By Frank Jack Daniel and Andrew R.C. Marshall LUKLA, Nepal/KATHMANDU (Reuters) – As rescuers lose hope of finding more survivors in Nepal’s earthquake disaster zone, a separate drama has unfolded high above them on Mount Everest where the hopes of a few rich climbers and some of their sherpas have also vanished. After six days of high emotion and harsh words at Everest Base Camp, climbing firm Himalayan Experience finally decided on Friday to abandon its ascent of the world’s highest peak, becoming the last big team to do so. For one of its clients, millionaire Texas realtor David McGrain, it should never have taken that long to call off the climb, given thousands of people had been killed in the valleys below as well as 18 in an avalanche at base camp itself. “All they could think about was their goddamn climb, when hours before we were holding crushed skulls in our hands.” McGrain, a former weightlifter and self-styled “adrenaline philanthropist” who has a tattooed chest and wears a gold nose-ring, was in a minority of one when he quit his party of at least 10 climbers, all clients of Himalayan Experience.

Boxing is surging as evidenced by the wildly lucrative Floyd Mayweather Jr.-Manny Pacquiao megafight and return of bouts to network TV, and the revitalization may lead to better protection for fighters in the ring. Dr. Charles Bernick of the Cleveland Clinic Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health in Las Vegas recently announced an agreement to add fighters from the Premier Boxing Champions Series to his research study. The Professional Fighters’ Study is examining more than 500 fighters to learn more about damage done in their violent profession and the risk factors for individuals. “And what are the risk factors?