Three people have died in an accident at Sao Paolo’s Itaquerao stadium that is due to host the opening ceremony of the 2014 World Cup football.
A senior local fire official said crews were called to the Arena Corinthians after reports of a collapsed crane.
It fell on top of a metal structure, destroying parts of a stand.
The arena was due to be completed at the end of December to meet a FIFA deadline. Brazil has admitted it is struggling to have all 12 venues ready.
TV footage showed the huge metal structure buckled on top of the stadium, which is also known as Itaquerao.
Three people have died in an accident at Sao Paolo’s Itaquerao stadium that is due to host the opening ceremony of the 2014 World Cup football
Part of the stand – believed to be in the southern sector – was damaged. A LED panel outside the venue was also hit.
Rescue teams are checking the site to see if there are more victims.
Corinthians, the club that will move into the new stadium, said in a short statement that it “deeply regrets the accident”.
FIFA President Sepp Blatter said he was “deeply saddened by the tragic deaths”.
Secretary General Jerome Valcke said: “Extremely shocked by the news from Sao Paulo. Our thoughts are with the families of the victims of this accident.”
The venue is being built by Brazil’s Odebrecht company, who recently said the arena was about 94% ready.
Six of Brazil’s stadiums – including Itaquerao – are not yet ready for the World Cup next summer.
The Italian Senate has voted to expel former PM Silvio Berlusconi from parliament with immediate effect over his conviction for tax fraud.
Silvio Berlusconi, who has dominated politics for 20 years, could now face arrest over other criminal cases as he has lost his immunity from prosecution.
Silvio Berlusconi could face arrest over other criminal cases as he has lost his immunity from prosecution
The 77-year-old told supporters in Rome it was a “day of mourning” for democracy.
Ahead of the vote, Silvio Berlusconi vowed to remain in politics to lead his Forza Italia in a “fight for the good of Italy”.
When the Porter Ridge gang and Dog Killer Ridge crew plan for their respective Christmas parties, a competition grows as to which ridge will have the more spectacular party.
Porter Ridge Christmas special will premiere on Tuesday, December 3
Porter Ridge Christmas special will premiere on Tuesday, December 3, at 10/9 C on Discovery Channel.
Porter Ridge is preparing for the Hilljack Games and Terry Porter was fighting with Bryan Sciscoe the latest episode of Discovery Channel’s show, Prank Wars.
In anticipation of the upcoming Hilljack Games, Bryan Sciscoe plays a prank on Terry Porter which quickly escalates into an all out prank war between the ridges.
Porter Ridge is preparing for the Hilljack Games
Following up the prank war, the Hilljack Games commence. Then, as the Hilljack Games approach, Terry Porter enlists the help of a trainer, while Bryan Sciscoe struggles to keep a DKR ringer from driving everyone nuts.
As you would expect, Terry Porter’s ideas of traditional training moves are, well, nontraditional -and his “burpees” skill did not impress his trainer very much.
Black Friday is the Olympics of shopping and is the right time to start loading up on all those presents that’ll make their way under the Christmas tree.
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Black Friday is the Olympics of shopping and is the right time to start loading up on all those presents that’ll make their way under the Christmas tree
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Balloons have only been grounded once in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade’s 87-year history, when bad weather kept them from flying in 1971.
This year, a storm bearing down on the East Coast with a messy mix of snow, rain and wind is threatening to ground giant balloon versions of Snoopy and SpongeBob SquarePants in the annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.
The iconic characters that soar between the Manhattan skyscrapers every year may not lift off Thursday if sustained winds exceed 23 mph and gusts exceed 34 mph, according to city rules enacted after fierce winds in 1997 caused a Cat in the Hat balloon to topple a light pole and seriously injure a woman spectator.
Current forecasts call for sustained winds of 20 mph and gusts of 36 mph.
“At this time, it is too early to make any determinations on the flight of the giant balloons,” said Macy’s spokesman Orlando Veras.
Balloons have only been grounded once in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade’s 87-year history
“On Thanksgiving morning, Macy’s works closely with the NYPD, who, based on real time weather data and the official regulations, determine if the balloons will fly and at what heights.”
Balloons are set to be inflated in Manhattan on Wednesday evening.
The parade was awash in animal-related protests over its floats, with controversies involving the unlikely pairing of rocker Joan Jett and Shamu the killer whale.
Activists planned to line the parade route to protest a SeaWorld float over accusations in a new documentary that the theme parks treat whales badly. And ranchers succeeded in getting Joan Jett pulled off the South Dakota tourism float after they questioned why the vegetarian and animal-rights ally was representing their beef-loving state.
SeaWorld says the accusations have “absolutely no basis” and that “the men and women who care for these animals at SeaWorld are dedicated in every respect to their health and well-being.”
Macy’s said the parade does not engage in social commentary or political debate.
Thai protesters have forced the evacuation of the government’s top crime-fighting agency, on the fourth day of street demonstrations in Bangkok.
The protesters, who want Yingluck Shinawatra’s government to step down, marched to a complex of government offices outside the city.
The anti-government protest leader said they wanted to shut down government ministries in a bid to cause disruption.
They accuse the government of being controlled by the prime minister’s brother, Thaksin Shinawatra.
The protests are being led by former opposition Democrat Party lawmaker Suthep Thaugsuban, for whom police have issued an arrest warrant.
They began on Sunday and so far have targeted the finance, foreign and interior ministries, among others.
Thai protesters have forced the evacuation of the government’s top crime-fighting agency, on the fourth day of street demonstrations in Bangkok
“Let the people go to every ministry that remains to make civil servants stop serving the Thaksin regime,” the Associated Press news agency quoted Suthep Thaugsuban as saying.
“Once you take over, civil servants can no longer serve the Thaksin regime. Brothers and sisters, go seize the city hall.”
Despite the arrest warrant, police made no attempt to detain him as he led protesters to government offices.
On Wednesday afternoon, hundreds of protesters surrounded the Department of Special Investigations (DSI), which is Thailand’s equivalent of the FBI.
The DSI is a particular target for the demonstrators – they accuse its chief of conducting partisan investigations against opponents of the government.
The DSI chief ordered his staff to leave as protesters surrounded the building, Reuters news agency said.
PM Yingluck Shinawatra – who on Monday invoked special powers allowing officials to impose curfews – said that the government would not use force against protesters.
“This is not the <<Thaksin regime>>, this is a democratically elected government,” Yingluck Shinawatra told media outside parliament.
Sony has filed a patent application for SmartWig, as tech companies jostle for the lead in the wearable technology sector.
The company says the SmartWig can be worn “in addition to natural hair”, and will be able to process data and communicate wirelessly with other external devices.
According to the filing, the SmartWig can help navigate roads and collect information such as blood pressure.
Google and Samsung are among the companies that have launched products in wearable technology – seen as a key growth area.
Sony said the wig could be made from horse hair, human hair, wool, feathers, yak hair, buffalo hair or any kind of synthetic material.
At the same time, the communication interface and sensors placed in the wig are at least partly covered by parts of the wig in order to be hidden from sight during use.
It said that as a result, the device has the potential to become “very popular” as it could be used as a “technically intelligent item and fashion item at the same time”.
Sony has filed a patent application for SmartWig
“The usage of a wig has several advantages that, compared to known wearable computing devices, include a significantly increased user comfort and an improved handling of the wearable computing device.”
Sony listed various potential uses of the SmartWig in its filing, including helping blind people navigate roads.
It said that a small video camera or a sensor on the wig could help to provide the position and the location of the wearer.
A remote user can then use the images provided and send vibration commands through the network and navigate the wig user manually to a desired destination.
“Although navigation systems based on vibration motors have been widely introduced, a navigation system integrated into a wig… is so far not known,” Sony said.
A further potential improvement of the wig may use ultrasound waves to detect objects around a user.
Sony said the gaming industry or “any type of virtual reality appliance” could also be an “interesting field” of use for the device, though it did not provide any details.
It could also have uses in the healthcare sector, as a combination of sensors can help collect information such as temperature, pulse and blood pressure of the wearer.
“The system can detect these kinds of data naturally and transmit them to the server computer,” it said.
SmartWig can also be used during presentations where a wearer can “move to the next presentation slide or back to the preceding presentation slide by simply raising his/her eyebrows”.
Angela Merkel’s CDU/CSU has agreed terms for a coalition with the centre-left Social Democratic Party (SPD), German officials say.
The late-night deal follows talks by SPD leaders with Angela Merkel’s Christian Democrats (CDU) and allied CSU.
Chancellor Angela Merkel could be sworn in for a third term in office next month if SPD members ratify the deal.
The CDU/CSU fell short of a majority in September polls, and traditional coalition partner the FDP won no seats.
The breakthrough came after 17 hours of tense negotiations.
The final coalition deal will now go to a ballot of SPD members to be signed off, with the result expected in mid-December.
Chancellor Angela Merkel could be sworn in for a third term in office next month if SPD members ratify the deal
The German chancellor is expected to present the agreement alongside CSU leader Horst Seehofer and the SPD’s Sigmar Gabriel on Wednesday morning, though cabinet posts may not be announced until after the SPD vote.
Parties reached settlements on issues including a lower retirement age and changes to dual citizenship rules.
The SPD won a key demand for a nationwide minimum wage. An hourly minimum of 8.50 euros ($11.55) will come into force in the country for the first time in 2015.
The parties also agreed that there would be no tax increases, a key demand of the CDU/CSU.
“The work is done. It has been very intense and sometimes very hard work today but I think we have a result that is good for our country which is the main measure, but we can also say the result has a strong Conservative imprint,” said Hermann Groehe, CDU secretary general.
“No new taxes and no new debts.”
The SPD previously formed a grand coalition with the CDU/CSU in 2005-2009.
This time around, the partnership faces the twin tasks of rebalancing the eurozone’s biggest economy and winning the support of the German public to tackle the eurozone’s debt and banking problems.
At the election on 22 September, the CDU took about 41.5% of the vote, the SPD won 26%, the Greens 8.4%, and the former communist Left Party 8.6%.
Former Italian PM Silvio Berlusconi faces expulsion from parliament over his conviction for tax fraud.
The Senate will vote later on whether to expel the former prime minister.
Analysts say a large majority of senators is expected to back his expulsion.
The former PM has called for supporters to protest in Rome against what he says is a political vendetta.
The vote comes a day after Silvio Berlusconi withdrew his Forza Italia party from the coalition government.
Silvio Berlusconi, who has dominated politics for nearly two decades in Italy, had asked senators to delay the vote on his expulsion because he claims to have new evidence proving he did not commit tax fraud.
However, the vote is expected to go ahead on Wednesday evening.
Silvio Berlusconi faces expulsion from parliament over his conviction for tax fraud
Silvio Berlusconi, 77, threatened to topple the coalition government over the issue earlier this year but backed down during a confidence vote.
He old has dismissed the Senate, which is dominated by his political opponents, as biased against him.
Silvio Berlusconi was convicted of tax fraud in October 2012 over deals his firm Mediaset made to purchase TV rights to US films. The verdict was upheld in August.
Expulsion from parliament may lead to Silvio Berlusconi’s arrest over other criminal cases, as he would lose his immunity from prosecution.
He will have to serve a one-year sentence for his tax conviction, probably under house arrest or by doing community service because of his age.
Silvio Berlusconi has also been convicted of paying for s** with an underage prostitute and of a breach of confidentiality over a police wiretap. He is appealing against both convictions.
Both PM Enrico Letta’s centre-left Democratic Party (PD) and former comedian Beppe Grillo’s anti-establishment 5-Star Movement have said they will vote against Silvio Berlusconi.
Enrico Letta’s government survived a confidence vote on the 2014 budget on Tuesday with the help of a group of dissidents who broke away from Berlusconi’s party earlier this month.
Silvio Berlusconi had said earlier that his party would vote against the budget, and the Forza Italia leader in the lower house soon declared that the party was moving into opposition.
O.J. Simpson’s bid for a new trial has been rejected by a Las Vegas judge.
The judge’s decision on Tuesday means O.J. Simpson must remain in a Nevada state prison where he is serving 9 to 33 years for armed robbery and kidnapping in a bungled attempt to retrieve personal items from two sports memorabilia dealers in 2007.
O.J. Simpson’s bid for a new trial has been rejected
The former football star was sentenced to prison in 2008. He’ll be 70 years old before he is eligible for parole.
O. J. Simpson’s current defense attorneys argued that his previous lawyers handled his case so badly that he should get a new trial.
Clark County District Court Judge Linda Marie Bell considered 22 claims of ineffective assistance of counsel and attorney conflict of interest, but decided in her 101-page order that the standard required for a new trial wasn’t met.
The tiny Bay Psalm Book has become the world’s most expensive printed book as it was auctioned at Sotheby’s in New York for $14.2 million.
The Bay Psalm Book was printed in 1640 and is the first known book to be printed in what is now the US.
The book was published in Cambridge, Massachusetts, by the Puritan leaders of the Massachusetts Bay Colony.
It was meant to be a faithful translation into English of the original Hebrew psalms.
But it is not the most expensive book ever – that title goes to a handwritten Leonardo da Vinci notebook which sold for $30.8 million in 1994.
Sotheby’s said it had been bought by financier and philanthropist David Rubenstein, who planned to loan it to libraries across the country.
The Bay Psalm Book was printed in 1640 and is the first known book to be printed in what is now the US
The book was sold by Boston’s Old South Church, where Founding Father Benjamin Franklin was baptized and meetings that led to the Boston Tea Party were hosted.
It is one of 11 copies known to remain in existence out of about 1,700 copies originally printed.
The Old South Church has one other copy, which it says it has no plans to sell.
The other nine books are prized items in major collections or libraries.
The Reverend Nancy Taylor, senior minister of the church, said in April: “It’s a spectacular book, arguably one of the most important books in this nation’s history.”
A copy of the Bay Psalm Book set a record in 1947 when it sold for $151,000, dwarfing prices paid around the same time for a Gutenberg Bible and a Shakespeare First Folio.
The Bay Psalm Book has achieved its status despite criticism early on about its quality.
The inking of the type is uneven, and there are numerous printing mistakes.
The top of the left-hand page carries the word “psalm” and a number in Roman numerals, but on the right hand page it appears as “psalme”. Inverted commas are used in place of apostrophes.
Publisher and author Isaiah Thomas noted 200 years ago that it “abounds with typographical errors” and “does not exhibit the appearance of good workmanship. The compositor must have been wholly unacquainted with punctuation”.
The winter storm blamed for up to a dozen deaths is threatening to bring travel misery to the East Coast on the eve of the Thanksgiving Day.
The system, which dumped heavy rain and snow over the region on Tuesday, has already caused some flight delays.
Forecasters say more than 1 ft of snow could fall in western Pennsylvania, western New York and Vermont before Thursday.
More than 43 million Americans are expected to travel during the holiday.
The storm is also threatening to ground the giant balloons at the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York.
City regulations bar the inflatables from being used when sustained winds exceed 23 mph or when gusts top 34 mph.
The balloons of beloved characters such as Mickey Mouse and the Pillsbury Doughboy are due to be made ready on Wednesday evening.
New York Governor Andrew Cuomo has issued a winter weather warning, urging motorists to use extreme caution.
Meteorologists also predict the storm could bring 2-4 in of rain up the Atlantic coast from Richmond, Virginia, to Portland, Maine.
The deadly winter storm is threatening to bring travel misery to the East Coast on the eve of the Thanksgiving Day
“It couldn’t have come at a worse time,” said meteorologist Tim Morrin, of the National Weather Service.
“Visibility will be restricted not only by the rain and wash from other cars, but from the fog.”
Late on Tuesday, flight delays were reported in Charlotte, North Carolina; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Memphis, Tennessee; and Baltimore, Maryland.
Daniel Baker, of flight-tracking service FlightAware, said that most airlines expect to continue operating full schedules, although further delays were likely.
Some travelers were getting on earlier flights to avoid ending up stranded.
Lisa Jablon was originally due to fly on Wednesday morning from New York City to Syracuse, New York state, but she moved her flight to Tuesday night.
“I’m flying up to spend the holiday with my boyfriend’s family and I didn’t want to get stuck,” she told the Associated Press news agency.
The icy weather started in the western states and has caused at least 10 fatal road crashes.
Deaths from weather-related accidents were reported in Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico and California.
Thanksgiving Day celebrates the harvest and blessings of the past year.
It has been marked for hundreds of years, and is generally thought to commemorate a 1621 harvest feast the US Pilgrims shared with Indians after settling at Plymouth, in what is now Massachusetts.
The modern festival sees millions of people travel to be with family, eat turkey feasts, watch NFL football matches and – in recent years – plan or even begin their assault on the holiday sales.
Two US B-52 bombers flew over disputed islands in the East China Sea in defiance of new China’s air defense rules, officials say.
China set up its “air defense identification zone” on Saturday insisting that aircraft obey its rules or face “emergency defensive measures”.
A Pentagon spokesman said the planes had followed “normal procedures”.
The islands, known as Senkaku in Japan and Diaoyu in China, are a source of rising tension between the two nations.
Japan has dismissed the Chinese defense zone as “not valid at all” and two of its biggest airlines announced on Tuesday they would heed a request from the government in Tokyo not to implement the new rules.
US Colonel Steve Warren at the Pentagon said Washington had “conducted operations in the area of the Senkakus”.
“We have continued to follow our normal procedures, which include not filing flight plans, not radioing ahead and not registering our frequencies,” he said.
Two US B-52 bombers flew over disputed islands in the East China Sea in defiance of new China’s air defense rules
There had been no response from China, he added.
The aircraft, which were unarmed, had taken off from Guam on Monday and the flight was part of a regular exercise in the area, US defense officials said. Both planes later returned to Guam.
The US – which has more than 70,000 troops in Japan and South Korea – had previously said it would not abide by the Chinese-imposed zone.
US Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel called it a “destabilizing attempt to alter the status quo in the region”. The White House said it was “unnecessarily inflammatory”.
Japan has already lodged a strong protest over what it said was an “escalation” by China.
Taiwan, which also claims the islands, expressed regret at the Chinese move and promised that its military would take measures to protect national security.
In its statement announcing the air defense zone on Saturday, the Chinese defense ministry said aircraft must report a flight plan, “maintain two-way radio communications”, and “respond in a timely and accurate manner” to identification inquiries.
“China’s armed forces will adopt defensive emergency measures to respond to aircraft that do not co-operate in the identification or refuse to follow the instructions,” the statement said.
Japan Airlines and All Nippon Airlines said on Tuesday they would stop filing flight plans demanded by China on routes through the zone following a request from the Japanese government.
Singapore Airlines and Australia’s Qantas have both said they will abide by the new rules.
However, Australia summoned the Chinese ambassador on Tuesday to express opposition over the zone.
Australia’s Foreign Minister Julie Bishop said “the timing and manner” of China’s announcement were “unhelpful in light of current regional tensions”.
Russia had urged Ukraine to delay signing a trade deal with the EU, Ukrainian PM Mykola Azarov has admitted, as mass protest rallies continue across the country.
Mykola Azarov said Moscow had offered to hold trilateral talks on the issue, without giving “any ultimatums”.
Kiev last week put on hold the association and free trade deal with the EU, prompting Brussels to accuse Moscow of exerting pressure on Ukraine.
The move triggered huge pro-EU protests in Kiev and other Ukrainian cities.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has denied putting any pressure on Kiev, accusing instead the EU of “blackmailing” Ukraine into signing the agreement.
Speaking to reporters in Kiev on Tuesday, Mykola Azarov acknowledged that Russia had suggested “to delay signing the treaty and to conduct negotiations” between Kiev, Moscow and the EU.
He said Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych would still attend this week’s EU summit in Vilnius, Lithuania, to discuss the possible consultations with Brussels and Moscow.
Russia had urged Ukraine to delay signing a trade deal with the EU
It had been originally planned that Ukraine would sign the treaty with the EU at the 28-29 November summit.
Mykola Azarov said such three-way talks would be in the best interests of Ukraine: “We absolutely do not want to be a battlefield between the EU and Russia. We want to have good relations with both the EU and Russia.”
He also added that separate “road-map” talks with Russia aimed at reviving economic ties would start next month and no agreement had been finalized on possible new financial support from the Kremlin.
Meanwhile, President Putin said it was solely up to Ukraine whether to sign or not the agreement with the EU.
During a visit to Italy, Vladimir Putin also urged EU leaders to refrain from “sharp words” on the issue.
Ukraine’s government said last Thursday it was halting preparations for signing the deal with the EU, amid concerns this would have a negative impact on Kiev’s trade relations with Russia and cause mass job losses as a result.
Moscow had earlier warned it would be forced to defend its market by raising custom duties on Ukrainian goods.
In a statement on Monday, Viktor Yanukovych said he had been forced to halt treaty preparations by economic necessity and the desire to protect those “most vulnerable”.
Tens of thousands of protesters have been taking to the streets of Ukraine’s major cities since last week.
The FDA has imposed a ban on 23andMe, a company offering personal genetic screening to the general public.
23andMe has been ordered to “immediately discontinue” selling its saliva-collection tests after failing to provide information to back its marketing claims.
The tests aim to show how personal genetic codes may affect future health.
The company said it would address concerns.
The start-up has been operating since 2006 and was co-founded by Anne Wojcicki, the wife of Google co-founder Sergey Brin.
For $99, users receive a kit allowing them to take sample of saliva. This is sent to the company and in return users receive a readout of their genetic code.
The website promises reports on 254 health conditions and traits as well as offering to help people trace their genealogy.
23andMe has been ordered to “immediately discontinue” selling its saliva-collection tests after failing to provide information to back its marketing claims
Under FDA rules, the company must provide proof about how accurate its detection methods are as well as supplying the error rates from its personal genome service (PGS).
In a public letter, the FDA said that 23andMe had not supplied this information, despite increasing its marketing campaign and the scope of its tests.
“FDA is concerned about the public health consequences of inaccurate results from the PGS device – the main purpose of compliance with FDA’s regulatory requirements is to ensure that the tests work,” said Alberto Gutierrez, director of the FDA’s centre for devices and radiological health, in a letter to the company.
“Patients relying on such tests may begin to self-manage their treatment through dose changes or even abandon certain therapies depending on the outcome of the assessment,” he added.
Despite hundreds of emails and 14 face-to-face meetings with 23andme, little evidence had been provided, the agency added.
The company said: “We recognize that we have not met the FDA’s expectations regarding timeline and communication regarding our submission.
“Our relationship with the FDA is extremely important to us and we are committed to fully engaging with them to address their concerns.”
The Center for Genetics and Society said it welcomed the FDA’s stance.
“Our society regulates medical products to protect public health. Without strong public oversight, we’re back to the era of snake oil,” said executive director Marcy Darnovsky.
“The public agency charged with protecting public health has finally lost patience with a private company that seems to think it doesn’t have to play by the rules,” she added.
There are an increasing number of companies offering low-cost home genetic testing – but some medical experts have raised questions about the accuracy of the tests, and asked what benefit they offer to consumers.
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.”
