Stasher1

If you're looking for an e-reader - Kindle, hands down. Amazon is a solid company with excellent customer service, the Kindle Storefront is easy to use, and most libraries offer Kindle versions of books for download. If you're looking for an all-around, do everything, 7" tablet - Nexus 7. The display is so much sharper than the Ipad mini, it's easier to load games/music since your computer sees it as an external drive (drag and drop, no screwing with around Itunes), and it starts/loads quicker than the Ipad. It's Android=based, so apps and games are easy to find, it's also a good bit cheaper than the Ipad mini. We have one of each here, and the Nexus seems to be the one that's constantly in use.

To me, the "best" UL rod depends what kind of lures you're planning on using and what kind of fish you're after. For most panfish, sensitivity isn't an issue, so I usually opt for a L or UL rod (fiberglass, if I can find it) with moderate/parabolic action. The whippy-ness of the rod helps me make longer casts with super light baits, and the parabolic action makes even the tiniest fish feel like I've hooked into Shamu.

This sounds about right to me, too. I have a little Shimano Cardiff 100a that does fairly well with light lures, if you feel like shelling out a little more money. I think mine was about $85 shipped from an Ebay dealer.

I think I need to convinvce the wife to celebrate Xmas on the 20th this year...just in case. I'd hate to think I wasted my money on gifts that won't ever get unwrapped.

It sucks that it had to end, but it's definitely better to figure this stuff out now than 10 years and two kids later.

It doesn't have anything to do with the state, it's something the bank can insist on since it's their car until you make the final payment. Why do you think they require full-coverage insurance on a financed car? I'll give you a hint - it's not to protect you or your investment in the vehicle.

Something else to consider...if the car is (as the OP says) only a year old, and is being financed, the OP doesn't actually own the car, the bank does. As such, they typically need to "sign off" on bodywork to ensure that the damage is repaired properly. The last time I dealt with this, the bank demanded that the insurance company make the check out to them AND the bodyshop. I had to drive the car from the bodyshop to the bank for inspection. If the repairs didn't meet their expectations, they wouldn't sign the check. Also, regardless who offered to cover the cost of repairs, an accident report should've been filed. If the parents of the OP's girlfriend decide not to pay, he now has no proof that the brother damaged his car and would have a very difficult, if not impossible, time getting a judgement against the brother in small claims court. It'll be the OP's word against the brother's.

Bingo.

I managed a pizza joint in the early 90's, and on occasion we'd contact some of the other local restaurants and try to work out trades. I can only eat pizza for so long before getting sick of it.

Not just membership, but contract and type of union. Labor unions operate quite differently than trade unions, and the two should not be compared 1:1. In labor unions, members and elected representatives are not allowed to "police" the workforce and make sure everyone is pulling their weight. That is seen as a management role, and all in-unit bargaining personnel are barred from holding management positions. Trade union contracts and by-laws generally lack these restrictions, and it is typically seen as part of the elected representatives' duties to make sure everyone is pulling their weight.

I've been using their gun oil for years. I'd have no problem using their reel oil.

I owned the 30-series Arbor when they first hit the market, and it was a decent little reel...but definitely not what I'd consider a large spool reel. There was very very little difference in diameter between the Arbor's spool and the spool of the Shimano Symetre 2500 I owned at the time.

X2 I have a bunch of Clint's westerns on DVD (everything except "Paint Your Wagon"), yet I still watch them every time they come on TV.

I've never seen a 101A, but they do offer a 201A that's not much larger/heavier...and it's still lighter than a 4601. Umm...mine has centrifugal brakes, like the rest of Shimano's lineup.

No disrespect, but this crap makes me want to put this: in here: until the noise stops.

How about something like a Cardiff 100A? Small, light, fairly smooth, with a recessed reel foot so it sits a bit closer to the reel seat than the Abu 4600/4601. I have one setup with a Curado 200E handle on a 7' MH Carbonlite that I use for jigs, heavier soft plastics, and lighter hollow-body frogs. Casts great and feels good in the hand.

X2 It's a surprisingly nice reel for the money.

Had one about 9 yrs ago, and the pain was just unbelievable. The wife was driving me to the hospital, and I made her pull over twice so I could vomit. It took three injections of demerol to take the edge off the pain, but once it kicked in, all was right with the world. I remember laying on the gurney in the hallway waiting for my MRI, wearing nothing but that little gown and my socks, with my knees up in the air exposing myself to whoever might be walking by. I was feeling so good by that time, I didn't care who saw my bits and pieces. I spent the next couple days peeing thru a strainer into a big jug to collect my stone(s). Mine was a combination of sodium and calcium, caused by poor dietary choices (lots of coke and vending machine sandwiches). Overall, it was a hellish experience that I'd only wish on a few people.

Had Ardent done a better job on their baitcasters from the start, their spinning reels would've had a much better chance at success. Unfortunately, Ardent chose to market a line of mediocre baitcasters with less than stellar reliability, at prices comparable to some of the higher-end import reels with proven reliability. Let's face it, we'd all love to get our hands on a quality America-made reel for the same price we've been paying for the Chinese-made stuff...but the quality has to be there. A "Made in America" label will only take you so far. If you want to succeed in a market dominated by imports, it's not enough to be almost as good or as inexpensive as the next guy, you have to be better, cheaper, or both.

I chose the 135gr +P Hornady Critical Duty over the Critical Defense, based on reports of poor penetration and and jacket seperation with the 9mm Crit. Defense.

X2 I anyone here happens to be looking for a great fixed-blade "beater" knife, the Swedish Mora knives are to beat for the price. Not American made, but definitely light years ahead of the Chinese flea market crap you typically see in stores around here. http://www.amazon.com/Mora-Knife-Sweden-Clipper-Carbon/dp/B004NFQD1I I have a couple of them, and keep one in the console of the truck at all times. I hit the blade with a bit of "cold blueing" to help with rust prevention since it's exposed to temp/humidity extremes, and it still looks great after four years.

How do I send a BM to John Francho?

Actually, it wasn't bad at all. The bounce houses are heavy (our lightest one weighed 350lbs), but the kids are always happy to see you, everyone offers you food/cake/beer, we got paid in cash (30% of the total rental fee), and we only worked 2.5 days a week. They were long days (12-18hrs), but alot of that time was spent driving. Also, we could opt not to deliver/setup the inflatable if the customer was a real PITA.