Yeah, his little "I'm a meat and potatoes man" speech struck me oddly because it seemed so clearly contradictory to what we've already seen of his life pre-crash: playing games, pretending to be a colonel, actually believing Helen would go to Australia with him.

It's not at odds with the usual survivalist mentality, though. Survivalists often think of themselves as more practical and pragmatic than other people. That would be part of his self-image.

Javier Grillo-Marxuach

Get out! Are you messin' with me?

Oh, man. It *is* as real live TV writer! Dude. Best name EVAH. He wrote for Jake 2.0, Boomtown, L&O: Sports Utility Vehicle, and a bunch of other fairly well-regarded shows. Plus, Charmed.

Though it was pretty perfectly timed, right after Jack was asked a Seemingly Innocuous Question and started to look longingly into space, causing DH to say, "Not now, I have to have a flashback."

Heh. Yeah, I like Jack OK, but he kinda bores me mostly. So terribly earnest. The thing is, I *like* broody and flawed hero with a horrendous family life (see Wyndam-Pryce, Wesley.) It may be that my suffering broodmeister bar is set a bit too high.

I am wary about Boone. He's rash, he's earnest and misguided, and he's incompetent. Not that I don't have any sympathy for the poor schmuck, but one of these days, he's gonna end up screwing up something major and endangering everybody on the island. Plus, his eyebrows? Scaaaary.

Let me see if I can explain how it made sense to me...I think he was telling Jack not to get involved, emotionally. That, if Jack chose to help someone, he would then be taking responsibility for the well-being of that person, and he won't be able to deal with failing people. If he doesn't choose to help, but, rathe, just deals with what's put in front of him, he can (as his father does) disengage from it and not have to deal.

DebetEsse is smart and pretty.

When a roomful of smart reasonably sane people all say something doesn't make sense, I've found it's best not to mention that it made sense to me... just so I don't get that "she must be insane; keep her away from the children" look.

But since DebetEsse has spoken up, now I can say, yeah - that's what I thought Jack's father was saying, too. Chiming in takes much less courage than speaking up.

Oh, and - where was the polar bear Walt was supposedly reading about? It wasn't on the cover of that comic book.

But since DebetEsse has spoken up, now I can say, yeah - that's what I thought Jack's father was saying, too. Chiming in takes much less courage than speaking up.

I think I got the gist of it, but the words themselves didn't seem to support the gist, especially the "When you fail, you just don't have what it takes" business.

Oh, and - where was the polar bear Walt was supposedly reading about? It wasn't on the cover of that comic book.

Not the cover, the page before. The first shot of the comic book, there's a polar bear on the page for that split-second before Walt turns the page to reveal the Flash and Co.

It's on an interior page.

Also, isn't he supposed to be a lifeguard? He's let a woman drown and muffed up CPR on Rose. Worst lifeguard ever.

Word. I'm not quite clear how a sleep-deprived guy who's pushing forty and at least hasn't (yet) mentioned that he was a competitive swimmer in college is supposed to be better at it than a supposedly trained lifeguard in his twenties who's in good shape and probably much better rested.

Also, isn't he supposed to be a lifeguard? He's let a woman drown and muffed up CPR on Rose. Worst lifeguard ever.

My guess? Lifeguard at some swimming pool where he never got more than the merest training and then got the job through connections.

"Lifeguarding at a pool with all the hooks and preservers and short distances is a hell of a lot different than swimming against ocean currents, boy."

"I dunno, I used pull old "bullseye" Womprat out of the club pool back home, and he ain't more than..."

To me, it feels like everyone on the island (except Shannon) is becoming the opposite of what they were.

Jack, was a possible fuck-up as a Doctor. This was implied by his mother. On the island, he now has rescued a number of people and is the one everyone looks to for leadership.

Locke, was a cripple. He is now walking again. He was a dreamer who lived in his fantasy world. He's now meat-and-potatoes man.

Micheal, was an absent father. On the island, he's now Walt's only parent. Not saying he's a good one, yet, but at least he's present.

Boone, was a business owner, lifeguard, "god's gift" as described by Shannon. He's now the total incompetent who is getting increasingly frustrated by someone else's success.

Kate, the criminal. On the island, she's become the sheriff and even has the badge to go with it. Whether she is consciously seeking a path to redemption or it is being forced on her by the island, we don't know yet.

Charlie was a failed rock star with a horse habit. While he hasn't done anything of major signifiance yet, he has been successful in catching fish and contributing to the welfare of the group. Not a smashing success, but successful at something. Including being nice to pregnant ladies.

Sun and Jin appear to be an unhappily married couple. Jin appears oppressive, and Sun responds reluctantly to his orders. Yet everything he does is meant to protect and provide for Sun. His comment, "it's what a husband does" is given with a smile. He appears (to me) to be doing it out of love. I've gotten the feeling something is changing here, but we haven't seen enough of their story to know just what yet.

Sawyer, I can't put a finger on yet. We haven't seen any of his or Hurley's backstory to know what they were before they landed on the island.

Sayid, was in the Iraq military. How long ago, we don't know. There is a female in his past, we don't know the relationship, but it's obviously important to him. We do know he's the resident Professor. Not enough information to fit him into the "opposites" theory, yet.

And Shannon, she's shark bait.

To me, it feels like everyone on the island (except Shannon) is becoming the opposite of what they were.

Sail, I like this theory. I hadn't considered Michael's role, that's a good one. And Boone, too. I'm looking for more support for Opposite Land.

Oh, any spec on the letter Sawyer was reading? Someone somewhere thought it might be from someone he knows fighting in Iraq, maybe his last letter. And hey, that would add another to the list of people who've lost someone recently.

Sayid, was in the Iraq military. How long ago, we don't know.

Well, we know he fought in the Gulf War.