Fairweather

The bolts there now looked newer...and a LOT bigger. The hangars looke like cheap stamped aluminum, not forged. And the insides of the hangars didn't look like they were polished-out. They looked like they might cut through a sling if weighted and pulled from side to side. Shit! I wish I'd taken a picture.

Climbed the west ridge of Lundin Peak on Saturday with my brother. On the way down the normal route we noticed that there are three or four gigantic bolts with aluminum hangars the size of small dinner plates. Looks like they were homemade in a private shop. It's been quite a few years since I've been on this peak, but I don't remember these big ugly monoliths. Did The Mountaineers do this? If so, why? I realize there have been a few fatalities here, but these were spaced just a few feet apart and the climbing is only third or fourth class at the most. Were they put here to support mass-ascent practice climbs? I don't have a strong opinion either way on the Great Bolt Debate, but these ones seemed like overkill, for sure. Regardless, I'm just curious.

Looks like the St Elias Range for sure. Bagley Icefield beyond? My guesses are Logan, Hubbard, St Elias, Kennedy or something in that area.

If You Love Salmon, This Will Scare You Packed with omega-3 fatty acids, salmon is one of the healthiest foods you can eat. Or is it? The Environmental Working Group has issued a scary report indicating that farm-raised salmon--but not the kind that is fished out of streams and rivers--is contaminated with high levels of cancer-causing chemicals called polychlorinated biphenyls, more commonly known as PCBs, report Reuters and The New York Times. EWG purchased and tested salmon filets from 10 different grocery stores in Washington, D.C., San Francisco, and Portland, Oregon. Seven of the 10 filets contained high levels of PCBs. "These first-ever tests of farmed salmon from U.S. grocery stores show that farmed salmon are likely the most PCB-contaminated protein source in the U.S. food supply," the non-profit environmental investigative group said in a prepared statement. We eat a lot of salmon. About one-quarter of all adult Americans--that would be 52 million people--eat salmon and about 23 million of those eat it more than once a month. "Based on these data we estimate that 800,000 people face an excess lifetime cancer risk...from eating farmed salmon." EWG found that farmed salmon had 16 times the PCBs found in wild salmon, four times the levels in beef, and 3.4 times the levels found in other seafood. The New York Times notes that while the PCB levels in salmon are high, they do not exceed those set in 1984 by the FDA for commercially sold fish; however, they do exceed the guidelines set by the Environmental Protection Agency in 1999 for recreationally caught fish. Although this study by EWG has not been published in a peer-reviewed journal, the findings are supported by other studies done in Canada, Ireland, and Britain--all of which has forced the hand of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, which will now review the problem. What are PCBs? They come from hydraulic fluids and oils, electrical capacitors, and transformers. They are carcinogenic because they are endocrine disrupters, which are chemicals that mimic hormones. PCBs can also cause infertility and other sexual changes. Because of this, PCBs have been banned in the United States since 1976 except when they are used in completely enclosed areas. Still, they persist in the environment and animal fat. Farmed salmon are raised in high-density fish pens in what may be a pristine environment, but they are fed fishmeal from around the world. And that fishmeal is contaminated with PCBs. While the omega-3 fatty acids in salmon are healthy for us, they also provide a place for the PCBs to build up. What do the salmon farmers think of all this? An organization called Salmon of the Americas represents 80 salmon farmers in the United States, Canada, and Chile. Its spokesman says that until the farmers hear differently, they'll continue to follow the FDA regulations, rather than the more strict EPA regulations. "We assume they know what they are doing, and the regulations and levels they have promulgated mean that the food, including farmed salmon, is safe, wholesome, and nutritious. EPA and FDA should work their differences out," Alex Trent, acting director of Salmon of the Americas told the Times. "When and if the FDA changes its limits, we will be the first to comply. Someone is yelling fire in a theater to help make their point, and they haven't proven this point to the FDA yet. If they had, they would change their standards." Based on the results of this study and EPA recommendations, the New York Times advises consumers to eat farmed salmon no more than once a month. Note: Above article cut & pasted.

Holy Shit. OK, maybe you're not a total tool. (Like j_b) Are there any "R's" you would vote for now? How about John Mcain? ...somethin' to think about while you're waxing Matt's boots.

I know that one's vote is a very personal matter, but could you name the last Republican you voted for?

Actually, Erock, if you read through the past threads that start, or drift onto the topic of political "literature", you'll see that Mattp's point is quite clear, and not as you stated above. ...And not just "in this instance".

Fox News is supported by free market advertising. NPR is supported (in part) by my tax dollars. I have every right to expect objectivity from them. I suspect you would not have voted for Dan Evans, and for the sole reason that he was a Republican. So why can't you be more like Dan Evans...or Booth Gardner for that matter? Because you are as much a liberal tool as you perceive I am conservative. If moderate Democrats existed, I would consider giving them my vote. ...Actually I do.... My US Rep. is Norm Dicks (D), and I vote for him every two years.

Did I claim it was a debate program? Very weak ,OW. So when will Fresh Air be "interviewing" Bill ORiley? Never, I suspect. As for Mattp's premise that,["since the righties never claim libel, the claims of Mr Franken/others must be true!"], couldn't the same be said for the liberals? I mean, if what Limbaugh, Hannity, Medved, Coulter, others say isn't true, then why haven't they been sued? Truth proved by absence of legal retort? ...Come on Matt. I hope you wouldn't come into a court room with a weak case like that! And you've used this premise on other occasions as well.

No doubt NPR gave equal time to an opposing point of view.

Al Franken has to be one of the biggest idiots on the political scene today. He tried to verbally attack Bill O'Riley at a book fair recently (shown on C-Span) and it was soon apparent that he had no real grasp of even the most basic issues facing our country today. The debate later steered to O'Riley and liberal Molly Ivans (sp?) and it was a joy to watch two people who really knew their shit go back and forth while Al Franken sat like a pissed off kid on the sidelines. (And by the way; I can't stand Bill O'Riley!) I suspect Franken's book has a ghost writer. "Lies and the Lying Liars..." "Big Lies" "Blinded by the Right" "Rush Limbaugh is a Big Fat Idiot" ... This seems to be all the left/liberals can come up with. Books/Titles that remind me of a kindergarten playground debate.

You guys have created a great site here. Timmy, your climbing bio sounds much like my own. No extreme, near-death experiences, or hardman desperate moves. Just good times in the hills. I always thought you and Jon were extreme-type climbers and knowing that you're both just "average-joe" climbers like most here gives the site even greater appeal. Sorry to hear you're getting threatened by idiots. Hope you can find a way to put a stop to it. If these threats do originate from a military source, a simple series of phone calls to a c/o would probably put a stop to it. ?? If the threats originate from a certain psycho wanna-be speed climber then maybe something "outside the box" is in order, like some good ol' fashioned public humiliation. ?? Anyway, I hope you guys keep up the good work here.

...some good lyrics from The Wall THE THIN ICE if you should go skating on the thin ice above life dragging behind you the silent reproach of a million tear-stained eyes don't be surprised when a crack in the ice appears under your feet you slip out of your depth and out of your mind with your fear flowing out behind you as you claw the thin ice...

THE YES ALBUM

You and I might agree on this: Selling/exporting north slope crude to Asian markets in an effort to make sure the American west coast supply is "tight", and prices kept artificially high is bullshit. The original north slope deal, I believe, promised no exports. (Am I wrong on that one?)

Yes, but final administration approval of the deal was required/made by whom? Bill Clinton/Ron Brown. Democrats. Your original claim laid the blame for "all the big oil company mergers" exclusively at the feet of the republicans. I wonder who slept in The Lincoln Bedroom after that deal was consumated? Nice job on the Google search, by the way. Half an hour aint too bad.

Butt out, Alpine Krust. I wasn't talking to your sorry arse. You're starting to sound a little bit like Mattp's lap-dog. Besides, didn't you recently make it onto Trask's "good 'ole boy list"? I thought you were one of us now.

Not to downplay this beautiful route, but unless it snows before your climb, your chances of falling into a hidden crevasse on the Mazama Glacier in September are almost zero. The climb is very straightforward in good weather, and you may be overestimating it just a bit. I'll bet it's getting a bit icy in spots though. Just my two cint.

Catbird, You still haven't shown any interest in explaining your claim (in a previous thread) that it was those evil republicans who approved the BP-Arco merger. Just a friendly reminder, and an opportunity to explain a hollow claim.

Johnny, That was one of the greatest posts in Spray history.

The first question is easy. Kosovo was pre 9/11/01. Many American's opinions about the aggressive use of our military changed on that day. The second question has no answer. We are all left to gather information from the widest possible variety of sources, filter it through our own biases, beliefs, and skepticism, and then take our best guess.

By the time Saddam finally allowed the inspectors in, with conditions, it was too little, too late. He miscalculated. I think using the word "lie" to describe Bush's candor/lack thereof is certainly a stretch. A big one.

And let's not forget about Clinton's sales job (lies) vis a vis Kosovo. ...And then there was the aspirin factory in Sudan. Were you as outraged then? I believe the media gave WJC a big "pass" on both of those actions.

I maintain that Bush is an honorable man. (I'm losing faith in Cheney) However, I believe his administration did, in fact, exaggerate the threat posed by Iraq in order to promote an invasion. (Now I see they're trying to blame the "bad intelligence" on Iraqi dissidents who crossed over prior to the war.) But Saddam had to go. Period. My only regret about the administration's credibility, is that they will now be scoffed at when they try to sell us on the even larger threat posed by N Korea.