Skeezix

If the gully is out, it's fairly easy to scramble up a series of ledges to the left of the gully. There also used to be rap anchors down this series of ledges as well.

The ridge should be melted out. Snow on the approach should be an advantage. If you get up there, check out the overhanging S face. Major pucker factor!

I don't know, but I'm laughing at all the fat morons driving excursions and hummers right now.

Luna ...you can hike across the dam and hump up to Big Beaver trail. That water taxi is expensive!

Orange Beckey Leavenworth guide, almost complete Off Belay, and one day I went into an outdoor shop in Mt. Vernon --right after the Mt. Challenger quad had gone out of print, and found a half dozen copies in their topo display. I bought 'em all!

I thought someone was going to get together a CC.com care package for GD. Maybe some holds he could bolt on the wall of his hooch.

Martlet is Kenneth, Norma's annoying boyfriend in This Boy's Life.

Figure out what you can improvise from other materials and subtract that. For example, you don't need bandage scissors if you have a swiss army knife with scissors. A blood-soaker wound dressing is good, but you can bind it on with torn clothing, so you probably don't need a triangular bandage. SAM splints are great, but improvising splints can be done w/ other materials (ensolite pad, etc...) Add and subtract based on your experience and be sure to maintain the kit over time (Don't run out of moleskin!). Pack guaze squares in little ziploc bags to protect packaging (sterility...). Consider opening your first aid kit in windy conditions: is everything going to blow away? I agree with others that the most important tool is your brain. Climbing parties with one leader are risky. Every member of the party needs to be responsible for the welfare of all members.

There's these three nuns, getting on in years. First one dies, and St. Peter meets her at the pearly gates. Looking in his big book, he says, "Sister, you've lived a pretty good life ...but nobody's perfect, and I see a few black marks in the book next to your name. Hmmm. Tell you what. Answer this question, and you can go on into heaven: Who was the first man God put in the Garden of Eden?" The first nun replied, "That's easy --Adam." The lights flashed, the bells rang, the pearly gates opened and she went right on in. The second nun, who was a bit naughtier than the first, died and went up to heaven. St. Peter met her at the pearly gates and said, "Sister, you did the Lord's work during your life, but you had your fun too. I see some marks in the book by your name... Tell you what. Answer this question and I'll let you into heaven: Who was the first woman God put in the garden of Eden?" The second nun said, "That's easy --Eve." The lights flashed, the bells rang, the pearly gates opened and she went on in. The third nun, who was at times downright randy, finally died and went up to heaven. St. Peter arched an eyebrow as he looked at all the black marks next to her name in the book. "Sister, you should have taken your vows more seriously in the first life! But, I gave the other two a deal, so I guess I'll make the same deal for you. If you can answer this one question, I'll let you into heaven: What was the first thing Eve said to Adam when she saw him in the Garden of Eden?" "That's a hard one!" the nun replied. The lights flashed, the bells rang, and she went right on into heaven.

Did you hear about the fat lady that backed into an airplane propeller? Disaster.

I think he's swimming in the intellectual shallow end. What better measure of intellect than what comes out when one opens one's mouth? Bush is a simpleton. I'm too superstitious to predict a Kerry win, but that's my fondest political wish. Is Dumsfeld's resignation my second choice? You bet it is!

I can understand some use of snowmobiles to get somewhere over snow for a specific purpose, but recreational riding is intrusive on others because of the noise and smell. These people need to get some skis and exercise themselves ...lose the obsession with motorized recreation. Otherwise we'll all turn into a bunch of fat redneck losers.

Let's get one for Martlet!

It has been snowing above 6000'. Old snow underneath is soft and wet. Probably poor climbing conditions up there unless the freezing level drops.

If they can use brutal retaliation why can't we? Are they stronger than us? Point is, what do you think Bush cares more about, the fate of Americans in Iraq, or his re-election chances?

ATM fees ARE too high!

Swamp gas.

You're right. It's sick. And we can expect more...

Won't find out 'til November...

Meanwhile, Bush's approval rating continues it's steady decliiiiine...

American beheaded ...not surprised at brutal retaliation. There'll be more. What do you think Bush cares about more, the fate of Americans in Iraq or his re-election chances?

Here's the original point, from gotterdamerung's initial post:

No.

If the Geneva Conventions do not apply to most of the Iraqi detainees ...so what? Are you just trying to prove that the Geneva Conventions do not apply, or is there a greater point?

Clearly I miscommunicated my point. I didn't mean to imply that the Geneva Conventions apply to the detainees at Abu Ghraib ...but rather to point out that they are mostly not "stateless terrorists." The larger point is that the practices that got us in trouble at Abu G came about because there were no standards at all governing the treatment of detainees. The reason there's so much shit on Bush and Dumsfeld's shoes is that they are responsible for the handling of their misguided war, no matter how hard they try to dodge that responsbility. This is clear to the majority of people.