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 I asked why would United post outdated information misleading paying customers.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.

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LURKING ON THE GRASSY KNOLL

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.

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LURKING, STILL LOST ON THE GRASSY KNOLL

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.

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Steely Dan - Aja - 1977

Steely Dan Aja Record Album

It was 1977. I was a senior in high school. Steely Dan released a new record called Aja, their follow up album to their critically acclaimed 1976 The Royal Scam record. Aja was a welcome alternative to the disco era tunes that flooded the airwaves. Yes kids, we listened to the FM radio for our music. We didn't have Ipod's and MP3 players.

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.

Steely Dan is comprised of two music legends. Donald Fagen and Walter Becker. They are pictured on the bottom left side of the album jacket. There is plenty of liner notes written by Michael Phalen who was invited to observe a Steely Dan recording session and then to report back to a prominent European publication. Alas, things went sour as Fagen and Becker confiscated his tape recorder and notes once they learned who he was.

The liner notes continued on the right inside jacket. Oddly enough, the European publication went belly up before Phalen could publish his story. However, a year later, Fagen and Becker invited him to write the liner notes for their new album, Aja. He accepted and it is what you see here on the jacket.

Also part of the liner notes are from the president of ABC Records, Steve Diener. He touts how great and modern the album sounds.

The back cover of Aja is dressed in black with the song titles listed on the top left corner in white lettering.

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.

The dust cover contains all the lyrics from the album along with the musicians who assisted in creating the album.

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

Steely Dan Aja Album Lyrics

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LURKING AND ROCKING ON THE GRASSY KNOLL

Olivia Munn - Sci-Fi Sexy Siren

Olivia Munn Nerdgasm Queen

Meet Olivia Munn, sexy co-host from the cable channel G-4 program, Attack Of The Show. (AOTS) Olivia, in a most unique style, (You have to see her hot dog from a string bit) reviews new tech gadgets, the daily news, viral videos, pop culture, new video games, movies, and all things digital. As an added bonus, she stars in several parodies of Sci-Fi movies and shows. And oh yea, she is the absolute sexiest Princess Leia this side of Alderaan. This would be enough for Olivia to land on the Sci-Fi Sexy Sirens but there is much more to her than G-4.

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.

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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.

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LURKING, STILL LOST ON THE GRASSY KNOLL

Caffe Capri Restaurant – Valentines Day Dinner

Caffe Capri 

Happy St. Valentine's Day!
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.

Caffe Capri Fried Cheese And Sauce

I ordered the fried cheese with tomato sauce as my appetizer. As you can see, the appetizer was a generous portion. The taste was excellent, the cheese a good blend, the crust cooked to a golden brown, and the sauce, very thick with a zesty taste.

Caffe Capri Salad

I had one problem with Caffe Capri. The service was slower than what I had expected. Upon further observation, our waitress was busy servicing at least three other tables. She did apologize for the slow service for which we said we understood and everything was just fine.

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.

Chicken Parmigiana Caffe Capri Style

The main course was chicken parmigiana with a side of Penne pasta. The portion was very generous, consisting of two large pieces of chicken that was well cooked, juicy, tender, and baked to a golden brown. Melted cheese and a hearty tomato sauce smothered the chicken. It was delicious. The penne pasta and sauce was equally surprising. Classic Italian bread completed the meal.

Pattys Meal

Patty's meal consisted of shrimp cocktail for an appetizer, salad, and haddock francaise in a tangy wine sauce with a side order of spaghetti. Patty said the meal was delicious and that we would be returning to Caffe Capri in the near future for another fine dining experience.

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.

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LURKING ON THE GRASSY KNOLL

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.

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LURKING ON THE GRASSY KNOLL