How cool is this!

I'm watching a documentary about the building of the Panama Canal. They have some of the most amazing old video documentation of it being built!!

AND..........this part is what I thought was so very stunning........They had an interview with one of the men who had helped build the Canal. He looked like he was about 80. Then, the documentary's narrator mentioned that he was the last surviving man who had helped build it - and that he was 104 years old!! He looked so fabulous - and he was as sharp as a tack!

Over 27,000 men died in the building of the canal.

Anyway............I love these History Channel dvds.

Any other history buffs here?

I love history. That is really neat about the show. I would love to watch that.
That is a lot of men to die. :o(

Savannah wrote:

Over 27,000 men died in the building of the canal.

What the heck?!?! Seriously???? I never knew!!

My hubby & sons are the history buffs in this family...I watch the History Channel only when they force me too. (But I did like that "Universe" show that was on.

I love History Channel, but not all they say it's 100% accurate. However, I DO know people who is more than 104 years old and looks great, as if they have 80! One of my grandpa great-grandauntieswas 108when she died and she was in good health, could reason perfectly and had never gone to a doctor. She died while sleeping. Her husband died at 50, killed by Indians.

Vanesa.

It sounds like a very interesting DVD.

I love watching documentaries like these and hearing from the people who actually experienced the various events.

I would love to sit with that man and hear all of the stories he would have to tell. I love hearing stories about how things were.

Savannah wrote:

It *is* a lot of men! A lot of them died from Malaria. The French suffered the most deaths, because they didn't believe that Malaria was transferred through mosquitoes and unsanitary conditions. They lost 22,000 men.

I've seen that before, I wish I had known it was on I certainly would have watched it again. Another deadly disease, also carried by mosquitoes, was Yellow Fever. Many thousands died from that as well. I imagine they also had dysentery or cholera because of unsanitary conditions.

I The History Channel.
I have seen several programs and have learned a lot. I haven't seen the Panama Cannal one... although I have seen a show about the Panama Canal on the Travel channel which was also really neat.

Savannah wrote:

I'm watching a documentary about the building of the Panama Canal. They have some of the most amazing old video documentation of it being built!!

AND..........this part is what I thought was so very stunning........They had an interview with one of the men who had helped build the Canal. He looked like he was about 80. Then, the documentary's narrator mentioned that he was the last surviving man who had helped build it - and that he was 104 years old!! He looked so fabulous - and he was as sharp as a tack!

Over 27,000 men died in the building of the canal.

Anyway............I love these History Channel dvds.

Any other history buffs here?

*yawn*

That's wonderful Savannah!

Savannah wrote:

It wasn't on tv. :fyi: I don't have cable or satellite.

Savannah.... this article might interest you and others in the same boat: (Although from the commercials maybe a lot of you already know this)

PORTLAND, Ore. - Starting in February of next year, all broadcast stations, including KATU, will stop airing an analog signal to you at home.

Right now, we send you two signals - one is analog and the other is digital (a cleaner, clearer and more compact signal).

On Feb. 17, 2009, the government is requiring us to flip off the analog signal, and for some of you that means your TV will, in essence, flip off too.

The government will be auctioning off part of the analog spectrum to companies like Google, to use for things other than TV.

"So all the old spectrum will be used for safety communications and really exciting new wireless applications, some of the things we haven't even thought of yet," explained Megan Pollack with the Consumer Electronics Association.

If you have a TV that needs an antenna to get a signal, you will be affected. You have four options:

Option 1

Get a digital converter box that hooks up between your antenna and your TV. The government is offering a $40 coupon to help with the cost, which is estimated to be between $40 and $70.

"When we send these coupons out, we are trying to make it as easy as possible for consumers. We'll send a list of retailers in their area where they can use the coupon, as well as a list of eligible boxes," said Meredith Baker of the National Telecommunications and Information Administration.

Each household qualifies for two $40 coupons, but you can only use one per box. Also, and this is important, the coupons are available on a first-come, first-serve basis and are only good up to 90 days. So if you have an analog set, you should apply soon. Call 1-888-dtv-2009 or go to www.dtv2009.gov. The converter boxes will be available in stores by the middle of February.

Option 2

Sign up for cable or satellite TV and continue to use your TV as usual. If you have cable or satellite already, you don't need to worry because your company will provide you a digital signal. Your cable or satellite box will serve as the converter.

Option 3

Buy a new DVR or DVD recorder with a digital tuner for around $200. This option only makes sense if you're in the market to buy one anyway.

Option 4

Buy a new television that's able to pick up digital signals. But be aware that digital and high-definition don't mean the same thing!

"You don't need a high-definition television. What you need is a TV with a digital tuner and you can get one of those for a few hundred bucks," said Gerard Catapano from Consumer Reports.

Source: http://www.katu.com/news/problemsolver/15471326.html

flatbroke wrote:

Savannah wrote:

I'm watching a documentary about the building of the Panama Canal. They have some of the most amazing old video documentation of it being built!!

AND..........this part is what I thought was so very stunning........They had an interview with one of the men who had helped build the Canal. He looked like he was about 80. Then, the documentary's narrator mentioned that he was the last surviving man who had helped build it - and that he was 104 years old!! He looked so fabulous - and he was as sharp as a tack!

Over 27,000 men died in the building of the canal.

Anyway............I love these History Channel dvds.

Any other history buffs here?

*yawn*

That's wonderful Savannah!

*rolls eyes* You're just like.........so uncultured. :Hahaha:

Savannah wrote:

*rolls eyes* You're just like.........so uncultured. :Hahaha:

I am too cultured!

I eat cottage cheese every day.

Savannah wrote:

Carol, thank you for the article! The only broadcast tv I watch right now is the local news. I went ahead and requested two coupons, but I haven't decided if I'll do anything about them yet. LOL My dvds will still work.

No problem. Yeah I know what you mean... a lot of the stuff on TV can actually be found online now... And we still have the DVDs, etc...

I got a coupon for my grandma... she'll kill me if her tube goes off :haha: