Saturday 1 October 2011

Ashtanga Yoga


I've been washing my mat in the tub with Dr.Bronner's peppermint soap and a scrubbie, and hanging over a rack dryer till dry. Still smelly... and how could that possibly be true! My next step was to chuck it in the washer. Then I was reading about mat wash products and I thought it sounded a big waste of money. But I had to do something to un-funkify the thing.



I have an Aurorae rosin bag so I thought I'd give their mat wash a try before I resorted to the washer. I had to spray my mat twice and scrub it down with a cloth. That cloth was really brown from all the grime I rubbed out, probably all that rosin I use. Ewww.



My mat is now soft and clean and smells wonderful. I thought it might be sticky or greasy after the wash but it's not. Now I don't have to risk sticking the mat in the washing machine. I said this in a review of their rosin, I trust the products this company makes. And when my mat goes, I will be getting one of theirs to replace it. Aurorae Organic Yoga Mat Wash-Cleans, Restores, Refreshes and Disinfects your Yoga Mat, Biodegradable. USDA approved, Made in USA.

This Aurorae mat spray is awesome! It smells great, and cleans my mat easily and thoroughly. I spray down my mat after class. It disinfects all those sweat stains, and refreshes the material beautifully. The spray fits conveniently into the Aurorae demin mat bag. I highly recommend this product!

This stuff smells nice and does an efficient job of cleaning the mat. Besides that I like supporting small business, especially in this economy. The owner of Aurorae works hard to provide nice products and helpful yogic information. Frankly, he taught me more about taking care of my yoga mat than any of my yoga instructors ever did. So I continue to buy from him rather than corporate giants. I would suggest this as a stocking stuffer for any yogis you know, even the beginners can use it. Even better value is the package that includes a towel and yoga rosin. The best part, if you give it was a gift you don't have to worry about the size!

I have received most items from this company as I totally trust them and their quality. This product just adds to their reputation. Easy to use, leaves a wonderful clean natural smell and all Natural. Use after using and let dry completely before using mat.

I have been using this mat cleaner for a few months now and it not only does a very good job cleaning and restoring the mat but it smells wonderful. I have used a few other mat cleaners and none have smelled as good or have done the job that this cleaner does. Aurorae makes great products and I highly recommend their spray and mats!

As I was lying face down on my yoga mat I thought 'I should clean this', so I bought some Aurorae cleaner rather than risk putting the mat in my washing machine at home (apparently its fine to do this, but to be honest, I'd rather buy a new mat that take the chance of causing damage to the machine). This cleaner does the job nicely. A quick spray and a wipe with a towel after ever class keeps my mat smelling fresh and clean. It also prevents/eliminates buildup of oil from my skin which lessens the grip by the mat.



The cleaner comes in a fairly small bottle, so its easy to carry to class. It doesn't take much of the solution to clean the mat, so even though its a small bottle its pretty good value.'


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Live Points - live points, microsoft points


This is a lot better than doing it through your xbox. For one, no tax. The other reason, for me at least, is that if you put your credit card into xbox live, you cant remove it. You can change it, but it will always have a credit card on file. Buying these points through xbox live would have cost me $54.12. I would rather save that $4.12, thank you. Xbox 360 Live 1600 Points

First off, I'm an otherwise very happy Xbox Live Gold member. Instead of buying a points card from a retailer, I made the mistake of buying the points online from Microsoft through the Xbox. I used my gamer tag account and entered my credit card on the TV and I bought 500 points. I got the email confirmation that I bought the points. I then used the points. So far so good.



Over the next two days, four other Xbox charges totaling $30 mysteriously appeared on my credit card. Someone bought more points and a game subscription using my credit card info. I called Xbox Live support- their answer was "we don't give refunds." I explained that it's not a REFUND if my account is used fradulently. They still said no.



Note that clearly the security leak was with them, as no other fraudulent charges appeared on my credit card...just Xbox charges.



I then asked them to delete my credit card info from my Xbox Live account. They said they could not do this. I could not believe this! Given that someone had access to my credit card and they were unwilling to remove my credit card info, I had no choice but to cancel my credit card.



My advice- buy the points from a trusted source like Amazon. Don't ever give Microsoft direct access to your credit card info. I hope this helps.

I've lived overseas in Europe for the past 8 years working with the military. The thing about Xbox live is that they dont accept APO address's for the credit card (Armed Forces Overseas address). Now i can order the code in 5 seconds instead of having to buy a card and have it shipped to me. Thankyou sooooo much Amazon.

This is a great denomination to release Microsoft points in. Since most games on Xbox Live Arcade are purchased in 400 point ($5) increments this card give you the ability to download ten 400 point games or five 800 point games or some other combination (you get the idea). $50 is also a much more acceptable amount than the $62.50 for 5000 points. Since this is on a card it makes this possible to give as a gift or buy without using a credit card. This would be a worthwhile purchase for anyone with an Xbox 360 and Xbox Live.

This is a must have if your xbox 360 is connected to the internet. It is used in place of money on the xbox live marketplace. Their you can buy new skins for the xbox guide, HD and standard definition movies and TV shows. Movies include Superman Returns, The Departed, Blood Diamond, and Jackass. TV shows include Star Trek, The Colbert Report and South Park.



HD TV shows are 240 points(per episode), so you can get about 6 with this card. Standard definition are 160, so you can get 10 with this card.



A new release movie in HD is 480 points, so you can get 3 on the card. New release standard definition are 320, so about 5 movies worth on the card.



Classic movies are 360 for HD and 240 for standard. So 4 and 6 movies respectively.



You can also purchase points directly through xbox live, 1000 points costs $12.50.

These reviews show up on the list for all four options, the one, three, and twelve month subscriptions, as well as the marketplace points. Carefully choose the "Size" above, which is where you choose between live "gold" months and marketplace points. Amazon just put all of these different products onto the same page, calling them different sizes.



There is of course a difference between months and points, as you can spend points without a gold subscription (just use the free included "silver" subscription with every XBOX 360), and you can certainly buy gold months without having to get any extra points. So one is not required for the other. The points get you extra content downloads, and the months get you online play time.

I bought one of these cards while it was slightly on-sale, making it a bit cheaper than buying points directly through Microsoft.



It's just a plain, plastic card with a portion that you scratch off to reveal a long key code that you enter into your XBL account.



A word of caution though. Don't scratch it too hard because you can actually scratch off the key code lettering, which is what happened to me. Luckily, I was still able to figure out what my code was and the card didn't go to waste.



With free shipping through my Amazon Prime account, this was easy enough and I saved a tiny bit of money.

I didn't get a bargain on these points when I purchased them (in other words, Amazon was selling them for the same price you could purchase them directly from Microsoft for), but with free shipping, it was an easy way to give my husband XBox points. My mom bought him Rock Band for Christmas, so I gave him points to download new songs with! I didn't want to put them directly on the XBox, and this was a good way to wrap them and give them to him as a gift. He loved them.

If you need points to buy games, gamer pics, themes, or movies through marketplace, you will need Microsoft points.



This card for 1600 points is $20.00 worth of points, so you save a penny!



Most people buy their points online through the marketplace, but these make great gifts for the Xbox 360 Game fan who you are not quite sure what to buy them.

This is an awesome service that amazon is providing to those of us who cant purchase the cards through our xbox. Those of us who are serving our country from out of the country (IE Europe) can not use our credit cards with APO bank acct's. So Thank you amazon this is awesome! - Microsoft Points - Xbox Live - Marketplace - Live Points'


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Micro Usb - charger


This isn't the same wall charger and micro-usb cable that I got with the Samsung Vibrant or the Nexus S phone, but it's more or less the same design... except that it sticks out more. Not as compact of a design. That's why it only gets 4 stars. If I could order the wall chargers that my phones came with, then I would get those instead.



BTW, for whatever reason, the picture used by Amazon shows the old Samsung proprietory connection. It's incorrect. It came with the micro-usb cable as described. Samsung Travel charger (Detachable W/Micro USB Cable)Samsung SPH-M330, SCH-R100, SGH-T939, SPH-M320

This charger is fine, just be aware that the maximum power output is 700mA, not 1000mA like many smartphone chargers. It'll work fine for most devices that charge from micro USB, but will take slightly longer. The included cable is on the short side (about 3') and seems very thin, but seems to work fine. Build quality seems fine, the USB cable fits properly and snugly into both the charger and the phone, unlike many cheap chargers.

This charger arrived with the wrong detachable cable. Contrary to another review, it arrived with the cable shown on the item page rather than the MICRO USB listed in the item description -- Beware! Now I am having to go through the return process. Thank goodness Amazon makes it easy. - Charger'


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Baby Hair Accessories - baby hair accessories, baby flower headband


I bought this for my newborn and I have to say, it's just precious! I love the different mix of colors & ribbons. The headband allows you to put it on a tiny head, or a grown one! And it retains its shape too, so you don't have to worry about stretching it out. Wild Child Giraffe Headband, Brown/White/Green/Blue, 0-12 Months

I bought this (along with the matching bloomers), for my soon to be arriving baby girl (due in July). I have been searching for anything cute and girly, that I will be able to dress her up in. I especially wanted to get her something that was super girly that I can have new born pictures taken in. I got the headband this morning, as well as the the bloomers. Both are ADORABLE. The headband is stretchy, but soft. It doesn't look like it will leave marks on her head. It is a pretty big bow, so I think she'll get use out of it for a while to come, and the headband does stretch out quite a bit, to fit more than newborn head size. I can't wait until she is here so I can get the pictures taken.

I love this bow so much! It was much bigger than I thought it would be, but its SO cute! Just like all the products I've ordered from Wild Child ( I bought the matching socks and bloomers) the quality is great!! So happy with this purchase! - Easter Headband - Baby Flower Headband - Baby Headband - Baby Hair Accessories'


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Paper Doll - paper doll, toys


My daughter got this set for her 3rd birthday. It was one of her favorite gifts, and has given her endless tub-time fun. However, the pieces are anything but durable -- one of the two dolls broke within a week, and all DD did was try to pull it out of the mesh bag! The second one lost an arm last week under normal play conditions (she is not rough on her toys, generally). It's more than a little annoying that these things seem to tear if you look at them funny.



On the other hand, I'm here about to order a second set, regardless of the durability issues. That should tell you something about just how much fun this toy is for little kids. Alex Fashion In The Tub

My nearly 4 yo received this for her 3rd birthday. She enjoys playing with it-making a "closet" on our tub wall to pick outfits out for the dolls. My now 10 month old with 7 teeth has chewed on several of these-as she grabs them off the wall (many of them stay up for several days on the wall without extra water) and likes to play with them... and none have been broken at all. I think this is a wonderful "big girl" tub toy.

My children love to play with this in the bath. They change their own clothes 10 times a day as it is. Not entirely durable; my toddler ripped one pair of pants in half the 3rd time we played, but honestly, if you do that, you can come up with even funkier outfits than the ones that come with it!

For some reason, my 2yo daughter suddenly started becoming fearful of taking baths. So we looked for things/toys that would take her mind off of the actual act of bathing. I found this item on sale on Amazon, and snapped it up. Our daughter absolutely LOVES LOVES it. She's very much into dressing up/down dolls and playacting; so this worked out perfectly. Now whenever we prepare the bath, the first thing she does is toss the netted bag (which holds all the pieces) into the tub.



I highly recommend this toy. It's so much fun, is durable, and even has its own container so you can easily keep track of the pieces or carry it around on family trips.

Both of my children love this toy! I have a 2 year old and an 8 month old. They would stay in the bath all day just to play with them. We have had them a couple weeks now and have not torn any.. they are made of a foam material so i wouldn't be surprised if they did but wouldn't care either. The price was great and they are now both of my girls favorite toy. AND!! I was able to get rid of all of the bath toys that always fell out of the hanging basket and hurt your feet if stepped on! They came with a basket to hang them but my girls stick them to the side of the tub and shower tiles when they get out, they stay firm until the next bath. GREAT TOY.

I bought this for my 3-year-old granddaughter's birthday. The idea is great, but the reality isn't as optomistic. The opening to the bag is too small to put all of the dolls & their accessories in consequently they get bent up and won't return to their original condition. This seriously impedes their ability to stick to the tub walls or for the clothes to stick to the dolls. The bag's suction cups don't stick as well as they should and the whole thing ends up falling off into the bottom of the tub. Still, with these drawbacks the kids have fun with them in the tub, but I wouldn't purchase any more of them.

My daughter loves this toy! We play with it every bath time. Its very helpful working on math as well. We count and sort all of the clothes in different categories every night (colors, seasons, item etc). The only down fall is if placed in the bag curved, the pieces will bend some and not stick to the wall easy. However, it is possible to bend them back! - Bathtime - Toys - Bath Toys - Paper Doll'


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Carrying Cases - netbook, ipad sleeve


I have to say, I was hesitant on getting this sleeve, for that some said it would fit the 15.4 inch laptops, and some 16's. I ordered this one, got in the mail just recently, tried it out, and it fits my Dell Studio XPS 16 (w/ the 16 inch screen) like a GLOVE!!! I LOVE the fact that on one side of it is lined with suede, so removing it makes it very easy!!! I feel confident now that I don't have to worry about leaving my computer somewhere, or have it collect dust, since I'm deployed out in Afghanistan at the moment. The zipper felt good, wasn't flimsy or anything, it should last as long as I keep the computer.



Also, I had ordered an OGIO Politan Pack just recently, and wasn't sure if the Sleeve with my laptop inside of it would fit, but sure enough it did!!! Not only am I happy with the purchase, but at the fact that sleeve fits PERFECTLY within the OGIO Politan Backpack!! So if it fits my 16inch XPS without any issues, any 15.4 inch laptop SHOULD fit in here as well... Case Logic VLS-110 Sleeve for 7-Inch to 10-Inch Netbooks and iPad

My iPad is in an Apple iPad case but I need a little more protection when it is in my backpack for traveling. Most so called iPad sleeves are expensive so I bought this thing, it fits well and it is cheap. Quite happy with this.

This fits my 16 inch Toshiba perfectly. The material is high quality, and it seems to have been assembled perfectly. The zipper glides smoothly, and Amazon is offering the case at a reasonable price. I would easily make this buying decision again.

I was looking for a basic sleeve to protect my iPad and Apple wireless keyboard while stowed inside my backpack. This case fit the bill perfectly. Additionally, the quality of design, materials, and construction FAR exceeded my expectations considering what I paid (under $15).



General comments:

Basic sleeve design for a netbook or iPad, as advertised. The construction is high quality, especially for the price. The material feels sturdy in hand, but is exceptionally light. Both sides of the sleeve are padded (neither side is rigid). The interior surface is smooth nylon. The interior portion of the zipper is protected from contents by a lip of fabric which, by its design, does NOT get caught up in the zipper. The zipper itself runs from the top left corner of the sleeve all the way down the right side of the sleeve, giving you the flexibility to only open the sleeve from the top or open it up more widely. Accented patches at the bottom and front center are a nice touch, providing good grip points.



iPad specific:

Bought the sleeve to house my iPad. Was despairing because I could not find a simple case to house both my iPad and my Apple wireless keyboard. Thought I would be forced to leave the sleeve open at the top with the keyboard sticking out. To my surprise, the iPad AND keyboard fit nicely together in the sleeve. The keyboard takes up the maximum height of the case, but the zipper closes nicely without being forced or rubbing, even with the iPad inside also.

*note: edited review two weeks after purchase* This is a very comfortable and compact case and build quality is excellent. It would be my favorite case if not for two things:

1) My 10.1" Aspire One with the larger 6-cell battery pack *BARELY* fits. It's a very tight squeeze and the zipper takes some effort to get it to close around the corners.

2) No room for extras. It's a real stretch to get any extras in the case. I cannot zip it closed if I put the power cord, mouse, etc in this same case.



This is a sturdy, well padded and very protective case. If you need to carry extras with it, choose something larger.

I bought this on Amazon and promptly returned it.



Pros:

-Fit my 14.1 inch HP Pavilion laptop snugly

-Leather (or imitation) grip on the bottom is a nice touch; gives much better grip than the slick nylon



Cons:

-Thick, but in all the wrong places. The front and back of the case have thick padding, but unless you expect to be using your laptop as a shield or to hit things, this is not a useful place for padding. The edge padding is thinner to non-existent, though this is exactly where one should want padding. Light style cases are meant to protect the laptop surface from scratches, and provide some cushioning when in the a backpack or bag. This laptop sleeve does not provide any more cushioning along the edges than the standard neoprene sleeves, so adds bulk but does not provide additional protection



The bottom line for me was that this case doubled the thickness of my (already not slender) laptop, but despite this did not provide any meaningful additional protection. I've purchased a Targus Laptop Case instead, which fits and protects my laptop equally well without adding needless bulk. If you really want that extra padding, this Lowepro Notebook Sleeve looks more useful. - Ipad Sleeve - Case Logic - Netbook - Netbook Case'


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Western Digital - 640gb, element


This is a case that will protect your valuable hard drive when toting it around. Well constructed and much better than cases sometimes supplied with hard drive purchases. The price is very reasonable too. The inside of the case has a non- abrasive lining and has a storage area for a usb cable. If you carry your portable hard drive around much, especially through airports, this is excellent protection that won't let you down. CaseCrown Hard Case (Black) for 2.5" Hard Disk Case

I bought this case together with a Seagate 1TB portable driver together with this , as suggested by Amazon during checkout. I absolutely love the case. It is sturdy, hard outer case with soft padding inside, fits my drive perfectly, and provides good protection against impact and dirt. One compartment straps the hard drive, while the other has enough room for the usb cable as well as other small items. I also love the design of the product. It was worth the price I paid for. I would definitely recommend this to anyone who is looking for a nice hard drive case.

Bought it as a protection for my backup disk because I'm traveling a lot. So far it does a good job and I don't have to worry about my drive get broken by my stuff. Highly recommended for those who want to protect their portable hard disks.

I bought this case specifically for my - Western Digital My Passport Essential SE 1 TB USB 3.0/2.0 Ultra Portable External Hard Drive, but I imagine it would fit all 2.5" external HDD.

The case's outer shell feels like a ballistic/nylon blend and I would feel very confident with school books or my laptop smashing it.



Solid construction w/ double zippers.



I spent 3 days scouring amazon's hard cases and for the price/prime/quality shipping, it couldn't be beat.

I brought this to carry my Macally Hi-Speed FireWire/USB 2.0 Storage Enclosure for 2.5-Inch SATA Hard Disk PHR-S250UAB (Silver) external drive. The case seems to be well made with good quality materials and a sturdy zipper. The drive enclosure fits perfect on one side of the case with two elastic straps to hold it in. On the other side of the centre partition is a small elasticised netting to hold the cables. With the Firewie 800 and two USB cables (data and power) that come with the drive in the case it is a bit of a tight fit but ok. The issue would be fixed with a shorter Firewire cable or if you only wanted to carry Firewire or USB not both. I like the fact that the case is more of a "hard" case, which just makes me a bit more comfortable as I travel a lot and want my drive well protected.

I got the red version of this case and was sold by the flap in the middle between the 2 sides. I have a WD Elements 320 drive. I wanted a hard case because I travel a lot, and this sucker would probably just be banged around in my backpack. This case is bulkier than the WD hard case, but I felt the WD case was just a bit too slim. If this case were slightly thinner and slimmer, it would be perfect! - Element - 640gb - Great Design - Case'


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Hewlett-packard - finance calculator, calculator


Why would you buy a 1980's calculator? Because it provides the best combination of form and function.While other calculators have gone high-end and become curiosities of mathematics and graphics, HP's customers do not want to let go of the 12-C, despite the fact that HP has more powerful calculators at a slightly larger price. Here's why I think: Just the right set of features. The average Joe using a financial calculator needs no more than the HP-12C provides. Sturdy and strong. The keys have a wonderful feel. Fits in a shirt pocket. Very reliable. They've had two decades to iron out any bugs. Large user base. Most financial courses will use this as the calculator of choiceBuy this calculator, if you need a financial calculator. You will not regret it -- I daresay that it will still be around when your kids need their own calculators. HP 12c Financial Calculator (12C#ABA)

I've been using this calculator so long, over fifteen years, that I can't imagine working without it. When I bought this thing it was alone in the field of financial calculators and the 12C is still the standard by which other calculators are judged. It has become the standard "tool of the trade" for financial professional types. I have a senior position with a leading money management firm and I require all of my financial analysts to learn how to master this tool. Learning to master the functions is like taking a review course in finance. The calculator can be used for a variety of financial functions including calendar (day count), interest, cash flow, IRR, compounding, NPV, standard deviation, weighted average, simple programming and more. The calculator is nearly indestructible which can be very handy when a trade goes against you and the calculator is suddenly flying across a trading room. The calculator has a nice form factor, the buttons are easy to use, it fits in a shirt pocket, and it has an auto shut off for battery conservation.There are other calculators available from HP such as the 10B for about a third the price and the 17B for about the same price. The 10B is inferior to the 12C and I see little reason to buy it. The 17B has greater functionality than the 12C, but I feel it is harder to master, harder to navigate, and it does not fit in a shirt pocket. However, the 17B does allow users to work in standard algebraic or RPN modes. The 12 works only in RPN (Reverse Polish Notation) which can be difficult to get used to. For example using RPN to add 1 and 2 you enter 1 <Enter key> 2 <Plus key>. In simple algebraic notation the key sequence is 1 <Plus key> 2 <= or enter key>. The difference is that with RPN you enter the operation (plus, minus, etc.) after you enter the values. With simple algebraic you enter the operation between the values.Overall, this is the "industry standard" calculator for financial professionals and is recommended by AIMR for people taking the CFA exam. I would not recommend this calculator for casual home use as it does take some time to master, but once mastered it is a very powerful tool.

Calculators may seem a bit "dated" in this age of Palm Pilots and PC's, but when you have to do a lot of calculations and you don't have a spreadsheet on a laptop handy, a good calculator is invaluable.



If you calculate mortgages, compound interest, amortization or any of the common functions in finance on a regular basis, you can't go wrong with this classic calculator, long a standard of the industry. The 120 built-in functions are easy to use and well explained by the manual. Don't see a function you need? You can enter your own mathematical function, too.



If you DON'T do financial calculations regularly, but are in school for anything but science, this is also a great choice. You can even learn a lot about financial calculations just from the manual. (For science students and scientists, HP makes a scientific version calculator with statistical functions instead of financial ones.)



If you are a regular person looking for a calculator, I REALLY recommend this one--we all borrow money (car loans, house mortgages) now and then. And RPN, Reverse Polish Notation is SO logical and easy to use once you practice. (Simply put, to add two plus two = four, you enter 2 [enter], 2+ and the answer is there. VERY fast for long calculations, like balancing a checkbook.)



I find that the horizontal design (wider than long) is extremely comfortable to hold. And the 12C is very rugged. I used to know a guy from HP who was a rep for the calculator division. He'd demo them by slamming the HP12C against the wall, and then daring the rep from the Big Lone Star State Instruments firm to do the same with theirs. No contest.

This is "the calculator that wouldn't die". There were several other excellent HP calculators in this same series, including the HP-11C and HP-15C (scientific calculators) and the HP-16C (the only Computer Science calculator ever made), all of which shared RPN functionality (think of RPN as an adding machine on steroids), programmability, extremely long battery life (measured in years, not months), a sturdy case and keypad, and the perfect size, weight and ergonomics. Unfortunately, the rest of this line was discontinued by the end of the 80's in favor of fancier models. (I own an HP-11C and an HP-16C as well as an HP-12C; they're all excellent calculators. Used HP-16C models often sell for more than the original list price, they're in such demand.)So why is the HP-12C still around, virtually unchanged from its introduction in the 80's? Because Finance people are VERY conservative, and they just kept buying the 12C because that's what their mentors used, that's what classes were teaching with, and that's where the most help and information is available. They simply ignored newer, fancier models of financial calculators because the 12C already worked so well that nobody needed or wanted anything better! Sure, they're imported these days instead of being made in the USA as the original units were, but the design is unchanged. The packaging has changed, but the user manual has not.This calculator is a classic, destined to remain with us for many years... - Finance Calculator - Hp12c - Hp - Calculator'


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Artisan Bread - cookbook, easy


I'm a foodie; the kind of person who will drive miles to a bakery, who will visit Italy when the ricotta is sweetest. I'm also a skeptic. So, when I bought this book, I didn't expect much. But, was I ever wrong. What I love is that the authors turn everything you know about bread baking upside down, and the result is the best bread you'll ever make at home. Easily. Simply. Whenever you want. You must, however, read the introduction to the method to succeed as well as you might -- this is not a book to begin baking from the minute you buy it. But the few minutes you invest in all the suggestions pay off mightily -- how to tell when this particular kind of bread is really ready (I used to swear by an instant read thermometer -- forget that); how to dock it; how to store it, etc. The instructions are utterly clear. I've already baked ten loaves, each magnificent, and I've only had the book for a week. All kinds of breads are represented -- French loaves, ciabbata, pita, peasant -- I could go on and on. Enough for a lifetime of pleasure. Hertzberg and Francois are geniuses.



This is a terrific book ... I've tried the basic approach and it is great. To make it more useful (for some) I'd like to add a few notes.



The book has an unfortunate, (for me) bias towards light, fluffy breads and breads that rely on "ingredients". So...



Sourdough breads: I've been refrigerating my dough for years to increase the sourdough flavor. This books opens the door to a very simple approach to sourdough.



As the book notes, the sourdough taste increases with time in the refrigerator. So simply keep two sets of dough running ... a "dormant" set and an active set. Start by making a batch of dough. Stick it in the refrigerator and don't touch it for at least a week. After a week or so, make a second batch of dough. (I would mix in a hunk of the previously mixed, week old dough to enhance the sourdough development.) Now put this second batch away and start using the first batch ... which will have started to taste like a sourdough. When this first batch is used up, make up a brand new "dormant" batch and put it aside while you start using the batch that's been sitting in the refrigerator for the past week or so.



In this way you can keep a sourdough going forever, without any additional work. (Since you only a new batch when an old batch runs out.)



Rye and whole wheat: The technique is IDEAL for rye ... which is a gummy, no-knead but extremely delicate dough. I would certainly use much more rye than any of these recipes call for and would use the sourdough technique I mentioned above to develop flavor.



It its also ideal for whole wheat. The big problem with whole wheat is not the crust, (I'll mention a technique to bring out a crust), but that whole wheat contains bran, which, when kneaded, cuts the strands of gluten/protein. That's why 100% whole wheat is so dense. But, since you do not knead this dough, the bran does not cut the protein strands and the dough is free to rise almost as much as a white flour.



Personally, I use 50% rye and 50% whole wheat and, using the books oven technique get a great rise.



Another technique that develops a very thick crust, no matter the flour, is to bake the bread in a preheated, covered oven pot or casserole pot at 450 degrees.



By the way ... to get actual pumpernickel, forget the powders, (coffee and chocolate ... yeesh!) and just use pumpernickel flour in place of rye flour. (Pumpernickel flour is nothing more than whole grain rye flour.)

I have many bread baking books and was skeptical that this one would be any better or different. I expected either a catch in the "5 minutes", poor quality bread, or both. I made my first batch last week and was very impressed with both the ease and taste. You can really make the dough in just a few minutes and keep it in your fridge for use over the next 2 weeks. It was wonderful to be able to pull a chunk of the dough out of the container and have delicious bread (the last was more like a big roll) in just over an hour. I could make a loaf when I got home from work and serve it for dinner. There are many recipes included, but it also gave me a much more relaxed attitude toward the bread and I found myself making up my own additions by the time I was forming my second batch. I showed the book to a friend and rather than copy a few of the recipes, she decided to order the book herself because she said that everything looked good and it looked like stuff she would really make. Not many cookbooks earn that comment.



The book frequently calls for a pizza peel and baking stone. A set of the peel (or a suitable cutting board), stone (or an unglazed ceramic tile from Home Depot) and this book would make a great gift. In fact, I thought that I could cross several people off of my shopping list by buying the set or just the books for all. Unfortunately, it is already out of stock. Looks like I am not the only one who is impressed by it. I can't even give my book away and wait for a new copy because I spilled olive oil on it while making the sun dried tomato and Parmesan bread. By the way, it was delicious!



This is a great book for all cooking experience levels. The recipes are easy and the results impressive. - Artisan Bread - Baking - Gift Idea - Easy - Cookbook - Bread'


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Home Recording - recording, home recording


I was looking for the pre Amp for my microphone to do do voice over video and found this USB microphone from Audio technica. So I did not have to buy the preamp . Just plug it to the USB port then you go. It was very easy to use and noise floor very quiet, it does not record the fan noise from your computer or the background noise in the recording room, very happy with the purchase. Audio-Technica AT2020 USB Condenser USB Microphone

I've had this condenser microphone for about a month now and it has suited my purposes very well. I needed something to record podcasts with and do some voiceover work as well. I do my recording with Audacity, and the microphone was imediately recognized and easily installed as my primary microphone for Audacity. It is a very sensitive mic, and I had to build a small "porta-booth" ([...])to reduce the echo in the room where I record, but was able to get good clear recording after that. I recomend using a pop filter with this microphone to help reduce "S" & "P" sybillance. All in all, a very good microphone for the price.

This here is truly one of those hidden gem type products that you just don't really get to appreciate unless you have one for yourself. This is a great investment for anyone looking to do ANY type of recording on the casual level, vocals in particular. But why buy, you might ask?



1) This mic is USB powered. This is pretty much the prime reason that this is the perfect mic for the casual/beginning level user. If you were to buy a regular condenseor mic, or even the regular version of the AT Condenser Mic, you would have to have additional equiptment to power it. For those who, like me, know very little about audio equipment, you would end up paying for far more then you originally expected to spend and most likely been all kinds of confused about how to use it. Being USB powered is truely a God-sent, because all you need to do to make it work is plug it in. Theres no program to load, no instructions to follow, and best of all no sweat to break. As soon as you plug it in, the computer acknowledges it just like any other UBS device and you go on with your buesiness. You dont even need to sit and "safely" eject the thing, just yank it out and your done. No damage done to you computer or your mic. Best of all, the UBS cord is pretty standard, so you can easily replace it if the one that comes with it gets damaged.



2) The price. A lot of professional level condenser mics are pretty expensive, like around three hundred dollars at the cheapest level. Granted, that's a somewhat random number, but again, for the casual user, that's not exactly wallet friendly. I got mine in a music store for one fifty. I wish I had looked online for one a little cheaper, but it was still a wise investment. Thus far I haven't seen another mic this good for this cheap.



3) Durability. If you have any experience with audio equipment, mics in particular, you know that you need to be gentle with it when handling. I got my mic a good year and a half ago, and it's traveled with me a lot, sometimes in less gentle conditions then I would like. Its been bumped, dropped, and even sat on, yet it still runs strong. The only fragile thing this thing has on it is the legs that prop it up.



4) Sound Quality. Ok I lied, THIS is the best reason to get this mic. I started out doing vocals with a regular stage mic and one thing I can honestly say is that the quality was absolutely terrible. It was grainy, smothered, and I had to almost whisper to make sure my levels didn't peak while recording. The purpose of a condenser mic is to pretty much rectify all that. This one does it over and over again. My recordings come out crisp and professional sounding, and thus far, no one has been able to tell that I did all the recording my my basement with nothing but the mic, my laptop, and some quite time.



So if you looking for great quality for a affordable price, look no further then

Audio Technica AT2020USB. I have yet to find something I don't like about this thing. I am a very satisfied customer, and I can almost guarantee you will be too if you decide to get one too.





Peace

I am a musician. I use a lot of acoustic-guitar in my songs as well as my own vocals. I had been using the built-in microphone on my macintosh computer for a few years...it did the job but the quality was noticeably lacking. I love top-notch quality in my music...I hate settling for less...I decided it was time to invest in a quality mic. I saw the reviews for the AT2020 and decided to go with it. Two minutes after it arrived at my door the mic was plugged into my computer and fully working.



The quality blew me away. I had to tweak a few settings in garageband (reverb, EQ) to get the clean sound I wanted but it took very little time to do. My vocals are now very clear and the acoustic guitar sounds so much more alive in my recordings.



I noticed that when my RAM is lagging there is a VERY noticeable sound delay (This is due to the fact it is not a direct line in, rather it is a USB mic that has to take up more RAM to process the sound). I fixed this problem by closing out of the other programs and/or unplugging the USB cord, waiting a few seconds, then plugging the cord back in - sound lagging problem solved.



The mic is heavier/bigger than I thought it would be. It is constructed with quality materials (I'd venture to guess that the entire exterior of the mic is made of metal). Included in the box are the USB cord, the Mic, tripod legs, booklet, and a soft travel case.



I am VERY happy with this mic. For the price you are getting an amazing deal.



5/5



Update Mid March 2011:



It has been nearly a year since purchasing this mic and so far I am still very impressed with it. Since buying this mic I updated my recording software to Logic Pro 9 and the mic still works perfectly. I have accidentally dropped the mic numerous times and it still performs the way it did the day I got it. And if ever it does break, I will not hesitate to buy another one - this mic is perfect for both vocal and instrumental recording, and for the price it is an absolute steal.



5/5 - Microphone - Podcasting - Recording - Home Recording'


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2 Gb Sd Memory Card - digital camera, sd card


I bought this card a month back from Amazon. It works and has disk space what is advertised. However, it is slower than other cards. In comparison, it is far slower than Panasonic one and is slower than Kingston one with the same capacity. This I can witness when capturing a video clip from my Panasonic FZ30 camera. With this card, it requires atleast a 2 seconds lag before camera becomes ready for next shoot. However this is of course is not a case with what others card I have; in Panasonic no lag and with Kingston about a 1/2 sec.



This is a good card, if you are not considering in-camera write speed. Rest is ok and no problem found, and really worth with the given price, at least far cheaper than Panasonic one. Transcend 2 GB SD Flash Memory Card TS2GSDC

Why would you want to spend 2x 3x 4x times your hard earned money for a popular name on your SD Card when this card works wonderfully. If you are an average amature photographer or one that takes photos as a hobby this is the card for you. I use these cards in my Pentax K10D and K100D and shoot RAW and JPG shots as many as 100+ a day and have never had any problem with these cards. They are not High Speed but if you are not shooting more than 3 burst shots at a time they are just what you need.



Faster cards are good if you need them but let me tell you unless you are a professional shooting studio shots you do not need to look for the newer faster cards at 3 or 4 times the cost. You have all you need here in this Transcend TS2GSDC memory card.



DanS

I ordered a card from this seller and was impressed at the amount of pictures it gave me. Its almost too much for my camera but its nice to have the option to take 900 pictures if I want to.



I had an issue with the card though. After one day, it kept giving me a card error message and wouldn't save anything. Formatting didn't help. I called the seller, and he quickly sent me another card and I've had no issues since than.



I would buy from this store again!

I bought this item for the use in my digital camcorder. I was skeptical at first because i've never herd of transend media cards but I also couldn't pass up on the price either. so i bit the bullet and bought it and it does everthing i need it to. data transfer is great and i've used it for about 2 months now every day. great item greater price. a must buy.

I purchased two of these in April, 2009. The first failed in the second month, the second just failed today. In both cases, I received the message "memory card error" in two different cameras (neither would read them). Nothing like losing hundreds of pictures to make you really happy about a product. The low price isn't worth losing photos. - Sd Memory Card - Sd Card - Memory Card - Digital Camera'


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Cd Organizer - pepsi stuff, storage


This Case-Logic CD carrier is a good, solid storage device. It is pretty standard wallet, with space for 208 CDs or DVDs divided into 26 pages of sleeves (4 CDs each side, front and back), plus space for an additional 16 CDs inside the front cover. Although it is a tight squeeze, it is possible to fit both the CD and the booklet or liner notes into the same sleeve. The pages are held in place in a ring-binder type arrangement, so it is possible to unlock them and take individual pages out of the case, if you want to remove them for travel (or possibly to add more pages for more storage.)The sleeves are well padded, so your discs shouldn't get scratched. The top, bottom, and binding of the case are solid, and leave the contents well protected. I've had my case a few months and haven't had any significant wear or tear- the zipper seems to hold up well, too.Obviously, when full of 200+ discs, the case can get pretty heavy, and isnt going to be something that you want to take on a 3 hour trip. But if you move around a lot, or are looking for some long-term storage that will cut down on the bulkiness of your DVD cases, this is a good buy. I bought mine because I was moving from the US to Europe and wanted a way to transport and store my music and movie collection without all the extra packaging- and I've been satisfied. Case Logic Nylon CDW208-Disc Wallet (Holds 224CD/DVD)

I have 4 or 5 CD wallets. This is the best of them. They're all built reasonably well, but the fact that this case hase moveable pages makes it the best system for me. My cd's and dvd's absolutely have to be in alphabetical order. (Look up obsessive compulsive disorder and you'll know why.) So as my collection grows, I can add a page where needed and rearrange only a few dvd's instead of a lot. It's very sturdy for "storage" and I'd feel safe traveling with it too. I like this case and have recommended it to others. I don't store the inserts or paper so this is not an issue for me and I can't comment on it's usability in that regard.

BAD: I bought two of these so that I could dispense with my jewel cases.

I thought they served the purpose, BUT... after only a few weeks and very little use the tab that holds the CDs in (akin to the rings of a 3-ring-binder) no longer hold. My sister went to put it away tonight and half of the pages fell out. What a pain! I am also in agreement with the reviewer that said the 3-ring-replacement here is not very user-friendly, even when it does work as intended. If you need to switch pages around, you have to take everything in front of it out. UGh! I do not recommend.

GOOD: Nice looking, holds lots of CDs.

Case Logic cases were once the epitome. I have bought over 2 dozen of their cases over many years, and still have all of them. Their overall design, craftmanship, materials and selection have all gone down, while prices have gone up.



They used to provide a hard leather cover with precision metal fasteners, which have lasted me over 20 years. Now I get a very thin nylon membrane over cardboard, with cheap plastic fittings that are poorly assembled and do not last.



I have no complaints about the seller; just the manufacturer.



The ad claims "Durable padded outer-material resistant to heat, moisture, and tearing". Resistant by what yardstick? It certainly doesn't "resist" very vigorously, by my standard.

This is an excellent item, made sturdy, and will last a long time. The one thing i noticed about it is that the listing says it holds 208 discs, but when i recieved it, the cardboard slip that was on it says 224 disc capasity. I highly recommend this item

I purchased this CD wallet to eliminate my 2 towers of jewel cases. It fits all my CDs, and seems pretty sturdy. My only complaint is that you can't fit a CD with its liner notes in the same sleeve. You could put a CD in one sleeve and the liner notes next to it in another sleeve, but not both. I ended up cutting off the first page of each set of liner notes, and putting just that one page in with each CD so it's easy for me to find a CD by cover art. Also, the description is confusing about how many CDs it holds. It has 26 pages that hold 8 CDs each, which makes 208 CDs, PLUS slots for 16 more CDs inside the front cover. Therefore it holds a total of 224 CDs in the entire wallet.

Item is just as described and this particular item does infact match the pictures (05/14/2010). Some times amazons pictures can be wrong, this time it's dead on. Item feels durable and easy to use. Zipper construction and design are great. Nylon is well stiched, I'm not a proffessional but there seems to be no lose threads that I can find.Flipping the pages which are filled to the brim does not take much effort. Fast free shipping was a plus. Great price for the unit BUT I'd pay more for U.S.A. made items.***WOULD RATHER THIS SIMPLETON ITEM BE MADE IN AMERICA, TIRED OF CHINA MADE PRODUCTS! AND YEAH, I'M YELLING! - Storage - Cd Case - Cd Storage - Pepsi Stuff'


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Waffle Iron - belgian waffle maker, best waffle maker


Just so you understand my perspective, I am somewhat obsessed with kitchen appliances (waffle makers in particular). I make protein waffles in big batches for my kids every week or so, and freeze the extras. For many years I used a Vitantonio Premier Classic Waffler, but finally got tired of standing there for a really long time while cooking waffles one-by-one. The waffles also were never quite as crisp as I liked. So, then began my quest for the perfect waffle maker (which I define as having medium to large capacity, and the ability to quickly and consistently produce crispy and perfectly golden waffles). I purchased and tested many, many waffle makers over the span of 16 months, ultimately gathering an inventory of 13 waffle makers of various shapes and vintages. The Calphalon is the best I have found of the modern waffle makers. Here is why:



First I bought the Kitchenaid Pro Line Series Waffle Baker, which makes two big round Belgian waffles at a time. My kids decided the waffles were too big, and I decided the waffles weren't crispy enough, so I recently passed the Kitchenaid along to a friend. Fast forward past several other waffle makers . . . .



Then, hearing that retro waffle irons were better than modern wafflers (see, e.g., Frugal Gourmet among others), I obtained a vintage 1950's Sunbeam CG from a relative, and actually purchased a refurbished 1940's Sunbeam W-2 from Toaster Central. These beauties are from back in the day when products were built to last a lifetime, and non-stick coatings had not yet been invented. Both vintage waffle makers yielded superior results, much better than any of the modern waffle irons I had tried. I chalked it up to the cast aluminum cook surfaces (no non-stick coating) that must be appropriately seasoned and maintained. I was ready to give up on modern waffle makers.



Then . . . I read about the Calphalon "No Peek," with its "bronze" non-stick cooking surface. Well the Calphalon is the first modern waffle iron I have found that can match the crispy texture and consistently fabulous results of the vintage wafflers. I am thrilled that a modern producer has finally created a product to match the crispy and delicious results of the vintage wafflers. Thank you Calphalon -- I absolutely love this product!



(Also, I love the waffle recipes from King Arthur The King Arthur Flour 200th Anniversary Cookbook/Dedicated to the Pure Joy of Baking; for chat about vintage waffle makers and really good waffle batter and sourdough pancake/waffle batter see The Frugal Gourmet Cooks American; and my favorite book about the history of waffle makers see Antique Electric Waffle Irons 1900-1960: A History of the Appliance Industry in 20th Century America)



This waffle maker offers consistent service in the crafting of waffles. The unit sits authoritatively on your counter. It offers no nonsense crispness selection and rings politely when the waffles are done. There really is no need to peek, so the marketing is true. In the space of five minutes, you can have breakfast for two; or ten minutes for breakfast for four.



You may have to make a batch at each setting to get a feel for the degree of crispness offered. In any event, the inside texture remained moist and slightly chewy, regardless of the darkness/crispness chosen.



A nice feature is that the unit can stand on its side for storage. It cleans up very easily, as long as you do not over fill the squares. No more than 2 cups of batter, as recommended.



Although Calphalon describes this as a "Belgian" waffle maker, I believe this overstates the thickness of the waffles it prepares. They are certainly thicker than, say, Waffle House pancakes, but they are not true Belgian waffles, which should be closer to two inches thick. This unit offers a nice compromise between the two. The waffle cells are deep enough to hold little pools of partially melted butter and syrup in nice proportion to the amount of waffle in the average forkfull.

I am pretty picky when it comes to appliances and cookware. My wife and I wanted a waffle maker that would make more than one waffle, so that our family of three could all eat at the same time. Our old waffle maker made just one lousy waffle and then would take forever to make the next waffle for the next person. Not a fun way to eat a "family" breakfast on Sunday morning. Anyway, we finally sought out a replacement. This waffle maker meets all our expecations.



First, this waffle iron heats up very fast and evenly. I like the fact that I can dial in a predictable temperature (i.e., browning and crispness is controlled this way). I find it important to let the batter sit at room temperature a few minutes, so it is not so cold when it hits the waffle iron). Not to mention variations in ambient room temperature, an open window, etc. So, there is a lot of variability in cooking waffles and for consistent and predictable results you want to try to control the variability. Nuff said on that.



The waffle iron cooks the waffles evenly out to the corners, which is surprising considering how difficult it is to get even temperatures in square corners. The waffles cook almost evenly on top and bottom, but the bottom gets slightly darker than the top. A rotating waffle iron would take care of this very minor issue. This is my only reason for wishing I could give it a 4.9. Each waffle square takes about 1/2 cup of batter. Also, we always use a whole grain, hearty batter and tend to mix it on the thick side, and it handles this type of batter perfectly. Once closed it takes just about 90 seconds to get a near perfect waffle that is crispy and brown on the outside and fluffy on the inside. Also, the sliding lock on the side works great, as it keeps the waffle maker from opening as the waffles fluff up inside while cooking. We make extra and just freeze them to pop into a toaster and enjoy them in a hurry. The second batch of waffles cooks just as quickly and evenly, so no issues with variation in cooking cycle as found in some other waffle makers. Again, just try to keep the ingredients and cooking conditions consistent. The waffles do not stick at all, I mean they just lift out cleanly and easily - just perfect every time.



I was going to spend twice the amount of money but when I saw this waffle iron I thought I'd give it a whirl, and it has met my expectations. A rotating iron would perhaps eliminate the slight variation between top and bottom, as well as more evenly distribute the batter perfectly into each corner, and a round shape might cook slightly better. But not to the point where it would be worth spending any more money. The finish on this waffle maker also goes well with my high tech kitchen, which includes Wolf appliances, Sub-zero refrigerator, and quartz countertops. It has a certain bling factor, which I like, and appears to be well made. As far as "no-peek" goes, I think this is unnecessary marketing hype, and actually cheapens the high tech and quality image that Calphalon conjures up. You have to peek, at least until you figure out the cooking characterisics of this waffle iron. You wouldn't cook something in the oven without looking at it would you? I also like the consistency and thickness of the waffles that are produced (not quite restaurant thickness, but not too thin either) and the waffles reheat perfectly in a toaster (see my review of Breville toaster, which I also rate very highly).



Anyway, I am very satisfied with this waffle iron, as it cooks 4 high quality waffles evenly and quickly without sticking. And that is exactly what I expect a waffle iron to do! Buy it. - Calphalon - Waffle - Waffle Iron - Best Waffle Maker - Belgian Waffle Maker - Waffle Irons'


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