Next Time On... Survivor!

Survivor: Palau

In the Palau essays, we play "Devil's Advocate." We look at each person, wondering if in spite of appearances, that person might actually be a brilliant player. What might they do to win?

Why Stephanie is the Most Likely Winner
A very well thought-out article about Stephanie's chances to win Survivor.
By VikingBear, April 16, 2005

Jenn as the Ultimate Survivor
Jennifer exposes herself as the powerful player, with Stephanie's ousting.
By VikingBear, May 01, 2005

Katie and the Alpha Males
Playing the Million Dollar Role for Her Manly Men
By VikingBear, May 03, 2005

Breaking the Tie
Is Caryn in position to win Survivor?
By VikingBear, May 03, 2005

Does the Next Boot Determine the Final Two?
Why it will all come down to Coby
By VikingBear, May 05, 2005

Katie's Million-Dollar Move
When the sparks fly, who gets hurt?
By VikingBear, May 06, 2005

Here are the Survivor fan sites I personally use and recommend:

• Honest Achmed's Middle East Guide to Survivor - The irreverent and absolutely hilarious perspective on Survivor. Honest Achmed is certainly politically incorrect; it's also pretty clear he's never actually lived in any African or Middle Eastern desert. Not that that matters in the least...!
• Jokers Updates - My hangout! I love the flame-free atmosphere there. They have the biggest Big Brother forum, with live updates during the season, but of course you'll find me over in the Survivor forum :)
• Sir Linksalot .net - Survivor Panama: Exile Island Links - He keeps an up to date list of the latest Survivor articles.
• Reality TV Links - Survivor 12 - Links to fan sites, yahoo groups, reality sites, organized by season. Not just Survivor!
• Let Us Ponder - Rob Daugherty does great stream-of-consciousness essays about Survivor, adds pretty pictures, and a verbatim transcript of the complete Tribal Council from the subtitles for hearing impaired. His interest in Mayan culture brings a unique perspective to this season.

Our Genealogy Sites

• EWBarnard.com - The Barnard family story, from New England colonial times to the present. Includes the Dierlam family, who helped establish Indianola as the Mother of Western Texas before its destruction by hurricane. The Ansley family were Loyalists during the Revolutionary War, but quietly returned to settle in western Pennsylvania, where their descendants met the Barnards. The Coward family served in the Revolution for North Carolina, then moved to South Carolina, joined in petitioning for the establishment of Mississippi, and settled in Louisiana just north of New Orleans. The Grinnell family established in Rhode Island and New York, some Quaker. My branch moved to Grand Ledge Michigan.
• Albemarle-Callaway.com - The Herring family of Callaway County Missouri, and the many inter-related families. In the decades after the Revolutionary War, many families migrated straight West. The Herring and Hill families thus emigrated from Albemarle County, Virginia, to Callaway County, Missouri, in the 1830s. Related families include Carrington, Simcoe, Craghead and Craighead, Maxey, Key, Kemp, Day, Fletcher, Sitton, and Wilks. Because these families remained within Callaway County for many generations, there are many intermarriages and interesting stories! During the Civil War, for example, Captain Isaac Sitton swam his horse across the Missouri River to escape Union troops - a feat unmatched before or since. The Battle of Overton's Run was so named because the Union troops were confronted on Overton's farmland. Somebody yelled, "Run!" - and they did.

Road Trip!

Since many people enjoy seeing the exotic locations on Survivor, I thought you might enjoy some of my favorite Road Trip links. Here we go!

• Jo Travels - Jo likes to Google. And, so, on each of her trip destinations, she has photos (of course) but interesting narration and history. Why else take a road trip?
• Butcher Holler Kentucky - A West Virginia native took Jo's group to see Butcher Holler. Himself a Medical Doctor who returned to practice where he grew up (quite unusual for West Virginia), the short trip to see where the Coal Miner's Daughter grew up was one to remember.
• Breaks Interstate Park - The Grand Canyon of the East. Who would have guessed it was even there? Be sure you take time for a meal at the Lodge.
• Mary Tyler Moore Statue - Ms. Moore forever winning the hat toss.
• Point Pleasant Ohio - Ulysses S. Grant's birthplace and home, displayed as a small museum. Do you know where the expression "Good night, sleep tight" came from? It's from tightening up the network of ropes holding up the mattress on the bed. There's an interesting example here, at U. S. Grant's Birthplace.
• South Bend Indiana - home of Notre Dame University and the Horsemen of the Apocalypse.
• Navy Pier, Chicago - I had never really thought of Chicago, at the center of the Upper Midwest, as a major seaport, or the home of a major naval base, but here you are.
• Savannah Georgia - Don't miss Savannah at Sunset!
• Jo Wanders in Florida - From Sanibel Island, to Alligator Alley (alligators AND mosquitos), to Key West and Saint Augustine, Florida is surely different from any other place on the planet.