chucK

I totally agree that the costs of doing "something" about global warming should be reported. It's a bit tough to do as I'm not sure there is a clear or uniform plan on what that "something" might be. But if some plans were proposed, reporting on possible costs might actually help the public understand what is going on. They would more clearly see that there is a motive for the GOP and their big industry constituents to be foot-dragging on all this.

How do you handle your belay, and the contingency of you getting hurt on a mulitpitch? I assume you plan to bring along another adult on the Grand?

Getting my kids up to similar speed on the skiing end. Haven't had as much success on the climbing. I might have to take up soccer.

Well I guess it is pretty useless arguing with the mind reader, but "So you want to get out and do more without the wife and kids, " I don't think I stated as much, but...who doesn't? "and you started a poll to find out how much more you should be allowed to" Not exactly. I started a poll to see how much other people in similar situations get out. ", but you're not complaining about it." Nope. Just trying to get some data on whether I really should complain.

As so often happens on this board I believe you are projecting yours/others thoughts onto me. I was careful not to bitch about being restricted. In fact, in my responses I did quite the opposite. I actually gave some reasons why it might not be reasonable to expect a ton of climbing time while married with kids. I made my own decision at getting married and having kids. I had my reasons. And I'm not bitching to you about it. Just trying to get some information. You should find another target to be condescending and better than. ...and to all you married-with-children climbers, answer this poll!

G-spot, you are correct, but is a bit tangential. My poll was asking how often do you get out, WITHOUT the kids. We regularly take our kids out backpacking, hiking, cragging, skiing, etc... I like those, but I also greatly enjoy more serious endeavours like grade III's and above, days of hard crag routes and other more strenuous and demanding adventures. My kids can't handle that yet, and I doubt my wife could either. My poll was focused on how much time you get to seriously devote to that selfish pursuit which basically necessarily excludes family.

You're forgetting about the kids, do they count? If I took off every other free day, and my wife did the other half that'd leave the kids with one parent at all times (i.e. divorce!!) Then there's the goddamned home maintenance and other sundry chores that are pretty tough to work in during the the work/school week. It's not that I'm saying < 10 days/year is not lame, just that 50% is greatly oversimplifying.

As Rob points out, the "with children" part is key. Even if your spouse climbs, heading out for a satisfying big climb is terrifically complicated by the difficulty of getting someone to take care of your kids from 4am until end of epic. Then even if you do find someone, it makes the whole experience much less flexible AND costly.

I understand the limitations of the data. A broad poll should be easy to answer. Just answer the damn thing! I would've answered but my situation has changed. I've gone from a > 20 to a < 10 if the current plan holds. OK, I'll answer it for last year. If you feel the need to qualify your answer, just do so in a reply.

Interesting topic. Relevant to my life. I recently had the boom lowered for the next climbing year. I'm wondering how that's gonna work out (it's easy to deal with climbing restrictions in the winter (as I'm not an ice climber, could be problematic come July). Anyway, this might be interesting, to see how restricted others are with their climbing. Please only answer this poll if you're married with kids (and try to answer honestly and accurately)

If we want to get to a position of strength from which we can negotiate, it has to be credible that we can hold that position of strength, else the opposition can just wait us out instead of negotiating. Calling this thing a "surge" directly implies that it's only temporary. That makes me believe that the "surge" is just a way to run out the clock 'til the next sad sack has to take over. Or it might possibly portend something even scarier, to build up our forces for an invasion of Iran (the purpose of which would be, of course, to run out the clock. Or maybe even to make the case that with a full-blown holy war going it is now too dangerous to be changing presidents).

Rove to give sworn testimony? More inquiry on Bushco misuse of intelligence in rush to war? Could get interesting!

Shoulda had a MLLU

How about, long pitches of grippy granite with nice edges on a sunny 50 degree morning?

You're bagging on Georgie's performance, but what about Webb's speech. Was that guy stiff or what? He looked petrified. He had some great material (IMO), but he sure didn't seal the deal with his (non)delivery.

gosh, I didn't know the alcohol companies were getting sued out of existence! Better drink while the drinkin's good!!! :brew:

Read above thread. (pssst...I think she is referring to Christianity, though it could probably be Islam too)

OK you guys have sold me. When are we going to show those stupid socialist Euro's who's the smartest by doing just what they do with respect to civil liberties concerning access to heroin? Your hero Bush should be on this pronto! (that was not intended to be a Bush-cocaine joke)

Shit! So are you saying that opiates will never be the opiate of the masses? (that position currently held by spectator sports)

I remember a similar story broadcast on NPR before the invasion about honor killings in Iraq. This was back during the rush to war, before the actual invasion, but after the WMD argument had become less credible and the focus had switched to oppression by the tyrant Saddam. Listening to that story was probably my personal high point in terms of support for invading. Guess that was stupid though. Probably even worse to be a woman in Iraq now than it was under Hussein. Oh well.

"proof"? I think if heroin were legal and easily obtainable, there would be more heroin addicts. I think that if heroin were aggressively marketed as a good way to get chicks and a fun way to hang by the pool, that a few more sales would be made. Could be wrong though.

Hmmm what an interesting question. I wonder if the number of heroin-related accidents and homicides would go up if it was legal and aggressively marketed like alcohol is? Hmmmm.....

I don't think you even read my responses. I think I wrote that I didn't have a problem with the govt. working with people to voluntarily self-regulate, but that mandatory restrictions would be troubling. I've never advocated fast-food bans. Aggressive? Did the word liberal hurt your eyes? Maybe we should call a moderator and get this cleaned up!

OK. Follow-up withdrawn. And JayB, I would love to cause you pain by calling myself a liberal. But have I ever done so? I am a liberal!! OUch! And I don't give a shit if your perception of my politics doesn't jibe with some arcane definition of a word that you're mistakenly thinking I've used to describe myself. You sound like Dwayner getting all in a twit about boulderers daring call themselves "climbers".