Castle: Still – A Good Cop/Bad Cop Review

Castle: Still

 

Well, this is one time when it truly is a good thing to have two reviewers—the good and bad cop. Why is this a good thing? Because Melanie absolutely loved this episode, and I absolutely hated it. And, as far as I’m concerned, hated is not a strong enough term to describe my feelings about what I thought was a real snooze fest. A total yawner. But, I’m pretty sure I know why and how Melanie and I came to be at opposite ends of the spectrum on this one, with no common ground or element to share.

Melanie watches Castle for the romance and relationship. I watch for the comedy and the police procedure and forensics (or the lack of). This episode was all about the relationship, the love, and the goo-gooey-eyed moments that occurred over the history of the show. And we saw those moments via flashbacks. By the way, the flashbacks made this episode doubly painful for me because I despise “back-in-time” scenes. So, an entire episode of nothing but flashbacks of mushy stuff pretty much pushed me over the edge. But I can see how Melanie and a boat load of shippers would have spent their time last night squealing and drooling throughout the show.

Since there was no real police procedure (goodness knows what little we did see was goofy), I’ll first call on Melanie to share her giddiness with you. Melanie, have you returned to earth, or are you still floating among the clouds after seeing all the mushy stuff last night?

Melanie Atkins

I loved this episode. Absolutely LOVED it — even though I had to keep in mind that this episode should have aired before last week’s show. Consider that in terms of relationship continuity. Even so, after nearly a year of being together, Kate finally told Rick she loves him. Yes, she might have said the words under duress, under the threat of death, but Stana’s tears and the agony on her face told the tale. I was in tears, too. What about you?

The first scene with Rick bringing Kate breakfast in bed — he even made hearts in their coffee — and then her sitting on his lap set the tone for this one and told us the episode would focus on their relationship. Yes, Kate stepped on a bomb inside the suspect’s apartment and had to remain “still” to keep from setting it off, but the episode did revolve around her and Rick. He stayed inside the apartment to keep her company even though he could have fled at the beginning to save himself. He used humor to keep her distracted so she wouldn’t focus on her predicament, and it worked, at least for a while.

All of the flashbacks and fun from the pilot on brought back so many good memories and made me laugh out loud over and over again. They reminded me why I love this show so much. One day I’m going to gather all my DVDs and watch the show again from the beginning, just because I can. I love the evolution in Kate and Rick’s relationship and the way they’ve learned to trust and love one another. The way they’ve opened up, maybe not on every level even now, but so much more with each new episode. This show has hit all the right marks with me, and that says a lot because I write romance. Kudos to Andrew Marlowe and company for finally giving me the love story I’ve craved ever since I started watching television.

I adored the relationship part of this particular episode, and that of course made up most of it, but I did giggle at the Mission Impossible-like green lasers shooting up from down below to outline the edge of the bomb. Seriously, folks? I could hear Lee’s loud groan from here in Mississippi. If that’s really the way bomb disposal units do that, I’ll retract my statement… but seriously? And Rick coming up with the code at the last second… okay, I can live with that. He did save Kate after all… and the hug they shared once the bomb disengaged made me tear up all over again.

And of course, now we know Gates is aware Kate and Rick are in a relationship. Finally! Like Gates said in the show, she’s not an idiot. I knew she had to know, and I thought they handled her letting them in on it in a great way. So glad that silly story line is over, however. I thought they dragged it out way too long. Sorry, but I did. A little of that went a really long way.

Crazy green lasers and Gates aside, I thought the powers that be did a fabulous job of putting tonight’s show together so fast. Still was an extra episode ABC added after Marlowe, et al, had lined up the remainder of the episodes for the end of the season, so they had to decide what to do in a hurry. They shot the show in three days, versus eight, and then used the clips from previous seasons to fill in… giving us that delicious trip down memory lane. Yay for the wonderful editors who took on that monumental task. I thought the idea worked perfectly.

Tension, angst, drama, laughter, tears… it doesn’t get any better than this. I’m afraid the next two episodes might kill me, however, what with the… well, never mind. I don’t want to spoil too much. Stana did tweet that the finale is a tearjerker, but in a good way. Really?

Only two more episodes to go in season five.

Lee Lofland

I just have a couple of points to address this week.

First, the fully-suited entry team kicks in an apartment door. They’re ready to do battle, complete with Kevlar helmets atop their little actor heads. As they make their carefully executed entry, a pony-tailed Beckett steps into the line. I’m sure you guys are aware there’s a certain order and purpose of the entry team. Each person has an assignment and their position in the line dictates what each person is supposed to do. So Beckett jumping line is just not the proper thing to do. Besides, she wasn’t dressed appropriately for the task at hand. Not to mention how silly it is to have Castle parading around, unarmed, in a highly charged for-well-trained-cops-only situation.

And let’s not forget the crossfire situation surrounding the bomber (Fosse). Oh, and Ryan running through the alley holding his pistol in outstretched arms. If you have a moment, re-watch the scene and you’ll see his weapon waving side to side, wildly. An accidental trigger pull during that scene and who knows who’d have been the recipient of that round.

Yes, the bomb disposal unit was pretty goofy. In real life, the team commander absolutely would not have allowed Castle to remain in the room with Beckett. And, they most certainly would not allow him to wander around at will, going out for coffee, etc.

– Why on earth would Ryan and Esposito simply leave Beckett and Castle in a building where a bomb was set to go off? They warned her about it and then we saw the duo at the precinct talking to Gates. Odd.

Finally, I was a bit confused about the premise of the bomb, the bomber, and the guy the bomber was targeting. As I understood it, the bomber (Fosse) was trying to learn the identity of his kid, I think. But when Castle figured that out, he also correctly guessed that the password to deactivate the explosive was the mystery kid’s name, Billy. Well, if that were the case, then Fosse already knew the kid’s name. Somebody please clear this up for me. Not that it’s important, because it’s not. Besides, it fit perfectly into this week’s totally ridiculous case.

Well, as I said earlier, I didn’t like this episode at all. But I’m sure the true shippers are still swooning because they had the opportunity to see all the lip-locking and tear-jerking moments all in one episode. Good for the shippers, too, because this sort of thing is precisely why they love this show. And they are the target audience, not me.

There was one good aspect to this yawner…I had an extra hour to work on my current book, which, for the first time since the show first aired, is what I did while this episode slogged by.

By the way, who knew that Beckett had worn so many different hairstyles over the years? And I’d almost forgotten that Castle is a writer…

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Friday’s Heroes: Remembering The Fallen

Friday's Heroes - Remembering the fallen officers

 

You gave your all to protect and serve us, and for that we are eternally grateful.

Deputy Sheriff Douglas Leon Hanna, 44

Washita County Oklahoma Sheriff’s Office

April 21, 2013 – Deputy Douglas Hanna was killed when a pickup truck ran a stop sign and crashed into his patrol car. The impact of the crash forced the patrol vehicle to roll over several times.

Deputy Sheriff Chad Christian Key, 42

Grayson County Texas Sheriff’s Office

April 20, 2013 – Deputy Chad Key was directing traffic at an intersection when he was struck and killed by a drunk driver. Deputy key had been a patrol deputy for only two months at the time of his death. He is survived by his wife and three sons.

 

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Tools Of The Police Trade: Shotguns, Teddy Bears, And…Golf Clubs?

Tools of the trade

It’s been said that a police car is a cop’s office on wheels. Well, that’s certainly true, but those rolling branches of the police department also serve quite well as storage facilities for spare paperwork, extra ammunition, defibrillators, shotguns and rifles, computers, radio repeaters, shovels, rain gear, boots, extra clothing, evidence collecting kits, fingerprinting kits, hand cleaner, paper towels, extra handcuffs and other restraints, and sometimes a few teddy bears to help ease the pain of traumatized kids. The contents of each car depends upon the role and personal preferences of each officer.

The interior of a police vehicle, especially a patrol car, is jam-packed with tools of the trade that need to be within easy reach of the officer—shotgun, flashlight, paperwork, traffic summons book, etc. There’s also an array of winking and blinking lights, buttons to twist, turn, push, pull, or flip in one direction or another. There are microphones and speakers. Radios for calling out and others for listening.

A radar unit and antenna are usually mounted somewhere within the interior compartment. And, of course, there’s a heavy screen to separate the good guys from the bad. Good in front, bad in the back. If that order is ever reversed, then you’re probably in deep trouble and this very well may be the perfect time to re-think your career choice.

The controls for lights, sirens, radar, and radios (both portable and stationary) are normally mounted in a control console that’s within easy reach of the driver. The picture below is of a center console in an average patrol car. See how many of the items you can correctly identify before moving on to the next picture.

Next is the same image with each item identified.

Radar antennas are normally mounted either hanging from the top of the rear side window (outside), on the front dashboard, or in the rear window area (pictured below), or both—one on the dash and one in the rear window. Some units are capable of tracking vehicles both coming and going.

And, some are able to record target vehicle speeds while the police car is moving.

The next image is of a dash-mounted radar unit and antenna (antenna is to the left of the unit).

Shotguns and their locking dock stations are often mounted between the backs of the front seats, near the dashboard in an upright position, or, as pictured below, in an overhead, behind-the-seat locking station. Shotguns should always remain locked in place until the officer needs it. There’s normally a “hidden” button that’s depressed to release the weapon from its locking mount.

shotgun-mounting-bracket-2.jpg

Most present day patrol cars feature a Mobile Data Terminal (MDT), better known as a laptop.

Screens are normally made of a combination of Plexiglass and aluminum. Notice the side panels of Plexiglass in the photo below. This is to prevent the suspect from reaching around to grab the driver. It also serves as a “spit guard.” There’s nothing worse than driving along toward the jail and suddenly find the side of your head and face as the recipient of something very wet and very slimy.

Some officers (me included) prefer to hang an extra set of handcuffs from the side spotlight control handle (below). You never know when you’ll need them, and if you do they’re with easy reach.

By the way, the spotlight is controlled by the handle you see below. To stand the light in an upright position, you simply pull down on the rounded handle that’s just to the right of the black leather strap attached to the handcuffs. Then, by rotating the handle (twisting to the right or left) the light moves as indicated.

Light bars mounted to the top of marked patrol cars serve more than one purpose. The main function, of course, is to alert people that the car is in emergency mode. The officer inside activates the rotating lights (or strobes) by flipping a rocker switch (up for on and down for off, just like a light switch in your home). The lights inside the bar are not colored lights. Instead, they are merely very bright spot or flood lights. It’s the colored lenses that produce the red, blue, and amber light.

The white or clear lenses you see are actually used as spot lights. The four white lights on the front of the bar below are called takedown lights, and are used to illuminate the area in front of the patrol vehicle, such as during a nighttime traffic stop. The side lights are alley lights, and, of course, are used to light up alleys as the officer passes by. However, they can be used to illuminate the areas on either side of the car for any purpose needed, even to see better in a wooded area, field, or ditch.

Finally, the trunk of a patrol car is used to store items the officer may need for special occasions, such as a fingerprint kit or evidence bags. The trunk is also where dashcam recording units are mounted, as are lock-boxes for weapons.

I know one sheriff who keeps a complete set of golf clubs and a pair of golf shoes in the trunk of his police car. After all, you never know when an emergency golf game may pop up.

*     *     *

Okay, Writers’ Police Academy recruits, you’d better take a good look at this blog post, because you’re going to need to know what’s what and where it’s located when you stop the bad guys…at night. Yep, we’ve got big plans for you this year!

By the way, we are taking names for a waiting list, and we’ve already filled three spots that suddenly became available. Please contact us right away if you’d like to add your name to the list. This year is totally over the top. We’ve gone all out this time!

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Bioterrorism And Green Beans: A Deadly Combination

Dr. Denene Lofland

 

Our guest expert today is Dr. Denene Lofland. Dr. Lofland received her PhD in pathology from the Medical College of Virginia, and she’s a trained clinical microbiologist. She has served as the Director of Clinical Laboratory Sciences at Wright State University, and has worked in biotech/drug research and development for many years.

Denene has worked on drug development programs for the U.S. government’s Defense Advanced Research Project Agency (DARPA). As senior director for a biotech company, she contributed to the FDA approval of gemifloxacin (Factive), an antibiotic for the treatment of bacterial pneumonia, a drug that is now on the market and prescribed by physicians worldwide. Denene also contributed to the successful development of a drug for the treatment of cystic fibrosis. She recently served as Manager of North Carolina Operations for a company that conducts high-level research and development in areas such as anti-bioterrorism.

Dr. Lofland also supervised several projects, including government-sponsored research which required her to maintain a secret security clearance. Denene has published several articles in scientific journals and recently contributed to the thirteenth edition of Bailey and Scott’s Diagnostic Microbiology. She currently serves as Interim Department Head of the Medical Laboratory Science Department at Armstrong Atlantic University.

Microscopic Murder


What’s so interesting about microbiology?

Microorganisms were here before man walked the Earth, and they’ll be here after we’re gone. Actually, you would find it difficult to survive without them. Some bacteria, called commensals, live in and on our bodies to our benefit, protecting  us from invading pathogens (disease causing germs), and they produce vitamins.

On the opposite end of the spectrum are the bad bugs. They’re responsible for more deaths than cancer, heart attacks, and war. They can disfigure, eat flesh, paralyze, or just make you feel so bad you’ll wish you were dead.

There are four major types of pathogenic microorganisms: bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites. They can cause damage directly, or they can release toxins that do the dirty work for them.

virus_big1dl.jpg

HIV virus

E.coli bacteria

Aspergillus (fungi)

Loa loa (parasite) in eye

So, how can your antagonists use microorganisms to kill? They’ll need a fundamental knowledge of microbiology, such as information that’s taught in a basic college course. Next, the bad guy will need a source of bacteria. Microbiology labs all over the world contain bugs of all types.

 

Biological safety hood for the safe handling of bacteria

Most of these laboratories are locked, so a little B&E (breaking and entering) would be in order. Or, maybe your antagonist has a connection with a person who has control of the bug of interest. If so, the evil-doer could make what’s known in the trade as a V.I.P. trip. He’d fly to the friend’s lab, place the bug in a plastic vial, hide the vial in his pocket (V.I.P.), and get back on the plane for the trip home.

Once the antagonist has the bug, he has to keep it alive and reproducing. Bacteria are grown on agar plates (food for bugs) in an incubator. In general, bacteria double in number every 20 minutes. So, if you start with just a few bugs, let’s say 10, and allow them to grow overnight…well, you do the math.

Once the killer has enough of the bug, then it’s time to deliver it to the intended victim.

 

Picking up bacteria from agar plate. The brownish-red material is the agar. The grayish coloring at the top of the agar is E.coli bacteria.

Now for a true story. It wasn’t murder, just an unfortunate accident that involved a woman, some green beans, and a home canning jar. Canning jars have lids designed to exhibit a slight indentation in their centers when food is fresh. If the indentation inverts (pops up), the vegetables may be contaminated, and should be discarded.

A woman was preparing dinner for her family and decided to serve some of her home-canned green beans that evening. She picked up a jar of beans, but thought the pop-up didn’t look quite right. So, to satisfy her curiosity, she opened the jar, touched her finger to the bean juice, and tasted it. It tasted fine to her, so she cooked the beans, and served the steaming hot dish to her family. The next day, the woman died, but her family survived. The beans contained botulism toxin, produced by the bacteria, Clostridium botulinum. C. botulinum lives naturally in the soil.

Botulism toxin is one of the most powerful neurotoxins known to man. About 10 ounces could kill everyone on Earth. It works by paralyzing its victim.

Oh, why didn’t the other members of the woman’s family die? The toxin is inactivated by heat.

* Per request, we’ve re-posted today’s article.

Dr. Denene Lofland, presenter

Denene will be presenting an all new bioterrorism workshop at the 2013 Writers’ Police Academy.

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Castle: The Squab and the Quail – A Good Cop/Bad Cop Review

Castle: The squab and the quail

 

Remind me to never order quail, or was it the squab that caused near instantaneous death? Either way, I think I’ll stick to my personal favorites when dining out…duck or crab. Oh, and please hold the spritz of poison. It tends to ruin a perfectly good meal. It also makes TV medical examiners lose their freakin’ minds. But more about Lanie later. First, lets see if all the jealousy, swooning, and lip-locking held the attention of our good cop, Melanie.

By the way, if you let your eyes wander over to the right sidebar, beside the paragraph above, actually, you’ll see Melanie’s latest book, Blood Bound. Click on the book cover and you’ll magically be transported to the spot where you can purchase a copy of your very own.

Melanie Atkins

Is the honeymoon period over? Does Rick take Kate for granted? One would think so, the way Rick ignores Kate — who is dressed for seduction — while gaming. He acts more like a guy who’s been married for a while than someone who’s been dating his hot girlfriend for less than a year, and Kate notices. Of course she does. And it bugs her.

Then she meets handsome, suave, ultra-wealthy Eric Vaughn — who gave me hives, by the way, but that’s neither here nor there — and has to keep the man safe, at first in his home and then in the presidential suite at a ritzy hotel. Castle is incensed… and very, very jealous. He pushes Ryan and Esposito to solve the case in record time to get Kate away from Vaughn. Rick’s hi-jinks kept me laughing, but I also found his reaction a bit sad. He loves Kate, and yet he’s got no clue about what she wants. He’s never asked.

Vaughn attempts to ply Kate with champagne while in his home, and then later at the hotel, he questions her about her relationship with Rick. Are they together? Yes. Is it serious? Yes. Except… she hesitated a beat before answering that second question — maybe because she’s not sure where their relationship is going — and that gives Vaughn an opening. He tries to kiss her, and she obviously considers kissing him back before pushing him away. Then, of course, a shot rings out, narrowly missing Vaughn.

For a while the billionaire looks guilty of setting up the attempts on his own life to hide a fraudulent business scheme, but then our dynamic duo discovers one of his associates is to blame.

Even as Kate walks away and Vaughn leaves the precinct, he gives Rick a parting shot: “You know, that’s an extraordinary woman you’ve got there,” he says. And Rick answers, “I know.” Then as the elevator doors close, Vaughn asks, “Do you?”

His question seems to shake Rick up, because that night he symbolically “cuts the cord” on his gaming system, kisses Kate soundly, and invites her into the bedroom for a romantic full-body massage surrounded by roses and lit candles. The man is trying, sure, but he still doesn’t get it when Kate asks, “Rick, where are we goin’?” She’s talking about their relationship, but he says, “Into the bedroom.” Men! They can’t see the forest for the trees.

I enjoyed this episode a lot even though it toyed with my heart strings. I laughed and I almost cried. I’m a Caskett shipper all the way, and Kate’s confusion really bothered me. It’s natural, of course, so I’m going to hang tough and ride out this little ripple.

We all must remind ourselves that The Squab and the Quail (episode 22) was flip-flopped with Still (episode 21), the one revolving around a bomb theme, in deference to the bombing victims in Boston and the explosion in Texas last week, so the continuity is a bit off. Shouldn’t hurt continuity too much, however, from what I’ve gleaned online.

I can’t wait for more… and I trust Andrew Marlowe when he says he won’t break up Rick and Kate. All relationships have their ups and down, and he’s attempting to keep this one realistic. I can’t wait to see what happens during the finale airing May 13.

Lee Lofland

Okay, I’m diving right in. Lanie has fallen off the wagon and reverted back to Granny Clampett/voodoo/witchdoctor science. And she was relentless last night, never letting up, not even for a moment. Billows of roiling black smoke rose from Ouija Boards, crystal balls rolled down the hallways of the ABC studios, bowling over anyone who got in their way, voodoo dolls screamed for mercy, and an army of root doctors ground chicken bones, dried bat wings, and human toenails at a furious pace. But they just couldn’t keep up with Lanie’s nonsense. Not even close.

We all saw, with our own eyes, the man who took a bite of poison-tainted fowl, suddenly spew a bit of foamy spittle (I know, not pleasant) and then keeled over dead, and all within a few seconds. Right? Well, here’s where things began to go downhill. No, this was where Lanie dove off the cliff, screaming goofy stuff all the way down until she hit the bottom, beside a huge pile of ACME anvils, boulders, broken umbrellas, mis-fired rockets, and other debris left behind by Wile E. Coyote.

Lanie (paraphrasing) – “His pupils and excessive saliva suggests a foreign substance.”

How about epilepsy, Lanie. Or a tumor. Or Bell’s palsy. Maybe even an earlier trauma (a nasty bump on the head). Oh, I know, Lanie…a snake bite can cause foaming at the mouth and that’s just as likely as you diagnosing this one as poisoning, so quickly and based on so little.

Alas, she didn’t stop there. No, she crawled out even further on the nonsense limb. “Didn’t show up on the tox, but I can say for sure it was some sort of paralyzing agent.”

Well, if nothing showed up, how on earth do you know so quickly that it was a paralytic? Maybe you have that muscle stiffness confused with rigor?

And on she went… “The poison was chemically synthesized.” Now, how could she possibly know this? Remember, nothing showed up on the tox screen (basically, you have to have some idea what you’re searching for in order to have a comparison). So, I’m guessing that she (by the way, M.E.’s don’t do this testing and comparison) tested for every single possible natural chemical in the world, and found this one was indeed not one of them. Therefore, that’s how she came to the conclusion that the poison that killed this guy was chemically synthesized. Puhleeze… Do you have any idea how complicated and difficult it would be to do this without first having something to go on? It would be a total shot in the dark, and not one that would return a result as fast as our Voodoo doctor reported. Think about it, if you don’t know what you’re looking for, it’s a bit hard to find it.

Let’s step into the restaurant for a moment before continuing with Lanie’s silliness. This was a no-brainer for the detectives. We know the orders were mixed up and the intended victim did not receive the tainted bird. Therefore, the killer had to have known the menu items (which was squab and which was quail) merely by looking at the finished product. He also had to know which diner ordered which dish, in order to doctor to the correct meal. So, it was an inside job, for sure. We didn’t need to find the discarded jacket/vest to come to this conclusion, but it was definitely icing on the cake.

Okay, so Lanie somehow, within a mater of hours, learns that the poison is saxitoxin, which by the way is extremely deadly and it is a paralytic. Saxitoxin can be found in shellfish contaminated by “red tides” (certain algae blooms), or when the shellfish feed on other certain dinoflagellates (microscopic cellular beings). It’s toxic to humans by inhalation and ingestion (“shellfish poisoning”).

Symptoms of saxitoxin poisoning normal present in 5 to 30 minutes, starting as a faint tingling in the lips and extremities followed by difficulty breathing, a reduction of motor abilities, difficulty swallowing, nausea, vomiting, and possibly, convulsions. The next steps are complete paralysis, respiratory failure (minus assisted breathing) and then death.

Within 2-12 hours, there could be complete paralysis or death. If the victim survives past the 12 hour point, however, then he/she is on the road to recovery, no matter how severe the dose. Within a few days they’d return to normal with no lasting effects of the poison.

By the way, there is no antidote for saxitoxin poisoning, and, victims do not die instantly like we saw last night. Therefore, doctors would have more symptoms on which to base their diagnosis and treatment. Approximately 75% of severely infected people die within 12 hours of ingesting the poison, not 12 seconds.

– I’ll leave the mushy stuff to Melanie, but I would like to mention a couple of points regarding the police aspect of the episode. First, seeing a couple of feathers floating from beneath a doorway is not cause to kick in the door. Well, unless you’re there save the life of a very important chicken. Other than that, the police are little more careful about when it’s okay to kick in a door without a warrant.

– One of the two, Esposito or Ryan, called the bloody pillow a “poor man’s silencer. Nice touch, and believable.

– Some may scoff at the idea of Beckett assigned to protect Vaughn in his home. Unfortunately, I was once assigned to similar duty, to protect a woman whose husband had attempted to kill her and their children. I was inside the very modest home for two days while other detectives were assigned to surveillance on the outside. They spent their time trying to stay warm, drinking lots of coffee, and eating cold sandwiches. I watched TV in front of a gas fireplace, played video games with the kids, and enjoyed a couple of nice home-cooked meals. Tough duty to say the least. The woman and her children were finally taken to a safe house.

– A few weeks ago, Beckett finally started using BOLO (be on the lookout) in place of the outdated APD. I noticed she used APB again last night. Not a big deal, but we notice.

My favorite lines from the show:

Castle – “I can’t believe the department is letting her (Beckett) hang out with some womanizing rich guy.”

Ryan – “Unbelievable.”

Esposito – “Yeah, she’s never done that.”

* This episode was just “okay” for me. And, I thought Beckett had gone a little Christina Aguilerish with the makeup. But that’s just my opinion, and we know just how important that is. Right, Lanie?

* Here’s one for the mystery writers out there. Bullets coated with saxitoxin have been tested and the poison survived the hot gases produced by the gunfire. A double blow to the victim. They might survive the gunshot wound only to find a strange tingling sensation on their lips and fingertips as it becomes more and more difficult to breathe.

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Miranda: The Public Safety Exception

Miranda Warning

The premise is simple, whenever a criminal suspect is in custody, and prior to interrogation (questioning), he/she must be warned of his/her rights as set by Miranda. Police may question the suspect(s) only after the person in custody acknowledges that they understand those rights and voluntarily choose to waive them. In addition, suspects may choose to invoke their rights—remain silent, request to speak to an attorney, etc.—at any point during the questioning, at which time the police must terminate the interrogation. The consequence for police not adhering to Miranda is great. Basically, no Miranda warnings = statements made by the suspect may not be used in court. Therefore, a confession to the crime(s) is totally worthless.

The U.S. Supreme Court, however, has ruled that there is one (only one) exception to Miranda, and that’s what’s known as the Public Safety Exception.

The Public Safety Exception to Miranda is simply this…law enforcement may ask limited and extremely focused questions without warning the suspect of Miranda, and the answers to those questions may be introduced in court proceedings. Under this exception, questions must be limited to facts relating to a specific and immediate threat to the safety of the public.

Now, invoking the Public Safety Exception does not mean that authorities have free reign to question a suspect about any and everything under the sun, including questions relating to the crime for which the suspect is currently being held.

The Public Safety Exception first came to light in a New York case involving a man named Benjamin Quarles who was a suspected rapist. The victim told police that she’d just seen Quarles enter a supermarket and that he was carrying a gun. Officers went inside the store, and, after a brief foot chase up and down the aisles, captured Quarles. When officers searched Quarles they didn’t find the weapon. Therefore, worried that a loaded gun was somewhere within the public area of the store, and that anyone, including a child, could be harmed, officers immediately asked Quarles what he’d done with the weapon. The rapist indicated the gun was near some milk cartons and said, “The gun is over there.” Indeed, officers found the weapon and then read the Miranda rights to Quarles before asking questions pertaining to the alleged rape.

The trial court excluded Quarles’ statement about the gun, and the possession of the weapon, because officers didn’t advise him of his rights prior to asking about it. Appellate courts also agreed with the lower court’s ruling. However, the U.S Supreme Court first found that Miranda is not a right according to the constitution. Instead, the court stated, Miranda is designed to provide protection for the Fifth Amendment privilege against self-incrimination. And, on this basis, they decided the very public location of the weapon posed an immediate threat to public safety, and that officers had acted appropriately by asking questions that were prompted by a reasonable concern for the safety of the general public. Once the gun was located and the immediate threat was over, officers then proceeded with the initial investigation of rape, by first advising Quarles of his rights according to Miranda.

Since Quarles, the Public Safety Exception to Miranda has been used successfully on numerous occasions where the safety of the public was of first concern. For example, U.S. v. Khalil, U.S. v. DeSantis, and U.S. v. Mobley. And, the Exception is successfully utilized even after a suspect asks to speak to an attorney. Again, though, this ruling only pertains to an immediate threat to public safety, including the possibility that explosives may be hidden somewhere where citizens may travel or congregate, such as the current case of the Boston Marathon bomber.

In the Boston case, interrogators want to know if more bombs and other weapons exist. They also need to know if more people are involved in the recent bombings. If so, it is of immediate concern that officials locate them and stop possible new attacks.

However, at no time will the questioning move outside the very narrow scope of an immediate threat to public safety. Once the topic does move toward Dzhokhar Tsarnaev’s current criminal charges/case, investigators will then advise him of the Miranda warnings.

The Public Safety Exception is not new, nor was it concocted during the drafting of the Patriot Act. In fact, the Exception has been in place for nearly 30 years, since the Supreme Court ruled on the Quarles case in 1984. So, no one can blame either of the Bush’s, Carter, Clinton, or Obama. Reagan was in office at the time the ruling was handed down on the Quarles case.

Honestly, I can’t, for the life of me, understand why so many people are so upset that the FBI has elected to invoke the Public Safety Exception in the Boston bombing case. The suspect’s rights have not been violated, nor will they be. He’s receiving top of the line medical care (that particular hospital saved my butt after doctors told me the end was near and that I needed to prepare for it and get my personal affairs in order).

Besides, no matter how sweet, young, and innocent Dzhokhar Tsarnaev may look in his photos, he knowingly, willingly, and without care for human life, placed and detonated a powerful and deadly bomb at the feet of children. Then the terrorist (yes, he’s a terrorist) returned to school the next day. He was also seen partying with friends later that night. No remorse whatsoever for the carnage and destruction he and his brother caused just hours earlier. And we all know that later he and his brother ambushed and murdered one police officer, severely wounded another, and injured several more during shootouts and additional bombings.

Blue circle – 8-year-old Martin Richard. White hat – Dzhokhar Tsarnaev. Bottom red circle – probably the bag containing the pressure cooker bomb that killed Richard.

The Tsarnaev brothers killed and injured many. And it’s possible they were involved with others who are standing by, ready to do the same, perhaps at your child’s ballet recital, or at your son’s homecoming football game.

To those of you who are complaining about the treatment provided to Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, I ask, would it be different if the dead and brutally maimed were your family members? Or, would you set aside the murder and maiming of your loved ones to protest a perfectly legal and just questioning of your child’s murderer? Wouldn’t you want authorities to prevent the death of other innocent people?

And, so what if the younger brother was a follower of his older brother. Dzhokhar is a man. An adult who is enrolled at a Boston college. He’s intelligent according to his friends. Therefore, he knew he was about to commit murder when he placed that bomb among innocent people. The United States welcomed him with open arms when he and his family needed somewhere safe to live. And this is how he repays us?

Personally, I’m still hurting inside for the strangers (to me) who were hurt and killed in the attack. However, I feel no pain for either of the Tsarnaev brothers. And I’ll never forget what they did to their victims, to the city of Boston, and to our country.

As far as invoking the Public Safety Exception…well, Dzhokhar should be very happy that he’s in the custody of U.S. law enforcement and not somewhere else in the world where he’d be stoned to death or tortured until he died a slow and painful death. I honestly don’t think a few words will hurt him as much as having his brains bashed out in a public square. He should be thankful that the country he apparently hates so much is the country that’s now providing the care that’s keeping him alive. It’s what we do. That’s how we roll.

Also, I hope this is a lesson to others out there who may be thinking of planning a future attack on Boston. It’s the only city in America I know of that will simply shut down everything to hunt down and capture one guy who “effed” with their people. Even the mayor of Boston checked himself out of a hospital and showed up in a wheelchair to do what he could do to help out.

You go, Boston!

*When I say Boston, I’m talking about the cities of Boston, Cambridge, Waltham, Watertown, Belmont, Somerville, etc. They all touch, and they’re all one big and proud family.

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Cops Are Like Old Hound Dogs: Kick Them And They’ll Still Come To You

Cop's like old hound dogs

It started with an explosion and ended with applause, when an ambulance carrying the seriously injured Boston Marathon bomber pulled away from a home in Watertown, Ma. And that’s when a new round of anti-police chatter started to hit the internet, talk that I’d been loosely monitoring since the bombing first occurred on Patriot’s Day in Boston.

First it was, “If the police had done their jobs this would’ve never happened.” And, “Look what our tax dollars buy us, a bunch of out of shape fat people who run around with their guns drawn, trying to look good for the cameras.” “Why didn’t they find the bombs before the race? The only thing those idiots can find is a doughnut and an overtime check.”

When the smoke cleared and while the families began to grieve for their lost loved ones, and the nearly two hundred wounded were receiving treatment for their devastating and life-changing injuries, the next volley of complaints about police actions began to pour out across the web.

“Now we all know what martial law looks like.” “The government knew this was going to happen and did nothing to protect us.” They (the government) knew about this and thought they could handle it, but couldn’t.” “The Obama administration staged the whole thing.” “Actors were used to create all the media images. The real suspects were whisked away to Saudi Arabia in military planes.”

As the week progressed and authorities engaged the bombers in a shootout and pursuit where explosives, including another pressure cooker bomb, some anti-police comments began to suggest the police were cowards, hiding behind military-style clothing and gear. And some believe the two bombers are innocent, that the government is framing them.

“Over nine-thousand cops to find a 19-year-old college kid? He made them look like fools in their little dress-up play army uniforms.” “After all the lies and incompetence by these government agencies and media you still believe he did it? Come on, people!” “Next stop on our road towards a police state.” “Just as usual. The government overreacts and wastes taxpayer dollars.” “Those cops all have 30 round magazines in their scary guns. How many bullets do you need to kill two guys?” “Hundreds of millions of dollars? for two guys? really?!?” “For the life of me, I don’t understand how/why this endeavor warranted a virtual army of police, FBI, and military personnel. Hundreds of them, along with dozens of vehicles, SWAT teams, and a virtual arsenal. It seems like over-kill to me. Sorry.”

“Are you kidding? Look at all those fat cops getting paid overtime to stand around looking important.”

“The authorities needed to be seen act and pin the outrage on someone. These guys have been used as “patsys” to take the rap for someone else. Much like Lee Havey Oswald took the rap for the shooting of JFK. People believe anything the media tells them. The secret services of all major countries lie and manipulate Joe Public ad infinitum -Just to keep those in control of everything the freemasons and illumianti in their ivory towers. Now we have USA jingoism on the streets which is nauseating as well.”

“The crowd cheering a this is disgusting. How do they even know this guy is guilty? He has not even been charged with any crime yet”

And then there was the TV news media that reported numerous bits of information without first confirming it. Unfortunately, several had to backtrack several times. It was all very confusing to the viewers, and it led to many false Tweets and blog posts. I watched one CNN reporter who was very much trying to report only facts and no speculation, but Wolf Blitzer constantly attempted to twist her words to make the reports seem more exciting and dramatic. After each of Blitzer’s attempts to distort her words, the female reporter interrupted with, “No, Wolf, that’s not what I said,” and then she’d carefully restate her comment. Still, Blitzer tried again and again to make the reporter’s words into something totally different, and she again would correct him. Watching CNN’s coverage of this event was painful.

NBC did a good job of keeping the facts in front of the audience. Fortunately, I had my own sources that kept me informed, which also verified NBC’s coverage, and often disputed CNN and other media reports, including the New York Post. However, one NBC reporter told the audience that all cops are taught to shoot to kill. That, my friends, is totally FALSE. Police officers are taught stop a threat, never to kill. They’re trained to shoot “center mass,” the center of the target. And that’s because when aiming for the center you’re more apt to at least hit some portion of the target.

At one point, there was so much anti-police rhetoric floating around I decided to offer a brief comment on my Facebook page, which was being followed by several people during the situation as it unfolded last night. In fact, I believe I actually heard of the capture moments before it was reported on television. Anyway, here’s what I wrote last night regarding the police and their gear and clothing.

Imagine for a moment that instead of clacking away at your keyboards, pumping out the next great mystery, thriller, or romance novel, that your job is to suddenly grab a weapon and go door to door in an unfamiliar neighborhood, searching backyards, homes, basements, attics, dark crawl spaces, sheds, abandoned houses, and roof tops for a man with nothing at all to lose.

The wanted man is scared and has already killed four people—one of whom was a police officer-and absolutely has no fear or qualms about killing you. He more than likely has explosives with him. He even ran over his own brother when making his escape from a shootout with police.

The suspect has the advantage…he knows where he is and he knows where you are, and when you’re approaching. Every step and every breath could be your last, and the only thing you have for protection is your swat-like clothing, Kevlar helmet, and gear, which is especially useful for providing a bit of concealment. Hopefully, it will stop a bullet or two, but you know it won’t protect you against a bomb blast. Still, you move forward.

Sounds very dangerous, doesn’t it? Yet, many people still complain that officers assigned to dangerous duty dress in military-esque protective gear. They also complain that police use armored vehicles. Well, what would you have them drive up to a scene where known bombers and mass murderers are hiding, a Volkswagen Beetle?

It’s best to allow the pros do their jobs in the safest manner possible. Besides, most of the complainers don’t have the slightest clue what it’s really like “out there.”

So I say this to all the people sitting in dark, damp basements, in their dirty, sweaty underwear, while staring at a computer screen hour after hour. Yes, you, the folks who are quick to type barbed shots about the men and women who protect your rights and your soft, doughy hides. That includes you, too, the guy who complains about use of force and why police officers are leery of approaching criminal suspects without a weapon in their hand. I say this…head down to your local police department, apply for a job, go to the academy, put on a uniform and badge, and then find the first bomber, terrorist, murderer, cop killer, baby rapist, drunk biker, knife-fighting meth-heads, you see. Next, leave your gun in the car before running straight into the danger, headfirst. What? There’s more of them than you? The odds are 50 to 1? They have weapons? There are 150 badly injured people. Kids are dead? Blown to bits? People are screaming? Two of them are shooting at you? You don’t know where the shots are coming from?

You’re scared? Call the cops? But, you are “the cops.” There’s no one for you to call. You’ve got to take care of the situation. What’s that? A bullet just struck your head? Your backup was killed by rifle rounds that penetrated their cars? And the others were just hit by a homemade explosive device. What a shame. Turned them and their vehicles into shreds of flesh and metal confetti?

Gee, if only you guys had some of that funny-looking gear that so many people complain about. You know, maybe a helmet to protect your head, and an armored vehicle of some sort that would protect them from explosives and rifle rounds.

Maybe, just maybe, if you spent a few hours in the shoes of the men and women who saved Boston and Watertown from more death and carnage, well, just maybe you’d have something to complain about. Until then, you really should be thankful there are people who are brave enough to do the job. As many of you say…I’m just saying.

*To all who participated in the hunt for the cowardly bomber brothers, thanks for all you do. To all of you who complained about the police…don’t worry, if the day comes and you find the need to dial 911, they’ll still come to save you. It’s what they do, no matter how many times you kick them.

Law enforcement officials tend to the Marathon bomber’s injuries post capture – ABC image

*To all our friends and former neighbors in Boston, we’re glad you’re all safe and sound. We were worried about you.

*Our condolences to the families who lost loved ones in this senseless attack.

Also, our condolences to the family of MIT Officer Sean Collins.

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Friday’s Heroes: Remembering The Fallen

Friday's Heroes - Remembering the fallen officers

 

You gave your all to protect and serve us, and for that we are eternally grateful.

Officer Sean Collier, 26

Massachusetts Institute of Technology Police Department

April 18, 2013 – Officer Sean Collier was shot and killed during a manhunt for the two men suspected in the recent Boston Marathon bombings. Officer Collier was found in his police vehicle, shot multiple times. It is believed his killers are the two bombers who, after shooting Officer Collier, carjacked a nearby vehicle and then led police on a short pursuit and subsequent shootout. The older brother was killed in the gun battle. At the time of this posting, the younger brother is still at large.

Officer Donald Bishop, 32

Brookfield Wisconsin Police Department

April 12, 2013 – Officer Donal Bishop suffered a fatal heart attack while responding to a burglary call. Fellow officers attempted CPR but their efforts were unsuccessful.

Assistant Warden Peggy Sylvester, 50

Opelousas Louisiana Police Department

April 14, 2013 – Assistant Warden Peggy Sylvester was killed in an automobile crash while traveling in her department vehicle. She is survived by her two daughters, a son, and her parents.

 

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Southland: Reckoning – A Cop’s Eye Review

Southland: Reckoning

Most cops manage to stay sane despite the chaos all around them. But in their hearts they know…everyone has a breaking point.

Imagine standing knee deep in the aftermath of incidents like the recent bombings in Boston, the Newtown and Aurora shootings, or the 9/11 attack in New York City. Picture yourself trying to muster up the right words to say to someone whose whole world has just been pulled from beneath them, when the dearest, most important person in their life has been taken away in the split second it takes to pull a trigger.

Try telling a mother that her only child was raped and killed by a filthy and vile stranger. Spend a morning combing through mangled body parts and bloody debris. Step into a room where a self-inflicted shotgun blast caused human tissue and blood to rain down from a bedroom ceiling like dozens of leaky bathroom faucets. Reach down to the hot pavement and pick up a four-year-old’s limp and lifeless body, the result of a drunk driver who claims he didn’t see the girl riding her tricycle.

Are you with me yet? Okay, now imagine that you have one person…only one person in this entire world…with whom to share your thoughts and emotions regarding the devastation you deal with on a daily basis—the dead kids, mutilated bodies, rape victims, suicides, blood, tissue, and tears…lots and lots of tears. Heartbreak beyond belief. The tears and gut-wrenching sobs never, ever end.

So you talk to your partner. You share your thoughts, your emotions, and your soul with the officer in the seat next to you. This is the guy, or woman, you’re with eight to twelve hours a day, maybe more. You eat together, laugh together, and you see the world around you, together, as it slowly comes unglued.

You know your partners kids and they know yours. You know their wives and husbands. Your lives intersect and intertwine. Hell, you’re almost one being, with two heads, four arms and four legs.

You train together. You move in unison when at crime scenes. She goes one way and you go the other, without ever speaking a word. You just know who’s going to do what, and when. You are a team. A partnership. You have a bond, and while it’s not a romantic love, you love your partner sort of in the way best friends share a connection. But a cop’s bond with his work partner goes a bit deeper, because you absolutely, without a doubt, trust your very life to the person sitting in the shotgun seat of your police car.

You totally and unequivocally trust your cop partner. You have to, or the partnership won’t work. So all is well, until…

Chaos shows up, which is often followed by a reckoning.

My former detective partner unexpectedly passed away just a few weeks ago. We’d been friends for a long, long time. Over 40 years, actually. And, when I heard the news of his death it felt like a huge blow to my gut followed by a heartache like none I’ve ever experienced. But my friend’s death was due to medical issues, which was far different than the way we saw Hank Lucero die.

Hank’s partner was there with him when he was murdered. And, like the team they were, Hank and John Cooper were physically chained together when Lucero exhaled his final breath. On purpose or not, that symbolism—partners bonded together till the end—rang true to police officers all across the country.

The ordeal Cooper and Hank endured was traumatic, to say the least, and that’s why the LAPD placed Cooper on paid leave. And when he returned to work, he was assigned to “desk duty,” without a gun on his side. And that’s a traumatic experience within itself.

A cop’s weapon is like an extra appendage. It’s a part of them. And to have it taken away is like sectioning off a piece of their soul and holding it above their heads like a carrot on a stick that’s just out of their reach. The empty holster is a symbol to all other officers that you’re sort of tainted. There’s something wrong with you. You’re not as good as your fellow officers. In fact, it’s demeaning as hell. That’s why officers who are involved in shootings are issued a spare weapon while theirs is making its way through lab testings and comparisons.

So that’s where Coop’s head is at the very onset of the episode. He felt he was ready to return to full duty, but his superiors didn’t agree. This is also where we, as viewers, were treated to the start of some pretty darn good acting. Michael Cudlitz said just as much with his eyes and facial expressions during this episode than many writers are able to accomplish in 80,000 words, or so (an average novel). We saw, hurt, anger, fear, sad, lonely, disappointment, and a lot of “I’m so tired I don’t know if I can take another step in this world.”

The same was true for Shawn Hatosy and Ben McKenzie when the situation between them reached the boiling point. Sammy, as we all know, can be a bit dramatic at times. But he’s the cop I want in the shotgun seat of my patrol car. He’s a stand up cop when it’s time to circle the wagons. He’s not afraid to go toe-to-toe with the biggest, nastiest, meanest thug on the street. And, he’s a cop who’ll back his partner to the end, if necessary. Ben, on the other hand, is fighting a personal battle with himself. The world is all about him. Sure, he’ll duke it out with the best of them, and he’ll dive in no matter the odds. But at the end of the day, there has to be something in it for him, and that usually involves a female.

Ben is a bad cop. He’s so dirty his vile stench oozes from the TV when he’s on camera. However, as nasty as he is, it’s a reflection of a fine acting job by McKenzie. He’s pretty darn good at being pretty darn bad.

The fight between Sammy and Ben was inevitable. We all knew it was coming, but it was somewhat nail-biting to witness. I don’t know about you, but these actors are so good at what they do it was sort of like watching two of my best friends exchanging blows. Still, I wanted to see Sammy land a blow that would’ve sent Ben to the dentist holding four or five of his pearly-white teeth in his hand.

Hatosy, too, is an unbelievable actor. I can’t wait to see him in his new role, although, I’d rather see him back in this one next season.

Dewey. What can I say? We’ve seen this character run a full gamut of emotions, from anger to kick-in-the-gut sorrow. He’s been obnoxious, boisterous, and a general pain in the ass, but one thing’s for certain, he’s a tough-as-nails-cop who absolutely adores John Cooper.

C. Thomas Howell has been a key player this season. He’s provided light breaks in the action when we need to take a breath, and he’s pushed us to the edge of the cliff when we needed to feel the suspense of a moment. Howell is a class act, and Dewey is a cop’s cop who ain’t afraid of nuttin’.

Lydia… Regina King is brilliant at whatever role she plays, but she breathed a life into Lydia Adams that I don’t think anyone else could’ve done. King is another one who tells a story with her eyes, and last night was a perfect example, from worry over her son, to Ruben hitting the tweeker while in pursuit, to showing pure love and affection for Russell. Those two together again was inevitable, and if there is a season 6, which is a long stretch, I hope she’s finally able to be at peace in a life with someone who cares deeply for her, and that someone should be Russell (we saw it in her eyes).

King said I’d be blown away by this episode, and she was right…I was.

Anthony Ruivivar (Hank Lucero) was only on the show for a short time, but he made his presence known and he did so quickly. He was a perfect partner for Cooper in an opposites attract kind of way. And, the final scenes he played as hostage to the two meth-heads were truly fantastic. We all felt his pain and fear. Ruivivar made sure that we did. There was no overacting, which many people have a tendency to do in these scenarios. Instead, Ruivivar connected with the viewers’ emotions in a way not many are able to pull off effectively.

The “Tweekers,” played by Tobias Jelinek and Ryan Dorsey, were superb in their roles. I’ve dealt with a lot of meth users over the years and these two guys, well, lets just say they should immediately head to the nearest rehab facility. Their acting was that spot on. By the way, Dorsey has expressed his wishes to receive only a warning ticket from me should we ever meet on the highways. I’ll see what I can do.

Gerald McRaney (Hicks, Coop’s former TO) was another building block in this tower of cop shows. He was there to help Cooper prepare for his soon-to-come reckoning. There’s not a lot I can say about McRaney that I haven’t already said. I’ve been a fan for a long time. He’s appeared on many of my favorite shows over the years, including Major Dad and Designing Women, and now Mike and Molly. He’s married to Delta Burke, and who didn’t think Burke was hilarious on Designing Women? So we know he has great taste, and to appear on Southland reaffirms it.

Ruben was in fine form last night, especially during the arguments with the arrogant RHD detective. Ruben has been a good partner for Lydia, and they worked well together. He preferred to work “by the book and guidelines” while Lydia worked off instinct and reading people. Actually, they sort of reminded me of me and my former partner. He liked to stick to the textbooks and loved paperwork. I, on the other hand, preferred to get out of my car and talk to people, walk the neighborhoods, and sit on front porches having conversations with the citizens, getting to know them and the problems they faced and dealt with on a daily basis. And I absolutely hated paperwork. Funny that I now write…

A quick word to LAPD Chief Beck…thanks for opening your doors and welcoming TV viewers to the LAPD. I think the Southland cast portrayed your department in an excellent light. Also, please know that law enforcement officers all across the country have you and your officers in our thoughts and prayers. You’ve all been through a lot lately. Unfortunately, so have many other departments. It never ends, unfortunately.

*Boston, we’re thinking about you, too.

So we’re now back to Cooper and that dramatic final scene. He’s trying to sleep and hears the neighbor’s generator fire up. His ex is asleep (did you notice the earplugs she’d stuck in her ears so she wouldn’t be kept awake by the machine’s rumble?), so he goes out to “take care of business.” What happened next simply oozed with symbolism.

For five years we’ve watched John Cooper go about his daily life. He’s a mentor to new officers. He’s the rock that supported the veterans. He was the guy who helped his former training officer get his own life back on track. Coop was the man they all respected. He’s a good cop who cares about every single person on his beat, from the crack-heads to his sergeant, and beyond.

He’s also a gay man in a largely heterosexual profession who just happens to be a drug addict with a network of personal and physical troubles that would break the backs and souls of most men. But Cooper shoulders it all. He’s held the weight of the world on his shoulders until the chaos in his life finally pushes him to the “breaking point.” And the man outside Coop’s ex’s house just happened to be at the wrong place at the wrong time. He was in the way when Cooper’s spirit finally broke.

And how ironic was it that John Cooper was shot by people wearing the very uniform and badge that he loved so much for most of his life. The LAPD was indeed his life, and it’s quite possible that it was the LAPD that ended John Cooper’s life.

If last night was Southland’s goodbye to all of us, then that’s certainly sad, because we’ve all grown to know and love the characters and actors who opened their souls to us for so long. It’s a rare and special thing for TV characters to touch the lives of so many in so many ways. Through their Tweets, emails, Facebook messages, and personal appearances, these fine actors have become beloved friends to many.

So, if last night was Southland’s “End of Watch,” you should know that your fans were there for you until the screen faded to black for the last time. Me, I re-lived an entire career—the good and the bad—, one hour at a time, each week, over the past five years.

For now, we’re all hoping to hear this again next year. We’ll keep our fingers crossed.

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