Nature's fury...

Tuesday night, WPT will present an encore presentation of NOVA's "Storm That Drowned a City." Airing at 7, the program is a stunning episode that dives into the depths of a natural catastrophe that severely affected New Orleans and other parts of Americas Gulf Coast.

As waters surged and man-made levies broke down, the city was flooded. The storm was a devastating one, yet few people predicted the levels of disaster, human loss and years of clean-up and rehabilitation that would follow.

In the past weeks, many people throughout Wisconsin have felt the destructive power of nature firsthand. While nowhere near the vicious levels of Hurricane Katrina, the flooding during this August's storms have left many people homeless and have devastated communities in the southwest portion of the state. This past Friday, Here and Now offered extensive information about the flooding and the subsequent clean-up efforts. That program can be streamed at this site.

Folks who are still seeking help with weather-related damage and rehab solutions can find state emergency management information here.

Big cats on your television...

Sunday night WPT is going to the cats -- really big cats, too! Tune in at 6 for Wild Things "Cheetahs and Gazelles: Born to Run." Then at 7, Nature "Chasing Big Cats" chronicles cheetahs, lions, leopards, servals and caracals as they socialize and hunt for prey in their African environs.

After the show, venture over to the site Nature has crafted for the program to find a photo slide show, learn how the filmmakers captured such impressive footage and send a virtual trading card of your favorite big cat to your friends.

Over at this BBC site, you can learn more about big cats in the wild. And at this National Geographic site, learn how similar the small cat in your house is to the big cats on the African savanna. Then, check out this news report about folks who are trying to be like their cats so that they can better understand their own pets.

A special video and message from Nancy Zieman...

Hello!

This is Nancy Zieman, host of the public television series Sewing With Nancy, which airs at 9 a.m. Saturdays on WPT.

It was just about a month ago that I was a guest on this blog writing about the Quilt Expo which is quickly approaching. It will be held 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily Thursday, Sept. 13 through Saturday, Sept. 15 in the Exhibition Hall at the Alliant Energy Center, 1919 Alliant Energy Way in Madison.

The event has become one of the country's most exciting quilting forums, with educational opportunities for quilters to partake in and outstanding quilt exhibits for everyone with an appreciation for the art of quilting to view.

Please join me for this premier quilt show, which offers hundreds of spectacular quilts on exhibit, outstanding lectures and workshops from quilting experts, great shopping opportunities and two special evening events.

At 6 p.m. Thursday, help me celebrate "25 years of Sewing With Nancy." We'll laugh together at bloopers, outtakes and candid flashbacks of my hairstyles, clothes and guests over the years.

At 6 p.m. Friday, Vicki Spiering will present "Confessions of a Mad Quilter." It's widely acknowledged that quilting is an incurable but not fatal affliction. Vicki will help guests learn to identify symptoms and define various psychological disorders suffered by today's quilter.

To register to attend the evening events and for complete Quilt Expo details visit our site on the Web.

And, when you're at Quilt Expo, be sure to stop by to say hello. I'll be in the WPT booth from 2:30 to 3:30 p.m. daily and look forward to chatting with you.

I hope to see you there!

-Nancy Zieman

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.

A virtual vacation...

As the days of summer are winding down, are you finding it harder and harder to squeeze in those last few days of vacation and exploration? Portal Wisconsin can help those wandering woes.

Sure, the Web site is the best place to find Wisconsin art and culture, but it is also a great place to use a few minutes at your computer to take a virtual vacation. Through a series of virtual tours, Portal Wisconsin can take you throughout the state without leaving your office. When you visit this site, you can travel to locations like Madeline Island, Prairie du Chien's Villa Louis, the Oshkosh Opera House or 36 other Wisconsin destinations.

And, if those online trips prompt you to find a way to manage one more real vacation before summer ends, head on over to this section of Portal Wisconsin, where you will find a vast series of day trip ideas that will take you from Milwaukee to Minocqua and many towns between. Each day trip is filled with tips from experts in each locale.

A legendary evening...

WPT is in the midst of its important August pledge drive. While that means that it is a great time for viewers who appreciate the fine educational services, informational how-to programming and entertaining fare that the network provides all year long to pledge their support, it is also a chance to catch some great new programs.

One definite highlight of this year's drive has to be The Last of the Breed, which airs Thursday, Aug. 9 at 7:30 p.m. The program captures a Chicago concert from earlier this year that was a part of a tour that brought together three country legends and one of the country's most genuine country swing bands for a night of music, memories and rip-roaring fun.

Willie Nelson, Merle Haggard and Ray Price have all defined the roots of country music for years. At 74, 70 and 81 years old respectively, the three musicians are still putting on some of the most genuine, energy-filled shows in the genre. For the tour, they were backed by Ray Benson's incomparable Asleep at the Wheel, a band that has revived and celebrated country swing for decades.

While the tour was only a few dates long, WPT is happy to provide the opportunity for you to experience these three legends performing together in your own home. Make sure to tune in and pledge your support for more, sustained quality programming on WPT.