If you could recommend one thing?

[Hobbes]

Hi folks, I almost started a new quiz but feel that I should at least wait until easter to do that.
But I felt like starting a new quiz like thread where people could post about anything again.

So I thought - if you could recommend one thing what would it be?
A song? A recipe? A holiday destination? A TV show?
Please post anything you can think of.

My heads up is the TV series The Wire. If you live in the UK you probably
haven't seen it as it was only shown on the obscure FX channel.

If you like American police shows and have not seen it buy the first series.
If you don't like American police shows (I'm not over keen) still buy it.

http://www.hbo.com/thewire/

yo, right here.

[ATTACH]5762[/ATTACH]


Chris

[runyan99]

A worthy recommendation. Seems a lot of people are latecomers to this series. Tell me, as a non-American, do you find some of the dialogue and street lingo a little hard to follow?

[Hobbes]

A worthy recommendation. Seems a lot of people are latecomers to this series. Tell me, as a non-American, do you find some of the dialogue and street lingo a little hard to follow?

Yes! Very hard to follow. I think even Americans must struggle a little.
I wonder if that's the reason the series wasn't shown on the more mainstream channels.

I read the HBO episode guide after each episode to make sure I undestand what's going on.

Cheers, Chris

[Hobbes]

Generation Kill starts at 10pm on FX in the UK tonight. Same writers as The Wire. Supposed to be very good.

Cheers, Chris

[tagwyn]

Do you actually believe all Americans talk like dudes from the hood? apy:

[Hobbes]

Do you actually believe all Americans talk like dudes from the hood? apy:

After watching all these shows I could - but my wife is from Minnesota and she sounds more like a Brit every day

[Rafiki]

Do you actually believe all Americans talk like dudes from the hood? apy:

Fo' sure, dawg!

[Linenoise]

Superb recommendation. One of the best shows to ever grace American TV.

The guys that wrote this show were former Baltimore police officers and one was a former newspaper reporter. What is unique about this show is that they try to maintain as much realism as possible. What this means to the viewer is that things do not go as they normally do in TVland. Sometimes things never get resolved and rarely do the good guys get a real win.

Another show made by these same guys is called The Corner. It was made before The Wire and also takes place in the Baltimore Ghetto. It follows a small group of interrelated people. It is like 5-6 episodes long and each episode follows a different persons POV as they struggle to survive in Baltimore.

[Hobbes]

I've seen The Corner advertised over here. Thanks for the heads up on that, I'll look out for it. It's on this week but I would like to see it from episode one. Generation Kill seems pretty good - but so far not quite up to the Wire.

One question that has come to mind - in The Wire 'Police' seem to go from Lieutenant to Major. What happened to Captain? I remember Frank Furillo in Hill Street Blues.

I'm halfway through season 4 of The Wire - upset that I only have 18 or so episodes to go

Cheers, Chris

[Bleedinbob]

If you are looking for a great police drama check out the Shield. It just completed its series finale a few months back. All in all a great show from beginning to end. Excellent season story lines, great dialogue, and amazing actors in the show.

[runyan99]

The Shield is pretty good but it does not quite have the realism of the Wire. In the Shield, most of the storylines get wrapped up from episode to episode. The Farmington district of the Shield is fictional. No such place in LA.

[Comtedemeighan]

I saw a few episodes of the Wire and I agree it is an awesome show seems more realistic then the other cop shows

[Major Tom]

I gues i have to rent the Wire on DVD because somehow I managed to avoid it when it was running, which is odd because I subscribe to HBO and I think their original series are the best things on TV: Sopranos (first 3 seasons, anyway), Rome, and Deadwood are all brilliant. I can't believe they didn't finish up the storyline with a third season of Deadwood. My God, I miss Al Swearingen. And Wu. And, of course...Mrs. Garrett. Mmmmm. Mrs. Garrett...

[Yellowhammer]

Firefly / Serenity.

Great SciFi TV series and movie, if you like spaceships and cowboys.

[tagwyn]

Hobbes: Is Minn. the place they want to elect a moron to the US Senate? t

[Mr Bill]

Hobbes: Is Minn. the place they want to elect a moron to the US Senate? t

I don't think that many people actually want to elect morons to the Senate. Nevertheless, it seems to happen all too often.

[Rafiki]

Hobbes: Is Minn. the place they want to elect a moron to the US Senate? t

[color="Blue"]Current-day poltics = big no-no for discussions hereabouts (something you know quite well, I'm sure)[/color]

[Strategy]

Go see Slumdog Millionaire. An Indian "City of God" crossed with Hollywood feel-good movie-making that ends up (IMO) as a surprisingly great film. Great soundtrack too - the train sequence is awesome.

It won't be everyone's cup of tea, and it's not particularly "deep" as such, but it's definitely worth watching.

[berto]

"The Way of the Pilgrim: Medieval Songs of Travel" by the Toronto Consort:

http://www.amazon.com/Way-Pilgrim-Medieval-Songs-Travel/dp/B000056KNB/ref=sr_1_26?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1234563266&sr=8-26

Fabulous, fabulous music!

If this doesn't turn you onto Early Music, nothing ever would.

[Yellowhammer]

Leningrad Cowboys and the Red Army Chorus singing Sweet Home Alabama.

[Nikel]

Right now I am enjoying a lot this song and video I watched for the first time on the MTV2 arty:

Friendly Fires 'Skeleton Boy'


Slow connection

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A7SDdk3behU

Fast connection

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GyA8zfouG4Y

[Hobbes]

Right now I am enjoying a lot this song and video I watched for the first time on the MTV2 arty:

Friendly Fires 'Skeleton Boy'


Slow connection

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A7SDdk3behU

Fast connection

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GyA8zfouG4Y

Love the chorus but not sure about the rest of the song. Could take a few listens.

[Spharv2]

Fo' sure, dawg!

Geez, get it right....it's Fo' Sho' Dawg! Darn European Yankees.

[Nikel]

Love the chorus but not sure about the rest of the song. Could take a few listens.

You are a hard critic


OK, if you do not like this one, then it is because you do not like MTV2 music style, alternative or indie. I enjoy this music since a friend showed me The Stone Roses and The Pixies, 20 years ago

Mgmt Time To Pretend

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XVnRzEjpUmE

[Rafiki]

I have no idea what kind of circulation this movie has and will have, but if you ever get a chance to see "Max Manus" (IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1029235/, Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Max_Manus_(film) ), I highly recommend it. It is a well-made movie about one of the most well-known Norwegian saboteurs of WW2 and the events he got caught up in, and though I had high expectations about it due to reports from its production and my general interest for WW2, I was not let down when I went to see it

Trailer (subtitled): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WbK4WTQFf9U

The same people who made this movie are thinking of (re-)making a movie portraying the events of the heavy water sabotages at Rjukan. Judging by their work on "Max Manus", I really hope they do

[Nikel]

If you need some rest after some wargame campaigns or after a bad day in real life... then watch, listen and jump arty:



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f_2rrxONlLo



Perhaps this has sounded for some time but as I am getting old, listened to it yesterday for the first time

[Franciscus]

If I could recommend one thing to do this year it would be to go see one of the concerts by Leonard Cohen. I had the immense privilege of attending a magnificent show by the master on my first vacation day, together with wife and kids - 3 hours of paradise - Leonard, a 74 year old kid was at it's best, as were his musicians. Specially his muse and companion, Sharon Robinson was sublime. Every song was a masterpiece !
As he is continuing his 2009 tour in Spain, France and USA, lots of you guys have still the opportunity of a life time.
I must confess that due to several circunstances I am usually a somewhat cynical and dark-humoured individual, but I was moved to tears with the divine rendition by Sharon and Leonard of "Boogie Street".
"So come my friends, don't be afraid, we are so lightly here. It is in love that we are made, in love we disappear"

[Nikel]

Wonderful song. The Temper Trap, Sweet Disposition


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vN7HQrgakZU

[SkyWestNM]

If I could recommend one thing to do this year it would be to go see one of the concerts by Leonard Cohen. I had the immense privilege of attending a magnificent show by the master on my first vacation day, together with wife and kids - 3 hours of paradise - Leonard, a 74 year old kid was at it's best, as were his musicians. Specially his muse and companion, Sharon Robinson was sublime. Every song was a masterpiece !
As he is continuing his 2009 tour in Spain, France and USA, lots of you guys have still the opportunity of a life time.
I must confess that due to several circunstances I am usually a somewhat cynical and dark-humoured individual, but I was moved to tears with the divine rendition by Sharon and Leonard of "Boogie Street".
"So come my friends, don't be afraid, we are so lightly here. It is in love that we are made, in love we disappear"

Thank you so much Franciscus for your recommendation. I had never heard of Leonard Cohen before despite his long career and his induction to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Your being deeply moved made me curious enough to check him out on YouTube. From your recommendation til now he has become a favorite of mine and also my lady. As a result of your recommendation we have just returned from Caesar's Palace in Las Vegas to see him. Flew from here in New Mexico to there just to see him on his one night stand. He and his whole entourage were there and were, as you advertised, sublimely exquisite. His style has changed from liberally youthfully activist over his career to firm, spirtually mature and deep. His group were the most talented individual musicians I have ever encountered bar none. Each one was a master of their art from the Webb sisters to Sharon to the wonderful claranetist and spanish (Portuguese) guitar.

Thanks once again for introducing me and mine to a lifetime experience.


Sky

[Franciscus]

My dear SkyWest:

I feel honored and humbled knowing that my suggestion was useful to you and your lady.
I know exactly how you must be feeling after attending that show. I am glad you took that opportunity.

Best regards to you both.