What's On!

It's clear to me that not only are Whyvillians people who want to know the answers to questions, they want to know how to use those answers to change the world. Well, people, let's get started!

Here's a week's worth of "inside reports" about people who tried to change the world -- some in good ways, some in bad. We've got stories set in secret atomic bomb-sites, smuggler's tunnels, damaged Russian submarines, Yucatan caves, prison galleries, detox facilities, freeway tunnels, and beneath the ice on a frozen river. Now, can you learn from them?

As usual, it's time for me to urge you to watch the shows and let me know what you think. Email me, the new MediaWiz of Whyville!

Click here for an index of this week's shows. And now, the Media Menu!

Thursday, July 18

"Baboon Tales" (Discovery Channel, 7-8pm E/P) You'll never call anyone a 'stupid baboon' again after seeing this documentary. Set in Kenya, it follows a troop of these creatures, revealing their intense social skills as they raise ten new babies while facing a terrible drought. Their success depends on personality, rank, luck and the help they provide one another.

"Declassified: Human Experimentation" (History Channel, 8-9pm E/P) Here's a documentary about an aspect of science that folks definitely don't know much about -- because the U.S. government kept it secret for "National Security" reasons. You might want to tell your parents you are thinking about watching this program to see if they want to watch it with you, or maybe don't want you to watch it at all because it might upset you. It's not that there's much portrayed that's graphically upsetting, but rather it's the very idea of the thing: exposing people to dangerous substances such as radioactive material, germs, toxic chemicals or unproven medicines but not telling them that there is danger. Since 1945, the U.S. government has done this to many thousands of military personnel without their knowledge or consent. Recently declassified documents -- and evidence compiled as part of many lawsuits against the government -- have brought to light these breaches of scientific ethics. There's lot to think about here. If you have a particularly brave teacher, you might tape this and bring it to class for discussion.

Friday, July 19

"Back To The Floor: Wedgwood China" (PBS, 10-10:30pm) Here's another documentary that might change your mind about a technical process that you thought you knew all you needed to know about -- in this case it's the making of cups, saucers, plates and the finer things that come from the ceramics industry. This show, filmed in England at the famous Wedgwood factory in Stoke-0n-Trent is about the human aspect of the process and how top management tends to mess with the workers (even replacing them with robots) until top management gets some first hand experience about what it's like to work down on the company's factory floor.

Saturday, July 20

"Cave Diving" (A&E Network, 8-9pm E/P) The topic of documentary in the "Dreamchasers" series is speleology, the scientific study of caves. Folks who explore and map caves are called spelunkers. (Are we having fun with words or what? ) In this episode, spelunker Mike Kane, a Los Angeles search and rescue diver who conducts cave research as a hobby, takes viewers to an unexplored cave below ancient Mayan ruins in Mexico's Yucatan peninsula.

"Something Of Value" (Turner Classic Movies, 10pm-midnight ET 7-9pm PT) This movie based on Robert Ruark's classic novel can provide some understanding of the current tragedy in Africa where farm production has been reduced due to political unrest and people are starving. In this story, set in the 1950's although it comes off almost like it's happening today, white-owned farms are taken over by poor people (called Mau Mau warriors at that time) and wrecked. Sidney Poitier stars. Available on video.

Sunday, July 21

"The True Story of the K-19" (History Channel, 3-4pm E/P repeating 9-10pm E/P) This is a documentary about a nuclear reactor accident onboard a Soviet submarine in 1961. It presents the presents historical evidence, kept secret since the event, which was used in devising a script for the Harrison Ford movie currently in theatres. The K-19 was the USSR's first nuclear ballistic-missile sub, built too quickly and with too little money, in an attempt to match U.S. Naval technology. Crew members heroically stopped the reactor from blowing up -- it might have devastated Europe and triggered WWIII -- and died of nuclear poisoning.

Monday, July 22

"Secret Passages" (History Channel, 8-9pm E/P) Did you know that there's a network of tunnels in Saskatchewan (in Moose Jaw, no less) used not by miners but by gangsters to for illegal whiskey smuggling during the "Roaring '20s"? This documentary explores these Canadian underground structures (also documented at http://www.tunnelsofmoosejaw.com/default.asp) as well as similar ones in Minnesota, Colorado (used for military housing) and West Virginia (used for the bomb shelters).

"Keepers: A Job Behind Bars" (A&E Network, 9-10pm E/P) This documentary in the "Investigative Reports" series looks at what it's like to be a prison guards in strict U.S. prisons.

Tuesday, July 23

"Pharaoh's Obelisk" (PBS, 8-9pm E/P) This is maybe the most interesting geometry and physics documentary ever. It's part of a series, "Secrets Of Lost Empires", about scientific fundamentals. On-screen, you'll see a bunch of modern engineers, stonemasons and carpenters using ancient principles, trying to figure out how the Egyptians quarried, transported and erected their elegant obelisks. There's a marvelous website http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/lostempires/obelisk which includes a game where you try to lift a virtual obelisk using as few as possible of the weights and support stones provided online. You'll learn if you are as smart as the ancient scientists were.

"Science Times: Addiction" (National Geographic Channel, 9-10pm) This edition of the weekly science news report produced in conjunction with the New York Times looks at the most controversial technologies and treatments that might help addicts reclaim their lives. Scientists are analyzing genetic codes and brain structures to find the roots of the cravings that drive people to heroin, gambling and other self-destructive behavior.

Wednesday, July 24

"The Big Dig" (PBS, 10-11pm) This documentary explains the science and economics of building a major new highway system right underneath a major old highway system so as not to disturb business in the city where it's happening -- Boston, in this case. First, you need money ($20 billion will do), then you need a brilliant engineer (Boston found Fred Salvucci) finally, you need years and years. Then it will work.

Thursday, July 25

"Without Warning" (The Learning Channel, 9-11pm) This is a documentary about people unexpectedly caught in mud, floods and ice and how they got out safely. Viewers learn what happened when two 11-year old girls fell through the ice on the Saskatchewan River, how a mother and baby are rescued when their car is submerged under a flood and a man gets out from under tons of soil and sand which fell on him.