@Venus There are a lot of issues with the sub $100 grinders, such as using cheap parts to keep the price down. Further, most of the cheap ones have plastic collection bowls which is highly problematic because the grinds stick to it. I have the Kyocera hand crank. Amazon sells it for $40.

Good information here; thanks for the insight! I especially appreciate the contrast between types of grinders. Best wishes to Ms. Carguilo in the competition! @ Seth: There are several electric burr grinders on Amazon for < $200, some under $50. I also saw a couple of hand-crank grinders for under $40. What brands of cranks do you like or have experience with? I think I'm about to devote my whirly grinder to other uses :) @ Dennis: It IS a LOT of coffee! When I first started using the "proper" ratio of coffee to water, I thought I was drinking mud, and I literally thought my heart was going to pound out of my chest. After doing a good bit of researching and experimenting, I've found that - for me, at least - it's better to start with the right-sized grounds (more on that in a minute) and the appropriate ratio (as above), and then add hot water to each cup according to taste. By doing so, the flavor remains intact (not distorted with too many/few grounds, as above), and if it's too strong you just dilute it to your liking. As for the caffeine, my understanding is that MOST coffees contain less than 200mg per 8-ounce cup, so if you stick to 2 cups a day, then you are still keeping it under the recommended 500mg. As for societal risks, I think society is more at risk when I don't get my coffee! ;) I mentioned the size of the grounds - I read once that the size of the grounds varies by brewing method in that the longer the coffee is in contact with the water, the larger the grind needs to be. For example, the grounds for your French press should be considerably larger than grounds for, say, a drip machine. I've also found this to be true. You probably knew this, but putting it out there just in case. @ Maud: The "fate of coffee producers in underdeveloped countries whose beans are now considered seasonal" is no worse now than before, because coffee has always been considered seasonal to wherever it's grown, and I imagine that they live much like farmers who grow other seasonal crops. In fact, I believe for many coffee growers (as well as producers of tea and cocoa, for example)it has gotten better over recent decades with the attention to Fair Trade. If you're going to have a social conscience about the coffee/tea/chocolate/etc. that you or the people around you consume, then buy Fair Trade Certified and encourage others to do the same. 'Tis much better to be a positive example than a troll.

I am an artist, and am working on a art history minor at the moment, so Fairey's case has always hit close to home for me. The use of reference material should never be a crime. The definition of the word rennasounce means to re-work a previous form. To make such things illigal would effectives help put a "cork" on culture in my opinion. Why is every one who has ever made a remix of a song not being charged? It is the artists job to reflect his or her culture. Nothing should ever be done to slow that down. As far as altering documents he will burn for that but my point is it should have never gotten to that in the first place.

We just toss them with olive oil and roast them with a few cloves of crushed garlic. They are fabulous. Depending on size (and time) I leave them whole or (if they are large and I want them done sooner) I just cut them in half. I cook them at 400 degrees for about 1/2 an hour - until the outside gets slightly browned. Then toss a bit of salt and its done. I have also added roast chestnuts, which are terrific with them.

Low cal and healthy? Here ya go: Trim and clean the little guys, then slice them in half. Put them in a steamer that's already hot, steam them until they just start to turn light green - better not enough than too much. Pull them off the heat, put them in iced water for a few minutes to stop them from cooking any more. Then drain them. Sweat chopped onions and garlic in as much olive oil as seems low cal and healthy (just kidding...use a bunch!) until they start to turn translucent, use a nice heavy pan at low heat. Next, turn the heat up to high, and toss your blanched sprouts in. They should sizzle and snap, toss them about once every minute so that they get a little brown but don't burn. Toss them too much and they'll fall apart, but they'll still taste good. Salt and pepper to taste, served with rice this is an entree - Cheers!

We are thrilled to see so many folks enjoying The Adventures of Tom Sawyer! Come visit us at the Mark Twain Boyhood Home & Museum in Hannibal, MO and see all of the sites described in the book - his home, Huck's home, Becky's home, Cardiff Hill, the Mark Twain Cave... it's all here!

THE REAL THING!

Poetry and Love on our buildings in Brooklyn....fantastic!

Excellent music

Hi all! Here's a link to the Crack Pie recipe, which comes from the Momofuku Milk Bar: http://momofukufor2.com/2010/02/momofuku-milk-bar-crack-pie-recipe/ And here's the recipe for Tracie's Salted Caramel Apple Pie: http://www.cookingchanneltv.com/recipes/four-and-twenty-blackbirds-salted-caramel-apple-pie-recipe/index.html