Fairweather

I would have supported US intervention in Rwanda on simple moral grounds. Clinton seemed to think helping out the violent KLA/terrorist muslim minority in the Serbian region known as Kosovo was more important.

Somoza was leader of a South American country??? I guess all those 'latinas' down south fall into the same mental pot you have created in that big open mind of yours, eh? That's the best you can do? After making a valid point about the nature of Venezuela's democratically instituted reform; after making a valid point regarding your support of a military ouster of a democratically elected leader, all you can come up with is a nit-pick about Somoza being from Central America as opposed to South America? Please respond as to whether or not you support the will of the people in Venezuela, or the will of the minority through militant violence.... The choice is yours, and I am curious as to your answer. * I still believe in The Truman Doctrine. * I don't believe the last election/referrendum was conducted fairly. I don't believe it represents the will of the people. * Contrary to JayB's assertion that Venezuela has no strategic value to The United States, I think the geo-political importance of the country as it relates to Columbia's strife, Chinese influence, and yes...to oil, speaks otherwise. * And lets not forget....This guy is acting extra-constitutionally, the election be damned. It will be interesting to see how these landowners fare in the Venezuelan courts - and also interesting to see if Chavez honors an unfavorable decision. (I suspect he is another Mugabe.) Will you still support him if he does not?

I hear what you're saying, unfortunately in the case of The USSR, and a few other regimes, it took over 70 years for the house of cards to fall. Shall we write off three generations of Venezuelans to another demonstration of a bankrupt idea? I say we put a stop to this redux asap.

Ruling on jurisdiction sets no precedent as a ruling on the merits would. The supreme court has not ruled on the fate of this citizen detainee. It will be interesting to see how the new chief justice rules if this case makes it to his court.

If you're talking about Jose Padilla, his case hasn't even gone before the supreme court yet. So what are you talking about? Aside from his case, and the Saudi dual citizen who has been released, all of the other detainees are non-citizens, I believe. Regardless, I think the supreme court will grant him a trial, as they should. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/09/09/AR2005090900772.html

Good analogy. I agree. Now, take a look at which court justices ruled for this outrage. Souter, Stevens, Ginsburg, Kennedy, Breyer. All liberals. Tell me once again; which ideology represents the greatest threat to our freedom?

Somoza was leader of a South American country??? I guess all those 'latinas' down south fall into the same mental pot you have created in that big open mind of yours, eh?

Not completely true, Dru. EU election monitors refused to participate and returned home when it became apparent they would not be allowed proper access to polling places and counting stations. Sadly, our own Jimmy Carter sees Chavez through rose-colored glasses.

Nothing that 12 of our finest couldn't handle.

Is this what you meant when you advocated agrarian reform and sang the praises of this Chavez pig? If this isn't communism, I don't know what is. The guy's got to go. And soon. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/4282672.stm

This explains away a small portion of your limited world-view. The cone of silence was, perhaps, the greatest comic invention of all time.

Labour, colour, cheque, flavour, odour, armour, rumour, Zed with a D Would you like to see my drawring?

I stand corrected re Arc'Teryx. I believe evolution is quickly transitioning from theory to fact. And I subscribe. Always have. States determine curriculum. Not the president. Calm down. The only thing I see as closed-minded in the above post... is you.

I'll accept your rhetorical response as an admission of defeat. BTW; it's l-a-b-o-r.

Really? last arc'teryx product I bought was made in some southeast asian country. It certainly wasn't canadia. FUCK! I misspelled indentured! Anyway, I wasn't aware of a change in their labor strategy. Maybe I've missed a recent change in the company's business model. (?) Too bad if it's true.

Patagucci, as a business, can and do engage in whaever tactics they feel will increase their sales. In this case, being green fits the wealthy environmentalist market they sell to. If you would applaud them for funding the NRA then how can you fault them for funding the Ruckus Society? The ethical principle is the same. No. It's not. The NRA doesn't overtly support illegal activities or the destruction of public and private property as a form of protest. The NRA works within the system to forward their agenda. Not so The Ruckus Society, as their Seattle/WTO turnout so demonstrated. Gave all you "sincere" protesters a bad name too, if I recall.

Dru, here I am - putting in a good word for your Canuk brethern - an still you side with the enviro-radicals. Damn. There just aint no gettin' through to you, boy!

So how do you explain the $$$ to Ruckus Society? Makes me wonder what other fringe outfits he's feeding. Also, no mention of their fringe contributions on their company site. Hey, does Patagonia use the same overseas sweat-shops as WalMart? Another reason I only buy ArcTeryx!! They haven't sent good Canadian jobs to child/prison/endentured servitude labor in third-world countries. I will gladly pay more...but usually don't. Hey! Maybe Patagonia is taking all that extra profit they've saved in payroll and are giving a whole 1% of it back to mother earth! How noble. BTW; your link doesn't work.

...And meanwhile, Chouinard/Patagonia gives $15,000 per year to The Ruckus Society. You may remember them as the riotous bunch that crashed the WTO event in Seattle a few years back. I would propose that 'ol Yvonne has an agenda already. Oh yea, I still haven't seen evidence - other than the word of a washed-up old man - that Bush actually believes that which he is already convicted of here. I'm sure there is plenty you guys can use to beat up GW with...without just making shit up. http://www.activistcash.com/organization_financials.cfm/oid/188

Put the enviro-hysteria playbook away for once, Josh. I've said nothing of the kind.

I'm not so sure that this is the type of person we should have manning the shop. We need people who know how to pick their fights as when real and significant violations or damage have taken place. This climb and approach didn't violate any LNT ethics IMO. Other than the rap anchors and summit register card they left, I doubt that Ms Bush could find any evidence of this party's passing without going out of her way to look for it. And by next summer....nothing. Some rangers do have an agenda that falls outside the recreation/preservation balance status quo. They are the same ones who toss register boxes off summits and lobby for FS road closures as "private citizens". They are the same ones who won't allow chainsaws to clear windfall from established trails. ...Come to think of it, I'm sure I've seen trail crews within NCNP, many times, with implements quite similar to those used so sparingly by Layton and E.

Oh Matt. You're too modest!

I think you should read up a little before you go a spoutin'. This country hasn't been in the black for decades. Including the Clinton years. You are making the (too) common mistake of confusing deficit and debt. True, there was ONE year at the end of Clinton's term when the US government ran a budget surplus, but rather than dedicate any portion to retiring the then-5trillion dollar national debt, both sides began plotting how to either spend it on social programs (Clinton), or cut taxes(Republican congress). That said, Bush's fiscal policy is an absolute fucking mess. I still think his first tax cut was necessary to stimulate the lagging economy left by Clinton, but the second tax cut was not necessary. Additionally, I think both of his tax cuts should be now repealed, or at least allowed to sunset. I am now certain that ANY administration, Dem or Rep, will continue to spend this nation toward economic collapse....and all in the name of giving us what we want in return for our vote. The only way to avoid this is to reduce our national debt to a managable 2(?) or 3(?) trillion dollars. The economic growth...that brings in the extra revenue...that just keeps getting squandered by all! Spending cuts and/or higher taxes. Seems like the only answer. ....And please spare me the cost-of-Iraq blather. While it aint cheap, it accounts for only about one-fourth of last years total budget deficit. The rest? Entitlements/social programs.

So how's life at the Neverland fraternity house these days?

Wow! Nice gallery. Did you ever fulfill your self-promise to climb Hoh Peak? More pics! Thanks!