Big Brother 17: Live Feeds into Monday Morning - August 24

She can occasionally talk a good game

Here's the latest from inside that Big Brother House of Well, It's Tomorrow:

• And, because it's tomorrow, things have changed once again in the house.
• This drama is all because of Vanessa, mind you.
• It's Vanessa who holds the PoV and will use it or not.
• It's Vanessa who's going around from hamster to hamster mind-boggling them into thinking of reasons to target others.
• When I left you in my last post, it looked like she was going to use the veto to save one of the nominees (probably Steve) and James would be the target.
• Scratch that.
• It's now tomorrow.
• Now it looks once again like she will not use the veto and Johnny Mac will go.
• I cannot predict how this will go down. She's too hard for me to read and, unlike some, she doesn't talk to us. 
• In other news, Julia claims she's lost Liz because Liz is "in a relationship."
• @@
• Okay, then break up the relationship!
• Austin continues to have delusions of grandeur about how the show's fans perceive him and how we see his "relationship" with Liz.
• That boy is in for a shock when he gets out.
• He also thinks Johnny Mac's speeches (at ceremonies) are unintelligent.
• Need we get a transcript of his own speech from last night's show? That had some mighty big words in it, yet made no sense at all. It was written like he thought he'd be impressing people, but instead it just perplexed us and gave us more reason to want to chop off that ponytail beard.
• The poll on the website for live feed voters had us wanting them to play hide and seek. Johnny Mac was the winner, finally scaring Julia when he leaped from under one of the dentist's chairs.
• I guess we'll see whether Vanessa uses the veto or not.
• Then we'll see who Vanessa wants to go home.
• I'm so glad that Vanessa won HoH again this week!
• Heh.

Julia wouldn't mind if Austin was OUT

Continues to run the house

Can he hang in?

Big Brother 17: Live Feeds Sunday into the Evening - August 23

A new look?

Here's the latest from inside that Big Brother House of the Many Faces of Vanessa:

• I've decided that Vanessa is one of the best BB hamsters ever for facial expression screencaps.
• She's not doing too shabby at the game, either.
• Although I often find her annoying, she's a fantastic manipulator.
• Most of the day was lazy Sunday stuff, but the dilemma of this week's eviction remains.
• Vanessa has gone from anti-Steve to working a movement to get James up on the block as a replacement nominee.
• Now Vanessa is working with Steve again.
• My head continues to spin.
• Steve himself seems to have taken on a bit of Vanessa strategy gameplay as he talks to Austin.
• So, right now it looks like Steve is once again safe.
• If the veto is used, either Meg or James (most likely James) will be backdoored and Johnny Mac stays.
• They're worried about who might come back in, of course.
• All will hinge on whether or not Vanessa uses the veto.
• At the moment, it looks like she will.
• That may change by tomorrow, though.

Worried

New glasses?

Steve among twins

Praying to keep staying

Big Brother 17: HoH Outcome, Nominations Show Blog Party - August 23

Good evening! Ready for a blog party? While many of us already know the results of the PoV comp, tonight's television episode will focus on the  HoH comp outcome from Thursday evening, as well as the nominations.

I'll update this entry with the major happenings as it airs here on the East Coast. Refresh the page to get the latest. As always, the real party is in the comments area. I hope to see you there!

Before we get started, I'd like to thank those who donated to the blog this past week! You guys rock! 

The recap ends with Meg out first on the HOH comp and James scaring Julia. Let's get on with the show!

Round Two ... ready, set, crow! Austin tells us it would be in his interest NOT to win as he doesn't want to be responsible for sending Vanessa home. Julia accidentally moved her hand off the buzzer and is out.

Round Three ... Ready, set, flow! Vanessa out with a false start.

Round Four ... Ready, Set, No! Johnny Mac was last to finish, out.

Round Five ... Now Austin wants to win. Steve, false start, out.

Round Six ... it's James and Austin. It's a footrace and James is short. (Heehee) Austin is the new HOH! He gives us some scripted (?) Judas lines about being Judas and betraying someone. Yeah, right.

Liz is worried about getting "more blood on our hands." Too bad, so sad. Steve thinks it's win-win for him. Well, he might have another think coming before long.

Austin tells us he's aligned with everyone in the house. Not so good when you're HOH and have to put someone on the block. He tells James he's going to tell everyone he has a deal with Meg and James so he can't put them up. He can only target Vanessa, Steve or Johnny Mac. Johnny Mac (and everyone else) thinks he's safe.

Austin tells us that Vanessa is not running his HOH. We'll see about that. He tells the twins he's thinking about putting Steve and Johnny Mac on the block. Then Vanessa comes in to run his HOH for him. 

In a talk with Meg and James, we're led to believe that Austin might seriously consider taking out Vanessa.

Yeah, right. 

Meeting with Austin, Vanessa, Steve and twins. He tells them he can't put Meg or James up and the target is Johnny Mac. "The pawn has to come from this room." Vanessa says Steve would be best and pretty much volunteers him for the pawn position. He's reluctant. 

Steve talks to Austin alone. Steve throws Vanessa under the bus and brings up her throwing Austin under the bus and so on and so forth. The others return and Vanessa goes off on Steve and claims he's not loyal to the alliance because he doesn't want to be a pawn. I don't see her volunteering. 

Again, we're led to think Austin might go after Vanessa. 

Liz tells us she didn't like Austin at first, but now she does ... 93%. A gag-inducing Liz/Austin hammock segment ensues.

Austin tells Steve that he's considering a backdoor for Vanessa. He has to put someone up next to Johnny Mac. Steve SO doesn't want to go up with Johnny Mac. He says he'd rather go up against Vanessa. Austin agrees that it won't be him next to John. Yeah, right.

Julia runs to Vanessa and tells her Steve doesn't want to be a pawn next to Johnny Mac. Of course, SHE can't be a pawn, so she goes to work her mojo on Austin and the twins. 

It's time for the nominations ceremony. Austin wears his Judas hat. @@

He nominates Johnny Mac and Steve. He says he's conflicted. He goes off on a whacko speech about life and knowledge. Thinking about Liz, too. Victims are we all.  

Steve tells us he's in awe of Vanessa's gameplay.

Off Topic: That Was the Week It Was - August 23, 2015

Good morning! Welcome to my weekly off television topic reflection of the past week in both words and photographs I've taken along the way; This post is a year 'round "feature" on the blog. If you're looking for Big Brother posts, they can all be found at this link right here. If you're not interested in this particular post, please feel free to skip on by it. I'll be posting a Big Brother blog party post coinciding with the East Coast airing of the show and, late this evening, another live feeds post. Stay tuned.

Oh my ... what a week weatherwise we had around here this past week! We had an extended heat wave with humidity that made the air thick as pea soup some days. Well, perhaps not THAT thick, but ...! It was the kind of weather in which some folks have trouble breathing and others fall to heat strokes. I didn't have either of those issues, but it was definitely the kind of weather that made me miserable anytime I was outside in it. Gah.

On Wednesday, thankfully a day off from work for me, we had this strange storm which hung over our relatively small section of New Jersey with downpours lasting a few hours. I'm talking constant downpours. Sure, there was lightning and thunder, too. But the rain amount within three hours was more than we usually get for a month. While my direct neighborhood was no more than an inch or so flooded in parts, just a few blocks down the street from me people were abandoning their cars in the high flood waters. Neighboring town Scotch Plains was even worse.

My neighborhood has only flooded once in the fifteen years I've lived here. That was a few years before Sandy with another hurricane, if memory serves. While we got flood predictions and evacuation notices over Sandy at my building, that was more wind damage than water here. I'm not on the ground level, so floods don't worry me so much. Wind, on the other hand, is an issue. There are big trees lining the parking lot and we have above ground electricity wires. Sandy knocked out my power for almost two weeks.

That was the big excitement for the week. Other than the weather, everything was same old, same old. I keep telling myself vacation (more of a staycation) is coming soon. Alas, not soon enough!

Here are the photos for the week -- clicking on an image will give you a larger version!

Got his leggings on!

This is one of the pigeons born this past spring at the Bridgewater Train Station. To be honest, I have no clue whether it's male or female. However, I do know this one has cool leggings!

Gruesome discovery

Who could have perpetuated such a heinous crime? These remains were discovered on the grounds of the Plainfield Train Station. Obviously, no house fell on her. Those aren't ruby slippers and we had a flood, not a tornado. The rest of the victim's body remains missing. If you have any information, notify the authorities, please. We cannot let a vicious killer like this continue to roam the streets of Plainfield! Citizens beware!

Plainfield ambulance rushes to flooded area

While my block and the next were relatively unscathed by the flooding on Wednesday, just east of where I live was underwater with many cars stranded. As Route 22 and many other streets on the east side of town (my side) were closed due to the flash flood, traffic was backed up as far as you could see heading westbound as this all went down during rush hour. I took this shot about a half-hour after the storms subsided and the sun came out.

**CLICK THE 'READ MORE' LINK TO SEE THE REST OF THE PHOTOS**

Big Brother 17: Live Feeds into Sunday, Power of Veto - August 23

But, is his mind racing?

Oh my. I didn't really see that one coming. Here's the latest from inside that Big Brother House of Zingle and Ready to Mingle:

• Blocked to the feeds, the comp was a mixture of the Zingbot and face morph.
• VANESSA WON.
• Apparently Meg did horribly and was crying when the feeds came back.
• That made Austin and company worry that she doesn't trust them not to put her up if the veto is used.
• First, she shouldn't worry -- Vanessa isn't planning on using it.
• Second, they shouldn't worry -- I think the stress and doing so poorly on every comp in the book is getting to Meg in addition to the Zingbot zings. She can get a bit teary anyway. I don't think she's all that worried about being evicted. She told Vanessa it's because she feels like a "total ditz" on the show.
• Yeah, she is a bit of a ditz. But she's very likable and personable. That's far more than some past (and maybe present) hamsters.
• It's Steve and John who should be worried. One will definitely go home this week.
• So, now we have the big conundrum in front of us -- which one to send home? Steve or Johnny Mac?
• I can see this quandary being discussed and dissected until Thursday.
• While Vanessa has been pushing for a Steve ouster (and still is), I did catch her saying that he'll be out next week when she wins HoH.
• Hmm.
• Heh. Liz won't talk about her zing and it was mentioned it's a sore point. It has to be about her using/being with Austin, methinks.
• They keep going back and forth over who will go. Ack. I can see these revolving door conversations going on for days!
• I might just have to go join Meg in a good cry!
• The zings included ones about Vanessa crying so much, Steve being a "nerd dude," James living in the "friend zone" and some kind of reference to Austin's (at home) girlfriend. Eep.
• The latest on which should go home is Vanessa saying that she knows Steve is loyal to Austin and should be kept.
• Round and round it goes.
• Steve kept reading what looked like his HoH letter from home (from his short reign).
• They're all in bed as I get this posted.

Will this week be his last?

Watching "Netflix" (HoH spy cam)

Johnny Mac approaching the Twins

Steve lied to me!

Talking mostly about Steve

In deep thought

Big Brother 17: Live Feeds Saturday into the Evening - August 22

Playing games

Here's the latest from inside that Big Brother House of Tomfoolery and Frivolities:

• As you can tell by my lead, I ain't got nuthin' earth-shaking in the way of news from today.
• Johnny Mac is still foolishly trusting Austin, thinking he's a pawn.
• He even asked who he should pick as Houseguest's Choice if he draws that chip.
• Hopefully JM is just playing along, not totally being duped.
• He doesn't talk to us as does Steve or, as of late, Austin.
• They're pretty sure it's time for the Zingbot Veto.
• That's what you get with BB fans on the show. They should really juggle these comps around.
• I'd say get all clueless recruits who have never seen the show, but I don't like them. Plus, so many people who have watched every season of BB really want to be on the show.
• Not me. Nuh-uh. Nope. No way.
• Austin is sure that he and Liz are very popular with the fans.
• He'll find out when he leaves.
• McCranda.
• That's all I got to say.
• Austin thinks that James is probably unpopular because he broke up Clay and Shelli.
• He'll find out when he leaves.
• I'd dare say that James is more of a fan favorite than the twins and Austin all together.
• They're on indoor lockdown. So, it's going to be a bit boring for today.
• They don't have as many places to scheme.
• Vanessa is still telling Austwins that Steve needs to go sooner rather than later.
• She really wants him gone.
• While Steve knows that Vanessa is bad-mouthing him, he probably wouldn't nominate her if he won HoH.
• She's workin' her mojo, I say.
• Finally the veto players were picked. Steve got Julia, John got Meg and Austin got Vanessa. Liz will be the host.
• Then hours and hours ... and hours went by.
• They fooled around playing games, throwing chocolate and eating cookies.
• Meg declared it, "The most boring day ever!"
• I can't argue with that.
• Seeing the hour it is here on the East Coast and they just went to Jeffish a few minutes ago, I might be reporting on the outcome in the wee hours.

Product placement

Has suffered no injuries lately

Meow

How can you sleep in a winter hat?

A private corner

Big Brother 17: Live Feeds into Saturday - August 22

Finally, it's the smaller table.

Here's the latest from inside that Big Brother House of Someone Has to Go:

• Despite the tension in the house, they're still having fun with chocolate throwing fights and their "Cooking Show."
• That's a good thing.
• One thing about this cast is that it seems the majority of them will probably keep in touch after leaving the house. No one really seems to "hate" each other.
• That's not good in the fact that we lack real brouhahas and there's no chance of fisticuffs or arrests!
• Heehee.
• In a long talk to us from bed (they're no John and Yoko), Austin explained his plans.
• They told both Steve and Johnny Mac they're pawns.
• They told Johnny Mac there's a backdoor plan.
• Vanessa is NOT a backdoor plan and Austin will not be putting her on the block.
• Steve would be their second choice to leave.
• At the moment, Johnny Mac is their first target -- mainly because they don't really have him figured out.
• I don't think anyone other than perhaps Becky had John figured out.
• What the Austwins (which, right now is more just John and Yoko ... er, Austin and Liz) don't have is a real contingency plan if the veto is used.
• They're thinking that they'd put Meg up and have the votes to keep her.
• Steve, after his bit of a fall from grace yesterday, seems the lesser target once again.
• But if Johnny Mac saves himself, Steve will be in trouble.
• Both Steve and Johnny Mac have a knack for winning veto when needed.
• But, obviously, there are no ties in Big Brother.
• If someone doesn't rise up soon to break up the twins, I can see them as the final two.
• Not too bright of a cast this year to let such a strong bond stay.

He'll stay if he stays.

Shrewd, but can she beat The Three?

Explaining plans to us.

More cooking fun

Big Brother 17: Live Feeds Friday, Nominations - August 21

Quite fitting, methinks

It's yet another convoluted HoH reign this week. Austwins have made too many deals with too many people. And, yeah, he's just a clown in a top hat with dangly hair with doohickeys in it (who does hickeys), a dangly ponytail beard. What do we really expect of him? Had he not latched onto Liz/Julia, his game might have him out by now. Instead, the block of three just might make it to the end. Here's the latest from inside that Big Brother House of One Potato, Two Potato:

• Austin told Steve he made deals with everyone by mistake.
• Well, duh. Had he thought things out, he could see that way leads to trouble!
• The original plan he/they (Austwins) had was to put up Steve and Johnny Mac as pawns, then possibly backdoor Vanessa.
• As Shelli puts it, "Vanessa got in his ear."
• Despite the fact that she tried to backdoor him, despite the fact that her lies have been exposed, despite the fact that (like Johnny Mac pointed out) the majority of people out today were Vanessa's choices to be gone ... Austin seems to forgive her and now wants to keep her in the house.
• Liz has been pro-Steve; Julia anti-Johnny Mac.
• Austin has always liked Steve more than he liked Johnny Mac.
• Remember back when Austin hated James?
• Those days are gone.
• Austin promised James and Meg he wouldn't put either of them on the block.
• He seems to want to stick with that particular deal.
• Austwins (since it's not just Austin HOH this week) are worried that Becky or Shelli will come back into the game and team up with either Steve or Johnny Mac.
• Sheesh, they can't vote BOTH of the out!
• Vanessa had been told the target was Johnny Mac.
• Steve said, in front of Vanessa, that he didn't want to go up as a pawn.
• That gave Vanessa ammo against Steve because he's "not a team player."
• Yet, she's begging not to be put on the block.
• Oy.
• These hamsters are making my head hurt.
• In the end, Austin nominated Steve and Johnny Mac.
• And, they're seriously looking at them both -- Steve might be in more trouble than Johnny Mac.
• That wasn't the case just yesterday.
• Tomorrow might be a different story.
• Austin is also talking of possibly putting up James if one of the two are saved by the veto.
• Vanessa?
• Vanessa who?

Is Johnny Mac giving the Evil Eye?

They know she lies, yet they believe in her

Could it be bye-bye, Steve?

James needs to win HoH!

Big Brother 1: Live Feeds into Friday - August 21

Is the prankster in danger?

Here's the latest from inside that Big Brother House of Quirkydirks:

• If you went to bed last night and didn't know, Austin won HoH.
• So, we have another week of him and Liz canoodling up in the HoH room.
• Sigh. As long as they don't have all four cameras on it!
• One thing about the extensive Jeffish during the comp last night (blocked feeds with Jeff Schroeder interviews/clips) last night ... he truly mocked the Liz/Austin showmance. Bwahahaha!
• But that was only entertaining the first few times around.
• James is thrilled that they did a segment on him scaring Julia.
• In the beginning, I wasn't sure I'd like James. But, if not for him, a lot of the entertainment would be gone out of the house.
• Austin told James and Meg he wouldn't put them up. He tells Julia he plans to stick to that.
• Now, that doesn't leave a lot of other folks -- Julia (he won't due to Liz), Vanessa, Steve or Johnny Mac have to go on the block.
• Obviously, he wouldn't put Liz up.
• Obviously.
• Austin promises this week will be BIG and he'll get to be Judas.
• Hmm ... sounds like a Vanessa ouster to me!
• I think the only "big moves" Austin could make in a Judas scenario would be Vanessa or Julia. Perhaps to a lesser degree -- Steve or Johnny Mac.
• Austin tells Vanessa that his target is Johnny Mac, but Steve doesn't want to go up as a pawn.
• Vanessa came up with a convoluted plan of thrown challenges which would supposedly send JM home.
• Vanessa proposed several different plans.
• Austin nodded, but didn't commit to any of them.
• In his HoH basket, Austin got a clown nose.
• He doesn't understand.
• He also got a photo of someone he met once.
• Weird.
• Austin is completely seeing through all of Vanessa's tactics now.
• Good.
• He, of course, can make Liz see it.
• But, is Julia still a sympathizer?
• I think if she had her druthers, she'd choose Vanessa to keep over Johnny Mac.
• It's a good thing she has her sister, not her druthers!
• James and Meg volunteered to be Have Nots this week.
• Austin wonders if he should go after Johnny Mac or Steve because Vanessa isn't currently targeting him.
• @@
• Austin tells Vanessa he might put her up as a pawn against Johnny Mac.
• Vanessa wants him to use Steve as the pawn and gives a gazillion reasons.
• She thinks it's a backdoor James plan.
• Eventually, she kind of gave in, but asked Austin for a few minutes to talk alone.
• He told her NO! Not as emphatic as when Becky shut her down, but ...!
• As the night wore on, Austin doesn't know if this is the week to go after Vanessa.
• Hey, credit to Vanessa if she stays in yet another week!
• I said the above, not Austin.
• Johnny Mac's odd behavior is turning people against him. They can hear him screaming in the Diary Room and such.
• And, of course, Julia never liked him.
• As I wrap this up ... I'm really not sure which way he'll go. In trouble are Johnny Mac, Vanessa and, to a lesser extent, Steve.
• I guess we'll see with nominations.

Liz and the HoH

"Did Johnny Mac call us DUMB?"

Should I make a big move?

Austin, can I talk to you? NO

We do need to get Vanessa out

He won't give me any time!

They still have the giant table.

Big Brother 17: HoH Endurance Comp Live Updates - August 20

After the live feeds return, this post will be updated with screen caps and ... well ... updates on the endurance comp. Who wants to wait until Sunday to find out the outcome? Not US! Refresh the page to see the latest and feel free to join in comments below!

10:06pm ET - Feeds not back yet.
10:10pm ET - Still Jeffish
10:20pm ET - Still no live feeds.
Grr.

10:22pm ET - feeds on sidelines

Quick back to Jeffish, but Julia is out with Meg sitting on the bench. And, Vanessa jumped the gun, so she's out. At least we saw that much.

10:30pm ET - Feeds back.

10:30pm ET

10:33pm ET - I think Steve might be out, but they cut to Jeffish quickly.

10:36pm ET - Steve is still in it. It's JOHNNY MAC who's out.

10:36pm ET

More Jeffish than comp tonight.

10:46pm ET - Feeds back, same crowd on bench.

10:48pm ET Quad Cam

Jeffish again.

10:54pm ET It's down to James and Austin.

10:57pm ET Quad Cam

10:58pm ET - Final sprint

10:58pm ET - AUSTIN WINS HOH