Santa in the soup for telling kid Hillary is on naughty list
A man who played Santa Claus at a central Florida mall was removed from the site after allegedly telling a child sitting on his lap that Hillary Clinton was on his ‘naughty list’. The incident took place at Seminole Towne Center in Sanford on November 15.
An unidentified woman’s four-year-old boy posed first with Santa Claus and then her 10-year-old daughter sat on his lap, according to a WKMG screenshot of one of the woman’s Facebook posts.
“She tells Santa what she wants, and then he tells her she’s on the nice list,” the Facebook post read. “He then says that there’s only one name on the naughty list. Can you guess whoIJ My daughter says ‘who’IJ And he says Hillary Clinton and then started laughing.” The woman, who identified herself as a Clinton supporter, left with her kids. “I’m upset because this had nothing to do with a child and seeing Santa, and at age 10 she still believes,” the woman wrote.
The Seminole Towne Center manager contacted her to say the mall doesn’t condone Santa’s behaviour.
(UPI)
Domino’s delivers pizza by reindeer
The Japanese arm of pizza chain Domino’s announced it is testing an unusual solution to winter weather difficulties — delivery by reindeer. Domino’s Japan announced it is currently testing out the possibility of using riderless reindeer to deliver pizzas in the snowy north of the country amid expectations of a particularly harsh winter.
The company released pictures showing how the pizza warmers mounted to the reindeer’s backs would work, as well as photos of reindeer training to be pizza-delivery deer on the grounds of a driving school in the icy city of Ishikari, Hokkaido.
A video posted to YouTube by Domino’s Japan shows how the reindeer deliveries would work and how the company would use GPS trackers to follow the progress of the deliveries. The video reveals the plan still has some kinks, such as ensuring the pizza warmers remain affixed to the reindeer and preventing the animals from wandering dangerously onto roads.
(UPI)
unesco recognition sought for Belgium’s beer culture
In Belgium, beer drinking is serious business — and could soon be a recognised part of the European nation’s cultural contributions to the world. Belgium has applied to have its beer culture listed on UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage list. The somewhat obscure international list created in 2006 already has more than 300 places and traditions on it, including the Great Wall of China and Tanzania’s Stone Town in Zanzibar. The list is meant to afford international recognition and protection for cultural heritage from UNESCO member-states.
In its application, the Belgian brewery association noted beer consumption goes beyond drinking alcohol for the side-effect of intoxication and is a national rite of passage. “It plays a role in daily life, as well as festive occasions,” the Belgian application states. “Almost 1,500 types of beer are produced in the country.”
(UPI)
Sensors to gauge ‘fanquakes’ at Michigan-Ohio State game
Ohio Stadium is sure to be rocking when Ohio State and Michigan take the football field, and geologists will find out just how much through the use of seismographs. Ohio State and Miami University professors teamed up with the Ohio Department of Natural Resources to devise the ‘FanQuakes Magnitude Scale’, and have planted sensors around the stadium this year to measure the seismic activity created by fans.
The scale converts the shaking coming from fans into the perceived magnitude of a naturally occurring earthquake. Ohio State’s stadium seats nearly 105,000.
So far this season, the biggest quake came after Curtis Samuel’s touchdown catch at the beginning of the second half against Nebraska. The shaking lasted more than two minutes and reached a FanQuake Magnitude of 5.2. Researchers said they expect fans at Saturday’s game between No. 2-ranked Ohio State and third-ranked Michigan to “take it to another level.”
The project was conceived as a way to help students understand concepts in geology that are sometimes hard to grasp, according to a statement from Ohio State.
(AP)
French Spiderman climbs skyscraper harness-free
French Spiderman Alain Robert scaled one of the tallest skyscrapers in Barcelona without a harness last Friday. Bystanders and police watched as the 54-year-old climbed up and then descended the Torre Agbar, a glass-covered office building known for its night-time illuminations, completing the feat in around one hour.
The urban climber is famous for his daredevil, harness-free approach to scuttling up buildings with nothing more than some chalk on his hands and climbing shoes on his feet.
Robert has conquered over 100 structures worldwide including San Francisco’s Golden Gate Bridge, Dubai’s Burj Khalifa complex, the Eiffel Tower in Paris, and the Sydney Opera House without safety equipment.
(Reuters)