The Handlebar Club Forum

Gripe, gripe, gripe.

I see it here and there where some gentleman wins a championship moustache award for a do that is mostly beard hair. Just because it's shaped like a moustache, is contiguous with a moustache and curls up at the end doesn't make it a moustache. Why do so many people have beard blindness in these cases?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pFMdlKSreMw&feature=fvsr

Did someone get out of bed on the wrong side this morning moustache purist Eric?
I agree, they shouldn't call him the 'National Mustache' Champion. Instead they should call him the 'National Hulihee-minus-the-sidburn-connectors' Champion.
Whatever it is, there's no denying that Larry McClure has put quite a bit of effort and dedication into growing it and I think it's pretty cool.

I agree with Eric. That is definitely not a moustache - as nice as it is. By WBMC standards, that would be a "partial beard freestyle" if you ask me.

I have no problem with someone casually calling that a moustache, but winning a moustache contest with a beard is just not right

I agree with Smedstad: it goes in the "partial beard" category, not mustache !

I believe this was gone over in the recent past. Several past and current members of the HBC have similar facial hair. If anything, you need to convince the Guinness Book. The current record holder has a beard-'tache, though several times longer.

It does look awesome - an awesome partial beard - but not a moustache. I think the winner of best moustache in the usa national beard and moustache championship last year had a similar sort of cheek hair supported sweep. It bugs me because it edges out those with awesome, genuine moustaches. I don't think this is a matter of purist-ism, as it's simply not a moustache.

Upon looking into it a bit further, it appears that this was at the 2010 inaugural US National Beard and Moustache championships that were held in Bend, Oregon. There were 4 categories:

1. Best moustache. Beards are allowed in this category but the contestants will be judged on their moustaches only;

2. Best partial beard. Includes goatees, van dykes, sideburns, musketeers, etc.;

3. Best full beard. Styling aids are permitted;

4. Freestyle. Anything goes. Anything. Be creative.

If he won the first category, and there was no other contestants that had better moustaches, then he won deservedly.

It would appear that Miss Oregon was on the judging panel too.....

That fills me with impotent nerd rage as well. Preach on brother Eric!!!!!!!

Lol, Kellum.

Sorry guys if I am sounding a bit fanatical. I am all about what is fair and just. When beards are taking "moustache" awards, that's not right. And saying a person with a galaxy class, moustache shaped beard can be in a moustache contest and expect the judges will be able to select without noticing the galaxy class, moustache shaped beard, that's stretching it.

And I ran afoul of just this in 2010 at the Silverton Moustachio Bashio contest. I don't believe my moustache was yet of award winning proportions then, but the guy who won (by audience applause) had a large beard with the bottom of it styled in the shape of a moustache. Yes, now it comes out. But the same thing applies. There were better moustaches than his. He shouldn't have been allowed to compete, in my opinion. You have to draw the line somewhere, and have a definition of what is a moustache and what is not, and what is not, or what is obviously and deliberately encroaching with fancy styling, should not be allowed to encroach. I am sure the guys with just moustaches felt cheated.

What they called an imperial moustache in one contest should have been called imperial beard. You rarely see anyone doing a decent imperial moustache with no beard in it.

US National Beard and Moustache championships will be in Vegas next year I believe. I hope I can control myself or they get their act together! Roarrrrrrr! lol. I probably will begin correspondence with them.

The driveway is not the garage. The beard is not the moustache. Beards are great, but they aren't moustaches.

Tempest in a teapot. lol.

poetry!

Impotent nerd rage... yes, it is the rage expressed by those of a subculture known affectionately at nerds. I consider myself one of them. My nerdist tendencies mostly come out in the form of comic books, the science fiction genre (although it could be a setting too!), and boardgames (real ones like Diplomacy, Die Macher, Settlers of Catan, Carcassone, etc.). Having said this, impotent nerd rage is what is expressed when the nerds argue over pointless subjects. Example being above.... Is Science Fiction a genre or a setting? Regardless of which side of the fence you are on or how passionately you argue for your side, you will not sway anyone. The fiercer the arguer, the more rage that could come out, but it is impotent as it will do nothing but increase your frustration for your fellow nerd and raise your blood pressure! That is impotent nerd rage. Thus ends the description.

Eric,
Are you planning to enter?
This would increase your chances of winning a prize if you helped them clarify the rules and excluded anyone that has more than 1.5cm beyond the end of the upper lip in the moustache category
This is off their US NBMC website as it looks like other fellow Nerds have been asking the same questions:


The categories are divided into three classes, moustaches, partial beards, and full beards, although many people would consider some of the partial beards (especially Fu Manchu and Imperial) moustaches. In the latest published rules (Norway 2011), “Moustache is the word for facial hairs on the upper lip. At international contests, it is agreed that moustache hairs can start growing from up to a maximum of 1.5 cm beyond the end of the upper lip.” It is not clear who is part of this agreement. And, as specified by the Norwegian Moustache Club, in several of the moustache categories, hair may only grow up to the end of the upper lip.

I do plan to enter so I can be in among it all. Should be fun. I don't know what my look will be.

Re the issue, after some reflection I feel that while there may be a "correction" that could be made in their categories and rules, I don't want to enter the level of conflict. I may say something, but at present I'm going through a period of learning to not be in conflict but in harmony.

Impotent nerd rage is poetic, but I don't subscribe to it. Nerd refers to microculture, but the impotence and rage are a totality in a person, and not micro. Yes, I know it's not RAGE and all that drama level, but the trace of victim mentality is something I don't want to entertain. We are not impotent, but only non-activated. I believe we are here to iron out the wrinkles in life, not give in to the establishment and throw up our hands as if nothing can be done. That's just another form if conformity, but so is "rage" as it gives in to the temptation to enter conflict rather than be at peace. The real problem of meeting "injustice" is letting it bait us into playing victim and leaving peace. The trick is to find a non-conflict/non-violent way of working out a solution. The solution always always not to get hooked, and remain at peace. Even if something does need to be done it can be done without feeling negativity or blaming or all that.

See how much I've grown in this thread? lol.

I was using impotent nerd rage to mostly describe me... I am a nerd, and I rage impotently over a myriad of topics. Star Wars vs. Star Trek being one of many examples.

You do look good with the English style.
Perhaps hunt down a tweed suit or some cricket whites and a cricket bat.
Hell, i'll even hunt down a vintage cricket bat to send to you to help out.