Is America Losing Its Heroes?

A recently found copy of Action Comics #1 was put up for auction today by Metropolis Collectibles, on the online auction site ComicConnect.com. Only about 100 copies of the first Superman comic are in existence and most copies of Action Comics No. 1 in "fine" condition go for about $126,000 at auction, but this one is expected to go for much more according to an AP story on MSNBC Today.com.

Hero

Heroes are honest human beings who didn't intend to be heroes but even without thinking about it, just take action for others when it's needed.

It takes a brave man to stand up for himself,
But it takes a braver man to stand up for someone else.

Someone who knowingly recognizes the risk that he or she faces in carrying out a certain course of action but still goes ahead and does it, purely for the common good.

Someone who sees what needs to be done and willingly does what others will not while expecting nothing in return.

Quotes from WWII Forums members (members are WWII vets or family/friends of vets)

I would consider these people to be a reliable source of knowledge on heroism and who we should consider heroes.

Is America losing its sense of who and what is a hero?
The liberal media is painting Obama and the Clintons as Heroes. But would you say that Obama meets the above definition of a hero?

Some discrepancies in my opinion would be:

• Obama doesn't recognize the risk that he is taking and how it will impact future generations or he DOES recognize the risk and doesn't care.
• To me Obama is trying too hard to "look like" a hero by trying to please too many groups, and people at time and in effect pleasing no one and bringing more government control and spending to the picture.
• Saying one thing and doing another by saying he opposes earmarks and pretending to be fiscally responsible, and then passing the most fiscally irresponsible bill in American history.

These are just some of the major points against Obama's stimulus package, but I didn't really want to turn this into a political blog. I wanted people to start thinking about who we as Americans look up to and why.

Some of my heroes are people of compassion that help and give without expecting anything in return. Missionaries, (some) religious leaders and pastors. People that genuinely care about souls and lives instead of their own personal gain. I think that we can compare Superman's characteristics with what a hero should be these days...

Characteristics of a Superman Hero:

• work in disguise
• come from humble upbringings
• don't brag about their accomplishments
• save lives
• defends the innocent
  
• makes the right decisions when tough decisions need to be made
• takes action when called upon

Let's make sure we have the right perspective before we heap praise upon our perceived heroes.
Now go bid on that Action Comics #1!

(Photo by Dunechaser from Flickr)

Does Helen Thomas Need To Retire?

After a surprisingly insightful press conference from President Obama tonight, I noticed that Helen Thomas of the Hearst media conglomerate was back in her front row seat asking the first question of the night. As usual, it was a planned question with a liberal agenda. The interesting thing was that even Obama chose to duck her question!

She asked if Obama knew of any countries in the Middle East that already have nuclear weapons. Obviously, she meant: Israel (which reportedly has them). Obama ducked the question and stated that he didn't care to speculate but any escalation would be bad right now. Then, like the crazy old person that she is, she interrupted the president twice and tried to make her point about Israel to the very end.

For those of you who don't know, Helen Thomas has been around since JFK covering the White House and presidents for over 45 years first with UPI and now she is affiliated with Hearst Media. She has always had the philosophy of asking hard hitting and usually inappropriate liberal agenda questions to conservative presidents. Well, it looks like she's finally lost her mind and is trying to take down her own kind. Maybe the Washington press corp will put her out of her misery soon.

And why is she so stuck on the Israel - Palestine issue you may ask? I did some digging and noticed in her bio that was born in Winchester, KY to Lebanese immigrants from Tripoli, which at the time was part of Syria. Ancestral vendetta? There's always been that hatred between Arabs and Israelis.

In blogging news...
Sam Stein at Huffington Post, got to ask a (overtly liberal spinned) question to the president. While I don't agree with their message, theres no denying that The Huffington Post has became a power player for political blogging and I applaude the president for allowing social and new media to finally be have a legitamate word in mainstream politics and mainstream media. Now, lets just be fair and let a few conservative blogs like Pajamasmedia's Hot Air or Townhall.com in with a few questions next time. (We all know THAT's never going to happen).

Josh Self is the owner of and writer for The Horse, and The Wedding PhotogBlog. He also writes for The Terminal and considers himself a "Conservative Leaning Libertarian". He is also a wedding photographer and Lead Trainer at The Cheesecake Factory in Birmingham, AL.

Photosynth, changing photography?

I just learned about an interesting new program for photographers called Photosynth. It was created by Microsoft Live Labs and the University of Washington. The software analyzes a cloud of photographs taken in the same locations and compiles them together using pattern recognition into points on a 3d model scale which the user can move in and out and around, just like any other 3d model. Its a little techy but this video explained it a little better:



A group has recently used the technology on the Washington D.C. mall during the inauguration of Barack Obama to show the power of the software. They solicited snapshots and cell phone pictures that were taken during the inauguration and compiled them for a wide angle 3D view of the Mall.

I think its a really cool hybridization of photography and computer technology. Just thought I would share some geek stuff today.

An apology and clarification from THE HORSE's mouth

I feel I am guilty of posting an angry blog last night and I apologized today. (See that post's comments) We've got to do the best we can with our new president and respect his authority just like any other president. One of my personal policies is, I'll give everyone the benefit of the doubt. And like you said, I have no reason to doubt him when he said that he would do a good job and work together for ALL America. I just hope he keeps his word. That seems to be hard for ANY politician to do in Washington. So, for now... President Obama, you are starting with a clean slate for me!





(Original post comment below):

I realized this morning that this post came more from anger and disappointment rather than spoken tactfully and compassionately. I was very disappointed and tired and angry. So, please forgive the tone of the blog. As my fiance reminded me today. You can be right and have proof and speak the proven truth till you're red in the face, but if you don't speak with tact, compassion and love, no one will listen to you or even care about your "truth". So, thanks to all you guys for actually reading and I love you all. Thanks for putting up with me.

Josh

In closing, let us always strive for:

The Horse Neighs (about the election)

Yea, I kindof feel like crying, laughing and sleeping all at the same time.

I'm crying for our country and the HUGE step we just took in a direction of a large Paleozoic / political and moral tar pit that we won't realize that we've stepped in until a few months down the road when we've been eaten by the T-Rex called Socialism. I'm crying for the ignorant who voted without investigating and fact checking their "Savior", who may turn out to be a Wizard of Oz type "man behind the curtain". I can really feel this lady's pain as she see's our country headed off into oblivion...

I'm just laughing at all the people that were doing goofy stuff, like: crying and screaming over... a politician?!?! (Yea, I guess I'm sounding insensitive but convince me otherwise...) Do some of you have Tigerbeat posters on your walls of Obama and kiss them every night before you go to bed? Because I saw some grown ass people acting like teeny boppers at an NSYNC concert... This is the most emotional crowd that I have ever seen for a politician in my life. I must say, "well played Obama". Emotions = response in humans. The democrats finally figured out that connection and played it to its fullest.

I'm laughing at the people who think this is concert. And that when they go home at the end of the night, they can just go back to their lives the next day like nothing happened... Get ready America, things are about to change. I hope that one night of emotional fun and good warm fuzzy feelings on November 4th will last you through the cold 4 years to follow when we find out what Obama's policies and character really do to not only the backbone of our country but each of us as individuals. Less choices, less oportunities, less "change" in our pockets... I guess its not so funny anymore... I'll go to the next one...

I feel like sleeping... Hoo hum... socialism just makes me sleepy... I don't really have to try that hard any more. I don't have to bust my ass and make something of myself. I don't have to be creative and find new and innovative ways to improve myself and provide for my family... The government will take care of that now.
Nationalized health care... bring it on! Government spending on pork barrel projects that we don't really need. Nyehh... why should I really care. And if I'm really poor at the bottom. The government will give me tons of money and I can hang around the house all day playing some sweet Gears of War 2 on my tricked out XBox 360,000 that I bought with all the money that the government gave me for being po'. Its a new concept called "trickle UP" economics. What? You didn't learn about it in school? In your college economics classes? Well, its kindof a new concept, it was just invented. Not alot of people know about it. See you give poor people money, THEN, they go out and buy a nice keg of beer and some chicken wings and throw a party one night. THEN they wake up with a huge hangover the next day, call in to work for a day or two, and finally decide to show back up at McDonald's a few days later just to try to keep the lights on. Where did the money "Trickle UP" to you may ask? You're local Walmart got the sale of the beer and chicken wings, but since they have been so heavily taxed because they were a "BIG EVIL CORPORATION" they passed the "savings" onto the consumer, so they barely make a profit. Meanwhile the net gain for the economy is lost when your poor party man, skips work for a few days / weeks / or maybe just never goes back to work. So we've lost productivity and motivation in our blue collar work force and basically the middle man makes a small profit on disposable goods and quick sell items. The economy slumps. No real tangable raw product is required or produced by business, or industry. We become a country of beer-drinking-chicken-eaters.

Ok, my above example is a little oversimplified and you'll probably find a hole in the logic if you look hard enough, but its just an example of the poor economic situation we will have in the future for our kids and their kids... As Yoda said "Once you start down that road, forever will it dominate your destiny..."

So, tomorrow I'll try to be optimistic and hope that Obama has something up his sleave that makes me smile like a magician makes the kids at the birthday party smile (Cuz he talks so funny and makes me laugh and feel warm inside). But the day is coming when that magician is going to take MY piece of birthday cake and give 3/4 of it to Suzie's little bratty brother who cries alot because he was running around with his cake and it fell on the ground. Then I'm going to be steaming mad and may do something slightly underhanded to get back my share. (Just kidding, I would never do anything "slightly" underhanded...)

But, I'm just glad that its over. I'm tired of politics for a while. I'll give it a few months and I'll be back... Now I can get back to fun stuff like Graphic Design and Photography, maybe even a little screenplay writing for my next short film. Stay tuned on THE HORSE for more creative stuff soon!

Thanks for listening,
Josh

What you don't know about Barack Obama Black liberation theology, birthplace, religion still remain question marks

By Jerome R. Corsi
© 2008 WorldNetDaily


Obama and top fundraiser Tony Rezko, a business partner and close friend of Auchi

NEW YORK – Birthplace, religion, black liberation theology, passport, Pakistan, school expenses and records, house deal, friends, mentors and clients.

These are among the questions that despite months of campaigning for the presidency, thousands of hours in front of reporters and cameras, and hundreds of members of a massive campaign staff, the public still doesn't have fully answered about Illinois Sen. Barack Obama.

Click on the above link for more... SO much more....

All hail Obama!

In the spirit of fair play and sarcasm here are my favorite Obama spoofs right now.

Obama as St. Francis Assisi here to bring us into harmony with nature, global warming, climate change, and peace with EVERYONE. Hail Obama!


This is a video that Glenn Beck put together that pretty much tells it like it is... More informative and truth telling videos on YouTube on "GlennBeckVideos". Election day is in a few days people, be sure to get out and vote and win back our country!