text: So I'm pretty much ready to quit pumping because I'm an extremely low volume pumper AND I feel like all the time I'm spending with the pump is taking away from the time I could/should be spending with my family. I am unable to breast feed because of my flat nipples, so I'm exclusively pumping. But.....I'm wondering if my flat nipples are part of the reason why I'm such a low volume pumper. I went to a link that showed how the nipples should fit into the horn for a correct fit and it said if your nipples were wider than a nickle, you should try a larger size. My nipples (the tiny bit that does stick out) are closer to the diameter of a dime, but I have large areolae. So because I have flat nipples with LOTS of adhesions (apparently if your areolae have wrinkles in them when your nipple extends, you have adhesions that keep the nipple from extending as far as it should) no matter what size horn I use, a lot of areola goes into it. Could this be affecting my output? Has anyone here with flat nipples become a high volume producer? I'm sure I'd want to stick it out longer if I actually expressed much milk - at 10 ounces a day right now and my daughter is 2.5 months old. The most I've ever expressed in a day was 16 ounces, and she was a month old then. My supply has slowly dwindled since then - I haven't pumped as often as I should so I know it's partly my fault, but am I just destined to be a low volume pumper because of my flat nipples? Any help, advice, responses are greatly appreciated. Thanks!


text:
In our Reality Check Series, News 3 examines an ad that draws the battle lines in a state senate race.
The seat belonged to 20-year lawmaker Chuck Chvala. He isn't running again, yet, he might have a huge impact on this election.
Republican Eric Peterson is running an ad linking Chvala to the Democrat trying to replace him, Rep. Mark Miller.
The ad begins, "Chuck Chvala is leaving office following indictments for 18 felonies, including extortion. Insider Mark Miller gave money to Chuck 11 times."
This claim is true.
Chuck Chvala is charged with 18 felonies, however it's very important to point out that he hasn't been convicted of anything.
It is true that Miller gave Chvala money, but it was very small amounts.
Miller donated to Chvala's campaign 11 times over the last decade, although never more than $60.
The next part of the ad claims, "Which Chvala used to pay for high-priced lawyers."
This is misleading.
Foremost, those 11 donations add up to a total of $345, and all came at least 10 months before Chvala was charged.
In July of 2003, Chvala transferred $35,000 into his legal defense fund. Miller's total combined donation of $345 is so small in comparison; it would be hard to believe Miller's money had any impact on Chvala's defense.
The ad goes on to say, "Miller even took Chuck's bucks for his own campaign."
This claim is based on one donation of $50 from Chvala to Miller in 1996.
News 3 consulted with two political watchdogs, Common Cause in Wisconsin and the Wisconsin Democracy Campaign. Both say this donation is insignificant.
One member of a watchdog group said, "This is smaller than small potatoes."
As leader of the state Senate, Chvala often doled out $1,000 to help candidates win. However, he almost always helped Senate candidates.
Miller, until now, always ran in the assembly.
There's yet another claim in this ad.
"And Miller voted with Chuck more than 90 percent of the time and co-authored a bill with him to raise taxes by $37 billion."
While factually correct, this statement is also misleading.
Those same watchdogs say since Miller and Chvala represent the same constituents, it would be surprising if they didn't vote the same way.
Plus, they say, "Ideological beliefs and corruption aren't tied together."
The next sentence is also misleading.
"Chvala and Miller both sponsored Senate Bill 133."

subset: commoncrawl


text:
By means of comparison, a 7 oz cup of coffee has the following caffeine (mg) amounts, according to Bunker and McWilliams in J. Am. Diet. 74:28-32, 1979:
7oz coffee:
Drip 115-175
Brewed 80-135
Instant 65-100
Decaf, brewed 3-4
Decaf, instant 2-3
12oz tea:
Tea, iced (12 ozs.) 70
Tea, brewed, imported 60
Tea, brewed, U.S. 40
Tea, instant 30
Mate 25-150mg
Espresso 100mg of caffeine 1 serving (1.5-2oz)
Acording to The American Beverage Asscoiation the numbers are a little different:
Coffee, 8oz drip 104-192 mg
Tea, 8oz brewed 20-90
Iced Tea, 8 oz 9-50
Soft Drinks, 8 oz 20-40
Cocoa Beverage, 8oz 3-32
Milk Chocolate, 1 oz 1-15
Dark Chocolate, 1 oz 5-35
Other data on caffeine:
Generic stay-awake pill 100mg
Vivarin 200mg
Cold relief tablet with caffeine 30mg
The variability in the amount of caffeine in a cup of coffee or tea is relatively large even if prepared by the same person using the same equipment and ingredients day after day.
Reference Variability in caffeine consumption from coffee and tea: Possible significance for epidemiological studies by B. Stavric, R. Klassen, B. Watkinson, K. Karpinski, R. Stapley, and P. Fried in "Foundations of Chemical Toxicology", Volume 26, number 2, pp. 111-118, 1988 and an easy to read overview, Looking for the Perfect Brew by S. Eisenberg, "Science News", Volume 133, April 16, 1988, pp. 252-253.
Quote from the lab manual:
Caffeine is present in tea leaves and in coffee to the extent of about 4%. Tea also contains two other alkaloids, theobromine and theophylline. These last two relax the smooth muscles where caffeine stimulates the heart and respiratory systems.
The effects of theobromine are, compared to caffeine and theophylline, relatively moderate. However, cocoa contains eight times more theophylline than caffeine. As well, caffeine has been shown to combine with other substances for added potency. Thus the effects of theobromine might be enhanced by the caffeine in chocolate.
Theobromine is highly toxic to dogs and kills many canids/year via chocolate poisoning. It takes quite a dose to reach fatal levels (more than 200 mg/kg bodyweight) but some dogs have a bad habit of eating out of garbage cans and some owners have a bad habit of feeding dogs candy. A few oreos won't hurt a dog, but a pound of chocolate can do considerable damage.
Clinical signs of theobromine toxicity in canids usually manifest 8 hours after ingestion and can include: thirst, vomiting, diarrhea, urinary incontinence, nervousness, clonic muscle spasms, seizures and coma. Any dog thought to have ingested a large quantity of chocolate should be brought to an emergency clinic asap, where treatment usually includes the use of emetics and activated charcoal. The dog will thus need to be monitored to maintain proper fluid and electrolyte balance.
Pathogenesis of theobromine toxicity: evidently large quantities of theobromine have a diuretic effect, relax smooth muscles, and stimulate the heart and cns.
Fraser, Clarence M., et al, eds. The Merck Veterinary Manual, 7th ed. Rahway, NJ: Merck & Co., Inc. 1991. pp. 1643-44.
On humans caffeine acts particularly on the brain and skeletal muscles while theophylline targets heart, bronchia, and kidneys.
The following information is from Bowes and Church's Food values of portions commonly used, by Anna De Planter Bowes. Lippincott, Phila. 1989. Pages 261-2: Caffeine.
Candy: Chocolate mg caffeine baking choc, unsweetened, Bakers--1 oz(28 g) 25 german sweet, Bakers -- 1 oz (28 g) 8 semi-sweet, Bakers -- 1 oz (28 g) 13 Choc chips Bakers -- 1/4 cup (43 g) 13 german sweet, Bakers -- 1/4 cup (43 g) 15 Chocolate bar, Cadbury -- 1 oz (28 g) 15 1.4 oz bar of milk choc. 3-10 1.4 oz bar of white choc 2-4 1.4 oz. bar of dark choc 28 Chocolate milk 8oz 8 Chocolate milk 8 oz. glass 2-7 Desserts: Jello Pudding Pops, Choc (47 g) 2 Choc mousse from Jell-O mix (95 g) 6 Jello choc fudge mousse (86 g) 12 Chocolate covered espresso bean3-5 Beverages 3 heaping teaspoons of choc powder mix 8 2 tablespoons choc syrup 5 1 envelope hot cocoa mix 5 Dietary formulas ensure, plus, choc, Ross Labs -- 8 oz (259 g) 10 Cadbury Milk Chocolate Bar More stuff: Guarana "Magic Power" (quite common in Germany), 15 ml alcohol with 5g Guarana Seeds 250.0 mg Guarana capsules with 500 mg G. seeds 25.0 mg / capsule (assuming 5% caffeine in seeds as stated in literature)
Guarana soda pop is ubiquitous in Brazil and often available at tropical groceries.
It is possible that in addition to caffeine, there is some other substance in guarana that also produces an effect, since it 'feels' different than coffee. Same goes for mate.
According to the National Soft Drink Association, the following is the caffeine content in mgs per 12 oz can of soda:
Afri-Cola 100.0 (?)
Jolt 71.2
Sugar-Free Mr. Pibb 58.8
Mountain Dew 55.0 (no caffeine in Canada)
Diet Mountain Dew 55.0
Kick citrus 54 (36mg per 8oz can, caffeine from guarana)
Mello Yellow 52.8
Surge 51.0
Tab 46.8
Battery energy drink -- 140mg/l = 46.7mg/can
Coca-Cola 45.6
Diet Cola 45.6
Shasta Cola 44.4
Shasta Cherry Cola 44.4
Shasta Diet Cola 44.4
Mr. Pibb 40.8
OK Soda 40.5
Dr. Pepper 39.6
Pepsi Cola 37.2
Aspen 36.0
Diet Pepsi 35.4
RC Cola 36.0
Diet RC 36.0
Diet Rite 36.0
Snapple Tea 31.5
Canada Dry Cola 30.0
Canada Dry Diet Cola 1.2
7 Up 0
Visit the largest caffeine content database on the net at caffeineinformer.com.
Zest Tea created a line of blends that has as much caffeine as a normal cup of coffee (about 150mg/cup).
Website: http://getzesttea.com/
PR: http://www.prweb.com/releases/2014/02/prweb11596850.htm
As my pain level has increased with my fibromyalgia, I've become desperate to find a way to control it. I have tried special diets, medication, exercise etc. So far none of it has worked. Just this week I heard caffeine may have a influence on this disease. I'm currently down to half a cup of caffeine from six cups of some sort of caffeine a day. There is no doubt, I am in less pain. Pass the word, people need to know this before they do something stupid.
fibromyalgia is a psychological dicease .. nothing you can take will cure you. you'll have to wake up, go to work like everyone else. everyone is in pain in this world. live with it
I don't understand this persons explanation. "1/2 cup of caffeine from 6 cups of some sort of caffeine a day". This Information may be usefull to me as I have fibromyalgia also. I just do't understand this sentence? HELP ;)
This is Donna here to clarify my "6 cups of some sort of caffeine a day" estimation. To be clearer, I usually had two large sized mugs of coffee (1 1/2 cups each) every morning and 2 to 3 cups (8 ounces) of tea every afternoon. I am completely off of all caffeine at this time and my pain level has decreased even more now. I am not out of pain completely and I do struggle with fatique, but probably not much more than when I was on caffeine. I will not go back and I have hope that maybe in a little more time my body might heal even more. Consider tapering off until you are caffeine free, it really might help.
Try cutting down your caffeine. That's what she's saying.
redbull 80mg 8.4oz
NOS....260 mg!!!! woaaa. i drink two a day and let me tell you...
why the hell are you avoiding caffeine anyway?. Its good for you in moderation. Burns fat and helps you metabolize food more effectively.
my ob dr. says stay away, no more than 300 mg per day, high risk miscarriage


text:
Skip to comments.The Hobbit Hole XXXVIII - There and Back Again!
Posted on 09/23/2009 6:19:16 AM PDT by HairOfTheDog
Welcome to The Hobbit Hole!
I'm a big fan of the snub .22 as a ankle rig for backup EDC to a primary sidearm as well as when hunting or wheeling. I have a uncle mikes nylon ankle holster that a parachute rigger modified for me to hold either 3 spare bianchi speed strips for a 38 snub or one of the old MTM plastic 50 round .22 boxes of spare ammo. My .22 is one of the SW 317's and my other snubs are a SW 37 and a performance center 640 that ride in that ankle holster .....
SW 317 with 58 rounds as a backup or survival gun was my choice. It's both minute of torso and or minute of bunny in a pinch.
I use CCI stingers that I run thru one of Paco Kelly's accurizer tools ( available from Brownell's or midway).... Makes a great rig.
Those are sweet looking matched pair.......
Stay safe !
The newgun looks even better now that the factory grips are off, and the new Ahrend's cocobolo, like the first has, are on it.
I swear by the Paco Kelly stuff, if someone has the time and patience to do real research. I didn't know Brownells or Midway handled those items. Must go back and look again. Just segregating rounds by rim thickness can do a lot to improve accuracy, much less finding the favorite bullet diameter.
Oh, and this week is already starting with more weapons weirdness. The shop sent in one of their Kahr rental guns because the front light launched out into the great beyond. It's been back, and in use, for a few weeks now, with no comments from customers. One wanted to brag about how well it shot, and showed the target to the guy behind the counter.
All shots grouped well, but they were tumbling all over, hitting the target side-on. The oval holes were about 3x longer than the bullet, indicating they were tumbling wildly, and not just a gentle precession.
The gunsmith came out to look, and upon disassembly noticed there was no rifling in the barrel! While replace the sight, someone, for some ungodly reason, figured that an unrifled barrel was just what the doctor ordered. And people had been shooting it for a couple of weeks, without any comment.
Of course, I immediately jumped in the the class IT gag line, "that's not a bug, it's an undocumented feature". I cannot imagine why someone would keep unrifled barrels around, much less put it in a gun that just needed a front sight. However, they mentioned a brand-new, from-the-factory S&W 629 from a few years ago came in with an unrifled barrel. But these are not tiny errors. :)
OTOH, the original rubber grips did not go quietly. For the simple loosening of a screw, it put up a hugh fight.The screw was loaded with Loctite Red, and torqued down with an impact wrench. I rounded the edges on three new Allen wrenches before the screw head itself was rounded.
I tried wrenches one-size-up, metric, and even a closely-matching Torqx wrench (all valid, but desperate measures). Nothing moved, except for me putting in a couple twists in the shaft of one hex wrench.
Now I was miffed, so I decided to use a pilot drill to cut through the screw head so I could separate the two halves. It looked like I was making progress, but had a long ways to go. With a nicely-centered pilot hold, I went with a regular drill that should have been enough to cut through the head. Got a bigger, more lop-sided hole, with half the head still intact.
I ratcheted-up the destruction another level, trying to see what I was up against. I don't know what Uncle Mike's (the OEM vendor of the grips) uses for rubber, but it was like trying to skin a rhino with a TSA-approved Swiss-army knife. Finally, I hacked enough away to see what I was up against, and then cut away enough material to grab the remaining part of the screw head (which I now saw as my salvation), and started to removed the screw a fraction of a turn at a time with needle-nose pliers. Here's the fruits of my victory over some $2 grips:
It was now 6AM, and after spending a minute putting the new grips on, I decided to declare victory, and go to bed. I have disassembled, tuned, Nano-lubed, and reassembled whole weapons with less time and effort than that. A pox on whoever decided to use that much red Loctite on those crappy grips. But at least I'll cherish even more the long and loving relationship with my new baby S&W. :)
Morning Win Mag - now that's a stubborn screw..I wonder what the former owner was thinking..red lock-tite on a grip screw?. Kudos for your stick-to-itness on the project.
Found more brass,.processing commencing..guess I've grabbed up more brass from the range floor than I thought..Ah well, can't have too much brass.
That was done at the factory. It was definite overkill, but I had no problems with the grips on the first one. Maybe this was an extra-strong batch.
Although, I'm using blue Loctite on threads more often, and red, too. I've had grip screws starting to loosen after only a few hundred rounds fired.
Getting back to working with my newer handguns, here are the first-fire results from the Steyr M9, and the FNX-40.
The performance of the M9 with the Remington "disruptor" ammo (I know it's a Klingon term, but that's what keeps coming into my head) caused me a series rethinking of the defensive role of the right ammo with the right handgun. The Steyr, to me, is a nicer-handling, nicer-shooting version of a Glock. I'm trying to buy a new Steyr CxA in both 9mm and 40S&W.
The FNX-40 shows the results of the first magazine of standard 155gr .40S&W ball, although I'm looking for more "disruptor" in that caliber, too. My other .40s just struck me as meh, but with this handgun, they turned themselves into an easy-shooting, and fairly accurate combination. I admire the dual safety/decocker function, and what I suspect is a vey short trigger reset. I had no idea I could do so well with any .40S&W handgun. I might buy an FNX-9 just to round out the collection, if I ever see one. Magazine prices on FNs have doubled to about $45 in the last couple of months, but I managed to get a good supply of .40s already. The FNX-45 is new on the market, and I can't find any spare mags yet. The only reason I scored the .45 was because it was a special order, and the guy who ordered it backed out of the deal, so I bought it before it was put in the display case.
Now if I could just get some quality trigger time on the range, but that's in short supply on most days, with time limited to only 30 minutes, and that's after taking a number and waiting an hour. A lot of those new gun owners are on the range now, and are suddenly realizing that the box of ammo they bought with their new weapon just went downrange, and they need to think about buying a practical amount for the next time.
And I'm waiting for UPS to deliver my SiG P220 short-reset trigger kit. The SiG already gives near-instinctive double-taps already. Just a little twitch of the trigger finger as the round goes off, and you get another one. :)
Ordered a SRT kit for my P-226 Combat.... Wasn't aware they had such... Thanks !
Glock probably has enough assembly lines that they could afford to ship one here for domestic production, but I still applaud them for thinking ahead.
One thing still imported from Germany, which I was also unaware of until today, is the Walther PPS/K .22lr in stainless steel. It goes on my list of "must-haves" as part of my homage to great handguns, and great little .22s.
So it was a good day for recon, even if I didn't spend a cent.
One thing I'm noticing is that people who were lucky enough to buy the long-neglected EBR are starting to think more seriously about a proper system of defensive weapons. A carbine will be most useful under end-of-the-world conditions, but odds are a handgun will be needed more often before that ever happens. So now new gun owners are coming back to look at handguns.
Despite differences in prices, and quality, an AR15 is a pretty simple choice, and hard to go wrong. Handguns come in infinitely more varieties and prices ranges. A perfect choice for one person may be a poor one for another. It's an embarrassment of riches, best solved by having a friend, or gun dealer, that you trust.
After the sticker shock of buying an AR15, comes the even bigger shock that some handguns cost even more, with some people not even blinking when it comes to price. Others are looking at saving as much money as possible, while still being adequately armed. And lots of other reasons in between.
The important thing to remember is there is crap out there in all price ranges, as well as gems in all price ranges. A gem is a handgun that you have complete confidence in, is accurate and foolproof, and comfortable enough to encourage you to get plenty of trigger time without getting discouraged at your first attempts.
I'd like to mention a brand-new model that was announced at the 2013 SHOT Show in January, and just arrived at my favorite store. It's the Walther PPX, and offers Walther quality (and bragging rights) at an entry-level price of under $500.
It's an economy version of the Walther PPQ, and available in 9mm, .40S&W, stainless slide, and threaded-barrel options. The economy comes from extensive use of Pressed Powdered Metal parts, including barrel and slide. Plastic is plastic.
This new(er) technology allows exotic alloys to be pressed under high temperatures and a controlled atmosphere to produce near-net parts that may require no further machining.
I can't say any more about it, because handling one has been my closest contact. If you don't know what you're looking for, you may never notice it. And it's big enough, and ugly enough, to say it means business, especially if someone is on the wrong end of it.
I may own something like this some day, but if I was in for something that can get some vey series business done, it's one I'd look hard at before looking at Walthers, or other prestige brands, at twice the price.
Did some more investigating. It turns out the P220 SRT kit is the same thing that comes from the factory on the "P220 Elite", which is what I already have. The only thing I changed on my Elite was the new "short trigger" that is more deeply curved, and sets further back in the trigger guard.
Another couple of months, and I'll have my Bar-Sto threaded barrel for the P220. Then all I'll need is a FFL trust, and a big pile of money for a can.
I kinda like that little Walther. Would not mind adding one of those to my toy box. hmmm... Thanks for the update!
The guys at the gun store ordered two dozen (half for themselves), but expect them to trickle in a few at a time. Of course, they have first dibs for themselves. One of them said the workmanship (and probably the price) was equal to the "golden age" between the wars.
Meanwhile, here are the results of my first quick test of my S&W 43c in .22lr. It needs more break-in, and I can always use more practice. Still, for what I want it to do, it's already good to go.
Now that PPS/K is on my short list too. Sure didn't know that one was still out there. I know Bersa sold a bunch at my local LGS just for reason it LOOKED like one. I'd rather have the real deal any day.
I was visiting with owner of a nice LGS in the town north of theshire, he said that he takes anything that the wholesaler will send, same thing with ammo. He runs a CCW course at his mini-range, all the qualification is with .22 rimfire; when he gets a case of CCI SV he runs a class. Strange times indeed.
I think the bright-polished stainless steel PPK/S is a brand-new product, especially in .22lr. There was a PPK/S (can't get the genuine PPK imported for mere citizens) in brush-finished stainless in .380 for a long time.
I can't claim any political prescience in my policy of buying in bulk if and only if I can achieve significant savings. It was just plain economics, as used to be taught even in high school. And I started before the regime worked down its list to hope-and-change-ify firearms.
Nobody should stand for demonization (or snitching) because you desire a case of ammo to go with your AR15 and Glock. A government that won't explain the purchase orders for 1.6 Billion rounds of police-type ammunition over and above their justifiable purchases for "the usual" agencies should just STFU when it comes to classifying its subjects as "stockpilers, hoarders, mongers, preppers, survivalists, militia, and religious extremists".
My daily visits to the gun shop produced a few surprises. One, someone traded in a new-NIB FN FiveseveN with eight boxes of blue-tip ammo, asking $1450 for the whole package. It sold online in less than 12 hours. The surprising thing is that someone bought the handgun with the likely assumption that those 400 rounds will be the only ammo he will ever see for his new purchase.
Otherwise, nobody knows where the 5.7x28 ammo went, unless this is DiFi's secret revenge she was promised. Also bread-and-butter FMJ ammo in any caliber is almost impossible to find, as is rimfire ammo. You can find high-performance defense ammo in reasonable quantities, although at what is now considered unreasonable prices. $20-a-box FMJ seemed expensive, until it disappeared altogether.
Second, interesting items continue to trickle in. This came into my possession the second they slapped their inventory bar code on the box, and before they even made up the sales tag.
I'm starting to develop a fondness for .22WMR, and definitely for the 30-round un-PC magazine this Kel-Tec PMR-30 uses. I just have to be patient (as opposed to panicky) in searching for ammo and magazines.
As the sales guy said while doing all the federal and state paperwork, "as a defensive weapon, it has some unique benefits. If you miss, the bad guy is still deaf and on fire."
Evening Win-Mag, nicely done, although I haven't shot the Kel-Tec .22 Mag, I've been on the range when one has been shot in the next booth. It is loud and zips out a pretty good flash, not excessive but certainly respectable for "just a .22".
Those are far and few between at gunshows round these parts. Until recently the .22 Mag was reasonably available at the local shops but, alas, it has gone the way of .22 LR and 9mm.
Had me LOL'ing on the floor... :-)
Such is the way of almost all ammo, and most guns. Despite branches of state security purchasing several years worth of high-performance defensive ammo, nobody, including casual plinkers, can find common FMJ. If you look hard enough, and pay enough, you can buy reasonable amounts of premium ammo at premium prices. Even state security apparently no longer buys FMJ for practice, but plans on using "the expensive stuff".
Now while money is no problem for the government, where did all the FMJ go? Where did all the rimfire ammo (built with different tooling on different assembly lines) go?
With the firearms/ammo industry running at full capacity, and increased profitability, since 2009, the 0bama-shocks of late 2012-2013 could not have added enough new gun owners to have emptied out the stores so completely so quickly. Or there is much more to the story than millions of people, including existing gun owners, must have an AR15 that otherwise was not a priority item, until everyone sensed the item would be banned, if possible.
Their ammo inventory consisted of NO rimfire, NO handgun ammo, and NO rifle ammo, except for a dozen boxes of .270 Winchester. Shotshells were in better supply, with 20-30 boxes of all gauges and shot weights.
I have more than that on a shelf in my ammo closet.
I had a bit of extra time, so I visited the semi-local Gander Mountain, which I consider a fourth-tier supplier of my needs. My expectations were vey low, just hoping for some MTM ammo boxes, and maybe some .22WMR ammo. NO expectation of any firearms worthy of even a first glance.
As with the 0bama regime, low expectations were too optimistic. No rimfire ammo, No centerfire rifle ammo except a few boxes in the classic-old -time hunting calibers of .270, 30-30, etc. No ammo for Modern Sporting Rifles. No centerfire handgun ammo except for everyday classics like .460S&W, .500S&W, etc. However, the shrunken gun department had tons of shotgun shells in every imaginable load (except assorted brands of buckshot).
I also noticed that they no longer have a section titled "Tactical Firearms", known here now as MSRs (Modern Sporting Rifles). Except for a CZ-xx and Mossberg high-power sporting rifles with price tags of $2600 and $7500 respectively. The Mossberg bolt action sporting rifle included a gigantic, and justifiably expensive, Leupold scope on it.
They were obviously having time selling those last two TFs. I was tempted to make them a cash offer, just so they don't have to carry the cost of non-selling inventory, but I don't think anybody in the store had the authority to refer me to someone further up the corporate chain, much less comprehend what I was offering.
Still, it wasn't a totally dud day. I stopped by at my usual spending grounds to try out the PMR-30 the first time. Since my total "stockpile" of .22WMR is about 200 rounds ("nobody needs that much, even with four handguns in that caliber"), I decided to load both 30-round magazines, one with pricey Winchester Defender, the other with ancient CCI .22WMR. The good news is that the weapon shoots like a dream, with almost no recoil (as opposed to a bit of muzzle rise in my S&W lightweight snubbie), and considering my handgun skills, phenomenally accurate from the first magazine.
As usual, the first time out, I spend all my effort trying to "read" what the weapon wants or needs for better performance. The muzzle blast from the Winchesters filled up my entire field of view, while the CCI had a bit heavier recoil (still almost negligible), and a fireball only about three feet across.
The not-so-great part is I had tons of FTFs with both magazines, and both ammo. This would be an easy issue to fix with extra-power magazine springs, except they don't exist. So I can also try different brands and weights of ammo, if I can ever find any. And more analysis and use of Nano-lube to reduce friction even more. I also expect the very consistent 3.5lb trigger pull to level out at about three pounds.
Maybe I need that PMR-30 threaded barrel (NOT intended for suppressors), just to put a high-performance flash hider so I don't blind myself at night. :)
Sorry, I forgot to add that I discovered that PMR-30s have been phenomenally rare ever since its introduction in 2011. My "grab it" reflex paid off again.
Like shopping in Russia ..... Wow ! Consider that stolen. We had same idea Tuesday morning ... The Gander outlet in amarillo is our only local Kimber dealer and my little Sister wanted to renew her CHL permit . This time she wanted to use a semi auto so I loaned her a standard piece of Glock 19 Combat Tupperware to run the course as in Texas if you shoot with a revolver, you can only carry a revolver. If ya use a semi-auto in the course you can carry either or .....
Anyway back to gander part of my story. Walked in to buy a Kimberly Solo to give little sister as a early Birthday gift. No Kimber solo's in stock so as I was leaving I overheard the clerk telling another shopper that YES we do have ammo !
I froze and asked if they had Speer 357sig 125gr GDHP.......?
He said yes we have cases of it but limited purchases to 10 twenty round boxes per day.
So I paid cash and walked out with my find of the day. One happy camper per se !
As I left I noticed the clerk that had waited on me was leaving the store to his car for lunch or his shift was done etc / whatever. Seeing how I live 60 miles away I opted to try another purchase of 10 more boxes before I left Amarillo.
Put on a pair of glasses, a baseball hat after changing jackets and walked back in and a cute little gal up front sold me 10 more boxes ....:o)
That 357 Sig load and brand is my carry load in a Glock 31 or my KKM rebarreled Glock 35.
All that aside, reference your Gandering adventures.... You have a Kimber Solo ? Opinion ? Review ?
Want it for little sisters carry rig for home and office with 147gr Speer GDHP ammo. I've heard good thangs about it from others yet have not laid hand on one for personal evaluation and testing.
Ammo... "Like Shopping In Russia" !...... Funny, yet sad reality in Amerika !
Stay Safe Sir !!
I intend to take the Kimber Solo back to the range to check it out with the 105gr Remington 9mm Disruptors. Apparently the store tried out all their rental 9mms with these new rounds, and even the known finicky feeders functioned flawlessly. Recoil in any weapon is also noticeably lower.
So far, for me the Solo is still not "user friendly" enough for me to consider seriesly for carry use. However, I have made progress, and if the Disintegrators work (despite Kimber's warning of no ammo lighter than 125gr), it could move up high on my list.
First complaint, aside from nasty recoil, is that it was too damn small and slippery for my average hands. There was just enough weapon to grasp to rack the slide. It almost flew out of my hand when firing, despite a death-grip on it.
A slip-on Hogue rubber sleeve in their smallest size fixed a few problems. With the added "bite" from the rubber sleeve, I could rack the slide normally, and there was no tendency for it to want to depart my hand hold. Recoil is still bad, just not as bad as before.
In fact, the recoil is still bad enough that the grip screws were starting to loosen, even though I had torqued them to the max. They were even loose under the rubber sleeve, although they couldn't escape. I used generous amounts of Loctite red on the screws, and will check after each shooting session. I'm noticing some of the same grip screw loosening on other caliber handguns that don't present any recoil problems. My own theory is that short threads are vulnerable to the internal stresses present in any weapon when fired. Some critical part may crack after thousands of rounds, but I suspect screws will start to loosen even sooner. I can't figure out why I seem to be the only person that this happens to.
My own theory of defensive carry is that if I can't put a hundred rounds through the handgun in one session, I'll never develop the skills with that weapon to have the confidence that Murphy might invite himself to be the third party in a gunfight. I really seek absolute in my weapon so I can concentrate on the weakest link, myself. :)
Oh, and for anybody who collects Murphyisms, he's one I never saw before, although it dates to 1975 and the Fulda Gap:
So...where was I...ah, yes...so here's the corrollary to the law you quote: If it can go wrong it already has, we just don't know about it yet.
Sorry for being so wordy, but if I've already paid tuition in the school of hard knocks, I might as well share my quasi-wisdom with anyone interested.
We seek the truth, good or bad , only the truth.... You provided and probably saved me some cash and Lil Sister from a bad CHL tool....
I have small Gus in the form of a 80's era Seecamp .32 and a new Rhorbaugh 9mm that I love for deep concealment. just ordered a Seecamp 380 this past weekend .
Need to find Sis a small auto in 9mm so may snag her just a standard Glock 19 of her own if she likes shooting mine. She may just stick with a SW 340 with glasers using a bahrimi grip and 2 spare speed strips from bianchi. But I want her to have the option of either or on her CHL permit....semi-auto or wheel gun .
Grateful for the review...was thinking you had one of the solos.
BTW would the heavy 147gr 9mm be a better choice ? I used this load and still do in my browning high powers and Glock 9's..... Very good combo IMO.
Stay safe 300 ! Thanks !
Kimber says not to go lower than 125gr, and that 125 and 147gr are the two preferred weights. I'm not sure there's much in between.
A Glock 19 is a good idea for a "starter" 9. Let her get lots of practice with it, so she's confident enough not to be surprised by anything it does. By then, she should have a much better idea of what she wants in something smaller for regular carry. And she'll be more confident in her ability to make an informed choice.
I watched a guy buy a S&W super-lightweight in .38spl. My guess is he figures if she can get five rounds somewhere in the vicinity of downrange, she won't think much about recoil if she needs to use it for-real. My philosophy is that four pounds of solid steel that you have mastered is better than trusting your twelve-ounce wonder weapon that you fired once.
Once I get around to testing, I'm going to take a hard look at my SiG P239 in .357 with the Remington Disruptor rounds.
I have not bought ammo in ages... though I need to find some more .22lr. I also need to check a bunch of my reloads. I had first time (for me) failure at the range last time. Blew the bottom of a .45 casing out. It cooked off the round below it, trashed the magazine and blew parts and ammo all over the floor at the range. :( Fortunately my Kimber Pro Carry was fine... though the mag release was dinged so I replaced it.
Taking a look at the other rounds in the box I saw that some of them had the round seated way too far down. I guess that could cause an overpressure like that.
Love my 239 ....it was bought a 40 and I bought a 357 bbl also .... 40/357 magazines , single stack, can not be used for carry reliability as the geometry is skewed for single stack mags. They will work for the range.... But not for carry .... Don't trust a 40 mag for a 357 load for personal defense. Get a 40 mag for 40 cal use ect.
This one is definitely a case of "the good, the bad, and the ugly". I'm glad I glommed onto it though, since it may be years before I see one in stainless steel. And I'm definitely going to write Carl Walther (actually, Umarex), demanding that Kontrolle 16 be busted down to a 3.
I consider the weapon shootable now, if you have the hand strength of a gorilla. The DA pull is estimated at 30 pounds, since I don't have a trigger scale that goes that high. The SA pull is 8 pounds, at least 5 pounds heavier than it should be. We'll see how things improve once I start shooting it. Fortunately, I have plenty of .22lr, and I suspect it will take at least 200 rounds for break-in.
This is what can be expected from a gun wrapped in a plastic bag after the exterior was sprayed with cooking oil, and the innards were bone dry. Now it's clean on the outside, and reasonably well-lubricated on the inside.
Risking voiding the warranty, I removed the grips for a better look inside while I field-stripped the handgun. From photos of Umarex's PPK/S airsoft gun, both start out with the same basic frame, which is some sort of heavy non-ferrous metal, and then made into their respective forms. Top priority is to assure that an airsoft gun can never be converted to fire live ammo.
The inside of the slide shows the airsoft construction method of stacking small flat parts together, and holding them with screws and nuts. That can give you a complex shape, although it has more potential for trouble than a slide milled out of solid steel. Along with airsoft guns, these replicas are designed around the principle that a milling machine (which needs a skilled operator, even if it's CNC) is verboten in making these things. The mechanism in the frame bears a slight resemblance to a real PPK, except many of the components are molded pressed metal, rather than machined steel. A "manhole cover" near the hammer is removable for access to more of the mechanism. Finally, the rounded center area in the grip is cut out for the airsoft frame, because the pressure cylinder goes there. Unfortunately, this means both versions use hollow ultra-thin grip panels, which makes it almost impossible to put some fancy wood grips on.
Most people will not notice the removable tension-barrel system, which has real advantages in providing consistent barrel rigidity, comparable to a big, fat target barrel. Target barrels were/are big and fat to provide more rigidity, and hence more consistency. Tension barrels allow you to do the same thing, with a much lighter construction. Plus, the end cap that pulls the barrel forward to provide the tension, can be replaced with a $10 threaded version that puts the threaded adapter for a suppressor in front of the slide.
So that's about all I know about the PPK/S right now. Looking at Walther's ads and images, I suspect the stainless steel version has been photoshopped to make it look more shiny and polished than it actually will be. I find this modern "service finish" to be acceptable, although it is nothing as handsome as the fit and finish of the real PPK with its hand-polishing and slow-rust blue color. The only cosmetic machining are the flats on the slide, which were probably given a quick trip through a surface grinder for a semi-gloss brush-finish treatment.
So I was back at the store today, where they just put out the IWI/Umarex "micro Uzi" .22lr pistol. They were making up their little info cards that a placed next to the guns in the display case, when I told them I'd take the PPK/S without them bothering to unpack it.
I don't know what's happening at Umarex, but the micro-Uzi had "issues" too, mainly because nobody studied it before it went into the case.
The cocking handle on top would not retract the bolt, and the sales guy admitted he didn't know how to take it down to have a look. I popped off the slide cover (it helps to be familiar with real Uzis), and while the bolt was fully forward, as a closed-bolt weapon should be, nothing I tried could help me pull it back into the position needed to feed another round from the magazine. However, I did notice it was bone-dry inside, just like the PPK/S. Since I didn't own the gun, and now wouldn't buy one on a bet, I agreed with Sales Guy that the micro Uzi could wait until Monday for their gunsmith to ponder the situation. I assume it's something simple, but I hope the buyer doesn't have to settle for a 30-pound trigger pull to have a working plinker. Until I learn more, and see how my debugging proceeds, these two items are both in the caveat emptor category. :)
My "compact" .22 pistols are berettas ....
Model 70
Model 71S
Model 76 target
The Mod 70 was a gift that had a threaded barrel. Magazines for the 70 series are getting hard to find, yet they are out there.... Flawless operation to date from all three.
My only Walther .22 is the P22 Target with the counterweight on the front. As you state, even this Walther has a heavy double action trigger pull.
As does my .380 PPKS/s.....
Nanolube , nanolube, nanolube and some detailing with my India stones did make it smooth yet ... Still heavy DA pull.
Stay safe !
One piece of forged steel with G10 non-slip handle scales. The plastic safety sheath has a fast-draw snap-out design that still manages to hold everything securely. The back is designed for either MOLLE strips, or a Tek-Loc belt/MOLLE clamp.
It comes totally unsharpened, so it will need a bit or work to get it to the hatchet level of sharpness, much less shaving-sharp. Same thing for the pointy end.I guess they decided everyone would have their own opinions on how to finish the project.
One thing I had to do was wrap the handle with that stretch-and-stick camo/bandage tape. My wrist needs all the help it can get, especially with jarring impacts.
The forked prybar on the end is a nice touch, turning this into a handy entry tool to pry a door open, rather than chop it to pieces. :)
The good news was the SA trigger pull was short, consistent, and had a very quick reset. Double-taps were easy, and accuracy was pretty good, with only 50 rounds fired so far, and that was cheap, old ammo.
That's 20 rounds, and I was concentrating on the gun, and not my shooting skills.
I think I'm going to tempt fate, and take it apart farther than the manual warns. First, I want to see where the "tells" are in contact points. Second, I want to study the kinematics of the start of the DA pull, and see if there's full contact on both surfaces, and whether a tiny radius on the strut might start the cocking process a bit slower and more gently. Maybe my dad's P38 will offer some clues, because for rushed wartime production, it still does a better job than this.
Oh, and one tiny nip from the slide. I guess my fat American hands don't quite match 1930s German ergonomics exactly, which means being vey careful trying to achieve a high thumb hold. Still, vey pleasant, and accurate, to shoot once past that long DA pull.
Maybe the 30lb pull is a 'feature' and you are expected to cock the hammer for 'real' use. Kind of a clunky extra safety.
I don't think I have ever been nipped by our Bersa thunderer. I wonder how different the frames are.
I had not seen one of these in years...I went back to the first one.
About half of those posting then still post here.
Amazing...Big Dan...man I had not seen that name here in a long time.
You wonder why folks dropped out.
Death or just disinterested.
Well, thirty pound pull or not, nice target. I'd opt for the SA trigger pull myownself.
It just doesn't seem reasonable that they would have put a trigger pull that heavy in that fine pistol. Even Glock's Notorious NY trigger is less than half that of the Walther .22.
Hope you're able to get to the bottom of that trigger pull issue. Were you able to see and/or test any other examples at your favorite LGS? Maybe a one-off occurance.
Despite two dozen PPK/Ss on order (half for the store employees), this was the first one that came in, with no idea if/when any more would appear. That's what made me snap it up, and I'm glad I did. But everyone who tried the stainless steel demo gun at the show said it was flawless. Maybe it was hand-tuned, so I suspect I can do the same thing.
If I want flawless performance in a pocket .22, I'll go with the S&W 43c. For full-size luxury, there's either the CZ-75 with Kadet kit, of the SiG P229 with its .22 adapter. In either case, the 40-year-old Sears ammo is like gold now. And I don't have to dip into my stash of Federal Match, either.
The cupboard for .22WMR looks mighty bare when I have four firearms that use that caliber, and less than 200 rounds to my name. And the Kel-Tec PMR-30 uses 30-round magazines. My centerfire supplies are in better shape than that. :)
My unscheduled lightning struck on Friday at 6:30PM. The car was on autopilot, so I stopped at the MSR emporium. It was very slow, so I had a chance to say hi to all the guys. Knowing the drill, each one said, "nothing new today."
Except for the last one I talked to, who said, "nothing new, except three old S&Ws that one of the distributor had in a back room. The boss called him, and begged for anything to sell. He was told 'nothing except three discontinued S&Ws'. The store owner than said, "what part of anything don't you understand. I don't care what the are, send them right out."
The discontinued handguns were three S&W M&Ps that were never popular, and while still in the catalog, aren't made except for large orders from large police departments, and even they haven't been made for years. So what was ready to be put on the shelf was one of these guys.
I immediately ordered on wrapped up due to the magic words,
The owner is a big .357SiG fanatic, and had one put away for himself. I got the second, and the third sold sometime Saturday. Everything showed a production date of 2009, probably the first and last time Smith made this model.
Knowing my priorities, the first thing I did was order another case of Remington Disintegrators, since suddenly .357SiG is one of the few handgun calibers available online in case quantities. I have no idea how long a line of ammo hinted at as "LEO only", and an uncatalogued caliber, at that, will remain available, so I pounced just as fast on the ammo as on the weapon.
The rest shouldn't be too bad for too long. M&Ps are about as common as Glocks, and .40 cal double stack magazines should once again be as common as dirt. Another reason to love the .357/.40 combo when all that's needed is a second barrel. A .40S&W barrel is next on the list, just for insurance purposes.
It pays to ask the one guy who remembers to poke around through the incoming paperwork for the oddball items he knows I've developed a taste for. :)
I'm a 357sig fan as well .... A Glock 31, a converted Glock 35 with a KKM conversion barrel and a Sig P-239 . New Sig 229 in the safe but not exercised at the range yet.
Concur on the availability of 357 Sig ammo. Cases of 125gr Speer GDHP locally available last few weeks.
Pardon my jealousy...
BTW - I really enjoy your Gun Porn Postings.
Keep up the good work.
First trip to the range for some quick break-in firing of the M&P. The first shot with the Remington Disintegrators produced a dead-center "X", which I took as a good omen, since the rest of the rounds printed the way I usually do when working-in a new handgun.
Still, the M&P impressed me enough to swap out all the Gen1 internal parts with Apex Tactical upgrades. The current generation M&Ps have much better triggers, so this should let me pretty much pull even. Not really bad right now, but if I can do better, I will. This will join my special group of trusted and proven SHTF weapons.
Speer 125gr FMJs shot well, with just a bit of muzzle jump, a straight push back, and no "slap" to the palm of my hand when I shoot to much of a round in too little of a weapon. My wrist gets a little sore about round 49 when I shoot .45ACP, which I consider an easier round for me to handle compared to the occasional 9mm or .40S&W.
The Remingtons are almost supernatural. At 100gr, NO muzzle flash (a good trick on a .357SiG) and just some gentle recoil. Very impressive performance for something that's basically a flying grenade. The salesman took a few shots with it when I offered it to him. We both noticed the muzzle blast move paper scrap from targets to about 20 yards downrange. But except for one or two tiny muzzle flashes about the size of an orange, we watched from behind and to the side of the gun, and didn't see any. Considering some of my brands of .357 SiG puts out a fireball that blinds two firing points on both sides of me, this is impressive performance.
As soon as I got home, I ordered another 500 rounds online. The next day, I noticed their entire listing for the Remington Disintegrators had vanished. Aaaaannnnddd, I ordered an aftermarket barrel in .357 for my FNX-40, since FNH abandoned that round years ago, too.
I feel like I'm doing my part to preserve the ammunition Of the Sig, By the Sig, and For the Sig from vanishing from the face of the Earth. :)
Lol .... Sad we see common calibers, albeit tried and true disappear from the shelves and levitate towards a round that is a,proven performer as well but mainly a LEO / FLEA caliber is available. 357sig is and has been my carry for last 8-10 years. Carried a 1911A1 prior to that albeit my old sheriffs department reserve gig forced me to a SIG 220 in 45 as a duty weapon. sheriff hated 1911A1's for some silly reason. He was an idiot and my love of 45 conflicted thus a P-220 was compromise.
After retirements rom military, joined another sheriffs reserve unit and 1911A1 was approved for carry thus I was a happy camper. Then witnessed a DPS shooting with their P-220's on a camero windshield. 230gr HS x 4 rounds broke said glass yet never penetrated. Was involved with shooting thru car door once and same 230gr HS didn't punch thru said car door. Granted pistol ain't for killin a car yet stopping a felon in said car was desired.
AS1and AS2 glass properties construction of car doors knowledge in hand Texas DPS did extensive studies for defeating at least one layer of that glass and the car door to make hits on soft squeezy felons vitals inside.
The 357Sig was / is the solution until a rifle or shotgun could be obtained.
Every store I have visited in past few months of this ammo drought has had 357sig ammo. Bought cases for past few months each payday.
Will never run out, still able to shoot 3 gun and IDPA matches, saving brass, casting and reloading for paper punching games. Easy days thanks to a caliber few seem to use.
Shoot with two other deputies that carry 9x23 1911A1's due easy reloading of that caliber. Their reload rounds are plus pee velocities that match or exceed the 357sig in some cases and punch vehicles just fine as well when forced to do such. factory 9x23 is rare per my experience , have never seen such in a gunslingers shelf for sale. But it to is out there I am told.
Always thought a Para Ord P-14 or STI in 9x23 would be perfection personified as a CHL rig. HiCap primary and 1 spare mag would be around 40 rounds plus or minus on person, easy to carry and and and and .....:o)
Good read on your range day. Love the bull on first round fired. I have done such and stopped and replaced the target. Wallpaper my office with such cold shots ....:o).
Yeah it's a small office ...LOL ,
Stay safe !
Have you seen this?
I have ,,,,very nice. Sad we can't buy such tools anymore unless ya find one already in private hands. That would make a great lap gun in the recliner for home invasion insurance....:o)
Hope yer well my friend. Stay Safe !
That would make a good recliner gun. I wonder if they make a remote control that will attach to your picatinny rail?
Just aim it at the wife or kid and tell her to turn the channel ....:o)
;-) lol
Want to be able to shoot both GI 5.56 and civvie .223;
What would you suggest for an upper?
I prefer, but am not stuck on, the M16A2 appearance.
Based on what I've heard I prefer the gas-tube over the gas-piston.
Based on your description, you want a quality upper marked "5.56mm", since the civilian ".223" does not have to meet the higher standards of "5.56" in terms of barrel life, strength, etc.
While the lower carries the serial number, the upper is the key element as far as overall performance goes. Go with quality manufacturers, even for "just the upper". There are too many "Grade B" forgings around that need a lot of later handwork to get them into a respectable, in-spec shape. The better manufacturers machine their own, or their QC goes through more steps to make sure even the "trivial" specs are right on.
I don't know if you're looking for a "beater" (always good to have one of those, especially for learning AR15 gunsmithing on), or a "forever" rifle. In any case, get as heavy a barrel as you can handle, especially underneath the handguards, where GI standards, and weight savings, tend to thin out the barrel before it gets "fat" again. DO NOT buy a fluted barrel, because only the extra-premium ones will have a second heat-treating after fluting. The manufacturing world is only now starting to realize that machining itself can add potential stressed in unexpected places that come back and bite you thousands of hours, or rounds, later.
Consider a monolithic upper, with the forward rail section machined from the same piece of aluminum as the "real" part of the upper. Stay away from free-float tubular handguards. The one I got proved to be the biggest ass-pain of any AR15 work I ever did. The final results are great, but only after a lot of grief, and a good chunk of change for a carbon-fiber tubular handguard. No matter what you have, things start to get hot after the first few hundred rounds. Anything touching the barrel will get hot, including the gas block/gas piston, gas tube, rear handguard ring, and even the part of the upper that the barrel screws into.
A bit of trivia, but in a special test on a suspect lot of ammo, the Army discovered that the stainless steel gas tube melts into red-glowing linguine after about 950 rounds of really sustained full-auto torture firing far beyond anybody's specs. However, once the weapon was cool enough to touch, the gas tube was replaced, and it still passed the "serviceable for combat" standards. Just don't do it to your own weapon, ask a friend to borrow his. :)
A rule of thumb is to be prepared to spend $1K or a bit more for that quality upper. I'm already seeing guys coming back to the MSR store offering to sell back their $700 generics, only to be told that they can get $600 for the entire weapon. As the store owner tells them, "first, you didn't buy this from me, because I've never sold this brand. Second, an unfired weapon is still a used weapon once you go out the door with it, so $600 is the best you can expect". If I was shopping for an upper today in 5.56mm, I'd consider this heavy barrel, mil-spec upper from a company like Daniel Defense.
Slap on sights, and I'd consider it "ready to rock", although I'd tweak it a bit with a better flash hider than the GI type. Certain premium brands can both cut down muzzle rise, and dampen muzzle flash at night to just a faint puff of gas that's just about impossible to see beyond a few feet away. I'd also add insulated rail covers, and more rails, where needed. Anything metallic can get warm after 30 rounds of "quick" fire, and heat shields will stop shielding when saturated. The really good thing about my carbon fiber handguard was the composite started to get warm where it touched the aluminum rear cap, but stayed cool about an inch forward of that.
Here's the writeup at Daniel Defense upper.
There's a lot of detail on this one item, along with a good discussion of the mil-spec features you want on your upper, in general. Both Midway and Brownells have "build your own AR-15 configurators" that let you browse through their wares and give you a bill of materials. Just take basic "lower" choices, and concentrate on how your upper should look.
The Daniel Defense link didn't work for me. I'll mess with it a bit as well as look around for some of the other things you mentioned.
Doesn't work for me either, I must have broken something. What it really is supposed to be is a link to Midway's page for that 16" upper. There's a lot of ways to search for it. Sorry for any inconvenience.
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Buy for$16.42(2 items)
Written by Acidjunkie on 31.08.2011 at 16:13
Not that I care that this band is on Metal Storm, but where exactly should this album sound metal? Dreamy rock with some gothic elements, in my book at least. Nowhere in the neighterhood of metal I can listen to it, but that's about it


text:
"Thank you for your great witness and ministry to Christ and His Church. I have enjoyed listening to Catholic Answers Live and your apologists for a number of years now. It has been very formative and inspirational in my journey towards becoming a well versed and devoted servant of Christ and His people on earth via His Church."
"We consider that iron for this cause borne on earth shall surmount gold and precious stones in Heaven."


text:
Eighteen-year-old Ricki Konze is a little lady with a big personality. "She's a real spitfire."
"She's confident, she bright she's talented she's spunky. She definitely knows what she wants and she's going to get it."
And what this high school senior wants, is to go pro in the sport she loves. "She's a good cowgirl."
For most of her life, Ricki has found herself at home on the top of a horse. "For my second birthday I got my uncles calf horse and after that is was like, yeah...we're doing this."
She followed in her moms footsteps into the Little Britches Rodeo. "She was pretty good. Still is..."
She began competing when she was just three. "I'm trotting along with the horse on the lead line," says Ricki's dad. "And she's flopping around and people are yelling 'go faster!' And I'm like 'YOU go faster! When they can go by themselves it's like....THANK heaven! I'm coming out like whooof."
When Ricki showed promise early on, her parents poured their hearts and wallets into making her dream a reality...starting with building their own indoor practice arena. "She is an only child and we do this as a family. We are out here every night together. Ricki does the work in the arena but outside this is a team effort."
Last year, she made it all the way to nationals in three of her five events...and is hoping for a return trip this year. She's as competitive as they come, oftentimes choosing rodeo over more typical teenage activities. "Freshmen year I didn't go to Homecoming and I said 'I have a rodeo.' And everyone was like, 'you can't just skip!' And I was like, 'nationals...or a dance??'
What drives her? "Sometimes it's mom!
Ricki will continue her Rodeo riding next year as a freshmen at Oklahoma State University. "I want to rodeo professionally but I've been led to believe I need a degree so I am going to get that while I am there."
"What's it going to be like come August when she goes off?? "I'm pretty sure when the truck and trailer roll away in August they'll be a stowaway."
"I never wanted a serious boyfriend but I kinda wish there was one right now to keep her around!! (laughs) I can't lie!!!"
"There are nights when things aren't going right. She's grumpy or she's grumpy or the horse is grumpy and things aren't going right. When that happens it seems like this arena is all laughter and tears. It's one or the other. You hope that there's more of one than the other but sometimes you wonder. But it's the road to getting there."


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Headlines (Notices)
Communications, Public Affairs & Marketing
Search commences for Senior Executive Officer for Lauriers Brantford campus
Feb 12/13
The search has commenced for a Senior Executive Officer for Wilfrid Laurier Universitys Brantford campus, with an anticipated start date of July 2013. This position will replace the Acting Vice-President and Principal of the Brantford campus, Lesley Cooper, whose term will end June 30, 2013.
The Senior Executive Officer will report to Lauriers President and Vice-Chancellor Max Blouw and will represent his office at the Brantford campus. The role has two core functions: to create opportunities and strategies that advance Lauriers academic mission, and to build strong relationships with the Brantford campus partners and stakeholders. The incumbent will be a bridge between the university and the City of Brantford, the communities of the surrounding region, and aboriginal communities including Six Nations and Mississauga of the New Credit.
Additionally, the incumbent will support academic and administrative leaders on the Brantford campus and help strengthen the connection with their colleagues on other campuses, support Lauriers vibrant partnerships with other post-secondary institutions, and seek new avenues to grow and advance Lauriers innovative model of academic excellence.
For more information about the position, visit the job listing on Lauriers Human Resources website.
View all Communications, Public Affairs & Marketing news
View all Laurier news


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North Country Athletes Sign On To College Teams
Wednesday was a busy day for a couple of local athletes. Watertown catcher Josh Belch and Carthage wrestler Shayne Brady both signed letters of intent to play on Division I college teams.
Click on the picture for details.
Most Popular
Sunday, December 11, 2016, Watertown, NY


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Greg Traylor, pastor at First Baptist Church, said that, while the food the congregation members pass out on the fourth Sunday of every month will nourish the body, he hopes that the people get a little something more.
"It is to share God's love in a tangible way so that they know God cares for them," he said. "We are, in essence, God's hands and feet."
For more than 10 years, volunteers from the church and community have gathered to pass out canned goods and frozen meats to the hundred or more needy in Bee County.
"It is a physical way to demonstrate we care about people and that God cares about people," he said. "It is more than just saying it. It is doing it."
About 30 volunteers gathered this past month at the church to hand out food — a typical amount for any given month.
During that distribution, 114 households or about 245 people were fed.
"Most of these people really need it," Traylor said. "Most of them say they wouldn't be here if they had any other way to feed their family."
While they always provide the staples a family will need, they also provide treats, like ice cream, when they can. And, by having the food delivered that morning, they are also able to hand out frozen foods like meat.
Food is purchased thanks to donations and bought from H-E-B and the Food Bank in Corpus Christi.
This isn't the only food distribution. First United Methodist Church holds a similar distribution on the second Saturday of every month. Then there is also The Table at FUMC, which serves a noon meal on the third Saturday of the month.
Traylor is proud of the work done by the volunteers, but he knows that more is always needed.
"For people here in need, there is a limited supply of help," he said. "There is a lot being done, but there is still lot more that needs to be done."
Jason Collins is the editor at the Bee-Picayune and can be reached at 358-2550, ext. 121, or at email@example.com.


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Make Me Youthful Again, Bourjois Youth Extension Flower Perfection Foundation SPF 15!
I love it when a product not only does what it promises, but springs on you a surprise element!
Did you know the Bourjois Youth Extension Flower Perfection Foundation SPF 15 would smell so good? Well, I didn't!
My initial experience with Bourjois was its blushes. I don't know why Bourjois blushes are so heavily perfumed. I choke just going near them. I had 4 of those some years ago. The pigmentation's not too bad if you don't get the glittery ones and the colors are pretty, but why the super heavy smell? I'm not even going to call it 'fragance' coz it's too much to take. I just couldn't bring myself to buy any of those blushes anymore.
The rest of its products like mascara, eyeshadow, eyeliner, are free from intoxicating smells though, but I made sure to take good sniff of the Bourjois Flower Perfection Youth Extension Foundation before purchasing it.
The Bourjois Flower Perfection Youth Extension Foundation is part of a small collection which consists of this foundation, a face primer, a translucent loose powder and a face brush.


text:
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Short Gray Faceted Necklace
Style: 570074075
Out of Stock
Crystal glass beads in soft grays transform light into shimmering facets and metallic iridescence. Single strand brushes the collarbone and is attached to fine-linked silvertone chains in back. Shown with the Cubic Zirconia Silvertone Earring. Add the Gray Faceted Double-Row Stretch Bracelet for more soft sparkle.
Adjustable length: 16"-18".
Lobster claw clasp.
Glass beads and crystal pavé spacers. Polished silvertone nickel-free metal.
Read more… Read less…


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Just in.
Divine Dragon Naga confirmed.
Evil Dragon is named Gimle.
Emelina is the Holy King of Iris. She is Krom and Liz's elder sister.
Game takes place on 2 continents, one that looks suspiciously like Barensia and the other looks like Archanea... The Archanea lookalike has three nations--Feria to the north, Perezia to the west and Iris to the east.
Branched promotions are back. Cavalier promotes to Paladin (better Move, Resistance) or Great Knight (better HP, Defence, +Axes), Cleric promotes to Battle Cleric (better Strength, +Axes) or Sage (better Resistance, +Offensive magic).
Character profiles translated by TheEnd
More details here
A calm and collected knight serving the Holy Kingdom of Iris. Supports Krom as his deputy in the vigilante force. His class is Great Knight, a promoted unit who fights on a horse. He is a veteran who prefers guiding others and a great asset against powerful foes.
A member of the vigilante force. She is a klutz and feels that she isn't up to the job because of it. Possesses the mysterious ability of understanding the feelings of animals. Her class is Pegasus Knight; her mobility on a pegasus is her selling point.
An armoured Knight who serves the vigilante force. He is a front-line fighter, due to his great defence. However, he's sorely lacking in presence and isn't noticed even among his fighting peers. Will he ever appear in the spotlight one day...?
A Myrmidon from the Kingdom of Feria, located to the north of Iris. He is a man with a cool personality, and keeps his feelings to himself. He's skilled with swords, but apparently bad with women for some reason. How he joins Krom's group is still unknown.
Edited by VincentASM, 07 March 2012 - 09:46 AM.


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text:
Can you guess whose bag this is?
- Next1 of 21Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images
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- Can you guess whose bag this is?Celeb Fashion Face-Off: Moms vs. daughters
- 10 Secrets Every Woman Needs to Know Before Online
- Unrealistic Expectations Set By Fashion Bloggers
- 10 Revolutionary Fashion Brands to Shop Now
- 8 Most Flattering Colors for Blondes
- 10 Best Street Style Outfits From Brazil
- World Cup Kicks Off a Fashion Trend
- Easy Ways To Instantly Look More Fashionable
- The Best Of Cannes Street Style 2014
- 12 Stylish Alternatives To Wearing Jeans
- Fitness Clothes You Can Wear Outside the Gym
- Shop 9 Stylish Brands That Give Back
- Elle Cover: Anna Kendrick On Her Sex Appeal
- 10 Perfect Wedding Guest Outfits Under $100
- 10 Ways To Wear Orthotic-Friendly Shoes
- 10 Summer Trends In Plus-Size Clothing
- Elle Cover: Angelina Jolie Opens Up About Brad
- Where are these top models now?
- 10 Perfect Outfits For Your Engagement Photos
Bag Ladies1 of 21
The contents of a woman's purse often say a lot about her, but what about the bag itself? From waiting list–worthy carryalls to everyday totes, the latest designer handbags have met their matches. Can you guess who is carrying these must-have bags?
Hands Off2 of 21
This blond television and film actress chooses a crossbody bag for a day of hands-free shopping.
Director's Cut3 of 21
One of Spider-Man's leading ladies, this fair-haired actress totes a high-design bag by a filmmaker friend.
Who's carrying this tote around town?
What writer-director collaborated on the design?
Heavy Metal4 of 21
This designer, actress and mom pairs an edgy clutch with a sweet summer frock.
Which newly single celeb is sporting this look?
Check out her fashion-forward mini-me
Fan Favorite5 of 21
Just like this reality-TV star and her sisters, it seems as if everyone is carrying the latest "it" bag by a favorite French fashion house.
See the French designer behind the trend
Carried Away6 of 21
This modern mom pairs a chic shoulder bag from Paris with casual, all-American denim.
Hold On7 of 21
This Rock of Ages star (see her costar) carries her essentials in a designer comeback.
Which actress is carrying the bag?
Hold Me8 of 21
She may be a style maven's kid sis, but her unique style is all grown up, as seen with this checkered clutch.
Work It9 of 21
This American actress-turned–accessories mogul opts for a bag from her own line.
Which designer-actress is sporting this look?
Initial Reaction10 of 21
The famous initials emblazoning this Italian stunner—and its owner—say it all.
Which leading lady is carrying the bag?
See the Italian designer behind the look
Chart-Topper11 of 21
This must-have mini is a favorite (see who also loves the look) for this hit songstress from Barbados.
Which popular singer's carrying this bag?
Zip It12 of 21
This fashion-forward star chooses a small, boxy shoulder bag to complete her look.
Show Off13 of 21
This fashion-based reality-show maven dangles a Parisian design at the creator's latest haute couture show.
American Girl14 of 21
Currently starring opposite funnyman Steve Carell, this actress chooses a laid-back bag by an everyday American favorite.
See the British actress who's carrying this bag
Haute Tote15 of 21
This Los Angeles–based boho-chic stylist and mom chooses an oversize bag in a wearable neutral hue.
Which style guru is carrying this bag?
Grab Bag16 of 21
The collegiate crossbody bag is the look of choice for this actress and rock star's daughter.
Sister Act17 of 21
Half of a sisterly designing duo, this pint-sized star chooses a luxe bag from her own line.
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Beggar's Purse18 of 21
The reality show star–turned–talk show host has managed to score these covetable, waiting list–worthy bags in many colors.
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French Toast19 of 21
It's no wonder this tastemaker is known mostly known for her keen sense of style, choosing fashion over function with a teensy quilted bag.
Which British trendsetter is carrying this bag?
Goodie Bag20 of 21
This actress and new mom proves that an oversize crossbody bag works just as well when slung casually over the shoulder.
Which chic star is sporting this look?
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Green Day21 of 21
A French crossbody bag worn with casual-chic flair by a favorite young Hollywood actress (see which popular hard rock band her guitarist dad played for).


text: Small leather goods are about function. For a designer, the goal is to make these functional objects beautiful. That way, each time you reach for your wallet, the look and feel and ease of it give you pleasure. In a way, these everyday objects are the ones that give the most pleasure - they are solutions and you use them all the time.


text:
Keiger / Chemcraft
Needing a solution with exact color matching and quick turnaround times to meet the needs of Chemcraft and their industry trends brochure, Keiger Graphic Communications was able to deliver. With their Xerox iGen4, Keiger produced the brochures with outstanding quality and ahead of Chemcraft's tight deadline.
For more information, call 1-800-275-9376 ext. 774 or contact us online.


text:
Main Line Reform Temple will join with other congregations in the area in celebrating Interfaith Family Shabbat. This is an opportunity to join with other welcoming communities in trying to build an inclusive, warm and welcoming Jewish community.
Many congregants of MLRT have non-Jewish spouses, partners, aunts, uncles, cousins and grandparents. Our non-Jewish partners have made an incredible commitment: to be part of a Jewish community, and to help raise Jewish children. MLRT would like to publically acknowledge its gratitude, and offer a blessing.
During Shabbat services, our rabbis will attempt to answer your questions about all things Jewish. MLRT is calling the evening, "Everything You've Always Wanted to Know About Services (or anything Jewish) But Did Not Know Who or When to Ask. "
Send your questions in advance to Rabbi Straus, [email protected] [3], or bring them with you on Friday night.


text:
Harvey's Monday night forecast
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Harvey's Monday night forecast
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3:50Now watching Up next
Harvey's Monday night forecast
The cold has returned to the area! Watch Harvey's overnight Boston-area forecast and find out just how low those temperatures are going to go.
1:52Now watching Up next
Raw: Police Search Home for Ga. Shooting Suspect
Authorities say a SWAT team has responded to a home where a man suspected of shooting two Georgia police officers may be hiding. (Dec. 8)
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Wilde, Watts and Legend celebrate 'The Toycracker'
John Legend, Chrissy Teigen, Naomi Watts and Olivia Wilde celebrate Target's eight minute mini-musical "The Toycracker" in New York. (Dec. 8)
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U.S. House lawmakers hold a 'moment of silence' for the 36 victims of last weekend's warehouse fire in Oakland, California (Dec. 8)
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"Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them" star Dan Fogler and "Harry Potter" actress Bonnie Wright are assigned houses at the opening of LA exhibition, "J.K. Rowling's Wizarding World: The Harry Potter and Fantastic Beasts Exhibit." (Dec. 8)
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D.C. pizzeria gunman breaks his silence
Edgar Maddison Welch, the gunman who opened fire at a Washington D.C. pizzeria Sunday, expressed regret in a new interview with the New York Times. Welch went to Washington to self-investigate a false story known as "Pizzagate," a conspiracy theory claiming that Comet Ping Pong pizzeria was the center of a child sex ring involving Hillary Clinton and John Podesta.
0:53Now watching Up next
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South Carolina authorities are searching for an escaped maximum-security inmate who's suspected of stabbing a police officer. (Dec. 8)
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The Syrian government - with the help of its allies - has regained almost complete control of the eastern neighborhoods of the divided city in a devastating military offensive. (Dec. 8)
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Megyn Kelly says she has 'high hopes' for Trump, 'despite Tweets'
Speaking at Hollywood Reporter's Women in Entertainment event in Los Angeles, Megyn Kelly says she has "high hopes" for President-elect Donald Trump. (Dec 8)
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7-Year-Old Cancer Patient Surprised With Puppy From Santa
Makaela Mongo of Westland, Michigan, received her Christmas wish for a small puppy from Santa on Dec. 3.


text:
Views: 10844
If somebody asks me I don't have a problem with telling them, but even though alot of my friends are religious, somehow religion never seems to come up in conversation and I don't usually bring it up myself unless they say something really blatantly ignorant or false that I just can't let go. I don't discuss being atheist a whole lot, but I'm not trying to hide it either, so anyone who doesn't already know probably suspects or assumes. There aren't many theists who subscribe to the FFRF newsletter and put FSM decals on their cars.
Quite a few people relate that studying the Bible is exactly what brought them to atheism.
I recommend to people the website Skeptic's Annotated Bible http://skepticsannotatedbible.com/
It's dedicated to highlighting the absurdities, atrocities, immoralities, and contradictions -- as well as some moral "good stuff" -- in the KJV Bible text. (They also have Skeptic's Annotated Quran and Skeptic's Annotated Book of Mormon.)
One of their rotating quotes about the Bible:
It is full of interest. It has noble poetry in it; and some clever fables; and some blood-drenched history; and some good morals; and a wealth of obscenity; and upwards of a thousand lies. -- Mark Twain, Letters from the Earth
Every Atheist should read the bible. It is full of ammunition against itself.
Terry, you are my man. In fact if every religionist read the bible without his mind already made up,( praying to God to help him understand) then we'll all be atheists. Now how do you get this through to Moslem's? They are just as important and need desperately to break through.
I've always said that, "There's nothing in the bible that I can't learn form Aseop."
Plus, no rape!
I'm like 95% in the closet. A few close friends know...that's it. Before I fully come out I want to be the one to tell my close family. And that isn't exactly happening too soon.
© 2016 Atheist Nexus. All rights reserved. Admin: Richard Haynes. Powered by


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Effective October 1, 2015, SuperShuttle BWI will service customers from the outer
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text:
State of the Arts: Middlebury's Town Hall a product of its communityApril 28,2013Albert J. Marro / Staff Photo
Doug Anderson of Town Hall Theater in Middlebury.
This is part of an ongoing series on Vermonts leaders in the arts.
By Jim Lowe
Staff Writer
Middleburys Town Hall Theater wasnt hurt by the recession largely because of its relationship with its community.
I actually think we benefited from the recession, said Doug Anderson, the organizations executive director since its founding in 1997.
In this sense, he said, People would travel, in this town, a great distance to see the performing arts. When we started providing it here professional-caliber performing arts cheaper and at home, without an hour-long drive home afterward, it suddenly became very, very attractive.
That worked at the school level as well.
Schools routinely bus their kids great distances for all kinds of programs, and now the kids walk here, Anderson said. It saves an enormous amount of money, and the kids love it. And now every kid in the (Middlebury school) system is in this building at least once a year.
Ours is very much a local audience and theyre delighted were here, he said. I think weve actually saved them money.
Anderson is also artistic director of the Opera Company of Middlebury, which resides at Town Hall and is one of Vermonts three professional opera companies.
Town Hall Theater is one of the states smallest, with only 232 seats (as opposed to the Flynns 1,411 in Burlington, Rutlands Paramount Theatre with 850, or the Barre Opera Houses 650). With a huge outpouring of community support, the 1883 building was rebuilt into a multi-use professional theater, with construction beginning in 1997.
I thought the restoration of this building was going to take two years. It took 10 years, Anderson said. Everything was so wrong with this building and we had to replace everything. There was a new horror every three months.
Next season, Town Hall Theater will celebrate its fifth year as a publicly operating nonprofit theater.
We opened very big and strong and stayed that way, Anderson said. Now were bursting at the seams. We have a brand new education program, which is going great guns, but it has to fight to find time in our theater. Theres too much going on here.
Town Halls $320,000 annual budget seems small, but thats because its presentations are budgeted separately. The theater currently has four resident companies the opera, Middlebury Actors Workshop (professional), Middlebury Community Players, and the Made in Vermont Chorus and is looking to add an orchestra and a childrens theater.
They have their own budgets, they do their own fundraising, and we simply take a rental fee or a ticket tax, Anderson said. If they were in our organization, that budget would look huge.
In fact, 79 percent of Town Halls budget goes to salaries and management expenses, while only 14 percent covers the buildings costs. Where Town Hall is truly unusual, though, is that only a third of its income comes from ticket sales.
Nine percent comes from businesses and 58 percent comes from memberships and donations, Anderson said. The mantra of the business is 50 percent donations / 50 percent ticket sales.
This somewhat lopsided balance allows Town Hall to serve a greater number of people and constituencies in the area.
We really try to keep our ticket sales low and they are very low, Anderson said. A big musical here is $20. Anyplace else that might be $35 or more. We struggle very, very hard to keep tickets for everything we do as reasonable as possible.
Anderson points out that theater, in fact, is bad business.
You cant ever charge, unless youre on Broadway, what it really costs to produce theater, he said. We dont have $150 tickets. So, the idea is, to do marvelous work, have people really enjoy you and the idea of having your theater in their community, and hope they will come forward to during membership time to support the theater.
That, in fact, has happened over the last five years, Anderson said.
As the theater is small, Anderson sees the future as expanding the scope of its offerings as much as the size of the audience.
I think weve identified everybody who loves opera, everybody who loves musicals, everybody who loves plays, and theyre already coming here, he said So growth for us is going to be finding new constituencies and new markets finding the country and western market, finding the 20- to 30-year old market, people who like certain kinds of rock music or reggae music. So expanding the range of what we do is how were going to have growth. This is my growth.
Being small also requires that the theater keep up or increase its pace of 165 events a year.
When were dark were losing money we cant afford it, Anderson said. I would much rather rent the place out to a bunch of fishermen, as we did recently, and make a little money that night. So were eager to do a variety of things to keep the building open, to keep it operating, because we simply need to do that to survive.
Like all nonprofit groups, cash flow is a big issue for Town Hall.
Its always, oh my God, its the second Wednesday: Can we make payroll? But weve never failed to make payroll, Anderson said.
And, like other theaters, a huge challenge is to predict the success of an upcoming event in order to budget successfully.
Its really hard to guess, Anderson said. But, so far, weve met our budget every year. Its always a push.
The yet unmet challenge, Anderson said, is to take its marketing into the 21st century.
Nobody on our staff is of the computer age, he said. So our next thing is going to get a young marketing director, somebody who understands Tweeting, understands Facebook not only understands, but thinks that way.
The morning after a show here, there should be video on some Facebook page. We just dont think that way, Anderson said.
Next month, Opera Company of Middlebury will embark on its most ambitious production to date, Tchaikovskys large scale tragedy, Eugene Onegin, May 1-June 8. Anderson, who is stage directing, is aiming at a traditional production, rather than his often novel ones.
Its so powerful, so Im doing it with gorgeous costumes, he said. Its going to cost in excess of $100,000.
OCMs annual budget is simply the budget of the production, but that includes professional soloists, a professional orchestra, and a conductor, as well as staging costs.
I dont think theres a proper perception of what it costs to put on an opera, Anderson said. For an average opera we can have 70 people on the payroll and a lot of them are from New York. Recently a budget for one of our operas would be $70,000 to $80,000.
Last year, OCM added Puccinis Madame Butterfly as a semi-staged production, so that added another $40,000 to the budget. And he hopes to continue adding another chestnut each fall.
You can, in fact, charge more for an opera, so our tickets will be $55 and $50, Anderson said. So a larger percentage of our nut comes from ticket sales, but I would say 60 percent still comes from donations.
The most important thing is that opera fans are pretty rabid, God love them, he said. They love the fact that we have professional opera here and theyre delighted to support it.
In fact, both Town Hall Theater and Opera Company of Middlebury serve at the pleasure of their community.MORE IN Vermont NewsMONTPELIER Rep. Peter Welch, D-Vt. Full StoryVermont Attorney General Bill Sorrell plans to join the U.S. Full StoryAs Rutland prepares to welcome Syrian refugees to its community, some are continuing to voice... Full Story
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text:
things overlap
So, one of my first blog entries here was about how Senyo Agawu '13 is the son of Princeton-affiliated Kofi Agawu, a music scholar who Ani has previously cited (and, I found out today, is currently reading). Here is another, much larger coincidence.
I have been amassing loads of articles on about twenty different topics. Usually I exaggerate when estimating, but there are actually three binders, among which twenty topics are covered. They include fetal and neonatal responses to music, heart beat variability in neonates, circadian rhythms in neonatal cortisol, and long-term consequences of NICU stays and neonatal surgery. One of the articles is called "Long-term effects of neonatal surgery on adulthood pain behavior." Published in Pain in 2005, the first author on this paper is Haverford's very own Wendy Sternberg. (When typing "Wendy," I almost typed "Wednesday." I should go to sleep.) I found this out last month when I first came across the article. It was one of the first I found in my search because it addresses one of the more pressing issues relevant to the study: how does the process of getting surgery affect subsequent development, sensations, and life outcomes of these patients?
When reading the authors, I stopped at Sternberg. I e-mailed her about my little discovery, and when I returned to read the paper, I started with the abstract and skipped past the other four authors, all of whom were in the same thesis group several years ago. Two days ago, I zoned out for a few seconds when looking at the paper (not for lack of interest but for, quelle surprise, lack of sleep) and when I came to, I see "Lauren D. Smith."
I am living with Smiths: Penny and Jay '73. I found them because their daughter Lauren graduated from Haverford relatively recently in '04. Penny's mother went by Doe, and I remembered vaguely that Lauren's middle name was Dorothy or Dorothea or something. Could it be? Could I be living with the parents of one of the co-authors on one of the most relevant papers for this study?
To find out, I called Penny. I feel like whenever I call Penny, she automatically thinks something is wrong because I call her so infrequently. As usual with phone conversations, I started it as awkwardly as possible.
Me: "What is Lauren's middle name?
Penny: "…Dorothy" [I don't know how they spell it.]
Me: "Yadda yadda yadda wow she wrote this blah blah blah."
The world can be pretty absurd sometimes.