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If you are one of the many fans of ABC’s “Lost” you are likely already mourning the impending end of the series. Of course, with the premise of the show centering around plane crash survivors who are stranded on a strange island, the story had a limited shelf life from the beginning. The show has been a huge hit for ABC since its premiere in September of 2004 and has developed a cult-like following. Due to the intricate details and ongoing storyline, fans are very wrapped up in the show and are devastated to see it conclude in May of this year. They are so distraught over the idea of being completely cut off from the show that some have developed a plan to help the series live on in a way.

Some Relief for Anguished Lost Fans

There has been much discussion online as of late, about how the fans can continue to get their fix of “Lost” once it has aired its last episode. Some of the more avid followers have devised a plan that involves ABC’s parent company, Disney, or more specifically Disneyland. The idea that they have generated involves changing the theme park area known as Tom Sawyer Island into a “Lost” experience, including themed rides, displays and setting. In this way fans could immerse themselves in all things “Lost” whenever they are feeling wistful for their favorite adventure drama.

In with the New

Proponents of the plan argue that the Tom Sawyer theme, while fairly relevant when the park opened its gates in 1955, has become outdated. Changing the area to the “Lost” theme would likely draw large crowds for some time. In fact, with a new batch of rides and attractions it would probably not only be fans of the show flocking to the area. Park goers have long been drawn to new attractions, whether they knew of the theme or not and the concept of the show is certainly an interesting one to translate into an outdoor adventure playground.

Out with the Old?

It is certainly true that the park has evolved over the years, adding new attractions as ideas evolved and new stories became popular. Star Wars, Indiana Jones and others have been incorporated over the years and with much success. On the other hand though, the park has also remained true to its roots. There are still many of the old attractions which date back to the opening, including Tom Sawyer Island, which, according to JustDisney.com, was designed by Walt himself. Even with all its modern draws, there is something to be said for the historical charm that Disneyland holds. There is a sense of nostalgia that comes with riding the same rides and walking the same streets as the first park goers did.

A Toss Up

So after much consideration I have concluded that I am still up in the air about the idea, not that my opinion holds any weight in the matter. The fans who have come up with the concept have surely been inventive, a trait that Walt himself held dear, but this new idea will also become old, possibly even sooner than the last. What do you think about the concept?

When I was a small boy, one of my friends on the block told me this story about a local man turned pirate who had stolen a whole pile of gold coins from a bank. He kept them in a chest which he reputedly buried near where he lived, which was near where we lived, and then he died. Both of us had read Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn and we knew all about criminals and stolen gold, so Pete and I spent an entire school vacation period digging up the neighbors’ gardens in search of the chest of gold coins. I can’t remember what we planned to do with the loot, or if we were going to tell anyone when we unearthed it.

What would you do with millions/billions?

I do remember that we were going to be very rich and would buy big black shiny Packard cars with our new-found riches. In those days there were no such things as Short Term Loans so, in our little minds, you had to steal in order to get your hands on a bunch of money.

Along comes Bernard

Madoff is the world’s ultimate criminal. We have never seen the likes of him. Not for him the hijacking of a train to pull a paltry $3 million bullion robbery, not for him a tunnel job under the street into the vaults of the First National Bank. Madoff sat in his plush director’s high-backed leather chair in his office on the 99th floor and ripped off the world in style. One can almost admire the man.

Can you say billions?

We are not talking about swiping a million or ten million dollars like all the other masterminds. We are talking about ripping off hundreds of billions of dollars. Like this: $600,000,000,000.

Where is it all?

An amount like that is probably all over, in my garden and in yours, but there’s no point in starting to dig, you won’t find anything. And that’s part of the reason that the prosecutors are determined to leave Madoff and his wife with nothing after telling a Manhattan court that they consider more than $100 million in assets, most of it listed in her name, the fruits of her husband’s crimes. It’s all they can find but they just have to get their hands on something.

A Steinway piano and silverware

The prosecutors include a $39,000 Steinway piano and $65,000 in silverware in items it said it will try to force the Madoffs to forfeit. The list was in a three-page document filed in U.S. District Court late Sunday. A lawyer representing some charred investors said the government’s aggressive approach isn’t surprising.

What else is there?

The Madoffs will probably end up losing all their assets, a $7 million Manhattan penthouse, an $11 million Palm Beach, Florida home, a $1 million home in Cap d’ Antibe, France, and a $3 million home in Montauk. Mrs. Madoff has $17 million in cash and $45 million in securities in bank accounts. Then there is a $7 million yacht in France, a $320,000 Montauk boat, as well as a $2.2 million fishing boat in Palm Beach, Florida.

The cars are modest, a 1999 Mercedes SLK convertible in Florida, a 2001 Mercedes station wagon and a 2004 Volkswagen.

Where’s the rest?

Bernard, the arithmetic is simple: $600,000,000,000 minus $100,000,000 equals $599,900,000,000.

Bernard, what did you do with the rest of the money? Should I start digging?