THE OBSERVATION POST: Blog

I'M STILL HERE! ^^

Thu, 22 Nov 2007 09:45:13 GMT

Hello everyone! I'm sorry that I have not posted blogs in a long time. My interest has been diverted for some time now. As for the military, well I'm on IRR (Inactive Ready Reserve) and recently they tried to activate me back to active duty! Yes I was a little mad until they called me and stated that I do not have to go back! Now i can focus on my life here in the city and work on my current goals, as I've been doing. Well I will post more later on. This is just to let everyone know that I am here and well.

Semper Fidelis,

R. Fig

Home Networking

Sat, 22 Apr 2006 04:36:02 GMT

Before we can even begin to get into the nitty gritty of computer networking, we must first understand the basics. Most don't even know how to maximize an application for better viewing. I find that interesting. I found an article in networkworld.com stating that "executives believe there's a communication gap between business and IT". I do believe there is a commuincation gap but it's not the IT person's fault if you had the CAPS lock on when you were typing in your password 7 times and couldn't access your information fast enough. It's not our fault when you decide to surf the web on your break from a business meeting and suddenly download that virus that wipes your hard drive clean, steals your passwords or enables everyone to see your personal information. That's the communication gap. I believe the gap lies not within the communication but the ignorance of those that do not care what happens so long as they "have access to the internet". Check this link out http://www.networkworld.com/weblogs/layer8/011842.html I thought this was very interesting. Thanks to the many acronyms i learned in the Marine Corps, I can relate to the IT world. I understand what it means to "reboot" or "connectivity". I think we should all learn more. With the IT (Information Technology) field growing rapidly, not many know what to do, some just "want it fixed" or "want it working". Take the time to learn your pc, navigate through your menus, and your start menu (for microsoft windows users). Many p.c's now offer walk throughs to help configure your network settings so that you are able to pass information from your desktop pc connected by wires in your bedroom to your wireless laptop located in your living room. Learn it and transfer that file, go ahead i dare you! Learn that virus security is very important and vital for all your p.c. activity.

HTTP://SOUNDSOHO.COM

Fri, 03 Mar 2006 13:59:11 GMT

Hello everyone, I'm back!! I've been away for a while and now I have something new for you. I created a website called soundsoho. The website should aim at promoting myself and services for SOHO networking. SOHO is Small Office/Home Office network. When you here the term SOHO, dont just think of creating an office space. There's much more to it than that and all of it is fun, exciting and convenient! I can implement networks for you and also make them secure for whatever reasons you choose. Please feel free to take a look at my site:

http://soundsoho.com Feel free to fill out the surveys I have posted.

Thank you for helping me out.

Rafael F.

Semper Fidelis

Civilian Life

Thu, 29 Sep 2005 02:15:58 GMT

I'm still here and I guess my decision to re-enlist is pretty much out of the window. I made some really good friends and I keep in touch with some of them but I'll never forget the ones I dont keep in touch with. As for me yeah, I'm getting CCNA certified. CCNA (Cisco Certified Network Administrator). Even until this day I find myself saying, "yes sir", "good morning ma'am" or my personal favorite "outstanding". Yeah hard to kick old habits. I would like replies from anyone who has not been in the military to tell me their perspective of military members that are out of the service. What characteristics have you noticed? Likes or dislikes? etc. This blog can be a hectic one if we get some good responses. Oh and to my fellow msn space bloggers, you know who you are. Hello! Good to be back. :) See you around.

WHAT WOULD YOU CHOOSE?

Fri, 05 Aug 2005 01:30:41 GMT

You know. I did 4 years in the Marines. At first I didnt know what I was getting into. I remember all the growing pains. The hard times, the annoying times, the fun times, the suspenseful times etc. I got a little bit of everything while I was in the Marine Corps. I PT'd (running) almost everyday. At one point I was running 5 -7 miles easy! I couldnt believe it. I was in the best shape of my life. Along my way I met some great people. I met (who I like to call) "Robo"...a friend of mine from Okinawa Japan. At the same time I was stationed out there, I met "Willi" the boxer, "Doc" but we all call him "Doc", Sgt. Garcia a.k.a "Mr. Suave" and various other characters that oddly enough had something in common....PATRIOTISM! No matter what anyone of us did that weekend by ourself or no matter where we deployed to we always came back and spoke to each other as if it was life....because it is/was. I got paid for doing that. I got paid for putting my life on the line for my country. But it's not just my country, my family is part of this country and they support this country...so in turn it all plays out just the way it's supposed to be....for myself atleast. So I understand how other cultures may feel threatened when some other culture just walks right in flying aircrafts over your head while your sleeping and disrupting patterns that were so perfect for you when that other culture wasn't there. Regardless, what gives you the right to try and ruin a culture that started from cast aways from other countries (robbers and burglers and cheaters and before them Indians (choctaws, Algonquin, Apache, Navajo and all other tribes)....to Union and Confederates to assassins to beloved presidents and the most disliked presidents......how did we become so rich in materialistic things? How can we give a football player 35 million dollars and a 4 year contract and give our armed forces $1000 every two weeks and then just to keep you in and fighting raise your life insurance just a tad bit higher so that your family agrees too? How can people pay Donald Trump so much, while the majority of the citizens have to work about 6-10 years to match what he made in 1 ad. Despite all these crazy "observations", I find myself, even after being out of the Marines for 4 months and having a decent, steady job still debating whether I should sign back up!! Do you think thats a little strange? Regardless of what I've "observed" I still feel like my call to duty is not over! I left some great young men and women whom I still keep in contact until this day. I can still re-enlist if I wanted to even until this day. Option (A)- 30,000 re-enlistment bonus, choice of duty station...hmmm Option (B)- live my life in NY and go to work and come back home and be with my family.

Decisions, decisions, decisions......

SILICON VALLY BUSINESS...TAKE A LEAP!

Fri, 29 Jul 2005 01:51:07 GMT

If you are trying to start a business, check out some of these top sites that are willing to assist in creating your website and offer you an email specific to your business and some of them are real cheap. These sites have been recommended by IT experts from several companies. Feel free to click and view. Post your feed back to me via instant messenger, email or M4L discussion board. I check them on a daily basis.

Check them out:
http://www.ipowerweb.com/ (email), http://www.whosbehindyourwebsite.co.uk/technology.asp (build your website),
http://www.webfusion.co.uk/usertype.php?user=2 (build your website),
http://www.homestead.com/~site/qslo/diy.html (build your website),
http://www.neboweb.com/?utm_source=...+Website+Design (build your website and email),
http://www.omniprohosting.com/ (build your website),
http://www.spinsite.com/?mcode=GMGOO100&source=google (build your website)

MARINE4LIFE WEBSITE

Fri, 22 Jul 2005 18:30:34 GMT

Hello Everyone. Todays topic is about https://www.m4l.usmc.mil. This website is not only for Marines but for everyone. Employers can go there and enter the NEW DISCUSSION FORUM that they recently added to the website. I personally take advantage of that feature. It enables you to reach mostly transitioning military members but not limited to just service members but civilians who want to respond to forums such as Operation Iraqi Freedom Veterans, Operation Enduring Freedom Veterans, Money Matters, Scholarships, etc. If you know of something good that can help a fellow service member's transition easier, post it and part but return because it is well worth. I am a M4L Mentor that assists military service members transition out of the military and into a possible job in N.Y.C.

Semper Fidelis,

Rafael

THIS IS A TRUE STORY!!

Wed, 13 Jul 2005 02:09:48 GMT

THIS IS A TRUE STORY. I WAS SURPRISED TO HAVE READ THIS ON WWW.MILITARY.COM. THIS IS TRUE BECAUSE WHEN THIS MARINE DIED, I WAS AT WORK RIGHT ACROSS THE WAY FROM THAT GYMNASIUM. HIS DEATH OCCURED DURING OR AROUND LUNCH TIME OR SO. I SAW AMBULANCES ALL OVER AND IT WAS A SAD DAY. THIS LIEUTENANT COLONEL WAS KNOWN THROUGHOUT THE 22D MEU COMMUNITY (FEB. 2005)

TROOP LEVEL TO DECREASE?

Wed, 13 Jul 2005 02:02:58 GMT

I HEAR THINGS LIKE TROOP LEVEL DECREASING. WHAT DO YOU THINK? DO YOU THINK TROOP LEVELS WILL BEGIN TO DECREASE? YES OR NO? IF YES, HOW LONG DO YOU THINK THAT WILL TAKE? IF NOT, WHY DON'T YOU THINK SO?

http://www.military.com/NewsContent/0,13319,FL_leave_071205,00.html

NEW MILITARY VETERANS SCHOLARSHIP!!!!!! (MUST SEE FOR IRAQ AND AFGHANISTAN VETERANS)

Thu, 30 Jun 2005 12:56:12 GMT

Iraq and Afghanistan veterans please check out this website. This is a new scholarship that helps young veterans get their college degree. PLEASE TAKE A LOOK AT THIS.

http://www.horatioalger.com/scholarships_military/index.cfm

CURRENT JOB OPPORTUNITY

Wed, 22 Jun 2005 15:18:50 GMT

To anyone seeking employment within the NYC (Queens, Long Island) area. All County Open MRI is hiring for the position of film custodian. Contact me via email or post a message to this site with a contact number or email. This is a current job opening at a rapidly growing company with room for advancement. CONTACT ME IMMEDIATELY.

Everywhere you hear....FEWER......FEWER...FEWER

Tue, 14 Jun 2005 12:46:37 GMT

The Naval Academy, The U.S Air Force Academy, West Point Academy.....all are noticing significant decline in applications. "The nations top three academies where room, board and tuition for four years is free" (The Boston Globe, June 14, 2005)

"Parents, in particular, are simply not encouraging their children to go into the military because, for many, this means an immediate posting to Iraq or atleast forces in that region, " Corgan said. (The Boston Globe, June 14, 2005)

Go to www.military.com and read the article titled, "FEWER APPLYING TO ACADEMIES"

Opinions on the military?

Wed, 08 Jun 2005 20:59:32 GMT

WHAT DO YOU HAVE TO SAY ABOUT THIS.............??????

Some issues I'm starting to see for (2005) are....

Veterans of the Global War on Terrorism are seen on the streets, HOMELESS!!!

Higher Divorce rates among military personnel (especially officers)!

Reservists are having a hard time retaining jobs because their employers fear that they will deploy so therefore they are getting fired!

The United States Marine Corps at a glance.

Mon, 06 Jun 2005 18:09:11 GMT

Rank, seniority, "playing the game", "hurry up and wait", physical fitness (PT), "dont ask dont tell", deployment, leaving family behind, seeing family for the first time in months or even years, leaving your wife, leaving your husband....... Living the life of military is different and challenging. There is no "gray" to the military. You either like it or you don't. You can like certain things about it but you can hate the "at the cost of.." I enjoyed the U.S.M.C but at what cost, my life? People worrying about me. Some say yeah but look, if you die your family gets 250,000 or what is it now 400,000? Is that a good thing or a bad thing? Me personally I dont want to die but it's better than saying, "hey sign up to fight for your country with no perks to offer." I was in for four years, deployed 3 times and have been to several different countries. I got out a Sergeant at the age of 25. The friends I have left behind are amazing though. The bond is nothing like I've ever experienced in my life. There's something about going to war with someone more or less your age, knowing your in the same situation and you're looking out for each other. You can't forget that! Family wait on their loved ones at home wondering, hope they're ok? Why hasn't he/she written me yet? Spouses stay with the kids or at home with no kids, living their daily lives keeping in their minds that hopefully, they'll see their significant other soon enough. Ever had or have these feelings? I'm a 25 year old U.S veteran. I was in Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom. I was in the Memorial Day parade of May 2005 in Glendale Queens, N.Y with the VFW members and as I was walking down Myrtle Avenue, I saw this lady sitting in a lawn chair. She was not smiling and she was not clapping but she was there for a reason! I couldn't figure out why she was just sitting there looking at us with this bland look on her face. Monotone I thought. I look again (ATTENTION TO DETAIL) and I see this big picture of (I assume was her son) in his dress blues (U.S.M.C garrison uniform). I knew that picture right away because I have the same one, with the same background. It was the picture every Marine gets in the middle stage of boot camp right before they graduate, where from the waist up is dress blues, but what nobody knows is that from the waste down you're probably wearing sneakers (go fasters) and your nasty, dingy, dirty boot camp cammouflage utilities. Anyway, that lady sitting in that lawn chair, with that big picture of that proud Marine was mourning her son (I dont know if it was her son or not) but I felt it. I/we knew why she was there! God Bless those who fall and all who fell! Semper Fidelis

INVESTING INFORMATION

Mon, 23 May 2005 14:30:14 GMT

ANYBODY KNOW A GOOD WEBSITE THAT IS EITHER CHEAP OR NO-COST TO TRACK YOUR PORTFOLIO? I AM INVESTING IN TO MY 401K, BUT I WANT TO TRACK IT SO THAT I CAN INVEST FOR SHORT TERM HIGH YIELD PROFITS IN THE NEAR FUTURE. ANY SUGGESTIONS?