mattp

Yes: "How to follow the discussion" by Ucan Doit.

just like dmuja in the healthcare - current thread? You sure know how to tell a lie.

Hear here.

Can you cite examples of routes where you think the FA's deliberately took a harder line up a feature that would otherwise have been climbed at a lower grade? On larger mountain routes I bet this is relatively rare. Sure, in the case of Mr. Monkey's recent climb they may have climbed 5.10 where they could have traversed off the ridge and found a 4th class gully, but is this a contrivance or were they simply climbing the ridge as they found it and their abilities allowed?

I think tanstaffl has a point with regard the likelihood that easier lines tend to follow crack systems and broken terrain where vegetation can more easily take hold and I have gone out looking for easy new routes of, say, a 5.8 grade and had difficulty finding something that I thought was worthy. I also think there is a tendency for those pursuing new routes to want to seek lines closer to their own limits than climbs that are much easier. Most of those developing crag climbs and exploring alpine rock climb at least 5.10 and a 5.10 climber is generally going to be more excited about a new 5.10 line than a 5.6 one.

Thanks for YOUR brilliant analysis, DeChristo. So far you've joined others in making absolutely no counter argument other than that she has been unfairly targeted for criticism.

Yeah, she did "misspeak" about Freddie and Fannie this weekend. She is said to be a hard worker and is studying real hard, but she's got a lot to catch up on real quick if she calls "being in charge of the Alaska National Guard" leadership experience, isn't sure that global warming is caused by humans, and doesn't know that we are now talking about publicly bailing out formerly private sector Fannie and Freddie.

It is interesting, don't you think, that Palin drew more attention and more cheers at the convention than McCain, and that most people are saying that her selection gave McCain a big boost? If an idealogue from the right wing fringe is such a great choice for a candidate that was already war mongering and a social conservative, maybe Obama doesn't need to keep trying to jog center. He should be looking for a photo op with Naomi Klein.

That is probably a better way to look at polls, Eldiente, but no matter how you look at it I think we are probably in for another close election where the results may turn on events that sway public opinion but may or may not have to do with a consideration of which candidate will likely make a better president. If we see some scandal connected with Obama, for example, it may drive voters away from him whether it is real or manufactured or has anything to do with his abilities as a leader. If we get a health scare about McCain, whether or not it has real likelihood to affect his competence for the next four years, same thing. Everybody says international crisis favors McCain, but not if McCain is perceived as responding in a misguided fashion whereas Obama looks more "presidential," whatever that means. And then there is the nagging problem of voting "irregularities" that the Republican supporters scoff at. This will be an interesting election and, as much as I shouldn't say anything nice about the bad guys, even McCain/Palin is probably a shade better than Bush/Cheney. I hope this election is decided on "issues" not "values," and I hope that Americans start paying more attention to all of this.

I don't think it was "against" anything when Obama's kids were talking to him from the stage of the Democratic convention and it certainly wasn't "against Palin" as she hadn't even been announced. To the extent that your rhetorical comment had any substance, Alkatete, can you cite an example where any kind of spokseman from the Democratic party has slammed Palin for "family values," or is it just the cc.com spray elite and some late night comedians who have you all concerned?

It gets amusing where the Democrats are running on family values and the Republicans on "change."

I agree that we should all select climbs that suit our particular taste, Jared, but I don't think Nooksak or Index are unduly "scariest/poorly protected/loosey-goosey" when compared to climbs of similar length and setting elsewhere such as the Canadian Rockies or Coast Range, or even maybe the Tetons. Yes, you can find solid cracks from bottom to top of some granite peak in the Bugaboos or the Sierra, but on the grand funkness scale these are not terrible or terrifying climbs. They are, however, Cascade classics. Big Four, North Face, in winter is another classic worthy of mention.

People USED to climb the Sitkum route "all the time." Here is some more current information: current thread

I fixed the link, maybe.

She's a maverick and she'll bring reform to Washington. Change is on the way. Palin's stall: Governor is stonewalling the Troopergate investigation

OK lets start with McCain Feingold. A roving success you say? And then lets move on to your second point. The fact that you don't think Obama has shown leadership demonstrates that McCain is a maverick?

The major policy positions coming from the maverick are exactly what? Let's drill out or own oil reserves, we can win the war in Iraq, and trickle down economics will somehow magically become effectrive? Oh yes: reform. That and the Democrats are responsible for big government. Sure sounds like a maverick to me.

There were lots of things I found scary about it, but mostly it was just the fact that there seemed to come one after another something where I told myself I didn't want to downclimb what I just did. Right off the ground I stepped over a moat onto some sandy rock where a slip wouldda sent me a hundred feet under the snowpack, somewhere higher up I climbed heather using an ice axe like an ice tool for a couple hundred feet, I remember some rock climbing that seemed damn scary for 4th class to me. It was a relief to get to the snow arete! I don't think the east route was then "standard." My plan had been to traverse over the west summit and then down, but instead I descended the south face more or less directly from the summit. That was quite a shattered mess, and then I circled around the west side of the peak and descended the steepest woods I've ever seen -- there were copious chances to kill myself right until I stumbled upon the River.

I wouldn't recommend soling it unless you are pretty comfortable with soling big routes. I soloed it, without a rope, at a time when I was regularly soling mountain climbs throughout the region. This one felt like more than I should have bitten off. A friend of mine, who was doing many of the same climbs solo, felt the same way.

You are right. It could not possibly be that anyone would simply dislike political campaigns that run on smear and lies. It has gotta be partisan.

Any more ridiculous than your blowing a gasget about being called an offensive name after you engage in personal attack and insult on a daily basis for five years almost without a break?

Fairweather, What I said was that you post with a belligerent style that sounds like racism to me some times (I think this has included topics like middle eastern politics and native American whaling). You are right, though, that I don't recall your using the "n-word" and I'd have to say I don't recall your expressing racism toward blacks at all. My point was that you’ve pushed GGK’s buttons deliberately and with a crude and offensive demeanor that can only be expected to draw what you got. Sorry to offend.

Bill I'm not defending GGK. I think all the posturing and name calling is not only distasteful, but it really reflects rather poorly on the character of the individuals involved. But some think it is "clever" or "spirited." In the case of these two, I doubt GGK and Fairweather would end up all lovey dovey even if they did share a campfire but you never know: I've actually greatly enjoyed climbing with some folks who I have found way over the line on cc.com.