The Who's Who of AFT/RABT 2008

Paul S. Person wrote:
> On Sat, 05 Jan 2008 22:28:21 -0500, Flame of the West
> <SPAM_ME_NOT_jsolinas DeleteThis @comcast.net> wrote:
>
>> Morgoth's Curse wrote:
>
> <snippo>
>
>>> How did you discover the works of J.R.R. Tolkien?:
>> Better sit down for this one. I once saw the Rankin-Bass version of The
>> Hobbit at my brother's house and was interested enough to read the book
>> (with the encouragement of my wife).
>
> I don't see why we need to sit down. The Rankin-Bass version of /TH/
> is closer to the source than PJ's /LOTR/ is to its source, and, just
> as Bakshi's /LOTR/ looked a whole better after PJ's came out (no more
> amused references to F-stops and Elves, for one thing), so also the
> Rankin-Bass version of /TH/ may look nearly perfect after PJ's version
> of /TH/. And, after all, /TH/ is a children's book, Rankin-Bass
> produced children's programming -- why should the result not be
> considered quite good?

I agree, and I still like the B-R version of Hobbit, even now having
read the book. But I'm sure I scandalized more than one purist here,
which is why I recommended that the reader sit down. I'd hate to be
responsible for someone fainting from a standing position and breaking
his nose or something!

-- FotW

Reality is for those who cannot cope with Middle-earth.
 >> Stay informed about: The Who's Who of AFT/RABT 2008 

Zorag wrote:
> Morgoth's Curse wrote:
>
>> Heroes:
>
> Hmmm, I don't know.

I hereby retract my original answer, for my newfound heroes are the
people responsible for the following, a masterful synthesis of Tolkien
and choklit:

http://missedmanners.wordpress.com/2008/01/03/battle-of-pelennor-fields/

(Admittedly, choklit does not appear to be the major construction
material, but it is still an admirable effort.)


Zorag
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On Fri, 4 Jan 2008 20:30:59 -0800 (PST), amunminkamutef.DeleteThis@gmail.com
wrote:

>Name/Alias(es):
>
> Mouzafphaerre or Hayreddin Barbarossa in gaming communities; Erundur
>in TLD (The Last Days of the Third Age, a Middle-earth modification
>for the RPG Mount&Blade) This is my first post under alias. I was
>lurking and occasionally popping my head up under my real name through
>usenet until the spambot flood disconcerted me.

Please don't let that discourage you. We hope that you will continue
to post here and contribute our discussions.

>Gender: Y
>
>Age: 32
>
>Nationality: Turkish (I don't believe in nations.)
>
>Posting since: 2006
>
>How did you discover the works of J.R.R. Tolkien?:
>
> Various people on internet communities using aliases taken from the
>Middle-earth legendarium got me curious, as to how come such second-
>rate action movies could have so much influence.
>
>Which of J.R.R. Tolkien's books have you read and which is your
>favorite?:
>
> The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings, Silmarillion, Unfinished Tales,
>The Book of Lost Tales 1-2, The Lays of Beleriand, the articles on
>Beowulf, English and Welsh and invented languages; currently reading
>The Shaping of Middle-earth and Letters (on and off), The Lost Road
>will be the next.
>
>Where would you live if you could dwell anywhere in Middle-earth?:
>Hard to say but Rohan is my choice of the moment.

Which part of Rohan? Edoras? Helm's Deep?

>Which lord would you serve if you lived in Middle-earth? (You can
>choose any of the lords from any of the first three ages.): Eru
>
>Have you ever tried to learn to speak or write any of the languages
>that Tolkien invented?: Some Tengwar.
>
>Has Tolkien inspired you to write any stories of your own?:
>
> Inspired and incited, yes, but I don't find myself really good at it.
>
>Has Tolkien had any impact on the moral choices of your life? (In
>other words, did you recall specific quotes from his works when you
>were trying to figure out what was the right thing to do?):
>
> Not really, but his work has made me feel close to him in some
>aspects. We have properties in common with him and also conflicting
>ones.
>
>Would you recommend the works of Tolkien to your friends?: Yes.
>
>Do you have a favorite Tolkien-related website?: Ardalambion.
>
>What other authors has Tolkien inspired you to read?:
>
> Don't think I'll be content with any if I keep comparing.

I know the feeling... ^_^

Morgoth's Curse
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On Mon, 14 Jan 2008 01:45:26 -0500, Flame of the West
<SPAM_ME_NOT_jsolinas.DeleteThis@comcast.net> wrote:

>Morgoth's Curse wrote:
>
>> Oh? It is rather odd that I can't find any mention of Gimli trying to
>> destroy the Ring at the Council of Elrond or the words "Nobody tosses
>> a dwarf!" in my copy of the Lord of the Rings.
>
>Which version do you have?

I own both the red Houghton Mifflin "Collector's Edition" and the gray
Houghton Mifflin "50th Anniversary Edition." I also owned a paperback
edition, but had to discard it when the binding broke. I considered
scanning it into my word-processing files for future reference, but
it was printed in the '70's and had too many errors.

Morgoth's Curse
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Morgoth's Curse wrote:

> The Who's Who of the Tolkien Newsgroups 2008 *
>
>
> Name/Alias(es):

Steve Morrison -- I used to post as Geirroeth

> Gender:

Male

> Age:

45

> Nationality:

U.S.A.

> Posting since:

June 1, 20004

> Heroes:

Always turn out to have feet of clay

> What are your hobbies and/or interests?:

Pure mathematics, science in general, classical and folk music,
fantasy and science fiction, and various other things -- but
mathematics more than all the others put together.

> What do you dislike?:

I'd rather not even think about all the things I dislike!

> How did you discover the works of J.R.R. Tolkien?:

Kept coming across references to them seemingly everywhere, and
decided to read /TH/ and /LotR/ from curiosity.

> Which of J.R.R. Tolkien's books have you read and which is your
> favorite?:

/LotR/ is easily my favorite. I've read: TH, LotR, Silm, the Tolkien
Reader, RGEO, Smith of Wootton Major, UT, the first two HoME volumes
and large parts of all the others, Letters, Roverandom, the Father
Christmas Letters, the essays in The Monsters and the Critics, and
CoH. I'm currently reading Rateliff's History of The Hobbit, and was
reading Sir Gawain and the Green Knight and will get back to it when
I'm done with Rateliff.

> Which is your favorite character from "The Hobbit"? "The Lord of the
> Rings"? "The Silmarillion"?:

Beorn, Faramir, and Túrin.

> Where would you live if you could dwell anywhere in Middle-earth?:

Probably Rivendell.

> Which lord would you serve if you lived in Middle-earth? (You can
> choose any of the lords from any of the first three ages.):

Galadriel! Hm, but then I'd presumably also have to serve that
jerk Celeborn -- aww, just forget it...

> Have you ever tried to learn to speak or write any of the languages
> that Tolkien invented?:

No, just the alphabets.

> Has Tolkien inspired you to write any stories of your own?:

No, I'm very much a non-writer.

> Has Tolkien had any impact on the moral choices of your life? (In
> other words, did you recall specific quotes from his works when you
> were trying to figure out what was the right thing to do?):

A tough one. I can't think of any specific choice in which I
was directly influenced by anything JRRT wrote, but I'm sure
my attitudes have been influenced by several passages from
LotR. I've frequently thought of "he that breaks a thing to
find out what it is has left the path of wisdom" when reading
about, say, ethical dilemmas concerning whether archaeological
sites should be investigated immediately or kept intact for
future archaeologists who may have less destructive tools
for research. And of late I've been reminded too often of
Faramir's sentiments to the effect that he would rather have
his country loved than feared.

> Would you recommend the works of Tolkien to your friends?:

Of course, but it would depend on which friend.

> Do you have a favorite Tolkien-related website?:

Easily the Tolkien Sarcasm Page.

> What is your favorite Tolkien-related reference book?:

Perhaps Foster's, although it's a bit dated.

> What other authors has Tolkien inspired you to read?:

C.S. Lewis (who in turn inspired me to read some Charles
Williams and David Lindsay). More broadly, Tolkien caused
me to read Norse and Finnish mythology -- and that caused
me to read authors such as Stephan Grundy. His website:

http://stephangrundy.com/

> What other authors do you currently enjoy reading?:

Isaac Asimov, Mark Twain, Arthur C. Clarke, Martin
Gardner, J.K. Rowling, Joseph Conrad, and too many
others to list.

> Did you enjoy any of the movies about Middle-earth?:

Moderately -- as others have said, I liked the visuals much
more than what was done with Tolkien's themes and his
characters.

> Bonus question: Are you friend or foe of TEUNC, the Dark Lord of
> Chaos and Strife?

Well... If I had to choose between TEUNC and FATS, then
TEUNC is generally funnier. But I'm mostly content to sit
back while they call each other all sorts of perfectly
true and applicable names...
 >> Stay informed about: The Who's Who of AFT/RABT 2008 

In rec.arts.books.tolkien Michelle J. Haines <mhaines.TakeThisOut@nanc.com> wrote:
> Jamie Armstrong wrote:
>> Ah, the good old days, when every newbie's rite of passage was to be
>> called an idiot by the softrat, and when we dared not name the Nameless
>> One for fear of calling down His wrath.
> Well, it was bad enough that you almost labeled me a troll, Jamie. :p
> Rat hit a sore spot with his poking and I got all scrappy in return.

We may be succumbing to the time-honoured Confusion of the
Jamies here. *I* remember having been very annoyed at you at
some point, Michelle, but I don't remember Jamie Armstrong
having been. I can't remember what it was all about, so it
can't have been anything important in the long run.

--Jamie. (efil4dreN)
andrews .uwo } Merge these two lines to obtain my e-mail address.
@csd .ca } (Unsolicited "bulk" e-mail costs everyone.)
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Jamie Armstrong wrote:

(snip)

> Out of interest, has anyone bought the other Hammond and Scull book, the
> 'Tolkien Companion and Guide chronology'? I saw it at the same time as
> the Guide, and had a flick through that too, but as far as I could tell
> it was simply a day-by-day guide to Tolkien's life, which seemed
> obsessive even for me! Is there any actual value in it for studying
> Middle-earth?

Yes, I have it. It's pretty much as you say, a collection of
biographical snippets which mostly wouldn't warrant inclusion in a
formal biography such as Carpenter's. The authors say part of the
point is to show how busy JRRT was, even in retirement -- the demands
on his time made it very difficult for him to finish the /Silm/ (or
much of anything else.)

It might have been useful during the controversy as to whether C.S.
Lewis and JRRT attended a performance of /Der Ring/ at Covent Garden;
the "Notes" for 26 March 1934 shows that they and CSL's brother met
regularly to read the librettos to prepare for such an outing, but
another Inkling failed to get tickets; and that Priscilla Tolkien
recalled JRRT and CSL attending at least one of the operas at Covent
Garden.

However, that would only require one person on the NG to have a copy!
You probably don't need it.
 >> Stay informed about: The Who's Who of AFT/RABT 2008 

A little late in replying, but anyway:

Morgoth's Curse wrote:
> The Who's Who of the Tolkien Newsgroups 2008 *
>
>
> Name/Alias(es): Kristian Damm Jensen
>
> Gender: Male
>
> Age: 43
>
> Nationality: Danish
>
> Posting since: 1992
>
> Heroes: Gandhi
>
> What are your hobbies and/or interests?: Science Fiction/Fantasy,
> Gymnastics, Gardening.
>
> What do you dislike?: Dishonesty, disrespect for others.
>
> How did you discover the works of J.R.R. Tolkien?: Through a book club.
>
> Which of J.R.R. Tolkien's books have you read and which is your
> favorite?:
LotR -> Favourite.
The Hobbit
Silmarillion
Farmer Giles of Ham
Tree and Leaf
HoME I-V

> Which is your favorite character from "The Hobbit"? "The Lord of the
> Rings"? "The Silmarillion"?:
The Hobbit: Balin
LotR: Faramir
Silmarillion: Fingolfin.

> Where would you live if you could dwell anywhere in Middle-earth?:
Lothlorien

> Which lord would you serve if you lived in Middle-earth? (You can
> choose any of the lords from any of the first three ages.):
Fingolfin

> Have you ever tried to learn to speak or write any of the languages
> that Tolkien invented?:
No

> Has Tolkien inspired you to write any stories of your own?:
No.

> Has Tolkien had any impact on the moral choices of your life? (In
> other words, did you recall specific quotes from his works when you
> were trying to figure out what was the right thing to do?):
No.

> Would you recommend the works of Tolkien to your friends?:
I would, if they hadn't read it already.

> Do you have a favorite Tolkien-related website?:
No, not at the moment.

> What is your favorite Tolkien-related reference book?:
Fonstads Atlas od Middle-Earth.

> What other authors has Tolkien inspired you to read?:
None

> What other authors do you currently enjoy reading?:
Terry Pratchett

> Did you enjoy any of the movies about Middle-earth?:
Yes, well, somewhat. In that order.

> Bonus question: Are you friend or foe of TEUNC, the Dark Lord of
> Chaos and Strife?
Friend, most certainly. You don't want to come down on their bad side.

--
Venlig hilsen /Best regards
Kristian Damm Jensen
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On Sat, 05 Jan 2008 01:17:53 +0100, Troels Forchhammer
<Troels.RemoveThis@ThisIsFake.invalid> wrote:

>I'm siure that Tyop ewill forgive me for not using the address part for
>my obeisance to her. Or I might simply get my GPS and send Peter the
>coordinates (can you misspell a number? I might of course get the N and
>the E wrong, but he /knows/ what it's supposed to be).
>
>> and Peter will get lost or arrive too late and find that you and
>> Ojevind have quaffed all the beer.
>
>There is no bar in Copenhagen small enough for me to drink enough of
>their beer for someone half as sane as Öjevind to finish it off . . .
>but if he is really late he may have to pay for himself

Alas, Troels, you were one of the Wise of the Tolkien newsgroups, but
you have unmasked yourself as a Sinister Scandinavian Scoundrel at
last. Well, the choices, it seems, are to submit to Tyope or to
Morambar. I will take neither. Have you others to offer?

Morgoth's Curse
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In message <news:scvgq35fatodi9utijijqhk2mm9cb1b6gu@4ax.com>
Morgoth's Curse <morgothscurse2002.DeleteThis@nospam.yahoo.com> spoke these
staves:
>

<snip>

> Alas, Troels, you were one of the Wise of the Tolkien newsgroups,
> but you have unmasked yourself as a Sinister Scandinavian
> Scoundrel at last.

Even the wise need a vice lest our wisdom holds us in a vice. (You've
got to admit that that was pretty irresistible.)

And as vices go, I'd say that the occasional genuflection to the Holy
Tyope really isn't all that bad (and not being able to contribute
significantly to the drying up of a Copenhagen Bar isn't a vice, but a
virtue -- unless, of course, the beer is weiß).

And now I think I've exhausted my possibilities here . . . vice-wise, I
mean

--
Troels Forchhammer
Valid e-mail is <troelsfo(a)gmail.com>
Please put [AFT], [RABT] or 'Tolkien' in subject.

In this case the cause (not the 'hero') was triumphant,
because by the exercise of pity, mercy, and forgiveness of
injury, a situation was produced in which all was redressed
and disaster averted.
- J.R.R. Tolkien, /The Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien/ #192
 >> Stay informed about: The Who's Who of AFT/RABT 2008 

Troels Forchhammer wrote:

>In message <news:scvgq35fatodi9utijijqhk2mm9cb1b6gu@4ax.com>
>Morgoth's Curse <morgothscurse2002.DeleteThis@nospam.yahoo.com> spoke these
>staves:
>
><snip>
>
>> Alas, Troels, you were one of the Wise of the Tolkien newsgroups,
>> but you have unmasked yourself as a Sinister Scandinavian
>> Scoundrel at last.
>
>Even the wise need a vice lest our wisdom holds us in a vice. (You've
>got to admit that that was pretty irresistible.)

In USAnian, that last one is generally spelled "vise" - though
pronounced with either an ess or zee sound, more often zee in my
experience.

>And as vices go, I'd say that the occasional genuflection to the Holy
>Tyope really isn't all that bad (and not being able to contribute
>significantly to the drying up of a Copenhagen Bar isn't a vice, but a
>virtue -- unless, of course, the beer is weiß).
>
>And now I think I've exhausted my possibilities here . . . vice-wise, I
>mean

When they make you President, I want to be your Vice-!

Jim Deutch (JimboCat)
--
"If Superman ran against The Flash for public office, who would win
that race?" -- tphile
 >> Stay informed about: The Who's Who of AFT/RABT 2008 

On Feb 5, 10:54 am, Morgoth's Curse
<morgothscurse2....RemoveThis@nospam.yahoo.com> wrote:
> On Sat, 05 Jan 2008 01:17:53 +0100, Troels Forchhammer
>
> <Tro....RemoveThis@ThisIsFake.invalid> wrote:
> >I'm siure that Tyop ewill forgive me for not using the address part for
> >my obeisance to her. Or I might simply get my GPS and send Peter the
> >coordinates (can you misspell a number? I might of course get the N and
> >the E wrong, but he /knows/ what it's supposed to be).
>
> >> and Peter will get lost or arrive too late and find that you and
> >> Ojevind have quaffed all the beer.  
>
> >There is no bar in Copenhagen small enough for me to drink enough of
> >their beer for someone half as sane as Öjevind to finish it off . . .
> >but if he is really late he may have to pay for himself
>
> Alas, Troels, you were one of the Wise of the Tolkien newsgroups, but
> you have unmasked yourself as a Sinister Scandinavian Scoundrel at
> last.  Well, the choices, it seems, are to submit to Tyope or to
> Morambar.  I will take neither.  Have you others to offer?  

why not join RUNTS (rogsylvanian univ. of tolkien studies) or ROG-COLI
(rogsylvanian college of lower instruction)?

our standards are so high that those who can't make the grade die!
 >> Stay informed about: The Who's Who of AFT/RABT 2008 

</lurk>

*Name/Alias(es):*
Barb/Belba Grubb From Stock

*Gender: *
Realist (per G. K. Chesterton: ""Women are the only realists; their
whole object in life is to pit their realism against the extravagant,
excessive, and occasionally drunken idealism of men." - A Handful of
Authors)

*Age: *
Fourth.

*Nationality: *
American.

*Posting since: *
Oh, 2002 or 2003, perhaps -- I forget; have been in extreme lurk mode
longer than that, and shall return to it after this post.

*Heroes: *
Many.

*What are your hobbies and/or interests?: *
Besides JRRT, I enjoy (in no particular order) writing, cats,
meteorology (nothing like an F4 to pique one's interest: Tuscaloosa,
Alabama, December 2000), geology, learning more about the American
South, old movies, morality tales, and cooking.

*What do you dislike?: *
Kidneys as a food, abusive people, and the sensation of disliking
something.

*How did you discover the works of J.R.R. Tolkien?: *
One day in high school I took out "The Hobbit" from the school library
because it had an interesting cover (hand-drawn by the author). I
finished it in a couple of days and moved on to "The Lord of the
Rings" after that.

*Which of J.R.R. Tolkien's books have you read and which is your
favorite?: *
Besides the two mentioned above, "The Silmarillion" and "Mr. Bliss." I
have also read "Letters" and some shorter works by JRRT. I can't
answer the second half of the question.

*Which is your favorite character from "The Hobbit"? "The Lord of
the
Rings"? "The Silmarillion"?: *
Bilbo. Sam. Eru.

*Where would you live if you could dwell anywhere in Middle-earth?: *
Fangorn, with Treebeard's consent.

*Which lord would you serve if you lived in Middle-earth? (You can
choose any of the lords from any of the first three ages.): *
None. That would make me eligible only for Fangorn, Bree, and the
Shire, I believe, though in the Shire, I probably would end up waiting
on the Old Took. (BG)

*Have you ever tried to learn to speak or write any of the languages
that Tolkien invented?: *
Yes - I have explored the Tengwar a bit, its forms and alphabets.

*Has Tolkien inspired you to write any stories of your own?: *
His works -- "The Hobbit" and "The Lord Of The Rings" in particular --
actually have been a sort of creative writing course for me, and his
"On Fairy-stories" an ongoing source of thought and inspiration.

*Has Tolkien had any impact on the moral choices of your life? (In
other words, did you recall specific quotes from his works when you
were trying to figure out what was the right thing to do?): *
-- He showed me that it is possible to slay dragons.
-- He convinced me that the answer to the Great Question is "yes."
That is no small thing.
-- I use one quote in particular in my sig at a weather forum during
these difficult days: Haldir's response to Merry's saying he wished
he'd never left the Shire.

*Would you recommend the works of Tolkien to your friends?: *
Yes. They seem to want to watch the movies, though, and one of them
constantly gets the ring business confused with Wagner. Sigh.

*Do you have a favorite Tolkien-related website?: "
Here I am. I know, this is a Usenet group not a Web site. I would also
bow toward "The Grey Havens," whose owner was patient beyond merit and
also kind enough to post an idea I once had about Tom Bombadil.

*What is your favorite Tolkien-related reference book?: *
"Letters."

*What other authors has Tolkien inspired you to read?: *
In modern English, G. K. Chesterton, though not a direct
recommendation from JRRT, of course -- more of a general pointing in
that direction. I have toyed with the idea of learning the older form
of the language and reading "Beowulf," but so far have made no moves
in that direction.

*What other authors do you currently enjoy reading?: *
None currently; I have very little time. Well, that's not true - I did
enjoy a short story by Bret Harte a little while ago.

*Did you enjoy any of the movies about Middle-earth?: *
They made movies about Middle-earth?

Barb
<lurk>
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