I was talking to my friend Dave the other day and the topic of eating ants came up. (Dave is a former Special Black Ops Officer so many a bizarre topics come up in discussion) He said that on one of his missions he had no food provisions and he needed to look for alternative sources. He found an ant hill, stuck his finger in the hole and swirled it around until the ants attached themselves to his finger. He then quickly pulled his finger out and ate them. He said he would still be hungry but the protein in the ants kept him going.
Now I'm no Special Ops soldier but I did eat bugs once. A while back I was having breakfast at our old house. I found a box of Mini Wheats and broke out the bowl, spoon, and milk. I poured the milk and went to town on the Mini Wheats. I was very hungry.
About halfway through the bowl, I noticed that my cereal was moving ever so slightly. Upon further inspection, there were hundreds of tiny black bugs infested in the Mini wheats. And I just ate half of them. Did I mention there were hundreds of bugs.
Faster than any Olympic sprinter (Or Michael Phelps swimming towards a Ding Dong) I raced to the bathroom to puke up the nasty bugs. I barely made it throwing up my breakfast of Mini Wheats and hundreds of little black bugs into the toilet. I felt better straight away.
After a few minutes of dry heaving, I came out of the bathroom and immediately took the box of cereal outside and freed the rest of the black bugs left in the cereal box in the back yard. (I should have set the bastards on fire for ruining my breakfast)
Back inside, I called my sister Nancy who is a nurse and told her that I just ate a big box of bugs. She said why on earth would I do that. I told her I didn't eat them intentionally, they were in a bad box of cereal. I asked if the bugs would make me sick and if I should have my stomach pumped or anything.
Nancy told me, "Whatever you do, don't throw up! The bugs will latch themselves to your throat and pinch at your flesh." GOD DAMMIT! Now I was in a panic. I told Nancy it was to late, I already threw up most of the cereal, milk, and bugs. What was I supposed to do now?
Nancy told me to calm down. Eating bugs wasn't going to hurt me one single bit. Not even the large amount I ate. She said as soon as the bugs hit the digestive acids in my stomach they were dead and merely became food. Albeit not good tasting food, but food nonetheless. (I could hear in Nancy's voice her holding back her laughter) I thanked Nancy for the advice and hung up.
For a brief moment, I laughed at what I had just done, and what my sister told me not to do. Growing up with four older sisters and two older brothers should have prepared me for Nancy's advice. I was caught off guard. This time! In the future I will be set to Def Con 1.
BTW, I haven't eaten Mini Wheats since.
LURKING ON THE GRASSY KNOLL
3/04/2010
3/02/2010
Lost Update: Sundown You Better Take Care
Lost Update - Season Six - 03/02/2010
I can see her lyin' back in her satin dress
In a room where ya do what ya don't confess
Sundown ya better take care
If I find you been creepin' 'round my back stairs
Sundown ya better take care
If I find you been creepin' 'round my back stairs
She's been lookin' like a queen in a sailor's dream
And she don't always say what she really means
Sometimes I think it's a shame
When I get feelin' better when I'm feelin' no pain
Sometimes I think it's a shame
When I get feelin' better when I'm feelin' no pain
When did Lost turn into a spaghetti western. (BTW, its what I had for dinner tonight, at the Grand Lux restaurant inside the Venetian hotel in Las Vegas) Just like an old time Western, we got the MIB (The bad guy) going to the sheriff (Dogen) of the town of Temple and telling him he has until sundown to get out of town or else he's going to kill everyone. Has the Lost island somehow magically transported back to the wild, wild West days or does this chain of events of what we witnessed tonight strengthen my theory even more.
Just what is the Grassy Knoll Institutes Lost theory….Said in my best John Wayne voice: Now wait a minute pilgrim...
Although it appears the survivors of Oceanic flight 815 are on a tropical island, they are being deceived. There is no island. The survivors are in a virtual reality laboratory. All the castaways are interconnected to one another sharing each others thoughts, memories, and feelings. While in this virtual reality laboratory, a battery of physical and mental experiments are performed on them. And who is running these experiments? As Juliet stated, the Aliens of course.
From the pilot episode of Lost, we were witness to 48 survivors of a terrible plane crash on a presumed deserted island leaving only themselves to either band together and survive, or to separate and die alone. From the beginning, unknown and unseen forces were at work dividing the survivors pushing them to choose to stay at the shoreline with the wreckage or to seek shelter further inland. Later on, the castaways were separated by good and evil and that's where we begin.
Tonight, Dogen tells Sayid that everyone has a scale balancing the good and evil in them. For Sayid, the scale is weighted towards evil. Sayid and Dogen fight and after a battle, Dogen tells Sayid to leave and never return. So who is the good guy, and who is the bad guy? That is the six year old question.
Lets take it from the top shall we. Jack once was the good guy, helping the castaways after the crash. He took charge and made good sound decisions to keep the castaways safe. He then slowly turned into the bad guy. Sawyer was the bad guy and slowly morphed into the good guy. Claire was the good girl and after axing her captive, we know she's on the wrong side of the tracks. Michael, good guy, looking out for his son, and then the bad guy, killing Ana Lucia and Libby. Ben, good, bad, good, bad, and over and over. Charlie, Locke, Sayid, Boone, Ana Lucia, even Jacob and MIB. In fact, everyone has had a scale malfunction shifting either from good to evil or evil to good. Some have had several scale changes.
This reminds me of the old proverb about the fox and the scorpion. One day down by the lake, a scorpion asks the fox if he would ferry him over to the other side of the lake by riding on the foxes back. The fox refuses stating the scorpion would sting him and he would drown. The scorpion reasons with the fox that if that were true, then both would drown for scorpions cannot swim. The fox agrees and the scorpion crawls on the back of the fox. Halfway across the lake, the scorpion stings the fox. The fox asks why the scorpion did that for now both were going to die. The scorpion simply replied, I could not help it. It is my nature.
And this my friends is exactly the experimetation being conducted. Through conditioning, can the scorpion be coerced to change it's nature. Can humankind through conditioning, be coerced to change it's nature. Is mankind capable of avoiding conflict, hate, jealousy, murder, betrayal, greed, and war. This is Jacobs experiment. To see if mankind deserves a second chance.
Jacob, (Or the alien race controlling the virtual reality lab) has run various pyschological and physical tests to see if they are worthy to survive. To be permitted to live on. Or as the MIB stated in the season five finale exchange with Jacob on the beach:
MIB: You’re still trying to prove me wrong.
Jacob: You are wrong!
MIB: They come, fight, they destroy, they corrupt. It always ends the same.
Jacob: It only ends once. Anything that happens before that, it’s just progress.
Jacob (The alien race) understands that time is running out. In an attempt to force the issue, (Mankinds inherent nature) he brings the current scenario to a head in hopes that good will triumph over evil.
Looking at the history of mankind, the future does not look promising at all.
Tidbits From Tonight's Episode:
* Sayid in taxi, at Nadias house, Nadia has a wedding ring, She is married, but not to Sayid,
* sayid barges in on Dogen, he wants answes, Dogen offers a scale, of good and evil, the machine tells us how it is balanced. For Sayid, it is evil.
* Dogen and Sayid fight, A baseball falls, Dogen tells Sayid to leave and never come back.
* Claire and MIB at the temple, claire asks MIB if he is going to hurt them, MIB says, only the ones that wont listen. He also says he always does what he says he will.
* Claire walks in the temple gate, tells Dogen that he wants to see him. Dogen says he is not an idiot, that if he steps out of the temple, MIB will kill him. Claire says then he better send someone that he wont kill.
* Dogen tells Sayid the evil incarnate will come to him as somebody already dead. Dogen wants Sayid to kill MIB.
* Sayid, in a sideways flash, sees Jack in the hospital when his brother was taken to emergency. Sayid will avenge his brother, gets the evil look in his eyes.
* Sayid looks for MIB, the jungle begins to move. The wind blowing circular, in an instant Sayid is face to face with MIB. MIB says hello and then Sayid plunges the dagger into MIB's chest. MIB pulls it out and says, why did you go and do that.
* Dogen told him to stab him before he spoke or it would be to late. He was right!
* MIB wants Sayid to deliever a message to the temple people and in exchange he would give him wants he wants. Sayid said that died in his arms, MIB said but what if you could.
* Sayid gives the message, that Jacob is dead, and they no longer have to hide in the temple, and that MIB is leaving the island forever, and anyone that wants to go with him is permitted, but if they stay behind, they will die at sundown.
* Kate tells Claire that she took Aaron and raised him, claire looks seething mad. She yells to Kate that he is coming and they can't stop him.
* Sayid meets up with Kheamy, he is the man responsible for Sayid's brother in the hospita. Sayid kills the two thugs and then shoots Kheamy, claiming he cannot let it go,
* Sayid meets up with Jin locked up in the cooler, Jin cannot speak english.
* Dogens story, he was drunk and he killed his son, he was offered a second chance by Jacob, but could never see his son.
* At sundown,, Sayid pulls Dogen into the water pool, and drowns Dogen, Sayid slashes the throat of the interpreter,
* Invisible monster coming, just like season one, Old Smoky comes in and takes the temple inhabitants.
* Llana, Lapedus, Sun hide in a secret room in the temple walls. Smoky flies right past then.
* Kate sees monster, sounds like agony inside.
* Ben speaks to Sayid at the temple, Sayid looks menacing and says its to late for him already.
LURKING, STILL LOST ON THE GRASSY KNOLL
2/28/2010
There Is An App For That Logo
So I'm flying United Airlines, (Which BTW I am a Mileage plus customer) and I get assigned seat 13D, wich is a standard aisle seat. Twenty four hours ago, I attempted to change my seat by logging onto United's website. Lo and behold, the computer said all seats were taken even though several emergency row exit seats were showing available. WTF!!!
I called United's 800 number and after going through 11 prompts, I got to a real person. (At least I thought I did) The United agent took my information and stated all seats were taken and the flight was full. I informed her the United web site showed three emergency exit row seats available. The United agent said that the United website was not accurate and not showing real time updates. I asked why would United post outdated information misleading paying customers. She said she didn't know but all seats were taken for my flight.
The next day at the airport, after just viewing the (Updated) available seats, two emergency row seats were still available. I asked the ticket agent if I could please change my seat assignment to one of the emergency row exit seats. Inez, (The ticket agent) typed away at her keyboard and like the robot agent on the phone the previous evening said that all seats were assigned. Again I told Inez that the United website had seat 12A and 12B still available. She said I was wrong. In essence, by saying I was wrong she was stating United was wrong.
In an instant the other shoe dropped. Inez said that seat 13D, (My seat) was a premium seat that had 5 extra inches of leg room and that I didn't need to change my seat. (If you go to seatguru.com it states that my seat on an Airbus A320 (United's Jet) was not an economy plus seat and had a standard seat pitch. As I already knew, my seat did not have the extra leg room Inez, the United airlines ticket agent claimed it had.
An hour later I boarded the plane, stowed away my carry on and took my seat on the plane. A woman took sear 12B and just as the door was closing, a young man sat in seat 12A. During the four hour flight, we got to talking and he said he switched flights taking an earlier one and he was damn lucky getting on the plane for seat 12A was the last seat available.
Now you understand the photo above of the LOTGK logo in the process of loading a program.
2/23/2010
Lost Update: Watching The Wheel
Lost Update - Season Six - 02/23/2010
People say I'm crazy, doing what I'm doing,
Well they give me all kinds of warnings, to save me from ruin,
When I say that I'm OK they look at me kind of strange,
Surely your not happy now, you no longer play the game,
People say I'm lazy, dreaming my life away,
Well they give me all kinds of advice, designed to enlighten me,
When I tell that I'm doing Fine watching shadows on the wall,
Don't you miss the big time boy, you're no longer on the ball?
I'm just sitting here watching the wheels go round and round,
I really love to watch them roll,
No longer riding on the merry-go-round,
I just had to let it go,
Welcome All Candidates! Apparently almost everyone that was a passenger on Oceanic flight 815 is a candidate to assume the duties of Jacob, the dead deity of the Lost island. Even Hurley. Jacob told him so. The dead Jacob, who told him to go to the light house, the light house that no one ever saw before on the island. The same light house that will shine a little light on my Lost theory.
Just what is the Grassy Knoll Institutes Lost theory….I’ve been waiting six years to tell you…..
Although it appears the survivors of Oceanic flight 815 are on a tropical island, they are being deceived. There is no island. The survivors are in a virtual reality laboratory. All the castaways are interconnected to one another sharing each others thoughts, memories, and feelings. While in this virtual reality laboratory, a battery of physical and mental experiments are performed on them. And who is running these experiments? As Juliet stated, the Aliens of course.
Last week we got a glimpse of the infamous numbers that keep appearing on Lost. We found out that the numbers are assigned to names. The castaways names. Tonight, we got to see a much bigger list, hundreds of names on a light house wheel set at degrees. Hundreds of names with lines through them and a few still active ones including Shephard, Kwon, and Jarrah. But what does any of that have to do with virtual reality experimentation? EVERYTHING!
Six years ago I theorized that the castaways were in a virtual reality state of unconsciousness. While in this state, experiments, both mental and physical, were performed on them. They were inserted into a selected scenario and allowed to play out said scenario to it’s logical conclusion. As with any experiment, it must be conducted time and time again to prove the results. A control group and control scenario is implemented to achieve the best case pristine data. Hence, the island has two groups, the perceived good versus evil groups. Each group is then given a choice, and then tested on that choice. Notice during the previous five seasons characters changed, some becoming evil, some good, some becoming leaders, and some relinquishing the leader position.
Tonight we got a glimpse on how the castaways are studied. Did you notice the mirrors in the light house as Hurley was winding the come-a-long chain setting it to 108 degrees. Jack saw flashes in the mirror, one of an Oriental structure, perhaps Kwon's home, and another scene depicting what I think may have been Philadelphia. Jack then noticed names on the lens dial. Hundreds of names. Many of them with lines through them. Each name had a specific number on the dial. Jacks name was next to number 23, one of the infamous numbers.
Jack then tells Hurley to stop and move the dial to 23 degrees. (Jacks number) Jack sees his childhood house. he says they've been watching me for a long time.
The light house was the blind, or lack of a better term, the control room. To the virtual reality unconscious castaways, they were led to believe they were seeing a light house on the island. In reality, it was the control room of the laboratory where the castaways are, laid out in stasis, interconnected to one another. As a new scenario is introduced, much like a new video game level is achieved, each castaways absorbs that thought pattern and processes it and the new scenario begins. They are then intently studied for behavior changes, mood swings, violence, love, hate, compassion, empathy. As Jacob said, he won't stop until he gets it right.
The mirrors are an important part of the virtual reality world. With multiple mirrors, one can have multiple lives, multiple planes of existence. Jack saw one such reality, the house he grew up in. He is also aware of his life on the island. And the one three years prior. And the one on the island in the 1970's. And the one in 2004 on the mainland. And the one with a son named David. Get the idea here. Every castaways is living in multiple planes of existence while every nuance of their experience there is being recorded and studied. For what purpose, we will find out in the series finale.
The group watching the castaways use the mirrors to keep tabs on each castaways multiple lives. Sort of like changing the channel on the television set. And who is this group? As Juliet told Sawyer. "The aliens of course!"
Tidbits From Tonight's Episode:
* Jack notices his scar on his stomach, seems to remember his wound on the island. Jack has a son named David. Who is a very talented pianist who is a candidate.
* Jacob tells Hurley someone is coming to the island and he needs to help him find it.
* Hurley tells Jack, "You have what it takes!" It sets him off.
* Claire has become Danielle. Danielle lost her baby, was stranded on the island with her expedition, and slowly one by one vanished. She also lived in the jungle alone, and tortured the people she captured in hopes of finding information about her child. This is exactly what we saw tonight in Claire. Perhaps, like in video games, the player changed his character and now Danielle became Claire.
* Jacks dad. Lost both on and off the island. Jack is searching for him both on and off the island. Coincidence? I think not!
* Jack came back to the island because he was broken and hoped the island could fix him. Boy, was he wrong.
* The light house. Jacks wonder aloud why no one ever saw it before.
* Jack smashes all the mirrors in anger.
* Jacob tells Hurley Jack is destined for something important and he must find it in himself to understand what it is he needs to do.
* MIB is Claire's friend. He's been feeding her bogus info on the others and her son, Aaron.
* Jin lies to Claire about Kate raising Aaron, perhaps to save her life.
Until next week, I'll leave you with the remainder of the lyrics of John Lennon's song, Watching The Wheel.
People asking questions lost in confusion,
Well I tell them there's no problem,
Only solutions,
Well they shake their heads and they look at me as if I've lost my mind,
I tell them there's no hurry...
I'm just sitting here doing time,
I'm just sitting here watching the wheels go round and round,
I really love to watch them roll,
No longer riding on the merry-go-round,
I just had to let it go.
LURKING, STILL LOST ON THE GRASSY KNOLL
2/22/2010
Lost Update: Static (A Twilight Zone Special)
Respectfully Submitted For Your Approval
Lost Update 02/22/2010
Greetings from another dimension of sight, sound, and imagination. Prepare yourselves for another Lost / Twilight Zone comparison. (The Twilight Zone was a classic science fiction television series created by Rod Serling that aired from 1959 to 1964. Each episode intertwined the supernatural with topical moral events in today’s society ending with a twist convoluting the outcome. I argue that the same can be said about ABC Lost. The castaways are more than just stranded on an island. There are mysterious forces at work of powers unknown. And just like the Twilight Zone, a twist is inserted in the story convoluting the outcome.)
The Twilight Zone had a standard format. Each episode began with a prologue, usually with the host, Rod Serling doing the voice over introducing the characters and setting. At the end of the show, Serling would offer up a final narration of what the viewer just witnessed.
Tonight’s offering is from season two, episode number 56, original air date, March 03, 1961, titled, Static.
As you read the opening monologue, plot synopsis, and epilogue, think about Lost and the season six premiere. As usual, I will explain the tie in below.
Monologue:
Retired old Ed Lindsay retrieves his ancient radio from the boarding house basement. He asks one of the boys intently watching him, "Don't you know what a radio is?". The boy says that of course he has, just not quite lick that. Rod Serling appears standing at the top of the basement steps:
"No one ever saw one quite like that, because that's a very special sort of radio. In its day, circa 1935, its type was one of the most elegant consoles on the market. Now, with its fabric-covered speakers, its peculiar yellow dial, its serrated knobs, it looks quaint and a little strange. Mr. Ed Lindsay is going to find out how strange very soon, when he tunes in to the Twilight Zone."
Plot Synopsis:
Ed Lindsay is an irritable bachelor in his late fifties. He lives in a dull boarding house where much of his time is consumed watching what he calls worthless and mindless programs. Not able to take it anymore, Ed retrieves his old radio from storage in the basement. When Ed was younger and happier, he enjoyed the radio and was one of his favorite forms of entertainment. Ed brought the radio to his room and plugged it in. He was amazed as to what he heard playing. It was programs from the 30's and 40's from big bands no longer alive. He tried to tell the others of his miraculous radio, but when he turned it on for them, all they heard was static. By making several phone calls, he found that the radio station he was listening to was off the air for over 13 years.
Later we learn that Ed intended to marry the love of his life twenty years ago but he kept letting other things get in the way until it was to late. Vinnie, a 50 something female boarder tells Ed that the past cannot be recovered and he should let it go. She leaves Ed's room and returns to her own. Ed turns on the radio once again and magically Ed transforms into a much younger man, twenty years younger. Vinnie runs into Ed's room young again as well. The radio offers Ed another chance to relive his life and finally get things right this time around.
Epilogue:
Around and around she goes, and where she stops nobody knows. All Ed Lindsay knows is that he desperately wanted a second chance and he finally got it, through a strange and wonderful time machine called a radio.... in the Twilight Zone.
Lost Tie In:
Remember way back in season one when Sayid and Hurley had the transmitter high atop the hill? Do you remember what they heard from the transmitter? That's right, they heard 1930's and 40's big band music. Sayid remarks, "What is that?" Hurley replies, "When is that?" Sayid looks at him strangely and then Hurley tells him, "Just kidding dude!"
Lost has always been about redemption, righting the wrongs from the past. The castaways have been given that opportunity in the form of traveling back in time, approximately 20-25 years, to fix what was broken. It doesn't mean that they will succeed, but they were given another chance at life.
just like Ed Lindsay from the Twilight Zone was given. What they do/did with that chance yet remains to be seen.
LURKING ON THE GRASSY KNOLL
2/20/2010
Steely Dan - Aja - 1977
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| Steely Dan Aja Record Album |
The cover is basic black, with the title of the album, Aja, in red at the top right with the Steely Dan in white lettering below it. On the left, you have to look closely, is a picture of a Chinese woman's profile. A red and white ribbon streak down the center of the album.
Also part of the liner notes are from the president of ABC Records, Steve Diener. He touts how great and modern the album sounds.
Side One offered: Black Cow, Aja, Deacon Blues. Side Two offered: Peg, Home At last, I Got The News, Josie.
Peg was the song that got the most air time on the radio and made it to number 4, while Deacon Blues made it to number 11 and Josie made the top 20.
Lyrics to the hit single Peg are below.
I've seen your picture
Your name in lights above it
This is your big debut
It's like a dream come true
So won't you smile for the camera
I know they're gonna love it
I like your pin shot
I keep it with your letter
Done up in blueprint blue
It sure looks good on you
And when you smile for the camera
I know I'll love you better
Peg
It will come back to you
Peg
It will come back to you
Then the shutter falls
You see it all in 3-D
It's your favorite foreign movie
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| Steely Dan Aja Album Lyrics |
LURKING AND ROCKING ON THE GRASSY KNOLL
2/18/2010
Olivia Munn - Sci-Fi Sexy Siren
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| Olivia Munn Nerdgasm Queen |
Olivia has a part in the upcoming Science Fiction blockbuster film, Iron Man 2, due in theaters later this year. Plus she had a role in the horror film Insanitarium. You can read about Olivia Munn at her website plus plenty more sexy pictures, funny stories, and general good entertainment. Enjoy!
Sci-Fi Sexy Sirens brought to you by the Grassy Knoll Institute marketing team to boost readership and placement on search engines.
Lurking On The Grassy Knoll
2/16/2010
Lost Update - Feel Like A Number
Lost Update - Season Six - 02/16/2010
I feel like just another
Spoke in a great big wheel
Like a tiny blade of grass
In a great big field
I'm just another statistic on a sheet
To teachers I'm just another child
To IRS I'm just another file
I'm just another consensus on the street
Gonna cruise out of this city
Head down to the sea
Gonna shout out at the ocean
Hey it's me
And I feel like a number
Feel like a number
Feel like a stranger
A stranger in this land
I feel like a number
I'm not a number
I'm not a number
Dammit I'm a man
I said I'm a man
4-Locke 8-Reyes 15-Ford 16-Sayid 23-Shepherd 42-Kwon
Every castaway being tracked and categorized just as if they were participating in a large scale experiment.
Tonight we got a peak at the meaning of the magical numbers that keep popping up for the castaways. But I knew what the numbers meant. I posted it five years ago in my Lost update for October 19th, 2005.
CASE STUDY # 481516.23 VOLUME 42
STUDY COMPLETED TO SATISFACTION…..
And that my friends, is exactly what my Lost theory is all about.
Just what is the Grassy Knoll Institutes Lost theory….I’ve been waiting six years to tell you…..
Although it appears the survivors of Oceanic flight 815 are on a tropical island, they are being deceived. There is no island. The survivors are in a virtual reality laboratory. All the castaways are interconnected to one another sharing each others thoughts, memories, and feelings. While in this virtual reality laboratory, a battery of physical and mental experiments are performed on them. And who is running these experiments? As Juliet stated, the Aliens of course.
Tonight we got reminded by the MIB of Jacob visiting all the castaways before they arrived on the island. Did everyone notice that John Locke during his side ways flash also interacted with the castaways. Perhaps tonight's official Lost title, The Substitute literally means substitute. Locke is the substitute for Jacob.
Case in point. Locke and Helen are talking about the business card of Jacks. John says he met Jack in lost baggage claim and that he offered a free consult. What are the odds of running into a spinal surgeon? Perhaps it's destiny. I am sure that in future episodes, Locke will come into contact with all the castaways Just as he did with Jack, Hugo, Rose, etc.
Sawyer got reminded by the MIB that not many people get a second chance in life. Unless of course, you are an unknown specimen in an experiment being conducted through the use of virtual reality. In that scenario, you get plenty of chances but none seem to get him off the island. Seriously, what are the odds that his plane crashed. His sub blew up, the raft sank, the freighter sank, the chopper was too heavy. All these disasters in a mere 108 days! Something is keeping him on the island. And that something is virtual reality.
Moving on,
John Locke confesses to Helen that he is sick of imagining what his life could be if he were able to get out of his wheel chair. He was tired of waiting for a miracle. Locke was done playing the game. The virtual reality game.
MIB leads Sawyer to a cave entrance on the side of the mountain. inside is a justice scale with two stones, a white and a black one. MIB takes the white stone forcing the scale to tip in favor of the black stone. MIB than throws the stone into the ocean. A pivotal point here folks. MIB is once again changing the parameters of the experiments. Perhaps what once was good is now evil, or perhaps substitutes are being plugged in to finish the end game. (Perhaps I say perhaps to much! Perhaps!)
Believe it or not but I am a religious type person. I recognized something in tonight's episode. A story from the bible. About Lucifer, a beautiful angel that was cast into the pits of hell trapping him for eternity for challenging God's will. Hence, the birth of evil versus good. MIB told Sawyer he was trapped. For a very very long time. He remembers that he used to be a man, have feelings, love, and all he wants is to be free again. Just like Lucifer. He even tempts Richard and Sawyer into following him. He tells them if they follow him, he will tell them everything they want to know especially what their purpose is on the island. Richard knows MIB is evil.
Tidbits from tonight's episode:
* Did you notice Helen's shirt, it said Peace & Karma on it. Something that Locke received tonight. (Just saying!)
* And Helen has a nice rack. (Just saying!)
* Ben lied to Llana about killing Locke. Ben always lies.
* Notice the beginning of the episode, the island was in the point of view of the smoke monster and then a machete is focused on and Locke appears. (Subtle! NOT!)
* Don't worry, I didn't forget about the little boy who looked a hell of a lot like Jacob. MIB seemed to be afraid of him. The young man warns MIB, you know the rules, you can't kill him.
* Locke is surprised that Sawyer can see the young boy.
* The numbers, the castaways are candidates to take over. Take over what, the island? Some become the Others, some good, evil, shoemakers?
* MIB gives Sawyer three options. Play out the scenario and see what happens. Accept the position as the new Jacob and protect the island. And three, both Locke and Sawyer just leave and get the hell off the island and go home. Sawyer chooses number three.
But we all know how previous attempts to leave the island worked....
Until next week, Get Lost!
Addendum:
Damn Damn Damn!
Last night I posted the wrong Lost title and lyrics. Nowhere Man is slated for a future episode. Tonight was all about the numbers. Bob Segers Feel Like A Number is the title and lyrics for this one.
LURKING, STILL LOST ON THE GRASSY KNOLL
2/14/2010
Caffe Capri Restaurant – Valentines Day Dinner
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| Caffe Capri |
Patty and I decided to have our St. Valentine's Day dinner at Caffe' Capri in Boardman, (A suburb of Youngstown) Ohio. Luckily we arrived early enough before the crowd set in. We were greeted nicely and seated right away, in a very comfortable and intimate booth. We ordered our drinks, diet Cokes, and they were brought out in a timely manner.
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| Caffe Capri Fried Cheese And Sauce |
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| Caffe Capri Salad |
The salads arrived and they were standard fare as salads went. The lettuce was fresh and crisp, very little carrots, one black olive, one slice of cucumber, one small cherry tomato. It lacked cheese and croutons.
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| Chicken Parmigiana Caffe Capri Style |
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| Pattys Meal |
The cost for both meals was $53 dollars excluding tip which was very reasonable with the quality and amount of food received. The service was very good even with the excessive burden on her.
The Grassy Knoll Diner scores 4 out of 5 shots and recommends Caffe Capri for dinner.
LURKING ON THE GRASSY KNOLL
2/11/2010
Youngstown Blizzard Of 2010
Last Friday began the onslaught of the blizzard of 2010 with it dumping 22 inches of snow in just under 24 hours. Last night another 4 inches were added. On Saturday morning, after shoveling the drive and getting the boy off to work, I revved up the Jeep Wrangler and went to Mill Creek Park to play in the snow. Hope you enjoy the photos.
2/09/2010
Lost Update: Katy Lied
Lost Update - Season Six - 02/09/2010
Katy lied
I was halfway crucified
I was on the other side
Of no tomorrow
You walked in
And my life began again
Are you with me Doctor
Are you really just a shadow
Of the man that I once knew
She is lovely yes she's sly
And you're an ordinary guy
Has she finally got to you
Can you hear me Doctor
Kate, Kate, Kate. No matter where or when she is, Kate is on the run. In her sideways flash tonight, Kate continues her escape by forcing the cabbie to drive away. She zig zags across the city driving a very pregnant Claire to the hospital after the adoptive parents of Claire's baby balk due to the couple breaking up.
On the Lost island, Kate is running, escaping, even in tonight's episode. And Kate's running helps explain my Lost theory.
Just what is the Grassy Knoll Institutes Lost theory…. I’ve been waiting six years to tell you…..
Although it appears the survivors of Oceanic flight 815 are on a tropical island, they are being deceived. There is no island. The survivors are in a virtual reality laboratory. All the castaways are interconnected to one another sharing each others thoughts, memories, and feelings. While in this virtual reality laboratory, a battery of physical and mental experiments are performed on them. And who is running these experiments? As Juliet stated, the Aliens of course.
You see, Kate, on and off the island, was still part of the experiment, and through virtual reality, various scenario's can be inputted to study how she reacts to her constant. In both realities, Kate is running.
Speaking of Claire. In her Side way flash, she meets the adoptive parents of her baby Aaron. The woman explains that she and her husband had broken up and that she couldn't raise the baby on her own. Claire has complications and Kate takes her to the hospital. In both realities, Claire keeps Aaron.
Even professor Artz is the same on and off the island. He was a pain in the ass know it all at the airport as well as on the island.
And hey look, Ethan is alive taking care of Claire. He has more lives than a cat. (An Egyptian cat)
Something I found intriguing tonight involved Sayid. Sayid awakens from being dead, (Not mostly dead, but dead, dead) to the astonishment of the Losties. Dogan, (The leader of the Temple Others) has him brought in for questioning. (Interrogation) Sayid is strapped down, electrodes connected to him, and gray ash spread over him. A battery was cranked up and Sayid was shocked. He was then let go. He was told he was being tested, and he had passed. Doesn't this sound exactly what happened to him when he happened upon Danielle, the French woman. She did the same thing. Perhaps testing him to see if he was turned, or claimed.
Tonight's episode was slower than what I expected. With only a few more episodes to go, I was expecting more action, more answers, more moving toward the end game. Instead, we get the following tidbits.
* Dogan is the leader of the Temple Others. He dislikes to speak in the English language. He is afraid of Sayid, and all the Losties for that matter. Can someone say paranoid.
* Did you notice the interpreter, the guy wearing glasses, watched Jack very closely when he was drinking the tea Dogan offered him. I wonder why?
* What's in the box? (Grinning) Sawyer digs up the floor board of his former cottage shared with Juliet and holds tightly onto s cloth taken from the box.
* Sawyer steals a gun, leaves the temple by force.
* Sayid is infected! Or as best translated, Claimed.
* Staying with Sayid. Let the speculation begin. here's the first Sayid poll: After he rose from the dead, is Sayid now, Jacob, MIB, John Locke, Christian Sheppard, Boone, Charlie, or Sayid? And why?
* Jack chows the pill marked for Sayid. Dogan chokes Jack forcing him to spit it out. Dogan claims it was poison.
* Claire is a good shot. Was she claimed by Danille, the French woman?
* Why do the Temple others want the losties to stay inside the temple. What is the big deal if Sawyer leaves, and Kate, and Jin.
Episode 3 has aired and brought more questions than answers. At this rate, a 6 hour mini series will be needed to tie up all the loose ends after the series ends.
BTW: Lyrics by Steely Dan, off their Katy Lied album.
Until next week fans, Get Lost!
LURKING, STILL LOST ON THE GRASSY KNOLL
2/08/2010
Smoking Cigarettes Causes Cancer
Did you ever notice how the old cigarette magazine and bill board ads had a design flow. The readers eyes would automatically flow to the sexy woman seductively holding the cigarette gently stroking it. Even the the print dialog drew your eyes toward one spot on the page, the cigarette and the sexy woman. The reason for this was to keep the reader from seeing the Surgeon's General's warning that smoking causes cancer.
So, can you spot my logo in this picture?
LURKING ON THE GRASSY KNOLL
2/06/2010
Lost Update Twilight Zone: Occurrence At Owl Creek Bridge
Hello, glad you could make it to my first Lost / Twilight Zone comparison for season six. As promised several years ago, we are going to discuss the correlation between Rod Serling’s science fiction television program, The Twilight Zone, (1959-1964) and the current ABC network hit, Lost. You can find the previous updates here.
Lost In The Twilight Zone.
Tonight's offering is from season five, episode number 142, original air date, February 28, 1964, titled, An Occurrence At Owl Creek Bridge
As you read the opening monologue, plot synopsis, and epilogue, think about Lost and the season six premiere. As usual, I will explain the tie in below.
Monologue:
Tonight a presentation so special and unique that, for the first time in the five years we’ve been presenting The Twilight Zone, we’re offering a film shot in France by others. Winner of the Cannes Film Festival of 1962, as well as other international awards, here is a haunting study of the incredible, from the past master of the incredible, Ambrose Bierce.
Plot Synopsis:
Here is the French production of An Occurrence At Owl Creek Bridge.
A Confederate spy is about to be hung by Union soldiers. The hanging is going to take place on a bridge above Owl Creek. The soldiers fix the noose around the spy’s neck and step off of the plank sending the spy toward the water. Just as the soldier reaches the bottom the rope snaps and the spy falls into the water. He struggles to get the noose off of his neck and swims to the surface. He makes his way down the river managing to avoid the Union gunfire.
As he is floating down the river he notices all the small things he had never noticed before. He realizes how great it is to be alive. Once he makes it to shore he starts to head home. He runs through what seems to be an endless forest until he finally sees his house. His wife is waiting there for him. He is filled with delight.
Just as he is about to embrace his wife his head snaps back. He is back at Owl Creek Bridge, swinging from his neck on a rope that didn’t break.
Epilogue:
An Occurrence At Owl Creek Bridge – in two forms, as it was dreamed, and as it was lived and died. This is the stuff of fantasy, the thread of imagination, the ingredients of The Twilight Zone.
Lost Tie In:
The season six Lost premiere is spot on to what happened in this Twilight Zone episode. The prisoner is escorted out to the bridge, prepared to be hanged. The Lost castaways board Oceanic Flight 815 bound for Los Angeles, California.
The prisoner's hang rope snaps affording him a second chance. Luck would be on his side even more as he escapes the guards and their gunfire. The Lost castaways flight is typical until turbulence occurs shaking the passengers. In an instant, the plane tears apart and crashes on the island.
The prisoner in his journey to escape and go home to be with his wife and family becomes more aware of his surroundings and has a greater appreciation for the life he led and his family. On Lost the castaways during their journey on the island, become very aware of their surroundings in their struggle to escape the others and go home.
The prisoner, just at the moment he made it home to his house and family, was yanked back to reality as he found himself hanging from the bridge. On Lost, after battling smoke monsters, seeing loved ones die, and running and hiding from the evil Others, they find themselves back on the plane and after a little turbulence, land safely in California and go about their normal lives.
Submitted for your approval, respectfully, in the Lost Twilight Zone.
LURKING ON THE GRASSY KNOLL
2/05/2010
Brasserie Restaurant – Angus Burger
 |
| New York Brasserie Bacon Cheeseburger |
We got seated quickly and the waitress brought out some bread and rolls and asked for our drink order. I ordered a Coke of course. A few minutes passed and our drinks arrived and we gave our waitress our dinner order. I asked her about the burgers and she said they were very good. I went with the Angus burger with bacon and cheese.
Shortly, my dinner platter arrived. It was exactly as ordered. The lettuce and tomato and onions on the side. Several toppings were also present. A generous portion of fries completed the meal.
The burger was hot, huge, juicy, and well cooked. The bacon wasn't your typical wimpy limpy slice but thick well cooked big slices. The cheese was a nice Monterrey Jack. The bun was fresh and warm. The taste was very good. The fries crunchy and hot. The cost was $16 dollars plus Coke.
The Grassy Knoll Diner scores 4 out of 5 shots and recommends The Crowne Plaza Brasserie Restaurant Angus burger for dinner.
LURKING ON THE GRASSY KNOLL
2/02/2010
Lost Update: Coming Into Los Angeles
Lost Update - Season Six - 02/02/2010
Coming in from London
From over the pole
Flying in a big airliner
Chickens flying everywhere around the plane
Could we ever feel much finer?
Coming into Los Angeles
Bringing in a couple of keys
Don't touch my bags if you please
Mister Customs Man
There's a guy with a ticket to Mexico
No, he couldn't look much stranger
Walking in the hall with his things and all
Smiling, said he was the Lone Ranger
Hip woman walking on a moving floor
Tripping on the escalator
There's a man in the line
And she's blowing his mind
Thinking that he's already made her
Coming in from London
From over the pole
Flying in a big airliner
Chickens flying everywhere around the plane
Could we ever feel much finer?
Season Six began just as season one began. On Flight 815. Only this time around, this scenario had a different outcome. Jack was on the plane, and he noticed that something was different, and it appeared he experienced a Deja Vu event. Or so he thought. The plane encountered turbulence but it lands safely at its destination, Los Angeles, California. Has the storyline changed so dramatically that the plane crash never occurred, that the castaways never met, Locke is still wheel chair bound, no Ben, no time travel, no Hanso, Dharma, Richard, no Juliet and her impressive rack, no smoke monster, and no island?
Hardly!!!
Let me tell you what it means. In essence, it means Jack won the game, or lost the game, depending on your perspective and he has proceeded to the next level. Juliet reset the game. The virtual reality parameters. To the next experiment. The next level. And that my faithful Lost readers is what my Lost theory is all about.
Just what is the Grassy Knoll Institutes Lost theory….I’ve been telling you for six years now but here it is again…..
Although it appears the survivors of Oceanic flight 815 are on a tropical island, they are being deceived. There is no island. The survivors are in a virtual reality laboratory. All the castaways are inter-connected to one another sharing each others thoughts, memories, and feelings. While in this virtual reality laboratory, a battery of physical and mental experiments are performed on them. And who is running these experiments? As Juliet stated, the Aliens of course.
Lets get one thing straight. In season five, the lost castaways were simultaneously living in at least three time lines, if not more. (50's, 70's, 2000's) With that, they broke all the laws of physics and several traffic laws. Season six brings them all back together, in one time line. When that is, only I know.
As I stated above, in tonight's episode, flight 815 lands safely in Los Angeles. Desmond disappears from the flight, Charlie is hauled away in handcuffs for possession of drugs, Kate is escorted off by the Federal Marshal, Sayid, Sawyer, and Hurley disembark, Jin and Sun have trouble at the customs line. Locke is assisted off the plane in a wheel chair. Jack gets bad news that his fathers coffin is missing.
Tonight, a new scenario was introduced to the castaways. A what if scenario as in what if the plane didn't crash. What would happen to the castaways. This is their new experiment.
Let's start with Kate. She is escorted off the plane after stealing a pen while still seated. She insists on using the bath room so she can unlock her cuffs. She succeeds and smashes the federal Marshal knocking him unconscious. She then flees and escapes. Doing what she has done her entire life. Perhaps a little respit on the island can refocus what really matters in life.
John Locke is next. Instead of waking up on the island with the miracle of being able to walk again, the plane lands and he is assisted off the plane in a wheel chair. He interacts with jack during a claim for lost baggage. Jack offers a free consultation concerning Locke's condition.
Jack continues life as well. The airlines lost his fathers coffin and he has to file a claim for it. He just wanted to get it over with in a hurry and move on in life. Time spent on the island may offer Jack some redemption, some insight on what his father meant to him.
Charlie almost dies in the planes bath room choking on a bad of heroin he swallowed. Jack saves him but charlie asks why he did that. He was supposed to die. On the island, Charlie kicked his drug habit, became an important part of the island society and gave his life to save the others.
Jin and sun were hassled at customs about the watch Jin received as a gift and the excess amount of money he failed to declare. He was hauled off by the authorities. Sun saw her chance to be free from Jin and clammed up. Perhaps some time stranded on the island with her husband would rekindle their marriage spark, help them work things out.
Here's a hint folks. What you saw tonight, the successful landing of flight 815, is how the series finale of Lost ends. The passengers will know each other on the plane, as if they have known each other for years. But one thing will be changed. Their lives have turned to good fortune. Kate is not in custody, jack is not burying his father, Locke is not in a wheel chair, etc. Trust me when I say this. (Ben, you can attest to my knowledge of the show as I have proven tonight.) You just saw the ending to the show.
But wait, there's more. Juliet had something important to tell Sawyer before she died. Miles relayed the message to Sawyer. The message: It worked! As in, Juliet exploded the bomb, giving her life, the ultimate sacrifice, to save Sawyer and the castaways from all the sorrow they were going to endure. Game won. The castaways made the right moves and won. Next experiment. Move on. New scenario.
Jacob had been waiting for this to happen for a long time. It finally paid off. The group coming together for a common goal, selfless sacrifice, for love, honor, for all the right reasons. Just like a video game. When you win you receive a prize, a trophy, and then you reset the game and increase the difficulty level. I stated this exact scenario more than a year ago.
Tidbits From Tonight's Episode:
* The flight attendant who gave Jack one bottle of booze instead of two, she was in with the temple group. She recognized them by stating, "They were on the first plane!"
* Sayid is dead.
* Imposter Locke equals the Man in black equals the Smoke Monster. Did you see that demonic stare from him as he told Ben he wanted to go home.
* The Smoke monster kicked ass in the temple.
* Richard gets his ass kicked by Imposter Locke. He was in chains before. Perhaps a prisoner on the Black Rock.
* Weep. Juliet is dead. But fear not. She and her rack will appear once more before the series finale.
* So who are the temple guys? And was the water some sort of fountain of youth that has healing properties.
Tonight, the castaways got a taste of their original lives. And the taste was bitter. If you had to choose between tonight's scenario or crashing on the island, which would you select?
Lost Update: Addendum 02/04/2010
One more point to drive home my theory of virtual reality and alien intervention. Remember Ben and the Man in Black, MIB talking at the end of the episode. Ben asks him, "What do you want?" MIB simply replies, "I want to go home!"Jacob and MIB have been at it for quite some time. Perhaps hundreds of years. Repeating the same experiment over and over again with always the same results. Remember this exchange in season five between MIB and Jacob, on the beach, watching the Black Rock sail in.
MIB: You’re still trying to prove me wrong.
Jacob: You are wrong!
MIB: They come, fight, they destroy, they corrupt. It always ends the same.
Jacob: It only ends once. Anything that happens before that, it’s just progress.
Well, MIB has had enough. He believes enough data has been collected on the human race and any further experiments would be futile. He wants to pack it all in and return home. Alas, Jacob is expecting and wanting a different outcome, a best case scenario, which never occurred in any of the study groups. And he doesn't want to leave until he gets it right. Hence, MIB's exasperation.
The comments section is open. What say you all......
LURKING, STILL LOST ON THE GRASSY KNOLL
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