Buckaroo Banzai was a physicist, rock star, neurosurgeon, rogue inventor, and presidential advisor. He was also fictitious. A little bit closer to home, Jesse Ventura was a Navy SEAL, professional wrestler, and 38th governor of Minnesota. He even had a political action figure.
Arnold Schwarzenegger, as we all know, was a governor who played action heroes on the big screen, but when it comes to mixing high-octane politics with super-hero hijinks, it’s hard to beat Vladimir Putin.
Putin may be having his political troubles these days, but no autocrat since Benito Mussolini has been quite so handy with a photo-op. Please take the time to flip through these pictures from The Atlantic of Vladimir Putin, Action Man. Which is the best image? Shooting a crossbow at a whale? Driving a tank? Playing the concert piano? So many to choose from! Which one do you like?
Rambles Blog at Star Chamber 
Picture 30 I KNOW is staged.
No blacksmith would wear a white shirt into forge. But that not withstanding, a blacksmith would never use a small hammer like that two handed. Also, gloves would NEVER be worn in that situation (you lose the feel of the hammer). The operation he is doing is very light, it is a one handed ‘tink’ kinda thing not a two handed ‘smash’ thing.
Someone handed him a hammer and said ‘Hit it here’ and hoped he did not mess up their work too badly to fix once he left… :)
Obviously shirtless-helicopter-pilot Putin strafing a baby tiger with harpoons is the most badass of all the pictures. Obviously.
He needs a picture wearing some sort of native headdress and then he can be the Village People.
here’s my favorite Putin photo
