What Do You Think Today?

[Skyweir]

I dont think that was EVER the POINT of climbing though it is indeed a risk. Especially if you are free climbing .. then it is more risky.

But its no different to surfing or white water rafting in its risk of death. People who climb FOR the risk imv are a danger to themselves and others.

Even with equipment fatalities can occur. The same is so of caving, abseiling or any other high risk endeavour.

[Avatar]

And you accept that as part of those activities. It's the reality of "extreme" sports. If you make a mistake, you could well die.

If you're not comfortable with that, you shouldn't be out there doing it.

Climb if you will, but remember that courage and strength are nought without prudence, and that a momentary negligence may destroy the happiness of a lifetime. Do nothing in haste; look well to each step; and from the beginning think what may be the end.

--A

[Skyweir]

Completely agree with that quote.

[peter]

All extreme activity is surely about the buzz; and without the danger the buzz simply ain't there. You don't go to a fair ground and climb onto a raised circle of sofa's for fifteen minutes of knitting. But the higher the buzz the higher the risk - and the higher the risk the higher the number that will 'fall'

I've said it before; if I were the Nepalese/Chinese Governments there would be a plexi-glass covered chair lift for a thousand people a day and a luxury theme-hotel on the summit! Then they'd make some money!

[Avatar]

Apparently, the most dangerous activity of all is BASE jumping, with 1 death every 60 jumps.

The most dangerous mountaineering activity is climbing above 6,000m in the Himalayas, with 10 deaths for every 100 climbs.

https://www.tetongravity.com/story/news ... d-activity

--A

[Skyweir]

Wow

Im not in that much of a hurry to exit stage left.

You can hasten your departure doing a whole bunch of things.

[peter]

As I noted over in the Brexit thread, President Trump has made a few interventions in the last couple of days into British politics [he is due to enjoy a State visit here in a couple of days time], firstly voicing his support for Boris Johnson in the forthcoming Conservative Party leadership election and then by suggesting that we should adopt Nigel Farage's policy of walking away from negotiations with the EU and embracing no-deal. He has expanded on this in a Sunday Times interview today in which he goes further to say that he thinks Farage and the Brexit Party should be included in any further negotiations with the EU and that, were he in the driving seat, the money we have agreed to pay the EU would be immediately withdrawn from the table in the face of us not getting what we wanted from any negotiations. Sadiq Kahn, Mayor of London has said in interview in the Observer that he is deeply unhappy with our rolling out the red-carpet for a man with Trump's record of unpalatable beliefs [blocking legislation that would outlaw rape as a tool of war, splitting up families on the Mexican boarder, banning people from countries with majority Muslim constitutions - the list goes on], and that while he recognises the importance of our relationship with the USA, he feels that Trump as a man is one we should keep a healthy distance from.

Andrew Marr at the start of his show today made a highly significant point; behind all of the pomp and ceremony that will accompany the State visit there lies a hard and brutal fact of realpolitik that we must not overlook; that come the 31st October, or at whatever point we eventually get our act together and leave the EU [assuming. that is, that we do], then we will be faced with a stark choice as a country. Do we want our country in the decades ahead, to align itself with the liberal-democracies of Europe - or do we want to forge closer ties with America, more isolationist and free-wheeling in it's approach to international relations, and less concerned with the lessons of history about where populist and crowd-pleasing agenda's can lead if things begin to go wrong. Angela Merkle has in interview this week already expressed concern at Trump's overtures to some of the continent's less .....salubrious[?].... leaders [think Orban, Putin and the like] as he attempts to build a raft of relationships that sits away from the more centrally minded, less populist based administrations of the continent.

All of this is, for some people of my generation a least, very concerning. Madelaine Allbright has warned in her book 'Fascism; a Warning' about the dangers of not recognising the slow direction of travel that can occur across continents that can lead to very bad places indeed and there are movements in Europe and the rest of the Western world that we would be well advised to watch, if not with growing alarm, then at least with wary attention as to where they might be headed. Is this simply alarmist talk? Very much I hope so, but I fear that the beast of populism once freed, will not be easily caged again. Throw into the mix an American President who positively thrives in the element of confrontation and disruption and God knows where it could end. And think about it; anything that could get Sadiq Kahn and Madeline Allbright singing off the same hym sheet has got to be taken seriously!

[Skyweir]

I completely agree Pete.

First Trump has no say in Brexit negotiations with the EU that is highly irregular and inappropriate imv. Second his recommendation of Johnson consolidates my view that Johnson is a poor choice for PM. Ive always considered him a bumbling idiot and this cinches the deal for me.

Third, Albrights views are bang on ... populism IS concerning and it is evidenced in its recent global growth.

Yes do you align yourself WITH populist US government or the more moderate EU. I know where my preferences lie wish you all well at this continuing difficult juncture.

[peter]

( I'm guessing you and me both know where our hearts sit on this one Sky......but we might be in a minority!)

I'm a paid up member of the ABC Club. That's Anyone But Conservative for the record. They have single handedly orchestrated the greatest social and political damage that this country has been subjected to in decades if not centuries. They have driven a wedge between the people that will take further decades to heal, damaged our democratic constitution possibly beyond repair and jeopardized the future economic prospects of generations to come in a risk fraught gamble the outcome of which only the wildest of early dawn punters would hazard a spin on. Had they been a subversive underground cell of fanatical ideologues, they could not have wrought more havoc on our national lives and general security; to have done this while entrusted with the responsibility of Office, from the position of governing in the nation's interest - it is almost inconceivable........ You would not believe it were it not unfolding before your very eyes. And for this, they must be made to pay. No price but their very existence is too high for what they have done. There must be no coming back, no slithering return to the old days of 'business as usual', snouts to the trough, on which they have fed so well, so long, at the rest of our expense. So my message is this; when the time comes, get out and vote. Vote Labour....Vote Lib-Dem.....Vote Green (hell - Vote Monster Raving Looney!).......but Vote ABC!

[Skyweir]

Im a tad confused YOU are a member of this political persuasion you say has damaged the nation.

So you saying that a non conservative club is responsible? Yet you recommend voting for liberal and conservative parties?

I might be tired .. but am not fully following you.

[peter]

In the UK The I newspaper has a high cachet as an honest independent daily, disseminating important news as opposed to the celebrity and TV show crap that passes for news in the other low price dalies.

Last week, following the joint press conference of Trump and May with journalists it ran the headline Trump demands access to NHS as price of American trade deal. Now this simply wasn't true. Trump, questioned by a journalist as to whether he wanted access to the NHS in any future trade negotiations, said quite plainly that he expected that the NHS, along with everything else, would be on the table in any such talks. He most definitely did not make any deals dependent upon inclusion of the much loved British institution.

This kind of skewing of the news is getting more and more prevalent in our society, to the point where if you don't actually hear the words coming out of a politicians mouth, you simply can't believe the rendering of what you are told in any subsequent news story purporting to report on those words, no matter how reputable the organ or program you hear it on. I regularly listen to the current affairs shows on a Sunday, a place where UK politicians often use their air time to unveil ideas or intentions they may have, in the arena of the studio interview. Later in the day I hear the reports on the radio of those same interviews and the skewing of meaning or emphasis engaged in the presentation of those reports is such as to completely distort the intended message of the politician upon whose words are being reported. This practice, carried out for what intention I'm not sure (is it the unseen hand of powerful influencers who seek to cast the speaker in a false light; is it the program controllers or editors desire to increase listening figures or sales by delivering sensationalised news (sexed up, in the words of the notorious dossier compilers)...... I don't know), but I am sure it is an undemocratic and irresponsible practice that deserves contempt from all who become aware of it.

Be Warned! Don't believe second hand reports; for the truth go to the actual interviews themselves and discount any reports in which you cannot do so as unsubstantiated! This is the world we live in - one of misinformation, manipulation and half-truths!

On a lighter note the weekends revelations about the drug related indiscretions of any number of the Tory Party leadership candidates is providing a rich source of potential humour. Plays along the "it gives a whole new meaning to the three line whip" route abound, and one labour politician said that as he'd never taken any drugs, he didn't think he would qualify to be a Tory Party leadership candidate, even were he a member of the Party.

To date we've had Gove snorting a few lines on several occasions, Angela Ledsome smoking cannabis at university, Boris sneezing clouds of coke all over the room, and Jeremy Hunt doing hash lassi's in India. But the prize has got to go to Rory Stewart who out bad's them all toking away on an opium pipe in an Iranian bun-fight while over there (on Government business?). That man is bad! He gets my vote any day of the week!

[Skyweir]

Fair point Pete .. Trump did actually say that he wanted access to the NHS and has since back tracked on that. Which is a good thing I think for the NHS imv.

[Vraith]

On a lighter note the weekends revelations about the drug related indiscretions of any number of

Certainly more amusing and less troubling than when Maggie and many others were pretending to be the Catholic Church and covering up for pedophiles.

[Skyweir]

[Skyweir]

For the past hour there has been screeching, screaming, howling and god awful fearful crying as a Cockatoo tries desperately to ward off a Kookaburra that is intent on her eggs

Its just awful .. I cant help her coz shes at least a 100 metres up at the top of a pine tree... it is gut wrenching .. I soo hope some other cockatoo comes to help here. I think shes getting hoarse and very tired. Which the Kook is counting on.

He moves ever closer to her and her nest .. if I had a BB gun Id pop off a shot to scare the kook away. Just horrendous but nature

We have two extremely energetic doggos in care atm that totally destroyed my office ripped apart my day bed which is now in countless pieces all because they saw my kitty Dora who ran to escape them in there. Turns out they dont like anything thats not one of them

All this happened in a matter of seconds. Luckily Trev retrieves the cat in tact and unharmed.

Normally Id be way more concerned about the dog in such an altercation but in this instance it was very much Dora who could have been seriously hurt.

So now we are all outside Apparently they are chill at night

[peter]

I'd kennel a dog that was a threat to my cat if I were you Sky. It simply won't be possible to guarantee they won't get together in any other way. Do you have a good secure kennel for fallback in such circumstances?

Hi V! Don't remember the particular instance of Maggi covering up for child abusers, but it wouldn't surprise me: the era seemed to be a hotbed of such activities to which a blind eye was turned by all and sundry. Shame on them!

[Skyweir]

We have quarantined the kitties

My little fur babies have no interest in these dogs. They are just the best kitties. We have many animals and many that we take in through our home .. and the cats always are totally chill.

They did not appreciate being harassed by these new dogs.

We will miss all hanging out together till Friday night when these doggos go home. Really most of the dogs weve cared for are ok with the cats .. these girls, not at all. sigh.

[peter]

The new definition of irony [for those who remember the ConAir one from the film].

Jo Brand being defended in The Mail by Richard Littlejohn in respect of her recent acid-throwing 'joke' about Nigel Farage! Who'd ever have thought to see it!

[Skyweir]

[peter]

Human nature; yesterday in the shop we did a charity raising event for Marie Curie, an organisation that provides care for the terminally ill. Customers baked cakes for people to slice of a piece and donate as they saw fit. Some donated five pounds plus and didn't even sample the cake - others helped themselves liberally and gave pence (one lady cut of a quarter of a large cream sponge, put 30p -about a quarter of a dollar - into the pot and then asked me to wrap it so she could take it home). Thus is the world divided into givers and takers.