Fairweather

The story I watched on KIRO last night clearly stated that 'authorities' have sat on the tape for two years and that it was taken before the fire. The tape is not recent according to "Essex Porter" on KIRO.

Gimme a break, Pope. Do you really think this has anything to do with Patriot Act enforcement? This has probably been going on for years, certainly before 9/11/01.

"The US Forest Service would not say where it got the video footage..." Top local story tonight. The 'Thirty Mile Fire' over two years ago in which four undertrained and poorly supervised young fire fighters were killed. Started by a campfire left un-extinguished by incredibly stupid people. (But they're not murderers, IMO) The question on my mind is WTF are hidden video cameras doing in remote campsites? I can understand a camera at a suburban campground, or even a popular national park site, but this place is in the middle of nowhere! Is this practice widespread? How much $$$ is being spent? Why?? The fact that they waited two years to release this footage leads me to believe that cameras like this are a well-kept secret that was only very reluctantly revealed.

This sounds like the program in Switzerland. Don't they close the Matterhorn to climbing every ten years or so to do a 'clean up'?

How about Kobe Bryant? I just saw on the news that he has lost his $$12million McDonald's sponsorship contract and will likely lose others. The guy hasn't even been tried yet...and is likely innocent, IMHO. But the media has him both tried and convicted. Don't you all think there is a pattern here?

Try a small bag of Tim's Cascade Jalepeno or Cajun potato chips. They'll clear you right up.

Probably that 'Mr. Feynman' bastard.

I am not a lawyer, but if OJ was found not guilty of the act, then how could he possibly be culpable civilly?

True to all. The only thing certain is that Michael has some big 'issues', and I would not want my kids around the guy. But these things don't a guilty man make. OJ Simpson: Probably guilty as hell....but found not guilty in court. Then he was re-tried in civil court, his assets siezed, his children taken away. This case changed the way I view the justice system. Double jeopardy does, in fact, exist in this country. If the media circus or the government wants to convict you badly enough, "not guilty" doesn't mean shit.

I'm sure that two good liberals, like yourselves, are willing to hear all the evidence that is presented in open court before convicting him.

hahaha. no. i am registered republican. i wanted mccain. and pickerings racism is well documented. no need to do it here. it only peripherally has anything to do with his choices against civil rights (not 'affirmative action' ya idiot. geez. ) You're no Republican, pal. You are fooling yourself while trying to lend false credibility to your positions. What are your thoughts on prominent Democrats like Al Gore Sr. and Robert Byrd and the myriad of other modern liberals who were a little slow see the light vis a vis civil rights back in the 1960's? How far back shall we go, and to whom should we selectively apply this litmus test?

Friday, January 16, 2004 WASHINGTON — President Bush used his executive authority Friday to bypass Senate Democrats and install District Judge Charles Pickering (search) on the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals. The recess appointment, confirmed by Fox News on Friday, allows Pickering to skip confirmation by the deadlocked Senate and hold the seat until the next Congress takes office, which will be in January 2005. "Today I was proud to exercise my constitutional authority to appoint Judge Charles W. Pickering to serve on the United States Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit," Bush said in a statement late Friday. "Judge Pickering has served with distinction as a United States District Judge since he was unanimously confirmed by the Senate in 1990. He is highly qualified to serve on the Court of Appeals and has widespread bipartisan support from those who know him best." "I'm grateful to the president for his continued confidence and support," Pickering said from his home in Mississippi. "I look forward to serving on the 5th Circuit." The 5th Circuit Court, based in New Orleans, handles cases from Mississippi, Texas and Louisiana, and is known for pioneering rulings on desegregation and voting rights appeals. Democratic senators had filibustered Pickering's nomination, accusing him of racism, and saying he supported segregation while a young man and held anti-voting rights and anti-abortion positions while a state lawmaker. They also were angered by his decision to reduce the sentence of a man who had been convicted of helping burn a cross on the front lawn of an interracial couple in Mississippi and accused him of bias in an employment discrimination case he adjudicated. "A man who defended cross-burning does not deserve elevation to the bench," said Sen. Charles Schumer D-N.Y., who led the opposition to Pickering in the Senate Judiciary Committee. "As the New Year began, many of us had hoped the president would adopt a more bipartisan approach in his selection of judges. Instead, this recess appointment is a finger in the eye to all those seeking fairness and bipartisanship in the judicial nominations process," Schumer said in a written statement. "It is quite unfortunate that the president has chosen to seat Judge Pickering only days before the nation celebrates the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.," added Rep. Bennie Thompson, a Mississippi Democrat and member of the Congressional Black Caucus. But Pickering's supporters, including the former Democratic governor of the state, Ronnie Musgrove, the head of Mississippi's legislative black caucus and James Charles Evers, brother of slain civil rights leader Medgar Evers (search), say the judge is well known for being scrupulously fair on the bench. They add that as a state prosecutor in 1968, Pickering testified against a grand wizard of the Ku Klux Klan (search), a decision that cost him his re-election, and as chairman of the state GOP, hired the first black political staffer. "For 25 years, I have strongly advocated that African-Americans and whites should sit down and talk in a positive and constructive manner to try to promote better understanding. This I've done," Pickering said after a meeting with the Mississippi Black Caucus. The American Life League (search), which opposes abortion rights, said it was pleased with the president's decision. "Clearly the White House has realized that the militant, pro-abortion zealots in the Senate will neither listen to reason nor recognize the limit to their own power in this matter," said Joseph R. Giganti, ALL's director of media and government relations. "Back in October, we insisted that President Bush must take clear and bold steps. With today's appointment, he appears to have taken American Life League's message to heart. Pickering is among several judicial nominees who have been hamstrung by the filibuster (search) process. Alabama Attorney General William Pryor, Texas judge Priscilla Owen and Hispanic lawyer Miguel Estrada (search), who has since withdrawn his nomination, all have been stopped from receiving a majority vote in the Senate as a result of the maneuver. Others, including California judges Carolyn Kuhl and Janice Rogers Brown, are expected to be blocked by Democrats as well. Pickering was first nominated by Bush in May 2001. He was blocked from a Senate Judiciary Committee referral in March 2002 when Democrats held the majority. His nomination was returned to the panel in January 2003 after Republicans won back the Senate. Though he passed committee confirmation on a party-line vote last October, Democrats blocked a Senate floor vote. "Judge Pickering is a federal judge. He was confirmed by the Senate to the judgeship he already holds. He's a fine upstanding man. He's been through two Senate confirmation hearings and one Senate floor vote," said Judge Andrew Napolitano, a Fox News judicial analyst. Napolitano said the decision to appoint Pickering probably came from the president's political advisers who saw it as an opportunity to win points with conservative voters. "This has Karl Rove (search) written all over it," Napolitano speculated. However, the recess appointment is not a new tool to the president. Bush made a recess appointment to the U.S. Institute of Peace in August. In 2002, he also gave a recess appointment to Eugene Scalia to be Labor Department solicitor and Otto Reich as assistant secretary of state for Latin America, the top diplomatic post for the region. President Clinton also used his executive power for recess appointments, giving Roger Gregory a seat on the 4th Circuit Court of Appeals in December 2000. He also used it for another controversial position. "Democrats absolutely will be furious and when they get furious, they should look at President Cinton, who also did this, not with a federal judge but with Bill Lann Lee (search), assistant attorney general," said Napolitano. "Lee could not get confirmed by a Republican Senate to run the civil rights division of the Justice Department. President Clinton appointed him as a recess appointee, appointed him twice, he did it twice to bypass the Republican-controlled Senate and Mr. Lee ran the civil rights division of the Justice Department and the Republican Senate couldn't do anything about it." Fox News' Wendell Goler and Sharon Kehnemui and The Associated Press contributed to this report.

As usual, Lummox, you're absent with specifics. Care to provide details re Pickering's alleged 'racism'? ...Or are you just going to label everyone who disagrees with affirmative action policies as racist? Lummox: Non-thinking tool of the left. BTW; I hope GW recess-appoints Estrada too. Seems to me he learned this neat trick from none other than...Bill Clinton.

There are two easy routes down to Royal Basin from the summit of Fricaba. The most straightforward is to drop into Deception Basin and climb to the notch between Deception and Fricaba, then descend the gully and swing right into upper Royal Basin. We have also descended from the summit of Fricaba down toward the smaller sub-summit just to the east. A spur ridge drops directly down from here to a little valley just above Royal Basin. Just some minor downclimbing, 2nd or 3rd class. (Early season, anyhow.) I'll post a picture of a huge avalanche here.

I hope not! Because it's my country too, and I'd hate to see it run by folks like you who wish death upon their political opponents and others with whom they disagree. You're a joke Mtnguide.

I don't see anything in this thread that changes my position. MattP, you're correct that my position regarding the Sierra Club is likely extreme. They do, in fact, serve to balance the equation against corporate interests. I am forced to take the opposite extreme when it comes to groups like The Wilderness Society. (I am curious to hear what Iain thinks about their attempts to limit climbers at Mount Hood a couple of years ago.) The 'environmentalists' of the 1970's and early 80's did do a lot of good things. But their heirs have taken some extreme positions that range from eliminating summit registers, to burning public shelters, to filing lawsuits to close existing access. When it comes to fighting new encroachments, I support (mainstream) environmental groups. For example, I support Winter's fight to keep new development from the north side of Mount Hood. But when these groups fight to limit my existing access, and want to turn a family-friendly weekend hiking area into an multi-day-only exclusive country club for the very fit, I have to take a stand. And I don't care much about 'collateral damage'.

Get over your self appointed moderator syndrome you little flea.

Catbird, I can't speak for the rest, but Fairweather spends his days at work actually working. You should try it. You will rarely, if ever, see my posts between 6am and 4 or 5pm. You, on the other hand, must be self employed...or a waste of space in someone else's business endeavor. As for American patriotism; it is a comitment to the ideals and principles found in the US constitution and other instruments of our country's creation. Many here would supplant these ideals with documents such as the UN Charter, and impose the laws/rights therein above those we now enjoy. Such people, in my view, are not patriots.

Sounds like Mr O'niel didn't even read the book that his reporter/author friend wrote for him. He is now backpedaling big time. Fucking hilarious! When are the lefties going to stop grasping at straws? All of their stories seem to fall apart upon the mildest scrutiny, and the WMD issue....the only real meat they've had....well, the public just doesn't seem to care! (At least the public that liberals/lefties chose not to surround themselves with.) You guys are a riot. I look forward to many nights of entertainment as November draws closer. Some of you are just gonna' pop a vein and keel over. About the only thing you've had any success at is hijacking the angry white male brand from the right wing!

...And then you suggested that one might 'grease the wheels', so to speak, with a nice campaign contribution to Mr Inslee if they wanted to gain his favor. That was beautiful, Catbird.

Hey, Does Dean have some kind of steel plate in his neck or something? The guy looks kind of rigid. (Not to mention, LOONEY)

New England vs Carolina? It'd be just like the civil war! (w/o the 600,000 dead, of course) Ragardless, my $$$ are on The Colts. Manning is a scholar of the game. He demonstrates that knowledge is power.

Travelocity screen operators reside in India. Cheaper labor there, ya know. I still use a real-life travel agent whenever possible. I know issues like this are important to you ML. No flame intended.

Looks ugly up there for a while..... ZCZC SEASABSAS TTAA00 KSEA DDHHMM WAZ012-017-018-019-025-042-ORZ011-081800- ********************************************************** FOREST SERVICE NORTHWEST WEATHER AND AVALANCHE CENTER ISSUED THROUGH NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SEATTLE, WA ********************************************************** SPECIAL AVALANCHE STATEMENT FOR THE OLYMPICS, WASHINGTON CASCADES AND MT HOOD AREA These statements apply to back country avalanche terrain below 7000 feet. They do not apply to highways or operating ski areas. ********************************************************** 930 AM PST 7 January 2004 ********************************************************** ........AVALANCHE WARNING FOR HIGH TO EXTREME AVALANCHE DANGER CONTINUES IN THE OLYMPICS AND WASHINGTON CASCADES ON WEDNESDAY..... The USFS Northwest Weather and Avalanche Center has issued an Avalanche Warning for high to extreme avalanche danger on Wednesday in the Olympics and Washington Cascades. This is due to heavy new snowfall and a major warming trend, with the new deep relatively high density snowfall generally accumulating over weaker lower density snow. Natural or triggered avalanches may step into the lower density snow and entrain snow down to crust layers from December especially near and west of the Cascade crest where snowfall is expected to be heaviest. Travel in avalanche terrain should be avoided or confined to low angle terrain away from avalanche path run out zones. For details see the mountain weather and avalanche forecasts at www.nwac.noaa.gov. This statement will be updated as warranted. ********************************************************** Backcountry travelers should be aware that elevation and geographic distinctions are approximate and a transition zone between dangers exists. Remember there are avalanche safe areas in the mountains during all levels of avalanche danger. Contact local authorities in your area of interest for further information. NWAC Mountain Weather Forecasts and mountain weather data are also available by visiting our Web site at www.nwac.noaa.gov. Ferber/Forest Service Northwest Weather and Avalanche Center NNNN