Stop Changing the Argument.

[Squid]

[chirp]

 

[olyclimber]

How to win an arguement

 

Simply follow these rules:

 

* Drink Liquor. (JD)

 

Suppose you're at a party and some hotshot intellectual is expounding on

the economy of Peru, a subject you know nothing about. If you're drinking

some health-fanatic drink like grapefruit juice, you'll hang back, afraid

to display your ignorance, while the hotshot enthralls your date. But if

you drink several large shots of Jack Daniels, you'll discover you have

STRONG VIEWS about the Peruvian economy. You'll be a WEALTH of information.

You'll argue forcefully, offering searing insights and possibly upsetting

furniture. People will be impressed. Some may leave the room.

 

* Make things up.

 

Suppose, in the Peruvian economy argument, you are trying to prove Peruvians

are underpaid, a position you base solely on the fact that YOU are

underpaid, and you're damned if you're going to let a bunch of Peruvians be

better off. DON'T say: "I think Peruvians are underpaid." Say: "The

average Peruvian's salary in 1981 dollars adjusted for the revised tax base

is $1,452.81 per annum, which is $836.07 before the mean gross poverty

level."

 

NOTE: Always make up exact figures.

 

If an opponent asks you where you got your information, make THAT up, too.

Say: "This information comes from Dr. Hovel T. Moon's study for the Buford

Commission published May 9, 1982. Didn't you read it?" Say this in the same

tone of voice you would use to say "You left your soiled underwear in my

bath house."

 

* Use meaningless but weightly-sounding words and phrases.

 

Memorize this list:

 

Let me put it this way

In terms of

Vis-a-vis

Per se

As it were

Qua

So to speak

well, any-who

 

You should also memorize some Latin abbreviations such as "Q.E.D.,"

"e.g.," and "i.e." These are all short for "I speak Latin, and you

do not."

 

Here's how to use these words and phrases. Suppose you want to say:

 

"Peruvians would like to order appetizers more often, but they don't

have enough money."

 

You never win arguments talking like that. But you WILL win if you say:

"Let me put it this way. In terms of appetizers vis-a-vis Peruvians qua

Peruvians, they would like to order them more often, so to speak, but they

do not have enough money per se, as it were. Q.E.D."

 

Only a fool would challenge that statement.

 

* Use snappy and irrelevant comebacks.

 

You need an arsenal of all-purpose irrelevent phrases to fire back at your

opponents when they make valid points. The best are:

 

You're begging the question.

You're being defensive.

Don't compare apples and oranges.

What are your parameters?

 

This last one is especially valuable. Nobody, other than mathematicians,

has the vaguest idea what "parameters" means.

 

Here's how to use your comebacks:

 

You say As Abraham Lincoln said in 1873...

Your opponents says Lincoln died in 1865.

You say You're begging the question.

 

OR

 

You say Liberians, like most Asians...

Your opponents says Liberia is in Africa.

You say You're being defensive.

 

 

* Compare your opponent to Adolf Hitler.

 

This is your heavy artillery, for when your opponent is obviously right and

you are spectacularly wrong. Bring Hitler up subtly. Say: "That sounds

suspiciously like something Adolf Hitler might say" or "You certainly do

remind me of Adolf Hitler."

 

You now know how to out-argue anybody. Do not try to pull any of this on

people who generally carry weapons.

 

Pure Genius.

[glacier]

"The new Honda and Suzuki twins will, without question, put a smile on your face, no matter which one you pick. They've got such an amazing amount of torque right from idle, it takes a lot of self-control (and practice) to keep the front wheel down. That goes double for the TL, which is simply a brute with no manners. It needs to get some, though, in order to compete with the SuperHawk for best street bike. The TL has an awkward riding position, reminiscent of a GSX-R, that makes you feel like you're riding right over the front tire.

 

The Honda, on the other hand, goes through corners with a very neutral, lightweight feel, albeit not quite as quickly as the TL can, but so what? You shouldn't be going that fast on the street anyway. Not really flickable, but easy to point in the right direction, with a comfortable seating position to boot. Add to that a beautiful look, and the choice becomes that much easier to make: The Honda will treat you with some manners, and deliver your day's riding in style."

[Squid]

Hi everybody,

Long time lurker, first time poster. I'm just getting into trad climbing... what kind of rack should I get?

 

Thanks!

 

p.s. One more thing. Do ya'll think "Godzilla" at Index is 5.9 or 10a?

 

 

Sorry to keep things on topic, but after losing my Black Diamond Bullet pack (containing my fav Patagonia R2 jacket) on the North Buttress Direct of Bear Mountain the other day, I was thinking about, you know, gear 'n stuff. I asked around and got this response:

 

Hey,

 

When I was having sex with death on Nanga Parbat, my rack consisted of a bunch of stuff I found in a pack left by dead Japanese climbers. I think about those dead guys and wonder if it was all worth it. But fuck 'em, they were just a bunch of posers anyway.

 

Mark

 

So there you go. If you'd like any photos or beta on Godzilla, just drop me a PM!

 

 

Great! Thanks for all the beta, just a few quick questions:

 

1. How many pins does Godzilla take?

2. Lost Arrows or knifeblades?

3. All the tape has fallen off the route, will someone please re-tape it?