John, The Head

Marine Corps News | Mark Sixbey | June 22, 2006

Camp
Habbaniyah, Iraq - Scout snipers from 3rd Battalion, 5th Marine
Regiment killed an enemy sniper and recovered a Marine sniper rifle
lost nearly two years ago during a mission near Habbaniyah June 16.

The
rifle was the one formerly used by four Marines of 2nd Battalion, 4th
Marine Regiment who were killed on a rooftop in Ramadi June 21, 2004.

Sniper
Section Four was in a hide when the spotter observed a military-aged
male inside a nearby parked car videotaping a passing patrol of
amphibious assault vehicles. The Marines saw a rifle stock by the
insurgent’s side.  Entire Article

Though I would not wish to seem cold or callus by my statements here, I must say that this article touches my heart.  While I can appreciate the gravity of the death of men, the poetic justice is simply impossible to disregard.  While these Marines have accomplished a mission that had to be accomplished, there is a certain satisfaction to the event.  While an enemy sniper team has been eliminated, an important symbol of the Corps has been recovered.  The M40A1 sniper rifle is only used by the Marine Corps, and it’s design came from the input of Marine Scout Snipers.  Like the Ka-Bar, the MK153 SMAW, and our distinct uniform, it is a peice of what embodies the Marine Corps.

My hat is off to the devil dogs who accomplished this mission.

Semper Fidelis!

I write here today as a geek largely dependant upon the propriatary technology of Microsoft.  I spend long hours troubleshooting problems with my computers that seem to have no solution.  I have sought help from Microsoft on many occasions.  I have scoured their knowlege base for solutions, I have posted on their forums, and I have consulted other geeks, often to no end.  The common solution: wipe it all out and start all over again.

NO MORE, I say.  No more shall I be another of the “herd” of Windows users.  No more shall I bow down to the technological evil that is preached by Bill Gates.  No more shall I spend yet more time, money, and precious sanity on determining my future with Microsoft Products.  I now seek enlightenment, balance, and technological superiority.  I seek greatness.  I seek beauty.  I ask not for free products, simply products that operate as they are supposed to.  I ask for a server operating system that is not burdened by security updates for an e-mail client.  I ask for a server operating system that is able to run, unattended, for long periods of time without having to worry if, indeed, this will be the night that I receive the dreaded call boding, “Nothing Works”.

I ask for technology that is proven, efficient, and written by men with a greater calling.  Not the calling of greed, the calling of rightousness.  I accept that professionals get paid, and indeed I insist upon it, however in exchange I demand technology that is capable of performing it’s function.

This, my friends, is the coming way of the world.  This, my friends, is what will SAVE the world.

I have noticed something recently. I really am a geek. Furthermore, I really am not ashamed of it. I have two cell phones (one of which is a blackberry), and I spend a great deal of time pondering such things as: “Will my network be better or worse without Microsoft?”, or, “Would a proper SyncML client on my blackberry allow me to automatically synchronize with my contacts, calendar, tasks, and notes?”. Then there’s things like, “Would a 512mb CompactFlash card with wear leveling be more or less reliable over a long term than a 1gb CompactFlash card with wear leveling?”

Generally speaking, things of this nature aren’t too bad. It is unfortunate, though, when they affect “normal” life. For instance, when I instinctively grab my blackberry every time it vibrates to indicate that I am receiving an e-mail, it tends to make me look… Well… Like a technological crackhead. Another example involves me TXT messaging a friend of mine, Bryan (who also has a blackberry, and why we were using SMS when we should have been using PIN messaging is beyond me). I had been teaching on the range, and he had been worshiping at the temple of long life and good health (eating beef fajitas at Los Rosas). I had to stop by the grocery store for bread. I was in the middle of sending an SMS, when I HEARD Bryan ask, “Why are you TXTing me when I’m standing right here?”

Yes, boys and girls, I was TXTing him from with Krogers. And, indeed, I had walked to within probably fifteen feet of him. I was so engrossed with typing on my little keyboard that I didn’t notice him. For indeed, I am a geek.

I spent part of today doing geekly things. I decided to put 30 ounces of water (at 68 degrees F) in my freezer today to determine if, indeed, my freezer is actually only at 30 degrees, as my little thermometer indicates, and exactly what the temperature is, which I will have to calculate based on what time I put the water in the freezer, and what time the water is frozen. While I don’t know off the top of my head how I will do this, I know that I will be able to. I spent some time looking at pictures of a Compact Disk that had shattered in a CD ROM drive, theorizing to what extent the CD was damaged prior to insertion, and discussing the related episode of Mythbusters.

I don’t know if me being such a geek is a good thing, but perhaps it’s not all bad. At any rate, I know there are scores of my fellow geeks out there, and it even seems that, today, it is almost cool to be a geek. Well, for all of you fair weather geeks out there, I was wearing polyester trousers well before you had shed your Z. Cavariccis and Skidz. (I would like to point out that it is apparent that Z. Cavaricci now specializes in plus size clothing for women and girls…) Of course, I don’t wear polyester trousers any more—I spend my days wearing comfortable tactical boots and most of my clothing comes from 5.11. I suppose I’m simply a different kind of geek these days…