Solid state Kitchenaid mixers were introduced in 1978 (the K45SS and the K5SS). In 1986 the line was sold to Whirlpool and all the Artisan, Classic etc. mixers sold today are basically the same models as made in 1986 (some improvements and efficiencies in the machining but anyone who has an old "original" K45SS or K5SS can repair it using today's parts). The Pro line was developed as something entirely new so it doesn't have the same history, but the company has worked very hard to upgrade and improve the model since its inception. There was a period of time when people were having a lot of trouble with their Kitchenaid mixers and the company had to work very hard to restore the reputation of the product. That's when they instituted the one-year no-questions-asked full replacement policy. It's still the best guarantee in the business (my opinion). I'm not convinced the old Hobart mixers are inherently superior to the Kitchenaids made today. I think there's a lot of mythology attached to the brand, but my take on it is people have trouble with the newer mixers because they ask them to do more than they were designed for, especially kneading bread. 50 or 60 years ago women (and it was women in the home kitchen) fortunate enough to have mixers used them for cakes, cookies, meringues, whipped cream, etc. They didn't use them for bread dough, which was generally kneaded by hand. My MIL baked 4 loaves every other day and her old Dormeyer never saw the dough. There's a lot of discussion on The Fresh Loaf about people who burn out their mixers with stiff doughs mixed at speeds higher than the recommended "2" setting. Bread is not the KitchenAid's strong point, though you can mix a perfectly fine one or two-loaf batch or autolyse a portion of a bigger recipe and finish by hand. For bread the Bosch (stiff doughs) or the Ankarsrum/Electrolux Assistant/Magic Mill, etc. (wet doughs) are more suitable. Getting back to the original discussion, the two attachments I use most often on the KA are the grinder and the colander/sieve. The colander/sieve is wonderful, but you have to purchase a vintage one and the K5 is the biggest mixer one will fit. Why the company doesn't offer a new colander/sieve for the 6 quart I do not know. The Viking/Cuisinart/De Longhi (all the same machine) did have a colander/sieve attachment available. I use the shredder attachment less frequently, but I do use it, and even though I have a 14-cup Cuisinart, I prefer the shredder attachment because I find since the mixer is already on the counter, it's less fuss for me to use. Just one of those individual quirks we all have. Carol

the articles pertained to perchlorates... In 2002,the EPA rcommended regulation of perchlorates in drinking water at 1ppb base on a rat study involving 3000 mother,pups,and fetal rats where abnormalities in brain development,thyroid and hormone output were found at low exposure: (0.01 milligrams /kilogram rat body wt.)The 1ppb assessment also considered risk to babies and other sources of perchlorate contaminants:vegetables,fruits,some dairy products and breast milk...Critics argued that the study design was flawed and the National Research Council stated that the rat study was inconclusive and recommended 24ppb standard for drinking water. __________________________________________ (2002)(WSJ) Peter Waldman articles on perchlorates can be found at http://www.mindfully.org/ (left margin)>pesticides/toxins/endocrine disruptors>>2002; Perchlorates and Perchlorate Salts:EPA site http://www.epa.gov/iris/subst/1007.htm some debate--letters to the editors:(Regulatory Toxicology and Pharmacology: 40(2004)...having difficulty linking directly....will try again later... see EWG for some updates...

I found this post by accident and couldn't stop laughing. What a relief to know that I am not the only member of the "wrong car club". I'm not even the only member of the "loading groceries in the wrong car" club, LOL. My husband is always pleading with me to please be more aware of my surroundings. My daughter and I loaded a weeks worth of groceries in someone else's car one time. I got into the drivers side and she got into the passenger seat and buckled up. We were both into our conversation so much we didn't notice someone elses fast food bags and jumper cables in "our" car. It hit us both at the same time ...mid sentence. We grabbed our groceries as quick as possible and ran.Unfortunately, in our hurry, we left our toilet paper in the back seat of the car. I've always wondered what the real owner of the car must have thought when he found an unopened package of toilet paper in his back seat.

When I married my ex 11 years ago (very small wedding), I asked an old friend to be my MOH. Since she was going through rough financial times I got 2 dresses from my sister who is the same size. This "friend" couldn't even try them on. It got to the point where I wanted help picking out flowers. She always had an excuse & when I asked a few weeks before the wedding if she tried the dresses on, she said no, I decided to give the position to another friend who was helping me with flowers etc. Friend #1 stopped speaking to me for years but finally came around telling me she was so strung up on drugs she couldn't focus on anything else. When I got married almost 3 years ago, she expected to stand in that MOH spot. I decided that I didn't want a repeat (she lives about an hour from me- giving her another excuse) so we went to FL to be married. We invited 1 family member, hubby's grown son as well as his wife. Hubby paid for their plane tickets & was going to pay for their room. They got into a fight about who's car to take to the airport. She won, they took the old car which broke down. After us arranging them to get on the next flight, they fought so much that hubby told them not to come. She was afraid to get on a plane after 911. Hubby ended up fixing their plane tickets so that they could use them for something else, but they never did. It hurt not having his son there especially since he was the only family member invited. Thankfully we had internet friends coming that stood up for us. Good luck with both of your weddings. Thankfully you had enough time to make other arrangements. I don't know what is wrong with people these days, some are so hung up on themselves they just don't care about anyone else. Weddings are stressful enough, you don't need this on top of everything else.