Follows next a period spannin'/ Four long years with James Buchanan...
July 3, 2008 3:03 PM Subscribe
In honor of the Fourth, I give you the 50 States and their Capitals, the U.S. Presidents, and in hopes for a better future, what the hell, all the Nations of the World.
Yes, the list of the Presidents is only current through Clinton. Yes, I'm absolutely fine with that. Happy Fourth, everybody.
Yes, the list of the Presidents is only current through Clinton. Yes, I'm absolutely fine with that. Happy Fourth, everybody.
Just in case there's any doubt about his talents, here's Rob Paulsen (His name is Robert Paulsen...) doing The Nations of the World live and by rote.
posted by carsonb at 3:12 PM on July 3, 2008
posted by carsonb at 3:12 PM on July 3, 2008
Because history is all about lists, and geography about place names.
People don't remember, let alone understand, just because rote memorization has been prettied up with a sing-song rhyme scheme.
There's so much that's interesting about US (or world) history, so much insight to be found in geography (about how physical features influence human settlement, how the land shapes economic decisions from the rise the railroads to the current disillusionment with the suburbs because in certain places the ground is yielding less liquified bio-mass).
It's a shame and a loss to not teach this, and instead teach lists.
But I liked the dig at Bush 43.
posted by orthogonality at 3:13 PM on July 3, 2008 [3 favorites]
People don't remember, let alone understand, just because rote memorization has been prettied up with a sing-song rhyme scheme.
There's so much that's interesting about US (or world) history, so much insight to be found in geography (about how physical features influence human settlement, how the land shapes economic decisions from the rise the railroads to the current disillusionment with the suburbs because in certain places the ground is yielding less liquified bio-mass).
It's a shame and a loss to not teach this, and instead teach lists.
But I liked the dig at Bush 43.
posted by orthogonality at 3:13 PM on July 3, 2008 [3 favorites]
Because history is all about lists, and geography about place names.
not only that, animals don't talk - whatever in the world are cartoonists trying to teach our children, anyway?
posted by pyramid termite at 3:16 PM on July 3, 2008 [3 favorites]
not only that, animals don't talk - whatever in the world are cartoonists trying to teach our children, anyway?
posted by pyramid termite at 3:16 PM on July 3, 2008 [3 favorites]
Not only that, the Warners aren't any clearly-defined kind of animal in any case. It's commahnism.
posted by ROU_Xenophobe at 3:32 PM on July 3, 2008
posted by ROU_Xenophobe at 3:32 PM on July 3, 2008
There's so much that's interesting about US (or world) history, so much insight to be found in geography (about how physical features influence human settlement, how the land shapes economic decisions from the rise the railroads to the current disillusionment with the suburbs because in certain places the ground is yielding less liquified bio-mass).
I saw that episode of the Animaniacs. It sucked.
posted by slimepuppy at 3:36 PM on July 3, 2008 [2 favorites]
I saw that episode of the Animaniacs. It sucked.
posted by slimepuppy at 3:36 PM on July 3, 2008 [2 favorites]
Unfortunately, orthogonality, most people don't even know the lists.
posted by Caduceus at 3:59 PM on July 3, 2008
posted by Caduceus at 3:59 PM on July 3, 2008
The fourth? Is this one of those things you have to American to understand?
posted by PostIronyIsNotaMyth at 4:09 PM on July 3, 2008
posted by PostIronyIsNotaMyth at 4:09 PM on July 3, 2008
The fourth? Is this one of those things you have to American to understand?
All the holidays are being pushed early to make more time for the Christmas shopping season.
posted by Gary at 4:33 PM on July 3, 2008
All the holidays are being pushed early to make more time for the Christmas shopping season.
posted by Gary at 4:33 PM on July 3, 2008
I wonder why all the Animaniacs stuff on YouTube has such crappy quality. It's like they were all recorded off a UHF station in Cameroon and encoded with Indeo.
posted by tinkertown at 4:40 PM on July 3, 2008
posted by tinkertown at 4:40 PM on July 3, 2008
pyramid termite writes "not only that, animals don't talk - whatever in the world are cartoonists trying to teach our children, anyway?"
Yes, good point.
posted by orthogonality at 4:45 PM on July 3, 2008
Yes, good point.
posted by orthogonality at 4:45 PM on July 3, 2008
Familiarity breeds contempt.
posted by blue_beetle at 4:55 PM on July 3, 2008
posted by blue_beetle at 4:55 PM on July 3, 2008
The fourth? Is this one of those things you have to American to understand?
No, I'm pretty sure it's going to be the 4th of July in many countries.
posted by elfgirl at 5:06 PM on July 3, 2008 [4 favorites]
No, I'm pretty sure it's going to be the 4th of July in many countries.
posted by elfgirl at 5:06 PM on July 3, 2008 [4 favorites]
Animaniacs was just such a fantastic show. Witty writing, somewhat educational with some adult humour thrown in, animation quality that just blew other cartoons of the time away and a 40 piece orchestra for the score.
It's a pity and a shame that only 99 episodes were made.
posted by Talez at 5:12 PM on July 3, 2008
It's a pity and a shame that only 99 episodes were made.
posted by Talez at 5:12 PM on July 3, 2008
As a belated Gay Pride merger, Stonewall Schoolhouse Rock via ericb via Help, I can't stop talking!
posted by [NOT HERMITOSIS-IST] at 5:16 PM on July 3, 2008
posted by [NOT HERMITOSIS-IST] at 5:16 PM on July 3, 2008
Very well scripted.
This reminds me of an old episode of Dragnet. Gannon and Friday are in a room interrogating a suspect who refuses to cooperate. Instead, the suspect starts to recite states and their capitals. The two cops decide to let him sit in stir for a while. But Gannon gets the best of him, psychologically, as the suspect has given Las Vegas as the capital of Nevada. "The capitol of Nevada is Carson City", Gannon sagely replies.
Yes, Ladies, and Gentlemen, TV actually had elements of subtlety many years ago...
posted by Tube at 5:25 PM on July 3, 2008
This reminds me of an old episode of Dragnet. Gannon and Friday are in a room interrogating a suspect who refuses to cooperate. Instead, the suspect starts to recite states and their capitals. The two cops decide to let him sit in stir for a while. But Gannon gets the best of him, psychologically, as the suspect has given Las Vegas as the capital of Nevada. "The capitol of Nevada is Carson City", Gannon sagely replies.
Yes, Ladies, and Gentlemen, TV actually had elements of subtlety many years ago...
posted by Tube at 5:25 PM on July 3, 2008
You're such a Wakko, Navelgazer.... thanks!
posted by not_on_display at 6:27 PM on July 3, 2008
posted by not_on_display at 6:27 PM on July 3, 2008
Yes, Ladies, and Gentlemen, TV actually had elements of subtlety many years ago...
Um, the 1960s version of Dragnet isn't exactly the best example of subtlety. The "Tim Leary" episode ("Marijuana is the flame. Heroin is the fuse. LSD is the bomb."), the hippie parents who get stoned and let their baby drown in the bath, the hippie acid party with people eating paint... basically anything involving drugs.
posted by DecemberBoy at 6:56 PM on July 3, 2008
Um, the 1960s version of Dragnet isn't exactly the best example of subtlety. The "Tim Leary" episode ("Marijuana is the flame. Heroin is the fuse. LSD is the bomb."), the hippie parents who get stoned and let their baby drown in the bath, the hippie acid party with people eating paint... basically anything involving drugs.
posted by DecemberBoy at 6:56 PM on July 3, 2008
A cupcake for anyone who can turn up a link to the original US Presidents song, which, as broadcast, snarkily ended by naming the current president as "Clinton, first name Hillary!" - later watered down to "the Clintons, Bill and Hillary."
posted by bicyclefish at 7:24 PM on July 3, 2008
posted by bicyclefish at 7:24 PM on July 3, 2008
Annapolis and Maryland are not known for clam chowder, Animaniacs. Maryland is known for crabs
posted by Airhen at 9:10 PM on July 3, 2008 [1 favorite]
posted by Airhen at 9:10 PM on July 3, 2008 [1 favorite]
OH MY GOD, they spelled "Israel" wrong!
Seriously, go back and look at it. It's at the :50 second mark.
WTF ANIMANIACS? Nobody there owns a fucking encyclopedia?
posted by Cool Papa Bell at 9:27 PM on July 3, 2008
Seriously, go back and look at it. It's at the :50 second mark.
WTF ANIMANIACS? Nobody there owns a fucking encyclopedia?
posted by Cool Papa Bell at 9:27 PM on July 3, 2008
B: Take note, Pinky, Mr. Jefferson over there is writing the Declaration of Independence. All the governing principles of the new nation are being put into that document!
P: Egad, Brain! Oh... too bad it doesn't say anything about you being the leader.
B: Pinky, are you pondering what I'm pondering?
P: I think so, Brain-- poit!-- but where do you stick the feather and call it macaroni?
Well, you know, since we're at it.
posted by zennie at 9:36 PM on July 3, 2008
P: Egad, Brain! Oh... too bad it doesn't say anything about you being the leader.
B: Pinky, are you pondering what I'm pondering?
P: I think so, Brain-- poit!-- but where do you stick the feather and call it macaroni?
Well, you know, since we're at it.
posted by zennie at 9:36 PM on July 3, 2008
Korea is in one piece, too. Optimistic bunch of writers they got there.
posted by Weebot at 10:35 PM on July 8, 2008
posted by Weebot at 10:35 PM on July 8, 2008
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