Survivor Cagayan - S28 E09 Post episode comments

Wow!  I guess some of these guys must have left their capes at home.  Lets start with the 2 that are left on the brain tribe:

Lets start with "Lex" Spencer.  Despite being on the alliance that Kass pooched, he has maintained mental clarity to use short, precise comments (yet not hostile) to cut through the bullshit in Tony's alliance.  Unfortunately, the power of denial is strong with Tony's minions and they have withstood every attempt.  He has powerful mental discipline and is an excellent physical player. 

Pictured here in the immunity challenge for this episode: Tasha and Spence.  They were the last two still standing after all the rest of the survivors had flaked out.  I have nothing but respect for these two right now...even though they are both in a terrible position; as of after this episode are the only 2 members of the brains final alliance.

 

Tasha:  She has won the last 2 challenges in a row involving endurance, concentration and balance.  Spencer and her standing head and shoulders above everyone else in that capacity!  It's like someone invited Wonder Woman to play on Survivor.  Recapping the previous episode: This mild manner accountant invited LJ into the forest.  LJ didn't accept because Tony might have caught on.  Despite showing his loyality, LJ didn't meet Tasha "In the Forest" and still got blindsided by some of his own alliance with help from the Brians Alliance  (who either wanted someone on 'their' alliance or one less from Tony's).   Next time Wonder woman invites you to be alone with her in the forest...!

 

During reward challenge, Jefra was grouped with the Brains alliance.  (Jeremiah pictured here on the right).  They won and were served an excellent meal after touring some of the Cagayan natural wonders (caves).  They all convinced her what she already knew:  Tony is a BIG threat.  YOU cannot TRUST him.   If you Ally with the Brains to vote out Tony, you will be in a position to join the brains alliance and be in the final 4.  They all swore and shook on it.  Tony had to go.  

Speaking of Super heroes... this guy is Survivor's Riddick!

 

Tony, realizing that Jefra may be swayed to the dark side, started frantically looking for the idol.  All he had was "It was near camp".  This 'Special' idol could be played after the vote.  Using his powerful ability to reason, he decided that where this idol was had to be some sort of 'Unique' place.  He literally dug it out of the ground.  Is this guy some genetically engineered Survivor super soldier!?
Recapping; He blindsided a member of his own alliance with members of  the opposing alliance and managed to make his own alliance believe that it was just a 'One time thing'.  LJ...who had previously given up his idol to protect Tony! 

He told them that it was a 'One time thing'.  That it was just something he needed to do and that the alliance was as strong as ever.  THEY ALL BELIEVED HIM!!!  7 Players left and, with all that I've seen, I'd bet good money on Tony even with such a big target on his back.  Woo will be going out in #5.  Neither one of Tony's big supporters are going to falter.  Kass has set down roots.  Trish has been there for Tony...Jefra and Woo are going along for the ride.

Back at camp, it was like some Jedi mind trick.

Trish:

 

Got Jefra to open up to her about what was said in her meeting with the Brains ...and called Tony over to confirm (Lie) about his intentions regarding Jefra.  Tony, being very skilled at determining whether or not someone was buying his bullshit, made sure Jefra was all the way back onboard before leaving it alone.

Jefra went back to Jeremiah and told him that she wasn't going to leave Tony's alliance.  I respect that Jefra is all the way out there with exactly what she is thinking...but this is Poker...you don't SHOW your cards face up on the table and ASK THE OTHER PLAYERS WHAT YOU SHOULD DO!!!

Tony's alliance, talking about who to vote off, recognized Spencer to be a big threat.  Captain 'Chaos' Kass had a 'Good read' on Spencer saying that 'He had the idol'.  Everyone in Tony's alliance believed her and voted for Jeremiah.  Spencer DID have the idol...playing it to save himself for another day.  Villain Kass;  I would have loved to see her at the mercy of one of the members of the Brains alliance that she screwed over but that's not likely going to happen.  It's ironic that if Spencer had given his idol to Jeremiah, that Woo would have gone out and it would have been only 4 to 3 against the Brains.  Now?  5 to 2. 

The Brains tribe can get Woo over to their side if they let him know he is #5 to go.  It should be obvious to him.  Tony had nothing against LJ except that he was a strong competitor.  With Woo being strong at individual challenges, He has a big target on his back as well.  With Trish being practically Tony's wife...and Jefra laying out her cards for anyone to see...the only person left to attempt to bring back onto the brains alliance is Kass.  What an epic journey that would have been for the brain tribe!  Woo, Kass, Tasha and Spencer voting off Trish!  Even still...the force is strong with Tony.  That guy could social engineer ANYTHING!
 
Excellent Season!

 

 

Survivor Cagayan - S28 E08 "Bag of Tricks" Post episode comments

Tony's alliance was dominant...6 to 3.  Kass has made the transition to being a full member of his alliance.  She mentions that this is a game of lies and who she is outside of the game is not a reflection of how she plays the game.  Fair enough.  Perhaps when she was with the Brains alliance, even with the numerical superiority, she felt they were the weaker alliance.  Yet all the footage I had previously seen of her, before her big flip, showed that it would have been an emotional decision to get rid of Sarah ... and she did.  Now she is trying to say that it was a calculated decision.  That her flip against her own team was a strategic move.   I can forgive that she made a move to get into a better position...but this was an emotional decision...and I'm not sure that being a 'game of lies' includes being dishonest with yourself.  As far as I'm concerned; That is directly a reflection of "who she is outside the game". 

 

 

 

Tony, himself, is starting to get nervous.  The 4 on the opposing alliance voted to get him out.  This rattled his cage substantially.  There in lies the way to defeat him.  Make him think that he is losing control.  The more he believes he is losing control, the more desperate he will be to try to maintain it.  Ironically, the more desperate he will be for control, the bigger the target will be on his back.  The trick of this play is subtlety.  The one person that could pull it of is:

 

Spencer

 

 

The man who really deserves to win.  Tony has played the game well to this point but his is a style that attempts to directly manipulate those around him is reminiscent of Boston Rob, Russell Hanse, etc.  Tony is smart, perceptive and charming.  Sometimes his passion gets ahead of him and ends up saying things that give away his intent...or govern his actions in other non desired ways.  Spencer, however, is smart, disciplined, calm and as skilled with words as a master swordsman is with a rapier.   In a few words could highlight exactly the point he needs to make.  At tribal council in this episode, a couple of guys on Tony's alliance remarked that they felt their alliance was strong.  Spencer remarked that if "It seems strong from your perspective...maybe you are the next to go".  The person that said the "Alliance was strong" went home.  This one statement followed by that action left Tony's alliance in disarray wondering "Exactly how strong IS my position in the game".  Mission accomplished.  Well played, Spencer.  Now the alliance is 5 to 3.  If Kass flips back to the brains (which I actually doubt is even possible at this point) then it is even.  All Spencer has to do is warn his team that he's going to be making a target out of himself...and do so.  If he then plays his Idol, someone on Tony's alliance is going home. 

 

Screwing the brains alliance twice in a row has solidified Kass' position with Tony's alliance... and made her an outcast from her former one.  Spencer was burning a hole in the back of her head with his eyes.  Kass has shown that she is in deep with Tony's Alliance - Not that she can be trusted but that there is no way back for her at this point.  Her untrustworthiness and weakness in challenges means that people aren't taking her to be a threat.  She has no sway.  Given what I saw on her emotional decisions, I honestly don't think it was planned but her being a weak, untrustworthy pariah might get her to the end of the game. 

 

Well if the Devil had a profession on earth, you know it would be a lawyer.

 

If Tony is worried about Spencer having the idol, he will make all kinds of noise about how he is going to vote Spencer out.  When Spencer plays the idol, Tony's alliance will have revealed that they have voted for someone else.  The trick of that is to know that the more noise Tony makes about voting Spence out...the less likely he will be to do it.  Even still...then it would be an Alliance of 2... which is mere sacrifice for the 5 that would oppose it. 

 

 

Latasha was going to take LJ off and have a talk with him.  LJ 'Stood her up'.  He was worried about how it might look to Tony (who sees everything it seems)...going off with a member of the opposing alliance. 

 

 

Tony had a discussion with LJ about voting off Woo.  He went around his alliance and told everyone in it that LJ was thinking about voting off Woo.  He represented it like it was LJ's idea.  With those who came to LJ to get the straight story, he told it to them straight but it wasn't enough to keep the targets off of his back...and LJ got voted out.  It was 2 episodes ago that LJ sacrificed his own idol to keep Tony in the game after Tony played his to keep LJ in the game.  I guess that's the end of their Bromance.

 

LJ thought what they had together was special but Tony was worried about a (Former Beauty Tribe) separate alliance forming within his own alliance...and insecurity ruined things (as it does with most relationships)

 

 

Woo's ability to win challenges makes him a continued threat to Tony.  Even Kass is in a more secure position than this poor guy.  He had better realize soon that Tony is not his friend.  If he plays his cards right, he might switch to the brains alliance now and oust Tony now while he still has a chance.  If he waits...The Brains alliance will be too weak to help him.

 

 

 

 

Bioshock Infinite - Burial at Sea Part 2 - some spoilers!

In this Episode, you get to play as Elizabeth.  What the first episode lacked in Value for the money, the second more than made up for.  This episode is full of cut scenes and voice acting.  I won't give it away, but it makes me want to go back to Bioshock 1 and kill Fontaine all over again...maybe draw it out!  Give him a swirly or an atomic wedgy!

The game starts out at some patio bistro in Paris.  As it progresses, you start to realize that certain things don't seem quite right.  When a bird lands on your finger and starts to sing a melody, you realize that you are not in the real world (I mean in the game!) ... or the Bioshock series got bought out by Disney!!!  The dream turns dark as you chase after Sally (The girl Booker/Comstock was trying to rescue in the previous episode before you shanked him!!). 

As you wake up from your sleep, 'Atlas' (Fontaine) is about to kill you and 'Harvest' Sally for 'Adam'.   You imagine an alive Booker to be right beside you and he tells you the things to say to keep yourself and Sally alive for the time being.  You do Atlas's bidding in hopes that he will let Sally go so that you can leave Rapture together.

The combat system has changed somewhat from Bioshock Infinite.  You have no shield and, generally, getting into stand-up firefights is always a bad idea for Elizabeth.  Sneaking and ambush are your best tactics.  There aren't enough med kits or money (to buy med kits with) or even health stations.  You can carry up to 5 med kits (that's it).  You carry much less ammo.  There aren't nearly as many enemies but they can hurt you plenty if they have the drop on you.  To that end, she has plasmids that allow her to be successfully stealthy. 

To compare this to Bioshock Infinite?  It really is another game all together in its play style.  I don't see much in the way of replay value.  The cut-scenes and the voice acting were great!  But it was like a movie.  You sneak from place to place and unlock more of the story.  You could ambush people quite effectively...but it's not enough variation in the elements to provide much interest past the second time of play. 

The game flys between trying to tie everything up into neat little "One reality" package and the "Endless Possibilities" from countless realities. If I were to count on the protagonist from the first Bioshock wrapping everything up in all realities about Fontaine, I would fully expect my phone to ring off the hook with those wanting to sell me a bridge.  It's like throwing a pile of sand on the ground and expecting all the grains to land on each other and create a very thin pillar. 

Good science fiction is an examination of the human condition.  You take one element, change it, and write about what the effect on society would be.  Now I've heard of bad science fiction...but I've never heard of changing the entire scientific theory to be flipping one way or the other, depending on what would be the most dramatic despite the black eye it gives its own logic - Let's call this "Science Fliption"

Also...What is with the 2 weapon limit!?  I get that in a 'Realistic Shooter' you can only carry so much realistically.  It's kind of nice that you and your team get together and have a well rounded squad with logical unit types.  This isn't that type of game.  Even Duke Nukem Forever patched that
mistake.  What you end up using are the weapons that provide the best apparent effect to cover use at different ranges.  Once I figured out how good the shotgun was...it was a permanent member of one of those slots.  I wasn't going to bother picking up the other close range weapon because it would limit my tactical options.

It was also cool to see a few things that happened previously from another perspective. 

+1  Wealth of decent cut scenes and excellent voice acting.  Tying into previous Bioshock with a new perspective.
- 0.5 Two gun limit - how did the design team sleep through that choice?
-1.5 Not enough variation for replay value
-1.5 Gameplay kind of boring by itself.
-1.5  Guilty of Science Fliption in the story.
+1 For use of imagination (though uncontrolled)

a 7.0 ...respectable.  This is a 'Must have' for a fan of the Bioshock series.  If Stealthy missions are your thing...it might be fun.  This is more like a movie that you unlock as you play the game.  As such, it is a respectable production.  If you don't scrutinize the logic, you will most likely have a good time with it. 

Bioshock Infinite - Burial at Sea Part 1 - Spoilers!!!

 

 

 

 

Set in a noire style.  BaS#1 starts off in Rapture.  Into DeWitt's detective office walks a dame with smooth skin, full lips, and 'Gams' up to her armpits (Though it would be strange to mention that fact in a style so befitting 'Noires' considering she would be his daughter in another reality!!  XD).

In the start of it, we get to see Rapture as it was before it got completely taken over by homicidally insane 'Splicers'.  You start off being contracted to find 'Sally'; a little girl who you suspect was indoctrinated into 'The little sister's' program. 

Well, to best scrutinize this plot, lets put it on the table; lay it all out there.  This is from the basic game:

First of all...this is about 'Different Realities'.  There once was a guy named Booker DeWitt.  One day he is at a Baptism.  All realities branch out from this point in 2 distinct ways.  The Booker that gets Baptized renames himself to 'Comstock' and goes on to travel through realities and becomes the leader of a big floating city.  The Booker that doesn't get Baptized goes on to get a wife and a child...but the wife dies during child birth.  Since Comstock has been travelling through all manner of different realities, he has wiped out the DNA encoding of his sperm rendering him sterile.  Making a deal with a Booker who both HAS a child and needs money, Comstock, through the Lutesces arranges a trade.  As he is leaving with the child, Booker changes his tune and wants to take the baby back.  A struggle ensues at the portal between the 2 realities; Comstock and Booker.  Comstock orders the  Lutesces to 'Shut down the portal'.  With a final Shove, Comstock pulls the baby over to his side and little Anna (Comstock renames her to Elizabeth) reaches for Booker as the portal closes and she loses half her pinky in the process.  Since her pinky was part of Booker's reality and she moved into another one...she has the ability to 'Open tears' from anomalies that exist throughout Columbia. 

In BaS#1, Anna doesn't lose her pinky...she loses her head.  The grief stricken Comstock finds a different reality and uses some fancy memory replacement mumbo jumbo to try and forget about what he had done...settling down as a detective in Rapture and calling himself 'Booker' again.

Physical logic doesn't make sense.  Even with the latitude of calling it 'Different realities' as opposed to 'Dimensions' and they still screw the pooch with the logic of the story. 

At the end, a tortured BC protests about using heat to draw out 'Sally'.  He is bitter about the use of plasmids that ruin people.  He clearly shows signs of a conscience.  Trying to pull Sally out of the hole to save her life, he remembers what his tortured soul was trying to forget: An accident where the baby that would have been Elizabeth in that reality was killed.  In his grief, He left his life as 'The Prophet' for the 'Reality' of Rapture and hoped to forget everything and focus on a day to day living.  This 'Elizabeth' - lets call her 'Queen Bitch' for short - found 'BC',  reminded him of his crime, and shoved a dagger into his heart.  Well FUCK!  This broken down investigator wasn't going to go back to Columbia and preside over it like he pretends to know redemption.  The accident changed him.  It brought him back to 'Booker'. 

You have to understand; in the main game, the main protagonist had a vision of zeppelins destroying the world in 1994 by shooting down fireballs.  1994!!!  Maybe 1694 that might work.  I'll see your fireball throwing Zeppelins and raise you 10000 F18's, Migs, F14's, F15's, F16's,  cruise missiles, airblast, Phoenix and sidewinders etc etc etc.  FUCK!!!   The really scary part about this series is how something so apparent was just missed...and a whole lot of money was piled over it!  The ideas didn't need to be 'Cool' AND 'Logical'. 

Where 'Cool' > 'Logical' let Story #Suckcock. 

You ever have a dream that is totally fascinating but none of the logic holds water?  Well that is this story - in a nutshell. 

BaS#1 has a pretty good combat system.  Although I usually expect to get a value for my gaming $$$  when I see something priced at $15, the brevity of the game makes it rather expensive for the time you will actually end up playing this and the lack of replay value.  In some way it is more like watching a movie than playing a game since the value is more about what it reveals than the physical combat.
  
You think the first area that you go into is "The tutorial" mission area.  You get past that and you are into the main game.  Well...you get past what you think is the 'Tutorial area' and the game ends.

Blinded by her own rage over what the later Comstock did to her, Elizabeth reminded Comstock that he was actually the one that received 'The baby' and shoved a dagger into his heart.  If she was thinking clearly, she would have realized that this person that she had killed was presently more Booker than Comstock. 

"WHAT!?" 

This is what you are going to be saying!  "Thanks for doing all that...here's your reward!"  It's Skyrim levels of 'Self Face Pissing'.  The writers are so far up their own asses, you would think THEY would disappear all together!!!  Hell...I can't even explain it without doing some serious yoga and sphincter stretching of my own!!!

Get ready to shell out more $$$ for part 2.

There is only one physical problem with the game.  The 'USE' button is mixed up with the 'Switch weapon' button...a SECOND ONE!  So if you are hustling through a combat and want to 'USE' something as you race over at high speed.  You miss but also switch weapons to something you don't want to use...or is out of ammo...it's just a hassle. 

There is much in the way of voice acting.  Much detail has been used to provide a version of rapture that is quite beautiful.  Unfortunately, it does seem that the warm-up turns out to be the full game and you can't help but to feel just a little ripped off. 

-1.5 for a disjointed and illogical story.  But...
+1 for imagination (though unrestrained)
-1.5 for being shorter than Santa's elves in cold water. 
-1 for a 'Use' key that doubles as a 'change weapon' button (even though that button is something else as well!)
-1 for targeting the economically minded gamers who try to buy their games in a certain price range.

6 - Worth a look-see.  If you are a fan of the series and can spare the money...go for it.  It's not a really good value product.  This game is 90 minutes with no replay value to speak of.  The voice acting is outstanding, however. 

Survivor Brawns, Brains, Beauty (S28E06) "The Head of the Snake"

It hasn't been worth the effort to blog about Survivor BBB to this point from the last time I wrote.  Though interesting, The choices have been pretty logical. 

The 3 tribes merged into 2 with all 3 remaining members of the Brains tribe being fortunate to be on the same team.  They were matched with 3 members of the former Beauty team...who were tripping over themselves to let the Brain team know how much they hated each other...and one member from the former Brawn team; Sarah (the Cop).  With a smirk, the Brains took out a member of the former Beauty team and thus had run of the tribe.  Since I can't remember the name of the new tribe, I will just call them 'The new Brains tribe'.

Pictured above is Tony; one hell of a player.  A Jersey City cop with much Savvy.  With this new tribe, he was calling the shots.  Since I can't remember the name of that tribe...let's call them 'Tony's Tribe'.

On Tony's tribe, Cliff (former NBA player) was voted out.  It was more of a strategic move.  His one ally; Lindsay bailed out of the game.  Being a lazy, weak bully didn't seem to work for her after she didn't have the numbers to back it up.  She must have sucked like a nuclear Hoover...because after she left, the team had a strong spirit and excellent energy!

On winning the last immunity challenge, Tony made a strategic error in his elation and declared his team to be the "Final 5!".  Since he had made a promise to Sarah previously, she realized that, despite his promise otherwise, she was no longer part of his alliance.  The remaining (former) Beauty members realized that they had to play the game smart...Thus 'The new Brain Tribe'  and 'Tony's Tribe' polarized into brand new alliances.

This takes us up to Episode 06
 
There is a merge.  11 players merge into a brand new tribe.  All the 6 in the dominant position need to do is to stay focused.  Sarah (The Policewoman):

 

Decides that she is in a position of power.  She takes dominance of 'The new brain tribe' alliance.  2 of the original Brain tribe (the council of 3;  Spencer, Kass, Tasha) played it smart and let Sarah 'Call the Shots' if she wanted to believe she was.  Kass, on the other hand, got a total nerd boner against Sarah (a Spaz) and made an emotional decision to side with Tony's Alliance and voted against her own alliance ... killing the majority advantage of her own alliance. 

 

Kassandra;  More Flaky than a Spanikopita

 

Despite the friction between Kass and Sarah, Latasha tried to smooth things over with them both.  She was fairly nice with Sarah because, as a possible swing vote, they need to keep on her good side.  Despite the logic of this, Kass decided that it was like a parent that was playing favorites.  That seems indicative of her emotional immaturity taking precedence over her ability for logical reasoning.  This isn't the first time this game that Kass has gone neurotic in the 'Swing' position.  It seems she takes pride in being (as she calls herself:) "Chaos Kass".  Flexing her muscle of arbitrariness as she did before...like she never had even a bit of power in her life and only abused it when she had it.  The rest of the members of the New Brains alliance played it smart.  They made it look like they were going to vote for LJ or Tony...and, after flushing out both idols in Tony's alliance to protect those 2 members, they all voted for Jefra:

 

 

Flush out 2 idols and reducing the opposing alliance numbers by 1?  Brilliant.  Well it would have been except the Attorney at Spaz Mindlesson and Assoc. (Kass) Blew it with an emotional decision.

 

 

Where does that leave Kassandra?  As near as I can figure it...she's going out in 6th place.  Neither alliance really trusts her.  In Tony's 5...she's the outsider.  In the New Brain alliance...she's someone who can't be trusted.  It would be in the Brains' best interest to keep her thinking that she's safe.  If she continues to be unpredictable then no one really has any use for her. 

 

The vote at tribal council did flush out 2 hidden immunity idols held by Tony's Alliance.  It also removed the potential of a flip by former Brawn member.  Now the field is truly level.  Two alliances of 5 members each and no immunity idols to be played. 

 

The Monosexual (she fucked herself).

 

 

 

Skyrim - Dawnguard

Here I sit broken hearted. 
Dawnguard was born as Bethesda farted. 

From their ass came this DLC. 
I paid $5 when it shouldn't have been 3. 

The Characters complex as stereotypes are;
if you are a little thick, that's sarcasm in a jar.

The grizzled vampire hunter has much fame...
you might know him as "Batman" in any other game.

The OCD girl obsessing about the Dwemer. 
The rookie with an axe.  The troll with a femur.

The 'obvious guy' with a thick accent so loud.  (of course)
Hits a bear with his willy and sends it through a cloud.

A vampire that whines and complains like a tool.
OMG...that's not JUST a"Vampire" it's one from a high school!

They broke the alchemy lab when it was working before.
Its code broke to pieces when vampires crashed through the door

The people in the town won't attack your partner or you. 
If another vampire pops in, he's dusty before the count of 2. 

Despite all their powers...despite all they've fought
...the 'Vampire threat' seem to be vacant of thought.

They'll crash into town with odds of 100 to 1. 
It never occurs to them 'this is fucked...I'd better run!'

Lack of thinking and gameplay and holes in the plot. 
With AI the same with more hit points in the pot. 

The numbers increase while my intellect drops like a rock. 
Is my Vampire partner fighting?  Or sucking figurative cock?
 
Though she is supposed to be sneaky, it's a skill she never uses. 
She blows covers as well like she wants more abuses.

She'll get everyone angry...and then they'll see me. 
I'll have to finish what she started while she stays on her knee. 

With cool points to choose from the writer here went wrong;
he sat on the fence so long, it ended up smelling like a thong.

You might remember hating any 'Fallout New Vegas' DLC
To be honest, the only fair price for this one is 'FREE'!


Conclusion:
5/10.  They broke some functionality of the original game.  Annoying attacks all the time mean
being essentially nagged to do the expansion missions.   It's typical Bioshock BS AI.  Making an enemy tougher by stacking hit points and damage in their favor rather than switching up their tactics. 
It's worth a 'Looksee' but that's about it. 

Survivor - Brawns Brains Beauty (episode 1 - 2 hr)

Three words:  WHAT THE HELL!? 

To preface;  all 3 teams are divided up by having members who's personal attribute may be highest in the specific category;  Beauty, Brains or Brawn.  What we actually saw was that Beauty or Brawn does not preclude that their members don't have enough brains to get them by and that the 'Brains' team has an extra component of neurosis and over-confidence in poorly thought out decisions.

The first thing that happened was for each team to choose a leader.  LJ was chosen from the Beauty tribe because he resonated as a confident, intelligent individual.

Sarah was chosen as leader of the Brawn team for literally the same reason.  She resonated confidence and intelligence.

The Brains team voted in David because - uh - Well...because he was wearing a blazer (forehead slap) 

The first duty of each 'Team Leader' was to eliminate 1 member of their team.  It was said that this person would leave the game. 

LJ selected Morgan (a hot NFL Cheerleader).  He figured that her being so "Hot" would create drama and unwanted alliances around camp and that she might not contribute as much as someone who wasn't as good looking.

Sarah chose Trish to leave.  Ironically, Trish was Sarah's most vocal supporter to be the leader.  Sarah felt that Trish was older and skinnier and may not have the physical power compared to the other tribe members.

Okay...so who did David choose?  Well, it seemed that David was thinking 'Strategically'.  He decided that once you get 3/4 of the way into the game, the person to look out for would be both the strongest and the smartest...and that would be 'Garrett'.  David seemed to have missed the fact that he wasn't actually 3/4 of the way into the game in the first 10 minutes of episode 1!  If you get rid of your strongest people up front, your team loses consistently and you will be lucky to be around even 1/2 of the way into the game.  He wasn't aware of the fact that, being just over 5 feet tall, David, himself might have been made 'Uncomfortable' by Garrett who was well over 6 feet...which may have been the subliminal reason for his poor decision.  (Little men are complex like that)

So; the plot twist:  The selected members are, in fact, not going to be eliminated from the competition, but rather, sent ahead to the selected base.  Further, unbeknownst to the rest of the team, they are given a choice;  They can get a clue to the immunity idol or have another bag of rice for the team.  Morgan and Garrett chose the idol clue while Trish opted for the extra bag of rice.  Garrett found the idol but Morgan couldn't before their respective teams pulled up to the camp.  They mentioned something about a 'Clue to certain things'.   Garrett said something about a water source.  Morgan; about camp supplies.  It was a nice cover.  Trish didn't need to lie. 

Most of the teams are working smoothly to construct their shelter.  Here is J'Tia.  Model turned nuclear engineer from Chicago.  While the other teams had built their shelters as a team effort, J'Tia (of the "Brains" team) felt that the political model for this enterprise had to be more of a hierarchical structure.  Since she was the "Nuclear Engineer", she had more "Brains" than anyone else on the team.  Presenting her 2 dimensional line graph where a construction worker would be on the bottom and she was on the top...she figured that she was better able to "construct" something...or at least "Instruct" those who were "Lesser" than she on how to do it.  With a pattern of linear thinking that is all too predominate with those who have far too much confidence in their own limited definition of intelligence,  the rest of the team said "Yeah...that makes sense".    J'Tia proceeded to boss her way to unpopularity as people started to realize that she wasn't the right choice for foreman. 

Hmmm...nice brains.  Oh...I didn't mention that she was a Playboy model, did I?

 

Not surprisingly, "Brains" lost the challenge.  The Survivor Darwin award goes to David for thinking 12 episodes ahead while ignoring the first 20 minutes in front of his nose.  No surprise...and not much in the way of drama.  But wait!  There's more!

 

For the next challenge, there is a structure in the water.  The entire team needs to swim out to this structure and climb over the top to the inside...swim down and untie barrels containing puzzle pieces.  There is a bottom hatch to haul the barrels out and onto the beach where a puzzle needs to be solved.  J'Tia was sluggish in the water for the Brains team.  They couldn't climb over the top until she got to the structure.  Then the Brains team was making up ground...and they were first onto the beach with a herculean effort.  The puzzle pieces were taken out and it was up to the "Most intelligent" member of the team to assemble the puzzle.  Yeah...here we go again.  Once again, linear thinking prevails with the academics and who could be "More Intelligent" than a Nuclear Engineer.  Well...apparently everyone since both other teams,  one of which was severely trailing, were able to complete their puzzles while J'Tia had managed to fit only 2 pieces. 

 

At camp, everyone on the Brains team was entirely disappointed.  It was clear that they had lost the challenge...and it was clear why. 

 

The Brainiac 

 

Garrett, unfortunately, decided to have an "Open Forum" about the subject.  He stated that the reason that they lost the challenge was clear and they should all vote out the weakest link.  Unfortunately, this is Survivor, not group therapy.  Honesty will only get you used...or, with more than one person, get people pissed off at you. 

 

Latasha Fox objected.  She doesn't want an "Open forum".  She wants to play the game.  Latasha's game is to convince this idiot:

 

   (Kassandra)

 

...that it's all about the 'Boys forming an alliance versus the girls'.  Once again showing how this team of "Brainiacs" can see a fly at a mile but miss the elephant sitting on their dinner.  At this point in the game, all you should be concerned about is having a strong team.  Garrett comes over to where these two are having a meeting...with his pal in tow...leaving J'Tia (Is that French for I, Bitch!?) alone at the camp.  J'Tia throws the teams rice on the fire because she is "Justifiably pissed off" for Garrett's callousness.  Kassandra, who mentioned that she was about to support the women to eliminate the men in the tribe, points out the irony that J'Tia's action has closed the door on her aligning herself with her.  Apparently all doors with Kassandra tend to open and close very randomly and frequently as she changed her opinion, YET AGAIN, at tribal council.  J'Tia and Latasha have an iron clad alliance between them (huh?  I wonder why?  Uh...no I don't).

 

  Kassandra feels powerful because she has the 'Swing vote'.  The only power she actually has is to determine who 4 and 5 are going to be.  A stronger team means the ability to turn this thing around and win some challenges.  At tribal council...Jeff's questions, usually designed to stir the pot, barely leave his mouth before the team cascades into an orgy of neurosis.  Jeff refers to them as both enlightening and crazy.  All lessons of how not to stick your foot in your mouth seem to be lost on Garrett.  He opens his mouth and blatantly blurts out that Kassandra is in an alliance with him and...

 

...Spencer Bledsoe.

 

Kassandra turns around and says "Fuck you...there is no alliance with me" (or something like that).  "How dare you assume, and that is going to cost you".   At the cost of the strength of the team for the perception that she will save herself in the short term *"When" her team loses again (Okay she's a negative idiot as well)  She went with the alliance of women. 

 

But, Like an Oreo, the soft creamy centre will be consumed first.  I hope you enjoyed flexing your muscle of arbitrariness, Kassandra because, if you don't side with Spencer to have a chance of getting rid of J'Tia...you're out after him.  Way to join the brains team and make decisions with your emotions (...and this person is a lawyer!?).   See this is why I have no faith in the justice system.

 

Garrett gets voted out leaving the immunity idol back at camp.   He is bemused...and slightly amused as well I think.  He honestly had too much trust in his team to make a proper decision.  There shouldn't be alliances at this stage.  The only thing anyone should be thinking about at this point is "What is best for the team so that it can better compete against the other teams".  This clear thought was not so clear with his team.