Media Menu, November 6, 2010

Here are home viewing suggestions for the week, selected from online advanced TV program listings and aligned with the state and national K-12 academic standards available online. Please consult local listings also, since actual broadcast times may vary. The Websites cited in the “Log on“ box below the tv listing provide further details about the show’s topic and may contain links to video clips from the show or a complete streaming video version of the show.

Saturday, November 6, 2010,
8-11 p.m. ET, 5-8 p.m. PT
TCM – Turner Classic Movie Channel
Literature and World History
Middle and High School

"Mutiny On The Bounty”

This is a movie version of the classic tale of the villainous British Navy Captain Bligh who drives his crew to revolt during a South Seas expedition. The movie is loosely based on a trilogy of novels – which are based on historical events - “Mutiny on the Bounty" , “Men Against the Sea” , and "Pitcairn's Island” by Charles Nordhoff and James Norman Hall - available in one volume as “The Bounty Trilogy” . The novels show the tragic collision of two implacable personalities--William Bligh and Fletcher Christian. Both men were unquestionably capable, courageous, and born leaders. Mr. Bligh ruled by intimidation; Mr. Christian by persuasion. Arguably, it's a parable of two ages, two incompatible social attitudes--the stifling aristocracy of the 18th century, and the burgeoning democracy of the 19th--smashing head-on aboard a cramped vessel in the middle of the Pacific. Cast: Marlon Brando, Trevor Howard, and Richard Harris. TV-PG

Log on http://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title.jsp?stid=12737 and http://www.infoplease.com/spot/pitcairn.html

Sunday, November 7, 2010,
7-9 p.m. E/P
National Geographic Channel
Science
Middle and High School

"Great Migrations: Born To Move/Need To Breed”

Every day, millions of creatures are born into a life on the march, on the wing, on the run. They are migrants. Born to move. From the tiniest butterflies to the largest wildebeest, life itself hinges on these travelers ability to get up and go. The episodes in this documentary miniseries span the globe, revealing the most remarkable animal movements. In the initial hour, entitled “”Born To Move”, witness the migration of Christmas Island's red crabs; the wildebeest's arduous 300-mile trek; the monarch butterfly's flight across North America; and the sperm whale's life-long travels. The second episode, entitled “Need To Breed, deals with species' need to reproduce, the obstacles they overcome and the distances they travel to ensure future generations.

Log on http://channel.nationalgeographic.com/series/great-migrations-episode-guide

Monday, November 8, 2010,
8-9 p.m. E/P
NBC
U.S. History and Government
Middle and High School

"Matt Lauer Reports: George W. Bush book”

Former President George W. Bush discusses “Decision Points”, his upcoming book and the defining decisions he has made in his personal and political lives.

Log on http://today.msnbc.msn.com/cleanprint/CleanPrintProxy.aspx?1288899597970 and

Monday, November 8, 2010,
8-9 p.m. E/P
Science Channel
Science and Economics
Middle and High School

"Moon For Sale”

As the world's space powers gear up for what's been dubbed the 'second moon race', there's another, parallel, race to cash in on its resources and potential. This documentary looks at Russian, Chinese and American plans to return to the moon by 2020. TV-PG

Tuesday, November 9, 2010,
8-9 p.m. E/P
PBS
Science
Elementary, Middle and High School

"NOVA: Dogs Decoded”

This documentary investigates new discoveries in genetics that are illuminating the origin of dogs — with revealing implications for the evolution of human culture as well. Dogs have been domesticated for longer than any other animal on the planet, and humans have developed a unique relationship with these furry friends. We treat our pets like a part of the family, and we feel that they can understand us in a way other animals cannot. Now, new research is revealing what dog lovers have suspected all along: Dogs have an uncanny ability to read and respond to human emotions. What is surprising, however, is new research showing that humans, in turn, respond to dogs with the same hormone responsible for bonding mothers to their babies. How did this incredible relationship between humans and dogs come to be? And how can dogs, so closely related to fearsome wild wolves, behave so differently? It’s all in the genes. Dogs Decoded investigates new discoveries in genetics that are illuminating the origin of dogs—with revealing implications for the evolution of human culture as well. This program also travels to Siberia, where the mystery of dogs’ domestication is being repeated—in foxes. A 50-year-old breeding program is creating an entirely new kind of creature, a tame fox with some surprising similarities to man’s best friend. "Dogs Decoded" reveals the science behind the remarkable bond between humans and their dogs and spurs new questions about what this could mean for our relationships with other animal species.

Log on http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/nature/dogs-decoded.html

Wednesday, November 10, 2010,
9-10 p.m. E/P
CNBC Channel
Technology and Economics
Middle and High School

" Ford: Rebuilding An American Icon”

This documentary takes viewers on a story of one of the most remarkable and harrowing comebacks in business history. With the automaker’s full cooperation, correspondent Phil LeBeau spent months behind the scenes at Ford to tell the story of its surprising turnaround just a few short years after nearly collapsing. The documentary profiles Ford’s tireless and steel-nerved CEO, Alan Mulally, who took the reins in 2006 when Ford was in a nosedive, having lost $17 billion in that year alone. In a gamble to raise the money Ford would need to finance its turnaround, Mulally mortgaged nearly every asset the company owned—even the signature blue Ford logo. Yet unlike its rivals, General Motors and Chrysler, who staggered into Washington for taxpayer-funded lifelines, Ford saved itself without a dime of government bailout money. CNBC takes viewers inside the Thunderbird Room—the top-secret command center where Ford leadership orchestrated the comeback and from which they still manage the company today. The program takes advantage of the remarkable access to the company’s inner-workings, introducing viewers to an unlikely pair of engineers charged with breathing new life into a legendary but tarnished Ford nameplate, the Explorer. Once the top-selling SUV in America, the Explorer is now a distant third to the Honda Pilot and Kia Sorento, having weathered a devastating scandal involving defective tires, and then being pummeled by skyrocketing fuel prices that eroded the public’s appetite for SUV’s. The program travels with Ford as it unveils the new and improved Explorer—one of its largest and most critical product launches in the company’s history. CNBC also looks at Ford’s efforts to bring cutting edge technologies into the driver’s seat. Ford’s new features allow drivers to use voice commands and steering wheel controls to operate a variety of communication and entertainment devices such as phones, iPods, and navigation systems. Ford says these programs are designed to keep a driver’s eyes on the road and hands on the wheel, but some critics—including U.S. Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood —believe they are hazardous distractions. In his interview with LeBeau, Secretary LaHood goes so far as to advocate an outright ban of cell phones from cars. Cameras also travel to one of the frontlines of the brutally competitive global automotive industry, the rapidly expanding car market of South Asia. Ford’s toehold in India, where it is investing heavily, is small but tenacious, and the blue Ford oval is becoming increasingly commonplace on the crowded and exotic streets of the world’s fastest growing auto market. The program also profiles the Ford family, which unlike many other famous American business dynasties, has never given up its hold on its company, despite an unfortunate and well-established knack for turning boom into bust.

Log on http://warbirdsofww2.tripod.com/intro.htm

Wednesday, November 10, 2010,
9-11 p.m. E/P
History Channel
U.S. and World History
Middle and High School

"WWII In HD: The Air War”

This documentary presents the untold story of the American 8th Air Force’s bloody battle to defeat the German Luftwaffe in the months leading up to D-Day. Told through first person accounts of three American airmen and Stars & Stripes reporter Andy Rooney, The film showcases aerial combat – original, color footage, never before seen by most Americans – of the B-17s “Flying Fortresses”, P-47 “Thunderbolts” and P-51 “Mustangs” on missions such as Regensburg, Schweinfurt and Berlin. Never-before-seen 8mm footage of the airmen on the bases, the devastation in Germany, and the Luftwaffe perspective is also highlighted. Flying 25,000 feet above the earth in oxygen-devoid air, and temperatures as low as 50 below zero, the 8th Air Force fought a war unlike anything ever before experienced. By the end, they would suffer more than 26,000 combat deaths – more than the US Marines lost in all of World War II. This two-hour special is narrated by Emmy® nominated actor, Rob Lowe. Characters are voiced by: Casey Affleck (as B-17 bombardier Joe Armanini); Sean Astin (as P-47 fighter pilot Steve Pisanos); Chris O’Donnell (as B-17 pilot John Gibbons); Elijah Wood (as Stars & Stripes reporter Andy Rooney)

Log on http://warbirdsofww2.tripod.com/intro.htm

Thursday, November 11, 2010,
10-11:30 p.m. E/P (check local listings)
PBS
U.S. and World History
Middle and High School

"Medal Of Honor”

Airing on the occasion of the observance of Veteran’s Day, this documentary tells the story of the Medal of Honor - the highest U.S. award for valor in combat - told through personal accounts of bravery and daring. The medal, dating from Civil War through the war in Iraq today, is presented to individuals for service "above and beyond the call of duty." Most have been awarded posthumously, yet in this film 13 living recipients tell their inconceivable stories. This documentary about finding courage and succeeding against overwhelming odds transports audiences to the battlegrounds of Little Round Top, World War I, World War II, Korea, Vietnam and Iraq.

Log on http://www.pbs.org/medalofhonor

Friday, November 12, 2010,
9-10 p.m. E/P
History Channel
Technology and Economics
Elementary, Middle and High School

"Modern Marvels: Coin Operated II”

Tens of millions of them all over the world... Soda and snack machines, parking meters and payphones, video games and vending machines... They're everywhere we look. And they all use coins--but for how long? This documentary examines the historic one-armed bandits and the 21st century, cutting edge, computerized slot machines that occupy Vegas casinos and get an exclusive look at their inner workings in a never-before-seen factory in Reno, Nevada. Search out some of the wackiest, strangest vending machines on the planet that sell everything from bottles of wine to dog washes. Get a close-up look at the famous binoculars located at popular tourist sites around the world, as well as a unique company that collects and cleans the coins thrown into fountains for good luck. But it all starts and ends in the historic halls of the U.S. Mint, where coins are made and destroyed. Will coins one day become obsolete? In an age of debit cards, text messages, and wireless transfers, it may seem like cold hard cash is going out of style, but there's one place where small change is still big business ... where the potential power of the coin is revered.

Saturday, November 13, 2010,
8-10 p.m. E/P
History Channel
Science and U.S. History
Middle and High School

"Black Blizzard”

This documentary takes a front row seat on a period of U.S. environmental history from 1930-1940 when America's heartland was ravaged by a weather phenomenon that became known as a "black blizzard." Watch as scientists and special effects experts recreate the black blizzards in amazing detail and reveal that this was a man-made disaster. Discover how these phenomena form, what they're made of, and how they affect people's health and the environment. Learn how a black blizzard emerged so ferociously that it seemed like a moving mountain range creating enough static electricity to power New York City. Hear the story of the people who refused to leave their land and learn the history of the Great Plains and how it came to be settled. TV-PG

Log on http://www.drought.unl.edu/whatis/dustbowl.htm