ka-BOOM!

For those that question the value of Public Television (you bastards), I give you a real head-turner. For anyone, it's a real find.

The PBS series NOVA, which I believe has been on TV since 1826, has made eight of its specials available online. The whole thing. No commercials.

The jewel of this bunch is a three hour series called "The Elegant Universe."

One of the most ambitious and exciting theories ever proposed - one that may be the long-sought "theory of everything," which eluded even Einstein - gets a masterful, lavishly computer-animated explanation from bestselling author-physicist Brian Greene, when NOVA presents a three-part series on the nuts, bolts, and sometimes outright nuttiness of string theory.

Watch the whole thing free here. Want it full-screen? OkeeDough-kee. As you watch online links will come up to give the biographies of the people talking, interactive features and behind the scenes information.

No one, but no one at a typical network is going to produce a three hour series on string theory. They're all too busy producing shows about spark plugs, motorcycles and the lives of tattoo artists.

A lot of people are critical of funneling public funds into public television. Interestingly, the people critical of public television don't watch it very often. Figures.