Month: October 2005

My review of ‘Real Wheels – Mega Truck Adventures’

Yes that’s right, I just spent time writing a review of a dumb kids video we bought recently. Not exactly Ralph Nader but hey, I felt so moved, so I’m now published on Amazon (or will be if they ‘accept’ it) 🙂 …

Real Wheels – Mega Truck Adventures
My 2 year likes this but …
October 30, 2005
Reviewer: M. Baya (Ellsworth, ME United States) –

He’d probably watch it if it were just the monster trucks without any narration. Having seen this DVD about a dozen times in the past 48 hours since it arrived I have come to some conclusions. Before I write my opinions as a 36 year old father, let me repeat again that my 2.5 year old enjoys this video (though just the monster truck one really, the other ones seem to lose his interest). I’m sure he’d give it 4 or 5 stars, but then again he’d do the same for a camcorder recording of some nearby construction jobs. Anyways…

I find these videos strangely inspiring, in that anyone with a nice camera and a person with no acting ability willing to ham it up as a host could make a children’s video. Dave does a good job being a ‘real life’ Homer Simpson type character, making stupid very predictable mistakes and saying ‘I shouldn’t have done that!’ which I’m guessing is a tag line for these videos. He acts as narrator and over-enthusiastic big kid host. Other comments have hinted this isn’t Dave & Becky’s first video, which is unfortunate cause I thought maybe this was a pilot and they had better repetoire and ‘characters’ in future episodes.

Here’s the thing, over the years I have made some really dumb and silly unscripted camcorder videos with friends and I recognize ad lib dialogue and ‘lets make a story from the footage we have’ type productions and these reek of that. I can’t imagine the production costs for these videos was more than a few thousand, possibly just a few hundred, dollars. It’s also is clear they spent at most a day or two shooting each segment, if not just a few hours.

This is certainly better than some free videos I’ve found on the net when looking for construction, motorcyle and monster truck videos (for my 2 year old), and while others have complained about Dave & Becky fighting there’s no real violence (just basically falling in the mud). It’s also a good combo having construction equipment, monster trucks and tanks on one DVD, and I was glad the Tank section didn’t get into too much war talk. However, while this video isn’t horrible, it could have been alot better. After recently viewing some of the well produced PBS series ‘Modern Marvels’ and other documentaries about construction equipment and trucks, this falls far short of what it could have been. Even with a target audience of kids there is no reason to do something this ‘cheap’ in look and feel, and it’s also just ‘dumb’ entertainment, no real effort in trying to educate in any manner (except for occasional 20 second bits where Dave rattles off data way too fast with no context). Occasionally an off camera narrator comes in and gives an overly enthusiastic and overly brief bit of information that puts things in more context. I just think they could have made a much better ‘story’ that would work better in the context of the show and if they spent a few more dollars and/or hours in producing this they could have made something that would catch adults interest and challenge kids to learn more about the subjects they are covering.

I’m sure Dave & Becky are rich by now considering the number of these DVD’s they’ve probably sold compared to the low production costs, so who am I to judge on what makes a good video? I just thought I’d write my honest opinion while these videos were fresh in my mind.

So basically, it’s dumb but fun for kids. It could/should have been better but since it’s target audience doesn’t have a clue of the difference between something that took effort and something half-baked, it’s good enough I guess. I just was hoping for more.

“Fascinating” Spam Filler Text

Ok why I actually read some of the spam I get is beyond me. I’m not going to post the actual spam message that went with this for fear of encouraging them, suffice to say it was a ‘diploma mill’ type thing. HOWEVER, below the cheesy ‘Gus, take advice from an old friend and call this number and get your masters in 2 weeks’ text was the following. I know this is randomly generated, and maybe it’s just me but it’s just fascinating to see what spammers think good text to get by spam filters is. I note alot of references to shaving in this one, is that some secret keyword?

In some warped way, it’s poetic. Ok maybe not, but I still find it amusing… I mean, any text that starts with “Doesn’t Kate’s granddaughter miss shaving for a few months?” and later includes “I am enjoying eating in the river.. “ has to at least make you look twice.

Doesn’t Kate’s granddaughter miss shaving for a few months?.
I have just practiced talking..
I am enjoying eating in the river..
Did Alfred’s niece like playing well?.
Did Roy love working on the top of the mountain?.
But this is where you come in: Between now and November, you, the American people, you can reject the tired, old, hateful, negative politics of the past. And instead you can embrace the politics of hope, the politics of what’s possible because this is America, where everything is possible..
Is the scientist missing praying?.
9.
The science teachers practiced fighting..
The science teachers practiced fighting..
7.
John was enjoying sleeping near the tree..
They aren’t enjoying running..
AUDIENCE: Yes..
Were those farmers practicing shouting next to the police station?.
Were those science teachers missing walking a few days ago?.
Brian was a boy with Down’s Syndrome. He was taking several medications. Brian came from a nurturing family and extended family who provided him with every opportunity. His mother was a teacher and wanted what was best for him. He exhibited no language and was considerably behind his other friends with Down?s Syndrome. We set up a noun program at school. At first he seemed disinterested. He looked at the pictures and sucked his thumb. The more we encouraged him to engage the keyboard, the more he sucked his thumb. We then paired him with a child who was very interested in the noun program. Suddenly the two were fighting over who was next to pick a picture. He worked several times a week at the computer. At his 3-year IEP, the team shook their heads. They didn’t understand. Despite the track record of many students with Down?s Syndrome, Brian’s language was his best skill. I smiled and his mother winked at me..
I don’t hate studying in London..
THE PARENT arrived back on the scene. She gave me a tape by Dr. Laura Meyers from UCLA. I listened to that tape eight times. I listened over and over and heard the same thing again and again. Ms. Meyers said, ‘These kids may need to hear a word many times (perhaps 72 times) before they ever say a word. A computer can be patient and say it the same way every time.’ Now I understood. I was not patient enough. I did not allow the student to hear the words over and over. I was interrupting their learning by interjecting, when they were totally engrossed in what they were doing. I was asking questions they were not ready to answer. They were just learning language. They didn’t have the answers yet..
Doesn’t Sarah remember shouting slowly?.
Jack is not missing singing near the station..
I am enjoying eating in the river..
Those news announcers aren’t practicing shaving next to the police station right at this time..
8.
The musicians have missed playing since a few days ago..
This program is not intended as a miracle program. It is meant to be a bridge–the bridge from real objects to 2-dimensional photos. It is meant to allow the students to hear the words repeatedly and then in context. It is meant to help start the students talking. This program is not the finished end product, it is a tool. You, the teacher, parent or therapist, are the best communicators. When your student or child looks at you as if to say please Teach Me To Talk use this program as part of the process..
Did Anthony miss running?.
5.
I am not enjoying skiing among the trees at the moment..
The musicians have missed playing since a few days ago..
Do you hate shaving badly?.