It was only a matter of time, wasn't it?!
Chesley "Sully" Sullenberger pulls off a miraculous landing in the Hudson River, saving more than 150 lives.
I'm still waiting for the movie, but for now, people enamored with the idea of heroically landing a crippled airliner can take solace in a new on-line simulator of sorts.
http://www.addictinggames.com/heroonthehudson.html
Enjoy "Hero on the Hudson".
Friday, January 30, 2009
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
Blog Problems
I've been having problems for several weeks now with the blog server saving my posts. I'm trying to get the issue resolved. Stand by for more thoughts at a later date.
Monday, January 12, 2009
Carjacker Wanted For Murder
Update on the carjacker shot by the BPD at the Bakersfield Air Park, after running from officers on January 4, 2009.
The BPD's Critical Incident Review Board found that all three officers were within Departmental Policy, along with state and federal guidelines.
**A side note, apparently the suspect, Jose Peyan-Leal was being sought be Mexican police on an outstanding warrant for murder**
The BPD's Critical Incident Review Board found that all three officers were within Departmental Policy, along with state and federal guidelines.
**A side note, apparently the suspect, Jose Peyan-Leal was being sought be Mexican police on an outstanding warrant for murder**
Riding High, Feeling Low
What a weekend!!!
It began with another cameo on ESPN2 as ring announcer for Friday Night Fights. A great fight card that ended with up and coming featherweight Yuriorkis 'El Cyclone' Gamboa scoring a TKO with :48 seconds left in the 10th and final round. I was feeling pretty good.
On the drive home from Primm, Nevada on Saturday morning, I get a frantic call from home. One of the horses backed up into a piece of metal in his stall and sliced the two tendons and an artery in his right hind leg.
My wife Lori was holding a towel in place, while one of our vets, Dr. Chris Comeau raced to the house. "Merlin" (the 7-yr old Arabian) was patched up enough to take to the Bakersfield Vet Hospital where Dr. John Tolley did his best to sew the tendons and artery back together.
Toss in Dr. Laura Blanton, along with assistants Hector and Rachel, and a terrifying moment was made a little more bearable.
I raced from there back home long enough to get cleaned up for Saturday night's Condors game where despite a severely sore throat, I struggled through and watched the guys pick up a much needed 3-2 win over the Aces.
Sunday was spent reflecting on everything that transpired in the last 48 hours, while boxing up the last of the Christmas decorations.
You see, there are two X-mas celebrations in my house. The one on Dec. 25th and another sometime this month in Phoenix with my family.
I'm always glad to have the 2nd holiday with my side of the family, especially this year.
There's already a lot to be thankful for in less than two weeks.
It began with another cameo on ESPN2 as ring announcer for Friday Night Fights. A great fight card that ended with up and coming featherweight Yuriorkis 'El Cyclone' Gamboa scoring a TKO with :48 seconds left in the 10th and final round. I was feeling pretty good.
On the drive home from Primm, Nevada on Saturday morning, I get a frantic call from home. One of the horses backed up into a piece of metal in his stall and sliced the two tendons and an artery in his right hind leg.
My wife Lori was holding a towel in place, while one of our vets, Dr. Chris Comeau raced to the house. "Merlin" (the 7-yr old Arabian) was patched up enough to take to the Bakersfield Vet Hospital where Dr. John Tolley did his best to sew the tendons and artery back together.
Toss in Dr. Laura Blanton, along with assistants Hector and Rachel, and a terrifying moment was made a little more bearable.
I raced from there back home long enough to get cleaned up for Saturday night's Condors game where despite a severely sore throat, I struggled through and watched the guys pick up a much needed 3-2 win over the Aces.
Sunday was spent reflecting on everything that transpired in the last 48 hours, while boxing up the last of the Christmas decorations.
You see, there are two X-mas celebrations in my house. The one on Dec. 25th and another sometime this month in Phoenix with my family.
I'm always glad to have the 2nd holiday with my side of the family, especially this year.
There's already a lot to be thankful for in less than two weeks.
Wednesday, January 7, 2009
Viewer "Sounds Off" On-line
This e-mail was sent to ABC23 through our website. The viewer was reacting to the story of the carjacker who was shot dead by police at the Air Park. Tuesday night we had reaction from the suspects family, (which as you can imagine was filled with "police didn't have to kill him", "why didn't they shoot to stop him", etc, etc) the BPD and the neighbor of the victim.
Here's what the viewer wrote:
Why is it that you, and every other TV station, feels it necessary to spend so much time and energy trying to convince your viewers that a criminal being shot by police is a good, fine, upstanding, family man who wouldn't harm a flea? You show happy family photos, and endlessly interview family members and others, showing children left behind. I heard virtually nothing about the victim this punk shot in cold blood. What about him? Oh, yeah, that wouldn't fit with the punk's angelic image you try to portray. How about just mention that his family disagrees with what happened and then report about the crime itself and how the police stopped a violent criminal from continuing to inflict harm on society.
Well, we did report on the "punk" and what he did.
I think you can understand my take on the situation by reading the last two posts on this blog, but that doesn't mean that the suspects family doesn't have a right to be heard. To be truly fair, we go after both sides of the story, even if I personally don't care for it.
As for the picture of him, I've yet to encounter the family of a suspected criminal who provides the media with a "bad" photo?! I can only think of one time, and the family called right after the show to ask for the photo back and for us to stop running it, because it made him look guilty.
As for the endless family interviews, it was one person we used, with two short sound bites that had to be translated.
We buffered that sound, with bites from the neighbor who came to the aid of Julio Diaz after he was shot trying to stop Leal from stealing his car, along with Sgt. Greg Terry.
No one is trying to set up this suspect as something "angelic".
All the sound bites and happy photo's in the world can't change what really happened.
Here's what the viewer wrote:
Why is it that you, and every other TV station, feels it necessary to spend so much time and energy trying to convince your viewers that a criminal being shot by police is a good, fine, upstanding, family man who wouldn't harm a flea? You show happy family photos, and endlessly interview family members and others, showing children left behind. I heard virtually nothing about the victim this punk shot in cold blood. What about him? Oh, yeah, that wouldn't fit with the punk's angelic image you try to portray. How about just mention that his family disagrees with what happened and then report about the crime itself and how the police stopped a violent criminal from continuing to inflict harm on society.
Well, we did report on the "punk" and what he did.
I think you can understand my take on the situation by reading the last two posts on this blog, but that doesn't mean that the suspects family doesn't have a right to be heard. To be truly fair, we go after both sides of the story, even if I personally don't care for it.
As for the picture of him, I've yet to encounter the family of a suspected criminal who provides the media with a "bad" photo?! I can only think of one time, and the family called right after the show to ask for the photo back and for us to stop running it, because it made him look guilty.
As for the endless family interviews, it was one person we used, with two short sound bites that had to be translated.
We buffered that sound, with bites from the neighbor who came to the aid of Julio Diaz after he was shot trying to stop Leal from stealing his car, along with Sgt. Greg Terry.
No one is trying to set up this suspect as something "angelic".
All the sound bites and happy photo's in the world can't change what really happened.
Tuesday, January 6, 2009
Shooting Accusation Update
New information, outcome the same.
Another day and more information is coming out in the case of Jose Leal, the carjacker who was shot by police as he attempted to run away.
There's been a lot of talk about the police and how they handled the situation.
Let me reiterate my stance from the previous post.
You have a positively identified suspect, who shot the owner of a car as he stole it, sitting in the stolen Dodge Durango with police all around it.
The suspect starts to run away, with gun in hand according to police, and he's shot from behind.
I don't have a problem with that.
What part of "Get out of the car" and "Show me your hands" don't you understand. Family members told a reporter that he didn't speak English.
Picture yourself in a foreign country where you didn't speak the language. You are surrounded by vehicles with lights or sirens blaring. People with guns are pointing at you, screaming things you don't understand. Is your first reaction to run? My answer is: only if you're guilty.
This isn't a movie.
The hero isn't escaping after being framed for a crime he didn't commit.
When someone dies however, we sometimes attempt to justify or rationalize his or her actions.
Family members say he had a wife and child. He came into the country illegally, but was trying to make a better life for himself.
I'll even overlook his past indiscretion.
But don't forget, the police gave him plenty of chances to give up.
Officers gave numerous commands, over and over.
They deployed a K-9 to take him down, but the dog became distracted by another dog.
Only then did they fire their guns and thus create a potential firestorm of controversy.
Don't try to run from the truth.
The media gets a bad wrap for jailhouse interviews. The public is sometimes angered by us giving the accused a chance to tell their side of the story.
Sometimes, like this situation, the suspect doesn't give us the chance.
And the media, police, family and victims are all left to wonder.
Another day and more information is coming out in the case of Jose Leal, the carjacker who was shot by police as he attempted to run away.
There's been a lot of talk about the police and how they handled the situation.
Let me reiterate my stance from the previous post.
You have a positively identified suspect, who shot the owner of a car as he stole it, sitting in the stolen Dodge Durango with police all around it.
The suspect starts to run away, with gun in hand according to police, and he's shot from behind.
I don't have a problem with that.
What part of "Get out of the car" and "Show me your hands" don't you understand. Family members told a reporter that he didn't speak English.
Picture yourself in a foreign country where you didn't speak the language. You are surrounded by vehicles with lights or sirens blaring. People with guns are pointing at you, screaming things you don't understand. Is your first reaction to run? My answer is: only if you're guilty.
This isn't a movie.
The hero isn't escaping after being framed for a crime he didn't commit.
When someone dies however, we sometimes attempt to justify or rationalize his or her actions.
Family members say he had a wife and child. He came into the country illegally, but was trying to make a better life for himself.
I'll even overlook his past indiscretion.
But don't forget, the police gave him plenty of chances to give up.
Officers gave numerous commands, over and over.
They deployed a K-9 to take him down, but the dog became distracted by another dog.
Only then did they fire their guns and thus create a potential firestorm of controversy.
Don't try to run from the truth.
The media gets a bad wrap for jailhouse interviews. The public is sometimes angered by us giving the accused a chance to tell their side of the story.
Sometimes, like this situation, the suspect doesn't give us the chance.
And the media, police, family and victims are all left to wonder.
Monday, January 5, 2009
Where are the shooting accusations?
A fleeing suspect is shot be Bakersfield Police on Sunday.
I've received a press release from the BPD, with two updates as of 3:30 Monday morning but so far no conspiracy theory.
The two usually go hand-in-hand.
Within minutes of an officer involved shooting (this one involving THREE officers) we get at least one e-mail and a phone call or two charging the police with being gun-happy mercenaries who target innocent people OR one-time criminals, who've been working hard to turn their lives around, up until they accidentally stole a car by shooting the owner, thus leading police on a high speed chase.
A chase that ended up at the Bakersfield Air Park, driving across the runway, around hangars, until the suspect hopped out of the car and started to run, with gun in hand, and was shot by three officers.
I was expecting the first e-mail within minutes of this story. Someone crying out, "But he was running away from police!!!"
Who cares which direction he was headed?!
If it was towards my neighborhood, I say "Open Fire!!!"
Police have a policy when it comes to a person holding some kind of weapon and is a danger to a person or property.
Shoot until the threat is neutralized.
I can already hear it, "Couldn't they have used a non-lethal device?!"
Let me answer for them by saying, "No".
There was no confusion in this incident.
The suspect shot the owner of the car and stole it. The call went out. The vehicle was identified and the driver matched the suspects description. Probably further verified when he took off leading police on a chase that went on the tarmac at the Bakersfield Air Park, crashing through several gates before overturning in a vacant field.
The suspect got out and ran, with gun in hand.
Police yelled for him to stop and drop the weapon. He didn't comply. He's now dead.
I've always been fascinated by people who run from police, then complain about how they deal with the situation.
Try this, stop and give up.
You'll save the police and grief stricken family members from trying to make sense of it after you're gone.
I've received a press release from the BPD, with two updates as of 3:30 Monday morning but so far no conspiracy theory.
The two usually go hand-in-hand.
Within minutes of an officer involved shooting (this one involving THREE officers) we get at least one e-mail and a phone call or two charging the police with being gun-happy mercenaries who target innocent people OR one-time criminals, who've been working hard to turn their lives around, up until they accidentally stole a car by shooting the owner, thus leading police on a high speed chase.
A chase that ended up at the Bakersfield Air Park, driving across the runway, around hangars, until the suspect hopped out of the car and started to run, with gun in hand, and was shot by three officers.
I was expecting the first e-mail within minutes of this story. Someone crying out, "But he was running away from police!!!"
Who cares which direction he was headed?!
If it was towards my neighborhood, I say "Open Fire!!!"
Police have a policy when it comes to a person holding some kind of weapon and is a danger to a person or property.
Shoot until the threat is neutralized.
I can already hear it, "Couldn't they have used a non-lethal device?!"
Let me answer for them by saying, "No".
There was no confusion in this incident.
The suspect shot the owner of the car and stole it. The call went out. The vehicle was identified and the driver matched the suspects description. Probably further verified when he took off leading police on a chase that went on the tarmac at the Bakersfield Air Park, crashing through several gates before overturning in a vacant field.
The suspect got out and ran, with gun in hand.
Police yelled for him to stop and drop the weapon. He didn't comply. He's now dead.
I've always been fascinated by people who run from police, then complain about how they deal with the situation.
Try this, stop and give up.
You'll save the police and grief stricken family members from trying to make sense of it after you're gone.
Friday, January 2, 2009
Broken Promises
It's time to start initiating those New Year's resolutions!!!!
You know, the one (or one's) you came up with in the latter stages of 2008, that are meant to shape you and your life into a better person this year.
Scanning the web for a variety of resolutions that are typically broken, I've come up with a few to keep in mind.
Obviously, losing weight is a biggie, no pun intended.
Also on the list being more organized, becoming more of a people person and saving money are very popular promises.
Then, there are things like the desire to learn something new in the coming year. I could use this one when it comes to my computer and the world wide web, which after all these year's I've barely scratched the surface on.
Other vows include scaling back on the amount of TV you watch and giving up on-line games at work. (Maybe they should erase Solitaire from the windows system menu).
Another promise I found interesting on the list was the promise to never be late for work again. However in the news business, you're ALWAYS at work, so to speak. Breaking news never takes a day off.
The number 1 resolution of course is to quit drinking or smoking, which might explain the increase in TV ads for the patch and other nicotine quitting devices you see advertised at length during the holidays.
So, here is the list of the old standbys, just in case you didn't come up with something fresh for the new year.
If you're someone who constantly ends up with a broken promise by February 1st (at the latest) then you might want to start small.
Like promising to post more on your company blog!!!
You know, the one (or one's) you came up with in the latter stages of 2008, that are meant to shape you and your life into a better person this year.
Scanning the web for a variety of resolutions that are typically broken, I've come up with a few to keep in mind.
Obviously, losing weight is a biggie, no pun intended.
Also on the list being more organized, becoming more of a people person and saving money are very popular promises.
Then, there are things like the desire to learn something new in the coming year. I could use this one when it comes to my computer and the world wide web, which after all these year's I've barely scratched the surface on.
Other vows include scaling back on the amount of TV you watch and giving up on-line games at work. (Maybe they should erase Solitaire from the windows system menu).
Another promise I found interesting on the list was the promise to never be late for work again. However in the news business, you're ALWAYS at work, so to speak. Breaking news never takes a day off.
The number 1 resolution of course is to quit drinking or smoking, which might explain the increase in TV ads for the patch and other nicotine quitting devices you see advertised at length during the holidays.
So, here is the list of the old standbys, just in case you didn't come up with something fresh for the new year.
If you're someone who constantly ends up with a broken promise by February 1st (at the latest) then you might want to start small.
Like promising to post more on your company blog!!!
Thursday, January 1, 2009
Concert Behavior 101 - Clear the Air
Consistency is the key.
There's been a lot of talk about the BPD's behavior regarding pot smoking at the Snoop Dogg concert last week.
Why didn't the officer bust the dozens of people *lighting* up during the concert?!
Talk of a potential riot, racial profiling, etc, etc. have been tossed around, turning the incident into a full blown blogging controversy.
I've been attending concerts for the better part of 30 years, taking in my first show (Fleetwood Mac, 1978 Chicago Amphitheatre) when I was 14.
From the rock chapter there was the Stones, Aerosmith, RUSH, AC/DC, Journey and The Who (Farewell Tour '83) just to name a few.
John Michael Montgomery to Frank Sinatra, a young Little Richard, KORN, George Clinton and The Grateful Dead, I've attended a large number of shows, from stadium gigs to intimate gatherings and just about ALL of them contained some form of stimulant or sedative that was floating around the venue in people's hands or in the air.
Sure, not everyone was doing it, but there were groups here and there.
Every now and again, I cover a concert for ABC23. It consists of getting escorted down to the sound board, where you plug in and record the first :30 seconds of the first two or three songs. Then, you're escorted out.
It's amazing what you can witness in that short time.
Like the time I shot the Brad Paisley concert, and while I was wading through a sea of people towards the front of the stage with my camera, I'm offered a joint.
C'mon, I'm working!!!
My message though is be consistent. If you're not going to bust someone in a large crowd of people at a concert for lighting up in plain sight, then you've got to leave the little guy alone.
I'm not going to try and differentiate between the people getting stoned at the Snoop Dogg concert and those who were spinning around in the grass, on grass, during a Jimmy Buffet show I attended in San Diego.
Stoners are stoners, only some now pack heat.
It's the consistency I'm after.
At a ZZ Top concert at Rabobank a couple years ago, I'm standing on a chair waiting for the show to start. A young man (when he started attending these shows) was very excited to be at Rabobank for the bearded brothers. He was screaming at me to put him on camera. I mentioned I didn't have night vision on the camera, but it didn't mean anything to him.
He had that "I've been smoking pot all day" stink about him. As soon the curtains parted and the band launched into the first song of the night, this gentlemen sparked up right below me, inhaled, and walked off with the joint in his hand, while screaming in his exhale.
He didn't make it 10 feet before security had him in a headlock and was escorting him to the door.
Are you kidding me??
The last few times a rap or hip/hop artist played at Rabobank, I clearly remember the smell of marijuana hovering over the crowd. Maybe I just missed the part where they were escorting people out. There was no riot and the people taking part weren't making any effort to hide it.
There have been calls for the BPD to shutdown concerts for this kind of illegal activity.
Maybe, just be consistent from now on.
It might free up some more tickets.
There's been a lot of talk about the BPD's behavior regarding pot smoking at the Snoop Dogg concert last week.
Why didn't the officer bust the dozens of people *lighting* up during the concert?!
Talk of a potential riot, racial profiling, etc, etc. have been tossed around, turning the incident into a full blown blogging controversy.
I've been attending concerts for the better part of 30 years, taking in my first show (Fleetwood Mac, 1978 Chicago Amphitheatre) when I was 14.
From the rock chapter there was the Stones, Aerosmith, RUSH, AC/DC, Journey and The Who (Farewell Tour '83) just to name a few.
John Michael Montgomery to Frank Sinatra, a young Little Richard, KORN, George Clinton and The Grateful Dead, I've attended a large number of shows, from stadium gigs to intimate gatherings and just about ALL of them contained some form of stimulant or sedative that was floating around the venue in people's hands or in the air.
Sure, not everyone was doing it, but there were groups here and there.
Every now and again, I cover a concert for ABC23. It consists of getting escorted down to the sound board, where you plug in and record the first :30 seconds of the first two or three songs. Then, you're escorted out.
It's amazing what you can witness in that short time.
Like the time I shot the Brad Paisley concert, and while I was wading through a sea of people towards the front of the stage with my camera, I'm offered a joint.
C'mon, I'm working!!!
My message though is be consistent. If you're not going to bust someone in a large crowd of people at a concert for lighting up in plain sight, then you've got to leave the little guy alone.
I'm not going to try and differentiate between the people getting stoned at the Snoop Dogg concert and those who were spinning around in the grass, on grass, during a Jimmy Buffet show I attended in San Diego.
Stoners are stoners, only some now pack heat.
It's the consistency I'm after.
At a ZZ Top concert at Rabobank a couple years ago, I'm standing on a chair waiting for the show to start. A young man (when he started attending these shows) was very excited to be at Rabobank for the bearded brothers. He was screaming at me to put him on camera. I mentioned I didn't have night vision on the camera, but it didn't mean anything to him.
He had that "I've been smoking pot all day" stink about him. As soon the curtains parted and the band launched into the first song of the night, this gentlemen sparked up right below me, inhaled, and walked off with the joint in his hand, while screaming in his exhale.
He didn't make it 10 feet before security had him in a headlock and was escorting him to the door.
Are you kidding me??
The last few times a rap or hip/hop artist played at Rabobank, I clearly remember the smell of marijuana hovering over the crowd. Maybe I just missed the part where they were escorting people out. There was no riot and the people taking part weren't making any effort to hide it.
There have been calls for the BPD to shutdown concerts for this kind of illegal activity.
Maybe, just be consistent from now on.
It might free up some more tickets.
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