Ball points

[KenK]

If you're buying ball point pens watch out for the dark bright blue Paper
Mates. I bought a package of them when I couldn't find the transparent Bics
I usually buy. When you start writing with one it almost always doesn't
start producing ink on the paper until the first word or two has been
written. Very annoying.

--
You know it's time to clean the refrigerator
when something closes the door from the inside.

[ItsJoan NotJoann]

On Wednesday, September 21, 2016 at 11:27:52 AM UTC-5, KenK wrote:
>
> If you're buying ball point pens watch out for the dark bright blue Paper
> Mates. I bought a package of them when I couldn't find the transparent Bics
> I usually buy. When you start writing with one it almost always doesn't
> start producing ink on the paper until the first word or two has been
> written. Very annoying.
>
>

ANY new ink pen I buy or receive as a gift the first thing I do
when I'm ready to use it is grab a piece of scrap paper. I draw
lots and lots of circles on the paper until the ink begins to flow
smoothly.

[John Weiss]

On 9/21/2016 09:27, KenK wrote:
> If you're buying ball point pens watch out for the dark bright blue Paper
> Mates. I bought a package of them when I couldn't find the transparent Bics
> I usually buy. When you start writing with one it almost always doesn't
> start producing ink on the paper until the first word or two has been
> written. Very annoying.

I've found the Zebra pens to be reliable.

[wilm...@gmail.com]

Some people have difficulty finding food enough for their children. Others suffer indiscriminate bombings. In America we have trouble with ballpoint pens that don't write for a second or two.

[The Real Bev]

On 09/22/2016 11:37 AM, wilm...@gmail.com wrote:
> On Wednesday, September 21, 2016 at 9:27:52 AM UTC-7, KenK wrote:
>> If you're buying ball point pens watch out for the dark bright blue
>> Paper Mates. I bought a package of them when I couldn't find the
>> transparent Bics I usually buy. When you start writing with one it
>> almost always doesn't start producing ink on the paper until the
>> first word or two has been written. Very annoying.

I used to think that the cheap old PaperMates would last forever. They
don't, but I've got some Uniball and Pentel gel pens from 1995 that are
still working and feel really good. Current favorite is a (modern) BIC
VelocityGel which I stole from somebody.

> Some people have difficulty finding food enough for their children.
> Others suffer indiscriminate bombings. In America we have trouble
> with ballpoint pens that don't write for a second or two.

How nice that your only concerns are bombing and famine. I might ask
what you're doing here...

--
Cheers, Bev
Don't you just KNOW that there is more than one
Sierra Club member who is absolutely sure that the
dinosaurs died out because of something humans did?

[Michael Black]

On Thu, 22 Sep 2016, The Real Bev wrote:

> On 09/22/2016 11:37 AM, wilm...@gmail.com wrote:
>> On Wednesday, September 21, 2016 at 9:27:52 AM UTC-7, KenK wrote:
>>> If you're buying ball point pens watch out for the dark bright blue
>>> Paper Mates. I bought a package of them when I couldn't find the
>>> transparent Bics I usually buy. When you start writing with one it
>>> almost always doesn't start producing ink on the paper until the
>>> first word or two has been written. Very annoying.
>
> I used to think that the cheap old PaperMates would last forever. They
> don't, but I've got some Uniball and Pentel gel pens from 1995 that are still
> working and feel really good. Current favorite is a (modern) BIC VelocityGel
> which I stole from somebody.
>

I think I have had some Bic Velocity, they suddenly have a range of pens
and they get names, and I can't remember. I did get a nice Bic some years
back, a great flyer deal, and the cartridges could be replaced. But that
didn't seem to last, I certainly can't get the cartridges at the store I
bought the pen at. Bic definitely still make some cheap pens, yet still
better than the old traditional "Bic Pen" of decades ago. But I got a
four pack of something in the summer during "school supply time", and
those are nice, and the pack was 2.00.

I actually got a Space Pen a few years ago, the cartridge has compressed
gas inside so it writes upside down etc. I was never happy with it, I'd
moved away from ball point pens long before, so I no longer liked that
feel. But the case eventually broke, and I've yet to find an old pen that
it fits. SO that was a disappointment, I should have just bought a Space
Pen ink cartridge. I like the idea, but I guess not enough to splurge on
one of them with a better case.


I have a Sharpie pen in a metal case. That was a splurge, but its rather
nice. But I had previously bought the Sharpie marker in a metal case, and
that seems to have disappeared, so the refills are now way too expensive.

Michael

[The Real Bev]

On 09/23/2016 10:01 AM, Michael Black wrote:

> I have a Sharpie pen in a metal case. That was a splurge, but its rather
> nice. But I had previously bought the Sharpie marker in a metal case, and
> that seems to have disappeared, so the refills are now way too expensive.

The Mont Blanc fountain pen clones from China are really nice. I wish I
needed to use a pen more often than I do -- I played with it for a while
and then drained it so the ink wouldn't dry up in the nib or do whatever
else the ink does. It turns out that it's not easy to find fountain pen
ink any more, and it's not cheap. We bought washable blue, which is
kind of faded-looking, but the last thing I want to do is spill
permanent ink.

The fat one has a screw cap; the thinner one's cap snaps on, and the
snap mechanism was stronger than the mechanism that held part of the pen
together, but a little super glue fixed that.

It's nice to use a fountain pen again, but not worth the trouble.


--
Cheers, Bev
Todd Flanders' hobbies include being quiet on long rides,
clapping to songs and diabetes.

[gggg...@gmail.com]

The THINGS Americans complain about.

Well, now you know....................Life is.............TOUGH.

Don't I feel just sooooooooooooooo sorry for YOU.

[gggg...@gmail.com]

The THINGS you have to go through.

[hchi...@hotmail.com]

I guess this generation just isn't smart enough to understand that the pen tips
are dipped in a sealing substance to keep the ink from drying out on the store
shelves.

My guess is that there will soon be complaints that on some cars you still have
to turn a key to make the engine work.

[The Real Bev]

On 09/25/2016 07:40 AM, hchi...@hotmail.com wrote:
> On Wed, 21 Sep 2016 13:05:18 -0700 (PDT), ItsJoan NotJoann
> <itsjoan...@webtv.net> wrote:
>
>>On Wednesday, September 21, 2016 at 11:27:52 AM UTC-5, KenK wrote:
>>>
>>> If you're buying ball point pens watch out for the dark bright blue Paper
>>> Mates. I bought a package of them when I couldn't find the transparent Bics
>>> I usually buy. When you start writing with one it almost always doesn't
>>> start producing ink on the paper until the first word or two has been
>>> written. Very annoying.
>>>
>>ANY new ink pen I buy or receive as a gift the first thing I do
>>when I'm ready to use it is grab a piece of scrap paper. I draw
>>lots and lots of circles on the paper until the ink begins to flow
>>smoothly.
>
> I guess this generation just isn't smart enough to understand that the pen tips
> are dipped in a sealing substance to keep the ink from drying out on the store
> shelves.

Kids these days...

My gripe is the ones that are genuinely frozen solid. I could scrape
them across paper for a couple of minutes with no result -- unless
they're really putting down lemon juice for secret writing. I didn't
think about that until just now...

> My guess is that there will soon be complaints that on some cars you still have
> to turn a key to make the engine work.

Yeah, I really hate that. You can keep the key in your pocket now, but
you still have to push the goddam button to start the car. What's up
with that?

--
Cheers, Bev
Eat this, NSA: bomb assassinate Washington North Korea Iraq spy poison
ISIS AlQaeda Bush Clinton Pelosi Reid Obama

[Michael Black]

Someone, Papermate or Sharpie (and I think they are now one company, still
using both brands) has a set of disposable fountain pens. But I've read
that one could refill them. You get four different colors.

Michael

[Dennis]

On Sun, 25 Sep 2016 09:41:46 -0700, The Real Bev
<bashl...@gmail.com> wrote:

>> My guess is that there will soon be complaints that on some cars you still have
>> to turn a key to make the engine work.
>
>Yeah, I really hate that. You can keep the key in your pocket now, but
>you still have to push the goddam button to start the car. What's up
>with that?

I once rented a car with keyless ignition (a Buick). It also had power
windows and you had to actually start the engine to raise or lower the
windows. Fail.

Dennis (evil)
--
I'm a hands-on, footloose, knee-jerk head case. -George Carlin

[21bla...@gmail.com]

the dollar stores are reasonable

marc

[The Real Bev]

On 10/15/2016 07:50 PM, 21bla...@gmail.com wrote:
> the dollar stores are reasonable

I just found a relatively unused NICE Papermate pen (the kind that uses
refills) that's sat in a box since 2007, and was probably fabricated 10
years before that. Wrote first time I put it to paper.

[The Real Bev]

On 09/25/2016 07:40 AM, hchi...@hotmail.com wrote:

> On Wed, 21 Sep 2016 13:05:18 -0700 (PDT), ItsJoan NotJoann
> <itsjoan...@webtv.net> wrote:
>
>>On Wednesday, September 21, 2016 at 11:27:52 AM UTC-5, KenK wrote:
>>>
>>> If you're buying ball point pens watch out for the dark bright blue Paper
>>> Mates. I bought a package of them when I couldn't find the transparent Bics
>>> I usually buy. When you start writing with one it almost always doesn't
>>> start producing ink on the paper until the first word or two has been
>>> written. Very annoying.
>>>
>>ANY new ink pen I buy or receive as a gift the first thing I do
>>when I'm ready to use it is grab a piece of scrap paper. I draw
>>lots and lots of circles on the paper until the ink begins to flow
>>smoothly.

"Ink pen." You're showing your age :-)

> I guess this generation just isn't smart enough to understand that the pen tips
> are dipped in a sealing substance to keep the ink from drying out on the store
> shelves.

I've got a package of brand new 'Grip' Papermate pens. I "wrote"
circles for at least one minute each with several of them, with no
result. Granted, the package had been opened, but the caps were firmly
affixed to the pens.

> My guess is that there will soon be complaints that on some cars you still have
> to turn a key to make the engine work.

I hate the stupid keyless ignitions. You have to take the key out of
your pocket to push the 'unlock' button, and then you have to put it
back in your pocket instead of inserting it in the handy holder near the
steering wheel. If I put it in the cup holder I run the risk of leaving
it there when I lock the car with the lock-button in the door. Unless
you have a Lexus or something that unlocks when you approach. A friend
has one of those. The outside mirrors fold in order to let you know
whether the car is locked or unlocked. One more thing to go wrong.

Is anybody here on facebook? A lot of people in my other favorite
groups have switched... I'm Bev Ashley with the orange face and the
cynical expression.


--
Cheers, Bev
If trees could scream, would we be so cavalier about cutting
them down? We might, if they screamed all the time, for
no good reason. - Jack Handy

[hchi...@hotmail.com]

Ink pen is also common in some areas of the south, as pin and pen are pronounced
the same, so the modifier is needed. Most of the people saying it were women.
I guess guys didn't deal with pins enough to be confused.

I totally agree on the complexity of technology getting out of hand.

I rarely post of fb but I'll see if I can find you.

[The Real Bev]

You kind of get used to some of it, though. Recently-acquired 2013
Corolla. I like opening the doors with a push-button and kind of wish I
could do that with the house front door. I like that I get a warning if
one of the tires goes below 25#. I like the airbags. Other likes are
things that stopped working in the Caddy (sent over the rainbow bridge a
few weeks ago) quite a while ago but are not new technology -- heater,
AC, windows...

> I rarely post of fb but I'll see if I can find you.

There's a LOT of me :-( If you have another name, mention chickpea -- I
reject friend requests from people I've never heard of. I've got maybe
100 friends -- usenet people, some of their friends and relatives, and
some of MY friends and relatives. I try to make the experience as
usenet-like as possible.

--
Cheers, Bev
"Johnston [Island] was the home of a U.S. chemical weapons disposal
facility for 10 years before operations ended in November 2000.
The island was turned into a wildlife preserve."
© 2002 The Associated Press

[Michael Black]

On Wed, 2 Nov 2016, The Real Bev wrote:

> On 09/25/2016 07:40 AM, hchi...@hotmail.com wrote:
>> On Wed, 21 Sep 2016 13:05:18 -0700 (PDT), ItsJoan NotJoann
>> <itsjoan...@webtv.net> wrote:
>>
>>> On Wednesday, September 21, 2016 at 11:27:52 AM UTC-5, KenK wrote:
>>>>
>>>> If you're buying ball point pens watch out for the dark bright blue Paper
>>>> Mates. I bought a package of them when I couldn't find the transparent
>>>> Bics
>>>> I usually buy. When you start writing with one it almost always doesn't
>>>> start producing ink on the paper until the first word or two has been
>>>> written. Very annoying.
>>>>
>>> ANY new ink pen I buy or receive as a gift the first thing I do
>>> when I'm ready to use it is grab a piece of scrap paper. I draw
>>> lots and lots of circles on the paper until the ink begins to flow
>>> smoothly.
>
> "Ink pen." You're showing your age :-)
>
>> I guess this generation just isn't smart enough to understand that the pen
>> tips
>> are dipped in a sealing substance to keep the ink from drying out on the
>> store
>> shelves.
>
> I've got a package of brand new 'Grip' Papermate pens. I "wrote" circles for
> at least one minute each with several of them, with no result. Granted, the
> package had been opened, but the caps were firmly affixed to the pens.
>

I remember being told to hold a new pen over a lit match, but now I can't
remember if that came from someone working in a stationary store, or
someone like my mother.

I remember early Bic pens, like in the late sixties, they often seemed
pretty bad until you got them running.

There's a whole website devoted to "everyday carry", now you have to
share what's in your pocket or purse rather than just be loaded down with
stuff. So they argue the fine points of what to carry, and the specific
things within each category. Just yesterday they had a bit about pen
refills, so having argued over the "best" pen to carry at all times, they
now get to argue over what refills to use.

I need to find a pen that fits the Space Pen cartridge. The plastic pen
it came in broke.

Michael

[The Real Bev]

I've done that with some success, but only if the ball was actual metal.
Plastic, not so much.

> I remember early Bic pens, like in the late sixties, they often
> seemed pretty bad until you got them running.

When I was in perhaps first grade we got BALL POINT PENS. Totally new
technology. We had to put them back in the block of wood with holes for
the pens when we were done. We also had real ink in the inkwells, and
pens you had to dip. This was the late 40s, not the 30s. And we still
got a better education than our kids or grandkids.

> There's a whole website devoted to "everyday carry", now you have
> to share what's in your pocket or purse rather than just be loaded
> down with stuff. So they argue the fine points of what to carry, and
> the specific things within each category. Just yesterday they had a
> bit about pen refills, so having argued over the "best" pen to carry
> at all times, they now get to argue over what refills to use.
>
> I need to find a pen that fits the Space Pen cartridge. The plastic
> pen it came in broke.

Gel pens rule.

--
Cheers, Bev
"The day Microsoft makes something that doesn't suck is probably
the day they start making vacuum cleaners." --Ernst Jan Plugge