POLITICS, CULTURE/SOCIETY and SPIRITUALITY/RELIGION: Marriage is Love

Full Petition Text from MILLIONSforMARRIAGE.com:

I do support the right of every American to marry, including gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender couples. I believe that marriage and other civil rights protections are essential to making all families safer and more secure.

By signing this petition, I agree to support efforts to make marriage equality a reality in our country, and to oppose any attempts to discriminate against GLBT couples and individuals.

MILLIONforMARRIAGE.org

Vote No on the Marriage Federal Amendment - Don't write discrimination into the Constitution
An earlier blog of mine on homophobia and parenthood - Warning: Gay rights people won't like what I say on parenthood

ENTERTAINMENT and CULTURE/SOCIETY: My Personality Compared to Movies

What Classic Movie Are You?

personality tests by similarminds.com

Well, I wasn't quite sure what to make of this result when I first saw it. I thought, "Well, this thing is totally off." But the more I thought about it, they more it made sense. After all, I did do a junior year abroad thing in England where I traveled by train by myself over much of Europe and did hitchhike across Wales, England and Scotland. Then after college, I lived in a small country in southern Africa for 6 years and another southern African country for six months. And I traveled around by hitchhiking checking out 4 different countries there. So I guess I am a bit of an adventurer, though I haven't travel much like that since becoming a dad. But I would do some safer traveling with my daughter if I had the money.

But I still think I'm more like "Prof. Jones" than "Indiana"!

So takes the results of this test as you will.

Now this other test...

The Movie Of Your Life Is A Cult Classic

Quirky, offbeat, and even a little campy - your life appeals to a select few. But if someone's obsessed with you, look out! Your fans are downright freaky. Your best movie matches: Office Space, Showgirls, The Big Lebowski

If Your Life Was a Movie, What Genre Would It Be?

This sounds a lot more like me. A lot of people find me weird, quirky, offbeat and strange. But the people who seem to like me seem to really like me quite a bit. The others just think, "O-kay!" Sounds like a cult classic to me.

HUMOR and CULTURE/SOCIETY: Male Restroom Etiquette

A long overdue video has finally been made! - OlderMusicGeek



There's only two things missing in this video.

1. Not enough stress on washing your hands.

I mean I don't know how many times I've seen or heard men leaving without washing their hands. I mean, think! What's on your hands, guys?! You really want to touch people with those hands? Or you think people want to be touched by you, or touch anything you touched?

and 2. Throw your paper towels in the trash can, and your toilet paper in the toilet.

I worked in restaurants and stores when I was younger, and I had to clean both rest rooms. The women's rooms were never much work. But the men's room would always have paper towels all over the floor, especially near the trash cans. And little pieces of toilet paper would be around the stalls.

I mean, com'on! If a dork like me with no hand-eye coordination and no athletic skills can get the paper towel in garbage can and the toilet paper in the toilet, I don't know what's the problem with the rest of you guys.

Okay, I'm not the cleanest guy in the world, but this is stuff that really shouldn't be left out and about.

HUMOR, SPIRITUALITY/RELIGION and CULTURE/SOCIETY: A Short Religious/Etiquette Inquiry

I just a short question about religion and possible etiquette here.

When a person sneezes and the other person says, "Bless you.", does it still count if the other person is an agnostic or atheist?

ENTERTAINMENT: Lord of the (Stick) Dance

I found this on the YouTube website. I found it amusing, and if you're into the Irish folk dance/Irish tap dance/Lord of the Riverdance/Micheal Flatley thing, you might find it amusing too. - OlderMusicGeek



My favorite YouTube videos

ENTERTAINMENT: Pictures of The Indianola National Balloon Classic

This is a video containing pictures I took when my daughter and I went to The Indianola National Balloon Classic this summer. I also threw in some photos I stole from Eric Soroos at this website. Check it out. (And, yes, I'm having fun with the movie maker!)

ENTERTAINMENT: My Daughter's Fashion Photography

I am very pleased to introduce the fashion photography of my wonderful daughter. Enjoy... (p.s. If you want, you can skip the photos and just watch the video at the bottom.)













(Sorry about the layout. I just trying to get them side-by-side, but apparentally I'm doing something wrong. I still learning HTML-speak.)

HUMOR and CULTURE/SOCIETY: Never on a Hallmark Card

Another email from The Sassy Witch. - OlderMusicGeek

My tire was thumping.
I thought it was flat

When I looked at the tire...

I noticed your cat.

Sorry!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Heard your wife left you,
How upset you must be.

But don't fret about it...

She moved in with me.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Looking back over the years
that we've been together,

I can't help but wonder...

"What the hell was I thinking?"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Congratulations on your wedding day!
Too bad no one likes your husband.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

How could two people as beautiful as you
Have such an ugly baby?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I've always wanted to have
someone to hold,
someone to love.

After having met you ..

I've changed my mind.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I must admit, you brought Religion into my life.
I never believed in Hell until I met you.

//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
As the days go by, I think of how lucky I am...
That you're not here to ruin it for me.

####################################################

Congratulations on your promotion.
Before you go...

Would you like to take this knife out of my back?

You'll probably need it again.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Happy birthday! You look great for your age.

Almost Lifelike!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

When we were together,
you always said you'd die for me.

Now that we've broken up,

I think it's time you kept your promise.

//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

We have been friends for a very long time ..
let's say we stop?

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

I 'm so miserable without you
it's almost like you're here.

=====================================================

Congratulations on your new bundle of joy.

Did you ever find out who the father was?

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

Your friends and I wanted to do
something special for your birthday.

So we're having you put to sleep.

))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))

So your daughter's a hooker,
and it spoiled your day.

Look at the bright side,

it's really good pay.

ENTERTAINMENT and CULTURE/SOCIETY: At Least, I'm Still a MUSIC Geek.

Okay, so I'm coming to terms with the fact that I'm not a nerd or geek, but that I am a dork. Don't like it, but I'm coming to terms with it.

But at least I can still say I'm a music geek. Which means I don't have to change my name to OlderMusicDork. Thank the god (if there is one)!

The Music Geek Test

Acid-tinged Geek!

You think of music as an experience, like an amazing drug trip, without the annoying flashbacks. You prefer to put on an old psychedelic record, lay on the ground, and let the music carry you. You're probably a fan of folk, ambient, or late 60's rock. (I like folk music and late '60's rock, but not big on ambient. Prefer uptempo music like punk and bluegrass. - OlderMusicGeek)

My test tracked 4 variables How you compared to other people your age and gender: You scored higher than 99% on Hedonism You scored higher than 99% on Hardcore-ness You scored higher than 99% on Knowledge You scored higher than 99% on Relevance

(Yes! - OlderMusicGeek)

Link: The Music Geek Test written by professorchaos5 on OkCupid Free Online Dating, home of the 32-Type Dating Test

The Music Nerd Test - 45.16908% - Super Music Nerd

Music Nerd Rankings:
Insult To Music Nerds
Not A Music Nerd
Casual Music Nerd
Total Music Nerd
Major Music Nerd
Super Music Nerd
Mega Music Nerd
Extreme Music Nerd
Hardcore Music Nerd
Obsessed Music Nerd

The Ultimate Music Fanatic Test

You scored 290!

My test tracked 1 variable How you compared to other people your age and gender: You scored higher than 99% on hardcore fan

Link: The The Ultimate Music Fanatic Test written by sixo71 on OkCupid Free Online Dating, home of the 32-Type Dating Test

HUMOR and SPIRITUALITY/RELIGION: Basketball Play by Play (fixed continuity error - replaces earlier)

I found this when I was playing the Google name game. I thought it was pretty funny, so I'm passing it on. - OlderMusicGeek

From: nomad@watson.ibm.com (Lee Damon)

You know you are bored when you type up basketball play-by-play while waiting for tapes to spin. This one was conceived in the car on the way to work, and wrote itself that afternoon. As far as I know, it is entirely original.

---
"Jesus saves!"

"But Moses gets the rebound, he shoots... he scores!"

"That's right, Dan, looks like the Testaments are really trampling Jesus and his Gospels here at the Garden tonight. Best crowd we've seen at the Garden in quite a while, too. The Testaments have an 18 point lead, and are gaining."

"Well Jack, the Testaments have done well for the last 40 days. Last week, they knocked the sneakers off the Buddhists, and the week before that they trampled the Kaaba. I wouldn't be surprised to see them win the championships this year."

"Paul has the ball, he hands it off to Luke...quick pass to Mark, to Jesus, back to Paul, lay up... hook shot... good!"

"Paul has been doing well tonight, earning 18 of the Gospels' 56 points. Having two cheering sections of Corinthians is really working for him. Jesus has the worst record he's had for a long time, only 10 points all evening. Doesn't look like he'll be changing that water into GatorAde tonight."

"Samson hands off to Noah, back to Samson, back to Noah.. wow, watch that foot work. Noah can sure move his feet for someone 900 years old. Back to Samson, over to Mohammed, back to Noah, up the court to Abraham, over his back hook ... bouncing off the backstop... round the rim .... in!"

"Wow, that Abraham really likes showing off his knife shots. That one was a close call though, he almost missed the backstop entirely."

"Ya Dan, he's been having problems with that lately. Too flashy for many of the other player's tastes. He seems to like making sacrifice plays."

"Mohammed out, Lot in."

"Luke hands to Paul, over to Matthew, to Mark, back to Matthew, they are working the court carefully... over to... oops, intercepted by Noah! Watch that man dribble! Noah lines up, shoots, a perfect swisher! Another 2 for Noah!"

"Now there's a man who doesn't do anything by halves Jack, unlike his team mate, Solomon."

"True Dan, in fact, he seems to do everything by twos."

"On the other hand, the Gospels only have 3 minutes to make up a 20 point deficit. Do you think they can do it?"

"I don't know Dan, though Jesus has been able to pull some pretty amazing miracles, this one may be beyond even Him."

"Abraham out, Sheba in."

"Paul to Jesus, over to Luke, back to Jesus, to Paul... to Luke... to Matthew, to Paul... to Mark... back to Jesus again for the lay up, hook shot... looks like he hit the rim, into the backstop, and back in for 2 points!"

"Dan, have you noticed how none of them are taking advantage of the 3 point rule? The Gospels are going to have to if they want to win this game."

"Samson tosses it over to Moses again... to Sheba... she's been playing real well today, lots of good interception in the first quarter...Sheba hands it to Lot... Lot dribbling slowly, letting time run out, only a few seconds left for him to shoot.... balls up... saved by Jesus, Moses there to cover, gets the ball back before Jesus can take advantage of it... Moses shoots, its good!"

"Moses seems to always be there to catch those rebounds."

"Yes Jack, the crowd just seems to part for him where ever he goes."

"Oops, looks like one of the ref's has told Jesus something he doesn't like. Jesus has just told him to kiss off."

"The referees, Judas and Herod, want to confer with the Gospels about this, so The Gospels have taken a time out. We'll be right back after this word from our Sponsors; Pope Soap on a Rope, Bernie's Grill, Bar & Mitzvah and Cardinal
Cleaning."

HUMOR: Some Google Games with Your Name

My brother, Harmonica23 , sent me this via a MySpace bulletin -

----------------- Bulletin Message -----------------
From: Harmonica23
Date: Sep 1, 2006 9:05 PM

Alrighty, so I was messing about with Google and came across a few rather amusing quotes using my name and an action verb. You know the drill, put "Your Name Licked" in quotes and Google it.

Just to appease all the smartalecks:

No standard web pages containing all your search terms were found.

Your search - "Your Name Licked" - did not match any documents.

Now go do it the Right Way!

Harmonica23 ~ "Dave licked a dead guy . Pass it on"

I, myself, came up with this ditty - Dan licked his fingers then put them in his ears.


He also had a great one I've been meaning to pass one, but haven't got around to doing it. So now I finally will.

The same idea, but a different verb - "Your name looks like". Don't forget the quotes or you won't get the exact phrase.

Here's some from the first page. Most, if not all, seem to be referring to the Harry Potter actor.

Dan looks like something bigger flew up his butt
Dan looks like he is crack or something.., he's still hot... GO DAN!
Dan looks like he's been drinking. and what's that on his arm?
Dan looks like he's kind of checking out the Angel's rack
Dan looks like a potential candidate for Every 15 Minutes
Dan looks like a girl here, what with the plaited hair and broad hips
Dan looks like a bit of a nerd from the back lol!

CULTURE/SOCIETY: Update on The Dam

One of my buddies, who I'll call The Music/Computer Dork, sent me this from snopes.com.

Origins: In July 1997, one of Stephen Tvedten's neighbors noticed flooding on his property and traced it back to a dam on Tvedten's stream. He complained to the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) on July 28.

Five months later, the agency responded with a letter to the offending land owner. The letter, from David Price, a Dam it! local Michigan DEQ official, was blunt. The "construction and maintenance of two wood debris dams across the outlet stream of Spring Pond" was "unauthorized" because "a permit must be issued prior to the start of this type of activity." The letter ordered Stephen Tvedten, the land owner, to "cease and desist" under penalty of "elevated enforcement action."

Mr. Tvedten responded to the Michigan DEQ's demand with the now widely-circulated "dam letter," in which he pointed out that the "debris dams" he had been ordered to remove because they were constructed without permission from the state of Michigan were actually built by beavers. The DEQ later claimed they were fully aware the "debris dams" were beaver dams; the issue, they said, was that the beavers who built them had long since abandoned the dams, but Mr. Tvedten had been continuing to maintain and even build up the dams himself:

The letter concerned an enforcement action directed to a tenant on property surrounding Spring Pond, which is located in Pierson Township, Montcalm County, Michigan. The tenant was observed by the downstream complainant, and has since admitted to the complainant, that he artificially built up, and maintained two abandoned beaver dams on the discharge end of the natural pond. Such an activity falls under the jurisdiction of Part 301, Inland Lakes and Streams, of the Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Act, 1194 PA 451, as amended. It is the Department's position that in the absence of any threat to public welfare, beaver dams should be left in their natural state, that being either actively maintained or abandoned by beaver.

The Department conducted an on-site inspection of the dams in August of 1997, accompanied by a Department of Natural Resources fisheries biologist, the Pierson Township Supervisor and the complainant. The tenant's actions, and a threat to the welfare of the downstream complainant prompted our correspondence of December 1997, instructing the tenant to cease and desist all illegal activity and to restore the stream to its prior condition. The owner of the property took issue with our action, and responded with his own version of the situation. It was this correspondence that has been circulating in the internet.

Luis Saldivia
Grand Rapids District Supervisor
Land and Water Management Division
616-356-0208

For his part, Mr. Tvedten claimed that the dams had been "abandoned" because a neighbor had killed the beavers (then filed a complaint with the state because he was concerned that the untended dams would break apart and enter his property) and that no one but the beavers had ever maintained them. And contemporaneous accounts of the brouhaha quoted a Michigan DEQ spokesman as saying the agency hadn't performed an inspection before firing off their December 1997 letter to Mr. Tvedten:

Ken Silfven, public information officer at the state Department of Environmental Quality, said that . . . the account was correct. He hastened to note, however, that the case was prompted by a complaint from a neighbor who was concerned about flooding caused by the dams.

The department dropped its investigation after an inspection by a DEQ employee.

"It probably would have been a good idea to do the inspection before we sent the notice," Silfven said.

After some wrangling the agency ultimately dropped the issue, but not before Stephen Tvedten found an inventive way of quickly pointing out both how ludicrous and humorous the situation was. In a way dusty legal language never could, such a letter serves to drive home the silliness of Michigan DEQ's intractable posturing. The beavers are likely still ignorant of how close they came to being fined $10,000 a day for dam living expenses.

Barbara "in Michigan, transforming from guardian of the law to giardia of it just took a touch of beaver fever" Mikkelson

Last updated: 5 August 2002