Nerd News in Brief

Why the hell am I the only person using the "geek rock" tag? Seriously. Church recently mentioned that if you use it as a filter it makes it looks like Technorati has a damn Hipster, please! category!

I think that's my New Year's resolution: get other people using the phrase geek rock.

Come on, say it with me now. Geek. Rock.

Doesn't that feel good?

• Nekkid Nerds: For some of you, there is no higher form of art than a group of nudists in Star Trek themed body paint. Those people are encouraged to click this link. Though probably not while they're at work.
• Nerd Girl, I Don't Deserve You: You know what we haven’t talked about in a while? geek girls. Thankfully, Autostraddle is there to pick up the slack. As Church points out, blogger Taylor manages to work in the usuals (Tina Fey and Felicia Day) as well as some new candidates (like Rachel Maddow).
• Very Stimulating: Also from Church comes this link the Seattle Times recent interview with geeky hip-hop pioneer Paul Barman. Read up and get schooled.
• Exterminate!: Meanwhile, Matt has found a new hero. UK crafter Rob Bosher has built his own life-size Dalek. Powered by an electric wheelchair, this bad boy works via remote control and can even bark poorly digitized orders at unwitting humans.
• Totally ReTARDIS: Tracy V. Wilson over at How Stuff Works has uncovered a great secret. I am talking some Dan Brown shit here, folks. Apparently Wesley Crusher is a Time Lord!
• Official Beer of the Empire: What's weirder than a Doctor Who-related Star Trek revlation? Storm Trooper-themed beer.
• Gabe, Tycho & Dave: Ever wanted to create your own web comic? Well, Dave "The Knave" White has got you covered. His recent session at Podcamp Pittsburgh covers all the basics, especially with regards to technical, behind-the-scenes issues.
• Because Canadians are Just Better: Sure you've seen nerdy burlesque shows and geeky stand-up routines, but have you seen them in the same place? If you have, you probably live in Toronto. Or you are Schaffer the Darklord.
• Las Mascaras: Speaking of Schaffer, Coolzey, who guested on STD's recent release, is preparing to drop his new album The Honey late next month. In the meantime, peep the video for "Look." It features ladies and luchadores. And lady luchadores!
• Paranoid Android: Lately I've been thinking of upgrading to an Android phone. Turns out that our own MC Frontalot was an early G1 adopter, and he recently sang the praises of the device over at Android and Me.
• Too Many Summers: Wizard Rock aficionado Dinah has made public a demo by WRock group Standing In Line. The release, originally handed out at Wrockstock in very limited quantities, is for personal listening only, so download it and add some more magic to your collection.
• Science, Every Day: Did you know my boy funky49 has become the official nerdcore rapper of science? I mean, after repping MOSI and now Fermilab, he's really only got one place to go: outer space!
• Hope Aboard My Starship: My high school chum Brooks directed me to this Gizmodo piece from Joseph Shoer, a Ph.D. candidate in aerospace engineering, about the physics of space battles. It's a lengthy and fascinating geek out concerning theoretical combat.
• In Space: Earlier this month, Game Music 4 All Records released its very first EP. Challenge!, by Scottish chiptune musician Comptroller, is an outer space adventure aboard an LSDJ-fueled rocket ship. Come along.
• On the Fly: On the subject of chiptunes, nerdy ally Jonny Nero is positively aflutter about the NESynth virtual synthesizer for the iPhone. Here's why.
• To the Nines: And I can't talk about chip music without plugging the latest from the great Videogame Orchestra. VGO's Werk is available from Treble Death System for the super-low price of nothing. Get on that shit!
• Intervention: I would like to applaud Mike Damanskis for finally bringing Yoshi's bulimia to light. He needs our support now more than ever.
• Grassroots: Excited for Mega Man 10? Of course you are. But think of how much more exciting it would be if the game featured our old pal Mega Ran! It just so happens that there's an online petition for that.
• Heart and Soul: MC Lars cares about your health and well being. That's why he released "Be the Beat" in association with the American Heart Association. Can a song teach you CPR? Give it a listen and decide for yourself.
• Romantical: Face it; you need more romance in your life. A hard copy of Ultraklystron's Romance Language 2, that is. But he's only selling them through year's end, so act fast!
• Mash-tastic: It wouldn't be December without a bevy of mash-up best-ofs. Currently, my two faves are DJ Earworm's annual meta-mash "United States of Pop" and the Best of Bootie 2009 collection. Collect 'em all!
• Great White Wyrm: Hipster, please! would like to officially welcome the first of what will surely be many I Fight Dragons tattoos. Big ups to Ben Ruberg for going all fanboy on our collective ass. IFD fans will also want to peep Chronicles of the Nerds' recent video interview with Brian and crew.
• You Can't Kill a Symbol: In other YouTubery, Church tells me that Key of Awesome has put out a musical interpretation of The Dark Knight. Alfred is the shit.
• Stars and Angels: Closing out the final Nerd News in Brief of 2009 is a bit of Star Wars music. It's "Shut Up & Party" by Pseudo Rebels, and it’s a club banger that harnesses the power of the Force.