Tuesday, March 30, 2010

For t3h Lose


As in the opposite of FTW, as in, a metaphor for my life.

After a few years of wishful thinking and hopeful musing, Theatreg33k & I have finally started our own web-comic. Read it HERE. Hosting thanks to our good techy Epyon Avenger, Story is written dominantly by myself, inspired by true events and further embellished by myself, with constant input from Theatreg33k, AND I finally talked her into drawing it, and so her career as an artist begins . . . . from square one.

So go read it, and please be kind as this is sort of like a garage band thing, were ametures praying for the big leagues, but we do welcome all REAL criticism, "you suck" will be met with "and you need a life" or something equally snarky.

URL is:
http://ftl.chaos-axiom.com/

Enjoy!

Monday, March 29, 2010

Starcraft II Beta Code

I have one Starcraft II Beta code to give to "a friend." So, who wants it? Send me an email and why you think you deserve it.

Be aware I may post your answer in another post to announce the winner. Think hard, I know it hurts

The h47 at Wondercon

WONDERCON! From the same people who bring you ComicCon & APE, one San Francisco's well known nerdfests.

Your humble h4773r will be working the Armor-Geddon booth in the exhibitor hall. We've contracted a good Friend of mine to be a booth babe/blade vendor. Also, t1nk will try to do some con-going on Friday & I hope to try and wander the Halls as well. Drop by, say hi, & some steel you should buy!

Wednesday, March 24, 2010

Damn it Feels Good to be a Geeksta


I have been stressing about what or when I was going to have time to blog about considering the several projects and responsibilities I have been involved with recently.

BUT! One sick call in later and some thoroughly nerdy internet activity my mood is improved.

I just downloaded MC Frontalot's newest album "Zero Day" and am bangin my neck to it as I type.

I have been researching all manner of creature and spells in the D&D 3.5 pdf's I have, thanks to reading and excellent Blog by a gent named Zak titled "D&D With Porn Stars." Don't worry, it is deliciously focused on the tabletop element and I have not yet heard a single mention of "The Book of Erotic" although heaven help Zakk should his players get the idea and he go along.

Also, I tried to act upon a long time wish to run a game or two in the Midkemia setting, hoping to find supplements and guides. Alas, there seems to be a deficit. Oh well! I can just bastardize the rules as I usually enjoy.

Finally, I have been doing some research into unique self defense techniques. I have been interested in this particular combat style for a few years now. Bartitsu, or sometimes called in conjunction with Sherlock Holmes, Baritsu. The English gentleman's mode of personal safety. It is mostly cross-training between Judo & Stick fighting but damned if I don't want to learn. Might just buy those books and start getting in shape.

Friday, March 19, 2010

Just a Caster

So, instead of posting about the 20 other things I have rough drafts for, I'm gonna talk about D&D.

Right know I'm in a game that meets for most of the day on Sundays (after church for some of us. Who said Christians don't know how to party. Get it? Eh?) and this group has been meeting, changing and shifting consistently for about three or four years.
In the campaign we're in right now I'm playing a PC & Cohort combo where I am trying to be as ambiguous as possible as to which one is my main character and which one is the full level character. (we're playing 3.5 right now, but our DM has been all over Pathfinder since it came out and his other group has even converted to it, I think it may be in our future.)
The 2 characters are twin brothers and I'm doing a blatant homage/parody of The Brothers Majere with a twist of course.
So, Caramon "El Espada" (he gave himself this honorific) is a full bore human fighter with several feat trees. He is decent in combat whether sans armor with only a dagger, or rocking full plate with his battle-ax, and although his swarthy Spanish accent and low wisdom make him out to be a rock brained meat-shield (as his brother has referred to him) he is not an idiot and some of his feats and tactics reflect this.
Rayelstin "Ray" "El Palabra" (his brother insists he use this honorific but personally disdains it) is a devout worshiper of Boccob and seeks knowledge of magic of any type. Dual class Wizard & Archivist, he will most likely prestige into Mystic Theruge after one more level of Archivist.
Common encounters include "El Espada" proclaiming that he is "Caramon! El Espada, and this is my brother, Rayelstin . . . " Caramon holds his hand towards Ray. Ray looks pained. Caramon: "say it." Ray, in a weary voice: " el palabra." Caramon: "yes! El Palabra. He is the brains and I am the brains, the brawn and the steel, if you know what I mean." Ray sighs.

It's been interesting with the caster as I was attempting to use only spells that both arcane and divines could use. I'm falling off that a bit but hope to re-align the concept. As the idea is that he was a priest of Boccob and happened to be more bookish than a normal cleric and this was the result.

As El Espada, it's just silly fun claiming to be the hero and not doing too bad a job at it. He's had a couple mishaps, such as needing to be healed profusely as well as being turned to stone recently, but he takes it all in stride as (he believes) there is nothing he and his brother can not overcome.

Wednesday, March 17, 2010

AGGAAIIN!?!?

shit is a happening, and I'm in the middle of it. I have no idea when I will have a few hours free to write anything, this is being posted between class and performance after being out late playing a D&D pick up game. Heh, oh, the nerd life is a hectic one.
Stay weird, space cowboys . . . .
We be g33ks, peace!
....[+]
H4773r

Thursday, March 11, 2010

Hard Core Nerds Who Aren't "Nerdcore" prt. 2


MC Chris is nerdy. He has also been busting his ass for about a decade or more establishing himself as an artist musically and a writer, being heavily involved in a lot of "Classic" Adult Swim. As most of us should know by now, this runs in a nice parallel time line to Nerdcore Hip Hop's early years. This seems to lead to a lot of linkage between him and the greater Nerdcore movement. This is inaccurate, however. Similar to MC Lars & YTCracker, he was simply a musician trying to lay his business down and when Front put a name to it, human nature took a hand in things and Chris was lumped into Nerdcore as his -rap- was -nerdy- and quite a few other Nerdcore artists were surfacing around Fronts Nerdcore Flag.

It seems to me after a few years of hearing "oh yeah, you're nerdcore," and I can only imagine what else could be said after those few words, Chris got fed up with it and put up a heated post on his Myspace Blog about his association with the Nerdcore scene. He distanced himself from many Nerdcore artists, even dropping shows with some of them, and there was a backlash.
So, dropping a gig/an opener is a big slap in the face, so I don't agree with that, regardless if he "sent a mixed message" by having Nerdcore acts in his show while saying he himself was not Nerdcore.
But, I don't think anyone should blame him for wanting to be recognized as an independent performer. For better or worse I've never seen him ride anyone's band wagon and I can respect his desire to be a unique entity.

I love his music and his sense of humor, it just seems like he lets the circus get to him. He attempts to distance himself from things he enjoys and it gets convoluted and twisted, there's a reaction and misunderstandings all around.
So, MC Chris is not Nerdcore, and that's okay with me. If he wanted to be, that would be okay with me. BUT, he's not and so I shan't feature him in my monthly Nerdcore focus. QQ, i'm sure so many people care.

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If you do like any of the artists I have written about on my 3rd 4 T3h Nrrd articles DO check out MC Lars & MC Chris, as they are very professional, very good, very rappery, very geeky, perhaps even hard core nerds, and tend to be liked by people who are into Nerdcore Hip Hop.

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P.S.
I would like to officially apologize to Canadian rapper, Jesse Dangerously for featuring him in one of my monthly posts as he does not self identify as a Nerdcore Artist. Thank you for your good humor and replying to my (not always) humble blog. Mr. Dangerously (you see that? I used his performing name as if it were his real full name, I'm like the New York Times, it's clever) has been a really cool collab on a lot of Nerdcore tracks and I believe just likes to feel the love throughout the hip hop scene regardless of Nerdcore or otherwise and smartly welcomes the positive attention. Thanks JD, keep on rappin'.

Tuesday, March 9, 2010

Big Suprise

IM RUNNING LATE! bear with me, as usual, I have a show opening this week and my brain denies my attempts to find time to work on it. there are 3 in the pipe but none to light. so stay with me. if you really need a fix from my brain . . . . .

ftl.chaos-axiom.com

i DARE you to go to it. (no really, please go, it is as amusing as my blog. big appeal, i know.)

Thursday, March 4, 2010

MemeOrable: Meme-Man Outta You


What the hell is up with "Ill Make a Man Out of You"? (Sorry if I sounded like Seinfeld for a second there, but honestly, I question this.)

When and where did our collective consciousness decide this was an accepted meme to be filtered and parodied?

Forget it. I think I understand. This song is REALLY good. So, pick the vid that tickles you, or the "true vid" if you want the highest musical quality I've heard out of all of them, clear some room to get down to, make sure you're in a room where you can sing your lungs out without interruption, and blast it loud!

A Blog I read consistently, Frost Is The New Black put up a nice little thing:
"(February is February Album Writing Month! For 28 days, musically minded individuals write 14 songs. This year, my concept album will be about WoW parodies to popular songs.)

Track 2: I’ll Make Alliance Out of You (parody of “I’ll Make a Man Out of You” from Mulan)"

as well as . . . .



Wednesday, March 3, 2010

3rd 4 t3h Nrrd: March '10

I need a second opinion from the good doctor . . . .

Doctor Awkward!

This cat is fairly new to the scene but he comes with it. He's currently developing his sophomore album and I can't wait for it.

You can get everything you need to know about him, including his first album, at these locations.

I really dig this guy. His rhymes are clean, his flow is smooth, his content is substantial & entertaining, and his production team is solid in there samples and mixes, displaying Doc Awk's skillz very well. I also really like his voice, he can harmonize and sing, not just rap fast and not sound flat. I'm a sucker for all over musicianship and to hear some "singing" in songs can really boost a song for me.

Here's a vid from Nerdapalooza, somewhat self explanatory. The guy who posted the vid laid an audio track on top of it because the mic couldn't pick up Kabuto that well, if you don't know who KTP is or want to hear a clean version of the song, start over here . . .

A Convergance of Events

So, There's Part 2 of the Hard Core Nerds post, 3rd 4 t3h Nrrd has an artist but is running late, I am in the middle of tests, work, fight directing 2 shows, rehearsal, AND my lovely & multi-talented Fiance has finally finished our first Web Comic of FTL (For T3h Lose) and the only reason it's not up on the netverse is my fault! So, hopefully, when things quiet down for me things will rev up here and over at FTL, which I WILL link to as soon as it goes live.

Hang in there with me devoted readers,
H47

Tuesday, March 2, 2010

Hard Core Nerds Who Aren't "Nerdcore" prt. 1


(Lords of Nerd . . . and other kinds, of Rapping)

It has come up a couple times when talking about my Blog (Mr. W. Awesome, I'm looking at you) that I do a monthly focus on a Nerdcore artist, you might have even read one or two, and when asking others who I should focus on next, the names MC Lars and MC Chris have been mentioned.

No, I will not do a 3rd 4 t3h Nrrd on either of these artists. Why? Because they are not Nerdcore, they do not self identify as Nerdcore, and although I enjoy both artists and may do a normal update about either of them, they will most likely never be a focus of my monthly spotlight.

Some hullabaloo has circulated around both rappers about their stance on & as Nerdcore rappers, and being a dutiful rumormonger I made sure to root around and hear the words from the horses mouth. Below are MY impressions of what occurred, I might be off, neither of them have EVER talked to me about the subject and I can only hope that if you have any doubts or suspicions about what is addressed here that you go seek out the events yourself. They are still very well documented around the IntarWebs.

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A while back MC Lars put up a post on his blog titled "RIP Nerdcore 1998-2009" and proceeded to expound upon how the "wave" of Nerdcore hit the shore and began to recede. Also saying how many fledgling "Nerdcore artists(I use the terms loosely)" have been sending him horrible, cheap, copy cat samples. Understandably this was disheartening and did not impress him as legit musicianship in the Nerdcore world. He then listed a few rappers (Nerdcore and otherwise) who he thought make great artists as well as his favorite hip hop influences. All throughout asking starting musicians to strive to pioneer and move the music forward.

A backlash swept through the nerd rap community and well, shit exploded, more like it. Eventually there was a 6 page thread on MC Frontalot's BBS (some very mature and thought out arguments there) and a few threads on Rhyme Torrents Forums as well. Some not as well articulated, but definitely vocal. Hipster Please also put up a take on what Lars was talking about, and after a few days Lars chimed back in to clarify his intent.

Apparently the title was a joke off of another hip hop album, that combined with the less than flattering content that sounded like it was aimed at the entire Nerdcore Community, the damage had been done. The apology helped, but less people on the Nets care about "sorry" than thinly veiled geek bashing.

While I'm on the subject, Mr. Horris has been hosting a discussions on his site as to whether or not Nerdcore is racist. This was in reaction to an off the cuff comment he made in Metro (yes, NorCal-south bay readers, OUR Metro) and he wanted to clarify his statement. A 5 page thread ensued with some cheap shots from both sides of the argument, I think both sides took the jabs in stride, and finally, The Great MC Front, came to the rescue, again, and helped Lars go over some key points on the issue and better clarify his opinions.

MY SUMMARY: I agree completely with Lars in that it is ignorant, and even potentially racist for the CONSUMER, the LISTENER, (and not the Nerdcore artists themselves because every artist I've ever looked into has at least a working knowledge if not a fanaticism for traditional hip hop) to dismiss roots of an art based on it's current popular incarnation. I assume, why he said that Nerdcore was, was a goof on his part.
I agree that you need to continue to move forward, and continue to develop as an artist, regardless of your genre.
I DISAGREE with the idea that Nerdcore compares itself to traditional(or otherwise) Hip Hop hardships. NEVER!, NNNEEEVVAAARR!! have I heard a song from a Nerdcore artist that even came close to this. but . . . . oh yes, I have a but . . . I like to think it is a big, budonkadonk butt, yeah . . sorry. (I'm paraphraseing here, shoot me, but my readership is so small I don't really care, if I blow up because -I'M RIDING THE COATTAILS OF NERDCORE AND MC LARS- well then, sweet, i can start paying some bills and write 2 blogs, do an interview with metro and have 3 5-page threads to explain myself, eh? (sorry, its late and I'm getting snarky) " comparing getting a wedgie to having the south Bronx ruined by an entire train system." anyone who has taken a basic critical thinking class can see this is a fallacy in gross generalization. To be honest, I love them and have used them. But to use it as part of your explanation on CLARIFYING the intent of your statements, not a great idea. So, Let me expound, okay, nerd life is no where comparable to the African American experience. No argument from me, that isn't the point.
*takes a second to collect thoughts*
Let me try again. Have Nerds/geeks/dorks been persecuted on the scale African Americans have? NO, not at all, I'm not drawing that parallel. However, fuck you (that's a "fuck you" in general, not to anyone specific) if you don't believe we don't have hardships. Where the hell did all those nerd empowerment films come from. Where have all the stereotypes and jokes originated, if not from actual events. Social disorders, estrangement, depression, suicide!? These are not legitimate issues for one to address in their chosen art form because someone who has come before you had it worse? Well damn, than only the ancient Greeks have license to produce art as I'm not sure how much worse you can get than slavery, incest, rape, wars and the disenfranchisement of peoples. Does this not fit the argument?
Because the plight of the African-American is on such a grand scale, the plight of nerds will always pale in comparison. This should not belittle the experience of the minority, it is just as real and just as influential. To use an analogy, its like saying a rape victim shouldn't be so upset because she's not a Jew that suffered through the holocaust.

To be fair, I don't think Lars had that in mind at all. But that would be me putting words into Mr. Horris's mouth, and I'm sorry. It sounds like he is a real cool guy, always kind, but he's not naive by any means either. I think the popular consensus at this point is that he needs to think before he speaks, but then, what fun would that be?