Dowel Jones

The reason for the odd shifts like that often reverts back to FLSA, which requires overtime after 40 hours per week, except for the 7k exemption ( section 7k of the Act) for firefighters and some law enforcement personnel, which requires overtime after 216 hours in a 28 day work period. Thus, some agencies find it cheaper to use the 1/3 or 2/4 shift, as a 1/3 only requires 168 hours and a 2/4 requires only 192 hours. I think FDNY works actual 40 hour weeks, and, from the time these guys all spend at the bar, I was under the impression they only worked 8 per day also. Then again, when you have the bar as a plot device, you have to make use of it. What I didn't get, if this is the case, is why Newhouse would take on an extremely risky job as a bounty hunter, excuse me, bail enforcement agent, when any slight injury would put him off the job (no workers comp, either), and potentially end his career. No, I do't have another job. I like my days off, when I get them. Personally, I think the use of crossover plots tend to signify a sinking show, almost like stuntcasting. It amost seems like the writers are throwing spaghetti on the wall, hoping one of the plotlines will stick.

I, on the other hand, get a kick out of that rapid fire monologue, at least in small doses. As the saying goes, she talks at 30 with an occasional gust to 45. .

On top of everything else, Rowan left Olivia with the bill.

A butcher, a baker, a candlestick maker....

Well, I for one thought it was clever, planned or unplanned, that they timed Berlin's demise for the anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall. Who are these people who can drink half a bottle of vodka and still be conscious, let alone functional? And why do they always use enough explosive to blow a tank tread off in order to kill someone? Definitely will be a closed casket funeral. Oh, and by the way, Cleanup on Aisle 3! At least the bomb tech didn't follow the usual tv trope of protesting and insisting he could disarm it. "Okay. I'm outta here!" So, after 3 months onboard the boat, Tom has a raggedy beard, yet does he shave it off? No, he gets it trimmed to the oh-so-cool look of the 5 o'clock shadow. Was the editing blunder of the young girl's body early on in the show also on the original episode? She distinctly moved her eyes to the right as her head was being turned.

Up till I started on the comments here, I was thinking that Eva's hatred toward Cullen stemmed from his saving that guy's life. Sorry, Elam; my apologies. I think that Ruth "killed" her father with that gunshot. She's been harboring that guilt by association with her father's misguided righteousness for so long that her satisfaction with her actions and the death that resulted are quite overwhelming any sense of doom. Would a jury of Cheyenne-ites actually convict her? Mickey, his cousin, and his band of Dead Wabbits might want to make note that they aren't in Five Points anymore, and that the denizens of the aptly named Wild West won't take so kindly to gratuitous violence against their own. I missed something in the episode. Why was the leg amputated? Sepsis? Or was there another wound besides the abdominal shot? Surreal juxtaposition of the violence in the bar with "Doc" Durant claiming he wanted to be an ophthalmologist when he was young.

There are people in DC who don't know that she is his mistress?

Coming on the heels of the recent elections, I think Shonda managed to make a good point with that campaign room scene. "I'm in charge now", and "I can make you Senator, I will make you Senator", and "Just a few alterations....." It's not about the candidate, it's about the campaign manager. So glad the bombing didn't amount to much; that might have actually required some Presidentin' on fitz's part.

.Whatever happened to the offices that FA was supposed to move into before David Lee shanked them with that fumigation order? I thought they had a lease on that property, and it should be ready by now, for Pete's sake. Maybe LG will take on the landlord as their client in a lawsuit against FA for breach of contract. Now that would be convoluted, but interesting.

I liked Ressler's unstated opinion: "I almost got shot, nearly got killed in a wild car accident, banged around by more bad guys, bad, damn, those drugs were gooood." That scientist was at least 5'5" or 5'8". Quite a feat getting her into a medium size suitcase.

I wonder if, in real life, spouses of security clearance cabinet secretaries have handlers to keep them from mixing with the wrong people. In this case, it would be so easy to monitor his conversation with a remote microphone and, a)pick up confidential NSA information, or b)pick up personal chatter suitable for blackmail. I'm thinking specifically of a situation similar to the Anna Chapman escapade, where she was finally picked up the FBI, or whoever, because she was getting too close to a high level, unnamed, administration person. So maybe he's working for B613 instead. They are running short of people. ETA: Parent of the Year Award! I said the same thing at the time, as my 22 yr. old just moved back in.

It would be most interesting to see Boden's reaction if that social worker informed his boss that members of CFD were harassing him in uniform and apparently on city time, in an area that was most definitely not their sphere of influence. And the boss then went to the alderman or whatever the food chain was so that Boden would hear about it in the proper manner.

Given the various plotlines in this show, 1) Apparently, the tv-USA doesn't need any governance, and 2) I'm not entirely sure that a nation actually exists out there, with the exception of Defiance, Ohio, and a small cabin inVermont.

Note to continuity folks: Speaking from some personal experience, when you pick up a cup of fresh, hot coffee, it is picked up by the handle, not with fingers wrapped around the cup. Just a nitpick in an otherwise decent episode.

Obligatory Halloween theme.....check Creepy clowns.....check Obsessive boyfriend that looooves her....check Slutty party theme.....check Secret room.....check Newly empowered woman.....check Nerdy stalker with just enough clues to tempt us to come back next episode.....check. Nothing to see here, folks. Keep moving.

Everybody remembers Damages, right? How the opening sequence seemed to lead us down one path, only to have the rug pulled out by the end of the series when it was demonstrated that everything was through the looking glass? Well, I can't help but think the bonfire scene and the office scene are somehow like that. I have no clue who, if anyone, killed Sam. but, I can assert one thing: Those interns must be totally clueless to trust a guy with an interest in the toss to call the toss without everyone else not being able to see the result. I don't think I want them working on my case.

Could someone explain why tv characters, police included, never turn on a light when they enter an obviously dangerous environment, such as a ransacked apartment? I sat there shouting "He's still inside, you moron!" I also laughed when boyfriend says "If you go out that door, I won't be here when you get back." Hey, Moron 2.0: Why are you there now? It's a fire station, not a public park. I hope that guy that Cruz rescued doesn't turn out to be some nefarious crook-type. All I can say about Gabby's antics is that any supervisor that I know would be more than a bit angry at being directly challenged to do their job by a probationary firefighter. Even if she is the firehouse mascot. At least someone from the engine crew finally got to say a few lines.

Thanks for that detailed explanation. On another point, are the students/interns considered part of the trial team? That is, are they allowed to present evidence to the attorney across the wall as was shown? I thought they were sitting in the viewer gallery and thus not allowed to talk to the defense team. Then again, maybe this item was decided in the case of Handwave v. Reality.

I figure it's an attempt by Jake to get Sugar Ray Grant to injure him enough so that any public appearance Jake makes, such as in a trial, will immediately draw attention to himself. That, and the inevitable bruises on Gran'ts hand could be connected, at least in public opinion and the cyber world, so that Grant would immediately be suspect. As much as I detest the characters, I had to cheer Mellie when she unloaded on Fitz about their son's death's purpose. Nothing like being shanked in the gut to bring down his curtain of self-righteousness.

They must be mad because they just found out we did win the War of 1812. There is no good exit from this Ambassador problem. No matter what spin the administration puts on it (personal reasons, family time, career development), there is too much left hanging out there that could come back and haunt everyone. Suppose one of the Iranian delegation blabs to a European newspaper? Eventually the Pres. is going to have to admit that one of his crew threatened Iran with war, and in so doing loses credibility for the rest of his ambassadors. Unless the guy can mysteriously die in an auto crash into a lye factory or something of that nature.

And Lizzie is going in there every so often, feeding him acorns or whatnot, and saying, scornfully, "Dainty! Dainty!" I for one think that Lizzie is not Red's daughter. I mean, who would throw a bad wig on that little girl in the video?

Hello, showrunners? The 1960's called, they want their laugh track back. I laughed more than I thought I would at some of the setups and returns. The writing is good, as is the delivery. Except that they wait for the damn laughtrack to move on to the next line. If the comedy is good, let it ride on the audience. I missed the pilot but this one kept the show on the DVR season ticket. I like it.

Even allowing for the pledge of secrecy and discretion that is required of White House staffers, it probably wasn't the wisest of choices for Mellie and Fitz to have their blowout argument in the Oval Office. Granted, Bill and Hillary had the same arguments, but I think that was after the Monica scandal broke. Here they are trying desperately to keep it under wraps, yet shouting about it at the top of their voices. What happens if one of those staffers whispers about it, even to a "trusted" friend?

Why didn't Tom just blurt out "You did, Mr. Pope"? Truthfully or not, it would have thrown the glare back on him. Smelly Mellie. Deli Mellie. Jelly Belly Mellie. Me go now.

Ah, yes. The old, stare-at-the-empty-closet-forever--so that-the-killer-can-sneak-up-behind-you trick, followed (at length), by the old, turn-your-back-on-the-killer-without-making-sure-he's-dead trick. And here I thought the telegraph had long since been replaced.