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Originally posted: http://www.sccougar.com/features/superheroes-anonymous-1.1595742

How Costumed, Creative Altruism is Sweeping the Nation

Published: Monday, September 13, 2010
Updated: Monday, September 13, 2010 19:09
By Matthew Weitkamp
It’s late in New York City. Darkness has fallen and roaming the streets are the downtrodden and forgotten: Homeless men and women, starving and alone, cry out for hope. Their cries are being answered in the form of a masked man who stalks the streets with food and water, swooping in to help save these poor souls from a horrible fate. It’s late in New York City, and a superhero is saving the day.
A new wave of charity is sweeping across the landscape of our Nation. Costumed, creative altruism has set its roots. There is no ‘Justice League’ or ‘Avengers’ group, however. There is no centralized organization where the heroes meet to plan their war on crime. Across the country there are as many as 300 costumed heroes, all unconnected with one another. But individually they are still pushing past a skeptical society; one that is wary of their intentions.
New York is home to one such hero, “Life”, who walks the streets with determination to make the world better, and leave it better than how he found it. Born into a Hasidic Jewish family, Chaim (which is Hebrew for Life) took the teachings of his father, a Rabbi, to heart. When a person has something to give, regardless of how little, you must give to those who need it more than you.
“My family taught me that charity and helping other people isn’t optional. There are horrible, horrible injustices in the world and if you can do something, even a little, to make things better then you should.” Chaim has taken a piece of his Jewish faith, that charity is compulsory, and turned that into one of the code of ethics for Real Life Superheroes.
Life, a co-founding member of the Not-For-Profit organization, Superheroes Anonymous, is not the same kind of hero you’ll find in the pages of Batman or Spider-man. He doesn’t beat up thugs or commit vigilante justice. Instead, Life uses his time to help the homeless and inspire others through his actions. “I’m a realist. I’m a grounded person, as much as a man who wears a mask is a realist.”
Every night Life takes a backpack filled with necessity items with him out onto the streets. He gives bottled water, candy bars, tooth brushes, and a listening ear to all the homeless he meets. Everything Life gives he buys himself; a personal investment financially in his own desire to change the world. An expensive proposition, when you think about it.  But for Life, that investment is worth it.
Life says he’s often asked why he wears a costume. Plenty of people can perform charity without dressing up or wearing a mask – so why does he? “Like a police officer, firemen […] even a business man: It’s a uniform … [you] feel like you stand for something. You wear the costume and you feel like a superhero”
“A costume draws attention to yourself,” explains Life, on why the costume is necessary, “and gets people to notice you.”
People can be inspired to do charity, Life says, when they see a mask or a cape. “You don’t have to be Batman and take down huge criminals or stop a war.” He says it’s all about what each of us can do, today, to make a difference.
“Start small, start realistically. What do you have the time and resources to do? … I get (emails for advice) all the time. They always have big goals. ‘I want to do this and that – I want to clean up my city of crime’. And I go ‘ok, but you don’t have the power to do that right now? What can you do, now, that’s small?’ You have to start small and be realistic.”
And how long will Life continue to be a Superhero? He admits that, while he won’t hang up his mask anytime soon, his role as a superhero might change over time. “I see Superheroes Anonymous becoming a Not-For-Profit organization that supports real life superheroes […] I won’t ever stop doing charity work. If it means being behind a desk instead of on the street, then charities will need that too.”
His outfit, like his attitude, shows just how adult Life is. Chaim doesn’t wear a cape or a cowl – he wears a tie and a Fedora. He’s a professional, working on the streets of New York City, presenting himself as a man who takes that one step further. Should Life ever need to take on a new role of heroism, like that of an executive for his organization, he feels all he would have to do is take the mask off. The rest of his outfit is professional.
The choice to become a superhero is not exclusive to Life in this country, but his is an example of creative altruism at its finest. Like-minded citizens all across the country are doing their part, too. Heroes like Citizen Prime, from Florida, who works to establish more homes for orphaned youths, stand as beacons for men and women looking to take on a new role in the protection of American’s from social injustice. These superheroes are real, walking the streets as an Iconic symbol for a better world. Life stresses that even though they might look odd or different, they’re a necessity.
“As long as you find people in need, you’ll have a need for superheroes.”

These words are from the Navy’s newest recruiting commercial, but I suspect these words speak to the hearts of all that are driven to serve.
The call to serve, it has no sound, yet I have heard it in the whispered retelling of honorable sacrifices made by those who have served before me.
The call to serve has no form, yet I have clearly seen it in the eyes of the men and women infinitely more courageous and more driven than most.
The call to serve has no weight, yet I have held it in my hands. I will commit to carry it close to my heart until my country is safe and the anguish of those less fortunate is soothed.
The call to serve is at once invisible and always present, and for those who choose to answer the call, for their country, for their fellow man and for themselves, it is the most powerful force on earth.
 

Originally posted: http://maskedmusings.blogspot.com/2010/06/awareness-3-masked-humility.html
By Mr. Jack
The mask does not make you, you make the mask.
Sometimes in our little community of costumed crazies we sometimes come to think that we deserve more attention and respect than we actually deserve. Let us be very clear: you are a person who is dressing up in homage to fictional cartoon superheroes who goes out and attempts the delusional, yes delusional, fantasy of helping and fixing the world’s problem dressed as such. This is what we do. Nothing more, nothing less. Some of us do it better than others, some of us worse. Some of us actually were born to do it, while some are born to destroy what others have created. In the end, however, we all do this same one thing.
Sometimes, however, caught up in our great delusional fantasy we become arrogant, and desire more value of our person than is worth others. And the issue here is desire. Desire poisons that which you try to purify. Have any of it in your life, and it seeps into the vessels of your actions and ruins them.
For those of us with “secret identities” this desire is actually a great temptress, because while great things can be done by anonymous people in masks no one will actually care that you did it. Secrecy is a great tool in our trade, and can be employed and exploited. It helps us to be confident, keeps us out of many troubles, separates a life we wish others to not be involved with. But with secrecy we may also desire the possibility of power. Since no one knows you, you can act as you wish, do as you please, and belittle whomever you desire in your great quest for the greater good.
This is wrong. Again, the whole desire thing eventually ends up corrupting every aspect of your intentions until none are left. But there are times when we are so tempted to reveal, so questioned by everyone around you for your worth and responsibility that you may want to just drop the facade and admit what you do.
The offer is tempting, and the dramatic reveal of it all can be quite exhilarating. It is one of the greatest “up yours.” Someone gets into a fight with you about your lack exhibiting anything beyond normal functions, and you have that ace up your sleeve that you know will garner everyone’s awe and admiration.
But it is not worth it. If you have chosen to keep your identity secret it is probably for a very good reason, and things done in the moment with such brashness never turn out well. Besides, if you really need your work as a great big Real Life Super Hero to speak for your entire character, then you obviously have a long way to go to fulfilling yourself as a person. Deluded we may be, but help is what we do. And the absolute first person you must always seek to help is yourself. Not at anyone’s expense, not for petty desires, but because you want and know you can achieve that “something more” you may dream of.
If you are only noble and great while in the mask of anonymity then you are a fraud, plain and simple. The point of a secret identity should be to experiment and push yourself to new levels. Take the opportunity of being anonymous to really try and be kind. After all, you are not you. You have a blank slate when as an anonymous pseudonym with a mask and spandex. Take the chance to explore what you could be a little, and then take those things that your learn and try putting them in every facet of your life.
Getting back to the humility we all should carry, I would like to put forth a list of tips and things that all RLSH should follow when out working in order to help them stay within the reality of our fantasy, and to keep ourselves humble and others accepting of our cause.
Mr. Jack’s Masked Manners
-Always address police officers as “Sir” or “Ma’am.” Respect their authority! Show your fellow helpers (including firemen, doctors, technicians, etc.) your sense of respect for their jobs and you will get respect for yours most often. It is not a one hundred percent thing though, but it does help always in the long run.
-Greet people on the street. When out on patrol, say hi to everyone you meet. Make eye contact, smile, and tell them hello or good day. The power of such a simple gesture like a smile or a wave is one that can change worlds. If people see such a friendly figure dressed up, they begin to question their own masks that they wear. Win over your public not for personal desire for fame or the like, but because it will help you get your message across better and be able to help people and open new doors to love.
-Always maintain composure. A lot of things happen when you are out in full gear, and most of them revolve around people trying to put you down or try and break your focus and composure. Part of being on your guard revolves around not allowing things to get under your skin. When I was with Silver Sentinel, Zetaman, Dark Guardian, Meow, Hunter and Tothian in New York one of the biggest things I admired about all of them was how great they were at just letting things roll off their armor. Silver Sentinel is a great example, as he often plays into what people say. Remember “If you are going to tell someone the truth, you’d better make them laugh. Otherwise they’ll kill you.
-The customer is always right. In all honesty of you are doing your job right then you are basically the equivalent of a service employee, and as such, you must cater to the customer. I cannot specifically give an example for this because there are so many. If someone wants something, you have to do your best of fulfill it because that is the standard which needs to be held. By all means do what is right, but make it seem like it was the customer’s idea. Charisma helps.
-Right is right only when it is nice. Yes people need wake up calls. Yes, people need help to get off the street and be warned about the dangers that fill their life. But think about this for a moment: if you had some guy off the street come up to you and start lecturing you on errors of your way and the virtues of living right would you really instinctively give him your time and listen? Now add in that that guy is dressed in spandex and a cape and calls himself Justice Avenger Supreme. You now see the absurdity of it. Yes, our mandate is to help, but for gods’ sakes do not be belligerent and in people’s faces unless there is no other way. Rude and noisy should always be a last resort to the virtues of gentle, kind care.
-Hold yourself to the standards you seek of others. If you have unrealistic expectations then you are doomed to fail. In other words, if you think that you can go out and stop crime when you are publicly intoxicated or driving like a maniac or carrying lethal weapons without a permit then you are now the problem others have to help. Lead by example and you will most likely not be questioned for your worth of actions.
-Finally, and this is a small but big thing, look in a mirror when you are dressed up. Yes, it is nice to admire how awesome you look, but this is not my intention for this specific manner. Look in the mirror to see what others will see of you. If you cannot look in the mirror and trust the image you see then neither can anyone else. Appearance is one of the most paramount aspects we should worry about in our community, not again for personal gain, but to be symbols. We wear what we wear to draw attention, to inspire, to help. If you cannot trust who you see in the mirror, change it in some way to make it so you can.
~~~~~~~
Awareness Challenge 2: Think Before You Act
I mean this for every part of your life. Before you take an action, just take a nanosecond and think about what you mean by it, what it will actually do, and how it will be perceived. This sort of thought checking is difficult to maintain for a long time, but with practice it can become second nature. By just slowing down your thought process to “proofread” your action before it happens, you can determine a better course of action for it, which may indeed be the one you had already set. But never underestimate the power of such thought. It may be the difference between you making peace between two people or throwing the first punch. The choice, as always, is yours.

By Citizen Smoke
~
Warning — I’m Used to Writing Short Stories! This Will Be Long!
So, for the past month or so I’ve been trying to do some off-and-on surveillance of a nearby carwash in town. It’s one of the DIY types where there are several open-ended bays with machines and hoses in them; a roof, a couple walls, some drains… that kinda thing. I had noticed this group of guys that hung around the carwash — same 3 to 5 fellas, no cars, sat around all afternoon/evening/night long sometimes. They dressed the typical “banger” look, that “thug” aesthetic so popular today in poor communities. I even watched as a few cars would pull in, talk to one of these people, then pull out, no car washing. I was suspicious.
Hobo Harry On The Case
So, I started watching. I’d take note of who was there whenever I passed (which I did at least once a day). About two or three times a week, I’ve been dressing up in my “hobo” outfit, rubbing some dirt into my face and arms and hands and such, and meandering the area. Sometimes I parked about 10 blocks away and walked over, usually I’d walk from my house to a nearby low-income area and then wander down 6 blocks. My outfit for these instances includes worn out shoes which I place a piece of landscaping bark in so that I consistently have a realistic limp in my right leg and an excuse for the crappy old walking stick.
I mumble and fidget to myself when I dress like this, so I seem less approachable. I use my best Southern-poor accent when I spare change some people I’m sure won’t give it to me and was offered a swipe of some gin instead one time. I’ve even been eyed by passing patrol cars and had one officer (I didn’t recognize him) tell me that I couldn’t “sleep on that bench” when I stopped for an equipment check. I totally had this character down. I lack any useful camera, though, so everything had to be either remembered and jotted down out of sight, or just written on my arm while I pretended to scratch at it. I got times, dates, plate numbers, descriptions… I was building a little personal file of scratched down data.
Calling It In
A couple times I was sure I’d seen something off happening, walked to the McDonalds down the block, got some water (for show), went into the restroom and called in a “suspicious activity” report anonymously (citing “fear of life and limb” just in case). Three times I called in, three times the police show up and spend some time checking things out, but no arrests. Once I even watched Grady (one of the K-9 unit animal officers) sniff about, to no avail.
I was flustered, to say the least. I thought it must be more involved, some kind of two-step or three-step process. Go to the carwash, give them the location, go to your location, hand over the money and get your drugs from the fellow in the next car over on your way out. Something all “Cloak & Dagger” like that. Smarter than street-slinging, but only just. I thought “well I’ll just have to park inconspicuously and tail someone to find out”. I never seemed to get anything from that, either. I won’t bore you with the completely stupid amounts of time I spent watching people just sit in front of a TV.
My resolve wavered.
Time to Clean the Smo-Car!
Finally, today, after leaving early from work (because I can), I decided to wash my car. This was the test , plan-clothed, normal old me. I’d seen them there this afternoon, it was just about quitting time, and only a couple cars were washing. I was sure that I’d be able to get something definitive this time. What they were selling, maybe the process, a good look at the players.
I pull in, rattle some quarters toward the machine, as the one in the white cap and blue coat walks up to me. My nerves flashed a little as he approached, crazy little thoughts bouncing through my head… “Will he offer me crack? Probably just pot. Or will it be ambiguous and I’ll have to ask if he has something? Some ‘sup? you party?’ kind of thing? Shit, what if he recognizes me as the hobo? Will he try to kick my ass or something? I’ll play it off like I’m trying to scam people. I wonder if I should have gotten more quarters.” All kinds of silly shit. Then he talks to me…
Moment of Truth
“Hey man, you wanna get your car washed?”
“… excuse me?” I reply, baffled.
“Want us to wash your car man? Only three bucks and we get you right, shine that Mitsubishi up real good,” he pitches.
“Wait… I’m coming to a do-it-yourself carwash, and you’re offering to sell me the service of washing it for me?”
“Yeah, man! Cheaper then them automatic ones and we do a better job. We got shimmies and shit, too.”
“… so… so this is why you guys are always hanging out here?”
“Yeah, man. The ‘conomy is all messed up! We gotta get some money somewhere, know-wud-ahm-sayin’?” he replies with youthful slang.
Psychologically, this throws me down and knocks the wind out of me. I’ve been suspicious and watchful as these kids — these decent little kids — are out here trying to make a buck while the nation gets so poor that people who used to look down their noses at this guy are now grateful they even have a job. He’s an entrepreneur at the most basic level, and he smells strongly of chemicals and wax.
“Well … well fuck… um, yeah, sure man. Here. Here, just have all these quarters and have at it. I’m going to pick up a six pack.”
The shame burst against my forehead like a balloon, shreds of embarrassment falling through my cerebral cortex. I’d just wasted about a month. “Wait,” I thought to myself… “it could be that they’re doing this, but maybe they sell on the side, too.” I turn around and watch as they quickly start lathering up my little four-cylinder with the soap-brush. They’re smiling and chattering away, completely ignoring me. I realize I must be standing there like Beaver Cleaver or Gomer Pyle, a look on my face that says something incredibly midwestern and white like “Well gol-lee! Heck and tarnation!” Really… this can’t be for real. What the hell was I thinking?
Conclusions
I think it’s time I move on to more important things than this car wash. If it’s even remotely got anything to do with drugs, I’m not going to fix it, and there are bigger fish to fry. I also think it’s time I remember to base my choices more on actual observation, instead of looking to see what I want to see. I wanted to make a difference so badly, I saw what I assumed to be drug dealers.
*sigh*…
Well, at least now I can move on to doing good somewhere, instead of playing the hobo when I don’t need to. So it goes.
~
 

Yep! You read right! I was leaving work early tonight & headed north Over the Eastbay overpass when lo & behold there’s a Big SUV with its hazards on and a pool of Fire underneath it sitting in the median! another car stopped about the same time I did, both of us FAR away.
I asked them to call 911 and pulled the fire extinguisher from my trunk. nobody is in, or around the SUV, no owner present.
As I’m walking back the fire is growing, black smoke, fire from under the hood, etc. The hood is popped but not open. I DO NOT open it the rest of the way (I’ve seen Back draft way to many times for that) and instead I stick the hose of my extinguisher under the hood as far as I can without getting burned. I pull the trigger & whoosh! out goes the fire!
“That’ll learn ya.” I smirked to myself and then the fire RESTARTED!
I stick the hose back under the hood again, and dump the entire contents of the extinguisher under the hood! it goes out, Than Floof! it’s starts right back up!
Meanwhile a Largo Police Sergeant & a Clearwater cop along with a auxiliary have stopped & I can hear fire trucks.
The Clearwater auxiliary had heard of me, and said “Oh yeah! you’re the Superhero!” while he directed traffic around us. Largo Fire arrived and I told them to be careful as my extinguisher did not put a dent in the fire, “Relax” the fireman said “You just needed 500 gallons of water to do the trick” and it did. My actions may not have put much of a dent in things, but at least it kept things at bay and a gas tank explosion from happening before the fire Dept. could get there. I asked the largo Sergeant if he needed a statement or anything, than took off.
Moral: start carrying a fire extinguisher. Odd that I always find accidents when I’m OUT of uniform huh?

Citizen Prime (formerly known as Paragon Prime) is a real-life crime fighter. His identity is guarded but not secret. He first appeared in Phoenix, Arizona in early 2006. Citizen Prime, or Prime, claims no superhuman powers. Prime’s experience and training make him an excellent tactician and creative problem solver. He is practiced in Ninjitsu, Tiajutsu, street fighting and Okinawan Karate. He is well versed in various armor technologies and nonlethal weapons. Prime has an excellent understanding of business, finance and technology.
Prime is a founding member of the non-profit Worldwide Heroes Organization and serves as the Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, among other duties.
Prime’s armor (to be completed in January, 2007) provides Level 2 and Level 3 ballistic, stab and blunt trauma protection to 70% of his body while providing complete flexibility. His armor can contain various non-lethal weapons including 130 db alarms, Pepper Spray, various stun technology devices (including Taser, hand held and pen stun devices built into the armor), the ARMA 100 device, etc.. HIs armor and equipment is in a constant state of refinement. His helmet and armor contain communication devices and recording devices, including voice amplification.
Future planned developments: Night vision, fire proofing and electrifying the outer structure of the armor.
Prime typically patrols in an unmarked car, in disguise, or on foot. His investigations center around local issues such as lost children, local drive by shootings and the like.
As of this writing, his real life investigations and encounters remain sealed for confidentiality.
Prime also hosts a podcast on Prime.Vox.com narrating the journey to become a superhero.
 

NOMEX is the registered brand name of a flame retardant material marketed and first discovered by DuPont in the 1970s. It can be considered an aromatic “nylon”. It is sold in both fiber and sheet forms and is used as a fabric wherever resistance from heat and flame is required. Nomex type 410 paper is the original and one of the larger grade types made, mostly for electrical insulation purposes. The paper is used in electrical laminates such as circuit boards and transformer cores as well as fireproof honeycomb structures where it is saturated with a phenolic resin. Honeycomb structures such as these, as well as mylar-nomex laminates are used extensively in aircraft construction. Both the firefighting and vehicle racing industries use NOMEX to create clothing and equipment that can stand up to intense heat. Both aramids are heat and flame resistant but Kevlar, having a para- orientation can be molecularly aligned and gives high strength. Meta aramid polymer cannot align during filament formation and has poor strength.
Race car drivers commonly use a hood to protect them in the event of fire.Military pilots and aircrew wear one-piece flight suits made of over 92% NOMEX, to protect them from the possibility of fires and other mishaps. The remaining 8% is usually Kevlar thread used to hold the fabric together at the seams.

The ASP Tactical Baton is a retractable self-defense baton manufactured by Armament Systems and Procedures, INC. It is a durable telescoping impact weapon used mainly by Law Enforcement and private Security personnel.
While the martial arts community has a number of cheap expandable batons available, such products differ dramatically from the ASP Tactical Baton. The FBI, The DEA, The U.S. Secret Service, and The US Army do NOT issue these exotic weapons to their personnel. They do issue the ASP Tactical Baton.
In most locales, you will need to be ASP Certified to carry and use this baton. ASP Basic Certification is provided for law enforcement officers. ASP Instructor Certification is designed to train instructors for police agencies. ASP Trainer Certification is available for individuals who will, in turn, train instructors in various Law Enforcement agencies. Both ASP Instructor Certification and ASP Trainer Certification are provided by Armament Systems and Procedures at no charge. Participation in an AIC or ATC program is scheduled through an authorized ASP Distributor or ASP Technical Support Manager.
 

*From Beerio’s Manual
Keeping cool under many layers of Kevlar
There a few different methods for cooling in suits.
*One way is to put different types of cooling packs in the refridgerator and then stuff these packs in pockets in the inside of the suit.
*Another is to have tubes with water (salt water might be better to keep the water pure and keep it from turning green and slimy) running around the body on the inside of the suit.
*Last, and least effective, is to have holes and vents for ventilation.
 

I myself am finding less and less “need” to work in my costume, even as dangerous as it can be to do what I do. For one thing, I don’t drive. Therefore looking inconspicuous comes in handy more often than not when gettin to the site. For more “high profile” fuzzy wuzzy occasions (I almost threw up when I typed that.) I have devised a secondary mask that’s a little more colorful; pics comin soon. One more of many to come >:D