indecorum

Editor’s Note: Pretty interesting review from a Marine on leave. Chris-O is on the best lists.

Hello to all my fellow gunners, military buffs, veterans and interested guys. A couple of weekends ago I got to spend time with my son Jordan, who was on his first leave since returning from Iraq. He is well (a little thin), and already bored. He will be returning to Iraq for a second tour in early ‘06 and has already re-enlisted early for 4 more years. He loves the Marine Corps and is actually looking forward to returning to Iraq.

Jordan spent 7 months at Camp Blue Diamond in Ramadi – AKA: Fort Apache. He saw and did a lot and the following is what he told me about weapons, equipment, tactics and other miscellaneous info which may be of interest to you. Nothing is by any means classified. No politics here, just a Marine with a bird’s-eye views opinions:

Good Guy Weapons & Stuff:

1. M-16 Rifle: Thumbs down. Chronic jamming problems with the talcum powder like sand over there. The sand is everywhere. Jordan says you feel filthy 2 minutes after coming out of the shower. The M-4 carbine version is more popular because it’s lighter and shorter, but it has jamming problems also. They like the ability to mount the various optical gun-sights and weapons lights on the picattiny rails, but the weapon itself is not great in a desert environment. They all hate the 5.56mm (.223) round. Poor penetration on the cinderblock structure common over there and even torso hits can’t be reliably counted on to put the enemy down. Fun fact: Random autopsies on dead insurgents shows a high level of opiate use. Would you like to know more? »

Round 2…Clean!

• Harley Hazards – Discovery Channel HD is awesome, but then the newness fades and if you’ve seen one American Chopper or Arctic Polar Bear, you’ve seen them all. I’m back on the motorcycles are dangerous wagon.


• Usher (feat Napoleon) – Yesss, OK, Usher Usher Usher, Yeah Yes!


• Packers sign fan – Two weeks ago, Brett Favre’s season hit a new low (Packers are 2-7) when a fan strips the ball right out of his hands, while on the field, while playing. Only a great tackle by security stopped the fan from returning the football for a touchdown.


• Bears do it to music too – First person to get Jack that bear wins. Ready, set, go!

Orbox

Use your ARROW KEYS to guide your flashing box to the exit (red box) and use the blocks to stop yourself. There are lots of levels prepared for you. Go for it!

What’s your favorite season, Christmas or Wedding Season?
Uh, the answer is Wedding Season…

So in the spirit of relationships, two videos taking space on my desktop:

Moment of clarity

You have the wedding right, right?

As they say in the old country, Mazel tov!

Let me get this straight. You find a suspicious briefcase abandoned in a third world country and you think it might be a bomb.

What should you do?

1. Open it and find out what’s inside.
2. Allow bystanders to looks over your shoulder and crowd around.
3. Open it yourself without any protective equipment while being assisted by another officer equally unprotected, all while other officers are present who at least have body armor on.
4. All of the above.

This pretty much turns out how you think it will, so please don’t click on the link if you’re squeamish.

3rd World Bomb Squad

Here’s a sample of what happens when you steal a car that is hooked up with cameras, microphones and GPS. All of which are monitored by the police. Not good times.

Couple choice clips:

• The Prayer
• Oh No Oh No

More to see at: BaitCar.com

This captures elements that make reality TV great: stupid people getting screwed. This would be good for America until lawyers get the practice banned due to entrapment or other BS.

A Marine squad was marching north of Basra when they came upon an insurgent soldier badly injured and unconscious. Nearby, on the opposite side of the road, was an American Marine in a similar but less serious state. The Marine was conscious and alert. As first aid was given to both men, the Marine was asked what had happened.

The Marine reported, “I was heavily armed and moving north along the highway and coming south was a heavily armed insurgent. Seeing each other we both took cover. I yelled to him that Saddam Hussein was a miserable low-life scumbag, and he yelled back that Teddy Kennedy is a rich, good-for-nothing fat drunk.”

“We were standing there shaking hands when a truck hit us.”

[Overheard in McDonald’s this morning]

Two little boys, approximately 4 or 5 years old, spy each other in line. Their mothers are holding their respective hands, staring straight ahead at the menu board with that dispassionate glazed look—like they’re pumping gas, or waiting for a dog to do its business.

• Little boy #1: Hey! You get McDonald’s for breakfast too!
• Little boy #2: Yeah! I’m getting pancakes! I thought I was never going to get pancakes again.
• Little boy #1: How come? Your mom doesn’t make pancakes at home?
• Little boy #2: No. I only get them here. And I didn’t think I was ever going to taste them ever again.
• Little boy #1: How come?
• Little boy #2: Because after my little brother’s birthday party, my Mom said she’d rather take it up the ass than eat here anymore.

Cleaning off my desktop, enjoy:

• Bad Day At The Rodeo – insert clean underwear joke here
• Dancing Queen – who’s left after everyone jumps on the hand grenade
• Slide Mishaps – cheesy Home video collection
• CBS2 News Metro Card Report – How not to get promoted to the good stories
• Breast Exams are Important – instant classic, thank you canada
• Coffee 3000 – Beer ads keep the world on tilt