Fairweather

Trask, Dixie Lee Ray and Senator Henry M Jackson were the last of this state's great open minded Democrats. But before you go giving a total thumbs-up to Dixie, you'd better check her views regarding individual liberty/personal freedom. Some of her ideas were fringe to extreme. The greatest thing about Dixie Lee Ray was that she absolutely...100%...did not fit into any conventional modern political ideal. She could go either way, right or left, on any given issue....and change her mind if the science demanded it. Overall, I do admire her. Who was the greatest governor Washington State ever had? I'd say it has never had a great one. And it sure as hell 'aint the current one! But I've always been a fan of Dan Evans. (His later Evergreen State College tenure notwithstanding)

"Trasks last post".... 6/05/03 5:24pm. Welcome back Trask! I missed you.

I'm talking about the PRESIDENTIAL election. How about the Dem's leaving the polls open for two hours after they were supposed to close in Missouri? How about Democratic activists "helping" nursing home patients by collecting their blank absentee ballots (by the thousands) and then helping them further by filling them out. Let's not forget the "paid" bus rides to the poles given by Democrat activists. (an illegal activity) Lets not forget the ongoing election-fraud-machine in the great state of Illinois. Specifically the "dead folks-can-still-vote" Mayor Daily Democrat fraud machine. "Disenfranchised"? Last time I checked, convicted felons in Florida weren't allowed to vote. Why don't you just accept the fact: GW BUSH IS PRESIDENT. HE WAS ELECTED UNDER THE ELECTORAL SYSTEM PRESCRIBED BY THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES. AL GORE IS NOT THE PRESIDENT. HE WOULD BE PRESIDENT TODAY IF YOU/THOSE LIKE YOU HADN'T VOTED FOR RALPH NADER. MARTIN SHEEN IS NOT THE PRESIDENT. NOAM CHOMPSKY IS NOT THE PRESIDENT. THE ELECTION IS OVER. GIVE IT A REST.

I'm having second thoughts about this issue too. I am in favor of guiding on the high profile mountains like Rainier, Hood, Baker, etc. But I don't understand why repeat clients don't eventually wean themselves from their guides. I mean, if you've been up Baker, Rainier, and taken rock climbing classes with a reputable service, why do you now need someone to take you in to do Olympus, Stuart, or Challenger? Perhaps it is time to go with a 1:1 guide/client ratio requirement in these more "wilderness like" areas???

JoshK, Don't forget to plug Democrat election 2000 misdeeds in Missouri, Wisconsin, Illinois, into your formula. I thought the Miami Hearlad settled the Florida matter. ...except for a few hard core Bush-hater fringe kooks, it seems!

It's called humor. (first quote above) Something you seem to lack. I have no problem with women in power, as long as they aren't meeting secretly behind closed doors (ala Hillary-care) while attempting to inflict socialist ideology on the health insurance benefits that I work very hard for. So are you saying that Bill Clinton is a neanderthal? I thought my attempt to exonorate his behavior would have curried your favor. Forgive me o great humorless one! Show me where I've ever called anyone "homo" or "traitor". You can't, because I haven't. "Socialist", yes. But then I doubt you would consider that label disparaging.

...and 64% of the American people agree...or at least approve of him! I guess, according to j_b, there are 179,200,000 "neanderthals" in this country.

Now Jim, you're leaving out the part about the IRS completely clearing Gingrich of any wrong-doing in its subsequent investigation. Of course this was long after the press had already convicted him, but who cares about fairness when its a prominent Republican being hunted down. Right? And did Bill and Hillary really sit quietly on the sidelines while NG's book-deal controversy raged? I doubt it. As for j_b's "Neanderthal" comment: Mattp stated in a recent thread that liberals might be a bit smug, but weren't prone to name calling. I guess he forgot about j_b. j_b, I have rarely encountered an individual as arrogant and smug as yourself. Perhaps meeting in person your ego would be more tempered, but I have no desire to ever meet you and doubt I would even shake your hand. I presume you hold post-graduate degrees of some sort and feel this gives you license. Onward, I could draw many conclusions about a person like you but I'll leave it at this for now.

No disrespect to Hillary intended. My jab was primarily directed at 'ol Harvey Manning. I do find Hillary's solution to the Everest problem a bit ridiculous though. It would put a lot of sherpas out of work.

j_b = sexual chocolate What evidence are you looking for? The record is clear regarding the disparate treatment given by the press regarding Hillary's book deal versus Newt's. I have no problem with the $$ amount! That is apparently what the free market will bear. I realize this concept is foreign to you j_b.

Shit! I hate earthquakes. I thought Alpine K just found out where I lived and had begun his attack.

Doh! You are a relentless angry white liberal AK; stalking me from thread to thread...appearing out of nowhere like a bad dream, countering my every point with hollow drivel. Hillary is evil. Gang of four (or was it seven?) type shit. But I'll admit, if she were my wife, my johnson be seeking the semi-cuboidal tissues of other women as well. I can't blame Bill for that one! Oh yeh! Go buy some real skis ass-wipe!

Herr Erich, ...zen perhaps du should climb zeeees, my Tyrolean friend....

Sir Hillary reminds me of Harvey Manning. "I've had my big adventures! Now, lets lock everyone else out and force them to look at the great pictures I took yore...in this book I am selling for only $29.95!"

Good post. Remember the sanctions heaped on Gingrich when he accepted a book advance? Where is the media outrage re Hillary? .....More evidence of liberal media bias. Hillary=Winnie Mandella

I hear you like to turn the stool upside down and impale your anus on one of the legs. Then you try to get old men to buy you drinks and give you tokens in exchange for handjobs.

Well AK.... I hear that in addition to being very angry, you've cut down more trees than George Bush, John Ashcroft, and Gail Norton combined! Not only that, but I have it from a reliable source that you are (quite) a bit overweight and... you are not a very good skier. Civilized debate? ...I'll give you civilized debate motherfuckerererer.

Bush is an idiot, a fascist. He's appointed an attorney general who is a member of the Nazi party and the KKK. Bush is not capable of doing anything good. Like I said earlier Bush sucks dead donkey dicks Fairweather you're a pretty angry guy from some of the stuff you write. AK, You write "Bush sucks dead donkey dicks" and then tell me I write "angry stuff". Are you for real? At least Mattp can articulate his position without the childish banter you throw about. I wasn't aware Ashcroft was both a NAZI and KKK member! Can you please send the documentation? I find it extaordinary that this story has escaped me. I gotta listen to NPR more often!

....don't forget the "Unabomber" matt! I believe he had a copy of "Earth in the Balance" in his shack. We could both dig up a litany of killers on both sides of the political spectrum, here in our country and around the world. However, you were the one who put forth the premise that liberals were just a little "smug" but otherwise harmless. I never claimed that extreme right-wingers were a benign lot. And I believe it was that magazine photo (Rolling Stone?) with the naked Dixie Chicks on the cover....they have dozens of words like "traitor" and "treason" printed on their bodies...It was the dixie Chicks themselves claiming their free speech rights were being stifled. I'll say again; the free market can decide what is free speech ala Jesse Jackson, or whomever. As long as it isn't the government denying us that right, I'm OK with it.

I'll accept that there is a separation: a) Liberals. Patriotic Americans with whom I (mostly) disagree. b) Leftists. Now, Catbird, would you agree with the inverse?

....but it's OK to lump radicals and conservatives?

Seems to me that those on the radical left are the very ones name calling (ie:"baby killer","shrub" "bush is a terrorist", etc), screaming (ie: blocking roads, throwing bottles at cops) and torching things (ie: ski resorts in CO, SUV's in car lots, research labs at UW and elsewhere, "Street of dreams" homes.) Do you really stand by that one Matt?

You hit the proverbial nail on the head with that statement Dwayner! They're angry. They're white. And they're liberal. GW in 2004! Condoleeza Rice in 2008!

Looks to me like the tree has taken a hit from a small lightning bolt.

I recently had the pleasure of meeting Matt in person. Great guy. His trip reports here inspire me. He climbs like I wish I could...and a lot more often! But that doesn't mean I have to agree with him re politics....although I suspect there is much more common ground than you'd think.