billcoe

I think there is room for both. Balance my friends, balance is best to achieve a long healthy fruitful life for us all. Matt, is Dwayner going to show up to talk about bolts?

Of course. BTW, Gorilla Tap seems to be the schizz to keep the glue in. I suppose you could use Orings as well, but any overrun glue would still be a visible mess, whereas you can rip the tape off when the glue dries and have a clean look on the rock. Link

Bingo. There has to 1000's of great things you can go do together which have less hazards. My son is 17 now and I never wanted him near some of the shit I get myself into. But that's me. Climbing has a big learning curve to get truely good at it, and you still have loose rocks here or there which might bonk you or your son. Good luck with the lil fella.

You can buy 9 for $11.93 at REI.com, apply this coupon, WMPRT7 and save $27 off the order so that you are getting these for $8.88/each. Link here Everyone else has them for in the upper $20 range. From my experience, when they are gone, they are gone. I bought some Wild Country Helium draws for $11.93 each a while ago for instance. You can't even get a single biner for that price anymore. They have the sport anchor for the same price.

Exactly right on the money. A double Kleenex sport biner for sure. However, I did buy some DMM mamba draws recently and they may even have an edge on the Petzls for gate smoothness. I'm pairing them with the Helium. I am eagerly anticipating finally breaking the 5.8 sport barrier with these better, high end draws. Not sure where you go from Dancer, but I aim to head there.

Wow! Got stung a few times at Beacon cleanup. Once brushed 5 of the critters off a ledge in the gorge. Nothing like this. link " By THOMAS WAGNER, Associated Press Writer 2 hours, 20 minutes ago LONDON - This was a bug you couldn't swat and definitely couldn't step on. British scientists have stumbled across a fossilized claw, part of an ancient sea scorpion, that is of such large proportion it would make the entire creature the biggest bug ever. How big? Bigger than you, and at 8 feet long as big as some Smart cars. The discovery in 390-million-year-old rocks suggests that spiders, insects, crabs and similar creatures were far larger in the past than previously thought, said Simon Braddy, a University of Bristol paleontologist and one of the study's three authors. "This is an amazing discovery," he said Tuesday. "We have known for some time that the fossil record yields monster millipedes, super-sized scorpions, colossal cockroaches, and jumbo dragonflies. But we never realized until now just how big some of these ancient creepy-crawlies were," he said. The research found a type of sea scorpion that was almost half a yard longer than previous estimates and the largest one ever to have evolved. The study, published online Tuesday in the Royal Society's journal Biology Letters, means that before this sea scorpion became extinct it was much longer than today's average man is tall. Prof. Jeorg W. Schneider, a paleontologist at Freiberg Mining Academy in southeastern Germany, said the study provides valuable new information about "the last of the giant scorpions." Schneider, who was not involved in the study, said these scorpions "were dominant for millions of years because they didn't have natural enemies. Eventually they were wiped out by large fish with jaws and teeth." Braddy's partner paleontologist Markus Poschmann found the claw fossil several years ago in a quarry near Prum, Germany, that probably had once been an ancient estuary or swamp. "I was loosening pieces of rock with a hammer and chisel when I suddenly realized there was a dark patch of organic matter on a freshly removed slab. After some cleaning I could identify this as a small part of a large claw," said Poschmann, another author of the study. "Although I did not know if it was more complete or not, I decided to try and get it out. The pieces had to be cleaned separately, dried, and then glued back together. It was then put into a white plaster jacket to stabilize it," he said. Eurypterids, or ancient sea scorpions, are believed to be the extinct aquatic ancestors of today's scorpions and possibly all arachnids, a class of joint-legged, invertebrate animals, including spiders, scorpions, mites and ticks. Braddy said the fossil was from a Jaekelopterus Rhenaniae, a kind of scorpion that lived only in Germany for about 10 million years, about 400 million years ago. He said some geologists believe that gigantic sea scorpions evolved due to higher levels of oxygen in the atmosphere in the past. Others suspect they evolved in an "arms race" alongside their likely prey, fish that had armor on their outer bodies. Braddy said the sea scorpions also were cannibals that fought and ate one other, so it helped to be as big as they could be. "The competition between this scorpion and its prey was probably like a nuclear standoff, an effort to have the biggest weapon," he said. "Hundreds of millions of years ago, these sea scorpions had the upper hand over vertebrates — backboned animals like ourselves." That competition ended long ago. But the next time you swat a fly, or squish a spider at home, Braddy said, try to "think about the insects that lived long ago. You wouldn't want to swat one of those."

I thought this was going to be about the Zebra fish stem cell story to grow new eyeballs, a feat which may eliminate blindness (in humans, not fish) in our lifetime. Amazing. Same little fish you have in your home aquariums.

I want a girl with a short skirt, And a loooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooong jacket

Well now we understand the avatar!

Surprised to see the Metolius ropes I was using are lighter than your twins, and are a double rope. specs: UIAA falls: twin 16, half 6 weight: 38 g/m sheath slippage: 0 max. impact force: twin 8.5 kN, half 5.7 kN elongation: twin 7%, half 8% certification: UIAA, CE, EN 892 Good luck with it!

Sorry that I can't answer your question. Doesn't the UIAA mandate that the ends MUST be marked with a 1 (single) or a 1/2 (twin or doubles) or a 00 - (twins only)? Your rope should have tape on the ends with one of those marks. I'd like to say that you should use it as directed, but we almost dropped one of the doubles on Epinephrine (so climbing with a sole 7.8mm) in Vegas last week. - being lazy and wanting light. Wasn't planning on falling though. Can always e-bay them, probably sell for more than you paid. opps, better answers have appeared above since I started typing.

Out there on the edge baby! Great stuff!

Do you even climb?

You don't help a brother climber(s) in need. Thanks for the climbing pic Chirp!

Bump for sweet sweet granite wall pictures. Got more Pink?

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Not true Ron, but totally agree that peoples beef should be with the large scale industrialization of the killing of whales which both countries do. Factory ships and mass wide scale harvesting of whales for strictly commercial reasons (only for makin a buck or a Yen) is a massive horror story which Ericbs post shows times 100, and the flip side of this dark coin for sure. Thank you all for the salient points and interesting discourse on this subject which run throughout the thread. I don't think that there is a right answer, and no sane human likes to see any animal suffer. Now that the coast guard let this animal sink, I suppose the 5 dudes will either go to court to get the gov't off their ass permanently, or just apply to kill another. Neither course of action is as good as if the Coast Guard had just left them alone to begin with, mabye taken their names and left them alone. I hope it doesn't suffer and needlessly die like this animal obviously did. Meantime, while this furur swirls, Japan is heading out to slaughter some Humpbacks, Minkes and Fin whales. News link Full story:"Japan whaling fleet heads for hunt that will include humpbacks for first time in decades The Associated Press Published: November 17, 2007 E-Mail Article Listen to Article Printer-Friendly 3-Column Format Translate Share Article Text Size SHIMONOSEKI, Japan: A Japanese whaling fleet left port Sunday on a hunt that will include humpbacks — a favorite among whale-watchers — for the first time in decades. The vessels will head to waters off Antarctica despite a potential high-seas showdown with environmental groups and a deadly fire in February that crippled the mother ship and triggered strong protests over a potential oil spill. Four ships including the 8,044-ton mother ship Nisshin Maru left the wharf in the southern port of Shimonoseki after a departure ceremony attended by fisheries officials. Two observation ships had left northern Japan on Wednesday to accompany the fleet. The whalers plan to capture up to 50 humpbacks in what is believed to be the first large-scale hunt for the species since a 1963 moratorium put the giant marine mammals under international protection. The mission also aims to take as many as 935 minke whales and up to 50 fin whales in what Japan's Fisheries Agency says its largest-ever scientific whale hunt in the South Pacific. The expedition is expected to last through April. Today in Asia - Pacific Musharraf ignores U.S. pressure to lift emergency in Pakistan Realigning the yuan: Resistance from G-20 Cyclone Sidr wreaks havoc in Bangladesh Japan's annual research whale hunt is permitted by the International Whaling Commission, or IWC, but anti-whaling activists call it a cover-up for a commercial hunt. Japan, a major commercial whaling nation before a comprehensive ban in 1986, has killed almost 10,500 mostly minke and Brydes whales under a research permit issued by the IWC — and its catch is growing. This season's target of up to 1,035 whales is more than double the number the country hunted a decade ago. Enraged anti-whaling activists have pledged to chase Japan's whalers to the Antarctic. "The Japanese government's scientific whaling program is a sham," said Karli Thomas, expedition leader aboard the Greenpeace boat Esperanza, which is waiting outside Japanese territorial waters to confront the fleet. "Whaling has no place in Antarctica — it's a place of peace and science, and this is not science," she said. Japan's plans to resume hunts of the famed humpback have also raised furor among some other Asia-Pacific countries. In Australia, newspapers regularly run stories with headlines like "Help stop murder on the high seas." Politicians there have promised to tackle whaling through diplomacy. An Australian opposition Labor Party executive, Robert McClelland, said last week that military aircraft will monitor Japanese whalers in the Southern Ocean if the party wins upcoming elections. Japan argues that whaling is a national tradition that dates back to the early 1600s, and has pushed unsuccessfully at the IWC to reverse the 1986 commercial whaling moratorium. Scientists say humpback whales are intelligent creatures that communicate through lengthy "songs." Although they grow up to 15 meters (48 feet) long and weigh as much as 40 tons, they are acrobatic, often throwing themselves out of the water, swimming on their backs with both flippers in the air or slapping the water with their tails. Humpbacks — which feed, mate and give birth near shore — fell prey to early whalers, who depleted the global population to just 1,200 by some estimates before the 1963 moratorium. Since then, only Greenland and the Caribbean nation of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines have been allowed to catch humpbacks under an IWC aboriginal subsistence program. Each caught one humpback last year, according to the commission. The American Cetacean Society estimates the humpback population has recovered to about 30,000-40,000 — about a third of the number before modern whaling. The species is listed as "vulnerable" by the World Conservation Union. Japanese fisheries officials insist that the population has returned to a sustainable level. "Humpback whales in our research area are rapidly recovering," said Hideki Moronuki, the Fisheries Agency's whaling chief. "Taking 50 humpbacks from a population of tens of thousands will have no significant impact whatsoever." Killing whales lets marine biologists study their internal organs for clues to reproductive and eating habits, Japanese officials say. Japan also conducts non-lethal research, which accounts for half of its annual whaling budget of about 1 billion yen (US$9 million; €6 million), Moronuki said. Meat from Japan's scientific catch is sold commercially, triggering criticism that the research is a pretext for keeping its whaling industry alive. Some also criticize Japan's hunting methods, saying they are unnecessarily cruel."

I'm just back from Vegas. I can say if they diverted my flight because of an amorous couple I'd be pissed! Shit, just give them 10 min in the bathroom alone and they'll head back to their seats, calm and relaxed and STFU. Jeese, why does every little thing have to be elevated into a huge production anymore? " By KOMO Staff & News Services LAS VEGAS -- A plane headed for Las Vegas from Seattle was diverted to Portland on Thursday afternoon after at least one passenger said a couple tried to join the "mile high club." US Airways Flight 1473 left Seattle at 2:58 p.m., but a pair of unruly passengers caused it to be diverted and head for Portland International Airport. The flight landed in Portland at 5 p.m. and a spokeswoman for US Airways said two people were escorted off the plane after a dispute with flight attendants. A passenger said the couple was fooling around and decided to go into the bathroom. "The people in the aisle, across the aisle from us were messing around in their seat and then they decided to go to the bathroom and fool around," said passenger Jessica Smith. "And then they threatened the flight attendant." US Airways avoided confirming that the couple was fooling around, but did say they were arguing with the crew. Smith said at first, she was mad their flight was going to be diverted. "I was a little irked but I think everybody was. When, well especially when we realized what it was for," she said. An airport spokesperson said the passengers were neither cited nor arrested, but they were left in Portland. The plane continued on to Las Vegas. "

I made the mistake of being in Red Rocks last year on Thanskgiving. Turns out my wife thinks that Thanksgiving is for family time, and since she's got 12 of MY relatives over this year intending to cook for them.....ahhh, well, you can see that picture is hung crooked. Like to see some pics of the creek when you get back eh, maybe live vicariously and get some winter rainy day stoke?

Sorry Muff, wasn't feeling gregarious and wanted to just be alone. Did say hi to Joseph and the 2 pretty ladies he was with before I booked out right after the service. I would have said hi had I seen you. Here's my TR. Jim Anglins memorial

I'm fine with it. Whale tastes good, is healthy, lean and cheap protein for these folks. Futhermore, it is a traditional way for them to bond and share a common concern. No problem here, sounds like the dudes weren't playing by OUR rules, that and a bunch of overpaid government workers stepped in and allowed it to be wasted.

Yes Doug: what 'Boner said. You be holdin out or drinkin? I'm drinkin. Toast to Jim Anglin, still can't belive he's gone. It's fuc*ed up. I'll show you mine if you show me yours. Well, except Ujhan has the pictures. (red rocks blah blah)

I'm leaving in a bit, see you there.

Congrats! BTW, how did we make it this far without seeing Avitrips name. He and Ben (Beaconben on this site) were in Yos last spring and Ben has extreme high praise for him, which is saying something.

Thanks for the info all. How much weight did you lose Jon? BTW, that book John F recommended is on the way to my house. You can borrow it Muff. I was in Red rocks couple of days ago and was suffering, need to lose the man-boobs but I've never "dieted" before. I'll try the tnt thing too and see how the winter goes.