Monday, September 29, 2008

So, You Think Your Job...Stinks?

Things could be worse...you could have this poor schmuck's job. Not sure what he's looking for, and even less certain I want to know if he found it.

But, since the elephant is the "symbol" of the Republican Party, perhaps he's looking for Bush's economic plan. Seems somehow appropriate.

Saturday, September 27, 2008

Quoting "The Good Doctor" Part One

When I sat down to screen cap this episode and select my quotable/memorable scenes and one-liners, I had no idea it was going to turn into this seemingly never ending process. I mean, I've been working on this...off and on...for days now. But, it is something I enjoy doing and, trust me, I like anything that encourages me to postpone more mundane things like...cleaning, washing dishes, laundry, and grocery shopping.

So, this is the first of three...yes, I said three...posts of my little tribute to Bobby in "The Good Doctor."

Enough of that, let's get on with "critiquing" the episode. I thoroughly enjoyed the opening scene in Deakins's office when "The Good Doctor" came to report his missing wife. Bobby’s body language during that initial scene with Kelmer was...in a word... priceless. It is obvious from the get-go that he cannot believe this guy’s superior-acting attitude. That alone was sufficient cause for Bobby to automatically put him in the suspect column.

In this episode, we learn that Bobby took a few psych classes in college, and he tries to show off his knowledge with the therapist…who does not appear to be all that impressed, I must say. You know, being cops, I would think that Goren and Eames should know all about that doctor/patient confidentiality loophole. Perhaps they thought they had to give it a shot…maybe they would run across a not so smart or unscrupulous doctor.

Oh well, I have to admit that it made for an interesting showcase for Bobby to highlight his skills with a bit of sarcasm thrown in to boot; i.e., the, "she ran off and joined the circus" comment. It was evident that Bobby was not amused when the psychiatrist did not take him seriously.

I loved the "little curl" that could be seen at the scruff of his neck when he turned his head to the side in this scene. I included a picture of it in the first "Just Bobby" slideshow of the post of that name.

I thought the writers showcased Eames quite a bit in this episode. I thought she had a good bit when she profiled D’Alacosta in the doorway of his apartment. I love the, “my partner has a fancy word for people like you…psychopaths." She just calls them screw-ups. But then that's Eames; she has a way of cutting through all the B/S.

Actually, I rather enjoyed that entire scene in the artist's apartment. I mean, who can forget Bobby wanting to see the naked portrait of Valerie, and his subsequent reaction. (He was such a horn dog in those early days.) Which was followed by Eames’ totally disgusted reaction; i.e., "you couldn’t pay me enough."

I'm going to take a small break now and whine a bit. In case I've never mentioned it, I hate it when the actors walk around while they’re talking. Yeah, yeah...I know it makes for realistic television, but it makes it prodigiously hard to cap specific bits of dialog for the character when they refuse to cooperate by standing still. I end up with all these blurry faces and hands and legs and such.

Back to the episode, focusing in on when Goren asks the judge what is the harm if they search the doc’s car and apartment and his wife turns up alive later? I have to say that taking liberties with the 4th amendment is not a particularly admirable side of my boy. Let's fast forward to Season 7 and "Frame" as a point of reference. He was none too pleased to find out that someone had checked his phone records, his emails, his finances. I suppose we all look at things differently when the shoe is on the other foot, huh?

But when he gets his way and they check the doctor's car and find the fuel receipts, the expression on Bobby's face when the technician tells him "his" doctor is bouncing off the walls in the claims area...well, once again it's absolutely priceless. In fact, the whole scene where he tells the doc that...they're like dumb dogs, they get a scent and follow it...was pretty amusing. Once again, he and Eames working in sync to lay the trap to catch the bad guy. Good stuff.

I used a slightly different slideshow format on Photobucket this time, mainly because some of the dialog is so long and it goes by so fast, it can be difficult to read. So, if anyone out there is interested, just click the stop button on the bottom right hand corner of each slideshow, then you can advance each slide at your own leisure.

First Slideshow


Second Slideshow

Quoting "The Good Doctor" Part Two

Continuing on now with the next set of slides for "The Good Doctor." I mentioned this in an earlier post, but it bears repeating. I like how Eames stands up to Bobby when she states that she doesn't think the doctor should be the only suspect in the case, citing that Valerie had lots of boyfriends, was a drug user, etc. I know she’s a seasoned cop and tough and all that, but it still took "spunk" to stand up to an intimidating figure like Bobby; especially when he is usually right and...moreso...has a tendency to think he's right even when he isn’t.

The look on her face when Deakins says he has to go with Bobby on this one…perhaps that’s the first time we see a glitch in the “trust” factor between the two partners.

For the record, when Kelmer says to his new girlfriend, "Are you really stupid enough to believe everything you read," that is the moment he would find one of his scalpels protruding from his egotistical chest. At the very least, he would have had to remove my foot from his ass. What woman wants to be with a man who calls her stupid? He could have said gullible, but then I guess the whole point was to demonstrate what an arrogant, narcissistic ass he truly was. Good job there.

Not that this is particularly significant, but I notice they drink "Coke" products on LOCI. I’m a Diet Pepsi girl myself. Eh well, maybe Coke has more dollars to spend on “product placement” than Pepsi.

Okay, I admit it...I need help with the set-up for this scene...the non-interrogation interrogation scene. I could never understand why Bobby purposely spilled the Coke on the file. Was it to mess them up so Kelmer couldn’t see what they said, or was it to let the doc think he had the upper hand in some way because Bobby was pretending to be the "doofus" he supposes him to be? I mean, I know Bobby well enough to realize he was “playing” him in some way and for a specific reason because...let's face it...Bobby doesn’t do anything without having a reason for it.

Bobby does make a subtle…but nonetheless purposeful…gesture by handing off the file to Alex in front of the doctor’s arrogant nose. Kelmer does notice the photos, so perhaps that was part of the ruse...to make him think they had something on him.

I could see the gears grinding in that magnificent brain as Bobby studied the papers then deliberately knocked the cup over. I loved watching him dab at the liquid with the paper towels/napkins, only barely acknowledging the doctor…that had to stick in his crawl. And then when Bobby actually “wrings out” the napkin…I don’t know…I just get a kick out of that scene.

Other things about this scene I find worth mentioning are, I love how he “handles” the doctor…keeps telling him until they have an ID, he can’t discuss the case with him. I half expected him to say, “What part of that statement don’t you understand, Doctor?” I like how he and Eames “tag team” Kelmer when they’re not interrogating him. And, finally, I love it when Bobby asks the doctor, “are we getting into an area that’s making you uncomfortable?” Because we know how much Bobby wants his suspects to be “comfortable” around him.

And ultimately, our stalwart detective achieves the purpose of the entire charade...permission from the doctor himself to search his apartment.

I almost forgot to mention the scene with the geeky tech-guy who took the information Goren and Eames gave him and in a veritable nano-second could tell them the areas they should search for the body...assuming an "ocean dump" as Bobby suggested. The airplane flew at 178 knots, the winds were from the north this time of year, the currents are from east to west, ergo, the body should be anywhere from here to here. I love television. But the best part of the scene is when Eames told Bobby she had "dibs" on Long Island, and he just gave her a tolerant, brotherly smile.

Third Slideshow


Fourth Slideshow


If the slides go by too quickly to allow you to read the dialog, just hit the "stop" button in the bottom right hand corner of the slideshow, then advance the slides one at a time.

Quoting "The Good Doctor" Part Three

This brings me to the final segment(s) of this episode. I guess I went a little overboard on quotes and scenes, but this one had so many good scenes and one-liners, it was hard to decide what to leave out. Thus the plethora of slideshows for this show.

I loved the whole scene in Lisa Voight's apartment; especially Bobby. (Go figure.) When he says to her, “I don’t mean to be rude. Are you intimately involved with him?” What a crock. Of course he meant to be rude, or at least to catch her off guard. Besides, Bobby already knew they were intimate…he had seen the “strictly business” photos.

Which leads me to the "gotcha" moment when he thrusts the incriminating photo under her perky little upturned nose and says, "This thing you're doing to the doctor with your tongue, what "business" is that...strictly?" Sarcastic Bobby at his best. Great LOCI moment and a classic Bobby line.

Moving on to the "official" interrogation scene...a "take charge" Bobby moment when he informs the doctor that "this" is an interrogation and tells him where he has to sit. Later in the scene, I love it when Bobby ridicules the doctor by telling him he can't believe that Lisa is going to let him "hack" into her face because he (the doc) has "issues" with her cheekbones. Then Bobby waves that magnificent finger in the doc's arrogant face and chides him with a derisive…tsk…tsk…tsk. Oh yeah, good stuff. Oh, and the "pissing all over herself" line is pretty cool, too.

Now, while I love the fact that my dashing detective is more than a little…shall we say… cocksure of himself…is the courtroom scene truly realistic? I’m just surprised the judge let Goren go on and on the way he did, and kept telling the jury to “disregard” his blatant prejudicial statements instead of declaring a mistrial. I mean both Bobby and Carver did a good deal more than “push” the envelope. They sealed it, stamped it, and dropped that baby in the mailbox and mailed it on home. While it made for entertaining television and gave us some incredibly nice Bobby moments, I hope – I pray – our judicial system is a good deal more diligent than it was portrayed here.

This was the first time…and only time I recall…seeing Bobby testify on the stand. We saw Eames testify in "The Wee Small Hours," but I cannot think of another scene where Bobby testifies in court. I could be wrong, of course. Anyway, this is LOCI after all...Bobby typically coerces a confession from the perp, thereby precluding the need for a trial.

And yet Bobby looks so genuinely remorseful when chastised by the judge, almost wringing his hands. I mean, if ever there was someone so obviously “in contempt” of court, it was my Bobby. It pains me to say it, but it’s true. I guess we’re back to last week’s episode of "The Pardoner's Tale" and “the ends justifying the means” scenario...only the shoe is on Bobby’s foot this time.

Now, I realize they gave the good doctor a knife in the courtroom for a reason, so that when he lost his temper it would only serve to emphasize what a truly despicable man he was. But, come on, would they really give the guy on trial for...you know...murder a weapon to wield in the courtroom? More television drama, I suppose.

And I have to agree with Eames on this one; she hit the nail smack dab on the head. The jury convicted the guy because they didn’t like him...pure and simple. There was not a single shred of evidence in this case…only circumstantial. There’s that proof beyond a "reasonable doubt" thing, you know? Don’t get me wrong, I think the doc was a son of a bitch and probably did kill his wife, but I also think he's standing on solid ground when it comes to an appeal.

Wouldn’t it be interesting if Doctor Kelmer or even Valerie turned up again one day to plague our already beleaguered detective? And on that intriguing thought, I shall bring this rambling tome to an official conclusion.

Fifth Slideshow


Sixth Slideshow


If the slides go by too quickly to allow you to read the dialog, just hit the "stop" button in the bottom right hand corner of the slideshow, then advance the slides one at a time.

"The Good Doctor" Extras

As usual, while capping this episode, I happened upon a couple of scenes and/or stills that do not necessarily go with the dialog, but captured my attention for some reason.

First up is a "consistency" glitch I discovered. This may have been pointed out by someone else previously, but since I seldom...if ever...read "message boards" devoted to Law & Order CI or Vincent D'Onofrio, I no doubt missed it. And, I have to say, I have watched this episode at least two dozen times and never noticed the slip-up before...until I was capping it...watching it frame by frame.

Anyway, it appears that Vincent D'Onofrio got a haircut after they filmed the non-interrogation interrogation scene with Dr. Kelmer, then they decided to go back and add that bit with him looking all contemplative before he purposely dumps the cup of Coke on his legal pad.

First Extra


The next one is a short and sweet glimpse of Eames during the same scene, as she unobtrusively observes the "play" between Goren and Kelmer before joining Bobby to tag team "The Good Doctor."

Second Extra

Friday, September 26, 2008

The Daily Show

I saw both of these bits last night on "The Daily Show," but had no clue that they would be available as videos I could post here. I know, I know...what was I thinking? Anyway, with a heads-up from Music Wench's blog, I headed on over to the Comedy Channel website and found these two truly funny videos.

I love political humor...when it is done right, and Jon Stewart is a master. I cannot wait to see what he does with tonight's debate.

My personal favorite is the one when he is comparing the similarities between two of Bush's speeches. The second one, when he pokes fun at McCain's decision to "suspend" his campaign until the plan to bail out Wall Street has been finalized, isn't too shabby. In fact, they are both quite hilarious.

Presidential Speeches


McCain's Suspended Campaign


Oh, well. Enough of this fun. It's back to finishing off the Quotes for "The Good Doctor." I've been sidetracked this week.

Tuesday, September 23, 2008

Just Bobby & "The Good Doctor"

Lots and lots of great pictures of Detective Bobby in this episode. Again, for the sake of brevity, I will save-up my comments for the quotes post...or posts. There was a veritable plethora of quotable scenes in this one, and I may split them into two...or even three...posts.

Until then, I'm going to enjoy "Just Bobby."

Part I


Part II

Partners & "The Good Doctor"

I have a ton of "notes" for this episode when I get to the "Quotes" slideshows, so I shall state simply that here is the "Partners" slideshow from "The Good Doctor." (Now there's an oxymoron if ever I heard one; there was absolutely nothing good about this doctor.)

The Partners Slideshow

Monday, September 22, 2008

Josh Groban At The Emmys

I don't enjoy awards shows so much anymore. I used to watch the Emmys and Oscars religiously, but not these days. Had I known, however, that Josh Groban was going to be performing the following "homage" to television shows through the "ages," I would have watched long enough to see that.

But that is the wonderfulness of the Internet. I saw a clip about it on GMA this morning, then checked YouTube when I got to the office, and there he was. Not the Josh Groban "sound" I know and love, but entertaining nonetheless.

Interestingly enough, the Law & Order "doink-doink" appears twice in the medley.


Video by nuris9.

Eames In "The Good Doctor"

Am working on this episode, so thought I would go ahead and post the Eames slideshow and get that out of the way.

I liked the way Eames stood up for herself against Bobby in this episode in that she spoke her mind when she thought that the doctor should not be the only suspect in this case. She got shot down for her efforts, but at least she gave it the old "college try."

She also spoke her mind at the end...and rightly so...when she said the jury convicted the doctor purely on emotion; i.e., they didn't like him vs. the evidence. Let's face it...there was no actual evidence to speak of in this case.

The Eames Slideshow

Saturday, September 20, 2008

Women Against Sarah Palin

Found the Women Against Sarah Palin site by visiting Elizabeth D'Onofrio's blog. Yep, that's Vincent's sister. The one thing, at least, I have in common with the man...politics. Go figure.

Anyway, the blog header states the following: "On Wednesday, September 3, we sent out an email to 40 friends and colleagues asking them to respond to Sarah Palin’s candidacy as Vice President of the United States. They forwarded the letter to their friends across America. To date, we have received more than 155,000 responses from women of all ages and backgrounds. Below are their voices." That's pretty impressive, if you ask me.

The profile explains: "We are not in the habit of criticizing women in the public sphere, as we usually feel we should support our female compatriots with as much encouragement as we can. However, Sarah Palin's record is anti-woman. Feminism is not simply about achieving the power and status typically held by men. It's about protecting and supporting the rights of women of all classes, races, cultures, and beliefs. Palin's record and beliefs do not align with this. She was chosen by John McCain specifically because he believes that American women will vote for any female candidate regardless of their qualifications. He is wrong."

The profile has been viewed almost 11,000 times in a little over two weeks. Again, that's impressive. I guess word spreads quickly through the Internet when there is something worth spreading the word about. If you're interested, you can also sign the "Say No To Sarah Palin" petition they have at the site. I read a few of the comments and the ones I read were intelligently written and well thought out.

I could and should probably do more with this post, but it's almost 1:30a.m. and I'm tired. One of these days I will get around to doing a "witty" political post. I have been told, by a former friend, that I am...perhaps...too witty to the point of being glib and insulting. Sounds like the right attributes for a political post, don't you think?

Friday, September 19, 2008

Random Acts Of Bobby

Well, after that last post, I found myself in need of a bit of a diversion, so I took myself off to YouTube and this is the first thing I found...little bits and snips of Bobby from Seasons 4 through 7. Ah...all is right with the world again...for the time being.


Vid by Shaylah Shmoo, and I thank you for it.

Okay...WTF

The only reason I am posting this video about the upcoming fall television season is because of the comment that Jeff Goldblum makes about his new LOCI character, and I quote, "I think my character, from what we've talked about a little, will have a "special talent" for the "psychology" of the individual."

Ergo, I repeat...WTF?

Excuse me? LOCI writers? Hello! Anybody home? Anybody...you know...paying attention? You already have the absolute best, most excellent "psychology-guy" in the uniquely exquisite form of one Detective Robert Goren. Let's not muck-up a good thing, shall we?

I don't want to jump to conclusions, but I'm not liking the sound of this...not one little bit. I am, in short, not a happy camper. "We are not amused," sayeth the queen.


2008 Fall TV Preview Part 12
Uploaded by tvguide
Oh, yeah...found the vid on Dailymotion...with a heads-up from Music Wench.

Wednesday, September 17, 2008

The One And Only

That would be...me. According to this website I found via an email from a friend earlier today, I am the only person in the United States with my exact name. The website is called How Many of Me, so click on the link if you want to see how many of you there are in the U.S.

Oh, and for those who might be interested in the number of Robert Goren's there are presently residing in the United States, the answer is ten. According to this site, there are 4,807,968 people in the U.S. with Robert as a first name. Whereas, there are 641 people with the last name Goren. Unfortunately, the one that preoccupies way too many of my waking thoughts is purely fictional.

Quoting "The Pardoner's Tale"

I cannot say that I was particularly fond of this episode. In fact, after seven years of watching Law & Order CI, I have to say there are probably only a dozen or so episodes that I consider to be truly excellent. The majority are good, but then there are several that just don’t quite "do it" for me. This is one of those episodes.

Don’t get me wrong, they are all quite watchable, but that has more to do with the fact that Vincent D’Onofrio breathes such incredible life and vibrancy into Detective Robert Goren than the subpar plots the writers sometimes offer up. Anyway, this eppy had more than it’s share of notable and mentionable “Bobby Moments,” but then, don’t they all?

Okay, I guess I have to start with Bobby telling Eames that he needs to see a buddy about a ’71 Malibu and asking her if she wants to come with him. Eames replies, “Sure. I love meeting your buddies.” The next scene is at Lewis’s (the buddy) garage, and as they’re walking around and talking, Lewis comments that he can’t get used to seeing Bobby in a suit. Then he stops at this one dented convertible, looks at it pointedly then at Bobby and says, “Bring back any memories, Bobby?” Bobby looks at the car, gives his head a reflective shake and says, “Whew!” Hmm? Makes one wonder, doesn’t it?

From all this, we learn that Bobby does indeed have friends, all of whom appear to have gone begging in subsequent years, but at one time the man did have buddies…several, in fact; Eames has met more than one of them. Next, we learn that Goren is fairly new to positions that require he wear a suit and tie. Finally, we arrive at the convertible. Can’t you just imagine the fun times Bobby had in a convertible? This was fun Bobby, more care-free Bobby and definitely angst-free Bobby. I miss him.

I liked the scene when Goren and Eames are questioning the kid who drove the getaway car. Bobby knew from the get-go that the kid had not known what was going to go down that night…he was just the dumb-luck driver. But when the guy breaks down and starts to cry, Bobby takes out his handkerchief…I love the fact he carries a linen/cotton hanky…and hands it to Eames who then gives it to the tearful perp. I’m still scratching my head as to why Bobby did not proffer the handkerchief directly to the guy. Oh, well…just one of those little “nuances” I suppose.

Moving on, we learn that Bobby knows people in the Fed…people who owe him favors. One of my favorite Goren lines of all time is the, “I can get someone in so deep, even I couldn’t find them.” Now, that’s deep, I’m thinking. It also makes me wonder about the nature of the favors owed Detective Goren by someone in the Fed. I am also partial to the “I give you my word” line. The way he says it, you just know you can trust this guy. I do.

Through the years, I have grown accustomed to watching Bobby play with his various “props.” The ever present leather portfolio, the handkerchief, the gun, the switchblade, the blue pencil…pretty much whatever gadget or gizmo that’s handy, you can bet that Bobby will be all over it. This is one of the few episodes I can recall seeing him use a “regular” No. 2 pencil vs. the blue one.

Another prop was the remote...I have to say I got a big kick out of watching him wave the remote around in the interrogation room. Oh, and to further exalt the virtues of that particular scene, permit me one naughty observation; no one else on this earth “straddles” a chair better than this man. In fact, if “chair straddling” was an Olympic sport, Detective Robert Goren wins the gold medal…hands down…no contest…every single time. Enough said.

Time to pause for a deep breath...and now I’m back.

I thoroughly enjoyed the scene when Goren and Eames were talking with the University employee. Bobby was tenacious and yet "irresistibly charming" as he wheedled the identity of the anonymous donor from the unsuspecting woman.

Of course, there was that great moment in the interrogation room when the guy just stared ahead, refusing to comment or even acknowledge that Eames or Goren were in the room, let alone talking to him. The, “Boo! Made you look,” line is another Bobby classic. Well, you know, Bobby has to be in control.

I have to say that Carver went down a notch or two in my estimation in this episode with his whole “the end justifies the means” attitude. I loved it when Bobby angrily told him that they were supposed to be “better” than the people they were prosecuting. But the kicker was the tag line at the end after they’ve successfully nabbed the bad guy and Carver is smiling, looking all proud of himself. He says they should teach this case at the governor’s school of government and Bobby promptly bursts Carver’s happy bubble by informing him that law school “ethics” class is the place it should be taught. Then he calls him “counselor.” Good scene.

Well, there are countless other things I could mention…like the “search warrant doesn’t actually stipulate highlighting” scene, Bobby’s interaction with the little boy, Bobby bursting into the room with his weapon drawn (be still my heart), Bobby directing Eames through the computer scene when they learn that Ufland was pardoned by the governor; i.e., “Read, read,” and “Go on,” and the ever popular, “Scroll down.” We all find out in Season 3 how Bobby feels about “scrolling.”

So, there you have it...my tome to “The Pardoner’s Tale” and here are the slideshows to accentuate the “points” just made.

Part I


Part II


Part III


Part IV

Monday, September 15, 2008

Bobby And "The Pardoner's Tale"

There were just too many excellent shots of Bobby in this eppy to limit myself to one measly slideshow.

First Slideshow


Second Slideshow

The Partner's Tale

No, that's not a misprint...it's like a "play" on words...my feeble attempt at being witty and clever. This episode had a lot of good shots of Goren and Eames together with tons of great facial expressions from the masterful Vincent D'Onofrio.

The partners slideshow from "The Pardoner's Tale"

Hillary vs. Palin on SNL

I saw this clip on Music Wench's blog and knew I had to figure out a way to post it on mine, so I can watch it whenever the mood strikes. What a hoot! Witty and clever and quite simply hilarious.


Sunday, September 14, 2008

Bonus Screen Caps

Every now and then I stumble across scenes while I'm capping that do not make it into the "Quotes" slideshow for that particular episode, but still "speak" to me in some way. The following two very brief slideshows are examples of two such scenes.

The first one is when Goren & Eames are questioning Greg's mother at her office, and she has her grandson with her. The little fella...as young children are wont to do...took a fancy to Bobby's badge that was clipped onto his lapel. The little boy gave it a "thump" and Bobby took it off and handed it to him. No words were exchanged, but the look on Bobby's face, his genuine smile, and the subsequent look of trust the child bestowed upon him when he accepted the badge...well...I've just always liked this scene.

Too bad they didn't show us the child's reaction when Bobby wanted his badge back.

Bonus Slideshow I From "The Pardoner's Tale"


One of the things I enjoy most about the Goren & Eames work relationship is how they intuitively know what the other is thinking. This is fairly early on in their partnership, but in the following scene, when Goren realizes the identity of the woman's "traveling" husband, and he gets that "look" in his eye, Eames knows immediately that something is up. She doesn't know what, but she "knows."

Bonus Slideshow II From "The Pardoner's Tale"

"The Pardoner's Tale" And Eames

It's late and I wish I had a profound lead-in for the Eames slideshow from "The Pardoner's Tale." But I don't.

My only excuse is...well, it's late and my brain is tired. Plus after looking at Detective Robert Goren all day, in a massive screen capping undertaking, all I want to do is climb into bed and have sweet dreams of said detective.

Lately, however, I've been dreaming about an old boyfriend I haven't seen...or wanted to see...in nearly thirty years. Now, what's up with that, I ask you?

Eames Slideshow From "The Pardoner's Tale"

Thursday, September 11, 2008

We Will Never Forget

Seven years ago today, our world was forever changed when a handful of self-aggrandized, deranged lunatics boarded four planes in the U.S. and proceeded to turn them into scaled down versions of weapons of mass destruction by slamming them into the World Trade Center and the Pentagon. A fourth was headed for…it has been generally surmised…the U.S. Capitol in Washington when a group of extremely heroic passengers aboard United Flight 93 “took charge.” And though they ultimately lost their lives in a valiant struggle…countless others were doubtlessly saved.

The events of Tuesday, September 11, 2001 will forever be one of those “do you remember where you were” moments. You know, like Pearl Harbor or when Kennedy was assassinated. I wasn't born when the attack on Pearl Harbor happened, but I was for JFK. I still remember. I was in the sixth grade, standing at the blackboard, waiting for our teacher…Mr. Taylor…to give me a math problem to solve. When the announcement came over the intercom, Mr. Taylor just hung his head…visibly shaken.

My classmates and I were, of course, too young to truly understand the magnitude of this horrendous event, but I remember sitting in front of the television for the next four days, watching the story unfold…thousands of mourners filing by the casket in the Capitol rotunda, the flag draped casket on the caisson in the funeral procession, John Jr. saluting the coffin. Yep, I remember it all…just as I know I will never forget where I was or what I was doing when I first learned about the unspeakable events that unfolded seven years ago today.

I was sitting at my desk at work when Martha buzzed me through the intercom. She asked me if I was on the Internet. (That was back in the day before we were completely up to speed technology-wise and only four people/computers could access the Internet at a time.) I wasn’t, so I asked her what was going on, and she told me her sister had called to tell her that a plane had hit the World Trade Center.

Naturally, I tried to access the Internet then, but the news websites were so jammed, you couldn’t pull them up, so I reverted to that standby technology that has served me well throughout my life…the radio. I switched on WLW and there was Peter Jennings from ABC News, giving a detailed description of the mayhem that had descended upon Manhattan that morning. By this time, the second plane had already hit the south tower and by the time Peter announced that a third plane had hit the Pentagon, I was on the phone to my brother, Harold. It’s times such as these that especially makes one want to reach out to one’s family and friends…reassure oneself that they’re all right…grab hold of some sense of normality.

He and Patty were just finishing breakfast and had not turned on the television or a radio as of yet, so when he answered the phone, I said, “Do you know what’s going on?” It was obvious by his nebulous reply that he didn’t, so I told him that two planes had just flown into the World Trade Center. He didn’t seem to immediately grasp the enormity of the situation. (I am still his baby sister, after all, and he has a tendency to…you know…not listen to me.) By the time I got to the plane that had crashed into the Pentagon, however, he realized something serious was afoot.

After I got off the phone with Harold, I just sat in my office for the longest time, listening to Peter Jennings’s “play by play” account of the horrific happenings in New York. I will never forget his incredulous reaction to the news from the onsite reporter who announced that the first tower had fallen. Peter said something on the order of, “You mean one side of the building has collapsed?” To which the reporter replied, “No, Peter, it’s gone…the entire building is…gone.” Chilling stuff.

All I could think was, “Someone’s just tugged on Superman’s cape, and they have no idea what they’ve done.”

I stayed at work throughout the day, numbly going through the motions. At some point, Dave went home and brought in a television, so we could follow the events more closely. I happened to be in the reception area when he plugged it in and watched with a handful of others in shocked disbelief as they replayed the towers crumbling to the ground…like so much kindling. One announcer stated that as many as 20,000 people could be in and around the WTC at any given moment during the day, and that is when I lost it. (The only time in eleven years that Dave has let his “boss” reserve down…he gave me a consoling hug.)

I cannot help it...that’s just me. I have a penchant for going straight to the heart of the matter. While some may think in terms of planes and buildings and so-called “collateral damage,” all I could think about was…those poor people. The people in the planes, the people in those disintegrating buildings, the people on the ground running in sheer terror from an assailant which…at that moment…had not been identified, and the people left behind searching in vain for loved ones.

When I got home…like the rest of America…I turned on the television and just watched in stupefied silence as the horrific moments of the day were played over and over again until I finally got to the point where, if I saw those buildings collapse one more time, or one more person jump/fall to their death from the burning buildings, I was certain I was going to throw up. I watched as reporters stationed at various triage centers, that had been set up to handle the barrage of wounded they were anticipating, scratched their heads in wonder, bemused by the fact the centers remained empty well into the night. There was, in fact, a very simple reason for the empty emergency centers…I found myself screaming at the television…there were no survivors found among the rubble to bring to them.

So here we are, seven years and two wars later, and I find myself asking…did we, as a nation, learn anything from that day, are we better or worse off for having lived through it, are we better-equipped or prepared to handle another terrorist attack of that magnitude…or worse? I don’t know…I have no answers.

I only know that all of our lives were forever changed that day…some, and I’m referring to those who lost mothers and fathers and sisters and brothers and friends, more deeply than others. The catchphrase for that awful day has become “We Will Never Forget.” I don’t know about you, but I, for one, do not need a “slogan” to remind me of that terrible September morning. The horrifying images are forever burned in my brain and the poignant stories of the survivors and loved ones lost are forever embedded in my heart.

Images From That Day

Photos found on various Google sites.

A poem, not about 9-11, but relevant none the less.

"None So Brave"
Taken one day from their daily lives.
Helping to rebuild a country war torn and still in strife.

Blindfolded with hands and feet tied,
Three brave men in front of their captives sat.
People so evil with no value for life.

Threats and demands were made,
For the two Americans and an Englishman to save.
Days dragged by, while the world waited with bated breath.
Thoughts with the men in the hands of terrorists.
All efforts made for their release were to no avail.
While in the depths of their minds hope hovered.
As right to the end they still reached out to life.

We do not understand how these people can take innocent lives,
But perhaps one day the answer find,
As we travel the corridors of time.

by Margaret H. Mustoe

A timetable of the events of September 11, 2001 as they occurred can be found here.

Tuesday, September 9, 2008

It Figures

A couple of weeks back, Music Wench provided a link to the Hello Quizzy website for anyone who wanted to take a quiz that would determine what director would film their life story.

Well, I thought it might be fun to participate in this little quiz, so I took myself off to the website straightaway and proceeded to answer their questions. I could tell right off that I was in "trouble." I mean, I grew up in a small town, I made good grades, no sweethearts under the age of 12, I suffered no "serious trauma" (thank God) as a child, never been heroic, I've never been chased by the police...although there is a certain detective I would willingly let catch and "frisk" me if given half a chance, but I digress...I've never committed a serious crime, I live alone. You get the picture...I'm dull as dirt.

Anyway, I guess it should have come as no great surprise to me when the quiz results revealed that Edward D. Wood, Jr. would be the perfect director to tell the story of my ho-hum, humdrum life. Here is what Quizzy has to say about that:

Your result for The Director Who Films Your Life Test...

Edward D. Wood, Jr.

"Your film will be 48% romantic, 22% comedy, 24% complex plot, and a $ 25 million budget.

Ed Wood will get your film done waaaaay under budget, and will likely make it into a classic film of all time -- for all the wrong reasons. Let's face it, your life isn't terribly exciting to begin with, and it needs some camping up. His resume includes classics such as Plan Nine From Outer Space and Glen or Glenda? He's not afraid to tackle controversial topics, and may insist on portraying a transvestite in your film -- even if you've never seen a transvestite before. He was immortalized in the Academy Award winning Tim Burton film, Ed Wood -- go see it."

Take The Director Who Films Your Life Test at HelloQuizzy

I happened to have "Ed Wood" on loan from Netflix at the time, so I watched it...mainly to see the "roughly" 60 seconds worth of screen time that Vincent D'Onofrio was allotted portraying Orson Welles. He was great...even though the director possessed the unmitigated gall to dub his beautiful voice...the movie was so-so, although Johnny Depp was pretty entertaining in the lead role. As the movie ended, there was a notice stating that several years following his death, Ed Wood was voted "The Worst Director of All Time."

Yep, that's the story of my life, folks, and it gets to be told by the worst director...not just of the year, or the decade, or the century, or even the millennium...but OF ALL TIME. Sounds about right.

Sunday, September 7, 2008

"Poison" Quotes

Talk about your "ripped from the headlines" stories, albeit this particular crime occurred way back in the fall of 1982 in Chicago and was never solved. According to Snopes, the case is still officially listed as "unsolved," and actually appears to have been a bona fide "random" poisoning and not an attempt to cover up the murder of one individual by randomly killing six others.

Oh, well, such are the plots of television crime dramas; especially the Law & Order genre.

I really liked this episode. I suppose because I recognized the subject matter instantly and remembered the horror of the event and the subsequent effect it had on all of us. I mean, you can't buy a pack of gum today without fighting your way through layers of tamper-proof packaging. That may be a wee bit of an exaggeration, but it sure feels true.

Anyway, on to the episode and our tenacious detective. Immediately after putting the obnoxious hospital attorney in his place by informing him that the hospital was on the hook for the murders, we get a peek at the famous "Goren" nose. Ah, that cute little pug-nose to which virtually every scent known to man can be detected.

Right away we learn that Bobby is a zealous profiler; he rattled off, with great relish, the probable traits of the "Angel of Death." And though we will ultimately discover in later episodes that Bobby does not always gracefully accept the fact that he can, in fact, be wrong, in this episode he immediately backed off the prime suspect...the nurse...once he ascertained that she did not "fit the profile."

Nope, Bobby did not like it one little bit when the "brass" did not concur with his reassessment of the case. Indeed, he took umbrage, as evidenced by his haughtily spoken, "I'm telling you, she's not the one. There's someone else."

If we didn't know this already, we learned that Bobby doesn't mind breaking the rules and going over his superiors' heads if it saves lives. Case in point...the leak to the press. Oh, and it was nice to see the crossover in this episode; i.e., the brief scene with Ed Green and Lennie Briscoe from that mother of all ships known as "Law & Order."

What else did we learn about Bobby in this episode? Hmm...let's see. Well, he has "sources." Watchdog groups, in fact, that Eames sardonically refers to as, "tree huggers." He likes looking at wedding pictures, and our gallant detective always has a linen handkerchief at the ready for any given situation...in this case...a distraught murder suspect in the interrogation room.

I really liked the feisty attorney, O'Brien, who was hired to defend Mrs. Marlin. I would like to have seen her character in a recurring role, but that did not happen. I think she could have given Carver a run for his money.

Finally, Bobby sure can lay out a good trap once he has the villain in his sites. I just love how he and Eames manipulated Trudy into providing them the very evidence they needed to put her away once and for all. I believe that horrible woman would have let her mother take the wrap for the senseless murders she had committed...and for what...baby clothes. I guess the love of money truly is the root of all evil.

And now to the slideshows. This one had more scenes and quotes and dialogue that struck my fancy than usual, thus the extra slideshow.

Poison Part I


Poison Part II


Poison Part III


Poison Part IV

Saturday, September 6, 2008

Uncle Jay Explains The News

A friend sent me the following video about Congress, along with the link to the website Uncle Jay Explains The News.

Now, I believe I have made my position about politics pretty clear in that...I don't discuss 'em. For me, there is nothing to be gained by becoming embroiled in hashing and rehashing the qualities... desirable or not...of the same old tired politicians, making the same old tired promises that none of them keep. I mean, feathers get ruffled, blood pressures bubble to dangerously high levels, and friendships are severely tested.

I guess I'm just not into confrontations...never have been...never will be. I am, however, not opposed to poking fun at our political leaders...regardless of their party affiliation. Most of them are just begging for it anyway.

Uncle Jay's website states that he "helps small minds understand big news." Hmm? Not sure if I should be insulted or not. Oh, well. If nothing else, I found his videos pretty entertaining.

Uncle Jay Explains Congress


Uncle Jay Explains Liberals & Conservatives


Looking forward to next week when Uncle Jay...perhaps...has a go at explaining Sarah Palin. I wish someone could explain that to me, but I doubt it is possible.

Found all the vids at YouTube, posted by UncleJayExplains.

Just Bobby "Poison"

Three "Poison" posts down and the big one is still yet to come...the "Quotes," and there's a lot of 'em. Meanwhile, I'll just feast my eyes on the delightfully delectable smorgasbord of masculinity in the following slideshows.

Just Bobby Poison Slideshow I


Just Bobby Poison Slideshow II

Friday, September 5, 2008

"Poison" Partners

The "Partners" slideshow from "Poison" is now ready for viewing. Don't have much of a lead-in for it...just enjoy...those of you who may drop by.

"Poison" Partners Slideshow

Eames In "Poison"

For those of you who have a "crush" on Eames, here are some photos of her from Season One's episode entitled: "Poison."

For some reason, the TV Guide episode guide for LOCI...at least in Season One...is different than the Amazon.com download list, showing a different sequence and air dates. Don't know what's up with that. I'm sticking with the TV Guide.

I am also working on partner, Just Bobby, and "favorite/ memorable" quotes posts for this eppy. Screen capping has become an all-consuming thing lately, but it keeps me off the streets at night and out of trouble. Besides, I get to look at Bobby, so a girl could do a lot worse.

Eames Slideshow

Thursday, September 4, 2008

Bella Update

With many thanks to those of you who emailed me privately to inquire about the test results for Bella. I should have posted this update a couple of days ago, and I have no excuse other than I am incredibly lazy sometimes when it comes to keeping up with this blogging thing.

Anyway, the news is of the best possible variety. Harold called me at work around 10:00a.m. Tuesday to give me the report. To keep it short and sweet...Bella is fine. In fact, the "mass" that had been so clearly evident on the tests the doctor had taken, prompting him to recommend the MRI...was gone. Let me repeat that...gone... vanished...completely and utterly caput.

The doctor told Joey he had no explanation...merely that what they had previously detected was...no longer there. I just laughed and told Harold, "Well, the doctor may not know what happened, but we do. God took it away." The power of prayer, folks.

Those who know me well know that I am not a church-going, Bible wielding, religious fanatic. Far from it, in fact. I mean, God and I have some seriously intense "throw-downs" on a regular basis. I question too much, I guess. In spite of that, I do consider myself to be a spiritual soul, and I do believe in the power of prayer, the benevolence of a supreme being, the magic of a miracle.

Let me say it once more...I truly do appreciate the emails...the prayers...the good thoughts you sent my way on Bella's behalf. This blogging world has given me some wonderful new friends, and I thank you for the concern you showed me and my family.

Here are a few more photos of Bella and Mallory, with one or two of their daddy and grandpa thrown in to boot. These were all taken this past Easter. I was still very much in the learning stage of operating the new digital camera, thus the "red" eyes and dark background in some of them. I'll get better...or die trying.

Monday, September 1, 2008

All About Bella

I first introduced the topic of this post...my great-niece Bella...in November of last year. Well, I spent this last Friday at Children's Hospital here in Cincinnati with my brother and sister-in-law (Harold & Patty, Bella's grandparents) and my nephew and his wife (Mike & Joey, Bella's parents) because this sweet little pixie had to undergo an MRI on her kidneys.

Apparently, she had been complaining that her tummy hurt after she ate certain foods, which prompted her to not want to eat at all. Then she indicated that the pain extended around to her back. A visit to the doctor and a few tests later revealed there is a "mass" behind one of the kidneys which is causing them to grow larger than they should be for her age.

Mike lives in Lexington, but they sent her to Cincinnati because there are two doctors here who specialize in this sort of children's ailment. Since I had taken Friday off anyway, I went over to the hospital to wait with everyone.

Before leaving the apartment, I opened up a plastic tub full of Boyd's Bears (I used to be a huge collector and was known as the "bear aunt" because that's what I gave all my girls at Christmas) and chose a suitable companion for Bella and one for her baby sister, Mallory. Actually, Mallory ended up with a kitty, but since I was promptly informed that "cat" just happens to be her favorite word, it appears that Aunt Lou unwittingly stumbled upon a most excellent choice for Mal-Mal...as her big sister calls her.

When everyone arrived, I asked Joey if it was okay to give her the bear then, or if she preferred I wait until after the MRI. She said it was okay to go ahead and give it to her, and I'm so glad I did. Bella carried that bear around with her the rest of the day. You will note in the picture below that the bear is wearing a matching hospital wrist band and, once she went back for the test, the technician X-rayed the bear...whose Boyd's given name was Orianna, but Bella decided to call Mimi...to make sure she did not contain any metal. Once that was ascertained, the bear went into the MRI machine with her. When she awakened from the MRI, the technicians informed her that "Mimi" had slept through the whole test right along with her. Cute.

They won't have the results of the test until tomorrow...since today was a holiday...so we are all praying and hoping for the best. The nagging thing is...Joey's mom has already had one kidney transplant and may need another one, so we don't know if this may be a genetic condition, or what. I guess time will tell.

Bella with her new friend. I should have mentioned that Bella is not particularly fond of having her picture taken. I can identify with that, but I'm a fat old crone, not a precocious three year old. Anyway, she begrudgingly agreed to humor her old Aunt Lou with the following results.

Another shot of Bella. She is so vivacious and full of life. It is inconceivable to think there might be something seriously wrong with this precious little one. She talks a mile a minute and is quite "verbal." The technician asked Joey if she was "certain" that Bella was only three years old. I laughed and asked Joey if she told him she was the momma...she should know. Mallory, on the other hand, scarcely says a word, I'm told, besides...well...cat, which has already been established. I said she probably can't get a word in edgewise anyway, and she'll talk when she has something to say. I also reminded everyone that Mike was a "late talker" but now we can't get him to shut up, so they should be happy for small blessings.

This is Harold and Patty. I have introduced them to my iPod. Actually, I had a couple of gospel songs on it by the "Forrester Sisters" that I knew they would enjoy, so I queued the song and handed Harold the iPod. He then "shared" it with Patty, so they each have one earphone. They've been married almost forty-five years. Can you tell?

Mike and Joey and the girls this past Easter Sunday.

Same picture, same day...only this time with the proud grandparents.

"Frame" Just Bobby

Which is what Declan was trying to do...I guess. I'm still trying to sort out the nuances of the Law & Order CI season finale. Perhaps with the posting of this...my final two slideshows from this episode...I will be able to "give it a rest" for a while. Ya think?

A few observations. I have already ranted about the discrepancy in Frances Goren's birth date, so I won't belabor that subject again. So, on to a new one...nothing major...just something I noticed while screen capping the eppy. It has to do with the scene when Bobby is going over to Frank's apartment and comes across the crime scene.

He was carrying that framed picture of himself and Frank as kids, and I thought that had to be a "pain in the butt" prop for Vincent D'Onofrio to deal with, but then again he always seems to have a handle on that leather portfolio he has lugged around for seven seasons. Anyway, when he gets that "gut feeling" as to the identity of the body in the courtyard, he whips out his badge and rips through the police tape and bolts like a madman down the steps. With me so far?

When he starts down the steps, the picture is in his left hand and his shield is in his right hand. When he emerges at the bottom of the stairs...running or at least walking rapidly...the picture is now in his right hand and the badge has been neatly clipped onto his lapel. That's a whole lot of juggling of things in a short space of time; especially when one is dashing madly down a flight of steps...that's all I'm saying.

I have to say that I wanted to bitch-slap Frank's ex when she told Bobby that she wished he had taken more of an interest in his nephew. Now, I realize full well that Frank...being the low-life weasel that he was...spinned the story to suit his own selfish needs. I'm just saying that people need to be in possession of all the "facts" before they start making judgments and handing out guilt-trips willy-nilly.

It was good to see that "smart" Bobby was back. He knew the drug used on Frank made a person stop breathing, that the quote on the card from "the evil one" was from Hamlet and that Pittsfield, MA was where Herman Melville wrote "Moby Dick." I like smart Bobby so much better than sad Bobby.

And I'm not going to talk about Nicole Wallace because...again...I ranted about her enough in a previous post. Although until they produce her decaying, heartless body, I'm stickin' with Bobby on this one...she ain't dead. As that slimy judge in "The Wee Small Hours" said, "No body, no case." For me...no body, no proof. The only thing I have to say about Nicole is...her appearance in this episode appeared to be a bit of an "afterthought." I mean, she was a "blip" on the screen for a nano-second outside Frank's door. Then there was that nauseating scene in the flower shop. (I hate this woman.) She had more screen time in flashbacks than actual new footage...that's all I'm saying.

Okay, so I lied. I did talk about Nicole...but only a little.

I also liked how Ross appeared to be sympathetic to Bobby; i.e., "First his mother, then his brother...it's a lot to lose." Even when Ross was talking to Rodgers when he suspected she knew something, he prefaced it with, "My detective's in trouble." He also went on to say that, "Goren's vulnerable. He has a "target" on his back, so does anyone who helps him," which makes me worry about what is in store for my Bobby next season. "Sigh."

I did not like the fact that Ross made the leap from Bobby finding out his biological father was Mark Ford Brady to "assuming" he was capable of going on a killing spree. I did appreciate Eames for standing up for her partner then and loved the face she pulled when Ross told her to "rule him out" as a suspect. And I absolutely LOVED the "Mexican standoff" between Bobby and Ross. Not quite "The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly" but entertaining none the less. Really loved the little tweak of the eyebrow Bobby gave Ross at the concluding moment as if to say, "Then again, maybe I am a killer."

I noticed that Eames reverted to referring to Bobby as "Goren" on more than one occasion. Now, perhaps that has been going on in recent episodes, but I did not pick up on it until this one.

Which leads me to Declan. Luckily, I did not watch the USA "recap" they showed prior to airing the actual episode, so I had not seen all the spoilers. But...I knew it was Declan. I didn't know why or how or his "intent" behind it all, but I knew it was Declan...even before I sat down to watch the show Sunday evening.

Everyone had been speculating as to the reason for Bobby reaching out to his old mentor. So, I thought...why indeed? I looked closely at the two publicity photos released prior to the show and said, "Why are they in the interrogation room?" Declan would not be questioning Bobby, so Bobby had to be questioning Declan ergo...Declan did it. And after that business in the hospital when it was revealed that the syringe was only half-way empty...I knew it for certain. Nicole didn't make those kind of mistakes...Declan injected himself, but only a little.

But I have to say that, after watching it...oh...six or seven times now, I'm still now sure why or how Declan did it. I know, I know...it was to set Bobby FREE. But didn't he try to...you know...FRAME Bobby for Frank's murder? We're supposed to believe this was just some elaborate puzzle concocted in the deranged mind of this lunatic old man? We're supposed to believe this feeble old geezer, suffering the effects of dementia, killed and CUT OUT Nicole's heart. (I'm not a doctor, but I've read that's not as easy to do as one might imagine.) And he did this all to give Bobby a puzzle to solve...to get him "back in the game," as he put it.

Excuse me, did I miss something? Wasn't Bobby already back in the game? Ah, well. Enough of this rehashing. It's giving me a headache. It's time to put "Frame" and Bobby to bed (I wish) for awhile.

One last thing...and perhaps more important than all the others I've mentioned...before the new season begins in November, I will somehow have to find a way to reconcile myself to the fact that Bobby Goren is, in fact, Bobby Brady. Not exactly "The Brady Bunch" I remember. The more I watch this show, the more I realize that the LOCI writers...like God...have a pretty wicked sense of humor.

Just Bobby Slideshow I


Just Bobby Slideshow II