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During the 1980's, police agencies across this country began questioning the use of revolvers as the standard issue weapon. While there were undoubtedly numerous supporters of the "trusty-six," agency captains and directors soon realized that times were changing. Gang-bangers, drug-runners, bank-robbers, and other ill-spirited people often had access to sub-machine and other semi-automatic weapons. Police departments were obviously loosing the upper-hand, and they were losing it fast . . .
There were as many arguments for switching to semi-autos as there were reasons to stay with revolvers. Some agencies claimed that shootings typically lasted less than seven seconds and officers only had an opportunity to shoot 3 or 4 rounds. Other agencies claimed that semi-autos weren't reliable enough. Point taken, but some agencies even went as far as calling the 9mm round "too powerful" with "too high a velocity"—fearing that it would pass through an assailant and strike a civilian.
Slowly but surely, the cops transitioned to semi-automatic pistols (and rifles). It was far from easy, and there are reports of some agencies not making the full "semi-auto switch" until the mid 1990's. Call it ignorance, call it arrogance, but there are some kids at the playground who just can't play nice. Eventually, the men and women "in blue" realized the advantages of 17+ round capacities. The 9mm proved to be effective, and a middle-of-the-road compromise between power and recoil.
The term Wonder Nine was used to describe these new service pistols. Pistols such as the Browning Hi-Power and S&W Model 59 incorporated several valuable features for a combat pistol. With double-stack magazines, DA/SA triggers, drop safeties, and modern polymer and alloys used for construction, these pistols were built with the emphasis on safety, speed, and lots and lots of ammo.
One of the pistols long considered a Wonder Nine is the CZ-75. Designed in 1975 by Česká zbrojovka Uherský Brod, the CZ 75 has been in service since 1976. Unfortunately, it wasn't until 1993 that the first CZ 75 legally made it to the United States. Since then, it has gained popularity, almost to what can be considered a "cult status" (not to be confused with Colt status!). The popularity of CZ pistols in IPSC and IDPA competitions can be partially due to CZ-shooters Adam Tyc and Angus Hobdell. Both have won and performed well in championships held around the world.
First Impressions
CZ offers the 75-series pistol in over a dozen different variations, everything from a compact pistol, to an all-out Open-Class Ready IPSC race gun. As you may have noticed, the particular CZ pistol on the bench today is a CZ 75 SP-01 Tactical. This "Tacticool" variant of the SP-01 is available in both 9mm and .40S&W, but our tester is a 9mm.
Other than the accessory rail, there's one main difference between the SP-01 Tactical and the standard SP-01: the Tactical model utilizes an ambidextrous decocker in place of the manual safety. For those who know me or are familiar with my other TTAG reviews, I don't much care for DA/SA guns with safeties. The actual DA/SA setup was designed to be "safe"; an external safety is too much redundancy in a combat pistol. The decocker allows an easy and safe way to prepare the pistol for carry.
One of the first things you notice about the SP-01 when you pick it up: the pistol feels rock solid. Unlike most SIG and Beretta pistols, the CZ is all steel – frame and slide. Unfortunately, this means the CZ is heavy – over 38 ounces heavy. For most shooters, this will pretty much relegate this pistol to a "service pistol" or nightstand duties. Those of us who prefer to carry a full-size pistol will realize that the CZ is similar in weight to a full-size M1911. At a very minimum, you will want to invest in a quality holster and thick gun belt.
Fully loaded, the SP-01 Tactical carries a "Farago Approved" 18+1 in 9mm. Those who choose the .40S&W caliber will notice a sharp drop in carry capacity – 12+1. This is the case with many other combat pistols. Even though the CZ 75 was developed 15 years before the development of the .40S&W round, I was surprised to learn that CZ hasn't tried to maximize the .40S&W magazine to accommodate more rounds. Of course, doing so would likely mean a change in grip size, so perhaps the ability to interchange parts is more important to CZ (and perhaps to armorer's around the world) than a slight increase in magazine capacity.
Other features of the SP-01 Tactical include 3-dot tritium night sights, corrosion-resistant black polycoat finish, and contoured rubber grip panels. Overall, the pistol is well-finished and I was excited to get this pistol to the range to see how she would shoot.
At the range…
I put the CZ through the same smorgasbord of 9mm that I put the Beretta 92A1 a few months back in hopes of finding one that she wouldn't like. Over all, about 600 rounds went through this pistol in my first outing, consisting mostly of Winchester WWB 115-gr FMJ. I like WWB, although it can get a back rap some times. I find it to be consistent, cheap, relatively clean, and always in abundant supply at Wal-Mart. I had some left-over Remington UMC 115-gr FMJ from the 92A1 testing, and I made sure to pick up some Winchester PDX ammo as well.
The CZ has to be one of the lightest recoiling 9mm pistols I have ever shot – even lighter than a M1911 chambered for the same round. The grip, which mind you is home to an 18-round magazine, is surprisingly thin and comfortable. The rubber on the grips is hard to describe in words – not "tacky" but certainly not like a hard plastic. CZ certainly sourced out a rubber compound that is what I would consider "perfect" for a combat pistol.
Accuracy of the SP-01 Tactical was excellent, as good as my XDm and maybe a tad better than the Beretta 92A1. At 7-yards, the PDX 124-gr +P grouped the tightest and had the most clovers. This is the first time where a JHP round has actually shot better for me than a FMJ, so this was a big day for me. At 11-yards, all rounds shot equally well.
When I had the pistol at my house, I noticed that one of the magazines wouldn't activate the slide-stop. It turned out to be a bit dirty and have a slightly bent feed lip. I'm not sure if it came that way from the factory, or if the owner of this pistol had dropped it before, but a quick wipe with a mag-brush and a quick touch-up with a wooden dowel fixed the problem. I marked the magazine with a marker to make sure I kept track of it at the range to see if it was problematic.
It turns out that it wasn't. The CZ handled all rounds without a hitch. While I shot all of the UMC and PDX ammo, I had a first-time shooter shot the majority of the WWB ammo. With 400 rounds of limp-writing and constantly-searching grip placement, there wasn't a single FTF, FTE, or FTL – regardless of what magazine was used. Whether due to design or the sheer weight of this pistol, it cycles reliably and flawlessly.
Back home…
When I got back in the shop, stripping and cleaning the CZ was easy enough. Not "rotate this lever and your done" easy like a SIG or XD/XDm, but easy nonetheless. The frame and slide both have a little mark on each. Line them up, push out the slide-stop from the right, and you're done. However, those with weak fingers or a pistol that hasn't been shot much may find it easier to use the handle of a screwdriver or similar to push the pin out.
With 600 rounds pushed through in a single outing, the CZ was surprising easy to clean. Typically, after that many rounds I find that I need to use a soft bristled brush to clean the feed-ramp and throat areas. When shooting a lot of UMC or Wolf ammo, I often need to resort to a bronze-bristled brush. Since it has been well documented that the average gun-owner does more harm to a firearm while cleaning it than actually shooting, I try to stick to the basics. The CZ barrel simply wiped clean with some M7 Pro and a microfiber cloth. The rest of the pistol cleaned up in similar fashion.
Final thoughts…
The CZ is a great combat pistol and certainly a great starter gun for people looking to get into pistol competition. The tritium-lamped sights are easy to acquire and are fast on target. Recoil from this 9mm feels like shooting a BB-gun. One thing I did notice was that the slide is very stiff – particularly for a gun that I would consider to be "broken in", and that chambering a round takes quite a bit of grip pressure. Something to keep in mind for those who have weaker hands or grip strength.
The decocker is in a well enough place and works as advertised. I have large hands and found it easier to decock the hammer with my weak (left) hand thumb. On my SIG pistols, the decocker naturally falls under my strong (right) hand thumb, but then again I've been shooting SIG's for quite some time. The CZ decocker didn't feel unnatural; it was just something that I noticed.
Handling and ergonomics are what you would expect on a pistol that has been around for over a quarter century. The size, shape, and reach are designed to accommodate a wide range of shooters. As mentioned earlier, the rubber grip panels provide a nice feel and have swells and relief cuts in the right areas. The beavertail isn't really necessary for a 9mm chambered pistol, but is appreciated when unholstering as it provides the same index each time. The beavertail also provides a nice "pinch" in the web of my strong hand, increasing the speed and accuracy of follow-up shots.
The trigger on the CZ is perfectly acceptable for a combat pistol. While certainly better than a Beretta, it isn't nearly as smooth as a Glock or XDm. And it certainly isn't a SIG. The DA trigger pull has some stacking and feels a bit gravely, something that may or may not go away after a few thousand more rounds. The SA trigger has a fair amount of take-up and doesn't break cleanly like I prefer. Instead, the CZ's trigger has a little bit of "squish" just before breaking. In either mode, the trigger isn't difficult to master, and I was quickly getting tight groups in both DA and SA mode.
The SP-01 Tactical is well built, reliable, and good looking (that's important!). It has some heft, but for those who will carry the SP-01 Tactical will appreciate the almost none existent recoil. The 18+1 capacity makes this a great home-defense option or full-size service pistol for those who need one.
Special thanks to J.B. for letting me borrow another great combat 9mm!
Weight: 2.4lbs
Overall Length: 8.2in
Barrel Length: 4.7in
Height: 5.8in
Width: 1.5in
Frame: Steel
Grip: Molded Rubber
Barrel: Cold hammer forged
Trigger: DA/SA
Sights: Fixed, tritium lamped
Safety: decocker, Safety Stop on Hammer, Firing Pin Safety
RATINGS (out of five)
Style * * *
For DA/SA pistols, the CZ SP-01 Tactical looks about as good as you can get. Throw in a set of rosewood or hardwood grips and I'll add another star!
Ergonomics * * * *
Probably the skinniest double-stack 9mm I've ever shot. Everything is well placed and within reach for most shooters looking for a full-size service pistol.
Reliability * * * * *
So far so good. I had no issues with the CZ and the owner tells me that it has functioned flawlessly for him as well. I contemplated only giving 4 stars because of the one magazine that wouldn't lock the slide back. Since it was obviously dented, I will chalk it up to a magazine issue and not a gun issue.
Customizable * *
Already equipped with night sights and a rail. For home duty, those who want a laser and/or light combo have the space and option to do so. I wouldn't mind seeing how this pistol looks with some nice wood grips, but I don't know if I would trade in those factory grips in for anything else… they're that good!
Overall Rating * * * *
Probably not going to replace SIG as my favorite DA/SA pistol, but the CZ certainly gives it a run for its money, especially considering that the CZ is a couple of hundred dollars cheaper! A trigger upgrade would be nice though…
52 Responses to Gun Review: CZ75 SP-01 Tactical
I've been waiting for this. Thank you for the review. It just jumped to the top of my list. But, I'll probably go for the 40SW.
Sounds like a great pistol. Does the compact have an aluminum frame?
it has an alloy and aluminum slide and frame. this gun CZ75PO1 is a bad ass gun to shoot. thirty feet and under 2in groups,key holes you name it We call it the tack driver, better than my sons beretta 92, other sons p90 ruger and MP S/W
It does NOT have an aluminum slide. The frame of the CZ P0-1 is alloy while the slide like every other pistol is steel, The standard cz-75d compact has a steel frame with no rail.
CZ75D compact has an alloy frame.
"those with weak fingers or a pistol that hasn't been shot much may find it easier to use the handle of a screwdriver or similar to push the pin out."
Use the corner of the magazine's plastic base-plate. Soft, scratch free, and having it in hand is a natural part of 'safe'ing the gun.
"I did notice was that the slide is very stiff"
Valid complaint. While I don't think the spring is any stiffer than normal, the slide in frame design provides less purchase on the slide for gripping. It also allows for a lower bore axis and low profile slide which aides in the controllability of the gun.
The 'grit' in the trigger is another common CZ complaint. It goes away after about 1500 rounds. The poor mans trigger job is to put jewelers rouge on the parts and dry fire it a bunch, then hose it out with gun-scrubber.
Lastly, most but not all of the mags will actually hold 19 rounds as they break in.
Standard disclaimer: I've got one and love it.
A great hand gun that I have come close to buying a number of times. The bore axis is noticeably lower than that of a Sig or Beretta, making the recoil almost pleasant and acquiring a sight picture very easy.
I do have a problem with the video though. I know that the point is to draw attention to the pistol, but what SWAT team breaches a building with only handguns? Realism goes a lot further for me than glamorization.
Great viddy. Didja notice that the first target that got shot was Justin Bieber?
I shoot a CZ Compact and a full size 75 in IDPA. There are few finer ergonomic pistols extant.
I have the EAA Witness, a CZ clone in .40 S&W. Very solid, reliable and accurate.
Go to http://best9mm.com/
see what's #1……
However, the "sales vid" was not very realistic as to think not one tac-ops, team member didn't have a shotgun or rifle.
CZ still makes a damn fine pistol.
Cost Cost Cost???
All the BEST reviews have COST in them….
And all the best review readers know how to use google or call their local gun shop 🙂 The truth is, I didn't purchase this gun and I don't care to know the cost. The MSRP on ANY gun manufacturers website is marked up by 10-15%, and "actual" cost will vary by the same amount. Of course, this is assuming that you want to buy it new. I have seen a few of these pop up on the "used shelf". Figure the cost to be somewhere between a new Hi-Point 9mm and a used Wilson CQB 🙂
"I put the CZ through the same smorgasbord of 9mm that I put the Beretta 92A1 a few months back in hopes of finding one that she wouldn't like. "
Yeah, good luck with that. I have two CZ-75's. A regular, and the SP-01. Something like 20000 rounds downrange , and no problems ever. Shot one in a class once, 400+ In one day without cleaning. The gun didn't even hiccup. And that was with my less than great handloads.
Well long-term reliability and "can it feed this" reliability are two separate issues. I don't think I or RF can afford enough ammo to do a "death by numbers" test on any reviewed pistol… although it would be fun! For the record, last May I shot 700 rounds of 230-gr through a stock Springfield 1911 during a training/practice session and followed it up by a 200 round steel match in the afternoon without a single failure! (eat that Gunnutmeggar!). Modern pistols, particularly ones used for personal carry and CCW had BETTER be able to feed anything, all the time, every time!
My CZ 75 P-07 is the best shooting pistol I have. I chose it over a Sig Sauer because it felt better in my hand and shoots as good if not better for about 1/2 the cost. The recoil is very controllable, making follow-up shots faster and more accurate. The new Omega trigger is very smooth, especially in SA. (DA is a little stiff – wish it were a little lighter.) The P-07 is a polymer CZ and weighs about 25 oz. unloaded. It has a 16 round (9mm) capacity, and is about the size of a Glock 19. It's fairly easy to conceal, although it feels a bit thicker than a Glock 19 in an inside the pants holster.
This new CZ is cool. I have had a CZ-75B for years. I took my first CHL class with it and added night sights that are still bright. I have a Springfield P-9 – never had any problems with it (either really) but the P-9 is damn heavy- could be a club in an emergency. I found a original CZ-75 for $350.00 shipped a while back never liked the rib on Mod B. After I touch up my frame and change out the springs it should be good to go. I just wish there were more high- caps available. CZ has always had good products- I love my CZ 97 also. Not related to the article but 2 thumbs up for anything CZ.
I purchased the .40 version of this pistol a few weeks back. I have since put about 300+ rounds through it. Smooth, reliable and remarkably accurate. I absolutely love the tritium sights and the rubber grips. My shooting improved immediately. I have to say that this pistol is my new favourite (the previous being a Star 30M in 9mm).
I chose this over the Sig P226 once I had a chance to handle both of them. My hands are on the small side and the CZ felt like it was made just specifically for me. The weight was just right, the recoil more than manageable. In fact, the recoil with the .40 was less noticeable than many 9mm I have fired, including my Star.
This CZ is worth every penny I paid (since up here in Canada handguns tend to be expensive). I am convinced. My next pistol will be a CZ as well.
Just now found this review – it would have helped me when trying to decide on whether or not to purchase this firearm in the .40 version. I did, and have absolutely NO regrets. Like you hinted at, there's not a whole bunch of customization you can do on it – but there's also not much that would even need to be done. Purely aesthetic stuff. Otherwise, anyone with bad things to say about it either hasn't shot one or was shooting the wrong one. However, I do have a question for you, personally. I'm not normally the type of person to point out mistakes or errors, but I found yours very amusing. "I like WWB, although it can get a back rap some times." The correct phrase is "bad rap," which leaves me wondering what in the world do you think "back rap" means??? I don't even understand your usage of that term here!! Anyway, thanks for the review. =)
To the fella that just doesn't get it…Everyone that noticed back rap instead of "bad", it let it go…butt you…to a T.
Considering that this article was written from the perspective of a 'newbie' to the pistol, I found that the reflections, reactions and insights were right on target. I might add that the 'improvements' category might be a 4 star at least; after all, if little more than a relatively inexpensive trigger job brings this piece up to a race gun level of performance, what else is wanting?
I own several handguns, and the CZ 75-P01 is by far my favorite for the price! I have the compact model (3.8″ bbl) and it is GREAT!!! Good heft, fits my hand perfectly, low recoil, and flawless operation. Over 2000 rounds and no problems yet. The only thing I like better is my STI, but that is not really an apples to apples comparison, especially not at $1200.
The CZ75B PCR and the SP-01 in 9mm , i have run 3k thru each and no problems the Sp-01 got better after 1k rounds of cheap and le rounds, trigger better, and much smoother……..
I have a BD decocker model. Shoots good,put together right,accurate,reliable and it didn't cost anywhere near a thousand dollars,,,,whats not to like!
How do you compare the da/sa trigger of a CZ to a Glock? Besides, a Glock trigger, inhrrent by design, epitomizes "squishy" if anything.
The stiff spring may be mitigated, over time, by keeping a cable lock snaked through the port and well–with the slide locked back–in storage. (You have to do this, anyhow, in Canada.)
Did this gun have any difficulty with 'long' 9s (Hornady XTPs/Zombie Maxes)? Some people have had this issue with other CZs.
I'm thinking of purchasing CZ SP01 Tactical. Is there any know difference in quality or design between CZ USA and CZ UB?
Well, I have to say I never even considered owning a CZ. I've always been a S&W, Colt, Glock, Springfield, and Ruger type of shooter. Until, that is, I shot my coworkers P-01. Wow!! I was blown away as soon as I gripped it. Like a glove. Better to me than a 1911 grip. Perfect S/A trigger for a 9mm. I liked it so good that I traded my coworker out of it the next week for my Glock 19. The only regret I have is not owning one sooner. It has improved my accuracy. I am converted. I'll never get rid of this one (and that's not like me). There are only two pistols that I will never part with, my 70 series Colt Gov't & my new (to me) CZ P-01. Loved the review BTW.
Great review. Went to the local outfitter just to hold one. Loved it so much I ordered the CZ 75 SP-01 Iin 9mm. Now just have to wait as they are on special order.
Again thanks for a great review.
Like the feel better than my Bretta and Ruger.
The CZ75 D Compact is my handgun of choice, for more than five years now. It DOES have an ALLOY FRAME w/steel slide. 14 rd. magazine. SA/DA and de-cocker on left side. This weapon has served in various climates and wet or dusty proves reliable with all sorts of odd ammo. I've heard bad reports regarding aftermarket magazines of a certain manufacture, but have no personal experience with that.
Excellent carry, easy to conceal, accurate with good to excellent sights.
Hard to find on the shelf, but order from CZ USA.
Red Dog Ret. I own 2 CZ-75's in 9mm. One is a B the other is an SP-01 both of them have been as good as any of my 1911's or FN's. Very accurate and they go "bang" every time. The springs have been changed to help trigger pull. The hammer's have been polished, 3.5 single action pull. The sights are low profile and grips are now CZ wood. WCC Nato 124gr FMJ = a 1.5 group or PDX 124gr +P HP will do the same.
Walked into my fave Gun Store who happens to be a CZ-USA Distributor. They had a goodly selection of CZ 75's in addition to rentals to try.
Overall, I totally agree with this Review.
Picked up the SPO1 Tactical and immediately fell in love with it. Fits my medium sized hand almost as good as a Browning HP. But shoots 10x's better. Fits lower in the hand, and the added weight absorbs recoil as to be "almost" non existent.
Zero malfunctions, 3 different types of ammo, Win, Fed and some off brand range supplied ammo..
Not sure which Sig your referring too..but I like the SPO1 Tac trigger BETTER than my Sig 226.
Also, personally, Im not a fan of striker fired pistols… not against them, they just dont feel right to me. The triggers always felt squishy to me.
If someone is looking for a Full Sized service 9mm.. The CZ 75 SPO1 Tac is definitely worth a looksee. (yea, Im now a Fan Boy) So much so, Im looking at the CZ 97 (.45) for my next purchase.
Wabiker, what is the Gun Store you mentioned please?
I've been hunting for CZ since beginning of December. No luck. All sold out.
I went thru the CZ Custom Shop, Mesa Az for the 97, then went back to try to get another SPO1. But, theyre sold out awaiting the next shipment too.
Wabiker, what is the Gun Store you mentioned please?
I've been hunting for CZ since beginning of December. No luck. All sold out.
what pistols revolvers would u suggest for people who have medium size hands? thanks
IMO, only you can answer that. The only way to really know what suits you is to hit the Gun Stores and test fit them.
For example, My Wife hated the feel of a 1911 .45, Yet absolutely loved the SW M629 .44mag…our hands were about the same size.
I've owned my SP01 tactical for 5 1/2 years now. I've put around 6500-7000 rds through the barrel and the pistol will still outshoot me, the factory proof cert has a 1.75 inch group @ 30 meters. I feel that the cz75 is the best aspects of a BHP and a sig in one pistol. As you mentioned, the factory grips rubber is damn near perfect for its purpose. I used some traction tape on the front and backstraps of the stock as well.
The only round I ever had misfeed was a 147gr remington golden saber. The pistol has never produced a stovepipe with any ammunition I have fed it.
If you have a problem with slide operation I've heard you can safely use a lighter recoil spring, the stock SP01 spring is pretty damn heavy for a 9mm. I heard they were attempting a nato contract with the weapon, so it could be so you can put +p or +p+ through the firearm (I've put probably 2k rounds of +p though mine).
That weight of 2.4 lbs. Is that loaded or unloaded. Some mfgrs specify whilst others do not. I am shopping for my first handgun and my shortlist now consists of the 75 SP-01, Sig P226 and Baretta 92-A1 based on NO PLASTIC, accessory rail, night sites, barrel length, weight and price. So far the 75 is at the top of that list.
Mike, that is 2.4 lbs unloaded. I happen to own a 75B two tone & a SP-01 tactical in 9mm as well as a Sig P226 in 40S&W and a Taurus PT-99 (Beretta clone) also in 9mm. The SP-01 in the all steel frame is by far the heaviest of the lot by a significant margin and would make a great "skull smasher" when out of ammo. It is notably heavier than its 75B sibling as well. If weight is the issue, the SP-01 Phantom which has a polymer frame will weigh in at 1.8 lbs unloaded but good luck finding one.
Thanks for the info John. I visited a couple of the local stores and checked out a few guns, concerned with weight. I found that the CZ 75 is in no way too heavy for me and have a 75 SP-01 Tactical on order. Don't know how long it will be as Canada gets the surplus of guns not sold in the US. But it will be worth the wait I'm sure.
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For what it's worth, my friend has an SP-01 that he got a custom trigger job done on. It breaks like glass, and there's no squish. From what he told me, it was pretty cheap and easy to get done at his local Philly gunsmith.
My first gun was a CZ-40P, it has the same P-01 frame (in light alloy) and was an absolute steal for $325 when I bought it. The most accurate handgun I own aside from my custom 1911. I know Sig makes a fine pistol (I love my 556); my daily carry is the excellent H&K USPc .45, but CZ is still one of my all time favorites, and absolutely has the corner on the value/quality curve.
Ever since I bought my first CZ-75 first generation in 1990, I've handled other brands of firearms, but I always go back to my one and only. My CZ. I even got the put-together CZ-40P(on sale for $320 at Cabelas so hard to pass up). Still a nice gun, and still a CZ even though it's a frankenstein(remnant parts) it shoots flawless, and it's a 40SW. I have a Browning Hi-Power 9mm that the CZ mechanism was derived from, but the CZ-75 in my arsenal beats it a tad/bit. Anyone who knows guns and have handled a CZ will tell you of it's reputation. Not from brochures and movie props, but from reliability and overall function. If you don't want a metal gun, get a Glock. P.S. I like Glocks too, but not as much as CZ's.
The trigger is gritty out of the box but with little effort it can be as smooth as a 1911. I use this method by David, a master CZ gunsmith who started out with 1911s from Cajun Gun Works has a tutorial on smoothing the action on CZs: http://www.czfirearms.us/index.php?topic=42537.0
Great Link CAGLS…!
Looks like its time to dig out the sandpaper.
[…] Im a value gun type of guy, I have not shot the sp 01 but i have friends that have and say very good things about it, like "its the most accurate gun ive shot" Im sure you wont be disappointed. the majority of cz's are high value guns here is some other guys review. But i think he does a solid job Gun Review: CZ75 SP-01 Tactical | The Truth About Guns […]
Well, I have owned an SP-01 Tactical in 9mm and sold it. Then for the few months I didn't have it I missed it. The you guessed it I bought another one. This one got the normal treatment of smoothing out the trigger group, installed a CZ decocker comp hammer, CGW extended firing pin, 11lb hammer spring, and older version 85C trigger. It is my dedicated HD gun along with a Sig P220. I have never owned a Sig P226 but did own a P229 enhanced elite which I sold to fund another purchase and was redundant for a compact 9mm since I already owned a P-01. I never felt the need for a P226 since I owned 3 CZ Shadows and feel the reversed rail design, low bore axis and natural grip angle is a superior design. Even the highly sought after Sig P210 has the same design features of a CZ.
I started out a few years ago with a standard CZ 75B. It looked & felt like my service gun, Browning High Power. It shot far better than a Browning. As I started in IPSC I looked around and upgraded to a SP-01 Shadow. While in transition, I experienced that competition frustration of having to ease the hammer down. I dislike doing it on the job and really don't like it in competition. I've ordered a Tactical & am really looking forward to breaking it in and getting on with more IPSC. What a great line of guns…tough, reliable, accurate & economical. All good.
If there ever was a 5 star gun. This one is it. Id go as far as saying if I could pick 1 gun, 1 gun to have for the rest of my life, the CZ75 SP01 would prob be the gun.
I've had my CZ75SP01 for 3 months and have put over 3000 rounds thru her, when the retaining pin for the firing pin broke and allowed the firing pin to slide back past the hammer. The pin that broke was a rolled pin, I feel it should have been a solid pin. It my be the result of keeping the price down, I like the gun but I'm now wary of quality, my other problem with this gun happened while using Winchester fmj, the shell did not chamber right and I needed to pry the slide back with a screwdriver, it was jammed up tight, two other guys tried to rack it but they couldn't pull it either. I do love the gun but I'm getting sceptical as to dependability.
I own 3 CZ's a P-01 a Cz-75 Sp01 tactical and a Shadow. I have 10000 + round through my tactical never had a problem. The other 2 guns have 5000+ rounds and never had a problem with anything. I own other pistols as well but the reliability of Cz is second to none. In the article the author gives 2 stars for customization and that's just not true , Cz custom shop and Cajun gun works have everything you'd need for modification of this weapon.
This article needs updating since the USPSA community embraced the SP01 you can get pretty much anything you'd want for it.


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Im nervous to apply because i just filed and closed a chpt7 in feb 2009 and I am a little leary of crossing the bridge again to credit card land. Does this card offer me the courage to move on and start again?
How to rebuild your credit through secured credit cards
Jul 28, 2009
Helpful to 0 out of 0 people
So your suggesting that I do this? I filed and closed a chp 7 in feb 09, how long should i wait to get a secured card?

subset: commoncrawl


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Texarkana (TX) Texas WR Cobi Hamilton currently sits at eight offers and is the number 61 receiver in the country. Recently rated as the number 76 prospect in the state of Texas, Hamilton had been...
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A pre-inquest review has been held by a coroner into the death of a Silsden man.
Tony Hopkins, 58, died last October after falling while carrying out maintenance work at an Iceland store in Rotherham.
He was working on an air-conditioning unit in a storage area of the supermarket when the incident occurred on October 28.
Mr Hopkins was taken to Rotherham District General Hospital, but died from his injuries.
Rotherham Borough Council's environmental health department has been investigating.
A spokesman for the coroner's office said a hearing had taken place before Doncaster assistant coroner Raymond Curtis.
"The aim was to receive an update and discuss the current position. A full inquest is still to take place on a date to be arranged," she said.
Following his death, tribute was paid to Mr Hopkins by fellow Silsden residents.
Paul Thompson, former landlord of the Robin Hood pub, said he had known Mr Hopkins since he had moved to Silsden with his partner and their two children about eight years earlier.
"He was one of the nicest, funniest men you could ever meet," said Mr Thompson.


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AN 103 Archeology 3 CR
Focuses on how archeology as a scientific discipline attempts to understand the development of the cultural adaptations of human groups throughout prehistory and history, and how archeology interprets the past. Topics include how archeological sites are formed, dating techniques and the analysis of plant, animal, and human artifacts and remains. With a hands-on approach, students are presented case scenarios relating to archeological digs to better understand the thinking process involved in reconstructing the past.
AN 110 Human Cultural Diversity 3 CR
The aim of this course is for students to develop an anthropological imagination and appreciate its relevance for living in the contemporary world. An anthropological imagination involves cultivating an interest in and an understanding of the unity, diversity, and development of human biology, society, and culture. As an introduction to the study of human cultural diversity, this course emphasizes the concept of culture, human socio-cultural variation, and patterns of socio-cultural change in contemporary human societies.
AN 201 World Cultures 3 CR
Examines a cross section of societies, including hunter-gatherer, horticultural, peasant, pastoral and industrial. Themes of cultural diversity, cultural contact and understanding "the other."
AN 205 North American Indians 3 CR
Covers the cultural development and diversity of aboriginal North America, the impact of European contact on Native American societies and contemporary issues among North American Indians.
AN 250 Doing Ethnography: Qualitative Research in the Social Sciences 3 CR
The aim of this course is for students to develop an understanding of and an ability to use ethnography as a method of social science research. Combining theoretical and applied readings and practical assignments, the focus is on participant-observation and interviewing, writing fieldnotes, and the transformation of field data into ethnographic documents. In addition, this course is designed for students to develop an understanding of the epistemological, political, and ethical issues surrounding ethnographic research. Prerequisite: SO 110 or AN 110
AN 280 Native American Literature 3 CR
Native American literature is explored in order to develop an understanding of the history, society and culture of Native Americans, and an appreciation of their literary contributions.
AN 299 Special Topics in Anthropology 3 CR
Designates new or occasional courses (i.e., one capitalizing on a timely topic). Prerequisites: Established by the department as appropriate for the specific course.


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Career Anchors: The Changing Nature of Careers Facilitator's Guide Set
A "career anchor" is a combination of perceived areas of competence, motives, and values relating to professional work choices. The Career Anchors instrument is designed to help clients identify their anchors and to think about how their values relate to their career choices. There are eight career anchors: * Technical/Functional Competence * General Managerial Competence * Autonomy/Independence * Security/Stability * Entrepreneurial Creativity * Service/Dedication to a Cause * Pure Challenge * Lifestyle We believe that every person is concerned to some degree with each of these issues. The label "career anchor" indicates an area of such paramount importance to a person that he or she would not give it up. The person comes to define his or her basic self-image in terms of that concern, and it becomes an overriding issue at every stage of their career. This new edition of includes new and updated information and


text:
- Admissions
- Academics
- Research
- University Life
- Alumni
- About
Admissions & Info:
CAS Dean's Office
Fax: 202-885-2429
Battelle-Tompkins, Room 200
(Photo from the Voices of Terezin reception on March 21, 2010. From left to right: Dorothy Elias, Gail Humphries-Mardirosian, Laura Petravage, H. E. Ambassador and Mrs. Petr Kolar, Czech Ambassador to the United States.)
by Kera Package
As a student in the Voices of Terezin Honor's colloquium, I have spent the semester hearing echoes of voices from the Terezin ghetto. While I may never fully grasp the lives and stories of those who created art at that time, I did have the opportunity to interview individuals who were connected to one of the playwrights of Smoke of Home. Kate and Dorothy Elias traveled to American University to see our production of the play and to answer questions about the playwright Zdenek Elias and the voice his play expressed.
"Knowing my father to be a rationalist above all else, I clearly heard his voice in the text of the play being expressed by Casselius. I heard his voice in the exploration of ideas," related his daughter Dorothy who translated the play into English. She described how its script portrays her father's choice to "know rather than believe."
Kate Elias, Zdenek's second wife, further elaborated on her late husband's view of faith and religion. "To his dying day, Zdenek relied on reason rather than faith, and to the extent that he countenanced the possibility of a God, whom he called "ten stary" (the old man), he kept that possibility pretty much under wraps. He used to say that, if there is a God, that God has some explaining to do."
Kate continued to say that "Zdenek's scorn for organized religion, and particularly for its clerical authorities, is evident in the ridiculously pompous character of Father Anselm. He certainly did not expect a personal God to intervene in the affairs of humankind, and this mindset is exemplified by the utterly rational, realistic Casselius. While hope of divine intervention is seemingly dismissed in the production, there is a hope in the ability of man to survive and to continue to express his individuality in the midst of trial."
Dorothy finds hope in the empowering of individuals through expression, and believes that "this play would have been more a means of self-expression for the authors than a stab at public persuasion." She continued to say that, "Art, especially in the context of Terezin, is not sacred as art and certainly can't be separated from resistance or survival. For people who had been stripped of nearly all personal power, who had been deprived of every vestige of their former lives, who had lost everything, having a means to express a sense of self would be enormously empowering."
Kate mentioned that "Maybe they never intended [the play] to be produced -- just wrote it as a catharsis to express their own growing realization that 'home' would never be the same again. I vaguely recall that Zdenek said something like that to me when we talked about the play some twenty years ago. I think he would have been astounded to see the play being produced after all these years."
Why Smoke of Home was never actually performed in Terezin until 2009, we will never know. Nevertheless, the play's themes and message prove universal. Dorothy believes that through her father's voice, we can "learn to face reality without illusions… in any conflict, both sides are capable of wrong and, possibly, brutal behavior. Individuals must maintain ethical standards that adhere to human values, and rise above partisan thinking."
When asked if creating art in the midst of trauma could possibly diminish the value of the art, Kate responded with, "I don't at all think it's disrespectful to those who produce art, music or any kind of beauty amid desperate situations to speculate about whether they are motivated by the desire for resistance or survival." She continued, "I think art arises out of personal imperative: artists create first of all because their souls demand it. Then I think the most logical secondary motivation is psychological, spiritual survival, and this is what I think motivated most of the artistic expression in Terezin…I knew Zdenek more as a passive survivor than as an active resister, so I tend to see this work as something that helped keep his psyche alive."
In staging Smoke of Home at AU, Zdenek's voice takes the stage. The artists of Terezin, most of whom lost their lives but whose work lives on, continue to challenge contemporary audiences that are willing to listen. The voices of the past demand to be heard even today. When given the opportunity to share their stories, these voices of history empower the voice of a new generation of witnesses.


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Ashby Monk, Ph.D., executive director of the Global Projects Center at Stanford University and a senior research associate at the University of Oxford, has been blogging about sovereign and pension funds since 2008.
Follow him on Twitter at @sovereignfund.
Dear Pensions and Endowments: Do Unto Wall Street as We Do to Ourselves
Individually Rational and Collectively Crazy
Why I Go to Australia. A Lot.
When it comes to investing edge: Advantage, Giants.
Register today for inside access to our thought-provoking coverage of the global financial markets!
Here now, the news:
- Heres why I do what I do:
"Compensation is up and performance is down at hedge funds."
Yes. That is insane.
- An increasingly unfriendly West is reportedly pushing
the China Investment Corporation to
look East for assets to invest in.
- Norway's Government Pension Fund -
Global has developed a new rainforest
policy for its portfolio companies.
- France's Strategic Investment Fund
would consider co-investing alongside the
Libyan Investment Authority in Petroplus'
plant in Normandy.
- Polands richest man and the Qatar Investment
Authority are backing a new $700 million company to
invest in African and South American minerals.
- "Many institutional investors... are failing to
act in their own best interests, exhibiting behaviour at odds
with their stated goals." Yes, Id noticed.
- After GM's liability buyout with Pru, other pensions may
get some good deals on GM's illiquid assets... like this
- The New Zealand Superannuation
Funds strategic tilting policy seems to be
working out rather well. What's tilting, you ask? Think macro
bets and portfolio rebalancing on steroids.
- Retirement planning is now "...a luxury some
sub-Saharan African nations feel they can and
should afford." Cool.
- Here's the CEO of Mumtalakat on his
fund's foreign investment strategy: "When we invest
internationally, we always have our eye on
- Of the 700 or so venture capital firms registered to do
business in the US, only fifty have any real chance of persistent
- Heres some interesting
insights from the Canada Pension Plan
Investment Boards CEO: "What we try to
do is exploit the areas where we have comparative advantages,
and that tends to be in larger transactions, in transactions
where the value creation will play out over a long period of
time, and in transactions that are occasionally complex in
nature... We've now built a team with high capabilities that
can transact globally and in complex large-scale
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Well, just take a look on his overtaking in a mini roundabout up there. Have you ever seen any crazier overtaking than that?
His name was Yunan, a driver for a local bus company here in Indonesia, and that is his bus. Everyday, he drive that black bus from Jakarta all the way to Jepara, which is about 340 miles. And he always arrive there in about 7-8 hours, which is mental for a bus.
And his bus is quite amazing as well, the Golden Dragon Scorpion King 330. With 12L Inline 6 twin turbo diesel engine producing 330hp and 1300 lb-ft of torque. And the inside the bus is quite nice as well. There's a GPS, Siren, Seat that massage you, GPS, restroom, and a coffee machine. But, the way he drive is more interesting than his bus. Take a look in this video.
That's how he deals with traffic jam.
And when the traffic is gone, he go berserk.
And when he spot another bus in his mirror, he gone really mad.
And amazingly, he never crash his bus at all. Not even a scratch. He might be a stig's bus driver cousin. And oh, if you visit indonesia one day, take his bus. You'll love it. The fare was 20 US$, just in case you're interested.


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JIM LEHRER: And to the analysis of Shields and York, syndicated columnist Mark Shields and Byron York, chief political correspondent for The Washington Examiner. David Brooks is away tonight.
Byron, what do you make of this potential 2012 Republican field?
BYRON YORK: You know, I think the most exciting thing for a lot of people on the Republican base happened this week when Michele Bachmann gave an indication that she might form an exploratory committee, got a lot more buzz than Tim Pawlenty's Facebook announcement that he was doing that.
I think that is an indication that there is still a lot of lingering unhappiness with — among the Republican base with their field. Mitt Romney is a front-runner who they have never completely embraced. Sarah Palin appears to be not running at the moment.
You know, the first debate, Republicans', is May 2 at the Reagan Library in California. She has signed to do a speaking engagement in Denver that night. So, she's not there. It looks like Mike Huckabee is not running as well. So, it is enormously fluid right now.
JIM LEHRER: Enormously fluid? You agree?
MARK SHIELDS: Yes. I mean, the Republicans are a lot more orderly and hierarchal than Democrats. Oftentimes, the Democratic nominee is somebody you had never heard of four years before — he is nominated.
That was the case with George McGovern in 1972. It was the case with Jimmy Carter in '76, Michael Dukakis in '88, Barack Obama in 2008. Republicans, there is a predictability. It was John McCain's turn in 2008.
JIM LEHRER: Turn, right.
MARK SHIELDS: It was Bob Dole's turn in '96, George Herbert Walker Bush's in '92, and Reagan's in '80. This — there is no sense of order in this race. It's nobody's turn. There's nobody in line.
Republicans form a line. Democrats fall in love when they pick nominees. That is sort of the difference between the two parties. The Democrats are emotionally glandular. Republicans are rather conventional and promote from within. And there really isn't anybody who has emerged yet.
JIM LEHRER: Byron, is there a feeling among Republicans, potential candidates, and the people who might support some of these candidates that Barack Obama is vulnerable, that he can be had in 2012?
BYRON YORK: You know, it's — it's — there's two ways of thinking about this.
A number of Republicans seem to be scared of the president, even though his approval rating is in the high 40s right now. And then others are saying, look, think back to 1992. George H.W. Bush had an approval rating about 90 percent. He was invincible. All of the really smart guys, like Al Gore and Mario Cuomo, decided not to run. And the prize went to the man who took the risk, ran, and Bill Clinton became president.
So, I think there are a number of Republicans that are saying this is a good time to run; let's don't wait four more years.
JIM LEHRER: What is your reading on Obama now? I know it's early, to put it mildly.
MARK SHIELDS: Yes. Well, but the problem is that, because our elections are in years divisible by four, the decision to run can be made no later than the winter of the year before.
And Byron is absolutely right about George Herbert Walker Bush. Ronald Reagan in 1983 at this point was at 35 percent approval. So everybody and his brother got in, I mean, John Glenn, and Reubin Askew, and Fritz Hollings, and Gary Hart, and Fritz Mondale, Jesse Jackson. They all ran because they knew he was going to be vulnerable.
By November of 1984, he was at 60 percent approval, and he carried 49 states. I mean, you make the decision now. And I think the decision they are looking at — Mike Huckabee had an interesting thing to say. I talked to him a couple of weeks ago.
And he said, look — he said, Barack Obama is not going have a Hillary this time. And he's already said — they have put out word, the Obama campaign, which seems to have taken full form — that they are going to raise a billion dollars.
So, he said, you go through this long, costly, bloody battle, and you win the nomination, David said, that could be extended into April or May. And in May of 2012, you say, you're facing an incumbent president with a billion dollars in his kicker and all the advantages of incumbency.
But what that overlooks is that, given the news of today and the unrest in the Middle East, the absolute unrest, I mean, we could be looking at gasoline at $2 — $200 a barrel and $6 a gallon. And if that is the case, Jim, if you're a library board trustee in Kankakee, as an incumbent, you will not be reelected in 2012.
JIM LEHRER: Well, let's talk about President Obama now, and particularly the Middle East and particularly Libya.
He is catching heat from Republicans, as well as Democrats, about how he has handled this. Does he deserve to catch some heat?
BYRON YORK: I think you have to grade him on two different scales.
On what is actually going on in Libya, the goal was to establish a no-fly zone and to protect civilians. They've certainly established a no-fly zone. They have mostly protected civilians, not certainly entirely. So, I think they get high grades on that.
But the domestic end of it, dealing with Congress, consulting with Congress, he was really too little, too late. He's now saying he had a conference call today with a number of congressional leaders. He is going to consult more. But they are saying, well, you should have told us beforehand, and it was — he told them really hours before the action began.
And the other, the most important thing, in my opinion, is talking to the American people and explaining to them why you have taken, undertaken this rather major military action. He didn't really do it. He still hasn't do it — hasn't done it.
JIM LEHRER: I just have been told, the wires have moved, the fact that the president is going to address the nation on Monday night.
So, he must have heard you what said, Byron.
BYRON YORK: That's news, because Jay Carney today said it would be very soon, and it wouldn't be over the weekend.
JIM LEHRER: Yes.
BYRON YORK: So, there has — pressure has been increasing, because it is traditional for a president, in a national address forum, to tell the nation what he is doing, why he is doing it, and how long he expects it to last.
JIM LEHRER: Is the problem the process, as Byron just outlined, or is it what he is, in fact, doing, what — in other words, the Libyan action itself is giving people problems, or that he didn't consult or he didn't talk to the people right and all that stuff?
MARK SHIELDS: We really don't know, because we're not sure what the mission is. And that's the president's responsibility is to lay out what the mission exactly is, what it entails, what our commitment is, what the exit strategy is, how we will know the success.
And the confusion for the failure to make this case to the public, which now we're told is going to happen on Monday night, all we have is sort of fragmentary reports. I mean, we have — the form has been quite good. I mean, the consultation — he ran in 2008 as the anti-George Bush.
Where Bush was accused of being impulsive and the decider and unilateral, he was multilateral, he was going to consult, he was going to seek consensus, not have military as the first option. And, certainly, that appears to be the case.
But, Jim, just like the bank bailout, just like the stimulus package, and to some degree like the health-care plan, the argument for Libya is, things would have been worse if we hadn't done what we did. And, you know, that's a tough argument to make to people, because there really isn't any evidence to the other side. You want to take it on faith that that is the case.
And I think you can make certainly a case in the bank bailout or TARP that — and certainly the auto bailout, that things were better than they would have been. But it — still, it's not the same as, now I understand where they are. This is not the Powell doctrine being met and defined.
JIM LEHRER: But is it not fair to say, Byron, that President Obama has done this intentionally? It may not work for him in the long run, but he wants to low-key this.
BYRON YORK: He did.
JIM LEHRER: This is not an American operation. We're only going to do this a few days. Then we're going to turn it over to somebody else. And he probably doesn't even want to address the nation, hadn't planned to address the nation on this.
BYRON YORK: But, you know, turning it over to somebody else is not an exit strategy. And the president did suggest that the exit strategy would come in the next few days.
And it's just turning over American forces to the control of other nations or multinational organizations, which may not make every American happy. The president and the White House has used a number of euphemisms for what is going on. They won't call it a war. The deputy national security adviser actually called it a kinetic military action.
JIM LEHRER: What in the world is that?
BYRON YORK: Kinetic is a word that is used at the Pentagon a lot to differentiate things like shooting people and dropping bombs on them, very kinetic, and cyber-warfare and other things that do not involve physical action. So, that is the kinetic lesson.
BYRON YORK: So, it is just unclear. The president — the question that John Boehner asked the president on Wednesday in a letter, which is, "If Moammar Gadhafi stays in power after this is over, is that an acceptable result?" I think that cuts to the heart of what's going on here.
JIM LEHRER: Do you agree that that is the heart of what — what is in people's minds right now?
MARK SHIELDS: I think, Jim, I'm not sure that's in people's minds right now.
I would say that the president and the administration recognize that the American public has no appetite for another war. And so they decided to treat it seriously but to downplay it. That is why there was no war mentioned. And that is why we went ahead with the trip — he went ahead with the trip to Chile and El Salvador and Brazil.
But what it has done is it has left in its wake this confusion and this misunderstanding.
JIM LEHRER: But there is — you believe there is confusion?
MARK SHIELDS: I really do. I mean, I really do.
I think this is a — there is absolutely — I mean, Colin Powell — granted, the major blot on his career, as he acknowledged, was 2003 at the United Nations, when he failed in his responsibility, he felt, as secretary of state, going to war in Iraq in the first place — but he laid out, it has to be, A., first of all, in the vital national interests of the United States.
Two, there has to be a clear understanding and support of what the mission is, both internationally, which seems to be more the case, and as well as domestically. And, three, there must be overwhelming use of force. And, four, there must be an established and an understandable exit strategy, so you know what it is.
So, there is — there is no way to measure is it, in fact, protecting the civilian population of Libya that we have to remove Gadhafi? I mean, the president said, Gadhafi's time is up. He has got to.
I don't know what that means.
JIM LEHRER: Yes. But we're not going to take him out. Yes.
Even just listening to the conversation that Jeff ran on Syria at the beginning of the program, you know, that has all — well, wait a minute, it has — they are talking about the same things. There's — people are being killed. And the government is shooting civilians. Does that fit the criteria? You all are arguing, we don't know what the criteria is.
BYRON YORK: Well, Mark hit the key thing. Can you convince the American people that it is in the vital national security interests of the United States? And I don't think you are ever going to convince everybody, or even — perhaps even a majority, that this particular action is.
And the bigger question that you bring up is that there are lots of places where bad things are going on. There are lots of places where civilians are in great danger. Are we going to put no-fly zones over them? Are we going to intervene in those places? And this is something we might want to hear from the president on Monday.
JIM LEHRER: Do you think the president, with all the problems that Speaker Boehner has raised, and what the polls have showed, and what you all have said and a lot of people have said, that he can, in fact, get on top of this now with his speech on Monday? Or is it all dependent on what happens on the ground?
BYRON YORK: I think, first of all, the no-fly zone we established, it's running quite well, because Gadhafi doesn't have any airplanes that work.
We are now attacking Libyan forces, pro-Gadhafi forces, from the air. We're doing it pretty aggressively. Even with today's precision-guided munitions, there are going to be civilian casualties at some point if this campaign continues. That is going to cause anger in the Arab world. And that can lead to a very difficult situation for the president.
JIM LEHRER: There's — he is in trouble, no matter what?
MARK SHIELDS: Well, I think it is…
JIM LEHRER: A few seconds.
MARK SHIELDS: I think — yes — I think it is difficult, Jim.
I mean, if Gadhafi were to leave next week and go to Venezuela, you know, that may very well be the solution. But we don't know who we are for. We know who we are against. We don't know how hard we are against him.
JIM LEHRER: Well, I'm for both of you. And thank you both very much.
MARK SHIELDS: Thank you.
JIM LEHRER: And good to see you again, Byron.
BYRON YORK: Great to be here.


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Vreeman caps Division I volleyball career at Denver
Kresson Vreeman's volleyball career for the Denver Pioneers came to a close last Thursday, leaving her seventh on the all-time assist list with 2,827 despite missing most of her sophomore season with an injured ankle.
"There were moments where if felt like the seasons dragged on," she said by telephone on Monday night. "But looking back, it flew by. It still hasn't hit me that it's over."
Vreeman was a standout setter in high school for Central Minnesota Christian, earning All-Area status three times before graduating in 2007. She finished with 2,373 assists in her prep career, seventh on the all-time area list.
After a solid freshman season (938 assists, 219 digs) for Denver (22-11), a Division I team that plays in the Sun Belt Conference, Vreeman injured her ankle and missed all but two matches as a sophomore.
"I had a high ankle sprain," he said. "I landed on our other setter's foot. They told me it was the worst sprain they had seen in a long time, It just never healed all season. It was hard sitting, especially because they had such a good season (25-7). I wanted to be a part of it."
Vreeman returned to the Pioneers' lineup as a junior and chalked up 1,078 assists, 240 digs, 74 kills and 57 blocks as the team posted a 20-23 season.
This season, Denver finished a disappointing 14-18, including an 8-8 mark in the Sun Belt Conference.
"I really enjoyed this last season despite not having a good record," said Vreeman, who finished with 807 assists, 174 kills, 218 digs and 64 blocks. "We were really inexperienced so it was such a roller coaster. But we all got along well and had a lot of fun."
One of the reasons Vreeman enjoyed it was that it was the first time she was able to play a match in her home state. The Pioneers opened the season playing the Minnesota Gophers in Minneapolis, losing in three sets.
"We hosted the Gophers my junior year," she said. "That was a lot of fun. But it was special playing in Minnesota. My family was there and Traci (Grussing), my high school coach and the players on the CMCS team were there. And I got to play against a lot of players I was on a club team with when I was in high school."
Vreeman is eyeing a future as a high school English teacher and may get into coaching if the right opportunity presents itself.
"If something opens up in Denver, I would have to consider it," she said. "I love it here. The mountains are beautiful. And we get like 300 days of sunshine here. The weather is bi-polar, though. It can be sixty five degrees and sunny in the morning and be snowing two hours later."
Just like her career. One minute it seems like it just began ... the next minute it's over.


text: I recently setup a new Google account and a Google Voice number to use with my home phone line so I can use Google Voice caller blocking and spam filtering for my home phone. This works as expected. To keep things simple (avoiding setting up multiple Google accounts on my phone and any related changes to Google Voice on my phone), I have Voicemail for this Google Voice number sent to the account's gmail address (which forwards to my gmail address). Messages are delivered as expected, with transcription, and a link to "play message". Tapping the "play message" link opens the browser and begins downloading a file "voicemail.mp3". When I'm using Mobile Data on Straight Talk (with AT&T SIM) the download gets stuck at 0% (yes, zero). As soon as I go on Wifi, the download completes without issue. Is there a way to make these downloads work over Mobile Data? Is there some other setup I could use that would avoid this issue?


text:
Blotter: Aug. 01, 2009
'Psycho' sign nets ticket
• A northeast Grand Junction woman decided one word would speak louder than violent actions Thursday when she parked her car in front of a neighbor's house with "Psycho" written in parchment paper on the side of her vehicle.
Grand Junction police said they cited Wini Stevenson, 53, for disorderly conduct after she parked her car in front of a neighbor's home to protest the neighbor complaining to their homeowner's association about a block party.
According to the Grand Junction Police Department:
• Burglars damaged a sprinkler unit Wednesday night before or after stealing less than $500 worth of property from a residence in north Grand Junction.
• A vehicle was stolen from 480 28 1/2 Road on Thursday.
•A credit card was used without authorization to buy items Thursday at 2460 F Road.
According to the Mesa County Sheriff's Department:
• A Clifton woman delivered a lost credit card to deputies on Friday. Contact information for the owner is unknown.
• Search and rescue team members, Grand Junction firefighters and Bureau of Land Management fire patrol crew members assisted a 58-year-old man who became ill while hiking Thursday on the Bangs Canyon Trail.
• A Clifton man told deputies Thursday a "bald-headed guy" threatened him and told him to leave his property. Witnesses told deputies the complainant was told to leave the property after speaking loudly, using foul language and walking over to the other man's apartment. Deputies reported the incident as intoxication.


text:
HONG KONG: Asian markets rose on Thursday, with dealers looking ahead to an upcoming G20 meeting, while Hong Kong enjoyed healthy gains as dealers returned from a long break.
Tokyo shares climbed as the yen retreated again after posting strong gains on Wednesday, while there was little reaction to news Japan was stuck in recession as its economy shrunk for a third straight quarter in October-December.
Hong Kong, which was closed from Monday to Wednesday for Chinese New Year, added 0.85 per cent, or 198.09 points, to end at 23,413.25 as investors caught up with a regional advance over the same period.
Tokyo was up 0.50 per cent, or 55.87 points, higher at 11,307.28, while Sydney gained 0.66 per cent, or 33.2 points, to 5,036.9, its highest since September 2008. Seoul was up 0.18 per cent, or 3.54 points, to close at 1,979.61.
Shanghai and Taipei are closed for public holidays.
Eyes are now on Moscow, where the world's 20 major economies will meet on Friday with concerns emerging of a possible global war in which nations weaken their currencies in order to boost exports.
"It will be one of the most important (G20 meetings) for quite some time in terms of markets," said Sean Callow, senior currency strategist at Westpac Institutional Bank in Sydney.
"The risk for currencies is whether there are strong comments from some of the many officials, with their different viewpoints," he told Dow Jones Newswires.
Talk has centered on Japan's recent drive to pump more cash into the markets to kick-start the economy and inflation, which has in turn sent the yen tumbling.
A statement from the Group of Seven (G7) top industrialised nations this week was said to have put a shot across Tokyo's bows, saying it supported market-driven moves in forex markets, sending the yen higher on Wednesday.
However, the unit on Thursday resumed its downward trend that began in November as dealers bet on aggressive monetary easing by the Bank of Japan.
In the afternoon the dollar bought 93.67 yen, compared with 93.46 yen in New York late on Wednesday, while the euro fetched 125.88 yen, from 125.70 yen.
That compared with 92.85 yen to the dollar and 124.85 yen to the euro in Asia earlier Wednesday.
The euro also sat at $1.3440 against $1.3450.
Tokyo released data showing the economy contracted 0.1 per cent in October-December from the previous quarter, and expanded just 1.9 per cent in 2012 from the previous year, when Japan was hit by the quake-tsunami disaster.
The BoJ later wrapped up a two-day policy meeting, holding off announcing any new announcements after last month adopting inflation target of two per cent and unveiling fresh easing measures.
However, it gave an upbeat assessment of the economy, saying it appeared to have stopped weakening, adding: "Exports continue to decrease, but the pace of decrease has been moderating".
There were also signs of a pick-up in overseas markets. "Japan's economy is expected to level off more or less for the time being, and thereafter, it will return to a moderate recovery path," it said.
Oil prices rose, with New York's main contract, light sweet crude for delivery in March up 12 cents to $97.13 a barrel and Brent North Sea crude for April gaining 10 cents to $117.98.
Gold was at $1,645.10 by 0810 GMT, compared with $1,647.77 late Wednesday. In other markets:
-- Manila slipped 0.22 per cent, or 14.58 points, to close at 6,513.41. Philippine Long Distance Telephone Co. dropped 0.69 per cent to 2,860 pesos and Semirara Mining Group fell 7.9 per cent to 237.20 pesos.
-- Wellington ended 0.42 per cent, or 17,80 points, higher at 4,239.20.


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hypokalemic periodic paralysis
Hypokalemic periodic paralysis is a condition that causes episodes of extreme muscle weakness typically beginning in childhood or adolescence. Most often, these episodes involve a temporary inability to move muscles in the arms and legs. Attacks cause severe weakness or paralysis that usually lasts from hours to days. Some people may have episodes almost every day, while others experience them weekly, monthly, or only rarely. Attacks can occur without warning or can be triggered by factors such as rest after exercise, a viral illness, or certain medications. Often, a large, carbohydrate-rich meal or vigorous exercise in the evening can trigger an attack upon waking the following morning. Although affected individuals usually regain their muscle strength between attacks, repeated episodes can lead to persistent muscle weakness later in life.
People with hypokalemic periodic paralysis have reduced levels of potassium in their blood (hypokalemia) during episodes of muscle weakness. Researchers are investigating how low potassium levels may be related to the muscle abnormalities in this condition.
Although its exact prevalence is unknown, hypokalemic periodic paralysis is estimated to affect 1 in 100,000 people. Men tend to experience symptoms of this condition more often than women.
Mutations in the CACNA1S and SCN4A genes cause hypokalemic periodic paralysis.
The CACNA1S and SCN4A genes provide instructions for making proteins that play an essential role in muscles used for movement (skeletal muscles). For the body to move normally, these muscles must tense (contract) and relax in a coordinated way. Muscle contractions are triggered by the flow of certain positively charged atoms (ions) into muscle cells. The CACNA1S and SCN4A proteins form channels that control the flow of these ions. The channel formed by the CACNA1S protein transports calcium ions into cells, while the channel formed by the SCN4A protein transports sodium ions.
Mutations in the CACNA1S or SCN4A gene alter the usual structure and function of calcium or sodium channels. The altered channels cannot properly regulate the flow of ions into muscle cells, which reduces the ability of skeletal muscles to contract. Because muscle contraction is needed for movement, a disruption in normal ion transport leads to episodes of severe muscle weakness or paralysis.
A small percentage of people with the characteristic features of hypokalemic periodic paralysis do not have identified mutations in the CACNA1S or SCN4A gene. In these cases, the cause of the condition is unknown.
This condition is inherited in an autosomal dominant pattern, which means one copy of the altered gene in each cell is sufficient to cause the disorder.
- Familial Hypokalemic Periodic Paralysis
- HypoKPP
- HypoPP
- Primary Hypokalemic Periodic Paralysis
- Westphall disease
- Cleveland Clinic Health Information Center
- Disease InfoSearch: Hypokalemic periodic paralysis
- Disease InfoSearch: Hypokalemic periodic paralysis, type 2
- MalaCards: hypokalemic periodic paralysis type 1
- MalaCards: hypokalemic periodic paralysis type 2
- Merck Manual Consumer Version
- Neuromuscular Disease Center, Washington University
- Orphanet: Hypokalemic periodic paralysis
- Cannon SC. An expanding view for the molecular basis of familial periodic paralysis. Neuromuscul Disord. 2002 Aug;12(6):533-43. Review.
- Fouad G, Dalakas M, Servidei S, Mendell JR, Van den Bergh P, Angelini C, Alderson K, Griggs RC, Tawil R, Gregg R, Hogan K, Powers PA, Weinberg N, Malonee W, Ptácek LJ. Genotype-phenotype correlations of DHP receptor alpha 1-subunit gene mutations causing hypokalemic periodic paralysis. Neuromuscul Disord. 1997 Jan;7(1):33-8.
- GeneReview: Hypokalemic Periodic Paralysis
- Jurkat-Rott K, Lehmann-Horn F. Paroxysmal muscle weakness: the familial periodic paralyses. J Neurol. 2006 Nov;253(11):1391-8. Epub 2006 Nov 30. Review.
- Lehmann-Horn F, Jurkat-Rott K, Rüdel R. Periodic paralysis: understanding channelopathies. Curr Neurol Neurosci Rep. 2002 Jan;2(1):61-9. Review.
- Miller TM, Dias da Silva MR, Miller HA, Kwiecinski H, Mendell JR, Tawil R, McManis P, Griggs RC, Angelini C, Servidei S, Petajan J, Dalakas MC, Ranum LP, Fu YH, Ptácek LJ. Correlating phenotype and genotype in the periodic paralyses. Neurology. 2004 Nov 9;63(9):1647-55.
- Venance SL, Cannon SC, Fialho D, Fontaine B, Hanna MG, Ptacek LJ, Tristani-Firouzi M, Tawil R, Griggs RC; CINCH investigators. The primary periodic paralyses: diagnosis, pathogenesis and treatment. Brain. 2006 Jan;129(Pt 1):8-17. Epub 2005 Sep 29. Review.


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Tell us about your painting & staining project! We'll match you with the best painting & staining contractors right away.
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Top Interior Painting (1-2 rooms) Pros in North Chelmsford, Massachusetts
residential interior/exterior painter Edwin Troche(1)76 Hazel St, Fitchburg, MA
here is a small Discretion of my Business of residential interior/exterior painting . new painting business in fitchburg ma home owns with this business you get what you need done right and with no complains at the end of your paint project we are here to help you succeed in your interior/exterior painting project. this painting business was establish in 2012 and this is how i have fed my family for several years by me building this painting business i have successful help people out so they succeed as well.Read MoreSee Full Profile
Chris Mullin(1)14 Perkins Court, Haverhill, MA
C&J Brothers was established in 2013. Chris (the owner) has 18 years experience in the trades we advertise in. We offer warranties for all projects as well make sure you are satisfied with your completed project.Read MoreSee Full Profile
A.K. PaintingNo Reviews4 HallMark Gardens apt#7, Burlington, MA
Serving the best quality for the neighborhood over 35 years! A fresh coat of paint brings your home alive!!! If you plan to sell your property soon, or just keep up the good appearance and maintenance, my team is ready to go up the ladder and do what we do best, bring a new life to your home through color. With A.K. Painting you will be satisfied and you will have your house painted for less then you think!Read MoreSee Full Profile
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We are a company with the objective of providing general services in the construction area, remodeling and maintenance, giving a service of quality in every work we realizeRead MoreSee Full Profile
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residential interior/exterior painter Edwin Troche(1)
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WOBURN, Mass., Feb. 8, 2011 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Bridgeline Digital, Inc. (Nasdaq:BLIN), a developer of an award-winning web engagement management product suite and interactive technology solutions announced today that financial results for its First Quarter of Fiscal 2011 (period ending December 31, 2010) will be released on February 14, 2011 at approximately 4:00 p.m. (Eastern Standard Time). On February 14, 2011, Thomas Massie, the Company's Chief Executive Officer and Michael Prinn, the Company's Chief Accounting Officer, plan to host a live conference call at 4:30 p.m. (Eastern Standard Time) to discuss the financial results. To listen to the conference call please dial (877) 303-9135 a few minutes prior to the scheduled start time (international callers please dial (760) 536-5188). About Bridgeline Digital, Inc Bridgeline Digital is a developer of an award-winning web engagement management product suite and award-winning interactive business technology solutions that help customers leverage best in class web-based technologies to achieve their business objectives. The iAPPS Product Suite is an innovative SaaS solution that unifies Content Management, e-Commerce, e-Marketing, and Analytics capabilities into the heart of websites, online stores, intranets, extranets, and portals - enabling business users to swiftly enhance and optimize the value of their web properties. The iAPPS Product Suite has been recognized by KMWorld Magazine as a Trend Setting Product of 2010. iAPPS Content Manager is the 2010 CODiE Award Winner for Best Content Management Solution, globally. Combined with award-winning interactive technology development services by Microsoft Gold-Certified development teams, Bridgeline Digital helps customers to cost-effectively maximize the value of their rapidly changing web applications. Bridgeline's teams of developers specialize in web application development, e-commerce development, usability engineering, SharePoint development, rich media development, and search engine optimization. Bridgeline Digital is headquartered near Boston, with additional locations in Atlanta, Baltimore, Chicago, Denver, New York, Philadelphia, Washington, D.C., and Bangalore, India. Bridgeline Digital has hundreds of customers ranging from middle market organizations to divisions within Fortune 1,000 companies that include: Sun Chemical, Honeywell, Healthcore, LG Electronics, Marriott International, Berkshire Life, PODS, Budget Rental Car, AARP, National Financial Partners, The Packard Foundation, DTCC, Cadaret, and Grant.
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Teenage motorists are four times more likely to be killed in car wrecks than any other age group. Many car accident attorneys in Houston actually deal with cases involving teen driving deaths and injuries far too often. Teenagers are much more likely to ignore basic safety rules concerning speeding or seat belts. In fact, over 50 percent of all teenagers killed in car accidents did not wear seat belts. Before getting into the car, teens should always remember the fatal five major mistakes teens tend to make:
- Failing to yield
- Not adjusting to weather or darkness
- Tailgating
- Speeding and seat belt policies
- Driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs
It is widely known that males, especially between the ages 16 to 20, are more likely to engage in reckless driving behavior, such as speeding, ignoring other safety rules and driving under the influence. Among teenage drivers, 25 percent of fatally injured male drivers involved in teen drunk driving wrecks had blood alcohol concentration levels at or above .08 percent. However, research shows that 16-year-old girls are just as likely to be involved in fatal crashes as 16-year-old boys. Parents are letting their daughters drive much more often today, so this puts girls at risk as well.
It has been proven that teenage drivers are much more likely to cause car wrecks when their passengers are teenagers too. Teens feel the pressure to perform well while driving their car in front of friends. Driving under any kind of pressure increases the likelihood of getting involved in an accident. Teen motorists also tend to use the time in the car to chat, laugh, and make phone calls together or have lunch while driving. This typical teenage behavior distracts teens behind the wheel. It is an unfortunate reality that your teenage driver is likely to be involved in an accident.
The best thing to do after seeking medical help if he or she is injured, is to call on one of the many car accident attorneys Houston so that you can be sure to receive proper compensation from your insurance, or compensation from your car's manufacturer if the car design played a contributing factor in the accident.


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Lorton Sub Shop explosion: Search warrants shed new light on investigation
Newly released warrants are shedding new light into the investigation of a firebombing at a sandwich shop in Lorton. They are also casting a shadow on the man burned in the fire.
"Am I angry. No, I'm not angry 'cause then that's a negative statement I'm carrying around, and I'm not angry," said Lawrence Resse, the owner of the Lorton Sub Shop.
Reese suffered third and fourth degree burns from an explosion at the business last month. He is slowly moving forward from the incident.
"I just feel happy that I'm up," he added.
But a search warrant in Fairfax County raises questions about what exactly happened on Feb. 6.
After speaking with Reese and the suspect, 25-year-old Horace Thompson, investigators claim statements from both are inconsistent with preliminary findings in the investigation.
"That's up to them for what they think they hear. I've never made any changes to what I've said," Reese continued.
He says he was unloading supplies from his trunk when Thompson, his son's friend, slipped into the store and into the bathroom. Thompson told Reese he lit a cigar in the bathroom and ignited nearby cleaning chemicals when he was trying to put it out, which caused the explosion.
"A freak accident, very much. To my knowledge, a freak accident," Reese said. "Nothing in the world can make you say that person did anything intentionally to you at all when you know the person."
In fact, Reese says Thompson saved him from the fire.
"He dragged me right to that door. I know it too," he explained.
The warrant also details how a week after the incident, an investigator noticed a Chevy van in the parking lot of the sub shop with two gas tanks inside. The van was subsequently impounded.
Authorities believe the gas tanks were connected to the explosion - another claim Reese says is not true.
Thompson remains in custody in Fairfax County. His next court hearing is scheduled for May 8.


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By Brian Ives
Want to sing all the harmonies of "The Lion Sleeps Tonight" with Billy Joel? Well, there's an app for that.
Last night (March 20) on The Tonight Show, host Jimmy Fallon welcomed Joel to his couch and blew his mind with a new app called Loopy that allowed them to record every part of the classic children's song with the press of a button.
Related: Billy Joel Announces 2014 National Tour Dates
With a little help from Fallon's iPad, the looping app and The Roots, the two formed their own doo-wop group. And their wimoweh's weren't half bad either.
Joel even helped Fallon remember the words when he went blank. Of course, the Piano Man understands what it's like to forget the lyrics to a song, even his own. He had a little trouble with "We Didn't Start the Fire" recently at a stop at Toronto's Air Canada Centre. After the slip–up, Joel even told the audience "It's one of the worst melodies I ever wrote!"
Indeed, Joel often seems bored with his own music, and has released very few new songs since his 1993 album The River Of Dreams. Last night, however, his joy at singing this standard in a new way was palpable. And fans have enjoyed the performance as well.
At press time, the clip had been viewed over 100,000 times on YouTube.


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Jazzie's review of Skinceuticals SkinCeuticals - Clarifying Clay Mask
56 reviews
78% would repurchase
Package Quality: 3.6
Price: $$$
Package Quality: 3.6
Price: $$$
INGREDIENTSWater, kaolin, aloe barbadensis gel, bentonite, glycerin, titanium dioxide, mixed fruit extract, chamomile extract, comfrey extract, cetearyl alcohol/ceteareth-20, caprylic/capric triglycerides, dimethicone, methylparaben, propylparaben, imidazolidinyl urea 5/27/09
Age: Unknown
Skin: Acne-prone, Fair-Medium, Not Sure
Hair: Brown, Other, Other
Eyes: Green
This was a nice basic clay mask. That was a bit over-drying so may be more suited to oily skintypes. But it was okay. It does dry & flake quite a bit & I hate that it comes in a pot instead of a hygienic tube. I ended up giving it away to my friend who is really liking it. I prefer LP's mask to this one, as it doesn't dry out my skin, doesn't flake & comes in a tube.
Read all 56 reviews of SkinCeuticals - Clarifying Clay Mask
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Unfortunately for growers and consumers, Michigan has an apple crop that will sell itself in 2012.
With a crop forecasted by the U.S. Department of Agriculture at just 2.5 million (42-pound) bushels, 2012 apple output in Michigan is down 89% from the 2011 and 87% from the five-year average. That will leave a lot of buyers and consumers coming up empty in their searches for Michigan apples.
While the U.S. Apple Association estimate put out a forecast in mid-August of 3.5 million bushels for the state, shippers will offer only light supplies of fresh apples from the state.
Gala harvest was expected to begin around Labor Day, industry leaders said in August.
"We never would have dreamed, with as many trees in Michigan that we have, that we could grow so few apples, but we did," said Scott Swindeman, vice president and sales manager of Deerfield, Mich.-based Applewood Orchards Inc.
Don Armock, president of Sparta-based Riveridge Produce Marketing Inc., said some orchards were not economical to spray and thus could yield little or no fruit. Armock said the firm has one producing area with about 8% of a crop and will be harvested, while another operation has just 4% of a crop and won't be harvested.
Armock said that Riveridge expects to be done selling fruit by about Nov. 1.
"We don't plan on opening up," said Barry Winkel, general manager of Greg Orchards & Produce Inc., Benton Harbor, Mich.
He said the company's orchards in southwest Michigan growing area — about an hour and a half south of Grand Rapids area — have virtually no fruit.
Mike Rothwell, president and general manager of BelleHarvest Sales Inc., Belding, Mich., said his company expects to harvest about 11% of 2011 crop year volume.
"We are probably going to run sometime into November, but I don't know how far," Rothwell said.
A few doing better
Applewood Orchards is one of the few operations with a significant crop in the state. Swindeman said the firm sources apples in the southeast Michigan. Applewood Orchards last year merged its marketing efforts with Michigan Fresh Marketing LLC, Belding, and sells under the company name of AllFresh GPS LLC, Swindeman said.
"We feel we have about 75% of a crop on our own farms," Swindeman said. He said he expects the firm to offer fruit into January or February — still about five or six months sooner than the firm would like to be done — but longer than anyone else in the state.
"We just didn't get the severe low temperatures as the west side of the state," he said.
Swindeman said frost protection equipment also played an important role in preserving the crop.
"Without frost protection, we would have gotten fried," he said.
Dan Heeren, vice president of Michigan Fresh Marketing LLC, Belding, said some orchards in his area may harvest a crop close to 20% of normal.
He said the firm expects to put some apples into controlled-atmosphere storage and extend marketing of fresh apples until the first of the year, he said.
Market strength
Swindeman said he expects that bags of fruit will open in the $32-34 per carton range, with tray pack fruit in the $40-44 per carton range. Consumers will likely see 3-pound bags of apples priced near $4.99 per bag range, Swindeman said.
Holding substantial amounts of apples this season has put him in contact with many retailers looking for fruit, he said.
The short crop put early supplies of gingergolds and paulareds in the $28-30 per carton range as of Aug. 23.
Retailers used to handling Michigan apples won't have the volume or mix of fruit they are accustomed to, but they will have some fruit, he said. "We are going to have little bit of all varieties, and some won't go very far at all," he said.
Honeycrisp is one variety that will be extremely tight, he said.
Varieties that have fared better than average include galas, golden delicious and jonathans, Rothwell said.
Annette Bjorge, owner of Fruit Acres Farms and Farm Market, Coloma, Mich., said her operation only expects to have fruit until late October from the short 10% of normal crop. The company's farm market also plans to look to other apple suppliers in Michigan and Ohio to help make up for local supply, she said.