tvashtarkatena

Look, WA is one of the 48 states that guarantee the right to carry in their constitutions, in our case explicitly for personal defense. In that sense, we are solidly in the norm. The DC ruling really didn't matter for shit from a practical standpoint, except, of course, in DC itself. If the constitutional landscape of the States were different, it might have mattered more. In any case, WA is not at all unusual regarding its gun laws.

Anecdotal experience, including mine, doesn't matter for shit when looking at long term national trends. We all live in our own local bubbles. The data's pretty clear, and its no secret to the gun industry. They market accordingly - fewer people are buying more guns and gun related toys each, and that's who they market to. Whether its a guy with 40 tre-bark outfits in his ATV garage or a cook with 10 years of canned food and 10,000 rounds in his bunker, the gun industry's primary focus is deeper, not broader. That's not to say they don't do both, as you would, but repeat bidness has lower marketing costs, especially as the gene pool shrinks. Far fewer people are hunting these days, Rob's got that one right, but those who do spend many times more on fancy, high tech gear per head than ever before. Industry sales have continued to go up as a result. A lot of military tech has, as it usually does after war, found its way into the domestic market. ATVs, clothes, electronics, packs, tents - the days of your dad going out with his buddies in an F150 with a WWII canvas tent are long over. Hunting is WAY less popular the younger the demographic - the rise of virtual entertainment and urbanization of the population are probably primary factors. Why freeze your ass off in east bum fuck when you can kill 100 aliens while tucking into a bag of Haribo frogs and giving shit to friends from 5 different states? Plus - no humping those fucking bloody loads. You've got to admit, the kids have a point.

With all due respect, a static line always puts more force on all parts of the system because deceleration, and therefore peak load, is greater. That's why its never a good idea to lead on a static rope, and that's why ice climbers with sketchy shorty screws love climbing on double skinnies that stretch like rubber bands, even if that means a longer length of fall. Force and energy are two different things. The energy absorbed in a fall is the same for both dynamic and static ropes. The force on the system is not, because force depends on deceleration rate at which the kinetic energy of a fall is absorbed. The faster the deceleration rate (ie, the more static the rope is), the greater the peak load or force on the system. This is why the old timers used dynamic belays like sitting hip etc with those old static hemp ropes - they didn't want to a) tear each other in half and b) they wanted at least a prayer that some part of that system would actually withstand the peak load. If you have anecdotal experience that dynamic ropes cut more, its likely because a) they are significantly skinnier than the static line with which they're being compared or b) their stretch reduces their diameter such that its significantly smaller than the static line-thus overriding the latter's lower forces on the lip, or c) the conditions at the lip weren't the same during the test.

Regarding guns, the gun industry, as represented by the NRA, has been very busy putting out some effective messaging for parroting in their efforts to stem a long term decline in gun sales and interest in blood sports in general. Hunting is a dying sport, plain and simple. Culturally, it just doesn't resonate with the younger crowd. After all, Dad's always full of shit, but bagger-infused-Dad-who-rants-about-how-his-peashooter-collection-is-going-to-save-freedom-or-puffs-up-his-chest-because-he-shot-a-defenseless-coyote is container ship level full of shit. Kids these days are smarter than their parents so their call regarding gun fetishists and their BS is easier than ever to make.

China executes about 5000 people a year as compared to our 70 to 100. On a per capita basis, they execute about 15 times more people per year than we do. The vast majority of US executions occur in only 5 states, so its kind of spotty. Conversely, the US has 7 times more people in prison per capita than China. The US criminal justice system also discriminates against Africa Americans on a 3:1 basis as compared to whites. The measure doesn't matter much - arrest rates, conviction rates, denial of bail rates, longer sentencing - they're all about 3:1. I'm not aware of any similar racial discrimination in the Chinese criminal justice system, but that doesn't mean they don't also have a similar issue. Which country is the larger human rights violator with regards to its criminal justice system is a discussion that quickly becomes complicated when the actual data comes into play. It's a parlour discussion at best anyway - we should seek to improve our criminal justice system regardless of what the Chinese or anyone else does.

That sounds about right. Make sure you've got enough tail on the water knot for your anchor webbing to counteract any slip. fold the webbing over the branch - stronger than girth hitching it. Put a little tension on the rope with a weight or tie off to make the start of the ascent a bit easier. If you're looking to upgrade those tiblocs with real ascenders (easier on the rope, safer, etc), I'll sell you my old pair for 20 bucks. I also have a 9.4mm x 60m rope in darker colors you can have for 30 bucks if you promise never to lead climb on it. It's fine for what you're doing, though. Chop it to length as required.

Yeah, spacing is the most important thing for novices, all other things being equal. A nit, perhaps, but a static line increases the force on the lip - and all parts of the system - so it should cut through the lip more than a dynamic. I wouldn't think the very minor change in diameter of a dynamic rope due to stretch would not be enough to overcome this factor, given two ropes of equal diameter.

The benefits of single payer are debatable...and presenting the evils of the Lotto is a great start. I got nothin'.

Speaking of babies, FW's already hitting his speed dial for that one. And speaking of babies, you can now get a 3d printout of your ultrasounded fetus. Because sometimes FB photos just aren't enough.

Knowing and watching for crevasse surface indicators, avoiding terrain more likely to be cracked underneath, generous end runs, and having an ax and a ski pole for probing keeps the view from going blue. For those rare instances that call for a little extra, a quick drop to a sitting hip will stop a bus, or at least a short one. If self arrest is gonna be tough, maximizing force on the arrester by using a static line is the last thing you'd want, no? Tiblocs are a nice alternative to prusiks. Quicker to rig and climb with, easier to take on/off when passing the lip - I've found they still climb fine on a 7.8mm. I don't travel with pre-rigged prusiks - more bullshit to rig and unrig before heading out, they're body weight rated only, doesn't make sense for a middle person, and ascending a separate rescue coil may be required, anyway. Having a biner handy to clip your pack onto the rescue line below you before completing the ascent is another good idea. A free hanging ascent is hard enough with no pack on. Finally, I find a Texas rig - (inverted Y with footloops shorty for the chest) a lot easier for free hanging ascents. Of all the foot and body punching through I've seen - every one was because the punch-througher wasn't paying enough attention. Alaska's a whole nother story, though. They put huge hidden crevasses in some really weird places there.

Yeah, governments start unjust wars and hurt kittens, so there's little point in expecting them to do anything to promote the general welfare blah blah blah. Meanwhile, back in realityland, here we sit, after running 2 successful single payer systems within our own country, surrounded by 50 other countries with more efficient, just, and less costly health care system, still trying to 'figure it out.' It's been figured out. Single payer shaves 18 or so % administrative waste off the top, maximizes price bargaining leverage, amortizes health care costs over the largest possible population, makes for a vastly superior patient experience (no, seriously, I really love spending my days arguing with my health insurer over who pays what - great use of everyone's time and energy), takes the health care burden off employers shoulders (job growth - hello?), eliminates the horrible fear of medical bankruptcy that is sadly unique to this country, and...morally tone deaf can stop reading - providing basic health care for all is the right thing to do. Rather than look at how the 'gubment' behaves, let's look specifically how opponents to single payer - and that would be the GOP - are informed - by the Christ Child and Ayn't That Randian Darwinism 2.0 - This Product Contains No Cooperation. Neither has much to do with the real world, but then again neither does this thread, so thas coo.

I've found in my public speaking that persuasion is 1/10th statistics and 9/10ths decades old black and whites from the Pol Pot/Stalinist/your-go-to-shock-shot. Connecting the dots from opposite ends of the solar system is what thought leaders do.

Hard to discern what, exactly, you're trying to say enamored as you are with your own prose. Some stuff is hard for some people. No truer words were ever uttered. Ironically, the Evil Future Health Care Resource Sucking Big Man's tribal unit Big Man sucking Evil Healthcare Resources tribal unit boasts one the most productive home farm and gardens this prosetologist's ever seen. Both front and back yard are positively lousy with chickens, kale, and all other manner of horticultural nicotine cleansing agents. Really, one shouldn't worry too much about the Big Man - his job in life is to suffer so that the rest of us may be free. His campfire in the cave will be a good memory for sure. Some of his Hood trips too. But he'll regret the smokes during his mucho expensivo treatments and his final months of bed rest for sure. This story I've seen with my own eyes--and I wouldn't wish it on anyone. Not even you, Doughnut Guy. Such prediction is a fool's game, which is probably why you seldom fail to play it. You forgot to mention the Big Man's numerous big wall and difficult alpine ascents - something your non-smoking, unaccomplished ass never mustered the guts, planning, training, and long term commitment for. It's kind of a wonder why you post on a climbing site at all, really, except, perhaps, to complain to an audience of non-friends who couldn't care less. Weird, but common these days.

I had a deep gash on my leg stitched up by a Cuban doc on Dominica, gratis. Splendid job. Having a deep wound in the tropics, particularly one so close to critical knee tendons, can be a challenge. I then befriended a med student in Portsmouth, Dom. who provided wonderful (if unlicensed) follow up care. Zero infection. When you're constantly drenched in 80 degree seawater in the cockpit of a kayak, that's kind of important. Thanks, Dominica, and thank you Cuba - which provides poor Caribbean nations with lots of talented medical personnel, equipment, and training, in addition to teachers and humanitarian aid. The Windward Islands, poor as dirt already, would be far poorer still without Cuba's generous help.

I slept like a chicken-free baby this morning. Do you see? Do you see how this works? As the Big Man was born to suffer, Little Angry was born to whine. Would you want it any other way?

Hard to discern what, exactly, you're trying to say enamored as you are with your own prose. Some stuff is hard for some people. No truer words were ever uttered. Ironically, the Evil Future Health Care Resource Sucking Big Man's tribal unit boasts one the most productive home farm and gardens this prosetologist's ever seen. Both front and back yard are positively lousy with chickens, kale, and all other manner of horticultural nicotine cleansing agents. Really, one shouldn't worry too much about the Big Man - his job in life is to suffer so that the rest of us may be free.

I maaaay be down that way for some sat fun.

The Big Man will likely outlive Little Angry - and have better memories to ease his passage into the Skyland of the Bodacious Tatas to boot. In any case, he'll accept his fate as he does now - sans all the innernutz whinging over jumping in the sack with You - Nighty Night! Healthcare.com. Fawked by the Free Market. It's an old, boring story.

An apple a day really does keep the doctor away.

Deal among deals for a great handling 5 fall skinny single dry rope.

In the interests of avoiding the unspecific tit for tat game you obviously can't get enough of, what aspect(s), specifically, of my arguments (which I believe I actually bullet pointed), do you disagree with and why? I realize that some progressives love to burn 'traitors to the cause' at the stake, but real life activists typically don't. Sorry. I'm fine with anyone who votes yes on I522. You? After all, there are no two people on this planet who agree on everything - and this one is small potatoes in the grand scheme of things. Christ, would you want them to?

As far as road side cragging goes: 1) First come, first serve. 2) For first comers - if you do not plan to immediately and continually climb on top ropes, please remove them out of consideration for other parties, even those that have yet to arrive or have not yet asked you to do so. 3) For slow first comers - consider a request to pass by faster parties as your schedule, practicality and safety allows. 4) For the faster party: please, actually be fast enough to warrant another party granting your request to pass. 5) For people who object to large parties: We've all been there, but if the area's rules don't prohibit it, that large party has every bit as much right to be there as you do.

"never again" is the consensus of me pals who've camped on the summit - due to altitude discomfort and constant wind flap. It's more difficult to acclimate here with our low terrain than say, in the Rockies, and any acclimation you've gained elsewhere doesn't last long enough to provide any real advantage on Rainier. One alternative to beat the crowds is to start in the afternoon when the bridges start to freeze back up and climb through the night. Lighter pack, no crowds (you'd be alone for most of the climb). A bright moon might enhance the magic. It's not any harder than getting up at 1 or 2 am to enjoy your stomach attempt to eat itself.

Yes, if I522 goes down, WA voters are all fucking idiots. Read my opinion piece on 'progressives' above. Right on Q. I502 came after a 12 year concentrated effort to reform WA's drug policies. Each year the organizations involved would get that much further in the legislature, reach that much more of the public, and gain that much more financial support (or future promise thereof). If you think a defeat of I522 means all is lost - you're playing a really short game on an really long field. I have a feeling, however, that Kimmo's attitudes remain unsoiled from never having any real contact on any political playing field, but that's fine. Some dogs need to remain crated when its time to mingle among voters and invite them to join your cause.

Well, we're talking a historical total of only 66 Teajaddists here - most from some of the poorest, least educated, and most religious districts in the country. They've managed to calcify the federal government - it only takes one log to stop a train but... ...its no secret that nearly all the reform is happening in the States now. As WA has recently proven - if you step away from the kind of unethical crap we see from both sides of I522 and provide sound, vetted information, voters will vote to improve the course of history - they will tackle the hardest problems. I've spoken to thousands of voters on a variety of complex civil liberties subjects. Voters, and pre-voters (high school age) never fail to impress me with their intelligence, decision making, presentation (many of these sessions are interactive and require very rapid synthesis and presentation to the rest of the group), and grasp of the issues of our time. My fellow speakers share my favorable opinion of the public. Guess you actually have to get out there and do the thing to understand the thing. I'd say American voters are doing just fine, no small thanks to social media. There have long been progressives who have an overarching need to be the smartest person in the room. They forever play the consummate outside critic - after all, having any real responsibility for execution in the real world is a messy business. These folks invariably share the same dim view of voters - but in so doing guarantee the continuance of today's unethical politics. The peace movement - which I was a part of during the build up for Iraq, is full of them. They never get what they want because they cannot put together a workable plan, with all the fund raising, phone banking, lobbying, and other drudgery required to so. They get their asses handed to them repeatedly. Don't get me wrong, I have a lot of respect for those who do jail time for their moral beliefs - which I share, for the most part, but the road to turning this Titanic around requires a bit more of a comprehensive, long term program that sit ins, biking to meetings with ones kindred spirits, and making fun of the Stupid American Voter. Although we have several examples of how to successfully win the support of voters for really difficult reform, the I522 campaign marks a return to politics as usual on both sides - lets spoon feed some sound bite bullshit to these infants and see which way they throw the rattle.