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Posted On: 10/24/2008

Abused horses find a second chance at a New Kent CountyFrom Richmond Giving Magazineby Melissa Scott Sinclair

Nine years ago, Pearl was the first. After 34 years of work had been wrung from her frame, she was left in abackyard to starve.

Then there was Dawn, a skeleton with a hanging head. She weighed 350 pounds -- a third her normal weight -- andher teeth were worn to the bone from gnawing her prison stall.

Chase, a doglike horse who nibbles visitors with an inquisitive mouth, was crippled by untreated arthritis. The manwho brought him to Lori Priest told her: “He’s useless. I don’t know why you want him.”

This little farm in New Kent County is a haven for “useless” horses; for the old, the lame and the hurt. Priest takesthem all, those surrendered by desperate owners and those seized by local animal control offices.

People often buy a horse without realizing the animal requires more care and attention than their ATV. When vetbills run into the thousands and the horse doesn’t immediately submit to being saddled, Priest says, “they just getfrustrated and it’s either off to the auction or ‘you can take him if you want him.’”

View the audio slideshow.

Sometimes she gets a horse that’s beyond saving: too weak, too old or in too much pain. Even then, Priest takes them in for a short time and lavishesthem with attention. She calls it giving them some “peace of heart.” After a few good days, a few good meals, she calls in the vet to do his work. Last year,Priest says, she took in three horses and seven dogs that had to be put down. “Worst year of my life,” she says.

For every quiet ending there is a happy one -- a rescued horse who finds just the right match. At the moment it’s Gunny, a little, wild Colorado mustangwho had been mistreated by previous owners. Gunny trusted no one until he met Priest’s friend Michele Tabb, who has taught him to accept a halter and ahuman’s touch.

Even a horse that has suffered the vilest abuse is salvageable, Tabb says: “They’re not stupid. They’re very forgiving.” The only exception, Priest says,are horses who have become aggressive toward humans; those animals she cannot help.

Other creatures also have found a home at New Hope. A dozen small dogs and a flock of gobbling, thrumming turkeys greet anyone walking up thedriveway. Chickens, goats, three potbellied pigs and an emu named Emma (who was found on a county road, shredded by dogs) patrol the pastures.

Priest officially incorporated her rescue efforts two years ago, forming New Hope Rescue as a 501(c)3 nonprofit. She spends about $235 per week forfeed and hay. A vet bill on initial intake costs $500 to $1,000, while rehab and medicine can cost thousands more per horse. Local horse owners and4-H’ers have conducted benefits for New Hope. And the heart-rending stories on Priest’s Web site, www.newhoperescueva.com, have inspired people tosend donations from across the country.

Four or five volunteers help out at the farm on a regular basis, and Priest is seeking volunteer trainers who can work with rescued horses.

She has a ready answer to that ubiquitous question: “Why aren’t you helping people?” She already is.

“None of these animals know how to make a phone call,” she says. It’s the owners who seek her help because they’re too sick, too broke or too old tokeep caring for their horses.

Most owners of mistreated animals don’t mean to be cruel, she says. “It’s through ignorance.” The owners of Dawn, the skeletal mare, carefully brushedher every day. Yet they “just didn’t know to feed her,” Priest says. She imagines what it must have been like for Dawn to glimpse the green grass throughthe door every time her owners entered the stall -- a stall she was never allowed to leave.

The future of New Hope, Priest says, is not just as a rescue group, but as a resource to help people take better care of their animals. Sometimes all anowner needs is help repairing a fence, or a few lessons in equine care or even financial assistance to pay for euthanasia, instead of letting a horse starveto death. In the years to come, Priest says, she dreams of having a retirement farm where old horses can happily live out their days.

“You’re born with a purpose,” she says. “And this is it.”

Articles/Archives: • Rand Burgess, 25 • Paul A. Levengood, 37 • Evan Edwards, 28; Vice President of Product Development, Intelliject and Eric Edwards, 28; Chief Science Officer • Stephanie Grana, 39 • Todd Anderson, 34; Senior Compliance Manager, Capital One and Mary Anderson, 31; National Account Executive, Snagajob.com

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August contest winnerIron ManBe your own hero(some assembly required)—comes in red and gold.

—Jason Glaser, Mankato, MN

Nelly: Brass KnucklesBig muscles, dope beats,and lots of guest stars—Nellymakes St. Louis proud.

—Erin Graham

LEGO Batman: TheVideogameKAPOW! Holy capedLEGO blocks, Batman! POP! BLAM!This game's not for squares.

—Holly Slonaker

Are you a haiku master? Writeyour own haiku about TheIncredible Hulk, arriving on 10/21.

Send your haiku to citylife@circuitcity.com by9/30, and if yours is the best, we'll publish it inthe next edition of city life*! Remember, yourhaiku should follow the 5-7-5 syllable format.

comingsoon

MoviesThe Forbidden Kingdom

Baby Mama

Made of Honor

88 Minutes

The Love Guru

Sex and the City: The Movie

Iron Man

Forgetting Sarah Marshall

MusicYoung Jeezy: The Recession

New Kids on the Block: The Block

LL Cool J: Exit 13

Metallica: Death Magnetic

Nelly: Brass Knuckles

Ne-Yo: Year of the Gentleman

Pussycat Dolls: Doll Domination

Joe: Joe Thomas, New Man

T.I.: Paper Trail

GamesSPORE (PC/Mac)

Rock Band 2

Star Wars: The Force Unleashed

LEGO Batman: The Videogame

Warhammer Online: Age of Reckoning (PC)

Sonic Chronicles: The Dark Brotherhood(Nintendo DS)

NBA Live 09

NBA 2K9

citycenter

Welcome to Circuit City's lively interactivecommunity! New this month:

Blog: History of the iPodIt’s hard to imagine life before theiPod. Take a look back at how itall started and see it develop intothe American staple it is today.

September's photo contestThis month’s theme is “Sunrise,Sunset.” Send in your besthorizon photo and you could wina Canon Digital Rebel.

Forums: Choosing betweenplasma & LCDNot sure how to choose betweentwo leading technologies? Getthe inside scoop on the pros andcons of each.

…visit CityCenter

expertadvice

Speaker buying adviceYour home theater system is only as good asyour speakers. Find out how to pick the rightones for your room.

…read report | …see all reports

Display tech smackdown: The battle ofplasma vs. LCD vs. OLED.Three HDTV types have taken center stage thisyear. Which will achieve world domination?

…read report | …see all reports

Mounting a TV on the wall can seem simpleenough…until you look at the directions. Saveyourself the stress and the hassle and have ourexperts at firedog do it perfectly the first time.

…learn more

Fight feature fatigue: the guide tosimple gadgetsWhen people were given a choice of three models of a digitaldevice, more than 60 percent chose the most complicated model,University of Maryland researchers discovered in a 2005 study.Given the choice to add even more features from a list, they did.But when asked to use the device, study participants becamefrustrated with the options they had chosen. The researchersdubbed this “feature fatigue.”

Realizing that more is not always better, some manufacturers are taking the opposite tack: designingproducts that do one thing well. The Jitterbug phone, aimed at an older audience, has big buttons and abig screen and does absolutely nothing but make phone calls. The new Chrome browser by Google letsyou navigate the web with a few simple tabs and icons.

Here’s a look at some of the simplest electronics we have at Circuit City.

CamcordersWhen you’re shooting home movies, do you demand the ability to fine-tune the color matrix, gamma,knee and black stretch variables? Then invest in a professional camcorder like the Canon XL2.

If you have absolutely no idea what those features are, don’t worry. For users who justwant to upload skateboard tricks to YouTube, camcorder manufacturers are thinkingsimple. The compact and popular Flip Video camcorders let you record up to 60minutes of video with the push of one button. Plug the attached USB arm into yourcomputer and upload videos in minutes. Our customers recommend the Flip for travel,though they say the 2x zoom is limiting.

These DXG Technology camcorders and the tiny RCA EZ205 Small Wonder camcorder also featurebuilt-in software and USB cables for easy uploading and sharing.

MP3 playersMP3 players can now browse the web, give you directions and play movies (see iPodtouch). But if you want an ultra-simple device, look for one that just plays MP3s. TheiPod shuffle is a favorite—it’s tiny, tough and holds up to 500 songs. Our customersalso rave about the SanDisk Sansa Clip MP3 player, another small, music-only player.

CamerasDigital cameras are an exception to the less-is-more rule. Most point-and-shootcameras aim to simplify photography by adding features, such as pre-set modes fordifferent conditions, image stabilization and red-eye reduction. The “Active Childmode” on the Nikon CoolPix S610 even tracks a moving object as it travels out offrame. These innovations make it easy to snap good pictures.

The new Sony Cyber-shot T77 goes one step further. This little camera tries its hardest to makephotography foolproof. It automatically focuses on faces, waits for people to smile and tells you if anyoneblinks. Minimalists can select Easy Shooting mode, which gives you on-screen instructions and limits thenumber of settings.

Home theaterHome theater systems, with their nests of cables and spiderweb diagrams, can shatter the confidence ofeven experienced electronic do-it-yourselfers. The Onkyo TX-SR806 7.1 Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HDreceiver, for instance, has no fewer than 90 inputs and outputs. Red, yellow and white? Say hello to teal,green and violet.

Avid audiophiles love sophisticated systems like the TX-SR806. But here’s the goodnews—you can get rich theater sound with a simple 2.1-channel (two speakers + asubwoofer) system. The Bose 321 GSII DVD home entertainment system gives youthe famous Bose sound with only three speakers. Connect three wires and plug it in.That’s it. Or go totally minimal with a soundbar system. Our home theater guru DougHess reviews three soundbar systems here.

Even the simplest gadgets can sometimes be frustrating. But remember this: call for help before throwingin the towel. Our firedog experts can set up, troubleshoot and show you how to use just about anything,from cameras to computers. The only thing they can’t do is digitally straighten your Aunt Helen’s teeth.

—Melissa Barber

*One entry per person. If you want to win, be original and make us laugh. Author must include name and hometown in his or herentry. Circuit City employees are not eligible to enter. All entries become the exclusive property of Circuit City and may be reprintedwithout the author's consent.

How does that work?

Q: How does a particle accelerator work?

A: There were two announcements last Tuesday on thetechnology front. Yes, new iPods were unveiled. And the pocket-protector crew in Switzerland finally got the Large HadronCollider (LHC) up and running. This is really cool, but I figurethere had to be at least a few of you out there who werewondering what a particle accelerator is, what it does and how itworks.

What it isA particle accelerator is a large circular tube that uses a series of super-powerful electromagnets topropel subatomic particles (usually protons) around and around at incredible speeds. Once the particlereaches a certain speed, another particle is introduced into the path, and the two particles smash intoone another, releasing a (relatively) large amount of energy and creating other smaller particles.

How it worksBy smashing these particles into one another, scientists are trying to replicate the conditions that theybelieve existed immediately after the Big Bang, including the creating of the elusive Higgs boson, aparticle that’s believed to have existed, but that has never actually been spotted. The discovery of theHiggs boson would fill in a sort of missing link, and could advance our knowledge of what causes thingsto have mass, and even open the door to other dimensions.

Why it mattersSo what’s so special about the LHC? First of all, the size. It has a circumference of 17 miles, and crossesthe Swiss-French border in four places. Once it’s in full operation, the LHC will produce so much datathat it will take 80,000 computers around the world to analyze all of it. The LHC will give scientists thebest chance of discovering the Higgs boson currently possible, but it will probably be 2010 beforeanyone will know for sure if it’s been found.

There have been a number of people who have expressed fears that the LHC will be capable of creatingtiny black holes, which could expand and eventually swallow up the entire Earth. However, the LHCscientists have stated that despite its size, the collider isn’t even capable of producing the tiniest blackhole, and Stephen Hawking has gone so far as to call the collisions taking place inside the LHC “feeble”in comparison to collisions taking place constantly throughout the universe. But no one will really knowfor sure until the real research starts on October 21.

—Matthew West

Thanks to everyone who sent in questions last month! You can continue to email your questions tohowdoesthatworkmatt@gmail.com.

Technobabble: Drawing a line in the field

The publishers asked if I could somehow work some mention offootball into this month’s column. Anyone who knows me knowsthat I’m the last person who should be writing about football. Butthe request got me thinking, and I realized that something’s beennagging at me since I first came across it years ago.

First down, no yellow feet If you watch football on TV, you’re familiar with the first down linethat appears on the field as the players are running around. It’susually a bright yellow line that moves with each play, and it’s pretty obvious that it’s not really on thefield but is superimposed for TV broadcast. Since I don’t really pay attention to games, I never thoughtmuch about it. I figured it was just some simple overlay done in the TV studio. Then one day, I happenedto stop on a game while flipping through the channels and noticed that when a player walked across theline, his feet didn’t turn yellow. In fact, the line never once encroached on any solid item that crossed it.

A lot goes into that lineIt turns out that adding the first down line to your TV screen takes an incredible amount of human laborand technology. It’s actually created by a company called Sportvision, and they use a tractor trailer full ofequipment—including eight computers and at least four operators—to make it happen. The systemneeds an incredible amount of data and needs to solve a number of problems:

It needs to know the orientation of the field in relation to the TV camera covering the fieldso that the line can be “painted” with the correct perspective;

The system needs to be able to detect camera movements, including pans, zooms andfocusing;

It has to be powerful enough to refresh the line 30 times a second to keep up with yourTV’s refresh rate;

It has to be able to tell when players, referees and flags cross the line.

And that’s not even the half of it. Key to the process are special camera mounts that detect themovements and digitize them, as well as a computerized 3D model of the football field that helps thesystem account for crests and irregularities in the field. Equally important is a color palette built into thecomputer system. This helps the computers recognize when something that’s a different color than theunderlying grass crosses the line.

The geeks behind the gameWhen a game is in progress, the Sportvision system collects all of the data from the camera mounts andthen combines that with the data from the 3D map and the color information in the video feed. Twopeople, a spotter and an operator, manually enter the correct yard line information into the system. Thespotter sits in the press box, and the operator sits in the production trailer. Two other people in the trailerwork to make any manual changes necessary, including adding colors to the computer’s palette. Thisusually happens due to changing field conditions, including snow and mud. Once all of this information iscollected and combined, the yellow line finally appears on your TV.

So this Sunday, when you’re sitting down on the couch watching your favorite team win (or lose), give ashout-out to the four guys putting in the hard work to make sure your favorite player’s foot doesn’t turnyellow when he crosses that first down line. They’re the geeks behind the game.

—Matthew West

Me fit via Wii Fit: Strong like bull

998...999...1,000! Whew, 1,000 push-ups without even breakinga sweat. Man, this strength training is a piece of cake! I can teartelephone books in half with my bare hands! I'm a bald Samson...

Okay, I lie. 1,000 push-ups? I'm still struggling with 6. I confessthat I went on vacation last month where there wasn't a Wii. Iwas hoping to make working out a habit, but breaking goodhabits is easy. I’m a champ at that.

Anyway, after finally getting back on that horse that is Wii Fit, I discovered that my active inactivity didn'thurt me too much. No surprise, I'm still overweight. However, I'm still progressing towards the lighter endof the overweight spectrum.

Strength training the Wii wayThis time around, I focused on the strength training exercises, which use my impressive body weight towork various muscle groups. Most of the scoring is based on shifts in weight on the Balance Boardduring repetitive motions, like raising and lowering my leg on the leg lift.

Some exercises incorporate the Wii Remote. The tricep extension requires me to move the remote upand down by bending my elbow over my head. (Difficult, no?) And there’s one exercise that’s reallytough: holding the remote in my outstretched hand, perpendicular to the ground, as I move from a proneto a standing position. Might sound easy to you, but, hey, I feel a burn when I get up from a chair.

The one I have real trouble with is the push-up/side plank. Gravity's not my friend in this exercise. I'msure everyone knows how to do a push-up, but the side plank was a new one for me. Basically, I beginin a push-up position, rotate my body to the side, cross my feet and extend one arm straight up. After afew of those, I was a quivering mass of jelly on a biscuit.

A Wii end noteSomeone who is actively training with weights may find these exercises a tad too easy. But, for thecasual exerciser, Wii Fit is a great way to get started. As you progress, Wii Fit gives helpful suggestionsfor more exercises based on the ones you’ve done. A downside is that you have to manually navigate tothe other exercises on the list. (I’m already exhausted. Give a guy a break.)

Now that I've gone through all the activities the Wii Fit has to offer over these past few months, I canhonestly say that it has helped me get off the couch and shed a few pounds. Ah, the sweet taste ofsuccess. Speaking of sweet taste, where did I put that cake?

—Aaron May

citypremiere

The new iPods rockBrilliant colors, stunning designsand new shake-to-shuffletechnology revolutionize the iPodonce again.

cityupdates

Check out our currentsweepstakes and enterfor a chance to win big!

…enter now

Find everything you needfor football season withlive the game. Shop ourbest-selling products andcompete for a spot on theYouTube FANalyst squad.

…learn more

Join the Gamers SavingsClub and save 10% on allgame purchases for ayear.

…learn more

citytrivia

In the 1950s, households set smalllamps on top of the TV sets inhopes of cutting down the glarefrom the bright screen. Thesedecorative “TV lamps” are nowcollectors' items.

HDTV may be the hottest productin home entertainment, but its rootstrace all the way back to 1970,when the Japan BroadcastingCorporation began researchinghigh-definition televisiontechnologies.

The first fully functional laptopcomputer, the Osborne 1, weighed24 pounds and cost nearly $1800in 1981—over $4300 in today'sdollars.

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citystaff

Melissa BarberAsst. Manager, Interactive CopyMy camera: film. Stillplay tapes, CDs. Don't know whythey let me work here.

Karen DiddenPublisherNew to city life.So far so good—back to work.Enough about me.

Sarah DukoPublisherIdeas abound! Hermind, adventurous. This blonde,not your typical.

Ann GlennEditor-in-ChiefTo dogs and three girls,Mother Superior. Writethe right stuff. Or else.

Erin GrahamWeb CopywriterSuperhero? No.Just a girl and a PC.And words. Lots of words.

Aaron MaySenior Web DesignerMy modesty makesme so awesome. Bald by choice;too bad, not my own.

Holly SlonakerAsst. Manager, Interactive CopyRedhead wielding redpen. Deaf but definitelynot dumb. Rocks Wii, too.

Matthew WestTech GuruSpringtime comes earlyOne thousand flowers bloomingWhere is my iPhone?

cityarchive

Want more? See our past issuesin the City Archive.

…read past issues

September 2008

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Want to do your part to protect the planet? Just remember: No one can do everything. But everyone can do something. And Circuit City can help.

Our delivery professionals will remove and recycle your old TV with the purchase and delivery of a

new flat-panel TV 37" or larger.

� Why recycle? CRT TVs contain lead and other toxic substances

� Offer applies to Basic and Premium delivery levels

� Our recycling partners ensure that televisions are recycled and/or disposed of in an environmentally friendly way.*

Learn more about delivery

*The extent to which parts of any television can be recycled will vary.

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� By 2010, appliances in standby mode will be responsible for 20% of an average household utility bill.

� A CFL bulb typically uses 65%-75% less energy than a standard incandescent bulb to provide the same amount of light. Plus, it lasts up to 10 times longer.

� LCD televisions and monitors draw less power than CRT or plasma screens. You can save roughly 275 kilowatt-hours of energy and $25 per year by choosing a 32" LCD TV over a 32" plasma.

� Circuit City recycles over 10,000 tons of cardboard boxes every year at our warehouses and stores.

� Find out what our electronics manufacturers are doing to reduce waste and make their products greener. Learn more

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Page 1 of 1Five simple ways to go a little green

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Be funny and original in your video tour. Show us why you deserve a home theater makeover.Your video should be no longer than 3 minutes.Judges will choose the top finalists, then the YouTube community will vote for the winner.The winner will receive: Sony KDL 46" LCD 1080p HDTV, Denon 5.1-channel home theatersystem, Sony Blu-ray player, Harmony One remote, OmniMount TV mount and firedogSM premiumhome theater setup.No prominent display of NFL logos in contest submissions, please. You don’t want to get us introuble, do you?If you win we won’t actually take away your TV. You think we want that old thing?Find out first if you’re a finalist. Text CCFAN to 21456 to get FANalyst and contest updates sent toyour mobile device.*Can’t wait to upgrade? Check out our home theater deals and build the perfect TV room for thebig game.

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