If you consider yourself attractive and you write checks-watch out!

Words are meant to convey meaning from one party to another. The funny thing about words is that it really does make a difference how you use them. Consider the example provided by a billboard on prominent display along McPherson. It is a announcement from the Webb County's District Attorney's office warning that they will prosecute those people who write bad checks, or hot checks as they're otherwise called. In the following sentence, the word hot is written in flames:  Hot check writers will be prosecuted! In this presentation, the word Hot appears to be describing the noun check writers. The meaning conveyed then is that if you're Hot (very good looking) and you happen to write checks, then you'll be prosecuted.

In my view, the way to achieve the intended meaning would have been to write the sentence in the following manner: Hot Check writers will be prosecuted. I'm pretty sure that was the message the D.A.'s office meant to get across to the public. So.......if you're one of the few Laredoans still writing checks AND you are one of the beautiful people, you can breathe easily. I don't think anybody is looking for you. At least not anyone from the D.A.'s office.