catbirdseat

He's basically calling some of his colleagues idiots. These are people that he are his "coworkers" with whom he will have to interact with for the rest of his and their lives. It's pretty stupid if you ask me.

His remarks to the Federalist Society How did such an intemperate and undignified man become justice of the highest court in the land? Oh, wait, don't answer that.

Great writing. You made my day!

A few years ago, I think it was May 1999, I went in from a snow park in the south. It was a big snow year, in any case. Above the Lunch Counter, we met a Frenchman on skis who told us he drove up some random logging road on the west side and just started skinning up through the trees. Sounded a lot shorter than what we did, assuming you could find your way back to your car.

I know!! Shouldn't she be at home making brownies and having babies 'n' shit? Jeez. The nerve of some women. Some people don't appreciate Cobra_Commander's finely honed sense of sarcasm, as well as his bitchin' James Earl Jones impersonation. Brown nose.

Glad you were able to get out. Sounds like you didn't descend via the Standard route (SE Couloir), but a different one. The expression on your partner's face is classic.

If you consult Self-Rescue Techniques by Fasulo, you'll note that he recommends two prusiks when ascending a taught rope (where it is not possible to tied backup knots). In addition, he recommends a locking biner on a short sling clipped to the rope. Use of two prusiks would tend to negate any advantage over the clove hitch.

An apt metaphor.

Come on. Out with her name. Was it Pandora?

Dude you are supposed to post the trip report first!

You must be referring to the fact that the Sonics want us to come up with $200 million for a remodel when the previous (what was it $130 million?) remodel isn't even paid off yet.

I don't know who this is yet, but I have a very good guess!

Don't make the mistake of planting bleeding heart. Once it get's loose in your yard, you'll never get rid of it. It is a terrible weed!

I can sympathize. I had a chance to do Nisqually Icecliff and did Chair instead.

I suggest that you apply a thick layer of mulch around the plant to protect it from drying and to keep the soil cool. It will like that. I sure hope you planted it in a shady place.

Supposedly the name Choirboy goes with the name of nearby Preacher Mountain. Most folks know it as Stegosaurus Butte. See all the trees above the wall? That means there is soil and why it takes a long time to dry out.

The crust would be nasty on skis.

Hmm, I didn't notice it, but then I wasn't looking for it either.

Climb: Chair Peak -NE Buttress Date of Climb: 2/9/2006 Trip Report: Met Toast, Yesman, Marek, and Atsuko at the P&R in Seattle. After a coffee stop we were on our way to Alpental. In the parking lot, ran into a group of three from Oregon led by KadyakerBob. We were told that at least two others had already hit the trail. Snowshoed in on firm crusts and left unnecessary gear near the Thumb Tack. We followed the bootpath up to the ridge to the right of where it usually goes, but it was fine. Caught up to KadyakerBob's bunch, but gave them their choice of routes. They fell in behind a party of two on the North Face, while we chose to follow a group of two on the NE Buttress (Jim P. and Ben L.). They went to the left on the first pitch while we pretty much stayed on the summer route. Conditions on the route featured a one inch thick rain crust on top of about 8 inches of sugar. Under that there was good ice in places, especially any place that was steep. Protection consisted of a cam, a couple short screws with screamers and a tree branch. A couple of flukes were used in snow higher on the route. The ice bulge was present in its usual place and it provided a belay with full length screws. Descent was via one double rope rap the SE Couloir (a single rope rap would have sufficed). I was a bit dismayed to find that the parties ahead of us had all chosen to rap from a single piece of old faded webbing sticking up out of the snow when a much more easily inspected anchor was present a few feet above. We got together with Bob's group at The Pizza Place in North Bend. A good time was had by all. Gear Notes: 2 flukes, a picket, 2 short screws w/ screamers, two crappy Russian screws (courtesy Marek) Approach Notes: Follow cat track, but should have taken left onto ski track before its end. In the photo, below, our route is in red and Ben and Jim's route is in green. There is a nice looking line in between someone ought to try. Parenthetically, I should mention that I applied for the first time, a trick I learned on CC.com. I wanted to remove some old perlon cordage from a rap anchor, but didn't have a knife. I just used my ice hammer and whacked the cord using the rock as an anvil (rather than another hammer). It only took six blows to cut through it.

Bing, bing bing! We have a winner!

The issue here is whether the airline was up front about it's policy with the overweight customer. They have a responsibility to do that. They can't wait until she goes to take a seat. It maybe that the customer had "selective hearing" at the counter, or indeed nothing was said. The court will decide.

As long as the feds continue to bail them out, land use regs will remain as they are.

I'm thinking Rainier for Thurs-Fri or Fri-Sat.

Actually, there is much more exciting news on the Hepatitis-C front. Vertex Pharmaceuticals has a protease inhibitor called VX-950 that is in human clinical trials (Phase II) which has dropped viral loads to nearly undetectable levels. HepC does not have any good treatments at present, unlike AIDS.

I've seen so many cancers cured in mice, you wouldn't believe it. Don't get too excited just yet.