Althouse: In Dr. Evil's Garden...

July 18, 2010

In Dr. Evil's Garden...

There is no "easier" route:

Good going! Nice!

A swift ascent!

(Today, at Blue Mounds State Park.)

62 comments:

David said...: Beware Top Hat. (The fat lady hasn't sung yet.); 7/18/10, 8:24 PM
David said...: Yahoo news is on fluff patrol tonight.

The CIA (!) has published a list of the world's "happiest" countries.

CIA's top three happiest Asian countries:

1. New Zealand
2. Israel
3. Australia

Damn, are we ever screwed.; 7/18/10, 8:31 PM
Meade said...: Blue Mound State Park
- Blue Mound State Park is largest area project. WORBA and State Park officials have been working on this trail for a several years, and have completed singletrack around the upper park. An expert riding area called South Park is started with some runs completed. There is new singletrack in Pleasure Valley - the eastern part of the park.
- Doubletrack and singletrack. Beginner to expert..
- Take highway 18/151 out of Madison, past Mt Horeb. Follow the signs on the freeway to the park exit. Once off the freeway, again, follow the signs to get to the park.
- State Parks parking and trail passes required. These passes are good at all State Parks and Forests.; 7/18/10, 8:34 PM
chickelit said...: Did you know that evil spelled backwards spells l-I-V-E?

Mwahahaha!; 7/18/10, 8:49 PM
Sprezzatura said...: Are we sure that was nice and/or really hard?

It looked pretty easy from the video. Of course last weekend some friends and I hiked more than twenty miles (including a 4500 ft elevation accent and decent). And, we also paddled (via kayak w/ full camping gear--including a twelve pack of Fat Tire cans w/ ice) more than 35 miles. So, maybe Meadehouse and I have different ways of evaluating physical challenges.

Not that there's anything wrong w/ that. I'm sure that the transition from doer to spectator/commentator is natural and inevitable for folks in the golden years.

And, maybe the video doesn't really express the fact that this bicycling was a truly remarkable accomplishment.; 7/18/10, 9:00 PM
Jason (the commenter) said...: I can't believe you guys let Doctor Evil escape so easily. You're the worst super heroes EVER!; 7/18/10, 9:01 PM
JAL said...: Speaking of Dr. Evil -- Have you met Dr. Berwick yet?; 7/18/10, 9:18 PM
Unknown said...: The descent to Avernus is also easy.

Jason (the commenter) said...

I can't believe you guys let Doctor Evil escape so easily. You're the worst super heroes EVER!

He doesn't get his comeuppance until Meade is seduced by Pussy Galore and Doctor Evil lays out his plan for world domination to Ann.

(They always do that just before the island blows up.)

JAL said...

Speaking of Dr. Evil -- Have you met Dr. Berwick yet?

He's right up (or down, if you like) with RAHMbo's brother and Soros.; 7/18/10, 9:24 PM
JAL said...: Since the Meadester is a biker, I trust his judgment.

But we have more difficult looking trails at Dupont State Forest in NC. Complete with rocks, gullies, streams and horse hazards.; 7/18/10, 9:25 PM
JAL said...: @ edutcher Speaking of Dr. Evil -- Have you met Dr. Berwick yet?

He's right up (or down, if you like) with RAHMbo's brother and Soros.

Worse. He gets to set policy which can actually lead to your and my premature death.; 7/18/10, 9:27 PM
Sprezzatura said...: JAL,

It's soooooo awesome that the Rs are now openly against cutting entitlements. That combined w/ extending deficit funded tax cuts is an awesome solution to our government's budget problems.

We'll just supply side ourselves out of our debt!!!

Fiscal cons sure is smart.

Liberty and T for eva!!!!!!; 7/18/10, 9:28 PM
As my whimsy leads me.. said...: You get to Dr. Evil's Garden by a narrow path? I thought the wide path lead to destruction.

"Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it." Matthew 7:13-14, NIV.
(right after the Golden Rule)

Toy; 7/18/10, 9:33 PM
LonewackoDotCom said...: For comparison purposes, here's video of me mountain biking on a trail with drop-offs. He's probably technically more proficient; I'm crazier.

In other news, I have a question for Ann Althouse: would you welcome President Glenn Reynolds?; 7/18/10, 9:33 PM
Meade said...: It's okay, 1jpb, you did a good job too. Just not (nearly) as good as Jason (the commentor).; 7/18/10, 9:39 PM
JAL said...: 1jpb -- So you like the NHS that Berwick "LOVES?"

You like the way healthcare is rationed by postal / zip codes in Britain?

You like calculating what a person'e life is worth and then denying healthcare because it will cost $1,000 more than what someone on a -- get this now --->DEATH PANEL<--- figures you are worth?

Sarah Palin's kid isn't worth the time in your day, I see. Or George Will's kid. Or my friend Joy's. Or my son-in-law's brother.

Meanwhile you guys keep driving entrepreneurship and the markets into the ashes and you'll find the perpetual motion machine of big government and ham strung private sector is going to destroy more than a few lives. You make people into commodities.; 7/18/10, 9:47 PM
Chip Ahoy said...: Nobody loves me.

I could reasonably expect at least a few birthday cards as usual, considering I have so many sibs and friends that I reliably construct pop-ups for, but noooo, nothing, nada, zip. Little bastards. Could it be that I accidentally let slip my secret contempt for uncreative cards? Oh well. It's just less crap I have to toss.; 7/18/10, 9:48 PM
Sprezzatura said...: JAL,

I like cutting half a billion dollars out of Medicare/Medicaid. How it's done is not yet known, but I don't believe this amount can be covered by only eliminating waste and fraud. So, yes, let me repeat YES, I do support rationing entitlements. And, I'm sickened by any so called con or TPer who is against rationing entitlements at the same time they gripe about deficits and insist on extending (and possibly expanding) tax cuts that are funded by debt.

I think that you folks are worse for our country than the tax and send libs: you're the don't tax and still spend cons. You folks suck on an epic scale.; 7/18/10, 9:55 PM
Sprezzatura said...: half a trillion, not billion; 7/18/10, 9:58 PM
Lem Vibe Bandit said...: Happy birthday Chip; 7/18/10, 9:58 PM
Pastafarian said...: Happy birthday, Chip!

I hate to threadjack, but this has the feel of an open overnight thread, and if it isn't, this isn't too far off topic:

I'm vacationing in North Carolina this week, because that's what everyone in Ohio does: They seek out the hottest, brightest spot on Earth, because Ohio's 90 deg F and 90% humidity just isn't miserable enough for us.

Does anyone have any suggested activities, that don't involve biking, heat, or the damned ocean? We're in the Holden Beach area. Maybe one of you Althouse commenters are from this area, or maybe one of you have been here before.; 7/18/10, 9:59 PM
Pastafarian said...: 1jpb, you're right, we should ration healthcare. But how to do it equitably?

Maybe the people who contribute the most to society, who work the hardest, and who value healthcare the most should be given first priority.

We could distribute credits to these people based on work performance and work quantity. Let's call these credits "money".

Then people could decide, if they so choose, to "spend" these credits on health care, if that's what they want to spend it on. Or they could spend it on challenging hiking trips and kayaks and such.

That's a great idea, 1jbp.; 7/18/10, 10:04 PM
traditionalguy said...: Ahoy Chip...We all love your cards and exotic food pictures. The cards will come later as soon as we get them correctly translated into Egyptian hieroglyphs. The first try came back as wishing you a Happy Dynasty.; 7/18/10, 10:04 PM
Sprezzatura said...: Pasta,

Rich folks are doing fine w/o credits.

Look what I learned from The Corner today:

growth in inequality has been large, Rajan shows. The top 1 percent of the population have laid hold of 58 cents out of every dollar in income growth since the Ford administration.

The Reagan Revolution.; 7/18/10, 10:10 PM
As my whimsy leads me.. said...: Chip, Happy Birthday, uncreatively but sincerely.

Pastafarian--I think Holden Beach is about to catch up with Myrtle for Buckeye vacations. Go to Calabash to eat one evening. Great lightly breaded seafood. There used to be a barn dance/ barbecue place out in the country about 10-15 miles west of Holden. I don't know if it is still there, but the locals might know. It was only open Thursday through the weekend. Had a band, barbecue on benches, real dancing, family friendly, and lots of fun.

Drive up to Wilmington one day and see the US North Carolina, a decommissioned battleship. It's pretty hot inside the gun turrets. It gives you a good appreciation for how me had to live on one of those. Wilmington also has a water taxi and some pretty good restaurants along the river.

If you golf, lots of places around there for that. Serious putt-putt places and water parks are down at Myrtle, although there are small ones on Ocean Isle, which is next door to Holden.

That's the best I can do from memory. Buy a good murder mystery and try to take your mind off the country going to pot.

Have fun!

Toy; 7/18/10, 10:20 PM
MadisonMan said...: If you're at the beach, get a big umbrella to snooze under, make yourself a tall cold drink, get a book you want to read, and fall asleep as you listen to the ceaseless swirling of the waves.

I miss the ocean.; 7/18/10, 10:27 PM
As my whimsy leads me.. said...: Above should be "how men" not "how me."

Buy some chicken necks and string and catch crabs in the canal for dinner.

North Myrtle and Myrtle have all the touristy stuff. Barefoot Landing down there is pretty good for shopping, eating, taffy, etc.

I highly recommend the battleship, but try to go on a day with a breeze.

The North Carolina Aquarium is also up there near Wilmington, and Fort Fischer, from the Civil War is near there, but I think some of it might be under water.

Toy; 7/18/10, 10:29 PM
Lem Vibe Bandit said...: It appears that people have come to their senses and agreed with me that in Althouse's latest poll the third choice is the right choice.

Thank you ;); 7/18/10, 10:30 PM
Unknown said...: 1jpb said...

JAL,

I like cutting half a billion dollars out of Medicare/Medicaid. How it's done is not yet known, but I don't believe this amount can be covered by only eliminating waste and fraud. So, yes, let me repeat YES, I do support rationing entitlements. And, I'm sickened by any so called con or TPer who is against rationing entitlements at the same time they gripe about deficits and insist on extending (and possibly expanding) tax cuts that are funded by debt.

I think that you folks are worse for our country than the tax and send libs: you're the don't tax and still spend cons. You folks suck on an epic scale.

You're a damned liar. You know the Republicans you talk about are your fellow travelers, the RINOS. You'll bitch and whine the first time anybody tries to do something about the mess The Zero created the way the Demos always have when the real Republicans tried to bring the entitlement monster under control. Nobody will fight harder than you when people like Tom Coburn and Jim Demint put up plans to repeal this mess and get the debt under control.

And you're a liar about Reagan (previous thread, all). Those deficits were the result of a deal that the tax cuts would be accompanied by spending cuts, but the Demos, as usual, went back on their word and no spending cuts. So you lied about that, too.

I usually try to ignore people like you, but sometimes the not only the record but the duplicitous little trolls have to be brought into the open. Your side is supposed to be so-o-o much smarter than everybody else, yet you always have to lie to get your way. Even Uncle Saul told you to lie.

But if your side is so right, the lies wouldn't be necessary, would they?

PS Now you have an excuse to use your four letter vocabulary.; 7/18/10, 10:33 PM
Pastafarian said...: Whimsy -- thanks for the tips. I love the seafood down here. And Madman, I plan on making myself one margarita after another, starting tomorrow.

I'll probably be drunk-commenting for the rest of the week. I think Lem did that one night -- it was pretty entertaining, if I recall correctly.

1jpb -- you're right. What a bunch of greedy bastards. That greedy top 1% probably took a bunch of their money and multiplied it by reinvesting it in businesses, thus "employing" (enslaving, really) the other 99% of us, who would really rather be out kayaking and doing truly challenging hikes, in the heat and brush, with all of our heavy gear and Fat Tire cans and whatnot.

I say we take all of those greedy bastards' money. That way there won't be a top 1% at all.

Right, 1jbp?; 7/18/10, 10:35 PM
As my whimsy leads me.. said...: This comment has been removed by the author.; 7/18/10, 10:38 PM
Pastafarian said...: Whimsy -- we've been here a few other times, and there's a little tourist attraction at Barefoot Landing that's actually the only part of the North Carolina vacation (other than the seafood) that I like.

It's a spooky little shop/theater where they tell local stories, with things moving around (windows closing, etc.) during the reading. The kids love it.; 7/18/10, 10:40 PM
As my whimsy leads me.. said...: East North Carolina cole slaw is disappointing, I'm sad to say. They just use sugar and vinegar on it. Bland. Marzetti's cole slaw dressing is the best, from good ol' Columbus! Creamy and tangy!

Toy; 7/18/10, 10:40 PM
LonewackoDotCom said...: Pastafarian: if I see a lot of clicks from all over on my MTB vid link, I have an idea. I have no idea how far it is from you, but it's in NC. There's also something in VA; I believe that would be the southern part but I forget since I got out of the south as fast as I could.; 7/18/10, 10:43 PM
LonewackoDotCom said...: * Peaches
* Pecans
* The Allman Brothers
* .... hmmmm .... well, there must be something...; 7/18/10, 10:45 PM
Scott said...: Rats live on no evil star.; 7/18/10, 10:50 PM
As my whimsy leads me.. said...: Pastafarian, if you don't like the beach (and for me, I get beached out after about 3 days), for crying out loud--go to the Blue Ridge Mountains! It'll save you about 4-5 hours or driving, it's a lot cooler, and it's beautiful. Grandfather Mountain is worth the trip just by itself. In early July every year, they have the Gathering of the Scottish Clans-- you'll hear bagpipes for days, even after you leave. Rent a house on the Toe River and float on a tube. Find more barbecue places, see Ashville and the Biltmore, order some furniture at a discount in Hickory--lots of stuff to do in NC. Great children's science museum in Charlotte. There's a Revolutionary War battlefield in Greensboro. You're passing a lot of good stuff.

Toy; 7/18/10, 10:53 PM
Sprezzatura said...: ed,

Are you saying that Pat Roberts (KS) is a RINO? Sheesh.

And, are you saying Reagan was counting on a pinky promise from the Ds to cut spending rather than, say, having the Ds actually send him legislation that cut spending in place of the pinky promise. Now I know that a lot of libs think Reagan was a total dolt, but even they don't think he was that dense. (BTW, in 1990 I saw Reagan in a limo waving at an empty wall that was fifteen feet away from his window, I was about eighty feet away and I could clearly see that there was nobody in front of him, not sure what that means, but it's weird, isn't it? )

So, you're openly (and proudly) expressed defense of R actions is that Roberts is a RINO and Reagan is a fool. Folks will assume you're my sock puppet.

The reason you shouldn't respond to me is because I'll chew you up and spit you out--while smiling the whole time.

Pasta,

Don't you think that it's interesting that since the Reagan revolution the vast majority of our society's total income growth has gone to one percent of the population? Is that sustainable? Has that happened at other times in our country's history [not a rhetorical question]?; 7/18/10, 10:59 PM
Fen said...: Heads up people: Obama Brownshirts are attacking people again.

http://www.powerlineblog.com/archives/2010/07/026790.php; 7/18/10, 10:59 PM
reader_iam said...: Happy Birthday, Chip! All the best for the coming year.

***

I'm impressed with both (since I can't do either), but I must say that Lonewacko's video had my scalp prickling and my stomach sinking. I don't have problems with heights, generally speaking, but sheer drops like that (even when in a car) give me the cold sweats. Sorry for all the clichéd descriptions of visceral reactions, but they're clichés for a reason.

Yikes!; 7/18/10, 11:04 PM
reader_iam said...: Oddly, on foot I'm OK--I mean as far as the sheer drops go, not the challenging hiking.; 7/18/10, 11:11 PM
AC245 said...: The top 1 percent of the population have laid hold of 58 cents out of every dollar in income growth since the Ford administration.

The oaks are just too lofty
And they grab up all the light.; 7/19/10, 12:05 AM
Sprezzatura said...: There is unrest in the forest; 7/19/10, 12:07 AM
Chip Ahoy said...: Thanks for the well-wishes.

I am so steeeew-pud.

My cell shut itself off and I had messages backed up. This whole time I thought I was being ignored. The awareness of my own stupidity caused me to make a bacon sandwich.; 7/19/10, 12:20 AM
traditionalguy said...: Just noticed the new Masthead slogan: "Trapped under wreckage and tapping on something..." That pretty well describes the economy since the roof collapsed and we woke up to the "no manufacturing jobs left here" bomb. Apple has 10% of its employees here and 90% in China. Nike is about the same.; 7/19/10, 12:25 AM
Deborah M. said...: @Chip. Golly I miss bacon. That looks/sounds soooo good.; 7/19/10, 4:06 AM
Opus One Media said...: OHMYGOSH....the Althouses going to a state funded, tax funded, park...

how will the right wing survive this onslaught of public largesse?

One can only pray that WPR doesn't enter into this hallowed land.; 7/19/10, 5:23 AM
Unknown said...: 1jpb said...

ed,

Are you saying that Pat Roberts (KS) is a RINO? Sheesh.

And, are you saying Reagan was counting on a pinky promise from the Ds to cut spending rather than, say, having the Ds actually send him legislation that cut spending in place of the pinky promise. Now I know that a lot of libs think Reagan was a total dolt, but even they don't think he was that dense. (BTW, in 1990 I saw Reagan in a limo waving at an empty wall that was fifteen feet away from his window, I was about eighty feet away and I could clearly see that there was nobody in front of him, not sure what that means, but it's weird, isn't it? )

So, you're openly (and proudly) expressed defense of R actions is that Roberts is a RINO and Reagan is a fool. Folks will assume you're my sock puppet.

The reason you shouldn't respond to me is because I'll chew you up and spit you out--while smiling the whole time.

No, having made my point, I went to bed.

PS Saying Reagan was a fool for taking people at their word says what about the Demos?; 7/19/10, 6:09 AM
KCFleming said...: 1jbp said: "The reason you shouldn't respond to me is because I'll chew you up and spit you out--while smiling the whole time."

1) Lighten up, Francis. You didn't pwn anyone, it seems; they just went to bed. Hilarious.

2) Eeww, gross. What is the image suppose to convey, that you eat like a 3 year old boy and therefore maximum pwnage? Whaaa?; 7/19/10, 7:14 AM
I'm Full of Soup said...: Dr. Evil? Has Meade shown his true self just one year into the marriage?

Tune in next week to the spellbinding psycho-drama of "Ann Althouse, the law professor who may have married Dr. Evil after mistaking him for a sweet horticulturalist."; 7/19/10, 7:59 AM
Opus One Media said...: as much as Meade is a mystery to some he is no dick cheney.; 7/19/10, 8:09 AM
I'm Full of Soup said...: Hdhouse:

You will always be a big asshole.; 7/19/10, 8:30 AM
I'm Full of Soup said...: Hdhouse:

Why are you such an asshole?; 7/19/10, 9:00 AM
AlgonquinS said...: as much as dick cheney is a mystery to some he is no Meade.; 7/19/10, 9:06 AM
AlgonquinS said...: I had to go with the sock puppet. My other account, AllenS, is being blocked. It started yesterday afternoon.; 7/19/10, 9:07 AM
AlgonquinS said...: From Google: 'Sorry, your account has been disabled.'

That might be the end of AllenS. Well, it was fun.; 7/19/10, 9:23 AM
Pastafarian said...: 1jpb said: "There is unrest in the forest"

Dude, neither AC245 nor Ayn Rand fans Rush were supporting your position; they were ridiculing it.

Whimsy -- thanks for the pointers. We might try that aquarium today.; 7/19/10, 9:38 AM
Pastafarian said...: AllenS -- at least put up that mugshot avatar, so that we know who you are. I love that photo.; 7/19/10, 9:39 AM
AllenS said...: This is a test. Maybe AllenS will live for another day! For whatever reason, I had to change my password. I think.; 7/19/10, 9:46 AM
AllenS said...: It took two times to comment. Blogger sucks.

Thanks, Pastafarian.; 7/19/10, 9:48 AM
Opus One Media said...: @aj...ask you sister; 7/19/10, 11:06 AM
Sprezzatura said...: Pasta,

What position of mine where they ridiculing?

My stated position is that the top one percent have taken the vast majority of our nation's income growth since the Reagan (supply side, trickle down) revolution. BTW, this is a position that I pulled from NRO's The Corner. So, if it is untrue, you should take it up w/ them. Why is this position worthy of ridicule?

Beyond this position I did ask questions, which I clearly identified as non-rhetorical. I did this to ensure that nobody would assume I was using the questions to imply any particular position. I don't know if it is permanently sustainable to have most of our nation's income growth going to the top one percent of the population. Implicitly some Rs don't think this is a good thing in the long run--if they thought is was just fine for our nation's economic progress to be ever-increasingly funneled to the top one percent they wouldn't come up w/ theories like 'trickle down' because 'trickle up' would be just fine w/ them.

Obviously you don't know the answers to my questions.

I thought that AC came up w/ an interesting response, so I acknowledged that. Whether he meant it or not, his reference to that song was the closest any of you came to responding to my actual inquiry. But, if Rush is right the solution will involve hatchets, axes, and saws.

BTW, did you hear the Rush's lawyers stopped Rand Paul from using their songs.

ed,

Reagan NEVER submitted a balanced budget to congress for any of the years he was president. So, why are you rolling out this flim-flam that he was submitting balanced budgets but he couldn't get the Ds in congress to follow through w/ their promise to pass them? Your earlier comment indicated that Reagan was a legislative fool. Now you're proving that you're a fool, if you think making up lies is an effective way to make a point.

Now if you want to claim that Bubba submitted balanced budgets, then you would be telling the truth. Do you want to do that?; 7/19/10, 11:06 AM
AC245 said...: But, if Rush is right the solution will involve hatchets, axes, and saws.

You have completely misunderstood the allegory, which doesn't really surprise me.

(Hint: "Noble" is used derisively, not approvingly.); 7/19/10, 4:13 PM