Fairweather

The people of Venezuela have spoken. No demonstrations. No 'parallel government' sworn in. No chairs thrown or shout-downs. But to our resident socialists who regularly sing Hugo's praises, I have a question: How can one man who controls the executive, legislative, and judicial branches of government - and has nationalized the country's largest industries, seized private 'unproductive' land, and used his mob to shred the constitution so he can rule in perpetuity - be any better than the leader you so despise here at home? At some point, Chavez' personality cult will wear down and the people of Venezuela will want change. Unfortunately it will be too late. With one notable exception (now reformed?), guys like Chavez don't go away when the poll numbers start to slump. They simply transition from 'elected leader' to dictator and start killing their political opponents.

Um, I'm not sure you understand how things work here, but The National Park Service - that is floating this absurd proposal - is about as far removed from 'capitalism' as is possible. A fee increase like this is simply a back-door attempt by environmental elitists to limit human activity in our (read: their) National Parks.

I've kept my home-built PC upgraded with the times, but I'm looking for something new. I'm impressed with Apple's graphics capability and security. How is web browsing with a Mac? Any problems or 'can't-go-there' issues? Has the whole Mac premise been compromised by their switch to Pentium processors? Why would anyone run Windows on their Mac? Are they worth the extra $$? Do their LCD monitors hold up to continuous use/on? As a Mac user, have you eliminated time spent troubleshooting? How is the support?

Lindsey Buckingham.

This isn't true at all. The cutouts were simply rolled aside or downhill as they almost always are. It was NF-employed trail crews that did the work - not timber companies. Maybe you're thinking of "salvage logging" at Mount Saint Helens and elsewhere? Different subject entirely. As for crosscuts, I recall that the land manager deternined it would have taken up to ten years to reopen all of the trails in WenatcheeNF and MBSNF - where the fallen trees were "piled like jackstraws" across many trails - if cross-cuts only were used. What do you think about the use of simple wheelbarrows for trail work? Of course, you know where I'm going with this.

This is supposedly the rule, but it is mostly (rightly!) ignored by National Park and Forest administrators who recognize the folly and allow their limited use in designated wilderness for trail maintenance. Back in the early 1990's the Alpine Lakes Protection Society attempted to block the use of chainsaws being employed to clear thousands of windfelled trees from a huge storm the previous winter and reopen hundreds of trail miles, citing The Wilderness Act 1964. The USFS manager then threatened to adhere to the letter of the law.....by sending out crews with hand augers and dynamite. ALPS relented. Now that's a land manager I could buy a beer for! Under the strictest, most radical employment of Wilderness Act regs even the use of wheelbarrows could be prohibited. Wheels.

If we make our mountain wilderness/alpine areas inaccessible to all but a super-fit minority, we will seal our own doom and those roads you speak of will be built - to extractively exploit vast tracts of "unused" land.

I certainly don't think that real, demonstrable, physical damage can be deemed a social construct. I'll have to think about the rest of your post though. You probably have a point. For now, I will say that I've always found the term "managed wilderness" a bit oxymoronic.

It is also worth noting that "50 Hikes in Mount Rainier National Park" is almost completely void of the rantings Harvey wove into almost every page of the 100 Hikes series. I've never figured out why this is, but could it be that even MRNP wasn't interested in this type of politic and insisted The Mountaineers tone it down?

This past summer my daughter and I went for a short afternoon hike up "High Rock" to the lookout just south of Mount Rainier. This area is USFS land and not designated wilderness. There were a couple dozen people along the way including a couple mountain bikers. At the top, my daughter and I had an interesting conversation with a 50-something woman who was absolutely livid that she had to share her experience with mountain bikes. So deep was her hatred of these human-powered craft that she went on to suggest she would not be at all upset if someone pushed one of the aluminum beasts over the edge - rider included. The funny part of this story is all-the-while she's venting her rage, her Minature Schnauzer dog is snapping and snarling at me and my daughter, and every other passer-by. Realizing this woman's anger put her above questions about her little pup or her somewhat hypocritical views, we politely offered to take her picture on the top while she cradled little Heinrich in her loving arms. In no way was my day "ruined" by any of the folks we met that day. In fact, it was enhanced. You see, John, my comments about Manning have little to do with other user groups. They have more to do with the wedges he drove between the many non-motorized user groups I listed above, who's support he could have used to leave a truly great legacy. Not one where mountain bikes or horses are allowed on every trail, but one where angst isn't regularly stirred by a guidebook author who -it seems to me - felt his stature gave him license to write social rules as he saw fit.

Respectfully, I don't think this question is valid. Who are we to determine the motivations of others? We can certainly judge actions, but not motivations. Other than Harvey Manning/backpacker types, I have rarely seen user groups who won't 'share' with other non-motorized user groups. Valid question. I have no problem with restrictions based on quantifiable, long-term physical damage. Unfortunately, restrictions are too often based on social considerations. Does this apply to ADA requirements too? I've been waiting a long time to see a determined ADA litigant contest Wilderness Act restrictions. The "snowpod" guy on Mount Rainier came close.

I think the recent passings of Ira Spring (whom I consider an ideal advocate for wilderness preservation) and Harvey Manning present us with the opportunity to discuss the best course for ongoing wilderness preservation and use. Do we want the inclusiveness that Ira believed in? Or do we want the absolutism that Manning promoted? Look, we're not talking good vs evil here, we're talking about a course that will either take us to more citizens gaining an appreciation for what we all love - or less. If I have to tolerate other user groups in order to preserve what I love, I'm willing to do that.

Cyclists, certainly. But also: Horses Fishermen Dogs Climbers Day Hikers etc etc etc etc I can cite passages of his utter contempt and rage toward each of these valid user groups in the 100 Hikes series alone. While he rightfully fought against road extensions, his support for the closure of [/i]existing[/i] roads and trailhead access reaches not only the Middle Fork Snoqualmie, but the Middle Fork Cascade River, Stehiken River, etc.

The 100 Hikes series is scheduled for a rewrite. I hope The Mountaineers choose an author who embraces inclusion and the encouragement of our common love of the outdoors - not one who will continue exploiting divisions among diverse user groups or be so quick an advocate for the gate and padlock. Off White says: I've spawned this off of Harvey Manning's obit thread to give the disscussion it's own life and a little distance from Manning's passing. This is the climbers board, not spray, and Fairweather has an interesting point. Keep it civil folks.

What is the date of that editorial? Most or all of those options are available now. (Maybe his prescience was your point?) Pre-tax medical savings plans are already offered, but with one fatal caveat - the employee loses the unused balance at year's end! As for declining benefits in lieu of higher wages - I do just that. My company pays its employees to decline coverage. Not many do, but some, like me, have spouses with medical plans. Now, contrast this with Hillary-care of 1993. She proposed actually taxing the benefits of working Americans to afford government coverage for the uninsured. About 180 degrees Friedman.

The greater is 2100 feet lower than the lesser, but more spectacular nonetheless.

NO. Try again.

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WTF??

You think the emigres are bad? Try the one's still living there who've made their millions. They make "ugly americans" look like miss america Ah, yes - the not-so-subtle racism of the open minded foraker and cj on display once again.

http://www.opinionjournal.com/editorial/feature.html?id=110009189 http://www.epionline.org/news_detail.cfm?rid=33 Hey Jim! What do you think about ACORN's proven voter fraud? Is it OK since it blends well with your political goals? Do you view it as some sort of offset to perceived Republican fraud? I can't help but notice that you love throwing out these unsubstantiated bombs only to then just walk away. You have yet to acknowlege questions about your group, "World Can't Wait", and its proven communist affiliations. Are you still OK with being a puppet/tool?

I consider your creeping political ideology - notably your past expressed desire for "agrarian reform" - more of a threat to national security and my well being than any of the current crop of Islamic fanatics. You claim to represent free thought and expression, but too often demonstrate contempt for the truest forms of those ideals.

Your statement on another thread just three days ago: So how did it go? I could see the mountain all day from Tacoma, so naturally I was thinking about you up there fixing that remote. After all, I know that you always do what you say you're going to do.

Wow! That is one strong guardrail on that bridge! I wonder if anything is left of the White River Glacier? The force shown in the photos looks like it could have come from a glacial blowout.

<a href="www.foxnews.com" target="_blank">Yup</a> Am I the only one to notice the true genuis and irony of foraker's post, linking his re-direct back to the OP, but changing the suffix to read "foxnews.com" (hover your cursor over his link)? True genius, I say. Pleease, Sobo. Foraker is one ego that doesn't need stroking.