# The SDMB is going places. (contest) **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [November 3, 2005, 3:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sdmb-is-going-places-contest/329233 "2005-11-03T03:12:12Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Idle\_Thoughts](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/838e76/32.png) [@Idle\_Thoughts](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Idle_Thoughts)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2005, 3:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sdmb-is-going-places-contest/329233/1 "2005-11-03T03:12:12Z")
This is just an ordinary contest. Kinda like the Celebrity Death Pool. I will keep score as the thread goes along (IF it goes along). Here is the main point. You take a peice of paper. You write on it “SDMB” in legible handwriting so it can be read at a distance of at least 5 feet. You then take a photo (or have one taken) of yourself HOLDING the slip of paper so that we can see the address. This may sound pretty normal. Something easy that anyone can win. But then, ahhhh, you scroll down and see that I have made a LIST. A list in which I have assigned various point values to. Higher point value = more difficult (in my opinion) it would be to get or take the photo in the said “location” or while doing said “task”. Also, please make sure to read my disclaimer at the bottom. It’s very important. First, the Rules: 1. The photo MUST be of you. Yourself only. Nobody else. If anyone else IS in the photo, please make sure to have their permission before posting the photo. But since we’d never really know if you did or not, just try to stick with you alone in the photo. I realize that with a lot of these things it might be hard to not get another passerby in the photo, but please try your best. If need be, take the photo at an upward angle, so that the cam is looking up at you mostly while also getting the thing behind you. 2. Only ONE photo can apply to ONE thing. For example: If you take a photo of yourself bathing in the fountain outside the Taj Mahal, you cannot have it apply to both **Taking a bath** photo and **In front of the Taj Mahal** photo. You must pick one (preferribly the one with the most points). This is especially true for those of “anywhere in” a certain town or city and any monument that is IN that town or city. Sorry, but one per photo. 3. Once a photo is taken and accepted it is DONE. Nobody else can take that photo again nor take the points for it. 4. All photos must be PG 13. No nudity or sex or anything. Please be wearing clothes in all of them (save for **Taking a bath** or **Taking a shower** , however as you’ll see from the bylines on those specific things, even then you’ll either be covered up or really clothed). 5. At the end of one year, on November 2nd of next year, the contest will end and whoever has the most points will be declared the winner. The winner will get a whole bunch of nothing materalistically, however will earn free bragging rights and the privlege of calling themselves the SDMB photo contest champ. This is all just for fun anyway. 6. All things listed are meaning the actual things. Like, **In front of the Taj Mahal** or **In front of a windmill** means, IN FRONT OF the/a real one. Not a photo of it, not a display or built structure of it…the/a real one. 7. Please, no photoshopped photos. Finally, the list: Anywhere in: Madrid, Spain 10 Libson, Portugal 10 Istambul, Turkey 10 St Petersburg, Russa 10 Hamburg, Germany 10 Oslo, Norway 10 Ottawa, Canada 10 Brussels, Belgium 10 Sofia, Bulgaria 10 Tokyo, Japan 10 Mexico City, Mexico 10 Los Angeles, California, USA 10 Anywhere in South Africa 10 [please have yourself near a sign or SOMETHING that verifies you’re in that place] In a classroom 20 On a playground 20 On a football field 20 On a baseball field 20 On a hockey rink 20 On a basketball court 20 In a bar 20 In your car 20 On a subway 30 On a farm 30 In an arcade 30 In the snow 30 In a pool 40 In a cornfield 40 With a live snake around your neck 40 On a miniature golf course 40 On a Merry Go Round 40 On a Ferris Wheel 40 On top of a mountain 50 In a court room 50 On a Rollercoaster 50 On a boat (that is on water) 50 With the Mississippi River behind you 50 While taking a shower [important notice, please do not have any nudity visible. Either be clothed or have bubbles or other things that “sneakily” hide your bits. Remember, PG-13] 50 While taking a bath [important notice, please do not have any nudity visible. Either be clothed or have bubbles or other things that “sneakily” hide your bits. Remember, PG-13] 50 With a lighthouse behind you 50 On a trampoline 50 In a movie theatre 50 Washington DC, in front of: Capitol Building 50 Washington Monument 50 Lincoln Memorial 50 White House 100 In front of a Hard Rock Cafe 100 On a plane 100 In a limo 100 At Niagra Falls 100 At the Rock n Roll Hall of Fame 100 With any dam in the background 100 At the top of the Empire State Building 100 With the Sears building behind you: 100 At the Alamo 100 At a zoo standing outside of the Tiger pit/cage 100 With these bodies of water behind you, or you in them: Pacific Ocean 100 Atlantic Ocean 100 Gulf of Mexico 200 Indian Ocean 200 Caspian Sea 300 Mediterranian Sea 300 Black Sea 300 Red Sea 300 Yellow River 200 Nile River 400 Amazon River 400 Berring Strait 400 Gulf of California 400 Arctic Ocean 1500 [please have yourself near a sign or SOMETHING that verifies you’re in that place] In a hot air balloon 200 At the Grand Canyon 300 With the Las Vegas Strip behind you 300 At Knott’s Berry Farm 300 With a windmill behind you 300 With the St Louis Gateway Arch behind you 300 With Mount Rushmore behind you 300 On any of the following: Horse 100 Donkey 100 Llama 300 Elephant 300 Ostrich 600 With the Statue of Liberty behind you 400 With the Kremlin behind you 400 Standing next to a giant Redwood 400 With the Golden Gate Bridge behind you 400 In the West Edmonton Mall 400 With Big Ben behind you 400 In front of the Taj Mahal 400 In front of the Effiel Tower 400 In front of the Sydney Opera House 400 On a Venice Canal 400 In front of an Egyptian Pyramid 400 With part of the Berlin Wall behind you 400 In front of the Colosseum 400 With any part of the Great Wall of China behind you 400 At the Leaning Tower of Pisa 500 At the Panama Canal 500 At Stonehedge 500 By any other work of art in the Louvre other than the Mona Lisa 500 At Disneyland/world/Eurodisney (with Disney character in costume) 600 On a glacier 700 By the Mona Lisa 700 In **TubaDiva** ’s House 700 😛 While skydiving 1500 Various other photos: [the following photos don’t need to have you or anyone else in them] SDMB written in chalk on a sidewalk 100 [Not large, in chalk that can be washed off, preferribly near or at your house] SDMB typed on a peice of paper and tacked up on a pole 100 SDMB as a “high score” name on a video game 200 SDMB written on a one dollar bill (or form of currency)[Not large] 200 SDMB written on a banana 200 SDMB written in the sand 200 SDMB written on a chalkboard in a classroom 300 **Disclaimer** : As a participater in this thread, you know that your photos may be seen by anyone on this forum, publically and can be found on the net in general. However you reserve the right to delete your photo[s] at any time for any reason. **Personal Disclaimer** : I, Idle Thoughts, do not mean or want for anyone to deface, ruin, vandalize, or destory anything in getting the “various” photos, nor do I mean or want for anyone to hurt themselves in any way, nor anyone else in getting the “Location” photos. Please use caution in anywhere you ever travel and be safe. Lastly, but certainly not leastly…**if you can think of anywhere else that I haven’t mentioned on this list (and I’m sure there are MANY) feel free to post and suggest it/ask how many points it would be worth if you were at “blank”, and I will tell you a point score.** This is for all the things out there in this world that I didn’t put on a confining list that would still get you points if you happen to go there. Just as long as the rules are the same, that you have “SDMB” on a paper and have a photo taken of yourself so we can read it. ---
**Author:** ![Black\_Train\_Song](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4da419/32.png) [@Black\_Train\_Song](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Black_Train_Song)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2005, 3:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sdmb-is-going-places-contest/329233/2 "2005-11-03T03:28:19Z")
On a dentists chair would be great In a jail cell (legally somehow) A monkey holding the sign would be a cool bonus photo Cool contest. I already admit my defeat. ---
**Author:** ![Smeghead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f1d935/32.png) [@Smeghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smeghead)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2005, 4:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sdmb-is-going-places-contest/329233/3 "2005-11-03T04:52:33Z")
How about on my lap? ---
**Author:** ![Idle\_Thoughts](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/838e76/32.png) [@Idle\_Thoughts](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Idle_Thoughts)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2005, 5:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sdmb-is-going-places-contest/329233/4 "2005-11-03T05:16:58Z")
> [@Black Train Song](#): > > On a dentists chair would be great > > In a jail cell (legally somehow) > > A monkey holding the sign would be a cool bonus photo > > Cool contest. I already admit my defeat. I love them all. I actually thought of in a jail cell, but figured it would be hard. But if they can do it: In a dentist’s chair 100 In a jail cell 400 Various: A real, live monkey holding it 800 And don’t give up so easily. You have a whole year. 😛 Just put this thread on subscribe and keep it in mind if you ever go anywhere. As for on your lap, **Smeghead** , ehhh, I think that might be a bit too easy. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Scott\_Plaid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/258eb7/32.png) [@Scott\_Plaid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scott_Plaid)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2005, 5:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sdmb-is-going-places-contest/329233/5 "2005-11-03T05:24:47Z")
Well, if not for his lap, how about a picture taken with another doper? ---
**Author:** ![dare\_devil007](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/3bc359/32.png) [@dare\_devil007](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dare_devil007)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2005, 5:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sdmb-is-going-places-contest/329233/6 "2005-11-03T05:29:42Z")
I’ll try the chalkboard in a classroom one!! But I won’t be at school again until Tuesday. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Idle\_Thoughts](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/838e76/32.png) [@Idle\_Thoughts](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Idle_Thoughts)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2005, 6:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sdmb-is-going-places-contest/329233/7 "2005-11-03T06:18:11Z")
> [@Scott Plaid](#): > > Well, if not for his lap, how about a picture taken with another doper? Well, if I include one easy one, I suppose I’ll include the other. So just for a normal, as is, photo of you with the “SDMB” paper in your lap: 5 points. For a photo taken with another Doper: 5 points. I mean, come on, those two are easy. 🙂 And by the way, Every two weeks or month or so (depends on how fast this game goes), I’ll be updating the list, crossing out ones already done and adding those that were suggested along with their point values (and then consequently cross THEM out if they are already done), and, of course, adding and posting the current scores. ---
**Author:** ![Smeghead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f1d935/32.png) [@Smeghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smeghead)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2005, 6:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sdmb-is-going-places-contest/329233/8 "2005-11-03T06:50:33Z")
> [@Idle Thoughts](#): > > In **TubaDiva** ’s House 700 😛 I forgot to ask - is Tuba allowed to get this one? Because, really, she’d have it sewn up. ---
**Author:** ![Anastasaeon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/73ab20/32.png) [@Anastasaeon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anastasaeon)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2005, 7:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sdmb-is-going-places-contest/329233/9 "2005-11-03T07:09:08Z")
Well, let’s get this ball rolling! [My SDMB banana.](http://img363.imageshack.us/img363/8445/sdmbbanana8nc.jpg) (We don’t need to be in this type, you say? My \*hand \* is in it, anyway. :smack: ) ---
**Author:** ![picunurse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7bcc69/32.png) [@picunurse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/picunurse)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2005, 7:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sdmb-is-going-places-contest/329233/10 "2005-11-03T07:46:45Z")
With \*the \* Mona Lisa might be difficult, when I saw it they didn’t allow cameras. ---
**Author:** ![roger\_thornhill](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/d9b06d/32.png) [@roger\_thornhill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/roger_thornhill)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2005, 8:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sdmb-is-going-places-contest/329233/11 "2005-11-03T08:14:54Z")
> [@Anastasaeon](#): > > [My SDMB banana.](http://img363.imageshack.us/img363/8445/sdmbbanana8nc.jpg) Goes and lies down… Comes back and has another peep… Lies back and thinks of England ---
**Author:** ![Madd\_Maxx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Madd\_Maxx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Madd_Maxx)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2005, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sdmb-is-going-places-contest/329233/12 "2005-11-03T14:33:16Z")
I’m on it. Moer Suggestions: On a motorcycle Any State Capitol Any place or landmark mentioned in one of Cecil’s Articles/Staff Report. M.I.T., Harvard, Yale, Princeton, Oxford, Bell Labs, NASA, any other geek related landmarks. ---
**Author:** ![Casey1505](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/dc4da7/32.png) [@Casey1505](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Casey1505)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2005, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sdmb-is-going-places-contest/329233/13 "2005-11-03T15:04:11Z")
With to a celebrity (sports, entertainment, or political) who is holding the SDMB sign should count for a few hundred. ---
**Author:** ![Sal\_Ammoniac](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8dc957/32.png) [@Sal\_Ammoniac](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sal_Ammoniac)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2005, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sdmb-is-going-places-contest/329233/14 "2005-11-03T16:16:22Z")
What happens if you are skydiving and hold up your sign, only you’ve inadvertently written SMDB? Do you forfeit the points, or do you only get them from the parallel-universe Straight Message Dope Board? ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2005, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sdmb-is-going-places-contest/329233/15 "2005-11-03T16:19:49Z")
More suggestions: Nuclear Power plant in the _close_ background, like, inside the big fence… Space Shuttle in the background Flying a plane One of those pictures they take of you on rollercoasters or log rides Riding a merry-go-round (good luck setting the camera up… you may need help for this one…) Riding in a limo Dressed as a pirate With any recognizable Movie Star. If three people look at it and cannot correctly identify the movie star, it doesn’t count. Ditto, Rock Star. ---
**Author:** ![Kythereia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e8c25b/32.png) [@Kythereia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kythereia)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2005, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sdmb-is-going-places-contest/329233/16 "2005-11-03T18:41:57Z")
I’m on it! ---
**Author:** ![BiblioCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ed8c4c/32.png) [@BiblioCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BiblioCat)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2005, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sdmb-is-going-places-contest/329233/17 "2005-11-03T18:46:24Z")
How about at a rest stop along a major interstate? Twenty points? Plus ten if there’s some sort of goofy tourist attraction? At the rest stop, however, not along the side of the road - that would be dangerous, of course. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2005, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sdmb-is-going-places-contest/329233/18 "2005-11-03T20:03:57Z")
How about a cumulative location score? You get points for every different state or province you submit a photo from (standing next to something that identifies the location). But the points increase. You get 5 points for the first one, 10 points for the second, 15 points for the third, etc. If you manage all sixty states and provinces, you’d be getting 300 points for the final photo - and would have a total score of 9150 points (if I did the math right). ---
**Author:** ![Idle\_Thoughts](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/838e76/32.png) [@Idle\_Thoughts](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Idle_Thoughts)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2005, 10:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sdmb-is-going-places-contest/329233/19 "2005-11-03T22:54:11Z")
> [@Casey1505](#): > > With to a celebrity (sports, entertainment, or political) who is holding the SDMB sign should count for a few hundred. Sounds great. I love these ideas. I’ll post the original list later on tonight with all the new suggestions and point values added later (and with the banana one crossed out). However, the celebrity would be a basis of judgement and opinion of course, so it really depends who it is. If it’s say, George Bush, it’d be about 1500 points. If it’s, say, the guy who hosts the show on your local community network channel, then only about 20. 😛 I think what **Ethilrist** said was good. Where if 3 people don’t recognize them, then it’s not worth 100 or more. Updated list: I have assigned point values to the new things/suggestions (I use my OWN opinion regarding that, however if someone feels a point value may not be fair, I’m open to feedback. However mostly I think I’ll be putting my food down on this thing). The location list: **In any State or Country’s Capital city** 10 _Note: Rule 3 STILL applies to the location._ [please have yourself near a sign or SOMETHING that verifies you’re in that place] **The Growing Point score** : Each time you get a photo of yourself in a NEW State or Country or Province, the points will increase by 5. _This is the ONLY thing on the list that does not apply to rule number 3_. [please have yourself near a sign or SOMETHING that verifies you’re in that place] In a classroom 20 On a playground 20 On a football field 20 On a baseball field 20 On a hockey rink 20 On a basketball court 20 Rest stop along a major interstate 20 On a motorcycle 20 In a bar 20 In your car 20 On a subway 30 On a farm 30 In an arcade 30 In the snow 30 In a pool 40 In a cornfield 40 With a live snake around your neck 40 On a miniature golf course 40 On a Merry Go Round 40 On a Ferris Wheel 40 On top of a mountain 50 In a court room 50 On a Rollercoaster 50 On a boat (that is on water) 50 With the Mississippi River behind you 50 While taking a shower [important notice, please do not have any nudity visible. Either be clothed or have bubbles or other things that “sneakily” hide your bits. Remember, PG-13] 50 While taking a bath [important notice, please do not have any nudity visible. Either be clothed or have bubbles or other things that “sneakily” hide your bits. Remember, PG-13] 50 With a lighthouse behind you 50 On a trampoline 50 M.I.T., Harvard, Yale, Princeton, Oxford, Bell Labs, NASA, Any Major College or University 50 Nuclear Power plant in the close background. 50 In a movie theatre 50 Washington DC, in front of: Capitol Building 50 Washington Monument 50 Lincoln Memorial 50 White House 100 In front of a Hard Rock Cafe 100 On a plane 100 In a limo 100 At Niagra Falls 100 At the Rock n Roll Hall of Fame 100 With any dam in the background 100 Space Shuttle in the background 100 At the top of the Empire State Building 100 With the Sears building behind you: 100 At the Alamo 100 At a zoo standing outside of the Tiger pit/cage 100 With these bodies of water behind you, or you in them: Pacific Ocean 100 Atlantic Ocean 100 Gulf of Mexico 200 Indian Ocean 200 Caspian Sea 300 Mediterranian Sea 300 Black Sea 300 Red Sea 300 Yellow River 200 Nile River 400 Amazon River 400 Berring Strait 400 Gulf of California 400 Arctic Ocean 1500 [please have yourself near a sign or SOMETHING that verifies you’re in that place] In a hot air balloon 200 Dressed as a pirate 200 Flying a plane 200 At the Grand Canyon 300 With the Las Vegas Strip behind you 300 At Knott’s Berry Farm 300 With a windmill behind you 300 With the St Louis Gateway Arch behind you 300 With Mount Rushmore behind you 300 On any of the following: Horse 100 Donkey 100 Llama 300 Elephant 300 Ostrich 600 With the Statue of Liberty behind you 400 With the Kremlin behind you 400 Standing next to a giant Redwood 400 With the Golden Gate Bridge behind you 400 In the West Edmonton Mall 400 With Big Ben behind you 400 In front of the Taj Mahal 400 In front of the Effiel Tower 400 In front of the Sydney Opera House 400 On a Venice Canal 400 In front of an Egyptian Pyramid 400 With part of the Berlin Wall behind you 400 In front of the Colosseum 400 With any part of the Great Wall of China behind you 400 At the Leaning Tower of Pisa 500 At the Panama Canal 500 At Stonehedge 500 By any other work of art in the Louvre other than the Mona Lisa 500 At Disneyland/world/Eurodisney (with Disney character in costume) 600 On a glacier 700 By the Mona Lisa 700 In TubaDiva’s House 700 While skydiving 1500 Any place or landmark mentioned in one of Cecil’s Articles/Staff Report. [If you can link to it, then sure] I hesitate putting a point value on this because, like with the celeb, it all depends on how hard it is to get there. Various other photos: [the following photos don’t need to have you or anyone else in them] SDMB written in chalk on a sidewalk 100 [Not large, in chalk that can be washed off, preferribly near or at your house] SDMB typed on a peice of paper and tacked up on a pole 100 SDMB as a “high score” name on a video game 200 SDMB written on a one dollar bill (or form of currency)[Not large] 200 SDMB written on a banana 200 **DONE** SDMB written in the sand 200 SDMB written on a chalkboard in a classroom 300 Scores: And **Anastasaeon** is the first to score and is in first place with 200 points. ---
**Author:** ![Anastasaeon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/73ab20/32.png) [@Anastasaeon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anastasaeon)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2005, 11:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sdmb-is-going-places-contest/329233/20 "2005-11-03T23:10:28Z")
> [@Idle Thoughts](#): > > SDMB written on a one dollar bill (or form of currency)[Not large] 200 I was about to do this one… but I vaguely remember something about it perhaps being illegal to write on (US) currency? Is this true? I certainly don’t want to break the law and then take a picture of it… especially not while I’m going through immigration! :eek: 😕 [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sdmb-is-going-places-contest/329233.md?page=2)