Community Comment

What is a hero or heroine?

Posted by Dave

Dec. 18, 2009 6:11 a.m. • 11 comments

Good morning, Netizens…

(Photo credit: Comcast)

I seldom complain about advertisements, simply because I have an oddball television tuner card that I have hot wired into one of my few remaining Microsoft Windows boxes, which allows me to muzzle and in some cases, completely eliminate television advertising from my consciousness. However, in one of the few instances where I have paid attention to the nauseously self-serving advertisements, most particularly Comcast, I cannot help but notice they are advertising hockey player Karen Thatcher and various other Olympic competitors as “local heroes”.

Wait a minute here. Isn’t Thatcher a well-paid spokesperson? I did tentatively attempt to see if she were paid for her participation in this advertisement, but no such luck. That does bring me to my question, whatever did she do to earn the status of a heroine? Play hockey? What values make a person a hero or heroine?

Our men and women in far-off wars in our names. Firemen who go into burning buildings to rescue potential victims. Police who take their lives in their hands simply by having coffee in public places and then die trying to save us all. These are my heroes and heroines.

Who are some of your local heroes?

Dave

11 comments on this post so far. Add yours!

Roger_Young on December 18 at 9:41 a.m.
I thought this thread was visited about 6 months ago, but there is never enough time for local heroes.

Bruce Alan Grandstaff http://www.virtualwall.org/dg/GrandstaffBA01a.htm is a hero Michael Anderson isn’t.

The guy who delivers my mail day after day even in the 6 foot snow drifts is a hero. The guy pulling $40/hr + overtime driving the snow plow that blocked me in more than I can count last year isn’t.

The Teacher who educates our kids and spends THEIR summer vacation taking MORE classes, who looks out for them who makes $40K a year on the scrawny PERS III retirement scraps is a hero, the School District Administrator who makes $100K + a year isn’t.

The Nurse who heals, feeds, wipes the backsides of our sick in the hospital 24/7 for $43K/yr is a hero. The plastic surgeon making $250K/year pumping crap into womens’ lips, eye brows and cheeks isn’t.

The Fireman whose hauling 50lbs of gear up a cold wet slippery ladder on your neighbors burning house @01:30am is a hero. The six guys from the ladder truck taking up 4 parking spaces, wandering around the Browne’s Addition Rosauers looking for the $7.99/lb Ribeye steaks on OUR time isn’t.

The Council person whose making $32K/yr always vetoing the crazed spending habits of our loony tunes city bureacrats, who always answers their emails is a hero. The person serving the Council members with a high school education making $110K/yr and half their work is on personal stuff, isn’t.

Citizens like George McGrath who week after week rails our City councils for spending OUR money like drunken sailors on dubious items that are never researched. Is a hero. Our Council president who belittles people, plays the OK you get 3 minutes to comment, you get 30 minutes to comment game, worries more about people wearing a hat, rather than what they are speaking about. Whose anger management class grades (if he is ever there) are flunking. IS NOT A HERO.

The Reserve Lance Corporal whose been deployed three times to IRAQ for an illegal war, w/o being able to go home each night to a nice warm bed and momma, is gone so much he cant find a job because his employer hired someone else and is facing another 13 month deployment to Afghanistan, whose making $24K/yr, and who worries bout being shot at/blown up every single day with faulty bullet proof vests is a hero. And then comes home to battle the incompetent VA whos trying to kill him. They are a hero. The Police Sgt/Lt/Capt who gets a free car/cell phone, rarely leaves his chair, has 30 days paid vacation, time to blog, gets drunk, shoots people in the back of the head, beats people to death, lies on their report forms, rounds up kids in the park for their 1st amendment rights and then hides the video tapes till the day before the trial, drives drunk and gets a hit n run and then no jail time, perving classified police files making $85K/yr isnt.

The Paralegal whose chasing all around getting statements, typing up the briefs IAW Court rules, dealing with stressed clients, getting the forms, driving to the courthouse at 4:50 pm to file them with an ornery overpaid court clerk. W/O insurance/retirement/parking spot making $17/hr is a hero. The slimebag attorney getting the above cops off, who shows up at 9 and leaves at 3, charges you $175/hr isnt a hero.

Reporters like Dorn-Steele, Morlin who dug and dug through the buearucratic fog, brought us the Page A1/B1 truth day after day and were then put out to pasture in their prime. Are heroes. The editors who squelch and mislabel stories, use their power for personal agendas and/or toss in the towel when the going gets tough. Are not.
Roger_Young on December 18 at 9:42 a.m.
Part II.

Guys like Ron the Cop who could go fly fishing/playing golf during his retirement, but keeps poking his lance day after day at the windmill of corruption and just gets sniffed at by out City Council/Attorneys/Prosedutors. he is a hero. Our County prosecutor who wears a blindfold and does nothing to Police the Police, spends more time on the golf course bar than the greenskeeper mowing the grass and makes $110K+ a year for doing nothing. ISN’T.

People like David brookbank who has a high moral of social justice and speaks out for truth and justice even in concern for his safety. Who has created a website documenting the SPD abuses. He is a hero. Others and you know who they are, that never contribute thought provoking posts and are always commenting about others private lives, picking about spelling. are not.

Brean Beggs and the CFJ who dig out the dirt, file the lawsuits, represent the people that cant pay a parking meter, and seek Truth and Justice for the those that dont even know they are being screwed/blued/tattoed. Are Heroes. CIty Attorneys like Rocki whom are predatory, file anti-suits against people seeking justice in our mazed court system. is not.

Hero’s are all around. You dont see them because they are not on the Comcast ads. They dont make $60K a year. There are no statues of them in the park nor pictures on the City Hall walls. The heroes dont hoity toity around nor rub shoulders with any floating down the river sub-dignataries. They are there day after day making sure your kids are taught, your mail is delivered, your wounds are bandaged AND your government is being watched.

and then there is the effervesnt Dave. Who dances the light fantastic in the Virtual ballroom in his speedos, and ballerina slippers. (nice flourescent tuutuu BTW. Whose retirement has been put posthaste due to our financial Wizzards. Who makes it possible for us to post here.. Tusseled and pummeled by all sides of the Blogosphere. The great mediator of all squalms big and small. The Underdog of the Server world. BTW your email is broken.

Disclaimer: No politician can be claimed to be a heroe. From El Presidente down to City Councilmen (Bob Apple well really isnt a politician, politicians never hit that red button on the coucil dias. Apple just keeps hoping he can re-open the Comet tavern so he can keep Costco toilet paper in stock.). Well unless they were a hero in a previous life like a now gone PT Boat Driver.
Dave Laird on December 18 at 10:35 a.m.
Roger Young writes:

The Underdog of the Server world. BTW your email is broken.

It most assuredly is NOT broken. It blocks SPAM with absolute ease thanks to MailScanner and rejects mail from people I do NOT want to hear from when I tell it to do so. However, I’ll refer your comment (with today’s rejection list) to Ryan Pitts. Utterly fascinating.

Dave
Diana on December 18 at 11:32 a.m.
From the rich dictionary of futile self-righteousness, somebody wrote: “Others and you know who they are, that never contribute thought provoking posts and are always commenting about others private lives, picking about spelling. are not.”

Is one to assume that the writer of that panties-in-a-twist drivel includes him/her/itself in that group?
Roger_Young on December 18 at 12:54 p.m.
Is one to assume that the writer of that panties-in-a-twist drivel includes him/her/itself in that group?

You tell us. If the shoe fits..wear it. Its the bit dog that barks the loudest.
BitofBacon on December 18 at 1:36 p.m.
Roger, perhaps if you had some thoughts to provoke it would be easier.
Roger_Young on December 18 at 6:31 p.m.
Seems to have provoked you. and I mean that in a good way. If you think I have not posted anything provoking and then you still post something nasty, obviously I was able to provoke you by pulling your strings and pushing your buttons.

Too bad though that you couldn’t stay on topic and got distracted by my so called provoking/non-provokingness, which of course is “Who are some of your local heroes?” Karl Thompson, Jay Olsen, and the other ilk dont count.
Diana on December 18 at 6:59 p.m.
Dude, don’t drive tonight.
BitofBacon on December 18 at 7:56 p.m.
Roger, I’m not provoked in the least. And I agree with Diana, I would stay away from the wheel tonight.
spokelooneh on December 18 at 8:49 p.m.
I have a rather high bar for referring to someone as a hero. It is a person who puts their personal safety if not life in jeopardy in order to assist another human.

The ordinary soldier is not one, nor is the ordinary LEO or Fire Department employee, or nurse, or doctor. And certainly not the ordinary amateur or professional sports player, no matter how good they are.

And most of the true heroes out there don’t think they are, and seldom if ever mention their heroic efforts.
arliacne on December 21 at 12:48 p.m.
Those who do right by others.