Massive Trove of Titanic Artifacts Headed for Auction

As fans of the Titanic (the shipwreck and/or the movie), we know you’ve already booked your trip on the Titanic Memorial Cruise, the trip that will retrace the path of the Titanic’s fateful maiden voyage on the disaster’s centennial. So what else does a Titanic groupie have to look forward to in 2012? How about more than 5,000 items salvaged from the ill-fated ship heading to the auction block?

A woman examines the Titanic's crows nest bell in
an exhibition of artifacts recovered from the wreck of
the Titanic on November 3, 2010 in London

The owner, an apparent avid collector of artifacts salvaged form one of the world’s most infamous shipwrecks, has decided to put the collection up for sale to the highest bidder. According to CNNMoney, the collection was appraised in 2007 at a value of over $189 million. Since then the collector has added even more valuable trinkets pulled from the salty depths.

No word on whether a nude portrait of Kate Winslet is included in the lot, but even if it was up for sale, the piece would be unavailable for individual purchase. Premier Exhibitions, the auction house who currently owns and displays the items around the world, has opted to sell all the items in the collection as one lot. So if you want to purchase the hypothetical Kate Winslet portrait, you must also purchase deck chairs, silverware and whatever else was pulled out of the briny deep by intrepid divers. According to the article on CNN, the artifacts in the lot were collected by salvage divers over the course of several dives over several decades, from 1987-2010.

Premier Exhibitions plans to announce the results of the auction on April 15, the anniversary of the ship’s sinking. Several other events are planned around the 2012 anniversary, including a re-release of James Cameron’s 1997 masterpiece Titanic in 3D and a reasonable sounding trip on a Russian submarine that will take passengers down to the wreckage.

And about that Kate Winslet sketch: Sorry, but it was already auctioned.

Adapted from TIME

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The Greatest Places to Explore the World's Best-kept Secrets

These are 10 great places to explore:

Isla de Margarita
Venezuela

One of the largest islands in the Caribbean remains largely undiscovered by Americans. Yogerst says it offers a huge variety of landscapes and culture in a small area. "It's all of Latin America on one island. It has rainforests, deserts, fabulous beaches and little Spanish colonial towns." margarita-travel.com

Colca Canyon
Peru

The "Grand Canyon of South America" is more than twice as deep as its Arizona counterpart. It's also one of the best places to see Andean condors. "You can go and watch them ride drafts up the canyon wall. It's a majestic desert landscape that goes on forever and ever," Yogerst says. tours.peru.travel/Colca/index_ing.php

Wrangell-Kluane Wilderness 

Alaska and Canada 

Head north to explore one of the world's largest protected areas, the combined lands of Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Canada's Kluane National Park. Taken together, they reach from the Gulf of Alaska to northern boreal forests and cover about 20 million acres. "It's some of the most spectacular wildlife viewing I've had anywhere in North America," Yogerst says. In one trip, he spotted grizzly and black bears, caribou, mountain goats, Dall sheep, and dolphins. 907-822-5234; nps.gov/wrst OR pc.gc.ca/eng/pn-np/yt/kluane/index.aspx

Salt Mission Trail 

New Mexico 

Before the Pilgrims arrived, Spanish missionaries were settling the Southwest. But the desert landscape in one corner of what later became New Mexico proved to be too challenging. "What's left now is red-brick adobe ruins," Yogerst says. "People will be surprised by how big some of these missions were with very large churches." newmexico.org/scenicbyways/salt_mission.php

Brimstone Hill Fortress 

St. Kitts  

Once called the Gibraltar of the West Indies, this former British colonial fort dominates a flat-topped seaside mountain. Abandoned 100 years ago, it has been restored and offers views of a volcano on the nearby Dutch island of Sint Eustatius. "It's the most impressive of all the British forts I've seen in the Caribbean," Yogerst says. 800-582-6208; stkittstourism.kn

Tsitsikamma Trail 

South Africa 

This 40-mile path is laced with streams and heavy subtropical forests that reminds Yogerst of the Pacific Northwest. He hiked it over the course of five days staying in unstaffed, basic huts along the route. "It is a wild part of Africa. There are monkeys and baboons and leopards there." sanparks.co.za

Galle Fort 

Sri Lanka 

Now that Sri Lanka's civil war has ended, visitors are again discovering this charming fortified colonial city. Built on the Indian Ocean in the 16th century, its tall stone walls protected it from the tsunami that ravaged the region in 2004. "It's preserved almost intact," Yogerst says, and now even has a chic boutique resort. "It's unexpected and not too well discovered." srilanka.travel

Small Museums of Tokyo 

Like New York, London and Paris, Tokyo has many major museums, but Yogerst suggests seeking out more obscure galleries, such as the Sumo Museum, devoted to the unique Japanese sport, or the Ota art museum. "It's probably the best collection of Japanese wood block prints on the planet," Yogerst says. Another highlight: the Mingeikan Folk Crafts Museum with more than 17,000 objects. "In some ways these say more about Japanese culture than the big museums do." 212-757-5640; www.jnto.go.jp

Lavenham 

Suffolk, England 

Yogerst says it's just a coincidence that the Tudor town where his mother-in-law lives makes his list. "It's the epitome of a quaint English countryside village." There's a cobblestone square with pubs, and no sign of "twee shops," he says. It also has England's largest collection of half timber buildings. "It's the real deal." When he visits he likes to take half-day hikes through the countryside that surrounds the town. www.discoverlavenham.co.uk

Ta Prohm temple 

Cambodia 

This Southeast Asian ruin near the more famous Angkor Wat reminds Yogerst of something out of an Indiana Jones movie. "The stone ruins are literally wrapped in the branches and roots and arms of jungle trees." He says visitors have the feeling they are discovering the site for the first time. "It's cleared enough so you can walk through, but that's all." embassyofcambodia.org

Quoted from USAToday

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Animal-friendly Movies with Award Aspirations

Listen up, Oscar: These animals are naturals

This winter's film slate features a zoo full of creatures, a War Horse and a pack of adorable dogs.

The movie world is all a-Twitter
over Uggie's acting in 'The Artist.'

"It's amazing how many animals there are this year," marvels Mathilde de Cagny, the lead animal trainer for Hugo and Beginners, two animal-friendly movies with award aspirations. "Animals add such character to a movie, and people just automatically relate to them. They bring such warmth."

"Besides," she says, "they are a lot cheaper than actors."

Four-legged thespians have long been unappreciated by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. But in this year of banner performances, here are five animals worthy of acting nominations.

The Dog in The Artist

He might be known simply as The Dog in the silent comedy, but star pooch Uggie has developed a cult following complete with his own Twitter account. The 10-year-old Jack Russell terrier steals the show as Jean Dujardin's sidekick — especially when burying his head in his paws at the breakfast table.

"That was Uggie playing shy," says owner and trainer Omar Von Muller. "I said 'bow' and he did it. It's a trick I use a lot, but it was perfect for this scene and this movie."

Uggie showed further range playing dead at a key moment and added serious heft with the life-saving sequence that would have made Lassie proud, alerting the authorities to his master's peril. "He was so awesome and energetic in that scene," says Von Muller.

Big credit goes to Dujardin's handling. "Besides being a great actor, he was a great dog handler," the trainer says. "Jean was always letting Uggie kiss him. He has a real natural way with dogs."

Joey in War Horse

It takes more than one horse to carry a Steven Spielberg epic about World War I. Trainer Bobby Lovgren says there were up to 10 horses used to play Joey — showing the arc of the animal's life from foal to adult. "I don't think there was one hero horse," he says. "They were all heroes."

But the scenes in which Joey is entangled in barbed wire in no-man's land is the emotional apex. Lovgren says the "barbed wire" was rubber and the horse's intense looks were extracted with various tricks. "Someone running with an umbrella in the background might make a difference, for example," he says.

For the pivotal scene when Joey lies down while the barbed wire is removed, Lovgren used his own experienced horse, Finder. "I've used him as a mare giving birth," Lovgren says. "He's very confident in those situations."

Arthur in Beginners

Beginners' star dog, whose real name is Cosmo, was rescued from a shelter by de Cagny. The 7-year-old Jack Russell terrier seems attached to co-star Ewan McGregor, especially in the achingly cute scene in which the pooch gets a tour of his new home in the romantic comedy/drama.

Liver treats helped Cosmo's performance, but de Cagny mostly cites human-dog chemistry. "It was all about the real, natural connection the two had on and off camera," she says. "And they are both great actors. Cosmo is so inquisitive, and Ewan's dog-loving just shows. I was pretty much just the dog's driver on this film."

The two bonded so closely that McGregor adopted a poodle mix after filming wrapped. Says de Cagny, "He said he just couldn't go on without a dog after that."

Buster in We Bought a Zoo

Bart the bear stands on his own next to star Matt Damon, which is not hard when you're a 1,200-pound grizzly. While Damon's scene with 12-year-old Bart (called Buster in the film) was shot on separate screens, the bear roar was pure drama.

"Bart was totally acting," says trainer Doug Seus. "He only acts ferocious and growling. It's a trained behavior. They dub in the roar." The bear's inspiration to hit his marks: praise and treats. "It's meat, apples, a hug and a 'Good boy,' " Seus says. "Everyone appreciates a pat on the back."

Maximilian in Hugo

Maximilian comes across as all growl on the film about an orphan who lives in a Paris train station. But Doberman pinschers are not the bravest of dogs, says trainer de Cagny. "I was surprised myself," she says.

So she split the duties of the guard dog assisting Sacha Baron Cohen's station inspector between three identical dogs, including a "smarter" female, Blackie, for complicated scenes that required hitting multiple marks. Director Martin Scorsese's wide shots also posed complications for the trainer, who had to keep out of sight.

Ultimately even Scorsese was pleased. "He didn't have much experience working with animals in movies," she says. "It was an eye-opening experience."

Adapted from USAToday

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The effects of Sugar Binge on Our Body

Here are 5 effects of a Sugar Binge

1. Your Teeth

The remnants of candy and other sticky-sweet treats cling to molars, where the sugar begins mixing with bacteria in your mouth, creating an acid that can start breaking down protective tooth enamel, explains Kimberly Harms, D.D.S., a spokeswoman for the American Dental Association.

2. Your Stomach and Gut

After about 15 minutes in your stomach, the goody passes to the small intestine, where your body metabolizes sugar into glucose and fructose molecules, says Suzanne Hendrich, Ph.D., professor of food science at Iowa State University. Both are then broken down further, enabling them to pass into the bloodstream.

3. Your Blood

A surge of glucose enters your bloodstream, with levels peaking about 30 minutes after you've eaten, Hendrich says. At this point, your pancreas is working overtime to pump out extra insulin to deal with the glucose influx. Meanwhile, the fructose is heading for your liver.

4. Your Brain

Insulin begins rushing the glucose throughout your body, giving you a surge of energy for the next two hours. "Brain cells run solely on glucose," Hendrich says, "so a binge delivers a huge fuel infusion here, too, and you may feel more alert." Sugar also activates the production of serotonin and dopamine, neurochemicals linked with pleasure and reward—hence, the sugar high. The effects, however, are short-lived.

5. Your Cells

About two hours after eating, your body has burned through all the glucose it could process and stored any extra as fat, and disposed of fructose or turned it into blood fat. With no sugar available, insulin and blood glucose levels dip, leaving you cloudy and lethargic, Hendrich says. Reaching for more sweets will only cause the cycle to repeat. Grab a piece of fruit and get a natural (and longer-lasting) sugar boost instead.

Adapted from MSN

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