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Hawkeye
climber
State of Mine
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Mar 10, 2007 - 01:18pm PT
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As juan said,
Walmart is hiring.
Who knows, some of them may look pretty good in those blue vests. And sure as hell, they might, just might be as good as some of the current walmart ambassadors (greeters) i have run into....
Seriously,
most folks have to work for a living. being an ambassador is work too, and envaible for some.
personally, my trash collector and sewage treatment plant worker does far more for humanity than these guys do....but i wish them luck in their new endeavors all the same...
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happiegrrrl
Trad climber
New York, NY
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Mar 10, 2007 - 01:25pm PT
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wow....so it is true. My Big Fish Troller ambassadorship position is open then, I guess.
Well....I don't know much about anything, but I do wish good luck, prosperity and adventure to each of those climbers.
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myballs yourchin
climber
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Mar 10, 2007 - 01:42pm PT
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ambASSator's re Dick ulous tic marks, fixeds ropes , siege tacktic , nice example of free climbing
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10b4me
Trad climber
California
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Mar 10, 2007 - 01:51pm PT
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interesting, just got the patagonia spring catalog. the one that features Glen Denny pics. it also has a piece about Kauk, and Fern Spring.
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Matt
Trad climber
places you shouldn't talk about in polite company
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Mar 10, 2007 - 02:09pm PT
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CI- of course i have no idea, but i think i wasn't the only one in the peanut gallery that was surprised that a company that's so obviously image concious (their whole marketing program is built around their image as being the example of an environmental leader, is it not?) didn't take any dramatic action at the time.
i just know a lot of climbers were furious that anyone who gets to climb every day of the week would do anything to threaten everyone else's access, to anything. there is no way that sentiment doesn't transfer to the sponsor, and there are a thousand climbers out there that could represent pattagucci. what's more, not just any dirtbag can really afford a closet full of that organic schwag, so they have to consider the opinions of the well to do birdwatchers and whatnot, and that was some significant front page news exposure.
i really wonder if it would have been as big a deal in the media if the damn thing weren't called "delicate arch"...
edit-
does TNF still have "the extreme team"?
maybe these marketing concepts just come and go?
pretty sure they will all land on their [pads].
double edit-
might be a good month to watch ebay for that elusive pair of affordable "barely used" oranic cotton jeans
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quartziteflight
climber
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Mar 10, 2007 - 02:10pm PT
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Wow, what a big nasty hate-athon.
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Hawkeye
climber
State of Mine
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Mar 10, 2007 - 02:23pm PT
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on the contrary.
some climbers losing their jobs has no real impact on humanity.
but if the trash collector stops pickin up your trash, or the sewage treatment plant, power plants and sewage treatment plants shut down cuz the employees strike...we would all be in a world of hurt.
i find it rather hilarious that so many feel bad for them. i mean, it aint the end of the world. how many regular folk go thru this? i mean f*#k. these guys are all talented healthy driven individuals. they can do lots of things for work. and i wish them luck i just dont see this as a major crisis.
now on the other hand, if you were up on elcap ad needed a rescue and the SAR guys freakin quit or got fired, well, thats a little higher on the OH SH#T scale now isnt it?
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Matt
Trad climber
places you shouldn't talk about in polite company
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Mar 10, 2007 - 02:31pm PT
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i dn't think he ever needs to cross the road, he just solos some sick roof crack, way-way-way above the road.
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andanother
climber
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Mar 10, 2007 - 02:34pm PT
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could someone remind what exactly Patagonia does...
They make clothing or something, right? They are like a "lifestyle" clothing company, if I recall correctly.
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Matt
Trad climber
places you shouldn't talk about in polite company
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Mar 10, 2007 - 02:43pm PT
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hey, if they save 500k a year on this "live like a trust-afarian" sponsorship stuff, will they be able to sell their jeans for under a C note?
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rgold
Trad climber
Poughkeepsie, NY
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Mar 10, 2007 - 03:32pm PT
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I have no particular reaction to some employees of some company being laid off, it happens all the time. In the case of Patagonia, the employees in question were billed as "ambassadors," rather than, say, as technical consultants, so it would seem that being world-class climbers was not their primary mission. And whether they were laid off for strictly financial reasons or because they were not up to their ambassadorial duties is, in the absence of a manifesto from Patagonia, utter speculation.
Personally, I think that the concept of the sponsored climber is a bad thing for climbing and may not be such a good thing for the climbers either. It is one thing if a company employs experienced climbers to help with the development and improvement of gear, but to pay climbers to carry the company flag while trying to make headlines in the climbing press is exploitative of the individuals and encourages them to undertake ever more "newsworthy" enterprises to justify and insure the continuance of their paychecks. Perhaps all of us would be better off without this.
As for the observation that Patagonia is becoming more Pata-Gucci-like all the time, I think it is true but have a different take on that observation, a viewpoint that is best illustrated by a conversation I had many years ago with a renowned publisher of art books, Harry Abrams. Mr. Abrams published stunning, extremely high-quality books. They weren't cheap, but the market for art books being what is was, his entire operation was a money-loser, a situation he refused to address by compromising on quality. He also had a regular publishing business, and his comment to me that it was his undistinguished ordinary business that financed his dedication to producing the art books that were his passion.
I for one am prepared to cut YC the same slack. If selling high-priced organic cotton shirts to the Al Gore's of the world finances a better rain jacket, as well as giving him a platform for his environmental ideals, then I'd say let him be. No one seems to take more flak from dirtbags than a former dirtbag who has made good.
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jstan
climber
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Mar 10, 2007 - 03:32pm PT
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Any time money changes hands both explicit
and implied agreements exist. Fact of life.
Another fact is both sides enter into such voluntarily
and either may terminate it voluntarily. We all,
on the other hand, are bystanders.
Now John Moosie has graciously suggested
our Ken Yager could use some help from
Chouinard Equipment. The many people who
have participated at Facelift have seen the degree
to which Ken and his wife both work to exhaustion
in the effort. That said, I personally would be
reluctant to urge such an agreement or arrangement
upon the two parties. I am a bystander. From my
own experience thirty years ago I can suggest how we
may, directly and not as bystanders, support Ken’s
work. Back then we did not have the internet so I
was making available for free a local newsletter.
Despite the fact it was generally available for free,
many people paid something for it. To boot, the
climbing shops carried it at no profit. Then when I
finished my effort, no one asked for a refund.
That expression of support was critical. No, it was
essential. The best support for Ken will come from
many people contributing what we can, and bending
our backs when it comes time for heavy lifting. If we
do that all the other things will come unbidden as
they are needed. Trust me.
Talking personalities or even naming people is
generally less than productive, but I will risk it here.
Thirty years ago there was one person whose
support arrived early, he was always there, and
he stayed to the end. Ron Matous. We are lucky
when times are hard. For that is when we meet
our friends.
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Karl Baba
Trad climber
Yosemite, Ca
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Mar 10, 2007 - 04:00pm PT
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" I feel so lost. Thank god suicide is still an option.'
Must.....Resist....
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bob d'antonio
Trad climber
Taos, NM
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Mar 10, 2007 - 04:37pm PT
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Welcome to the real world...people get fired.
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Crimpergirl
Social climber
St. Looney
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Mar 10, 2007 - 04:59pm PT
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It always sucks to lose a job. For that, I feel for these folks. Fortunately they appear to be a bunch of scrappers who will get up, dust off, and find a way. Having been in the same position in the past (well sorta, my job wasn't glamorous and no one gave me cool clothes, but still), I feel for you all and wish you the best.
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JuanDeFuca
Big Wall climber
Stoney Point
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Mar 10, 2007 - 05:15pm PT
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Dean Potter should be sitting in a Prison Cell.
JDF
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deuce4
Big Wall climber
the Southwest
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Mar 10, 2007 - 05:21pm PT
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hmm, strange that Timmy spelled his last name with only one 'l' in his post above...
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JuanDeFuca
Big Wall climber
Stoney Point
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Mar 10, 2007 - 05:23pm PT
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A.C. I thought we were pals?
JDF
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happiegrrrl
Trad climber
New York, NY
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Mar 10, 2007 - 05:26pm PT
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deuce - There is a "patagonia.com" email listed on his username. I think we have to get an email sent to us to post, don't we, when we sign up?
....though I understand he is a pranky sort, and if someone called him to verify the story...he might think it would be funny to play along a litt.e After all, his post doesn't actually confirm or deny the story, and the "dust settling" could mean....the ST dust bunnies of this thread!
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bob d'antonio
Trad climber
Taos, NM
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Mar 10, 2007 - 05:50pm PT
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weschrist wrote: but bob, these are our heros...
My wife is my hero.
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