The Leonid meteor shower peaks tonight in the first of what may be two viewing climaxes this year. The sky at 3 a.m. Eastern time will be moonless, as long as you can see it. Face east.
By Pete Spotts / November 16, 2012
Colorful streaks of Leonid meteors are seen in the sky over suburban Beijing in 2001. The Leonid meteor shower will peak Saturday Nov. 17 at 3 a.m. E.T. in the US..
(AP Photo/Xinhua, Li Jundong)
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Grab the chaise lounge, a Thermos of hot chocolate, and a blanket or two ? the Leonids are coming to a night sky near you tonight.
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Or, more precisely, the peak of this well-known meteor shower is coming. The annual event is predicted to climax around 3 a.m. Eastern Standard Time Saturday. But at least one forecaster, Russian astronomer Mikhail Maslovof, is predicting a second peak at around 1 a.m. Eastern time on Nov. 20.
Weather permitting, viewing conditions should be good, since the moon will have long-since set. Which is too bad, in a way, because it's presenting only a thin sliver of itself, making it possible to see the Earth's glow faintly reflecting back from the dark portion of the lunar surface.
The meteor shower gets its name from the constellation Leo ? the apparent region of origin for the display. But the tiny bits of space debris that are heated to incandescence as they enter Earth's atmosphere actually come from Comet Tempel-Tuttle, a clump of rubble and ice about a mile across that orbits the sun every 33 years.
The comet last made its closest approach to the sun, when it sheds dust and gas most profusely, in 1998. This led to some spectacular showers between 1999 and 2002 that sent as many as 3,000 objects an hour hurtling through the atmosphere.
This weekend's display is expected to be decidedly more modest, with perhaps as many as 10 meteors an hour Saturday morning, and as many as 15 an hour Tuesday morning ? a rate comparable to other Leonid showers in more recent years. Astronomers estimate that the comet shed the material for Tuesday's encounter in 1,400 AD.
The best places to view the show are in locations with little light pollution from cities or towns. At the time the shower peaks, the Leonids' apparent point of origin will be about 55 degrees above the eastern horizon. That's a bit more than halfway between the horizon and straight up, or zenith.
Bundle up and find your spot far enough in advance to allow your eyes to adjust to the dark. Your eyes become fully adapted to viewing in the dark after about 20 or 30 minutes. And if you take a flashlight, cover the lens in red cellophane to speed the process of dark-adapting once you switch off the light.
Comet Tempel-Tuttle was discovered independently by two astronomers in the mid 1860s. But it wasn't until 1981 that Donald Yeomans, a researcher at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, Calif., tied the Leonids to Comet Tempel-Tuttle.
Yet even before the comet was discovered, the Leonids played a key role in bringing science in a young United States to wider international attention.
In 1833, the Leonids put on a breathtaking display. By some estimates, meteors were flitting through the atmosphere at rates of 100,000 to 200,000 an hour. The peak was brief enough to be visible throughout North America, but not in Europe.
The shower caught the attention of Denison Olmstead, a professor at Yale University in New Haven, Conn. He spent time gathering as much information as he could from eyewitnesses ? some of whose fields now sported meteorites ? as well as his own observations that Leo seemed to be the location in the sky from which the shower originated. Because his quest got picked up by newspapers, he was inundated with reports from up and down the East Coast.
His conclusion: Meteors were not an atmospheric phenomenon, as many long believed. Rather, they came from beyond the atmosphere. He essentially has gotten the nod for bringing the study of meteors into astronomy's fold.
So, if you happen to be watching tonight's shower from Connecticut, consider it a native-son show.
Lindsey Vonn, of the United States, carries her skis during practice for the women's World Cup ski race in Aspen, Colo. on Friday, Nov. 23, 2012. (AP Photo/Alessandro Trovati)
Lindsey Vonn, of the United States, carries her skis during practice for the women's World Cup ski race in Aspen, Colo. on Friday, Nov. 23, 2012. (AP Photo/Alessandro Trovati)
Lindsey Vonn, of the United States, waits during practice for the women's World Cup ski race in Aspen, Colo. on Friday, Nov. 23, 2012. (AP Photo/Alessandro Trovati)
Lindsey Vonn, right, of the United States, rides a chair lift with her ski service personnel during practice for the women's World Cup ski race in Aspen, Colo. on Friday, Nov. 23, 2012. (AP Photo/Alessandro Trovati)
Lindsey Vonn speaks at a news conference for the women's World Cup ski race Friday, Nov. 23, 2012 in Aspen, Colo. (AP Photo/The Aspen Daily News, Chris Council)
Lindsey Vonn, of the United States, reacts during a press conference for the women's World Cup ski races in Aspen, Colo. on Friday, Nov. 23, 2012. (AP Photo/Nathan Bilow)
ASPEN, Colo. (AP) ? Lindsey Vonn is healthy enough to race in Aspen even if her heart may be farther up north.
Although weakened by a bad stomach bug, the four-time overall World Cup champion will compete in one of the two races this weekend. She will take part in the giant slalom Saturday and then skip the slalom Sunday to conserve energy.
Really, though, she'd rather be in Lake Louise, Alberta, at this moment competing against the men. Vonn recently requested to participate in a men's downhill race, only to be rejected by the International Ski Federation.
"Unfortunately, FIS made the decision that a woman cannot race with the men," Vonn said Friday night as she discussed her illness for the first time. "For me, the story is still ongoing. It's not over yet. There's still next year. I'm going to keep working hard to make my dream a reality."
Vonn recently returned to training after missing time with an intestinal issue that landed her in the hospital. But doctors have at least kept it under control with antibiotics.
With each day, her strength is returning.
"I'm not going to lie ? it was really bad. It was definitely the most pain I've been in, in my life," said Vonn, who came down with the bug shortly after attending a ski team fundraiser in New York last month. "I'm not the kind of person who goes to the hospital."
The Olympic downhill gold medalist spent two nights in the hospital with what she described on Facebook as "some infection in my tummy." She returned to training last week in Vail and also squeezed in a downhill practice session at the U.S. Ski Team's speed center at Copper Mountain.
Her stamina and energy, though, have been completely zapped by the virus. So much so that she has yet to even make it through a full giant slalom practice run without pulling off to the side out of breath.
"I'm not really sure what to expect, but I'm excited to be able to race in my home state in front of the home crowd," she said. "Racing, to me, is the fun part. I'm not exactly expecting much from the results."
This venue has been far from friendly to Vonn in recent seasons. She's failed to finish a race five times on this course and didn't qualify for a second run on another several occasions. Her best finish in Aspen is fourth place.
Not only that, but it was here, about a year ago, when Vonn announced that she and her husband of four years were divorcing. She then dominated the season with 12 wins, reclaiming the overall title from Maria Hoefl-Riesch of Germany by setting a new overall points record at 1,980.
Vonn could have possibly raced the slalom in Aspen as well, but doesn't want to overdo it. Not now. Not with Lake Louise looming next weekend.
She typically dominates at that venue, which is why she wanted to try her luck against the men on that course. She figured her familiarity would give her equal footing. She's surprised by the stubborn stance of skiing's governing body.
"I honestly was expecting a more positive outcome than I got. It was an absolute no," Vonn said. "That was tough. I still think there's a possibility for this to happen. I'm still going to keep fighting for it."
Any chance she might pick another course?
"That's the thing: There's no other course that men and women both run. Any other course, the men would have a huge advantage," said Vonn, who still doesn't have much of an appetite because of the illness. "I want to see where I stack up. Lake Louise is definitely in my wheel house."
Earlier this month, Vonn skipped a slalom competition in Levi, Finland. But that had more to do with wanting to train more for Aspen than the illness.
"It's tough, because I was in bed for over a week," Vonn said. "As soon as I felt healthy enough, I started freeskiing and progressively worked into training."
Her fellow skiers were pleased to see her on the slopes Friday. And Vonn definitely stood out, too, wearing a lime green jacket and purple ski pants. She skied two runs before calling it a day.
"I'm glad she's back," Tanja Poutiainen of Finland said after her morning training run. "We are a big family here. Everybody knows each other. We support each other, because we are not playing against each other like in (soccer) or ice hockey."
___
Pat Graham can be reached on Twitter at http://twitter.com/pgraham34
Lattice Engines has raised $20 million in a round led by New Enterprise Associates for its predictive analytics platform that gives salespeople the information to sell their products.?According to The San Francisco Business Times, the company, founded in 2006, has raised $36.5 million, including a $15 million investment in 2011 from Sequoia.
Well+Good's Natural Beauty Collections for Spirit Beauty Lounge
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Radiant Beauty for Hair, Nails, Skin, & Lips ($95) Four results-now faves that are perfect for a special night out?or a little glamour everyday, including Vapour Organics Plumping Lip gloss and RMS Beauty Luminizer.
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Interests:Ghosts, aliens, space, the afterlife, music, high energy music..
Posted Yesterday, 12:42 PM
Renoise is amazing!!
I woke up with my mind on the floor...
0
#3 ? oneunkind?
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Posted Yesterday, 01:47 PM
BreemiX, on 22 November 2012 - 09:48 AM, said:
/>/>/>
TakTik, I have found your family ! />/>/>
HERE !
/>/>/>
really cool... but, like, shouldn't have skipped noisetrekker 3!
0
#4 ? vV?
Group:Moderator
Posts:14195
Joined:24-October 03
Gender:Male
Location:Netherlands
Posted Yesterday, 02:29 PM
It is still crediting Zvonko Tesic. I don't know what he is currently up to nowadays but i guess Renoise Dev-team would be a more future proof credit listing...
Vv....
cpu Intel Core2 Quad CPUQ6600 @2.40GHz chipset nVidia nForce 4 SLI x16 -> Driver rev:5.1.2600.445 (management 4.4.5.0) mem 8 Gb 800Mhz os Win 7 64-bit SP1, DirectX 11 audio ESI ESP1010e - > Driver rev:2.0.1.0 video nVidia Geforce GTX580 - > Driver rev:306.23
Kareena Kapoor Khan has always been known for her blatantly honest quips and frank interviews. No wonder we love reading about what she has to say.
In a recent tell-all interview with Indian Express, Kareena talked about her live-in relationship with now-husband Saif Ali Khan, being a Khan and remaining at the top of her game, on the way to Chandigarh.
"Marriage really didn?t make much of a difference to her relationship with actor Saif Ali Khan," claims Kareena.?I have been with Saif for five-and-a-half years, and we are perhaps one of the first stars of the industry to have a live-in relationship and be open about it. So, it was no big deal for us,? she adds. ?I have tried and tested it and personally endorse the live-in relationship formula in India. We gave it the stamp of marriage for our friends, family and fans. He was very happy with the marriage, because we won?t have to answer the where, when, how, why questions trailing us everywhere," she is quick to add about hubby Saif's view on the same.
According to Kareena the live-in style of a relationship makes a lot of sense in the contemporary Indian milieu. Then what convinced her to tie the knot? ?I guess, I could?ve married at 36, too, but I chose to tie the knot at 32, for I felt it was time to cement the relationship,? she answers.
Unlike Hollywood, it is considered common norm for actresses to have a relatively shortlived and sketchy stardom after marriage. The offers decrease, and women are forced to make irregular comebacks. Kareena doesn't agree. ?My value as an actor is based on how I handle my work. I am a born actor, I come from a family of actors and performers, and it is in my blood. Marriage doesn?t change that because I keep my personal life different. Both Saif and I are here to work, and, as long as I look great, keep fit and work, I stay,? she says.
And she sure is right. Even after becoming Mrs. Khan, Kareena has many projects in the pipeline. Her first release post-marriage will be the Aamir Khan-Excel Entertainment production Talaash ready to hit theatres on November 30th. She shares screen space with Aamir and Rani Mukherjee in the highly anticipated film. On her co-star, she has full faith in Aamir's promotional strategy claiming that the promo itself should be enough to generate the buzz for the film.
After Talaash, Kareena will be seen in Prakash Jha?s Satyagraha with Ajay Devgn, where she will play a journalist, and an untitled project opposite Imran Khan. But as of now, she is high on Talaash. Plans of a holiday in Switzerland are in high order.
We certainly look forward to watching Mrs. Khan hit the big screen.
Trying to decide if I have the tools I need to run a good game on this site. Simply looking at what is available to a GM moderation wise.
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If you kill Callen, I'm going to kill you, and then Quinn. My penguin army shall rise from the crumbles of the great Cookie war of Elderon IV, and rue the day you ever did displease me you will! -psalm 3:5; Book of Nevermore
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RolePlayGateway is a site built by a couple roleplayers who wanted to give a little something back to the roleplay community. The site has no intention of earning any profit, and is paid for out of their own pockets.
If you appreciate what they do, feel free to donate your spare change to help feed them on the weekends. After selecting the amount you want to donate from the menu, you can continue by clicking on PayPal logo.
There's a ton a iPhone and iPad apps going on sale this week for Black Friday. Some will be on sale all week, some all weekend, some for a couple days, and some only for Black Friday proper. If there's an app you've been waiting to buy, but have also been waiting for it to go on sale, check it out on Friday. There's a chance it might be. In fact, so many apps are likely to be on sale, we're not even going to try listing all of them. We're going to list some of our favorites, however, and some of our most recommended apps.
If you find out about others, and you think they're great, please add them to the comments. We'll keep updating throughout the week and over the weekend, so check back here often for the latest, greatest information... after the break!
November 20, 2012 Media Contact: Jenn Meale Phone: (850) 245-0150
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Attorney General Bondi Advocates for Extended Tax Relief for Distressed Homeowners
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. ?Attorney General Pam Bondi and Connecticut Attorney General George Jepsen are leading the national effort by state attorneys general urging Congress to extend tax relief for consumers who have mortgage debt canceled or forgiven due to financial hardship or a decline in housing values. Forty-two state attorneys general have joined Attorney General Bondi and Attorney General Jepsen in signing on to a letter to U.S. House and Senate leaders requesting them to extend this distressed homeowner tax relief, which has been in effect since 2007 and is scheduled to expire Dec. 31, 2012.
?We are urging Congress to protect distressed homeowners who qualify for mortgage relief from encountering an unexpected tax bill from the IRS,? stated Attorney General Pam Bondi. ?This tax relief is critical in helping Floridians keep their homes and get back on their feet.?
The impending expiration comes at a time when many homeowners nationwide are benefitting from the $25 billion national settlement agreement with the nation?s five largest loan servicing companies. A preliminary report released this week estimates the benefit to consumers nationally at over $26 billion. Many other banks across the country also offer mortgage modification and debt relief programs.
Under the federal Mortgage Debt Relief Act, in effect since 2007, mortgage debt that is forgiven after a foreclosure or short sale or through a loan modification provided to a homeowner in financial hardship may be excluded from a taxpayer?s calculation of taxable income. This exclusion only applies to mortgage debt forgiven on primary residences, not second homes.
Follow this link to view the letter: http://myfloridalegal.com/webfiles.nsf/WF/MMFD-928LF4/$file/Final+Tax+Relief+Letter.pdf
Apple has just released two new TV commercials for the iPhone 5 5 called Turkey and Orchestra. As you might imagine, Turkey focuses on the U.S. Thanksgiving holiday, and starts off with... a turkey and all the fixings! Apple then shows the Photo app, and swiping between photos of a family in the midst of Thanksgiving celebrations.
Photo Stream is also highlighted, and the easy way it lets you share photos with specific family and friends, who can then enjoy and comment on them on their own iOS devices.
Oh, and there's pie.
"Mmm. Pie."
Orchestra shows off the noise-cancelling mic on the iPhone 5. According to Apple, even if a full symphony orchestra in a White Room right out of Angel is playing nearby, thanks to that mic you'll have a better than normal chance at still hearing your call, without having to ask the conductor to pipe it down.
These are both classic Apple iPhone commercials, showing off specific features and doing it in a slightly whimsical manner. Not disruptive by any means, but not as awkward as the genius commercials or as reality defying as the Siri commercials from earlier in the air.
??|?? November 20, 2012 ?? 07:16pm ??|Contributed by manoja
The lender not only conducts due diligence for the property, but you can also avail of tax deductions.
Hariprasad Nair, a sales representative with a reputed multinational company, has saved enough money to buy a small house in a suburb of Mumbai. However, he has decided to take a bank loan to fund a part of his purchase. ?The 1-BHK house I want to buy costs around 15 lakh. Though I can arrange for the money through my savings and by borrowing from friends, I prefer to take a loan worth 5-6 lakh,? says the 36-year-old.
Nair?s reasoning is that since he doesn?t have the time to check on the property title and documentation, and doesn?t want to trust the broker implicitly, it will be better for him to pass on this job to a bank. ?I don?t have the information or the time to exercise due diligence as far as the property is concerned. As the bank needs to safeguard its money, it will carry out a more detailed scrutiny, and furnish me the loan only after it is fully assured,? he adds.
Safety checks
A loan is often the only financially viable method for a person to fund a massive purchase like a house. However, as Nair has discovered, there are other advantages of taking a loan. Real estate experts believe that buying property through a home loan ensures some level of safety to the property buyer. Says Sandeep Sadh, chief executive officer of mumbaipropertyexchange.com: ?The potential buyer is saved the time and hassle required to check the authenticity of the title and the various documents of the property.?
Anuj Puri, chairman & country head, Jones Lang LaSalle India, cautions that though banks exercise due diligence for any property that a prospective home loan borrower intends to purchase, it?s depth often varies among banks. ?Taking a home loan does provide a reasonable safety net for the buyer most of the times. However, it is prudent for the buyer to examine the property?s antecedents himself if he has any doubt,? adds Puri.
Financial/tax benefits
Ganesh Vasudevan, chief executive officer of Chennai-based , explains that purchasing a property through a bank loan also provides financial efficiency to the buyer. ?Today, home loans are available at 10.5-11% interest rate. If you factor in the inflation of 7-8% a year, which will push up the property prices much higher in the future, taking a loan now seems to be a win?win situation for the buyer,? he says.
Apart from the fact that a bank?s due diligence amounts to a legal check for the property, there are significant tax benefits available on a home loan. The mortgage payments by the borrower help him get tax deductions from his total taxable income. The equated monthly instalment (EMI) comprises two components?principal and interest?both of which qualify for tax deductions.
Under Section 80C of the Income Tax Act, a borrower can get a deduction for a maximum of 1 lakh for the principal amount paid each year, irrespective of his tax bracket. Under Section 24(b), the borrower can claim tax deduction of up to 1.5 lakh a year for the interest paid.
If the buyer books a house that is still under construction and gets partial disbursement of loan according to the stages of completion, he can still claim tax benefits. Though he is not eligible for tax deductions till he actually gets the possession (even if he has begun repaying the loan), the interest paid can be claimed as deduction after receiving the possession. Under Section 24, the interest paid during the construction phase can be claimed as deduction in five equal instalments, subject to the upper limit of 1.5 lakh.
In case two people are buying a house jointly, they can opt for a home loan together. The benefit is that both of them will be able to avail of the tax benefits on the joint loan. Since the maximum tax deduction available to a single borrower is 1.5 lakh and this applies to each borrower, the total deduction will be 3 lakh. If the interest paid for that assessment year is less than 1.5 lakh, the couple can share the benefit according to the amount contributed by each for the mortgage payment.
Disadvantages
Though taking a home loan from a bank seems to be a beneficial move there are some pitfalls that borrowers should be aware of.
? Better discounts on lump-sum deals
When it comes to negotiating the price of a property, buyers with ready cash always have an edge over those who fund their purchase through a home loan. This is because the former can expect an additional discount of 5-10%.
? Five-year sale restriction
If you sell the property within five years of the end of the financial year in which you purchase it, all the deductions claimed under Section 80C with respect to the property will be added to your taxable income in the year that you sell it. This means that the deduction in terms of the interest and principal will be added to your taxable income. Suppose you sell the property after four years of buying it and avail of the maximum deduction in terms of the principal amount and interest repaid, then 10 lakh ( 2.5 lakh deduction each for four years) will be added to your taxable income. If you are in the highest tax bracket you will end up paying an additional tax of 3 lakh.
What if the bank rejects the house?
?One reason that the bank may not approve of the house is that it is not satisfied with the revelation from its due diligence of the property, or that the price stated is excessive. If this is the case, the aspiring buyer should take heed of the implications and perhaps not invest in the house,? says Puri.
Another reason could be that the buyer?s credit worthiness has come into question. ?In such a case, the borrower should check his credit score and try to repair it (in terms of the outstanding credit card bills, existing loans, etc) before approaching the same bank again or taking a loan from another lender,? adds Puri.
Before you take a home loan
? While selecting a home loan lender, check for the various terms and conditions, and charges regarding the loan.
? Don?t choose a lender till you have identified a property.
? You should be able to fund 25-35% of the cost of the house yourself.
? Approach at least three lenders, get their figures for all fees and charges, and then bargain.
? Apart from the interest rates, check up on the various charges, such as processing fees and valuation fees.
Tucked in the home stretch of her seventh album, Rihanna offers us the year?s most surreal moment.
Jaw-dropping in its cynical manipulation and hypocrisy, Nobody?s Business features the singer in a duet with Chris Brown, the restraining order after he used her face as a punching bag seemingly a distant memory.
It?s not a big surprise, since the two had collaborated earlier this year on a remix of Birthday Cake. Yet there?s something even more nauseating and sinister about this track, which is otherwise a pretty fair R&B smoker: its message. Incredibly, this second collaboration between abuser and victim is not just about letting bygones be bygones. What the two seem to want is for everyone to just mind their own business and leave them alone.
Seriously? If so, why make this demand on a no-doubt-platinum album? The not-so-hidden agenda of such self-mythologizing is to get people talking, listening and, of course, buying. This sanctimonious request for privacy comes off, paradoxically, as a publicity grab.
The rest of the album is pretty much the expected combo of tuneless dance-floor swill, Autotune assault, forgettable ballads and deeply dumb lyrics that celebrate little but partying, money and celebrity.
Unapologetic is more or less divided between an uptempo, surrender-to-the-beat first half and a more introspective, slower-paced second section. The David Guetta-produced opener Fresh Off the Runway, all robotic whomp and f-bomb shtick, quickly establishes a melody-free, pedestrian turf. Things become slightly more interesting with Numb, a decent duet with Eminem that takes a fatal turn with its wince-inducing, brain-dead words.
?I?m the butt police, and I?m looking at your rear rear rear/But the odds are I?ma end up in the back of a squad car,? Eminem raps. Number of people sharing writing credits on the track: seven.
It?s a recurring problem as an army of writers and producers ? including the Swedish team Stargate, The-Dream and Future ? look for a cut of Rihanna?s inexplicable popularity and scramble to get their names on the disc. But there?s no doctoring this weak material.
For every tiny moment of hope ? the oddly intriguing production on Jump or the decent first section of Love Without Tragedy/Mother Mary (in which Rihanna seems to be asking ?Mr. Jesus? to help her with those world domination plans) ? there are too many spirit crushers like the clubby clich? Right Now, the instantly unmemorable slow-tempo duet Stay, featuring Mikky Ekko, and the aptly-titled Get It Over With.
In the end, there?s little here but look-at-me hype and factory-made, soulless product. With this disc, Rihanna most clearly defines herself as a triumph of marketing.
WELLINGTON, New Zealand?? Animal wranglers involved in the making of "The Hobbit" movie trilogy say the production company is responsible for the deaths of up to 27 animals, largely because they were kept at a farm filled with bluffs, sinkholes and other "death traps."
The American Humane Association, which is overseeing animal welfare on the films, says no animals were harmed during the actual filming. But it also says the wranglers' complaints highlight shortcomings in its oversight system, which monitors film sets but not the facilities where the animals are housed and trained.
A spokesman for trilogy director Peter Jackson on Monday acknowledged that horses, goats, chickens and one sheep died at the farm near Wellington where about 150 animals were housed for the movies, but he said some of the deaths were from natural causes.
The spokesman, Matt Dravitzki, agreed that the deaths of two horses were avoidable, and said the production company moved quickly to improve conditions after they died.
Story: 'Hobbit' director Peter Jackson, Gollum pop up in new Air New Zealand safety video
"The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey," the first movie in the planned $500 million trilogy, is scheduled to launch with a red-carpet premiere Nov. 28 in Wellington and will open at theaters in the U.S. and around the world in December. The animal rights group People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals says it's planning protests at the premieres in New Zealand, the U.S. and the U.K.
The Associated Press spoke to four wranglers who said the farm near Wellington was unsuitable for horses because it was peppered with bluffs, sinkholes and broken-down fencing. They said they repeatedly raised concerns about the farm with their superiors and the production company, owned by Warner Bros., but it continued to be used. They say they want their story aired publicly now to prevent similar deaths in the future.
One wrangler said that over time he buried three horses, as well as about six goats, six sheep and a dozen chickens. The wranglers say two more horses suffered severe injuries but survived.
Wrangler Chris Langridge said he was hired as a horse trainer in November 2010, overseeing 50 or so horses, but immediately became concerned that the farm was full of "death traps." He said he tried to fill in some of the sinkholes, made by underground streams, and even brought in his own fences to keep the horses away from the most dangerous areas. Ultimately, he said, it was an impossible task.
He said horses run at speeds of up to 30 mph and need to be housed on flat land: "It's just a no-brainer."
The first horse to die, he said, was a miniature named Rainbow.
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"When I arrived at work in the morning, the pony was still alive but his back was broken. He'd come off a bank at speed and crash-landed," Langridge said. "He was in a bad state."
Rainbow, who had been slated for use as a hobbit horse, was euthanized. A week later, a horse named Doofus got caught in some fencing and sliced open its leg. That horse survived, but Langridge said he'd had enough.
He and his wife, Lynn, who was also working as a wrangler, said they quit in February 2011. The following month, they wrote an email to Brigitte Yorke, the Hobbit trilogy's unit production manager, outlining their concerns.
Story: Check out the exclusive first look at 'Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey' trailer
Chris Langridge said he responded to Yorke's request for more information but never received a reply after that.
Wrangler Johnny Smythe said that soon after Langridge left, a horse named Claire was found dead, its head submerged in a stream after it fell over a bluff. After that, he said, the horses were put in stables, where a third horse died.
Smythe said no autopsy was performed on the horse, which was named Zeppelin. Veterinary records say the horse died of natural causes, from a burst blood vessel, but Smythe said the horse was bloated and its intestines were full of a yellow liquid; he believes it died of digestive problems caused by new feed.
Smythe said the six goats and six sheep he buried died after falling into sinkholes, contracting worms or getting new feed after the grass was eaten. He said the chickens were often left out of their enclosure and that a dozen were mauled to death by dogs on two separate occasions.
Smythe said he was fired in October 2011 after arguing with his boss about the treatment of the animals.
A fourth wrangler, who didn't want to be named because she feared it could jeopardize her future employment in the industry, said another horse, Molly, got caught in a fence and ripped her leg open, suffering permanent injuries.
Dravitzki, the spokesman for Peter Jackson, said the production company reacted swiftly after the first two horses died, spending hundreds of thousands of dollars upgrading housing and stable facilities in early 2011.
"We do know those deaths were avoidable and we took steps to make sure it didn't happen again," he said.
Dravitzki said Zeppelin died of a burst blood vessel and that he knew only of three goats, one sheep and about eight chickens that had died aside from that. He said two of the goats died in a cold snap but the third, like the sheep, was old and had likely died of natural causes. He said the chicken maulings were the result of careless staff oversight.
Video: Sneak peak at Lord of the Rings prequel ?The Hobbit? (on this page)
The American Humane Association said in its report on "An Unexpected Journey" that it investigated the farm at the production company's request. Dravitzki said the company contacted the AHA after Smythe alleged mistreatment of animals.
Mark Stubis, an association spokesman, said it investigated the farm in August 2011, months after the first deaths.
"We made safety recommendations to the animals' living areas. The production company followed our recommendations and upgraded fence and farm housing, among other things," the group said.
Dravitzki said the company had already made many of the recommended changes by the time the AHA made them.
Stubis said the association acknowledges that what happens off-set remains a blind spot in its oversight.
"We would love to be able to monitor the training of animals and the housing of animals," Stubis said. "It's something we are looking into. We want to make sure the animals are treated well all the time."
Dravitzki questioned the timing of the allegations with the premiere so close but said the producers are investigating all the claims "and are attempting to speak with all parties involved to establish the truth."
He said the company no longer leases the farm and has no animals left on the property. He said he didn't know if for future filming in the trilogy, but added that Jackson himself adopted three of the pigs used.
Hollywood has made animal welfare a stated priority for years.
In March, HBO canceled the horse racing series "Luck" after three thoroughbred horses died during production. The network said it canceled the show because it could not guarantee against future accidents.
Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Thierry Tilly leaves the court of Bordeaux, southwestern France, Tuesday, Nov.13, 2012. The alleged modern-day Rasputin was convicted Tuesday of brainwashing three generations of an aristocratic French family for nearly a decade, swindling them of their fortune and their turreted manor in a case has both riveted and shocked the nation. Tilly was sentenced to eight years in prison by the court. (AP Photo)
Thierry Tilly leaves the court of Bordeaux, southwestern France, Tuesday, Nov.13, 2012. The alleged modern-day Rasputin was convicted Tuesday of brainwashing three generations of an aristocratic French family for nearly a decade, swindling them of their fortune and their turreted manor in a case has both riveted and shocked the nation. Tilly was sentenced to eight years in prison by the court. (AP Photo)
Christine de Vedrines, center, and Philippe de Vedrines, right leave the Bordeaux court, southwestern France, Tuesday, Nov.13, 2012. Thierry Tilly, an alleged modern-day Rasputin was convicted Tuesday of brainwashing three generations of an aristocratic French family for nearly a decade, swindling them of their fortune and their turreted manor and was sentenced to eight years in prison by a court in Bordeaux, became a confidante of the landed Vedrines family in 2000 in a case has both riveted and shocked the nation. The de Vedrines family was so convinced of his story that they locked themselves inside their chateau for several years, terrified they would be killed. They sold off their possessions , including the family manor, and handed over euro 4.5 million ($5.7 million). Man at left is unidentified. (AP Photo)
Jacques Gonzalez, an, accomplice of Thierry Tilly, leaves the court of Bordeaux, southwestern France, after being sentenced to four years in prison, Tuesday, Nov.13, 2012. Tilly, an alleged modern-day Rasputin was convicted Tuesday of brainwashing three generations of an aristocratic French family for nearly a decade, swindling them of their fortune and their turreted manor and was sentenced to eight years in prison by the court. (AP Photo)
Christine de Vedrines leaves the Bordeaux court, southwestern France, Tuesday, Nov.13, 2012. Thierry Tilly, an alleged modern-day Rasputin was convicted Tuesday of brainwashing three generations of an aristocratic French family for nearly a decade, swindling them of their fortune and their turreted manor and was sentenced to eight years in prison by a court in Bordeaux, became a confidante of the landed Vedrines family in 2000 in a case has both riveted and shocked the nation. The de Vedrines family was so convinced of his story that they locked themselves inside their chateau for several years, terrified they would be killed. They sold off their possessions , including the family manor, and handed over euro 4.5 million ($5.7 million). (AP Photo)
Christine de Vedrines, second left, and Philippe de Vedrines, right with unidentified others leave the Bordeaux court, southwestern France, Tuesday, Nov.13, 2012. Thierry Tilly, an alleged modern-day Rasputin was convicted Tuesday of brainwashing three generations of an aristocratic French family for nearly a decade, swindling them of their fortune and their turreted manor and was sentenced to eight years in prison by a court in Bordeaux. He became a confidante of the landed Vedrines family in 2000 in a case has both riveted and shocked the nation. The de Vedrines family was so convinced of his story that they locked themselves inside their chateau for several years, terrified they would be killed. They sold off their possessions , including the family manor, and handed over euro 4.5 million ($5.7 million). Man at left is unidentified. (AP Photo)
PARIS (AP) ? A man described as a modern-day Rasputin was convicted Tuesday of brainwashing three generations of an aristocratic French family for nearly a decade, swindling them of their fortune and their turreted manor.
Thierry Tilly, who was sentenced to eight years in prison by a court in Bordeaux, became a confidante of the landed Vedrines family in 2000 in a case that has both riveted and shocked the nation.
Over nine years, the man who local media dubbed "the guru" manipulated the family of 11 ? aged from 16 to 89 ? into believing there was a secret masonic plot against their lives, according to court testimony.
Family members were so convinced of his story that they locked themselves inside their chateau for several years, terrified they would be killed. They sold their possessions ? including the family manor ? and handed over ?4.5 million ($5.7 million).
French media reported that the money was poured into a fake Canadian charity that Tilly claimed was set up to pay the Vedrines' "protectors."
The French-born Tilly was convicted of arbitrary detention, using violence against vulnerable people and abusing people weakened by "psychological subjection."
"Eight years is a small price to pay for what he did to our family and children," Christine de Vedrines, a family member who had alerted police to Thierry, told the Sipa news agency on Tuesday. "The trial is behind us and we will do everything to rebuild."
His accomplice, Jacques Gonzalez, was sentenced to four years in prison.
Tilly's lawyer had argued that the family from the 13th-century village of Monflanquin in southwestern France had acted willingly.
"These 11 family members aren't ill, have their feet on the ground, a level of self-awareness. Eleven people manipulated by mysterious forces by a single man? The legal basis for case is weak," lawyer Alexandre Novion told The Associated Press.
Novion denounced testimony about the family's mental state, saying a man's freedom should not depend on "an old Freud tome found in a psychoanalyst's attic." He also said Gonzalez ? and not Tillly ? was the ringleader and absconded with all the money.
Although Tilly was deemed mentally stable during his trial, French media have reported that he has a history of lies and exaggerations. Tilly claimed before the Bordeaux court that he was a member of the Habsburg dynasty, that he once almost played football for Marseille, and that he knew former French President Francois Mitterrand.
Tilly remained defiant despite the conviction, saying he is a British citizen and will take his case to the European Court of Justice.
"(The trial) has only just begun," Tilly declared.
His lawyer, meanwhile, said he was not aware that his client was a British citizen. But during the time the family was under Tilly's sway, the group apparently moved briefly to Oxford with him. Tilly was arrested in Switzerland.
The case raised echoes of another controversial trial involving France's richest woman, 90-year-old L'Oreal heiress Liliane Bettencourt, who was swindled by a French tax lawyer into handing over a private Seychelles island to him.
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Thomas Adamson can be followed at http://Twitter.com/ThomasAdamsonAP
Lori Hinnant can be followed at http://twitter.com/lhinnant
Well+Good's Natural Beauty Collections for Spirit Beauty Lounge
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BreemiX, on 22 November 2012 - 09:48 AM, said:
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