A large piece of the puzzle was shown to us this week. And I had no idea how big it was until I started to get emails explaining what all the gibberish meant. The Goat found this good bit: Lostpedia’s entry of the blast door. It’s times like this that I really appreciate the internet because someone put a lot of time and effort into interpreting all that stuff and I didn’t have to. Click on those links or the ones below to get some insight into what those crazy folks at Dharma have done to that crazy little island.

http://cmeister2.uwcs.co.uk/hatch.jpg
http://www.thehatchonline.com/images/dharmadoor.jpg

By the way, the lockbox that Locke’s dad had the money in was #1516. The numbers continue.

“They wouldn’t put me on a pedestal, so I’m layin’ them out on a slab!”

I wanted to just congratulate a real blogging treasure for reaching his One Year Anniversary. Sure, he may not post everyday like me, but he actually brings quality and entertainment value with just about every post he does. Yeah, the subject matter is mostly comics, but it’s got something for everyone. Sometimes, he points out some of the absurdity that is bad comics. But he also points out some great moments that can make the comic book as valid an entertainment forum as any thing else. Once, he even drew his own version of a comic book.

Hell, he was in Newsweek! Dave’s Long Box. Go now. Go often. Make the internet worthwhile for yourself.

“Then I make out with a bear.”

It turns out that I actually won my NCAA Tournament pool. Thank you, Florida Gators. You were the only team I picked to actually make the Final Four. I did get 6 of the Elite Eight teams so that made me look sorta smart. But, only one winner out of those games. And thanks to this kooky field, it was apparently enough to claim the title. The prize is that everyone in the pool will take me out for dinner. Of course, we still haven’t gotten last year’s winner his meal yet so I’m not gonna hold my breath. Maybe I’ll choose some seafood place and order gator meat.

“I don’t know, but he’s 1 for 11 and he smells like Christian Slater!”

There were almost 500 couples out there who wanted to get married in Bristol, Connecticut. Yeah, every woman’s dream. Also, there would be sports mascots in attendance and it would be broadcast live on ESPN2 and ESPN Radio. Sound off? It’s all part of ESPN Radio’s Marriage Madness contest.

It turns out that one of the Sweetheart Sixteen was an area couple. Since we run our Unabated Sports show on ESPN Radio, it made sense to get them as guest. Two weeks ago, we got the groom to call in from Vegas while he was there on his bachelor party. They won their first match-up and moved on to the Engaged Eight. So, we were going to have them come and visit us in-studio. As they came walking in, it turns out that I went to high school with the bride. Yeah, all part of the super-strangeness that was last week. Also, I worked with her back in my lifeguard days. Small, small world. Anyway, they’re trying to move on to the Fabulous Four and need support so they can so they can get married in wonderful High Definition Television.

Get over there and vote now!

“I won’t be seeing you again since I’m killing myself once we reach the honeymoon suite.”

I never thought that blogs and employment went together. Sure, I’ve blogged at work but I think that’s kinda the point. In fact, I’ve heard more than once that blogs can negatively affect a workplace situation. Until I read this article about blogging and the job hunt. They go into the obvious things about how employers or potential ones might consider you differently if they ever found your profanity-laced take on life. Then again, if you have one that takes a comprehensive look at your industry, it may actually be a benefit to your job hunt. And even blogging about the job hunt can help you find a new gig. Anybody confirm or deny any of those concepts? If so, I may have to start a new blog that can help me land a good job instead of this one which is probably dragging me down.

“Watch out for your cornhole, man.”

One of the frsutrating things about comics (and TV and movies and other forms of entertainment) is finding a product you like, but no one else really does. Scratch that, you like it and anyone else who has experienced likes it… but there’s not a lot of you. We saw it with Firefly or pretty much half the shows I enjoyed on Fox. Right now, it’s going on with a comic written by Dan Slott. He’s quickly becoming my favorite writer. And remember he did write the best comic of 2005, according to me. (And I decided that in the summer, before the year was even over!) Once again, he’s putting out a great product, a solo series featuring the Fantastic Four’s Thing. But the sales are very low. So, Slott’s coming up with some promotion to try and keep the title afloat. He calls it Pull My Thing and Win a Prize! For the name alone, you gotta love it. And the comic book is pretty good, too.
“You’re right. I’m a bigot. I assume things about the good-looking they don’t deserve - like they get whatever they want, or that their females don’t want to talk to me.”

We all know that. But there’s an internet movie that claims it costs a fellow more than his dignity. Apparently, one Apple employee got fired for his talent show entry. If that’s true, I think it was a little premature in their part. I mean, they fired the guy because of some culturally insensitive comments and now this footage is making it’s way across the internet. In a free-range poem, he said Americans were ruder than Canadians. Wow. What a rascist. Are there still people like this in the 21st century?

“Just tell them that their wildest dreams will come true if they vote for you.”

This just might be the most bizzarre week in my entire life (nah, not gonna get into it now. sorry) and March Madness is playing a factor. And the strangest stuff isn’t even happening on the court. Yesterday, my Bearcats had their season end with a loss in the NIT. Hours before the game, two starters were yanked from the roster due to academic ineligibility. Just the latest in a long-line of setbacks against the University of Cincinnati basketball program going all the way back to the dismissal of the head coach back in August. I was there in person last night to see the loss as well as most of the home games for the last part of the season.

ALSO today, UC’s old coach got a new job, UC’s current coach got a new job, and UC announced their new coach. All in the same day! Past, present, and future all fly in my face at the same time. And the weird thing is, as huge as anyone of these events are here (let alone all at once) this isn’t even a blip on the national radar due to the NCAA Tournament.

“Every now and then we have to let the general public know that we can still blow shit up.”

First off, thanks to all of your opinions last week about whether or not to see the movie before reading the original graphic novel. I did hold off reading it until I saw the movie. And I wasn’t the only one who checked it out, V For Vendetta was the #1 movie in America in it’s opening weekend. Overall, I really like it. I paid $8.50 to see it and felt it was worth every penny so I think that says a lot. The Goat gave V a pretty good grade. I thought Hugo Weaving was perfect and I think this was the hottest I’ve seen Natalie Portman. Overall, not bad.

How does it compare to the source material? I’m only about halfway through the original Alan Moore-written piece so I can’t give a full breakdownn. But some obvious changes were made to reflect the times we’re living in now. There’s a lot of shots taken at America’s current place in the world and Moore had a beef with that. Also he didn’t like how fascism and anarchy were left out of the movie as they were key components in his work. But I really felt enough elements of the original remained and the updates worked well. Fellow comic book writer Peter David thought so. So, I’m not alone. What’d you guys think of the movie? And the book? But don’t spoil too much, I haven’t finished it yet.

“A revolution without dancing is a revolution not worth having.”

First off, I think there’s a new episode of LOST tonight. I have no idea how long it will be before the show returns to reruns, as it more than likely will not be non-stop until the end of the season.

Also, Jeff came up with a little something to try and drum up interest for our Unabated Sports radio show and web site. It’s called Up Yours, Billy Packer. It’s a place to bash the CBS college basketball announcer and his comments that belittled smaller schools and their inclusion in the NCAA Tournament. It’s really resonated and has exploded in a couple hundred visits a day for the first week of existence. Obviously, people aren’t big fans of Mr. Packer. Or this just proves the popularity of sites with “Up Yours” in the title.

“One of us has been drinking, and I’m sad to say it isn’t me.”