hafilax

I heard that rumour last night. No details though.

Like reading a page of Catch 22. Good luck with that. Maybe Milo Minderbinder can pull some strings for you.

Saar hand-jamming up Elephantiasis in the Smoke Bluffs on Saturday. Great climbing once you get through the slimy start.

60m ropes are useful in Squamish for linking pitches. I've linked the first and second 2 pitches on Dierdre and linked a few on Angles Crest. I'm sure there's other places to do it as well.

When MEC pulled all polycarbonate bottles I did a lot of reading and came across ourstolenfuture.org which is focussed on plastic safety. The alarmist URL threw me off but their analysis seemed sound. Initially they said the jury was out on whether or not polycarbonate was bad. They've since changed their tune as new studies come out. There is little doubt in my mind that there is a long term hazard associated with using polycarbonates over the long term especially if they are dishwashed/agressively-cleaned and once they become aged and cloudy. This page has links to the latest studies they are supporting: http://www.ourstolenfuture.org/NEWSCIENCE/oncompounds/bisphenola/bpauses.htm

BPA is a synthetic chemical that mimics estrogen, and under certain conditions trace amounts may leach out of the plastics in nalgene. The effective concentration of the said estrogen mimetic is probably at least several orders of magnitude lower than the threshold determined to have adverse health effects in animal studies, as is the frequency of the dose. The BPA that leaches from any plastic container under any circumstances will probably also have an effect on the genes governed by estrogen receptors that is also many orders of magnitude lower than the effect induced by the average meal of tofu, or any other dietary source of phytoestrogens. If you are concerned enough to replace your Nalgene bottles on account of the risks outlined above, please hang on to them for me as I'd be glad to purchase them from you for $0.50 per bottle. I need to stock up so that I'll have enough to last for a while.... Most studies that claim polycarbonate is totally harmless have been criticized for ignoring or misrepresenting data the arrives at the opposite conclusion. I've been told by someone in the field that the way the human body deals with phytoestrogens from soy is totally different from how it deals with BPA. In my opinion polycarbonate it is safe as long as it isn't put in the dishwasher (and possibly the microwave). Mass hysteria is a total overstatement. Nalgene wouldn't pull the product unless there is a case. I think it is the right thing to do. There are perfectly good alternatives that serve the same function. Keep your old ones. They last a long time.

BPA was originally developed as a synthetic estrogen and then they discovered that they could polymerize it. From what I read the leaching is minimal as long as you don't put in anything too acidic and washing them in the dishwasher is really bad. I think that is why Nalgene pulled them. Studies have shown toxicity after running through the dishwasher which is something they can't control. I have no problems with the white Nalgene bottles and so far they tell me HDPE is A-OKAY. Brita filters and jugs aren't polycarbonate. Apparently running cheap vodka through a Brita 6 times makes it taste less cheap.

A 'bin bag' is a pretty crappy Darth Vader costume. I had to look up 'affray': A person is guilty of Affray if a person uses or threatens unlawful violence towards another and the person's conduct is such as would cause a person of reasonable firmness present at the scene to fear for his personal safety. I am of reasonable firmness that British legal language is batty.

Superman

Velour tracksuit + Von Dutch meshback =

It was a pod placement that I keyholed blackie in from above. It would have held a fall since it couldn't come out on its own but it was in second knuckle deep so it was hard to manipulate into the traditional camming position. Next time.

I only found one placement where a blackie could have fit but it just wasn't right. I had to use my pinky fingers to get it out.

Cheer by the Descendents: it's been so long since i've had a smile i've been down for such a long while if you could cheer me up, I could learn to love you you kiss me now and i'll turn away I think i'm still kissing yesterday if you could cheer me up, I could learn to love you so love me, and cheer me up show me you're the one who can make me happy love me, and cheer me up show me you're the one who can make me happy cheer me up, c'mon and cheer me up i don't wanna spend the rest of my days in yesterdays daydream..no.. it looked bad, but it felt good I feel my heart though you're knocking on wood if you chould cheer me up, i could learn to love you so generous, on being kind with selfishness in the back of my mind if you chould cheer me up, i could learn to love you so love me, and cheer me up show me you're the one that can make me happy so love me, and cheer me up show me you're the one that can make me happy cheer me up, c'mon and cheer me up i don't wanna spend the rest of my days in yesterdays daydream don't wanna spend the rest of my days in yesterdays promises it's been so long since i've had a smile i stayed sad for such a long while if you chould cheer me up, i could learn to love you so love me, and cheer me up show me you're theone who can make me happy love me, and cheer me up show me you're theone who can make me happy cheer me up, c'mon and cheer me up

I was expecting a picture of Salma Hayek with a hot dog.

Plants like metal. http://wiki.answers.com/Q/Does_heavy_metal_help_plants_grow

I'm going to see Les Cowboys Fringants at Festival d'Été

If blasphemy will bring back the frogs then God be damned.

It's not just this board. I've seen the same thing on RC.com and tetongravity. Climbers for Christ posted looking for instructors and the first 10 posts were pedophile jokes. I didn't even look at the Carbon Neutral Denali thread until now but putting up a nonsensical intro post doesn't help. Carbon Offset credits are very controversial so I'm not surprised by the vitriol.

I'm surprised that they've sold out. I thought the price would put people off but all over the message boards people are really excited about them. Of course people on message boards tend to be :nurds: who like that kind of stuff. They're 50% more than the next most expensive harness which is really nice as well. I'm not convinced that the increase in performance warrants the price.

I guess shock loading IS the proper term but the additional forces are typically small for anchors as shown in Long's quoted pull tests (if the rope is involved in any way). When belaying off the anchor the rope will reduce the force exerted on the remaining pieces should one piece pull. It's a top rope situation so the forces are small to begin with and dropping the person a few extra feet is no worse than a little penalty slack as far as loading the anchor. I maintain that the more important concern of extension is the displacement issue and not that of increased loading.

If you make it to Squamish look me up. I might be able to get out for a day or 2.

'Shock loading' (I hate that term) is not an issue if there is a dynamic element in the system which is why I usually attach myself to the anchor with the rope. The biggest reason to limit extension IMO is so that if one piece fails the belayer won't fall off the ledge or get pulled off balance.