Jim

Trip: Silver Peak Loop - Silver Fir Chair - Annette Lake trailhead Date: 5/17/2009 Trip Report: ...or at least that was the plan. Several of us try to get this low elevation trip in before melt out while allowing a ski all the way to the JWT via the lake crossing and skiing the west side of the Annette Lake valley. We skied from the base of Silver Fir chair and through Windy Pass, up the clearcut and into the basin. The soft 12 in of snow on the west exposures was an indication that things had not quite firmed up from the recent accumulation. We gained the ridge had lunch and dug a pit. There was about 6-10 inches of unconsolidated wet snow atop a firm base, with no obvious weak layer after several arm swings on the shovel, stomping, and prying. So we decided to cut a line and then watched 100 yrds of a snow slough slowly make its way down. After a few more turns with similar results we decided we would have to methodically cut the slope and then ski behind the creeping slide - and the skiing would not be so great anyway so we carried back up and skied out the way we came. Haven't seen it so loose this time of year - rats! [

I think Porter has captured the essentials - there are always moral ambiguities on the battlefield but the general idea is to get the bad guys as best as possible without harming innocents - once you are a prisoner, guitly or not, there are laws and definitive moral obligations. That seems very clear.

No argument there. Regarding the Taliban using folks as human shields - what's the point? That's not ethical and neither is torture. Is this a race to the bottom rung?

..or something to get him to shut up. Especially considering: Ali Soufan, an FBI special agent from 1997 to 2005, told members of a key Senate Judiciary subcommittee that such "techniques, from an operational perspective, are ineffective, slow and unreliable, and harmful to our efforts to defeat al Qaeda." His remarks followed heated exchanges between committee members with sharply differing views on both the value of the techniques and the purpose of the hearing itself. Soufan, who was involved in the interrogation of CIA detainee Abu Zubaydah, took issue with former Vice President Dick Cheney, who has said that enhanced interrogation techniques helped the government acquire intelligence necessary to prevent further attacks after September 11, 2001. The techniques, which were approved by the Bush administration, are considered torture by many critics. Watch analysts discuss harsh interrogations and torture "From my experience -- and I speak as someone who has personally interrogated many terrorists and elicited important actionable intelligence -- I strongly believe that it is a mistake to use what has become known as the 'enhanced interrogation techniques,' " Soufan noted in his written statement. Such a position is "shared by many professional operatives, including the CIA officers who were present at the initial phases of the Abu Zubaydah interrogation." Soufan told the committee that within the first hour of his interrogating Zubaydah, the suspected terrorist provided actionable intelligence. But once the CIA contractors took over and used harsh methods, Soufan said, Zubaydah stopped talking. When Soufan was asked to resume questioning, Zubaydah cooperated. After another round of more coercive techniques used by the contractors, however, Soufan said it was difficult for him to re-engage Zubaydah.

More importantly: ENDANGERED SNAFFELS For Release on May 6, 2009 Contact: Diane Katzenberger (303) 236-4578 Fish and Wildlife Service to Conduct Status Review of the American Pika Following an initial review of a petition seeking to protect the American pika under the Endangered Species Act (ESA), the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced today that the American pika may warrant federal protection as a threatened or endangered species. The Service will undertake an in-depth, scientific review of the American pika to determine whether to propose adding the species to the federal list of threatened and endangered wildlife and plants. The petition provides information suggesting that climate change may have effects resulting in individual mortality, population extirpations, and reduced species range for the pika. Today’s decision, commonly known as a 90-day finding, is based on scientific information about the American pika provided in the petition requesting that the species be placed on the federal list of threatened and endangered wildlife and plants protected under the ESA. The initial petition finding does not mean that the Service has decided it is appropriate to give the American pika federal protection under the ESA. Rather, this finding is the first step in a process that triggers a more thorough review of all the biological information available. To ensure this review is comprehensive, the Service is soliciting information from state and federal natural resource agencies and all interested parties regarding the American pika and its habitat. The Service is seeking scientific information regarding the American pika’s historical and current status and distribution; its population size and trend; its biology and ecology; its taxonomy (especially genetics of the species); ongoing conservation measures for the species and its habitat; and threats to the long-term persistence of the species. If listing the American pika is warranted, the Service intends to propose critical habitat and therefore requests information on what may constitute physical and biological features essential to the conservation of the species; where these features are currently found; whether any of these features may require special management considerations or protection; and whether there are areas outside the geographical area occupied by the species that are essential to the conservation of the species. Scientific information will be accepted until July 7, 2009 and can be submitted electronically via the Federal eRulemaking Portal at: http://www.regulations.gov, or can be mailed or hand delivered to Public Comments Processing, Attn: FWS-R6-ES-2009-0021; Division of Policy and Directives Management; U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 4401 N. Fairfax Drive, Suite 222; Arlington, VA 22203.

EVENTO: VII CONVENCION SOBRE MEDIO AMBIENTE Y DESARROLLO FECHA: 6 al 10 de Julio, 2009 SEDE: Palacio de Convenciones de La Habana TEMATICAS: VII Congreso de Educación Ambiental para el Desarrollo Sostenible Educación ambiental en la escuela básica; Formación ambiental de profesionales; Ciudadanía, comunidad e intersectorialidad; Comunicación; Educación energética. VI Congreso sobre Áreas Protegidas Protección en las áreas protegidas; Uso público, turismo y áreas protegidas; Planificación de la biota, ecosistemas y paisajes; Manejo de especies y ecosistemas; Papel de las comunidades en las Áreas Protegidas; Áreas marinas protegidas. IV Congreso de Gestión Ambiental Gestión Ambiental Empresarial; Instrumentos económicos de gestión ambiental; Energía y Medio Ambiente; Legislación ambiental; Ordenamiento ambiental; Regulaciones ambientales; Producción más limpia y consumo sustentable. II Congreso de Manejo Integrado de Recursos Hídricos Hidrología Superficial y Subterránea; Hidráulica Ambiental; Uso y manejo del agua; Tratamiento, uso y reuso de residuales líquidos; Sequía y acceso al agua; Manejo de Cuencas Hidrográficas; Aprovechamiento hidroenergético. II Simposio de Manejo de Ecosistemas y Biodiversidad Gestión de la diversidad biológica; Manejo de ecosistemas terrestres y marino-costeros; Conservación y uso de la biodiversidad; Amenazas para la diversidad biológica; Ecología del paisaje y biología de la conservación; Servicios ambientales de la diversidad biológica. PERFIL DE LOS PARTICIPANTES: Biólogos marinos y terrestres, zoólogos, tecnólogos, especialistas de áreas protegidas, geógrafos, hidrólogos, especialistas en cuencas hidrográficas, meteorólogos, especialistas de clima, suelos, bosques, químicos, sociólogos, economistas ambientales, educadores ambientales, agrónomos, juristas ambientales y todas aquellas personas que se relacionan con el Medio Ambiente. COMITÉ ORGANIZADOR: PRESIDENTE Dr. José Antonio Díaz Duque SECRETARIA ORGANIZADORA María Isabel Torna Falco

Gotta use all that expensive military hardware for something!

I received the book as a gift. It needed a good editor. Poorly written, horrible use of the language. The guy is more-or-less an idiot, not a risk-taker. He almost got himself killed on numerous occassions that would have made the Darwin files if not for dumb luck. Ironically the slot canyon incident was really a freak accident. $37k for corporate speeches. People will throw money at anything. Another 15 minutes.

Commuted to D.C. via train from near Harper's Ferry for two years, then lived in the District for a year. While that was enough - there a lot you should take advantage of while there: Great free museums, music, lectures, films. The Florida Grill -if it is still there Ethopian food in my old neighborhood - Adams Morgan. Good bouldering on rock wall along C&O canal in Georgetown Great paddling and smallmouth bass fishing in upper Potomic. Seneca, Seneca, Seneca! 'cept the Gendarme is long gone. Take the drive to the Gunks - about 7 hrs. W.VA has great hiking - Dolly Sods, Cannan Valley. Closer to home - climbing at Great Falls then go for a swim while avoiding the helicopter patrols of the NPS - makes you feel like a Navy Seal. While you will have to drive a bit more there are some cool places. And D.C. is a very interesting cultural experience.

Ha! As an ecologist I love the short film on the persistent Neatoma!! Nice site.

Then there is cost. The U.S. has the most expensive health care system in the world, speding $4,178 per capita, more that twice the OECD median of $1,783, without any appreciable results, and almost twice as much as Switzerland - which has a govenrment conrolled private system. Currently we're about 15% of GDP spending on health care predicted to go to near %19 by 2017. 20% of this is just on adminstrative costs because of multiple carriers and inefficies. I'm not bent on a government system, but we need a sigle payer system. And we need universal coverage. There is no other industrialzed country where you could lose your home and go bankrupt because of medical costs.

I'm not sure what's more tiresome. Celebrity blogs or blogs about celebrity blogs - or just blogs in general. Who has time to write or read this drivel. Another standard of the self-infatuation crowd. Please, please find some useful outlet for your over abundance of free time.

Thanks. I had been to that clinic and got a PT named Brad Jordon. After one visit it was apparant he had no idea what was going on, so I moved on.

I have a pretty severe scolosis and occasionally my SI joint gets misaligned, such as from a recent hammer-dog tele ski outing. I used to have a great PT that was able to manipulate it back in place with some simple twists. Chiropractors just don't work for it, they all seem to have the same move, which seems not very sophisticated and ultimately ineffective. So if you have experience with a good PT with manual therapy expertise that you would recommend, let me know.

Cool. That's encouraging. I have pretty lightweight boots so I'll likely go plastic and my bag is a 10 yr old packed-down thing so I could use that. Otherwise then maybe a warm pair of mitts! I had a friend that was down there and went with overboots, downpants, and such and was still cold. That was in January I think. I'm planning on July. I also like the idea of keeping weight down and sleeping in things if needed.

So - I only climb the volcanoes in order to ski them so I don't even own plastic climbing boots, and have a down jacket and sleeping bag to match three season conditions in the Cascades. And I generally go the light and mildly suffer range of clothing. Planning a trip to Bolivia for some mod routes and looking for advice on: Boots Down bag Overboots? Gloves other essentials? I'd rather purchase things I will use often but I doubt that will be the case so I'll also be looking for used items. Thanks.

Celebrating my Irish citizenship, which I received last weekend!

We were on the no frills agenda. Alan Kearney has a guidebook - but most of it was a bit above our capability. We just talked with folks down there to find things to get up. Cerro Solo and Torre McMillian (? just a 4th class) were two that I remember. There are so many things down there if you're willing to trek a bit you can get a first ascent on minor peaks no one cares about. If you want some rock Bariloche is the place to go and you can pick up a guide at the local climbing club headquarters

Lan Chile. Total of about $2k spend for 9 weeks, including flight.

You are a tough nut. Congrats.

One pair on 3rd resole - little stretch.

I saw AK the first time at the Georgetown campus in an interesting show - History of the Folk Violin, put on by the Smithsonian - back in 1988. She was a tiny thing, stepped up to the mike and said "I'm gonna sign you a song now" and then proceed to blow the socks off everyone in the house with a knockdown version of Wayfarin Stranger. Holy cow could she belt it out. I talked to her in the lobby at intermission and purchased an album that she signed. Sigh.

I think kowtowing to Limbaugh is much more productive.

What "got us here" is unregulated capitalism - that's the way it works. Do you really think the Wall St. types making money hand over fist really had any thought of personal responsibility - ever did - or ever will? No way. They were selling those mystical CDSs and such with only one goal - to make tons of money. That's what capitalism cares about - nothing more or less. The idea that government has no role in getting us out of this mess that Bush and the repubs put us in lacks any memory. A hands off policy and the idea of market self-regulation is what got us here. Credit ratings of AAA for things worse than junk bonds; no job, no income, no problem loans - WTF. Yea, there has been some folks hoping for the American dream and over-reaching. But the bulk of the problem was, as usual - unregulated greed.