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The iHome iA100 -- Bluetooth makes the difference for me
I've written about car audio for Crutchfield since 2003, after four years as Crutchfield Sales Advisor, and 10 years as a music teacher. I'm an avid music listener, with a real love of classical and film music. I love having a great system in my car, and I'll still match the system in my 98 Ford Ranger (may it rest in piece) up against anything else I've heard for great SQ. I attended West Virginia University, where I received a Master's Degree in Music Performance and a Bachelor's Degree in History. Let's Go Mountaineers!
More from Ken Nail
Heads up!Welcome to this article from the Crutchfield archives. Have fun reading it, but be aware that the information may be outdated and links may be broken.
iPod® docks and clock radios are a pretty common sight on the shelves of electronics and department stores these days. Many are simple, utilitarian devices — fine if all you want is someplace to dock and charge your iPod and play some music, too.
But the iHome iA100 takes the simple iPod dock/clock radio concept further, with the addition of Bluetooth® and its compatibility with a variety of iPhone® and iPad® apps. And, for a nice extra touch, the iA100 also lets you dock your iPad. While the Apple tablet may seem a bit unwieldy for docking, the iA100 has a special integrated stand behind the dock that holds it securely in place. And there's no doubt that the combination of the iA100 and the iPad makes for a striking visual combo. I got a chance to give the iHome iA100 a test drive with my iPad recently — here are some of my impressions.
Sound quality that satisfies
After plugging the iA100 in and docking my iPad I got down to some listening — and I was pleased with what I heard. The iA100 packs four speakers into the chassis — two front-firing and two rear-firing — and this produced sound quality that was surprisingly robust for a compact system. I tested the iA100 playing music in several rooms in my home — living room, bedroom, kitchen, and study — and I found that while it certainly wasn't going to take the place of my living room's stereo system, it had more than enough punch to satisfy in smaller rooms.
Augmenting the output of the iA100 is Bongiovi Digital Power Station signal processing. This claims to extend audio bandwidth and add missing harmonics to your music, adding clarity and bass depth to compressed music files, like those found on your iPod. So, how well did it work?
Pretty darned well, actually. When listening to rock cuts, like the Meat Puppet's "Sam," there was an immediate "fasten your seat belts" reaction, as the bass and overall presence jumped up significantly. And listening to the Count Basie Orchestra in full roar, backing up Frank Sinatra in "Fly Me to the Moon" (from the incomparable "Sinatra at the Sands" album) was enough to stand what hair I have left on end. On the other hand, when doing some more laid-back, casual listening, the Bongiovi DPS wasn't really necessary — acoustic tracks and lighter classical fare sounded just fine, particularly for background music.
Cutting the cord with Bluetooth
So, the iA100 sounds great, and you can dock your iPad on it. Nice features, but the what really set the iA100 apart from other iPod docks I've used was built-in Bluetooth. It's one thing to be able to dock your iPad and listen to the music in your library, another to be able to sit back in an easy chair, checking your email and stream your music wirelessly to the iA100 at the same time.
Pairing was fast and easy. In fact, I've never paired a Bluetooth device as quickly as I was able to with the iA100. Once connected, I could browse my iTunes® library and listen to live streams and Internet radio while using my iPad. The convenience of checking my morning email while listening to the stream of my favorite public radio station made that morning cup of coffee taste even better.
The possibilities don't end there — iHome's iHome+Radio lets you access thousands of Internet radio stations, using your docked player as the interface. As of the time I wrote this it wasn't yet available for the iPad, but I saw it demoed with an iPhone when iHome visited Crutchfield recently. I think for an Internet radio fan with an iPhone it'd be heaven.
Of course, you can also answer your phone calls with the iA100 when you have a Bluetooth phone paired with it. And thanks to the included remote control all you have to do is press a button, even if you're sitting across the room.
Clock radio on 'roids
If you're thinking of using the iA100 in a bedroom, you'll have one of the most impressive clock radios around if you download the free iHome+Sleep app. This interactive alarm app lets you set multiple alarms customizable for every day of the week, and you can wake up to your choice of sound effects or any of the music you've got on your iPod. It'll even let you check the weather with a single touch, track your sleeping patterns, and notify your Twitter or Facebook accounts when you go to bed or get up — the last part's a little weird to me, but if that's what you're into...
Bottom line
The iHome iA100 is a killer product for someone who's looking for a compact but powerful stereo system that they want to use in conjunction with their iPod. While it certainly offers value simply on the merit of its excellent sound, the addition of Bluetooth and compatibility with apps makes it an attractive convergence product that'll fit right into the lifestyle of the connected user.


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Come see us at CMTS 2017
We will have a wide range of our latest machining technology on display at the upcoming CMTS event,...Read more »
With a wide range of wire EDM, sinker EDM and EDM drill machines (including large gantry-style sinker models) and decades of experience in the segment, Mitsubishi EDM helps customers stay ahead of the curve and on top of production.Learn more »
We introduced our first commercial laser cutting machine in 1977, and we've been improving the technology ever since. Mitsubishi Laser designs, manufactures and performance-matches every critical laser-cutting component to the highest standards.Learn more »
With a wide range of machines to choose from, you'll find the perfect fit your application. From versatile, cost-efficient solutions for general milling applications to sophisticated machines for tight-tolerance and high-speed jobs, we've got you covered.Learn more »
With MC Machinery Systems, the right press brake is within reach. That's because we have the industry's widest selection of press brakes—ranging from 40- to 2,000-ton capacities and between 3 and 11 axes.Learn more »
Our turning machines have it all—rigid, repeatable performance plus speed and efficiency.Learn more »
The consumables you use in your machines can make or break their efficiency. Customers trust the products from MC Machinery Systems' Consumable Products Group (CPG) because we stock only top-grade, competitively priced OEM consumables for our EDM, laser, waterjet and milling machines.Learn more »
With more than 200 employees, our regionalized service network is the most advanced and responsive in the industry. This network includes 21 service locations throughout North America (and more on the way), plus 33 in-the-field service vans—well above the industry average.Learn more »
This one and only machine manufactures highly complexshaped molds of integrated construction with ease. This one machine, one process solution enables production of even complicated parts through total manufacturing by digital engineering using 3D data. This achieves high accuracy in part fabrication since metal powders are melted and sintered with laser while surfaces are milled precsely at high speed.Learn more »
We will have a wide range of our latest machining technology on display at the upcoming CMTS event,...Read more »
MC Machinery is pleased to announce a new partnership with IPG Photonics Corporation (IPG), a...Read more »
Concept Machining Tool, in partnership with MC Machinery, will be hosting an advanced wire EDM...Read more »
Concept Machine Tool will be hosting their Open House/Steakfest on September 26 through September 28...Read more »

subset: commoncrawl


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full size
Product Details
Our glen plaid sportcoat is tailored in our trim Ludlow fit with narrow lapels and a slightly shorter cut. We crafted it in the finest Italian silk and linen, sourced from a family-owned mill whose artisanal fabrics are favored by some of the finest ready-to-wear houses in the world. Finished with traditional bespoke details like a felted undercollar (it makes the collar sit closer to the neck), pickstitching and a borrowed-from-the-Brits double vent .
Size & Fit Details


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It's the start of a new Design Team, and first up is Cristine Redmond! I love what she has done with today's steal, the Simple Stories Happy Day Collection! I love the patterned papers and colors in this collection - perfect for boys and girls. Cristine really shows us how to use it with great effect!
• • • • •
I had fun pulling different embellishments from my stash that went well with the muted color scheme of this collection.
I used some of the fun stickers which are included on the alpha sheet on the pennants. I thought they added a bit more without being too overwhelming.
For my first card, I did more fussy cutting, using the "happy day" phrase from one of the cards and cutting the pennants from solid pieces in different cards.
I don't have any of the Project Life-type photo sleeves, but I decided to make a layout using the same theory to show how easy a layout can come together using this collection.
I used one of the border sections on the bottom of the page, then put another border on top of it, then I cut out two of the 4x6 cards, which happened to look very similar, and placed them in the upper and lower corners. I cut one of the more solid-colored sheets to fit the other two 4x6 sections, added some embellishments and voila! I was done! This layout seriously took me about 20 minutes to throw together. And it would have gone even faster if I had the photo sleeves to just throw the pieces into. So easy!
For my second card, I just cut out one of the 3x4 cards, used the tiny alphas for a greeting, cut a border, and added some washi tape. Again, super easy!
This collection is so versatile for people who love using the photo sleeve system or people who want to just throw their own layout together. I'm glad I could help showcase both ways for you all!
• • • • •
Thanks Cristine! A great start to the new Design Team! I can't wait to see what the next three months bring!
Thanks for stopping by everyone and be sure to tune in again on Monday for a new Monday Craft Madness!


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PITTSBURG — A third man wanted in connection with a fatal shooting at a popular park in September has been arrested, police said Monday.
Police located 18-year-old Clarence Cater at a residence in Oakland on Wednesday and arrested him without incident, Pittsburg police Lt. Ron Raman said. Police were conducting surveillance in the area when they were able to spot Cater, Raman said.
Cater had been sought since being identified as one of three suspects in the Sept. 7 slaying of 18-year-old Brentwood resident Dayvon George at Buchanan Park, located at the corner of Buchanan Road and Harbor Street.
Police said Cater and two others confronted George and tried to rob him at the park before one of the suspects pulled out a gun and shot George in the back. Cater was part of a rival rap group that engaged in an ongoing feud with George, police said.
Police arrested 21-year-old Ohmad Burks of Pittsburg and an unidentified 15-year-old male on Sept. 13. Both have been charged with murder, Raman said, with the 15-year-old to be tried as an adult.
Cater was taken to the county jail in Martinez where he was being held on more than $1 million bail. He has been charged with murder, second-degree robbery and shooting in an inhabited dwelling.
Rick Hurd covers breaking news. Contact him in Walnut Creek at 925-945-4780 and follow him at Twitter.com/3rdERH.


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Course Descriptions
CHE 101 - General Chemistry I:
(4 hours) An introduction to inorganic chemistry designed for the non-chemistry major.
CHE 111 - Inorganic Chemistry I:
(4 hours) The study of the fundamental principles of atomic structure, bonding, gas laws, liquids, solids, and electrochemistry. Prerequisite: High School Chemistry or CHE 101.
CHE 112 - Inorganic Chemistry II:
(4 hours) An introduction to thermodynamics, kinetics, acids, bases, and chemical equilibrium. Prerequisite: CHE 111.
CHE 211 - Organic Chemistry I:
(4 hours) A systematic study of the compounds of carbon covering hydrocarbons, stereochemistry, aromatic compounds and organic instrumentation. Prerequisite: CHE 111-112.
CHE 212 - Organic Chemistry II:
(4 hours) A continuation of CHE 211 covering the basic functional groups encountered in organic chemistry. Prerequisite: CHE 211.
CHE 301 - Analytical Chemistry:
(4 hours) Principles and methods of quantitative analysis. Prerequisite: CHE 112.
CHE 311 - Physical Chemistry I:
(4 hours) A thorough, relatively advanced treatment of the first major branch of P-Chem, that of thermodynamics. Derived thermodynamic relations will be applied to gases, liquids, solids, and multiphase systems. Three hours of lecture and three hours of laboratory per week. Prerequisites: CHE 111 and 112, MAT 251.
CHE 312 - Physical Chemistry II:
(4 hours) The second major branch of physical chemistry, that of quantum chemistry. It will give a thorough introduction to chemistry's foundational connections to quantum mechanics/physics. Topics will include basic statistics, fundamental postulates of quantum mechanics, single quantum particles, the atom, simple molecules, spectroscopy, and some computational chemistry.
Satisfies writing intensive course requirements. Prerequisites: PHY 101 and 102; MAT 251; CHE 111 and 112.
CHE 313 - Physical Chemistry III:
(4 hours) The continuation and tying together of Physical Chemistry I and II into the third branch of P-Chem, that of statistical thermodynamics. Satisfies writing intensive course requirements. Prerequisites: CHE 311 and CHE 312.
CHE 405 - Biochemistry:
(4 hours) A one-semester introduction to the chemistry of biological systems. Satisfies writing intensive course requirement. Prerequisite: CHE 211.
CHE 406-407 - Chemical Research:
(1 to 4 hours per semester, not to exceed 6 hours) research involving library and laboratory work that allow students the opportunity to pursue study in a specialized area in collaboration with a faculty member. Prerequisite: Permission of instructor.
CHE 410 - Qualitative Organic Analysis:
(4 hours) Emphasis on the systematic identification of pure organic compounds and the analysis of mixtures. Prerequisite: CHE 212.
CHE 415 - Instrumental Analysis:
(4 hours) An introduction to instrumental methods of analysis. Prerequisite: CHE 112.
CHE 480-481 - Chemistry seminar:
(1 hour each) reading and discussion of papers from scientific journals. Students will also make presentations from an area of current research in chemistry. Prerequisites: CHE 111, 112, 211, and 212.
CHE 492 - Special Topics in Chemistry:
(1 to 8 hours) Current developments in chemistry. Prerequisite: Permission of instructor.
PHY 101-102 - General Physics:
(4 hours each) A study of the fundamental principles of mechanics and sound the first trimester; of heat, light, magnetism, and electricity the second trimester. Prerequisite: MAT 131, 132. Three hours lecture and three hours laboratory a week, both trimesters.
PHY 103 - Introduction to Modern Physics:
3 hours credit) An extension of, and addition to the material covered in PHY 101-102. It is to start with the fundamentals of optics leading to the wave-particle duality of quantum mechanics, lasers, relativity, atomic, nuclear and particle physics. Prerequisites: MAT 131, 132, and PHY 101 and 102.
PHY 211-212 - Engineering Physics:
(4 hours each) A study of the principles of physics with calculus designed especially for pre-engineering students. Prerequisite: MAT 151. Three hours lecture and three hours laboratory a week, both trimesters. Offered on demand.
PHS 151 - Physical science:
(3 hours) A basic study of chemistry and physics. Three hours lecture.
PHS 201 - Earth and space science:
(3 hours) An introduction to astronomy, geology and meteorology.


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David Jordine, Sales Executive, Digital Marketing Suite, Adobe ANZ – LinkedIn
It's no surprise that as the digital marketing industry evolves, the data that proves marketing results is becoming just as important as smart marketing ideas themselves. With this thought in mind, I was excited to attend yesterday's ad:tech Digital Data Summit in Sydney, an event dedicated to encouraging Australian publishers, marketers and agencies to turn data into actionable insights to optimise campaign performance.
The event offered two tracks for attendees to choose from: one focusing on data and how marketers use it; and the second track providing insights into the digital advertising scene. A mix of some very lively panel discussions and individual presentations gave attendees the chance to hear from some of Australia's top practitioners.
A highlight of the day for me, was the announcement by our customer, Nigel Tutt, who's Fairfax New Zealand's General Manager, Digital Media, that his organization has become the first in Asia Pacific to implement Adobe's AudienceManager tool as its new data management platform.
The move to work with AudienceManager means that Fairfax NZ, the publisher of some of New Zealand's most popular online news and information sites (stuff.co.nz, Computerworld, Rugby Heaven and more) will now be able to identify more specific audience sets among their broad and varied traffic. In turn, this is going to enable them to create packages and opportunities offering far more targeted offerings to advertisers across industries.
I'm going to be watching how Fairfax NZ uses this new platform with great interest. I'm also looking forward to seeing the impact this has on the smart advertisers who want to make sure their digital marketing campaigns are highly targeted and performing to maximum impact.


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Reznor X-250 Gas Fired Duct Furnace, Gravity Vented, LP, Aluminized Heat Exchanger - 250,000 BTU
Reznor X-250-AA2 Gas Fired Duct Furnace is an indoor gas fired duct furnace which provides a heating output capacity of 200000 with an 80% thermal efficiency. This X model has a high fire input of 250000. X model furnaces are the heating component of heating or heating/cooling systems and require a separate blower system for air delivery. X-250-AA2 is approved for a 50-90 F temperature rise range. Units include a blocked vent shut-off system.
Reznor X-250-AA2 Gas Fired Duct Furnace Features:
- Aluminized steel heat exchanger
- Aluminized steel burners with stainless steel insert
- 24 volt control voltage transformer
- High limit safety cutout
- Single stage combination gas valve
- Manual match-lit pilot
- Blocked vent shut-off system
Reznor X-250-AA2 Gas Fired Duct Furnace Warranty:
- 1 year parts warranty


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Availability of bank credit without the hassles of collaterals / third party guarantees would be a major source of support to the first generation entrepreneurs to realise their dream of setting up a unit of their own Micro and Small Enterprise (MSE). Keeping this objective in view, Ministry of Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises (MSME), Government of India launched Credit Guarantee Scheme (CGS) so as to strengthen credit delivery system and facilitate flow of credit to the MSE sector. To operationalise the scheme, Government of India and SIDBI set up the Credit Guarantee Fund Trust for Micro and Small Enterprises (CGTMSE).
The main objective is that the lender should give importance to project viability and secure the credit facility purely on the primary security of the assets financed. The other objective is that the lender availing guarantee facility should endeavor to give composite credit to the borrowers so that the borrowers obtain both term loan and working capital facilities from a single agency. The Credit Guarantee scheme (CGS) seeks to reassure the lender that, in the event of a MSE unit, which availed collateral free credit facilities, fails to discharge its liabilities to the lender, the Guarantee Trust would make good the loss incurred by the lender up to 50/75/80/85 per cent of the credit facility.
Credit Guarantee
Any collateral / third party guarantee free credit facility (both fund as well as non fund based) extended by eligible institutions, to new as well as existing Micro and Small Enterprise, including Service Enterprises, with a maximum credit cap of of Rs200 lakh (Rupees Two Hundred lakh only) are eligible to be covered. Recently, guarantee coverage made eligible to select NBFCs.
The guarantee cover available under the scheme is to the extent of 75% / 80% of the sanctioned amount of the credit facility, with a maximum guarantee cap of `62.50 lakh / `65 lakh for credit facilities upto `50 lakh. The extent of guarantee cover is 85% for micro enterprises for credit up to `5 lakh. The extent of guarantee cover is 50% of the sanctioned amount of the credit facility for credit above `50 lakh with a maximum guarantee cap of `100 lakh.
The extent of guarantee cover is 80%(i) Micro and Small Enterprises operated and/or owned by women; and (ii) all credits/loans in the North East Region (NER) for credit facilities upto `50 lakh. In case of default, Trust settles the claim up to 75% (or 80%) of the amount in default of the credit facility extended by the lending institution for credit facilities upto `50 lakh. The extent of guarantee would reduce to 50% for the loans above `50 lakh upto `200 lakh.
The lender should cover the eligible credit facilities as soon as they are sanctioned. In any case, the lender should apply for guarantee cover in respect of eligible credits sanctioned in one calendar quarter latest by end of subsequent calendar quarter. Guarantee will commence from the date of payment of guarantee fee and shall run through the agreed tenure of the term credit in case of term loans / composite loans and for a period of 5 years where working capital facilities alone are extended to borrowers, or for such period as may be specified by the Guarantee Trust in this behalf.
CGTMSE Logo - What does it depict?
Three light blue stripes connecting the word CGTMSE indicate sources of 'comfort', 'hope' and 'inspiration' the Trust provides and the Flame indicates the continuous support being provided by the Trust to the entrepreneurs in realising their dream of setting up units of their own.
Yellow colour around flame indicates source of energy given by the Trust to the entrepreneurs for setting up units in the MSE sector without having to worry about providing collateral security and / or third party guarantees.
The blue triangular shape resting on the word CGTMSE indicates the shed of an industrial unit and growth of MSEs in upward direction.
All above things lead to believe that both the word CGTMSE & its LOGO ensure assured help for the entrepreneurs to set up MSE units.
Board of Trustees


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Too many hot hitters create lineup problems
PITTSBURGH -- Here's a good problem for Brewers manager Ron Roenicke: His lineup shuffle worked too well.
Since Roenicke responded to Aramis Ramirez's hamstring injury and a subsequent offensive lull by installing Jean Segura as the leadoff man, followed by Ryan Braun, Jonathan Lucroy and Carlos Gomez, all of those players have swung hot bats. Now Ramirez is back, batting fifth for the first time in his Brewers tenure, and the offense is still churning along. The Brewers entered Sunday having batted .297 and averaged 6.1 runs in their past 17 games.
"I keep looking at that thing thinking I want to get back to [Braun] three and [Ramirez] four, and they're not allowing me to do it," Roenicke said. "[Gomez] is a hard one. I really don't know what to do with Gomey. He does well everywhere I put him. I'd like to see him lead off because I think he does a lot to that opposing team, but I don't know.
"If [Segura] keeps swinging it, then it makes it easier. But if he struggles some, I think that's what we'll end up doing. Then there will be a conversation with Gomez; I think he likes it in that cleanup spot."
Segura entered Sunday batting .282 as the leadoff hitter and .459 with a .487 on-base percentage when batting in the first inning. Since moving to the leadoff spot on May 22, only one National League player (teammate Khris Davis) has scored more than Segura's 14 runs.
"I'm just comfortable, because I've been in that spot before in the Minor Leagues," said Segura, who said he hit leadoff in 2010 and '12 in the Angels' system. "As a leadoff hitter, I know what I'm going to do. I'm going to get on base a little more. That's my goal."
Segura's comfort in that batting order position is apparent to Roenicke.
"The confidence, that's what this game is," Roenicke said. "When you have as much ability as all of them have here, it's all about confidence. How do you get that? I don't know. Sometimes you can jump start it a little by moving somebody in the order and doing other things, but most of the time, they have to succeed somewhere, and then they take off."
Adam McCalvy is a reporter for MLB.com. Read his blog, Brew Beat, and follow him on Twitter at @AdamMcCalvy. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.


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WILTSHIRE Police are appealing for witnesses following a distraction burglary in Swindon.
The incident took place at a residential address in Lansdown Road, Swindon, on June 10, between 1pm and 1.30pm.
An unknown male entered the house and told the elderly occupants that he had completed work on the roof and needed paying.
The victim, who is in her 80's, agreed to pay the man £25.
Shortly after she handed over the money, the man and the two occupants left the property and went their separate ways.
After the victim returned, she realised that approximately £400 had been stolen from her home.
The suspect is described as a white male, with tanned skin, between 40 and 50 years old, approximately 5ft 8ins tall and well built. He was wearing dark clothing and a dark baseball cap.
Anyone with information should contact Wiltshire Police on 101 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 where information can be left anonymously.


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Rangers not buying into Buchholz accusations
ARLINGTON -- The Rangers didn't get a chance to see the American League's Pitcher of the Month for April, Boston's Clay Buchholz, during the three-game weekend series that concluded Sunday at Rangers Ballpark in Arlington. But if they had, it's highly doubtful they would have ramped up the controversy over whether the young right-hander has been adding something illegal to his pitches.
Two Toronto announcers, both former players, accused Buchholz, who has started the season 6-0 with a 1.01 ERA, of cheating in his last start against the Blue Jays. No complaints came from the Blue Jays players.
"It's not something I would get wrapped up in anyway," Rangers manager Ron Washington said. "I think it's just a distraction, and it's not something I want my players focusing on."
Besides, as closer Joe Nathan pointed out, how is any pitcher going to get away with cheating in today's baseball world?
"There is so much technology in the game, so many cameras and camera angles -- if you're doing it, you're going to get caught," the Rangers closer said. "When someone has success like he has, someone else has to try figure out a reason for it. He must be doing something."
The fact is, Nathan said, Buchholz is probably not doing much different at all, except for getting big outs when he needs them.
"All he can do is keep doing what he's doing," Nathan said. "All anyone else can do is keep the cameras on him and try to catch him if he's doing something [against the rules]."
Buchholz said he's done nothing but apply some rosin to his sleeve.
"Rosin's on the mound," Rangers pitching coach Mike Maddux said. "You can put it anywhere but your glove. Believe me, if it was a problem, players would say something."
Jim Reeves is a contributor to MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.


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I needed a new iron after my last one died a death on me after a few years of abuse. Breville have been making appliances for the kitchen and househaold for some time and everyone should be aware of their brand and know that generally means good value.
I bought this Breville model VIN209, 2400 watt steam iron. Like all steam irons it is made of hard plastic resin on the handle side of blue and white plastic. The handle is grey and black and it matchs the ceramic soleplate.
Also their is a dial where you can select from the diffrerent symbols, each one performs a different function. They allow you to perform many more functions then I have had preciously on other irons...so you have self clean, which I do not really know how this works and it seems to use steam to shock steam to clean the inside of the soleplate, which I assume is having a positive effect, except I have only had the iron for a few months and it is too early to tell if it is making a difference. In the past my irons have clogged up with limescale. You also have a vertical steam clean ability to steam clean things that you cannot clean on the ironing board like curtains or large duvet covers. The iron also has an anti-scale feature to stop lime scale from building up and an anti drip feature which is great. I used to get lots of big drip, lime scale infested water and actually stain my work shirts...I do not have this problem at all. You can also give the garment a 100g steam shot. This is great because I have some 100% cotton shirts and the best way to iron these is to do so when it is just drying off out of the washing machine. If you leave these garments too long you need a drill hammer to get the creases out. So having this steam shot is a big advantage because it saturates the area with steam and you can iron the bugger out. Normally you get 40 grams of steam per minute which should give you around 10-15 minutes of water per one full water reservoir.
The soleplate is small and a great design that allows you to glide over the clothes and works very well with the garments. I have ironed some synthetic garments and so far I have had no catches or plastic melts on the sole plate , it is still so clean you could eat your dinner off of it.
The dial also has a dial readout from '0' to full steam, and it is easy to use and in an ergonomic placement. You can use it with your thumb whilst you are holding the steam iron and this is a very comfortable way to operate this basic function. The handle grip itself is rubber and very comfortable. This is the first time that I have had rubber on a handle and it makes long sessions ironing doable.
Another issue that I have had before is that the cords that I have had in the past, the cords were either too short or too long and they wrap around itself too easily and coil up...this iron has a 2.5m cord which is a good length and it doesnt seem to coil up as much as I have had with other irons. I do not need to pull the cord all the time to fit over bigger covers and bigger garments.
The iron can hold 250ml of water in the tank situated behind the sole plate and there and the iron comes with a measured water beaker. I have found it easier to fill the water tank, with hardly any drippage. The cover to the water reservoir has a good clip which is stable enough to clip on and stay on. In the past these clips have broken off of other cheaper irons that I have owned. It holds tap water, but I am always cautious of gettign too much limescale in the tank. The water tank itself has clearly marked measurement on the outside in coloured plastic and also etched into the plastic of the tank, so even if the coloured plastic is wiped off with time then the etched numbers on the plastic.
You obviosuly get a simple and clear instruction manual included in the box with the steam iron. I have used it to work out what the various features do and how to work them properly.
Dimensions: Height 140 mm , Depth 120 mm Width 296 mm. The weight of the steam iron is 1.15 Kilograms and this is quite light for an iron.
I bought this steam iron for £24 from Robert Dyas, the iron monger.
~*~The Product ~'Pumping Iron'! ~*~
This Breville, model VIN209, 2400 watt steam iron comes in a coordinating sky blue and white casing. The handle is grey/black with silver steam levers that match the trim and ceramic soleplate. The left side of the upper veneer details six symbols, vertical steam, self-clean, anti-scale, anti-drip, 100g steam shot and 40g constant steam. The iron has a large 250ml water tank, with a measured water fill beaker, soft handle grip and 2.5m cord with cord storage. Straightforward instruction manual is included in the package. The iron's dimensions are Height 140.0x Width 296.0 x Depth 120.0 mm. There are a good amount of practical features added to the ones I've mentioned but I will discuss these in my review of this functional tool.
~*~My Usage Experience ~ 'Full Steam Ahead'! ~*~
I find ironing a real chore! So investing in a good iron that has features that are conducive to cutting down the time I spend on this task along with making it as easy as possible is my paramount reason in choosing a practical steam iron. I prefer the irons that use steam as they generate this type of output that work efficiently at taking out creases from clothing such as shirts. I was hoping the advertising hype on this particular iron would stand true. I have fallen into the trap previously of thinking that steam irons are generally all the same, but, after some research, I realized that past purchases could have been better thought out! On this occasion, I took time in making comparisons with various steam irons in the price range I could afford.
~Cord Length~
The lengthy 2.5metre cord means I can comfortably iron without the cable pulling as I stretch the length of the ironing board to press such larger items as quilt covers. Sometimes I change where I set up the iron, but the generous length of the cord means that most sockets are accessible. I will advise though that the cord needs to be wound up as soon as the iron has cooled as I have a couple of kinks that have developed in the cable due to not winding up the flex each time I have finished using the device. Storing the cord is fairly neat but has to be done with care. The cord needs to be wound carefully but firmly around the gap between the hotplate and edge of the iron. This gap is a good 7cm which is enough to wrap the cord around seven times but the plug hangs loose drawing a foot of the cable with it! But, enough of the cord stays put so storing in my kitchen unit isn't a problem.
Filing the tank on the iron is very easy. There are two very practically placed lips on either side of the top of the cover to the water entry point. This cover clips on and off with ease and the hole to pour the water is a good size, similar to the opening in the center of a DVD. What I really love about this design is that the cover has a protruding cap so that when the cover is closed, it is inserted into the hole of the tank thus avoiding spillages. Irons I have owned in the past have been a real pain, when I've been pressing laundry, water has spluttered out from the tank soaking the material. With this simple but effective design, the water is safely contained within the tank, no matter how enthusiastically I move the iron!
The water only generates around ten minutes of steam, less when ironing linen, so I frequently have to top up the tank with water, which I find laboriously time consuming! The '0' to full 'steam' switch is well placed, directly where my thumb holds the iron in place, as are the large spray and steam boost grooved buttons, situated just below the switch. The Anti-drip utility is another effective feature, particularly at low temperatures, where I used to experience awful trickles from past models; I get none
from this iron. The iron can accommodate tap water which cuts down the expense of ironing. The water level indicator is clearly marked on both sides of the tank, with white font against the blue back-ground.
~ Steam Features~
I'm actually quite disappointed on the steam capabilities. When on the cotton setting, the water runs out very quickly and the steam comes in short sharp burst much less frequently than I need. I often end up having to manually press the steam boost button to add extra, and even using this feature doesn't help deliver crease free removal as this mode is supposed too, as the manufacturers note 'This works as an extra boost to help remove those stubborn creases that refuse to budge or give that added crispness when creating creases on trousers'! My estimation of the steam is much lower than advertised for this model, certainly much less than 100g steam shot and 40g ('also known as steam per minute') constant steam! I end up pressing the iron down harder which makes a less effortless task than the hype would have the consumer think.
A really neat feature that actually works quite well is the vertical steam function. This provides me with the ability of being able to press such things as curtains. When I have hung freshly laundered and pressed curtains, in the process of hanging the drapes back up, some creasing occurs. With the vertical steam function I do not need to take the curtains back down, I just carefully hold the covering taunt, gently touch the surface with the soleplate and the steam helps to remove the creasing as I glide the iron over the affected areas. This utility works with clothes that are hung up which have become creased in the wardrobe whilst packed too tightly with other garments. I use the iron in the same fashion with pretty good results.
~Weight and Handle~
The light weight of 1.15 Kilogram makes this iron so comfortable to use. The smooth under surface combined with the upper soft grooved rubber ergonomically designed handle adds to the pleasant feel when I grip the iron.
The Anti-scaling function hampers the build-up of the lime scale in both the soleplate and the iron which benefits the performance of the apparatus. I am pleased with this feature as I haven't noticed many deposits at all. The Self-clean cycle rinses out contaminants from the water through the many holes in the soleplate. Unlike many irons I've owned in the past, this model is a delight in this aspect. Whereas before, I have had to contend with flaky mucky particles spluttering out from the vents while ironing, I have as yet had no grime from the tank, so clothes remain clean and not needing to be re-laundered!
~ Stainless Steel ceramic soleplate ~
I am delighted with the smooth well designed soleplate. It affords a very good gliding capacity which makes pressing such items as silk very easy, with no dragging or gathering. Furthermore, because the ceramic base has a good distance between the iron's main body, I can make fluid sweeping motions with the iron over material with buttons without having to lift the iron first. I can even glissade the iron through the pleats of my grand-daughter's dresses without it catching on the material. The width and length of the plate means that it can cover an adequate surface. The soleplate, set on the correct temperature, skates over the delicate materials efficiently and without snagging or scorching!
The ceramic is an important feature as its content affects how efficiently the heat 'distributes throughout the soleplate, keeping it at the temperature selected and even throughout with no unwanted hot spots that could damage' my clothes. And, as the manufacturer so eloquently states, 'It creates an easy and effortless glide during ironing with no snagging and it ensures long-life, protecting the soleplate against scratching and surface damage. The soleplate is also larger than the industry standard helping you cover a greater surface area per stroke to save time and effort'. I have used this iron over the past year and found that the manufacturer is spot on; the soleplate accomplishes exactly what it has been designed to do.
The iron isn't as quick as some brands at heating up fast, but certainly quick at reaching lower temperatures such as wool and silk, with only a few moments more for top heat settings such as cotton. The thermostatic control feature works very efficiently, and every now and then I hear a little click and the bright orange light either goes on or off to show that the chosen heat setting is being maintained. The temperature settings are accurate which puts my mind at rest when ironing favourite clothes!
~Control Dial~
The large central dial indicates the settings clearly. Using black large font capital letters, with a red circle underlying the materials, grey bullet points noting the exact placement for the wheel pointer. There is also a practical black dash line that increases in size from silk to cotton settings to indicate the steam feature. There is a bold black marking of 'Max' to show where the dial cannot be turned further. The negative point to the dial concerns the outer grey rim that is turned to set the control to the chosen heat setting. There are no coordinating colour features on the dial to indicate I am on the correct setting of my choice. The only way I know that I have set the correct heating for the material I am ironing is by feeling for the tiny protruding ridge on the dial. If I hold the iron up to the light, I can just detect the ridge but this isn't at all practical or safe!
~Performance and Ease of Usage~
Although the iron is very good, it doesn't remove all creases, especially from linen. If laundry has settled in the basket for a while (sometimes a long while until I can muster up the motivation!) then creases can take much more time and effort to remove from clothing containing predominantly cotton. But overall, I am pleased with the far less time and effort it takes to get through my ironing. I estimate that from my previous very basic iron to this model, it takes me approximately a little over less than half the time to complete the same amount. This not only means the task is accomplished far quicker but cost less too as I am using as much electricity. Ironing woolen, silks and nylons are so easy and I have no concerns with this model.
The iron is very simple and straightforward to use. With clearly marked materials of satin, silk, wool and cotton, I can locate the range with ease. This iron has a powerful 2400 wattage, which means a shortened heating up time and produces more steam too, thus equipping me to be able to wade through my laundry more efficiently in a reduced time too.
Fairly quick at reaching chosen temperature/good sized and efficient ceramic soleplate/non drip and large tank/lengthy cord and adequate storage/Powerful wattage capacity/flexible and clear control dial/Fairly light to handle/Anti-scale feature/Accurate temperature settings/Efficient de-scaling feature/comfortable to use
Outer turn dial poorly marked indicator/Has trouble removing all creases/Steam runs out too quickly/Query the '100g steam shot and 40g constant steam' capacity!
~*~Would I Recommend? ~ 'The only time I ever enjoyed ironing was the day I accidentally got gin in the steam iron' :~)~*~
Yes, apart from a few niggles; overall, this is an excellent iron. The Breville iron is pretty effective on most pressing needs. With such features as the self-clean, anti-drip, and de-scaling modes, I am very happy with this effective tool.
I purchased this iron from Amazon but upon checking, it is currently out of stock. It is available on such sites as EBay though, at the very reasonable price of £24.99
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Breville-2400W iron VIN209
Thank you for taking the time to read my review :~) xXx
I have used this iron fro a few months now after the old one broke.
I chose this one mainly because of being cheaper than many of the others I had looked at, this was about £25 at the time from Argos. Being a brand name I trusted this over some of the far cheaper Argos own-branded irons as I suspected these would either do nothing or they work works too well and burn through my clothes and probably the ironing board too.
The build quality of the iron is nice. it feels solid in the hand and is easy and comfortable to hold through ironing sessions. it is a little more weighty than other irons I have used and this not only adds to the feeling of quality but I find it easier to handle as it is not sliding off the board because I am using too much force as I am used to.
It has a range of temperatures to suit fro different materials and it steams to give the best possible results for all garments. The additions water spray nozzle also makes those more difficult items easier to de-crease.
The wire on this iron is fairly long and therefore you have a fair amount of room to move when using it, however I did occasionally find it got in my way. This didn't happen with other irons I had tried
I was on the look out for a new iron as my old one was covered in burnt clothes. No fault of my own but when coming to use that iron I was forever nudging the dial which was increasing the temperature. Often I would find the iron to be burning holes in my clothes, which was getting me very frustrated especially when it was my work clothes, so enough was enough; especially when the iron got knocked off the iron board by one of my cats, and broke the tip of it. After browsing through the internet for a new one, I came across this one and thought with it being a brand name and pretty cheap I decided this was the one I was going to get.
The packaging was minimum really, the iron came in a cardboard box with a picture on the front of the product and a few details of what it does etc. Inside the box the iron is secured by 2 pieces of cardboard either side to stop the iron from rocking about; you will also find the water jug, and an instruction manual. The iron itself was wrapped up in a clear plastic bag, and the cord was folded up neatly and secured with a white plastic wire tie, which was easy to take off. The plug was covered with a plastic cover which like the tie was easy to take off.
I do have to start off by saying this iron is heavier then my last one, although it isn't a problem, it doesn't make my arm ache when using it, so it's not a big deal. 2400 watts is very powerful I know you can better watts but this one does the trick well, without having to keep going over the clothes a dozen times to get out the creases. The ceramic sole plate on the iron makes it easy to use and with minimum effort, although can still stick to clothes if the iron is to hot for the type of material your using it on, so be careful.
The dial is in a good position to where it isn't being nudged when using the iron which is always a good thing and important thing to when using an iron. I used to always be nudging the dial on my old iron and was annoying, that is what caused the iron burning my clothes, and making holes in it. The handle off the iron is higher up so not able to touch the dial unless you need to be.
The top of the iron as a few buttons and dials that you can use to enhance your ironing if need to, like the button to push for a burst of steam, the button for spray, this does not saturate your clothes but helps with dampen them for maximum help in getting out those hard creases that you may have. You will also have a slider for the amount of steam you want coming out of your iron when using it, I normally keep the slider in the middle and that works fine for me. On the handle of the iron you will see that there is a temperature gage on it, this enables you to know that you have reached the top temperature for the clothes.
At the tip of the iron you have the water hole, which is for your steam and the use for the spray, using the water jug to fill up the iron is easy with a small spout that doesn't spill when emptying the water into the iron, makes it so easy and effortless. My old iron used to have a jug but without a small spout so it used to spill everywhere. Opening the hole to pour in the water can be a little stiff at times, so careful when you do it otherwise it can break which is a nuisance.
This iron also has a self clean button on the iron, now when I press this all I can is steam coming out the bottom of the iron, I am not sure it should do this and what it is doing to clean the iron, as I ever never iron that as a self cleaning button on it. I am guessing it could be cleaning the plate holes and keeping them unclogged for effective usage.
The cord on the iron is quite long and so is comfortable when ironing without it pulling and having to re adjust the ironing board, to a place where the iron can fit to the other side of the ironing board. And I also don't noticed it curling up when using the iron too, which is a good thing I was forever moving the ironing board and untangling the cord with my old iron.
I bought this iron from Argos and was on offer at the time I got it which was a great bargain. I paid £19.99 for this iron and was supposed to be £31.99 so I got a really good bargain especially because it works so well and a well known brand.
I bought this iron because it was on offer and because of the brand I know this is a trusted brand so I knew the iron would be good, I don't normally buy brand names but this one caught my eye. With it being a 2400 watt iron I knew it would be powerful to use, which is something I wanted, as I have to say I do like ironing but not when I am standing there ages on one item going over and over the clothes because the iron wouldn't take out the creases. I like the fact the dial is untouchable when using the iron, and that the iron doesn't leak in anyway. I have to say I am happy with this iron and glad I bought it, and I do recommend it to anyone who is in need of a good iron.
Short name: Breville VIN209


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When is a door not a door?Language brain teasers are those that involve the English language. You need to think about and manipulate words and letters.
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Forklift Rental In Ashton, Idaho
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Global Leadership Passport Program
This unique student opportunity takes advantage of SJSU's global and cross-cultural co-curricular activities and courses to develop a global mindset and global leadership skills. After participating in courses or workshops that help students assess their skill level, they design a personal development plan. Students earn required passport stamps in global leadership competencies for approved courses, programs, experiences, projects, and e-portfolio reflections. Once they earn the requisite number and combination of stamps, they are awarded a stamped passport that explains the program requirements and benefits to prospective employers. The passport demonstrates that students enter the workplace with a solid foundation that prepares them for global work.
Who Can Apply: All SJSU undergraduate and graduate students
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Gateway Workshops: Gateway Workshops are offered once a semester. The next Gateway Workshop is September 15th, 2017. Click here to register!
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The fig category is booming right now, and that means success for dried and fresh figs.
Linda Cain, vice president for marketing and sales at Valley Fig Growers, Fresno, Calif., said she doesn't really see the two groups of figs as competitors.
"There's some crossover, and fresh figs are the more glamorous, but really the two are similar to grapes and raisins," Cain said, noting that consumers have an interest in buying both.
She said it's good to have the larger umbrella of the fig category and the two products work well together since the fresh fig season is so short.
Fresh figs are picked from the tree and put into containers, processed in the field. Dried figs dry on the trees and then drop to the ground on their own when ready to be harvested, Cain said.
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Together in the produce area
The dried figs have a shelf life of two years, while fresh figs can only last on shelves a week or so, depending on transport time.
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It takes about 4 pounds of fresh figs to make 1 pound of dried figs, so the demand for product to go into dried sales is big.
Plus, dried figs have enjoyed large sales growth recently.
"There's been a renaissance in dry fig sales," said Kevin Herman, owner and president of The Specialty Crop Co., Madera, Calif.
He says consumers will likely see an increase in fresh fig prices as demand for dried figs continues to increase because most orchards can be picked fresh or dry, giving growers the option to choose which method will give them the most profit.
"People need to be prepared to have some increased costs in fresh figs as well, or we won't see that volume increase and most will go to dried," he said.
Cain agrees supply and demand could be an issue.
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"We encourage growers to put as many fig trees in the ground as they are able," she said.
Many growers provide both fresh and dried figs, but most figs do go the dried category.
Cain estimates only about 5% of all figs harvested go into fresh sales.
However, she said that number is up from only about 3% a few years ago.
"The fresh category is growing, and that's been nothing but good for us."


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you are what you absorb
I could eat this as a main meal but today the flax cracker was a snack vehicle for:
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© 2012 eat-swell.com | a boring photo | amy boring --------- These opinions or views are not intended to treat or diagnose; nor are they meant to replace the treatment and care that you may be receiving from a licensed physician or mental health professional. Neither Amy or guest bloggers are responsible for the outcome or results of following their advice in any given situation. You are completely responsible for your actions and Amy Boring accepts no liability for any situation in your life past, present or future. |ProPhoto Photo Blog by NetRivet


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Plums has pretty outstanding body control for a guy his size. Annnnd I'm out of positives. He's got a long way to go to find a niche in the league. He really is somewhat well rounded offensively, the base skills are there, but as soon as there's basically any defensive pressure at all it goes to hell. So whatever, good luck.
I think Plumlee was a terrible pick but I also think people expecting much of anything out of the 26th pick are misinformed. I'll dump late 1st round picks all day in trades.


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Kendall posted a new webpage the other day on the link between your furniture, rainforest conservation and a greener, more sustainable world. It's why we do what we do at Vermont Woods Studios Fine Wood Furniture.
Sometimes I feel like a nutcase– living in Vermont and talking about rainforest conservation all the time. But I can't help it. It's one of the Top 3 environmental problems of our time, yet few people seem to know about it.
Check out these rainforest facts and let me know if you too see this as a matter of great urgency.
1.5 acres of rainforest are lost every second (that equates to 50 million acres a year: an area the size of England, Wales and Scotland combined)
- 54 of the world's 193 countries have lost 90 percent or more of their forest cover. Rainforests that once covered 14% of the earth's land surface now cover a mere 6% and experts estimate that the last remaining rainforests could be consumed in less than 40 years.
- Nearly half of the world's species of plants, animals and microorganisms will be destroyed or severely threatened over the next 25 years due to rainforest deforestation.
- We are losing approximately 137 plant, animal and insect species every single day due to rainforest deforestation. That equates to 50,000 species a year.
- As the rainforest species disappear, so do many possible cures for life-threatening diseases. Currently, 121 prescription drugs sold worldwide come from plant-derived sources. While 25% of Western pharmaceuticals are derived from rainforest ingredients, less that 1% of these tropical trees and plants have been tested by scientists.
- Most rainforests are cleared by chainsaws, bulldozers and fires for its timber value and then are followed by farming and ranching operations
- There were an estimated ten million Indians living in the Amazonian Rainforest five centuries ago. Today there are less than 200,000.
- In Brazil alone, European colonists have destroyed more than 90 indigenous tribes since the 1900's. With them have gone centuries of accumulated knowledge of the medicinal value of rainforest species. As their homelands continue to be destroyed by deforestation, rainforest peoples are also disappearing.
- In Indonesia, the current aggressive rate of logging could eradicate native forests within only 10 years. Unlike our temperate forests in Vermont for example, rainforests do not regenerate after they are destroyed. Once gone, they are gone forever and along with them the wonderful diversity of plants and wildlife that inhabit them.
If you've managed to read this far, you rock! Leave a comment below or check in with us now and then on Facebook to see what we're doing to to help replant the rainforest with our Plant a Billion Trees project. Join us and together we can make a difference!
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This blog is written by your friends at Vermont Woods Studios. Check out our Vermont made furniture and home decor online and visit our showroom and art gallery at Stonehurst, the newly restored 1800s farmhouse nestled in the foothills of the Green Mountains.


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Note: Most user interface tasks can be performed in Edge Classic or the New Edge experience. For an overview, getting started topics, and release notes specific to the New Edge experience, see the docs.
Using policy composition
In this topic, you will learn how to create a mashup using policy composition. Policy composition is an Apigee proxy pattern that lets you combine results from multiple backend targets into a single response using policies.
For a general overview of policy composition, see "The policy composition pattern" in API Proxy Cookbook patterns.
Download and try out the sample code
We recommend that you download and try out this topic's sample code. The sample is called policy-mashup-cookbook, which you can find in the doc-samples folder in the Apigee Edge API Services samples repository in GitHub. For information on downloading Apigee samples, see Using the sample API proxies.
Instructions for deploying and calling the sample API proxy are provided in the README file that comes with the sample. You can also find brief deployment instructions here: Deploying and testing samples.
About this cookbook example
This cookbook example illustrates an API proxy pattern called policy composition. This pattern provides one way (there are others) to mash up data from multiple backend sources. More generally, this topic demonstrates how policies can be combined and chained together to produce a desired result. For a general overview of this pattern and other related ones, see API Proxy Cookbook patterns.
The example discussed here uses policy composition to mash up data from these two separate public APIs:
- The Google Geocoding API: This API converts addresses (like "1600 Amphitheatre Parkway, Mountain View, CA") into geographic coordinates (like latitude 37.423021 and longitude -122.083739).
- The Google Elevation API This API provides a simple interface to query locations on the earth for elevation data. In this example, the coordinates returned from the Geocoding API will be used as input into this API.
App developers will call this API proxy with two query parameters, a postal code and a country ID:
$ curl "http://{myorg}-test.apigee.net/policy-mashup-cookbook?country=us&postalcode=08008"
The response is a JSON object that includes the geocoded location (latitude/longitude) for the center of the supplied postal code area combined with the elevation at that geocoded location.
Before you begin
If you'd like to read a brief overview of the policy composition pattern, see "The policy composition pattern" in API Proxy Cookbook patterns.
Before you explore this cookbook example, you should also be familiar with these fundamental concepts:
- What policies are and how to attach them to proxies. For a good introduction to policies, see What's a policy?.
- The structure of an API proxy flow, as explained in Configuring flows. Flows let you specify the sequence in which policies are executed by an API proxy. In this example, several policies are created and added to the API proxy's flow.
- How an API proxy project is organized on your filesystem, as explained in API proxy configuration reference. This cookbook topic demonstrates local development (file system-based) as opposed to cloud-based development where you could use the management UI to develop the API proxy.
- A working knowledge of XML. In this example, we build out the API proxy and its policies with XML files that reside on the filesystem.
If you have downloaded the sample code, you can locate all of the files discussed in this topic in the mashup-policy-cookbook sample folder. The following sections discuss the sample code in detail.
Going with the flow
Before moving to the policies, let's take a look a the main flow of our example API proxy. The flow XML, shown below, tells us a lot about this proxy, the policies it uses, and where those policies are called.
In the sample download, you can find this XML in the file doc-samples/policy-mashup-cookbook/apiproxy/proxies/default.xml.
<ProxyEndpoint name="default"> <Flows> <Flow name="default"> <Request> <!-- Generate request message for the Google Geocoding API --> <Step><Name>GenerateGeocodingRequest</Name></Step> <!-- Call the Google Geocoding API --> <Step><Name>ExecuteGeocodingRequest</Name></Step> <!-- Parse the response and set variables --> <Step><Name>ParseGeocodingResponse</Name></Step> <!-- Generate request message for the Google Elevation API --> <Step><Name>AssignElevationParameters</Name></Step> </Request> <Response> <!-- Parse the response message from the Elevation API --> <Step><Name>ParseElevationResponse</Name></Step> <!-- Generate the final JSON-formatted response with JavaScript --> <Step><Name>GenerateResponse</Name></Step> </Response> </Flow> </Flows> <HTTPProxyConnection> <!-- Add a base path to the ProxyEndpoint for URI pattern matching--> <BasePath>/policy-mashup-cookbook</BasePath> <!-- Listen on both HTTP and HTTPS endpoints --> <VirtualHost>default</VirtualHost> <VirtualHost>secure</VirtualHost> </HTTPProxyConnection> <RouteRule name="default"> <!-- Connect ProxyEndpoint to named TargetEndpoint under /targets --> <TargetEndpoint>default</TargetEndpoint> </RouteRule> </ProxyEndpoint>
Here's a summary of the flow's elements.
This is a ProxyEndpoint flow. The ProxyEndpoint configuration defines the inbound (app-facing) interface for an API proxy. When you configure a ProxyEndpoint, you define how apps invoke the proxied API.
- <Request> - The <Request> element consists of several <Step> elements. Each step calls one of the policies that we'll create through the rest of this topic. These policies are concerned with creating a request message, sending it, and parsing the response. By the end of this topic, you'll understand the role of each of these policies.
- <Response> - The <Response> element also includes <Steps>. These steps also call policies that are responsible for processing the final response from the target endpoint (the Google Elevation API).
- <HttpProxyConnection> - This element specifies details about how apps will connect to this API proxy, including the <BasePath>, which specifies how this API will be called.
- <RouteRule> - This element specifies what happens immediately after the inbound request messages are processed. In this case, the TargetEndpoint is called. We'll discuss more about this important step later in this topic.
Creating the policies
The following sections discuss each of the policies that make up this policy composition example.
Create the first AssignMessage policy
The first AssignMessage policy, listed below, creates a request message that will be sent to the Google Geocoding service.
Let's start with the policy code, and then we'll explain its elements in more detail. In the sample download, you can find this XML in the file doc-samples/policy-mashup-cookbook/apiproxy/policies/GenerateGeocodingRequest.xml.
<AssignMessage name="GenerateGeocodingRequest"> <AssignTo createNew="true" type="request">GeocodingRequest</AssignTo> <Set> <QueryParams> <QueryParam name="address">{request.queryparam.postalcode}</QueryParam> <QueryParam name="region">{request.queryparam.country}</QueryParam> <QueryParam name="sensor">false</QueryParam> </QueryParams> <Verb>GET</Verb> </Set> <!-- Set variables for use in the final response --> <AssignVariable> <Name>PostalCode</Name> <Ref>request.queryparam.postalcode</Ref> </AssignVariable> <AssignVariable> <Name>Country</Name> <Ref>request.queryparam.country</Ref> </AssignVariable> </AssignMessage>
Here's a brief description of the elements in this policy. You can read more about this policy in Assign Message policy.
- <AssignMessage name> - Gives this policy a name. The name is used when the policy is referenced in a flow.
- <AssignTo> - Creates a named variable called GeocodingRequest. This variable encapsulates the request object that will be sent to the backend by the ServiceCallout policy.
- <QueryParams> - Sets the query parameters that are needed by the backend API call. In this case, the Geocoding API needs to know the location, which is expressed with a postal code, and a country ID. The app user supplies this information, and we simply extract it here. The sensor param is required by the API, and is either true or false, and we just hardcode it to false here.
- <Verb> - In this case, we are making a simple GET request to the API.
- <AssignVariable> - These variables store the values we are passing to the API. In this example, the variables will be accessed later in the response returned to the client.
Send the request with ServiceCallout
The next step in the policy composition sequence is to create a ServiceCallout policy. The ServiceCallout policy, listed below, sends the request object that we created in the previous AssignMessage policy to the Google Geocoding service, and saves the result in a variable called GeocodingResponse.
As before, let's take a look at the code first. A detailed explanation follows. You can read more about this policy in Service Callout policy. In the sample download, you can find this XML in the file doc-samples/policy-mashup-cookbook/apiproxy/policies/ExecuteGeocodingRequest.xml.
<ServiceCallout name="ExecuteGeocodingRequest"> <Request variable="GeocodingRequest"/> <Response>GeocodingResponse</Response> <HTTPTargetConnection> <URL>http://maps.googleapis.com/maps/api/geocode/json</URL> </HTTPTargetConnection> </ServiceCallout>
Here's a brief description of this policy's elements.
- <ServiceCallout> - As with the previous policy, this one has a name.
- <Request variable> - This is the variable that was created in the AssignMessage policy. It encapsulates the request going to the backend API.
- <Response> - This element names a variable in which the response is stored. As you will see, this variable will be accessed later by the ExtractVariables policy.
- <HTTPTargetConnection> - Specifies the target URL of the backend API. In this case, we specify that the API return a JSON response.
Now we have two policies, one that specifies the request information needed to use the backend API (Google's Geocoding API), and the second one that actually sends the request to the backend API. Next, we'll handle the response.
Parse the response with ExtractVariables
The ExtractVariables policy provides a simple mechanism for parsing content from the response message obtained by a ServiceCallout policy. ExtractVariables can be used to parse JSON or XML, or it can be used to extract content from URI paths, HTTP headers, query parameters, and form parameters.
Here's a listing of the ExtractVariables policy. You can read more about this policy in Extract Variables policy. In the sample download, you can find this XML in the file doc-samples/policy-mashup-cookbook/apiproxy/policies/ParseGeocodingResponse.xml.
<ExtractVariables name="ParseGeocodingResponse"> <Source>GeocodingResponse</Source> <VariablePrefix>geocoderesponse</VariablePrefix> <JSONPayload> <Variable name="latitude"> <JSONPath>$.results[0].geometry.location.lat</JSONPath> </Variable> <Variable name="longitude"> <JSONPath>$.results[0].geometry.location.lng</JSONPath> </Variable> </JSONPayload> </ExtractVariables>
The key elements of the ExtractVariable policy are:
- <ExtractVariables name> - Again, the policy name is used to refer to the policy when it is used in a flow.
- <Source> - Specifies the response variable that we created in the ServiceCallout policy. This is the variable from which this policy extracts data.
- <VariablePrefix> - The variable prefix specifies a namespace for other variables created in this policy. The prefix can be any name, except for the reserved names defined by Edge's predefined variables.
- <JSONPayload> - This element retrieves the response data that is of interest to us and puts it into named variables. In fact, the Geocoding API returns much more information than latitude and longitude. However, these are the only values we need for this sample. You can see a complete rendering of the JSON returned by the Geocoding API in the API's documentation. The values of geometry.location.lat and geometry.location.lng are simply two of the many fields in the returned JSON object.
It may not be obvious, but it's important to see that ExtractVariables produces two variables whose names consist of the variable prefix (geocoderesponse) and the actual variable names that are specified in the policy. These variables are stored in the API proxy and will be available to other policies within the proxy flow, as you will see. The variables are:
- geocoderesponse.latitude
- geocoderesponse.longitude
Most of the work is now done. We have created a composite of three policies that form a request, call a backend API, and parse the returned JSON data. In the final steps, we'll feed data from this part of the flow into another AssignMessage policy, call the second backend API (Google Elevation API), and return our mashed up data to the app developer.
Generate the second request with AssignMessage
The following AssignMessage policy uses variables returned from the first backend (Google Geocoding) that we stored, and plugs them into a request destined for the second API (Google Elevation). As noted previously, these variables are geocoderesponse.latitude and geocoderesponse.longitude.
In the sample download, you can find this XML in the file doc-samples/policy-mashup-cookbook/apiproxy/policies/AssignElevationParameters.xml.
<AssignMessage name="AssignElevationParameters"> <Remove> <QueryParams> <QueryParam name="country"/> <QueryParam name="postalcode"/> </QueryParams> </Remove> <Set> <QueryParams> <QueryParam name="locations">{geocoderesponse.latitude},{geocoderesponse.longitude}</QueryParam> <QueryParam name="sensor">false</QueryParam> </QueryParams> </Set> </AssignMessage>
If you examine the Google Elevation API, you will see that it takes two query parameters. The first is called locations and its value is the latitude and longitude (comma-separated values). The other param is sensor, which is required and must be either true or false. You can read the Elevation API documentation if you would like to know more. The QueryParams that we stored previously, country and postalcode, are no longer needed, so we remove them here.
Brief pause: Back to the flow
At this point, you may wonder why we aren't creating another ServiceCallout policy. After all, we created another message. How does that message get sent to the target, the Google Elevation API? The answer is in the <RouteRule> element of the flow. <RouteRule> specifies what to do with any remaining request messages after the <Request> part of the flow has executed. The TargetEndpoint specified by this <RouteRule> tells the API proxy to deliver the message to http://maps.googleapis.com/maps/api/elevation/xml.
If you downloaded the sample API proxy, you can find the TargetProxy XML in the file doc-samples/policy-mashup-cookbook/apiproxy/targets/default.xml.
<TargetEndpoint name="default"> <HTTPTargetConnection> <!-- This is where we define the target. For this sample we just use a simple URL. --> <URL>http://maps.googleapis.com/maps/api/elevation/xml</URL> </HTTPTargetConnection> </TargetEndpoint>
Now, we just need to process the response from the Google Elevation API and we're done.
Convert the response from XML to JSON
In this example, the response from the Google Elevation API is returned as XML. For "extra credit," let's add one more policy to our composite to transform the response from XML to JSON.
This example uses the JavaScript policy named GenerateResponse, with a resource file containing the JavaScript code, to perform the conversion. Shown below is the GenerateResponse policy definition:
<Javascript name="GenerateResponse" timeout="10000"> <ResourceURL>jsc://GenerateResponse.js</ResourceURL> </Javascript>
The GenerateResponse.js resource file includes the JavaScript used to perform the conversion. You can see that code in the file doc-samples/policy-mashup-cookbook/apiproxy/resources/JSC/GenerateResponse.js.
Apigee also provides an out-of-the-box policy, XMLToJSON, to convert XML to JSON. You can edit the ProxyEndpoint to use the xmltojson policy shown below instead.
<XMLToJSON name="xmltojson"> <Options> </Options> <OutputVariable>response</OutputVariable> <Source>response</Source> </XMLToJSON>
Testing the example
If you have not already done so, try to download, deploy, and run the policy-mashup-cookbook sample, which you can find in the doc-samples folder in the Apigee Edge samples repository GitHub. Just follow the instructions in the README file in the policy-mashup-cookbook folder. Or, follow the brief instructions here: Deploying and testing samples.
To summarize, you can call the composite API as follows. Substitute your {myorg} with your organization name:
$ curl "http://{myorg}-test.apigee.net/policy-mashup-cookbook?country=us&postalcode=08008"
The response includes the geocoded location for the center of the postal code provided by the app end user, combined with the elevation at that geocoded location. The data was retrieved from two backend APIs, mashed up with policies attached to the API proxy, and returned to the client in a single response.
{"country":"us","postalcode":"08008", "elevation":{"meters":0.5045232,"feet":1.6552599030345978}, "location":{"latitude":39.75007129999999,"longitude":-74.1357407}}
This cookbook topic explained how to use the policy composition pattern to create a mashup of data from multiple backend sources. Policy composition is a common pattern used in API proxy development for adding creative functionality to your API.
Get help
For help, see Apigee Customer Support.
Help or comments?
- If something's not working: Ask the Apigee Community or see Apigee Support.
- If something's wrong with the docs: Send Docs Feedback
(Incorrect? Unclear? Broken link? Typo?)


text:
Did You Know?
It takes 3 of our keepers to lift our powerful Burmese Python.
Thank you to everyone who participated in Boo at the Zoo! Mother
Nature held off the rain and gave us a beautiful fall backdrop to enjoy loads
of Halloween activities. During the 4 day event we were visited by more than
6500 ghosts, goblins, princesses…and one kid in a really cool transformer
costume! The Zoo Members were out in record numbers and the Community Partners
offered tons of games and giveaways. A
special shout out to the hula-hoopers…what a fun activity to watch and
play! Volunteers and docents played a
huge part in making Boo at the Zoo a success.
It takes more than 500 volunteer hours each weekend to keep the Boo fun
moving along! From the partners to the
volunteers to the guests and zoo members, huge THANKS for a wonderful couple of
holiday weekends. And from all of us at
the zoo, enjoy a fun and safe Halloween!
(Photo courtesy of Twitter).


text:
CSJ, it seems you got this digured out. This response isn't so much to you as it is to other potential readers.
In 19 out of 20 cases i am finding people are approaching these details without having the timing of the wrist and arm.
This year alone i worked with 4 players attempting to heel pivot and that majorly f'd up their throw. When i asked why they were trying to heel pivot, their response was "i read it somewhere on the internet."
The key to timing is that there are parts where the shoulder leads the elbow, and there are parts where the arm leads the shoulder.
If you treat the shoulder as leading the entire way it is impossible to get the elbow forward.
The heel pivot is a biproduct of a certain types of timing and strength and too often people tend to think of it as a cause instead of an effect.


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text:
NEWARK, N.J. -- Sometimes coaches send players a message by sitting them out.
But Sunday afternoon, it was rookie Matt Nieto letting Sharks coach Todd McLellan know that he prefers to play by scoring the game-winner in a 4-2 victory over the New Jersey Devils after sitting out Friday in Buffalo.
"You know, whenever you get a chance to be in the lineup, you have to have a positive impact," Nieto said. "That's something I try to do whenever I'm in."
Nieto wasn't the only rookie to have that positive impact as backup netminder Alex Stalock improved his record to 10-4 this season with 21 saves, including four in 30 seconds shortly before Nieto broke a 2-2 deadlock at 6:20 of the third period.
Logan Couture, Raffi Torres and Patrick Marleau also scored on New Jersey goalie Cory Schneider, while Adam Henrique and Patrick Elias tallied for the Devils.
Torres also sat out Friday's loss to the Sabres, but neither he nor Nieto were benched for the usual reasons. McLellan said he didn't want to tax Torres with three games in four nights after missing 59 games because of a knee injury. With Nieto, the coach said it was a case of getting other players into a game after the Olympic break.
"It's nice to see he handled it properly," said McLellan, who slotted Nieto onto his top line with Joe Thornton and Joe Pavelski while dropping Brent Burns lower in the depth chart alongside James Sheppard and Marty Havlat.
Burns hasn't scored a goal in 19 games, and McLellan said, "just like everybody else, we've got to hold him accountable. Brent will work his way back, but right now we like what we saw from those three."
After a fast-paced but scoreless first period, both teams found their scoring touch in the second.
The Sharks got on the board first at 3:26 when Couture popped in the rebound of a shot by Jason Demers that had been deflected by Patrick Marleau. That lead only lasted 77 seconds after former Shark Steve Bernier sent a cross-crease pass to Henrique, who had a wide open net in front of him.
The Devils took their only lead at 14:22 when Elias deflected a shot past Stalock. But 92 seconds after that, Torres finished off a perfect give-and-go with Joe Pavelski on an odd-man rush.
"We were pretty spread out so we had enough time to think through in our heads what was happening," Pavelski said. "The other part is how the 'd' was playing it. He found himself a little farther back than he wanted to be."
Between periods, McLellan and the coaching staff let players know it had been 11 games since the Sharks outscored an opponent in the third period, and they responded accordingly.
First Stalock came up big when Elias skated in all alone after deking out a Sharks defender. A half-minute later, Thornton and Pavelski set Nieto up for a shot that went top shelf for his seventh goal of the season.
"In the pre-scout, we were talking about the need to get pucks high on this guy so I shot it high," Nieto said, "and luckily it went by him."
The Sharks still had to kill off two penalties to preserve the lead before Marleau jumped on a loose puck high in the Devils zone and snapped off a 25-foot shot that iced the game for San Jose.
"Can't wait to get out there against all of them and make a few runs at them," said Clowe, who was credited with four hits -- all in the first period.
"If there's one guy you know is going to play hard against you when he gets back, it's him. That's his game," said Demers, who was flattened by Clowe. "But it's more my fault. I kind of left myself open."
For more on the Sharks, see David Pollak's Working the Corners blog at blogs.mercurynews.com/sharks. Follow him on Twitter at twitter.com/PollakOnSharks.
Tuesday's game
Carolina (xx-xx-x) at Sharks (xx-xx-x), 7:30 p.m., CSNCA
ONLINe extras
For more on the Sharks, go to www.mercurynews.com/SHARKS.


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You want to: Drop a few pounds
Pick: Vinyasa Flow
This flab-melting workout will have you moving continuously (but not effortlessly) from pose to pose. Because each vinyasa flow class is different (the pace, poses, and sequences vary), your muscles will constantly be challenged in new ways, which burns extra calories. And there's a bonus for boozehounds:
"The twisting poses are great for recovering from a hangover," says Kathryn Budig, a vinyasa flow instructor in Los Angeles. "You're wringing yourself out, like a sponge."
Signature pose: Chaturanga (works your core, shoulders, and arms). Get into a pushup position, wrists beneath your shoulders. Gaze forward and slowly lower yourself halfway, keeping your shoulders over your wrists and squeezing your elbows close to your body.
You want to: Boost your spirits
Pick: Anusara
Think of it as Prozac in a pose. This method unwinds your body while lifting your mood. Each class focuses on an inspirational idea (like feeling grounded or embodying confidence), which the style's founder, John Friend, calls a "heart theme." Expect some chanting and oms (feel free to speak up or sit quietly) and lots of classic moves such as lunges and planks.
You'll probably partner up with a classmate for a pose or two to experience "the joy of community" and for some extra stretching you wouldn't be able to do on your own. (If your gym doesn't offer anusara, hatha is a worthy stand-in.)
Signature pose: Downward-Facing Dog (stretches arms, shoulders, and legs). Get into a pushup position. Push your hips back while keeping your arms and legs straight so your body forms an upside-down V. Slide your shoulder blades back, allowing your neck and chest to relax.
You want to: Build strength inside and out
Pick: Power Yoga
This style may sound hardcore, but its name was actually inspired by the inner strength it develops. "Each session improves your posture and creates more confidence, which breeds self-empowerment," says Rudy Mettia, founder of Corporalita Power Yoga in Los Angeles. That's not to say your muscles get off scot-free. Hardly. There's plenty of toning and lean muscle building for your core, legs, and glutes.
Signature pose: King Dancer (boosts strength and balance). Stand on your left leg and bend your right knee so you can grab the front of your right foot with your right hand. Then extend your left arm in front of you and press your right leg behind you, leaning your torso forward slightly. Allow your right hand to grasp your ankle. Hold for a few breaths, then switch sides.
You want to: Get a competitive edge
Pick: Yoga for Athletes
"Both competitive athletes and average women do lots of repetitive motions, which can lead to muscle imbalances and overuse injuries," says Emilie Smith, a Yoga for Athletes instructor in New York City.
"Yoga for Athletes works your body through its full range of motion to create symmetry and balance." After a dynamic warm up sequence and targeted strength-building poses, you'll finish with 15 to 20 minutes of longer, restorative stretches. Each class is designed to address specific student issues and rebalance the body.
Signature pose: Warrior III (builds strength and balance). Stand on your left leg with your right leg extended straight behind you, and raise your arms overhead, palms facing each other. Keeping your core tight, raise your right leg as you lower your torso toward the floor until your upper body forms a straight line with your right leg. Hold for a few breaths, then switch sides.
Sign up for a yoga class that's best for you.
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LINDA Rankin, who has worked in education for more than 40 years in Swindon, is resigning from Colebrook Infant Academy on a high following a glowing Ofsted report.
Linda, who has been headteacher at the academy in Stratton St Margaret for four-and-a-half years, said the report, which classed the school as 'good', was a fitting end to her career.
The first report into the school since it was converted into an academy in 2011 said achievement was excellent across the board.
It said: "Children make good progress from the moment they enter. Children quickly develop important skills like understanding numbers and the ability to sound out letters to help them recognise words.
"All pupils have equal opportunities to succeed. Careful assessment gives the school precise information about the challenges facing pupils, such as those who are disabled, those who have special educational needs and those for whom English is not their first language.
"The school makes regular checks on teaching and progress to help it improve. It holds a clear picture of where each pupil stands academically and the rate of her or his progress.
"Frequent review meetings ensure any weaknesses are quickly dealt with. These meetings are also used to hold class teachers to account for the quality of their teaching and how well their pupils are doing. These can trigger additional support and training opportunities to help staff improve their practice. The headteacher is a positive influence and sets high expectations for pupils and staff."
Linda said she was particularly pleased with the report because the criteria for inspection has been tightened considerably.
"We have to acknowledge things have changed over the last five years. The bar has been raised, and we have seen lots of schools suffer as a result. To maintain our status is very encouraging.
"We did quite a lot of analysis of our results from Key Stage 1, so we knew where the children needed to be and what they had to improve on. Everything else then falls into place. Ofsted recognised that is a team effort.
"The children have been fantastic. Although we did not want to stress them out they knew people were there looking over their shoulders. The other thing that was really welcome was that they saw the governing body was well placed for the challenge of leadership.
"Some of the criteria is much more rigorous and it is much more about pupil outcomes and achievement right through the school. They want to see a consistent idea of working.
"It is a much fairer way of doing it because we can't just put on a good show for two days and pull the wool over their eyes."
Linda said it is the right time for her to step down.
She said: "I am going to retire in the summer. I have done a lot of inspections in my time and I am really proud of this one.
"It's an all-consuming job but when the time is right you know, and with the new curriculum coming in now is the best time for someone else to come in."