Tuesday, December 01, 2009

The December Contest: Dharma Comes to Town

UPDATE: It's 10:34 PM CST on 12/6 and this contest is now closed. I'll post the winner at some point tomorrow.

Hello my dear friends -

Some of you who've been reading my blogs for a while might remember my dreadful experience with the Great Condo Flood of '07 (during Lost's hiatus, thankfully), as well as another invasion of sewer water I had this past spring, a mere two hours before "Follow the Leader." That incident was such a mess that I was forced to have to cancel my Season Five finale party a full week later. Can somebody say "bitter"?

Now that Season Six is only two months away, I've decided that I have to protect my Lost viewing experience by any means necessary -- I can't chance having it ruined again by Mother Nature. (Because as Ben might say, Mother Nature, like Destiny, is a fickle bitch). Therefore, I currently have contractors at my place, digging up my front yard (if you can call it that, it's like a three-by-nine patch of grass) and installing an injector pump that will hopefully keep my downstairs dry every time the torrential rains hit Chicago from here on out.

Why am I telling you this? Because 1) I thought you cared about me, dammit! and 2) The pump project is the reason I'm late in posting the December contest today -- the workers had to cut the electricity to my DSL router for several hours. My yard's still in ruins but my connection is back, so here we go:

Up for grabs this time is what might be the coolest thing I'll ever give away: A limited edition Season Five Dharma Initiative Orientation Kit. Check it out:


This is not your normal Season Five DVD set. The regular set can be found here... whereas the Dharma version is being offered in extremely limited quantities and features unique packaging -- complete with old-school floppy disk holders for the DVDs and an honest-to-goodness Dharma Orientation VHS tape.

The DVDs are Region 1 format, so unfortunately this contest is only open to those in the U.S. or Canada (or those in other areas who happen to have an R1-compatible player).

Here's what you have to do to have a shot at winning the kit: Tell me why Dharma should set up a station in your hometown. If I were entering, I'd say something like, "The Dharma Initiative would love the polar bear at Chicago's Lincoln Park Zoo and the sharks at Shedd Aquarium, and would have a ball running psychological experiments on Cubs fans, as they clearly have a higher tolerance for pain and disappointment than most other human beings."

I'll hold a random drawing for the winner, so no need to kill yourself over a crazy-creative reply, but in order to be eligible you definitely do need to write something about why Dharma would like your 'hood.

One entry per person, and remember, only those in the States and Canada this time around.

I'll close the contest around 10 PM Central Time Sunday, December 6 and will announce the winner Monday, December 7. Both the normal and limited edition Lost Season Five DVD sets will be available for purchase on December 8.

Best of luck!

- e

PS - In addition to the January contest I'll hold here on the blog, there will be a bonus Twitter-based contest, so if you're interested, you can follow me at twitter.com/erikaolson.

UPDATE: It's 10:34 PM CST on 12/6 and this contest is now closed. I'll post the winner at some point tomorrow.

142 comments:

Alex said...

Dharma would be great in Washington D.C. I mean, there's so many other secret organizations around, nobody would ever be able to find them

Unknown said...

Dharma would like my hometown because it's the birth place of barbed wire, which could come in handy for keeping those rowdy animals in their cages(not to mention The Others could use it when holding Losties captive). Also, all those crazy yoga moms would fulfill the Dharma Initiative's need for uses of the word "Namaste."

Jeff said...

Dharma would love the underground tunnels that were used for smuggling in Portland's olden days.

Nick Rizzo said...

The DHARMA Initiative would love to put a station in Commack (on Long ISLAND) because the town exists in a bubble and the inhabitants would be wonderful subjects in a social experiment!

Webmaster said...

Dharma would LOVE my hometown, Carbondale, IL as it contains a research focused university (SIU), lies on the new madrid fault (You know earthquakes), and was known in the '70s for our crazy rebellious parties and rallies (a la Berkley).

Shaggysteve said...

Dharma would love it in Southwest Florida, because we are right on the Gulf of Mexico (allowing for submarine access), it is warm year round, and only about 2 hours from Walt Disney World (everybody loves Mickey Mouse). So head on down Dharma, we're not far from Tallahassee. Namaste!

RobPerrin said...

Dharma should seriously consider setting up a new station in my hometown of Ottawa, Canada. First, our fair city is covered in snow 9 months every year (OK, I exaggerate, maybe only 6 months) and we all know polar bears love the snow. Second, Ottawa is home to the National Resource Council, an agency chock-full of scientists. No need to bring in far-off experts (with associated relocation costs) due to the talent pool already found here. Third, folks in Ottawa are used to spending long periods of time cooped up inside buildings, due to the long winters mentioned above. Finally, Canada is well known as a beer haven (coincidentally, Barrhaven is a suburb of Ottawa) and it is well-established that Dharma loves its polar beer. Maaaaaaaaaaaalt!

Joe Walters said...

Erica,

I live in Versailles, Kentucky and I'm confident that this would be a great place to establish an active DHARMA enclave. First, Kentuckians look great in khaki coveralls. This is widely known. Second, Versailles is the home of the distiller of Woodford Reserve, the best bourbon in the world. It is whispered locally that this bottler of whiskey is purportedly the producer of the generic-labeled "DHARMA whiskey" dropped periodically on our favorite mysterious island. Finally, Versailles is the thoroughbred horse capitol of the world, therefore the DHARMA could do much needed research on the conversion of used horse food into bio-fuel.

Dreyesbo said...

Dharma would love to place a Meteorology station here in Monterrey. Temperature can go from 48°
to 86° in the same day. Plus, do you think boxed wine is good? Then you've never tried Dharma brand Tequila.

Hurleyrules said...

Well E already stole my idea's for why they'd love it here in chicago but we not only have polar bears but we're the home of Da Bears too! Not to mention all the great eatery's/pizzaria's so the dharma chef's could learn to make em some darn good food. We even have state leader's that are very open to corruption so they would be great psychological studies too. There are also hidden hatches here they can use for their various experiments (al capone's vault anyone?). Finally we have the giant silver bean in the middle of the city which i still proclaim is more than just a sculpture, im certain that thing has been to various other time lines! Not to mention its fairly close to their homebase in Ann Arbor Michigan.

And that is why they should come to chicago.

Rory said...

Hiya Erika. Dharma probably already is in Milwaukee because they can hire Miller to can their beer and cut logistics spending.

lizinsydney said...

I think Dharma should have a station in Sydney because it has such significance to the show as the plane was leaving there. Clearly, there is something about Australia itself with Claire being from there and Richard Dalkin and magical energy fields etc. Just as the lamp post is in Los Angeles, there should be a station in Sydney. (PS My DVD/VCR are compatible as I'm from USA).

Anonymous said...

I think Dharma should be in Norwalk, CT we have nearby smoke stacks that the smoke monster can make his home. We have a beach. We are in desperate need of polar bears in our zoos! We need creepy cabins too! :)

Anonymous said...

Dharma would love it here in Chester, CT for their newest station. Small town, surrounded by acres of forest...close to the Connecticut river for Submarines and Sailboats to come and go with not even a head turn.

Scott said...

My hometown has the largest man made in North Alabama soooo... it would make a GREAT replacement the Hydra station.

Alisha Rene' said...

Dharma would NOT want to come to Terre Haute, IN. Therefore, I will stick up for my old stomping grounds. Rochester, NY. Dharma would love the fact that RIT is the second largest man made brick structure in the world. The home of Eatman Kodak and all those great films that could be fixed from their skipping problems. Lots of famous ppl are buried there, Susan B Anthony, Fredrick Douglas. Who doesn't like a good place to hang out, Miles would LOVE it. It also wouldn't be a complete Dharma meal without an honest to goodness Nick Tahoe's Garbage plate. oh, the goodness, I'm drooling....

stacy said...

Dharma would love my hometown. I live outside Chattanooga, TN and Volkswagen is currently building a new plant here. Dharma would have their pick of dharma vw vans.

Jen said...

If Dharma had a station in my town, Durham, NC, it would be the Lucky Strike Station, and would be hidden in the basement of an old tobacco warehouse. They could stop wasting their time with the UofM crowd and start hand picking Duke professors to be their new converts!

aquaboy1976 said...

Dharma would love to have a "Best Buy" station in my hometown of Allen Park, MI.

girlwithasong1133 said...

The Dharma Initiative should come to my hometown because it is the home of the happiest place on earth, better known as Disney World. They could find many recruits from the large amount of tourists who come through the Orlando area every year. And in their spare time, they can go to the Disney parks.

Unknown said...

Harold and Karen DeGroot made regular trips to the station in Toledo, OH an hour away. The rumor is that it's underneath the block with a bowling alley, an auto body shop, and a strip club. After the mysterious disappearance of the DeGroots it could never be found again.

Faraday said...

DHARMA would like it in Queens because of all the train systems. They can use it to study electromagnetism without having another 'incident'.

Anna In Indiana said...

The Dharma Initiative would love south-central Indiana because, just like on the island, the weather can change very quickly! Okay, so maybe it's not just random rain showers...it's going from 60 to 30 to 60 in as many days...but this variety of climates constantly moving through provides a great backdrop for their various experiments! With forests and hills, it is also the ideal location for semi-secrecy; there is actually a naval base in this area (yes, inland!) with thousands of employees, and the DI could benefit from something of a clandestine and non-suspect location as well.

B. Riordan said...

Dharma must set up in Howell, Michigan. Because of the poor economy, there are unfortunately several empty storefronts that could act as a front for their experiments. It's only 1/2 hour from Ann Arbor and the University of Michigan and 1/2 from Michigan State. MSU's Veterinary program is one of the best in the nation, which would be useful for injured polar bears!

Sherylm said...

Dharma would be delighted to have a second South Pacific station in New Caledonia complete with lots of "French chicks" and flora so unique that the BBC filmed their first episodes of "Walking with Dinosaurs" here. And, as a bonus, a magnificent lagoon perfect for submarine landings out on the reef away from prying eyes and secluded underwater stations close to wrecked airplanes and World War II equipment located an easy dive away on the seafloor.

Lisa-Maladylis said...

I think the Dharma Initiative would love it here with all the 70's looking folks and the crazy people (me and my bf included in that group) They would fit right in and have lots of people to do their tests on as well. Hey there's a commune the next town over, so why not here ? lol

Germ said...

Dharma would love to have a station here in Monessen, PA, because they could study the sometimes incomprehensible behavior of some of the people that live here. Also, they could study the odd way that bad weather usually misses us here, even when radar shows it coming right at us.

shannon said...

Dharma would love Seattle because the food here is better than non-perishable ranch.

Alexistran said...

Dharma should set up a station in my hometown of Gibsons, BC, Canada because it's full of hippies, basically an island (surrounded on 3 sides by water and one by mountains) and they could research why the Beachcombers was even a success (surely unlocking that secret will be enough to save the world from destruction)

Mair said...

I am sure Dharma is already here in Philadelphia - with all the historical locations, artifacts and "costumed characters" (fake or the real thing!?)...time travel must already exist here...and there is no doubt there is magnetism at Citizens Bank Park where the Phillies play!

Pecma said...

I live near Plymouth Mass... what better place to set up shop than where it all started. Plus tat old rock must have some sort of magnetic properties, right?

Denman Diaries said...

Dharma is the bomb! I dream of being a member of the Dharma Initative.

OlNumba7 said...

DHARMA would love Southern Maryland...we're only 17 miles from DC (and all the power and resources that it provides) as well as 20 miles from Northern VA with all of its affluence and technology. Plus, you can't beat the crabs from the Chesapeake Bay (also a convenient docking port for the sub!)

Bonnie W said...

Dharma would be wise to put a station in Wasilla, Alaska (it is the home of that "rogue" Palin woman). The valley is home to bears and moose and independent humans. What a challenge to the Dharma Initiative!

Mellie said...

Morgan City, Louisiana would be a GREAT place! We have a perfect secret hatch - a shrimp boat in the middle of town on the highway. And alligators would be better than polar bears I think!

Ryan said...

Manchester-By-The-Sea, MA.

Dharma would love my hometown because it suffers from what I like to call the "Stephen King Curse of the Small Town" where everyone acts like they are in it for the good of the town, but the second things turn south everyone serves their own self-interests. Dharma would get tons of data concerning the sociology of people put under extreme duress. It may be cruel and inhuman, but it's for science damnit!

Kia said...

Dharma would love to come to my new town just outside of Houston because it is one of the most multi-cultural communities in America. Because of this, they can continue their multi-cultural mission..... and the only "hostiles" they will face (gang members and panhandlers) never cross the "line" into the suburbs.

benshog@aol.com said...

The Dharma Initiative could really take advantage of all that Cleveland, Ohio has to offer. In fact, Dharma would probably set up a few stations here. Such as the 'Burning River' station, where they study the effect of flammable H2O. The 'Next Year' station would do wonders for every Brown's, Cav's, and Indian's fan who have been saying, "There's always next year," for the last 45 years. And finally, there is no better place to observe human suffering than the 'Mistake by the Lake' station. Cleveland rocks. NAMASTE.

Thorny_Nettles said...

Dharma would love the weather anomalies in Oklahoma for one. Also we in Tulsa are riddled with subterranean passages, some of them natural and others created for mysterious purposes. For another, yes, we have polar bears and sharks (without tattoos linking them to the wrong Dharma stations). Most significant is that Tulsa streets are numbered in both directions so 4th crosses 4th and 8th and 15th and 16th, 23rd and 42nd. Every numbered street crosses itself and all the other numbers inside city limits, including 108th.

Nathan said...

Dharma would be able to remain secret in Greenville, NC because everyone would mistake their location for Greenville, SC.

Peg said...

Central PA is THE place for all secret operations. No one would think to look for you here among the cows, horse & buggies and Amish folk. Dharma consider us. Why even old Joseph Priestly set up his initiative in my town! Namaste!

tierdear said...

The Dharma Initiative would blend in just fine with northern Virginia. Not only is NoVa home to countless top secret defense contractors and counter-intelligence agencies, it also is a bastion for progressive ideals. A hidden agenda pushed by a top secret corporation would be just another day in NoVa.

There is also a high concentration of engineers (computer, electrical, you name it) who are married to yoga-toned house wives. The presence of a Eastern philosophy combined with the practicality and dedication to scientific methods create an ideal environment for the Dharma Initiative to prosper.

Unknown said...

My hometown has the best high school football team around. Could come in handy if Dharma ever needed to play the others.

Matt in Dallas said...

I would want Dharma to open a station here in Texas because we are notorious beer drinkers, we have an unhealthy love of militia-style organizing, and I'm pretty sure that we have a surplus of grey jumpsuits based on all the ghostbuster trick-or-treaters we had this year. Oh, and my kiddo looks like Turniphead.

Series de Bolsillo said...

We need a Dharma Station in San Juan of Puerto Rico, because we are the only country in the world who has an alien-port.

That's right, we don't need the others to build us a runway for the aliens, we already had our own....

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/26/98127428_398299a50a.jpg

(Puerto Rico is dvd region 1)

Maram said...

Dharma would like my hometown because it is simply located on an Island (Bahrain)which was once viewed by ancient Sumerians as a paradise to which the wise and brave were taken for eternal life which makes it special :p

carljsamuelson said...

DHARMA would thrive in Papillion, NE because... because... yeah, we're in Nebraska, so what.

Aunt J-ha said...

Dharma actually had a station near my hometown, Binghamton NY, during the 1970s. Its history has not been discussed in LOST, but Karen Degroots mother was a close friend of Rod Serling, creator of The Twilight Zone and Rod grew up in Binghamton and owned a summer retreat in Owego, NY. This retreat center donated to the Dharma in Rod's will. Dharma utilized it as sort of a spa/R&R station for employees coming off of intense 'tours of duty.' To my knowledge, its still owned by Dharma, however it has not been utilized since the late 80s.

believingthomas said...

Dharma should come to my hometown because the "Stark" station would sound cool for "Starkville". And with one of the world leading research units in 'remote sensing' located here at MSU they could do some way cool experiments.

The_Other_Other said...

Re: Why DHARMA would like my neck of the woods

As it appears with their research on the island, DHARMA is interested in interesting and unexplained phenomenon. My hometown of Crowsnest Pass, Alberta has been the subject of numerous occurrences of seemingly tragic luck.

First in 1903 we had one of the largest mountain slides in recorded history. Seriously, this slide destroyed a town and spawned many stories; both true and fabricated (the discovery channel even did a special on the mountain). Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frank_Slide

Following this in 1914 we had the worst mine disaster in Canadian history, you may know this as the Hillcrest Mine Disaster. Of the men in the mine 189 lost their lives. Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hillcrest_mine_disaster

Then in 2003 we had one of the largest fires in Canada that year which threatened to burn down the 5 towns which make up the community. This is a picture of the same Turtle Mountain just before it was engulfed by flames: http://www.geog.ubc.ca/courses/geog376/students/class06/fire/turtle_mountain.jpg

There is definitely something peculiar about this area and its ability to draw disaster towards it. I think that DHARMA would find it to be a great research area and hopefully they can gain some answers to why catastrophe always strikes it.

jason said...

The DHARMA Initiative would really enjoy a station in Athens, GA. They could study at UGA's Vet School during the day (sorry, no people in the bear cages!) and enjoy the college music scene by night. I'm sure we could convince a few local bars to get DHARMA Beer on tap!

Unknown said...

I am pretty sure that my hometown of Las Vegas is a huge Dharma station... The psychological experiments (aka casino games) are plentyful and they give rewards when you do well, and punish you if you don't (just like the bear cage contraption :)

Robert Klotz said...

The DHARMA Initiative is an almost supernatural fit for Orlando, Florida. Situated safely north of Lake Buena Vista, Florida, it is one of the principle openings of a strange space-time phenomenon known as a Mouse Hole. "mus uni non fidit antro" quoth the Blast Door Map. To know what lies inside this mysterious place that seems magical, one must enter it physically and see the world where mice rule humans.

Sharon J said...

Fuquay Varina, NC would be the ideal location for a new Dharma station...anonymity for them would be all but guaranteed since the proper spelling and pronunciation of our town name has always been a bit of an issue.

Linda said...

Dharma should come to York PA - home of Harley Davidson and the Articles of the Confederation written by some of the first revolutionaries. They had to hold up here for 9 months while waiting for a bus to Philadelphia-also we were part of the underground railroad so there may still be some areas available for hatches..I'm just sayin'

Garrett said...

The DI would be well suited to my hometown in western PA. Because of our many historic floods we're practically an island anyway. We have plenty of dirt roads and even some locals with rotary phones. It's still the 70's for so many here and the DI could help to keep it that way.

Julie said...

The DI would love to come to my hometown of London Ontario due to the vast farm land surrounding the city. They'd have a lot of places to set up for experiments.

Also in the winter, the city seems to have something against plowing the streets for weeks at a time following a blizzard The Polar bears would be right at home!

Anonymous said...

St. Louis would be the perfect place for a Dharma station. They could do further studies in magnetism, because of that giant horseshoe magnet we call the "Gateway Arch". But they will have to call it the Cardinal station.

Tim said...

The Dharma Initiative started in my hometown of Ann Arbor, MI. I'm sure it was being they are the leaders and best and a free thinking society.

Kim-the-girl said...

Dharma should set up a station here in Abilene, TX because its as close to an island you can get as there is NOTHING around for miles and miles and miles. Plus, no one has any idea where Abilene is so I'm sure they'd never be found.

chopster said...

Dharma would like my hometown, Oshawa, Ontario because they could drive totally new cars right out of the GM plant and also we are next door to the super secret Camp X where spies were trained during WWII.

Sammy Jean said...

Dharma should definitely set up shop in Lombard, IL. It's close to Chicago (think hydra station), but not close enough to draw attention for the weird activities. It's also pretty close to a Fermi Lab. They'd definitely be able to convert those guys to Dharma in about 10.2 nanoseconds. Lombard was a stop on the Underground Railroad, so historical ties: check. Best of all, I'd be there to run Dharma. :)

ShellyLynn said...

Dharma would would love my small little town in NE Wisconsin... why? Because they'd fit right in! We're stuck in the 70's, man! I'm pretty sure most houses have a least some remnant from the good ol' Dharma Days! Shag carpet and green fridges rock!

Unknown said...

Dharma would like my hometown of Champaign, IL because the twin cities of Urbana and Champaign are on a nexus of reality that exhibits the same properties of the Island.

R.P. McMurphy said...

Dharma would love setting up in Beaverdam, VA because we're already stuck in the past! There are vast amounts of fauna for study and plenty of areas for isolated experiments.

Travis said...

How could Dharma not want to set up a station in San Diego? I have a feeling they run SeaWorld already anyway. Underground layers where they observe sharks (possibly with hidden dharma tatoos), and get this: Polar Bears! In San Diego! Coincidence? I think not.

Hanan said...

Dharma would OBVIOUSLY love Los Angeles. Why?

1) Close to Disneyland Submarine ride
2) Poison smog could be used to kill off intruders.
3) They can hang out at the Sikh Dharma on Robertson Blvd.
4) Great Tacos.

knux25 said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Squish said...

DHARMA should install a station in Cherokee, NC to use the power of the Brown Mountain Lights to conduct experiments that go beyond space-time in order to travel about the universe (or multi-verse, if it exists...another reason to build the station!)

insaknitty said...

there's a giant dump in the city in which I live (milpitas, ca). and... that's about all we have going for us, I think. it'd be a great dumping ground for all those dead bodies and the reports from the swan and anything else they want to cover up!

Ernie said...

Baton Rouge would be perfect for DHARMA:
-tunnels under LSU's campus
-out there, hippy researchers on campus similar to the Degroots
-Mike the Tiger, live Bengal mascot

Unknown said...

Dharma should definitely develop a station in Charlotte to determine why these people use the word "barbecue" to describe something that comes from a pig - everyone knows real barbecue is beef!

Krnic said...

Dharma would fit in nicely in my town of New Orleans for many reasons:
1) we are below sealevel and people still continue to live here for over 300 years
2) New Orleans is known for ghosts, voodoo and other strange occurances
3) where else but NOLA would the Dharma folks be able to wear their cool jumpsuits and not have anyone give then strange looks

Laura M said...

Dharma would love the city I live in (name witheld on purpose) because the people who have lived here for a long time really don't like newcomers.

helkatmat said...

Birmingham, Alabama
We have a statue of the Roman god of the forge, Vulcan, that would make a great Dharma station. This statue of Vulcan was made for the 1904 St. Louis World's Fair and currently stands on Red Mountain overlooking the city. They could base their metallurgy studies there as Birmingham is in an area rich with iron ore. Also, James Ford's hometown of Jasper, AL is just one county away. (Don't mistake coincidence for fate.)
One more thing, Vulcan's sandaled foot is six feet long and ten feet high. Six plus ten equals 16, one of those freaking numbers!

neoloki said...

I believe Dharma has already set up shop in SEATTLE and in the Space Needle. Except, under the Space Needle. It is as deep as it is tall and The DI built a Hatch at the very bottom. This is where they do all of their Extra-Terrestrial research and are currently transforming the whole damn thing into a space ship, so they can find the next Island in space after the Valenzeti Prophecy comes true and destroy's the whole damn world, Island included.

The hatch in Seattle under the Space Needle is called The Frontier Room.

Jason H.

Unknown said...

Dharma would do great in Memphis, TN! They could set up shop at Graceland, eat lots of BBQ, and develop a southern twang.

Katie B said...

Dharma would fit in here in Houston because the medical center is so enormous, no one would think twice about all their psychological tests

JDR said...

Dharma should build a station in my hometown of Fresno, CA to hold their secret meetings. I mean really, who goes to Fresno? It's the perfect hiding spot.

Unknown said...

Dharma would definitely place a station in Upstate New York, particularly the Capital District, because ~ while it is theoretically the center of New York Government ~ literally nothing of significance ever happens, other than the annual laugh-fest over how late the state budget will be. Thus, Dharma could set up a station here, under the guise of some kind of government-oriented think tank, and use it as a front for just about anything (as, in fact, is has always been my suspicion that many organizations do). ~Namaste!

mrclean8 said...

The residents of Aylmer, Ontario, would be perfect for DHARMA Initiative life-extension project testing, as 90% of them seem to be over 80 years old. Also, since no one has ever heard of Aylmer, no one would ever discover any secret research.

Mark S. said...

Dharma would love checking out the history of Mansfield, Ohio -- The prison where "The Shawshank Redemption" was filmed, and the "Most competitive racetrack in the country", Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course!

Srdjr785 said...

Dharma would love to set up shop in Philadelphia. The naval shipyard right next to the airport would be a great place to dock a submarine. The same shipyard is also the site of the infamous "Philadelphia Experiment" which, I'm sure, bent the fabric of time, and we all know how much Dharma loves studying time.

Unknown said...

No doubt they need to set up the next Dharma Station here in Hooterville! Pretty sure the old Haney place is up for sale again.

MLG41 said...

Dharma would have love having a "The Guitar" station in Nashville, TN. Psychological experiments would fit in great at Vanderbilt where monkeys are supposedly caged in one of the academic buildings; Dharma beer would be a hit at the bars on Broadway; LaFleurs' southern accent could be adopted by all; and any Dharma member could fit right in playing Dharma Girl on the streets.

michellenotdawn said...

Dharma would be great in Tallahassee b/c it's the 'hometown' of the original Sawyer, Locke's daddy...

Unknown said...

Dharma would find excellent station security in Yakima Washington, because it's the one place no one would ever look!

Unknown said...

Dharma would love Pittsburgh, PA, my original hometown because of the black smoke.
(From the steel mills..get it? I know. Lame. I just really want the prize and I'm really tired.)

Andra said...

Dallas is the perfect place for a Dharma station- we have tons of beautiful people here with great accents. Plus, there are lots and lots of people here- perfect for all those folks that just disappear...

Pittielover said...

Dharma would love where I live! We are right on the edge of a canyon that has many myths and legends surrounding it. Plenty to investigate! Plus an local university with a great science program, perfect for recruiting new members!

Jason DeMars said...

Dharma would like my hometown because our gigantic open mine pit would serve as a great location to place a covert Dharma station in, not to mention the wonky electromagnetics around here that might or might not be in relation to the many lightening storms we get around the summer.

Melanie said...

Nashville, TN would make an excellent Dharma station location. They'd have gobs of fodder for sociological experiments dealing with religion, Republicanism, country music, or deep fried food.

Marebabe said...

Dharma would love Wichita, Kansas because it is known as the Air Capital of the World. We have more aircraft manufacturing "right here in River City" than any other place in the world. It's the perfect place to shop for your next Cessna, Beechcraft, Learjet or Boeing aircraft. As an added bonus, right now unemployment is high in Wichita, with lots of laid-off workers searching for their next gig. Recruitment for new members of the Dharma Initiative would be EASY!

Mary Worth said...

The Dharma Initiative already has several stations here in Santa Royale, California:

The orangutan station: Studies why my hair bun keeps changing locations on my head.

The armadillo station: Studies why the plates in our china closets keep moving around without explanation.

The fish station: Studies why customers keep returning to the Bum Boat restaurant.

The lamb station: Studies why people's clothing keep mysteriously changing in the middle of their conversations.

We have a lot to offer the Dharma Initiative. Please come by for a visit!

Matt said...

We have saying in Indiana: "If you don't like the weather, wait 5 minutes." Dharma would love our constantly changing weather pattern. In addition, we know a thing or two about isolated communities as we have on of the largest Amish/Mennonite groupings in the US! Dharma would love discussing strategies with them on being removed from society! Dharma should give Indiana a second look.

Ann Marie G said...

Cape Cod would be the perfect place for Dharma to set up shop! First of all, we are surrounded by water making for easy access by submarine. We also have two islands close by that could be reached by speed boat. The Woods Hole Oceanographic center is here and would be the perfect place for any animal experiments. We have plenty of eliglble workers that could fill all of the needed Dharma positions. Also, with all of the small Summer cabins here, we have a ready made barracks. Lastly, during the hot Summer months, Dharma could make extra money by hawking official "Dharma" merchandise to the tourists!

Murat said...

Dharma should set up a station here in Holland, because it would be the first European Dharma Station, so there are still lots of weird things for them to discover and analyze. Plus we'd finally be part of the cool Dharma kids. <3

[MuratBee / Kantar on twitter]

Anonymous said...

e - No comment about why Dharma should come to my town. I just want to say that when I first hovered over your Locke-rejoicing-in-the-rain picture, the caption read, "Locke likes the rain more than I do. But then again he doesn't have to worry ab..." I thought you were implying that you were a witch and that you'd melted. But now I see that my computer was just being fritzy. (Ha!) Glad to know you didn't melt, for it seriously would have decreased my spring 2010 enjoyment of LOST to not have your write-ups to read!

Rebecca

chrismath said...

Dharma would love my hometown of Chicago because of its history with corruption, deception, and sneaky-ness. Plus, they can use the old speakeasy locales and keep that historical coolness they so love to do.

1sawyerfan said...

I believe that Dharma would love to come to my home town of Galt, Ca.
Reason #1 - Most people can't even say the name right, and have no clue where it is.
Reason #2 - Most people around here are odd, they even bring pet pigs and rabbits to soccer games because dogs aren't allowed at the fields.

Reason #3 - We are in the middle of the California valley, you get extreme hot weather, and sometimes even so cold and foggy you can't see across the street. We are 2 hours from the ocean or the mountains and snow.
Reason #4 - Farming is big around here, they can grow whatever they like and have any kind of animal they want and nobody would ask questions.
Reason #5 - A lot of places have their own small runways on their property, so they could build their own and no one would ever wonder why.
Reason #6 - If they came here that means that I could get recruited and have a chance of finding my own Sawyer!! (Maybe I should have put that as my #1 reason : )
Wish Me Luck!!

Steph02642 said...

I live in Washington DC and I think Dharma should set up a station here because, like the island, the city is filled with relics from ancient Egypt (in our museums) and structures meant to evoke ancient Egypt (like the Washington Monument).

Anonymous said...

Dharma would love to come to Thunder Bay because of the awesome cold weather fit perfectly for polar bears!

Julie said...

Pittsburgh, PA would be a perfect spot for DHARMA. We're the inventors of the emoticon (which you could use the countdown symbols for the next DHARMA hatch rather than hiroglyphics), the Big Mac (right in line with the show's fascination with cheeseburgers) and the polio vaccine (maybe *that's* what's in those mysterious innoculations Desmond et al were taking!).

Plus they could add linguistics to their fields of study to translate Pittsburgese to the rest of the world (e.g., "Yinz guys, I'm goin' dahntahn 'n gettin' some jumbo for my sammich 'n 'at).

Jim said...

The Dharma Initiative would love Madison, Wisconsin. They could "hide in plain sight" here. Lots of people in Madison are stuck in the 1970s, so the DI would blend in perfectly.

Hannah said...

Dharma would love to come to Colorado Springs, CO for the crisp mountain air and ever-changing weather. It is really close to the mountains, and really close to open fields. The conditions would be a perfect landscape for their myriad experiments!

Peter said...

Dharma should set up a station in Brooklyn, NY because it is the perfect place for time travelers. You can walk down the street dressed in clothes from the 60s, 70s, 80s, or things that look like they are from the future and no one will bat an eye.

Unknown said...

I think DHARMA could use the Cleveland are to do more psychology studies. There is something about a place that has gray skies for 4 months straight that messes with your mind. The ice and snow would be good for polar bears, but I think the entire region is the Room 23 of the country.

Brenna said...

I'm in a suburb of D.C. and I know Dharma would like to set up a station here. In fact, I'm pretty sure a Dharma station is already located here from many years ago. It's the Congress Station and they use it to see how many crazy ways they can come up with to spend taxpayers money.

Jen Barbati said...

Dharma should set up a station in Pittsburgh because I'm sure that Iron City Beer tastes just like Dharma beer, and everyone in Pittsburgh loves ranch dressing.

Mike & Heather said...

Dharma would love Perrysburg Ohio because of its proximity of Ann Arbor. Scientists could move freely back and forth on US23 disguised as Buckeye Fans and no one would suspect a thing.

Kevin Makins said...

Hamilton Ontario is already a secret Dharma base... I just can't tell you where. I have seen their trucks at night, sneaking into abandon buildings, digging holes in old factories basements (presumably to make more hatches!). Also, the numbers have been popping up everywhere. Sure, they haven't been in their proper order, and some are one or two off, but STILL! I'm not going to tell you they SHOULD move here, I'm telling you it may already be too late...

Johnny said...

Dharma should set up a station in Amherst, MA because there are lots of college students who would be more than willing to participate in an experiment or two. Also, I would love for them to start a jumpsuit fashion trend.

El Gato Volador said...

Dharma should set up station in hot & humid Miami. There's no way they'd be able to walk around in those coats or janitor gear; flip flops and tank tops only. Where else in the country is English a 2nd language? No joke (Chongalicious!) Plus the recession has hit hard down here, we need more jobs, bring it!

James Cape said...

Milwaukee - very adequate submarine accessibility.

Vic SteeLe said...

In the city of good ol' Watts ...Throw up a finger if ya feel...In the city of good ol' Watts (good ol'... won't bow down to no man ...In the city of good ol' Watts (uh, that...Hey, you know LA is up in this ...Yeah, Inglewood, Inglewood always up to no good ...Throw it up y'all, throw it up, Throw it up (I can't see ya!) Dharma!

TFKoP said...

Dharma would be great in Orono, Maine with their Pine Tree Station. After all, hardly anybody comes to Maine, so they would be well hidden and hard to find. Plus, it would be wicked awesome to have Dharma Lobstah on the menu, dipped in Dharma Butter, of course.

Great site. Looking forward to the new season, and a return to my exhaustive wrap-ups about the episodes.

Hope you're well. Good luck with the new pump!

--joe

Time to Dance said...

The DHARMA Initiative would love Erie because of the lake and the peninsula. From sandy beaches to wildlife sanctuaries, the peninsula has great hiding spots and yet trails and roads through and across like a maze. And the lake...imagine all the underwater staions that could be housed in the sunken ships entombed there!

Bernie said...

In our hometown just outside of Johnstown Pa., Dharma Peeps would have a Blast doing "The Bar Tour", starting at "The Pike Inn" for Breakfast, "The Old Tollgate" for Killer Wings, "Scooters" for some Biker Chat, "The Crows Nest" for Smoked Ribs, and ending at "Petes Tavern" for Ice Cold Brews and Local Color.
Party's On Dharma Peeps!

Lori Fish said...

Dharma would love to set up in Mason City, Iowa because it's small and they could get away with a lot!

Unknown said...

Dharma would love NYC once they move that proverbial underground wheel to New York so they can make the island of Manhattan disappear and reappear in case there are any man-made or natural catastrophes. And after Dharma takes over Manhattan, Hollywood screenwriters were very upset because they can no longer make movies that depict the destruction of New York.

CathyFitz said...

Dharma would love Chicago, Illinois, as they could easily bribe any of our politicians for unlimited access to anything (and I mean anything) they could want

Sage said...

Dharma would use Las Cruces, NM, because it's within driving distance of Roswell, but it's not Roswell (no one wants to live in Roswell).

Ms. C said...

E-
I shall keep it short and sweet:

Dharma would be all over setting up a station in Detroit, because no one in their right mind would come here for any reason to look for it!

Cheers,
Crista

jeff kelley said...

dharma would love to set up in my little hometown because of all the back roads and alleys where they could conduct their secret meetings and such. Kidnapping people for expiriments would be easy since people here are pretty trusting. all the higher-ups could get tickets to the KY derby in millionaires row and feel very elitist. come to jeffersontown. sawyer will fit right in. Oh, did I forget to mention we're a bunch of rednecks here?

Kristy said...

Brutha! The Dharma Initiative should set up a station in Raleigh because we are strategically positioned just outside the available lab space in the Research Triangle Park, and are centrally located between the weather extremes of the NC mountains & the beach.

DANIEL said...

Dharma should set up a station here in North Carolina as we have an abundance of highly accredited universities - and in this economy, all those newly educated graduates will need jobs in Dharma's motor pool.

Lani said...

Hands down, the best place for Dharma to build their newest station is Dhahran, Saudi Arabia! They could maintain secrecy under the cover of burkas (black ninja outfits that the women here wear). There are all kinds of fossils, such as shark teeth, that we've found in the middle of the deserts here-- could make for an interesting logo and even more interesting digging. They can air drop the Dharma beer in (and hopefully hit my house - we can't buy alcohol here) The segregation of the sexes would make for very interesting social experiments and studies. And Dharma/Dhahran...pretty close isn't it?

Technically we do live in Saudi, but we're US citizens and have region 1 dvd players. Please include us??

Anonymous said...

WHY?

Why Canada and US only? This sucks...

Well, I guess Dharma wouldn't come to my 'hood either.

Erika (aka "e") said...

Anonymous -

As I said in the post, the DVDs are in Region 1 format, meaning unless you have a Region 1 player, which are typically only sold in the US or Canada, the DVDs won't work for you. Buena Vista Home Entertainment was awesome enough to offer up this set for my readers, and since they're based in Canada, the DVDs are in Region 1 format. There's nothing I can do about that, sorry! All of my other contests are open to anyone, as you should have noticed in the past. (And if you weren't aware that DVDs and DVD players have different specifications based on what country you're in and you are outside the US, chances are high you don't have a Region 1 player -- you would've had to have sought one out specifically.)

Lani -

Yes, since you have a Region 1 player you are entered!

- e

clayton short said...

hello, the dharma initiative would definitely love to put a station in my hometown, inver grove heights minnesota, because we have excellent health institutions in minnesota, like the mayo clinic, and it would be a nice change from the hawaii atmosphere, here we have all 4 of the seasons, it would be better for research too.

Anonymous said...

Dharma should totally set up a station in Montreal so that they can research the secrets behind Quebequois cooking. Seriously, how do they get away with putting the things they do into the same meal?

Cameron said...

The DHARMA Initiative should set up a station in my town so my friends and I could wear some of those incredibly stylish DHARMA jumpsuits while monitoring sub arrivals & departures from our coast.

Unknown said...

My hometown's little claim to fame is that we are the cradle of the American circus (exciting, I know), so Dharma could go back in time and study the physics of acrobatics, do experiments on elephants, and do psychological experiments on clowns!

Bryan said...

Dharma should set up a station in Canton, OH because one of our high school football teams is the Polar Bears!

Shauna O'Reilly said...

ahem...DHARMA already HAS a station in Seattle, duh! But I think that it could use another one because the water of Puget Sound allows for super conductivity of the neuro-plasma radiation that they are secretly developing. And I think they make the fish biscuits here too.

Unknown said...

Dharma should have a station in Richmond because it is the only city with class 5 river rapids in the country- perfect for all kinds of Dharma experimentation and a quick wild ride as well! -e

Sean H said...

The DHARMA initiative would love to put up shop in Richmond, VA because of it's proximity to the ocean, the mountains. It has hot summers and cold winters. And it's close to the nation's capital. There are plenty of opportunities for field studies.

King Tom said...

I moved to Columbus Ohio about nine years ago. And after wondering why it's such a weird place all these years, I've realized it's because there's already a DHARMA station here. The land is completely flat (geologically unique). The weather changes twice a year, from winter to summer and from summer to winter (weather experimentation). The people are entranced each fall with the local college football team, unable to discuss anything else (mind control/parapsychology). And finally, animal expert Jack Hanna is from Columbus (zoology). I'm certain there's a DHARMA station here. I just have to find it.

Chris Stevenson said...

A Dharma station should be set up in Wake Forest, NC as we are always on the fringe on weather extremes during hurricane season (ie, we get jungle humidity and it rains alot) -- and Raleigh's airport has an empty terminal that could easily accomodate all Oceanic flights.

ac1912 said...

DHARMA would love Albuquerque because we were the headquarters of microsoft in the 1970s; presuming they set up shop circa '77, they could all their hatch computers, with the latest software, direct from the source. In addition, the desert environment could be a suitable stand in for Tunisia, and our fabulous green chile tastes great even when canned and packaged in DHARMA octagons.

Christy G said...

The Dharma Initiative should consider Montgomery, AL as a location for their organization. The Cradle of the Confederacy offers a variety hot spots where they can study the wide array of the many locals.

Some people choose to see the Alabama Shakespeare Theater, the Capri Theater, the Museum of Fine Arts, the Montgomery Country Club, the Montgomery Performing Arts Center, the Downtown Alleyway, and restaurants that charge you $50 for one meal. The people in these places are prime candidates for study because of the superfluous amounts of money they spend on a regular basis...even in a time of economic downturn.

On the other end of the spectrum, there are all the other places that the ultra rich choose to not go.These people make their way into the movie theaters, malls, bowling alleys, and the most popular choice, parking lots. These places often become heavily infested with teenagers.

This large variety of people and social settings will surely make an interesting study for the Dharma Initiative.

Erika (aka "e") said...

It's 10:33 Central Time on 12/6 and this contest is now closed. Any entries below this one will not be considered.

Thanks,
- e