mattp

I don't always go for Prole's arguments, Fairweather, but in this case I'd say he is spot on. Rushdie makes a compelling argument for the fact that Islamofacists are an evil force in this world, but this little smippet of prose hints at ignoring the reality that the adherents to this ideology are able to exploit events and policies on the ground to their advantage. Does Rushdie call for jihad against the jihadists? Does he think it is possible to wage war against an ideolgy? Do YOU think that we could stamp out Islamic fundamentalism with military action or economic sanctions or some other program? Would it be a good idea to try? And what does some past argument about "agrarian reform" have to do with it, or the fact that you think the guy suffers from some "creeping ideology?" Tell us: do you think we could do something we have not already tried with military or covert activity that might actually stamp out a movement that is founded in history fifteen hundred years old? Has the war in Iraq made us safer? Has our conduct of the war in Afghanistan been executed in the most appropriate manner? Our frequent lack of intervention elsewhere in the region? Does our generally blind support of Israel help or hurt our efforts to combat terrorism? Are you one of those who thinks the answer lies in Armageddon? Where is it that any member of the mainstream left which you so despise has ever argued that Islamic fundamentalism is a good force in the world, or that we should somehow coddle to such an ideology?

I've been watching the news and we really haven't seen it yet but I don't doubt we'll see some analysis suggesting there has been voter suppression or even vote fraud supporting some of the successful Democratic candidates this year, Fairweather, but over the last several years the majority of it has run the other direction. I guess you've forgotten about Florida and Ohio, eh? And as to smaller races, just run a ten minute Google search and start reading the reports and I think you'll see more reported concerns about problems favoring Republicans than Democrats. And as to the statement from the Diebold CEO that he was going to deliver Ohio to Bush? Search the name Odell if you've forgotten about this story that was pretty big news just a couple of years ago. Still, however, my suggestion is this: the Democrats have said they are going to drain the swamp of dirty politics, and that they want to reach accross the aisle. I think this would be a good issue for them right now and it would be difficult for folks to argue this wasn't a worthy cause or that it is not one that should be addressed by both parties. There was an opinion piece in today's NYT that suggested we might look at an election system more like Canada's. That might be a good place to start the discussion.

Like I said, Fairweather, for the purposes of this discussion we can ignore the fact that the owner or President or whoever he was of Diebold said he was setting out to deliver Ohio to Bush two years ago, and we can ignore the fact that the problems seem overwhelmingly to have arisen in Democratic voting districts, These folks at Diebold said they could not produce reliable machines that printed receipts and they said their machines could not be hacked. Both were ridiculous statements. End of story. I'm with you on those color-in-the-bubble ballots. They are foolproof, recountable, and tabulated immediately by optical scanners. What could be better? Perhaps we agree here that election reform would be a good project for the new "bipartisan" political machine? Election financing reform seems to be beyond their grasp as every time they enact a new law the powers that be find a way around it, but reform/refinement of the mechanics of elections ought to be attainable.

Don't worry, Ivan. The Tilly Jane ski trail is not a difficult climb and they will get that road fixed fairly quick, I expect.

Yup. The left has the market cornered on hypocrisy, too.

Clearly, only a liberal would say something like that.

Mount Cook is one place where I have found a picket to make a pretty good anchor. I think it is because the storm cycle is rapid - something like 100 storms a year, and much more consistent throughout the year than here - and that while it is generally colder than it is here in the summer (at the upper levels on the mountain, anyway), they get wet storms throughout the year. When I was there for a couple of summer climbs, higher up on the mountain it was firm snice on all aspects, with good fat water ice on some of the rocks. I have never encountered such conditions in WA and I'd be a little cautious about assuming field testing in New Zealand was directly applicable here.

I'm with you, KJK. They can lose ballots on the way to the collection center, too, but it would be easier to trace.

Did you read my post from page 1? Not only have they been unable to make a machine that can't be hacked, but they actually said they couldn't make a voting machine that can reliably produce a printed receipt although they make bank machines! Clearly, the demands on a voting machine are nothing compared to the demands on a bank machine, and we'd be very happy with an error rate that was even 100 times that of the error rate with bank machines!

Counterfeit, you are also assuming that the good men and women at Diebold are actually TRYING to make machines that do the job right. I think that, in light of their history, such an assumption is highly suspect at best.

Pickets can be bomber in hardened snow/ice and, yes, in these conditions you DO mangle the end when hammering them in - though the hammer end and not the front end. Some come with harder metal wrapped around the hammer end. But I have only encountered this kind of snow surface a very small handful of times in thirty years of Cascade climbing.

I'm skeptical about computer voting machines in general but, even if there might be some reason to us them I think we should talk about the manufacturer. In my view, Diebold is 100% disqualified based on their clear record of dishonesty or incompetence. Consider that on more than one occasion they publicly asserted that their machines could not be hacked and some hackers performed a demonstration hack in short order. Consider also their past assertions that they could not make machines that produced a printed receipt while they make bank machines that do exactly that. Think about it: security and verification are the number one and two things that matter in a voting machine, are they not? Forget the fact that Diebold is a major Republican donor and prior to the last election they said they were going to deliver Ohio to Bush. Would any of us hire ANY contractor who had been so completely wrong about their product and its capabilities in such fundamental ways?

I'm not saying pickets are never usefull, but in my experience the hard snice where they can be bomber is pretty rare in the NW and in general snow slopes lacking sufficient rock anchors where I want some kind of belay do not get so steep that I find much need for one. I've climbed plenty of steep snow slopes where you wouldn't want to fall because they are perched over a cliff or crevasse, but I just have not found many situations where a picket would really help - around here. I've used them in Alaska and New Zealand, but I think the only time I've ever used a picket in the NW was when setting fixed ropes for large groups of beginners on a snow climb - and I've generally used them in the "deadman" configuration when doing this and looked for rock anchors where they were available. And this has always been in the summer, not the winter. I've carried them around some times, but rarely find a good use for one other than as a tent stake.

I don't know about Crux but I for one hope they decide to undertake more aggressive voting reform. HAVA and ongoing challenges of close race results should not be the end of the discussion. I know there are States' Rights issues, but wouldn't a national standard for how to tally votes, how to recount, how to draw districts, etc. make sense? Shouldn't we do all we can to maintain free and fair elections as well as the public faith that we are having free and fair elections (not necessarily the same thing)? How about doing away with Electoral College? Standards as to what kinds of ID? The Democrats have pledged to "drain the swamp" and at least this, along a real look at how to bring lobbying activities into the light of day should be part of whatever they do.

Nope. If I am no tmistaken, that "famous line" came from an interrogatory response, and I think it was actually a question whether "is" means currently existing or ever existed - a meaningful distinction. If my memory is correct, this answer was not the manipulative dodge that it has been made out to be by right wing talk show hosts, but the Clinton people had lots more important things to try to contend with than responding to jabs like this one. But, yes, lying to the Grand Jury was the grounds they finally "got" him on after so many years of Whitewater and TravelGate and StripperGate and etc.

Sorry you feel so slighted, RBW. Is it "narcissistic condescension" to suggest that I don't think there was much real fact-finding undertaken? Your post appeared to indicate that task had already been completed.

Well I guess they pulled the wool over your eyes, then.

Already been done. A bi-partisan commission headed by Silberman. You're kidding, right?

Somebody on NPR was speculating this morning that with such a slim margin, they're probably going to be tempted to make the same partisan plays and attempt similar corruption of the process. I'm afraid I agree with KK here, that we will probably see lots of rhetoric but little change. One can hope, though. I know it is idealistic, but perhaps somebody could look a little longer term and think about rebuilding the Nation or at least the Democratic Party in a better image.

I'm with you there. However, we've so often heard the Republicans saying they were the party of accountability when they have utterly failed to hold a single person accountable not only for lying to take us into the war, but ignoring the advice of nearly all the Pentagon war planners and bungling the war effort, mismanaging the reconstruction, and while continuing to lie about what they are doing there. (For example, is there much doubt that they are building a permanent military base in Iraq or that we continue to ignore the Geneva convention?) I'd like to see the Democrats or some combination of Democrats and Republicans actually bring a greater measure of accountability to American politics and I'm sure more than a few Democrats would get caught up in the net if they did. Impeachment would only be a good idea if it was a sensible part of a larger package -- otherwise it would be viewed as nothing more than payback whether it was motivated by that or not. I'm not saying "start the proceeding in January," but I AM saying it could be part of a program of reconciliation and accountability and I would not, the day after the election, say "we should never consider it."

I understand the "neo-liberal" thing, maybe, or the idea that we might not benefit from more of the same and any talk of impeachment should not be about "payback" but should be focussed on what is right and where it might lead us, but even Fairweather admits they lied to take us to war. Lying to Congress is a felony, isn't it? What do you need to see?

What do you use pickets for? I have never or almost never used one in the Pacific NW.

This looks like the real thing.

A self-righteous proclamation from one of the most profane blowhards on cc.com. Oh wait, only liberals can be self-righteous. I forgot. Self-righteous maybe, but I think he's right on this one.

For a single pitch trad climb, I have always liked Godzilla. Maybe "real climbers" don't sully theirselves with it except as an afterthought, in the dark, with sandals on, but there is a reason it is so popular. For a longer trad climb, I think Davis Holland to Lovin' Arms is the best 5.10 in WA. For something a little easier, I think Midway with the original traverse 35 feet above the step-over from Jello Tower is as cool as it gets for truly moderate trad climbing. For a single pitch of sport climbing, I used to really like Narlux at Vantage. It is (or was) bolted funny, with substantial runout at key points even though it has plenty of bolts, but it involved heel hooking and side pulls and things slightly out of the ordinary for 5.10 at Vantage. I haven't been on it for a few years, though. For multipitch sport? Condomorphine. I know it rubs some people the wrong way, but it is a fun climb in a great setting. Of course I heartily enjoy the climbing in Darrington, and I'd say Dreamer, Total Soul, Dark Rhythm, Rainman, and Jacob's Ladder are in a category all their own...