Giving Thanks For Everyday American Heroes

Meet 5 who answered the call, and hear what they learned from their acts of kindness and courage

No. 1: Bus driver to the rescue

Richard Lucas stands in front of a burned-out home in Buffalo, N.Y. Lucas was driving a bus in July when he noticed smoke coming from a two-story house, home to two families. Lucas stopped and pounded on the door to wake the families sleeping inside. The families, shown standing on the porch of their former home, credit him with saving their lives. They are Shannon Reiter, Alysa Huertas, 13, Hanna Huertas, 10, Briana Huertas, 8, Emily Hunter, RosaLynda Baez, 11, MarcoAntonio Baez, 9, and Emiliana Baez, 5.

 Richard Lucas, 45, receives letters from the two families he rescued from the house blaze. "Everytime I drive by the house, I think about what would have happened had I not stopped," Lucas says.

 Fire victims extend their gratitude to Lucas, who reads letters from one of the children he saved from the burning home. Authorities still do not know what caused the blaze

No. 2: Good Samaritan

Victor Perez chased down a suspected kidnapper in his truck, shown here in Fresno, Calif. His actions are credited with freeing an abducted 8-year-old girl.

No. 3: Hero tot

Jaden Bolli is credited with saving the life of his grandmother, Patricia Bolli, who is holding him at her home in Maple Shade, N.J. Bolli had a seizure and Jaden, then 3, helped her by calling 911

No. 4: 'Amazing woman'

After seeing his plea for a kidney donation on Facebook, April Capone Almon donated her organ to Carlos Sanchez. They have formed a close friendship because of it and are seen here catching up near the East Haven Town Hall in East Haven, Conn., where Almon is mayor. "She is an amazing woman," Sanchez says

No. 5: 'Lucky'

Christa Brelsford, 25, was volunteering in a literacy program in Haiti when the January earthquake hit. She was pinned by falling rubble until several Haitians, including Wenson George, 19, helped rescue her. Brelsford, who ended up having her right leg amputated below the knee, is committed to giving back to the Haitian community. "I was lucky," she says. Now, her family is planning to bring George to Anchorage so he can attend high school.

Young Taiwanese Woman Plans to Marry Herself

 30-year-old Chen Wei-yih is set to defy Asian perception of single independent women as failures, by marrying herself, on November 6.

The young Taiwanese from Taipei has been dreaming about getting married ever since she was just a little girl. Now that she’s all grown up, she’s ready to put on the traditional white dress and veil and finally tie the knot…with herself. Like many other Asian women, Chen Wei-yih focused most of her attention on her career and hasn’t been able to find a suitable partner. While other girls go as far as stripping in public to find husbands, Chen decided it’s more important to first love herself before she loves others, and asked her own hand in marriage.
The wedding ceremony is set to take place on November 6, when Chen Wei-yih will put on her wedding dress and go out for a gourmet meal with family members and 30 of her closest friends. After the wedding, Chen and her beloved self will leave on a romantic honeymoon to Autralia.
Chen-Wei-yih courage to challenge social perception in such an original way has inspired many, and her Facebook wall has been assaulted with messages of encouragement and appreciation, sent mostly by young Asian women like herself. 

Actors Who Sing on the Side

A good actor can play anyone, right? Meet 15 thespians who, with varying degrees of success, have attempted to be singers. (And no vocalists-turned-actors like Babs.) From a “Gladiator” hero to a rehabbing starlet, listen up to these actors with pipes.

Gwyneth Paltrow
Urbane beauty taps inner twang

This Oscar winner sang with Huey Lewis on the “Cruisin’” video and on TV’s music-fueled hit. She’s back this fall in the movie “Country Strong” as an actor ... and singer.


Joaquin Phoenix rap
'Man in Black' does rap

“Sing” is a generous word for the hip-hop musings of this offbeat actor in his recent mockumentary. He received an Oscar nomination for playing a country star in “Walk the Line.”


Lindsay Lohan
Rehabbing starlet generated 'Rumors'

Now living at this rehab facility, the star of “Mean Girls” released two teen-targeted albums in the mid-2000s. A former “American Idol” judge wrote some of her songs.


Eddie Murphy
Comic gets funky for 'Party'

This A-lister gets laughs in films like “Beverly Hills Cop,” yet proves his pipes in a Michael Jackson video and, with help from a “Superfreak,” his own 1985 hit single.

Minnie Driver
English Oscar nom sings of heartache

Matt Damon allegedly dumped her on a talk show, so this actor, Oscar-nominated for a Damon-scripted film, has plenty of pain to fuel her singer-songwriter career.


Kevin Bacon
Actor sizzles in brotherly duo

If you’ve seen him dancing in “Footloose,” you know this actor has rhythm, which comes in handy in his fraternal two-man group.

Lynda Carter
Superhero actor sings the standards

Who knew TV’s Wonder Woman could croon? Since her 1970s heyday, this actor has released several albums and, in 2007, she launched a new act in New York.

Russell Crowe
“Gladiator” star fronts "Grunts"

Oscar named this “Gladiator” star best actor, whom audiences Down Under also know as a singer for his ’80s solo tune, his band 30 Odd Foot of Grunts and his new group.


Billy Bob
Angelina’s ex sings bluesy tunes

In this interview turned viral video, the prickly star of “Sling Blade” (and Angelina Jolie’s ex-husband) insulted Canadians while promoting his country-rock band.

Robert Downy Jr.
“Iron Man” actor proves musical mettle

Before “Iron Man,” this actor won an Oscar nom for playing a silent-movie star in a 1992 biopic for which he sang on the soundtrack. He also released this 2004 solo CD.

Juliette Lewis
Rock is no act for edgy film star

Although she famously sucked this body part of Robert De Niro in “Cape Fear,” fans of her band, the New Romantiques, say this actor really rocks as lead singer

Jamie Foxx
“In Living Color” alum hits pop charts

Since his Oscar for playing a music icon, this multitalented actor has released two hit albums. His collaboration with a top rapper that won a Grammy is due in December.


David Hasselhoff
“Baywatch” hunk a music star abroad

In the States, we associate this actor with television shows involving a talking car and him wearing a red swimsuit (pics), but people in at least one European country consider him a singing star. Really.

Jennifer Love Hewit
Know what she did last album?

The star of “Ghost Whisperer” (is that show still on?) has summoned several albums of moderate chart success. She also appears in a Spanish pop singer’s “Hero” video.

Jared Leto
My so-called musical life?

He’ll always be Jordan Catalano to TV fans, but this actor is also a musician. Alongside his drummer brother, he sings and plays guitar for this rock band.

Famous Presidential Pardons & Snubs

 

From Hearst to Clinton Who Got a Pardon?

This week was all about the pardon. Florida governor Charlie Crist revealed that he's considering a posthumous pardon for Jim Morrison, lead singer of the Doors, before he vacates office in December. The pardon would wipe away an indecent exposure conviction from a wild 1969 concert in Miami.

Meanwhile, George W. Bush told the TODAY show that former Vice President Dick Cheney was angry with him for failing to pardon I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby. We take a look back at some of the most memorable pardons of all time.

Patty Hearst: Heiress-turned-bank robber pardoned

The granddaughter of publishing magnate William Randolph Hearst made headlines in 1974 when an urban guerilla group known as the Symbionese Liberation Army (SLA) kidnapped her from her Berkeley, Calif., apartment. Two months later the 19-year-old Hearst was

photographed robbing a San Francisco bank while toting an assault rifle. Though Hearst's defense lawyer argued that her involvement was the result of pervasive brainwashing, she was convicted of bank robbery. After two years in jail, President Jimmy Carter commuted Hearst's seven-year sentence, but it wasn't until the last day of President Bill Clinton's presidency in 2001 that

she was granted a full pardon.

No pardon for I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby

The former chief of staff for Vice President Dick Cheney was convicted of lying during the investigation of the leaked identity of CIA operative Valerie Plame. George W. Bush chose not to pardon the vice presidential aide due to his involvement in the leak, opting only to

commute his sentence.

Richard Nixon's Watergate pardon

Just a little over a year after he resigned in the wake of the Watergate scandal, Richard Nixon received a highly controversial pardon from then-President Gerald Ford.

George Steinbrenner's illegal campaign donations forgiven

Indicted on 14 criminal counts in 1974, the owner of the New York Yankees pled guilty to obstruction of justice and conspiring to make illegal contributions to President Richard Nixon's reelection campaign. Then-President

Ronald Reagan agreed to pardon Steinbrenner only if he admitted to the crime

Iva Toguri D'Aquino aka "Tokyo Rose" pardoned after serving time

Toguri D'Aquino, known as Tokyo Rose, was one of several women who read Japanese propaganda on Radio Tokyo's "Zero Hour" program during World War II. After World War II she was convicted of treason and served

ten years in prison. Decades later it was exposed that the charges against her were largely false and she was pardoned by President Gerald Ford.

Roger Clinton's big bro excuses his cocaine distribution

On his final day as president, Bill Clinton issued pardons to more than 100 people, including his half brother, Roger. In 1985 Roger pled guilty to distributing cocaine in Arkansas. We guess having a brother who's president

has its perks!

Confederate General Robert E. Lee pardoned 110 years later

After the Civil War ended, any Confederate soldier could apply for a pardon and have his citizenship restored. Famed Confederate General Robert E. Lee applied for the pardon, but his oath of allegiance (the required

document) never made its way to the desk of then-President Andrew Johnson. In 1974, some 110 years after Lee applied for his pardon, a researcher at the National Archives discovered the officer's amnesty oath. In 1975 Lee's full rights of citizenship were posthumously restored when President Gerald Ford signed his official pardon.

Jimmy Hoffa: Head of Teamsters pardoned

Hoffa, the notorious head of the Teamsters, had been serving a 15-year prison sentence for jury tampering and fraud when President Richard Nixon pardoned him in 1971. Nixon's pardon came with one condition, which Hoffa agreed to: "not [to] engage in direct or indirect

management of any labor organization" until at least March 1980. Some believe that Hoffa was attempting to reassert his power over the Teamsters when he mysteriously disappeared in 1975.

Eugene V. Debs: "espionage" excused

Eugene V. Debs, a famed American Socialist who ran for president five times, was convicted of treasonous speech under the Espionage Act for speaking out against the American involvement in World War I. He was sentenced to ten years in prison in 1918 for his crime. Debs was

released after just three years when President Warren Harding issued a blanket pardon to anyone convicted under the Espionage Act. Harding then asked Debs to drop by the White House so the two could meet.

Caspar Weinberger's missile transfer pardoned

Former Defense Secretary Weinberger was involved in the transfer of U.S. anti-tank missiles to Iran in what became known as the Iran-Contra Affair. Following his resignation in 1987, Weinberger was charged with lying to the independent counsel. However, George H.W. Bush

pardoned Weinberger and in the process, halted the legal proceedings against him.

Vietnam Draft Dodgers forgiven

On his first day as president, Jimmy Carter issued a pardon to those who avoided serving in the Vietnam War by fleeing the U.S. or not registering. However, some groups, such as deserters, were not included in the terms of the pardon.

3D Projections on Buildings

Companies like NuFormer and Macula are creating unique art installations by projecting videos onto buildings. This post showcases their best projects.
Madrid, Spain

 Madrid, Spain

3D projection by NuFormer turned the facade of the building into a giant soccer themed pinball machine.

Prague, Czech Republic

Cool video presentation by Macula during 600 year anniversary of the astrological tower clock at Old Town Square in Prague.

The 600 Years from the macula on Vimeo.

Amsterdam, Netherlands

3D projection on the side of the Beurs van Berlage in Amsterdam.

Hotel in Prague

Video mapping by Macula on the Hilton hotel in center of Prague.

Super-menace from the macula on Vimeo.

Projection on Buildings

Showreel of NuFormer’s high quality 3D video mapping projections.

Kazan, Russia

NuFormer was invited to do a 3D projection on the famous Theatre.

NuFormer - Kazan, Russia. August 2010 from NuFormer Projection on Vimeo.

California, USA

NuFormer transformed a building into an old wall that later turned into an African jungle cabin and even later into a subway station.

NuFormer - California, USA. August 2010 from NuFormer Projection on Vimeo.

Stairs House in Japan

Unique house in Shimane, Japan is famous for its cool roof made of stairs.

Open spaces between the stairs are covered with clear glass that lets in light and protects the house from rain.