Re: Television programmes

by Ringdrotten Sun Oct 27, 2013 4:47 pm

Recently discovered a new show I like a lot, "The National Parks: America's Best Idea". It's a series of six documentaries which focuses on the history of the national parks and the people who played important roles in creating them. Great series if you like history from 1800's Americam, or if you're like me, just fascinated by the extraordinary nature America has to offer Smile

Great music, too Very Happy

by Eldorion Sun Oct 27, 2013 5:00 pm

I've never seen that documentary, but we have some awesome national parks out west. I've only been to a handful, but my favorite far and away has to be Yellowstone. It was the first national park in the United States (or the world, apparently) and it is absolutely gorgeous. Unfortunately it's also sitting on top of a supervolcano, so I consider myself lucky that I got to visit before it erupts and dooms us all. Very Happy

by Ringdrotten Sun Oct 27, 2013 5:08 pm

Yeah, I've read that Yellowstone is something like a time bomb pale

I'd love to see it too, but Yosemite is on the top of my list at the moment if I ever get the chance, and I haven't put much thought into what other national parks I might visit if I should get the chance to visit a second one Smile

by Eldorion Sun Oct 27, 2013 5:19 pm

Never been to Yosemite, though I've seen it from the air a couple of times while flying to San Francisco to visit my uncle. But that's definitely near the top of my list too.

by bungobaggins Sun Oct 27, 2013 5:34 pm

Nearly every family vacation I've been on was to some sort of national or state park. Been camping in northern Minnesota more times than I can remember. The big parks I've visited are Yellowstone, Black Hills/Badlands/Mt. Rushmore in South Dakota, Theodore Roosevelt National Park in North Dakota (visited twice), and the last one we went to was Glacier National Park in Montana.

Yellowstone was okay, but it was so crowded when we were there. My favorite of the ones we visited was Glacier.

I haven't watched the Ken Burns National Parks documentary yet, though.

by Ringdrotten Sun Oct 27, 2013 6:30 pm

Wish I had the opportunity to visit all those places! The documentaries are on Netflix (US version) for those interested Smile

by Norc Sun Oct 27, 2013 10:31 pm

i'de join u ringo, to yellowstone Very Happy

it seems like such a wild place Very Happy

by Ringdrotten Sun Oct 27, 2013 10:38 pm

We'll have to put together a Fjordian expedition - a proper one, not like those odd expeditions Anon keep writing about Laughing

by Norc Sun Oct 27, 2013 10:50 pm

yes. deal. *hands out brofist*

by halfwise Sat Nov 09, 2013 4:02 am

Just finishing up watching an episode of Dracula, produced by and starring Jonathon Rhys Myers. Incredibly cinematic, from the camera work to the sets to the acting (though JRM is actually the worst in the cast) this is up to the production standards set by Game of Thrones.

And the writing is a joy, even though I can't quite figure out what's going on half the time. An example:

"Dear lady, would you care for more absinthe?"
"No, through careful study and experimentation I have discovered my limit."

by Pettytyrant101 Sat Nov 09, 2013 4:31 am

Um that's sounds pretty straightforward to me?
And with absinthe it is probably wise to study and experiment how much you can handle! drunken

by halfwise Sat Nov 09, 2013 6:54 pm

Oh that line was straightforward, much the rest is not.

As for the National Parks series, yes, it's another gem from public television. the history documentaries made by PBS are truly outstanding.

by halfwise Sat Nov 09, 2013 7:00 pm

Norc wrote:i'de join u ringo, to yellowstone it seems like such a wild place

Umm, the best way to enjoy Yellowstone is to sign up for a backpacking trip to get off the roads. Seriously, you'd think you were in a wild park, but traffic backs up for miles every time a moose is spotted. I wish I could find one of the classic photos: a moose trying desperately to mind his own business while surrounded by a crowd of tourists snapping away. I think I took such a photo once, but sadly it was before the digital age and is now lost.

by Bluebottle Sat Nov 09, 2013 7:40 pm

Would really depend on the kind of absinth in question though. The modern version is just a strong anise-flavoured spirit. If she was drinking the original one with the wormwood I wouldn't be surprised if she saw a vampire, taking it's hallucinogenic qualities into account.

by halfwise Sat Nov 09, 2013 7:56 pm

Modern absinthe does have some something odd in it, if you get the right stuff. I think the test is if it turns green when mixed with water. I've gotten royally sick off the stuff twice, so can say that I, too, through diligent study have discovered my limit.

by Bluebottle Sat Nov 09, 2013 8:43 pm

Yes, it's most definitely not your everyday tipple.

This from Wikipedia might explain some of it:

Most countries have no legal definition for absinthe, whereas the method of production and content of spirits such as Scotch whisky, brandy, and gin are globally defined and regulated. As such, producers are at liberty to label a product as "absinthe" or "absinth" without regard to any specific legal definition or quality standards. Producers of legitimate absinthes employ one of two historically defined processes to create the finished spirit: distillation, or cold mixing. In the sole country (Switzerland) that does possess a legal definition of absinthe, distillation is the only permitted method of production. wrote:

Though you might be alergic to anise I guess. The alcohol content is also rather high:

Absinthe was historically bottled at 45-74% percent ABV. Some modern Franco–Suisse absinthes are bottled at up to 82.3% ABV, while some modern cold-mixed, bohemian-style absinthes are bottled at up to 89.9% ABV. wrote:

What really strikes me about the concept of original absinth is that the favourite tipple of artists in one of the most fertile periodes of european culture was a psychtropic alcoholic spirit. That should probably tell one something (though I have no idea what.)

by Pettytyrant101 Sat Nov 09, 2013 10:53 pm

It was also often used in conjunction with opium consumption too.

by RA Sat Nov 30, 2013 11:36 am

I don't know if this counts, but: Has anyone seen Steins Gate?
It's this short Anime (about 25 episodes) with time travel. It's a really endearing show, I think. Most Animes run for a very long time, but this one was a short and very well contained story. It's really neat.

by Pettytyrant101 Sat Nov 30, 2013 12:16 pm

Is it on youtube RA?

by Eldorion Sat Nov 30, 2013 3:44 pm

I've tried watching Steins;Gate a couple times, but I can't get through the first several episodes. I'm told it picks up considerably around the halfway point though. It was all a bit too Visual Novel-ish for me, but there are definitely some cool sci-fi elements in the setting. Smile

One of the things I love about anime is how many shows are contained to just 13 or 26 episodes, or something in that neighborhood. I don't watch any of the long-running shonen like Naruto anymore. I prefer to see a complete story.

by Eldorion Sat Nov 30, 2013 3:46 pm

Pettytyrant101 wrote:Is it on youtube RA?

It can be found *ahem* around pretty easily through Google.

by RA Sun Dec 01, 2013 2:55 am

Pettytyrant101 wrote:Is it on youtube RA?

You can find it on Animefreak. I don't think there's anything wrong with that site since I use it all the time, Suspect

but Eldo's scaring me now; I thought that's where everyone went Shrugging

The first dozen episodes are kind of slow, but you find out by the end that everything served a purpose. All the seemingly random conversations served a role. It's hard to say without spoiling anything, but I really appreciated the nuance after the fact.

Eldorion wrote:I'm told it picks up considerably around the halfway point though.

I watched an episode here or there every few days until I got to the halfway point, then I watched the rest in one go. Very Happy

by Pettytyrant101 Sun Dec 08, 2013 8:55 pm

8 out of 10 cats does Countdown.
Combining a popular comedy panel quiz with a gentle game of numbers and letters (plus Rachel Riley! bounce

) what more could you ask for?

by Mrs Figg Sun Dec 08, 2013 9:40 pm

looks like you guys will be getting your assorted toasters and fondue sets back then. Suspect

I hope you kept your receipts?

(((Rachel Riley my arse Mad

))))))

by Bluebottle Sun Dec 08, 2013 9:52 pm

I actually don't go in that much for 8 out of 10 cats, but their Countdown specials are rather good. Nod