March 2008 Archives

Dog Whisperer with Cesar Millan: The Ultimate Episode Guide is now in bookstores! Featuring every story from the first three seasons, plus behind-the-scenes secrets and Cesar tips, this new book is a MUST HAVE for Dog Whisperer fans and dog lovers everywhere.

Revisit three of your favorite episodes in these exclusive excerpts:

Over the next two weeks or so, we'll relay some interesting facts about how we as humans consume not only on a daily basis, but throughout the course of our lifetimes. We'll kick it off with the basics....trash.

Our Trash Imprint
We are now consuming resources faster than the Earth can replace them. In fact, if everyone in the world lived like we do, we would need at least four planets to meet our demand for natural resources and absorb our waste and pollution.

So, just how much trash will each of us leave behind over a lifetime? All of that food, diapers, soap and deodorant has an impact and leaves an impression -- our human footprint on the Earth. And if you break it down, the numbers can be alarming:

Every day, each of us sends 20 gallons of sewage through the system. Over a lifetime, that is 567,575 gallons. To deal with the waste, the United States has built 16,000 treatment centers across the country.

Each of us will send 64 tons of waste to landfills over our lifetime.

Every year the United States will generate 246 million tons of solid waste.

Americans throw out 11 million tons of glass bottles ever year -- that's the same weight as 440 Titanics or 30 Empire State Buildings!

Every second, Americans throw away 694 plastic bottles, adding up to 60 million a day.

And we dispose of 100 million aluminum and steel cans every day -- enough to build a roof over all of New York City.
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All calculations for the film use the following assumptions: An average lifetime is 77.75 years or 28,379 days. The U.S. population is rounded to 301,000,000.

Back in December the channel announced that it would begin airing a series devoted solely to showcasing a dog rehabilitaion center called DogTown and while we believed that it was a quality program, we did not expect the outpour of viewer support for the show. We are happy to say that the show will be coming back with new episodes soon and that this Sunday you can watch the episode that started it all, DogTown: Crisis Dogs.

This episode introduced you all to some of the big-hearted folks at the crisis center, Head Veterinarian Dr. Mike, and trainers Sherry Woodard and John Garcia. Not to mention meeting residences of DogTown Porto, Remington, and Ruger.

Join Nat Geo Channel all day long on Sunday as we present the first ever Dog Days Marathon on the channel. Beginning at 2:00p man's best friend has its time to shine....Woof.

Below is the first hand account from Bounty Huner Robert Dick and what ran through his own mind as he was on the chase. The account that he cites can be seen in Bounty Hunters: Cat and Mouse that airs this Monday at 10p.

Robert Dick

The event starts off with Leonard running a call into the residence where the defendant lives. The residence is also the fathers residence and the father coincidently is not only the cosigner on the bail bond for the defendant but is also out on bail himself with the same bail bond company that we are chasing his son on.

A male answers the phone claiming to be the defendant and during the conversation gives an address that is two blocks away as his home address. From that moment we know the address is good and that our defendant is inside the residence that we are watching from a block away.

National Geographic Channel's flagship program, Explorer, has re-launched its blog with a new approach and sharp look. The re-launch will include more stories from teh field, more updates of what is going on with the society's resident Explorers and much more.

Right now there is great ongoing story from Korin Anderson and her experience filming the upcoming premiere of Explorer: Border Wars. I'd say its a good read about a very timely topic here in the United States.

Check it out by clicking here.

UPDATE: The Explorer Blog just put up another one related to Border Wars.

Over the past three years National Geographic Channel has gone inside some of America's toughest prisons. From profiling gang-life to what it is like for women who are locked up, Lockdown has been the leader of showing what real life is like on the inside. Sunday's premiere of Lockdown: County Jails is another chapter in the story of the United States' prison system.

Throughout this series we have heard your opinions, listened to your stories, and watched the debate of this very controversial sub-culture of our society. Below are responses from viewers from all walks of life reacting to the show. The channel appreciates the dialogue and hopes for it to continue. Comment here or e-mail us your thoughts directly at comments@Natgeochannel.com with Lockdown Reaction in the subject line.

Greetings to everyone. I was delighted to see these Officers doing the job of law enforcement that most people don't get to see. Why? Because these things take place behind the walls. I was as a Correction Officer in New York City and worked on Riker's Island. I am retired due to a line of duty injury. Only the family of this officers have any idea of the stress that they endure on a daily basis. For the most part they don't talk about it. So please give thanks to these brave officers for the guts they have to deal with these inmates. They deal with the worst of our society. They see and experience things most of the people on the outside do not see and deal with. - C/O Rodriguez

I enjoy the show; it gives the public an idea of how life is in prison. I had the misfortune of doing time in a men's prison for a drug violation. First off, the few luxuries you see inmates with they bought themselves. All the State gives you is clothes, 3 [pots] and a cot. Every thing else is purchased thru commissary. Even the T.V. they watch. A heavy price is paid in day after day of the same poor food quality. Constant boredom. Huge over crowding, bad smells. Indifferent staff, it is an all around nightmare if you are caught up in it. My biggest beef was the over crowding, three men to a cell that in the past 1 man would groan about. So don't be thinking it's a tip toe in the tulips... The US has the most people in prison in the harshest of conditions of any where in the world. Other countries still treat there prisoners with dignity. Here you are just a number, no rehabilitation; just warehouse them in the US. - Jeff

**Attn readers: America's Port Blog Launched**

Slated to begin April 6th at 10p, America’s Port provides an unblinking view of this vibrant and colorful nerve center for global trade. Gain access to the high-tech control rooms that coordinate thousands of calculated ship movements each year. Climb aboard a container ship with chief port pilot Michael Rubino, who stays calm while chaos erupts around him, and comb through cargo with U.S. Customs Port Director Todd Hoffman. Stay alongside the LA Port Police, one of the few police forces in the nation dedicated exclusively to 24/7 port activities, as they investigate a rape case, conduct bomb sweeps under wharfs or dive into the harbor in search of missing persons.

A new blog has been launched surrounding the channel's newest series. There you will hear from producer Molly Mayock and the rest of her production crew on what it was like filming inside America's largest port. Additionally there will be video, quizzes, profiles of the port workers and more.

Click here to visit the blog.

Catherine Shin Associate

Producer, Lockdown

As the bars and clubs empty out late Friday night, more arrestees crowd into the basement of downtown Portland's maximum-security jail. Soon, the booking department is bustling at the Multnomah County Detention Center in Oregon. Most walk in drunk, high, or both. Many are upset. Some are angry and more than ready to express those sentiments. They may simply yell and scream or take it a step further by violently lashing out at anyone within their reach.

Watching the officers manage this chaotic confusion, I realized just how dangerous their job can be. Multnomah County's booking department is one of the busiest in the country. It takes in about 3500 inmates each month, more than 100 a day. Weekend nights see the most activity.

The most striking threat I immediately noticed here is the volatility. Police bring these suspects right off the street, and along with them comes a lot of uncertainty. Since most arrestees are still hopped up on some kind of substance or coming down from it, their emotions are intense and unpredictable. Some bring an inclination for violence. Methamphetamine is popular in this area and particularly problematic for law enforcement. The drug elevates aggression levels and psychotic behavior, often generating fierce outbursts.

Want to know what's inside a golf ball that makes it fly so far through the air? Or how you build a boat that speeds 55 miles per hour and holds 12 friends? And just how a firework bursts into multiple colors and patterns at exactly the right time?

Marshall Brain, author of the best-selling book "How Stuff Works," travels across the country as he finds out what happens when traditional assembly lines collide with cutting-edge technology to build familiar yet extraordinary objects in our everyday lives. Marshall takes us inside some of our country's most impressive, state-of-the-art factories to reveal the science behind their everyday operations, detailing the intricate engineering and manufacturing processes to ensure the absolute perfection of these products.

Before your next triple bogey, journey into the world of product design, manufacturing and testing as National Geographic Channel premieres the first of three fact-filled one-hour episodes of the new series Who Knew? With Marshall Brain on Thursday, March 13, beginning at 9 p.m. ET/PT. Learn how people and machines manufacture some of the most fascinating things in life...like golf balls, speedboats, fireworks, bikes and airbags.

For more, check out National Geographic Channel Videos for clips and insights from Marshall Brain.

It's over. Civilization as we know it is gone and what we left behind is breaking down and eroding. This is what life on earth is like now that the human race has vanished. Below are some theories of what the world will be like between the fifth year and thirtieth year without the human race.

The Greening of Urban Areas - In only five years, moss is overtaking paved areas. This moss creates conditions for grass to grow, a process known as 'ecological succession'. The freezing/thawing process breaks cracks and holes in the pavement, creating more places or grass to take hold. Soon, moss and grass will create environments for trees to take root in children's playgrounds, city streets and highways, and even in some cars.

Human Relics Return to Earth - Humans left more than 25,000 objects in space (ranging from clamps to satellites). Solar storms that cause the Earth's atmosphere to expand have slowed down these orbiting objects. These slower speeds are causing the objects to fall from space and burn through the Earth's atmosphere, giving the appearance of shooting stars.

Homes Are Caving In - Human homes are slowly collapsing. Animals have been chewing through walls while seeds fall through holes in ceilings creating homes for trees. Rain has also been getting in through holes, causing the floors and walls to rot.

Meanwhile, in the Sea - Over 50,000 ships have run ashore or have sunk to the bottom of the ocean. Coral has been growing on sunken ships, providing thousands of new environments for fish to breed.

Shattering Cities - Loud crashing sounds can be heard throughout cities. What's causing this? Windows are falling out of skyscrapers as their silicone caulking and metal clips begin to give way.

Unconventional Clashes - Packs of wild dogs have reached the countryside in search of food. Without easy prey, they're willing to attack just about anything, including escaped elephants.

What attracted you to this project / why did you want to be involved?

Vargas: The magnitude of the message is what attracted me to this project. Human Footprint does not just tell you how many hamburgers you will eat in a lifetime. We trace those hamburgers back to the farm where the cattle were raised. The film then shows the resources it took to raise those cows and bring the meat to market. Following the life cycle of these items really opens your eyes to the impact that one hamburger or can of soda or bottle of shampoo has on the world.

What was it like actually seeing these amazing setups and thinking about all that we consume as Americans?

Vargas: The setups were elaborate, and the crew put great effort into making sure that every detail was met. When they pulled apart the car, there was a forklift that moved heavy parts like the motor around the map. Volunteers carried spark plugs and the windshield from country to country on the map until everything was in its place of origin.

Then, there were the ducks. Twelve Human Footprint volunteers spent an entire morning laying out 28,433 ducks -- each one representing the showers we will take in a lifetime. How much room does it take for all those ducks?

Vargas: The ducks started in the second-floor bathroom of an average house, went down the stairs, outside the front door, spilling out onto the street, into the neighborhood and eventually down the road to a nearby pond -- creating a stunning visual representation of how much time we spend in the shower!

Did the making of this film impact your human footprint?

Vargas: Yes, I now look at what I and my family consume. From the diapers I put on my son to the newspapers I recycle, I see everything differently and try to conserve as much as possible. I find myself shutting off lights more than ever before and taking that extra step to unplug unused appliances. We forget that even though that appliance is not in use, just by being plugged in, it uses energy and resources.

What was the most shocking fact you learned while filming Human Footprint?

Vargas: I was amazed at how much Americans actually throw away. We will generate 246 million tons of trash this year alone. We will throw away 11 million tons of glass bottles and jars and 36 billion aluminum cans. And I never knew that packaging alone accounts for 33 percent of the trash we make. It is amazing to think about what we leave behind just in landfills.

What do you hope viewers will learn from this show?

Vargas: I hope that everyone watching this show can see that as each of us has an impact, each of us has a footprint. We also each have a responsibility to monitor our consumption and work on reducing our footprint. I know that every new fact I learned has helped me to look at my household and ways that we can reduce our consumption.

If each of us just lowers the thermostat 2 degrees in wintertime and raises it 2 degrees in summertime, we could each save 2,000 pounds of carbon dioxide every year.

Drastic changes to the environment. Animals running wild. Meltdowns and explosions all over the world. This is what life will be like on earth from day ten to one year after humans vanish from existence. Below are some of the changes that could effect earth between day 10 and the first year without the human race.

Cattle Can't Survive - Dairy cows need to be milked every day or their udders will get infected. Without humans to take care of them, many have died.

Nuclear Meltdown - Super-heated steam pours out of nuclear power plants as spent nuclear fuel boils the water in cooling tanks. Buildings buckle under the intense heat. As radioactive fallout spreads, nearby forests are decimated. Pine trees turn red as chlorophyll is damaged.

Radioactive Aftermath - Large animals are fleeing areas where plants have died from radiation. Smaller animals aren't as fortunate. They live on the forest floor where leaves and dirt are coated with radioactive material. Within the next ten years half the rodents and insects in the tainted areas will die. Large forests have become eerily quiet.

Radioactive Recovery - Trees within five miles of the nuclear power plant meltdowns can't regenerate. Further away, rainstorms are washing the radioactive particles into the ground.

Weather Changes - Much of the radiation has fallen out of the skies. Without humans, cities are quiet. The weather is changing, too. With less dust in the air, less rain falls in cities. The cleaner air increases visibility, in some cities from 20 to 100 miles.

Unconventional Clashes - Packs of wild dogs have reached the countryside in search of food. Without easy prey, they're willing to attack just about anything, including escaped elephants.

World Without Polluters - Without cars pumping seven billion tons of carbon dioxide into the air each year, greenhouse pollution begins to abate. New plants and leaves draw carbon from the air, helping to remove human pollution.

Imagine if the human race vanished from existence. What would happen to all we left behind? What would happen to our pets? What would happen to homes that we left standing? What about our electric and nuclear plants - would they keep churning out energy?

Many questions, and few definite answers, but scientists are beginning to explain and explore what would happen if the human race suddenly did not exist. Below are just a number of effects that the earth would experience in the first week of non-human existence.

Without electric fencing to keep them in place, some zoo animals begin to escape their cages. The streets are becoming overrun with animals that are unaccustomed to their new surroundings.

In the United States alone, over 245 million pets (including 88 million cats and 75 million dogs) aren't being fed. These hungry animals are now either foraging in their homes or trying to break out to find other sources of food. Millions of cockroaches will die during the first winter without indoor heating to keep them warm. Squirrels, skunks, and other animals find new dens in newly vacant human homes.

Without people to maintain the system, power grids fail as rolling blackout spread across the United States. Coal-burning power plants go offline as coal deliveries cease. In hydro-electric plants, turbines flood without humans to maintain water levels. Highly automated nuclear power plants detect power-grid failures and automatically shut down their reactors.

The chlorine that oil refineries use to create gasoline is no longer being kept cold. Pressure release valves begin to discharge chlorine, endangering any animals that keep their noses close to the ground. Liquefied natural gas from natural gas depots also starts to escape through vents. What isn't burned by flares will ignite large explosions causing many chemical plants catch fire.

The bright lights from cities had interfered with birds' natural navigational instincts. With the electricity off, these birds fly safely over urban areas.

For more about Sunday's premiere click over to NGCAftermath.com