Rocklands Video

This is Amna. She is amazing. She made this video about our trip to Rocklands. It is good. Take a look.

Leopard Cave

Nursing my broken skin, yesterday was spent with the studies. I get bored, so today I went for a short evening session. I couldn't do two 7b warm-ups, but then I sent Leopard Cave (8A+), so go figure. This photo shows the top-out, a crazy feet first toe/heel hook that you hold for a few moves. Well, I should say, most people do it this way. After falling there a few times, I got fed up and found a kneebar. I'd be surprised if anyone has gotten a kneebar on this climb again. When you lack the strength you need a new way to get up the boulders.

I suppose that I used to be somewhat apologetic about my kneebarring, but not anymore. I saw part of one of the Dosage videos today, and it showed Dave Graham using kneepads. If he can do it, so can I. After all, I'm already using sticky rubber on my feet, I back step occasionally, use foam pads, chalk, and I train in a gym. Why draw a line in the sand at kneepads?

That's all I have to say.

[UPDATE: The photo is Jonas Junker on Leopard cave. So I was wrong.]

Economicz

Here's an excellent piece on economics by Paul Krugman at the NY Times. I taught Business Ethics for 4 quarters, and let me tell you, those undergrads ate up everything Milton Friedman said, even as I trashed him to the best of my ability. Now I think I was a little too harsh on Milton.

I've always known that Adam Smith was as poorly understood as he was quoted. Remember this from high school economics:

"By preferring the support of domestic to that of foreign industry, he intends only his own security; and by directing that industry in such a manner as its produce may be of the greatest value, he intends only his own gain, and he is in this, as in many other cases, led by an invisible hand to promote an end which was no part of his intention. Nor is it always the worse for the society that it was no part of it. By pursuing his own interest he frequently promotes that of the society more effectually than when he really intends to promote it." (Book 4, Chapter 2)

That's from the Wealth of Nations, the famous "Invisible Hand." But Adam Smith isn't saying that it's better if everyone pursues self-interests. The point is that the good of society can be advanced by self-interested actors, not that it should be. Adam Smith was a moral philosopher, and before the Wealth of Nations came The Theory of Moral Sentiments.

He's pretty clear about this, even within the Wealth of Nations. Just before the Invisible Hand comes out, he says

"[a]ll for ourselves, and nothing for other people, seems, in every age of the world, to have been the vile maxim of the masters of mankind." (Book 3, Chapter 4)

The point, where was the point? Yes, I didn't realize until now that I was being too harsh on Milton Friedman while teaching. As Krugman argues, he isn't the hardcore neo-classical economist of today, although his writings certainly spawned the current crop. He is more moderate than I gave him credit for, just as Adam Smith is more moderate than most people realize. Luckily I don't think anyone was listening, so no harm done.

Oh yes, and economics is as scientific as killing rats.

Antihydral

I have ten fingers, which is about normal I suppose, but after sending the sit to Baracuda, only five of these are still in operation. This one climb gave me five split tips. Five. The final go alone broke open three of them. This is noteworthy because, I mean, come on, five? I must have to climb one handed for the rest of the trip.

This has me thinking about skin. A few days ago I used antihydral for the first time. It's pretty awesome stuff, and felt a little like cheating the first few days. It's been hot here, and after a week hiatus chasing lions, my skin was thin. When I returned, these rocks were impossible to climb. It looks like the thin skin and the heat led to lots of lube underneath those meat hooks of mine, and the antihydral did a good job of stopping the flow.

Now a well known problem with antihydral is that it does its job a little too well. When the skin stops sweating it dries out, when it dries out it loses its elasticity, and when it loses its elasticity it cracks. Hence my five split tips. But in fairness, I couldn't climb anything before I used it, so I think I've come out ahead. It's strange that the fingers become too dry with this stuff, and that moisture has to be added instead of feared. Lubriderm for Mr. Bad Skin?

I see Neosporin, super glue, and tape in my near future. Get your own antihydral here. Apparently it's popular with the foozers.

In other news, a police checkpoint gave me a ticket for driving a car with the registration a year out of date. Whatever, I'm out of here in a week and a half, but still. A rental car that isn't registered? Well done Best Beetle.

Oh the 90s...

And the world wide web pages that haven't been updated since.

When it comes to sexy girls, they invade the Internet: Nude women pop on your screen, when you're looking for a carabiner! But the pretty girl climbing a rock, Google does not find her easily.

I couldn't have said it better myself.