Media Menu October 8, 2011

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, October 8, 2011,
8-10:15 p.m. ET, 5-7:15 p.m. PT
TCM – Turner Classic Movie Channel
World History and Literature
Middle and High School

Gunga Din

This classic, Oscar– nominated movie is based on Rudyard Kipling’s beloved 1892 poem. The setting is India at the zenith of British rule there. At a British army post in India, native water carrier Gunga Din dreams of becoming a soldier. When the regiment learns that the telegraph wires to one of their outposts have been cut, Sergeants Cutter, MacChesney and Ballantine are sent to investigate. The three sergeants find the compound in the hands of a fiendish band of killers known as the Thugges, members of a fanatic religious order that worships the goddess Kali and has sworn to annihilate the British in India. The sergeants fend off the fanatics' attack, and upon their triumphant return to the post, Ballantine announces that he is foresaking the army to marry Emmy Stebbins and take a job in a tea company. His announcement is met with consternation by his pals, who immediately begin to scheme to keep their buddy in the service. Meanwhile, Gunga Din leads Cutter, who is obsessed with discovering hidden treasure, to a temple of gold, which, they discover, is the holy shrine of the Thugges. As he decoys the Thugges, Cutter sends Gunga Din to the post for reinforcements. Later, Ballantine decides that his place is in the army, and Gunga Din is appointed a corporal in the British army and when he dies he is buried with military honors.
Log on http://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title/3242/Gunga-Din/

Sunday, October 9, 2011,
8-11 p.m. EP
National Geographic Channel
Science
Middle and High School

Brain Games - Three Episodes

Brain Games: Pay Attention! 8:00 p.m. ET/PT
When it comes to mastering — and manipulating — attention, some of the world’s leading experts aren’t scientists; they’re magicians like David Copperfield. While the brain’s attention acts a bit like a spotlight to filter and make sense of a busy world, it can be easily controlled and deceived. Copperfield and a team of experts test, trick and fool using an elegant form of attention control. They illustrate how a pickpocket can steal the scarf around your neck, while an audience demonstrates how a giant dancing penguin can be overlooked — even when strutting his stuff right before your very eyes. Think you’ve honed your attention skills as a master multitasker? Put your ability to the test in the ultimate super tasking simulator … and reconsider the next time you chat on the phone while driving.

Brain Games: Watch This! 9:00 p.m. ET/PT
Hack into the ultimate supercomputer — the human brain — as Hollywood filmmakers use color, light, motion, depth and sound to create mind-bending sensory illusions. Is it possible to feel the sensation of accidentally cutting your finger … just by watching TV? Much of what we experience may be a mere fabrication, as our brains fill in gaps and stitch together a complete picture of the world bit-by-bit, designed to overcome our eyes’ massive blind spots. But what happens when your senses get crossed? Experience an amazing illusion that causes people to “feel” via their eyes, and meet a blind man who is able to navigate busy streets and even ride a bike by “seeing” with his ears.

Brain Games: Remember This! 10:00 p.m. ET/PT
With memory, things are not always as they seem: Details go missing, recollections change, and sometimes our brains fill in the blanks and create false visual memories. Our experts are on a mission to find out where memories reside in the brain by examining every millimeter for clues. Investigating every piece of the memory puzzle, from how we recognize faces — even if they have been digitally distorted — to how we can move memories from short-term to long-term storage, scientists reveal the tiniest intricacies of the memories that make us who we are. Memory is especially important after witnessing a crime, but our seasoned detective illustrates that 20 different witnesses can have 20 very different memories, a phenomenon that all too often leads to the wrong person being identified in a police lineup.
Websites for each episode:
http://video.nationalgeographic.com/video/player/national-geographic-channel/specials-1/brain-games/ngc-rubber-hand-experience.html?source=email_channel
http://video.nationalgeographic.com/video/player/national-geographic-channel/specials-1/brain-games/ngc-brain-games-pay-attention.html?source=email_channel
http://video.nationalgeographic.com/video/player/national-geographic-channel/specials-1/brain-games/ngc-memory-champion.html?source=email_channel

Monday, October 10, 2011,
9-11 p.m. E/P
PBS
U.S. History
Middle and High School

The War of 1812

For two and a half years, Americans fought against the British, the Canadians and the Native Americans. Some of the War of 1812’s battles and heroes became legendary, yet its blunders and cowards were just as prominent. This film shows how the glories of warfare become enshrined in history, how failures are quickly forgotten and how inconvenient truths are ignored forever. With re-enactments, animation and the commentary of key experts, the program presents the conflict that forged the destiny of a continent. TV-PG
Log on http://www.pbs.org/wned/war-of-1812/home/

Tuesday, October 11, 2011,
10-11 p.m. E/P
Military Channel
World History
Middle and High School

Nazi Collaborators: Traitor In Chief

Pierre Laval was the French Prime Minister who turned on his nation, pledged his allegiance to the Nazis, and ultimately paid the price for his treachery. Earlier he had been Time Magazine's "Man of the Year" in 1931 for helping his people weather the storm of The Great Depression. In 1940, he proclaimed that the Nazis should be "persecuted with the upmost vigor." But in 1945, he was executed for treason. TV-PG
Log on for streaming video version http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=euezhzux4qM&feature=related

Wednesday, October 12, 2011,
9-10 p.m. E/P
PBS
Science
Middle and High School

NOVA: Dogs Decoded

This documentary reveals the science behind the remarkable bond between humans and their dogs and investigates new discoveries in genetics that are illuminating the origin of dogs—with surprising implications for the evolution of human culture. Other research is proving what dog lovers have suspected all along: Dogs have an uncanny ability to read and respond to human emotions. 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? TV-PG
Log on http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/nature/dogs-decoded.html

Thursday, October 13, 2011,
10 p.m. – midnight, ET, 7-9 p.m. PT
TCM-Turner Classic Movie Channel
English
Elementary, Middle and High School

The Adventures Of Huckleberry Finn

This 1939 movie is based on Mark Twain's classic novel about a bad boy who helps a runaway slave escape to the North. Huckleberry Finn is a rambunctious adventurer chafing under the bonds of civilization, escapes his humdrum world and his selfish, plotting father by sailing a raft down the Mississippi River. Accompanying him is Jim, a slave running away from being sold. Together the two strike a bond of friendship that takes them through harrowing events and thrilling adventures. TV-G
Log on http://www.tcm.com/this-month/article/133209%7C0/The-Adventures-of-Huckleberry-Finn.html

Friday, October 14, 2011,
9-11:30 p.m. E/P
PBS
Arts
Elementary, Middle and High School

PBS ARTS FROM MINNESOTA: GILBERT AND SULLIVAN’S THE GUTHRIE THEATER PRESENTS HMS PINAFORE

This new production of the beloved Gilbert and Sullivan classic from the Guthrie Theater, directed by the theater’s artistic director, Joe Dowling, is infused with fresh musical arrangements of Sullivan’s memorable melodies, ranging from big band swing to classic pop. HMS Pinafore is entertainment for all ages. TV-G
Log on http://pressroom.pbs.org/Programs/h/HMS-PINAFORE-PBS-ARTS.aspx

Saturday, October 15, 2011,
7-8- p.m. E/P
Science Channel
Science and Technology
Elementary, Middle and High School

What the Ancients Knew :The Romans

This documentary travels back in time to understand the motivations behind early solutions and inventions.
More than 2,000 years ago, the Roman army swept across Europe, northern Africa, and the Middle East. Backed by the legions, their military, and engineering skills, the Romans built one of the largest empires in history, dominating as many as 36 modern nations. Technology helped shape the ancient world and reverberates in our Western lifestyle and amenities today. But the Roman legacy is less about invention itself than about the spreading of the ancient technology. Rather than invent most of what they became famous for, the Romans adopted, perfected, and spread their enemies' inventions throughout their empire. TV-G
Log on http://science.discovery.com/videos/what-the-ancients-knew-i-roman-aqueducts.html

BookTV Schedule

Saturday, October 8th

8am (ET)
Approx. 1 hr. 3 min.
"The Heart and the Fist: The Education of a Humanitarian, the Making of a Navy SEAL"
Eric Greitens

9am (ET)
Approx. 2 hr. 59 min.
In Depth: Michael Moore

12pm (ET)
Approx. 45 min.
2011 National Book Festival: Maya Jasanoff, "Liberty's Exiles"
Maya Jasanoff

1pm (ET)
Approx. 51 min.
"Destiny of the Republic: A Tale of Madness, Medicine and the Murder of a President"
Candice Millard

2pm (ET)
Approx. 41 min.
"Maphead: Charting the Wide, Weird World of Geography Wonks"
Ken Jennings

2:45pm (ET)
Approx. 1 hr. 3 min.
"Ethan Allen: His Life and Times"
Willard Sterne Randall

4pm (ET)
Approx. 44 min.
"Newspaper Titan: The Infamous Life and Monumental Times of Cissy Patterson"
Amanda Smith

5pm (ET)
Approx. 42 min.
2011 National Book Festival: Kristie Miller, "Ellen and Edith: Woodrow Wilson's First Ladies"
Kristie Miller

6pm (ET)
Approx. 58 min.
Encore Booknotes: A World Transformed
George H. W. Bush; Brent Scowcroft

7pm (ET)
Approx. 1 hr. 5 min.
"Confronting Terror: 9/11 and the Future of American National Security"
John Yoo

8:15pm (ET)
Approx. 41 min.
"Maphead: Charting the Wide, Weird World of Geography Wonks"
Ken Jennings

9pm (ET)
Approx. 51 min.
"Destiny of the Republic: A Tale of Madness, Medicine and the Murder of a President"
Candice Millard

10pm (ET)
Approx. 58 min.
After Words: Susan Herman, "Taking Liberties: The War on Terror and the Erosion of American Democracy," hosted by Viet Dinh, Georgetown Law

11pm (ET)
Approx. 1 hr. 3 min.
"Knocking on Heaven's Door: How Physics and Scientific Thinking Illuminate the Universe and the Modern World"
Lisa Randall

Sunday, October 9th

12:15am (ET)
Approx. 1 hr. 30 min.
"Time for Outrage"
Stephane Hessel

1:45am (ET)
Approx. 1 hr. 3 min.
"Ethan Allen: His Life and Times"
Willard Sterne Randall

3am (ET)
Approx. 1 hr. 6 min.
"Apocalypse Never: Forging the Path to a Nuclear Weapon-Free World"
Tad Daley

4:15am (ET)
Approx. 40 min.
2011 National Book Festival: Isabel Wilkerson, "The Warmth of Other Suns: The Epic Story of America's Great Migration"
Isabel Wilkerson

5am (ET)
Approx. 52 min.
"Retirement Heist: How Companies Plunder and Profit from the Nest Eggs of American Workers"
Ellen Schultz

6am (ET)
Approx. 1 hr. 5 min.
"Confronting Terror: 9/11 and the Future of American National Security"
John Yoo

7:15am (ET)
Approx. 44 min.
"Newspaper Titan: The Infamous Life and Monumental Times of Cissy Patterson"
Amanda Smith

8:30am (ET)
Approx. 1 hr. 6 min.
"Apocalypse Never: Forging the Path to a Nuclear Weapon-Free World"
Tad Daley

9:45am (ET)
Approx. 1 hr. 3 min.
"Knocking on Heaven's Door: How Physics and Scientific Thinking Illuminate the Universe and the Modern World"
Lisa Randall

11am (ET)
Approx. 41 min.
"Maphead: Charting the Wide, Weird World of Geography Wonks"
Ken Jennings

12pm (ET)
Approx. 49 min.
After Words: Bruce Bueno de Mesquita & Alastair Smith, "The Dictator's Handbook: Why Bad Behavior is Almost Always Good Politics," hosted by Anne Gearan, Associated Press National Security Editor

1pm (ET)
Approx. 12 min.
George Mason University Interviews: Johanna Bockman, "Markets in the Name of Socialism: The Left-Wing Origins of Neoliberalism"
Johanna Bockman

1:15pm (ET)
Approx. 19 min.
George Mason University Interviews: Suzanne Smith, "To Serve the Living: Funeral Directors and the African American Way of Death"
Suzanne Smith

1:35pm (ET)
Approx. 21 min.
George Mason University Interviews: Colin Dueck, "Hard Line: The Republican Party and U.S. Foreign Policy Since World War II"
Colin Dueck

2pm (ET)
Approx. 1 hr. 3 min.
"The Heart and the Fist: The Education of a Humanitarian, the Making of a Navy SEAL"
Eric Greitens

3pm (ET)
Approx. 57 min.
"The New Kids: Big Dreams and Brave Journeys at a High School for Immigrant Teens"
Brooke Hauser

4pm (ET)
Approx. 1 hr. 6 min.
"Apocalypse Never: Forging the Path to a Nuclear Weapon-Free World"
Tad Daley

5:15pm (ET)
Approx. 45 min.
2011 National Book Festival: Maya Jasanoff, "Liberty's Exiles"
Maya Jasanoff

6pm (ET)
Approx. 59 min.
George Mason: Forgotten Founder
Jeff Broadwater

7:45pm (ET)
Approx. 1 hr. 3 min.
"Knocking on Heaven's Door: How Physics and Scientific Thinking Illuminate the Universe and the Modern World"
Lisa Randall

9pm (ET)
Approx. 58 min.
After Words: Susan Herman, "Taking Liberties: The War on Terror and the Erosion of American Democracy," hosted by Viet Dinh, Georgetown Law

10pm (ET)
Approx. 1 hr. 30 min.
"Time for Outrage"
Stephane Hessel

11:30pm (ET)
Approx. 24 min.
2011 National Book Festival: Interview and Call-in with Sarah Vowell, "Unfamiliar Fishes"
Sarah Vowell

Monday, October 10th

12am (ET)
Approx. 58 min.
After Words: Susan Herman, "Taking Liberties: The War on Terror and the Erosion of American Democracy," hosted by Viet Dinh, Georgetown Law

1am (ET)
Approx. 12 min.
George Mason University Interviews: Johanna Bockman, "Markets in the Name of Socialism: The Left-Wing Origins of Neoliberalism"
Johanna Bockman

1:15am (ET)
Approx. 19 min.
George Mason University Interviews: Suzanne Smith, "To Serve the Living: Funeral Directors and the African American Way of Death"
Suzanne Smith

1:35am (ET)
Approx. 21 min.
George Mason University Interviews: Colin Dueck, "Hard Line: The Republican Party and U.S. Foreign Policy Since World War II"
Colin Dueck

2am (ET)
Approx. 51 min.
"Destiny of the Republic: A Tale of Madness, Medicine and the Murder of a President"
Candice Millard

3am (ET)
Approx. 58 min.
After Words: Susan Herman, "Taking Liberties: The War on Terror and the Erosion of American Democracy," hosted by Viet Dinh, Georgetown Law

4am (ET)
Approx. 1 hr. 15 min.
2011 Harlem Book Fair - Panel: Manning Marable's Malcolm X
Zaheer Ali; Herb Boyd; Peniel Joseph; Sonia Sanchez; Yohuru Williams

5:15am (ET)
Approx. 45 min.
2011 National Book Festival: Maya Jasanoff, "Liberty's Exiles"
Maya Jasanoff

6am (ET)
Approx. 41 min.
"Maphead: Charting the Wide, Weird World of Geography Wonks"
Ken Jennings

7am (ET)
Approx. 51 min.
"Destiny of the Republic: A Tale of Madness, Medicine and the Murder of a President"
Candice Millard