I’m now paying for my educational TV only during the week policy, which I’ve attempted to maintain from the school year. I’m pretty liberal on the definition of educational; pretty much anything on Discovery Channel qualifies. (My goal is to limit Hannah Montanna and Suite Life of Zack and Cody. Mind candy! I will admit, however, Phineas and Ferb is quite clever.)

My daughter watched Cities of the Underworld: Maya Underground about the Maya and now tells everyone she meets how the world may end in 2012 and how the Maya sacrificed children when things were going really badly for them—droughts etc. They sacrificed adults if events were going not quite as badly. Killing children seems to have captivated her. Eek!

This makes for interesting dinner conversation, and now my family and friends are all wondering if Hannah would be better TV viewing for my young tween. Mmm....I’ll have to think about the Dracula’s lair episode focusing on Bucharest’s Vlad the Impaler.

(Sunday June 29 is Cities of the Underworld day. Set your Tivos! They are reairing Vietnam, Katrina, Jerusalem, Soviet bases, Maya and Bucharest)

Tags: History, Cities of the Underworld, Maya