Bravo Two Zero - what is a "shiney thing?"

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[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Bravo Two Zero - what is a "shiney thing?"

Posted: 10/19/2004 12:04:44 PM EDT

In the movie, Bravo Two Zero, they used the term "shiney thing" to describe a new piece of equipment (I think it was a radio).

My question is, what is the definition of a "shiney thing?" Is it just new equipment or can it stand for something valuable?

Vito, are you there?

Posted: 10/19/2004 12:07:30 PM EDT

[#1]

Whatever it was it didn't work.

Posted: 10/19/2004 12:09:14 PM EDT

[#2]

Quoted:
Whatever it was it didn't work.

They did pick up the AWACS for a minute during the sand storm.

Posted: 10/19/2004 12:11:33 PM EDT

[#3]

It's like saying something is marked "made in Chad".

Posted: 10/19/2004 12:14:55 PM EDT

[#4]

Quoted:
It's like saying something is marked "made in Chad".

Meaning that it's rare?

Posted: 10/19/2004 12:16:00 PM EDT

[#5]

Quoted:
Quoted:
It's like saying something is marked "made in Chad".

Meaning that it's rare?

Meaning it's a piece of sh!t. You should read the book, it's pretty good and full of stuff like that.

Actually I think
"shiney thing" means hi-tech gizmo. Now I need to look it up.

Posted: 10/19/2004 12:18:51 PM EDT

[#6]

I read the whole book before I finally broke down and asked somebody what "...and the next thing you know, Bob's your Uncle!" actually meant.

Oh, those clever Brits.

Posted: 10/19/2004 12:19:47 PM EDT

[#7]

what did you guys think of the movie? I thought it was poorly done...

Posted: 10/19/2004 12:19:55 PM EDT

[#8]

My understanding is a "Shiny thing" is any new acquisition, often of a toy-like nature, and not necessarily to be trusted. Ordinarily, it could be a new toaster, DVD player, car, usually an object.

The shiny thing in this case was a satnav, or some such. I've heard the use of this term to refer to anything new, and, sometimes, to a new girlfriend.

Posted: 10/19/2004 12:21:28 PM EDT

[#9]

Quoted:
what did you guys think of the movie? I thought it was poorly done...

I disagree, for a relatively low budget movie I think it was done very well.

Posted: 10/19/2004 12:23:27 PM EDT

[#10]

Quoted:
Quoted:
what did you guys think of the movie? I thought it was poorly done...

I disagree, for a relatively low budget movie I think it was done very well.

I'd agree with that, for what they had to work with it was good.

Posted: 10/19/2004 12:28:25 PM EDT

[#11]

Quoted:
In the movie, Bravo Two Zero, they used the term "shiney thing" to describe a new piece of equipment (I think it was a radio).

My question is, what is the definition of a "shiney thing?" Is it just new equipment or can it stand for something valuable?

Vito, are you there?

It is something that you want - even if you don't know what it is. Kind of like how some birds will add shiny bits to their nests.

That one happened to be a GPS receiver.

Given that it was a BBC production, it was fairly good. Kind of hard to take that book and fit it into a two hour movie. It at least gives you some idea of how the iraqis treat POW's. Like he said, if he ever met any of them in a dark alley, he'd slot em.

Posted: 10/19/2004 12:33:14 PM EDT

[#12]

Ok - I accept your opinions...I struggled through it...thought the story was not presented properly.

I think the costs of a good screen-writer may have been over-looked by the budgeting folks

Nuff said...I won't troll anymore

Posted: 10/19/2004 12:47:17 PM EDT

[#13]

Quoted:
Ok - I accept your opinions...I struggled through it...thought the story was not presented properly.

I think the costs of a good screen-writer may have been over-looked by the budgeting folks

Nuff said...I won't troll anymore

Ever read the book? It's a labor due to the POW aspect. It was brutal!

If the film was true to the book it would have been 6 hours long, 5 of it being about the torture.

IMHO, they did a great job on a BBC budget.

The film was about a tight knit elite unit rushed into action without the correct gear and the adversity they faced and eventually overcame. The interesting covert ops of that war. What a well trained highly motivated and disciplined squad can do.
The limeys were famous for begging, borrowing and stealing during Gulf War 1. They did allot with a little....brave bunch of asskickers the lot of them.

As to the Shiney thing...

When they took the Taxi, they were ticking down the distance to the Syrian border using the "Shiney thing" so I surmised it was a GPS unit.

Posted: 10/19/2004 12:58:05 PM EDT

[#14]

I said I respected your opinions...go easy on me, I didn't call it Lethal Weapon 4 or anything like that....

Haven't got the book...will check it out

Posted: 10/19/2004 12:58:45 PM EDT

[#15]

Quoted:
In the movie, Bravo Two Zero, they used the term "shiney thing" to describe a new piece of equipment (I think it was a radio).

My question is, what is the definition of a "shiney thing?" Is it just new equipment or can it stand for something valuable?

Vito, are you there?

Yup!

'Shiny Thing' …any new piece of ''Gucci' kit…

"Gucci' … any new piece of very good (and expensive) kit

Examples… It's what one of our Marines would say when issued a Minimi… "oooh! nice new shiny thing!

And Laser Designators……"Those new SOFLAMS are a real Gucci bit of kit"

ANdy

Edited to add: McNabbs got a 'bad' name from that operation… read 'The One That Got Away' by Chris Ryan or 'Soldier Five' by Mike Coburn… 'Soldier Five' is the most 'accurate' of the accounts.

Posted: 10/19/2004 1:37:45 PM EDT

[#16]

Quoted:

Edited to add: McNabbs got a 'bad' name from that operation… read 'The One That Got Away' by Chris Ryan or 'Soldier Five' by Mike Coburn… 'Soldier Five' is the most 'accurate' of the accounts.

THE ONE THAT GOT AWAY FILM

Starring:

Paul McGann as Cpl. Chris Ryan.

You might remember him as Dr. Who from the film of the same name, or Lt. Bush from the A&E Horatio Hornblower series. Not availible in the US.

Posted: 10/19/2004 3:54:41 PM EDT

[#17]

Quoted:
I read the whole book before I finally broke down and asked somebody what "...and the next thing you know, Bob's your Uncle!" actually meant.

Oh, those clever Brits.

Ok, I read the book and have the DVD....what does it mean?

Posted: 10/19/2004 4:04:22 PM EDT

[#18]

I read the book before seeing the movie, one thing that struck me was how poorly equipped and planned their operation really was. They had no supressed weapons and no pistols available to them. They poorly planned an escape in case of SHTF. They wasted ammo by alot of full auto fire. Insufficient water carried on their excursion as well as using untested gear. I know it didnt address the original bit of shiny gear but it's been pretty well covered earlier. I just felt like chiming in with my view of the whole op. Hopefully the brits have learned by the unfortunate experience of their troops. Having to lick shit off your fingers is just too damned much. I hope they got to exact a bit of payback on DS part II.

Posted: 10/19/2004 5:13:28 PM EDT

[#19]

Quoted:
I said I respected your opinions...go easy on me, I didn't call it Lethal Weapon 4 or anything like that....

Haven't got the book...will check it out

Hey man, sorry if I came off as harsh. I wasn't assholing you JHP.

If anything, it's more that I'm enthusiastic and surprised at how watchable a lower budget BBC production could be. I'm a Sharpe's Rifles fan, another lower end yet very watchable production, mainly due to 3 strong factors: Casting, Subject matter and the ability to make one very small scene look really detailed, like a narrow corridor. Sean Bean's performance in Sharpe's introduced me to that AMAZING series of books, so he carries allot of weight with me.

Posted: 10/19/2004 5:15:08 PM EDT

[#20]

Quoted:
I read the book before seeing the movie, one thing that struck me was how poorly equipped and planned their operation really was. They had no supressed weapons and no pistols available to them. They poorly planned an escape in case of SHTF. They wasted ammo by alot of full auto fire. Insufficient water carried on their excursion as well as using untested gear. I know it didnt address the original bit of shiny gear but it's been pretty well covered earlier. I just felt like chiming in with my view of the whole op. Hopefully the brits have learned by the unfortunate experience of their troops. Having to lick shit off your fingers is just too damned much. I hope they got to exact a bit of payback on DS part II.

Agreed. The book really did highlight "Go fever", where they (commanders, not the operators so much) thought toughness and bravado could overcome all obstacles, when in fact, the only real obstacles they should be forced to face are enemy and terrain. I think that was probably also in part due to a lack of respect of the Iraqi opposition. Not that they are superior, it's just any bunch of goons with short lines of supply will overcome the highest trained operators with no line of supply ie Special Forces.

I'm sure the Brits are doing just fine......

Posted: 10/19/2004 5:17:03 PM EDT

[#21]

Quoted:
The film was about a tight knit elite unit rushed into action without the correct gear and the adversity they faced and eventually overcame. The interesting covert ops of that war. What a well trained highly motivated and disciplined squad can do.
The limeys were famous for begging, borrowing and stealing during Gulf War 1. They did allot with a little....brave bunch of asskickers the lot of them.

As to the Shiney thing...

When they took the Taxi, they were ticking down the distance to the Syrian border using the "Shiney thing" so I surmised it was a GPS unit.

+1

I could not have said it better.

Posted: 10/19/2004 5:24:02 PM EDT

[#22]

Quoted:
Ok - I accept your opinions...I struggled through it...thought the story was not presented properly.

I think the costs of a good screen-writer may have been over-looked by the budgeting folks

Nuff said...I won't troll anymore

Hey man, it's cool.....don't stop trolling. I think it's fun to chit chat like this. If anything, you would benefit from reading the book and seeing the film. You might be impressed with the fact they maintained the correct spirit of the book, while glossing over other points.