Mtguide

OK, figured that whole raftload of neocon bullshit was headed this way for that post; Skeezix was right. But notice that neither I nor the NPR commentator (a Belgian diplomat) I referred to, said a single word about WHO or what, should try to do something about piracy from the standpoint of alleviating the conditions that are causing it. Obama was not even mentioned. No where was it said, or even implied, that the US or any US ally was supposed to be the main mover, policeman, or instigator of any effort of that kind. Nobody said or hinted that we're supposed to fix everything for everybody, nobody said the UN should do anything. No one said or hinted that the US was actually the real pirate or the real terrorist. Oh, but now I get it; I DID say that it was heard on NPR, so yeah, obviously anyone who listens to THAT is automatically a libtard, automatically has one, and only one, liberal orientation to any issue. Yeah, case fuckin' closed. So you tell me, smart guys; is piracy a liberal, or conservative issue? What about poverty, starvation, disease, rape, warlord brutality, slavery, drug trafficking; liberal or conservative? Just because this incident with the Maersk Alabama was a US flagged ship and crew, a directly involved US military affair, you can't see past that to the larger situation that is driving this whole piracy upswing. No one who takes even a cursory look at what's been happening in Somalia and the entire Horn of Africa since the Clinton administration can deny the facts. The so-called Somali government controls about a two or three block radius around their office buildings. The rest of the country is a lawless wasteland, it's The Road Warriors and Thunderdome right here, right now, without the cool haircuts or creative metal sculpture. Hundreds of thousands are at the verge of, or well into starvation, with no public services of any kind, no water or utilities or sanitation, no medical care, no stable economy of any kind ,except what's dependent on piracy. The bordering countries of Ethiopia and Kenya are impacted by the spillover of refugees,disease, economic overload, and Sudan is a long-running genocidal holocaust. It's as desperate as it gets, so people are doing whatever they can to survive, and if possible, prosper. Like John Dillinger said during the depression, when asked why he robbed banks,"because that's where the money is.", so Somali pirates see millions of dollars in commerce floating by and go out to grab it. I see frequent references in this forum to "libtards". May I hasten to assure you that there are lots of 'em, all you have to do is tune in "Air America", the callers there are every bit as badly educated, myopically fanatic,rambling and inarticulate as the slapshot fuckwad knuckle-draggers on Limbaugh and Savage. No political persuasion has a monopoly on confusion and stupidity. And from what I can see just on this forum, there are plenty of "conservatards" as well, whose primary characteristic seems to be an inability to read anything accurately through the moronic filter of dittohead claptrap propaganda and half-baked ignoramus theories, the hell with any clear view of reality. And JesusXrist let's not bring up any idea that something besides brute force, military,economic or otherwise, might actually be an appropriate and effective way to deal with a problem that affects everyone, everywhere, regardless of country, creed, politics or income. Yeah, hell, just get a bigger fuckin' hammer. Where the fuck's my beer, bitch? You wanta see piracy? Just keep on the way we're going right now, badgering and bashing around third world countries Bush-style, using the IMF and World Bank to exploit them for oil and other resources, making them one-sided usurious"loans" to develop. Then when they can't pay, do just what's been done to us by the banks, financial firms,corporations and our own government(all the same thing)which is to lay the debt on the populace in taxes. Be sure you've installed some paid-off asshole tinpot thug as president or premier to keep things in order. Then act real surprised and blame Al Qaeda, terrorists in general, communists, socialists, etc., when the whole thing turns upside down and the people take matters into their own hands. Don't forget to throw shit at "libtards', Democrats, or anyone else who has so much as a shred of fairness or compassion somewhere in their shriveled stone of a heart for not being hard-assed enough with those backward, ungrateful little black-skinned bastards in the first place and allowing it all to happen. You think you're seeing piracy? You ain't seen shit yet.

Absolutely-- a pertinent comment made in an interview on the incident on NPR's The World last week, was that the most important thing that could be done to alleviate the threat of piracy would be to adress and deal with the political, social and economic conditions causing the Somali people to be so desperate and bereft of any alternatives in the first place. The commentator added that he had little hope of anyone seeing that anytime soon, if ever. The larger situation for the Somalis and the NE coast of Africa is a gigantic mess. Very few want to take the trouble to think beyond a bullet.

The indoor extension of Buildering. Guess they don't mind climbing unroped over a hardwood floor in street shoes-although the woman looks like she's climbing in her pantyhose. Maybe they're sticky rubber. This opens up a whole range of "theme" climbing walls,i.e.= auto parts (tires, gears, brake pads, hubcaps,engine blocks),garden and farm implements (Trowel-tind wall, the Rake,the Scythe, and giving literal meaning to Buckets),female anatomical/automotive/moonshine (Jugs,headlights,"cracks"), designated male anatomy(DildoWall-just the thing for your video porn shop), skeletal/Goth/Satanic/Hells'Angels (skulls,ribs,etc.), domestic/commercial kitchen and bath ( utensils,pots and pans, toilets and toilet seats, urinals, faucet handles,cabinetry, and of, course the kitchen sink) police/military (TaserWall, weapons and ordnance-ratings increase with the percentage of live/armed "holds") and anything else that can be attached to a wall. This is so exciting; just think of the possibilities! Why,hey, you could EVEN do natural outdoor (trees,rocks,waterfalls,cliffs,mountains)!

Another added element is that the shots were taken using night vision scopes. I've never used anything like that, not sure if if makes your target easier or harder to make out. Still, pretty damn good shooting. The pirates were earlier offered a surrender and arrest deal for the release of the Captain, which they refused,(one of them did take it); they should have take them up on it. Hope this sends a strong, no-uncertain-terms message to the rest of 'em: Fuck with us if you want to die. Still, I find it hard to believe the pirates were that stupid. They were out of gas, food, water, and for Christsakes, attached to a US Navy warship by a towline, little or no control over their destination/position,essentially surrounded by a ring of fire with all the time in the world, with one hostage. What part of "ya know, I think we're probably fucked here", did they not understand?

Vantage=Chossage

Although I don't use Lowas nowdays because of the fit,( I did my first winter climbs on Rainier in a pair of Lowa Eigers, the state-of-the-art leather double boot in the late 60's)I'd probably go with the Cristallo or the Ice expert. I simply prefer having a toe welt for a more secure crampon fit to the boot. The Ice Expert looks like a pretty good boot for either mixed alpine or waterfall ice. The Cristallo is not going to be very flexible at the ankle (if at all) for French technique cramponing, the Ice Expert maybe a little more, but still not much. Besides Asolo, what else have you looked at? There are so many- Koflach, Salomon, Reichle, Kayland, Scarpa, La Sportiva,Montrail, Garmont, Vasque, Boreal, you might want to shop around some more and see if you can find something a little more versatile than these three; or, if you can afford it, get a leather or Goretex boot for general summer/fall season mountaineering,(the Cevedale looks just fine for that) and a warmer plastic boot for winter or snow and ice climbs. I don't think plastic boots are overkill for Hood,or for other glaciated peaks in the PNW, especially not in winter. I have both the Koflach Degre' and Arctis Expedition, have used them both on Hood, Rainier, Adams and others, and find them very warm, extremely comfortable, plenty stiff, and also very light. And I haven't necessarily heard that people are down, or not that hot, on plastic boots. Seems like almost everyone I know has at least one pair for winter mountaineering or alpine ice.

Interesting article on the whole issue of weapons NYTimes Also heard an interview on NPR's The World with a commentator who said that, despite perfectly valid concerns about shipboard fire or explosion caused by gunfire, or potential injury and death of crew, the sheer number of ships and crew currently being held hostage, as well as continuing pirate attacks, is beginning to tip the insurance actuary tables of risk probability to the point where armament in some form is liable to be considered less risky than allowing ships to travel this area unarmed. Right now there are 14 vessels, with over 250 crew, held hostage off Somalia, with ransom/release negotiations underway. Current US score with rescue of Skipper Phillips of Maersk Alabama: US 5 (3 pirates killed, 1 pirate surrendered, Phillips recovered), Pirates 0. Yeehah!!

Thanks; but I was off by a whole generation of history; although Victor Hugo was of the same stamp as Voltaire, and was also a literary and political hero of the French people, "Les Miserables" was written in 1824, long after the major events of the French Revolution, during the Napoleonic era, almost 50 years after Voltaire died. Victor Hugo wasn't even born when Voltaire died. And, there are plenty of people posting on here who know their stuff, that's what keeps it lively. Always good to engage brain BEFORE opening mouth.

My face is red; senior moment. Touche'.realized my mistake when I went to the bookshelf to look at it. Long post is deleted.

Those weapons were mentioned in the Newshour interview; I'm not suggesting that small arms in the hands of crewmen would do anything to stand up to that kind of fire from determined pirates, which was why I also mentioned military/naval escort. Of course you'd need something that would be an obvious deterrent to a few guys in a little speedboat with some 20 mm's or RPGs. But thinking more about it, I can understand the shipping companies' viewpoint, not wanting to risk the injury and death of crew, or the damage or even possible sinking of a vessel in an armed engagement. The insurance companies probably have a big influence on this--I suppose they consider a few tens of millions in ransom a lot cheaper than lawsuit settlements or the billions that would have to cover the loss of a ship and cargo.

Last night PBS Newshour featured an interview with a commentator who said that arming crews, armed security and escort have all been suggested, but that shipping companies and ship owners have resisted it. A further suggestion by the commentator is to electrify the exterior waterline plates and metal railings of the ships to thwart boarding by pirates.

"Everything is always just as it should be, even at this very moment." -Isshu Miura Roshi, Rinzai Zen Master (a survivor of Hiroshima) "Peace is every step." -Thich Nhat Hanh,Vietnamese/Cambodian Buddhist Teacher (survivor of the Killing Fields, only survivor of an extended family of some 35 people from his village) "Is there a moon that is not full? Is there a moment that is not a miracle?" -Kazuoshi Tanahashi, Zen teacher,artist and calligrapher (survivor of Nagasaki)

Hey, we shouldn't run these guys down too hard; after all, Dumb + drunk + souped-up machines= great footage on Whacked-Out Sports, World's Funniest Moments, Xtreme Bloopers, etc. These fellas:crazy: are risking it all so we can laugh.

It'll be interesting to find out how the crew regained control of the ship; I find it hard to understand why ship's crews in this high-risk area aren't either allowed to carry weapons, or the ships to carry defensive personnel or to have some sort of military escort. Obviously the area is far too large to patrol with much chance of direct intrevention/prevention of a hijacking. But with fewer than 200 US flagged ships in the area, it seems a reasonable alternative to either convoy with Naval escort, or to provide detachments of Marines on board with light artillery to welcome visiting pirates in a suitable and appropriate manner. Maybe a better alternative is a complete blockade of the Somali coast with international participation, allowing nothing to go in or out except for humanitarian aid, food, etc., combined with a full scale effort to hunt down and eliminate all pirate vessels in operation. It's been done before, under sail, no less, no radar or sophisticated surveilance and detection other than a crow's nest lookout and a spyglass. This might also force the release of the ships and crews currently being held hostage. My sympathies are with the family of the ship's Captain being held hostage, and prayers for his safe return.

You can't go wrong with "One Hundred Finest climbs In The Alps" by Gaston Rebuffat. Also check out the link below. Although the initial URL is the French Alps,navigate around, everything is covered, Austria, Italy, etc. Hundreds of photos, routes, guidebooks, links to weather and glacier conditions. Alps

That should be a really good time to go, but you could probably expect that there'll still be some snow around Lake Ediza. You'd certainly want to take an ice axe and crampons. Call the folks at Mammoth Mountaineering Supply, 760-934-4191, in Mammoth, for a more first hand evaluation. Also Google "Sierra Nevada Snow Survey" which will bring up a ton of sites/links/info on current and projected snow levels for any desired location in the Sierras. There's a link specific to the Eastern Sierras. Best of luck, have fun.

I completely agree with Ivan. Unfortunately, 35 ft. can be a killing fall if you hit your on your face, temple, directly on top of the the head, break your neck, etc. What is survivable all depends on how you hit, and what you hit. As Ivan noted, there's plenty of protruding rock and sharp-edged debris at Horsethief which can cause very serious injuries. People have died falling off of 6 ft. stepladders or down their own front steps. People die almost every winter somewhere in the US falling on ice-slick sidewalks. It can take surprisingly little for a fall to be permanently crippling or fatal. Helmets might have saved these two people's lives, not necessarily their ability to walk, breathe on their own, use their arms etc. But the chances would have been much, much better.

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I have the BD Venom and really like it; very lightweight but plenty of authority for both waterfall and boilerplate alpine ice. Plus the versatility for self arrest, even a boot-axe belay. An all around alpine tool, IMHO.

The riskiest behavior I can think of is getting in your car to drive to the park; or perhaps stumbling onto a marijuana grow state or federal land. THOSE things are truly dangerous. These slimeball TV producers are really great at getting people to send them material for programs which they (the producers, anchors, hosts,etc.) will be paid hundreds of thousands, or millions for, while you get a pittance (if you're lucky) or zilch. The list of questions for actual rescue footage or risky behavior implies what they're REALLY looking for- (translation-"Was there blood and gore? Bodies? Screaming?",etc.)

Looks to me like maybe you sat there because you were smart. Though admittedly, I don't know what the temperature was like,perhaps that chandelier/lacework ice was pretty strong. Evidently strong enough for Ivan to get across; but still-- :: windpuffed angelfood cake ice.

My guess is that any form of assault or attempted assault on the president, even with a creampuff, would be taken very,very seriously. After all, they investigate every possibility of even threats to the president, let alone overt actions. I think the penalties would pretty severe, jailtime, fines, probably continued follow-up surveillance for years. A jelly donut, even a bouguet of flowers could conceal C-4 plastic explosive, ricin, anthrax, etc. From the standpoint of the Secret Service, those guys have to be continually alert, wary and suspicious of absolutely everything, no matter how harmless it might seem, while yet allowing people to shake the president's hand, etc. Tough job. I can see Bill's point about not allowing the public carte blanche to express their feelings in this manner, even though it's been a time-honored tradition all over the world. For one thing, people didn't use to have C-4, etc. But beyond that, even though Bush and Cheney violated our own Constitution, and caused untold suffering in Iraq AND to the families of our own troops right here, even though people such as Mugabe and others are truly heinous criminals, we nonetheless have to be the gold standard of the rule of law in civilized society. Otherwise we'd be dealing with a total guessing game, no idea of what would happen next. Thomas More,the Chancellor of England who was beheaded for refusing to approve the annullment of Henry the Eighth's marriage to Anne Boleyn, said from his cell in the Tower of London, under sentence of death, that, in spite of his own impending peril,"were it not for the law, there would be no place for an honest man to hide.". From what I've been told by friends who were there recently, you're no longer allowed to throw things at soapbox speakers holding forth in London's Hyde Park, where rotten fruit and vegetables have been hurled along with invective for centuries. I guess all that's left for vegefruitarian or copro-(shit-flinging)anarchists is the annual "Il Tomatina", the big tomato street fight in Valencia, Spain (also known as the "Human Gazpacho") or the similar War of the Oranges ("Battaglia degli Aranci") which takes place in Ivrea, Italy three days before Lent. I think there's also a spaghetti war somewhere in Italy, too. No meatballs allowed.

I think it would be an excellent thing to do; unfortunately, because it was former pres.Bush who was the target, then in legal and diplomatic terms, it is he who must personally request the pardon, in order for it to actually be implemented. And it's my sense that Bush won't ever do that. Not only is he still convinced that he did the right thing by invading Iraq, so that pardoning the shoe thrower might appear to be backing down somewhat from that position, but I also have my doubts that Bush is large enough, as a person, to extend the hand of pardon or forgiveness, or even to, in any way, show consideration or recognition of an opposing or critical point of view, of his policies or his presidency. After all, this is the former Texas governor who set a national record for state executions during his tenure, including two inmates who were legally determined to be so mentally deficient as to be unaware of the nature of their crimes. He campaigned for governor on a promise to "clean out death row" in Texas prisons, and he certainly made every effort to do so. He also granted the fewest pardons of any Texas governor. He was very,very hardline. Bush also set a record for the fewest pardons ever tendered by an outgoing president. As we all remember, this is the man who said "You're either for us, or against us." As a recovering alchoholic, Bush still exhibits the typical alchoholic behavior of a "dry drunk", characterized by "black and white" either-or thinking, petulance, and sometimes extreme stubbornness and obstinacy, which he of course preferred to characterize as "staying the course", in the face of any and all indications or advice to the contrary. Though Bush isn't now and never was a cowboy (he wouldn't make a pimple on a REAL cowboy's ass) he likes to affect that persona with folksy speech and John Wayne-style bravado (actually, there's someone else whose ass Bush wouldn't make a pimple on- Wayne was, in spite of his conservative views, a very decent man, as are many conservatives, and very ready to poke fun at himself and his image-very unlike Bush) such as when he said "Bring 'em on!" while of course hiding behind the entire US Military and Secret Service protection, utterly unmindful of the grave danger he had brought upon our troops, while satisfying his own immature impulse to threaten, goad, and taunt the enemy. Like a little kid with all the marbles and a rich daddy, he didn't think at all of others who might be hurt by his actions, not even on his radar. He exhibited similar behavior after Hurricane Katrina, with "Heckuva-job Brownie", dawdling for over a week before actually actually showing up on the scene himself, and then, while strolling along the beach in Mississippi with Trent Lott and Dick Cheney, with destruction all around him, was caught on camera and audio saying what a shame it was that Lott's home had been destroyed, but not to worry, because "We're gonna build you a bigger and better house than what you had,", completely ignoring the dire immediate need of hundreds of thousands right there. So no, unfortunately, though it could be a very helpful act to not just US relations with Iraq, but throughout the entire Middle East, I don't think we're going to see that anytime soon. The only way I can even think of even approaching it, might be if former President Carter was to go to talk to Bush on the shoe thrower's behalf, and to put it in light of such an action actually being in behalf of all us, on all sides, as a gesture which might do a very great deal indeed to open the door of forgiveness and peace, just a crack, to a world and the people of all countries and beliefs, who are thoroughly, utterly, completely devastated and weary of war, all war, any war, anywhere, for whatever reason.