Episode #03.14: Mars, Bars
Original Air Date: February 20, 2007
Written by: John Enbom & Phil Klemer (Story by Enbom, Klemmer & Joe Voci)
Directed by: Harry Winer
Report Card (Capsule Episode Review)
Yearbook (Recurring & Guest Stars/Character Statistics)
Drama Club (Performances: Highlights and Lowlights) (None)
Chemistry (The Analysis of LoVe Scenes)
Journalism (The Mystery of the Week)
Study Hall (Miscellaneous Plot Details)
Extra Credit (Clues to the Season Mystery Arcs)
History (Flashbacks) (None)
Band Class (The Music of Veronica Mars)
Literature (LoVe Lines/In Memory/Quotable Quotes)
Social Science (In Reference To ... Pop Culture & The World)
Homeroom (On Second Viewing, Get a Clue)
Pep Squad Practice (Ambiguously (Or Not) Gay Logan Moments) (None)
Detention (While the Censors Were Out to Lunch ...) (None)
Philosophy (Unanswered Questions)
Principles of Democracy (Hindsight is 20/20)
Extra Curricular Activities (Beyond the Broadcast) (None)
Role Call (Written/Compiled By ...)
Staff Grade: B
Membership Median Grade: B+
A bit of a let-down from the previous week's installment, but not bad at all. Veronica is back to being over-the-top in a way that didn't work for many, but there are some good lines to be heard and the quick-turn-around in Logan's attitude is darn-near whiplash-inducing, but at least the boy is smiling. Keith is totally on-target and a joy to watch, while Lamb is not-quite Lamb (listening to Keith?!), and then is no more in a rather pointless end that left many fans gnashing their teeth. The surface of the episode is good, thus the higher-end grade, it's just the emotional turmoil that is taking place in the heart of much of the audience that is beginning to wear. Rob Thomas might want to take into account that roller coasters? Are supposed to be fun.
Credited Cast Non-Appearance
Ryan Hansen - Dick Casablancas
Chris Lowell - Stosh "Piz" Piznarski
Recurring Guest Stars (Previous Episode Appearances)
Samantha Brown - Cora
- Spit & Eggs
Jonathan Chase - Josh Barry
- Postgame Mortem
Patrick Fabian - Professor Hank Landry
- Welcome Wagon
- Hi, Infidelity
- Of Vice and Men
- Spit & Eggs
- Show Me the Monkey
- Postgame Mortem
Richard Grieco - Steven Batando
- President Evil
- There's Got to Be a Morning After Pill
Brandon Hillock - Deputy Sacks
- Season One Appearances
- Season Two Appearances
- Welcome Wagon
- President Evil
- Lord of the Pi's
- Spit & Eggs
- Show Me the Monkey
- Poughkeepsie, Tramps & Thieves
- Postgame Mortem
Ken Marino - Vinnie Van Lowe
- Season One Appearances
- Season Two Appearances
- Welcome Wagon
- Of Vice and Men
Matt McKenzie - Coach Tom Barry
- Hi, Infidelity
- Postgame Mortem
Michael Mitchell - Bronson Pope
- Show Me the Monkey
Tracey Needham - Mrs. Kathleen Barry
- Postgame Mortem
Jamie Ray Newman - Mindy O'Dell
- President Evil
- Hi, Infidelity
- Spit & Eggs
- Show Me the Monkey
- There's Got to Be a Morning After Pill
- Postgame Mortem
Daran Norris - Cliff McCormack
- Season One Appearances
- Season Two Appearances
- President Evil
- Postgame Mortem
Robert Ri'chard - Mason
- President Evil
- Hi, Infidelity
- Postgame Mortem
Guest Stars
Helen Eigenberg - Dr. Andriotti
Who's Who in Neptune
Dr. Andriotti - Woman who was photographed with Coach Barry and ended up being his neurologist.
Scene One: Re-assembling the Haystack
What I loved about this scene is that everything that was good about it was beneath the surface, tangible there in the undercurrents and the subtext that was zig-zagging across the screen. There was an evident tentativeness to most of the interaction. The most being in reference to the line about what he could do for her. That was way too expositional without a softer lead-in and I felt that Kristen Bell made the switch from the tentative yearning that must not be acknowledged too quickly without a proper emotional shift before or after.) However, other than that I felt that both she and Jason Dohring did a wonderful job in making it clear to the audience that Veronica and Logan are still so madly in love with one another. They are both just trying to put a brave face on it because they think it's over, but yet they are still in each other's lives and going back to the nastiness of senior year is not an option. They've been through too much. (Of course, I would have thought that after season one's events, but what do I know ... I'm just a viewer.)
Returning to the scene at hand, I also want to add an aspect of the other jailed scenes compared to this that offer an additional straw with which to rebuild our haystack of hope. Veronica's over-the-top acting -- yes, I deliberately said 'Veronica' and not 'Bell' -- in the other jail scenes and not present in this one was a sign that the connection is still so there between Logan and Veronica. I got the impression that Veronica was genuinely freaked about being arrested and was thus overcompensating. Admittedly, I do believe that that this would have been more obvious had Bell not been playing most of the season in such an over-the-top fashion, but that's neither here nor there. This time, I did get that it was a deliberate show on Veronica's part because there were moments -- just a twinge here or there, a shadow in her eyes, a downcast to her smile before she turned it "on" to perform for Keith or Cliff or Wallace -- where it was clear to me that she was putting on a show.
And now here's where we get to the LoVe: Who was the one person she DIDN'T perform for? That's right. Logan. She was closer to natural and at a level of ease with him than we saw her with anyone else who visited. Yes, there were a few lines (notably, the heart-warming bit) that leaned towards the 'performance,' but it was done with a subtle warmth ... she was sharing it with Logan, as opposed to play-acting it for him.
Am I grasping? Maybe. But hey, from this point on, I'm fairly certain we're back to the straw-stacking of season one and we've got to take what we can get.
Scene Two: ... A Kernel of Hope
Did I like seeing Logan sitting there, smiling and conversing with Parker? Absolutely not. But the one joy of this scene is that neither did Veronica. I do believe that the writing is on the wall and that we will see a romantic entanglement between Logan and Parker, therefore I was thrilled to see from the outset Veronica witness their interaction and react as she did. Any doubts that any viewer might have had that Veronica was over Logan should have been completely erased by this scene. She was literally *literally* stopped in her tracks by the sight of them. And this can only be a good thing from the point of view of LoVe fans, because in the long-run Veronica needs to see and understand that she has got to stop taking Logan for granted because that is exactly what she has been doing for the last two years.
Yes, he was the one who broke up with her the time before last, but all she had to do to get him back was to show up at his door. After last week, during the elevator scene, where I pointed out my belief that Veronica was just waiting for Logan to make a move so that she could graciously forgive him and take him back once more (with her in the power position), this is yet another sign to her that she no longer CAN take him for granted. If she wants him in her life, she's going to have to learn to accept him completely which she has yet to do.
Do I like this route that it looks like Rob Thomas and co. are going? No. However, considering the dynamic that's been set up all season long (and even takes into account their relationship with each other and others the last two and half years), it does make absolute sense if the show is going in the direction that I hope it is.
As for Logan, let's talk about him looking all happy while conversing with Parker. Again, I do not like it ... but I do believe that this interaction (and possible future interaction as I think it will be) serves the purpose of the story. And that story is ultimately to bring Logan and Veronica to where they need to be as individuals alone and in a relationship to BE in that relationship that will last their whole lives long with one another.
If Logan and Parker do enter into a relationship -- and all bright, glaring neon signs sure pointed to it in this episode
-- then I believe that Logan will find some happiness with her. And that's necessary and key! Whereas Veronica needs to learn that she has to take share in the relationship game, Logan needs to learn that he isn't responsible for everything wrong in a relationship. Yes, he said words to that affect in Lord of the Pi's, but did he really believe them? Judging by what happened in the following episodes, no, he didn't. Simply put, he needs to learn that a relationship DOESN'T have to be disastrous. Because if you take into account his relationship history, that's all he's known. I believe that he and Parker need to have a fun, caring relationship that's not about deep, deep feelings, but just affection and about enjoying each other in a short-term fashion.
Logan has to have feelings for her because that's the kind of person that Logan is; he cares deeply all the time ... but that won't mean that it's true love or even love at all. It will simply show him that he's capable of being in a caring, productive relationship; that, yes, he can do it. And that's one of the main things he needs to know that he is capable of, instead of just expecting it to all fall apart as it did with Lilly, and Caitlin, and Veronica, and Hannah, and Veronica again ... and then Veronica again. Even though he experiences a kind of happiness with Parker, it won't mean that he's destined to be with her; it will just show him that he can be happy in a relationship without "blood shed and lives ruined" and it still can work. It is possible.
And where the LoVe aspect of this comes in is that no matter how happy he is with Parker, it could never be the kind of happiness he has with Veronica when things are good with them. And I do believe that any happiness found with Parker won't come so much from Parker, but with the self-esteem that being in this type of relationship NOW in the short-term will do for him. Yes, he'll care about her, but Logan loves Veronica. He LOVES her ... in capital letters. Completely. And any happiness he has with Parker or anyone else, would be a thousandfold with Veronica ... once they get their shit together. But first, he needs to realize that he's capable of that kind of relationship. And this -- I hope! *fingers crossed* -- is the point of this interaction with Parker. Not just for Logan, but for Veronica as well ... because she needs to see that he is capable of it as well to realize that problems in their relationship can not just be lain at his feet, but hers as well. Until she makes that realization, she may never truly start looking at her own actions to see where she needs to compromise or outright change.
And that's the kernel I saw in this ten-second scene, and while a kick to my shipper-gut, it did give me hope for the potential long-run health and viability of Logan and Veronica together. I say "kernel," because I do not believe for one solitary second that this sighting was even remotely enough to get Veronica into fighting form, and in fact, it may very well lead to Veronica attempting her own version of moving on {{shudder}}. However, I can deal with just about anything that Rob and co. throw at me if it makes sense, is in character and continues to show -- that at heart -- Logan and Veronica definitively belong together ... even if they're taking their sweet-ass time getting to the point where they can make it stick.
We begin with what is by now an iconic Veronica Mars. scene: Veronica in the interrogation room of the sheriff's department, sitting opposite Lamb (with Deputy Sacks looking on), being, well, interrogated. And -- what else -- scoring cheaply humorous points of off him. Because being accused of aiding and abetting a murder suspect and a fugitive is such an old hat. Also, hilarious. (Snort.).
Lamb, not surprisingly, wants to know where Josh is. Veronica's advice is to think back on where Lamb had him last (I would have suggested probing in between the sofa cushions, but that's just me). The Sheriff, not amused, presses on. Apparently, the cellmate of the mislaid Josh has seen Veronica sneaking peanut butter cookies to the guy. Veronica wonders if Josh bribed one of the guards with said cookies. Nothing so elaborate, apparently. Josh simply ate a cookie and -- what with being allergic to peanuts and all -- hilarity ensued. A paramedic revived him with an epinephrine shot of such potent strength, it gave Josh super powers to overcome his savior and flee out of the back of the ambulance. While a hapless Deputy rode up front watched and was unable to stop it. Lamb is convinced it was all part of Veronica's devious plan (not an unreasonable assumption, if you are Lamb and she is Veronica), and tells her she better fess up or else. As intimidating as the Sheriff's stare is, all Veronica wants is to make her one allowed phone call.
Next we cut to the Barry residence, where the not-really-looking-all-that-autistic-to-anyone-who-knows-what-that-is autistic son is playing the piano, while Keith and Mrs. Barry are sitting at the table, canvassing the point of Josh's guilt. Or not. She just wants him found, and Keith thinks that the fugitive is going to contact his mommy. And when he does, the mommy needs to convince him to turn himself in to Keith. Because it will be safer than turning himself in directly to the sheriff's. Why exactly he would think that is unclear. Is Keith afraid the Sheriff and his deputies are so miffed over the embarrassment of the Great Cookie Escape, they are likely to cause prodigal Josh bodily harm?. Never mind, Keith has no time to explain (to us or Mrs. Barry), because his phone is ringing. Surprise! It's his law-abiding, trouble-avoiding, rules-following daughter, calling from jail. While taking the call, Keith notices a letter addressed to Kathleen Barry from none other than the illustrious Mr. Vincent Van Lowe. A letter that looks suspiciously like an invoice. (Who knew Vinnie had such an efficient billing system? The envelope's got a window and all!).
Soon we follow the paternal Mars on a visit to his blameless, angelic progeny at her place of incarceration. The said progeny appears wholly unconcerned with her predicament and demonstrates it by cracking over-the-top jokes. Her hairstyle is a bizarre combination of several corn-row braids on one side and free-falling mess on the other (prison fashion is so demanding!). Her upper arm is decorated with what looks like a freshly inked fake tattoo representing "My Little Pony" under a banner of "Thug Life" (a girl simply must maintain that tough image behind bars). Her voice is high pitched and bordering on hysterical. But it's the pitch of hilarity, not panic. She jokingly explains to her strangely unconcerned father that she is here paying for the sin of showing Josh a kindness. "That's got to be the first time that's worked for anybody," says Keith. (And the audience can't help but say "Hell, yeah!" Veronica's kindness these days tends to cost dearly and benefit a very select few.).
Cliff -- the go-to lawyer of just about anyone in Neptune -- arrives on the scene. There's something about Veronica behind bars that reminds him to return his copy of Caged Heat to the video store (I'm thinking it's the lack of air-conditioning. It can't be the comment on Veronica's appeal in her current state. Because, first of all, ew!, And, secondly, not with that hair!), He actually has news, both good and bad. Good news is, there's no way the charges against Veronica will stick, because the primary witness to the cookie incident -- Josh's inebriated cell mate -- was, in fact, inebriated at the time. And, also, ate the evidence. (In his defense, once you're drunk, looking for a nosh is not that unusual. And what else was there in that jail cell to eat?). The bad news is that Lamb is going to keep Veronica inside for as long as he legally can. There's something almost endearing about our Sheriff sticking to legalities. But I can understand that Veronica doesn't see it that way. In fact, she asks Keith for a couple of cartons of smoke, preparing herself to be armed with prison currency.
Keith wants to know where Veronica thinks Josh might be. Mexico, she believes. Keith then asks if she thinks Josh is guilty. Veronica isn't certain, but she sure finds it suspicious just how quickly the kid has panicked. Keith concurs. Cliff, the wise softy, on the other hand, isn't so quick with the condemnation. He is very adept at cataloging lies (mostly those of his clients), and he thinks Josh is on the up and up.
Keith leaves the holding cell, and, on his way through the reception area, runs into his irrepressible comrade in trade, Vinnie Van Low. Keith takes this opportunity to inquire as to why Vinnie would be on Mrs. Barry's payroll. It isn't because the two PIs are working the same case, as Keith suspected. Rather, about a month ago, a now grieving widow hired Vinnie to investigate her not-yet-late husband for the possibility of an affair. Vinnie didn't get the money shot, but he did catch the Coach getting friendly in a parking lot with a married lady. In the spirit of professional sharing Vinnie is willing to show Keith the photos (and collect the "one" Keith will owe him for this at some later date).
Next we go visiting Veronica, who is still in that jail cell -- damn, that Lamb was good at sticking to his intentions! -- it's with her BFF (?) Wallace. (Yeah, I know, I have trouble remembering him these days, too). Being the exposition guy that he is this season -- unless he's turning back the hands of time on Logan's time, he dutifully informs us and Veronica that Mason didn't show up at practice today and no one's seen or heard from him. To Veronica's inquiry if there was a chance Mason lied about seeing Josh with his dad on that highway, Wallace has no definitive answer. At which point Cliff -- accompanied by Lamb -- shows up to spring Veronica out of jail. His attorney duties clearly extend as far as driving the client home from jail. But not far enough to stick around and see that the said client actually got into the home. Because as soon as Cliff drives off, Veronica is grabbed by her arm by a tall hooded figure. Who turns out to be Josh. Who wants to show her something. Cue scary music.
Now, maybe it's just me, but if an accused murderer who recently escaped from incarceration approached me in the dark with an offer like that, I'd probably reach for my trusty tazer. But Veronica's curiosity these days is so much stronger than her common sense (or any other higher brain functions) that she shows no qualms in going with Josh where ever it is he wants to lead. Which is to the trunk of a car, stuffed with the MIA, much terrified, and bound and gagged Mason. But it's okay, really, because Josh simply knows Mason killed his father. He just knows it. He pulls out a gun and implores Veronica to believe him. A gun, as everyone knows, is a very convincing argument. Veronica is all about believing Josh, or, at least, letting him think she does. Heck, even bound and gagged Mason is probably ready to believe he himself is the killer at this point.
Josh is quick to explain that the gun he is waving in their faces is not his but rather Mason's. Veronica shows an interest in seeing the gun, and Josh obliges like a gentleman he is. She inspects it and informs Josh that what he has here is a .22 pistol. His dad was killed with a .45. Mason, therefore, is blameless. But that doesn't stop Josh from wanting to know why Mason was telling the sheriff he saw Josh with his father on the PCH. In order to extract this information, Josh proceeds to yell at Mason and grab him hard, hoping, no doubt, that the said information will just spill out of the guy. Veronica, nicely asks that Josh let go of Mason and points out the incredibly obvious: If he doesn't turn himself in, he'll look guilty. Josh, who clearly doesn't need the incredibly obvious pointed out to him, settles for the merely obvious: He already looks guilty, what with the jailbreak and all. The brilliant plan here -- discussed freely in front of the still bound and gagged (but not at all deaf and rather resentful) Mason -- is to get a hold of a rare coin collection left to Josh by his grandfather and currently residing in a safe deposit box at a bank. In order to do that, Josh needs Veronica to make him one of her fake IDs, indicating that he is twenty-one and doesn't need his parents' signature.
Veronica, instead of telling Josh that he is a) a lunatic, and b) just outlined his plan in front of a witness who is not at all pleased with him right now, tells the kid to buy a disposable cell phone and call her in twenty-four hours. (Hey, Veronica, I know you are an old hat at aiding and abetting fugitives, but seriously, this? This, if revealed, will put a huge damper on those FBI aspirations you so inexplicably cherish. I'm just saying: Mason is a much better witness than some drunk dude in a cell, and he isn't likely to eat the evidence).
Anyway, Josh leaves and Veronica un-binds and un-gags Mason. She casually wants to know if he is okay. Understandably furious, Mason points out that he was just kidnapped by a psycho who thinks he killed his father and spent the better part of the day bound and gagged in the trunk of his own car. How okay does she expect him to be? He is, however, thankful for being believed that he is not a killer. Veronica tells him that he lied about having a gun. He concedes the point, but sticks to the whole "seeing Josh with his dad on the PCH" thing. In keeping with the theme of the inexplicable behavior, Mason leaves with a parting sarcastic shot but no intention of actually reporting either Josh or Veronica for any illegal activities such as kidnapping, planning an escape, or making fake IDs. Go figure.
Next we are shown the Mars residence and Keith casually wants to know why there's a gun in the freezer. Obligatory lame murder humor follows -- such original gags as putting someone on ice and dishes best served cold -- after which the dutiful daughter finally explains to dad about the .22 pistol. And wonders why, if he is guilty, would Josh go after Mason. That's what an innocent man does. (Right, Veronica, an innocent man breaks out of jail, kidnaps another man, binds, gags and throws him in a trunk! I am not sure, but I think these days Veronica could use a refresher course on what many, many words actually mean.) Keith doesn't point out his daughter's logical fallacy, because he has a new theory. The theory is based on Vinnie's findings of what may have been an affair between Coach Barry and a mystery woman. Who is no longer a mystery but rather a wife of a Navy captain. Official side arm of the Navy? A .45 Colt. Keith plans to pay a visit to the captain's wife the next day. Veronica plans to lay a trap for Josh in the meantime in order to bring him in. A trap that, apparently, consists of helping him recover his coin collection and making him a fake ID. Good plan, Veronica! And Keith (who clearly no longer cares if his daughter goes to jail, after discovering that the sight of her behind bars is not that traumatic for him, after all) doesn't try to dissuade her. (Does anyone else feel nostalgic for the days when Keith both had a brain and some semblance of parenting skills? I do.)
Moving on. The next we see papa Mars, he is parked in his car near a nice house, watching a man in a Naval uniform (we'll go ahead and assume he is the proud owner of a .45 sidearm) kiss a woman goodbye and leave. Before the woman, Mrs. Andriotty, can go back into the house, Keith approaches her with the suspicions of the affair between her and the late Coach Barry. Mrs. Andriotty -- who prefers to be addressed as Dr. Andriotty -- informs Keith that she is not a mistress but rather a neurologist, and that she was seeing Tom Barry in a purely professional capacity. Which would make Coach Barry a very sick man. Namely, he had Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (which neither Keith nor most of the audience, I imagine, has ever heard of). Suffice it to say that the man was terminal and that whoever murdered him has spared the poor guy a lot of pain and suffering.
Next we see Keith at home as Veronica enters with another glib joke. She is happy, she declares, to see her father alive and not being murdered by Naval officers. (Is it just me, again, or does anyone else feel the distaste for those rapidly increasing allusions to Keith's possible demise from not so natural causes? This is a second episode in a row, and while I get the sentiment, I resent the fact that it's presented as if such a possibility never entered Veronica's head before.) Keith ignores the lameness and gets to the point: Coach Barry's wife has taken out an additional life insurance policy on her husband a few days after she received Vinnie's picture of the Coach and the good doctor cavorting in a parking lot. More than that, the policy had a double-indemnity clause. Meaning, if the Coach was, say murdered while being hijacked, it would pay double. As it stands, Keith adds, the family will be sitting pretty on five million dollars. (Not at all cynical of you, Keith. And you wonder why your little girl is so jaded, tsk, tsk.)
Veronica cleverly remembers that Mrs. Barry was at home with her youngest son and the babysitter at the time of the murder. Maybe she has hired someone. Not likely, says Keith. Not because he thinks she is a decent human being who'd never do something like that, but because she simply did not have the means. What with the autistic son's medical expenses, the family has taken out a second mortgage as it was. It's not like they had ten grand in the couch cushions -- Keith muses -- and hit men do not work on credit. Veronica perks up at that. She (and we) realize that, couch cushions or not, the family did have something to raise ten grand on. A coin collection sitting in the bank. Or, more likely, not sitting there anymore at all. (She, however, doesn't share this info with her dad. Because she is Veronica Mars, and everyone in her life operates on the need-to-know bases. Which she determines herself.) Next, Keith imparts the kicker: The Coach was terminally ill, so, whoever killed him, has really done him a favor. (The second time this sentiment is dropped on our heads as a giant anvil. I kept half-expecting Wile E. Coyote to show up). Veronica absorbs the information and goes into a deep thought (either that, or she is having a migraine. It's hard to tell with her these days.).
Next we see the Mars family, each pursuing their respective leads. Keith goes to see Mrs. Barry to confront her with what he knows. Veronica is making a fake ID on her computer when Josh calls (like a good boy, from a disposable, untraceable cell phone). Soon thereafter, Veronica is meeting her new best bud, the fugitive. The clandestine meeting takes place in her car, which is parked across from the Neptune Bank. She presents Josh with his new ID and watches him go into the financial institution. She muses on how nervous he'd be when he finds out that his coin collection is gone and that his mother had his father killed. Aw! A touching display of trust and concern from Veronica for a guy that merits very little (while those whom she owes some concern and a lot of trust aren't getting much. This is becoming a pattern on the show.).
While she waits all aflutter, we cut to Keith and the incredulous Mrs. Barry who just can't believe he'd accuse her of having her husband murdered. She wants to show Keith something (one presumes something pertinent to the case, and not, say, the new curtains she just bought for the bedroom). Keith watches her go and (clearly having dismissed the curtains idea) prepares himself for the worst. Cut to Josh presenting nervously his shiny new ID to a bank teller. Fake or not, the ID gains him the access to his father's safe deposit box. The teller grants him privacy to open the box and find -- maybe -- his pretty coin collection. Cut again (because, clearly, if the case is not compelling enough, one has to generate some suspense by whatever means necessary) to Mrs. Barry, walking down the hall of her house, pulling a gun out of her pocket. Keith -- the justly suspicious -- jumps her from a doorframe he was hiding behind and twists her arm, effectively wrestling the gun away while pulling the femme not-so-fatale to her knees. He inspects the gun and proclaims -- to the surprise of no one at all -- that it's a Cold .45. Cut again (annnnd the audience is getting whiplash) to Josh inspecting the safe deposit box. There's another, smaller box inside, and he pulls it out and opens it. Huh! The box is full of coins. Satisfied, Josh is about to close the lid on the larger metal one, when he notices a computer disk inside. And what do you know, his name is on it.
Cut back to -- what else -- Mrs. Barry sitting at a table, rubbing her manhandled arm, while Keith is pointing accusingly at the gun on the top of the table. The missus defends her intentions as completely misinterpreted by claiming she doesn't even know how to shoot a gun. "You pull a trigger," says Keith (contributing his share to the "incredibly obvious" stack in the episode). Ignoring the sarcasm, Mrs. Barry explains that this was her late husband's old army gun, and she hid it when the police showed up to arrest Josh, because she thought it would make him look guilty. (Right, because telling him to take a shower and change quickly did not already accomplish that!). But then, it turns out, she was browsing the Internet in her copious free time, and found out that guns could be tested! (Ah, Mrs. Barry, I know the word "ballistics" is not in everyone's vocabulary, but come on!) So, naturally, she wanted to hand the gun to Keith now, so he can take it to be tested and to prove this was not the murder weapon. (And, I'm guessing, she stuffed it in her pocket because it's so much more comfortable to shove a loaded .45 inside your clothes than, say, put it into a plastic bag and hold it carefully away from yourself while handing it over to your local PI. Especially if you claim you don't know how to use it. Gah!).
And then we are back again to Josh, getting into Veronica's car with his loot. He shows her the disk, saying his name on it is written in his dad's handwriting. And cut again (hold on to your lunch!) to Keith approaching Deputy Sacks at the sheriff's department with the gun (packed appropriately now in a plastic bag). He hands it to the mystified Deputy and tells him where he's got it and that it needs to be tested for the gun powder residue (and they may want to run the ballistics test, too. I'm just saying.).
Once more on the cut-mobile plays us back with Veronica and Josh who sit somewhre on the beach, presumably not far from her apartment (she's brought her laptop). They put the disk in and watch Coach Barry on DVD explain to his son (who, he assumes is now twenty one -- if he is watching this -- and, therefore, the statue of limitation has run out on the insurance claim) that he has arranged his own death. He did it this way to spare himself and his family the emotional, physical, and financial drain the disease would have inflicted. That he had his first attack on that day, and that he didn't want to go out like that. That the person he asked to do this wasn't a killer but a dear, dear friend who knew everything and wanted to be super helpful. And that all this verbal and emotional abuse he heaped on Josh lately was in preparation for him to be the man of the house and take good care of his mother and younger brother. Which, the Coach, says, he just knows Josh has been these past several years. Obviously, just knowing is hereditary.
As Josh and Veronica sit there stunned, the audience can't help thinking that the first attack the coach had experienced that day must have addled his brain considerably because there's no other explanation for the shoddy preparation and the sloppy execution of something that had to look like murder while not implicating anyone in particular. That once the police realizes it wasn't Josh with the coach on the PCH, a dear accommodating friend probably wouldn't be too hard to track down. That once you decide to end your life, having a blowout fight with your son and not making it up before you go is not the best idea. That you are traumatizing every one involved beyond what any protracted disease would have done to them. That five million dollars is a high price to pay for what they have already been put through.
But that's the audience. Clearly Veronica isn't concerned with any of that. She is observing on the screen that there's someone else in the room with Coach Barry. Someone who looks like Josh (bingo! The "incredibly obvious" number three, I believe). It's Coach Yeager, Mr. Barry's assistant coach way back from his army days. (Clearly a multi-talented man, who can now add "killer on demand" to his resume). In the "incredibly obvious" moment number four, Veronica dramatically realizes that this is who Mason saw on the PCH next to Josh's dad.
When the matter is brought up again, it's Mars vs. Mars in the office. Keith is justifiably angry. His buddy in customs (Keith, clearly, has buddies in all walks of life) has told him he found footage of Josh crossing the border with a fake ID. Keith suggests that the next time Veronica wants to give him plausible deniability, she should unplug the laminator first. (Personally, I would suggest he gets rid of the laminator in the house all together, but what do I know.). Veronica's defense? Josh is innocent! "Only guilty people flee the country," points out Keith (while the audience groans in not-so-fond memory of the Donut). Veronica pulls out her trump card: Coach's goodbye disk to his son. (Or, one would hope, a copy of the disk, because why would Josh leave his only defense and the last memory of his dad in Veronica's hands?). Keith watches the video. After which Veronica explains that Josh has decided to stay gone until the insurance money is safe (presumably in not so long a time, since the coach thought the stature of limitation would run out by the time Josh -- who we assume is at least nineteen now -- turns twenty one). Josh is planning on calling his mom and explaining what really happened in the meantime but will stay away so she and his little brother are taken care of. Because it was time for him to be a man. (Which, I'm guessing, is being a fugitive, participating in insurance fraud, and not seeing his family for several years. Aw, he is a keeper, that Josh.).
And that is that. So much for the implicated PCHers, random weapons, wild accusations, fraud, fugitives, kidnapping, and fake IDs. No one cares (not even Keith, clearly), because other things are happening in this episode, and no amount of schizophrenic cutting of shots can make most of the audience give a damn about wooden Josh, or semi-comatose Mrs. Barry, or even inexplicably forgiving Mason. That bad taste in your mouth? That's Veronica, once again, doing something that would have been unforgivable in others, and getting away with it.
- While Veronica is biding her time in prison, Logan pays her a friendly visit -- no, really. He's come to see her as a friend. As he puts it, they're adults now, so there's no reason why they can't be civil to each other. Hmm, I like this mature, outside-venturing Logan. Veronica really seems to appreciate his being there, and he asks her if she needs anything. Veronica, never one to turn down the opportunity for a favor, asks him to get her wireless card back from the deputy. She was going to give it to Mac, who needs it for a "thing" tonight, but then she got arrested. Logan agrees to be the messenger (Boy, you have no idea what you're about to get yourself into!), and Veronica grasps the bars of her cell and theatrically tells him that he's nearly warmed her cold, cold heart. Damn, with the way she's making eyes at him right now, I half expected Logan to say something suggestive in return, but sadly, no. Instead, he brings out his phone and snaps a photo of her. He smirks and says that the sight of her in prison definitely warms his heart. Awww. Not exactly suggestive, but I'll take cheeky!Logan too.
As promised, Logan delivers the wireless card to Mac, who is in her dorm room chilling with Bronson and Parker. Mac muses that Veronica must have some serious skills if she has people doing favors for her from her jail cell. You know, it's weird that no one seems to be concerned that Veronica was arrested. Is the sheriff's department that much of a joke? Over on Mac's bed, Bronson reads a message on his cell phone and breaks the news to the girls that Jason can't do it either because he's out of town. Huh? Logan doesn't ask and is about to leave, but Parker stops him. She asks if they can borrow him, which doesn't exactly come out right and Logan has to wonder if he'll be returned in his current "pristine condition.". Hee. Always humble, that Logan. Parker nods hopefully and Logan agrees, earning matching grins from the couple on the bed.
That night, the group ventures over to the food court, which, get this, has been decorated (I dare say over-decorated) for Valentine's Day. I'm guessing this is a competition of some sort. Logan is given an arrow by one of the volunteers, and seeing the scroll wrapped around, he asks the group if there will be math involved. Because he's bad at math. Uh, since when? If memory serves, Logan, you took Calc in high school and are currently taking Econ. But maybe this is his subtle way of trying to get to get out of this thing, after realizing how couples-oriented. That's my fanwank and I'm sticking to it. Mac assures him that all he has to do is be a male and drive. Sid, the guy organizing the event, gets everyone's attention and goes over the directions. Basically, each team already has the first clue (whatever's on the scroll), which will lead them to another clue, and so on and so forth. Your typical scavenger hunt, but with one catch: The teams have to take cell phone photos of all the steps along the way in order to receive further instructions. Sid says that the first team to finish will win backstage passes to All of Tomorrow's Parties. The game begins and Logan unrolls the scroll, which reads, "Clue #1: Demonstrate 127 of HQ470.S3V3." Logan sees numbers and shoves the scroll at Mac, who, as agreed, will do the math as he drives.
We next see the team rushing into the Heart library, with Mac gloating that she knew HQ470.S3V3 had to be a library of congress number. As they start checking the shelves for the book with that number, Logan rambles on about he misses the days of Dewey Decimal system and how that's about all he remembers learning in fourth grade, save for the different types of ... um ... clouds. Maybe Logan wasn't getting his foundations in the mathematics, after all. Bronson meanwhile finds the book, which is titled Indian Sutras -- yeah, and I pretty much reflexively cringed right then, 'cause I can see where this is going. Bronson flips to page 127, which shows the "Congress of the Cow." Parker manages an embarrassed, irony-tinged "Happy Valentine's Day," and then walks over to Logan, who is just as uncomfortable. She and Logan begin ... well, getting into position, with Parker attempting to get her leg over his shoulder. Mac gets out her phone, but Logan realizes that they haven't done the "Congress of the Cow," but rather the "Splitting of a Bamboo." Hah! Okay, now, that's ... yeah, not really that surprising. It kind of has Lilly's name written all over it. Anyway, Logan takes a quick glance at the book and then he and Parker fix their positions. Mac and Bronson are highly amused as Mac snaps their photo. And now it's their turn ... and for those interested in the "Congress of the Cow:"
Awww, Mackie looks so ... happy.
Back at the station, Sid checks his computer screen and chuckles at the new photo arrivals ....
And the hunt continues ... at a drug store? Logan pushes a box of condoms -- Super Titans, to be precise -- across the counter, and gets some cash out of his wallet. The cashier eyes the Super Titans and Logan explains that it's a curse. Picking up the box, he turns to his side and smiles as a flash goes off. It's not a college campus sponsored game without the promotion of "No glove, no love." We then cut to Mac also purchasing a box of Super Titans, although she's much less cool about it. The cashier gives her a strange look, and Mac snaps, "Just hand them to me, please." And my love for Mac? Just increased tenfold. At the station, Sid checks his screen again and grins at the photos of Logan, Mac, Parker and Bronson with their boxes of condoms. Scrolling down, he sees that the team has taken some liberties with their purchases (unless making condom balloons was part of the task?).
It's early the next morning as the sleep-deprived group pulls onto the beach in the Range Rover, and I suddenly feel as if we've crossed over into an episode of The O.C.. You know, four friends, the beach, a lifeguard station ... Anyway, Logan reads a text from his phone: "Go to the top of the lifeguard station to rescue your final clue. Don't forget to bring your buddy." Logan begins running towards the station and the others follow. Once they've made it up the steps to the lifeguard station, Logan tells Parker to check above the door, while he looks around outside. Out in distance, there's a buoy in the water with a heart-shaped balloon attached to it. Logan directs their attention to it and Bronson admits that he's not much of a swimmer. Parker sighs and begins unbuttoning her shirt, deciding to take one for the team. Logan stares at her like she can't be serious, and asks her if she has any idea how cold the water is. Parker says she's from Denver, which to Logan just means that she's never actually touched the Pacific Ocean. Further quipping ensues (and there's mention of Logan's surfing skills, which is always a plus), but long story short, Logan and Parker end up braving the cold water and retrieve the balloon. While the not-so-water-inclined Mac and Bronson share a sweet peck on the lifeguard station.
Back at Hearst, the four race into the food court and Parker hands the balloon to the people at the table, expecting the first place prize. Unfortunately, they only get third, the prize for which is a heart-shaped box with a $50 gift certificate for the Neptune Grand restaurant. Mac grabs the gift certificate and she and Bronson take off, while Parker thanks Logan for being such a good sport. He says he'll see her around (or, you know, maybe he won't). Still in the food court, Bronson waits somewhat solemnly beside a pillar for Mac, who's been accosted by some guy. Mac rejoins him and asks him what's wrong. He explains that he's got O-Chem at eleven, and that by the time he gets back to his apartment to take a nap, he'll have to come straight back for class. Feeling unusually bold, Mac invites him to her room, where she says they can 'crash' for an hour. Uh huh. A likely excuse, Mac. But it's Valentine's Day; who can blame her? Bronson accepts her offer, and Mac smiles.
Sometime later, Mac and Bronson are spooning under the sheets in her bed (how cute are they?). Bronson asks her if this is what she meant by 'crash' and she admits without shame that she really meant 'bang.' They laugh and she says that she got her onomatopoeias mixed up. Bronson isn't sure if 'bang' is the appropriate word, either, and she turns and snuggles closer to him and says it's because he's being so tender with her (as opposed to that creep we won't mention by name). He admits that he likes being sweet to her, which she says she appreciates, before realizing that maybe that wasn't the cool thing to say. She makes him repeat the sentiment to her, which he happily obliges to do, but all she can think of to say this time is thank you. They laugh again and start kissing. So nice to see Mac happy. So, writers? You turn Bronson into an asshole/rapist/killer and I will never forgive you. Got it?
The next day, Veronica and Wallace are getting lunch in the food court when she sees Logan and Parker having lunch ... together. She stops short and watches them for a few moments, unsure of how she should feel. It stings, that's for sure. Wallace nudges her and she's finally pulled out of her trance.
- Keith leaves Veronica in her cell and continues his investigation into the dean's murder (since, as you may recall, Team Mars decided they should care about this case last week). He meets with O'Dell's former assistant, Cora, and asks her if she remembers anything unusual from the day the dean died. She starts to tell him that she already spoke to the Sheriff, but Keith brushes her off with an unconvincing story about 'routine follow-up on some insurance matters.' For some reason (lazy writing?) this prompts Cora to volunteer two unusual details about that day. The first is that, as we already know, Mel Stoltz showed up without an appointment that day. While Keith takes in that bit of red herring, Cora continues that the dean's Xanax prescription ran out and she had to call in a refill.
Back at Mars Investigations, Keith makes a call to the pharmacy asking whether the dean's prescription was picked up. For some reason (really, really, lazy ass writing??) the pharmacist happily shares this information with Keith, and he jots down the name of the person who signed for the prescription before hanging up.
Landry marches into Keith's office pulling a bug out of his cell phone. Keith starts to greet him but Landry cuts him off to ask whether Keith or Veronica could have planted the bug. Landry reminds the audience that Veronica questioned him about Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang last week, saying he realized that she was probing his alibi. Landry suspects that his star pupil was just an unwilling pawn to Keith's shady detective schemes and verbally lashes out at Keith for it. Landry goes on to tell Keith his itinerary on the night the dean was killed, omitting O'Dell's visit to his suite at the Neptune Grand. He says he got to the room at 7:30 and watched a Clippers game until 8:15 when Mindy arrived. He and Mindy went about with 'the usual business of an affair,' followed by the pay-per-view movie and then sleep. He then uses his Most Serious Voice to tell Keith to back off the case.
Unimpressed, Keith heads straight to the sheriff's station with the information he got on the Xanax prescription. He expositions that the toxicology report showed traces of the drug mixed in with the alcohol and tells Lamb that Mindy was the one to pick up the prescription. Lamb seems to think that proves something and calls Sacks in. He tells Sacks to call Hearst to track down O'Dell's computer so they can dust it for prints, and to bring Mindy O'Dell in for questioning.
While he's at the station, Keith stops by Veronica's cell to confirm that she didn't bug Landry's cellphone. He's less convinced of her innocence than he pretended to be when Landry confronted him, but Veronica is just as shocked by the accusation as Keith was. And, okay, I buy that Veronica had neither the time nor the inclination to bug Landry's phone between Team Mars deciding this case was personal and a few days later when she was arrested, but do they really expect us to believe that Veronica thought she was being subtle when she was probing Landry's alibi last week? Veronica is shocked! that Landry suspects her of suspecting him, and Keith suggests that she should have questioned him about the Clippers game since men, in general, think that women, in general, don't know sports. Well, she could have asked him about the Clippers game had she known about it, but Keith just found out about that himself five minutes ago along with the rest of us. No matter. Veronica now knows about the Clippers game, and that's gonna be important later. Dun!
Back in the interrogation room, Lamb is questioning Mindy O'Dell. He asks her about the movie, and she insults his stamina. He asks her if she left the room and she insults his intelligence by defining perjury for him. He moves on to the Xanax prescription, which Mindy admits to picking up. Mindy denies seeing her husband the night of his death, but says that she helped herself to several pills from the new bottle after her husband's (now, she says) "suicide."
Cut to the biggest warehouse ever, where Weevil is guiding Sack's down an aisle of unused computers somewhere on the Hearst campus. The podcast for this week's episode mentioned that most of this scene was a computer generated special effect, and I guess it looks pretty good ... all dark and abandoned ... But, what the heck is this room? The university has its own giant storage facility where good computers go to die? Is there a twisted, unsolved mystery attached to all the other pieces of technology lining these shelves? Bizarre! Weevil leads Sacks to 1300479, O'Dell's old computer. Guys, I can't even begin to tell you how disturbing it is that the Hearst maintenance crew was able to clean all the blood (but not the fingerprints!) off this keyboard, get it placed in this freak warehouse, and log the serial number into whatever system Weevil used to find it, but it still took them two months just to scrape the "O'DELL" off the dean's office door. But, I digress. Weevil leaves "Magnum" to it.
Veronica tries to take a break from her back-to-back murder cases to watch a little Sex in the City, but the good folks at the channel nine have pushed the regularly scheduled programming back an hour for a Clippers game. Dun! Dun! Later that night, Keith enters Veronica's room and tells her she's missing her show. Veronica's somewhat unhinged as she explains to him that she got the time of death off by an hour. If Landry was watching the Clippers game, that means that Space Ghost was pushed back an hour, and Anthony, the ear witness from There's Got to be a Morning After Pill, didn't actually get back to his room until an hour later. Keith follows her trail of thought, noting that the dean was shot at 3:30 A.M., after Mindy's Volvo returned to the hotel.
Keith and Veronica take this new information to Lamb, and he is predictably dismissive of Neptune's favorite amateur crime fighting duo. Sacks interrupts them to give Lamb the fingerprint results on the dean's computer - "someone named Steve Batando." Veronica, ever the "shoot first, question later" type, starts to theorize about Batando's guilt. She brings up what Ratner told her about hearing two men arguing in Landry's suite, but Keith doesn't think Batando fits the bill.
Lamb brings Batando in for questioning. He grumbles that Mindy is setting him up, and says he won't talk until he gets a lawyer. Cue Cliff, "the best free legal representation in Neptune County." Now is he the best based on quality, or quantity? I'm pretty sure Cliff would be the only legal council from Neptune County -- seeing as there's no such place. It's Balboa County, Cliffy! Oy .... Minor slip of the tongue aside, Cliff pulls through and gets Batando released from custody.
While Keith is at the station dropping off evidence for his other case, he overhears Lamb getting a call about a break in at Mindy's place. Lamb's getting ready to head out, hoping to pick up Batando somewhere within his jurisdiction, when Keith offers to come along. Lamb says he can handle it and he and Sacks head out. They approach the O'Dell house and Lamb heads inside by himself, telling Sacks to make sure Batando doesn't slip out, prompting Sacks to make a hilarious, "Who, me??" face. Hee.
Inside the house, Lamb hears Batando screaming upstairs and the sound of glass crashing. He heads up the stairs just as Keith pulls up in the driveway. He opens a door at the top of the stairs, and sees a cop in the room. Lamb freaks and shoots at the officer, but that's okay, because it was just Lamb's reflection in the mirror. Whoops. And, phew. Outside, Sacks and Keith hear the gunshot as Lamb goes further into the room. Batando surprises him from behind with a baseball bat and the sheriff falls to the floor. Batando is still swinging and screaming at Lamb when a second gunshot rings out. Batando falls back against the wall, and the camera pans to Sacks holding out his firearm. Sacks watches Batando for a moment and then rushes to check on Lamb. Blood is pooling around his head as Lamb utters his final words, I smell bread."
Sacks looks like he doesn't know quite what to do with that information as the weight of what just happened starts to catch up with him. He looks back at Batando, then sees a flash a movement in the stairway and raises his gun. He sees that it's Keith and turns the gun back to Batando, shaken. Keith approaches him and gently tells him that he needs to go call an ambulance. Sacks leaves and Keith checks Lamb for a pulse.
Later, Veronica comes into Keith's office mentioning that she heard on the radio that Lamb was still in intensive care. The two get into an argument about Josh's case until the phone rings and Veronica slips away to answer it. Meanwhile, back at Hearst, some old maintenance guy is talking to Weevil about Hearst's historic furnace. He tells Weevil to clean the flue while they're down there, and Weevil finds a sack with a bloodied shirt and gloves. Veronica tells Keith that the County Commissioner is on the line for him. She listens outside the office and overhears Keith take in a deep breath, saying he's 'very sorry to hear that.' He gets off the phone and tells Veronica that Lamb didn't make it, and they both take a moment to process that.
Back at the courthouse, Sacks leads Mindy to an interrogation room where she starts to complain until she sees Keith walk into the room in a sheriff's uniform. He shows her photos of the shirt Weevil found, and we see monogram with the initials "HRL." Keith identifies the clothes as Landry's and basking in his newly restored authority, clarifies (again) to Mindy that he's not about to drop her husband's case. Huh. Isn't this exactly where we left off last week?
"Undone" (Todd Deatherage)
Scene: Oh boy! It's a scavenger hunt ... a Valentine's Day scavenger hunt ... with Logan and a chick who is NOT Veronica. Grrrr.
"Lovers Who Uncover" (The Little Ones)
Scene: Real frickin' subtle, Rob! Scavenger hunt dude just happens to be looking at pics of Mac and Bronson and Logan and Parker doing Kama Sutra poses while this song with this song title plays? Bite me, Rob. Just bite me.
"Lost To the Lonesome" (Pela)
Scene: The foursome (grr) search out their final clue at the FRICKIN' LIFEGUARD STAND!! Way to twist the knife, Rob!
"Swimmers" (Broken Social Scene)
Scene: And the "subtlety" continues as Bronson's swimmers get to work in the process of divesting Mac of her virginity.
"Solfeggio, for Piano in C minor, H. 220, Wq. 117/2" (Carl Philip Emanuel Bach)
Scene: Lest we feel any disapproval of Josh's upcoming insurance fraud scam, we're reminded of his autistic brother as he plays the piano. Because that makes breaking the law a-okay.
LoVe Lines
Veronica: Logan?
Logan: (Approaching the bars.) No holiday decorations, huh?
Veronica: Actually, that's just why I'm in jail, to avoid Valentine's Day. (She walks towards the bars.) Glad to see you.
Logan: We're both adults now, right? We can be civil. (Veronica nods.) You need anything?
Veronica: There is one thing you could do for me, if you're heading back to campus. (Logan nods.) Get my wireless card back from the deputy. I was taking it to Mac when I got arrested. She said she needed it for a thing tonight.
Logan: Sure.
Veronica: (Grasping the bars.) Thanks. (Dramatically.) You've nearly warmed this cold, cold heart of mine.
Logan: (Smiling, he brings out his cell phone and snaps a photo of her, his smile becoming a grin at Veronica's confused expression.) Well, this definitely warms mine.
Quotable Quotes
Lamb: Josh's cellmate says you snuck him a peanut-butter cookie.
Veronica: And he bribed one of your deputies with said cookie?
Lamb: As his accomplice, I would think you would want to get yourself out of hot water and tell us where he is.
Veronica: (She leans forward, as if to reveal something.) Don't I get a phone call?
Keith: Please tell me you didn't help an accused murderer escape jail.
Veronica: (While shadow boxing.) Yo, pops, check it out. This girl ain't gonna be nobody's bitch. You better recognize.
Keith: (Referring to the tattoo on her arm.) What's that on your arm?
Veronica: I've had some free time. (Turning serious.) And, no, I didn't help Josh escape. Not intentionally. It turns out he's allergic to peanuts. His plan was to take advantage of my kindness.
Keith: That's got to be the first time that's worked for anybody.
Veronica: (While standing in front of her the bars of her jail cell.) Clifford. Something wrong?
Cliff: I just remembered I need to return Caged Heat to the video store.
Keith: Can I get you anything, honey?
Veronica: (Sighing.) Oh, a couple cartons of smokes. (She turns to gauge Keith's reaction. He isn't amused.) What, dad? It's currency on the inside.
Veronica: (Off Keith's sigh.) What?
Keith: (He smiles.) Just ... I thought this sight would be more traumatic for me, but ...
Keith: (Seeing Vinnie in the sheriff's department with an elderly man.) Vincent. You bringing in a fugitive or picking up your dad?
Vinnie: I guess you're tracking that kid? I was thinking of diving into that.
Keith: Well, I'm ... looking for the coach's killer.
Vinnie: Oh, didn't you hear? It's the kid.
Keith: I need to see the sheriff.
Sacks: I don't know, Keith. He looks kind of busy.
Keith: Well, that's something I got to see.
Lamb: (to Keith.) So, if I'm hearing you right, you're calling me a dumbass.
Veronica: You bring my harmonica? I've got the blues, pa, the sittin'-in-my-jail-cell blues.
Keith: (Calling to Veronica from the kitchen) Honey, why is there a pistol in the freezer?
Veronica: (From her room, with Italian mobster accent.) Because there's this guy, see, and I wanna put him on ice. (Keith walks down the hallway toward her room.) Because revenge is a dish best served cold. (Keith stares.) Because I want to commit murder in the 28th degree?
Keith: (Unamused.) Stop.
Logan: Am I the only who misses good old Melville Dewey? And, there it is ... all the knowledge I retained from fourth grade: Melville Dewey. Oh, and the types of clouds. (Continuing in the background) Stratus, cumulus, cirrus ...
Drug store cashier: Super Titans?
Logan: It's a curse, actually.
Keith: (to Veronica.) Hey. You know you're missing that show where women have sex in an urban setting.
Mac: Tell me the next challenge is to sleep on the beach for twelve hours.
Lamb: So, what, now I'm a jerk cause I listened to a concerned citizen?
Veronica: No. Just 'cause.
Sacks: Sheriff! (Lamb jumps and spills coffee on his arm.)
Lamb: Does everyone need a piece of me this morning?
Sacks: We go the results on the keyboard you wanted.
Keith: You got prints off the dean's computer?
Lamb: By all means, Sacks, tell me the forensics results in front of Neptune's favorite amateur crime fighting duo.
Sacks: I can't tell, Sheriff, are you being serious?
Bronson: Well, hey, it's still third place.
Mac: More like second loser.
Bronson: And this is what you meant by "crash."
Mac: Oh. Yeah, I'm meant "bang." (Giggling.) I got my onomatopoeias mixed up.
Cliff: Mr. Batando? Brace yourself for the best free legal representation in Neptune county.
Batando: Do I know you?
Cliff: I've got one of those faces.
Mrs. Barry: This is so ridiculous. I don't even know how to use a gun!
Keith: You pull the trigger.
Sacks: (Without taking his eyes off the gun Keith dropped on the desk.) Hey, Keith. What's that?
Sacks: Sheriff?
Lamb: I ... s-smell bread.
Keith: You want to give me plausible deniability? I suggest you unplug the laminator next time! (He slams his hand on the table.) Why, Veronica?
Veronica: You know Josh didn't do it.
Keith: Only guilty people flee the country, honey.
Mindy: (Disdainfully) What do you want, Keith?
Keith: It's Sheriff Mars.
Mars Bar(s) ... (Referenced by the episode title.)
The Mars Bar or Mars is a chocolate bar manufactured by Mars Incorporated. It is made of chocolate-malt nougat topped with a layer of caramel and covered with milk chocolate. There are (or were) two slightly different products known as the Mars Bar. Both contained nougat topped with caramel and covered with milk chocolate. However, the product formerly sold as Mars in the U.S. contained almonds in the nougat, whereas the Mars still sold elsewhere does not. The chocolate bar that is known as the Mars Bar outside the United States is very similar to the bar known as Milky Way within the United States and was invented in 1920 by Frank Mars. In 1911, Mars and his wife Ethel started making and selling a variety of butter-cream candies from the spotless kitchen of their home in Tacoma, Washington. In 1920, after visiting a local drugstore with his son Forrest, he thought what a good idea it would be if they could produce a version of chocolate, malted milk that could be enjoyed anywhere. The result was the Milky Way bar -- known in Europe as the Mars bar. A different bar, also called Milky Way, is sold outside the United States, but more closely resembles America's 3 Musketeers. (Confused yet?)
The Mars Bar (the US-version) was introduced in the United States in 1936 and remained on the market until 2000 when it was renamed the Snickers Almond bar. Today, the American formulation of the Mars Bar is no longer sold in the United States nor elsewhere. However, the non-U.S. version is still sold as are Milky Ways (both U.S. and non-U.S. versions) as well as the 3 Musketeer bar still sold in the United States. Phew!
Epinephrine ... (Referenced by the Lamb as the medication given to Josh to cure his allergic reaction.)
Epinephrine is a "fight or flight" hormone which is released from the adrenal glands whenever danger threatens. When secreted it floods out the endocrine gland into the bloodstream to instantly prepare the body for action in emergency situations. The hormone boosts the supply of oxygen and energy-giving glucose to the muscles making the individual more mentally alert and physically strong; only vital bodily processes occur.
Epinephrine plays a central role in the short-term stress reactionthe physiological response to threatening, exciting, or environmental stressor conditions such as high noise levels or bright light. It is secreted by the adrenal medulla. When released into the bloodstream, epinephrine binds to multiple receptors and has numerous effects throughout the body. It increases heart rate and stroke volume, dilates the pupils, and constricts arterioles in the skin and gut while dilating arterioles in leg muscles. It elevates the blood sugar level by increasing catalysis of glycogen to glucose in the liver, and at the same time begins the breakdown of lipids in fat cells. Like some other stress hormones, epinephrine has a suppressive effect on the immune system.
Epinephrine is used as a drug to increase peripheral resistance via alpha-stimulated vasoconstriction in cardiac arrest and other cardiac dysrhythmias resulting in diminished or absent cardiac output, such that blood is shunted to the body's core. This beneficial action comes with a significant negative consequenceincreased cardiac irritabilitywhich may lead to additional complications immediately following an otherwise successful resuscitation. Because of its suppressive effect on the immune system, epinephrine is used to treat anaphylaxis and sepsis.
Epinephrine or adrenaline is a catecholamine -- a sympathomimetic monoamine derived from the amino acids phenylalanine and tyrosine. The Latin roots ad + renes and the Greek roots epi + nephros both literally mean "on/to the kidney" (referring to the adrenal gland, which secretes epinephrine). Epinephrine is sometimes shortened to epi in medical jargon. In May 1886, William Bates reported the discovery of a substance produced by the adrenal gland in the New York Medical Journal. Epinephrine was isolated and identified in 1895 by Napoleon Cybulski, a Polish physiologist. The discovery was repeated in 1897 by John Jacob Abel. Jokichi Takamine, a Japanese chemist, discovered the same hormone in 1900, without knowing about the previous discovery. It was first artificially synthesized in 1904 by Friedrich Stolz.
My Little Pony ... (Referenced by Veronica's fake tattoo.)
If this is the kind of pony Veronica's been begging for all these years, I'm kind of disappointed that none of the men in her life have made her dream come true yet. My Little Pony is a line of plastic toy ponies made by Hasbro. The toys were first released in 1982 and were enormously popular through that decade, and have enjoyed a return to popularity in 2000's. These brightly colored media darlings have been brought to life in two animated televisions series, a feature length movie, and have even "guest starred" on some more recent television series - as Summer's "Princess Sparkle" on The O.C. and now as Veronica's tattoo.
There are three generations of these toys, appropriately tagged G1, G2, and G3 by collectors. Each horse is made of plastic and has a brushable mane and tail. They come in every color, and each pony can be identified by a decal on the back haunch. Other variations of the toys include a Unicorn, a Pegasus, a seahorse-inspired Seapony, Flutter and Wing Ponies, So-Soft Ponies with a fleece covering, Twinkle-Eyed Ponies with jewels in their eyes, and Rainbow Ponies with rainbow-colored hair. G3 ponies generally have shiny or pearly bodies, with a decal on the side called a "Cutie Mark" and a magnet in one foot used to activate the playset accessories. The foot with the magnet is marked with a small symbol, usually a heart.
Caged Heat ... (Referenced by Cliff when he first sees Veronica behind bars.)
Caged Heat, alternately titled Renegade Girls, is a 1974 exploitation film about women in prison. While I haven't seen the film (thankfully), it seems like it would be right up Cliff's alley. It follows the character Jacqueline Wilson, a woman sentenced to jail time on drug-related charges. The movie was filmed for $180,000 and features thought-provoking scenes of fast action, catfighting, and gratuitous nudity. The film is also credited with themes of liberal politics, feminism, and social consciousness.
Breathalyzer ... (Referenced by Cliff about Josh's cellmate.))
A breathalyzer tests the blood alcohol content (BAC) from a breath sample. Dr. Robert Borkenstein is credited with the first model of the device in 1954. The device offers police officers a non-invasive way to test for BAC and gives immediate results on the subject. The actual level of intoxication of the subject being tested depends on their individual alcohol tolerance, so the BAC only gives a clue to the individuals level of intoxication. Driving with anything over .08% blood alcohol content is a misdemeanor in the United States.
Mexico ... (Referenced by Veronica as where Josh might have run off to.)
Mexico is a country located in North America, approximately 753,665 square miles in size, bordered at the north by the United States, and at the south with Guatemala and Belize in Central America. It is the northernmost and westernmost country in Latin America, and with a population of 106.5 million, Mexico is also the most populous Spanish-speaking country in the world. The official name is Estados Unidos Mexicanos, which translates as the United Mexican States. The term State of Mexico (Estado de Mexico) does not refer to the country, but only to one state within Mexico, located near the center of the country adjacent to the Federal District.
U.S. citizens, like Keith's crazy bail-jumper, have been known to cross the border into Mexico to evade U.S. authorities and skip tracers. Most often, these individuals cross the border into Tijuana due to its proximity to the world's busiest border crossing. What is interesting is that criminals continue to cross into Mexico to evade criminal prosecution despite the extradition treaty that has been in place between the U.S. and Mexico since 1980.
According to EscapingJustice.com, the Treaty provides for extradition of a party who has been charged with or found guilty of an offense committed in the United States, who has fled to Mexico. An offense is extraditable if it is a crime in both countries and punishable by incarceration for a period of one year or more. The Extradition Treaty further provides that where the offense for which extradition is sought is punishable by death, extradition may be refused unless assurances are given that the death penalty shall not be imposed, and if imposed, shall not be executed.
Nigerian Royalty / Nigerian 419 Scam ... (Referenced by Vinnie when he tells Keith about the fugitive he brought in.)
A type of "advance fee fraud" scheme, also called "419 fraud" after the Nigerian penal code for fraud schemes, the Nigerian Advanced Fee Fraud scheme is a two-layered scam. First, the fraudsters obtain large mailing lists -- physical or e-mail -- of potential victims. Then, a letter is sent out en masse, often originating from Nigeria. In the letter, the scammer usually claims to be a civil servant seeking help from a reputable foreign business or individual to transfer a large amount of money (over invoiced contract funds, embezzled funds of a recent dictator) out of the country. The stated amount is generally $10-$60 million and the victim is offered a commission of up to 30 per cent. An example of an actual "Nigerian letter" used in the scam:
It is at this point that the second part of the scheme begins. Usually, the victim is asked to travel to Nigeria to complete the transaction. They're told that a visa is not required to enter the country and when they arrive, the fraudsters have bribed Immigration and Customs to let the traveler through. The victim is then suddenly informed that a problem has arisen with an "insider" demanding a bribe, some unexpected tax, a legal fee, etc. The victim, eager to receive their commission, puts up the money to cover the fee. Unfortunately, as soon as that problem is resolved, another unexpected fee is turned up and another and another. This pattern can go on for months. Then, if the victim refuses to release any more funds, the criminals can threaten to expose their illegal entry into the country. Sometimes, physical violence or threats of bodily harm are also used.
Although this money-for-nothing scam seems like something people wouldn't easily fall for, each day the U.S. Secret Service's Financial Crimes Division receives approximately 100 telephone calls and 300-500 pieces of correspondence related to the Nigerian Advance Fee Fraud. Annual losses are in the hundreds of millions of dollars, not counting the losses to victims who never come forward to report the crime. In June of 1995, an American victim of this fraud was murdered in Lagos, Nigeria. Numerous others have been reported as missing.
Pulling Your Leg ... (Referenced by Vinnie when he tells Keith he's bound by an ethical code.)
One theory is that the phrase came from old England when people were hung and left to swing in the wind, the poor children would try to pull the hanging men by their leg to get something of value to fall to the ground. Adults would come by and tell the children to leave the dead alone and not to pull one's leg as a trick to get something in return for their efforts.
Another origin theory comes from the usage that the phrase is generally employed with today. When you pull a person's leg you are spoofing or making fun of him, usually in a good-humored way. However when the expression first turned up in Scotland about a hundred years ago, it was lacking the lighthearted touch it has today. In those days 'pull one's leg' meant to make of fool of him, often by outright cheating. The best theory of the origin of the phrase is that by tripping a person, ie. pulling his leg, you can throw him into a state of confusion and make him look very foolish indeed.
The origin is believed to have been found in a Scottish rhyme in which "draw" is used in the sense of "pull" rather than the word itself. It goes:
Lovely.
Xanax ... (Referenced by the dean's assistant as Cyrus' medication.)
Xanax is the extended-release formulation of alprazolam and was introduced in 2001 and the preferred form of the drug. Alprazolam is a short-acting drug in the benzodiazepine class used to treat anxiety disorders and as an adjunctive treatment for depression.
Alprazolam was originally marketed as an atypical benzodiazepine, but only classified for use treating anxiety neurosis. Researchers later speculated, however, that alprazolam could be studied for serotonergic effects. On October 20, 1976, Dr. Guy Chouinard was the first to conduct a clinical trial of alprazolam in panic disorder. Patients diagnosed with panic disorder were included among participants in the study. Fifty patients were given either the alprazolam or a placebo during an eight-week double-blind controlled study. Results proved that both somatic and psychic anxiety was decreased significantly in those who took the alprazolam, compared to the placebo.
Clippers Game ... (Referenced by Landry when he tells Keith what he did the night the dean was killed.)
A professional NBA team based in Los Angeles, California. The Clippers franchise began in 1970, going by the name Buffalo Braves until 1978. The Braves shared the Buffalo Memorial Auditorium with an NHL team, the Buffalo Sabres. The Braves Bob McAdoo was awarded the NBA Most Valuable Player award for 1974-1975, averaging 34.5 points, 14.1 rebounds and 2.12 blocks per game. The teams founding owner Paul Snyder sold the franchise to John Brown, Jr., who turned around and sold a percentage of the franchise to Harry Mangurian. Brown later met with the then-owner of the Celtics, Irv Levin, and the owners agreed to switch franchises, relocating the Braves to San Diego, California.
Upon the move to California, the Braves became the Clippers, and they were based in San Diego from 1978 to 1984. Irvin sold the franchise to a Las Angeles real estate developer and attorney, Donald Sterling, for $20 million in the 1981-1982 season. The team's poor performance in their final years in San Diego led to low attendance (averaging 4,500 fans a game). Sterling lobbied the NBA to move the franchise to Las Angeles, where they have played since.
The next seven seasons in L.A. were marked a failure, including a 12-70 record in the 1986-1987 season. Halfway through the 1991-1992 season, former Spurs coach Larry Brown replaced Mike Schuler as the head coach, and the Clippers eventually advanced to the playoffs under his lead -- their first time in sixteen years. Brown left the Clippers for the Indiana Pacers, replaced by Bob Weiss. The 1993-1994 season was one of the worst seasons in Los Angeles NBA history, and Weiss was fired after the first year.
Since 1999, the Clippers and Lakers have shared the Staples Center, where the Clippers are a distant second in popularity to the Lakers. Until recently the franchise has been pretty much a joke, and the ownership notoriously tightfisted. While the Clippers successes have been limited, they have shown signs of a comeback under the current coach Mike Dunleavy, Sr., owing largely to the addition of point guard Sam Cassell.
The Clippers have a few devoted celebrity fans -- actor/director/comedian Billy Crystal and Malcom in the Middle star Frankie Muniz. Crystal had this to say about the L.A. team: "The world's a tuxedo, and we're a pair of brown shoes."
I've got the Blues ... (Referenced by Veronica when Keith comes to her jail cell.)
Folsom Prison Blues -- the likeliest subject of Veronica's reference -- is a country music standard written by Johnny Cash in the early 1950's. He was inspired to write the song after watching the movie Inside Folsom Prison (1951) during the time he served in the Air Force in West Germany. The most famous line from the song -- "I shot a man in Reno just to watch him die" -- was previously used by Veronica in The Rapes of Graff episode. Here's how Cash himself describes coming up with the line: "I sat with my pen in my hand, trying to think up the worst reason a person could have for killing another person, and that's what came to mind." (I'd have to agree.)
The song borrows heavily both in lyrics and melody from a song by Gordon Jenkins called "Crescent City Blues." But it's forever associated with Cash, especially in the view of his later performance at the actual Folsom Prison on January 13, 1968. This version was released on the At Folsom Prison album the same year. In the lyrics, the jailed protagonist listens to the whistle of the train outside his cell with longing and regret as he recounts his deeds.
Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang ... (Referenced by Veronica as the movie she questioned Landry about.)
Kiss Kiss Bang Bang is a KICK-ASS! 2005 crime film/romantic comedy. Based in part on the novel Bodies Are Where You Find Them by Brett Halliday, the screenplay was written by Shane Black who also directed the film. (And he did a stellar job in both arenas.) It was produced by Joel Silver, Carrie Morrow, Susan Levin and Steve Richards. The cast includes Robert Downey Jr. as Harry Lockhart, Val Kilmer as Gay Perry and Michelle Monaghan as Harmony Faith Lane.
Others actors involved in this awesome production are Corbin Bernsen, Dash Mihok, Larry Miller, Rockmond Dunbar, Shannyn Sossamon and Angela Lindvall.
As great as this film is, it's definitely for adults. There's a plentitude of profanity (PLENTY!), violence, nudity and adult themes. But if you're an adult, are okay with the above and enjoy KICKASS! movies, get thee going and watch this beauty pronto!
Valentines Day ... (Referenced by Veronica when Logan comments on the lack of decorations in her jail cell.)
February 14, Saint Valentine's Day (or Singles Awareness Day if you're going it alone), is a day when lovers express their love by exchanging cards, candy, flowers, or other gifts (or not). The day is named after two Christian martyrs named Valentine, and is associated with romantic love of the High Middle Ages. The holiday has been labeled a 'Hallmark Holiday,' as an estimated one billion Valentines are sent worldwide each year. There is a long history of fertility festivals celebrated around mid-February, but the earliest link discovered between Valentine's Day and romantic love is found in the poem written by Geoffrey Chaucer in 1382, which read:
Perjury ... (Referenced by Lamb when he interrogates Mindy.)
Perjury is the act of lying or making verifiably false statements on a material matter under oath or affirmation in a court of law or in any of various sworn statements in writing. Perjury is a crime because the witness has sworn to tell the truth and, for the credibility of the court, witness testimony must be relied on as being truthful. Perjury is considered a very serious crime as it could be used to usurp the power of the courts, resulting in miscarriages of justice. In the United States, for example, the general perjury statute under Federal law provides for a prison sentence of up to five years.
The rules for perjury also apply to witnesses who have affirmed they are telling the truth. Affirmation is used by a witness who is unable to swear to tell the truth. For example, in the United Kingdom a witness may swear on the Bible or other holy book. If a witness has no religion, or does not wish to swear on a holy book, the witness may make an affirmation he or she is telling the truth instead.
The rules for perjury also apply when a person has made a statement under penalty of perjury, even if the person has not been sworn or affirmed as a witness before an appropriate official. An example of this is the United States' income tax return, which, by law, must be signed as true and correct under penalty of perjury. Federal tax law provides criminal penalties of up to three years in prison for violation of the tax return perjury statute.
Statements of interpretation of fact are not perjury because people often make inaccurate statements unwittingly and not deliberately. Individuals may have honest but mistaken beliefs about certain facts or their recollection may be inaccurate. Like most other crimes in the common law system, to be convicted of perjury you have to have had the intention (the mens rea) to commit the act, and to have actually committed the act (the actus reus).
Magnum PI ... (Referenced by Weevil when he shows Sacks O'Dell's computer).
Magnum, P.I. was an American television show about a private investigator, named Thomas Magnum, living in Hawaii. The show was on the air for eight seasons on CBS from 1980 to 1988, and unlike our little P.I. show, Magnum was at the top 20 in the Neilsen Ratings for its first five years.
Magnum, played by Tom Selleck, was a former U.S. Navy Seal who lived in a guest house of a beachside estate on the island of Oahu. In exchange for his living arrangements, he provided security to the wealthy estate, with aid from two Doberman pinschers named Zeus and Apollo. The show was a combination of action, comedy, and drama. It eventually dropped the simplified plot of characters solving the crime of the week, moving to an overarching storyline about the difficulty of Vietnam veterans trying to readjust to civilian life. Imagine that. They dropped the simple weekly plots to open up time for less fleeting storylines. And this show was on for eight seasons? Are you taking notes, Rob Thomas? (Clearly, not.) Interestingly, a July 2006 survey showed Magnum, P.I. as one of only a handful of shows voted by majority to have never "jumped the shark." ARE YOU TAKING NOTES, ROB THOMAS? (Still, no?)
So, what link does Weevil see between a cop on our low rated, potentially soon to be canceled, arguably shark-jumped show (is that too mean?) and Magnum?
You get one guess.
See the Wizard / Wizard of Oz ... (Referenced by Wallace when he confronts Lamb.)
The reference is from the Lyman Frank Baum book The Wizard of Oz. The novel's heroine is told by the Glinda the good witch that if she wanted to get back home, she needed to go see the Wizard. Baum was born in New York in 1856 to wealthy parents. He held many jobs but finally was encouraged to write down the stories he had been telling for years and achieved great success as an author. Over the years, until his death in 1919, he would write forty books exploring the wonderful world of Oz. MGM filmed The Wizard of Oz in 1939, resulting in an enduring classic starring Judy Garland and featuring the song "Over the Rainbow."
In recent years, Gregory Maguire wrote a novel, entitled Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West, that told a politically enhanced tale of the events that took place before Dorothy reached Oz, focusing on Elphaba (The Wicked Witch of the West, so named for Baum's initials, L.F.B.) The novel was later adapted into a Tony-winning musical (Lead Actress for Idina Menzel as "Elphaba"), and Maguire has since written a sequel, Son of a Witch.
Friend of Dorothy ... (Referenced by Wallace when he confronts Lamb.)
Judy Garland, the star of The Wizard of Oz -- she played the lead role of Dorothy in the classic musical, is one of a handful of actresses who is an icon for gay men and Wallace's assertion that Dorothy is a friend of Lamb took into account that aspect of Garland's fandom, thus implying that Lamb is gay. Real clever, Wally or you know juvenile and offensive. Take your pick.
Scavenger Hunt ... (Referenced by the competition Mac, Parker, and Bronson roped Logan into.) )
A scavenger hunt is a game in which a person or a team seems to find a number or an item, perform a task, as outlined on a list. The object of the game is either to complete the list of tasks first, or to achieve the highest score within a given time limit.
Scavenger hunts go all the way back to the dawn of human existence, when people had to scavenge or hunt for food and other items in order to survive. While the humanity became more settled and, by definition, stopped being scavenges and became producers, the instinct to scavenge didn't fade away completely. The use of scavenger hunt as a party game is attributed to American socialite Elsa Maxwell (1883-1963), who used to organize them as an amusement. She was a New York gossip columnist and author, songwriter and professional hostess, whose parties for royalty and the high society figures of her day earned her the title of "the hostess with the mostest."
Scavenger hunts as games can take a variety of forms, be modified with different rules, tailored to a variety of themes, locations, and age groups. The typical game would direct the players to a particular location, which is validated and then offers a clue or a puzzle to solve with the directions to the next location. The winner would be the player or a team that gathers the most points in the least amount of time by visiting all the game locations. Scavenger hunts are often used for building community, fostering teamwork, and providing lots of fun and excitement.
All Tomorrow's Parties ... (Referenced by the first place prize for the Scavenger Hunt).
All Tomorrow's Parties is a music festival that takes place in England at Butlins holiday camp in Minehead, Somerset. Until late 2006, the festival took place at Camber Sands holiday camp in East Sussex. The name of the festival comes from a song by The Velvet Underground.
The festival was founded by Barry Hogan 1999 as an alternative to other festivals like Reading and Glastonbury. The aim of this one is to present post-rock, avant-garde and underground hip-hop music -- along with the more traditional fare -- in a setting that is more inviting and intimate than the customary giant stadium environment. The festival originated in the Bowlie Weekender and was curated by Belle & Sebastian at the same UK venue in April 1999. It included musicians and visual artists, who were asked to curate the two- or three-day event, inviting their favorite performers. As Thurston Moore of Sonic Youth put it, the festival resembles an "ultimate mix tape."
Sounds good and dandy, and also like something even shy Mac wouldn't mind attending. But here's the thing: All Tomorrow's Parties, or its traveling offshoots, have not taken place in the United States since its three forays here between 2002-2004. So, unless those backstage passes came with some free airline tickets to Somerset, England, Mac can console herself for the disappointment of finishing third with the thought that at least she is spared a rather large expense.
Put (Him) On Ice ... (Referenced by Veronica when Keith finds Mason's gun in the fridge.))
A euphemism for killing a person, or for freezing a corpse. The expression can also refer to putting a plan on hold or delaying a course of action until some point in the future.
You wouldn't think Veronica would make jokes about this, given her history with the subject.
Revenge is a Dish Best Served Cold ... (Referenced by Veronica when Keith finds Mason's gun in the fridge.)
This 1782 novel Les Liaisons dangereuses (Dangerous Liaisons) by Pierre Choderlos de Laclos, is credited with the first use of this idiom. Some consider the comparison of revenge to a cold plate of food to suggest three characteristics. The first and most obvious characteristic is detached emotions, as in cold-blooded, unaffected by the recipient's emotional response to your act of revenge. Second is the element of surprise, as in when you eat a bowl of soup and expect it to be warm, you would be surprised if the soup turned out to be cold when you put it in your mouth. In other words, revenge is best when the recipient isn't anticipating it. The final element is elapsed time, as in if you leave warm food sitting out for a period of time, it will be cold when you return. Relative to revenge, this means that revenge is best when you really take time to carefully plan it out.
Murder in the First/Second (Twenty-Eighth) degree ... (Referenced by Veronica when Keith finds Mason's gun in the fridge.)
Before the famous case of Furman v. Georgia in 1972, most states distinguished two degrees of murder. While the rules differed by state, a reasonably common scheme was that of Pennsylvania, passed in 1794:
The first scheme used among some states:
As for Murder in the Twenty-Eighth Degree? Well, that one's all in Veronica's head. No doubt, had she known of Logan's part in the Thumper's death, she'd pinned that numerical distinction upon him.
Navy ... (Referenced by Keith when he tells Veronica about the husband of Coach Barry's doctor.)
The United States Navy is a branch of the United States armed forces. It's purpose is to conduct naval operations. It's outlined mission is to "maintain, train and equip combat-ready Naval forces capable of winning wars, deterring aggression and maintaining freedom of the seas." (Hmm, how's that going these days, guys?).
The U.S. Navy was founded on October 13, 1775. The Department of the Navy was established on April 30, 1798. The Department has three executive offices, operating forces (including the Marine Corps), the reserve components, in the time of war the U.S. Coast Guard (in peacetime, this falls under the purview of the Department of Homeland Security), and the shore establishment.
The current U.S. Navy originated from the Continental Navy established during the American Revolutionary War (it was disbanded in 1790). The United States Constitution provided for the legal basis for a seaborne military force by giving Congress the power to "provide and maintain a navy." The Congress passed the Naval Act in 1794 ordering the construction and manning of six frigates. These days the U.S. Navy is maintaining a sizable presence in the world, deploying in areas such as East Asia, Southern Europe, and the Middle East. Despite a certain decrease in ships and personnel following the end of Cold War, the U.S. Navy continues to spend more on technological development than any other navy in the world. It is currently the largest navy with a tonnage greater than that of the next 17 largest combined.
The U.S. Navy currently lists nearly 343,500 personnel on active duty and 129,634 in the reserve. It has 276 ships in active service and more than 4,000 aircrafts. The Department of the Navy operates under the civilian leadership of the Secretary of the Navy (SECNAV). The most senior naval officer is the Chief of Naval Operations (CNO), a four-star admiral who is immediately under and reports to the SECNAV. At the same time, the Chief of Naval Operations is one of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, which is the second-highest deliberatory body of the armed forces after the United States National Security Council. It plays an advisory role to the President and doesn't nominally form a part of the chain of command.
The chain of command goes further thus: Admiral (three stars), Vice Admiral (two stars), Rear Admiral -- Upper Half (one star), Rear Admiral -- Lower Half (one star) (and there's a joke to be made here, but it's already been made in M.A.D.), Captain (our Mr. Andriotty, the good doctor's husband with the convenient sidearm), Commander, Lieutenant Commander, Lieutenant, Lieutenant Junior Grad, Ensign. Yep, it's a long, hard climb up the mast to the Rear Admiral (and I will stop with the lame humor now). Then there are Chief Warrant Officers, who are commissioned officers with the role in providing leadership and skills for the operations and particular technical specialties. They tend to have a broader focus and come from the senior non-commissioned officer ranks of the enlisted personnel and receive their commission after completing the Chief Warrant Officer Program. They become CWOs in different specialties that relate to their previous enlisted rating. Their rank structure indicates their fields of expertise (CWO5, CWO4, and CWO3. CWO2).
Enlisted member of the Navy are separated into paygrades, E-1 to E-9, E-9 being the highest. All enlisted personnel with paygrades of E-4 and higher is considered non-commissioned officers. (NCOs), while those at E-7 and higher are further named chief petty officers. The Non-Commissioned Officer and Enlisted Rate Structure goes as follows from top to bottom: Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy (E-9), Master Chief Petty Officer (E-9), Senior Chief Petty Officer (E-8), Chief Petty Officer (E-7), Petty Officer First Class (E-6), Petty Officer Second Class (E-5), Petty Officer Third Class (E-4), Seaman (E-3), Seaman Apprentice (E-2), Seaman Recruit (E-1).
Those who demonstrate dedication ad superior performance, get advancement -- an increase in paygrade. Two most important advancements are from Seaman to Petty Officer Third Class (E-3 to E-4) and from Petty Officer First Class to Chief Petty Officer (E-6 to E-7). The last one is particularly significant and is marked by a special initiation ceremony (and here I thought I was through with the obvious jokes!).
The names of commissioned ships of the U.S. Navy start with the "USS." Which simply stands for "United States Ship." Non-commissioned civilian-manned vessels of the U.S. Navy have names that start with "USNS" -- "United States Naval Ship." Each ship is also given a letter-based hull classification symbol (like CVN or DDG) to indicate the vessel's type and a hull number. The names are officially selected by the SECNAV and are usually the names of U.S. states, cities, towns, important people, famous battles, fish, or ideals (interesting list there). The U.S. Navy pioneered the use of a nuclear reactors aboard naval vessels, which give the ships almost unlimited range and provide tremendous electrical energy. Today, nuclear energy powers most of U.S. aircraft carriers and submarines. (I can see why it would be helpful and more efficient, but, on the flip side, weren't there enough ways to die in the middle of an Ocean?).
Navy ships include aircraft carriers, amphibious warfare vessels (which fulfill the same power projection as aircraft carriers but with the force comprised of land forces instead of aircrafts), surface vessels (cruisers, destroyers and frigates) and submarines. Aircrafts are an essential part of the U.S. Navy fighting capacity. Carrier-based aircrafts are able to strike air, sea, and land targets far from a carrier, while protecting friendly forces from enemy attacks. Current Navy shipboard weapons systems are almost completely focused on missiles: Tomahawks, Harpoon, Standard, Phalanx CIWS, RIM-162 Evolved Sea Sparrow (scarily light name for a weapon). Navy also employs Mark 46 and Mark 50 torpedoes and various types of mine. Nuclear weapons are deployed trough ballistic missile submarines and aircrafts. Oh, and there's also aircraft deployed B61 nuclear bomb. (Fun facts here, folks!).
Another fun fact: Many past and recent United States Presidents served in the Navy: John F. Kennedy, Lyndon Johnosn, Richard Nixon, Gerald Ford, Jimmy Cater, and George Bush the Elder (the younger one pretended to serve in the Coast Guard. I'm thinking, like Bronson, he couldn't swim).
Official sidearm of the U.S. Navy
Melville Dewey / Dewey Decimal System ...(Referenced by Logan when they get to the library).)
Melvil (Melville) Louis Kossuth Dewey (yes, all of those names are his) (December 19, 1851-December 26, 1931) is best known as the inventor of the Dewey Decimal Classification system for libraries. He was born in Adams Center, N.Y. In 1874 he graduated Amherst College with a bachelor's degree, and in 1877 he received his master's degree from the same institution. Where, much like Veronica Mars, he made some extra cash by working as an assistant librarian.
Yes, I really am that pompous!
Everyone knows that working in a library can be a mind-numbing bore. (I can attest to that from personal college experience). So, to amuse himself, good old Melvil devised a system of classifying and cataloguing books by decimal numbers. (And, again, speaking from personal experience: I hate you, Mr. Dewey!). After moving to Boston, he founded and edited Library Journal (a breezy, fun read), which became quite influential to the development of libraries in America, as well as in the reform of their administration. With a fellow librarian Charles Ammi Cutter, Dewey founded the American Library Association (ALA).
In 1883 he became librarian of Columbia College, and the following year -- indulging his penchant for founding things -- he founded the Columbia School of Library Economy for the instruction of librarians, the first institution of its kind. The school was very successful, which naturally means it had to be removed to Albany, N.Y., in 1890. There it was re-established as the New York State Library School under -- what else -- Dewey's directorship. He liked director-ing so much, he did it for the New York State Library from 1888 to 1906. Not satisfied with just that, he also served as secretary of the University of the State of New York from 1888 to 1900. There he completely reorganized everything, making the place one of the most efficient in America. While at it, he also established the system of state traveling libraries and picture collections. Oh, and in 1890 he helped to found the first state library association -- the New York Library Association (NYLA) -- and naturally was its first president from 1890 to 1892. (And I am exhausted just thinking about it).
Alongside his useful innovations, the man was also a great advocate of some of the less popular (and not at all feasible) reforms. He lobbied for the metric system and English language spelling reform. His biggest success on that front was the conversion to the American spelling of the word "Catalog" (as opposed to English "Catalogue"). I'm guessing since he was so good at cataloging things, they let him have that one. He also sponsored periodicals on the Ro constructed language, in which the word structure marked its meaning in a hierarchy of categories (no, I don't know what that means, either). Glad to say, this one did not catch on.
After retiring, Dewey moved to the community of Lake Placid, New York, where he helped found the Lake Placid Club resort. There he pursued his theories of the spelling reform and even found some local success (though not the kind, I imagine, he was hoping for). There was an "Adirondak Loj" in the area. Dinner menu at the Lake Placid Club included such items as "hadok," "poted beef with noodles," "masht potato" and "Ys cream." All part of dreamed up by Dewey "Simpler spelin" feature.
Other, saner things he was known for promoting included winter sports in Lake Placid. He was instrumental in arranging the 1932 Winter Olympics there. He also founded the Lake Placid Club Education Foundation in 1922 (though, I imagine, the education included some funky spelling), and the Adirondack Music Festival in 1925, among other things.
Though known chiefly for his Dewey Decimal System as an innovator, as a human being the guy held some pretty unsavory racist and sexist views. His anti-Semitic stance in particular negatively affected the policies of the New York State Library, as well as the Lake Placid Club. And his career in the ALA was curtailed by his overly familiar attention to women. Which didn't stop the organization from putting him into their Hall of Fame. Whatever his unappetizing personal views, he has carved his place in history with the Dewey Decimal Classification (DDC). The system has since been modified and expanded greatly, most recently in 2004. The DDC organizes all knowledge into ten main classes that, excluding the first class (000 Computer, information and general reference), are meant to proceed from the divine (religion and philosophy) to the mundane (history and geography). The ten classes are then subdivided further. Each class has ten divisions and each division has ten sections. So, the system is neatly summarized in ten main classes, one hundred divisions and one thousand sections. The clever, clever trick of the system is in choosing decimals for its categories, which allows it to be purely numerical and infinitely hierarchical (and a pain in the behind!).
The ten main classes are as follows:
000 -- Computer science, information, and general works
100 -- Philosophy and psychology
200 -- Religion
300 -- Social sciences
400 -- Language
500 -- Science
600 -- Technology
700 -- Arts and recreation
800 -- Literature
900 -- History and geography
There are also some aspects of a faceted classification scheme that combine elements from different parts of the structure to make a number representing the subject content (combining two subject elements with linking numbers and geographical and temporal elements. And no, I still don't know what that means) and form of an item rather than drawing upon a list containing each class and its meaning. Except for most works of fiction, items are classified by subject, with extensions for subject relationships, place, time or type of material, producing classification numbers of no less than three digits but otherwise of indeterminate length with a decimal point before the fourth digit. For instance: 330 for economics + 9 for geographic treatment + 4 for Europe = 330.94 European economy). Books arranged on a shelf in increasing numerical order, the whole number to the left of the decimal is in continuing order, while the digits to the right are compared one digit at a time, with a blank before zero. When two books are of the same subject, and have subsequently the same number, the second line of the call number that usually has the first letter or the first several letter of the author's last name (or the title if there in no identifiable author), are placed in alphabetical order.
And here's an interesting fact: While the writers of Veronica Mars managed to get the Kama Sutra positions wrong, they did follow through on the Library of Congress! According to the LC system, the book indicated in the scavenger hunt under the call number of HQ470.S3V3 1962, is, indeed, The Kama Sutra: The Classic Hindu Treatise On Love and Social Conduct by Vatsyayana. Translated by Richard F. Burton. Go figure!
Types of Clouds / Stratus ... (Referenced by Logan when he babbles about things he learned in 4th grade.) )
I don't remember what grade I was in when I learned about clouds, but I definitely remember having to make the three types of clouds using cotton balls. And I remember how hard it is to glue cotton to paper. The three types of clouds, as Logan mentioned, are cirrus, cumulous, and stratus.
Cirrus -- wispy, wispy, wispy.
Cirrus clouds are the wispy ones. Spread one cotton ball out over the whole page. It's hard to tell one cirrus cloud apart from the other since the overlap in wisps and tufts, sometimes forming a veil or sheet that spans the sky, called "cirrostratus." Cirrus usually form at altitudes above eight thousand meters and may be a sign that a cold front or upper air disturbance is approaching. Cirrus clouds may also form after a thunderstorm, or in the wake of an aircraft.
Cumulous -- the bouffants of the cloud family.
Cumulous clouds are the puffy ones. Full cotton balls. These are the best clouds for 'cloud watching,' and are commonly associated with sudden rainstorms. Cumulous clouds will form at altitudes above six thousand meters. Pilots will usually avoid flying below the base of cumulous clouds, since the air can be quite turbulent.
Stratus -- Flat as God made 'em.
Stratus clouds are the flat ones. Spread the cotton balls horizontally. These clouds form below two thousand meters and are flat, featureless, and range in color from dark gray to nearly white. Stratus clouds are essentially fog that is above ground level, and while they don't generally cause rain, they can lead to a light drizzle or mist.
Indian Sutras / Kama Sutra / Congress of the Cow / Splitting of a Bamboo ... (Referenced by the first task in the Scavenger Hunt.))
Indian Sutras are ancient Indian rules that compose the Kama Sutra -- original name Kama Shastra. Those are the rules of love, and are attributed to Nandi, Shiva's companion. It appears today in the form of Kama Sutra written by the Vatsyayana somewhere between the first and sixth century A.D. This particular writing is recognized as the true surviving record of the original Kama Shastra. The author claims that he only quotes and condenses the previous work and refers to himself in third person: Vatsyayana thinks, etc. (Incidentally, I know a few people like that, and they haven't written anything nearly as entertaining). Vatsyayana, interestingly enough, was a celibate scholar of the Gupta period, who realized that all the major works of Kama Shastra had become difficult to access and decided to collect and summarize them.
The Kama Sutra was one of the three Indian texts on the aims of life. The other two -- Artha Shastra and Dharma Shastra, written in Sanskrit -- are important to the understanding of Kama Sutra. The three aims of life in human society are material goods necessary for survival (artha), erotic practice necessary for transmission of life (kama), and moral nature needed for cohesion and duration of the species (dharma). Ultimately, in the Kama Sutra, sensuality is not glorified but given its rightful place in human lives.
The word "Kama" literally means desire. "Sutra" was a term for a technical text. Kama Sutra, being the study of erotic practices and their cultivation in both man and woman, promotes intimacy between partners, establishment of mood, cohesion with the atmosphere, and attention to the senses. It isn't just a work dealing with sexual positions. It's purpose and execution is not pornographic in nature. First and foremost, it's a book on the art of living for a civilized and refined being, concerning the area of love, eroticism, and the lifes pleasure.
The book consists of thirty-six chapters, organized into seven parts. Each part is written by individual experts in their respective fields showing different sexual hints, positions and viewpoints. Part one is on love in general and its place in the lives of men and women. Its chapters include the overview of three aims of life, acquisition of knowledge, conduct, etc. Part two is concerned with amorous advances, such as stimulation of erotic desire, caresses, something called "the art of scratching" (yeah, there's an art to it. Who knew?), biting (don't ask), copulation, blows and sighs, virile behavior in women, oral and other forms of sex and preludes and conclusions to the "game of love" (a game with a lot of rules, it would seem.).
Part three is all about acquiring a wife (courtship and marriage). It talks of forms of marriage (apparently, there's more than one), how to relax a girl (something every boy should read!), ways of obtaining a girl (which, for some reason, comes after the chapter on how to relax one. Shouldn't it be the other way? I'm just saying), how to manage alone (yes, it's exactly what you think), and the actual union by marriage. Part four describes duties and privileges of the wife. Chapter one deals with the conduct of Only Wife. Chapter two -- with the conduct of the Chief Wife and Other Wives (good to know there are choices out there).
Part five (believe it or not) is about other men's wives (the part, I'm thinking, Logan is very familiar with). Chapters are mainly about seduction. They touch on behavior of woman and man, encounters to get acquainted, examinations of sentiments, the task of go-between, the King's pleasures (which get their own chapter, what with being royalty and all), and behavior of the something called "gynoecium" (I can venture a guess as to what that is, but I won't). Part six deals with the delightful subject of courtesans. There's advice on the choice of lovers, how to look for a steady lover, ways of making money (to afford courtesans, one supposes), renewing friendship with a former lover, occasional profits, losses, reflections on doubts, advantages and disadvantages of relations. (A useful part, no doubt, but, you'd think, the one all about courtesans would be a bit more fun).
Part seven -- and last -- is the practices part and only has two, but very important, chapters. Chapter one deals with improving physical attractions by herbs, aphrodisiacs and spells (for the young folk). Chapter two is about arousing a weakened sexual power (for the mid-life crisis set), aided by the use of dildo, piercing, methods of enlarging penis size, shrinking and enlarging vulva size (clearly, size used to matter in women, too), darkening hair (eh, why?), and bewitchment.
Only about twenty percent of the Kama Sutra is devoted to the sexual positions. There are sixty-four of them (yikes!). Vatsyayana presented eight ways of making love, multiplied by eight positions within each of them. The chapter on those positions is (not surprisingly) the best known and is widely circulated on the Internet. Where it is commonly mistaken for the sum total of the Sutra.
The writers of Veronica Mars clearly did not study the Sutra carefully (or trusted the first less-than-accurate Internet site they encountered). Because there's no other explanation for the mistake they have made in giving the scavenger hunters the assignment to demonstrate a position called "the congress of a cow" and showing something completely different on the required page.
Logan, amusingly enough, may have been nearer the truth when he invoked another position's name: "Splitting of a bamboo." Realistically, the picture shown in that book looks like neither of those positions (though the "bamboo" one is somewhat closer). The "congress of the cow" is described thus: "A woman stands on her hands and feet like a quadruped, and her lover mounts her like a bull." Its a variation on what is commonly known in western culture as "doggie style." The "splitting of a bamboo" occurs "when a woman places one of her legs on her lover's shoulder, and stretches the other out, and then places the latter on his shoulder, and stretches out the other, and continues to do so alternately." (It hurts me even to imagine this!).
Neither of those positions would have been a) appropriate to demonstrate in public and b) easy to do so without some serious Pilates training.
Sex in the City ... (Referenced by Keith about Veronica's missed program.)
Sex and the City, a popular American cable television show that ran from 1998 to 2004 on the HBO network, was based on the novel of the same name by Candice Bushnell. A columnist for the New York Observer, Candice Bushnell ran a weekly titled "Sex and the City" that she later compiled into a critically and popularly acclaimed book.
It's that show where women have sex in an urban setting.
The show in its first season was a loose adaptation of this book, but from the second season on it took on a life of its own. The setting of the show is Manhattan, New York City. The focus of it -- the lives and loves of four female best friends in their mid-thirties/early forties. Carrie Bradshaw, a sex columnist (based on Candice Bushnell and played by Sarah Jessica Parker), and her three best friends navigate various rocky relationships, and ponder what it means to be single and sexually active woman. Carrie's friends are Charlotte York (played by Kristin Davis), an art dealer with a conventional WASPy upbringing and a dream of getting married and raising a family; Miranda Hobbes (portrayed by Cynthia Nixon), a career-oriented attorney with cynical views on relationships and men; and Samantha Jones (Kim Cattrall), the oldest of the foursome, an independent publicist and a seductress who avoids emotional involvement at all costs, but indulges her physical desires freely. The women discussed their sexual desires, fantasies and hang ups, as well as their beliefs, opinions and interests. The show became famous for pushing the envelope, shattering taboos and demonstrating great fashions.
For all of its free-spirited and independent message, the show, by the end of its run, has given all four of its heroines somewhat conventional happy endings. Carrie and her on-again/off-again love Mr. Big embrace their bond and, with the passage of time and a more open heart, find their way back to each other. Charlotte finds her much sought domestic bliss with less than perfect but good-hearted divorce lawyer, Harry Goldenblatt. Likewise, Miranda softens her outlook over the years, particularly after giving birth to a son, Brady, and marrying her boyfriend, Steve Brady. And even decidedly non-monogamous Samantha finally finds what she needs in one man, a much younger actor named Smith Jerrod, to whom she can't help but give her heart. Because he loves her selflessly and is always there for her. He also happens to match her wild passion for love and sex. As contrived and improbable as those happy endings sound (and play on screen), a part of me, as a huge fan of LoVe, can't help but hope and pray that there's an ending like this for Logan and Veronica whenever the time comes.
Over the course of six seasons Sex and the City was nominated for numerous Emmy Awards. It won for Outstanding Comedy Series in 2001, for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series for Sarah Jessica Parker in 2004, and Cynthia Nixon for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series in 2004. It has also been nominated for many Golden Globes, winning several from 2000 to 2002.
Something about the fact that Veronica watches this show -- clearly an appointment viewing, since her father knows the schedule -- gives me hope that, under her current icy exterior, she hides a rather loyal and loving heart that can't help but hold true to the one that's meant to be. Yes, I am a hopeless romantic grasping at straws. But I do it with relish!
Space Ghost ... (Referenced by Veronica about the show that was delayed the night the Dean was killed.)
Space Ghost Coast to Coast was an animated show on the Cartoon Network that spoofed talk shows. The show aired from 1993 through 1994. The titular character (Tad Chostal) originated in Hanna Barbera cartoon by the same name from the 1960's (and again in early 1980's). His voice was provided by George Lowe. Space Ghost, who looked back on his past superhero status as his glory days, wasn't terribly thrilled by his status as a run-or-the-mill late night talk show host. His super powers included invisibility (he had an Inviso-Belt), flight, and the ability to shoot powerful beams from the Power Bands on his wrists. His remarkable ego was rivaled only by his equally remarkable idiocy, and he was as little concerned with the well-being of others as he was oblivious to his surroundings. His "charming" hosting style consisted of constantly demeaning his sidekicks and his guests.
The talk show was broadcast from a studio on the Ghost Planet. The guests were various real life celebrities who appeared on the TV screen and were not animated.
The talk show format was used subversively. Space Ghost, apparently, believed that his guests were superheroes as well, and kept asking them about their superpowers, his questions awkward, hostile and also often not matching the answers given by the guests. It was hard to tell if the guests were even aware of the nature of the program, because the questions were changed after the interview.
Space Ghost's interactions with those who work for him were even more hostile and inexplicable. His bandleader Zorak (another character from the original cartoon), voiced by C. Martin Croker, was a mantis-like alien. He was extremely evil, a virgin -- because he didn't want to be killed by his mate (and somewhere Logan nods his head in understanding) -- once ate his own nephew (clearly, the family had issues) and felt no pity. The Ghost's producer was Moltar (also voiced by C. Martin Croker), a red-helmet lava man wearing a full-body containment suit. A rather competent, level-headed character, he has attempted to escape the Ghost Planet on several occasions. Both Zorak and Moltar worked on the program as punishment for their past crimes and openly hated Space Ghost.
Each episode of the program lasted only fifteen minutes. Cartoon Network showed two of them back to back as a part of its Adult Swim. What gave the show a rather surreal feel was the disjointed nature of the guests' responses to Space Ghost's questions. This was done intentionally for the comedic effect. Before an episode was written, the guests were interviewed by a writer/producer. Often such interviews were conducted with the guest being alone in the studio and the interviewer asking questions through the speaker phone. The room was all black and the guests were given general instructions on where to look and in which direction to talk. It's no wonder the guests often appeared somewhat bewildered. (I've got to say that sometimes it feels like this practice is espoused by the VM producers, as well). The questions asked often revealed a hidden New World agenda. After the interview was completed, the writers went over it and took pieces out of context and order and reassembled them into "responses" to Space Ghost's questions.
The show is now on "permanent hiatus." It seems like in VM universe the show still goes on, at least in reruns, which simply isn't happening in our world (if the TV Guide and Yahoo listings are to be believed). Either that, or the "ear-witness" has totally deceived Veronica and his "alibi" is, well, a ghost.
Denver, Colorado ... (Referenced by Parker's hometown.)
Denver, Colorado, is the capital of the State of Colorado and the state's largest city. Nicknamed "The Mile High City" because of its mile-high (5,280 feet) elevation, the city of Denver has an estimated population of 557,917, and the Denver metropolitan area has a population of approximately 2,330,146. Denver is situated on the Great Plains, not in the Rocky Mountains, a fact which may surprise many. The climate is usually fairly mild, although it can be unpredictable. The city typically sees between two-hundred and fifty and three hundred days of sunshine a year. The first snowstorm is usually around October 19, and the last around April 27, although lifelong Denverites can tell you snow in September or in May or even June is not unheard of.
Denver was founded in the Kansas Territory in 1858, and is named after the territorial governor, James Denver. Denver was incorporated on November 7, 1861, shortly after the formation of the Colorado Territory. The city's early economy was based on servicing local miners, and Denver consequently had a bit of an "old West" feel. Denver became the capital of the territory in 1865, a distinction that became permanent after an 1881 state election (the first territorial capital was Golden, which held the title between 1861 and 1865).
Today Denver's economy is based partly on its geography, since it is the largest city within six hundred miles and is also about halfway between the large Midwest cities and the West Coast. This has made it a key location for the distribution of goods and services. Denver is also a key location for many companies in the telecommunications, energy, mining, and US defense and space industries. Many federal agencies are also based in or have offices in the Denver area, which has more federal workers than any other metro area save Washington D.C.
Entertainment options in Denver include the Performing Arts center (the largest in the nation after New York's Lincoln Center), the Denver Zoo (one of the most popular in the country), the Museum of Nature and Science and more. Professional sports teams that call Denver home include the Denver Broncos (football, won the Superbowl in 1997 and 1998), Colorado Avalanche (hockey, won the Stanley Cup in 1996 and 2001), Denver Nuggets (basketball), Colorado Rockies (baseball), Colorado Rapids (soccer), Colorado Mammoth (lacrosse), and Colorado Crush (arena football).
Left: View of Denver skyline and Rocky Mountains from City Park. Right: Colorado State Capitol in Denver.
Goodbye Cruel World (Referenced by Keith about O'Dell's fake suicide note.)
"Goodbye, cruel world" is a stock suicide message used in literature, lyrics, films, and, sometimes in real life. It's difficult to trace the exact origins of the phrase, or say who used it first. There are several notable instances. There's a book by Kurt Vonnegut called Mother Night, written in 1961; the second to last sentence in which is "Goodbye, cruel world." It is also the title of a song by Pink Floyd from their groundbreaking album The Wall:
Finally, apparently the use of this particular clich in Dean O'Dell's murder (and, it would follow, Veronica's paper) is an in-joke. Ed Begley Jr. (our Dean) has appeared in the film Batman Forever, playing the Riddler's boss. The Riddler murdered him, leaving a fake suicide note that read "Goodbye, cruel world." Clearly Veronica (and the VM writing staff) watches too many movies.
O Chem / Organic Chemistry ... (Referenced by Bronson as his 11:00 class.)
Organic chemistry is a specific discipline of the science of chemistry. It involves the study of the structure, properties, composition, reactions, and preparation (by synthesis or by other means) of chemical compounds consisting of primarily carbon and hydrogen (possibly containing any number of other elements, including nitrogen, oxygen, halogens, phosphorus, silicon and sulfur).
Originally, the definition of "organic" was conceived on the misperception that these compounds are always related to life processes. However, it has been shown that it's not the case. Life also depends on inorganic chemistry. For instance, many enzymes rely on transition metals: Iron and copper. Also teeth and bones (and shells) are part organic and part inorganic in composition. Then there is the HCI solution used in the digestion of food and water, and is the main constituent of all living creatures -- also a subject of inorganic chemistry. Trends in organic chemistry include chiral synthesis, green chemistry, microwave chemistry, fullerenes and microwave spectroscopy.
In the beginning of the nineteenth century, chemists thought that compounds from living organisms were too complicated in structure and were unique in that they could self-propagate through a "vital force" or "vitalism." Those compounds were, therefore, classified as "organic" and largely ignored. When it was discovered that organic compounds could be treated in ways similar to inorganic compounds and could be manufactured by means other than "vital force," organic chemistry as a science began to take shape. Michael Cheyreuil started a study of soaps made from various fats and alkali around 1816. He proved that it was possible to make a chemical change in various fats that come from organic sources, producing new compounds.
The myth of "vitalism" was completely dismantled in 1828 when Freidrich Whler first manufactured the organic chemical urea (carbamide), a constituent of urine from the inorganic ammonium cyanate (NH4OCN) -- what is now called Whler synthesis. (Why anyone would want to manufacture urine is beyond me, but that's not the point). In 1856 William Henry Perkin, while trying to manufacture quinine, accidentally came to produce the organic dye now called Perkin's mauve. The discovery generated a great amount of money and, as a byproduct, a lot of interest in organic chemistry. In 1874 Othmer Zeidler prepared in laboratory DDT, the insecticide properties of which were not discovered until much later.
The discovery of petroleum and its separation into fractions according to boiling ranges (leading to the birth of petrochemical industry) further propelled the interest in the study of organic chemistry. Manufacturing of artificial rubbers, the various organic adhesives, the property-modifying petroleum additives, and, ultimately, plastics, all contributed to the rise of this particular branch of science. In the last decade of the nineteenth century the pharmaceutical industry was developed, beginning with the manufacture of acetylsalicylic acid (aspirin) in Germany by Bayer.
The new chapter of organic chemistry with enormous scope -- Biochemistry -- has emerged in the twentieth century as the study of living organisms, their structure and interactions in vitro and inside living systems.
Onomatopoeias ... (Referenced by Mac after she gets her groove back.))
Onomatopoeias are words that imitate the sound they describe, like the words "click," "bang," or "beep," or animal noises like "meow" or "moo". They are common in every language and will generally be used as both verbs and nouns. In pop culture, onomatopoeias are used frequently in comic books and the TV series Batman and in the 1963 Lichtenstein painting Whaam!
Logan & Veronica: A Love Story in Onomatopoeias
El Camino Real ... (Referenced by Cliff as where Lamb had Batando picked up.)
El Camino Real, Spanish for The Royal Road, is the historical six-hundred mile California Mission Trail, which was established by Spanish Missionaries between 1683 and 1834 as a way to connect a series of religious outposts. It extends from Mission San Bruno at the southern tip of Baja California, though Southern California, up the San Francisco Peninsula, to Mission San Francisco Solano in Sonoma in Northern California. Today, the historic route is followed by a sequence of modern highways, as defined by the state legislature. On the San Francisco Peninsula, El Camino Real is Route 82, but is usually called simply "El Camino." It runs the length of the Peninsula and is the main navigational artery.
As one of the first state highways in California, distinctive bells were placed along the route beginning in 1906. The bells were hung from an eleven-foot high shepherd's crook, also called a "Franciscan walking stick." Most of the bells eventually disappeared, but the State began replacing them in 1960, with a full restoration effort being undertaken in 1996.
Many local roads also bear the name El Camino, but most bear no relation to the historical trail.
Left: Map of the missions of El Camino Real. Right: One of El Camino route markers.
Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease ... (Referenced by Coach Barry's doctor as the disease he was dying from.)
Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (CJD) is a rare and incurable degenerative neurological disorder. The disease is caused by an infectious agent called prion, a form of protein found in the brain. CJD is the most common form of human prion disease, and the people affected are generally between the ages of forty-five and seventy-five. One study speculated that CJD occurred at a rate of about one case per million population per year. In over eighty-five percent of the cases, CJD patients survive less than a year after the onset of symptoms.
The first symptom of the disease is dementia, which can lead to memory loss, personality change, and hallucinations. Other physical symptoms include speech impairment, jerky movements, loss of balance and coordination, rigid posture, and seizures, caused by progressive death of the brain's nerve cells. The disease can be diagnosed through an MRI of the brain or a biopsy of the brain tissue.
People can contract the disease through corneal or dural grafts, heredity, by consuming material from animals infected with the bovine form of the disease (Mad Cow Disease), or through cannibalism. Many people first learned about the disease after an episode of The X-Files had a story about a group of cannibals who became infected with the disease.
'I Smell Bread (from) M*A*S*H ... (Referenced by Lamb's last words.)
"I smell bread." The dying words of Sheriff Lamb. So seemingly random and meaningless, they are, in fact, nothing of the sort. The phrase is a lovely homage to another television series concerned with mortal peril and difficult choices: M*A*S*H. In the episode called "The Life You Save" -- Season 9, 1981 , written by John Rappaport and Alan Alda -- one of the mobile army surgical hospital doctors, Major Charles Emerson Winchester, is nearly felled by a sniper's bullet. The incident itself goes quickly, and at the time Charles and his fellow surgeons are more concerned about saving the lives of others. It's a little later that Charles is stunned to see, when he reaches for his hat, that there is a bullet hole in it.
David Ogden Stiers playing Major Charles
Emerson Winchester III
The site brings home to him just how close he came to dying. The reality of where he is and what he is doing overwhelms him. He slowly becomes obsessed with death, trying to find some semblance of meaning in the fact of passing and in the process itself. He questions a wounded soldier that he had saved earlier. He wants to know if the boy remembers anything, or has heard any voices. He tells the boy that when he was very young his brother died, and that later he couldn't pass by his brother's room without being afraid. He also says that the same feeling came over him again recently. But the young soldier is weak and sleepy, and has no insight to offer Major Winchester.
Major's colleagues become concerned with his behavior, with the way he hangs around the wounded like a ghoul. He can't explain his fascination to them anymore than he can process it himself. Frustrated and upset, Charles takes an ambulance vehicle and goes to the medics at Battalion aide. He wants to speak to them about death. They are, after all, on the front lines, and, therefore, that much closer to it. While there he is called on to tend to a dying patient. Charles talks to him, wants to know if he feels weird. The patient can't see, and the Major holds his hand. He asks the kid to describe what is happening to him, if he can see or feel anything. The young man tells Charles that he smells bread. Not long after he dies. The Major departs, leaving his hat with the bullet hole by the dead soldier's side. The moment and the dying utterance are poignant in the very fact of how mundane they seem.
Death is always unexpected. Violent, before-its-time death ever more so. And search as we might for some artificial significance, it can neither elevates nor de-mystifies it. It's never rendered either more or less meaningful for any given individual. The smell of bread, bright shiny light, or the voices of angels on the other side -- it doesn't matter in the end. Each death is filled with meaning and its own senses.
RIP, Sheriff Lamb.
- Lamb's derisive look toward Sacks (and Sacks' ensuing nervous shifting) when Veronica asks if a deputy was riding with Josh. Heh.
- Lamb remembers the witness to a convenience store robbery from two years ago? He really doesn't get out of the office much. I'm gonna miss that incompetent, lazy bastard.
- Keith, who's now Sheriff, owes Vinnie one for the pictures of Coach Barry and the doctor. Look out.
- When Keith runs into Vinnie at the Sheriff's Department, there are two people standing in the background wearing eerily similar outfits: high denim jeans and brown shirts. Are civil servants colour coordinating now?
- Keith's really fond smile when Vinnie laughs off the idea that he has ethical standards. I suppose Keith doesn't mind when the lack of ethics works in his favor.
- Logan's awkward pause in Mac's room when he has no idea if he's supposed to stay, or if he's meant to quietly leave even though they're not asking him to. You could really feel his discomfort.
- The shirt's in the scavenger hunt say: 'Find the Love'. Nice subliminal message, Rob.
- The look on Logan and Mac's faces when Bronson finds out the book is 'Indian Sutras'. And Bronson's non-reaction. Heh.
- Jason's deadpan delivery of 'it's a curse, actually,' when he buys the Super Titans before smiling huge for the camera.
- Loved Keith's response to seeing Logan on his way to visit Veronica. It was very, "That boy keeps surprising me."
- The look of abject fear on Sacks' face when Lamb tells him to make sure Batando didn't slip out of Mindy's house. I heart Sacks.
- I heart Sacks, Part II: Lamb shoots at a mirror -- so he 1) shot at an inanimate object, 2) shot at a "man in uniform," in other words he could have shot another cop, and 3) shot at "himself." It's a good thing Sacks wasn't that jumpy when Keith came up the stairs after he killed Batando. Speaking of, pooor shaky Sacks.
- Bronson's bright red cap. Let's take a moment to shake our heads in confusion ... that feels better.
- Sacks and Lamb. Lets take a moment to mourn the fact we'll never see the Dynamic Duo of Sheriffing Suck on our TVs again.
- The confused, off-balance expression on Keith's face when he hangs up the phone from County Commissioner. Well played by Enrico: The surreal experience of being Sheriff again (even if it could be only on an interim basis) battling with the fact that it's because his quasi-nemesis is dead.
- Hmm, I wonder if the picture of Veronica behind bars is going to be Logan's new desktop background?
- Is it just me, or did Veronica look more disturbed by Wallace's clunky slur against Lamb than impressed by the juvenile display of his "guts?"
- How come Josh had no problem telling his plans to grab the coin collection and beat it in front of the still-tied up -- but not hearing-impaired -- Mason? Dude! You are telling Veronica -- an accomplice! -- all your nifty plans to escape and soliciting a fake ID ... in front of the guy you just kidnapped and stuffed into the trunk. A guy you are about to let go. A guy who harbors a not unnatural resentment towards you. A guy who already sold you down the river once. What makes you think he won't run straight to the Sheriff again and tell him all about the plans for the fake ID, $10,000 and Veronica waiting for your call in 24 hours?
- And while we're visiting this topic, why didn't he? What the hell stopped Mason from going to the authorities with the tale of crazy kidnapper Josh and a happily helpful Veronica?
- Why were all the recurring characters called by their full names in this episode? Clifford? Vincent? What happened to my old pals 'Cliff' and 'Vinnie'?
- If they want us to believe Cliff is a bad lawyer -- hence his cheapness -- that is essentially lazy, why doesn't he ever lose a case? Why do they always portray him as the best lawyer ever?
- Why was Veronica propping up her leg on the bars like she was about to start climbing up and beating her chest, monkey-style?
- Why is there a glowing red exit sign on the way out of Veronica's cell? Has the ridiculously dark lighting on this show got to the extent that they need glowing exit, movie theater style signs at every set so the actors can find their way out?
- Vinnie says it would be good having Keith owe him one. Are they planning on making him collect on this debt?
- Are you telling me they're only just scraping the dean's name off his door? Surely they would have had to replace him ages ago.
- Why is Landry so disdainful and angry about being investigated if it's Keith's fault, but apparently it just makes him like Veronica more (check the fond smile when he says 'initiative')? What crack do the characters on this show smoke that makes everything Veronica does super when other people can't get away with the same thing? Really, I'd like to know.
- Why does Veronica frown like it would be weird for someone to suspect her of bugging their phone? Yeah, totally unheard of ... and it's not like she actually was investigating Landry.
- How did Logan find out Veronica was in jail?
- Was my mind the only mind that jumped to 'conjugal visit' when Logan stepped closer to Veronica's bars and asked her if she needed anything? Yeah ... fine. So it was just me.
- How would Logan get Veronica's wireless card from the deputy? Can you seriously just walk into a police station and take the belongings that were confiscated when they were incarcerated?
- Why does Veronica say she was on the way to give it to Mac when she was arrested, when she was in class?
- Why is Veronica so willing to help Josh when he's acting like a nutcase? She's not usually that open-minded and trusting with people who aren't acting nuts.
- Why is Veronica is more bitchy with Mason,you know, the victim, than Josh, you know, the kidnapper?
- Why would Veronica watch Sex in the City when she looks down on girls who are casual about sex?
- Which one of the Scavenger Hunters was talented enough to twist balloon animals with those condoms? Is this Logan's secret talent? Parker's? I can't imagine it was Bronson or Mac, but I'd be damn amused if it was.
- Logan gives Bronson his heart ... hee! I mean Logan gives Bronson and Mac the prize of a dinner at the Neptune Grand. And then Bronson gives him one of those 'thanks, man' chest slaps. PLLLLEEEASSSE, can Bronson be Logan's first decent friend???
- Who is that extra Mac is talking to in the cafeteria before she goes off to crash/bang with Bronson? That was random ...
- Where does the blood come from when Lamb gets hit with the bat? The first strike hit his torso, the second should have hit the front of his head ... yet the blood comes from beneath him. Was the fatal blow when he hit his head on the floor rather than the bat itself?
- Why wouldn't the coach make amends with his son before killing himself?
- Will the new coach discount Mason's bad attitude and put him on the court rather than Wallace?
- Did Keith feel the same way about Duncan running as he did about Josh?
- How come Mindy looks shocked when she doesn't see Lamb in the door? Since he was killed in her house, one would think she would know expect someone else in charge.
- Was that the most lines Sacks has ever had to say in one episode in his long-running career as a guest star? And he finally got something dramatic, go Sacks!
- And the most important question of the episode: Will Keith adopt the stray Sacks now that his master has died? Stay tuned!
- If Josh is on the run and hiding out, why would he watch his father's video message outside? In the middle of Veronica's apartment complex? In the middle of the day? Why wouldn't he go inside where no one would see him?
- How many Members Only jackets does Vinnie own? I know I've asked on previous occasions, but the guy has one in each color, I swear! It's like he is competing with Veronica in the 'who owns more jackets' department. Except his are all the same brand.
- Why did Mrs. Coach go to Keith if she has already employed Vinnie on previous occasion? Was she unhappy with the way Vinnie delivered?
- Is Steve dead now? Did Sack's bullet kill him or did he survive?
- Why the sudden focus on Mac's love life? I like the girl and all, but why? The only other time it was so prominently featured, her boyfriend turned out to be the Big Bad. Is it too much to hope that Bronson killed the Dean? I'm just saying. :)
- Is Cliff the only public defender in the entire Neptune area? I'm glad to see him, don't get me wrong, but him showing up every time someone needs a lawyer is kind of stretching credibility.
- What was the point of the autistic son? Just so they can make the family's situation be even more dire?
- If Mac easily recognized Veronica's friendship skills, why did she choose to display none of her own by showing no reaction to her roommate flirting with Veronica's recent ex?
- How cold is the Pacific Ocean in February? If it were me, I'd give the Scavenger Hunt organizers some serious lip about this. Pneumonia, people!
- Since when does Mac care so much about either winning or getting backstage passes to some show?
- So, now that Keith is Sheriff again, isn't he sort of obligated to arrest Veronica for aiding and abetting a fugitive?
- Why did Veronica put Mason's gun in the freezer? Is
this some sort of gun safety protocol that I am totally unaware of?
- Poor Keith is still feeling the sting of rejection from Landry's mentorship of Veronica.
In Hi, Infidelity he had this to say about Veronica's gushing about Landry:
- What's with Veronica's incredulous reaction when Keith tells her Landry suspects that she suspects him of murdering the dean? I can't tell if she's genuinely offended that he thinks so little of her or if she's really shocked that he saw through her casual mention of Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang. Somehow, I have a feeling Veronica wasn't supposed to be so tongue in cheek when she asked him about it last week. Kristen Bell really played it like "I know why I'm asking you this. You know why I'm asking you this. But let's keep the charade going for politeness sake." Her bad. Or the writers.. I can't tell the difference anymore.
- Yay! For Logan for visiting Veronica in jail. I wonder where he got the crazy notion that friends visit friends in jail, though. Certainly not from past experience. From Rat Saw God:
- Cliff 'just has one of those faces.' HEEEE. It would take more than a meth addiction and surprise blood transfusion to completely erase this guy from your brain:
- "Only guilty people flee the country, Honey!" What's this? Is it too much to hope that Keith still has some residual anger towards Veronica for helping Duncan flee the country? Do we dare dream? Does Keith consider Duncan guilty? One nitpick -- Duncan wasn't guilty when he fled to Cuba after Veronica asked him about Lilly, and Keith knows that ... so what's with the blanket statement?
- Lamb gave Veronica the 'Mercer' treatment because he doesn't like her attitude. Heh. Holding her in jail, despite the fact he has no evidence, for as long as he possibly can under law.
- Mason was jumped and thrown into the trunk of his own car. Veronica would probably say, "been there, done that", because of events in Clash of the Tritons. But I don't think Mason would agree that a bunch of repressed homosexuals in robes are the same thing as being held at gunpoint.
- Keith once again asks to be directed with the respect owed to him. In One Angry Veronica he reminded Logan it was "Mr. Mars not dude," and finally he gets to demand the title he really has earned: "Sheriff Mars not Keith."
holly96 (Holly): Yearbook; Literature; ; Social Science; Philosophy
genova (Cara): Study Hall; Literature
JaneDtwo: Journalism; Philosophy
JenniferH: Report Card; Chemistry; Band Class; Social Science; Philosophy
PolarTruckin (Belinda): Literature; Homeroom; Philosophy; Principles of Democracy
samwg (Shannon): Extra Credit; Literature; Social Science; Homeroom; Philosophy; Principles of Democracy
Original Air Date: February 20, 2007
Written by: John Enbom & Phil Klemer (Story by Enbom, Klemmer & Joe Voci)
Directed by: Harry Winer
Staff Grade: B
Membership Median Grade: B+
A bit of a let-down from the previous week's installment, but not bad at all. Veronica is back to being over-the-top in a way that didn't work for many, but there are some good lines to be heard and the quick-turn-around in Logan's attitude is darn-near whiplash-inducing, but at least the boy is smiling. Keith is totally on-target and a joy to watch, while Lamb is not-quite Lamb (listening to Keith?!), and then is no more in a rather pointless end that left many fans gnashing their teeth. The surface of the episode is good, thus the higher-end grade, it's just the emotional turmoil that is taking place in the heart of much of the audience that is beginning to wear. Rob Thomas might want to take into account that roller coasters? Are supposed to be fun.
Credited Cast Non-Appearance
Ryan Hansen - Dick Casablancas
Chris Lowell - Stosh "Piz" Piznarski
Recurring Guest Stars (Previous Episode Appearances)
Samantha Brown - Cora
Jonathan Chase - Josh Barry
Patrick Fabian - Professor Hank Landry
Richard Grieco - Steven Batando
Brandon Hillock - Deputy Sacks
Ken Marino - Vinnie Van Lowe
Matt McKenzie - Coach Tom Barry
Michael Mitchell - Bronson Pope
Tracey Needham - Mrs. Kathleen Barry
Jamie Ray Newman - Mindy O'Dell
Daran Norris - Cliff McCormack
Robert Ri'chard - Mason
Guest Stars
Helen Eigenberg - Dr. Andriotti
Who's Who in Neptune
Dr. Andriotti - Woman who was photographed with Coach Barry and ended up being his neurologist.
Scene One: Re-assembling the Haystack
What I loved about this scene is that everything that was good about it was beneath the surface, tangible there in the undercurrents and the subtext that was zig-zagging across the screen. There was an evident tentativeness to most of the interaction. The most being in reference to the line about what he could do for her. That was way too expositional without a softer lead-in and I felt that Kristen Bell made the switch from the tentative yearning that must not be acknowledged too quickly without a proper emotional shift before or after.) However, other than that I felt that both she and Jason Dohring did a wonderful job in making it clear to the audience that Veronica and Logan are still so madly in love with one another. They are both just trying to put a brave face on it because they think it's over, but yet they are still in each other's lives and going back to the nastiness of senior year is not an option. They've been through too much. (Of course, I would have thought that after season one's events, but what do I know ... I'm just a viewer.)
Returning to the scene at hand, I also want to add an aspect of the other jailed scenes compared to this that offer an additional straw with which to rebuild our haystack of hope. Veronica's over-the-top acting -- yes, I deliberately said 'Veronica' and not 'Bell' -- in the other jail scenes and not present in this one was a sign that the connection is still so there between Logan and Veronica. I got the impression that Veronica was genuinely freaked about being arrested and was thus overcompensating. Admittedly, I do believe that that this would have been more obvious had Bell not been playing most of the season in such an over-the-top fashion, but that's neither here nor there. This time, I did get that it was a deliberate show on Veronica's part because there were moments -- just a twinge here or there, a shadow in her eyes, a downcast to her smile before she turned it "on" to perform for Keith or Cliff or Wallace -- where it was clear to me that she was putting on a show.
And now here's where we get to the LoVe: Who was the one person she DIDN'T perform for? That's right. Logan. She was closer to natural and at a level of ease with him than we saw her with anyone else who visited. Yes, there were a few lines (notably, the heart-warming bit) that leaned towards the 'performance,' but it was done with a subtle warmth ... she was sharing it with Logan, as opposed to play-acting it for him.
Am I grasping? Maybe. But hey, from this point on, I'm fairly certain we're back to the straw-stacking of season one and we've got to take what we can get.
Scene Two: ... A Kernel of Hope
Did I like seeing Logan sitting there, smiling and conversing with Parker? Absolutely not. But the one joy of this scene is that neither did Veronica. I do believe that the writing is on the wall and that we will see a romantic entanglement between Logan and Parker, therefore I was thrilled to see from the outset Veronica witness their interaction and react as she did. Any doubts that any viewer might have had that Veronica was over Logan should have been completely erased by this scene. She was literally *literally* stopped in her tracks by the sight of them. And this can only be a good thing from the point of view of LoVe fans, because in the long-run Veronica needs to see and understand that she has got to stop taking Logan for granted because that is exactly what she has been doing for the last two years.
Yes, he was the one who broke up with her the time before last, but all she had to do to get him back was to show up at his door. After last week, during the elevator scene, where I pointed out my belief that Veronica was just waiting for Logan to make a move so that she could graciously forgive him and take him back once more (with her in the power position), this is yet another sign to her that she no longer CAN take him for granted. If she wants him in her life, she's going to have to learn to accept him completely which she has yet to do.
Do I like this route that it looks like Rob Thomas and co. are going? No. However, considering the dynamic that's been set up all season long (and even takes into account their relationship with each other and others the last two and half years), it does make absolute sense if the show is going in the direction that I hope it is.
As for Logan, let's talk about him looking all happy while conversing with Parker. Again, I do not like it ... but I do believe that this interaction (and possible future interaction as I think it will be) serves the purpose of the story. And that story is ultimately to bring Logan and Veronica to where they need to be as individuals alone and in a relationship to BE in that relationship that will last their whole lives long with one another.
If Logan and Parker do enter into a relationship -- and all bright, glaring neon signs sure pointed to it in this episode
-- then I believe that Logan will find some happiness with her. And that's necessary and key! Whereas Veronica needs to learn that she has to take share in the relationship game, Logan needs to learn that he isn't responsible for everything wrong in a relationship. Yes, he said words to that affect in Lord of the Pi's, but did he really believe them? Judging by what happened in the following episodes, no, he didn't. Simply put, he needs to learn that a relationship DOESN'T have to be disastrous. Because if you take into account his relationship history, that's all he's known. I believe that he and Parker need to have a fun, caring relationship that's not about deep, deep feelings, but just affection and about enjoying each other in a short-term fashion.Logan has to have feelings for her because that's the kind of person that Logan is; he cares deeply all the time ... but that won't mean that it's true love or even love at all. It will simply show him that he's capable of being in a caring, productive relationship; that, yes, he can do it. And that's one of the main things he needs to know that he is capable of, instead of just expecting it to all fall apart as it did with Lilly, and Caitlin, and Veronica, and Hannah, and Veronica again ... and then Veronica again. Even though he experiences a kind of happiness with Parker, it won't mean that he's destined to be with her; it will just show him that he can be happy in a relationship without "blood shed and lives ruined" and it still can work. It is possible.
And where the LoVe aspect of this comes in is that no matter how happy he is with Parker, it could never be the kind of happiness he has with Veronica when things are good with them. And I do believe that any happiness found with Parker won't come so much from Parker, but with the self-esteem that being in this type of relationship NOW in the short-term will do for him. Yes, he'll care about her, but Logan loves Veronica. He LOVES her ... in capital letters. Completely. And any happiness he has with Parker or anyone else, would be a thousandfold with Veronica ... once they get their shit together. But first, he needs to realize that he's capable of that kind of relationship. And this -- I hope! *fingers crossed* -- is the point of this interaction with Parker. Not just for Logan, but for Veronica as well ... because she needs to see that he is capable of it as well to realize that problems in their relationship can not just be lain at his feet, but hers as well. Until she makes that realization, she may never truly start looking at her own actions to see where she needs to compromise or outright change.
And that's the kernel I saw in this ten-second scene, and while a kick to my shipper-gut, it did give me hope for the potential long-run health and viability of Logan and Veronica together. I say "kernel," because I do not believe for one solitary second that this sighting was even remotely enough to get Veronica into fighting form, and in fact, it may very well lead to Veronica attempting her own version of moving on {{shudder}}. However, I can deal with just about anything that Rob and co. throw at me if it makes sense, is in character and continues to show -- that at heart -- Logan and Veronica definitively belong together ... even if they're taking their sweet-ass time getting to the point where they can make it stick.
We begin with what is by now an iconic Veronica Mars. scene: Veronica in the interrogation room of the sheriff's department, sitting opposite Lamb (with Deputy Sacks looking on), being, well, interrogated. And -- what else -- scoring cheaply humorous points of off him. Because being accused of aiding and abetting a murder suspect and a fugitive is such an old hat. Also, hilarious. (Snort.).
Lamb, not surprisingly, wants to know where Josh is. Veronica's advice is to think back on where Lamb had him last (I would have suggested probing in between the sofa cushions, but that's just me). The Sheriff, not amused, presses on. Apparently, the cellmate of the mislaid Josh has seen Veronica sneaking peanut butter cookies to the guy. Veronica wonders if Josh bribed one of the guards with said cookies. Nothing so elaborate, apparently. Josh simply ate a cookie and -- what with being allergic to peanuts and all -- hilarity ensued. A paramedic revived him with an epinephrine shot of such potent strength, it gave Josh super powers to overcome his savior and flee out of the back of the ambulance. While a hapless Deputy rode up front watched and was unable to stop it. Lamb is convinced it was all part of Veronica's devious plan (not an unreasonable assumption, if you are Lamb and she is Veronica), and tells her she better fess up or else. As intimidating as the Sheriff's stare is, all Veronica wants is to make her one allowed phone call.
Next we cut to the Barry residence, where the not-really-looking-all-that-autistic-to-anyone-who-knows-what-that-is autistic son is playing the piano, while Keith and Mrs. Barry are sitting at the table, canvassing the point of Josh's guilt. Or not. She just wants him found, and Keith thinks that the fugitive is going to contact his mommy. And when he does, the mommy needs to convince him to turn himself in to Keith. Because it will be safer than turning himself in directly to the sheriff's. Why exactly he would think that is unclear. Is Keith afraid the Sheriff and his deputies are so miffed over the embarrassment of the Great Cookie Escape, they are likely to cause prodigal Josh bodily harm?. Never mind, Keith has no time to explain (to us or Mrs. Barry), because his phone is ringing. Surprise! It's his law-abiding, trouble-avoiding, rules-following daughter, calling from jail. While taking the call, Keith notices a letter addressed to Kathleen Barry from none other than the illustrious Mr. Vincent Van Lowe. A letter that looks suspiciously like an invoice. (Who knew Vinnie had such an efficient billing system? The envelope's got a window and all!).
Soon we follow the paternal Mars on a visit to his blameless, angelic progeny at her place of incarceration. The said progeny appears wholly unconcerned with her predicament and demonstrates it by cracking over-the-top jokes. Her hairstyle is a bizarre combination of several corn-row braids on one side and free-falling mess on the other (prison fashion is so demanding!). Her upper arm is decorated with what looks like a freshly inked fake tattoo representing "My Little Pony" under a banner of "Thug Life" (a girl simply must maintain that tough image behind bars). Her voice is high pitched and bordering on hysterical. But it's the pitch of hilarity, not panic. She jokingly explains to her strangely unconcerned father that she is here paying for the sin of showing Josh a kindness. "That's got to be the first time that's worked for anybody," says Keith. (And the audience can't help but say "Hell, yeah!" Veronica's kindness these days tends to cost dearly and benefit a very select few.).
Cliff -- the go-to lawyer of just about anyone in Neptune -- arrives on the scene. There's something about Veronica behind bars that reminds him to return his copy of Caged Heat to the video store (I'm thinking it's the lack of air-conditioning. It can't be the comment on Veronica's appeal in her current state. Because, first of all, ew!, And, secondly, not with that hair!), He actually has news, both good and bad. Good news is, there's no way the charges against Veronica will stick, because the primary witness to the cookie incident -- Josh's inebriated cell mate -- was, in fact, inebriated at the time. And, also, ate the evidence. (In his defense, once you're drunk, looking for a nosh is not that unusual. And what else was there in that jail cell to eat?). The bad news is that Lamb is going to keep Veronica inside for as long as he legally can. There's something almost endearing about our Sheriff sticking to legalities. But I can understand that Veronica doesn't see it that way. In fact, she asks Keith for a couple of cartons of smoke, preparing herself to be armed with prison currency.
Keith wants to know where Veronica thinks Josh might be. Mexico, she believes. Keith then asks if she thinks Josh is guilty. Veronica isn't certain, but she sure finds it suspicious just how quickly the kid has panicked. Keith concurs. Cliff, the wise softy, on the other hand, isn't so quick with the condemnation. He is very adept at cataloging lies (mostly those of his clients), and he thinks Josh is on the up and up.
Keith leaves the holding cell, and, on his way through the reception area, runs into his irrepressible comrade in trade, Vinnie Van Low. Keith takes this opportunity to inquire as to why Vinnie would be on Mrs. Barry's payroll. It isn't because the two PIs are working the same case, as Keith suspected. Rather, about a month ago, a now grieving widow hired Vinnie to investigate her not-yet-late husband for the possibility of an affair. Vinnie didn't get the money shot, but he did catch the Coach getting friendly in a parking lot with a married lady. In the spirit of professional sharing Vinnie is willing to show Keith the photos (and collect the "one" Keith will owe him for this at some later date).
Next we go visiting Veronica, who is still in that jail cell -- damn, that Lamb was good at sticking to his intentions! -- it's with her BFF (?) Wallace. (Yeah, I know, I have trouble remembering him these days, too). Being the exposition guy that he is this season -- unless he's turning back the hands of time on Logan's time, he dutifully informs us and Veronica that Mason didn't show up at practice today and no one's seen or heard from him. To Veronica's inquiry if there was a chance Mason lied about seeing Josh with his dad on that highway, Wallace has no definitive answer. At which point Cliff -- accompanied by Lamb -- shows up to spring Veronica out of jail. His attorney duties clearly extend as far as driving the client home from jail. But not far enough to stick around and see that the said client actually got into the home. Because as soon as Cliff drives off, Veronica is grabbed by her arm by a tall hooded figure. Who turns out to be Josh. Who wants to show her something. Cue scary music.
Now, maybe it's just me, but if an accused murderer who recently escaped from incarceration approached me in the dark with an offer like that, I'd probably reach for my trusty tazer. But Veronica's curiosity these days is so much stronger than her common sense (or any other higher brain functions) that she shows no qualms in going with Josh where ever it is he wants to lead. Which is to the trunk of a car, stuffed with the MIA, much terrified, and bound and gagged Mason. But it's okay, really, because Josh simply knows Mason killed his father. He just knows it. He pulls out a gun and implores Veronica to believe him. A gun, as everyone knows, is a very convincing argument. Veronica is all about believing Josh, or, at least, letting him think she does. Heck, even bound and gagged Mason is probably ready to believe he himself is the killer at this point.
Josh is quick to explain that the gun he is waving in their faces is not his but rather Mason's. Veronica shows an interest in seeing the gun, and Josh obliges like a gentleman he is. She inspects it and informs Josh that what he has here is a .22 pistol. His dad was killed with a .45. Mason, therefore, is blameless. But that doesn't stop Josh from wanting to know why Mason was telling the sheriff he saw Josh with his father on the PCH. In order to extract this information, Josh proceeds to yell at Mason and grab him hard, hoping, no doubt, that the said information will just spill out of the guy. Veronica, nicely asks that Josh let go of Mason and points out the incredibly obvious: If he doesn't turn himself in, he'll look guilty. Josh, who clearly doesn't need the incredibly obvious pointed out to him, settles for the merely obvious: He already looks guilty, what with the jailbreak and all. The brilliant plan here -- discussed freely in front of the still bound and gagged (but not at all deaf and rather resentful) Mason -- is to get a hold of a rare coin collection left to Josh by his grandfather and currently residing in a safe deposit box at a bank. In order to do that, Josh needs Veronica to make him one of her fake IDs, indicating that he is twenty-one and doesn't need his parents' signature.
Veronica, instead of telling Josh that he is a) a lunatic, and b) just outlined his plan in front of a witness who is not at all pleased with him right now, tells the kid to buy a disposable cell phone and call her in twenty-four hours. (Hey, Veronica, I know you are an old hat at aiding and abetting fugitives, but seriously, this? This, if revealed, will put a huge damper on those FBI aspirations you so inexplicably cherish. I'm just saying: Mason is a much better witness than some drunk dude in a cell, and he isn't likely to eat the evidence).
Anyway, Josh leaves and Veronica un-binds and un-gags Mason. She casually wants to know if he is okay. Understandably furious, Mason points out that he was just kidnapped by a psycho who thinks he killed his father and spent the better part of the day bound and gagged in the trunk of his own car. How okay does she expect him to be? He is, however, thankful for being believed that he is not a killer. Veronica tells him that he lied about having a gun. He concedes the point, but sticks to the whole "seeing Josh with his dad on the PCH" thing. In keeping with the theme of the inexplicable behavior, Mason leaves with a parting sarcastic shot but no intention of actually reporting either Josh or Veronica for any illegal activities such as kidnapping, planning an escape, or making fake IDs. Go figure.
Next we are shown the Mars residence and Keith casually wants to know why there's a gun in the freezer. Obligatory lame murder humor follows -- such original gags as putting someone on ice and dishes best served cold -- after which the dutiful daughter finally explains to dad about the .22 pistol. And wonders why, if he is guilty, would Josh go after Mason. That's what an innocent man does. (Right, Veronica, an innocent man breaks out of jail, kidnaps another man, binds, gags and throws him in a trunk! I am not sure, but I think these days Veronica could use a refresher course on what many, many words actually mean.) Keith doesn't point out his daughter's logical fallacy, because he has a new theory. The theory is based on Vinnie's findings of what may have been an affair between Coach Barry and a mystery woman. Who is no longer a mystery but rather a wife of a Navy captain. Official side arm of the Navy? A .45 Colt. Keith plans to pay a visit to the captain's wife the next day. Veronica plans to lay a trap for Josh in the meantime in order to bring him in. A trap that, apparently, consists of helping him recover his coin collection and making him a fake ID. Good plan, Veronica! And Keith (who clearly no longer cares if his daughter goes to jail, after discovering that the sight of her behind bars is not that traumatic for him, after all) doesn't try to dissuade her. (Does anyone else feel nostalgic for the days when Keith both had a brain and some semblance of parenting skills? I do.)
Moving on. The next we see papa Mars, he is parked in his car near a nice house, watching a man in a Naval uniform (we'll go ahead and assume he is the proud owner of a .45 sidearm) kiss a woman goodbye and leave. Before the woman, Mrs. Andriotty, can go back into the house, Keith approaches her with the suspicions of the affair between her and the late Coach Barry. Mrs. Andriotty -- who prefers to be addressed as Dr. Andriotty -- informs Keith that she is not a mistress but rather a neurologist, and that she was seeing Tom Barry in a purely professional capacity. Which would make Coach Barry a very sick man. Namely, he had Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (which neither Keith nor most of the audience, I imagine, has ever heard of). Suffice it to say that the man was terminal and that whoever murdered him has spared the poor guy a lot of pain and suffering.
Next we see Keith at home as Veronica enters with another glib joke. She is happy, she declares, to see her father alive and not being murdered by Naval officers. (Is it just me, again, or does anyone else feel the distaste for those rapidly increasing allusions to Keith's possible demise from not so natural causes? This is a second episode in a row, and while I get the sentiment, I resent the fact that it's presented as if such a possibility never entered Veronica's head before.) Keith ignores the lameness and gets to the point: Coach Barry's wife has taken out an additional life insurance policy on her husband a few days after she received Vinnie's picture of the Coach and the good doctor cavorting in a parking lot. More than that, the policy had a double-indemnity clause. Meaning, if the Coach was, say murdered while being hijacked, it would pay double. As it stands, Keith adds, the family will be sitting pretty on five million dollars. (Not at all cynical of you, Keith. And you wonder why your little girl is so jaded, tsk, tsk.)
Veronica cleverly remembers that Mrs. Barry was at home with her youngest son and the babysitter at the time of the murder. Maybe she has hired someone. Not likely, says Keith. Not because he thinks she is a decent human being who'd never do something like that, but because she simply did not have the means. What with the autistic son's medical expenses, the family has taken out a second mortgage as it was. It's not like they had ten grand in the couch cushions -- Keith muses -- and hit men do not work on credit. Veronica perks up at that. She (and we) realize that, couch cushions or not, the family did have something to raise ten grand on. A coin collection sitting in the bank. Or, more likely, not sitting there anymore at all. (She, however, doesn't share this info with her dad. Because she is Veronica Mars, and everyone in her life operates on the need-to-know bases. Which she determines herself.) Next, Keith imparts the kicker: The Coach was terminally ill, so, whoever killed him, has really done him a favor. (The second time this sentiment is dropped on our heads as a giant anvil. I kept half-expecting Wile E. Coyote to show up). Veronica absorbs the information and goes into a deep thought (either that, or she is having a migraine. It's hard to tell with her these days.).
Next we see the Mars family, each pursuing their respective leads. Keith goes to see Mrs. Barry to confront her with what he knows. Veronica is making a fake ID on her computer when Josh calls (like a good boy, from a disposable, untraceable cell phone). Soon thereafter, Veronica is meeting her new best bud, the fugitive. The clandestine meeting takes place in her car, which is parked across from the Neptune Bank. She presents Josh with his new ID and watches him go into the financial institution. She muses on how nervous he'd be when he finds out that his coin collection is gone and that his mother had his father killed. Aw! A touching display of trust and concern from Veronica for a guy that merits very little (while those whom she owes some concern and a lot of trust aren't getting much. This is becoming a pattern on the show.).
While she waits all aflutter, we cut to Keith and the incredulous Mrs. Barry who just can't believe he'd accuse her of having her husband murdered. She wants to show Keith something (one presumes something pertinent to the case, and not, say, the new curtains she just bought for the bedroom). Keith watches her go and (clearly having dismissed the curtains idea) prepares himself for the worst. Cut to Josh presenting nervously his shiny new ID to a bank teller. Fake or not, the ID gains him the access to his father's safe deposit box. The teller grants him privacy to open the box and find -- maybe -- his pretty coin collection. Cut again (because, clearly, if the case is not compelling enough, one has to generate some suspense by whatever means necessary) to Mrs. Barry, walking down the hall of her house, pulling a gun out of her pocket. Keith -- the justly suspicious -- jumps her from a doorframe he was hiding behind and twists her arm, effectively wrestling the gun away while pulling the femme not-so-fatale to her knees. He inspects the gun and proclaims -- to the surprise of no one at all -- that it's a Cold .45. Cut again (annnnd the audience is getting whiplash) to Josh inspecting the safe deposit box. There's another, smaller box inside, and he pulls it out and opens it. Huh! The box is full of coins. Satisfied, Josh is about to close the lid on the larger metal one, when he notices a computer disk inside. And what do you know, his name is on it.
Cut back to -- what else -- Mrs. Barry sitting at a table, rubbing her manhandled arm, while Keith is pointing accusingly at the gun on the top of the table. The missus defends her intentions as completely misinterpreted by claiming she doesn't even know how to shoot a gun. "You pull a trigger," says Keith (contributing his share to the "incredibly obvious" stack in the episode). Ignoring the sarcasm, Mrs. Barry explains that this was her late husband's old army gun, and she hid it when the police showed up to arrest Josh, because she thought it would make him look guilty. (Right, because telling him to take a shower and change quickly did not already accomplish that!). But then, it turns out, she was browsing the Internet in her copious free time, and found out that guns could be tested! (Ah, Mrs. Barry, I know the word "ballistics" is not in everyone's vocabulary, but come on!) So, naturally, she wanted to hand the gun to Keith now, so he can take it to be tested and to prove this was not the murder weapon. (And, I'm guessing, she stuffed it in her pocket because it's so much more comfortable to shove a loaded .45 inside your clothes than, say, put it into a plastic bag and hold it carefully away from yourself while handing it over to your local PI. Especially if you claim you don't know how to use it. Gah!).
And then we are back again to Josh, getting into Veronica's car with his loot. He shows her the disk, saying his name on it is written in his dad's handwriting. And cut again (hold on to your lunch!) to Keith approaching Deputy Sacks at the sheriff's department with the gun (packed appropriately now in a plastic bag). He hands it to the mystified Deputy and tells him where he's got it and that it needs to be tested for the gun powder residue (and they may want to run the ballistics test, too. I'm just saying.).
Once more on the cut-mobile plays us back with Veronica and Josh who sit somewhre on the beach, presumably not far from her apartment (she's brought her laptop). They put the disk in and watch Coach Barry on DVD explain to his son (who, he assumes is now twenty one -- if he is watching this -- and, therefore, the statue of limitation has run out on the insurance claim) that he has arranged his own death. He did it this way to spare himself and his family the emotional, physical, and financial drain the disease would have inflicted. That he had his first attack on that day, and that he didn't want to go out like that. That the person he asked to do this wasn't a killer but a dear, dear friend who knew everything and wanted to be super helpful. And that all this verbal and emotional abuse he heaped on Josh lately was in preparation for him to be the man of the house and take good care of his mother and younger brother. Which, the Coach, says, he just knows Josh has been these past several years. Obviously, just knowing is hereditary.
As Josh and Veronica sit there stunned, the audience can't help thinking that the first attack the coach had experienced that day must have addled his brain considerably because there's no other explanation for the shoddy preparation and the sloppy execution of something that had to look like murder while not implicating anyone in particular. That once the police realizes it wasn't Josh with the coach on the PCH, a dear accommodating friend probably wouldn't be too hard to track down. That once you decide to end your life, having a blowout fight with your son and not making it up before you go is not the best idea. That you are traumatizing every one involved beyond what any protracted disease would have done to them. That five million dollars is a high price to pay for what they have already been put through.
But that's the audience. Clearly Veronica isn't concerned with any of that. She is observing on the screen that there's someone else in the room with Coach Barry. Someone who looks like Josh (bingo! The "incredibly obvious" number three, I believe). It's Coach Yeager, Mr. Barry's assistant coach way back from his army days. (Clearly a multi-talented man, who can now add "killer on demand" to his resume). In the "incredibly obvious" moment number four, Veronica dramatically realizes that this is who Mason saw on the PCH next to Josh's dad.
When the matter is brought up again, it's Mars vs. Mars in the office. Keith is justifiably angry. His buddy in customs (Keith, clearly, has buddies in all walks of life) has told him he found footage of Josh crossing the border with a fake ID. Keith suggests that the next time Veronica wants to give him plausible deniability, she should unplug the laminator first. (Personally, I would suggest he gets rid of the laminator in the house all together, but what do I know.). Veronica's defense? Josh is innocent! "Only guilty people flee the country," points out Keith (while the audience groans in not-so-fond memory of the Donut). Veronica pulls out her trump card: Coach's goodbye disk to his son. (Or, one would hope, a copy of the disk, because why would Josh leave his only defense and the last memory of his dad in Veronica's hands?). Keith watches the video. After which Veronica explains that Josh has decided to stay gone until the insurance money is safe (presumably in not so long a time, since the coach thought the stature of limitation would run out by the time Josh -- who we assume is at least nineteen now -- turns twenty one). Josh is planning on calling his mom and explaining what really happened in the meantime but will stay away so she and his little brother are taken care of. Because it was time for him to be a man. (Which, I'm guessing, is being a fugitive, participating in insurance fraud, and not seeing his family for several years. Aw, he is a keeper, that Josh.).
And that is that. So much for the implicated PCHers, random weapons, wild accusations, fraud, fugitives, kidnapping, and fake IDs. No one cares (not even Keith, clearly), because other things are happening in this episode, and no amount of schizophrenic cutting of shots can make most of the audience give a damn about wooden Josh, or semi-comatose Mrs. Barry, or even inexplicably forgiving Mason. That bad taste in your mouth? That's Veronica, once again, doing something that would have been unforgivable in others, and getting away with it.
- While Veronica is biding her time in prison, Logan pays her a friendly visit -- no, really. He's come to see her as a friend. As he puts it, they're adults now, so there's no reason why they can't be civil to each other. Hmm, I like this mature, outside-venturing Logan. Veronica really seems to appreciate his being there, and he asks her if she needs anything. Veronica, never one to turn down the opportunity for a favor, asks him to get her wireless card back from the deputy. She was going to give it to Mac, who needs it for a "thing" tonight, but then she got arrested. Logan agrees to be the messenger (Boy, you have no idea what you're about to get yourself into!), and Veronica grasps the bars of her cell and theatrically tells him that he's nearly warmed her cold, cold heart. Damn, with the way she's making eyes at him right now, I half expected Logan to say something suggestive in return, but sadly, no. Instead, he brings out his phone and snaps a photo of her. He smirks and says that the sight of her in prison definitely warms his heart. Awww. Not exactly suggestive, but I'll take cheeky!Logan too.
As promised, Logan delivers the wireless card to Mac, who is in her dorm room chilling with Bronson and Parker. Mac muses that Veronica must have some serious skills if she has people doing favors for her from her jail cell. You know, it's weird that no one seems to be concerned that Veronica was arrested. Is the sheriff's department that much of a joke? Over on Mac's bed, Bronson reads a message on his cell phone and breaks the news to the girls that Jason can't do it either because he's out of town. Huh? Logan doesn't ask and is about to leave, but Parker stops him. She asks if they can borrow him, which doesn't exactly come out right and Logan has to wonder if he'll be returned in his current "pristine condition.". Hee. Always humble, that Logan. Parker nods hopefully and Logan agrees, earning matching grins from the couple on the bed.
That night, the group ventures over to the food court, which, get this, has been decorated (I dare say over-decorated) for Valentine's Day. I'm guessing this is a competition of some sort. Logan is given an arrow by one of the volunteers, and seeing the scroll wrapped around, he asks the group if there will be math involved. Because he's bad at math. Uh, since when? If memory serves, Logan, you took Calc in high school and are currently taking Econ. But maybe this is his subtle way of trying to get to get out of this thing, after realizing how couples-oriented. That's my fanwank and I'm sticking to it. Mac assures him that all he has to do is be a male and drive. Sid, the guy organizing the event, gets everyone's attention and goes over the directions. Basically, each team already has the first clue (whatever's on the scroll), which will lead them to another clue, and so on and so forth. Your typical scavenger hunt, but with one catch: The teams have to take cell phone photos of all the steps along the way in order to receive further instructions. Sid says that the first team to finish will win backstage passes to All of Tomorrow's Parties. The game begins and Logan unrolls the scroll, which reads, "Clue #1: Demonstrate 127 of HQ470.S3V3." Logan sees numbers and shoves the scroll at Mac, who, as agreed, will do the math as he drives.
We next see the team rushing into the Heart library, with Mac gloating that she knew HQ470.S3V3 had to be a library of congress number. As they start checking the shelves for the book with that number, Logan rambles on about he misses the days of Dewey Decimal system and how that's about all he remembers learning in fourth grade, save for the different types of ... um ... clouds. Maybe Logan wasn't getting his foundations in the mathematics, after all. Bronson meanwhile finds the book, which is titled Indian Sutras -- yeah, and I pretty much reflexively cringed right then, 'cause I can see where this is going. Bronson flips to page 127, which shows the "Congress of the Cow." Parker manages an embarrassed, irony-tinged "Happy Valentine's Day," and then walks over to Logan, who is just as uncomfortable. She and Logan begin ... well, getting into position, with Parker attempting to get her leg over his shoulder. Mac gets out her phone, but Logan realizes that they haven't done the "Congress of the Cow," but rather the "Splitting of a Bamboo." Hah! Okay, now, that's ... yeah, not really that surprising. It kind of has Lilly's name written all over it. Anyway, Logan takes a quick glance at the book and then he and Parker fix their positions. Mac and Bronson are highly amused as Mac snaps their photo. And now it's their turn ... and for those interested in the "Congress of the Cow:"
Awww, Mackie looks so ... happy.
Back at the station, Sid checks his computer screen and chuckles at the new photo arrivals ....
And the hunt continues ... at a drug store? Logan pushes a box of condoms -- Super Titans, to be precise -- across the counter, and gets some cash out of his wallet. The cashier eyes the Super Titans and Logan explains that it's a curse. Picking up the box, he turns to his side and smiles as a flash goes off. It's not a college campus sponsored game without the promotion of "No glove, no love." We then cut to Mac also purchasing a box of Super Titans, although she's much less cool about it. The cashier gives her a strange look, and Mac snaps, "Just hand them to me, please." And my love for Mac? Just increased tenfold. At the station, Sid checks his screen again and grins at the photos of Logan, Mac, Parker and Bronson with their boxes of condoms. Scrolling down, he sees that the team has taken some liberties with their purchases (unless making condom balloons was part of the task?).
It's early the next morning as the sleep-deprived group pulls onto the beach in the Range Rover, and I suddenly feel as if we've crossed over into an episode of The O.C.. You know, four friends, the beach, a lifeguard station ... Anyway, Logan reads a text from his phone: "Go to the top of the lifeguard station to rescue your final clue. Don't forget to bring your buddy." Logan begins running towards the station and the others follow. Once they've made it up the steps to the lifeguard station, Logan tells Parker to check above the door, while he looks around outside. Out in distance, there's a buoy in the water with a heart-shaped balloon attached to it. Logan directs their attention to it and Bronson admits that he's not much of a swimmer. Parker sighs and begins unbuttoning her shirt, deciding to take one for the team. Logan stares at her like she can't be serious, and asks her if she has any idea how cold the water is. Parker says she's from Denver, which to Logan just means that she's never actually touched the Pacific Ocean. Further quipping ensues (and there's mention of Logan's surfing skills, which is always a plus), but long story short, Logan and Parker end up braving the cold water and retrieve the balloon. While the not-so-water-inclined Mac and Bronson share a sweet peck on the lifeguard station.
Back at Hearst, the four race into the food court and Parker hands the balloon to the people at the table, expecting the first place prize. Unfortunately, they only get third, the prize for which is a heart-shaped box with a $50 gift certificate for the Neptune Grand restaurant. Mac grabs the gift certificate and she and Bronson take off, while Parker thanks Logan for being such a good sport. He says he'll see her around (or, you know, maybe he won't). Still in the food court, Bronson waits somewhat solemnly beside a pillar for Mac, who's been accosted by some guy. Mac rejoins him and asks him what's wrong. He explains that he's got O-Chem at eleven, and that by the time he gets back to his apartment to take a nap, he'll have to come straight back for class. Feeling unusually bold, Mac invites him to her room, where she says they can 'crash' for an hour. Uh huh. A likely excuse, Mac. But it's Valentine's Day; who can blame her? Bronson accepts her offer, and Mac smiles.
Sometime later, Mac and Bronson are spooning under the sheets in her bed (how cute are they?). Bronson asks her if this is what she meant by 'crash' and she admits without shame that she really meant 'bang.' They laugh and she says that she got her onomatopoeias mixed up. Bronson isn't sure if 'bang' is the appropriate word, either, and she turns and snuggles closer to him and says it's because he's being so tender with her (as opposed to that creep we won't mention by name). He admits that he likes being sweet to her, which she says she appreciates, before realizing that maybe that wasn't the cool thing to say. She makes him repeat the sentiment to her, which he happily obliges to do, but all she can think of to say this time is thank you. They laugh again and start kissing. So nice to see Mac happy. So, writers? You turn Bronson into an asshole/rapist/killer and I will never forgive you. Got it?
The next day, Veronica and Wallace are getting lunch in the food court when she sees Logan and Parker having lunch ... together. She stops short and watches them for a few moments, unsure of how she should feel. It stings, that's for sure. Wallace nudges her and she's finally pulled out of her trance.
- Keith leaves Veronica in her cell and continues his investigation into the dean's murder (since, as you may recall, Team Mars decided they should care about this case last week). He meets with O'Dell's former assistant, Cora, and asks her if she remembers anything unusual from the day the dean died. She starts to tell him that she already spoke to the Sheriff, but Keith brushes her off with an unconvincing story about 'routine follow-up on some insurance matters.' For some reason (lazy writing?) this prompts Cora to volunteer two unusual details about that day. The first is that, as we already know, Mel Stoltz showed up without an appointment that day. While Keith takes in that bit of red herring, Cora continues that the dean's Xanax prescription ran out and she had to call in a refill.
Back at Mars Investigations, Keith makes a call to the pharmacy asking whether the dean's prescription was picked up. For some reason (really, really, lazy ass writing??) the pharmacist happily shares this information with Keith, and he jots down the name of the person who signed for the prescription before hanging up.
Landry marches into Keith's office pulling a bug out of his cell phone. Keith starts to greet him but Landry cuts him off to ask whether Keith or Veronica could have planted the bug. Landry reminds the audience that Veronica questioned him about Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang last week, saying he realized that she was probing his alibi. Landry suspects that his star pupil was just an unwilling pawn to Keith's shady detective schemes and verbally lashes out at Keith for it. Landry goes on to tell Keith his itinerary on the night the dean was killed, omitting O'Dell's visit to his suite at the Neptune Grand. He says he got to the room at 7:30 and watched a Clippers game until 8:15 when Mindy arrived. He and Mindy went about with 'the usual business of an affair,' followed by the pay-per-view movie and then sleep. He then uses his Most Serious Voice to tell Keith to back off the case.
Unimpressed, Keith heads straight to the sheriff's station with the information he got on the Xanax prescription. He expositions that the toxicology report showed traces of the drug mixed in with the alcohol and tells Lamb that Mindy was the one to pick up the prescription. Lamb seems to think that proves something and calls Sacks in. He tells Sacks to call Hearst to track down O'Dell's computer so they can dust it for prints, and to bring Mindy O'Dell in for questioning.
While he's at the station, Keith stops by Veronica's cell to confirm that she didn't bug Landry's cellphone. He's less convinced of her innocence than he pretended to be when Landry confronted him, but Veronica is just as shocked by the accusation as Keith was. And, okay, I buy that Veronica had neither the time nor the inclination to bug Landry's phone between Team Mars deciding this case was personal and a few days later when she was arrested, but do they really expect us to believe that Veronica thought she was being subtle when she was probing Landry's alibi last week? Veronica is shocked! that Landry suspects her of suspecting him, and Keith suggests that she should have questioned him about the Clippers game since men, in general, think that women, in general, don't know sports. Well, she could have asked him about the Clippers game had she known about it, but Keith just found out about that himself five minutes ago along with the rest of us. No matter. Veronica now knows about the Clippers game, and that's gonna be important later. Dun!
Back in the interrogation room, Lamb is questioning Mindy O'Dell. He asks her about the movie, and she insults his stamina. He asks her if she left the room and she insults his intelligence by defining perjury for him. He moves on to the Xanax prescription, which Mindy admits to picking up. Mindy denies seeing her husband the night of his death, but says that she helped herself to several pills from the new bottle after her husband's (now, she says) "suicide."
Cut to the biggest warehouse ever, where Weevil is guiding Sack's down an aisle of unused computers somewhere on the Hearst campus. The podcast for this week's episode mentioned that most of this scene was a computer generated special effect, and I guess it looks pretty good ... all dark and abandoned ... But, what the heck is this room? The university has its own giant storage facility where good computers go to die? Is there a twisted, unsolved mystery attached to all the other pieces of technology lining these shelves? Bizarre! Weevil leads Sacks to 1300479, O'Dell's old computer. Guys, I can't even begin to tell you how disturbing it is that the Hearst maintenance crew was able to clean all the blood (but not the fingerprints!) off this keyboard, get it placed in this freak warehouse, and log the serial number into whatever system Weevil used to find it, but it still took them two months just to scrape the "O'DELL" off the dean's office door. But, I digress. Weevil leaves "Magnum" to it.
Veronica tries to take a break from her back-to-back murder cases to watch a little Sex in the City, but the good folks at the channel nine have pushed the regularly scheduled programming back an hour for a Clippers game. Dun! Dun! Later that night, Keith enters Veronica's room and tells her she's missing her show. Veronica's somewhat unhinged as she explains to him that she got the time of death off by an hour. If Landry was watching the Clippers game, that means that Space Ghost was pushed back an hour, and Anthony, the ear witness from There's Got to be a Morning After Pill, didn't actually get back to his room until an hour later. Keith follows her trail of thought, noting that the dean was shot at 3:30 A.M., after Mindy's Volvo returned to the hotel.
Keith and Veronica take this new information to Lamb, and he is predictably dismissive of Neptune's favorite amateur crime fighting duo. Sacks interrupts them to give Lamb the fingerprint results on the dean's computer - "someone named Steve Batando." Veronica, ever the "shoot first, question later" type, starts to theorize about Batando's guilt. She brings up what Ratner told her about hearing two men arguing in Landry's suite, but Keith doesn't think Batando fits the bill.
Lamb brings Batando in for questioning. He grumbles that Mindy is setting him up, and says he won't talk until he gets a lawyer. Cue Cliff, "the best free legal representation in Neptune County." Now is he the best based on quality, or quantity? I'm pretty sure Cliff would be the only legal council from Neptune County -- seeing as there's no such place. It's Balboa County, Cliffy! Oy .... Minor slip of the tongue aside, Cliff pulls through and gets Batando released from custody.
While Keith is at the station dropping off evidence for his other case, he overhears Lamb getting a call about a break in at Mindy's place. Lamb's getting ready to head out, hoping to pick up Batando somewhere within his jurisdiction, when Keith offers to come along. Lamb says he can handle it and he and Sacks head out. They approach the O'Dell house and Lamb heads inside by himself, telling Sacks to make sure Batando doesn't slip out, prompting Sacks to make a hilarious, "Who, me??" face. Hee.
Inside the house, Lamb hears Batando screaming upstairs and the sound of glass crashing. He heads up the stairs just as Keith pulls up in the driveway. He opens a door at the top of the stairs, and sees a cop in the room. Lamb freaks and shoots at the officer, but that's okay, because it was just Lamb's reflection in the mirror. Whoops. And, phew. Outside, Sacks and Keith hear the gunshot as Lamb goes further into the room. Batando surprises him from behind with a baseball bat and the sheriff falls to the floor. Batando is still swinging and screaming at Lamb when a second gunshot rings out. Batando falls back against the wall, and the camera pans to Sacks holding out his firearm. Sacks watches Batando for a moment and then rushes to check on Lamb. Blood is pooling around his head as Lamb utters his final words, I smell bread."
Sacks looks like he doesn't know quite what to do with that information as the weight of what just happened starts to catch up with him. He looks back at Batando, then sees a flash a movement in the stairway and raises his gun. He sees that it's Keith and turns the gun back to Batando, shaken. Keith approaches him and gently tells him that he needs to go call an ambulance. Sacks leaves and Keith checks Lamb for a pulse.
Later, Veronica comes into Keith's office mentioning that she heard on the radio that Lamb was still in intensive care. The two get into an argument about Josh's case until the phone rings and Veronica slips away to answer it. Meanwhile, back at Hearst, some old maintenance guy is talking to Weevil about Hearst's historic furnace. He tells Weevil to clean the flue while they're down there, and Weevil finds a sack with a bloodied shirt and gloves. Veronica tells Keith that the County Commissioner is on the line for him. She listens outside the office and overhears Keith take in a deep breath, saying he's 'very sorry to hear that.' He gets off the phone and tells Veronica that Lamb didn't make it, and they both take a moment to process that.
Back at the courthouse, Sacks leads Mindy to an interrogation room where she starts to complain until she sees Keith walk into the room in a sheriff's uniform. He shows her photos of the shirt Weevil found, and we see monogram with the initials "HRL." Keith identifies the clothes as Landry's and basking in his newly restored authority, clarifies (again) to Mindy that he's not about to drop her husband's case. Huh. Isn't this exactly where we left off last week?
"Undone" (Todd Deatherage)
Scene: Oh boy! It's a scavenger hunt ... a Valentine's Day scavenger hunt ... with Logan and a chick who is NOT Veronica. Grrrr.
"Lovers Who Uncover" (The Little Ones)
Scene: Real frickin' subtle, Rob!
Scavenger hunt dude just happens to be looking at pics of Mac and Bronson and Logan and Parker doing Kama Sutra poses while this song with this song title plays? Bite me, Rob. Just bite me."Lost To the Lonesome" (Pela)
Scene: The foursome (grr) search out their final clue at the FRICKIN' LIFEGUARD STAND!! Way to twist the knife, Rob!
"Swimmers" (Broken Social Scene)
Scene: And the "subtlety" continues as Bronson's swimmers get to work in the process of divesting Mac of her virginity.
"Solfeggio, for Piano in C minor, H. 220, Wq. 117/2" (Carl Philip Emanuel Bach)
Scene: Lest we feel any disapproval of Josh's upcoming insurance fraud scam, we're reminded of his autistic brother as he plays the piano. Because that makes breaking the law a-okay.
LoVe Lines
Veronica: Logan?
Logan: (Approaching the bars.) No holiday decorations, huh?
Veronica: Actually, that's just why I'm in jail, to avoid Valentine's Day. (She walks towards the bars.) Glad to see you.
Logan: We're both adults now, right? We can be civil. (Veronica nods.) You need anything?
Veronica: There is one thing you could do for me, if you're heading back to campus. (Logan nods.) Get my wireless card back from the deputy. I was taking it to Mac when I got arrested. She said she needed it for a thing tonight.
Logan: Sure.
Veronica: (Grasping the bars.) Thanks. (Dramatically.) You've nearly warmed this cold, cold heart of mine.
Logan: (Smiling, he brings out his cell phone and snaps a photo of her, his smile becoming a grin at Veronica's confused expression.) Well, this definitely warms mine.
Quotable Quotes
Lamb: Josh's cellmate says you snuck him a peanut-butter cookie.
Veronica: And he bribed one of your deputies with said cookie?
Lamb: As his accomplice, I would think you would want to get yourself out of hot water and tell us where he is.
Veronica: (She leans forward, as if to reveal something.) Don't I get a phone call?
Keith: Please tell me you didn't help an accused murderer escape jail.
Veronica: (While shadow boxing.) Yo, pops, check it out. This girl ain't gonna be nobody's bitch. You better recognize.
Keith: (Referring to the tattoo on her arm.) What's that on your arm?
Veronica: I've had some free time. (Turning serious.) And, no, I didn't help Josh escape. Not intentionally. It turns out he's allergic to peanuts. His plan was to take advantage of my kindness.
Keith: That's got to be the first time that's worked for anybody.
Veronica: (While standing in front of her the bars of her jail cell.) Clifford. Something wrong?
Cliff: I just remembered I need to return Caged Heat to the video store.
Keith: Can I get you anything, honey?
Veronica: (Sighing.) Oh, a couple cartons of smokes. (She turns to gauge Keith's reaction. He isn't amused.) What, dad? It's currency on the inside.
Veronica: (Off Keith's sigh.) What?
Keith: (He smiles.) Just ... I thought this sight would be more traumatic for me, but ...
Keith: (Seeing Vinnie in the sheriff's department with an elderly man.) Vincent. You bringing in a fugitive or picking up your dad?
Vinnie: I guess you're tracking that kid? I was thinking of diving into that.
Keith: Well, I'm ... looking for the coach's killer.
Vinnie: Oh, didn't you hear? It's the kid.
Keith: I need to see the sheriff.
Sacks: I don't know, Keith. He looks kind of busy.
Keith: Well, that's something I got to see.
Lamb: (to Keith.) So, if I'm hearing you right, you're calling me a dumbass.
Veronica: You bring my harmonica? I've got the blues, pa, the sittin'-in-my-jail-cell blues.
Keith: (Calling to Veronica from the kitchen) Honey, why is there a pistol in the freezer?
Veronica: (From her room, with Italian mobster accent.) Because there's this guy, see, and I wanna put him on ice. (Keith walks down the hallway toward her room.) Because revenge is a dish best served cold. (Keith stares.) Because I want to commit murder in the 28th degree?
Keith: (Unamused.) Stop.
Logan: Am I the only who misses good old Melville Dewey? And, there it is ... all the knowledge I retained from fourth grade: Melville Dewey. Oh, and the types of clouds. (Continuing in the background) Stratus, cumulus, cirrus ...
Drug store cashier: Super Titans?
Logan: It's a curse, actually.
Keith: (to Veronica.) Hey. You know you're missing that show where women have sex in an urban setting.
Mac: Tell me the next challenge is to sleep on the beach for twelve hours.
Lamb: So, what, now I'm a jerk cause I listened to a concerned citizen?
Veronica: No. Just 'cause.
Sacks: Sheriff! (Lamb jumps and spills coffee on his arm.)
Lamb: Does everyone need a piece of me this morning?
Sacks: We go the results on the keyboard you wanted.
Keith: You got prints off the dean's computer?
Lamb: By all means, Sacks, tell me the forensics results in front of Neptune's favorite amateur crime fighting duo.
Sacks: I can't tell, Sheriff, are you being serious?
Bronson: Well, hey, it's still third place.
Mac: More like second loser.
Bronson: And this is what you meant by "crash."
Mac: Oh. Yeah, I'm meant "bang." (Giggling.) I got my onomatopoeias mixed up.
Cliff: Mr. Batando? Brace yourself for the best free legal representation in Neptune county.
Batando: Do I know you?
Cliff: I've got one of those faces.
Mrs. Barry: This is so ridiculous. I don't even know how to use a gun!
Keith: You pull the trigger.
Sacks: (Without taking his eyes off the gun Keith dropped on the desk.) Hey, Keith. What's that?
Sacks: Sheriff?
Lamb: I ... s-smell bread.
Keith: You want to give me plausible deniability? I suggest you unplug the laminator next time! (He slams his hand on the table.) Why, Veronica?
Veronica: You know Josh didn't do it.
Keith: Only guilty people flee the country, honey.
Mindy: (Disdainfully) What do you want, Keith?
Keith: It's Sheriff Mars.
Mars Bar(s) ... (Referenced by the episode title.)
The Mars Bar or Mars is a chocolate bar manufactured by Mars Incorporated. It is made of chocolate-malt nougat topped with a layer of caramel and covered with milk chocolate. There are (or were) two slightly different products known as the Mars Bar. Both contained nougat topped with caramel and covered with milk chocolate. However, the product formerly sold as Mars in the U.S. contained almonds in the nougat, whereas the Mars still sold elsewhere does not. The chocolate bar that is known as the Mars Bar outside the United States is very similar to the bar known as Milky Way within the United States and was invented in 1920 by Frank Mars. In 1911, Mars and his wife Ethel started making and selling a variety of butter-cream candies from the spotless kitchen of their home in Tacoma, Washington. In 1920, after visiting a local drugstore with his son Forrest, he thought what a good idea it would be if they could produce a version of chocolate, malted milk that could be enjoyed anywhere. The result was the Milky Way bar -- known in Europe as the Mars bar. A different bar, also called Milky Way, is sold outside the United States, but more closely resembles America's 3 Musketeers. (Confused yet?)
The Mars Bar (the US-version) was introduced in the United States in 1936 and remained on the market until 2000 when it was renamed the Snickers Almond bar. Today, the American formulation of the Mars Bar is no longer sold in the United States nor elsewhere. However, the non-U.S. version is still sold as are Milky Ways (both U.S. and non-U.S. versions) as well as the 3 Musketeer bar still sold in the United States. Phew!
Epinephrine ... (Referenced by the Lamb as the medication given to Josh to cure his allergic reaction.)
Epinephrine is a "fight or flight" hormone which is released from the adrenal glands whenever danger threatens. When secreted it floods out the endocrine gland into the bloodstream to instantly prepare the body for action in emergency situations. The hormone boosts the supply of oxygen and energy-giving glucose to the muscles making the individual more mentally alert and physically strong; only vital bodily processes occur.
Epinephrine plays a central role in the short-term stress reactionthe physiological response to threatening, exciting, or environmental stressor conditions such as high noise levels or bright light. It is secreted by the adrenal medulla. When released into the bloodstream, epinephrine binds to multiple receptors and has numerous effects throughout the body. It increases heart rate and stroke volume, dilates the pupils, and constricts arterioles in the skin and gut while dilating arterioles in leg muscles. It elevates the blood sugar level by increasing catalysis of glycogen to glucose in the liver, and at the same time begins the breakdown of lipids in fat cells. Like some other stress hormones, epinephrine has a suppressive effect on the immune system.
Epinephrine is used as a drug to increase peripheral resistance via alpha-stimulated vasoconstriction in cardiac arrest and other cardiac dysrhythmias resulting in diminished or absent cardiac output, such that blood is shunted to the body's core. This beneficial action comes with a significant negative consequenceincreased cardiac irritabilitywhich may lead to additional complications immediately following an otherwise successful resuscitation. Because of its suppressive effect on the immune system, epinephrine is used to treat anaphylaxis and sepsis.
Epinephrine or adrenaline is a catecholamine -- a sympathomimetic monoamine derived from the amino acids phenylalanine and tyrosine. The Latin roots ad + renes and the Greek roots epi + nephros both literally mean "on/to the kidney" (referring to the adrenal gland, which secretes epinephrine). Epinephrine is sometimes shortened to epi in medical jargon. In May 1886, William Bates reported the discovery of a substance produced by the adrenal gland in the New York Medical Journal. Epinephrine was isolated and identified in 1895 by Napoleon Cybulski, a Polish physiologist. The discovery was repeated in 1897 by John Jacob Abel. Jokichi Takamine, a Japanese chemist, discovered the same hormone in 1900, without knowing about the previous discovery. It was first artificially synthesized in 1904 by Friedrich Stolz.
My Little Pony ... (Referenced by Veronica's fake tattoo.)
If this is the kind of pony Veronica's been begging for all these years, I'm kind of disappointed that none of the men in her life have made her dream come true yet. My Little Pony is a line of plastic toy ponies made by Hasbro. The toys were first released in 1982 and were enormously popular through that decade, and have enjoyed a return to popularity in 2000's. These brightly colored media darlings have been brought to life in two animated televisions series, a feature length movie, and have even "guest starred" on some more recent television series - as Summer's "Princess Sparkle" on The O.C. and now as Veronica's tattoo.
There are three generations of these toys, appropriately tagged G1, G2, and G3 by collectors. Each horse is made of plastic and has a brushable mane and tail. They come in every color, and each pony can be identified by a decal on the back haunch. Other variations of the toys include a Unicorn, a Pegasus, a seahorse-inspired Seapony, Flutter and Wing Ponies, So-Soft Ponies with a fleece covering, Twinkle-Eyed Ponies with jewels in their eyes, and Rainbow Ponies with rainbow-colored hair. G3 ponies generally have shiny or pearly bodies, with a decal on the side called a "Cutie Mark" and a magnet in one foot used to activate the playset accessories. The foot with the magnet is marked with a small symbol, usually a heart.
Caged Heat ... (Referenced by Cliff when he first sees Veronica behind bars.)
Caged Heat, alternately titled Renegade Girls, is a 1974 exploitation film about women in prison. While I haven't seen the film (thankfully), it seems like it would be right up Cliff's alley. It follows the character Jacqueline Wilson, a woman sentenced to jail time on drug-related charges. The movie was filmed for $180,000 and features thought-provoking scenes of fast action, catfighting, and gratuitous nudity. The film is also credited with themes of liberal politics, feminism, and social consciousness.
Breathalyzer ... (Referenced by Cliff about Josh's cellmate.))
A breathalyzer tests the blood alcohol content (BAC) from a breath sample. Dr. Robert Borkenstein is credited with the first model of the device in 1954. The device offers police officers a non-invasive way to test for BAC and gives immediate results on the subject. The actual level of intoxication of the subject being tested depends on their individual alcohol tolerance, so the BAC only gives a clue to the individuals level of intoxication. Driving with anything over .08% blood alcohol content is a misdemeanor in the United States.
Mexico ... (Referenced by Veronica as where Josh might have run off to.)
Mexico is a country located in North America, approximately 753,665 square miles in size, bordered at the north by the United States, and at the south with Guatemala and Belize in Central America. It is the northernmost and westernmost country in Latin America, and with a population of 106.5 million, Mexico is also the most populous Spanish-speaking country in the world. The official name is Estados Unidos Mexicanos, which translates as the United Mexican States. The term State of Mexico (Estado de Mexico) does not refer to the country, but only to one state within Mexico, located near the center of the country adjacent to the Federal District.
U.S. citizens, like Keith's crazy bail-jumper, have been known to cross the border into Mexico to evade U.S. authorities and skip tracers. Most often, these individuals cross the border into Tijuana due to its proximity to the world's busiest border crossing. What is interesting is that criminals continue to cross into Mexico to evade criminal prosecution despite the extradition treaty that has been in place between the U.S. and Mexico since 1980.
According to EscapingJustice.com, the Treaty provides for extradition of a party who has been charged with or found guilty of an offense committed in the United States, who has fled to Mexico. An offense is extraditable if it is a crime in both countries and punishable by incarceration for a period of one year or more. The Extradition Treaty further provides that where the offense for which extradition is sought is punishable by death, extradition may be refused unless assurances are given that the death penalty shall not be imposed, and if imposed, shall not be executed.
Nigerian Royalty / Nigerian 419 Scam ... (Referenced by Vinnie when he tells Keith about the fugitive he brought in.)
A type of "advance fee fraud" scheme, also called "419 fraud" after the Nigerian penal code for fraud schemes, the Nigerian Advanced Fee Fraud scheme is a two-layered scam. First, the fraudsters obtain large mailing lists -- physical or e-mail -- of potential victims. Then, a letter is sent out en masse, often originating from Nigeria. In the letter, the scammer usually claims to be a civil servant seeking help from a reputable foreign business or individual to transfer a large amount of money (over invoiced contract funds, embezzled funds of a recent dictator) out of the country. The stated amount is generally $10-$60 million and the victim is offered a commission of up to 30 per cent. An example of an actual "Nigerian letter" used in the scam:
- REQUEST FOR URGENT BUSINESS RELATIONSHIP
FIRST, I MUST SOLICIT YOUR STRICTEST CONFIDENCE IN THIS TRANSACTION. THIS IS BY VIRTUE OF ITS NATURE AS BEING UTTERLY CONFIDENTIAL AND 'TOP SECRET'. I AM SURE AND HAVE CONFIDENCE OF YOUR ABILITY AND RELIABILITY TO PROSECUTE A TRANSACTION OF THIS GREAT MAGNITUDE INVOLVING A PENDING TRANSACTION REQUIRING MAXIIMUM CONFIDENCE.
WE ARE TOP OFFICIAL OF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT CONTRACT REVIEW PANEL WHO ARE INTERESTED IN IMPORATION OF GOODS INTO OUR COUNTRY WITH FUNDS WHICH ARE PRESENTLY TRAPPED IN NIGERIA. IN ORDER TO COMMENCE THIS BUSINESS WE SOLICIT YOUR ASSISTANCE TO ENABLE US TRANSFER INTO YOUR ACCOUNT THE SAID TRAPPED FUNDS.
THE SOURCE OF THIS FUND IS AS FOLLOWS; DURING THE LAST MILITARY REGIME HERE IN NIGERIA, THE GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS SET UP COMPANIES AND AWARDED THEMSELVES CONTRACTS WHICH WERE GROSSLY OVER-INVOICED IN VARIOUS MINISTRIES. THE PRESENT CIVILIAN GOVERNMENT SET UP A CONTRACT REVIEW PANEL AND WE HAVE IDENTIFIED A LOT OF INFLATED CONTRACT FUNDS WHICH ARE PRESENTLY FLOATING IN THE CENTRAL BANK OF NIGERIA READY FOR PAYMENT.
HOWEVER, BY VIRTUE OF OUR POSITION AS CIVIL SERVANTS AND MEMBERS OF THIS PANEL, WE CANNOT ACQUIRE THIS MONEY IN OUR NAMES. I HAVE THEREFORE, BEEN DELEGATED AS A MATTER OF TRUST BY MY COLLEAGUES OF THE PANEL TO LOOK FOR AN OVERSEAS PARTNER INTO WHOSE ACCOUNT WE WOULD TRANSFER THE SUM OF US$21,320,000.00(TWENTY ONE MILLION, THREE HUNDRED AND TWENTY THOUSAND U.S DOLLARS). HENCE WE ARE WRITING YOU THIS LETTER. WE HAVE AGREED TO SHARE THE MONEY THUS; 1. 20% FOR THE ACCOUNT OWNER 2. 70% FOR US (THE OFFICIALS) 3. 10% TO BE USED IN SETTLING TAXATION AND ALL LOCAL AND FOREIGN EXPENSES. IT IS FROM THE 70% THAT WE WISH TO COMMENCE THE IMPORTATION BUSINESS.
PLEASE,NOTE THAT THIS TRANSACTION IS 100% SAFE AND WE HOPE TO COMMENCE THE TRANSFER LATEST SEVEN (7) BANKING DAYS FROM THE DATE OF THE RECEIPT OF THE FOLLOWING INFORMATIOM BY TEL/FAX; 234-1-7740449, YOUR COMPANY'S SIGNED, AND STAMPED LETTERHEAD PAPER THE ABOVE INFORMATION WILL ENABLE US WRITE LETTERS OF CLAIM AND JOB DESCRIPTION RESPECTIVELY. THIS WAY WE WILL USE YOUR COMPANY'S NAME TO APPLY FOR PAYMENT AND RE-AWARD THE CONTRACT IN YOUR COMPANY'S NAME.
WE ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO DOING THIS BUSINESS WITH YOU AND SOLICIT YOUR CONFIDENTIALITY IN THIS TRANSATION. PLEASE ACKNOWLEDGE THE RECEIPT OF THIS LETTER USING THE ABOVE TEL/FAX NUMBERS. I WILL SEND YOU DETAILED INFORMATION OF THIS PENDING PROJECT WHEN I HAVE HEARD FROM YOU.
YOURS FAITHFULLY,
DR CLEMENT OKON
NOTE; PLEASE QUOTE THIS REFERENCE NUMBER (VE/S/09/99) IN ALL YOUR RESPONSES.
It is at this point that the second part of the scheme begins. Usually, the victim is asked to travel to Nigeria to complete the transaction. They're told that a visa is not required to enter the country and when they arrive, the fraudsters have bribed Immigration and Customs to let the traveler through. The victim is then suddenly informed that a problem has arisen with an "insider" demanding a bribe, some unexpected tax, a legal fee, etc. The victim, eager to receive their commission, puts up the money to cover the fee. Unfortunately, as soon as that problem is resolved, another unexpected fee is turned up and another and another. This pattern can go on for months. Then, if the victim refuses to release any more funds, the criminals can threaten to expose their illegal entry into the country. Sometimes, physical violence or threats of bodily harm are also used.
Although this money-for-nothing scam seems like something people wouldn't easily fall for, each day the U.S. Secret Service's Financial Crimes Division receives approximately 100 telephone calls and 300-500 pieces of correspondence related to the Nigerian Advance Fee Fraud. Annual losses are in the hundreds of millions of dollars, not counting the losses to victims who never come forward to report the crime. In June of 1995, an American victim of this fraud was murdered in Lagos, Nigeria. Numerous others have been reported as missing.
Pulling Your Leg ... (Referenced by Vinnie when he tells Keith he's bound by an ethical code.)
One theory is that the phrase came from old England when people were hung and left to swing in the wind, the poor children would try to pull the hanging men by their leg to get something of value to fall to the ground. Adults would come by and tell the children to leave the dead alone and not to pull one's leg as a trick to get something in return for their efforts.
Another origin theory comes from the usage that the phrase is generally employed with today. When you pull a person's leg you are spoofing or making fun of him, usually in a good-humored way. However when the expression first turned up in Scotland about a hundred years ago, it was lacking the lighthearted touch it has today. In those days 'pull one's leg' meant to make of fool of him, often by outright cheating. The best theory of the origin of the phrase is that by tripping a person, ie. pulling his leg, you can throw him into a state of confusion and make him look very foolish indeed.
The origin is believed to have been found in a Scottish rhyme in which "draw" is used in the sense of "pull" rather than the word itself. It goes:
- He preached, and at last drew the auld body's leg,
Sae the Kirk got the gatherins o' our Aunty Meg.
Lovely.
Xanax ... (Referenced by the dean's assistant as Cyrus' medication.)
Xanax is the extended-release formulation of alprazolam and was introduced in 2001 and the preferred form of the drug. Alprazolam is a short-acting drug in the benzodiazepine class used to treat anxiety disorders and as an adjunctive treatment for depression.
Alprazolam was originally marketed as an atypical benzodiazepine, but only classified for use treating anxiety neurosis. Researchers later speculated, however, that alprazolam could be studied for serotonergic effects. On October 20, 1976, Dr. Guy Chouinard was the first to conduct a clinical trial of alprazolam in panic disorder. Patients diagnosed with panic disorder were included among participants in the study. Fifty patients were given either the alprazolam or a placebo during an eight-week double-blind controlled study. Results proved that both somatic and psychic anxiety was decreased significantly in those who took the alprazolam, compared to the placebo.
Clippers Game ... (Referenced by Landry when he tells Keith what he did the night the dean was killed.)
A professional NBA team based in Los Angeles, California. The Clippers franchise began in 1970, going by the name Buffalo Braves until 1978. The Braves shared the Buffalo Memorial Auditorium with an NHL team, the Buffalo Sabres. The Braves Bob McAdoo was awarded the NBA Most Valuable Player award for 1974-1975, averaging 34.5 points, 14.1 rebounds and 2.12 blocks per game. The teams founding owner Paul Snyder sold the franchise to John Brown, Jr., who turned around and sold a percentage of the franchise to Harry Mangurian. Brown later met with the then-owner of the Celtics, Irv Levin, and the owners agreed to switch franchises, relocating the Braves to San Diego, California.
Upon the move to California, the Braves became the Clippers, and they were based in San Diego from 1978 to 1984. Irvin sold the franchise to a Las Angeles real estate developer and attorney, Donald Sterling, for $20 million in the 1981-1982 season. The team's poor performance in their final years in San Diego led to low attendance (averaging 4,500 fans a game). Sterling lobbied the NBA to move the franchise to Las Angeles, where they have played since.
The next seven seasons in L.A. were marked a failure, including a 12-70 record in the 1986-1987 season. Halfway through the 1991-1992 season, former Spurs coach Larry Brown replaced Mike Schuler as the head coach, and the Clippers eventually advanced to the playoffs under his lead -- their first time in sixteen years. Brown left the Clippers for the Indiana Pacers, replaced by Bob Weiss. The 1993-1994 season was one of the worst seasons in Los Angeles NBA history, and Weiss was fired after the first year.
Since 1999, the Clippers and Lakers have shared the Staples Center, where the Clippers are a distant second in popularity to the Lakers. Until recently the franchise has been pretty much a joke, and the ownership notoriously tightfisted. While the Clippers successes have been limited, they have shown signs of a comeback under the current coach Mike Dunleavy, Sr., owing largely to the addition of point guard Sam Cassell.
The Clippers have a few devoted celebrity fans -- actor/director/comedian Billy Crystal and Malcom in the Middle star Frankie Muniz. Crystal had this to say about the L.A. team: "The world's a tuxedo, and we're a pair of brown shoes."
I've got the Blues ... (Referenced by Veronica when Keith comes to her jail cell.)
Folsom Prison Blues -- the likeliest subject of Veronica's reference -- is a country music standard written by Johnny Cash in the early 1950's. He was inspired to write the song after watching the movie Inside Folsom Prison (1951) during the time he served in the Air Force in West Germany. The most famous line from the song -- "I shot a man in Reno just to watch him die" -- was previously used by Veronica in The Rapes of Graff episode. Here's how Cash himself describes coming up with the line: "I sat with my pen in my hand, trying to think up the worst reason a person could have for killing another person, and that's what came to mind." (I'd have to agree.)
The song borrows heavily both in lyrics and melody from a song by Gordon Jenkins called "Crescent City Blues." But it's forever associated with Cash, especially in the view of his later performance at the actual Folsom Prison on January 13, 1968. This version was released on the At Folsom Prison album the same year. In the lyrics, the jailed protagonist listens to the whistle of the train outside his cell with longing and regret as he recounts his deeds.
- I hear the train a comin'
It's rollin' 'round the bend,
And I ain't seen the sunshine,
Since, I don't know when,
I'm stuck in Folsom Prison,
And time keeps draggin' on,
But that train keeps a-rollin',
On down to San Antone.
- When I was just a baby,
My Mama told me, "Son,
Always be a good boy,
Don't ever play with guns,"
But I shot a man in Reno,
Just to watch him die,
When I hear that whistle blowin',
I hang my head and cry.
- I bet there's rich folks eatin',
In a fancy dining car,
They're probably drinkin' coffee,
And smokin' big cigars,
But I know I had it comin',
I know I can't be free,
But those people keep a-movin',
And that's what tortures me.
- Well, if they freed me from this prison,
If that railroad train was mine,
I bet I'd move out over a little,
Farther down the line,
Far from Folsom Prison,
That's where I want to stay,
And I'd let that lonesome whistle,
Blow my Blues away.
Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang ... (Referenced by Veronica as the movie she questioned Landry about.)
Kiss Kiss Bang Bang is a KICK-ASS! 2005 crime film/romantic comedy. Based in part on the novel Bodies Are Where You Find Them by Brett Halliday, the screenplay was written by Shane Black who also directed the film. (And he did a stellar job in both arenas.) It was produced by Joel Silver, Carrie Morrow, Susan Levin and Steve Richards. The cast includes Robert Downey Jr. as Harry Lockhart, Val Kilmer as Gay Perry and Michelle Monaghan as Harmony Faith Lane.
Others actors involved in this awesome production are Corbin Bernsen, Dash Mihok, Larry Miller, Rockmond Dunbar, Shannyn Sossamon and Angela Lindvall.
As great as this film is, it's definitely for adults. There's a plentitude of profanity (PLENTY!), violence, nudity and adult themes. But if you're an adult, are okay with the above and enjoy KICKASS! movies, get thee going and watch this beauty pronto!
Valentines Day ... (Referenced by Veronica when Logan comments on the lack of decorations in her jail cell.)
February 14, Saint Valentine's Day (or Singles Awareness Day if you're going it alone), is a day when lovers express their love by exchanging cards, candy, flowers, or other gifts (or not). The day is named after two Christian martyrs named Valentine, and is associated with romantic love of the High Middle Ages. The holiday has been labeled a 'Hallmark Holiday,' as an estimated one billion Valentines are sent worldwide each year. There is a long history of fertility festivals celebrated around mid-February, but the earliest link discovered between Valentine's Day and romantic love is found in the poem written by Geoffrey Chaucer in 1382, which read:
- For this was on seynt Valentynys day
When every bryd comyeth there to chese his mate
Perjury ... (Referenced by Lamb when he interrogates Mindy.)
Perjury is the act of lying or making verifiably false statements on a material matter under oath or affirmation in a court of law or in any of various sworn statements in writing. Perjury is a crime because the witness has sworn to tell the truth and, for the credibility of the court, witness testimony must be relied on as being truthful. Perjury is considered a very serious crime as it could be used to usurp the power of the courts, resulting in miscarriages of justice. In the United States, for example, the general perjury statute under Federal law provides for a prison sentence of up to five years.
The rules for perjury also apply to witnesses who have affirmed they are telling the truth. Affirmation is used by a witness who is unable to swear to tell the truth. For example, in the United Kingdom a witness may swear on the Bible or other holy book. If a witness has no religion, or does not wish to swear on a holy book, the witness may make an affirmation he or she is telling the truth instead.
The rules for perjury also apply when a person has made a statement under penalty of perjury, even if the person has not been sworn or affirmed as a witness before an appropriate official. An example of this is the United States' income tax return, which, by law, must be signed as true and correct under penalty of perjury. Federal tax law provides criminal penalties of up to three years in prison for violation of the tax return perjury statute.
Statements of interpretation of fact are not perjury because people often make inaccurate statements unwittingly and not deliberately. Individuals may have honest but mistaken beliefs about certain facts or their recollection may be inaccurate. Like most other crimes in the common law system, to be convicted of perjury you have to have had the intention (the mens rea) to commit the act, and to have actually committed the act (the actus reus).
Magnum PI ... (Referenced by Weevil when he shows Sacks O'Dell's computer).
Magnum, P.I. was an American television show about a private investigator, named Thomas Magnum, living in Hawaii. The show was on the air for eight seasons on CBS from 1980 to 1988, and unlike our little P.I. show, Magnum was at the top 20 in the Neilsen Ratings for its first five years.
Magnum, played by Tom Selleck, was a former U.S. Navy Seal who lived in a guest house of a beachside estate on the island of Oahu. In exchange for his living arrangements, he provided security to the wealthy estate, with aid from two Doberman pinschers named Zeus and Apollo. The show was a combination of action, comedy, and drama. It eventually dropped the simplified plot of characters solving the crime of the week, moving to an overarching storyline about the difficulty of Vietnam veterans trying to readjust to civilian life. Imagine that. They dropped the simple weekly plots to open up time for less fleeting storylines. And this show was on for eight seasons? Are you taking notes, Rob Thomas? (Clearly, not.) Interestingly, a July 2006 survey showed Magnum, P.I. as one of only a handful of shows voted by majority to have never "jumped the shark." ARE YOU TAKING NOTES, ROB THOMAS? (Still, no?)
So, what link does Weevil see between a cop on our low rated, potentially soon to be canceled, arguably shark-jumped show (is that too mean?) and Magnum?
You get one guess.
See the Wizard / Wizard of Oz ... (Referenced by Wallace when he confronts Lamb.)
The reference is from the Lyman Frank Baum book The Wizard of Oz. The novel's heroine is told by the Glinda the good witch that if she wanted to get back home, she needed to go see the Wizard. Baum was born in New York in 1856 to wealthy parents. He held many jobs but finally was encouraged to write down the stories he had been telling for years and achieved great success as an author. Over the years, until his death in 1919, he would write forty books exploring the wonderful world of Oz. MGM filmed The Wizard of Oz in 1939, resulting in an enduring classic starring Judy Garland and featuring the song "Over the Rainbow."
In recent years, Gregory Maguire wrote a novel, entitled Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West, that told a politically enhanced tale of the events that took place before Dorothy reached Oz, focusing on Elphaba (The Wicked Witch of the West, so named for Baum's initials, L.F.B.) The novel was later adapted into a Tony-winning musical (Lead Actress for Idina Menzel as "Elphaba"), and Maguire has since written a sequel, Son of a Witch.
Friend of Dorothy ... (Referenced by Wallace when he confronts Lamb.)
Judy Garland, the star of The Wizard of Oz -- she played the lead role of Dorothy in the classic musical, is one of a handful of actresses who is an icon for gay men and Wallace's assertion that Dorothy is a friend of Lamb took into account that aspect of Garland's fandom, thus implying that Lamb is gay. Real clever, Wally or you know juvenile and offensive. Take your pick.
Scavenger Hunt ... (Referenced by the competition Mac, Parker, and Bronson roped Logan into.) )
A scavenger hunt is a game in which a person or a team seems to find a number or an item, perform a task, as outlined on a list. The object of the game is either to complete the list of tasks first, or to achieve the highest score within a given time limit.
Scavenger hunts go all the way back to the dawn of human existence, when people had to scavenge or hunt for food and other items in order to survive. While the humanity became more settled and, by definition, stopped being scavenges and became producers, the instinct to scavenge didn't fade away completely. The use of scavenger hunt as a party game is attributed to American socialite Elsa Maxwell (1883-1963), who used to organize them as an amusement. She was a New York gossip columnist and author, songwriter and professional hostess, whose parties for royalty and the high society figures of her day earned her the title of "the hostess with the mostest."
Scavenger hunts as games can take a variety of forms, be modified with different rules, tailored to a variety of themes, locations, and age groups. The typical game would direct the players to a particular location, which is validated and then offers a clue or a puzzle to solve with the directions to the next location. The winner would be the player or a team that gathers the most points in the least amount of time by visiting all the game locations. Scavenger hunts are often used for building community, fostering teamwork, and providing lots of fun and excitement.
All Tomorrow's Parties ... (Referenced by the first place prize for the Scavenger Hunt).
All Tomorrow's Parties is a music festival that takes place in England at Butlins holiday camp in Minehead, Somerset. Until late 2006, the festival took place at Camber Sands holiday camp in East Sussex. The name of the festival comes from a song by The Velvet Underground.
The festival was founded by Barry Hogan 1999 as an alternative to other festivals like Reading and Glastonbury. The aim of this one is to present post-rock, avant-garde and underground hip-hop music -- along with the more traditional fare -- in a setting that is more inviting and intimate than the customary giant stadium environment. The festival originated in the Bowlie Weekender and was curated by Belle & Sebastian at the same UK venue in April 1999. It included musicians and visual artists, who were asked to curate the two- or three-day event, inviting their favorite performers. As Thurston Moore of Sonic Youth put it, the festival resembles an "ultimate mix tape."
Sounds good and dandy, and also like something even shy Mac wouldn't mind attending. But here's the thing: All Tomorrow's Parties, or its traveling offshoots, have not taken place in the United States since its three forays here between 2002-2004. So, unless those backstage passes came with some free airline tickets to Somerset, England, Mac can console herself for the disappointment of finishing third with the thought that at least she is spared a rather large expense.
Put (Him) On Ice ... (Referenced by Veronica when Keith finds Mason's gun in the fridge.))
A euphemism for killing a person, or for freezing a corpse. The expression can also refer to putting a plan on hold or delaying a course of action until some point in the future.
You wouldn't think Veronica would make jokes about this, given her history with the subject.
Revenge is a Dish Best Served Cold ... (Referenced by Veronica when Keith finds Mason's gun in the fridge.)
This 1782 novel Les Liaisons dangereuses (Dangerous Liaisons) by Pierre Choderlos de Laclos, is credited with the first use of this idiom. Some consider the comparison of revenge to a cold plate of food to suggest three characteristics. The first and most obvious characteristic is detached emotions, as in cold-blooded, unaffected by the recipient's emotional response to your act of revenge. Second is the element of surprise, as in when you eat a bowl of soup and expect it to be warm, you would be surprised if the soup turned out to be cold when you put it in your mouth. In other words, revenge is best when the recipient isn't anticipating it. The final element is elapsed time, as in if you leave warm food sitting out for a period of time, it will be cold when you return. Relative to revenge, this means that revenge is best when you really take time to carefully plan it out.
Murder in the First/Second (Twenty-Eighth) degree ... (Referenced by Veronica when Keith finds Mason's gun in the fridge.)
Before the famous case of Furman v. Georgia in 1972, most states distinguished two degrees of murder. While the rules differed by state, a reasonably common scheme was that of Pennsylvania, passed in 1794:
- "Murder which shall be perpetrated by means of poison, or by lying in wait, or by any other kind of wilful, deliberate, and premeditated killing, or which shall be committed in the perpetration or attempt to perpetrate, any arson, rape, robbery, or burglary, shall be deemed murder of the first degree; and all other kinds of murder shall be deemed murder of the second degree."
The first scheme used among some states:
- First Degree Murder: All premeditated murders, and (in some states) murders involving certain especially dangerous felonies, such as arson or rape, or committed by an inmate serving a life sentence.
- Second Degree Murder: Any felony murder not a first degree murder.
- Third Degree Murder: All other murder.
- First Degree Murder: Murder involving special circumstances, such as murder of a police officer, judge, fireman or witness to a crime; multiple murders; and torture or especially heinous murders. Note that a "regular" premeditated murder, absent such special circumstances, is not a first-degree murder; murders by poison or "lying in wait" are not per se first-degree murders.
- Second Degree Murder: Any premeditated murder or felony murder that does not involve special circumstances.
As for Murder in the Twenty-Eighth Degree? Well, that one's all in Veronica's head. No doubt, had she known of Logan's part in the Thumper's death, she'd pinned that numerical distinction upon him.
Navy ... (Referenced by Keith when he tells Veronica about the husband of Coach Barry's doctor.)
The United States Navy is a branch of the United States armed forces. It's purpose is to conduct naval operations. It's outlined mission is to "maintain, train and equip combat-ready Naval forces capable of winning wars, deterring aggression and maintaining freedom of the seas." (Hmm, how's that going these days, guys?).
The U.S. Navy was founded on October 13, 1775. The Department of the Navy was established on April 30, 1798. The Department has three executive offices, operating forces (including the Marine Corps), the reserve components, in the time of war the U.S. Coast Guard (in peacetime, this falls under the purview of the Department of Homeland Security), and the shore establishment.
The current U.S. Navy originated from the Continental Navy established during the American Revolutionary War (it was disbanded in 1790). The United States Constitution provided for the legal basis for a seaborne military force by giving Congress the power to "provide and maintain a navy." The Congress passed the Naval Act in 1794 ordering the construction and manning of six frigates. These days the U.S. Navy is maintaining a sizable presence in the world, deploying in areas such as East Asia, Southern Europe, and the Middle East. Despite a certain decrease in ships and personnel following the end of Cold War, the U.S. Navy continues to spend more on technological development than any other navy in the world. It is currently the largest navy with a tonnage greater than that of the next 17 largest combined.
The U.S. Navy currently lists nearly 343,500 personnel on active duty and 129,634 in the reserve. It has 276 ships in active service and more than 4,000 aircrafts. The Department of the Navy operates under the civilian leadership of the Secretary of the Navy (SECNAV). The most senior naval officer is the Chief of Naval Operations (CNO), a four-star admiral who is immediately under and reports to the SECNAV. At the same time, the Chief of Naval Operations is one of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, which is the second-highest deliberatory body of the armed forces after the United States National Security Council. It plays an advisory role to the President and doesn't nominally form a part of the chain of command.
The chain of command goes further thus: Admiral (three stars), Vice Admiral (two stars), Rear Admiral -- Upper Half (one star), Rear Admiral -- Lower Half (one star) (and there's a joke to be made here, but it's already been made in M.A.D.), Captain (our Mr. Andriotty, the good doctor's husband with the convenient sidearm), Commander, Lieutenant Commander, Lieutenant, Lieutenant Junior Grad, Ensign. Yep, it's a long, hard climb up the mast to the Rear Admiral (and I will stop with the lame humor now). Then there are Chief Warrant Officers, who are commissioned officers with the role in providing leadership and skills for the operations and particular technical specialties. They tend to have a broader focus and come from the senior non-commissioned officer ranks of the enlisted personnel and receive their commission after completing the Chief Warrant Officer Program. They become CWOs in different specialties that relate to their previous enlisted rating. Their rank structure indicates their fields of expertise (CWO5, CWO4, and CWO3. CWO2).
Enlisted member of the Navy are separated into paygrades, E-1 to E-9, E-9 being the highest. All enlisted personnel with paygrades of E-4 and higher is considered non-commissioned officers. (NCOs), while those at E-7 and higher are further named chief petty officers. The Non-Commissioned Officer and Enlisted Rate Structure goes as follows from top to bottom: Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy (E-9), Master Chief Petty Officer (E-9), Senior Chief Petty Officer (E-8), Chief Petty Officer (E-7), Petty Officer First Class (E-6), Petty Officer Second Class (E-5), Petty Officer Third Class (E-4), Seaman (E-3), Seaman Apprentice (E-2), Seaman Recruit (E-1).
Those who demonstrate dedication ad superior performance, get advancement -- an increase in paygrade. Two most important advancements are from Seaman to Petty Officer Third Class (E-3 to E-4) and from Petty Officer First Class to Chief Petty Officer (E-6 to E-7). The last one is particularly significant and is marked by a special initiation ceremony (and here I thought I was through with the obvious jokes!).
The names of commissioned ships of the U.S. Navy start with the "USS." Which simply stands for "United States Ship." Non-commissioned civilian-manned vessels of the U.S. Navy have names that start with "USNS" -- "United States Naval Ship." Each ship is also given a letter-based hull classification symbol (like CVN or DDG) to indicate the vessel's type and a hull number. The names are officially selected by the SECNAV and are usually the names of U.S. states, cities, towns, important people, famous battles, fish, or ideals (interesting list there). The U.S. Navy pioneered the use of a nuclear reactors aboard naval vessels, which give the ships almost unlimited range and provide tremendous electrical energy. Today, nuclear energy powers most of U.S. aircraft carriers and submarines. (I can see why it would be helpful and more efficient, but, on the flip side, weren't there enough ways to die in the middle of an Ocean?).
Navy ships include aircraft carriers, amphibious warfare vessels (which fulfill the same power projection as aircraft carriers but with the force comprised of land forces instead of aircrafts), surface vessels (cruisers, destroyers and frigates) and submarines. Aircrafts are an essential part of the U.S. Navy fighting capacity. Carrier-based aircrafts are able to strike air, sea, and land targets far from a carrier, while protecting friendly forces from enemy attacks. Current Navy shipboard weapons systems are almost completely focused on missiles: Tomahawks, Harpoon, Standard, Phalanx CIWS, RIM-162 Evolved Sea Sparrow (scarily light name for a weapon). Navy also employs Mark 46 and Mark 50 torpedoes and various types of mine. Nuclear weapons are deployed trough ballistic missile submarines and aircrafts. Oh, and there's also aircraft deployed B61 nuclear bomb. (Fun facts here, folks!).
Another fun fact: Many past and recent United States Presidents served in the Navy: John F. Kennedy, Lyndon Johnosn, Richard Nixon, Gerald Ford, Jimmy Cater, and George Bush the Elder (the younger one pretended to serve in the Coast Guard. I'm thinking, like Bronson, he couldn't swim).
Official sidearm of the U.S. Navy
Melville Dewey / Dewey Decimal System ...(Referenced by Logan when they get to the library).)
Melvil (Melville) Louis Kossuth Dewey (yes, all of those names are his) (December 19, 1851-December 26, 1931) is best known as the inventor of the Dewey Decimal Classification system for libraries. He was born in Adams Center, N.Y. In 1874 he graduated Amherst College with a bachelor's degree, and in 1877 he received his master's degree from the same institution. Where, much like Veronica Mars, he made some extra cash by working as an assistant librarian.
Yes, I really am that pompous!
Everyone knows that working in a library can be a mind-numbing bore. (I can attest to that from personal college experience). So, to amuse himself, good old Melvil devised a system of classifying and cataloguing books by decimal numbers. (And, again, speaking from personal experience: I hate you, Mr. Dewey!). After moving to Boston, he founded and edited Library Journal (a breezy, fun read), which became quite influential to the development of libraries in America, as well as in the reform of their administration. With a fellow librarian Charles Ammi Cutter, Dewey founded the American Library Association (ALA).
In 1883 he became librarian of Columbia College, and the following year -- indulging his penchant for founding things -- he founded the Columbia School of Library Economy for the instruction of librarians, the first institution of its kind. The school was very successful, which naturally means it had to be removed to Albany, N.Y., in 1890. There it was re-established as the New York State Library School under -- what else -- Dewey's directorship. He liked director-ing so much, he did it for the New York State Library from 1888 to 1906. Not satisfied with just that, he also served as secretary of the University of the State of New York from 1888 to 1900. There he completely reorganized everything, making the place one of the most efficient in America. While at it, he also established the system of state traveling libraries and picture collections. Oh, and in 1890 he helped to found the first state library association -- the New York Library Association (NYLA) -- and naturally was its first president from 1890 to 1892. (And I am exhausted just thinking about it).
Alongside his useful innovations, the man was also a great advocate of some of the less popular (and not at all feasible) reforms. He lobbied for the metric system and English language spelling reform. His biggest success on that front was the conversion to the American spelling of the word "Catalog" (as opposed to English "Catalogue"). I'm guessing since he was so good at cataloging things, they let him have that one. He also sponsored periodicals on the Ro constructed language, in which the word structure marked its meaning in a hierarchy of categories (no, I don't know what that means, either). Glad to say, this one did not catch on.
After retiring, Dewey moved to the community of Lake Placid, New York, where he helped found the Lake Placid Club resort. There he pursued his theories of the spelling reform and even found some local success (though not the kind, I imagine, he was hoping for). There was an "Adirondak Loj" in the area. Dinner menu at the Lake Placid Club included such items as "hadok," "poted beef with noodles," "masht potato" and "Ys cream." All part of dreamed up by Dewey "Simpler spelin" feature.
Other, saner things he was known for promoting included winter sports in Lake Placid. He was instrumental in arranging the 1932 Winter Olympics there. He also founded the Lake Placid Club Education Foundation in 1922 (though, I imagine, the education included some funky spelling), and the Adirondack Music Festival in 1925, among other things.
Though known chiefly for his Dewey Decimal System as an innovator, as a human being the guy held some pretty unsavory racist and sexist views. His anti-Semitic stance in particular negatively affected the policies of the New York State Library, as well as the Lake Placid Club. And his career in the ALA was curtailed by his overly familiar attention to women. Which didn't stop the organization from putting him into their Hall of Fame. Whatever his unappetizing personal views, he has carved his place in history with the Dewey Decimal Classification (DDC). The system has since been modified and expanded greatly, most recently in 2004. The DDC organizes all knowledge into ten main classes that, excluding the first class (000 Computer, information and general reference), are meant to proceed from the divine (religion and philosophy) to the mundane (history and geography). The ten classes are then subdivided further. Each class has ten divisions and each division has ten sections. So, the system is neatly summarized in ten main classes, one hundred divisions and one thousand sections. The clever, clever trick of the system is in choosing decimals for its categories, which allows it to be purely numerical and infinitely hierarchical (and a pain in the behind!).
The ten main classes are as follows:
000 -- Computer science, information, and general works
100 -- Philosophy and psychology
200 -- Religion
300 -- Social sciences
400 -- Language
500 -- Science
600 -- Technology
700 -- Arts and recreation
800 -- Literature
900 -- History and geography
There are also some aspects of a faceted classification scheme that combine elements from different parts of the structure to make a number representing the subject content (combining two subject elements with linking numbers and geographical and temporal elements. And no, I still don't know what that means) and form of an item rather than drawing upon a list containing each class and its meaning. Except for most works of fiction, items are classified by subject, with extensions for subject relationships, place, time or type of material, producing classification numbers of no less than three digits but otherwise of indeterminate length with a decimal point before the fourth digit. For instance: 330 for economics + 9 for geographic treatment + 4 for Europe = 330.94 European economy). Books arranged on a shelf in increasing numerical order, the whole number to the left of the decimal is in continuing order, while the digits to the right are compared one digit at a time, with a blank before zero. When two books are of the same subject, and have subsequently the same number, the second line of the call number that usually has the first letter or the first several letter of the author's last name (or the title if there in no identifiable author), are placed in alphabetical order.
And here's an interesting fact: While the writers of Veronica Mars managed to get the Kama Sutra positions wrong, they did follow through on the Library of Congress! According to the LC system, the book indicated in the scavenger hunt under the call number of HQ470.S3V3 1962, is, indeed, The Kama Sutra: The Classic Hindu Treatise On Love and Social Conduct by Vatsyayana. Translated by Richard F. Burton. Go figure!
Types of Clouds / Stratus ... (Referenced by Logan when he babbles about things he learned in 4th grade.) )
I don't remember what grade I was in when I learned about clouds, but I definitely remember having to make the three types of clouds using cotton balls. And I remember how hard it is to glue cotton to paper. The three types of clouds, as Logan mentioned, are cirrus, cumulous, and stratus.
Cirrus -- wispy, wispy, wispy.
Cirrus clouds are the wispy ones. Spread one cotton ball out over the whole page. It's hard to tell one cirrus cloud apart from the other since the overlap in wisps and tufts, sometimes forming a veil or sheet that spans the sky, called "cirrostratus." Cirrus usually form at altitudes above eight thousand meters and may be a sign that a cold front or upper air disturbance is approaching. Cirrus clouds may also form after a thunderstorm, or in the wake of an aircraft.
Cumulous -- the bouffants of the cloud family.
Cumulous clouds are the puffy ones. Full cotton balls. These are the best clouds for 'cloud watching,' and are commonly associated with sudden rainstorms. Cumulous clouds will form at altitudes above six thousand meters. Pilots will usually avoid flying below the base of cumulous clouds, since the air can be quite turbulent.
Stratus -- Flat as God made 'em.
Stratus clouds are the flat ones. Spread the cotton balls horizontally. These clouds form below two thousand meters and are flat, featureless, and range in color from dark gray to nearly white. Stratus clouds are essentially fog that is above ground level, and while they don't generally cause rain, they can lead to a light drizzle or mist.
Indian Sutras / Kama Sutra / Congress of the Cow / Splitting of a Bamboo ... (Referenced by the first task in the Scavenger Hunt.))
Indian Sutras are ancient Indian rules that compose the Kama Sutra -- original name Kama Shastra. Those are the rules of love, and are attributed to Nandi, Shiva's companion. It appears today in the form of Kama Sutra written by the Vatsyayana somewhere between the first and sixth century A.D. This particular writing is recognized as the true surviving record of the original Kama Shastra. The author claims that he only quotes and condenses the previous work and refers to himself in third person: Vatsyayana thinks, etc. (Incidentally, I know a few people like that, and they haven't written anything nearly as entertaining). Vatsyayana, interestingly enough, was a celibate scholar of the Gupta period, who realized that all the major works of Kama Shastra had become difficult to access and decided to collect and summarize them.
The Kama Sutra was one of the three Indian texts on the aims of life. The other two -- Artha Shastra and Dharma Shastra, written in Sanskrit -- are important to the understanding of Kama Sutra. The three aims of life in human society are material goods necessary for survival (artha), erotic practice necessary for transmission of life (kama), and moral nature needed for cohesion and duration of the species (dharma). Ultimately, in the Kama Sutra, sensuality is not glorified but given its rightful place in human lives.
The word "Kama" literally means desire. "Sutra" was a term for a technical text. Kama Sutra, being the study of erotic practices and their cultivation in both man and woman, promotes intimacy between partners, establishment of mood, cohesion with the atmosphere, and attention to the senses. It isn't just a work dealing with sexual positions. It's purpose and execution is not pornographic in nature. First and foremost, it's a book on the art of living for a civilized and refined being, concerning the area of love, eroticism, and the lifes pleasure.
The book consists of thirty-six chapters, organized into seven parts. Each part is written by individual experts in their respective fields showing different sexual hints, positions and viewpoints. Part one is on love in general and its place in the lives of men and women. Its chapters include the overview of three aims of life, acquisition of knowledge, conduct, etc. Part two is concerned with amorous advances, such as stimulation of erotic desire, caresses, something called "the art of scratching" (yeah, there's an art to it. Who knew?), biting (don't ask), copulation, blows and sighs, virile behavior in women, oral and other forms of sex and preludes and conclusions to the "game of love" (a game with a lot of rules, it would seem.).
Part three is all about acquiring a wife (courtship and marriage). It talks of forms of marriage (apparently, there's more than one), how to relax a girl (something every boy should read!), ways of obtaining a girl (which, for some reason, comes after the chapter on how to relax one. Shouldn't it be the other way? I'm just saying), how to manage alone (yes, it's exactly what you think), and the actual union by marriage. Part four describes duties and privileges of the wife. Chapter one deals with the conduct of Only Wife. Chapter two -- with the conduct of the Chief Wife and Other Wives (good to know there are choices out there).
Part five (believe it or not) is about other men's wives (the part, I'm thinking, Logan is very familiar with). Chapters are mainly about seduction. They touch on behavior of woman and man, encounters to get acquainted, examinations of sentiments, the task of go-between, the King's pleasures (which get their own chapter, what with being royalty and all), and behavior of the something called "gynoecium" (I can venture a guess as to what that is, but I won't). Part six deals with the delightful subject of courtesans. There's advice on the choice of lovers, how to look for a steady lover, ways of making money (to afford courtesans, one supposes), renewing friendship with a former lover, occasional profits, losses, reflections on doubts, advantages and disadvantages of relations. (A useful part, no doubt, but, you'd think, the one all about courtesans would be a bit more fun).
Part seven -- and last -- is the practices part and only has two, but very important, chapters. Chapter one deals with improving physical attractions by herbs, aphrodisiacs and spells (for the young folk). Chapter two is about arousing a weakened sexual power (for the mid-life crisis set), aided by the use of dildo, piercing, methods of enlarging penis size, shrinking and enlarging vulva size (clearly, size used to matter in women, too), darkening hair (eh, why?), and bewitchment.
Only about twenty percent of the Kama Sutra is devoted to the sexual positions. There are sixty-four of them (yikes!). Vatsyayana presented eight ways of making love, multiplied by eight positions within each of them. The chapter on those positions is (not surprisingly) the best known and is widely circulated on the Internet. Where it is commonly mistaken for the sum total of the Sutra.
The writers of Veronica Mars clearly did not study the Sutra carefully (or trusted the first less-than-accurate Internet site they encountered). Because there's no other explanation for the mistake they have made in giving the scavenger hunters the assignment to demonstrate a position called "the congress of a cow" and showing something completely different on the required page.
Logan, amusingly enough, may have been nearer the truth when he invoked another position's name: "Splitting of a bamboo." Realistically, the picture shown in that book looks like neither of those positions (though the "bamboo" one is somewhat closer). The "congress of the cow" is described thus: "A woman stands on her hands and feet like a quadruped, and her lover mounts her like a bull." Its a variation on what is commonly known in western culture as "doggie style." The "splitting of a bamboo" occurs "when a woman places one of her legs on her lover's shoulder, and stretches the other out, and then places the latter on his shoulder, and stretches out the other, and continues to do so alternately." (It hurts me even to imagine this!).
Neither of those positions would have been a) appropriate to demonstrate in public and b) easy to do so without some serious Pilates training.
Sex in the City ... (Referenced by Keith about Veronica's missed program.)
Sex and the City, a popular American cable television show that ran from 1998 to 2004 on the HBO network, was based on the novel of the same name by Candice Bushnell. A columnist for the New York Observer, Candice Bushnell ran a weekly titled "Sex and the City" that she later compiled into a critically and popularly acclaimed book.
It's that show where women have sex in an urban setting.
The show in its first season was a loose adaptation of this book, but from the second season on it took on a life of its own. The setting of the show is Manhattan, New York City. The focus of it -- the lives and loves of four female best friends in their mid-thirties/early forties. Carrie Bradshaw, a sex columnist (based on Candice Bushnell and played by Sarah Jessica Parker), and her three best friends navigate various rocky relationships, and ponder what it means to be single and sexually active woman. Carrie's friends are Charlotte York (played by Kristin Davis), an art dealer with a conventional WASPy upbringing and a dream of getting married and raising a family; Miranda Hobbes (portrayed by Cynthia Nixon), a career-oriented attorney with cynical views on relationships and men; and Samantha Jones (Kim Cattrall), the oldest of the foursome, an independent publicist and a seductress who avoids emotional involvement at all costs, but indulges her physical desires freely. The women discussed their sexual desires, fantasies and hang ups, as well as their beliefs, opinions and interests. The show became famous for pushing the envelope, shattering taboos and demonstrating great fashions.
For all of its free-spirited and independent message, the show, by the end of its run, has given all four of its heroines somewhat conventional happy endings. Carrie and her on-again/off-again love Mr. Big embrace their bond and, with the passage of time and a more open heart, find their way back to each other. Charlotte finds her much sought domestic bliss with less than perfect but good-hearted divorce lawyer, Harry Goldenblatt. Likewise, Miranda softens her outlook over the years, particularly after giving birth to a son, Brady, and marrying her boyfriend, Steve Brady. And even decidedly non-monogamous Samantha finally finds what she needs in one man, a much younger actor named Smith Jerrod, to whom she can't help but give her heart. Because he loves her selflessly and is always there for her. He also happens to match her wild passion for love and sex. As contrived and improbable as those happy endings sound (and play on screen), a part of me, as a huge fan of LoVe, can't help but hope and pray that there's an ending like this for Logan and Veronica whenever the time comes.
Over the course of six seasons Sex and the City was nominated for numerous Emmy Awards. It won for Outstanding Comedy Series in 2001, for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series for Sarah Jessica Parker in 2004, and Cynthia Nixon for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series in 2004. It has also been nominated for many Golden Globes, winning several from 2000 to 2002.
Something about the fact that Veronica watches this show -- clearly an appointment viewing, since her father knows the schedule -- gives me hope that, under her current icy exterior, she hides a rather loyal and loving heart that can't help but hold true to the one that's meant to be. Yes, I am a hopeless romantic grasping at straws. But I do it with relish!
Space Ghost ... (Referenced by Veronica about the show that was delayed the night the Dean was killed.)
Space Ghost Coast to Coast was an animated show on the Cartoon Network that spoofed talk shows. The show aired from 1993 through 1994. The titular character (Tad Chostal) originated in Hanna Barbera cartoon by the same name from the 1960's (and again in early 1980's). His voice was provided by George Lowe. Space Ghost, who looked back on his past superhero status as his glory days, wasn't terribly thrilled by his status as a run-or-the-mill late night talk show host. His super powers included invisibility (he had an Inviso-Belt), flight, and the ability to shoot powerful beams from the Power Bands on his wrists. His remarkable ego was rivaled only by his equally remarkable idiocy, and he was as little concerned with the well-being of others as he was oblivious to his surroundings. His "charming" hosting style consisted of constantly demeaning his sidekicks and his guests.
The talk show was broadcast from a studio on the Ghost Planet. The guests were various real life celebrities who appeared on the TV screen and were not animated.
The talk show format was used subversively. Space Ghost, apparently, believed that his guests were superheroes as well, and kept asking them about their superpowers, his questions awkward, hostile and also often not matching the answers given by the guests. It was hard to tell if the guests were even aware of the nature of the program, because the questions were changed after the interview.
Space Ghost's interactions with those who work for him were even more hostile and inexplicable. His bandleader Zorak (another character from the original cartoon), voiced by C. Martin Croker, was a mantis-like alien. He was extremely evil, a virgin -- because he didn't want to be killed by his mate (and somewhere Logan nods his head in understanding) -- once ate his own nephew (clearly, the family had issues) and felt no pity. The Ghost's producer was Moltar (also voiced by C. Martin Croker), a red-helmet lava man wearing a full-body containment suit. A rather competent, level-headed character, he has attempted to escape the Ghost Planet on several occasions. Both Zorak and Moltar worked on the program as punishment for their past crimes and openly hated Space Ghost.
Each episode of the program lasted only fifteen minutes. Cartoon Network showed two of them back to back as a part of its Adult Swim. What gave the show a rather surreal feel was the disjointed nature of the guests' responses to Space Ghost's questions. This was done intentionally for the comedic effect. Before an episode was written, the guests were interviewed by a writer/producer. Often such interviews were conducted with the guest being alone in the studio and the interviewer asking questions through the speaker phone. The room was all black and the guests were given general instructions on where to look and in which direction to talk. It's no wonder the guests often appeared somewhat bewildered. (I've got to say that sometimes it feels like this practice is espoused by the VM producers, as well). The questions asked often revealed a hidden New World agenda. After the interview was completed, the writers went over it and took pieces out of context and order and reassembled them into "responses" to Space Ghost's questions.
The show is now on "permanent hiatus." It seems like in VM universe the show still goes on, at least in reruns, which simply isn't happening in our world (if the TV Guide and Yahoo listings are to be believed). Either that, or the "ear-witness" has totally deceived Veronica and his "alibi" is, well, a ghost.
Denver, Colorado ... (Referenced by Parker's hometown.)
Denver, Colorado, is the capital of the State of Colorado and the state's largest city. Nicknamed "The Mile High City" because of its mile-high (5,280 feet) elevation, the city of Denver has an estimated population of 557,917, and the Denver metropolitan area has a population of approximately 2,330,146. Denver is situated on the Great Plains, not in the Rocky Mountains, a fact which may surprise many. The climate is usually fairly mild, although it can be unpredictable. The city typically sees between two-hundred and fifty and three hundred days of sunshine a year. The first snowstorm is usually around October 19, and the last around April 27, although lifelong Denverites can tell you snow in September or in May or even June is not unheard of.
Denver was founded in the Kansas Territory in 1858, and is named after the territorial governor, James Denver. Denver was incorporated on November 7, 1861, shortly after the formation of the Colorado Territory. The city's early economy was based on servicing local miners, and Denver consequently had a bit of an "old West" feel. Denver became the capital of the territory in 1865, a distinction that became permanent after an 1881 state election (the first territorial capital was Golden, which held the title between 1861 and 1865).
Today Denver's economy is based partly on its geography, since it is the largest city within six hundred miles and is also about halfway between the large Midwest cities and the West Coast. This has made it a key location for the distribution of goods and services. Denver is also a key location for many companies in the telecommunications, energy, mining, and US defense and space industries. Many federal agencies are also based in or have offices in the Denver area, which has more federal workers than any other metro area save Washington D.C.
Entertainment options in Denver include the Performing Arts center (the largest in the nation after New York's Lincoln Center), the Denver Zoo (one of the most popular in the country), the Museum of Nature and Science and more. Professional sports teams that call Denver home include the Denver Broncos (football, won the Superbowl in 1997 and 1998), Colorado Avalanche (hockey, won the Stanley Cup in 1996 and 2001), Denver Nuggets (basketball), Colorado Rockies (baseball), Colorado Rapids (soccer), Colorado Mammoth (lacrosse), and Colorado Crush (arena football).
Left: View of Denver skyline and Rocky Mountains from City Park. Right: Colorado State Capitol in Denver.
Goodbye Cruel World (Referenced by Keith about O'Dell's fake suicide note.)
"Goodbye, cruel world" is a stock suicide message used in literature, lyrics, films, and, sometimes in real life. It's difficult to trace the exact origins of the phrase, or say who used it first. There are several notable instances. There's a book by Kurt Vonnegut called Mother Night, written in 1961; the second to last sentence in which is "Goodbye, cruel world." It is also the title of a song by Pink Floyd from their groundbreaking album The Wall:
- Goodbye cruel world
I'm leaving you today
Goodbye
Goodbye
Goodbye
Goodbye all you people
There's nothing you can say
To make me change
My mind
Goodbye.
Finally, apparently the use of this particular clich in Dean O'Dell's murder (and, it would follow, Veronica's paper) is an in-joke. Ed Begley Jr. (our Dean) has appeared in the film Batman Forever, playing the Riddler's boss. The Riddler murdered him, leaving a fake suicide note that read "Goodbye, cruel world." Clearly Veronica (and the VM writing staff) watches too many movies.
O Chem / Organic Chemistry ... (Referenced by Bronson as his 11:00 class.)
Organic chemistry is a specific discipline of the science of chemistry. It involves the study of the structure, properties, composition, reactions, and preparation (by synthesis or by other means) of chemical compounds consisting of primarily carbon and hydrogen (possibly containing any number of other elements, including nitrogen, oxygen, halogens, phosphorus, silicon and sulfur).
Originally, the definition of "organic" was conceived on the misperception that these compounds are always related to life processes. However, it has been shown that it's not the case. Life also depends on inorganic chemistry. For instance, many enzymes rely on transition metals: Iron and copper. Also teeth and bones (and shells) are part organic and part inorganic in composition. Then there is the HCI solution used in the digestion of food and water, and is the main constituent of all living creatures -- also a subject of inorganic chemistry. Trends in organic chemistry include chiral synthesis, green chemistry, microwave chemistry, fullerenes and microwave spectroscopy.
In the beginning of the nineteenth century, chemists thought that compounds from living organisms were too complicated in structure and were unique in that they could self-propagate through a "vital force" or "vitalism." Those compounds were, therefore, classified as "organic" and largely ignored. When it was discovered that organic compounds could be treated in ways similar to inorganic compounds and could be manufactured by means other than "vital force," organic chemistry as a science began to take shape. Michael Cheyreuil started a study of soaps made from various fats and alkali around 1816. He proved that it was possible to make a chemical change in various fats that come from organic sources, producing new compounds.
The myth of "vitalism" was completely dismantled in 1828 when Freidrich Whler first manufactured the organic chemical urea (carbamide), a constituent of urine from the inorganic ammonium cyanate (NH4OCN) -- what is now called Whler synthesis. (Why anyone would want to manufacture urine is beyond me, but that's not the point). In 1856 William Henry Perkin, while trying to manufacture quinine, accidentally came to produce the organic dye now called Perkin's mauve. The discovery generated a great amount of money and, as a byproduct, a lot of interest in organic chemistry. In 1874 Othmer Zeidler prepared in laboratory DDT, the insecticide properties of which were not discovered until much later.
The discovery of petroleum and its separation into fractions according to boiling ranges (leading to the birth of petrochemical industry) further propelled the interest in the study of organic chemistry. Manufacturing of artificial rubbers, the various organic adhesives, the property-modifying petroleum additives, and, ultimately, plastics, all contributed to the rise of this particular branch of science. In the last decade of the nineteenth century the pharmaceutical industry was developed, beginning with the manufacture of acetylsalicylic acid (aspirin) in Germany by Bayer.
The new chapter of organic chemistry with enormous scope -- Biochemistry -- has emerged in the twentieth century as the study of living organisms, their structure and interactions in vitro and inside living systems.
Onomatopoeias ... (Referenced by Mac after she gets her groove back.))
Onomatopoeias are words that imitate the sound they describe, like the words "click," "bang," or "beep," or animal noises like "meow" or "moo". They are common in every language and will generally be used as both verbs and nouns. In pop culture, onomatopoeias are used frequently in comic books and the TV series Batman and in the 1963 Lichtenstein painting Whaam!
El Camino Real ... (Referenced by Cliff as where Lamb had Batando picked up.)
El Camino Real, Spanish for The Royal Road, is the historical six-hundred mile California Mission Trail, which was established by Spanish Missionaries between 1683 and 1834 as a way to connect a series of religious outposts. It extends from Mission San Bruno at the southern tip of Baja California, though Southern California, up the San Francisco Peninsula, to Mission San Francisco Solano in Sonoma in Northern California. Today, the historic route is followed by a sequence of modern highways, as defined by the state legislature. On the San Francisco Peninsula, El Camino Real is Route 82, but is usually called simply "El Camino." It runs the length of the Peninsula and is the main navigational artery.
As one of the first state highways in California, distinctive bells were placed along the route beginning in 1906. The bells were hung from an eleven-foot high shepherd's crook, also called a "Franciscan walking stick." Most of the bells eventually disappeared, but the State began replacing them in 1960, with a full restoration effort being undertaken in 1996.
Many local roads also bear the name El Camino, but most bear no relation to the historical trail.
Left: Map of the missions of El Camino Real. Right: One of El Camino route markers.
Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease ... (Referenced by Coach Barry's doctor as the disease he was dying from.)
Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (CJD) is a rare and incurable degenerative neurological disorder. The disease is caused by an infectious agent called prion, a form of protein found in the brain. CJD is the most common form of human prion disease, and the people affected are generally between the ages of forty-five and seventy-five. One study speculated that CJD occurred at a rate of about one case per million population per year. In over eighty-five percent of the cases, CJD patients survive less than a year after the onset of symptoms.
The first symptom of the disease is dementia, which can lead to memory loss, personality change, and hallucinations. Other physical symptoms include speech impairment, jerky movements, loss of balance and coordination, rigid posture, and seizures, caused by progressive death of the brain's nerve cells. The disease can be diagnosed through an MRI of the brain or a biopsy of the brain tissue.
People can contract the disease through corneal or dural grafts, heredity, by consuming material from animals infected with the bovine form of the disease (Mad Cow Disease), or through cannibalism. Many people first learned about the disease after an episode of The X-Files had a story about a group of cannibals who became infected with the disease.
'I Smell Bread (from) M*A*S*H ... (Referenced by Lamb's last words.)
"I smell bread." The dying words of Sheriff Lamb. So seemingly random and meaningless, they are, in fact, nothing of the sort. The phrase is a lovely homage to another television series concerned with mortal peril and difficult choices: M*A*S*H. In the episode called "The Life You Save" -- Season 9, 1981 , written by John Rappaport and Alan Alda -- one of the mobile army surgical hospital doctors, Major Charles Emerson Winchester, is nearly felled by a sniper's bullet. The incident itself goes quickly, and at the time Charles and his fellow surgeons are more concerned about saving the lives of others. It's a little later that Charles is stunned to see, when he reaches for his hat, that there is a bullet hole in it.
David Ogden Stiers playing Major Charles
Emerson Winchester III
The site brings home to him just how close he came to dying. The reality of where he is and what he is doing overwhelms him. He slowly becomes obsessed with death, trying to find some semblance of meaning in the fact of passing and in the process itself. He questions a wounded soldier that he had saved earlier. He wants to know if the boy remembers anything, or has heard any voices. He tells the boy that when he was very young his brother died, and that later he couldn't pass by his brother's room without being afraid. He also says that the same feeling came over him again recently. But the young soldier is weak and sleepy, and has no insight to offer Major Winchester.
Major's colleagues become concerned with his behavior, with the way he hangs around the wounded like a ghoul. He can't explain his fascination to them anymore than he can process it himself. Frustrated and upset, Charles takes an ambulance vehicle and goes to the medics at Battalion aide. He wants to speak to them about death. They are, after all, on the front lines, and, therefore, that much closer to it. While there he is called on to tend to a dying patient. Charles talks to him, wants to know if he feels weird. The patient can't see, and the Major holds his hand. He asks the kid to describe what is happening to him, if he can see or feel anything. The young man tells Charles that he smells bread. Not long after he dies. The Major departs, leaving his hat with the bullet hole by the dead soldier's side. The moment and the dying utterance are poignant in the very fact of how mundane they seem.
Death is always unexpected. Violent, before-its-time death ever more so. And search as we might for some artificial significance, it can neither elevates nor de-mystifies it. It's never rendered either more or less meaningful for any given individual. The smell of bread, bright shiny light, or the voices of angels on the other side -- it doesn't matter in the end. Each death is filled with meaning and its own senses.
RIP, Sheriff Lamb.
- Lamb's derisive look toward Sacks (and Sacks' ensuing nervous shifting) when Veronica asks if a deputy was riding with Josh. Heh.
- Lamb remembers the witness to a convenience store robbery from two years ago? He really doesn't get out of the office much. I'm gonna miss that incompetent, lazy bastard.
- Keith, who's now Sheriff, owes Vinnie one for the pictures of Coach Barry and the doctor. Look out.
- When Keith runs into Vinnie at the Sheriff's Department, there are two people standing in the background wearing eerily similar outfits: high denim jeans and brown shirts. Are civil servants colour coordinating now?
- Keith's really fond smile when Vinnie laughs off the idea that he has ethical standards. I suppose Keith doesn't mind when the lack of ethics works in his favor.
- Logan's awkward pause in Mac's room when he has no idea if he's supposed to stay, or if he's meant to quietly leave even though they're not asking him to. You could really feel his discomfort.
- The shirt's in the scavenger hunt say: 'Find the Love'. Nice subliminal message, Rob.
- The look on Logan and Mac's faces when Bronson finds out the book is 'Indian Sutras'. And Bronson's non-reaction. Heh.
- Jason's deadpan delivery of 'it's a curse, actually,' when he buys the Super Titans before smiling huge for the camera.
- Loved Keith's response to seeing Logan on his way to visit Veronica. It was very, "That boy keeps surprising me."
- The look of abject fear on Sacks' face when Lamb tells him to make sure Batando didn't slip out of Mindy's house. I heart Sacks.
- I heart Sacks, Part II: Lamb shoots at a mirror -- so he 1) shot at an inanimate object, 2) shot at a "man in uniform," in other words he could have shot another cop, and 3) shot at "himself." It's a good thing Sacks wasn't that jumpy when Keith came up the stairs after he killed Batando. Speaking of, pooor shaky Sacks.
- Bronson's bright red cap. Let's take a moment to shake our heads in confusion ... that feels better.
- Sacks and Lamb. Lets take a moment to mourn the fact we'll never see the Dynamic Duo of Sheriffing Suck on our TVs again.
- The confused, off-balance expression on Keith's face when he hangs up the phone from County Commissioner. Well played by Enrico: The surreal experience of being Sheriff again (even if it could be only on an interim basis) battling with the fact that it's because his quasi-nemesis is dead.
- Hmm, I wonder if the picture of Veronica behind bars is going to be Logan's new desktop background?
- Is it just me, or did Veronica look more disturbed by Wallace's clunky slur against Lamb than impressed by the juvenile display of his "guts?"
- How come Josh had no problem telling his plans to grab the coin collection and beat it in front of the still-tied up -- but not hearing-impaired -- Mason? Dude! You are telling Veronica -- an accomplice! -- all your nifty plans to escape and soliciting a fake ID ... in front of the guy you just kidnapped and stuffed into the trunk. A guy you are about to let go. A guy who harbors a not unnatural resentment towards you. A guy who already sold you down the river once. What makes you think he won't run straight to the Sheriff again and tell him all about the plans for the fake ID, $10,000 and Veronica waiting for your call in 24 hours?
- And while we're visiting this topic, why didn't he? What the hell stopped Mason from going to the authorities with the tale of crazy kidnapper Josh and a happily helpful Veronica?
- Why were all the recurring characters called by their full names in this episode? Clifford? Vincent? What happened to my old pals 'Cliff' and 'Vinnie'?
- If they want us to believe Cliff is a bad lawyer -- hence his cheapness -- that is essentially lazy, why doesn't he ever lose a case? Why do they always portray him as the best lawyer ever?
- Why was Veronica propping up her leg on the bars like she was about to start climbing up and beating her chest, monkey-style?
- Why is there a glowing red exit sign on the way out of Veronica's cell? Has the ridiculously dark lighting on this show got to the extent that they need glowing exit, movie theater style signs at every set so the actors can find their way out?
- Vinnie says it would be good having Keith owe him one. Are they planning on making him collect on this debt?
- Are you telling me they're only just scraping the dean's name off his door? Surely they would have had to replace him ages ago.
- Why is Landry so disdainful and angry about being investigated if it's Keith's fault, but apparently it just makes him like Veronica more (check the fond smile when he says 'initiative')? What crack do the characters on this show smoke that makes everything Veronica does super when other people can't get away with the same thing? Really, I'd like to know.
- Why does Veronica frown like it would be weird for someone to suspect her of bugging their phone? Yeah, totally unheard of ... and it's not like she actually was investigating Landry.
- How did Logan find out Veronica was in jail?
- Was my mind the only mind that jumped to 'conjugal visit' when Logan stepped closer to Veronica's bars and asked her if she needed anything? Yeah ... fine. So it was just me.
- How would Logan get Veronica's wireless card from the deputy? Can you seriously just walk into a police station and take the belongings that were confiscated when they were incarcerated?
- Why does Veronica say she was on the way to give it to Mac when she was arrested, when she was in class?
- Why is Veronica so willing to help Josh when he's acting like a nutcase? She's not usually that open-minded and trusting with people who aren't acting nuts.
- Why is Veronica is more bitchy with Mason,you know, the victim, than Josh, you know, the kidnapper?
- Why would Veronica watch Sex in the City when she looks down on girls who are casual about sex?
- Which one of the Scavenger Hunters was talented enough to twist balloon animals with those condoms? Is this Logan's secret talent? Parker's? I can't imagine it was Bronson or Mac, but I'd be damn amused if it was.
- Logan gives Bronson his heart ... hee! I mean Logan gives Bronson and Mac the prize of a dinner at the Neptune Grand. And then Bronson gives him one of those 'thanks, man' chest slaps. PLLLLEEEASSSE, can Bronson be Logan's first decent friend???
- Who is that extra Mac is talking to in the cafeteria before she goes off to crash/bang with Bronson? That was random ...
- Where does the blood come from when Lamb gets hit with the bat? The first strike hit his torso, the second should have hit the front of his head ... yet the blood comes from beneath him. Was the fatal blow when he hit his head on the floor rather than the bat itself?
- Why wouldn't the coach make amends with his son before killing himself?
- Will the new coach discount Mason's bad attitude and put him on the court rather than Wallace?
- Did Keith feel the same way about Duncan running as he did about Josh?
- How come Mindy looks shocked when she doesn't see Lamb in the door? Since he was killed in her house, one would think she would know expect someone else in charge.
- Was that the most lines Sacks has ever had to say in one episode in his long-running career as a guest star? And he finally got something dramatic, go Sacks!
- And the most important question of the episode: Will Keith adopt the stray Sacks now that his master has died? Stay tuned!
- If Josh is on the run and hiding out, why would he watch his father's video message outside? In the middle of Veronica's apartment complex? In the middle of the day? Why wouldn't he go inside where no one would see him?
- How many Members Only jackets does Vinnie own? I know I've asked on previous occasions, but the guy has one in each color, I swear! It's like he is competing with Veronica in the 'who owns more jackets' department. Except his are all the same brand.
- Why did Mrs. Coach go to Keith if she has already employed Vinnie on previous occasion? Was she unhappy with the way Vinnie delivered?
- Is Steve dead now? Did Sack's bullet kill him or did he survive?
- Why the sudden focus on Mac's love life? I like the girl and all, but why? The only other time it was so prominently featured, her boyfriend turned out to be the Big Bad. Is it too much to hope that Bronson killed the Dean? I'm just saying. :)
- Is Cliff the only public defender in the entire Neptune area? I'm glad to see him, don't get me wrong, but him showing up every time someone needs a lawyer is kind of stretching credibility.
- What was the point of the autistic son? Just so they can make the family's situation be even more dire?
- If Mac easily recognized Veronica's friendship skills, why did she choose to display none of her own by showing no reaction to her roommate flirting with Veronica's recent ex?
- How cold is the Pacific Ocean in February? If it were me, I'd give the Scavenger Hunt organizers some serious lip about this. Pneumonia, people!
- Since when does Mac care so much about either winning or getting backstage passes to some show?
- So, now that Keith is Sheriff again, isn't he sort of obligated to arrest Veronica for aiding and abetting a fugitive?
- Why did Veronica put Mason's gun in the freezer? Is
this some sort of gun safety protocol that I am totally unaware of?
- Poor Keith is still feeling the sting of rejection from Landry's mentorship of Veronica.
In Hi, Infidelity he had this to say about Veronica's gushing about Landry:
Quote:And in this episode, it still seems to be a sore spot.
Veronica: Not only is he smart, but he's the biggest gun in the department, so him offering to be my advisor, it's just ...
Keith: Yeah, I'm not surprised. But I wish you would consult me before you start phasing me out of your life.
Veronica: Dad.
Keith: He's smart, huh? Is he smarter than your old man? Can I take him in a fight? Be honest.
Quote:If it helps, you're still her hero on MySpace, Keith. So, is this like a theme this season? Veronica makes all the men folk swoon, and she strings along the new mentor/new "love interest" while taking the steady constants in her life for granted?
Keith: Word of advice, you might want to start looking for a new mentor. Men routinely accept the idea that women don't know sports. That's just a mentoring sample -- for if you're interested.
- What's with Veronica's incredulous reaction when Keith tells her Landry suspects that she suspects him of murdering the dean? I can't tell if she's genuinely offended that he thinks so little of her or if she's really shocked that he saw through her casual mention of Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang. Somehow, I have a feeling Veronica wasn't supposed to be so tongue in cheek when she asked him about it last week. Kristen Bell really played it like "I know why I'm asking you this. You know why I'm asking you this. But let's keep the charade going for politeness sake." Her bad. Or the writers.. I can't tell the difference anymore.
- Yay! For Logan for visiting Veronica in jail. I wonder where he got the crazy notion that friends visit friends in jail, though. Certainly not from past experience. From Rat Saw God:
Quote:- Heh. Veronica's face when Mason complains about getting jumped and thrown in the back of his own car was priceless. She's been there, buddy, and she wasn't nearly as prissy about it. Man up.
Dick: We gotta go!
Weevil: Yeah, bro, make sure you bring cigarettes and toilet paper, okay? (At Duncan's "Does not Compute" face) You're talking about visiting your buddy Logan in jail, right?
Dick: We were talking about Senior Shrimp.
- Cliff 'just has one of those faces.' HEEEE. It would take more than a meth addiction and surprise blood transfusion to completely erase this guy from your brain:
- "Only guilty people flee the country, Honey!" What's this? Is it too much to hope that Keith still has some residual anger towards Veronica for helping Duncan flee the country? Do we dare dream? Does Keith consider Duncan guilty? One nitpick -- Duncan wasn't guilty when he fled to Cuba after Veronica asked him about Lilly, and Keith knows that ... so what's with the blanket statement?
- Lamb gave Veronica the 'Mercer' treatment because he doesn't like her attitude. Heh. Holding her in jail, despite the fact he has no evidence, for as long as he possibly can under law.
- Mason was jumped and thrown into the trunk of his own car. Veronica would probably say, "been there, done that", because of events in Clash of the Tritons. But I don't think Mason would agree that a bunch of repressed homosexuals in robes are the same thing as being held at gunpoint.
- Keith once again asks to be directed with the respect owed to him. In One Angry Veronica he reminded Logan it was "Mr. Mars not dude," and finally he gets to demand the title he really has earned: "Sheriff Mars not Keith."
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I love the banner(ex.Bam,Smack,etc.),TOO cool! 
. I adore those illustrations of onomatopoeias so! :)
