Sponsors back Santa's visit to bankrupt town
Finally, some good news for the residents of debt-plagued Harrisburg, Pa.: Santa Claus is coming to town after all. The city, which filed for bankruptcy in October, had been forced to cancel its annual preholiday parade because of lack of funds. But around a dozen sponsors came forward last week to donate the money needed to get the seasonal festivities back on track. Now, Pennsylvania’s capital will be able to enjoy Santa’s arrival as planned on Nov. 19. “There are some traditions we can’t let go down the drain,” said Mayor Linda Thompson.
How to beat the Monday-morning blues
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An artist has come up with an unusual cure for the Monday-morning blues. Yazmany Arboleda handed out 10,000 yellow balloons to commuters in the Kenyan capital, Nairobi, this week, in a bid to brighten their Monday morning. Arboleda, an artist based in New York City, handed out the colorful party favors as part of a worldwide art installation known as “Monday Morning.” He has already visited India and Japan, and plans to hand out balloons in Europe, Colombia, Australia, and New York next year.
India's real-life “Slumdog Millionaire”
India has crowned a real-life “Slumdog Millionaire.” A poor government clerk won 50 million rupees ($1 million) in the country’s version of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire. The unlikely success of Sushil Kumar, who has a psychology degree but works as a computer operator on a $130-a-month salary, mirrored the plotline of the movie Slumdog Millionaire, which won an Oscar for Best Picture in 2009. The 27-year-old said he plans to use the money to pay off his parents’ debts, buy a new home, and build a library in his remote hometown of Motihari.
