December 2010: Great Peformances: “Dance in America: San Francisco’s Ballet’s Nutcracker”

Posted on December 6, 2010 by maappleman

Each month, KLRU chooses a program for your family to enjoy together. This month’s Family Choice program is:

Dance in America: San Francisco Ballet’s Nutcracker
Thursday, December 16th at 8 p.m.

San Francisco Ballet makes the beloved Nutcracker its own, resetting it during the 1915 Panama Pacific International Exhibition and introducing Dance in America viewers to the dazzling Maria Kochetkova and Davit Karapetyan. Recorded in December 2007 by KQED Public Television to help commemorate the company’s 75th anniversary, the work is choreographed by Artistic Director Helgi Tomasson and features sets and costumes by, respectively, Michael Yeargan and Martin Pakledinaz, both repeat Tony Award-winning designers. “Striking, elegant and beautiful,” assessed The New York Times.

Introduced by Olympic champion figure skater Kristi Yamaguchi, a native of the Bay Area and winner of 2008’s Dancing with the Stars, the production encores in high definition and 5.1 surround sound. San Francisco Ballet Music Director and Principal Conductor Martin West conducts Tchaikovsky’s sprightly score.

Repeats:
Friday, December 17, 1-3 & 3-5 a.m.
Sunday, December 19, 3-5 a.m. & 2-4 p.m.
Monday, December 20, 1-3 a.m.

November 2010: NOVA "Dogs Decoded"

Posted on October 28, 2010 by maappleman

Each month, KLRU chooses a program for your family to enjoy together. This month’s Family Choice program is
NOVA “Dogs Decoded
Tuesday, November 9th at 7 p.m.

Dogs have been domesticated for longer than any other animal on the planet, and humans have developed a unique relationship with these furry friends. We treat our pets like a part of the family, and we feel that they can understand us in a way other animals cannot. Now, new research is revealing what dog lovers have suspected all along: Dogs have an uncanny ability to read and respond to human emotions. What is surprising, however, is new research showing that humans, in turn, respond to dogs with the same hormone responsible for bonding mothers to their babies. How did this incredible relationship between humans and dogs come to be? And how can dogs, so closely related to fearsome wild wolves, behave so differently? It’s all in the genes. Dogs Decoded investigates new discoveries in genetics that are illuminating the origin of dogs—with revealing implications for the evolution of human culture as well. NOVA also travels to Siberia, where the mystery of dogs’ domestication is being repeated—in foxes. A 50-year-old breeding program is creating an entirely new kind of creature, a tame fox with some surprising similarities to man’s best friend. “Dogs Decoded” reveals the science behind the remarkable bond between humans and their dogs and spurs new questions about what this could mean for our relationships with other animal species.

Repeats:
1 & 4 a.m., Wednesday, November 10
3 a.m. & 6 p.m., Sunday, November 14

October 2010: Nature “Wolf That Changed America”

Posted on October 4, 2010 by maappleman

NATURE “Wolf That Changed America”
Sunday, October 10^th at 7:00 pm

In the fall of 1893, an adventurous young man rode out from the salons of New York to the wilds of New Mexico. He went to kill a wolf. Not just any wolf, but an outlaw, the leader of a marauding, cattle killing pack. But by the time Ernest Thompson Seton finally met the renegade Lobo, the wolf had become a hero in his eyes. He would write a tale of that encounter that captured the essence of the vanishing wilderness and led both to the establishment of the national park system and the Boy Scout movement in America. In this vivid retelling of the story, the confrontation between Seton and Lobo comes alive, and viewers discover how, together, one man and one wolf set in motion a change in American hearts and minds that is still unfolding.

Repeats:
2-3 a.m., Monday, October 11
4-5 a.m., Tuesday, October 12
2-3 a.m., Sunday, October 17

September 2010: Through A Dog's Eyes

Posted on September 1, 2010 by april

Through A Dog’s Eyes

7-8 p.m., Wednesday, September 8

Through a Dog’s Eyes will change the way you feel about your own dog. The documentary follows a handful of people as they journey through the heartwarming and often challenging process of receiving their service dogs.

Jennifer Arnold, founder of Canine Assistants, discusses her teaching methods and the life-changing impact these dogs have on the recipients and their families. She gives us a glimpse of puppy-rearing and training, and takes us inside the intense and sometimes nerve-wracking experience of matching people with their dogs. Ádám Miklósi, Ph.D., one of the world’s foremost experts in dog cognition, also discusses the science behind Jennifer’s training philosophy.

You’ll also follow the families home and watch their relationships with their dogs unfold. Sometimes what began as love at first sight deepens. Occasionally the initial chemistry doesn’t last. Overall, it’s a bonding process that, as with any relationship, takes work and time.

These hopeful stories provide unique insights into the ways canine assistants improve people’s lives. What’s more, you’ll see your own dog in a whole new light.

Repeats:
6-7 p.m., Sunday, September 12

August 2010: NOVA's “Four-Winged Dinosaur”

Posted on July 29, 2010 by maappleman

NOVA “Four-Winged Dinosaur”

7-8 pm, Tuesday, August 24^th

Imagine a moment from the age of dinosaurs frozen in time: primitive birds, bees, insects, early mammals, the first known flowering plants and of course, dinosaurs, all exquisitely preserved in fine-grained fossils from China’s Liaoning Province. Volcanic eruptions killed and buried victims quickly in this dinosaur Pompeii, capturing soft, fragile features not normally preserved in fossils – notably the feathers on animals that had never been known to have them before. Now, with state-of-the-art animation to bring this lost world to life, NOVA investigates the mysterious feathered dinosaurs that are challenging old ideas about the origin of bird flight. The central character in this drama is a strange little dinosaur with wings on its legs as well as its arms. The pigeon-sized microraptor is the smallest adult dinosaur ever found, perhaps the first known tree dweller. But could it really fly? Is it the key to understanding the origin of flight or merely an evolutionary dead end unrelated to the ancestry of birds? To help solve the riddle, NOVA assembles a team of top paleontologists, aeronautical engineers and paleo-artists to reconstruct microraptor and build a sophisticated model for a wind tunnel experiment. The results have surprising implications for long-accepted ideas about how winged flight began.

For more information, go to the NOVA website.

Repeats:
1-2 & 4-5 a.m., Wednesday, August 25
3-4 a.m. & 6-7 p.m., Sunday, August 29

July 2010: NATURE “Oceans in Glass”

Posted on July 14, 2010 by maappleman

NATURE: Oceans in Glass
Behind the Scenes of the Monterey Bay Aquarium

7-8 p.m., Sunday, July 25th

Thanks to its realistic presentations, the Monterey Bay Aquarium is recognized as one of the most significant and spectacular aquariums in the world. Instead of exhibiting collections of animals, the aquarium presents entire habitats, virtual slices of ocean that include 30,000 animals and plants. But how does an aquarium work? What’s the science behind the magic? Each of the animals here has a story to tell, but of all the animals to be seen here, there is one animal in particular whose presence is drawing world-wide attention — a great white shark.

Repeats:
2-3 a.m., Monday, July 26
4-5 a.m., Tuesday, July 27
1-2 a.m., Monday, August 1

June 2010: America's Orchestra

Posted on June 7, 2010 by maappleman

Craig Ferguson America’s Orchestra: Celebrating the 125 Years of the Boston Pops

7-8pm, Wednesday, June 23rd

Craig Ferguson hosts this star-studded 125th anniversary celebration of the Boston Pops, telling the story of the orchestra’s transformation from summertime entertainment for Bostonians to the national icon it is today. In the past eight decades the Pops has been under the leadership of just three conductors, Arthur Fiedler, John Williams and Keith Lockhart. This special features their work and interviews and/or performances by Audra McDonald, Kristin Chenoweth, Josh Groban, James Taylor, Vanessa Williams, Yo-Yo Ma, Wynton Marsalis, and Roberta Flack. Also featured is rare footage of favorite artists past and present, including Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughan, Johnny Cash, Benny Goodman, Tony Bennett, Sammy Davis, Jr., John Raitt, k.d. lang, The Carpenters, and Patti LaBelle.

Repeats:
Thursday, June 24th, 2-3 a.m. & 8-9 p.m.
Friday, June 25th, 4-5 a.m.
Sunday, June 27th, 4-5 a.m. & 4-5 p.m.

May 2010: National Geographic Bee

Posted on May 17, 2010 by maappleman

The National Geographic Bee
Thursday, May 27, 10-11am

The annual National Geographic Bee returns for the 22nd consecutive year with host and moderator Alex Trebek. The 2010 National Geographic Bee will feature 54 fourth- to eighth-graders vying for the Bee crown and the top prize of a $25,000 college scholarship and lifetime membership in the National Geographic Society. Second and third prizes are college scholarships of $15,000 and $10,000. The finalists, all winners of their state-level geographic bees, have triumphed over a field of nearly 5 million students to earn a place in the national championships. They represent the 50 states, District of Columbia, Atlantic Territories, Pacific Territories and Department of Defense Dependents Schools.

April 2010: When Families Grieve

Posted on April 13, 2010 by Jesse

Sesame Street’s When Families Grieve

Wednesday, April 14^th at 7 pm

When Families Grieve features the personal stories of several families with children who have experienced the death of a parent. This powerful and heartwarming 60-minute show, featuring the Sesame Street Muppets, will provide families in the military and in the general public a valuable service by making the courageous struggles of parents and children visible, while sharing strategies that have helped them cope with grief.

Most recent data state that one in 20 American children under the age of 15 experiences the death of a parent whether it be from illness, suicide, accident or war-related. The death of a parent is one of the most difficult things a child can face; but children are not the only ones that feel overwhelmed and experience change in their behavior. Grieving is a family experience and, thus, the entire family needs support during this most difficult time. This is why When Families Grieve will harness the unique approach that Sesame takes in addressing children’s needs: using the Sesame Street Muppets to aid the communication between adults and children with language and strategies that are child appropriate and useful for the whole family.

Hospice Austin’s Camp Brave Heart is now accepting applications for a free three-day camp, to be held Aug. 2-4. It combines grief support with the fun of a recreational camp and is open to any child in the community age six through 17 who has lost someone due to death in the past year. A majority of the losses involve parents or siblings. We have openings for 100 kids, and unfortunately the need is such that it tends to fill up fast. Parents and guardians can receive more information and an application by calling 342-4784 or by visiting www.hospiceaustin.org <http://www.hospiceaustin.org/> .

When Families Grieve bilingual resource kits will be distributed nationwide.
KLRU will have 100 kits available.
To reserve a kit for pick-up, please email maappleman@klru.org.

March 2010: Dolly Madison, American Experience

Posted on February 22, 2010 by maappleman

Dolly Madison, American Experience
8-9:30pm, Monday, March 1

Style icon, extravagant hostess, humanitarian, doting mother, trusted political advisor, and diplomat. These are the roles we now expect in a First Lady, roles created by President James Madison’s wife, Dolley.Born in relative obscurity before the American Revolution, Dolley’s beauty attracted attention, but it was her political acumen that set her apart in a time when women held no overt political power. As the “first First Lady,” she used her unelected position to legitimize the nation’s new capital, to create a political and social style for the new country and to give Americans a sense of their own national identity. As her successors have gone on to do ever since, Dolley Madison adopted social causes of her own, including advocating for children left orphaned by the War of 1812. This portrait features Tony Award-nominee Eve Best (Nurse Jackie) as Dolley Madison and Tony Award-winner Jefferson Mays as James Madison.
For more information go to the American Experience website.

Repeats:
3-4:30am, Tuesday, March 2
2-3:30am, Wednesday, March 3
3-4:30am, Monday, March 8