tvashtarkatena

OK, let me get this straight. The student body 'panicked' because of a streaker? And we're handing the world we fucked up over to these wimps? Good luck with that kiddies.

Arguing that the Vietnam war could have been 'won' had we employed a different military strategy ignores the most salient factor in deciding the outcome of any war: it's political objectives and considerations. That South Vietnam did not have a viable, popular or survivable government to 'prop up', and that the White House could not convince nor communicate America's strategic interest in Vietnam (because there was none) had more to do with our defeat than any military consideration. Had we pursued routing the North after the Tet offensive, there is no reason why communist strategy could not have shifted it's focus to insurgency, producing the same U.S. defeat. Also conveniently missing in the "we could have won" arguments is any consideration of the impact of the Cold War on the conduct of the Vietnam war. Argue what you may in hindsight, but it's not a stretch to consider that Johnson and Nixon were balancing the cost of defeat in Vietnam (by not territorially expanding our ground efforts northward) with the much greater cost of a possible nuclear exchange with the Soviets. As is so often the case, we see in this exchange overly narrow arguments based solely on military strategy which ignore the true aspect of war as just one of many means to a desired political end. America wins wars when we have clear military AND political objectives; we loose them when we do not. Both Vietnam and the current Iraqi occupation had neither; and the disastrous results have unfolded accordingly.

that is all i really want from a man. yes=yes no=no don't blow sunshine up my ass or tell me shit that you think i want to hear. tell me how it is what i can expect and what you are willing to do and then do it. if i know what to expect i can work with that and so can any woman worth her salt. When I'm not drunk and chasing teenage puntang I'll be away climbing. When neither I'll be asleep and blowing Bhopal scale dutch ovenmakers to the tympanic backround of my elephantine snoring. Deal?

Naw us menz, we jis gots t' git auh dick skinnahs rapped round some granit o stick a tool in sum nahce haud ass, elsewize we gits fustrated n staht mopn roun wit doze sad puppy dog eyes lahk we got a bad case o monkey butt o somethin. Da bitches gots ta unnerstan dat dey ain money ahead ifn dey keep us coop't up lahk some junk yaud dawg, cuz da lass ting a women wan gettin in huh way is a pissy man. As fo jukin, 'less yo lucky nuff ta git a ho wit a serious glanular problm, n in dat case all yo frenz probly be enjoyin da same kinna luck too, you gotzta make huh feel good fo you ta look good, cuz you probly look lahk da ass en of a dead mule in real'ty. If'n yo ho don' clamb, den you gotsta demnstrate yo su-preme happ'ness n' uplifted spirit when you come back home. Drop yo stinky ass't geuh, put dat mothafuckin apron on, muddle up a mo-jito o whatever other funky ass't cocktail she jis read bout in da New Yoke Tahms, n git yo sorry ass to BBQin doze babybacks; you'll be gittin some back alright soon 'nuff.

and with Oly writing he'd go climbing (that's right, I've these pledges in writing from both of you) I've enough support garnered to warrant a trip to the PNW. I'm only waiting for the key pledge of (preferably, heated) doghouse floor space. You can have people house floor space out ours, maybe even a convertible sofa...but you might have to share it with dogs, depending on how much they dig you. Come on out, the water's...fucking freezing.

I have never weighed my pack, but given your description it seems like 20-25lbs on climb is a lot? eg: Pack: 1 lb 2 quarts water: 4 lb Sleeping bag: 1 lb Sleeping pad: 0.5 lb Ice axe: 1 lb Food: 1-2 lbs Puffy jacket: <1 lb Headlamp, sunscreen, and other misc stuff: 1 lb This adds up to ~11 pounds. You forgot the MLU - 0.75 lb You could shave weight on the axe and loose the puffy jacket from this list.

I have never weighed my pack, but given your description it seems like 20-25lbs on climb is a lot? eg: Pack: 1 lb 2 quarts water: 4 lb Sleeping bag: 1 lb Sleeping pad: 0.5 lb Ice axe: 1 lb Food: 1-2 lbs Puffy jacket: <1 lb Headlamp, sunscreen, and other misc stuff: 1 lb This adds up to ~11 pounds. You forgot the MLU - 0.75 lb You could shave weight on the axe and loose the puffy jacket from this list.

Go Lite has great lightweight packs, as does Granite Gear and others. Feathered Friends has fantastic quality down bags, fairly light, but a little $$ and not THE lightest...but you'll never be cold in one. Pro Mountain sports carries bags that are even lighter (great shop to visit all around). Snowpeak stoves (and their competitors) are great and weigh nothing, if you're planning on hot stuff. Camp has a 9 oz axe, if required, and their six point crampons rock at 7 oz absolutely rock. In good weather a 3 or 4 oz windshirt works wonderfully instead of a full shell. Similar pants are available. Lots of light approach footwear out there...see other threads on that. An Alpine Bod style harness saves weight...if you're not planning on 'hanging around' much, or are planning on removing your testicles at some point. Cyclist's arm warmers and leggings can stretch your clothing if the weather isn't quite perfect for not much weight.

Medved's article is fine. He's a smart cat, no doubt. It's your commentary and stereotypical puss leaking that require discounting. I would say Clinton handled the conflicts in Bosnia and Kosovo pretty well, despite some delay, particularly by 21st century standards, which admittedly are rock bottom. The outcome, although not completely resolved, speaks to that. He made an excellent stab at the Middle Eastern peace process. Unfortunately there was a fat fuck named Arafat involved. Bin Laden was at least on his radar screen, unlike his successor (prior to 911). International relations, in general, were pretty good all around under the Clinton years, back when the U.S. had at least some negotiating leverage. It was Clinton who helped usher in the largest number of new democracies in any decade in history. For a 'stiff membered' tough guy, you sure whine a lot.

We'll see when Colorado Man arrives....

Long walks on the beach? sickie Kurt, there's a free pina colata waiting for you at the next pub club...

Negotiating from a position of strength is only viable when a) one is actually negotiating and b) one understands and considers the interests of your adversary. The 'surge' fits neither definition. It is a temporary and rather slight increase in a strategy that has produced only failure. The various factions of the insurgency and their outside supporters know this. They know that America's political support for the Iraqi adventure has already ended. They know of their success in exporting sectarian violence throughout the region. They know that the surge will be shortlived because our ground forces are tapped out. They are well aware of the historical ratio of peacekeeping forces verse population for controlling insurgencies, and that the U.S. cannot support anywhere near the troop levels required. Perhaps partitioning the country can someday produce stability, but without such a significant change in strategy our forces are being wasted.

The US government apparently didn't see it that way. Medina was acquitted. Calley's was the only conviction in that incident. He served a year in prison and 3 1/2 of house arrest. I've had my coffee, thank you. Right, and of course, the US government had no interest then or now in limiting convictions up the chain of command. No commander wants to admit that one of his low level subordinates ordered an atrocity to be committed in the field. This is vastly different from ordering such atrocities from the very top as a matter of policy, DeKevsto. I see that as the salient flaw in your analogy. Next time you're in town I'll buy you a cup of coffee.

Sounds like these church members have been listening to Barry Manilow, Motorhead, and the String Cheese Incident. "the world sets up to be your enemies?" What bullshit. The christian pastor who issued this statement and his ilk do the 'setting up' and enemy making themselves. The 'world', presumably a weak attempt to blame something outside the church, has nothing to do with it. I.e, we love you, faggot, even though you are our enemy. How admirable.

The US government apparently didn't see it that way. Medina was acquitted. Calley's was the only conviction in that incident. He served a year in prison and 3 1/2 of house arrest. You tried to compare a massacre perpatrated by a Captain/Lt. (damn near the same rank) as apposed to antire regional war order by a president and prosecuted, with torture, et al, by the secretary of defense and vice president and on and on an on. I simply called you on it. I've had my coffee, thank you.

Will do. You should give the guy an account. He probably knows better than anyone about a lot of this stuff. You'd be surprised at how much of the democratic party line he strongly believes in, but plays devils advocate anyway. Adamson's solution to everything is to raise the body count. His political accumen is vastly overrated. He considers interest oriented negotiation and compromis a form of capitulation, and grossly overestimates the political usefulness of American military power. It's a good thing he's limitted to killing people on a onesy twosy scale, rather than holding a position of any higher authority, where he could do more widespread damage.

I just wanted to say that after trying to wade through your pointless rambling that you're so full of disjointed shit the whites of your eyes are brown.

This is one of the most bone headed analogies I've heard to date. Mai Lai was an isolated massacre of just over 500 Vietnamese civilians by one unit. Calley went to prison for a whopping total of 1 year for it. The highest ranking officer responsible was a leiutenant. Iraq is a wholesale disaster which has taken the lives of many tens of thousands and further destabilized an entire region far more strategically important than Vietnam. Thanks to us, sectarian violence using tactics perfected in Iraq are now being employed throughout the Middle East, Pakistan, and Afghanistan. I won't even mention Iran. The difference in historical scale of these two events is huge. Iraq will likely eclipse the entire Vietnam War, nevermind one incident in that war, as a foriegn policy disaster. I.e, STFU nOOb.

That's one Dick Tater you can feel good about.

Would you like to pet my monkey?

I'm thankful I'm not Ted Nugent living in a muslim country.

Whut ah can figguh auht iz whah dey can make uh decen lookin dolluh coin. Fuhst dey wuz Eizenhowuh, n his haid look lahk somebody's big toe witha hang nail. Den dey's da Susan B. She look lahk she'd jus as soon vote to rip yo dick off. Now dey's Sack o Jew Weed o whutevuh dat injun bitch's name wuz dat brought da white folk ovuh to da wes coas so dey could fuck it all up. Ah mean, I jis lookin fo a decen lookin dolluh, thas all. Put anything on it; Paula Abdul's fat ass, haill, I don care, jis somethin Ah don hafta worry bout jinglin round in mah pockets.

The same is true for the carbon molecules in many people. No coincidence that it's also illegal to melt them down.

I learned a lot from the Lovegod Sway website. For one, there's finally a place where budding, repressed homosexuals can gather in an intimate setting with someone whose been there, done that and more named Donnie D and...talk about it. A place where a sympathetic hand or loving, supporting embrace is only a moment away. A place of tension, struggle, and joyful release. For Jesus. I also learned that there is a band called 'The Indigo Girls' and one called simply 'Indigo Girls', and that they're both gay. Suicide is gay. That was a revelation. Frank Sinatra is also gay. That got me wondering about Dean Martin. Not Sammy, though. He'd fuck anything. The real surprise was Ted Nugent, but I guess it shouldn't have been. He put up quite a front with his killing-elk-to-keep-his-family-in-meat-with-a-machine-gun-guitar and moving-to-Texas-where-it's-OK-to-wear-chamo-when-you-play-at-the-governor's-fundraiser thing. Maybe too good a front. I suppose his might be a new kind of gay...Aggro Gay or something. I always thought 'Cat Scratch Fever' was about catching the clap, but with this new information I'm now convinced it was really about the musical 'Cats'. Enough said there. I wonder if Reverend Ted is taking advantage of Donnie D's services? I think Ted could be an excellent Christian influence on these impressionable, confused young people at a time when their sexuality is just starting to flower.