Don't know if anyone is interested but I have been waiting with baited breath for this Ken Burns series to start and tonite finally is the beginning. Can't wait to experience it in High Def. it should be awesome. Drag the kids in to see it too.




http://www.pbs.org/nationalparks/
PBS Previews | The National Parks | PBS Video (http://video.pbs.org/video/1132712651)

Should be a great, I mean GREAT, show. Burns and the National Parks. The man can sure tell a story!

Funny you should bring this up Paul I was just listening to a commercial for this on the radio and it sounded interesting.

Don't know if anyone is interested but I have been waiting with baited breath for this Ken Burns series to start and tonite finally is the beginning. Can't wait to experience it in High Def. it should be awesome. Drag the kids in to see it too.




The National Parks: America's Best Idea: | PBS (http://www.pbs.org/nationalparks/)
PBS Previews | The National Parks | PBS Video (http://video.pbs.org/video/1132712651)


Should be good, you chewing on eels or pogies

Ready to watch live but DVR all programmed just in case.

There was a 4PM showing and I watched several minutes:

A MUST SEE SHOW! You will not be disappointed.

It's like on 200 times this month

The acoustic guitar in the beginning got me hunting for the music. If anyone else is interested here is the info on the music.

The National Parks: America's Best Idea: Music in the Film | PBS (http://www.pbs.org/nationalparks/about/music/)

Awesome show. I watched the whole thing and enjoyed every minute of it.

John Muir was just about a certified wacko in his younger days :hee:

And yea Paul thanks for that link. I did enjoy the music alot.

Did anyone else find it ironic that they kicked Hutchins out of Yosemite but then they allowed the "well connected" guys to trash Yellowstone?

I loved the part about the piece of cloth between beds and people had to position candles so as not to "project their shadow in a magnified size" and that Muir built his cabin with the stones far enough apart that he let ferns grow inside :hee:

How bout the guy who got lost for 37 days and wore his feet to the bone... man I can't believe someone could do that.

The acoustic guitar in the beginning got me hunting for the music. If anyone else is interested here is the info on the music.

The National Parks: America's Best Idea: Music in the Film | PBS (http://www.pbs.org/nationalparks/about/music/)

That was the first thing that struck me - the score for the show was excellent - thanks for the link, Paul

The stories of survival and determination were phenomenal - I hope it inspires younger people to become more interested in the history of the United States and the men and women who played a role in our development

Although I knew who John Muir was, the details of his involvement in the parks was pretty amazing

On the other hand, I am an ex-English department owl (believe it or not) so the Emerson, Thoreau and Whitman influences on Muir at the time were obvious to me - I used to teach AmLit/American Studies to college freshmen as an undergrad

Or Bonehead Humanities, as I used to call it...:laughs:

All in all a great presentation - I'm really looking forward to the rest of the series...:uhuh:

All very interesting stuff. Funny as we have not changed much in the years. There will always be people that will always try to make a friggin profit out of something at the expense of the resource like Huchins and the Northern Pacific Railroad. The almighty buck over everything. Good thing there were people like Muir and the other gentleman involved with Yellowstone that had the foresight and drive to get the places preserved for future generations. Also the plight of the Native Americans come to light as we flooded across the country and pretty much stole all that was first theirs. A real shame. Really enjoyed the park ranger who was obviously a native American saying that here are all these white men claiming to have discovered these natural beauties and the Indians of the area saying we have know about them for thousands of years. Never had the luxury of going to Yellowstone or Yosemite, yet. Look forward to seeing some episodes of places I have been, Grand Canyon, Carlsbad Caverns, Big Bend, Acadia,etc.. There are 58 parks I think and I hope to visit all of them before I have thrown in the towel.


on another note I still have not figured out who was playing that acoustic guitar in the beginning and through out the first episode. I really liked that a lot.

on another note I still have not figured out who was playing that acoustic guitar in the beginning and through out the first episode. I really liked that a lot.

If you find out who it was Paul, please post it - it was great and got my attention from the start, really set the tone for the documentary

Thanks...:kewl:

On the content regarding the Indians, it's pretty sad - he was right on point, the thrill of discovery for the explorers neglects the fact that there was already an indigenous civilization there long before the first white men found it

While preserving the parks was a noble deed, what was done to the native population who lived on that land for thousands of years was a lot less so...:hs:

In my life I've been to Sequoia, Yosemite, Acadia, and the Grand Canyon.

As I watched that last night I said to myself I got to do it again. I think we're going to do a bunch of weekend type trips now. I've never seen Ellis Island...and it's time for another Washington type trip. Maybe Va too.

All very interesting stuff. Funny as we have not changed much in the years. There will always be people that will always try to make a friggin profit out of something at the expense of the resource like Huchins and the Northern Pacific Railroad. The almighty buck over everything. Good thing there were people like Muir and the other gentleman involved with Yellowstone that had the foresight and drive to get the places preserved for future generations. Also the plight of the Native Americans come to light as we flooded across the country and pretty much stole all that was first theirs. A real shame. Really enjoyed the park ranger who was obviously a native American saying that here are all these white men claiming to have discovered these natural beauties and the Indians of the area saying we have know about them for thousands of years. Never had the luxury of going to Yellowstone or Yosemite, yet. Look forward to seeing some episodes of places I have been, Grand Canyon, Carlsbad Caverns, Big Bend, Acadia,etc.. There are 58 parks I think and I hope to visit all of them before I have thrown in the towel.


on another note I still have not figured out who was playing that acoustic guitar in the beginning and through out the first episode. I really liked that a lot.

Awesome show. I watched the whole thing and enjoyed every minute of it.

John Muir was just about a certified wacko in his younger days :hee:

And yea Paul thanks for that link. I did enjoy the music alot.


I have been/hiked into the Muir Wilderness. Beyond words to described. Missed Burns first show. Guarantee I will watch it more than once.

I need to watch this but havent been able to get the bad taste of Ken Burns out of my mouth since his Jazz series. He blew that BIG TIME. It should have been titled the "Racist View of Jazz Music as told by Winton Marsalis".....ok off my soapbox, I will TV'o it when I get home.

If you ever get the chance to think about going to Yellowstone (and Tetons), they rent cabins inside the park (probably several years waiting list now) but well worth it. I was lucky enough to spend a week there back in the late 70's. The lake&stream fishing (was) fantastic. Another story some time is being within 4ft of a grizzly.........

Speaking of Grizzlies there is going to be some FANTASTIC up close footage of them baggins some SWEET salmon. Stuff like that never ever gets old to me.

Wish the dvd wasnt so damn expensive. May still pick it up though. I think this is one the kids will enjoy more when they're older.

I am so excited about this show! Not to mention I am going to Vegas next week and the timing couldnt be better to get me in the mood for the Grand Canyon & Death Valley!

Jenn are you driving over? If so then good places to stop-Fredonia, Kanab, Zion National Park...there was a place somewhere along rt89 that was an old old gas station transformed into a native indian pottery studio...You got to stop there it's the nuts!

And don't do the drive at night...definitely during the day. The mountains east of St George are so pretty you won't want to leave.

Marble Canyon is right at the Lees Ferry crossing of the Colorado. Best seen at sunset... Marble Canyon lodge has got a great restaurant there right on the highway that is to die for if you like fresh trout....

Salty-yes we are driving over but we were going to do either the Skywalk or South Rim because we are doing the day trip thing. Though your way does sound appealing!

If you really want to wow your mind Jenn you should be in the area of the Vermillion Cliffs for sunset. That is truly God's country is the only way to describe it. I been there 6-7 times now.

Another great show last night. Sad to see Muir die a broken man for someone who did so much for this country. Did not realize Roosevelt was one of the movers behind this stuff. Great footage and pics.

http://www.anntorrence.com/blog/at-images/vermillioncliffs.jpg

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/a/ae/VermilionCliffsComposite5695.jpg/800px-VermilionCliffsComposite5695.jpg

"When they came across a campsite littered with tin cans and paper, Mather got his wealthy friends to help pick up the mess and left behind a note that said, "We have cleaned your camp. Keep it clean."

Some things never change.




"Oh dear it's Mr Dorr" THAT was frickin funny :rotf2::rotf2::rotf2::rotf2:

ugh, I'm trying not to be some bitter grump,. but Ken Burns does it again. He is such a liberal weenie. I can't tell you as a lifelong jazz fan how awful his Jazz series was.. race, race, race was all it was about and he ignored every white jazz musican except Dave Burbeck. Then I watch his series on WW2, race, race and lets through in some racism for good measure. Ok, well same ole shat. Last night I turn on the National Parks show. I enjoyed 10 minutes of it and then he starts highlighting some Japanase outdoors folk and a painter. Hmm....wonder where this is going Ken? Next thing you know, the sad music and shots of the Japanese internment camps! WTF DOES THIS HAVE TO DO WITH THE NATIONAL PARKS!!!!!???? The sacrafice of Japanese citizens was a tradgedy, but so was the sacrifice of MILLIONS of kids overseas never to see their loved ones again, limbs blown off or mentally scarred. Nope, lets highlight the evil america. Then for good measure.....the show concludes with my favorite Ken Burns them....RACISM! Thats right folks, the National Parks and Racism, go figure. Burns tells how the balck opera singer could not sing in an white theatre so she sang at the Lincoln Memorial, which is a National Park, how ever we had to HIGHLIGHT the racism. Get over it Ken, time to move on. Just 60 years ago in the small town in Connecticut my parents grew up in. The wops hated the polocks, who hated the germans.....etc. Welcome to America, they got over it, bought time you did too Ken.

ugh, I'm trying not to be some bitter grump,. but .


well you sure did a good job

you don't spell well at all when you are fired up



who is Ken Burns?

well you sure did a good job

you don't spell well at all when you are fired up

who is Ken Burns?

Hey, I wanna know who in the hell Dave Burbeck is...:huh:

Well I am on episode three so far and still loving it. I have not gotten the racism thing at all. I love the way it was done to tell the history of the parks and not just a "travel Guide" type show. I wanted to finish watching them all before we left but that may not happen.... :(

Went out and got a book of Muirs writings last night which I will read on the plane ......3 days to go!

Next thing you know, the sad music and shots of the Japanese internment camps! WTF DOES THIS HAVE TO DO WITH THE NATIONAL PARKS!!!!!???? The sacrafice of Japanese citizens was a tradgedy, but so was the sacrifice of MILLIONS of kids overseas never to see their loved ones again, limbs blown off or mentally scarred. Nope, lets highlight the evil america.

Manzanar National Historic Site (U.S. National Park Service) (http://www.nps.gov/manz/index.htm)

Then for good measure.....the show concludes with my favorite Ken Burns them....RACISM! Thats right folks, the National Parks and Racism, go figure. Burns tells how the balck opera singer could not sing in an white theatre so she sang at the Lincoln Memorial, which is a National Park, how ever we had to HIGHLIGHT the racism. Get over it Ken, time to move on. Just 60 years ago in the small town in Connecticut my parents grew up in. The wops hated the polocks, who hated the germans.....etc. Welcome to America, they got over it, bought time you did too Ken.
I don't think you're paying attention to the theme of the program, that the National Parks Service has been preserving not just natural wonders, but also monuments to (often negative) events that have shaped American history like Manzanar, the slave trade, Oklahoma City etc...

I find the program to be boring, not liberal.

-spence

I won't say boring, but I could use more footage of the parks themselves and highlights of each park. As far as how RI J is seeing it I really don't see that but I am also not looking for that angle either. I am just looking for the beauty of the parks themselves and nice pictures. I guess the series is more about how the parks came to be and evolved than more about the beauty of our parks, but still interesting. I'll sit thru it for the good real people stories and nice pictures.

I still havent had a chance to finish the series.

All I can say is now I want to see them ALL!!!!

great series, I cant wait to see some other parks. Baxter Park in Maine is about as wild as Ive ever seen.

I got a lot to see yet 2, mostly northern ones, Yellowstone especially. If you ever get some time in West Texas, New Mexico make sure you go to Carlsbad Caverns and drop down and see Big Bend. Big Bend is out in the middle of nowhere and as big as Rhode Island. I think there were only a handful of people when I stayed there for a week camping in January of some forgotten early 80's year. The cave was mind blowing and again we were the only ones there being January and there was a snow storm on the ride up into the mountains. I want to take my daughter there in the next few years but go in warmer weather and take the natural cave entrance down in as it was closed that time of the year.