Nerd Double Feature

This installment brings us two super-creative guys, who happen to look (and sound) a lot alike: George A Romero and Stan Lee. Mr Romero launched the zombie fascination that we're experiencing with his "Night of the Living Dead" in 1968. This was followed by several sequels and many imitators.

Stan Lee created and co-created many of the most famous of comic book characters: X-men, Spider Man, Hulk, Fantastic Four, and others. Surely, comics wouldn't be what they are without him and we wouldn't have box-office bombs to look forward to every summer without Hollywood types messing up his visions.

Thoughts on banner ads...

This http://blog.pelland.com/?tag=banner-ads got me thinking.  You guys really were doing a good job.  According to that article, the average click through rate is about 0.2%.  One of my blogs had about 500% click through a couple of times and each had about 100% click through- so I can see why AdSense thought something was fishy.   The article also confirmed my gut reaction- people don't really like banner ads.  According to the article, 94% of people dislike banners, just 1% less than the number of people who hate pop-up ads.  Wow.    So even if AdSense reactivates my account, I probably won't reactivate the ads.  I have a hard enough time keeping any semblance of respectabiltiy, I don't need to shoot myself in the foot on top of it.

Ads...

I've had a few emails this morning asking me what happened to my ads. My AdSense account has been disabled, but Google won't say why (it's a "trade secret").  I did submit a help request last week asking why I wasn't getting page impressions but I was seeing ad clicks- no response (surprise). I appealed the disabling of the account and we'll just have to see what happens.  I guess you folks were just -too- curious about the advertisers.   I may have to reinstate the paypal buttons.

The Mythbusters

The main members of Discovery Channel's Mythbusters, Jamie and Adam, have been basically blowing stuff up for years to test urban legends. The first season was geared toward the urban myth more than, well, each season since. Over the years they've tested lead balloons, underwater car escapes, many, many bullet and gun myths, and too many more to mention. I almost always question the validity of their method, but I'm generally entertained by the results.
As long as they keep blowing stuff up, these two moustachioed maestros of mayhem will keep being badasses.

Guy Fawkes

Remember remember the 5th of November- the gunpowder treason and plot...   http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guy_Fawkes

U.S. Offical who resigned over Afghan War- Matthew Hoh

This is Awesome.  You don't have to agree with the guy, but let's look at this.  He served as a Marine Captain in Iraq (and claims he enjoyed hearing about his unit "whacking a bunch of Iraqis") and now is the (former) Senior Civilian Representative for the U.S. Government in Zabul Province, Afghanistan.  His reasons- the people we're fighting don't want -anyone- else to be there, not even other Afghanis.  Nevermind the US who supports a "corrupt local government" (his words).  Also, this is a civil war that's at least 35 years old (see "Charlie Wilson's War for the Hollywoodized fict-history of the Russo-Afghan conflicts in the 80s).  I think you can hear his big brass 'uns clacking as he walks down the hall.    This story is all over the place right now.  BadassesWithMoustaches is cutting-freaking-edge on this story, but check someplace else for developments because I'm too busy/lazy to update this all that often.   Here's his 4 page resignation letter: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/hp/ssi/wpc/ResignationLetter.pdf?sid=ST2009102603447

Paul Haggis- "Crash" Director

http://movies.yahoo.com/news/movies.ap.org/crash39-director-paul-haggis-quits-scientology-ap I wasn't a huge fan of "Crash."  I thught it was a little schmaltzy and simplistic- so that's not why this guy gets a badass stamp of approval today.  Homeslice quit Scientology (sure, I'll capitalize it) which is, I hope, a sign of things to come for the "church" that isn't.  But more than that his reason for quitting: Scientology's stance against gay marriage.  Now it would have been awesome if he just said, "well, after 35 years I realized this was bullshit" but it may be better that he said (I paraphrase), "I can't sit idly by and let you guys consent to discrimination against gay people... it's especially hypocritical, because this town is known as a Mecca for gays, and my two sound guys have been together since before I started making movies."  So, no more Scientolo because of gay rights, plus a little face stubble in the pic equals the badass stamp of approval.

Abe Lincoln

No I didn't say "Hey Blinkin." It's Abraham Lincoln, our 16th president. He was born in a log cabin, but he didn't build it himself despite rumors to the contrary. He's on the $5 bill and the penny. He wouldn't let the Confederates take federal property (Fort Sumter) so they decided to start the Civil War. Then he emancipated slaves who were still in the South (which is to say the first declaration was kinda meaningless and shifted the focus for most people onto the issue of slavery instead of states' rights). He did manage to save the Union (with a little help from Grant and Sherman and a few hundred thousand soldiers) and was killed the same week that Lee surrendered.


Interesting trivia: was acutely aware of how goofy he looked, especially at 6'4 and wirey as a pipe cleaner. Is said to have had a high pitched voice. Was socially inept and was prone to telling off color jokes while amongst polite society (awesome). He is said to have enjoyed watching wrestling. He completed the equivalent of a 9th century online degree- he was mostly self taught and became a lawyer. We get a day off from work and school to commemorate his birthday.

Verdict: 100% badass.

Jonathan Coulton

I'm not sure I'm ready to commit to entertainers being badasses, but I'm going to make an exception in this case. Jonathan Coulton has become a nerd icon with his "Thing a Week" compilations which include "First of May" (Rated "R") a rousing rendition of "Baby Got Back" and "Code Monkey." He'll be rocking Penny Arcade Expo (PAX) again this year and yours truly sincerely hopes for "Still Alive" the end credits theme for Valve's game "Portal." How can you not like a song about science, cake and guns sung by a deranged mainframe?

Pens fan crashes Stanley Cup Celebration...

First- go Pens.  I started watching when Jagr was dropping straight pwnage with that ridiculous mullet and FOX was trying comet trails on slapshots.   Second- my new hero, read the full story here: http://sports.yahoo.com/nhl/blog/puck_daddy/post/How-a-Penguins-fan-crashed-the-Stanley-Cup-party?urn=nhl,180369   From the Daily News, here's how Kraft maneuvered down from the stands to the ice, in his own words: "So I go over in position where a family member might be, and after about 15 minutes, (defenseman) Philippe Boucher(notes) skates over and points to the guy in front of me. When that guy raises his hand, I raise mine. The security guard sees both of us, opens the door and everyone just assumes I'm a relative. "Once on the ice, it's open season. I have access to the tunnel back to the locker room and it's just a big celebration - players everywhere, hanging out, playing music and spraying champagne. "A couple players pick me up and swing me around. I'm spraying a bottle of champagne. Amazing."    Amazing, indeed.

Nicola Tesla

Intel claims to have "invented" over the air electricity... suck it bitches, this crazy Croat had that going on while your grandpappy was still in diapers. Plus he was played by David Bowie in "The Prestige" so how effing cool does that make him? So happy birthday to another misunderstood genius. If only they had the math you needed to make the world believe.

Billy Mays

No, I'm not a sap. This guy was a badass and his show Pitchmen really showed that he enjoyed what he did and that helping people made him happy. Not my cup o' tea (making people happy), but I give him crazy props. He should have been up here sooner, but I've been slacking on this blog... you'll be ok.

EDIT: Oh nose! Coroner's report says the Colombian Cola was a contributing factor in his passing. Stay off the blow, kids.

2nd Edit: the family had a separate autopsy performed and their guy says coke wasn't a factor... I still advocate avoidance.

Thanks for making this easy...

Honorary entry from roflrazzi.com

There's a contest for everything...

Awesome- Biennial Beard and Moustache Competition:   http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/worldnews/article-1187350/Pictured-Bearded-wonders-gather-hairiest-contest-world.html

Toshiro Mifune

I'm not entirely sure how I'm going to top this one, but it needs posting. Chances are, if you think of the word "samurai" you're thinking along the lines of the myth that Mifune brought to life. Surly, drunken, battle-hardened with a heart of gold, he was the centerpiece of classic Samurai movies such as Kurosawa's "The Seven Samurai","Yojimbo" and "Rashomon." I'll leave the reader to source more detail from Wikipedia and IMDB, but I don't think there's an argument convincing enough to remove this guy from the hall of badassery.

Aziz Ansari

For taking on IMAX. He's sick of the upcharge for the IMAX digital movies that are the same size as a traditional movie screen. I agree: the IMAX name (unadulterated) should only apply to the 72 foot screens.

Aziz's blog on the topic Warning: he has a potty-keyboard.

Mr. T

'Nuff said.

Is Wil Wheaton a badass...?

You're sort of being wedged into a conversation I've been having with my brother. He wanted to know why I joined the Wil Wheaton fan page at facebook. I explained that Wil's keynote at Penny-Arcade Expo 2007 was eye opening. He has a lot to say about people my age and how we interact vis-a-vis gaming and fiction. He was also a welcome addition to the D&D 4e podcasts with the PA guys.
So Nick says, "so you'd have Wil on your badasses blog if he had a moustache?" In fact, Wheaton can be seen sporting some kind of all-over 5 o'clock shadow above (and his digital self on his blog includes said whiskers). But I'm not sure he qualifies as a badass. Entertaining? Yes. Clever? Surely. But I don't know that just being an entertainer is sufficient for badassery... So I'll let you decide:

Pros-
* Recurring character on ST:TNG
* Main character in Stand by Me (watched this a few months ago, Richard Dreyfus is really the weak link)
* Interesting keynote for PAX 2k7
* D&D 4e podcasts
* Tweets
* Blogs about being a compulsive autobiographer/parent/actor/invitee to ST:TNG related events/guest speaking at cons
* Writes a tech article for Suicide Girls... sorry, no link.
* This from his special screening of the new Star Trek movie

Cons-
* ST:TNG character annoying enough to earn moniker "Weasley Crusher"... let's face it, that's still huge points against.
* Hasn't really done much else professionally to warrant badass stamp and gaming as a hobby isn't really sufficient to qualify
* And then there's this (EDIT: to add that the wife and I just saw the new Star Trek and, well, his expression is valid- still geeked out, though :) )

It's up to you, faithful reader.... review the evidence and vote accordingly

Are you a badass, too?

Faithful readers- do you have a moustache and/or beard? Are you in some way a badass? Send me a reasonably sized pic that at least shows your 'stache (preferably while you're doing your badass thing) and not more than 150 words about why you're a badass- maybe you'll end up on the site too.

Teddy Roosevelt

What better place to start the list of badasses who were known for their facial hair?

Here's the rundown:
* Still the youngest person to assume to office of President
* Distrusted big corporations and dissolved 40 monopolies
* Cowboy
* Survived assassination attempt in 1912
* Explorer
* Conservationist (set aside Devil's Tower as the first national monument)



Verdict: Badass

EDIT: TR themed motivational posters from "The Art of Manliness." I'm not sure if I'm a fan of the blog, but I AM a fan of the repost.