I’m not at all advocating for marijuana use, but could somebody please explain to me where in the Constitution the Federal Government is given the power to regulate a plant product grown on private or public property within a State, that is only sold or used within the bounds of a State, or to require that the State or local law enforcement agencies enforce any sort of prohibition enacted by the Federal Government on commerce that is NOT interstate? Under what Article of the Constitution can the Federal Government prohibit The People from putting any substance into their own bodies?

It may be argued that there is a public interest in protecting people from the effects of a given substance. But if that is the case, should not the supposed resultant negative actions be the acts that are prohibited and punished, and not the mere ingestion or possession of the substance itself?

I don’t think it’s a super idea to have a bunch of people running around smoking pot. But neither do I think the DEA, FBI or DOJ have a single Constitutional leg to stand on should they choose to interfere with Washington State’s ballot initiative legalizing the use and possession of marijuana.

The powers of regulation or the exercise of personal choice to ingest any item belong solely to The States and The People.

The coding for this infographic was sent to me by a complete stranger. I like it.

Stand-up comedian Louis CK did a routine on being broke. When I first saw it I laughed uproariously and sent it to all my friends. It was so truthful it was painful; and the only way to deal with that sort of brutal pain is to laugh. Today, his routine became reality for me.
I’ve posted the video below (be advised, it includes a lot of graphic language). His comedy inspired the reasoning and framing of this post.

Here’s my story:

After having an account in good standing with the former Postal Federal Community Credit Union (of Missouri) for over a decade, my wife and I moved out of state due to my military service. We removed most of our funds and then left the minimum $25.00 balance required in our savings account to keep it open in case we ever moved back to that area. Perfectly reasonable, right?

Today, I received a call to my cell phone from a Missouri number today. I answered, thinking maybe it was an old friend who had changed their cell provider. Instead it was this BluCurrent Credit Union (whom I’d never heard of), advising me that my account had a negative balance. I told her I didn’t have an account with them, and figured it was a scam. But apparently PFCCU is no more, some “BluCurrent” folks are now in charge and there is a fee for having an account.

Let me clarify: the new minimum balance that must be maintained in your savings account is $100. If your balance is below that, they’ll charge you $5.00 each month. They say they sent a notice. We moved and must have missed updating our address with them in the mix of notifying all of our other companies with whom we do business. [This is just another joyful part of the frequent moves for military families.]

So, apparently if you have “no money” they will charge you money for not having money. But if you have money in your account, they will give you more money. So, now, because I didn’t give them more of my money, but only let them keep some of my money, they took that money away. My account was $25. But because it wasn’t $100, it is now negative $15.00. This is my punishment for not using the account.

They couldn’t just close the account when it hit zero and send me a postcard. They have to charge me money and then call me. Why couldn’t they have called me to let me know they were changing their name and their account policies? Mail was good enough to notify me of a change that will cost me money. But they’ll only call once you actually owe them money; not in advance, you know- to warn you ahead of time? Can’t do that.

I told them that if this was how they were going to do business I’d like to just go ahead and close the account.

But, in order to close my account, I have to bring my account up to a zero balance.

That’s right: I have to pay money to NOT have an account. But if I DON’T have money, or don’t send them more of my money to no longer have an account, they will keep my account OPEN, but keep charging me more of the money, that I don’t have, for an account I don’t want to remain open. Seems legit.

Additionally, I can only close my account by coming in to a branch in person (which my current military status precludes), or by sending a letter via snail mail. A digitally signed email coming directly from a government email account is somehow considered less secure than a piece of paper in the hands of several hundred people traveling across 3,000 miles. We’re 12 years into it, but “BluCurrent” apparently hasn’t quite gotten with the 21st Century.

I used to believe that credit unions were different from banks. Some still are and treat their customers well and don’t charge ridiculous fees. So, I will go to my military-affiliated credit union and take out money from the place that has earned my desire to keep my money there, and give it to a group of people whom I will never entrust with my money again.

I figured this little story was funny so I’m making sure it’s shared on Yelp, twitter, epinions, and a few blogs.

I tried to post this story on their facebook page, but they deleted it. I went back and tried to comment, but they apparently can’t take criticism and have blocked me from posting or even direct messaging them.

Freedom Fighters, let them know what you think!
Their facebook is here: https://www.facebook.com/blucurrentcu
Email them here: info@blucurrent.org
Call ‘em out on twitter: @blucurrent

I especially want to thank “Amy” with no last name and her boss “Rachel” who also has no last name (although they have all of MY personal information), for making the below video a reality for me.

[I'm not "broke", but my money's not in BCCU, so from their perspective, this applies.]

My university discussion board post on whether I believe math is important to study:

The study of math is necessary not merely for the skills of algebraic proficiency it instills, but for the other benefits derived from developing the mathematical part of the mind. All logic ultimately rests in mathematics. A misapplication of logic results in terrible theology; false logic has given us all sorts of heresies and bad doctrine.

Mathematics is also the foundation for any of the sciences. If we posit that theology or religion is more than a mere philosophy—a subjective art—and that it is in fact an observational science that studies God and the origins of the universe in a logical and intellectually sound manner, then we must include math in the curriculum.

Math is more than the study of numbers. And numbers are more than just integers and digits. Math is the study of the relationships between quantities, including time, distance, molecular compounds, and even abstract concepts. Numbers express those quantities. Our brains intuitively and automatically perform millions of calculations each day; judging distances from our bodies to objects in a room, adjusting the length of our steps and the movement of our limbs. Our body’s chemistry is ruled by mathematical formulae in the ratios of chemicals and the millions of interactions between chemicals at the atomic level.

Our mind does the same thing in our interactions with others. Countless calculations and adjustments assess non-verbal expressions, measure emotional and social distance, and evaluate past experiences to make predictions on a host of potential outcomes, eventually selecting the most probable course of action that will result in the least amount of injury and the most potential gain. Our minds develop impossibly complex algorithms that guide our relationships with others. We don’t merely feel and react. There is an arithmetic root to our social behavior.

Math, it could even be argued, is higher than scientific law, as scientific laws are always expressed through the language of math. And those laws were not written by, but only observed by man. Those laws were written by the Author of the universe in a numeric dialect.

The study of math is the study of the foundations of the universe; every element is a mathematical function of electrons, protons and neutrons. Every chemical compound and chemical reaction is a mathematical expression of those functions relating to one another. The end result of these mathematical expressions, equations, the sums and differences, the multiples and quotients, are the reality we see in the tangible world around us. The simple mind sees an ice cream cone. The developed mind understands the ratios of salt, water, sugar, lactic acid and the physical reactions that occur to change the ingredients’ mode into a combination we find palatable.

Math, therefore, is the study of the basic functionality of the Universe; it is the language of God in creation. My whole life, I hated studying math. So for more than 15 years, I’ve studied theology. But I’ve realized that math IS theology at the most basic level.

In Matthew 25, a man placed his servants in charge of some of his financial matters. To those who were savvy in their application of logic, sense and apparently a bit of math, the “master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!” (v. 21, 23, NIV 1984). But to the one who hid the money and did not apply any sort of logic, sense or mathematical reasoning to the situation, he replied, “‘You wicked, lazy servant! So you knew that I harvest where I have not sown and gather where I have not scattered seed? Well then, you should have put my money on deposit with the bankers, so that when I returned I would have received it back with interest.’ So take the bag of gold from him and give it to the one who has ten bags… throw that worthless servant outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth’.” (v. 26-30).

Of course, the parable is about more than just investment of money and the multiplication of numbers. But so is math.

1. Don’t use an axe. Sure, it will put hair on your chest and make you feel like Jeremiah Johnson. But it will also put you in the hospital when it’s raining, your hands are slippery, and your mind is clouded by hunger, cold, fatigue and frustration. Hatchets are fine though for splitting kindling and sharpening the stakes for your lean-to and hot-dog/marshmallow spits. If you want to cut some medium sized limbs, use a hand-powered survival chain saw. It’s far safer and weighs less.

2. Take 3x as much water as you think you’ll need.

3. Practice finding and purifying water before you go out into the wilderness! When you run out of water and are dying of thirst is not the time to figure out if your filter straw and iodine drops will work.

4. Take more beef jerky and trail mix. You may be too tired to feel like cooking. Also, MREs quickly become tiresome and start to taste the same, no matter the menu item. Mountain House meals, on the other hand, are no more expensive than MREs and taste wonderful! They only require boiling water, and you can eat them out of the bag, so there are no dirty dishes

5. Take 2x the 550-cord you think you’ll need. Between staking out guy-lines, setting up your tarp, and hanging your bear-bag, 100 feet goes quickly. Realize that wrapping around a sturdy tree can easily use up 10 feet cord.

6. Don’t forget your knife. Put an extra knife in the bottom of your backpack in case you lose the one in your pocket.

7. Be sure your phone is fully charged when you set out from your vehicle or base camp. Take an extra cell-phone battery (charged) if you can. Don’t rely on it. Phones get wet, lost, stepped on/sat on, and reception in remote areas is a gamble. Realize that if you plan on using your phone as a GPS the battery can go from 100% to 0% in just a few hours.

8. Take duct tape and hand sanitizer. Duct tape can patch tears in tents and hold together broken tent poles. Hand sanitizer prevents illness. Together they make a field-expedient first aid kit for small cuts and abrasions. Marines use hand-sanitizer and duct tape for anything that doesn’t require stitches.

9. Take a first aid kit with a minimum of gauze, alcohol wipes, neosporin, medical tape, tweezers and some band-aids.

10. If you are carrying firearms or ignore our axe advice, take quik-clot and a tourniquet. They have saved the lives of thousands of troops in our recent wars. If you have a traumatic injury, they could keep you alive long enough for help to arrive. They’re small, lightweight and their cost is minuscule if you value your life at all.

11. Take camo tarps. They’re lightweight, cheap, easy to set up and are useful as ground cloths, table cloths, and heavy-duty rain-flies when the forecast goes wrong on you.

12. Chemlights are magical. Let the kids tie them on the end of a length of 550-cord and have a campfire rave as they spin them around. This is also called the “buzz-saw” technique and is used by the military to signal medevac helicopters into the LZ. At about $1/ea. glowsticks/chemlights are the best light source for your money. Hang one on the front of your tent and on any guylines to help you find your way and keep from tripping in the dark.

13. When you choose flashlights, pick LED ones with lithium batteries. They’ll last for a month. Incandescents (traditional bulbs) with standard cells last for about an hour (or so it seems).

14. Waterproof matches aren’t. Take them anyway. They’re better than plain matches and work great when it’s dry.

15. Cotton balls soaked in vaseline = best tinder in the galaxy. They’re waterproof and burn for a good 30 seconds. If you’re lazy, Tinder-Quick is basically the same thing, but pre-made in tidy little packages.

16. Always cut away from yourself with a knife. Always. No exceptions. Watch your fingers!

17. Take hand sanitizer. (Did we say this already? We meant it!)

18. And toilet paper/baby wipes. You’ve heard you can use leaves, right? Sure. Of course you can. But why would you if you didn’t have to?

19. And a little metal folding trowel. If you bury your waste, the little microorganisms in the dirt will break it down rather quickly. If you don’t, you risk spreading disease and basically just filthying up the backcountry for wildlife and other outdoorsmen.

20. Pee where you like. Urine is sterile, but try to keep it at least 25 yards away from your campsite. After a few days’ accumulation your campsite can start to smell, especially in warmer weather.

21. Poop at least 100 yards from the campsite and any water source.

22. Always take care of “business” downstream from your camp site.

23. Wool socks are best, even in summer. (Get the thinner ones, though. The heavy ones make your feet sweat, which = cold).

24. Merino wool T-shirts don’t stink, even after 3-4 days of sweating.

25. Wool retains its insulating properties even when wet. It’s naturally anti-microbial (resists odor), and it’s nearly fireproof. (Most fire blankets are at least 50% wool). Wool Military Blankets are heavy, but worth their weight.

26. Cotton kills. It’s flammable, harbors bacteria and never dries on its own.

27. REI wool hiking/trekking socks are made in the USA. Smartwool also makes an identical item, some of which are made domestically. I wear them everyday. I have 3 pairs. 2 pairs that I rotate throughout the week (wear one, wash one) and a 3rd I keep in my backpack as a spare.

28. If you have to, you can wear them for 5 days in heavy boots before they stink. They cost a little over $10/pair. If you wash them in a bucket (or in a nearby stream) and turn them inside out, if there’s a decent breeze they’re usually dry by the next morning.

29. I have just one pair of heavy wool mountaineering socks. They’re too warm for all but the coldest times during the day. But they’re great to put on in the tent when the nights get chilly in the mountains.

30. Pitch your tent on high-ground, not in a sheltered valley. Waking up to 3″ of standing water about to crest over your tent’s “bathtub bottom” is more excitement than you want.

31. Take flip-flops. They cost $1 at the dollar store and will save you all kinds of grief when you need to take a whiz at 2 a.m.

32. Did I mention to take more water? Your level of exertion in the outdoors will exceed even your best estimates. If you are relying on water filtration or purifying techniques, be sure you know how to use them before you go. Some treatments take a while to work. When you’re thirsty, you don’t want to wait 30 minutes for a drink.

33. A hand-crank cell-phone charger will get you about 2 min of talk-time for 15 minutes of cranking.

34. 15 minutes of cranking equates to 4 hours of throwing hay bales or picking rocks out of a farmer’s field.

35. If you want to keep a fire going all evening, it will take about 3 of those bundles you buy outside a convenience store. That’s too much to carry in. Give yourself at least an hour to cut that much wood. And then you’ll be too tired to cook.

36. Take some mechanics gloves. Little splinters or cuts become big deals when you’re relying on your hands, and everything is dirty. On a recent outing, I managed to cut both of my thumbs. Everything else for the rest of the trip was slightly painful.

37. 90% of post-camping diarrhea is NOT due to giardia , but to under-cooked food and poor sanitation. Take soap. More water. And more hand sanitizer. Use hand sanitizer after touching anything. Sticks, leaves, rocks, firewood, etc. If you bite your nails or pick your nose, now is a good time to stop.

38. You will probably never take your compass out of your backpack/pocket. But if you happen to need one and don’t have one (or have one, but don’t know how to use it), you can pretty much go ahead and plan your funeral. Be sure you also take a map of the area. (You can usually download free USGS topo maps for free online).

39. Even if it’s just a little mist, put your rain gear on and build your fire under a tarp. A little mist can become a downpour in about 10 seconds. Once your clothes are wet, you’re screwed. Even if it’s warm out, you’ll be miserable. Move the tarp back once you get a 2-3″ diameter log lit. Unless it’s a downpour. Then wait until you have a 12-18″ flame going strong. Then you can move the tarp back.

40. Pack a fine cigar and a flask of good scotch. After the kids are in bed, nothing makes the fire prettier.





The bottom line is this:
The Tactical Tailor “Urban Operator” pack is designed for every-day use as a daypack or a light patrol pack in an urban or cross-over environment. For those who want tactical functionality and toughness with a civilian appearance, this bag is ideal. The Urban Operator will keep you light, low-profile, and moving fast. With its padded laptop compartment, lack of conspicuous MOLLE loops and simplistic styling, the Urban Operator will likely be my go-to back for a good long time to come.

The Tactical Tailor 'Urban Operator' is available in Black, Coyote Brown, Foliage Green, MultiCam® and Ranger Green.

This obsession level of preparedness is okay. But I have realized the need to cut down on the inventory and focus my efforts. I realized that the one pack I was missing was the one I needed most.

I needed a pack that would work as well for civilian pursuits as for tactical exploits and could also work as a bug-out/get-home bag for everyday carry. Something no more noticeable than a Jansport “Right Pack”, but with all the features and tough functionality of a high-speed/low-drag assault pack.

–WARNING: Digression and Random Gear Facts Ahead:–
———————————————————————————-
The Jansport Right Pack is the best-selling backpack in American history.

Jansport- low-profile and hip since 1975.

Up to this point I’ve been using the Spec-Ops Brand “T.H.E. Pack” which has performed famously. It is ultimately durable, reliable and holds plenty of gear and then some.

My only problem is its appearance and size.

In case the Zombie Apocalypse begins while you're at Kinkos straight flippin' copies

Another problem with the “T.H.E. Pack” (and most other heavy hitters in the genre) is that it’s covered with MOLLE loops which scream, “This guy is SOOOO tactical! He probably even has a gun. Shoot him first!” If you’re a bad guy with one opportunity to assert your dominance as you hold-up the local C-store, who are you going to take out first? The everyday joe in the hoodie and local sports team cap, or the guy in the 5.11 pants with the giant MOLLE pack? Make yourself a hard target and keep quiet.

Part of the survival mindset is adaptability and blending in.

Yeah. These guys will blend right in with the crowd. The principal is safe.

All of this has left me wondering, what if the Jansport and the SpecOps had a baby?

It appears they did.

Enter the Tactical Tailor “Urban Operator” bag. It’s roughly based on their “Modular Operator” bag, but it eliminates the full MOLLE coverage and adds a covert padded laptop compartment.

Tactical Tailor Urban Operator Pack with Velcro Removed

Secondly, I wanted to be able to use the bag for short outdoor adventures, too. With a carrying capacity of 1836 cu in (30 L) it is just a bit on the small side for an overnighter. I wanted to be able to hang my Snugpak sleeping bag or Big Agnes tent on the bottom. MOLLE loops on the bottom won’t show or announce my professional affiliations, but they can provide the option of carrying more gear when I need it.

The pack is available in Black, Coyote Brown, Foliage Green, MultiCam® and Ranger Green. I chose black for a non-military look.

I contacted Tactical Tailor online through their facebook page to see if they could do some customizing. They indicated they were game. So I visited their retail outlet near Fort Lewis in person. I told them what I wanted and they priced me out fairly.

Custom MOLLE Loops sewn on at Tactical Tailor's retail store.

For $10 they removed the Velcro patches and add 2 rows of MOLLE loops to the bottom. They did the work overnight for me, too. I bought the pack at around 1600 one day and picked it up with the custom work done at 1000 the next morning. There was still a faint silver chalk/grease pen outline from when they set it up for stitching on the Velcro. I rubbed it off in 20 seconds with my thumb and a bit of spit, leaving no trace anything had been there.

Materials/Construction:
The pack is made from 1000 denier Cordura nylon. Basically that’s as tough as it gets and is the standard for all modern military gear. The nylon has a very basic water resistant backing, but it’s not fully rubberized. It will keep your gear dry in a bit of spit or a short shower, but I’d recommend dry-sacks. Besides, they keep your gear better organized, anyway.

Left shoulder view. Bottle pouch zips flat when not in use.

The straps are not quite as thick/heavy as the Spec-Ops brand, but they seem to be of the same material. Maybe one gauge down in size?(Sorry, I’m not a tailor or textile expert. )

Left shoulder view with bottle pouch unzipped.

Test Drive:

Right shoulder view. A small section of MOLLE loops allows attachment of an admin pouch or other accessories while minimizing the MOLLE overkill typical on tactical bags.

Not a single person asked me about my military service. Previously I got all sorts of interaction from the routine “Thank you for your service” to seat mates wanting to know all about where I’d been, where I was going and what my job in the military was. Not a single interaction this time.

The only change was the backpack. Well, that and the fact that I consciously stopped adding “Sir” and “Ma’am” to every sentence. (I’ll keep it in uniform or on official business and for general politeness as in “Excuse me, Ma’am”, but out of uniform, along with everything else about me, it seems stilted when it’s attached to EVERY SINGLE phrase I say.)

Here’s what I was able to fit in the bag comfortably:

The Urban Operator holds a reasonable amount of gear while forcing you to limit yourself to essentials

The hidden, padded compartment fits up to 17" laptops. Or other "tools" you might want to conceal.

Shock Cord stores a rain shell. I added a mini carabiner to clip into the zipper pulls.

The Urban Operator does not come with sternum straps, but they can easily be added.

It holds slightly less than most 3-day assault packs, but this also makes it more likely you’ll carry it everywhere you go. The only things I left out from my previous iteration of an EDC/B.O.B/GHB were the tarp-tent, stove/cook-set, water filtration pump and puffer jacket. And do you really want to lug all that junk around town, anyway? The Urban Operator will keep you light, low-profile, and moving fast.

With its padded laptop compartment, lack of conspicuous MOLLE loops and simplistic styling, the Urban Operator will likely be my go-to back for a good long time to come.

I’ll just say it now:
I hate the TSA.
Not the individual workers, per se. But the whole concept, notion, implementation and execution fly in the face of individual liberty.
Skip the rant and see the List

I don’t believe we should sacrifice liberty for security. And I don’t believe the TSA provides real security against many terrorist threats either. I’m not saying they do NOTHING to keep us safe. But they don’t do anything an airline’s or airport’s private security wouldn’t be able to do with less indignity and better customer service. And they have a poor record when it comes to our individual liberties.

That being said, until we can change the laws through the democratic process and get congress to eliminate or at least limit the TSA’s tyranny, we have to comply with the regulations. If my job didn’t require me to travel, I probably wouldn’t fly. I would drive and maintain my liberties. But the government requires me to go from here-to-there at times within scheduling windows that don’t allow me to drive.

As a self-admitted prepper/survivalist/nut-job/whatever-negative-goofball-label-you-wanna-call-me, I feel it’s still within my ability to be prepared with necessary items and comply with TSA regulations.

Why would I need a survival kit in my carry on? Wouldn’t I be more likely to just die in a crash? A recent study showed that 90% of passengers in airline crashes survive. Granted, most of those crashes take place within the immediate vicinity of an airport. You’ll be back in the terminal in 15 minutes or less. You won’t need to build a shelter out of a space-blanket and 550-cord, or build a fire.

But for those few “Alive” situations where your plane should lose altitude, the pilot is incredibly talented, and everybody on board is incredibly “lucky”(?), and you end up stuck in the mountains in inclement weather, days away from rescue, what will you do?

Maybe this is paranoid thinking, since your chances of this happening are less than those of being struck by lightning. Twice. They’re less than the odds of winning the lottery. Of all the flights, how many crash? Of all those that crash, how many do so in remote areas? Of all those that crash in remote areas, how many have survivors?
I don’t care. I’ll carry 2 pounds of gear in the bottom of my bag to be sure that if it happens, I’m the guy who lives.

But more realistically speaking, what if I get to my destination and my checked luggage is lost? And the hotel water is putrid. Or my reservation is cancelled and my credit card is declined and I have to crash on a buddy’s floor, or in someone’s back yard? And my only provisions are a bottle of beer (without a twist-off cap) and a can of Chef Boyardee (without the pull-tab opener).

These are feasible options if I have a minimum of equipment. I’ll take it along. Because, truth be told, these things have all happened to me or my friends at some point or another. With my little pouch of “possibles”, I can now pitch that expedient tent with a space blanket and 550-cord in a friends’ backyard or an empty lot. I can build a little fire, open my can of ravioli, heat it up, and then crack open that warm, but oh-so-refreshing beer. I can drink that “stank” water through a filter straw and avoid the tummy troubles.

TSA Survival Kit Packing List
Having thoroughly reviewed the TSA’s website, their very un-cute and un-funny blog, and having successfully passed through four different airports with this stuff in my carry-on, here’s the breakdown of my TSA Safe Mini Survival Kit.

With noted exceptions, all of this is packed inside a SealLine MAC Sack Waterproof Dry Bag
and stuffed in the bottom of my carry-on daypack.

-Laminated City& Statemaps
-Compass
-Flashlight w/Extra Batteries
-Emergency Whistle
-Signal Mirror
-Space Blanket
-AMK Heatsheets Emergency Bivvy
-Bic mini-lighter
-Waterproof Matches
-Compact Duct Tape Rolls
-100 feet of 550-cord
-Aquamira Frontier Emergency Water Filter Straw
-Pocket SAS Survival Guide
-Passport
-Foreign language pocket guide (for nearest border country)
-(2) Power Bars
-(2) Green 12-hour ChemLights (glow-sticks)
-MSR Sweet Water Purifier Solution [pack in Ziploc with hygiene liquids!]
-Hand Sanitizer [pack in Ziploc with hygiene liquids!]
-ResQMe Car Escape Tool (will pass through nearly all TSA check-points, though a few people have had theirs confiscated. But at $10, that’s less than two airport lattes. Worth it.) Can be used to cut 550-cord or, of course, your seatbelt should it jam and you need to evacuate the plane.
–Wire Survival Saw With the keyrings removed and attached to a backpack this has a lower profile. Basically you now just have an 18-inch piece of braided wire that wraps up like a bracelet. The item is not sharp, nor is it listed as prohibited.
On my keychain I also have a Gerber Shard tooland a P-38 “John Wayne” Can Opener. These have never been questioned, though some travelers report their P-38s have been confiscated (dumb!).

Also note, non-sharp tools under 7 inches in length are also listed as allowed, along with scissors with blades under 4 inches.

Be advised, your mileage may vary. Your experiences may differ. TSOs (screening agents) are given wide latitude to determine whether they feel an item is unsafe or poses a threat. Your overall demeanor and cooperation may be the very thing that results in your passing through security with ease or being harassed.

The TSA is now employing Behavior Detection Officers. If you act nervous or suspicious or somehow imagine in your mind that you’re being “tactical” or “clandestine”, your body language may alert them. If you are anything less than basically mute, bored or disinterested, they may single you out.

Fighting for your liberties with a TSA officer will yield about the same results as hitting yourself in the head with a hammer.

Voting, writing your representatives, petitioning, protesting and organizing through social media are still the best way we can fight against the TSA. Stay safe. Live free.

Several times in the past two weeks, I’ve mentioned Faribault Woolen Mill Co. Having spent half of my growing up years in Minnesota, I had friends from summer camp who lived in Faribault and whose parents and friends worked there. The mill is a bit of a state landmark.

According to their website, “Since 1865, there has been a woolen mill in Faribault Minnesota. Five generations of skilled craftsmen have elevated the weaver’s art and been responsible for many of the industry’s most important contributions.”

Minnesota Monthly interviewed the current owner. “ ‘At one point, Faribault Woolen Mills was producing half the wool blankets in the United States,’ Paul Mooty tells me. Probably true, considering that besides the popular consumer goods, the mill produced blankets for all branches of the military, hotel bedding, and airlines.”

Faribault Woolen Mill Co. Foot Soldier Blanket

I love wool. Whether a particular blend is certified “organic” by the FDA or not, all wool is organic. It’s easily replenished and industry practices are constantly improving both in the treatment of animals and in their environmental impact.

As militaries the world over know, and the great historical world explorer’s knew, wool is sturdy. It’s naturally water repellent. It’s naturally anti-microbial. And it retains its insulating properties even when wet. With innovative manufacturing and material selection, it doesn’t even have to be scratchy. When compared to synthetics that are largely made from petrochemicals, it’s hard not to love wool.

And it’s hard to not be in love with a company that is committed to sustaining the livelihood of a small town in the heart of America. Having been open for over 140 years, the mill closed in 2009. But cousins Chuck and Paul Mooty, recognized the potential and bought the company. In September of 2011, they proudly re-opened the mill.

Reading about them also re-opened my memories of those great blankets. Now, most Marines are “gear junkies”. We love to collect all manner of things relating to our service. I am no exception. My home office boasts a virtual museum of surplus ammunition crates and cans, flags, shell casings and other memorabilia from my Grandfather’s and my service (he served in WWII, and I served in Iraq).

But one thing that has been missing from the collection of a man who is both a Marine and a self-modeled survivalist is the iconic military wool blanket.

To my consternation, most of the current online offerings are imported and/or made with acrylic blends and pressed reconstituted fabrics. The real ones from Faribault Mills are worth every penny of their price tag, but it’s a price I simply couldn’t afford at the time. Just two days ago, I posted a link to Twitter showcasing Faribault Woolen Mill Co’s “Foot Soldier” Blanket as an item I would heartily accept as a Father’s Day Gift.

Today, then, was a day from hell at work. Afterward, I needed to de-stress. One of my hobbies is browsing the many military surplus stores in our area. So, I ventured forth into the dusty, musty aisles to see what I might find. I thought, “I might even grab an old blanket.”

There at the first stop, I found myself guided by an unseen hand toward those classic green blankets. Of course, there were the featured “Camping Blankets”, imported, with a loose weave. Bright orange stickers priced them at $30.00. Then on the next shelf were the “Government Issue” blankets. These were good used blankets of a thick and heavy weave. They were in various states of wrapping, unwrapping, fading and fraying. These were priced at $38.00. Now that’s a pretty decent price. So I started digging for the best one.

Then, nearly hidden at the bottom, one stood out. The package was still completely sealed and it was oddly priced at $29.99. Sometimes surplus stores are weird. But maybe this one was different. I surreptitiously opened the edge of the plastic wrapping (all the others were open, what could it hurt?). The wool was thicker. But softer, too. The edge stitching was neat and straight, not ragged.

“No freakin’ way!” I thought.

I tore open the edge of the package a little more, just so I could fit my fingers into the open side of the corner folds to assuage my incredulity and confirm my suspicions:

“Jackpot!” I had found a new, in the package, un-issued, government surplus military blanket handcrafted by the good workers in Faribault, Minnesota. Incredible! As you can imagine, I made haste to the cash register. It was an unbelievable stroke of good fortune. Except that I don’t believe in fortune. I don’t believe in luck.

Scoff if you will, but after the day I’d had, I choose to believe this was God’s way of saying, “Things may sometimes go very badly for you in life. There will be tough days to come, just like today. Maybe worse. The world is a cold, harsh mistress. But, as a loving Father, I will always be there to warm you. No matter how badly things may go, I am there if you look for me. And when you find me, like you’ve found this blanket, I will cover you in my lovingkindness.”

For the rest of my life, every time I use this blanket I will remember there are still good people. There are still good things.

And I’m blessed to be wrapped in goodness.

Living Free,
-SB

For updates on the rebirth of this great American company, follow Faribault Woolen Mill Co on Twitter @FaribaultMill

“‎An “easy” life is not necessarily always a good life. A hard life is not always bad. Hard work is satisfying, dirt can be soul-cleansing, and in whose company our time is spent is the real factor by which the value of our minutes and hours should be measured.”
-SB, Admin/Editor of SustainingLiberty.com

Regrettably, after nearly two weeks of staycation, I must leave the urban homestead and head back to the daily grind. How did I spend my time? Come back tomorrow to find out. I promise, it will be worth it!

If visiting your favorite blog or political website to see a notice like the one above sounds like a nightmare to you,
do some research on SOPA.

Maybe I don’t need to rehash what hundreds of thousands of other bloggers and websites have already said. But I can’t sit idly by and say nothing at all about this proposed act of utter tyranny. If you are one of the few people using the internet who still doesn’t know what this is all about, may I refer you to the all-knowing interwebz clearing-house of knowledge, Wikipedia. They explain it quite well.

To take action and tell Congress you oppose this act of tyranny, please sign the petition on Google.

For more information on how SOPA would be implemented visit AmericanCensorship.org

Living Free,

-SB