Celebrating 100 posts...

To mark Be more Tuned In's 100th post, we will take a break from linking to other sites today. Instead, we will take a look back at some of the highlights readers, Web watchers and listeners have found here since the blog started on March 27, 2006.

Since then, we've explored the realms of public television, its innovative programming and the people who make it work. Thank you to all of our users and stay tuned to the blog as we keep trying new ideas, take you to new places and introduce you to more exciting people in the next 100 posts to come.

Click the link below to to take a look back at some of our favorite highlights...

On the blog's first day, we started off with something completely different -- an interview with Monty Python star Terry Jones, who spoke about his new documentary project about the number "one." He also talked about the always-steady popularity of the legendary comedy troupe. "It's always good to see a new generation having the chance to be exposed to all of the mind-sapping nonsense that we created back then," he said.

In April 2006, Walter Ray Williams, Jr. gave us an insight into the fascinating world of professional bowling. Williams is not only one of the greatest bowlers of all time, he is also a championship horseshoe-thrower. Armed with a degree in physics, Williams takes a different approach to the two sports than many of his competitors. "I look at bowling as a statistical thing," he said. "It's a numbers game. I know that if you throw a ball in a certain spot, you're not going to strike every time, but you'll find more success in that spot than somewhere else."

The Red Green Show was a WPT staple for many years. So, when it came time for the show's run to end, we spoke with Steve Smith, the man who brought the plaid- and suspender-clad character to life. He told us about the show's origins, how American public television saved the series in its fledgling days and his personal admiration for his fans in Wisconsin. "The people of Wisconsin have been great to me and to the show," he said. "I'll always remember the great response I got when we came down for the (Duct Tape Forever) movie premiere. Even when we would tape the show, there were always folks from Wisconsin who would drive up to watch. They're just a terrific group of people and I thank them immensely."

When we talked with Roscoe Orman, the actor who has played the role of Gordon on Sesame Street for more than 30 years, he told us about his pride in being a part of public television. "Public television is such a beacon for programming of all sorts," he said. "Outside of the children's programming, the news and information programs and the performing arts series' can't be found anywhere else. PBS is a tremendous gift in this country. For 30 years, we've been there together growing in our roles. I think that too many people take it for granted. If we were to lose it, the loss to the people in the United States would be considerable."

Camera in hand, we've taken our readers behind-the-scenes for the creation and set-up of WPT's Quilt Expo and Garden Expo, to find out just what it takes to cover the Exhibition Hall at the Alliant Energy Center with colorful quilts and to create a virtual garden wonderland in the midst of a frigid February.




Earlier this year, we launched a series of audio podcasts, beginning with an interview with Chef Rick Bayless about a new season of Mexico: One Plate at a Time that took him to the Yucatan Peninsula.

Since then, we've brought our readers and listeners conversations with Kevin Clash, the muppeteer and voice of Elmo, the Beatles' original drummer Pete Best, television producer Rick Sebak and others.

And, in a favorite blog highlight, we spoke with award-winning filmmaker Ken Burns in March about his upcoming multi-part documentary, The War. In our conversation Burns talked about early controversies that faced the film and how public television has given him the opportunity to tell American stories in a way that no other outlet would.