NOTE: Times listed are both EST/Pacific. Individual television ratings:
All rated [G] or [PG] unless noted. [NR] = Not Rated or news-related program.
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Programs @ 8pm,9pm,10pm,11pm each repeat at least once starting at 12am
Schedules usually available one week in advance
Tuesday, September 1, 2009
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7-8pm -- Modern Marvels - Wiring America
We begin with electrical linemen perched precariously out a helicopter door, repairing 345,000-volt high-tension power lines. They are part of an army of technicians and scientists we'll ride, climb, and crawl with on this episode. They risk their lives so that we can have the services we take for granted--electric power and 21st century communications. They lay and maintain the wire that connects us one to another, as well as America to the rest of the world. The hardwiring of America is a story that is nearly two centuries old. And though satellites and wireless systems may be challenging the wire, it's not dead. Fiber optic cable, lines that transmit light, became a player in information delivery in the late 1970s. We may be entering a "wireless" age, but the infrastructure of wires laid by visionary scientists and industrialists are still vital to America. Wire technology will be with us, continuing to provide service, well into the next century.
8-9pm -- That's Impossible - Death Rays & Energy Weapons
Everyone is familiar with the amazing force field and energy weapons from sci-fi movies like Star Wars and Star Trek, but are we just a few years away from having that technology at our fingertips? We'll investigate new, top-secret military weaponry and recent inventions like a new airplane mounted laser cannons from Northrop Grumman that can shoot down enemy planes and shoot nuclear missiles out of the sky.
9-10pm -- The Universe - It Fell From Space
Every year, thousands of objects both natural and manmade plummet through our atmosphere and crash into the Earth. These menacing messengers from the sky provide scientists with amazing insights into the natural, and not so natural, phenomena of the cosmos. From space rocks crashing through homes to cosmic boulders triggering mass extinctions to rocket parts landing on front lawns, explore objects that fall from the heavens, such as asteroids, comets, meteor showers and space debris.
10-11pm -- How the Earth Was Made - Yellowstone
Yellowstone National Park is one of the most dangerous geological features on Earth. In trying to uncover the processes behind Yellowstone's main attractions like "Old Faithful," geologists came to the frightening realization that Yellowstone was in fact a vast hidden super-volcano--one that is overdue for a massive eruption. Yellowstone has been on a regular eruption cycle of 600,000 years but the last eruption was over 640,000 years ago, so the next is overdue. An eruption at Yellowstone could be 2,500 times the size of the 1980 Mount St. Helens event. In the past 16.5 million years, the volcano has mysteriously moved hundreds of miles though Nevada across southern Idaho to reach its present location in Yellowstone. But even today it is still active. A swarm of 500 earthquakes hit the park early in 2009 and geologists found that the entire park is being pushed up into the air by hidden forces under the ground. Is this sleeping giant beginning to stir?
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Wednesday, September 2, 2009
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7-8pm -- Modern Marvels - Future Tech
A paper-thin, wall-sized holographic television...a car that runs on processed seawater...an army of robotic killing machines...outer-space luxury resorts and a cleaning droid controlled by your mind? Buckle-up for safety as we race into the near future--where fantasy becomes fact. There have always been visionaries, futurists, and dreamers predicting the world of tomorrow--flying cars, space-station colonies, and android personal assistants. But time has proven the fallacy of many of their predictions. So what future technology can we realistically expect? With the help of 3D animation, we present some pretty far-out predictions and take you to various research labs to see working prototypes of these technologies in their infancy. Join us on a rollicking ride through the entertainment room, down the road, over the battlefield, through the mind, out in space, and into the future, where science fiction becomes science fact.
8-9pm -- MonsterQuest - Tigers in the Suburbs
Large cats are prowling parts of America and they may have a taste for flesh. Witnesses in New York State say they are seeing big black cats that may be stalking and killing the deer population. However, from the big cat family, only jaguars and leopards appear black and neither species is native to the eastern United States. Is the mind, as skeptics suggest, simply playing tricks? Or could dangerous escaped exotic cats be on the loose? An all star MonsterQuest team of trackers, scientists and technicians deploys the latest in surveillance equipment in search of proof of whatever monster is out there--before it kills.
9-11pm -- Black Blizzard [other channel only]
Take a front row seat on a period of U.S. history from 1930-1940 when America's heartland was ravaged by a weather phenomenon that became known as a "black blizzard." Watch as scientists and special effects experts recreate the black blizzards in amazing detail and reveal that this was a man-made disaster. Discover how these phenomena form, what they're made of, and how they affect people's health and the environment. Learn how a black blizzard emerged so ferociously that it seemed like a moving mountain range creating enough static electricity to power New York City. Hear the story of the people who refused to leave their land and learn the history of the Great Plains and how it came to be settled.
9-10pm -- MonsterQuest - Mega Jaws
Sharks have terrified people for centuries and deep within the forbidding waters of Mexico's Baja Peninsula may lurk a mammoth sixty foot monster. Could it be a new giant species or some living relic, hidden in the sea? In prehistoric times, huge carnivorous sharks, more than twice the size of a great white, ruled the waves. Marine experts claim these giants went extinct, but evidence may challenge that. Meanwhile, frightened Mexican fisherman talk of being stalked by a "Black Demon"; and sailors report close collisions with a shark unlike anything that they have encountered before. In a search for answers, MonsterQuest uses a combined air and sea search for this monster shark that may be prowling the last unexplored frontier of our planet.
10-11pm -- MonsterQuest - Terror From the Sky
Across North America there is something strange and frightening circling overhead. Witnesses tell of human-like creatures that float or hover in the skies and often descend to attack. Legends and folklore tell of strange flying creatures, but in the 1940s and 1950s, strange humanoid forms were spotted above small towns, bringing waves of panic. Sceptics claim that misidentification explains these creatures, however the mounting evidence says otherwise. MonsterQuest will analyze the video proof of this monster while scientists work to discover the identity of an eerie corpse that may unlock the mystery of these flying humanoid monsters.
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Thursday, September 3, 2009
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7-8pm -- Modern Marvels - Presidential Movers
The vehicles that transport the President of the United States aren't your ordinary planes, trains, and automobiles. They are top-secret. And for your Average Joe, there's only two ways to find out what they're really like inside--either get elected or stay tuned.
8-9pm -- Gangland - To Torture or to Kill?
A gritty, true-life series exposing the world of history's most notorious and dangerous gangs.
9-10pm -- Marked - Death Ride
For outlaw motorcycle gangs, tattoos prove dedication and mark alliances. The bikers who wear them live by their own set of rules. Go inside the clubhouses of three of these underground organizations to examine how ink separates these riders from the pack. Witness rituals never before seen on television, as members get permanently branded with tattoos rife with dark, devilish iconography. The engines roar as we decode the hidden meanings of some of the most popular biker images and learns what it takes to live the rough and tumble biker lifestyle.
10-11pm -- Marked - The Devil's Cage
In prison, tattoos represent self-identification and belonging. To those who have them, they represent the rejection of straight society and membership in the outlaw class. Go deep into the culture of prison tattoos, discovering how these illegal marks are secretly created behind bars, and decoding the meaning of the strange symbols that cover many prisoners' bodies. We explore the secrets behind the marks through the experiences of current and former prisoners, and examine the bloody ways that these initiation marks are earned.
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Friday, September 4, 2009
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7-8pm -- 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!
8-9pm -- Modern Marvels - Cheese
From cheddar to brie, Parmesan to blue, take a look at both ancient techniques and new technologies behind some of the world's most popular cheeses. Visit the cow pastures of Wisconsin to the giant cheese factories of California to discover how cheese is made. Travel through history from the Roman Empire's diversity of cheeses to the 19th Century birth of industrial cheese. And yes, we'll answer that eternal question, "Why does Swiss cheese have holes?"
8-9pm -- Batman Unmasked: The Psychology of the Dark Knight
Delve into the world of Batman and the vigilante justice that he brought to the city of Gotham. Batman is a man who, after experiencing great tragedy, devotes his life to an ideal--but what happens when one man takes on the evil underworld alone? Examine why Batman is who he is--and explore how a boy scarred by tragedy becomes a symbol of hope to everyone else.
9-10pm -- Lock N' Load with R. Lee Ermey - Machine Guns
Gunny checks out the rapid fire, lead spitting destruction of the machine gun. From an authentic hand cranking 1890's Gatling Gun to one of the fastest machine guns on the planet today--the Mini Gun--Gunny rat a tat tats his way through machine gun history while high-speed photography captures the exploding targets in incredible slow motion.
10-11pm -- Lock N' Load with R. Lee Ermey - Armored Vehicles
Gunny explores the history of armored vehicles--the steel plated, multi tasking vehicles designed to do everything from carry troops to field reconnaissance to bringing their own brand of firepower to the battlefield. Featured armored vehicles include: The M8 Greyhound; the German 251 Halftrack; the Bradley Fighting Vehicle; and the high-tech MRAPS, designed to protect our troops from IED's and roadside bombs.
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Saturday, September 5, 2009
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7-8pm -- Modern Marvels - Doomsday Tech 1
Doomsday threats range from very real (nuclear arsenals) to controversial (global warming) to futuristic (nanotechnology, cyborgs, and robots). Despite the Cold War's end, we live under the shadow of nuclear weapons, arms races, and accidental launches. Next, we stir up a hotter topic--the connection between global warming and fossil fuels--and ask if they're cooking up a sudden, new Ice Age. And we examine 21st-century technologies that typify the dual-edged sword of Doomsday Tech with massive potential for both creation and destruction--nanotechnology (engineering on a tiny scale), robotics, and cybernetics. We witness amazing applications in the works, wonder at the limitless promise, and hear warnings of a possible nano-doomsday, with tiny, out-of-control machines devouring everything around them.
8-9pm -- Decoding The Past - Doomsday 2012: The End of Days
There are prophecies and oracles from around the world that all seem to point to December 21, 2012 as doomsday. The ancient Mayan Calendar, the medieval predictions of Merlin, the Book of Revelation and the Chinese oracle of the I Ching all point to this specific date as the end of civilization. A new technology called "The Web-Bot Project" makes massive scans of the internet as a means of forecasting the future... and has turned up the same dreaded date: 2012. Skeptics point to a long history of "Failed Doomsdays", but many oracles of doom throughout history have a disturbingly accurate track record. As the year 2012 ticks ever closer we'll speculate if there are any reasons to believe these doomsayers.
9-10pm -- Siberian Apocalypse
At 7:15AM on June 30, 1908, a giant fireball, as bright the Sun, explodes in the Siberian sky with a force a thousand times greater than the Hiroshima bomb. It decimates 1,000 square miles of forest--over half the size of Rhode Island, and was the biggest cosmic disaster in the history of civilization. What caused the apocalyptic fire in the sky? Over a hundred theories surround what is called the Tunguska event, varying from asteroids and comets to black holes and alien spaceships. Most scientists agree the Tunguska event will happen again, and next time, the human toll could be unimaginable. Now, NASA and other organizations race against time to stop the next planet killer before it ignites Armageddon.
10-12am -- Next Nostradamus
Two men sharing startling visions of the future possess distinctly different backgrounds: Michel de Nostradamus was a French apothecary and healer in the 16th century; he would become the most famous seer in history. His 21st century counterpart is Dr. Bruce Bueno de Mesquita, a renowned political scientist who teaches game theory at New York University and Stanford. While Nostradamus looked to the stars and mysticism to divine his apocalyptic revelations, Dr. Bueno de Mesquita relies on the most omnipotent tool ever designed by man to predict future events: the computer. This special explores not only the commonalities of these men's visions about World War III, famine and the coming of the Anti-Christ, but it also traces the evolution from mysticism to hard math, and determines whether science has always existed in prophecy, manifesting itself in different forms through the ages.
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Sunday, September 6, 2009
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7-8pm -- The Universe - It Fell From Space
Every year, thousands of objects both natural and manmade plummet through our atmosphere and crash into the Earth. These menacing messengers from the sky provide scientists with amazing insights into the natural, and not so natural, phenomena of the cosmos. From space rocks crashing through homes to cosmic boulders triggering mass extinctions to rocket parts landing on front lawns, explore objects that fall from the heavens, such as asteroids, comets, meteor showers and space debris.
8-10pm -- Nostradamus: 2012
Whatever is in store--a massive cosmic collision, a global environmental disaster, an Armageddon-like religious showdown, or a more subtle transformation--many believe that December 21, 2012 will mark a major shift in the history of our planet. There is no cogent distinction between the sobering facts and hysterical fiction--what, if any, modern scientific proof exists? Is there any other compelling evidence throughout history that 2012 will be a year of unprecedented, deadly upheaval? This special looks for the parallels between the nightmarish daily headlines and the 2012 prophecies from Nostradamus and others. From the mystical realms of the Guatemalan jungles to the Hopi elders and Mayan shaman to respected thinkers of the modern age--Nostradamus' doomsday warning will be cast in a frighteningly modern context.
10-10:30pm -- Pawn Stars - 11 - John Hancock's Hancock
The Pawn Stars are used to paying big money for celebrity John Hancocks but will they know how to price one from the actual John Hancock? Then the guys have an opportunity to buy an allegedly authentic Indiana Jones whip--but it all boils down to two words: Harrison Ford. And finally, will the purchase of a hot item by one of his underlings land Corey in hot water.
10:30-11pm -- Pawn Stars - Damn Yankees
The Old Man hopes to hit a home run when a baseball autographed by the 1951 World Series Champion New York Yankees comes into the shop but he'll need to verify its authenticity before he steps up to the plate. Then, Rick checks out a 25-piece Knights of the Round Table set but with all the kings' men accounted for, is it really worth its weight in gold? Finally, the Pawn Stars have a chance to buy a West Point Cadet jacket owned by a famous general in 1909--will they try it on for size, or send it to the Salvation Army?
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Monday, September 7, 2009
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7-8pm -- Gangland - Dog Fights
8-9pm -- Gangland - Silent Slaughter
A gritty, true-life series exposing the world of history's most notorious and dangerous gangs.
9-11pm -- Manson
This special takes viewers deep inside America in the late 1960s--into a world of hate, fear, sex, and mind-control. It vividly details how Charles Manson transformed a harmless group of hippies--mostly young women from decent families--into a gang of brutal murderers. The two-hour drama-documentary weaves in rare archival footage and on-camera eyewitness testimony to present a spellbinding portrait of a true nightmare in U.S. history. At the center of the film is Linda Kasabian, the star witness for the prosecution, who has emerged from hiding to tell the full story of the murders for the first time in four decades.
10-12am -- 9/11 Conspiracies
Examines the various conspiracy theories espoused on the Internet, in articles and in public forums that attempt to explain the 9/11 attacks. It includes theories that the World Trade Center was brought down by a controlled demolition; that a missile, not a commercial airliner, hit the Pentagon; and that members of the U.S. government orchestrated the attacks in hopes of creating a war in the Middle East. Each conspiracy argument is countered by a variety of experts in the fields of engineering, intelligence and the military. The program also delves into the anatomy of such conspiracies and how they grow on the Internet to become Green Jobs Czar.
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Tuesday, September 8, 2009
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7-8pm -- Modern Marvels - Barbarian Battle Tech
Barbarians and technology, maybe they're not such a contradiction after all. It's the bow that nearly brought down Rome, and the suspension system that revolutionized the chariot. Barbarians built the forts that held out invaders, and forged the axe that named a country. We'll see inside the shop of one of the world's finest metal workers as he shapes iron ore into a classic Celtic sword. With 21st Century animation we'll rebuild a 2600 year-old hill fort--and show that protecting a village was as easy as digging a ditch. Finally, the designers of "Rome: Total War: Barbarian Invasion" reveal how they devised a system that accurately recreates the great barbarian battles. Which weapons scored best? The results may surprise you.
8-9pm -- The Universe - The Day the Moon Was Gone
Without the moon, Earth would be a very different and desolate place today--four hours of sunlight with pitch-black nights, steady 100-mph winds spawning giant hurricanes that last for months, and virtually no complex life forms, much less humans. Safe to say, we probably owe our very existence to the moon. But what if it suddenly disappeared? Solar gravity redirects ocean water that floods coastal spots around the globe. Sea currents shift, resulting in freakish weather patterns. Eventually, earth's axis begins fluctuating wildly and climate change grows more extreme. The poles are tropical jungles and parts of the equator become frigid wastelands. Human evolution starts churning in unpredictable ways or ends completely. Without the moon, the Earth is a very different place.
9-10pm -- The Universe - Biggest Blasts
The Universe is full of explosions that both create and destroy. The Chicxulub impact on the Yucatan peninsula, which may have wiped out the dinosaurs 65 million years ago, was two million times more powerful than the largest nuclear bomb ever detonated on Earth. But guess what? That's only good enough for the very bottom of the Biggest Blasts top ten list. This episode works its way up through supernova explosions and gamma ray bursts all the way to the blast that started it all--the Big Bang.
10-11pm -- How the Earth Was Made - New York
It is one of the most man-made spaces on the planet, but everything in New York from the height of the skyscrapers to the way the subway was constructed to the position of the harbor is governed by the extraordinary forces that ultimately shaped this city. You can tell the geology of Manhattan at a glance by looking at the skyline. The skyscrapers of Midtown and Downtown are built on hard granite; the low-rise buildings in between are built on a soft, gravelly soil left over from the Ice Age. Learn how New Jersey and North Africa were neighbors 250 million years ago, how the rocks New York are built on are the remains of mountains that 450 million years ago were as tall as the Himalayas, and how Long Island is covered in rubble that remained as ice sheets retreated 10,000 years ago.
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Wednesday, September 9, 2009
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7-8pm -- Modern Marvels - More Doomsday Tech
The second deadly hour examines more threats--both natural and manmade--that may endanger civilization. From the far reaches of space to tiny viruses, doomsday sources are many. But so are technologies used to keep doomsday at bay. Asteroids of significant size have hit our planet before and likely will again. Asteroid hunters demonstrate the Near Earth Asteroid Tracking (NEAT) program and methods being developed to destroy earth-aimed asteroids. Then, it's onto bioterrorism's sinister technologies--how highly virulent agents like smallpox and plague can be weaponized. Next, an ex-hacker turned cyber-security expert shows how vulnerable the nation's computers are to cyberterror. Finally, we visit the controversial world of biotechnology. Could genetically engineered crops backfire? Does a brave new world of genetically selected beings loom in our not-so-distant future?
8-9pm -- Decoding The Past - Mayan Doomsday Prophecy
The world is coming to an end on December 21, 2012! The ancient Maya made this stunning prediction more than 2,000 years ago. We'll peel back the layers of mystery and examine in detail how the Maya calculated the exact date of doomsday. Journey back to the ancient city of Chichen Itza, the hub of Maya civilization deep in the heart of Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula, to uncover the truth about this prophecy. The Maya were legendary astronomers and timekeepers--their calendar is more accurate than our own. By tracking the stars and planets they assigned great meaning to astronomical phenomena and made extraordinary predictions based on them--many of which have come true. Could their doomsday prophecy be one of them? In insightful interviews archaeologists, astrologers, and historians speculate on the meaning of the 2012 prophecy. Their answers are as intriguing as the questions.
9-10pm -- Nostradamus Effect - The Third Antichrist?
History's most acclaimed prophet, Nostradamus, saw the arrival of three antichrists that would plague mankind. But who are they? When will they come and what disasters will they cause? Can we decode the visions of Nostradamus in time to ward off a coming apocalypse? Some say at least two of the prophesied antichrists have already appeared. Clues hidden in Nostradamus's writings point to Napoleon Bonaparte, one of history's most bloodthirsty tyrants and the Emperor of France, as the first. Shockingly precise quatrains also seem to point to Adolph Hitler as the next, and even more terrifying second antichrist. Now, believers search the writings of Nostradamus for evidence that the third antichrist is already here. Will he learn from Napoleon and Hitler? Will be he even stronger and more bloodthirsty? And will his reign signal the start of the end times for mankind?
10-11pm -- MonsterQuest - Gigantic Killer Fish
Are monster fish lurking in freshwater lakes and rivers? From the Arctic Circle to the Amazon, follow an expedition to find the biggest and nastiest giant fresh water fish, from catfish large enough to swallow children whole to trout as large as a boat. Scientists will deploy giant lures and underwater cameras in a search for monster fish. One-part history, one-part science and one part monster, discover the truth behind legendary monsters.
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Thursday, September 10, 2009
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7-8pm -- Modern Marvels - More Snackfood Tech
They crunch; they ooze; they crackle; they pop--mmmmm, yeah! Soft drinks, donuts, meat snacks, popcorn, and gum. What's your weakness? From the handmade treats of the earliest civilizations to hi-tech mass production, these snacks are borne of man's need to feed his cravings. Join us for an hour-long tasty treat as we examine the history of snackfoods and check out how they are made today.
8-9pm -- MonsterQuest - Sea Monsters
Mariners have long told stories of frightening beasts that stalk the coast of Florida, but new video could prove that old sailors were seeing real sea monsters. A forked tail, ferocious teeth and a large body were all characteristics of the historic sea monsters. Now, one Florida man says that not only has he witnessed these creatures on countless occasions, but he also has hours of video proof. Experts are divided over the controversial evidence that shows tantalizing glimpses of these strange sea creatures. One marine biologist claims it is a disfigured known species, another expert says it is a seal thought long extinct, and still others maintain that it is something altogether unheard of. Whatever monster lurks here, close to innocent vacationers, MonsterQuest will investigate.
9-10pm -- MonsterQuest - Jaws in Illinois
One of the deadliest predators in the ocean, the Bull Shark, can tolerate fresh water. It can swim hundreds of miles upstream--one strange photo from the 1930s suggests that sharks can even reach Illinois. Come along with our team as they look for proof of sharks in freshwater, uncovering a deadly attack from history, and searching the bayous of Louisiana for predators. Watch as another expedition finds living evidence of a massive beast as big as a Great White Shark in the St. Lawrence River.
10-11pm -- MonsterQuest - Flying Monsters
If there is one place on earth that could be home to a prehistoric flying monster, it is Papua New Guinea. These islands to the north of Australia are the closest thing to a real "lost world" and eyewitnesses here claim that a terrifying monster is circling above them. Natives call this creature the "Demon Flyer," but its twenty-foot wingspan, gray leathery skin and crested head appear to be only one thing--a living pterosaurs. Ancient sea charts made by early explorers in the sixteenth century show that they saw pterosaur-like animals and warned mariners of these legendary monsters. Paleontologists, however, are doubtful and suggest that a more likely explanation is a yet to be discovered species of giant bat. Whichever theory is correct there is something here that has reportedly killed locals and may have been caught on tape by a western witness.
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Friday, September 11, 2009
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7-8pm -- The Day the Towers Fell
A riveting special that reveals the never-before-told stories of eyewitnesses, including amateur and professional photographers, caught in the horror of the World Trade Center tragedy. Images captured by many of the photographers are seen for the first time on television. Together, they provide startling and intensely personal firsthand accounts of that fateful day--stories of terror, hope, and survival.
8-10pm -- 102 Minutes that Changed America / Witness to 9/11
Discover rarely seen and heard archives that document the 102 minutes between the first attack on the World Trade Center to the collapse of the second tower. This commercial-free special uses unique material from sources ranging from amateur photography and video to FDNY, NYPD, Port Authority and emergency dispatch radio recordings, photography and video. Also seen is footage broadcast outside the US, electronic messages and voicemails and "outtakes" culled from raw network footage. Then, watch interviews with individuals who provided videos of the events of that day. The interviews with the filmmakers will provide context for the circumstances they were in, why they shot video, what the footage means to them, and where they were on that day.
10-11pm -- Hotel Ground Zero
There is an untold story from 9/11--the incredible tale of the 940 tourists, visitors and staff in the Marriott WTC Hotel, located beneath and between the Twin Towers, who found themselves at the epicenter of a terrifying disaster. Despite jet engines and burning debris raining down on the building, somehow almost all of the hotel guests escaped. Of those who were still trapped inside, 14 miraculously survived the towers' devastating collapse. Hear the remarkable story of their escape, and the courage and heroism of the victims and their rescuers.
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Saturday, September 12, 2009
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7-8pm -- Modern Marvels - Logging Tech
When Paul Bunyan cried "Timber!", he never foresaw today's cutting-edge, controversial industry that feeds a ravenous, lumber-crazy world--a world striving to protect nature while devouring it. Come into the woods to see how he-men and hi-tech combine forces to topple 4-billion trees annually; journey to 19th-century America, when lumberjacks cut a legend as large as the timber they felled; and travel with a tree from stump to sawmill and learn its non-wood uses--from aspirin to film to toothpaste!
8-11pm -- Unforgiven
(Movie) Clint Eastwood stars and directs in this unforgettable Western that won the Oscar for Best Picture. Clint plays a reformed killer (William Munny) who reluctantly teams up with another former gunslinger (Morgan Freeman) to hunt down the cowboys who mutilated a prostitute for a bounty of $500 bounty. Gene Hackman plays the sadistic sheriff who tries to stop them. Munny's struggle to give up his new moral code and return to a life of violence is what the movie is all about, and represents Eastwood's reflection on his own career in film. Also stars Richard Harris and Frances Fisher (1992)
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Sunday, September 13, 2009
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7-8pm -- Marked - Death Ride
For outlaw motorcycle gangs, tattoos prove dedication and mark alliances. The bikers who wear them live by their own set of rules. Go inside the clubhouses of three of these underground organizations to examine how ink separates these riders from the pack. Witness rituals never before seen on television, as members get permanently branded with tattoos rife with dark, devilish iconography. The engines roar as we decode the hidden meanings of some of the most popular biker images and learns what it takes to live the rough and tumble biker lifestyle.
8-10pm -- Manson
This special takes viewers deep inside America in the late 1960s--into a world of hate, fear, sex, and mind-control. It vividly details how Charles Manson transformed a harmless group of hippies--mostly young women from decent families--into a gang of brutal murderers. The two-hour drama-documentary weaves in rare archival footage and on-camera eyewitness testimony to present a spellbinding portrait of a true nightmare in U.S. history. At the center of the film is Linda Kasabian, the star witness for the prosecution, who has emerged from hiding to tell the full story of the murders for the first time in four decades.
10-10:30pm -- Pawn Stars - 12 - Plane Crazy
The Pawn Stars travel back in time over two centuries to colonial Boston but is this seller's map the real deal or will the guys tell him to take a hike. Meanwhile, Chumlee's purchase of fake art leaves Rick painting him a different sort of picture. Then will the Pawn Stars finally get their wings by buying the shop's first ever plane or will excess baggage keep this aircraft grounded.
10:30-11pm -- Pawn Stars - Brothels & Busses
A young man wants to trade a 1750 Blunderbuss gun for an engagement ring. Will Rick exchange vows and buy the gun or will he get cold feet and run? Then, the Pawn Stars get an opportunity to purchase an ejection seat allegedly from a World War II fighter jet, but is this deal destined to crash and burn? And later, a guy looking to make rent money wants to pawn his original 1966 Schwinn Stingray bike which has Rick remembering the good old days. Will his trip down memory lane include laying out the dough?
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Monday, September 14, 2009
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6-8pm -- Modern Marvels - Walt Disney World
Journey underground and backstage at the technological marvel that is Walt Disney World. Enter a make-believe world spanning some 27,000 acres, brought to life by cutting-edge technology. What was once Florida swampland now boasts the world's largest theme park. The ride technology ranges from space-age centrifuges to enhanced motion vehicles powered by 3,000 PSI of hydraulic pressure. And hundreds of audio animatronics brought to life through the power of pneumatics, hydraulics, and electrical systems. Walt Disney World is made up of four separate theme parks, each with its own innovations: the 107-acre Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Disney-MGM Studios, and Disney's Animal Kingdom. The four parks are all part of a megaplex of a resort. Twice the size of Manhattan, it was the final vision and crowning achievement of a man who spent more than 40 years pushing the limits of technology to create entertainment magic: Walt Disney.
8-10pm -- The Templar Code
For nearly two centuries, the Knights Templar were the medieval world's most powerful order, a fearsome and unstoppable Crusader militia. Then came accusations of unspeakable crimes. Who were the Templars, really? How did they become so powerful, so fast, and why did they fall just as quickly? Evidence hints that the Templars excavated under Jerusalem's Temple of Solomon. What did they find there? Was it, as The Da Vinci Code suggests, the true identity of the Holy Grail--the bloodline of Christ? Or an unimaginable treasure, documented in the Dead Sea Scrolls, buried 1,000 years before Christ's birth? We explore the Templar's origin, how they lived, trained, fought and became a medieval world power, and the suspicious circumstances behind their sudden downfall. Plus, we reveal why these warriors, dead for seven centuries, and their treasure still populate Hollywood blockbusters. Narrated by Ed Herrmann and featuring preeminent Templar authors.
10-11pm -- Clash of the Gods - Odysseus: Curse of the Sea
Homer's The Odyssey is the most famous epic ever written. Follow its archetypal hero, Odysseus, as he sets sail on a twenty-year journey to return home from battle to reclaim his wife and kingdom. It's a timeless tale of adventure filled with mythological beasts, vengeful gods, and enchanting seductresses... But could it have actually happened? Astronomical clues and recent geological data now suggest evidence with direct links to the story of Odysseus.
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Tuesday, September 15, 2009
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7-8pm -- Modern Marvels - Carbon
It is the chemical basis of all known life and yet this simple element is also the foundation of modern technology. Carbon burns hotter, cuts deeper, insulates more thoroughly and absorbs more fully than any other material. See why carbon is the key both in heavy-duty industries, as well as in tools like the graphite pencil, the charcoal water filter, and the diamond saw blade. Watch how carbon fiber, a material stronger than steel and lighter than fiberglass, is made into the fuselage of a new Boeing 787. Discover why "activated charcoal" is the material of choice for absorbing everything from toxic heavy metals in your drinking water to funky odors in your shoes.
8-9pm -- The Universe - It Fell From Space
Every year, thousands of objects both natural and manmade plummet through our atmosphere and crash into the Earth. These menacing messengers from the sky provide scientists with amazing insights into the natural, and not so natural, phenomena of the cosmos. From space rocks crashing through homes to cosmic boulders triggering mass extinctions to rocket parts landing on front lawns, explore objects that fall from the heavens, such as asteroids, comets, meteor showers and space debris.
9-10pm -- The Universe - The Hunt for Ringed Planets
They are breathtaking, lethal and a constant source of surprise. The stunning rings of Saturn have mesmerized countless scientists over the centuries. With particles the size of a house shooting at 53,000 miles per hour around the planet, any spacecraft passing through would meet an instant and catastrophic end. Inside the rings is like a NASCAR race--with bumping, jostling and frequent collisions that can cause a massive spin-out. Lesser known are the other planets that have rings--Uranus, Jupiter, Neptune, possibly Pluto and Mars. Even Earth has a ring. Comprised of some 200 satellites in a geosynchronous orbit, it is the only known man-made ring in the universe. But the most remarkable thing about rings is that they contain the story of the birth of our solar system, and entire distant galaxies. Rings are more than a wonder of the universe--they reveal the secrets of our own origins.
10-11pm -- How the Earth Was Made - The Deepest Place on Earth
The Marianas Trench is the deepest place on earth, deeper than Mt. Everest is high. The trench is where the ocean floor disappears into the center of the earth. The pressures at this depth are 17 times greater than what it takes to crush a nuclear submarine. Only two men have ever been down the Trench, fewer than have set foot on the moon. Follow the daring missions into the abyss and explore the extraordinary geology that has created this deep scar along the ocean floor.
10-12am -- Fort Knox: Secrets Revealed
The U.S. Bullion Depository, better known as Fort Knox, is home of the United States Army and one of the world's most top secret fortresses. Hidden deep inside the vault is an estimated $73 billion dollars in gold. Almost all information about it is classified. Through interviews with eyewitnesses, rare photos and rarely seen films, we will construct a picture of what the building might look like. Hear testimony of those journalists and congressmen who were among the select few invited inside in 1974. Discover the history and secrets behind the Army's tank warfare and the classified military technologies it will use to fight the wars of the future.
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Wednesday, September 16, 2009
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7-8pm -- Modern Marvels - Rats
Feared by millions worldwide, rats are some of the most dangerous, destructive and useful animals on Earth. Ride along with a Terminix exterminator to get face to face with the creepy creature in a near rat infestation and see the great lengths we take to get rid of the pesky pest. Tour the Hacco Inc. rodenticide plant to see how tasty poisons are concocted. At the Taconic rat breeding facility, we'll see how hundreds of thousands of rats are bred and raised in high-tech and controlled environments. Watch rodents compete in the Xtreme Rat Challenge at the annual American Fancy Rat show. We'll trace their history and role as a vector of deadly diseases, but also explore how they have saved countless lives as lab rats. Scientists will show us how a remote controlled rat could be your savior in the near future.
8-9pm -- Nostradamus Effect - The Third Antichrist?
History's most acclaimed prophet, Nostradamus, saw the arrival of three antichrists that would plague mankind. But who are they? When will they come and what disasters will they cause? Can we decode the visions of Nostradamus in time to ward off a coming apocalypse? Some say at least two of the prophesied antichrists have already appeared. Clues hidden in Nostradamus's writings point to Napoleon Bonaparte, one of history's most bloodthirsty tyrants and the Emperor of France, as the first. Shockingly precise quatrains also seem to point to Adolph Hitler as the next, and even more terrifying second antichrist. Now, believers search the writings of Nostradamus for evidence that the third antichrist is already here. Will he learn from Napoleon and Hitler? Will be he even stronger and more bloodthirsty? And will his reign signal the start of the end times for mankind?
9-10pm -- Nostradamus Effect - Da Vinci's Armageddon
Was Leonardo Da Vinci, one of history's great philosophers, artists and engineers, a secret prophet? And did he envision world destruction of such biblical proportions that it haunted him until the end of his days? Clues hidden in Da Vinci's paintings, his re-discovered prophetic "riddles" and the events of his life now suggest that he, too, was influenced by the Nostradamus Effect. 400 years ago, Da Vinci may have intercepted signs and warnings as early as his boyhood. He witnessed a devastating flood that ravaged his city and that seems to have haunted him with depictions of a watery apocalypse similar to the biblical great flood. Are the clues Da Vinci hid within his writings, his sketches and his masterpieces, all a secret code pointing to a great deluge that will wipe out all mankind?
10-11pm -- MysteryQuest - Hitler's Escape
According the official public record, Adolf Hitler committed suicide in his underground bunker as allied troops stormed Berlin at the end of World War II. But no one actually saw him die. No body was ever produced. No photographs were ever taken. Some believe Hitler managed to escape, and for years there were sightings of the former dictator in many parts of the world. Then, in the 1990s the Russians revealed secret evidence taken from Hitler's bunker decades earlier that they said proved he had died there. Among the evidence is a piece of skull. MysteryQuest obtained access to this evidence for testing and the results are startling.
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Thursday, September 17, 2009
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7-8pm -- Modern Marvels - Insulation
It keeps us warm. It keeps us cool. It protects us and makes our world more comfortable. As simple as a pane of glass, or as complex as the fuselage of a space station, it's all around us, but is almost always out of sight. We explore where insulation technology has been, where it is today, and where it's going. We'll visit the manufacturing facilities of two of the most recognizable insulating materials: fiberglass and foam; and explore how insulation has evolved. Historical highlights include how the ancient Romans and Greeks insulated their homes, as well as the natives of tropical and arctic climates. New technologies covered include insulated concrete forms and gas-filled panels. Whether at home or in the office, on a space station, or beneath the sea, insulation is essential for making our world habitable. We'll show that how we use insulation, and how we develop it, will be a major factor in how we conserve our supply of energy in the coming years.
8-9pm -- Gangland - Sin City
A gritty, true-life series exposing the world of history's most notorious and dangerous gangs.
9-10pm -- Marked - Barrio of Blood
In Southern California, black and grey tattoos connect a culture that started in the barrios of Los Angeles in the 1940s and survives on today's rough streets. Amid the sun and palm trees, ink marks territory and serves as a reminder of blood spilled on neighborhood streets. Dive into the origins of this distinctive tattoo style, born in the violent, gang-saturated California prisons and refined on the streets of Los Angeles. Artist Freddy Negrete, one of the originators of the Chicano style, takes viewers on an exclusive journey, deep into this unknown world where we decode the ink that decorates the bodies of current and former Chicano gangbangers.
10-10:30pm -- Pawn Stars - 09 - Rick's Big Bet
In this episode, Rick refurbishes a gas pump with a bird's nest inside, Corey takes a quiz after misidentifying a Faberge crystal glass--if he loses, he works graveyard, if he wins he gets $2500,--and Rick buys some bayonets.
10-12am -- Life After People [other channel only]
Explore the tantalizing question of whether all the remnants of mankind will eventually disappear from our planet. What would happen to the earth if humans ceased to exist? Would ocean life flourish, the buffalo return to the Great Plains and our skyscrapers yield to the wear and tear of time. Visit the ghostly villages surrounding Chernobyl, which were abandoned by humans after the nuclear disaster in 1986 and then travel to the remote islands off the coast of Maine to search for traces of abandoned towns that have vanished from view in only a few decades. Learn from experts in the fields of engineering, botany, ecology, biology, geology, climatology and archeology as they provide answers for many thought provoking questions.
10:30-11pm -- Pawn Stars - Gangsters & Guitars
Rick buys an old, Mafia favorite the 1962 Lincoln Continental with "suicide doors," but as the repair bills add up, so does the tension between him and the old man. Then, a guy brings in a billfold from 1857 that he found while cleaning out his garage. The best part? It's stuffed with Confederate money. Finally the Pawn Stars get a chance to buy a rare 1942 Gibson L7 guitar that was once played at a birthday party for Al Capone. But, is the seller in tune with what it's really worth?
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Friday, September 18, 2009
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7-8pm -- Modern Marvels - Money
How does America make money--literally? We visit the United States Mint and the Bureau of Printing and Engraving to see the secretive government facilities where our legal tender is generated. With a storied past as tantalizing as the wealth they create, these mints can spit out fortunes in an hour and keep our economy flowing.
8-9pm -- Modern Marvels - Super Hot
Explore the world of extreme temperatures. See what happens to Pyroman, a life-size mannequin, as he is exposed to over 3,000 degrees F. Visit Underwriters Laboratories and see how common household appliances can go lethal. Follow geologists as they take lava samples from the Kilauea volcano in Hawaii. Finally, journey into a fusion facility in San Diego, California and watch as scientist's heat plasma to over 200 million degrees F in hopes of someday creating an inexhaustible power source.
8-9pm -- Ancient Discoveries - Lost Science of the Bible
Might the stories of the Bible have their basis in ancient scientific fact? How big was the giant Goliath, and what was the tech of the sling that brought him down? We'll demonstrate that the tower of Babel could have been as tall as two miles in height. Create fire from water as Elijah may have done. And in a never before attempted investigation, watch as archeologists fully levitate a replica of the Ark of the Covenant.
9-10pm -- Lock N' Load with R. Lee Ermey - Shotguns
Gunny explores the history of shotguns--from a 17th century Blunderbuss to the modern day, gas-assisted M4 Super 90. Along the way, he "rides shotgun" on a stage coach as he tests a Wells Fargo Coach Gun; fires the groundbreaking shotguns of legendary gun designer John Browning; tests his skeet shooting skills against Olympic Gold medalist markswoman Kim Rhode; and heads to Camp Pendleton to check out the Marines' state-of-the-art shotguns.
10-11pm -- Nostradamus Effect - Da Vinci's Armageddon [repeated from Wednesday]
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Saturday, September 19, 2009
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7-8pm -- Modern Marvels - Failed Inventions
Join us for a salute to the dreamers and schemers who brought the world an odd assortment of flawed ideas--like flying, swimming, and jet-powered automobiles, flying rocket belts, and radium-filled clothes that promised to inflate the owner's sagging love life! And we explore the minds of the off-kilter geniuses who thought up these off-the-mark concepts. Some tinkerers' musings were merely ahead of their time and deemed flops during the inventor's lifetime, but others were just plain bad!
8-10pm -- 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.
10-12am -- Angels & Demons Decoded
Investigate the fascinating truths behind Dan Brown's (The Da Vinci Code) first novel. From centuries-old secret societies to real-world cryptography, from the high-stakes intrigue surrounding the installation of a new Pope to the sometimes uneasy relationship between the Vatican and leading scientists, this special will thrill and inform viewers about this monumental time in world history. The clues Brown's hero Robert Langdon follows in frantic pursuit of the Illuminati will inspire further investigation--into religious conspiracies and the Freemasons, secret "codes" hidden in Roman architecture and artwork--as well as controversial theories about religious iconography. Features scenes from the new movie as well as interviews with renowned symbologists, art historians, religious scholars, scientists and other experts will help unravel the mysteries and expose the diabolical plot to destroy the Church.
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Sunday, September 20, 2009
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7-8pm -- Secret Societies
Some of the world's most powerful individuals belong to secret organizations. The Skull & Bones, the Bilderbergs, and the Tri-Lateral Commission are just a few of the groups that many suspect are conspiring to take over the world. Others believe they already have. What fuels such rampant conspiracy paranoia? We examine a number of these clandestine organizations, past and present, and reveal why so many people fear their nefarious agendas.
8-10pm -- Holy Grail in America
In 1898, a Minnesota farmer clearing trees from his field uproots a large stone covered with mysterious runes. Now known as the Kensington Rune Stone, it details a journey of land acquisition and murder--in the year 1362. Thought by some to be a hoax, new evidence suggests it could be real, and a clue that the Knights Templar discovered America 100 years before Columbus, perhaps bringing with them history's greatest treasure...The Holy Grail. See how symbols on the Rune Stone match Templar ruins all over Europe. History tells us the Templar were massacred on Friday the 13th, but that a Templar fleet allegedly containing treasure was last seen off Scotland in the late 1300s. Stones with similar markings as the Rune stone have been found on islands across the Atlantic Ocean, as well as in Massachusetts, and Rhode Island. Is it possible the Templar were leaving clues to an incredible journey to the New World?
10-10:30pm -- Pawn Stars - 13 - Pawn Stars
It's one of the oldest forms of banking, and until the 1950's, it was the leading form of consumer credit in the U.S. Now, the fascinating world and history of the pawn shop is revealed in this series that centers on the only family-owned pawn shop in Las Vegas, where three generations of men--grandfather, father and son--entertainingly clash while running the business together, using their sharp-eyed skills to carefully assess the value of items their colorful customers bring in, objects ranging from the obscure to the truly historic.
10:30-11pm -- Pawn Stars - Time Machines
Rick tries to refurbish a 1950's coke machine into a modernized collector's item. Will his plan quench his thirst or fizzle out and go flat? Meanwhile, Corey is offered an old pirate favorite: an 18th Century flintlock pistol. But before he can pull the trigger he'll need to authenticate it. In addition, the Pawn Stars get a chance to buy a 1941 Philco Radio. Will they dial in a deal, or be stuck searching through the static?
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Monday, September 21, 2009
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7-8pm -- Modern Marvels - Heavy Metals
They are elements that occupy a select portion of the periodic table and are so essential to America's economic and military might that they are stored in the National Defense Stockpile in case of all-out war. We plan a riveting visit. Some of the vital heavy metals that we survey include copper, uranium, lead, zinc, and nickel. We also take a look at superalloys--consisting of steel combined with chromium, cobalt, and dozens of other heavy metals--that resist corrosion and perform increasingly elaborate functions. From Earth to space, from cosmetics to vitamins, in a million different ways, heavy metals are here to stay!
8-10pm -- Secrets of the Founding Fathers
Investigates the history and symbology so prominent in the creation of the United States, and traces the intricate connections of the Founders with Freemasonry, other secret organizations and between each other. How did the trademarks of the highly secretive Masons become integrated into the Great Seal, and on the dollar bill containing the All-Seeing Eye? Did the grid design of the nation's capital--commissioned by George Washington and completed by Pierre L'Enfant--contain occult symbols embraced by the Illuminati in 1776? Did Benjamin Franklin and George Washington deliberately enlist 33 Freemason generals from France to grow the fraternal brotherhood among Masonic nations? Explore the secret (and secretly dark) sides of the men responsible for laying the foundation of the United States.
10-11pm -- Clash of the Gods - Odysseus: Warrior's Revenge
We continue our story of Odysseus, Homer's hero from The Odyssey, as he continues his twenty-year journey to return home from battle to reclaim his wife and kingdom.
10-11pm -- Cities of the Underworld - 07 - Catacombs of Death
Beneath the hustle and bustle of Paris streets are a world of snaking quarries, hidden catacombs, and mushroom-harvesting tunnels. Even Paris' 10.5 million residents have no idea they live on top of nearly 20 centuries of history carved into the limestone foundation below. From its Gallic beginnings to the Roman foundations of Lutetia, today's Paris may be one of the world's most sophisticated cities above the ground--but below ground it's a different story. Join host Eric Geller as he reveals the secrets beneath Paris and the Notre Dame church and what they reveal about a 2,000 year old civilization that rests underneath it.
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Tuesday, September 22, 2009
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7-8pm -- Modern Marvels - Icebreakers
They are the toughest ships in the water, plowing headlong into one of nature's hardest obstacles. Modern icebreakers can smash through 10-foot thick ice sheets without stopping, allowing scientists and commercial shipping access to some of Earth's most inhospitable spots. Join our blustery journey as we patrol the Great Lakes on the USCG Cutter Mackinaw and traverse the infamous Northwest Passage on the maiden voyage of the USCG Healy, the newest Polar Class Icebreaker in the US Fleet.
8-9pm -- The Universe - Biggest Blasts
The Universe is full of explosions that both create and destroy. The Chicxulub impact on the Yucatan peninsula, which may have wiped out the dinosaurs 65 million years ago, was two million times more powerful than the largest nuclear bomb ever detonated on Earth. But guess what? That's only good enough for the very bottom of the Biggest Blasts top ten list. This episode works its way up through supernova explosions and gamma ray bursts all the way to the blast that started it all--the Big Bang.
8-10pm -- God vs. Satan
What will the battle of Armageddon look like? Will it take place at a battlefield in Meggido, Israel, as stated in the Bible? Take a tour of the final days on earth as envisioned by believers of the three Abrahamic religions; Judaism, Christianity and Islam. Examine the final chapter of the ultimate battle between good and evil from accounts in the Talmud, the book of Revelation and the Koran. Discover how these religions differ, where they agree and what might occur during this epic war.
9-10pm -- The Universe - 10 Ways to Destroy the Earth
Don't try this at home! In this episode, our experts cook up ten ways you could destroy the earth, including: swallowing it with a microscopic black hole; blowing it up with anti-matter; hurling it into the Sun, and switching off gravity. This is a fun way to explore the dangerous physics of the Universe and the properties of the planet we call home.
10-11pm -- How the Earth Was Made - Krakatoa
On August 27th, 1883 a series of blasts on the island of Krakatoa culminated in a colossal explosion that blew the island apart in one of the largest eruptions in recorded history. We explore the underground forces that led to this extraordinary explosion that killed over 36,000 people and the devastation that it caused. But this is not just history because Anak Krakatoa (the Son of Krakatoa) is growing bigger and bigger and will blow again.
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Wednesday, September 23, 2009
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8-9pm -- MonsterQuest - The Real Moby Dick
There have been stories for centuries about huge, aggressive albino sperm whales. They were immortalized by the classic novel "Moby Dick." These stories told of whales targeting ships and ramming them with their huge heads. Could stories like this be true? MonsterQuest heads to the world's oceans to investigate whether there is any truth to the theory that these white whales have become more aggressive.
9-10pm -- Nostradamus Effect - Extinction: 2012
The Maya, an ancient South American culture, predicted that time would end in a violent apocalypse on December 21, 2012. They created an elaborate astronomical calendar called "The Long Count," which stops abruptly in 2012. This date, which is also the winter equinox, coincides with an incredibly rare galactic alignment that happens once every 26,000 years. What did the Mayans think would happen when their calendar ended? And were they joined by other cultures--from different parts of the world and in different centuries--all pointing to 2012 as a calamitous end time? The Hopi Indians and Eastern Hindus have similar calendars, which are remarkably synchronous. One counter-culture mystic even uses an Ancient Chinese philosophy to unlock the key to a 2012 prophecy. Nostradamus himself suggests the world is headed toward a coming cataclysm. What can we do to head the warning of the Mayan apocalypse?
10-11pm -- MysteryQuest - Devil's Triangle
The Bermuda Triangle, a 500,000 square mile area in the Atlantic is the world's greatest unexplained mystery. Ships and planes simply disappear without a trace. The MysteryQuest team takes one of the few survivors of a Triangle encounter on a flight through it to try to determine what could be disorienting pilots. The expedition team dives in the waters of the Bahamas to try to locate the first wreckage of an aircraft lost in a Triangle disappearance.
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Thursday, September 24, 2009
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7-8pm -- Modern Marvels - Pirate Tech
Bold, cunning, and audacious, pirates are a breed of fighting men and women who have terrorized the high seas since before recorded history. At the height of their power in the 1700s they literally influenced the fate of nations when they became embroiled in the rivalry between England and Spain. This special will visit maritime museums and shipwreck sites, utilize walk-and-talk demonstrations of fire arms, swords, and navigation instruments to help spotlight the innovations pirates brought to maritime technology. Includes a look at how many pirates modified their ships to make them faster and more powerful.
8-9pm -- Gangland - 14 - Maniacal
A gritty, true-life series exposing the world of history's most notorious and dangerous gangs.
8-10pm -- 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?
9-10pm -- Marked - Pure Evil
In Russian prisons, tattoos tell all. From crimes committed to time served and even ranking within the strict hierarchy, these dark and detailed works of art are a secret language that contains all vital information and can mean the difference between power and subjugation. This episode goes deep inside the world of Russia's infamous prisons, revealing how these illegal images are controlled by the ruthless Thieves in Law, the notorious gang that rules the prisons with an iron fist. We'll decode the mysteries and meanings behind the ink through the accounts of violent ex-cons and career criminals who reveal their terrifying deeds and the brutal conditions inside Russian prisons.
10-10:30pm -- Pawn Stars - 11 - John Hancock's Hancock
The Pawn Stars are used to paying big money for celebrity John Hancocks but will they know how to price one from the actual John Hancock? Then the guys have an opportunity to buy an allegedly authentic Indiana Jones whip--but it all boils down to two words: Harrison Ford. And finally, will the purchase of a hot item by one of his underlings land Corey in hot water.
10:30-11pm -- Pawn Stars - Damn Yankees
The Old Man hopes to hit a home run when a baseball autographed by the 1951 World Series Champion New York Yankees comes into the shop but he'll need to verify its authenticity before he steps up to the plate. Then, Rick checks out a 25-piece Knights of the Round Table set but with all the kings' men accounted for, is it really worth its weight in gold? Finally, the Pawn Stars have a chance to buy a West Point Cadet jacket owned by a famous general in 1909--will they try it on for size, or send it to the Salvation Army?
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Friday, September 25, 2009
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7-8pm -- 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.
8-9pm -- Modern Marvels - Mad Electricity
Nikola Tesla's bizarre vision of the future brought him failure, but his genius electrified the world. Travel to Niagara Falls, where in 1893, Tesla installed his new system of Alternating Electrical Current known as AC--the same power we use today. Uncover the forgotten ruins of Tesla's dream experiment---a huge tower on Long Island Sound he hoped would wirelessly power the world. Radar, death rays, invisibility devices and earthquake machines: Tesla claimed to have created them all. More than 100 years ago Tesla foresaw the need for alternative energies like geothermal and solar.
9-10pm -- Lock N' Load with R. Lee Ermey - Rockets
Gunny gets a first-hand look at the "rocket's red glare" as he demonstrates rockets dating back to ancient Chinese to today's state of the art self guiding missiles. Weapons include: the ancient Korean Hwacha--a rocket powered weapon designed to launch a volley of deadly arrows; The Congreve--the rocket that inspired the Star Spangled Banner; the TOW--one of the first "guided" rockets, and today's state-of-the-art Javelin.
10-11pm -- Nostradamus Effect - Extinction: 2012
The Maya, an ancient South American culture, predicted that time would end in a violent apocalypse on December 21, 2012. They created an elaborate astronomical calendar called "The Long Count," which stops abruptly in 2012. This date, which is also the winter equinox, coincides with an incredibly rare galactic alignment that happens once every 26,000 years. What did the Mayans think would happen when their calendar ended? And were they joined by other cultures--from different parts of the world and in different centuries--all pointing to 2012 as a calamitous end time? The Hopi Indians and Eastern Hindus have similar calendars, which are remarkably synchronous. One counter-culture mystic even uses an Ancient Chinese philosophy to unlock the key to a 2012 prophecy. Nostradamus himself suggests the world is headed toward a coming cataclysm. What can we do to head the warning of the Mayan apocalypse?
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Saturday, September 26, 2009
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7-8pm -- Modern Marvels - Mountain Roads
Join our journey along monumental feats of engineering that preserved America's natural wonders while paving the way towards her future. Travel the Donner Pass in the Sierra Nevada Mountains, site of a dark chapter in US history. Today, crews use the latest technology to keep I-80 open during the worst winter storms. Enjoy the view while traveling to the summit of Pike's Peak in Colorado, inspiration for America the Beautiful. The "Going-to-the-Sun-Road" slices through Montana's majestic Glacier National Park, crossing the Continental Divide and allowing motorists unsurpassed views of mountain scenery. Outside Denver, the Eisenhower Memorial Tunnel, carved through mountain rock, united eastern and western Colorado. And the Blue Ridge Parkway, which took 52 years to complete, snakes through large, scenic swatches.
8-10pm -- Holy Grail in America
In 1898, a Minnesota farmer clearing trees from his field uproots a large stone covered with mysterious runes. Now known as the Kensington Rune Stone, it details a journey of land acquisition and murder--in the year 1362. Thought by some to be a hoax, new evidence suggests it could be real, and a clue that the Knights Templar discovered America 100 years before Columbus, perhaps bringing with them history's greatest treasure...The Holy Grail. See how symbols on the Rune Stone match Templar ruins all over Europe. History tells us the Templar were massacred on Friday the 13th, but that a Templar fleet allegedly containing treasure was last seen off Scotland in the late 1300s. Stones with similar markings as the Rune stone have been found on islands across the Atlantic Ocean, as well as in Massachusetts, and Rhode Island. Is it possible the Templar were leaving clues to an incredible journey to the New World?
10-12am -- Mysteries of the Freemasons
Suspected throughout their long history of plotting to overtake the world, accused of fomenting revolution, and reviled as devil worshippers that stole King Solomon's treasure, the Freemasons claim they're merely a civic-minded fraternity, bound together by harmless rituals. Our high-energy cocktail of dramatic reenactment, expert interviews, and on-location footage entertains historians Akram Elias, Stephen Bullock, and Brent Morris to retell the Freemasons' central myth concerning Hiram Abiff, mythical builder of Jerusalem's Temple of Solomon. During construction, he was killed by three workers who believed his "secret" would impart magical powers--representing the three evils against which Freemasons believe they're still struggling: ignorance, fanaticism, and tyranny. Today, the world's 2.5 million Freemasons meet to reenact the ritual of Hiram's murder as the initiation ceremony for the main rank of Master Mason. (2 hours.)
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Sunday, September 27, 2009
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8-8:30pm -- Pawn Stars - Knights in Fake Armor?
It's clear that this is no ordinary pawn shop as the Pawn Stars wheel and deal items ranging from an old school Pac-Man to a Medieval Jousting Helmet. If these items are as real as their owner's say they are--they could be worth up to $30,000! Then, an old timer brings in a pristine 1884 Trap Door rifle that the guys buy hoping that it still fires. But, when the gun range owner says that simply firing it could cause a "catastrophic malfunction" the guys decide it's time to bring out their human guinea pig.
8:30-9pm -- Pawn Stars - 11 - John Hancock's Hancock [repeated from Thursday]
9-9:30pm -- Pawn Stars - 13 - Pawn Stars
It's one of the oldest forms of banking, and until the 1950's, it was the leading form of consumer credit in the U.S. Now, the fascinating world and history of the pawn shop is revealed in this series that centers on the only family-owned pawn shop in Las Vegas, where three generations of men--grandfather, father and son--entertainingly clash while running the business together, using their sharp-eyed skills to carefully assess the value of items their colorful customers bring in, objects ranging from the obscure to the truly historic.
9:30-10pm -- Pawn Stars - 12 - Plane Crazy
The Pawn Stars travel back in time over two centuries to colonial Boston but is this seller's map the real deal or will the guys tell him to take a hike. Meanwhile, Chumlee's purchase of fake art leaves Rick painting him a different sort of picture. Then will the Pawn Stars finally get their wings by buying the shop's first ever plane or will excess baggage keep this aircraft grounded.
10:30-11pm -- Pawn Stars - 10 - Rope a Dope
The Pawn Stars look to buy a 1929 Chopped Ford Coupe but if they can't agree on a price, will the deal end up rusting in the bone yard? Then, a cowboy wants to sell his mechanical calf-roping machine. Can Corey rein it in without Chumlee spooking the sale? And when the prettiest pawn shop employee continues to be tardy, Rick and the Old Man dish out a fitting punishment. But is it enough to teach her a lesson?
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Monday, September 28, 2009
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7-8pm -- Modern Marvels - The Alcan Highway
Today, vacationers travel from British Columbia north through the Yukon Pass on their way to Fairbanks, Alaska, thanks to one 2-lane roadway, the 1,522-mile long Alaska Highway. A bit treacherous in spots and best driven in the few summer months the region provides, it's an unrivaled engineering feat that took 11,000 soldiers, nearly 4,000 of them black, only eight months to build! Travel back to 1942 as they bulldoze their way into history while connecting the Lower 48 to the Alaskan Territory.
8-10pm -- Day After Disaster
Against a morning sky, a mushroom cloud spirals heavenward. A nuclear bomb has detonated in the heart of Washington D.C., incinerating 15,000 residents in just 15 seconds. More than 50% of the population living within a 1/2 mile radius of the explosion is either dead or severely injured. The next 24 hours will determine whether the rest of the city lives or dies. To survive this horrific ordeal they will need a plan. And lucky for us--there is one. But will it work? For the first time on television, the Department of Homeland Security reveals the most detailed and comprehensive plan to save America should terrorists go nuclear. This chilling two-hour special delves into the complex and highly secretive world of disaster planning.
10-11pm -- Clash of the Gods - Beowulf
The story of the Viking world's most famous warrior, the legend of Beowulf is the ultimate tale of courage. Pit against thirsty invaders, barbaric monsters, and a fire breathing dragon, Beowulf emerges as Norse mythology's greatest hero. But could this mythological warrior have been real? Unearthed burial mounds and ancient carvings suggest the myth of Beowulf could be more than epic legend.
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Tuesday, September 29, 2009
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7-8pm -- Modern Marvels - Lead
A versatile yet toxic metal, lead has served mankind for 6,000 years. Explore the vast mines where heavy machinery extracts and refines lead. Visit a car battery factory that makes a superior battery from pure lead. See how a team of experts safely remove harmful lead products from homes and businesses. How can a metal as dark as lead make lead crystal not only sparkle, but manage to stay transparent?
8-9pm -- The Universe - The Hunt for Ringed Planets
They are breathtaking, lethal and a constant source of surprise. The stunning rings of Saturn have mesmerized countless scientists over the centuries. With particles the size of a house shooting at 53,000 miles per hour around the planet, any spacecraft passing through would meet an instant and catastrophic end. Inside the rings is like a NASCAR race--with bumping, jostling and frequent collisions that can cause a massive spin-out. Lesser known are the other planets that have rings--Uranus, Jupiter, Neptune, possibly Pluto and Mars. Even Earth has a ring. Comprised of some 200 satellites in a geosynchronous orbit, it is the only known man-made ring in the universe. But the most remarkable thing about rings is that they contain the story of the birth of our solar system, and entire distant galaxies. Rings are more than a wonder of the universe--they reveal the secrets of our own origins.
9-10pm -- The Universe - The Search for Cosmic Clusters
They are the one-stop-shopping places for learning all about the nature and variety of stars in the Universe. They're unique, because in clusters, all the stars were born at about the same time, from the same material and all are at the same approximate distance from Earth. This means we can be sure that any differences among them are due to their true natures and not distorted by different distances from Earth and other factors. In this episode, two kinds of star clusters in the galaxy are explored. "Open Clusters" are young, live in the spiral arms of the galaxy and give us insight into the birth and formation of stars. "Globular Clusters" are old, live in the outskirts of the galaxy and could be nearly as old as the Universe itself. In addition, explore Galaxy clusters to reveal the large-scale structure of the Universe, which is expanding so fast that eventually all other galaxies, except for our own, will literally disappear from our sight.
10-11pm -- How the Earth Was Made - San Andreas Fault
The San Andreas Fault runs roughly 800 miles through some of the most valuable real estate in the world. The southern section hasn't had a significant quake for over 300 years and is now primed and ready for another "big one." This new series takes a trip along the most famous fault line in the world and examine the geology that gives it its immense destructive power. It's an investigation given new urgency by recent warnings from 300 of America's leading scientists about the death and devastation that a major earthquake on the fault could unleash on Los Angeles.
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Wednesday, September 30, 2009
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7-8pm -- Modern Marvels - Doomsday Tech 1
Doomsday threats range from very real (nuclear arsenals) to controversial (global warming) to futuristic (nanotechnology, cyborgs, and robots). Despite the Cold War's end, we live under the shadow of nuclear weapons, arms races, and accidental launches. Next, we stir up a hotter topic--the connection between global warming and fossil fuels--and ask if they're cooking up a sudden, new Ice Age. And we examine 21st-century technologies that typify the dual-edged sword of Doomsday Tech with massive potential for both creation and destruction--nanotechnology (engineering on a tiny scale), robotics, and cybernetics. We witness amazing applications in the works, wonder at the limitless promise, and hear warnings of a possible nano-doomsday, with tiny, out-of-control machines devouring everything around them.
8-9pm -- MonsterQuest - Bigfoot in New York
What is the Monster of Whitehall? In 1976, in upstate New York, several police officers reported seeing an animal that they couldn't identify. It was described as a "large creature, seven to eight feet tall, walking like a gorilla hunched over and making a sound like "a woman screaming." More than 30 years have passed and the sightings continue. The original police officers have agreed to be tested. Follow our team as they work with local researchers and renowned wildlife experts on the trail of the Monster of Whitehall.
9-10pm -- Nostradamus Effect - Hitler's Blood Oath
The most notorious madman in history was a murderer, a racist, a dictator and seducer of millions. But was this evil genius also... a prophet? And did he imagine that his sociopathic visions and violent behavior would eventually overtake the world, even if he was no longer alive to see it himself? Hitler's unlikely ascent was spurred by the eerie prophecies of two famed seers, Nostradamus and Erik Jan Hanussen; Hitler would manipulate their work to anoint himself a self-proclaimed Messiah come to save Germany in its time of need. Instead, he plundered Europe leaving millions dead in his wake. Was he the third Antichrist that Nostradamus predicted? And what role did the occult play in his attempt to re-build an Aryan master race?
10-11pm -- MysteryQuest - San Francisco Slaughter
A series of unsolved murders. A cryptic set of clues. A dead end at every corner. The serial killer known as the Zodiac long terrorized the residents of the San Francisco Bay area while taunting police. He was never caught. Now our team of investigators have identified a new suspect, and with the aid of a groundbreaking new DNA technology have the chance to come one step closer to finally solving the mystery of this murderous crime spree.
A treaty with the Big Bad Wolf (1942)
GUIDE TO MEDITATION & YOGA Feel the stress melt away with the ancient arts of yoga and meditation to bring your emotional well-being into balance and keep your body fit! No classes to join, no monthly fees. "I am left with a sense of peace and relaxation that I did not think was possible in my busy life..." (Miriam W) For more information go to: Yoga Guide
The History Channel's real-life Pirates Of The Caribbean website including a clip of their favorite weapons: click on the pirate ship there to see video
Do you have written goals? In a survey of Harvard MBA grads in 1979: 84% had not set goals for themselves, 13% made goals but hadn't written them down, and 3% had written goals. By 1987, the 13% were earning twice as much as the 84% and the 3% were making ten times the earnings of the other 97%
R. Lee Ermey (Mail Call) has decided to play something other than a tough drill sgt. (Full Metal Jacket). His latest movie is a prequel to Texas Chainsaw Massacre called "Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning" as the head of a very strange & lethal family of mutants
For info on UFOs, check out the interview on MonsterVision's Mars Attacks page
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Episodes of the quirky Northern Exposure are on Hallmark Channel. And episodes of the even quirkier "Twin Peaks" are sometimes on Bravo. Monstervision review & host segments of the Twin Peaks movie "Firewalk With Me."
Fun fact:
According to Ripley's Believe It Or Not, the 800-mile long Aruwimi River, which flows through the Aruwimi Forest in the Congo, was unwittingly named by famous explorer David Livingstone. He asked a native what the name of the river was. The native replied "Aruwimi," which means, "What is he saying?"
In 1942, Adolf Hitler inherited 9,000 acres of grazing land in Colorado from German relatives. The PT Boat of WW2 was based on a blueprint from Andrew Higgins, a bootlegger who had used the speedboat design for rumrunning during Prohibition. And Arlington National Cemetery has four Tomb Of The Unknown Soldiers (WW1, WW2, Korea & Vietnam) but only 3 bodies: identification processes have become so good that all remains returned from Vietnam are eventually identified!
In 1963, ventriloquist Paul Winchell was awarded a patent for the first successful artificial heart. The plastic heart was first tested on a calf, which lived 94 days.
“The soul without imagination is what an observatory would be without a telescope”
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"I've come up with a set of rules that describe our reactions to technologies:
1. Anything that is in the world when you're born is normal and ordinary and is just a natural part of the way the world works.
2. Anything that's invented between when you're fifteen and thirty-five is new and exciting and revolutionary and you can probably get a career in it.
3. Anything invented after you're thirty-five is against the natural order of things."
Douglas Adams (1952-2001, Hitchhhiker's Guide to the Galaxy)
"Tomatoes and oregano make it Italian; wine & tarragon make it French. Sour cream makes it Russian; lemon & cinnamon make it Greek. Soy sauce makes it Chinese; garlic makes it good"
Alice's Restaurant Cookbook by Alice May Brock
Fun fact:
The fax number for GMAC Commercial Mortgage spells out as (215) EAT-DIRT
Can you google bing on yahoo?
This website created by Bill Laidlaw in 1999 and updated semi-monthly ever since
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Watch Lock N' Load every week if you know what's good for you, scumbag,
Official HistoryChannel.com Homepage
Or find out what happened when with our exclusive History of the World Timeline!
According to Ripley's Believe It Or Not, the 800-mile long Aruwimi River, which flows through the Aruwimi Forest in the Congo, was unwittingly named by famous explorer David Livingstone. He asked a native what the name of the river was. The native replied "Aruwimi," which means, "What is he saying?"Can you google bing on yahoo?