Random randomness

[Kasey Chang]

There are a lot of supposed therapies for snoring, from a little clip-on septum clamp, to a chin shaker, to breath-right (tm) nasal strips, to oral "appliances", to CPAP (and variations, like BiPAP) it's important to find a doctor who works with you to find a solution for you.

I actually paid for "Sleep like an Android" years ago, and I can pretty much confirm I'm not snoring anymore. I don't think I was snoring with my old BiPAP, but I know I am not snoring with my current CPAP. Yes, the app actually RECORDS your suspicious noises for playback upon your wakeup. It can identify snores. LOL

I don't know if it's a contributor for my weight loss, but I was a 290 back in July, and I'm back at 280. Weird? AFAIK I didn't change my eating habits. I do feel better rested.

[Fardaza]

The pictures aren't great, but this is the company that made my apnea devices. The dentist I was working with told me they were the best for my situation. They have my digital imprints on file. If I lose or break one of them, they can replace it for me.

https://prosomnus.com/

Please, I beg you. For your own good health, check out oro-facial pain dentists and try these.

how long do you have to wear the appliances for? i had looked into doing this (enlarge lower jaw to reduce snoring, learned about this from this book: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/48890486-breath )

I wear them every night. I'm not sure if that's what you mean.

[dbt1949]

I used to wake up with my mouth exceedingly dry all the time. I thought it was because I was snoring. It never dawned on my that it was the CPAP machine. I never used the water feature.
BTW I drank a glass of iced tea today and my kidney is almost pain free. I bet some of you think it's mental and it might be but it works for me.

[gilraen]

BTW I drank a glass of iced tea today and my kidney is almost pain free. I bet some of you think it's mental and it might be but it works for me.

It's not mental but I'm pretty sure it's not specifically because of ice tea but simply because you are drinking fluids.

[hitbyambulance]

The pictures aren't great, but this is the company that made my apnea devices. The dentist I was working with told me they were the best for my situation. They have my digital imprints on file. If I lose or break one of them, they can replace it for me.

https://prosomnus.com/

Please, I beg you. For your own good health, check out oro-facial pain dentists and try these.

how long do you have to wear the appliances for? i had looked into doing this (enlarge lower jaw to reduce snoring, learned about this from this book: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/48890486-breath )

I wear them every night. I'm not sure if that's what you mean.

i meant, is there an end date? or do you have to wear them forever.

[em2nought]

BTW I drank a glass of iced tea today and my kidney is almost pain free. I bet some of you think it's mental and it might be but it works for me.

Get yourself some good tea. I like PG Tips myself thanks to one of hitbyambulance's recommendation, it's sooooo much better that say Lipton or any of the normal American brands.

[em2nought]

The pictures aren't great, but this is the company that made my apnea devices. The dentist I was working with told me they were the best for my situation. They have my digital imprints on file. If I lose or break one of them, they can replace it for me.

https://prosomnus.com/

Please, I beg you. For your own good health, check out oro-facial pain dentists and try these.

how long do you have to wear the appliances for? i had looked into doing this (enlarge lower jaw to reduce snoring, learned about this from this book: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/48890486-breath )

I wear them every night. I'm not sure if that's what you mean.

Do you know around what the prosomnus costs would be without insurance?

[Max Peck]

BTW I drank a glass of iced tea today and my kidney is almost pain free. I bet some of you think it's mental and it might be but it works for me.

Do you have lemon in your iced tea? The citric acid in lemon juice is supposed to help break down small kidney stones.

[Fardaza]

The pictures aren't great, but this is the company that made my apnea devices. The dentist I was working with told me they were the best for my situation. They have my digital imprints on file. If I lose or break one of them, they can replace it for me.

https://prosomnus.com/

Please, I beg you. For your own good health, check out oro-facial pain dentists and try these.

how long do you have to wear the appliances for? i had looked into doing this (enlarge lower jaw to reduce snoring, learned about this from this book: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/48890486-breath )

I wear them every night. I'm not sure if that's what you mean.

Do you know around what the prosomnus costs would be without insurance?

Sorry. I don't. Call one of the appropriate dentists nearest you and ask them.

[LordMortis]

In 2009, I had one of those that insurance refused. Mine has a mechanism in it that you cranked to pull your jaw forward at like an additional 1/10 a millimeter a day at 1/4 crank with the ultimate pull forward of about 14 millimeters. Cost me $1600 plus another $400 in appointments in 2010 money after BCBS said it was dental, not medical and Delta dental refused to cover it because it was provide by a doctor and was not a dental need. It was simply called "a mandibular appliance" back then. Now my dentists push an "eclusal guard" instead.

Again, I worked with the appliance for about a year and a half and it didn't work well for me. The stress on my jaw made sleep worse. I guess I need comfort to sleep.

For me it was more comfortable than a CPAP but I think the CPAP treated my apnea better. Neither allowed me a full night's sleep and both leave me more exhausted than sleeping without assistance.

Weight loss is probably the hardest for me but it proves to be the best resolution in a bad field. This time I hope to stick with weight loss. It's not perfect, not even great, but it has been by far the best. The appliance was probably second as my problem is likely highly died to my ever worsening overbite combined with a fat neck and tongue.

[Jaymon]

I bought tea at the Twinnings shop in London recently. They had Buttermint. I also got Earl Grey and Lady Grey. I am not into iced tea, but I do drink hot tea. Mostly herbal, but I have had a few actual teas lately.

My favorite tea comes from Friday Afternoon Tea in Seattle. She makes a lot of really cool tea blends inspired by fandom and literature.
I know I have recommended it before, but seriously, Friday makes some damn good tea.

[Blackhawk]

BTW I drank a glass of iced tea today and my kidney is almost pain free. I bet some of you think it's mental and it might be but it works for me.

Get yourself some good tea. I like PG Tips myself thanks to one of hitbyambulance's recommendation, it's sooooo much better that say Lipton or any of the normal American brands.

PG Tips is awesome, as is Yorkshire Gold (my preferred black tea, from Taylor's of Harrogate.) Both are way, way better than any commercial domestic tea, and they're just as cheap.

I bought tea at the Twinnings shop in London recently. They had Buttermint. I also got Earl Grey and Lady Grey. I am not into iced tea, but I do drink hot tea. Mostly herbal, but I have had a few actual teas lately.

I'm jealous. I've soured a little on Twinnings lately, but I still drink a lot of their teas (their Earl Grey lavender is a favorite.)

My favorite herbal, hands down, is Bigelow's Fruit & Almond. I started drinking in the late 1980s. I disappeared off of the shelves shortly thereafter, but people kept begging for it. About 15 years ago they started making it available only through their website, selling it only by the case in plain white boxes with plain white envelopes inside. I haven't bought any in a couple of years (I make it last), but I just checked, and they seem to have removed the direct order option as well! After 35 years of it, the two boxes I have left may be all there is.

[dbt1949]

I bought some Yorkshire Gold tea thru Amazon awhile back. Tasted the same as Always Save.

[hitbyambulance]

BTW I drank a glass of iced tea today and my kidney is almost pain free. I bet some of you think it's mental and it might be but it works for me.

Get yourself some good tea. I like PG Tips myself thanks to one of hitbyambulance's recommendation, it's sooooo much better that say Lipton or any of the normal American brands.

PG Tips is awesome, as is Yorkshire Gold (my preferred black tea, from Taylor's of Harrogate.) Both are way, way better than any commercial domestic tea, and they're just as cheap.

i've mentioned this in the tea thread, but go for the big bags of assam tea direct from India - this is undoubtedly the best taste-price ratio. example: https://www.amazon.com/Tea-India-Premiu ... B007SH2C6S but even this is marked up - if you have an Indian grocery nearby, you could get this two pound bag of assam loose leaf for $9-12. it will probably last you at least a year, maybe two.

I bought tea at the Twinnings shop in London recently. They had Buttermint. I also got Earl Grey and Lady Grey. I am not into iced tea, but I do drink hot tea. Mostly herbal, but I have had a few actual teas lately.

we were probably there around the same time - i was there in early June. the Strand shop, right?

I'm jealous. I've soured a little on Twinnings lately, but I still drink a lot of their teas (their Earl Grey lavender is a favorite.)

Twinings were the creators of Earl Grey, so i had to get some loose leaf variety there.

[Blackhawk]

Your quote made me realize that I sat there and copied the misspelling of Twinings. May my tea turn bitter.

[Blackhawk]

I bought some Yorkshire Gold tea thru Amazon awhile back. Tasted the same as Always Save.

How hard is your water there? If it's even close to ours, the water is having more of an impact on the tea than the brand. Hard water destroys tea (it reacts with the tannins.)

[Daehawk]

I cant make good tea any longer. I could swear my father in law used Tetley...tiny little tea leaves in Tetley Tea....anyways they dont seem to make a regular tea product for sale around here. My choices are Luzianne, Lipton or Walmart. All suck.

In the old days we had 'sun tea' . It was lipton you put in a glass jug and left in the sun for an hour or two. So smooth. Todays tea are bitter or bad flavored to me.

The closest I can get is Petro orange tea from a local fast food chain called Petros.

[hitbyambulance]

My choices are Luzianne, Lipton or Walmart. All suck.

i personally do not (and would not) drink any of those. American Lipton is not only weak, but ... it's bad. the flavor is just off. (weirdly, even Canadian Lipton actually tastes 'normal' and there's nothing wrong with the original UK Lipton)

[Rumpy]

Teavana used to make a really good Earl Grey Creme at one time.

[dbt1949]

Diabetics has changed my taste buds. Water tastes metallic. Don't really like the taste of food anymore either. Got my diabetis under control but it hasn't changed my taste buds.

[Max Peck]

In the old days we had 'sun tea' . It was lipton you put in a glass jug and left in the sun for an hour or two. So smooth.

I doubt Smoove would approve of sun tea.:

It seems that tea brewed in the sun creates a breeding ground for bacteria and so, if we go with science shows us, sun tea is not such a good idea. Here’s what was found: The heat of the sun replaces the heating element of water boiled in the kettle but under any sun condition, the tea will only reach in the range of 102° to 130° and not the 170° to 200° normally needed to steep tea in. If sun tea gets a thick or syrupy appearance, it’s because of the presence of Alcaligenes viscolactis, a stringy, rope-like bacterium. These bacteria are commonly in soil and water and should not be digested.

[Kraken]

IIRC Wife used to protect her sun tea by dropping in a sliced lemon. Most bacteria don’t like lemon juice. Also, it seems to me like she steeped it for days. But this could just be my brain making shit up again.

[Isgrimnur]

Amino Acid Utilization by Alcaligenes viscolactis for Growth and Slime Production

[Daehawk]

I dont know if it has anything to do with the battery drain but today after boosting it off to go to the store the car radio sounds hideous . Its all treble and some static and no bass. So one or all of the amps have died. If they were causing the drain then good riddance.

Ive planned to put a complete new stereo system in it next year or the year after that anyways. Just one more thing to add to my to do list.

[hitbyambulance]

https://www.seattletimes.com/business/w ... ket/[quote]

Carrie Frost is well equipped for hydration. A registered nurse and a mother of two from Colorado, she estimates that her family has accumulated “upward of 25 to 30” reusable flasks at home for keeping cold drinks: flasks large and small, of various designs and colors, with a straw and without. But last month, as she sat in 90-degree heat at her son’s travel baseball tournament, she drank from a plastic water bottle that she had purchased for $3 at a local grocery store.
“Convenience,” she said, laughing, as she tried to piece together why, once again, she was not using one of her many beverage containers. “I guess we’re just a lazy society.”

“Everyone has to hydrate, and people think it makes their skin look nice,” Kim Shoemaker, a Hudson employee, said of water. “No sugar, no chemicals, no additives.” Shoemaker, 60, said she bought cases of water at Costco and kept single-serving bottles in every room of her home but also owned many reusable flasks. “Oh, my gosh, probably about six,” she said. “I don’t use them. I don’t know why.”

Alaina Waldrop, in Birmingham, has around 20 water bottles, as precious to her as purses, she said: “You have a decent water bottle, and you get sick of it, or you’re used to seeing it all the time and find a new one that’s pretty, or it’s a new color, or it holds more water or fits in a cupholder better.”

A display of Stanley flasks ($45 each) came with a sign: limit four per customer. “They’re so popular,” Waldrop said. “I bought one for my mom and one for my sister. We’re all water bottle freaks. We all have this obsession. I wish it made more sense, but it doesn’t.”

In practice, there may be little difference in quality or safety between bottled water and tap water, said Ronnie Levin, an instructor and expert in American public drinking water at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. “It’s often just some random tap filling those water bottles,” Levin said. “Monitoring of bottled water is somewhere between zero and not routine.”

It's almost as if people are the problem.

[Daehawk]

What a strange post.

[TheMix]

Not random enough for you?

[Isgrimnur]

Allow me to complement it with my love for RTIC. Yeti aesthetic, half the price.

[Kraken]

We have a whole cupboard shelf crammed full of reusable water bottles of many kinds. Every now and then I nag Wife into giving away a box of them, except for the half-dozen that she says she uses (but doesn't really use). They’re a popular giveaway, and she always takes them, so the collection eventually overflows the allocated wasted shelf.

[Isgrimnur]

Stealthily relocate them, date the moves, and see how long it takes for her to notice.

[Kraken]

I had to kill an hour this morning so I decided to do the local riverwalk. I turned back after a mile because I wasn’t wearing proper walking shoes, and the mosquitoes were really enthusiastic about me being there. Now I have big itchy welts all over my neck and legs. My body overreacts badly to insect toxins. I won’t do that again without insect spray. Fortunately, I brought along some cortisone cream to treat a six-month-old scarred-over insect bite that still itches, so I was prepared for some fresh ones.

[hitbyambulance]

I had to kill an hour this morning so I decided to do the local riverwalk. I turned back after a mile because I wasn’t wearing proper walking shoes, and the mosquitoes were really enthusiastic about me being there. Now I have big itchy welts all over my neck and legs. My body overreacts badly to insect toxins. I won’t do that again without insect spray. Fortunately, I brought along some cortisone cream to treat a six-month-old scarred-over insect bite that still itches, so I was prepared for some fresh ones.

heat a metal spoon in _very hot_ water for 30 seconds, then press the back of the spoon against the bug bite. the heat will break down the proteins in the welt and stop causing it to itch.

[Holman]

I had to kill an hour this morning so I decided to do the local riverwalk. I turned back after a mile because I wasn’t wearing proper walking shoes, and the mosquitoes were really enthusiastic about me being there. Now I have big itchy welts all over my neck and legs. My body overreacts badly to insect toxins. I won’t do that again without insect spray. Fortunately, I brought along some cortisone cream to treat a six-month-old scarred-over insect bite that still itches, so I was prepared for some fresh ones.

Are Boston-area mosquitos bad? In Philadelphia we have lots of mosquitos, but they're weak-ass pipsqueaks.

A Philly mosquito bite will itch for half an hour. In Georgia and Alabama where I grew up, the bites itch all day.

[Kraken]

I had to kill an hour this morning so I decided to do the local riverwalk. I turned back after a mile because I wasn’t wearing proper walking shoes, and the mosquitoes were really enthusiastic about me being there. Now I have big itchy welts all over my neck and legs. My body overreacts badly to insect toxins. I won’t do that again without insect spray. Fortunately, I brought along some cortisone cream to treat a six-month-old scarred-over insect bite that still itches, so I was prepared for some fresh ones.

Are Boston-area mosquitos bad? In Philadelphia we have lots of mosquitos, but they're weak-ass pipsqueaks.

A Philly mosquito bite will itch for half an hour. In Georgia and Alabama where I grew up, the bites itch all day.

I’m in the Berkshires, where it's been quite wet and is always woodsy. But I react badly to any insect bites, no matter where they hail from.

The swelling has gone down some since yesterday, but I expect the itching to afflict me for weeks, if not months.

I’m staying in a motel where I have no spoon or very hot water.

[dbt1949]

My stepson and his wife came over this afternoon to visit. He installed a new window AC for me. That was nice of him.
I guess they've talked me into going and moving in with them. I guess all I need to pay is for my food. For that I'll I need to pay is for my food. Utilities and an upgraded internet would be free. My little dog would be too. Sounds too good to be true.But I'll make sure to find out before moving in.

[Blackhawk]

With what you're going to be dealing with over the next couple of years, this could be a godsend.

[Holman]

A deeply troubling and very human encounter I had today.

Notice: veteran suicide issues

Spoiler:

I've been attending AA meetings, and I've volunteered as the door greeter for a particular session on Saturdays this month. All of the meetings I've joined have been full of good people helping each other. (The stereotype of 12-step meetings as dour and sad is really unfair and undeserved, and I say this as someone who came in as a skeptic. There's actually a lot of joy to be had.)

A guy arrived early that I'd never seen before, and I welcomed him and told him that this was a good place to be. We struck up a conversation and talked about recent experiences with drugs and alcohol. I tried to let him know that he was really in the right place.

Later, during the meeting, he spoke up and broke down in tears. He was a USMC veteran of Afghanistan and Iraq, and he talked about how half of his best friends from there were dead not from combat but from post-service suicide. After the meeting, a lot of us gathered around to make sure he knew he had support and connection.

It really made me think about the issue of veteran suicide. I think most of us know that this is a problem, but for most of us it remains pretty abstract. I'm not sure I even understand the dynamics of it, but what I saw today made me know that it's real and serious.

Anyway, I think I just needed to post this.

[Kasey Chang]

My CPAP company (RedMed) apparently broke the data transfer function back at end of July and ONLY NOW sent out a notice telling every user "oops, we hope to have this fixed soon".

After troubleshooting EVERY cause and troubleshooting step on my end, even deleting the app and reinstall, to no avail, I reached out to my equipment supplier support via email, and was told this was broken by RedMed 1.5 Weeks ago, and they can only wait for RedMed, the maker to fix it. Gee, as soon as it was broken we should have been told.

And just as suddenly, again, NO NOTICE, it's back. The app is now sync'ed and all data was indeed retained.

[Daehawk]

Well now I dont know whats wrong with the car. And Im just chatting and venting...no suggestions plz. Battery keeps draining. Ive been boosting it to go to town to pay bills and get food. Today is food day and Im out of everything cept some soup and beans and a few colas. I boosted it as usual and came in to change clothes. I go out and its not running. I boost it again and it fires up for 2 seconds and dies. Then it wont hit a lick after that in 30 min of trying. So now I dont gotta clue as what it is or what to do. I need food but guess Ill starve instead. I can pay my mortgage or repair the car. If I starve the mortage loses as much as anyone else. If only fopr thatI could fix stuff and have stuff.

[Daehawk]

Well I wont starve. I didn't know Walmart delivered groceries. I signed up for Walmart+ for $6 a month. I get half off or something since Im a SNAP benefit member. I placed my first ever 21st century grocery delivery order just now. It should be here tomorrow at noon.

Ya know..just like how in the old days you'd call in your order and a boy on a bicycle would deliver your groceries to you later that day. I never saw that in action since I was a 70s kid..I think that was more 50s and 60s