Dechristo

Now, now... Chaps did cut and paste that extensive report on the historical cultural significances of the summer solstice. However, he did follow it up with this unintelligible post of his own: nevermind

That's an amazing testimonial considering the amount of urine and feces in contact with your lips and nose.

A number of years ago, an REI opened in the largest city proximal to where I live. I had heard of these stores, but had never seen, or been in one. So, next trip to the city, I took the time to stop and browse; I needed to replace a hex I'd lost, anyway. The place was packed with people looking to buy anything that had a hip name brand logo on it. I was disappointed by the sparse selection of gear available for oggling: back then, I liked to peruse the latest gear available and dream of buying two of everything I didn't own (I've since left behind the hoard mentality). They did have some shiny new BD wired hexes; the hex I'd lost was from my original Chouinard set with my own custom-length kernmantle loops. I had to wait a pretty long time before salesdude showed up. The youthful salesdude approached me at the gear counter and asked if he could help. "uh, yeah... let me look at that #6 hex." Salesdude turned, following the direction of my pointed finger, and looked at the set of hexes hanging on the wall. "Dude...I don't think they have numbers...what color do you want to look at?" "Just give me the middle three." Salesdude gingerly removed the hexes from their shiny carabiner and lightly placed them on the counter so as not to damage anything. I located the #6 and showed the marking to salesdude, "Oooh, cool". "Yeah, ok...well, I'll take this one (the #6)." "Oh, man... I don't think we sell those except in sets...and besides, you can't go climbing with just one of those." I supressed the laugh, but kept the smile when I replied, "I already have all the rest of 'em; I just need to buy this one." "Oh, let me go ask somebody..." He disappeared around a corner and I headed for the door. I didn't darken the door of an REI for years after, but nowadays, I'll go once in awhile during their Sales events. Their salesdudes seem to have become more knowledgeable in the interim.

Mountain Fund At It Again! KFK - IMEC Join Forces For Porters Kathmandu, Nepal Mountain Fund Member Agencies Karing for Kids-Nepal and International Mountain Explorers Connection are executing a memorandum of understanding that will greatly add to the services delivered to porters in Nepal. Karing for Kids (KFK) operates a health clinic in the rural Tamang villages of the Rasuwa District. International Mountain Explorers Connection (IMEC) has been a global leader in porter assistance programs since 1996. Under this agreement, KFK and IMEC have moved into space together in Thamel, Kathmandu and will begin immediately to cooperate on programs for porters. KFK's nursing staff will offering free annual health check-ups and health advice for porters. Both KFK and IMEC will be co-teaching English classes and first aid. The text chosen for the first aid classes comes from another Mountain Fund Member Agency, IPPG and Treksafe. Jim Duff and Jim Gormly authored this much needed trail-smart first aid guide. Pocket First Aid and Wilderness Medicine is published in Nepali making it an invaluable teaching tool. KFK and IMEC are seeking donations to purchase enough copies of Pocket First Aid and Wilderness Medicine to ensure each class participant has a copy of their own. If you can help out and purchase a few copies, please e mail us at Mtnfund@mountainfund.org to make arrangements to purchase a copy or two. You may also logon to http://www.treksafe.com.au and take a look at the book for yourself. It is published in English, Japanese and Nepali. You shouldn't be in the wilderness without it ! Porters work very hard, they are paid very little and often taken advantage of by unscrupulous operators. In many locations around the world, trekking and climbing would not be possible for a great many people without the hard work these people do. If you would like to learn more about the plight of porters please see the following Mountain Fund Member Agencies websites IMEC at www.hec.org IPPG at www.ippg.net Porters Progress at www.portersprogress.org Kilimanjaro Porters Union at www.kilimanjaro-union.com PS - The picture on the right was taken near Annapurna. That is a real porter at work. The man did not pose for this e-mail. spacer (1K)

Cold water makes my nipples hard...and my genitalia an androgynous ambiguity.

there better be a bloody good reason for that! Have patience, and a TR shall come! hopefully it was a successful defense of your work. Good choice of words, Minx. What do you call Gary when he wears a suit and tie? "Defendant"

Doesn't matter, they're both toast.

What does that mean? I'm trying to visualize a formation "that is very, very rare" that someone would label such. That more of the lever is past the fulcrum and is held in place on the short end by another formation?

In this past year, I have learned of an organization that I believe everyone, who love the mountainous regions of this planet, should support. http://www.mountainfund.org/ I encourage everyone to take a look at the website and consider joining in support of this streamlined, efficient organization. Take a look at the board of directors: solid people involved. Take a look at the member agencies: people who are accomplishing constructive improvements in remote areas. The Mountain Fund: Developing the capacity of grassroots efforts in the world's mountainous regions. Give it a look.

a very large espresso

I've never heard that euphemism before.

"Bolts get me through times of fear better than fear gets me through times of no bolts" a paraphrase of Free-Wheelin' Franklin late '60's, early 70's classic reference

BWAHAHAHAHA!!! See? I warned you about getting sucked into The Dark Side! Now your propositioning men online.

Reference "pack mentality". The same thing goes on here.

I've tasted some spare tires on the wimmenfolk, but, you're unabashed boldness in propositioning ML online is frightening.

and stuff

The vermin was my thought, also. But I thought the shot was taken at Hueco.

Yeah, but they'll become spare tires in a few years.

Thanks, good suggestions... for the most part. I'm doin' most of the treatments you've suggested. My wife (midwife, herbalist, voodoo witchdoctor) is in Wenatchee so I'm batchin' it, which causes me to look for all the stuff in cupboards and pantry unguided; but, I've found it all. Most of the stuff is in tincture and tastes nastier than cancerous dragon-colon-drippin's... I imagine. Passed-out on the couch after starting this thread. Woke-up two hours later with a hunger for a Sonic BLT sandwich. Drove the 28 miles into town just to get the BLT: expensive sandwich. My dog, Stewart Ben Laddy (Jack Russell Terrierist) decided to jump out the window while the truck was traveling at 25-30mph. He tumbled and skidded and was bloodied-up a bit, but, excepting the road-rash, seems no more worse for wear. While in town, I decided to make a bit more of the trip by stopping to gaze at the wonders in the aisles of the local Nordstrom's: WalMart. Stupor-stared at the Nyquil and row-upon-row of decongestants... and moved on without touching a box - couldn't bring myself past the thought of dumping shit like that into me. Ahhh, but there's some nasty shit on the other side of the store I will dump gladly into me. A pint of Cherry Garcia, a pint of Phish Food, a can of honey-roasted cashews, and four-pack of vanilla frappuccinos. Like I said, my wife's out of town. ML, thanks for the advice, but, I'm gonna need to get a whole lot sicker before I investigate having a chiro stick his hand down my throat up to the elbow, although I'd pay to see that done to some of my past clients. cj, burpin', lots of burpin'? I gots no nausea wit dis. KK, ...you fuckin' east Euros and your vodka. I did enough howlin' into a toilet this past Memorial Day weekend to last until... next time. thanks anyway. Tealtestes, hot sex cures almost anything but venereal disease and nymphomania. Word. Dru, you're a virtual backwoods sawbones. You hit the nail on the head. cbs, I take zinc daily, anyway, to keep the lead in my pencil. TMI?

BBQ'ed?

I made it 'till a little before noon at work today, then had to go home; feel like I've been eht by a wolf and shit off a cliff. The thirteen hours of late-night gigging this weekend past probably didn't help a recovery... this venomous virus has been getting worse since last Friday. I may have to shave the mustache...fucker gets gross quick, if you know what I mean. You got any treatments/recipes/down-home-cures for the Common Cold? (hanging-out and posting smart-ass comments on CC.com proves to lack efficacy)

Alpinism.

Gotta have a cock-wrangler for a cock that big.

She gonna get dat Furniture Disease! Dats where yo chest falls inta yo drawers.