Tuesday, March 20, 2001

Are *YOU* Going to BarliBash?
- Jincey @ 21:22 PST

Curunir sends us this update:

"How time flies! Less than five months until we Barlimaniacs will be staring awkwardly at one another in the lobby of a Chicago hotel - BUT, that means you've still got almost three months to BECOME an awkwardly staring Barlimaniac! How's that for lucky, eh?

You *do* want to put faces to the Barliman's nicks, right? I mean REAL faces, not those years-old graduation photos that so many of us have scans of! Nope, I mean real, smiling, happy (possibly somewhat inebriated) faces, warm and filled with the relief of surviving the airport's rigorous cavity search, and the joy of being in a position to carry out all of those /actions IRL!

So, if you'd like to join the teeming throng of Barlimaniacs making the perilous and fair journey to Chicago in August, check out our information page here, or email curunir@theonering.net with any questions you have! I'll do my best to answer any put to me, with the exception of a few, that can only be answered in Chicago.

A few examples of the questions which will be answered in August:

Are Gandalf and Gamgee really the same person, as has been so frequently speculated?

Are those real snakes in jincey's photos, or just very very good tattoos?

How much wood could a woodchuck chuck if a woodchuck could chuck wood? (Okay, I really don't think this one will be answered, but what the heck...)

And, finally...what *does* a biker look like, when toting a feather duster?"

Saturday, March 17, 2001

FotR Live Chats 3/17 & 3/18: Chapter III - Three is Company
- Tookish @ 00:13 PST

Every two weeks we are discussing a new chapter of The Lord of the Rings in our special discussion room called The Hall of Fire. Now it’s time for us to talk about chapter three of The Fellowship of the Ring, Three is Company.

In chapter three, Frodo, Sam, and Pippin leave Hobbiton and set out for Crickhollow. Little do they realize that danger is right on their heels, indeed, right in their neighborhoods and streets! After saying goodbye to Old Winyards, shouldering their packs, and making off like a puff of breeze on the leaves, the Quest unofficially begins as the trio make their way from the tame lands of the hobbits. Here too we encounter our first Black Rider and party of elves, a small band of High Elves lead by Gildor Inglorion.

Our last two FotR sessions were a huge success and we expect this third to be great too, so don’t miss out on the fun!

*Tookish mumbles softly to himself… The Road goes ever ever on, down from the door where it began. Now far ahead the Road has gone, and I must follow, if I can, Pursuing it with weary feet, until it joins some larger way, where many paths and errands meet. And whither then? I cannot say.

Place: #thehalloffire on theonering.net server; come to theonering.net’s chat room Barliman's and then type /join #thehalloffire .

Saturday Chat: 7:00 pm ET (19:00) [also midnight Saturday (24:00) GMT and 10:00 am Sunday (10:00) AET]

Sunday Chat: 8:00 pm (20:00) AET [also 10:00 am (10:00) GMT and 5:00 am (05:00) ET]

Sunday Chat: 6:00 pm (18:00) GMT [also 1:00 pm (13:00) ET and 4:00 am (04:00) Monday morning AET]

ET = Eastern Time, the time on the USA’s east coast
GMT = Greenwich Mean Time, the time in Western Europe
AET = Australian Eastern Time, the time on Australia’s east coast

Questions? Topics? Send ‘em here.

Sunday, March 04, 2001

Hall of Fire open for Discussion 3/10 & 3/11
- Tookish @ 12:25 PST

This time around in the Hall of Fire we’ll delve through one of the concepts that greatly impacted the life and mind of Professor Tolkien.

The Impact of Industrialization on Tolkien and Middle-earth

Tolkien started his life down in the south of Africa in the late 1800’s. As a youth and throughout his life, he witnessed the effect of industrialization and mechanization on both the environments he loved and humanity. A survivor and participant of World Wars, it was Tolkien’s view that in Middle-earth, goblins (orcs) can be credited as those who, “…invented some of the machines that since troubled the world…” (from The Hobbit), and clearly sees this as a bad thing. But did Tolkien think that all industrialization was negative? Evidence points to the opposite as well.

Come sit with us and explore how the industrial era changed the world, according to Tolkien. First timers welcome!

Place: #thehalloffire on theonering.net server; come to theonering.net’s chat room Barliman's and then type /join #thehalloffire .

Saturday Chat: 7:00 pm ET (19:00) [also midnight Saturday (24:00) GMT and 10:00 am Sunday (10:00) AET]

Sunday Chat: 8:00 pm (20:00) AET [also 10:00 am (10:00) GMT and 5:00 am (05:00) ET]

Sunday Chat: 6:00 pm (18:00) GMT [also 1:00 pm (13:00) ET and 4:00 am (04:00) Monday morning AET]

ET = Eastern Time, the time on the USA’s east coast
GMT = Greenwich Mean Time, the time in Western Europe
AET = Australian Eastern Time, the time on Australia’s east coast

Questions? Topics? Send ‘em here.

Sunday, February 25, 2001

Fellowship of the Ring Chapter II Live Chats 3/3 and 3/4
- Tookish @ 13:53 PST

We continue with our discussions of FotR with The Shadow of the Past.

An exciting chapter to be sure! Here we learn of the evil nature of the Ring and the epic power struggle taking place in Middle-earth. Come discuss the details, themes, movie applications, and other ideas on Saturday, March 3, and Sunday, March 4.

Our last Fellowship chat was a massive hit, and the next one promises to be as exciting. Come see what all the hobbits are talking about at one of our three chats this weekend in The Hall of Fire!

Place: #thehalloffire on theonering.net server; come to theonering.net’s chat room Barliman's and then type /join #thehalloffire

Saturday Chat: 7:00 pm ET (19:00) [also midnight Saturday (24:00) GMT and 10:00 am Sunday (10:00) AET]

Sunday Chat: 8:00 pm (19:00) AET [also 10:00 am (10:00) GMT and 5:00 am (05:00) ET]

Sunday Chat: 6:00 pm (18:00) GMT [also 1:00 pm (13:00) ET and 4:00 am (04:00) Monday morning AET]

ET = Eastern Time, the time on the USA’s east coast
GMT = Greenwich Mean Time, the time in Western Europe
AET = Australian Eastern Time, the time on Australia’s east coast

Please send in your questions and topic ideas for future chats right here.

Sunday, February 18, 2001

Hall of Fire takes a break from debating and goes FAN!
- Tookish @ 13:53 PST

For the weekend of February 24th and 25th The Hall of Fire will focus on the work of Tolkien fans far and wide. Our guest moderator will be Smeagol7, long time Barliman’s regular, who has been working on his very own animated Lord of the Rings movie, complete with a trailer! We’ll check out Smeagol7’s work and explore what you other Middle-earth minds have created.

To get warmed up for the chat, you can check out our very own Fan Section. It’s loaded not only with pictures and writing, but also multimedia pieces, wallpaper, screen savers, and more. Bring your fannish thoughts down to the Hall of Fire as we discuss and share our favorite JRR Tolkien fan creations!

Saturday Chat: 7:00 pm ET (19:00) [also midnight Saturday (24:00) GMT and 10:00 am Sunday (10:00) AET]

Sunday Chat: 8:00 pm (19:00) AET [also 10:00 am (10:00) GMT and 5:00 am (05:00) ET] New time! One hour later!

Sunday Chat: 6:00 pm (18:00) GMT [also 1:00 pm (13:00) ET and 4:00 am (04:00) Monday morning AET]

Place: #thehalloffire on theonering.net server; come to our chatroom Barliman's and then type /join #thehalloffire

Thursday, February 15, 2001

New BarliBash Section Added!
- Jincey @ 23:52 PST

So many folks are asking about the upcoming gathering of Barliman's denizens that we thought it would be cool to add a new page that will give all the current details at the click of a mouse. Curunir has fixed us up with an informative, entertaining look at all the plans that are shaping up. [More]

Tuesday, February 06, 2001

Fellowship of the Ring Chapter by Chapter Live Chats!!
- Tookish @ 23:10 PST

Pretty exciting stuff!! Join us as we venture together through Tolkien's own Lord of the Rings, beginning with the Fellowship. Every other weekend we will discuss a chapter of the story, right up until the first film comes out in December. The agenda for discussions is wide open, and first time chatters as well as first time readers of Tolkien are welcome to attend. In between chats there is time for reading each chapter, and folks are welcome to jump in at any time throughout the year.

These book discussions will not conflict with our currently scheduled debates, which will continue on their twice monthly cycle. That makes Hall of Fire active every weekend, so you're sure to find a burning Tolkien discussion in a time zone near you every Saturday and Sunday for a long time to come here at TheOneRing.net.

Comments? Questions? Email 'em right in.

Saturday Chat: 7:00 pm ET (19:00) [also midnight Saturday (24:00) GMT and 10:00 am Sunday (10:00) in Australia]

Sunday Chat: 7:00 pm (19:00) in Australia [also 9:00 am (09:00) GMT and 4:00 am (04:00) ET]

Sunday Chat: 6:00 pm (18:00) GMT [also 1:00 pm (13:00) ET and 4:00 am (04:00) Monday morning in Australia’s]