Heroes

I decided that marking assignments was not as important as watching 300. Mainly because, when 300 first came out, I said I would watch it 300 times. I think I've only seen it 10 times ... so I still have a ways to go on that. Wonderful movie though ... third greatest romance ever. Top 3 are: 3)Leonidas and Queen Gorgo (300), 2)Johnny Cash and June Carter Cash (Walk the Line), 1)Zack and Miri (Zack and Miri make a porno). I'm going to jump away from 300 for second, so I can talk about Zack and Miri make a porno. Greatest romance movie of all time ... I don't care what anyone says ... and I've seen Casablanca (which is absolutely wonderful ... but that's for another article and another time). They are so good together. It seems so genuine too. When they have sex, it's so tender and passionate and frigging amazing. Also, there is no more romantic and wonderful a line then when Elizabeth Banks tells Seth Rogen "if you asked me, I would dutch rudder you for the rest of our lives." Come on ... it doesn't get any more romantic than that. So yeah ... Zack and Miri make a porno = greatest romance movie ever.

Anyway ... 300 is wonderful because it has wicked good violence and fighting, as well as a wonderful romance story and wicked quotes. I decided to write after watching it because Leonidas is one of my all time favorite characters ... and there are elements of his character that I would love to incorporate into my own life. So here's a list of people and characters that are my heroes:

10)Nicholas Negroponte - founded the one laptop per child foundation, which I feel is one of the greatest charitable projects around. I recognize that there are some flaws with it but giving children access to information and education is vitally important to the future well being and progress of the human race and the earth. Hopefully, using programs, such as one laptop per child, more children can learn and transfer that knowledge to results in their own towns and countries.
9)Louis CK & Dane Cook - two of the best comedians out there. I like Dane Cook for his energy during his shows ... so much energy ... such a good show man. Louis CK is just about the funniest man I've ever heard, and I like that he doesn't pull any punches and that he basically says anything he wants, no matter how terribly offensive ... I like that.
8)Jon Stewart - the best journalist alive ... I've learned so much more from the daily show then I have from most news sources. I like that he is not only a brilliant comedian but, also he is wicked knowledgeable and he asks some of the best questions. A role model for what a through interviewer should be.
7)Richard Feynman - Possibly one of the most brillant men of all time, not included an amazing writer, and one of the most interesting people ever. He provides a nice contrast to the stereotypical scientist who only focuses in one area ... he had so many diverse interests, and he represents what a well rounded scientist should be.
6)Penn & Teller - their defense of the constitution, free speech, and their desire to debunk myths and pseudoscience has been a great source of inspiration in my life and in being a scientist. Plus, they do magic (awesome!), they're hilarious (double awesome!) and they find a way to fit nudity into all their episodes of bullshit (tripendicular!).
5)Beast - one of only two comic book characters to make the list. I like Beast because he is funny, a brilliant scientist, and an eloquent speaker. Also, his continued acceptance of human decency and his continued support of a world where human and mutant can co-exist in peace is a model for the type of attitude required for many real world situations and problems. Plus, I like how he is also willing to fight when it is required. Also, he has blue fur ... that is just wonderful.
4)Leonidas - never retreat, never surrender. Love your woman and child. Respect and honor your fellows kinsmen and enemies. Be disciplined, focused, and train your skills to be the best possible. Not too much better than that. Plus he has a super healthy relationship that is built on trust and equal balance of power. Not to mention he is a really good father, and funny. Also, his wife his hot and he is wicked good shape with rocking hard abs ... doesn't get much better than all that.
3)Tiger Woods - the greatest golfer that has ever lived. One of the most focused and disciplined athletes ever. A testament to what one can achieve with a lot of talent, and even more hard work. A man who isn't afraid of competition or competing, and who is consistent in rising to the challenge and winning. He is also a pretty model father and husband, which is very important.
2)Wolverine - my favorite super hero. He represents that hero who has to suffer so that others don't have to. In peak physical condition, with a mind to match ... he represents the hero who is trying to atone for his past sins and is trying to erase the pain and horrors of the past. I find his independent and stoic nature to be a model that I would like to follow and adopt ... although they both represent extreme cases ... and I doubt that I could ever be that stoic or independent. He is a true loner, destined to walk alone forever ... yet he doesn't give up and continues to try his best to do good and to control the animal inside. In my lonelier times, I find comfort from reading stories about him. I know he isn't real and is a fictional character ... but that doesn't mean that I can't gather some insights into my own life from him. Any revelations are good revelations.
1)Charles Darwin - I want to be Charles Darwin ... or as close to it as I can be. Seriously, I hope to be everything that he was. He represents one of those truly amazing of scientists, who take pleasure in doing science simply for the sake of knowledge. It wasn't about trying to get a job or trying to get as many publications or trying to be famous ... he simply wanted to solve the mysteries of life ... or do the best that he could. He was astoundingly clever and see all the pieces of the puzzle before most of the pieces were there. His argument for evolution is one of the most comprehensive and complete arguments that I've ever seen. And the amount of predictions that he made, which were found to be correct, are ridiculous. As far as men go, there are few that were better. Good natured and tempered, he was a wonderful husband, and father, who always had time for his family and loved them deeply. He was also a model scientist and supporter of the scientist community. All I can really hope is to learn what I can from his works and life, and hope to be as good of a scientist. And hopefully work to change the world for the better, even if it is only a little bit.

There it is. Three people who didn't make the list who I still think are wonderful are: Roger Federer, Mike Rowe and Emily Haines. Essentially, all these people are hard working people who strive for purpose in their lives and work to be the best they can for themselves and for the rest of the world. Even if some of them are fictional, these traits still apply, and I feel that they represent some model people and heroes. And with that, it is getting late, so I'm going to go to sleep and hopefully stop being sick.

(Title is from David Bowie's Heroes ... wicked good song from the album Heroes ... and seems somewhat applicable to the post in question.)