Author Archives: Maritza Avelar

2013 National Geographic Bee

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national geographic bee

Austin fifth grader student Chinmay Murthy, from Paragon Preparatory Middle School, will represent Texas in the 2013 National Geographic Bee airing Friday, May 24 at 1 pm, Saturday, May 25 at 5 pm and Sunday, May 26 at 5 pm. By using materials prepared by the National Geographic Society, students from around the country compete in the annual National Geographic Bee. The National Geographic Bee is constructed to encourage teachers to include geography in their class rooms in order to increase student and public interest in the subject.

Prepare for the 2013 National Geographic Bee and take Take a GeoBee Quiz!

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KLRU Q Saturday at the Movies – 5/18

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KLRU Q - Night at the Movies

KLRU-Q’s Saturday Night at the Movies presents a full-length feature film every Saturday night, plus extra content that gives the evening an exciting spin. Each film explores the work of legendary actors and actresses through many important films from their careers. Here is a peek of what this Saturday has in store:

7:00 Just Seen It – “Episode #205”
Just Seen It is the review show where film school graduates and working entertainment professionals review the newest in theaters, on TV and cable as well as offer industry interviews.

7:30 – On Story “The Heart Of The Superhero“
The creative minds behind the films Thor, The Avengers, Hulk, The Incredible Hulk, Elektra, The Green Lantern, X-Men: The Last Stand, X2, and X-Men: First Class divulge the complexities of memorable heroes and villains, and how some of the best supernatural films tap into the most basic of human elements.

8:00 – Hollywood Stars Film Package “Planet Of The Apes“
An astronaut (Charlton Heston) goes by time warp to a future planet ruled by smart apes who keep humans as slaves.

9:55 – Pioneers Of Television “Science Fiction“
This episode explores how storytellers Gene Roddenberry and Rod Serling (of “The Twilight Zone”) used the future as a stage for modern morality plays, and William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy, Nichelle Nichols and other science-fiction stars describe how they prepared to interact on-camera with a malevolent alien force … or, perhaps, a giant radish.

10:55 - Video Games Live
The power and emotion of a symphony orchestra mixed with the excitement and energy of a rock concert and the technology, fun and interactivity of a video game all completely synchronized to amazing cutting edge video screen visuals, state of the art lighting, and special FX.

 

Science Night 5/22

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Nature The White Lions at 7 pm
This is the story of two remarkable and extremely rare white lion cubs on their journey to adulthood. Both are female, sisters born as white as snow in May 2009, in South Africa’s Kruger Park. Growing up on the savanna, they must not only overcome the same survival challenges that all young lion cubs must face, they must also overcome the threats their high visibility brings.

NOVA Secrets Of The Sun at 8 pm
It contains 99.9 percent of all the matter in our solar system and sheds hot plasma at nearly a million miles an hour. The temperature at its core is a staggering 27 million degrees Fahrenheit. It convulses, it blazes, it sings. You know it as the sun. Scientists know it as one of the most amazing physics laboratories in the universe. Now, with the help of new spacecraft and Earth-based telescopes, scientists are seeing the Sun as they never have before and even re-creating what happens at the very center of the Sun in labs here on Earth. Their work will help us understand aspects of the sun that have puzzled scientists for decades. But more critically, it may help us predict and track solar storms that have the power to zap our power grid, shut down telecommunications, and ground global air travel for days, weeks, or even longer. Such storms have happened before-but never in the modern era of satellite communication. SECRETS OF THE SUN reveals a bright new dawn in our understanding of our nearest star-one that might help keep our planet from going dark.

Secrets of the Dead Airmen And The Headhunters at 9 pm
This program investigates a fantastic WWII tale of jungle ambushes, extreme engineering, blow darts defenses, and enemy headhunting. In 1945, an American B24 bomber is shot down over Japanese — controlled Borneo. The airmen bail out and survive, only to find themselves isolated and lost in the impenetrable jungle. Briefed to fear the “savage” Dayak inhabitants, the Americans are instead taken in by these tribes and become witness to a compassionate, resourceful people who shatter stereotypes, protect them from the Japanese, and eventually deliver them safely into the hands of an eccentric British Major who orchestrates their rescue by building a bamboo runway deep in the Borneo interior.

 

 

Highlights: May 19 to May 25

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KLRU Highlights

Great Performances At The Met presents Rigoletto at 2 pm Sunday. Director Michael Mayer has placed his new production of Verdi’s towering tragedy in Las Vegas in 1960.

Jenny’s own jubilation comes in the form of potential love interest on Call The Midwife Episode #208 at 7 pm Sunday.

Tragedy strikes on the day polar explorer Sir Ernest Shackleton comes to the store on Masterpiece Mr. Selfridge, Part 8 at 8 pm Sunday.

60′s Pop Flashback: Hullabaloo at 10 pm Sunday returns to the era of go-go dancers, mod mini-skirts and swinging pop-rock sounds.

Antiques Roadshow at 7 pm Monday visits the Space Needle in Seattle and talk about World’s Fair posters.

American Masters at 8 pm Monday takes a look at the life of Mel Brooks, a comedy giant of our time that has earned more major awards than any other living entertainer.

On Protect Your Memory With Dr. Neal Barnard at 9:30 pm Monday, Barnard dives into three simple steps which you can take to derail the degenerative processes that could otherwise derail you and your memory.

Ghost Army at 7 pm Tuesday tells the true story of American G.I’s who ricked the enemy with rubber tanks, sound effects and visual illusions during the World War II.

Constitution USA With Peter Sagal Created Equal at 8 pm Tuesday takes a in-depth look on how the notion sof citizenship, equal protection, due process and personal liberty are being used to fight for same-sex marriage, voting rights, affirmative action and immigration reform.

Frontline The Untouchables at 9 pm Tuesday investigates why Wall Street’s leaders have escaped persecution for any fraud related to the sale of bad mortgages.

On Story presents Explosive Action at 10 pm Tuesday. The writers behind Wanted, The Bourne Ultimatum, Con Air, and Snitch discuss how they use action scenes to further the plot, convey tension, and build toward a satisfying climax.

On Mel Leipzig: Everything is Paintable at 10:30 Tuesday, the renowned realist painter from Trenton, New Jersey is profiled in this documentary filmed over three years by producer Eric Schultz.

Nature presents The White Lions at 7 pm Wednesday. This is the story of two remarkable and extremely rare white lion cubs on their journey to adulthood.

NOVA Secrets Of The Sun at 8 pm Wednesday reveals a bright new dawn in our understanding of our nearest star-one that might help keep our planet from going dark.

Secrets of the Dead  Airmen And The Headhunters at 9 pm Wednesday investigates a fantastic WWII tale of jungle ambushes, extreme engineering, blow darts defenses, and enemy headhunting.

Overheard with Evan Smith presents award-winning American playwright and screenwriter Tony Kushner at 7 pm Thursday.

The Daytripper heads to Fort Davis to visit the Davis Mountains and explore the U.S. Fort that helped settle this vast desert at 8:30 pm Thursday.

SXSW Flashback 2013 at 9 pm Thursday presents clips from and info about the films you loved or that slipped under your radar this past year.

You Don’t Know Jack Soo at 9:30 pm Thursday tells the story of the pioneering American entertainer and Oakland native who became the first Asian American to be cast in the lead role in a regular television series, “Valentine’s Day.”

Austin fifth grader student Chinmay Murthy competes in this year’s National Geographic Bee  at 1 pm Friday and 5 pm Saturday.

Rebel: Voces Special Presentation at 9 pm Friday chronicles the story of Loreta Janeta Velazquez, a Cuban-born teenager from New Orleans who fought disguised as a man during the American Civil War.

On Victory Garden presents Urban Oasis at 4:30 Saturday, Jamie Durie  visits a city oasis that sits atop the Frank Gehry – designed Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles.

Austin City Limits presents alternative rock icon Radiohead at 7 pm Saturday.

KLRU Q Saturday at the Movies – 5/11

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KLRU Q - Night at the Movies

KLRU-Q’s Saturday Night at the Movies presents a full-length feature film every Saturday night, plus extra content that gives the evening an exciting spin. Each film explores the work of legendary actors and actresses through many important films from their careers. Here is a peek of what this Saturday has in store:

7:00 – Just Seen It “Episode #204“
Just Seen It is the review show where film school graduates and working entertainment professionals review the newest in theaters, on TV and cable as well as offer industry interviews.

7:30 – On Story “Elements Of Great Horror“
Professional horror writers explore how great drama lies at the core of the most frightening films, and discuss the style and techniques used to invoke fear, suspense and thrills that linger long after the credits roll.

8:00 – Hollywood Stars Film Package “Rain Man”
A wheeler-dealer (Tom Cruise) meets his brother (Dustin Hoffman), an institutionalized autistic-savant and heir to $3 million.

10:15 – Hollywood Stars Film Package “Hoosiers“
A college basketball coach leaves the Navy in 1951 and becomes coach of an underdog Indiana high-school team.

 

 

Science Night 5/15

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Nature Great Zebra Exodus at 7 pm
When thunderclouds begin to gather over Botswana’s Kalahari each year, 20 000 zebras begin an ancient journey, as southern Africa’s biggest animal migration gets underway. In a never-ending quest for grass and water, the striped herds make their epic trek across the vast otherworldly landscape of the Kalahari’s Makgadikgadi Pans, through prides of lions, and past families of meerkats, taking on the desert salt pans in their own way. The story of this spectacular annual migration is told through the eyes of zebra stallions, their mares, and their young, revealing the trials and triumphs and the fascinating social bonds that hold zebra families together.

NOVA Decoding Neanderthals at 8 pm
Over 60,000 years ago, the first modern humans—people physically identical to us today—left their African homeland and entered Europe, then a bleak and inhospitable continent in the grip of the Ice Age. But when they arrived, they were not alone: the stocky, powerfully built Neanderthals had already been living there for hundred of thousands of years. So what happened when the first modern humans encountered the Neanderthals? That question has tantalized generations of scholars and seized the popular imagination. Then, in 2010, a team led by geneticist Svante Paabo announced stunning news. Not only had they reconstructed much of the Neanderthal genome—an extraordinary technical feat that would have seemed impossible only a decade ago—but their analysis showed that “we” modern humans had interbred with Neanderthals, leaving a small but consistent signature of Neanderthal genes behind in everyone outside Africa today. In “Decoding Neanderthals,” NOVA explores the implications of this exciting discovery.

Secrets of the Dead Cavemen Cold Case at 9 pm
A tomb of 49,000 year-old Neanderthal bones discovered in El Sidron, a remote, mountainous region of northern Spain, leads to a compelling investigation to solve a double mystery: How did this group of Neanderthals die? And could the fate of this group help explain Neanderthal extinction? Scientists examine the bones and discover signs that tell a shocking story of how this group may have met their deaths. Some bones bear distinct signs of cannibalism. Was it a result of ritual or hunger? Neanderthal experts are adamant that they were not bloodthirsty brutes. What happened here 49,000 years ago will take viewers on a much bigger journey – from El Sidron to the other end of the Iberian Peninsula, where scientists are excavating beneath the seas off Gibraltar in search of Neanderthal sites.

 

Highlights: May 12 to May 18

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KLRU Highlights

Great Performances At The Met Un Ballo In Maschera at 2 pm Sunday features Marcelo Allvarez, Dmitri Hvorostovsky and Sondra Radvanovsky in David Alden’s production of Verdi’s opera.

On Call The Midwife Episode #201 at 7 pm Sunday, Jenny witnesses persecution of a different kind when she looks after a black mother-to-be who is subjected to racial prejudice from neighbors.

Masterpiece presents Mr. Selfridge, Part 7 at 8 pm Sunday. F.W. Woolworth tries to undercut his old friend and competitor, Harry, who gives the discount king a run for his money.

10 Buildings That Changed America at 9 pm Sunday tells the stories of 10 American architectural marvels.

On David Suchet In The Footsteps Of St. Paul Episode #102, Suchet follows Paul’s journey to the west where the name of Jesus was not known.

Antiques Roadshow rocks out at Seattle‘s EMP Museum and discusses Jimi Hendrix’ trend-setting fashion style at 7 pm Monday

Antiques Roadshow returns to Houston, Texas with Vintage Houston at 8 pm Monday.

Independent Lens  The Invisible War at 9 pm Monday investigates one of America’s most shameful and best kept secrets: the epidemic of rape within the U.S. military.

American Experience tells the story of Annie Oakley, a five-foot-tall sharpshooter who pulled herself out of the depths of poverty to become known as a symbol of the Wild West.

Constitution USA With Peter Sagal presents It’s A Free Country at 8 pm Tuesday. Sagal explores the history of the Bill of Rights and addresses several stories involving freedom of speech, freedom of religion and right to privacy.

Frontline presents Never Forget to Lie at 9 pm Tuesday. In his latest film, Marian Marzynski returns to the Warsaw ghetto of his childhood and tells the story of how he as a Jewish boy escaped the Holocaust.

On Story presents A Conversation With Chris Carter, Creator Of The X-Files at 10 pm Tuesday. Carter reveals the secret behind the creation and success of The X-Files and how he stirred audiences using the power of mythology.

On Arts In Context presents Judge’s Choice at 10:30 Tuesday, creativity triumphs all for a group of artists who unapologetically reflect reality in their work.

NOVA presents Decoding Neanderthals at 8 on Wednesday. Shared DNA reveals a deep connection with our long-vanished human cousins.

Secrets of the Dead presents Cavemen Cold Case at 9 pm Wednesday. Discover a tomb of 49,000 year-old Neanderthal bones and investigate how this find can help explain Neanderthal extinction?

Overheard with Evan Smith presents TV Writer and Producer Larry Wilmore at 7 pm Thursday. Wilmore is “Senior Black Correspondent” for The Daily Show, and a television writer and producer.

Arts In Context presents Hold My Hand at 7:30 pm Thursday. Sharon Marroquin, an Award-winning dancer whose life drastically changed when she was diagnosed with cancer, uses her art as an expression of her personal struggle.

Capital Of Innovation Austin’s Top Female Entrepreneurs at 8 pm Thursday introduces viewers to some of Austin’s most intriguing female entrepreneurs.

The Daytripper heads to one of Texas’s largest cities, San Antonio, to explore its amazing missions and forts not called “The Alamo” at 8:30 Thursday.

Civic Summit Austin After 10-1 at 9 pm Thursday takes an in-depth look at how the change to Austin City Council’s governing structure will impact voters.

Sam Cooke – Legend at 9 pm Friday examines the visionary singer, songwriter, producer and his extraordinary career and personal life.

Central Texas Gardener presents Creative Houseplant Design at noon & 4 pm Saturday. Bring the garden indoors with clever ideas for interior design.

Victory Garden presents Edible Gardens at 4:30 Saturday. Paul Epsom shares tips from New York’s finest – the edible gardens at the New York Botanical Garden.

On History Detectives at 5 pm Saturday, discover the role behind a scorecard, a game play, a name weaved on a basket, and a crime radio drama with Jackie Robinson All- Stars, Modoc Basket, Special Agent Five.

Austin City Limits present alternative rock superstars Arcade Fire at 7 pm Saturday.

On Secrets Of Highclere Castle at 9 pm Saturday, take a behind the scenes look of one of the England’s most spectacular country houses that is famous for being the backdrop to the world’s most successful costume drama.

Submarines on KLRU Q 5/9

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Submarines are the focus of the night on KLRU Q for May 9th!
8:00pm - Frozen North: Sir Hubert’s Forgotten Submarine Expedition
Sir Hubert Wilkins renovated a WWI submarine, enlisted a crew of 20, and planned to make headlines with a daring expedition. The ship was christened “Nautilus,” made famous by Jules Verne’s novel 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea. In the riveting documentary, oceanographer Hans Fricke searches for the wreck of Nautilus. With a wealth of historical footage, modern re-enactments, and the help of a 1:1 steel model of the sub, one of the last polar adventures of our time is brought back to life

8:55pm - Lost and Found: The Legacy of the USS Lagarto
This program recounts the discovery of a WWII US Navy submarine; the first found since the war ended. Missing for more than 60 years, Lagarto and her crew of 86 men vanished during war patrol in the Pacific in 1945. Divers John Chatterton and Richie Kohler, who discovered an unknown sunken German U-Boat near New Jersey described in the best-seller “Shadow Divers,” take viewers to the final resting spot of the American sub at the bottom of the Gulf of Thailand. Their underwater high definition video reveals the evidence of Lagarto’s fierce battle involving split-second decisions against a Japanese convoy.

9:55pm - Secrets of the Kursk
In 2000, the Russian nuclear submarine Kursk sunk in the Barents Sea. The tragedy was surrounded in controversy. The Russian military and politicians in charge stifled all information about how the accident occurred, fearful of the perceived blow to Russian prestige. What caused the accident? Was negligence involved? Was the government’s underfunding of the military a part of the equation? Secrets of the Kursk is an intriguing look at a mystery that turned the former pride of the Russian people into a nightmare that haunts them to this day.

Capital of Innovation this month on KLRU

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Capital of Innovation presents Austin’s Top Female Entrepreneurs on May 16 and May 30 at 8 pm! Women are innovating like never before, and this episode introduces viewers to some of Austin’s most intriguing female entrepreneurs. Their accomplishments include a medical device that could have a global impact on health care, a unique car designed for wheelchair-bound drivers, stylish bags spun from recycled bottles that are winning over consumers nationwide, and the transformation of a languishing neighborhood into an entertainment destination.

KLRU will also present an encore of Video Game Entrepreneurs on May 9 and 23 at 8 pm. In this episode, meet some of the innovators who’ve helped make Austin the nation’s third largest video game production community.

Wild! on KLRU Q – 5/10

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KLRU Q Featured

KLRU Q will feature three Wild! episodes in a row on May 10th! Tune in and explore the animal world with three exciting films.

8:00 – Animal Inventors: Animal Engineers
The animal world is a vast untapped reservoir of engineering design and technology. This film explores the design principles that the natural world has been built on and looks at the parallels in the human world, demonstrating that animals beat us to the patent office by several million years with solutions to many of the great engineering challenges.

8:59 – Animal Inventors: Animal Magicians
Episode two reveals some of nature’s most powerful secrets from medical solutions for cancer and diabetes to finding the answers to the most vexing of questions, such as how can humans live longer, love longer and live in outer space?

9:58 – Animal Inventors: Animal It
This film explores the world of animal senses and animal intelligence. We may think we’re the smartest creatures on earth but animals often see and hear far more than we can. Their senses are more finely tuned and their responses much faster. Human roboticists are now turning to animal tech for inspiration in building the next generation of artificially intelligent machines.