mattp

Fall color found! It was looking pretty drippy in Darrington this morning, but it turned out OK! Thanks, Jimbo, for another day of climbing.

Yes, Miller was the lead case on this issue until 2007. Do you guys think the first twelve words of the amendment have no meaning? I agree that it is not clear, and the Supreme Court has mostly sidestepped the issue but if you, Fairweather, are going to proclaim that "the debate is over" I think you may be disappointed. As much as STP may complain, the interpretation and application of our Constitutional interpretation IS an evolving matter. My guess is that STP likes it that way when that evolving interpretation conforms to his way of thinking. Did the founding fathers consider whether a fetus has a right to life? Is it really only the Congress who can declare war? Do those accused as terrorists have rights? Does internet discussion enjoy free speech? We've argued about the meaning of the second amendment plenty of times but either way I don't think Obama is likely to try to take your Bushmaster "hunting rifle" away. I posted this in another thread where you subsequently posted but chose not to prognosticate about what you think Obama may or may not do if elected. What do you think? Is he going to push for broad changes in firearms regulation?

Sunday is the better forecast but Saturday is my day. Squire Creek Wall? The biggest piece of granite in the state (well maybe aside from the Stuart Range), and gnarly. This is a shot of Not Fred Beckey's, taken from a spot that is about 7 pitches up from where you rope up.

When in good condition, Yokum Ridge is not necessarily a terribly difficult or dangerous climb.

Until the last decision, the Supremes were saying that the 2nd Amendment DID NOT impart an individual right to bear arms, giving meaning to the first ten or so words of the Amendment. You (Fairweather) may proclaim that your interpretation is decreed by the Supreme Court, but although it is the current interpretation I'd venture a guess that it is only tentative at this point.

I'm just getting over 6 months of being an invalid and looking for some fall color up at Darrington. One possible scenario involves a bit of route maintenance at 3:00 rock. Any takers?

I agree with what Joseph says here except for one thing: the fact that gun owners and enthusiasts tend to support the right wing policies of Bush and Company doesn't necessarily mean they would never seek to revolt. I don't think they could pull it off, but you can bet there'd be a lot of clamoring for armed insurrection if the government suddenly took a big jump to the left.

I used to shop at a QFC in Ballard where they had a similar "courtesy" schtick, but it seemed to be more concentrated at checkout. It would drive me nuts, waiting in line while the checkers were chatting away with every customer who came along and delaying the whole process both of scanning the groceries and receiving the pin code or bagging the goods. However, I have a lot of older clients who live in the neighborhood and they routinely used to comment on how they LOVED going to that QFC because everyone there was so friendly. I will avoid places that are really slow, but the other end of the spectrum can also be annoying. At Trader Joes in the U district, for example, they rush you through there pretty quick but you gotta play bumper carts with all the other hurried shoppers who push their carts aggressively and then stand three deep in front of the meat case, unsure of what to buy until they compare pennies per ounce.

For skiing on Forest Service roads I'd look for a telemark binding and flexible shoe. It'll be a lot more comfortable. I'm sure you could get somethiung pretty cheap at Value Village or Craigslist.

Fairweather, it is pretty funny to read where you suggest that Obama is more "extreme" than McCain, but that issue aside: how do you think an Obama presidency might play out differently than a McCain one? Any prognostication from the cult of McCain?

Wow, Mike. In 1980 I climbed a wall in Yosemite with a guy named Mike Price. I met him on the shuttle bus in Yosemite and we then climbed The Prow. We had a great time and I've cherished the memory ever since, thinking: that was one of my best climbing partners ever and we only ever did one climb together. I think it was the climber described in your link. If my partner Mike was killed in a crevasse fall I am truly saddened 17 years later. I have looked forward to meeting him once again in the Bugs or the Gunks for 28 years.

As part of the cult of Obama, how could I forget the big difference: Supreme Court: I bet Obama isn't going to appoint any extreme liberals, but his picks are going to be WAY better than McCain. This is likely to be a very big deal. If McCain somehow pulls a rabbit out of his hat I think we will have a very unbalanced and conservative court for years to come.

I agree with the sentiment, Tvash (we can't get rid of those crooks fast enough), but this weekend I was talking with a climbing buddy who said he didn't think either candidate would deliver on their promises so he was just going to vote for McCain because he was somehow more impressed with a vague notion that McCain was more "honest" than Obama. I couldn't think of much that McCain had been particularly honest about, but I had to agree with him that in reality there is a big lumbering machine that we call "the system" and much of what either or them are likely to try to do will succumb to momentum. I'm wondering: if the Dems end up with the presidency and the predicted gains in Congress, how much is really going to change? Here are a few guesses I'd make: War: Will they do anything fundamentally different in Iraq and Afganistan than the current Administration in the short term? Probably not, I'd say, but the President will talk about it differently and we might see quicker withdrawal in Iraq while I suspect the effort in Afghanistan is going to continue and to go badly with either President elected. Overall Military: I doubt there will be a big difference in our maintaining military bases all over the world and spending whatever obscene percentage of our gross national product is spent on all of this. Veterans are still likely to get more rhetorical support than real support. Diplomacy: Here's where I would expect a greater change. Obama is going to have to prove himself, and I don't think he'll paint a peace sign on the front door of the White House, but I'd expect a lot friendlier posture in the U.N., more cooperation with our allies, and less unilateralism. Taxes: Great sounding rhetoric from Obama on the campaign trail, but how much is going to be put in place? I'd expect more incremental change than the big differences talked about on the campaign trail. Healthcare: Here I'd hope that Obama and the Democrats can really do something. Obama's plan is not perfect but something like that could well come to pass. Guns: Are they really going to take away Fairweather's Bushmaster "hunting" rifle? I doubt it. I'd expect marginal changes here. Environment: Despite McCain's proclamations that he is pro-environment I'm guessing Obama's Environmental Protection Agency, or his programs for alternative energy development, and maybe even his operation of public lands will be more to my liking. Education: I haven't hear much talk about this. I know Obama has said he supports Charter Schools but not vouchers, but what may be their respective overal emphasis on funding and support for public education? Is there a big difference? Election Reform: Let's hope Obama and the Democrats can impose some serious quality controls on Diebold/Premier or even drive more states toward the optical scanners that seem to be the best bet. Will they be able to or will they even be inclined to make the whole vote counting process something we have greater confidence in? I'm skeptical. Overall Integrity: I have a hard time imagining Obama to surround himself by the number of crooks and lobbyists that McCain would, but that's just me. Having said that, however, I bet we'll see lots of scandals involving White House staffers and Democratic members of Congress if the Dem's are in power for eight years.

The answer to that would depend on the Federal policies, Fairweather. If we had more Federal control like leave all children behind, it won't help. If we had Federal standards and funding and support for the idea that public education is important, it would.

Easy there, Skeezix. It aint over yet and McCain said he's got Obama just where he wants him.

Kids DO go outdoors less than they used to and there has been a national discussion of this phenomenon. here is a recent article, and here is a book on the subject.

At Three O'clock Rock in Darrington,Silent Running offers a very straight-forward and well-protected slab climb although it is "well-protected" in a slab climb way with runouts up to 30 feet or so on easier terrain. These pose absolutely no problem for the follower, though some leaders may pucker up a bit and I was there once when somebody sent their girlfriend up there for her first lead ever and she fell 60 feet. It was not pretty. With fall colors, Darrington is even more scenic than usual and Three O'Clock Rock has a civilized trail right to the base.

If you think only a cheerleader could see the difference between Palin and Biden, what does that make you? Waterboy at the Special Olympics?

Wow. You don't see that she's a complete barbie doll? Would she really be only slightly worse than Biden or even on the same scale? I don't want to be completely rude here but REALLY?

I liked the decor when they had the four paintball dummies up on the roof. I remember driving by there with climbing buddies who talked of kidnapping one of them but I don't recall exactly what we thought the dumb guy would add to our team.

Jesus probably stole it from Abraham.

Are you talking about "shining city on the hill?" If you are, a Pilgrim coined the phrase in 1620 or something - or he may have stolen it from somebody else.

Kester: are you for real? Are you saying neither candidate for vice president is worse than the other? Really?

I agree with you, glassgow. Factcheck was biased in their attempt to be even handed. Reading that piece TomTom linked, I could only think of Arianna Huffington's line: "equal time for lies." Maybe they are not lying so much as trying to remain credible with readers from both left and right, but it adds up to the same kind of B.S. we heard about their being a debate about global warming for so many years after it was clear there was no debate.

I agree with that, tvash, but if you want to have any kind of real discussion you have to look at the other guy's argument. TomTom, in a Peter Puget sort of way, was trying to make a point.