The Beginning of some Con-fuddling

I love puzzles, and so, here at Fanatic Avocados, we will begin a grand month of puzzles.

Verbal, mathematical, philosophical, "smash-head against desk once obvious answer is found" puzzles; they will all be present.

There may or may not be prizes for the individual(s) who score the most points.

Here's how the scoring works:
1) It doesn't
2) Each puzzles will have a score along with it's heading
3) Complete the puzzle, gain the score indicated
4) Give a decently entertaining answer, maybe get a point

Comprende?

So for starters, here's a doozy:


The Monkey and the Pulley (100)


A rope is passed over a pulley.  It has a weight at one end and a monkey at the other.  There is a length of rope on either side, and equilibrium is maintained.  The rope weighs four ounces per foot.  The age of the monkey and the monkey's mother together total four years.  The weight of the monkey is as many pounds as the monkey's mother is years old.  The monkey's mother is twice as old as the monkey was when the monkey's mother was half as old as the monkey will be when the monkey is three times as old as the monkey's mother was when the monkey's mother was three times as old as the monkey.  The weight of the rope and the weight at the end was half as much again as the difference in weight between the weight of the weight and the weight and the weight of the monkey.  Now, what was the length of rope?

e-mail your answers to RudraighS@gmail.com