I am sure that Santa Claus (Saint Nick, Santa, Father Christmas, or whatever you call him) has had more than his share of practical jokes in the past hundreds of years. It never occurred to me, though, that he would come out as muscular and naked! Apparently, I do not have as much imagination in me as Barry McBee of Big Spring, Texas.

McBee, who loves to make people laugh, decided to put up a replica of Michelangelo’s David (yeah, that ultra-muscular guy with no clothes on) on his front lawn. Following the spirit of Christmas, he decided to add a white beard and a pointy red hat (Santa’s garb, in case you didn’t get it). All the guy wanted to do was elicit a chuckle here and there, but he got more than he bargained for.

According to city officials, they received complaints from parents whose children were inquiring as to why Santa was naked. Seriously, if I were a kid, I probably would have first asked how he lost all that flab! Anyway, city officials didn’t find McBee of violating any city ordinances. However, in the interest of keeping peace in the community, they asked McBee to “put more clothes” on Santa David.

It seems that McBee is an easy going guy – he gave in easily and dressed his statue with black and white shorts. After all, we cannot have Santa suffering from frostbite, can we? Oh, and just for the record: I think he should have gotten red and white shorts to match the hat!

Photo courtesy of Yahoo News

Short on cash but need a vacation? Who doesn’t? For those who have been having trouble coming up with a plan for the summer due to cash flow problems, the Rancho Bernardo Inn in Southern California just might have the solution for you.

Contrary to what many other hotels and resorts are doing (that is to offer more perks, freebies, and amenities in a bid to attract more customers), the management of Rancho Bernardo Inn is making lemonade, so to speak. They are currently offering what is dubbed the “Survivor Package,” which is an adventurous way of saying that guests receive practically nothing.

Well, there is a room with no bed, no toilet paper, no towels, and no air-conditioning. At least there is a bed, right? Oh, and there is only ONE light bulb to go by. This is the most basic package, costing $19 per night. There are variations, with amenities being added to the list. Naturally, the price goes up with each upgrade.

At first glance, I think that any sane person would be horrified at the thought of having to pay for a room without anything in it. Then again, I have been wrong before – and it seems that in this case, I am. A lot of people are actually buying into this marketing idea. Families are delighted that they do not have to spend hundreds of dollars on a room and they do not seem to mind bringing their own toilet paper and towels with them. As one mother put it, the boys feel like they’re camping and she can still go to the spa.

It was not long ago that we heard of the “best job in the world.” Sandy beaches –among the best in the world – free housing, blogging, fish feeding, and the works; these are the things that the winner will have to face for six months. No wonder that the server of the organizers got swamped and crashed in the days following the announcement!

This time, they have a different sort of announcement: the winner of the contest!

Ben Southall, 34, is the lucky guy who won. He is a British charity fundraiser who was part of the 16 finalists who entered video clips to get the chance to live in paradise for half a year. And how does the winner feel about this? He is quoted as saying:

To go away now as the island caretaker for Tourism Queensland and the Great Barrier Reef is an extreme honor. I hope I can fill the boots as much as everybody is expecting, my swimming hopefully is up to standard and I look forward to all of the new roles and the responsibilities that the task involves.

Starting July 1, Southall would have the chance to “fill the boots.” He will not be alone in the island, however, as his Canadian girlfriend has been allowed to join him. All I can say is that these two are perhaps the luckiest people in the world right now.

As for the tourism department of Queensland? They are hoping that this stunt will result in dollars – lots of it – spent in tourism in the area.

Everybody’s heard of Florida and the many other vacation hotspots all over the US but not many have heard of the recently discovered Sea Isle City New Jersey. New Jersey is one of the most diversified US states that has a little something to offer for everybody. From skiing to mountaineering with the wonderful snow capped ski slopes and trails, to more warmer fun in the surf at Sea Isle city. Sea Isle City has a lot of trekking trails, bike trails and beaches, did we mention the wonderful beaches within reach of some of the best sea isle city rental properties in the state.
Get down and relax at the beach with the family, or go on a bike trip it sure breaks the monotony of daily life in the city. Many people have been kept from the beautiful state that is New Jersey and all it has to offer, till now. Give it a try and visit the state where sun, mountain peaks and surf share a common goal for your enjoyment and your family.

How many times have you wondered whether Santa’s reindeers are male or female? I am sure that if you have not thought about it lately, you wondered about it at least once when you were a child. We may never know the answer for sure but scientists over at Texas A&M University are trying their best to figure out the gender of the reindeer.

The Associated Press ran a story yesterday:

“Santa’s reindeers were really females, most likely,” said Alice Blue-McLendon, a veterinary medicine professor specializing in deer who cites the depictions of Santa’s helpers with antlers as the primary evidence. It turns out reindeer grow antlers regardless of gender, and most bulls typically shed their fuzzy protrusions before Christmas.

But Santa’s sleigh helpers might also be castrated males, known as steers, said Greg Finstad, who manages the Reindeer Research Program at the University of Alaska Fairbanks.

Young steers finish shedding their antlers in February and March, just as non-expecting females do. Bulls generally lose theirs before Christmas, while expectant mothers retain their antlers until calves are birthed in the spring. This allows them to protect food resources through harsh weather and to have enough for developing fetuses, he said.

Sledders most often use steers because they maintain their body condition throughout the winter, he said. Bulls are tuckered out from rutting season when they mate with as many as a dozen females in the months leading up to December. That leaves them depleted and too lean to pull a sleigh or sled through heavy snows, Finstad said.

Alright, but I really cannot see anyone naming their daughter Rudolph.

People love to dress up. Its a fact. And its not just kids. Come Halloween, grown-ups and kids alike take to the streets in decked out from the simple to the outrageous, delighting in every moment of day where you can actually get away with dressing up crazy and not being thought of as a loon.

And in the UK the Brits, who adore “fancy dress”, get dressed up for occassions throughout the year, a “tarts and vicars” party proving to be one of the most popular.

But back to the holiday around the corner, which is Halloween. How did this tradition of dressing up in costumes come about? According to the History Channel:

The tradition of dressing in costume for Halloween has European and Celtic roots that go back hundreds of years. In the beginning, it was believed that ghosts came back to the earth and people would encounter ghosts if they left their homes. To avoid being recognized by spirits, people would wear masks so ghosts would mistake them for fellow spirits.

Wearing costumes to ask for food or money, popularly known as ?trick-or-treat,? became popular in the 19th Century as Irish immigrants brought their traditions to America. Since then, costumes have ranged from cut-up sheets to elaborate dresses and suits.

For the past years, the climate has been changing. Initially some people considered the cold climate to fall in the holiday season, something that has been apparent from past years. The warm climate on the other hand would usually set in the summer where people would troop to the beaches and go surfing or swimming.

However, the change in climate has been mind-boggling. A lot has to be connected with the polluting air which has been known to affect the ozone layers leading to a global warming shift. While people have resorted to various practices to attend to such issues, it is obvious that the efforts have not been enough.

The effects can be seen in the rising case of illnesses and weird weathers during known seasons. Natural disasters such as storms, earthquakes and tsunamis have been coming one after another. Could it be the wrath of nature perhaps? Whatever the case may be, one thing is for sure, a lot of changes in the natural course of living are sure to be waiting in the wings.

Restaurants will surely be filled, florists will have a huge profit margin and courier and delivery services are sure to have a busy day this February 14. While most people have already booked their itinerary and flower sending, the day of the hearts is something that will surely be a busy day for couples all over the world.

There are people who will be booking themselves at hotels for sure. Some would even find themselves enjoying a musical show in celebration of the occasion being serenaded by ballads coming from well-known musical celebrities with various love songs and entertainment. Clubs are expected to be filled as well, mostly lasting until the wee hours of the mornings.

The mood is definitely under a romantic one. For sure, regular traditions shall be held. But the important thing is really celebrating with the person whom people would consider as special to their lives. That is what the day of the hearts is really all about.

The annual Rose Parade is a much awaited event. This year’s parade was even more special. Dubbed the Star Wars Spectacular, it had George Lucas for its Grand Marshall and naturally Star Wars for its theme. It was very timely since 2007 is the 30th anniversary of the release of the very first Star Wars movie.
The parade had a float set as the moon of Endor with adorable Ewoks swinging around. Another float was dressed up as the garden planet of Naboo. What was probably the most interesting to many though were the 200 Storm Troopers marching along.

These troopers were not professional actors or entertainers. They were all fans, and they came from all over the world to form this very special part of the parade. The Storm Troopers were chosen from the 501st Legion, a major Star Wars fan club. The members of the legion are fans who dress up in Star Wars costumes for charity events and other activities. They were asked by George Lucas to take part and you bet that for them is already a singular honor. George Lucas shouldered the? cost of their flight, hotel and meals. You can bet these Storm Troopers are having a great new year.
George Lucas says that it was a great honor to be chosen to be the Grand Marshall. “It’s always a great honor to be put in a category with other people you admire,” he said. He joins the ranks of Bob Hope, Dwight Eisenhower and Bill Cosby just to name a few.

The year is almost over and everywhere people are getting ready to countdown to a brand new year. 2006 has been quite an eventual year indeed for many.

There are parties going on everywhere. All the major cities have plans for fantastic fireworks displays and celebrations. Whether you go to London, New York, Paris or down under to Syndey, the new year will be welcomed in with a bang. In New York’s Times Square, plans for 19 stellar performances from some of the Grammy award winners are lined up including Christina Aguilera, the Rascal Flatts and more.

For those who will be joining the London celebration, good news. You need not worry if you don’t have a car since the public transportation system will be running later than usual. In fact, NatWest is sponsoring transportation on the 31st via the London Underground, London Buses, Docklands Light Railway (DLR) and via the tram. Just don’t wait til the last minute since there is bound to be quite a crowd.

You’re sure to be partying hard on this last night of the year but do keep yourself safe. This can easily be done by following a few simple safety tips:

• Stay with your friends. There is always safety in numbers.
• Keep your valuables safely at home or very carefully guarded. There are often pickpockets at crowded events such as these.
• Drink responsibly. No point in getting so drunk you miss out on all the fun. That’s no way to start a new year.
• Wear shoes that you’ll be comfortable in. You’ll have a long night ahead of you. There is no reason not to be both stylish and comfortable.
• Dress warmly. No point in catching a cold when a little common sense will keep you from this annoying bug.