billcoe

I'm calling bullshit. I'll call your bullshit and raise you a pile of pig sh*t

Check this sh*t. link "Who was she? Vesna Vulovic was a stewardess back in the '70s working on a Serbian airline. How She Stared Down Death: Except for surviving countless ass gropings during her time as a stewardess there was really nothing special about this lady. Oh yeah, except for the fact that she fell 33,000 fucking feet and lived to tell the tale. On January 26, 1972 our gal was working an extra shift due to a clerical error. She took the shift anyway to earn a little extra scratch, probably to supplement her bear-wrestling hobby or something. Anyway, some terrorists decided to blow up her plane and succeeded in doing so at the worst possible time, when the plane was really high up in the air. " There's much more and some other stories.

link says- " Scholars plan to reunite ancient Bible — online By RAPHAEL G. SATTER, Associated Press Writer Mon Jul 21, 7:16 PM ET LONDON - The oldest surviving copy of the New Testament, a 4th century version that had its Gospels and epistles spread across the world, is being made whole again — online. The British Library says the full text of the Codex Sinaiticus will be available to Web users by next July, digitally reconnecting parts that are held in Britain, Russia, Germany and a monastery in Egypt's Sinai Desert. A preview of the Codex, which also has some parts of the Old Testament, will hit the Web on Thursday — the Book of Psalms and the Gospel of Mark. "Only a few people have ever had the opportunity to see more than a couple of pages of the (Codex)," said Scot McKendrick, the British Library's head of Western manuscripts. The Web site will give everyone access to a "unique treasure," he said. Discovered at the Monastery of Saint Catherine at Mount Sinai by German Bible scholar Constantine Tischendorf in the mid-19th century, much of the Codex eventually wound up in Russia — just how exactly the British Library won't say, citing lingering sensitivity over the circumstances surrounding its removal from the monastery. The British Library bought 347 pages from Soviet authorities in 1933. Forty-three pages are at the University Library in Leipzig, Germany, and six fragments are at the National Library of Russia in St. Petersburg. And in 1975, monks stumbled on 12 more pages and 40 fragments stashed in a hidden room at the monastery. Biblical scholars are thrilled at the news that the Codex Sinaiticus — divided since Tischendorf's trip to the monastery in 1844 — is finally being put back together, albeit virtually. In the past, anyone wishing to examine the document first hand would have had to approach the British Library "on bended knee," said Christopher Tuckett, a professor of New Testament studies at Oxford University. "To have it available just at the click of a button is fantastic," he said. "You could do in two seconds what would take hours and hours of flicking through the leaves." Handwritten in Greek more than 1,600 years ago — it isn't exactly clear where — the surviving 400 or so pages carry a version of the New Testament that has a few interesting differences from the Bible used by Christians today. The Gospel of Mark ends abruptly after Jesus' disciples discover his empty tomb, for example. Mark's last line has them leaving in fear. "It cuts out the post-resurrection stories," said Juan Garces, curator of the Codex Sinaiticus Project. "That's a very odd way of ending a Gospel." James Davila, a professor of early Jewish studies at St. Andrews University in Scotland, said the Codex also includes religious works foreign to the Roman Catholic and Protestant canons — such as the "Epistle of Barnabas" and the "Shepherd of Hermas," a book packed with visions and parables. Davila stressed that did not mean the works were necessarily considered Scripture by early Christians: They could have been bound with the Bible to save money. The Codex itself is a fascinating artifact, representing the best of Western bookmaking, Garces said. The parchment was arranged in little multipage booklets called quires, which were then numbered in sequence. "It was the cutting edge of technology in the 4th century," he said. The British Library bound its quires into two volumes after their purchase from the Soviets, one of which is kept on show in a climate-controlled, bulletproof display case. Visitors can peer at the ancient book, but only see two pages at a time. By next July, the entire Codex will be available for free — along with transcription, translation and search functions — on the Internet." ___

Shwucakedafck? sllfjrisfnvn sndw cknmclei ?

Screw Drudge. That asshole. I gave up on that asswipe recently when his relentless posting of every pissy little negative Hillary artical was put on his OP-Ed site called the "Drudgereport" in huge headlines throughout the primaries. That kind of shit is just wrong. Very wrong. BTW, I never supported her, did not want her to win, and had $200 bucks on the fact that she wouldn't win the Dem nomination, so I don't have have a horse in that race and I'm happy she lost. I just thought it was underhanded, sneaky and plain very very wrong the way Drudge continually attacked her this way - much more upfront and obvious than the NYT and Fox could ever dream of or try. You'd think as a gay person he'd support a Bi-Lesbian like Hillary, but alas.... I understand the rational here on the McCain thing, it's favoritism. Newspapers can do that on editorial pages. Thats why it's an "Editorial" and not a "news" story. They pick candidates all the time, and the NYT will pick Obama if they haven't already done so. Boycott Drudge. At least we know the editorial slant that NYT and Fox bring to the table. I didn't think that the McCain piece was lame at all. One of these men will be the commander in Chief soon, the rant was very Germaine and appros to that IMO.

Maybe Layton can stir the shit up and initiate a reverse un-reach around letter from the people who made that shirt first to the people to tried to F* with his little t-shirt enterprise. (IE get these new T-shirt dudes to Fu* with the folks who F*ed with him) John: you got the best trip reports. Gear; Mustache comb! Shocker is that Brock has a chin! Those pinnacles look great, how tall are they ?

Way to go dudes! Must be something screwy about the snow over there, I did the exact same thing except slammed the rock with my feet instead of my ass. Very jarring. The best policy is to avoid that place and climb on solid rock eh?

Not sure Doug, but the calendar has something to do with it. You'd never know it where I was Sunday on the weekends trip (July 20th). 5 feet of snow and broken trees/downfall everywhere closed the road. The area will have 250-300' long routes, as there isn't a crack around other than the one on your backside, it will be bolted and bolted safely and well with epoxy U-Bolts. U Raindawg. I'll make sure you never find the place and don't come here if it bothers you. That cliff, which still doesn't have a single route (long story there) looks like this: I headed over to another rumored cliff which a hunter buddy of a buddy had found. Buddy hadn't gone up there, just relayed the general co-ordinates and I'd acme mapper found it and headed up after the snow had melted off. There are multiple formations here, sort of like a mini Menagerie. Nothing too kick assed, but interesting, not far from the road, and perhaps full or multi-pitch pitchs, although it's difficult to guess due to distance - the trees are full sized. So here's the pics of this "secret cliff". It needs "Route developers" (I hate that name) to show up and toss choss. I'm pretty busy with 5 other secret cliffs so this is going to go on the back burner I suppose. Overview of the new area. closeup of one of the Pinnacles closeup of another Pinnacle Edited 7/23/08 to add some interesting new secret cliffs stuff

You have the heart of a warrior and the soul of an artist. As such I imagine that life can be both extremely difficult and very rewarding for you. Don't ever change...but hang onto life, for soon it too, will cease anyway, despite all of our best layed plans and efforts. Fight for every breath you take and never relent. Never...ever.... ............for soon enough this too will sadly pass. BTW, I've never believed you to be a "suck ass" climber like you allude to yourself above....nor does anyone who knows you or knows about you. "Ivan the bold" perhaps, but never "Ivan the suck-ass". Never ever ever. I might sink to "Ivan the gifted", if it was said in a nice way after reading one of your rants perhaps:-) And now, I have a 3rd glass of wine to pursue and perchance my prose will in fact have hope to become more flowery, like an elderly woman's bathroom with the fresh scent of pine....

My wife has a great story of how she layed awake petrified as these damn Rat things were running all over everything and everywhere all night long one night out, while I slept quietly through the whole thing. Including all the times they ran right over over me. (too numerous to count according to her and in disbelief that this was occuring she was trying to count it as they ran over me). I was ready to roll the next day while sadly, she was trashed before the day even started. So the moral of that story is: plan on prioritizing it this way. Sleep #1. Sleep #2. Until a griz or a big cat shows up, sleep is a priority. You'll sleep better that way and be rested and ready to roll out of the sack early. I've never hiked up with D-Con, but it seems like a reasonable thing perhaps?

Yup, nice call: Variety 5.10. Gear. Wired stoppers and mostly small cams to 2" although there is a short offwidth section where an optional #5 cam might be desired. Start to the Left of the crack by the dihedral and use your full arsenal of face, stemming, offwidth and hand crack technique to ascent to the top. FA 6-14-07 Leisure time Rappel. Looks like someone ran it out on the FA up there. Probably a high trust in loose blocks and Aliens:-) PS, I did broom and shovel off House of Pain later. Doing the same to 2trad4U now with that glorious crack to the right...it's a frikkan dirt ball disaster till I get back up there at least 3 more times.

???? You listed Ozone and not Yos - Yowza!

Live has a strange way of providing lessons. Sunday I found myself driving past a river that my family had lived on for a while. In a tent. We weren't homeless, our home was a tent. On a river. I always had a home and was never homeless for we were always together after my dad had died. Mom was doing her best and this was it. A Canvas Tent. Great home. Great life for a kid. As I drove past the spot where my brothers and I use to frolic and repeatedly swim across the river, dangerously close and just above a rapid on a cold fast spot, I wondered why none of us ever died. Truly this was in my mind as I passed the spot. We achieved a lifetime of stupidity within the first 2 weeks we were there and this stupidity continued unabated until they kicked us out and we moved to another camp spot where we began anew. We climbed stuff then I would never get on now, hiked hikes I'd never try with just the clothes on our backs and swam stuff then I know I couldn't swim across now. Pups running wild. Having a ball. A new home, same tent. The next place was a spot I would later climb at. It was called lewis and Clark State park. Now Broughtons Bluff and the camping is gone. I floated that river with no float tube as we were too poor. Just swimming. I never knew then that I would someday have what I have now, the resources I could marshal, my own family and good luck, or the climbing I would be doing. I had no clue. I missed the event Sunday as I passed. It may have been before I headed up to the hills to check out a rumored cliff that turned out to be unimpressive and chossy looking, or perhaps afterwards as I didn't hear the time it occurred, but a 13 year old boy drowned in the very spot my bros and I froliked in as pups and survived. Strange indeed how life is. Today my son and I went to work together. I counted my many blessings.

......lack of control...?

I sense that this is about to off course soon. I'll start it off. or better Smokin....hot......what were we discussing again?

Like a page out of Bonzai Kitten. Head gets stuck in a jar. link

Link from Billings gazette Says: "Climbing Devils Tower a daily delight By The Associated Press DEVILS TOWER NATIONAL MONUMENT - The door groans to a close when Frank Sanders moseys out of his house and to his car with a tall cup of milked coffee in hand and a satchel slung over his shoulder. Sanders' commute to work is a mile at most, and when he arrives he is greeted by a "good morning, Frank" while he drops a card into a slot. Like most people, the first minutes of Sanders' day are filled with polite chatting and obligatory greetings, but that is where similarities end. His office is the side of the 1,267-foot-tall Devils Tower and his job is to climb. Every day. To put that into perspective, the 56-year-old man did 365 times last year what some people spend a lifetime wishing they could do: Get to the top of the nation's first national monument and gaze out. He did it on easy routes and ones that challenge the most experienced climbers - if there is one more experienced at climbing Devils Tower than Frank Sanders. He did it at first to call attention to poverty on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation and to raise money for a medical clinic there. But by the end, he did it because he wanted to prove to himself that he could. Reaching the summit, every day He calls it Project 365, one that began July 4, 2007, and ended July 3, 2008, with 365 summits of the crack-laden Tower that beckons world-class climbers and novices alike. He tried to climb every day regardless of - and in spite of - Wyoming's weather. Today is no different. "Let's go climbing," says Sanders as he exits the parking area at the base of the Tower with haste. He hikes up the trail and, ahead of him, the rock rises like a giant tree stump, flat on top as though a lumberjack hacked it off millions of years ago. In 1972 at age 20, Sanders hitchhiked to Devils Tower from his native Washington, D.C., and was taken by it. He returned several times, moving for good to Devils Tower nine years ago when he bought a house that borders the monument property and converted it into the Devils Tower Bed and Breakfast and the base for his guiding business. "I walked out here and fell in love with the Tower," said Sanders while his rough hands inch rope through his belay device and his lodge hostess, Kristin Rothaupt, climbs higher. "That-a-girl, Kristin. Keep your right side high," he shouts to her. Rothaupt tries to tell him she is done, but Sanders calls up the 150-foot route and tells her to stand up and take one more step. After a couple of repetitions of this routine, almost sounding like an old Abbott and Costello comedy bit, Rothaupt is at the top of the route far beyond her chosen end. Sanders takes pride in pushing people beyond their limits and by doing so breaking down mental barriers. "We're just working on bettering personal bests," said Sanders about people he guides and himself. "If I'm not pressing myself, then what am I doing asking others to push themselves?" To prove his words, Sanders takes off up a route called El Cracko Diablo, his rack of cams jingling on his harness, placing his hands and feet in the first-pitch crack with blind ease. According to Devilstowerclimbing.com, a typical climber should count on spending a half-day on the two-pitch route - which means the climbers go up high enough that they run out of rope and must pull up the rope to start a new pitch to be able to continue to climb. Speedy ascent Sanders holds the ascent speed record on this route - 13 minutes - and his prowess shows. Before long, his silhouetted figure disappears over the top of the second pitch 245 feet above. Without visible effort, he is at the top of the route in about 15 minutes. As he rappels off the second pitch of the route, a pair of Finlanders on a climbing vacation call out from around the corner. They are on the Soler route but can't find the top of their route and its rappel bolts. Sanders leans back and calls to the pair and from around the corner, out of sight, and explains how the route finishes, where to place the last few cams and where to find their rappel bolts. He knows the Tower. During the yearlong endeavor, he has had the opportunity to climb with many people and even rescue a few who got in over their heads. That's something that a pair of climbers will be ever thankful for. On Christmas night, after summiting during the day, Sanders walked to the base of the Tower and heard voices on the face above him. It was clear that someone was in trouble and needed help finding rappel bolts on the side of the Tower to get down. The park rangers had left for the holiday. He was alone in the park in the dark with two climbers who couldn't get down. He called a friend and highway patrolman who came with lights and a bullhorn to help the pair find their way to safety. "They were cold but they were having an adventure," said Sanders about the pair in a philosophical tone. "I'd honestly just assume those people having incidents didn't happen. I don't find 'em as high spots." One with the Tower Aside from a few hearty climbers and a skeleton crew working at the park, Sanders spent his winter solitarily. Climbing. Thinking. "I can say it's kept me alive another winter and it kept me in shape for summer," said Sanders, who prides himself on being in top physical condition. "My biggest growth has been acceptance. If it's a raging blizzard, there's not much arguing with it. There isn't." During a midday break sitting along the Tower Trail as tourists pass, Sanders relaxes as he watches a handful of climbers from a distance making their way up the Tower. After helping one family use a spotting scope to find the remnants of a ladder that still hangs on the side of Devils Tower, the matriarch of the group asks Sanders about the view from the top. "The view from the top looking out is fantastic," says Sanders with his toothy grin from under a purple-sparkly doo rag. "But the greatest views are when you're on the side of the Tower looking in." The year has been a marathon of introspection for a man who has had struggles in his life - the most prominent being alcoholism. Since becoming sober June 22, 1999, the same summer Sanders moved back to the Tower for good, his sobriety has been a more important climb every day than the ones he makes on the granite near him. Part of sobriety "The first thing in the morning, I pray and say I give it up, I gotta stay sober today," Sanders said. Climbing Devils Tower is an important part in Sanders' sobriety because it's a form of meditation. The solitude of hanging on the side of a column high above the ground - alone - is a time of deep clarity. It's what makes him climb - or try to climb - despite a back injury and a bout of Colorado tick fever this year that would have derailed most people from a similar goal. But it didn't. Those setbacks just made him want to make up for lost time. Climbing usually is done in tandem with a partner. Sanders often does his climbs solo - and "free" or without safety gear that climbers use. It's the most dangerous way to climb, and he knows it. Sanders said he often asks himself why he climbs alone. But it is in those climbs those times that he is forced to overcome himself. "I like climbing alone, it's peaceful," Sanders said. As the sun begins its descent to the horizon, Sanders sends Rothaupt - and with her his guiding responsibility for the day - down the trail toward home. He turns back to El Cracko Diablo, head lamp securely fixed to his head, to get some summits - plural - in before dark. As he walks up to the base of the Tower away from the trail, he answered the question "What will you do on July Fourth?" He doesn't hesitate with his answer, which he calls out over his shoulder as the Tower beckons. "I'm going climbing!" Sanders said. Every day. "

Jesus dude....you must be bored.....but I will bite. Joshua Tree, Smith Rocks, Beacon Rock, Index, City of Rocks, Ozone...... Mine is Yosemite. Love the long routes, easy approaches, solid granite, generally awesome weather and unusual amenities (dinner at the Awahnee anyone:-).

The dog was there for technical assistance only and not needed in this case. I should have re-consulted her: however, as the one 2nd from the right is a Cassin (the great climber Ricardo Cassin just turned like 93 years old and there was a nice interview in Climbing mag with the man himself) and the one on the right is a Stubai. Which one of the Forrests is the newer design ?

Does anyone know the reason that the 2 Forrests are different sizes and one has the lanyard in the handle and not the end?

Only for crawling in the dirt Spence. Wouldn't work well for climbing at all.

I'm sure she would be if she heard that comment:-)

There's enough laws already. Suppose you could choose "None of the above" on a ballot. Congress would never have a quorum again.

Kevin ____________________________________________________________________ At the risk of feeling old: be careful Ivan... love ya bra... but.......(insert cranky old finger wagging style text here) [/rant]

Found this on Rockclimbing.com thread. RC.com thread here LInk to Canadian co