Dora, Are You Crazy?

What kid doesn't like "Dora the Explorer"? I know that my little ones do. Heck, when she starts speaking spanish I have to admit that I perk up. I can't say that I always pay attention, so there may be more of what I am about to explain embedded in every episode.

She has this one titled Dora and the Crystal Kingdom. I think that is what it is called. She has to go around performing tasks and earning crystals of different colors. Early in the show she has to help a knight.

She finds a knight on the pinnacle of a mound of boulders. There is a dragon that is hovering over the knight, and the two are fighting.

Dora, "The knight is waving his sword at the dragon. The dragon is afraid. We have to stop them from fighting."

Sounds like that is an admirable goal. Help them get along. At first you might think that the knight might have done something to the dragon, and he wants revenge. Stolen an egg or something.

Dora, "Dragons only fight when they are afraid."

So the only reason the dragon is fighting with the knight is because the knight frightens it. Hum. So Dora gives the knight instruction.

Dora, "Put down your sword and the dragon will stop fighting."

I kind of have a problem with what this segment is teaching. You see this dragon, flying, doing so in order to facilitate a fight with this knight. The dragon is able, at any time, to fly away from the knight. Just turn and fly away. No More Conflict. The knight doesn't have a chain around the neck of the dragon. He has no magic force that keeps the dragon close. I have yet to figure out why the huge, fire breathing flying green dragon is afraid of a puny, land bound, horseless, knight with a very short sword. Who has the upper hand here? Who is instigating this fight?

For some reason it is necessary for Dora to take the side of the dragon. Heck, if the dragon is so scared, why doesn't it just fly away. If it doesn't want to fight, leave. I think that this dragon likes harassing knights , or is hungry. But that would mean that the human, that man, is not the reason for the problem, and we can't have that. Maybe Dora doesn't see a family crouched down on the other side of the rocks. Perhaps the knight is protecting the family, his family, from this blood thirsty beast.

Ok, Ok. I know it is subtle. But why not tell the dragon to fly away. "Hey dragon, if you don't want to fight, fly away." Over and done. And yes, I suppose that the knight could walk (or run, doesn't matter) away, but he is not assured that the dragon won't follow, swooping at him the whole way.

PLAIN AND SIMPLE, IT IS THE DRAGON'S FAULT, (or at least it is his to solve).

Stop blaming humans. We are not always the problem!!!

El Toro Negro

Girl Scout "Camp Out"

My eight year old girl is a girl scout, or a brownie, a daisy, bluebird, or something of the sort. When their troop, or bunch, or flock or what ever, has a camp out, it is an ordeal, and I have the photos to prove it.

This time they had the camp out at our place.

I have to insert that I have been helping out with the boy scout troop that my sons are members of for several years. I have been on numerous camp outs and been to week long scout camp the last three years. I was involved with scouts and camping during my youth. This weekend opened my eyes to a side of camping that I did not know existed. I was blown away to say the least. You men that see this will know exactly what I am talking about.

I think the count was 29 girls between the ages of 5 and 10, and 16 moms.

I lost count of the trailer loads of "equipment" that I hauled out to the site.

My 15 and 12 year old help as many moms as they could get to, but some moms did great on their own.

It doesn't get any better than mother daughter putting up a tent. Well, maybe a manicure and then a nice lunch together.

Some of the moms.

The Girls, at least some of them.

The camp.

My 15 year old. I think he is thinking, "been here, done this".

Camp fire.

Definitely the BEST for last. What a cool picture. Put this one in your scrap books, moms.

El Toro Negro

Say it like ya mean It

Stand back and be quiet, I'm gettin on my soapbox, even if it is random and incoherent.

To borrow a phrase form my childhood, I am sick and tired of the Republicans we have sent to Washington. To put it simply, I am tired of playing nice. Below is a video of Virginia Foxx. At least she has the BALLS to say it like it is. Like I feel. Like MILLIONS of others across this country feel.

We are not talking about a single program that the Gov't wants to stars. We are talking over a hundred new Gov't agencies. We are talking about spending a trillion dollars, not to fix health care. Not to improve heath care. Not to save lives. It is designed to ENSLAVE us. ENSLAVE you.

Why do we keep trying the same thing over and over expecting a different result? Whey do we send the same "conservatives" to "represent" us even though they are they same as those we fear? I just want to scream.

I want true patriots. I want people that will declare a set of values and act according to them, even if it means voting against something because of principle that would otherwise send money to their district. I want someone that will not author a bill that stifles free speech before an election. I want someone that won't declare a bill to be unconstitutional and then sign the thing into law. When did this bailout start?

I want someone that will actually cut a Gov't agency because we can't afford it. I want someone who will cut Gov't agencies because they aren't the business the government should be in. I want someone who will demand a balanced budget. I want someone who will vote for term limits.

I am tired of playing nice. I am tired of trying to have a big tent. I am tired of trying not to offend those on the other side of the isle. I want someone that believes in something. I want someone that believes in this country. I want someone that believes in the American people. Believes in us enough to say that we don't need the Gov't to do everything for us. I want someone that understands the proper role of government. I want someone that believes in the Constitution, in states rights. I want someone that loves. Loves God, their wife and family, their friends and others. Give me a George Washington. Hell, give me a man of half the stature of GW.

I want someone who will pledge their Life, their Fortune and their Sacred Honor to the preservation of this Nation, as it was founded.

OK. I'm going to stop writing and go out side and scream.

El Toro Negro

Feets of Steel

I remember back to when I was a kid. Not sure exactly what age. In the range of 5 to 15 years. I specifically remember that I wanted my feet to be tough. I don't know the exact reason why I thought this was desirable. Perhaps it was to gain some superhero advantage over my friends. I was always one of the guys that wasn't especially athletic, and often picked last. Maybe I thought that I could run faster with feet of steel.

The things I did to get to the point where my feet were tough were varied. We lived on a rock road and I recall running descalzo, bare foot, up and down our road in spite of the pain. I would try, with less success, to run through briar patches too. I don't know if this worked, but I do know it made me feel tough.

These thoughts rise to the surface of my mind because of my wife. It's funny how people or the sexes are different. On more than one occasion I have witnessed my wife putting gobs of lotion on her feet. Not strange you say. Women use lots of lotion, right. Well, in fact, I agree. Women, and many men, use lotion to soften and wimpify their feet. What I had never seen, though, is placing socks on your feet after the application of the lotion and then going to sleep with the socks. I have a hard time sleeping in socks unless it is 30 degrees or below. but whatever.

I must admit that I have abandoned the quest to have rock tough feet. I find myself wearing shoes, boots, or crocks everywhere. (My wife hates it when I wear the boots with shorts.) I guess now I will find myself buying one of those hand held grinding boards that are sold in infomercials that are used to grind away the tough skin on your heels and balls of your feet. Some superhero I am.

El Toro Negro

Hairy Ears

I am not that old, only 38. Despite the fact that I am almost completely white headed, I don't consider myself over the hill. I am, however, experiencing some strange changes taking place that I am attributing to aging.

I want to know where it is written in the Great Big Book of Getting Older that the hair in and on your ears has to grow at a rate of three times, or more, the rate of the hair that grows on your head. Dang, I could weave a Navajo blanket with all the hair I've plucked from my ears. I mean, come on, why in the world do you need sevens hairs on your ear to be three inches long. I know it isn't for warmth because there aren't enough to cover the whole ear. It can't be for beauty or attracting a female because it starts at an age where a female would have already been found. It must be some form of joke by the Creator, right. "Now you have to pluck your ears for the rest of your life."

El Toro Negro

Obama Protest

Former ACORN attorney and now President Obama was in town on Oct 16, 2009 for a Points of Light ceremony. There was a protest of his policies that was held in conjunction to his visit, which I attended and participated in. My guess is somewhere between 2 and 3 thousand. Here are some of the pictures I took.

This I took this one because of her sign (and the other's shirt). I promise. The two balls say Obama and ACORN.

One of my friends bet me that there wold be no one of color there.

At the bottom of this pic is a woman and her family from El Salvador that I met.

We wondered if this was a sniper sent to make sure the radical right wing, racist, gun toting, Bible clinging, God fearing, possible terrorists stayed under control.

My kids wanted pancakes for supper tonight, not that I mind. I like them too. It reminded me of when my mom would make them. I have always enjoyed pancakes. They are just an all around good thing to eat.

One of the things that I remember my mom doing when she made pancakes was popping the bubbles that form as they cook. I had no idea why she did that. It never made since to me other than it was just one of those crazy things that a parent does. Could be she did it just to be goofy, or cause us to wonder. I would like to say that it was something that made the pancakes cook faster or make them taste better, but I'm just not sure.

I found myself doing the same thing tonight. While standing, slaving, in front of that hot stove I could not stop myself from popping those pesky bubbles that kept forming. As soon as I would pop one, another would form, taunting me to do it again. I can't be sure of the reason that I was doing it. It, for sure, didn't make them cook faster and they have always tasted good. My kids didn't even notice that I was doing it. It must be one of those unexplainable things in life, like what color does a smurf turn when you choke it.

El Toro Negro

SNL and Obama

This cracked me up. Keep it coming SNL.

El Toro Negro

Dog Theater

I had a great friend of mine, who tends to be a bit goofy, suggest this to me while we were at a movie.

You know how you can't go into a movie theater without having your feet stick to the floor and without having to kick aside the popcorn on the floor. It's just one of those things in life that never seem to change. People can't or won't use the garbage can as the exit the theater.

This friend of mine suggested that the theater acquire a few dogs and use them to clean the theater after every show. You wouldn't have to feed them much. They could live on the droppings of the patrons. You wouldn't have to feel guilty about spilling coke on the floor, or having your jawbreaker roll around on the floor because the dogs would be along to clean it up as soon as you leave. Perhaps you could even use them during the show. Who doesn't love petting a dog while watching the latest flick?

I could only see one downside to the whole thing. You would not have do dodge old nachos just dog droppings. I'm not 100% sure, but I think people might rather step in the nachos.

El Toro Negro

DMV Style

Thought this was too good not to share.

El Toro Negro

Love Bugs

Having come from East Texas I know how bad love bugs can be. Let me make it clear that I hate them. They stink and taste bad. I find them of no use.

Thankfully we don't have that many up here where I live. I think it has something to do with pine trees. I was, however, watching one (really two) a few days ago and it got my wondering. Just where are they flying to? Have you ever watched them. They just fly around, seemingly with no purpose. Are they bored? Are they looking for food? If so, are they just hoping to stumble across something to eat? They definitely have no rhyme or reason to where they are going. It couldn't be a mating thing because this one was already hooked up. Is it a defensive thing? Don't think so. I just don't get it.

El Toro Negro

Panty Problems

I have two daughters. The oldest is 8 and my youngest is three. Over the last eight years, being the good father that I am, I have feed, read to, given baths, blow dried hair and dressed these two more times than I can count. I have done my best to allow them opportunities to learn how to do these things for themselves. Teach them to fish, right?

My oldest girl learned how to dress herself with relative ease. One of the biggest rules is tag in the back. Everyone knows and practices this. Tag in the back. I thought this was pretty standard, until a few weeks ago.

My youngest girl is sooooo independent. She is forever saying "I can do it" so when I saw several times that her panties were on backwards I just figured that she did it by herself and hadn't quite earned the RULE of tag in the back. I mean, I have dressed her many times each week and never noticed that her little panties had changed. It was just natural for me to turn them correctly and have her step in. You know what I mean. The but part is much bigger, has the tag, and that part goes in the back. Why was she having so much trouble?

Upon further investigation I uncovered that there is a vast conspiracy within the panty industry. Someone has determined that putting the tag in the back somehow is racist, and unfairly favors privileged white girls and therefore must be placed randomly. Most of my daughters panties' tags were not in the back. They were on the side, and not always on the right side or left side. It is difficult to put the tag in the back when the tag isn't in the back.

What kind of sick individual would disrupt such a long practiced tradition? Is there someone somewhere sitting in their living room giggling, thinking of all the little girls that have their panties on backwards? Thinking of how uncomfortable and silly they look? Why would someone want to do this? Are they trying to give these girls the feeling that they can't do anything right? It is hard to understand such depravity.

And how do you explain to a three year old that now she has to relearn how to put her bloomers on? How do you answer the questions of "Why, Daddy, did they change it?" What's next, the nightgown industry? Will the little girls of this country be found with their sleepwear on backwards too?

El Toro Negro

You are where you are....

You ever hear of the saying that you are where you are because of the choices that you have made. I believe that to be true. Where we are is a culmination of all choices in life. Take a few small ones out and you are in a different place. Take a major one away and who knows where you might be.

I think that this statement is as true for our country as it is for our personal lives. I realize that the choices our country makes are only the sum of many individual choices, at least in theory. I get so tired of hearing the word democracy. That is mob rule, pure and simple. Take a pack of wolves that come upon a rabbit in the woods. Lets take a vote on what's for dinner. The founders did not establish this country as a democracy. Senators were not to be elected by a popular vote and we as citizens have no RIGHT to vote for president. This all for good reason, which I will not go into now.

Back to decisions. We, as a people, can not keep doing the same things and expect to end up with different results. How many times do we elect the same Senator or Representative just because they are of our party. We keep electing the same people over and over and expecting a different outcome.

I know we need a fundamental change in this country, and I'm not referring to the one Obama campaigned on. I am not even referring to throwing out all the democrats. We have got to get back to the core values that made this country the greatest ever in the world. We have got to stand for honor and integrity. We have got to elect men that embody these traits. We have to demand that corruption and lust for power be eliminated (to the best of our ability-I know it will always be there). We need statesmen. We need patriots. Those who more than self their country love. Those who pledge their lives, their fortunes, and their sacred honor.

Where are these men. I dare say there are any in Washington right now. We are squabbling over health care, or cap and trade, or this or that, yet we fail to demand hold our own elected officials accountable. They are the ones we have chosen to guard against the thief in the night (or day) that would destroy the Constitution. They are supposed to work for us.

Search and find those that holds these truths as their own. Support them. Fund them. If you elect them and they don't fulfill their duty, find one who will. You might be that ONE you are seeking. Be informed. Be passionate. Be active. Be vocal. Be true. Be prayerful. Be honest. Be loyal. Be the type of person that you want others to be.

That is all! (For Now)

El Toro Negro

The Dirt Monkey

It finally rained a bit here and the young uns are loving it. Here is a bit of this afternoon.

MUST SEE- Jack Webb Schools Barack Obama on Healthcare

First let me say that I didn't find this on my own. I have a friend in Az. that had this on hi blog and I thought it was GREAT. If you never watch YouTube watch this one. I don't really need to say more than what is said here.

El Toro Negro

Health Scare

As you know there is a great deal of discussion about "health care reform" or "insurance reform" as it is now being called. Me. I am at a loss as to what the heck the politicians of this country are thinking.

First let me say that the whole debate is being framed wrong. All we hear is what form the heath industry should be changed to or how it is going to be paid for, not to mention rationing or lack of availability. I have yet to hear a Senator or Representative say what I think to be the most important fact (perhaps they have and I haven't heard about it). It is not the proper role of the Federal Government to have any control of our health care. At most it should be left to the States. You know, the tenth amendment thing. It is an over reaching grab for control of our lives. Once they control our health and with the growing welfare state, they will virtually complete the enslavement of the citizenry of this country. Who dares defy the government. No Health Care For You!

They current grab for control has absolutely nothing to do with improving the quality of care. You haven't heard anyone say that the care will improve, or even stay the same (it can't). You haven't heard them say they will enroll themselves in the program. They aren't one of us. How dare we demand they live under the same rules as the common people.

I have heard the libs SAY that if everyone just gave a little we would be able to take care of everyone. Sounds great, right. But that's not what the are DOING. They aren't asking everyone to GIVE a little. They aren't even saying if we take a little from everyone. They are wanting to take nothing from some, a little form middle, and a disproportionate amount from the producers of the country. It makes me want to puke.

Heaven forbid we say anything. Heaven forbid we go to a public forum and voice our view. Who wouldn't be forceful when the alternative is to allow this nation to be destroyed from within. Why have we not heard one single solitary free market solution from a politician. There are about a dozen ideas that I have reviewed that would defiantly improve our current system. But they would not enslave us. They would not indebt us to the Government. They would not increase the power of Washington.

Let me pause to apologize. I have so much running through my mind that a lot gets lost, and I am afraid that a lot is disjointed. But I hope that you at least get the drift of my feelings. I hate what I am seeing happen. Let us all not only voice our opinions, but let us take action. Write, call and attend. Join and support groups that peacefully advocate liberty and freedom (two words you will not hear the libs use). Pray that God will direct our paths and the paths of our leaders. And finally, let's all REMEMBER IN NOVEMBER.

El Toro Negro

One or the Other

There is a kid in the elementary here in town that I know really well. He is about the coolest kid around. If I think of it, in another post I'll tell you how he eats salad. This is an assignment that he had that was titled All About... He told about his likes and dislikes, who his parents are, birthday, and the like. I thought his long term goals need to by displayed. Here they are.

I am sort of pulling for "if I scrue that up I'll probably be a World Recerd Breaker."

Sew Fast

I've mentioned, I think that I work for my wife in her embroidery shop. I thought I would give you an image of what we do. Notice the magic.

El Toro Negro

Huh?

I have a DVR. If you don't have one, I recommend it. Aside from being able to pause tv, you can set it to record programs (up to a hundred hours on mine). I enjoy being able to fast forward commercials and useless crap in a lot of programming today. I don't have to listen to Paula Abdul drone on about haw special someone is or how good they look or how they are true to themselves. Huh? I can hit the skip button and she is done. I can watch an hour program in about 24 1/2 minutes.

And sports. I can watch a baseball game, extra innings and all, in about 8 minutes. I can see every great golf shot in super fast mode. Cool stuff.

Usually if I want to watch a live show I will hit the pause button, wait about 20 minutes, and then be able to skip most of the commercials. Now, on occasion I do watch a program live. I couldn't believe a couple of commercials I saw within about 5 minutes of each other.

You have seen the bleeding heart ad that try to get you to give them your money. They often include an idiot movie or tv personality ("this is a paid advertisement") that uses his skill at lying to make you feel like a pile of dung because you have a nice house or few bucks in your pocket or are rich, while everyone else in the world is starving or is a victim of a big evil business or is going through a disaster or is suffering from some disease.

The two I saw were about fat kids and starving kids. I never knew that 6 in 10 kids were suffering from obesity. The reasons why, in my opinion, are a subject of another, future, post. What I couldn't understand was the next ad that caught my attention was asking for money to help starving kids. I mean, who doesn't want to help a starving kid, but guess how many kids in America are STARVING. Yep. You got it. 6 in 10.

How in the world can 60% of kids be too fat, AND, 60% of kids be starving. WTH. (That's text lingo for what the heck.) That would mean that every time you see a kid in a playground he is either obese or starving, or maybe both!

El Toro Negro

New Shirt

I don't know if I have mentioned it before or not, but my wife and I have an embroidery shop. From time to time I will make a shirt for myself and stitch something on it. I had her order me some new T's the other day.

My buddy at work and I talk a lot of politics. We see things pretty much the same. He usually has the more insightful thoughts. He came up with the following saying, and I put it on one of my new shirts. I have been selling a few here and there. I am a capitalist, after all. It reflects what I believe and, according to the polls, what a majority of Americans are finding out.

I can't understand the arrogance of Obama, Nancy, Harry, Washington, and the left. I am encouraged to hear that old folks and doctors are dropping like flies from the AARP and the AMA. I am encouraged by the town hall meetings and the frustration that our citizens are doling out. I am glad to see our elected officials worried about 2010.

Anyway... here is the shirt, front and back.

El Toro Negro

A Truck Load

I found this single cab, small sized truck at Wal-Mart this morning. I have been known to have a messy truck. A couple of tools on the floor or an old soda bottle in the passenger seat. I almost always have the lunchbox I take to work, but my truck has never been in this bad of shape. I hope my wife reads this post. She gives me a hard time about my truck. But hey, hardly anyone rides with me.

This guy was a smoker. I'm sure you guessed that. He had crap pilled in the seat, on the dash, in the floor. The bed was full too. I can only imagine what his house looks like. I have to say I'm sorry about the quality of the pic. I t was from my camera phone.

El Toro Negro

Canned Fish

My wife's grandfather has a passion for caching catfish. Not sure why, but he has records going back a thousand years of exactly how many fish he caught and how many pounds of fillet they yield (or is it yielded).

I'm not sure if he ever use a hook to catch any, but ever since I have know him he has used cans. Yes, cans. He makes hundreds of sets of these cans and strings them out across the lake; like a trot line. The catfish go into these cans to spawn and he goes along about twice a week and pulls the cans up from the bottom. The fish have a hard time getting out before you get the can out of the lake. He literally catches hundreds of fish a week.

Here is the top of a "can". Believe it or not a very large fish can wedge itself inside this can. Often there are two or three in one can.

Here is the bottom. The holes allow the water to drain quickly so the fish can't get out.

Here is the lake camp.

Here is the end result. Pawpaw Beagle and his fish.

El Toro Negro

Cool Vacation Pics

So my wife's grandparents live in Louisiana. If you have never spent any time there I have to tell you that you will see some strange things there. Like the guy mowing his lawn, shirtless, shoeless, in cutoff shorts, with one hand on the wheel and the other tightly grasping his beer, trying not to let it slosh. NO LIE. Didn't get a pic of that one. Sorry.

A few things that I did capture (all at their house) are below.

Like when was the last time you saw two frogs playing pool?

Or an iguana in a gazebo.

Or an alligator (cement) by the pool.

These are in the pool room. At one time the whole thing was some sort of display.

Not sure what this one was for. (Maybe a good Time)

There are several cypress knees that we carved by my wife's uncle.

El Toro Negro

Vacation

While on vacation we went to Blue Bayou, an amusement/Water Park.

Turkey not at Blue Bayou. Wife's grandparents living room.

This hanging is done in many different types of wood, cut into shapes to create the duck. Kinda cool. Also in living room.

El Toro Negro