Strollerderby : heroes

Kid Falls 40 Feet Into Hands of Superheroes

JeanneSager — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 19:01:00 GMT

A little girl hanging from a window forty feet off the ground. Two guys walking by her apartment building - one all the way across the street.

The three meet, and oh . . .my . . . Gawd.

Robert Lemire was talking on his cell phone in front of a pizza joint when he saw a little kid hanging from a third story window across the street. He made a mad dash across the street (no, he didn't stop to look both ways) where he met another guy, Alex Day, just walking out of the building from a Bible study class. Together, the two men put out their arms just in time to catch eighteen-month-old Caliah Clark just before she would have hit the ground.

Can we say totally freakin insanely awesome story here? I know that's not exactly fine English but, wow! They couldn't have planned this one on a movie set with stuntmen.

These are two heroes, and since they reside in Boston, and their superhero capes don't get them much farther, here's a reminder to everyone else to GET WINDOW GUARDS if you have a toddler.

OK, off the soapbox, just going to enjoy the high of such an awesome story on a Monday.

Image: Christian Odyssey (not child in story)

The Dark Knight -- parents strongly cautioned (to go see it)

Brett Singer — Sat, 19 Jul 2008 19:00:00 GMT

Let's get one thing out of the way right now – you shouldn't bring your children. They might want to go, but unless they have a very high tolerance for a long movie (2 and half hours) and an abnormally high tolerance for what might be the most frightening performance ever (Heath Ledger's Joker), I'd get a sitter.

Now: this is some incredible movie. At first, I was a little bit apprehensive. Part of that feeling was the hype, which was so intense that it seemed impossible anything could live up to it. (Part of it was also that the movie didn't start until almost 1am because we had to sit through 7 commercials, none of which I remember at all – money well spent, advertisers. But I digress.) There are some slow spots, especially in the beginning, and I think the director, Christopher Nolan, could have cut 10 or 15 minutes of film and made it a tighter movie. But that's nitpicking, because there are several scenes, some just quick moments and some long, exciting action sequences, that will put your jaw on the floor.

The saddest thing about Heath Ledger's death is that his daughter will never know her father. But it's fair to say that if an actor had to go out with one performance, this is that performance. He's so good that I completely forgot I was watching an actor, which, for me, almost never happens. (It's worth pointing out that Gary Oldman as James Gordon, and Morgan Freeman as Lucius Fox, do the same thing in smaller and less flashy roles.) He's frightening, but not the way a horror movie villain is frightening. It's not shock value, although there is some of that (there's a bit with a pencil that might be the best 5-second description of a character in the history of cinema.) Without giving anything away, The Joker is referred to as a "terrorist" a couple of times, but unlike the terrorists in our world, this one has no cause that he fights for. He's just… mad. Not angry-mad, just flat out crazy. And Ledger captures that in every possible way. You could teach an acting class using this movie – what he does physically, vocally, emotionally; it's all stunning to watch.

The rest of it is, for the most part, equally good. I don't care about the love story, but it's fine I suppose and does serve the story. Aaron Eckhart is a solid actor and he does a good job as Gotham City District Attorney Harvey Dent. Christian Bale is by far the best Batman yet, although Ledger is so good that he really takes over the movie. Michael Caine is a good Alfred Pennyworth, Maggie Gyllenhaal is fine as token love interest Rachel Dawes; she's more than that, I guess, but it's not her movie. Gary Oldman is amazing; as in "Batman Begins," he somehow manages to completely capture the essence of a fictional comic book character that isn't a superhero, meaning that, as an actor, he has fewer details available to work with. I can't explain it but he IS Jim Gordon.

The nits to pick if you want to go there: some of the dialog is hokey (although the lines written for Ledger are brilliant.) There are a few slow spots. At times the action sequences are a tad frenetic, here and there. But it really doesn't matter. You'll read a lot about the surprising depth of this movie, and this is true to an extent. "The Dark Knight" is incredibly entertaining and does have some thoughtful moments amid the comic-book chaos, but there's no need to over think them. I would say just relax and enjoy it, but it's not a relaxing experience. Ledger's Joker is uncomfortable to watch, but in a good way. I don't want to give anything away, so you'll have to see it for yourself (but, as I said, get your tickets early; even the 12:30am showing was completely sold out.)

Now, despite the fact that there isn't much in the way of blood, this is not a film that you should take your children to see. Obviously, you know your offspring better than I, so if you think they can handle it, that's your call. And of course older kids will be fine. I hesitate to suggest an age-range, but I recommend seeing it yourself first if you're not sure. Worst-case scenario – you get to see it twice. Believe me, that's not a bad thing.

image: Reuters

Batman: get your tickets now

Set Your Alarm for a Romp Through LEGO Batman: The Video Game

Maggie Gyllenhaal on Letterman- He Wishes

Spying on the Neighbors: 7-17-08

Sexy Superhero Parents: The Top 10

Little Matilda Had Heath's Heart

Batman: get your tickets now

Brett Singer — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 20:42:00 GMT

So, being a guy who sees superhero movies, I wanted to see the new Batman movie. Today.

A friend wanted to come with me, so I couldn't pull my usual "go during the day when it's not busy" thing. So OK, let's see when its playing… What? Sold out? You gotta be kidding me.

Well, I'm not. If you're planning on seeing The Dark Knight this weekend, you'd better get your tickets in advance. This is unbelievably annoying. I tried at 2pm to get tickets to a 10:30pm showing, and it was already sold out. The reviews so far are over the top in their praise. Over at Rotten Tomatoes, a site that aggregates reviews from various sources, the rating is a whopping 94% positive (the only film with a higher rating is Wall-E.). If you go to the "top critics" section (print outlets and sites like salon.com), only a couple of the reviews are negative, which is extremely unusual for a comic book flick.

A lot of the interest in this film is because of Heath Ledger's death, but I've never seen anything like this. A movie that you can't get tickets to unless you go at midnight, which is what I'm doing? Come on. (And yes, I know I'm nuts.)

I'll let you know what I think of the film, and whether or not it's appropriate for children, later tonight. But for now, if you plan on going, order those tickets early, Bat-fans. Otherwise, you ain't getting in.

See you tonight -- different Bat-time, same Bat-channel...

image: Rotten Tomatoes

Set Your Alarm for a Romp Through LEGO Batman: The Video Game

Maggie Gyllenhaal on Letterman- He Wishes

Spying on the Neighbors: 7-17-08

Sexy Superhero Parents: The Top 10

Little Matilda Had Heath's Heart

Girl Saves Lives, Gets Punished

Kelly Mills — Tue, 18 Mar 2008 21:03:00 GMT

A fifteen-year-old high school student, Amanda Rouse, stopped an out-of-control school bus by pulling the emergency brake. When the bus driver fell out of her seat, she yelled to Amanda for assistance. The teen quickly put the brake on and the bus hit two parked cars and stopped. She then helped the driver up, who called the school transportation authorities. None of the 40 elementary school kids on the bus were injured, and the driver suffered only minor damage. Kudos to Amanda for her quick action.

So what did Amanda get for her heroism? Saturday school. See, it turns out she wasn't supposed to be on the bus at that point, but she says she felt ill on the ride to school, so she asked the driver if she could stay on for the return trip. I guess she was supposed to notify the school instead, or, as she says, "I should have gotten off the bus and called my grandma." Hmmm, if I was the school, I might consider giving her a one-time pass in light of the fact that she saved the day, but I suppose the quality of mercy is not strained, yo.

Photo: DAVID ROYAL/The Herald

Update On Girl Who Took Bullet For Her Mom

Kelly Mills — Thu, 21 Feb 2008 15:38:00 GMT

I'm sorry, but this story just got to me when it came out, so I'm glad to give the update. Some of you might remember that Alexis Goggins threw herself in front of bullets intended for her mother. When the gunman was about to open fire on Seliethia Parker, Alexis cried "Don't hurt my mother!" and ended up with six gunshot wounds, putting her in critical condition and blinding her in one eye.

So what's the word on Alexis now? After six surgeries and two months in the hospital, she's doing well. She has several scars and attends physical therapy twice a week, and she will be fitted for an artificial eye soon. Her mother says she rarely speaks about the shooting, and only remembers pieces of it. But Alexis also received over 200 letters of support from folks who heard her story, and a fund set up to help her through school has collected $30,000. Her mother says, "I'm thanking God every day that me and my baby are still here. It has taught me to...appreciate the smaller things in life." Sniff. Time to go hug my daughter now.

Photo: Associated Press

Baby Trapped Under Car Rescued

Kelly Mills — Mon, 31 Dec 2007 23:32:00 GMT

Who doesn't love a miraculous escape story? Jackie Stephens was pushing her four-month-old grandson Luke in a stroller on Christmas Eve afternoon when a car drove up onto the curb and hit them. Jackie was knocked unconscious with serious injuries, and Luke's stroller was stuck under the chassis of the car. The car was leaking fuel and threatened to ignite or collapse on the infant. So how did he escape with only minor cuts and bruises?

Simple: He depended on the kindness and quick action of strangers. Several patrons of a nearby bar heard the crash and raced out. Someone grabbed soil from potted plants and threw it on the gasoline to keep it from catching fire. Six or seven men positioned themselves around the car and quickly lifted it, managing to extract Luke from the wreck. Jackie is still in intensive care with brain damage and critical injuries, but Luke was released the next day. Jackie's husband says, "She is not out of the woods yet but it is miracle that Luke has survived. The people in that pub are heroes. They saved my grandson's life."

7-Year-Old Girl Puts Herself Between Mom and Bullets

Kelly Mills — Tue, 18 Dec 2007 16:33:00 GMT

Hey, it's time to get weepy with the Derby. See, sometimes as parents we can barely write about the stuff in the news because we use up too many tissues and risk electrocution from tears on our laptops. But let's give it a go anyway: Selitha Parker dated Calvin Tillie for a few months before breaking it off. But Tillie kept calling and bothering Parker, and on December 2, when Parker and her 7-year-old daughter Alexis Goggins climbed into the SUV of a friend on the way to the friend's mom's birthday party, Tillie jumped into the backseat of the vehicle next to Alexis. He pulled a gun and forced them to drive around, until the friend convinced Tillie she needed to stop for gas and called 911 with the station attendant.

When she and the attendant heard shots they ran back to the vehicle, and saw Alexis curled up under the steering wheel in a pool of blood. She had leaped from the backseat to the front seat, shielding her mother with her body, saying, "Don't hurt my mother!" Six bullets hit Alexis, piercing her eye and striking her jaw and chin. She was blinded in that eye, and has undergone three operations since the shooting. Parker was struck with two slugs, and while seriously wounded, she was well enough to be released from the hospital a few days later. Tillie was arrested at the scene.

Parker said, "My baby is just an angel to her mother. I thought as the mother, I'd be saving my child. I never thought my daughter would be saving me." At Alexis' special education classroom at school (she has learning disabilities, suffered a stroke before age 1 and has epilepsy) classmates named a stuffed toy "Hero" and put it in her seat because they didn't want her chair to remain empty. Her teacher showed off her recent progress in writing letters in a journal. Parker's cousin said, "I know she can do it. There's no stopping Alexis. It may take her a little longer now because of this. But she is a fighter."

Feel free to sob without restraint.

Associated Press photo by Carlos Osorio

Kids Beat Bullies Using Pink and I Get Sniffly, In a Good Way

Kelly Mills — Mon, 17 Sep 2007 19:09:00 GMT

Here's why I'm now wearing rose-colored glasses. So much of what we get to talk about is "Obesity kills!" and "Lead painted death toys!" and "Your boobs will suffer!" so I don't expect anything to be all heartwarming and restore my faith in humanity and all that. But then I read this story. It starts off harsh: a new ninth grader showed up for school wearing a pink shirt and he was surrounded by a group of six to ten older students who "mocked him, called him a homosexual for wearing pink and threatened to beat him up." Yup, total high school a-holes just like the kind I went to school with. But two twelfth grade students, David Shepherd and Travis Price, decided it was time to take a stand and intervene.

You know what they did? They used good ol' technology (the internet, natch) and told students to wear pink the next day. They bought 75 pink tank tops and brought material to make pink arm and wrist bands. They figure they got about half of the school's 800+ students to wear pink. A sea of pink and solidarity.

The bullies got pissed and one confronted David and asked him if he knew pink was a symbol of homosexuality. David said he didn't care. "Our intention was to stand up for this kid so he doesn’t get picked on."

Oh, and this is where I tear up: "When the bullied student put on his pink shirt Friday and saw all the other pink in the lobby, 'he was all smiles. It was like a big weight had been lifted off is shoulder,' David said." I love these kids and I love this story. And as anyone who has been to high school knows, that's an act of heroism that may have changed at least one person's life. I hope their parents are proud. I know I would be.

Can I get an "Amen"!

Heroic Kids: Eight-Year-Old Saves Toddler From Drowning

Kelly Mills — Mon, 25 Jun 2007 19:17:00 GMT

Brave Sarah Ellingwood may only be eight, but she wasn't too young to save a life. While enjoying a day at the lake with family and friends, she noticed a child in the water. She put on her life jacket and jumped in. According to Sarah, "'He (the toddler) came back up, and then he went back down. At first, I thought he was one of the bigger kids. But something told me to go closer to see what it was.'" She found toddler Avery in the water, calling for his dad. Sarah pulled Avery to shore, and returned him to his grateful father.

Avery's dad had one of those terrifying parent moments: one minute your child is right next to you, and the next you don't see him anywhere. But thanks to Sarah, everything turned out okay. And by the way, Sarah says she isn't even much of a swimmer. Her dad, Senior Master Sergeant Darren Ellingwood had proud words for his daughter. "'She does better than she claims to do,' Sergeant Ellingwood said. 'She can dog paddle pretty good. She is just a big-hearted kid who normally does the right thing. It was pure instinct (for her) and the desire to help someone in need.'" Somebody give that little girl a hug and a medal.

Shooting Tragedy: A Father Stolen

MetroDad — Thu, 21 Jun 2007 20:07:00 GMT

I've always believed that it's a large part of any father's moral responsibility to set a good example for his children. Obviously, we all come to define that morality in different ways. However, for me, if there's one thing that I want to pass on to my own daughter, it's that one should always help those who cannot help themselves. One should always aid the defenseless. And one should never turn a cheek to someone in need.

Sadly, it's this selfless humanity that ended a beloved father's life in Australia.

Melbourne lawyer and father-of-three Brendan Keilar is being hailed as a national hero this week and calls are being made to honor him with a state ceremony after being gunned down in cold blood after heroically rushing to the aid of a woman being assaulted. Witnesses say that Mr. Keilar never hesitated to act. As soon as he saw the woman in danger, he immediately rushed to her aid...only to be fatally killed for his heroism. Friends and family say that this was typical Brendan behavior and that he surely would have done it again in an instant.

A large part of the national mourning of Mr. Keilar stems from the fact that he was a much beloved family man. He had five siblings with whom he was extremely close. He was absolutely devoted to his wife, two daughters, and young son. In fact, two days prior to his death, Mr. Keilar and his entire extended family all spent a long weekend together at his recently purchased beach house. "We all just had a wonderful weekend … something to remember forever," his mother, Moya, recalled.

RIP, Brendan Keilar. Your heroism inspires us all.

Preschooler Calls 911 and Saves His Mom

Stefania Pomponi Butler (CityMama) — Tue, 01 May 2007 17:03:00 GMT

Thanks to some quick thinking on the part of four-year-old Tony Sharpe, his mother Courtnay is alive and well after collapsing during a gall bladder attack.

Little Tony learned to call 911 from a book sent to him by his grandparents, so when his mom fell unconscious he immediately knew what to do—he called for an ambulance. Apparently the little dude was thinking so calmly and clearly that he was able to describe his apartment building for the paramedics. I haven't had the "911 talk" with my own four-year-old yet, but after reading about Tony Sharpe, we're going to have a sit-down later today.

Tony told the dispatcher:

"Mommy is sick. Mommy needs an ambulance. Mommy fell over. She is sleeping. Can you call the ambulance? When Daddy gets here, Daddy will see if there's something wrong with mommy."

Brave kid. I'd like to give him a hug and kiss right now! Oh, and the name of that book (cuz I know you want to know): It's Time to Call 911: What to do in an Emergency.

Fathers Rule, Part 825: Daddy Saves Twins from Fire

Rachael Brownell (Redsy) — Wed, 07 Mar 2007 16:08:00 GMT

Terrible parent stories almost always gives me a stomach ache. I'm a natural fretter and hearing grim parenting tales just makes me worry more. I like to believe that most of us do a pretty good job far from the madding crowd, and that stories like James Kim's are more representative of the steely insides of most parents than those told on Parent's Behaving Badly.

So the story of a Scottish man who saved his 6 week old baby twin girls from a blazing house fire, is heartening. Apparently, the man was awoken by his trusty pet dog who barked loud warnings and eventually woke up what one assumes is one very very tired Daddy. Ahhhh.

Parenting requires extraordinary strength and stamina. I think men and women bring very different, but equally crucial skills to the project of raising kids. And although we aren't generally asked to climb burning buildings in a single bound to save our offspring, I have no doubt many of us would do it, with or without the red cape.

Strollerderby : heroes

Kid Falls 40 Feet Into Hands of Superheroes

When a Mother Goes Bald

Motherless Baby Breastfed By Six Women Each Day

Four Creepiest Animals Turned Adorable Kids Characters

The Dark Knight -- parents strongly cautioned (to go see it)

Hulk want puny blogger to review Hulk movie

Batman: get your tickets now

Set Your Alarm for a Romp Through LEGO Batman: The Video Game

Maggie Gyllenhaal on Letterman- He Wishes

Spying on the Neighbors: 7-17-08

Sexy Superhero Parents: The Top 10

Little Matilda Had Heath's Heart

Batman: get your tickets now

Hulk want puny blogger to review Hulk movie

Set Your Alarm for a Romp Through LEGO Batman: The Video Game

Maggie Gyllenhaal on Letterman- He Wishes

Spying on the Neighbors: 7-17-08

Sexy Superhero Parents: The Top 10

Little Matilda Had Heath's Heart

Girl Saves Lives, Gets Punished

Update On Girl Who Took Bullet For Her Mom

Baby Trapped Under Car Rescued

7-Year-Old Girl Puts Herself Between Mom and Bullets

Kids Beat Bullies Using Pink and I Get Sniffly, In a Good Way

Heroic Kids: Eight-Year-Old Saves Toddler From Drowning

Shooting Tragedy: A Father Stolen

Preschooler Calls 911 and Saves His Mom

Fathers Rule, Part 825: Daddy Saves Twins from Fire