INPUT ARTICLE: Article: You want to make sure that your purchase will be a good investment. If you frequently use the bike machines at the gym or if you are an avid biker, an exercise bike may be an excellent purchase. If you do not think you will use it a few times a week, a gym membership may be more cost effective.  Exercise bikes are great for people who need low-impact exercise but who cannot get to the gym regularly. Exercise bikes can help you exercise if the weather is bad, especially in winter. Upright bikes are easy to use and provide great cardiovascular workouts. They work abdominal muscles since you are keeping the body upright, and they offer upper body arm workout. A spin bike most closely resembles the “real” activity of riding a road bike. It's one of the best bikes at burning calories. Spin bikes are meant for those who want a strenuous, effective workout. Recumbent bikes provide an all-body workout while working many major muscles. The position of the recumbent seat ensures that you are exercising while maintaining good spinal posture. For some people, recumbent bikes are easier on the lower back and gentler on your hip and knee joints. Whether you want to reduce body fat, get stronger or make fitness a part of your routine, an exercise bike is a great start. Ultimately, quality is what you are aiming for. You will need to balance quality with the needs of your exercise bike and your workout goals. It is easier to decide on which bike to buy once you know what your fitness goals are.

SUMMARY: Estimate how often you will use the bike. Choose an upright bike for low impact cardio. Choose a spin bike for low impact but high-intensity. Choose a recumbent bike to target more muscles. Determine your fitness goals.


INPUT ARTICLE: Article: . Wiping your Mac will erase everything, including your operating system, so keeping a backup on an external hard drive or DVD is a good idea. It's the black apple icon in the upper-left corner of the screen. It's near the bottom of the menu. This immediately shuts down and reboots your Mac. Wait for your Mac to shut down.  The "macOS Utilities" window will appear. It's at the bottom of the list. It's in the lower-right corner of the window. It's in the upper-left of the window, under "Internal." It's a button at the top-center of the window. Type it in the "Name:" field. " drop-down menu. To reinstall a MacOS system, select:   Mac OS Extended (Journaled) for the fastest wipe.  Mac OS Extended (Journaled, Encrypted) to encrypt the disk after wiping. It's in the lower-right corner of the dialog box. The wipe process will begin. The time to erase your disk will vary based on disk size, the amount of data stored, and whether your chose an encrypted format.

SUMMARY: Back up any data you want to save Open the Apple menu. Click on Restart…. Click Restart to confirm. Press and hold ⌘+R as the Mac restarts. Release the keys when you see the Apple logo. Click on Disk Utility. Click on Continue. Click on your Mac's hard drive. Click on Erase. Name your disk. Click on the "Format: Select a format. Click on Erase.


INPUT ARTICLE: Article: Once you’re satisfied with the basic shape of your ring, tilt it at a 30-45 degree angle and press it gently into the sander or Dremel. Rotate the ring until you’ve sanded down the entire circumference, then turn it over and smooth the opposite side. Once again, be careful not to remove too much wood from the edges of the ring.  Doing your sanding by hand will offer you greater control over how much material you’re taking off if you’re concerned about damaging the ring after all the hard work you’ve put into it. Beveling wears down the squared corners, making the ring more comfortable to slide on and off. While it’s not a necessity, a few quick passes with a heating gun can provide added durability and a more customized fit. Set the ring on a heat-safe surface and position the nozzle of the gun 6 inches (15 cm) above it. Wave the gun back and forth slowly until the wood just begin to smoke or darken around the edges. Exposure to intense heat will cause the fibers in the wood to draw up, making them stronger. Dab a small amount of beeswax or linseed, walnut, or tung oil onto a clean cloth and rub it over the completed ring inside and out. Wipe off any excess oil or wax and give the finish a few minutes to dry before trying on your new ring. Once it’s been treated, you’ll be able to wear it fearlessly in virtually any set of conditions.  Waxes and oils act as a natural buffer against dirt, moisture, and scratches, and will keep your ring from cracking or splitting over time. No need to worry if you’re unable to track down a fancy finish—the natural oils secreted by your skin will coat the ring with enough wear.

SUMMARY: Bevel the edges of the ring. Heat temper the ring to strengthen the wood (optional). Apply a coat of oil or wax to preserve the wood finish.


INPUT ARTICLE: Article: Choose the area of ground from which you’ll be taking soil and cultivate the area. Remove any dead leaves, weeds, plant trimmings and other debris. Rake through the soil and smooth it out so that it is level. Do not use areas that contain pesticides, chemicals or other pollutants. This can contaminate your soil. The water should reach approximately 12 inches deep into the soil. This will improve how well heat will conduct through the soil, heating it up and solarizing it thoroughly. Seal in the soil under a plastic sheet; you can use a painter’s tarp, which is readily available at home supply stores. Place rocks or line soil along the edges of the sheet to hold them down. There will be a good deal of heat generated and trapped under the plastic sheet, which will work to solarize the soil and kill unwanted pests, pathogens, and weeds. Summertime with hot and sunny weather is the ideal time to solarize soil.  Leaving the tarp on longer than 4-6 weeks will result in a disintegrating tarp. You can rotate the areas of your garden that are being solarized , devoting a section of the garden to solarizing soil while another section has growing plants. Covering the ground like this in the colder months will actually create better conditions for weeds by warming the soil. Only do this during warmer months. Fill glass or metal baking pans full of soil. Cover tightly with tin foil and bake at 200 °F (93 °C) for about 30 minutes. Stir the soil every 5 minutes as it bakes. Allow to cool completely. Your house will smell earthy when you use this method, which can be off-putting to some people.

SUMMARY:
Rake through the soil. Water the soil thoroughly. Cover the soil with a clear plastic sheet. Let the soil area sit for 4-6 weeks. Alternately, sterilize the soil in your oven.