Heroes Of The Week! (Yankee Clipper Edition)

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The classic DiMaggio swing. He was perhaps the greatest right ...

It’s the middle of July and it feels as if we’re living inside a snow globe whose lyrics were birthed by the Smashing Pumpkins, Erasure and Prince. Only, it doesn’t feel nearly as depressingly romantic as all that. The great Joe DiMaggio’s consecutive games hitting streak reached its fifty sixth (and final) chapter on this day back in 1941. And he really does feel that far away.

But hey! At least we have the national election to look forward to in November. . . okay, forget I said that.

Here’s my lineup ‘o the week . . .

Grant Imahara | Keppler Speakers

A posthumous mention is necessary after the passing of Grant Imahara. An electrical engineer, model maker (Whose work was featured in the movies Star Wars, Jurassic Park and Terminator) animatronics specialist and all around great person who is gone from us much too soon. Imahara died from a brain aneurism at the age of 49, but he leaves an indelible footprint that will resonate for generations. My kids loved him on MythBusters, and so did many of their friends. Because first and foremost, he was a teacher. His passing is a theft of the cosmos.

Critics At Large : Neglected Gem: Moon Over Parador (1988)

The current occupant of 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue doesn’t usually make the scene here only because if he were to make it for every stupid shit thing he does, he’d be showing up every week. But I would be remiss if I didn’t mention his latest clueless rant. This one claiming that the coronavirus is, in fact, a hoax. He’s crying foul on the democrats, the media and everybody else who is out to get him by insisting all those things he said about the virus in the early going? Well . . he didn’t actually say them . . even though he did say them. Meanwhile, the nation has over a hundred thousand confirmed cases of COVID-19 . . . and nobody is steering this ship.

Ted “Green Eggs” Cruz is another dunce who could be a weekly feature on here. Instead, I’ll just mention how he went mask-less on an American Airlines flight recently. Remember when we used to fear Al Qaeda?

Phillip Blanks of Phoenix, Arizona can spin you a tale or two about his glory days, back when he was playing college football in Mission Viejo, California. But it’s fair to say the former Marine never made a catch like the one he made recently. The twenty eight year old was right where he needed to be when a third floor apartment became engulfed in fire. As he rushed over to help, he saw the mother of a toddler summoning others over so she could drop her three year old boy from the balcony to save him.

“He was twirling in the air like a propeller,” Blanks said. “I just did my best. His head landed perfectly on my elbow. His ankle got twisted up as I was diving. The guy who was there with me — it looked like he wasn’t going to catch him. So that’s why I stepped in . . ”

Blanks deflected any praise by saying the boy’s mother was the real hero for having died while saving her children. Humility may be hard to come by these days, but this young man provided.

Naya Rivera, the former Glee star, is yet another talent taken from the world too soon. But now comes word that she saved her four year old son Josey before drowning. Those closest to her were not surprised, because being a mother mattered more than anything in the world. Only the good die young.

I’ll keep this brief by providing the video tussle between Florida Representative Anthony Sabatini and CNN’s Brianna Keilar. Because it speaks to how people like Sabatini have politicized life and death to such a degree that we now are faced with a Mandela Effect debate that completely ignores the horrendous toll COVID-19 has perpetrated on our country.

Roux, an adopted a Belgian Malinois, alerted her owners to the neighbor's house being on fire in Franklin.

I wrap things up with the story of a He-Roux from Franklin, County Tennessee.

Okay, I’m playing on the name of this beautiful three year old Belgian Malinois whose name is Roux. But on the night of July 4th, this little lady was all business. It was some time after ten p.m. when Roux began barking furiously and scratching at her front door. When her owner, Jeff LeCates, opened the door to investigate, he quickly discovered what she was talking about.

Their next door neighbor’s home had become engulfed in flames, so this dynamic duo got to stepping. They woke the family of three, and their pets, and were able to get everyone out of the house safely, after which Jeff took a garden hose to the fire until firefighters made the scene. In an interesting twist of fate, the woman who lived in the home is a dog groomer who helped arrange for Jeff to adopt Roux. So in effect, it was a decision that would end up saving her life.

As for Roux, she doesn’t much care for the kudos when kibble will do just fine. Hugs, those work too. She doesn’t consider herself a hero and she doesn’t expect anything in return. She simply did what needed to be done inside the most desperate of moments, and she would do it all over again. Every single time.

Heroism is a restless verb.

 

 

 

 

 

66 thoughts on “Heroes Of The Week! (Yankee Clipper Edition)”

  1. Don’t know if you know who Sarah Kendzior is, but she has published a couple of essay collections. The second one is about the Rise of Trump. In one of the essays, she goes back to Karl Rove during the GWB administration and quotes him about how facts just don’t matter and that he was perfectly comfortable with not being “factual.” The Trump Administration has taken that concept and ratcheted it up about 1,000%. It is just stunning seeing how they just refuse to tell the truth, use actual real facts, and how comfortable they are lying every single time they open their mouths. Seriously, watching his Press Secretary with the fake eyelashes and the 18 pounds of make-up and the crucifix hanging from her neck just lie through her teeth over and over again. And then the things that Trump says. We are truly living in the upside down, in an alternative universe, in the Trump dimension. Just hope we get out of it before the world ends.

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  2. The world is a crazy, terrifying, breathtaking, wonderful place to be. There is more good than bad and there is more wonder than disappointment. And people make the best jokes. Not always intentionally.

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  3. B,

    You had me all confused. I know Friday Fictioneers on a Wednesday is the start of confusion but Heroes on a Thursday is a rarity, too… Middle of July. How in the blessed fuck did that happen? Just yesterday I was disembarking from my cruise ship into what would become the most bizarre world. Ever.

    Imahara is one gone way too soon, for sure.

    I can’t even. You are right. The Republican Party (way better than just naming the head – that way they are ALL responsible – would be part of your Zeroes weekly.

    And Cruz is a number one asshole for refusing to wear a mask on a plane..

    Phillip Blanks is the epitome of hero! I think he was right to run in and catch the boy. He’s right, the other guy didn’t look like he’d have succeeded. How awful the mother died, saving her children.

    Yes, I had read about Nay Rivera drowning to save her son. So terribly sad.

    OH. MY. GAWD! I had to watch the whole video of the Sabatini/Keilar, um… discussion… even my son kept letting out Pfffts and WTFs and for reals? from the kitchen. Un-fucking-believable. and yet…

    Roux is a heroine! Don’t you love how fate/karma/chance/luck work? Wonderful story.

    Most interesting choice of music this week! Love the way your mind works.

    Q

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    • Q

      I know right? But considering I will be pet sitting manana eve, I figured on getting the jump on this post, seeing as how I might be scarce tomorrow.

      My kids LOVED him. And when you look at his contributions, my God . . he had decades ahead of him. So sad.

      No other way to say it, they’re a cult. How can we possibly explain the rationale otherwise? You follow a guy who has lied at every turn. He talks tough but delivers bupkis. He degrades everybody who doesn’t agree with him. And he has zero ability when it comes to stepping up in a crisis. I always refer back to W after September 11. I wasn’t a fan of the guy, but damn if he didn’t do what he had to be done in the days and weeks after the attacks. Sure that changed as time went on, but when the country needed someone to be there, he was there.

      Forget hijackers, put this asshole on the watch list.

      It is such a sad story, but for the efforts of Blanks and another fellow who actually helped to save the kids as well. The kid didn’t hesitate in jumping in there to make a tremendous catch. Sign him up!

      Admittedly, I was not familiar with her work. But she had quite a career going for herself. And yet it was her role as a mother she was most proud of. Girl didn’t get nearly enough time on this earth.

      I can’t even. How clueless is he?! And yet, we see it all the time here. Peeps who are obstinate about this mask situation. Listen, when I work I admit to pushing it down if there is no one around me. But damn, have respect for others. Or stay the fuck inside.

      What a beauty too! And that story about how the groomer had introduced the two . . it’s a goose bump story.

      For Joe D . . where HAS he gone?

      B

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      • All good. I have zero problem with things shifting around. Keeps us on our toes, yanno? And keeps you from being regimented.

        Don’t get me started on those who leave too soon. You can’t help but wonder what might have been.

        They ARE a friggen cult. Yes. W did show his presidential side when it was needed. The putz you have now has not even an ounce of what W has. Now THAT is saying something,

        No kidding. Such disregard for his fellow human being.

        Barefoot, running across those rocks. He didn’t even think of hesitating. Beautiful what he did but so sad they couldn’t save the mother.

        No, she didn’t. I used to watch Glee way back in the day.

        He is totally clueless. I bring my mask with me everywhere. I put it on before I walk in the door. No, I don’t leave it on as I push my groceries to my car but I’m not next to some other person either. It’s all about respect for the others. If the tellers and employees are all wearing them? Even more reason for me to do so. What’s 15-20 minutes in my day?

        She is gorgeous. And yeah… definitely goosebump story!

        Yes… Love it. Joe D. Makes perfect sense.

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        • Yes, the regimented thing doesn’t jibe with me very well. I get a rash.

          It’s always a theft of the cosmos.

          Can you imagine that we are saying, remember when things were better? When it comes to W? And we mean it!

          What a putz.

          What a hero, in the truest sense of the word.

          So sad. Hopefully one day her son will understand what a special woman she was and will live his best life for her.

          I never want to rile someone up or make someone anxious or uncomfortable. And I realize the founding fathers ain’t protesting me having to wear a mask.

          Definitely.

          Gracias!

          Like

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  4. Gotta love the catch in the fire. Meanwhile, the one thing that astounds me more than the Republican talking heads is the people who vote for them. On the positive side, they and they inspirational leader set a great foundation for late-night comedy.

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  6. Great job, Pilgrim. It was sad to know that mother gave her life for her children. Thant catch was unbelievable. That other guy just wasn’t going to cut it. POTUS, Cruiz, and the whole she-bang in Washinton ought to be ashamed. Sad part is the country was built upon honesty and hard work. These putz’s have taken those virtues and turned them around miserably. I honestly don’t know where we are all going to end up. I think Biden is as bad as Trump and I just don’t see any way out of this mess. The socialists are going to carry the day and I don’t believe the average American has a clue as to what that will mean down the road. Well, I sure am tired of the lack of leadership and I blame everyone. Always nice to see some good stories. Sorry about Grant Imahara and Naya Rivera. Both good people.

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  9. As you may have expected, the He-Roux story really resonated with me. That breed is truly ‘wagnificent’ when in the hero duty category.

    With each passing day I continue to shake my head simultaneously in sadness and disgust with the proliferation of way too many ‘freedumb’ loving COVIDIOTS. What the bloody hell is wrong with people?? When did science become a boogeyman?

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  10. “the nation has over a hundred thousand confirmed cases of COVID-19”, true, but 3.5 million is more accurate. … almost 139,000 deaths.
    Canada is terrified of opening the border to the USA. Can you blame us?

    On to the more positive; there are some great heroes here today. The guy that caught the baby is awesome, Roux & Jeff, and others who have simply made positive waves into society.
    Heroes Of The Week is a fab regular article!

    Be well!

    Liked by 1 person

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  11. I just LOVE the picture of Joey D. Look at him. He was so elegant when he played. Light on his feet, gliding round the bases. Just wish he was a kinder guy. He wasn’t. It was all about him. God gave him everything but a generous heart, but you sure couldn’t touch him in the outfield.

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