The Dharmageddon Location Cup - Round 2 Poll 4 (*Closed*)

Congratulations to Mr Clucks who held off a strong challenge from Locke's Pot Farm. 62% vs 38%.

Today sees another 2 off-island locations battling it out for a place in Round 3.

Lost Hiatus Fantasy League: Week 4 Update

Update: 30th Nov 08:42 As G-Man mentioned we missed some points for Rousseau. The Tables and Charts are now up to date with the newly corrected scores.

Introduction
Hey gang! Here we are once again to find out how the latest episode of our Hiatus League has faired for you all. It's been a busy two weeks but I'm never too busy for my fellow Lost fans.

For this week, we watched episode 3x19 "The Brig." It turned out to be a pretty interesting episode that has helped DarkUFO and I clarify a few more rules and eliminate a loophole or two.

Check out the video to your left (I'm excited- I finally managed to bring it in under 15 minutes!) or cut right to the chase and check out our various informative sections below. There were more Fantasy Geniuses of the Week than I could blurt out in one stretch, so check that special section out to see if you are one of them.

Feel free to leave comments and questions in the comment section, or email your questions directly to us at LFLquestions@gmail.com


IMPORTANT NOTICE: All the sections have been changed and now include the correct scoring for the episode. Only the video contains incorrect data. ~G-Man

“The Brig” (in 500 words or less)

When Wonderboy and Young Nasty Man joined forces they formed a band the likes of which have never been seen, but stick Locke and Sawyer together and you come up with a jungle trek filled to the brim with awkwardness.

After making sexy-time with Kate, who unceremoniously ditches him for her own tent, Sawyer gets up to take care of a little business in the bushes. Locke catches him with his fly down, and tricks Sawyer into following him deep into the jungle with a tantalizing lie about having captured Ben. Caught off guard, Sawyer channels Bruce Willis a la Die Hard and treks off with Jungle John to parts unknown in his bare feet.

Along the way, Sawyer tells Locke that he won’t kill Ben, but Jungle John retorts that he’ll rethink that statement when he hears what ‘Ben’ has to say. Foreshadow much?

In flashbacks we see what Locke was doing for the last few episodes while he was MIA. Turns out he and Big Bad Dad, Anthony Cooper, were hiking and camping with the Others. Like any good camping trip, something has to go wrong. In this case, Ben wants Locke to kill Big Bad Dad but doesn’t have the guts to do it. Jungle John gets kicked out of the club and he won’t be let back in until he kills Cooper and carries him back to Tent City on his back. The eyeliner-loving Richard Alpert drops Sawyer’s file in Locke’s lap and suggests Saw Dog be used to solve everyone’s problem.

Back in real time, Locke and Sawyer approach the Black Rock, where ‘Ben’ is being held. Sawyer is the only one surprised to see that it is Cooper inside the brig. Locke locks him inside and sits outside the door until Sawyer kills the man he just met. Cooper thinks they’re all in hell, but Saw Dog sends him there for real after learning that Cooper is the original Sawyer he’s been hunting for many moons. Sawyer heads back to camp and Locke heads back to the Others, with Big Bad Dead Dad on his back. Sheesh, what a literalist!

Meanwhile, our beach-warming buddies are trying to keep Naomi on the down-low. Turns out that none of them trust Jack at the moment. Returning to camp with one of the Others seems to have that affect on people (no matter how hot said Other is). With the good doctor on the outs with our Losties, they call in the reserves: Sayid.

He doesn’t buy her story at first but is won over by a shiny new toy (read: satellite phone). The phone, however, only spits out static, which draws the attention of Kate. She’s sworn to secrecy about Naomi and the radio, but buckles like a belt and tells Jack about it the first chance she gets. Jack and Juliet converse about a secret of their own, which makes them even more annoyingly suspicious.

1. Locke and Cooper were at the Black Rock in the opening scene. This isn’t that major of a ruling, but it’s a matter of clarification. You all probably figured out that they were at the Black Rock, but I just wanted to let you all know that we scored it as such.

2. Locke gets point for visiting the Black Rock twice, but Cooper would have only scored points once. Had Cooper been a character in our League, he’d have only gotten points for one visit to the Black Rock. Locke left him there while he went and fetched Sawyer to do his dirty work. When Locke comes back with Sawyer, they both get points because their presence was established elsewhere in the episode. Cooper, however, was still inside from when he first got there.

3. Sawyer and Kate’s implied sexual romp was counted for sex points… this time. It was very strongly suggested by the fact that they had little clothing on and their dialogue after waking, so we counted it. This does NOT set a precedent for implied sex though. In the future, implied sex will be dealt with on a case-by-case basis. DarkUFO and I will put our heads together to determine whether or not sex was truly implied by a scene.

4. Sawyer and Kate only score points once for their kiss. To clarify the kissing rule, a kiss does NOT earn a character points for kissing someone and points again for the same kiss because they were kissed by that person. We are simply cutting out this loophole right here and now. Mutual kissing only earns a one-time score of 20 points for both characters involved.

5. Juliet’s voice recording does NOT count as appearing in Locke’s flashback. To further expound upon this situation, a voice recording does not count as an appearance in an episode. We have to see the character in order for them to get appearance points. This means they have to either be physically be present or be present in some sort of visual way (i.e. Marvin Candle appearing in videos). Our use of the word “appear” is key here. To appear means to be visually present one way or another. Further clarification on this rule is pending and we will have it fully sorted out by the time Season 4 rolls around.

6. Locke gets a points deduction for injuring Cooper. In one of his flashbacks, Locke comes close to killing Cooper with a knife. During this scene, Locke pokes Cooper in the neck with a knife and appears to draw blood. There also appears to be a mark or blood smear under his chin later on. Based on this visual evidence, we ruled this an injury to Cooper, costing Locke 5 points.

7. Locke’s visit to the campground where the pillars are present does not count as discovering a new place. Locke was led there by the Others, who clearly had prior knowledge of it and were familiar with it.

8. Locke gets no points for meeting any of the red shirt Others in his flashbacks. We didn’t learn any of their names and there wasn’t even any real interaction between them. Also, they made their presence known to Locke, instead of him discovering them.

9. While Richard and Ben appear in several of Locke’s flashbacks, they only get the 15 points for appearing in said flashbacks once. The flashbacks served as one linear narrative, of which they were a part. Had they appeared in several montage style flashbacks, they would have received points for each appearance.

10. While he masterminded the whole thing, Locke does NOT lose points for his father’s death. While it could be argued that Locke used Sawyer as his weapon to kill Cooper, only the person who physically does the killing loses murder points. Otherwise it becomes a slippery slope as to who shares responsibility for the death. Guilt by association is a tricky thing with very few clear-cut lines.

11. Sawyer’s vomiting does not count as an injury. He threw up as a result of shock and adrenaline after killing Cooper. Vomiting due to natural causes is exempt from injury deductions. If a character vomits due to being poisoned however, this will count as an injury.

12. Cooper would lose points in our league for getting zapped by Tom. Getting hit by a taser incapacitates a person, which we are counting as an injury. Again, this is just for future clarification.

These scores have been updated to include the points for Rousseau's visit to the Black Rock. They are now accurate.

Group 7-
Christian (-5): Absent from Episode (-5)
Kelvin (-5): Absent from Episode (-5)
Kevin Callis (-5): Absent from Episode (-5)
Mr. Paik (-5): Absent from Episode (-5)
Nadia (-5): Absent from Episode (-5)

Group 6-
Ethan (-5): Absent from Episode (-5)
Libby (-5): Absent from Episode (-5)
Ms. Hawking (-5): Absent from Episode (-5)
Rachel (-5): Absent from Episode (-5)
Charles Widmore (-5): Absent from Episode (-5)

Group 5-
Cindy (+20): Attendance (+5); Appears in Locke's Flashback (+15)
Richard (+20): Attendance (+5); Appears in Locke's Flashback (+15)
Arron (-5): Absent from Episode (-5)
Marvin Candle (-5): Absent from Episode (-5)
Penny (-5): Absent from Episode (-5)

Group 4-
Alex (-5): Absent from Episode (-5)
Bernard (-5): Absent from Episode (-5)
Karl (-5): Absent from Episode (-5)
Rose (-5): Absent from Episode (-5)
Walt (-5): Absent from Episode (-5)

Group 3-
Rousseau (+20): Attendance (+5); Visits the Black Rock (+15)
Jin (+5): Attendance (+5)
Claire (-5): Absent from Episode (-5)
Jacob (-5): Absent from Episode (-5)
Sun (-5): Absent from Episode (-5)

Group 2-
Sayid (+25): Attendance (+5); Uses the Numbers (+20)
Desmond (+5): Attendance (+5)
Hurley (+5): Attendance (+5)
Juliet (+5): Attendance (+5)
Michael (-5): Absent from Episode (-5)

Group 1-
Locke (+85): Attendance (+5); First On Screen (+15); First Line (+10); Episode Centricity (+25); On-Island Flashback (+10); Visits the Black Rock Twice (2 x +15 = +30); Gets Hurt Twice- Bitten by Cooper and Hit by Sawyer (2 x -10 = -20); Injures Someone- Draws blood from Cooper (-5); Last Line (+5); Last On Screen (+10)
Kate (+40): Attendance (+5); Has Sex (+15); Kisses Sawyer (+20)
Sawyer (+20): Attendance (+5); Has Sex (+15); Kisses Kate (+20); Gets Hurt- Feet Get Cut Up (-10); Injures Locke (-5); Visits the Black Rock (+15); Kills Cooper (-20)
Ben (+15): Attendance (+5); Appears in Locke's Flashback (+15); Injures Cooper- Knocks Him Out (-5)
Jack (+5): Attendance (+5)

The most points you could have earned this week was 135. The following contestants all managed to achieve this score. Congratulations! (This list has been corrected to include an extra 15 points for Rousseau's visit to the Black Rock)

-davevil
-DoctorYoda
-Dreidel
-El Último sobre la tierra
-finchburg
-http://alchemist-lostfan.blogspot.com/
-jennesan
-joe gear
-jonathan locke
-juliedelaporte
-Lo Raconet de LLuis
-nickv1025
-NicoleMM05
-relatosydibujos
-roxed
-T-minus108
-walterdolnaez

Scoring Chart



Character Groups


Leaderboard



Celebrities



Check your position in the full table below.

Complete Table

If you’ve been watching the Hiatus League episodes with me, your homework assignment for the next two weeks is to watch our next episode: “The Greater Good.”

This Season 1 episode focuses on Sayid’s past, shortly before crashing onto the Island. In flashbacks he is forced into infiltrating a terror cell that an old friend has become entangled in. On the Island, the Losties pay their last respects to Boone and deal with the fallout of Locke’s reemergence at the beach camp.

Sayid fans rejoice! This episode is full of our resident Iraqi. Will this help tip the scales a little, allowing some of you to make up ground against our points leaders? There’s only one way to find out- check back in 2 weeks for our next Update!

The Dharmageddon Location Cup - Round 2 Poll 3 (*Closed*)

Congratulations to The Black Rock for a crushing victory yesterday. Today sees 2 off-island locations battling it out for a place in the 3rd Round.

Lost Ads Coming to the Big Screen

This just in: Lost is coming to the big screen!

Oh, how I wish I could tell you our beloved Evie, Matthew and Josh are starring in a movie version of the show we so adore, but this is pretty much the next best thing: Sources tell me ABC has secured a deal to air promos for the upcoming fourth season of Lost (with new footage!) before all movies rated PG and above in Screenvision and NCM chains in December.

Hear that? It's the sound of this die-hard couch potato running out to buy my tickets!

And BTW, this also means ABC thinks the new season of Lost is so good, it warrants such play. I've heard from Alphabet-net insiders that the upcoming eight episodes filmed so far are "crazy good" and will "even satisfy the haters." So, if you're already starting to feel the fourth-season fever, sound off below, will ya?

And if you're headed for the aforementioned theaters, don't you dare think about hitting the bathroom before the show...

Source: Kristin@E!Online

Lost Book Club: 'A Brief History of Time'

Thanks to Lyly for finding this article from the Washington Post.

Jen Chaney and Liz Kelly -- co-authors of washingtonpost.com's weekly "Lost" analysis (in season) -- continue the "Lost" Book Club series with a discussion of Stephen Hawking's "A Brief History of Time," another book that may hold clues about the past, present and future of "Lost."

Start reading now. Then, join Jen and Liz on Wednesday, Nov. 28, at Noon ET to talk about the book and answer any holiday season time travel questions.

Jen Chaney: I have a feeling we are going to hit maximum density on nerdiness in this chat. Discussing quantum physics AND "Lost" at the same time? Forget the universe contracting and expanding ; this alone could make all the stars and planets in the system explode.

My feelings about reading "A Brief History of Time"?:I was glad I read it, since it's not a book I would ever have picked up on my own. And I do think there are some "Lost" connections to explore here. But I would also say that the prose in Stephen Hawking's book sang as beautifully as the text in my high school chemistry book. Which is to say, it was often dull and incomprehensible. The closing chapters, which delve more into philosophy and how that ties into science, were the meaty, more interesting parts to me.

Liz, your thoughts? And please explain them in Einstein-style equation form.

Liz Kelly: The dog ate my homework.

Sigh. Okay, not really. But there really is no excuse for the fact that I did not complete my reading of "A Brief History of Time." This is doubly lame, I know, since I am partly responsible for assigning this beast in the first place. But there it is. Mea Culpa. Sometimes, despite our best intentions, we just don't make it to the finish line.

What did I read in the past month? A couple of Agatha Christie books (see, we should've read "Evil Under the Sun"), an expose on sugar in our diets and a collection of short stories by Etgar Keret. I have, however, at some point in life, seen "Time Bandits," "Quantum Leap" and an episode of the Simpsons featuring Stephen Hawking. So, I feel at least as qualified as the average TV pundit.

I get that the universe is a vast and largely unexplained place and that Mr. Hawking's ideas as relate to time travel and whatnot are probably -- consciously or not -- at work in "Lost."

So, okay, I feel like a tool. But let's talk about this since Jen, the good one, did her reading.

_______________________

Woodly Park, Washington, D.C.: So, if the Losties are virtual particles of spin 1, and the Others particles of spin 2, and the Second Law of Thermodynamics applies, will Benry (being a quark) and Jacob (an anti-quark) annihilate if they meet at the event horizon of a non-rotating black hole?

And can we conclude that Hurley has reach sufficient mass to reach the Chandrasekhar limit and maintain stability within he camp despite his significant gravitational force?

Jen Chaney: Wow. This is stunning.

I love that we're already trying to connect the particles/scientific theories mentioned in the book with "Lost" characters. Which one is Sawyer? I say he's the big bang (meow!). Or maybe that better describes his relationship with Kate.

Re: Hurley, I believe Hawking says gravity is not as significant within the laws of the universe as previously thought. So I believe Hurley's mass will not affect the ultimate outcome of "Lost." Unfortunately, nothing in "A Brief History of Time" explains how too many DUI arrests in the same TV show cast will affect the conclusion of "Lost." Such an oversight on Hawking's part.

Liz Kelly: Chandrasekar limit? Is that anything like the Chandrasekaran limit, which states that a Post reporter can only fit so many Pulitzer prizes on his mantel?

_______________________

Bethesda, Md.: I wonder if the "Lost" producers could hire writers from an alternative universe. Would that violate union rules?

Liz Kelly: Hmmm, I think even someone from another dimension might be considered a scab for crossing this picket line.

But this is as good a moment as any to bring up the elephant in the room: Rumor has it that "Lost" may not return until 2009 because of this blasted writers strike. Jen can correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe there are eight episodes of the new season in the can, however, Damon Lindelof and Carlton Cuse are loathe to air them as a mini-season.

So maybe for us non-readers out there, this could be a sub-topic of discussion -- is a potential 18 month (at least) hiatus a potential show killer for "Lost?"

Jen Chaney: Yup, Liz, I've heard the same rumor. And you're correct, eight eps are in the can. Of those, the eighth one is a cliff-hanger of sorts, which would make it that much more painful if the new airings stop there. Seems to me there are a few potential outcomes.

1. Strike gets resolved via the talks that are continuing in a secret location (perhaps the hatch?) today in Hollywood. And "Lost" airs as scheduled. This is the ideal scenario.

2. Strike continues; eight episodes air starting in Feb. and we wait until next Feb. to see the rest. Me no likey this option.

3. Strike continues and, as Liz suggests, we see no "Lost" until 2009. This option clearly stinks, and I think it would be very bad for the show. Would it be a show-killer? I don't know. "The Sopranos" waited an awfully long time between seasons and fans still maintained interest. But given the slight dip in ratings last season, and the triumphant comeback in the second part of season three, I think the "Lost" peeps, LindeCuse included, would want to build on any momentum they have and get this show on the road.

If they postpone it until '09, I think ABC should pay for the anti-depressants every fan will have to take in order to overcome their despair.

_______________________

Rockville, Md.: "I have a feeling we are going to hit maximum density on nerdiness in this chat."

Thanks for the warning. Nothing from me today. I actually studied physics for four years. And had many years as a science librarian.

Liz Kelly: Hey -- no fair. You identify yourself as someone who could potentially make sense out of all this, then impose a gag order?

Come on... tell us your theories.

Jen Chaney: Liz, I think this person is trying to tell me that I've completely misused the term maximum density. Which would be no surprise since my primary understanding of the term density comes from George McFly: "You're my density ... I mean, my destiny."

Speaking of "Back to the Future," did anyone else notice that when Hawking mentions that movie in the book, he credits Steven Spielberg instead of Robert Zemeckis? Granted, Spielberg produced it. But Zemeckis co-wrote and directed it. Essentially, Zemeckis invented the flux capacitor. Doesn't he deserve a little credit? I also am disappointed that the flux capacitor isn't even referenced in this book. It's what makes time travel possible, for God's sake.

_______________________

North McLean, Va.: Chandrasekhar limit means the maximum density before something collapses into a black hole. A rather snarky comment about the big guy Hurley if ya asks me.

Liz Kelly: Ahhh. Yes, that's not nice.

_______________________

Washington, D.C.: Speaking of Einstein equations, E = mc-2 is a simplification of the more general equation E-2 = p-2c-2 + m-2c-4 for the special case when momentum (p)is zero.

I'm sorry. But it just had to be said.

Jen Chaney: It did have to be said. And Lord knows neither one of us was going to say it.

Liz Kelly: Well, actually, I was going to say it, but this guy beat me to it.

_______________________

Washington, D.C.: Here's the dirty little secret about time travel via wormholes. In order to prevent violations of entropy, all matter passing through such a hole must be without any structure so that no information can be passed backwards. This suggests that time travel might not be terribly exciting.

Liz Kelly: So, if you were (ahem) explaining this to someone who, say, had never read Hawking would you say that an invertibrate mass of cells would be more equipped for time travel than, say, William Shatner? Maybe this explains H.P. Lovecraft's shapeless Old Ones.

Jen Chaney: I don't know about this. Donnie Darko went through a wormhole. At least I think he did. And Jake Gyllenhaal didn't lose his structure.

See, this is how I refute scientific theories that I don't fully comprehend. I just cite movies that prove they are wrong. Wait until you read my take on how "Little Miss Sunshine" proves that photosynthesis is a myth. It will be published next month in the American Journal of Complete and Utter Nonsense.

Liz Kelly: You're assuming Jake Gyllenhaal has some kind of skeleton and mass. I put it to you here that he is in fact a hologram and is at this moment being projected on the wall of Reese Witherspoon's boudoir.

Speaking of "Donnie Darko" -- can we just say right now that this movie is required watching?

_______________________

Liz Kelly: So, Jen, I'm not really feeling the love for discussion of this book. Who knew? I thought time travel was all the rage and by this point we'd be sharing what era in time we'd like to travel back to (medieval, if I can take Pamprin and be a princess) and what historical figures we'd like to meet given the chance (Dorothy Sayers and Dorothy Parker).

Jen Chaney: Well, this is the hardest book we've done so far. I am a little surprised that more people aren't into the wormhole stuff, though.

But let's give folks a chance. I see a couple of interesting questions in the queue and maybe some more will come, especially in light of my references to the flux capacitor. That always gets people going.

Personally, I'd like to travel back in time and have a chat with "Thriller"-era Michael Jackson. I think I'd have a really solid chance at saving his old nose.

_______________________

Reston, Va.: I think the overall reason for including the Hawking work in Lost is to address the singularity concept addressed in the finite universe theory. This is especially true when considering the magnetism "explosion" that occurred when the hatch was destroyed. Your thoughts?

Also, any idea when the new season starts, Early Jan, hopefully?

Jen Chaney: As we mentioned earlier, the start of the new season is scheduled for February, but it's all up in the air now because of the writers' strike.

To address the first part of your question, I think this book, as challenging as it may be, wasn't just tossed into "Lost" for the heck of it. It is referenced multiple times in "Not in Portland" and "Flashes Before Your Eyes," enough that I feel like the writers are trying to tell us something. I originally thought the message was that something about the island isn't in synch space/time-wise with what the rest of us think of as real time. The sections of Hawking's book that talk about how time applies only to the observer and differs depending on your location in the overall universe speak to this, I think.

Problem is that LindeCuse, if I remember correctly, dismissed the notion that there is a space-time rupture going on here. So I don't know what to think.

_______________________

Off-topic (sort of): So, I see that on Sci Fi channel on Dec. 12, there's a new series called "Tin Man" Seems to be some sort of dark, modern-day Wizard of Oz take. Since we previously read TWOO, and since it has Lost tie-ins, I'm wondering if either of you know anything about this new miniseries?

Liz Kelly: I don't know much more about "Tin Man" than that it is a mini-series re-imagining "TWOO." Plus side: it stars Zooey Deschanel (recently seen on "Weeds") and the wonderful Alan Cumming ("Circle of Friends"). Down side: Richard Dreyfuss.

Still, it does look kind of interesting. Here's a link to the official site.

Jen Chaney: Did they cast Richard Dreyfuss in this because he was also in the movie "Tin Men"?

I don't know more than what Liz already mentioned. None of the writers are affiliated with "Lost" so if there are connections, I am guessing they'd be coincidental. Still, might be worth checking out since "Oz" is fresh in our minds.

_______________________

Cellar Door: Donnie Darko is clearly required watching. But go for the original version. And if you want to understand it, go through the DVD extras.

Also, I am massively (ha ha ) bummed that the soundtrack doesn't have the cool cover of "Mad World"

Liz Kelly: Yes. But that cover can be found on iTunes as a single, I believe. At one point, I compiled my own self-assembled iPod playlist of the songs featured in "Donnie Darko," since none were included on the soundtrack.

Such good '80s stuff, there -- INXS, Echo and the Bunnymen, Duran Duran, Tears for Fears...

Also, after watching the movie, the Salon.com essay about the movie should also be required reading.

_______________________

Arlington, Va.: I just wanted to confess that I bought the book and couldn't make sense of it. Lucky for me, I bought the illustrated version, which had a ton of really pretty pictures of space.

Jen Chaney: I got the illustrated one, too, from the good, 'ol library. The pictures didn't make me understand it more clearly, but they did break up the text.

I liked those images of the astronaut who fell into a black hole and got stretched out like Plastic Man. That was a helpful visual.

Liz Kelly: No illustrations for me. Maybe that's where I went wrong. The next time I try to read Hawking it'll be an audio book.

_______________________

Falls Church, Va.: One of the more out-there speculations in "Brief History" (i.e., most physicists aren't sure exactly what he's talking about) is something called "imaginary time." I'm not capable of exxplaining the concept properly, but it kind of boils down to asking, "what would happen if we conceived of time as moving not just forward (and back), but also from side to side?" Mathematically, this helps solve various equations and creates an elegant way of imagining the life-cycle of the universe.

For a screenwriter, it could be a catch-all tool for explaining away all sorts of inconsistencies in cause and effect. "How could that really happen? Well, it took place in imaginary time."

Jen Chaney: Yeah, the imaginary time stuff perked up my antennae, too. But I don't understand it enough to know how, if at all, it would relate to the show. Your "catch-all tool" explanation sounds as good as any.

On a related note, I didn't really grasp imaginary numbers when we studied them in school. If they're imaginary, can't I just "imagine" I solved any equations involving such numbers? And then "imagine" my teacher gave me an A? Seems like it would save a lot of time.

_______________________

Washington, D.C.: Hi Jen and Liz -- I'm afraid that my reading of "A Brief History of Time" greatly increased the disorder of the universe -- for my brain definitely expended more energy than order and understanding was obtained! Not to take away from Hawking's genius but I have to say I much prefer Brian Greene or Carl Sagan as far as accessible science reading goes.

But I did bring away one "Lost" thought from the book. Hawking explained towards the end of the book why we can't remember the future and why Time's Arrow only points in one direction. I hope I'm summarizing this correctly -- Hawking stated that when the universe expands Time's Arrow can only point in one direction and thus it is not possible to know the future. But in a universe without boundaries -- sounds like a bad political slogan -- when the universe starts collapsing on itself to a final end, only then does Time's Arrow point in the other direction. Only then is it possible to remember the future. This reminded me of a statement from "Lost" creator Damon Lindelof where he said that he couldn't write the flash-forward in the season finale until an end date for the show was agreed upon. Perhaps Hawking is a philosophical metaphor for the show. If "Lost" had no end date, it would continue to expand until entropy took over and it disappated into nothing (i.e. cancellation). Now with a set end date and with the show past its halfway mark on its run, like the universe, "Lost" will contract to a final end point; and like the universe, when the contraction begins only then can we know the future and thus the flash-forward. Metaphor or not, having a story with an end point is simply good dramatic structure. And if God is the ultimate creative genius, God would want there to be a dramatic structure to his masterpiece. But does this all means that when I start remembering how "Lost" ends then the final days are near at hand?

OK, brain hurt. I go now.

dre7861

Liz Kelly: Okay, that is an incredibly eloquent explanation of Hawking's theories about the properties of expanding/contracting universes and how those qualities relate to "Lost." I'm wondering -- can we take this one step further and extrapolate that somehow the "Losties" are in the midst of a world shifting from expansion to contraction? That perhaps this explains the jump into flash forwards?

_______________________

Woodley Park, Washington, D.C.: Hawkings said that using a wormhole for space travel was very risky and unpredictable. If you don't go through the right way, you get turned into spaghetti.

Liz Kelly: Well, if we assume the "Losties" plane traveled through some kind of wormhole to arrive at the island, I think we have some pretty good indications that the folks inside that plane changed on a very basic, cellular level -- John Locke can walk, Rose's cancer is gone, Sun and Jin are able to conceive, etc.

Perhaps the producers are using a variation of Hawking's warning to account for these abrupt changes. It isn't quite spaghetti, but it'll do.

Jen Chaney: Ooh, interesting theory, Liz. But what about the other people who came to the island, like Ben and co. Do you have to go through a wormhole to get there? Or did the wormhole only affect Oceanic Flight 815?

I think Desmond may have been cellularly modified, too, but it seems to me that didn't happen until he turned the key in the hatch. So while I like this theory, I am not sure all of the transformations could be explained this way.

Liz Kelly: I think Ben and the Others also had to travel through some kind of wormhole to arrive at the island. Perhaps their cellular rearrangement was the fact that they are unable to produce offspring (hence their work to try to scientifically overcome that sterility).

_______________________

Washington 20008: So you're saying I shouldn't add "Donnie Darko: Director's Cut" to my Netflix queue? I should order the original version?

Jen Chaney: No, you should. You should watch them both. The extras on the director's cut DVD are pretty great.

I agree with the previous poster, though, that I still like the original a little more. And the primary reason is the beginning: I much prefer Echo and the Bunnymen in that opening scene to "Never Tear Us Apart," which is what's in the director's cut and was originally intended for the movie.

I spoke to director Richard Kelly once and told him that, and he completely busted on me. He had good reasons for using the INXS song, which are too complicated to explain here. But I still think Echo and the Bunnymen works better and sets a better tone. For the record and all.

_______________________

North Mclean, Va.: I am a physicist who regularly reads Celebritology, and I was initially unsure where to go with this "Brief History of Time" discussion as it relates to "Lost." Then it struck me that what BHOT and "Lost" have in common is that both are compelling narratives subject to multiple valid interpretations.

Hawking presents an elegant story about the universe. The problem is that the details of this story are a practical impossibility to confirm through experimentation. The only approach available is to see if his theories are consistent with the observable universe. And many of his ideas, like black holes, clearly are.

It is just that there are alternative explanations for many of the things he presents. So the argument could be made that some of his work isn't "science" as much as mythology. You know, a beautiful story that makes sense and fits observations, but is not really testable. Sort of like the various theories about "Lost."

Jen Chaney: In other words, many of these theories may apply. It all depends on what perspective you bring to it or, in Hawking's terms, where you are in the universe. Interesting.

I also found Hawking's invocations of God intriguing. In the final words of his conclusion, he talks about how amazing it would be if scientists ultimately could explain a complete theory for the universe's existence, noting "for then we would know the mind of God." Hawking is clearly a man of science, yet he also accepts the existence of a Creator, or at least that possibility. Instead of "Lost's" man of science vs. man of faith dichotomy, Hawking implies it's possible to be both at the same time. Is that what the "Lost" writers want us to believe, too?

Liz Kelly: It all comes back to the science vs. faith argument for Jen. Luckily, our December selection will give her ample room to expand on these theories.

I have to wonder, though, is that what Hawking was really implying? I don't know his on-record views about religion, but I wonder if he included that statement to appease those who might take exception to his obviously scientific bent.

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Washington, D.C.: Rumor has it that the "flux capacitor" has shown up as a prop in lots of other sci fi shows. It's one of those in-jokes the prop guys love.

Liz Kelly: And let us not forget that the actor who played Biff (Thomas Wilson turned up as the gym coach on the short-lived, but wonderful "Freaks and Geeks." He was really good, too.

Jen Chaney: And there are a couple of "Back to the Future" jokes in "Knocked Up," directed by Judd Apatow, executive producer of ... "Freaks and Geeks."

We really are all connected, just like the "Lost" castaways.

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Heart of Gold: As every nerd knows, if you achieve an infinite improbability you pass through every point in the Universe simultaneously, which can result in nuclear missiles being turned into bowls of petunias and whales. So, as the plot of "Lost" becomes more improbable, you can expect your underwear to move two feet to the left during a future viewing. I'm just sayin'.

Liz Kelly: You assume a lot.

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Washington, D.C.: Okay, one of the themes in Hawking's work is the notion of multiple universes. The idea that distinct universes can "bud" off. (This is very similar to the conceit behind Donnie Darko, but with fewer giant rabbits.) I have heard some muttering that Lost might involve multiple universes. Thoughts?

Liz Kelly: I'm with you on this theory, D.C. I have long been nursing this theory of the island being an alternate or parallel universe. I was strongly convinced of this late last season when I found all sorts of coincidental similarities between the plots of "Lost" and the Stephen King/Peter Stroab book "The Talisman," which follows the adventures of a young boy (named Jack Sawyer) who sets off on a quest to save our world and another, parallel world which has the ability to seep into ours from time to time.

It would explain a lot.

Jen Chaney: This is what I was getting at earlier (or trying to, anyway) when I talked about the space-time stuff. I really bought into this idea, too. But then I could swear that LindeCuse dismissed it in one of their podcasts, which soured me on the concept.

But maybe they didn't dismiss the idea entirely. I can't remember now. I still think it's a theory worth keeping on simmer in your brain.

Now that I'm thinking about it, this idea and the wormholes tie in nicely with last season's finale. Jack kept flying over and over again, thinking that somehow that would take him back to the island. That sounds like someone searching for a portal to another universe or a wormhole, doesn't it?

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Chantilly, Va.: Oooh, "imaginary time" -- is that anything like Doctor Who's E-space? Who needs Hawking? I'd rather have The Doctor. He always seems a bit "lost."

Jen Chaney: I suppose I'll get a demerit in geekitude for this, but I never watched "Doctor Who." So I'll have to take your word for it.

Liz Kelly: I watched Dr. Who back in the '80s, when he had big floppy hair and a too-long scarf. I think "Lost" could use some floppy hair. We don't seem to have any floppy hair.

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Singularityville: Could the submarine have been used to travel through the wormhole? Intriguing.

Jen Chaney: Hmmm...

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Right on Echo: Okay, so I don't watch Lost (no time, but years from now when my kids are older, I'll watch all seasons in a marathon Netflix session), but I just had to say you're right on as far as Donnie Darko not being the same unless it starts off with creepy "Killing Moon."

I love Richard Kelly, and I know it's technically his story to tell, but he's simply wrong on this.

Liz Kelly: I have to chime in and agree with you. Killing Moon was just such a chilling way to start the movie. I just got chills thinking about it.

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Liz Kelly: Okay. Thanks for hanging in with today's chat. I know my universe has expanded as a result.

Let us now turn our attention to the December selection. By popular vote, the winner is Madeleine L'Engle's "A Wrinkle in Time" -- a delightful, quick read that really makes the whole time travel notion a bit more accessible for us Hawking-averse folks. We'll reconvene to discuss it on Dec. 19th.

Jen Chaney: Thanks to those of you who at least tried to read along with us. I don't think we solved any mysteries of the universe, but we may have cranked up our brain power a notch. And that's always a good thing.

Looking forward to "A Wrinkle in Time" come December. Maybe by then the strike will be over. And maybe then we also can discuss some of the "Missing Pieces" installments, since we didn't get to cover those today.

The Dharmageddon Location Cup - Round 2 Poll 2 (*Closed*)

Congratulations to Jacobs Shack who is our first location through to Round 3 after overcoming an all on-island clash with the Golf Course.

Today sees one of the pre-tournament favourites, The Black Rock, up against an off-island location in Miami.

The Dharmageddon Location Cup - Round 2 Poll 1 (*Closed*)

Congratulations to yesterdays winners The Nigerian Village and The "Walkabout Tours" Registration Building gain the final 2 places in Round 2 which starts today.

A big thanks once again for Dharmageddon for creating a brand new set of great images for Round 2.

Today starts the first poll for Round 2 with the following locations still in the competition. Which of these do you think are the favourite contenders and which ones might cause an upset?

Anthony Cooper’s House/Estate, Arctic Listening Station, Charles Widmore's (Widmore Industries) Office/s, Hoffs/Drawlar Funeral Parlor (featured in the flash-froward), Hurley's Golf Course, Inside Flight 815, Jacob’s Shack, Kate’s Iowa Home (Wayne's final resting place BOOM!), Mittelos BioScience Presentation Room (where Richard recruits Juliet), Mr. Cluck's Chicken Shack, Ms. Hawking's Jewelry Store, Othersville, Room 23, Santa Rosa Mental Health Institute, Sydney (Kingsford Smith) International Airport, Sydney Airport Bar, The "Leyland" Pub (featured in Desmond's time-travelling adventure), The "Walkabout Tours" Registration Building, The Black Rock, The Caves, The Cockpit, The Four-Toed Statue, The Fuselage Crash Site, The Hanso Foundation Headquarters in Copenhagen, The Line (Tom’s "do not cross" line), The Looking Glass Station, The Los Angeles "tour de stade" Stadium, The Main Beach Camp, The Miami Hospital (where Locke recieved his wheelchair), The Nigerian Airstrip (where Yemi got shot), The Nigerian Village
The Pot Farm/Commune (in Eureka)

I'm thinking that Jacob's shack and Room 23 both have a good chance of going all the way with the Walkabout Tours office being an outside bet.

So on with todays first poll of Round 2.

The Dharmageddon Location Cup - Round 1 Poll 15 (*Closed*)

Congratulations to Kate’s Iowa Home, Anthony Cooper’s House and the The Los Angeles "tour de stade" Stadium who all progress through to round 2.

Today sees the last 2 polls for Round 1 before we start Round 2 tomorrow. Round 2 will have both the off and on-island locations all in the same evil virtual hat.

The Dharmageddon Location Cup - Round 1 Poll 14 (*Closed*)

Congratulations go to The Hanso Foundation Headquarters, Charles Widmore's Office and Desmonds Pub who go through to Round 2.

Today sees another 3 polls to see who will be joining the other location winners in the next round. Today is also the penultimate Round 1 matchup.

The Dharmageddon Location Cup - Round 1 Poll 13 (*Closed*)

Congratulations to Ms. Hawking's Jewelry Store and Room 23 who both progress easily into Round. Today sees the start of the remaining Off-Island Location Round 1 Matches.

Below we have 3 polls and as always let us know which ones you voted for and why.

The Dharmageddon Location Cup - Round 1 Poll 12 (*Closed*)

Congratulations to Sydney Airport Bar and Jacobs House who progress through to round 2.

Today sees the last of the on-island polls until Round 2 starts. We still have a number of off-island Round 1 polls to go.