I typically do not follow American Idol. However, this year I have actually found a couple of people I thought had genuine talent. Tonight one of those individuals got voted off. Michael Johns was eliminated.

This is with out a doubt one of two things:

1. The voting system is fixed.

2. America is a bunch of flipping idiots!

There are a couple of people on that show that certainly should have gone way before Michael...

Michael Johns is a guy who I am looking forward to seeing on the charts...

GO GIANTS!

I've never liked the Patriots, and since the Cowboys were eliminated, my only choice is the Giants...

From the Reno Gazette Journal:

Tony Shelton, a longtime Reno television meteorologist who suffered from a mysterious illness for three years after a surfing accident, died Sunday at age 50.

Shelton worked at KRNV-TV News 4 from 1996 to early 2005, when he left due to his illness.

"We got to know his family," News 4 news director Jon Killoran said Wednesday. "His daughter, Jaime, was part of the coat drive Tony did every year. So everybody here that knew him and loved working with him is definitely thinking of (his wife) Carry and the kids and his parents.

"I worked with Tony 10 years and knew him to be a very dedicated and passionate weather forecaster and tremendously proud of being one of the pioneers to bring weather information to the Internet. It's tough when somebody you worked with so long and respected so long is gone."

While surfing in January 2003, Shelton was flipped by a wave and slammed into the ocean floor off Hawaii. He said he suffered uncontrollable shaking that lasted two to three hours after the incident.

"It's like I'm freezing to death," he said. "I can be warm on the outside, but freezing on the inside."

Shelton was hospitalized for nine months at Saint Mary's Regional Medical Center, returning to work in February 2004.

"I'm working through the illness," Shelton said then. "I'm not healed yet. I may be 50 percent there, or maybe more."

During Shelton's time at Saint Mary's, he received 3,400 e-mail messages from folks wishing him well.

"It shows the following he's amassed over the years," Killoran said. "When somebody like that leaves, if feels like you lost something that's part of you."

Shelton had said the experience gave him new perspective.

"I understand now what it's like to be alone," Shelton said. "When I knew I was going to be here for a while, I really started to realize what was truly important."

In September 1987, Shelton became chief meteorologist for KOLO-TV in Reno. He left to develop real-time weather information systems on the Internet. After receiving a patent for the technology in 1996, he became the chief meteorologist for News 4.

He also worked at KOAM-TV in Pittsburgh, Kan., WRCB-TV in Chattanooga, Tenn. and KOTV-TV in Tulsa, Okla.

He graduated from McKinney (Texas) High School in 1974, North Texas State University and Southwest Texas State University.

He married Carry Ann Randle in 1984 in Sherwood, Ark.

She survives with daughter Jaime, 16; son Andrew, 4; father William H. Shelton; mother Ruth Helen Tarkington Shelton; brothers Paul and John; three nephews and two nieces.

A lot of you are probably wonder why is SR writing about a weatherman? Well, I lived in Reno for quite a few years and Tony was not just a weatherman. He was a nice guy and someone who was involved in the community.

I was all set to right the post about what a travesty of justice it was when Paris Hilton was released today due to "Medical Reasons". Well apparently I, along with others thought that this was wrong.

Hours after Paris Hilton was sent home under house arrest, the judge who originally put her in jail ordered her back to court to determine whether she should be put back behind bars.

"The city attorney filed a petition for an order to show cause why the sheriff should not be held in contempt for releasing Ms. Hilton, and demanded that she be held in custody," Superior Court spokesman Allan Parachini said late Thursday afternoon.

Fox News

Whoever authorized the release of Hilton should be at the minimum, lose their job and possibly even face charges. There are hundreds of women that are incarcerated with "medical conditions". Should they be released too? If Hilton is not sent back to jail, then any of the women in jail who have "medical conditions", should ask for immediate release. When this does not happen, they should file a lawsuit and sue the hell out of LA County or the State of California for discrimination.

Bottom line, if Hilton goes free, it will be another example of "Celebrity Justice"....

And the next American Idol (or should be)....

Anyone who knows me, knows that I generally don't watch American Idol. Well tonight, Mrs. Republicrat had me DVR it, and I thought, "awe, what the heck". So I watched.

It was between Blake and Jordin. Well let me tell you, Jordin kicked his rear. Blake seems to be a better "entertainer", but has virtually no vocal skills. Jordin on the other hand, was not the best "entertainer", but when she sings, it makes your spine tingle.

Truth be known, I have been a big fan of Chris Daughtry. Lucky for me, he performed and closed the show.

Well, I voted, did you???

Back in August, I wrote a post talking about a TV mini series called Sleeper Cell. Showtime is releasing their next installment of the hit show Sleeper Cell. This is debuting next week. The Sacramento Republicrat has been given the privilege to be a VIP Insider for Showtime and preview this awesome show.

So, check back tomorrow or Friday for my review...

Well, I just found out that my favorite TV show The West Wing, was just cancelled.

While I may not have always agreed with the political decisions and direction the show took, I very much enjoyed the show and cast. Apparently once the show moved to Sunday nights, the ratings tanked.

The decision to cancel it was made before actor John Spencer, who played former presidential chief of staff Leo McGarry, died of a heart attack Dec. 16, said Kevin Reilly, NBC entertainment president.

"There's a point when you look at the ratings and say, it feels like it's time," Reilly said.

The series finale will be May 14, preceded by a one-hour retrospective. The campaign to replace the fictional Josiah Bartlet as president will be settled, NBC said.

Today, "West Wing" Actor John Spencer died, he was 58. Spencer was best known for his role as Leo McGarry. It is no secret that I love the show "West Wing". Spencer was one of my favorite actors on the show.

LOS ANGELES - John Spencer, who played a tough and dedicated politico on "The West Wing" who survived a serious illness to run for vice president, died of a heart attack Friday. He was 58.

Spencer died after being admitted to a Los Angeles hospital during the night, said his publicist, Ron Hofmann. He would have been 59 on Tuesday.

He was "one of those rare combinations of divinely gifted and incredibly generous," said actor Richard Schiff, who played Toby Ziegler on the NBC series.

"There are very few personal treasures that you put in your knapsack to carry with you for the rest of your life, and he's one of those," Schiff said. He said Spencer had been struggling with health issues but seemed to have rebounded.

Spencer played Leo McGarry, the savvy and powerful chief of staff to President Josiah "Jed" Bartlet (Martin Sheen). In a sad parallel to life, Spencer's character suffered a heart attack that forced him to give up his White House job.

Last night on Showtime, a new show called Sleeper Cell debuted. While this show still has some of the "Hollywood hype", I think it was a good show. It does not play the politically correct role that most TV shows do.

I am not going to spoil what has happened on the show in case you watch it. But suffice to say that it could happen. In fact, I think it is happening.

“Sleeper Cell”

Definition: A small cell that isn't involved in any active terrorist activities until it is alerted, then begins it's predetermined preparation for an attack.

I am a firm believer that this is happening right now. I do not think it is solely one race or group of people doing this. I will certainly be watching tonight and I will report on tonights show either later this evening or tomorrow morning.

In the first 15 minutes of the show, Vice- President Mackenzie Allen (Geena Davis) was pushed around by the Presidents Chief of Staff, told to resign, and raised the alert status of the United States. She continued to catch flack from almost everyone. Then, she took the Oath of Office and started running the country. The way she thought it should be. I have always been a HUGE fan of the tv show "The West Wing." There are changes coming on "The West Wing" and I am not a big fan so farof these changes. I don't think this show will be the next "West Wing", but I think it will certainly be descent. So I look forward to reading other bloggers opinions as well as the media, and of course to see the upcoming episodes of "Commander in Chief".