While we are constantly reminded of wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, we often lose site of the people serving. Sure, we support the troops and lament the fact that some are separated from their families for a year or longer ... with unfortunate regularity. But, these concepts remain abstract from those who don't don the uniform every day. Many have a friend or family member serving, but the vast majority is another step removed from the sacrifice. Chuck Ley, founder of the organization Cigars for Soldiers, is bridging the gap. His effort has added a personal and genuine touch to a "support the troops" message that the mainstream media has forced into cliché too soon.

Ley, like me, was a soldier. While my service entailed comfy pencil-pushing positions in Uijongbu, South Korea and Fort Gordon, Georga, he was an infantryman – the real deal – wounded in action in Mogadishu, Somalia. It wasn't the event immortalized in Mark Bowden's Black Hawk Down, but few realize that we fought more than once over there. Though back in civilian life for more than a decade, Ley has not forgotten his time in uniform, and many of his friends continue to serve.

From time to time, Ley would get a phone call or e-mail from overseas, a friend in some far-flung place. The tone varied from casual inquiry to begging to near-demand: send cigars. How could a cigar-smoking former soldier refuse?

Smoking bans may ultimately keep cigar connoisseurs from buying that next lighter or cigar cutter, but there is a group – that may or may not smoke – that is buying cigar-related items aggressively. Collectors are being drawn to antique smoking-related items, even if their use has become less popular over the past several decades.

Pipes, ashtrays, cigar boxes and cigarette dispensers are on the list for this subculture. Others are drawn to packaging and advertising, scooping up old cigar bans, boxes of matches, in-store ads and other forms of "tobacciana." Some are even quite expensive.

So, when your kids get on your case about the stack of empty cigar boxes in the living room, just tell them that's how they'll get through college ... if they're lucky.

[Photo by Steve Zak]

Zippos have long been the Cadillacs of the lighter world, and other than getting regular external fashion and color updates the basics have always been the same. Until now. Now we have Zippo BLU, which trades in the old fuel for a hot-burning butane based flame. Blue and stick straight (even in the wind) it's got cool points coming out its ears. And along with the new fuel the Zippo BLU lighters have an updated external design to set them apart from their longstanding cousins, although they keep all the good stuff (one-hand operation, the trademark flint-wheel ignition system, and lifetime warranty). $30+


Via Dvice

Pastel phones, pens and mp3 players are old hat these days but this is the first time I've seen lighters done up in soft girly tones. The Mini Xtend is a slim 2.13" x 1.26" x .45" which makes it perfect for purse of pocket. Press on the piezzo mechanism and it gives off a  wind-resistant turbo flame. The fashionable lighters sell for $135 each and come in pink, purple, blue or green.