July 14, 2006

Rockfall from the Eiger A huge slab of rock has broken away from the Eiger in Grindelwald, Switzerland, (where I once bought a Swiss Army knife). News sources don't agree how many Empire State Buildings have fallen (some say half, some say two), but a formation called the Madonna has collapsed already (an omen!) It has been suggested that climate change is the cause, with glacial meltwater weakening the rock. More falls are expected. More news.
posted by muteboy 17 years ago
  • I stroll across the alpine plains and wonder what it used to be before the rocks were all ground down their fragments washed into the sea
  • I lost two toes to the Eiger.
  • *succumbs* I would not be Eiger to do so.
  • You buy a Swiss Army knife. A huge slab of rock falls. Coincidence?!? Think about it.
  • the hills are alive!
  • the bee snores in his hive!
  • my baby works from nine to five!
  • Don't give me that jive!
  • Stayin' alive!
  • Boogie Nights!
  • wait, maybe I'm not understanding the patter...
  • Can we say the Eiger's been....sanctioned? *Dr.Evilesque - pinky to lips*
  • ... sounds like ... Hey! Who's that walkin' 'round here? Mercy! Sounds like baby patter! Baby elephant patter, That's what I calls it! Say, up in Harlem, At a table for two, There were four of us talkin', Me, your big feet and you! From your ankles on up, I'll say you sure are sweet, But from there down, there's Just too much feet! Yas! Your feet's too big! Don't wantcha Cause your feet's too big! Can't use ya Cause your feet's too big! I really hate ya Cause your feet's too big! Yeah! Do-dee-do-wah, Hey, where'd ya get 'em? Nyah-dee-ya-dum! Your girl, she likes you, She thinks you're nice, Got what it takes To be in paradise; She says she likes your face, She likes your rig, But, man, oh, man, Them things are too big! Oh, your feet's too big! Don't wantcha Cause your feet's too big! Mad atcha Cause your feet's too big! I hate ya Cause your feet's too big! [Spoken] My goodness, those are gunboats! Shift! Shift! Shift! Oh, your pedal extremities Are colossal! To me you look Just like a fossil! You got me walkin', talkin' And squawkin', cause Your feet's - Too - Big - Yeah! [Spoken] Come on and walk that thing! Oh, I never heard of such walkin'! Mercy! You know, your pedal extremities really are obnoxious. One never knows, do one? Fats Waller
  • So I'm not the only one that remembers the novel The Eiger Sanction That was a pretty good book, along with Loo Sanction and the others I disremember the names of. One thing the cold war did was provide for a lot of really keen spy novels.
  • Trevannian is definitely one of the better of that bunch of writers. The Eiger Sanction is a fun read. BlueHorse, you might be thinking of Shibumi, perhaps Trevannian's best known spy novel.
  • Medusa, I didn't think you were old enough to have read those!
  • well I am 38, which means I was a child when they were published, but I am an avid reader and I like spy novels!
  • One of the best of the Cold War novelists was Elleston Trevor. Under his penname of Adam Hall he wrote his Quiller series starring his existential hero. Highly recommended.
  • Ah, yes! Quiller and The Killing Ground Gosh, I haven't thought of those in ages. The don't write'em like that anymore. Spying just isn't what it used to be.
  • The last Quiller novel was published posthumously. It is far from the best of the series but it includes a very moving coda by his wife about the man.
  • Does anybody have linkies to before/after pics or a video of this thing coming down?
  • Some pictures here and here, GramMa.
  • Thanks, Islander! Guess my Google-fu wasn't working today.
  • Thanks Islander - I guess I should have done that but i didn't and im sorry soz.