Jim

BD's hybrid tent may be a choice: http://www.bdel.com/gear/skylight.php

I agree with you there. It will take decades to undo the Iditot's deeds.

Got to climb here for a day in between work in the desert. Great place. I've only climbed here once before and forgot how cool the rock is and the expanse of the place. It was pretty green thanks to winter rains. Fun routes, Dark Shadows, 10c to the left of DS(?), Y2K, and some 7ish 2 pith left of Y2K. Dark Shadows Party on DS corner 3rd pitch Start of Y2K

If the USFS doesn't fit into your usual distain of needing to "starve the beast" of government then my misgivings are misplaced. I'll keep it general then; folks shouldn't be surprised that land management agencies charge fees for access when their budgets are pared down to nothing; nor should they complain about the use of third party contractors when that directive is coming from the president's office. Cheers.

You can go research the budgets, I don't have the time, but here's what I know as fact. USFS Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie has consolidated their offices. The moved from Montlake to Everrett, have continued to cut biology staff, recreation folks, rangers, etc. And have been pushed, no forced, to contract work that that could be done more efficiently and cheaply in-house. Yes the fee system did start before the Bushies as noted by Matt, but the stripping of the natural resource agencies' budgets under the Bushies has no comparison. It's just a bit ironic that when folks are complaining about bloated government agencies and then those agencies are pushed into increased user fees, the whinning begins.

Hey - I'm just giving you the facts straight from USFS folks who work in the program. We would not be charged for permits to public land if the land resource agencies actually were alloted a reasonable budget. You want less money going to the USFS, be prepared to pay as you go.

While I'm not too jazzed about the idea of permit fees on public land, the Forest Service is the stepchild of public agencies right now, has had to consolidate beyond it's resource needs, and is being pushed hard by the Bushies to contract out portions of their work. So - the current administration is responsible for the cutbacks and the philosphy of having third party contractors.

What a bunch of crap. The only question that needs to be asked is are we in better strategic position now or before the Idiot took over the reigns. It will be nice to get some adults running the show instead of a continual PR campaign. They know how to spin extremely well. Too bad they can't seem to apply a fraction of that skill to governance or leadership.

If you're going this way you might check this Seattle source: http://www.fuelwerks.com/

If you can find it made out of recycled restaurant grease, then it's a great thing. If it's directly from plant material; corn, switch grass, etc., then it's a losing energy proposition costing more energy to produce that it provides. Add to that the greenhouse gasses used to plant, harvest, fertilize, and transport and it's just plain stupid. But it does provide crop support for the midwest. The exception is where soy is being grown for protien and the oil is a byproduct, though critics are pointing toward inflated prices drawing in producers just for the oil now. Not so green as it's presented.

Warm up? That thing beat me to a pulp last year. I would like to become a better crack climber and not have to French-free it next time. Taken to school I was.

Exhibit A: http://democrats.senate.gov/dpc/dpc-new.cfm?doc_name=lb-110-2-35 I'm getting an aneurysm over the idiots in D.C. and they're lack of fiscal sense. Why not just burn the money. And PP - if Hil and Barack keep tripping over themselves you may have a chance. But I doubt it.

It's just as much the electorate's fault. Once they pull they lever they go back to watching Survior or whatever, thinking - "well, my job is done here". Few folks want to actively participate to make any difference, and the politicials know it.

What a maverick!! Mr. McCain, who made no mention of his previous pledge to balance the budget by the end of his first term, outlined a long list of tax cuts he favored in the speech, which was delivered on the deadline for filing taxes. He called once again for making the Bush tax cuts, which he voted against, permanent, and for cutting corporate taxes, phasing out the alternative minimum tax and doubling the value of exemptions for each dependent to $7,000 from $3,500. He also proposed giving people the option of using a simpler, shorter tax form.

Watcha talking about P? Does DSL plus ISP = cable cost these days ($60/mo)?

Looking at the options. No TV cable needed just internet access. Friking comcast is $33 for 3 months then $59! Not cheap. Your exerience on DSL or cable?

Some of that may have been with a skilled eye on the market, much of it, however was dumb luck. California and Florida are now strewn with speculators who did not get out in time.

Never ran into an English Lit or History major that changed to math or science because it was too hard.

Jay - Oh that type of talk will get hackels up. My wife has an MS in Geology and is one of the few science teachers in Seattle who has actually worked in any science field. Most science teachers have a teaching degree with a bit of science. Any discussion of merit pay or diference in pay based on scarcity or comparable job load is off limits. I think the main problem that the pay is so crappy and the hours and demands so high it's hard to attract talented folks to the profession and if they manage to do so they get toasted over 5 years. Very hard job, I don't think I could do it. And one of us has to pull in a decent salary anyway.

Recently went to all digital (execpt still have the Nikon FM) with a Nikon D80 and a Nikon P60 (lost the 5200 while skiing!!). The Nikon line of point and shoots seem to produce very sharp images.

Carl's Foreign Auto 2605 NE 55th St Seattle, WA, 98105 (206) 527-7234 good guy, reasonably priced, honest. I think he's only open Mon-Thur.

I don't buy this. Unless people are gonna be allowed to buy M-1 tanks, RPG's, and shoulder-launched SAM's, the US populace has no hope in hell if the government actually decided to turn against its own people militarily. Even armed to the teeth with .357's and hunting rifles as we are, there'd be no prayer. I don't buy it either - but for other reasons. Having guns hasn't helped much while the Idiot has instituted illegal wiretaps, extrodinary rendition, torture, GITMO, etc. It's a quaint idea, but having guns is not what will stop tyranny.

OK - you're on. Loser also has to wear an election button from the winning candidate!!

Conversely I recently had a chat with some folks at a get-together who spilled out their tale of woe. Mortgaged up to their eyeballs on a teaser rate. Guess what after two years? Rates go way up and they can't unload the anchor around their neck. I nodded sympathetically while thinking WTF were you thinking? Certainly looks like your cautious approach while in the NE temporarily worked out just fine.

So Seattle housing prices are down 5.5% from the peak. Given I'm not selling my house until after it's paid off in 10 more years, I'm not losing any sleep over this.