MetaFilter posts tagged with PBS

And Now, A Word From Our Sponsor

indubitable — Mon, 20 May 2013 16:23:36 -0800

How Far Did PBS Go To Avoid Offending David H. Koch?

The 10 Buildings That Changed America - And Architecture

the man of twists and turns — Sun, 12 May 2013 13:23:16 -0800

Ten Buildings premiers today on PBS. Web-exclusive video via The 10 Buildings That Changed America - And Architecture and Are These The 10 Buildings That Shaped America?

Do you know what happens when people start to learn?

MartinWisse — Mon, 06 May 2013 09:34:43 -0800

To save a world that fears and loathes them, four disparate heroes return and join forces to form a superteam like no other.

The Retirement Gamble

dephlogisticated — Sun, 28 Apr 2013 16:51:14 -0800

“Do you really want to invest in a system where you put up 100 percent of the capital, [you] take 100 percent of the risk, and you get 30 percent of the return?” Frontline correspondent Martin Smith speaks with authors, policy experts, and investment managers about the history and current reality of the 401(k).

OK, maybe I just have a thing for talking dogs.

emjaybee — Thu, 25 Apr 2013 10:45:42 -0800

"...forcing its cast to act around a Jack Russel terrier decked out in full period costume." Blogger Josh Marsfelder of Soda Pop Art explores the legacy of Wishbone.

(SLDFWYT)

martinX's bellbottoms — Wed, 17 Apr 2013 16:48:42 -0800

David Foster Wallace discusses ambition, perfectionism, tennis and teaching in an interview with Leonard Lopate from the PBS Digital Studios series Blank On Blank.

Today we begin a "cyber march" on Washington

Potomac Avenue — Tue, 09 Apr 2013 07:44:27 -0800

A group of respected entertainers (and some not-as-respected celebrities), businessmen, Civil Rights leaders and academics have signed an open letter calling on the President to #EndTheWarOnDrugs. In conjunction with the PBS Documentary "The House I Live In" an examination of the small scale effects of America's longest war. Bonus link: Take the PBS drug test!

"A lesson about the success of Great Men"

the man of twists and turns — Thu, 14 Feb 2013 13:40:01 -0800

And Now Let Us Praise, and Consider the Absurd Luck of, Famous Men Robert Noyce: Meet Intel's Co-FOunder And Co-Inventor Of The Integrated Circuit. Why Steve Jobs Idolized Noyce. The Man Behind The Microchip. The World Needs Another Robert Noyce The Legacy Of Bob Noyce The Tinkerings Of Robert Noyce - Tom Wolfe, 1983

Well, it had been a close one! What if Grant Gale hadn't gone to school with John Bardeen, and what if Oliver Buckley hadn't been a Grinnell alumnus? And what if Gale hadn't bothered to get in touch with the two of them after he read the little squib about the transistor in the newspaper? What if he hadn't gone to bat for Bob Noyce after the Night of the Luau Pig and the boy had been thrown out of college and that had been that? After all, if Bob hadn't been able to finish at Grinnell, he probably never would have been introduced to the transistor. He certainly wouldn't have come across it at MIT in 1948. Given what Bob Noyce did over the next twenty years, one couldn't help but wonder about the fortuitous chain of events.

Silicon Valley is part of PBS's American Experience. (Via WIRED: If You Want The Real Silicon Valley, Skip Bravo And Tune In To PBS)

Could be worse. Whatever.

cthuljew — Sun, 10 Feb 2013 23:39:27 -0800

How To Speak Minnesotan [slyt]

Raven in Snow

Greg Nog — Fri, 08 Feb 2013 08:19:07 -0800

Happy snow day, superkids! Here's a raven, havin' a time. SLYT, about a minute long. Dig it.

Yes. Yes it is.

Rev. Syung Myung Me — Thu, 31 Jan 2013 23:30:18 -0800

Is Mister Rogers' Neighborhood The Greatest TV Show Ever?

"Level four can withstand an AK-47"

IvoShandor — Tue, 08 Jan 2013 07:17:38 -0800

Reportero (alternate link) - follows a veteran reporter and his colleagues at Zeta, a Tijuana-based independent newsweekly, as they stubbornly ply their trade in one of the deadliest places in the world for members of the media. In Mexico, more than 50 journalists have been slain or have vanished since December 2006, when President Felipe Calderón came to power and launched a government offensive against the country's powerful drug cartels and organized crime. As the drug war intensifies and the risks to journalists become greater, will the free press be silenced? Reportero is a documentary film by Bernardo Ruiz. It aired in the United States on PBS' POV last night. PBS will have the entire film up for viewing through February 6. I think the "alternate link" should work internationally if I am not mistaken.

Huell Howser, a fine example of California Gold, passed away

kendrak — Mon, 07 Jan 2013 13:54:23 -0800

Huell Howser, best known as the host of California Gold, passed away today. He was 67. I hope he's up there swimming in the Neptune pool. (previously)

Houndton Tabby

mathowie — Mon, 07 Jan 2013 09:10:20 -0800

Houndton Tabby is an Etsy store filled with amazing portraits of the Downton Abbey cast, but as cats and dogs. [via mefi projects]

The Dowager Countess Will Never Walk Alone

modernnomad — Fri, 04 Jan 2013 14:06:13 -0800

Downton Abbey returns to American TV screens this Sunday. Since many Americans have become fascinated with the intricate social dances featured in the English drama/soap, Grantland feels there's an opportunity to provide them a lesson about the equally intricate plot machinations associated with the English Premier League. I give you the "English Premier League to Downton Abbey plot converter." They did a Game of Thrones version last year.

The Federal Budget Revue

MonkeyToes — Tue, 04 Dec 2012 17:04:59 -0800

Tired of cranky commentary about U.S. government spending? Maybe it needs more sequins. Or a ballet. Or Ray Bradbury. Ladies and gentlemen, Stan Freberg presents "The Federal Budget Revue" (part 1; part 2; part 3). Freberg's special aired on PBS in 1982. Here's one synopsis. Archive.org provides audio for "The Federal Budget."

A-MAZ-ing!

Guy Smiley — Wed, 28 Nov 2012 16:19:54 -0800

According to the Sacramento Bee, Huell Howser is retiring. Best known for his public television show, California's Gold and his boundless enthusiasm, Mr. Howser is "retiring from filming new shows or making appearances."

a distraction that none of us want

gerryblog — Tue, 20 Nov 2012 16:24:07 -0800

Kevin Clash has resigned from Sesame Street as his first accuser retracts his retraction and a second accuser emerges. Mary Elizabeth Williams at Salon says this can't kill Elmo. Previously, and previously, alas.

23 Minutes in Heaven

elphTeq — Sun, 18 Nov 2012 11:47:11 -0800

Is Nostalgia the Reason for Adventure Time's Amazing Awesomeness? (SLYT)

analog beauty in a digital world

Isadorady — Wed, 07 Nov 2012 23:55:02 -0800

This video on the beauty and fascination of analog media is from the PBS Arts tmblr OffBook

The cosmos is also within us, we're made of star-stuff. We are a way for the cosmos, to know itself.

Blasdelb — Sat, 03 Nov 2012 17:07:44 -0800

Cosmos: A Personal Voyage is a thirteen-part television series of one hour shows written by Carl Sagan, Ann Druyan, and Steven Soter, that was aired at the tail end of 1980 and was - at the time - the most widely watched series in the history of American public television. It is best introduced by an audio excerpt of one of his books, The Pale Blue Dot. Inside is a complete annotated collection of the series. 1 "The Shores of the Cosmic Ocean" September 28, 1980 After an introduction by Ann Druyan, including the benefits of the end of the Cold War, Carl Sagan opens the program with a description of the cosmos and a "Spaceship of the Imagination" (shaped like a dandelion seed). The ship journeys through the universe's hundred billion galaxies, the Local Group, the Andromeda Galaxy, the Milky Way, the Orion Nebula, our Solar System, and finally the planet Earth. Eratosthenes' successful calculation of the circumference of Earth leads to a description of the ancient Library of Alexandria. Finally, the "Ages of Science" are described, before pulling back to the full span of the Cosmic Calendar. 2 "One Voice in the Cosmic Fugue" October 5, 1980 Sagan discusses the story of the Heike crab and artificial selection of crabs resembling samurai warriors, as an opening into a larger discussion of evolution through natural selection (and the pitfalls of intelligent design). Among the topics are the development of life on the Cosmic Calendar and the Cambrian explosion; the function of DNA in growth; genetic replication, repairs, and mutation; the common biochemistry of terrestrial organisms; the creation of the molecules of life in the Miller-Urey experiment; and speculation on alien life (such as life in Jupiter's clouds). In the Cosmos Update ten years later, Sagan remarks on RNA also controlling chemical reactions and reproducing itself and the different roles of comets (potentially carrying organic molecules or causing the Cretaceous–Paleogene extinction event). 3 "The Harmony of the Worlds" October 12, 1980 Beginning with the separation of the fuzzy thinking and pious fraud of astrology from the careful observations of astronomy, Sagan follows the development of astronomical observation. Beginning with constellations and ceremonial calendars (such as those of the Anasazi), the story moves to the debate between Earth and Sun-centered models: Ptolemy and the geocentric worldview, Copernicus' theory, the data-gathering of Tycho Brahe, and the achievements of Johannes Kepler (Kepler's laws of planetary motion and the first science-fiction novel). 4 "Heaven and Hell" October 19, 1980 Sagan discusses comets and asteroids as planetary impactors, giving recent examples of the Tunguska event and a lunar impact described by Canterbury monks in 1178. It moves to a description of the environment of Venus, from the previous fantastic theories of people such as Immanuel Velikovsky to the information gained by the Venera landers and its implications for Earth's greenhouse effect. The Cosmos Update highlights the connection to global warming. 5 "Blues for a Red Planet" October 26, 1980 The episode, devoted to the planet Mars, begins with scientific and fictional speculation about the Red Planet during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries (H. G. Wells' The War of the Worlds, Edgar Rice Burroughs' science fiction books, and Percival Lowell's false vision of canals on Mars). It then moves to Robert Goddard's early experiments in rocket-building, inspired by reading science fiction, and the work by Mars probes, including the Viking, searching for life on Mars. The episode ends with the possibility of the terraforming and colonization of Mars and a Cosmos Update on the relevance of Mars' environment to Earth's and the possibility of a manned mission to Mars. 6 "Travellers' Tales" November 2, 1980 The journeys of the Voyager probes is put in the context of the Netherlands in the seventeenth century, with a centuries-long tradition of sailing ship explorers, and its contemporary thinks (such as Constantijn Huygens and his son Christian). Their discoveries are compared to the Voyager probes' discoveries among the Jovian and Saturn systems. In Cosmos Update, image processing reconstructs Voyager’s worlds and Voyager’s last portrait of the Solar System as it leaves is shown. 7 "The Backbone of Night" November 9, 1980 Carl Sagan teaches students in a classroom in his childhood home in Brooklyn, New York, which leads into a history of the different mythologies about stars and the gradual revelation of their true nature. In ancient Greece, some philosophers (Aristarchus of Samos, Thales of Miletus, Anaximander, Theodorus of Samos, Empedocles, Democritus) freely pursue scientific knowledge, while others (Plato, Aristotle, and the Pythagoreans) advocate slavery and epistemic secrecy. 8 "Journeys in Space and Time" November 16, 1980 Ideas about time and space are explored in the changes that constellations undergo over time, the redshift and blueshift measured in interstellar objects, time dilation in Albert Einstein's theory of relativity, the designs of both Leonardo da Vinci and spacecraft that could travel near light speed, time travel and its hypothetical effects on human history, the origins of the Solar System, the history of life, and the immensity of space. In Cosmos Update, the idea of faster-than-light travel by wormholes (researched by Kip Thorne and shown in Sagan’s novel Contact) is discussed. 9 "The Lives of the Stars" November 23, 1980 The simple act of making an apple pie is extrapolated into the atoms and subatomic particles (electrons, protons, and neutrons) necessary. Many of the ingredients necessary are formed of chemical elements formed in the life and deaths of stars (such as our own Sun), resulting in massive red giants and supernovae or collapsing into white dwarfs, neutron stars, pulsars, and even black holes. These produce all sorts of phenomena, such as radioactivity, cosmic rays, and even the curving of spacetime by gravity. Cosmos Update mentions the supernova SN 1987A and neutrino astronomy. 10 "The Edge of Forever" November 30, 1980 Beginning with the origins of the universe in the Big Bang, Sagan describes the formation of different types of galaxies and anomalies such as galactic collisions and quasars. The episodes moves further into ideas about the structure of the Universe, such as different dimensions (in the imaginary Flatland and four-dimensional hypercubes), an infinite vs. a finite universe, and the idea of an oscillating Universe (similar to that in Hindu cosmology). The search into other ideas such as dark matter and the multiverse is shown, using tools such as the Very Large Array in New Mexico. Cosmos Update shows new information about the odd, irregular surfaces of galaxies and the Milky Way perhaps being a barred spiral galaxy. 11 "The Persistence of Memory" December 7, 1980 The idea of intelligence is explored in the concepts of computers (using bits as their basic units of information), whales (in their songs and their disruptions by human activities), DNA, the human brain (the evolution of the brain stem, frontal lobes, neurons, cerebral hemispheres, and corpus callosum under the Triune Brain Model), and man-made structures for collective intelligence (cities, libraries, books, computers, and satellites). The episode ends with speculation on alien intelligence and the information conveyed on the Voyager Golden Record. 12 "Encyclopaedia Galactica" December 14, 1980 Questions are raised about the search for intelligent life beyond the Earth, with UFOs and other close encounters refuted in favor of communications through SETI and radio telescope such as the Arecibo Observatory. The probability of technically advanced civilizations existing elsewhere in the Milky Way is interpreted using the Drake equation and a future hypothetical Encyclopedia Galactica is discussed as a repository of information about other worlds in the galaxy. The Cosmos Update notes that there have been fewer sightings of UFOs and more stories of abductions, while mentioning the META scanning the skies for signals. 13 "Who Speaks for Earth?" December 21, 1980 Sagan reflects on the future of humanity and the question of "who speaks for Earth?" when meeting extraterrestrials. He discusses the very different meetings of the Tlingit people and explorer Jean-François de La Pérouse with the destruction of the Aztecs by Spanish conquistadors, the looming threat of nuclear warfare, and the threats shown by destruction of the Library of Alexandria and the murder of Hypatia. The episode ends with a overview of the beginning of the universe, the evolution of life, and the accomplishments of humanity and makes a plea to for mankind to cherish life and continue its journey in the cosmos. The Cosmos Update notes the preliminary reconnaissance of planets with spacecraft, the fall of the Berlin Wall and the end of apartheid in South Africa, and measures towards the reduction of nuclear weapons.

For those in the US, it is also available on Hulu (Previously)

14 "Ted Turner Interviews Dr. Sagan" Some versions of the series, including the first North American home video release (though not the DVD release), included a specially-made fourteenth episode, which consisted of an hour-long interview between Sagan and Ted Turner, in which the two discussed the series and new discoveries made in the years since its first broadcast. 15 "The Meat Planet" Jun 28, 2011 In this never before seen episode of Cosmos, Carl Sagan takes us on a journey to the often misunderstood Meat Planet, examining it's origins, geological activity and atmosphere among many other unsettling details. More information on The Meat Planet. (Previously) Pale Blue Dot: A Vision of the Human Future in Space (1994) is a non-fiction book by Carl Sagan. It is the sequel to Cosmos: A Personal Voyage and was inspired by the "Pale Blue Dot" photograph, for which Sagan provides a sobering description. In this book, Sagan mixes philosophy about the human place in the universe with a description of the current knowledge about the Solar System. He also details a human vision for the future. The partial audio recorded by Sagan can accessed here (40:03) For those who have watched all of the episodes and still can't get enough of Cosmos, there is a sequel planned to be hosted by Niel DeGrasse Tyson and aired sometime in 2013 (Previously)

"I'm here to tell you, it is no nightmare. It is God's dream coming true before your very eyes."

hippybear — Sun, 28 Oct 2012 22:33:00 -0800

Bishop Gene Robinson speaks at First Presbyterian Church in NYC in 2009 on the 40th Anniversary of the Stonewall Uprising, and offers (and challenges church goers to offer) water to Gay Pride parade participants as part of his ministry. [5m19s] This week (starting October 29, check local listings), PBS's Independent Lens will show the documentary Love Free Or Die [PBS website], about Robinson's ordination and the issues surrounding it, for the Episcopal Church and him personally. Another clip [3m,15s], in which Robinson faces a protestor during worship service.

From the same channel that brought you Big Bird

twoleftfeet — Thu, 25 Oct 2012 23:34:46 -0800

The Choice 2012 is a Frontline documentary about the background of the current candidates for President of the United States.

Self-described as Classical MTV

wcfields — Tue, 16 Oct 2012 11:01:38 -0800

Flipping through public access or PBS channels one might have seen Classic Arts Showcase with it's familiar ARTS bug. The 24-hour non-commercial free-to-air satellite channel broadcasts a repeated 8-hour mix of about 150 video clips weekly a mix of various classic arts including animation, architectural art, ballet, chamber, choral music, dance, folk art, museum art, musical theater, opera, orchestral, recital, solo instrumental, solo vocal, and theatrical play, as well as classic film and archival documentaries. The channel has no VJs and only silent interstitials encouraging the viewer to “...go out and feast from the buffet of arts available in your community.” The channel was founded in 1994 and is completely and totally funded by the Lloyd E. Rigler – Lawrence E. Deutsch Foundation. Both men made their fortunes making Adolphs Meat Tenderizer a national brand allowing them to make their philanthropic endeavors. In addition to the channel the foundation has funded actions such as American Association for Single People, helping in the creation of the Los Angeles Music Center and the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington. Mr. Deutsch died in 1977 and willed his holdings to the foundation; until his own death in 2003, Mr. Rigler oversaw its allocations leaving the channel with an endowment to broadcast at least until 2022.

I'm a Dungeon Master! I deserve this promotion!

asnider — Tue, 16 Oct 2012 09:32:51 -0800

Can playing Dungeons & Dragons make you a more confident and successful person? The PBS Idea Channel posits that playing pen-and-paper role-playing games helps to develop valuable life skills such as problem solving, people management, and abstract thinking.