Spiderman Saves The Day Or Was That Mighty Mouse

Headline: Spider-Man comes to boy's rescue
Origin of Clip: news.com.au 24.3.9
Caption: Spiderman Saves The Day Or Was That Mighty Mouse

A FIREMAN turned superhero when he dressed up as comic-book character Spider-Man to coax a frightened eight-year-old from a balcony, police say.
Teachers at a special needs school in Bangkok alerted authorities yesterday when an autistic pupil, scared of going to lessons, sat out on the third-floor ledge and refused to come inside, a police sergeant said.

Despite teachers' efforts to beckon the boy inside, he refused to budge until his mother mentioned her son's love of superheroes, prompting fireman Sonchai Yoosabai to take a novel approach to the problem.

"My fireman rushed back to the fire station and took out his Spider-Man costume ... The boy immediately ran into his arms with a smile,'' Sergeant Virat Boonsadao said.

Headline: Parrot Awarded for Yelling About Choking Baby
Origin of Clip: FOXNews.com 24.3.9
Caption: Parrot is a Hero

DENVER — A parrot that alerted his owner about a baby who was choking was recognized as a hero by the Red Cross.

Willie the parrot was given the Animal Lifesaver Award during the "Breakfast of Champions" event attended by Gov. Bill Ritter and Mayor John Hickenlooper.

Willie received the award Friday for his actions in November, when he and owner Megan Howard were baby-sitting a toddler. Willie repeatedly yelled "Mama, baby" when Howard went to the bathroom and the toddler started to choke on her breakfast.

Headline: U.S. Jobs Threatened by Cheap Chinese Condoms
Origin of Clip: FOXNews.com 24.3.9
Caption: Baby Booming Condoms

With the American economy in turmoil, the government has decided to drop a long-standing contract with a U.S. company and give it to a foreign one, the Kansas City Star reported.

In a move that will cost around 300 American jobs, the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), has decided to purchase condoms from foreign companies — in countries like South Korea and China — because they cost less than American-made prophylactics, the Star reported.

The agency distributes billions of condoms to poor countries around the world, but has previously used only American-made condoms because of "Buy American" regulations, the Star reported. The stimulus bill that recently passed in Congress, however, does not include that provision for condoms...

Fire Crier

Headline: Firefighter arrested for fire hoaxes
Clip from: news.com.au
Date of clip: 11.12.8
Caption: Fire Crier

A NEW York fireman has been arrested for crying fire - when there was no fire.
Fire Commissioner Nicholas Scoppetta told NY1 television overnight that the rogue firefighter had been secretly calling comrades out to non-existent emergencies. Commissioner Scoppetta did not describe the motives of what he called "simply outrageous" actions...

Headline: Ga. School Staff Accused of Inflatable Mattress Sex
Clip from: FOXNews.com
Date of clip: 11.12.8
Caption: THINGS THAT SHOULD NOT GO TOGETHER: TEACHERS, SCHOOL, SEX, AIR MATTRESS

Several Richmond County educators are being reprimanded after officials uncovered a sex scandal involving teachers, coaches and the principal of an Augusta middle school.
Superintendent Dana Bedden says seven Spirit Creek Middle School faculty members have been implicated in a series of incidents that included daytime sexual encounters on an inflatable mattress in the school's public safety office.
No students were involved in any of the encounters, which came to light after a former teacher sent an e-mail about the allegations to school system leaders.

Headline: Punish parents for smacking - academic
Clip from: FOXNews.com
Date of clip: 11.12.8
Caption: This old man, he played two. He played patty wack on me shoe...

PARENTS should be banned from smacking their kids - and be prosecuted if the child is harmed, a leading academic said.

Smacking of children by parents is currently legal under the common law, as long as reasonable force is used and the sole intention is to correct behaviour.

But Sydney University Associate Professor Judy Cashmore wants the defence struck out, The Daily Telegraph reports.

Parents would thus be liable to prosecution for smacking but she said it was unlikely any would be charged unless real harm was done.

Smacking involving force or leaving lasting physical effects is already an abuse under child protection laws.

Professor Cashmore will tell an Australian Institute of Family Studies seminar in Melbourne today that Australia should follow the lead of New Zealand and remove the common law defence.