I Don't Understand all the Outrage

over Arizona's new racial profiling law: It only targets those who are Latino illegally.

We Hold these Truths to be Self-evident,

that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the laughable pursuit of Some Measure of Happiness.

Canoe School Trunk Sale!

Jackson Creek Floats: Used one year but still in excellent condition. Asking $50.

Seals Shocker Sprayskirt: Size 1.4 cockpit/large tunnel. Fits perfectly on All Stars, Diesels, EZGs, or similar. Tight but doable on a Fun. Probably too small for the bigger Jacksons. Very good condition. Asking $50. Bluewater Rescue Throw Bag: Bag with foam floatation only. This is a very large bag designed for 75' of 3/8" rope. Pack Rat had 3/8" Sterling Grabline in stock last time I checked or you can order 75' lengths of several types of water rescue rope directly from Sterling. You know what, I've changed my mind. Throw bag is not for sale. Sorry!

Stohlquist Bunny Suit: Size Large. I wore this on the river one time and roasted. Since then I've been using Capilene 3 and doing just fine so I don't need it anymore. They also make great pajamas for winter camping if you don't have a heavy sleeping bag. Asking $50.

NRS Stampede Semi-Dry top with no tunnel: Size Large. This is actually more like a very nice splash top because the inner tunnel is missing. The tunnel was seam taped in but not sewn. Part of it tore loose while I was getting the thing off so I just pulled the whole tunnel out. It works great as long as you stay upright but won't keep you dry if you're doing much rolling. Would be great for rec boating because it's cool and easy to get on and off. Asking $25.

Marmot "Original" DriClime Windshirt: Size Large. I had tried on other Marmot jackets in town and they fit so I ordered this one which the store didn't stock. The sleeves were about four inches to long and very annoying. I should have returned it but didn't so my loss! No tags but new condition. Asking $30

Bluewater Rappelling harness: Wads up really small. Nice! Asking $15. PMI 9mm x 15m Max Wear Static Rope: Rappelled on several times but nothing close to a fall. Asking $10. PMI 11mm x 30m EZ Bend Static rope: Used once but like new save a few smudges on the sheath. Asking $25. Neither rope is suitable for water rescue or climbing but both are perfect for rappelling and tire swings.

Crappy Hat: Asking 1 beer. Crappy Dry Bag: Asking 1 beer. Sea-to-Summit Synthetic Towel: Asking 2 beers. Sure-Fire 6P Flashlight: Uses CR-123 camera batteries. Very bright! The batteries in it are still good. Asking a six-pack but make offer.

If you want any of this stuff, let me know and I'll hold on to it. Otherwise look for the brown Accord with the lime-green REV on top at canoe school and let's make a deal. Thanks for looking!

~Dave

Policy Memo - Post and Entry

A blog is a weblog which is a form of log. Logs have entries, not posts. From now on, DMG Gibberish Solutions will use the noun "entry" to refer to blog entries because that's what they are. While it might be technically correct to use the verb enter to refer to the act of entering an entry, it sucks stylistically. For this reason, DMG Gibberish Solutions will use the verb "post" to refer to the act of entering an entry. Employees caught using the word post to refer to an entry or the word entering to refer to the act of posting will be subject to discipline according to company policy up to and including possible termination. Thank you for your cooperation in this matter.

Dave Renfro, CEO

Controlled document. Not for distribution.
DMG-54147

I Still Can't Blog

Even with the playoffs underway. Simply typing, "Proust tried a cute curl and drag move around Capitals defenseman Alexie Karenin and got hip-checked clear to Combray," is not a blog entry. You need some fluff to go with it! I seem to be all out of fluff. Maybe I need to take more vitamin F to get the fluff rolling again. Punchlines and zingers are worthless without fluff and lately I'm all punchlines. Like at work: I said to my Marshallese friend, "Soon we'll all be living bleak, horrible lives like everyone in Europe, Scandinavia, and Canada." "Dude," he answers, "give me some fucking context!" Apperently the irony of knowing that not all Europeans live bleak, horrible lives did not satisfy him. It satisfies me but only when I combine it with the thousands of other very mildly ironic sentence fragments which flash through my mind and disappear every distracted second of my sleepless life. So yes, my blogging has become so sporadic that I cannot reasonably expect even my most faithful readers to keep checking back day after day in the empty hope of finding something new. I do make this solemn oath to all of you, though: I promise, I swear before God, that no matter what siege of writer's block befalls me, no matter what destitution of ideas paralyses my fingers, I will never regurgitate old blog entries just for the sake of posting something.

A Tax Day Rant

I am willing to pay to live in a modern, peaceful, compassionate society. It would be counterproductive to raise my taxes so much that I end up needing the social services my taxes are paying for, but I could easily pay a few percent more than I'm paying now. I'm willing to do so because I recognize that most of the people on the bottom are put there by circumstance, not by laziness--I'm but a long run of bad luck away from being there myself--and that providing a basic level of comfort and security to those people makes my life better. Of course, raising taxes by a few percent would mean socialism and socialism means that we would all live bleak, horrible lives like everyone in Europe, Scandinavia, and Canada.

Hobbs WMA - Pigeon Roost Trail

This is strictly an informative blog entry. It informs you that I hiked the Pigeon Roost Trail at Hobbs today. I'll also add that I discovered Hobbs Wildlife Management Area is now called Hobbs State Park Conservation Area and that they built a spectacular visitor center on Hwy 12 just east of 303 from War Eagle. The weather was moderate and the sediment from that last rains had settled leaving Beaver Lake its normal, beautiful green. I hiked eight miles with a pack and I'll feel it tomorrow. This is all just information. I did not discover anything new about myself or have any profound ideas during the hike. I have no particular angle on the hike. It was simply a good hike on a nice day.