pdlinda

I just finished watching the new season episode this morning (recorded it last evening) and I was struck with the theme (live fire AGAIN) and the fact that Tiffany (other judges too, but mostly her) started with the vocal "interaction" with the contestants while they were cooking. Whomever, on the production side, thinks this is a good idea, is sadly mistaken, IMO. The contestants are there to showcase their abilities and talents and the constant shouting from the judges does NOTHING to enhance that goal. Maybe the production staff thinks the show would be too boring without all the interruptions; however, it was such a showcase for true talent for so many years and gained a wide audience, why mess with a good thing?? The thing that I learned last year that really bothered me was that the contestants have to bear the cost of travel and lodging while competing so for the ones that lose, it's large expense to absorb (especially in this economy).

My IMMEDIATE THOUGHT!!! The husband better MAKE SURE his name is on the deed along with the wife!😃

I didn't know that about Pepper. Can you provide some more details????

IMO, that will be the conclusion for ALL except stacia and nate who will probably keep the marriage going a big longer because she goes for therapy and maybe he'll join her. As for Miguel, he showed an abusive, sinister side to him that was of GREAT concern to me so he has some personal work to do on himself, as well, if he wants to get married to a healthy, responsible woman.

UGH! Graciousness is apparently not part of Alexis' DNA. She uses words like a SLEDGEHAMMER! She is crude and inelegant and I bet Justin will relish the day she's no longer in his life!

Both horrible!!!

I agree with that strategy. That way, she won't feel the pressure to make a "go" of her marriage to Nate if that's not in her best interest.

This is my read on Nate. He portrays himself as a "day trader." Not sure the recessionary market is generating a lot of $$$ in a steady, reliable and continuing manner to him. I don't see him as having a lot of savings or other sources of income. The San Diego housing mkt is extremely expensive! I think he is smart and savvy; however, financially he is vulnerable. Enter, Stacia. She has (with all her neuroses) substantial income from a business she built on her own. She has wealth. The prospect of leaving Stacia and having to navigate the local world he inhabited before they were married is weighing on Nate's mind. I saw his eyes twinkle when he entered her comfortable home (irrespective of its institutional whiteness and lack of style). The thought of living in a fully-furnished comfortable home with Stacia (including ongoing intimacy and sexual enjoyment) is certainly resonating with Nate. Perhaps they will develop some business plans between them and he can play a useful role in building up their assets. Once he starts contributing to the household (that I doubt he can do much of right now) there will be more of a "power sharing" regarding decision making. It would be VERY ADVISABLE for Nate to have an attorney/accountant at his disposal so IF HE DOES BEGIN doing business deals with Stacia, he would be receiving a fair percentage of what they are producing together. That way, if (maybe when) they part, he'll have enough $$ to avoid being homeless. Of all the couples, I think Nate and Stacia will stick it out and see what develops between them. She has childhood issues. (No father) He has childhood issues (No mother). On the subject of children, NO, NO, NO until and unless BOTH of them are 100% committed to that choice. BOTH Nate and Stacia are the products of dysfunctional childhood homes and have borne a heavy price growing up including now! I know Stacia is 37; however, there are many women conceiving in their 40's with few complications. There really is no hurry to bring an innocent child into that household in its "infancy."

I sensed there was a vast disparity in income between Susan and Brent. Apparently, her parents were frequently "plugging up the financial gaps" in the family's budget, (with pleasure). Even with the Alford Plea, I believe Brent will serve close to the time limit (10 yrs) imposed by the Court. Even with that, he got a very sweet deal. I wonder how the daughters are faring and who is raising them. I wonder if Susan left a substantial enough estate so the girls' lifestyle might closely approximate what they were accustomed to before her death. As they have no relationship with their wealthy grandparents, my cynical belief is that as time transpires (the grandparents seemed elderly) they might wish to reconsider a reconciliation. It would mean A LOT to Susan's parents, and, from a purely financial point of view, all parties would benefit.

Money and Sex. On both those fronts this season doesn't offer much hope, but we'll see......

The question of legal "competency" involves the defendant (Lori) not being able to assist her attorney(s) in preparing for trial. It has little to do with any treatable mental health conditions. If she has a "personality disorder" (like antisocial personality disorder) they are harder (if not impossible) to treat so she can be "restored to competency." The Court works with the correctional health unit of the jail where Lori is housed to "restore her to competency." That means they work with her on a proscribed schedule to establish her knowledge of how the criminal justice system works. There are court-appointed psychiatrists who routinely evaluate Lori for "malingering" (trying to FAKE her inability to work with her lawyers). In our State we have 3 evaluators for such a defendant. If 2 of the 3 find "malingering" Lori will be tossed out of that system and her trial will be put back on the criminal calendar. There are many legal maneuvers that may be used by the defense (like hiring their own psych evaluators to dispute the findings of the court-appointed psychs) that may prolong the process further. In some cases, the restoration process can take YEARS! If at the end of every attempt by the parties to restore Lori, she is found to be permanently incompetent (unable to assist her attorney(s), she will be sent to a State Psych Hospital and remain there. The State Psych Hospital in our State is no "bed of roses" compared with being in a psych unit at the prisons (reserved for inmates who are "competent" but too mentally ill to function in general population in our prisons). If anyone recalls seeing "One Flew over the Cuckoo's Nest" that would be somewhat similar to conditions at a State Psych Hospital (of course I guess there are some exceptions but I never saw any). In Lori's case, her murder charges (in my State) have no time limit (statute of limitations) so if she's deemed permanently incompetent and she somehow manages to make progress, she can always be re-evaluated for competency and, regardless of how many years that may take, her case would be put back on the criminal calendar.

Let me venture a guess and say that for MANY YEARS, Meghan had designs on her mother's $$$$ and used various "schemes" to get as much of it as she could, including using various ploys to either ingratiate herself with her mother, OR antagonize her mother to the point that Pam's emotional strength was always being played with and depleted. I think the final blow was Meghan's insistence that Pam give her a cash gift for the new house and Pam refusing to do so. (I speak from experience as I have personal knowledge of such a manipulative and conniving sibling in my own family. No criminal behavior; however, years of emotional abuse toward our mother trying to skim as much $$$$ as possible without the rest of us knowing and my mother always capitulating because in her later years she simply did not possess the emotional strength to "argue.")

I'm sure this was filmed for an episode of the show so we'll be able to enjoy the entire outing!

The old adage comes to mind: "MONEY doesn't buy happiness." With all her millions, at least 2 of Pam's daughters were sources of severe aggravation and dysfunction (and, eventually death) to her. When I realized that Pam didn't actually BUY meghan the house costing over $400K as a gift, my entire opinion regarding their relationship changed. Apparently Meghan had other plans for Pam's money than Pam had herself.

I agree and from the general course of discussion with the "dear child" and the presumed type of work schedule she keeps as a bartender, I was wondering how the general maintenance (cleaning...light, medium and heavy) was going to work out??? I could see that place becoming a mess (dirty).

Yes, that too!!

I think that's GREAT! It's not for everybody but if that's the direction Mitch takes his life as the years go on, good for him! At least that would be a pursuit that he could enjoy on his own, or with like-minded folks and not have to jump through the relationship "hoops" driven by a reality TV show!!

Most definitely! He had a slovenly, disgusting appearance (sorry to be so harsh, but in this case, UGH!) and didn't have ANY characteristics that were endearing. That would include essentially refusing to earn a living. I watched those "hook-up" women from the dating sites get involved with him and was glad they severed early, although, of course, one was raped, so that was a tragedy. Such an incorrigible reprobate...may he ROT in prison! Actually, once he establishes a reliable source of "funding" from family for commissary (probably drawing on whatever was left of Stacey's life insurance after paying his lawyer's bills), he'll probably do quite well. He'll pay others (with commissary) to do his chores and am sure WON'T WORK A DAY! He'll probably spend his days sleeping late, watching TV, spinning his "yarns" and playing cards and dominoes. He'll also have phone access and, in some states, not sure about Florida, he can pay for video visits. The nature of his crime is of NO CONSEQUENCE whatsoever in the prison hierarchy of criminal behavior. It's just very "cut-and-dry". That prison will probably be a manageable "retirement" environment for Bob evokes further outrage and contempt for him from all decent people.

FOR SURE! I was specifically referring to SURFING, not "exercising" and working out that many I know do quite strenuously in their 80's!! I don't recall seeing people in their 40's and beyond handling those crashing waves and other stresses on their joints and other parts of their bodies that can't be "regulated" like they can in other forms of exercise. If I'm wrong, I stand corrected.😉

TRUE. Further proof that he's a AAA PHONY!!

OMG! The visual of that is DISGUSTING! Bring out the EYE BLEACH!

Agreed because with the little $$$ he apparently makes he spends it on these surfing "toys" that he enjoys and are expensive. I guess he can't drop the "pretense" of his "cause" because without that he is, exactly as you state, a BEACH BUM....and at 41 I'm not sure how many years he might have left to pursue the activities he enjoys the most with his aging body.

For Mitch to even CASUALLY REFER to "cleanliness" and household cleaning items dropped me on the floor LAUGHING!! As you mention the DISGUSTING state of "cleaning rags" that he would THEORETICALLY (not actually) use for "cleaning" would be enough to repulse any sane person!! Mitch is a bona fide SLOB content to live in SQUALOR with filth and grime everywhere, including the kitchen and bathroom! His apparent LAZINESS more than contradicts his CLAIM to protecting the "environment." All his ridiculous practices and procedures that he "virtue signals" to every "normal" person around him are merely coverups for his psychological issues apparently needing constant attention and "affirmation." If he had AUTHENTIC interest about the "environment" and "global care of planet earth" he would START by having a CLEAN AND TIDY HOME!! I'm done! Can't stand the guy (especially with the woolen hat "fashion statement" he makes that further solidifies my belief that, at bottom, he's a "poser.")

Rochester used to be a primo location because of a very prestigious university (U of Rochester( and Kodak. However, since Kodak essentially folded (moved jobs overseas) I guess the economic toll on the community might be seen in the dreary choices the young lady had to choose from in her HH.

Yes, she wears a very simple wedding band with a tiny gemstone in the middle AND she wears a # of other simple rings. I've also seen her wearing simple necklaces; however, NEVER saw her wearing earrings.