I spent most of my day in dementia with the History Channel in the background. Apparently it was The Universe rerun day. So I watched a black hole eat a star and had wonderful nightmares of extreme solar coronal activity destroying the earth in 2012. Which is a possibility since it will be at an 11 year high point of its cycle that year.

We can only hope.

I'd have been more impressed if his water just broke...

Fever or senility?

I'd have been more impressed if his water just broke...

None of you were the father anyway...

Fever or senility?

His senility is indestructible!

Fact.

Apparently 1% of the static on a tv channel with nothing on is from the Big Bang.
I read that in Bill Bryson's 'short history to nearly everything' book.

Bill Bryson embellishes. A lot. He wrote "A Walk In The Woods" and he never finished, which he admitted. Much later.

He's a poor reference source.

how about if i were to find out the reference he uses for it?
because he sure didn't work that out himself...

So... instead of pulling it out of his ass he stole it from someone else. Did he credit a source?

I don't disbelieve your point, Jai. I just have no faith in anything Bill Bryson puts to paper. He's been proven a liar.

Yeah, Some of that staic is background radiation. Proving it came from the bang bang requires you to prove there was a big bang.

So... instead of pulling it out of his ass he stole it from someone else. Did he credit a source?

I don't disbelieve your point, Jai. I just have no faith in anything Bill Bryson puts to paper. He's been proven a liar.

Okay, just checked it. He doesn't have a source for saying 1% of the static on the tv is it but he does have sources for saying about radiation from the big bang - something about Arno Penzias and Robert Wilson who did some experiment and found it. Published in the astrophysical journal but doesn't give any more details really.

Bill Bryson embellishes. A lot. He wrote "A Walk In The Woods" and he never finished, which he admitted Much later. in "A Walk in the Woods".

OK I should clarify. Bryson had claimed in the AT community in New England that AWITW was a total work of fiction and that he had actually finished his thru hike. Baltimore Jack and Professor Doyle an several other hikers in the area who were thru hiking that year and had seen Bryson and his support vehicle called him out on it and eventually he learned to shut up and he eventually moved to England, I believe.

That is the lore in the AT hiking community.

Here's my professional diagnosis:

Have you actually read AWITW?

Yes, and I've met many of the people he wrote about.

Did you like it?

I think his portrayal of southern people as "dumb hicks" was a little unnecessary. His portrayal of all merchants within 5 miles of the trail as "thieves" is wrong. And the character that coincided with Miss Janet, owner of the hostel near Damascus VA bordered libel. Miss Janet has promised to castrate him if she ever sees him again. And I believe her.

Parts of it were good, he's a talented writer but he obviously thought he was better than other people who live along the trail and some people who have the good fortune to thru hike every few years.

Fair enough. But find me an entertaining storyteller who doesn't embellish some, or suffer from prejudices. Anyway, he's probably a giant dick but I've enjoyed many of Bryson's books, including AWITW.

On a semi-related note, we have some really nice trails to hike around here. Obviously nothing on an epic scale like the AT, but some fun semi-jungle-type trails, up and around some steep hills with some great views. We'll do some hiking if/when whoever makes it down here makes it down here!

Cool!

And again, it wasn't totally his writing, it was his running his mouth about having "hiked the trail" around Hanover that got him in trouble with some people. Within the AT community you've hiked the trail when you've hiked the whole trail.

Just like tattoos, go big or go home, huh?

Still, honestly I have some respect for anyone who's done even some of the AT!

We're doing a fairly light one tomorrow, a hard 45 mins or so up to the top of a hill, then joints and rest and incredible views and a very welcome breeze while basking in the sun, then an easy 20 minute skip back down the hill, then a BBQ and drinks and more joints at Wallings Dam. Living here is awesome sometimes.

I cant wait to get back out there this fall. It was a very busy summer but I plan to spend at least a few weekends out this fall.

Bryson makes me laugh.
I had to read the first and third chapter of his book for physics.

Read the whole thing. It's actually a really fun read.

And Zoomie, I envy your cooler fall weather, though maybe not winter.

None of you were the father anyway...

You've been telling me I am this whole time.

Asshole.

Shit, bitch. You live in a nice place with a good welfare system.

Shit, bitch. You live in a nice place with a good welfare system.

This, this is true,still fuck you for lying, I already picked out the cage to keep it in.