LT253: ARMS – Accidental Random Memories

ACCIDENTAL

It irks me to propose a question with no answer. But it happens enough that it deserves repeat mention. What I’m talking about is things change. Are the changes an accident by the prop department or are they intended and are some kind of clue we are missing?

The popular example is the picture frames on the house that Miles does his Ghostbuster thing. Let me know if I need to repost the images, but hopefully you recall that between the time Miles goes upstairs until he comes back down the picture frames on the wall along the stairs are changed.

I’ve always enjoyed this “prop accident” because it can’t be a prop accident. It is one thing to shoot days later and maybe put the pictures back up on the wall in the wrong location, but to swap frames with a photo seems like more intentional work that accident.

Ok, I admit this subject isn’t that interesting unless it really is intentional. Then what is it telling us? That multiple universes exist and the world as we know skipped to a parallel plane?

Yeah, we heard all this chatter before and it was almost out of my mind when I came across another example in the last episode.

(Click on any image to enlarge it)

Check out the above picture and the TV remote moves. Same deal with the plate and his arm. I know, I know, sometimes it takes several shots of the same scene before they get it right, but this scene just didn’t seem that tough to get it right.

Another nagging thought is that by Season 5 the producers know we look for this sort of stuff. How tough can it be for someone to rewind the last shot and take a look at how things were positioned?
Or things like this happen in the natural course of filming the producers are giggling at us for over analysis. But that is their fault as well for if they wouldn’t give us two weeks between episodes to wait we wouldn’t be spending our time re-watching frame by frame!

RANDOM

How many people would you guess are involved with the Dharma Initiative in 1977? 100 or more? We get a dozen just with the returning attractions. I see at least a dozen faces running around during that fire? Kitchen help, maintenance crew, and security alone would add another 30 or so. Now add in the research teams doing those “silly experiments” at each station and we have to pushing about 100 people. Oh, don’t forget all the construction crews at several stations.

Yet we learn that only 40 died in the Purge.

Doesn’t this imply that the Dharma Initiative had advance warning and got all non-essential personnel off the island? Doesn’t it explain why Miles mother thinks her husband died when she took her son off the island?

Could this explain why Dharma is building stations in the No Go Zone in violation of the truce?

It goes like this: Daniel warns Cheng who is convinced. They get as many off the island as possible. They also proceed with station plans because some know the future from Daniel and they must be ready when the next version of DI comes back along. Namely, the children of Dharma. Think of Tiny Toons in reverse.


MEMORIES

Recall the scene were Miles was reading a Sports Illustrated magazine? Well, here are some interesting factoids:

-- The issue was dated March 14, 1977

-- The cover is a shot of new Dodgers manager, Tommy Lasorda

-- The nickname of a baseball manager is “Skipper” as on a boat

-- Lasorda was born on September 22 – same date as Flight 815 crash

-- Tommy was replacing Walter Alston who had coached the Dodgers for 23 years

-- Alston had won 23 post-season games

-- Alston’s nickname was “Smokey”

-- The title story is “A New Boss in L.A.” – could that be an indirect reference to someone? Ms. Hawking?


LOST REVIEW: Tabula Rasa

The third episode of LOST is entitled, “Tabula Rasa”. This is the theory proposed by the philosopher John Locke during the Age of Enlightenment. The literal translation is “clean slate” and implies everyone begins life with a clean slate and then life’s experiences are imprinted on it.

In our ongoing search for a unifying theory, I would propose that this supports the computer hypothesis as well as the philosophy/religion hypothesis. The philosophy angle is obvious since the phrase comes from a man who happens to share the name with a major character on LOST.

The computer angle is that when a computer loses power it begins with a “clean slate”. Memory can be blanked, erased and…changed. And nothing “imprints” quite like a computer.

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In this episode John Locke fashions a whistle in order to retrieve Vincent, Walt’s dog. Of course it works and Locke allows Michael to be the hero to his son.

Ok, how does this fit in with any ongoing theory? Um…I’m sure there is some psychological theory behind why people whistle, but the reason was given for this whistle: to call a dog.

Hey, what if people could whistle to their computer? Would that strengthen a theory? Well, you can. The people at developerWorks describe it this way:

“Set up an unlock code for your screensaver and whistle as you approach your desk -- no more bothersome password typing. Check your e-mail every time you whistle, check for your cell phone's unique tones, and send yourself an e-mail when your phone rings.”

Was John actually whistling to the supercomputer, the island? Hmmm…

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This episode gave us our first example of missing body parts. By this point we have had several body parts featured starting with Jack’s eye in the opening scene. And Kate was rubbing her wrists. John wiggled his toes.

The producers offered their usual cryptic thoughts on this subject. Cuse said, “Is there any connection between the loss of Montand's arm, and the fact that Dr. Marvin Candle has a fake hand?”

Lindelof adds, “Eh, I dunno, is there? We also found a glass eye in the Arrow Station. People just lose body parts I think easily on the Island.”

This tidbit was offered back in 2005 before we learn HOW Montand loses his arm. So is there a connection to Montand and Candle? I mention this because many are suggesting the Incident is how Dr. Candle/Cheng might lose his arm, but now I’m wondering if he doesn’t stick his hand somewhere it doesn’t belong!

And Lindelof’s comment about how people easily lose part parts brings to mind something about a Mr. Potato Head commercial I saw recently. Or was that Toy Story?

Anyway, I’m still wondering if really odd behavior, words and events aren’t somewhat attributable to a virtual reality computer program. The reason is that it is difficult to get every detail correct. When the overlooked aspect is discovered it only then stands out like a sore…well, thumb. Otherwise, we are left grappling with how “normal life” would explain body parts easily falling off people.

To be fair to the other hypothesis I do find a connection to religion in that many people are punished for this sins by the loss of a body part. For example, we have an eye for an eye (Mr. Patchy) and a hand for a hand (Dr. Candle).

We can conclude then that missing body parts might a piece of evidence for the religion hypothesis explaining all that is LOST.


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Enjoy,
KC