"Moulin Rouge!" I'm watching for the first time and loving it! I don't even like musicals, but I'm soft-hearted for innocent unabashed love stories. It's so clever and seamless, sweet and ribald, funny and energetic, with tender and true moments weaving it all together. And all that angst looks so gorgeous wrapped in the lush set and costume designs. A beautiful colourful emotive score and words to match. Can't believe I never gave this a chance.

Deb, I just wanted to say a hearty thank you for all the amazing ongoing effort you're putting into this thread. Love the added videos as well

Thanks for passing that along, Sath. Good read, I hadn't seen jabe's post. It exemplifies what I meant by Grant's presence benefiting until it didn't. These types of incidents protected the band but created a kind of huge entity that started to turn on itself from the inside out. When there were no outside rules interfering, 'anything goes' was taken to numbing and then destructive extremes. It's interesting that even when free of outside influences, there are still some forces that exact their pound of flesh. It's a heavy price, but I'm glad that, unlike many, they've gotten through to the other side of all that. Poor Stevie Nicks is about to get Stephen Davised; hopefully it's not a Hammer of the Gods treatment. Love her.

Not strictly something to read, but Tolkien related, always good! I so love these found in an old volume tales as well as any insight to the behind-the-scenes and sometimes tense creative process. The article also relates some info about real life inspirations behind Tolkien's fictional locations (though I think there's still some debate about these...). I love his handwriting, too; it's like a font, just so beautiful and unique. Tolkien's annotated map of Middle-earth discovered inside copy of Lord of the Rings Map goes on sale in Oxford for £60,000 after being found at Blackwell’s Rare Books inside novel belonging to illustrator Pauline Baynes Blackwell’s called the map ‘perhaps the finest piece of Tolkien ephemera to emerge in the last 20 years at least’. Photograph: Blackwell’s Rare Books Alison Flood Friday 23 October 2015 13.48 BST A recently discovered map of Middle-earth annotated by JRR Tolkien reveals The Lord of the Rings author’s observation that Hobbiton is on the same latitude as Oxford, and implies that the Italian city of Ravenna could be the inspiration behind the fictional city of Minas Tirith. The map was found loose in a copy of the acclaimed illustrator Pauline Baynes’ copy of The Lord of the Rings. Baynes had removed the map from another edition of the novel as she began work on her own colour Map of Middle-earth for Tolkien, which would go on to be published by Allen & Unwin in 1970. Tolkien himself had then copiously annotated it in green ink and pencil, with Baynes adding her own notes to the document while she worked. Blackwell’s, which is currently exhibiting the map in Oxford and selling it for £60,000, called it “an important document, and perhaps the finest piece of Tolkien ephemera to emerge in the last 20 years at least”. It shows what Blackwell’s called “the exacting nature” of Tolkien’s creative vision: he corrects place names, provides extra ones, and gives Baynes a host of suggestions about the map’s various flora and fauna. Hobbiton, he notes, “ is assumed to be approx at latitude of Oxford”; Tolkien was a professor of Anglo-Saxon at Oxford University. The notebooks reveal that Hobbiton is on the same latitude as Oxford, and imply that the Italian city of Ravenna could be the inspiration behind Minas Tirith. Photograph: Blackwell’s Rare Books The novelist also uses Belgrade, Cyprus, and Jerusalem as other reference points, and according to Blackwell’s suggests that “the city of Ravenna is the inspiration behind Minas Tirith - a key location in the third book of the Lord of The Rings trilogy”. “The map shows how completely obsessed he was with the details. Anyone else interfered at their peril,” said Sian Wainwright at Blackwell’s. “He was tricky to work with, but very rewarding in the end.” Correspondence between Tolkien and the late and acclaimed illustrator Baynes, who also worked on books for CS Lewis, as well as Baynes’s unpublished diary entries, gives further details about the sometimes thorny relationship between the two. On 21 August 1969, Baynes describes a visit to Tolkien and his wife in Bournemouth, “to chat about a poster map I have to do – he very uncooperative”. The author later apologies for having “been so dilatory”, and a later lunch sees the author “in great form – first names and kissing all round – and pleased with the map”. Henry Gott, modern first editions specialist at Blackwell’s Rare Books, said the map was “an exciting and important discovery: new to scholarship (though its existence is implied by correspondence between the two), it demonstrates the care exercised by both in their mapping of Tolkien’s creative vision”. “Before going on display in the shop this week, this had only ever been in private hands (Pauline Baynes’s for the majority of its existence). One of the points of interest is how much of a hand Tolkien had in the poster map; all of his suggestions, and there are many (the majority of the annotation on the map is his), are reflected in Baynes’s version,” said Gott. “The degree to which it is properly collaborative was not previously apparent, and couldn’t be without a document like this. Its importance is mostly to do with the insight it gives into that process.” Blackwell’s is selling a range of works by Baynes, who died in 2008, aged 85, including a range of her original signed drawings from the Narnia books. This article was amended on 23 October 2015. The map was not found by a Blackwell’s Rare Books specialist, but found in a book handed into the shop. This has been corrected.http://www.theguardian.com/books/2015/oct/23/jrr-tolkien-middle-earth-annotated-map-blackwells-lord-of-the-rings

That's such a vile manipulation of a creative process, like companies thought they owned every creative thought an artist carried and sought ways to make a profit. Jimmy laments not making a penny, but rightly so since he's one of the musicians, and they made money off of using his name. Some of these contracts you hear of are borderline indentured servitude. Thank God for Peter Grant's presence and persuasive ways - when it benefited Zep.

I see, well slightly more so than the wedding set (but for the dresses), I think, but we've already established my 'sharp' eye tonight so perhaps others may feel differently. People talk about closure but I've found that a too-convenient go-to term for loss which tends to shape-shift over time and reappear in different ways and at seemingly random moments outside of the big thresholds like various anniversaries. One constant is that you are each a part of the other still, so it's no wonder you see your Mom's face in your own. Thanks for sharing with us, J

So I just complimented you on looking like yourself? Not the brightest bulb tonight, and I'm sober, too lol. It may help if you have a more front facing one of you. There's no graceful way to bow out of this one but you're both truly beautiful in them.

Yes! Especially the bottom one and your avatar photo, J. Profiles and flowers in the hair are lovely echoes, too

^^ At the bottom of zepscoda's article is another one detailing how about 50,000 new variable objects have been found in the Milky Way from the largest single astronomy photo recently created. It's hard to fathom not only the enormity of the task to put all this info together, but the vastness of all that's out there. Just makes you shake your head and smile in wonder: The largest astronomy image of all time reveals something amazing While we can't show you the entire image, this is a piece of it revealing one of the most active stars in our galaxy called Eta Carinae (identified by the red arrow) and is gaseous environment called the Carina nebula (shown in green). http://www.businessinsider.com/this-is-the-largest-astronomical-image-ever-2015-10 Here's the online tool "...which not only shows the image but also has a search feature you can use to identify specific objects.": http://astro.vm.rub.de/

I don't, that's part of the issue, but thanks for the head's up Maybe some enterprising viewer will record it and post it where others can get access to it.

I think 'needling' was not the right word as I sensed that you both saw her in a positive light, and the Stones references were just a specific example of admiration of a freewheeling lifestyle, especially in contrast to her husband's position, but you guys were in the minority because she really was maligned for just trying to express who she was, make her way through difficult public scrutiny as a politician's wife while dealing with a bi-polar disorder which even today has some stigma, never mind back then. Like a blade of grass that finds its way through a crack in sidewalk concrete, she found her way to the light, and I just wanted to share the article because it gave some insight into how trying that growth has been and that the perception of her over time has rightly shifted.

I know you guys are needling Maggie Trudeau in a good-natured way, but this is a good read that gives some depth to those years and substance to her behaviour throughout them: Let's give Margaret Trudeau the respect she deserves The return to 24 Sussex Dr. can't be easy on a family whose early years were torn apart thereBy Neil Macdonald, CBC News Posted: Oct 22, 2015 5:00 AM ET Last Updated: Oct 22, 2015 5:23 PM ET Justin Trudeau embraces his mother, Margaret, on election night in Montreal. (Justin Tang/CP) http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/canada-politics-margaret-trudeau-neil-macdonald-1.3282894

Hey Deb! Thanks for letting me know. I'm curious to hear the whole interview; Zep and Jason parts are a great bonus. I'll keep checking my usual sources. Hopefully it turns up soon.

Deb, any info on how long before the whole interview ends up online, if at all? I tried to find it, but no luck and I would SO love to see it! Thanks for posting

Thanks, Strider Like Nutrocker said, we'll be bitching about the Liberals soon enough, but this election was really about getting rid of Harper. We nearly had that a while ago when the other parties were going to join forces against the Conservatives, but Harper prorogued Parliament to dodge it - and that's not the worst of it. This was about getting rid of a conniving, controlling PM who had a growing and increasingly Draconian list of policies that were decidedly un-Canadian, and undemocratic. Enough was enough. Good riddance!

See that's interesting because young Plant is just that, and I'm not complaining, but even considering George Orwell's quip, "At 50, everyone gets the face he deserves", I think Robert looks superfine today

Thanks for the trailer, marlam Nutrocker - that's rotten luck you couldn't get to see Zep back in the day, my God... Thanks, man Yeah that was the confusion. I understand the sequence, but of course Episode 4 was the first movie and Episode 1 was the fourth so I wasn't sure if I could count on Episode 7 actually following Episode 3 or 6. Thanks, George Lucas, that read about as well as a Star Wars plot. I was shocked that he sold Lucas Film to Disney because he seems like a guy who likes uber control, but thank goodness for the change as hopefully the story is trimmed and taut and moves along in a way that doesn't make it seem as if the director can't get himself out of a brown paper lunch bag. And there bloody better well not be anything resembling the Jar Jar buffoonery or I may start throwing things at the screen. This was probably one of those situations where many people saw how bad it was but nobody dared say anything to Lucas (not the only time, surely), or they did and he simply said no. I'm curious to see it under new direction, but will strategize to avoid the crazy lines and people.

Zoetrope: All - Story, Summer 2015, a short-story magazine. http://www.all-story.com/issues.cgi?issue_id=73

I'm on the very outside edge of Star Wars interest, so I find this trailer confusing. Older Han Solo and Leia are there, indicating it's in the future, but what's the sequence? Is this supposed to be taking place after 4,5,6 or 1,2,3?

YOU DID IT, CANADA! A historic, landslide victory for the Liberal Party means that Justin Trudeau is the new Prime Minister of a MAJORITY government. To put it in perspective, going into this election, the Liberals had 34 seats; after, 184! They have representation in every province. If there was ever a clear message for change, this is it. Trudeau turfs Harper Conservatives from office, Liberals earn majority mandate https://ca.news.yahoo.com/campaign-2015-over-parties-now-vote-080011729.html Harper really dragged the Conservative party down to the gutter with his politics, and I think many in his own party will be happy to see him go and be able to select someone with integrity who can restore it to one with a better standing pretty much everywhere in Canada not called Alberta (watch many muzzled stories about Harper get voiced. His machinations will keep shadowing him, I have a feeling). We want a strong opposition government, not a strongly vicious one. It'll be interesting to see how that process unfolds and how the party rebuilds itself under new leadership. Apparently, they were sending First Nations voters to other polling areas because the turnout in their areas was so great they ran out of voting cards (by the way, I found out tonight that First Nations people 'got the right' to vote in 1960! Is that not embarrassingly ridiculous?). This campaign, whatever the reason for voting, really got people out and they have been heard. About Facebook, I meant my FB friends were posting frequently, not that there many ads. The Liberal majority came as a huge blow to Harper which is great because he's been a condescending jerk to Trudeau from the time he announced an early election. Mulcair's campaign completely lost momentum, too, going from 90 seats to around 40. Anyway, I feel so happy to see the door open for a new government. Now that there's a government that is willing to work with other parties, next time citizens will be more at ease to vote for who they want.That or the voting system may change. We'll see. Change - feel so good!

Good points, Nutrocker, and if these were all there was to Harper, he'd still be vile, but add to that the silencing of scientists, stonewalling journalists, privatizing water and attempting to do it in healthcare as well, and we've got Bush but more dangerous because he's smarter and more devious. The tricky part about voting Green is that our voting system being what it is, you have to decide between how much you want Harper out versus how much you want to stick to your conviction of who you believe should be voted in even if you know they have no hope of actually winning. I may not like the guy in my area, but feel I need to vote for him to defeat Harper; strategic voting is the pragmatic way I'm going this year. I'll also be glad to no longer see numerous pro - one party or anti - another party posts on Facebook. You post one a day, maybe. Posting each one you find is just obnoxious. You love the one guy and hate the other - WE GET IT. It's not like any two line insult or saccharine platitude will change anyone's mind. Less is more.

Took these on a recent walk...

The Vatican is digitizing its library. Check it out: VATICAN LIBRARY DIGITIZATION PROJECT

Monday is an important day whose results could change the direction of our country, finally - vote, eligible Canucks, VOTE!

Collector's Weekly has an article about the history and lure of tarot cards, along with some photos chronicling their creation in different times and places. Here is an excerpt: Tarot Mythology: The Surprising Origins of the World's Most Misunderstood CardsBy Hunter Oatman-Stanford — June 18th, 2014 The Empress. The Hanged Man. The Chariot. Judgment. With their centuries-old iconography blending a mix of ancient symbols, religious allegories, and historic events, tarot cards can seem purposefully opaque. To outsiders and skeptics, occult practices like card reading have little relevance in our modern world. But a closer look at these miniature masterpieces reveals that the power of these cards isn’t endowed from some mystical source—it comes from the ability of their small, static images to illuminate our most complex dilemmas and desires. Contrary to what the uninitiated might think, the meaning of divination cards changes over time, shaped by each era’s culture and the needs of individual users. This is partly why these decks can be so puzzling to outsiders, as most of them reference allegories or events familiar to people many centuries ago. Caitlín Matthews, who teaches courses on cartomancy, or divination with cards, says that before the 18th century, the imagery on these cards was accessible to a much broader population. But in contrast to these historic decks, Matthews finds most modern decks harder to engage with. “You either have these very shallow ones or these rampantly esoteric ones with so many signs and symbols on them you can barely make them out,” says Matthews. “I bought my first tarot pack, which was the Tarot de Marseille published by Grimaud in 1969, and I recently came right around back to it after not using it for a while.” Presumably originating in the 17th century, the Tarot de Marseille is one of the most common types of tarot deck ever produced. Marseille decks were generally printed with woodblocks and later colored by hand using basic stencils. Top: A selection of trump cards (top row) and pip cards (bottom row) from the first edition of the Rider-Waite deck, circa 1909. Via the World of Playing Cards. Above: Cards from a Tarot de Marseille deck made by François Gassmann, circa 1870. Photo courtesy Bill Wolf. However, using cards for playful divination probably goes back even further, to the 14th century, likely originating with Mamluk game cards brought to Western Europe from Turkey. By the 1500s, the Italian aristocracy was enjoying a game known as “tarocchi appropriati,” in which players were dealt random cards and used thematic associations with these cards to write poetic verses about one another—somewhat like the popular childhood game “MASH.” These predictive cards were referred to as “sortes,” meaning destinies or lots. Even the earliest known tarot decks weren’t designed with mysticism in mind; they were actually meant for playing a game similar to modern-day bridge. Wealthy families in Italy commissioned expensive, artist-made decks known as “carte da trionfi” or “cards of triumph.” These cards were marked with suits of cups, swords, coins, and polo sticks (eventually changed to staves or wands), and courts consisting of a king and two male underlings. Tarot cards later incorporated queens, trumps (the wild cards unique to tarot), and the Fool to this system, for a complete deck that usually totaled 78 cards. Today, the suit cards are commonly called the Minor Arcana, while trump cards are known as the Major Arcana. Two hand-painted Mamluk cards from Turkey (left) and two cards from the Visconti family deck (right), both circa 15th century. Check out http://www.collectorsweekly.com/articles/the-surprising-origins-of-tarot-most-misunderstood-cards/ for the rest of this interesting read. p.s. the site has many topics, categories and eras that may be of interest to vinyl, poster, textile or comic book enthusiasts, among many others.