Be who you are and say what you feel because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind. ~ Dr Seuss

(Two)face(d)book - A flawed business model

"This may seem like a bad way to treat customers, but the whole point about Facebook is that users aren’t customers. Anyone who supposes that Facebook’s users are its customer has got the business model precisely backwards. Users pay nothing, because we aren’t customers, but product. The customers are the advertisers to whom Facebook sells the information users hand over, knowingly or not." ~Andrew Brown. The nut graf

WTF?

Failbook.com - comic releef, releaf, reflief

see more

Lady, people aren't chocolates. Do you know what they are mostly? Bastards. Bastard-coated bastards with bastard fillings. But I don't find them half as annoying as I find naive bubble-headed optimists who walk around vomiting sunshine. ~Dr. Cox: Scrubs

Order yours today!

My Review of High Sierra Rolling Duffel Bag - 36" Drop Bottom

Originally submitted at Sierra Trading Post

Closeouts . What separates High Sierra's rolling duffel bag from the pack is its ingenious use of space—and lots of it. This 36" drop bottom duffel features straps for last-minute lash-ons and generous, end-pocket-accessible stuff sacks for laundry. Haul and carry handles Removable padd...

High Sierra Rolling Duffel Bag - 36" Drop Bottom

A wheeled trunk for all of your gear!

By sherpasd from Escondido, CA on 1/5/2010

 

4out of 5

Pros: Good Zippers, Large Capacity, Durable, Easy to Transport

Cons: Really Big

Best Uses: Camping, Extended Travel, Airline Travel, Weekend Trips, Gear for the week

Describe Yourself: Avid Adventurer

What Is Your Gear Style: Minimalist

I'm using this bag as a trunk in the back of my SUV. It works awesome for keeping all of my cycling & hiking gear ready for instant assault in the back of my vehicle. Very spacious, room for everything I need at a moments notice.

I doubt I will try to bring this onto a commercial airliner. It would take security a week to comb through all of it's open spaces! The fact that is splits in half could make it valuable to a traveler with more than 50lbs trying to board a plane...?

Bottom line... A great deal for a great big bag with wheels and pack straps attached. Might make a great world traveler bag. Just make sure you have a hired a Sherpa or two at your destination.

(legalese)

My Review of Black Diamond Equipment Garbage Bag

Sierra Trading Post

Closeouts . The Garbage bag from Black Diamond Equipment holds all your gear when you’re on your way to the rock face, the campground or the gym. Rugged polyethylene material resists water, abrasion, and general wear and tear. A great all-purpose haul bag for any activity Rugged polyethylene con...

Black Diamond Equipment Garbage Bag

For use with only your finest garbage!

Sherpa Escondido, CA 8/17/2009

 

5 5

Describe Yourself: Casual/ Recreational

This was a great find. I'm kind of a connoisseur of anything related to baggage. This is a fun, fashionable and highly functional bag. I bought 6 of them to hand out to friends. Bring it to the local market place and be ready to field questions such as... Where did you get that? That's cool! Do you think they still have some?

It's Black Diamond! Can you really go wrong with anything they produce? Pick one if they're still available. I might have to get some more for Christmas gifts.

()

Adrenaline

wingsuit base jumping from Ali on Vimeo.

The past does not repeat itself, but sometimes it rhymes.
– Mark Twain

Yep.

Thanks Brian...

In the midst of a new biz-venture. My horoscope for the month.

On the 1st, your coworkers are getting teary. They're getting all choked up. They might be getting angry. They might be getting furious. They're probably taking out their aggression on all kinds of innocent bystanders. One of these innocent bystanders could be you. Luckily, you're cool as a cucumber, and you assess this situation with a refreshingly unemotional clarity. You'll put everything to rights before anybody blows their top. And if they blow their top anyway, steer clear of them and don't pay their outburst any attention. On the 5th, you're at risk of overreacting emotionally when your boss ticks you off. Try not to! The 11th and 12th are emotionally in-tune days, when you make some very exciting new work plans. On the 17th, spend the day figuring out how to put things right at home. It'll clear up some emotional room for you to do better work. On the 21st, don't be too hard on yourself if you can't decide between a double caramel latte or a shot of espresso. Some days are tough for big choices! On the 24th, don't gossip too much. On the 28th and 29th, keep your eye on the money. It'll lead you exactly where you need to go!

I'll let you know if this becomes the prophecy it's set out to be! Exciting times none-the-less...

“There is a pleasure in the pathless woods;

There is a rapture on the lonely shore;

There is society, where none intrudes,

By the deep sea, and music in its roar:

I love man none the less, but Nature more…”
-Lord Byron

Cartograms of the social and economic world

Here's a group of cartograms that give visual reference to the world's social and economic data, by charting this information to the size of each country one can see visual cues as to who is doing what around the world.

Click on the map for a more detailed analysis.

Frozen in Grand Central Station

Quote of the day...

If evolution is outlawed, only outlaws will evolve.

Take a stand - Our freedoms are being threatened again!

The 29er is so yesterday… I present to you the “Yarder”, 36” of big rolling fun.

So much for the 650b gaining any momentum...?

How free are we?

New York Times 2/13/2008
WASHINGTON — After more than a year of wrangling, the Senate handed the White House a major victory on Tuesday by voting to broaden the government’s spy powers and to give legal protection to phone companies that cooperated in President Bush’s program of eavesdropping without warrants.

One by one, the Senate rejected amendments that would have imposed greater civil liberties checks on the government’s surveillance powers. Finally, the Senate voted 68 to 29 to approve legislation that the White House had been pushing for months. Mr. Bush hailed the vote and urged the House to move quickly in following the Senate’s lead.

The outcome in the Senate amounted, in effect, to a broader proxy vote in support of Mr. Bush’s wiretapping program. The wide-ranging debate before the final vote presaged discussion that will play out this year in the presidential and Congressional elections on other issues testing the president’s wartime authority, including secret detentions, torture and Iraq war financing.

Republicans hailed the reworking of the surveillance law as essential to protecting national security, but some Democrats and many liberal advocacy groups saw the outcome as another example of the Democrats’ fears of being branded weak on terrorism.

“Some people around here get cold feet when threatened by the administration,” said Senator Patrick J. Leahy, the Vermont Democrat who leads the Judiciary Committee and who had unsuccessfully pushed a much more restrictive set of surveillance measures.

Among the presidential contenders, Senator John McCain, Republican of Arizona, voted in favor of the final measure, while the two Democrats, Senator Barack Obama of Illinois and Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton of New York, did not vote. Mr. Obama did oppose immunity on a key earlier motion to end debate. Mrs. Clinton, campaigning in Texas, issued a statement saying she would have voted to oppose the final measure.

The measure extends, for at least six years, many of the broad new surveillance powers that Congress hastily approved last August just before its summer recess. Intelligence officials said court rulings had left dangerous gaps in their ability to intercept terrorist communications.

The bill, which had the strong backing of the White House, allows the government to eavesdrop on large bundles of foreign-based communications on its own authority so long as Americans are not the targets. A secret intelligence court, which traditionally has issued individual warrants before wiretapping began, would review the procedures set up by the executive branch only after the fact to determine whether there were abuses involving Americans.

“This is a dramatic restructuring” of surveillance law, said Michael Sussmann, a former Justice Department intelligence lawyer who represents several telecommunication companies. “And the thing that’s so dramatic about this is that you’ve removed the court review. There may be some checks after the fact, but the administration is picking the targets.”

The Senate plan also adds one provision considered critical by the White House: shielding phone companies from any legal liability for their roles in the eavesdropping program approved by Mr. Bush after the Sept. 11 attacks. The program allowed the National Security Agency to eavesdrop without warrants on the international communications of Americans suspected of having ties to Al Qaeda.

AT&T and other major phone companies are facing some 40 lawsuits from customers who claim their actions were illegal. The Bush administration maintains that if the suits are allowed to continue in court, they could bankrupt the companies and discourage them from cooperating in future intelligence operations.

The House approved a surveillance bill in November that intentionally left out immunity for the phone companies, and leaders from the two chambers will now have to find a way to work out significant differences between their two bills.

Democratic opponents, led by Senators Russ Feingold of Wisconsin and Christopher J. Dodd of Connecticut, argued that the plan effectively rewarded phone companies by providing them with legal insulation for actions that violated longstanding law and their own privacy obligations to their customers. But immunity supporters said the phone carriers acted out of patriotism after the Sept. 11 attacks in complying with what they believed in good faith was a legally binding order from the president.

“This, I believe, is the right way to go for the security of the nation,” said Senator John D. Rockefeller, the West Virginia Democrat who leads the intelligence committee. His support for the plan, after intense negotiations with the White House and his Republican colleagues, was considered critical to its passage but drew criticism from civil liberties groups because of $42,000 in contributions that Mr. Rockefeller received last year from AT&T and Verizon executives.

Senator Olympia J. Snowe, a Maine Republican on the intelligence panel, said the bill struck the right balance between protecting the rights of Americans and protecting the country “from terrorism and other foreign threats.”

Democratic opponents, who six months ago vowed to undo the results of the August surveillance vote, said they were deeply disappointed by the defection of 19 Democrats who backed the bill.

Mr. Dodd, who spoke on the floor for more than 20 hours in recent weeks in an effort to stall the bill, said future generations would view the vote as a test of whether the country heeds “the rule of law or the rule of men.”

But with Democrats splintered, Mr. Dodd acknowledged that the national security argument had won the day. “Unfortunately, those who are advocating this notion that you have to give up liberties to be more secure are apparently prevailing,” he said. “They’re convincing people that we’re at risk either politically, or at risk as a nation.”

There was a measure of frustration in the voice of Harry Reid, the Senate majority leader, as he told reporters during a break in the daylong debate, “Holding all the Democrats together on this, we’ve learned a long time ago, is not something that’s doable.”

Senate Republicans predict that they will be able to persuade the House to include immunity in the final bill, especially now that the White House has agreed to give House lawmakers access to internal documents on the wiretapping program. But House Democrats vowed Tuesday to continue opposing immunity.

Congress faces a Saturday deadline for extending the current law, but Democrats want to extend the deadline for two weeks to allow more time for talks. The White House has said it opposes a further extension.

Meanwhile, Senate Democrats hope to put some pressure on Republicans on Wednesday over another security-related issue by bringing up an intelligence measure that would apply Army field manual prohibitions against torture to civilian agencies like the Central Intelligence Agency.

Republicans plan to try to eliminate that provision, a vote that Democrats say will force Republicans to declare whether they condone torture. Democrats also say it could show the gap between Mr. McCain, who has opposed torture, and the administration on the issue.

“We know how we would feel if a member of the armed services captured by the enemy were, for example, waterboarded,” Mr. Reid said. “So I think that we’re headed in the right direction, and I hope that we’ll get Republican support on this.”

Carl Hulse contributed reporting from Washington.

Gotta ride!

So you thought humans couldn't fly...? Yeah right

Check this shit out.

One of the best legal disclaimers ever!

WARNING

Nature is unpredictable and unsafe. Mountains are dangerous. Many books have been written about these dangers, and there's no way we can list them all here. Read the books. Nelson Rocks Preserve is covered in steep terrain with loose, slippery and unstable footing. The weather can make matters worse. Sheer drops are everywhere. You may fall, be injured or die. There are hidden holes. You could break your leg. There are wild animals, which may be vicious, poisonous or carriers of dread diseases. These include poisonous snakes and insects. Plants can be poisonous as well. We don't do anything to protect you from any of this. We do not inspect, supervise or maintain the grounds, rocks, cliffs or other features, natural or otherwise. Real dangers are present even on trails. Trails are not sidewalks. They can be, and are, steep, slippery and dangerous. Trail features made or enhanced by humans, such as steps, walls and railings (if any) can break, collapse, or otherwise fail catastrophically at any time. We don't promise to inspect, supervise or maintain them in any way. They may be negligently constructed or repaired. They are unsafe, period. Live with it or stay away. Stay on the trails whenever possible. The terrain, in addition to being dangerous, is surprisingly complex. You may get lost. Carry food, water and first aid supplies at all times. Rocks and other objects can fall from the cliffs. They can tumble down slopes. This can happen naturally, or be caused by people above you, such as climbers. Rocks of all sizes, including huge boulders, can shift, move or fall with no warning. Use of helmets (available at entrance station) is advised for anyone approaching the rock formations. They won't save you if you get hit by something big or on another part of your body. A whole rock formation might collapse on you and squash you like a bug. Don't think it can't happen. Weather can be dangerous, regardless of the forecast. Be prepared with extra clothing, including rain gear. Hypothermia, heat stroke, lightning, ice and snow, etc. can kill you. Rain can turn easy terrain into a deathtrap. If you scramble in high places (scrambling is moving over terrain steep enough to use your hands) without proper experience, training and equipment, or allow children to do so, you are making a terrible mistake. Even if you know what you're doing, lots of things can go wrong and you may be injured or die. It happens all the time. The Preserve does not provide rangers or security personnel. The other people in the preserve, including other visitors, our employees, agents, and guests, and anyone else who might sneak in, may be stupid, reckless, or otherwise dangerous. They may be mentally ill, criminally insane, drunk, using illegal drugs and/or armed with deadly weapons and ready to use them. We aren't necessarily going to do anything about it. We refuse to take responsibility. If you climb, you may die or be seriously injured. This is true whether you are experienced or not, trained or not, equipped or not, though training and equipment may help. It's a fact, climbing is extremely dangerous. If you don't like it, stay at home. You really shouldn't be doing it anyway. We do not provide supervision or instruction. We are not responsible for, and do not inspect or maintain, climbing anchors (including bolts, pitons, slings, trees, etc.) As far as we know, any of them can and will fail and send you plunging to your death. There are countless tons of loose rock ready to be dislodged and fall on you or someone else. There are any number of extremely and unusually dangerous conditions existing on and around the rocks, and elsewhere on the property. We may or may not know about any specific hazard, but even if we do, don't expect us to try to warn you. You're on your own. Rescue services are not provided by the Preserve, and may not be available quickly or at all. Local rescue squads may not be equipped for or trained in mountain rescue. If you are lucky enough to have somebody try to rescue you or treat your injuries, they may be incompetent or worse. This includes doctors and hospitals. We assume no responsibility. Also, if you decide to participate in a rescue of some other unfortunate, that's your choice. Don't do it unless you are willing to assume all risks. By entering the Preserve, you are agreeing that we owe you no duty of care or any other duty. We promise you nothing. We do not and will not even try to keep the premises safe for any purpose. The premises are not safe for any purpose. This is no joke. We won't even try to warn you about any dangerous or hazardous condition, whether we know about it or not. If we do decide to warn you about something, that doesn't mean we will try to warn you about anything else. If we do make an effort to fix an unsafe condition, we may not try to correct any others, and we may make matters worse! We and our employees or agents may do things that are unwise and dangerous. Sorry, we're not responsible. We may give you bad advice. Don't listen to us. In short, ENTER AND USE THE PRESERVE AT YOUR OWN RISK. And have fun! NRP Management

bike 29

It's always cool when you see good friends of yours launch a business in a fun & adventurous activity; like riding mountainbikes in an amazing locale that is Vermont.

George has introduced Vermont; as well as other regions of the country; to the benefits of riding 29" wheeled bikes.

Bike29 is doing well, the bike industry as a whole has seen a resurgence in interest. The sport seems to morph into new avenues of vision and direction. This allows folks to carve out a living doing what they love to do. Not to mention ride some of the most amazing bicycles coming from a thriving community of bike enthusiast.

Checkout the travels and experiences of the 29 revolution via Bike29's Blog.

Buff Headwear

Popular for nearly a decade in Europe and now distributed in 22 countries, Buff(R) Headwear expanded its U.S. distribution network in early 2003 by establishing an office in California. Buff has been featured on CBS's Survivor television series. Buff Headwear is manufactured by Caviro, S.L., which is headquartered in Barcelona, Spain.

The beauty of Buff is simplicity--one garment serves many functions. Designed to offer technical performance and protection from the elements during a wide range of sports, Buff Headwear can be worn as a hat, headband, neck gaiter, helmet liner, balaclava, sun or wind screen, bandana, scarf, pirate-style cap, hairband, or wristband.

Original Buff(R) Headwear--a seamless tubular garment made from a high-performance microfiber fabric--performs well for hiking, cycling, motorcycling and skate sports in the warmer months and skiing and snowboarding in the winter. It provides the same performance benefits that athletes demand from the rest of their performance clothing. In warm weather, Buff(R) is breathable, wicks sweat, and helps keep you cool. In colder temperatures, it has thermal and wind-resistant properties similar to soft-shell fabrics.

Get yours today at OutdoorGearCare.com