LOL Darkie is still in business, I am there daily (DarkUFO.com).
Ben's jacket had the symbol from the Orchid Station on it, in Season 3 on the extra footage, there is an orientation video of the "Orchid Station" and it shows a white rabbit with a # on it, in the professor's hands, another white rabbit with the same # on it, appears in a box across the room, and they all freak out saying "what happened?" and "do not let them near each other". It's worth buying the DVD's just for the extra's if you're a hard core fan, Yes Ben traveled to the Dessert, either time travel or teleportation, perhaps he is not even sure how it works, hence forth the date check. He let out a gasp of frosty air, that plus the parka, makes me think he was up north 1st, plus the gash on his arm is being speculated to be from a polar bear by fans. Which also brings light to the Polar bear with the Dharma seal on it's collar that Charlotte went to see the excavation site for in the dessert.
Poor Poor Sayid, he met Nadia back in war times in Iraq, she was his prisoner, they fell in love, and she disappeared after he set her free. He spent years looking for her, we know she ends up in LA, because we saw Locke doing a home inspection on her place in Season II. So Sayid gets rescued and finds and marries her, then she gets murdered (poor guy) and "yes", I firmly believe Ben had something to do with her death, unless he was just that giddy at gaining an allie.
There is definatley a time in-consistency between the island and other places. The Freighter is way behind island time.
Christian Shepard (Jack's Dad) was seen in Jacob's cabin when Hurley found it in the jungle, and rumor has it Spoiler alert:
that at Christian Shepard's funeral: a letter is read and he apologizes to his son (Jack) and daughter (Claire). And also says he was sorry for ever being involved with Charles Widmoore and Sun's Father (do not remember his name). I am thinking it's no accident this plane crashed on this island.
OK I am done rambling, LOL, I can not wait until next week.
PS: How could I forget......Smokey!!! good ole Smokey, the symbols on the door in Ben's closet were broken down by Wikopedia, but did not give a clear reading, but many are suspecting he's some kind of ancient force, that Ben seems to control, but Jacob can too.