Here are some TV programs that sound interesting to me and I'll probably try to catch or record. Times given are Central standard.
Book TV:
Almost always worth watching. This weekend's fare includes
- After Words: Anthony Lewis author of “Freedom for the Thought We Hate: A Biography of the First Amendment” interviewed by Ronald Collins, scholar, First Amendment Center
- Electing FDR: The New Deal Campaign of 1932
- Darwin Day in America: How Our Politics and Culture Have Been Dehumanized in the Name of Science
- This Common Secret: My Journey as an Abortion Doctor
- The Seventh Decade: The New Shape of Nuclear Danger – Author: Jonathan Schell
- Chance or Purpose: Creation, Evolution, and a Rational Faith
PBS:
NOW – Fighting Over Forests. Sunday, February 24, 3:30am; Sunday, February 24, 12:30pm
Will a Bush administration effort open hundreds of thousands of acres of public land to private development? Find out how you can voice your opinion on forest protection.
History Channel:
HC documentaries are a crap shoot. Some are stunning (The Greeks); many are cheesy and superficial. So, no recommendations implied in this list.
Hillbilly the Real Story – History Channel: Saturday, February 23 07:00 PM; Saturday, February 23 11:00 PM; Tuesday, March 04 07:00 AM; Tuesday, March 04 01:00 PM
Originally shown last year, this documentary about Appalachia sounds like it might have some redeeming qualities. Or not.
Modern Marvels: Renewable Energy – Sunday February 24 10:00 PM; Monday February 25 02:00 AM. Iffy, but glad to see the topic attempted. MM is one of those “gee whiz” shows, and this sounds overly ambitious for an hourlong program:
In the young 21st Century, two realizations are dawning on the world's population: we are hopelessly dependent on petroleum, which is only going to get more expensive; and global warming, caused mainly by our burning of fossil fuels, will impact civilization in ways that we're only beginning to grasp. Stepping in to fight both of these massive problems are the rapidly evolving technologies that harness renewable energy. We will see how air, water, earth, and fire are transformed into clean, reliable sources of heat, electricity, and even automobile fuel. We'll take an in-depth look at the most proven and reliable sources: solar, wind, geothermal, biofuels, and tidal power. From the experimental to the tried-and-true, renewable energy sources are overflowing with potential… just waiting to be exploited on a massive scale. And unlike fossil fuels, they'll always be there.
A Global Warning? – Thursday, February 28 08:00 AM; Thursday, February 28 02:00 PM. Oklahomans should watch this as an antidote to Inhofe.
Follow the world's climate experts as they investigate the most dramatic climatic events in history. It is a story of unimaginable extremes, extinctions of entire species and remarkable survivals in the face of total devastation. Learn the secrets locked away inside 300 year-old corals. Is it possible that the Arctic was once a tropical haven with crocodiles and waters hot enough to swim in? Scientists are racing to understand the weather of our past in the hope of preventing climate catastrophe in the future. Packed with breathtaking locations, dynamic special effects and exciting accounts, watch as a vision of the earth's violent past and uncertain future is revealed.
The Universe – Saturday, March 1, 1 PM – 5 PM. A four hour block of this excellent series. Episodes entitled Space Travel, Supernovas, Constellations and Unexplained Mysteries.