This doesn't exactly involve survival, so I posted here.

My wife was going to see Oprah Winfrey in person at the Convention Center, so I went along as well. Good thing someone mentioned a security check. I prepared ahead of time, de-blading down to my Vic MiniChamp. It's a tiny little thing that looks more like a toy.

I was wanded, practically spreadeagled, and that thing found EVERY piece of metal on my body, including that in my glasses and my watch, both of which are mostly plastic, and the metal liners in the eyelets in my shoes.

Holy cow.

Those detectors easily beat the ones at our county courthouse in sensitivity, and those laughable ones at the airport by a good country mile. Tons more security people than either of the those places. If the airport offered that kind of security, I'd be less scared to fly.

My family really does not get the whole preparedness thing. When I mentioned the check, they said, then don't take any knives with you. I almost screamed, but what can you do. They're family. My family's idea of preparedness involves remembering to take your car keys with you. Argh!

I damn near lost the Vic. I had to empty my pockets and let strangers paw over my possessions and make judgement calls. This is one sorry state of society to which we have fallen. Someone grabbed the MiniChamp, proclaiming it a deadly weapon. Yeah, right.

I would have taken issue with that idiotic pronouncement and gotten myself shot, but the other members of my party, not being prepared for anything whatsoever, easily cleared security and were waiting for me.

It appeared as though my Vic was simply going to be tossed, but I spoke up, asking how to get it back, and the biggest man I have ever seen in my life came over to inspect the "deadly weapon." This guy was so big, and I don't mean fat, I mean BIG, I could have made a tent from his clothing. His fist was about the size of my head. My little knife disappeared into his palm, and was about the size of the nail on his pinky finger. He finally said something like, "This ain't nothing," and handed it back to me. I'm not saying anything against the guards. They were doing their jobs. The big guy was well-spoken and polite.

However, I simply don't have anything good to say about the current state of paranoia that exists here in this country. It's not a healthy paranoia, it's a "scared of lawsuits" paranoia.

By the way, does anyone else have problems trying to communicate the idea of being prepared to your family?

trying to communicate the idea of being prepared to your family ? i already got problem talking to mine parents ! never told them, because i don't know the chinese words for it ( mine folks are chinese ).( enough for everyday communication with mine parents ) mine chinese stinks and so does mine parents dutch....

i have seen a lot of people being paranoid about knife's 2, i was handeling a small SAK once and already somebody said i was acting scary ! i was handeling mine swisstool once and wow, a load of comment, about how dangarous that thing is ! ehh... guys ? i wonder what people would say if i was using a folder... sure wouldn't be positive...

I took out my Spyderco Dragonfly to break down a large cardboard box in my office. It's not a large knife at all, but the guys were like, Jeez, that's a BIG knife. You use that for self-defense?

I mean, come on, really.

They should see my Marine combat knife.

Well, I did have serious problems with my parents, in that they didn't understand the need to be prepared.

That is, until we had a horrible 'we'll be finished no later than lunch time' trip down a valley. My mother, aunt and another lady were in very bad shape by the time we were rescued. They possibly would have died if we were forced to stay overnight in the valley, simply because we absolutly no survival gear. I was almost considered paranoid for wanting to add a survival blanket to my day pack when we were meant to be at home "no later than lunch time".

My parents veiws were definantly changed after that incident, and are continuing to change. We now discuss it more, argue about the difference between being prepared and paranoid, and generally enjoying our discussions.

Lets just say that I am slowly winning! <img src="images/graemlins/cool.gif" alt="" />

To make family members understand, they generally have to experience a "situation" or a near situation themselves. That's about the only way.

Right now I'm considered the go-to guy for gear, but whenever we attend an event, the their whole outlook is nothing will happen, let's not make waves.

Drives me nuts. And I'm not slowly winning, either.

Hi PC2K. I didn't know you were chinese. Me too. What dialect do you speak ? Cantonese , mandarin, teochew, hokkien ?

Dong Xi Zun Bei Huo Ze (equipped to survive!)

Another thing about the swisstool, do you find it difficult to get the tools out. Mine seem kinda stiff.....I almost broke a nail trying to pry the things out! <img src="images/graemlins/confused.gif" alt="" />

which swisstool are you talking about, just wondering.

Garrett

You know, I gave up trying to explain my preparedness. I just smile when someone asks for something and I just reach in my pocket and hand something to them. My wife just rolls her eyes, but I have very carefully placed things in her purse and car that will help her out in the event of an emergency, and I made sure she knows how to use them.

Being a Marine, I get a lot of wierd looks about the stuff I carry, i.e. my Swisstool, Leatherman micra, pill case, ftender and lighter, and photon lights in three colors, but when someone needs something, I just hand it over and I get lots of appreciative nods from my fellow Marines.

Bottom line for me is I figured out long ago that I have to look out for my family and me first, then worry about others, they will be the ones I will have to worry about in an emergency situation.

Garrett

i speak cantonese

i find the swisstool tools not hard to get out at all, it is harder to get out than on a normal sak, but it is still very do-able, atleast on mine... btw, i got the Swisstool X

I have the swisstool x plus.
Maybe the springs which lock the tools are too tight....