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.

[Bear_in_RoseBear]

Especially when Allan Quatermain is played by Sean Connery...

Have I mentioned that the "League" have Captain Nemo and his submarine providing transportation for them?

[HairOfTheDog]

Did you get in a dither about HP? - Heh...

By 'dither' are you referring to the magic and such? Only a few who are really steadfast evangelize about LoTR the way they do HP. They don't have much of a leg to stand on with LoTR, as Tolkien was unquestionably Christian and Catholic, and good friends with CS Lewis. LoTR is recommended by many Christian organizations. So most don't attack Tolkien from a Christian perspective. Once you have read them or - even once you have seen the rest of the films, you will probably understand why it is different.

I have never read a Potter book, I saw one of the movies under duress because a friend loves them... I am not against them at all, but they are written, I think, for kids and I don't have any. As an official position I think they are harmless. None of the spells in HP can turn anyone into a newt, Jen has tried! ;~D

[PayNoAttentionManBehindCurtain]

As I said I have not read or seen HP. I have not gotten into a dither:) LOL, because I haven't read or seen them and have no opinion now.

As I said to Jen though if magic used in HP is the problem then the magic used in LOTR should be a problem no matter the author is Christian or not. I am just curious as to why there was not the stink raised over LOTR as there was about HP. I said to Mack last night exactly what you said. HP is for kids, that is probably why it causes the fuss. But if you are Christian you should know that God said that everyone (not just kids) should stay away from all magic.

Basically, I am just woolgathering about the complexities of peoples thoughts:) Why HP caused so much negitive response and LOTR didn't.

Becky

[HairOfTheDog]

So the use of magic to defeat evil in LOTR would be no different then magic used in HP to defeat evil.

OK - I think this is the difference. In HP.... Mortals can learn and perform magic, and it is 'set' in the real world.

Jen is much more knowledgeable on this stuff than I am, but this is my take on why it doesn't (or shouldn't) upset people as much. in LoTR, the entire world they are in is imaginary, none of the races of people really exist, and it is not set in a world that has Christianity as an option. It is entirely mythical. But even in that context, the only ones with any magic ability are not mortals, not human. So magic is not something that can be learned and mastered by mortals, it just is. The wizards in LoTR are immortal, Maia, sent by Ilúvatar (a knowing Creator) to Middle Earth with specific missions to accomplish. I don't know how Jen makes parallels from that to how some, such as Saruman, can corrupt those powers and use them for evil.

[PayNoAttentionManBehindCurtain]

Wasn't Aragon and Boromic (sp) human, I thought they were? If they had put on the ring would they have had powers?

Becky

[HairOfTheDog]

In a sense they would have powers, but really, they are just having powers inflicted on them by the ring. The ring affects them, they don't affect *it*.

[HairOfTheDog]

In this context you could also consider the Hobbits to be human, as they are mortal also.

[JenB]

I do think the different stances on HP and LotR are just hypocrisy. But maybe some people see the only "magic" in LotR being used by Gandalf or the bad guys, none of whom are human. (That's not quite true, though; what do we call - oh darn, Becky hasn't read it yet - Aragorn's healing abilities, if not magic?).

But then again, I know a woman who does not object to LotR, but refuses to let her children watch Mary Poppins because "Mary must be a witch".

[2Jedismom]

I was just logging on to see if you had heard anything! Yippeee!

Call me if you need to get in touch with me, because on the weekends, while the hubby is home, I hardly ever get on the computer. Still have my number?

[HairOfTheDog]

This might help to at least understand the powers inherent in the ring...

Simply put, the ring gives power according to the stature and 'power' of the one who bears it. It corrupts and twists people's own weakness or desires. For powerful people, like Gandalf, it would make them terribly powerful indeed. Gandalf is of the same 'kind' as Sauron. But not even Gandalf could turn it into a force for good, because its created purpose was evil. It would corrupt Gandalf's desire to do good into a desire to use it, and it would in the end corrupt Gandalf into a new version of Sauron. Galadriel, too would be terribly powerful if she had it. Or Elrond.

For people like Boromir and Aragorn, who have great ambition to be great warriors and heroic leaders of men, they would desire it as a tool to do that, and the ring would corrupt that into a desire for power, as it did in Boromir, and as Aragorn felt but resisted.

That is why it is safest in the hands of the hobbits. The hobbits have no big ambitions to rule or personal power to currupt, they would rather just avoid trouble altogether, so for them, it makes them invisible but they have not the desire for power for the ring to get a foothold in their minds. Because they have no real ambitions to corrupt, it has a much slower effect on them, but they are not immune, you saw that with Bilbo.

[2Jedismom]

Funny you should mention it...mine gave out after just a year of functioning. Just one day quit reading the disks.

So I sit here with this wonderful extended edition and can't watch it.

Tell me what you find out about a GOOD DVD player!

[PayNoAttentionManBehindCurtain]

but refuses to let her children watch Mary Poppins because "Mary must be a witch".

LOL, how does she view Samatha Stevens:). That hits the nail on the head. Why the people up in arms over HP, never said much about LOTR, or did I just miss it? Becky

[2Jedismom]

Oh, and the babies did fine all night. They were asleep when I got up and right after that they got up and stretched and ate and drank.

The boys have them out in the yard now. I'm downloading more pics! LOL They are all unbelievably cute and I think the chicks think Matthew and Joshua are their flock, because they hang around where ever they are! Very cute!

[PayNoAttentionManBehindCurtain]

You don't have to worry about missing anything, they might start pipping tomorrow, but the majority of them will come on Mon. At least that is the way it has been so far...Yes I still have your number.

Becky

[2Jedismom]

Ok...keep me posted!

[2Jedismom]

More pictures!

Roy is the black one with reddish wings, and Jar Jar has the cream color on her.

[HairOfTheDog]

Can anyone recommend a good DVD player?

I HIGHLY recommend my Philips. I thought you had the same one until you said it wouldn't play one of the files... It plays nicely, didn't skip at that one spot many others skip on in FoTR, is progressive scan, and, most importantly, has been able to read every DVD formatted file, VCD or MPG I have tried in it, all the ones that many of the others in here were not able to play on other machines.

PICTURE QUALITY
• 3:2 Pull down progressive scan
• Component, S-Video, and Composite Output
• Digital Zoom
SOUND QUALITY
• Optical and Coaxial Digital Audio output (PCM/MPEG/
Dolby Digital/DTS)
• Philips 3-D surround sound for real surround effect on stereo
output
• 96kHz/24 bit Audio DAC
• Dolby Digital and DTS decoder built-in for amazing home
theater sound quality
GREAT CONVENIENCE
• Plays DVD-Video/VCD/SVCD/MP3-CD/CD-R/CD-RW/CD
Audio/Picture CD
• Enhanced Parental Control with Disc Lock
• Disc Resume: 5 Disc Resume
• Picture CD: view Camera Photo on TV (JPG format)

Technical specifications DVD Q35

Playback system • DVD-Video • SVCD • Picture CD • 1 • CD (CD-R and CD-RW)1 Optical read-out system • Laser type Semiconductor AlGaAs • Numerical Aperture 0.60 (DVD) 0.45 (VCD/SVCD/CD) • Wavelength 650 nm (DVD) 780 nm (VCD/SVCD/CD) DVD disc format • Medium • Diameter 12 cm ( ) • Playing time 2 (12cm) Dual layer 4 h2 Two side, 2 Two side, 8 h2 dual layer TV standard PAL NTSC 50Hz 60Hz • Number of lines 625 525 • Playback Multi standard (PAL/NTSC) Video format • VCD DVD 50Hz 60Hz 720 pixels 720 pixels Vertical resolution 576 lines 480 lines 50Hz 60Hz Horiz. resolution 352 pixels 352 pixels Vertical resolution 288 lines 240 lines Video performance • Video output 1 Vpp into 75 ohm • S-Video Output Y: 1 Vpp into 75 ohm C: 0.3 Vpp into 75 ohm • Component video output Y: 1 Vpp into 75 ohm PR 0.7Vpp into 75 ohm PB 0.7Vpp into 75 ohm DVD-Video player Dolby Prologic is trademark of Dolby Laboratories Licensing Inc. Specifications subject to change without prior notice. Q35-USA

General functionality • Stop/ play/ pause • / backward • Step forward • Title / track select • Skip next / skip previous • / title/ all) or (Track / all) • Zoom • Screen Saver • Resume (5 discs) after stop • Parental control and disc lock (80 disc) • Programming Titles / chapters or track with Favourite Track Selection (FTS) DVD functionality • Audio selection (1 out of max. 8 languages) (16:9, 4:3 letterbox, 4:3 Pan Scan) • Disc Menu support (title menu and root menu) Video CD functionality • Playback control for VCD 2.0 discs SCVD functionality • Playback control as per SCVD standard • Audio selection (1 out of max. 4 languages) Picture CD & MP-3 functionality • Playback pictures one by one automatically • Display the picture customer preferred • Zoom the picture • Rotate the picture • Flip the picture vertically or horizontally • Control the playback speed • Album and track selection • Repeat (disc / album / track / pictures) • Nested directory levels supported to 8 levels • Max. album numbers possible is 32 • Max. MP3 Tracks Programmable is 99 • Max. Number of Tracks 999 1 Only Applicable for Single session finalised disc. 2 Typical playing time for movie with 2 spoken languages and 3 subtitle languages.

Audio format • Digital MPEG / Dolby Compressed Digital Digital / PCM 16, 20, 24 bits fs, 44.1, 48, 96 kHz MP3 (ISO 9660) 24, 32, 56, 64, 96, 128, 256 kbps & variable bit rate fs, 16, 22.05, 24, 32, 44.1, 48 kHz • Analog Sound Stereo • 3D sound for virtual 5.1 channel sound on 2 speakers Audio performance (typical) • D/A converter 24 bits DVD: Fs 96 kHz 4 Hz- 22 kHz Fs 48 kHz 4 Hz- 22 kHz SVCD: Fs 48 kHz 4 Hz- 22 kHz Fs 44.1 kHz 4 Hz- 20 kHz • Signal-noise (1kHz) >95 dB • Crosstalk (1kHz) >90 dB • Distortion/Noise (1kHz) >80 dB Connections • Cinch (Red/Green/Blue) • S-Video output Mini DIN, 4-pins • Video output Cinch (yellow) • Audio L+R Output Cinch (white/ red) • Digital Output 1 coaxial, 1 optical IEC958 for CDDA/LPCM IEC1937 for MPEG1/2, Digital Dolby Power supply • Power inlet 110V, 60 Hz • Power usage Approx. 20 watt Cabinet • Dimensions 435 x 72 x 294 mm (w x h x d) • Weight Approx. 3.0 kg Package contents • DVD-video player • User's manual • Video cable

They are cheap here ( Philips DVDQ35 Progressive Scan DVD Electroline4u.com ) so you might shop around....

And if I were buying today I would get the multi-disk machines... I didn't realize when I bought them that most of the movies I was gonna watch would be 2 or 3 or 4 disks long!

[HairOfTheDog]

When I bought it, it was almost $250

[Corin Stormhands]

So, I should know this already. How much of that story (Braveheart) was "factual?"

[HairOfTheDog]

How fun! - You know.... Becky would know if this is likely to be true in yours, but the free-range chickens my ex-boyfriend had could fly up to ten feet or so to low branches in trees. They were pretty small and relatively lean chickens, not big beefy meat chickens like these might turn out to be.

You may, as they grow, want to clip their flight feathers so they can't get over your fence.