The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade was first held in 1924 when was called the Macy’s Christmas Day Parade although it took place on Thanksgiving Day.
Live animals including camels, goats, elephants, and donkeys, were a part of the parade that inaugural year.
The original parade route was from 145th Street and Convent Avenue to 34th Street and Herald Square.
The floats were pulled by horses. In the first parade a white steed that was to aid in the Ben-Hur float disappeared at the last minute before the start of the parade.
In 1925 and 1926, bears, lions, and tigers were added to the live animals used, but the use of these animals had to be discontinued because they scared children.
In 1927, Macy’s introduces the world famous giant helium balloons. The first balloons included Felix the Cat and Toy Soldier.
1928 saw the first release of the giant balloons into the air at the end of the line of march. The balloons promptly exploded after reaching a certain altitude.
Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade was first held in 1924
The balloons were redesigned and again released. Equipped with a return address label, Macy’s offered a prize for their return.
In 1932, Clarence Chamberlain, an aviator flying above New York City, catches the Pig Balloon in mid air in order to claim the prize money.
Santa Claus has ended the parade every year except 1933, the only year in which he led the parade.
The parade was cancelled in 1942, 1943, and 1944 due to World War II.
In 1955, the parade telecast returns to NBC after a two year tune on CBS.
Due to a helium shortage in 1958, the balloons are brought down Broadway on cranes.
In 1969 the Macy’s Parade Studio moves to its current home in Hoboken, New Jersey in a former Tootsie Roll factory.
Dino the Dinosaur balloon was inducted into the American Museum of Natural History in 1975 as an honorary member.
In 1977, the “Parade Lady” Jean McFaddin takes the helm of the parade, which she leads for the next 24 years.
In the 1980s, the smaller “novelty” balloons were introduced, including the Macy’s stars and the 30 foot triple-scoop ice cream cone. “Falloons” were also introduced at this time. A combination of float and cold air balloon, this is a highlight of the creativity of the Macy’s Parade Studio.
In 1989, the parade marches on through its very first snowstorm.
The 1990s saw the parade balloons adding new characters from the internet, video games, and contemporary cartoons. Sonic the Hedgehog, Ask Jeeves, and the Rugrats were just a few of these balloons.
The parade has attracted a sea of celebrities. The years have seen Harpo Marx, Jackie Gleason, Diana Ross, Sammy Davis, Jr., Stevie Wonder, Tony Bennett, Barry Manilow, NSYNC, Shania Twain, and Christina Aguilera.
Macy’s is the world’s second largest consumer of helium. The US government is the first.
If you laid every parade balloon since 1927 end to end they would stretch from Battery Park City to the Cloisters.
More than 50,000 clowns have delighted millions of children along the parade route. [youtube SyTjDrW470w 650]
The annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade is held every Thanksgiving Day in New York City.
Originally called the Macy’s Christmas Parade, it was first held in 1924 and has been canceled only thrice (1942, 1943, 1944) due to rubber shortages during World War II.
The two and a half mile parade features large balloons of well-known characters alongside floats and marching bands, ending with a float of Santa Claus upon his sleigh, marking the start of the Christmas season.
Interestingly, all performers in the parade, including those appearing through Sesame Workshop and others, must become “employees” of Macy’s.
Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade was first held in 1924 and has been canceled only thrice due to rubber shortages during World War II
Celebrating its 87th anniversary, the 2013 Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade is the official kick-off of the holiday season. Every year, the Parade is seen by more than 3 million people who line the streets of New York and another 50 million people who tune into NBC to watch the giant balloons, one-of-a-kind floats, the nation’s best marching bands, hundreds of cheering clowns and a host of celebrities.
On Thursday, November 28, 2013 at 9 a.m., the dazzling spectacle begins. Stepping off with its signature giant helium character balloons, fantasy-filled floats, marching bands, performance groups and a gaggle of clowns, America’s Parade is a non-stop pomp and pageantry for spectators young and old.
Stepping off from 77th Street and Central Park West, the Macy’s Parade will march down to Columbus Circle, where it will turn onto Central Park South, before making its way straight down midtown Manhattan on 6th Avenue from 59th to 34th Streets. The Parade concludes with its final turn onto 34th Street in front of Macy’s Herald Square. The Macy’s Parade route offers over two miles of public viewing.
The Vatican has unveiled Evangelii Gaudium, the first major work Pope Francis has written in the role.
Pope Francis has called for power in the Catholic Church to be devolved away from the Vatican.
In his Evangelii Gaudium, Pope Francis says he is open to suggestions to changes in the power of the papacy.
The pontiff also warns that rising global economic inequality is bound to explode in conflict.
Since becoming Pope in March, Francis has struck a markedly different tone to his predecessor on several issues.
In his “apostolic exhortation”, Pope Francis said he preferred a Church that was “bruised, hurting and dirty because it has been out on the streets, rather than a Church which is unhealthy from being confined and from clinging to its own security”.
However, the document reiterates the Church’s opposition to the ordination of female priests, saying this is “not a question open to discussion”.
The document also touches on inter-faith relations, urging Christians to “embrace with affection and respect Muslim immigrants to our countries in the same way that we hope and ask to be received and respected in countries of Islamic tradition”.
Pope Francis has called for power in the Catholic Church to be devolved away from the Vatican
Last month Pope Francis held his first meeting with a special group of cardinals to consider ways to reform the Vatican bureaucracy after saying in a newspaper interview that the Vatican had become too self-interested and needed to be inclusive.
“Excessive centralization, rather than proving helpful, complicates the Church’s life and her missionary outreach,” he says in the latest document.
Pope Francis also says he does not believe that the papacy “should be expected to offer a definitive or complete word on every question which affects the Church and the world”.
This month the Vatican launched an unprecedented survey of the views of lay Catholics on modern family life.
The document does restate the Church’s opposition to abortion but concedes that “it is also true that we have done little to adequately accompany women in very difficult situations,… especially when the life developing within them is the result of rape or a situation of extreme poverty”.
“Who can remain unmoved before such painful situations?” he asks.
Pope Francis also expands on his concerns about economic inequality.
“Today we also have to say <<thou shalt not>> to an economy of exclusion and inequality. Such an economy kills,” the pontiff says, going on to castigate the “new idolatry of money”.
“I beg the Lord to grant us more politicians who are genuinely disturbed by the state of society, the people, the lives of the poor!” Pope Francis goes on.
Monty Python comedy group has announced their stage show has been extended from one date to five, running from July 1st to July 5th 2014 at London’s O2 Arena.
The first show sold out within 43.5 seconds, organizers announced.
The other four shows then sold out within 55 minutes. There were 14,500 tickets up for grabs for each show.
Monty Python has announced their stage show has been extended from one date to five
Eric Idle said: “It’s totally amazing. I don’t think we realised quite how much Python is loved round the world. We look forward to paying off Terry Jones’ mortgage soon.”
Last week it was announced that John Cleese, Terry Gilliam, Michael Palin, Terry Jones and Idle were to reunite and perform together.
It will be the first time the anarchic comedians from Monty Python have performed together since 2009, at their 40th anniversary celebrations in New York.
Indie band The Charlatans will include late drummer Jon Brookes on their new album by using recordings he made before his death.
Jon Brookes died in August at the age of 44 as a result of a brain tumor.
The Charlatans will include late drummer Jon Brookes on their new album by using recordings he made before his death
He had battled the cancer since suffering a seizure on tour in 2010.
The Charlatans’ new album will be the band’s 12th studio release and will be the follow-up to 2010’s Who We Touch.
Formed in the West Midlands in 1989, The Charlatans have had more than 20 UK Top 40 hits, including The Only One I Know, Can’t Get Out Of Bed and One To Another.
Around 25,000 Family Guy fans have signed a petition demanding Fox and the show’s creator bring back Brian Griffin.
Viewers were left stunned when the talking dog died in the latest episode.
The character, voiced by Family Guy creator Seth MacFarlane, was killed off in an episode called Life of Brian after he was hit by a car.
The fans have signed a petition on Change.org to resurrect Brian Griffin.
Brian Griffin, a family dog that talks, drinks, goes out with women and is an aspiring novelist, has been a major character since the pilot of Family Guy in 1999.
Around 25,000 Family Guy fans have signed a petition demanding Fox and the show’s creator bring back Brian Griffin
The character has appeared in more than 200 episodes of the animated cartoon comedy.
Family Guy, which is set around bumbling father Peter Griffin, his wife Lois, teenage children Chris and Meg and baby Stewie, is known for its raunchy humor.
The show has been criticized by watchdog groups in the US and episodes often feature characters in compromising or inappropriate situations.
The Emmy-nominated series is in its 12th season and averages 6 million viewers an episode in the US.
In Sunday’s episode, the Griffin family is left distraught as Brian dies saying: “You’ve given me a wonderful life. I love you all.”
The family holds a funeral and shares memories of their friend, with Peter Griffin saying: “Brian wasn’t just my dog, he was my best friend in the whole world.”
Later in the sixth episode of Season 12, the family adopts a new dog, smart-talking Vinny voiced by Sopranos actor Tony Sirico, who quickly becomes part of the family even winning over Stewie by the end of the show.
Representatives for Fox have so far declined to comment on Brian Griffin’s death.
Arnon Milchan behind Hollywood hits Pretty Woman, LA Confidential and Fight Club has admitted he served for years as an Israeli spy, buying arms on its behalf and boosting its alleged nuclear program.
In a far-reaching interview aired Monday with Israel’s Channel 2 TV’s flagship investigative program Uvda, Arnon Milchan detailed a series of clandestine affairs in which he was involved and particularly how he helped purchase technologies Israel allegedly needed to operate nuclear bombs.
“I did it for my country and I’m proud of it,” said Arnon Milchan, who ran a successful fertilizer company in Israel before making it big in Hollywood.
Even there, Arnon Milchan says he continued with his clandestine work while maintaining close ties with Israel’s leadership.
Arnon Milchan has admitted he served for years as an Israeli spy
According to an unauthorized biography published two years ago, Arnon Milchan worked for Israel’s now-defunct Bureau of Scientific Relations, known as Lekem, which worked to obtain information for secret defense programs. The bureau was disbanded in 1987 after it was implicated in the spying affair for which Jonathan Pollard, a civilian intelligence analyst for the US Navy, was sentenced to life in prison.
Arnon Milchan, 68, also says other big Hollywood names were connected to his covert affairs.
“When I came to Hollywood I detached myself completely from my physical activities to dedicate myself to what I really wanted – filmmaking,” he said.
“(But) sometimes it gets mixed up.”
Arnon Milchan founded the New Regency film company and has produced more than 120 movies since the 1970s, working closely with directors such as Martin Scorsese, Sergio Leone, Roman Polanski and Oliver Stone. He forged an especially close relationship with Robert De Niro, who along with actors Russell Crowe and Ben Affleck, is featured in Uvda‘s broadcast.
“I had heard but I wasn’t sure,” Robert De Niro said, of Arnon Milchan’s activities.
“I did ask him once and he told me that he was an Israeli and of course he would do these things for his country.”
Scotland has unveiled its blueprint for independence, ahead of next September’s referendum.
The 670-page document promises to “build a more democratic, more prosperous, fairer society”.
On September 18, Scots voters will be asked the yes/no question: “Should Scotland be an independent country?”
The document, launched by Scottish First Minister Alex Salmond, pledged to tailor economic policy to Scottish businesses and industry.
Alex Salmond said independence would allow Scotland to harness its vast potential as a country.
The first minister went on: “Ultimately at the heart of this debate there’s only one question – do we, the people who live and work in Scotland, believe that we are the best people to take the big decisions about our future?”
The white paper also pledged to extend child care and scrap controversial UK government housing welfare changes, described by critics as the “bedroom tax”, should the Scottish National Party (SNP) be elected as the first government of an independent Scotland in the event of a “Yes” vote.
The document, Scotland’s future: Your guide to an independent Scotland, also said it would be in Scotland’s interest to keep the pound, but that would also benefit the rest of the UK, while the Bank of England would continue to be the “lender of last resort”.
Scotland has unveiled its blueprint for independence, ahead of next September’s referendum
The SNP document pledges included:
30 hours of childcare per week in term time for all 3 and 4-year-olds, as well as vulnerable 2-year-olds.
Trident nuclear weapons, currently based on the Clyde, removed within the first parliament.
Housing benefit reforms, described by critics as the “bedroom tax” to be abolished in first year of an independent Scottish parliament.
No rise in basic rate of tax.
The Scottish government described the white paper as a “landmark document”, with the case for economic growth and fairness at its heart.
The SNP has argued Scotland’s finances are healthier than those of the UK, providing a strong foundation to put the focus of the referendum campaign on Scotland’s future.
The Scottish government’s critics said the white paper would be judged on whether it tackled concerns over issues like financial challenges.
For the UK government, Scottish Secretary Alistair Carmichael said there were huge question marks over some of the policies already revealed by the SNP.
Alistair Carmichael said it was “highly unlikely” the Scottish government’s plan to keep the pound and retain the services of the Bank of England as part of a “currency union” with the rest of the UK would work, and said the SNP must set out a “Plan B”.
The Scottish government’s critics have also questioned its plan to get rid of Trident nuclear weapons – currently based on the Clyde – while being a member of NATO.
And they have said other SNP promises, on issues like pensions and welfare, are uncosted.
The annual New York City Sidewalk Santa Parade has been canceled after more than a century due to rising costs involved in organizing the event.
The Sidewalk Santas, who for a century have marched up Fifth Avenue the morning after Thanksgiving to collect donations from Black Friday shoppers, are hanging up their suits.
NYC Sidewalk Santa Parade was an annual tradition organized by the Volunteers of America-Greater New York to raise money for its Hope & Hearth campaign, which last year gave over 1,200 families vouchers for groceries during the holiday season, communications director Rachel Weinstein said.
The annual New York City Sidewalk Santa Parade has been canceled after more than a century due to rising costs involved in organizing the event
However, the one-day parade of about 50 bell-ringing volunteers never raised much money and the cost of storing, cleaning and transporting dozens of Santa suits was rising, Rachel Weinstein said.
“We wanted to expand the food voucher program and we needed to find ways to raise more money, and save money (where) we weren’t doing it before,” Rachel Weinstein said.
“In reality it wasn’t raising the money we need for this program.”
The tradition began in 1896 when Ballington Booth, the son of the Salvation Army founders, traveled by horse-drawn carriage across the city to deliver hot holiday meals to hungry New Yorkers.
With more hungry families in the city now than at any time since the Great Depression, Weinstein said cutting the parade costs was a practical decision. The group also takes private donations through its website, www.hopeandhearth.org.
Instead of the parade, the group has set up a collection bin at the Plaza Hotel to collect donations from the parents who bring their children to sit on the lap of the Plaza’s Santa.
Protesters in Pakistan have blocked the main supply route for provisions destined for NATO troops in Afghanistan to protest against US drone strikes.
Opposition politician Imran Khan called for the action and said it would continue until American drone attacks in north-west Pakistan came to an end.
He blames the drones for causing civilian deaths and for crushing any chance of peace with the Taliban.
But the timing of the campaign has led many to accuse him of appeasement.
Protesters in Pakistan have blocked the main supply route for provisions destined for NATO troops in Afghanistan to protest against US drone strikes
It comes almost a month after Pakistani Taliban chief Hakimullah Mehsud was killed in a drone strike at a compound in North Waziristan.
Hakimullah Mehsud had given some indications he might be prepared to talk but his death reportedly came just a day before a team of mediators was due to meet him.
His successor Mullah Fazlullah – a militant with a savage reputation – appears to have rejected any peace initiative.
This blockade is centered on a road in Pakistan’s north-western Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, which is used to ferry goods to and from Afghanistan and has been building since the weekend.
Protesters have taken the law into their own hands deciding who can pass and go on to Afghanistan, and who can’t.
They have been harassing truck drivers and turning back vehicles carrying NATO provisions.
Pakistan says it is committed to allowing supplies through, but as yet has done nothing to stop the vigilante action, which is causing such huge disruption.
There are two crossings in Pakistan used to take NATO troop supplies to and from Afghanistan – the other crossing in south-west Balochistan province has not been affected by a blockade.
Thai protesters have surrounded several more ministries, as street demonstrations continue in Bangkok.
The protesters want Yingluck Shinawatra’s government to resign, saying it is controlled by her brother – ousted former PM Thaksin Shinawatra.
After a huge rally on Sunday, they marched to several Bangkok locations.
Late on Monday, Yingluck Shinawatra invoked special powers allowing officials to impose curfews and seal roads.
The protests have been triggered by a controversial political amnesty bill.
The demonstrators say the legislation – which failed in the Senate – would have allowed Thaksin Shinawatra to return to Thailand without serving a jail sentence for corruption.
Thailand has been bitterly divided since Thaksin Shinawatra was ousted in a military coup in 2006 and the proposal re-ignited simmering political tensions.
Groups of protesters, who are being led by former opposition Democratic Party lawmaker Suthep Thaugsuban, camped out at the foreign and finance ministries overnight.
On Tuesday, they surrounded the interior, tourism, transport and agriculture ministries.
There were around 1,000 protesters gathered outside both the finance and interior ministries, blowing whistles and chanting “get out!”, reports said.
“We have to leave because they [the protesters] will cut the utilities,” Tourism and Sports Minister Somsak Pureesrisak told AFP news agency.
Thai protesters have surrounded several more ministries, as street demonstrations continue in Bangkok
Akanat Promphan, a protest spokesman, said: “We are occupying the finance ministry in a non-violent and peaceful way, so our supporters around the country can do the same and occupy all government offices.”
“Tomorrow there will be a nationwide movement,” he added.
However, Thida Thavornseth, a leader of the “red shirts”, who support Thaksin Shinawatra, told AFP news agency: “Suthep [Thaugsuban] is not trying to throw out the government… he wants to throw out democracy and replace it with an ultra-royalist administration.”
The opposition Democrat Party has also started a censure motion in parliament against the government, over its alleged misuse of the budget.
The motion highlights an expensive rice subsidy scheme launched by the government after it took office.
Under the scheme, the government bought rice directly from farmers, paying more than the market rate. India and Vietnam increased their share of global rice exports as a result, overtaking Thailand as the world’s largest rice exporter.
The government is expected to defeat the censure motion, since the ruling Pheu Thai party has a majority in parliament.
The protests are the biggest to hit Thailand since the violence of 2010, when “red-shirt” opponents of the then Democratic Party government occupied key parts of the capital.
More than 90 people, mostly civilian protesters, died over the course of the two-month sit-in.
A government led by Yingluck Shinawatra and the ruling Pheu Thai Party was subsequently elected and since then Thailand has remained relatively politically stable.
But the opposition accuses Thaksin Shinawatra of running the government from self-imposed exile overseas, and the now-shelved amnesty bill has served as a spark for renewed protests.
Yingluck Shinawatra invoked the Internal Security Act late on Monday. But she said on Tuesday the government would not use violence to end the protests.
“Everybody must obey the law and not use mob rule to upstage the rule of law,” she told reporters.
“If we can talk, I believe the country will return to normal,” she added.
Argentina has agreed in principle to compensate Spain’s Repsol for the nationalization of energy firm YPF.
Argentina seized YPF last year without paying anything. The Spanish company had been demanding $10.5 billion in compensation.
In Buenos Aires, Repsol, YPF and Mexico’s Pemex, which holds a stake in Repsol, said they had reached a process for determining compensation.
No other details were released.
The agreement must be ratified by Repsol during a board meeting on Wednesday.
Argentina has agreed in principle to compensate Spain’s Repsol for the nationalization of energy firm YPF
YPF produces about a third of Argentina’s oil and a quarter of its gas.
Argentina has some of the world’s largest reserves of shale oil and gas.
The authorities in Argentina had accused YPF of not investing enough to increase output from its oil fields. Repsol replied that it had invested $20 billion in the country.
Repsol and the investment firm Texas Yale Capital Corp sued Argentina and demanded that it makes an offer for the YPF stake.
The EU also had filed a suit against Argentina’s import restrictions at the World Trade Organization.
Adam Lanza, who killed 26 people at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Connecticut last year, had “an obsession” with the 1999 Columbine massacre, an official report has found.
Police said there was evidence Adam Lanza, 20, had planned the shooting, which took fewer than 11 minutes.
However, they could not establish why he opened fire at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown on December 14, 2012, before turning the gun on himself.
The case is now closed, and no charges will be brought, state police said.
While investigators noted Adam Lanza’s obsession with mass shootings, they said there was not enough evidence to understand a motive.
The report also noted Adam Lanza’s “significant mental health issues” – he was diagnosed in 2005 with Asperger syndrome, an autism spectrum disorder not linked to violence – but said “what contribution this made to the shootings, if any, is unknown”.
Adam Lanza killed 26 people at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Connecticut last year
Stephen Sedensky, the prosecutor who drafted the report, also noted of Adam Lanza: “Despite a fascination with mass shootings and firearms, he displayed no aggressive or threatening tendencies.”
Before gunning down 20 children and six adults with a semi-automatic rifle at Sandy Hook, Adam Lanza shot dead his own mother at the family home.
“The obvious question that remains is: <<Why did the shooter murder twenty-seven people, including twenty children?>> Unfortunately, that question may never be answered conclusively,” Monday’s report said.
It represents just a part of the evidence collected by Connecticut State Police.
A state law passed earlier in the year said some evidence, including certain images or video of the victims, would never be made available to the public.
Police said “a review of electronic evidence or digital media” belonging to Adam Lanza “revealed that the shooter had a preoccupation with mass shootings, in particular the Columbine shootings and a strong interest in firearms”.
Twelve students and a teacher were killed in April 1999 when two teenagers opened fire in a planned attack at Columbine High School in Colorado.
Other documents at Adam Lanza’s home included a spreadsheet with mass murders listing information about each shooting, two videos showing suicide by gunshot and photocopied newspaper articles from 1891 relating to the shooting of schoolchildren.
The report also outlined the timeline of events as state police understands them.
The shooting began shortly after 09:30 when Adam Lanza forced his way into the locked school by shooting through a glass window near the front doors.
The first call to emergency services came at 09:35 and the last shot, believed to be Adam Lanza firing a handgun at himself, came at 09:40. Most of the deceased were killed in two classrooms.
“In fewer than 11 minutes twenty first-grade pupils and six adults had lost their lives,” the report said.
Donna Soto, the mother of Victoria Soto, one of the teachers killed by Adam Lanza, said in a statement that it was still not clear why her daughter and the others died.
Country singer Wayne Mills has been fatally shot by a Nashville bar owner after the two got into an argument over the musician smoking a cigarette in a no-smoking area, authorities said.
Pit and Barrel owner Chris Ferrell shot Wayne Mills in self-defense around 5 a.m. on Saturday, after the bar had closed, The Tennessean reported.
Wayne Mills, 44, died at Vanderbilt University Medical Center.
Wayne Mills has been fatally shot by a Nashville bar owner after the two got into an argument over the musician smoking a cigarette in a no-smoking area
Police spokeswoman Kris Mumford said investigators are looking into Chris Ferrell’s claim of self-defense. She said no arrests have been made. Ferrell had a valid handgun permit.
Wayne Mills, a native of Arab, Alabama, toured with the Wayne Mills Band, which played college towns for more than 15 years. Country music stars Jamey Johnson and Blake Shelton, as well as American Idol winner Taylor Hicks, all opened for the band in their early careers, according to the group’s website.
Wayne Mills graduated from the University of Alabama with an education degree, and also played football for the school, according to the band’s website.
An intact skeleton of a baby rhinoceros like dinosaur has been unearthed in Canada.
The baby dinosaur was just 3 years old and 5 feet long when it wandered into a river near Alberta and drowned about 70 million years ago. The beast was so well-preserved that some of its skin left impressions in the nearby rock.
The fossil is the smallest intact skeleton ever found from a group of horned, plant-eating dinosaurs known as ceratopsids, a group that includes the iconic Triceratops.
Finding intact baby dinosaurs is incredibly rare.
“The big ones just preserve better: They don’t get eaten, they don’t get destroyed by animals,” said study co-author Philip Currie, a paleobiologist at the University of Alberta. “You always hope you’re going to find something small and that it will turn out to be a dinosaur.”
Paleontologists had unearthed a few individual bones from smaller ceratopsids in the past. But without intact juvenile skeletons, such bones aren’t very useful, as scientists don’t really know how each bone changes during each stage of the animals’ lives, Philip Currie said.
The team was bone-hunting in Dinosaur Provincial Park in Alberta when Currie came upon what looked like a turtle shell sticking out from a hillside. Upon closer inspection, the fossil turned out to be a frill, the bony decorative headgear that surrounds the back of the head in ceratopsids.
The baby dinosaur was just 3 years old and 5 feet long when it wandered into a river near Alberta and drowned about 70 million years ago
When the team excavated, they found the fossilized skeleton of a tiny dinosaur they identified as a Chasmosaurus belli, a species commonly found in the area.
Amazingly, almost the entire skeleton was intact, although sometime in the past, a sinkhole had opened up below the beast and the forelimbs had fallen away into an abyss. The fossil was so well-preserved that the tiny, rosette like pattern on its skin was imprinted in the rock below the dinosaur.
Based on its size, the team estimates the dinosaur was about 3 years old – just out of infancy – when it perished.
Like humans, these dinosaurs typically take about 20 years to reach maturity, at which point they have 6.5-foot-long skulls and weigh 3 to 4 tons.
The fossil was found in sediments associated with watery environments and didn’t have any bite marks or trace of injury, so it’s likely the dino toddler likely drowned.
“I think it may have just gotten trapped out of its league in terms of water current,” Philip Currie told LiveScience.
Soon after, the baby dinosaur was buried by sediments and left untouched for millions of years.
Aside from being cute, the new fossil helps paleontologists understand how these plant-eating dinosaurs grew. Paleontologists can then better identify and age the myriad individual bones from juveniles discovered over the years.
Already, the team has learned that Chasmosaur juvenile frills look different from those on adults, and that limb proportions don’t change much as they grow. Predatory theropods such as Tyrannosaurus rex have disproportionately long limbs as juveniles, presumably to keep up with the adults in the pack.
By contrast, “in Chasmosaurians, the proportions are essentially the same, which probably means the adults were probably never moving that fast,” Philip Currie said.
“There was never priority for these animals to run to keep up with the adults.”
Six months after his death, there is no news regarding the death of Tyler “Flip” Priddy of the Discovery Channel’s Street Outlaws.
According to talks in social media sites, Tyler Flip Priddy committed suicide.
However, there is no strong evidence to support this claim.
Six months after his death, there is no news regarding the death of Tyler “Flip” Priddy of the Discovery Channel’s Street Outlaws
Tyler “Flip” Priddy died on May 28, 2013, at his home in Yukon, Oklahoma at the age of 31.
He is survived by his wife Morgan Amber and children Tovey Gene, Remey J, Dresdyn Rinot and Bennett William Edward.
Tyler “Flip” Priddy was the parts warehouse manager at Warren Caterpillar, where he worked for 10 years. He was a drag racing enthusiast who turned his passion towards reality show Street Outlaws, where he beat out several others to be selected for the show. Street Outlaws, which centers around the underground world of illegal street racing, debuted on Discovery Channel on June 10, 2013.
Owners of its new Xbox One console are experiencing problems with the disc drive, Microsoft has admitted.
Some users say the drive is making very loud noises when they try to insert a disc and in some cases is not reading discs at all.
Microsoft says only a very small number of users are affected.
The Xbox One was launched on November 22 and sold more than one million units in the first 24 hours.
More than 150 people contacted Kotaku, a gaming news website, claiming their new consoles were faulty. Other users uploaded videos apparently showing the problem to the gaming forum NeoGAF.
Owners of its new Xbox One console are experiencing problems with the disc drive
“The issue is affecting a very small number of Xbox One customers,” said Microsoft in a statement.
“We’re working directly with those affected to get a replacement console to them as soon as possible through our advance exchange programme.”
The Xbox One is the first new console from Microsoft in eight years and it broke all previous Xbox first-day sales records when it went on sale last week.
Microsoft said it had now sold out at most retailers and it was working to replenish stock as fast as possible.
This is not the first time Microsoft has experienced problems with the launch of an Xbox console. When the Xbox 360 was launched in 2005 some users reported faults with the hardware which led to three red lights flashing on the front of the device and the console becoming unusable. The problem became known as the “red ring of death”.
The launch of the Xbox One came a week after the US launch of Sony’s PlayStation 4. The two consoles are set to go head-to-head in the crucial Christmas season.
The PS4 also experienced technical issues after its launch with users complaining that a blue light continually flashed on the console affecting its operation and others reporting that sometimes the unit suddenly turned itself off.
Global oil prices dropped and European shares rose in early trading Monday morning after Iran agreed a deal to curb some of its nuclear activities in return for an easing of international sanctions.
Iran holds the world’s fourth-largest oil reserves, but its exports have been hurt by the tough sanctions against it.
Though Iran will not be allowed to increase its oil sales for six months, the deal has eased tensions in the Middle East – a key oil-producing area.
Brent crude fell more than 2% in early Asian trade on Monday.
Global oil prices dropped after Iran agreed the nuclear deal
It dropped by $2.42 to $108.63 per barrel, while US light sweet crude fell 84 cents to $93.64 per barrel.
Fuel-intensive companies, such as airlines and travel firms, received a boost on the stock markets as a result.
International Airlines Group, the owner of British Airways and Iberia, was up 2.87% in lunchtime trading, while Air France KLM rose 3.11%. Travel operator Thomas Cook lifted 3.68%.
World powers suspect Iran’s nuclear programme is secretly aimed at developing a nuclear bomb – a charge Iran has consistently denied.
In an attempt to force Tehran to curb its programme, the US and other leading economies have imposed a series of tough sanctions aimed at Iran’s oil exports – a key driver of its economy.
The Rhodes Trust has announced that 32 American students have been named Rhodes Scholars and will enter Oxford University in October 2014.
The winners were selected from 857 applicants endorsed by 327 different colleges and universities. The scholarships, announced early Sunday, provide all expenses for two or three years of study at the prestigious university in England.
Rhodes Scholarships were created in 1902 by the will of British philanthropist Cecil Rhodes. Winners are selected on the basis of high academic achievement, personal integrity, leadership potential and physical vigor, among other attributes.
The value of the scholarships averages about $50,000 per year.
The American students will join an international group of scholars selected from 14 other jurisdictions around the world. Approximately 80 scholars are selected annually.
The 32 American students chosen as Rhodes Scholars for 2014, listed by geographical region:
District 1:
Jessica Wamala, Milford, New Hampshire, Villanova University
Alexander Joel Diaz, North Bergen, New Jersey, Harvard University
District 2:
Elizabeth Hockfield Byrne, Cambridge, Massachusetts, Harvard University
Katherine Elida Warren, Bainbridge Island, Washington, Harvard University
District 3:
Isabel Emma Eggleston Beshar, Rye, New York, Yale University
The Rhodes Trust has announced that 32 American students have been named Rhodes Scholars and will enter Oxford University in October 2014
Paolo Poggioni Singer, Bronx, New York, Harvard University
District 4:
Evan Barrett Behrle, Oxford, Pennsylvania, University of Virginia
Alexander Gerard Wang, Doylestown, Pennsylvania, New York University, Abu Dhabi
District 5:
Timothy Michael McGinnis, Charlotte, North Carolina, Princeton University
Charles Samuel Tyson, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, University of Virginia
District 6:
Brian Westfall McGrail, Arlington, Virginia, Williams College
Emma Pierson, Arlington, Virginia, Stanford University
District 7:
James O’Connell, Tampa, Florida, Wake Forest University
Lindsay Evans Lee, Oak Ridge, Tennessee, University of Tennessee, Knoxville
District 8:
Melissa Loreice McCoy, Dallas, Texas, Georgia Institute of Technology
John Mikhael, Dallas, Texas, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
District 9:
Adam Mastroianni, Monroeville, Ohio, Princeton University
Courtney Wittekind, Mason, Ohio, Carnegie Mellon University
District 10:
Vinay Nayak, Oak Brook, Illinois, Yale University
Calla Glavin, Birmingham, Michigan, US Military Academy
District 11:
Drew Alan Birrenkott, McFarland, Wisconsin, University of Wisconsin
Samuel Martin Greene, Spring Green, Wisconsin, University of Chicago
District 12:
Donald Mayfield Brown, Vicksburg, Mississippi, Mississippi State University
Joshua Allen Aiken, Eugene, Oregon, Washington University, St. Louis
District 13:
Meredith Lukens Wheeler, Fort Collins, Colorado, Stanford University
Erin Alexandra Tanith Mauldin, Albuquerque, New Mexico, US Military Academy
District 14:
Suzanna Marie Fritzberg, Lake Forest Park, Washington, Yale University
Andrew Scott Lea, Richland, Washington, Harvard University
District 15:
Miles William Unterreiner, Santa Barbara, California, Stanford University
Clarke Knight, Henderson, Nevada, Smith College
District 16:
Aurora Catherine Griffin, Westlake Village, California, Harvard University
Zarko Perovic, San Diego, California, University of California, Berkeley
Connecticut prosecutors said they are about to release the long-awaited report on their investigation over the Sandy Hook mass shooting.
However, the public will have to keep waiting for the full police report on the Newtown elementary school massacre.
The report on the December 14, 2012, shooting, in which 20-year-old Adam Lanza took the lives of 20 first graders, six school staffers and his mother before turning the gun on himself, was supposed to be released in June, then was pushed back to the fall.
The Office of the State’s Attorney for Danbury now says it will publish the summary report Monday afternoon on the state’s Division of Criminal Justice website, www.ct.gov/csao.
Connecticut prosecutors said they are about to release the long-awaited report on their investigation over the Sandy Hook mass shooting
Mark Dupuis, a spokesman for Danbury State’s Attorney Stephen Sedensky III, declined to say whether the report has been shared with the families of those who died in the shooting, but he said his office is aware of families’ concerns and has taken steps to address those concerns.
The summary report to be released Monday will not include the full state police report on the shooting, which is expected to run thousands of pages. No date has yet been set for the release of the full police report, and some evidence from the state’s investigation will never be made available to the public.
A state law passed after the massacre exempts certain records of a homicide, including photos and film, from freedom-of-information requests from the press and the public if the records are believed to invade the privacy of survivors.
In advance of the summary report being issued, the interim superintendent of schools in Newtown has reached out to parents and sent a letter to ensure they’re prepared.
1. Start tracking store sales in advance. Follow your favorite retailers on social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest before Black Friday. Not only will they reveal details about sales before they happen, many stores will also offer exclusive discounts on those sites. In the past, stores like RadioShack have offered savings to shoppers who “checked in” with the brand on Foursquare, a common smartphone app.
2. Shop online in the wee hours of Thanksgiving. Many sellers activate their online deals the day before -typically between 3 a.m. and 6 a.m. ET on Thursday morning. So if you have your eye on a particular product or store, look early that morning to see if the savings are live yet. Any sale will usually hold through Friday. True, prices may go lower on Cyber Monday. But the odds of finding a good price are in your favor.
Focus on only Black Friday’s best bargains so you’re not tempted to buy in the heat of the moment
3. On Black Friday, start online. The prices on Friday can be awesome, but about 70% of Black Friday deals are also available online, and 78% of them come with a free shipping offer, according to research from DealNews.com. Check just after midnight on Friday morning for new deals that didn’t go live on Thursday. Bonus: If an online retailer doesn’t have a physical store in your state, you may not have to pay sales tax.
4. Go for electronics. If you have a Blu-ray player or smartphone in mind, Black Friday is the day to shop, both online and in-store, according to experts. In past years, Apple has discounted iPads, iPods and other tech by 10% to 15% on Black Friday. Television prices will be at their lowest, too. In general, the best deal will be on an off-brand flat-screen, which is often discounted more deeply than a brand like Samsung.
5. Wait for Cyber Monday to purchase clothing. If you want a new outfit, hold off until Cyber Monday. Soft goods like cosmetics, shoes and apparel carry bigger discounts that day because retailers don’t want to compete with Friday’s giant tech bargains (a $5 shirt may not impress you when it’s next to a $200 TV). Last year Eddie Bauer gave 40% off on Cyber Monday, versus 30% on Black Friday. Also look for great travel deals on Monday.
Lady Gaga arrived on the red carpet at the 2013 American Music Awards on top of a fake white horse, which was operated by two people.
The singer was dressed in a lavender Versace gown after she was named the face of the fashion house.
Lady Gaga arrived on the red carpet at the 2013 American Music Awards on top of a fake white horse
Speaking of her dramatic entrance at the American Music Awards in Los Angeles, 27-year-old Lady Gaga told E!’s Giuliana Rancic: “So much of ARTPOP is an infusion of disco.”
“It’s very Bianca Jagger arriving at Studio 54 on her white horse.”
Taylor Swift was the biggest winner at the American Music Awards 2013 in Los Angeles last night, winning four prizes.
Taylor Swift, 23, has been awarded with artist of the year, favorite pop/rock female artist, favorite country album and favorite female country artist.
Justin Timberlake picked up three awards including favorite soul and R&B male, while One Direction collected two prizes including best pop/rock group.
Katy Perry, Jenifer Lopez, Miley Cyrus and Lady Gaga were among the performers at the show in Los Angeles.
Taylor Swift was the biggest winner at the American Music Awards 2013 in Los Angeles
Taylor Swift beat Justin Timberlake, Rihanna, Bruno Mars and Macklemore & Ryan Lewis to win artist of the year for the third time, the most times an artist has won the category.
After picking up her fourth and final award for best country album for Red, the singer said: “This validates that if you voted for this, that we are heartbroken in the same way and we fall in love the same way and we’re happy in the same way, and if you listen to this, we’re on the same page … we’re pretty much in it together.”
Taylor Swift was also on hand to give out an award.
Rapper 2 Chainz, Kelly Osbourne and Fall Out Boy were among the other presenters at the 41st edition of the event.
Hip-hop duo Macklemore & Ryan Lewis, who led the nominations with six nods, came away with two wins for favorite rap/hip-hop artist and favorite rap/hip-hop album for The Heist.
Rihanna appeared on stage with her mother to pick up the icon award.
The Bajan singer also performed on the night.
Ariana Grande was given the best new artist award and Avicii beat off Calvin Harris, Daft Punk and Zedd to win the favorite electronic dance music artist award.