Tuesday, May 21, 2013
Oklahoma Tornado 2013: Storms Tear Across Central U.S.
Officials at two hospitals say they're treating nearly 60 patients, including more than a dozen children, after a massive tornado hit suburban Oklahoma City.
Integris Southwest Medical Center spokeswoman Brooke Cayot said 10 of 37 patients being treated at that facility Monday are listed in critical condition. Twelve are in serious and 15 others are listed in fair or good condition.
Five of the patients are children, including two who came from the Plaza Towers Elementary School, where an Associated Press photographer saw several children being pulled from the rubble. Cayot could not confirm the children's conditions.
Spokesman Scott Coppenbarger says another 20 patients of various ages are being treated at OU Medical Center. He says eight of them are children.
If you or anyone you know has been affected by the tornado in Oklahoma, we want to hear from you about what's happening there. Send your stories, eyewitness accounts, photos, videos, and anything else you want to share. Our Prayers go up for All of you.
Sunday, May 19, 2013
Saturday, May 18, 2013
What is Jello Made of?
Gelatin
Next time that frat guy offers you a Jell-O shot, consider this: Jell-O's main ingredient, as I'm sure it's easy to imagine given the name, is gelatin. But gelatin, for those who don't know, consists of the collagen extracted from an animal's skin and (mostly) bones. So if you've ever been told Jell-O is made of "horse hooves," you're partially correct (though actual hooves are not used in the production process). And also probably partially nauseous.But if you think it's just Jell-O shots you should be avoiding, you're sadly mistaken … you can find gelatin in everything from Gummy Bears to those marshmallow Peeps you get on Easter Sunday. Now perhaps it seems a wee bit less ridiculous when your vegetarian friends turn down the pastel-colored cuties, because (to you're thinking) they're "animals." Uh, well. Yeah, they are actually."
Saturday, May 4, 2013
Conceal Carry For Women
Concealed Carry For Women
Carrying A Concealed Gun
Once you
have made the decision to carry a gun, there is one thing that is not
an option and that is carrying a gun un-holstered. Whether you carry in
your pocket, in a purse or in your belt, your firearm must be holstered
and the trigger covered at all times. Carrying a concealed gun carries
the great responsibility of being safe and trained how to use it.
Concealed
carry for women has some very real challenges to comfortably and safely
carry a concealed gun. Our clothing and our curves cause most of the
challenges to carrying a gun on our person. On the body carrying is
preferred and is the safest and best way for you to carry your gun. It
is on you, within easy reach and the opportunity for someone who you
don't want to get to your gun is extremely limited. Let's start with the
challenges our clothing present for effectively carrying a concealed
gun and then discuss the best options for women to overcome them.
Women
tend to wear more fitting styles and many of the fabrics we love are
thin and sheer. Naturally this can make it difficult to conceal a gun.
Dresses pose an additional set of challenges as the absence of a belt
add to the challenge. Yet, to provide the security we desire, we must
have our gun readily available and accessible to defend ourselves and
yet be hidden from view. Therefore, the gun must be close, accessible
and ready.
The
other key challenge is that most holsters are made for men, with a
woman's curves and physical differences, comfort is compromised with
concealed carry holsters made for a man. A holster made in pink, is not a
guarantee that it was designed for a women's body. The industry has
made some progress in addressing these issues, but finding them is
extremely difficult both online and in gun stores. The Well Armed Woman
has sought out the best options and designed a line of holsters for
women and has made them available.Every woman's lifestyle, needs and of course body's are different and finding holsters that work for you and that are comfortable is an absolute necessity.
Women's Concealed Carry Holster Options
Here are the current options for effective conceal and carry ordered by location on the body:Belt or On The Waist Carry
Belt
carry or on the waist carry, is the preferred and most common form of
concealed carry for women. It is the first and best choice. Although
alternatives are offered here, it is important to know and remember that
alternative methods of carry are just that: alternatives to the
preferred method. The larger
and wider the firearm is, the harder it is to keep concealed. The
heavier it is, the less comfortable it is to carry, a very important
thing to consider when selecting your self defense gun. Not all of these
options require a belt. Some of clips that clip on the waistband
without a belt.
Belt
carry or on the waist carry is the most comfortable on the body form of
concealed carry of a gun for most women. With a properly designed
holster, it also offers a high level of security and easy access to your
gun, should you need it. Belt carry also works with much of women's
clothing styles. Pants of all kinds, skirts, shorts etc. As mentioned
above, most belt holsters are designed for men and one size does not fit
all, especially when curves and wider hips are involved.
The
belt is a key to comfortable and effective on the belt carry. I
recommend you purchase a good sturdy contoured leather belt. These have
the slight U shape when lying flat. The belt must be wide enough to
fully support and distribute the weight of the firearm.
There
are many variations of belt carry and on the waist holsters and your
gun can be belt carried on the outside of the belt or inside.
Outside the belt with clip, belt slots or paddle (OWB Outside The Waist Band)
Carrying
outside the waistband is naturally more comfortable and easier to draw
from than inside the waistband. It also will be cooler in warmer
climates and the gun does not touch your skin. Concealment
outside the waistband requires larger, longer shirts or garments to
effectively hide the gun. In some states it is legal to open carry, in
which you can wear your gun without cover. The concern here is that with
the firearm exposed someone could grab your firearm out of its holster.
A locking holster with a Thumb Break (a strap or mechanism that must be
opened or released to withdraw the firearm) would be necessary to keep
this from happening. Outside the waistband holsters come with clips to clip onto the belt or waistband, with slots for your belt to secure the holster or with a paddle that lays flat on the inside of the pants.
The Annie holster
requires a belt. This holster is specifically designed for a woman's
body. It is model specific so not all models will fit in this holster.
The Magnetic on the waist holster requires no belt and is a great option for slacks and thinner waisted pants and shorts
The Build Your Own
on the waist holster is one that is made specifically for your firearm
and you can choose the leather and thread color to your own taste.
You must wear a jacket, long sweater or vest that you will have on the entire time you are out to carry outside the belt.
Inside the belt with clip (IWB - Inside the Waist Band)
Carrying the firearm with the bulk of the firearm inside the waistband is a very popular form of concealed
carry with women as only the grip or butt needs to be covered and the
firearm is very accessible and easy to draw. Most regular women's shirts
will cover sufficiently and most pants can "stretch" to make the
adjustment necessary to fit the firearm.
The Betty holster is a sleek, low riding in the pants holster made for many firearm models. These have a tuck-able "slot" to tuck your shirt into in-between the clip and the firearm itself.
The Build Your Own in the pants holster is made specifically for your firearm and you can choose the leather and thread color to your own taste.
The
location of where you carry is a personal one. What is comfortable and
easy for you to draw from are the keys. Most common are on the strong
side (the same side as your shooting hand) in the front or towards the
back just off the hip with the handle angled properly
for easy drawing or appendix carry with the gun placed in front,
between your belly button and your hip. There is a tuck-able model that
has a "slot" to tuck your shirt into in-between the clip and the firearm
itself.
This is
practical for women when wearing pants, slacks, or a skirt with strong
waistband or shorts. There are options made in leather, plastic and
nylons.
Other waist area methods are:
Undergarment
Women's Compression Concealment
shorts are a way for women to carry and conceal a handgun when they're
wearing a skirt, slacks, gym shorts, sweat pants, jeans, or dress pants
without a belt. The concealed holster is made from surgical
grade elastic and sewn into a pair of authentic compression shorts and
holds your firearm securely. They feature two holsters offering
ambidextrous concealment and you can also carry spare magazines, or
other important items on the other side.
The sling style Thundewear is made from cotton
and is worn under your garments but over your underwear. The low below
the belly position makes for very good conceal-ability.
Another option is the compression tank top. These "undershirts" have holster pockets on both sides and holds the firearm just under the arm
pit. These are not considered fast draw holsters as depending on the
clothing you are wearing - you will have to get to the firearm to draw
it, this can slow up your draw time considerably.
They are very comfortable and a great option for women to effectively conceal carry in many clothing styles.
Make sure you have read the laws of your state and the permitting requirements prior to carrying your gun in a concealed manner. It is your responsibility to not only understand the concealed carry laws but also understand the seriousness of the responsibility you assume when you choose to concealed carry.As intelligent women, we instinctively know that we need to protect ourselves and that the world we live in, sadly requires us to always be aware of our surroundings and know that there are some very bad people out there that will do us harm. I don't want to dwell on the gruesome, painful realities and statistics of the violent crimes against women, as The Well Armed Women is focused on empowerment. However, in making the decision to concealed carry as a woman it is important to be fully informed. Here are just a few statistics to remind us briefly of the need to protect ourselves, whether our personal plan includes concealed carry of a gun or other methods of self defense.
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