Monday, January 19, 2009

Live Webcam of the Washington Mall!

A Live webcam of the Inaugural events on Washington Mall is featured courtesy of the Washington Post.

It can be viewed at the following link:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/video/2008/12/04/VI2008120402303.html

Washington Post's Inauguration Central

The Washington Post has setup an online guide to tomorrow's Inauguration festivities. It features information about events, photos, and video

This information can be accessed here:
http://voices.washingtonpost.com/inauguration-central/

KQED & KTEH Jan 19-31 Science/Tech-related Programs

Just 34 days until analog TV shuts down... we're here to help!

Here are the listings for our Science/Technology-related programs, airing in Jan 19-31 on KQED TV9/HD, on KTEH TV54, on one of our digital channels - KQED World (DT9.3 / Comcast 190) - or on KQED Public Radio 88.5FM.

Highlights include a national spotlight on California's energy conservation efforts and a look at the fascinating world of one of the world's most beautiful and mysterious creatures on KQED TV9/HD; and an examination of a city buried and frozen in time, along with a look at the tragic accident that spurred the largest naval rescue operation in history on KTEH TV54.

KQED TV9/HD
(TV9, DT9.1, DT54.2, DT25.1, Comcast 709)

QUEST #202 ALZHEIMER'S: IS THE CURE IN THE GENES? / BIOFUELS
KQED TV9/HD: 1/20 7:30pm, 1/21 1:30am, 1/23 2pm
KTEH-TV54: 1/24 3pm (26:21) (A KQED Production)
Meet the San Francisco researchers looking at our DNA to find an Alzheimer's cure and find out how the Bay Area is at the center of America's race to make alternative fuels.

NOVA #3519 THE BIG ENERGY GAMBLE
KQED TV9/HD: 1/20 8pm, 1/21 2am (56:46)
The latest public opinion polls show that a vast majority of Americans believe the world is facing a global climate crisis. We are willing to pay more for "cleaner energy" and we want our government to take appropriate action to mitigate the crisis, but we don't have a clue what those actions should be or how the various energy "solutions" we hear about can help. "The Big Energy Gamble" shines the spotlight on California - an oasis of conservation in an energy-hungry country. Does California know something about energy the rest of the nation does not? The program looks at everything California is doing, from energy conservation and efficiency to the development of new sources of carbon-free power, to find out how the rest of the country can join in the aggressive pursuit of a sustainable energy future.

MAKE: #103
KQED TV9/HD: 1/24 8am (26:46)
* Steampunk Technology - We enter the alternative universe of Jake Von Slatt, one of the central figures of Steampunk, an innovative style that turns today's technology into Victorian works of art.
* Sky Eye / Polecam - John Park shows us how to build a remote control, pole mounted camera.
* Magnets - In this 'Sneaky Gadgets' segment, Cy Tymony demonstrates some sneaky uses for magnets.
* Smoke Ring Machine - Ali Momeni's programmable smoke ring generator.
* Theremin Orchestra - Masami Takeuchi's ensemble of amazing looking and sounding theremins.
* Pulse-Jet Bike -Robert Maddox attaches a pulse-jet engine to a standard bicycle and zooms away.

PATH TO NUCLEAR FISSION: THE STORY OF LISE MEITNER
KQED TV9/HD: 1/26 11pm, 1/27 5am (56:46)
This is the intriguing story of the lives and times of Lise Meitner and Otto Hahn, two remarkable scientists whose extraordinary collaboration culminated in the discovery of nuclear fission in 1938, turning Einstein's "theory" into atomic science. Meitner and Hahn revolutionized the history of science and the role of women in physics and chemistry; their tale parallels the social changes and turbulent history of their times, involving the war against memory, Nazi intimidation, forced exile, betrayal and a Nobel Prize in chemistry that to this day distorts science history.

QUEST #114 WHERE ARE THE BEES?/LANDSLIDE DETECTIVES
KQED TV9/HD: 1/27 7:30pm, 1/28 1:30am, 1/30 2pm
KTEH-TV54: 1/31 3pm (26:46) (A KQED Production)
* Where are the Bees? - California farmers depend on bees to pollinate the state's multi-million dollar fruit and nut crops, but recently, bee colonies have been rapidly disappearing. Quest follows the scientists that are racing to find the cause, plus discovers how you can help.
* Landslide Detectives - With its rolling hills and winter storms, the Bay Area has been a landslide hotspot, putting houses and lives at risk. Meet the geologists working to understand and predict these natural disasters.
* Story Time with Young Science Authors - What do kids age 5-8 think about science? Young authors from the KQED Reading Rainbow Young Writers and Illustrators Contest read their science-themed contest entries.

NOVA #3601 THE INCREDIBLE JOURNEY OF THE BUTTERFLIES
KQED TV9/HD: 1/27 8pm, 1/28 2am, 1/31 6pm (56:46) (DVI)
A visually rich documentary about one of the world's most beautiful and mysterious creatures, the Monarch butterfly. Nowhere in nature is there a more powerful mix of scientific marvel, awesome beauty and epic struggle for survival. Journey into the Monarch's secret and fascinating world when Nova visits the spectacular locations it calls home, meets its friends and enemies and flies with it on one of the most inspiring migratory odysseys imaginable.

BRIEF HISTORY OF DISBELIEF
In this first ever television history of disbelief, Jonathan Miller goes on a 3-part journey exploring the origins of his own lack of belief and uncovering the hidden story of atheism.

#101 SHADOWS OF DOUBT
KQED TV9/HD: 1/27 11pm, 1/28 5am (58:16)
Jonathan Miller visits the absent Twin Towers at New York's Ground Zero to consider the religious implications of 9/11 and meets with Arthur Miller and the philosopher Colin McGinn. He searches for evidence of the first "unbelievers" in ancient Greece and examines some of the modern theories around why people have always tended to believe in mythology and magic.

#102 NOUGHTS AND CROSSES
KQED TV9/HD: 1/28 11pm, 1/29 5am (58:11)
With the domination of Christianity from 500 AD, Jonathan Miller wonders how disbelief began to re-emerge in the 15th and 16th centuries. He discovers that division within the Church played a more powerful role than the scientific discoveries of the period. He also visits Paris, the home of the 18th century atheist, Baron D'Holbach, and shows how politically dangerous it was to undermine the religious faith of the masses.
#103 THE FINAL HOUR
KQED TV9/HD: 1/29 11pm, 1/30 5am (58:20)
The history of disbelief continues with the ideas of self-taught philosopher Thomas Paine, the revolutionary studies of geology and the evolutionary theories of Darwin. Jonathan Miller looks at the Freudian view that religion is a "thought disorder". He also examines his motivation behind making the series, touching on the issues of death and the religious fanaticism of the 21st century.

MAKE: #104
KQED TV9/HD: 1/31 8am (26:46)
* Fire Sculpture - We visit the Box Shop and the Flaming Lotus Girls, a women-centric maker collaborative that creates gargantuan, fire-breathing sculptures.
* DTV Antenna & Steadicam - John Park shows us how we can take a fistful of wire coat hangers and make a TV antenna that gives great digital reception. He also shows us how to make a video camera stabilizer.
* Cable Ties - In this 'Toolbox' segment, William Gurstelle demonstrates the many applications of cable ties.
* Motorized Barcalounger - Engineer Lyn Gomes's motorized lounge chair
* I/O Brush - Kimiko Ryokai's electronic "paintbrush" transfers any object it brushes over, whether static or moving, onto a special board with eye-popping results.
* Massage Me Jacket - Hannah Perner-Wilson and Mika Satomi's wearable massage vest turns a video game player's thumb and finger pressure into a back massager.
* Giant Match - Billy Gordon strikes a huge match made from 15,000 wooden matches.

CHARLIE ROSE
KQED TV9 and KQED HD: Late Mon-Fri midnight, next weekday noon (56:46*)
Rose engages America's best thinkers, writers, politicians, athletes, entertainers, business leaders and scientists in 1-on-1 interviews and roundtable discussions.

For the youngest scientists among us...

SID THE SCIENCE KID
KQED TV9/HD: Mon-Fri 6am & 8:30am (28:46)
KTEH-TV54: Mon-Fri 3pm (28:46)
This series uses comedy to celebrate children's natural curiosity about science and explores their "Why?" questions in everyday life. It features the energetic and inquisitive 5-year-old Sid, who tackles the ideas that preschoolers find fascinating (Why do bananas go 'bad'? How does my juice box straw work? How does a bird fly without a plane?). In each episode, viewers meet Sid's friends and family who help him find the answers to these questions.

CURIOUS GEORGE
KQED TV9/HD: Mon-Fri 8am (28:46) (DVI)
Based on the best-selling Curious George books by Margret and H. A. Rey, and narrated by Emmy award-winning actor William H. Macy, this series expands George's world to include a host of colorful new characters and original locales, while maintaining the charm of the beloved books. Each episode includes two animated stories followed by short live-action pieces showing real kids who are investigating the ideas that George introduces in his stories. The series aims to inspire kids to explore science, math and engineering in the world around them.

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on KQED.org:
Science and the Environment
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KTEH TV54
(TV54, DT54.1, DT9.2, DT25.2, Comcast 10 most areas)

CYBERCHASE
KTEH-TV54: Mon-Fri 4pm (28:46) (DVI)
Math rules in this animated adventure series which energizes kids ages 8 to 11 with math power. Full of cyber-mysteries with eye-popping animation and a sly comic flair, it features the voices of Christopher Lloyd and Gilbert Gottfried. The series sends the message that math is fun - it's about problem solving and, boy, does it come in handy. When the dastardly villain Hacker launches a mad mission to conquer the virtual universe, Motherboard calls upon 3 earth kids for help. They are Jackie, Matt and Inez - the culturally diverse heroes - who, along with the wise-cracking cyber-bird Digit, travel from their real-world realm to the colorful virtual vistas of cyberspace, where they vanquish the bad guys in an all-out battle of wits.

DRAGONFLYTV
KTEH-TV54: Sats 9:30am (28:46)
Real kids pursue their own scientific investigations and share the excitement that comes with making their own discoveries. They are joined by adult scientists, who share not only their scientific discoveries but also home movies and snapshots of themselves as kids.

HUMAN FACE
#103 - KTEH-TV54: 1/21 11pm, 1/22 5am (49:37) (DVI)
#104 - KTEH-TV54: 1/28 11pm, 1/29 5am (48:52) (DVI)
Actor and comedian John Cleese sets out on an odyssey to discover the mysteries of communication, identity, perception and sexuality hidden behind the mask of the human face. Looking at the practical effects of beauty, the nature of fame and the face's ability to give away emotion, this 4-part series combines technology and human-interest stories to uncover some surprising secrets. Cleese is joined in this quest by a number of well known faces - actors Elizabeth Hurley, Pierce Brosnan, Candice Bergen and Michael Palin.

SECRETS OF THE DEAD #603 HERCULANEUM UNCOVERED
KTEH-TV54: 1/22 9pm, 1/23 3am (56:11) (DVI)
Just a few miles from fabled Pompeii is Herculaneum, another city buried and frozen in time by the eruption of Mt. Vesuvius in A.D. 79. Today, geo-archeologists are chipping away at the soft rock, revealing that this city, unlike Pompeii, was not suffocated by falling ash. Rather, it was engulfed by blistering pyroclastic flows that instantly caused muscles to contract, skin to vaporize and heads to explode.

ABC'S OF HDTV
KTEH-TV54: 1/27 11:30pm, 1/28 5:30am (26:26)
PBS favorite Nick Clooney hosts this new look at the confusing world of digital television. As the date approaches when broadcasters must convert to digital-only format, many viewers are worried that the equipment they own will no longer be operational. Others have many questions about purchasing the digital televisions coming onto the market. In this program, he provides clarity on some frequently asked questions such as: do I have to buy a new television? What kind of equipment do I need to purchase if I want to keep my old TV? What's the difference between DTV and HDTV? What kind of TV should I get? If I have cable, do I need to get a new TV? How can I take advantage of the government coupon offer?
Spokespersons from some of the major electronics chains offer information on subjects such as 720p and 1080i, the difference between plasma and LCD, and answer other popular questions. PBS President Paula Kerger and KET Programming Director Craig Cornwell talk about the new possibilities presented by the digital transition from a national and a local perspective, including multicasting.

MILLER CENTER FORUMS
#104 INTELLIGENCE ANALYSIS AND DISSEMINATION
KTEH-TV54: early 1/29 midnight (56:46)
Thomas Fingar, Chairman of the National Intelligence Council, discusses intelligence analysis and dissemination in the post 9-11 world.

SECRETS OF THE DEAD
#504 THE SINKING OF THE ANDREA DORIA
KTEH-TV54: 1/29 9pm, 1/30 3am (56:46) (DVI)
On a foggy night in July 1956, two transatlantic passenger ships collided in a tragic accident that spurred the largest naval rescue operation in history. The world watched in horror as the Andrea Doria, one of the grandest luxury liners, sank before their eyes. Using archival footage, survivor accounts, CGI and exclusive underwater images of the decomposing ship, the program explores exactly what happened that fateful night, explains why so many divers have lost their lives on the wreck and reveals a startling insurance company cover-up that has remained hidden for the last 50 years.

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KQED World
(DT 9.3 / Comcast 190)
Thought-provoking television - history, local and world events, nature, news and science. KQED World transmits 24 hours a day Over The Air on DT9.3, and Comcast Digital Cable Channel 190. Programs carried exclusively on KQED World this period include:

CLOSER TO TRUTH
#208 DOES EVIL DISPROVE GOD?
KQED World: 1/19 6:30am, 1/24 1pm (26:46)
Theologians have no tougher task than explaining evil, its enormity even more than its existence. Give the clergy their due: they've devised clever, even profound, rationale. But at the end of the long day, do these explanations, or rationalizations, really work?
#209 WHY ARE BLACK HOLES ASTONISHING?
KQED World: 1/26 6:30am, 1/31 1pm (26:46)
They warp space and time, squeeze matter to a vanishing point (i.e., singularity), and trap light so that it cannot escape. How can black holes perform such stupendous tricks, and what can we learn from them?

NOVA #3602 INSIDE THE SPY FACTORY
KQED World: 1/29 8am, 1/29 11am (56:46) (DVI)
Based on the newly released book, "The Shadow Factory," by Jim Bamford, NOVA brings to light the modern technology underlying the National Security Agency's ongoing hunt for information in the war on terror. In the aftermath of 9/11, the NSA abandoned its long-held policy of spying only on enemies outside the country, shifting its attention instead on the global communications infrastructure that lies within the U.S. border. Through exploring the physics of these modern communications systems - from fiber optics to satellite transmissions to vast wired networks- NOVA takes an exclusive look at exactly how our government is conducting its warrant-less operations. Listening in on friend and foe alike and combing through millions of emails an hour, NOVA is hot on the trail of the NSA as it traverses transatlantic cables and taps into massive communications hubs.

JOURNEY OF MAN
KQED World: 1/30 8am, 1/30 11am (1:54:29)
Today, some six billion people are spread across the planet. But there was a time when the human species numbered only a few thousand and the world was a single continent: Africa. Then a small group left their African homeland on a journey into an unknown, hostile world. Against impossible odds, these extraordinary explorers survived and went on to conquer the earth. Their story can finally be told through the science of genetics. Dr. Spencer Wells, a 33-year-old geneticist, has been disentangling this epic story from evidence all people carry with them - in their DNA - inherited from those ancient travelers. Wells travels to every continent in search of the people whose DNA holds humanity's secret history, including Namibian Bushmen, Chukchi reindeer herders of the Russian Arctic, Native Americans and Australian aborigines.

TAVIS SMILEY
KQED World (Comcast 190/DT9.3): M-F 11pm, repeated Tu-St 5am, M-F 1:30pm (26:46*)
The popular host and political commentator offers smart, provocative discussion on everything from politics to pop culture. The show is a hybrid of news, issues, and entertainment.

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Of possible interest on KQED Public Radio
88.5FM San Francisco and 89.3FM Sacramento

TALK OF THE NATION: SCIENCE FRIDAY
KQED Public Radio: Fridays 11am
A science talk-show hosted by veteran NPR science correspondent Ira Flatow.

LIVING ON EARTH
KQED Public Radio: Saturdays 4pm, Sundays 1am
NPR's weekly environmental news and information program featuring news, features, interviews and commentary on a broad range of ecological issues. Hosted by Steve Curwood.

TECH NATION
KQED Public Radio: Sundays 10pm
A weekly Public Radio program focusing on the impact of Technology in our lives. Hosted by Dr. Moira Gunn, it presents interviews with people from every aspect of our lives - from internet entrepreneurs to scientists, from astronauts to media critics, from sci-fi novelists to politicians.

Tuesday, January 6, 2009

"An Evening with Khaled Hosseini" in Los Altos!

"An Evening with Khaled Hosseini"
benefiting Trust in Education (http://www.trustineducation.org/)

Featuring a discussion with the
#1 New York Times Bestselling author of
The Kite Runner and A Thousand Splendid Suns.

January 23, 2009
Foothill College's Smithwick Theater
12345 El Monte Road Los Altos, CA 94022

7:30-9:00 pm,
with a reception at
Foothill College Main Dining Room
from
6:00-7:00
with Dr Hosseini and Budd MacKenzie.

Reserved seating $50
Preferred seating with reception $100.
Tickets may be purchased through
Trust in Education http://www.trustineducation.org/,
(925) 283-8057
or at
Keplers Bookstore 1010 El Camino Real
Menlo Park CA 94025 after January 1, 2009