Light Packers Are Obsessed With This $14 Bar Soap Bag. I Found Out Why.
In two of the three tests, after hours of drying time, the bar soap from the Matador bag was deemed driest, but only marginally so. In the third test, the bars were not appreciably different from each other. (For the two tests where it wasn't immediately obvious which soap was driest, I had a volunteer blindly rank them.) In one test, I put the bars in their containers soaking wet. After 18 hours, none of the bars, including the one in the Matador bag, had fully dried. In two of the three tests, the soap from the Matador bag was driest, but only marginally so. Maria Adelmann/NYT Wirecutter
But I was worried that soaking the bar soap didn't accurately mimic the less dramatic way soap tends to get wet in a shower. So for a week, I showered with two bars of soap, one of which went into the plastic sandwich bag and one of which went into the Matador soap bag.
This is where the Matador bag really stood out. The bag and the soap inside it always dried before my next shower, while the interior of the sandwich bag and the soap inside never completely dried, even after one 48-hour stint. The Matador bag stood out in real-world testing. Soap in the Matador bag always dried before my next shower, and soap from the (very gunky) sandwich bag never dried. Maria Adelmann/NYT Wirecutter
I also hated the feeling of pulling the soap out of the slimy, gunky sandwich bag, which I fought the urge to replace over the course of a week. Meanwhile, the Matador soap bag, with its easy-to-rinse opaque exterior, always looked clean. Any gunk inside was hidden from view and totally dry when I needed my soap.
Interestingly, Matador's instructions say that the soap will dry faster when the bag is exposed to air, but I didn't find much of a difference in drying time between putting the Matador bag on the counter versus in a toiletry bag.
My real-world experience lines up with that of deputy editorial director Maxine Builder, who has owned the Matador soap bar bag for almost a year and uses it to hold her shaving bar, even when she showers at home.
Most of the time, she doesn't even think about the bag. 'I seal the bar of soap up after using it, even when it's sopping wet, and when I open it up later, it's dry and ready to go, neither slimy nor soft and mushy,' Maxine says. It's kind of pricey for a simple bag, she admits, but she thinks it looks and feels nicer than a plastic case.
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Forbes
4 hours ago
- Forbes
NYT ‘Connections' Hints For Wednesday, August 13: Today's Clues And Answers
Each day's game of NYT Connections goes live at midnight local time. Before we get to today's Connections hints and answers, here are Tuesday's: It's Wednesday, and you know what that means: it's time for another round of Connections! I'm trying to live with more intentional positivity. That means minimizing distractions that don't bring me joy or improve my life in any meaningful way, being more mindful about how I spend my time, making a point to celebrate the wins of those around me and having less tolerance for nonsense and negativity. I've never been particularly great at sticking to a schedule of my own, but all the evidence points toward how integrating a stricter structure into my life will make it more likely that I have more time to spend on the things I want to do, and less on wasteful activities. I'm not sure how successful I will actually be at this, but I'll at least give it a shot (and if anyone has any particularly helpful Notion templates to share, let me know!). Before we begin, we have a great little community on Discord, where we chat about NYT Connections, the rest of the NYT games and all kinds of other stuff. Everyone who has joined has been lovely. It's a fun hangout spot, and you're more than welcome to hang out with us. Discord is also the best way to give me any feedback about the column, especially on the rare (or not-so-rare) occasions that I mess something up. I don't look at the comments or Twitter much. You can also read my weekend editions of this column at my new newsletter, Pastimes. Today's NYT Connections hints and answers for Wednesday, August 13 are coming right up. How To Play Connections Connections is a free, popular New York Times daily word game. You get a new puzzle at midnight every day. You can play on the NYT's website or Games app. You're presented with a grid of 16 words. Your task is to arrange them into four groups of four by figuring out the links between them. The groups could be things like items you can click, names for research study participants or words preceded by a body part. There's only one solution for each puzzle, and you'll need to be careful when it comes to words that might fit into more than one category. You can shuffle the words to perhaps help you see links between them. Each group is color coded. The yellow group is usually the easiest to figure out, blue and green fall in the middle, and the purple group is usually the most difficult one. The purple group often involves wordplay. Select four words you think go together and press Submit. If you make a guess and you're incorrect, you'll lose a life. If you're close to having a correct group, you might see a message telling you that you're one word away from getting it right, but you'll still need to figure out which one to swap. If you make four mistakes, it's game over. Let's make sure that doesn't happen with the help of some hints, and, if you're really struggling, today's Connections answers. As with Wordle and other similar games, it's easy to share results with your friends on social media and group chats. If you have an NYT All Access or Games subscription, you can access the publication's Connections archive. This includes every previous game of Connections, so you can go back and play any of those that you have missed. Aside from the first 60 games or so, you should be able to find our hints Google if you need them! Just click here and add the date of the game for which you need clues or the answers to the search query. What Are Today's Connections Hints? Scroll slowly! Just after the hints for each of today's Connections groups, I'll reveal what the groups are without immediately telling you which words go into them. Today's 16 words are... And the hints for today's Connections groups are: One Word For Each Connections Group Need some extra help? Be warned: we're starting to get into spoiler territory. Let's take a look at one word for each group. Today's Connections word hints are… What Are Today's Connections Groups? Today's Connections groups are... What Are Today's Connections Answers? Spoiler alert! Don't scroll any further down the page until you're ready to find out today's Connections answers. This is your final warning! Today's Connections answers are... The blues were immediately obvious to me. Zero issues there. But then I ran into a red herring by guessing GATE, PASSAGE, BOARD and ENTRANCE as a group. Nothing doing there. I was just too hasty. After a few moments of thought, I realized ENTRANCE wasn't a reference to a doorway or another way to enter something. Here, it means to delight or enrapture someone. I figured that out after drawing a link between CHARM and THRILL. RIVET rounded out the yellows. The greens then seemed clear, but of course I had to submit the purples first. FISH and STRUCK helped me figure out the connection there (I've never seen anything Stargate-related and I've been meaning to watch the TV show Starstruck, because creator, co-writer and star Rose Matafeo is terrific). I wrapped things up with the greens. That's win number 166 on the board for yours truly! Here's my grid for today: 🟨🟨🟨🟨 🟪🟪🟪🟪 🟦🟦🟦🟦 🟩🟩🟩🟩 That's all there is to it for today's Connections clues and answers. Be sure to check my blog tomorrow for hints and the solution for Thursday's game if you need them. P.S. I ought to have been keeping better track of every recommendation in this column. I do use Google to double check if I've used offered up something before (a task that's a little more onerous now that things are split between here and my newsletter). Still, I can't believe I haven't recommended this song until now. 'Gaslighter' by The Chicks is one of the catchiest yet most brutal breakup songs I've ever heard. It's fantastic: Have a great day! Stay hydrated! Be kind to yourself and each other! Call someone you love! Please follow my blog for more coverage of NYT Connections and other word games, and even some video game news, insights and analysis. It helps me out a lot! Sharing this column with other people who play Connections would be appreciated too. You can also read my weekend editions of this column at my new newsletter, Pastimes.
New York Times
6 days ago
- New York Times
Move Over, Training Wheels: There's a Better Way to Teach a Kid to Ride a Bike
The rider will graduate to longer and faster glides before learning to ride. Laura Motley and Jason Toledo/NYT Wirecutter While some kids learn to bike in a day, others take much longer. Likewise, some kids are ready to ride by age 2, and others don't develop the coordination or confidence until they're 5 or older. McFarland advises that parents stay the course but honor their child's pace. 'Different kids may progress through the process at different speeds, but there is not a better way to learn,' he said. Even some adults who are learning to ride for the first time use the balance bike method. Whether it takes your kid a day or a year to learn, these pointers will set them up for success. Get the right-size bike. If your kid is under the age of 4 or 5, they can start with a dedicated balance bike. Older, taller children may need to begin with a pedal bike, but any bike can be converted to a balance bike: Just remove the pedals with a 15 mm wrench (most bikes ordered online come with one) and lower the seat so they can sit on the saddle with their feet flat on the ground, knees slightly bent. For a proper no-pedal fit, feet should be flat on the ground with knees slightly bent. Laura Motley for NYT Wirecutter The most important factor to consider when selecting a bike for your kid is size. 'Oftentimes parents buy big bikes that kids can grow into, which causes a lot of frustration for their kid,' Alison Dewey, education director of The League of American Bicyclists, told me. A low seat height offers a feeling of security and allows riders to push their feet against the ground with power and control. Build confidence with an anatomy lesson. 'A bike is basically a really large, cumbersome toy that has a mind of its own,' Dewey said. Explain the different parts of the bike to your kid, and have them hold the handlebars and walk beside it — this will give them a sense of how heavy it is and how it tends to lean and fall. Next, encourage your kid to sit on the bike and practice 'walking' while seated. Then they can start pushing their feet and gliding. A properly fitting helmet will also increase confidence (and keep them safe). Find the right environment. Large, open spaces like empty parking lots are more conducive to learning than sidewalks or driveways. 'A flat area free of obstacles with at least 100 feet or more open space will allow for unencumbered pushing and gliding,' said Doug Ballew, a cycling educator with Woom. 'That straightaway is where they're gonna develop their skills.' Both Ballew and Bassett recommend finding a location with a slight grade, if possible; a gentle downhill gives your kid extra momentum as they learn to glide. If your child is nervous about wiping out, you could take them to a local track. Many modern running tracks are made with synthetic materials that are gentler and springier than asphalt. Add pedals when they've mastered balancing. 'Don't force pedals on them before they have achieved 100% of the balance aspect of it,' Ballew said. 'They should be gliding for 25 feet or more.' (That wide open parking lot can help them reach this milestone.) When you add pedals, raise the seat a little so their feet are flat on the ground with their legs straight. As they gain confidence pedaling, raise the seat by small increments until they can sit on the saddle and touch the ground with the balls of their feet. Perfect the pedaling. Many kids find pedaling intuitive, but some need extra guidance. Dewey suggests teaching the power pedal position, where one foot is on a pedal positioned just past the highest part of its stroke, and the other foot is on the ground. The kid pushes off with the foot on the ground, and then down on the pedal. Then they find the other pedal with their other foot. For a proper push-off, set the child up in the power pedal position with one foot comfortably on the ground and the other on the opposite pedal. Laura Motley for NYT Wirecutter Support your kid, not their bike. If your kid wants the comforting hand of a parent steadying them as they take their first strides and glides, feel free to offer it — but make sure you're touching your kid, not their bike. 'If you want to stabilize your child in some way, grab their shirt but don't touch the bike,' McFarland says. Holding onto handlebars or a bike seat interferes with their ability to balance on their own. You can also wrap a towel around your kid's chest and hold onto it for extra support. Consider the braking system. Some balance bikes come with hand brakes, but many don't. Many mid- and high-priced kids pedal bikes, like our top pick and upgrade pick, use hand brakes. Most inexpensive kids pedal bikes have coaster brakes, but they're rendered useless when the bike is in balance mode — these brakes are only activated when the pedals are in use and pushed backwards. 'Feet are adequate for braking while you're still [in balance mode and] developing those skills,' McFarland said. Even so, some kids are more comfortable with an added hand brake. Most experts I spoke with agreed that when kids transition to pedaling, it's easier to learn on a bike with a freewheel and hand brakes than on one with a coaster brake. It can be hard to get into the 'power pedal position' when your pedals can't move backwards without locking up (which is the case on a bike with coaster brakes). Although no technique totally eliminates the possibility of scraped knees, the balance bike method can make learning to ride a two-wheeler — once a scary rite of passage — more enjoyable. Parents and caregivers should respect their child's pace and remain patient, trusting in the process. 'It's going to take as long as it takes,' Bassett said. 'You don't want to add a negative experience to something that will be a lifelong joy.' That parental patience, along with a bike that fits and an empowering way to learn, will ensure that everyone enjoys the ride. This article was edited by Catherine Kast and Kalee Thompson.
Boston Globe
30-07-2025
- Boston Globe
NTSB finds Army chopper in fatal midair crash with plane was above altitude limit
Advertisement The board's final report won't be released until sometime next year, but it became clear Wednesday how small a margin of error there was for helicopters flying the route the Black Hawk took the night of the crash. Get Starting Point A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday. Enter Email Sign Up The second panel of witnesses were sworn in for a NTSB hearing on the Jan. 29 midair collision near Ronald Reagan National Airport, on Wednesday. KENNY HOLSTON/NYT The January nighttime incident was the first in a string of crashes and near misses this year that have alarmed officials and the traveling public, despite statistics that still show flying remains the safest form of transportation. Animation, altimeter discrepancy The hearing opened Wednesday with a video animation showing where the helicopter and airliner were leading up to the collision. It showed how the helicopter flew above the 200 feet (61 meters) altitude limit on the helicopter route along the Potomac River before colliding with the plane. Advertisement Investigators said Wednesday the flight data recorder showed the helicopter was actually 80 feet to 100 feet (24 to 30 meters) higher than the barometric altimeter the pilots relied upon showed they were flying. So the NTSB conducted tests on three other helicopters from the same unit in a flight over the same area and found similar discrepancies in their altimeters. Dan Cooper with Sikorsky helicopters said that when the Black Hawk helicopter involved in the crash was designed in the 1970s, it used a style of altimeter that was common at the time. Newer helicopters have air data computers that didn't exist back then that help provide more accurate altitude readings. The NTSB tested Black Hawk helicopters from the same unit and found that their barometric altimeters were 80 feet to 130 feet lower than the altitude readings from a radio altimeter, according to the board's Altimeter Testing Report. A barometric altimeter measures atmospheric pressure to determine altitude, with pressure decreasing as altitudes increase. Radio altimeters bounce radio waves off of the ground or the surface of water to determine altitude. Gwen Duggins (second from right), whose daughter Kiah Duggins was killed on the American Airlines flight 5342 collision with a US military helicopter, wiped away tears while listening to the audio of the flight radio transmissions during Wednesday's hearing. Rod Lamkey/Associated Press Chief Warrant Officer Kylene Lewis told the board that she wouldn't find an 80 to 100 foot discrepancy between the different altimeters on a helicopter alarming because at lower altitudes she would be relying more on the radar altimeter than the barometric altimeter. Below 500 feet (152 meters), Lewis said she would be checking both instruments and cross referencing them. She said as long as an altimeter registers an altitude within 70 feet of the published altitude before takeoff the altimeter is considered accurate under the checklists. Army officials said a discrepancy of 70 to 100 feet (21 to 30 meters) between the Black Hawk's altimeters is within the acceptable range because pilots are expected to maintain their altitude plus or minus 100 feet. Advertisement The greater concern is that the FAA approved routes around Reagan airport that included such small separation distances between helicopters and planes when planes are landing. 'The fact that we have less than 500 foot separation is a concern for me,' said Scott Rosengren, chief engineer in the office that manages the Army's utility helicopters. But Rosengren said that 'if he was king for a day' he would immediately retire all the older Black Hawk models like the one involved in this crash and replace them with newer versions of the helicopters. Questions over the route Army officials and the head of a local medevac helicopter company that flies around Washington told the board they believed air traffic controllers would never let them fly the helicopter route involved in the crash anytime a plane was approaching the runway. Chief Warrant Officer David Van Vetchen said after the crash he talked to many of his fellow pilots and everyone had the same assumption that controllers would never allow them to fly across the path of the runway the American plane was approaching before the crash. Citing the numbers for runways, Van Vetchen said that '100% of the time when I was on route four and 33/15 was active' he would be instructed to hold until after the plane landed or took off from that runway. The board opened the three days of hearings on Wednesday by showing an animation and playing audio and video from the night of the collision, as well as questioning witnesses and investigators. KENNY HOLSTON/NYT 'Stepped on transmission' During the two minutes before the crash, one air traffic controller was directing airport traffic and helicopters in the area, a task that involved speaking to or receiving communications from several different aircraft, according to the NTSB's History of Flight Performance Study. Advertisement The air traffic controller had spoken to or received communications from the Black Hawk helicopter, an airplane that was taking off, an Air Force helicopter, an airplane on the ground, a medical helicopter and an inbound flight that was not the American Airlines plane that would crash. 'All aircraft could hear the controller, but helicopters could only hear other helicopters on their frequency and airplanes only other airplanes,' the report stated. 'This resulted in a number of stepped on transmissions as helicopters and airplanes were not aware when the other was communicating.' Stepped on transmissions are those that are unheard or blocked because of other transmissions. The NTSB report provides a list of 29 separate communications between the airport tower and other aircraft during approximately the 1 minute and 57 seconds before the collision. Previously disclosed air traffic control audio had the helicopter pilot telling the controller twice that they saw the airplane and would avoid it. Officials on Wednesday also raised the use of night vision goggles, which limit the wearer's field of view, on the helicopter as a factor. The animation ended with surveillance video showing the helicopter colliding with the plane in a fiery crash. Investigations have already shown the FAA failed to recognize a troubling history of 85 near misses around Ronald Reagan National Airport in the years before the collision, and that the Army's helicopters routinely flew around the nation's capital with a key piece of locating equipment, known as ADS-B Out, turned off. Christina Stovall, whose husband, Mikey Stovall, died on American Airlines flight 5342 in a collision with a US military helicopter, wept as she left the room during the NTSB fact-finding hearing on Wednesday. Rod Lamkey/Associated Press Proposed changes U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, a Republican, introduced legislation Tuesday to require all aircraft operators to use both forms of ADS-B, or Automatic Dependent Surveillance Broadcast, the technology to broadcast aircraft location data to other planes and air traffic controllers. Most aircraft today are equipped with ADS-B Out equipment but the airlines would have to add the more comprehensive ADS-B In technology to their planes. Advertisement The legislation would revoke an exemption on ADS-B transmission requests for Department of Defense aircrafts. Homendy said her agency has been recommending that move for decades after several other crashes. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said that while he'd like to discuss 'a few tweaks,' the legislation is 'the right approach.' He also suggested that the previous administration 'was asleep at the wheel' amid dozens of near-misses in the airspace around Washington's airspace. Associated Press writers Leah Askarinam, Ben Finley and Rio Yamat contributed to this story .
