Bear Down Wildcats

Ueli Steck, the best mountaineer of this generation. A unique combination of grit, intelligence, humility, free of arrogance; despite having every reason in the world to be if he wanted to.

The world lost a solid human being this weekend, but he went out doing what he loved.

http://www.cnn.com/2017/04/30/europe/sw ... ber-death/" target="_blank

When I watched this video someone posted in the YouTube thread on TOS, it stuck in my brain and to this day continues to inspire me in tough professional and personal situations with his wisdom spoken in crisp swiss german english accent, "You're progressing on something, and thats what its all about, you want to keep moving, have a progress in your life". Can be applied to so many things.



As someone new to the sport of mountaineering (I'm never going to summit Everest, I don't think I'd like the feeling of actively dying), this video also is just so encouraging and uplifting. But today, for some reason this is a real punch to the gut. I'm seriously bummed out. It would've been cool to see him traverse the summits of Everest to Lhotse. I can only imagine what his close friends, colleagues, and family must feel.

I've probably watched this this video 100 times or more.

RIP Ueli, you will be terribly missed. Thank you for the joy you've brought others watching your craft.

This story is a couple of years old now, but I just saw it on a PBS post and I think it deserves noting.

Joseph Medicine Crow, last Crow tribe war chief, dies at 102

From the story:

Medicine Crow was born Oct. 27, 1913, on the Crow Reservation near Lodge Grass, Montana. He graduated with a master's in anthropology from the University of Southern California in 1939, the first member of his tribe to earn a master's degree.

In 2009, President Barack Obama awarded Medicine Crow the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation's highest civilian honor, for his work on Native American history and wartime service for the U.S. Army during World War II.

From Wikipedia:

After spending the latter half of 1942 working in the naval ship yards in Bremerton, Washington, Medicine Crow joined the U.S. Army in 1943.[5] He became a scout in the 103rd Infantry Division, and fought in World War II. Whenever he went into battle, he wore his war paint (two red stripes on his arms) beneath his uniform and a sacred yellow painted eagle feather, provided by a "sundance" medicine man, beneath his helmet.[3]

Medicine Crow completed all four tasks required to become a war chief: touching an enemy without killing him (counting coup), taking an enemy's weapon, leading a successful war party, and stealing an enemy's horse.[6] He touched a living enemy soldier and disarmed him after turning a corner and finding himself face to face with a young German soldier:

The collision knocked the German's weapon to the ground. Mr. Crow lowered his own weapon and the two fought hand-to-hand. In the end Mr. Crow got the best of the German, grabbing him by the neck and choking him. He was going to kill the German soldier on the spot when the man screamed out 'momma.' Mr. Crow then let him go.[3]

He also led a successful war party and stole fifty horses owned by the Nazi SS from a German camp[7] singing a traditional Crow honor song as he rode off.[8]

Medicine Crow is the last member of the Crow tribe to become a war chief. He was interviewed and appeared in the 2007 Ken Burns PBS series The War, describing his World War II service.[3] Filmmaker Ken Burns said, "The story of Joseph Medicine Crow is something I've wanted to tell for 20 years."[9]

Need to go rewatch that Ken Burns documentary. Kind of vaguely remember him, but more relevant now.

Just a side note, the Germans could not believe how mechanized the US was when they invaded at Normandy, and didn't have any horses. Believe the Germans used around 3 million horses during the war, with many of them ending up as dinner on the eastern front.

Yeah for all the talk of blitzkrieg and tank tactics even in 1944-45 the German army was primarily horse drawn and troops marched everywhere. In the last year or so of the war German military vehicles couldn't move during daylight anywhere within 100 miles of the front lines.

God that really sucks.

Fuck cancer

RIP

Sisto Malaspina, the owner of Melbourne's iconic "Pelegrini's Espresso Bar" was killed in a 'drugged crazed, terrorist' knife and car bomb attack.

I cannot imagine Pelegrini's without Sisto. He could carry on conversations with 6 customers and make coffee's (easily Melbourne's most beloved barista) for 4 others, and remember the bills for everybody in the place. The daughter of Sisto's business partner Nino went to school with my sister-in-law. I was introduced to Nino and Sisto once, and they would remember me every time, even though I only had a chance to stop in a couple of times a year maybe. The shop was lined with photo's of Aussie and international celebrities who would never pass up a chance to drop in when they were in Melbourne (the shop is just around the corner from Melbournes live theatre district).

His is truly a great loss to Melbourne.

Bourke Street attack victim, Pellegrini's co-owner Sisto Malaspina, remembered as 'best boss'

Melbourne's inner-city community is remembering "one-in-a-million" Pellegrini's Espresso Bar co-owner Sisto Malaspina, who was killed by a terrorist on Bourke Street on Friday.
A clipboard in a window with writing on a yellow piece of paper.
Photo: A sign in the window of Pellegrini's Espresso Bar pays tribute to owner Sisto Malaspina as the "best boss". (ABC News: Damien McIver)

Mr Malaspina, 74, died after he was attacked by 30-year-old Somali-born Hassan Khalif Shire Ali, who crashed his vehicle loaded with gas bottles in the Melbourne CBD and stabbed three people before he was shot by police and died in hospital.

Eyewitnesses said it appeared Mr Malaspina was walking over to the car after it burst into flames to offer assistance, when he was stabbed in the chest.

My condolences to Sisto and family. One thing I learned in major metropolitan Oz: coffee is an elevated communal experience. Anyone deeply bound to it is sacred in the community. RIP to one I never knew.

dovecanyoncat wrote:My condolences to Sisto and family. One thing I learned in major metropolitan Oz: coffee is an elevated communal experience. Anyone deeply bound to it is sacred in the community. RIP to one I never knew.

Pelegrini's introduced cafe society to Melbourne with the first espresso machine in Melbourne (maybe Australia, no one is quite sure) in the mid-50's. Sisto and Nino took it over in 1974 and have been running it ever since.

Merkin wrote:

Very sad.

Got an email from my Father who told me (Uncle) Thomas J. J. Altizer had died. Long time family friend and stellar mind. Evidently Daddy was the last to speak to him before he joined the choir invisible.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_J._J._Altizer" target="_blank

One of the last Republicans that wasn't absolutely terrible. He served his country and did his duty. Rip.

He was the only Republican president, since I could vote, who I respected.

Whether it's as a human being or as a President of the United States, Donald Trump couldn't carry George H.W. Bush's jockstrap.

ASUHATER! wrote:He served his country and did his duty. Rip.

Yep, a bunch of chicken hawk draft dodgers since then. GOP candidates too outside of McCain and earlier Bob Dole.

Can you imagine Trump doing this?

84Cat wrote:

Trump walked into the White House and said "What a dump. Where's the classy part? I gotta take a shit!"

Merkin wrote:

HW was a not the anti-Trump people like to think he was. There are differences in terms military and public service, but in exploiting white fear to win the presidency, he was a Trumpist before there was Trump.

Any cycling fans? Paul is an absolute legend. He has been apart of the 40 last Tour de Frances, 7 as a rider and 33 as a commentator

I don't get what his point is.

I had no idea Mondale was still alive

Merkin wrote:I don't get what his point is.

I think my man Ari is pointing out that H.W. is not a zombie or vampire.

Merkin wrote:I don't get what his point is.

This guy is either really stupid or being a huge twat

Chicat wrote:

Merkin wrote:I don't get what his point is.

I think my man Ari is pointing out that H.W. is not a zombie or vampire.

I really would love it if he would change his name.

I think he was attempting to be ironic.

Ironic being the operative word there...

Alieberman wrote:

Chicat wrote:

Merkin wrote:I don't get what his point is.

I think my man Ari is pointing out that H.W. is not a zombie or vampire.

I really would love it if he would change his name.

I really would love it if he would change his home town. Then I wouldn’t have to see his smarmy comments show up on the “You Know You’re From ________” Facebook page.

https://www.cnn.com/2018/12/17/investin ... index.html" target="_blank
Penny Marshall dead 75

RIP Mel Stottlemyre

Another great baseball loss.

Good news/bad news. . .

Opportunity is apparently dead due to aging and a dust storm.

Good news is Lyndon LaRouche is dead.

Dang, about the same time I was at the UA. Sure knew the name.

That guy was still alive?? I honestly had zero idea. If you had asked me yesterday I would have sworn he died in like ‘97.

Grumpy Cat went to that great big litter box in the sky...