Larimer County Sheriff Jim Alderden shoots from the hip when recounting last week's "Balloon Boy" incident -- and subsequent backlash -- in his new blog, showing his sense of resolve – and humor – amid the media frenzy surrounding the story. In his "The Bull's Eye – Straight Shooting from the Sheriff" blog, this week titled "Up, Up and Away," he delivers some "insight into public response to this incident and what we have had to deal with behind the scenes" after six-year-old Falcon Heene, believed to be trapped in a rogue, experimental flying saucer-shaped balloon, turned up in the family's garage attic. Alderden says his office has received over 500 e-mails and a like number of phone calls from all over the world, from Germany to Fiji. Many contained suggestions on how to perform a rescue, including, "Harrier aircraft, hot air balloons with nets, sky divers, blimps, ultra-lights, para-gliders, and fishing hooks with fishing line." "Some suggestions were actually pretty sound," he says, "Others - not so sound." He adds that many e-mails and phone calls were "calling for me to be removed from office immediately and impugning our investigative ability," but, "Following our most recent press conference, that tide has turned." Still, when the police department first stood by the Heenes' story, the Colorado sheriff says he had to contend with complaints calling him everything from an "idiot," "gullible" and "Barney Fife" to a "big-mouthed, fat, bald-headed, over-inflated ego of a sheriff." "Ouch!" he writes. "I disagree with most of the above, but have to concede the fat and bald part." "Just for the record and all appearances to the contrary, I really don't enjoy being in the media spot-light," he continues. "In fact, I'm pretty ticked off that I had to spend my weekend dealing with them instead of some quality time in the saddle. That said, sometimes the Sheriff just has to be the spokesperson instead of putting it off on the Press Information Officer. I did my best to put an end to the media circus and have refused to do any more interviews or morning TV shows, even turning down Dr. Phil." Alderden also addresses his so-called controversial American Flag shirt, his shortness of breath during his press conference, and that he "particularly liked the caller who had proof that Hillary Clinton was a space alien. At least that caller had some credibility." On a serious note, he said, "Child Protection is in fact conducting an investigation to ensure the [Heene] children's safety. That doesn't mean they will be taken away and it doesn't mean they won't, but given everything we know, we do need to take a close look at this." Watch "The Insider" for more news on the ongoing "Balloon Boy" saga…

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