Air New Zealand finds magic in hobbit safety video

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) ? Perhaps hairy-footed hobbits can teach us all something about safety.

Most regular travelers pay little attention to those snooze-inducing inflight safety videos. But Air New Zealand has found some magic by celebrating the upcoming premiere of the first in the "Hobbit" movie trilogy.

The airline's four-minute safety video featuring the character Gollum and film director Peter Jackson got more than 2 million hits on YouTube within a day of its posting. The carrier calls itself "the airline of Middle-earth" and cabin staff appear in the clip as film characters.

The hobbits themselves would be proud. After all, author J.R.R. Tolkien created the mythical creatures as risk-averse.

Two of the author's great-grandsons even make cameos. Royd Tolkein appears wearing prosthetic feet.

Big and hairy, of course.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/air-zealand-finds-magic-hobbit-safety-video-013455522.html

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UK butterfly populations threatened by extreme drought and landscape fragmentation

ScienceDaily (Nov. 1, 2012) ? A new study has found that the sensitivity and recovery of UK butterfly populations to extreme drought is affected by the overall area and degree of fragmentation of key habitat types in the landscape.

The analysis, published this week in the scientific journal Ecography, used data on the Ringlet butterfly collected from 79 UK Butterfly Monitoring Scheme sites between 1990 and 1999, a period which spanned a severe drought event in 1995.

The study was led by Dr Tom Oliver from the NERC Centre for Ecology & Hydrology (CEH) in collaboration with colleagues from CEH and the charity Butterfly Conservation.

Lead author Dr Tom Oliver from the NERC Centre for Ecology & Hydrology said, "Most ecological climate change studies focus on species' responses to gradual temperature rise, but it may be that extreme weather will actually have the greatest impact on our wildlife. We have provided the first evidence that species responses to extreme events may be affected by the habitat structure in the wider countryside; for example in the total area and fragmentation (i.e. isolation) of woodland patches."

The UK has suffered from a number of severe droughts over the last few decades (e.g. 1976, 1995). Under global warming, the frequency of such summer droughts is expected to increase. The intense summer drought in 1995 led to marked declines in insect species associated with cooler and wetter microclimates and scientists are interested in how to make species populations more resilient, i.e. more resistant to and more able to recover from these extreme climate events.

The Ringlet Aphantopus hyperantus is a grass-feeding butterfly commonly found close to woodland edges and known to be susceptible to drought effects. The researchers found that, following the 1995 drought, Ringlet populations not only crashed most severely in drier regions but, additionally, the habitat structure in the wider countryside around sites influenced population responses. Larger and more connected patches of woodland habitat reduced population sensitivity to the drought event and also facilitated faster recovery.

Co-author Dr Tom Brereton from Butterfly Conservation said, "Our results suggest that landscape-scale conservation projects are vital in helping species to recover from extreme events expected under climate change. However, conversely, if we do nothing, the high levels of habitat fragmentation will mean species are more susceptible."

Although many Ringlet populations did show some recovery following 1995-1996 population crashes, the long-term situation of the species in some parts of the UK is worrying. The researchers found that 18% of Ringlet butterfly populations continued to decline in the subsequent three years. The majority of populations showed positive recovery, although only 33% of populations showed complete recovery to pre-drought population levels within three years.

Co-author Dr David Roy from the NERC Centre for Ecology & Hydrology added, "The delayed recovery of butterfly populations is worrying given that severe summer droughts are expected to become common in some areas of the UK, for example, South East England. If populations don't recover by the time the next drought hits, they may face gradual erosion until local extinction."

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The above story is reprinted from materials provided by Centre for Ecology and Hydrology.

Note: Materials may be edited for content and length. For further information, please contact the source cited above.

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Journal Reference:

1. Tom H. Oliver, Tom Brereton, David B. Roy. Population resilience to an extreme drought is influenced by habitat area and fragmentation in the local landscape. Ecography, 2012; DOI: 10.1111/j.1600-0587.2012.07665.x

Note: If no author is given, the source is cited instead.

Disclaimer: Views expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect those of ScienceDaily or its staff.

Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/top_news/top_environment/~3/p8L8b67o1ZY/121101073008.htm

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Lakers drop 2nd straight, fall to Blazers 116-106

Los Angeles Lakers guard Kobe Bryant, right, goes to the basket over Portland Trail Blazers forward LaMarcus Aldridge during the first quarter of an NBA basketball game in Portland, Ore., Wednesday, Oct. 31, 2012. (AP Photo/Don Ryan)

Los Angeles Lakers guard Kobe Bryant, right, goes to the basket over Portland Trail Blazers forward LaMarcus Aldridge during the first quarter of an NBA basketball game in Portland, Ore., Wednesday, Oct. 31, 2012. (AP Photo/Don Ryan)

Los Angeles Lakers guard Kobe Bryant bites his jersey while watching a Portland Trail Blazers player shoot a free throw during the first quarter of an NBA basketball game in Portland, Ore., Wednesday, Oct. 31, 2012. (AP Photo/Don Ryan)

Portland Trail Blazers forward LaMarcus Aldridge, left, looks to pass against Los Angeles Lakers forward Pau Gasol, from Spain, during the first quarter of an NBA basketball game in Portland, Ore., Wednesday, Oct. 31, 2012. (AP Photo/Don Ryan)

Portland Trail Blazers coach Terry Stotts reacts to a call during the first quarter of the Blazers' NBA basketball game against the Los Angeles Lakers in Portland, Ore., Wednesday, Oct. 31, 2012. (AP Photo/Don Ryan)

The Portland Trail Blazers' mascot, Blaze, waves a large flag with the Blazers emblem on it at mid-court before the team's NBA basketball season opener against the Los Angeles Lakers in Portland, Ore., Wednesday, Oct. 31, 2012. (AP Photo/Don Ryan)

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) ? Dwight Howard's 33 points and 14 rebounds were not enough for the Los Angeles Lakers in a 116-106 loss to the inspired Portland Trail Blazers on Wednesday night.

Nicolas Batum had 26 points and the Blazers led by as many as 19 in handing the Lakers their second straight loss to open the season. Damian Lillard, the sixth overall pick in the June draft, had 22 points and 11 assists in his NBA debut for Portland.

The Lakers' troubles were compounded by the loss of guard Steve Nash to a bruised left leg late in the first half.

Nash, acquired by the Lakers this summer, collided with Lillard and limped to the locker room. Although the team initially reported he was fine, Nash struggled when he returned for the second half and left the game for good a short time later.

Kobe Bryant had 30 points for the Lakers.

The loss, as well as the injury to Nash, came a day after Los Angeles dropped its season opener at home 99-91 to the Dallas Mavericks, spoiling the Lakers debuts of both Howard and Nash. Howard had 19 points and 10 rebounds in his first game in gold.

It was apparent for the second night in a row that the Lakers were still getting used to each other. The starters rarely played together during an 0-8 preseason.

The Blazers, who finished 28-38 last season and out of the playoffs, opened their season with eight newcomers on the roster after an offseason rebuilding effort around All-Star Lamarcus Aldridge, Wesley Matthews and Batum.

Portland pulled out to a 30-26 lead late in the first quarter after Matthews' 3-pointer. Lillard extended the lead to 35-26 with a running bank shot in traffic.

J.J. Hickson's jumper made it 41-34 for Portland, but Bryant answered for the Lakers with a 3-pointer. Batum's fast-break jam gave the Blazers a 46-40 lead and Portland went into halftime with a 62-57 lead.

Portland took its momentum into the second half, going up 72-64 on another slam by Batum. Sasha Pavlovic's 3-pointer gave the Blazers an 88-76 lead just before Howard was called for his fourth foul.

Matthews' jumper made it 102-83 in the fourth quarter. Batum had a 3-pointer to make it 108-94 as the game slipped out of reach for the Lakers.

Batum's opener comes after an uncertain offseason as a restricted free agent. The Blazers got into a poker match with the Timberwolves over the 23-year-old Frenchman, eventually matching Minnesota's four-year offer sheet worth more than $45 million.

The Blazers wore new red uniforms for the opener and encouraged fans to wear red, but the crowd was nonetheless sprinkled with plenty of Lakers gold. Among them was a fan that lifted a sign reading, "I love Steve Nash."

Nash, a two-time NBA MVP, was acquired in a sign-and-trade with the Phoenix Suns this summer.

NOTES: The Blazers declined team options for next season on guards Elliott Williams and Nolan Smith, and forward Luke Babbitt, to maintain salary cap flexibility. All three will become unrestricted free agents at the end of the season, but the Blazers will retain their Bird rights. ... Portland added 10 players to the roster of the team's NBA D-League affiliate, the Idaho Stampede, including training camp participants Coby Karl, Justin Holiday and Dallas Lauderdale.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/347875155d53465d95cec892aeb06419/Article_2012-11-01-BKN-Lakers-Trail-Blazers/id-e76e2730db6a40c7b49a00bae3868cbb

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Arts & Entertainment: Local historian turns ... - Tacoma Weekly

STOWAWAY. Heritage League of Pierce County member M.M. Justus wrote ?True Gold,? a story about a seamstress turned gold prospector after researching the subject to get all the details right.

Writing historical fiction is not an easy endeavor. Unlike penning a science fiction or fantasy story, the ?historical? side of a historical fiction work has to be correct or face the wrath of history buffs who are always eager to call foul and point out timeline mistakes. They might just come up speechless in the latest work by M.M. Justus, ?True Gold.? The 200-pager follows the adventures of Karin Myre, a teenaged assistant to a Seattle seamstress who gambles with her future after seeing the arrival of the Portland, a steamer filled with gold at the dawning of the Alaskan gold rush that would make ?Klondike fever? a common phrase. Myre leaves her life of work and poverty to take her chances at a new life by sneaking onto a steamer bound for the ice and treasure of the Klondike and finds misery, adventure and love along the way. She travels with a photographer, modeled after real-life Eric Hegg, whose extensive photographic record of the gold rush is housed in part at the University of Washington and struggles in a ?man?s world? with a strength that can best be described as Norwegian girl power.

?I had dealt with men who looked askance at my attire, at my circumstances, and at my independence,? states a passage in the book. ?I was who I was, and even now I am still proud of it. But Will was right. I had dealt with them without batting an eyelash. I had not been nervous around any of them and none of their opinions of me had made me feel small. Except for Captain Trelane. And now Mr. Lawson. Mr. Lawson did not eat supper with us the following evening. The only time I saw him that day was when I went out to care for the goats while he and Will were working at the sawpit. Even at that distance, I could see his gaze fastened upon me, and I hastened through the routine of feeding and watering them, using the mining shovel I had purchased in Dyea to scoop their frozen manure onto the heap beginning to rival Will?s logpile. Will saw him watching me, too, or perhaps noticed me watching them, and frowned as he pulled the saw down through the log perched on the scaffold. Or I suppose he could have been scowling at the sawdust landing on his head. He had ended up on the bottom somehow, although I knew if he truly minded he would be on top. Neither position seemed to be desirable, but after the first two or three planks they both seemed to have gotten the hang of it. I supposed if I stayed out of the way, nothing untoward would happen. Mr. Lawson had no excuse to search me out.?

The details of this romance-and-adventure story prove the historical research paid off and paint a word picture so vivid that readers can see the story play out in their minds as they endure the stares of the prospectors or the chill of the Klondike air through Myre?s telling of her tale. Justus has a bachelor?s degree in British and American literature and history, a master?s degree in library science and a certificate in museum studies, after all. She is also a member of the Heritage League of Pierce County, and all of that education pours out of this book. The $3.99 book is available for the Kindle through Amazon and in many other e-formats on Smashwords. It is not available in paper yet. ?True Gold? is the second of three books in the series. ?Repeating History? takes a science fiction turn when 20-year-old college dropout Chuck McManis is strolling the geyser boardwalks in Yellowstone National Park in 1959, when an earthquake plunges him more than 80 years back in time, into his own past ? to become the great-grandfather he had idolized as a boy. The third book, ?Finding Home,? is coming out next year.

Reviewed by Steve Dunkelberger

Source: http://www.tacomaweekly.com/citylife/view/arts-entertainment-local-historian-turns-research-into-gripping-novel/

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eBay slim magnetic smart cover hard case stand for Google Asus Nexus 7 Tablet review

  When I received my Nexus 7, ?I knew I wanted some sort of ?cover. I know it’s a pity to cover up such slim and sleek items, but you do have to protect them while you’re out and about, or it’s thrown into your gadget bag. ?It actually fit really well into my Leatherback [...]

Source: http://the-gadgeteer.com/2012/11/01/ebay-slim-magnetic-smart-cover-hard-case-stand-for-google-asus-nexus-7-tablet-review/

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Department of Sport and Recreation | Martial Arts Expo this weekend

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Source: http://riddlemonte45.typepad.com/blog/2012/11/department-of-sport-and-recreation-martial-arts-expo-this-weekend.html

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Official Release: Gallagher to donate to prostate cancer research ...

Gallagher to donate to prostate cancer research
Forward to donate $250 for every Bulldogs? win, $20 for every Vancovuer Giants win in November

Hamilton Bulldogs Press Release

HAMILTON, ON ? The Hamilton Bulldogs announced today forward Brendan Gallagher will donate $250 for every Hamilton Bulldogs win and $20 for every Vancouver Giants victory during the month of November to the Canadian Cancer Society for prostate cancer research.?

(Photo by Bruce Edwards/Edmonton Journal)

?One of my favorite memories as a kid was seeing my grandpa in the stands at my hockey games,? said Gallagher.? ?After the game he would give me $20 and I would run to the concession stands and buy popcorn for $5 and bring the other $15 home.?? In addition to the $250 being donated after every Bulldogs win, the forward will donate $20 for every Vancouver Giants win in the month of November in memory of his grandfather.? ?I am proud that in my last two seasons in junior with the Giants, I was able to help raise $15,000 for prostate cancer research and I hope to continue to raise money in honour of my grandfather?, said Gallagher.

Fans can help Brendan raise money for prostate cancer research by visiting the following website: http://bit.ly/TwVq9P

Related Posts

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3. Official Release: Bulldogs announce opening night roster
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5. Official Release: Bulldogs sign Corbin

Tags: AHL, Brendan Gallagher, Canadian Cancer Society, Hamilton Bulldogs press release, Montreal Canadiens, Prospects, Vancouver Giants, WHL

Category: Canadiens press release

About Kathy K: czechtacular (aka Kathy) is the former follower of a single team, whose interests still are and will always be number one in her book (she does write at All HABS, after all!) but making the jump to junior hockey in 2005 has resulted in, well, quite frankly, a mess that no one will ever be able to understand all at once. A former student of photography, history and communications, she has been to games of the NHL, AHL, QMJHL, CIS, LHJAAAQ, LNAH, and even the NWHL, and definitely doesn't intend on stopping there. View author profile.

Source: http://www.allhabs.net/canadiens-press-release/official-release-gallagher-to-donate-to-prostate-cancer-research/

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