Is Thomas the Tank Engine an analogy for the slave trade?

Posted on 06. Jan, 2011 by Toy Expert.

Thomas the Take Engine (he’s the Cheeky one) is really an analogy to slavery. This will make no sense to you guys with no kids so disregard. For the rest of you, think about this Thomas, Percy, James, and so on are all on an island, Sodor. WTF are they doing there and why is there a need for trains? Well, Thmas and friends are really slaves of Sir Tooppem Hat. You think I’m bs’s but think about this, they always talk about leaving and going on adventures off the island, but they never do. Know why, because if they try to leave Sir Toppem hat will woop their train asses, that’s why.

Thomas is the "uncle Tom" of the bunch. He says things like, "buff my bumpers, if I’m late Sir Toppem Hat will be angry." Now why would a 10,000 lb. train be scared of Sir Toppem Hat, because he’s the "master." I bet when the trains got to the island they had names like Chevy built, Power-Built, and Yamanote Line but Sir Toppem Hat whooped their asses until they took their "slave names" Thomas, James, and Percy. Just like roots, and we let our kids watch this stuff.

For those of you who have the pleasure of watching like 4 hours a day of Thomas you will know that there are a whole nother class (race) of trains in the hills. They can screw you up, because you’ll see a red train and be like "that’s James just workin for the man," but no that’s Scarblewey the bizarro hill James. The creators of Thomas went even further and you knwo who the hill trains represent. They are the flippin Asians.

Now, don’t think I’m racist, I’m actually the opposite of racist. Watch the show sometime and look for yourself. Lot’s of kids cartoon have shit like this. Don’t even get me going on Goofy and the whole Uncle Tom thing.
I have a job and a 2 year old son who always wants to watch Thomas, but thank you for the advice.

Continue Reading

Parenting advice needed: kids' xmas gifts?

Posted on 03. Jan, 2011 by Toy Expert.

OK I’m worried here.

I do not want to spoil my kids silly. I am personally quite well off – almost a millionaire at age 41.

But I want my kids to know that life is not a matter of things, but relationships and our relationship with God through Jesus.

So here it is Xmas time again. We went to Disney World a few weeks ago and my 8 year old son decided he wanted a "Disney Monorail" (electric) for xmas, plus a new toy for his rokenbok play set, and two new airplanes (models). Now realize his birthday is 12/22, too.

So "Santa" is bringing him a monorail. But…last weekend we went to the hobby shop and he had his eye on a "Polar Express" train set. When he wrote his letter to santa tonight, sure enough, he put BOTH of them on there.

Now I can easily afford to give him both, but is this the right thing to do? He doesn’t have video games, but he DOES have a rokenbok play set and race car set.

Am I spoiling my child and doing him a disservice?

Thank you!!

Continue Reading

Any model train enthusiasts out there? What scale do you like?

Posted on 12. Nov, 2010 by Toy Expert.

I love trains! I am almost 50 and I got my first one a month ago – shocked my husband that I liked them! I have the "Polar Express." We also have some LGB, O scale, a couple of HO and a Z scale (Disneyland). My "Hogwarts Express" should be here in a couple of weeks.

Just curious if there are any other train nuts out there!
We went to a train show in Fullerton CA on Sunday. The layouts were amazing! The had a refurbished Disneyland engine that was beautiful.

When all the kids have moved out, hopefully soon, 1/3 of our garage will be all trains!

Continue Reading

Is this autism or a potential misdiagnosis?

Posted on 11. Oct, 2010 by Toy Expert.

My son has had a form of epilepsy ("Jacksonian Seizures"), since birth–and has been on medication for that since the age of six months. He was having seizures everyday for 6 months and we never put it together, b/c it was just staring off in space and sometimes his jaw would quiver. The doc had said it was low blood sugar or maybe he wasn’t getting enough nutrients from my breast milk. He had to have a full-out "Grandma" seizure before we realized what was really wrong. Now his neurologist is concerned w/all his developmental delays that he may have autism, but I’m not so sure.

Symptoms:

1. He’s 2.5 years old now and his vocabulary/speech is on the level of a 1 year old. He knows his name and responds when called, but if you actually ask him his name he won’t answer. He also does a lot of echolalia (I think that’s what it’s called.)–but basically, sometimes he thinks he is actually talking to you and it sounds like "A-thucka-thucka."

2. He hates Thomas the Train–when the animation comes toward him on the screen he will scream/cry and come running for me. He basically hates any toy that vibrates/moves excessively, i.e. Elmo, Dance w/me Brobee, etc.

3. He loves, loves, loves…wheels and anything that has wheels. He will roll cars/trucks on the ground, but will put his head down on the ground and watch the wheels.

4. He also has a fascination for making a choo-choo train out of anything….french fries, blocks, a row of cars, magnets, colors, anything–he will line them up and push them and say, "Choo! Choo!"….

I know he’s a little behind, but I thought that was due to his epilepsy. I hate to think he’s autistic on top of it. Never mind the fact that his father was horribly murdered when he was only 6 months old–it’s like if it’s not one thing, it’s another. I’m so frustrated! I don’t know how much more I can take! What do I do?

P.S. Here are some videos of my little guy, so y’all can see him a little in action…

@ Heidi N – I appreciate you taking the time to answer, but I will disagree w/you on some of your points for the time being. Epilepsy runs in my family–a bit distantly from me, but all the same it is there. I have 3 different family members w/variations of it and none of it was cause medically or due to pathogens/toxins. My son has had seizures since the day he was born. He was born about 6 weeks early and if anything, maybe that contributed to it or maybe it was just bad genes. His medication he takes for his seizures works just fine and he has had no seizures since being on the medication. The autism? I’m still not entirely sure about, but if he does have it–well, I wouldn’t doubt if it had to do w/him having seizures everyday for 6 months and we didnt know it. It has probably done permanent damage to which we are just now seeing the effects of. I disagree w/you, but thank you for your answer.
@ Sally N – That video made me cry my eyes out right now.

Continue Reading

Do you like my noo pooem?

Posted on 09. Oct, 2010 by Toy Expert.

*****
If I were…the trees
I could bend for you
I could be cut, and molded into shapes

If I was…the wood
I could ply for you
I could build you homes and little children’s toys

If I am…the dust
I could swirl round you
I could draw sweet tears from your widened eyes

But I…am just…a man
Bowed down for you
Building fires and tiny wooden trains

*****
‘Am’ is the beginning of the Pinocchioian transformation from wood to flesh…Ta Doo!
You kmow…as in "God made man from dust…"

Continue Reading

Is this a good train for under the Christmas tree?

Posted on 29. Sep, 2010 by Toy Expert.

I want to buy a train for under our Christmas tree. We have one that I bought at KB-Toys in the mall, but it was like and a piece of junk. The track is hard to snap together and keeps coming apart, the locomotive on the front is battery operated and is not powerful enough to pull the train cars behind it.

I found a Bachmann Big Haulers Red Comet Christmas Train Set on an auction site, but I didn’t get it yet because I wanted to check it out first. I don’t know anything about trains – how big would this actually be? Is this a good train for about 0? What kind of questions should I ask the previous owner?

I really want a train that will go around the track without derailing every five minutes so I hope this one is a good one!
Thanks.

You know, it’s funny but I don’t see the question "what should I do with my money if I don’t buy a train?" in my post! I realize that there are some who cannot afford to buy many presents, etc. and we often think of ourselves as one of those families – thus the reason why I bought a train 10 years ago and fight with it each year under the tree! There is always someone worse off that you and always someone better off than you. And I don’t go around telling people where to spend their money, so I don’t appreciate when people do that to me. If you don’t know anything about toy trains, have a toy train, or care about toy trains, then please keep your comments to yourself. Don’t lay a guilt trip on me – by the way to those who posted about donating to other people – did you buy coffee today at a shop? Did you eat out this week? Did you buy candy? cookies? Soda? Well, you really don’t need those things either – they might not cost 0 all at once, but I bet they add up to more.

Continue Reading

what do you think about these real cool jokes if you like themthen give me stars?

Posted on 20. Sep, 2010 by Toy Expert.

Q: What do elves learn in school?
A: The Elf-abet!
Q: What’s the most popular wine at Christmas?
A: "I don’t like sprouts”!
Q: If athletes get athletes foot, what do astronauts get?
A: Missiletoe!
Q: What do you get when you cross a snowman with a vampire?
A: Frostbite.
Q: Why was Santa’s little helper depressed?
A: Because he had low elf esteem.
Q: Why does Santa have 3 gardens?
A: So he can ho-ho-ho.
Q: Where do polar bears vote?
A: The North Poll.
Q: What do you get when you cross an archer with a gift-wrapper?
A: Ribbon hood.
Q: Why do birds fly south for the winter?
A: Because it’s to far to walk.
Q: What was wrong with the boy’s brand new toy electric train set he received for Christmas?
A: Forty feet of track – all straight!

What do monkeys sing at Christmas? Jungle Bells, Jungle bells. !

During my college days I went to participate in a slow bicycle race competition, I came first in the competition, when I went to claim my trophy, my principal kicked me out from his office saying that the trophy goes to the person who came in the last, because its SLOW BICYCLE RACE

A baby polar bear goes up to his dad and asks, "Dad, am I pure polar bear?" The dad replies, "Sure you are son. I’m all polar bear, my parents are all polar bear, your mom is all polar bear, and her parents are all polar bear." Still unsure the baby polar bear goes to his mom and asks, "Mom, am I pure polar bear?" She answers, "Of course you are honey. I’m all polar bear, your father is all polar bear, my parents are all polar bear, and his parents are all polar bear." Still not convinced the baby polar bear goes to his grandparents and asks, "Grand mom…Grand pop…am I all polar bear?" His grandmother answers, "Of course you are sweetie. Were all polar bear, your mother is all polar bear, your father is all polar bear, and his parents are all polar bear. Why do you ask sweetie?" The baby polar bears replies, "Because I’m fucking freezing!"

Continue Reading

I'm making a train table for my kids and would like creative ideas for the top?

Posted on 19. Sep, 2010 by Toy Expert.

Thomas the Tank Engine playboards are way overpriced, so I’m looking for ideas for the top of the train table.

It’s approx. 41" x 32"

Thanks!

Continue Reading

Which investment would you make?

Posted on 15. Sep, 2010 by Toy Expert.

My daughter loves, loves, loves trains! Everytime we go to Toys R Us we always have to stop in the train section. They have a little table with a track and some trains set up and I have to bribe her away from them. So, I was thinking for Christmas I am going to invest in a train table for her, but not sure which one to get. She prefers the wooden train sets over the plastic. The wooden tracks/trains are rather expensive so all we have is a "Thomas & Friends figure 8" track and an extension set for the figure 8, but I plan on getting her more if I don’t buy a table with the pieces with it.
Should I buy this, with all the pieces to go with it: http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=3140177
Or just a table and buy all the pieces, which as I stated are expensive (there are several plain tables to choose from, but here is one of them): http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=3454156

With the tables we won’t be able to add on much to the track, just what the table allows us. But an advantage to the table would be that I don’t always have to take the track apart when she isn’t playing with it.
What should I do?
Yes, buying the cheap one then all the tracks and trains and other stuff would be more expensive.
For example, I just bought her this http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2548707 for , which isn’t bad. But, then when you get to all the "fun looking pieces" they get to be expensive: http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2341630

This one also looks so tempting: http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=3714050

Continue Reading

Where is a toy train repair place?

Posted on 11. Sep, 2010 by Toy Expert.

Does anyone know of a toy train repair place? I found my dad’s old trains in a closet. They’re kinda dusty, & some parts are broken/missing. Where is a train repair place near Montrose, Pennsylvania?
The trains are "Texas Special" Lionel.

Continue Reading