Selecting scientists that have had the greatest impact on human understanding is a dicey business. But Charles Darwin would be on almost every short list. On Turning Points, Kelsey goes back in time to interview the man behind the concept of natural selection… Big Talk: Dad helped me in chess in the beginning, now he’s brutal… On BOOMRadio, Ben Jammin has a few thoughts about parental responsibility… Schmave is inspired by a man who stands up to a bully and tries his hand at being brave… Game show host Freddie Finklehammer has four Weird Words that no one around here has heard of… There’s an art to talking with your parents — and a whole bunch of benefits. On the Big Idea, Jessica and our King of Complicated Stuff share their experiences…Census: What are arguments in your family usually about?… News Update: They may sell a lot of athletic shoes, but Nike still has contracts with factories where kids do the work… Koala Bears are the cutest, cuddliest, sweetest critters in Australia. That’s good news and bad news as Rachel discusses on Natural Wonder…
New! Episode 51 Featuring Charles Darwin and Talkin’ to Mom & Pop
New! SPECIAL Episode 49 The Dirt on Food
In 20 years and 132 CDs we have only twice focused an entire episode on one topic. “The Dirt on Food” is one of those special episodes. Why? Because we believe what we eat, where we buy it, and how it is raised, is key to many broader issues. Using our varied cast of storytelling devices we touch upon those hard-to-reach corners of of the food story. Some pieces are playful… some are hard hitting. All of them are presented by kids — in their voices and metaphor.
MONEY: The “Food Episode” starts, appropriately, at Freddy’s Rhubarb and Banana Sandwich stand where an old customer is complaining about the higher prices of Fred’s fresh organic ingredients… On their AMERICAN JOURNEY, Toby and Gramps grab a bowl of soup in Pescadero, California, then get a personal tour of a nearby organic herb farm… In SOUNDS, we hear the sound of a revolving door, transporting Monsanto executives between their boardroom and government positions… Laura goes back in time to the 1980s to interview a conventional Illinois farmer experimenting with a new “old” way of farming in this episode’s TURNING POINT…Clodagh has a commentary about Frankenfood and genetic modification… Saffron and that famous French Chef, Jacques LaTour, reacquaint listeners with the joys of cooking (and eating)… On the BIG IDEA, Hayley and the King of Complicated Stuff explore the moral dilemmas involved in choosing meat in the marketplace… Finally, Natalie has a NATURAL WONDER about the beauty of black, wormy, soil. Why do we treat this precious commodity like… dirt?
Episode 01 Featuring Rachel Carson and The Stock Market
Before “Earth Day” and green energy, there was a persistent researcher who warned about the perils of pesticides. Kelsey takes the time machine back to speak to Silent Spring author, Rachel Carson… Big Talk: Does your Dad sit with his feet underneath the table?… Ben Jammin has a few thoughts about the stretchiness of time on Boom Radio… Tucker Jones is hired to track down a missing prized tomato. (Hey, sometimes the detective business is slow, OK?)… Widget and Whack tackle the mechanics of bicycle gears… If you think the stock market sounds like a lot of hocus pocus, well, you’re kind of right. Jessica and the King of Complicated Stuff try to make some cents out of it (sense too)… Census: How far should parents be responsible for their kids’ actions?… News Update: So how much lipstick does a woman eat in her lifetime?… American Journey: Toby and Gramps file a report from Mark Twain’s hometown on the Mississippi River.
Episode 02 Featuring Sophie Scholl and Robotics
Kelsey goes back in time to meet Sophie Scholl, a young German who worked against Hitler during World War II… Big Talk: Do grown-ups leave YOU behind?… Widget and Whack look into the world of levers (all 3 classes even!)… Tucker Jones is hired to tail a girl suspected of ditching piano lessons… Devin the Duff has an interesting variation on dog-life years in Boom Radio… Science fiction writers have been telling us about robots for decades. On the Big Idea, our King of Complicated Stuff discover they’re really OUT there – just not in the form we expect… News Update: Claire reports on a health club for dogs!… A rural cabin in Maine gives Toby and Gramps a chance to ponder black & white problems in a grey world on American Journey.
Episode 03 Featuring Thomas Jefferson and Greed
We take ideas like freedom and liberty for granted. Kelsey goes back in time to speak with one of the people who brought them over to America: Thomas Jefferson… Big Talk: Ever feel like the FBI is monitoring your phone calls?.. Master mechanics Widget and Whack explain the workings of the vacuum cleaner… There seems to be a graffiti gang loose and Tucker is hired to chase them down… Boom Radio: All this cloning stuff is old news to Devin the Duff.. How much money is enough? Jessica & the King of Complicated Stuff try to get a handle on “greed”… Census: How much money would you need to be happy?… News Update: Try smelly feet for your next science project… Toby & Gramps discover the Arizona desert isn’t quite as scary as it first seemed.
Episode 04 Featuring Lewis and Clark, Child Labor
Why is crummy food suddenly OK when the waiter comes around?… In Turning Points, Kelsey grabs a few precious minutes with Captain Meriwether Lewis in the midst of his famous expedition across America… Boom Radio: Devin the Duff selects the best day of the week… Schmave discovers Cheryl’s secret potion to everlasting courage — only to give it away… Weird Words: OK, you know what impavid means, right?… All over the world greedy businesses force children as young as 5 to work for almost nothing. On this episode’s Big Idea, Jessica and the King talk to one kid who is fighting back… Claire reports on three wise guys who are more famous than the President of the United States on the News Update… In Natural Wonder, Rachel ponders a scary creature leftover from prehistoric times: the Komodo dragon.
Episode 05 Featuring Mark Twain and the Iditarod
Big Talk: So who gets served dinner first in your house?… Samuel Clemens once described a night that was “darker than the inside of a cow.” You have to think pretty hard to come up with a better descriptive phrase than that. But that was the genius of the man known as Mark Twain. Kelsey goes back in time to interview the author of Tom Sawyer and Huck Finn… Deep Blue sat on one side of the table, a Russian chess-master sat on the other. What made this chess match so interesting was that Deep Blue was only 6 and it was a computer… Tucker Jones is hired to investigate the carnival basketball hoop… So you like adventures? How about mushing 16 dogs over 1100 miles of frozen terrain. In this episode’s Big Idea, Jessica and the King of Complicated Stuff try to figure out what drives men and women to tackle the ultimate race known as the Iditarod… BookBeat: We interview author Shelly Gill, who was one of the first women to compete in the Iditarod.
Episode 06 Featuring Dr. Seuss and Tiananmen Square
Theodor Geisel saw the world differently than most people. And if you are a Cat in the Hat fan, you know we’re lucky he did. On this issue’s Turning Points, Kelsey goes back in time to speak with Dr Suess… A few of your letters about the funny things grown-ups do… Well, living in Disneyland sounded like a good idea at first… With eleven years separating Dave from his big brother, the distance wasn’t only in age. Schmave tells the gut-wrenching story of his relationship with the oldest brother… Weird Words Freddie Finklehammer hosts the ready-for-prime-time game show…It was only going to be a protest march. But when Chinese authorities responded with gunfire, Tiananmen Square became much more than a place – it became a black mark in Chinese history. Jessica and the King of Complicated Stuff dig in on The Big Idea… At one time the plains states were covered with buffalo as far as the eye could see. And then there were less than two dozen. On Natural Wonder, Hayley admires the mighty bison.
Episode 07 Featuring Chief Joseph and We Are What We Eat
Big Talk: Is it OK for parents to eavesdrop?… Kelsey has a stirring conversation with Chief Joseph, courageous leader of the Nez Perce tribe on Turning Points… Devin the Duff has a few words about the safety police… Schmave discovers that – despite public opinion – some things just don’t have a price tag… Weird Words And for 20 points what exactly is a gongoozler?… Whether you’re a vegetarian or a kid who pounds down Big Macs, you’ll be surprised by some of the material Jessica and the King of Complicated Stuff unearth about food on The Big Idea… News Update: Would you believe researchers have uncovered tools over 2 ½ million years old? (No leaf-blowers though)… Rachel describes the incredible journey from egg to caterpillar to Monarch butterfly on this episode’s Natural Wonder.
Episode 08 Featuring Annie Oakley and Fear
On Turning Points, Kelsey goes back in time to the late 1800’s to interview Little Sure Shot Annie Oakley… Big Talk: What right do overweight gym teachers have telling me about exercise?… Speaking of the bug, something is pestering Devin the Duff on Boom Radio… When Cheryl breaks her leg, it’s up to Schmave and a group of his friends to cheer her up. And every friend has his specialty… Freddie Finklehammer is back with some really, really Weird Words… How come we like to listen to scary stories, but don’t like people scaring us? Jessica and the King of Complicated Stuff take a look at risk and fear… Census: What’s the most scared you’ve ever been?… On this episode’s News Update you get the latest on virtual pets. Warning: You have to feed it and put it to bed… Natural Wonder: When you envision the word freedom, no other picture will come to mind other than the wild horses after you listen to this story.
Episode 09 Featuring Margaret Mead and Outer Space
Anthropology is the study of of people and how they live in different parts of the world. In her TURNING POINTS interview, Kelsey goes back in time to speak to one of the most famed anthropologists of all: Margaret Mead… BIG TALK: Mom says Caroline is smart for an 8-year-old. The only problem is, she’s 10… On his BOOM Radio commentary, Devin the Duff shares his brainstorm about location signal devices… Black-Eyed Susans, Dairy Queens and the old girlfriend of a big brother shine the light on Schmave’s discovery of “power”… WEIRD WORDS: OK for 20 points, the definition of “otiose”… It’s a big world out there – especially waaaaaay out there. In this episode’s BIG IDEA, Jessica and the King of Complicated Stuff explore the far reaches of the universe…Claire reports on NEWS UPDATE on the new record for juggling… CENSUS: Our listeners tell us how they feel about the existence of extraterrestrial life… NATURAL WONDER: They may be the most cuddly critters on earth. But that still may not save the giant panda species from extinction.
Episode 10 Featuring Marco Polo and The Great Depression
Kelsey takes the time machine back to the 13th century to meet a guy who had really been around – Marco Polo… Big Talk: Why are grown-ups so doggone slow?… Devin the Duff figures there’s not much difference between good luck and the bad variety… Dave Schmave helps out a friend with family problems… Weird Words: How about sockdolager for example… When Great-Grandpa tells you about the good ol’ days, he might be telling you about The Great Depression. But these days weren’t good or great! On The Big Idea, Jessica and the King of Complicated Stuff report on why America got so “depressed” in the 1930s… Census: Were the good ol’ days really so good?… News Update: Good news for all you misodoctakleidists… Rachel figures hippos must do some pretty serious eating to gain 500 pounds in the first six months!
Episode 11 Featuring Vincent Van Gogh, Use and Abuse of Power
On Turning Points, Kelsey goes back in time to interview one of history’s most colorful painters: Vincent Van Gogh… Big Talk: Does your Mom come right away when you call?… Sometimes it’s helpful, sometimes it isn’t. Widget and Whack explain how friction plays a role in our lives… Tucker Jones tries to figure out who is filching Christmas presents… Are you a curmudgeon? Before saying yes, you better check out this episode’s Weird Words game show… Why do people with power so often use it so carelessly? Jessica and the King of Complicated Stuff take a look… Don’t throw away that fruitcake. In her News Update, Claire has a better idea… No cars, lots of horses, and plenty of fudge. That’s what Toby and Gramps discover on their American Journey to Michigan’s Mackinaw Island.
Episode 12 Featuring Georgia O’Keeffe and Numbers & Risk
Big Talk: Always travel with an extra Pez dispenser… Skulls and cactus flowers were the subjects of famed artist Georgia O’Keeffe. Kelsey takes the time machine back to get her idea of color… Boom Radio: If the phone doesn’t make you mad yet, just wait until the next great discovery… When Dave Schmave gets a book of proverbs from his grandmother, he first feels cheated out of Grandpa’s spittoon. But with the help of a wise friend, he learns his gift is valuable indeed… Weird Words: Need a fancy word to impress your friends? Here’s Freddie!… Roman numerals, Holy Roman Emperors, gambling – our King of complicated Stuff somehow patches it all together in a Big Idea guaranteed to gum up the thinking machine… News Update: How about skinny-dipping at your next swim meet?… In Natural Wonder, Rachel makes the surprising case for the octopus being not only beautiful and intelligent, but cuddly even!
Episode 13 Featuring Charles Schultz and The Civil War
Turning Points: Good Grief! Get out our baseball mitt and stay clear of Lucy. Kelsey goes back in time to interview Peanuts cartoonist Charles Schultz… Boom Radio’s Ben Jammin has some suggested applications for gene splicing… Dave Schmave happens upon a rock saleswoman whose big time spirit not only captures his heart, but that of his mother’s… Big Talk: Do not interrupt me! (Ever heard that before?)… The Blue against the Grey – no, this wasn’t a football game. Alicia and the King of Complicated Stuff examine the causes of the American Civil War… Freddie Finklehammer is back on the stump with a few of his Weird Words… News Update: Here comes Sacagawea; on the face of a dollar coin yet!… Our Natural Wonder girl ponders the incredible voyage made by salmon – from freshwater to the sea and back again.
Episode 14 Featuring Charles Merrick (The Elephant Man) and Pottermania
Big Talk: What do you do when your Mom keeps telling you stuff you already know? Turning Points: Whenever you start feeling sorry for yourself, you might consider the case of courageous Joseph Merrick who became known as “The Elephant Man”… Boom Radio’s Ben Jammin has a print-out of his own genome map. And man-oh-man is that interesting… A weekend at a friend’s house almost has fatal consequences for Dave Schmave… You decide: Is Freddie Finklehammer frugivorous?… You may have a heard about this interesting book series. It’s about a young wizard who goes to school in a castle? On The Big Idea, Alicia and the King of Complicated Stuff explore the wonder of Harry Potter… News Update: Now you can look for extraterrestrial life with your own computer… Natural Wonder: Hayley wonders whether raccoons think they are fooling anyone with that mask of theirs.
Episode 15 Featuring Rosa Parks and Big Oil, Little Oil
Money: Who would have thought the economy of a town could be dashed by a trampled rhubarb patch?… Big Talk: Why does Dad get mad when I get hurt?… Turning Points: Our intrepid reporter goes back in time to interview Rosa Parks, an Afro-American woman who decided she was tired of moving to the back of the bus… Boom Radio’s Ben Jammin decides the air-conditioning wizards have taken temperature controls one step too far… Dave Schmave and cousins take on the responsibility of making sure their great Aunt is buried in her requested resting space… Widget and Whack explore the incredible properties of the screw… Gasoline doesn’t just ooze up from the ground into the fuel pump… On this episode’s Big Idea, our King of Complicated Stuff reviews the history of petroleum… News Update: There’s 400 tons of Philadelphia trash circling the world… Ssssshhh, what’s the buzz? According to Hayley it’s the loudest teen-aged bugs you’ll ever hear.
Episode 16 Featuring Michelangelo and Dinosaurs
Big Talk: Does your Mom have a hard time deciding on her wardrobe in the morning?… He was a world class architect, painter, poet and sculptor. On Turning Points, Kelsey goes back in time to speak with Michelangelo… Ben Jammin’ wonders about that free-for-all for a home run ball… On Schmave’s Elevator, Dave tells how sister Cheryl looked at life with a “tsk” and a snarl – until her life turned inside out… Jessica and famed French chef Jacques La Tour tackle pie crusts in Now We’re Cookin’… They were awfully big, and pretty stupid. But dinosaurs ruled the earth until they mysteriously disappeared. Tucker Jones crosses over to help the King of Complicated Stuff try to figure out what happened… News Update: I wonder what the purr of a robotic cat sounds like… The Count: You never know when you’re going to have to count to ten in Portuguese (really!)… Hayley learns there’s more to grasshoppers than a hop and a jump on this episode’s Natural Wonder.
Episode 18 Featuring Ernest Shackleton and The Middle East
Big Talk: Dad won’t let her run the dryer because it’s too expensive… There are adventures — and then there are ADVENTURES. As Kelsey discovers in Turning Points, the Shackleton expedition to the South Pole on the Endurance was definitely one with capital letters…. Ben Jammin is being defamed on Boom Radio… Tucker Jones is hired by a girl with dandelion-colored hair to uncover who is spreading lies about her… Freddie Finklehammer is back from vacation with another game of Weird Words…. The history of Palestine goes back thousands of years. Lately, it has involved lots of bad blood between the Palestinians and the Israelis. Alicia and the King of Complicated stuff take on the incredible task of sorting it all out… News Update: You can’t refer to your boat as “she” anymore … Weasels don’t exactly have a cute and cuddly reputation. Hayley finds out why in the Natural Wonder.
Episode 19 Featuring Ted Williams and Time Travel I
Big Talk: Mom pays money at the grocery, but Dad gets all the grub just by flashing a card… All his life, he only wanted one thing. He wanted people to say when he walked by: “There goes the greatest hitter who ever played the game.” The boy may have accomplished exactly that. On Turning Points, Kelsey goes back in time to interview baseball player, Ted Williams…. On Boom Radio Ben Jammin’ explains his difficulty with switching gears… It’s 1961 and the Bug Club is in full stride. When one of its members starts acting carelessly, Schmave and chum hatch a scheme to turn the tide… Jessica is back with her French kitchen pal to make some pie filling…. It used to be the stuff of science fiction, but serious scientists are asking serious questions about the possibilities of time travel on The Big Idea… News Update: Aw man, even the fearsome T-Rex isn’t what it used to be … Nicki has a Natural Wonder about the lovable, talkative dolphin.
Episode 20 Featuring Shakespeare and Time Travel II
Big Talk: Does your Mom ever talk with her hands?… In Turning Points, Kelsey goes back in time to interview William Shakespeare at a time when Puritans and the Plague are making it hard to survive…. Widget and Whack try to explain why something boiling inside your fridge is a GOOD thing… When a local military man suspects a holdover German plot, Tucker Jones gets a call… Ben Jammin has hope for the human race — in the form of a stink bomb… Alicia and the King of Complicated Stuff tiptoe out into the strange world of Einstein and Time Travel… News Update: It looks like we’ll be able to pay for candy in the future by just waving our watch… As they continue their American Journey, Toby and Gramps find themselves getting their kicks on Route 66.
Episode 21 Featuring Ansel Adams, Shock and Awe
Big Talk: Do you TELL your dad his pants look funny?… Ansel Adams was a famous photographer known for capturing stuff in the natural world. On Turning Points, Kelsey goes back in time to Yosemite to speak with his… On Boom Radio Ben Jammin sees some real possibilities with digital implants… When three local boys come down with high fevers and ghoulish green splotches, Tucker Jones gets a call from the doctor… Schmave weighs in on Michael Jordan’s letter to basketball… Alicia and the King of Complicated Stuff wrestled with the war in Iraq and, in this episode’s Big Idea, finally came up with the story they thought needs telling about America… News Update: The “boat” you see floating down the coast may actually be a bag of water… On their American Journey, Toby & Gramps discover sweet tea, soup, beans and posies in a small Tennessee town.
Episode 22 Featuring Woody Guthrie and Buy Now! Free!
Big Talk: Why does Mom want me to play outside? Turning Points: A lot of people have heard of poet and songwriter, Woody Guthrie, but few know his incredible story. Kelsey goes back in time to 1946 for an interview… Boom Radio: Ben Jammin thinks Hummers are kid stuff …. In News Update, Devin discovers at least one good reason to save a few locks of hair. Hayley ponders the sociable customs of the walrus — all 3,000 pounds of them — in her Natural Wonder…. THE Big Idea: Alicia and the King of Complicated Stuff demonstrate how differently the world is seen by “buyers” and “sellers”… Freddie returns from his yearly vacation in lower Iceland for another game of Weird Words… Schmave’s Elevator: Schmave’s Dad goes on a long trip, annointing him “the man of the house.” Dave figures out what that means — the hard way.
Episode 23 Featuring Jules Verne and The Great Pyramid
Big Talk: Are YOUR parents kind of nosy?… Turning Points: Jules Verne combined adventure with amazing insights into the future. Laura — our new Turning Point interviewer — travels back in time to France to speak with Mr. Verne… Boom Radio: Peaches are on Ben Jammin’s mind this issue… When Tucker’s Mom challenges him to keep his room clean, he runs into an unexpected obstacle… If you turn up your nose at what YOUR folks put on the table, get a load of these dishes from your parents’ childhood…THE Big Idea: The Great Pyramid was an amazing work of engineering. Hayley and King explain not only the mystery behind this ancient wonder, but how it was put together … News Update: Care for some subway music?… American Journey: Gramps and Toby contemplate fairies in Salt Spring Island, British Columbia
Episode 24 Featuring John Kennedy, Harry Potter, Science and Magic
Big Talk: Just how bad is Mom’s memory going to get? Turning Points: A sickly boy who went on to become a war hero and president of the United States, Laura talks to John Kennedy… Boom Radio: Ben Jammin’ doesn’t like the idea of these new cell phones… Someone is framing the snowman — or ARE they? Tucker Jones is on the case… Weird Words: Prepare your belly button; Freddie Finklehammer has a new game show for us. … In The Big Idea, Hayley and the King of Complicated Stuff study the connection between magic, science — and Harry Potter… News Update: The King of Sea Monkeys is DEAD! … They’re powerful, large and silent as a ghost. In this issue’s Natural Wonder, Kayla discovers some unusual aspects of the cougar.
Episode 25 Featuring Henry Thoreau and Road to Mars I
Big Talk: How come Dad always falls asleep 15 minutes into the movie?… Turning Points: Writer, philosopher, naturalist, poet, farmer, bean farmer, surveyor– that’s not even half the goods on this month’s historical interview subject: Henry David Thoreau… Boom Radio’s Ben Jammin’ is a little suspicious about these “learn while you sleep” deals… On Schmave’s Elevator, Dave discovers people don’t come in cardboard cut-outs… THE Big Idea: Hayley & the King of Complicated Stuff weigh the new rush of interest in human exploration of Mars… Power-up: Natalie discovers you get what you give… News Update: Professional athletes are being all they can be — and THEN some… American Journey: Toby gets to play in the mud in a piece of earth that time forgot — Maryland’s Finzel Swamp.
Episode 26 Featuring Wright Brothers and Road to Mars II
Big Talk: Does Mom want my help or NOT?… Turning Points: Orville & Wilbur built and repaired bicycles until they turned their attention to the skies. Laura goes back to interview the Wright brothers… Boom Radio: Yup, it’s time to plan ahead for holiday presents… When Tucker Jones happens upon a poster for a lost caterpillar, his curiosity gets the better of him .. Now We’re Cookin’: Natalie and her French chef sidekick introduce a truly healthful breakfast dish: Gooey Cinammon Toast… Hayley & the King of Complicated Stuff host the THE Big Idea’s second chapter on the exploration of Mars… News Update: Do we act like chimpanzees, or do chimps act like us? … They don’t come along very often. In this issue’s Natural Wonder, Natalie listens to cicadas
Episode 27 Featuring Tecumseh and The New China
Big Talk: Should you let your Dad chaperone a school dance?… Turning Points: You hear of many different Native American tribes fighting to keep their land and way of life. On Turning Points, Laura goes back to 1811 to speak to Tecumseh, a chief who worked to unite ALL tribes as one… Cloe has an idea for “reality” TV on Boom Radio… Dave Schmave tells the story of D-Day through the eyes of a pilot shot down in France… Bartzie Boy takes over for the wandering Freddie Finklehammer on Weird Words… China has always been that country “way over there,” that people didn’t know much about. But there’s a “new” China that will be difficult to ignore as Hayley reports on The Big Idea… News Update: If you like pink we have the restaurant for you… Natural Wonder: They’re slimy, they’re sneaky, and they would love to eat your tomato plants. Other than that, slugs are just regular folks…
Episode 28 Featuring Walt Whitman, Steroids and Ethics
Big Talk: Does your Mom sing in the car? … Turning Points: In the early 1800s the world had not yet discovered a truly American poet. Laura goes back in time to interview the first real candidate: Walt Whitman…. On Boom Radio Clodagh makes it clear she does NOT have a crack in her windshield… Tucker Jones is on the trail of a stolen car… Getting glabrous? Freddie Finklehammer tells you what that means on Weird Words… As steroid use is rocking baseball, the King of Complicated Stuff & Hayley discuss the role of ethics in the matter… On News Update, Josh wrestles with the question: What is art — and what isn’t? … Toby & Gramps take to the wilderness of Yellowstone Park, despite bluff grizzly charges, buffalo, wolves and… signs.
Episode 29 Featuring George Washington and Is Our History True?
Big Talk: Why does Mom eat out of the pan in the kitchen?… Turning Points: Laura goes back to speak with Founding Father, Commander in Chief of the first US Military, and first American President, George Washington…. On Boom Radio Clodagh tells of a startling new technical development… Tucker Jones tries to figure out who in the world would secretly GIVE candy to his client… Think you’re smart? Freddie has some Weird Words just for you … Slavery wasn’t so bad as long as you took good care of your property, right? Hayley and the King wrestle with this and other “facts” suggested by American history textbooks… On News Update we discover being silly isn’t really so silly AFTER all… Toby & Gramps are traveling through the land of salmon, lumberjacks and rainforests in western Washington.
Episode 30 Featuring Sitting Bull, Spying and Privacy
Big Talk: Do you drop the hammer on that “special dish”?… Turning Points: Sitting Bull was the last great chief of the buffalo-hunting Sioux. Laura goes back in time to speak with him at the moment of his greatest sorrow … Boom Radio: Word meanings DO change you know, and Clodagh finds this especially interesting… Dave Schmave tells the tale of luck– and confidence…. Widget and Whack explain a law of physics, using as an example the man of steel himself… Freedom, safety, privacy– it’s a complicated world out there these days, and Hayley tries to sort it out on The Big Idea. … News Update: Forget football and baseball— it’s time for badminton … White-tailed deer are some of the most common wild animals. But as Natalie explains, that doesn’t diminish her Natural Wonder.
Episode 31 Featuring Henry Ford and Moral Courage
Big Talk: What’s Dad got against measuring cups?… Turning Points: Laura goes back to the early 1900s to speak with the simple, yet complex man who launched the American 20th century: Henry Ford… On Boom Radio, Cloe is betting it all ($4.32) on an internet offer… What is art? That’s just one task for BOOMERANG! detective, Tucker Jones…You never know when you’re going to have to count to ten in Spanish… Moral courage seems to be in short supply out there. So what is it anyway? Hayley & the King of Complicated Stuff talk about it on The Big Idea … Natalie Powers-up to change a tire… Toby & Gramps visit the “red rock” country in the Southwest.
Episode 32 Featuring Pablo Neruda and Immigration
Big Talk: Why do parents insist on finishing what they’re doing before they help?… Turning Points: Pablo Neruda was a poet who happened to get involved in international politics. Laura goes back in time to speak with this Chilean wordsmith… On Boom Radio, Clodagh is licking her chops about new software applications…. Dave Schmave tells the story about a doctor who needs a bit of Schmave’s medicine… You never know when you’re going to have to count to ten in French… Immigration laws may decide who becomes our next President. On The Big Idea, Hayley & the King of Complicated Stuff discuss this complex subject and tell the tale of one illegal immigrant… Natalie makes her room REALLY her room on Power-up… Widget and Whack turn to physics to discover what killed Spiderman’s girlfriend.
Episode 33 Featuring Nikola Tesla and Globalization I
Big Talk: Does your Dad ever help you BEFORE you ask for (and need) it?… Nikola Tesla is not exactly a famous kind of guy. He should be though. On Turning Points Laura goes back in time to discover why… Now you can learn to count to 10 in Italian!!!… Boom Radio: Ring tones, ring tones, get your ring tones… The Schmave runs into a young girl running for President of the United States on SCHMAVE’S ELEVATOR… In her Power-up, Natalie takes over the house… King of the World? Not for much longer. Hayley and the King poke underneath the weird concept of world trade on The Big Idea… News Update: Forget about changing your socks from now on… You know what torque is right? Don’t worry — no one else does either. Widget and Whack help explain the idea in their own unique way.
Episode 34 Featuring Robert Frost and Globalization 2
Big Talk: Here’s one way to get rich… Turning Points: Kelsey goes back in time to speak with that classic American poet, Robert Frost… On Boom Radio, Cloe is planning her very own Memorial Day parade… A client’s piano lesson seems to go ON and ON, and it’s up to Tucker Jones to see if that’s just par for the course — or something nefarious… You never know when you’re going to have to count to ten in Chinese… Hayley & the King of Complicated Stuff bit off a big one when they took on “globalization.” Here’s part 2… Natalie discovers a scolded dog does well with a little TLC… Toby & Gramps learn there is more to do than surf in Santa Cruz, California
Episode 35 Featuring Aldo Leopold and Globalization 3
Big Talk: Should this writer toss his Dad’s old newspaper pile?… Aldo Leopold saw the earth’s soil and rivers and wildlife as one connected organism. Our BOOMERANG! reporter goes back in time to talk to this environmental pioneer … Boom Radio: Clodagh has a new pastime she is just dying to tell you about… When Cheryl discovers Schmave’s unusual olfactory gifts, the two of them join the legion of superheroes… Natalie does the Power-up to divert brother Bo… Hayley and the King explain how “supercompanies” preach free trade while snuffing out competition, in this 3rd part of our Big Idea about globalization… Now YOU can learn to count to 10 in Bulgarian!!! (HEY! This is important!)… Widget and Whack decide size DOES matter when it comes to strength.
Episode 36 Featuring Babe Ruth and Fair Trade
Big Talk: When adults are tired why don’t they just go to sleep?… They don’t make ‘em like the Sultan of Swat anymore. Emily goes back in time to interview Babe Ruth in this Turning Points segment… Boom Radio: Nat the Bat has her sights on an “easy” way to make money… Tucker Jones gets the call to investigate some mysterious sounds and lights coming from a refrigerator. (Hey when’s the last time YOU heard good accordion music?) …Natalie discovers a little bit of TLC goes a long way with Oscar… We know it hasn’t been easy sorting through the complicated explanations of globalization. In this final segment of The Big Idea, Hayley reports about all the people out there doing GOOD stuff… Now you can be the first kid on your block to count to 10 in Farsi!!! … Ever watch a hummingbird’s wings? At 80 beats per second you probably didn’t see much. Check these critters out on Natural Wonder.
Episode 37 Featuring Margaret Bourke White and Water Water Everywhere (Water 1)
Big Talk: This snoring Mom is in denial… Turning Points: She thought she was going to study insects for a living. Instead Margaret Bourke-White photographed some of the most important people in the world. Emily goes back to the 1950’s for an interview with this amazing woman… Boom Radio: Clodagh has a new listing of fees. Watch out!… Neighborhood kids are losing their savings in a phony business scam and Tucker Jones takes the case … Natalie suggests you learn how to count to 10 in LATIN because you just never know… Our Queen of Complicated Stuff takes a look at water: what it is, where it comes from and where it’s going on The Big Idea… August takes his Dad by surprise when he becomes King of the chessboard… Snowflakes… snow-crystals — who gives a hoot? Natalie, our Natural Wonder girl, that’s who.
Episode 39 Featuring Admiral Byrd, Politics and The Olympics
Kelsey climbs into her cold weather gear to visit famed explorer, Admiral Byrd, in the Antarctic … Primary: Elena gives her stump speech as a candidate from the BOOMERANG! party… Boom Radio: Devin the Duff tries to imagine life with secret Service Agents hanging around… When TUCKER stumbles upon participants in a “money club”, he discovers there is no such thing as easy money… Widget and Whack take apart Dad’s camera to see how it works… Hayley considers the political part of the Olympics and interviews a champion archer about her participation in Team Darfur… American Journey: Toby & Gramps discover there are worse things than bears in Yosemite Valley — like a 14 mile hike.
Episode 40 Featuring Gertrude Bell and The Last Drops (Water 3)
Her accomplishments are breathtaking. Yet you ask someone: “Who is Gertrude Bell?” and the reply usually comes back blank. In our Turning Points interview, Natalie goes back to 1921 to speak with the British mountaineer and desert explorer… Boom Radio: Clodagh believes online “security” questions may be a tad too complex… When Schmave goes down to visit relatives in southern Illinois, he ends up on a pie run he will never forget on SCHMAVE’S ELEVATOR… August comes to rescue of an elderly computer user on this month’s Power-up … Our third and final Big Idea segment about water covers everything from bottled water to dams… Toby and Gramps run into a veteran of the Everglades in this segment of their American Journey.
Episode 41 Featuring Richard Feynman and The Money Mess
Richard Feynman won the Nobel Prize for Physics in 1965. But it was his teaching style that made him famous. You’ll hear his trademark humor and storytelling in this Turning Points interview with Laura… Big Talk: What about the ketchup on the shirt?… Tucker Jones works with an old nemesis to find out who filched Mickey Mantle’s baseball… Regulation, democracy, greed — in The Big Idea, Hayley and the King of Complicated Stuff take on the incredible world money mess … Jonathan Lebed was a typical teen-ager except for the fact that he made a half million bucks in the stock market. Natalie tells his story… On this issue’s Power-up, August takes to dog training to save his pet… Clodagh raises her voice about beans — or the lack of them.
Episode 42 Featuring “Izzy” Stone and Living Small
Widget & Whack: Mass & Weight …
Bubba Kowalski, chanting monks, lazy objects… In their latest physics primer, Widget & Whack somehow relate all of these to the concept of mass.
The Count: Estonian …
How to count to ten in Estonian. because you just never know…
The Big Idea: Living Small …
Hayley & the King of Complicated Stuff suggest old trademarks of the “American Dream” may need some shifting — from quantity to quality.
Turning Points: I.F. “Izzy” Stone …
At the age of 14, Izzy started his own newspaper. The Progress didn’t last, but he stayed in journalism. And in his search for truth over the years, Izzy managed to anger — and inspire — readers on all sides of the political spectrum.
BOOM Radio: Trillion…
Clodagh provides a mind-boggling explanation of just how big a “trillion” really is.
Schmave’s Elevator: A Happy Birthday…
While riding his bike, Schmave comes across an elderly acquaintance on the lam from his retirement home birthday party. Schmave and pals help their “old” friend truly enjoy the day.
Episode 43 Featuring Jim Thorpe and Wild Places
Mom gets all excited about going shopping. But when she gets there, she freaks out… Caroline goes back to 1928 to speak to Native American athlete Jim Thorpe. How good was he? Well, All-American in football, decathlon gold medal winner in the 1912 Olympics, and then he also played major league baseball… In this episode’s Power-Up, Natalie discovers the power of an introduction… When Tucker Jones is asked to look in on a friend’s grandmother, he stumbles onto the lukewarm trail of a foiled robbery….Caroline has an ingenious idea about converting freeway trash to freeway cash on BOOM Radio… Considering the fact that some folks actually wanted to turn the Grand Canyon into a landfill, Hayley and the King of Complicated Stuff consider the value of wild places… Natalie portrays the wondrous, scandalous, mischievous hermit crab in this episode’s Natural Wonder.
Episode 44 Featuring Helen Keller and Politics
BIG TALK: Don’t you just hate having to BEHAVE when you have company over?… Helen Keller had no sight or hearing; nor could she speak. But she DID have a brilliant and patient teacher named Anne Sullivan. On TURNING POINTS, Kelsey goes back in time to speak to this marvelous duo … Devin the Duff has a beef with stupid scary movies on BOOM Radio… DO THE RIGHT THING: Have you ever had to do something “wrong” to do something “right”?… On SCHMAVE’S ELEVATOR our buddy Schmave is sent to the “cloakroom” by his teacher to think about his behavior. Soon all this thinking gets out of hand… Freddie Finklehammer stars on the WEIRD WORDS game show… When stories about politics come up at the dinner table, most kids’ ears turn off. Jessica and the King of Complicated Stuff offer some general rules to the politics game that makes the whole business a little more understandable… They’ve got reaaaaaaaaaaaaal long necks. But as Rachel discovers on this episode’s NATURAL WONDER, being 18 feet tall does have its advantages.
Episode 45 Jenny to the Power of One
“Imagine, if you can, that magic and mathematics are one and the same… that deep underneath all the gooey times-tables, and long division molasses lies the power to turn invisible, step through time, and do other cool stuff to impress your friends…”
Just in case your imagination comes up short in fulfilling the young heroine’s opening prompt, this first installment of a full-length musical goes a long way in sketching out those very possibilities. Jenny to the Power of One is an adventurous mix of real, knock-your-socks-off math wizardry, and the old world sort.
Eleven-year-old Jenny discovers her mathematician father slipping away into an increasingly impenetrable haze. Following up on a serendipitous slip in a weather forecast calling for “a chance of frogs,” Jenny stumbles upon a typewriter repair shop, which is actually a front for a whole lot more.
Her determined curiosity entices the proprietor to tell the unusual story of a sorcerer who was “there,” 800 years ago, during the momentous transition period between Roman numerals and the Hindu-Arabic system we use today. Sensing his “old” ways are being superseded by the magic and power of this new math system, he summons – from all corners of the globe — the greatest mathematic minds of the time.
When the masters reject his plan to co-opt the new system for financial gain, he conjures up a nasty spell sentencing them to the land Underneath. There, they spend eternity churning out calculations of every sort, shape and discipline, which he, in turn, sells to private industry.
Their only salvation is a 7-digit number which – if typed into an old manual typewriter – will release them and thousands of others enslaved Underneath. To obtain the correct digits, a math puzzle must be secreted down through heavily guarded portals to the masters in each of the seven subterranean worlds for solution. The bulk of the story chronicles Jenny’s daring exploration of the math worlds Underneath.
Episode 46 – Featuring the McCarthy Era and “Work”
Cold wars, witch hunts and communism. On Turning Points, Kelsey interviews a Hollywood screenwriter serving a jail sentence for his political beliefs…. Big Talk: Phone stuff drives these kids crazy. Devin the Duff has a bone to pick with electronic pets on BOOM Radio… Schmave’s Elevator: Cheryl comes through when Dave’s gift idea for Mom hits a snag in this sweet holiday story… Weird Words: Does anyone actually use these words?… Jessica and the King of Complicated Stuff take listeners inside the world of “work” on the Big Idea. How important is money? What does it mean to be your own boss? Does “work” have to be work?… Census: What don’t you want to be when you grow up?… Natural Wonder: In 150 million years the alligator has hardly changed. That’s because it was so well designed in the first place.
Episode 47 Featuring Ishi and Intelligence
HOBBES HOUSE features stories from ancient mythology as told by TV actress, Valerie Harper. In this episode we hear the tale of Daedalus and the Minotaur… Dad hates having sweets around the house – because he eats them all… TUCKER JONES is charged with the task of finding the culprit who replaced valuable Mickey Mouse ears with cheap imitations…On POWER-UP Jessica relates the pride in completing a task that doesn’t need to be re-done… NATURAL WONDER: They are some of the biggest, most intelligent animals that have ever lived on earth, yet humans continue to hunt them down… On BOOM Radio, Devin the Duff weighs in on the effectiveness of strikes in professional sports… SOUNDS: Hmmm…what is it about the random sounds of popcorn popping… Ishi’s relatives on the Pacific Coast were killed off one by one until he was alone in the wild. For three years he roamed the forest, afraid to start a fire or make a sound that might bring the enemy. Josie goes back in time to hear first-hand the tale of famed Native American, Ishi.
Episode 48 Featuring John Muir and Hiroshima
His idea of a good time was climbing to the top of thin spruce trees and riding them down to the ground as the tree buckled under his weight. In her TURNING POINTS interview Kelsey discovers just how lucky we were to have John Muir… BOOKBEAT: Rachel speaks with fantasy and sci-fi writer, Jane Yolen… DO THE RIGHT THING: Is snitching the right thing to do?… Someone’s messing with a neighbor’s leaf piles and Tucker gets the call… BOOM RADIO: Devin has a commentary about… nothing… When America dropped the atomic bomb on Hiroshima, the world changed forever. Alicia and the King sort it all out on THE BIG IDEA… You see one line of traffic going one way, a second line of traffic going the other. Are ants REALLY this organized? Rachel has some thoughts on this episode’s NATURAL WONDER.
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Schmave’s Elevator Bundle
Schmave’s Elevator Stories
Dave Schmave’s stories about the “good old days” are one of BOOMERANG!s most popular segments. Strangely enough, the “good old days” have advanced to the 1960s. From a backdrop of a large family living in a small northern Illinois town, Dave recounts tales of courage, tragedy, triumph and disappointment that we all experience in family life. Each of the 3 anthologies contains 4 Schmave stories.
Buy Bundle of 3 Schmave Anthologies for $26.95
Floor, Please…$9.95
Astounding Events
When the school bully ends up on his own team, Dave and his best friend are forced to make some tough decisions.
Surrender
A midget working at the local county fair suggests his sister may benefit from a dose of surrender. As events progress, Dave realizes he is the one who must do the surrendering.
Elected
When a young friend of Dave’s decides to run for President of the United States, he decides to become her campaign manager.
Doctoring
Dave’s family doctor is involved in an accident in which a young child is killed. Dave puts into practice the steps he has learned from the doctor to nurse him back to life.
Top Floor…$9.95
Us
Dave’s Uncle tells the story of a D-Day mission which lands him face to face with a German soldier who had earlier spared his life.
Choices
When Dave’s journalist father announces plans for an extended trip to China, it seems like a done deal. Then family needs makes Dad re-think his plans.
Friends
While placing pennies on the railroad track, Dave meets a young boy riding the train out of Chicago. Worlds apart, the unlikely pair become friends.
The Happiness Machine
Celebrating the joy of a school “snow day”, Dave befriends an older girl with a curious science project.
Voices from the Shaft…$9.95
The Inquirers
Dave meets a neighborhood girl selling rocks at a roadside stand. When he takes her home to meet his Mom, the two form a mutual fan club.
Secret Truths
When Dave’s Grandma dies, he and his siblings receive gifts from their Grandma’s house. Dave’s disappointment at receiving her notebook of sayings and sage advice soon morphs into proud ownership.
Specialties
With the aid of several friends, Dave tries to cheer up a sister with a broken leg.
Fortune-Teller
At a school fair, Dave plays the role of a fortune-teller. In his worst nightmare, the school tough kid shows up looking for serious glimpse into the crystal ball.