Jeff Kent, who won the National League Most Valuable Player award in 2000 while playing for the San Francisco Giants, will grace the CBS primetime line-up by appearing in Survivor: Philippines. Regarding his appearance on the show that kickstarted competition reality programming taking place in exotic locales, Kent said, "I don't want to embarrass myself. I did some stupid things in baseball...[but]...I played with integrity."

He's right about doing embarrassing things. In October of 2008, Kent donated $15,000 to support California's Proposition 8, the anti-civil rights initiative that banned same-sex marriage.

More noteworthy? Lisa Whelchel, who played the wonderful Blair from The Facts of Life, will also play in what is, more or less, a non-celebrity cast. Sad. She said that her appearance on the reality show's 25th season was the result of some sort of Betty-White-hosts-SNL-esque online campaign that she and her fans concocted. Whelchel is also an advocate for child abuse by way of hot sauce.

Also, for good measure, CBS casted a lesbian from Arkansas! Of course. Anyway, here's a video about this season, which airs on September 19.

SF Weekly reports that one of the few remaining Great Quake of '06 survivors died yesterday. Nancy Mary Sage, who stretched her life out to a staggering 105 years, died in Littleton, Colorado. Although just wee thing at the time of the infamous disaster, Sage went on to become chief librarian of the Meridian, Idaho public library and a rabid fangirl of weekly cribbage games. Read more about Sage at SF Weekly. The anniversary of the Great Quake will be commemorated at 5:13 a.m. at Lotta's Fountain on Market Street. Oh, also, there are an estimated 8 to 10 survivors left.

by Jerry James Stone

The oldest survivor of San Francisco's 1906 earthquake died on Monday at her home in El Dorado Hills. Jeanette Scola Trapani--who was 107--suffered from pneumonia and other complications related to old age.

Mrs. Trapani was born on April 21, 1902 and was a third-generation San Franciscan. She had married Vincent Trapani back in 1929 and they remained married for 67 years until his death in 1996.

The 7.8 magnitude earthquake struck just three days before Jeanette's fourth birthday earthquake but she still had vivid memories of the disaster. Her daughter, Dolores Legge, said she remembered the smell of the smoke and having to live in a tent in the Presidio.

Previously to that, we had the awesome episode where they blindsided Randy and it was awesome in its awesomeness. Post-tribal council Bob was peeved about all the laughing that went on over Randy's gullibility, even though he went along with the plan in the first place. He has a point, but we're talking about Randy here, and as Sugar said, he dug his own grave with his assholery.

Reward Challenge! Racing, puzzles, sprokets, flags. Time for tears! Reward was...not getting to see their loved ones in person. Instead they'd get video messages on a product placement phone. Before the challenge they each got little snippets of the messages, which lead to many tears, particularly from Sugar, whose sister mentioned their deceased father. The team of Sugar, Chrystal, and Bob won the first round. Last round was a slide puzzle, and Bob won it quickly. And surprise! His wife really was there in person! As were all the other loved ones! Hugs, tears. etc., but really big tears from Sugar, whose sister brought some of their dad's ashes to scatter.

Quickfire Challenge! With guest judge Grant Achatz. The challenge was to put "their own spin" on a recipe assigned to them from the Top Chef cook book. La la la they're going along, when Padme comes in, yells at them to stop, and then announces forget it, she'd rather have soup. Ha! So the chefs then had to make a soup with the ingredients from their former recipe, with the help of some conveniently placed Swanson's broth. Jamie's recipe was Miguel's "deconstructed falafel," but since she just LOOOOOVES making soup, she didn't see this as being too difficult to do. She made a chickpea soup with pickled chiles, yogurt, and crispy shallots. Achatz was impressed, but not enough to give her the win.

Post-Tribal Council, and the newly merged "Nobag" tribe ("Nobag"? Really??) was shaky. Corinne realized she was doomed. She and Randy bonded over their hate of everyone alive. Bob told Sugar he didn't find the Hidden Immunity Idol, but showed her the fake one he made, which was really quite impressive. He didn't seem to think for a moment that Sugar actually had the real one.

Reward Challenge! The old auction route. Sugar spent 340 bucks on chocolate and peanut butter. Items bought by others included a burger and fries, spaghetti, and a hot bath. Randy bought cookies for the tribe, but Sugar would rather eat dirt than a cookie that Randy had anything to do with, and gave hers to Matty. NOcookie.