If you have been wondering what happened to Middle-earth Talk Radio, wonder no more. Hawke Robinson has now uploaded the last three shows, including one we recorded last night.

You can download Middle-earth Talk Radio Episode 10 here. You must be logged in to download but registration is free. The show was recorded on February 1, 2009.

Topics covered include:

• Links between "Lost in Space", "Babylon" and Tolkien.
• Hobbit Newsletter by Michael Martinez, discussion from issues 3 & 4
• Pennsylvania Hobbit and Faerie Festival receives grant
• Teacher persuaded school to use "The Hobbit" as a theme for school
• Community theaters and schools' productions of The Hobbit
• Media coverage of upcoming "The Hobbit" movies
• Community college discusses racial diversity in Tolkien's The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings.
• Dmitra Fimi discusses cultural diversity in her book
• John Rateliff and Michael Martinez discussed cultural diversity in Tolkien's works in MerpCon IV
• Claims of Tolkien racism, Michael's comments, Tolkien's addressing through philology
• Eä RPG Races & Cultures book
• Tolkien's great grandson, abuse claims, Roy Tolkien, and court libel decision
• Houghton Mifflin, changed ownership 3 times in past 8 years
• Utah, Interfaith week, and irony of it including Tolkien
• Michael will be guest speaker at NorWestCon 32
• MerpCon V could be last MerpCon
• Leonard Nimoy 1968 Bilbo Baggins "Music Video" on Youtube.
• Ukraine video on Tolkien Studies of Blacksmith making armor for Tolkien ethusiast re-enactors for combat
• Tolkien franchise related interviews on Youtube
• Quote from Annotated Hobbit regarding Trolls in reference to tolkien_list Google Email List
• Some silliness after dropping connection

Full details provided on the download page.

You can download Middle-earth Talk Radio Episode 11 here but Hawke hasn't yet uploaded all the details. I forget what we talked about but I'm sure we mentioned Gil-Galad's car.

The real news occurs in last night's show. You can download Middle-earth Talk Radio Episode 12 here and you'll want to listen to it first.

Here are the topics:

• Harper Collins making all three volumes of Lord of the Rings available via electronic download. Digital Rights Management redux.
• Latest update on the two Hobbit Movies and what they wil contain.
• Bilbo's adventuring on his return to Hobbiton after Lonely Mountain.
• Lonely Mountain Anecdote.... Mount Rainier
• Fan Films
• Michael Martinez NorWesCon 32 report.
• Comparative Studies, Elves & Orcs
• Bloodbowl
• Gnomes in Dragonlance, names kept growing as they aged, correlated to Tolkien's Ents.
• MerpCon V coming up July 24-27th 2009, RSVP right away. Final year it will be free.
• Radio City Music Hall Howard Shore Soundtrack to Fellowship of the Ring and guest Speaker scheduled for the Fall, and possibly to offer free tickets give away.
• A number of websites fell for One Ring .net April fools news about 3 Hobbit movies.
• Michael tells about his April fools story and two castle's in Europe, fooled Gary Gygax.
• Dave Arneson's passing (old news).
• Average lifespan of RPGers research?
• RPG Research Project,
• NorWesCon Panel "Tolkien has a lot to answer for".
• CS Lewis Society, co-sponsors the Chronicles of Narnia Code (take on the Da Vinci Code).
• New Tolkien Society Smial formed in Inland Northwest in Spokane, Washington, USA ("Inland Empire"). Meeting every 2nd Saturday of the month.

I'll post some notes and pictures about NorWesCon 32 later this week.