supermarkets.
Reviewed April 2013
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The Academy channel on YouTube can be found at http://www.youtube.com/EatRightTV It offers an array of videos on a broad range of topics including careers in dietetics, healthy eating, the Academy membership benefits, media interviewing skills and the professional role of the RD.
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The Youth Services Department of the Round Rock Public Library proudly welcomes The Incredible Bubble Show as part of our free Spring Break programming.
The Incredible Bubble Show, presented by the "Texas Bubble Lady" Linda Berman, is a high energy, interactive soap bubble learning activity for ages 5 and up. Audience members will practice in-school skills--including reading, math, science, physics, and art--while also employing critical thinking skills, thinking "outside the bubble," and having lots of good, clean fun as they learn to become bubble makers.
The Incredible Bubble Show includes bubble basics, creating hand blown bubbles, tiny bubbles, multiple bubbles, huge bubbles, bubbles in bubbles, bouncing bubbles, dancing bubbles, foggy bubbles, non-round bubbles, and putting people inside a giant soap bubble force field.
The fun begins at 2 p.m. in Room C.


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Model: 1770461 Item: PAP1770461
Economical, disposable pencil. Cushion point adjusts to writing pressure, reducing lead breakage and prolonging writing life. Twist action tip makes advancing your lead a breeze. Mechanism: Mechanical; Pencil Type: Mechanical; Lead Color(s): Black; Grip Type: Smooth.
Higgins® Higgins Waterproof India Ink for Art/Technical Pens, Black, 32 oz Bottle
$42.69$2732 / each


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Chopsticks » Kids Chopsticks » Chopsticks - Kids Red Bear
Chopsticks - Kids Red Bear
Product Number - 4113
Bin Number - A209
Happy Bear Kids Chopsticks are smaller than the typical utensils so kids can have an easier time using them, and the base of each one has a textured grip to make holding food easier. Atop each chopstick you'll find the image of Happy bear, an adorable teddy bear.
Want to keep shopping? Buy more chopsticks, and learn the difference between Chinese chopsticks and Japanese chopsticks now.
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|7 in.
|Red w/ Bears
Customer Reviews
|Monday Apr 28 2014 14:46
|by Hope
|They are better than I expected, cute. Small enough or me to use yet big enough for my friend ( who has big hands) to use too! I would obviously buy again!!
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Devon Alexander bout postponed
February 4, 2013 by Chris DeGuia
According to Fighthype, Lem Satterfield and other media outlets, Devon Alexander(24-1, 13Ko's)-Kell Brook(29-0, 19Ko's) bout is postponed. The reason behind that is Devon IBF Welterweight champion injured one of his biceps while training. With one of his biceps injured it will take three weeks for it to fully heal. I was looking forward to seeing Alexander defending his title that he won by defeating Randall Bailey back in October 20, 2012 of last year.
Now, the fight is postponed,it will be rescheduled and site of the fight will be to be determined. For the undercards they will still go one as planned but without the Alexander-Brook fight. I'm disappointed, but things happened in this world. Fighters push themselves by overtraining and overworking out. Then all of a sudden the(fighter/s) gets injured or hurt while training or working out. For example boxer Danny Garcia, he injured his rib while sparring for his fight against Zab Judah that was supposed to take place on February 9, 2013. Now with Garcia injured the fight as well as the undercards for that fight will take place on April 27, 2013 in the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York.
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The Chief Rabbi of the Czech Lands and of Prague is Karol Ephraim Sidon.
The Rabbinate offices are located at the Jewish Community of Prague's headquarters at Maiselova 18,Prague1. The Rabbinate is responsible for the religious life of the Community. The tasks of its staff include arranging regular religious services on weekdays and holidays, providing education on Judaism, and arranging for brit milah, weddings, bar mitzvah celebrations and funerals. The Rabbinate also runs the mikveh and is responsible for kashrut supervision.
Old-New Synagogue: Kabbalat Shabbat and Maariv services are held every Friday evening, one hour before dusk, Shacharit every Saturday morning beginning at9 a.m. From May till August Kabbalat Shabat and Maariv start at 8.00 p.m. Weekday Maariv starts at 7.30 p.m.
The Old-New Synagogue is located on the corner of Maiselova and Červena streets.
High Synagogue: Services are held here every day. Shacharit starts at 8.30 a.m., Mincha at 2 p.m.
The High Synagogue is located at Maiselova 18, Prague1, the Jerusalem Synagogue at Jeruzalémská 7,Prague 1.
Jerusalem (Jubilee) Synagogue: Shacharit starts at9 a.m. on Saturdays and holidays
Weddings, brit milah and bar mitzvah celebrations as well as mazkir lamps can be ordered by telephone (+420 224 800 849) or by email (firstname.lastname@example.com).
Torah study takes place in the Tiferet Uzi Midrashah at the High Synagogue. For more information call +420 224 800 849 or email email@example.com.
The mikveh is located by the entrance to the Old Jewish Cemetery. You are requested to make your appointment by phone (+420 608 501 549) at least one day in advance.
For information about kosher food and kosher restaurants, please contact Mr. Bittner by phone at +420 224 800 836 or +420 224 800 849.


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Except for the wily Odysseus. If he could restrain himself from mass-murdering all of the guys hitting on his hot wife, Penelope, he would probably be able to manage a career in HR.
Tag Archives: trojan war
The Trojan Toothbrush
But for this to work, there has to be SOME sex before hand.


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|My Games
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Title: Silence Your Rooster!
Posted: September 01, 2008 (12:32 AM)
Tonight I saw an amusing little commercial on television that included a link to SilenceYourRooster.com.
The commercial is actually for a product called AmbienCR, which you may have heard of. It helps you to sleep more soundly at night so that you don't wake up before you're rested (I hate waking up in the middle of the night because of a noise or whatever, but thankfully I generally sleep through almost anything).
Anyway, you can view the full assortment of 15-second clips right here if you want to see some funny little ads. They're not as clever as the Geico ones (sometimes) are, perhaps, but they amused me.
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Title: Disgaea 3 review is posted
Posted: August 31, 2008 (06:51 PM)
Well, I've posted my Disgaea 3 review.
This was a pretty difficult review to write. The series is getting so complex at this point, with so many fans drawn to so many different things. It was a big challenge to try to hit all of what I view as the main bullet points and do it with some word economy. Even now, it's right around 1500 words long, when I was hoping for closer to 1000 to 1200!
Anyway, I nailed most of the important points except that I didn't mention magicharge, one of the least noteworthy new features. Basically, a hero and a monster can combine for three turns with the monster boosting your attack and receiving benefits. Then the monster is gone from battle. Enemies did that a lot around me but I never did a magicharge throughout the whole thing. It just wasn't necessary.
Anyway, I could tell from reading other reviews of the game online--after posting mine--that other reviewers were having similar difficulty in reviewing the game. I was feeling bad because my writing wasn't particularly witty or anything, but I found that to be an epidemic in all other reviews for the game... and they spent as many words on things (usually) and didn't cover some of the stuff I did!
So yeah, I'm pretty happy with the review. The only things I would change is maybe to add more personality to my language and to shorten it by about 300 words without losing anything I'm saying. Given the breadth of the material I had to cover, I don't think either of those two things was ever going to happen. So... good review, I guess.
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Title: Disgaea 3 thoughts
Posted: August 24, 2008 (01:17 PM)
I was fortunate enough to get a coy of Disgaea 3 ahead of time, but I've not been fortunate enough to play a lot of it because work has mostly kept me from doing so.
HOWEVER... I had yesterday off (though not today or the next four days) and that meant I was able to devote some good time to it without fear of much interruption.
So far, the game is quite good (though not yet the perfect 10 that I felt its predecessors were; maybe that'll change and maybe it won't). The plot is a lot more humorous than the one in Disgaea 2, though not as clever--I feel--as the one in the first game. It's almost like it's trying too hard and some of the stuff (though at least original and not a repeat of either previous game) is a little bit on the ridiculous side.
Combat hasn't changed a whole lot, except with the introduction of geoblocks instead of those pyramid thingies from the previous game. You can now set off chain reactions just by using one block as a sort of fuse. Tossing a solitary green one against a bunch of green ones clustered somewhere else will trigger said chain reaction, which in turn could cause other stacked blocks to fall and trigger more and more... like in some sort of puzzle game. Really cool if enemies happen to be lurking on top.
Another difference is the class room, which has replaced the dark council but serves many of the same purposes. Now you get to try to be voted for class office and the seating chart you compose will affect what people do well in battle together. Besides that you can extort funds--as usual--and you can arrange topics for discussion (which is about the same as trying to learn skills before).
One final difference worth mentioning--and one I don't like as much--is the way skills are learned. As you wage war, you gain mana points. These must now be spent to progress your ablities. So to clarify, in past games you could use a spell a bunch of times and it would gradually increase in range and also you'd be able to spedify larger swaths of damage. Through use, you'd go from being abe to select one tiny square, to two squares diagonal to one another, to a straight line of three and so forth. Those upgrades are still available now, but you have to buy them manually and they seem to come about less frequently.
Anyway, that's all I have to say for now, but I'll be squeezing play time in around my regular work hours and then probably finishing up the game near the end of the week when I have more time off (since I need to put this one to bed and move onto other projects).
I just thought I'd give you information on the above so that when the game comes out, you're not totally in the dark as to my opinion. I mean, I did get an advance copy and all that. The least I can do is let some of you know a little bit about the game ahead of its release, right?
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Title: Four Days...
Posted: August 15, 2008 (02:29 PM)
I have four days of freedom, at last. After working 10 consecutive days, I definitely feel like I need them! Today I got up at 12:30, after staying up last night until 4AM or so reading. This actually isn't a huge change from my routine, since I often sleep in until sometime after 11, but today I was able to work up without worrying about how best to spend those next few hours before going to work.
Even though I only work 5 or 6 hours most days that they schedule me, those 5 or 6 hours throw my whole day out of line. It feels like I can't possibly get anything done... because I have work. Then I come home and I'm exhausted. It really sucks.
Of course, making money so that I can keep a roof over my head? That's pretty good. And next week, they have me working only 4 days, with slightly longer shifts so that I'm still working the same 25 hours as normal.
What will I do with these days off, then? I will probably just play a lot of games and write about a few of them. I have a pile of games I'm looking forward to playing and am hopeful that good reviews will come of them. Maybe I will also work on some fiction, though that mood hasn't struck quite yet. Too many games, too little time...
I also did some important site tweaking last night, so things have gone well on that end. Maybe I'll do a bit more of that this weekend, as well. Otherwise, it's all gaming and reviewing. Look for new material from me soon.
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Title: My reviews so far in 2008
Posted: August 13, 2008 (02:26 AM)
As of yesterday (technically, though it still feels like the early part of today), I have reviewed 46 games for HonestGamers this year. The list of games follows, and I'll edit in commentary on the reviews at my leisure.
The Bourne Conspiracy (X360) - August 12, 2008
I really like how this review turned out, and I really liked the game. I know that a lot of people won't, but what I tried to do in this case was present the game's strengths on its own merits without devolving into discussion about how people really shouldn't ignore all license-based games. Hopefully, that angle worked as well as I think it did, because I'd love to see more people give this great game a chance.
1942: Joint Strike (XLA) (X360) - August 06, 2008
This is one of my favorite games available on the Xbox 360, and it's a download. Imagine that! Capcom's revival of the 19XX series, even though it was developed by Backbone Entertainment (not always a premier developer), is great stuff. I think my text captured that reasonably well, though not perfectly. Hopefully, I wrote with enough passion that the appropriate individuals who hadn't yet made up their minds will at least now download the demo.
Packaging Man (PC) - August 05, 2008
This game interested me and so I reviewed it. Turns out it didn't interest many other people. Anyway, I wrote a review that I'm pretty happy with and now I'm ready to move on to other things (something I have since done).
Hail to the Chimp (X360) - August 05, 2008
The worst party game I've ever played is Hail to the Chimp. My review was fairly savage, one of the most savage I've ever written, but that probably won't mean anything. By the time my Xbox 360 came back repaired, most people had either bought the game... or wisely decided that they weren't interested. It's a shame, too. Wideload Games is a talented developer. Hopefully, they've secretly been working on something good and Hail to the Chimp was just an elaborate joke. If only I could believe that to be true...
Womens Volleyball Championship (PS2) - August 04, 2008
After Order Up!, I hoped that the streak of great games would continue. Women's Volleyball Championship brought that dream crashing to the ground with horrible controls and tedious gameplay. It's a $15 game for a reason, unfortunately. I was really into the notion of playing women's volleyball, even though I knew that there would be no gratuitous sexiness. I totally wanted a volleyball sim. Of course, I wanted a well-executed one, too. This was not.
Order Up! (WII) - August 01, 2008
From the moment I saw the first screens, I knew that this game would agree with me. At least, I had a strong suspicion. And I was right! This was some of the most fun I've had with a game all year. The review itself was another rush job, but I'm happy with the ground it covers. Even if none of my text was particularly clever, I think it was effective and should tell people what they need to know before buying, renting or ignoring this delightful title.
Etrian Odyssey II: Heroes of Lagaard (DS) - July 29, 2008
This was going to be a review of Operation Darkness, which was the next game in my pile at the time, but then my Xbox 360 busted. So I played Etrian Odyssey instead and lost myself in its grasp for weeks. Such a great game! My goal with the review was to really capture all that the developers got right while admitting the few flaws but not giving them more weight than they deserved. I didn't want to discourage potential EO fans of the future, after all. This was actually a pretty tough review to write, but I think it turned out well regardless.
The Lost Cases of Sherlock Holmes (PC) - July 14, 2008
I have read every story Sir Arthur Conan Doyle ever published about Sherlock Holmes and I was looking forward to an involving trip through London with the famous sleuth. Instead, I got a 'search and find' game more in line with Dream Day: First Home than the adventure games that have recently starred Britain's most famous sleuth. Even so, I enjoyed working through the game (some of the plots were wonderful) and I feel that the review I wrote was both informative and quite readable. Here's hoping that's true, anyway.
Blast Works (WII) - July 13, 2008
The concept of Blast Works is a lot more exciting than actually playing it, something I learned the hard way. It's still a good game, but the glowing review I would have loved to write for it--one that would have matched those written by many other online critics--had to be tossed into the trash bin... figuratively speaking. The review I wrote instead is rather dull as a result, but the same is often true of the game!
Trauma Center: Under the Knife 2 (DS) - July 07, 2008
I was one of the harshest critics of the original Trauma Center, but the series has really come into its own since that first installment. This newest release won me over by addressing nearly every issue the first game possessed. It's a polished, thoroughly enjoyable sequel that I enjoyed both playing and reviewing. I was pretty happy with how my text turned out.
Overlord: Raising Hell (PS3) - July 01, 2008
This game absorbed me for quite awhile. My wife got tired of me playing it, tired of seeing me raze the countryside with my impish hordes. I was too busy having fun to care, though, and that's what I chose to focus on for the review. This is a good game, and apparently the PS3 version is an actual improvement over its Xbox 360 predecessor (with a better mapping system and such). If you have a PS3, get this one after the inevitable price drop. It's special.
Arkanoid DS (DS) - June 28, 2008
When I told people that I was reviewing this game, they expressed sympathy. No one seemed to think that the game could be any good. That's a little bit unfair to Taito, who did a good job with this revival. However, there is some truth to it: the game wasn't as good as Space Invaders Extreme. I tried not to let that get in the way of a quality review, and I don't think it did. Still, this one is hardly rivetting reading.
GRID (PS3) - June 25, 2008
I really, really wanted to adore GRID and I almost did. I just can't get the controls, no matter how hard I try, and that's fairly important from a racing game. The rewind mechanic helped with that some, but ultimately I got bored playing a game that--from my perspective--was broken and shouldn't have even needed such a back door escape plan. My review is one of the harshest online, but I take comfort knowing that there are a lot of people who will identify with the experience I had with the game and appreciate an honest, distinct perspective from a review site like HG.
Space Invaders Extreme (PSP) - June 23, 2008
This is an awesome revival that probably deserved a more enthusiastic review than I wound up writing, but I was--after all--writing in the middle of a rush of reviews. I think things turned out well enough, but the review did lack a certain spark, probably. One of these years I'll apologize to Taito.
Gals Panic S (Arcade) [Import] - June 22, 2008
Another review brought about by drella's competition. I hadn't planned to write this, but then someone else reviewed a related 'dirty' arcade game, so I went to try and find some screenshots and then wound up downloading and playing this instead. Then I reviewed it, just because I could.
Summon Night: Twin Age (DS) - June 21, 2008
There's really nothing to say about this review, other than that I played the game and was having a devil of a time making much headway. That continued until suddenly a lightbulb came on in my head and I came to appreciate and utilize what you might call a game breaking exploit. Suddenly, the overly difficult game became a walk in the park and only the final boss briefly challenged me. I'm still not sure that my review covers that dynamic quite right, but I'm pretty happy with the text overall and I think it's one of my better reviews this year.
Time Soldiers (Arcade) - June 17, 2008
Drella promised arcade reviews in exchange for each that we wrote. That was too good to pass up, so I turned to Time Soldiers, a game I remembered wanting to get into as a youth. This time, I made good on that interest and even got a review out of it. Then drella buckled (understandably) under the weight of the influx of arcade reviews. Even though he didn't match my Time Soldiers review, it wasn't effort wasted.
Emergency Heroes (WII) - June 10, 2008
This game, developed by the folks behind the Driv3r series, just felt like a rehash of nearly everything boring in the action racing genre. After Emergency Mayhem, it wasn't wacky or original and everything felt a little bit sterile. I'm afraid my review was similarly dull, as if I were going through the motions and little else. Sadly, that's exactly how it was!
Kung Fu Panda (PS3) - June 07, 2008
GUTS said that this game looked horrible, which shows just how little he sometimes knows. Kung Fu Panda was thoroughly enjoyable from beginning to end, perfectly capturing a light-hearted animated style while providing solid gameplay reminiscent of the excellent (but similarly short) Heavenly Sword. This really is one of the best license-based games I've ever played and I tried really hard to prove that point with my review. I'm... not sure I succeeded.
The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian (X360) - May 20, 2008
I am a Narnia freak and I loved the first game to come from the recent Disney series of films. Hopes were high for the second one, and mostly I wasn't disappointed. There are some definite flaws on display, but overall the game was a lot of fun. I don't think many people read my review, but hopefully it communicated effectively the fun that I had with the game... and the fun that other Narnia freaks are sure to have, as well.
Toy Shop (DS) - May 19, 2008
I've rarely had a game glitch badly on me, but Toy Shop did and that cost it a lot of points when I reviewed it. In fact, I couldn't even finish the game because it wiped my save just short of the ending. I reviewed it then and there. Since then, I've gone back to the game and played most of the way through it a second time. It's one of the worst games I've ever been addicted to.
Speed Racer: The Videogame (WII) - May 16, 2008
I really liked F-Zero X, moreso even than F-Zero GX. My hope when I began playing Speed Racer was that it would emulate the F-Zero series, so I was surprised and delighted when it most closely resembled F-Zero X. I had a lot of fun with the game, but my review is fairly standard. At this point, I've come to realize that most people won't give a license-based game a fair chance no matter what I write. I'm done pleading with them. If they want to skip over a ton of great games, so be it.
The Dog Island (WII) - May 11, 2008
Stop laughing. This is really a good game. I know that it's popular to pick on it because of the absurdly cutesy presentation (which is based on a line of journals and plushy toys, I believe), but most people who actually play the game find themselves enjoying it. There was some surprising depth to the design in places, while in others things got disappointingly redundant. This was actually a difficult game to review, since I didn't want to unfairly validate suspicions that it sucks (it really doesn't) but also didn't want to hype it up as even more special than it really is. I think I found the right balance.
SNK Arcade Classics: Vol. 1 (PS2) - May 10, 2008
I love playing old arcade games in cheap compilations, so of course I loved this bundle. Metal Slug is still the standout title--and not surprisingly, I again enjoyed playing it at length--but there was a lot of other good stuff here. I decided to approach the review like the SNK noob that I am. That particular angle won't work for long if I keep diving through the classic library as all of these compilations arrive...
Emergency Mayhem (WII) - May 09, 2008
I'll admit it: this game interested me because of the notion of shooting bananas at monkeys. That's only a small part of the game, which actually plays a lot more like a Crazy Taxi clone, but the rest fortunately was good enough to keep me amused throughout. This is an odd game that I expect a lot of people to overlook, but hopefully my review captures the attention of the proper individuals... people who will give the game a shot and enjoy it for what it is.
R-Type Command (PSP) - May 07, 2008
I remember thinking "That looks kind of stupid" when this game was first announced, but I gave it a shot anyway because Atlus so rarely steers me wrong. That trust was justified, as this wound up being a really pleasant, deep experience that kept me glued to the screen for many hours.
1943: The Battle of Midway (NES) - April 26, 2008
I didn't even plan to write this one, but then I realized that the site didn't have a review from me of one of my favorite shooters of all time. The NES port of this arcade classic is something truly special. When I was capturing videos of it for YouTube and this site, I played through most of the game all over again. With everything fresh in my mind, it just made sense to go ahead and review it then and there. The accidental review!
Fatal Fury: Battle Archives Vol. 2 (PS2) - April 25, 2008
SNK Playmore was really busy in the early part of this year and this was one game that I was anxious to play because I missed out on the Fatal Fury craze back in the day. Some of the magic in playing these games now was therefore lost on me, but this was still a pretty sweet compilation and I'm glad to be able to play it whenever I like now.
Dream Pinball 3D (WII) - April 25, 2008
I was anxious to play this game to see how it compared to the Williams pinball collection I'd reviewed earlier in the year. It turns out that it compared fairly well but did fall a bit short in the end. Still... good game. My review? Forgettable.
Battle of the Bands (WII) - April 24, 2008
It's popular to hate on this game for being a cutesy Guitar Hero clone of sorts, but it also happens to be a pretty interesting title. I enjoyed playing it, despite its shortcomings, and I had fun reviewing the game.
Gran Turismo 5 Prologue (PS3) - April 21, 2008
While some people complain about the game costing $40 and being just an extended demo, people like me play a game that has more to it than most other releases and are quite content. This title was just what I hoped for and I had a great time unlocking a bunch of cars, speeding around beautiful courses and just dipping my feet into the next-gen Gran Turismo experience. When I reviwed it, I tried to let readers know why they might care to do the same thing. Hopefully, I talked a few people into it, since this is a game that's well worth experiencing... even if it is just a preview of things to come.
Ninja Gaiden: Dragon Sword (DS) - April 14, 2008
I would've been perfectly happy if Team Ninja made a 2D update to its classic series, but instead the studio opted for the "real game" route that so few seem to follow when it comes to the DS handheld. This game wound up surprising me with its visual quality... and also kicked my butt on numerous occasions. Working through it wound up being more frustrating for me than it was fun, something that definitely factored in when I finally reviewed it.
Bully: Scholarship Edition (WII) - April 02, 2008
I'd always wanted to play Bully but never got around to the PS2 version. Therefore, I was pleased by the opportunity to review the Wii edition. It wound up not particularly astounding me with its quality, though there was no arguing the ambition and lasting value of the package. The game itself is made of higher quality stuff than my eventual review, methinks.
Puchi Puchi Virus (DS) - March 20, 2008
We got a loaner cart so that I could play and review this one ahead of its release. There was no embargo on the text so I posted it, then the game was delayed for ages. Has it even come out yet? Looks like it hasn't. Talk about a delay! It kind of makes me wonder how much has changed, if anything. Hmm...
El Tigre: The Adventures of Manny Rivera (PS2) - March 20, 2008
Sometimes when you have a pile of games building, you just want to play quickly through a few, knock out some reviews and move onto something else. That's what I did here. The game was easy to beat--and fairly enjoyable--and the review didn't have to be flashy because I considered my target audience the parents who just want to know if it'll keep their kids amused for a bit. So it was an easy game to play and review, but one that no one reading this blog entry is likely to find interesting.
Hot Shots Golf: Out of Bounds (PS3) - March 19, 2008
This game's arrival at my door was a complete (and welcome) surprise. I'd not played a Hot Shots game in nearly 10 years, so I was happy to get back to the green with characters I didn't really recognize. The game of golf that lies underneath all of the high-quality production values turned out to be pretty good, so that was neat. It felt sort of odd to be reviewing a second arcade-style golf game in one calendar year, but I was willing to ignore that.
Pinball Hall of Fame: The Williams Collection (WII) - March 19, 2008
This was the first of two pinball reviews (so far) and I was happy to be writing it because I like pinball both in its real form and in video games. That is, I do when its well-executed, as it was here. Hopefully, my resulting review communicated that clearly, though I have a feeling that most people never even read it.
One Piece: Unlimited Adventure (WII) - March 14, 2008
Some reviews you just write because no one else will and this was one of them. I expected to enjoy the game but didn't particularly. It was fairly average feeling to me and I don't know much about the show. That meant that on the one hand, I could appreciate the game's depth and rather large size, but on the other I just wanted things to end so I could review it. The end result was one of my least noteworthy reviews of the year.
Destroy All Humans!: Big Willy Unleashed (WII) - March 12, 2008
I really loved the first Destroy All Humans! back when I reviewed an advance copy for Hardcore Gamer Magazine, so I expected similar delight from this newest installment. Unfortunately, it had definitely lost a lot of its magic and really just felt like a low-quality port of a low-quality PSP original. It was still fun and there were still some pretty cool parts, but overall I was disappointed and my review hopefully reflects that.
The Club (PS3) - February 29, 2008
I really enjoyed this game and I also knew that Felix would be reviewing one of the editions. My review hopefully captures some of the fun that this game provided me. Feedback was rather split on this, as I recall, so I think I probably liked what I wrote more than anyone else did. I also happen to think that people figure I was just overhyping a mediocre game. I really wasn't, though. I wish I still owned The Club so I could play it some more right now (unfortunately, I had to sell it to keep a roof over my head).
Dream Day: First Home (PC) - February 18, 2008
The publisher of this game called me at home and woke me up, then arranged for me to get an advance copy and some special commentary from the developer. That was pretty neat, and the game itself is actually fairly cool. It's not the sort of thing that will appeal to the 'core' gamer and I knew that, so I didn't try to dress that fact up in my review but instead just analyzed how the game works without passing a lot of extraneous judgment on the value of its limited premise. So yeah, probably not another fascinating review, but an important one in my mind just the same.
Zoo Tycoon 2 DS (DS) - February 14, 2008
This game surprised me with its accessible nature and I had a lot of fun playing (enough so that I also wrote a FAQ for it). Sometimes, I feel like a lot of people overlook really quality content, so one thing I try to do with my reviews when I stumble across a great game that people are likely to overlook is to make them curious about the title. By the time I wrote this review, though, I'd been writing about the game so much (thanks to the FAQ) that I did a fairly bland rush job. Ah, well. Sometimes, these things happen.
CSI: Crime Scene Investigation - Hard Evidence (WII) - January 31, 2008
I like the show pretty well (my wife has the first few seasons on DVD) and this game did a good job of capturing some of that. The more dull elements, admittedly, but that was fine because this was still an interesting and worthwhile experience. Sometimes it felt a bit mechanical and it was easy to get stuck in stupid portions of each investigation, but it did feel true to its source material and all of that important stuff. I don't remember the review being particularly interesting, though.
Furu Furu Park (WII) - January 28, 2008
I had high hopes for this one, but it wound up being one of the worst compilation/mini-game style projects yet released on Wii. There was potential all over the place, but the developer really cut that out of the picture and my review (hopefully) captures my disappointment pretty well.
Super Swing Golf: Season 2 (WII) - January 25, 2008
This game was a lot more fun for me, especially once I began using the 'classic' control scheme that doesn't require swinging the Wii Remote around like a maniac. This was a thoroughly competent and enjoyable title, without being especially astounding. I'm not sure arcade golf will ever amaze me again in the way that Mario Golf did, though, so whatever.
MX vs ATV Untamed (PS3) - January 09, 2008
This was my first review of the year and I'd been working on it since late 2007. It was for a game I had really hoped to enjoy, but in the end I just didn't have the fun with it that I should have. That's probably reflected in the review, both with its approach and with the rather dull nature of it all. Not exactly a rip roaring start to the year in reviews.
At the start of the year, I promised myself that I'd review less. I had a number like 30 reviews or so in mind for the whole year. Clearly, I have made a liar out of myself, but I've also done more fiction writing (like I planned to) and I hope soon to really get back into my fiction. All in all, not a bad year.
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Title: Sneaky update
Posted: August 10, 2008 (04:39 PM)
Gasoline here in Newport, Oregon certainly is expensive. How expensive, you ask? Let's just say that I had the attendant (no self-serve here, by state mandate) put $13.00 of regular unleaded gasoline in my car and received Pi gallons in exchange. Do the math. ;-)
In other news, my game progress looks like this:
* Just completed mission 8/11 in The Bourne Conspiracy for Xbox 360, which I plan to review favorably (unless something changes) sometime this week.
* Played through story mode twice on SoulCalibur IV on PlayStation 3 on the 'Normal' difficulty setting. Didn't lose a single fight. As Talim, managed to defeat a tag team of three opponents without them ever landing a blow. This is because Talim rocks, and also because the game is apparently very easy on that setting (though you can go upward from there if so inclined). I plan to review the game sometime this week, with any luck, though it could be more like next week.
My game progress is halted somewhat by my interest in resuming my marathon of Agatha Christie novel reading (the books are due in less than two weeks and I've used up all of my allowed renewals) and by the fact that I'm presently in the middle of another 10-day work week(s). They just don't like giving me a break!
I'm also working on my fiction--or had been--and have made some good progress on my current project, which I'm quite pleased with and expect to someday maybe even complete in the form of a really long novel, a duology or perhaps a trilogy. Time will tell on that front.
That's all for this little update. I'd like to try updating this blog with a little bit more frequency, but the sad truth is that my life is generally devoid of anything even remotely amusing. Maybe I should make things up, just to spice things up a bit. I could talk about killing people, chopping them up and putting them in my chest freezer in the garage. Of course, that sort of fiction would require telling you all that I have a freezer and that's the sort of lie I just won't tell.
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Title: Braid...
Posted: August 10, 2008 (02:36 AM)
So, I decided to give Braid a shot since I've been hearing a bit about it.
Right away, the game interested me. The title screen is playable. You can walk off to the right and into the level hub without ever really leaving the menu (though text scrolls away).
The game itself, once it begins, is platforming/puzzle action. The hero reminds me of the character from "I Wanna Be the Guy" and controls similarly. The art style here is a lot more detailed, though, with lush locations and a beautiful score to match.
One thing I like about the game is the elements it borrows from Super Mario Bros., including a creature that tells you that the princess is in another castle, a pipe with a piranha plant that tries to eat you, as well as a flag pole you shimmy down at the end of stages.
This is more than just a clone of that game, though--much more, even--and the similarities don't extend much beyond the above areas. The game is more its own sort of thing, with some interesting puzzle action going on throughout and a 'rewind' feature similar to Prince of Persia.
In the first area, I collected puzzle pieces from several chambers that invovled basic puzzle solving. Elsewhere, I noticed that the pieces I had assembled could be pieced together in jigsaw puzzle form. Then that coudl be rotated. Interestingly, the platform depicted in the image could then be hopped to from an area above, and crossing the gap actually requires moving the puzzle as a whole so that you can use its contents to jump to safety.
I've only played through the trial--which can be downloaded for free, of course--but I wouldn't mind playing more. If I had money to spare, I'd probably go for the whole version of the game just to keep playing, since I definitely was having fun. Consider this post a recommendation to spend $0.00 and download the trial edition of Braid.
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Title: Etrian Odyssey II and... fiction?
Posted: July 28, 2008 (02:26 AM)
I will be posting a review for Etrian Odyssey II on Tuesday. It's already written and such, but I want to sit on it for a day or two. In the meantime, here's the preview: the game is really neat for hardcore RPG fans.
Seriously, if you like old school RPGs, you owe it to yourself to check out the game. I hope that you'll read my full review when it goes live and that some of you will buy the game. It definitely isn't for everyone, but I think a lot of you would really enjoy it.
In other news, I had planned tonight to work on my fiction some more. That didn't happen. Instead I played a lot of Etrian Odyssey II (as I have been for weeks now) and finally wrote the review. This is a lighter week for 'real' work, so maybe I'll get some fiction written. On the other hand, I have some games I need to play through and reveiw (as always), so time will tell how I budget my time.
Oh, and I need to do more reading on the Agatha Christie books I checked out at the library. I'm going to check out fewer at a time once I finish this batch. I've now read a fair bit over half her bibliography and I'm still enjoying myself, but gaming has been consuming a lot of my time lately plus the current one of hers that I'm reading is a historical mystery novel set in Egypt. It's interesting and all, but not something that compels me to zip through it in only a night or two.
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Title: The Rings, they haunt me!
Posted: July 10, 2008 (03:39 PM)
I've been superstitiously refusing to talk about my luck with my Xbox 360 because I don't like saying "My Xbox 360 has treated me well, knock on wood."
"Knock on wood" is such a stupid, superstitious expression that makes no sense at all when you consider its roots in the occult. Anyway, I haven't been wanting to say that and so I haven't talked about how lucky I'd been with the Xbox 360.
Today, that luck ended. I was playing through the opening tutorial in Operation Darkness and the game froze. My first thought was "Wow, this isn't a very polished game if it freezes in a tutorial." My second thought upon booting it back up was "Oh, crap. Four red rings!" My second thought was wrong, though. It's actually three red rings, which apparently is even worse.
And so it is that I'm now talking about my Xbox 360 and its red rings. I knew I'd dodged the bullet for a long time, since it seems like everyone who buys an Xbox 360 eventually has those red rings, but I thought maybe I would remain forever one of the lucky ones.
Alas, it was not to be. I've contacted Microsoft by e-mail (since I literally can't afford to call them on the phone) and hopefully they will take care of this at minimal or no cost to me. It's just... this is some seriously bad timing for me. If the system is still covered then it's better timing than it could be, but if I have to pay for anything other than gas to drive it to the post office--and even that's a stretch--I'm screwed.
Dang it! Why couldn't Microsoft have made a system that wouldn't DO this crap?
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Title: Newest review
Posted: July 07, 2008 (02:18 PM)
Well, I'd been planning to churn out a bunch of reviews over the last few days, since I certainly have a lot of games sitting around that I need to cover. However, my job has been robbing most of my time and it looks like I'm lucky to manage one game a week!
This week, that game is Trauma Center: Under the Knife 2 for the Nintendo DS. I realize that I'm a few days late to the party with this (we already have a user review posted), but of course I wanted to play through the whole thing before reviewing it.
I ultimately found this to be the best Trauma Center in the series to date and my review reflects that. Frankly, I can't imagine much good coming out of any additional sequels, since this one refines things pretty nicely. Certainly, I don't see them doing any better than this with the DS hardware and they probably won't on Wii, either.
Anyway, read the review if you want my full impressions. I think it came out fairly well and hopefully it addresses the questions returning fans will have while also proficiently laying out what the games are about for people who might have ignored the games until now. It's a delicate line to walk, so maybe I've stumbled. It also comes in at just under 1200 words--longer than I normally like to write--but I don't see anything left that I'd really cut so hopefully readers will endure.
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Archived Posts:


text:
Home � NH Angle
NH town clerk foils international auto scam
First it was a $70,000 Mercedes-Benz GL350. Then another one, followed by a BMW X6 and a Porsche Cayenne. All were paid for in cash. Jane Goss, the town clerk and tax collector in tiny Sanbornton, N.H., realized something was fishy after a local man started coming into her office every few weeks to register high-end SUVs.
Firing of Humane Society employee hangs on which insurance policy was in effect
Commissioners must be cleared before getting relief from legal costs
Town of Hopkinton responds to Hopkinton State Fair Association�s complaint about tax status
Mental competency at issue in ax murder of mother and brother
Lawsuit over black student called 'fudgesickle' by teacher dismissed
ConVal superintendent files election complaint against Greenfield selectmen
Mexican drug cartel member sentenced to 9 years
Former Nashua court officer pleads guilty to sexual assault of child; sentenced to prison
General News
E-Commerce Software Developer Ziftr raises $600k in altcoin crowdsale
Backers of the project include 10x Venture Partners, a seed-stage fund based in Merrimack, New Hampshire, that purchased $150,000 worth of ziftrcoins at the start of the crowdsale and has made previous investments in Ziftr.
NH's checkered prohibition past
New Hampshire has checkered past when it comes to Prohibition. In the 1850s, the Granite State, along with several others, adopted the so-called Maine Law, which was the temperance movement�s first legislative attempt at prohibiting alcohol except for 'medicinal, mechanical or manufacturing purposes.'
Adam Sandler tops Forbes' Most Overpaid Actor List for the second year in a row
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Mailed from the little Town of Bethlehem
And, at a tiny post office in the North Country an old piece of equipment is turned on again for the people who want their Christmas cards marked as coming from the little town of Bethlehem.
2 men arrested in baseball, BB gun attack
ROCHESTER � Police arrested two Rochester men in connection with severe assaults on a man and woman at a city motel in which a baseball bat and BB gun were used.
Dartmouth prepares for exchange program in Cuba
HANOVER, N.H. (AP) - The U.S. government's recent move to restore full diplomatic relations with Cuba comes as Dartmouth prepares to launch a program to send students and faculty there for 15 weeks next fall.
Berlin duo indicted for operating a meth lab
Linda Greenlay, 44, and Anthony Elwell, 40, of Berlin were each charged with one count of manufacture of a controlled drug and two counts of attempt to manufacture methamphetamine.
Lemonade stand flasher to plead guilty
NORTH HAVERHILL � A Laconia man arrested for exposing himself to two young girls running a roadside lemonade stand in Holderness this summer is scheduled to plead guilty in Grafton County Superior Court next month and be sentenced.
FBI agent who helped coverup ex-NH lawmaker's $54M fraud pleads guilty again
Lustyik and a friend, Johannes Thaler, 51, of Connecticut, were promised tens of thousands of dollars by Rizve Ahmed, 35, of Danbury in exchange for confidential FBI documents that Ahmed planned to use to harm a political rival in Bangladesh.
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Snowshoe racing series enters 20th season with races in Massachusetts, Vermont, New York, New Hampshire
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Three-day sled dog race coming to the North Country
MILAN � The second annual Great North Woods Sled Dog Challenge will be run Jan. 17-19 in the northern part of the Granite State. During the three-day event, the communities of Milan, Pittsburg and Colebrook will consecutively host a different leg, or stage, of the race.
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In N.H., John H. Sununu aims to back a governor in '16
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AUGUSTA, Maine (AP) � Game-making company Cards Against Humanity has purchased a 6-acre private island in Maine and is renaming it "Hawaii 2."
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o and i wanna be a mermaid because i love the ocean ps i emailed u 3 years ago
10 years after introducing 43 Things to the world, we have decided we have met our last goal: completing the incredible experience that has been 43 Things. Please join us in giving one last cheer to all the folks who have shared their goals with the world, as well as all the people who have worked at The Robot Co-op to build this incredible website. We won a Webby Award, published a book, and brought happiness to a lot of people.
Starting today, 43 Things users can export their goals and entries from the site. Starting August 15, we will make the site "read only". 43 Things users will still be able to view the site and export their content, but we won't be taking any new content from users. We hope to leave the site up for folks to see and download their content until the end of the year. Ending on New Year's Eve takes us full circle.
It has been a long ride (one of our original goals was to "build a company that lasts at least 2 years" - we beat that one!) While we wish the site could live on, it has suffered from a number of challenges - changes in how people use the site, the advertising industry, and how search engines view the site. We wish the outcome was different – but we've always been realistic about when our goals are met and when they aren't.
As of today, you will be able to download your goals and entries. See more about that on the FAQ page. Thanks for 10 great years of goal-setting and achieving.
- The Robots.
o and i wanna be a mermaid because i love the ocean ps i emailed u 3 years ago
PLEASE DON'T READ THIS.YOU WILL BEKISSED ON THE NEAREST FRIDAY BY THEONE YOU LOVE.NOw YOU'VE STARTED READINGTHIS SO DON'T STOP.
1)say your name 10 times
2)say your mom's name 5 times
3)say your crushes name 3 times
4)paste this on 4 other quizes.if you
do this your crush will kiss you on the
nearest friday. if you don't do this after
reading tis you will get bad luck
send this this to 4 other quizzes in 143 minutes
when done press F6 and the name of your crush will
appear on the screen in big letters 3 years ago


text:
Current Articles
From the Iowa Department of Natural Resources
-- The reported Iowa deer harvest is running about 4,000 behind the 2008 numbers, but the remaining deer seasons are likely to shrink that gap, say wildlife experts.
Hunters still have the late muzzleloader season, the nonresident holiday antlerless season and the January antlerless season in which to participate.
"The number of female deer taken is the critical measure and it is only about 2,000 lower. We expect the overall harvest to inch lower since we have fewer deer," said Willie Suchy, supervisor for the DNR's wildlife research section.
Suchy said he has received a few inquiries about the DNR extending the shotgun season, like in 2007, but that scenario will likely never happen again.
"The 2007 shotgun seasons were a unique with severe winter weather impacting hunter participation on the weekends in both seasons and the harvest numbers were well below projections. Our just completed second shotgun season had the highest harvest ever for the last weekend of the season, since reporting started four years ago," he said. "Extending the season like we did in 2007 is less likely to be needed as deer numbers are close to the department's goals in many counties in the state."
Hunters who are looking to harvest a deer can enjoy pursuing Iowa's premier big game through the end of January.
"The late muzzleloader just started and runs through Jan. 10. After that the January antlerless season begins and runs until the end of January. There are still plenty of antlerless licenses available in many of these counties where the extra harvest is needed," he said.
Customer Service • Email Us • Advertise • Join Buckmasters
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Starting the new year with bookish delights
Posted on | January 1, 2012 | 29 Comments
So first up, some wonderful news! Yesterday Playing by the book was named as the top UK Parent Blog of 2011 by the UK's largest community of active British parent bloggers, the Tots 100. This wonderfully exciting news came out of the blue and put a huge smile across my face.
Next up, having tried a little experiment on Twitter over the holidays whereby I shared information about upcoming radio programmes (available to listen online worldwide) that featured children's literature, children's authors, children's illustrators and book news I'm now going to try to share that information once a week here on the blog too. So this coming week, here's what I hope to listen to (and what you should be able to listen to online either live, or for one week after the show is broadcast):
If you know of any radio stations around the world which have regular slots for children's books (or indeed, any radio programme I've missed) AND which can be listened to online around the world, please let me know in the comments so I can also check and link to them.
Apart from the new slot dedicated to listening to children's books/authors/stories and illustrators, I'm also hoping to take part in a few community events this year on Playing by the book. Perhaps you'd like to take part too?
First up is the Award Winning Books Reading Challenge over at Gathering Books. I shall be focussing on translated prize winning children's books and hope to start with something from this list:
Please feel free to suggest any books I might read as part of this challenge – I'm especially looking for picture books.
Last but not least, I've a special giveaway! To say thanks to all of you who read my blog (last year about 75,000 different people read my blog!!), and especially to all of you who chat with me about books and play, whether via the comments, email or twitter there are some gifts up for grabs. All you need to do is leave me a friendly comment and you could win…
A beautiful, handmade pencil case full of chocolate pencils plus a copy of The Pencil by Allan Ahlberg and Bruce Ingman, and also Bear Hunt by Anthony Browne.
Thanks to my very talented sister Kate for making this pencil case!
This giveaway is open worldwide until 6am Sunday 8th January (the only thing to note is that depending on your country's postal regulations I may not be able to post the chocolate to you). Please don't tweet or blog about it – I want this giveaway to be for regular readers of this blog!
I couldn't resist including this pencil themed video to go along with the pencil themed giveaway!
So that's it folks, 2012 has kicked off. Please do leave me a comment, say hello and join in the conversation about wonderful children's books. Thank you to all of you for making 2011 such a great year here on Playing by the book.
Tags: Awards > Books in translation > Dutch Language Books > Giveaways > Kidlit on the radio
29 Responses to "Starting the new year with bookish delights"
January 1st, 2012 @ 10:24 am
Let me be the first to say Happy New Year, and thanks for such an entertaining and helpful blog!
… and chocolate pencils! Cheers!
January 1st, 2012 @ 10:57 am
Congrats again, looking forward to reading about your adventures this year & giving me lots of ideas for books to explore with my kids.
January 1st, 2012 @ 11:23 am
Congratulations and a happy new year!
And finally, a giveaway for us, overseas readers, too!
Oh, And I wanted to say that I bought a lot of books for my daughter maya after I read about them on your blog.
Keep up the good job!
Ali B
January 1st, 2012 @ 11:37 am
Happy New Year Zoe! Your award is well deserved; I've so enjoyed following your and the girls' adventures this year. I'm planning to do this picture books challenge this year: http://anabundanceofbooks.blogspot.com/2011/12/sign-up-illustrated-year-2012-picture.html. I'm planning to review 12.
Lynne Rickards
January 1st, 2012 @ 12:17 pm
Congratulations on your latest award! Well deserved indeed. If you're looking for more children's books on radio have you thought of the BBC Desert Island Disks website? Jacqueline Wilson, Quentin Blake, Michael Morpurgo and Julia Donaldson have all been on, and their programmes are available in the archive. I'm sure there are more I've missed – it's a great resource!
January 1st, 2012 @ 12:51 pm
Challenging and inspiring list of books there. I'll have a look for them. Looking forward to getting to know your blog better in 2012.
Actually Mummy...
January 1st, 2012 @ 1:18 pm
Congrats on the Tots100 – lovely news. And well-deserved, yours is one of the blogs that actually informs me of useful stuff as opposed to the many that just entertain me (not that there's anything wrong in that!). As my 7 yr old bookworm exhausts my repertoire I will be back for more suggestions. On that note, do you have any advice for a child that wants to read more complicated books than those aimed at her age, and a Mum who doesn't want her to learn about stuff she's not ready for, if you know what I mean?
Library Mice
January 1st, 2012 @ 1:24 pm
Happy New Year! I am looking forward to 2012 and the beginning of a new adventure together!
Have you read Toby Alone? If you want a wonderful French prize-winner, choose this one, it is one of my favourite books ever. Let me know and you can borrow my copy, I can bring it on the 14th!
January 1st, 2012 @ 1:41 pm
Happy 2012 Zoe!
I would rate you the top parent blog worldwide!
Library Quine
January 1st, 2012 @ 2:01 pm
Congratualtions! I read your blog regularly and love it. If you are looking for radio programmes about children's books, you could look at the USA's National Public Radio. There is a very good programme called 'All things considered' and a new children's book club at http://www.npr.org/series/141728003/nprs-back-seat-book-club. The programmes are syndicated, so broadcast times vary, but seem to be available as podcasts.
macondo mama
January 1st, 2012 @ 2:29 pm
Congratulations, Zoe, and happy new year! I've found your blog invaluable for finding great English-language kiddie books from far away and asking for piles of them every time we have a visitor. Thanks for all your work!
January 1st, 2012 @ 2:39 pm
Happy New Year, best desires and best reading with you.
(Useful links and great ideas! Thank you!)
January 1st, 2012 @ 7:07 pm
Happy new year Zoe !!
Lets wish all of us the best books for 2012 !
Thank you for your great posts, thank your girls for their great creations !!
January 1st, 2012 @ 7:20 pm
Everything to love in this post!!! EVERYTHING!!! Tell me I saw you first on Tots100. Actually I am a bit in awe, here I just tweet to and fro asking radio info and you are numero uno!!! I loved that you started sharing the kids audio it has been brilliant and I know we are going to use it a lot this summer – when it is just too hot to go out!!! Thanks of your fab blog – totally love it!!!
January 1st, 2012 @ 7:50 pm
Wonderful news, fabulous site, amazing year in store! Especially love to see that it's a family affair, with your girls and now your sister too – what a creative gang you all are… now I've found Playing by the book I'll be calling by ALL THE TIME!
Even in Australia
January 2nd, 2012 @ 1:13 am
Congrats and Happy New Year! I'd love to win that adorable pencil case!
January 2nd, 2012 @ 2:49 am
Yeah!! What fantastic news. How very exciting! Like so many of your commenters, I get so, so many ideas from this wonderful place. Keep up the great reading and writing!
January 2nd, 2012 @ 3:12 am
That's wonderful news, Zoe! We love your blog out here!
And a very Happy New Year to all of you.
Susan Stephenson, the Book Chook
January 2nd, 2012 @ 8:14 am
That's wonderful news, Zoe, and a thoroughly deserved recognition of your blog!
Tasha Goddard
January 2nd, 2012 @ 1:46 pm
Congratulations and very well deserved place. 75,000 visitors? That's astounding, though with the fabulous stuff you write about, I shouldn't be surprised. I partiuclarly love your book-inspired activities and the interviews with illustrators.
Myra from GatheringBooks
January 2nd, 2012 @ 3:06 pm
Hi Zoe, we are thrilled that you have decided to join the reading challenge! I particularly love the fact that you have a specific focus in mind – can't wait to read through your recommended titles. And yes, truly well-deserved recognition of your blog – hard work, passion, and a keen eye for reading materials always always pay off. Lovely giveaway too. Do tell your sister that she's mighty mighty talented.
January 2nd, 2012 @ 8:48 pm
Happy new year to you and your family! Can't remember how I came across your blog but I love it. Hopefully I will blog some of my own children's book adventures when our baby arrives in a few months (oops, nearly typed 'next year' there!). Looking forward to reading all about the book-related activities you and your girls get up to this year.
Katherine recently posted..The year in Chatiryworld
January 3rd, 2012 @ 6:33 pm
Congratulations on the award! Love your site – have found so many fun books and activities for my kids here.
January 4th, 2012 @ 8:22 am
Happy new year and thank you for inspiring our family with lots of lovely books we wouldn;t have heard of without you! Are those pencisl really chocolate, I thought they were real!!
Alice x
January 4th, 2012 @ 9:08 am
Chocolate pencils? oh yes!
Happy New Year!!
I have to say a big thank you … I got 'there are cats in this book' for my youngest for Christmas, following your recommendation – and she absolutely loves it … and my son adores the 'amazing flying machines' – I don't think I would have come across either of them if I hdn't seen them here first.
January 5th, 2012 @ 2:35 pm
Congratulations, that's quite the accomplishment!
I have been searching for picture books translated from Japanese that have also won prizes for the translated version and have come up empty handed. I'm going to keep searching and stalking to see if anyone else comes up with one too!
Jen recently posted..Most anticipated picture books of 2012
January 6th, 2012 @ 1:42 am
Happy New Year, Zoe! And thanks for the reminder to come play.
Anamaria recently posted..Caldecott Hopefuls: The Money We'll Save
January 6th, 2012 @ 3:56 am
That is indeed a wonderful honor and very much deserved! As far as the radio shows, I really have nothing to recommend. I do wish I'd hear more about children's books on NPR but their coverage seems sporadic.
Janelle recently posted..Over and Under the Snow by Kate Messner – Winter Birch Tree Art
January 6th, 2012 @ 1:29 pm
and thank you for your great posts. I like your blog.
Leave a Reply


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Director, Instrumentation & Technical Services
Lecturer, Nursing & Health Sciences
Adjunct Lecturer, School of Engineering
280 East Avenue, Suite 2; Burlington, VT 05401
Phone : (802) 656-0069 Fax : (802) 656-8561
Areas of Interest
- Biomedical instrumentation - medical device calibrators, simulators and measurement devices, clinical instrumentation: education and training, 3D printing
- Clinical engineering and Healthcare technology planning and management - Medical device quality assurance, patient safety, medical technology replacement systems, and education.
[ Back to top ]
Areas of Responsibility
Director, Instrumentation & Technical Services, Univ. of Vermont (1993-Present)
· Instrumentation & Model Facility (IMF) - The IMF staff of mechanical, electronic and computer engineers designs and fabricates custom instruments, parts and models for the University of Vermont, other universities, non-profit state and health organizations, and Vermont technology companies. Collaborates with the School of Engineering SEED program.
· Technical Services Partnership (TSP) - TSP provides healthcare technology management assistance and direct technical services to twenty-eight hospitals in Vermont, New York and New Hampshire. TSP provides clinical engineering internships for UVM and international students. Winner of AAMI Biomed Week award
Lecturer, College of Nursing and Health Sciences/Medical Laborary & Radiation Sciences, Univ. of Vermont (2009-Present)
- Develop, teach and coordinate courses in Biomedical Equipment Technology: Application, Support and Management; Continuing Education site: Courses in Biomedical Equipment Technology
Adjunct Lecturer, School of Engineering/Faculty, Biomedical Engineering, Univ.of Vermont (1989-Present)
- Advise students in project activities - 2014-5 Physical Model of Cardiac Electrical Propagation || 2013-4 Lung Airway Model || Inducton Heating BPH
- Taught EE227, Biomedical Measurements, Instrumentation & Systems, 1993-2007
Temporary Advisor, World Health Organization (WHO), Geneva, Switzerland (1991-Present)
- Develop, coordinate and tutor Introduction to Biomedical Technology online courses in English and Spanish on the PAHO Virtual Campus for Public Health
- Develop, deliver presentations and facilitate Advanced Clinical Engineering/Healthcare Technology Management Workshops for developing countries via the American College of Clinical Engineering (ACCE) partnership WHO/PAHO
- Barbados, Boston, Lithuania, Ecuador, Costa Rica* (2), Dominica, Colombia* (4), South Africa*, Brazil, India, and Perú* (2) [* faculty leader]
- Consult on healthcare technology management and clinical engineering
- Provide clinical engineering internships for students from developing countries
[ Back to top ]
Selected Presentations and Interviews
Volunteer Spotlight, AAMI News, Volume 49, No. 6, June 2014, page 26
Taming the Clinical Alarm Hazard, 24x7 magazine, pages 10-13, February 2014
2nd Global Forum on Medical Devices, World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland, November 22-24, 2013
- Workshop: ACCE advanced clinical engineering workshops (co-presenter)
- Poster: Healthcare Technology Foundation (co-presenter)
- Presentation: Combining device innovations and strategic technology management for population care in Peru (contributor)
Healthcare Technology Management, Seminario Internacional: Fortaleciendo el Rol del INS y su Organización en el Contexto de la Reforma de Salud, El Instituto Nacional de Salud, Lima, Peru, November 19, 2013 (co-presenter)
Benchmarking: Clinical Engineering Departments & Medical Device Quality Assurance, Annual Meeting for China Medical Metrology Association, Fuzhou, China, October 23, 2013
Healthcare Technology Management, Workshop: Reunión Técnica de Evaluación y Gestión de Tecnologías en Salud, PAHO, MoH and EsSalud, Lima, Peru, October 22, 2013
Communicating Safe Practices to Care Givers, AAMI/FDA Summit on Healthcare Technology in Nonclinical Settings, October 9, 2013, Herndon, VA
Healthcare Technology Planning and Management, The Saudi International Conference for Medical Technology 2013, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, September 29, 2013
Lives at risk - Hospitals face hurdles addressing alarm fatigue, Modern Healthcare, April 15, 2013, pages 14-15
Responsibilities of Industry and Setting Standards, Cardiac Monitoring and Alarm Fatigue Session, American Heart Association Annual Meeting, November 6, 2012, Los Angeles, CA
Business Unusual, 24x7 magazine cover story, January 2011
Model Operation, Burlington Free Press, Business Monday cover story, October 25, 2010
In Profile: Educator Spreads Clinical Engineering Beyond Borders, AAMI News, April 2010, Pages 18-19
[ Back to top ]
Selected Publications
Attitudes and Practices Related to Clinical Alarms, American Journal of Critical Care, May 2014, Vol. 23, no.. 3, pages 9-18 (co-author)
The next challenge for Worldwide Robotized Tele-Echography experiment (WORTEX 2012): From engineering success to healthcare delivery.TUMI II, Congreso Peruano de Ingeniera Biomedical Bioingeniera, Biotecnologica y Fisica Médica, Lima, Peru 29-31 May, 2013 (P. Vieyres et al)
Online Courses in Medical Technology Application, Support and Management Improve Effectiveness and Patient Safety, World Congress on Medical Physics and Biomedical Engineering, Beijing, CN, IFMBE Proceedings Paper, May 2012
National Clinical Alarms Surveys – 5 years Comparison of Issues, Improvements and Priorities, World Congress on Medical Physics and Biomedical Engineering, Beijing, CN, IFMBE Proceedings Paper, May 2012 (co-author)
2011 National Clinical Alarms Survey: Perceptions, Issues, Improvements, and Priorities of Healthcare Professionals, Healthcare Technology Foundation, (Task Force Leader)
Convergence Is Not Just An Urban Legend, 24x7 Magazine, Pgs. 22-23, March 2010
Medical Equipment Quality Assurance: Inspection Program Development and Procedures, Book sponsored by Fluke Biomedical Corp., 2008/2014, Translated to Chinese and Korean, (co-author)
Medical Equipment Replacement, Chapter in: A Practicum for Biomedical Engineering & Technology Management, Editor, Les Atles, Kendall/Hunt Publishing Company, 2008 (co-author)
A National Online Survey on the Effectiveness of Clinical Alarms, American Journal of Critical Care, Volume 17:Pg. 36-41, January 2008 (co-author)
Regional Clinical Engineering Shared Services and Cooperatives, Clinical Engineering Handbook, by Joseph F. Dyro, Elsevier Science, 2004, Pg: 26-28
Health Care Technology Replacement Planning, Clinical Engineering Handbook, by Joseph F. Dyro, Elsevier Science, 2004, Pg: 153-154
[ Back to top ]
Awards and Certifications
- AAMI Foundation/ACCE Robert L. Morris Humanitarian Award, 2009
- American College of Clinical Engineering (ACCE), Fellow Status, 2009
- ACCE Professional Achievement in Management Award, 2008
- AAMI Clinical/Biomedical Engineering Career Achievement Award (2002)
- Certified Clinical Engineer, International Certification Commission (1979) & Healthcare Technology Certification Commission (2004)
- Senior Designation, American Society for Healthcare Engineering (1995)
[ Back to top ]
2012 - Infusion Pump Electrical Connector Cover, D672458, Assigned to University of Vermont
1994/2006 - Simulation for Pulse Oximeter, RE39,268, Merrick, et al, Assigned to Fluke Electronics. Corp.
[ Back to top ]
Current Projects & Grant Support
Health Technology Unit Development & Technical Guide for Health Technology Development & Transfer, National Insitute of Health, Lima, Peru
[ Back to top ]
Recent Professional Service
- Vermont Oxford Network Alarm Safety Faculty Steering Committee
- UVM Board of Trustees - Budget, Finance & Investment Committee, Staff Representative, November 2012-October 2014
- Healthcare Technology Foundation (HTF) President, (2011-Present)
- Clinical Alarms Best Practice, Steering and Standards Committees, AAMI, (2011-Present)
- Chair, Medical Equipment Management committee, Fletcher Allen Health Care, (2005-Present)
- Biomedical Instrumentation & Technology, Editorial Board member (1992-Present)
[ Back to top ]
- M.S. in Electrical Engineering, University of Vermont, 1979
- B.S. in Biomedical Engineering, Boston University, 1972
[ Back to top ]
Additional information: Complete listing of professional work
[ Back to top ]


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H. W. Bressaw has been teaching karate, specifically as a prominent instructor of Kimura Shukokai, since 1966. That's nearly half a century of correcting stances, building self-confidence, and demonstrating effective self-defense techniques. His unique style stresses technical aspects of physical techniques, which helps make it possible for a person of any size, age, or gender to defend themselves. Today, he leads a highly experienced team of instructors trained to carry forth the mission he started so long ago. H. W. Bressaw and his team specialize in a timeless art known as kata, which builds karate skills while quieting the mind. They also teach a sparring technique known as kumite to their most adventurous students, who learn respect and attention to detail through the ancient art.
A union of Middle Eastern and Western cultures, Fire N Ice Hookah Bar combines the laid-back charm of a hookah lounge with the music and swank of a nightclub. Customers roam through the electric bi-level space flooded by soft colorful lighting before picking their poison—hookah, drinks, food, or all three.
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