quakedog, a new poster. Welcome. Stick around.

Attached links may be useful to explain the orbits in question. Regards.

http://celestrak.com/columns/v04n07/

http://calgary.rasc.ca/geo_orbits.htm

Welcome Newguy!!!

Courierdebois,

What is your background in outdoor survival?

FWIW, I don't know if OB is a ripoff, if in general its instructors have what here would consider a good background, but from the perspective of analyzing the specific event, these issues only seem tangentially related.

What we do know, is:

1) They walked out on their own power w/o injury.
2) They had some snags in their internal communication and/or planning.

Personally, I'd be more interested in information and analysis about the specific event.

-john

I have seen the operating costs involved. The tuition,
like most private non-profit schools, doesn't cover the expenses.
Outward Bound relies on donations, mostly from alumnus.

The issue gear is the most basic (tarps, cookpots, packs, inexpensive sleeping bags etc.). Food is typical thru-hiker
fare (noodles, rice, dried veggies and fruit, canned meat
and soy) This is done partly for expense and partly
to teach students how to make the most with little and appreciate what they have.

I believe NOLS is the same way. I spent a summer
working out of Lander, and everybody I met were salt of the
earth people. I didn't see any animosity, even got invited
to a sundance ceremony.

At fundraisers for the scholarship programs, I have seen instructors donate part or all of their summers wages. It is
something they believe in.

One other thing, OB pays commercial fees to the forest service
and national parks just like the horse packers etc. and
it can be hundreds of dollars for a one week trip.


I hope I am not just egging on a troll.

We've got your back clearwater!

Implying someone is a fool or lying is trollish.

What part of private non profit don't you get?

I've had quite a few kids from all over the country and the
world. From Inuit kids from Pt Barrow to kids from Panama.
Worked with instructors that were were black, latino, American
Indian. Some polite hillbillies too. I find it offputting
that you denigrate the ranchers and others in Wyoming too.

Besides being ignorant of the topic you're inflammatory.

In regard to "courierdebois" comments about joining the military reserves to get "ranger training" I could be wrong but I don't think any reserve unit in the U.S. military is gonna get "ranger training" doing 1 weekend a month and a week of summer camp.

Other than that, he/she/it is pretty entertaining to read...some serious anger issues going on I think, but as I wrote above, I could be wrong...;^)

John E

"...entertaining to read..."

I am "entertained" (when I have nothing better to do) counting the misspellings and made up words, not to mention the lack of caps...