It’s no secret that one of the best places to look for travel advice is Lonely Planet’s Thorn Tree (TT) Forum, currently in its fourth incarnation.

New changes to the forum come on the heels of the sale of LP by founders Tony and Maureen Wheeler to the BBC. So, the formerly independent travel juggernaut is now a corporate travel juggernaut. This is hardly a surprise as the popularity of LP’s books are such that most establishments recommended have increased price and are populated with like-minded travelers, LP in hand. Their stock is up and the appeal of cashing in too great.

Without a doubt, though, the freshest place for the latest dirt is TT. While print publications are at best months old by publication, forum advice is often administered by persons at the destination and delivered piping hot in only hours.

With the subsequent sale of the company, the forum was upgraded from version 3 to 4 and built upon a new scripting language, JavaServer Pages (JSP).

And, oh, how the complaining began. Users, seemingly blindsided with this upgrade, extolled the injustice of this “upgrade.”

For the most part they were correct too. The new layout devotes more space to advertising that greatly reduces usable screen real estate. New ways of sorting posts seem to skirt intuition. Previously mundane tasks, such as linking to a website, was now a complicated process that even I gave up on. Without further disavowing the site, instead I returned in several weeks time to allow for sufficient fixes.

Like most users, I was not happy about the changes though I did realize that like in most anything, change brings protest. People don’t like their familiar to change and with time this actually might be a good thing.

On the other hand, in most web development projects the first thing I ask myself is, “Is it broke?” As the flowchart would dictate, if no then don’t fix it. Our new BBC Overlords are fixing something that isn’t broke.

Forward several months and things are in better perspective. Feedback from users is largely being utilized, initial kinks have been smoothed, and I can now link a website without using my degree in Computer Science. Just like your mom’s new hair color, you are used to it, and, hey, its actually not that bad.

The new sorting options actually are useful. The new tagging system is in keeping with all the latest web trends. The new admins are listening and utilizing feedback.

Most importantly, though, the quality of information shared is still top notch. That is why I will continue to use Thorn Tree.

It’s been a long time since they rock and rolled…. but Monday night in London Led Zeppelin did just that at London’s O2 venue. The reviews are starting to roll in… The verdict is it was a resounding success!

I have listed here the most complete source of reviews, video, and photos on the internet. In particular, the videos of ‘Kashmir’ and ‘Stairway To Heaven’ and simply amazing.

For the very latest, prowl the forums at LedZeppelin.com. The NME articles below are among the best. Torrent links when available!

Update 1: 2007/12/12 First audio boot is available at Dime a Dozen (FLAC 601.61 MB), but site is restricted to registered members, of which they are accepting no more

Update 2: Rapid Share links to audio from 8 songs (probably taken from Youtube videos)

Update 3: Mininova torrent link and Tape Trader’s Den torrent link!! Full sets, but can’t check it until later….

Set List

• ‘Good Times Bad Times’
• ‘Ramble On’
• ‘Black Dog’
• ‘In My Time Of Dying’
• ‘For Your Life’
• ‘Trampled Under Foot’
• ‘Nobody’s Fault But Mine’
• ‘No Quarter’
• ‘Since I’ve Been Loving You’
• ‘Dazed And Confused’
• ‘Stairway To Heaven’
• ‘The Song Remains The Same’
• ‘Misty Mountain Hop’
• ‘Kashmir’
  Encore:
• ‘Whole Lotta Love’
• ‘Rock And Roll’

Reviews

LedZeppelin.com: O2 Reunion Concert Forum (the best place for the latest breaking news)

LedZeppelin.com: Track By Track Review (from forum member)

ABS-CBN News: Led Zeppelin Returns With Rocking London Reunion

AOL News: Led Zeppelin Roars Back in Reunion Show

BBC News: Led Zeppelin Return To The Stage

BBC News: Press Views: Led Zeppelin

Billboard: Led Zeppelin Triumphs At London Reunion Show

Billboard: Led Zeppelin Dazzles At Joyous London Concert

Bloomberg.com: Led Zeppelin Wows 20,000 London Fans, First Concert in 19 Years

CNN: Led Zeppelin Can Still Rock

Daily Mail UK: The Presleys, McCartney, And The Jaggers: The Night The Rock Clans Gathered For Led Zeppelin Reunion

Jam! Showbiz: Led Zep Gets The Ball Rolling (minute by minute rundown)

Guardian Unlimited: Led Zeppelin (5 Star Review)

Guardian Unlimited: Led Zeppelin Lets the ‘Good Times’ Roll

LedZeppelin.com: Long Review (by forum member)

Los Angeles Times: Led Zeppelin Rocks Again In London

Minnesota Daily: Jason Bonham Kicks Off Led Zeppelin Reunion On Monday Night

MSN: Led Zeppelin’s Live Reunion: Rockin’ ‘Good Times’

NBC 17: Led Zeppelin Reunites, Shines For London Concert

NME: Led Zeppelin Reunion: The Full Report

NME: Led Zeppelin Reunion: The Review

NME: Led Zeppelin Reunion: The Fans’ Verdict

NY Times: Led Zeppelin Finds Its Old Power

Portfolio.com: Warner Gives “No Quarter” Over Led Zeppelin Video Clips

Rolling Stone: The Full Report (mirror)

Seattle Times: Led Zeppelin Works Fans Into A Frenzy

The Sun UK: LEDgendary: Zep Can Still Rock

Telegraph UK: Led Zeppelin: Then It Got Better Still

Times Online UK: The Mothership Of All Reunions

Toronto Star: Led Zeppelin Send Their Faithful Into Frenzy

VH1: Led Zeppelin Break Out Classics, Play A Song Live For The First Time At Reunion Show: Report

Uncut: Zeppelin Close Historic Show With Rock and Roll

Uncut: Led Zeppelin Return – Our First Review!

Note: Warner Brothers has begun to take down Youtube.com videos. Those idiots just don’t get it, do they?

Video Clip: Black Dog (5 min 25 sec, full but shaky)

Video Clip: Black Dog (2 min 19 sec)

Video Clip: Black Dog (from BBC News)

Video Clip: Dazed And Confused (2 min 4 sec)

✭Video Clip: For Your Life (7 min 26 sec)

Video Clip: For Your Life 2 (29 sec)

✭Video Clip: Good Times, Bad Times ➔ Ramble On (8 min 51 sec total, RO at 3 min 50 sec)

Video Clip: Good Times, Bad Times (4 min 30 sec, full + introduction)

Video Clip: In My Time Of Dying 1

✭Video Clip: Kashmir (8 min 31 sec)

Video Clip: Misty Mountain Hop (1 min 56 sec)

✭Video Clip: Nobody’s Fault But Mine (9 min 34 sec, full)

Video Clip: Ramble On (2 min 58 sec)

Video Clip: Rock And Roll (5 min 17 sec)

Video Clip: Rock And Roll (42 sec)

✭Video Clip: Since I’ve Been Loving You (7 min 35 sec)

Video Clip: Since I’ve Been Loving You (1 min 9 sec)

✭Video Clip: The Song Remains The Same (6 min 50 sec, full)

Video Clip: The Song Remains The Same (42 sec clip A)

Video Clip: The Song Remains The Same (42 sec clip B)

✭Video Clip: Stairway To Heaven (9 min 19 sec, full)

Video Clip: Stairway To Heaven 2 (1 min)

Video Clip: Trampled Underfoot (2 min)

✭Video Clip: Whole Lotta Love (7 min 36 sec)

✭Video Clip: Jimmy Page With Violin Bow (42 sec)

Video Clip: Reunion Show (Black Dog clips)

Video Clip: Crowd Shot (What Song?) (46 sec)

Video Clip: Crowd After 1st Encore

AP Video: Song Remains The Same At Zeppelin Reunion

BBC Breakfast Show (5 min 57 sec)

BBC News: Zeppelin Wow Their Fans At Gig

BBC News: Led Zep’s Song Remains The Same (with Black Dog Video)

BBC News: Led Zeppelin Fans’ Reaction

BBC Video Report With Live Footage

CBC Video Report

CNN: Producer Niles Rodgers Discusses The Concert

Daily Telegraph AU: Led Zeppelin Reunion (with video goodness)

ITV News Report With Black Dog Clips (2 min 4 sec)

Various Concert Footage (Derringer)

Photos

Flickr Set: Photos From Pramit

Flickr Set: Photos From p_a_h

LedZeppelinPics.com: Concert Pics (great set!)

NME: Led Zeppelin Reunion Photos

Rolling Stone: Led Zeppelin Returns: Photos from the Reunion Show and More

Rehearsal Photos

I’ve always thought what an adventure it would be to roam around in style with an RV. The UNICAT is quite possibly the best RV I’ve ever seen. They even have a built in spot for a 4-wheeler!

A product of German manufacturing, these bad boys start at $500,000. I may never be able to afford one, but I can still look at these pictures:

For more pics check out their website.

Update: Or, for the luxury type, check this one out. Yes, that is a Mercedes stored underneath.

By chance, I stumbled up this interesting series hosted by British comedian Paul Merton. With the Olympics looming and the media a buzz about China’s growing economy, this is the perfect series to provide some foundation information of the world’s most populous country.

First time visitor Merton approaches situations with wonder, interest, trepidation, and sometimes rejection. Traveled individuals might find him a bit ethnocentric but the reality is this is probably how most in the West would react, and luckily he’s entertaining enough it doesn’t get annoying. He is like an unexperienced Michael Palin on holiday in China for the first time.

In four 1-hour episodes, Merton travels to many of the largest cities including Lhasa in Tibet, Canton, Shanghai, and the beautiful Yangshuo. In Beijing, his coverage of the buildup to the Olympics is great and comments on the thousands being forcefully removed from their homes to make way for new highrises.

The best part? You can watch it online for free!

Episode 1

Episode 2

Episode 3

Episode 4

Update: It appears the videos are no longer available at this site. Fear not, the torrent for all episodes is available here.

The above photo is by Flickr user nataliebehring.com.

[See post to listen to audio]

In honor of my favorite holiday and arguably movie genre….

The Top 70 Vampire Movies

(as determined by both their IMDB and Rotten Tomatoes scores)

In other vampire news, Lost Boys 2 seems to be a go… but now with only one Corey!! Alas, Haim apparently dropped out. The first one comes in at number 18 on the list.

Also included here is Neil Young’s Vampire Blues for your listening enjoyment. It’s from his 1974 album On the Beach.

Well, here is the first announcement of my video project called VLOGABOND.tv. It’s an HD (high definition) podcast to be distributed chiefly via iTunes and will be produced by me, myself, and I.

The plan is two have two branches stem from this. The first is JapanHD and will feature city overviews of interesting urban areas. The second, as yet unnamed but possibly called Travel Bits, will feature random episodes from the smattering of countries that I travel to.

My goal is to produce high quality HD content. Because of the nature of travel, I can’t always use my tripod or a microphone and achieve the level I want. The Japan portion I will try to maintain high standards and use primarily tripod or steadycam footage only. Travel Bits will more than likely be hand-held footage.

Editing is underway and I recently registered the webpage for the series and put up a splash graphic. I am working alone but will try to maintain timely results with several episodes by the end of the year.

What does the name mean? It’s a combination of the words ‘vagabond‘ (one who moves from place to place) and ‘vlog‘ (a video based journal posted online, like a blog for video).

I came up with it myself only to discover that some other guys had a similar idea at Vlogabond.com. Their site is out of date and is not a current project so I pressed ahead with my idea.

My hope is that this project will aid me in future endeavors, be it graduate school or work in the film/video industry. It’s exciting to be on the forefront with new technology and I’m proud to say this will be the first HD offering out of Japan!

I’ve told myself I can’t even think about buying a new iPod Touch unless I have my own episodes out to watch on it, so that should motivate me to move!

Here are a few links in three of my (and probably yours too) favorite areas: movies, books, and music. Have some favorites of your own? Leave me a comment!

55 Must See Movies of 2008

Who knew ’08 was gearing up to be so full of blockbusters? There’s the big sequels like Indy 4 and The Dark Knight plus many more you might not have heard about. My favorite is Righteous Kill, bringing De Niro and Pachino together for only the second time ever!

TV Links

The best resource I have found for streaming movies, TV shows, and animation. A great site when you are in need of a quick fix or have a couple of hours to waste.

Update: Apparently this site has been shut down and it’s 26 year old creator jailed! In it’s place check out Surf The Channel or browse this list.

Ultimate Travel Library

National Geographic draws together an amazing list of travel literature that will keep you turning pages all winter long! Choose your favorite part of the world and start browsing.

Earmouse

This blog covers mostly little known albums from the 60s and 70s. Stellar selections combined with the ability to download the album featured make this my new favorite music site!

Update: In an apparent curse on the sites I’ve linked here, the author has decided not to be making new posts. There is still a lot of good stuff there though.

I have gone with an ‘E-Zine’ style theme called Victoria which is layed out great, but I wish it was widget ready. It’s a drastic improvement over the circa 1997 style the page had going on before. Check it out and let me know what you think.

I think maps are cool. Especially ones based on hypothetical premises and random data. If you agree, check out the ones over at Strange Maps, a site with a great collection. I especially like Jack Kerouac’s hand drawn map of his hitchhiking route in 1947-48.