Jim

I use SLRs - Nikon FM2 and N80. For mountaineering or skiing I use a padded Tamron case, loop the chest strap thru the back of the case, and loop the padded camera strap over my neck. The chest strap of the pack takes the weight of the camera off you neck. I leave the case unzipped so I can pull it out quick. For technical routes I clip the case to my harness and loop the camera strap over one shoulder & my neck, and have a safety biner clipped to the camera strap and somewhere outta the way. I find it easy to pull the camera out, take a picture, and slide it back in. My best advice: keep the camera accesible, otherwise it's the same as if you didn't have one. PS: Fiends don't let friends by point and shoots.

Just think of what GW's $87 Billion is going to balloon into!!!

1) salmon are carnivorous. what other carnivores do we successfully farm? 2) environmentally sound fish farming takes place: on land, with closed pens, and sewage treatment of waste, and fish that can eat vegetarian diets (eg. tilapia or catfish) Exactly!!

I've been to Puerto Montt and they don't do it any better there. You don't have to go that far to check out the nasty impacts. Talk to any WDFW biologist or go check out the net pens in Puget Sound. Talk to the researchers working on the declining wild runs in BC because of high density salmon farming disease and sea lice. Salmon farming in net pens (by far the most common use) sucks. You gotta feed the fish pellets and dye, they don't taste as good, and it screws up the environment. Stay away!!!

Then I applaud you for not owning a Tahoe, Explorer, Excursion, Legacy something-or-other, Hummer, Escalade, or any number of other shiny, asphalt-loving, yup-mobiles on the road.

Getting a bit defensive aren't we? I don't think I mention you.

Another reason to avoid Wal-mart: WOOD-BORING PEST IN SCENTED PINE CONES Destructive beetle found in area Target Greg C. Bruno Sun staff writer greg.bruno@gvillesun.com A devastating wood-boring beetle has been detected in scented pine cones imported from India and sold in Florida stores, prompting the state Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services to urge consumers who have recently bought such products to return them immediately. The pest was found in the Target store in Gainesville. Denise Feiber, a state division of plant industry spokeswoman, said the discovery of chlorophorus strobilicola — a type of long-horned beetle — was made in North Carolina last week by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. It was the first time the pest had been discovered in the United States, Feiber said. In India, the beetles have decimated pine tree populations, feeding on the cones and limiting pine tree production. After last week's discovery, the federal agency issued a recall of all cones sold in Target stores, where the discovery was first made. But this week, state inspectors expanded their search and found the pest in a “Candle-Lite Potpourri” brand product in a Wal-Mart store in Charlotte County. “We don't know what the impact is going to be to our native pines," Feiber said. But based on observed impacts to trees in India, “it could be a huge problem.” The USDA believes the beetles, which were found in potpourri arrangements in four East Coast states, including Massachusetts and New Jersey, have been crossing Canadian border ports since April 2003. “Consumers who have purchased scented pine cones should return them to the store,” the state agency said in a statement Thursday. “If they have already opened the package, they are urged to double bag the item and return it to the store or double bag the product, tie it securely and dispose of it in the trash.” Consumers needing more information on how to identify or dispose of the beetles are asked to call toll-free at (888) 397-1517. Greg Bruno can be reached at (352) 374-5026 or greg.bruno@gvillesun.com.

I stretch a lot, mainly because I used to run 70mi/week, but I've cut back the last 5 yrs. Second cause I've got a scoliosis, and it helps to stretch. My advice: Hold the pose for 20 sec. at least - don't bother otherwise. Get a book on stretching - there's some good ones from the Editors of Runners World. Some folks are bothered by the 'hurdlers stretch" for your quads, torques the knee. I always do it, but there are alternatives. Take yoga. Great strength and flexibility training. Start with a beginner class. Don't ignore your upper body. Flexibility can help climbers who overuse certain muscle groups. I have a copy of an older Climbing issue that has some great stretches for climbers, some very similar to yoga poses.

Did my usual bike commute - 10 mi to work, long loop 20 mi home. Decent workout. I don't buy the "I need the mondo 4x4 rig for the mountains gig". It's not like your driving to base camp for Christ's sake. There's ROADS to the trailheads. I use 4x4s for work all the time on roads you don't want to take the shiny SUVs you see on I5. I have a more fuel effcient car for personal use. I climb and ski a lot and can only remember a couple of times I've had to walk a bit futher to get to a trail head because of poor road conditions. You need a monster truck to get to Steven's Pass in the snow!? Yea right.

Hey PP - from the drivel of that last post it's obvious you know nothing about the issue. The Bush Admin is the worst for environmental issues we've ever had. You might try engaging your brain instead of spewing the party line all the time. I'm with you Will.

It's early yet. We'll see. It will be interesing to see a debate between the Shrub and Dean. It'll probably be like a, well, shrub and a, well, Doctor. Think Will is right, it'll be another barn-burner.

Actually I had a car totalled and the driver of the car that hit me was cited for inattention. My daughter was driving the subie I had for two weeks (used) and I was with her. We're at a dead stop at the light on Aurora and 10 seconds later a guy plows into us, blows out all the back windows. The rear end looked like a dinosaur chomped it. The driver was looking for an address and didn't notice we were stopped (?). Cell phone use on the road should be banned. I routinely see the idiots drifting around the road, going too slow, and badly merging.

Your straying again PP.

Uh, no. Sea ice is frozen sea water. Floes are seperate patches of sea ice. Pack ice just refers to a bunch of floes all stuck together in a large frozen mass.

Word!! Gotta look for the latest designer malady.

I bet this would cure Sisu's flu symptons, or at least make him forget about 'em.

Probably will creep above 10 but won't stay there long. Only lost about 2% in the big dip cause I yanked just before. This year up 18%. Gotta get in as it's the only game in town in the long term. You don't think Social Security is going to be around when you retire do you?

Though I disagree with some of your other comments - this one hits the nail on the head. But I would take it a step further. Why not increase the efficency of the system with single-payer? The we would not have the massive duplication of effort (and profit) of the current insurance system. The current Medicare system is one of the most efficient deliverers of health care - it's administrative costs are less than a third of the insurance industry. But if we ever went to a univeral system cost controls would be needed. Hell, they're needed now - and we just ration health care in this country differently - you can't pay for it - you don't get it.

Maybe the Bushie types can help me with this dilemma. The "conservatives" are in control of both houses of Congress and the White House. So why are these items in the recent Medicare Bill: 1) Creation of a $11 Million slush fund for the private insurers (what happened to free markets) 2) Makes it illegal to buy mail order drugs from Canada, where they are significantly cheaper (markets again). 3) Includes a provision that the US government will not use its bulk buying capacity (drug benefit) to bargin with drug companies for discounts (WTF?). So we have to pay more that what we could bargin for as a large group purchaser, can't buy the cheaper drugs from Canada, and their's a slush fund for the insurance industry. Helloooo - what is so conservative about this? It's blowing another hole in the budget and giving older Americans the shaft.

There you go again. Clouding the issue with facts rather than vague innuenendos.

Drake mate with Steve Gurbeding, Conrad Anker, and Rolando Garibotti at the Bridwell Hut. Had dinner and beer with Charlie Fowler in El Chatan and met Casimo Ferrari. Becky passed me while I was fooling with my climbing skins on Mt. Margaret, didn't say hello. He also drank from my beer instead of his at Gustav's. Had ice cream in New Paltz with Lynn Hill and Hugh Herr. Derek Hersey soloed past me (no shirt w/walkman) while I struggled on a route on the Bastille. John Long clipped the first bolt for me on a tough start at J Tree.

And of course no mention of the natives who saved their starving asses in the first place. Great fable.

Seems like the incident was an unfortunate mistake by the tank crew. But one that could have been avoided. But fog of war and all that.... The military has switched their story several times on this. First they were fired upon from the lobby of the hotel - a physical impossibility. Then they said they were fired upon from the roof - none of the journalists watching the battle from their rooms heard any shots. Then the military said there were people with binoculars at the hotel - well duh, about 100 of them. The military report is of course classified. The unit commander was overheard shouting "Who hit the Palestine?". Since tank crews have the flexibility to act relatively independently it was likely a mistake by the crew, not intentional. But it's was (and is) a dangerous place. Certainly the military's usual lack of candor doesn't help.

Only one. My trusty 15 yr old Lotus road bike. Great commuter and occassional century rider. Love to reel in the young bucks on their fancy rides on the way home. Borrow friends mt bikes - they have plenty. I don't ride the trials often enough to buy my own. Maybe that explains why I have to get those floating bone chips taken out of my elbow sometime soon.