Seattle Police Officer Shot in Central District

Updates and Breaking News at Bottom of Page

It isn’t all treats on Halloween.  Tonight a Seattle Police officer was shot just before ten PM in the Central District.  It is not known yet whether there is gang involvement.

Scant details are available but from the scanner we learned that there is one person dead at the scene, so hopefully not one of Seattle’s Best.His condition is not known at this time.   There were several reports of a car driving around the area shooting a gun into the air last night, and I’ve seen it mentioned that this was the reason for tonight’s stop of the vehicle, triggering a deadly firefight. 

Officers have spread out and are also using a chopper to look for the white or grey Toyota, with bullet holes in it.  Let’s hope they catch these guys quickly and that the officer makes a perfect recovery.

Seattle Crime.com | Home

Seattle Times

Updates

Already a sad bit of news about the Seattle PD officer shot tonight. It has just been announced that he has died. He has become the 59th officer killed in the line of duty and only the first since 2006. My heart goes out to the family and the officers he worked with. I will make sure I attend the memorial
'
The gang unit is on scene, and the incident happened moving east from the Central District and into Leschi. The search for a grey or white Toyota with bullet holes in it. The Seattle PI Blog has more detail:

http://blog.seattlepi.com/seattle911/

Update 2 (Nov. 1):

I mentioned a crack house a while back. On that day, two Seattle police officers drove by, saw us prying the plywood off the front door to gain access to the house (it was being surveyed for hazardous materials as required before demolition). They stopped and asked who we were, what we were doing. I showed them my ID, told them what we were doing. Their response was to "make it quick", as it doesn't "take long to get shot here". I replied that we would be quick, and asked if they'd hang around for ten minutes. They declined, saying that police officers in a patrol car were the most "visible targets of all". Sadly prophetic. This had better be a death penalty case when they make arrests.

Technorati Tags: True Crime,Crime,Seattle Police Officer Shot,Seattle,Seattle Crime,Shots fired,Manhunt

Update 3 (Nov. 1):

Last night's shooting of veteran officer Timothy Brenton, who was killed seconds after he made a traffic stop, has shocked and saddened the city and especially the Seattle Police Department.
Brenton was a 9-year veteran of Seattle Police at the time of his death. He leaves behind a wife and two children.
Officer Britt Sweeny was in the driver's seat and the two officers had just completed a traffic stop. They were discussing the procedures for the situation when a light-colored car pulled alongside and opened fire. Bullets struck Brenton in the head, killing him. Bullets grazed Sweeny, tearing furrows in her vest and uniform shirt. Sweeney is 33- years-old and a recent graduate of the Washington State Criminal Justice Training Center. She was treated and released at Harborview Medical Center.
The police chief had high praise for the trainee's response to a very intense situation, saying "Officer Sweeney was able to get on the air and summon additional officers to the scene. Officer Sweeney’s performance was exemplary under the most stressful and horrific call imaginable". Sweeny got off perhaps six shots at the suspect's vehicle as it made off down the street. She then made the officer down call, which scrambled units from every precinct in Seattle, as well as fire and rescue units, homicide and crime scene units. A recent academy graduate, being trained as a patrol officer, she handled herself very well. I hope she goes on to have a long and safe career in the SPD.
It is times like these that the thin blue line seems to stretch even thinner. When armed and uniformed officers become random targets how can any of us feel safe? A bank account is being set up for the family of officer Brenton and I'll post more information on the particulars when it is available.
I thought this verse by a Norfolk policeman appropriate for the loss of Officer Brenton:
http://www.policepoems.com/HeAnsweredTheCall.htm

 

Update 4 (Nov. 2):

From the Seattle Times:
In less than 10 years on the Seattle Police Department, Officer Timothy Brenton impressed his superiors so much they asked him to train other officers in the field.
He was doing that Saturday night, teaching rookie officer Britt Sweeney, when he was killed, apparently randomly in a drive-by shooting while sitting in a patrol car on a tree-lined street. Sweeney, only on duty for about a month, suffered minor injuries.
"Everybody loved him," said his uncle, Jon Brenton, 50, of Kingston, who recalled his nephew's quick smile and great sense of humor.
Timothy Brenton, 39, came from a family of police officers, the uncle said. The slain officer's father and another uncle are retired Seattle police officers, Jon Brenton said.
Brenton lived in a house in a leafy, middle-class neighborhood in Marysville, on a cul-de-sac with his wife and two young children.
"Just a regular American family; going to work, making a living," said neighbor Mark Flanders, 49, as he stood in his yard.
Brenton's two children, an 8-year-old boy and a girl, 11, are in elementary school, Flanders said.
Flanders described Brenton as a "quiet family man" and said the officer's wife, Lisa, worked as a nurse.
Jon Brenton said he learned of the shooting in a 2:30 a.m. phone call Sunday from the officer's father, Boyd Brenton, of La Conner.
"He was pretty broken," Brenton said. "It was kind of unbelievable to him. It was just kind of a dream."
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2010182922_officer02m.html

Update 5 (Nov. 2):

For a series of photos related to the story: http://www.seattlepi.com/local/gallery.asp?SubID=5207&page=1&gtitle=Leschi%20police%20shooting&pubdate=11/1/09
There is a moving photo and more detail on this page: http://www.seattlepi.com/local/411746_officer02.html?source=mypi
I avoid reading the comments with this type of thing because there are always some that irk me. Of course, before I realized I had read on into the comments I saw some asshat complaining that there were too many vehicles and officers present to honor the fallen officer as his remains were transferred. The assistant chief was right in pointing out that these people, the men and women of the SPD had to go right on with their jobs, without a break to 'process' or grieve. They were breaking up fights and responding to incidents all night on the busy Halloween night.
There were even a few comments like "one cop less" , and I was pleased to see this response to that nauseating comment:
"Hey all. Thanks for the kind words on behalf of this fallen officer. To the folks who have made the disparaging comments...Imagine that there are police so liberal and open minded that they read the Stranger...online even. You dumb asses still think we're all right wing fascist robots? I didn't like the police much until I grew up. Things have changed and there are many of us who hang out in your clubs, listen to your music and vote for your party. I hope the criminals you obviously prefer do right by you. Since I know they won't, the next time one of them stabs your ass for your IPod, go ahead and call. I'll come running to help you even though you hate me and celebrate the death of my kind." This was from a post in the Stranger, BTW.

Update 6 (Nov. 2):

All reports are that the car was not the one stopped for traffic violation, and that car had departed before the assailant's vehicle pulled alongside. Once shots had been fired the assailant reversed, made a three-point turn and sped off. Officer Sweeny returned fire, and may have hit the fleeing vehicle as it drove off. There is just one reference thus far to the assailant having watched or witnessed the traffic stop, though there are no denials of that statement at this point. Indications are that several witnesses have come forward from the neighboring residences and there have been a lot of tips phoned in. As of this time there is a $21,000 reward available. There are some rumors about gang initiation, a person of interest picked up later that night and then re-arrested after posting bond for an unrelated crime, as well as some other less credible (to my mind) rumors.

Update 7 (Nov. 2):

Reports are that this person of interest is being held on $30k bail - The DA asked for $150k. The charge is obstruction. The POI allegedly made a reference to someone being taken out.
UPDATED: The deputy chief downplayed this person in relation to the shooting but wouldn't rule out his involvement. The man has made threats and assaulted officers in the past, and was arrested on October 30 for making such a threat. He was free between the morning of October 31 and the early morning hours of November 1.

Update 8 (Nov. 2):

Writing that comment about the assailant driving to the side of the cruiser, shooting, then backing up, executing a 3-point turn and driving away made me think that this was planned. That sequence seems like something cumbersome and uninstinctual to do without planning. Why do it? To keep from showing up on the police vehicle's video camera, mounted and facing forward. Maybe I am reading to much into it...

Update 9 (Nov. 2):

Seattle PD Changes Deployment and Warns Other Departments of 'Hit' --
from the Seattle Times:
Seattle police are warning other departments to take steps to protect officers after the Halloween night drive-by shooting that killed a veteran officer and grazed a rookie.
Interim Chief John Diaz told a city council briefing Monday it was a "hit on law enforcement." He says Seattle police are changing the way officers are deployed.
Detectives are following tips, looking for the car that fled the scene and the person responsible for killing Timothy Brenton. The 39-year-old training officer from Marysville was hit in the head as he sat in a car reviewing a traffic stop with officer Britt Sweeney. She is recovering at home as she works with investigators.
Diaz says a large venue is being sought for a funeral for Brenton.
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2010186582_apwaseattleofficerkilled1stldwritethru.html

 

Update 10 (Nov. 2):

Update on memorial service for Officer Brenton
The memorial service for Officer Timothy Brenton is scheduled for Friday, November 6th at 1:00 p.m. at the Key Arena.
The men and women of the Seattle Police Officers Guild, along with contributions from concerned citizens and Crime Stoppers, are now offering a reward of up to $40,000.00 for information that leads to the arrest and prosecution of those responsible for the murder of Officer Timothy Brenton and the attempted murder of Student Officer Britt Sweeny.

Update 11 (Nov. 3):

The person of interest mentioned earlier today has been de-emphasized and police do not think it likely he had anything to do with the murder of Officer Brenton or the wounding of Officer Sweeny. Hundreds of tips have flooded in, and police have dozens of officers following up every witness, tip and lead. ATF, the U.S. Marshal, the FBI, King County Sherriff and officers from other cities and the department of corrections (dealing with parolee and work-release cases) are all involved in following up leads.
According to CASEY MCNERTHNEY of the Seattle PI, "police have terabytes of video evidence that they were reviewing, trying to determine if something related to the shooting was captured.
"'We are bringing some detectives who have had experiences with other task forces that are knowledgeable in the handling of huge volumes of information, cataloging that and getting it electronically recorded so we can search it and otherwise compare it with any other information that's going to come in in the future,"' according to Assistant Chief Jim Pugel. Reports indicate that police are reviewing and collating video and audio from all police responses including traffic stops in the area and about the time that the shooting took place. In addition to numerous dash-mounted video recordings, police are also looking at video from businesses in the area. Once reviewed the video and audio data are being catalogued to make it easier to cross-check time sequences, vehicles, etc.
On October 22 several Seattle Police Department patrol cars were set on fire. Though the arson occurred on the very day that a small group of 20-30 people gathered in the downtown area as part of a nation-wide (but modestly attended) effort to protest police brutality. There is no indication that the arson is linked in any way to the shooting of Officers Brenton and Sweeny, and no reason to implicate them in any way with the protest. In fact, the arsonist left fliers protesting police brutality at the scene of the arson, though the reason the arsonist chose to set Seattle Police cars on fire as a protest of the actions of a King County Sherriff's deputy who assaulted a teenage girl in custody is unclear. That deputy had been fired and is facing criminal charges as a result of the incident. The Assistant Chief reiterated several time that all leads and possibilities were being looked at and worked.
Some people scoffed a bit at Mayor Greg Nickels today when he commented that SPD is one of the strongest departments in the country at solving 'these complicated cases'. Though it may appear to be a straightforward drive-by shooting, the department is going to have to sort through a huge amount of data to sift out the real evidence in the case. Massive amounts of recorded surveillance, hundreds of interviews, timelines, prior cases, other police actions that night, parolees arrested by the officer, people who made threats previously...very quickly it becomes apparent just what the Mayor meant when he called a 'simple drive-by' a complicated case. He is also correct that SPD has a national reputation for solving complex cases. I hope this is one of them. MB
http://www.seattlepi.com/local/411786_police03.html

 

Update 12 (Nov.3):

I agree completely with Jonah Spangenthal-Lee of SeattleCrime.com when he says that now is not the time to play the dispatch tape recording Officer Sweeny's call for backup after the ambush on Halloween night. He partner had just been hit multiple times, killed instantly, and she had been grazed and narrowly missed by other rounds. The interim Chief of Police has praised her for her professionalism in extreme circumstances even veteran officers would find very tough. She responded like a professional, and from the transcript below (from SeattleCrime.com) we get a glimpse into her humanity:
(0:00) Sweeney: Shots fired, 29th and Yesler!
(0:06) Dispatcher: Is there a unit calling radio?
(0:15) Officer 1: I believe she said I-5 north of yesler
(0:19) Operator: 3 george 13?
(0:22) Sweeney: [sobs]
(0:24) Operator: 3 George 13? I map George 13, I show her at 29 and E yesler way, if units could [surge?] that way
(0:37) Sweeney: Help. Shots fired [sobs]
(0:42) Sweeney: My partner’s dead.
(0:44) Dispatcher: I need units to 29 and East Yesler
(0:47) Officer 2: Edward 32’s on his way [Siren]
(1:00) Officer 1: 3 George en route
(1:08) Sweeney: Help me.
(1:13) Dispatcher: Help the officer 29 and E Yesler
(1:24) Sweeney: I need medical
(1:38) Officer 1: George 31 arriving
(2:01) Officer 1: George 33, we’ve got officer down. We need more, uh, we need fire here now.
(2:08) Dispatcher: Fire’s on the way.
http://seattlecrime.com/2009/11/02/the-call

 

Update 13 (Nov. 3)

There has been a fund established for the family of Officer Timothy Brenton. Donations may be made at any Bank of America branch under the “Brenton Family Assistance Fund.”
Officer Brenton leaves a wife and two children, ages 8 and 11, as well as his father and uncle, both retired Seattle Police Officers.

Update 14 (Nov. 3):

Officer Brenton's Family Thanks Community for Support

The Central District News blog has posted this video of Deputy Chief Pugel reading a handwritten letter from the family of slain officer Tim Brenton:
http://www.centraldistrictnews.com/2009/11/03/brenton-family-thanks-community-for-support

The text of the letter:
"The family of Officer Tim Brenton would like to thank the community for the tremendous outpouring of support. Even with the tragic loss, Tim’s wife and children are finding solace in the support from the police community, their friends and family, and the community as a whole. We know that Tim would be honored and humbled by the limitless support that has been provided at the difficult time. We sincerely thank you for the generous emotional support, thoughts, and prayers."

Update 15 (Nov. 3):

The reward in this case has reached $85,000 and in all likelihood is expected to exceed $100k in the next day or two.
Police are looking into several avenues of inquiry based on witness accounts, surveillance video and even information from other departments. One connection police are looking into is to determine if a similar incident in Southern California is linked to the murder of Officer Brenton. At this time there is no reason to link them, but it is being investigated along with the arson targeting police cars, any threats or recent assaults on police officers. ATF and the FBI have been brought into the investigation as well. So far, the department continues to say they have no person of interest and no motive established.

Update 16 (Nov. 4):

Investigators are now saying that dashboard camera video shows a vehicle which may be the small, light-colored car from which the fatal shots were fired. The video was recorded near the location and time of the Halloween shooting.

Update 17 (Nov. 4):

More on the video lead: It appears that the video in which police may have a pretty useful photo of the vehicle driven by the killer originated with the dash camera of one of the units responding immediately after the shooting. As that unit approached the area it captured images of a light-colored coupe leaving the area. Man I hope a license plate was visible. The bulletin advises officers checking out light colored coupe vehicles to approach with extreme caution. The Seattle Times, crimeblog and Seattle Weekly are all reporting similar information, and the Weekly even reminded drivers of cars matching this vague description to avoid any sudden moves if stopped. No doubt.
Another piece of new information being reported today may or may not be related to the ambush investigation, but is certainly being followed up zealously. The arson which damaged four Seattle Police Department vehicles a couple of weeks ago was committed using pipe bomb devices - something that had not been reported previously and which clearly ups the ante over a simpler means of ignition. We also are hearing that a note threatening officers and equipment of the Seattle Police Department was found at the location of the arson. It is still not clear whether the arson and the murder are connected but certainly there is a strong motivation to check it out.

Update 18 (Nov. 4):

Reward reaches $105,000 for information leading to the arrest and prosecution of the murderer of Officer Tim Brenton. There will be a procession of vehicles from Husky Stadium through the city to the Memorial service at Key Arena. Police estimate well over 1,000 cars will take part in the procession and word is they are planning to accommodate 5,000. Police and firefighters from dozens of departments in Washington, Idaho and Oregon are sending contingents to show support.

Update 19 (Nov. 4):

KING news is reporting that Seattle Police found a backpack downtown containing the names of officers, the shifts they are assigned to, and times they would come and go. No idea yet if that is connected to the murder, or to the arson, or even to both, but it is being looked at hard. Police also have a bulletin out on the specific car that is believed to have been driven by the killer. It fits the description, and when videotaped by a patrol car responding to Officer Sweeny's "Shots fired"
the manner in which the suspect car was being driven is being termed suspicious. They are not yet prepared to say whether the car was involved, but the Seattle PD is very interested in talking with the owner. They're holding back the specific make and model to use in deciding which tips are likely to be accurate.

Update 20 (Nov.5):

SPD now is saying that they have video from 2-3 police cars showing the same car driving in a reckless manner as the units raced to the location of the shooting.
No official confirmation of the specific license, but multiple sources are now reporting that the investigation is using the information as a hold-back. There is a statewide bulletin to stop cars matching that description, and officers are told to approach with extreme caution.
A weird tidbit emerged overnight. A man was arrested at a bar in Ballard last night, and that unremarkable fact has been mentioned repeatedly in posts, blogs and news reports as being in some way related to the investigation, though police aren't commenting. Could be nothing, could be a break.
The impromptu memorial for Officer Brenton has continued to grow. The scene is somber, and a huge array of flowers have been laid at the spot where the patrol car was parked. The color guard for the memorial service was present for a while yesterday afternoon while Officer Brenton's family was there seeing both the site of the murder and the informal memorial.
Nearby, just a few blocks from the scene, new threats have appeared - tagged to a building by a gang well-known to SPD. The note is specific, threatening a particular detective by name. I'm just hoping that this bad situation doesn't serve as an impetus for a broader attack on officers.
This investigation is covering a lot of ground, and every day there are rumors popping up concerning possible breaks in the case. I try to avoid these unless they are something I've heard from one of two sources.

Update 21 (Nov. 5):

The Memorial Service will be at 1PM tomorrow. The procession of cars will leave UW at 9 AM and will take about three hours to reach the arena. It's not being publicly stated whether Officer Sweeny will attend, but it will be a surprise if she doesn't. What a strong person she is; one need only listen to the radio call for backup and how she handled a really tough situation to see that toughness.
The Space Needle had a ceremony at 10AM this morning to honor Officer Brenton. A 600 square foot flag was hoisted aloft by members of the SPD honor guard. The flag represents a Seattle PD badge with black band around it and Officer Brenton's badge number on a field of white.

Update 22 (Nov. 5):

The man arrested at the bar in Ballard was taken into custody for questioning when other bar patrons reported to police that he was making threatening remarks about police. SPD has subsequently said that the man is not connected to the murder of officer Brenton.

Update 23 (Nov. 5):

Here is video of the flag-raising:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i9qtcmsW0-Q&feature=player_embedded#
Local stations have not announced whether they will cover the service live or not, but here are the main stations:
King 5 has been out front in getting information thus far, the website is: http://www.king5.com/
KOMO http://www.komonews.com/ (Komo is reporting now that Officer Sweeny has asked to return to work, saying she wants to get back out there.
KIRO: http://www.kirotv.com/index.html
KCPQ13: http://www.q13fox.com/
I'll post more if and when the stations announce plans.

 

Update 24 (Nov. 5):

KOMO has confirmed they will show the ceremony live online at the above website.
There is a picture of the 1980-1983 Datsun located on several sites, now, including KOMO: http://www.komonews.com/news/69326562.html

 

Update 25 (Nov. 5):

Here is a clearer image taken just before the murder. The car is a Datsun 2 door hatchback of the B210 type. http://www.mynorthwest.com/?nid=11&sid=236767

Update 26 (Nov. 5):

For information on the car as well as a psychological profile (I know, they are not always helpful, but it is worth a try), go to Suspected car and possible suspect profile

Update 27 (Nov. 6):

Cars have begun moving along the procession route from the UW toward Key Arena, where the memorial for Officer Tim Brenton will be held at 1PM today. 

Investigators have now indicated that photos of the car carrying the person that murdered officer Brenton have been retrieved from the patrol car used that night by Officers Sweeny and Brenton.  This photo, mentioned previously as having been taken prior to the shooting, indicates that the assailant likely followed the patrol car for about fifteen minutes before the shooting.  No word yet on whether this indicates specific targeting of particular officers, or just officers the assailant happened upon first. 

The procession and memorial are being webcast live here: http://live.komotv.com/

Update 28 (Nov. 6):

The procession this morning was very moving with people along the streets with hands over hearts and black ribbons on garments.  It was extremely quiet as the vehicles passed by, and it is my hope that the family and officers of SPD feel the support and respect of the community.  The memorial is live on the websites l noted above.  There are officers from all over the country and Canada.  It is impressive to see how many have come out despite traffic and severe weather today.  I've not seen Officer Sweeny yet, but I understand she will be here.

SPD has said that they will not be releasing any informational updates on the case for the next three days unless there is a break, of course.  This is to allow the focus to be on Officer Brenton and his family rather than the murder during this period immediately following the memorial.

Update 29 (Nov. 6):

A huge, multi-agency police response is underway in Tukwila outside an apartment building.  Early video from a local news helicopter showed a man being pulled from the building after having been shot, presumably by officers.  There is no indication what the incident was, or what the police are at the scene for, beyond responding to gunfire.  It is being reported that officers from the Seattle Police Homicide division are on scene, along with as many as thirty units from at least five law enforcement agencies.  Could be related to the murder of Officer Brenton, or it may not.  Updates as available.   

Update 30 (Nov.6):

BREAKING NOW

Police from Tukwila shot a person while executing a search warrant this afternoon.  Helicopter video shows a police car blocking in a car which resembles a hatchback of the type suspected in the shooting of Officer Brenton.  The car is under a cloth cover, but definitely looks like a possible match for the Datsun B210 being looked for.  Seattle police sources have confirmed that they have a person of interest they are looking for in the Brenton case.  Homicide from Seattle is present and there are now upwards of forty-five units on scene at this location.  There are several investigators present on this scene who have been working on Tim Brenton’s case, and they have confirmed unofficially that this person may be the suspect in the shooting.

Update 31 (Nov. 6):

Tukwila Police are confirming that the man they shot when he displayed a gun as officers served a search warrant is in fact the suspect Seattle Police are looking for in the shooting of Officer Tim Brenton.  The suspect, who was wounded and I believe was wounded in the torso, is a man in his late thirties and is of mixed race – no other details are available.    The car is still under a tarp. 

Update 32 (Nov.6):

Deputy Chief Jim Pugel has arrived on the scene and is being briefed now.  He is expected to talk with reporters in the next 30 minutes.  The suspect is at Harborview Medical Center, and a second person has been taken into custody.  It is not clear how the second person is connected.  Some reports indicate a third person is being talked to, but most are still reporting two suspects. 

Update 33 (Nov. 6):

The Seattle Times is reporting that Interim Chief John Diaz is indicating that there are two people being detained as witnesses (not suspects) in the Brenton investigation.  The person of interest in the case was indeed shot to the head and is at Harborview.  A reporter has commented that there was a lot of blood in the ambulance.  The two additional detainees are being interviewed because they associated with the person of interest, not because they are suspects.  He also indicated that the person shot was hit by Seattle Police, not Tukwila police.  The man fired first. 

Police looked at all 18 registered Datsun B210 units in Washington and found that none matched.  That was the point at which they released the photos and asked for public assistance.  It is believed that a tip lead them to this location.

Update 34 (Nov. 6):

Seattle police were NOT serving a search warrant, but they were present to talk with a person of interest.  As officers approached the man, outside the apartment building, the man began to run, then pulled a handgun.  It is not clear whether the man shot his weapon before being shot, but three Seattle detectives fired their weapons when the man drew his gun. 

There was a tip that the person of interest was associated with a car matching the description of the Datsun.  The vehicle was covered by a tarp, and the police did not put the tarp in place.  There were rumors at the memorial service this afternoon that police had a good tip to follow up on, and the timing of the events just after the end of the memorial service does make me wonder if the detectives were monitoring the man until the service ended.  Interim Chief Diaz has said that ‘this is THE car’ – meaning that the car under the tarp is indeed the vehicle used in the crime.  Police are being cautious and have asked for a search warrant to be sure access to the car is clear.  I cannot say whether the Chief’s comments mean that the car has bullet holes in it or not. 

The person of interest is in critical condition at Harborview, and is under heavy guard.  Officers at the hospital have been heard commenting that this is ‘our guy’. 

Police are being very cautious in searching the car and the apartment in case any potential dangers are present.  If the case is connected to the arson which recently damaged four Seattle Police vehicles, and included several pipe bombs, they have good reason to be cautious. 

There have been several radio communications indicating that the suspect has died, but no official or news source confirmation yet. 

Update 35 (Nov. 6):

Reports are now indicating that the man not only drew his weapon, but pulled the trigger.  The gun misfired, and the man didn’t get a second squeeze. 

A tip from a citizen who saw the photos of the vehicle used in the murder of Officer Brenton brought police to the scene of today’s shooting of a person of interest in the attack.  The tipster apparently became suspicious when photos appeared and the tipster realized that the car had been covered since the night of the attack.

Technorati Tags: True Crime,Crime,Seattle Police Officer Shot,Seattle,Seattle Crime,Shots fired,Manhunt

College Student Shoots, Kills Home Invader - News Story - WSB Atlanta

I have thought a lot about whether I would want a pistol in the house, or even on my person.  I’ve always felt that if you’re not trained, or if you’re unsure of how you respond in crisis situations, of if you would be willing to use deadly force, then you should not have a gun for home protection. 

I also know that for even violent crimes it can take police up to fifteen minutes to respond.  That is long enough so that the only thing they might find on arrival is a crime scene.  I only became sure when there were a series of home invasions near where I lived, and half a dozen people were murdered.  I realized then that I would be wiling to use deadly force on a person who aggressively entered my home through break-in.  I trained by taking instruction, by putting at least ten thousand rounds down the barrels of my small arsenal, and by taking a course in home defense tactics and laws.  I hope I never have to respond to a home invasion, but if I do, I hope it goes like  it did for this brave and well-prepared young man, who saved ten people from rape and murder.

College Student Shoots, Kills Home Invader - News Story - WSB Atlanta

Technorati Tags: True Crime,home invasion,crime,student shoots would-be rapist,guns,firearms

AFP: Ex-inmate dies in crash one month after leaving death row

I don’t know the details of this case, but if indeed Mr. Toney was innocent of the crime which resulted in his death sentence, then this is a particularly sad event.  I wonder if he had been drinking before he lost control of the vehicle?  After ten years on death row, it turns out that life on the outside of death row was far more lethal.

AFP: Ex-inmate dies in crash one month after leaving death row

Technorati Tags: Death Row,Death Penalty,Michael Toney

I’m Pretty Sure I Just had an Aneurism!

So very seldom in life do we appreciate how unique are our experiences.  We get into a rut, thinking that everything we do, think, eat, read, watch has been done before.  Or at least a lot of it.  Well, maybe you don’t, but I tend to do so, and I am always glad of it when something unexpected and novel reminds me that I am constantly experiencing the unique, it is just that I forget to pay attention. 

Earlier this week, I came across a perfect little reminder of just how unexpected life really is.  Before you look closely at the photo below, I am going to make a prediction about you that will be 100% accurate.  100%.  If you are honest, you will be forced to admit that without even knowing you, or at least without knowing you well at all, I have been able to tell you something about yourself.  Something undeniable.  And at the same time, I am going to prove that we will have shared a unique experience, one that every last one of us will be forced to admit was both singular AND  unpredictable.  How can I make this claim?  How can it be true in every case?

Start by examining this photo:

(photo by Alexey Eliseev and caption from Improbable Research)

I know that in looking at the photo, there is something odd that trips a little alarm in the brain, alerting us to possible funny business.  Who are these people and what are they doing?  To set the scene, allow me to tell you how I came across the photo.  On a message board I frequently read and occasionally pollute with my own posts, I was reading a discussion of the Nobel committee’s decision honoring President Obama with the Peace Prize for this year.  As was the case in the papers, at water coolers around the country and on the television news programs, opinions were mixed about the committee’s decision.  I commented on it in an earlier entry here at the Bully Pulpit (The Bully Pulpit  - Obama-wins-Nobel-peace-prize), and at the message board most of the posts expressed either surprise or gratification.  One of my favorite members of the board, known there by the handle Seagull, added a very simple post.  It contained a link to a website called Improbable Research, and it was there that I first saw the photo shown above.  I nearly skipped the caption of the photo  and simply moved on to the article, but something in my subconscious caught the oddness of the picture and made me take another look.

Seconds later I was laughing and wiping coffee off of my chin, and being reminded that  I don’t care how many of us there are on this planet, there is no way that anyone woke up the morning of October 11, 2009 and thought they would see this, or anything like this.  The photo at the top of the website linked by Seagull makes my all-time list of INWHGIWIWU events (I-never-would-have-guessed-it-when-I-woke-up).   No, no way someone woke up thinking, ‘uh, I foresee three - no four - Nobel Laureates, several women removing their bras, dividing them in two and...now the women are giving everyone a cup to breathe through.’  Now take another close look at the photo and you will see that at the 2009 Nobel Prize ceremony, Public Health Prize winner Dr. Elena Bodnar demonstrates her invention — a brassiere that, in an emergency, can be quickly converted into a pair of protective face masks, one for the brassiere wearer and one to be given to some needy bystander. She is assisted by Nobel laureates Wolfgang Ketterle (left), Orhan Pamuk, and Paul Krugman (right).

Tell the truth, now, there is not a person among us that could possibly have awakened that morning thinking, ‘I bet I see four Nobel Prize winners at this year’s ceremony wearing bra cups on their faces to demonstrate a patent-pending invention meant to equip all (unliberated anyway) women with life-saving emergency equipment as well as life-enhancing comfort and support.’ So you see,our lives are not so very predictable at all. 

Insert gratuitous remarks HERE.   

Oh, and so what does the title have to do with the rest of this mess?  Well, think of it as a sort of Public Service Announcement to warn you not to do what I did.  Whether you have a mouthful of coffee or not, when you need to laugh, and laugh hard, DO NOT HOLD IT IN!  Nothing good will come of it, with results ranging from ruptured ear drum, to aneurism, to an (hopefully small) unintended deposit in the shorts, to, well…I think you get the idea. 

Technorati Tags: funny photos,funny pictures,humor,humorous pictures,Nobel Peace Prize,Obama Peace Prize,Barack Obama,WTF

Seahawks Injuries

Seattle Seahawks Coach Jim Mora spoke to reporters last week, and the topic right off the top was injuries.  Just as it has been through most of the last two seasons.  Mora began his press conference with a nearly five minute long monologue outlining the injuries and likeliness of each player to be available for today’s game with the Cardinals.  It was a mildly humorous opening for a press conference, but for Seahawks fans, players, coaches and management, it is bitter humor.  The injury situation had become so bad that Mora called it the worst he’s seen in his twenty-six years in football.  At times in recent weeks Mora has had eight, nine, even ten starters injured and possibly unable to play.  He’s commented more than once that the Seahawks might not be able to field 45 players due to injuries. 

All of this follows on a situation last year which saw entire positions on the depth chart virtually wiped out.  In 2008 Matt Hasselbeck was forced to throw to a group of receivers, not a one of whom had been on the roster in training camp.  Injuries hit many other positions as well, and most of us probably thought that we were seeing the sort of once-in-a-blue-moon kind of event, one we wouldn’t expect to have to face again for many years of Seahawks play.  And then this season began, and almost immediately it felt familiar and unwelcome.  This year, instead of a receiver corps (though nearly all of the receivers have had some injury that has kept them out of practice or a game to this point in the season), the entire left side of the offensive line has been wracked.  Not only has perpetual Pro-Bowler Walter Jones been injured, but for this week’s game the left guard and tackle protecting Hasselbeck’s broken ribs on the blind side included a player signed two weeks ago and another brought in off the Seahawk practice squad.  In today’s loss to the Cardinals, the Hawks lost the defensive quarterback, All-Pro Lofa Tatupu.  The defense’s signal caller will not be able to return in a couple of weeks to play through the pain, as Quarterback Matt Hasselbeck has done.  Tatupu is lost for the season.  Below is a list of players who have missed time this season (off the top of my head, so I am betting there are even more football quarters lost to injury than those listed here):

1. Lofa Tatupu

2. Matt Hasselbeck

3. Leon Hill

4. Sean Locklear

5. Walter Jones

6. Chris Spenser

7. Marcus Trufant

8. Deon Branch

9. Brandon Mebane

10. Ken Lucas

11. Kelly Jennings

12. Rob Sims

13. Mansfield Wrotto

14. C.J. Wallace

15. Josh Wilson

16. Patrick Kearney

17. Brandon Frye

18. Jordan Babineaux

19. T.J. Houshmandzadeh

20. Derek Walker

It is a tough task to turn a team around from a season like last year.  How much more difficult is it when trying to make the turnaround with half the starting players missing from week to week?  It is amazing to hear an NFL coach muse about the possibility of not being able to find 45 healthy players for a game.  I suppose I’d have to say that a 2-4 record is disappointing, but I am not sure how disappointing it is.  In some ways I have a feeling that Mora is doing a pretty fine job at ad-libbing through a nearly crippling set of injuries.  The real question that keeps coming to my mind is why does Mora find himself having to manage through another year of catastrophic injuries?  Why are the ‘Hawks getting hurt so much, and so often?  Why is the moon blue yet again? 

Technorati Tags: NFL Football,Seahawks injuries,Jim Mora,Mike Holmgren,Seattle Seahawks

NFL Update – Blowouts Galore

Though I may never again be nearly as addicted to football as I was when I was a single and childless young man, I do still geek out on football sometimes.  When I can – meaning when I have time and no one else is using our television – I watch the Seahawks, and somewhat less often I watch other NFL or college games.  Most often I record the game and watch it later.  My favorite way to watch now includes both the television and my laptop.  I like to see the action live as well as use the CBS game channel to give me up-to-the play statistics.  This year I’ve also gotten used to watching baseball games this way.  The user interface with baseball is nice because it shows the strike zone and a 3D graphic of each pitch as it approaches the batter. 

The Seahawks played like they were down to a practice-squad left tackle on the offensive line (the first three guys at that position on the depth chart having been injured in prior weeks).  That left me with a lot of time when I’d normally be flinching or cussing, but now could use the time more gratifyingly by checking in on other games in progress.  There were a couple that stood out, but none more than the absolute pounding that the Patriots gave the Titans.  With just under eight minutes remaining in the 3rd quarter, New England was leading 59 to zip.  Tom Brady threw for 5 touchdowns in the second quarter alone.  Just look at the scoring plays from the Pats up to the middle of the 3rd quarter:

TD
Laurence Maroney, 45 Yd run (Stephen Gostkowski kick is good), 5:51. Drive: 5 plays, 79 yards in 2:27.

FG
Stephen Gostkowski 33 Yd, 0:47. Drive: 7 plays, 63 yards in 4:10.

2nd Quarter
TD
Randy Moss, 40 Yd pass from Tom Brady (Stephen Gostkowski kick is good), 9:56. Drive: 6 plays, 65 yards in 3:11.

TD
Randy Moss, 28 Yd pass from Tom Brady (Stephen Gostkowski kick is good), 8:59. Drive: 2 plays, 31 yards in 0:44.

TD
Kevin Faulk, 38 Yd pass from Tom Brady (Stephen Gostkowski kick is good), 6:20. Drive: 4 plays, 65 yards in 1:34.

TD
Wes Welker, 30 Yd pass from Tom Brady (Stephen Gostkowski kick is good), 1:53. Drive: 5 plays, 76 yards in 2:49.

TD
Wes Welker, 5 Yd pass from Tom Brady (Stephen Gostkowski kick is good), 0:12. Drive: 10 plays, 49 yards in 1:04.

3rd Quarter

TD
Randy Moss, 9 Yd pass from Tom Brady (Stephen Gostkowski kick is good), 10:13. Drive: 9 plays, 65 yards in 4:47.

TD
Brian Hoyer, 1 Yd run (Stephen Gostkowski kick is good), 0:11. Drive: 12 plays, 61 yards in 7:42.

Brady threw for six touchdowns and over 380 yards in just over a half of football.  The 13-3 record posted by last year’s Titans seems much more distant than just a season, with the hapless Titans now winless in week six.

Not to be outgunned, the league’s hottest quarterback thus far in this season also threw for over 350 yards and four touchdowns against the top-ranked pass defense in the Saints 48-27 win over the previously undefeated Giants.  Drew Brees has been unbelievable all year, and today was nothing short of amazing.

I kept an eye on the Redskins progress against the Chiefs, and continued to feel badly for Jim Zorn – thrust into a position he just shouldn’t have allowed himself to accept.  I’ve liked Zorn since the Seahawks first season – Dad got our family season tickets and we went to see the expansion team with the unconventional head coach (Jack Patera), the mobile and exciting left-handed quarterback (Zorn) and the great Steve Largent.  Zorn is funny, quirky, genuine and I can see why his players asked Redskins owner Dan Snyder to give their coach a vote of confidence.  It is tough to watch the disheveled and disorganized ‘Skins lose to a previously winless team (again), and it is hard to see how Zorn could keep his job after this.  I am sure he’s a good QB coach (Mike Holmgren is as good a teacher as can be found at developing QB talent, and Zorn worked for Holmgren in Seattle these past five or six years), and I was looking forward to seeing how he did as the offensive coordinator.  It was likely an offer he couldn’t refuse when Snyder decided to make Zorn the Head Coach as well as offensive coordinator, but I sure wish Zorn had done so.  The team looks horrible, and seems to be regressing week to week.  Zorn is doing not just one, not just two, but three jobs he has never held before:  offensive coordinator, head coach and offensive play-caller. 

I do enjoy having a control panel that lets’ me keep real-time track of the game I am watching as well as all the other action around the league at the same time.  If you want to try it out, on most sports, just follow the link below:

NFL GameTracker - CBSSports.com

Technorati Tags: NFL Football,CBS,GameTracker,Jim Zorn,Mike Holmgren,Tom Brady,Drew Brees,Seattle Seahawks

Energy crisis is postponed as new gas rescues the world - Telegraph

Very interesting article summing up the string of oil and gas reserve discoveries, as well as the advancement of technology that allows oil extraction from previously inaccessible geologic formations.  The forecast for global transfer of wealth OUT of Europe and the United States into Russia and the middle east, as well as the Peak Oil predictions themselves, will have to be revised significantly upward – that is, the West will have sufficient supply at current usage rates, for another sixty years.  The article is from the Telegraph UK:

Energy crisis is postponed as new gas rescues the world – Telegraph

 

Technorati Tags: Peak Oil,Oil and Gas,Energy,Gas,Transfer of Wealth,Middle East

'Ira' Spring Mountain of Trouble by Seattle Times Columnist Danny Westneat

I always enjoy Mr. Westneat’s writing and have at least twice agreed with him.  Once was at a poker game when I got him a beer and he said something like: “You’re alright, Tom”.  Though I admit I was on the verge of revoking my agreement because my name is Mike.  But then, who needs to be THAT hung up about names?  Curious?  I hope so, because if not you’ll miss this gem of a column by selfsame Danny Westneat. If you have the stomach for it, after reading Danny’s column, come back and read below the link to see what I think.  Wait!  I saw you thinking of just looking now, but trust me, Danny is the professional writer here, not me, so you’ll want to read him first.  The most intelligent of my readers will read him solely. 

Danny Westneat | 'Ira' Spring Mountain of trouble | Seattle Times Newspaper

I know that without a naming board we'd have even more strife over trivial matters (in the larger context of a human condition offering war, famine, disease, death, disability, crime...well, like that), but there's something forced about someone voting to reject honoring a person by naming something after him/her just because it "felt forced".   Maybe we should have a naming board appeal board, and then a sudden-death naming board trivia contest to determine which board gets to be the top board. With the exception of Danny's writing, which is always scintillating, the whole naming thing leaves me, well,  bored.   How about we leave it Mt. Spring, though all of us here in the Other Washington will know that Mt. Spring is really just an abbreviation for Mt. Ira Spring? Just a thought…MB

Technorati Tags: Seattle Times,Danny Westneat,Hiking,Trail guides,Opnion,Columnist,humor

BBC NEWS | Science & Environment | What happened to global warming?

This is an interesting article from BBC News concerning the correlation between various potential causes of temperature change, and the fluctuations in global temperature in recent years.  This article discusses solar cycles, the impact of changing ocean temperatures on surface temperatures, and other contributors to climate change.  Temperatures have been declining since 1998, and this article looks at what that says about global warming. 

“This headline may come as a bit of a surprise, so too might that fact that the warmest year recorded globally was not in 2008 or 2007, but in 1998.

But it is true. For the last 11 years we have not observed any increase in global temperatures.

And our climate models did not forecast it, even though man-made carbon dioxide, the gas thought to be responsible for warming our planet, has continued to rise. “

BBC NEWS | Science & Environment | What happened to global warming?

Technorati Tags: climate change,global warming,BBC,solar cycles,ocean temperatures

Obama Wins Nobel Peace Prize

There has been a lot of surprise, excitement, shock and criticism since the Nobel committee announced the Peace Prize for this year.  The chief criticism seems to be that the President has not accomplished enough to win.  Since nominations were required on February 11, and he had been in office for just 11 days when he was nominated, I imagine that accomplishment may not have been the message the committee was sending.  I tend to agree with the President’s own assessment, that the award is sometimes given in recognition of accomplishment, and sometimes to offer momentum to a movement.  When Theodore Roosevelt won, it was for almost literally forcing the Japanese and Russians to sign a peace agreement and end their war (using his prestige as President, not military threat).  That was an accomplishment - a result, or outcome.  I imagine that the President hopes very much that the award will give some added 'wind to his sails' as he attempts to turn the promise of change into a program that creates the desired results - or, accomplishment. 

Technorati Tags: Barack Obama,President Obama,Nobel Peace Prize

Is the U.S. Preparing to bomb Iran? - ABC News

There have been so many pourings of tea, and reading of tea leaves in the last five years over whether, when, how and could the US or Israel destroy the capability of Iran to build nuclear weapons.  I admit that I have read as many of them as I have come across, and this article particularly caught my attention.  I can’t say that I think that this will prove to be prophetic, though well may it, but it strikes me as just the sort of way that we might come to some inkling of an attack.  A very interesting article from ABC News:

Is the U.S. Preparing to bomb Iran? - ABC News

Technorati Tags: Iran,Iran Nuclear Bomb,US Attack on Iran Nuclear Plants,ABC News

The Ballad of The 2009 Seattle Seahawks: It Could Happen To You | Bleacher Report

This is one of the best analysis I’ve seen trying to make sense of the wave of injuries that have plagued the Seahawks in 2009.  Oh, and in 2008 it was just as profound in impact as it has been this year.  Looking at it as a hypothetical with other teams is a really great and insightful way to wrap one’s arms around just how much the Hawks are struggling to overcome.  A great read:

The Ballad of The 2009 Seattle Seahawks: It Could Happen To You | Bleacher Report

Technorati Tags: Seattle Seahawks,Seahawks,NFL Football,Seattle

The Zodiac Killer: New Technology, New Leads?

If you’ve ever read about the Zodiac killer, you’ll know it remains one of the most well-known cold cases in the US, if not the world.  The murderer has never been identified.  For an overview of the cases please check out the Wikipedia entry, primarily written by Ed Neil.  You can find it here:  Zodiac Killer on Wikipedia

(Zodiac letter to the San Francisco Chronicle)

Several new tidbits of news are percolating and will be fully announced between now and September 30.  First, former LAPD Supervising Detective Steve Hodel, the author of Black Dahlia Avenger, has released his second book about his father.  Steve built a case against his father – a case believed by many readers of his first book, including me ; and the case was strong enough that the Head Deputy District Attorney issued a ten page memo indicating that were Steve Hodel’s father, George H. Hodel still alive, he would feel confident in bringing him to trial and seeking the death penalty.  That telling opinion, by one of the most experienced prosecutors in the country, based on the investigation conducted by Steve Hodel – himself a veteran homicide investigator for the LAPD, and with  over three hundred homicide investigations and a very high solve rate on his resume, convinced many people that Steve’s father George Hodel did indeed kill Elizabeth Short, the Black Dahlia.

Beginning with the knowledge (opinion, really) that the elder Hodel was a serial murderer, and he had fled the country to live in Asia for forty years, it was a natural thing for Steve to think:  ‘I wonder if this was his first…or his last’?  And so he began a new investigation which has spanned six years and has brought Steve to the conclusions in his books.  Released this week,Steve’s second book focuses on the trails Steve has found that appear to be the very paths that his father walked.  Steve believes that he has found a series of murders that took place – were committed I ought to say – by his father, George Hodel both before the Black Dahlia series and after it as well.  Steve’s book can be found at the link below, as can links to Tom Voigt’s excellent  website, which has more data, accessible to any researcher with an internet connection, than all other Zodiac sites combined.  I have just finished Hodel’s new book: Most Evil: Avenger, Zodiac and the Further Serial Murders of George Hill Hodel.  It is a fascinating book and I highly recommend to true crime readers. 

Finally, the episode of the History Channel’s new series MysteryQuest which deals with Zodiac.  The promotional ad that is running now in advance of the September 30th episode says:  “Years later, new technology, a new suspect…one step closer to solving the mystery/” 

All together, these events add up to a flurry of activity that brings new attention, and hopefully, new leads to the people still working to see this case solved. 

Most Evil and othe Zodiac books available at Amazon, through Zodiackiller.com

Steve Hodel webpages, blogs, exhibits

http://www.zodiackiller.com/

For a group of amateur sleuths, retired law enforcement, and researchers around the world, these events are eagerly anticipated in that they stir the pot, and provide the possibility of new clues, and possibly new evidence – perhaps even DNA results that could exclude someone.  Quite a week from 22nd to the 30th. 

Technorati Tags: Zodiac killer,serial killer,murder,true crime,Steve Hodel

Fascinating New Book May Shed New Light on Serial Murderers

A few years ago I picked up and read an amazing book.  Titled, Black Dahlia Avenger, it was the story of a retired Los Angeles homicide cop and his work on the biggest cold case in LA.  In the 1940’s a string of murders which were at that time linked by law enforcement to a single killer began with the murder of Elizabeth Short.  Her murder was shocking in many ways, but the biggest surprise of the book was not concerning the victim or even the crime itself, but rather, it was with the solution and unveiling of the murderer as Dr. George Hodel.  Why was that surprising?  Well, in part because he had not been a public suspect before the book was published, but more than that, because he was the father of Steve Hodel, the retired detective himself. 

This wasn’t just another book, and it didn’t just claim to have solved the Black Dahlia murder, as Ms. Short’s killing came to be known.  Hodel was able to uncover new evidence, and ultimately convince the head deputy DA for LA County so completely  that he issued a letter outlining why he would not hesitate to bring charges against Dr. Hodel if he were still alive. 

Steve Hodel apparently gave a lot of thought to a troubling feeling he had after finishing that first book.  He knew, as a detective, how unlikely it was that his father would have committed just these murders and then stopped killing forever, or that these were his first murders (coming 15-20 years after the phase at which most serial killers begin to kill).  That feeling led him to investigate the places and times his father lived elsewhere and what he uncovered is the basis for this follow-up book, titled Most Evil.  Links to both books and to Steve’s website are below.  I recommend both books wholeheartedly if you have an interest in true crime.  They are both amazing stories, and I admit I am convinced that Dr. Hodel was in fact the Black Dahlia killer. 

http://blog.stevehodel.com/

Most Evil

Black Dahlia Avenger

Technorati Tags: Zodiac killer,serial killer,Black Dahlia,true crime,Steve Hodel,Dr. George Hodel,crime

OMG Moment Number 631

Don't know if you ever read the FML (F*** my Life! FML link) website but sometimes it cracks me up.  Now I know that some of you might not believe this one could happen, but let me assure you that it could.  According to one poster at the site:

"Today, my girlfriend of a year broke up with me because I didn't fight some guy that started hitting her right in front of me... In a dream. She was totally serious. FML"

I can vouch for the story not being too unbelievable because I once had an employee who quit suddenly.  I asked why, and she replied, "You were really mean to me."  Surprised, and because I hardly ever had contact with her, I asked her when my meanness had occurred.  "In my dream."  I started to laugh, but she didn't.  "You're quitting because I was mean to you in a dream?"  I thought about it just in time to stop myself from explaining how crazy that is, because it occurred to me: ‘do I really want this mental giant doing client work’?  The kicker was that she went to her psychic after the dream and the psychic affirmed her decision because it would be best for her to find a new dream boss who wouldn't be mean to her.  True story.  I nearly had a car wreck laughing about it.

Technorati Tags: OMG,WTF,dreams,psychic

A Little Jolt of Perspective from Ms. Baines

According to the Associated Press, Gertrude Baines, the world's oldest known person died Friday at a nursing home. She was 115.

It is hard to grasp just how different was the world into which she was born in 1894 is from the world today.  Tsar Nicholas II succeeded his father Alexander III.  He would live and rule for another twenty-four years before the Bolshevik Revolution swept him, and the Empire away.  Norman Rockwell was born, as was Nikita Khrushchev.  Robert Louis Stevenson died.   Grover Cleveland was President of the United States.  The Emancipation Proclamation had been issued 32 years prior, the Fourteenth Amendment had given African Americans the right to be citizens 26 years prior, and the Fifteenth had given African American men the vote just 24 years before.  A case then in court would ultimately require ‘separate but equal’ facilities for people of color and Caucasians just two years later in 1896 (Plessey v. Ferguson).  The strife and progress of the Civil Rights Movement in the 1950s was more than a half century in the future. 

When Barack Obama was elected President of the United States, there were many African Americans of all ages who expressed the view that they had thought they’d not see a black man elected as President in their lifetimes.  Particularly poignant were the faces and stories of the men and women who had fought so hard (and non-violently) in the 1950s to bring genuine equality to America.  Many of them were in their sixties and seventies, and it was touching to see their dream realized in their lifetime.

How much more amazing and touching it was to see Ms. Baines comments about the election of the President.  Baines celebrated her birthday at the nursing home April 6 with music, two cakes and a letter from President Barack Obama, whom she voted for in November. Local newscasts had shown her when she cast her ballot.  Baines, who is black, said she backed him "because he's for the colored." She said she never thought she would live to see a black man become president.

Like so many African Americans on election eve, Ms. Baines had hoped to live to see a  black man elected President, but doubted that she would.  When she was born, President Cleveland was the 24th President.  Barack Obama is the 44th President.  Ms. Baines had seen twenty men elected and serve before finally getting her wish.  Of course, she saw so many other amazing changes in her time that it is tough to imagine – radio, television, space travel, two wars to end all wars, the nuclear era, mass production, all modern technology…the list is mind boggling.  Still, I doubt that there was a more meaningful and powerful change in her lifetime than living long enough to see an African American elected President. 

Ms. Baines once joked that she won the genetic lottery to achieve her age.  I think she also won the political lottery in living long enough to vote for, and see elected, and African American President. 

Technorati Tags: Oldest person,race relations,reacial issues,politics

Suitcases Offer Glimpses into Patient Lives

The Willard Suitcase Project (http://www.suitcaseexhibit.org/flashSite.html) is an amazing and touching website built to showcase the lives of past patients through the contents of a number of suitcases that were found abandoned in the attic of one of the buildings of the Willard Psychiatric Center in New York State.  It was closed in 1995, and the hundreds of suitcases offer a surprisingly detailed snapshot of the lives of these people who had packed them to come to a mental institution.  It is definitely worth a few minutes to take a look. 

Technorati Tags: Psychological institutions,mental hospital history

Not Talking to Your Kids About Race Produces Racial Assumptions

In some ways this article presents the obvious, but I doubt most of us would assume that simply not mentioning race equality explicitly would lead our kids to assume we dislike or mistrust other racial groups.  Even avoiding the discussions because we don’t want kids to ‘notice’ skin color seems to produce the assumption that we dislike other skin colors.  And kids will notice the differences anyway.  Not discussing our views leaves them to make assumptions based on our unwillingness to acknowledge or discuss differences in skin color.  The Newsweek article:

http://www.newsweek.com/id/214989

Technorati Tags: Race,Racial Issues,Society

Solar Wow – Half Trillion Dollar Project to provide up to 15% of Europe’s Electrical Power

A consortium of European companies has committed to building a huge group of solar collectors from the Saudi Peninsula to Morocco. The power collected would be transmitted to Europe via undersea cables.  Power collected would also be distributed to power grids in the countries where the generation plants are located. 

It is an amazing amount of money committed despite many details left to be worked out, including the nuts-and-bolts of cost and profit contributions in generator nations, political stability and not least, the financing.  All that, if worked out, and assuming undersea cables not currently available are developed and deployed, would produce still less than 15% of Europe’s electrical demand in 2050.  To me at least, it is not an encouraging indicator that at least this alternative source of electrical power can be a meaningful contributor to the grid.

Technorati Tags: Alternative Energy,Energy,electricity,solar power

Paintballs work too…

We live on a street that although it is in a quiet residential neighborhood, is marginally wider than the streets nearby.  A lot of kids play alongside the street, and it is probably the busiest strolling and jogging street in the neighborhood.  It is also seen as a sort of main street, and as a result it is not uncommon to see people driving by at well over the speed limit, and well above a speed that would allow them to react to a kid or a jogger around a corner or unseen behind a parked car.  These are maddening enough to residents, but occasionally you’ll see (and hear) a driver go by at a truly ignorant and dangerous speed.  I have said more than once that I ought to get a paint ball gun, fill the projectiles with chicken manure, and express myself concerning these drivers speeds (I may, or may not have once expressed myself with a tennis ball and been encouraged by my dear spouse not to continue this form of expression).  So, I was amused to see this photo (Copyright 2009 Capitol Broadcasting Company) of one neighborhood’s response to a similar problem:

Technorati Tags: Funny pictures,funny photos,humor

Mariner’s Doug Fister Off to a Great Major League Start

An update on Doug Fister, the pitcher I mentioned a few weeks ago as an interesting call-up to watch.  After one relief appearance Fister has been simply outstanding in five starts.  With ‘quality starts’ (six innings pitched with 3 runs or less allowed) in 4 of his first 5 starts, and much better than that in most of them, Fister has proven that his great control works well with a very good defense behind him.    Mariners manager Don Wakamatsu particularly commented on Fister’s success at working out of jams - ``This guy's really got a great feel for pitching.''    I especially have been impressed as he has built up his pitch counts, as he has held batters to a lower batting average after his 75th pitch than before it.  It is looking more and more likely that Fister will be a serious contender for the starting rotation in 2010. 

Technorati Tags: Seattle Mariners,Doug Fister,Mariners

Talk About Fresh Blood in Office

This article about an eighteen year old recent high school graduate running for city council in Pocatello, Idaho suggests one good way to bring fresh blood into politics. 

http://www.kidk.com/news/local/57418282.html

Technorati Tags: Politics,Pocatello

Boise State Starts Football Season with Big Win

In what will be the program’s only opportunity to face a major conference opponent this season, Boise State made a strong statement that may well boost them into the Top Ten this week.  It will be tough for the Broncos to get consideration for a national championship even if they manage to go undefeated this season – their schedule won’t play well in the BCS ranking system – but they definitely did themselves a favor with a national audience, proving that last year’s defeat of the dominant program in the Pacific Northwest was not a fluke.  Though the loss of temper by Oregon’s Blount will likely be the most memorable image of the game in most minds, the way the young Broncos dominated the line of scrimmage will likely help the program among voters in the polls all season long.

I thought that the way Boise State’s Haut was seen taunting Blount after the game was unsportsmanlike (though I admit to not knowing if Blount had said something to Haut before the camera caught up with them), as Coach Peterson must have thought while he was trying to pull Haut away from Blount,  but there is no excuse for the sort of cold-cock punch Blount threw.  Hitting a guy that isn’t even looking is always a chickenshit move, even if the guy did mouth off.  I think what got Blount suspended for the rest of the year (and, in effect, the rest of his college career), was the combination of the sucker punch AND the way he went after BSU fans as he left the field.  Even coming out of the locker room and apologizing was too little too late after such a prolonged and thuggish lapse.  Autzen Stadium has gained a reputation among the fans of Duck opponents as a thuggish crowd – there have been assaults, vandalism of vehicles, and it has been a likely place to get beer poured on your head if you are wearing the wrong color shirt – in recent years, but this was on the field, and by a player.  It may prove to be an expensive act of self-indulgence for Blount, potentially ending his hopes for being selected in the NFL draft. 

The fact that Boise State dominated on defense, played pretty well on offense, but had lots of room to improve (witness the fumbles, poor special teams play and some sloppy route-running and blocking), makes them right on schedule for this point in the year – game 1.  Oregon, on the other hand, found themselves dominated on the line by a WAC school, dysfunctional overall and unable to make big plays on either side of the ball.  The Ducks will have Purdue and Washington State at Eugene to get early wins, with a solid Utah team, and tough games with UCLA and Cal, the Huskies and then USC rounding out the first eight games.  It is not too hard to wonder if they may be 3-5 or 4-4 after eight games.   

One thing I do have to say that might get me a homer charge, is that unless there was a lot more to what Haut said or did than what we saw, the main reason you hear some calling for him to be punished is simply because Blount hit him.  If we kicked out or suspended every guy that trash-talked or taunted there’d be no one left to play the game (except maybe Jim Zorn and Kurt Warner).  You don’t have to have played football to know how much talking goes on, simply watching from the stands or the tube will suffice.  Do I think Haut was a lout for rubbing Blount’s nose in a bad performance and a tough loss?  Yes I do.  Do I think that justified the response (a blind-side punch to Haut, a punch to the helmet of a teammate, a struggle with policemen trying to escort him to the locker room and an attempt to get to a Boise State fan who taunted him) of Blount?  No way.  Nor any of the parts of his five-minute long tantrum that covered several hundred yards to the locker room.  Haut’s taunting was lame and not an example of good sportsmanship.  Unless there was more to it, that is all it was, and as such, it was probably one of a hundred examples of trash-talk that went between the teams.  He does not deserve to be punished for his taunt simply because of the lack of self-control – the way the guy he taunted went off like a rocket – at being taunted. 

Among the good articles I’ve seen on the game (and the Blount incident) this week:

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5ilhn7WrzkOLbcgfZ56pYjlMK2kaQD9AHD9781

http://thequad.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/09/04/boises-win-lost-in-the-shadows/

http://www.idahostatesman.com/BSUFootball/story/889237.html

http://www.registerguard.com/csp/cms/sites/web/news/cityregion/19688111-57/story.csp

http://www.oregonlive.com/sports/oregonian/john_canzano/index.ssf/2009/09/canzano_legarrette_blount_has.html

Technorati Tags: Blount,Haut,Boise State Football,Oregon Football,Boise State - Oregon game,BSU - Oregon,BSU football,Blount suspended,NCAA football

Coach Mora Improves in Fulfilling His Destiny and Restoring Balance to the Offense

Seahawks 14   Chiefs  10

Forgive the undertones of Anakin Skywalker and balancing the Force, but don’t you think that Coach Mora’s task this year – transforming a team that has been pass first for Mike Holmgren’s entire tenure, and more so last season than any prior years, into the kind of punishing and reliable ground assault he ran in Atlanta.  The Seahawks haven't been reliable at running the ball since 2006, and last year’s squad was nearly pitiful.  So, it gives me a  great deal of enthusiasm-building interest to see that Hawks nearly achieve the fabled run-pass balance.  Tonight, in the third pre-season game, Coach Mora got ever so close to balance, running the ball 38 times, and passing just one snap more than that at 39.  Oh, so close.  Who knows what sporting glory will come when Mora achieves his goal, and balance is in the offense?  I think I need to tweet this!

Seahawks at Chiefs Box Score

Seahawks Insider

Technorati Tags: Sports,NFL Football,Seattle Seahawks,Matt Hasselback,Seattle Running game

Imaging Shows How Acupuncture Works

As someone who has tried acupuncture and found that it helped to reduce back pain, this study showing the mechanisms at work in so doing caught my eye.  The acupuncturist I saw, who has been an instructor in Seattle for many years, believed that the way acupuncture works on pain to be very similar to what this study shows.  Read the article at:  Imaging Shows How Acupuncture Works

Technorati Tags: acupuncture,pain management,brain imaging

Sully and Professional Ethics

Man, I admire this man for a lot of reasons.  He is about as responsible as they come, isn’t he? 

http://www.nbclosangeles.com/news/local-beat/Library-Waives-Fee-for-Sullys-Waterlogged-Book.html

Technorati Tags: Heroes

Seattle Police Make Arrest in 25 Year Old Case

From Seattle PI Crime Blog writer Casey McNerthney: –( Link)

A 50-year-old man was arrested Friday for an August 1984 cold case that was reopened three years ago, police said.

Gracey, a retired furrier seamstress lived alone in the house and was found in her bed by three neighbors who entered the house after their calls went unanswered.

Officers said DNA linked the suspect to the crime earlier this year. Seattle Police Det. Mike Ciesynski told the Seattle Times the man arrested was Gracey's neighbor and his mother was a friend of the victim.

Seattle police spokesman Jeff Kappel acknowledged the Times article but would not elaborate on the case. Officers said the suspect was arrested at police headquarters.

Gracey's son, Gilbert Bagley, told the P-I in 1984 his mother had been concerned about prowlers and had been burglarized once before. Bagley, who lived in Spokane, died April 26.

Read the 1984 report here.

McNerthney and his colleagues at the Seattle PI Blogs are part of one of the first online-only efforts, and thus far the results have been very good – according to this article in the New York Times:

“Industry analysts called it a long-shot experiment, but Seattle PI.com has kept most of the reader traffic it had as a newspaper site. Hearst will not say whether it makes money, but it says that audience and revenue are ahead of projection.”  (Seattle Times Resurgent as Solo Act)  The reference is in an article primarily outlining the great financial results of the Seattle Times, since the PI print version was halted.

Technorati Tags: DNA evidence,Cold Case,Seattle Cold Case,Seattle PI,Seattle Times

Queen Anne Architectural Gem is Offered

If you are interested in architecture check out the article posted below.  If you are interested in Andrew Willatsen, responsible for bringing the Prairie Style of Frank Lloyd to Seattle.  One of the rare Willatsen homes in Queen Anne is the Tracy Strong home on Bigelow.

If you’re interested in the personal history of the home – the experiences and stories about the lives lived there, the extensive restoration by Caty Burt, the recent visit of Tracy Strong Junior, the son of the man that built the home in 1921.   At 93, he clearly recalled many things about the house and the neighborhood, even though he was six at the time.

There are several other interesting items about the property in this article in the Queen Anne News.  You can read the story here.

Any questions, ask me, I am an expert on this home.  It’s my family’s home!  And for those who are interested, but not interested enough to click on the link:

---

8/19/2009 3:52:00 PM 
Email this article • Print this article

Historic Hilltop gem goes on the market, The Strong House boasts architectural legacy

‘a simple yet stately family home in the Prairie style’

Jennifer Rice
Special to the News

Technorati Tags: Queen Anne Hill Seattle,Andrew Willatsen. Seattle home architecture,notable Seattle houses,Seattle Real Estate

One of the best things about living in Queen Anne is discovering and rediscovering this neighborhood's hidden gems. The quaint staircases, unique restaurants and abundant parks are all part of what make Queen Anne unique. But the plethora of historic houses residents can enjoy while walking the Hill's charming streets are perhaps the largest contributor to Queen Anne's allure.
A stroll around the "crown of Queen Anne" will take you past dozens of stately mansions, adorable bungalows and, unfortunately, the empty plot of land where the Black House once stood. The Black House at 222 W. Highland Drive, designed by Northwest Prairie­-style architect Andrew Willatsen (1876-1974), was torn down amid controversy in 2004. But if you continue walking around the "Crown," across Queen Anne Avenue, over to 1622 Bigelow Ave. N., you will pass a lesser-known historic hidden gem designed by that same architect that still stands intact. Known as the Tracy Strong House, it's been lovingly restored - and enjoyed by only three families over the past 90 years.
The Tracy Strong House, designed by Willatsen and built between 1921 and 1922, is currently owned by the Burt family. Willatsen was an apprentice to Frank Lloyd Wright and a major contributor to the development of progressive architecture in the Northwest. He and his partner Francis Barry Byrne are often credited with bringing the Prairie Style to Seattle more than 30 years before Wright's first Northwest commission.
The Burt Family plans to put this home on the market and will host an open house on Sunday, Aug. 23. Open houses and house tours are like "candy" for the closeted architecture fan. It's a rare treat to experience, even if only for a moment, what it's like inside a historic architectural treasure like this one. It's even rarer to hear first-hand what it was like living inside the home almost 90 years earlier. This past June the Burt family got an unbelievable surprise when the original owner's 93-year-old son, Tracy Strong Jr., returned to Seattle for a visit. He spent time with the Burt family and showered them with fascinating tales of what his childhood was like living inside their home long before the Great Depression.
Caty Burt remembers, "It was such a special afternoon and I will never ever forget it. It felt like travelling back in time, and I couldn't believe how much he remembered and how detailed he was about what this street was like in the 1920s. He talked about playing on Bigelow's empty lots, walking to the old John Hay School, and sitting on the front porch for his daily dose of castor oil and orange juice. He told me he still can't tolerate orange juice to this day!
"My kids really enjoyed hearing about the gigantic outdoor Christmas tree they decorated each year. He said it was so big you could see it from Capitol Hill - and even downtown!"
It's hard to imagine Bigelow Avenue with empty lots, but that's just how Tracy Strong Jr. remembers it. And back then a good portion of the land surrounding 1622 Bigelow Ave. was owned by his grandfather, Sidney Dix Strong. Sidney Dix Strong was an outspoken community leader who served as minister to the Queen Anne Congregational Church. His son, Tracy Strong Sr., commissioned local architect Willatsen to build a simple yet stately family home in the Prairie style that took advantage of the site's spectacular view. Tracy Sr. was a social reformer and child welfare advocate. He was responsible for the YMCA's boys' programs, Camp Orkilla, and he went on to become general director of the world YMCA in Geneva, Switzerland. Later career highlights include amnesty work for war prisoners and displaced European families from World War II.
Tracy Strong Sr.'s sister, Anna Louise Strong, was an outspoken activist, local and national journalist, and an elected school board member (who was later recalled due to distrust of her progressive ideals). A prolific writer, Anna Louise maintained friendships with many notable persons, including Eleanor Roosevelt, Leon Trotsky, Lincoln Steffens and Upton Sinclair. Her many books are still available today in the Seattle Public Library. The Andrew Willatsen archives and historical documentation on the Tracy Strong House are available in the University of Washington Special Collections. Inquiries on the sale of this home should go to Randie Nelson at Windermere

Queen Anne resident Jennifer Rice owns up to being a "closeted" architecture fan.

DNA Evidence Can Be Fabricated – Pretty Easily, It Turns Out

An interesting article was published online in a forensic journal indicating that DNA evidence can be manufactured even without any blood or tissue from the targeting profile.   

The implications for courtrooms is hard to overstate, and in fact the authors of the study are associated with a Tel Aviv genetics lab that is marketing a means for forensics labs to distinguish between faked and genuine samples.  The company, Nucleix uses a molecular technique that allows technicians to tell if a sample has been fabricated.  The technique relies on the fact that amplified DNA — which would be used in either deception — is not methylated, meaning it lacks certain molecules that are attached to the DNA at specific points, usually to inactivate genes.

Abstract for FSI Genetics Article

NY Times Article by Andrew Pollack

Israel National News

Of course, as DNA has become more and more commonly used, and in general it has been regarded as being impossible to fake – and unlikely to be mistaken – it has taken on a huge and pivotal role in adjudicating guilt or innocence in criminal cases.  How many cases in the future will end with reasonable doubt because the results might possibly have been faked?  Absent some system such as that offered by Nucleix, I think there is the potential for a lot of them, to say nothing of the appeals of existing cases. 

I’m going to be looking for more on this topic – especially to hear if other scientists agree with the Nucleix folks about how easy it would be to fake evidence.  Stay tuned.

Technorati Tags: DNA testing,DNA evidence. DNA Results Faked,Forensics,Forensic Science

Seahawks Win First Preseason Game

Preseason is not a time to think much about wins and losses, and early preseason games don’t give me too much of an idea how the team that ultimately opens the regular year is going to look and play by then.  There were a couple things that I thought were encouraging in tonight’s preseason opener in San Diego, won 20-14 by the Hawks in Jim Mora’s first game as the new head coach. 

First, there were no injuries to note.  After the last couple of seasons in particular, when guys seemed to go on the injury  lists just getting from their cars into the practice facility, it was great to get through a game (albeit one in which almost every starter either didn’t play, or did a quick ole and hit the showers) without any injuries.  It may be just an easy and coincidental observation that a number of players commented in various ways about how ‘fit’ they felt already.  Could it be that Mora’s focus on conditioning and physical play is already paying some dividends in the form of fewer injuries?  If so, will it continue throughout the year?  If it is just a coincidence will it please continue all year, Oh Grand Pigskin Deity?

Second, the Charger’s first offensive play from scrimmage was a Seahawk sack of Philip Rivers, and it set a nice tone for the Seahawks defense, which looked to me to be quick, physical and it seemed to me that a lot of the defensive play was occurring at the line of scrimmage, not so much with four to six guys converging to smother a runner three or four or five yards beyond the line of scrimmage.  I think every Seahawk fan would love to see a defensive front that contested the play at the line of scrimmage, and we saw that a lot tonight. 

The Hawks ran the ball often tonight, and though the average gain was unimpressive, it was a clear sign of the new philosophy at work when the Hawks ran the ball thirty-three times and threw it only thirty-five.  The new blocking approach hasn’t gelled yet, clearly, but it will be fun to see what this team can do with a tough defense and a commitment to running the ball, and doing it well.     Overall, it was a nice start to the new era – essentially meaningless I know, but despite that , I admit that I found myself revving up a bit.  Could be that I sensed some encouraging elements in the Hawks play, or schemes, or philosophy, or, I suppose it could just be that the NFL is back and I LOVE that every year just a little more than the year before. 

I will admit that I did miss the sight of Mike Holmgren, and the potential – Vesuvian as well as mad scientist-like that always seemed to be simmering just beneath the surface.  I enjoyed hearing that Mora is just as committed to accountability as Holmgren was, but according to one of the players where Coach Holmgren might see something he didn’t like on the field and go Krakatoa on a player, Mora’s style relies more on visual aids (unless you count volume, an impossibly bright red face and a glare so intense it could be used for welding).  He tends to run video of a play, stop the video and make it clear that he didn’t want to see that type of thing (be it bad technique, missed reads, sloppiness, whatever) again.  In some ways I’d say that approach is even more directly calling a player out than the red-faced tongue lashing.  When done with film and slow-motion replying of the play, Mora makes his point, and uses the entire team to hold the player (and by extension every other guy who might need to learn from the error he’s shown) accountable.  It is a different approach, but it doesn’t sound like a soft one to me.  And the knock on Mora (probably from idiots like me) has often been that he’s a ‘player’s coach’.  The implication in that remark is that the coach is soft and doesn’t hold his players accountable.  I don’t know that this description fits Mora, or if it ever has in this sense.  But if the tone I’ve heard from his players continues, and his means of holding himself, his coaches and his players accountable is in fact similar to what the players have described, I think Coach Mora will put paid to this particular vague and uncertain ‘knock’ on him pretty quickly.

(I think no matter how well any coach does for the Hawks, I will always miss Coach Holmgren much as I still miss Lou Piniella after all these years…)

Technorati Tags: Seattle Seahawks,Seahawks,Jim Mora,NFL Football,injuries

Footnote to a Nice Little August Mariners Win

Seattle managed to salvage a win today in the fourth game of a four-game series with the Yankees at Safeco field.  Rookie pitcher Doug Fister earned his first major league win with seven innings of three-run ball and the great control (no walks) he’s shown in his minor league career.

If you’re looking for signs of encouragement about the new Mariners brain trust, players…well, just about every tangible and intangible thing you can call to mind or spreadsheet is loaded with such signs.  Are the Mariners developing talent better than in recent years?  YES.  Evaluating talent better? YES.  Managing on the field better? YES.  Showing better defense, situational batting (getting the bunt down, hitting it to the right side, working counts deeper)…YES.  In so many of the ways baseball teams, players and front offices are apt to be evaluated and compared to give fans an idea of whether the team is getting better, the data is showing not just progress but significant progress.  With the exception of offensive production, this is a team  that has done a whole helluva a lot right since this time last year, starting with the hire of Jack Zduriencik, Don Wakamatsu and their respective staffs, and going right down to the players commitment  to hard work, winning attitude and a great clubhouse cohesiveness.  Pitching has been outstanding and the club defense has been brilliant. 

Perhaps the best quick indicator of just how far this team has come in one year, is the little footnote to which I refer in the header.  I witnessed win number 61 last season on the season’s final day, in a stadium full of freakish ‘local’ mascots, kids trying to figure out what sort of super hero mascot these oddballs were, and where the few people watching baseball were rooting for the Ms to lose the game in hopes of securing the top pick in the baseball  draft.  Alas, the Mariners won number 61, avoiding the first overall pick, my kids were able to figure out only 17 of the 20 mascots (even AFTER we read the descriptions in the program).  This season, though the playoffs are a long shot for the Ms, the team won the 61st game more than a month earlier than last year, and the winning pitcher was rookie Doug Fister just one of the many stories that have made this season exciting and encouraging.  Baseball is fun again in Seattle, and anyone who isn’t encouraged about the direction of the club is plain and simply and Eor (and couldn’t they have got Eor from Winnie the Pooh for mascot day last year, instead of recyclable burlap sandwich bag man, just as an example?). 

I can’t wait to see how this season plays out, and I find myself calmly expecting great things from this organization over the next few years.  Yep, here in Seattle, with our own Mariners. 

 

Technorati Tags: Seattle Mariners,Mariners,baseball,sports,MLB,Doug Fister,Jack Zduriencik