mikeadam

You tell em Don! I knew there was a reason I liked climbing with you even if you are afraid of me...

Conventional parity was roughly discarded when it was battlefield proven that an M2 Bradley w/ 25MM firing depleted uranium rounds could knock out a T-80 MBT at 3000 meters. Previous to that all odds and NATO wargaming scenarios had shown that the Russians supported by East Germany would punch through the Fulda Gap and be in France before the end of the week. The life expectancy of the average US ground troop assigned to 3rd ID was just over 3 minutes with 19K (M1) assigned individuals being ascertained as .03% survivability and A.L.E. of 30-45 seconds... Tactical nuclear parity was in favor of the Soviets and Pershing was obsolete by the 80's... The Soviets would have crushed Western Europe and they all would be drinking Borsht right now...

Yeah well I'm not narrow minded enough to consider the whole culture defunct there tough guy. I am talking about some specific objectives without the veil being pulled over my eyes about just who and what religions are propagating a limited war. Call a spade a spade.

Oh c'mon man! I for one am sick and fucking tired of the political correct leftside being shoved down my throat in the name of human rights. What about some of the other sides right to not believe that every little bleeding heart issue needs to be taken seriously when a much larger question exists? Do you think some of these extremists are worried about the verbiage they use when they refer to us? I think they are calling us "Meat sacks" right now.

Furthermore, in case you had forgotten the Soviets had achieved roughly military parity with the western world and it was surmised that they would and could easily roll over Western Europe in 14 days. Ground combat in Afghanistan using subterfuge was superior to mass death of Euro and US combat elements...

DFA, OK smart guy let's see what you know. The Afghan situation was created by a previous generations political neccessity. Several DEA, FBI, State department heads went to Peshwar and onto Northern Afghanistan to investigate the possibility of funding the Afghan Jihad by releasing the sale of Opium (Heroin) related products into the Western World to buy guns to train and fund Muslim recruits. Many nations were involved in this and it was fully endorsed by the heads of our government during the early 80's. At the time it was perceived that the Cold War could be ended and the Soviet Union defeated using this policy. Did it achieve this end? Adamson

In case you haven't checked your history books this situation has existed since pre medieval times. They scream Jihad, we'll echo Crusade. We have the BFG's now and they don't. They should bow before us once and for all before we get pissed off.

DFA, If you disagree with killing people than you should be taking the tack that ramming hijacked US aircraft into the Twin Towers by a bunch of politically minded MUSLIM individuals is clearly the act that should be denigrated and not be pointing the finger at a government you claim is being motivated by corporate dollars. You are sounding faintly like a seditionist. Seditionists will be dealt with if it comes to that.

Matt, I would completely disagree with you that the policies we put into effect via the medium of the Afghan war did not have a crippling effect on the Soviet Union both in terms of financial but more importantly the way the Soviet people began to resist the forces of their own government. The war in Afghanistan was a direct link to the downfall of the Soviets and eventually the end of the cold war. Yes, the economics of it all were staggerring on the Soviets and it wasn't their wanton desire for 501 jeans that brought down the Berlin wall. It was the might of the Afghan freedom fighter that punished the Soviets will to resist. Artyom Borovik writes about this extensively in the "Hidden War" as well as numerous declassified state department documents and subsequent journalistic treatises by persons more intimate with it than your opinion. Dr whatever your name is....I extended that bit of info so that we could have a debate. Something you don't really seem capable of because you are firing blanks. I extended that so that you could see the extent the US was willing to go to in order to destabilize the Soviets. [ 08-02-2002, 03:58 PM: Message edited by: mikeadam ]

Sk, Yes, that would be a fair, but partly naive assumption.

I've thought about it MORE than you ever will from the safety of your office dimwit. I thought about it while I froze my ass off in the mud, thought about it while I sweated my ass off in the desert, thought about it many times when I had to put my ass on the line. Mostly I just thought about all your kids and someday mine growing up in a safe neighborhood where some Shiite raghead wasn't going to walk into Bellevue Square, proclaim himself a visionary of *God*, and turn everyone into hamburger. Facing the reality of a situation firsthand is far more valuable than speculating behind a veil of safety provided by myself and others who served. You're welcome by the way. Now please remove yourself for morning prayer call....

It's a volunteer system so don't try to win any points with me. I enjoyed being a stormtrooper for the government. I would do it again. We had a prayer at night we used to say collectively as a unit. "Dear God please have war, AMEN"

Perhaps some of you would rather see the Muslim/3rd world hordes descend on your hometown? Some of you people make me wonder why the hell I ever served to protect your overly liberalized civil liberties. If I serve again it's going to be in the Reagan Youth Gestapo, and I will be knocking down your front door. Pick a side asswipes...or move away PLEASE!

Chuck you need to quiet down...you KNOW what I mean...

Most people adapt to the alpine turn quicker than the tele turn. Randonee gear is universally accepted as more efficient in the alpine environment, but ultimately it boils down to the individuals preferences and skill. I advocate neither and say only to personally try both first.

I have now replaced all my sponsorship logos with duct tape and black permanent marker reading "West Pole Brand". My new and favorite sponsor is the "Shaq Pack..." and "West Pole Brand"

Bummer.... Anyway, I would like to point out that sometimes a really cool way to approach climbing is just to figure out something you want to do, look at a map, and then just go there. Figure it out yourself. Makes for a really cool adventure which is not directly related to route ticking, but proceeds the pitfalls of relying on erroneous beta, misinformed beta, the impassable bergshrund, etc...I've often thrutched through dense forests while REI crowds swarmed by on trails not more than a quarter mile away. There is something to say for taking the road less travelled away from the signposts of progress. In the end you can say you did it all on your own and the real bonus is that you get to jungle death march, wade hostile streams, slip and slide on logs, battle bugs, pull on loose unclean rock...the adventure starts in your own mind instead of in a book through the eyes of someone else. There are other places outside of the boundaries of crowded classics and guide book hype. Sure, you'll flail alot, but it will make you stronger...like the old guys back in the day. The true hardmen...content with simply being out there...

For what it's worth...out of all the people I have ever met or climbed with M.M.(retro) is the guy I think I would be least likely to start static with... [ 07-05-2002, 12:25 PM: Message edited by: mikeadam ]

quote: Originally posted by MountainBetty: "I hoped it might mention the work done by so many. Leland Windham for his wonderful and worthy routes. Lucky, from the westside for his beta sheets and area maintenance." You mean Camazonia and Smoky McPot.

I am a member of the post Vietnam...pre Gen X generation...I embrace both. I like the Doors...I like Blink 182. I prefer to think of us as the "Reagan Youth" or "Rambo" generation. Post fall of Saigon, we were infused with a great sense of needing to travel to foreign countries, meet exotic and interesting people, and kill them. It was our honor to avenge our Vietnam era brothers frustrated angst and denounce Vietnam infused Hippy bullshit.

quote: Originally posted by robertm: Adamson, this guy should get this months chestbeater award. http://www.alpinelite.com/chest_Beater_of_the_month.htm

The cube is pretty hardcore Caveman...Did you send that? On Toprope?

I drilled a bolt hole once using a hand drill and a piton hammer (Cause I'm hardcore). It was a good workout (sort of like ditch digging). I drilled it all sideways and found out I totally screwed it up (Cause I am so suck). I decided to never drill bolts ever again after that...

The TooF is a fine alpine climb requiring little more than a desire for the budding alpinist to get up off the couch and go pull on the holds. I admired it's graceful ectomporphic form from a distance this weekend. It was a topic of conversation for about 1 nanosecond... For recent speed records I would make inquiries to Dan Smith (posts here) and or Jens Klubberud (posts here) for quick times in both winter and summer. Probably some guy climbed it in 1932 in 12 minutes in tricouni nails or something and then walked back to Seattle afterwards in time for dinner!

You are absolutely right! Kicking steps in dUrt is much more entertaining than kicking steps in snow. Although steep exposed heather...BAD!