# Lost 1.7 "The Moth" (Non-hidden SPOILERS)
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lost-1-7-the-moth-non-hidden-spoilers/272864
**Category:** Cafe Society
**Created:** [November 3, 2004, 10:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lost-1-7-the-moth-non-hidden-spoilers/272864 "2004-11-03T22:34:08Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 4
### Author:  [@middleman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/middleman)
#### Post date: [November 4, 2004, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lost-1-7-the-moth-non-hidden-spoilers/272864/61 "2004-11-04T15:49:56Z")
I think the person who hit Sayed has to be the one running the signal. It seemed as if the signal was right next to him. The broadcast meter was at max.
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### Author:  [@Trunk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trunk)
#### Post date: [November 4, 2004, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lost-1-7-the-moth-non-hidden-spoilers/272864/62 "2004-11-04T16:19:47Z")
> [@N9IWP](#):
>
> Of course, you only need two locations to triangulate a signal. I’m still not clear how the system on the show was supposed to work. Was there 3 recievers, but the other two feeding thier info to Sayids? I think I’ll chaulk this up to Hollywood technobabble.
>
> Brian
I thought you needed 3, on the remarkably slim chance that the signal was directly in line with the 2.
If you’re standing in the wildnerness, you only need 2 points of reference to triangulate YOUR location because you wouldn’t pick 2 points in line.
But, Sayid said something like, “if the signal is coming from within the triangle, we can find it.”
AFAIK, THAT’S not the case.
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### Author:  [@Juniper200](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Juniper200)
#### Post date: [November 4, 2004, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lost-1-7-the-moth-non-hidden-spoilers/272864/63 "2004-11-04T16:24:33Z")
**Proposed:** Spoiler policy for future _Lost_ threads.
[ul]
[li] Information about all episodes aired to this point will be **unboxed**.[/li][li] Information about this week’s episode’s “next week” teasers will be **unboxed**. (They count as part of the episode: They’re part of the main broadcast. If you want to check out the credits, you have to watch them. They’re available with no effort to anyone with a tv.)[/li][li]Speculation based on episodes aired up to this point (including teasers) will be **unboxed**.[/li][li]Speculation based on information on upcoming episodes gleaned from spoiler sites will be **boxed**. This includes links to promo photos and screencaps. Please remember, links inside spoiler boxes are readable even to those who don’t highlight.[/li][/ul]
For now, let’s stop stressing about which posters revelaled what and why, with or without spoiler boxes. Mistakes were made, and for the rest of the thread, we’ll all be more careful.
I totally forgot about Sayid’s fit of critical thinking when I posted last night. If it’s important enough for a character to bring up, it’s probably time to develop our thoughts along the lines of an intelligence that wants this group alive, or one of the paranormal theories that holds each of the castaways is there for a specific reason in their pasts.
There was theorizing in previous threads that every survivor we’ve met so far didn’t want to be on Oceanic flight 815. We saw last night that Charlie was disappointed about the circumstances of his trip and probably _shouldn’t_ have been on board – it would have been much better for him to get some help by staying in Sydney with Liam – but he did \*want \* to go to L.A. Thoughts?
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### Author:  [@satogata](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/satogata)
#### Post date: [November 4, 2004, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lost-1-7-the-moth-non-hidden-spoilers/272864/64 "2004-11-04T16:39:59Z")
I agree with folks that think that the signal generator hit Sayed on the noggin – good observation on the signal, **watsonwil**! **Trunk** is right about triangulation – astrophysicists triangulate objects “outside the triangle” all the time, and you only need two points and a baseline measurement to triangulate. I also have _no_ clue why they need three _simultaneous_ measurements, unless they suspect that the source is moving.
I’ve been thinking about Sawyer and Watership Down a bit, mostly since it’s one of my favorite books, but also because he’s appeared reading it twice now. The rabbits in Watership Down are a ragtag bunch of survivors who have to journey through dangers and form a new community after a disaster destroys their original warren. Among these rabbits there’s a reluctant leader (Hazel), a visionary, a sergeant, a storyteller, and a smart tech type (for a bunny). It feels like there are a fair number of ‘reluctant leader’ parallels between Hazel and Jack. Of course, I could just be thinking of this because both had to be rescued after near-death confining experiences – that and half the group are living in holes and digging tunnels. 🙂
Watership Down is a fantastic political parable of autocratic vs liberal society… I have no idea why I’d be thinking of _that_ recently, but do idly wonder how long the “two camps” thing is going to last, as it splits up the storyline and feels a little too “Survivor”-ish for my tastes.
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### Author:  [@Legolamb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Legolamb)
#### Post date: [November 4, 2004, 5:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lost-1-7-the-moth-non-hidden-spoilers/272864/65 "2004-11-04T17:12:10Z")
> [@Juniper200](#):
>
> There was theorizing in previous threads that every survivor we’ve met so far didn’t want to be on Oceanic flight 815. We saw last night that Charlie was disappointed about the circumstances of his trip and probably _shouldn’t_ have been on board – it would have been much better for him to get some help by staying in Sydney with Liam – but he did \*want \* to go to L.A. Thoughts?
Well for that matter, Jack did want to go to L.A., it’s just that he didn’t want to be there in those circumstances. Michael wants to go back home, but now he has a son he barely knows to look after. In the same vein, Charley did want to go to L.A., but he wanted his brother to be travelling with him to restart the band, rather than flying back alone with an uncertain future.
It’s less that they didn’t want to be on the flight, more that they didn’t want to be on the flight in the circumstances they found themsleves.
At least that’s my two cents anyway.
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### Author:  [@middleman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/middleman)
#### Post date: [November 4, 2004, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lost-1-7-the-moth-non-hidden-spoilers/272864/66 "2004-11-04T17:14:54Z")
Two interpreations of the cave collapse last night:
1. It plays into the wish fullfillment theory. The cave originally collapsed amidst Charlie’s anger and again when it was time for him to come out of his coccoon.
2. Seriously WAG time- “Mogo doesn’t socialize!” Comic readers will know what I am talking about!
Also, the “They are already dead” WAG gained some support last night with Sayid’s comment that they shouldn’t have lived.
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### Author:  [@vd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vd)
#### Post date: [November 4, 2004, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lost-1-7-the-moth-non-hidden-spoilers/272864/67 "2004-11-04T18:37:06Z")
The triangulation bugged me too.
The simultaneous part was completely unnecessary unless the transmitter was moving. And in that case, by the time you get there, you only know where it used to be.
I guess it must just be a limitation of the “plot devices” that Sayid made.
Two measurements would be minimal, but three will reduce the error. The direction you’re finding with that radio is going to be a pretty wide swath.
Rather than make three antennas and try to get a quick measurement at the same time, I would make one antenna/radio but put more work into it to make it as accurate as possible. I would also take the measurement carefully, on a tripod, with a compass reading as well. Make sure that line is well established relative to landmarks. Then I would pick my next location based on that and swap batteries.
Oh and I don’t think the radio lady whonked Sayid. If she doesn’t want to be found, why is she still transmitting?
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### Author:  [@Necros](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Necros)
#### Post date: [November 4, 2004, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lost-1-7-the-moth-non-hidden-spoilers/272864/68 "2004-11-04T18:38:00Z")
Can anyone explain to me how they got fireworks on the island? AFAIK, no plane flying into the US would be allowed to carry them, even in checked luggage. I’m willing to suspend disbelief enough to accept the giant rocks that weigh five pounds that they were hauling to get Jack out, but fireworks? I dunno about that…
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### Author:  [@vd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vd)
#### Post date: [November 4, 2004, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lost-1-7-the-moth-non-hidden-spoilers/272864/69 "2004-11-04T18:46:35Z")
I’ve brought fireworks in my checked bags before. Granted, that was a domestic flight and in simpler times.
Charlie brought heroin. Someone else brought fireworks. Is there no security at all on Oceanic?
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### Author:  [@Legolamb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Legolamb)
#### Post date: [November 4, 2004, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lost-1-7-the-moth-non-hidden-spoilers/272864/70 "2004-11-04T18:50:26Z")
That they were on the plane is a definite - as Sayid said “Thank god for fireworks smugglers”. How they got on the plane without causing security problems and who put them there I don’t know (maybe we’ll find out in someone else’s background episode? Sawyer perhaps? Sayid himself, maybe?).
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### Author:  [@Trunk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trunk)
#### Post date: [November 4, 2004, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lost-1-7-the-moth-non-hidden-spoilers/272864/71 "2004-11-04T18:52:49Z")
> [@Necros](#):
>
> Can anyone explain to me how they got fireworks on the island? AFAIK, no plane flying into the US would be allowed to carry them, even in checked luggage. I’m willing to suspend disbelief enough to accept the giant rocks that weigh five pounds that they were hauling to get Jack out, but fireworks? I dunno about that…
Didn’t one of them said something like, “thank god for fireworks smugglers.”
I thought last night’s episode was a little bit weak. The whole moth thing was a little corny. The cave collapse, while serving as the vehicle for Hobbit’s growth, also seemed just like contrived drama.
The fireworks were a lucky “coincidence”.
**vd** is right about doing the antennas simultaneously too. There’s no need for that, again, just sort of contrived to create drama.
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### Author:  [@VunderBob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VunderBob)
#### Post date: [November 4, 2004, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lost-1-7-the-moth-non-hidden-spoilers/272864/72 "2004-11-04T19:22:45Z")
> [@Trunk](#):
>
> **vd** is right about doing the antennas simultaneously too. There’s no need for that, again, just sort of contrived to create drama.
Yea, contrived, but if Sayid was in the Republican Guard, he might be falling back on his training to find the transmitter, and military RF detection assumes the source is mobile.
IRL, all you need is one receiver with a shielded antenna and a lot of time available to find a stationary transmitter.
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### Author:  [@Necros](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Necros)
#### Post date: [November 4, 2004, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lost-1-7-the-moth-non-hidden-spoilers/272864/73 "2004-11-04T19:28:57Z")
Ah, must have missed Sayid’s coment about fireworks smugglers. Thanks.
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### Author:  [@middleman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/middleman)
#### Post date: [November 4, 2004, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lost-1-7-the-moth-non-hidden-spoilers/272864/74 "2004-11-04T19:42:45Z")
> [@](#):
>
> “Lost” bounced back strong Wednesday after facing playoff baseball the past two weeks, helping ABC secure a ratings win for the night.
> …
> “Lost” scored an 11.4/17 at 8 p.m., its best rating since its premiere.
Source: [Zap2It.com](http://Zap2It.com)
Nice! Good to see a good scifi-esque show that isn’t worried at all about the ratings.
We have a top ten hit on our hands (I think it fell to #13 last week against game 7 between the Yankees and BoSox)!
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### Author:  [@Gamaliel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gamaliel)
#### Post date: [November 4, 2004, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lost-1-7-the-moth-non-hidden-spoilers/272864/75 "2004-11-04T19:44:25Z")
Why would anyone smuggle fireworks from Sydney to Los Angeles?
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### Author:  [@Glory](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Glory)
#### Post date: [November 4, 2004, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lost-1-7-the-moth-non-hidden-spoilers/272864/76 "2004-11-04T20:03:09Z")
> [@dropzone](#):
>
> Hmmmm, I quoted the the spoiler, including the unspoiled phrase “The French Woman” so you would know who I was talking about, described her as someone unlike most of the other women on the show, did not mention her by name but gave a link _that you chose to click,_ posted after the show had been broadcast in all the Lower 48 AND after there had been an agreement to follow 24 rules, yet it’s MY fault? 😉
I didn’t click your link.
I saw the original post that said “French Woman” then a spoiler box. I avoided it, not wanting to be spoiled. It could have been anything.
Just reading your post, without clicking the link was sufficient to learn that the French Woman had been cast by someone older and attractive. So, now I know (which I didn’t know before) that she is going to be depicted (either alive or in a flashback). Thanks.
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### Author:  [@middleman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/middleman)
#### Post date: [November 4, 2004, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lost-1-7-the-moth-non-hidden-spoilers/272864/77 "2004-11-04T20:03:24Z")
Maybe THIS is what dastardly business Jin is performing for his father in law!
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### Author:  [@middleman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/middleman)
#### Post date: [November 4, 2004, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lost-1-7-the-moth-non-hidden-spoilers/272864/78 "2004-11-04T20:05:23Z")
My previous post was in response to **Gamaliel**.
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### Author:  [@Trion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trion)
#### Post date: [November 4, 2004, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lost-1-7-the-moth-non-hidden-spoilers/272864/79 "2004-11-04T20:08:12Z")
Ah yes, the high octane life of the international fireworks smuggler. Excitement! Adventure! Hot Chicks! All the fireworks you can eat!
No wonder Jin was so easily corrupted by Sun’s dad. I know exactly wht it’s like. I put myself through college by being a cherry bomb mule. You haven’t lived 'till you’ve gone through airport security with several condoms filled with high explosives sitting in your lower intestines.
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### Author:  [@middleman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/middleman)
#### Post date: [November 4, 2004, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lost-1-7-the-moth-non-hidden-spoilers/272864/80 "2004-11-04T20:23:01Z")
> [@Trion](#):
>
> You haven’t lived 'till you’ve gone through airport security with several condoms filled with high explosives sitting in your lower intestines.
Firework Mule Training:
Lesson #315: Don’t forget you have fireworks up your ass. Remember the lesson of Johnny Two-Colons. Forgeting he was running cherry bombs, Johnny attempted to amuse friends with the old “blue flame” trick. The results were not pretty.
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