Book A Flight

Thanks to the Forumers who alerted to the fact that you CAN book a flight by entering the following here:

Flight type: One Way
From: Los Angeles
To: Guam
Departing: 1/21/2009
Select Flight: 316 11:30am
Adults: 10
Children: 0
Promotional Code: 112114111109111

When you get to the page you get a floorplan (direct link here). When you click the seats, most of the time it says they are booked. However, other times small images will flash at the side of the page. The site seems to follow a select order, so:

Third seat selected - a shot of LAX airport.
4th - code N824 (seems to be the main clue currently).
10th - a departure timetable.
15th - a shot of an airport lounge (Ajira logo in the background on the wall).
24th - an image of a young woman (Ilana - see DSA information).
34th - an image of a man (Caesar - see DSA information).
35th - the "lamp post" DHARMA logo seen during a DSA video.
36th - your seat number will be accepted and you can download a new boarding pass (very similar to the sample one, just with info on it, download here).

So the main thing seems to be N824 - which could be some kind of code, or something we'll see in Season 5.

SEE ALL THE IMAGES HERE (beware, you could class the people ones as spoilers)

Update - The image of a flight timetable includes a line about Honolulu, and seems to say that flight 316 takes a lay over there. Fits in with the "pineapples in Hawaii" item from the site source code. So do we now have a good picture? Flight 316 takes off from LAX, takes a swift lay-over in Hawaii, and then heads on for Guam?

Ajira Abridged

Just a little update to say that the Lostpedia wiki article on Ajira Airways contains every single minute detail about the site, and so is the one-stop shop for all the explanations about quotes, Guam, and what not. I just did a little shake-up of the layout too, so the sections should hopefully now be easier to follow.

Check out the article here!

I personally think the Lostpedia page currently has the best source of info for Ajira on the entire Interweb. Dunno about you, but I find that the blog posts (including my own) are amazing but miss bits of trivia out or are structured "as the codes are broken" - which is a little tricky to follow if you're only just joining us or want to connect the dots rather than just see them. I'd be interested to hear how you guys assimilate your info... do you like fast and exciting real-time updates, or do you prefer reading full descriptive summaries?

Dharma Special Access Week 6 - More on Ajira

Dharma Special Access has updated, with more fun Q&A with Damon and Carlton. Head on over using the password "EMAL" (I await someone to, as usual, inform me on the significance of that codeword).

The Q&A was interesting - we get a mention of Geronimo Jackson (apparently one of their rare songs will be on the show...). We also will find out why Christian Shephard wears white shoes on the Island despite having a dark suit (apparently a key mystery on the show...). Moreover, we've got more info upcoming about the four-toed statue in the new season.

They finally whip out a copy of that lovely Ajira commercial. Sorry guys, we already got the memo... but fear that Bengal tiger!

Ajira - Some Assembly Required

Months of waiting, and finally Ajira Airways has become a fully fledged ARG site, with loads of new material about this mysterious company. First off there's an exotic promo video, with a weird image of a limo driver (pictured), holding the number 316 and some... Arabic?

Among their other stuff of interest is a crazily reasonable $87, which gets you a trip to a mystery location around the world where "time and space have no consequence". Another reference to what we've by now gathered is the Season 5 theme.

Another weird inclusion is in the site source code - a big thanks to 'The Immortal Dave' who pointed out that there's some hexidecimal code there, which translates to "For God so love the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." From John 3:16. Comment with your speculation about the meaning of that one. Didn't Eko's stick say John 3:16?

Also check out this page on the site, where there's a link to download an origami instruction pack to make a 3D ball. I remember that one from high school... But who is the uploader, Antonio B. MacCutcheon? Does he have a link to the whisky brand?

Next, check out this sample boarding card image from the site. Notice the DHARMA bagua style in the background, along with some familiar Swan hieroglyphs. Maybe the barcode numbers/letters also have some significance?

Lastly, the site mentions about its Sky Club membership - typical for most airlines, right? But what I found interesting was the mention "Redemption provides you a solo seat or a chance to charter your own personal plane. Your destiny awaits." Perhaps Ajira will be seen on the show, and Ben and the O6 will use this benefit to fly their own plane back to the island?? Bit out there...

Think that's everything you need to be caught up, do drop us comments on any further finds!

Update 1 - (Source: LostARGs): Most of the pages seem to have other messages in hex. They include:

• So off they started about Irish sport and shoneen games the like of lawn tennis and about Hurley and putting the stone and racy of the soil and building up a nation once again and all of that. (From Ulysses by James Joyce... the writers said in a Dharma Special Access that it would be seen on the show).
  
• PINEAPPLES IN HAWAII
• SUPERSONIC IS COMMERCIAL THIRTY TILL MERIDIAN
• WHERE AMERICA'S DAY BEGINS.

Update 2 - Reports are suggesting that folding the sample boarding card using the origami instructions leads to the "GUM" letters on the card being seen inside the 3D ball. GUM indicates the Ajira flight location Guam. Also, if you use the numbers on the boarding card as latitude/longitude coordinates, you have 13 29.02'N and 144 47.50'E. Punch this one into Google Earth... and you're taken to Guam International Airport!!! Lost fans 1, TPTB 0.

Lostpedia in TV.com Top 100 Everything List

Lostpedia has narrowly made it into the TV.com Top 100 Everything of 2008 List. As you might be aware, sites like Entertainment Weekly often put out lists like "Top 100 web sites" or "Top 100 TV shows", so TV.com decided to make a fun list reflecting on the entire year. The list includes everything and anything: websites, shows, movies, news, even select lines from shows and film.

Lostpedia arrives at #97 - though not exactly up there, to be included in such a list where the options are so varied is a cool honor. Here's their description of what they earlier describe as a "a Web must":

The go-to source for all your Lost needs, Lostpedia helps us make sense of what we just watched and catches us up on the little details we missed. If it happens in the Lost universe, it's there. Get extensive background information on Vincent the dog, but beware of spoilers!

Slightly incorrect about spoilers, but we're not complaining. Many thanks to TV.com for the mention. Also, just fyi, Lost is also at #70 for the well-planned introduction of the Freighter folk. Anyway, TV.com are currently releasing the Top 100 in blocks of 10, so here's all the links we have so far (I'll try and update them later):

91-100
81-90
71-80
61-70
51-60

A Merry Dharma Christmas

Dharma Special Access week 5 is up and running - and as a "Dharma Christmas" treat, D&C offer us a cool video featuring themselves, themselves in four years time, and right at the end the faces of two new characters who will be in Season 5.

The video is quite amusing - D&C do some major Season 4 DVD plugging, but also show some great fun with a "flash-forward scene." Check it out at the Dharma Special Access site, using the password "yksnizdar" (I wonder whether the code means something - normally I get a comment from someone who's researched the word on Google, but this time I'm not so sure...)

I'll also post the actor and character names of those two faces below, as was stated on the email. They are spoilers though, so I've whitened the font. Highlight below to reveal the names:

Caesar, played by Saïd Taghmaoui. Ilana, played by Zuleikha Robinson.

To Lost fans. Happy Holidays. Love, Lostpedia

Well it's the holiday season - insert your religious or non-religious festival here - so to celebrate, we at Lostpedia have issued a new cast interview. We're also marking the occasion due to our move to Wikia.

Anyway, we can finally offer - a Q&A session with none other than MICHAEL EMERSON! Since taking on the role of Henry Gale / Ben Linus, Emerson has become one of the most popular actors on the show, and he has very graciously taken the time to answer some fan questions. It was particularly nice to see that he answered so many! And gave such thorough answers as well! It really puts him in a positive light as a general nice guy, IMO.

So, get going and reading the interview HERE.

Report bugs/comments/criticisms about the switch

Hey all, as you've been seeing, Lostpedia has been going through major transition and admittedly major teething issues to boot. If you've found any issues, then post em on the wiki, Forum, IRC or in the blog comments section, and we'll try and sort em out.

Some problems are about username conflict (we can help you with that and let you choose a new name if we can't just give you your old one back). Others are talking about the ads (if you log in, there are only ads on the Main Page under the default skin - with Monobook you might get some ads even when logged in though we're working on fixing that one). Non-logged in people will see some nasty ads unfortunately, but I think they're better than some of the ones we had in the past like those nasty green ad hyperlinks.

As I say, drop us a message about any problems you're finding. We're also working hard on the Main Page to make it look more user-friendly - so a total revamp will probably occur. If you've got any ideas or wiki template ideas for that one, again let us know!

Stay tuned for Dharma Special Access Week 5 in a couple of days!

Wikia - Some of the changes

I just thought it might be useful to put some details in a list of the changes we have seen as we moved over to the new Lostpedia platform on Wikia

New Look
A new look based upon the Monaco skin, that i affectionately call Lostaco. All the original Lostpedia skins; both the Mediawiki Monobook default, and the Lostbook design for signed in users are available, or should soon be available to Lostpedia users in the very near future so the site can look identical to how you used to like it.

Adverts
For signed in users there are only adverts on the front page. No more adverts in the content, and no more green link adverts!

New License
The text contents of Lostpedia is now licensed under GFDL. Making Lostpedia completely free to all. You can do whatever you like with the data now! Its free, as in really free! Sorry, this was a mistake due to the setup of the Wiki not being complete. My apologies!

Page Ratings
Pages are rateable. Rating pages will alert the user base to quality issues, so they can be rectified.

And also while I'm here a quick note on the content coming to Lostpedia soon

New Main Page
Whilst the old main page was adequate, we realise that there is massive potential for a new main page. We will be introducing a more concise and clearer main page design soon, hopefully just after New Year, that should inform you of the latest news from around the web on Lost, as well as make it even easier to navigate the site.

WYSIWYG editor
For those of you who aren't code junkies, a new WYSIWYG editor should soon be available in order to allow you to create pages.

Lostpedia joins with Wikia

A quick announcement by Kevin Croy. Founder of Lostpedia and Lostpedia Admin.

Greetings,
I'm pleased to announce that Lostpedia will be joining the Wikia family of wikis. Over the next few days a migration will be taking place and I'd like to share with you a few of the factors that went into the decision and also properly set your expectations.
I had the honor of meeting Jimmy Wales a year ago at the Wikia offices. He made it clear that he was a fan of Lost and a fan of Lostpedia and offered to help us if we needed anything. Since then I've had the pleasure to meet the rest of the Wikia team. The more I learned about them; the more it made sense to work together.
Here are a few of the benefits of moving Lostpedia to Wikia:
As the Lostpedia community grows larger and stronger, site stability will become more and more important. By moving, Lostpedia will be on Wikia's world class geographically distributed hosting platform, which should increase speed and reliability for all users World Wide.
Access to the entire Wikia team which includes: Programmers, System Administrators, Graphic Designers, Spam Fighters, etc.
Due to Wikia's scale they receive better rates on their advertising and lower costs on operations. As a result we are able to immediately remove the "in text" ads and remove most ads for logged in users!
We will have access to all of the Wikia custom wiki modules such as their new Visual (WYSIWYG) editor, Multiple Image Upload tool, and Spam protection tools
From a community perspective, nothing will change. Our current team of Sysops will stay in place and Wikia will support us in every way they can. They want to see this community thrive as much as we all do.
We will switch to their servers on Thursday morning. Although I am anticipating a smooth transition, your understanding and patience during this time will be appreciated. Please rest assured that we will all work together to quickly iron out any bugs or snags that pop up. During the transition the wiki will be put in read only mode.
Please see Lostpedia:WikiaFAQ for more information. You can see a demo site up now at http://tor4.wikia.com/.
Thanks, --Admin

UPDATE : The wiki is currently locked down while the data transfer to Wikia is underway. Please be patient whilst we set up over the next day or so. The move has required a large amount of work both at our end, and Wikia's, in order to move you all over smoothly. Any questions you have should be answered on the WikiaFAQ linked above, but if they aren't, please leave a comment here, join us in IRC or on our forums where I'm sure one of the SysOps from Lostpedia, or the staff of Wikia should be able to help answer your questions.

UPDATE 2 from Santa: The new site is now Live and working at Lostpedia.wikia.com. For languages other than English, the links are at www.wikia.com/wiki/Lostpedia.

DSA Week 4: A Muddy Q&A

Another week and another offering of pre-Season 5 delights, courtesy of Damon Lindelof and Carlton Cuse. Head over to Dharma Special Access and use the code "kapalaran" (a Filipino soap opera says Google?).

For your viewing pleasure this week:

1) There's a sneak peek preview of Season 5, showing Jack and Ben chatting about Locke (beware the spoilers, though tbh they don't give anything away really).

2) Damon and Carlton answer a few fan questions. The most interesting of which was one about "which came first - Dharma or the Monster". They categorically answer that the Monster was there first. Though some of you won't be surprised by this, a number of people were of the blast door map school of thought, which referenced the idea that Dharma had created "Cerberus" to do their bidding. Another good question mentioned the runway the Others were seen building on Hydra Island in Season 3. The writers clued to the idea that this construction (whether for launching or landing something) might be critical to Season 5's narrative.

They also mention in their email how filming has been halted in Hawaii due to a mudslide, but hopefully they'll be back in action in that location soon when they've restored the set. Best wishes to D&C with their filming, we're sure they're doing great!

Wonder if we'll get something even more juicy next week from DSA, considering it'll be a Dec 23rd edition... more Q&A please!!!

Actor Strikewatch Update: December

The possibility of another Hollywood strike has become real again. The Screen Actors Guild has announced they will mail strike authorization ballots to its members on January 2, 2009, and will count the votes on January 23. For more info, see Variety.

This development follows after a reboot of negotiations with federal mediators recently failed in November, as we reported last month.

The vote requires a high threshold of 75% to approve the strike authorization, which is seen as giving union negotiators a much stronger bargaining position but does not in itself guarantee a strike will occur. However the producers group (AMPTP) has been loathe to give ground on payments for "New Media" formats such as Internet streaming, which industry observers believe will be the next important area as viewership continues to decline for broadcast television and DVDs.

If a strike did occur, unlike the past writer's strike, it would immediately halt ongoing productions including Lost, which has been filming Season 5 continuously since mid-August, and would thus be somewhere beyond the halfway point of the planned seventeen hours of programming.

So after January 23, check the news to see if your fix of Lost may be in jeopardy.

UPDATE: December 22, 2008 - The strike vote scheduled January 2 has been postponed, with an emergency SAG board meeting to be held January 12-13, due to the number of high-profile opposition from actors within the union. Read more at Variety here.

Sight, Light and Sound

Dharma Special Access, Week 3, has arrived. What's on offer this week is a little different. To view all, go to the site and enter the password "adella courey"

First off, you can get a Namaste ringtone by texting "Namaste" to 77888. Terms and Conditions apply.

Next, there's a clue at Season 5 with the following sounds you will hear in the episodes:

From #501:
CL-CLICK. BEEPBEEPBEEPBEEP. KNOCKNKNOCKKNOCK! WHAPPP! VVVVVVWWHHHHHEEEEMMMMMM! PLLEPPT-PLEPTT-PLEPTT. BOOOOOOOOOM! BLAAM!!! THUUDDD. CRUUUUUUUUUNCH! PFFT! PFFT! PFFT! SMAAASSHHHH! SHCLICK!!!! CA-CLICK. FOOOMP. SKLIIIIIISH. PING. RAT-A-TAT. BAMBAMBAMBAMBAM!!!!

From #502:
BWOOBWOO! TAPTAPTAPTAPTAP. KNOCKKNOCKKNOCKKNOCK. BZZZZZZZZZZZZZ. SLAMMM! THWACK! KRE-KLACK. BEEEEP... SLAMS. SCRRIIIIIDDDDDDDFLIP!

From #503:
FLAPP-FLAPP-FLAPP. AAAAARRRRRRGGGGGHHHHHH!! THRAAAAASH! KAAAAAAAA-THWOOOOOOOOOOOM!!!!! CLICKETY-CLICKETY-CLACK. CRRRR-ACK!

Thrilling, I'm sure you'll agree... Finally, there's a video where D & C discuss Lost books. They specifically mention "The Stand" by Stephen King as a great book, but also discuss Ulysses by James Joyce - which Ben will be reading in episode 5x07! Perhaps a good read for February's Lostpedia book club? Right at the end of the video, however, is a brief glimpse at a new DHARMA logo (pictured).

Let theories about lighthouses/street lamps commence.

The Third Policeman sees out 2008

Apologies for being ever so slightly late with the launch of December's book club read - busy busy busy time of year, stressful world events, you name it. However, let's all forget our worries and snuggle up by the fire with a good book - and this month it is "The Third Policeman" by Flann O'Brien. This read promises to be of much interest to us Lost fans, as I quote from Lostpedia:

The writers of Lost have specifically referenced this book as providing "ammunition" which may aid with interpretation of the show's plot.

Hmm... we shall see, but it seems like a great incentive to take part with this one! As ever, you can discuss the book on the Lostpedia Forums here. You can also use Lostpedia's IRC Chat facilities to live chat talk about the book. If you've still not got the book yet, then you can order it online through Amazon here or borrow it through your local library (consult link below).

A note for next year - the book for January will be Watchmen by Alan Moore. Yes, you read correctly, we will be reading a graphic novel. Literary snobs among you, deal with it - Watchmen was the only graphic novel to be listed in Time magazine's list of 100 greatest books, and has been personally recommended by Mr. Damon Lindelof. Buy Watchmen in advance now on Amazon, or see this website for local US libraries.

A final point - the book club will continue to run through Season 5 indefinitely, due to popular demand. However, the voting process will be purely qualitatively based, with posters proposing reads rather than choosing from a short-listed selection. This will ensure a greater range of literature. Winning books will be addressed through the Blog and on the Forums, and as usual at least a month's notice in advance will be given before each new read.

Airdates news

A quick one to announce some airing news.

1. Canada's CTV will air 5x01 the same day as ABC in the US. (ie Wednesday, January 21, 2009)
2. Sky1 in the UK will begin Season 5 on Sunday, January 25, 2009.
3. ABC will air There's No Place Like Home Parts 1, 2, and 3 on Wednesday, January 14, 2009 from 8pm-11pm.

No news for my Australia yet :'(

Bleag

DSA: Week 2

Dharma Special Access has updated with a new week's worth of exclusive LOST content. If you weren't around last week - basically the guys are giving us exclusive content every week through the web, to make up for the fact that Dharma has had its funding cut from those running it (I feel a deja vu coming on, the year was 1987, it was a cold winter...). Anyway, this week Damon and Carlton are offering us all priority access to the following vids, before they get posted on ABC in a couple of days:

1) A first-look preview of Season 4 DVD features.

2) An interview with Rebecca Mader (Charlotte).

3) A sneak-peek at episode 5x01!!!

To see these great videos, head on over to the DSA site, and use the password "qilak"! Adding to the positive feedback, a big thanks to the guys for this - everyone seems to be enjoying them from what I've heard!

P.S. D & C also mention in their email that you can get a nice recession-busting 10% discount at meltcomics.com (the place where last week's exclusive video was from). Just use the promo code "DSA".