Fairweather

Did any of you watch the documentary Blackfish on CNN last night? I'm not a big animal rights guy, but I've believed for a long time that Orcas and a few other species belong to a much higher order of sentient beings. The presentation was compelling and sickening at the same time. The bastards at SeaWorld and similar parks should be jailed the same as any other kidnappers and violent abusers.

None of the conveniences you list insult traditions or diminish the sense of accomplishment felt by those qualified to do these climbs sans superfluous and unnecessary accoutrements. What's more, all of the conveniences you describe are widely accepted or were, at one time or another, vetted by a much larger community. Nice try.

A simple act of Congress would be a good start: Thou shalt not create, sell, or legally bind a farmer to purchase a seed incapable of reproducing itself in a natural or ordinary agricultural setting.

Anyhow, I just want this woman to GO AWAY!

This whole thing is little more than The Jungle part CVII.

I thought it was closed to bikes part of the year. Rob/FW - Let me guys know if you are down for a november ride there... It's usually closed to bikes by now, but they've extended it because of the dry weather. We rode east tiger last weekend, but even then, we were on borrowed time. Not sure where you guys live nowadays; I'm still in the Tacoma area. Tiger TH is 36 miles/50 min from my driveway. Duthie is ok too if it's close for you guys, but I'm more interested a hill climb than a playground. Come to think of it, isn't Smith Rocks kind of like Duthie? A "built" environment? I mean, in a way? Ya know? I wonder if they allow campfires and tobacco?

It will have to be MTB. I don't like to ride on pavement that other people paid for. Is Tiger still open?

I like the suggestion, but you're basically asking people to replace laws with morality. Never gonna happen. Plato played out this same thought exercise in The Republic about 2500 years ago and (some say) satirized its folly. I'm not a big fan of laws these days--particularly, like you say, laws for the sake of laws. Here in the US it's a popular expression to boast "we are a nation of laws!" This is, at the same time, admitting our failures since laws would be largely unnecessary in a moral society.

As a dedicated birdwatcher, I most sincerely believe all these climbers and their shiny bolts and drills are scaring off my viewing opportunities and permanently damaging the park's environment. By God, I'm gonna write a letter to someone who can do something about it! (Ok, now I see how this works. Hey, it's easy!)

Oh geeez, Rob. Now you're mad. Let's get together for a bike ride and we'll try to work this out.

You two better check with Ian Eyemalegend-Itzmypark to make sure these uses are appropriate.

No problem, Proletariat. Forgive me for thinking someone so grounded in a particular political belief would have at least a basic grasp of its historical and philosophical underpinnings. I'll go ahead and put you in the "boutique" column for now.

You're right, that's the best one. The paraglider is a close second, IMO. Not sure how a couple of these pics can be considered standout though--particularly #3 (boring) and #14 (blurry and routine).

A bit of shameless salesmanship here: Nate, I have a couple of setups I'm parting with--a low end (180cm Fisher "tour extremes" w/ Silvretta 404s) and a heavier combo (173cm Black Diamond Kilowatts w/ Marker Barons). Skins for the latter. Also have a pair of Garmont Axon AT boots size 27.5. PM me if you're interested. As for advice, I think it's been well covered already. Hope you have fun up there! (ps - the plastic climbing boots/silvretta cage binding combo is bad, bad, bad. you will hate skiing forever if you start out this way.)

Are you serious?

For the most part, I have no idea what you're babbling on about, and neither, I suspect, do you. Stop the presses, capitalism is cyclic. We could always go back to the 74% top marginal tax rates of the late 1970s--and the stagnation you seem to recall fondly. You remember the 70s, don't you? Great times. Particularly for the inner city. I'm not saying that I'm whole hog on board the neolib ship of state, but maybe if you and your fellow tools would stop trying to dredge up Bryan or Debs at every downturn this political pendulum we're riding wouldn't keep swinging in such a wide arc. I know you're fond of the communitarian/cosmopolitan model, but I think you'll find Mr. Habermas (and Mr. Appiah) are just as fucked up as the long lineage of continental philosophers they follow. What's good for Europe ain't necessarily good for us. BTW: yes, I love Orwell. Nuanced. Hard to pigeonhole. Not at all like the latest crop. Or you.

Thanks for the stroke, er, I mean stoke!

Can we please keep your religious beliefs out of this discussion? Anyhow, if I recall, your boy Clinton oversaw his fair share of deregulation--particularly of the banking and insurance industries. Pragmatism n' all that, you see. Fact is, most Republicans I know think government's job--beyond the military and delivering mail--is, simply, to regulate. Unfortunately, the tool you elected and his rubber-stamp senate now want to take charge of our lives. We'll see how this thing plays out. Enjoy the show.

Oh, I agree. But you won't like the replacements either.

Be more like these... Less like these...

Now there's a great reason to amend your standards and ethics. Sounds like you'll make a great addition to Seattle's growing faux-bavarian suburb someday. I hear they grant "local" status on day one!

Rob, you seem to reply to almost every challenge to your worldview with phallic or homoerotic imagery. It's very strange. Seriously.

I guess it's easier for you to continue playing the hyperbolic race card than it is to acknowledge even the slightest bit of D-hypocrisy. Don't you think it's the least bit odd?

"The fact that we are here today to debate raising America’s debt limit is a sign of leadership failure. It is a Sign that the US Government cannot pay its own bills. It is a sign that we now depend on ongoing financial assistance from foreign countries to finance our Government’s reckless fiscal policies. ...Increasing America’s debt weakens us domestically and internationally. Leadership means that 'the buck stops here'. Instead, Washington is shifting the burden of bad choices today onto the backs of our children and Grandchildren. America has a debt problem and a failure of leadership. Americans deserve better." Senator Barack Obama - March 2006