Cooking Utensils - Choosing Knives

When choosing a collection of cooking utensils for your kitchen it's important to have a wide selection of knives available for the variety of tasks that occur while preparing a meal. However, if you are not going to acquire a large selection of knives there are several types of knives that are highly recommended to have in your collection of cooking utensils.

Chef's Knife

The Chef's knife is one of the primary knives you should have in your cooking utensils collection. It's a knife that can be utilized for most tasks. A high quality Chef's knife will easily slice, mince, chop, dice and be efficient with most other tasks performed with a knife. Most of the Chef's knives range in size from six to twelve inches with the eight inch knife being the most popular.

Bread Knife

If you make your own bread or you buy loaves of bread that have not been sliced, a quality bread knife should be in your cooking utensils collection. It can provide an even slice and will provide a nice appearance for the remainder of the loaf. Most bread knives have a serrated blade and they usually are about six to ten inches in length. The serrated blade provides a nice slice and is far preferred than other types of knives for cutting bread.

Paring Knife

It's a good idea to add a paring knife to your cooking utensils collection since they are ideal for taking out seeds or making garnishes or taking the veins out of shrimp and can be used for other types of intricate tasks while preparing a meal. Paring knives are typically about two and half to four inches in length.

Utility Knife

A utility knife is also an important knife for a small collection. Utility knives are medium size knifes and are designed for various tasks in the kitchen. It's not a good idea to utilize them for heavy cutting procedures and it's not designed for peeling small types of fruits or vegetables. Some varieties come with a serrated edge.

Boning Knife

A boning knife is appropriate for a collection of cooking utensils in order to take out the bones from the meat items that you have selected for your meal. They typically have a thin blade and are typically five to six inches in length. A boning knife that has some flexibility is a good choice for removing bones from chicken while a s000008FFtiff type of boning knife is a good choice for taking out bones from beef as well as pork. When putting together a collection of cooking utensils make sure you have some high quality knives and life in the kitchen will be much easier.

Echo Wang is a contributing Editor for cooking-tips Find out which cooking products, treatments & solutions will continue to be beautiful at any time. Our site is dedicated to providing information about cooking well options so you can continue to do it perfect, if want to more information, please visit Cooking Utensils

Cooking
Cooking lessons

Outdoor Cooking Catalog - A Great Resource

If you have made it your New Year resolution to get more in touch with nature and the great outdoors, you might want to peruse through an outdoor cooking catalog. Being outside communing with nature and spending time with friends and family means that you are likely going to be doing some cooking outside the home, so you need to be prepared with a few cooking items.

Plethora of Information

An outdoor cooking catalog is going to have a lot of information when it comes to all the gadgets and other paraphernalia needed for cooking outside. Often times, the outdoor cooking catalog will have items that you will never likely see in the stores simply because the general public may not have a need for it but it could still be quite a cool and useful item.

Having a publication that is split up into various categories for utensils, pots and pans, cookware, gadgets and even stoves and grills can be quite helpful in breaking down your needs into manageable portions. An outdoor cooking catalog can make any purchase for cooking supplies be less daunting because it is so organized and easy to read.

Price and Comparisons

One of the best things about an outdoor cooking catalog is being able to compare similar items against one another at a glance. You do not have to make any special trips to a sporting goods or specialty store in order to do so, thus saving time and money for you. In addition, ordering out of a catalog for your outdoor cooking needs will save you money in the long run, not only in travel costs but also because the prices are usually cheaper than what you would find in a store.

Ordering from an outdoor cooking catalog doesn't mean that you won't have any warranties or money back guarantees. In fact, often times, items you order from an outdoor cooking catalog will have even better warranties and purchase p0000130Crotection than what you would buy in the store because they want your repeat business.

An outdoor cooking catalog, in addition to having more selections than a brick and mortar store, will help you if you do not have the time to travel to the store. You can page through the catalog in your spare time, place your order and then have it delivered straight to your home or office without driving from store to store finding everything you need. One stop shopping can be a life-saver when you are short of time but long on intent to have a good time with your outdoor cooking adventures.

Echo Wang is a contributing Editor for cooking Find out which cooking products, treatments & solutions will continue to be beautiful at any time. Our site is dedicated to providing information about cooking well options so you can continue to do it perfect, if want to more information, please visit Outdoor Cooking Catalog

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Cooking8lessons

Using Cooking Wine

Cooking wine is sort of a holdover from prohibition. People who grew up thinking Alcohol is Evil didn't want to have any in their homes. But they wanted those delicious flavors in cooking. Cooking wine seemed to be a reasonable compromise.

In essence, cooking wine is really bad wine that then has lots of salt added to it. This makes it pretty much undrinkable by anyone looking to 'get drunk'. However, being a combination of bad wine and lots of salt, it also is pretty much nasty for adding into food too! If you wouldn't want to put something in your mouth in the first place, do you really want to put it into a dish that you heat - meaning its (bad) flavors are now really concentrated down?

Using cooking wine is, simply put, a way to harm a perfectly good recipe. There's really no reason at all to use cooking wine instead of regular wine. If you're worried about youngsters getting into your wine, put it into a high cabinet. Or put it into a locked cabinet! There are probably MANY other much nastier substances in your house that should be locked up if you're worried about this sort of thing. But deliberately cooking with a nasty substance can literally ruin your recipes. You rarely save any money by buying cooking wine, either.

If you have a recipe that calls for wine or cooking wine, use a real wine from your local wine shop. All of the wines used in cooking should be found there quite easily. If your recipe calls for cooking wine and you go with normal wine, be sure to taste your recipe after adding the wine to see if you should also add in some salt, too. Some common types of cooking wine are:

Sherry

Sherry is a fortified (brandy-added) wine from the south of Spain. Because it's fortified, you can keep a bottle around for months after you open it, as long as you keep it sealed and cool. It usually has a rich, sweet flavor.

Marsala

Marsala comes from Sicily, which is the island at the toe of Italy's boot. It's a wine fortified with brandy and comes in red and white varieties, tho the red is the most popular type. It's a rich, sweet flavor and is used very much in Italian cooking, especially Chicken Marsala .

All Free Recipes

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Easy8cooking

Cooking With Honey-Useful Facts And Tips

Cooking with honey gives you a never-ending list of possibilities and recipes due to the many practical functions honey could serve. Here I list you seven:

Honey

1) enhances browning and crisp -- great for glazing roasted and baked foods to promote surface browning.

2) is a flavour enhancer -- an always welcomed natural sweetener for hot teas and cold beverages.

3) provides texture and feel -- an excellent addition in pastries and cakes making.

4) prolongs shelf-life -- a natural preservative for pickles and sauces.

5) retains moisture -- an essential ingredient for providing the moisture in rich cakes and prolonging the moisture retention.

6) is binding due to its viscosity -- a brilliant ingredient that aids shaping of desserts such as pastries, puddings, and cakes.

7) adds colour -- contributes a delightful golden hue to sauces, dressings, jellies, and frozen desserts.

And there are several tips on cooking with honey which I believe you will find very useful:

1. As a general guide, when using honey recipes, use less of honey because it is almost twice as sweet as sugar. Replace one cup of sugar for half a cup of honey, and because honey is hygroscopic (meaning it attracts water) , reduce the amount of liquid in the recipe by 1/4 cup for each cup of honey added.

2. Give longer time for beating and more vigorous beating000007D0 compared to sugar recipes, and when baking with honey.

3. Add 1/2 teaspoon baking soda for each cup of honey used. This will neutralize honey's acidity and help the food rise.

4. Reduce the oven temperature by 25 degrees Fahrenheit. Honey batter becomes crisp and browns faster than sugar batter.

5. When using honey in jams, jellies, or candies, increase the cooking temperature just a bit to allow the extra liquid to evaporate.

6. The floral variety of the honey should be considered when cooking with honey since honey will impart some of its flavour.

Source: http://www.benefits-of-honey.com/cooking-with-honey.html

R. Tan is the owner of the website benefits-of-honey.com which is a rich honey resource community specially built for all the honey lovers and fans in this world. She has packed this website with a wide range of quality contents on honey based on her knowledge and experience with honey, so as to promote its invaluable benefits which she believes could bring many positive spin-offs in everyone's daily life.

Easy8cooking
Cooking8class

Hairstyles for Prom

Prom night is the most awaited night for all the teenagers. They dream a different look, a unique personality and an elegant hairstyle with flawless attire. Prom hair is the major concern for most of the females. To choose the best prom hairstyles that complement the prom dress, personality and the mood of the night is a big chore. The hairstyle should go with the prom theme as well. Every prom night has a theme that ties together all the aspects of the prom. Prom themes are diverse and play a vital role in the selection of prom dress and prom hairstyles.

There is a vast selection of hairstyles for prom for both short and long hairs. For girls with short hairs there are plenty of short prom hairstyles that look formal as well as trendy. To name a few textured short cuts with plenty of texture and layers, short hairstyle with a fringe and pixie cut are the most popular. Long hairs are bit difficult to manage but yet there is abundance of prom hairstyles for long hair. Curls, waves, updos and chingnons look great on long hairs. Updos prom hairstyles are the staple of the prom night that compliments the flattering features and gives an elegant look. Some of the other hairstyles are simple chic cut with the front part pleated to one side and separated with a hair band; long boho waves with a center parting and waves throughout the tresses; and curly locks created with rollers or barrel.

Most of the girls with medium length hair are worried for the hairstyle but there are various medium length hairstyles as well. Infact they can take advantage of both short hairstyles and long hairstyles. Choppy mid length cut, curled locks and natural wavy are some of the styles that are perfect medium hairstyles for the prom night. Updos prom hairstyles can also be the best styling option for medium length hair. Sassy updo and knotted style updos are the most popular and easy prom hairstyles.

Today the most favorite hairstyle with the young girls is the sedu prom hairstyles. These hairstyles can be natural sedu hairstyle, formal sedu hairstyle or vintage sedu hairstyle. A natural sedu hairstyle simply implies natural beauty. It is either straight hair with curls or a loose bun that showcases the face of the wearer. A formal sedu hairstyle consists of a tight bun or a low ponytail. Vintage meaning old fashioned is the most expressive and elegant hairstyle for prom.

Early planning of the best hairstyle for the most awaited prom night can help to achieve a different, unique, elegant and flattering look that blends well with the ambience of the prom night.

Read on to know more on medium length hairstyles and various other Prom hairstyles.

Ugg Australia Women's Knightsbridge 5119 chest
Ugg Women's Knightsbridge

HDTV CableCard

Look thorough the specifications list of many of the current crop of HDTVs and you will see the term CableCard listed on many of them, but what is HDTV CableCard?

Quite simply, it's a very elegant method of receiving HDTV from a cable provider.
Instead of supplying you with a set-top box to receive and decode its HDTV
transmission, the cable supplier gives you an HDTV CableCard which simply slots
into your TV. The card decodes the channels that your subscription allows your
receiver or integrated HDTV does the rest.

The advantage is that an HDTV CableCard takes up much less room than a set-top
box, doesn't need its own power supply, and reduces the number of cables you
need for cable HDTV. Another advantage is that if you move house and have to
switch providers, you don't need to learn how to use a brand new set-top box. You
just relinquish your existing card and get a new one from your new provider,
everything else stays the same.

Perhaps the biggest advantage of HDTV CableCard is in the picture quality. Cable
companies are not known for the high quality of the components they put into set-
top boxes. Most consumers can't tell the difference between a decent picture and a
very good one. So cable companies tend to go for features rather than quality. With
CableCard your equipment - the HDTV tuner or integrated HDTV does the scaling
and display, so you choose how good the image quality is. If it matters to you, you
can buy a good tuner or integrated TV and benefit from better scaling and display.

The disadvantage of HDTv CableCard is that it is currently one-way, so cable
services which requ00000892ire interaction, such as pay-per-view, on-demand services,
sports season tickets and program guides don't work. For those you'll still need a
set-top box.

A two-way version of CableCard is currently in development.

Kenny Hemphill is the editor and publisher of The HDTV Tuner - a guide to the kit, the technology and the programming on HDTV.

DVD Recorders

DLP HDTV - What is DLP HDTV?

Digital Light Processing (DLP) involves advanced technology that was introduced by Texas Instruments. The process involves 1.3 million microscopic mirrors of Digital Micromirror Devices (DMD). This is a type of technology used to get more pixels onto High Definition Television (HDTV) so the picture is clearer. This entire concept is currently known as DLP HDTV.

The DMD is the main component of the DLP HDTV system. This tiny gadget holds all the small mirrors that reflect the pixels. They are made from aluminum so they are very light weight. One DMD can hold up to 1,280 pixels. Hewlett Packard is working in enhancing the DMD process so it can generate two pixel images at a time. The result will be DLP HDTV with even better picture resolution.

If you compare the cost of a flat panel plasma or LCD television set to that of a DLP HDTV you will find the latter to be more cost effective. You will be getting a very good deal because it offers you a very good picture and they have a much longer life than a cathode ray tub TV set. One of the disadvantages though is that LCD television sets have better contrasting controls and ranges of color than what is offered on DLP HDTV. However DLP HDTV definitely wins when it comes to viewing sports or other materials where there is plenty of motion going on.

The DLP HDTV models use a color wheel system for the colors you can select from. There are three primary colors used - red, green, and blue. When these colors are mixed with the DMD though you can get 256 different shades of color. The best selling DLP HDTV on the market right now is the 56 inch Samsung HLR5667W. It retails from $1,600 to $2,700. They also have a 50 inch model you can get for a price of $1,500 to $2,800.

As the DLP HDTV becomes more popular you can expect a wider selection of models to emerge onto the market. You can also expect a reduction in the cost of them. For now though you will have to pay the high price to have the DLP HDTV, the newest technology in the way of TV and movies.

If you found this information on DLP HDTV useful, you'll also want to read about HD TV Antenna

Rear Projection

Speed Up Slow Computers

If your computer is more than a year old, chances are it does not run at the speed it did when it was new.Maybe you have even tried registry cleaners and spyware removal programs to speed it up with little or no success. While these programs have some value, they are not the main reason computers slow down over time.Neither is it likely to be your processor unless your computer is more than 6 years old. Most processors are under-utilized. They are so fast that they are overkill for the average user - often operating at only 1%-10% of capacity.You can check this for yourself on a Windows PC. Hold down the Ctrl + Alt keys and press Delete. On the pop-up, click Task Manager and read your CPU Usage.This will give an accurate reading of how busy your processor really is.Even if it is as high as 50%-75%, it is still not fully utilized.So if that is the case, you do not need a new computer with a faster processor to gain more speed. But if you do buy a new computer, it will run fast.Not because the processor is so much faster, but rather because there are fewer programs and files loaded on it initially, and it will probably have more Random Access Memory (RAM).

RAM is the key to the speed.When we talk about computer speed what we really mean is not processor clock-speed, but the speed with which pages load, files open, and programs respond. While your connection to the internet has some impact on this for online activities, as long as you are using at least a Cable or DSL service (and not dial-up) your internet connection is probably not the issue.The deficiency is most likely with your RAM, for two reasons.

1) As time passes, new program releases become larger and web content increases exponentially in size and scope. Ergo, more RAM is needed to handle the bulkier footprints.
2) Factory-installed computer RAM is usually well below maximum capacity. While it was sufficient for your system at the time of purchasewith only the original operating system installed, you have probably since added programs, service packs, updates, and all kinds of photo, video, music, and data files. Whether these files reside on your computer or you access them online is irrelevant.It still takes RAM to enable them, especially whenmultiple windows are open.

If you are wondering why computer manufacturers do not consider your future needs by maxing out RAM at the factory, there are two factors.

1) They want to keep costs down. Larger RAM modules are more expensive than smaller ones.

2) They want more computer sales. They do not make RAM. They buy it from memory manufacturers (and re-brand it as theirs). And they do not make any money if you upgrade the memory later from a direct manufacturer. Yet, they can expect consumers unfamiliar with RAM upgrades to buy a new computer sooner rather than later.

Considering the average cost of a computer RAM upgrade is about $100, and in some cases as little as $40, it is far less costly than a new PC.And anyone can do it. If you max out your RAM, you may even have more than would come factory-installed on a new computer today; which would again be the minimum for what that system can handle. The most daunting cost of a new computer is often the soft cost. By that I mean, all the time it takes to set up services and devices again, and transfer all your programs and files from one to the other. It is not uncommon for the Saturday morning computer purchase to turn into the weekend-long PC deployment project.But a typical RAM upgrade takes less than 30 minutes.

Visit here for a complete step-by-step guide to RAM upgrades

Chris Regan is a full-time IT solutions provider and a free-lance writer and marketer.

Digital Video Recorders

Top 8 Benefits of Spy Cameras

Have you ever wondered what the top benefits of having a spy camera in your home or office are? Well, wonder no more - because we have a handy list that tells you what the benefits are, and the reasoning behind them!

i) Multi-Tasking Designs

Today's ultra modern hidden spy nanny cams aren't simply spy cameras. They're now embedded into everyday items and objects that you can use on a regular basis - even if you don't employ the nanny camera features or capabilities. Alarm clocks, wall clocks, pen holders, fully-functioning stereo systems; some of these great items now feature easy-to-use and high-tech micro spy nanny cams.

ii) They Never Ask For Time Off

Security guards need days off, and watchdogs need to nap and rest, but spy cameras can keep on watching and recording - long after you yourself have gone to bed. You can plug them in and leave them up and running for extended periods of time - and even longer if necessary. No matter what your time considerations are, wireless nanny cams will always be on duty for you and your family.

iii) Master Of Disguise

A spy camera or internet IP nanny cam is only valuable if it avoids detection. Fortunately, today's ultra modern spy cams are designed to hide perfectly in plain sight. With some excellent features as pinhole cameras, incredibly small sizes, and, of course, excellent designs, nanny cams can be placed in just about any room and be used in any situation without attracting any unwanted attention to itself.

iv) Use Them Anywhere

Home, office, indoors, outdoors, in dark light or in bright light - it doesn't matter. Today's multi-purpose spy cameras are made to be used in any location delivering perfection and reliability each and every time. Kitchens, bedrooms, storerooms, cubicles - if you have an area to protect and monitor, there's a nanny cam out there that can simply get the job done.

v) Modern Technology

It's absolutely amazing to see just how far body worn spy cam technology has advanced over the years. Before, a video camera of any sort was large, bulky and expensive - not to mention difficult to actually use. Now, spy cameras are so user-friendly, but at the same time employing forward-thinking function, that anyone can have one up and running within minutes - regardless of how comfortable or experienced they are with nanny cameras.

vi) Versatility

How would you like to place a spy camera 3000 feet away from you and see what's going on with perfect clarity and without interruption? Nanny cams are designed to work in the real world - and not just within a 100 foot distance from camera to receiver. If you have large property to monitor, or want to keep a close watch on far, hard-to-reach locations, then there are many kinds of spy cams than can do just that for you.

vii) All Light Long

Some spy cams only work in bright light. Others in dark light. But today's modern nanny cams are manufactured to work in all lighting situations and capacities. In fact, there are spy cameras that are specifically designed to automatically switch onto night time recording when the surrounding light levels diminish. The safety and security of your home and family doesn't stop when the sun rises or sets, and your wireless spy camera will keep on recording - no matter how bright or dim it actually is out there.

viii) The Lens Never Lies

You wouldn't believe to look at it, but that tiny pinhole lens actually can see quite a bit. Most lenses are no bigger than 3/4" in diameter. But, that same tiny lens can actually capture everything that's taking place and going on within a 90 degree field of vision. You won't have to worry about missing anything, because your micro spy nanny cam will record it for you to see.

Manny J. Manuel is an expert on spy cameras and he wants to share his knowledge and passion with you! He believes that all families should have access to affordable, reliable wireless nanny cameras which can keep families, homes and businesses safe from harm, violence and crime.

Living in Canada, Manny J. Manuel understands that there isn't anything more important than the safety of your family. That's why he wants to spread the word and inform people about internet IP spy nanny cams that families can afford and which offer reliable protection and security. He also believes that spy cameras shouldn't be too complicated to families to actually set up and use.

Canon Eos

How to Troubleshoot Video Problems

Few things can be as frustrating as picture problems. You get your system all ready to go, flip the switch, and WHAM! One or more channels look terrible. The good news is that the majority of video problems can be traced to just a few causes. Most problems are comprised of the following:

Snow

Horizontal bars rolling though the picture

Vertical bars rolling through the picture

Ghosting

Herringbone pattern (diagonal lines through picture)

Lower channels look fine, upper channels are not

These six are the main symptoms youll find when seeing video problems. Thankfully, most are fairly easy to fix.

Snow -

Snow is caused by inadequate signal strength at the tuner. Its usually caused by:

1 Splitting the signal too many times.

2 A weak signal from the antenna or cable company

3 A very long cable run

If the signal is snowy at all your TVs, especially if you have more than 4 TVs, you probably need an RF amplifier. Check the strength at the demark (service entrance). If it is fine there, add an amplifier before the splitter. Make sure to use a quality unit with good bandwidth (out to at least 1000MHz). If you have digital cable or a cable modem, get an amplifier with a bidirectional return path to allow for communication back to the cable company. If the picture looks bad at the demark, contact the cable company.

If it is bad at only one TV, you may have a bad cable between the splitter and the TV or a very long run of cable. You can amplify just that run.

Horizontal Rolling Bars

Horizontal rolling bars are caused by DC power getting into the cable system. To fix it, disconnect the TV from all other components in the system. If the bars disappear, add the other components back in until the bars return. When you find the offending component, use a DC blocker to eliminate the DC power path to the system.

Vertical Rolling Bars

Vertical rolling bars are caused by AC power getting on the cable line. The best fix for this is to use a ground breaker. A ground breaker eliminates the electrical connection between the TV and the cable system. A ground breaker is also the main fix for a hum on your audio systems speakers.

Ghosting

Ghosting is caused by the tuner receiving identical signals at slightly different times. It can be caused by your TV receiving a local station broadcasting over the air and via the cable system at the same time. Make sure you are using good quality RG-6 coax cable and good compression fittings. Replace any low quality cable splitters or combiners with high quality units. Make sure they are tight also. This will also cure another cause of ghosting, signal reflection inside a poor cable.

Ghosting can also be caused by multi-path interference on an antenna system. This is especially true in an urban environment with lots of hills and tall buildings. To combat this, use a very directional antenna aimed directly at the desired station.

Herringbone Pattern

A herringbone pattern is caused by radio frequency interference from other stations transmitting on the same channel or adjacent channels, powerful radio signals, computers, etc. Another common cause is being equidistant from two transmitters operating on the same channel.

In short, this can be caused by just about any sort of RF radiation at the correct frequency. Really great shielding found on high quality cables helps to combat this. If you are getting this interference while modulating an A/V source on a certain channel, try switching to a different channel.

Poor Upper Channel Reception

Poor Upper Channel Reception is caused by poor signal strength on the upper channels. Use an amplifier with a tilt compensator that allows adjustment of the upper channels relative to the lower channels. This will prevent overdriving the lower channels while providing the upper channels with enough gain. Also, check to see if all components in the RF system are rated to at least 1GHz and RG-6 or RG-6Quad shield cable is being used throughout.

Bio: Steve Faber has almost 15 years in the custom installation industry. He is a CEDIA certified designer and Installer 2 with certifications from both the ISF and THX. His experience spans many facets of the industry, from the trenches as an installer and control systems programmer, and system designer, to a business unit director for a specialty importer of high end audio video equipment, a sales rep for a large, regional consumer electronics distributor, and principal of a $1.5M+ custom installation firm. He currently is senior sales engineer for Digital Cinema Design in Redmond, WA. For more on how to get the best video in your home or theater see Home Theater Video

MP3 Players

Collecting Photography - Daguerreotypes

There are many types of photographs that you can collect, but the daguerreotype really stands apart from the pack. Not only is every single daguerreotype a rare image, they all have a distinctive look as well. Let's start with a short history lesson on the characteristics, and process of making a daguerreotype.

Although the daguerreotype was not the first method of producing an image, it was the first to make photography a commercially viable product. Although not the sole inventor, the daguerreotype is named after one of its most famous inventors, Louis Daguerre. Daguerre announced the perfection of the process in 1839.

The daguerreotype was a type of photograph that had no negative which resulted in a single copy of any given image. Daguerreotypes were produced by adding a layer of silver halide to the plate, the plate was in turn exposed to a scene through a lens, and then the plate was developed by holding it over a container of heated mercury.

Next, the image had to be permanently affixed to the plate by dipping it in a bath of hyposulphite of soda. The resulting image was so prone to damage by the slightest handling, that most daguerreotypes were protected by covering them with a piece of glass and sealing them with tape, then placing them in a case.

Daguerreotypes are also very prone to oxidation if exposed to air, so if the sealing tape has been removed or has become damaged, the image is likely to turn black or even spotted. Unfortunately there is nothing that can be done to bring back a heavily tarnished or spotted daguerreotype. Do not try to polish a heavily tarnished daguerreotype, you will only end up destroying the image altogether. Slightly tarnished daguerreotypes can be prevented from getting worse by resealing them with special tape sold by archival supply houses. You can easily find the tape online, just Google "archival photo supplies".

The glass produced back in the early 1800s was also prone to have lots of impurities, and as a result many of the daguerreotypes you will find now may have what looks like white mold spots on the image. The white spots are more likely in the glass and will in most cases disappear if the glass is replaced, and the daguerreotype resealed.

It is best to have any repairs to your daguerreotype done by a professional restorer, but if you do decide to make any repairs, remember to never touch the image plate. All it will take to ruin the image is a slight brush of your finger on the plate, or to have a speck of dust get sealed in.

The most noticeable thing that makes a daguerreotype stand apart from other cased images such as ambrotypes, is that daguerreotypes have a mirror surface. You have to hold them at just the right angle to see the image clearly. Daguerreotypes are also prone to damage if dropped, exposed to sunlight for extended periods of time, or miss handled, so treat them with care. The best way to store any photograph including a daguerreotype is to keep it in a metal box, and in a cool dry place.

Daguerreotypes come in the following sizes; Whole plate - 6 1/2 by 8 1/2 inches, Half plate - 4 1/4 by 5 1/2 inches, Quarter plate - 3 1/4 by 4 1/4 inches, Sixth plate - 2 3/4 by 3 1/4 inches, Ninth plate - 2 by 2 1/2 inches, Sixteenth plate - 1 3/8 by 1 5/8 inches, and cover all kinds of subjects including slightly rarer outdoor scenes, fairly uncommon post mortem, rare personality portraits, hand tinted, and common folk portraits, with common folk portraits being the most common. Although all types of daguerreotypes are collected, there are certain genera that collectors gravitate to.

Outdoor Scenes; because of the equipment needed to produce a daguerreotype, outdoor images are fairly rare. Outdoor daguerreotypes cover every subject from occupational scenes to images of a photographers back yard. If you decide to collect outdoor images, you can expect to pay anywhere from a couple of hundred dollars, up to a few hundred dollars.

Post Mortem; it was sometimes a practice back in the 1800s to have photographs taken of loved ones on their death beds, after death. Photographs of deceased people are called post mortem, and are highly prized by some collectors. If you decide to collect post mortem daguerreotypes, you can expect to pay anywhere from fifty dollars, up to a few hundred dollars for an outstanding example.

Personality; among the rarer of daguerreotype images are the ones that have a personality, or personalities. If you decide to collect images of personalities, you can expect to pay upwards of a thousand dollars or more for an unusual image.

Hand Tinted; some of the most spectacular daguerreotypes were hand tinted. Colors were usually red, gold, and/or light blue, but other colors exist. Collectors really like these types of images and will gladly pay upwards of a thousand dollars or more for a fine example.

Common Folk Portraits; although common folk portraits are the most common daguerreotype you will find, they are nevertheless quite worth collecting. Common folk portraits cover everyone from babies to grandparents, and if well composed, they can go as high as a few hundred dollars.

I hope this article has given you a good overview on collecting daguerreotypes, and no matter what genera you decide to collect, you can be sure that you have the only copy of that particular image. If you decide to start collecting daguerreotypes, or any photographic medium, the most important thing to keep in mind is to collect for the love of collecting images, not just as an investment opportunity.

Have Fun Collecting!

Bill writes articles on collecting photography, and is also a collector and dealer of photos. His current inventory as well as more articles on collecting photographs can be viewed via his website PhotoNutz.com

Vintage Photography

Flat Panel LCD Plasma HDTV Accessory
Viewsonic N3760w

Nokia N810 Review - The Swiss Army Knife For Geeks

Everyone has a mobile phone these days. With it comes the ability to get on the internet whenever/wherever they want. Of course, data plans are sometimes just too costly to be justified. There are two other reasons I dislike the mobile internet. Firstly, mobile browsers are just not intuitive or friendly. The navigation is awful. Even a Blackberry's browser is hard to navigate, and it is one of the most widely used mobile phones for business customers. Finally, the majority of data plans are SLOW. They may claim to be "broadband", but while this term implies "fast", it really only amounts to something a litter faster than 56k dial-up.

So, if you plan to use your cell phone for the internet, be prepared for an internet experience that is about as pleasant as getting an infected wisdom tooth extracted. This didn't sound very inviting to me, so I decided to search for a device that meet my needs. I found a few duds along the way, such as the Archos 5. It claimed to be many things but came up very short on actual included features.

That's when I came upon a little gem called the Nokia n810. This isn't your standard Nokia phone. No, this isn't a phone at all, although it can be used as one with VOIP applications such as Skype. It was exactly what I had searched for. It's the next generation of portable internet devices, and here's why it's better than your mobile phone or your laptop.

Read more!

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Buy Perfume Online to Maximize Choices

Internet marketing has made it possible to purchase an almost infinite number of items online. Most of these items can be purchased at a store near home. There are, however, exceptions. Sometimes, it is preferable to buy certain products online despite their availability nearer at hand.

Often, options exist online that are not readily available or online purchases may carry a lower price. One item that bears consideration is perfume. It may be desirable to buy perfume online to maximize one's choices.

Several designers, Chanel, Calvin Klein, Tomi Hilfiger, to name a few have formulated their own unique perfumes and colognes. These products are normally available only at pricier department stores. Other scents bear the names of famous people.

Elizabeth Taylor's White Diamonds is one example. She did not create the scent, but she did have to approve it before it could bear her name. Again, these products are sold at high end department stores.

Other perfumes and colognes are not even available for sale in the United States. Price is not always a factor. Sometimes, other considerations make importing a particular scent in bulk impossible. The internet makes other options available for perfume consumers.

One option is the ability to buy direct. Most designers have their own websites where they market all of their products including perfumes. It may be considerably less expensive to buy perfume online this way than to seek out a department store. Buying directly from the source is also a perfect way to guarantee that one is getting an original product and not some knock off in a similar package.

Designer knock offs are available all over the internet. One factor that works against the designers is the inability to patent a scent. While their particular formula is proprietary, and usually of a higher quality, any company can create a formula that will reproduce the scent.

While some designer knock offs are sold in discount stores, many are still only available on the internet. The price range runs from very, very low to nearly that of the designer brands. Even so, the money savings involved will make it much more attractive to buy perfume online.

Foreign perfume makers, especially those in Europe, may choose not to export their products in bulk to the United States. Many people who vacation in these countries pick up a bottle of perfume as a souvenir and find that they really like the scent. After returning home, they run out and are disappointed to learn that they can not replace this product.

The internet changes this. It is possible to buy perfume online that is not available at all in this country. While the products are not brought over here in bulk, it is not difficult to order a single bottle from a manufacturer or retail outlet overseas and have it shipped directly to one's home.

The internet has revolutionized business in every market niche in existence. Sometimes it is preferable to buy certain products online over trying to shop for them in retail stores.

There are some compelling reasons to buy perfume online. These are price considerations, availability of designer knockoffs, and simple availability.

Lance Thorington's articles have been published on numerous places online including web sites, ezines, blogs and email lists. A great place to buy perfume online is http://beautyfaire.co.uk/fr-Fragrance.html - a great online shop for buying cosmetics online.

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