These listings cover television programs up to Thursday, March
13th.
Greetings, TV viewers!
This week's MediaHour is Flight of the Century, a TLC Sunday night special by the folks who do Junkyard Wars! Do you think you could build a 1903 airplane in less than 24 hours, using a pile of scrap and 100-year old plans? Watch the show and think about it!
Want some clams? Watch the show-of-the-week, then talk about them
with me and other citizens (including other city workers, if they're available)
in the House of Illusions Geek Speak. We usually meet on Wednesdays
at 6:30pm Whyville Time.
If you come and really take part in the meeting, you'll get
up to 50 clams from City Hall... you like that?
To sum up: tune to the show, show up to the chat,
chat up your thoughts, and know you get clams!
Last week's MediaHour was a great engagement, or so Bigfoot tells me. I was stuck in traffic, so I missed the deep discussions on the pyramids, slavery, and just who really did the building. If you saw last week's show, you'd know that 25,000 Egyptians were drafted -- just like we draft soldiers today -- to build the pyramid in that show. They weren't slaves!
I also understand there was much debate over "A Class Divided", in which a teacher experimentally favored blue-eyed children one day, and brown-eyed children the next. Do you think you'd fall for it? Even adults do, so don't be too sure about yourselves! Makes you boggle at the power of suggestion... and realize just how advertising works... and think about how powerful kindness can be... etcetera, etcetera.
Everyone is welcome to email me what you and your parents think -- you can
get clams for that, too.
Email me, the MediaWiz of Whyville!
And now... the Media Menu!
Thursday, March 6
"The Mackinac Bridge" (History Channel, 10-11 pm E/P) This is a technology documentary about the Mackinac Bridge, until recently the longest suspension bridge in the world. One of the top engineering marvels of the 20th century, the bridge spans the 4-mile wide straits of Mackinac, where Lakes Huron and Michigan come together. The Mighty Mac connects the pastoral northern mainland of Michigan with the state's heavily forested Upper Peninsula and stands as a testament to the dreams, determination, and hard work of a small few who created a true masterpiece of modern engineering. Details at
http://www.mackinacbridge.org/
Friday, March 7
"Hauntings: Chicago" (A&E Network, 9-10 pm E/P) Because of the Oscar hoopla, you might get the idea that Chicago was an imaginary place -- sort of a naughty Atlantis or Camelot. Well, it's real -- but it does have a certain
mysterious air about it, which this geography documentary captures. With a
great lake on one side and a great prairie on the other, the forces of nature
exert a mystic force on that city. It's home to perhaps the most haunted
cemetery in the country, where lighted orbs dance through the trees, and one
of the oddest haunted restaurants. Spirits of the gangsters killed in St.
Valentine's Massacre roam the site where the murders took place, and the
spirit of crusading lawyer Clarence Darrow appears near the Museum of Science
and Industry, where his ashes were scattered.
Saturday, March 8
"Jimmy Neutron, Boy Genius" (Showtime Network, 7:30-9:30 pm E/P) This is an animated movie about a ten-year-old genius inventor. He rallies his
neighborhood pals to build an armada of spaceships and rescue their parents
from an alien race -- in time for dinner! He may be a genius and way ahead of
his friends, but when it comes to being cool, he's a little behind. That ends
the day when he finds himself having to lead not only his pals but all the
children of the world to rescue their parents. Available on video.
Sunday, March 9
"Women Combat Pilots: The Right Stuff" (History Channel, 7-8 pm E/P) Airing during Women's History Month, this documentary starts out by explaining that that Orville and Wilbur Wright had a sister, Katherine, who contributed as
much to Kitty Hawk as her famous brothers. Ever since the first manned
flight, women possessed a passion for flying and also a deep desire to use
their skills to serve as combat pilots in times of war. It wasn't until 1993
that American women were officially allowed to fly combat aircraft. Learn
about the struggles, accomplishments and contributions of women pilots of the
past, present, and future. Here's a website with lots more information about
women pilots: http://www.ninety-nines.org.
MediaHour Selection! "Flight of the Century" (The Learning Channel, 8-10 pm E/P) This edition of the "Junkyard Wars" series commemorates the 100th anniversary this year of
the Wright Brothers flight. Three teams of experts compete to build vintage
planes from the early 1900's using only the kind of junk and tools which
were available 100 years ago. The "American Eagles", "British Buzzards" and
"French Falcons" each have only 20 hours to get a contraption together,
through the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration inspection process and into
the air. There's a wonderful website,
http://tlc.discovery.com/fansites/junkyard/flight/flight.html which will give
you technical details -- and tempt you to do things that I must warn you (as
usual) not to do at home.
Monday, March 10
"National Geographic Today" (National Geographic Channel, 7-7:30 E/P) This daily science news report begins with a natural history 'comeback story'. In
Japan the traditional fascination for hunting dolphins is turning into a
fascination for the mammals themselves. A former hunter is now searching for
dolphins for a different reason: to watch them. As Japanese tourism has
grown, so has the popularity of marine theme parks, dolphin watching and
swim-with-dolphin programs. Despite it's slow start due to old attitudes
favoring brutal hunting this new attraction has become a lucrative business.
Also, this broadcast kicks off a week-long series on the lost people of Peru
-- a community of indigenous people virtually invisible to the rest of the
world. Horrified by the deadly impact disease and death had on their people
centuries ago, these 'uncontacted Indians' voluntarily isolate themselves in
order to maintain their health and culture. Find out what impact disease has
played on their past, and how the Peruvian government is working to keep them
safe. For background on the Uncontacted Indian reports, log on to
http://moore.org/stories/02_03/news_story.asp.
"Snakebite" (National Geographic Channel, 8-9 pm E/P) This one-hour film examines how Americans relate to poisonous native serpents -- from
rattlesnakes to cobras -- as well as the deadly assortment of foreign species imported for collectors and pet owners. Scientists and snake experts discuss the myths and realities of the dangers posed by poisonous snakes, and snakebite victims recount their gruesome near-death experiences. In Florida, there's a fire-rescue team that specializes in providing anti-venom to snakebite victims. And in Kansas there's a Rattlesnake Roundup, where locals and tourists get the chance for a close look at thousands of the creatures that both terrify and enthrall them. The program is the first in a week-long programming event, "5 Days of Snakes", about serpents that are revered by some and feared by others. Tuesday's show is "Rainbow Serpent", Wednesday it's "Snake Hunter", Thursday it's "Land of the Anaconda" and Friday, "Africa's Deadly Dozen".
Tuesday, March 11
"Meerkats Unmasked" (Animal Planet 8-9 pm E/P) This is a natural history documentary about the world of Meerkats struggling to survive in the
Kalahari Desert. These diminutive animals see the grass as a forest and
wrestle scorpions that seem the size of dogs. I'm not up to the challenge of
describing in words what they look like, but if you log on to this website
about these creatures you're in for a treat right now -- and you'll want to
watch them in action when the TV show airs:
http://animal.discovery.com/fansites/wildkingdom/meerkats/meerkats.html.
Wednesday, March 12
"Birdman of Alcatraz" (Turner Classic Network, 8-10pm ET 5-7pm PT) Based on a 1955 biography by Thomas E. Gaddis, "Birdman of Alcatraz", this
multiple-Oscar nominated movie is about a hardened criminal, Robert Stroud,
who became an expert in the study of birds. Through the efforts of his mother, his convictions -- resulting in a death sentence -- were commuted to a life sentence at Alcatraz and it was there that he had a life-altering experience. After nursing a wounded sparrow back to health in his prison
cell, Stroud devoted himself to the study of birds, eventually acquiring over
300 birds and establishing himself as one of the world's leading authorities
on canaries. His books, "Stroud's Digest On The Diseases of Birds" and "The
Diseases of Canaries" are still studied. See also the website
http://www.alcatrazhistory.com/stroud.htm.
Thursday, March 13
"The Messenger: The Story of Joan of Arc" (Bravo Channel, 7-10 pm E/P)
This is a movie about the illiterate peasant girl who led the French army to
victory in the name of God and was subsequently burned at the stake as a
heretic. Airing during Women's History Week, this particular movie is
historically accurate, in the opinion of some scholars. But, as such, there
are scenes of violence. So it has been movie rated R. It was directed by Luc
Besson, whose earlier films include "The Fifth Element". Available on video.
