The homework machine; “Peruvians live in Peru”; classic toons
I found, on YouTube, a record that I used to listen to when I was a child in Esmeraldas: Danny Dunn and the Homework Machine.
Side 1:
Side 2:
Along with the Hardy Boys novels, this record introduced me to U.S. teenhood. From it I picked up 1950s–1960s lingo (This must be how teenagers talk, I thought) and some regrettable attitudes about doing homework.
The story is told as a musical. When I was a child, I didn’t relish this. Now I think the songs are pretty funny:
The best song is by a girl whose computer-generated report on Peru has been sabotaged; and who, therefore, must “wing it,” Sally Brown-style, in front of the class:
Samuel was fascinated by all of this – the songs, the disembodied dialog (he hasn’t heard many podcasts or radio dramas), and, especially, the computer noises.
♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦
An even better find: five hours of classic Looney Tunes, gorgeously remastered.
It’s a pleasure to watch old favorites like “A Corny Concerto” (the second cartoon in the video) looking this good.
Samuel liked this pretty well, too.
Side 1:
Side 2:
Along with the Hardy Boys novels, this record introduced me to U.S. teenhood. From it I picked up 1950s–1960s lingo (This must be how teenagers talk, I thought) and some regrettable attitudes about doing homework.
The story is told as a musical. When I was a child, I didn’t relish this. Now I think the songs are pretty funny:
And now I realize that the characters are pre-teens, not teenagers.Girls are a painYou know what I meanThey like going shoppingAnd they like keeping clean
The best song is by a girl whose computer-generated report on Peru has been sabotaged; and who, therefore, must “wing it,” Sally Brown-style, in front of the class:
I like it that her classmates start singing along with this drivel. Then the song morphs into a mariachi or whatever. Wrong country … but this does reflect the student’s predicament.Peruvians live in PeruJust like you’d expect them to doJust like Romans live in RomeAnd the Finns make Finland their homePeruvians live in PeruJust like you’d expect them to do
Samuel was fascinated by all of this – the songs, the disembodied dialog (he hasn’t heard many podcasts or radio dramas), and, especially, the computer noises.
♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦
An even better find: five hours of classic Looney Tunes, gorgeously remastered.
It’s a pleasure to watch old favorites like “A Corny Concerto” (the second cartoon in the video) looking this good.
Samuel liked this pretty well, too.