Park yourself in front of PBS

[malaise]

New Ken Burns series begins today

By Brett Johnson (Contact)
Sunday, September 27, 2009

The 12-hour PBS series was 10 years in the making and cost $15 million, his most expensive project to date.

Ken Burns’ six-part, 12-hour PBS opus “The National Parks: America’s Best Idea” will debut at 1 and 8 p.m. today on KCET (generally Channel 10 or Channel 28 in Ventura County) and continue with new installments nightly at 8 through Friday.

Ken Burns sees our national parks as many things — unifying, balancing, redemptive, a respite from tough times and workaday worries.

“We spent much of our history saving such landscapes when we, in turn, have been saved by these wild places,” Burns said by phone recently from New York. “They remind us why we Americans cohere, at a time when everyone is screaming at each other in the din of talk radio.”

The heralded director’s latest work, “The National Parks: America’s Best Idea,” begins today on PBS and will run every night through Friday. Burns said he would like nothing better (or more) than for people to watch the series and then go visit a national park. The boyish-looking Burns, who turned 56 in July, said he still has anxiety, “this anticipatory excitement, like a college kid going off to school,” when one of his epics is about to run.
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Remember to thank FDR and the New Deal

[Captain Hilts]

1. Ted started it and FDR picked up the project...

I can't pull in an HD signal, so I'll have to wait...

[Touchdown]

23. You only have to wait for 2 weeks...

http://www.amazon.com/Ken-Burns-National-Americas-Blu-Ray/dp/B002GWDK6Q

[malaise]

32. I'll order a copy

Thanks

[malaise]

31. It will be on line so you can watch

Fundie alert - the land is way older than 6,000 years.

[Cleita]

2. I'm amazed at how many Americans don't see going to the parks as an

ideal vacation. Other nationalities have and our parks are full of tourists from other countries enjoying our scenic wonders. Maybe it's just as well. I'm sure some Republican types would want to come along and strip out the resources for profit.

[malaise]

6. Bingo

Let's keep them out.

[lamp_shade]

9. Then you'll LOVE Part One. Much is told about how railroad lobbyists tried to privatize

the parks initially. It took a junior senator from California, Abe Lincoln, John Muir and General Sheridan's cavalry to set things right. Don't miss it.

[underpants]

14. I think you would be amazed at the traffic and volume of business the parks do

Sherando Lake in Va-I got there on the Thursday morning before 4th of July and it was already sold out

[lamp_shade]

3. I WATCHED PART I. I was GLUED to the TV set. It was AWESOME.

Nobody does a documentary like Burns. I watched Part I this afternoon in the Tampa area. It'll show again tonight at 8:00. I know where I'll be every night this week.

[lamp_shade]

4. I hope it's seen worldwide. It's one hell of a way to promote tourism.

[malaise]

8. Not really

Those of us who have visited a few of them will watch. Sadly the hassle associated with traveling has turned most of us off.

[imdjh]

5. Ken Burns wasted my time on the Civil War

I watched it all the way through and it ended the same way it did in Gone With The Wind, North And South, and every other Civil War movie.

[Blue_In_AK]

10. Kind of like Jesus movies.

You always know they're going to get him in the end.

[imdjh]

11. Finally! Someone who understands. nt

[rucky]

12. or do they?

[PreacherCasey]

7. can't wait

[Libertas1776]

13. Typical

socialist propaganda pushed by big government whores like TR. The government has no business protecting and preserving the natural beauty of its landscapes. The free market should have been allowed to handle the land. who needs national parks that belong to all of us

when we could have had...

That's the American way. :sarcasm:


I am really looking forward to this program about one of the greatest things ever accomplished by the US government.

[lamp_shade]

15. Yup... a "government run program" like no other. Oh the noive.

[malaise]

18. That's a fabulous post

:fistbump: :hi:

edit smilie

[Blue_In_AK]

19. There was a lot of bitching in Alaska

following the passage of ANILCA in 1980 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ANILCA which set aside a gigantic portion of the state for national parks, refuges and wilderness areas, but I'm really glad they did it.

My favorite national park in Alaska is Wrangell-St. Elias, the largest national park in the United States. It's unbelievably beautiful over there, and about as wild as it gets. http://www.nps.gov/wrst/index.htm

[XOKCowboy]

25. Go to Lake Tahoe. One place that should be a National Park

but the rich got to it before Teddy. Now it's all traffic jams, curio shops, art galleries and very little public access to the lake thanks to "private development". A national treasure that we lost.

My granddad took me to Yellowstone when I was 6 years old and I still remember it. I've been back a dozen times since but none were like that first visit. I also remember how incredible it was to ride through the Sequioas on the way to Yosemite. Now that was an amazing day.

[wickerwoman]

40. Or Niagra Falls

We were laughing at how many times it's mentioned in the documentary as the example of what not to do with an area of outstanding beauty. And it is pretty awful too.

[pamela]

16. I'm on my third viewing.

I've been anxiously awaiting this series. I love the National Parks. It is a goal of mine to visit them all. This past year, I've been to Shenandoah, Assateague, Arches, Canyonlands, Bryce, Grand Canyon, Capitol Reef, Zion and the Wright Brothers memorial in Kitty Hawk. We buy a National Park pass each year and try to visit 5-10 parks a year.

[BadgerKid]

17. Start your own Passport book

Link

I started mine last summer.

[malaise]

20. Thanks for that link

:hi:

[lunatica]

21. I'm recording all of it.

[malaise]

22. +1

Clearly a collector's item.

[pinniped]

24. John Muir and Yosemite is on right now! PBS (KQED-PST)

.

[Aptosian]

39. information request regarding photos used in show

I've admired John Muir and his work since reading of him some
40+ years ago.  I'm writing in search of advice on how to
learn of one particular photo displayed near the end of the
show.  It was of a couple lounging on a big boulder near the
valley overlook from the south, a long legged man and his
female companion.  He looked very much like my grandfather and
of course, I'd like to find out if it could have been him. Any
advice on how such information might be acquired? Thanks much,
in advance. 

[pinniped]

41. I would try emailing the show's producers.

They would definitely know where that particular picture originated.

I was checking out the closing credits, and under Archival Still Photographs, several dozen organizations were cited!

Good luck.

http://www.pbs.org/nationalparks/watch-video/#872

[Divernan]

26. If you're 62 or older you can buy a lifetime pass to all federal parks/recreation areas for $10.

What is the Senior Pass?
The Senior Pass replaced the Golden Age Passport in January 2007. The pass is for citizens or permanent residents of the United States, who are 62 years of age or older. It provides access to, and use of, any Federal recreation site that charges an Entrance or Standard Amenity Fee, and provides a discount on some Expanded Amenity Fees.

It costs $10, and it is valid for the lifetime of the pass holder. Photo identification may be requested to verify pass ownership. If you have the earlier, plastic Golden Age Passport, they are also still good for a lifetime.
If you would like the new Senior Pass, you may purchase one for $10.00, with proof of identification, e.g. driver's license, birth certificate, or similar document. If you have a paper Golden Age Passport and want a new Senior Pass insteadyou can exchange itg free of charge with proof of identification, e.g. driver's license, birth certificate, or similar document.

A Senior Pass can be obtained in person from a participating Federal recreation site or office. Sorry, Snowbirds (older Canadians), but the Senior Pass is available only to U.S. citizens or permanent residents, age 62 years and older. Owning property or paying taxes in the US does not automatically qualify you for a Senior Pass. You must be a permanent US resident, or a US citizen. Which agencies honor the Senior Pass?
The Forest Service, the National Park Service, Fish and Wildlife Service, Bureau of Land Management, and Bureau of Reclamation honor the Senior Pass at sites where Entrance or Standard Amenity Fees are charged. In addition, the Corps of Engineers and Tennessee Valley Authority may honor the Senior Pass. Check with the local site for more information. http://www.recreation.gov

What does the Senior Pass cover?
The Senior Pass admits pass holder/s and passengers in a non-commercial vehicle at per vehicle fee areas and pass holder + 3 adults, not to exceed 4 adults, at per person fee areas. (Children under 16 always admitted free). If your family is traveling in two cars,only the vehicle with the pass holder is covered. The second vehicle is subject to an entrance fee, or must be carrying a second pass.
Senior Pass Benefits
Does the Senior Pass include any discounts at Federal Recreation sites? The Senior Pass provides a 50 percent discount on some Expanded Amenity Fees charged for facilities and services such as camping, swimming, boat launching, and specialized interpretive services. In some cases where Expanded Amenity Fees are charged, only the pass holder will be given the 50 percent price reduction. The pass is non-transferable and generally does NOT cover or reduce special recreation permit fees or fees charged by concessionaires. Inquire locally for pass acceptance policies. What are the 50% discount guidelines? Inquire locally for pass acceptance policies. In general discounts are honored as follows: Individual Campsites: The discount only applies to the fee for the campsite physically occupied by the pass holder, not to any additional campsite(s) occupied by members of the pass holder's party. Sites with Utility Hookups: If utility fees are charged for separately there is no discount. The discount may apply if the utility fee is combined (seamless) with the campsite fee. Group Campsites and Facilities (including, but not limited to, group facilities, picnic areas or pavilions): There is no discount for group campsites and other group facilities that charge a flat fee. If the group campsite has a per person fee rate, only the pass holder receives a discount; others using the site pay the full fee. Guided Tours: The pass offers discounts on some guided tours. Only the pass holder receives a discount if one is offered. Transportation Systems: It depends. Check with the local recreation site. http://www.recreation.gov

Concessionaire Fees, Special Recreation, and Special Park Use Permit Fees: These fees might include, but are not limited to, lodging, campgrounds, tours, etc. Each concession contract varies with the site and the agency. Please check directly with the local recreation site about their discount policies. http://www.recreation.gov


There are thousands of Federal recreation sites and fees vary across the Federal agencies. Please inquire locally for pass acceptance and discount policies. Does my Senior Pass provide any discounts at Cooperating Association bookstores or gift shops that are located in the Federal Recreation sites (i.e. the Grand Canyon or Okeefenokee bookstores)? No. The Senior Pass does not cover discounts in on-site bookstores or gift stores. Is a Senior Pass valid at State Parks or local city/county Recreation sites? No. Federal Recreation sites are operated by the Federal government, whereas State Parks are operated by state governments, and local city/county Recreation sites are operated by local city/county governments.

[lamp_shade]

30. Thank you. I'm 62+ and there are a few parks I haven't visited yet.

[Barack_America]

27. Check.

Looks great on hi-def.

Wonder if he'll feature El Yunque in Puerto Rico. Was just there a month ago.

Amazing.

[demmiblue]

28. Parked... starting now!

:woohoo:

[madokie]

29. Thank U

I would have miss this tonight.

[malaise]

33. Then I'm glad I posted the heads up

:hi:
Parked and I intend to watch all 12 hours

[G_j]

34. too bad republicans think pbs is evil

there is a huge and urgent message about America here.

[malaise]

35. Well they also think the earth is 6,000 years old

so this is clearly not for them.

[G_j]

36. kick

[Botany]

37. a must see!

[Odin2005]

38. Awesome!