5.13.7 : a message from binnall

I've been very quiet the last few days and wanted to pass along some word on what is going on here @ BoA HQ.

I'll spare you the heartbreaking details, but the gist of it is that my father is very, very sick (which is an understatement). He has been in the ICU since last Friday (5.4). Longtime BoA readers will recall his health struggles from a couple of years ago. Someday, when this is all said and done, I will probably write more about my father's illness, but I'm just not in a place to do that right now. Suffice it to say, my attention is almost 100% focused on my dad at this time, as the situation is rather dire.

When things settle down a little bit, this evening, I'll finish getting the audio together and have it uploaded. After that ? Who knows. The BoA staff will still be contributing material, but it may be another week or two before the binnall report and BoA : Audio will be back. I'm sure you can all understand that those two "wings" of BoA require far too more work and attention than I can possibly put into them right now. Don't worry, though, we'll be back in time, this is just a temporary pause.

As is the case in struggles like this, I'll keep taking it day-by-day until this is resolved. I've been living in the moment since we brought my dad to the hospital last Friday. It's been emotionally, spiritually, and physically exhausting.

For now, I ask that you keep my father and my family in your thoughts and prayers.

5.9.7 : Lost Thoughts for Episode 3.20 (Ben Flashback)

Excellent episode.

I was a tad disappointed in the Jacob reveal, but I presume it is the beginning of something bigger.

I'll also presume that Locke doesn't die in that pit, but it sure looked grim @ the end.

Ben was awesome. The Ben flashback was fascinating. It left the door open for more Ben flashbacks, if he survives the season (I am beginning to think he won't last much longer, though). That said, it didn't offer up too much about what the Dharma Initiative was doing and the events leading up to the purge. Also, I liked how they even gave Ben both a daddy issue and a sympathetic side.

Why does Richard Alpert (the original native dude) follow Ben ? You'd think he'd have seniority.

Jack is a douche, plain and simple. His antics continue to threaten the Losties.

Kate is still a bitter wench. "He [Jack] has a right to know", she yelps. Ugh. Sayid kicked ass with his simple and dismissive, "Play her the tape."

I'm glad that they didn't pull the "Ben had Locke deliver the tape recorder" trick. Now, for the first time ever, it seems like the Losties have the upper hand.

Locke beating the shit out of Mikhail had to be one of the best moments of the season. Locke also had some great lines, like when Ben says that no one goes to see Jacob and Locke deadpanned, "there's a first time for everything."

Finally, I loved the behind the scenes @ the Others camp, especially with Mikhail. Glad they explained (kind of) how he died and came back to life.

Again, excellent episode. Next week will, thankfully, finally put an end to the Charlie storyline, one way or the other, which is good and the finale looks to be spectacular. I'm switching sides and predicting a Losties victory, let's just hope they don't kill Gay Tom.

5.7.7 : Coming this Thursday to BoA ... Kimball of Canada : Audio

This coming Thursday (5.10.7), Ufological pundit and documentary filmmaker Paul Kimball invades binnallofamerica.com for a special esoteric radio event, "Kimball of Canada : Audio, Behind the Best Evidence", a discussion of Paul's "Best Evidence : Top Ten UFO Sightings", which will be premiere that night on Canada's Space : The Imagination Station.

In this stand-alone audio program, Kimball and I sit down for an in-depth, two hour conversation covering the "Best Evidence" special, both what's on the screen and what went on behind the scenes. For the first time ever, Paul will reveal the exact order of the Top Ten cases. He'll explain how the special came about, the long road to making the documentary, the means by which the best cases were determined, how rigid the ranking system is, and what constitutes a "best case".

We'll talk about some of the more unique and obscure cases that were in the Top Ten, some noteworthy cases that didn't make the list, and the runaway winner for Best Case. Kimball will reveal which case narrowly made it into the top ten and why there is a proverbial asterisk next to its ranking. We'll examine some of the trends of the Top Ten cases, including geographical, chronological, and type of UFO case. Beyond that, we'll try and determine what those trends mean in a "big picture" sense.

Paul will tell us how he dealt with the use of stock footage and skeptics in the film. He will also reveal some key thematic elements that he added to the documentary that make it stand out from the usual UFO fare on television. He shares details on his trip to Rendelsham Forest and gives some first hand perspective on the infamous Ufological landmark.

Plus, of course, tons and tons more. It's a fast and loose two hours of hardcore UFO discussion, designed to coincide with the premiere of "Best Evidence : Top Ten UFO Cases" on 5.10.2007.

So stop by BoA on 5.10.7, as Binnall of America becomes "Kimball of Canada" and we roll out a massive extra special bonus audio for the week.

5.2.7 : Lost Thoughts for Episode 3.19 (Sawyer kills Locke's Dad)

Yes, Lost Thoughts returns. This time, though, I'm writing it right after the episode, instead of waiting too long and forgetting to do it. Hopefully, I can do some kind of whiz bang recap of the whole season, right before the finale.

But for now, we'll just pick it up with the episode from tonight (5.2.7), #319, where Locke finds Sawyer, brings him to the Black Rock, and Sawyer confronts Locke's dad and kills him.

Meh. This episode was a tad disappointing. Too vague and roundabout for my liking. Again, it set the stage for next week, which appears to be providing more answers and conflict, but this is one too many "stage setter" episodes in a row, me thinks.

Stuff I Liked :

Interesting that they raised the issue of "are they dead / in Hell", though I thought that was debunked back in Season One. Probably a red herring, but weird nonetheless.

I also liked how Locke spilled the beans on Juliet to Sawyer. He's shown, so far, that he is still on the side of the Losties (which is more than we can say about Jack, that fucker).

That said, I'm not sure what to make of Locke saying he's "on his own journey" except that he truly is a weird ass hippie.

Locke's dad being a total douche, especially when he tore up Sawyer's letter. For a while during the episode, I was convinced that he was the true leader of the Others. He may still be, considering the Island's "healing powers", but I doubt it now and will presume that he is dead.

I enjoyed Locke and Rousseau's brief encounter. Funny because they were so casual about it.

Sayid being the most reliable Lostie. Especially when he gave Hurley kudos for not telling Jack about Naomi and when Desmond smiled at him like he was the savior of the gang.

Naomi (the parachutist) is bad news. Sayid is on to her and he is never wrong about this sort of thing. She also told Mikail last week that she was "not alone". Plus, Sayid is right, we never did see her helicopter crash.

If the rumours of many deaths in the Season Finale is true. I worry for Sayid, still.

Kate's attitude has been repugnant all season. If they kill off Charlie (her real life boyfriend), I'm all in favor of Kate dying in the season finale too. Let them go off and make a romantic comedy.

Jack is a terrible, terrible leader. He's done this, "let's not tell them yet" shit last season w. Michael and it worked out terribly. Interesting that Juliet deferred to him, though. That may indicate that they are working on the side of the Losties, but who knows, with all these double and triple agents on the show.


So ... what does Jack know that he won't tell the Losties ?

Is Locke destined to be the new leader of the Others ?

Who will win the Losties v. Others showdown ?

Are we finally going to find out the origins of the Others next week ? (I think this is "yes")

I feel like there's less questions coming out of this episode and more like there's an elaborate mousetrap game and the ball is about to be cast.

5.2.7 : Lost Thoughts for Episode 3.19 (Sawyer kills Locke's Dad)

Yes, Lost Thoughts returns. This time, though, I'm writing it right after the episode, instead of waiting too long and forgetting to do it. Hopefully, I can do some kind of whiz bang recap of the whole season, right before the finale.

But for now, we'll just pick it up with the episode from tonight (5.2.7), #319, where Locke finds Sawyer, brings him to the Black Rock, and Sawyer confronts Locke's dad and kills him.

Meh. This episode was a tad disappointing. Too vague and roundabout for my liking. Again, it set the stage for next week, which appears to be providing more answers and conflict, but this is one too many "stage setter" episodes in a row, me thinks.

Stuff I Liked :

Interesting that they raised the issue of "are they dead / in Hell", though I thought that was debunked back in Season One. Probably a red herring, but weird nonetheless.

I also liked how Locke spilled the beans on Juliet to Sawyer. He's shown, so far, that he is still on the side of the Losties (which is more than we can say about Jack, that fucker).

That said, I'm not sure what to make of Locke saying he's "on his own journey" except that he truly is a weird ass hippie.

Locke's dad being a total douche, especially when he tore up Sawyer's letter. For a while during the episode, I was convinced that he was the true leader of the Others. He may still be, considering the Island's "healing powers", but I doubt it now and will presume that he is dead.

I enjoyed Locke and Rousseau's brief encounter. Funny because they were so casual about it.

Sayid being the most reliable Lostie. Especially when he gave Hurley kudos for not telling Jack about Naomi and when Desmond smiled at him like he was the savior of the gang.

Naomi (the parachutist) is bad news. Sayid is on to her and he is never wrong about this sort of thing. She also told Mikail last week that she was "not alone". Plus, Sayid is right, we never did see her helicopter crash.

If the rumours of many deaths in the Season Finale is true. I worry for Sayid, still.

Kate's attitude has been repugnant all season. If they kill off Charlie (her real life boyfriend), I'm all in favor of Kate dying in the season finale too. Let them go off and make a romantic comedy.

Jack is a terrible, terrible leader. He's done this, "let's not tell them yet" shit last season w. Michael and it worked out terribly. Interesting that Juliet deferred to him, though. That may indicate that they are working on the side of the Losties, but who knows, with all these double and triple agents on the show.


So ... what does Jack know that he won't tell the Losties ?

Is Locke destined to be the new leader of the Others ?

Who will win the Losties v. Others showdown ?

Are we finally going to find out the origins of the Others next week ? (I think this is "yes")

I feel like there's less questions right now and more just an elaborate mousetrap game and the ball is about to be cast.