…is now going to be the most famous! Paloma is going to be on SURVIVOR! I was reading about one of the other players, and then I saw her picture I was like no way! So not only is this season in HD, but it also has someone I know. I used to give her rides to school in High School, and she used to live on my street. This is crazy! GO PALOMA!

New season premieres on Thursday, September 25th. It’s on at 8 pm on CBS. Do I feel a survive night get together?

Here is the link to her forum page. Register and say something nice!

For the first time ever Survivor will be in High Definition! The next season doesn’t start until the fall, but I’m super excited. Survivor was the first major reality show, and now it’s going HD! Here’s hoping this leads other reality shows to move to HD. I’m crossing my fingers it’s true HD and not 16×9 SD (like some of Hell’s Kitchen), though either are better than what we’ve got now.

Thought it was about time to discuss the shows everyone is watching…or at least what I’m watching. :p

Mondays
Prison Break – A fan since season 1, this season is a step-up from last season in my opinion. While it’s a little cheesy that they’re back in a prison, it’s back to the formula that made the original so great: find a way to escape. I think season 1 will stand as the best, but they give me enough to come back each week.

How I Met Your Mother – This is the show with Doogie Howser. We started watching it last season, and it’s amusing. It’s a good half-hour show to watch when you need something short.

Two and a Half Men – A very raunchy show, but very funny at the same time. Not a big Charlie Sheen fan in real life, but he’s hilarious on the show.

HEROES – The breakout hit of ’06-’07 is back and better than ever. The formula hasn’t changed, and it’s something I love about the show. The writers are awesome at keeping your interest peaked from episode to episode. I love it.

Tuesdays
Beauty and the Geek – Yes, we like our reality shows, and this is a fun one. It’s fun to see the crazy stuff they do and the big changes that a handful of them go through.

House – Still a great show, and it’s fun seeing where the new hiring process is going. I still don’t know who will join the show permanently and who is temporary, and House is still one of the best characters on TV.

Wednesdays
Kid Nation – It’s all about Jarrod, who hasn’t been in the last couple episodes a ton. What a rip. It’s funny how 6 or 7 episodes in, there are still kids who you have never seen or heard from. The interaction between the all is both annoying and entertaining at times.

Thursdays
Survivor – Still our number one reality show, I don’t think we’ll ever get tired of it. The characters change each season with new people to love and hate, and the strategy of the game is unlike anything else.

My Name is Earl – The jail twist is fun. I don’t know if it will last all season, but they’ve already had one episode that wasn’t almost all a flashback. The creative writing episode was definitely outside the box.

The Office – Season 2 was the greatest, but there have still been some awesome moments in season 4. I haven’t watched episode 5 to see what Denise is talking about, but this is still my favorite comedy.

That’s all the shows we watch each week. Feel free to discuss them or anything else that you like. I’ll also preempt Angelo’s comments that you still don’t watch Heroes, Prison Break isn’t as good, and the Office isn’t as funny. I’ll also predict that Doogie Howser isn’t funny, and reality television is lame.

I feel like posting, but I’ve used up my allotment of words for the day. I think that was around third period actually. Regardless, I will think of something.

Peaches. Millions of peaches. Peaches for me.
No, scratch that.

Attorney General Alberto Gonzales is in “trouble” for firing 8 or something district attorneys, and Democrats are having a field day. It wasn’t a big deal when Janet Reno fired ALL 93 when Clinton took office. They serve at the pleasure of the President. There’s nothing illegal about getting rid of them. See, elections do matter!

No, scratch that. Nobody comments on my political posts, as evidenced by “Blarg Stats.” According to that, teaching and television garner the greatest amount of responses. Let’s give that a go.

Have you seen that new TV show about TEACHING. Oh man, the comments are going to roll in now! I’ll try them separate now.

Teaching is going well. State testing is coming up. I might have time to chew through some more of the Dark Tower series. I’m stuck on book 5. Oops, that’s about books, not teaching. I cut up a soda can today to explain that the lateral side of a cylinder is a rectangle. It was cool!

Oh look, this paragraph is about television. Heroes resumed last night. WOW. Oh, and last week’s survivor was downright awesome. It was possibly the greatest episode ever. Trent knows what I’m talking about.

I cleaned the laptop yesterday because it was really gross looking. The I key on the laptop is completely without the letter I. The letters O, L, N, S, and E are also rubbing off. Good thing I know how to touch type. I guess I should stop going around typing “E LIONS” all the time. That’s all I could spell using those letters.

The only movie I’m super excited about right now is TRANSFORMERS. Holy cow that looks sweet.

Super cool band called All Time Low.

THE END

A guy by the name of Alex Angarita is on season 14 of Survivor that starts Februrary 8th. He graduated class of ’95 from Warren with Stacie. He also has a younger brother named Roger that graduated ’98 with some of you.

The show is trumpeting a very "diverse" cast again, but it doesn’t sound like they’ll be splitting them by race. Instead of calling it diverse, why don’t they just say it has more minorities on it, or inversely, they kept down the number of white people? Can’t put a lot of white people on the show, because that would be boring! The fact that the producers even consider the people’s skin color is pretty pathetic.

I know most of you don’t watch Survivor, but it’s kind of fun knowing a Warren graduate is on the show. It will be interesting to see how he does.

I will be watching the Los Angeles Dodgers take on the New York Mets tonight at 5 pm in HD on FOX (go Kuo!). We’ve planned to make enchilada casserole tonight (beef, tortillas, cheese, and enchilada sauce all baked together), but if anyone wants to come over for the game I won’t stop you. This will be followed by Survivor and last night’s Lost that we didn’t have time to watch. We should be done with these two programs by about 10 pm, upon which we will retire to bed for a half an hour of reading, followed by a good night’s rest. Hopefully by this time anyone that has come over has left, because for one it would be a little awkward if you haven’t, and two it would be a little awkward if you haven’t. If you do happen to stay and force us to deal with this awkward situation (way to go) there is a twin bed in the second bedroom. It has a purple comforter though, so if you do plan on staying this late and entering into this awkward situation, it would be better if you were a girl. Otherwise, if you’re a boy, you have to sleep in a girly bed.

I’m tired but feel like posting something. Here’s a small sample of the idiocy of late:

• Rosie O’Donnell thinks "radical Christianity" is just as dangerous as "radical Islam." Nevermind that six Muslim nations officially carry the death penalty for homosexuals. Even more saddening is the reaction from the crowd. What the crap are you clapping for idiots? I have failed to notice the Christian suicide bombers around the world threatening to kill anyone who does not convert.

• The Pope points out the violent nature of Islam, to which many Muslims get violent about. Could he have been more right?

• Gas prices go up: life is bad. Gas prices go down: life is good. Consumers too idiotic to objectively judge their current happiness: par for the course.

• On the new Survivor contestants are split by race, and some feel the need to "represent" their race. I don’t care what color you are, you don’t represent anyone but yourself. Just shut up with the awareness for miniorities BS and get past the color of your skin. When you say "I’m proud to be a minority" and constantly invoke the color of your skin, eventually you will become the racist, not the people willing to accept you for your qualities as a human being.

• Arnold seems confused lately. First he raises the minimum wage to $8 by 2008. Minimum wage should be outlawed you socialist! Has he never been to the Subway at Florence and Paramount? The people there are way overpaid, thus proving why minimum wage is such a stupid idea (not to mention the economic forces like incentives that people don’t need when they get paid more just for being idiots). Now he’s signed a bill that makes using a cell phone in the car illegal. Why is this stupid you might ask? I think it’s a good idea, but the dumb bill doesn’t go into effect until 2008 (uhh, how about now?), and even then the first offense fine is only $20! It goes up to $50 after that, but who on earth is going to be deterred by a $20 fine? It’s not even worth the police officer’s time to pull someone over for a $20 fine. Some smart moves Arnold.

• Finally, if you haven’t heard, church let John go this last week. If it’s not public knowledge it will be in a couple days. I’m confused by this move, as if the music is the greatest concern church leadership feels needed to be dealt with. There is so much more I’d like to say about this, but I will bite my tongue.

Thank you for letting me vent about all the idiocy going on lately. I’m sure there is more, but that’s all I have for now. So now it’s your turn. Anyone want to get pissed at me for not liking minimum wage, sticking up for a Catholic, calling Arnold a socialist (and making it sound bad, because it is), insulting the intelligence of the average citizen, pointing out that minority status does not make you immune to being a racist, or finally for bashing church leadership?

Last night we watched a new show called Treasure Hunters, and I’m hooked. Da Vinci Code meets Amazing Race. Ten teams (now 9) race across the globe chasing clues and solving puzzles in pursuit of a treasure. I’ve never watched The Amazing Race, so I’m not sure how much it differs, but I get the feeling they’re similar. So far Treasure Hunters has been physically demanding, but equally about solving puzzles and interpreting vague clues.

Right now I’m rooting for the Brown family, but the redneck fellas are hilarious. He’s turning over trashcans and looking under totally random rocks for clues. At one point he holds up a rock, and turns it over and over, and finally decides it’s just a rock. At another point he looks under a trash can, finds a folded up piece of a paper flag, and starts to ponder the "hidden meaning" in his "clue." On again next Monday at 8 pm on NBC, starting with a recap of the opener, and a new episode at 9 pm.

Other than this there are a ton of reality shows hitting primetime while everyone else is on break. Since there’s nothing to watch I’ve decided to record pretty much everything. Reality Stars Fear Factor was interesting, though I only recognize the Survivor and Apprentice players. I’ll be checking out the America’s Got Talent show, mainly just to see David Hasselhoff talk to his wristwatch. There’s another called How to Get the Guy, and I’m sure there are more, but might as well fill the DVR.

Finally, most the networks are already hyping their new Fall shows that are still months away. So far the only one I’m looking forward to is Heroes on NBC. Basically a bunch of people wake up one morning with superhero type abilities. While not an original concept (X-Men meets Rising Stars), I’m curious to see what can be done in a TV show format.