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Heh. I got this down cold.

By The Armorer on September 19, 2007 | | Comments (29)

25 things a man should be able to do - according to Popular Mechanics.

1. Patch a radiator hose - check. BTDT.
2. Protect your computer - check, BTDTGTTS
3. Rescue a boater who has capsized -check. BTDT.
4. Frame a wall - check. Um, does it have to be square, true, and plumb?
5. Retouch digital photos - alla time. In my pic with the President, I lost 100lbs...
6. Back up a trailer - check. BTDT, but sloppily.
7. Build a campfire - check! Scorch marks in military training areas all over the world attest.
8. Fix a dead outlet - check. without making me dead, either.
9. Navigate with a map and compass - check, and I'm not sure young loots do that anymore!
10. Use a torque wrench - check.
11. Sharpen a knife - Check, I can and have, but for well documented reasons, I hire that out.
12. Perform CPR - check. BTDT, for real.
13. Fillet a fish - okay, Got me. -1.
14. Maneuver a car out of a skid - Check. More times than my insurance company would like.
15. Get a car unstuck - Car, truck, M113, M109, M578, CUCV, HMMWV, M151. Check.
16. Back up data - check. Often, sadly, not often enough, once.
17. Paint a room - check. Just don't check that wall ceiling line...
18. Mix concrete - check.
19. Clean a bolt-action rifle - check, check, check, check, check, check, check, check.... Semi-autos, full autos, and small and large bore artillery, too.
20. Change oil and filter - Check.
21. Hook up an HDTV - Okay, not yet. It's still in the box at the New Castle because we don't have TV service out there yet.
22. Bleed brakes - check.
23. Paddle a canoe - check. LBRB and RBRBs, too.
24. Fix a bike flat - check.
25. Extend your wireless network - check.

I got this knocked. How about you?

I apparently spanked the Blogfather on this.

He outscored me by 1 on the Civics Test. I got 4 wrong to his three. Which put us both light years ahead of this crowd.

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29 Comments

By Oldloadr on September 19, 2007 1:53 PM
OK, I've got everything except navigate with a map and compass. Of course, in my career, I only had to find the flightline and that was easy, just walk towards the noise...
 
By AFSister on September 19, 2007 2:20 PM
So what does it mean if you're technically a woman, yet can perform these duties? Does that make me a shim?
 
By Greg Morris on September 19, 2007 2:26 PM
Check on everything except bleeding brakes (never needed to)... just filleted 7 nice snapper last weekend.
 
By Pogue on September 19, 2007 3:31 PM
John, you still can't spell lost without an LT... AFSis - "...technically a woman..."? Uhhh, is there something you want to tell us?
 
By AFSister on September 19, 2007 3:36 PM
I'm technically a woman, but apparently "testing" as a man on the "man job" list. HAHA
 
By BillT on September 19, 2007 3:38 PM
#21. Don't even intend to get the gadget -- KtLW's the TV freaque, and with her eyes, HDTV would be a total waste of capital. #25. Don't have one. But I can segue into Ed the Neighbor's in an emergency. It'll cost me a beer, though. Everything else was a "Yup." Did #s 7, 11, 23 and 24 before most of yez were *born*...
 
By Andrew on September 19, 2007 3:39 PM
Regarding the civic test, I got 59 out of 60 correct, only missed "The question of why democracy leads to well-ordered government in America when disorder prevails in Europe is central to:" I knew my pol sci degree would be worth something someday.
 
By BillT on September 19, 2007 4:00 PM
Well, John, I tied on the Civics Test. Ummmm -- with Jonah. Darn Keynesians...
 
By kat-missouri on September 19, 2007 4:48 PM
Yeah...on this list, I got like 21 out of 25. So, what does that make me? A woman any redneck couch potato should want to marry. LOL
 
By kat-missouri on September 19, 2007 5:29 PM
on the Civics test, I missed 11. I obviously need to read Plato's Republic (philosopher king? how could I miss that?) And second guessed myself on a couple and one, totally screwed up clicking the right button. However, my score was still ahead of the curve. Think some college would give me a scholarship to complete my degree? Or, based on the table, should I skip college all together and demand an honorary degree?
 
By kat-missouri on September 19, 2007 5:36 PM
Apparently, college makes you stupid. I stopped going just in the nick of time. However, if I am going to go finish my degree, I should obviously go to school in the south or make sure I stay in the mid-west. State universities are apparently better. Yale obviously isn't what it used to be. Too many women's studies and how to get college credit drinking beer.
 
By J.M. Heinrichs on September 19, 2007 6:08 PM
26. Make jerky/smoke fish. 27. Recovery from a tippy-canoe. 28. Cut down a tree with a real axe. 29. Open a champaign bottle with a sword. 30. Understand the Theory of Gunnery as applied to the MBS and Cannister. Cheers
 
By Justthisguy on September 19, 2007 7:01 PM
I have a problem with "backing up a trailer" with my current truck. It seems that reverse is higher-geared than first. Whassup wit dat? I thought reverse was supposed to be the lowest gear, so that one could back out of any place he got frontways into. I have to slip the clutch when backing that thing up. There is of course lots of smartass commentary about how I oughta have gotten an automagic transmixer, but with today's gas prices, should anyone do that, even if the thing has a locking torque converter? There is no way to turn down the idle speed in this truck, the ECU controls all. I'm amazed that I still have physical control of the throttl
 
By ry on September 19, 2007 7:37 PM
You sure college makes you stupid, Kat? I only missed 8. Those I missed: Question #1 - D. 1601-1700(Couldn't remember the date, obviously.) Question #13 - B. the nature and control of Reconstruction.(Can't even remember Andrew Johnson.) Question #21 - A. support ratification of the U.S. Constitution.(Thought the Fed Papes were more about the Bill of Rights) Question #31 - A. Edmund Burke argued that society consists of a union of past, present, and future generations.(Never read him.) Question #36 - D. The authority of a legitimate sovereign.(Sovreign made me think of royalty, and that's not it.) Question #55 - E. increased for the lower and middle classes and increased most for the upper class.(Okay, got snookered by the media on this one.) Question #58 - B. An increase in the volume of commercial bank loans.(Big financial question. Never get those right.) Question #60 - B. social security.(Knew it was social spending but thought it was education.)
 
By kat-missouri on September 19, 2007 8:25 PM
Um..Ry...did you look at the table they provided? while you may be an exception, the table indicates that many universities apparently do make people stupid. Besides, you go to college in the mid-west. look at the table. I missed three that you have: Question #2 - B. stressed the sinfulness of all humanity. Question #14 - C. 1901-1925 Question #19 - C. philosopher kings. Question #23 - B. Marbury v. Madison. Question #27 - D. Man trusts his ability to know in order to reject his ability to know. Question #36 - D. The authority of a legitimate sovereign. Question #53 - B. a resident can benefit from it without directly paying for it. Question #54 - D. can be reversed by government spending more than it taxes. Question #55 - E. increased for the lower and middle classes and increased most for the upper class. Question #57 - A. Theaters will sell fewer tickets. Question #58 - B. An increase in the volume of commercial bank loans. Frankly, I can't believe I missed the "women's suffrage" question, but I honestly thought it was in 1926 so, not far off. I missed #54 because I was in a hurry and didn't read all the answers. I never read Plato in its entirety (I suppose now, I will get around to it) and 53 because I hit the wrong button and didn't notice. Still, doesn't matter. I know more than the average college graduate according to the table. I owe that to a great history/civics teacher in High school and a really great fifth grade teacher that got me interested in reading, allowing me to explore all the things that caught my attention. To my grandma that told me reading was okay when other kids made fun of me. To the grandfather and uncle to liked to talk about history. to my parents who insisted that I succeed in school, not just skate by. And, to some really great blogs like this and many others around the internet who have fueled by interest in many other subjects from history, finance to philosophy, sparking my interest to continue reading. In fact, I just read the original, untranslated version of Milton's Paradise Lost based on a discussion on a blog. Now, if only the rest of the ne'er do wells would thank the people really responsible for their abilities.
 
By John of Argghhh! on September 19, 2007 8:28 PM
JMH, I only lack 26 on your list. Except I use a saber.
 
By BillT on September 19, 2007 8:42 PM
Think some college would give me a scholarship to complete my degree? Based on the product they've been turning out, they oughta make you a full professor. With tenure.
 
By Mike on September 19, 2007 8:51 PM
John, Regarding "Civics Test", this 65 year old card dealer for an Indian Casino equaled your score, would've beat you but "clicked wrong circle" on one. The INSTAJERK, we have a history, should be hanging his head in shame. But, of course, he has none! I can only believe my success was due to Argghhh! and its links. That's a lie of course. My generations education thru high school was superior to that of follow on gens who went to college. Mike
 
By ry on September 19, 2007 9:24 PM
"Besides, you go to college in the mid-west." I attended, past tense, graduate school in the Midwest. My undergrad and hs was all on the left coast. Kat, I'm not debating whether you're exceptionally bright or. Your are. In raw intellect you're probably smarter than me, a lot smarter than me. But, on avg, the 'smart' college kids don't take these tests. They've got better things to do---like studying. It's almost always the bottom 20% who are just making it buy in something like Comp Lit that spend all their time online doing stuff like this. Anyone rember the commenter Aero(xxxxx)? He hasn't been around much since classes started up. Anecdotal, but in furtherance of the point. Yeah, you're a hell of a lot smarter than that bottom 20%. Smarter than me, and I was at one time a Ph.D. candidate. You're smarter than a lot of people, a lot smarter(considering your grasp of a lot of difficult subjects I could've sworn you had at least a masters degree in something!). But college makes you dumb? More like the people answering the questionaire were the rubber stamp kind of kids. regurgitate on command so they can get their card punched and move on up the ladder. It doesn't make them dumb, the system they moved up thru to get to college made them dumb. ry
 
By John of Argghhh! on September 19, 2007 9:47 PM
Mike - you simply prove my hypothesis. The older your schooling, the more of it you remember. And despite protestations to the contrary, we're better at rhetoric and argumentation, too.
 
By J.M. Heinrichs on September 19, 2007 11:47 PM
... and gunnery! Cheers
 
By kat-missouri on September 20, 2007 12:04 AM
Ry... I think that, based on the info they ask online and the info provided, that these tests and the scores parted out were not given "online" by people who spend their time jacking around online instead of studying. Based on information provided, I am assuming that this test was originally administered under other circumstances, I don't think this is based on the bottom 20%. And, I was not trying to insult you in anyway. I will tell you I think you are full of bull on China (LOL) and only give a hoot about sims and experts as far as they add to my own understanding, but, I don't think that they are set in stone because they are "experts". I don't think your arguments stupid or you are "stupid". And that was also the point of the "you went to college in the mid-west" see the tables (that was actually a sort of ironic back handed compliment). I'll agree with this in part:
But college makes you dumb? More like the people answering the questionaire were the rubber stamp kind of kids. regurgitate on command so they can get their card punched and move on up the ladder. It doesn't make them dumb, the system they moved up thru to get to college made them dumb.
But I'll caveat that I believe that "rubber stamping" is way more prevalent than just a bunch of kids that took this test. I firmly believe, based on my own experiences, that people get out of their education what they want. I appreciate a lot of teachers in my past, but not all of them were the golden apple teacher of the year variety. There's a little story that goes with this, but I'll shorten it up and say that the high school history teacher that I praise above said it, "You get out of education what you want." He made us read Locke, Adams, Paine, Rousseau, etc, write about it and talk about what it meant to the world we live in today. But he didn't tell us we had to re-interpret it based on modern understanding of human sociology and governments. He let them stand on their own and discussed their ideas as if they were as original today as they were then. That was in high school. That's pretty much how I view students. Screw the system and "rubber stamps". People want rubber stamps. Easy access to education did not improve the value of education. But, I don't blame the system. The system responds to the people and the people want rubber stamps so they can say they got a piece of paper. People choose their universities and their classes based on that theory: what they want to get out of it. It's the theory of life. (If I told you the number of actual college credits I had, you would fall of your seat; I learned everything I needed to know in High School and then because I wanted to. If somebody had handed me the opportunity to go to college like kids have today, I'd have been ecstatic. Now, I am going back to school. In an interesting thought process, while many people talk about how blogs are stupid, I have to say, I have had one of the best educations you can get for free.
 
By Trias on September 20, 2007 12:23 AM
I got loads wrong.. 24 to be exact :) Actually in my university there was no general education, it was all specific to the degree which means one would be weak at history, law and economics unless that was your degree.
 
By Trias on September 20, 2007 1:04 AM
Now for the funner part; 1. Patch a radiator hose - I know how been lucky to never have to bother. 2. Protect your computer - yes and did I say linux? 3. Rescue a boater who has capsized -no clue. It would help if there was more water.X 4. Frame a wall - np 5. Retouch digital photos - done that but they still won't accept me at AP. 6. Back up a trailer - never even towed a trailer yet.X 7. Build a campfire - ha! boy cub pyromania. 8. Fix a dead outlet - sure but i leave that to the sparkies. 9. Navigate with a map and compass - check 10. Use a torque wrench - only once but yes. 11. Sharpen a knife - Do it all the time. Blunt knives cut people, trust me. 12. Perform CPR - yep but never had to do in a real situation. Come to think of it i'm getting quite rusty now. 13. Fillet a fish - maybe i will if you clean it. 14. Maneuver a car out of a skid - I have no idea what this means.X 15. Get a car unstuck - It does help not to get it stuck in the first place. 16. Back up data - sure 17. Paint a room - nearly all my painting has been outdoors but sure. Please don't ask for anything better than stick figures if you want to get fancy. 18. Mix concrete - it's been a while :-S 19. Clean a bolt-action rifle - nope never touched a gun. Come to that i haven't seen a gun since i was a kid.X 20. Change oil and filter - sure. 21. Hook up an HDTV - How much money do you think I have? X 22. Bleed brakes - preferably without blood. 23. Paddle a canoe - crikey i'm not that far gone am i? 24. Fix a bike flat - well yes but that doesn't mean i have to actually do it does it? phew. 25. Extend your wireless network - hmm possibly but not done it yet so think I will say no X I'm 6 down. Maybe i am a screaming Queen after all. :P
 
By kat-missouri on September 20, 2007 1:56 AM
With a pink boa?
 
By Trias on September 20, 2007 5:09 AM
I can honestly say I've never painted my boa pink :-|
 
By Old Dog on September 20, 2007 5:56 AM
URK, What does it mean when my Wife and I both score 25 out of 25. That we were both raised on working farms?
 
By John of Argghhh! on September 20, 2007 6:21 AM
Trias - "Maneuver a car out of a skid" I guess we're trumped by that common language thingy. What do you call it Down Under when you're toodling along and all of a sudden (for any of myriad reasons) the rear end of your car decides to go exploring all on it's own, and in fact, if you don't steer yourself back straight, may well jump to the front of the line like a politician running for office?
 
By Trias on September 21, 2007 4:14 AM
You know i'm not sure what we call it. Loosing control I guess. Sadly I would earn an X on this one anyway.
 
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