Real Life Superheroes?

[HowardFilms]

Apparently they exist, and in decent number. Some have even been on TV and in the papers. One cropped up right in my area, so that's how I leanred about them. They aren't all really connected, but they seem to all converse together, like a community. Here's the guy near me, calls himself "Phoenix":

www.myspace.com/rlsphoenix

What do you think? Cool, lame?

[Teller]

LAME

So lame.

[FOG]

I'm with Teller...I think it's lame

[HowardFilms]

I will reserve judgement to see if he actually goes after the gangs here, or if he's all talk.

[thehenry89]

LAME if thats all you have to do in your spare time you need a life in the WORST way.

[HowardFilms]

Well, to be devil's advocate, what is a better way to spend your time than to help mankind?

[Teller]

Join the army?
Join the police force?

[HowardFilms]

Good point.

Maybe he has something else he likes todo. Or perhaps he makes more money doing something else, and has a family to support. Maybe he thinks this is a more efficient way. You know, with the "duties" involved in Army and Police. Police can olnly do so much, they have orders. Why join the Army, when chances are you wouldn't actually get to do any work in a long, long time.

That's all I'll say on the matter. Feel free to discuss. All I can say is that crime has been glorified long enough with 'gangstas' and all that. Maybe it's time we have some heroes.

[STFanatic]

It is better to look up to someone like in the video, than to look up to people on "The Sopranos" or some other gang related celebrity.

[kidkarmina]

this may sound lame - since we're on that subject anyway =)!

i think my parents are my real life superheroes.

don't get me wrong. they make mistakes but i think they are awesome for having seven kids.

imagine, seven kids. and we're still standing =)!

anyway, i just want to share that. i'm really proud of my mama and papa (of course, my whole family).

joanna

[maryjanewatson]

if they have no real super powers, then lame.

thats what makes a super hero cool, is super-powers. it's what steers away focus from the tights.

yes, in saying that i do also refer to batman, who is lame. he's just a rich guy with gadgets, who is in tights.

[MidgardDragon]

Originally posted by maryjanewatson
if they have no real super powers, then lame.

thats what makes a super hero cool, is super-powers. it's what steers away focus from the tights.

yes, in saying that i do also refer to batman, who is lame. he's just a rich guy with gadgets, who is in tights.

Yipes, shallow much? I think superheroes are incredibly cool because they save people and strive to do the right thing. Even if they are able to do it without superpowers (Batman). Heck, regular humans who save lives without superpowers are even more amazing than those who do it with the superpowers.

Then only problem I have with regular people who run around trying to save the world is that there are laws against vigilanteism, and we have not yet explored a way to properly implement citizens taking the law into their own hands a la superheroes.

[j03superbat]

On that note, about vigilantism - why do we have laws against vigilantes AND have Good Samaritan laws that punish those who do nothing?

We... we DO have Good Samaritan laws in some states, right? Or is that totally just from Seinfeld and should I be feeling like an idiot right now?

[MidgardDragon]

All the information I can find on Good Samaritan Laws says they are actually protection against people sueing emergency workers who try to help them. The type of Good Samaritan Laws that were in Seinfield I can't elaborate on, but I would imagine it was made up for the show.

[maryjanewatson]

Originally posted by MidgardDragon
Yipes, shallow much? I think superheroes are incredibly cool because they save people and strive to do the right thing. Even if they are able to do it without superpowers (Batman). Heck, regular humans who save lives without superpowers are even more amazing than those who do it with the superpowers.

Then only problem I have with regular people who run around trying to save the world is that there are laws against vigilanteism, and we have not yet explored a way to properly implement citizens taking the law into their own hands a la superheroes.

excuse me? I will ask you to refrain from calling me shallow. You don't even know me.

yes, people who save people and do the right thing are great heroes in this world, but they don't need to be running around in tights and costumes to do that. They can wear regular clothes like everyone else. it keeps them from looking like raging idiots.

[MidgardDragon]

if they have no real super powers, then lame.

This is the part I referred to as shallow and I stand by that. If someone trying to stand up for what's right and happens to wear tights but doesn't have superpowers is lame, I think I'd consider that shallow. If someone just runs around in tights and does nothing for society, I'd agree 100% that there shallow.

[maryjanewatson]

like you have never called something or someone lame. I think you should get off your high-horse. You have no right to call me shallow

[MidgardDragon]

Originally posted by maryjanewatson
like you have never called something or someone lame. I think you should get off your high-horse. You have no right to call me shallow

maryjane, I'm calling your idea shallow. Not you yourself. I don't know you and can't say if you are shallow all the time, and wouldn't make that judgement call. I still very much believe the idea that calling someone who is trying to do good in the world "lame" is shallow. Not you, your idea.

[boywithbluehanger]

I'd consider someone a superhero if they have any unorthodox qualities, special abilities or unique skills that they either use to protect people or save them.

For example: Batman has very special skills which include acrobatics, aim and ninja-like stealth footing.

[maryjanewatson]

Originally posted by MidgardDragon
maryjane, I'm calling your idea shallow. Not you yourself. I don't know you and can't say if you are shallow all the time, and wouldn't make that judgement call. I still very much believe the idea that calling someone who is trying to do good in the world "lame" is shallow. Not you, your idea.
Just about everyone else in this thread called it lame also, why is it my "idea" is shallow?

[Super Maverick]

Originally posted by maryjanewatson
if they have no real super powers, then lame.


batman has no super powers. he's far from lame, imho.

here's more info on "real life" super heroes:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Real-life_superhero

[HowardFilms]

I think anyone who has dedicated their lives to the protection of others, whether their methods be conformist or no, is anything but lame.

Plus, these guys (so far as I have seen) aren't running around in tights. Most of the costumes have function, being bulletproofed, or hold utility items (tasers, cuffs, etc.)

Anyway, vigilantism doesn't necessarily apply with them, although it can. You are allowed to intervene in a crime if you see it happening. Technically they just walk around until they see something. Nothing wrong with that.

EDIT: Oh, and my parents had 6 together, only half of what my maternal grandma and grandpa had :D

[FLyxNERD]

Rare Condition gives toddler super-strength

ROOSEVELT PARK, Mich. -- Liam Hoekstra was hanging upside down by his feet when he performed an inverted sit-up, his shirt falling away to expose rippled abdominal muscles.
It was a display of raw power one might expect to see from an Olympic gymnast.
Liam is 19 months old.
But this precocious, 22-pound boy with coffee-colored skin, curly hair and washboard abs is far from a typical toddler.

"He could do the iron cross when he was 5 months old," said his adoptive mother, Dana Hoekstra of Roosevelt Park. She was referring to a difficult gymnastics move in which a male athlete suspends himself by his arms between two hanging rings, forming the shape of a cross.
"I would hold him up by his hands and he would lift himself into an iron cross. That's when we were like, 'Whoa, this is weird,'" Hoekstra said.
Liam has a rare genetic condition called myostatin-related muscle hypertrophy, or muscle enlargement. The condition promotes above-normal growth of the skeletal muscles; it doesn't affect the heart and has no known negative side effects, according to experts.

Liam has the kind of physical attributes that bodybuilders and other athletes dream about: 40 percent more muscle mass than normal, jaw-dropping strength, breathtaking quickness, a speedy metabolism and almost no body fat.
In fitness buffs' terms, the kid is ripped.
"We call him The Hulk, Hercules, the Terminator," his mother said.
Liam can run like the wind, has the agility of a cat, lifts pieces of furniture that most children his age couldn't push across a slick floor and eats like there is no tomorrow -- without gaining weight.
"He's hungry for a full meal about every hour because of his rapid metabolism," Dana Hoekstra said. "He's already eating me out of house and home."

Liam's condition is more than a medical rarity: It could help scientists unlock the secrets of muscle growth and muscle deterioration. Research on adults who share Liam's condition could lead to new treatments for debilitating ailments such as muscular dystrophy and osteoporosis.
If researchers can control how the body produces and uses myostatin, the protein could become a powerful weapon in the pharmaceutical arsenal. It also could become a hot commodity among athletes looking to gain an edge, perhaps illegally, on the competition, experts said.
For Liam, the condition has one potential drawback: Infants and toddlers need some body fat to feed brain growth and the development of the central nervous system.

Without adequate body fat, a child's growth can be stunted and the central nervous system can be impaired, said Dr. Erlund Larson, an internist at Hackley Hospital who is familiar with Liam's condition.
That Liam appears to be thriving, physically and mentally, is almost as amazing as his feats of strength. The product of a troubled mother who gave him up for adoption at birth, Liam was born with a suite of medical problems.
The fact that Liam was adopted by a physician assistant's family hundreds of miles from his birthplace -- a stable family with the knowledge and means to give him all the food, nurturing, horseplay and love he needs to thrive -- might be the most miraculous part of his story.
"God works in mysterious ways," said Neil Hoekstra, Liam's adoptive father.

Myostatin-related muscle hypertrophy was first documented in beef cattle and mice in the late 1990s, according to scientific literature.
In 1997, researchers at Johns Hopkins University Hospital in Baltimore determined that Belgian Blue cattle, an unusually muscular breed, had mutations in the gene that produces myostatin. Those scientists also produced muscular mice by deactivating the rodent version of the myostatin gene, according to scientific journals.
The first human case was documented in 2000, in a German boy, but wasn't reported in medical literature until 2004. The condition is so rare in humans that scientists don't know how many people have it, said Dr. Kathryn R. Wagner, a genetics expert at Johns Hopkins.
A genetic mutation prevents some people from producing myostatin. Those individuals can have twice the normal amount of muscle mass, according to medical literature.

In Liam's case, the myostatin his body produces is rejected by muscle cells. He and others with his condition can have up to 50 per cent more muscle mass than the average person, experts said.
The result of both types of myostatin-related muscle hypertrophy generally are the same: above average growth of skeletal muscles, incredible strength, a warp-speed metabolism and minimal body fat.
"Liam's never had any body fat," his mother said. "The only fat he has is in his cheeks."
The so-called myostatin blockade has generated tremendous interest in the bodybuilding community. Some nutritional supplements claim to block myostatin, but researchers have said the claims are not scientifically valid.
"If the myostatin protein is knocked out, muscles grow and rejuvenate much more quickly," Dr. Larson said. "It has potential for great abuse in the future as the new steroid."
For Liam's parents, the most pressing challenge is feeding the boy enough protein every day to fuel his body's high-performance motor. The wiry but muscular toddler eats six full meals per day and still struggles to gain weight.

Dr. Larson, the first physician to suspect Liam had myostatin-related muscle hypertrophy, said he was amazed by the toddler's strength.
"He was able to grab both of my hands and nearly do an iron cross," Dr. Larson said. "This is not something that happens for most men, ever, and here is this kid with this kind of power."
Larson said Liam's strength gives him a huge edge over other children, physically and in terms of self-confidence.
"When you've got that kind of power and that kind of strength, the world is open to you," Larson said. "He's agile because he's so strong -- when you've got that incredible power as a kid you're going to try a lot more things."
Liam's father, a die-hard University of Michigan fan, already is dreaming big things for his adopted son.

"I want him to be a football player. He could be the next Michael Hart," Neil Hoekstra said, referring to U-M's star running back.
Liam was born four weeks early and had a small hole in his heart. He also had eczema, enlarged kidneys, was lactose intolerant and had severe stomach reflux that made him vomit several times each day, his mother said.

http://images.ctv.ca/archives/CTVNews/img2/20070530/160_ap_hoekstra_070530.jpghttp://www.who-sucks.com/wp-content/uploads/icons//2007/07/liam31.jpg

THIS DOG HAS THE SAME CONDITION
http://www.collegeotr.com/images/blogs/da64d89fb7c4c121d505870792720ea0.jpg
http://img.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2007/07_01/whippetDM1207_468x255.jpg
http://img.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2007/07_01/whippetDM1207_468x288.jpg

[j03superbat]

That is one huge dog!

And the kid's pretty strong too.

[thmallville]

Awww he's so pretty :lol:

[dreamsofnever]

Has anyone else seen this article: http://www.rollingstone.com/news/story/25020634/the_legend_of_master_legend ?

I'm just curious what you think of this.

I can honestly say I've always thought it would be cool to dress up as a superhero and go out and do good, but I know I'd never have the nerves to put myself in dangerous situations like that.

On the other hand, there's another group of people who dress up as original Superheroes and visit children's hospitals and do various charity events and basically strive to set a good example while in costume as their alter egos.

Anyways, I just thought the above article was interesting. The main hero that the article is about seems to have a good heart, and either mental issues or a really unique way of looking at/dealing with the world.

So... what do you all think of this?

Adding: Here's what wikipedia has to say on that matter: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Real-life_superhero

[obsessedwithsv]

Wow, I don't know quite what to say.

I suppose apart from stating the obvious that they must be slightly crazy, you've gotta hand it to them for getting off their asses and trying to make the world a better place. They don't look like much so I hope they don't end up biting off more than they can chew.

I admire them, really. They could really get into trouble because they're clearly not real superheroes but they're making a difference, no matter how big. And 'Angle-Grinder Man' brought a smile to my face; destroying wheel clamps (they are evil, lol).

[27CDruid]

Heard Angle-Grinder man got caught a while back, maybe i was wrong. That guy is the coolest.

[dreamsofnever]

Wow, I don't know quite what to say.

I suppose apart from stating the obvious that they must be slightly crazy, you've gotta hand it to them for getting off their asses and trying to make the world a better place. They don't look like much so I hope they don't end up biting off more than they can chew.

I admire them, really. They could really get into trouble because they're clearly not real superheroes but they're making a difference, no matter how big. And 'Angle-Grinder Man' brought a smile to my face; destroying wheel clamps (they are evil, lol).

That's about how I see it too! I think that you have to have a different take on reality to dress up in a cartoonesque costume and go out and fight crime, but if they're a little crazy, like you said, at least they're trying to do something good for the world!

I felt bad for the guy that Rolling Stone interviewed. The whole part about him giving Christmas presents and doing charity and not receiving any presents in return made me sad. It made me want to send him a present next year! LOL.


Heard Angle-Grinder man got caught a while back, maybe i was wrong. That guy is the coolest.

He did? Bummer. Though I'm not surprised, since it's definitely not entirely legal!

[27CDruid]

He did? Bummer. Though I'm not surprised, since it's definitely not entirely legal!

I heard he got a fine from the cops.

[Supermania]

That's brilliant, but here in the UK the Police don't go well with vigilantes. I guess its alright to attempt to subdue or restrain them (citizen's arrest) but you can't combat them otherwise that's just assault. What a dull world we live in!

[number8]

Came across this guy when I was reading the news today:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Da1ADqPplQ4

Quite interesting..

[WickedJenn]

Came across this guy when I was reading the news today:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Da1ADqPplQ4

Quite interesting..

Waaaaaaaaaait a minute, that looks like the kid who tried out for "So You Think You Can Dance"

LOL

[Lexgirl33]

Came across this guy when I was reading the news today:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Da1ADqPplQ4

Quite interesting..

:rotfl: That is just funny, Im sorry.

[obsessedwithsv]

:rotfl: They looked... odd. lmao.

And "Shadow Hare" (wtf?) is meant to be 21? He sounded like a 12 year old!! :lol: