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" Genre: Accessory / Video Game for Xbox 360 / Release Date: 2010-08-20 / Published by Microsoft "
* Prices may differ from that shown
With the next generation of video game consoles just around the corner for the end of 2013, I thought I'd put my many years of experience of the current consoles to use, detailing the highs and lows of the Xbox 360. Now that several years have passed with Microsoft's second console under the all seeing eyes of gamers, its memorable moments shall be described for all to see and its failings held accountable...
Although Microsoft beat Sony to release their console by almost a whole year, its launch was a mixed bag. 2 versions of consoles being released really messed people about, especially those who had been gifted the console. It was 'Core' or 'Premium' with a difference of £70. In hindsight, £280 for a gaming console seems quite acceptable, but when there is a seemingly just as good version of it available at £210, one might wonder what's the difference? Memory. The Core version, simply did not have anywhere near enough memory to handle all your game saves and downloads, where as the Premium had a good 20GB to fill. Regardless, because of the lack of competition from Sony, sales went through roof for the only new generation console on the market. Despite beating Sony to the punch, the 360 didn't have a whole bunch of must have games, but was rather demonstration of what was to come, with various arcade titles highlighting solid, smooth gameplay and AAA games shown in HD graphical splendor. Its bests were The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion and Gears of War (Both 2006) but it wasn't until Halo 3's release that the console really became worthwhile.
After the fiasco of the release and its versions, a handful more were release, the Elite (Which is what I currently own) saw the white case turn black, Harddrive increase in capacity and... well thats about it. Later on, there would be another change introduced - the new sleek design, being smaller, slimmer and including a wireless adapter for the first time. Not all new editions were so popular however, the 'Kinect' camera being a take it or leave it situation (best left for younger, casual gamers with a huge area to play in. To think I almost forgot the infamous 'Red Ring of Death' that plagued so many gamers, rendering their machines totally useless. Nor can I forget, or forgive the lack of backwards compatibility for old Xbox games - 478 are playable, but quick look at the list and you'll find one of your most treasured titles missing. Speaking from experience, my console has had several minor issues that mostly just frustrate more than anything, that said, it did have its positives.
While I still don't believe games are ready to be moved onto a new generation of console (graphics and gameplay still aren't improving fast enough, nor are PC games boasting truly superior capabilities) Microsoft announce the Xbox One. How dim. If ever there was a way to alienate the majority of your audience, Microsoft did it. With plans to make the console 'always online' needing to check in every 24 hours, the 'always watching you' plugged in and recording camera no longer optional, DRM eliminating the prospect of used games and or borrowing. Needless to say, gamers did not take this sitting down and took to the internet to lay down the law. Microsoft have since abandoned several of these policies (no doubt due to Sony's reluctance to join in the DRM bandwagon, the Amazon survey detailed how ludicrously low the pre-order count was for the Xbox vs the PS4 and of course the gamers outcry in general). It is still a strong £80 more expensive than a PS4, still comes with that creepy camera no one wants and Microsoft still want you to treat it as your new entertainment system for watching sports on TV and playing Call of Duty, all whilst waving to the guys on the other end of the camera, no doubt fiddling with themselves.
+ Better exclusives than PS3
+ Earlier & Cheaper than a PS3
+ Solid online connection
+ High Definition Graphics
+ Built in DVD player
+ Wireless Controllers
+ Access to video, photos and music
+ USB ports for charger and memory cards
- The controllers 'bumpers' being far to weak to withstand prolonged use
- The disc trey being frighteningly similar to a Dairy Milk Chocolate 'tray
- The trey not reading discs or not ejecting properly (mine needs a good smack;)
- With a disc in the trey it sounds like a plane taking off regardless if it is on the HD
- You can't play the arcade games YOU paid for offline
- Playing online multiplayer is £40 a year (PSN is free)
- Dashboard looks horrible as advertisements take priority over your games
- Ads dont go away even if you pay for a Gold Subscription
From late 2005 to 2013, the console and its contents have undergone several changes both on the outside and in. The dashboard for example has gotten increasingly sickening with its many, many, MANY advertisements getting huge sections of the screen whilst your 'play game' button gets the tiniest of all. Optional media updates were made available so people can watch all sorts of video and play music of their choosing. Various apps and services were introduced such as Facebook, Youtube, Netflix and the highly unnecessary Bing search bar.
"Is the console worth your time?"
"Is it worth the money (online subscriptions included)?"
Not really.
"Would I take back any of those golden xbox live memories with my friends?"
"Did I actually enjoy its games?"
Yes, Many.
"Would I recommend this console then, now or its future version?"
Not on your life.
Everybody knows the feeling; you're staring at that shiny black box and know that you just have to have it. That is how I felt when my sister had bought her XBOX 360 Console, I played on the games for hours and it was so much fun that I decided to invest in one myself.
Me and my partner are very competitive so I thought this would be the perfect addition to our home. As this has been out for a couple of years we got a package deal which is amazing and cost me £199 for the console, wireless remote, 4 games and the Kinect. It provides us with hours of fun and you can get games for roughly £10, so it won't break the bank.
The game is great for hours of family fun, it is great for all ages and can also improve fitness. You can connect to the internet for those who like to play on games such as COD but unfortunately I am not a gaming mad person, I bought this solely for entertainment purposes.
It is easy to set up, it took me and my partner around 10 minutes to set up and simple for people of all ages to use, it brings the family and couples together. I enjoy game nights with my friends and couldn't have spent my money on anything better.
Most consoles only have the wireless/wired controllers and the XBOX console with Kinect takes gaming to a whole new level. The console looks great on my TV cabinet, easy to use, not too many wires, easy set-up, noise level is low and I personally cannot fault the console.
You can buy all sorts of additional extras for this console and I would recommend this, it has so many uses and the memory is also brilliant, stores all of my games (And scores ready for my next competition) and I also use my console as a DVD player therefore no changing of wires around the back of the TV is required.
If you're considering buying a console then I would highly recommend the XBOX 360.
When I bought this Product
Around October 2011 I had been viewing trailers and game play videos for the game Forza Motorsport 4 and decided that I would buy myself one providing they weren't too expensive.
I saw that they were selling them for £149.99 in Argos and were also doing an offer where you got Forza 4 included for free which I thought was very reasonable as I'm sure that the game had only been out no longer than a month or two.
My Experience / Features
I bought this from Argos and started to set it up as soon as I got home, it was very easy to set up and took me through all the steps to connect it to my wireless network and set up an Xbox live profile.
This model of Xbox has eliminated the use of the plug in memory cards used in the previous versions of this console, it now offers up to 4gb of internal flash storage instead (although I believe you lose a little bit of space as it's reserved by the system) which offers plenty of storage to store your save files and one or two demos (depending on size).
As well as the internal flash memory there is a slot located on the side of the console for you to insert a hard drive which has been changed from the big plastic casing to a really thin black casing that just clips onto the hard drive (if you own an original hard drive you can remove it from the casing and buy the newer style case from eBay for around £5).
Installing games
To save wear and tear on the consoles internal components games can be installed to the hard drive which as well as reducing wear and tear it also quietens the console down when playing games as the disc doesn't need to be read so often (only on start up to verify the disk is real).
Most games take up a lot of space when installed so it would be a good idea to fit a larger hard drive when your gaming collection starts to expand.
Touch sensitive buttons
This console features touch panels in place of the power and eject buttons which can save a lot of time when switching the console on if you have difficulty pressing the buttons for any reason, the only annoying thing about this is that if you brush against the consoles buttons while moving it or anything close by it switches the console on (I counter this by having the console pushed further back so that this doesn't happen quite so often).
Expandable storage
An update released for the Xbox allowed certain flash drives to be configured by the console to be used as hard drive (although only up to 16gb and only certain files can be saved onto it), I find that some games still require a proper hard drive to access certain features.
Good Points:
*Hard drive easier to upgrade than original console
*Less risk of RROD
*Internal Flash Storage built in
Bad Points:
*No slots for memory cards
*Installing games takes a while
*Touch buttons are really sensitive
*Xbox live can be expensive (up to £40 for a 12 month sub)
Overall Rating
I have owned this console for just under two years and have so far not had a problem with it, I also owned an original style 360 and find this console a lot quieter than the old one so would recommend this to anyone that has an old style console and is looking to upgrade, I give this a 4 star rating (I would give it a 5 star if it hadn't been for the touch sensitive controls)
I got the xbox only because all my friends were and didn't want to feel left out. I'm pretty pathetic really. Anyway, I wasn't expecting to like it but I actually quite do.
The design is just so sleek and stylish. It's such an unusual shape which you wouldn't expect and I really found that the size wasn't so bad either. It was smaller than my PS3 slim which as a matter of a fact is decidedly not so. The Matt black makes it look professional. I think it looks a tad tacky when shiny but really makes no difference to its function. Also the touch button is nice. All I have to do is give it a small tap and WHOOSH! It's away. It actually starts quite fast. This can get annoying though. I keep the xbox in one of the cupboards in my desk and if there is enough movement then it actually turns on the console just when I open the cupboard door! Annoying! They're a great idea but I, personally just preferred the standard button operated ON button. 7/10
The speed that the xbox acts at is impressive. There's no awkward start-up menus or loading screens. Just a little xbox sign and a funky noise and your away. The graphics are impressive. I think that they are just ever so slightly over-shadowed by the PS3 but only just. I can play games though no problem but things get slightly blurred every so often not too bad. 7/10
The controller wasn't my favorite part. Whereas some people prefer the controller to all else, myself, I prefer the PlayStation controller. I've been using them for ever now and whereas that probably contributes towards my decision, I just can't get into the style of the xbox controller. It's also expensive to run them if your using it at least a few hours a day as batteries can drain quickly. 5/10
This might not seem like an important feature to look at but I'm going to anyway. The menu is like a little flip chart of screens. You can flick through them one after another. This is pretty cool. The, you have the equivalent of the home button. Now, I'm not really fond of the menu as it can be a little hard to use just seems like something that you would see on a social networking site. Not the best but will be to some peoples preferences. 6/10
The console has a nice design and feel when playing. Does have things that make things a little awkward like the menus and of course the uncomfortable controller but many people love those so that would just be a matter of opinion. Memory not the best so If you would be getting one I would save a bit longer and spring for the massively increased memory.
I have had my Xbox 360 for about 6 months and I think after having loads of gaming systems over the years it's probably the best I have had but as the same time there are 1 or 2 things that I'm not to keen on.
-------------Look & Design--------------
When I first saw the design of the X Box I was very impressed because even though it's a tad big it's very neat and has a nice shape. The Xbox is touch sensitive so to turn it on and put a game disc in you just touch the area in to do either. I really thought this was a cool idea when I first got my Xbox but after I started noticing how sensitive it actually is it started to get annoying. The slightest movement next to any of the buttons will get the X box up and running so when cleaning my room or stuff like that it used to always turn on. Sometimes it would turn on by accident and I wouldn't know and it would end up being left on all day which is not good as that's a waste of electric. To solve this problem I have had to result to getting a shelf put up and have it on there instead but to be fair my room is much neater now than having it on the floor. Best to keep an Xbox out the way because of the sensitivity button design they have used. Although the sensitive buttons are a nice feature to the design I don't actually think they are really that necessary.
One thing that does really annoying me is how loud the disk tray spinning sounds can be when I am playing a game. It's very loud but usually when I get into a game I zone it out so it's not to bad but it was when I first got it.
-------------Set Up--------------
The set up was very easy and straight forward it was just a matter of matching the wires to the right holes. Once you turn it on you create your Xbox live account which is used for the social aspects of the Xbox. You only get one chance to pick your gamer tag so I would suggest picking wisely because you have to pay to change it. Once you have created you account you can then download apps, music and various other things. To play game you just enter the disc and the game icon will be on your homepage when you enter your account and simply just click it to play. I think set up is pretty simple and they guide you through everything so it's simple for anyone.
My console came with a wireless controller which I find so handy not having a wire because my TV is quite far from my bed so I can still use it. Sometimes my room gets a bit cold and if I'm playing a calm game, browsing the web or looking for something to watch I can still use the controller from under my sheets and it still works so there is a decent connection between the Xbox and it's controller. The controller for me took a little getting used to since I have always been a PlayStation Gamer so took some getting used to. The controller uses AA batteries and I find that they run out relatively quickly and probably a month is the longest they have lasted so I suggest stacking up on them if your a constant gamer. The batteries go in the back of the control but I find when I get into my hardcore gamer mode and start flashing the remote about the batteries tend to shift out of place and make the remote lose connection to the Xbox. This has happened about 2 or 3 times and is annoying because I have to turn the remote back on then unpause my game but since it don't happen often it's OK.
------------Wireless & Xbox Live--------------
If you have wireless internet you can connect it to the internet and do lots of other stuff. Connecting to wireless is only good if you also have an Xbox live account and that you have to pay for. I brought a 1 year membership for £39.99 which is actually the best offer they have. To me I think since you already pay for a wireless connection I don't see why they expect you to pay for Xbox live aswell but it does make the Xbox a better gaming system if you do have Live.
Live is what makes the console as good as it is because it allows you to have sort of a social networking style friendships with other gamers and play games with people all over the world. there's not always going to be a time where you have someone to have a little competition a Live opens that door so you always have someone to play against because 9 times out of 10 someone in the world will be online playing your game. The only time I really use Live with game is when I'm playing competitive games such as the London 2012 Olympics game I have.
Along with playing games with people around the world you can add them as friends and send an receive messages from them. I'm not really into the social aspects like this on my Xbox but I guess for those who will enjoy this it's nice to have. You can also get ratings from other gamers and invite gamers to come and play with you. I always invite people to play if I'm playing London 2012 because it has seem to gone dead since the Olympics is over.
Other Live perks are the apps that you can download and use from you Xbox. Some of the ones I have are Netflix, 4oD and Internet Explorer which recently became available. I like being able to watch stuff from my Xbox that I missed or just movies from Netflix. It's got to the point where I don't actually use my TV to watch regular TV I always just turn on my Xbox and watch stuff from there. Also because I don't have a laptop that I can take to my room I sometimes browse the web on my Xbox because I can do it from bed and my TV is a much bigger screen than my phone or iPod so that's another bonus for Live.
If your someone that would download loads of music and extras to your Xbox I don't really think the 4gb would be for you and it would be wiser to get the 250gb as 4gb will run out very quickly. For me 4gb fine because all I really wanted on there is the three apps mentions earlier.
-------------Game Points--------------
On an Xbox you earn game points for completing various tasks in all the games you play. They don't really mean anything but I like completing games and getting all the game point for all the games I get because it's like a little achievement and everyone can see how many game points you have so the more I have the better gamer I look like. It gives me something to work towards I suppose.
I think Xbox 360 is a very good console and think if you are going to get one it's probably almost essential to get it with Live subscription with it. I use mine almost everyday not always for gaming but sometimes for other things and it comes in handy in more ways that just gaming. It's very multi functional and I would recommend ever household have one. There are so many different genres of games that you can play on this system making it something for everyone. With the Kinect that you can now connect to it it has now also became a family console like the Wii. This 4gb version of the console can be brought brand new for 139.99 on Amazon and the 250gb version form 189.99 on Amazon.
I absolutely love my xbox, its one of the best things i've bought, it keeps me entertained for hours, there is so much to do on this console ranging from gaming to watching newly released films and music, you have applications like Sky, Last.fm, 4oD etc.I have owned an xbox ever since the first one came out and would never change for another console. You can easily play online with friends and family or play solo, you have awesome accessories for online play like thoat microphones, keyboards for the controllers and downloadable content. You can now also get funky covers to make your xbox more personal.
I bought the new 4 gig Xbox to use the Kinect for. Its easy to set up and takes very little time. It is cheaper than the 250G model but to be honest I would recommend to buy the 250G model or an older one with much memory. This because you cannot play enough game on it, the newer games need much more storage to play and this means that you either cant play selected games or even delete the history of games that you still play. Other than the lack of memory it is very good, it is very quite so you can play at any time without worrying about the noise. The console looks good and would not be out of place in any room. You have a wide variation of games that you can play, there is loads of different genres for any one who wants to play. All of the games are fun and easy to play, In conclusion I would recommend getting and xbox but not this one, one with a better memory would be much better.
When I moved into a new flat, brought a new tv, I decided to treat myself to something I'd been wanting for a while, that is, a game console. However, I'm not terribly up-to-date on what's hot and what's not, so I asked around to find out what there was. And for my needs, the xbox came out as the clear favourite. The Wii was turned down because it's too "kiddy" and lacked a great selection of readily available adult games. The Playstation 3 was said to be too dated, so that left the xbox.
I was very pleased to find out that it was also able to play DVD's, which was a big plus for me, as I have a large DVD collection and spend a lot of time watching films. In fact, I spend a lot more time using it as a DVD player than playing games on it!
Navigation And Use - It was very easy to set up. Literally "plug and play". The controller feels comfortable and solid in your hand, without being too heavy. The buttons and sticks are easy to use, but I did find that the sticks weren't sensitive enough at times when in the heat of the action during a game.
The on-screen instructions are clear and easy to us.
Quality - The quality of graphics on-screen are excellent. Clear and sharp.
In all, a highly recommended product.
The Xbox 360 Slim is Microsoft's new and updated slimline Xbox 360 console, it was released on the June 18th 2010. I used to own a old style original Xbox 360 and to be honest apart from once getting the red ring of death error and having to send my console away to be repaired that original Xbox was terrific it did what I wanted from a current generation games console and it had some great games to be played on the system.
I ended up with some spare money left over for once reason or another and I thought that I liked the look of the newer slim model and was pleased to hear that it had updated hardware so I talked myself into selling my original Xbox 360 and splashing out on this model.
The slim Xbox 360 comes in two different packages the cheapest being this model the one I bought. It comes with 4GB memory and an Black Matte finsihe the more expensive package comes with a 250GB memory and also an Black matte finishe the price difference between the package with the 4GB memory and the 250GB memory is not that expensive and I would recommend that you go for the 250GB package if you are looking at buying a Xbox 360.
Pros and Cons
Good looking console
Varied choice of games to play
Nice user interface
Built in Wi fi connector
Cool touch sensitive on/off and disc try bottons
4GB of memory is not enough
Console sound is still very loud whilst playing a game on disc
Processor: XCPU triple-core at 3.2 GHz
Memory: 512 MB of GDDR3 VRAM at 700 MHz, 10 MB eDRAM at 500 MHz
Graphics: XGPU at 500 MHz
Storage: 4 GB onboard, 250 GB, 320 GB (Optional upgrade)
What in the Box
Xbox 360 4GB S Console
Black (New style) wireless controller
AV Cable
One month free Xboxlive gold membership
The slim Xbox 360 comes in two different packages the cheapest being this model the one I bought. It comes with 4GB memory and an Black Matte finsihe the more expensive package comes with a 250GB memory and also an Black matte finishe the price difference between the package with the 4GB memory and the 250GB memory is not that expensive and I would recommend that you go for the 250GB package if you are looking at buying a Xbox 360.
amazon.co.uk £148.29
play.com £148.29
My opinion
In my opinion I really like the new Xbox 360 because you get a lot of console for the price. I feel that microsoft has put a lot of effort into keeping the xbox 360 up to date. What I mean by this is that they have updated the system so you have got lots of apps on the dashboard such as Youtube, Lovefilm and lots of other apps you have to be connected to the internet to use the apps but you can use most of the apps for free.
You can use your Xbox for playing games, watching moves and listening to music, it's like a all in one entertainment system and it does all of those things well.
I would say that the only thing that is wrong with this console is that if you are going to buy this console then 4GB is not enough memory, I have downloaded demos from the Xboxlive marketplace and they can be at least 1GB each in memory. I would recommend that you buy the 250 GB package or upgrade your hard drive at a later date like I'm going to.
Looks and feel
I think that the new Xbox 360 looks and feels a lot better than the old one, it's slightly smaller than it's older brother and it now has touch sensitive buttons for turning on the console and opening the disc drive it is a very satisfying feeling when the buttons are used it helps just to give a slightly more premium feel to the console.
I really like my Xbox 360 it does everything that I want it to and much more. I recommend this console to you if you have been thinking about buying one, however if you already own a Original Xbox 360 console then personally I think it's abit unnecessary to upgrade.
I love the xbox! i have had mine since it first come out and i have never looked back it allows you too play games join social sites "FB" watch tv what more could you ask for? Free online maybe? Yes only bad thing is that you have to pay go online which is not that expensive but this system holds alot of memory and also takes USB keyboards which help alot with online gamings. You can make as many account profiles on this computer so if this is being shared by 2 or more people perfect it has the capacity to hold a lot of work that has been created.
do not need a wireless adapter this has it built in which saves you money, its touch and play like if you want to turn it off you swipe the off button or to open the tray you swipe it and it feels gooood!
The xbox has alot to offer, gaming, tv, music, saving your images to your xbox or going online to enjoy games and games that are not out for the ps3.
Mine has not had any issues at all, so it seems this has been improved alot since the very firsy console which broke alot.
Although I am still very attached to my Playstation 2 I was nagged and nagged and finally decided it was time for an upgrade. I find games consoles far too expensive when they are just released so always wait a while before buying one.
I bought mine from a friend for £100 with a few games, it is currently available new from around £140 and used for about half this price.
The console itself I have in white, in the picture the console is stood up, although mine is laid flat as I was told in a game shop that standing the console up can actually destroy the discs.
The console has a disk drive which can be opened my using your controller or pressing the button on the console. There are ports to plug in two controllers which can either be plugged in all the time or if they have a battery pack they can be charged and used without the wire.
There are also two USB ports. You can plug in a headset to communicate with other players when you play games online.
There is now Kinect which is a motion sensor bar which you connect to your XBox to enable you to play games without any controller as it scans your body movements. I have to get one of these!
XBox games for the console can be picked up from a couple of pounds in used games stores and online.
Well as consoles go this console at first seemed like any other, put in the disc and play the game. But as time went on I was using it more and more. Now I use the console as my DVD player, it's as simple as putting the DVD in and pressing play, you can also go back and forward to different chapters and pause as you can with most DVD players.
If you are connected to the internet you can also watch films through your console from Netflix, Lovefilm and Sky player. I did this for a few weeks using Netflix and it worked fine with no problems but I didn't like the range of films from the provider so got rid of it after my trial.
The next thing I tried was putting my USB stick into the Xbox. When we had a few friends round for a party I put my USB stick into the XBox and was able to create a playlist from my music files which played away all night, you can also set it to shuffle or play in a certain order. Strange light effects and coloured lines shoot across the TV screen making you dizzy (like windows media player). Playing music through the Xbox and TV is a feature I have used quite often as I find the volume louder than through a laptopn or CD player.
Another day I put in my USB stick and was able to watch a slideshow of holiday photos and wedding photos on the television. This is another feature I have used a few times! Anything you have on your UBS stick can be displayed on your television through the XBox.
I personally don't really use the online gaming, it's hard enough trying to pass a game in single player mode never mind trying to beat die hard gamers from all over the world but I know lots and lots of people who love playing online against friends.
Considering this console acts as a music player, photo album, dvd player and a games console for me I think it was a great buy. There is a huge selections of games for all ages available for the console and lots of extras you can buy for it such as the kinect, headsets and hard drives if you need more space. I tend to delete saved games once I have completed the game so I don't ver run short of space.
Xbox has been one of the top gaming consoles for so many years for a reason. The system works quickly and efficiently, the game selection is vast and notable, and the features are fantastic. This newer type model of the xbox in particular looks great and works great. I have yet to have a problem with my 4gb xbox 360 and have used it quite a bit. Games are what I mostly use it for, but the features such as youtube, bing search engine, arcade game downloads, videos, etc. are great little features that spice up the system and give it everything you need to be entertained for a long time. I would recommend this xbox to anyone looking to upgrade from an older model xbox or anyone who has yet to buy an xbox who loves video games. You will not be disappointed at all and you will understand why when you buy one!
This new xbox console has many improvements from the past consoles starting firstly with the fan. the fan in this new console is incredibly quite compared to the previous consoles. This cools down the xbox console enough to prevent overheating whilst keeping the noise to a minimum allowing for much better game play as there is no longer an annoying constant hum in the background which gets consistently more annoying. This new console also contains many more air vents which cool the console down dramatically compared to the old console and eliminating the red ring of death the previous consoles are infamous for. Also if this fails to cool the console down enough, as a safety the console will automatically shut down preventing and overheating.
It does have one disadvantage however and that is the available memory. the 4G memory storage amount if much to low in my opinion and a larger hard drive would be much better allowing for more game-play or movies and music etc.
This is my 5th & 6th XBOX360, and no I didnt buy that many because it was so damn good. The original XBOX 360 console was very much a hashy work in progress if you ask me, was really noisy and the red light errors were off the charts(Anyone who owned one knows what I am talking about) I continually had to get it replaced.
However they released the Elite which was no real improvement and then they thought lets try and give the customers a console that actually works and thankfully this is the console we wanted way back on the initial 360 launch. This is the XBOX360 S the "S" standing for slim which is kind of false but it is more of a sleek design. The red rings of death are gone and hopefully will never return. The biggest difference that has helped that situation is the change in the vents situatuon on the console. Before they were on the back and didnt work whatsoever, so everyone bought cooling fans to help out but they were super noisy and was obviously an extra charge on top of the console itself. The new vent however is on the side of the machine and work really well and doesnt take anything away from the design(If anything they actually make it look cooler) So now that they have sorted out the errors and the noise is significantly reduced and it is a much more enjoyable experience because of those two things alone. Along with these improvements to the design of the hardware they re-tuned the software and now that they released Kinect (You are the controller) its more family friendly & the XBOX has become the best console for every home in my opinion. The playstation Move is just a re-hash of the Wii and uninventive and the Wii is getting well past its sell by date.
Even though we are closing in on the next generation now (Possibly the XBOX720) the 360 is still selling and it is because it has all the bases covered and they and each base is done better than there competitors. The big plus the 360 has always had from its launch to now is the best controller by more than a country mile.
All in all the console is the best of the current generation models and if it can make the same strides and get it right first time with the 720(Probably named something else upon release) Then they will be on top for some time to come.
Still a good buy for a couple of years before the next model comes out
I've had my Xbox 360 for about a month now, it seemed like a lot of money to spend in one go (over £200 from Amazon) but I must admit, I've had a lot of value from it already!
The Xbox looks pretty slick, unlike the slightly cheap looking white Wii I had previously the matte black Xbox 360 looks right at home and not childish or garish at all on my TV unit alongside the black sky box and the black TV. Apart from the subtle silver lettering it could very easily just be a DVD player to the untrained eye.
Its really easy to set up, you don't even really need to read the instructions, its very obvious where all the cables are supposed to go, the packaging is easy to get into and well organised unlike some products where you end up with a million little bits of polystyrene and plastic all over the floor! You can just turn on the Xbox and follow the simple instructions and before you know it you're all set up and ready to go, there are even handy video tutorials the first time you set up the console.
Navigating around the menu is really easy, especially with the wireless controller so you don't have to worry about a wire trailing across the living room as a trip hazard or a way to pull the console off the shelf if you get a bit carried away (yes, that happened with my PS2!). The menu screen is clear, and its easy to find whatever you're looking for.
The console comes with a free trial of Xbox live, again this is really easy to set up although typing in e-mail addresses and wep key numbers via the controller is a complete pain in the behind, luckily you only have to do it once! The Xbox can connect to your home wifi which is nice and simple, cuts down on the need for more wires and means you have more options about where to site the console as you don't need to worry about keeping it near a phone socket. You will be assigned a completely random and probably very odd username for Xbox live, but you can change it for free so don't worry you won't have to go online as 'CurtainLemon683' or whatever equally ridiculous handle you're assigned! You can use Xbox live to communicate with other gamers, or to buy extra content for games. I believe you can also stream films but I haven't looked into that yet.
The Xbox is easy to set up, easy to use and a lot of fun, just be careful you don't get too addicted! Its definitely my favourite of the consoles around at the moment.


text: Wingapo! My name is Sarah Darrow and I''m a graduating theatre major at Northeastern University. There are a few things that I really enjoy in life and that includes anything free, peanut butter, the VS Pink Lace Bralette and anything with sugar. I'm not addicted to anything besides sweet potatoes and if I could only wear one color for the rest of my life it would be hot pink. I'm originally from Atlanta but I live in Boston for school and I cooped up in Chicago for the summer. Like a famous man said in a movie I haven't seen, "I'll be back" (but I mean to Chicago).

subset: commoncrawl


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It was just announced that id Software's John Carmack will be presented with the Lifetime Achievement Award at this year's Game Developers Choice Awards, in recognition of "two decades of groundbreaking technical contributions, and his role establishing the first-person shooter genre with landmark titles like DOOM and Quake."
The award was voted on by an elite list of gaming luminaries, including Ben Cousins (EA DICE), Harvey Smith (Arkane), Raph Koster (Metaplace), John Vechey (PopCap), Ray Muzyka (BioWare) and Clint Hocking (Ubisoft). Will Wright will present Carmack with the award on March 11.
Gamasutra did a good job of recapping Carmack's many achievements:
John Carmack and his team at id Software, the company he co-founded in 1991, pioneered real-time 3D graphics in game, setting the pace and the standard for other developers to follow. Carmack and his colleagues at id are credited with essentially creating the modern-day first-person shooter (FPS) genre with the PC game Wolfenstein 3D in 1992, and helping to popularize networked multiplayer gaming on PCs with the release of Doom in 1993.
id has gone on to create other major FPS and action game franchises such as Quake, and Carmack and id Software are currently in development of a number of projects, including the free-to-play, web-based title Quake Live, the upcoming new franchise RAGE, and Doom 4.
As a largely self-taught technology purist, Carmack has devoted himself to pushing the limits of hardware and software. He's helped to set the technical and gameplay standard for modern 3D gaming – and in the process, created some of the most popular video game franchises in history, which is why he's being honored by the Game Developers Choice Awards this year.
Congratulations to John from all of us here. Feel free to leave your own congrats in the comments.


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Telma Hopkins Christian Finnegan Keesha Sharp Terry Crews Teala Dunn Ice Cube Coy Stewart Essence Atkins
Essence AtkinsWith her innate sense of comedy and girl-next-door charm, Essence Atkins is one of Hollywood's most sought-after talents. She was one of the leads in Dance Flick, a Wayans Bros. satire that debuted in 2009. As a regular on four series and with numerous movie roles under her belt, Atkins' star continues to rise.
In UPN's comedy series Half & Half, Atkins starred as Dee Dee Thorne, a privileged, honor-roll law school graduate who grew up in a two-parent home and searched for her identity. The series ran for four successful seasons and held some of the network's highest ratings in its time slot. Half & Half is currently in syndication.
Atkins is best known for her role as Yvette Henderson in the syndicated Disney series The Smart Guy and her recurring role as Marnie on Sabrina, The Teenage Witch. Atkins was a series regular on several television shows, including Aaron Spelling's Malibu Shores and the critically acclaimed CBS drama Under One Roof. Her many guest-starring credits include House, The Class, Love Inc., Moesha, For Your Love, The John Larroquette Show, The Wayans Brothers, The Parent 'Hood, Family Matters and The Cosby Show.
Atkins� film career includes the title role in the independent film Nikita's Blues. She starred in the MTV film Love Song, How High and Deliver Us From Eva. She also had a co-starring role in the 2002 Houston Film Festival winner Looking Through Lillian and 2008 festival favorite Love & Other Four Letter Words. She recently co-starred in the Warner Bros. musical Preacher's Kid.


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Suki Skin Care: Advanced Technology + All-Natural Ingredients for Flawless Skin
Not impressed with your skincare products? Try these ones on for size: All-natural Suki Skin Care is clinically proven to perform better than leading synthetic brands. Meet the creator here!
-Lucia Peters
When Suki Kramer founded Suki Skin Care in 2002, she had a very specific goal in mind: She wanted to revolutionize the skincare industry—and we think it's safe to say that she's done it! Using the purest of ingredients, natural advanced cosmeceuticals, and an original, high-potency botanic concentrate, these organic beauty goodies are designed to help alleviate skin troubles of all kinds—and they're clinically proven to perform better than a lot of the leading synthetic brands. Genius? We think so!
In fact, that's why we're so thrilled to bring Suki Skin Care's brilliant products to you through a very special sale at our own BettyConfidential Shop! From December 3 through December 9 (that's an entire week!), get a FREE gift with each Suki Skin Care purchase like the Sukicolor kit seen above. Even better, the item pairings are specially matched, so you won't just get any old random thing—you'll get items that complement each other. The result? Gorgeous, glowing skin. What's not to love?
Suki recently sat down with us to chat about her skincare philosophy, what goes into building a company from the ground up, and much, much more. Read on for all the deets!
BettyConfidential: Can you tell us a little about the history of Suki Skin Care?
Suki Kramer: When Suki Skin Care began, it was actually an attempt to heal myself from a lifetime of struggles with skin care issues and sensitivities that over-the-counter products and dermatologist visits couldn't solve. I often experienced a short period of relief from my symptoms, only to see a quick return of the problems. By developing basic herbal formulas in my 20s and changing my lifestyle, I found that most so-called "natural" products are little more than oil, wax, water and fragrance—which, while lovely if they are truly natural (which often isn't the case, anyway), do little for serious skin issues.
I also wanted to start my own company and put something out into the world with integrity. I knew I needed to create something really different, though—a product line that met my ideals of being sensual, aromatic, and aromatheraputic, but not perfume-y. It also had to be truly 100% pure, real, and highly efficacious—you know, something that actually got results! So, after studying with cosmetic chemists from several well-known industry brands, I began formulating problem-solving skincare products and working toward the goal of starting Suki Skin Care. The company became incorporated in 2002, and the rest, as they say, is history!
Our mission has always been to provide efficacy, excellence, integrity and authenticity in everything the company does, from our responsible business practices to our ongoing efforts to support non-profit organizations and charities. We hope to lead the "skincare evolution" positively affecting the world.
BC: Can you tell us a little about Suki's skincare philosophy?
SK: "Know your beauty" is the philosophy I founded my company on, and to me, it means so many things. The biggest thing is to accept, embrace and love ourselves, "flaws" and all, as they say—because it really is those things uniquely "us" things that make us special. They are who we are, and we are absolutely beautiful. I mean, what would Lauren Hutton be without that gap in her teeth? "Know your beauty" also means taking complete charge of our health and well-being, because honestly, no one else is going to do it for us. Besides, why would we put such an important thing like that in someone else's hands, especially when history has shown us so many big business and FDA mistakes, oversights and outright ethical violations? And lastly, it means having complete, honest information to make educated decisions about what we're consuming, both inside and out.


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JORDAN Turnbull paid tribute to the support he has received from Swindon Town captain Nathan Thompson after emerging from his Football League debut with a win.
Turnbull, a product of the Town youth development system, arrived on a season-long youth loan from Southampton last week and was immediately tasked with keeping experienced Scunthorpe United strikers Paddy Madden and Deon Burton quiet in Swindon's League One opener on Saturday.
Following the 3-1 victory, the teenager thanked Thompson for his help on and off the pitch, as he eases himself into life in Wiltshire.
"Nathan is the captain and he's got a lot of experience. Knowing Nathan previously helps and we've got a good relationship. He was great on the pitch. Vocally, he was very loud and he helped me out a lot," he said.
"Swindon is a great club. They try to play with the ball, keep the ball and keep it moving. It's great for me playing in a team like that.
"I think it's great to come back to the club where it all started out for me. Nathan and Louis, who I knew before, have helped me settle in. The lads have been welcoming and the staff have been great with me. I'm looking forward to the rest of the season.
"I think it was great to make my league debut and most importantly the win was a great win. The lads played really well. Playing in an atmosphere, in a stadium in front of the crowd, was great for me and I'm proper happy with the win.
"We went into the half on a high and we stuck at it, played very well in the second half and got the win.
"It is a bit different. The players are a lot more physical in this league.
"Playing in front of a crowd comes into it and when points are at stake you have to put more effort in and I think we did that today."
Of playing against the likes of Madden and Burton, Turnbull said: "It's a great experience to play against good players like that.
"You have to keep doing what you've been taught to do on the pitch and I think I'll progress as the season come on."


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Heat oil in a medium soup pot and sauté onions for 1 to 2 minutes. Add the millet and sauté another 2 to 3 minutes. Add all remaining ingredients except the miso or sea salt and parsley. Cover and bring to a boil. Reduce the flame to medium-low and simmer for 30 to 35 minutes until the soup becomes creamy and golden. Reduce the flame to low, add the miso and simmer 2 to 3 minutes. If seasoning with sea salt, add the last 10 minutes of cooking. Serve garnished with parsley.
Per serving - 140 calories, 3 gram fat (16% calories from fat), 5 gram protein, 25 gram carbohydrate, 4 gram fiber, 0 milligram cholesterol, 154 milligram sodium


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Stroud & District round-up
TONY Powell won two on his 80th birthday as Cam C beat Frampton D 7-3 in Division Four.
Team-mates Mick James, with a maximum, and a brace for Alex Yeung completed the scoring for the home team.
Glan Watkins won two for the visitors and was joined by Chris Philp to win the doubles.
In a bottom of the table Division One clash, Frampton A beat Whiteshill A thanks in part to Steve Porter with a maximum.
Simon Ward won two singles and the home side won the doubles to seal the victory 6-4.
Whiteshill's points came from Alan Churchill and Rupert Harris with one apiece and two for Steve Greening, including a good win against Ward.
Yate could only field two players but still managed a creditable 5-5 draw against Woodchester B.
Andy Cox and Will Berkley won two each, plus the doubles.
Clive Ellison was the only scorer for Woodchester, winning his two singles.
Frampton B scored four valuable points in their battle for survival at the bottom of Division Two as they lost 6-4 at home to high-flying Forest Green B.
Simon Philp scored two and Dave Pearce one before Alan Perratt joined Philp to win the doubles.
Forest Green's points came from an unbeaten John Pobjoy, Jimmy Haycraft with a couple and a singles win for John Crowther.
In Division Three, Cam B entertained Frampton C, with the visitors running out 6-4 winners thanks to an excellent maximum from Kim Selfe and a brace from Gerry Dupree.
The home side's points came from Harry Hogan with a couple and one each for Harry Prescott and Bob Cutts.
Selfe and Dupree sealed the win by winning the doubles in three.
Cam A ran out narrow winners on their visit to Forest Green C thanks to a fine maximum from Steve Partridge and a point apiece for Brian McNeil and Paul Stewart.
The home side's points were scored by Lucky Gallage with two, and one each for Ian Yemm and Tony Poole.
Stewart and Partridge sealed the victory by winning the doubles in three straight.


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Everyone wants to know the secrets to succeeding in business. Most agree hard work and intelligence are a given. But what about those attributes that cannot be taught in school or by working long hours?
Entrepreneurs are a breed who typically embody qualities that make up a successful business person. They tend to be risk-takers, passionate, altruistic and confident. They avoid getting stuck in a rut. Entrepreneurs turn what other see as obstacles in to challenges, and ultimately, opportunities. They are relentlessly positive.
In addition to possessing some of these qualities, entrepreneurs usually have a rule, philosophy or ritual they live and breathe each day. This can be anything from beginning the day in a positive way to how they treat anyone the come into contact with. As an entrepreneur myself, I have learned the importance of working "on" my business and not just "in" the business. By this I mean you must treat your business like we treat our clients and must make time to focus on our strategic planning and growth.
Entrepreneurs' Organization (EO), a leading professional organization designed to offer entrepreneurs additional resources, support and collaboration, has an extremely successful Arizona chapter. Some of our state's most recognized small business owners are EO Arizona members, ranging from well-known restaurateurs to real estate moguls.
What are their secrets to success? Here is insight from EO Arizona's most established entrepreneurs (hint: Their habits are less about what you know and more about achieving the right mindset):
Paul Dembow, Arizona Natural Resources, Inc.
I wake up early everyday and meditate for 15 minutes with positive thoughts and deep breathing. I exercise for an hour, then start my business day. I also study, read, research, etc. but the mental attitude that my morning routine gives me is the winning edge. Attitude is everything!
Dan Sager, Civil Search International
If I hold myself 100 percent accountable for all my work/relationship problems, then all issues can be quickly rectified.
Derek Greene, Get Your Move On
The most impactful habit I have practiced is meditation. With this hour of "me" time, I afford myself the time to enjoy a calm cup of coffee, read the news online, do a brain teaser and most importantly sit quietly for 10 to 12 minutes and breathe. I do not miss a day most months and I do the same thing before bed. I find myself, among many other things, as serene as I have ever been in my life.
Max Hansen, Y Scouts and Job Brokers, Inc.
The rule I live by that has been a big contributor toward my success is summed up in a quote by Theodore Roosevelt. "People don't care about what you know, until they know about how much you care." As with anything in life and business, people follow people they trust and care about them. Once you genuinely care, you just have to show them and tell them.
Robert Clinkenbeard, Integrated Landscape Management
Discipline is one of my biggest rules in business which also translates into my Ironman training. Unless you have a vision or goal, develop a plan and have the discipline to execute day after day then it is very easy to become distracted, lose focus and not achieve anything. Every year I prepare my business and personal goals for the year ahead and then every month and week I review them and figure out how I am going to execute them.
Steve Levine, Steve LeVine Entertainment
At Steve LeVine Entertainment and Public Relations, we have 2 rules that we use in our office on a daily basis.
1. Never assume anything. When we assume we are taking a chance to get something wrong. If we never assume, and double check our work, we are less likely to have mistakes and the final product is always better.
2. Take responsibility for your actions. If you know and admit your mistakes, I have found that this helps future mistakes. Also, a client wants to hear us take responsibility rather than pass the blame on to someone else.
Jonathan Rosenberg, Levrose Commercial Real Estate
Over the years, I have learned when to say "yes" and when to say "no". When I was younger, I said "yes" to every client or potential business opportunity and soon found that it was impossible to be as effective when trying to please everyone. Determining where to draw the line between these two responses has allowed much greater focus and clarity.
Every business person is different and their own personal formula for success depends on so much more than one daily ritual or philosophy. But, by using the advice from the above local entrepreneurs as a starting point, you are sure to be on the right path.
David Anderson is the communications chair for Entrepreneurs' Organization, Arizona chapter, a professional group of Arizona's most successful entrepreneurs. He is also the managing partner and CEO of Off Madison Ave + SpinSix, a marketing and communications firm in Phoenix.


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A Patient's Guide: How To Stay Safe In a Hospital
Checklists have become more common in the operating room. Now, there's one for patients and families, too.
Propping up a patient's hospital bed at a 30-degree angle can help prevent hospital-acquired pneumonia. Using alcohol wipes kills staph bugs, but you need bleach wipes to kill C. diff germs. High-protein snacks can help prevent bed sores.
However, most patients don't know these things. And doctors and nurses can easily overlook these basic care practices.
Karen Curtiss makes it her mission to remind them. After her father and husband both experienced adverse events in the hospital, Curtiss says, she founded Campaign Zero to arm patients with the information they need for a safe stay. Her book, "Safe & Sound in the Hospital: Must-Have Checklists and Tools for Your Loved One's Care," collects scores of these simple actions and details that can make a big difference in a patient's recovery.
Checklists have become more common for surgeons in the operating room. But according to Curtiss, she's the only one producing checklists on hospital care for patients and families.
To make the checklists, Curtiss read everything she could get her hands on: nursing textbooks, information from the CDC, academic publications. She took her work to specialists and focus groups. And then distilled all of the information into something so simple a sixth-grader could read it.
We sat down with Curtiss, who is a member of ProPublica's Patient Harm Community, to find out more about patient-centered checklists.
Why checklists?
Conventional wisdom says that when you go to the hospital, you take someone with you. However, nobody is prepared. There's nothing in college that teaches you how to be an advocate. There's nothing in your life experience. We have an army of people sitting bedside, who are ripe for education.
We put a checklist out on Campaign Zero, but I could tell from the traffic that people were finding it only after a problem had occurred. They were Googling bed sores and how to treat them, staph infections. People do not prepare to be sick. So I wrote the book.
I learned during my research that there are repeated problems that put people back into the hospital that nobody ever tells you about. For example, if you have congestive heart failure, you need to weigh yourself every single day. If you gain two pounds in a day, you have to get to a doctor right away.
But I don't know how many people are told that. Even if you are told that when you're discharged, many people are still on drugs and not thinking clearly. And it's a hurried process. They need someone there with faculties intact to ask the questions, sweat the details, know what to look for and be encouraged to ask questions. The simple affirmation that it's OK to ask questions makes people more comfortable.
Furthermore, we know checklists work. Atul Gawande, the author and surgeon, wrote in "The Checklist Manifesto" that the ideal checklist is no more than ten items. And they are effective. It's been proven with other checklist projects, some that are being rolled out throughout the country.
So I said OK, if checklists work for the medical community, then they can work for families. It's a potential win-win.
A lot of people in ProPublica's Patient Harm Community say that when they ask questions, providers push back. What would you say to them?
I relate to that so much. And it's unfortunate, but it does happen.
First of all, before you choose a hospital, make sure to vet them. Some hospitals talk the talk, and others walk the walk. You can look at their Leapfrog score or their Consumer Reports rating, if you have access to it. [Editor's Note: You can also check Medicare's Hospital Compare.]
But that's hindsight. If you have problems after you've committed to a hospital, you can always call the hospital advocate. You can call a Condition Help, also called a Condition H, if you feel like your loved one isn't being heard, or cared for properly, and a team will respond. It's also sometimes called a rapid response team – hospitals call it different things. But very few are transparent about the fact that you can do that.
I've heard of doctors quitting patients because they ask too many questions. Obviously, you find another doctor. You find another hospital. A recent study suggested 27 percent of doctors and nurses feel it's inappropriate for patients to ask them to wash their hands. It's because they feel chastised. Their egos are bruised.
So what should a patient do? Stick to your guns. Be humble, and play to those egos. "I know you're the expert, but I want to protect you as much as my loved one."
That's why in my book I have pullout cards. Sometimes, it's easier for people to read a note than hear people say it. That's also why some of those cards are silly; humor can help break the ice.
A lot of items on the checklist seem to address communication.
Communication is the number one challenge. In the 1970s, there were two or three doctors involved in a patient's care. Now, there are up to 15. That's good news. But the bad news is how do they communicate? Care is much more fractured because it's specialized.
I encourage people to be a part of the shift change, which is called the hand-off. That's when they share notes with the doctors starting their shift. It's a huge opportunity to spot inaccurate information, fill in gaps and raise questions. Ideally, the hand off should occur bedside. If they resist, you can always ask to go to where they're doing it. It might be in a break room.
How are providers responding to the checklists?
We've had a lot of support. And not just from providers. Blue Shield of California is giving the book to patients at University of California, San Francisco, who are employed by the city and county of San Francisco. Community Trust Bank in Kentucky, which has 1,000 employees, is giving everyone who has a pre-planned admission a copy of the book.
I also collaborated with Mary Foley, who's a prominent leader in nursing innovation and head of nursing research and innovation at the UCSF, to create a companion nursing workshop. Nurses on the front line probably haven't had up-to-date education on the basics of patient safety because they're really busy and went to nursing school a long time ago. Plus, people can walk in with these checklists, and one look from a nurse who isn't on board can make them feel like they were thrown under the bus. The workshop is meant to help nurses understand how engaging families and supporting safe care practices can benefit them.
What would you say is the one most important thing someone can do?
I have two: Ask people to wash their hands. The greatest hazard in hospitals is infection, and the number one thing you can do to prevent infections is hand washing. Don't let people give you flack about it.
The second thing is to take notes. Take notes to ask questions and be organized. When the doctors and nurses come in, if you're prepared with your questions in notes, then you use your time wisely.
Also note when medications are given, when tests are ordered and the test results. You could have tests ordered at 9 a.m., and the results might be critical for next steps. If they don't come until 9 p.m., that's a problem. And a detail like that can get lost.
People respect stuff that's written down. And if the doctors and nurses know you're on it, they will be more accountable. It's very subtle, but it takes the drama and emotion out of it, and makes the experience more businesslike.
18 comments
This is an excellent source of invaluable information for everyone in need of help when dealing with the Medical System.
Great Info. Much more to add, as I haven't read this book. But patient or loved one, should also bring items with them to hospital often needed. Wipes just for face,hands for patient. Alcohol and/or bleach wipes for bed rails, sink, toilet. I always bring my own paper cups for water ,tissue. Have even brought my own pillow! Little Snacks.
ASK about your Meds, and if on IV, ask what it is , when changing it!
Med mistakes happen often. Nursing care is real limited today, such as morning wash of hands and face, brush teeth, if your bedridden..just don't get anymore. So try to keep wipes,mouthwash and a item close by to spit in or a trash can. Cleanliness, watch /ask your Meds, and bring wipes to stay clean! Patient comfort, also infection comfort that you can't trust anymore. IF ON a Ventilator, loved one should find out when it gets changed/cleaned and BE there to make sure it is done.
BIG item, as these items and catheters do not get changed or cleaned often as should for patient. Let people know you be in a certain hospital, so they can visit you or bring you something needed.
Bravo to Karen for her work that will make patients safer. another great resource is the book Never Go To The Hospital Alone. In addition to all of the hospital advice, it also provides checklist sand tools for finding a great physician and working with that physician before you go to the hospital.
No patient is ever truly safe that doesn't take charge of their own care and forcefully but tactfully become a member of the health care team.
Medical industry, by their own numbers, kills up to 200,000 patients yearly. Google 'medical deaths'.
I think people need to really look understand how bad they feel before going to the hospital. Unless you absolutely can't take care of yourself, there is no reason to be in a hospital. Toooooooooo many germsssss.
This is definitely a good starting point. Since we won't be able to convince the AMA to "insult" doctors with a checklist, a patient's checklist to drive the conversation is a brilliant move. Certainly, it'll help more people than "fine anybody without medical insurance."
And if it can, in fact, be circulated through the insurance companies without being dumbed down or marginalized, you might have actually literally saved lives.
Make sure to mention that when someone asks how your week was…
The article was excellent and I can't wait to read the book. As a RN & someone who has had many family members & friends hospitalized, this information is needed immensely to educate not only caregivers but patients themselves! We need to get more people involved and have more patient advocates who are willing to help in this push for better patient care without fear of repercussions from staff. Nancy, I agree with your comments, as well as those of others. I too could add so much more!! This is a subject that I am very passionate about! If anyone needs a pro patient advocate on their team, hospitals, nursing homes, attorneys, Education Departments, etc, I am your person to help
push this forward! I have 19 yrs experience as a RN and would love a position such as this! Keep up the awesome public/patient education!
The link to patient zero program seems to be broken.
Also, you suggest using the leapfrog group scores but don't point out that most hospitals refuse to participate. Here's a list of hospitals within 50 miles of where I live http://www.leapfroggroup.org/cp?frmbmd=cp_listings&find_by=zip&zip=56377&radius=50&cols=oa
Also, this article should point out that over 95% of all hospital mistakes are beyond the control of the patient. The biggest killers are surgical errors, medication errors, lack of hand washing and slip ups in communication https://www.impartial-review.com/stories/survey-nearly-one-in-three-americans-report-medical-mistakes-364 The patient has not control over any of these whatsoever except for asking medical staff to wash your hands if you awake. As noted in the above link, research has shown that doesn't work in most cases.
There is no motivation within most health care systems to listen to what patients say. Instead, there is a profit motivte. As the NHS has recently discovered when it moved some aspects of its system to for-profit, the result was that hundreds of people died http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-21275826 - just like they do in the US every day.
For example, most physicians know how to treat diabetes but you're seven times as likely to have it go untreated in the US as you are in Spain. https://www.impartial-review.com/stories/ten-leading-government-and-corporate-causes-of-death In other countries, medical errors and medical system failures are not the leading cause of death as they are in the US because health care professional make more money if they provide greater benefits to their patients. The US system provides disincentives for quality care.
Donna - thanks for your comments. If you have a moment, we'd love your input on our provider questionnaire: http://www.propublica.org/article/providers-share-your-observations-on-patient-safety
One of the most important thing involving a hospital stay is to always have a patient advocate with your family member if they are having surgery, elderly, or confused. Even a young adult needs someone in their room postoperative when they are unable to montior their own care. What medications were they taking at home and are they getting them in the hospital? If they are getting a medication at the same time each day and suddenly get one that does not appear to be the same thing, ask questions, If their IV is running out ring their buzzer and if necessary go to the nursing station. If you have questions for their health care provider and they merely stick their head in the door (as some tend to do), ask them to please step into the room and get the information you need. Aspetic technique is impotant- washing hands, handling equipment, etc.
First of all, kudos to ProPublica for all they do to support patient safety. I hope you'll join their Facebook page and follow them on Twitter because they are constantly covering the issues in an in-depth way. So often I see the headlines screaming about problems in health care without offering solutions—and yes, we patients and our families can actually make a difference in outcomes! I've really enjoyed reading all of your comments and I am happy to say that most of the cracks in hospital care you've identified in this thread of conversation are covered in my guide for families, Safe & Sound in the Hospital: Must-Have Checklists and Tools for Your Loved One's Care (http://www.SafeAndSoundBooks.com). This site has additional info (FAQs), and blogs with more checklists for patients and their family-member advocates will be up soon! Please check in with http://www.CampaignZERO.org from time-to-time, too, as we try to keep that site fresh with new info as well. We are always happy to hear about patient safety solutions… so write us any time with your ideas!
My best friend had surgery to repair a broken leg at our U OF WISCONSIN HOSPITAL.
He acquired interstitial pnemonia in surgery. .(identified within days)
and died within 5 terrible months.
Sounds like a medical error killed him..? Other medical journals have sugested he should have been elevated during surgery.
How and where is this identified and reported to correct medical practices and to alert the public.
The LEAPFROG GROUP gave the UW hospital a C, lower 30%
of those rated.
I would give then a F.
Thank you for the information. I can relate to some of it. Went into the hospital Oct 26th 1012 with a massive heart attack, then caught pneumonia, then a bladder and kidney infection, then internal bleeding. To make a long story short, I left the hospital on 1/10/2013 . If I never see the inside of a hospital again it would be too soon.
This is a very good article. My career has landed me at the safest hospital in Western New York as judged by Consumer Reports. Getting to that point was no small trick, it is a constant, never ending journey to zero preventable errors. All staff has had hours of error prevention training, and it is all based on the patient's perspective. When a patient comes to the hospital, they want three basic things; don't hurt me, heal me and be nice to me ( in that order ). For further reading on the subject, I recommend reading "Why Hospitals Should Fly" , it is really about the implementation of checklists, how and why they work. We all need to be concerned about the safety of healthcare.
Very insightful information. I have been in health care for over 2 decades at various levels of responsibilities. From my early nursing school days, I was constantly reminded of the fact that, as a RN, I was the patient's advocate. During my master's program, I heard the same message. I do not understand why there is now a separate role in the health care industry specifically called a patient advocate, except to say we have failed our patients.
I also recommend the book Mark K. did called "Why Hospitals Should Fly" as well as Dr. Atul Gwande's books. Communication is always one of the issues in any patient care encounter. This goes both ways. Physicians and some nurses, as well as other health care workers, are not used to being questioned about the care they give to a patient. This may lead to a feeling of being attacked when the provider has good intentions. Repeat this scenario multiple times a day for the health care professional. This can create a difficult environment to work in and may cause some of the break down in communication even before a conversation can begin. Please understand I am not making excuses for the health care professional. I am merely bring up an observation that I have not really seen addressed in literature. It is good to ask questions when you don't understand. It is better to ask questions in a manner where the health care professional believes you are trying to work with them and not against them or challenging their expertise or their desire to help the patient.
Good article, reminds me of David Goldhill's Catastrophic Care: How American Healthcare Killed My Father. His father died of an infection that he picked up at the hospital. Apparently, it is quite common in American hospitals, about 100,000 deaths per year.
I like the way Propublica keeps following up on articles. I would like to see all of the Propublica Health writers read Steven Brill's "Bitter Pill" article for Time Magazine and follow up on all the issues he raises. I haven't read an article from Time or any other mainstream publication in decades, but this is real journalism. Time is letting people read it online without subscription. http://healthland.time.com/2013/02/20/bitter-pill-why-medical-bills-are-killing-us/ I hope this forum allows links because this is one of the most important articles written on healthcare in years. It raises many issues about medical lobbyists (many times larger than military industral complex), Mastercharges and how hospitals determine rates, how most nonprofit hospitals make more profit than for profit hospitals. I hope Propublica writers read the article and follow up on all the issues it raises.
There are a couple of problems with the evidence backing up the information presented above. First, the evidence for nutritional interventions in preventing pressure ulcers is weak and inconclusive. Although everyone should be fed, of course, the Mayo Clinic source linked above also contains erroneous information, e.g. about patient repositioning for prevention of pressure ulcer. Latest evidence shows that every 3 hours if frequent enough (two hours was never based in actual research; it was mere ritual.)
Second, the evidence for checklists in acute care settings shows that they fall short of the promise we once thought they held for improving safety. Read this metaanalysis http://www.biomedcentral.com/1472-6963/11/211 to find out more.
Commenting on this story is closed.
Patient Safety: Exploring Quality of Care in the U.S.
More than 1 million patients suffer harm each year while being treated in the U.S. health care system. Even more receive substandard care or costly overtreatment.
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Tag: red cafe
Red Cafe ft Trey Songz, Wale and J.Cole – Fly Together Remix [Music]
A brilliant collaberation of artists provides the formula for the "Fly Together Remix", and Red Cafe, Trey Songz, Wale and J.Cole ensure fans aren't disappointed with the outcome. Red Cafe has called upon the three established musicians for the official remix, which has spread across the blogosphere very quickly over the last 24 hours. The single is not attached to any specific project, and no confirmation on a video is available either. You can listen to Red Cafe ft Trey Songz, Wale and J.Cole – Fly Together Remix on the hulkshare player below.
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How can I find out how many of my pages have been indexed by Google?
If your website is abc.com then type site:www.abc.com in Google search box. Google will display all the index pages of your website.
Hi jennia,you could sign up for "Google Webmasters".It will help you track various aspects of your website, including indexed pages.
Alternatively, get the "WebRank" toolbar for Firefox, it shows indexed pages, pagerank, backlinks etc for sites that you visit.
There are many addons applicable to firefox like seoquake etc.,. You can install anyone of those addons and check the pages indexed by the Google
You can check it by manually in Google like site:www.yourdomain.com.
Or you can also use Webmaster Tool.
signup in google analytics.
You can use google webmaster tools to help your site index quickly. I use it and no problem indexing my new site.
The best way is what the member ezitag wrote.Just write is the Google search bar:
site:yourdomain.com (or net, org....whatever your domain extension is)
If your site has been indexed, you will see it in the results (plus any other indexed inner pages).
Really a great news for us. That web ranking toolbar.
Yeah you can check it in Google webmaster tools and can get a full report on it.However for the beginners It might be difficult so best is if you open your browser and type site:www.---.com in google and you can see the results.
that is correct, try this.
I also recommend seoquake as you can see how many links are indexed also with yahoo and bing.
Firs you have to download google toolbar Through google toolbar you can find pages index by google as well as so many thing also.
Yes, me too. :agree: when you go with seoquake, it will show all the pages that related to your site. and also it show that your site,Nofollow/Dofollow, Google PR, Google Index, specially about Alexa Rank.
I totally agree that SEOQuake is the best tool that you are looking for. Apart from the backlinks, you can almost perform every optimization for your website.
The easiest way to see how many and what pages were indexed by google do like this: if your site is for example "123.com" just go to google.com and search for "site:123.com" All the results will be the pages indexed from that site.


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Mission Statement
Saint Leo University Mission Statement
Saint Leo University is a Catholic, liberal-arts based University serving people of all faiths. Rooted in the 1,500-year-old Benedictine tradition, the University seeks balanced growth in mind, body and spirit for all members of its community. On its University Campus and many extension Centers, Saint Leo University offers a practical, effective model for life and leadership in a challenging world, a model based on a steadfast moral consciousness that recognizes the dignity, value and gifts of all people.
To accomplish its mission, the University community creates a student-centered environment in which love of learning is of prime importance. Members of the community are expected to examine and express their own values, listen respectfully to and respond to the opinions of others, serve the community in which they live, welcome others into their lives and care for all of God's creations.
Department of Athletics Mission Statement
The Department of Athletics at Saint Leo University seeks to preserve and enhance the mission of the University, its culture and values based environment by providing a challenging, diverse and continually improving intercollegiate athletic program. The Saint Leo University Department of Athletics program provides for the emotional, physical and social well-being and development of the student-athlete. It nurtures individual growth and progress by offering opportunities for the development of leadership, skills and talents on the field, as well success in the classroom. Intercollegiate athletics enhances the university experience for both the participant and the observer. The Department of Athletics strives to encourage unity within the Saint Leo University community by providing a program of excellence, honor and integrity.


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We're celebrating our second birthday (and summer!) with a road trip, and we kicked it off this weekend in Brooklyn, New York. We set up camp at Smorgasburg in Williamsburg and doled out our favorite food and drinks and kept the crowd entertained with live music, a photo booth and more. Plus, Baron Ambrosia and Eden Grinshpan from Eden Eats stopped by to take part in the fun.
Here's a look at what went down:
Visit our Facebook page to see if we're coming to your town + enter for a chance to come meet us — at the New York City Wine and Food Festival.
Follow along as we tour the country on Twitter with the hashtag #CCSummerEats.


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If this is your first time on BYC, we suggest you start with one of these three options:
If you're already a member of our community, click here to login & click here to learn what's new!
Now I Have seen everything..... Chicken Panties???
Discussion in 'Pictures & Stories of My Chickens' started by ItsSuzzie, Oct 3, 2008.


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Ishihaze glaze recipe
Posted 11 December 2012 - 12:54 AM
Posted 11 December 2012 - 02:03 AM
I will sometimes add a 50/50 mix of dark (iron rich) silica sand and high iron grog to a white stoneware body yielding a nice white background with plenty or flecking. the raw clay has a sort of "cookies n' cream" candy bar look.
Or adding granular magnetite or ilmenite can give similar effects when added to your favourite clear or white glaze. Pitting and uneven/ hard to control flecking can also occur.
Firing in reduction will enhance the flecking/speckling from the clay body.
Posted 11 December 2012 - 02:11 AM
Posted 11 December 2012 - 02:20 AM
IDK anything about this!
But it sure sounds like a big old hunk of heavy iron grog, maybe even use kyanite like in Soldners Raku body.
Posted 11 December 2012 - 02:25 AM
Ishihaze. A "stone explosion." Before firing, many of the impurities of the clay are removed. But some potters like rougher clay, and leave in small stones that sometimes burst out on the surface during firing - called ishihaze. Often found on Bizen and other yakishime (high-fired unglazed stonewares). http://www.e-yakimon...techniques.html
Posted 11 December 2012 - 02:39 AM
A video called Japanese Pottery History said there is Potash and iron in the clay body, so maybe that's it.
I was about to ask can you add GROG to the glaze or the clay to create this effect and the answers below suggested this.
What is it like round2potter to throw with the grog clay? I just bought some fine grog today, but it doesn't look so fine to me and i'm wondering how to make it finer.
I wonder if I can make a billyjoesbutterwhite by adding some iron to the body? Or Mark, do you know where to find the recipe please? Or would iron shavings from a bbq scourer do the trick? How much exactly would I need to use?
And is it food safe with so much iron in the clay?
Edited by Essaily, 11 December 2012 - 03:09 AM.
Posted 11 December 2012 - 03:20 AM
Food safety depends on the glaze and the clay, and the firing schedule.
A lot of people i have worked with complain that the groggy clay i use tears up their hands.
As a result my hands are always baby smooth.
But it all depends on what you are doing with it, and just how big the grog is. I don't really use much anything bigger than sand size pieces; half of what I add to the white stoneware (which has fine grog) is sand.
Only once has grog drawn blood for me; and I was removing the excess clay at the skirt of a pot with my finger. The pressure onto the wheelhead caused a hunk to sink itself in the pad of my finger.
I do however use fine grog in my clay,
The added strength is amazing, and i am fairly certain it helps the clay to withstand thermal shock
Also, heavy grog will catch and drag on a trimming tool; its not a problem really, but some would say a fine grogged body is easier to trim.
Posted 11 December 2012 - 10:48 AM
For the "premier" examples of this effect, research the ceramics made in the town of Shigaraki in Shiga Prefecture. The best clay for this in Shigaraki is called Kinose. The deposits of the best clay are severely depleted... and if you can get it.... it is very expensive stuff.
One interesting technique (not from Shigaraki) is to put a layer of a high kaolin white slip in a thin coating over the clay body containing the rocks. Then the rocks sort of break through the slip layer as the clay shrinks in the firing. Over this is a layer of a milky transparenty glaze.
If you want a US commercially prepared clay that is somewhat like this kind of Shigaraki Nasty Clay thing, get "Grogzilla" from Clay Planet )Orton Cone 9-10 clay).
The images you posted look more like just the effect of hematite (iron) nodules in the clay body bleeding into the glaze layer rather than "ishihaze". But it might be the resolution of the pictures so I can't see it.
John Baymore
Adjunct Professor of Ceramics; New Hampshire Insitute of Art
Former Guest Professor, Wuxi Institute of Arts and Science, Yixing, China
Former President and Past President; Potters Council
Posted 11 December 2012 - 11:43 PM
Posted 13 December 2012 - 04:20 AM
2bonsaiinside.jpg 107.74KB 54 downloads
Anyway, Grogzilla is crazy groggy, some of the grog is almost 1/8th of an inch so its probably not great for wheelwork. Works fine handbuilding though!
Whistling Fish Pottery
Posted 19 December 2012 - 01:31 AM
Posted 20 December 2012 - 03:51 AM
A technique I've used for pitted surfaces with hand-building is to roll cornmeal or coffee grounds or some other organic material into the surface then burnish it in. It burns out in the firing, leaving a bunch of small pits that are pretty cool.
Whistling Fish Pottery
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Ken Burns: The National Parks: America's Best Idea Blu-ray
Blu-ray�NPA600B List Price: $129.99 Our Price: $69.99
THE NATIONAL PARKS is the story of an idea as uniquely American as the Declaration of Independence: that the most special places in the nation should be preserved for everyone. The series traces the birth of the national park idea in the mid-1800s and follows its evolution for nearly 150 years, chronicling the addition of new parks through the stories of the people who helped create them.
Browse other items in:Going Green
- 6 Disc DVD $59.99
- Hardcover Book $49.99
- Single CD $18.99
- Blu-Ray� & CD $84.99
- Related Items
- Features & Benefits
- Length: 720 minutes
- Closed Captioned: No
- Color: Yes
- Stereo: Yes
- Number of Programs: 1
- Subtitles: Yes
- Production Year: 2009
- Country of Origin: United States
Professional Reviews:
2010 Emmy Award Winner for Outstanding Non-Fiction Series.
Winner of Home Media Magazine's Third Annual High-Def Award for Best Nonfiction Blu-ray.
"...a strong candidate for the most beautiful program ever to air on American television." - Orlando Sentinel
"Absolutely riveting nature cinematography...think of it as Planet Earth featuring places you may actually go..." - Mark Kirby, GQ MAGAZINE
"....A twelve-hour, six-part feast of spectacular cinematography, archival photographs, and old-fashioned storytelling...." - Sue Halpern, CONDE NAST TRAVELER,
"It's a lavish production..." - Jonathan Storm, PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER
"Better make those park reservations now. The country's most famous documentarian is hoping to do for the national parks what he did for its battlefields after the airing of his landmark PBS series "The Civil War"" - Martin Miller, LOS ANGELES TIMES
"Majestic..." - Lisa de Moraes, WASHINGTON POST
"A brilliantly told tale..." - CAMPING LIFE MAGAZINE
"The National Parks, America's Best Idea" - which is scheduled to be shown over six nights on PBS in the fall - is stunning and restorative, like the parks themselves." Timothy Egan, NEW YORK TIMES
"Burns hears America singing. He is a veritable Fourth of July parade humming in tribute to the philosophy of Thoreau, the idealism of Thomas Jefferson and the eye of Ansel Adams. The baby-faced filmmaker is a big brass band noodling the theme of democracy." - Joanne Ostrow, DENVER POST
- Product Description
- Length: 720 minutes
- Closed Captioned: No
- Color: Yes
- Stereo: Yes
- Number of Programs: 1
- Subtitles: Yes
- Production Year: 2009
- Country of Origin: United States
- Directed and produced by Ken Burns
- Special Features:
Disc One - The Making of The National Parks (Includes Spanish Audio and Subtitles);
Disc Two - Capturing the Parks (A behind-the-scenes look at filming of The National Parks: America's Best Idea);
Disc Three - Musical Journeys through the National Parks (National Parks Timeline, Peace at Last/ Across the Ocean, Horizons, Green Groves of Erin, The Shores of Ogygia, Teddy Bears' Picnic);
Disc Four - Outtakes (An Interview with Nevada Barr, author and former National Park Service ranger; and The Boss, the story of Frank Pinkley and Casa Grande. Narrated by Ken Burns);
Disc Five - The National Parks: This Is America (Mini Documentary, Includes Spanish Audio and Subtitles); and
Disc Six - Contemporary Stories from America's National Parks (San Antonio Missions: Keeping History Alive, Yosemite's Buffalo Soldiers, Mount Rushmore: Telling America's Stories, Manzanar: "Never Again," City Kids in National Parks, Includes Spanish Audio and Subtitles).
- Video: 1080i High Definition 1.78:1 (Originally shot on Super 16 Film)
- Audio: English Dolby TrueHD 5.1, Spanish Stereo, Described Video for the Visually Impaired
- Subtitles: English SDH, Spanish SDH (for deaf and hard of hearing)
- Region: A


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Quote:Quote:ask yourself HOW THE HELL IS THIS A COMPELTE STYLE?!? ... Now just figure it out... the human beings of karate past did it, no reason you cant. exactly. what you are doing is not new. next time someone asks your style, maybe answering "MMA" would make more sense. THEN you could say which forms are the basis for your fighting style. There was a guy on here before that had a name for his own style...he hand picked kata from here, technique from there, applied immagination and he came up with the "Raptor" style...apparently some of the basis was upon watching Jurasic Park.what I can't understand is how someone can feel qualified to come up with a fighting system, when they haven't even become proficient in an established one yet. In my opinion if MA is not your full-time career, don't attempt to re-invent the wheel until you have a wheel to work with.In any event, enjoy yourself.
Quote:ask yourself HOW THE HELL IS THIS A COMPELTE STYLE?!? ... Now just figure it out... the human beings of karate past did it, no reason you cant.
Quote:Sanchin, Opening in saifa kata. Right fist is vertical high hiki-teleft fist is clenching the right fist (sometimes also interpreted as open hand against the vertical fist). Moving slightly out of direction in semi long stance then turning 90 degrees to the left into musubi dachi pulling the right fist down to the left accompanied by left fist. This movement has to my knowledge no name and is used to break free from a grasping hand / deflecting a punch / locking or inflicting trauma on elbow-joint of an incoming attack.To further discuss your Motobu influence, do you incorporate ti into your applications of kata or do you stick to atemi-waza.
Quote:Sanchin, it is not a punch.Kata will never start with offense, always defense anticipating an attack. The opening will redirect opponents attacking force evading direct contact and redirecting through quarter turn (footwork) supported by the handwork to break free or to put a lock on the elbow joint. A tsuki would have a linear traject regarding footwork not a circular. The fist also stays in contact with your body.It is a pull not a punch and I have never seen it in trainig a basic technique.In view of beginner kata, talking about goju-ryu, before WWII sequence would be sanchin seyunchin sesan tensho as base to understand goju-ryu. I am always told that if you practise sanchin regulary the other kata will be easier to perform. Because it is such a harsh kata to learn, gekisai kata was added. To contribute to the learning curve, others have added takyoku / fukyu / kihon kata. The core of the goju-ryu system is sanchin - seyunchin - sesan - tensho.Sanchin, have fun at the Motobu siminar. Give an impression afterwards ?
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HOUSTON - The kids are out of school and many of us have out-of-town guests to entertain, so we're checking out stops you can make around town without breaking the bank.
In Galveston at Moody Gardens Festival of Lights, if you buy a ticket tonight, you get one free with a non-perishable food item. Donations will go to the Galveston County Food Bank. The offer is for the Festival of Lights. Other exhibits will cost you extra.
If you get an e-reader for Christmas that you're not quite sure how to use, you can head over to the Bellaire City Library on Dec. 27 for a free tutorial on downloading ebooks. The session is from 5 to 7 p.m.
You can get into the Museum of Fine Arts for free all day next Thursday, courtesy of Shell.
There will also be a free screening of the animated movie Eleanor's Secret at 2 p.m. next Thursday and Friday at the museum.
Downtown Houston will be the spot to ring in 2013. There will be fireworks and special video projections on Houston buildings.
The lawn at Discovery Green will be turned into a disco with free entertainment by KC and The Sunshine Band.
If you can't quite make it until midnight, there will be two countdowns at Discovery Green. The first celebration will happen at 9pm complete with a kids confetti countdown.
Then at midnight, the real celebration with fireworks.
If you any have energy left on New Years Day, there's free admission to the Houston Zoo from 2 to 5 p.m. Enjoy the holidays.
Copyright 2012 by Click2Houston.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.


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I love sugar cookies, but sometimes they are more about the pretty shapes and decorations then they are about the flavor. This recipe is both festive and delicious. I add lemon juice and zest to give the cookies and icing a bit of a zing. The decorating can be as simple as spreading the icing over the cookie and sprinkling them with icing sugar. If you want a more sophisticated look, you can go all out and have a perfectly smooth finish, which takes a little more time, but the cookies are a show-stopper for a 4th of July party.
Star Sugar Cookies
Makes: 60 small cookies or 30 large
Prep time: 30 minutes
Bake time: 8 to 10 minutes
Decorating time: depends on the finish you like
Skill: Easy, but several steps
For cookies:
3 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 2/3 cups sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon lemon extract
1 teaspoon lemon zest
For royal icing:
3 tablespoons meringue powder (available online here)
1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
1 pound confectioners' sugar
3 ounces lemon juice, strained
For decorating:
Food coloring gel (available online here)
Icing sugar
To make the cookies:
In a bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt, set aside.
In a stand mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing on medium speed until well incorporated. Mix in the extracts and zest.
Add the dry ingredients and mix just until it comes together and no flour is visible. Divide the dough into two or three packets and refrigerate the dough until set, about an hour. Can be frozen for up to a month.
To bake the cookies:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
Using enough flour to prevent the dough from sticking, but not too much or the cookies will be tough.
Roll it out to about 1/8-inch thick circle. Use a star shaped cookie cutter to cut out the cookies.
Set them on the prepared baking sheets, leaving some space between them.
Bake for about 8 minutes, or until just golden on the bottoms.
To make the royal icing:
Combine all the ingredients for the icing in the bowl of a stand mixer, fitted with the whip attachment. Blend together on low speed until all the sugar is blended with the lemon juice, then turn it up to medium-high and whip to stiff peaks.
Divide the icing into separate bowls, how many will be determined by the colors you are making. Add the food coloring to create the color you desire. Make sure to cover the bowls with plastic wrap so the icing will not harden.
For simple decorations:
Spread a thin layer of the icing over the cookie.
While the icing is still soft, sprinkle the cookie with the icing sugar. Do this over a paper plate so you don't make a mess and waste the sugar.
To make a more sophisticated design:
Fill a paper pastry bag with some of the icing and cut a small hole at the tip. Trace the outline of the cookie with the icing.
In a small bowl combine the icing you want to use as the filler with a bit of water, to create an icing that will flow. Start with just a few drops and add more as needed. It should be the consistency of slightly thin honey.
Fill another pastry bag with the thin icing and carefully fill in the center of the cookie, being careful not to put so much that it goes over the outline.
While the filling is still wet, sprinkle it with the icing sugar. Be sure to leave the cookie flat until it sets hard. Once the icing is set, which can take an hour or more, they are safe to stack.
Get the printable recipe here.
More 4th of July Dessert Recipes:
- Red, White and Blue Velvet Cake
- 4th of July Berry Tart
- Stuffed Strawberries
- Berry Trifle
- Red, White and Blue Bruschetta
- More Dessert Recipes
Zoë François, author of Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day, Healthy Bread in Five Minutes a Day and Artisan Pizza and Flatbreads in Five Minutes a Day, studied at the Culinary Institute of America in New York. She now calls Minneapolis her home, where she has worked with some of the top talent in the culinary world — Steven Brown, Andrew Zimmern and many chefs at the D'Amico company. In addition to writing, Zoë teaches baking classes and consults at restaurants. You can find her writing and recipe creations on Devour, on her baking blog, zoebakes.com and on the site, www.breadin5.com.