The Hobbit Hole III - Journey to the Cross-roads!

[HairOfTheDog]

Welcome to The Hobbit Hole!

Journey to the Cross-roads
The Two Towers Edition

Come on! Come in! -if you would like to have some seedcakes and a pint and relax a while. (If it is a special occasion, we still have a few bottles of the old wineyards left!)

Our first thread ( New Zealander builds Hobbit hole ) reached 4,100 posts, and we thought that was big. Our second thread (The New Hobbit Hole ) held us for over 48,000 posts, and we loved it dearly. We talked about moving to a new thread for the last 38,000 posts, but we are really slow to muster! Finally, the time has come. Tomorrow (at 12:01 am, to be precise!) The Two Towers comes out, and we start a new chapter.

[ItsOurTimeNow]

It's one of those things where you're pretty much guaranteed to know someone that was killed in this disaster.

This is such a bummer...each hour they're adding to the death toll. I'm going out and giving blood on my lunch hour. I'll touch back in here later this afternoon.

[Ramius]

HELP! What do we look for?

Most of the comments on this have been right on. There are good laptops for under 1 Kilodollar, and most of the majors like Dell and IBM have a portion of their retail site devoted to "refurbished" laptops. There are often some extraordinary deals there, FAR below the 1k mark. Depending on the needs of the medical condition (I have no idea) and if there is a little more money to spend (up to about 2K), you may want to take a look at the new "Tablet" PCs. They're like a laptop with a removable screen, and you can write and draw on the screen with a special pen. It's a whole different sort of mechanism for interacting with the computer. The handwriting recognition is actually pretty good, and then there's also speech recognition too. Maybe that would make a difference for him? Hard to say.

[SuziQ]

I think My Backyard is also in Texas. what a cool thing to be able to see Sean Astin in person!!

[g'nad]

Most of them lead into a pine planting, about 10 years old, but it is too thick to hunt in there, maybe the edges of it might be good though

Scout the entire perimeter, the paths the big guy is using will generally not be the ones the does and young bucks use... the trail will be minimal... if you can figure out his ingress and egress (not always the same) you might just get a shot...

that's not one of the bigger rubs in the picture... but yuh gotta love the location...

[g'nad]

couldn't get to it Suzi... thanks though...

headin' out to "G and G"... see yuh round...

[HairOfTheDog]

see post 16178!

[SuziQ]

but isn't it from Ted Turner? I wonder if it will just be another one of those movies about the EVIIIIIILLLLL southerners.

I think Ted Turner must have a split personality when it comes to the Civil War. His movie "Gettysburg", of which "Gods and Generals" is a prequel, was not at all dismissive of the Southern soldiers. He even played in Gettysburg, as a colonel, I think, who gets shot going over the inner fence during Pickett's Charge. He's also in "Gods and Generals" in a group of Confederate soldiers singing "The Bonnie Blue Flag".

I posted a link, a little earlier, to the NY Times' snitty review of this movie. According the them, this movie is WAY too solicitious of the Confederates.

[Bear_in_RoseBear]

Heh, speaking of watching movies and eating, Rose and I saw "Daredevil" at the Alamo Drafthouse last Sunday. The movie was pretty good, the food was nice (we pigged out on munchies... chips & queso, chicken tater skins, etc.) and we saw a great preview for "X-Men 2"... it looks like that movie will be great!

[rightwingreligiousfanatic]

The reviewer from the NY Times was in a real snit about this movie.

The reviewer from our local liberal rag, the (Red) Star Tribune, only gave it 2 and a half stars (out of 5). Pay no attention to these looneys who can't stand to see Southern Christians portrayed in a favorable light...

Medved gave it 4 out of 4 stars (I don't think he gives 5 stars) and a good review is posted here....Michael Medved's open letter to Ted Turner

I can't wait to see this movie..... but it is 3 hours and 40 minutes long! A real epic... (bring a porta potty ;^))

[Dawntreader]

"And here is a picture that I found on the old computer...taken just a few hours after Joshua was born...he was born at 5am and this must have been around noon."

What a cute picture!! :-D

[Dawntreader]

"I'm not sure how much someone unfamiliar with the comic-book will get out of it, but we liked it!"

Well I wasn't familiar with the comic book and I really enjoyed it. It had a good storyline and was a bit different from the "norm".

[g'nad]

was goin' thru old posts, and caught this one...

I love your "Little Tiny Handprints" poem... it's a winner...

[Bear_in_RoseBear]

Why do you think he wants me to do that?

Not knowing what options he used when mailing the package, I'm not sure what recourse he may have. But, if I recall correctly, the Post Office makes you wait at least 30 days before initiating a trace on a possibly-lost package. He, as the sender, would have to initiate any trace, so that may be what he's waiting to do.

[Dawntreader]

"I'll be in -n- out... might go to see "Gods and Generals" this afternoon... "

I'm listening to the soundtrack right now :-) I'm dying to see it, but I promised my family I'd see it with them and who knows when we'll get that together.

I may just go see it and feign ignorance when we all go ;-)

[Alkhin]

what...is sean in Galveston now for his movie project??? I had it posted on my blog that he is looking to do a movie on the Great Storm of 1900 that wiped out much of Galveston.

Would love to boot the idea over to him to do one on Jane Long and Mirabeau B. Lamar....but I am not a script writer.

By the way, will be moving my blog url address next week. Blogger, being now taken up by Google, is spazzing out and I cannot access my archives, nor do the corrections I make take. Am fed up with trying to enter in new stuff, only to be required to revamp the entire site because something got off kilter...

I will let y'all know soon...

Keep me in touch...just got told that I am not a 'good Catholic'...as if my entire purpose in life was to only be that. Geez...thought the whole point was to grow in God and reunite with Him. Hadn't a clue that I needed to follow the rules the RCC put out...(as if I'd disagree with most of them anyway! NOT!)

[2Jedismom]

Oh my Lord, help me...I'm going to blow a fuse.

Did either of you get this from Lark in the Morning?

This email is from Mickie and Elizabeth Zekley the directors of Lark Camp. We hope none of you will take offense at receiving this email which is not about our event. We have never sent out a political email before but are driven to send this one. Senator Robert Byrd gave a speech on the Senate floor on February 12th that has profoundly effected us. Following is the text of that speech. No matter what your point of view of what is going on in this country and it's relation to the world, it is each of our responsibilities to communicate our wishes for the future of this country to our elected representatives. Many people that I have talked to feel powerless and at a loss of what to do. I urge each and every one of you to write, fax, call or email your Senator, Congressman, and the President and tell them what you want for your country. I also ask you all to urge your friends, family and coworkers to let their voices be heard by their representatives.

You can find and contact your representatives through these web addresses.
Senate http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm
House http://clerk.house.gov/members/index.php
President http://www.whitehouse.gov/contact/

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US Senator Robert Byrd
Senate Floor Speech - Wednesday, February 12, 2003
The Dean of the Congress --
February 12, 2003

Senate Remarks: We Stand Passively Mute

To contemplate war is to think about the most horrible of human experiences. On this February day, as this nation stands at the brink of battle, every American on some level must be contemplating the horrors of war.

Yet, this Chamber is, for the most part, silent -- ominously, dreadfully silent. There is no debate, no discussion, no attempt to lay out for the nation the pros and cons of this particular war. There is nothing.

We stand passively mute in the United States Senate, paralyzed by our own uncertainty, seemingly stunned by the sheer turmoil of events. Only on the editorial pages of our newspapers is there much substantive discussion of the prudence or imprudence of engaging in this particular war.

And this is no small conflagration we contemplate. This is no simple attempt to defang a villain. No. This coming battle, if it materializes, represents a turning point in U.S. foreign policy and possibly a turning point in the recent history of the world.

This nation is about to embark upon the first test of a revolutionary doctrine applied in an extraordinary way at an unfortunate time. The doctrine of preemption -- the idea that the United States or any other nation can legitimately attack a nation that is not imminently threatening but may be threatening in the future -- is a radical new twist on the traditional idea of self defense. It appears to be in contravention of international law and the UN Charter. And it is being tested at a time of world-wide terrorism, making many countries around the globe wonder if they will soon be on our -- or some other nation's -- hit list. High level Administration figures recently refused to take nuclear weapons off of the table when discussing a possible attack against Iraq. What could be more destabilizing and unwise than this type of uncertainty, particularly in a world where globalism has tied the vital economic and security interests of many nations so closely together? There are huge cracks emerging in our time-honored alliances, and U.S. intentions are suddenly subject to damaging worldwide speculation. Anti-Americanism based on mistrust, misinformation, suspicion, and alarming rhetoric from U.S. leaders is fracturing the once solid alliance against global terrorism which existed after September 11.

Here at home, people are warned of imminent terrorist attacks with little guidance as to when or where such attacks might occur. Family members are being called to active military duty, with no idea of the duration of their stay or what horrors they may face. Communities are being left with less than adequate police and fire protection. Other essential services are also short-staffed. The mood of the nation is grim. The economy is stumbling. Fuel prices are rising and may soon spike higher.

This Administration, now in power for a little over two years, must be judged on its record. I believe that that record is dismal.

In that scant two years, this Administration has squandered a large projected surplus of some $5.6 trillion over the next decade and taken us to projected deficits as far as the eye can see. This Administration's domestic policy has put many of our states in dire financial condition, under funding scores of essential programs for our people. This Administration has fostered policies which have slowed economic growth. This Administration has ignored urgent matters such as the crisis in health care for our elderly. This Administration has been slow to provide adequate funding for homeland security. This Administration has been reluctant to better protect our long and porous borders.

In foreign policy, this Administration has failed to find Osama bin Laden. In fact, just yesterday we heard from him again marshaling his forces and urging them to kill. This Administration has split traditional alliances, possibly crippling, for all time, International order-keeping entities like the United Nations and NATO. This Administration has called into question the traditional worldwide perception of the United States as well-intentioned, peacekeeper. This Administration has turned the patient art of diplomacy into threats, labeling, and name calling of the sort that reflects quite poorly on the intelligence and sensitivity of our leaders, and which will have consequences for years to come.

Calling heads of state pygmies, labeling whole countries as evil, denigrating powerful European allies as irrelevant -- these types of crude insensitivities can do our great nation no good. We may have massive military might, but we cannot fight a global war on terrorism alone. We need the cooperation and friendship of our time-honored allies as well as the newer found friends whom we can attract with our wealth. Our awesome military machine will do us little good if we suffer another devastating attack on our homeland which severely damages our economy. Our military manpower is already stretched thin and we will need the augmenting support of those nations who can supply troop strength, not just sign letters cheering us on.

The war in Afghanistan has cost us $37 billion so far, yet there is evidence that terrorism may already be starting to regain its hold in that region. We have not found bin Laden, and unless we secure the peace in Afghanistan, the dark dens of terrorism may yet again flourish in that remote and devastated land.

Pakistan as well is at risk of destabilizing forces. This Administration has not finished the first war against terrorism and yet it is eager to embark on another conflict with perils much greater than those in Afghanistan. Is our attention span that short? Have we not learned that after winning the war one must always secure the peace?

And yet we hear little about the aftermath of war in Iraq. In the absence of plans, speculation abroad is rife. Will we seize Iraq's oil fields, becoming an occupying power which controls the price and supply of that nation's oil for the foreseeable future? To whom do we propose to hand the reigns of power after Saddam Hussein?

Will our war inflame the Muslim world resulting in devastating attacks on Israel? Will Israel retaliate with its own nuclear arsenal? Will the Jordanian and Saudi Arabian governments be toppled by radicals, bolstered by Iran which has much closer ties to terrorism than Iraq?

Could a disruption of the world's oil supply lead to a world-wide recession? Has our senselessly bellicose language and our callous disregard of the interests and opinions of other nations increased the global race to join the nuclear club and made proliferation an even more lucrative practice for nations which need the income?

In only the space of two short years this reckless and arrogant Administration has initiated policies which may reap disastrous consequences for years.

One can understand the anger and shock of any President after the savage attacks of September 11. One can appreciate the frustration of having only a shadow to chase and an amorphous, fleeting enemy on which it is nearly impossible to exact retribution.

But to turn one's frustration and anger into the kind of extremely destabilizing and dangerous foreign policy debacle that the world is currently witnessing is inexcusable from any Administration charged with the awesome power and responsibility of guiding the destiny of the greatest superpower on the planet. Frankly many of the pronouncements made by this Administration are outrageous. There is no other word.

Yet this chamber is hauntingly silent. On what is possibly the eve of horrific infliction of death and destruction on the population of the nation of Iraq -- a population, I might add, of which over 50% is under age 15 -- this chamber is silent. On what is possibly only days before we send thousands of our own citizens to face unimagined horrors of chemical and biological warfare -- this chamber is silent. On the eve of what could possibly be a vicious terrorist attack in retaliation for our attack on Iraq, it is business as usual in the United States Senate.

We are truly "sleepwalking through history." In my heart of hearts I pray that this great nation and its good and trusting citizens are not in for a rudest of awakenings.

To engage in war is always to pick a wild card. And war must always be a last resort, not a first choice. I truly must question the judgment of any President who can say that a massive unprovoked military attack on a nation which is over 50% children is "in the highest moral traditions of our country". This war is not necessary at this time. Pressure appears to be having a good result in Iraq. Our mistake was to put ourselves in a corner so quickly. Our challenge is to now find a graceful way out of a box of our own making. Perhaps there is still a way if we allow more time.

Link to the Senate web site with the above speech.
http://byrd.senate.gov/byrd_newsroom/byrd_news_feb/news_2003_february/news_2003_february_9.html

Musically yours,
Mickie & Elizabeth Zekley
Lark Camp Directors

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[SuziQ]

Hi DT! Good to see you! Thanks for the link to the video. I heard Rush talking about it yesterday, and saw several references to it on FR last night. What a hoot, and what ill informed people! There was a great article today in the Opinion Journal about the protesters. You can see it Here

[2Jedismom]

God help me, I'm literally shaking all over I am so angry.

[Dawntreader]

Morning all! :-)

I've been swamped at work and have been crashing when I get home. Today is Friday so I'm slacking off a bit to catch up....although I only made it to post 15450...I just can't read that many in one sitting!

[Dawntreader]

Ok what is a funkle? I never did get that....