Here’s a video-picture montage a friend of mine made. Yours truly is in some of the photos.
Filed under: Hiking | Tagged: Hiking, Maine | 4 Comments »
Hiking Jordan Cliffs Trail
Posted on February 1, 2010 by Michael
…is, frankly, frightening. At least there were parts that were just super-sketchy.
The trail, in Acadia National Park, looks right over Jordan Pond and the ocean once it gets up to the actual cliffs. From the pictures I was able to find, it looked like a pretty good trail: strenuous for the average day hiker, but probably relatively easy for myself and the people who went with me. Of course, winter hiking is entirely different from summer hiking.
Most of the trail could have been done more efficiently with snowshoes, but it wasn’t ridiculous until crampons were needed. Of course, only two of the three of us on this trip actually had crampons (another had some other shoe-things to help from slipping, but they weren’t designed for hiking – and they didn’t even fit over his boots, anyway). And, out of laziness and constant underestimation, I didn’t even bother putting mine on. I had some regrets once I reached the part of the trail with sharply angled rock and ice that dropped off directly down a couple hundred feet. Fortunately, I wasn’t blazing the trail (the other person without crampons took that initiative), so I had some places to put my feet after him. Regardless, it was one of the most dangerous trails I’ve crossed to date.
Since I was making sure I wouldn’t fall to a horrible death, I have no pictures of that part of the trail. But I think it’s possible to get a good idea of what it was like from these pictures.
Update: I didn’t get any pictures of that sketchy part of the trail, but my friend did.
Filed under: Hiking | Tagged: Acadia National Park, Jordan Cliffs Trail, Jordan Pond, Maine, Winter hiking | Leave a comment »
Rowsdower!
Posted on February 1, 2010 by Michael
Filed under: Humor | Tagged: Myserty Science Theater 3000, Rowsdower | Leave a comment »
Jordan Cliffs Trail
Posted on January 31, 2010 by Michael
In about 11 hours I will be hiking the Jordan Cliffs Trail in Acadia National Park. I don’t have anything substantial to say right now. I’m just pretty excited.
It looks like this but with snow.
Filed under: Hiking | Tagged: Acadia National Park, Jordan Cliffs Trail | Leave a comment »
J.D. Salinger
Posted on January 29, 2010 by Michael
It’s a rare instance that I agree with Boston radio host Howie Carr – and today is one of those instances. His website has a daily poll and he reports the results each weekday. Obviously, the conservative position wins at least 80-20 every time and Carr pretty much is always with that majority. But today was different. The question was “Is ‘Catcher in the Rye’ overrated?”. The numbers were something like 60% “yes”. Carr responded, “No. It can’t be overrated. Don’t judge the book by your high school English teacher, people!” (paraphrased).
He’s absolutely right. Catcher in the Rye is one of the greatest books ever written. Maybe it’s because it’s usually cool to say ‘That’s not cool’ about whatever happens to be really popular – especially if it’s popular for a long time – that drives people to erroneously declare the book overrated. It isn’t. It can’t be.
Personally, this book ranks at the top of my list in a close fight with Animal Farm for the number two spot (All Quiet on the Western Front is my number one). The literary world is far better off with this book than without it.
That’s why it’s so unfortunate to hear that J.D. Salinger has died at 91.
Filed under: News | Tagged: Catcher in the Rye, Howie Carr, J.D. Salinger | 5 Comments »
Cat
Posted on January 29, 2010 by Michael
Filed under: Humor | Tagged: Cats, Lolcats, Shakespeare | 2 Comments »
Thought of the day
Posted on January 28, 2010 by Michael
I suspect that not one person in the history of humanity has ever reached early adolescence and made a conscious decision about what stimuli trigger a little hormonal surge.
Filed under: Misc | Tagged: pz myers, Thought of the day | 8 Comments »
The French march on the burqa
Posted on January 28, 2010 by Michael
The French just seem to hate the burqa. A parliament report has recommended a ban of the burqa in certain circumstances.
In the end, the commission called on parliament to adopt a resolution stating that the all-encompassing veil was “contrary to the values of the republic” and proclaiming that “all of France is saying ‘no’ to the full veil”.
The National Assembly resolution would pave the way to legislation making it illegal for anyone to appear with their face covered at state-run institutions and in public transport, for reasons of security.
Women who turn up at the post office or any government building wearing the full veil would be denied services such as a work visa, residency papers or French citizenship, the report said.
It’s obvious this proposal has been inspired in part by fear of Islam, but it seems that there probably is some genuine concern for the equality of women.
I can sympathize with that concern; it’s obvious that the burqa is a tool used to tell women they are inferior. That’s it. Pat Condell goes off on this at some length. And I can sympathize with the need for national security. Where it is relevant, by all means ban the damn thing – at certain points within airports, in banks, etc. But where my sympathy for the French is entirely lost is with the rights and personal liberties of the individual. At no point should a government be allowed to intrude upon the right of any individual to dress in any sort of harmless manner. I hate the burqa as much as the next rational person, but I would hate to see it illegal for someone to freely practice her (or his) belief.
Sarkozy set the tone for the debate in June when he declared the burqa “not welcome” in France and described it as a symbol of women’s “subservience” that cannot be tolerated in a country that considers itself a human rights leader.
It is precisely that: a symbol. And should a woman be forced to wear this symbol by another person, that is a human rights violation. But if the woman chooses to wear an ugly mask, no government has the right to tell her otherwise.
Filed under: News | Tagged: Burqa, French, Sarkozy | Leave a comment »
Thought of the day
Posted on January 27, 2010 by Michael
Joe Biden has a million dollar smile.
Filed under: Misc | Tagged: Joe Biden, Thought of the day | 1 Comment »
For the Sake of Science 