Jim

FYI Xeon 38gm M Classic 36 Neutrino 36 Helium 34 Oz 28 M. Moses 27

Thanks all. I'll post weight difference of the rack after shopping.

Ok, I'm convinced after some recent trips I need to replace my stash of older mish-mash of ovals and Ds. What's good?

(II / AD) Aiguille Du Midi / Cosmiques Ridge - :tup: I vaguely remember one section of route decision-making, but not so bad. Then again I was young, not so experienced, and rope-monkey to two older Frenchy fries who were kind enough to pull me along. Slept for free in muddy Mere de Glace - but will second Ski Station - buddy was there last year. Car rental not a problem - as usual if you can speak some French it helps - then they will only treat you as half-ass instead of whole.

Have work visa for BC/Yukon. 1st vist, sluggy. Next half dozen - no problem, very quick. Some drive, some fly.

As usual, it depends on how you chop up the data, eh? [img:left]http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f9/Distribution_of_U.S._Federal_Taxes_2000.JPG[/img] Yes, nominal vs. actual should be taken into account. Which group do you think has the advantage using this metric, the bottom 5% or the top 5%. I'd say that answer easily reinforces the amount of political and financial power attained and used by the upper 5%. And value of transfers to the bottom end? Serioiusly? Compare that to say one metric of the top end - tax on capital gains compared to income - there's a real value transfer. No - there will never be a flat field for all to play on and that should not be the goal of fair (open to your interpretaion) society. That said, the financial benefits, political power, and corruption assocated witht he current concentration of wealth is a bit too much and needs to be curtailed with some moderate tax policy changes. IMO.

Well, I'm no expert but here's how I see it. You might be a bit more precise and accurate by asking the question "How does lowering the tax rate for the upper 5% to lows not seen since the guilded age and allowing for redistribution of wealth upward and increased concentration of wealth help the economy? Funny, the economy managed quite fine when marginal rates were higher - that BS about trickle down has been proven to be just that. Also - I believe in paying as you go, not borrowing as you go. The bottom line is the wealthy have very low taxes, you and me have low taxes. All the Bush era tax giveaways should be stopped and we should all pay for things we need as a society instead of borrowing. Didn't say anything of the sort. The primary problem with schools is the expectations we put on them. Expecting them to solve all the problems we have created outside the walls within a 7 hr school day. Public schools have to take all comers - kids who don't speak English, severe ADHD, Aspergers, severe discipline problems, fetal alcohol syndrome. Private schools do not. Poor districts get screwed, rich districts have great fund raisers. Frankly, I'll go with Ivan on this. I volunteer at a school regularly and the kids are sharp, engaged, and have promise. And they are not WASP. BS! You are out of touch if you think we have cast too wide a social safety net. Pick a vulnerable population - the mentally ill, the poor, the infirm, the lower end of the working class - all have seen drastic cuts in social services. What is your specific solution here? Get rid of medicare? Social security? Food stamps? No shit. And how do you suppose we pay for it? I partially agree. But savings banks are backed by the FDIC and deserve saving. Investment banks, however are a different animal. Unfortunately, thank to Glass-Steigel (thanks Clinton and Congress) the distinction is more fuzzy than it needs to be. Neither do I. i think its a complex problem that people are trying to boil down to a catch phrase and that isn't going to happen. And neither do I, nor I think do OWS folks. The issue is the political power they have, they way they have continued to leverage this power into protection of their tax havens, resources, and bought politicians.

That's kinda the nail on the head, there.

Where is Sarah when she is needed most? [video:youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gRbOcM1Cb3Q&feature=relmfu

If you're just lift skiing then I'd say not a big deal. Backcountry - big deal. On my teles going from mid fat (Crossbows) to fat with rocker (Coombacks) made quite a difference - powder, packed, deep cement -whoo, ripping. Long days touring and weight an issue, yes, still evaluating that and may go to the Drift.

Thanks Fern, beat me to it. It's complicated. I've seen propogation and runnout in old growth - and seen some pretty big trees twisted into pretzels. Hoping to extend my bc skiing into '60s and '70s and thus very conservative. You only have to guess wrong once.

Morons! People who don’t have money don’t understand the stress,” said Alan Dlugash, a partner at accounting firm Marks Paneth & Shron LLP in New York who specializes in financial planning for the wealthy. “Could you imagine what it’s like to say I got three kids in private school, I have to think about pulling them out? How do you do that?”

Again, I partially agree and you raise some inherent cultural issues. It's amusing that when asked, most folks somehow think they can possibly end up in the upper 10% income bracket. Sorry to break the news to you but.... and it affects how they see the rich and how they vote. Conversely, in the past 15 yrs or so the uber-rich have pushed down their tax rate and loosen financial oversight much to their advantage by having the politios on their leash. Historically this isn't the first time nor will be the last, but it's due for the pendulum to swing a bit the other way.

I agree with some, but not all of this. Conservatives have a range and their voice is needed in the political process - it's just too bad the GOP has decided to vere into the righthand ditch so hard. Correspondingly, it's a bit of a generalization to say liberals what to redistribute income. I think it is valid to say that the upper 1% or so are getting away with quite a scam recently regarding tax policy and absolutely no repercussions following the heist they commited to financial markets. Watch the film "An Inside Job" for a decent summary. And the Politico response has been weak - including from Obama. Very little DOJ prosecutions, a tepid consumer protection law, and generally business as usual. The OWS folks have that part correct - just don't seem to have the political organization now, maybe never. Sheeple will be sheeple.

Based on today's news looks like the Supremes may have buyers remorse on Citizens United. With good reason.

yea. Let's go rapelling too! Also, nothing like sawing into sandstone with your contrivences.

Conversely, this is why toast always falls jam side down.

We are Homo sapiens, the tool users. We earn the name by developing tools to increase our leverage on the world around us, and with this increased technological leverage comes a growing sense of power. This position of advantage which protects us from wild nature we call civilization. Our security increases as we apply more leverage, but along with it we notice a growing isolation from the earth. We crowd into cities which shut out the rhythms of the planet--daybreak, high tide, wispy cirrus high overhead yelling storm tomorrow, moonrise, Orion going south for the winter. Perceptions dull and we come to accept a blunting of feeling in the shadow of security. Drunk with power, I find that I am out of my senses. I, tool man, long for the immediacy of contact to brighten my senses again, to bring me nearer the world once more; in security I have forgotten how to dance. EC, Climbing Ice

Wow, I mean WOW! Thanks for sharing - one leg of this would have been my whole trip. Keep getting' it.

Yea! I've dual Irish ciitizenship and entry to EU!

zzzzzzzzzzz

Apparantly Santorum is now worth a second look

San Francisco (CNN) -- A federal appeals court ruled against California's voter-approved ban on same-sex marriage Tuesday, arguing the ban unconstitutionally singles out gays and lesbians for discrimination. In a split decision, a three-judge panel of the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals found the state's Proposition 8 "works a meaningful harm to gays and lesbians" by denying their right to civil marriage in violation of the 14th Amendment. Supporters of same-sex marriages cheered the decision when it was announced outside the courthouse Tuesday morning.

Show me the $$$!

I know who I'm voting for: [video:youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6PsSJYrbuaI