March 6, 2017

From Dante's View at midday in Death Valley.

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Then, down in that valley — a sharp-edged, incredibly rugged landscape called the Devil's Golf Course:

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36 comments:

traditionalguy said...

Try Augusta National next Spring.

Rae said...

That's quite a sand trap.

traditionalguy said...

The whole thing is Ground Under Repair. Where do you drop?

For all you the Classic Movies Channel fans, Robert Osborne has died. I loved that man.

buwaya said...

Good vacation.
This is the time of year for it (Death Valley).

YoungHegelian said...

What a fascinating geological formation the Golf Course is! Looks like a real ankle-breaker, too.

According to Wikipedia, it's a large salt pan that formed the bottom of Lake Manly (who apparently pushed out Lake Wimpy to fill the area), eroded by weather. That makes sense.

Limited blogger said...

The Death Valley posts are great, thanks Ann!

Bill said...

I hope you and Meade are able to check out the Amargosa Opera House.

Etienne said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Left Bank of the Charles said...

Trump could play that course. Winter rules. Would tee up the ball on the nearest clump and swing away.

David Baker said...

I see an old prospector and his burro crossing in the distance, but otherwise not a single redeeming feature.

The Godfather said...

I like to imagine Obama playing that golf course in the afterlife. Sorry, I'm still bitter.

Laslo Spatula said...

I thought the photos were Lena Dunham's uterus and ovaries, respectively.

Because Lena hasn't been brought up here lately.

Because of the Russians.

I am Laslo.

KellyM said...

If you're heading out of the valley towards Lone Pine, make a stop at Father Crowley's Lookout. It offers a fantastic view of Panamint Valley from the west, and if you hit it right you may be graced with a fly-by from a couple F-18 jets out of China Lake. They skirt the edges of the Park and put on a show. It's one of the highlights of camping out at the Saline Hot Springs.

Michael Hess said...

Professor

Happy to see that you went to Death Valley.

I recall a trip my father and made 30 years ago when one could explore a majority of valley by 4x4. Went from Bishop over the White Mountains. Saw the ancient bristle one pines. Drove down into the Panamint Valley and over another set of hills before entering Death Valley from the north. All this by the way off-road in a 1969 Toyota Landcruiser wagon. Long story short, as we were traveling south through Death Valley, we caught a flat. No problem, we of course had a spare. A few miles later, caught another flat. Now a problem because we did not have a second spare. We unload the Landcruiser--aka the Brown Rhino--and get into our partner's rig -- always have a buddy whenever traveling through the desert--and we leave the Rhino in the middle of the valley. We drive the several hours back to San Bernardino, only to turn around with our other truck with two spare tires. It was a long couple of days driving back and forth across the high desert, but it was one of the best road trips I ever had with my dad.

Any way, I feel that you made your trip two months too early. With the rain California has had this year, the wild flowers in the Valley will be amazing. My parents make the trip each year once they learn the flowers are in bloom.

Last thing, I will never forgive Alan Cranston, Diane Feinstein and Bill Clinton for making large expanses of the California Desert inaccessible to motorized vehicles with the California Desert Protection Act. I will never be able to have the same trip with my children because the roads my Father and I travelled are now designated wilderness.

Safe travels back to Madison.

Long time reader, first time commenter.

lgv said...

I have bled all over that golf course. Not a place to wear shorts :) . When I went to Dante's peak, there was a 35 degree drop in temperature from the hotel. I started before dawn at 88 degrees and when I got to the top, still before sunrise, I noticed all the photographers in heavy coats. Uh oh. I wasn't prepared.

tim in vermont said...

http://deadspin.com/here-come-big-espn-layoffs-1793002796

I guess people don't want to tune into a channel to be lectured on politics by people who don't seem to know anything about sports.

ESPN was good around the same time that the Simpsons were good. Both have followed the same course of being gutted by the left.

Laslo Spatula said...

From the Fauxhaus Blog:

SAMUEL L. JACKSON TO BEN CARSON
Slaves Just Hardworking Immigrants?? 'MUTHAFUKKA PLEASE!!!'


No, this is not a post to discuss the penumbra of Ben Carson's statement, nor that of Jackson's, albeit 'MUTHAFUKKA PLEASE!!!' creates a pretty impressive penumbra indeed, perhaps a penumbra with dry ice and a muthafukkin' laser show.

Nor is it an excuse to bring up "Snakes On a Plane", although you are free to discuss that film's delicate subtext in the comments: what DO the snakes represent? Or are snakes just snakes? Clue: a snake is NEVER just a snake (reference The Garden of Eden, to begin).

What captures my interest is what the executives at Capital One are thinking. They have hired Jackson to be their credit-card spokesman, presumably to add a bit of edge and authenticity, but how edgy can a spokesman be?

For a point of context, look at Matthew McConaughey, spokesman for the Lincoln MKC: cool, calm, a bit eccentric but in a soulful way. Here is a representative tweet from the man:

"might need to bid on my friend Evel Knievel's famous cane full of @wildturkey that's up for auction"

I don't believe the Lincoln execs are up in arms over a reference to Evel Knievel; indeed, they might like that it adds a bit of devil-may-care frison-by-association to their product. Of course, Evel was white: there is that. Could McConaughey get away with saying "my friend, muthafukkin' Evel Knievel"? I expect that would cause no extra use of antacids in the boardroom.

But Jackson? Can a Black Spokesman be THAT kind of black? Obviously, the man's fans will have no issue with his Tweet: it is what they expect, and it shows that, despite the ad money, the Man ain't got HIM by the balls.

But are there Capital One credit-card holders out there that will say, in effect, 'MUTHAFUKKA PLEASE!!!'? That the uncomfortable issue of race is NOT want they want in their wallet? That Hollywood stars should just shut up when they take the money?

Mind you, if this was Billy Dee Williams for "Colt .45" the situation would play a bit differently. Remember their ad line:

"Colt .45: It gets the job done."

Adding a "MUTHAFUKKA" to the end of that statement would no doubt help, not hurt, its sales. But does that mean a black pitchman can only be 'real' if he is selling products like malt liquor? Could Matthew McConaughey sell Colt .45? Would that upset their current target audience?

Maybe the only thing one can say about all of this is: 'MUTHAFUKKA PLEASE!!!

I am Laslo.

Bob Ellison said...

I once played golf on a home-made course on the sand dunes of Puerto Peñasco in Mexico. The whole course was a sand trap. Took a few beers to make it work. Every hole was a par 3, mostly about forty yards long. We found as many golf balls as we lost.

Laslo Spatula said...

Maybe my Fauxhaus Blog comment at 7:20 needed a poll.

What best describes your reaction to Samuel L. Jackson's Tweet?

1. Jackson is right. Deal with it.

2. Jackson is wrong. I'm rethinking my credit cards.

3. Capital One also uses Jennifer Garner as a Spokesperson. I like Jennifer Garner. Not like I masturbate about her, though.

4. I like Jennifer Garner and I masturbate about her. What was the question?

5. Snakes On a Plane" was about Race in America: how can you not see that?

6. 'MUTHAFUKKA PLEASE!!!

I am Laslo.

Jupiter said...

harryo said...
"It's called a Tax View. For as far as the eye can see, everything is owned by the Federal Government."

Recipe for a vast wasteland.

tcrosse said...

7. What's in your wallet ?

Jupiter said...

Laslo,

Those who poll this blog are destined to omit critical options. Like

Ben Carson was right. Deal with it.

Laslo Spatula said...

"Could Matthew McConaughey sell Colt .45? Would that upset their current target audience?"

Possible McConaughey pitch lines for Colt .45:

"Colt .45: Smooth. And the night ain't getting any younger, Baby Girl."

"Colt .45: Take it from The McConaughey: It makes their clothes fall off."

"Colt .45 says Don't drink and drive. But feel free to use the back seat, if you know what I mean."

"I like the ladies. When I drink Colt .45 I like 'em even better."

"Colt .45: Alright! Not like I need help getting the women out of their panties, though. But it don't hurt."

"Colt .45: Oh yeah! Let's all get mellow and jump in the pool naked."

"Colt .45: I'm not even gonna shave my chest."

I am Laslo.

Kate said...

If Death Valley were discovered today I don't think every landmark would be named after a variation of Satan.

Probably Global Warming Peak and the Fossil Fuel Golf Course.

Curious George said...

Laslo, a Matthew McConaughey spoof of advertising pitch lines and no play on "alright, alright, alright".

Sad.

Laslo Spatula said...

"Laslo, a Matthew McConaughey spoof of advertising pitch lines and no play on "alright, alright, alright".

I thought this was close enough:

"Colt .45: Alright! Not like I need help getting the women out of their panties, though. But it don't hurt."

But I'll make it more obvious:

"Colt .45: Alright, alright, alright! Not like I need help getting the women out of their panties, though. But it don't hurt."

I feel better now.

I am Laslo.

tim in vermont said...

Once I saw that ad with Jennifer Garner and her dad, I can only see his face in her. Kinda ruined her charm. It's like Althouse pointing out that Amy Schumer looks like Rush.

Laslo Spatula said...

"Once I saw that ad with Jennifer Garner and her dad, I can only see his face in her. Kinda ruined her charm. It's like Althouse pointing out that Amy Schumer looks like Rush."

So I take it that is Poll Option Number Three?

I am Laslo.

The Cracker Emcee Refulgent said...

Laslo on fire. Shit, I usually don't laugh until I read my email when I get to work.

Curious George said...

"Laslo Spatula said...
I feel better now."

We all do.

dbp said...

Good luck finding your ball.

You can tell when a golfer found his ball by the 14 broken clubs either nearby or within tossing distance of the ball.

tim in vermont said...

Yes, #3

$9,000,000,000 Write Off said...

I was in law school when my dad had a stroke on Telescope Mountain (highest point in DV), mad an epic drive down to the ranger station and helivac to Las Vegas. Be careful and bring extra water everywhere you go.

traditionalguy said...

WikiLeaks is on time with a download that reveals there is a total hacking Army with all tools available run by the CIA, with no NSA oversight, using tools that get into anything.

Especially, the CIA has stolen the Russian Malware codes and uses it to disguise its own hacking to look like the Russians are behind it.

Hmmm?

Big Mike said...

If Samuel L. Jackson was as good an actor as Ben Carson was a brain surgeon, he'd win the Oscar every year.

Muthafukka

The Cracker Emcee Refulgent said...

"Especially, the CIA has stolen the Russian Malware codes and uses it to disguise its own hacking to look like the Russians are behind it"

Maybe the CIA was trying to keep Clinton from getting elected and the bogus hoo-ha that has followed has just been cover. Dude, it's just a wilderness of mirrors. Pass the bong.