NOTE: We are listing both EST/Pacific Time and individual television ratings. All rated [G] or [PG] unless noted. [NR] = Not Rated, news-related program.Tuesday, March 1, 2005 ____________________________________________________ 6-8pm -- Breaking Vegas - They were "Whales"--the highest of high rollers. Treated like royalty by casinos worldwide, they won millions throughout the early to mid-1990s. And nobody had a clue that they were MIT students, part of an underground blackjack team--card counters who used mathematical wizardry to win. In this 2-hour special, we chronicle the true story of the rise and fall of the MIT Blackjack Team, featuring interviews with Ben Mezrich, author of Bringing Down the House, casino executives, security experts, and actual members of the team. 8-9pm -- Bible Code II: Apocalypse and Beyond - As we delve further into the provocative theory that a cryptogram exists in the Bible outlining past and future events, we learn how the Code works from supporters and examine supposed examples of precise messages. And we hear from critics who present compelling arguments that the Code is merely a statistical anomaly. We uncover how military and intelligence organizations interact with the Code, and compare it with other sources of biblical prophecy. 9-10pm -- Breaking Vegas - The Ultimate Cheat. Imagine the ultimate cheating move--so outrageous, audacious, and simple that not even the best casino detective can come close to catching the genius behind it... In this hour of a series profiling people who took Vegas for lots of cash, we meet Richard Marcus, who perfected the craft of casino cheating from the 1970s through the early `90s. Join Marcus and teammates Mark "Balls" Abromowitz and Pat Mallery on a raucous robbery romp through the world's toniest casinos. Their primary scheme? Past-posting--laying down or swapping out chips after a winning bet is known. Hot on their tail is casino investigator Andy Anderson who's made it his mission to bring them down. We also explore past-posting's history, security systems' evolution, and the psychology of casino cheating. Features exclusive interviews with Marcus, Abromowitz, and Mallery, and their nemesis, high-tech cheating sleuth Anderson. 10-11pm -- Breaking Vegas - Slot Buster. Ron Harris worked for the Nevada Gaming Control Board but became disillusioned with the NGCB's lax attitude towards criminals he worked so hard to capture. He began reprogramming computer chips in slot machines the Board asked him to test and then directed accomplices to the rigged machines to collect the cash. As the winnings accumulated, Harris set his sights on the "random" number generator in the keno game. His plan? To create a program to replicate the "pattern" of a given keno board--a program that could take a series of winning numbers, decipher the code, and predict the next set of "random" winning numbers. Using a network of cell phones, calculators, and a laptop, Harris and partner John O'Connor meticulously prepare to beat the system for millions. But will it work? ____________________________________________________ Wednesday, March 2, 2005 ____________________________________________________ 7-8pm -- Modern Marvels - Plumbing: The Arteries of Civilization. Each day, billions of gallons of water flow through cities into homes and back out again in a confusing mess of pipes, pumps, and fixtures. The history of plumbing is a tale crucial to our survival--supplying ourselves with fresh water and disposing of human waste. From ancient solutions to the future, we'll plumb plumbing's depths. 8-9pm -- Modern Marvels - Overseas Highway. A spectacular roadway nearly 120 miles long, the Overseas Highway links mainland Florida with the Florida Keys, and contains 51 bridges, including the Seven-Mile Bridge. A boat was the only mode of travel from Miami to Key West until oil tycoon Henry Flagler completed his railroad line in 1912. After a 1935 hurricane destroyed 40 miles of track, the scenic highway was built using Flagler's bridges. A $175-million refurbishment that ended in 1982 resulted in today's remarkable Overseas Highway. 9-10pm -- Modern Marvels - Ice Road Truckers. During the harsh winter of Canada's Northwest Territory, remote villages and work camps are cut off from the world. To keep them supplied, a tenacious group of long-haul truckers drive their rigs over hundreds of miles on ice roads cut across the surface of frozen lakes. Sometimes the ice cannot support the heavy rig, and driver and cargo plunge through the ice and sink to the bottom. Hitch a risky ride along with the Ice Road Truckers as they drive headlong into bone-chilling danger. 10-11pm -- Full Throttle - 1967 VW Beetle. Fasten your seatbelts as we head to the dragstrip in popular cars of the past that have been revamped into fine-tuned machines by two teams--each given the same model of car in similar disrepair. We supply them with garages, tools, and parts--and just two days before they compete in an all-or-nothing drag race. The winner drives away in both cars; the loser walks away empty-handed; the viewer gets an adrenaline dose of automotive history. In this episode, we turn "The Peoples' Car" into a Quarter-Mile Drag Racer by ripping out the 1967 Volkswagen Beetle's original 4-cylinder motor and replacing it with a powerful racing engine and transmission. ____________________________________________________ Thursday, March 3, 2005 ____________________________________________________ 7-8pm -- Modern Marvels - Titanic Tech. Welcome aboard the luxury liner Titanic, the world's largest ship and pride of the White Star Line. Watertight compartments and a steel-plated hull render it all but unsinkable. Nearly every technological breakthrough of the previous 50 years is employed onboard, providing comfort and safety for passengers and crew. But none of this will matter on April 15, 1912, when the ship bears down on an iceberg on her maiden voyage, sinking within hours with more than 1,500 lives lost. Learn the details of her construction and how the achievements of technology may have masked her vulnerabilities. 8-9pm -- Modern Marvels - Engineering Disasters 10. Disasters investigated include: the 1984 Union Carbide debacle in Bhopal, India, where a toxic chemical release killed 3,800 people and left 11,000 with disabling respiratory ailments; and the 2003 sudden collapse of a 10-story parking garage at the Tropicana in Atlantic City, New Jersey that killed four and injured 20. We find out why a series of structures in Hutchinson, Kansas mysteriously caught fire and exploded in 2001; and examine the 1933 construction of a canal ordered by Soviet dictator Joseph Stalin that later proved to be nearly useless and cost many lives. And we get to the bottom of a maritime mystery, when a tanker carrying non-explosive materials in San Francisco Bay blew up in 1983. 9-10pm -- Modern Marvels - Engineering Disasters 11. Join us for look into five engineering disasters... A dangerous cloud of gas explodes into Cleveland's worst fiery industrial disaster in 1944, killing 128 people. A dance competition turns deadly at the new Kansas City Hyatt in 1981, when a skywalk gives way and kills 114. In 1995, neighbors gaped at the spectacle of a $1.5-million San Francisco Bay area mansion breaking into bits as it fell into a massive sinkhole during a rainstorm. In 1931, one of the worst "natural" disasters ever occurred in the Yangtze River basin when six huge flood waves swept down the river destroying the insufficient dams and levees and killing at least 145,000 people. The "miracle mineral" that the U.S. was built upon turns out to be an invisible killer--an estimated 10,000 people die each year from asbestos-related diseases. 10-11pm -- Modern Marvels - Engineering Disasters 14. In this hour, we examine a massive oil tanker explosion that killed nine; a subway tunnel cave-in that swallowed part of Hollywood Boulevard; a freighter plane crash that destroyed an 11-story apartment building; an historic molasses flash flood; and a freeway ramp collapse that buried construction workers in rubble and concrete. Investigators from NTSB, Cal/OSHA, and Boeing, structural and geo-technical engineers, and historians explain how so much could have gone wrong, costing so many lives. And aided by computer graphics, footage and photos of the disasters, and visits to the locations today, we show viewers what caused these catastrophes and what design experts have done to make sure they never happen again. ____________________________________________________ Friday, March 4, 2005 ____________________________________________________ 7-8pm -- Modern Marvels - Machu Picchu. The engineering marvel Machu Picchu sits perched on a ridge in the Peruvian Andes. Originally built by the Incas, this magnificent structure remains a mystery. Was it an observatory? Pleasure retreat? Fortress? This program presents the most current theories. 8-9pm -- The Last Days of WWII - March 4-10. As we explore the high and low points of the march to war's end, we paint a comprehensive step-by-step account of the crucial decisions and personalities that culminated in Allied victory. In this episode, Operation Lumberjack, the assault into the Rhineland by General Bradley's U.S. 12th Army Group, is in full swing. In Berlin, Hitler announces that all males born in 1929 must be conscripted for military service. To the south, Patton's lead armored division has progressed over 40 miles, taking 5,000 German prisoners. And Allied Supreme Commander Dwight Eisenhower now must decide where to make his main crossing of the Rhine. In the Pacific, U.S. firestorms torch Japan's capital city. 9-9:30pm -- Mail Call - # 66. Decked out as a Roman legionnaire, R. Lee Ermey gets down and dirty with the Ballista--a 2,000-year-old spear-thrower that still packs quite a punch as Lee discovers when he takes out the "enemy"--an 8-foot-high inflatable teddy bear! He also gets trigger time with the Pedersen Device--a WWI-era gizmo that turned old single-shot Springfield rifles into automatic weapons. After decimating a few watermelons, Lee examines up-armoring--getting armor protection for thin-skinned Humvees currently fighting in Iraq--and checks out the Rhino PAK (Portable Armor Kit), which can turn a vulnerable vehicle into an armored transport. Then, Lee rides on the first single-wing aircraft (monoplane) to get a shot off in WWII's Pacific Theater--the Peashooter--and recounts the landmark plane's history. Finally, Lee strolls down memory lane, sharing sentimental moments he's enjoyed with his beloved Jeep! 9:30-10pm -- Mail Call - Grease Gun/Sten Gun/E-3 Sentry Awacs/J-Stars/Vietnam Fire Support Bases/"Charlie": #43. R. Lee Ermey demonstrates the WWII American M3 submachine gun, a.k.a. the Grease Gun, and a similar British gun, the Sten Gun; takes viewers inside the E-3 Sentry early warning and control system--a high-tech aerial command and control center--and J-Stars, similar to AWACS, but linked to an Army command center housed in a Humvee; finds out how U.S. fire support bases were constructed in Vietnam and their use, and how the slang term "Charlie" entered GI Jargon. 10-11pm -- Modern Marvels - The Manhattan Project. At 5:30 a.m., July 16, 1945, scientists and dignitaries awaited the detonation of the first atomic bomb in a desolate area of the New Mexico desert aptly known as "Jornada del Muerto" (Journey of Death). Dubbed the Manhattan Project, the top-secret undertaking was tackled with unprecedented speed and expense--almost $30-billion in today's money. Los Alamos scientists and engineers relate their trials, triumphs, and dark doubts about building the ultimate weapon of war in the interest of peace. ____________________________________________________ Saturday, March 5, 2005 ____________________________________________________ 7-8pm -- Conspiracy? - Area 51. Each day, they board unmarked 747s at a private section of Las Vegas's McCarren Airport for unscheduled flights to a base that doesn't officially exist to work on projects so hush-hush they can't even discuss them with their families. Welcome to Area 51! Born in the Cold War along with flying saucers and bomb shelters, Area 51 (aka Groom Lake or Dreamland) became the Air Force's strategic test site for top-secret planes and the mysterious Aurora Project--and a symbol of the nefarious military-industrial-intelligence complex. We interview Phil Patton, author of Dreamland: Travels inside the Secret World of Area 51 for an account of the "black projects", and visit the tiny town of Rachel, which borders the top-secret base, for a look into mysterious deaths of base workers. 8-9pm -- Days That Shook the World - Reach for the Stars: Galileo's Trial and the First Space Flight. The history of science is a story of conquest, not just of nature but of men's minds. One couldn't happen without the other. On April 12, 1961, Yuri Gagarin took a step no human had ever taken--from Earth into outer space, a culmination of decades of technological development and over 300 years of groundbreaking scientific thought. Generations of great minds paved his way, but one stood above of all others--not just for his work, but for personal sacrifice. Exactly 328 years earlier, on April 12, 1633, Galileo Galilei stood trial for suspicion of heresy. His crime? Suggesting the Sun and not Earth was the center of the universe--a monstrous affront to the Catholic Church's teachings. Under threat of torture, he publicly recanted, receiving a sentence of house arrest for life. His book, Dialogue Concerning the Two Chief Systems of the World--Ptolemaic and Copernican, was banned for over 200 years. 9-11pm -- The Little Big Horn: The Untold Story - We'll look with fresh eyes at the infamous battle, using over two decades of research by Dr. Herman J. Viola, Curator Emeritus at the Smithsonian Institution, whose close friendship with Dr. Joseph Medicine Crow, grandson of one of Custer's six Crow scouts, afforded him unique access to the Native-American community's insights. ____________________________________________________ Sunday, March 6, 2005 ____________________________________________________ 7-8pm -- Founding Mothers with Cokie Roberts - Cokie Roberts, author of Founding Mothers, sheds light on female contributions to the American Revolution, revealing stirring stories about those who helped raise our nation. As Abigail Adams told husband John: "All history and every age exhibit instances of patriotic virtue in the female sex; which considering our situation equals the most heroic of yours." With the men away, women defended homes, raised children, managed businesses, and provided political advice. But not all were patriotic--like Margaret (Peggy) Shippen Arnold, Benedict's wife. Promised freedom, many slaves fought for the British, though in 1781, a slave called Mumbett sued for freedom and won! This founding mother, who took the name Elizabeth Freeman, set a precedent that led to Massachusetts' abolition of slavery. And we examine the role of camp followers and the few women that actually fought, like Deborah Sampson who enlisted in the Continental Army under her dead brother's name. 8-9:30pm -- First Flight around the World - Strap yourself into the cockpit and fly along with daring U.S. airmen as they attempt the impossible and change the course of aviation history. Today, few know about the first flight around the world or the men who flew it, though it remains one of aviation's most important milestones. Three years before Lindbergh's transatlantic flight, eight U.S. aviators boarded four Douglas World Cruisers in a race with five other countries to complete the first around-the-world flight. It was an odyssey that ended 175 days later when two U.S. biplanes and four crewmen became the first to circumnavigate Earth by air. Join us as we chronicle the amazing adventure through the pilots' firsthand accounts, reenactments using similar planes, archival footage, and 3D graphics. 9:30-10pm -- Great Blunders in History - The Spruce Goose. In a look at some of history's greatest design blunders, we examine Howard Hughes' Spruce Goose and the Bristol Brabazon. Hailed as the largest and quietest flying boat and largest airliner in the world, both lumbering giants creaked into the air, suffering from design blunders and outdated technology. 10-11pm -- Conspiracy? - Kecksburg UFO. What came down in the forest outside the sleepy hamlet of Kecksburg, Pennsylvania on December 9, 1965? Some residents claimed to see an acorn-shaped metal object with strange, hieroglyphic writing on its side, half-buried on the forest floor. Astronomer Von Del Chamberlain wrote that the Kecksburg object was a meteorite. NASA consultant James Oberg theorized that it was a failed Russian probe, but now also thinks it was probably a meteorite. Often called the "Pennsylvania Roswell" in UFO circles, the debate raged until, in late December 2003, NASA finally released 39 pages of material and the Air Force released 2,800 pages on the case from its files. The only thing the government documents conclusively prove is that the object was not a Russian probe. But for UFO enthusiasts and researchers, many questions remain unanswered. Joe Bob's review of Fire In The Sky ____________________________________________________ Monday, March 7, 2005 ____________________________________________________ 7-8pm -- Modern Marvels - Police Technology. When police forces were born in the 1800s, British "bobbies" made due with a billy club. Public wariness and institutional resistance to change held back technological advances for much of the 20th century. But in the last decades, police have been swept up in a technological revolution that has transformed nearly all aspects of crime fighting. 8-9pm -- UFO Files - New UFO Revelations: The Gray's Agenda. According to ufologists, the Grays--beings from another world--abduct humans, implant devices, and conduct reproductive experiments. The most "familiar" alien, we see their images in every media. What do they want? Where are they from? Do alien life forms kidnap humans in order to replicate their dying race? Is our government in collusion with extraterrestrials in exchange for advanced technology? Hundreds of eyewitnesses swear they encountered aliens and dozens claim they have actual physical proof. To test their claims and sift fact from fiction, we conduct a hypnotic regression in which abductees relive shocking alien encounters, witness surgery to remove a foreign object, and sweep the night sky looking for possible alien-inhabited planets. So join us as we go in search of the Grays and their alien agenda. 9-10pm -- Digging for the Truth - Passage to the Maya Underworld. The Maya of Central America were the greatest pyramid builders of the ancient world. The Egyptians built less than a 100 pyramids--the Maya built thousands. But what was the significance of these towering structures? Determined to solve the meaning of the Mayan pyramids, host and explorer Josh Bernstein sets out on a remarkable journey that takes him from the great Mayan cities of Southern Mexico to the hinterland of Guatemala. Josh explores ancient tombs, dives in flooded caverns, and shoots whitewater rapids. Finally, he reaches a secret place in the high jungle of Guatemala where a mountain, a cave, and a river converge. It's here, according to the Maya, that the world was born, and it's this mystical place upon which all Mayan pyramids are modeled. 10-11pm -- Deep Sea Detectives - Japanese Sub at Pearl Harbor. The Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor was a move of unprecedented aggression that shook the U.S. out of its peaceful slumber and into WWII. But for 60 years, veterans of the destroyer USS Ward claimed they sank an enemy submarine outside the harbor more than an hour before the aerial attack began. The wreck was never found, and the story was dismissed. In August 2002, a dive team crossed its path and their find made headlines worldwide. We travel to Pearl Harbor to investigate the midget sub mystery. ____________________________________________________ Tuesday, March 8, 2005 ____________________________________________________ 7-8pm -- Modern Marvels - Surveillance Tech. In the world of surveillance, Big Brother is not only watching, he's also listening, analyzing, recording, scanning, and tracking every aspect of our lives. And with advanced surveillance technology, there's virtually no place to hide. We'll examine some of the most important and potentially terrifying equipment the world has ever seen...or rather, not seen...in this thriving surveillance revolution. We check out parabolic microphones that pick up conversations a mile a way, cameras that learn what and who to photograph, RadarVision that "sees through walls", and Uninhabited Aerial Vehicles (UAVs). And we explore the mind-bending future of surveillance technology, while, of course, reviewing its surprising history. 8-9pm -- Wild West Tech - Deadwood Tech. Touted as one of the "liveliest and peculiar places west of the Mississippi", in Deadwood, speculators, misfits, and cold-blooded killers came together to stake their claim. Located in South Dakota's Black Hills, in this raunchy, rip-roaring town, primitive technology met bold innovations, commerce and corruption collided, and shootouts were as common as the filth that filled the streets. We examine the good, bad, and ugly technologies of the last and richest gold-rush town, including stagecoaches and stagecoach robberies; bull whacking and bull trains; gold counterfeiting; saw mills; smelter and cyanide mills; electric marquees; and mortuary science. And we feature forensic analysis of Wild Bill Hickok's death, and say howdy to a few of Deadwood's other famous characters like Calamity Jane. 9-10pm -- Breaking Vegas - Professor Blackjack. In 1961, lifelong gambler Manny Kimmel, a "connected" New York businessman, read an article by MIT math professor Ed Thorp claiming that anyone could make a fortune at blackjack by using math theory to count cards. The mob-connected sharpie offered the young professor a deal: he would put up the money, if Thorp would put his theory to action and card-count their way to millions. From Thorp's initial research to the partnership's explosive effect on the blackjack landscape, this episode boasts fascinating facts about the game's history, colorful interviews (including with Thorp), and archival footage that evokes the timeless allure and excitement of the thriving casinos in the early `60s. 10-11pm -- Modern Marvels - High Tech Sex. Join us for a walk on the wild side of the history of sexual enhancement and contraception--from Cleopatra's box of buzzing bees to 17th-century condoms to Internet sex and 21st-century holographic pornography! In an explicit exploration of the aphrodisiacs, drugs, contraceptives, toys, and cyber-tech innovations that have ushered in a brave new world of modern sexuality, we talk to sexologists and historians for ribald romp behind the bedroom's closed doors. ____________________________________________________ Wednesday, March 9, 2005 ____________________________________________________ 7-8pm -- Modern Marvels - SWAT. Special weapons and tactics (SWAT) originated in the mid-1960s after several sniping incidents against civilians and police officers nationwide, particularly in Los Angeles during and after the Watts Riots. But on August 1, 1966, Charles Whitman changed the face of police tactics forever, when he randomly killed dozens of people using a high-powered rifle from atop the University of Texas clock tower. We explore the origins, tools, and dramatic stories of LA, Austin, and St. Louis SWAT units. 8-9pm -- Modern Marvels - Nature's Engineers. Towering skyscrapers buzzing with life, intricate tunnels connecting entire communities, mighty dams that tame the wildest rivers--this is construction animal style! Take a walk on the wild side as we investigate common creatures seemingly designed to alter their habitat and remake the world. Our ability to learn and capacity for abstract thought may separate us from beavers, honeybees, birds, termites, and spiders, but these engineers of nature remind us that we're merely the latest in a long line. 9-10pm -- Modern Marvels - Commercial Fishing. Battered and fried or simply raw--seafood is a popular dish, no matter how you serve it. Americans consume more than 5-billion pounds yearly, an order that takes more than a fishing rod to fill and worries conservationists. We follow the fish, the fishermen, and the science trying to preserve fisheries for future generations--from ancient ships on the Nile to a modern technologically sophisticated factory trawler on the Bering Sea to the University of New Hampshire's open-ocean aquaculture research project. And we witness a wide variety of fishing methods--from gillnetting and longlining to lobster trapping. Hop aboard and sail through time and around the globe as we explore the harsh conditions of life at sea and experience firsthand one of history's deadliest jobs. Brace yourself and feel the ice-cold, salt spray on your face as we explore commercial fishing! 10-11pm -- Modern Marvels - Taxidermy. It began as a tool used by prehistoric man to attract animals to the hunt. Over time it became an invaluable study aid for the natural scientist and a popular hobby for hunters and fishermen. Join us for a tantalizing look at the history of taxidermy, the craft of preserving animal skins and using them to recreate a still life of the animal as it appeared in life. We also check out fiberglass reproduction, which is gaining popularity as fish and game regulations become stricter. Finally, we examine human subjects in taxidermy. Using the very latest process of plastination, the once taboo science and art of preserving and displaying human corpses now draws crowds in Europe, Asia, and the U.S., proving the age-old practice continues to mesmerize us! ____________________________________________________ Thursday, March 10, 2005 ____________________________________________________ 7-8pm -- Modern Marvels - Police Guns. Police represent a thin blue line protecting ordinary citizens from hardened criminals. We'll look at the vast array of weapons that police officers across America have wielded for over 150 years in their endless fight to maintain law and order. 8-10pm -- Alaska: Big America - Alaska--a land of extremes. Its size is staggering--nearly 600,000 square miles, or more than twice the size of Texas. Its vast distances, extreme weather, imposing landscape--all helped shape its history and the lives of those who come under its spell. Our 2-hour special heads to far-flung corners of the 49th State to hear compelling stories of life in the bush--from Russian expeditions in the 1700s to building of the Alcan Highway to the WWII Battle for the Aleutian Islands and 1959 statehood. 10-11pm -- Modern Marvels - Oil Tankers. The biggest moving objects ever built by man, oil tankers dominate the world's waterways, both in size and numbers. Upwards of 10,000 strong, the world tanker fleet's vast number results from the modern, insatiable thirst for oil. We'll dig into the history of oil transport--from Civil War days to the critical WWII years and invention of the supertanker in the 1950s. And we examine the financial impact of modifying these steel leviathans to prevent future catastrophic environmental disasters. ____________________________________________________ Friday, March 11, 2005 ____________________________________________________ 7-8pm -- Modern Marvels - Bunkers. From the earliest bunkers of WWI through the ultra-futuristic ones of tomorrow's wars, we trace the story of defensive fortifications. In the constant struggle to hold off ever more potent forms of attack, bunkers function in a variety of forms. Three mammoth block structures comprise a submarine bunker at Lorient, France, able to house 20 subs. We visit Churchill's Cabinet War Room and Hitler's Berlin bunker, as well as backyard Cold War bunkers and those that protect nuclear weapons themselves. 8-9pm -- The Last Days of WWII - March 11 - March 17. Join us for a detailed, week by week look at the last six months of World War Two. In this episode, we begin in the Pacific Theater where American bombers continue their assault on mainland Japan. The B-29s blitz and the U.S. Air Force's new low-level bombing tactics using incendiary bombs prove deadly for the Japanese. General Curtis LeMay hopes to force a Japanese surrender before American ground forces are scheduled to invade the mainland. Meanwhile in Europe, the Allies are closing in. With the Rhine breached, most Nazis realize their days are numbered and the end is inevitable. Hitler leaves the Reich Chancellery for the last time, and 16-year-old Anne Frank succumbs to typhus in the Belsen concentration camp. 9-9:30pm -- Mail Call - # 67. Host R. Lee Ermey hits the road to give us an inside look at one of the most secure and super-secret facilities in the world--NORAD. Lee gets through tight security to enter Cheyenne Mountain Operations Center, America's eye in the sky where everything that flies is monitored 24/7. During a tour of the Battle Management Center, an incident of concern puts the center on alert and we see how NORAD operates under pressure. We also tour the Missile Command Center and find out what keeps the 800 military personnel inside on their toes. And Brigadier General Jim Hunter unlocks the door for Lee to the most secret part of Cheyenne Mountain--the Command Center, or what a lot of people call the War Room. We see how the men and women who work here monitor planes, missiles, and even space junk to make sure North America stays safe. The General and Lee talk about how NORAD's mission has changed since September 11th and we get a sneak peak at the new command center. Joe Bob's review of WarGames with Col. David Hackworth 9:30-10pm -- Mail Call - M-1 Garand Rifle/First Assault Rifle/Jato/Golden Knights Parachute Team/Barrage Balloons R. Lee Ermey answers viewer questions about the M-1 Garand, the rifle General Patton called "the greatest battle implement ever devised", and demonstrates the world's first assault rifle, the German MP-44. He takes to the sky to explain jet assisted take-off (JATO); offers an eye-popping look at the stunts performed by the Golden Knights, the Army's precision freefall parachute team; explains how barrage balloons protected London during the Blitz; and goes through the alphabet--military style! 10-11pm -- Modern Marvels - Mosquito Attack! During WWII, one airplane was equally at home at 30,000 feet on a reconnaissance mission as it was skimming over treetops while taking the fight to the enemy. With a speed of over 400 mph, the Mosquito was so fast and maneuverable that Germany awarded pilots two kills if they shot one down. Powered by two Rolls Royce Merlin engines, its revolutionary leap of design had no armor, no weapons, could carry the same bomb load as a B-17, and was built entirely of wood! By war's end, over 40 versions of this amazing aircraft were in use. Fly into the heat of battle on one of these wooden wonders--from bombing Berlin to flying at 10 feet against Gestapo prisons; from night fighter against the Luftwaffe to pathfinder on D-Day. ____________________________________________________ Saturday, March 12, 2005 ____________________________________________________ 7-8pm -- Conspiracy? - Kecksburg UFO. What came down in the forest outside the sleepy hamlet of Kecksburg, Pennsylvania on December 9, 1965? Some residents claimed to see an acorn-shaped metal object with strange, hieroglyphic writing on its side, half-buried on the forest floor. Astronomer Von Del Chamberlain wrote that the Kecksburg object was a meteorite. NASA consultant James Oberg theorized that it was a failed Russian probe, but now also thinks it was probably a meteorite. Often called the "Pennsylvania Roswell" in UFO circles, the debate raged until, in late December 2003, NASA finally released 39 pages of material and the Air Force released 2,800 pages on the case from its files. The only thing the government documents conclusively prove is that the object was not a Russian probe. But for UFO enthusiasts and researchers, many questions remain unanswered. 8-9pm -- Days That Shook the World - Caught Spies: Gary Powers and the Rudolph Abel Spy Swap. During the Cold War, a time of mistrust and suspicion between East and West, espionage became the favorite tactic to stay one step ahead of the enemy. Among the Cold War spy stories, two days stand out--the shooting down of America's top-secret U-2 spy plane over Russia and the day the Soviet Union and the U.S. traded its pilot, Francis Gary Powers for the Soviet spy Rudolph Ivanovich Abel on Berlin's Glienicker Bridge. Based on eyewitness accounts, this is a dramatized reconstruction of events as they happened on these two days that shook the world. 9-11pm -- The Lincoln Assassination - He is perhaps the most beloved president in American history. But in his lifetime, Abraham Lincoln was hated by so many that an envelope inside his desk marked "Assassination" was stuffed with 100 morbid letters. What led Lincoln to predict his own murder and handsome actor John Wilkes Booth to kill him? ____________________________________________________ Sunday, March 13, 2005 ____________________________________________________ 7-8pm -- Ancient Monster Hunters - One-breasted female warriors; the one-eyed, man-eating Cyclops; the ferocious griffin, part bird, part lion. Were these creatures, celebrated by the ancient Greeks and immortalized by Homer, something more than myth? Join the hunt with some of today's leading paleontologists as we explore newly-translated evidence and examine remains that may link the Greek classical age with Earth's prehistoric past. New data suggests that the ancients searched for, excavated, measured, and displayed massive fossils. MonsterVision looks at Clash Of The Titans 8-10pm -- Cannibals - Steeped in controversy, human cannibalism both fascinates and repulses. Many anthropologists argue that cannibalism is an instinctive part of human nature; that it was an institution in many ancient cultures; that people will turn to cannibalism without reservation in a survival situation; and that our very bones are imprinted with evidence that we are creatures who eat our own. Other experts vehemently disagree, questioning eyewitness accounts and taking issue with what archaeologists claim is hard scientific evidence. This 2-hour special gets to the heart of the debate by investigating both well-known and little-known scenarios in which humans may have resorted to eating other humans. 10-11pm -- Conspiracy? - Oklahoma City Bombing. At 9:02 a.m., on April 19, 1995, a massive explosion detonated outside the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City, collapsing the 9-story building and killing 168, 19 of them children, and wounding more than 700. Convicted by the federal government and executed in June 2001, Gulf War veteran Timothy McVeigh claimed he acted alone. Yet, multiple eyewitnesses identified McVeigh at ground zero with unknown accomplices before and after the blast. The original indictment charged McVeigh, Terry Nichols, and "others unknown" with conspiracy and murder. Was the bombing part of a greater pattern of Middle East-sponsored terrorist attacks, including the 1993 World Trade Center attack, bombing of the Khobar Towers and the USS Cole, and 9/11? Were homegrown neo-Nazi militia groups involved? 3000 Names ____________________________________________________ Monday, March 14, 2005 ____________________________________________________ 7-8pm -- Modern Marvels - Race Cars. Today, race cars tear up the tracks at 300 mph. Computers and space-age composite materials are as much as part of racing as the drivers. They're fast, they're thrilling, and they've gone high-tech. We'll review the history of the innovations that led to today's technological wonders. 8-9pm -- UFO Files - New UFO Revelations: China's Roswell. Legends from China tell of 716 mysterious stone discs, known as "The Dropa Stones". Some believe the stones hold secrets about ancient contact with extraterrestrials. Discovered in a cave in 1938, each 12" disc contains a double spiral of tiny hieroglyphs that are said to contain the historical record of an alien race called the Dropa that crash-landed in an isolated region of China 12,000 years ago. The story of the Dropa Stones is an amazing tale filled with mystery, deceit, and conspiracy, and today, skeptics and true believers wage an ongoing battle over what they are, what they mean, and if they even exist at all. Regardless, the Dropa Stones continue to consume the imaginations of scientists, journalists, historians, UFO buffs, and stargazers in general. 9-10pm -- Digging for the Truth - The Lost Tribe of Israel. The mystery of the 10 Lost Tribes of Israel has fascinated people through the ages. Explorers claim to have discovered evidence of the "lost tribes" all over the world, from Australia to Siberia, but few if any such claims have been backed up by solid evidence. But now a provocative possibility about the whereabouts of one of the tribes has emerged--and it's 4,000 miles from Israel--in Southern Africa. Host and explorer Josh Bernstein retraces the amazing journey that the Lemba people claim they made centuries ago. It stretches from the heart of modern South Africa to the ancient stone cities of Zimbabwe...and then onto the shores of the Mediterranean and the city of Jerusalem. And the evidence for this journey is more than anecdotal. As Josh discovers, recent DNA studies point to the Lemba's true origin in the Middle East. 10-11pm -- Mummy: The Inside Story - In an incredible investigation that uncovers the inside story of how the British Museum in London resurrected an Egyptian mummy in cyberspace, we begin in the museum basement and end where no one has gone before. Egyptologist John Taylor and a team of virtual reality experts from computer giant SGI transformed the mummified body of Nesperennub--an ancient Egyptian priest--into the world's first virtual mummy. From a set of 1500 CAT scans, they created a 3-D model of the mummy that could be "unwrapped" in the computer. The stunning stereoscopic images reveal Nesperennub's body in amazing clarity--and exactly like the embalmers left it in 800 BC! By going under the wraps of Nesperennub, we journey into the life and times of this ancient Egyptian. ____________________________________________________ Tuesday, March 15, 2005 ____________________________________________________ 7-8pm -- Modern Marvels - Gasoline. Traces the history and evolution of the world's most important fossil fuel. Without gasoline, modern life would grind to a halt. Americans use about 360-million gallons of gas every day. And though most of us could not function without gas, very few understand what it really is, how it is made, what all those different octane numbers really mean, and how researchers developed cleaner-burning gasoline. All these questions will be answered as we look at the history of this "supreme" fuel. 8-9pm -- Wild West Tech - Freak Show Tech. The deformed didn't ask to be born...and sometimes, they weren't! Sure, Wild West freak shows featured plenty of people who were different through the circumstances of their birth. But many so-called "freaks" were man-made. Technology helped pull the wool over the eyes of the unsuspecting masses. Freak show operators used every trick in the trade to provide some of the most disturbing "entertainment" the West would ever see. From pickled severed heads to mummified outlaws, we look at the wild, the woolly, the weird, and the swindlers who assured that the freak shows would be unforgettable. Hosted by David Carradine. 9-10pm -- Breaking Vegas - The Gadget Gambler. Keith Taft was the last person you'd imagine as a Vegas cheat--a deeply religious Baptist, director of church choirs, and family man. But in fact, a serendipitous visit to a Reno casino transformed Taft into a "mad scientist" obsessed with beating blackjack, who even enlisted his children as accomplices. A creative gadget genius, Taft built everything from LED eyeglasses to handheld lasers that could mark cards from 15 feet away. Join us for a riotous ride with one of the unlikeliest of casino cheats in the driver's seat as we reveal the raucous trials, outrageous close calls, exhilarating triumphs, and tumultuous ups and downs of this odd clan of Vegas cheats. 10-11pm -- Modern Marvels - The Autobahn. Imagine a superhighway designed for speed...thousands of miles of roadway unhindered by limits of any kind. Buckle up for safety as we take you for the ride of your life when we explore the fascinating history and current reality of the world's fastest freeway. The number-one works project of the Third Reich, the Autobahn was known as Adolf Hitler's Road until Germany's defeat in WWII. Reconstructed and extended to more than four times its original size, it became a symbol of the New Germany. ____________________________________________________ Wednesday, March 16, 2005 ____________________________________________________ 7-8pm -- Modern Marvels - Oil. From the first well in Pennsylvania to the gushing Spindletop and modern supertankers, the story of oil is the story of civilization as we know it. We'll take a look at the ingenious and outrageous men who risked everything for "black gold" and unimaginable wealth. 8-9pm -- Modern Marvels - Bombs. Bombs...the most feared and powerful weapon in any nation's arsenal. What began as incendiary devices in the 7th century has evolved into weapons that can literally blow the human race off the face of the earth! From the use of diseased carcasses flung over castle walls to Greek Fire to today's smart bombs, we review the evolution of bombs. 9-10pm -- Modern Marvels - Deadliest Weapons. In this fiery hour, we profile five of the world's deadliest weapons, focusing on the inventors, battles, and dark technology behind their lethality. Beginning with the deadliest bomb ever created, the Tsar Bomba--a 50-megaton nuclear bomb--we move on to the deadliest weapons ever used on people, the atomic bombs exploded over Hiroshima and Nagasaki in August 1945. During WWI, the machine gun led to the deaths of over 8-million, and in WWII, the use of incendiary bombs killed hundreds of thousands of people. Another deadly invention of WWII was the proximity fuse, or VT fuse, that allowed artillery to detonate within a predetermined range of an enemy target. Finally, we examine VX nerve gas--a deadly chemical agent used twice by Saddam Hussein with devastating results--and visit Edgewood Chemical BioCenter, where suspicious items in the current war in Iraq are examined for traces of VX. 10-11pm -- Full Throttle - Mini Cooper. "The Little Car That Could", the 1978 English Mini becomes a road racer with a new suspension, braking system, and engine upgrades. Fasten your seatbelts for a wild ride as we head to the drag strip in revamped vintage cars. Part reality show, part history, we give two teams the same model of car in similar disrepair, garages, tools, and parts, and just two days to prepare before competing in an all-or-nothing drag race--and in this episode, on a road track with English-style right-hand drive cars! The winner drives away in both cars; the loser walks away empty-handed; the viewer gets an adrenaline dose of automotive history. ____________________________________________________ Thursday, March 17, 2005 ____________________________________________________ 7-8pm -- Modern Marvels - Racetrack Tech. A look at the "science of safety" as applied to Indy or NASCAR racing. From tires to roll-cages to hood flaps, we examine the incredible technology that's helping prevent crashes and enabling drivers to survive the inevitable ones. See how today's innovative minds digitally reconstruct crashes and design new technology that keeps pushing the limits of racing. The drivers may grab the glory, but they wouldn't dare get behind the wheel if it weren't for the guys in white lab coats. (1-hour version) 8-10pm -- Rumrunners, Moonshiners... - Heroes who fight tax collectors and moral crusaders, or just common criminals? Like it or not, America was built by rumrunners, moonshiners, and bootleggers--even founding father John Hancock was a smuggler. In the 1920s, Prohibition turned fishermen into rumrunners and two-bit gangsters into millionaires, and moonshine haulers in their souped-up cars helped create NASCAR. Rare archival footage and photos help weave the compelling tale of our nation's love-hate relationship with illegal alcohol. 10-11pm -- Modern Marvels - Distilleries. From water and grain...to mash...still...vat...barrel and bottle--the distilling of alcoholic spirits is a big business and near-sacred religion. Its acolytes eye the color, swirl the glass, inhale the bouquet, sip, then ponder their ambrosia. What's your pleasure? Bourbon, Scotch, Rum, Gin, Vodka, or Tequila? We trace the history of distilling from the one-man/one-still tradition to the Voldstead Act of 1920 that devastated American distilleries to the mega-sales and high-volume distillery of today. ____________________________________________________ Friday, March 18, 2005 ____________________________________________________ 7-8pm -- Modern Marvels - Convertibles. Topless, unobstructed--the convertible completely transforms the driving experience and unlike any other car, sets the driver free. During this face-paced hour, experts highlight the history of the world's most dynamic car design and the essential quality that makes it so unique. From the very first convertible design in 1915 to modern-day marvels of retractable hardtops, we peer under the hoods to see why the convertible remains the car that everybody wants, but only a few are bold enough to own. 8-9pm -- The Last Days of WWII - March 18-24. Under the command of Generals Montgomery, Bradley, and Devers, Allied forces are poised to make their way across the Rhine and head for Berlin. In the East, German-occupied territories are collapsing under the Red Army. It will be a race of men and egos from the East and West to see who will reach the besieged city of Berlin first. Meanwhile, in occupied Denmark, Mosquito fighter-bombers from the RAF's Number 140 Wing head for the Danish Gestapo headquarters, where many innocent civilians have been killed. In the Pacific, fighting continues and U.S. forces invade the Philippine Island of Panay. Join us for a week by week, detailed look at the last six months of World War II. 9-9:30pm -- Mail Call - Afghanistan: #68. R. Lee Ermey returns to Afghanistan for a special hour from Bagram Air Base devoted to the hard-charging Marines stationed there. After an historical overview of the role of the Marine Corps in Afghanistan, the Gunny goes on foot patrol into the rural villages surrounding Kabul. With his armed Marine Corps escorts, the Gunny shows what it's like to gather intelligence and promote goodwill among the Afghanis. Next, Lee goes for a ride in the Ch-53 Super Stallion, gets a little trigger time on a helicopter gunship--the Cobra attack helicopter, and test drives the Marine Corps' newest heavy duty truck, the MTVR. Finally, Lee spends time with the lifeline for the Marines in Afghanistan, the Medical Corpsman, and finds out how they treat injuries on base and on the battlefield. 9:30-10pm -- Mail Call - Bren Gun & Carrier/Special Forces Final Exam/Beasts of Burden/Predator/1st RPV: #52. R. Lee Ermey rolls up to HQ toting a WWII light machine gun, the Bren Gun, and rides in a "Tankette", the armored vehicle that carried the Bren and its 2-man team. At the Army's Special Warfare Center and School, he checks out "Operation Robin Sage", the final exam--a 14-day "war" waged in North Carolina. Lee learns that Green Berets are training to handle pack beasts like camels and donkeys, and looks at the leading remote-powered vehicle, the Predator, and the first RPV, WWII's Weary Willy. 10-11pm -- Modern Marvels - Edwards Air Force Base. Examine the colorful history of the premier flight test center, and America's most important aviation facility for more than 60 years, Edwards Air Force Base in California. Every single aircraft to enter the Air Force's inventory has been put through its paces at Edwards, along with many Navy and Army aircraft as well. With unprecedented access to several forgotten and abandoned facilities on the base, we are guided by Richard Hallion, former chief historian for the U.S. Air Force. Today, Edwards continues to push the envelope. Among the many cutting-edge projects currently being tested is the Airborne Laser, designed to focus a basketball-sized spot of intense heat that could destroy a ballistic missile. ____________________________________________________ Saturday, March 19, 2005 ____________________________________________________ 7-8pm -- Mothers of Invention - Hang gliders, brown paper bags, windshield wipers, Barbie dolls, and liquid paper. What do they have in common? They were all conceived of by women. From the early 1800s when women weren't allowed to hold patents to today, we review the extraordinary stories of unrecognized women and their well-known inventions that we just can't live without. Explore the discoveries, accomplishments, and struggles of these innovative trailblazers who happen to hail from the distaff side of life. 8-12am -- Wyatt Earp - Movie. Chronicles the life of Wyatt Earp and how he became a law enforcement legend of the Wild West. Beginning in 1881 Tombstone, the film backtracks 17 years to a Midwestern cornfield where a young Wyatt considers running away from home to join his older brothers in the Union army. From there, the film follows Earp's experiences through 35 years of his life, including his tragic marriage and experiences as a lawman, and occasional vigilante, in Dodge City and Tombstone. Kevin Costner heads the cast with Dennis Quaid, Gene Hackman, Annabeth Gish, Mark Harmon, Michael Madsen, Bill Pullman, Joanna Going, Jeff Fahey, Tom Sizemore, JoBeth Williams, Mare Winningham, Catherine O'Hara, and Isabella Rossellini. Director: Lawrence Kasdan. (1994) ____________________________________________________ Sunday, March 20, 2005 ____________________________________________________ 7-8pm -- Days That Shook the World - Hoaxes: The First Dinosaur and the Piltdown Man. In September 1824, amateur geologist Dr. Gideon Mantell first identified the bones of an ancient, plant-eating, giant reptile--what will later be called a "Dinosaur". And 130 years later, a similarly enthusiastic amateur threw the world of archaeology into disrepute. 40 years earlier, Charles Dawson, a solicitor and amateur antiquarian, announced the discovery of remains from the earliest known human being. "Piltdown Man" was heralded as the "missing link" between ape and man, proof of Darwin's theory of evolution. But the bones were in fact a cleverly constructed forgery. Features interviews with Drs. Joe Weiner and Kenneth Oakley, who revealed in 1953 that the Piltdown Man was an elaborate hoax. 8-9pm -- The Bible Code: Predicting Armageddon - Is there a prophetic, highly accurate code locked within the Bible that outlines past and future events? Does the Code contain hidden messages about people such as Napoleon, Einstein, and Hitler, and key world events like WWII, the Kennedy brothers' assassinations, and 9/11? More frightening are references to future events--including Earth's impending end. We take a balanced look through the eyes of Code supporters and critics and let viewers determine its accuracy in predicting the future. 9-10pm -- Bible Code II: Apocalypse and Beyond - As we delve further into the provocative theory that a cryptogram exists in the Bible outlining past and future events, we learn how the Code works from supporters and examine supposed examples of precise messages. And we hear from critics who present compelling arguments that the Code is merely a statistical anomaly. We uncover how military and intelligence organizations interact with the Code, and compare it with other sources of biblical prophecy. 10-11pm -- Conspiracy? - Jack Ruby. On November 24, 1963, a stunned America struggled to accept the assassination of President John F. Kennedy two days earlier. As tens of millions stared at their televisions that Sunday morning, they witnessed TV's first live murder--the killing of assassination suspect Lee Harvey Oswald by Dallas strip-club owner Jack Ruby. What was seen for 47 hours as an isolated tragedy became one of the most notable suspected conspiracies in U.S. history. And while the Warren Commission claimed that Oswald and Ruby both acted alone, the House Select Committee on Assassinations concluded in 1979 that JFK's murder most likely resulted from a conspiracy. Now, a new development has shaken both sides of the conspiracy controversy. Recently revealed evidence suggests the CIA may have been tracking Oswald and indicates a possible link among anti-Castro Cubans, Carlos Marcello, Ruby, Oswald, and the CIA. ____________________________________________________ Monday, March 21, 2005 ____________________________________________________ 7-8pm -- Modern Marvels - Private Jets, Part 1. From today's ultra chic, state-of-the-art private jets to Lockheed's 1957 Jetstar, this 2-part special investigates the history, the luxury, and technology of America's corporate jets. We meet a few of the men and women who pioneered them--Bill Lear, Clyde Cessna and his nephews, Walter and Olive Beech. 8-9pm -- UFO Files - Roswell: Final Declassification. In 1947, a strange object fell from the sky near Roswell, New Mexico, and controversy brewed over what it really was. In November 2001, we convened a team of experts at the National Archives for an exclusive first look at the top-secret government files of the UFO incident. We unveil the remaining classified files--11 boxes with 17 notebooks of declassified files, photos, transcripts and audiotapes of dozens of witnesses, and 22 films and videos--in a definitive statement on the 50-year-old mystery. 9-10pm -- Digging for the Truth - Secrets of the Nazca Lines. Etched into the driest desert in the world, the mysterious lines and figures of Nazca in Southern Peru are invisible from the ground. Thought to have been made by the Nazca people, who flourished between 200 BC and 600 AD, in fact, these huge drawings were not discovered until the 1930s--and only then by commercial airline pilots who happened to over-fly them. Ever since, they have intrigued the world. Who built them, and why? Host, explorer, and survival expert Josh Bernstein takes on the secrets of the Nazca Lines, while flying micro-lites and powered para-gliders, clambering through thousand-year old irrigation tunnels, and even recreating rituals with contemporary Native Americans. 10-11pm -- Deep Sea Detectives - U-Boats in the Gulf! In Summer 1942, with the U.S. at war in Europe and the Pacific, few Americans knew that the war raged in their own backyard. Dozens of Hitler's U-boats had penetrated the Gulf of Mexico, sinking merchant vessels and oil tankers. Of all the U-boats that attacked the Gulf, only one rests at the bottom of the sea--the U-166. Experience the excitement of the first thorough investigation into the wreckage since discovery in 2001 and learn of the technological advances that made its identification possible. ____________________________________________________ Tuesday, March 22, 2005 ____________________________________________________ 7-8pm -- Modern Marvels - Private Jets, Part 2. Viewers learn what it takes to buy a previously-owned jet, and we travel to Dallas to visit the Associated Air Center, a company that creates very high-end, lavish jet interiors. We also review the latest in kit jets, and look into the new must-have of the super rich--personal jets the size of commercial airliners. 8-9pm -- Wild West Tech - The Road West. During the 1800s, the road west in America was a dangerous path into the unknown. As pioneers headed toward a new life, they faced unpredictable weather, uneven trails, and sometimes unforgiving Native Americans. Remarkable feats of engineering, such as blasting mile-long tunnels or building a bridge to span 300 feet across a mighty river, helped tame the frontier. Host David Carradine discovers the amazing advances made by settlers and the technology they used to help them on their journey into the vast wilderness. 9-10pm -- Breaking Vegas - Card Count King. Follows the revolutionary rise of the legendary blackjack team, the Tommy Hyland Team. Beginning with Hyland's bold decision to turn blackjack card-counting into a business venture, we follow as he implements a multi-person card-counting system. The well-oiled plan works without a flaw, and the team begins collecting hundreds of thousands of dollars from blackjack tables worldwide. Eventually, when several teammates were captured in a Canadian casino and placed under arrest, Hyland put his freedom on the line to win their release--and to settle the legal status of card-counting once and for all. The result was an extraordinary trial that provoked furious debate between casinos and blackjack players over the fairness of card-counting. 10-11pm -- Modern Marvels - Snackfood Tech. Extruders, molds, in-line conveyor belts. Are these machines manufacturing adhesives, plastics, or parts for your car? No, they're making treats for your mouth--and you will see them doing their seductively tasty work in this scrumptious episode. First, we visit Utz Quality Foods in Hanover, Pennsylvania, that produces more than one million pounds of chips per week, and Snyder's of Hanover, the leading U.S. pretzel manufacturer. Next, we focus on the world's largest candy manufacturer, Masterfoods USA, which makes Milky Way, Snickers, Mars, and M&Ms, and take a lick at the world's largest lollipop producer, Tootsie Roll Industries. And at Flower Foods' Crossville, Tennessee plant, an army of cupcakes rolls down a conveyer belt. The final stop is Dreyer's Bakersfield, California plant, where 20,000 ice cream bars and 9,600 drumsticks roll off the line in an hour. ____________________________________________________ Wednesday, March 23, 2005 ____________________________________________________ 7-8pm -- Modern Marvels - Muscle Cars. Pop open the hood, check out the carbs, and hear the engines roar as we journey back to a time when gas was cheap, emission controls non-existent, and all that mattered was acceleration and speed. During the 1960s and '70s, GM, Ford, and Chrysler competed to create high-performance cars at prices teenage baby boomers could afford. Featuring interviews with John DeLorean, creator of the Pontiac GTO, and his marketing partner Jim Wangers, we go behind the scene of the muscle-car wars. 8-9pm -- Modern Marvels - Dangerous Cargo. Toxic traffic is everywhere! An average of 800,000 shipments of hazardous materials hit our highways and railways daily. From Wild West wooden crates filled with explosives to HAZMAT containers of nuclear waste, we shadow dangerous cargo. We ride shotgun on a hazardous material shipment that's tracked by satellites; hunt down the hush-hush "ghost fleet"--trucks carrying classified government materials; and board a Con-Air flight moving another kind of nasty stuff--dangerous felons! 9-10pm -- Modern Marvels - Engineering Disasters 9. What happens when the calculations of builders and engineers prove wrong and their constructs come tumbling down? In this episode, we examine the 1987 failure of the Schoharie Creek Bridge in New York; the partial destruction by a runaway freighter of the Riverwalk Marketplace in New Orleans in 1996; the roof collapse of the Rosemont Horizon Arena in Illinois in 1979; the deadliest grain-dust explosion on record in Westwego, Louisiana, when a grain elevator exploded in 1977; and the crash of the British R101 airship in the 1920s. 10-11pm -- Full Throttle - 1975 Firebird. Two teams are given classic cars in similar disrepair. We supply them with a garage, tools, and parts. After 20 hours of repair time, we hold an old-fashioned drag race on a legal, certified track with safety devices for the novice drivers. The winner gets to keep both cars. The loser gets nothing. As we follow the teams, we interject history at each step they take, including factory footage and interviews with the legends behind the vintage vehicles. In this episode, the 1975 Firebird is the prize. ____________________________________________________ Thursday, March 24, 2005 ____________________________________________________ 7-8pm -- Modern Marvels - Commercial Jets. Fasten your seatbelts as we take off on a flight through the history of commercial aviation--from the first jet passenger plane, the de Havilland Comet, to today's wide-body jets and supersonic Concorde. It's a story of high-tech worldwide competition among a field of high-stakes players. Billion-dollar deals ride on cutting-edge designs. Pilots train for hours in ground-based simulators, while computers fly the planes. We also catch a glimpse of the double-decker flying hotels of the future. 8-9pm -- Joseph: The Silent Saint - Join us for an engrossing hour as we unravel one of the greatest biblical mysteries: who, exactly, was the earthly spouse of Mary and father of Jesus? According to the Bible, though a humble tradesman, he was descended from royalty. He was counseled by angels, chased into a strange land by murderers, and adored by a son who would grow up to be called the King of Kings. And yet not one word of Joseph's is recorded in the Bible. Through interviews with leading theologians and priests, examination of the Gospels, and aided by dramatic recreations, we paint the clearest picture yet of the man who spoke with his actions and helped shape the very foundations of Christianity. 9-11pm -- Hell: The Devil's Domain - Our in-depth History of Hades begins with the story of a negative near-death experience, in which a man thinks he went to Hell after being declared clinically dead and before resuscitation. Following Lucifer's trail from cave paintings in France circa 6,000 BC to current portrayals in popular culture, our 2-hour exploration shows how Hell and the Devil remain powerful forces--at a church in Texas, where souls are delivered from Satan's grip; in talks with a survivor of the 1980s recovered memory craze, who "recalled" attending Witches' Sabbaths that practiced cannibalism; and at the modern Church of Satan. We review literary landmarks that expanded our ideas of the Underworld, from Dante's Inferno and Milton's Paradise Lost to Mark Twain's anti-hero, and trace development of Christian, Moslem, Jewish, and Buddhist conceptions of the afterlife. ____________________________________________________ Friday, March 25, 2005 ____________________________________________________ 7-8pm -- Modern Marvels - Drag Racing. Legendary drivers lead us on a record-breaking race through a century-long search for sheer acceleration that began before World War One, when hot-rodders modified Model-T Fords to see how fast they could go. Today's dragsters can cover a quarter-mile from a standing start in 4.5 seconds, hitting top speeds above 330 mph. Top driver Gary Clapshaw shows us how to put together a modern dragster and revolutionary designer Bob Norwood unveils his newest car. 8-9pm -- The Last Days of WWII - March 25-31. Allied troops continue Operation Plunder, their thrust across the Rhine into Germany's heartland. Realizing the situation is hopeless, thousands of German troops surrender. The race to Berlin continues, and disagreement over their strategy plagues the Allies. Hitler is now holed up in his Berlin bunker, totally divorced from reality. In the Pacific, fighting finally comes to a head on Iwo Jima. As U.S. Marines close in around them, 200 Japanese soldiers make a last desperate mass suicide--or banzai--charge at the Americans. The attack on Okinawa begins. 9-11pm -- The Search for John the Baptist - John the Baptist's time on the biblical stage was brief, yet he left an indelible mark on Christianity. We know that he began the sacrament of baptism, but was he also the man behind the message of Jesus? Does a secretive Middle Eastern sect practice ancient rituals handed down directly from John? Despite mentions in the Gospels and the works of the Jewish historian Josephus, little was known about the historical John until now. We follow in the footsteps of the prophet and examine startling new archaeological evidence that provides the first concrete proof of the life of this enigmatic biblical character. ____________________________________________________ Saturday, March 26, 2005 ____________________________________________________ 6-8pm -- Jesus of Nazareth - Part 2. Movie. Jesus (Robert Powell) grows up to become a prophet, healer, and spiritual leader, and his teachings and miracles begin to draw large crowds and a number of followers. When he travels to Jerusalem, he's greeted with suspicion at the local Jewish temple, where the rabbis view him as a threat. With Anthony Quinn, Laurence Olivier, and James Mason. (1977) 8-10pm -- Jesus of Nazareth - Part 3. Movie. Beautiful location filming in Jordan lends authenticity to director Franco Zeffirelli's reverent depiction of the life of Christ. Zeffirelli diligently provides the socio-political background that gave rise to Jesus's (Robert Powell) following and the crisis of belief that he caused within the people of Israel. (1977) 10-12am -- Jesus of Nazareth - Part 4. Movie. Jesus (Robert Powell) is on the road to Calvary, and Part 3 paints an unforgettable picture of the Crucifixion and the Resurrection three days later. With Anne Bancroft as Mary Magdalene, Rod Steiger as Pontius Pilate, Peter Ustinov as Herod the Great, Ernest Borgnine as the Centurion, Ian McShane as Judas Iscariot, and Stacy Keach as Barabbas. Directed by Franco Zeffirelli. (1977) ____________________________________________________ Sunday, March 27, 2005 ____________________________________________________ 7-8pm -- History Alive - The Mysteries of Golgotha. Recounting the final footsteps in the life of Jesus, we explore the traditional sites of his crucifixion and burial. Does the Church of the Holy Sepulcher truly contain the Rock of Calvary and the tomb of Jesus, or could the Garden Tomb be the authentic site? We investigate the most recent archaeological evidence and learn how it may finally answer this fascinating question. 8-10pm -- Visions of Mary - The death of Jesus sparked birth of a religion, but little is known about the woman who gave him life and witnessed his crucifixion. Who was Mary? What happened to her after Jesus died? In the two millennia following her death, thousands have reported experiencing supernatural phenomena known as Marian apparitions--visits from Mary. Some say Mary reveals secrets and prophecies of global consequence. Additionally, signs and wonders confirming an apparition are said to occur. But can the seers' claims be authenticated? This 2-hour special includes dramatic recreations of apparitions; archival footage and photos of historic apparitions; and interviews with religious and secular scholars and visionaries. 10-12am -- Beyond The Da Vinci Code - Is it the greatest story ever told - or the greatest story ever sold? A best-selling novel sparks a debate that could change Christianity forever. Were Jesus and Mary Magdalene married and co-leaders of their movement? Was Mary Magdalene, herself, the Holy Grail - the vessel said to hold Jesus's blood--and mother of his descendants? Did the early Church know this "truth" and deliberately mislead followers? Is there a secret, ancient society, the Priory of Sion, which still protects this bloodline? Have some of the most illustrious names in art and science been members? These are some of the questions that Dan Brown's best-selling novel The Da Vinci Code raises. We examine both sides of the story--the conventional view of Christianity and the "alternate history" proposed by Brown--so that viewers can decide. ____________________________________________________ Monday, March 28, 2005 ____________________________________________________ 7-8pm -- Modern Marvels - Big Rigs of Combat: Tanks. The rousing story of the tank, from its primitive appearance in WWI to the high-tech world of modern tank warfare, with emphasis on the tank's Golden Age during WWII. 8-9pm -- Reign of Terror - The bloody life and times of the Saudi terrorist who has been linked to a number of deadly attacks against U.S. troops and citizens and who called on Muslims to kill Americans everywhere in the world. Follow Osama bin Laden's trail from his privileged childhood as the son of a wealthy oil businessman to his battle against the Soviet Union in Afghanistan and his involvement in the infamous 2001 World Trade Center bombing. 3000 Names 9-10pm -- Conquest of America - Southwest. In 1540, Francisco Vazquez de Coronado, the young governor of a province in northern Mexico, mounted the largest expedition of conquest yet assembled in North America. This is the story of Coronado's quest, which would lead him to the Grand Canyon and take him into present-day Kansas in search of riches. Two years after returning to Mexico, Coronado was put on trial for cruelty to the Indians, but was exonerated. While his mission could be deemed a failure, it proved that the region did not possess mythical riches. 10-11pm -- Conquest of America - Southeast. Old World rivalries spill over onto the virgin soil of Florida when France seeks to gain a foothold and Spain is determined not to let any country trespass on its claims. By 1560, the Spanish have yet to establish a colony in North America and France decides to make a bid for land. This is the story of the race between France and Spain to be the first to colonize the area now know as Florida, and the war they waged in the New World. We'll see how St. Augustine became the first permanent settlement in Florida (and remains the oldest continuously occupied town in the U.S.), and why the French shifted their attention to the interior of the continent and far to the north in Canada. ____________________________________________________ Tuesday, March 29, 2005 ____________________________________________________ 7-8pm -- Conquest of America - Southwest. In 1540, Francisco Vazquez de Coronado, the young governor of a province in northern Mexico, mounted the largest expedition of conquest yet assembled in North America. This is the story of Coronado's quest, which would lead him to the Grand Canyon and take him into present-day Kansas in search of riches. Two years after returning to Mexico, Coronado was put on trial for cruelty to the Indians, but was exonerated. While his mission could be deemed a failure, it proved that the region did not possess mythical riches. 8-9pm -- Conquest of America - Southeast. Old World rivalries spill over onto the virgin soil of Florida when France seeks to gain a foothold and Spain is determined not to let any country trespass on its claims. By 1560, the Spanish have yet to establish a colony in North America and France decides to make a bid for land. This is the story of the race between France and Spain to be the first to colonize the area now know as Florida, and the war they waged in the New World. We'll see how St. Augustine became the first permanent settlement in Florida (and remains the oldest continuously occupied town in the U.S.), and why the French shifted their attention to the interior of the continent and far to the north in Canada. 9-10pm -- Conquest of America - Northeast. It was one of the great intellectual debates of the day: was there a northern sea route to the East Indies? Henry Hudson, chosen by an English merchant company, leads what will be the first of four epic voyages in search of a northern passage. But Hudson's obsessive search and his ultimate failure leads to something far more significant--the conquest and colonization of Northeast America. The Dutch colony of New Netherland, founded in 1624, is a model of multiculturalism and religious tolerance. By contrast, the English have only established a shaky beachhead in Virginia and the Pilgrims won't land for a few more years. The Dutch and the English soon become enemies, and the American northeast will experience decades of Anglo-Dutch conflict--until 1664, when the English take over the thriving Dutch colony that will one day become New York City. 10-11pm -- Conquest of America - Northwest. By 1725, Russia was the only major European nation that had not yet taken part in the conquest of the New World. But that was about to change. Peter the Great was interested in knowing whether or not Asia and North America were connected at any point. Peter selected Danish sea captain Vitus Bering to lead an expedition that became a direct challenge to Spanish, English, and French dominance in North America. We'll see how Russia's fur trade led to two decades of wealth in "Russian America" and why the Russians eventually sold their land in 1841 to John Sutter for the equivalent of $30,000 dollars. Seven years later, California became part of the United States, and then gold was discovered on Sutter's land near Sacramento. The California gold rush would finish what the fur rush had started, the conquest of the last corner of America, the Pacific Northwest. ____________________________________________________ Wednesday, March 30, 2005 ____________________________________________________ 7-8pm -- Modern Marvels - Survival Technology. In an historic survey of man's adaptation to killer environmental conditions, we travel to the desert, the Arctic, the sea, jungle, and space, charting the body's physiological responses to extreme circumstances such as frostbite, heatstroke, and hypothermia. We talk with military survival experts and learn about the latest cutting-edge survival gear, as well as the equipment aboard the space station, and look to the future, when nano-technology will create a new type of technology. 8-9pm -- Hitler and Stalin: Roots of Evil - An examination of the minds of two of the 20th century's most brutal dictators and mass murderers--Adolf Hitler and Joseph Stalin. Based on recent psychological and medical studies, the program explores the personalities of these ruthless leaders, who were directly responsible for millions of deaths--their paranoia, suspiciousness, cold-bloodedness, sadism, and lack of human feeling. Includes interviews with Martin Bormann's son and Hitler's butler. 9-10pm -- The Conquerors - William the Conqueror. William's story begins in Northern France with his accession as William of Normandy in 1035. Over the next 30 years, he solidifies his rule through marriage, diplomacy, battle, intrigue, and savage intimidation. His foes prove no match. He builds numerous castles and cathedrals in Normandy to legitimize his rule, while laying claim as the rightful heir of Edward the Confessor and the throne of England. But when Edward dies in 1066, he bestows heir status on the Anglo-Saxon King Harold of Godwin. An enraged William, feeling betrayed by Edward and Harold, seeks papal support of his claim to the English throne. When it is granted what follows is the first D-Day--but in reverse: William's invasion of England from France. Join us for a riveting look at the invasion and the innovations William brought to his new empire. 10-11pm -- The Real Attila the Hun - No ruler in history represents the unbridled rage and brutality of the barbarian as much as Attila the Hun. In the 5th century, Attila swept through Europe, effectively extinguishing the classical Roman Empire. And for a time, he held the destiny of all of Western Europe firmly in his grasp. But in the end, it was Attila who unwittingly secured the future of the civilized world and Christian Europe. After his death, the Hun Empire began to break up, and the marauding Huns "scattered to the winds." ____________________________________________________ Thursday, March 31, 2005 ____________________________________________________ 7-8pm -- Modern Marvels - Inventions of War. Arising from the horrible carnage, deprivation, and suffering caused by war is a countless array of everyday items--from hairbrushes to microwaves--that directly descend from wartime innovations. Wartime research and development have revolutionized communication, transportation, and medicine. From Spam to nuclear power to hairspray and cell phones, life as we know it ironically owes a lot to war. We'll follow the day-to-day life of an ordinary woman and see the influence of war on her life. 8-9pm -- The Horrors of Hussein - Everyone knows Saddam Hussein was a tyrant, but the invasion of Iraq by coalition forces in 2003 revealed the full extent of the terror apparatus Saddam used to maintain power. In this gripping hour, we examine the roots of this dictator-madman--how he used violence beginning in his teens to achieve his ends--and talk to victims of his terror. We also see how his ministry of terror became a family affair: his two sons, Ouday and Qusay, intended to establish a reign of terror that would last generations. 9-10pm -- The Conquerors - General Howe: Conqueror of New York. As the American Revolution unfolded, English King George III sought to put down the rebellious colonies by sending one of his most talented and respected generals to fight and conquer the insurrectionists--General William Howe. Arriving in June 1776, General Howe amassed his forces and then, in August, soundly defeated General George Washington at the Battle of Long Island in a brilliant tactical display. The victory provided England with the most strategically critical position in America--New York City. By controlling New York, Howe held the center of American finance, the largest port in the colonies, and the vital commercial gateway to the interior--the Hudson River. We'll see how Howe's success in New York served to strengthen the English cause and prolong the war. 10-11pm -- Caligula: Reign of Madness - Caligula ruled the Roman Empire fewer than four years, and was only 28 when assassinated by officers of his guard in 41 AD. His reign was a legendary frenzy of lunacy, murder, and lust. Between executions, he staged spectacular orgies, made love to his sister, and declared himself a living god. Join us for a look at this devoted son, murderer, pervert, and loving father whose anguished life was far more bizarre than the myth that surrounds him.
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