We are recovering from the February Freeze. It was a long 4 days, with restricted travel, stores closed, schools closed, not to mention the cold temps and terrible driving conditions.
When I lived in the north land, we had feet of snow, but not so much ice. With snow, you can get some traction when driving. On ice, nothing. So learning to drive on snow is not very good training for driving on ice.
It is easy to slow down, keeping just enough momentum to keep moving, not do anything quickly, maybe even busting a stop sign if no traffic is coming. Basic unauthorized driving techniques.
The main thing is to keep from sliding. You simply have no control. Lower speed means if you do spin, you may not take out a telephone pole or somebody else's car.
So, if its so easy to slow down, why do some jokers pass you, either on left or right. We're all going to get to wherever we're going..... What's an extra minute or two? Slow Down.
I'm fairly certain the joker in the white car that sailed past me, spun out just ahead of me, and then took off again is not reading this. I hope he got where he needed to be, safely.
I just want my family, my friends, my co-workers, and you to not get hurt or have your car damaged.
Maybe I won't have to get on my soap box anymore this winter.
Spring is just around the corner. Then we can talk about driving on rainy streets.
Thursday, February 10, 2011
Thursday, January 6, 2011
Off and Running
If nobody else has mentioned it, Happy New Year. Hope things are off to a good start for you.
Most of the KTAB crew is getting back after various days and weeks off for the holidays.
What will happen in 2011? That is a question we have no answer for (contrary to the promo we're running.) We do find answers to questions, but seeing into the future does not fall under "news." We'll report it when it happens.
There is, of course, a lot of speculation. What will the Republican controlled U-S House of Representatives be able to accomplish? Will the Texas Legislature be able to plan a budget with no new taxes? Will we get an answer to "What are those flashing lights to the south of the Big Country?"
Looking ahead to what may happen in 2011 is pretty much what we all face all of the time. You never know what will happen in the next hour, minute, second. And that's the cool thing about news. We never know what stories we'll be presenting to you during our newscasts, until they happen.
Stay tuned.....
Most of the KTAB crew is getting back after various days and weeks off for the holidays.
What will happen in 2011? That is a question we have no answer for (contrary to the promo we're running.) We do find answers to questions, but seeing into the future does not fall under "news." We'll report it when it happens.
There is, of course, a lot of speculation. What will the Republican controlled U-S House of Representatives be able to accomplish? Will the Texas Legislature be able to plan a budget with no new taxes? Will we get an answer to "What are those flashing lights to the south of the Big Country?"
Looking ahead to what may happen in 2011 is pretty much what we all face all of the time. You never know what will happen in the next hour, minute, second. And that's the cool thing about news. We never know what stories we'll be presenting to you during our newscasts, until they happen.
Stay tuned.....
Friday, November 19, 2010
Check the Calendar
Happy Thanksgiving. Is that for real? Some how this holiday season seems a little early, or a little off side, or a little "I'm not ready yet."
It could be the weather. But, we've slid in and around "normal", so that's not much different than other years.
It could be the family away. But then, it has been that way for 10 years as my three daughters each started leaving for college, all out of town. Now one son in college, the other in high school. So its gradually changed around the house, so this should not be a reason for this seeming to be a slow start to the holidays.
In the newsroom, we've been talking turkey and dressing and home for the holidays and days off, but the old holiday spirit just hasn't rekindled from a year ago.
But the family will all be together around Thanksgiving, turkey will actually be smelled (and eaten) not just talked about, and more leaves will fall to be raked.
All of a sudden, it feels like holiday time.
It could be the weather. But, we've slid in and around "normal", so that's not much different than other years.
It could be the family away. But then, it has been that way for 10 years as my three daughters each started leaving for college, all out of town. Now one son in college, the other in high school. So its gradually changed around the house, so this should not be a reason for this seeming to be a slow start to the holidays.
In the newsroom, we've been talking turkey and dressing and home for the holidays and days off, but the old holiday spirit just hasn't rekindled from a year ago.
But the family will all be together around Thanksgiving, turkey will actually be smelled (and eaten) not just talked about, and more leaves will fall to be raked.
All of a sudden, it feels like holiday time.
Monday, October 4, 2010
They Got Him
It was like NCIS or Hawaii Five-O, when a prisoner escaped from the jail in Abilene.
I heard it first on the police scanner at my desk. That certainly set the wheels in motion in the newsroom, planning our coverage. We were working another major story at the same time. So, getting people and equipment to the right places and continuing to put together our evening newscasts called for coordination. We got that taken care of.
But, what I want to talk about is the coordination by the law enforcement agencies. Within minutes, TSO, APD, DPS had the area surrounded where they thought the escapee might be. But there is high grass, trees, a creek, all providing places to hide. And that's where he stayed for about 7 hours. Men, horses, dogs. All looking.
But then the cavalry showed up, in the form of a DPS helicopter. (It was about 10:45pm). The crew in the chopper talked with the lawmen on the ground by radio. And the helicopter with infrared technology, zeroed in on the suspect almost immediately.
"Walk straight ahead, 20 yards." "Move to your left a little." "Straight, 5 yards." "Under that tree." "Right where that officer is pointing his gun." (The suspect had covered himself with dirt and leaves, and its really dark.) "The officers have him, at gunpoint. He's in handcuffs."
Just like that, Darrell Schenk is back in the lock-up.
From Sheriff Les Bruce to DPS chopper crew "Thanks and have a safe flight home." Chopper crew: "Glad to help."
It would make a good tv show script.
I heard it first on the police scanner at my desk. That certainly set the wheels in motion in the newsroom, planning our coverage. We were working another major story at the same time. So, getting people and equipment to the right places and continuing to put together our evening newscasts called for coordination. We got that taken care of.
But, what I want to talk about is the coordination by the law enforcement agencies. Within minutes, TSO, APD, DPS had the area surrounded where they thought the escapee might be. But there is high grass, trees, a creek, all providing places to hide. And that's where he stayed for about 7 hours. Men, horses, dogs. All looking.
But then the cavalry showed up, in the form of a DPS helicopter. (It was about 10:45pm). The crew in the chopper talked with the lawmen on the ground by radio. And the helicopter with infrared technology, zeroed in on the suspect almost immediately.
"Walk straight ahead, 20 yards." "Move to your left a little." "Straight, 5 yards." "Under that tree." "Right where that officer is pointing his gun." (The suspect had covered himself with dirt and leaves, and its really dark.) "The officers have him, at gunpoint. He's in handcuffs."
Just like that, Darrell Schenk is back in the lock-up.
From Sheriff Les Bruce to DPS chopper crew "Thanks and have a safe flight home." Chopper crew: "Glad to help."
It would make a good tv show script.
Friday, September 17, 2010
No One Should Get A Day Off
So here it is, late on a Friday. Why am I still here? For one thing, I have to write this blog. But its being done at nearly the "witching hour" because this is the first time I've had a chance to do it.
Lane is gone, producer Tim is gone. All reporters and photogs are on football duty. So a/p Cody and I put the newscasts together. Usually Lane produces (organizes) the 5, I do the 6, and Tim the 10. But with them gone, its up to us. Reporters and photogs gather and write the stories, but producers put those stories in order, write transitions, edit videos. Those newscasts don't just magically happen. Its a real job to put them together. Stressful.
And we're working against the clock. When its 5:00 (or 6:00 or 10:00), the newscast starts. No waiting five minutes, or half a minute, or five seconds. But that's the fun of it too, putting all the pieces of the newscast together and working with the production department to get it on the air.
But it is very challenging when one of the members of the team is gone. Or two with Lane and Tim missing. So no one should get a day off.
(I may need to take a day or two off to recover from this.)
Lane is gone, producer Tim is gone. All reporters and photogs are on football duty. So a/p Cody and I put the newscasts together. Usually Lane produces (organizes) the 5, I do the 6, and Tim the 10. But with them gone, its up to us. Reporters and photogs gather and write the stories, but producers put those stories in order, write transitions, edit videos. Those newscasts don't just magically happen. Its a real job to put them together. Stressful.
And we're working against the clock. When its 5:00 (or 6:00 or 10:00), the newscast starts. No waiting five minutes, or half a minute, or five seconds. But that's the fun of it too, putting all the pieces of the newscast together and working with the production department to get it on the air.
But it is very challenging when one of the members of the team is gone. Or two with Lane and Tim missing. So no one should get a day off.
(I may need to take a day or two off to recover from this.)
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
Another School Year
Our last child has entered high school. That means the last Bartlett is moving thru the Abilene Independent School District. At one time, all five of our children were in AISD at about the same time. And our cars knew how to get to the elementary school all on their own, going the same way for more than 20 years.
Now, all three daughters have graduated from college, two are married, one of them has a baby, the other two have jobs, one son is in college, the other in high school. As I have mentioned here before, I would love to have them all still at home. But they aren't....spread across west and north Texas. The house has gradually gotten quieter, one departure at a time. But when any of them is around, and/or our grandson, it seems like the good old days.
We all are cranking things back into a schedule which most of us fall out of during the summer. Here's to early alarms, lunches, school buses, teachers and homework. Some things never change.
Now, all three daughters have graduated from college, two are married, one of them has a baby, the other two have jobs, one son is in college, the other in high school. As I have mentioned here before, I would love to have them all still at home. But they aren't....spread across west and north Texas. The house has gradually gotten quieter, one departure at a time. But when any of them is around, and/or our grandson, it seems like the good old days.
We all are cranking things back into a schedule which most of us fall out of during the summer. Here's to early alarms, lunches, school buses, teachers and homework. Some things never change.
Thursday, August 12, 2010
Back To The Classroom
L=play. V=insert edit. E=in point. This what I have been dreaming for the last week. And it's not a dream.
It has been a year or two since I have sat in a classroom as a student. In fact, I can't remember the last time I had some formal technical training about anything.
We often have workshops to sharpen skills on writing, editing video, shooting stories with a camera. I always walk away from those, hoping I can put into practice the good things which have been demonstrated (and disregard some of the other stuff).
But KTAB has purchased some new equipment which will help us better tell the news stories we deliver to your tv set and computer every day. It's the equipment you don't see. The computers used to assemble the video, audio and graphics which our reporters, photographers and producers use to tell the stories which we show throughout the day.
The new system requires a great deal of training. And Curtis has flown in to help us through it. So with 8 computers side by side on the big table in the conference room, we hear about "connection manager", "transfer manager engine", and "workspace." It is really a terrific system, and Curtis leads us in, around, and over the topics for today's class. The skills will help us bring you the news of the day and the people who are the news. It's an ongoing process. Kind of like learning the new edit syst!@#$%^&.
(I'm dreaming that Ctrl Z (Undo) will fix everything.)
It has been a year or two since I have sat in a classroom as a student. In fact, I can't remember the last time I had some formal technical training about anything.
We often have workshops to sharpen skills on writing, editing video, shooting stories with a camera. I always walk away from those, hoping I can put into practice the good things which have been demonstrated (and disregard some of the other stuff).
But KTAB has purchased some new equipment which will help us better tell the news stories we deliver to your tv set and computer every day. It's the equipment you don't see. The computers used to assemble the video, audio and graphics which our reporters, photographers and producers use to tell the stories which we show throughout the day.
The new system requires a great deal of training. And Curtis has flown in to help us through it. So with 8 computers side by side on the big table in the conference room, we hear about "connection manager", "transfer manager engine", and "workspace." It is really a terrific system, and Curtis leads us in, around, and over the topics for today's class. The skills will help us bring you the news of the day and the people who are the news. It's an ongoing process. Kind of like learning the new edit syst!@#$%^&.
(I'm dreaming that Ctrl Z (Undo) will fix everything.)
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