Saturday is April 1, or, as it is popularly called, Fools' Day. The holiday is celebrated by playing lighthearted pranks on family and friends. The origin of this fun tradition is unclear. Some believe it began in 1582 when France moved from the Julian calendar — which started the new year around April 1 — to the currently used Gregorian calendar. Anyone unaware that the new year now began on January 1 was pranked. Others think the custom began to celebrate the start of spring....
Read news articleAn Australian Shepard Mix rescue dog who looks like Hollywood star Paul Rudd has found his permanent home. The February 20, 2023, announcement came just a week after the Collierville, TN, pooch, nicknamed Pawl Ruff, went viral on social media....
Read news articleA 30-year-old farm dog named Bobi has just been recognized by Guinness World Records as "the oldest dog living." The February 1, 2023, announcement came just two weeks after a 23-year-old Chihuahua named Spike received the title. Bobi also broke an almost century-old record for "the world's oldest dog ever." It had been held by Bluey, a female Australian cattle dog. She was 29 years and five months old when she died in 1939....
Read news articleJaclyn Gartner, the founder of Happily Furever After Rescue in Connecticut, was scrolling through photos of shelter pups last summer. A seven-year-old dog named Van Gogh caught her eye. The former stray pooch had been used as bait in a dog fighting ring. His left ear was so damaged that it had to be surgically removed....
Read news articleAs is the tradition each year, at midnight on December 31st, 2022, cities and towns worldwide ushered in the new year with elaborate fireworks displays. Here are a few that were particularly noteworthy....
Read news articleOn November 5, 2022, Nicolas Krumm was reporting about the rise in thefts in an area of Santiago, Chile. Suddenly, a parrot landed on his shoulder. The stunned newsman continued with the story while alerting the camera crew to the surprise visitor....
Read news articleTravis Gienger did not have much hope for a pumpkin he planted in April 2022. The 42-year-old horticulture teacher from Anoka, Minnesota, had accidentally dropped a bucket of dirt on the plant when it was just five days old! But the mishap did not seem to impact the gourd. "Maverick" — nicknamed after the main character in Top Gun — grew to an astounding 2,560 pounds....
Read news articleMinecraft users are known for their creativity. Power gamers have used the virtual lego-like cubes to build entire towns, cities, and even Middle-Earth from The Lord of the Rings. Now, Christopher Slayton has raised the bar by building the entire known Universe in Minecraft....
Read news articleOctober is pumpkin season in America. For most people, this means eating delicious pumpkin-filled treats or visiting pumpkin patches to pick out the perfect fruit for Halloween. But for pumpkin farmers, it is a chance to showcase their giant produce at pumpkin weigh-offs. Though various such contests are held countrywide, the "Super Bowl" of pumpkin weigh-offs takes place in Half Moon Bay, CA....
Read news article