reply by theodocus struck me as coming from the desk of the ad agency of MTD. No mention of the actual operation that involves rolling over uneven terrain and jarring action from bumps and uneven spots and the fragile fabricated axles that bend and crack easily. Oh, there is also the bushings used in place of ball bearings: bushing use requires higher horsepower to move the newer units. The Deere has points and condenser; cost $5.00 and 9.00 respectively and the sears is a solid state igntion. Newer technology is wonderful as long as it is coupled with quality assemblage in a product. I have a 1968 Sears GARDEN tractor with a 12HP Tecumseh Heavy duty cast iron engine with ball bearings and cut with a 42 inch deck and also have a 1976 John Deere GARDEN tractor with a cast iron 10 HP engine with ball bearings and cut with a 42" deck and use both alternately for mowing two acres and for tilling and moving earth, etc.. Each has cast iron axles and mutli-speed hi-lo transmissions and EACH is used for plowing, snowblowing, tilling earth, hauling 1100 lb loads in attached large carts. EACH will run circles around the new 20 plus HP light LAWN tractors made today. Spend 5,000.00 and you will have a comparable heavy duty GARDEN tractor. By the way, good luck on getting even 10 years of use with the new wonders.

Sorry I probably wasn't clear enough, my post was just talking about the convection ovens not the speed ovens, although Miele has the programs in both ovens. Electrolux and Bosch only have the programs in the speed oven, not the wall oven. I agree that the preprogrammed stuff on regular ovens is not necessary and I also would probably never use them. However, I think speed ovens are a different story. Most people can easily find recipes and program their ovens for the proper temperature and cooking time. But will they be able to program in the proper time proportions for microwave, convection, and thermal heating elements? I doubt it. No recipe I've ever seen has that information. It would require an awful lot of experimentation to figure out the right settings. Also, the only speed oven that even lets you do that manually is the Miele Chef series, not the Bosch. So as alerievay says you are locked into using those 9 programs if you want to speed cook with the Bosch. Otherwise you must use microwave or convection separately. I downloaded the manual for the Bosch speed oven which by the way is something you should always do before buying something. The 9 Autochef programs are: 1 - Chicken Breast 2 - Chicken Thighs 3 - Whole Poultry 4 - Beef Roast 5 - Pork Tenderloin 6 - Pork Chops 7 - Meatloaf 8 - Fish Fillets 9 - Brownies What if you want to cook something besides those things? I agree, I would find that very limiting. There is a frozen foods button but that does not use microwaves, only convection and thermal heat. There are pizza and auto defrost buttons too but the manual does not make it clear how they work.

Dear Athens Mom, I believe that blown insulation is a good product and will save you money on your unilities. However, please make sure that the product they are using is non-toxic & oderless. A contractor spray blown insulation under my kitchen sink to fill a hole and it smelled to high heaven. He promised me the smell would subside but it did not, even after a hugh water leak that flooded my entire kitchen, it still reaked. Many of these new products can be harmful to our health which we do not realize or even think about until it is too late. Be very cautious with those 3 precious children of yours. Fresh air and breathing are of the utmost importance. Think of all the so called safe prescription drugs the FDA pushes that are very often recalled due to harmful side effects and even death. Now-a-days you really have to take it upon yourself to do as much research as possible for your own safety & health. Good luck to you! *HUG*

Hello -- here's my list too For plays I would see a Musical -- go for the big bang. For all time favorites I loved Les Mis. For more recent choices Wicked is excellent and if you love Abba Mama Mia is a lot of fun. Of all the Disney ones Lion King stands out well above the rest (haven't seen Little Mermaid - going in May with kids) For the park - it's a whole day. Go to H&H or Zabar's have a picnic on one of the lawns or by the boathouse and people watch. Bike or rollerblade the Big loop -- I have biked in the city a fair amount. You have to have the "I'm a bike messenger attitude and just go for it" but don't expect cars to yield to you or behave remotely like drivers in other cities. I wouldn't suggest it - I'd stick to the park for biking -- then again I have been hit on my bike in the city so . . . Also in the park - Tavern on the Green is sooo pretty at night. Yes, it is touristy but I still like taking people there. I also like taking them on the carriage rides. On the upper east side Serendipity for dessert. We always used to go there for the frozen hot chocolate -- have you seen the movie? It's very crowded but fun -- I've eaten lunch there too but I think dessert is best. For museums the Met is so amazing but choose what you want to see. I also like going down to SoHo and just wandering in and out of all the galleries that catch my eye. ABC carpet was a huge favorite when I lived downtown in the early 90's but it is much more commerical now and not as much of something you discover if that makes sense. Greenwich village is also a great place to just wander around and people watch on a nice night. There is a place called the Back Fence on Bleeker Street that we always used to go to and listen to covers by James Taylor, Van Moorison type guys - although I think they have a variety. Sawdust on the floor, people get a table early and hang out all night. A pedicab in Times Square at night is pretty cool to do once.(even for someone who has lived in the city for years) I've never gone to the Statue of Liberty or taken a Circle Line Cruise but I mean to at some point. Also just from a safey issue wear you purse across your body or keep a hand on the strap - tourists tend to walk slowly and spend a lot of time looking up in the city and can become a mark. There are 1000 other things to do but it is the kind of city you only really discover by living there for a long time.