All about cats

"I started playing drums when I was a kid. Before I was passionate about something else, I used to love singing a lot, I used to sing a lot, but I also loved the guitar, which my father bought me when I was very young. He taught me some chords, then my uncle taught me some chords a little more difficult. He also sent me to piano lessons... Then one day I sat behind a drum set for the first time. I tried to play it and realized it was the instrument of my life. I've had a passion for music since I was born".

And when did you start playing for a living?

"You have to understand what is meant by "living"! Let's say to earn your first money, maybe it's better... right away, when I was about thirteen or fourteen, as soon as I started playing: I used to go for my first evenings with others, always people much older than me. We went to play at weddings or parties of all kinds, they paid me, even then I earned my money. I went on and on, and then I never stopped".

Well now let's get down to it: explain how this instrument is made because it is composed of many elements. Let's talk about jazz drums, of course.

"First of all, let's say that Jazz drums are already more or less a synthesis compared to the bigger drums of pop drummers, Heavy Metal and so on: it's a quite small set, in which you can't leave snare drum, first of all, and bass drum. Just as you can't ignore a cymbal at least and hi-hat or charleston, or, to use a somewhat archaic definition, the "pedal cymbals", which are to the left of the snare drum and are played with the left foot. After that it is easy to add the drums. You can add many of them, but basically you need at least the snare drum, tom-tom and kettledrum".

Can you explain the function of each drum element?

"You have to start from the assumption that the drum kit itself is an assembly. If you think of a band, one person plays the bass drum, one the cymbals, one the snare drum, and so on. Once assembled, establishing the reciprocal roles of these elements is difficult, it's like establishing the roles of piano keys. The bass drum has a lower sound, you play with your foot and give the supports, but sometimes also the accents. Other times it establishes a groove (by "groove" we mean a basic rhythmic sequence, which repeats every bar and that characterizes the piece, editor's note) very "straight" and then always plays in beat providing a low sound, a groove more definitive than the snare drum, with which instead you make what I would call "finesse". Surely, in modern drums, bass drum and snare drum are, they must absolutely stay together: they give a response and give a precise, fundamental, basic groove.

The rhythmic base, in short...

"Yes, the rhythmic base! As for Jazz, then, there is the cymbal to the right of the drummer. In Jazz, the cymbal is fundamental. With a cymbal and snare drum you can accompany a piece even without a bass drum, if you want. You can make an accompaniment by beating the swing strokes on the cymbal. It is the basis of Jazz.

How important are the drumsticks and how many types are there?

"With sticks you can have fun: there are all lengths, all weights, all types of wood. The most used is the Hickory which is a kind of American walnut, hard. Then the maple, for example, very used...".

So the sound depends on the hardness of the stick...

"Yes, of course. The shape of the tip also matters a lot: if the tip is smaller the cymbals, the drums, take on a darker sound... if it's bigger the sound is lighter. Beyond the weight of the drumstick then, when you have a lighter or darker sound you compensate with the type of cymbals you have chosen. However, you must always keep in mind that the body is also very important. Our body plays along with the drumstick. It's from this set of factors and from the drummer's body that the fortunes of everyone's sound are established".

What other sticks are there?

"The brushes, a sort of metal broom, with which you get the characteristic sound of the snare drum, often used to accompany the ballads. Actually, they can also be used independently of the ballads. And then there are the mallets, with felt, which have a very dark sound, a tool if we want a little 'more timpani. You can also use the vibraphone sticks, with the tip a bit harder than those for the eardrum. I use them very little. I use brush sticks and felt mallets".

What do you mean, "tuning" on drums?

"Even playing the drums requires harmony to play the pieces. The drums are tuned by stretching the skins, using special keys. The skins are neither more nor less like the strings of a guitar: if you tighten them the tone goes up if you loosen them the tone goes down. To obtain a higher or lower sound, tighten the skins more or less. According to Simplydrum, the tuning can be uniform for each of its elements, or you can prefer a medium one and maybe only have the snare drum and slow drums with a very low sound. It's up to you. The snare drum is a bit of a separate matter because it also includes the tailpiece, which is what gives it that characteristic sound: the springs of the tailpiece vibrate on the skin and the sound naturally changes depending on the tuning. If you decide to keep the tailpiece, which you can also remove".

How do you adjust your drums?

"I use all the elements and never overdo it one way or the other. The skins are never very tight or very slow, I always prefer a medium tuning. The tuning also depends on where you are playing. It's not like the piano, which must be strictly tuned to 440. If there is an echo, a lot of reverberation, then I tend to pull the skins so that I have more attack, less serious sounds, which have the characteristic of kneading... you have to be a bit sensitive to the environment in which you are playing".

And in particular your snare drum? How do you prefer it, tense, slow, medium...

"Even the snare drum is always medium tense. I'm always pulling the skin underneath it more and more. It's my technique because when I go around playing I find snare drums that don't always sound as they should. If you pull the skin under a lot, even a poor snare drum gets a nice, or at least acceptable sound".

How important is the sound of the cymbals for a drummer?

"That's all, of course, although I always tend to demythologize certain assumptions a bit. You actually count you as the drummer. I don't know a single drummer, whether professional or amateur, who doesn't want and doesn't buy a nice cymbal. The fans often know even more than the musicians, they know everything about everything, the age of certain pieces, their prices, they often get to have the most beautiful cymbals in the world. But then you have the beautiful sound, you have it in your hands, and it should be unmistakable: that's what happens to great drummers.

Why do you nail the cymbals?

"I nail them, meanwhile, no matter what other people do in different genres... I nail them, I've always nailed them. Jack DeJohnette, for example, doesn't nail them, he prefers a very dry sound, he has a very firm cymbal, and you can hear all the hits very well marked, while cymbals nailed like mine, have a good attack and therefore a modern sound, but at the same time with nails, they acquire that very typical sound in jazz which, although very well defined, expands in the air longer. They are chosen, they are sounds that everyone decides to use according to their personality and the way they play. The sound must be harmonic with yourself".

And how do you choose your cymbals?

"Well, how I choose them can be understood by the fact that I use Zildjan cymbals, they are also endorsers of Zildjan, and I chose them because I think they have made and continue to make jazz history. As far as I'm concerned they have to have a good attack, they have to expand the sound but not so much (I'm referring especially to the accompanying cymbal, because that's where the whole concert is insisted on)..... “.

What do you mean by "a good attack"?

"A good attack means that the cymbals since you always play together with other instruments, must have a well-defined sound, you must understand what is happening, you must be able to hear well what you as a drummer are doing, the sounds must not mix too much. If every musician doesn't have his or her own defined sound, it's the end. Think of a double bass player who doesn't have a good attack. For the drummer, it's just as important. The cymbal is beautiful if you perceive what you are playing well, it is a matter of sound definition. I always use very big cymbals, I use at least two accompaniment riffs, one on the right and one on the left, and these are often twenty or twenty-two inches, so they tend to be big.

So you use the charleston and two cymbals, the left one for exit and the right one for accompaniment?

Is that how it works?

"No, I use them all for everything, let's say I don't do "season change" !"

Thinking about how to make pizza dough, sooner or later all pizza makers, professional and amateur, must ask themselves a fundamental question: is there a relationship between the dough we are going to make and the type of oven in which it will be baked?

The short answer is yes; if we want to get to the bottom of the matter, a whole book might not be enough.

In fact, there are many variables involved in the process of making pizza, which can have a considerable influence on the final result. To make a good pizza, the main factors involved are:

Quality of the raw materials;

• experience and craftsmanship of the pizza maker;
• time, temperature and method of dough preparation;
• characteristics of the oven.

In this article, we will see how to make the dough for the pizza according to the oven we have available to cook it. We will talk about all the factors just listed, deepening the discussion of the various types of ovens and the consequent changes to be made to the dough to improve our pizza.

To understand what is the relationship between the oven and the dough, we will first of all have to talk about the different types of ovens and their particular characteristics. We will also have to consider the differences in the dough of the various types of pizza, each with its particular qualities, to understand how best to adapt our recipe to the oven we have.

Pizza doughs: types and characteristics

Pizza dough is simple and complex at the same time.

Simple because it is a poor dish, made with the same ingredients as bread, the only ones that were never missing (and often the only ones present) in the kitchens of peasant families, i.e. most Italians until the economic boom of the 50s - 60s. In the absence of household appliances, in the countryside, there was an artisan wood-burning oven, obviously without a thermostat. The pizza was used to test the temperature of the oven before baking the bread, the most important cooking for the nutrition of the whole family.

Although the recipe includes a few simple ingredients, the process of creating the pizza includes various physical-chemical phenomena that take place during the various stages of preparation. The sum of the results of the various phases will give us the quality of the final product, which therefore depends on many variables and it is precisely this complexity that makes the world of baking fascinating. Whatever the recipe, here is the procedure to follow.

Combination of ingredients

It can be done in different sequences depending on the method and recipe, but the best solutions are usually two: either you start by dissolving the yeast in water and then gradually add flour, sugar, oil and finally salt, or you start by adding the yeast to the flour (or flour mix) to gradually add the water and the other ingredients, but always with salt away from the yeast. The amount of water in relation to that of flour gives us the most important parameter of a dough: hydration. A more hydrated dough is more difficult to work, but it is lighter and more digestible because a greater presence of water (if combined with proper processing) improves the dough's ability to rise and form large cavities during baking.

Processing

Once the ingredients have been added, the processing stage begins, which is fundamental for the formation of gluten. This protein forms the structure of our dough, the one that allows the leavening by retaining the air inside the mass, then going to grow our pizza oven in the oven. In order for a strong gluten mesh to form, the dough must be worked vigorously on the floured surface for at least ten minutes, until we have obtained a tenacious mass, i.e. that it does not immediately lose the shape we give it. Many pizzaiolos also recommend taking one or two breaks during this process, to make the gluten contract and redistribute it so as to increase the elasticity of the dough.

Once the dough has been kneaded, the leavening phase begins, in which the dough must at least double its volume. There are two factors for correct leavening: time and temperature. Since a higher temperature corresponds to faster leavening, we have to balance these two factors in order to obtain a good leavening in the time we want, also in relation to the quantity of yeast we have put in the dough.

Stagliano

In this phase, we divide the mass into various parts, in order to have the basis for our pizzas already portioned according to our needs: some balls for the pizza on the plate (usually between 200 and 300 grams), or larger loaves for the pizza in the pan, with a variable weight depending on the size of the pan and how thick we want the pizza. It is important to rework the dough without exaggerating and the result will have to be a smooth and compact ball, which will grow back in size without losing its shape, during the maturation phase of the dough, which is fundamental to obtain a light and digestible pizza.

Writing

This is the last stage of creating the dough, followed only by seasoning and cooking. It is the phase that determines the shape of your pizza, but also its ability to grow in the oven because you don't have to break the gluten mesh. If the dough is crushed, the various layers formed by the rising bubbles will join again, preventing the dough from swelling. If, on the other hand, it is rolled out too much, in addition to the risk of breaking, we may find a pizza too thin to grow a lot.

Each pizza recipe includes all these phases, although each one can have different variations related to many factors such as manual aspects, the qualities and doses of the ingredients, the leavening time and the temperature at which the dough is made and left to rise.

In addition to Neapolitan pizza, the only one that has an official specification to be followed to respect the art of pizza makers UNESCO heritage, there are many different recipes. These can also have different names depending on the local variants, such as focaccia genovese, puccia pugliese or pinsa romana.

Many variants of pizza come from the use of different flours, the main ingredient. On the Pizzaovenradar blog, we have seen the differences between the various types of flour and pizza ovens. Here we will repeat only the basic principle that the more refined flour is (00) the less its strength will be, that is the ability to absorb water and form a tenacious dough. Flour that is not very refined (type 1, 2, or wholemeal) has a higher breadmaking index (W) and absorbs more water, but needs a longer time to mature.

We can also open a parenthesis on the use of flour other than soft wheat flour. We could talk about the various cereals, their nutritional properties, and the organoleptic characteristics of the most unusual flours, but here we will limit ourselves to saying that many experiments can be carried out which, if well done, can give life to really good doughs.

Generally, the flours of other cereals are less refined and have rather high strength, because they contain more fibers and proteins than soft wheat flour. Moreover, they have a more intense and characteristic taste and therefore mixtures with other flours are usually made by combining both types of flour in variable proportions, but most of them are usually made of 0 or 00 soft wheat flour, to balance both the strength and the taste of the different flour. A recipe for a special dough is the 5 grain one, which we have explained in this video. You can also learn more about the relationship between dough and oven in this guide, which contains five different recipes for making pizza at home, differentiated according to the type of oven.

We have seen in our blog what are the factors that influence the good leavening, good baking, consistency, and digestibility of dough, to have a fragrant and soft pizza at the same time. Let's now turn our attention to the oven, the other essential element of pizza making.

How to make pizza dough according to different ovens

The preparation of the dough is the most important step to make a good pizza because if dough is made well it will also be easier to have good cooking, in all types of ovens. Moreover, with a bit of experience, we will be able to deeply understand both the behavior of the dough and that of our oven, and it will be our ability to balance them to give as a result a very good pizza.

More than once in our blog we have talked about the various types of ovens and their characteristics; in this paragraph, we take up the most important considerations, useful to understand the relationship between oven and dough. Let's start by distinguishing ovens according to their diet:

The wood-fired oven is the king of cooking, able to reach very high temperatures and to provide scents to our food thanks to the aromas of the fuel. It is the most difficult to manage and also the most expensive type of food, but the superior quality and charm of flame management make it the best.

The electric oven comfortable, versatile, and economical, but is the least suitable for making pizza because of the not very high temperatures it reaches.

The gas oven can be a middle way, because it combines the convenience and cleanliness of an electric oven with a higher temperature, almost like that of wood-burning ovens, even if it does not give the food any extra aroma.

Ovens can also be very different in terms of quality of construction, care of materials or components, capacity, and temperature reachable (and in how long). The possibilities of choice are endless and for all budgets, we will only say that today's domestic ovens can easily reach the performance of professional pizzeria ovens.

Each of these ovens has different characteristics and is able to give us different results. With all of them, it is possible to make a very good pizza, we will just have to adapt our method and our recipe to the instrument we have in the kitchen, as we are about to see.

How to adapt the dough to the oven

Coming to the gist of our talk, the key factors that affect the oven to maximize our dough are related to the temperature and humidity of the cooking chamber and how the heat is given to the pizzas, obviously in addition to proper cleaning and maintenance. A good oven is one that is able to provide as constant a temperature as possible during cooking and uniformity of performance in the different cooking zones.

The open flame and the dome-shaped shape of the traditional wood-fired oven create currents that push the heat over the pizza from above, as well as cooking at a higher temperature. This means that the pizzas cooked in these ovens will have to stay there less time to not burn and the dough will not have time to dry out too much, remaining soft in the central part, while it will be fragrant in the part in contact with the ground and in the upper part (if you do not exaggerate with seasonings that contain a lot of water) as well as in the edge (stretched higher and not seasoned).

To make the opposite example, a cut pizza cooked in an electric or gas oven will stay in the oven longer, because it cooks at a lower temperature. This makes it appropriate to increase the hydration of the dough, both to improve leavening and maturation, and to avoid it drying out too much during cooking, obtaining a fragrant and well-cooked pizza even in the central part, but soft because it is full of air in the large leavening cavities.

In these two examples, we have already brought many different factors into play, which we can only fully understand with so much practice. Adapting the dough to the oven means understanding the behavior of both and the only way to do so is through practice, making pizza very often.

Conclusion

We have seen that the factors involved in making a good pizza are really many and all-important.

If for the moment we do not want to change the oven we have, the first step is to get to know it well, using it often both for making pizza and for other recipes. In this way, we can predict more accurately the effects that our actions on the oven have on the cooking of food, such as adding a piece of wood more or less large or small movements in the setting of the temperature or give a little 'more moisture to the cooking chamber by putting a pot with water to evaporate.

Knowing our oven better and better we can also make many tests in our dough, going to change one of the many factors involved from the moment of the union of the first two ingredients. The advice is to make changes little by little, so as not to completely distort the results of the previous time and to better understand the importance of the various factors and the consequences on the leavening of our dough and its baking.

If, on the other hand, we already have some experience and our oven no longer satisfies us, we can decide to change it to provide ourselves with a better tool with which to make pizzas at the level of professionals, as well as improving all the other recipes.

In this guide we explain how to choose the best vacuum cleaner robot.

If you intend to buy a quality robot, you will have to learn how to move among the many products currently on the market. You'll need a good guide, and above all you'll need to know those elements that are decisive in choosing your little robot vacuum cleaner. That's why today we're going to show you every detail that will help you discover this world of intelligent vacuum cleaners, which can hold many surprises in store.

Robot Vacuum Cleaner Battery

First of all, one of the most important factors must be analyzed, namely the battery of the vacuum cleaner robot. A household appliance of this type must, in fact, have an adequate autonomy for the surface you want to clean. Consequently, we are talking about both areas of use and performance, because the battery life will also depend on the robot's ability to thoroughly clean a floor. If you want to ensure a high level of intelligent vacuum cleaner, you will have to analyze three aspects related to the battery, these are its autonomy, charging time, and finally the type.

Battery autonomy

Autonomy becomes a problem when you buy a vacuum cleaner robot that can't go beyond cleaning a single room. If your desire is to buy a device that can clean the entire house, then battery life must become your first concern. The suggestion is to check this article on Robotsnavigator before choosing a model that can last at least an hour if you need to clean an area of around 50 square meters. If, on the other hand, you need coverage of at least 100 square meters, you will not be able to avoid buying a vacuum cleaner with a battery life of at least two hours.

From this, you can also imagine that the choice depends on your specific needs, and also on your budget, because the longer the battery life the higher the price. Finally, also consider whether to buy a model capable of returning to the charging base on its own, when it senses that the battery is running low. This technology is good for avoiding leaving work halfway through and finding the discharged robot around the house.

Battery type

Usually in advanced models, the autonomy and recharge times are always specified in the package, but this is not always the case. Fortunately, knowing the type of battery mounted on the robot, it is possible to get an idea of the times. In this sense, models with a lithium-ion battery are always preferable, as well as weighing less, they do not suffer from the memory effect and recharging takes place in much shorter times. The second type of battery is the classic nickel-metal hydride battery, and are not recommended due to the memory effect and very long charging times. On the other hand, they tend to last longer and obviously cost less.

Charging times

If you choose a model with an older generation battery, it may take up to four hours to recharge. It turns out to be a serious problem, especially when your robot is unable to clean the whole house in a single session. In contrast, a lithium-ion battery robot generally takes about 60 minutes to fully recharge. If it is then equipped with an automatic return to base, it will be able to manage the cleaning in total autonomy, going back and forth throughout the day.

Robot Vacuum Cleaner Tank

Directly linked to the performance of the intelligent robot we find the tank, an essential component for this small household appliance. The type of tank and its capacity, in fact, can make a vacuum cleaner robot more or less versatile and effective. If the tanks are small and difficult to empty, it is obvious that this device will require more maintenance and therefore more time loss.

Tank capacity

Never fail to consider an important aspect such as the capacity of the tank, because this will affect the autonomy of a robot of this type. If the container fills up quickly, the robot will have to be cleaned many times, so it won't be able to continue cleaning until you have done so. On average, the capacity of a dust container is about 500 milliliters, but you can easily find larger tanks on the market. In any case, we suggest you to avoid the small ones, around 200 milliliters, because they will actually limit the independence of your small automatic vacuum cleaner. A capacity of 500 milliliters should be enough, especially if you intend to cover a small-medium house for two or three cleaning cycles, or a large house for a complete cycle.

Filtration system

Every robot vacuum cleaner on the market is equipped with a filtration system, useful to block particles during the passage of air. Of course, we are talking about filters that cannot be compared to those of common vacuum cleaners, for obvious reasons of space available on your device. On the other hand, some HEPA filters are able to block even allergens, and in some cases, there are devices that mount two or three of them.

Tank maintenance

As mentioned above, a tank, in addition to having a suitable capacity, should also be easy to dismantle and empty. Usually, there is a snap button that allows you to remove it, while for emptying just open the lid. In any case, it is rare to find robots on the market with a tank that is difficult to dismantle and clean. Secondly, it is important that it is also easy to wash under running water, because proper maintenance always requires it.

Structure of vacuum cleaner robots

The structure is also an element that you will have to study carefully, and it contains a series of elements to analyze. In the meantime, we are talking about its morphology, due to the fact that the device must be designed to suck the dust well even from the corners. Secondly, the size of the robotic vacuum cleaner is very important, another aspect that we will analyze below.

Dimensions

There is no better choice in terms of size, because this factor is always related to the power and capabilities of your smart vacuum cleaner. The fact is that a high-performance robot will also be larger than others, especially when it comes to height. In this case, we recommend that you evaluate whether the device can pass under the lowest cabinet, measuring the height of this one from the ground. Usually, however, a robot vacuum cleaner does not exceed 10 centimeters in height.

Morphology

When talking about morphology, reference is made to the shape of the robot's body, which is generally circular. This shape is ideal in terms of agility during steering and movement but is less performing when it comes to removing dust from the corners of the house. On the contrary, square vacuum cleaner robots are more skillful in this phase, but they are also less agile and snappy than the others. It is possible to overcome the problem by purchasing a circular device equipped with rotating brushes, which are excellent for better dust capture.

Versatility

The discussion on the type of brushes also touches on the topic of versatility, which is important when it comes to choosing a robotic vacuum cleaner. Not all brushes, in fact, are able to clean surfaces such as carpets or parquet in the appropriate way. The agility factor also counts for a lot, because some devices, usually the cheap ones, bump into the edge of the carpet and can't get on it. In this sense, the presence of the appropriate sensors and the quality of the wheels is very important.

The functionality of vacuum cleaner robots

The full range of functions of a vacuum cleaner robot is equally decisive because it expands its effectiveness and versatility. In this sense, it is important to evaluate the presence of some more or less advanced functions, such as the following

Programmed start-up, the robot can be programmed to start at a certain time on a certain day.

Mode of operation, some robots allow you to customize the movements made when cleaning the house.

Obstacle avoidance, robots may be able to get around obstacles better, but this depends on the quality of the appropriate sensor.

Automatic return, when present, the robot returns alone to the charging base if the battery is about to discharge.

Space mapping, high-end robots map the surface and are able to save it in their memory.

Surface washing, very few robots are also able to wash floors, in this case, we are talking about vacuum cleaner robots.

IoT function, Internet of Things, some robots can be programmed and managed remotely via a smartphone application.

It closes with a specification on the sensors, as one model may have several. It is not only the one for obstacle detection, but also the anti-fall, anti-tip and the sensor to get around the carpets.

Vacuum Cleaner Robot Accessories

The last factor to be analyzed is the accessories supplied with the robotic vacuum cleaner, which may vary according to the cost of the device. Meanwhile, almost all models include a charging base, while others have a remote control to manage them remotely.

Other models also include virtual walls, which are barriers that prevent the vacuum cleaner robot from crossing certain boundaries. They are useful to keep them, for example, away from stairs or certain rooms in the house.

It should be noted that other models, the most expensive, also include a series of different brushes, designed for cleaning specific surfaces. These are therefore able to optimize the passage on the parquet, but also on carpets or rugs. Finally, some packages also include spare brushes for the intelligent vacuum cleaner.

How to choose the best winter motorcycle gloves: features, tips, bestseller ranking - Even the most daring motorcyclists know how difficult it is to ride a motorcycle in the freezing winter temperatures. To operate the controls such as the front brake, clutch and throttle you need to use your fingers, but if your fingers are exposed to the cold, like the rest of your hand, they may lose their readiness and sensitivity, also putting the rider at risk of safety, also with the cold both hands and fingers may have very strong pains when switching from cold to warm and the correct circulation returns.

This is why, during the winter season, all motorcyclists should wear special gloves that allow the hand and fingers to remain warm at all times. Motorcycle gloves, thanks to textile technology that is making more and more strides in terms of heat insulation, can keep hands warm, although the best results for winter gloves are only given by heated models. Choosing the best winter motorcycle gloves of the heated type will allow the rider to warm every point of the hand and keep it warm, regardless of the fact that temperatures are very cold. If you are going to choose the best winter motorcycle gloves we are here to help you.

Continuing in this guide you will find lots of useful information, tips, the most important features to consider in order to find the right winter motorcycle gloves for you. In order to choose the best winter motorcycle gloves, we will look at the ones that keep your hands warm at their best, i.e. the warmed ones.

These winter gloves have some advantages but can also have some disadvantages when compared to unheated winter gloves. Let's see below what their pros and cons are:

Advantages of using winter gloves for heated motorcycles: Simple wiring: Heated winter gloves for motorcycles operate on the 12 V current drawn from the motorcycle battery. You will, therefore, need a simple 12 V wiring harness that draws power from the battery to which you will then connect the heated motorcycle gloves. Once you have done the wiring, which is very easy to do by the way, you will be able to enjoy the warmth and constant comfort, no matter how far you ride your bike.

Cordless Winter Motorcycle Gloves: Some heated winter gloves are able to keep your hands warm thanks to internal rechargeable batteries. This allows you to keep your hands warm even for hours on the road, without ever feeling the stinging cold on your hands. If you'll be using cordless motorcycle winter gloves for many hours, however, you may find these gloves unsuitable due to battery life, but you may prefer models with a battery connection. Heated motorcycle gloves are superior to unheated winter gloves: a pair of unheated gloves for winter use, thanks to the fabrics used are very good in case of rain and offer sufficient protection from the cold during short journeys, but if used for many hours, especially with very low temperatures, after a while you will feel the stinging cold in your hand.

With a heated pair of winter gloves you will always have a constant temperature. These are crucial in every ride, read more on Yourmotobro. Heated motorcycle gloves are less bulky than unheated ones: working with an electric heating system, heated motorcycle gloves do not need much padding, but still remain much thicker than a pair of summer gloves, the lighter ones. Winter gloves for unheated motorcycles, on the other hand, can generally be slightly more voluminous, precisely because they have to insulate the hand with the padding in the best possible way.

Price: any heated motorcycle glove can cost more or less as much as a high-quality unheated winter motorcycle glove. So if you need to ride your bike in situations where you know your hands will cool easily and stay cold for long periods of time, choosing the best heated winter motorcycle gloves will keep you warm, with benefits for your safety and travel comfort. Disadvantages of using winter gloves for heated motorcycles: They require a power supply cable: the cable that allows the gloves to operate at 12 V must be connected to the motorcycle battery. It must then go inside the jacket and then be connected to the gloves. The wiring is easy to do, but having to run cables for some people might be an uncomfortable thing to do. That's why they may prefer simple unheated winter motorcycle gloves.

Cordless battery gloves: Cordless gloves eliminate the problem of cables that have to be connected to the motorcycle's 12 V battery. Usually, lithium-ion batteries are integrated into the gloves themselves and, being small in size, do not create uncomfortable situations when wearing gloves. What may not work for some users is battery life. Their operating times may often not be sufficient for long journeys and they may not provide the amount of heat you need. However, generally battery heated winter gloves are able to heat for a period of time of a couple of hours. Non-heating winter gloves are able to keep hands warm without the need for electricity: fabrics using Gore-Tex and Thinsulate technology used in normal unheated motorcycle gloves offer high levels of protection from the cold, without the need for electric heating elements. Price: usually a pair of heated gloves cost the same as a pair of high-quality unheated gloves. They are therefore expensive to buy. If you only need to make short trips and don't have to face very low temperatures for a long time, high-quality unheated winter gloves are perhaps cheaper to buy than heated ones. Now let's see what are the most important features to consider in order to be able to choose the best heated winter motorcycle gloves.

Motorcycle winter glove protection: All motorcycle gloves are designed to protect your hands in the event of an accident. The most important factor in choosing a motorcycle glove is therefore always safety. Motorcycle winter gloves are made of different types of fabrics that can range from traditional leather to the most advanced and modern materials that guarantee comfort in use but at the same time a high degree of protection.

When choosing the best winter motorcycle gloves, the quality of the materials and their level of construction must always be a priority. Wristbands: To better retain heat in your hand, you should look for gloves that have a long cuff. It would make no sense to have gloves that warm the hand well but leave the wrist in contact with cold air. Temperature regulation: when looking for heated motorcycle gloves, be sure to look for models that allow you to regulate the temperature. Usually, most heated winter gloves can be set to three heat settings. Without proper temperature adjustment, heated gloves may reach temperatures that are too high and may cause discomfort while riding the motorcycle.

Cordless gloves that use batteries can also make use of temperature control in order to use them at a low temperature, thus prolonging battery life. Position of the heating elements: In heating winter motorcycle gloves, the elements that heat the glove and consequently the hand should be above the fingers and on the back of the hand as these are the areas that are most exposed to the cold. However, you may also find gloves that also heat the palm of the hand.

Gloves suitable for use on touch screens:

With smartphones and satellite navigators that use touch screens, the gloves must work with the touch screen. This allows you to set up and use the devices without having to take off your gloves and expose your hands to the cold. We've come to the end of this guide on how to choose the best winter motorcycle gloves and if you're now looking for a pair so you can ride your bike without catching a cold on your hands, but don't know which models to start from, reliable shops to buy or what prices they have, start your search from our bestseller list. In this list, you'll find all the best heated winter gloves most wanted and sold and you can read the technical specifications and useful reviews that have been released by users.

Sleep disorders are often mistakenly referred to as "insomnia": in reality, it is only a particular type of sleep disorder within a category that includes many others. Before explaining such disorders it is good to explain what sleep is and its functions. 

Sleep is a biological phenomenon characterized by the loss of consciousness and the interruption of relationships that allow one to remain in contact with the external environment: its main function is to regenerate the organism fatigued by the physical and psychic activities of waking, also facilitating the reorganization of the information acquired during the day, so as to allow its memorization in a definitive form. It is a cyclic phenomenon whose rhythm is regulated by the alternation of day and night.

The disturbances affecting this complex function can be many, as can the causes. Sleep disorders can be divided into two categories:

The Dissons

They are disorders due to alterations in rhythm, quantity, and quality of sleep. They fall into this category: insomnia, sleep apnea, hypersomnia (narcolepsy);

Parasomnias

These are disorders characterized by the presence of an abnormal or unwanted event during sleep or in the transition phase between waking and sleeping. They fall into this category: sleepwalking, sleepwalking, nightmare disorder, terror disorder, enuresis, bruxism, restless legs syndrome.

What Is Insomnia?

Insomnia indicates the difficulty of falling asleep, the feeling of not being able to sleep or the inability to stay asleep long enough to rest. You can only talk about insomnia in cases where lack of sleep causes real physical or mental problems to the person, but not when a person sleeps little and still feels rested and satisfied with sleep. Some people in fact have a minimal need to sleep: a few hours are enough to make them rest and this is because not everyone has the same physical needs. Insomnia is a disturbance, a symptom that shows the presence of alteration or another problem in the body. The causes that determine the onset of the disorder are many and different are the types of insomnia.

Characteristics Of Insomnia

According to the duration, we distinguish three types of insomnia: transient, short-term and chronic. 

Transient insomnia: It arises as a result of an exciting event, intense emotion or good or bad news. In these cases the anxiety resulting from the external factor creates such an excitement in the nervous system that our brain remains in a permanent waking state. It is a common experience to have difficulty falling asleep the night before a particularly important event. Some physical disturbances, even trivial ones such as a strong cold, or particular external events, such as the different time zone after a long trip, or loud noises cause a disturbance not indifferent to our biological rhythm and it becomes difficult to sleep and rest peacefully. In these cases, the solution is to remove the problem that is at the origin of insomnia. 

Short-term insomnia: It is a form of insomnia that lasts for a limited period of time, usually no more than two or three consecutive weeks. The causes are often of emotional origin and consequently to important, difficult, tragic events in life. Insomnia that manifests itself after a bereavement or as a reaction to a loved one's illness is a typical example. The stress that these situations determine affects our mind and body to such an extent that we cannot sleep well or we cannot fall asleep, except after turning around for hours in bed, because we are unable not to think about the serious problem that afflicts us during the day. As time goes by, this type of insomnia tends to diminish and resolve, but in some particularly serious cases, it can be helpful to turn to someone. 

Chronic insomnia: It is the usual and persistent form over time. The factors that determine it can be many: psychological, physiological, environmental problems or dramatic events.

Any reason can trigger the onset of insomnia, which can be resolved in a short and bearable time but can also take on a chronic character and become a major disorder. Another important distinction is that according to the different types of insomnia: 

• initial insomnia: characterized by difficulty falling asleep;
• central: characterized by frequent and sustained awakenings during the night;
• late: characterized by early morning awakening.

There is also subjective insomnia, i.e. the perception that the person sleeps poorly and poorly, although objective data show the opposite and the person sleeps more or less regularly.

Causes Of Insomnia

There are many reasons that can cause insomnia: it can be resolved in a relatively short and bearable time, but it can also take on a chronic character and become an important disorder for the resulting problems. Moreover, not all people who suffer from this disorder react in the same way and insomnia often has different characteristics. Very common is the initial difficulty in falling asleep and waking up from light sleep that leaves people feeling like they have never fallen asleep. Of course, the idea of not being able to sleep causes anxiety and agitation which causes further difficulties. A first distinction that must be made with respect to the causes is certainly between primary or non-organic insomnia (when the patient is healthy and there are no apparent causes that justify insomnia) and secondary (when the insomnia is due to other physical illnesses or other psychological problems, such as depression).

Once this distinction has been made, one of the most frequent causes of insomnia is certainly the psychological and mental condition of the person: anger, anger, anxiety, stress, inability to manage situations are common causes for many people who suffer from insomnia. During the night everyone goes through different cycles of sleep and normally you go from waking to sleeping without realizing it. The waking moments are so short that we do not realize it, but in some people, these awakenings are longer than necessary. The subject who becomes aware of this event can remain awake for hours and therefore suffer from a form of insomnia. Alcohol, caffeine, drugs, some physical problems, such as incontinence, or emotional problems, such as stress from too much work, determine the lengthening of waking time at night and the effects of this are naturally irritation and restlessness. Frequent waking up at night, which disturbs the person, can also be caused by involuntary muscle spasms of the legs. This condition manifests itself as a consequence of iron deficiency or caffeine abuse, which affects the absorption of iron. Some defects in blood circulation, calcium deficiency or certain vitamins have the same effect. In these cases it may be useful to take dietary supplements or do some light physical activity. Insomnia can also occur with a tendency to wake up too early in the morning and this form is quite common in older people.

As you get older the sleep becomes lighter and the first light of day or the first noises coming from outside are enough to wake you up, but of course you have to keep in mind that as the years go by the physical need for sleep changes and the hours needed for rest decrease. Waking up early can be considered a natural event if the person still feels well, rested, active and participating. When early awakening is accompanied by a feeling of discomfort and tiredness one can speak of a form of insomnia and measures must be taken. Insomnia caused by early awakening can be associated with depression. The typical symptom of endogenous depression (not caused by external events) is insomnia, because this pathology alters the biological clock and sleep takes on particular characteristics: strange hours or rather disturbed sleep. The common effects of insomnia, in whatever form it occurs, are similar: tiredness, apathy, nervousness, emotional instability, lack of concentration, decreased performance and a general feeling of physical discomfort. If the cause of insomnia is a poor state of health or problems of a strictly physical nature, not sleeping causes a worsening of the situation.

How To Deal With Insomnia

In order to properly address the difficulties related to insomnia, it is first necessary to establish what kind of insomnia one suffers from. In some circumstances of one's life it is almost normal to experience such problems: the period before an important event, such as a wedding or an exam, a stressful condition due to a particularly intense time at work. In these cases, as soon as the stressful stimulus stops acting (because it is limited in time), the symptoms of insomnia should also be alleviated, leading to the regaining of a condition of normality. When the disorder persists for a few weeks, or the problematic situation manifests itself with a certain severity, it is certainly necessary to be alerted because it could represent the entry into a chronic condition: in these cases it is good to consult a doctor. At any level of seriousness, it is good not to take medication on your own initiative: you should not do it for a limited insomnia for the obvious reason that it tends to resolve in a short time, and more reason for those serious situations. Medication should be taken under strict medical supervision.

Insomnia: Advice For Insomnia Sufferers

At a preventive level and at a not serious level of disturbance, limited in time and not particularly intense, it could be useful to pay more attention to the care of one's own sleep hygiene by following some simple advice and hours of rest and the quality of sleep are very subjective, different from person to person, subject to an evolution in relation to age or the influence of environmental and social factors such as living and sleeping in an inhospitable or unwelcome place. For example, people in stressful or highly responsible jobs generally sleepless, partly because of increased concerns.

Sleeping a few hours is not a problem in itself: everyone sleeps according to their needs. But if a person can only sleep for a smaller number of hours than they feel necessary, then over time they will accumulate a "sleep debt" that can affect their daily activity, mood and quality of life. 

Sleep is for the organism an essential moment of rest and well-being: it favors all regeneration and growth processes and allows to fix in the memory the experiences made during wakefulness, sleep is therefore important. Following a few simple rules can help:

• go to sleep every night and get up every morning at the same time, even during the weekend, and regardless of how much you slept at night;
• don't sleep more in the morning if you haven't slept much at night;
• don't take "naps" during the day;
• only go to bed when you're sleepy;
• if you can't sleep, it's better not to stay in bed: better to get up and engage in relaxing activities;
• try to relax as much as possible before going to bed;
• avoid large meals around bedtime to avoid digestion problems;
• sleep in a comfortable bed, use these best sheets for adjustable beds in a bedroom protected as much as possible from noise, at the correct room temperature;
• eat at regular hours;
• do not drink drinks containing caffeine or alcohol before going to bed and do not smoke;
• do regular physical activity during the day, especially in the afternoon.

Insomnia: Therapy

When the insomnia is persistent and manifests itself with very serious effects that interfere with the normal functioning of the person's daytime life, a doctor should be consulted who will determine the advisability of a drug therapy (sleeping pills, hypnotics, anxiolytics). It must be remembered that these drugs must be taken with caution, respecting the dosages and rules, because they have many side effects, especially if taken in excessive quantities. It should also be borne in mind that induced sleep is different from natural sleep: the different phases of sleep will be present in different proportions in the two cases. For example, those who sleep with the use of these substances have a deep sleep corresponding to only 50% of the total. Abusing these substances or taking them for too long can cause a withdrawal seizure when they are discontinued. However, over the last 20 years, non-pharmacological intervention strategies have been developed that have been found to be very effective both in improving the quality of sleep of insomniacs and in facilitating the suspension of the use of sleeping pills. Muscle tension, the mind filling up with thoughts at bedtime and bad sleeping habits are the main causes of insomnia.

An intervention based solely on a group or individual interviews, conducted by an experienced psychologist, addresses these problems one by one by teaching the person techniques of relaxation and imaginative distraction and providing information and guidance to achieve good sleep hygiene. Given the results obtained by many patients, cognitive-behavioral treatment is considered by the scientific community as the most suitable non-pharmacological treatment for so-called primary insomnia, i.e. not due to physical illness or other psychological problems such as anxiety and depression.

The cat is a pleasant animal to have at home, as many Italians who have taken one have understood, and who have kept it as a life companion, sometimes for more than 10 years.

It is a cute, cuddly, a bit solitary but still affectionate animal, in its feline ways of behaving, even if, when you take a cat, you have to consider that we are taking a responsibility from which you cannot ignore it, for all its life.

Remember this: our cat depends on us, we can never forget it.

A cat, like any other living being, has the possibility to get sick and, as it happens for us humans, there are simple diseases, which pass in a few days, and more serious diseases that can remain without a chance of recovery even for a lifetime (chronic diseases of the cat).

In this list of ours, we have therefore collected a series of diseases that are, in our opinion, among the most common cat diseases.

Obviously it is impossible to make an estimate because according to the lifestyle and the environment in which it lives, a cat is also subject to very different diseases; a castrated cat who stays at home is much more at risk of obesity, and its consequences, compared to a cat who stays outside, perhaps more subjected to infectious diseases.

So here are the five most common cat diseases that every cat owner should know about.

Mouth problems

Problems with the cat's mouth are by far the most common problems, although they are often undiagnosed and little considered by owners.

The problem, essentially, depends on the fact that a cat in the wild would live much less than a cat living at home (average life span of a domestic cat is about 17 years).

The cat, in the same way, must first deal with tartar, which is impossible to prevent since we cannot brush our cat's teeth every day...

Let's say that from this point of view the kibble (dry food) than the cans (wet food) is more useful, because of the "clean" the cat's mouth.

But bearing in mind that a cat eats everything, sooner or later we will find ourselves dealing with this type of problem.

The food problem, however, is not the only one: there are, for example, scratches on the mouth, wounds and mouth ulcers, which can also be caused by some particular infectious diseases, as well as the dangerous eosinophilic granuloma, something similar to a tumor that is located in the back of the mouth.

All these problems lead to the cat not eating, not eating as it should, but often owners interpret these behaviors as "the cat doesn't like kibble".

This is sometimes the case, but it is rare, the cat is an animal that tends to eat regularly in general, so if it does not eat there may be a problem with the mouth.

Instead of wandering around pet shops for days, perhaps with the cat in your arms to make a choice, it is better to opt for a visit or even an X-ray of the mouth. Sometimes the solution is right there.

Fleas

Another absolutely underestimated problem is that of fleas, these small animals that walk on the cat's hair feeding on its skin, which they tear by sucking the liquid that comes out.

The problem, also, in this case, is that the owner is not aware of the fleas, because to the human eye they are very difficult to see, they are very fast and very small.

The ticks, you can see them well, maybe there is only one, and you get alarmed to go to the vet to have it removed.

The fleas, on the contrary, with the fact that they cannot be seen, it is as if they were not there, but the symptoms are well evident: the cat licks itself, scratches, sometimes has scabs, and can also have dermatitis due to the allergy to their saliva, which is not fatal but is one of the most annoying things possible.

Imagine that your whole body itches, simultaneously and continuously, without interruption.

In addition, fleas lead to another problem called Dipylidium caninum: it is a parasite whose larvae live inside the flea. The cat, at times, scratching itself swallows the flea (which jumps to escape) and swallows it.

It digests the flea but the parasite, a worm, is resistant and begins to grow; if you see it, it is equal to our tapeworm, so it is long and feeds on what the cat eats. So that the cat will lose weight, even at levels that can become very serious.

Fleas can be spotted by looking at the cat's hair: at the base are a series of black dots that are their excrements: if we see something like this we know that we need an antiparasitic treatment.

This, in addition to the cat, is done at home: yes, because fleas live at home, even if we do not see them, and if we treat only the cat but not the environment, the problem will return in the short term. Catademy strongly recommends being aware of this. 

Obesity

Obesity is the main problem of all castrated cats living indoors.

When a cat, in fact, lives in our house and has no reproductive stimuli, so it makes "the good life": it eats and sleeps.

This, however, is dangerous over time: in fact, if a cat does not consume the calories it swallows, these will turn into fat, which in the long run, leads to consequences that are difficult to eliminate.

The problem, essentially, is that fats (and also carbohydrates, which are reworked by the body to become fat) accumulate both in the adipose tissue, which is under the skin, and (and this is the serious thing) in the liver: this becomes yellow and greasy, and literally the fat drips out.

We talk about liver steatosis, and it is one of the situations that most endangers the life of the cat because the liver becomes so fragile that it can break down, even if the cat makes a jump.

A liver rupture leads to internal bleeding that kills the cat within an hour, and there is no surgery that can save it, it's a virtually instantaneous situation. In some breeds of cats, such as the Persian cat, you have to be careful that the cat does not ingest its own hair because this can cause cases of intestinal occlusion.

That chubby cat you love so much is at risk of his own life.

The FeLV

FeLV, or Feline Leukemia, is an infectious cat disease that is transmitted from cat to cat.

Unfortunately, transmission from sick cat to a healthy cat is very simple and very common, because the virus that causes it can be transmitted even if two cats rub each other's snouts, or if they drink from the same bowl.

It's a bit like our cold (very easy to infect), only you never recover from FeLV.

This disease affects the bone marrow and causes the white blood cells to reproduce more than expected, leading to leukemia, i.e. having too many white blood cells in the blood. These sometimes cluster and form neoplasms, i.e. tumors.

A cat suffering from FeLV, once it has contracted the disease, cannot be cured, but a series of measures can be implemented to limit the disease, such as keeping it at home.

If we castrate him to stay at home and he stays dry and well-fed he will not encounter cold, other animals, other cats that could hurt him and thus stimulate the immune defenses, leading to the production of white blood cells that, we said, are already too many and would make the problem more serious.

In fact, if we can keep it under control we can also keep a cat sick of FeLV for a very long time. Particular attention should be paid to not letting other cats come into contact with our sick cat because it would transmit the disease.

For FeLV at the moment there is a vaccine, which is protective but not 100%: in short, we can vaccinate the cat but there is a risk that she will get sick anyway, especially if she leaves home a lot.

To avoid this, we can unfortunately only castrate the cat before the disease occurs and make sure it stays indoors, thus avoiding contact with other cats and, consequently, the possibility that it may contract this disease.

IVF

IVF, or Feline Immunodeficiency Immunodeficiency, is another infectious disease similar to FeLV, less likely as transmission, but more severe as symptoms.

The virus is of the same family as the human HIV virus, and from here we already understand the gravity of the situation.

It is a very widespread virus for cats living outdoors, and very present in Italy. And there is no vaccine, at the moment, just as there is for HIV that infects human beings.

Cats transmit it, more than through venereal, by blood (with scratches and bites), however, always during the struggles for mating, and it is one of the reasons why castration greatly limits the problem because it induces the cat to stay calm.

IVF is not a fatal disease in itself, even if it can lead to FAIDS, the feline version of AIDS: the problem essentially is that the virus puts the immune system, the defenses, of the cat in a situation of inefficiency, which means that if even the banalest disease entered the cat's body the cat would not be able to fight it. With this mechanism, IVF can become fatal.

Unfortunately, there is no certain way to prevent it, even if castration or sterilization greatly limits its incidence, to keep it indoors, let it out as little as possible and feed it well.

A situation that puts him, therefore, in a position to have little chance of incurring other infectious diseases. effects the best we can do.

Drums is a particular and fascinating instrument: unlike many of his colleagues, such as the piano or guitar, it is not played directly with the hands but needs two important intermediaries, the drumsticks or drumstick. These represent a real extension of the drummer's arts, which must reproduce in sound the succession of pauses and notes present on the score.

Precisely for this reason, a neophyte who approaches the drums must carefully choose the sticks that will accompany him during his learning. Choosing the set is not a simple operation, as these elements have different shapes, lengths and thicknesses that can change the style and sound of the percussions.

Today we want to offer you our suggestions to help you choose the first drumsticks to play the drums.

Choosing Drumsticks: Understanding The Acronyms

When choosing battery sticks it is necessary to consider several elements: among them type and thickness.By typology, we mean weight and consistency; while thickness is given by the circumference of the drumstick.

Generally speaking, heavy and thick drumsticks are those used in a style that requires powerful sounds like rock and metal, while lighter and finer ones are preferred in jazz, acoustic music and styles where lower volume but higher speed is required.

But how is it possible to grasp the characteristics of a set of drumsticks on the fly?

Think about it: you've happened to read acronyms like 2B, 7A or 3S on the handles, right? No, the producers didn't want to play battleship with potential buyers, but to offer the set's features in a timely manner. We'll explain their meaning right away. An acronym of this type consists of letters and numbers.

Letters

We start with the letters, which give us indications about the weight and consistency of the chopsticks. That's what they mean:

The letter A refers to lightweight chopsticks that are more suitable for tracks that require speed of execution. 

B stands for "band", in this case the sticks are thicker than the previous ones and used in heavier genres like pop or rock. They produce more volume, but at the same time they are more difficult to use with fast tracks.

S stands for street and they are thicker and heavier sticks. They are suitable for even harder styles like heavy metal and hard rock.

Numbers

Then there are the numbers that indicate the circumference or thickness of the set: in this case the smaller the number, the greater the circumference. For example, 2B sticks are thicker than 7A.

Although the weight and dimensions may change slightly depending on the manufacturer, in general, the initials on the rods help you to understand the size and type, also depending on the style you want to play.

Here are the most used acronyms among the various brands and their meaning:

• The 7A drumsticks are the lightest, they produce a graceful sound and are often recommended to start playing with a jazz style because they allow you to move more quickly and with more agility hands and wrists (whose flexibility is fundamental to juggle quickly between skins and plates).
• The 5A and 5B are heavier and suitable for louder styles, where volume is a prerogative, like Heavy Metal.
• Then there are 2B and 3S are definitely the most suitable for slower and louder rhythms, often associated with Heavy Metal.

Which Sticks To Start With?

It all depends on the genre you approach and you want to study. Many teachers also recommend 2B or 5B drumsticks for jazz styles because, being heavier, they help to mature a certain resistance, which makes the transition to lower weights easier and more natural. On the contrary, starting with sticks that are too light and then moving on to heavier styles could lead the drummer to get tired earlier during the performance. Simplydrum suggests that you'll need drumming gloves for both types.  

Choice Of Drumstick: Length And Material

Now let's talk about two other elements that characterize the set: the length and the material.

The length of the rods is between 38, 5 and 41.5. The measurements depend on the needs of each drummer and his physical characteristics: the player must be able to easily reach the different components of the instrument. Bass players generally need slightly longer sticks to get to the farthest cymbals better.

The Material

Most chopsticks are made of wood.

The most used natural materials are American walnut (hickory), ebony, maple, beech, birch and rosewood. Also in this case, the choice of material depends on the needs of each

drummer: the hickory is one of the most used and practical, it is rounded, dense and able to produce good performances in different styles, with an excellent quality/price ratio. So it's great to start with.

The maple one is lighter and suitable for fast rhythms, while the oak is strong and very resistant, perfect for beating strong metal rhythms.

The Tip Of The Stick: How Do You Choose?

But we're not finished: the tip of the stick also requires attention. It can be made of plastic or wood and has in particular three shapes:

• Round.
• Oval or olive.
• Triangular or diamond.

The difference is that you can change the timbre of the sound according to the surface of the tip that comes into contact with that of the instrument.

The smaller the contact surface, the higher the frequency. For example, the rod with a round tip touches a small surface and produces a higher, more regular frequency.

The triangular tip and, to a lesser extent, the olive-shaped tip allow you to vary the sound because depending on the angle at which you touch the snare drum or other battery elements, the tone changes.

If the drumstick is flat the sound is full, while tilting it becomes more acute. However, these are technicalities that you learn over time.

The only detail worth considering at the beginning is the following: the round tip doesn't vary the sound according to the angle it beats, so it is indicated in classical music where equality and harmony of sounds is fundamental for good harmonic performance.

We recommend the olive-shaped tip because it allows you to blend in but, at the same time, govern the instrument, even for the beginner.

Now you have all the information you need to choose your drumsticks: consider your needs, the style you want to start with and also your physical characteristics.

All you have to do is visit the section of our e-commerce dedicated to percussion where you can find a wide range of drum sticks.

One question that I am often asked is “what should I be looking for when buying a baby crib?” It is difficult to give a complete answer to this because there are so many factors involved. In fact, I think it is easier to look at things the other way around. I tell them the name of the crib that I think provides everything that you need in a crib and provides the best value for money.

The crib I recommend is the Classic 4-in-1 Convertible Crib from Graco. Why this particular crib? Well as you will see in this review by Easytobemom, it ticks all the boxes when it comes to safety, quality of materials, style and ease of assembly. When you consider the discount prices that are available, it is, in my opinion, the best crib you can get for the money.

The Perfect Crib for Safety Minded Parents

Graco has designed this crib with safety in mind. In spite of its lightweight, it is a very sturdy crib that features stationary side rails in order to provide the safest possible sleeping environment for your baby. The mattress platform can be adjusted to 3 separate heights so that you can lower the height of the platform as your baby grows.

As with all Graco cribs, the Sarah Classic is certified by the Juvenile Products Manufacturers Association – visit JPMA. There are no drop sides to worry about. The standard Graco mattress fits perfectly inside, leaving no gaps around the edges.

Put Together in 20 Minutes

It will take two people no more than 20 minutes to assemble. It can be done by one person but I would recommend having an extra person to hold the larger parts while you put them together. The only tool required it the Allen Key that is supplied with the crib. Once it is put together you will be surprised at how sturdy it is.

Value for Money

Some parents might be a bit worried about the quality of this crib when they compare the cost of the Graco Sarah crib versus some of the more expensive models on the market. This crib does not feel cheap in any way. Its lightweight is an advantage for when you want to move it but it in no way makes it feel rickety or unstable. It is much more manageable than the hardwood cribs, which are very inconvenient when you want to move them.

Nice Design with a Beautiful Cherry Finish

The Graco Sarah 4-in-1 convertible crib has a traditional sleigh design. This is no doubt the secret of its success. Most parents choose traditional designs over modern looks. This crib will look great in any nursery. The cherry finish is hard-wearing and it can withstand a lot of mistreatment without chipping or bits breaking off.

Clever Design Will Last Your Child for Years

This crib is fully convertible and can be easily changed into a toddler bed, daybed and full-size headboard. This will provide safety and comfort for your child from infancy right through to the teen years.

Ready? Departure? Yes... shoes! As previously announced in one of our articles we are to share some tips on hiking equipment in the mountains, especially how to buy footwear for our excursions. First of all, you have to be aware that a good purchase can make a difference while on the contrary, it could be painful and unpleasant. "A technical shop is the first place to go hiking.

Hiking Boots: What we Recommend

Before we approach a purchase, we have to take into account that:

1. Beauty is not a suitable parameter to guide the choice that must be technical and comfort. How many times have we seen people with beautiful shoes suffer as dogs and ruin the excursion?
2. Convenience is often a bad counselor. Good materials are paid for. On the market you can find shoes that look like hiking shoes but on medium difficulty trails and mountain trails reveal all their limitations. Inconveniences such as blisters, wet feet, inflammation of the joints will make you curse that little saving.
3. Cleverwander suggests do not fall into the temptation to borrow trekking shoes from friends and relatives. Even if the number of feet is the same, the shape of the foot and the walk of each person is different so the shoes fit.
4. Do not buy sandals even if it is summer. You will not be protected as with a specific pair of shoes.

Ideal Shoes For Hiking In The Mountains: We Evaluate Our Purchase

One thing to keep in mind is that we can not choose hiking shoes behind a table or a monitor of a PC, unless you know it from experience model and number. Going to a specialized store is the first thing to do and not be afraid to get advice from serious and competent sellers.

Trekking shoes are mainly divided into three categories:

1. Low shoes or Mid-cut boots are very comfortable and lightweight shoes perfect for easy and well-trodden trails. They guarantee freedom of movement of the ankle and thanks to the Gore-tex upper we would have the foot always dry and protected from the weather. They are ideal for daily walking and approaching even slightly challenging paths.
2. Light trekking boots or hiking boots, provide greater stability of support while remaining flexible and comfortable. Suitable for medium difficulty hikes on dirt and irregular paths. Their characteristic compared to the mid-cut shoe is also in the fact that approaching more challenging paths we would have the ankle more protected.
3. Backpacking and trekking boots, suitable for rocky and demanding trails. Being more structured with deep grooved soles and technologies specifically designed to improve performance, they are recommended for those carrying heavy backpacks.

Technical Characteristics Of Trekking Boots In The Mountains

Having said that, which could already point us towards a type of footwear, we absolutely must have in mind some technical elements that meet the basic rules of a good mountain pedalo.

Lightness and Structure

Not all hiking trails and activities are the same, so you have to look for the right product that results in the best compromise between lightness and rigidity/structure for the type of use we intend to make of it. To tackle easy terrain with little difference in height I could opt for a lightweight product, while for challenging and difficult trails, perhaps carrying a backpack, I should move towards a more structured product that provides support to the ankles. The evolution in the construction techniques of the sole and midsole guarantee minimum torsion and lateral hold even in circumstances of difficult support. Vibram soles (often identified with a yellow mark in the sole) have an excellent capacity to absorb stress, shocks, roughness of the ground and not to be underestimated, an excellent grip on wet and slippery surfaces.

Comfort

One of the fundamental characteristics is comfort: you need to feel good inside your shoes for walking and hiking. This factor is important to avoid annoying moments of pain in the feet and not to spoil the day. Try your shoes before buying them, paying attention to the sensation that your feet get when you put them in your shoes.

Waterproofness

In the mountains, especially in summer, the weather can vary within a few hours, so opting for hiking shoes with a waterproof membrane becomes essential to avoid finding yourself with your feet completely wet in the rain. Today, GORE-TEX® is the most reliable brand that offers various technologies, which also provide excellent breathability, thus keeping the foot always dry.

Water Repellency

The difference between water repellency and water resistance should be pointed out: even if they are often used as synonyms, they are not. A water-repellent hiking shoe facilitates the flow of water and is sufficient in case of light rain, while when extreme weather conditions occur it is advisable to have waterproof shoes, resistant to penetration and water absorption.

Protection

For those who walk in the mountains, one of the main requirements is to use hiking shoes that protect against ankle sprains and other possible injuries. If you are facing uneven terrain, it is advisable to choose shoes that support the ankle and have a medium-high profile (no low shoes), especially when traveling along steep paths, which are spacious on the tip to avoid pain in the toes.

Load support

If you take heavy backpacks with you on multi-day hikes, then you need sturdy, flexible and comfortable mountain shoes. This will allow you to move freely, providing sufficient protection to prevent injury or pain to your ankle or foot.

Bellows tongue 

A very useful element to prevent dirt, small stones, water or debris of various kinds from slipping into the trekking shoes while walking, causing discomfort. This is the tongue on which the lacing of the shoe/boot passes, which, turned up and folded, connects directly to the upper, leaving no open spaces or cracks.

Protective band. Usually made of rubber or polyurethane, it offers greater protection outside the shoe from possible abrasions and scratches caused by sharp rocks. Sometimes it is positioned only at the toe, while in other cases it is applied to the entire outer edge, up to the heel. This band makes the shoes even more durable.

Perfect Hiking Shoes In The Mountains

The perfect trekking shoe does not exist, but it is important to buy with knowledge of what we would go to do and that the shoe is performing on our excursions. Here are some practical and useful tips during the choice phase.

1. Try hiking shoes in the late afternoon, when your feet have reached their maximum size. Don't be afraid if you have to ask for a half or a larger number than your foot: walking for a long time will strain your foot which will tend to swell and therefore needs space.
2. Do not underestimate the quality of the socks that must be of the specific technical ones for trekking. If you need to use anatomical insoles, check that they fit well inside the shoe.
3. You should also try them on in motion, trying to walk inside the shop or, if possible, testing them on different types of terrain, uphill and downhill, at least for a few minutes.
4. Pay attention to the feeling during a moving test (e.g. walking inside the store) to avoid feeling the heel rubbing against the inside of the boot, so as to avoid the formation of any annoying blisters.
5. Not to be overlooked: your toes must have the right space for movement within the trekking shoes.

Looking to buy an automated cat feeder? If you have a cat, there a few good reasons why you would want to look into getting an automated feeder for your favorite feline companion. Given the busy lifestyles of many pet owners these days, there will be times when you will probably have to leave your kitty home alone for an extended period of time, at least longer than you would like to. Your cat will have to fend for himself and the automated cat feeder along with a water dispenser can be the perfect solution to this dilemma, giving your cat the right portions along the way at just the right times throughout the day.

Some other situations in which your cat might find herself alone include times when you are away from home unexpectedly. If you have to leave town for days or more, you could look into getting someone to stay with your cat like a pet sitter but that is not always possible, especially on short notice. What about times when there is a family emergency or you find yourself having to stay at work longer than you normally would and you will not be home to feed your cat at the usual time.

A cat food feeder that is automated to dispense the right amount of food to your furry friend will be just the thing to make sure your cat gets fed on time and in the right amount so that his nutritional needs are met daily. Another benefit of the automated cat feeder, provided you get the right type with the programmable feature, is that you can generally set it so that your cat gets the amount of food you want him to eat. This will help in terms of portion control and help prevent your cat from getting overweight from overeating. Obesity in cats and dogs is a common problem these days, just like it is for people, and keeping your cat from getting obese will go a long way to keeping her healthy.

Your cat will more likely stay at the correct weight as long as you do not overfeed him. So when it comes to automated cat feeders, there are two main types, but only one will be smart enough to dole out the right amounts of kibble. if you want to help your cat from packing on the pounds, then do not opt for a gravity-fed machine as this will keep the bowl at a constant level of cat food and always be accessible to your cat. Thus, she can graze throughout the day and end up eating even when she normally does not. Constant overeating will result in her getting fat. So, you really should consider the other type of automated cat feeder. Such devices are equipped with a timer and are electronically programmable via an LCD screen so you can have it dispense food two, three, four times a day, however many times per day your cat eats. If your take is on medication, this programming feature that dispenses food at certain specific set times can make it possible to put your cat's medicine in as well so they get that at the proper time.

These machines are highly recommended by veterinarians, Catademy blog and various cat owners. They come in a variety of prices ranging from about $50 all the way up to about $200. If you shop around both in box stores like Petco and Petsmart, or online at these same retailer's websites and other sites like eBay and Amazon, you will not have to pay full price necessarily. You can often find and buy at discount prices so you can get the right automated cat feeder at the right price so you do not end up spending extra money.

The automated cat feeder will normally run on electricity and become operable by plugging them into a wall outlet, but it is important of course to have one with a battery backup, usually D size alkaline batteries, for times when the power goes out. If that happens while you are gone, then your cat will not be fed and that's the last thing you want. Different sizes are available as well, small, medium, and large, allowing them to hold up to five pounds (and some even 10 lbs.) of dry food, and many units are able to dispense food in different amounts with volumes ranging from a quarter cup to as much as two cups, pouring right into the bowl. These units are easy to unpack and set up, usually requiring no tools.

There are several major, reputable brands and makes of automated cat feeders. The top brands and models include the Cat Mate, both the C20 and C50 models, Perfect Pet Feeder, the Petmate Le Bistro, and Ergo Systems. You want a quality machine made from durable parts. This is quite an important device we're talking about here with a critical function, so be sure to pay to get quality and a feeder you can get years of use from, not a shoddy piece of equipment you will end up returning in a month or so. Look for a solid money-back guarantee so that you can be protected if the machine malfunctions and cannot be repaired. But speaking of that, it is a mechanical item with moving parts and over time, they may get worn out so you want to be able to order and get replacement parts if need be.

Another thing that not everyone takes into account with an automated cat feeder is to consider just how cat-proof the feeder is. As smart animals, their intelligence has given them the ability to sometimes figure out how to get the food out of the receptacle with their paws. Make sure you can easily operate and program the feeder; it should not be difficult to use. And the timer programming should be flexible enough so that the feeder opens when you want it to at your own set intervals, not at factory pre-determined and unchangeable times. The feeder should be solid and sturdy enough and be well balanced so that no matter how much food is in the air-tight container, the automated cat feeder will not topple over. It should also be simple to clean with removable food bins, ideally. And on that note, check to see if the bowl and bin are dishwasher safe. Finally, for those units that can accommodate wet cat food, check that the feeder comes with ice packs built in to help maintain freshness.

A happy cat is a healthy and well-fed cat, but not to the point of being overweight, or even underweight by not eating enough. If your personal schedule is interrupted or simply does not lend itself to some sort of regularity throughout the week, months, or year, or if you find yourself away from home more than usual and cannot get some to come to your home reliably to look after your cat or other pets, then by all means keep your cat properly fed in a timely manner with right-sized portions of food with an automated cat feeder.