knelson

During a recent trip out towards Forks, I heard the Feds were looking for a terrorist training camp set up out there by Yo Mommas Bin Login.

My thoughts exactly. As noted earlier, the bit about the hydrogen really cracked me up. Anybody making the assertion that ALL the energy needed is locked up in the earth has got their head firmly planted up Dick Cheney's ass... far underground. (That's not saying they're kissing his butt - it just means they've REALLLY got their head stuck in the sand.) Yup... an infinite amount of energy stored in a finite body. Yup. No problem.

When checking out of a hotel in the outskirts of San Diego recently, I spied a little tiny sign that said something to the effect of... "This facility uses products that contain chemicals known to the state of California to cause cancer." I pointed to the sign and asked the desk jockey which products the sign was referring to. He responded "pretty much all of them." Pondering the idiocy of the sign, I replied, "So... I guess the sign just keeps me from suing you if I develop cancer, eh?" Without looking up from him paperwork, he just said "Yuuuuuuuuup" and handed me my receipt. Yesiree... that whole warning thing is doing loads of good. On a separate but still topical note - did you hear a while back about the process someone had developed to spray messages on Pringles? The thought was that they were going to start selling ad space on Pringles. No... I'm not shittin' you. Anyway... with this process, I suppose actually labelling each individual chip with the "YOU'RE GOING TO DIE" warning isn't too far off. -kurt

http://www.nwrain.com/~newtsuit/recoveries/narrows/narrows.htm Interesting stuff. CBS - your answer is about four pages forward. The new bridge was heavier and had wider spacing of the main support cables - thus the need for new towers. -kurt

Doesn't our current president already do this? "I mean, if you've ever been a governor of a state, you understand the vast potential of broadband technology, you understand how hard it is to make sure that physics, for example, is taught in every classroom in the state. It's difficult to do. It's, like, cost-prohibitive."—Washington, D.C., June 24, 2004 I'd be curious though, on how our commander in chief would pronounce "Cooling Moose" though.

That's why they had to take away those curtain thingys around the voting stations long ago.

No info, but a picture from just about one month ago... Shot is looking from the west. Looked awful dusty up there, even then. Probably a little whiter on the tippy top right now though. -kurt

Erik & Mike... Congrats for getting out there and having fun... and being able to write about it later. You guys know why you climbed, and that's all that really should matter. But what I reaallllly want to know is... ... Mike - have you trademarked the term "The Devil's Club" yet, as it pertains to routes on the East face of Mox Peak? If you're gonna do the shirts for the winter tour, you best cover your ass. If I remember Mr. Dirtbag's picture correctly, I think he looked like he might have an in with someone in the Devil's Club already. -kurt

I was going to take a jab at that one too, but then realized I do it all the time. Kinda scares me now.

...dumb, that is.

'Cause his daddy isn't.

The funny part is - if I'm seeing that note correctly - it's a question! "I think I may need a bathroom break?" He wasn't sure?

lol

I guess I'm a stranger to what a "gut check" is. Does it have anything to do with the enchiladas?

wa-shing-ton Ain't no freakin' "R" in it.

OK... I know everyone gets those Nigerian "please let me send you a check" emails, but this one is actually funny. ************************** THE UNITED NATIONS ORGANISATION In Conjunction with the International Monetary Fund WORLD BANK FACT-FINDING & SPECIAL DUTIES OFFICE LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM. TEL: +447040117006 FAX: +44870912031 Email: revraphaeldean@yahoo.co.uk Dear Sir/ Madam. I am Rev. Father Raphael Dean, a senior staff with the World Bank fact finding & special duties office. I am writing you this letter because cool penny is better than millions of dollars. It is better for one to live and die poor honest man than a rich dishonest one. I and the chief security officer (CSO) of this organization have arranged with an officer in computer section engineer Peter Cliff to bring out part of your total pending payment sum amounting to US$10 million. Why we did this is because according to information gathered from the bank's/security computer, you have been waiting for a long time to receive your money without success. As I found out that you have almost met all the statutory requirements in respect of your pending payment, your problem is that of interest groups. A lot of people are interested in your payment and those people are merely doing paper works with you and that explains why you receive fax and phone messages from different people everyday. Also we found out that some of the officials of the parastatals have been extorting a lot of money from you with the pretext of helping you receive your money. I can assure you that this may last for years yet nothing happens if you do not do away with those officers that you call your partners. And for security reasons do not tell anybody that you have your money until you receive cash at your door step. The money is in a security-proof box weighing 75kg. Yesterday we went to four courier companies to make arrangements on how to ship them by courier to you. Dhl, ems, FedEx, ups all said that they must open the boxes for inspection by the customs before shipment. This is something we want to avoid because the box is padded with synthetic nylon and to open it, you have to cut the pad before you will meet the button that you will press to open the dial code-lock. There is no way you can open the box and be able to close it again because it was padded with machine. We told the courier services that the box contained film materials and when open will spoil the materials. We did not declare money because courier does not carry money. Today a friend of mine who is diplomat disclosed to me that there is a security courier service they use to send diplomatic materials and information from one country to another. It has diplomatic immunity and consignment cannot be checked by any customs anywhere in the world. I have met the officials of the security courier service and concluded shipping arrangement with them, which they will commence as soon as i have your go ahead order. The diplomat will help me so we do not have any problem. We have concluded that you must donate Five Hundred Thousand United States dollars (US$500,000.00) to charity here in hour oranization as soon as you receive your money. To this effect, you will send us a promissory note for Five Hundred Thousand United States dollars (US$500,000.00) along with your address for sending the box by courier. Please maintain topmost secrecy as it may cause a lot of problems if found out that we are using this way to help you. Do not ever tell anybody about this until you have your money. I want to help you because something in me is telling me that you are an honest person. When you conclude this and you send our promise, we will help to ship the final part of your money to you. God be with us as we wait for your reply. Please do not fail to call. Email: revraphaeldean@yahoo.co.uk Yours faithfully, REV. FATHER RAPHAEL DEAN. *******************************

Yup - another vote for the fact that your computer's been virified. If at work, get your computer geek to look at it, since what it's doing is probably effecting your network quite a bit. If not, get and install a decent anti-virus program... and run it. And not a "free" one off the internet. -kurt

I keep telling you people, I'm not gay. (Not that there's anything wrong with that.) Why the long face? I was wondering about the beard WTF? Knock it off you guys, it's not funny. I already told you, I like...bananas. Not plums. Or, whatever. Sooooo... what color Subaru you drivin' these days?

Good for you. At least you came prepared with the rudimentary items and skills you need to survive.

Ahh, but since we've plundered and polluted all the easy stuff down here, we're now exporting our corporate philosophy and special interest groups! You're welcome!

What was that really dark winter beer that Widmer did a while back? Probably around 1996-97? I cruised their website but couldn't find mention of it. Now that I think of it, that beer was damn orgasmic.

...and an altimeter if you want to be damn sure. But you're right - sighting fall lines with your compass and comparing it to your topo will get you pretty damn close. GPSs are a nice backup on a glacier in a whiteout or when a cloudcap engulfs you. But other than that, they're a freakin' waste of time. How many times you folks out there heard this... "Oh wait... I only have 2 satellites. Oh, wait. There's three. Oh... just lost that one. Hmmm... do you really think we're at 3,050 ft? (When you're actually at 5210 ft.) Oh... that third satellite just came ba... nevermind. Hmmm. What did your altimeter say again?..." Yup... instills such confidence in new fangled gadgetry. Ok... done with my rant. -kurt

Ahhhh... the visual leaves too much to the imagination. Can you take a picture of him before you bite his head off? Pleeeeeease? (Shit... I'm starting to sound like TLG now - aren't I.)

Find someone with some experience and hook up with them. Follow their leads, examine their pro placement, understand why they placed what they placed where as you're cleaning it, and ask them questions. Do this a bunch. THEN move on to worrying about leading and what routes to do. Get the basics down before you get on the sharp end of that rope. And the only real way to do that (and not *think* you know what you're doing because you just read a book) is through some type of mentoring.