Dechristo

So that's how they end up wounding themselves and collecting Purple Hearts. Admittedly, kind of shitty to besmerch any veteran's wounds, but, ...it was just sitting there waiting to get knocked.

When does it end? The Mayan calendar ends 2012.

Do a couple of Bill Withers tunes in one of the groups I'm in. Been listenin' lately (this week) to: Coltrane's Love Supreme Incognito Maysa Leak Calle 54 Davis's Kind of Blue (gotta learn a tune from it) Gil Scot-Heron Jane's Addiction

This is a truly sad statement. What is to become of us if we become so fanatical in a particular belief/persuasion that we are unwilling to hold discourse with others due to our judgment that they belong to an inferior group intellectually, physically, politically, in nationality, religiously or any other bias that prejudiciously shuts us down from honest and open communication? We will become demagogues afraid of the intrusion of ideas and understanding that may threaten the status quo identity of our sequestered intellects. Be careful. It is this quoted sentiment that provokes the murder of abortion doctors, prompts people to fly jetliners into skyscrapers, and, ultimately, the genesis of all wars. My promulgation is of no theory being correct or wrong; each has merits and fallacy. One theory may be more satisfying to our personal bent and comfortable in its form and language meshing pleasantly with our view on the world. Other theories become distasteful due to their antithetical form and language producing an “us and them” schism. It can be very “meaningful” to listen willingly with openness to those with different points of view. Relegating ourselves to learning from within our own camps only produces intellectual xenophobia. Granted, trying to communicate with someone who is only willing to hear their side of a discussion can be a "smile and nod" proposition. Heck, Dean Kenyon, co-author of the widely used collegiate text Chemical Evolution, and a staunch evolutionist has concluded that Evolution alone is an unsatisfactory model to explain all of life on this planet. It is quite ironic that in this Age of Information we limit ourselves in its exchange due to prejudice. …just as has always been. No doubt, this, in part, leads to “misconceptions about the natural world”.

You're thinking like the average doofus non-christian. There are real problems with all theories that deal with the profusion of life forms on this planet and THE initial life form. Irreducible Complexity Transitional Forms Amino acid and protein function without DNA instruction There's a lot of questions... don't hang your hat on just one answer.

I'm down with that. Now, if you'll just agree that my center-o-d-universe is more important than yours...

I heard of the inhabitants of an entire planet - and the planet was pretty big, like 25,000 miles in circumference at its equator - that thought the huge sphere they lived on was FLAT! They also thought their planet was the center of the universe! I've heard MOST of those inhabitants now know their planet is round and has a slightly eliptical orbit around a central star in a solar system, BUT... most of the inhabitants now think they each are the center of the universe.

An individual paying taxes to the U.S. government can ascribe to himself the Right you have opined. Thanks, you illustrate well how "money bears a variable weight on all decisions made, be they by individual citizens or by any government on this Earth." Perhaps it is well to remember a definition of a pertinent practice: ethics is not the choice of what you have a Right to do, but the choice of what is the right thing to do.

There are many notions debated in this thread, but perhaps the original, if not salient, point of prominence is whether to develop ANWR for the production of oil. The meat of my statement(s) was meant to bring to the table the recognition of forces cogent to the determination of land use. Societal pressures and voter’s actions, in our part of the world are determinant of many laws, policies, and governments, but we all know that money bears a variable weight on all decisions made, be they by individual citizens or by any government on this Earth. Many, if not most, of the instances where decisions are made involving money and its brother Power, in microcosm or macro, greed is there to fulcrum its sway. The phrase “power corrupts” is an axiom because it is widely true and narrowly escaped; this is the reason people are dubious that George Bush will Scientific research is a funded endeavor; it is steered by money. I do not believe that altruism triumphs often in those that wield power and wealth, historically or at present; profit, a return on investment, is expected by most all, magnate, politician, or pauper. If a concern for others rendered monetary wealth and greed begat ruin economically (instead of poverty of the soul), I believe society and its science would produce viable, clean, and renewable power; it is there, we just don’t have it and use it yet. Twenty-some years ago, when I saw the “magnet motor” on Carson, I thought,”wow, that should work”; that’s the reason I wrote of the incident. I never thought the “magnet motor” concept to be perpetual motion. Neither shaft bearings nor strength of magnetism are perpetual. …and that may be what happened. I believe I could build one, but I can't afford the time... maybe I will receive funding from some altruistic soul. Another thought on the ANWR oil development debate: It is widely reported that a majority of the voting public of Alaska favors oil development in ANWR. How would you like it if pressures from outside your State, with sentiments antithetical to the majority of your State’s voters, forced their will upon your State? Oh, never mind; the PNW are “blue States”. Considering a limited supply of oil and a global market economy, do you think this matters in the big picture? Disclaimer: The opinions expressed by the particular personality of DeChristo who wrote this statement are not necessarily those of DeChristo’s other personalities, his bartender, dealer(s), escort service companions, climbing partners, or associated musical band members.

You forget a human characteristic fundamental to emotion: greed. The oil-based governmantal & industrial engines of this planet will not choose to change to another energy source, however scientifically superior, until econonmic wealth, corporately and individually, is assured. Saw an inventor on Carson's Tonight Show back in the early '80's display an engine that was powered, in a rotary manner, by the opposing poles of many magnets. His device was smaller than a four-cylinder automotive engine. When allowed to run, the "magnet motor" powered a 5KW generator which powered all the lights in the building without a grunt. A brake was required to keep this engine from running non-stop. The only oil this engine required was for its bearings. The inventor told Carson the U.S. patent office refused to give him a patent as they were not awarded for designs of "perpetual-motion" machines. I've never heard of the inventor, nor his invention, again.

and you thought only BD made Spamalots, you French Kinniggett!

Vee vill eentrrroduce vatt evvar vee vant, joo viper off udder peepulls bottoms! Maybee vee eentrrroduce hour feet to yore assss next! ...und charge joo a fee vor eet! AHHHHHHH HA HA HA HAaaaaaaa......

Are you talkin' 'bout female genitalia now?

Why Does it Cost So Much? One reason may be that the mentality of our consumer-based culture demands services from the government and private industry. Citizens may expect naively that the cost of those services are paid from existing tax revenues, but we all know that’s not how it works: taxes are raised or there will be a fee-per-use arrangement. I’ve been party to the initial FREE use of several wild areas. We built and maintained trails, cleared brush, and policed for trash. As those areas became more popular, the pressures on the environment (& dwindling volunteerism) took their toll. In one area, the Feds came in with signage, trail maintenance, toilets, and badges (“best keep yer nose clean while yer here, son”) and included the area in an existing fee-per-use area. In another area, well, it’s so trashed that someone (government or private industry) will have to be paid to do the clean-up. Another area, on private land, is closed to the public. The owners extended gracious use to we initial users as we maintained their property and our rapport, but, again, as more and more people visited the area the behavioral, verbal, and material trash from visitors piled up on the owners and they did not need the grief. People are self-centered and messy. The more of 'em that frequent an area the more expensive it is to accomodate 'em and wipe their asses for them.

The 2005 AAC Annual Meeting in Ouray this past weekend was the shiz. Syudla and I showed up to take it on the cheap staying at a friend’s house, eating buffalo burgers and the fare offered at the AAC dinners; the free beer helped the pockets, too. We took several of the ice climbing clinics offered in the ice park: “Technique and Efficiency” (in ice climbing) taught by Kim Reynolds, “Modern Mixed” taught by Mark Wilford & Conrad Anker, and “Steep Ice” taught by Jack Tackle. Charlie Sassara, Jim Donini, Mike Odonnell taught some of the other clinics, and seen pitching in on a clinic was George Lowe… kind of bizarre getting personal instruction from these folks; I definitely benefited from their tutelage. Caught some slide-show presentations by Kevin Mahoney, Louise Thomas, Steve Swenson, and Greg Child; wish I’d caught the presentation by John Varco. Missed an opportunity to climb outside the ice park with Michael Covington and Syudla (Covey said a bunch of folks had him by the ear). I was too knackered anyway… Syudla caught some good beta for the Cassin Ridge from Covey while viewing his personal photos. The Thursday before, Syudla and I put in about ten miles and 3,000 feet on snowshoes while looking for a mystery waterfall on the East Spanish Peak. I put in about 1,300 miles behind the wheel during this long weekend. I think, today, I recovered.

I see trolling here for suckerfish can be quite productive.

Hmmmmmmm.... While I was replying to an inane post by Pope, I was informed that the post to which I was replying had been deleted. Just as well...

Three days of lounging in seven weeks of skiing, ice climbing, and rock climbing and you're calling her a poseur?

A few months ago, I talked to one of the head-honchos at BlueWater about consumers using a widely available pen to mark the center of their rope. He was adamant of NOT using a Sharpie. He did recommend the use of a Marks-A-Lot pen. I like the idea of the sewn marker... however, tedious.

I hope she shaved... could be a painfull pull on the lips comin' from a belay plate.

It doesn't get better than this in fulfilling your parameters. Fly in to Bishkek, look dirtbag, don't hesitate to refuse the initial prices of taxi-drivers, make sure your US bills are crisp & clean (preferably unfolded... for best exchange rate), don't pull out the Patagucci until well after your business dealings are behind you and you're headed for the mountains. Leave the blue jeans home... they're high-dollar and top fashion there; wear dark-colored cargo pants when traveling. Arrange ahead to have a guide service take you to your destination; you might get some beta from the Russian alpinist, Denis Urubko, or Chad Kellogg, or Garth at www.alpinefund.org, or Scott MacLennan with the Anatoli Boukreev Memorial Fund at www.boukreev.org. PM me if you need help reaching any of these people. Learn a little Russian. This is the height of adventure.

Ahh feeyull yore pay-een, duewed. Part of the problem here is that everyone has their own definition of what constitutes a "Christian"; every self-titling "Christian", whether GWB, Mel Gibson, or church-going Bob, has their own private definition of the term, too - makes for a lot of confusion... and anger. Surficially, it's the violation of the tenets within your definition that has made you angry. A little deeper, it's the violation of your categorization of what is Good and Evil that upsets you. Deeper still, it's this dualistic operating system you've been taught by this world, which demands you see yourself as separate from all, and creates hypocrisy, circumstantial happiness, greed, conditional love, lust, loneliness and the need to be Right (correct)... or, at least, associate with a club or credo that's perceived to be Right. It's OK, man; you're doing what you're supposed to do... how's it working for ya?

Yes, this process helps to prevent freezing, but you must effect another step in the process: offer the first sip from subject pee-bottle-turned-water-bottle to unsuspecting climbing partner before water is frozen. After grateful partner has sipped, with bottle still in his/her hands, inform him/her of history of use of vessel. Subsequent emotional outburst and corelative increase in pulse and blood pressure of partner brings water in bottle to near boiling point. Replace bottle to insulated confine. Syudla pulled this one on me... dick.

Kyrgyzstan... it's got it all: BIG wall & alpine. No 8k peaks, but Pobedy on the border with China at 7,439M (24,407') is the shiz. Lots of bang for the buck compared to their unit of currency, the som (pronounced "soam") - the average per capita income is 90USD/month. OK, granted you're lookin' at 1,500USD to get there and back. To comply with that stricture... go to Mexico.