best kids television

As a distraction from everything that's wrong right now, I thought I'd list what I think are the best kids television programming that I've seen and recommend for any new kids.

In my personal order, but not really significant because they're all excellent shows...

1. Scooby Doo.  But only the earliest seasons.  Those early shows had fact-checking and deception-detection as core elements that all young minds need to learn.  Those skills are even more important now than they were originally.  The show included a memorable theme song, funny characters, and even some great guest spots with famous actors.  It even had a female scientist on the hero team, long before that was a common characterization.
2. Dinosaurs.  Some of the best and most important issues (still very relevant, unfortunately), all presented with amusing characters and Jim Henson puppets.  Sort of an "All In The Family" series, but with dinosaurs as the main characters.  Sometimes dark humor, but very entertaining.
3. Steven Universe.  This show also features meaningful issues, but this time with a sci-fi twist.  Another memorable theme song, one that identifies the social priorities of the series.
4. Phineas and Ferb.  It emphasizes curiosity as a primary motivator for an exciting and educational life.  What's not to like?  Again, too, with the memorable theme song.
5. Adventure Time.  Moral quandaries explored during adventures in a magical land.  Strong female leads (like a female scientist-princess, and a musician vampire queen).  And let's not forget the very short opening theme song.

There are a LOT of other tv shows that I've enjoyed over the years (Daria, Samurai Jack, Blue's Clues, Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends, The Muppets, The Bugs Bunny/Road Runner Show, Sesame Street, Avatar: The Last Airbender, Looney Tunes, Animaniacs, SpongeBob SquarePants, Pinky and the Brain, Star Wars: The Clone Wars, X-Men, the various comic book superheroes, The Simpsons, Dexter's Laboratory, Courage the Cowardly Dog, Gravity Falls, The Pink Panther, Futurama, Sailor Moon, The Grim Adventures of Billy and Mandy, Johnny Bravo, Bob's Burgers, Invader Zim, The Ren & Stimpy Show, The Boondocks, Jonny Quest, Star Trek: The Animated Series, and so very many more), but...

... those 5 are the ones that I would buy the whole set to require that my own kids watch every episode as part of their education.

a protest march for George Floyd tonight

For nearly 5 years, I've called attention to the #WarzoneInMinneapolis. This isn't how I expected the rest of the world to start listening, but even the BBC is calling this week's aftermath a warzone.

So far, the riots have been in the 2nd-worst crime and poverty affected part of the city (the 3rd police precinct), not my own worst part (the 4th precinct). What they have in their favor there is a history of hippy-dippy, new-age, kumbaya peaceniks in their midst. Since 1975, their May Day Festival was the epitome of that area's image in my mind. I seriously believe that's the secret sauce that my own precinct is lacking.

But here we are, nevertheless.  Another corpse.  Another protest.  And then I'm back at the site of the Occupy camp, from several years ago.

After the riots and burning and looting yesterday, I wasn't sure that I wanted to attend the protest planned in downtown Minneapolis on Thursday at 5pm. I'm glad, though, that I finally decided to join them.  The first or second thing the organizers said on the loudspeaker was that they wanted this event to be peaceful, and there was widespread agreement from the crowd.

It was hard to hear, unfortunately.  Noise from the blades of the news helicopter echoed between the tall buildings.  Masks muffled the voices of the speakers.  Social distancing kept most of us far away from the small loudspeaker.  But everybody paid attention and joined in the chants when they could hear the call.

Someone in blue nurse scrubs was handing out surgical masks to anyone who wanted one.  Almost everybody already had their own mask.



I was getting ready to leave the rally around 6pm when they announced the march.  I didn't know it was a march too.  I'm not sure that anybody but the organizers knew.  There were no police escorts while we walked down the streets amid the cars surrounded by protesters.  Young volunteers with bright vests helped to direct traffic at intersections.

Into the streets, among the cars, and looking backward from the middle of the march.


Along the way, several cars honked their support.  Nobody drove aggressively into the crowd as has been reported at earlier protests.  We also answered calls for a few chants.

Watch on YouTube

"Say his name!  George Floyd!"
"What do we want?  Justice!  When do we want it?  Now!"

It was quite a crowd, and it drew onlookers watching from their expensive apartments with the solid cement ledges.



I left about 6:30pm when we got back to the plaza.  I drove home and ran into some other big event blocking streets in my area of the city.  Not sure what it was.  Lots of police cars.  Lots of police standing farther away from it.  No idea what was happening at the corner of Lyndale and Broadway, a mile or so from my house.