Maybe we will learn more next season since Nadia seems to be in the picture in a more predominate way now.

Yeah, the monk at the monastery where Desmond stayed. Once when Desmond was in his office it showed a picture of the monk with the woman from the antique store. And they were standing in front of the walkway where Desmond first found Faraday. Although that may have been just a setting coincidence. But again, this is LOSt. Yeah, me too. I just have this sinking suspicion they won't come out until close to xmas time again. That's TOO long to wait! And ya know? I was doing okay with the idea of not getting the next season until January. But then I went to your blog and noticed the LOST counter that says 243 days until the next LOST. That's just wrong! (And obviously I haven't been to my own blog lately. :tongue_smilie:) There's something emotionally defeating about seeing that huge of a number on our sweet little counter. :crying:

So what are some of you guys's theories about these somewhat minor characters who keep showing up in flashbacks like Nadia and Libby? Is it a Fate thing, or Widmore? Or the Others? Or do the producers just like the actors so they keep bringing them on?

Good girl! :p

By making this the longest thread in Hive Mind History? :cheers2: Okay, spill it sista! We know his life was engineered to some degree by the monk who was in the picture with the antique store woman. What else are you thinking? Didn't that happen right after the auction? Could that have had anything to do with it? That he was trying to get Desmond out of there? Of course, he could have given a fake number just as easily. But at that point Penny was pretty mad at Desmond, right? And about to marry? So maybe Widmore figured he didn't have a chance? Yeah. Who knows. And you know, I can wait until January for the next season, but I really want this season's DVD's out NOW! For previous seasons I recorded all the episodes on my dvr and then burned them to DVD. But we don't have cable any more so I couldn't do that. I really want to rewatch this whole season, but not pay whatever the price is for iTunes or whatever. Hmmm. Are all the episodes still up at ABC.com I wonder??? I might need to go check that out.

So you think Libby gave Desmond the boat for Widmore? Do you also think she was on the airplane as a "mole"? So then are you thinking that she was also planted in the mental institution with Hurley? I really don't want to believe that theory. I like Libby too much. :D

Yeah, we've had to start going to the feed store to buy big bags of cheap seed because they go through it so fast. We usually go through a 50lb bag every two or three weeks. My orioles have, surprisingly, not gone crazy over the grape jelly. The finches love it, though! The orioles really like our new (cheap) hummingbird feeder, and tend to prefer it to the oriole one. I was mixing different nectars for each one like you are supposed to, but both types of bird eat out of both feeders, so I'm thinking of just making the same nectar for both.

I'm not sure many (if any) people have used the international academy since it is so new. I have used the K12 curriculum for years and really enjoy it. It will be interesting to see the responses people have to the new academy over the next several months. I think it will be perfect for people who are looking for the support that goes with it!

I'm so glad that the people we bought this house from last year left one of their bird feeders for us. It has a birdhouse attached, and it had babies in it when they moved out, so they left it. Otherwise, I don't know if we would have gotten around to getting one. We are addicted now! We have that feeder and we just use wild bird seed in it. It also has a place for suet. If you aren't using that yet, do it! The birds LOVE it. We have a triple tube feeder handing right outside my office/classroom window, so we constantly have a variety of birds visiting. We also put our hummingbird and oriole feeders back out last month, and have regular visitors at those. Oh! And get a tube feeder with thistle (nyger) seed to attract finches/gold finches. Make sure to get one with the tiny slit openings specifically for thistle seed and the finches won't have to fight off other bigger birds. I bought a cheap $3.50 one from Lowes, and it has lasted well, considering the amount of use it gets! We are definitely the happening house around here! Besides the bird feeders, we are one of the only houses for miles around that have lots of trees and grass. (We live in a high desert area.) I had never paid that much attention to birds before, but I'm getting quite good at identifying them. And when one comes by that I don't recognize, I grab my camera, snap a few shots, then grab my trusty Sibley's guide to identify it. It has been so much fun watching the change of seasons by bird species.

I thought you misunderstood, but I didn't mean to imply that you "just don't get it" in some sort of derogatory way. Maybe I should have said that I thought you were misunderstanding how he was using certain terms. Oh well. I don't know how to say it in a way that won't sound wrong. I was enjoying the discussion as a lurker, and gaining some new perspectives on things, and I was just trying to point out something that I thought was becoming a hindrance in the two of you being able to further the conversation. I'll try harder to mind my own business next time. :o

:lol::lol::lol::lol:

Actually, these are the listed reasons for giving negative rep: I don't see where it says to give negative rep just because you disapprove of someone's comment. In fact, I'm pretty sure that is one reason that the admins have said was not a good reason to leave negative rep. Oh well. All I said was that it seemed to me, from your words, that you misunderstood Phred. I'm sorry that it bothered you so much.

And at least I write my words in public, where everyone can see them. And I haven't negative repped you even though I don't agree with you.

I couldn't agree with you more.

Because they can.

I agree with most of what you said. I like this format, the avatars, the signature lines. I like that people who like to discuss politics can do that here. But I'm guessing you haven't really heard much about the types of negative rep that people are talking about here. It's far more than simple disagreement over a post. Like Joanne said, some of it has been toxic, plain and simple.

Okay. I'm just going by the words you wrote, which seem to indicate otherwise. But you're welcome.

Hey, those are some pretty good thoughts! I'm not sure how Christian would have known that Ben would choose not to go in the cabin with Locke.

Yes, and calling the thread childish. Like I said, that was the first rude thing I'd seen in this thread.

Here is where the analogy starts breaking down. We are not talking about a child and parent. We are talking about adults. We are not talking about a rule for a child, we are talking about a system on a message board that has been hurtful to several people. It is an aspect of our online community that some feel is hurting members of the community. It seems to me a logical place to discuss this within the community, here on the message boards.

I don't see anyone here challenging or calling out the admins. No one has been rude in this thread. (Possibly until you called it childish.) I'm just not certain that the admins fully understand the way that people are being hurt by the rep system, and I think possibly this thread might help them see that. There are clearly more than just a few people who feel this way. Yes, they provide us with a message board, and I appreciate it. It is a message board where many people share their many thoughts on many topics. This is just one thread where people are sharing their feelings on a certain aspect of a software program and the way it affects them personally.

I don't think it's a matter of right or wrong here, but I do think you are misunderstanding what Phred is saying.

As I've said, I think the system is hurtful to some people. People whose opinions I value and whose personalities I like. And yeah, I take things like that seriously. I think it's pretty natural to be bothered by some of the things I've heard said in neg reps. I know you are trying to lighten things up, trying to be a peacemaker. I just think that the things being said here warrant attention and shouldn't be quickly dismissed.

Unless she doesn't have any yet. That's not a great feeling either.

And the ironic thing is that the one time I purchased something from the sale/swap board, I got no rep from it! I also don't understand how the fact that someone participated in a rep love-fest makes them any more reliable to purchase from. And when I visit a new board, I read people's posts for myself and decide whether I think the person has a legitimate opinion. Having lots and lots of little green boxes doesn't directly imply being very very wise.