THE CHALLENGE OF THE SUPERHERO ACADEMY

Here's a fun little video project that I've been tinkering with....I'm sure that those of us who were kids in the 70's will remember the cartoon this is based on.

SPRING CLEANING!

I'm not sure how many people still read this blog, but I'm about to start doing some clean up here. 

Some of the older blogs will probably be deleted...Only those timeless entries with some redeeming value will be kept.

I will be transferring some of the Superhero Academy Blogs over here as well.

As for the Academy...The blog over there will be getting a clean up also.  I intend to get rid of a lot of the clutter and unfinished projects AND then I will start entering individual posts for each show from the archives including a link...which may even be a link to a site other than Blog Talk Radio.


The Superhero Bible Study will continue with one new entry each week until I have finished Part 2 and 3...After that I may be working on part 4 or a Supervillain Bible Study.


Its my goal to streamline my online presence a bit more than it has been.  Facebook is being trimmed back.  I have stepped away from most of the message boards and will probably close my own message board or rework it completely.  MySpace is on its deathbed and my sites there are going away as soon as I'm certain that all my pictures and any important blogs have been saved.


For now I'm keeping this blog...but only as long as its still being useful.


My internet presence is decreasing as my physical presence increases in Hot Springs...Gizmoe, Gilroy, and Crossfire will be doing more on the street than I (the person behind those personnas) am doing online...at least that's the goal.


I just wanted to give a heads up before some of the sillier (or whinier) posts disappear forever...I gotta get rid of the clutter and start impacting the world a little more.


CFtC

I just finished an awesome book written by my friend Jeff Smith. 

From the first page, I found myself drawn into a fascinating story about a man trying to survive in circumstances beyond his control. 

I really enjoyed the fact that it was set right here in Hot Springs and several local businesses and events were worked into the story. 

This is Jeff's first novel, and a great beginning to what should be a long line of great tales. I highly reccommend that you put this on your reading list.

Andrew RlshCrossfire Welch

http://www.amazon.com/Within-Gates-Jeff-Smith/dp/1466474831/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1326610661&sr=8-4

INTERCOP REVISES ITS TOP 20 MOST WANTED EVIL PUPPETS LIST

I received a most exciting email this morning from my associates at INTERCOP (The fictional international police agency that monitors stuff that most people ignore)

Subject:  INTERCOP Most Wanted Evil Puppet Enemy Number 11 has been captured. 

CAPTURED AT LAST...He may not have strings, but now he has handcuffs!

A long running undercover operation by an operative code named "Honest John" has resulted in the capture of the fugitive puppet PINOCCHIO who escaped from his puppeteer's strings decades ago.  Pinocchio is wanted for questioning in the disappearance of seveal young boys and is suspected in being the mastermind behind a ring of donkey smugglers.  Other charges are still being investigated at this time.

As a result of this exciting news INTERCOP is revising its Most Wanted Evil Puppet list once again.  Should you recognize ANY of the puppets listed below PLEASE contact INTERCOP immediately.

#1: Bunny Rabbit

#2: Mr. Moose

     #3: Lady Elaine Fairchild                          

 #4: Mr. Floppy

#5: Statler and Waldorf

 #6: Punch and Judy

  

#7: Alf (Aka Gordon Chumway)

#8: Professor Bunsen Honeydew and Beaker

#9: Charlie McCarthy

#10: Bert













#11: Madame








#12: Achmed the dead terrorist

#13: Triumph the comic insult dog

 #14: Oscar the Grouch

#15: Miss Piggy

#16: The Crypt Keeper

#17:  Al Gore

#18: Walter

19: Batty

#20:  Octavious Fong

--------------------------------------------------------------

As you can see this is very exciting news...especially for the ROAMING EYE OF DOOM...since their leader, Octavious Fong, has now been added to the INTERCOP TOP 20 WANTED EVIL PUPPETS LIST.

Congratulations Fong..you finally made it!

Now that's different.

This will take a moment to get to the point...allow me to take the long road to get where we are going and I promise it will be worth it

A few days ago while watching an episode of JUSTICE LEAGUE UNLIMITED I saw something that got the wheels turning inside the helmeted head of mine.  The episode was called FLASH AND SUBSTANCE.  It featured a day in the life of the Flash taking us from his job at the crime lab to the mega-event of the day - the opening of a museum honoring the Flash. 

Everywhere he went this day people cheered their fun loving, free spirited, class clown of a superhero...with a few exceptions.

First, he was joined for his special day by two of the Justice League's more serious members...and by serious I mean grumpy, brooding, and generally not very fun.  These two would be Batman and Orion.  Orion was especially unapproving of the methods used by the JLU's class clown throughout the episode.

Secondly, Flash was shadowed thoughout the day by four members of his rogues gallery who decided that it was time to destroy him once and for all.  Captain Cold, Captain Boomerang, Mirror Master, and Prankster make a pact over coffee to take out the Flash permanately.

Aside from that, it was a pretty basic JLU filler story with one exception.  I'm linking to the YouTube vids of the episodes below so you can watch...pay close attention to the second video at the 4 minute mark.  The three heroes (two real warriors and one clown) walk into a bar filled with supervillains to find out what the rogues are planning.  Batman tries to intimidate Prankster which doesnt work.  Then Orion prepares to do some more physical interrogation...but the Flash stops him...and it happens.

What happens?  I'm glad you asked.  THE MAGIC HAPPENS!

Watch for yourself...Then I'll resume my rambling.

OK...did you see that?

Im talking about how the Flash acted heroic while the two more serious heroes acted like thugs...and how the villain responded to his heroic - or should I say caring and friendly - method of doing things.

Flash took a moment to demonstrate that the real enemy is NOT the person facing you, but the underlying issue that has brought that person to the position they are in.

Have you noticed that Batman's enemies keep coming up with more and more evil plans while Flash's enemies often end up finding legal ways to use their abilities?  Why is that?  Because the Flash takes the time to try and reform his enemies while Batman simply takes them down. 

An open hand versus a closed fist...its an age old argument in methodology.

Of course some people in this RLSH community are going to say Im being idealistic.  They will say that only works in cartoons and that I need to stop trying to use comic books as a source of reality.  I dare say that some will call me a coward who is too afraid to fight for what I believe.

And I will remind them which of us has stopped a violent crime and which of us has most likely spilled Doritos on the keyboard while pretending to be a tough guy.

I say the philosophy of the open hand is more than just a comic book notion and a pipe dream...and my epiphany of this past week has been proven true by real world events today.

(You do know what the real world is right?  Its that thing outside your momma's basement door...That big place where your RC Cola's and Moon Pies come from.)

Check this out...I was shown this today...and inside me the voice of Wally West screamed YES!!!!

http://www.npr.org/2008/03/28/89164759/a-victim-treats-his-mugger-right

A Victim Treats His Mugger Right
March 28, 2008

Julio Diaz has a daily routine. Every night, the 31-year-old social worker ends his hour-long subway commute to the Bronx one stop early, just so he can eat at his favorite diner.

But one night last month, as Diaz stepped off the No. 6 train and onto a nearly empty platform, his evening took an unexpected turn.

He was walking toward the stairs when a teenage boy approached and pulled out a knife.

"He wants my money, so I just gave him my wallet and told him, 'Here you go,'" Diaz says.

As the teen began to walk away, Diaz told him, "Hey, wait a minute. You forgot something. If you're going to be robbing people for the rest of the night, you might as well take my coat to keep you warm."

The would-be robber looked at his would-be victim, "like what's going on here?" Diaz says. "He asked me, 'Why are you doing this?'"

Diaz replied: "If you're willing to risk your freedom for a few dollars, then I guess you must really need the money. I mean, all I wanted to do was get dinner and if you really want to join me ... hey, you're more than welcome.

"You know, I just felt maybe he really needs help," Diaz says.

Diaz says he and the teen went into the diner and sat in a booth.

"The manager comes by, the dishwashers come by, the waiters come by to say hi," Diaz says. "The kid was like, 'You know everybody here. Do you own this place?'"

"No, I just eat here a lot," Diaz says he told the teen. "He says, 'But you're even nice to the dishwasher.'"

Diaz replied, "Well, haven't you been taught you should be nice to everybody?"

"Yea, but I didn't think people actually behaved that way," the teen said.

Diaz asked him what he wanted out of life. "He just had almost a sad face," Diaz says.

The teen couldn't answer Diaz — or he didn't want to.

When the bill arrived, Diaz told the teen, "Look, I guess you're going to have to pay for this bill 'cause you have my money and I can't pay for this. So if you give me my wallet back, I'll gladly treat you."

The teen "didn't even think about it" and returned the wallet, Diaz says. "I gave him $20 ... I figure maybe it'll help him. I don't know."

Diaz says he asked for something in return — the teen's knife — "and he gave it to me."

Afterward, when Diaz told his mother what happened, she said, "You're the type of kid that if someone asked you for the time, you gave them your watch."

"I figure, you know, if you treat people right, you can only hope that they treat you right. It's as simple as it gets in this complicated world."

There it is again..THE MAGIC!

Mr. Diaz had every reason to fight back.  He had every reason to resist.  He had every reason to want this guy to be arrested, incarcerated, and punished to the maximum extent allowable.  But he didnt.

Chances are many of us in the RLSH community could have or WOULD have fought back...and Im sure more than a few would have taken things beyond just self defense in some delusional belief that they were teaching him a lesson

Mr. Diaz however did something that actually DID teach this young man a lesson...and that lesson was that someone actually cared.

And that lesson impacted his life...How cool is that?

My pastor used to tell us "People will not care how much you know until they know how much you care."  Basically, that means that people arent looking for answers...they are looking for someone who will listen to them...someone who cares about their pain...someone who isnt going to look down on them for being less than perfect.

I wonder how effective the RLSH community would be if we applied this to our work. 

Face it...people don't care how much martial arts training we have, how many weapons we carry, or how big our baton is...they want to know that someone respects them as a person and cares about them even when they are in the wrong.

Maybe we should find more ways to fix things without tazers, pepper spray, and fisticuffs...then we might see some lives truly changed.

Proverbs 15:1

A soft answer turns away wrath, But a harsh word stirs up anger. 

True Meaning of Christmas
Author: Jim Strong

Just a week before Christmas I had a visitor. This is how it happened. I just finished the household chores for the night and was preparing to go to bed, when I heard a noise in the front of the house. I opened the door to the front room and to my surprise, Santa himself stepped out next to the fireplace.

"What are you doing?" I started to ask. The words choked up in my throat and I saw he had tears in his eyes. His usual jolly manner was gone. Gone was the eager, boisterous soul we all know. He then answered me with a simple statement . . .


"TEACH THE CHILDREN!" I was puzzled. What did he mean? He anticipated my question and with one quick movement brought forth a miniature toy bag from behind the tree. As I stood bewildered, Santa said, "Teach the children!


Teach them the old meaning of Christmas. The meaning that now-a-days Christmas has forgotten. "Santa then reached in his bag and pulled out a FIR TREE and placed it before the mantle. "Teach the children that the pure green color of the stately fir tree remains green all year round, depicting the everlasting hope of mankind, all the needles point heavenward, making it a symbol of man's thoughts turning toward heaven."

He again reached into his bag and pulled out a brilliant STAR. "Teach the children that the star was the heavenly sign of promises long ago. God promised a Savior for the world, and the star was the sign of fulfillment of His promise."

He then reached into his bag and pulled out a CANDLE. "Teach the children that the candle symbolizes that Christ is the light of the world, and when we see this great light we are reminded of He who displaces the darkness."

Once again he reached into his bag and removed a WREATH and placed it on the tree. "Teach the children that the wreath symbolizes the real nature of love. Real love never ceases. Love is one continuous round of affection."

He then pulled from his bag an ORNAMENT of himself. "Teach the children that I, Santa Claus, symbolize the generosity and good will we feel during the month of December."

He then brought out a HOLLY LEAF. "Teach the children that the holly plant represents immortality. It represents the crown of thorns worn by our Savior. The red holly berries represent the blood shed by Him.

Next he pulled from his bag a GIFT and said, "Teach the children that God so loved the world that he gave his begotten son." Thanks be to God for his unspeakable gift.

Santa then reached in his bag and pulled out a CANDY CANE and hung it on the tree. "Teach the children that the candy cane represents the shepherds' crook. The crook on the staff helps to bring back strayed sheep to the flock. The candy cane is the symbol that we are our brother's keeper."

He reached in again and pulled out an ANGEL. "Teach the children that it was the angels that heralded in the glorious news of the Savior's birth. The angels sang Glory to God in the highest, on earth peace and good will toward men."

Suddenly I heard a soft twinkling sound, and from his bag he pulled out a BELL,. "Teach the children that as the lost sheep are found by the sound of the bell, it should ring mankind to the fold. The bell symbolizes guidance and return.


Santa looked back and was pleased. He looked back at me and I saw that the twinkle was back in his eyes. He said, "Remember, teach the children the true meaning of Christmas and do not put me in the center, for I am but a humble servant of the One that is, and I bow down to worship him, our LORD, our GOD."

The real superheroes...kids fighting for their life everyday against the evil villain known as CDH

During yesterday's SUPERHERO ACADEMY (blog talk radio show) we discussed the possibility of organizing a mass gathering of HEART HEROES (the kids themselves) at the Superman Celebration in Metropolis as a way to bring attention the the cause of CDH (Congenital Disease of the Heart) which is the number one killer of children BTW.

If you don't know about Heart Heroes, they are my favored charity, so let me tell you about them.

Heart Heroes is a charity that gives custom made superhero capes to children suffering from CDH. These capes help the children to harness the power of their inner superhero to face the massive challenges they have just to live. These children face incredible obstacles including multiple open heart surgeries and the capes give them the courage to face these challenges without fear. 

Its so simple...and so powerful.

The capes cost $25 each. The children are given a gift card and then they design and order their own cape online (from Powercapes).

You can learn more about them at the link below...and be sure to read some of the testimonials while you are there...but bring a box of kleenex because you will cry.

http://www.heartherocapes.com/index.html

I would like to gather together a group of people willing to assist with the planning of this event and coordinate it with Kitty Burton of Heart Heroes and the people from Powercapes (who actually make the capes for them) and make this happen.

I would love to see hundreds of little Heart Heroes standing at the base of the Superman statue surrounded by adult cosplayers and RLSH's on that Sunday afternoon for an awesome group picture. That is my goal for 2012.

Theres plenty of room for everyone here...Lets fill this place up with HEART HEROES!

Anyone who is willing to help with this project, PLEASE let me know so we can get things started. My email is crossfire_the_crusader@live.com
Thank you

Crossfire the Crusader.
PS:  I want to encourage EVERYONE that can to donate to Heart Heroes THIS WEEK...An anonymous donor has agreed to donate one cape for every two cape donations given between now and Thanksgiving...They have a waiting list of 60 kids right now...at this time last year the waiting list was over 200...We can easily clear that waiting list if we try...You folks have done an amazing job with the cape drive this year and a lot of children are gaining strength from the capes you have donated...We are almost there folks...keep up the great work!