tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-59855616692805365122024-03-12T20:41:35.908-05:00LOST TIDBITSThink about itKChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14399838614370355681noreply@blogger.comBlogger362125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5985561669280536512.post-38159681003128293762010-06-04T16:03:00.004-05:002010-06-04T16:11:27.387-05:00After Lost: A New Direction<span style="font-family:arial;">Well, we made in back into the country after a month. The final four episodes have been viewed and my first thought is "Wow! What a ride it has been!"</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">There are plenty of commentaries on the web about what, who, why and when...wait, scratch "when" as there is no when were we are now. HA! So I'm not going to post another follow-up to the series unless you have specific questions to something.</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">HOWEVER...I am considering continuing this blog under a new name "After Lost". The idea is to play off the term "afterlife", but with the LOST twist to it. </span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"><strong>THE CONCEPT</strong></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">The concept is to continue the LOST story on our own. Every two weeks on a set day (schedules are nice for readers to schedule and expect to read) you could find another "chapter" of the story.</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Other posts might be added to as background, discussions, and related topics. The plan is to post items related to the viewers of LOST with the structure coming from my own storyline. </span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">If you are interested, leave a comment. If one person likes the idea then we can kick it off and see where it goes. Maybe it will grow in popularity, or maybe not. Let's find out.</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"><strong>CLOSING THOUGHTS</strong></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">I will comment on the LOST series as a whole: I loved it. Television needed a show like this and the writers, actors and producers did a great job with it. The bar has been raised fro TV and let's hope more shows like this will be coming soon.</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">So if you like to "think about it", leave a post with your support and ideas.</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Enjoy,</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">KC</span>KChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14399838614370355681noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5985561669280536512.post-13488234029432899072010-04-13T21:53:00.002-05:002010-04-13T22:13:54.997-05:00LT351: Fade to Black<span style="font-family:arial;">Six years of being LOST.</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">LOST TIDBITS began as a newsletter distributed by email. </span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">After Season 2 someone introduced me to blogs and TIDBITS went on-line.</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">I've met readers from several countries and several states. I've met readers who shocked me they were into LOST. Readers have met me and were shocked to discover I'm the "KC". </span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">I heard about a group at an insurance company who used to meet at lunch and used my newsletter as their discussion guide!</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">An email hit my inbox once from a professor at a college asking for permission to use it in some kind of American Media course!</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">I've made friends who I'll never meet named Ben, Adrian, a series of initials and Anonymous. </span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">My wife and I even planned a vacation around LOST to see locations in Hawaii. I recall a stranger walking up to me there and asking if I was in the Dharma Initiative! I was wearing a Dharma hat and had forgot it was on for a nice little shock! </span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">I've been lucky enough to have stood where Penny and Desmond stood to have that famous photograph taken. I've been to Daniel's college and Mrs. Hawking's church. We've seen the dock and the strange rock formation.</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">It's been a good run. The book, "Bad Twin", was a decent read. The jigsaw puzzles and games have been great. It is going to be missed.</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Now it is time for LOST TIDBITS to fade to black.</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">It is the ultimate cliffhanger, huh? </span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Five episodes remaining and I won't even be able to watch the greatest show in TV history wrap up! Fate can be cruel. </span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">As destiny would have it, we will be in place soon where the "stars are upside down" and the television is in a language I can't comprehend. Eventually I'll see the end, but it will well after you do and people will have moved on to some other cultural phenomena by then.</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Fate can be fickle.</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">So with a short time before we leave, college finals and lots of strings to tie-up...LOST TIDBITS has reached its end.</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">And maybe this is a preview of the show's ending?! HA! But this is life and I promise if ever given the chance to loop through these events again, I will course correct things so TIDITS could wrap up LOST with you. But until I find my constant and for the time being I have to take solace in the fact that everything happens for a reason.</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Thank you for the ride. It's been great and I've enjoyed every hour of my life this show has made me think. Hope you have enjoyed LOST TIDBITS. I'll miss it and I'll miss you, the readers. Good bye.</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Enjoy,</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">KC</span>KChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14399838614370355681noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5985561669280536512.post-57283911890077174292010-04-06T21:05:00.002-05:002010-04-06T21:25:34.771-05:00LT360: First Impression: Happily Every After<span style="font-family:arial;">Woah.</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Cotton candy.</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Never have I felt like I got so many answers and then realized I got nothing. Like poof. The more I thought about it the more I realized there were no answers. Like cotton candy.</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">And I liked it.</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Consider the titled, "Happily Ever After". Oh, really? That ending escaped me. Did that mean that starts Desmond on the path towards a happy ending because I didn't see him reach one. One might argue the coffee date was the happy ending, but with Mrs. Hawking around, nothing is going to be happy for Desmond.</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><strong><span style="font-family:arial;">PAST TIE-IN'S</span></strong><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Readers of TIDBITS know that I do not like past references and tie-in's for the sake of having them. For example, the 60-year old Scotch. I can do without that. </span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Or Desmond staring at a sailboat - that was much better as it was referred to implicitly instead of explicitly. </span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">However, some were very good - for example, did you notice at the opening scene where Zoey is saying they gave him some shot. When they showed his arm she applying a bandage and it reminded of the time the Others were drawing blood from everyone they captured. That is a quality tie-in.</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><strong><span style="font-family:arial;">HE'S SPECIAL</span></strong><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">So Dez is one of the few people on earth who can withstand an enormous pulse of electromagnetic energy. Interesting, but you can't make a living at it. But it allowed Desmond to see enough of the past (or was it the future) to come on board with Widmore's plan to...well, welcome to LOST.</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><strong><span style="font-family:arial;">SAYID</span></strong><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">This show is a master at cliffhangers as Sayid walks out and invites Desmond for a stroll...and Desmond says YES. How odd. </span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Remember how Desmond could foresee Charlie's ways of dying? Maybe he can see even more of the future and following Sayid is the way it must be.</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><strong><span style="font-family:arial;">DANIEL</span></strong><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Oh, I've missed Daniel Faraday. Nice to see him back and a great explanation to the journal. I was so hoping he had written, "Desmond is my constant!" </span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">So what are we learning? Is it that things we call Deja Vu is really our memory of a past "loop"? And some folks can recall more of the past than others can?</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><strong><span style="font-family:arial;">ALL YOU NEED IS LOVE</span></strong><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">This episode seemed to really focus on love. I hadn't seen that coming. Was the message, "Follow your heart and all will be right"? Why then are so many people working to keep Desmond from his true love? </span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">At one point I was convinced that Desmond had to return to push the button...but this time do not run away. His orders would be something like, "This time keep John Locke away from the computer!" But we didn't really end up there, did we?</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><strong><span style="font-family:arial;">MORE QUESTIONS</span></strong><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">What is Desmond going to do with the manifest from Flight 815? Who are the "they" he is going to show it to? I figured he wanted to find Charlie's dream girl, Claire, but then that line about "they" threw me off track. Hmmm...</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Wonder who Penny's mother is (making her a half-sibling to Daniel-Charles-Eloise)? Wonder if it matters. </span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">What is Widmore's plan for Desmond? </span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">What is Sayid's/Locke's plan for Desmond?</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">What is Jacob's plan for Desmond?</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Can someone tell me where we've seen George, the driver, before? Do you get the feeling he works for Widmore or the "other" side?</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><strong><span style="font-family:arial;">GRADE: B+</span></strong><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Perhaps it was the pleasant walk down memory lane with Charlie, Daniel and Penny...but I liked this episode. Again, it made me think until my brain hurt. Simple is not my thing and this show is anything but simple. Can you imagine coming in on Season 6 with a curiosity? Yikes!</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Anyway...never have I liked the feeling of getting so much while getting so little. This episode almost convinced me that this show could go on for another season. And for that, I give this episdoe a nice grade. Not great, but very, very strong. </span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Enjoy,</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">KC</span>KChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14399838614370355681noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5985561669280536512.post-20772460966484367672010-03-30T21:07:00.002-05:002010-03-30T21:42:53.036-05:00LT359: First Impressions: The Package<span style="font-family:arial;"><strong>I'M LOST</strong></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">It is amazing that after ten episodes into the final season that I still don't have a single clue as to the end game. I keep waiting for one single "Ooooooh!" moment that will explain everything from the dreams to the polar bears to the purpose of life. But one moment can't probably explain all those things (unless we are shown this has all been a drug-induced dream of Hurley in the mental ward). So, one then expects to be given little tidbits of understanding as the layers are peeled back. </span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">But once again, we have more layers added then removed.</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"><strong>WHY WIDMORE WANTS JIN</strong></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Uh...I have no clue really. Ok he knows that Sun and Jin are partners (married in one timeline and dating in other). So? </span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Is Widmore aware of the names on the cave ceiling and wants to gather them one by one in order to keep Locke Black from leaving? If so, when his sub scooted up to the island they saw more of the candidates on the beach and didn't bother getting them...which would have been much easier.</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"><strong>IT'S ALL ABOUT TIMING, RIGHT?</strong></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Without knowing specifically why Widmore wants just Jin, he does grab him. And he does so when Locke is away from his camp. How did he know that Locke was going to be away? </span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Maybe Charles planned to go to this island to grab Jin and the plan was wait it out until John left camp no matter how long that took. That sounds like a really poor plan. Someone was bound to step on a twig, make a noise, and expose their presence. Anyway, they got lucky, let's say. John leaves and Jin is grabbed.</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">But on the sub Charles complains to Zoey that the timing of grabbing Jin is all wrong - they should have waited until he was in the jungle on his own. Agreed. How much easier that would have been without ticking off Locke and Company. What if just one of John's groupies got away? This is what they call a plan???</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">I guess its hard to get good help these days.</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"><strong>MAN BEHIND THE IRON DOOR</strong></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">During commercial breaks the wife and I guessed who it was. Aaron was my pick. </span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Desmond was an obvious choice. Walt seemed viable - the thought was that he is "special" and might be able to combat Smokey. </span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">It was Dez. And Sayid knows. He has a long swim back, but no matter, he doesn't feel anything which Locke points out is good because of what was about to happen. I can only think he meant the long swim! (Boy, I hope I'm joking, but something tells me I'm not!)</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"><strong>THE PYLONS</strong></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">I'm jumping around on this episode, but didn't you think that Sayid - the communications expert - was sneaking around and working to shut those things off? I was waiting for some humming noise to indicate the power was turned off and Locke would turn into a pillar of smoke and squeeze the snot out of one of Widmore's people. Maybe all of them including Charles. </span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">I was let down. But at least we got a promise of the war is here and one very scary stare down by Locke. </span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"><strong>MR. PATCHY</strong></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">The show is cute on how they keep old story facts around - like Mr. Patchy being shot in the eye. Cute, but not relevant.</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">What it does serve to do is remind me on how messed up everyone's lives are even in this alternative timeline. Sun is have relations with Jin outside of marriage, Keamy finds out and rats him out (how he knew is another point), so Mr. Paik pays him for the information, to be delivered by daughter and her lover, who can't clear customs (Mr Paik can close bank accounts not in his name, but can't get them through customs?), so they have to detour to a bank with Mr. Patchy as escort, but not before Sayid is abducted only to kill Mr. Patchy, Keamy and Omar. </span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Eh? It is liking those tribute movies that are based on a 1970's TV show. All the catch-phrases and familar momentos are mentioned, but add little to the plot. By the way, has any TV show gone to movie been done properly? Ok, Star Trek in most cases.</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"><strong>GRADE: C</strong></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Do you get the feeling they had really one or two episodes of things to tell us this season, but decided to drag it out over 16 shows? </span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">I dislike the tribute to Season X (like Sun saying she was pregnant after being shot).</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">I dislike the craziness of Sun being hit on the head...did you notice there was only one tree in that entire field and she looks away at that moment...and losing her ability to speak. What point did that provide or prove? Was it the irony that Sun and Jin arrived with her speaking English and now only Jin can speak it? Plus I hate when the script does things like, "It's usually only temporary." Then why bother with it? I must have missed the objective.</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">I like Claire being used like a pawn by Locke. He pushes the right buttons and we now have to keep an eye on her when she is around Kate. </span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">This gets an average C because it is LOST...or it would have gotten even a lower grade. Mostly because we didn't get anything new. Richard obviously returned. Hurley had one cute line. Sawyer and Kate continue a relationship they can't have. Everyone wants Sayid in their foxhole. Widmore plays as many games as Ben and Locke. We get it. What we didn't get was anything new - no Revelation...and if this Biblical story is going to wrap up we must get to the Book of Revelation. Don't this writers read? :)</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"><strong>SAVING GRACE</strong></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Ok, here are a couple of points this show made me ponder that saved the day.</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">First, the Oceanic 6. Remember how we couldn't quite figure out who the 6 were? Did it include Desmond or was the sixth person Aaron? Neither we brought to the island like the other 5. I point this out, because it seems now that John Locke's loophole was that if he could return the Oceanic 6 to the island, he could use them to leave. </span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">This makes me think that the Oceanic 6 have a Golden Ticket of some sort - to come and go. This also means no one else does! This also implies that Sun is the Kwon on the cave ceiling and not Jin!</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">More on this later in the week.</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">**</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Second...the shoes. I got to this because Sawyer asks (finally) a good question, "Why don't you just turn to smoke and go over there?"</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">SIDENOTE: Why aren't people in Locke's group defecting each and every night? Come on, people! This guy is death! Of course, where would they go?</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Ok, back to transportation: Smokey can't travel between islands as Smokey. That's interesting. So how did he kill the remaining passengers of Ajira 316? Do you recall him rowing over, killing, and returning for a day trip? Did he send someone over to do his dirty work? I don't know who it could have been. </span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">So I get this image of John do a lot of paddling in the past few days. It could have been before Widmore arrived even. It reminded me of Locke rowing to the main island with Ben after the Ajria 316 crash. There, they met up with Sun and Frank. So why is Sun so afraid of Locke now? She seemed fine with him before. Maybe I'm forgetting something, but what made her doubt him?</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Ok, I'm getting to my second thought: the shoes. When we paddled over with Ben he took of his shiny black Christian shoes. When he got to land, he put them back on. There is something about shoes that Smokey doesn't like - at least over water.</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Then I recall the Others walked around the island barefoot. </span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">And how Locke first crashed on the beach from Oceanic Flight 815 and he was shoeless. They were sitting nice and neat next to him, but off his feet.</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Then remember that Sawyer has a habit of being barefoot at the wrong time. He has stepped on something maybe two or three times. That has always made my Oddity List because it was so out of normal. </span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">I'm not sure where I'm going with this other than to proclaim, "The shoes are key!" Maybe if you slip those slippers off, Locke can't touch you. Better than even a ring of ash. I said, Maybe!</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">**</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Give me some time to dwell on this and I'll follow-up with these two last observations. The teaser to next week included the word "Death" so I'm already looking forward to it. That's kind of sick, now isn't it? HA!</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Enjoy,</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">KC</span>KChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14399838614370355681noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5985561669280536512.post-76280478246353786662010-03-28T19:08:00.002-05:002010-03-28T19:11:46.530-05:00LT358: Easter...Islands<span style="font-family:arial;"><strong>EASTER EGGS</strong><br /><br />That time is about here, but we are referring to the kind found in LOST. I have a site I use for these things and here is the visual:</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><p><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_KCimVxjVeEk/S6_vsoOwiWI/AAAAAAAAB0Q/X9diQ9kSBqM/s1600/Luke.jpg"><span style="font-family:arial;"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5453841223761561954" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 134px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_KCimVxjVeEk/S6_vsoOwiWI/AAAAAAAAB0Q/X9diQ9kSBqM/s200/Luke.jpg" border="0" /></span></a><span style="font-family:arial;"><br />The write-up for this photo reads, “While in prison, Richard’s Bible was open to a page with this chapter and verse. The page contains a story of Jesus encountering a man possessed by a demon and ordering the demon leave the man’s body without harming him.”<br /><br />I disagree. The reason you read LOST TIDBITS is because we think differently! Ok, seriously, these guys see the top of the page reads “St Luke 4 37”. But the visual is clearly the upper-right verse, 4:24 which reads, “And he said, Verily I say until you, “No prophet is accepted in his own country.” I sense this was the real Easter egg since that is the quote Ben Linus made while prisoner in the Swan hatch. Doh!<br /><br /><br /><strong>COUNTERFEIT</strong><br /><br />The Bible warns that the Devil will not be as obvious as black and white. That would be too obvious. The key to misleading someone is to encapsulate your lie in some truth. Right now, I’m thinking “…a spoon full of sugar makes the medicine go down…” but that’s a whole other issue I’m dealing with!<br /><br />We get a big dose of counterfeit this past episode. For example, the Man in Black touches Richard while in the bowels of the Black Rock and it appears to awaken Richard. Just like we saw Jacob touches John Locke after his fall. Technically this isn’t a counterfeit, but an exact duplication. The key is that it is hard to tell the two apart. This has lead to many theories about Jacob being the bad guy in reality.<br /><br />Another example is the phrase used “it’s good to see you out of those chains”. John Black will say the same thing in a few centuries. Ok, it sort of is the same guy talking, but notice as well how it meant something different each time it was stated.<br /><br />Here is a better example: the Man in Black instructs Richard to kill Jacob “before he can talk”. The only time that was said was when Jacob’s disciple, Dogan, was instructing Sayid.<br /><br />Have I told you that both actors for Jacob and the Man in Black were in the TV show, “Supernatural”? Jacob plays the devil and MIB plays War – one of the apocalyptic horsemen.<br /><br /><br /><strong>BAPTISM<br /></strong><br />Jacob is teaching Richard a lesson about the value of life.</span></p><p><span style="font-family:arial;"></span></p><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_KCimVxjVeEk/S6_v0y6WwhI/AAAAAAAAB0Y/fOg6CG5jolQ/s1600/Baptism.jpg"><span style="font-family:arial;"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5453841364067729938" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 134px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_KCimVxjVeEk/S6_v0y6WwhI/AAAAAAAAB0Y/fOg6CG5jolQ/s200/Baptism.jpg" border="0" /></span></a><span style="font-family:arial;"> It reminded me a lot of the practice of baptism. The religious themes are loud and clear. Some denominations require baptism to reach Heaven while others view it as a symbolic gesture. Either way it represents the burial and resurrection of Christ. Now is a good time to remind you of the Biblical character with this reference: John the Baptist. <br /><br /><br /><strong>BLACK ROCK CRASHING</strong><br /><br />A few minor details to note:<br /><br />The painting in the auction house is of the Black Rock during a storm.<br /><br />Last week we see the Black Rock lifted high on a wave to explain how it got so far inland…and how the statue broke.<br /><br />But in the season opener we have Jacob and Man in Black on the beach and they see a ship at sea. We assumed it was the Black Rock, but maybe not!<br /><br />At the auction they said the last voyage was 1845, but last show it was 1867 when Richard was in prison. That was the year dynamite was invented so I think we have a correction being offered. Or it could have left Portsmouth, England in 1845 and take 22 years to get to the island? Maybe.<br /><br /><br /><strong>CANARY ISLANDS TRIVIA</strong><br /><br />Richard lived on the Canary Island of Tenerife. This island is known for its pyramids which some believe prove a connection between the Egyptians and the Mayans. <br /><br />Canary Islands gets its name from Canaan – the land of the Israelites. It literally means “those who worship dogs”. Did someone say Vincent? Cerberus? And of course the Egyptians had gods in the form of dogs like Anubis.<br /><br />The people of the Canary Islands claim to have seen a vanishing eighth island in their chain of islands. Did someone say “8”? A mysterious island that disappears? Hmmm….<br /><br />These islands was also the location of a famous plane crash in 1977 – the year of the Incident on LOST. <br /><br />**<br /><br />Ok, that’s it for now. Oh wait, did anyone else think of the movie “Ghost” when watching Richard reunite with his wife? I was waiting for Isabella to jump into Hurley’s body and then Richard would have to kiss Hurley. Oh yuck!<br /><br />Until next time…<br /><br /><br />Enjoy,<br />KC</span>KChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14399838614370355681noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5985561669280536512.post-63906339447517310472010-03-24T20:27:00.003-05:002010-03-24T20:58:16.064-05:00LT357: A Conversation With Mike<strong><span style="font-family:arial;">MIKE WRITES</span></strong><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">A reader of LOST TIDBITS emailed me with this analysis that I thought would be good to share.</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">**</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">I had high expectations to this episode since it was Richard’s first and probably only centric-episode and I’m pleased to say I wasn’t disappointed. It was also nice not to see any flash-sideways story lines during this episode since they have been kind of boring and in the end they will probably be a) a “What If?” storyline/alternate universe that shows what happens to these people if they didn’t crash or b) the true ending of the series if all the flash-sideways parts are put together. </span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Hopefully the writers/producers throw us a screwball and go in a completely different direction to throw everyone off. Anyway, that’s 7 weeks away and there will be plenty of discussion on that later. On to “Ab Aeterno”.</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Likes:</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">This was probably one of the best episodes this season. I won’t say it’s the best one in the series and I’m holding off of putting it in my top 5 or 10 of all time (yet) but this episode did answer a lot of questions for us which makes it very important (though the answers may be very minor and some of them were assumed already but after tonight they are officially answered). Some of the questions that were answered:</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">“How was the statue damage?”</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">“How did the Black Rock end up in the middle of the island?”</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">“What was the history of the Black Rock?”</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">“Who is Richard and what’s his deal exactly (aging, purpose, etc)?”</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">I could probably nit-pick and find more but Richard has a long past with the island and his story hasn’t been told until now so any sort of information about his past is bound to answer some questions.</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Though it wasn’t a direct answer, we did get a lot more information about the island and also the battle between Jacob and MIB here. It is explained that the island is between our world and hell/an evil universe/purgatory/etc and that Jacob and the MIB intentions are to prove each other wrong that humans can be corrupted because it is in their nature. Yes, this has been discussed on message boards and it’s what we have been assuming for awhile but now it’s said on the show so it can be official (this is just like if Flocke was the black smoke monster situation that started last year). Jacob’s metaphor of the bottle of wine was another good and important scene. We will probably get more of an explanation of the island and Jacob/MIB but so far this episode has told us the most.</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Though he has been on the fence for me over the last couple of seasons, I think Richard has joined the ranks of my favorite Lost characters. Locke, Daniel Faraday, Desmond, and Mr Ecko will greet you sir.</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Dislikes:</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">I was hoping that Richard was even older and from the Egyptian times of the island. Though over the last couple of seasons there have been hints of him tied to the Black Rock thus squashing my hopes. I just want to see an Egyptian episode sometime!</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Overall:</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">The acting, camera work, and story of this episode were great and it all fit nicely together. Also, bravo to Nestor Carbonell who knocked it out of the park this week. Hopefully the writers/producers can keep the momentum of this episode and the rest of the season will be just as great. Next week is a Jin/Sun centric-episode and they haven’t had a good one in a long time so here’s hoping they can end their last one on a high note.</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Speaking of centric episodes, there’s 8 more episodes left (I’m counting the series finale as 1) so who do we all have left to cover. </span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">(Minor Spoilers below):</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Official:</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Sun and Jin (next week)</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Hurley (2 weeks away. Come on, his name is in the title.)</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Probable:</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Desmond (if we ever see him again. I’m kind of mad they are limiting his character this season. Maybe it’s because of the lawsuit last year.)</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">MIB (Jacob got one last year, so it’s only fitting that MIB gets one and I would almost put money on it that it will be the final episode.)</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Frank (Maybe, it’s a long shot. Do we really need to know anything about his back story?)</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Claire (They will need to explain why she walked off in the night and her being alone for 3 years)Ilana (Probably but I don’t really care about the character and her back story)</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Grade: A-</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><strong><span style="font-family:arial;">MY RESPONSE</span></strong><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">I think I've found my ghostwriter when we travel in a few weeks! Ok, down to business...</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><em><span style="font-family:arial;">NO SIDEWAYS</span></em><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">If we take the name of the episode, then the events shown to us could all be pre-Earth. That's right, pre-Creation. I'm beginning to wonder that instead of looking for an end game on LOST, that we should consider all this as the pre-game! </span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">The concept is that all the homage paid to the multiple religions and cultures and people is simply a way of saying that many people were given the chance that Adam was given...and all failed. Or something along those lines.</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><em><span style="font-family:arial;">QUESTIONS ANSWERED</span></em><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Yes, we did get answers. Consider this however: what if the answers we already presumed correctly were merely the writers giving us what we predescribed on message boards and blogs? In other words, this answers don't matter! </span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">For example, the LOST community had pretty much guessed Richard was a passenger aboard the Black Rock ship. So, the writers confirmed it.</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">So I am focusing more on the surprise answers that are mandatory to finishing this story.</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><em><span style="font-family:arial;">HISTORY OF THE BLACK ROCK</span></em><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Since you brought it up...did you know that the owner of the ship was Magnus Hanso? That's a relative of Alvar Hanso - the guy who financed the Dharma Initiative as first told to us in the Swan Hatch Orientation film.</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">I do not know if Magnus was the ship's captain but in this episode we hear someone call out, "The captain is dead" when Smokey attacked them. </span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">The ship's first mate - whoever that might be! - kept a log and this was somehow taken off the island and winds up in an auction house some 150 years later. It is at the auction that Charles Widmore buys the first mate's log book. I'm guessing this helped him find his way back via submarine.</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">This name dropping is to show us that the writers had this whole plot planned out well in advance. It also tells me that the Hanso's and Widmore's are connected. So now is a good time to remind everyone that another partner in this trinity (HA) is Mr. Paik - Sun's daddy! </span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><em><span style="font-family:arial;">WHAT IS THIS PLACE?</span></em><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Charlie first asked this question and this week's episode provided some clues. </span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">In Fundamentalist circles there is a pre-Heaven and a pre-Hell. I like to think of them as holding cells, but that probably is from my ornery side. They are officially called "Hades" and "Abraham's Bosom". When the Messiah returns a second time, the souls are moved from here to their final places: Hell and Heaven.</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Catholics have a single holding cell called Purgatory (which is an acronym for Gary Troup, author of LOST-linked book, "Bad Twin"). Everyone goes here to pay penance as the old priest mentioned to Richard in his jail cell. </span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">If my guess about these events being pre-time (Latin: Ab Aeterno), then we are actually talking about a pre-Heaven. I'm not sure we are ever given an official name for this place in the Bible but it is where the angels existed with God including one angel named Lucifer. </span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Earlier I have been suggesting the LOST story is moving towards End Times like in Revelation. But now I'm more convinced this is Pre Time and the angel, Lucifer, leaves Paradise and takes 1/3rd of the angels with him.</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><em><span style="font-family:arial;">SPOILERS</span></em><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">TIDBITS normally doesn't do spoilers, but these are well publicized and not very revealing, so I included them. But now these comments:</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Desmond - did you know that his name is listed in the credits of every episode so far in Season 6 and yet we saw him only briefly on the plane? I'll bet you a boot at the Hessen Haus that Desmond is who is locked behind that door on the sub. Father-in-laws can be such a pain!</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">While thinking about Desmond...remember Mrs. Hawking said that if Desmond didn't keep pushing that button the world would end and "God helps us all"? She was right. Desmond was keeping the cork in the bottle, just like the Dharma Group was doing before him.</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Ilana - I feel that she is more important than you are giving her credit for. For example, how did she get her faced messed up? It seemed she was in some Third World hospital and how about her being someone different when those wraps come off!?! Her relationship with Jacob doesn't appear to be as old as Richard, but there have been mentions about "mothers" and "fathers" where these two are concerned.</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">**</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Well, thanks for writing and I hope I gave you something to think about in response. </span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;"><strong>NEXT ON TIDBITS</strong></span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Be checking back for more TIDBITS this week when we can discuss things like:</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">- In Sawyer's episode all the clocks seen in every scene were set to the same time!</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">- While the sideways flash appears to be parallel, I can prove they are not 2007-08!</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">- Aaron is not a good son!</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">- The MIB and Jacob are not the Devil and Christ!</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">- Why the Survivors are not dead as Richard claims!</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">If you enjoyed this post, let me know by clicking one of the ads. It let's me know you are reading, you like it, and I get compensated a few pennies for the effort. A win-win for everyone - unlike on the Island of Misfits.</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Enjoy,</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">KC</span>KChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14399838614370355681noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5985561669280536512.post-19584427518441795992010-03-23T21:14:00.004-05:002010-03-23T21:41:30.113-05:00LT356: Ab Aeterno - First Impressions<strong>THE SUNDAY SERMON</strong><br /><br />I feel like I just sat through a Sunday service. To be fair, the story of LOST does not require a religion. It is the story of good versus evil. But then that concept always leads one back to gods - one good and one evil.<br /><br />Let's break down this sermon a little bit...<br /><br /><br /><strong>THE GOOD GUYS: JACOB</strong><br /><br />Many feel that God speaks in riddles, half-explanations and makes impossible requests. On the surface, His instructions can seem almost contradictory. Say hello to Jacob. While Jacob may not be THE God, he is a manifestation of him.<br /><br />Consider the motives behind Jacob's actions. He tells Richard that he brought him and others to the island in order to show the Man in Black that people will choose good. And yet, time and time (since the Adam and Eve skeletons in the cave?) each person fall short of the required faith.<br /><br />Before we elevate Jacob to deity, let's remind ourselves that his power is limited. He can not return Isabella to Richard. He can not absolve Richard of his sins. But he can grant immortality. It looks like we will have to see a few more episodes in order to figure out all the rules of this game - much like every member of a congregation has to do!<br /><br />One more observation: Jacob is rarely there when he is needed. Again, a common complaint of God's followers. Interesting.<br /><br /><br /><strong>THE PENDULUM KEEPS SWINGING</strong><br /><br />Every since Boone died and Aaron was born in the same instance we have witnessed a foreshadowing of the concept of a pendulum. The dictionary defines a pendulum as "a body suspended from a fixed support so that it swings freely back and forth under the influence of gravity, commonly used to measure time". <br /><br />On this island the force of influence is good and evil. Or one might argue it is one's own nature. Decisions...consequences.<br /><br />As Ben turns back to good, Richard turns to evil. Tick-tock, tick-tock.<br /><br /><br /><strong>THE BAD GUY: MAN IN BLACK</strong><br /><br />I enjoyed the re-quotes such as "I see you are in chains." His words are clever, full of half-truths, and full of undisclosed conditions. <br /><br />And we learn his role is to kill Jacob.<br /><br />The wine analogy was very helpful. The evil is kept bottled up and the island is the lid. Now I can't quite rationalize how some of it seeps out in the form of black smoke, but the concept is understood. If the cork comes off we could be unleashing the forces of Hell upon the Earth. This is very similar to the concept of the Bible's devil being kept at bay in the bottomless pit. <br /><br />There must be days when the Man in Black (and Satan) wake up and just wants to wipe humanity off the face of the planet. But there are rules like Job. It seems to me that Richard was protected by some force and this is why he did not die while below deck in the Black Rock.<br /><br /><br /><strong>OTHER NOTES</strong><br /><br />We are going to have a number of topics to discuss this week such as:<br /><br />* The Black Rock crushing the statue<br />* The priest compromising his position for a few silver coins<br />* Magnus Hanso<br />* Rules we can construct such as to escape from hell one must kill the devil<br />* Hurley, dude<br />* Rules like Jacob must invite you inside - so was Ben invited?<br />* Who controls Jacob and the Man in Black<br /><br /><br /><strong>GRADE: BACKSLIDING</strong><br /><br />I give this episode a B+.<br /><br />The show was nearly an entire flashback for Richard...and long overdue. I appreciated the story of love which required sacrifice, but how that commitment can blind one to rage and end in tragedy. It is a very thin line we walk along and that was depicted very well.<br /><br />Ab Aeterno means "before time" and in religious circles it is used to described events "outside of time" such as Creation happening before time began (well, as we know it). These almost seem to suggest events prior to mankind...the events that lead right up to Adam and Eve. <br /><br />It wouldn't surprise me if the two beings on the island agree to a challenge. A challenge where the two sides agree that the next person's decision - to serve good or to serve evil - will determine the fate of mankind. That would have to be Adam and Eve and we know how that turns out. So it seems Desmond was, after all, indeed, saving the world. He was putting off that final challenge. He was keeping mankind afloat for another cycle in order to finally find one person who would choose good and we could avoid the sinful nature we find ourselves plagued with today. <br /><br />If the opening scene of Season 6 is any indicator (along with the history of mankind), then it appears hope does not float. It sinks to the bottom of the ocean along with the island. In this story, truth wins and the truth hurts. Because unlike the movies, the good guys do not win.<br /><br />Very strong episode, but now I am ever so depressed.<br /><br /><br />Enjoy,<br />KCKChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14399838614370355681noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5985561669280536512.post-48372156535270802212010-03-16T21:23:00.002-05:002010-03-16T22:03:50.394-05:00LT355: Recon - First ImpressionsReconnaissance: A French word meaning "recognition"; a military term meaning preliminary survey to gain or collect information<br /><br />So here is my own reconnaissance of each character:<br /><br />SAWYER<br /><br />Without Oceanic Flight 815 going down the life Sawyer would have led was to be a cop with Miles as his partner. On one particular job the code word "LaFleur" seemed to pop into somebody's head and they used it. Of course, with Oceanic crashing, it seems to have been a good alias for Sawyer to use as he moved up to Head of Security for the Dharma Initiative along with partner, Miles. This scene was a good sign the writing was returning to its elevated levels.<br /><br />Pre-crash Sawyer went to Australia to kill the man he thought was Cooper/Sawyer. In this second timeline he goes there to perform recon. His obsession is the same, but his life's work is vastly different. The key is to remember that at the core, Sawyer remains the same.<br /><br /><br />CHARLOTTE<br /><br />Very strange role for her in this episode. When she went searching through his dresser drawer it was all wrong. Why was she curious? She had to realize that for one of the few times in this guy's life she got him to speak the truth...so why doubt him? No one said she had to throw herself at him. <br /><br />That left me convinced it was her reconnaissance work - someone hired her. Was it Miles? I'm guessing so. And so after that, Charlotte was going to be done with him anyway. Yet, I didn't buy it. I know it says 2010 on my calendar but what friend asks another to sleep with a guy so you can find out more about my partner? And what friend says, "Sure, what's the harm?" Yeah, right.<br /><br /><br />KATE<br /><br />I think Kate's life is in danger. John Black knows she hasn't sold her soul to him yet. And I think he realizes he isn't likely to get it - she's too independent. <br /><br />If she could wish one person dead, it would be Jack. "Thanks so much for bringing us back here, buddy boy!" Even I hate Jack for doing it...so far.<br /><br /><br />CLAIRE<br /><br />Can't really talk Kate without talking Claire. First, she is impressing me more and more as an actress. This role is challenging and she is doing a nice job with it. Her appearance really freaks me out. I almost believe Locke when he tells Kate she is crazy. But something tells me not to fall for her act. <br /><br />Chills went down my spine when she held Kate's hand. Minutes later she is trying to kill her. Then after a chat with John, she's all hugs. She's either Sybil-like or John is using her to soften up Kate.<br /><br />How exactly is Kate going to sleep at night?<br /><br /><br />SAYID<br /><br />Again, fine acting job. He is done for - he is sick. But he has enough humanity left in him to respond to Kate's question of is he alright with a pleading, "No." But not enough humanity to do anything but sit on a log and watch Kate nearly die. <br /><br />These characters are creeping me out!<br /><br /><br />ZOEY<br /><br />Am I the only one who thought she looked like Tina Fey? It didn't take a rocket science to figure out she was lying. So why exactly did she drag the bodies to the pile? Knowing either side of her deceit it makes little sense to do that.<br /><br /><br />JOHN BLACK<br /><br />A preacher told me once that the Devil can't help but lie. His followers have the same problem. Imagine being the Devil and you send out your troops for a little recon and when the report back you know they are lying? Would you always then expect the opposite of what you were told? It must a very confusing life when everyone around you is lying. This is where the Bible says, "a house divided against itself can not stand." Many wrongly assume this is a warning about division within a church, but it actually a verse of encouragement for we now know that eventually Satan's house will fall because it can't help but be divided by its very nature. <br /><br />This is a perfect foundation for Season 6 - who can trust who? <br /><br />I appreciated John's directness. I am the smoke monster. Ok then. For this reason alone, I believe Sawyer's life is in mortal danger.<br /><br />**<br /><br />There is another concern with the script. Smokey apparently can make it to the Hydra Island. He went there and killed the remaining passengers of Ajira Fligh 316. So why couldn't he do his own recon? Widmore's people may not have arrived yet, but now that they are there, go have a look. The only reason I can fathom is that John was testing Sawyer's loyalty - which he stated as much. Yet, the Devil has to know that his followers are bound to lies, so does he really know that Sawyer was lying? Wonderful paradox. But is it enough to explain why Smokey didn't just drift over there himself? Hmmm...<br /><br />**<br /><br />Have you noticed how Smokey can use John's memory of his past life? Smokey didn't have a crazy mother...John did. Smokey doesn't shout, "Don't tell me what I can't do", but John did. And yet we know it is still Smokey in that body because of his twisted psychological play on Claire. I wasn't as bothered by him manipulating Claire half as much as how he seemed to enjoy sharing his evil doings with Kate. "Sure, I gave her something to hate."<br /><br />And this to John's ability to spin any event into his own style of rationalization and you've got yourself an Emmy! Can they share it with Ben? In the replay before this episode I watch the final 5 minutes. When they showed Jack noticing Ben with his shoulders drooped...well, what great body language.<br /><br /><br />JOHN'S FOLLOWERS<br /><br />By choosing to leave the Temple they have converted. Yet, Cindy asks, "What happened to the others at the Temple?" The children are theoretically unable to make a choice. Why do I sense that Kate and Sawyer are not the only ones in this group still riding the fence? Or is it possible to changed sides and this is what Cindy is contemplating? If so, I fear her life is in danger.<br /><br />Speaking of the kids, did you see the boy is still dragging that teddy bear around? <br /><br /><br />WIDMORE<br /><br />I honestly can't figure this guy out. He is in fear of John Black evidenced by those nifty temporary sonar pillars. But is that who he really wants dead? Or is Widmore trying to prove his candidancy for Island Caretaker?<br /><br /><br />GRADE<br /><br />B+<br /><br />The show got back into the groove that left my head spinning during each commerical break. I was so confused I thought I saw Charlie, Juliet, and Penny in the commercials! <br /><br />We got new questions, but they weren't as frustrating as before...more like new mysteries like what's behind the locked door?<br /><br />The play on past flashbacks, current sideways flashes and island events is becoming an art form for the writers. There were no obvious "made up rules". <br /><br />But the show misses the "A" because:<br /><br />* Sawyer can't operate a submarine any easier than fly a jumbo jet<br />* Claire might really be insane and I just don't like that<br />* The followers of John should be commiting suicide one by one at this point after realizing what they did...except for a few who really are infected by now like Sayid<br />* I didn't like John's walks to the beach for a chat with everyone<br /><br />The + was for the great lines in this show:<br /><br />* Take me to your leader<br />* Yeah, I think you are that stupid (that's a reused line if you remember - Jack said it last time)<br />* Because of that I had growing pains<br />* Aaron has a crazy mother too<br />* The Little House on the Prairie tribute where Michael Langdon also is known for playing an angel on "Highway to Heaven"<br /><br />All in all, it was a strong episode. It made my head spin like the good old days. The eye-rolling on my part was limited. And the acting was above average. <br /><br /><br /><br />Enjoy,<br />KCKChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14399838614370355681noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5985561669280536512.post-14524883316131066252010-03-14T14:14:00.001-05:002010-03-14T14:16:09.999-05:00LT354: Catching Up on Things<span style="font-family:arial;"><strong>THINGS I BET YOU DON’T KNOW…YET</strong><br /><br />Principal Reynold’s name was written on the ceiling in the cave.<br /><br />The book Ben finds while rummaging through old tent’s is “The Chosen” and is about two boys in a story that combines science, religion and a father-son relationship.<br /><br />Miles’ “listened” to the dead two times in the last episode. First, when holding the bag of Jacob’s ashes. The second, when listening to Nikki and Paulo talk about their diamonds because at the time of their burial Miles wasn’t on the island yet!<br /><br />Widmore accepted John “The Devil” Black’s offer of anything he wanted and Widmore wants the island…bad. And on cue, here he is returning the exact same way he was sent off. Mark my words, when Widmore comes ashore he will share some secret handshake with John Black, wink, then turn around and finally kill Ben. Of course, Widmore could just be there to offer a ride off the island.<br /><br />One side note about the submarine…the crewmember said something like, “There’s people out there.” Widmore quickly encouraged them to continue on. Why is that line important? Drats…there are still things we don’t know…yet.<br /><br /><br /><strong>IS IT MAGIC?</strong><br /><br />How did Miles dig up the diamonds without anyone noticing? Even if he did manage before Ben was shackled or after his escape, how did no one notice the graves were disturbed?<br /><br />Think we will see Dogan alive again? If my magic meter is working properly (yeah, it looks like a Dustbuster!), then the stuff Jacob poured into the water at the beginning of the “Lighthouse” episode might save his, well, his neck. <br /><br /><br /><strong>RELIGION VERSUS SCIENCE</strong><br /><br />Way back when…I mean WAY back when, the producers promised us fringe science. Even the most liberal interpretation of those words will allow a lot of crazy things including reanimation. But when John Black points a finger and the shackles fall off Ben’s ankle, um…is that sort of like bending spoons? Is that even fringe science or hocus pocus?<br /><br />But then any religious person will tell you that followers have Christ have it within them to move a mountain (or island?). Perhaps religion is merely unexplained science. If that becomes our new definition of “fringe science”, then anything goes with supernatural deities like Jacob and the Man in Black.<br /><br />If we open our minds to these possibilities, then let me suggest that if the Man in Black can occupy John’s body, then Jacob may have the same ability. Further, one of the characters might have Jacob in him right now! I vote for Sayid who is merely getting close enough to John Black to extract his revenge for the Bible says, “Vengeance is mine, sayeth the Lord.”<br /><br />Now this brings up a nasty little big of having Jacob within Sayid: that Sayid Jacob killed Dogan. Some might say that this is not behavior becoming a good deity. However, if the course of the universe is set and what has happened will happen, then Dogan’s death was inevitable and Jacob is merely keeping the sequence of events in place…while enduring himself to John Black. <br /><br /><br /><strong>ISLAND CARETAKER</strong><br /><br />We’ve moved from The List to The Candidates. Ilana explains that there are six candidates remaining and the job of the candidate will be to take over Jacob’s job of protecting the island. <br /><br />By the way, did you hear that some country (I think Australia actually) hired a real-life caretaker of some island? True story. I regret not applying for the job.<br /><br />Let’s review the previous caretaker’s duties:<br /><br />Task 1: Pick an assistant<br />We know Jacob is on the island with the Man in Black when the Black Rock appears on the horizon. If Jacob is the caretaker, I’m not sure what job position is held by the Man in Black. Around this time, Jacob’s tasks include giving Richard immortality and he hires Richard as his “executive assistant”.<br /><br />Benefits: Housing<br />The Caretaker is given a cabin fully stocked with painting supplies, jars of weird stuff (is that what is poured in the water pool?), and a table and chairs. Who could want more? If you do, then you also get a beach house in the base of an old statue.<br /><br />Task 2: Recruit a replacement<br />Jacob must spend his time getting a candidate to replace him before he dies. <br /><br />Benefits: Vacation<br />The Caretaker is given some vacation time off the island. <br /><br />Now who wouldn’t want this job?<br /><br />Speaking of candidates, Ilana mentions six people remain (out of 108 applicants). Jack, Hurley, Sawyer, a Kwon, and…well, I think she said Frank was a candidate at one time. I think Sayid is off the list in her mind since she knows what he did in the Temple. That leaves one more spot: Kate? Evidence indicated she is not. Ben? Please! How about Vincent? Hey, don’t forget the dog! <br /><br />Before you scoff at the idea of Vincent being the chosen one, remember that Douglas Adams – he who said “42” was the answer to life, the universe and everything – told us that mice were actually running our planet.<br /><br />So the partial list of candidates is reunited together and what a motley crew it is: Ben, Richard, Miles, Lapidus, Ilana, Hurley, Sun and Jack? Who saw this grouping in Season 1?<br /><br /><br /><strong>READER RESPONSES</strong><br /><br />Let’s get to the Inbox…<br /><br /><em>TALK ABOUT JULIET:<br /></em><br />There is some banter about the alternative timeline was not established by the bomb going off (Michael writes). A few posters rebut this by pointing out that Juliet mumbled, “It worked”, and that seems to be a clear reference to the bomb. <br /><br />KC’S THOUGHTS:<br /><br />First, I’d like to point out that Juliet said those words while in Sawyer’s arms after it did NOT go off. Let’s face it, had the bomb gone off, Sawyer would have needed a pooper scooper to hold Juliet and not his two strong arms! How could she have thought “it worked” if Sawyer is sitting there right next to her? <br /><br />I really do feel that the bomb did not go off, but that a flash of light transported the group to another spot along the timeline(s). It seems to be the only way all events we have witnessed could have transpired. Juliet’s reference wasn’t then to the bomb exploding but that she saved her buddies.<br /><br />As for when the alternate reality begins (or is determined), I’m with Michael…there is still a point ahead in Jack’s life on the island that determines the sequence of events we see. It means they go these other route living with the deals they’ve made, but altered from what we have seen previously. It will mean Jack sacrifices his job as new Caretaker and that Jacob will be re-established as the Caretaker in 2004 like we found him. Only to do this all over again! Loop, dude, loop.<br /><br />**<br /><br /><em>WELL-THOUGHT-OUT THEORY</em><br /><br />Adrian writes about his theory. Well, he points us to a link to read about his theory. Check it out at; </span><a href="http://lost-looking-glass.blogspot.com/2010/03/seeing-red-and-ponderings-on-life.html"><span style="font-family:arial;">http://lost-looking-glass.blogspot.com/2010/03/seeing-red-and-ponderings-on-life.html</span></a><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"><br />KC'S THOUGHTS: Post me some of the points if I fail to get over these anytime soon. Hey, I’m a busy guy! HA!<br /><br />**<br /><br /><em>CORRECTIONS<br /></em><br />I’m corrected that Dogan’s son didn’t die in the auto accident. Good catch, JC. Wait, JC? Those initials remind me of someone…<br /><br />**<br /><br /><em>I HATE INTERRUPTIONS</em><br /><br />Beany agrees that worthless interruptions to the regular schedule LOST time are bothersome. Worthless like those Cyclones who can’t win a game if their life depended on it. Or those Presidential news conferences. Priorities, people! <br /><br />Oh, and nice to have a fellow Iowan reading TIDBITS. Go Hawkeyes!<br /><br />**<br /><br /><em>DOUBTING THOMAS</em><br /><br />An anonymous writer and Ben echoes my sentiments about the writers losing their consistency and setting us up for utter disappointment. </span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">KC'S THOUGHTS: I think I posted something above if this was Season 2 or 3, I would have quit watching. <br /><br />But then Thomas touched the wounds in Jesus’ hands and repented for every having doubted. I think St. Peter even denied Christ three times. So hey, even the disciples struggled, but faith carried them through. So hang in there…if you do, I will.<br /><br /> </span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"><br />**<br /><br />Hope you liked this post. If you did, say thanks by clicking on one of the ads on the right hand side when you finish reading LOST TIDBITS.<br /><br />Enjoy,<br />KC</span>KChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14399838614370355681noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5985561669280536512.post-22478921382030772972010-03-09T21:15:00.002-06:002010-03-09T21:51:11.967-06:00LT353: Dr. Linus - First Impressions<span style="font-family:arial;"><strong>THERE'S A LADY WHO'S SURE</strong></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Ilana stepped front and center this week. While always a strong personality, it was moments with Sun and Ben that cemented her place as leader. She probably has the most faith of anyone. She's one of those glass half-full people who thinks everything that glitters is gold. </span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">I enjoyed her revelations of being touched by Jacob and looking up to him as a father. And in the end her faith won the day as she not only forgave Ben's selfish act of murder, but also seemed to truly forget. A rare quality for sure. </span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">But tell me...did the thought cross your mind that the moment Ben accepted her offer that Smokey was going to appear and swallow him up?</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"><strong>'CAUSE YOU KNOW SOMETIMES WORDS HAVE TWO MEANINGS</strong></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">The writers were playing the double meaning to the hilt...a little too much in my mind. They would leave the alternative reality with Arzt commenting that Ben was quite the killer. Then flip back to the island to Mr. Killer himself. </span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">But it was the play on meanings that made this episode enjoyable. The moral debate of blackmail a professor or save the educational dreams of a student was interesting. </span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"><strong>AND MY SPIRIT IS CRYING FOR LEAVING</strong></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">As the show flip-flopped between the alternative timeline and the island events, Ben was flip-flopping as well. He was thinking, "Should I stay or should I go?" </span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">When offered the job of island Caretaker he clearly accepted the tempting offer. However, this island is about redemption and while helping Sun with the tarp is a small gesture it seems as if Ben is on the road to recovery. And just in time with that sinister submarine coming in fast.</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"><strong>IN MY THOUGHTS I HAVE SEEN RINGS OF SMOKE THROUGH THE TREES...</strong></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">...and the voices of those who stand looking.</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Man, is LOST just a retelling of Stairway to Heaven? We still need some answers to the Whispers. Who exactly is standing around and watching? Is this some assembly of Olympian gods watching the mortals struggle with free will? </span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"><strong>AND A NEW DAY WILL DAWN FOR THOSE WHO STAND LONG</strong></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">This episode was about renewed faith. The band of beach bums reunited not only with lost friends (Jack, Sun and Richard) but with their core values. Ben was the centerpiece, but every character on that beach was beginning to entertain hope and to solidify which side of the fence they were going to stand on.</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">I enjoyed Frank's revelation of over-sleeping as to why he missed piloting Oceanic Flight 815. However, the writers should be cautioned not to just throw out willy-nilly explanations. Hopefully they will weave the answers into the entire show's storyline. For example, having shown Frank as a heavy sleeper prior to this explanation would have been nice...and shown the answers were thought out and not simply manufactured on the fly.</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"><strong>IF THERE'S A BUSTLE IN YOUR HEDGEROW, DON'T BE ALARMED NOW</strong></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Pretend you are Ben. Shackled. And the wind and noise of Smokey appears. That noise is the jungle is John and yet only Ben heard and saw him - or so it seems. </span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Locke is as devilish as they come. It was clever to to suggest he went back to the statue to look for Ben. It was wily to offer Ben the job. It was deceiving to suggest his salvation would be found on the Hydra Island.</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">In the end, Ben was very alarmed at that prospect but only because someone accepted him. Had Ilana not extended that fig leaf, Ben would be paddling to his damnation. </span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"><strong>YES, THERE ARE TWO PATHS YOU CAN GO BY...</strong></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">...but there's still time to change the road you're on.</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">That's not the most evangelical Bible message we've ever heard, but the show is suggesting that one can change their path, their destiny.</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">However, the transformation has been nothing short of miraculous for Jack. Here he was sitting next to a stick of dynamite knowing (ok, believing) his life was protected. But wasn't it just a few island hours ago he was smashing the very mirror he offered as proof of Jacob's purpose to Richard?</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">And that is my main criticsm of this season and this episode. About a third of the Temple folks flip sides on a dime. Jack goes from ticked off Jacob is voyeur and then the next minute he seems to be some kind of disciple. </span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Even Richard seems to be flapping in the wind. And while some might point out this show offered the most answers to date, I could argue not one was a surprise. The writers had best take care or we could be changing the road we are on!</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"><strong>TO BE A ROCK AND NOT TO ROLL</strong></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">The message was clear: hold your ground. Stick to your guns. Don't waver. And one day you will have that stairway to heaven. </span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">As we enter the final stanzas of this composition I'm hoping the characters begin to heed this advice and make some commitments. Or will they be tempted to compromise and become just a bit tainted with manuevers like getting out of monitoring detention? </span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"><strong>GRADES</strong></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">C+</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">It improved from last week. But the real knocks are:</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">* The answers revealed were already known (think Widmore returning)</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">* We know the good versus evil theme and we know the good guys always win</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">* There was feeling of filler like a long guitar solo between versus two and three</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">So this episode gets an average. The + is for the points listed above and the fact I really, really like Led Zeppelin. Let's just hope the show doesn't come crashing down like the Hindenburg.</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Enjoy,</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">KC</span>KChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14399838614370355681noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5985561669280536512.post-56690404858295040052010-03-08T07:47:00.003-06:002010-03-08T07:49:55.690-06:00LT352: Contemplations of a LOST Addict<p><span style="font-family:arial;"><strong>CAN YOU GUESS MY NAME?</strong></span></p><p><span style="font-family:arial;">It is obvious that LOST is wrestling with the eternal theme of good versus evil. While we have been offered a name for the good side (or have we?), the evil side goes by many pseudonyms such as my John Black, Flocke, and Man in Black. </span></p><p><span style="font-family:arial;">That got me thinking about the Rolling Stones tune and the many names that the Bible uses for the Devil, Abbadon, Satan, Beelzebub, etc. How clever for the writers to continue this similarity with the Bible by offering multiple names for our evil island persona.</span></p><p><span style="font-family:arial;">If next episode we hear the character ask, “Can you guess my name?” I’m going to point out that the next step in the Bible prophecy is a major and final war. Now why does that sound familiar?<br /><br /></p></span><p><span style="font-family:arial;"><strong>MAKING DEALS WITH THE DEVIL</strong></span></p><p><span style="font-family:arial;">“James, what if told you that you could have anything you want?”</span></p><span style="font-family:arial;"><p>I think James would answer, “I want Juliet to be alive.”</p><p>So he gets his wish. And we know these things (sort of) because we have been shown this outcome with James. It is the part we call sideways flash or the alternative timeline. My guess is James got EXACTLY what he asked for: Juliet is alive. Only she married Jack and had a son named David. Be careful what you ask for.</p><p>Hurley will then ask to be lucky and he is. </p><p>Kate probably asks to be free…but forgot about the “on the run” part.</p><p>Claire just wants her baby back and presto! She has the baby, but is alone, about to deliver on someone’s front lawn and is only sure about one thing…his name.</p><p>Jack wishes only to not be like he father. And he isn’t a drinker or probably not a cheater or as John Locke will find out if Helen gets him to call eventually (big IF)…he probably isn’t half the doctor his father was.</p><p>You can’t always get want you want. But if try sometimes you might find, you get what you need.<br /><br /></p><p><strong>THE DEVIL IS IN THE DETAILS<br /></strong></p><p>Did you notice Claire was singing her song, “Catch a Falling Star”? The same song her dad use to sing and that Kate would sing one day to Aaron.<br /><br />That symbol on the wall that opens the secret passage way means “Protection”. </p><p>Sundown, the last episode title, was leading people to think it was Sun-centric. The name and the fact that the order of featured characters was the same this season as in Season 1. But the trick was on us as this was Sayid-centric and another pattern we thought we discovered was wrong.<br /><br />**</span></p><p><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Enjoy,<br />KC</span></p>KChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14399838614370355681noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5985561669280536512.post-59224556467895752422010-03-03T04:44:00.003-06:002010-03-03T05:22:12.246-06:00LT351: Sundown - First Impressions<span style="font-family:arial;"><strong>OFF THE RIM</strong></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Flipped on the television at the scheduled time only to find a basketball game had bumped LOST from its time slot. ARGH! </span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Further punished because the game went into overtime. DOUBLE ARGH!</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">So this episode, Sundown, created a mood for me that was similar to the fans at the game who sat and watched shot after shot clank off the rim - foul. I don't even care for the 70's song that shares this show's title! But finally, it came on and we settled in for another brain massage.</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"><strong>OVER THE TOP</strong></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">It has been explained to me that some people watch movies and shows merely to be entertained. But I like movies and shows that make me think. For examples we can consider Die Hard versus The Matrix. </span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Last night's show was more Die Hard and a bit over the top for me.</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">The fight scene with Dogan and Sayid was "cool", but what purpose did it serve? Was there really an intention from Dogan to kill Sayid? </span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Will the LOST producers have to apologize for stereotyping Asians as martial arts experts? Seriously, where did this bank middle manager, family man attending piano recitals, suffering from a loss of a child guy pick up martial arts? If we wanted to be picky one might wonder why an interrogator from Iraq learned such excellent hand-to-hand combat? Yes, it was nice eye candy, but provided little after the initial sugar buzz wore off.</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">**</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">In similar fashion the raid of Smokey on the Temple was cool. But it was over the top and I'm left wondering what purpose it served to show that much CGI graphics on a show that promised from the start to only use plausible scientific theories as its basis. Hmmm....</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"><strong>FOCUS THE SPOTLIGHT</strong></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">On the mental side of the equation I did like the spotlight being focuse on the concept of free will versus predestination. Most will agree with me that when a supernatural being is pushing events a certain way, us mere humans lose a lot of ou free will. </span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">We learned Jacob probably allowed or did kill Dogan's son in order to force him into a deal with the angel. </span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Then half of the Temple Dwellers, and Sayid were "forced" into a deal with the devil.</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">As Rush sang: </span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">All the world's indeed a stage</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">And we are merely players</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Performers and portrayers</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Each another's audience</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Outside the gilded cage.</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">So true with LOST last night.</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"><strong>REDEFINE GOOD</strong></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">This week LOST took the word "good" and completely redefined it. It seems "good" is evidenced by your willingness to kill evil. Oh really?</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Now maybe that wasn't the new definition as Sayid was put to the test with that knife, but it was protrayed that way. I'm reminded of John being asked to kill his father, Cooper...again, as a test of his goodness since daddy was an evil man. Really?</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Most people would agree that killing is allowed in war and self-defense (even though these compromises really make you gut check your core values). But stabbing even before one speaks? Seems a little situational ethics to me.</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"><strong>GRADE</strong></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">C-</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Maybe I've over analyzed this episode. And I'm way too far into this story to back off now. But if this was aired in Season 2 or 3, I might have been watching Biggest Loser last night instead of LOST. </span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">It just served as a reminder as to why this God and Devil stuff that humanity has chained itself too over the centuries makes me mad. We have all had a time when we raise our fist to the air and said, "Why God?!" This episode reminded of those times when we learned a good god offered a Pet-Cemetary-like resurrection of a child in exchange for a life of penance. And then the same deal is extended to Sayid it seems.</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">So my displeasure is probably more due to my deeply-rooted guilt complex than anything else!</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Well, that and the fact that once again LOST left me with more questions than answers like:</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">* What's up with that line of ash that John Black can't cross?</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">* Why was John able to cross it eventually?</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">* Why is Claire so messed up?</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">* Whose really dead and whose not?</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">* Why a special knife to kill John?</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">* Why is Claire mad that Kate cared for Aaron?</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">* Why is Kate alive after giving Claire a chance to kill her if she is so upset about Aaron?</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">* Why can't Smokey sense Kate was in the pit?</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">* Why can't Smokey go through walls?</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">* Why didn't someone else kill Kate since she joined Locke without making a choice?</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">* Why didn't Sayid kill Ben?</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">* Why is Jin in the storage locker?</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">* What is the full meaning behind the "scales of good and evil"?</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">* Why did the Others so quickly abandon their cause?</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">* Why did the death of Dogan allow Smokey access into the Temple?</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">* What isn't Miles noticing who is the living dead with his gift?</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">* Where is God through all of this?</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">* Why was it too late if John spoke first?</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">* What is Sawyer doing with his time in the cave?</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">* Is Hurley complaining about being hungry?</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">* What is the significance of sundown?</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Be sure to check back on TIDBITS for some proposed answers. And hopefully we won't have to wait for the final buzzer to sound before getting some getting some answers.</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">**</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">If you enjoyed this post, please let me know that by clicking one of the ads when you finish reading.</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Enjoy,</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">KC</span>KChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14399838614370355681noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5985561669280536512.post-50235928385384164372010-02-28T07:55:00.003-06:002010-02-28T08:04:59.163-06:00LT350: Strangers, Blondes, and Offspring<p><span style="font-family:arial;"><strong>NUMBER 108</strong><br /><br />Wallace can have the meaning of “stranger”. <br /><br />Henry Gale has the meaning “ruling stranger”.<br /><br />Ben used the nickname Henry Gale which is sort of double play on words. We know that Ben wasn’t recruited as much as he volunteered for service. And if one wants to point out that Ben’s participation started when he was a child and healed at the Temple then even more we can point out that he wasn’t selected. Both time he was delivered by someone – his father to Dharma Docks and by Kate and Sawyer to Richard. <br /><br />Yes, he is/was the ruler, but he was a stranger in that he was outside the normal group. I’m thinking Stranger in Strange Land especially since Heinlein has been referenced before.<br /><br />So who then is the “outsider” coming now? I think this disqualifies Widmore. Could it be the young boy? I’m leaning that the boy being a young Jacob. Oh, here’s an idea: what if Smokey works only to keep the balance? Now that John Black is getting established, maybe Smokey now manifests who Jacob wants. Hmmm…<br /><br />Ok, back to Stranger. The best candidate for this role seems to someone who was not really invited in, but stumbled onto the island. Or maybe I should say he crashed onto the island (just like the real Henry Gale did). Or maybe I could just say, “Welcome back Desmond!”<br /><br /><br /><strong>BLACK ROCK THOUGHTS</strong><br /><br />One of the earliest mysteries was how in the world it got so far inland? Some suggested a major storm and that is plausible. But wouldn’t it be easier if the Black Rock ship sunk and drifted down to settled on a sunken island!?!<br /><br /><br /><strong>THE BLONDE BOY</strong><br /><br />Jacob is a leading contender for this new character. But let’s not forget that Aaron has blonde hair and way back when it seemed he was going to have an important role. <br /><br />Also consider how much that a) Claire doesn’t want him to return to the island evidence by her showing up in Aaron’s bedroom to say as much to Kate and b) how much Claire wants Aaron back in her arms. I don’t think we saw all that transpire in recent episodes without it coming full circle for the Shepherd family.<br /><br /><br /><strong>CRAZY THEORY OF THE WEEK</strong><br /><br />Imagine that Christian ends up being the Man in Black. We’ve seen Jacob travelling the globe, why not the Man in Black? <br /><br />Now here’s the crazy part: Christian as the Man in Black had children: Jack, Claire and now a grandchild, Aaron. <br /><br />Evidence #1: He has definitely been pushing Jack in the direction he wanted his son to go.<br /><br />Evidence #2: The sort-official Missing Pieces has it all starting with Christian telling Vincent that his son has work to do.<br /><br />Evidence #3: When Christian met Sawyer in that Australian bar he dipped his finger in the drink and tasted it…just like John Black did!<br /><br />Evidence #4: When Christian was on the island he was very dead, but in that manifestation he said, “We need to bring the family back together.”<br /><br />This then suggests that the big battle is over Jack. John Black already has Claire under his influence. And he is Christian already (according to this theory). Jack is the last piece of this game for John to get. Well, there is one more and that fits nicely into the stranger coming back…Aaron. <br /><br />It would be a clincher if Aaron’s last name (or middle name?) was Wallace. Perhaps Claire’s mother remarried a Mr. Wallace along the way. <br /><br />Hey, I entitled this section, “Crazy Theory”, for a reason!</span></p><p><span style="font-family:arial;">Oh, one more related point: the Bible does have a verse that has preplexed scholars for years. It says, "That the sons of God saw the daughters of men that they were fair; and they took them wives of all which they chose...There were giants in the earth in those days; and also after that, when the sons of God came in unto the daughters of men, and they bare children to them, the same became mighty men which were of old, men of renown." </span></p><p><span style="font-family:Arial;">So, it isn't completely out of question for the Man in Black to be of some "alien" nature and also have fathered children. Yeah, weird. To be fair, some scholars have noted that a certain people used to call themselves "sons of God" so maybe this is just a reference to those people integrating into another tribe of people. Who called themselves "sons of God"? Why the Egyptians, of course! And there is little debate that whoever these "sons of God" where, their offspring were a unique lot of folk being giants and all.</span></p><p><span style="font-family:arial;">Isn't LOST great? It makes you think.<br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family:arial;"><br />**<br /><br />Hope you liked this post. If you did, say thanks by clicking on one of the ads on the right hand side when you finish reading LOST TIDBITS.<br /><br />Enjoy,<br />KC</span></p>KChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14399838614370355681noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5985561669280536512.post-55917014151731365142010-02-25T19:55:00.006-06:002010-02-26T08:37:10.959-06:00LT349: I Think We're Going to Need to Watch That Again<span style="font-family:arial;"><strong>LOOK AGAIN</strong><br /><br />I mentioned that my hope was to see whose name was found at position 108 on the dial in the lighthouse. Here it is:</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><p><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_KCimVxjVeEk/S4cqJt0XsaI/AAAAAAAABzw/i81N_wkiamQ/s1600-h/108.jpg"><span style="font-family:arial;"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5442365021106975138" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 134px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_KCimVxjVeEk/S4cqJt0XsaI/AAAAAAAABzw/i81N_wkiamQ/s200/108.jpg" border="0" /></span></a><span style="font-family:arial;"> Wallace? Don’t miss “Friendly” at 109. If Jack had not freaked out he would have seen into the life of Wallace. Wonder what he would have seen? </span></p><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">EDITOR'S NOTE: Is that 08 or 108? I can't quite tell but it deserved to be pointed out. <p><br />There is a Rousseau at position 20. That could mean Danielle or her husband or even Alex. Austen is found at position 51 and she is not crossed off like the others are. Linus is at 117 and is crossed-off, so either he is disqualified or dead.<br /><br />Most circular things have 360 degrees so we can assume that Jacob has been peeking in at 360 people.<br /><br />I noticed that Jack’s name is written slightly different than the rest. And the house he saw is not where he went to visit his mother. Maybe 23 stands for Christian?<br /><br />Could all the flashbacks we’ve seen be the things that Jacob saw in the mirror? It might explain why at times a person seemed to be on the good list and then not on the list. Think Ana Lucia and a few others who were hoped to be good. Maybe they were waiting for Jacob to take another peek into his mirror and see. When we (and Jacob) saw Ana Lucia shoot the attacker in cold blood, maybe that doomed her.<br /><br />Michael is an excellent example of this as he waffles between idiot and caring father.<br /></p></span><p><span style="font-family:arial;"><strong>CHEERS<br /></strong><br />Jack’s mother has a little helper but Jack doesn’t seem to be a drinker. Too bad, because he could have asked for a glass of MacCutcheon scotch. This is the choice of drink for Widmore, Cooper and maybe Jack’s father. This feeds into the theory that Dharma (or whatever name we can put on this “group”) is everywhere.<br /><br /></p></span><span style="font-family:arial;"><p></span><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_KCimVxjVeEk/S4cqiUQfkKI/AAAAAAAAB0I/5SHAz97IVYk/s1600-h/Scotch.jpg"><span style="font-family:arial;"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5442365443742339234" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 134px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_KCimVxjVeEk/S4cqiUQfkKI/AAAAAAAAB0I/5SHAz97IVYk/s200/Scotch.jpg" border="0" /></span></a><span style="font-family:arial;"><br /><br /><br /><strong>PLAY IT AGAIN, SAM<br /></strong><br />Jack’s son, David, is practicing some Chopin.</span><br /><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_KCimVxjVeEk/S4cqSCxscKI/AAAAAAAABz4/0W6hzNxdd2A/s1600-h/SheetMusic.jpg"><span style="font-family:arial;"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5442365164171849890" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 134px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_KCimVxjVeEk/S4cqSCxscKI/AAAAAAAABz4/0W6hzNxdd2A/s200/SheetMusic.jpg" border="0" /></span></a><span style="font-family:arial;"><br />You can see the song title. It is the same piece that young Danielle was playing at the piano when his mother gave him the talk about spending his time a little more productively.<br /><br />And it was clear, but should be mentioned in case someone missed it…but Jack said he read “The Annotated Alice” to his son when he was little. Now David is reading it for school.<br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family:arial;"><strong>SILLY RABBIT<br /></strong><br />Did you notice Jack found the key to the front door stored under a rabbit? The writers just can’t seem to let these themes go.</span><br /><br /></p><p><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_KCimVxjVeEk/S4cqZbcnQvI/AAAAAAAAB0A/-OfK5axiSL0/s1600-h/Rabbit.jpg"><span style="font-family:arial;"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5442365291053400818" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 134px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_KCimVxjVeEk/S4cqZbcnQvI/AAAAAAAAB0A/-OfK5axiSL0/s200/Rabbit.jpg" border="0" /></span></a><span style="font-family:arial;"><br />A very similar rabbit was hiding a key that Miles found when he let himself into the apartment as a child.<br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family:arial;"><strong>CUT ME, MICK<br /></strong><br />Sorry, a little Rocky flashback of my own. Anyway, the appendix scar is very interesting. I put this in the same category as the bleeding on the neck that Jack noticed in the airplane bathroom. How can he have these and not remember them? It seems as if EVERYONE – including mother – is pushing Jack down his path of destiny. </span></p><p><span style="font-family:arial;"></span></p><p><span style="font-family:arial;"><strong>TIME TO PICK TEAMS<br /></strong><br />It appears that the teams are beginning to take shape. Hurley and Jack on Team Jacob. Sawyer and Claire on Team Locke.<br /><br />Do you wonder if Jacob wasn’t forming a team from all of the Oceanic 6? It seems possible that by bringing them back to the island, this was their choice. On the other hand, John Black (my name for Smokey Locke) is trying to get his team to leave the island.<br /><br />Something made me wonder if Jacob and Blackie haven’t been fighting for years in some place. Dad gets tired of their constant fighting and says, “Look, you two go to this island and when one of you wins, you can return home. Until then, you two stay there and fight all you want.”<br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family:arial;"><strong>STAR WARS RETURNS<br /></strong><br />Hurley used a little Jedi Knight trick on Dogan with that, “I’m a candidate and I can do whatever I want. YOU go back to the courtyard.” Nice one.<br /><br />Now let’s consider what this implies. First, Dogan knows that Hurley and the rest of the candidates doesn’t know. Well, not until Jacob informs him. But when Hurley learns of his elevated status, Dogan backs down. What if only one becomes the Protector…will Dogan look up Hurley and slap him around for being bossy? HA!<br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family:arial;"><strong>WHO IS COMING BACK?<br /></strong><br />The question of the week is “Who is coming back?”<br /><br />The early results show Widmore in the lead. Aaron is close behind. Daniel is mentioned as a possible…shall I say, candidate? Desmond should be included since we have seen him only as “ghost rider” on the plane.<br /><br />I’m almost 108% sure it is Charles Widmore.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br />**<br /><br />Hope you liked this post. If you did, say thanks by clicking on one of the ads on the right hand side when you finish reading LOST TIDBITS.<br /><br />Be sure to check out the comments in the past few postings. I have to moderate them so they show up a tad late, but they are worth reading. Or wait until I can address them in a posting.<br /><br />Enjoy,<br />KC</span><br /></p>KChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14399838614370355681noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5985561669280536512.post-87211314611912926282010-02-24T05:42:00.001-06:002010-02-24T05:43:33.708-06:00LT348: The Lighthouse – First Impressions<span style="font-family:arial;"><strong>I GUESS I DO</strong><br /><br />Jack’s response to his mother’s question, “Don’t you remember?” when she is explaining he had his appendectomy at age 7 or 8. <br /><br />Don’t you always remember a major event say after the age of say 3? My tonsils were removed and I recall the playroom at the hospital, the ice cream, and even a little planter someone sent gave me. <br /><br />So why doesn’t Jack remember? <br /><br /><br /><strong>CAN’T WE JUST…GET THROUGH IT?</strong><br /><br />So Jack has a son in Timeline #2. I didn’t pick up any clues as to who mommy is in the house, but the money should be on Sarah. <br /><br />Isn’t David another one of those Bible names? <br /><br />I’m flashing back to Jack living with the Others and spending some time playing the piano.<br /><br />Of course the lesson to all this was “You have what it takes”. This is each generation trying to reverse the prior generation’s mistakes. We’ve all done our own little “course corrections”, huh?<br /><br /><br /><strong>WE WEREN’T LOOKING FOR IT</strong><br /><br />Lots of life object lessons in this episode. You can only find something when you are looking for it. There it was, right in front of them, and they never saw this structure. Reminds me of a certain cabin Hurley once went looking for.<br /><br />Are you as frustrated as me with the way Jacob goes about getting his will accomplished? Again, that reminds me of something I hear in church a lot about God’s will and how we don’t always understand it all the time but are assured that everything works out where God is concerned. <br /><br /><br /><strong>YOU’RE NOT REMEMBERING THINGS RIGHT</strong><br /><br />Mr. Hatchet (you know who I mean) seemed pretty sincere when he tells Claire that she has her facts mixed up. And yet, her brand seemed pretty real to me. In reminds me of a couple of brandings: Juliet and Sayid.<br /><br />So the Others grabbed her, but her to the test and discovered she is infected. I agree with the Others. And as with Sayid they don’t seem able to do anything about it. They need someone else to do their dirty work. That reminds me of John Locke having Sawyer kill Cooper in the Black Rock. <br /><br /><br /><strong>HE’S MY FRIEND</strong><br /><br />My son kept pushing the concept of THREE tonight. He thinks there were only three members of the French team infected at one time. He thinks Smokey divided into three parts at the sonar fence while chasing Juliet and Kate back to Othersville. And it seems that John is currently looking for three candidates to complete his team.<br /><br /><br /><strong>RATINGS</strong><br /><br />LOST has got be backing to thinking about the show long after the credits have scrolled on the screen. I like that. <br /><br />The writers definitely have fine tuned the art of cross-referencing the characters and events between the two timelines. We saw games again with Hurley and Miles playing some Tic-Tac-Toe. We have Dogan (spelling?) making sense in both sides of the time wall. I like that.<br /><br />Claire really impressed me with her acting. She really has left the cute and innocent behind. And even in this new role she showed psychotic-like mood swings with her facial expressions. I like that.<br /><br />But as before, we have a lot of new questions along with a handful of questions. The worst was not getting a peek at what is written at number 108 on the dial. I don’t like that.<br /><br />Very strong episode, but doesn’t quite top last weeks, so I give this a B+. <br /><br /><br />**<br /><br />Hope you liked this post. If you did, say thanks by clicking on one of the ads on the right hand side when you finish reading LOST TIDBITS.<br /><br />Until next time…<br /><br />Enjoy,<br />KC</span>KChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14399838614370355681noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5985561669280536512.post-58197978520622190982010-02-23T07:52:00.004-06:002010-02-23T07:54:58.009-06:00LT347: We’ll Go Walking Through the Park and Reminiscing<span style="font-family:arial;">Today’s blog title is a line from the song by Little River Band…an Australian band. Hmmm… Uh, anyway, it is a stroll through some old topics with updated information<br /><br /><strong>MORE OR LESS ON NUMBERS</strong><br /><br />We saw the Numbers next to people’s names on the cave ceiling:<br /><br />4 - Locke<br />8 – Hurley<br />15 – Sawyer<br />16 – Sayid<br />23 – Jack<br />42 – Sun<br /><br />I’m betting on Sun being 42 since she was touched by Jacob prior to the island.<br /><br />If these Numbers relate to the Survivors in some direct manner then I propose they were handed to Jacob in advance (or the past). At first I thought these were the seat numbers on Oceanic Flight 815 so Jacob could identify the “candidates”. But they don’t match up. So it seems instead that these are more likely Vanezetti Equation-related (more on that in a coming post).<br /><br />Too bad about the seat assignments because that would have led nicely into explaining why Jack’s neck is bleeding…from an injection.<br /><br />So instead of trying to figure out the meaning of the Numbers I wonder if we should think less about them. After all the Numbers never got transmitted to Sam and Lenny. Lenny never mumbled them to Hurley in the mental hospital. They never got stamped on the Swan hatch lid. Why not? Because the island was underwater the whole time. Well, ever since 1977. See, if we can have two alternative realities, why not three or four?<br /><br />In my alternate reality (no jokes required!) Radzinsky keeps drilling, hits the pocket of super goo and the island…sinks. No tower transmission, no Numbers.<br /><br /><strong>SHOES</strong><br /><br />Since we are walking down memory lane I have to point out that there is something about shoes. Again, not more shoes, but less. I mention this only because it came to my attention that Jacob was barefoot when he visited Locke after his fall from the fourth floor. Then I’m reminded how the Others walked around barefoot. So did Sawyer often when he would step on sharp objects.<br /><br />It’s connected…I’m just not sure how.<br /><br /><strong>POLAR BEARS</strong><br /><br />Wow! It has been awhile since we talked about polar bears. And just when you thought it was safe to job in the jungle of corporate America…you get fired. John Locke learned that lesson the hard way.<br /><br />Tip 1: Lie better<br />Tip 2: Ask Hurley next time why he hires someone like Randy Nations to mess up his company<br />Tip 3: Stop playing with toys<br /><br /></span><p><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_KCimVxjVeEk/S4Pdq2qrEsI/AAAAAAAABzY/BE7Ic6bUlvs/s1600-h/FiredBox.jpg"><span style="font-family:arial;"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5441436503092433602" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 149px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_KCimVxjVeEk/S4Pdq2qrEsI/AAAAAAAABzY/BE7Ic6bUlvs/s200/FiredBox.jpg" border="0" /></span></a><span style="font-family:arial;"> Look close. You can click on any picture in TIDBITS and get a larger version of it. Do you see it? Right next to the pen and above the Father-Son photograph. Growl! They just won’t leave us alone!<br /><br /><strong>GAMES</strong><br /><br />Is the whole show one big board game? Chess? Truth or Dare? A jigsaw puzzle? Chutes and Ladders? A case can be made for each of them. Or maybe we are playing one of those IQ quizzes where we have to figure out the patterns. If so, he is the scorecard (thanks to Doc Arnzt):</span></p><p><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_KCimVxjVeEk/S4PdyxfeaKI/AAAAAAAABzg/_-k9E123AFU/s1600-h/chalkboard.jpg"><span style="font-family:arial;"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5441436639142242466" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 152px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_KCimVxjVeEk/S4PdyxfeaKI/AAAAAAAABzg/_-k9E123AFU/s200/chalkboard.jpg" border="0" /></span></a><span style="font-family:arial;"><br /><strong>FINAL THOUGHTS<br /></strong><br />As we prepare for another episode tonight let me leave with two pieces of advice. Here is the first one:</span></p><p><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_KCimVxjVeEk/S4Pd6eDpC2I/AAAAAAAABzo/VoFMowtbSd0/s1600-h/LiveInthePresent.jpg"><span style="font-family:arial;"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5441436771364178786" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 116px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_KCimVxjVeEk/S4Pd6eDpC2I/AAAAAAAABzo/VoFMowtbSd0/s200/LiveInthePresent.jpg" border="0" /></span></a><span style="font-family:arial;"><br />As the sign says on the wall, “Live in the Present”.<br /><br />And for those gamers out there…<br /><br />"You have to learn the rules of the game. And then you have to play better than anyone else.”</span></p><p><span style="font-family:arial;"> - Einstein<br /><br />Good advice.<br /><br /><br />**<br />If you enjoyed this post, please click one of the ads to let me know.<br /><br />Enjoy,<br />KC</span></p>KChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14399838614370355681noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5985561669280536512.post-42801352755769064472010-02-22T21:08:00.000-06:002010-02-22T21:09:17.874-06:00LT346: Feedback on the Substitute<p><span style="font-family:arial;"><strong>LOT’S BIBLE STORY</strong><br /><br />We had a couple of comments about my analogy to the Bible story of Lot. I have TWO responses.<br /><br />FIRST…it is the story of Job, not Lot. You can’t know how silly I feel. My apologies. <br /><br />The SECOND observation on my blunder is how much LOST had penetrated into my mind. I could have misnamed Job as several Bible characters, but the old mind grabbed Lot. Maybe it was something to do with the name being three letters. See? LOST Disease! Numbers! <br /><br />Someone even posted a comment on how odd it would be if LOST was a retelling of Lot’s life because the anagram of Lot’s is LOST. Yeah, I need help. If this show went on more one season I might need a room next to Hurley!<br /><br />I just counted the number of times people corrected me: three. See what I mean? Spooky!<br /><br /><br /><strong>THE LIGHTHOUSE</strong><br /><br />Before I forget, did I mention that an hourglass is associated with death in some societies? That was back in the premier episode but I wanted to be sure I got that out there.<br /><br />This week the episode is entitled, “The Lighthouse”. There are many Biblical references to lighthouses and most are obvious as they serve as a warning and guide through troubled waters. I can’t help but think of ships at sea in a storm. Can you say Black Rock? <br /><br />Oh, this is really crazy but I misspelled (and corrected) Black Rock as Block Rock. Giggled to myself and then thought, hey, I call John the Second by the name of John Black. Blocke, Locke, Black, Rock. Oh man, do I need help or what? No, what I need is answers!<br /><br />Let’s hope this week gives us some.<br /> </span></p><p><span style="font-family:arial;"><strong>MORE COMMENTS<br /></strong><br />Ben! Nice to hear from you. He writes, “ Ben here- miss my comments much? I just wanted to ... Ben here-miss my comments much?I just wanted to say that I think that this alternate time-line is only different post-flight...at least for the passengers of our favorite plane.<br />So, Locke is still at odds with Dad...after all, how else did he get in the wheelchair? The photo on his desk may be a private reminder of who put him there. Just think, this whole time he was on the island, he and Helen at the latest were in a relationship.<br />Hurley, immediately post-flight, finally found happiness and rewarded the fortune-teller by giving her a dream job.<br />And Rose may have been working for Hurley this whole time.<br /><br />MY RESPONSE: I’m not quite convinced that Locke and Cooper are still at odds. We have the sweet photo in the cubicle. We have Helen giving the reason for them being together is NOT John getting over his father, but instead how well the get along – or words to that affect. <br /><br />And I think it is a stretch for Hurley to have his mother’s new house burn down, a few fires at businesses he owned, a meteorite crash into his new restaurant, and his grandfather die and then one flight home from speaking with Mrs. Toomey his life changes for success? <br /><br />And consider that on the other side of the aisle, Charlie is still an addict, Kate is still on the run, and Claire is still trying to give up her baby. It does seems that some people’s lives changed drastically while others remained pretty much on course. That can’t be due to some airline food, but something prior. We will see. And it IS good to hear from you again!<br /><br /><br /><strong>EMAILS FROM READERS</strong><br /><br />I got an email from a guy who suggested that my name be included in the fan tribute of the Season 6 DVD. It seems this group is trying to get a few names listed as extras because of their on-line involvement with the show and its supporting communities. I seemed to have deleted that email so if you read this, send it again. I’d rather have “LOST TIDBITS” listed than my name. If you don’t read this, it was nice to be considered.<br /><br />**<br /><br />Someone writes, “Is the rumor true that LOST will end with everyone being in a state of suspended animation and the machines are using them for energy and this is all a computer-generated reality?”<br /><br />No, that was the movie Matrix, but thanks so much for writing, Roger B.!<br /><br />**<br /><br />Someone else wrote, “Did you catch any other names on the cave ceiling?”<br /><br />Yes we did: Goodspeed, Littleton, Troupe, Faraday, Rutherford and Straume. So this is not just the flight manifest of Oceanic Flight 815. <br /><br />In case you don’t recognize Troupe – that is the author of the LOST-associated book, “Bad Twin”. On the show Gary Troupe is the guy who was sucked up in the running engine in the very first episode and his name is an anagram for “purgatory”. Straume is Miles’ surname. Rutherford is Shannon’s last name.<br /><br />However, I’m confused on what the Others mentioned once that Jack wasn’t on the list.<br /><br />My co-worker, MJ, noticed that the numbers next to the names may not be that big of a surprise if someone with knowledge then travelled back in time. The first appearance I’m aware of with the Numbers is 1977 when they are being stamped into the Swan hatch lid. This reminds of Sawyer commenting on going back to 1977 but off the island would give him a chance to win some bets. In other words, their appearance isn’t random or some pattern of nature, but a purposefully message from a time traveler. Since Hurley used the numbers to his advantage, he is the candidate in my mind! Of course, now that we know Jacob is very old and like’s Numbers he may have placed them where they served as some sign (think of that Star Trek Next Generation episode where Commander Data leaves a trail of THREE’s to give hints each time loop).<br /><br /><br />**<br /><br />Another reader comments, “Was the ladder Sawyer and John climbed down called “Jacob’s Ladder”?” Could be! Except that one led up to heaven and not down to…<br /><br /><br /><strong>NEXT ON TIDBITS</strong><br /><br />The hope is to get one more post out this week before the show. My goal is to do something called “Where we are so Far”. Sort of a summary to get us focused on the stretch run. That sounds fun, but also sounds like a lot of work so we’ll see. I will do this, but time will dictate when.<br /><br />I’ll leave you with this: Lighthouses are never specifically mentioned in the Bible (the closest mention being a "light on a hill"). However, a lighthouse shows the way and warns of danger. We as Christians are called on to be a beacon or lighthouse so that others can see the way to eternal life through Jesus Christ. <br /><br />So who will be the lighthouse on the island showing the true way? <br /> </span></p><p><span style="font-family:arial;"><br />**<br /><br />Hope you liked this post. If you did, say thanks by clicking on one of the ads on the right hand side when you finish reading LOST TIDBITS.<br /><br />Until next time…<br /><br />Enjoy,<br />KC</span></p>KChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14399838614370355681noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5985561669280536512.post-74631717215659991802010-02-21T18:55:00.003-06:002010-02-21T19:00:15.448-06:00LT345: Did You Notice?<span style="font-family:arial;">THE NUMBERS AND OTHER THINGS<br /><br />My memory says the producers once told us to not put so much stock in the Numbers. They claimed they were mostly being used as an entertainment value. Yet, they don’t go away. If one mystery needs explained by the end, I demand it be the Numbers. We say the Numbers on the cave ceiling last week, but that wasn’t the only place...</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><p><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_KCimVxjVeEk/S4HWGvUUC0I/AAAAAAAABy4/twkwN1jbu08/s1600-h/Clock.jpg"><span style="font-family:arial;"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5440865236109495106" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 134px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_KCimVxjVeEk/S4HWGvUUC0I/AAAAAAAABy4/twkwN1jbu08/s200/Clock.jpg" border="0" /></span></a><span style="font-family:arial;"><br />Notice the clock on John’s nightstand. I’ll admit, I missed it during the show.<br /><br />**<br /><br />Did you recognize the job placement officer who was asking John what kind of animal he was?</span></p><p><span style="font-family:arial;"></span></p><p><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_KCimVxjVeEk/S4HWNb6XkkI/AAAAAAAABzA/ZUvhtPoj_mM/s1600-h/lynn.jpg"><span style="font-family:arial;"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5440865351159484994" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 134px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_KCimVxjVeEk/S4HWNb6XkkI/AAAAAAAABzA/ZUvhtPoj_mM/s200/lynn.jpg" border="0" /></span></a><span style="font-family:arial;"><br />It was Lynn Karnoff who we first saw as Hurley’s psychic when trying to rid himself of the curse of winning the lottery! Again, I didn’t recognize her.<br /><br />So, let’s deviate from I Spy for a moment and ponder how the two timelines differ. In some ways, like Kate, nothing has changed much. Of course she would have landed at LAX and tried to escape. See Kate. See Kate run. It is as predictable as Dick and Jane. But this lady has a completely different path in life (unless she moonlights as a psychic for extra money).<br /><br />Not that we will get an explanation of why some people’s lives made a 180 degree turnabout, but I am curious as to how not flying through a time travel window over the South Pacific changed people’s occupation from pre- to post-turbulence.<br /><br />What I’m getting at is that I don’t think Oceanic Flight 815 flashing or not flashing through time is what makes the big changes in the two timelines. It would have be something pre-takeoff that did that. WAY BEFORE takeoff that would make Lynn go from psychic to job counselor. Something like Jacob not even making it to visit the Oceanic 6 and possibly not visiting a whole lot of people.<br /><br />I’m envisioning the oldest scene we have witnessed (the chat at the beach over a fish breakfast with the Black Rock at sea) but this time it is the Man in Black and Sawyer…or Hurley…or Jack. I’m talking about a MAJOR event that would shift the timelines so drastically that Boone lives and maybe Daniel decides to give up his experiments on rats.<br /><br />Allow me to ride this horse a bit further. The pre-flight change must be so great that Locke and his father are buddies. Check out the picture you probably missed in Locke’s cubicle and the box company:</span></p><p><span style="font-family:arial;"></span></p><p><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_KCimVxjVeEk/S4HWU0kDoeI/AAAAAAAABzI/HkqVWadNjGY/s1600-h/LockeAndCooper.jpg"><span style="font-family:arial;"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5440865478035874274" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 134px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_KCimVxjVeEk/S4HWU0kDoeI/AAAAAAAABzI/HkqVWadNjGY/s200/LockeAndCooper.jpg" border="0" /></span></a><span style="font-family:arial;"> It makes it seem they are buddies. And Helen makes it very clear that John’s obsession with revenge on daddy-stealing-my-kidney is not the reason for a separation.<br /><br />Allow my a little psycho-babble because I’m impressed with the possibility of how drastically our Friends (hey, after six years the Survivors are more friends to me than Ross, Monica and Chandler will ever be) paths can change. Do you remember that movie with Steve Guttenberg and Meryl Streep where they die and in Heaven video is shown of their life as they are judged? I wonder that instead of film footage of your life’s blunders that instead we may be shown all the Butterfly Effect our choices made and that we were oblivious to.<br /><br />For example: KC, recall that girl you teased in 2nd grade? She lost her self-esteemed, killed herself in her teens, never had a child named Obama and America never got the President it deserved. That led to Congress passing a three-term limit in which Bush stayed in one more term and that allowed China to overrun the United State.<br /><br />See? It isn’t that I was just a meanie, but the ramifications could be earth shattering. I mean Bush for a third term? Shudders! HA!<br /><br />It seems as if this is what is happening on LOST for the alternative timeline is so varied in some ways (and little to no change in other ways). So what pre-flight event could be that big of an impact? I’m thinking Jacob never made it off the beach that morning…or something along those lines. Well, see.</span></p><br /><p><span style="font-family:arial;">Oh, more more thing on the picture...if they were buddies then how did John end up in a wheelchair in this timeline? Or are some things just meant to be?</span></p><br /><p><span style="font-family:arial;">**<br /><br />Did you see Helen’s shirt read, “Peace and Karma”? That one I noticed!<br /><br />Did you know the song Sawyer is listening to is Iggy Pop’s, “Search and Destroy”? Playing right when Locke Black is searching for Sawyer. The song’s lyrics is about a forgotten boy who is wants someone to come and save his soul. Hmmm…Save your soul Sawyer or damn it?<br /><br />**<br /><br />How did you not notice the spider crawling on dead Locke?</span></p><p><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_KCimVxjVeEk/S4HWosnXxgI/AAAAAAAABzQ/g5x3BQMzY10/s1600-h/SpiderMan.jpg"><span style="font-family:arial;"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5440865819499677186" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 134px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_KCimVxjVeEk/S4HWosnXxgI/AAAAAAAABzQ/g5x3BQMzY10/s200/SpiderMan.jpg" border="0" /></span></a><span style="font-family:arial;"><br />Someone suggests it was the same species that bit Paulo and Nikki and that Locke might not really be dead but paralyzed. Of course, now he is buried to death, but then again…we only saw two shovels of dirt so far. HA! No way this could be true, but it was a good try.<br /><br /><br /><strong>NEXT ON TIDBITS</strong></span></p><p><span style="font-family:arial;">Yeah, school has been hampering my LOST time. I just noticed a tons of emails and comments, so tomorrow I hope to get some quality LOST time in and answer the feedback. I'm activating the comments now, so check them out and come back tomorrow for some replies!</span></p><p><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Hope you liked this post. If you did, say thanks by clicking on one of the ads on the right hand side when you finish reading LOST TIDBITS.<br /><br />Until next time…<br /><br />Enjoy,<br />KC</span></p>KChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14399838614370355681noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5985561669280536512.post-1866088080905725352010-02-16T21:06:00.003-06:002010-02-16T21:31:17.907-06:00LT344: The Substitute - First Impression<strong><span style="font-family:arial;">THUMBS UP</span></strong><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">I really enjoyed this episode because it returned me to those past episodes when afterwards my brain hurts! While I like action as much as the next guy what I really like is mystery, riddles and clues. </span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><strong><span style="font-family:arial;">ALTERNATE TIMELINE</span></strong><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">For lack of a better term let's use "alternate timeline" to follow the events beginning with Jack back on the plane. So if this is how things were suppose to turn out then we discover that John Locke was meant to interact with the people from the island. Is that plausible?</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Wouldn't you think that eventually down the road that some of these people are going to sit down for a cup of Earl Grey and finally compare notes? Then they will discover, "Hey, I visited Sydney once back in 2004". </span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">"Yeah, me too. It was in the fall."</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">"Me too! September."</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">"September? That's freaky. That's when I was there."</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">They continue on and find out they were on the same flight. Mostly likely this would be Ben and John since they now work together. John already is aware Jack was on board with him. </span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">So life for John would have had him interact with these people even after the flight? That seems a bit of a reach. Now we have all had those moments when we look at someone and they look familar but we can't recall from where. Maybe it WAS a guy we sat next to on a plane. But four or five of them? </span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">The larger question amid these coincidences is WHO made the choice for the rest of the passengers? Who decided life should go on with Ben as a European History teacher and Rose as job counselor? </span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Or as Locke's bride-to-be said, "What are the odds of running into a spinal surgeon? Maybe it's destiny." Good stuff.</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><strong><span style="font-family:arial;">THE STORY OF LOT</span></strong><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">In the Bible the Devil challenges God. He claims that everyone loves Him as long as life is going well, but as soon as trouble comes calling then the believers will run for cover. God says not so. The Devil says pick your more dedicated and I'll prove my point. God picks Lot.</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">God tells the Devil he can do whatever he wants to make Lot forsake his faith and Lot will not waiver. But there is one rule: you can't kill him.</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">The Devil course corrects Lots' life so he loses his wife, his family, his farm, everything. Lot becomes diseased and covered with boils. Lot is left sitting on a trash heap wearing on sackcloth and moans repeatedly, "Woe is me." But he never loses faith in his God. </span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Does that ring a bell?</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><strong><span style="font-family:arial;">THE CAVE</span></strong><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Now this was interesting. "Jacob had a thing for numbers." Nice tease. Did you notice Kate didn't have a number? Hmmm...</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">We have </span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">4 - Locke, John</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">8 - Reyes, Hugo</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">15 - Ford, James</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">16 - Jarrah, Sayid</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">23 - Shephard, Jack</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">42 - Kwon - which one?</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">John Black (my name for the Man in Black) says they are all candidates to replace Jacob as the island's protector from, well, from nothing. (Now I have the serpent's logic in the Garden of Eden in my head.) </span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">We should keep in mind that Illana describes Frank, the pilot, as a candidate. </span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">If my Bible training has taught me anything, then when the Devil speaks it is never an out and out lie, but a half-truth. It often is mostly true, but there is one minor detail that makes it so wrong. I'll have to replay the episode and try to discover the part that is wrong!</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><strong><span style="font-family:arial;">CHOICES</span></strong><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">This show seems to emphasize the choices people have to make. Again with the half-truth, half-lie point...John Black says Jacob has removed your free will by pushing you onto the plane for your entire life. What we may learn one day is that it wasn't Cooper that pushed John out the window, but it was Man in Black. </span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><strong><span style="font-family:arial;">VAMPIRES</span></strong><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">There is a myth that says vampires can't enter your home unless you invite them. That is the feeling I have when John gets Sawyer to agree to leave the island. John Black can't leave unless some takes him...as a substitute!</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><strong><span style="font-family:arial;">MORE TO COME</span></strong><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Lots to over-analyze in this show. But I give this a solid "A" for its move towards the real motives behind the Man in Black. You have to love it when he throws the white rock out of the cave. And it was classic logic that John Black points out that Jacob made his visits when people's lives were in turmoil...just like when John visited a "woe is me" and drunk Sawyer. </span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">And we haven't even mentioned the classic line of the show which was when Ben gave his eulogy at the gravesite, "And I'm sorry I murdered him." Great stuff.</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">**</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">If you enjoyed this post, please think about clicking one of the ads on the side to let me know.</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Thanks for reading.</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Enjoy,</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">KC</span>KChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14399838614370355681noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5985561669280536512.post-39091636052752875302010-02-16T14:18:00.002-06:002010-02-16T14:21:52.090-06:00LT343: Time To Weigh In<span style="font-family:arial;"><strong>THE PROMO</strong><br /><br />If you caught a peek at the promos for tonight’s episode you can deduce that we are about do some weighing. Literally, we are weighing rocks – one white, one black. Figuratively, we are weighing who wins the war. This should be cool.<br /><br />**<br /><br />Also, those who have promoted a mirror theory – which includes the Bad Twin Theory – you look to be gaining some points tonight.<br /><br />**<br /><br />Speaking of weight, it seems as if Hurley just might be at the center of all things LOST. In what way?<br /><br /><br /><strong>SPEAKING OF MIRRORS</strong><br /><br />As we have been reminded time after time (HA), it may not be a mirror but a window…or both. Yeah, like that two-way glass that Charlie was swimming in while Hurley was being interviewed by the police. So instead of Jack breaking a mirror it could be a two-way mirror with someone watching on the other side. Who could that be?<br /><br /><br /><strong>FLASHBACK</strong><br /><br />Before we settle down to this week’s episode, “Substitute”, let’s rewind…</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><p><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_KCimVxjVeEk/S3r9z33O-vI/AAAAAAAAByo/7xe-SzAajAc/s1600-h/Whale.jpg"><span style="font-family:arial;"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5438938567614069490" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 134px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_KCimVxjVeEk/S3r9z33O-vI/AAAAAAAAByo/7xe-SzAajAc/s200/Whale.jpg" border="0" /></span></a><span style="font-family:arial;"> Same whale Kate found in Claire’s bag was being held by Aaron when Kate was raising him.<br /><br />**<br /><br />The police came looking for Kate in the hospital room and said they were looking for “Joan Hart”. That’s the same name on the letter that Kate received telling her about her dying mother. Who sent that letter?<br /><br />**<br /><br />Arzt almost gets hit by the taxi and screams, “I’m walking here.” That’s the same line he yelled at Ana Lucia when she was being Christian’s driver.<br /><br /><br /><strong>THAT OCEANIC FEELING</strong><br /><br />Freud once described that need for God as an Oceanic feeling. Well, you too can sense that by going to Kayak.com and looking for a one-way flight from Sydney to LAX on September 22, 2010.<br /><br />It looks like this (click to see a larger version):</span></p><p><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_KCimVxjVeEk/S3r98uIV9YI/AAAAAAAAByw/dpb7O6LyqMM/s1600-h/Kayak.jpg"><span style="font-family:arial;"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5438938719620298114" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 110px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_KCimVxjVeEk/S3r98uIV9YI/AAAAAAAAByw/dpb7O6LyqMM/s200/Kayak.jpg" border="0" /></span></a><span style="font-family:arial;">By the way, if you haven't heard of Kayak.com you must check them out. A very good resource for travel plans, especially foreign locations...like the South Pacific! HA!</span></p><p><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"><br />**<br /><br />If you enjoyed this post, please take a second to click one of the ads on the right-hand side.<br /><br />Thanks for reading,<br />KC</span></p>KChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14399838614370355681noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5985561669280536512.post-90440134485054940292010-02-14T15:27:00.000-06:002010-02-14T15:28:20.283-06:00LT342: Can't Read My Own Handwriting<span style="font-family:arial;"><strong>NOTES EVERYWHERE</strong><br /><br />I’ve scribbled notes everywhere. Today was the day to sift through those and either save them or toss them. I found one and can’t believe it hasn’t been discussed yet. More shocking was that I was able to read my own handwriting.<br /><br />In recap episode someone said, “..John turned the same wheel Ben had turned…”. Everyone once in awhile I almost fall out of my chair when something is said on LOST. This was one of the moments. Same wheel? <br /><br />But we saw Ben turn a COLD wheel and John turned a HOT wheel. <br /><br />Did the Dharma Initiative freeze this room in hopes of controlling its power between John’s turn and Ben’s turn? <br /><br /><br /><strong>MAILBOX: WHY MIB WANTS IN CABIN</strong><br /><br />A comment this past week asks why the Man in Black would be eager to enter the cabin. He could have found Jacob in the foot of the statue where no ring of ash existed.<br /><br />I’ve been thinking about this since it was suggested by my son that the ring of ash around the cabin is what kept the Man in Black out and thereby protected Jacob. After reading the posted comment above, I have to agree with the poster.<br /><br />In fact, I’m going to suggest that Jacob wasn’t even in the cabin…it was the Man in Black inside. The ring of ash was meant to keep him inside, maybe? All those years he claimed to be Jacob, but wasn’t. So the guy in the rocking chair, and Christian and Claire could have been manifestations of the Man in Black. <br /><br />I believe there are some similarities to the Bible story about the Devil being bound in chains and placed in the bottomless pit for a period of time so his influence would be limited on mankind. <br /><br />This would have had to happen after the conversation we witnessed on the beach where Jacob was cooking fish. <br /><br />Now if this is a better read on things, then we have to wonder how Smokey ran free around the island while the Man in Black was inside the cabin. The only thing I can offer for this is that Smokey and the Man in Black are not the same…uh…thing. This takes us to the line of thinking where Smokey is really a pet, a tool, a guard dog for the Man in Black.<br /><br />Yeah, we have John Black (my name for the second John Locke) saying, “Sorry you had to see my like [the Smoke monster]”, but that could be more semantics than anything else. In other words, the Man in Black and Smokey can manifest themselves as whatever they want.<br /><br />Great comment…you made me think!<br /><br /><br /><strong>MAILBOX: WHISPERS</strong><br /><br />SMG comments, “I am always intrigued by the whispers! Any news on what they were saying during last week's episode?”<br /><br />While researching I discovered whispers were heard in the official promo for Season 6: </span><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H2iHG4KUxrs"><span style="font-family:arial;">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H2iHG4KUxrs</span></a><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"><br />In “LAX” episode the whispers are heard right before Kate and company are captured by the Others in the tunnels. I’ve yet to find a reliable interpretation but something else crossed my path:<br /><br />Remember Charlotte Malkin? She is the daughter of the psychic who told Claire to raise the child herself, then strongly encouraged her onto Flight 815. In the airport you might recall that Charlotte runs into Mr. Ecko and tells him that she saw Yemi “between places”. <br /><br />I bring this up because whispers were heard when Charlotte was on the autopsy table. That’s right, she died. The coroner had a tape of the autopsy events. In fact, she had drowned…just like Sayid. Hmmm…<br /><br />The whispers at that time said, in part:<br /><br />She's alive!""How will we know"<br />"She's not dead""I found it"<br />"We’re sending them in" (or) "Let’s hear what she says"<br /><br />In a related side note, the woman who was to adopt Claire’s baby – but refused due to her husband leaving her in the alternative timeline – is named Lindsey Baskum. That’s an anagram for “Used by Malkin”. Double hmmm…<br /><br />I’ll keep my eyes and ears open for any interpretation of the whispers, so keep checking back on LOST TIDBITS!<br /><br /><br /><strong>IT IS ALL IN THE NAME</strong><br /><br />The producers have told us that if you take the name “Johnny” and add two vowels and three consonants you will get the letters necessary to make an anagram clue for LOST.<br /><br />One more challenge…it will be in a foreign language!<br /><br />**<br /><br />One possible hint is Boba Fett – he is that guy from the Star Wars movie. If you research alternate names for the Devil you find “Baphonet” which is sort of close to how you pronounce “Boba Fett”. <br /><br />Baphonet is associated with Aleister Crowley who wrote the Book of Laws that is offered as a selection choice to the young John Locke. Crowley also invented a set of tarot cards named “Thoth”; which is the name of the Egyptian god who intermediates between good and evil.<br /><br />Baphonet is also associated with the severed head of John the Baptist. There is also a connection here with the Knight Templar. What the LOST producers said was that Boba Fett was a template…Baphonet the Templar? Yeah, it’s a reach.<br /><br />Hurley was dressed like John the Baptist in Charlie’s religious dream.<br /><br />**<br /><br />Some have suggested the phrase is Spanish which works out to something like “Jethro’s son-in-law”. JOHNNY + EETRR = Jethro Yerno. <br /><br />Anyway, the son-in-law of Jethro is the Bible is Moses. Recall that Ben made some comment to John Locke about looking like Moses back in Season 5. <br /><br />Strange as it may seem but a philosopher by the name of Sigmund Freud once made an analysis of the two personalities of Moses. The Midianite side, says Freud, is a “volcano god” and we all know there is a volcano on this island. Further, Sig says that Moses was like a pillar of smoke. Food for thought.<br /><br />Oh, and the great-great-grandfather of Moses was…Jacob.<br /><br />It should also be mentioned that Moses had a pretty rough life all things considered. As a baby he was orphaned (Claire?) and was raised by another (Egyptians). We also know he was not keen to public speaking since he had a speech problem. Even being reluctant God still prompted him to lead His people through the wilderness to the promise land – sort of like John Locke.<br /><br />Let me know if you figure this puzzle out.<br /><br />**<br /></span><br /><p><span style="font-family:arial;">If you enjoyed this post, please let me know by clicking on one of the ads along the right side. <br /><br />Thanks for reading!<br /><br />Enjoy,<br />KC</span></p>KChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14399838614370355681noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5985561669280536512.post-48170101665108910992010-02-11T17:46:00.000-06:002010-02-11T17:47:19.359-06:00LT341: Kids, Loopholes and Thoughts<p><span style="font-family:arial;"><strong>LOOPHOLE THOUGHTS</strong><br /><br />My son called me last night and we discussed LOST. I took notes – as I do during the show – and during the conversation the phone’s battery was dying. That forced us to cut our chatter off in odd places such as when we were talking about this loophole of the Man in Black. It went something like this:<br /><br />“It seems that the loop…crackle, crackle, crackle…hole…are you still there?”<br /><br />And then it hit me. It isn’t a “loophole” that the Man in Black was after but a “loop hole”. There is a hole in the loop. What loop? Well, that takes us to the next section.<br /><br />But first, we should offer our theory on how the loop of ash around the cabin got disturbed. When Ben and John visited the cabin, they were careful to step over it. However, when Hurley stumbled upon the cabin alone – and he was stumbling around quite a bit – he may have created a breach in the ash ring. <br /><br /><br /><strong>ASH THOUGHTS<br /></strong><br />We noticed Bram, the cabin and the Temple folk took the ashes and made a loop around the protected object. A LOOP around the intended item. It was only when the hole was made in the ashes that formed a loop around the cabin that the Man in Black was able to succeed. In this case, the Man in Black was able to make it to the cabin. There are probably other holes in loops – like the tapestry loops of thread – we may have overlooked as well.<br /><br /><br /><strong>PREGNANCY THOUGHTS<br /></strong><br />As we have been told, the women who get pregnant on Mysterious Island can never deliver and soon die afterwards. <br /><br />Except for Amy. Seeing Ethan in last week’s episode made my son and I to think back on the fact that Amy and Ethan were fine. Now it seems pretty likely that Horace and Amy conceived the baby while living on the island. Horace, being the leader, had to stick around. And Amy had been there some period of time with her first husband. It isn’t likely the two slipped off the island for a weekend. So…how did Ethan and Amy survive?<br /><br />My son has a theory on that. He offers that the pregnancy problems did not begin to show up until after Ben killed his father and the Dharma Initiative with the gas. Perhaps it was that gas that caused the problems. If so, consider who has been gassed since that point in time!<br /><br /><br /><strong>KNIFE THOUGHTS</strong><br /><br />While chatting about the loop hole, I mentioned that a piece of the tapestry was on the cabin wall. It was held on the wall by a knife. Ilana found it there. <br /><br />I then remembered that John cut a piece of the tapestry corner off to use it as a rag to wipe the blood off his knife. The question then was if the knife on the cabin wall was the same knife that John killed with? No.<br /><br />A little digging and we discovered that John’s knife is NOT the same as the one on the cabin wall. We will call the second knife: Jacob’s knife. We compared it to the filet knife that Jacob used on the fish at the beach and yes, that knife matches the cabin wall. Again, that was Jacob’s knife. <br /><br />We are in the process of analyzing the knife shown to young John Locke.<br /><br /><br /><strong>TAPESTRY THOUGHTS</strong><br /><br />This then led us back to the tapestry where I suggested the piece on the wall was the same as the piece John cut. I’m wrong. There were TWO pieces cut out of the tapestry according to my son – and he does do a good bit of researching before proclaiming something. <br /><br />Only one piece in the pictures shows the symbols that match up to the hieroglyphics we saw in Smokey’s chamber - that of Anubis weighing the hearts of the dead. His jackal image is distinct. And the image shows a black animal head. Black seems to correlate to Smokey in some way…hmmm.<br /><br />Black is also the color of soil – as in underground. And the soil of the Nile – the home of our favorite gods – is also black. Black soil in Egyptian mythology is also associated with rebirth. And Smokey seems pretty good at the rebirth thing (see previous post).<br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family:arial;"><strong>CLOSING THOUGHTS</strong></span></p><p><span style="font-family:arial;">It was getting late by this point, so we wrapped it up. He said he would call back with more thoughts.<br /><br />**<br /><br />If you enjoyed this post, please let me know by clicking on one of the ads along the right side. <br /><br />Thanks for reading!<br /><br />Enjoy,<br />KC</span></p>KChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14399838614370355681noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5985561669280536512.post-71262052852091712722010-02-10T20:01:00.000-06:002010-02-10T20:02:38.389-06:00LT341: What Kate Does – First Impressions<span style="font-family:arial;"><strong>CAT GOT YOUR TONGUE?</strong><br /><br />Why does every good show and scary movie involved characters who don’t share information with each other? TALK PEOPLE! For example, when Sawyer was announcing his department from Club Temple why didn’t anyone speak up? <br /><br />In fact, why hasn’t the group of Others sat the Survivors down and said, “Ok, here’s the deal. We are going to draw pictures and talk you through this thing. First, don’t leave the Temple or Smokey could get you. In here you are safe from the smoke. Second, this is why you are here.” And so on. ARGH!<br /><br />As my mind was mentally screaming this at the screen this episode another thought kept trying to enter: they can’t tell them or it would be pure free will. Let me explain that. If you are on a game show and you know what is behind Door #1, #2 and #3, then when Monte Hall asks which door, it isn’t really free will anymore. In other words, free will requires ignorance of future events. Sort of the same way that Jack had to be the one to offer Sayid his poisoned pill. <br /><br /><br /><strong>LIAR, LIAR!</strong><br /><br />I’ll bet 95% of viewers now look at the Others as Ben described them, “We’re the good guys”. And yet they can’t help but tell lies. It seems there is a clue in this fact, but who knows? <br /><br />Last night we had the Interpreter announce, “I just lied to him”, when describing how he told Sayid that he passed the test. Maybe I’m getting my theological doctrines crossed, but don’t the good guys have to tell the truth? <br /><br />I go back to the free will points made earlier because…well, I have to. It is the only way to explain Ben’s persistent lying. Recall that Mrs. Hawking sort scoffed at Jack’s inquiry as to the truth of Ben’s words by saying, “Probably not.” It is like it is expected. Perhaps they just aren’t allowed to share information or it ruins the test/experiment/life challenge.<br /><br />We also observed the two Others who were escorting Kate and Jin warning each other about keeping one’s mouth shut. How odd.<br /><br /><br /><strong>ASH POWER</strong><br /><br />There was a lot in last night’s show, but it seems to me that the ash isn’t getting the top billing it deserves. We saw it being dusted over Sayid’s body in this episode. So what’s up with this fairy dust? In LOST fashion, the ash leaves me with more questions than answers such as:<br /><br />Was the ash around the cabin meant to keep Smokey out or Jacob in?<br /><br />Was the ash possible collected from the fire pit where Jacob was burned?<br /><br />Why didn’t Sayid repel from the ash like a vampire would to holy water?<br /><br />Depending on how you answer the first question, then wouldn’t Sayid repel from the ash only if he were good like Jacob?<br /><br />There is something we are missing here and it seems it would helpful with learning other things if we could figure out what “thing” doesn’t like ash and sonar.<br /><br /><br /><strong>I M SICK</strong><br /><br />Bonus points if you remember where we first saw the title of this section, “I M SICK”. Answer: I recall it first on the mural in the Swan Hatch. <br /><br />The sickness/illness/disease/infection seems to be the same thing and it was center stage last night. Sayid has it and the only cure seems to be death. Yikes!<br /><br />Let’s review who has been “sick” for sure. I know the French team came down with a bad attitude. This was after all of them (except Danielle) went down into that Smokey hole when they first arrived. They come out and they were possessed (as I choose to call it). <br /><br />And we know that John Locke seems to have the sickness in some sense.<br /><br />Then we see Claire. See looked sick to me. And she shot the Others as if she knew who to kill. I mention this because she wasn’t just taking out anything that moved since she seemed confused when she saw Jin. Is there some aura around the Good Guys that sick people can see and that becomes the target of their rage?<br /><br />Some rules of sickness are starting to fall in place as I see it:<br /><br />Rule 1: You must be dead<br />Rule 2: You must not be buried<br />Rule 3: You must be on the island<br /><br />Using these rules we now understand why Amy (picnic with first husband, Paul) wanted to bury the two Others before they headed back to Othersville. And she really wanted Paul’s body to be carried back. Now I understand sentiment as much as the next man (which is say, we don’t understand it one bit), but people! There’s Others coming to check on the missing men. Think anyone heard the gunshots? Let’s move out. But Nooooo! First we have to bury two guys and then we can fold the blanket and head home. With my rules in mind, that all changes and they DID need to bury the bodies.<br /><br />Christian – dead, not buried, on the island = sickness<br /><br />French team – killed in the hole, not buried (or would being underground count as buried? Hey, I have a rule adjustment…<br /><br />RULE 2-1: You must not have a religious burial<br /><br />Harper (Goodwin’s wife, the therapist) - she MUST be dead, not buried, and she shows up to give Juliet the message to go kill Charlotte and Daniel<br /><br />Walt – now that is a tough one…the rain scene and speaking backwards is just beyond explanation at this point.<br /><br />Sayid – as seen in this episode<br /><br />Claire – MUST be dead, not buried, on the island and very sick<br /><br />**<br /><br />MJ, my co-worker and fellow LOST-fanatic, said today, “Maybe they all died at the time of the crash and Smokey has them all re-animated.” Hmmm…<br /><br /><br /><strong>OVERALL GRADE<br /></strong><br />I give this on a B+, maybe even A-. <br /><br />We got a lot of answers along with the normal dose of questions, but we GOT answers and some stuff. <br /><br />I actually downgrade the show and will more if they continue the “reminiscing stuff”. I’m talking about the, “Don’t you remember? You hit me with your gun three years ago?” Hey, we are bright viewers, we like puzzles, so let us figure a few of these out on our own! It is starting to remind of all those TV-to-movie movies that seem bent on throwing a tribute out to original show factoids. <br /><br />I like the slower episodes for it is the people interaction and dynamics that makes this show great. It is the mental challenge and watching how the Survivors adapt that’s the good stuff. <br /><br />Now TIDBITS is all about over-analyzing, so here goes: when actors have a crying scene, I can’t help but “remove myself from the show” for a little bit and wonder how hard it must be to make oneself cry on demand. I see it some music videos and honestly, I only cry on a sad song the first 10 or 20 times. These actors and musicians have sung it probably 500 times before the video is made and yet, tears on demand! With that whole prelude in mind, I really was convinced by Sawyer. Kate, not so much, but some of the mouth movements and breathing motions…heck, I think he was real. I mean, real as far as actor’s go – he really did that scene on the dock service.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br />**<br /><br />If you enjoyed this post, please let me know by clicking on one of the ads along the right side. <br /><br />Thanks for reading!<br /><br />Enjoy,<br />KC</span>KChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14399838614370355681noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5985561669280536512.post-15932745324550582772010-02-07T11:08:00.001-06:002010-02-07T11:09:38.530-06:00LT339: Downtime, Inbox and Administration<span style="font-family:arial;"><strong>DOWNTIME</strong><br /><br />Been having some computer issues and that has caused a pinch in my schedule. <br /><br />Also, the Comments section has been switched to “moderate mode” because we can’t just make people behave like humans. Keep posting comments and I’ll try to publish them as quickly as my schedule allows. In fact, there should be a half dozen from the last post to view, so be sure to go back and read them. <br /><br /><br /><strong>INBOX<br /></strong><br />Received a number of emails this week…probably due to the Comments feature changes. Here are a few that caught my eye:<br /><br />From Angela:<br /><br />I work with Golda and she contacted you a few weeks ago to let you know about our ABC partnership, allowing LOST fans to create LOST related designs on t-shirts, and other merchandise. If you’d like to giving away a free LOST shirt to a reader and one for yourself, let us know. The offer still stands!<br /><br /><br />Anyway, I wanted to let you know about a LOST design contest we just launched today that your readers would love to hear about. The prizes include a $200 CafePress gift certificate, LOST seasons 1-5 DVD box sets, a t-shirt signed by some of the LOST cast AND a grand prize - trip for 2 to Oahu, Hawaii! <br /><br />Here is the information:<br /><br />To enter, just create LOST designs on t-shirts for one or more of the categories below;<br /><br />· The Island (Themes: monsters, magical, healing, powers, move the island)<br />· Dharma Initiative (Themes: Hanso foundation, Dr. Pierre Chang, stations e.g. The Hatch, The Orchid, The Looking Glass)<br />· Airlines (Themes: Oceanic, flight 815, Oceanic 6, castaways, plane crash, Ajira Airways, Frank Lapidus)<br />· Love “Square” (Themes: Jack/Kate, Sawyer/Kate, Jack/Juliet, Sawyer/Juliet, Kate/Jack/Sawyer, Kate/Juliet/Sawyer)<br />· The Others (Themes: Natives, Hostiles, Ben, Ethan, Richard, Jacob god-like being, “the list”, Barracks)<br /><br />There will be a winner from each category. The category prize is: $200 CafePress gift certificate, LOST seasons 1-5 DVD box sets, and a T-shirt signed by some of the LOST cast!<br /><br />A LOST producer will select the grand prize winner from the category winners. The grand prize is a trip for two to Oahu, Hawaii for 4 nights!<br /><br />All the information to enter can be found on the contest page, including how to get a submission: </span><a title="blocked::http://community.cafepress.com/?p=" href="http://community.cafepress.com/?p=769"><span style="font-family:arial;">http://community.cafepress.com/?p=769</span></a><span style="font-family:arial;"><br /><br />Let me know if you have any questions! This is a fun contest with fabulous prizes for LOSTies.<br /><br />PS. Here's a write up by the Examiner for our ABC deal and design contest:<br /></span><a title="blocked::http://www.examiner.com/x-35662-LA-TV-Insider-Examiner~y2010m2d3-ABC-and-CafePress-team-up-for-a-very-special-LOST-fan-contest" href="http://www.examiner.com/x-35662-LA-TV-Insider-Examiner~y2010m2d3-ABC-and-CafePress-team-up-for-a-very-special-LOST-fan-contest"><span style="font-family:arial;">http://www.examiner.com/x-35662-LA-TV-Insider-Examiner~y2010m2d3-ABC-and-CafePress-team-up-for-a-very-special-LOST-fan-contest</span></a><span style="font-family:arial;"><br /><br />Thanks,<br /><br /><br />Angela Low<br /><br />EDITOR’S NOTE: Good to hear from you Angela. If Café Press rings a bell with LOST TIDBITS readers it might because you see their ads on Facebook. They are a solid company and if you have an idea that’s been running around in your head, this would be a good time to try it out!<br /><br /><br /><strong>INBOX #2</strong><br /><br />And from Adrian:<br /><br />Yo KC, its Adrian—<br /><br />It’s been too long brother. I have been reading your stuff, but stopped commenting last year because I gave up trying to figure out what was happening. I just decided to go along for the ride—just as Jack did last season.<br /><br />But I cant help myself now, because some of my thinking about what might be happening is, maybe, turning out to be correct. Of course next weeks episode could negate my theories. <br /><br />Fate vs. Free Will:<br />The time travel rules on LOST have been, for the most part, clear and consistent: what happened happened. You cant change the past to alter the future. Course correction and all that. Bullshit, sort of. <br /><br />In the season five finale, a very clear message was sent: You have a choice. Jacob tells this to Hurley and tells it to Ben. Hurley chose to get on the Ajira flight, it was not predetermined fate. Similarly, Ben chose to kill Jacob—it was not fate. Smokey tells Ben the same thing, he didn’t make Ben kill Jacob. Manipulated yes, made-No. And you know Ben probably had a mental orgasm upon realizing he had been so masterfully manipulated, because was/is so very skilled at doing the same thing. I’m guessing Ben will follow Smokey as a loyal servant. Smokey is the god Ben would follow. <br /><br />The free will, free choice message became Jack’s mantra in the finale also.<br /><br />1. Two Timelines?<br />Are their now two timelines? Maybe. Clearly we have the 1977 losties turning up in 2007 on the island. Maybe the bomb went off, but instead of causing the reset, it just sent them into 2007. Sawyer scoffs at this notion because the island is not blown to hell. So its pretty clear that the bomb did not go off and the Swan was built, Desmond presses the button, 815 still crashes…yada yada. <br /><br />But the bomb did go off, because we do see a reset and 815 does not crash and the island sunk, moved, whatever. In this alternate timeline, things are not the same…Jacks hair, Charlie, Boone sans Shannon etc. But is this such a big shock? In a world where the island is destroyed, its possible Widmore died and there is not Widmore industries, no Penny. No Daniel. These changes would cause many modifications aside from 815 not crashing, and these minor discrepancies reflect just that. <br /><br />I thought there were much more profound changes than hair cuts. The obvious biggie was Hurley, who is now the luckiest man alive. This is not the Hurley we know. Less obvious were personality changes in Jack, Sawyer, Locke and even Rose. <br /><br />Here Jack is the nervous plane passenger being reassured by Rose, not vice versa. Off the plane, Jack is upset about Oceanic losing the coffin, but he does not lose it at the same level I think the Jack we know would. He buys or is at least comforted by Locke’s words on where his father is. And this Jack believes in miracles, it seems. If Jack could fix his wife, assuming that happened in the alternate, then he can fix Locke, he thinks. He is much more a man of faith, but still a man of science…maybe more balanced? <br /><br />And Locke, thinking his back cannot be fixed, is much more a man of science. This Locke also seems to harbor much less. The Locke we know was beyond pissed about not going on the walkabout; I doubt he would be so chatty with Boone or even mention the walkabout. He would be too pissed off to bring it up. Or maybe he was allowed to do it in his wheelchair. <br /><br />As for Sawyer, he was a little to pleasant in the alternate. I’m not sure crash Sawyer would apologize for bumping the Marshall, I think he would ignore him or tell him to suck it. Alternate Sawyer is not chatty with Arnst, but not overly derisive as I would otherwise expect. And then he gives advice to Hurley about keeping the lottery a secret. He could be laying the ground for a con, perhaps he had been shadowing Hurley after reading about this mega lottery winner, who he wanted to take. <br /><br />But maybe, just maybe, he was actually trying to give Hurley some good advice. When push comes to shove, the Sawyer we know has a good heart. So its possible this alternate Sawyer was using his skills as a con man to help rather than hurt. He holds the elevator door for Kate (and he didn’t see her, he just heard someone plead to hold the door). Yes Sawyer noticed the cuffs on Kate, but im not sure he was trying to help her by stepping in front of the security guards and saying ladies first. If anything, they were less likely to notice the kuffs on Kate had she exited behind them, not in front. <br /><br />And Rose was different for the reasons I covered above with Jack. It seems to me that the “alternate” Jack, Sawyer, Hurley, Locke and Rose resemble the people their crash “counterparts” changed into over the seasons. Sawyer became a good guy, Jack was accepting of not having control, Locke had let go of his anger, Rose was just at ease. <br /><br />However, I did not see this happening with alternate Kate, Sayid, Sun or Jin. They all seemed exactly like the people on the 815 that crashed. Not sure what’s going on here, but maybe we will see them behaving more like the people they became on the island in later episodes, rather than like the people they were when they crashed. <br /><br />2. Alternate/Parallel Universe? <br />I have a couple of ideas here. One scenario is that when the Ajira flight crashed and most of the O6 went back to 1977, they went into past of an alternate universe or timeline. Hence changes they make did not alter the future they just came from, and where Sun, Ben etc. remained, because the past they were altering was not the past of the their timeline, it was the past of a new or already existing timeline or universe. Only the future of the alternate was affected, not the one they left. This solves any problems of a paradox. But, as Christian showed Sun in new Otherton, Jack & co. did show up in the past of the main timeline. How could they have been in the past of two timelines? Not sure, but remember Sun’s questioning of Richard? Richard said he did remember meeting them and remembered watching them die. But Richard was not at the Swan site to see what happened, even if he was watching from the jungle, he really cant say he saw them die. At best, he would have seen them disappear. He could not have seen the bomb kill them, because it would have killed him too. <br /><br />So what’s going on here? Right now, im thinking that the two stories (crash, no crash) we are seeing are not two alternate worlds/timelines with two jacks, two kates etc. I’m thinking the no crash sequences are actually flash forwards. In effect, the 2007 folks (Jack & co., the ones touched by Jacob) are will eventually be in a position that puts them on the 815 that didn’t crash. In effect, we may have already seem how the show will end, the result at least, and this season shows us how they get there. So maybe they will time travel again, and we will see what Richard saw—them dying. <br /><br />I’ve said enough, but could go on for pages more. Ill let these ideas simmer in my mind for a while and see what happens next week. <br /><br />EDITOR’S NOTE: Wow, it has been like a reunion in my Inbox lately. Nice to hear from Adrian. Great analysis and feedback and you just saved me an hour or two of time! This is posted for the world to see, so now we are going to keep score on who comes closest to the final end game! No limit on entries, so keep writing me! <br /><br /><br /><strong>ADMINISTRATION</strong><br /><br />We have crossed the 23,000 hits mark for LOST TIDBITS! Wow, what a journey this has been. It was a surprise to reach the 4,000 mark, then 8K, then 15K, ok 16,000 was easy and now 23. And all my favorite numbers! <br /><br />Thanks to everyone for reading. And now we have just a few months to hurry up to 42,000 so we reach all the LOST numbers in the counter! HA!<br /><br /><br /><strong>NEXT ON TIDBITS</strong><br /><br />If you enjoyed this post, please let me know by clicking on one of the ads along the right side. <br /><br />Thanks for reading!<br /><br />Enjoy,<br />KC</span>KChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14399838614370355681noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5985561669280536512.post-69890262395758568862010-02-03T19:46:00.001-06:002010-02-03T19:48:44.453-06:00LT338: Ashes To Ashes<span style="font-family:arial;"><strong>THE DEVIL IS IN THE DETAILS</strong><br /><br />Rose was flipping through a magazine while waiting for Bernard to return from the bathroom. The magazine is not real but is entitled, “Weekly Woodsmen”. This same prop showed up in season FOUR of the show, Supernatural. The same show where the actor playing Jacob was in. In that show he played the Devil.<br /><br />When she leans over to welcome back Bernard we catch a glimpse of the back cover. It reads, “The Truth is Out There”. Cue the music for The X-Files.<br /><br />**<br /><br />Speaking of reading…when we see Desmond in the wrong seat on the airplane he is reading a book by Salman Rushie. The book is about the power of the imagination and storytelling.<br /><br />**<br /><br />In that strange nose-dive shot into the ocean and along the bottom we notice the island has sunk (more on that later) if you had sharp eyes you saw this:<br /><br /></span><div></div><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_KCimVxjVeEk/S2onJQrEjvI/AAAAAAAAByY/nfsr-7tbBv8/s1600-h/Shark.jpg"><span style="font-family:arial;"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5434198940423851762" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 134px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_KCimVxjVeEk/S2onJQrEjvI/AAAAAAAAByY/nfsr-7tbBv8/s200/Shark.jpg" border="0" /></span></a><span style="font-family:arial;"> Yes, our old Dharma shark from Season 2.<br /><br />**<br /><br />Did you notice the row number for Hurley on board the plane? It was Row 33 sitting across aisle from Sawyer. But we know in the original pilot he was sitting in Row 20. This means that Hugo and James are now in the tail section!<br /><br /><br /><strong>BEST LINE OF THE SHOW<br /></strong><br />“Are you pulling my leg?” – Boone to wheelchair-bound Locke as he spoke over Frogurt.<br /><br /><br /><strong>RING OF ASH</strong><br /><br />Quick review: we first come across ash in LOST when Locke notices it is spread out around Jacob’s cabin the first time Ben leads him to meet Jacob. John asks about and Ben stops over it.<br /><br />Then we really don’t hear much about it until Illana’s crew arrives to burn down the cabin. One of her crew member points out the presence of ash.<br /><br />But in LAX episode we get a handful of the stuff blown right into our face. Bram spreads it around himself to protect himself from a very clever opponent. And the Others at the Temple begin to spread it around their compound in anticipation of some smoke.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_KCimVxjVeEk/S2onRayyV4I/AAAAAAAAByg/jCFzJGrI7C4/s1600-h/RingOfAsh.jpg"><span style="font-family:arial;"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5434199080579520386" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 134px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_KCimVxjVeEk/S2onRayyV4I/AAAAAAAAByg/jCFzJGrI7C4/s200/RingOfAsh.jpg" border="0" /></span></a><span style="font-family:arial;"><br />We know now it is clearly to keep Smokey in his place. This makes two things of good defense against the monster when you include sonar. As time permits I should research what things are sensitive to sound and ash? Before I leave the sound sensitivity, let me tell you I just saw Spiderman 3 where sound defeats Spidey’s nemesis. I think it could be the same thing.<br /><br />Oh, another thought as I’m writing…could the ash be the ashes of a dead person(s)? Hmmm…I really like this idea.<br /><br /><br /><strong>NEXT ON TIDBITS</strong><br /><br />You know what to expect by now, right? I’ll do my best to keep pushing out information that makes us think. So keep checking back!<br /><br /><br />If you enjoyed this post, please let me know by clicking on one of the ads along the right side. <br /><br />Thanks for reading!<br /><br />Enjoy,<br />KC</span>KChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14399838614370355681noreply@blogger.com4