READER FEEDBACK
Thanks to Shelley K for the nice email. She is the Account Manager for Trylon SMR out of New York City. She wrote to share with us a website that writes about LOST. But these aren’t just everyday bloggers like me. These are the pros from Television Critics Association Press.
Here is the link that comes from an interview with the producers of LOST: http://www.locatetv.com/blog/lost-ready-to-find-its-way-for-a-final-season/
You will find that this site is helpful with many of your television favorites. Thanks, Shelley.
LOST ECONOMICS
You recall the summer game involving those paintings? It seems they had like 40 prints of each made for sale where proceeds would go to some charity. Well one poster of John Locke recently sold in eBay for $1,813.
How crazy has this become?
If interested in the story behind one of the prints and the artist commissioned to do the work, check out this link: http://tragicsunshine.com/newsletter/?p=927
ESSAY: Predestination or Déjà Vu?
Let’s begin my admitting that LOST TIDBITS is not going to resolve this century old debate. But as it pertains to LOST, it seemed that we needed to at least think about it.
Once again the Bible is at fault. Let me explain. The Bible says that God has predestined everyone’s future. That brings to mind a puppet on the end of some strings. It makes me think of an already written script and we are merely players acting out the roles. Some people look down their noses at that prospect. However, I’m content with comparing to a river. We know the river exists. We know its course. Yet we still find it enjoyable to put a canoe in the water and paddle it. What is around the next bend is predetermined and won’t change before we arrive. The thrill of seeing what is around the next bend still exists. And yet, the course is predestined for us.
Or how many parents already know that every child will push the limits with them…and still have the little darlings? We know that life will bring disappointment and still we greet most days with anticipation. We hear the phrase, “I knew that was going to happen”, several times a day and still the thrill of living is not diminished.
So even with predestination, the players, the actors, us…we don’t know what will happen in the next scene. We therefore enjoy life.
This then brings up a big question however. If our future is pre-decided, then can we be accountable for it? Well, just knowing my kid is going to drink before the legal age doesn’t absolve him (or me) from the consequences of that decision.
Now let me slip into another line of thinking. What if it isn’t predestination but just déjà vu? What if FEELS like we’ve been here before because we have. Some religions believe in reincarnation. Some religions believe in resurrection. Both doctrines are generally saying that the same person can have a second shot at life.
I find that LOST has put the spotlight on these topics because it is the age-old question of what is my purpose? I believe that we can have it both ways. Someone once tried to explain how this impacts free will. They said that the pearly gates of Heaven has a sign above it that reads, “Free Will – Whatever You Decide”. Once you walk through them, the sign on the other side reads, “Predestination – We Knew You’d Decide That”.
I’m reminded of my father who taught me how to swim by tossing me off the end of the dock in a local pond. He KNEW I could dog paddle back. I didn’t know that. But I did decide to try and it worked. Who knew? My father, of course.
As we approach Season 6 of LOST, I’m going to keep in mind that you can and can’t change the past. It is known and unknown but mostly depends on your point of reference. Which is exactly the thing that Einstein said about relativity. But that will have to wait for another post!
**
If you enjoyed this post, please take a moment to click on one of the ads after you finish reading. Thanks!
Enjoy,
KC
Saturday, January 16, 2010
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
LT325: Let's Break Bread
THE LAST SUPPER
The religion comparisons just keep coming as seen in this Season 6 promo picture:
The religion comparisons just keep coming as seen in this Season 6 promo picture:
For comparison, here is the original:
Those who have read Dan Brown should note that to John’s right is a female. Brown suggested that in the painting this was Mary Magdalene. This spot is now filled by Kate that makes for an interesting spin-off storyline that I’d rather not see!
Some readers are suggesting those in the back are dead, but then that confuses me with Claire at the table who would seem to lead all candidates at being dead…except for maybe John who also should be dead. Maybe the dead are seated?
Jin is sitting where Judas sits. Hmmm…
ANOTHER PROMO
Things are getting interesting with the latest promo. It sounds like Charles Widmore speaking and you can watch it here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5rSXZs7561Q&feature=player_embedded
Be sure to keep an eye open for the Numbers the Dharma octagons!
PRODUCERS SPEAK OUT
I read some interview snippets with these being the best:
Cuse, on Jack and Locke: [They've] always been at the center of the show, that dilemma of faith vs. reason, and the conflict between those two characters has been there since the beginning. It's very exciting to bring that relationship to its conclusion, and we can't really be any less vague about that.
Lindelof, on the central series question: The only question that's ever mattered to us is what is going to happen to these people. What is the character resolution? That the audience feels like the characters had an arc -- a beginning, middle and end. And I'm satisfied with that. All the crazy island mythology stuff, we love it, but it's like terrorists attacking Jack Bauer - it's stuff that happens in order to tell cool character stories.
Enjoy,
KC
Monday, January 11, 2010
LT324: State of the Union
BAD NEWS
It seems the President has decided to move his State of the Union address to Tuesday, February 2. If that date sounds familar it is because this is the premier of LOST!
GOOD NEWS
According to CNN.com: "“Lost” watchers, all is right with the world again: President Obama will not interrupt the long-awaited episode by giving a national address the same night.
Fear gripped the hearts of fans when it was announced that the president wanted to push back the annual State of the Union address – typically held in late January – to February 2, which everyone should know by now is the premiere of the ABC drama’s final season.
Crazy talk! Doesn’t he know people have been dying to find out what happened to the castaways?
But White House press secretary Robert Gibbs assured viewers Friday he “doesn’t foresee a scenario in which millions of people that hope to finally get some conclusion in ‘Lost’ are preempted by the president.”
The "Lost" news came in response to a question from ABC correspondent Ann Compton at the afternoon press briefing.
The time slot for “Lost” may be secured, but still no word on what day the president will deliver the State of the Union.
**
Whew!
Enjoy,
KC
It seems the President has decided to move his State of the Union address to Tuesday, February 2. If that date sounds familar it is because this is the premier of LOST!
GOOD NEWS
According to CNN.com: "“Lost” watchers, all is right with the world again: President Obama will not interrupt the long-awaited episode by giving a national address the same night.
Fear gripped the hearts of fans when it was announced that the president wanted to push back the annual State of the Union address – typically held in late January – to February 2, which everyone should know by now is the premiere of the ABC drama’s final season.
Crazy talk! Doesn’t he know people have been dying to find out what happened to the castaways?
But White House press secretary Robert Gibbs assured viewers Friday he “doesn’t foresee a scenario in which millions of people that hope to finally get some conclusion in ‘Lost’ are preempted by the president.”
The "Lost" news came in response to a question from ABC correspondent Ann Compton at the afternoon press briefing.
The time slot for “Lost” may be secured, but still no word on what day the president will deliver the State of the Union.
**
Whew!
Enjoy,
KC
Sunday, January 10, 2010
LT323: Parallelisms
ESSAY: The Day Time Stood Still
“The sun and moon stood still in their habitation: at the light of thine arrows they went, and at the shining of thy glittering spear.”
- Habakkuk 3:11
For many their religious guidebook of choice has the last word on all things. The Bible includes many fascinating stories. For some, those stories are literal.
When looking for Bible to LOST parallelisms I stumbled upon this verse which says that the sun and moon to stood still. The cause was due to the bright flash of light. We have observed on LOST that a bright flash and a purple sky are followed by some pretty strange time tricks.
But this isn’t the verse I expected because my memory of Sunday school says Joshua was the prophet involved. Sure enough, in Joshua chapter 10 it says the prophet indeed caused the sun to remain shining for 24 hours in order to defeat a surrounding army.
For a moment, consider the Bible infallible. It suggests that a higher power is able to suspend the laws of physics.
Now add a dash of science. How often has mythical stories based on a religion later been shown the scientific truth behind them? Quite a bit. Will one day we discover the scientific explanation behind the sun standing still? Is this the underlying theme of LOST – to explore the spot where religion and science meet?
**
Elsewhere in a laboratory in Maryland, scientists were projecting time tables of celestial objects for the benefit of planning satellite orbits. These time tables would help plan an orbit that wouldn’t crash into the moon or they could be timed to be in a desired position in relation to the sun. A computer program handled the heavy lifting until one day, the computer began to beep.
“Beep.”
“Beep.”
“Beep.”
The human’s attention was gained and it was discovered that somehow the calculations failed because it appeared that one day was missing. One member of the science team joked that the Bible said that Joshua made the day stand still for one day and maybe that was their missing day.
His fellow scientists looked at him in doubt. “Show us,” they said.
They read, "The sun stood still and the moon stayed-and hasted not to go down about a whole day!", in Joshua 10:12-13.
They adjusted their programs, but again the program resulted in a rhythmic “beep” alert. They checked further and discovered that the calculations were still off by 40 minutes. They teased their fellow Bible scientists for coming close. He even protested that the verse read “ABOUT a whole day”. Of course, that could mean 4 hours, 40 minutes or 400 seconds – too vague.
Then the scientist remembered another passage. He told them, “Hezekiah, on his deathbed, was visited by the prophet Isaiah who told him that he was not going to die. Hezekiah asked for a sign as proof. Isaiah said "Do you want the sun to go ahead 10 degrees?" Hezekiah said "It is nothing for the sun to go ahead 10 degrees, but let the shadow return backward 10 degrees." Isaiah spoke to the Lord and the Lord brought the shadow ten degrees BACKWARD! Ten degrees is exactly 40 minutes! Twenty-three hours and 20 minutes in Joshua, plus 40 minutes in Second Kings make the missing day in the universe!"’
**
Elsewhere, Isaiah was explaining to a woman that he could not help her because the energy from Ayers Rock is not helpful to everyone.
**
Elsewhere, Sawyer was giving Mr. Friendly the nickname, “Zeke” – short for Hezekiah.
**
Elsewhere, a member of the Dharma Initiative thought it would be a nice touch to hang a painting of the Joshua Tree State Park in the Swan Hatch.
“The sun and moon stood still in their habitation: at the light of thine arrows they went, and at the shining of thy glittering spear.”
- Habakkuk 3:11
For many their religious guidebook of choice has the last word on all things. The Bible includes many fascinating stories. For some, those stories are literal.
When looking for Bible to LOST parallelisms I stumbled upon this verse which says that the sun and moon to stood still. The cause was due to the bright flash of light. We have observed on LOST that a bright flash and a purple sky are followed by some pretty strange time tricks.
But this isn’t the verse I expected because my memory of Sunday school says Joshua was the prophet involved. Sure enough, in Joshua chapter 10 it says the prophet indeed caused the sun to remain shining for 24 hours in order to defeat a surrounding army.
For a moment, consider the Bible infallible. It suggests that a higher power is able to suspend the laws of physics.
Now add a dash of science. How often has mythical stories based on a religion later been shown the scientific truth behind them? Quite a bit. Will one day we discover the scientific explanation behind the sun standing still? Is this the underlying theme of LOST – to explore the spot where religion and science meet?
**
Elsewhere in a laboratory in Maryland, scientists were projecting time tables of celestial objects for the benefit of planning satellite orbits. These time tables would help plan an orbit that wouldn’t crash into the moon or they could be timed to be in a desired position in relation to the sun. A computer program handled the heavy lifting until one day, the computer began to beep.
“Beep.”
“Beep.”
“Beep.”
The human’s attention was gained and it was discovered that somehow the calculations failed because it appeared that one day was missing. One member of the science team joked that the Bible said that Joshua made the day stand still for one day and maybe that was their missing day.
His fellow scientists looked at him in doubt. “Show us,” they said.
They read, "The sun stood still and the moon stayed-and hasted not to go down about a whole day!", in Joshua 10:12-13.
They adjusted their programs, but again the program resulted in a rhythmic “beep” alert. They checked further and discovered that the calculations were still off by 40 minutes. They teased their fellow Bible scientists for coming close. He even protested that the verse read “ABOUT a whole day”. Of course, that could mean 4 hours, 40 minutes or 400 seconds – too vague.
Then the scientist remembered another passage. He told them, “Hezekiah, on his deathbed, was visited by the prophet Isaiah who told him that he was not going to die. Hezekiah asked for a sign as proof. Isaiah said "Do you want the sun to go ahead 10 degrees?" Hezekiah said "It is nothing for the sun to go ahead 10 degrees, but let the shadow return backward 10 degrees." Isaiah spoke to the Lord and the Lord brought the shadow ten degrees BACKWARD! Ten degrees is exactly 40 minutes! Twenty-three hours and 20 minutes in Joshua, plus 40 minutes in Second Kings make the missing day in the universe!"’
**
Elsewhere, Isaiah was explaining to a woman that he could not help her because the energy from Ayers Rock is not helpful to everyone.
**
Elsewhere, Sawyer was giving Mr. Friendly the nickname, “Zeke” – short for Hezekiah.
**
Elsewhere, a member of the Dharma Initiative thought it would be a nice touch to hang a painting of the Joshua Tree State Park in the Swan Hatch.
**
As promised, you can expect to more postings between now and the premier of Season 6. Keep checking back or use the RSS feed.
If you enjoyed this post, please take a moment to click on one of the ads after you finish reading. Thanks!
Enjoy,
KC
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