They say genius is never appreciated in its own time, or however that saying goes, but Hicks was widely appreciated elsewhere. It was his own country that couldn’t accept him unedited, above ground. If you can appreciate yet another explanation for why George Bush is still in the running instead of behind bars and John Kerry is his so-called opposition then this is a film to study.

Atomic Wounds : At 89, Doctor Hida, a survivor of the 1945 atomic bomb at Hiroshima, continues to care for some of the other quarter of a million survivors. Atomic Wounds retraces his dedicated journey and highlights how the terrible danger of radiation was concealed by successive American administrations in the 50's - 70's so that nuclear power could be freely developed, with no concern for public health.

The Day the Wave Came: The magnitude and destruction of a Tsunami is hard to comprehend. This minute-by-minute account reveals the human face of the 2004 tragedy. A torrent of water sweeps through a street, destroying everything in its path. In the background, women are screaming. "I remember yelling 'we're all going to die, we're all going to die'", recalls one survivor.

Hours earlier, meteorologist Smith Dharmasroja had desperately tried to get a warning out. When the wave struck Sri Lanka, Sulochana Perera attempted to rescue many drowning children, only to see her efforts dashed as the second bigger wave hit. This report reveals how events unfolded around the Indian Ocean: why no warnings were issued, survivors' stories and what the impact has been on their shattered lives. Includes remarkable pictures of the Tsunami.

Secrets Of The Great Barrier Reef: Down Under, just a few nights after the November full moon - when water temperature and tides are just right - one of nature's most extraordinary events explodes into life. Thousands of coral join in an elaborate mating ritual, a synchronized dance of naturally occurring phenomena that help increase the coral's odds of survival.

Journey through more than 1,200 miles of Australia's treasured Great Barrier Reef to discover the secrets of the unique marine life that inhabit this dazzling spectacle, considered to be the world's biggest single structure made by living organisms and declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.

Take a comprehensive look at Operation Iraqi Freedom, from the military buildup and the shock and awe campaign to the fire-fight in Basra and the toppling of Saddam Hussein's statue. With spectacular footage never before seen in the U.S. and first-hand accounts of soldiers, reporters and National Geographic's award-winning production team, 21 Days to Baghdad will feature an exclusive, insider's look at the war strategy that ultimately drove Saddam Hussein from Baghdad.

The great PBS science series Nova scores another hit with Mars: Dead or Alive, capturing all the excitement surrounding the Mars rover landings of early 2004. Originally broadcast just as the first of the twin rovers ("Spirit" and "Opportunity") was experiencing temporary communication problems with Earth-bound mission controllers, this riveting hour-long episode chronicles the risky $820 million Mars Exploration Rover (MER) project from design to touchdown, dramatically illustrating (through the use of detailed simulations and sophisticated computer animation) the considerable chances of failure--a nail-biting gamble considering that fully two-thirds of all previous Mars missions never reached their destination.

Through rigorous testing and initial failure of the MER parachute system to the celebrated transmission of pristine photos from the "Spirit" landing site, we see just how intensely complex and emotionally involving the missions are, especially for Cornell University astronomer and lead MER scientist Steve Squyres and his devoted team of colleagues at Pasadena's Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Careers are on the line as technical problems accumulate, and one feels the same mixture of dread, anxiety, and elation that accompanied the historic return of Apollo 13. A bonus interview with Mars-mission pioneer Donna Shirley puts everything into resonant perspective, celebrating science and the MER missions as an essential human endeavor.

As with all Nova programs, the DVD includes a generous variety of study materials including an interview with Squyres, a detailed look at the anatomy of the Mars rovers, links to a companion website, and a "math activity" feature allowing viewers to understand the aerodynamic variables of parachute design. If you're among those who feel that NASA and MER tax dollars are wasted, this DVD will probably change your opinion.

The Trials of Henry Kissinger: Part contemporary investigation and part historical inquiry, documentary follows the quest of one journalist in search of justice. The film focuses on Christopher Hitchens' charges against Henry Kissinger as a war criminal - allegations documented in Hitchens' book of the same title - based on his role in countries such as Cambodia, Chile, and Indonesia.

Kissinger's story raises profound questions about American foreign policy and highlights a new era of human rights. Increasing evidence about one man's role in a long history of human rights abuses leads to a critical examination of American diplomacy through the lens of international standards of justice.

Billy Connolly was, in the 1970s, a sort of Scottish Lenny Bruce, who, with devastating humour, sliced through the hypocrisies he perceived. This 1976 documentary follows the singer-comic during his 1975 Irish tour. Made in a cinema verité fashion, the performer appears to be completely unaware of the presence of the camera in his off-stage and backstage moments.

Hidden History Of Rome: Hidden History of Rome also broadcast as The Surprising History of Rome Everyone knows that Nero fiddled while Rome burned, but what was everyone else doing? While exploring the Hidden History of the Roman Empire, Jones learns of the ever-widening gulf that existed between the classes, which were apparent simply from appearance – working class Romans had no time to exercise or sunbathe, whereas the rich regularly indulged in both activities.

From horse races to housing, Hidden History with Terry Jones creates a new understanding of ancient culture that stretches beyond wondrous artifacts and ancient temples, and illuminates the character of people who, although from another time, were very similar to us. .

"Iraq will be better," declared Tony Blair five days after the fall of Saddam. "Better for the region, better for the world, better, above all, for the Iraqi people." That contrasts starkly with the several hundred thousand dead and injured Iraqis, four million refugees inside and outside Iraq, 4,141 coalition soldiers who have died and the cost to the UK of well in excess of £5bn. Yet it's now clear that Mr Blair knew before the invasion that America's planning for post-war recovery was woefully inadequate - and so was Britain's.

There was no properly worked-out strategy for the key longer term objective of transforming it into a stable, prosperous nation that the Blair-Bush vision held out. We know this because Lady [Sally] Morgan, Mr Blair's former political secretary, has said he was "tearing his hair out", and his former foreign affairs adviser Sir David Manning has said he was "very exercised about it". The fact that Mr Blair feared the invasion aftermath might be heading for disaster is potentially more damaging to his reputation than his decision to put the full weight of his office behind the intelligence that Saddam had weapons of mass destruction. For that he had cover from the Secret Intelligence Service.

What, then, is his defence to the charge that he recklessly continued with the invasion? His friends and advisers say his frustration stemmed from his inability to influence the Pentagon, under Donald Rumsfeld, on post-war planning. The hawkish defence secretary had required his generals to give America a "lite" footprint - a small invasion force that could be rapidly withdrawn afterwards. Does this defence stack up? It suggests that Mr Blair's "hair tearing" did not begin until 20 January 2003 - just eight weeks before the invasion.

It was only then that Mr Rumsfeld was put in charge of post-war planning, with a presidential directive establishing a reconstruction unit in the Department of Defense. Considering that the American General George C Marshall was given three-and-a-half years to plan the reconstruction of Germany after World War II, that's leaving things dangerously late.

Metaphor, myth, or reality? Traditions of a 'paradise lost' are surprisingly common and consistent across many cultures. Explore the legend and learn if this marvelous place can be pinpointed. "The truth" is, many cultures share an Eden-like tradition and even agree on the details. Illuminating scholarship traces the origins of this lasting legend.

Ancient texts and cutting-edge satellite imagery point the way to "the truth". Paradise on Earth: did it exist? Can it be found today? The History Channel devotes its authoritative resources to exploring these compelling questions. The Bible says Eden was located east of Israel where four rivers meet: the Tigris and Euphrates and the Pison and Gihon. The latter two have long been considered mythical; however, recent satellite photography suggests these rivers existed in Iraq. Another theory places Eden's location beneath the Black Sea.

Do texts other than the Bible reinforce the idea of Eden? Both the Babylonian Epic of Gilgamesh and Ancient Greek texts speak of a 'paradise lost.' Sift through the evidence to decode an age-old mystery about how paradise was lost, and where it might be found. Whether it was an actual place, or simply a compelling metaphor, the Garden of Eden remains a touchstone element of Western culture, and this in-depth exploration of its mysteries provides a marvelous, informative viewing experience.

Dogfighting Undercover: BBC-Dogfighting Undercover-August 30, 2007 Investigation into the secret and dangerous world of international dogfighting. For a year and a half, a BBC undercover team operated alongside dogfighting gangs in the UK and Europe, capturing on camera the savagery of organised fights. The film also reveals how American pitbull terriers - a banned breed created to be the ultimate canine gladiator - have been sold by the gangs into inner city Britain.

Behind The Big News: Most Americans know the mainstream media manipulates stories, manufactures illusions, and exploits fears. But the reason is more than just liberal bias or sloppy reporting. Behind the Big News exposes a revolutionary agenda originating outside the media that defines today's headlines.

This powerful and fast-paced video examines some of the biggest news stories in recent decades to discover how this subversive agenda is promoted. Behind the Big News also reveals an effective strategy to overcome this ongoing assault on American freedom.

The program starts by speaking of the annual Pentagon budget of $250 billion that is submitted to Congress for approval. From his office in London, Cook asserts that if all the line items are calculated, there is a mismatch of about $20 billion (the 'Black Budget'), which he claims is used for 'black projects.'

He then visits the USA, speaking with several known personalities, including Bob Widmer - an aerospace engineer who worked for General Dynamics-Convair company during the 1950's on an aircraft design known as the 'FISH' as well as Garry Lyles and George Schmidt of NASA who discuss methods of advanced space travel including 'Worm Holes' (from the Breakthrough Propulsion Physics Project). He also meets with a serving congressman, Dana Rohrabacher, who supports Cooks' belief in the often denied 'Aurora' spyplane project, which has allegedly replaced the SR-71 Blackbird. Now firmly onto a good thing, Cook visits scientist/engineer and ex-Lockheed Martin Skunk Works guru, Boyd Bushman to try and catch up with the latest developments in aviation technology.

Discussions and investigations into anti-gravity propulsion ensue with some interesting footage of experiments by John Hutchinson wherein objects 'lose weight' and lift off a workbench when showered with certain energies. In the meantime, we are treated to trying to find an explanation for unexplained 'cattle mutilations' that have been occurring in the US for over four decades. Cook also speaks to Jack Gordon (then President of the Lockheed Martin's Skunk Works) regarding 'white, grey and black' aerospace programs; during the interview Gordon dismisses some of the popular conspiracies regarding the company's work including Aurora.

Do You Want to Live Forever?: Channel 4 Documentary following the revolutionary life-extension and immortality ideas of this somewhat eccentric scientist, Dr. Aubrey de Grey. This show is all about the radical ideas of a Cambridge biomedical gerontologist called Aubrey de Grey who believes that, within the next 20-30 years, we could extend life indefinitely by addressing seven major factors in the ageing process.