hafilax

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.

Arc'teryx R320 is $123 at MEC. I need a new harness and if they truly are good enough to warrant the price I will consider one. So far I've heard that they don't breath well and that the Petzl Corax II is more comfortable. I'll just have to try them out. The gear loops are cool with the reversible former.

A lower price.

The equalette can be just as quick or quicker than the cordelette method with a fixed tie in point. You leave the limiting knots tied and clove hitch to each piece. It's not much different from clove hitching with the rope. Instead of messing with getting the center knot in the right place you adjust a few clove hitches. The advantage is that it actually achieves some equalization unlike the fixed point anchor which has been shown in pull tests to not equalize at all (unless every arm is the exact same length). Try it out, you might like it. It's one more trick and may save your life with a dicey anchor where equalization is important. Long's pull tests showed it to be far superior in strength to the traditional cordelette and rope anchors which essentially load one piece at a time. Tie two limiting knots in your cordelette et voila, une equalette! As for upward pull pieces, it seems to me that it would be a good idea to provide quite a bit of slack so that you can give the leader a soft catch therefore lowering the force on his pro? Just enough so you don't pull the anchor up.

I think you had the right idea with the anchors. The key to anchors is to have a large bag of tricks since each one is unique (unless they're all bolted). I do everything from sliding X's, to conventional cordelette and equalette depending on what's presented. The most important points really are good gear and not taking a factor 2 fall. 1st anchor: It looks like almost all of the force would hit the piece on the right so it had better be the best one! Make sure that block it's sitting behind isn't detached. The forces on the other two down pieces would be somewhat outward until the right one blows. If you lengthen the arms to the pieces on the left it would lower the tie in point and share the load a little better. 2nd anchor: Again most of the force would hit the piece on the right and the angle of the tie in of the higher pieces could be made more acute. You'd have to shorten the arm to the right piece and lengthen the ones on the left. I'm assuming the limiting knots are pre-tied. You may have better success if you tie them a little closer together. It's easy to get them centered and it's more important to keep the angles small. With the equalette remember that with 3 pieces, the side with 1 piece will take about half the load so it had better be good. The other 2 share the other half of the load. An upward pull piece isn't needed every time so build it in when necessary. You can always add an up piece before the leader takes off if it looks like you'll need it. It's low on the priority list for bringing up a second. I think the equalette works better with 2 biners clipped to the loops instead of sliding X's. The X has high friction under load defeating the equalization advantage.

Don't people usually butcher old neoprene wetsuits for that duty?