Vlad III, Prince of Wallachia (1431-1476) better known as Vlad the Impaler was a Transylvania-born ruler of Wallachia.  He is said to be the inspiration of Count Dracula in Bram Stoker’s novel Dracula.  In case his epithet didn’t give it away, Vlad the Impaler was a vicious, messed up dude.  He is well known for his sadistic methods of execution and torture, which include boiling, skinning, forced cannibalism, roasting, and his personal favorite, impaling. 

I once knew a kid named Brad the Inhaler.  He was from Pennsylvania.  He had asthma and he wasn’t very sadistic.  Just pretty geeky and bad at sports.  He didn’t inspire any novels.