tvashtarkatena

Dave, if that makes you happy, then that's one more happy person in the world and that cannot be a bad thing. The world we want doesn't need saving - it needs creating. There are very few heroes involved, mostly just people who choose to show up in sufficient numbers. It's no different from any long term relationship - one stays engaged by saying 'yes' whenever possible when asked to serve. I'm lucky in that my particular forms of service are also challenging and enjoyable. Mostly, though, I'm lucky because of the many talented people I've been privileged to work with. I often look around the room and wonder 'what the hell am I doing here?'. My audience feedback indicates that, in fact, I do make the kind of connections I strive to, so maybe I, too, earn that name card on occasion in my own, unique way. It's an honor to have the opportunity to do that.

Dave, your influence probably doesn't live up to your implied expectations - but i do appreciate that your focus has drifted elsewhere over time. As for 'bullying the bullies' - that sounds like just another excuse to bully - the most common one in the book, actually. What need for you that behavior has attempted to satisfy escapes me, but we can agree that it's probably healthier all around that it has diminished over time. I haven't been monitoring how your posts have changed over time other than the obvious decrease in the once prodigious volume of your replies, so you'll forgive me if I can't return your compliment with any detail. Thinking people tend to try to get more real over time - a common process you're probably also familiar with. Perhaps that's what you've been observing. I really can't say. It's all however you choose to interpret things anyway. A recent joint TR won comments of 'well written, enjoyable' as well as 'pedophiliac NAZI'. Same TR - two very different foci in the minds of the readers. This is the inner nuts. Some of us put our stories out there in full knowledge that we don't control the audience - nor would we want to. The same principle holds true with regards to the ideas we've put forth on this forum. Public discourse of any kind involves a certain amount of white noise.

Do you feel, as FW does, that you've been bullied here, Dave? I recall a very different dynamic, but that was, after all, years ago now, wasn't it? Have you yet to move on after all this time?

It's a choice. I continue to be grateful for mine - dear friends are irreplaceable. The people who've been lost this year should certainly drive that point home. Feel free roll out the roll eyes, but some of us believe that connecting with each other is actually what this site is about. That's why I came here, and that's what happened.

If neither of you consider it your community - it's likely because neither of you have contributed enough positivity to make it so. It is a community, though. That's not your call, of course. Some of us have made, and continue to make, friends here. If you find yourself seldom, if ever, supported here, it's not because 'the posse's' got flying monkeys on speed dial. It's because you're alone here - by choice. Your loss, really. Piss on the garden but don't expect the strawberries to taste sweet. You've got your own lives, as do we all. The question of why you choose spend part of those lives in a community you apparently despise probably doesn't have a very flattering answer, however.

In order to be part of a community one has to be interesting in learning about who the other members of that community actually are and what they think. This may even lead to friendships. More fundamentally, it's about keeping it real. Those who won't (there is no 'can't' - it's always a choice), tend not to garner interest, respect, or affection from that community. A steady diet of repetitive, negative trolling wins the opposite. In essence, FW, you've received exactly what you've asked for here. You do get something out of it - you get to play the victim. That reaps its own set of rewards - they're just not real ones, is all, and so they never quite satisfy. That, and the world does love yet another victim. There are so few….

Dumb, mean, and hurt. Thats hot.

bottom line is that it was an enlightening piece so thanks for posting.

Ivan had it right at 'tedious'. You're braver than he is with your ideas - he doesn't post any because he can't take his own medicine - and that bugs him. It's the spinal tapped 'yew argue like a faggit' routine in response to any stimulis - like a cat to a laser pointer. Not much of a Googler (2 minutes to find USGS verification above) but a real Danica behind the wheel of the CC search engine. Weird, but that's the innernutz.

Mind you, that was a USGS spokesperson playing cover your ass for an energy industry ball sucking administration - but whitewash only goes so far when the science shows up.

Or the USGS verifying a) Madden's story and b) that waste water injection can cause earthquakes ("it's long been known"), the USGS is studying the cause of ou marked increase in mid continental earthquakes, and the c) their studies indicate their cause is manmade, although tracking rather than other energy extraction has yet to be singled out as a primary cause. [url=]http://www.doi.gov/news/doinews/Is-the-Recent-Increase-in-Felt-Earthquakes-in-the-Central-US-Natural-or-Manmade.cfm[/url] Why CC's most thin skinned whiner makes himself look so stupid so frequently is beyond me. It's kind of sad, actually. It's certainly never entertaining, either.

I get Christian singles ads. -sigh-

Same TR - the embedded version Trip: Yosemite's El Cap - Lurking Fear Date: 7/8/2012 Trip Report: The Architect contemplates the task ahead in the Merced River by PatGallagherArt, on Flickr El Cap, Lurking Fear, C2 5.7 19p. 3 camps on the wall. by PatGallagherArt, on Flickr Lurching Steers Beta (by Ivan) by PatGallagherArt, on Flickr We arrived at the base to find that a bear had torn Ivan's gear and supplies a new, slobbery asshole. All that was left were a few unchewed cigarettes, some unpunctured water bottles, and 3 small cans, well coated in saliva (we hope) and dirt. Vienna Sausage, anyone? Not to worry: we send Ivan down to procure more supplies and toss our garbage. Unfortunately, he tossed three days worth of my food (stowed in a garbage bag) in the dumpster as well. Large mammals can be a problem in Yosemite. From the base. Our fixed lines appear at left. by PatGallagherArt, on Flickr Plumage. This photo, taken after the climb, includes only the gear we took on the wall. Ivan's foam pad, torn to shreds by a playful bear and lovingly reconstructed by a local artist, is on the left. by PatGallagherArt, on Flickr Our first aborted attempt at hauling the equivalent of a battleship up Lurking Fear's 2,200 vertical feet result in a general order to lighten said ship and shorten our time on the wall from 5 to 3 days. After a redistribution of food wealth I wound up with Ivan's Cambells Chicken and Dumpling Soup, which is basically snot in horse cum as near as I can tell, as well as several squshels of gummy worms and a North Sea full of Swedish Fish. The Beanie Weenies were self inflicted. Once we were off the ground, things went relatively smoothly, with only one sleeping bag destroyed and the usual array of trinkets dropped (and some recovered later) en route. All poos were on time and on target, we didn't run out of water (a gallon a day per), and nobody took any giant rides earthward. Being the newest big waller, I was relegated to leading some C1 and low 5th, removing stuck pro, pig wrangling, and fully exploring the operation of our only belay chair. My trip up the wall was therefore slow, scenic, comfortable, and, with the exception of some strenuous sphincter isometrics while trying not to stare down 50 feet of offwidth runnout, a pleasant way to spend a few long summer days. A 2:30 am start under moonlight enabled us to arrive at Camp 1 just before dark, thanks to Mike's affinity for combining swinging and climbing. Mike and I played house on our two man ledge while Ivan gently attempted to cajole his Pringling portaledge 80' above. Eventually, the dynamic trio: Ivan, his portaledge, and his sleeping bag, produced a white mushroom cloud of down fail, punctuated by a verbal explosion that cut through the darkness like the shriek of a Valkyrie betrayed. I still hear echoes of that mournful cry every time I see a can of Beanie Weenies. Mike jugging P4 by PatGallagherArt, on Flickr Pat leading P5 (by Ivan) by PatGallagherArt, on Flickr Mike leading the P7 traverse by PatGallagherArt, on Flickr Double butt shot, P8. 50' of runnout on this offwidth - not a problem for the swallows who were flying in and out of it, though (by Ivan) by PatGallagherArt, on Flickr Camp1 for 2, below P10. You really can poo where you sleep if you're careful. Mike and I spent a pleasant evening here listening to Ivan and potato chipping portaledge destroy his sleeping bag together 80' above us. by PatGallagherArt, on Flickr Pacific Tree Frog (Pseudacris regilla) at Camp 1, a thousand feet up the wall. Hummingbirds, salamanders, and other quiet little spirits revealed the wall's less intimidating nature on numerous occasions. by PatGallagherArt, on Flickr Pat ascending back to the P10 anchor from Camp 1 (by Ivan) by PatGallagherArt, on Flickr Mike responds to a suggestion while on lead by PatGallagherArt, on Flickr Big Man, Small Umbrella. Temperatures were in the high eighties, but our route enjoyed shade until midday (by Mike) by PatGallagherArt, on Flickr Ivan practicing his 'long haul' technique - to the ire of his pig wrangler below by PatGallagherArt, on Flickr Mike on the mantle at the start of P14 by PatGallagherArt, on Flickr Camp 2, P14. I used the belay chair at left to extend my sleeping platform for my feet by PatGallagherArt, on Flickr A belay chair is a must on a route like Lurking Fear (by Mike) by PatGallagherArt, on Flickr P 15 by PatGallagherArt, on Flickr I heart hauling. P 17 (by Ivan) by PatGallagherArt, on Flickr Thanksgiving Ledge (Camp 3, P17) by PatGallagherArt, on Flickr Thanksgiving Cave by PatGallagherArt, on Flickr Topping out on P 19 by PatGallagherArt, on Flickr Victory Dancers by PatGallagherArt, on Flickr Mike rap scouting. Ivan and I followed, each riding a pig. It took us about 6 hours to rap the 13 pitches down the face. by PatGallagherArt, on Flickr The Bull Whip Effect: the ends of ropes dropped when rapping often exceed the speed of sound and explode by PatGallagherArt, on Flickr Ivan and his pig fight the urge to swing by PatGallagherArt, on Flickr Typical clusterFk by PatGallagherArt, on Flickr 3 More Raps by PatGallagherArt, on Flickr Last rap by PatGallagherArt, on Flickr Schist, shit, and grit by PatGallagherArt, on Flickr We happy few by PatGallagherArt, on Flickr The Big Man Upper Pining it wit J Roc by PatGallagherArt, on Flickr A nice, cool cave on a 90 degree day by PatGallagherArt, on Flickr Fleetwood Mac's Latest Album Cover: 'Tumors' . We climbed Daff Dome's West Crack on our last day by PatGallagherArt, on Flickr Descending Daff Dome by PatGallagherArt, on Flickr Glacier glass (Daff Dome) by PatGallagherArt, on Flickr Gear Notes: Belay Chair and umbrella a must. 2 double rope buckets (Fish makes em) would have been exceptionally nice. A dry bag works well for poo, but one without a burp vent might provide a better ambiance next time.

the first climbing site to come up with drag and drop photo uploading (AKA - like Flickrz, etc) will score a major win. It seems to be the largest barrier to participation for a lot of folks across a number of outdoor sites. TRs may seem old school given the many channels now available for today's more expressive individuals to broadcast every successful bowel movement - with pics, but hairless monkeys still love a well crafted and edited story. Creating such a story can add depth and meaning to an experience for the author-it can be a great way to savor an excursion. If you like photography and the English language and National Geographic isn't calling - TRs aren't a bad way to go.

They cut the rope to make rap anchors along the way.

History is interesting, but action today is what creates the future. If anyone is truly interested in what the ACLU is doing right now - consider joining the ACLU Action Network for national level issues, and/or the ACLU of WA Action Network for issues in Washington State. These actions are carefully timed and coordinated for maximum effect - when a bill is in the Rules Committee, ei, before said committee kills it, for example. If fighting the NSA's $52 Billion a year surveillance programs is a priority for you, for example, you might consider joining forces with tens of thousands of like-minded others to get real and actually do something productive rather than whining about The Kenyan or whatever. Other actions one can take right now include supporting the USA FREEDOM ACT at the federal level, and the Drone Regulation Bill Washington's Drone Regulation Bill. Kudos to Rand, and the anti-surveillance PR and support it generates, but his choice of using a class action lawsuit is risky in that he must show standing, and calculate damages, for each and every plaintiff. The ACLUs 2006 lawsuit: ACLU v NSA, was tossed in 2007 based on the org's inability to prove standing for a much smaller group of plaintiffs - because the program was, after all, secret. SCOTUS refused to hear that case on appeal, so that was that. Given this, Paul's will likely be a steeply uphill battle. The ACLU filed another suit - ACLU v Clapper, in 2013, based on 4th amendment violations of the mass phone surveillance program (USA PATRIOT ACT, SEC 215, aka, the 'Verizon Program'), revealed by Snowden, in the wake of the Boston Bombing. This suit was tossed by federal judge later that year - who, based on his ruling, clearly believes such guilty-until-proven-innocent programs are necessary to keep us safe. The ACLU is appealing. The ACLU is strongly advocating immunity for Snowden. The ACLU also filed suit in 2013 against the NYPD for spying on law abiding Muslims. These are just a few of the organization's many actions with regards to rolling back today's surveillance state - one of many campaigns the organization is involved with right now. Obviously, the ACLU is sitting on our hands in deference to Obama, here. Where's the outrage? Or, more accurately, what have substantive actions have the ACLU's critics on this forum taken, personally, to combat the surveillance program they claim to be so worried about? Well, that's the internet, for ya. The ACLU's history of public education, legislative action, and litigation with regards to surveillance is long, deep, non-partisan, and readily available as a matter of public record for anyone interested in truly knowing what the organization has done to protect and support the 1st, 4th, and 5th Amendments. Ancient history, perhaps, but the ACLU was founded to take action against the Palmer Raids - the extra-constitutional rounding up and imprisonment of labor organizers in 1919/20 - under a Democrat's administration. The ACLU works with both sides of the aisle, as any successful organization must, to affect legislative reform. Claiming otherwise reveals a fundamental lack of familiarity with the basic realities of the legislative process. Furthermore, ACLU has long partnered with a variety of conservative organizations and individuals - Gun Owners of America (who regularly accuse the less conservative NRA of 'selling out'), the Jehovah's Witnesses, and Rush Limbaugh, to name a few, on its campaigns and actions - despite opposition from these vary same groups and individuals on other parts of its agenda. This calls for operating based on principles, not vindictiveness - an apparently alien concept for some posters here.

"You've shown a real knack for using it to intimidate and silence opposition, and your comments here are a reflection of this. May I suggest Cuba--and a leaky boat."

Eichmannd euch: Goering my doorbell, Baby Blau, before my panzer heart Goebbels you up!

Took a Cellfie of Lenin today - certain posters will be happy to know that there is, indeed, still blood on his hand. Cuz it's all about the blood. Or maybe its for Valentine's Day? That's what I'm going with.

Drowning in one's own bullshit can reduce oxygen to the brain.

And Terrorism ??? How are we going to fight the number one threat on EVERY AMERICANZ MIND when we're broke? Surveillance isn't free, people!

We're gonna be bankrupt (in 40 years...or is that 30 or 50?) Lemme check my spreadsheet. How will we adapt to the Climate Hoax when we're broke???!!!!

Yes, in a time of near zero interest rates, debt is the most pressing problem of our time. Ask an economist!

Social. Such a dirty word. Fkn evolution.

D Shield looks kewl. Looks like it has some spice without actually being on fire. Nice loose block section for ya - your fave. Apparently climbaroundable, though.