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Tag: Thanksgiving

  • Zoom Lifting 40-Minute Free Limitation For Thanksgiving

    Zoom Lifting 40-Minute Free Limitation For Thanksgiving

    Zoom has announced it is lifting its normal 40-minute time limit on meetings with free accounts to help folks with Thanksgiving plans.

    As COVID-19 surges to record levels, experts have been warning about the danger of Thanksgiving celebrations and the possibility of new super-spreader events. Many families have been relying on Zoom to stay in touch, and plan to do so even more during the holiday season.

    Zoom’s free tier comes with a 40-minute limit on meetings, requiring individuals to keep restarting the meeting for a longer family get-together. Zoom plans on lifting that in time for Thanksgiving, making it a bit easier for families to visit virtually.

  • A Timely Glimpse At Ecommerce Habits And Numbers

    A Timely Glimpse At Ecommerce Habits And Numbers

    It’s the time of year when people are using a lot of their hard-earned dollars to get things for the people they care about. In other words, it’s the best time of year for ecommerce businesses. Now that it’s the Tuesday after the big weekend, let’s check in and see how things have been going.

    What are your thoughts about performance from the weekend? Let us know in the comments.

    According to Custora, Thanksgiving saw a 12.5% increase in ecommerce revenue with a 10.8% increase in ecommerce orders. There was a 1.5% increase in average order value compared to last year, which the company considers an indication of a “less promotional, discount-driven” quarter.

    Mobile commerce was 39.3% of all online commerce, up from about a third (34.3%) on Thanksgiving 2014, it says, adding that 78.3% of mobile commerce on Thanksgiving was done on iPhones and iPads with Android accounting for 21.5% of mobile online orders placed.

    They also shared some stats for Cyber Monday, which was the biggest online commerce day in the U.S. ever, it says:

    – Strong growth: E-Commerce revenue was up 16.2% over Cyber Monday 2014

    – Orders grew 14.7% and Average Order Value (AOV) was up 1.3%, indicating a less promotion-driven Cyber Monday than last year

    – 26.9% of online sales were placed on mobile (phones + tablets), up from 23% on Cyber Monday 2014

    – Over three quarters of all mobile orders (75.6%) were made on Apple devices, while only 24.2% happened on Android devices

    – Email marketing was the primary channel driving online sales, accounting for 22.1% of transactions

    – Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest, etc. only drove 1.5% of sales

    For the whole weekend through Monday, Custora says, “Revenue growth over 2014 came in strong at 16.4%. The strong growth overall for the weekend was driven by mobile (Apple devices in particular), email marketing, and Google search.”

    This week, Google shared some of the biggest search trends for gifts:

    Monetate found mobile phone commerce traffic to be up 118% (up 86% on Android, 50% on iOS) but found add-to-cart rate on mobile to be down 23%. It also found that Add-to-cart rate was up nearly 1% driven by Twitter (up 56%), desktop (up 22%) and tablet (up 17%) and that online commerce traffic from Facebook was up 92%.

    For Black Friday, Monetate found that online spending was up 13% year over year.

    “Consumers averaged bigger online [orders]… on Thanksgiving than on Black Friday,” a spokesperson tells WebProNews. “While Black Friday conversion rates were down 10%, average order value was up 2% YoY. Average order value was up YoY on mobile phone (12%) and Facebook (10%), but down on Twitter (33%).”

    “Screen size mattered,” the spokesperson says. “Consumers used mobile phones to [look]…but spent the most on desktop and tablet. Desktop users spent the most on average ($169) followed by tablet ($163), Facebook ($138) mobile phone ($130). iOS users spent more on average ($156) than Android users ($132). The week high for average order value was $173 on Thanksgiving compared to $164 on Black Friday.”

    DemandWare shared some findings as well. According to that company Black Friday orders were 6.1 times higher than a non-peak period (4 weeks ago), which is a 40% increase over last year. Black Friday baskets created on phones more than doubled year-over-year, according to DemandWare, which also says that on Thanksgiving, phone traffic share began increasing from 5pm until midnight.

    The IAB released a new report finding that younger adults, ages 18 – 34, are more likely to favor smartphones for retail activities than any other age group.

    While overall, consumers are more likely to order something using a tablet (35%) than a smartphone (28%), this younger generation is more inclined to do so using their smartphones (43% vs. 35% on a tablet), a spokesperson for the IAB told WebProNews. Those 35-54 are more apt to use a tablet…and are more apt to get something on those devices (41% vs. 35% general population), they said.

    – 18-34 year olds are more likely to read a product review on their smartphones (44% vs. 32% general population) and less likely to do so on tablets (32%). They’re also inclined to check prices on a smartphone (42% vs. 33% general population) and are less likely to do so on a tablet (32%).

    – Those who are 35-54 are more prone to use tablets to read product reviews, locate stores, check store hours, and check product pricing (40% vs. 35% general population).

    – Adults ages 55-64 are more than twice as likely to get something on a tablet (34%) than on a smartphone (15%).

    – Consumers 65+ are more than twice as likely to get something on a tablet (26%) than on a smartphone (11%). They are also nearly twice as likely to read a product review on a tablet (31%) than on a smartphone (17%).

    For a look at the IAB’s full report, go here.

    Amazon had an all-time high weekend for its devices. While the company didn’t reveal any hard numbers, it says it sold “millions of devices” and 3x over last year.

    Groupon also had a good weekend.

    “Groupon’s North American billings were up 41% compared to last year, and customers…[got] 52% more Groupons over the four-day weekend than in 2014,” a spokesperson for the company said. “Like other e-commerce sites and retailers…[tangible] products led the weekend.”

    Groupon also saw a “tremendous appetite” for local experiences. CEO Rich Williams talks about the company’s weekend here.

    What didn’t have such a great weekend were Pinterest’s “buyable pins” and their counterparts from Facebook and Twitter. A report from Re/code says that one of Pinterest’s big launch partners for Buyable Pins has been seeing less than 10 transactions a day with the feature.

    Interestingly, Google just essentially turned Image Search into a Pinterest competitor, which could negatively impact Pinterest even more considering that Google search is already a primary place that people are looking for things to get.

    How is your business faring compared to last year? Discuss.

  • Chrissy Teigen, John Legend Share Their Thanksgiving Festivities With The World

    Chrissy Teigen is no stranger to winning at social media.

    In fact, Chrissy Teigen has quite the reputation for having a most interesting Instagram account.

    Apparently, holidays get even better when Chrissy Teigen is there to share the little details of her festivities with hubby John Legend.

    For Thanksgiving, we were thankful that Chrissy Teigen thought to share her day with everyone.

    Chrissy Teigen hosted Thanksgiving with her friend, celebrity hairstylist Jen Atkin, and her husband, Michael Rosenthal.

    Chrissy Teigen shared a great time lapse of her and Legend preparing the feast.

    Thankful for my sous chef goodnight my loves!

    A video posted by chrissy teigen (@chrissyteigen) on

    Chrissy Teigen is shown with a tight sleeveless black dress with a bit of flour on her butt.

    I’m a little jealous of how little flour was actually on her.

    John Legend joined in with a shot of him proudly displaying a deep fried turkey.

    Return of the deep fried turkey!! #thanksgiving

    A photo posted by John Legend (@johnlegend) on

    Then, Chrissy Teigen took some shots of her and John, their guests and even their dog with the fat booth app.

    We did it. @jenatkinlikethediet @mrmikerosenthal @johnlegend

    A photo posted by chrissy teigen (@chrissyteigen) on

    Yeah, we pretty much all felt like this after Thanksgiving.

    This day looks like so much fun for Chrissy Teigen and John Legend.

    Family!

    A photo posted by John Legend (@johnlegend) on

    Did you have as much fun as Chrissy Teigen did on social media during your Thanksgiving?

  • Google Shares Thanksgiving Search Trends

    Google Shares Thanksgiving Search Trends

    As Thanksgiving approaches, Google is sharing some searches that have been trending throughout the United States leading up to the holiday.

    As of Wednesday, the top Thanksgiving questions were as follows:

    “Gratitude may be in the name, but food is the centerpiece of Thanksgiving,” says Google’s Emily Wood. “For weeks now people have been searching for recipes to wow their relatives this Thursday, from classics like cranberry relish and mashed potatoes to turkey alternatives like lasagna and beef stew.”

    Can’t say I saw Lasagna coming.

    “Even amongst regional variations, family eccentricities or that ambitious new recipe you clipped from a food magazine, there’s one dish that takes the casserole on Thanksgiving Day,” adds Wood. “Stuffing is the top searched Thanksgiving recipe in 49 out of 50 states, with only North Carolina standing up proud for sweet potatoes. Our take: Why not have both?”

    The top Thanksgiving recipe question on Google is “How to cook a turkey?” The most searched for methods have been roasting, followed by smoking and frying.

    Images via Google

  • Organic Turkey: Is It Worth the Extra Cost?

    Organic turkey is a hot topic in these days before Thanksgiving, with many folks wondering if they’re worth the extra cost.

    According to Consumer Reports, the answer is yes.

    One of the best reasons to buy an organic turkey doesn’t come from what the bird offers, but in what it doesn’t. Organic turkeys are raised without antibiotics. Those antibiotics are known for causing a wealth of health problems.

    So how do consumers know their turkey is truly organic? Start by reading the labels on the turkeys you’re considering very carefully. One of the best guarantees that your turkey wasn’t raised with antibiotics is the “USDA Organic/No Antibiotic” label. Another is “USDA Process Verified.” The third label that ensures you’re getting an organic turkey free of antibiotics reads, “Animal Welfare Approved.”

    Some marketers will try to fool you, so beware. If you want to buy an organic turkey but see labels reading “antibiotic free,” “no antibiotic residue,” or “no antibiotic growth promotants,” steer clear. These claims are all as yet unapproved.

    Of course the best way to ensure you are buying an organic turkey is to have a great relationship with your local grocer or butcher, and to simply trust that they will steer you clear of all else.

    When that’s not the case, rely on the aforementioned labels.

    Will you be buying an organic turkey for Thanksgiving dinner this year?

  • Testicle Festival in Multiple States Sounds Like a Real Ball

    Testicle Festival. Just say that out loud. It is a legitimate news item, so you needn’t be embarrassed. Maybe that’s why it’s so successful. You can snicker as you tell your friends that you’re packing up the kids the day before Thanksgiving to take a little road trip.

    Where are you headed? To the Testicle Festival.

    The Parkside Pub in Huntley, Illinois has been holding a Turkey Testicle Festival every year for 23 years. The whole thing works so well that a neighboring town has decided to go bigger with it.

    East Dundee, Illinois has announced that they are holding their own Turkey Testicle Festival this year, on the same day, in fact. J.R. Westberg, who owns the Parkside Pub, doesn’t mind much. He just wishes they had come up with their own name for it. Maybe have it a different day.

    But the idea of a Testicle Festival is not unique to Illinois, whichever one you attend. Other such events are held in Deerfield, Michigan; Olean, Missouri; and Oakdale, California.

    In 2001, a three-day Testicle Festival in Fargo, North Dakota saw a riot. Seven people were arrested.

    Montana has a Testicle Festival too. The Rock Creek Lodge near Clinton, Montana has been holding just such an event. They call it a Testy Festy.

    The ones in Montana are not from turkeys, but from young bulls. You may have heard those called Rocky Mountain Oysters. For those of you without cowboy hats, that’s what a steer is: a young bull with its testicles removed. What do you then do with the testicles? Have a Testicle Festival, of course!

    The Testy Festy in Montana is held in July or August. This year it July 29 through August 2. The event organizers have DJs, Rocky Mountain Oyster eating contests, a campground, wet t-shirt contests, and you can buy t-shirts to commemorate the experience.

    So check out one of these Testicle Festivals this year. It sounds like a ball. You’d be nuts to miss it.

  • Email Won Thanksgiving Weekend [Report]

    Email Won Thanksgiving Weekend [Report]

    Email marketing and search (both organic and paid) were the dominant marketing channels over the holiday season according to new research from Custora. The firm released its new 2014 Holiday Recap.

    According to that, ecommerce revenue in the U.S. was up 15.6% compared to 2013’s holidays season. This continues a four-year streak of mid-teen growth.

    Black Friday and Cyber Monday were still the top two shopping days by far, and one out of four online purchases was done on a mobile device. Custora proclaims Black Friday was “Mobile Friday” as nearly a third of sales were done on phones and tablets.

    Custora found search to still be the primary way people find the products they want. 38.5% of online transactions during the season originated from a search query. 21% of orders were driven by organic search, while 17.5% were driven y paid search.

    It was also a good season for email.

    “Winning email marketing can mean winning Black Friday and Cyber Monday,” the report says. “Overall during the holiday period (November – December 2014), email marketing drove 17.7% of online orders, making it the third largest channel after organic (free) search (21%), and paid search (17.5%). During Thanksgiving weekend (the five days from Thanks-giving to Cyber Monday, including Black Friday) email was by far the primary marketing channel driving e-commerce orders, account-ing for 27.3% on Black Friday, 23.9% on Cyber Monday, and 23.1% during the Thanksgiving weekend overall.”

    “Email frequency and revenue contribution increased over the holidays,” it says. “Relevant email content & exciting offers actually drove unsubscribe rates down despite increased email volume.”

    Social media, including Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest, only drove 1.9% of all ecommerce orders. That’s actually slightly down from the 2013 holiday season when social media accounted for 2.3%.

    The report is based on data from over 100 US retailers, 100 million anonymized shoppers, and $40 billion in revenue. More on the report here.

    Image via Custora

  • Jessica Simpson Celebrates Thanksgiving With Her Kids

    Jessica Simpson spent her Thanksgiving like the rest of us – with family. She spent time with family out on a lake with her children and let us in on the fun.

    On Thanksgiving, Simpson uploaded an adorable image of her children on Instagram with the caption:

    “Thankful for these two WILD TURKEYS! #lakeaustin #maxidrew #aceknute”

    Thankful for these two WILD TURKEYS! #lakeaustin #maxidrew #aceknute

    A photo posted by Jessica Simpson (@jessicasimpson) on

    Her children, Maxwell and Ace, are ages 2 and 1 respectively. She spoke of her children in an essay back in September admitting that she became depressed after giving birth due to the weight gain that comes with childbirth. It was her husband, Eric Johnson, that helped through that period:

    “Eric has seen me at every size, and he loves me no matter what,” she wrote. “When I got pregnant… I was nervous about starting over again. I had come so far in learning how to balance my career, family life, and hormones, and starting over again felt overwhelming. Eric was so supportive and challenged me to accept my insecurities and focus on what truly matters.”

    Simpson’s sister, Ashlee, may be posting pictures of kids sooner than later as well as she just got married to Evan Ross this past September.

  • Anna Kendrick Had No Heat Or Power On Thanksgiving, But It Was Still Awesome

    Actress Anna Kendrick experienced an “old-fashioned” Thanksgiving.

    The 29-year-old star returned to Maine for the holiday, where she and her family found themselves battling serious winter weather.

    The storm left Kendrick and her kin without heat or power.

    Anyone else would have been seriously bummed about how things turned out, but Anna seems to be taking the entire matter in stride.

    Anna Kendrick used her Instagram account to share photos with her fans that captured what she was experiencing.

    One photo of a graveyard covered with snow features the humorous caption, “#TheNorthRemembers”.

    Kudos to Kendrick for her flawless Game of Thrones reference!

    [timeout]

    Hometown landscape…#TheNorthRemembers

    Een foto die is geplaatst door Anna Kendrick (@annakendrick47) op

    [/timeout]

    Anna Kendrick also shared an image of what appears to be her snow-coated backyard, complete with early morning sunlight.

    It was a delightful image, and it seemed to strike home Kendrick’s positive attitude about her situation over Thanksgiving.

    [timeout]

    November 28, 2014

  • Justin Bieber Hangs With Pastor’s Family for Thanksgiving

    Justin Bieber isn’t spending Thanksgiving with Selena Gomez, but he’s not alone either. The troubled young singer has spent a lot of time during November with Pastor Carl Lentz of New York City’s Hillsong Church, and it looks like he’s spending Thanksgiving with the pastor and his family, too.

    The Biebs took to social media on Thanksgiving morning to show off his snowman-making skills from the day before, along with one of Pastor Lentz’s daughters. The snowman the pair made was nearly as big as the little girl herself.

    It’s actually quite refreshing to see something positive about Justin Bieber. Maybe time with the pastor and his family has helped him to re-evaluate his priorities.

    “We’re talking about making sure his life remains a blessing, not a burden,” Lentz told the New York Post. “When he’s with me, he rolls with me. He’s like a member of our team. He fits in like a piece of furniture.”

    Justin Bieber is, of course, Canadian, so celebrating Thanksgiving in November isn’t on his typical agenda. Hopefully he will learn by example just how blessed he is, and how much he has to be truly grateful for.

    It’s likely that Justin is desperately missing Selena Gomez this Thanksgiving Day. Do you think it’s possible that with the pastor’s guidance he can once again win her love?

    Justin Bieber is a young man who earned way to much way too soon, and there wasn’t anyone there who took charge of his money and his actions. He was a teenage boy when he made his amazingly fast rise to fame. There is no question that he’s made an abundance of very bad choices along the way.

    Maybe with more guidance he can rise again, and set a better example for his young fans when he gets there.

  • Turkey Pardoning Is Still a Thing, and You Can Vote on Twitter

    America’s weirdest tradition is once again playing out on social media today, as the White House has enlisted the Twitterverse to help it decide which turkey to pardon this year at the annual holy shit we’re still pardoning turkeys event.

    This year we have 47-pound ‘Mac’ going up against 49-pound ‘Cheese’. You might think that Cheese would have the advantage, given he’s a bit heftier. But you should know that Mac apparently has a “rhythmic, melodious gobble”. Also, it’s not really a competition. Also this is dumb.

    Using Twitter’s voting cards, the White House is allowing people to vote for which turkey Obama will pardon and which he’ll send to be ground into burgers.

    The whole pardoning a turkey thing started in 1989 when then-President George H.W. Bush decided it would be a good idea. The White House got social media involved in 2012, asking Facebook users to help decide the turkeys’ fate.

    Recent controversy has forced the White House to issue this disclaimer:

    Note: It’s all gravy, no turkeys will be harmed during the selection of the National Thanksgiving Turkey. After the pardoning, both turkeys will travel to their permanent home at Morven Park’s Turkey Hill, the historic turkey farm located at the home of former Virginia Governor Westmorland Davis in Leesburg, Virginia.

    Of course, organizations like PETA aren’t happy with that explanation and have claimed that the whole spectacle “makes light of the mass slaughter of some 46 million gentle, intelligent birds and portrays the United States’ president as being in some sort of business partnership with the turkey-killing industry.”

    I mean, ok. Sure. That’s a bit extreme. It is America’s stupidest tradition, however, and that’s saying a lot when you consider that we force our citizens to endure a Detroit Lions game every Thanksgiving.

  • Sears Black Friday 2014 Deals Online

    Black Friday, a ritual when ravenous consumers hoard big-box retailers to secure their deals, is right around the corner, though Sears customers can now shop for doorbusters online.

    Black Friday, which historically has occurred on the day after Thanksgiving (the fourth Thursday of November), is often regarded as the beginning of the holiday shopping season.

    In order to compete with other businesses, Sears Outlet Stores began selling products at advertised Black Friday pricing on November 21. The promotion runs through November 26, and will Sears will likewise match the prices of local competitor’s ads.

    Bruce Johnson, president and CEO of Sears Hometown and Outlet Stores, Inc., said in a press release, “with every retailer offering special low discounts right after Thanksgiving, shoppers get caught in a chaotic frenzy. We wanted to give customers an opportunity to shop confidently and know they have an opportunity to price match if the item they bought on our website is cheaper in a Black Friday ad.”

    Johnson added, “at Sears Outlet Stores, consumers can find great deals on everything from home appliances and tools to lawn and garden equipment and sporting goods at significantly reduced prices. Now, they have the opportunity to save even more on products that are important to home and family life.”

    In related news, below is a clip of enthusiastic consumers, hoping to achieve Black Friday shopping success:

    Notable Sears Black Friday deals include:

    – an RCA 52′ 1080p HDTV for $379.99
    – an RCA 40″ 1080p HDTV for $249.99
    – A Kenmore stainless steel refrigerator for $999.99
    – A Kenmore washer/dryer duo for $799.98

    Hedge fund billionaire Eddie Lampert, chairman and CEO of Sears, has shifted the focus of the company toward building upon its ‘Shop Your Way’ program, which caters to loyal customers. Under-performing stores have been shut down, including the location at the Fayette Mall in Lexington, Kentucky. At present, the ‘Shop Your Way’ members-only program accounts for 70% of Sears sales.

    –

  • Thanksgiving Recipes For Vegans: Serve These Delicious (Meatless) Dishes

    Thanksgiving isn’t exactly a vegan-friendly holiday at first glance. After all, what can you say about a major holiday that is also known far and wide as “Turkey Day”?

    But there are great recipes around for those vegans who want to bring something to the table that’s delicious, but also meatless.

    These recipes are great for anyone who either (1) wants to bring food to a Thanksgiving dinner that won’t interfere with their strict “no meat” policy or (2) knows at least one relative who’s coming for Thanksgiving is a devoted vegan or vegetarian.

    Hopefully, you’ll be less likely to worry about an embarrassing situation if you opt to use one of these great recipes.

    If you don’t want to shy away from putting up something hearty and filling, consider this gluten-free shepherd’s pie. The lentils take the place of meat, but still provide enough texture for a yummy final product.

    Speaking of pies, who doesn’t love a well-made pot pie? Serve up a vegetable version of this beloved classic.

    Don’t forget about side dishes! They may not be the main event, but they also are just as important in terms of variety and taste.

    A failure to include at least one casserole is unheard of, and zucchini’s are all the rage these days. Get it right with a black bean and zucchini tortilla casserole.

    Meanwhile, anyone at the table who wants to avoid packing on the pounds this holiday season will be ever so grateful for these low-fat mashed potatoes.

    Everyone is sure to jump at the chance for dessert with these winners.

    Thanksgiving just isn’t the same without cranberries, so be generous with the lemon & miso cranberry sauce.

    You should also aim for a great pumpkin pie, or at least consider including some pumpkin flavor via this Chocolate Pumpkin Pots de Creme recipe.

    If the people you’re serving prefer cakes to pies (it does happen), then this sweet potato cake with chocolate frosting is sure to win them over.

    After a hard day of cooking, you’ll probably want to sit down and quietly celebrate the fact that Thanksgiving is over. So make this double pumpkin beer float.

    You’re welcome!

  • Thanksgiving Invitations: Easy DIY Options For Every Occasion

    Thanksgiving is just a week away and if you haven’t already invited guests over to dinner, there is still time.

    Many people prefer to do their invites over the phone or online, but some people still prefer to send invitations in the mail.

    If you want to save some money and show off your creativity, you may just want to make your own Thanksgiving invitations. Here are a few easy options.

    Kids Invitations
    What’s cuter than an invitation made by a kid? Those little hands will be perfect to make turkey invites for your Thanksgiving party or dinner. Simply trace your child’s hand on some cardstock and then cut out the shape. Decorate the hands like turkeys and use a marker to write the details of the event on the turkeys. Stuff into envelopes and send out to your guests. These invitations are also good options for children’s parties.

    Menu Invites
    The Thanksgiving feast is almost always the star of any party or get-together. If you want to entice your guests into coming, why not send the menu as an invitation. Use your computer or just handwrite a menu and add the details of your party or event to the bottom or back of the menu invite. Your guests will be excited about the dinner and if they want to bring a dish of their own, they will already know what you have covered.

    Thankful Invites
    If you really want to show your friends and family members how thankful you are to have them in your life, invite them to dinner with a cute, thankful invite. Share a photo of yourself and the person you are inviting and attach a special memory or moment that you are thankful to have experienced with them. This will make the invitations more attractive and personal.

    Get creative and have fun with your homemade Thanksgiving invitations. Your guests will love them.

  • Pizza Hut Manager Gets Rehired After Closing Store On Thanksgiving Day

    Pizza Hut has offered to rehire a manager who was fired for refusing to open the restaurant on Thanksgiving Day. Tony Rohr, 28, had refused to open the store located in Elkhart, Indiana on Thanksgiving Day and was consequently told to write a letter of resignation. Instead, he chose to write a letter explaining why he thought the store should remain closed on Thanksgiving Day.

    “Why can’t we be the company that stands up and says we care about our employees and they can have the day off?” said Rohr. He continued by saying, “Thanksgiving and Christmas are the only two days that they’re closed in the whole year. And they’re the only two days that those people are guaranteed to have off to spend with their families.”

    Rohr says he was fired shortly after he wrote the letter in which he criticized the company’s policy.

    “I accept that the refusal to comply with this greedy, immoral request means the end of my tenure with this company,” he wrote. “I hope you realize that it is the people at the bottom of the totem pole that make your life possible.”

    However, the local franchise disputed Rohr’s claim that he was fired. Instead, they said he quit. Pizza Hut’s corporate office later issued a statement on its website saying that the franchise “made a serious error in judgment, one which we hope to help remedy.” The corporate office went on to state that Rohr should be reinstated because Pizza hut “fully respect an employee’s right to not work on a holiday.”

    “As a result, we strongly recommended that the local franchisee reinstate the store manager and they have agreed. We look forward to them welcoming Tony back to the team.” concluded the statement.

    But Rohr, who had worked there for 10 years and manages about 15 employees, said Thursday that he is not sure whether he wanted his job back at this time. “That’s something I can’t decide right away,” he told CNN.

    (main image via Wikipedia)

  • The World’s Ugliest Dog’s Beautiful Life has Ended

    On June 22, 2007, a dog resembling a punk-rock Yoda going by the name of Elwood took The World’s Ugliest Dog contest in California by storm. Robbed of his glory a year before, Elwood took three prizes back to New Jersey that year: First Place Mutt, Ugly Dog of 2007 and the highest award, the World’s Ugliest Dog.

    The title took him to CNN, The View, The Regis and Kelly Show with Anderson Cooper and numerous local news and television shows worldwide. In a very short time, Elwood quickly became a source of inspiration to remember the beauty inside of everything and everyone.

    The Chinese crested and Chihuahua mix’s biggest accomplishment was championing for his animal kin in animal shelters worldwide; he let people know that not only should the “cute” animals be adopted. He appeared at numerous non-profit animal organizations and raised thousands of dollars for his brethren who were down on their luck.

    Sadly, Elwood’s death at eight years of age was announced by his human, Karen Quigley, via Facebook on Thanksgiving Day.

    Elwood will be missed. Elwood’s human reminds us, though, that Elwood dying on Thanksgiving, “was another one of his messages for all of us to remember to be thankful for who we are and all the wonderful things we have in our lives.” Be sure to check out his children’s book dealing with acceptance entitled Everyone Loves Elwood and check out his website to continue to be inspired.

    [image: Facebook]

  • Lady Gaga and The Muppets’ Holiday Spectacular: Flop

    The much-talked about Lady Gaga & the Muppets’ Holiday Spectacular finally aired and well, it flopped. According to TV by the Numbers, the Thanksgiving special garnered a paltry 0.9 viewer rating with adults 18-49. This means that a large number of U.S. viewers did not tune in and comments such as these from those who did:

    didn’t help at all.

    As earlier reported by us, the show featured Lady Gaga performing with acts intriguing in their own way– RuPaul, Elton John, Joseph Gordon-Levitt and of course, the Muppets. Even with their help, it didn’t do well with television viewers. Maybe a little behind-the-scenes tension between Gaga and Miss Piggy would have helped, or maybe this one will take a while for America to appreciate.

    We’ll see if it becomes a cult hit in the future.

    [Image: Twitter]

  • Le’Veon Bell’s Hard Hit Raises NFL Rule Questions

    A scary play during the Baltimore- Steelers game this Thanksgiving has put the no-helmet rule under fiery discussion.

    The Steelers were being dominated throughout the entire game against the Ravens, but fought for a chance to come back towards the end. After a few false starts, it seemed as if the Steelers were finally making some headway as Steelers rookie standout Le’Veon Bell headed towards the end zone.

    Unfortunately, an obliterating tackle knocked Bell’s helmet off as he dove into the end zone in a hit heard around the world. Bell suffered a concussion and comforted supporters worldwide via twitter, and fans shifted their concern to the perceived unfairness of NFL’s no-helmet rule:

    NFL rules clearly state that, “An official shall declare the ball dead and the down ended…when a runner’s helmet comes completely off.” Some experts are now debating if the rule should be modified to make an exception if a player is on his way down, since it is impossible to stop a play while a player is merely going along with gravity at that point.

    Further discussion will determine if changes in the NFL rule are to be made. In the meantime, we are grateful that Le’Veon Bell is fine after such a devastating hit.

    [image: nfl.com]

  • Kohl’s Shooting Leads to Charges of Two Black Friday Shoplifters

    Thanksgiving is a time to give thanks and be grateful for what you do have, but for others, it’s a time to remember ALL the things they don’t have and partake in a little retail theft.

    Two men have been charged in a Black Friday incident that took place at a Kohl’s store location in Romeoville, Ill.

    At 10 p.m. on Thanksgiving, police received a call regarding shoplifting inside the store.

    When police arrived, one of the suspects ran out of the store and jumped into a Pontiac Sunfire in an attempt to flee the scene. An officer went after him and ended up being dragged across the parking lot after his arm was intentionally closed in the car door.

    According to ABC7 Chicago:

    Police say a backup officer ordered the driver to stop multiple times, and when he kept going, the backup officer fired three to four shots toward the driver. The driver was struck once in the shoulder area, and at that time, the car came to a stop…

    Robert Russell, 51, has been charged with retail theft, obstructing an officer and attempted murder. Twenty-eight-year old Gerald Chamberlain, who was still in the store during the confrontation, has been charged with theft. The driver was identified as 52-year-old Charles Hinch and he is being hospitalized for his injuries.

    The police officer was treated for his injuries and released from the hospital.

    (image)

    A returning customer told MyFoxChicago this morning that she was informed by her husband about the string of events that took place the night before.

    “What bothers me is it was over clothing,”  Karen Hasberger said. “So that’s upsetting that somebody felt they had to steal clothing, and a police officer put his life on the line for that. It’s not like a jewelry heist or a bank robbery.”

    Kohl’s spokeswoman, Sydney Hofer, declined to release any additional information other than the store was cooperating with the police department’s investigation.

    Despite the frightful events that took place, the store remained open today for Black Friday.

    Image Credit: Youtube, instantnews1 

  • Pizza Hut Manager Fired For Not Opening on Holiday

    A former employee of Pizza Hut has come forward with information regarding his dismissal. Tony Rohr, from South Bend, Indiana, was fired for his refusal to open the restaurant on Thanksgiving Day. Two weeks ago, Rohr discovered that Franchise Management Investors, the franchise owner, insisted on opening the restaurant on Thanksgiving to remain competitive, despite the fact that it has never been opened on a holiday before. “I said, ‘Why can’t we be the people who say we care about our employees? I don’t think it’s right, and I don’t want to make anyone work on Thanksgiving,’” he told ABC News. Therefore, the company attempted to force his resignation.

    Rohr said, “My area coach told me the director of operations needed me to write a letter of resignation. I was like, ‘Well, being fired and resigning are two very different things and I’m not going to do that.’ So I wrote a different letter explaining my position on the situation and handed it in and left.” Though, Chuck Kayser, area coach of Franchise Management Investors, persistently maintains that Rohr was never actually fired. “Tony was never fired. He quit his position. I didn’t want him to quit, but he chose his own path. He was asked to put it in paper; that’s just a standard corporate procedure. I wanted Tony to stay, and have offered him his job back three times already,” he explained.

    In one part of the letter, he stated: “I am not quitting. I do not resign, however I accept that the refusal to comply with this greedy, immoral request means the end of my tenure with this company. I hope you realize that it’s the people at the bottom of the totem pole that make your life possible.”

    The story made it to local news channels and sparked controversy among the public. The Pizza Hut Facebook page was flooded by angry commentators, but they responded with the following statement. “We feel strongly that the situation involving our independent franchisee and the local store manager could and should have been avoided. We fully respect an employee’s right to not work on a holiday, which is why the vast majority of Pizza Huts in America are closed on Thanksgiving. As a result, we strongly recommended that the local franchisee reinstate the store manager and they have agreed. We look forward to them welcoming Tony back to the team.”

    Yet, the restaurant still opened today. As of late on Wednesday, Rohr remained undecided on whether or not he would return to work at the restaurant. “Thanksgiving and Christmas are the only two days that they’re closed in the whole year, and they’re the only two days that those people are guaranteed to have off and spend it with their families,” he said.

    Image via Youtube

  • Thanksgiving Day Parade 2013: Big Balloons May Be Grounded

    This year’s 87th Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade may not feature its biggest attraction due to inclement weather. A mix of sleet, rain, snow and strong winds could prevent some of  this years balloons from appearing in the parade

    16 inflatable parade characters such as Spiderman, Snoopy, Spongebob Squarepants, and Kermit the frog could lose their flying privileges due to New York City regulations. The city rules that the much loved balloons won’t be able to fly if winds exceed 23 mph or if the gusts exceed 34 mph. The latest weather forecast by The National Weather Service indicates that winds are likely to range between 15-25 mph while the gusts are expected to exceed 35 mph. The authorities will make final decision on Thursday morning.

    “The balloons, as you know, can be flown to various heights… or not brought out at all,” New York City Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly said on Tuesday.

    “These are decisions that will be made as we go forward depending on the weather conditions,” Kelly said.

    The restriction is meant to protect the crowd because heavy winds cause a flight risk for oversized balloons. With the tallest balloon reaching over 5 stories high, it could mean that the handlers would have difficulty trying to control the balloons. The Macy’s parade is America’s most watched parade of the year. People come from all over the world to see the spectacle and take part in the celebration. If the balloons don’t fly this year it will surely leave many people heart broken – especially the kids. Let’s hope the weather holds up.

    (main image via Macy’s)