Ethic Soup

Three-year-old Cancer Patient Auctions His Art To Pay Hospital Bills

Liam Myrick of St. Louis is just three years old and he has a tumor on his kidney, a stage four neuroblastoma.

A VULNERABLE PRESCHOOLER

He's undergoing excruciating chemotherapy. About a week ago, Liam had a bone marrow stem cell transplant and must stay in his room at the St. Louis Childrens' Hospital and visitors must wear masks, so as not to infect the vulnerable preschooler.

Liam began painting artwork as part of his therapy. His mother, Shawna, said  that when Liam started painting "he didn't care about the fact that in a couple hours they're going to come in, poke around and it's going to hurt. He just lives for the moment," reported News 13 of Orlando, FL.

EXPENSIVE MEDICAL CARE

His parents are already facing more than $500,000 in bills for his hospital care.

So, to celebrate Liam and his art, the Myricks are auctioning his paintings on Facebook to help defray the costs of his medical expenses.

School Principal Jumps in Icy River to Rescue Boy

Cocheco River in New Hampshire

HERO GWEN RHODES 

When Gwen Rhodes went to work last week, she had no idea that she would be celebrated throughout the country as a hero. Rhodes is the principal of a New Hampshire elementary school, Gonic School, on the outskirts of Rochester, NH.

If I had a child in elementary school, especially a child who has special problems, I would move Heaven and  Earth to have Gwen Rhodes (pictured right) as the principal of that school. And, if I was a parent of one of the children in Gonic School today, I would know that my prayers for my child's school experience had been answered.

RESCUES BOY IN ICY RIVER

Principal Rhodes risked her own life in order to save the life of a student. She jumped into the frigid Cocheco River to save 10-year-old Andrew Brown, who had fallen through the ice, reports Huffington Post.

Andrew, who has autism, ran away from a teacher after a morning recess. He ran through the woods behind his grade school and onto the frozen river. The teacher and principal Rhodes ran after him and saw Andrew stop on a section of thin ice and then fall through the ice.

 YOU WERE ON THIN ICE SON

Rhodes ran onto the river's thin ice and reached the little boy, making use of tree branches along the river bank to pull the boy and herself to safety. The chilling experience left them both with hypothermia and bruises, but alive. Left, Andrew warms up in hospital.

"They were both up to their chests in water," said Lieutenant Dennis Dube, Rochester Fire Department, reported by Reuters. "(Rhodes) saved us from performing a very technical rescue," Dube said. "We're calling it a very brave act. Normally we don't condone such a thing, but she was stuck in a hard place there."

WOW!

Not only did Gwen Rhodes rescue a boy who could have drowned, but she became a role model for us all, and through her example, we are inspired. We want to believe that those who watch over our children are willing to risk their own lives to save our child. And, maybe, should we be desperate for help ourselves, someone will be there to help us, too. Yes, Virginia, there are good people in this world! 

Does your child's teachers and school principal follow their codes of ethics?

CLICK & READ:"School Administrators Code of Ethics" 

CLICK & READ: "Code of Ethics Assn. of American Educators" 

                              

  by Sharon McEachern

Dennis Hopper Still Hangs in his Venice Neighborhood: A Memorial Mural Goes Up

Dennis Hopper Mural in Venice, CA, by Artists Madsteez and MAR

 

The most recent news featuring the late Dennis Hopper is a memorial mural in Venice, CA., where he was a neighborhood fixture. Two local artists, Madsteez and MAR, recently completed a mural to commemorate Hopper in the beach community.

A MEMORIAL COLLABORATION

Madsteez, who had  previously painted a Hopper portrait, pictured below, agreed to the collaborative project suggested by MAR as an homage to Hopper's legacy as a long time, loved resident in Venice.

"We heard 1,000's of comments while painting this piece but the one that means the most was when an older gentleman walked up and matter-of-factly said, 'It's about time,' " reports the LAist. You can view a video of the mural being painted on the Madsteez website. 

 

Good News: Secret Santas Pay for Strangers' Layaway Bills

THE SPIRIT of Christmas can be seen in the smiles of children and this holiday is made more happy for a number of children -- and adults. Growing numbers of Secret Santas are popping up at layaway counters in stores across the country.  

They are paying the layaway bills for strangers who haven't enough money to pay for and pick up the presents that the stores are holding for them. And many are doing so anonymously.

The first incident reported in the media happened in Plainfield Township, Michigan, two weeks ago. At a Big Kmart, a 30-something woman walked up to the layaway desk, pushing a shopping cart full of toys she was going to donate, reported Money MSN.

DONOR INSISTED ON ANANIMITY

The shopper asked if she could pay a few customers' layaway contracts, only asking that the orders include toys and that she could remain anonymous. She randomly selected three and ended up paying about $500 -- all but $10 on each ticket.

Electric Light Orchestra's Cellist Mike Edwards Killed in Freak Hay Bale Accident

Boy, when it's your time to go, the Universe makes sure it happens one way or another. For Mike Edwards, 62, death came by way of a bale of hay. Not anything he'd ever imagined, I'm sure.

One of the founders of the Electric Light Orchestra (ELO), a British rock group (pictured right), Edwards played with the band between 1972 and 1975, a lad in his mid-twenties who quit the band at the height of its fame to become a Buddhist -- changing his name to Deva Pramada. He went on to teach the cello for a living. The group went on to sell more than 50 million records worldwide.

He died last weekend, driving his van in the countryside of Devon in southern England, reports the British newspaper the Daily Mail.

A tragic accident, Edwards died instantly when a giant bale of hay  -- with an estimated weight from 700 pounds to 1,300 pounds -- rolled down a steep field, smashed through a hedge and careened onto the road, crashing into the windshield of his van.

Quitting Mad was a Johnny Paycheck Moment: Now it's 'Pulling a Slater' Thanks to a Jet Blue Flight Attendant

Johnny Paycheck's song "Take This Job and Shove It" used to be the anthem for folks who were fed up and angry about their jobs --those who up and quit, hollering "I ain't working here no more!"

Now, in just one day, the new verbal giving-the-finger is 'pulling a Slater,' named for one Steven Slater, 39, a Jet Blue flight attendant who quit his job quite dramatically.

AN INSTANT LEGEND

Our instant legend (who's already an internet icon) had a horrible workday on Monday, really awful. Today, he is unemployed and arrested.

Good Samaritans Help Dog on Cross-Country Journey Reunite with Family

OH NO, I'M LOST

After a separation of six months, "Liberty," a silver labrador retriever has finally found her family again -- thanks to two Good Samaritans.

Got Kleenex handy? Your shirt sleeve will do. This story comes with "happy tears." If you need some evidence of how there really are wonderful, loving people out there -- strangers who care -- this is it. 

Liberty's family was forced to move suddenly from San Diego, California to Winter Haven, Florida, and couldn't bring their beloved dog with them. They gave Liberty to someone who later lost her.

"The people who had the dog wouldn't give us any information when we would call to see how she's doing, to visit, or anything like that," said Heidi, Liberty's owner.

His Last Request: Dennis Hopper is Buried in Indian Burial Mound of Rocks

Dennis Hopper was buried yesterday. His grave, pictured above, is a mound of rocks and stone -- Hopper's final resting place, not the usual for a Hollywood star, a legend.

But it's believed that this was Hopper's final request, to rest in an American Indian-style burial mound, in the Jesus Nazareno Cemetery in Ranchos de Taos, New Mexico. Hopper lived in Ranchos de Taos for 12 years.

It's a very unassuming grave for a man who for years lived large and whose behavior was often outrageously attention-getting.

His coffin is also humble, a simple wood coffin.

The actor's son, Henry Lee Hopper, pictured below with his dad, drew tears from many attending the funeral service, which included Jack Nicholson and Val Kilmer, as he read from Walt Whitman's collection of poems, Leaves Of Grass.

Following the service, at the chapel of the historic San Francisco de Asis church,the casket was taken away in a funeral procession, when the rumbles of half a dozen motorcycles could be heard in the distance -- in memory of his performance in the classic film Easy Rider.

In tribute to Dennis Hopper, we include some of Walt Whitman's poetry below, following the portrait of Dennis Hopper and his son Henry Lee Hopper by artist Jack R. Smith. 

Betty White SNL Smash: Highest Rated Show in 18 Months

Betty White was wonderful on Saturday Night Live this weekend.

We knew she would be a special comedic treat. That's why so many of us tuned in to watch SNL and make it a ratings bonanza. We watched with the expectation of Betty saying something totally inappropriate for her 88 years and making some kind of sexual innuendo -- sometimes subtle, but usually blatant. And that's just what she did -- hilariously.

RATINGS BONANZA

The show got an 8.8 household rating. Whatever that means to TV bean-counters, it's the highest number of beans for SNL since the 2008 episode that preceded the presidential election. That was when they got ratings jumps because of Tina Fey's portrayal of Sarah Palin.

It wasn't one of those "Oh, let's be nice to good ole Betty White. After all, she's 88 years old now." Hell no! Betty's "show-me-the-money" performance not only brought the show a huge ratings boost, but beaucoup future advertising bucks for SNL which depend on ratings.

Go Betty! Go Naughty Betty! Tonite It's Saturday Night Live: With Betty White!

I CAN'T WAIT for Betty White to host SNL. And it's tonight! She's wonderful, hilarious with a perfect sense of comic timing.

Betty knows how to be naughty and uses blue language -- not a lot, just a little and enough to make you want more. It's always a shock to hear one of her saucy lines, coming out of what looks like a sweet grandma.

For example, everyone knows that Betty loves animals. She once said:

"All creatures must learn to coexist. That's why the brown bear and the field mouse can share their lives in harmony. Of course, they can't mate or the mice would explode."

Or has Hank Stuever of the Washington Post wrote today "America loves a slightly dirty-minded meemaw..."