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Geek Dad Book Is Awesomely Geeky And Awesome

Geek is a word that has become a compliment in recent years. (Most of the time a least.) Geek Dad is a blog we like on Wired.com, and the book Geek Dad: Awesomely Geeky Projects and Activities for Dads and Kids to Share is indeed awesomely geeky as well as being just plain awesome in general.  (Note to Geek Dad editors: that wasn’t butt kissing, but I would love to contribute to your site. You know, in case you were wondering.)

I’ve actually received two copies of the Geek Dad book as gifts; not only did I not have to pretend I was pleased to receive the second copy, I didn’t even return it. Why? In case an experiment goes horrible wrong and the first copy suffers a tragic fate, I have a backup all ready to go. Highly recommended.

Amazon.com: Geek Dad: Awesomely Geeky Projects and Activities for Dads and Kids to Share

For The Insanely Nerdy Dad In Your Life

Let’s say you know a dad who is, shall we say, really nerdy. Geeky. Whatever term you prefer. Their particular brand of nerdiness is Star Wars.

If you really love them, have a couple hundred bucks to drop, and they are indeed insanely nerdy about Star Wars, consider the Officially Licensed Star Wars Luke Skywalker Ceremonial Jacket with Medal Of Yavin.

Yes. This is a replica of the jacket Luke Skywalker received at the end of the movie that I call Star Wars, but my children refer to “Episode IV: A New Hope.” It took many years but I have finally come to terms with this fact. It no longer makes me angry. No really. It doesn’t. See? I’m fine. (Deep breathing, deep breathing…)

Here’s the scene where Luke gets the medal in case you somehow don’t know what we’re talking about here.

[youtube:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VU-mPOrVUYs]

For an interesting (and yes, very nerdy) discussion of the fact that Chewbacca does not receive a medal, read the comments on this version of the same clip on YouTube.

Officially Licensed Star Wars Luke Skywalker Ceremonial Jacket with Medal Of Yavin, $196.70 at Amazon.com. Unless dad is a bit on the large side — an extra-large version will run you $275.

Texas Dad Saves Son From Fire Right Before His Birthday

You know I love me some superheroes. But they don’t just exist in comic books.

KHOU.com reports that a Texas father rushed into their burning home in order to save his son. He succeeded, and the kid turned five on February 8, according to the report.

I’d like to think that I wouldn’t hesitate to do the same thing for my kids. That said, I hope I never have to find out.

KHOU.com says that the Super Dad’s name was not released. Whoever you are dude, good for you. You are truly awesome.

Fart Cop 4 – The Origin Of Snow Cop

In Fart Cop #4, we learn the origin of Snow Cop. Interestingly, it is vaguely reminiscent of Robocop, which as far as I know neither of my children have ever seen.

Enough talking! Here it Fart Cop #4.

Elton John’s Father Never Heard Him Play [Elton John’s Daddy Issues]

Imagine your son was a great musician. You’d be proud of him, right? Now imagine that your son was not only a great musician, but an insanely successful one. Like, oh, I don’t know, Elton John. Odds are you’d show up to hear him play, right?

Not if you were Elton John’s father. According to a story posted on TimesLive.co.za, Sir Elton’s father never heard him play piano.

This little tidbit comes at the end of a story about how “flamboyant musician” (their words) Elton John and his husband David Furnish are dressing their adopted son in hand-me-down clothes from friends (“All you need is a couple of Babygros and a lot of muslin,” says David; I’ve raised two kids and have no idea what that means). According to TimesLive, Elton John told the Sunday Times magazine that “my father never came to hear me play. Not ever. He was a tough and emotional man. … He was dismissive, disappointed and finally absent. I just wanted him to acknowledge what I’d done.”

If that’s not enough, Elton adds that he doesn’t think his father “didn’t know how to relate to kids. He left us, remarried and had another family, and by all accounts was a great dad to them. It wasn’t children, it was me.”

Read that last sentence again. OK, I’ll do it for you.

“It wasn’t children, it was me.”

Again, these quotes are from an outside source. I didn’t speak to Sir Elton personally. If I had, I’m not sure I would have been able to restrain myself from saying, “Dude! It wasn’t you! He was a prick!” Or maybe crying. Hell, I’m getting a little teary-eyed now.

Granted, things have worked out pretty well for Sir Elton. He’s worth at least a couple of hundred million dollars, has sold a bajillion albums (that’s a rough estimate) and by all accounts lives about as nice a life as one could hope to live. But if the quote, “It wasn’t children, it was me,” is accurate, that’s sad. I’ve still got a pile of issues that I’m dealing with relating to the fact that my father died when I was 10 (details to come if I decide I can share them publicly; it’s fairly depressing stuff). Elton is older than I, and also a bajillion times more successful in his chosen career (again, rough estimate on the exact multiple). I guess it’s fair to say that when it comes to kids dealing with daddy issues, I think it’s gonna be a long long time.

Elton John’s son wears ‘hand-me-downs’ – Times LIVE.

Image via Amazon

Fox In Socks Read Super Fast

The title of the page where I found this video is Fox In Socks by Dr. Seuss Read Super Fast, but I don’t feel a need to add the author’s name. If you don’t know who wrote Fox in Socks, you’ve got more issues than Life Magazine and I can’t help you.

Anyway, as you can see, anything with the word “fox” in it can get dangerous when said too quickly, somewhat like playing The Name Game with Chuck. (Chuck Chuck, Bo Buck, Banana Fana Fo Fu…. G’night, ladies and gentlemen!) Video probably safe for work (unless you work somewhere really uptight, in which case you shouldn’t be watching YouTube videos there anyway), debatably safe for kids, depending on your willingness to accept that fact that they may start saying “fox” over and over again really really fast, at which point it will eventually start to sound like a different f-word that has one more letter than the word fox. Again, figure it OUT, people. Do I have to do everything around here?

Here is Fox In Socks Read Super Fast on stage:

[youtube:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-EP1ZrAv8A4]

And here is Fox In Socks Read Super Fast without applause in the background, which is funnier in my opinion:

[youtube:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mB90p1NVHCo]

via LaughingSquid and a billion other places.

Is Ke$ha Lying About Not Knowing Who Her Father Is?

Ke$ha annoys me for several reasons. Guess what? I’ve found another one. According to published reports, Ke$ha may be lying about not knowing who her father is.

Ke$ha is one of the pop stars that make me glad I don’t have daughters. I’m not a fan of her music (and I use the term loosely), and I find her image inappropriate. Do I sound like a cranky old man? Sure. But (a) I sort of am (cranky, although not THAT old yet) and (b) I’m right. Her song (again, using the term loosely) “Tik Tok” begins with her explaining that she “brushes her teeth with a bottle of Jack.” As in Daniels. Charming.

[youtube:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iP6XpLQM2Cs&ob=av3el]

Anyway, to the matter at hand. According to the blog Allie Is Wired, Ke$ha told Rolling Stone magazine that she doesn’t know who her father is. She says that her mother “went through the necessary ways of having a child” and “didn’t want a man telling her what and what not to do. She just wanted a baby. It’s an interesting topic of conversation to other people more so than it is to myself. I don’t obsess about it.”

It could be that Ke$ha’s doesn’t obsess about not knowing who her father is because it isn’t true. (Note: this is all according to published reports, but they are from sources that most people consider reliable in terms of celebrity news.) Star Magazine interviewed Bob Chamberlain, who claims that he is spelling challenged pop tart’s father, and that both she and her mom are quite aware of his identity. Chamberlain tells Star: “I was in her life from the time she was born until she was 19 years old… [then] The contact ended, and I have no idea why.” The articles describes the dad as “devastated” by the whole she-bang, and quotes him thusly: “Maybe someone around her thought it would be better to perpetuate those myths; I don’t know.”

Gee, ya think? A manufactured image is one thing. I’m not a fan of that sort of thing, but I get it. For example, the “Avril Lavigne is a punk rocker” routine was a big pile of poop from the first time it was mentioned. Annoying, but whatever. But why would someone tell Ke$ha to pretend that she doesn’t know who her father is? Is that supposed to make her seem “edgier”, like brushing her teeth with Jack Daniels thing? Whatever the reason, it’s stupid.

Here’s an idea. Write and record good songs. Then you won’t have to worry so much about your image.

Ke$ha’s Father… Denied! | Allie is Wired.