Morristown

Wednesday, July 20, 2005

On this day in two thousand and four...

"You will get off my bus. You will proceed and line up on those yellow footprints and you will not move until I tell you to. Now move. MOVE! TODAY!"

A whole year. Good Lord.

Posted by: Joe Wagner / 8:34 PM

Sunday, July 17, 2005

Pope hates Harry?

I don't know, but I will say that these do seem to be a little more than just a polite response to someone who wouldn't stop writing. The Cardinal did not have the time to respond in great length to everyone who sends him a letter, so the brevity of the response should not raise eyebrows. A polite response would, I believe have been far more neutral. Mrs. Kuby's stance was well-known, if I understand it correctly, and it must have been known that she would be glad to brandish something that looked like a condemnation. For this reason, I am very supicious of the theory that this was meant to be something like a form letter with no specific endorsement. Also, at least according to the story, he gave his permission to publicize it.

"I would like him to read Looking for God in Harry Potter or The Hidden Key to Harry Potter"
First of all, if someone wrote a book called "Looking for Witchcraft and Sorcery in Harry Potter", I wonder how long that book would have to be. Secondly, way to go Paladin! Let's all advise the Pope to shut up and give Eastern Orthodox laymen his undivided attention.

Posted by: Joe Wagner / 1:59 PM

Saturday, July 16, 2005

Back from our field op. Feels good to have changed out of the the same pair of cammies for four days and no showers, and also not to have to wear a flak all the time and maintain eyes or hands on your rifle all the time. I must say I am pleased at how fast the heat rash and "prickly heat" is disappearing. Nasty stuff, pokes you with a hundred pins every times you physically exert yourself in any way, including bending over. The human body was not meant to spend all day in a flak jacket, and skin needs air. At least I take consolation from the fact that the dry heat of Iraq is probably more merciful than the oppressive humidity of Jacksonville.

At least we had fun on the firing line. Got to shoot both of the weapons I mentioned in a recent post, as well as a pistol and my rifle. Even got to shoot at night with night vision goggles. Folks, or at least, guys, take it from me. After the first try, they're not that great. Maybe just for watching the animals and the landscape, but not for anything that requires concentration and spacial judgment. In any case, we must have each shot at least 400-600 rounds in three days of firing. I've never smelt so much burnt powder in my life.

During down time, we practiced disassembly and assembly of some weapons, including racing each other. Dexterity and concentration strongly recommended. I beat my platoon Sergeant on the pistol assembly, and my armorer on rifle assembly, one which I thought was suicide going into.

And I must say the jury has reached it's verdict: The M240G jams way less than the SAW does. On the other hand, my Golf went runaway on me the other night (you tell it to stop firing, but it don't wanna listen).

Time to wind down while we can. Next week is the gas chamber.

Posted by: Joe Wagner / 9:49 PM

Sunday, July 10, 2005

A couple of things.

First of all, I resent the fact that a new hurricane is being named Dennis. We in Virginia Beach had Dennis a few years ago. Get your own 'D' name, Florida.

Then there's the London bombing. Yet more proof that Iraq had nothing to do with terrorism. The terrorists are getting awfully worked up about a war whose biggest flaw, supposedly, was that it didn't target them or their institutions. I suppose it's possible someone might make the claim that the attack proves that the war has done nothing to weaken terrorism, but that's silly, in the face of a remarkable dropoff from 3,000-4,000 on September 11 to about fifty today in London. Apart from that, it still doesn't address the fact that terrorists are still killing on behalf of a defunct regime which we were told did nothing to support or harbor them. I have a feeling I may never be able to watch some Monty Python episodes the same way again. It used to be okay to show things in London randomly blowing up.

Posted by: Joe Wagner / 5:49 PM

Monday, July 04, 2005

And for the support of this Declaration with a firm reliance on the protection of Divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our lives, our fortunes, and our Sacred Honors.

Posted by: Joe Wagner / 9:45 AM

Saturday, July 02, 2005

Just a couple of pictures here. The first of me with the M249 SAW (Squad Automatic Weapon). It weighs 20 lb. with 200 rounds, and it's my favorite. On the right, I am holding the M240G Medium Machingun. The SAW shoots a 5.56 mm round, same as the M16, but the Golf shoots a 7.62 mm round, same as the AK-47. It's considerably heavier, but they say it works better and breaks less. We'll have to see.

Posted by: Joe Wagner / 8:34 AM