After scuttling my plans to go backpacking last weekend because of the weather, I am heading out today. It will be a short trip, but I think that’s all right.

My gear, including fuel, food, and water, weighs 22 pounds. While not super light, that’s not too bad.

I dropped about 20 pounds earlier this year, but it still feels very strange to have all of that weight added back to me. I’m glad I can take it off my back whenever I wish.

(This post is part of the 100/100/100 challenge)

The sky was green, the rain thick, and the wind fierce. In the distance, tornado warning sirens wailed. I know those things because I observed them all as I slowly walked past some enormous windows towards my office’s designated tornado shelter. Yes, all of the routes to the shelter went past potential sources of flying glass. Brilliant!

(This post is part of the 100/100/100 challenge)

Reason #3248 that America is fat: scooters for the able-bodied in Vegas. Are people really that lazy?

Sure, everything is surprisingly far apart, and maybe your legs are cramped from a long session at the tables. Never mind that. Get into the sunlight, away from the smoke, and work off the free drinks and commodity buffet fare. Sheesh.

(This post is part of the 100/100/100 challenge)

So it’s come to this: a bill passed by the legislature and awaiting Governor Pawlenty’s signature in Minnesota reads as follows:

[325E.65] SALE OF AMERICAN FLAGS.
No person may sell or offer for sale in this state an American flag or a novelty or other item containing a representation of the American flag unless the flag or item was manufactured in the United States of America.

That’s right, in a few days, barring an unlikely veto, it will be illegal to sell a US flag in Minnesota unless it was made in America. But wait… the bill doesn’t limit itself to traditional cloth flags. As worded, every “item containing a representation of the American flag” and sold in the state must be American-made. Does this count for electronic items? Aren’t digital images “representations”? I think so! How stupid.

I tell you what: let’s test it out. I got one of my Canadian friends to draw a picture of the American flag. I will sell you the Canadian-manufactured representation (digital image) of an American flag for the low price of $1. What a bargain!

I’m not sure how it happened, but an image from my blog is now one of the top results for the Google image search for goalie skates. All but two of the higher results are from e-tailers.

Those skates were my first pair, and they have served me well over the past few years. I have no intention of getting rid of them anytime soon. Still, time has taken its toll. Compare the original photo of my goalie skates, taken when they were new, with a photo from today. So many puck marks, so many memories.

(This post is part of the 100/100/100 challenge)