Posts
Saturday, October 1, 2011,
6-8 p.m. E/P
History Channel
U.S. History and Geography
Middle and High School
How the States Got Their Shapes
We are so familiar with the map of United States, but do we know why our states look the way they do? This documentary uncovers the history hidden in our map. From the crooked borders in the east to the organized boxes in the west, the shapes of the states are more than simple geography. Every line on the map of America is a surprising clue that reveals how the 13 colonies became the 50 states and how an intrepid group of settlers and immigrants built a new nation. The same forces that shaped our states still influence us today--how we eat, speak, vote, pray and play. The shapes on the map tell us about our past. Why is California bent? To cling on to gold. Why does Oklahoma have a panhandle? Because of shifting borders for slavery. Why does Missouri have a boot? Because of a massive earthquake. This special examines how every state is a puzzle piece ultimately revealing the unique geography, political and social history of America. TV-PG
Log on http://www.history.com/shows/how-the-states-got-their-shapes
Sunday, October 2, 2011,
8-10 p.m. E/P
PBS
U.S. History
Middle and High School
Prohibition- Part 1 of 3
This is the initial episode of a three-part, five-and-a-half-hour documentary film series directed by Ken Burns and Lynn Novick that tells the story of the true story of America’s “Great Experiment” — the 18th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution outlawing alcohol - and the entire era it encompassed. Prohibition was intended to improve, the lives of all Americans, to protect individuals, families, and society at large from the devastating effects of alcohol abuse. This episode is entitled “A Nation of Drunkards” . In the mid-1800s, alcohol abuse is wreaking havoc on American families, and new groups — the Woman’s Christian Temperance Union and the Anti-Saloon League — form to push for Prohibition. The following episode, entitled “A Nation of Scofflaws”, airs October 3 in this timeslot. In 1920, Prohibition goes into effect and millions of law-abiding Americans become lawbreakers overnight. Advocates of the bans had hoped Prohibition would make the country a safer place, but the law has many victims. In Part 3, airing October 4, entitled “A Nation of Hypocrites” , gangsters make huge profits and wreak havoc in cities across the country. By the late 1920s, many Americans believe that Prohibition — the “Noble Experiment” — has failed. After the election of FDR in 1932, Prohibition is repealed. Series rated TV-PG
Log on http://www.pbs.org/kenburns/prohibition
Sunday, October 2, 2011,
9-10 p.m. E/P
National Geographic Channel
Science and Technology
Middle and High School
The How Hard Can It Be? – Homemade Rocket
Could an average Joe send a rocket into space? The hosts of this episode of the “ The How Hard Can It Be? “ documentary series, are about to find out. They've been building crazy machines and fabulous inventions together for years, but now their skills will literally be pushed to the limit. Using everyday materials and knowhow that anyone could acquire they'll attempt to launch a homemade rocket into the atmosphere.
Log on http://channel.nationalgeographic.com/episode/homemade-rocket-5766/Overview?source=email_channel#tab-Overview
Sunday, October 2, 2011,
10-11 p.m. E/P
History Channel
Geography and Technology
Middle and High School
Around The World In 80 Ways
For two real-life adrenaline junkies charged with circumnavigating the globe using every conceivable mode of transportation, it’s not the destination that counts, but the journey itself. That’s the challenge for Robert “Boston Rob” Mariano (Survivor, The Amazing Race) and Dennis Anderson (creator of the monster truck Gravedigger), hosts of this new documentary series. Whether rushing down Victoria Falls in a barrel, hang gliding over Rio, or crossing the Kalahari by ostrich, Rob and Dennis have to employ 80 different forms of transportation without repeating any vehicle. It’s an extreme expedition that will take the hosts not only across the miles, but through time as they explore the history behind the many ways people have gotten around throughout the ages. This series takes Rob and Dennis through Brazil, Peru, Namibia, Botswana, Zambia, Tanzania, Dubai, India, Thailand, and the United States. At times they even have to invent and build their own means of transport. In this episode Dennis and Rob begin the journey to their first destination -- Lake Titicaca, Peru. In South America, a wrong-way bus trip leads to a ride down the world’s highest zip line, followed by a gnarly descent down a cliff face with only rebar ladders for support. On the Incan trail, they use horses, llamas, motorbikes, and water taxis to arrive at the lake, where they race each other in the traditional reed boats of the indigenous people.
Log on http://www.history.com/shows/around-the-world-in-80-ways
Monday, October 3, 2011,
4-5 p.m. E/P
Science Channel
Science and Technology
Elementary, Middle and High School
Head Rush Refresh: FIRST Robotics
In a special edition of the documentary series “ Head Rush” , host Kari Byron sends her pal Andrew Hendrix to St Louis, MO to report on the 20th FIRST Robotics Championship. With a surprise appearance by President Obama and the participation of rapper will.i.am, more than 500 schools from around the world compete to see who's built the best bot. TV-G
Log on http://usfirst.org/aboutus/press-room/president-obama-makes-surprise-appearance-iamfirst-science-rock-and-roll
Tuesday, October 4, 2011,
8-9 p.m. ET, 5-6- p.m. PT
CNBC Channel
Economics and Government
Middle and High School
The Truth About Shoplifting
Every single day in North America, there are more than 600,000 shoplifting incidents. Eighty percent of us have stolen at least once in our lives. One out of every 10 of us shoplifts often. And now, organized crime has discovered that it’s a low risk way to turn a handsome profit. The truth is... stealing from stores is a big part of our consumer culture. And it’s a crime you pay for every time you step up to the cash register. This documentary examines the rise in retail crime and how the consumers’ quest for the lowest discount price fuels the market for stolen merchandise. Featuring surprising security camera footage, the latest crime-fighting technology and interviews from both sides of the law, the program investigates why people steal, who is doing the stealing, what others are doing to fight it, and how retail crime affects us all.
Log on http://www.breakthroughentertainment.com/show/the-truth-about-shoplifting
Wednesday, October 5, 2011,
9-10 p.m., ET, 6-7 p.m. PT
CNBC Channel
World History and Economics
Middle and High School
The China Question
What does China’s rise mean for America? Through the stories of ordinary people and analysis from the world’s leading experts, this documentary explores the challenge America faces as China becomes the world’s second superpower. To understand the economic, political and moral implications of China’s rise, filmmaker Brook Silva-Braga spent over a year traveling both China and America. On a thoughtful, personal journey we meet Chinese and Americans dealing with extraordinary change, and reflect on the twists of fate and history that brought us here.
Log on http://thechinaquestion.com/
Thursday, October 6, 2011
9-11 p.m., E/P
History Channel
World History
Middle and High School
History of the World in Two Hours
From the Big Bang to the present day, 13.7 billion years of epic history will be told in this documentary in just 120 minutes. It’s the story of humankind from the very beginning of time – from the birth of the Universe and Earth to the dawn of life, from the fall of the dinosaurs to the rise of man, from the Stone Age to Silicon Valley. Each beat in the story will reveal a surprising connection to our world today. The film examines the biggest moments over the course of billions of years. Showing the emergence of the first primates, the voyage of Columbus, the invention of the steam engine and beyond, it demonstrates how everyone and everything are all connected. Our modern world holds surprising clues to the distant past. It demonstrates that all life forms are descended from the lowly bacteria, and shows that if not for grass, the primates would never have climbed down from the trees and learned to walk upright. The Great Pyramids were built with material made from 50 million-year-old seashells left behind when modern-day Egypt was submerged beneath the sea. All the dots are connected: from donkeys that made trade possible to the spread of disease and religion, from the invention of gunpowder to today’s political landscape.
Friday, October 6, 2011,
4-5 p.m., E/P
History Channel
Economics and U.S. History
Middle and High School
Modern Marvels: Money
How does America make money--literally? We visit the United States Mint and the Bureau of Printing and Engraving to see the secretive government facilities where our legal tender is generated. With a storied past as tantalizing as the wealth they create, these mints can spit out fortunes in an hour and keep our economy flowing. TVPG
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/
Book TV Schedule
Saturday, October 1st
8am (ET)
Approx. 39 min.
2011 National Book Festival: David McCullough, "The Greater Journey: Americans in Paris"
David McCullough
Approx. 39 min.
2011 National Book Festival: David McCullough, "The Greater Journey: Americans in Paris"
David McCullough
10am (ET)
Approx. 57 min.
"The New Kids: Big Dreams and Brave Journeys at a High School for Immigrant Teens"
Brooke Hauser
Approx. 57 min.
"The New Kids: Big Dreams and Brave Journeys at a High School for Immigrant Teens"
Brooke Hauser
11am (ET)
Approx. 1 hr. 5 min.
"Confronting Terror: 9/11 and the Future of American National Security"
John Yoo
Approx. 1 hr. 5 min.
"Confronting Terror: 9/11 and the Future of American National Security"
John Yoo
12pm (ET)
Approx. 1 hr. 29 min.
"Allah, Liberty and Love: The Courage to Reconcile Faith and Freedom"
Irshad Manji
Approx. 1 hr. 29 min.
"Allah, Liberty and Love: The Courage to Reconcile Faith and Freedom"
Irshad Manji
1:30pm (ET)
Approx. 1 hr. 21 min.
"The Plex: How Google Thinks, Works, and Shapes Our Lives"
Steven Levy
Approx. 1 hr. 21 min.
"The Plex: How Google Thinks, Works, and Shapes Our Lives"
Steven Levy
4:15pm (ET)
Approx. 47 min.
"Wanted Dead Or Alive: Manhunts From Geronimo To Bin Laden"
Benjamin Runkle
Approx. 47 min.
"Wanted Dead Or Alive: Manhunts From Geronimo To Bin Laden"
Benjamin Runkle
6pm (ET)
Approx. 58 min.
Encore Booknotes: "Joseph McCarthy: Reexaming the Life & Legacy of America's Most Hated Senator"
Arthur Herman
Approx. 58 min.
Encore Booknotes: "Joseph McCarthy: Reexaming the Life & Legacy of America's Most Hated Senator"
Arthur Herman
8:15pm (ET)
Approx. 31 min.
2011 National Book Festival: Interview and Call-in with Ali Soufan, "The Black Banners: The Inside Story of 9/11 and the War Against al-Qaeda"
Ali Soufan
Approx. 31 min.
2011 National Book Festival: Interview and Call-in with Ali Soufan, "The Black Banners: The Inside Story of 9/11 and the War Against al-Qaeda"
Ali Soufan
Sunday, October 2nd
12am (ET)
Approx. 57 min.
"Black and Tired: Essays on Race, Politics, Culture, and International Development"
Anthony Bradley
Approx. 57 min.
"Black and Tired: Essays on Race, Politics, Culture, and International Development"
Anthony Bradley
2:15am (ET)
Approx. 31 min.
2011 National Book Festival: Interview and Call-in with Ali Soufan, "The Black Banners: The Inside Story of 9/11 and the War Against al-Qaeda"
Ali Soufan
Approx. 31 min.
2011 National Book Festival: Interview and Call-in with Ali Soufan, "The Black Banners: The Inside Story of 9/11 and the War Against al-Qaeda"
Ali Soufan
7:15am (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
Approx. 40 min.
2011 National Book Festival: Isabel Wilkerson, "The Warmth of Other Suns: The Epic Story of America's Great Migration"
Isabel Wilkerson
9am (ET)
Approx. 52 min.
"Retirement Heist: How Companies Plunder and Profit from the Nest Eggs of American Workers"
Ellen Schultz
Approx. 52 min.
"Retirement Heist: How Companies Plunder and Profit from the Nest Eggs of American Workers"
Ellen Schultz
Send questions for the author to Book TV3pm (ET)
Approx. 1 hr. 5 min.
"Confronting Terror: 9/11 and the Future of American National Security"
John Yoo
Approx. 1 hr. 5 min.
"Confronting Terror: 9/11 and the Future of American National Security"
John Yoo
4pm (ET)
Approx. 57 min.
"The New Kids: Big Dreams and Brave Journeys at a High School for Immigrant Teens"
Brooke Hauser
Approx. 57 min.
"The New Kids: Big Dreams and Brave Journeys at a High School for Immigrant Teens"
Brooke Hauser
7pm (ET)
Approx. 52 min.
"Retirement Heist: How Companies Plunder and Profit from the Nest Eggs of American Workers"
Ellen Schultz
Approx. 52 min.
"Retirement Heist: How Companies Plunder and Profit from the Nest Eggs of American Workers"
Ellen Schultz
8pm (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
Approx. 40 min.
2011 National Book Festival: Isabel Wilkerson, "The Warmth of Other Suns: The Epic Story of America's Great Migration"
Isabel Wilkerson
Monday, October 3rd
4am (ET)
Approx. 1 hr. 5 min.
"Confronting Terror: 9/11 and the Future of American National Security"
John Yoo
Approx. 1 hr. 5 min.
"Confronting Terror: 9/11 and the Future of American National Security"
John Yoo
5am (ET)
Approx. 1 hr. 29 min.
"Allah, Liberty and Love: The Courage to Reconcile Faith and Freedom"
Irshad Manji
Approx. 1 hr. 29 min.
"Allah, Liberty and Love: The Courage to Reconcile Faith and Freedom"
Irshad Manji
6:30am (ET)
Approx. 52 min.
"Retirement Heist: How Companies Plunder and Profit from the Nest Eggs of American Workers"
Ellen Schultz
Approx. 52 min.
"Retirement Heist: How Companies Plunder and Profit from the Nest Eggs of American Workers"
Ellen Schultz
7:30am (ET)
Approx. 22 min.
George Washington University Interview: Marcy Norton, "Sacred Gifts, Profane Pleasures: A History of Tobacco and Chocolate in the Atlantic World"
Marcy Norton
Approx. 22 min.
George Washington University Interview: Marcy Norton, "Sacred Gifts, Profane Pleasures: A History of Tobacco and Chocolate in the Atlantic World"
Marcy Norton
