h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

*Kicks Bombadil between his big yellow boots*

Thats what i think of him... and i hope they turn as blue as his damn hat!

How many times has Middle Earth been threatened?

If TB has seen a steady stream of would-be Middle Earth saviours, then he's been very remiss in not helping them.

How do I change a normal music file (ie. one from a CD) into MP3 format? (yes, it's probably obvious, but I'm a personage of advanced years with very little brain. Probably I should take this to Ask h2g2)

cool

I think Asmodai is jealous because Goldberry is waiting for Tom and not him.



I have decided to like Bombadil on the grounds that, like Glorfindel, he has no business being where he is or as cheerful as he is...but despite everything...there he is!

You have to admire that in a person.

Yes that is very true - I think it is an admirable trait - well of course I would I am like that meself.


Turning CD's into MP3's - haven't a clue - changed MP3's to CD's when burning CD's but I do know there is a way to do it - ask a IT Techie - they should be able to help - as for me I will just carry on in my limited knowledge of Software, Zip all knowledge in hardware and be happy in the idea that head does not hurt with info overload.

To turn a CD into an mp3 you just need to download some free software off the internet. I use dBpowerAMP music convertor, which seems to work fine and I also use to compress mp3 files that are higher quality than they need to be. There is plenty of other stuff if you look.

One thing I've found when looking for file format conversion software, the best way is to google it with the following format "cd to mp3". Include the quotes.

Googler, the verb to google. I google, you google, it googles, we google, they google. I have googled...simple pleasures...

Ooh, if you feel shot down...
Old is relative. I realise that now I am old.

What I like about Tom Bombadil... I like that he is on the periphery, but that he is aware of what's going on, and that he has power. At first, he seems like a complete irritant - my son (16) loathes him, and got stuck on LotR til I told him it's okay to skip TB.
I like that Tom B is enigmatic, and there should be a separate book about him. Hold on, I think there is, isn't there. Does anyone have details?

To turn CDs into MP3s you don't need any special software; Windows Media Player does it for free (I don't have a Mac, so don't ask). Just click the button that says 'Copy from CD' and boof. Well, it takes more than that, but it works better than 3rd-party MP3 software. But that's just my oh so humble opinion.

And Tom Bombadil _is_ a jerk.

The way I see it the way the ring works is it will give you what you want and so corrupt you by sliding into your confidence that way. If you have all that you want then the ring cannot touch you (Mr Bombadil), if you do not want very much then it has a hard time with you (Hobbits), but if you want something then it can get it's claws into you. So Tom could still be Gandalf kin, just with no needs or ambitions the ring is but a trinket to him. Just my thought on it Well, until later....
BCNU - Crescent

Spot on Chresent ACE

Yep, Crescent nailed it.

All the folks with actual power and a need formore daren't go near the Ring. Gandalf, Galadriel, Elrond...they all know what would happen. Boromir, bless him, hasn't got a scooby's and therefore thinks it would solve his problems. The result is that the Ring can work on him quietly, leading to...well, leading to disaster.

I like Bombadil, but I thought he was boring until I read the Silmarillion. I'm not sure why seeing as he doesn't feature in it (and no, it isn't that I found the Silmarillion even more boring, because I didn't at all, at worst its heavy going but worth it).

Crescent, that's a fab take on the ring.

I really have to push through the Silmarillion again, I hate the way it's written, but it does link up some fabulous stories. What's his face, Maehdros?... the vision of him hanging there on the wall, and then being rescued like that... that's a vision that really sticks.

And who mentioned Glorfindel as being an unnecessary character up there? Yes he is, with his jingly-bells and all. He's a REAL elf! I love him.

I mentioned Glorfindel as unneccessary and dammit, that's part of his appeal! No one needed a jingly-bell Elf Lord at that point! They could have done with someone not so awe-inspiring...like, well, like they did in the movie!

But there he is, and now not even Black Riders can do a darn thing about him. Glorfindel rules!

sorry, I didn't mean to give the impression that I disgaree!

In fact if you remember, we both agreed before that Glorfindel is just about the bestest thing since sliced bread. Didn't we?

I haven't been able to post in here for the last week or so, as w*rk has been quite hectic, and still is (will someone PLEASE explain the cleaning staff that they should NOT pour water into the electrical sockets... Oops, looks like we need a new server...)
Just popped in to say that, though I don't post, I'm trying to keep up with reading, and there's been some rather interesting posts recently. Agree with most of it (well, except the Windows Media Player bit...), but will try to find time to respond more thoroughly at some point during the weekend. (I think I owe Methos a reply to some previous discussion, too.)



cheers
~Bistro

C S Lewis was that curious thing: an Anglican Catholic. Not all Catholics are Roman Catholics. But all Anglicans are Catholics. But not all Anglicans call themselves Anglican Catholics. Confused? You should be.

To me C S Lewis's religion is detrimental to his stories, where Tolkien's stories are a credit to his religion (whether they are recognised by Rome as such or not). Even more confused? Let's get personal.

My bias: I too was brought up an Anglican, and while I still love lots about that church (when it wasn't heavy) I grew uncomfortable with aspects of it (when it was heavy).

What I'm saying is that Tolkien's religious references have plenty of wieght, but he doesn't impose it on the reader the way Lewis does.

People find similarities in the MS/MacOS dichotomy: MS is very Protestant, Mac is more RC (authoritarian but forgiving).

CS Lewis was originaly an Atheist who converted to Christianity, his books have an uncomfortable evangelical quality to my mind.

JRRT was for the most part Raised by a Roman Catholic Priest, religion was a fundamental integrated part of his life, as much as eating sleeping and breathing, he didn't have to work at it like Lewis did.

For myself I feel lewis was raching into religion for inspiration, rather than out of it in the way Tolkien seems to. The literary styles he suggests in his writing are often pagan ones.

The interesting omission in the background of Middle Earth seems to be Religion, it is presented as a given, no-one appears to bow down and worship anyone, but you know there is a higher power.

The pantheon is described and the realtionships between the different Valar are explored, but the plot is not particularly about worship, more about the urgency for evil to be defeated at almost any cost.

"Religion . . . is presented as a given, no-one appears to bow down and worship anyone, but you know there is a higher power"

I'd say that's the Catholic ideal. Alas it was never to be. I'm reading "The Name of the Rose" which convincingly shows the medieval church split in factions at each other's throats.