Possible da Vinci painting found in Scottish farmhouse; could be worth $150 million

Possible da Vinci painting found in Scottish farmhouse; could be worth $150 million - Fiona McLaren, 59, had kept an old painting in her Scottish farmhouse for decades. She reportedly didn't think much of the painting, which had been given to her as a gift by her father. But after she finally decided to have the painting appraised, some experts are speculating that it may in fact be a 500-year-old painting by Leonardo da Vinci and potentially worth more than $150 million.

"I showed it to him [auctioneer Harry Robertson] and he was staggered, speechless save for a sigh of exclamation," said Ms. McLaren, according to The People.

The Daily Mail says the painting may be of Mary Magdalene holding a young child. The painting is now undergoing further analysis by experts at the Cambridge University and the Hamilton Kerr Institute, who will attempt to uncover its exact age and origins.

Even if the painting is not a da Vinci original, it is believed to at least be from the da Vinci school, created by one of the master's pupils during the 16th century.

A papal bull was found attached to the back of the painting and is believed to have originated from the era of Pope Paul V, head of the Catholic Church in the early 17th century. McLaren says the word "Magdalene," is visible on the faded paper.

McLaren says she hopes the painting is sold to a museum, and she plans to donate a percentage of the painting's sale value after it is auctioned. ( The Sideshow )

 

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Elephants may be contributing to deforestation

Elephants may be contributing to deforestation - A new aerial study has found that tree loss is six times higher in areas that are home to elephants.

"Previous field studies gave us important clues that elephants are a key driver of tree losses, but our airborne 3-D mapping approach was the only way to fully understand the impacts of elephants across a wide range of environmental conditions found in savannas," lead author Greg Asner of Carnegie's Department of Global Ecology said in a press release.

Discovery News reports that humans have "essentially engineered" the situation by relocating elephant populations. The results, published in the journal Ecology Letters, found that elephants topple up to 20 percent of trees in their habitats, preferring to go after ones in the 16- to 30-foot range.

The study results, which were gathered in South Africa's Kruger National Park, have created a dilemma for conservationists who must balance the need to preserve elephant populations with the importance of maintaining a healthy tree population for other creatures in the ecosystem.

Previously, park officials believed the deforestation was originating from other creatures, such as rabbits.

"Our maps show that elephants clearly toppled medium-sized trees," Asner said, "creating an 'elephant trap' for the vegetation. These elephant-driven tree losses have a ripple effect across the ecosystem, including how much carbon is sequestered from the atmosphere."

In this video, you can watch a mother elephant in Kruger National Park topple a tree so that her offspring can eat berries from it: ( The Sideshow )

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11 ridiculous White House petitions

11 ridiculous White House petitions - On the wish lists of Americans: A fully operational Death Star, a nationalized Twinkie industry, and motorcycle-riding "judges" who also act as jury and executioner

The White House's "We the People..." website allows Americans to petition the Obama administration on a variety of issues citizens believe need addressing. Requests range from serious to self-interested to completely absurd (have Vice-President Joe Biden serve as Guy Fieri's sidekick on Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives). Most are angry with the administration, with roughly 70 percent of current petitions asking that individual states — like Texas — be allowed to peacefully secede. What's more: Anyone can create a petition, with the caveat that each request must garner 25,000 signatures in order to be considered for an official White House response. Presented without comment (and in no particular order), here are 11 of the most ridiculous White House petitions awaiting signatures:

1. Secure resources and funding, and begin construction of a Death Star by 2016

Those who sign here petition the United States government to secure funding and resources, and begin construction on a Death Star by 2016.

By focusing our defense resources into a space-superiority platform and weapon system such as a Death Star, the government can spur job creation in the fields of construction, engineering, space exploration, and more, and strengthen our national defense.

Total signatures: 1,428SEE MORE: Will Republicans abandon their opposition to Susan Rice?

2. Allow United States military service members to place their hands in their pockets

When in the course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the bonds of service to the United States military, this regretful termination of service to this great nation is often precipitated by inane uniform and personal conduct policies.

We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all uniforms have pockets and hands fit perfectly inside them, and they sheathe our knife hands gloriously. It must be acknowledged that placing one's hands in one's pockets is not a sign of disrespect, but a precautionary action to prevent injuries.

Therefore, these undeniable truths being told, the service members of the United States military respectfully request the President of the United States to restore our sacred right to place our hands in our pockets — on or off duty.

Total signatures: 3,730SEE MORE: 3 reasons President Obama's lunch with Mitt Romney is a good idea

3. Deport everyone that signed a petition to withdraw their state from the USA

Deport Everyone That Signed A Petition To Withdraw Their State From The United States Of America.

Total signatures: 25,879

4. Build a statue of Master Chief Petty Officer Spartan John-117 on the White House lawn

He deserves more praise for what he has done.

Total signatures: 4,526SEE MORE: Obama's second term: The case for election reform

5. Nationalize the Twinkie industry

We the undersigned, hereby request Barack Obama to immediately Nationalize the Twinkie industry and prevent our nation from losing her sweet creamy center.

Total signatures: 3,998SEE MORE: 5 strikes against Susan Rice

6. Establish new legal system of motorcycle riding "judges" who serve as police, judge, jury, and executioner all in one

This is a petition to dissolve the current legal system and replace it with a single Hall of Justice, run by Judges; motorcycle-riding law officers who act as police, judge, jury, and executioner.

Total signatures: 2,972SEE MORE: Joe Biden goes to Costco: The best jokes

7. Give us back our incandescent light bulbs!

In the spirit of liberty and freedom we believe that decisions, such as what kind of lightbulb we use, should not be made by the government but by the individual. The federal government is phasing out incandescent lightbulbs by law and the last incandescent lightbulb factory in America has closed. This is not the role of the government. Not only did this move shift jobs to China (since CFLs are too dangerous to manufacture in America) it has limited the freedom of Americans to make their own choices in how they will light their homes and businesses. The free market should decide which lightbulbs succeed, not the government.

Total signatures: 1,358 
8. Provide university graduates ability to trade their diplomas back for 100 percent tuition refunds

Because of the inability of recent college graduates to find gainful employment in order to repay their college debt, and since this college debt cannot be eliminated in bankruptcy, and most of the recent additions to the job market have been in service related industries, the Obama administration should take up the cause of reducing college debt and hold those accountable responsible.

In the name of Consumer Protection, recent college graduates should have the ability to return the diploma and not make any reference to receiving education from the college in exchange for a 100% refund of college tuition. This may be extended with a graduated (ha, get it?) reduction for the last four years, with a red line at January 20, 2008.

Total signatures: 1,193 

9. Have the President attend a Fark.com party. If scheduling does not permit, at least have a beer with Drew Curtis.

Too many serious petitions on this site asking the President to work his butt off. We believe that he should have a chance to have a good time.

Total signatures: 1,111

10. Transfer funds from the drug war to fund the research and development of the genetic engineering of domestic cat girls

We believe that the genetic engineering of cat girls could be potentially beneficial for the economy and an effective for use as domestic house servant. The money being used to fight the drug war is effectively pointless. We could be using this money to fund other much more important things such as the genetic engineering of cat girls for domestic use. The government could then sell these genetic household workers to boost the economy and try to further decrease the national debt. They could be used around the house so that the homeowners could pursue jobs to also boost the economy.

Total signatures: 838 

11. Shut down White House petitions, since they never get a sincere response, few read them & they are ultimately worthless

Since the White House never actually responds to any petitions in sincerity (like letting the one man whose job it is to oppose marijuana to respond to the marijuana legalization initiative, or having the head of the TSA respond to why we can't de-fund the TSA) we should immediately de-fund and dismantle the White House petition website.

In recent days it has become a mockery with petitions for secession from almost every state, and cities wishing to de-secede in such events.

We ask Barack Obama to admit that this is a mockery of democratic process and immediately dissolve this joke of a website.

Total signatures: 852  

( The Week)

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Best budget destinations for 2013

 
Hotel rates in Ko Phi Phi, Thailand, have dropped by 27 percent. (Photo: Steve Allen / Dreamstime.com)

Best budget destinations for 2013 - Year after year, friends and family of the Budget Travel staff inevitably ask us the same question: "Where's the coolest and most affordable place to go next?" Luckily, we work hard to get at the right answers for them.

Each year before the holidays, the BT team combs through piles of data regarding new flight destinations, airline prices, places aggressively building new hotels, cities experiencing cultural booms, currency charts, and other statistics to compile our list of the 10 best Budget Destinations for the upcoming year.

Some destinations were more interesting to us because they were so full of new and unique attractions (Northern Ireland!), and others were standby dream vacation spots that were suddenly more affordable than they've been in recent years (the Loire Valley, France). But the one thing they have in common is that they're completely accessible and ripe for exploring now. So read up, pick a place, and get planning!

Ko Phi Phi, Thailand

Even if Ko Phi Phi isn't familiar by name, you still might recognize its turquoise waters, leaf-blanketed limestone peaks, and signature longtail boats—the hallmarks of this island paradise off the coast of Thailand inspired wanderlust the world over when it was spotlighted in the film “The Beach.”

An archipelago comprised of two main islands, Ko Phi Phi was on the rise as a holiday destination when it was devastated by the tsunami of 2004. Eight years and a rigorous rebuilding effort later, it's now well on its way to becoming a luxury tourist spot. This year, hotel rates have dropped by 27 percent to an average of $151 per night, compared with a 13 percent increase in nearby Phuket.

(Photo: Valentino Visentini / Dreamstime.com)Toronto

Toronto is seriously having a moment. The cultural, entertainment, and financial capital of Canada has not only undergone a huge building boom, but also New York City exports are opening up here at rapid pace, like the new Thompson and Trump hotels, and David Chang's Momofuku empire.

But what makes it a great budget destination is that unlike the rest of the world, hotel prices didn't increase at all in the first half of 2012. Like any good bustling North American city, there are myriad cultural options to be found here, but because this is a harbor town off Lake Ontario, there are also plenty of affordable outdoorsy activities like hiking, biking, and canoeing. And because about half of the population was born abroad, the ethnic food scene is as good as it gets anywhere in the world. 

Palm Springs, Calif.

   

(Photo: Courtesy Saguaro Palm Springs)

With its towering namesake palms and countless pools, Palm Springs has long been heralded as California's desert oasis, where the stars and golf aficionados fled when they needed a little R&R. Now, with a 6 percent drop in airfares amid near-universal increases nationwide, it's also a refuge for bargain-seeking travelers.

Antalya, Turkey

 

 (Photo: Jokerproproduction / Dreamstime.com)

If you've never heard of the Turkish Riviera, you're not alone—Americans have thus far rarely ventured to the southwestern Mediterranean coast of Turkey for holiday. All that seems likely to change this year for several reasons: Average hotel prices have significantly and notably dropped from last year (from $193 to $146, almost 25 percent), and in 2011 it beat New York City to become the world's third-most visited city by international tourists.

The word is out about this city that's part beachfront, part metropolis, and part ancient town. And even though many of the tourists here are of the incredibly wealthy European variety, the 5-star all-inclusive resorts on the beaches offer rates as low as $100 a night. More adventurous types will also get a huge kick out of the city's proximity to some of the oldest known architectural ruins in the world. The nearby Catalhoyuk Mound is one of the oldest and best-preserved Neolithic sites to date, existing from 7500 BC to 5700 BC.

 Loire Valley, France

  

(Photo: Steve Allen / Dreamstime.com)

According to the 2012 Hotel Price Index, the historic wine and chateaux region known as the Loire Valley (a UNESCO World Heritage Site) saw a 19 percent price decrease in average hotel rooms, bringing them to $128—pretty good, considering going to France isn't generally considered a budget affair. And in November of this year, the Euro hit a two-month low against the dollar due to bailing out debt-burdened member nations. Bad news for Europeans, but it adds to your advantage when traveling right now.

The best way to see the area is to rent a car in Paris and drive 150 miles south until you reach the middle stretch along the Loire River. You'll want to be able to drive to the various vineyards—the fertile land is home to the regions of Sancerre and Pouilly-Fumé, as well as Muscadet.

Nashville, Tenn.

  

(Photo: Steven Frame / Dreamstime.com)

In the new hit ABC drama "Nashville," a political powerbroker describes his hometown as "a thriving, prosperous city, an industrial and cultural juggernaut." In other words, the home of the Grand Ole Opry is going a little heavy on the "grand," while easing up considerably on the "ole."

You might say life imitates art. This spring, a brand-new, $585 million, 118,000-square-foot convention center will open downtown, which will in turn help fuel the city's ongoing hotel construction boom.

But growth in Nashville isn't solely related to real estate. In a city known primarily for its "hot chicken" and "meat and three sides," chefs are helping to transform Nashville into a new culinary powerhouse, along the lines of Charleston. On the other end of the spectrum, buzzy food trucks are hitting the streets of hip neighborhoods like East Nashville and The Gulch.

  Northern Ireland

   

(Photo: Courtesy Ardfern/Wikimedia Commons)

Northern Ireland has been troubled for the better part of the 20th century, thanks to a bloody religious conflict. Peace has since been restored, but that didn't immediately skyrocket Northern Ireland to the top of travelers' bucket lists.

So how's the outlook in 2013? Derry/Londonderry, Northern Ireland's second city, became the first U.K. City of Culture (cityofculture2013.com). The 6th-century walled city will spend $25 million in new cultural programs designed to bring in tourism. Best of all, Northern Ireland is now easier (and cheaper) to get to: Beginning in fall 2012, EasyJet and Aer Lingus added more flights between Belfast and London, which is expected to increase competition with British Airways and thus further lower airline prices.

Slovakia

  

(Photo: Oleksandr Dragunov / Dreamstime.com)

Since it split from the Czech Republic in 1993, Slovakia has remained a quiet hidden gem. But on the 20th anniversary of its independence, with one of the fastest growing economies in the EU, Slovakia finally seems ready for its close-up.

Slovakia's second city, Košice, shares the European Capital of Culture designation with Marseille, marking the first time a Slovak city has held the title. The well-preserved city, which dates back to the 12th century, will focus on the future. The city's 19th-century military barracks have been converted into Kulturpark, a creative district that will promote contemporary art, experimental theater, and modern dance.

Boracay Island, The Philippines

  

(Photo: Donsimon / Dreamstime.com)

As tourism from east Asia and the United States grows each year, the white-sand beaches of this southeast Asian archipelago should move from your bucket list to your see-it-before-it's-overrun list—especially since Royal Caribbean made its first call to Boracay in October.

It’s rather remarkable considering that tourists never even set foot on Boracay until the 1970s. Now there are more than 300 resorts and hotels for visitors to choose from on this thin speck of prime oceanfront real estate (less than a mile wide and less than four miles long)  and last year the area saw more than 900,000 visitors.

 The Bahamas

  

(Photo: MorganOliver / Dreamstime.com)

If it seems as if the Bahamas are an annual fixture on you-can-afford-to-go-here lists, well, they are—for good reason. From northernmost Grand Bahama, with its three national parks, underwater caves, and urbane nightlife, to the bustling port of Nassau, home to iconic Cable Beach and historic Bay Street lined with shops and cafes, the Bahamas remain a favorite "stylish steal" for savvy travelers

For a taste of authentic Bahamas cuisine, stop into Twin Brothers for mixed platters of local favorites like conch, snapper, and grouper.

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We’ve seen it, and it’s a welcome return to Middle-earth

‘The Hobbit’ First Look: We’ve seen it, and it’s a welcome return to Middle-earth - It's been nine long years since we last left the realm of Middle-earth, and if you've been dying to return to the world of Hobbits, Dwarves, and Elves, we've got good news for you. "The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey" takes you right back to the familiar lands of "The Lord of the Rings," and the new movie fits right on the shelf with director Peter Jackson's previous three Tolkien adaptations.

 

The three Trolls (Photo: Warner Bros. Pictures)

"The Hobbit" is packed with sweeping action, grand vistas, disgusting monsters, stirring music, and goofy Dwarves. The cast features some perfectly chosen new actors and the return of many familiar faces. However, it lacks the dramatic weight of the original trilogy, but that is keeping with the lighter tone of the source book which predated "The Lord of the Rings" by nearly two decades. The only piece that really feels out of place is the new technical innovation that's being introduced with this film: the 48 frames-per-second High Frame Rate photography.

Another fellowship, another quest

"The Hobbit" starts off very much in the same vein as the first LOTR film, "The Fellowship of the Ring." It begins with a long flashback to a war with a powerful enemy, in this case, when the Dwarves of Erebor lost their home in the Lonely Mountain to the fire-breathing dragon Smaug. After an introductory sequence with Ian Holm and Elijah Wood reprising their roles as Bilbo and Frodo Baggins, respectively, the movie jumps back sixty years to the young Bilbo, now played by Martin Freeman.

Just like before, Gandalf the wizard (once again played with twinkly-eyed gravity by Ian McKellen) enlists the naïve and sheltered Hobbit to leave the comforts of his hole in the ground and embark on a epic quest. But where the "Fellowship of the Ring" had an eclectic collection of races, Bilbo joins a pack of thirteen Dwarves. There are actually too many of them to really get a sense of them all as distinct personalities, but a few do stand out, specifically their leader, the dark and dashing Thorin Oakenshield

Martin Freeman: Born to be a Hobbit

Of course, the success of "The Hobbit" as a film rides predominantly on the shoulders of the man playing the title character, and Martin Freeman doesn't disappoint. A veteran of British TV -- including the original "The Office" and the current "Sherlock" -- Freeman hasn't had much luck in Hollywood movies until now. But he really is perfectly cast, recalling Ian Holm's portrayal of Bilbo from the originals without trying to imitate it. Freeman gets the humor of the character, and he really shines during the integral scene where Bilbo faces off against Gollum, once again portrayed (via motion capture) by Andy Serkis.

Trolls and goblins and orcs (oh my!)

The first "Rings" movie had two memorably scary monsters hunting down the heroes: the black riders, aka the Nazgul, and the Uruk-Hai. The bad guys in "The Hobbit" are as genuinely frightening, but they are plenty gross. Bilbo has to face a trio of phlegmy Trolls, an army of goblins lead by a deformed king, and a one-armed orc with a vendetta against Thorin. Advances in CGI make these characters much more life-like and expressive than some of the creatures in the original trilogy to the point where it's almost impossible to tell what was created in the computer and what was done through makeup.

Higher frame rate definitely changes the experience

The biggest technical difference between "The Hobbit" and the old films is that it was shot and in some theaters will be projected in the new 48 fps (frames per second) 3D system. The new cameras shoot twice as many individual images than traditional film methods, with the goal being a smoother and more immersive experience. And while the new presentation does make the 3D easier on your eyes, losing the traditional "film flicker" does fundamentally change how you view the movie.

It takes a while to adjust to the effect (the first few scenes almost looked like they were in fast motion), and even after you get used to the effect it never does look like "a movie" as we've come to understand it. Some shots do create an astonishing effect like you really are there, but others just look like you're watching a really expensive HDTV. It was a worthwhile experiment to try making a film in the new system, but theatrical features are probably not the best format for the technology.

Oscar chances seem unlikely

The final chapter of the original trilogy, "The Return of the King," won 11 Academy Awards, including Best Picture, tying the record for most wins shared by "Ben-Hur" and "Titanic." While "The Hobbit" will surely be considered for technical awards for visual effects, makeup, and sound, it's safe to say it won't be in the running for the major awards this time out. This one lacks the truly powerful emotional moments of the earlier films, and while the performances are solid, none are showy enough to grab any nominations.

This film is the first chapter of a new trilogy, though. Originally, Peter Jackson intended to split the book into two films, but earlier this year decided there was enough material for a third installment. There is a fair amount of time in this movie setting up the villains for the later chapter, and while it does end on something of a cliffhanger, it still feels like a complete story in and of itself. ( Movie Talk )

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