National Geographic

THE QUESTION was, "In August 2000, a team from Russia, Norway and Great Britain attempted in vain to rescue the crew of a Russian submarine that sank off the coast of Russia to the floor of which sea?" Got it? Seventh-grader Allan Dickens did - answering, "Barents Sea," and becoming Lindale Middle School's champion in the final round of its National Geographic Bee, sponsored by the National Geographic Society. Allan has taken a written test to qualify for one of the 100 spots in the statewide competition scheduled April 6. The winner on the state level will represent Maryland at the national event in Washington on May 22-23.

The National Geographic Channel makes its debut next Sunday not from studios in some exotic location, but from 17th and M streets N.W. in Washington, also home of the National Geographic Society headquarters. In its first year, the new channel plans to broadcast some 400 hours of original programming, a blend of news, features and global field reports on topics including history, science, exploration and adventure. But perhaps as much of a draw for locals is the show's studio, which has the same interactive, on-the-street design as NBC's "The Today Show" (the sets share the same architect)

SEATTLE - Getty Images Inc., the largest provider of stock photographs and images to media companies, has signed an exclusive agreement to make photography from National Geographic magazine accessible through its Internet site. Financial terms weren't disclosed. The Seattle company will begin offering the National Geographic Image Collection, best known for photographs of travel, wildlife, adventure and scientific imagery, on its www.gettyone.com in the third quarter. Getty, whose biggest rival is Corbis Corp.

Manchester Fire Company installs officers The Manchester Volunteer Fire Company recently installed new officers at its annual banquet. Administrative officers for the year are: Steve Miller, president; Robert Wheeler, first vice president; Dave Marshall, second vice president; Anna Rae Marshall, recording secretary; Malcolm Helwig, financial secretary; Ralph Dull, treasurer. The board of directors are: Chris Horrigan, Clyde Kreitzer, Bill Black Sr., Brian Graf and Jamie Horrigan. County Firemen's Association representatives are Gary Eppley and Ralph Dull.

As a reporter and editor for National Geographic magazine, Thomas Y. Canby traveled the world, visiting six of the seven continents and scribbling his observations in narrow reporter's notebooks that he stored in his back pocket.When he retired from the Geographic eight years ago, Canby cut back his traveling -- but not his penchant for scribbling. Instead of wandering the globe to find stories, he turned his attention to Sandy Spring, a Quaker stronghold in Montgomery County, where he grew up.Recently, Canby finished a pictorial history of Sandy Spring, "Sandy Spring Legacy," published by the town's historical museum.

James Binko has spent his last 13 summers creating what he calls "geo-evangelists" -- teachers convinced of the importance of teaching geography who spread the word among their colleagues across the country.He has been so successful that his name is now a verb. "All across the country, teachers say, `Have you been Binkoed?' " says Joseph Ferguson, the assistant director of the National Geographic Society's geographic education division. He estimates that, directly or indirectly, about 18,000 teachers have been Binkoed.

For some kids, nonfiction means dry, hard, schoolhouse facts.Jonathan Broscious knows better. The in-line skater found a book in the local library to refresh his memory on skills he knew and teach him new turns. After learning to traverse, or skate downhill, he was ready to roll down his entire street.Jonathan, 13, of Monrovia in Frederick County is one of four Maryland students whose interest in reading to find out about their world has brought an unusual honor, appointment this year to the Junior Member Advisory Board of National Geographic World magazine.

Be a 4Kids DetectiveWhen you know the answers to these questions, go to http://www.4Kids.org/detectives/1. Name Rockwell's 1921 painting at the Whitney.2. When was "The First Circus" animated? ( Go to http://lcweb2.loc.gov/ ammem/oahtml/oahome.html to find out.)3. How many species of seabirds live at Monterey Bay?THE AMERICAN CENTURYGet the big picture of 20th-century America. The Whitney Art Museum and Intel created The American Century Web site at http://whitney.artmuseum.net This site throws an interactive curveball into American history by showing how big events, trends and art grew together throughout the century.

MIAMI -- The explorers battled fat leeches and cliffs so steep and slippery, one false step could mean a plunge of thousands of feet.They navigated a raging, treacherous river. They even heard rumors of the Dugmas, a cult of females who load their fingernails with snake venom for attacks on outsiders.It sounds like an Indiana Jones-style adventure, but it was real.The expedition, sponsored by the National Geographic Society and conducted in November, took four Americans into the inner gorge of the Zangbo River, the world's deepest canyon, in a remote part of Tibet.

NEW YORK -- General Electric Co.'s NBC and Fox Entertainment Group Inc. said yesterday that they will team with National Geographic Ventures to expand the National Geographic Channel to the United States.Fox, the U.S. television, film and sports unit of News Corp., will own 50 percent of the cable TV channel's operations worldwide, except for areas covered by National Geographic U.K., and NBC and National Geographic each will own 25 percent.The fast-growing channel, which features programs on nature and other documentaries, is part of the National Geographic Society, the world's largest nonprofit scientific and educational organization.