Luna

Another reason to call the cell phone the "electronic leash"

I'm travelling this summer out of the country and will wear a pin saying "I hate him too - I didn't vote for the idiot."

That's my point, numbnuts. Luna is the one making this assertion - I am the one being facitious. Reading comprehension, Foraker. This is much less fun than skiing and climbing - sunburt and tired!

Ouch, ouch!!! I hope you know where to get a good massage. Man, one reckless person and put a kink in things. Hang it there, it will get better.

I'd say in general that commenting on policy is another matter. For instance - you could say that you don't think the cost of addressing global warming is worth the economic cost to the nation etc. That would be much differnt that stating the the Academy of Science climate expert don't know what they are talking about or that their climate models aren't worth anything.

That's the point you dumb ass - I'm not speculating. I freely admit that climate models and engineering are not in my field so any opinion is based on what the experts would have to put forward. Get your head out of your ass.

I think the point was that folks with degrees in what -business administration - speculate on the flaws of models put together by experts with decades of experience in the field. It would be just as odd for me to question the engineering on the space shuttle. But it's all spray

...and that the US has recurrent amnesia. Or US of Amnesia as Gore Vidal notes.

I think the proper word is complient. Rush and his ilk have done a good job in extending this myth, however.

one word: windshirt

1st rope-up 1974 1st lead 1974 1st lead fall 1974 1st ice climb 1974

Used the one door type for several months in Patagonia. The tent was solid in very windy conditions, but you should be good friends to share such a small space for a long time. My one complaint was it having only one door, which meant that you had to climb over your buddy to go pee. But if there are now two doors that solves that.

Some also tend to overuse the term "strawman" in rebuttals as well... Seriously dude - pretending these people don't exist and don't constitute a significant percentage of the population in attendance at events like the recent innaugural protests, or the WTO protests of yore is every bit as ludicrous as someone on the right pretending that the John Birchers, Creationists, Gun-Nuts, Survivalists, and the UN-Led-Black-Helicopter-One-World-Government-Lookout crew, and or anyone who has ever intentionally purchased any part of the "Left Behind" series by LaHaye and Co are merely a figment of the Left's imagination. Politics makes for strange bedfellows - how about owning up to yours? I stopped by the protest. There were a handful of goof-balls there, but most of the folks I saw were just normal looking folks, young and old, just wanting to show thier disapproval of Bush's policies. Why does free speech seem to freak out some folks? Isn't it a sign that there is still some remnant of democratic values?

Here's a link to the analysis. Again for clarification, not exempt from NEPA, you still have to fill out one lousy form - but no EA or EIS proces, no public input. http://www.wilderness.org/Library/Documents/upload/NFMA-Final-Regs-Analysis.pdf

Sobo - you're correct in that one syntax of Jim's but you are otherwise wrong. You are refering to the inital CatEx determination not the actions that occur after a determinatin is made on a programmatic scale. The USFS has published their determination - that they believe Forest Plan updates are now CatEx. Sure they will take comments and consult with the agencies, and then ignore those comments. INDIVIDUAL actions under the blanket of CatEx require no public input - Jim is correct if this is what he means. I've been working on a number of geotechnical projects for FEMA, and other agencies, that are listed as CatEx under earlier determinatins. Guess what - no NEPA forms to fill out except the CatEx form, which is one sheet of paper. No public involvement, no publication in the paper, no agency coordination. I've worked with these over the years and you're wrong - they can, and will (that's the idea!) do more behind closed doors.

Ouch! No second date!

There are good data - check out the summaries on the Center for Science in the Public Interest Site and AARP site (really). I've found it has take some edge off my 50 yr knees, but it's not a miracle drug

That's what I did - and I'll cherish the month-long climbing and treking trip we did togrther much better than a hyped up gem. I don't get the fasination over the engagement ring thing. It's just more stuff - expensive stuff. Is it peer pressure or something?

How about this - don't buy into the marketing. Buy nothing. Use the cash for a great trip or a start for your house downpayment. Ir's just another "thing" for crying out loud.

boomer - slang for mountain beaver - Aplodontidae

Agreed. I think that what we need for a leader these days is someone who is fiscially conservative, socially moderate, with a moderate view on the environment instead of lining the pockets of industry. I would consider

Oh I didn't mean that, but SS is not such a burden. the biggest problem is that Reps and Dems alike can't keep their mitts off the trust fund, and the current administration is spending like there is no tomorrow. What happened to true fiscal conservatives?

It's going to be a slush fest, you're not going to miss much. Hang in there for the real thing soon enough.

Sorry I missed this. There's just a bunch of old, fat, and balding white guys. Did any climbers actually show up?

The SS program already is a multi-trillion dollar liability for our children. It is already an irresponsible, unfair burden on taxpayers, and on our children. As for "tweaking" the program, one suggested proposal going around is to RAISE the payroll deduction. Great. The government once again f***s up and the taxpayer gets reamed. A tax increase is an effective salary cut. Another proposal is to raise the age at which people are eligible to receive benefits. Yet another is to lower the benefits. So, we have to work more and get less. Wonderful. In a past thread I characterized the SS program as "you get back what you put in with interest". I forget the fact that you have to live to be pretty damn old for that to be true. Benefits are parcelled out each year beginning with the first year of eligibility. Many taxpayers will NOT get all the money back that they put in, yet alone with interest. By contrast, if you invest in a 401(k) or IRA, you can take out as much as you want, whenever you want, and if you die, your money goes to your designated beneficiaries. SS is a bad deal all around. The last time the SS deduction was raised was under Regean, at the behest of Allan Greenspan. The US population has the lowest, by far, tax burden of industrial countries. I would suggest that all of your suggestions be reviewed - remove the current cap on deductions, take a look at the retiremenr age, and review the payout. SS has been an extremely successful program. The Bushies plan to borrow Trillions so a small percentage can be put in the market is idiotic. As is there proposal to cook the books while doing it. As if foreign bond holders will not notice.