On Holiday

I’m taking holiday time starting today through September 12th. I’m taking a much needed break from two and a half years of blogging.

I’ll be parking my bum here! See you in mid-September.

 

Tracy Hacker

Tracy Hacker was viciously attacked last October, and nearly ten months after her ordeal, no one has been arrested.

I take a close look at this case reviewing what little information I can find and I share it with you.

You will find my post over at CrimeBlog.US today.

Update:
CrimeBlog.US has now changed to and is being redirected to TrueCrimeWeblog.com and not all post are loading up so with that, I will repost this post for you below:

Attacked from Behind

Posted by Eyes for Lies on Aug 22 2007

The last thing Tracy Hacker remembered was sitting in her backyard with her husband on a Friday night in October. Three weeks later, she woke from a coma after a traumatic brain injury.

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Part of Tracy’s skull had to be removed in an effort to save her life. Doctors feared she may not survive, but she did — and today she is thriving. Looking at her now, you’d never know the ordeal she went through just ten months ago…

On that fateful day last October, Hacker’s husband called 9-1-1 and told the dispatcher that someone, possibly Asian, hit his wife with a baseball bat. Police draw up a sketch of an Asian man wearing a knitted cap.

To date, no one has been arrested in this case and police are now saying that they only have circumstantial evidence – not enough to arrest anyone – but they do not believe the guy in the police sketch is the one who committed this vicious attack. They have their eyes on someone else.

So then, who did this? Someone random or perhaps someone close to Hacker?

When Hacker is asked who did this to her, she responds, “I’ll never know because I was hit from behind.” However, since the attack, Hacker has divorced her husband and has not gone back to the house where the attack occurred.

That certainly is odd.

In looking at this case, I found very little information but I did find the 9-1-1 transcript which I find intriguing. You can read it here.

Hacker’s husband is only referred to as “C” for (male) caller in the transcripts.In reviewing “C’s” responses, I find them odd and strangely inappropriate for this situation.My eyebrows are raised immediately and throughout much of the transcript.

“C” doesn’t answer many of the questions he is asked, nor does he give details.

When the 9-1-1 dispatcher answers the phone, “C” politely asks police for an ambulance.“Please, please, please send an ambulance, please.The dispatcher than asks “C” what is going on. “C’s” rely is two words: “My wife”.

I find this odd and interesting.Was he anticipating the next question to be “Who is this ambulance for?” Or does he not have anything else to say?

Most people in this situation would go rambling off in hysterical detail about what they just witnessed. The shock and terror of it all would cause most people to say as much as they possibly could – just to get it off their chest. It’s a normal emotional response.

Yet why isn’t “C” doing this? Instead, he seems to be controlling his words.Why?

When the dispatcher continues and says I need you to take a breath, and tell me what is going on, all “C” can say is “baseball bat, baseball bat.He hit her in the head with a baseball bat”.

Notice the details that are lacking? “C” doesn’t give any details. Most victims of a crime have searing memories that they repeat over and over again.They give the details that are fresh in their head.They give descriptions. They give everything they know as fast as they can to help catch the assailants and to get help for the victims.Why isn’t “C” doing this? This just isn’t normal.

The dispatcher then asks “Who hit her?”, and “C” responds, “I don’t know. I am at home. Please God.”

What does being at home have to do with this? When people are dishonest, they say weird and illogical things. Is “C” being dishonest here? You have to wonder.

As the transcript progresses, I find it really odd how “C” is talking to his wife telling her to lay down. He also says “no, no, no, not on that side” when telling her to lay down, but when he is asked immediately after he is heard saying it — if his wife is conscious, “C” responds “I don’t think so.”

This is a big inconsistency. His actions are not supporting the facts he is giving. You don’t tell an unconscious person to lie down. You just don’t do it. If, however, you were being deceptive and attempting to play the part of a caring husband, you might just slip up. Is that what is happening here? I sure do wonder.

The dispatcher then asks for clarification if Hacker is going in and out of consciousness, and what does “C” say? He doesn’t answer the question. Instead he says, “There is blood in her ears.”

Further down, the dispatcher asks, “Do you know who did this?” Again, I find “C’s” description troubling. “C” says, “Two little guys, possibly Asians. Ran out of my back yard. They hit my wife. I tacked one, I got the bat, I hit one.”

His speech is odd and weird. He is speaking in sentence fragments. Normally people don’t talk like this – even people in distress. People in distress usually do the opposite: they ramble frantically using lots and lots of words. Also, where are the details again?

I find the word “possibly” (in possibly Asians) odd as well. I can understand someone saying something like: I think they were Asian, but I am not sure with the struggle. But you don’t say, “possibly Asians”. The word selection and word order here are not how people recollect information.

When we create stories, however, we add on descriptive details as afterthoughts. People also usually speak in the order of which things occurred. They don’t mix them up as we see “C” doing here. This is more supportive of someone who is creating a story. He talks about the assailants running out of his backyard and then of attacking them. This isn’t logical.

Furthermore, why would two men start hitting his wife with a baseball bat first? Wouldn’t the man, who is normally bigger and stronger than the woman, likely be the main threat in most scenarios? Or was the wife the main target?

I also find the word “little” interesting. People don’t usually use the word “little” when describing people unless they are really small, like a dwarf. And to have two small assailants — that is really odd.

When the dispatcher asks, “Which way did they go?” why isn’t “C” giving us details? They went west, past the fence and behind the bushes. They ran towards the Jones’s house! They ran east towards Main Street. His lack of details, again, is another red flag added to the pile. Notice how the dispatcher tries harder to get more information again, and again, “C” gives no new information, but instead repeats the same line?

Then he stutters and stammers for words when he answers. That’s another red flag.“Ah… ah…. ah… towards… parallel… across the way.” This answer, in the end, isn’t even logical. Who talks like that? This is classic thinking-on-your-feet speech.

Next the dispatcher asks if “C” can describe what either assailant was wearing. “C” says, “Ah…one was wearing a black hooded sweatshirt…. ah… he is the one I tackled. Jeans, both baggy… ah… I don’t know. I think one was Asian for sure, the one I tackled.”

Now both men are little Asians and both are also wearing jeans, that are baggy. Notice, too, how the description of the jeans comes as an afterthought again. I don’t like the hesitations here, either.

Also, notice how “C” is saying that “one was Asian for sure.” This is inconsistent again as he just said shortly before they were “possibly Asians”. Now all of the sudden he is sure that one was Asian?

When we witness a crime, we usually can state the basics. Why is “C” having trouble here?

When the police arrived, they asked “C” who did this. Now all of the sudden, he says the assailants were trying to rob them.

Wouldn’t that be the first thing you would say? My wife and I were sitting out back, when two men approached and tried to rob us.Then they started to beat me and my wife. Why is this important detail not mentioned until now? This is another big red flag.

I also find it odd when “C” says,“I threw my wallet, he didn’t take it. That was after…I don’t know.” He threw his wallet and the robber didn’t take it? That’s odd and so is his speech.He isn’t making sense.He is truly thinking-on-his-feet here again, if you want my opinion.

“C” spoke very little in a short amount of time, but I believe what he said and how he said it is very telling. Unless I find out “C” is an addict of sorts and was out-of-his-mind this day, I don’t believe “C’s” story at all.

Related Info:

It appears the home where this vicious attack took place is currently for sale:

TSA Behavior Detection Officers

Newsweek published an article online yesterday titled Smile…Or Else. It’s about TSA employees who have been trained and will be stationed at airports to look for microexpressions in an attempt to thwart potential danger.

Patti Davis, the author, gives her opinion without taking the time to educate herself in the theory of microexpressions. Instead, she spouts off like an uneducated fool afraid of what she doesn’t know. I would expect more from Newsweek magazine.

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Davis writes a brief description of microexpressions, but obviously doesn’t understand the meaning of the word “concealed” and how it applies to microexpressions:

In the study of “micro-expressions”—yes, it is actually a field of study and there are some who are arrogant enough to call it a science—it has been decided that when people wish to conceal emotions, the truth of their feelings is revealed in facial flashes. These experts have determined that fear and disgust are the key things to look for because they can hint of deception.

Davis seems to think that if you have a bad day and are not happy — or perhaps are flying to a funeral for a family member, the Behavior Detection Officers are going to nab you.

…what about the woman who is getting on a plane to see a dying relative? Or the man who is traveling to another state to see a cancer specialist in a last bid for extending his life? What about the guy who just had a fight with his spouse and now worries that a plane crash would mean their last words were in anger? We’ve all had the experience of having a bad day, being in a rotten mood—especially at the airport, which has become a modern-day chamber or [sic] horrors. On those days, doesn’t it seem like everyone we meet looks sour and unpleasant?

Davis does not connect the dots that the people she just described have no reason to conceal emotions.

If a woman is getting on a plane to see a dying friend, she will likely feel sadness. She isn’t going to try and act like this is the happiest day of her life now, is she? She has no reason to conceal anything.

Take as well the man who is traveling to another state to see a cancer specialist in a last bid to extend his life. He, too, will have genuine feelings of sadness and perhaps fear, but he also has no reason to conceal his feelings either. We can pretty much bet this man has only one thing on his mind: survival. He is not going to be role-playing some deceptive scheme.

As for the poor guy who had a fight with his wife before boarding the plane and is afraid of crashing, he isn’t going to put on an act either. He will likely be silent in his thoughts and regrets, and those emotions, whether he is consciously aware of it or not, will be displayed on his face in a natural progressive order. He won’t leak out expressions in micro-bursts that are inconsistent with what he is feeling, for Pete’s sake.

These are not people who would tip off someone who can read and is properly trained in seeing microexpressions but Davis didn’t do her homework.

All people feel and express emotions on their face pretty continuously during waking hours. That is normal and nothing that should set off a TSA officer. You should be able to smile, cry, pout, weep and even be afraid without worry that you are going to set off well-trained personnel.

Then what are these Behavior Detection Officers looking for? Do you really have something to worry about? It’s not likely.

Someone who sees microexpressions will be looking for the guy who is showing inconsistencies in emotions, and behavior. For example, he will look for a guy who is acting jovial, yet strangely preoccupied and flashes an expression of disgust or fear across his face simultaneously.

I am happy to report the average person will not be this complex. They likely won’t have the conflicting behaviors and emotions that cause microexpressions. It is only the guy who is trying to conceal his true feelings that will leak clues, unconsciously. Microexpressions are not voluntary behaviors.

It is the inconsistent micro-burst expressions lasting 1/25th of a second that should set off the TSA Behavior Detection Officers.

If I offered you the lottery to make a microexpression right now on demand, I can stand with 100% confident that you couldn’t do it. It’s not that simple, folks.

As with all things new and not understood, fear and anger are common defenses until the unknown becomes familiar, and the value of something new becomes recognized.

Comedians

My husband loves the show Last Comic Standing. He can’t get enough of it, and I am not surprised. As a life partner, I am far from comedic. I am way too serious in life — so hence I understand his need for comic relief.

Since we’ve started watching the Last Comic Standing, I’ve really taken an interest in the comics. There is something very predictive about these people. They, as a collective group, share traits about them that make them unique.

Read more I never realized this before, but if you put a group of people in a room and asked me to pick out the “natural” comics after a one-line introduction from them – I can do it. I tested myself during the Last Comic Standing auditions, and low and behold, I was spot on choosing 9 out of 10 people who that made it to the final audition rounds.

I don’t know how I do it, or what I see in them that identifies them — but I see something. It perplexes me and makes me curious so I naturally sent out to understand what makes a comedian a natural-born comedian.

What I found is that true comics who are naturally gifted see the world very different than I do. When I look at life, I try to find the reasoning behind what people do. When a natural-born comedian looks at life, he sees the absurdity in the normalities of life. It’s kind of bizarre.

Where I would only see functionality, comedians see the irrationality behind the functionality. They see the absurd without a purpose, the backwards, the twisted normalcies that we all take at face value. I suspect they see it everywhere and all around them, on a routine basis. It’s not something they have to search out.

If I had to exist in the world of a comic, I would be blinder than a bat without radar. I don’t see those oddities, or absurdities. I just don’t have a mind for it. I have a mind for human behavior and deception, not humor, but I can spot a natural comedian.

How can you determine a natural comedian? Well, I can’t identify traits for you because that would take more study, but I can tell you how to pass/fail them really quickly. That’s easy.

You do the challenge faced by the comics on the show last night. You parade before them a group of beautiful ladies who happen to be from Deal or No Deal. You tell them they must tell each of these ladies jokes — and he who makes the most women laugh, wins. Then you let them write their comedy routines.

But instead of putting them into a booth with a beautiful lady, they switch out three of the ladies at the end for a drag queen, a nun and a clown. A real drag queen, a real nun and a real clown.

The truly gifted, natural born comedian will see the absurdities in every situation as they have a lifetime of seeing the absurd to use as material. They will get people laughing — regardless of their preparation or their audience. In a strange twist, they will be able to relate to everyone much like myself.

The ones who can’t survive or muster laughter are the self-taught talents — the ones who must work solely from a script because they have to work at finding funny things to talk about unlike the natural talent who sees funny things all over the place.

If you want my opinion, these are the natural born comedic talents on Last Comic Standing this season below. Just sadly they are not all going to the finals for various reasons unrelated to their talent:

DEBRA DIGIOVANNI
MATT KIRSHEN
AMY SCHUMER
LAVELL CRAWFORD
JON REEP


These are truly funny people! Hats off to them.

On a side note, Debra Digiovanni paralleled herself to me as someone who is quite similar to Rachel Ray. I bet they have a lot of similarities in their personalities, behaviors and attributes.

Quote of the Day

Somewhere between the brilliant
white light of truth
and the bitter darkness of deceit
is a place where many of us
live our lives
in the shadows.

Anonymous