A glance at the week that was
23,500
The number of public sector job cuts announced by Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform Brendan Howlin as part of his plans to save money
£34,850The winning bid for a letter inviting an unnamed drummer to audition for a place with The Beatles
20,000The number of students who marched through Dublin (right) protesting at the prospect of undergraduate fees being introduced in next month's budget
42The number of years Willie Penrose, former minister of state for housing, was a member of the Labour Party before resigning over the closure of an Army barracks in Mullingar
10kmDistance that Minister for Sport Leo Varadkar ran in support of blind adventure athlete Mark Pollack on Wednesday night
200Estimated number of arrests during the dismantling of the Occupy Wall Street encampment in New York
Surf's up, dude - sorry, goat
Surfers at Grover Beach, California, were surprised last Thursday when their most famous companion turned out to be a goat.
Goatee the surfing goat belongs to Dayna McGregor, who took his pet out for some quality time on the waves to help celebrate his 33rd birthday. The one-year-old nanny goat was purchased as an organic lawnmower, and almost became McGregor’s dinner when some friends from Africa arrived. But McGregor quickly realised he was too fond of his hairy landscaper and now takes her everywhere.
As it was a calm day, McGregor decided to let his furry friend try her hand – or hooves – at surfing. McGregor said she did pretty well after he put her out on a few waves. Goatee has become a YouTube phenomenon, and while she does not realise she is famous, McGregor says his friends’ reactions are hilarious. The fame, he says, hasn’t gone to Goatee’s head.
Next week you'll need to know about.... Thanksgiving
Next Thursday is Thanksgiving, one of the major holidays of the year in the US and a good chance to stop and be grateful for the chances you’ve had, the opportunities you’ve been given and the people who surround you. It is one day of the year set aside to look at all the positive parts of life that are often glossed over in the everyday rush.
The holiday is celebrated with family and friends, those closest to you that you might not get to see very often. In the US, people travel across the country to be with their families for the four-day weekend. It’s the busiest travel weekend of the year.
The turkey is essential for any traditional Thanksgiving dinner, as are mashed potatoes, cranberries and vegetables. Thanksgiving comes from a feast celebrating the bountiful harvest. The original feast lasted for many days, but now it lasts only one.
American football, whether played or watched, also has a role in most American Thanksgivings. It provides much of the post-dinner entertainment, as, unlike many other holidays, people spend Thanksgiving at home.
Thanksgiving also officially kicks off the Christmas shopping season in the US. Black Friday, the day after Thanksgiving, is the one of the biggest shopping days – if not the biggest shopping day – of the year.
After Thanksgiving, the United States' Christmas season has officially begun, with decorations, music and shopping filling up the time until then. Michelle Stein
