If You're a Geek, You Should Know This

"50 Skills Every Real Geek Should Have"
MAXIMUMPC (December 8, 2008)

"Pick a Lock" is at the top of the list, followed by "Differentiate Between Dr. Pepper and Mr. Pibb."

I'm not sure I see the preeminence of differentiating between soft drinks in a top-50 list of Geekish skills, but "pick a lock" does make sense.

Kids, Don't Try This at Home!

Of course, one would only use lock-picking skills to get back into the dorm room or house after absent-mindedly leaving the keys inside, or some other innocent purpose. I'm not even sure if the ownership of lockpicking tools is legal in most areas.

Besides, ethical and moral considerations aside, breaking the law isn't good sense: sooner or later, you'll get caught.

Back to Being Geeky

The last two items discussed are "Debate the Relative Merits of an Imperial Star Destroyer vs. the USS Enterprise" and "Build Your Own Computer."

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Afterword:

My own opinion in the ISD/USSE debate is that it depends on exactly when the confrontation takes place.

If it's while James T. Kirk ('and got special commendation for original thinking') and Montgomery Scott ('where they'll be no tribble at all') were on board: I'd start claiming salvage rights for the Star Destroyer.

If the inter-universe confrontation takes place after Scotty is decanted from that Dyson sphere, that version of the Enterprise still has a pretty good chance. Provided, of course, that the Federation captain from the more 'civilized' era will dare unleash such a talented and innovative loose cannon.

And yes: there is a bit of geek in me. I even looked the part, once.