To the OP - the reason you never found the sharpening steel very effective is because a steel does not sharpen, it hones; there's a difference, and its simple and important to remember. Basically, the edge of a knife is very very thin. German knives, in particular, use *relatively* soft metal in their blades (compared to modern Japanese knives, especially). Just in normal use, the edge deforms on a microscopic level, interfering with cutting ability...when you hone using a steel, you are essentially bending the edge back into shape. You are not, however, removing any metal at all. You should hone often. Doing it everytime you start a job is not too often. If you do this, you will maintain your initial sharpness much much longer. Note that on many of the manual pull-through systems, and some electric, the "final" sharpening level is actually a honing level, so you can use that instead. Note also that "diamond steels" are a different beast entirely; they are much more abrasive, and are best treated as true sharpeners. Regardless of how often and religiously you hone, however, at a certain point the edge will still get dull...and at that point, you need to sharpen by actually removing some metal to reshape and sharpen the edge. To do this, you need something more abrasive than a steel - a diamond rod, ceramic rods, stones, a mechanical sharpener, etc. Practically speaking, this is something you probably only *have* to do once or maybe twice a year. Learning to use sharpening stones is relatively easy, and they can be relatively affordable, but it does take some commitment and a bit of practice to be able to hold the correct angle. The systems like the the EdgePro and Wicked Edge get you the same results consistently without requiring as much user skill/commitment, but they are a bit expensive initially. For a cheaper option that still requires less commitment/skill than flat stones, and is very well reviewed, you might look at the Spyderco Tri-Angle Sharpmaker. Note, however, that all of these methods take a while to use - they aren't a quick 5 minute task. The electric sharpeners are quicker and have almost no learning curve. The downside is they are harder on your knives (removing more metal more quickly), and the edges they produce are serviceable but not at the same level a skilled manual sharpener can achieve. For many people, the tradeoff is worth it. Do you live close to a Williams Sonoma? I believe they are currently offering to sharpen one knife free, with an electric sharpener (Chef's Choice, I think) on Saturdays. I would recommend you take one in to them and get a hand's on demonstration, and then you will have an actual edge on your own knife to test with. If possible, I would also take another of your knives to a good professional hand sharpener (will probably cost between $1 an $2 per inch). Then, I would see whether the difference is worth it, to you. I'd also second the recommendation for the "An Edge in the Kitchen" book. There is also a book you can get a Sur la Table called "Knives Cooks Love" which is a good overview and is currently on sale for $4.99.

Internet banking is Internet Banking. Using a secure tablet or smartphone is the same as using a PC. Passwords and Virus protection are essential for all. Using the bank's app to access your accounts is another layer of protection. The following is from a Huffington Post article about security and banking using your tablet or smart phone: How safe is it? Smartphone banking is just as secure as Internet banking, provided you choose the right software. All legitimate banking apps require passwords and will accesses your details from a secure data centre, so your account data is never stored directly on your phone. ItâÂÂs also important to follow a few basic safety rules: ⢠Download antivirus software and keep your app updated to avoid threats from malware ⢠Switch off Bluetooth when you use your app and donâÂÂt access it over public wifi ⢠DonâÂÂt let your phoneâÂÂs browser automatically save passwords ⢠Password lock your phone ⢠Delete texts from your bank after you read them ⢠DonâÂÂt âÂÂjailbreakâ your phone as this can remove built in security features ML

Hi Marlene, I thought you'd be swamped with recipes by now! There's no end to my favorite recipes. A few simple ideas: I love pasta with fresh veggies - the veggies can be steamed or roasted or grilled or cooked into a sauce. For example: 1. fresh cherry tomatoes, garlic, basil - half or quarter tomatoes and heat all in a non-stick skillet just long enough to heat. Toss with pasta. (Has to be garden tomatoes, tho, store tomatoes just aren't the same!!). 2. grill veggies of choice and toss with pasta. I love grilled red peppers, onions, eggplant, summer squash. Add herbs like basil or rosemary... yum! 3. Another one that needs garden tomatoes: cook tomatoes and green beans - onion if you like - basil - garlic - cook this all well (I know, I know, veggies are healthier crispy, but this is sooo good!) for 20-30 minutes. Serve over pasta or rice. I have a recipe for lentils and eggplant, kind of a BBQ flavor, that I love. Let me know if you're interested and I'll send it to you. There's lots you can do with lentils (and beans) too - lentil burgers are great - I like black bean salad with celery and red onion and a lime dressing - or a lentil and potato salad, hot, with a vinegar dressing... The simpler, the better, and in my opinion, the freshest best veggies make a world of difference. I do stir-fry with or without tofu. Tofu is fun and you can do tons with it. Check out your library - should be some great books there - and do a search on the internet. Here's one link (below) to get you started that has more links attached to it. If you aren't vegan, (or even if you are - just ignore the dairy recipes) look at Nikki and David Goldbeck's cookbook, I think it's called American Wholefoods Cuisine. Chock full of great stuff! as are many other books. How old is your son? Does he have strong preferences or is he willing to experiment? Those things can make a huge difference in what he's willing to try. Good for him for making this decision, and good for you for supporting him!! Cooking is so much fun... glad you're doing this together! Here is a link that might be useful: The Vegan Chef

It looks like Hoang’s mislabeled rose could be Princess Alexandra of Kent. Heres a few pinks from my garden. The Faun Sweet Drif Abe Darby Light pink Sun Rosa Wedding Bells Spirit of Freedom looking a little crispy, but usually a show stopper.