Fairweather

j_b = (bi)Sexual Chocolate

Went up to Crystal Mountain today for a little slush-fest. There was about 4 inches of heavy, heavy snow on top of what was once the good stuff. Sounds like its supposed to freeze over tonight! Tomorrow morning will be u-g-l-y for skiers of all persuations. Too bad about the bridge! Alpental rocks.

I'd have to agree that any law mandating a firearm in a home is ludicrous. I would rather have a would-be burglar/assailant not know what he was up against, anyhow.

The subject is gun rights. Catbird did no research whatsoever. He simply attacked Scrambler's documentation from The Frasier Institute, as slanted. He did this from memory and a personal predjudice of his own. I posted a CDC report that seems to back up the Frasier report, but apparently you would rather change the argument to the validity of the US Constitution, and Catbird would rather take his ball and play elsewhere.

Looks to me like you just used the classic "attack the source" tactic, and only speculated about its validity without any critical thinking of your own. Don't you think a more reasoned challenge to Scrambler's post would have involved some real investigation? Ahh, but then you're a scientist as you continually remind us all..... no critical thinking? he found out information about the guy who wrote the article and found out what the guy's personal agenda is! He actually had the intelligence to do the research and form an opinion of his own, which is a hell of a lot more than I can say for you. But I guess that he is not interested in challenging the validity of the CDC report that I used to corroberate Scrambler's original post? And apparently, neither are you.

Ummm, that's a document that was written 227 years ago. I supposed you also don't believe in messing with other important documents, such as "the earth is flat", and "blood-letting: a cure-all" Wow. With thinking like that, our republic is indeed doomed. Here is a quote someone like you might agree with.... Ideas are far more powerful than guns. We don't allow our enemies to have guns, why should we allow them to have ideas? - Joseph Stalin, In Politics BTW, Ursa: "That document" that you refer to in your post above, was written 214 years ago. Ratified march 4, 1789.

Here is a copy of the recent CDC report regarding firearms. It pretty much states that no cause/effect exists between tougher gun laws and reducing violent crime....But I'm sure some folks here will be able to drag one or two peices of text out of bed and use them to fit their current beliefs system... http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/rr5214a2.htm#tab

Looks to me like you just used the classic "attack the source" tactic, and only speculated about its validity without any critical thinking of your own. Don't you think a more reasoned challenge to Scrambler's post would have involved some real investigation? Ahh, but then you're a scientist as you continually remind us all.....

It's called S-P-R-A-Y, Catbird. Are you gonna' cry now?

http://www.pawprince.com/2003/hunter/photo%20-%201.html I found this while surfing the net...Cool report of a ski trip down Hunter! I don't know who these guys are, but a neat link/slideshow. Does anyone have more info on the "Ramen Couloir"?

Scrambler, You have stepped outside the bounds of the liberal/Democratic/Green Party playbook. Please review your marching orders once more: Guns are evil. War is always bad. Taxes are always good. Crime is a result of poverty. Individuals can't be trusted to make proper choices for themselves.... One thing I find amusing is that liberals can't explain why crime hasn't gone back up these past three years with the economic downturn we have experienced. Could it be that crime is not[/i] driven entirely by economic factors?! Maybe crime is down because we finally got tough on criminals and locked up over two million of them the past ten years! Good post though, Scrambler.

....and in that spirit, I read on FOX News that Senator Hillary Clinton spent today in Afghanistan having dinner with the troops. A gutsy lady for sure.

Actually, our "founding fathers" weren't to show up on the scene for another 100-150 years. Some were religious, some were agnostic... But NONE were commies.

Good post Metalhead. (You are 'da man.) I can't wait to hear the Bush-hater's responses in the days to come.

Happy Thanksgiving CC.com!

THAT....is fucking sick.

An interesting perspective. Funny how certain "reporters" always seem to be in the right place at the right time. I wouldn't be surprised to see a few "accidents" involving reporters...like that "Blog" fellow, for instance..... Rumsfeld: Arab TV Stations Had Notice of Attacks Tuesday, November 25, 2003 WASHINGTON — Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld (search) and his top military adviser said Tuesday they have evidence the Arab television news organizations Al-Jazeera (search) and Al-Arabiya (search) cooperated with Iraqi insurgents to witness and videotape attacks on American troops. Rumsfeld said the effort fit a pattern of psychological warfare used by remnants of the Baathist government, who want to create the impression that no amount of U.S. firepower can end the insurgency. "They've called Al-Jazeera to come and watch them do it [attack American troops], and Al-Arabiya," he told a Pentagon news conference. "'Come and see us, watch us; here is what we're going to do.'" Pressed for details, Rumsfeld and Gen. Richard Myers (search), chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, both indicated that U.S. forces in Iraq had collected more than just circumstantial evidence that one or both of the Arab news organizations might have cooperated with the attackers. "Yes, I've seen scraps of information over a sustained period of time," Rumsfeld said. "I'm not in a position to make a final judgment on it," but it needs to be examined in an "orderly way," he added. Neither Rumsfeld nor Myers provided details of any evidence. "I opined accurately that from time to time each of those stations have found themselves in very close proximity to things that were happening against coalition forces -- before the event happened and during the event," Rumsfeld said. On a related subject, Rumsfeld cited a long list of statistics on the results of recent U.S. efforts to defeat the insurgency -- including a rare reference to numbers of opposition fighters killed. He said that last week alone, U.S.-led forces conducted nearly 12,000 patrols and more than 230 raids. "They captured some 1,200 enemy forces and killed 40 to 50 enemy fighters and wounded some 25 to 30," Rumsfeld said. "That's a one-week snapshot, but it provides a sense of the determined offensive pressure which the coalition is applying against the enemy." The Pentagon has generally refused to provide numbers of opposition forces killed. The question about Al-Arabiya and Al-Jazeera arose when Rumsfeld was asked about a videotape that surfaced in Baghdad showing a man firing a surface-to-air missile at a DHL cargo plane. The tape appeared to record an insurgent operation Saturday in which a missile struck the wing of the cargo plane, forcing the aircraft to make an emergency landing at Baghdad's airport. It was the first time insurgents struck a civilian plane in Iraq. Rumsfeld said he had been told of the videotape but did not know enough about it to comment, beyond saying, "It doesn't take a genius to fire off a shoulder-fired missile at an airplane." On Monday, the U.S.-appointed Iraqi Governing Council in Baghdad raided the offices of Al-Arabiya television, banned its broadcasts from Iraq and threatened to imprison its journalists. Media groups said the action called into question the future of a free press in the country. Al-Arabiya said it would not fight the ban and would report on Iraq from its headquarters in Dubai. Asked about the ban, Rumsfeld said he had no opinion because he had not seen the details. Al-Arabiya has clashed with authorities before for its coverage of Iraq. In July, Deputy Secretary of Defense Paul Wolfowitz said Al-Arabiya and Al-Jazeera incited violence against American forces with slanted reports. In September, the Governing Council temporarily banned both news organizations from entering government buildings and news conferences, accusing them of being aware of attacks on American troops before they occurred. And last week, Rumsfeld called the two stations "violently anti-coalition" as he announced the planned launch of a U.S.-run satellite channel to compete with the popular news stations.

1993 Trek 8000 with road slicks on 80% of the time! ...I almost forgot, my 1978 Raleigh "Gran Sport". I just restored it this past summer. Rides nice and smooth.

When NEWSTIPS gets on CC.com to ask if anyone has any info about you or your climbing partner.

I just picked up my new AT setup. K2 8611's, Diamir Titanal 3's, and Garmont G-Rides. I thought about the "Freerides", but I figured the Titanal's were a little more "touring" friendly and that at 165lbs, I really didn't need the DIN12 setting. Also, the brakes won't keep my ski from the depths of a crevasse. I hope my wife doesn't find out I've been spending $$$ again. I'll be sleepin' with my new gear on the sofa!

Actually, so would I. (Mcain, not Ventura.) But do you really think the level of vitriol eminating from the left would be any less if Mcain were the prez? I don't. Do you really think Mcain would have handled Afghanistan or Iraq any differently? If you took the time to read up on him you would see that he is at least as hawkish as GW. Do you know that he was one of the first to demand ground troops be sent into Kosovo? BTW, when does the sun come up again in Fairbanks? You sound like you need a little sunshine.

Will doesn't speak for all of us! I support Alternative #1...no change. NO, I'm not a guide. I just think RMI works well for the uninitiated, and I think it would be outrageous to split the pie three ways. If another guide service thinks they can do better than RMI, then let them bid for the exclusivity that the current system now calls for. Also, the proposed use limits are a step in the wrong direction. Yes, maintaining monopolies brought about and maintained through political connections, a sound idea indeed. I suppose you also support the uncontested contracts in Iraq given to halliburton and other similarly awful companies by our corrupt administration? The guiding contract comes up for a bid every few years, and as far as I know, anyone can bid for it. Last time I checked, competitive bidding is within the boundaries of a free market. I find it amusing, JoshK, that you are so partisan-driven you can turn virtually any issue in to Bush-hating rant.

NEWSTIPS, Conversely, it would be interesting to do a story on the diversity of political opinion that exists throughout the climbing/outdoor community. I'm sure your editor has had more than her fill of evil President Bush stories placed on her desk, and writing about the environment in Seattle usually involves so much preaching to the choir anyhow. Why not a story about environmental hypocrisy? Maybe totaling up the amount of gasoline used by "environmentally conscious" individuals persuing their frivolous endeavors in our local mountains....and throughout the world, for that matter? Or a story about the amount of dollars spent on outdoor gear by "socially conscious" folks versus the amount of money they donate to charity each year? Set yourself apart! Challenge the comfort of your stodgy Seattle viewers and let those hate-filled emails hit your superior's in-boxes like The Columbus Day Storm. Trust me! You'll get noticed.

Will doesn't speak for all of us! I support Alternative #1...no change. NO, I'm not a guide. I just think RMI works well for the uninitiated, and I think it would be outrageous to split the pie three ways. If another guide service thinks they can do better than RMI, then let them bid for the exclusivity that the current system now calls for. Also, the proposed use limits are a step in the wrong direction.