Claude Raines's Page

My immediate neighbor to the south, Mexico, has seen it's share of problems in recent times. The constant battle waged against drugs, lawlessness and corruption has been spilling over into our own borders for several years now, to the point where our command has forbid it's personnel to step foot on Mexican soil. At one point, grenade attacks were a constant, and very real threat to the physical security of Mexican nationals; And what of the food security?



While maize is… Continue

An interestingly simple way for a populous to share it's non-perishable foods would be to utilize what already exists in the majority of large cities, which, coincidentally, seem to harbor the majority of those without homes; Old, no-longer-in-use mailboxes.



Even without modification, these mailboxes could stand to receive foodstuffs from informed passers-by, whose charitable donations would make life a bit easier for those of us with less food security than others. However,… Continue

I'm heading to work, early in the morning. The daily routine is about to begin; My wife and I have completed our early meditation and are enroute to the Dojo, which I own as a branch of Skilled Fighting Arts. I spend the majority of my days there, teaching others the principles of the martial arts that have enriched my own life, and helping to shape the future of those that train under me. With the right guidance, they might continue on to become a complete person--A feat much more…

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When I joined the Marine Corps in 2005, I thought I was entering a world of high-speed, ultra-intense combat and adrenaline. After about a year and a half of constant training, I came to find that the speed wasn't quite as high as I'd thought, and when it finally came our turn to taste the adrenaline of actual combat, things were very different than I could've imagined.

Patrols were long and tedious, days were long and that cool looking gear was sure uncomfortable.…

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