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[[Image:Mtp-75-logo---low-res.jpg|200px|thumb|right|[[The logo for the 75th Anniversary of the McDonald's Thanksgiving Parade]]]]
[[Category:Non-talk pages that are automatically signed]]{{Wikipedia:Reference desk/header|WP:RD/H}}
[[Category:Wikipedia help forums]]
[[Category:Wikipedia resources for researchers]]


The Chicago Thanksgiving Parade, currently named the '''[[McDonald's]] Thanksgiving Parade''' [[#The Parade Today|(see below)]], is an annual [[parade]] produced and presented by the '''Chicago Festival Association (CFA)'''. Held in downtown Chicago, the three hour event begins each year at 8:00a.m. [[Central Standard Time (North America)|CT]] on [[Thanksgiving Day]]. Those looking to watch the holiday-spirit filled event can make their way down to State Street in downtown Chicago, or watch live on WGN, WGN-HD or WGN America.
{{Wikipedia:Reference_desk/Archives/Humanities/2008 October 8}}


== History ==
{{Wikipedia:Reference_desk/Archives/Humanities/2008 October 9}}
In 1934, the [[United States]] had been in the [[Great Depression]] for five years. Many leaders in Chicago searched for ways to boost the [[economy]] as well as public spirit. Walter Gregory, President of Chicago's State Street Council, proposed a [[Christmas]] parade to Chicago Mayor [[Edward Joseph Kelly|Edward Kelly]] in the hopes that it would improve the moods of Chicago residents. The Mayor agreed to the parade, being primarily interested in its potential to improve [[Economy of Chicago|Chicago's economy]].


Chicago's first Christmas Parade was on Chicago's [[State Street]] on '''December 7, 1934'''. Many residents, including Walter Gregory, referred to the holiday event not so much as a "parade", but rather as a caravan. Gregory and a costumed [[Santa Claus]] led the caravan, which was filled with toys and various merchandise from State Street businesses. As the the city's government officials had hoped, the parade contributed to desirable growth in the local economy and 1934 held the city's largest holiday buying period since 1927. This was both exciting and surprising for the entire city. Not only was it the [[Great Depression]], but that day held dangerously low temperatures throughout the entire state. Some areas of [[Illinois]] were as low as fourteen degrees below zero ([[fahrenheit]]).<ref>{{cite book | first=Robert | last=Ledermann | year=2004 | title=Chicago’s State Street Christmas Parade (IL) (Images of America) | publisher=[[Arcadia Publishing]] | id=ISBN 07-38-53273-8}}</ref>
{{Wikipedia:Reference_desk/Archives/Humanities/2008 October 10}}


In 1935, the city was in even worse [[finance|financial]] status as a result of the depression. The city could not afford the expensive [[float (parade)|floats]] that were used the year before. However, the event had been so successful in the previous year that The State Street Council and the City of Chicago agreed to use an old [[tram|trolley]] to pull the floats, as there were trolley tracks on State Street at the time.
= October 11 =
== Why the Japanese Navy didn't occupy Hawaii in World War 2? ==


===Evolution of the Parade===
Why didn't the Imperial Japanese navy move into Hawaii and turn it into a Japanese military base after their aircrafts bombed the U.S. navy force in Pearl Habor? The Americans were going to build up the fleets again, so why the Japanese just bombed and then left? [[Special:Contributions/72.136.111.205|72.136.111.205]] ([[User talk:72.136.111.205|talk]]) 04:46, 11 October 2008 (UTC)
* 1934: '''Christmas Caravan'''
''On State Street from Wacker Drive to Congress Parkway''
* 1935-1983: '''State Street Christmas Parade'''
*1984: '''McDonald's Children's Charity Parade'''
''parade route changed as well, now on [[Michigan Avenue]] From Balbo Avenue to Wacker Drive''
* 1990: '''The Brach's Holiday Parade''' ''([[Brach's Confections]])''
* 1996: '''The Brach's Kids Holiday Parade'''
* 1998: '''The Field's Jingle Elf Parade''' ''(sponsored by [[Marshall Field's]])''
* 1999: '''The Field's Jingle Elf Parade Presented by [[Target]] & Marshall Field's'''
''parade route and date changed as well, now on [[Thanksgiving Day]] and back on State Street, moving [[north]] from Congress Parkway to Randolph Street''
* 2002: '''Target Thanksgiving Parade''' ''([[Target Corporation]])''
* 2003: '''State Street Thanksgiving Parade'''
* 2006: '''''McDonald's Thanksgiving Parade'''''<ref>{{cite book | first=Robert | last=Ledermann | year=2004 | title=Chicago’s State Street Christmas Parade (IL) (Images of America) | page: 12 | publisher=[[Arcadia Publishing]] | id=ISBN 07-38-53273-8}}</ref>


==Groups==
:See [[Attack on Pearl Harbor#Possible third wave]] for some discussion on the Japanese decision not to follow-through after the second wave. [[User:Bielle|៛ Bielle]] ([[User talk:Bielle|talk]]) 05:05, 11 October 2008 (UTC)
Every year, more than 100 different groups, otherwise known as ''units,'' walk down the parade route. These units are made up of '''[[#Balloons|Giant Inflatables]]''', '''[[#Specialty Units|Specialty Units]]''', '''[[#Equestrian Units|Equestrian Units]]''', '''[[#Marching Bands|Marching Bands]]''', and '''[[#Floats|Floats]]'''.


===Balloons===
The simple answer is that the attack was carried out by a ''naval'' task force. Invasion and occupation would have required a heavy troop presence. [[User:Emma Dashwood|Emma Dashwood]] ([[User talk:Emma Dashwood|talk]]) 05:56, 11 October 2008 (UTC)
[[Image:2007 Bear.jpg|right|200px|thumb|[[Bear in the Big Blue House]]]]
:Exactly; the attack consisted of submarines (with torpedoes) and airplanes (with bombs). There was no land force. The idea was to keep the US from immediately using those ships to go after them, because ships take a while to be built (or at least moved from one base to another). They also were prioritizing secrecy, to do the most damage possible. An invasion force would have had to been on normal ships, which would have been noticed a lot faster. --[[User:Alinnisawest|Alinnisawest]],<sup>[[Special:Contributions/Alinnisawest|<font color="black">'''Dalek Empress'''</font>]]</sup> ([[User talk:Alinnisawest|<font color="#cf0021">'''extermination requests here]]'''</font>) 17:50, 11 October 2008 (UTC)
The McDonald's Thanksgiving Parade uses primarily [[helium]] balloons, which have the benefit of floating in the air. In recent years, a [[helium]] shortage has caused several parades to cut down or cease their helium use altogether. However, The producers of this parade have yet to express any plans to move to cold air balloons; only one or two cold air balloons are used every year. Chicago's Thanksgiving Parade is the city's only event that features inflatable balloons every year.


====Parade School====
::Maintaining and protecting a supply chain to feed and equip a large enough military force to occupy the islands and repel the inevitable U.S. attack would have strained the capabilities of the Japanese Navy. [[User:Edison|Edison]] ([[User talk:Edison|talk]]) 19:33, 11 October 2008 (UTC)
Every year, the producers of the parade [[#The Event Today|''(see below)'']] hold a parade training school to ensure sufficient preparation in several of the volunteers. For many years the Chicago Festival Association, the parade's producers, have been partnered with the [[Museum of Science and Industry (Chicago)|Museum of Science & Industry]] in Chicago, and hold the day's proceedings there. Although almost 300 volunteers come to the event, the main attraction and section of the school is for the ''balloon handlers,'' a name given to the volunteers who balance the giant inflatables as they go down the parade route.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.prnewswire.org|title=Parade Balloon School Is in Session|date=2005-11-18|accessdate=2008-02-27|publisher=Miller-Pear Public Relations}}</ref>


'''Dynamic Displays,''' a giant inflatables company based out of [[Detroit]], brings all of their tools to the school, including one of the balloons to be used in the parade as well as hundreds of pounds of [[helium]]. After the balloon is filled, groups of ''balloon handlers'' circle through the outside lawn of the [[museum]] until all volunteers are sufficiently ready for the parade.
:::The islands had vital dockyards, maintenance shops, and oil depots that the Japanese bombers didn't destroy. If the Japanese Navy had occupied Hawaii, they could steal some oil and equipments. There were many American casualities after the Attack of Pearl Habor and the American military on the islands were already weakened. So if the Japanese tried to land on Hawaii, they would have won a war. The army wouldn't go hungry because there were animals and foods on the islands. Isn't that right? [[Special:Contributions/72.136.111.205|72.136.111.205]] ([[User talk:72.136.111.205|talk]]) 21:25, 11 October 2008 (UTC)
:::::I don't think so. I read a scholarly analysis of the question many years ago (don't remember the citation, sorry) which said it would have required vast numbers of tankers and cargo ships and a large military force to hold the islands. Capturing the the harbors and ports and major cities would have been easier than sustaining an occupation. There would have been partisans, supplied by U.S. subs, before the eventual U.S. landings. If the Japanese had conquered the Phillipines, they would have been even less able to defend the more strategically important islands closer to home, and their supply ships would have been hunted by U.S. subs. [[User:Edison|Edison]] ([[User talk:Edison|talk]]) 00:11, 12 October 2008 (UTC)
:::: The Japanese probably could have captured Hawaii if they'd really put their minds to it. But they didn't want to, and (despite attacking the US and declaring war against it) they weren't really looking for a general war against the US. They thought (very wrongly, to their cost) that the US was like China (which they'd be having their horrible fun with for a decade or so), fat and dumb and insular and consumed with its own internal problems, and that with its pacific fleet lost and the Philippines threatened the US would sue for peace and would withdraw. As the [[Isoroku Yamamoto]] article notes "Yamamoto hoped, but probably did not believe, if the Americans could be dealt such terrific blows early in the war, they might be willing to negotiate an end to the conflict". Yamamoto, who had been posted to Washington DC in the 1920s, had flown over the industrial vastness of the midwest and knew that the US, if woken to war, could outproduce and overwhelm Japan (cf [[Isoroku Yamamoto's sleeping giant quote|his apocryphal "sleeping giant" quote"]] too). But seizing Hawaii wouldn't win Japan the war; a determined US could have waged it from Australia and New Guinea very well. -- [[User:Finlay McWalter|Finlay McWalter]] | [[User talk:Finlay McWalter|Talk]] 21:51, 11 October 2008 (UTC)


Although the producers of the parade organize and run the ''Parade School'' primarily as a means to train the volunteers so they're ready on the day of the parade, they have started to see a consistent and alternative pattern. A great number of veteran volunteers return to the training every year because of their enjoyment of the ''Parade School'' itself, forcing the parade organizers to have more preparations at the ready.
If the Japanese seized Hawaii, it would bring them more closer to the shores of United States. They would be at the doorstep of the U.S. Japan would have an advantage. The United States would have to go around the Pacific Ocean to wage wars against Japan from Australia or Alaska. It would be a very costly war for United States. [[Special:Contributions/72.136.111.205|72.136.111.205]] ([[User talk:72.136.111.205|talk]]) 23:41, 11 October 2008 (UTC)


McDonald's, the parade's current title sponsor, provides resources and representatives as well. Although drinks are mainly provided by [[The Coca-Cola Company]], McDonald's brings the coffee and food to the [[museum]]. And along with McDonald's volunteers, the company also brings [[Ronald McDonald]]. After Ronald's speech, which kicks off the ''Parade School,'' he visits various volunteers, taking pictures and helping the organizers whenever possible. He has even made television appearances, as the majority of television news stations in Chicago are usually present covering the day's activities.
:[[Military logistics]]. Occupying Hawaii would have lead to a vastly long and vulnerable [[supply line]]. The occupation of Hawaii is dealt with in [[Harry Turtledove]]'s novels ''[[Days of Infamy]]'' and ''End of the Beginning''. --—<i><b>—&nbsp;[[User:Gadget850|<font color = "gray">Gadget850&nbsp;(Ed)</font>]]<font color = "darkblue">&nbsp;<sup>[[User talk:Gadget850|''talk'']]</sup></font></b> - </i> 23:55, 11 October 2008 (UTC)


====Balloon Inflation====
::The Japanese had occupied Indonesia so the supply line was vulnerable there. Indonesia and Hawaii are about the same distance away from Japan. I don't see any difference between occupying Hawaii and occupying Indonesia. In the novel, ''End of the Beginning'', did the Japanese land on United States or were they defeated by the Americans at the end? Did the book mention about the atomic bomb? [[Special:Contributions/72.136.111.205|72.136.111.205]] ([[User talk:72.136.111.205|talk]]) 21:06, 13 October 2008 (UTC)
The balloons for the parade begin the inflation process before sunrise to the south of the beginning of the parade route. It takes several people to fill each balloon with helium or cold air.


====Featured Balloons====
:::I mean no disrespect but you seem completely blind to the basic point already made. Let me repeat it: the attack on Pearl Harbor was a ''naval'' operation. There were no forces present to invade and occupy the the Hawaii chain, which would have required a heavy troop concentration. It was certainly not beyond the capacity of the Japanese army to occupy the islands. However, look at their position in the middle of the Pacific. Supply and support would have entailed ''huge'' logistical problems, as has already been mentioned. Your point about Indonesia is without merit. This island group was invaded not from Japan but from preexisting bases established In French Indochina. With the occupation of the Philippines and the British base at Singapore the supply lines to Indonesia were secure. I hope this is clear. [[User:Emma Dashwood|Emma Dashwood]] ([[User talk:Emma Dashwood|talk]]) 22:09, 13 October 2008 (UTC)
{| class="wikitable"
|-style="background:#efefef;" align=center
| <font color=navy>'''2007'''<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.chicagofestivals.org/pdf/generalMTPRelease.pdf|title=McDonald's Thanksgiving Parade Drums up Excitment|accessdate=2008-02-27 |format=PDF |publisher=Miller-Pear Public Relations}}</ref> || <font color=navy>'''2006'''<ref>{{Cite web
|url = http://www.chicagofestivals.org/giantInflatables06.htm
|title = Balloons for the 2006 McDonald's Thanksgiving Parade
<!-- |work = Chicago Festivals Association Website -->
|publisher = Chicago Festival Association
<!-- |accessdate = 2008-02-26 -->
}}</ref>
|-align=center
| Tom Turkey '''''(cold air)''''' || Tom Turkey '''''(cold air)'''''
|-align=center
| [[Cookie Monster|The Cookie Monster]] '''''(new)''''' || [[Humpty Dumpty]]
|-align=center
| [[Elmo]] || [[Hickory Dickory Dock]] '''''(cold air)'''''
|-align=center
| [[Strawberry Shortcake]] || [[Gingerbread Man|The Gingerbread Man]]
|-align=center
| [[Bear in the Big Blue House]] || [[Bear in the Big Blue House]]
|-align=center
| The Nutcracker || The Nutcracker
|-align=center
| [[The Pink Panther (character)|Pink Panther]] '''''(new)''''' || [[Frosty the Snowman]]
|-align=center
| [[Kermit]] || [[Kermit]]
|-align=center
| [[Big Bird]] || [[Bert & Ernie]]
|-align=center
| [[Popeye]] '''''(new)''''' || ''[[Tyrannosaurus|T. rex]]''
|-align=center
| [[Dr._Teeth_and_The_Electric_Mayhem#Animal|Animal]] || [[VeggieTales|Veggie Tales]]' [[List of VeggieTales characters|Bob & Larry]]
|-align=center
| [[Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer|Rudolph]] || [[Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer|Rudolph]]
|}
<!-- * Billy Blazes -->


===Specialty Units===
== Looking for a quote allegedly by Bertrand Russell ==
[[Image:Boliviamanta Dacne Ensemble.JPG|right|200px|thumb|The '''Boliviamanta Dance Ensemble''', new to the parade in 2007]]
"'''''Specialty units'''''" is a general category and refers to groups with unique skills or routines in the parade, such as international dance groups and sports teams. If they can easily fall into another category first, they will no longer be defined as a ''specialty unit''. For example, if the grouped danced but also featured [[horse]]s, they would be defined as an '''[[Equestrianism|Equestrian]] Unit''' [[#Equestrian Units | ''(see below)'' ]] instead.


To viewers, ''specialty units'' are often considered some of the most anticipated and greatly enjoyed additions to the yearly parade. As such, the search for potential ''specialty units'' generally occurs on a year-round basis. Unlike most other parades, the producers of this Chicago parade search for new members in more ways than the standard browsing of electronic and media sources. Representatives from the Chicago Festival Association travel around the country on a regular basis to recruit new acts.
One of my girlfriend's pupils recently brought a quote into her philosophy class she said was by Bertrand Russell. She didn't have a source for the quote, so I suspect it came from some (more or less reliable) collection of quotes on the web (and thus is not even necessarily by Russell). What's worse, the quote she brought was in German which makes it a bit difficult to find a source for it - I've looked on Wikiquote and googled around for the German version and for various differently phrased English translations, but came up empty. The German quote goes as follows:
:''Mit der Zeit berauben uns die Maschinen zweier Dinge, die sicherlich zum wesentlichen Bestandteil des Menschglücks gehören: der Spontaneität und der Abwechslung.''
...which roughly translates to:
:''As time goes on, machines are increasingly removing two things from our grasp which are certainly essential for human happiness: spontaneity and variety.''
Does this sound familiar to anyone? It would be great if someone could identify the Russell text it comes from (or alternatively, tell me with some certainty that it is not a quote by Russell). Thanks a lot, [[User:Ferkelparade|Ferkelparade]] [[User_talk:Ferkelparade|&pi;]] 12:04, 11 October 2008 (UTC)


===Equestrian Units===
:I found it through google. This page: [http://www.kalenderlexikon.de/Blatt24/index.php?Typ=Kalenderblatt&MJD=54238] has the quote in rotation in the little quote generator in the center of the page. I don't read german, but the google search had this text:
'''Equestrian Units''' are groups, or ''units'', which feature [[horse]]s as part of their performance. This is a unique addition to various parades, and the Chicago Festival Association pays special attention to potential ''Equestrian Units'' to add to the parade every year. In 2007 alone, the producers added three new ''Equestrian Units'' to the parade. The new units included '''the Children's Fantasy Theatre Orchard''', '''Illinois Junior Miss Emily Boker''', and '''Southern Ohio Ladies Aside'''. Since the '''Chicago Festival Association''' was given rights to produce the parade, they have made great efforts to bring in ''Equestrian Units'' from some of the most popular theater productions in Chicago. For example, in 2007, the Chicago Festival Association welcomed back the '''Goodman Theatre''' and the [[horse]]s and [[actor]]s from their world renowned production, ''A Christmas Carol''.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.chicagofestivals.org/pdf/Parade%20Final.pdf|title= 2007 McDonald's Thanksgiving Parade |accessdate=2008-02-28 |format=PDF |publisher=Chicago Festival Association}}</ref>
<blockquote>
kalenderblatt24.de - Kalenderblatt - [ Translate this page ]Mit der Zeit berauben uns die Menschen zweier Dinge, die sicherlich zum Besten des Menschenglücks gehören: Der Spontaneität und der Abwechslung. ...
www.kalenderlexikon.de/Blatt24/index.php?Typ=Kalenderblatt&MJD=54238 - 9k - Cached - Similar pages</blockquote>
:When I entered it. When I loaded the page, however, the quote changed, and after some experimentation, it looks like the quote changes everytime the page is loaded. Its the best I could find, and I couldn't find the quote anywhere else. Hope this helps ''some''... --[[User:Jayron32|Jayron32]].[[User talk:Jayron32|<small>talk</small>]].[[Special:Contributions/Jayron32|<small>contribs</small>]] 12:24, 11 October 2008 (UTC)


===Marching Bands===
:Here's a trick: when you are trying to Google a quote that might be dubious, don't use the whole quote. Just use the most important words that probably won't change from translation to translation or copy to copy (I've used this to find plagiarism in student essays, for example). So in this case I tried "spontaneity and variety" and "machines". Came up with a Google Books hit on the first try: "[http://books.google.com/books?id=9tQsg5ITfHsC&pg=PA67&lpg=PA67&dq=%22spontaneity+and+variety%22+machines&source=web&ots=RR3ocfzw6V&sig=gznV-wkM4Hbvyamk_Yw9SeJUckY&hl=en&sa=X&oi=book_result&resnum=1&ct=result Meanwhile, machines deprive us of two things which are certainly important ingredients of human happiness, namely, spontaneity and variety.]" — Betrand Russell, "Machines and Emotions", in ''Sceptical Essays''. --[[Special:Contributions/98.217.8.46|98.217.8.46]] ([[User talk:98.217.8.46|talk]]) 14:45, 11 October 2008 (UTC)
'''Marching Bands''' come to the ''McDonald's Thanksgiving Parade'' from all over the country every year, and are mainly recruited by '''Bowl Games of America'''. Approximately twenty-four of many of the nation's top high school marching bands appear in the parade from year to year, including the 150 member '''[[Bartlett High School (Bartlett, Illinois)|Bartlett High School]] Marching Band''', which made its first appearance in 2004.<ref>{{cite news
| last = Malone
| first = Tara
| coauthors =
| title = Bartlett High band to join Chicago parade
| work =
| pages = 6 - News
| language =
| publisher = Chicago Daily Herald
| date = 2004-11-24
| url = http://www.chicagodailyherald.com
| accessdate = }}</ref> Altogether, approximately 3000 high school band members play in the parade.


===Floats===
::Wow, thanks, that was fast - looks like my Google fu was weak today. Thanks a lot! -- [[User:Ferkelparade|Ferkelparade]] [[User_talk:Ferkelparade|&pi;]] 20:15, 11 October 2008 (UTC)
[[Image:Bortz Candytrain.jpg|right|250px|thumb|"The Candy Train" presented by '''Bortz Entertainment Group''']]
:::Google Brilliance!--[[User:Wetman|Wetman]] ([[User talk:Wetman|talk]]) 20:36, 11 October 2008 (UTC)
'''Floats''' are decorated platforms, which are either built on a vehicle or towed behind one. These creations give groups and organizations a unique opportunity to present themselves to the viewers of the parade. In the 2007 ''McDonald's Thanksgiving Parade'', nineteen organizations and groups created [[float (parade)|floats]] to present to those watching.


== law ==
== The Parade Today ==
In 2000, the '''Chicago Festival Association''' was given the rights to produce the '''[[Marshall Field's|Field's]] Jingle Elf Parade''' by the [[Chicago|City of Chicago]].<ref>{{cite news
| last = Busk
| first = Celeste
| coauthors =
| title = Miles of Smiles
| work =
| pages = 3 - Weekend Plan
| language =
| publisher = Chicago Sun-Times
| date = 2000-11-18
| url = http://www.chicagosuntimes.com
| accessdate = }}</ref> Before that time, the parade had been produced for several years by the '''Chicago Christmas Parade Association.''' <ref>{{cite press release
| title = MARSHALL FIELD'S HOSTS CHICAGO'S ANNUAL HOLIDAY PARADE
| publisher = Global News Wire
| date = 1998-10-19
| accessdate = 2008-02-28}}</ref>
In 1999 the Chicago Christmas Parade Association's last year brought a significant change, as they reverted the parade route back to State Street.<ref>{{cite news
| last = Busk
| first = Celeste
| coauthors =
| title = Turkey Day Treat
| work =
| pages = 39 - Features
| language =
| publisher = Chicago Sun-Times
| date = 1999-11-24
| url = http://www.chicagosuntimes.com
| accessdate = }}</ref>
The parade had previously been on [[Michigan Avenue]] [[#Evolution of the Parade|(see above)]].


Many followers took a great deal of pride that the parade had returned to State Street. However, because of the positive effect that the [[Michigan Avenue]] parade route had on the city's economy--bringing many potential holiday shoppers into the many world-famous stores on [[Michigan Avenue]]--many individuals voiced great criticism. After all, the Greater State Street Council had made it very clear that no State Street businesses would be open for business on [[Thanksgiving|Thanksgiving Day]].<ref>{{cite news
Dear friends,
| last = Granger
| first = Bill
| coauthors =
| title = Leave the city how you found it
| work =
| pages = 11 - Chicago Diary
| language =
| publisher = Chicago Daily Herald
| date = 1999-11-23
| url = http://chicagodailyherald.com
| accessdate = }}</ref> The Chicago Festival Association responded that although the parade was originally created to stimulate economic growth, the parade now primarily exists as a community celebration.<ref>{{cite news
| title = Downtown stores out of step with Christmas Parade
| pages = 01D - Business
| publisher = Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
| date = 2000-11-03
| accessdate = }}</ref> In any case, as the parade has made powerful and surprising growth in only a few short years, [[Economy of Chicago|Chicago's economy]] is continuing to see the parade's growing benefits. Hence, criticism about its location change has long-since passed.


[[Image:CFALogo.jpg|right|140px|thumb]]
Is there any substantial difference between `terms' and `conditions' of a contract? Is it just a matter of custom to put them together, as in `the terms and conditions of this agreement'? What count as terms and what count as conditions? Please give examples. Thank you very much.
Since that time, the organization has made many more significant changes, and today the parade is capturing much more attention. In 2002, the Chicago Festival Association changed the parade format from a [[Christmas]] or often broadly-labeled [[holiday]] parade to the Thanksgiving parade that it is today. In only a few years, the number of spectators on the streets have increased by hundreds of thousands. The parade is also given a live national broadcast. This is generally considered expedient growth, as the parade was available in no more than a handful of cities only two years ago.


Since 2006, McDonald's has been partnered with the Chicago Festival Association as the the parade's title sponsor. Although it isn't publicly known how long McDonald's plans to be the parade's title sponsor, they have frequently and publicly expressed great excitement to sponsor such a quickly growing and greatly loved event.
-Alan <small><span class="autosigned">—Preceding [[Wikipedia:Signatures|unsigned]] comment added by [[User:Memorylink2008|Memorylink2008]] ([[User talk:Memorylink2008|talk]] • [[Special:Contributions/Memorylink2008|contribs]]) 17:38, 11 October 2008 (UTC)</span></small><!-- Template:Unsigned --> <!--Autosigned by SineBot-->
:That's just how lawyers say "I'm a lawyer and you're not". See [[legal doublet]]. --[[User:TotoBaggins|Sean]] 18:02, 11 October 2008 (UTC)


In 2007, the Chicago Festival Association recruited the [[pop rock]] group [[Plain White T's]] to perform in the parade. In the last couple of years, the [[music ensemble|band]] had reached great success and their single [[Hey There Delilah]] had been number one on the [[Billboard Charts]] for two weeks. Despite the unseasonably cold temperatures, the Plain White T's agreed to do a free performance in the parade, which was no doubt greatly because of the parade's quickly growing ratings along with the event's first ever national broadcast.
:Aren't "terms" definitions, like "When I say Party of the First Part, I mean...", whereas "conditions" are "When I say will sell the property, this is what will happen..." <font family="Arial">[[User:NurseryRhyme|<span style="color:dark blue">Little Red Riding Hood</span>]]''[[User talk:NurseryRhyme|<span style="color:dark blue">talk</span>]]''</font> 18:09, 11 October 2008 (UTC)


In 2008, the parade will be in its 75<sup>th</sup> year. This year's parade will be broadcast for three hours, from 8 am to 11 am CST on WGN-TV9 and WGN-DT9.1 in Chicago, and WGN America nationwide. This makes the McDonald's Thanksgiving Parade one of only three parades to be broadcast in its entirety to a nationwide audience.
:<s>We had a similar question recently on the Language desk. We discovered [[Legal doublet]]. -- [[User:JackofOz|JackofOz]] ([[User talk:JackofOz|talk]]) 21:05, 11 October 2008 (UTC)</s> <small>Oops, I see that info has already been supplied. -- [[User:JackofOz|JackofOz]] ([[User talk:JackofOz|talk]]) 21:06, 11 October 2008 (UTC)</small>


===Recent partnerships===
::That's very polite, honourable and obedient of you, Jack ;) [[User:Julia Rossi|Julia Rossi]] ([[User talk:Julia Rossi|talk]]) 22:00, 11 October 2008 (UTC)
====WGN-TV====
:::Why, thank you, Julia. But did you really expect any less from one such as I? :) -- [[User:JackofOz|JackofOz]] ([[User talk:JackofOz|talk]]) 03:23, 12 October 2008 (UTC)
In 2007, the Chicago Festival Association signed a contract with Chicago's [[WGN-TV]]. Although the parade was in its 74<sup>th</sup> consecutive year, it was the first to feature a live national broadcast. With WGN-TV partnership, the 2007 McDonald's Thanksgiving Parade became available in approximately 72 million homes across the [[United States]] through WGN's [[superstation]] simulcast, Superstation WGN (now known as [[WGN America]]).<ref>{{Cite web
::::Never, on no occasion, at no time do I, that's certain, for sure and doubtless, :) [[User:Julia Rossi|Julia Rossi]] ([[User talk:Julia Rossi|talk]]) 23:03, 12 October 2008 (UTC)
|url = http://www.chicagofestivals.org/paradeInfo.htm
:::::I think you may have been reading too many of [[Joh Bjelke-Petersen]]'s speeches, but I'm sure you wouldn't worry about that. :) -- [[User:JackofOz|JackofOz]] ([[User talk:JackofOz|talk]]) 07:56, 13 October 2008 (UTC)
|title = Parade Info
<!-- |work = Chicago Festival Association -->
|publisher = Phil Purevich
|accessdate = 2008-02-26
}}</ref>


====Toastmasters International====
== Causes of death in royal families in history ==
In 2006, [[Toastmasters International]] partnered with the Chicago Festival Association and Toastmasters' speakers became the first ever on-street commentators for the parade. Because of the impressive enhancement, the spectators on State Street are essentially able to know everything that a person knows at home as they watch the live parade on television.<ref>{{cite press release
| title = Chicago Parade to Feature Announcers
| publisher = PR Newswire Public Interest Services
| date = 2006-11-15
| accessdate = }}</ref>


====Northern Illinois University====
I'm currently working in my sandbox on a [http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=User:Carcharoth/Sandbox2&oldid=244499395 list of royal children who died as children], but some don't have causes of death, even when they died relatively late on, in their teens. Does anyone know where I could find out this sort of information?
[[Image:NIU Logo.jpg|right|200px|thumb|[[NIU]] art student painting the parade's logo on State Street]]
*Dalai Lamas:
In 2006, several art students from [[Northern Illinois University]] were brought into downtown Chicago the night before the parade to paint the parade's new logo. After the main block of the parade route was closed off by the [[Chicago Police Department]], the students began painting the image. The NIU art students completed the logo in approximately 2.5 hours and ended up using over seventeen gallons of paint.<ref>{{Cite web
**[[Lungtok Gyatso, 9th Dalai Lama]] (died 1815 aged 9)
|url = http://www.niu.edu/northerntoday/2007/nov19/parade.shtml
**[[Khedrup Gyatso, 11th Dalai Lama]] (died 1838 aged 17)
|title = Art education students return to Chicago to paint Thanksgiving parade’s street logo
**[[Trinley Gyatso, 12th Dalai Lama]] (died 1875 aged 18) - "died of a mysterious illness"
<!-- |work = NIU Website -->
*Georgian Britain:
|publisher = Mark McGowan
**[[Prince Alfred of Great Britain]] (died 1783 aged 2)
|accessdate = 2008-02-26
**[[Prince Octavius of Great Britain]] (died 1783 aged 4)
}}</ref>
**[[Princess Elizabeth Caroline of Wales]] (died 1759 aged 18)
**[[Prince Frederick William of Wales]] (died 1765 aged 15)
*All these seem to be covered by [http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=RfUBAAAAMAAJ&pg=PA473&lpg=PA473&dq=%22Elizabeth+Caroline%22+1759+died&source=web&ots=tsFPO2ZYDV&sig=uIORu2hZMt-rUtKSb5mjBx-FvTo&hl=en&sa=X&oi=book_result&resnum=10&ct=result#PPA473,M1 this source], which still doesn't go into much more detail, so I suppose that's a dead end and maybe not much more needs to be said anyway.
*Others:
**[[Madeleine of Valois]] (died 1537 aged 16) - "Very frail since birth, she was raised in the warm and temperate Loire Valley region of France, rather than at Paris, as her father feared that the cold would destroy her delicate health. By her sixteenth birthday, she had contracted tuberculosis. [...] Madeleine's health had deteriorated even further and she was very sick when the royal pair landed in Scotland. On July 7, 1537, a few short weeks later (and a month before her 17th birthday), Madeleine died in her husband's arms at Edinburgh, Scotland." - other sources seem to agree that it was the tuberculosis that she died from, but possibly this is still unclear.
**[[Balthasar Charles, Prince of Asturias]] (died 1646 aged 16) - from the [http://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baltasar_Carlos_de_Austria Spanish Wikipedia article]: ''"Los médicos que le trataron le diagnosticaron viruela , en aquella época también se especuló con una enfermedad venérea como otra posible causa de su muerte aunque actualmente se piensa en una apendicitis como la enfermedad más probable que aquejó al príncipe. Doctors who treated him was diagnosed with smallpox, at that time also speculated with a venereal disease as another possible cause of his death but now we think of an appendicitis as the most likely disease afflicting the prince."'' (Google translation)
**[[Princess Louisa Anne of Wales]] (died 1768 aged 19) - "Her health was delicate throughout her life. Princess Louisa died, at Carlton House, London, on 13 May 1768, unmarried, and without issue, at the age of 19."
**[[Prince Oddone Eugenio Maria of Savoy]] (died 1866 aged 19) - From birth, Prince Oddone was marginalized due to the precarious state of his health. [...] The prince chose Genoa for his residence for its mild climate that benefited his ailing physical condition. [...] Oddone died at the age of 19 at the Royal Palace of Genoa shortly before dawn on 22 January 1866." - found some pictures of Oddone in [http://forum.alexanderpalace.org/index.php?topic=3361.0 this thread].
**[[Princess Maria Luisa Immaculata of Bourbon-Two Sicilies]] (died 1874 aged 19)
I realise some of the causes of death may be vague (and I've added what I can find in the articles), but if anyone can help find sources for what is there and for the articles where the cause of death is not given, that would be great. [[User:Carcharoth|Carcharoth]] ([[User talk:Carcharoth|talk]]) 19:12, 11 October 2008 (UTC)


The logo was painted on what most call the ''Television Zone'' of the parade, otherwise known as the block where television and news crews are allowed to cover the parade. As such, the 30 by 50 foot logo was seen on [[WLS-TV]] throughout its entire broadcast.
:[[Tuberculosis]], q.v., had a high mortality rate prior to the application of antibiotics in the last century. It is still, in third world countries, Russia and China, one of the most deadly transmitted diseases. As it has rather diffuse symptoms, sufferers, even in developed countries, frequently die without it having been diagnosed prior to death. WP has a [[List of tuberculosis victims]], but, of course, this proves nothing. --[[User:Cookatoo.ergo.ZooM|Cookatoo.ergo.ZooM]] ([[User talk:Cookatoo.ergo.ZooM|talk]]) 23:14, 11 October 2008 (UTC)


The positive feedback forged a longer relationship between the Chicago Festival Association and the NIU art department, and plans were made to return to paint the logo in 2007. However, poor weather prevented this possibility.
::I can well see you might have problems with some diseases. One of my uncles did such a history for my family and my grandmother burnt it because of the number for which he had attributed gout as a cause of death. There's far worse things for relatives to burn or rewrite the records for. [[User:Dmcq|Dmcq]] ([[User talk:Dmcq|talk]]) 15:06, 12 October 2008 (UTC)


===Movie Coverage===
:Well, I managed to expand [[Princess Elizabeth Caroline of Wales]] a bit.--[[User:Pharos|Pharos]] ([[User talk:Pharos|talk]]) 17:01, 12 October 2008 (UTC)
In the movie ''[[The Weather Man]]'', [[Nicolas Cage]] plays the role of David Spritz, a middle-age Chicago weather man who finds that he is losing confidence in various aspects of his life. He is also greatly troubled by the low level of respect he is given by residents of Chicago. However, the end of the movie brings a different story, and Spritz (Cage) finally gains a new sense of confidence and stability. The culmination of this positive change is when he is shown on top of a float in the '''State Street Thanksgiving Parade''', waiving at all of the excited spectators. This acts as a symbol of his confidence and success. By being on this float, Spritz is shown as a prized public icon.


To achieve this scene, [[Paramount Pictures]] was granted permission by the Chicago Festival Association to film the float as it went down State Street in the 2004 parade. Using [[Visual Effects]], Cage was then digitally added to the picture.
== In defense of poor women ==
==References==
{{reflist}}


==External links==
In the countries [[Food for the Poor]] serve, why can't the women use their defenses on telling the men 'no' to their making moves on them?[[Special:Contributions/72.229.129.53|72.229.129.53]] ([[User talk:72.229.129.53|talk]]) 19:25, 11 October 2008 (UTC)
*[http://www.chicagofestivals.com Official McDonald's Thanksgiving Parade site]


{{Thanksgiving}}
:I don't understand the question, could you rephrase it? What women are you talking about? What defences are you talking about? --[[User:Tango|Tango]] ([[User talk:Tango|talk]]) 19:39, 11 October 2008 (UTC)


[[Category:Local television programming in the United States]]
::Guessing here, that men are taking food off women. Difference is women and men in not so poor countries have [[Personal rights|enforceable rights]] to make up for their lack of bulk when standover types make moves on them or their property. You can't so easily call the police in countries without those rights. And someone I forget where said that saying "No" to an enemy doesn't work because the enemy doesn't listen. [[User:Julia Rossi|Julia Rossi]] ([[User talk:Julia Rossi|talk]]) 22:04, 11 October 2008 (UTC)
[[Category:2007 television series debuts]]

[[Category:Parades]]
In the countries Food for the Poor serve, the women should stand up for their rights to tell the men 'no'. But what part of 'no' do the men or the "enemy" not understand?[[Special:Contributions/72.229.129.53|72.229.129.53]] ([[User talk:72.229.129.53|talk]]) 22:36, 11 October 2008 (UTC)
[[Category:Thanksgiving]]

:What rights are you talking about? And I doubt, whatever it is, that it's a matter of people not understanding, it will be about them not caring. --[[User:Tango|Tango]] ([[User talk:Tango|talk]]) 23:24, 11 October 2008 (UTC)

The rights I'm refering to is women's rights to practice [[sexual abstinence]]. That way they won't have to go through a harder struggle while they don't have any types of resources on raising one child or more children in [[poverty]]. I guess neither the men nor the "enemy" care or understand that type of thing.[[Special:Contributions/72.229.129.53|72.229.129.53]] ([[User talk:72.229.129.53|talk]]) 01:54, 12 October 2008 (UTC)

::So you are talking about rape, not stealing food? Well then of course, the main reason is that a man who rapes a woman doesn't care what she thinks or wants to do. A rapist is a criminal that does not care about anyone but his own pleasure and certainly does not care about the law, or the rights of anybody else. It is not different in these countries from other countries, except maybe that the rape will result in pregnancy more often. To start, you could read our articles [[rape]] and [[motivation for rape]]. --[[User:Lgriot|Lgriot]] ([[User talk:Lgriot|talk]]) 02:28, 12 October 2008 (UTC)

Maybe, maybe not, I don't know. In the countries Food for the Poor serve, affordable [[birth control]] isn't accessible to anyone, especially the women. Could that be an advantage to the more powerful in those countries?[[Special:Contributions/72.229.129.53|72.229.129.53]] ([[User talk:72.229.129.53|talk]]) 06:24, 12 October 2008 (UTC)
:It's a disadvantage to the victim, I don't see how it makes any difference to the rapist. --[[User:Tango|Tango]] ([[User talk:Tango|talk]]) 11:32, 12 October 2008 (UTC)
::The countries served by Food for the Poor, from our article about the organisation, are in the Caribbean and Latin America. These are not war zones but they are mostly poor countries. Most have high birth rates. You seem to be asking why women in these countries have many children. The WP articles on birth control and [[population]] will give you leads to the debates about these topics. In Latin America many women are Catholics so they are strongly dissuaded from using birth control but it is important to remember that many women positively wish to have large families because their adult children will provide for them in old age. [[User:Itsmejudith|Itsmejudith]] ([[User talk:Itsmejudith|talk]]) 11:44, 12 October 2008 (UTC)
:::Also, high infant mortality rates in poor countries means you need to have more children in order to increase the chance of some of them reaching adulthood. --[[User:Tango|Tango]] ([[User talk:Tango|talk]]) 14:09, 12 October 2008 (UTC)

I just wanted to add a comment. In the books on rape I have read, particularly the landmark book by Susan Brownmiller, Against Our Will, rape is not caused by sexual desire. Most rapists don't climax. It is a crime of violence. Therefore, women in suggestive clothing (so-called) cannot incite a rape. Also, the overwhelming majority of rapes are male on male rapes in prison. The inmate rapist is usually a straight male. It is violence. An excess of testerone may create sexual tension. There is a correlation between excess amounts and violence, I believe. [[User:75Janice|75Janice]] ([[User talk:75Janice|talk]]) 13:42, 12 October 2008 (UTC)75Janice

:Is [[Food for the Poor]] part of that campaign which said 'food not condoms' which was rubbishing people trying to distribute condoms? Is this trying to extend that stupid 'just say no' business? [[User:Dmcq|Dmcq]] ([[User talk:Dmcq|talk]]) 16:04, 12 October 2008 (UTC)

What types of questions are those, Dmcq? ItsmeJudith provided an accurate answer. But she forgot to include the women in the Caribbean. Are they Christians, therefore being strongly dissuaded from using birth control?[[Special:Contributions/72.229.129.53|72.229.129.53]] ([[User talk:72.229.129.53|talk]]) 19:19, 12 October 2008 (UTC)
::In the Caribbean most people are Christians - of a variety of denominations. Some are Catholics, others Protestants. You may find more information by looking at our articles on the various Caribbean countries. We have all been working to understand your original question. I think you may also have been asking whether women are able to say "no" to sex in these countries. My answer to that is that it depends whether they are married or not. Sex before marriage is frowned on both in the Caribbean and Latin America, but marriage may be early. As in most cultures, it can be difficult for married women to refuse sex. In the Catholic countries young women have the option of becoming nuns, thus opting out of the whole breeding process. For economic reasons there are high levels of prostitution in many developing countries. Do you want to ask a more specific question? [[User:Itsmejudith|Itsmejudith]] ([[User talk:Itsmejudith|talk]]) 20:42, 12 October 2008 (UTC)
:::I was under the impression that I had asked two very specific questions. They were not answered. Lots of catholics use birth control whatever the Pope says. Food for the Poor supports health services. Do they actively stop birth control being available? [[User:Dmcq|Dmcq]] ([[User talk:Dmcq|talk]]) 21:04, 12 October 2008 (UTC)
::::I was addressing my reply to the original IP poster Dmcq. The poster did not state what her views are about Food for the Poor; let's not assume anything. She might not know the answers to your specific questions. I don't either but someone might. [[User:Itsmejudith|Itsmejudith]] ([[User talk:Itsmejudith|talk]]) 21:29, 12 October 2008 (UTC)

To those who've been working to understand my original question, Food for the Poor receives many requests from desperate families in Latin America and the Caribbean. Those families include mothers with multiple children. Many children are orphans, some who live with extended families (some who are also poor). Food for the Poor has been hounding me for money to help out. I don't know if they think I'm a celebrity, but I know I'm not. So I hope I've provided an accurate answer.[[Special:Contributions/72.229.129.53|72.229.129.53]] ([[User talk:72.229.129.53|talk]]) 22:45, 12 October 2008 (UTC)

:Thanks very much, that explains a bit. I certainly would like if there was some organization to help out with charity giving so one wasn't hounded after giving something. That way the charity wouldn't be given one's name. I'm sure a web based version could make end meet just on the ads though I haven't the foggiest how one could check up that they weren't cheating. [[User:Dmcq|Dmcq]] ([[User talk:Dmcq|talk]]) 23:54, 12 October 2008 (UTC)
::I see that in the US there is an organization called JustGive [http://justgive.org] which can ensure your donation is anonymous and you get a tax receipt at a cost of 3% from what I read. In the UK there is a similarly named organization but it doesn't provide this particular service - possibly because there is a law against charities giving money to charities. [[User:Dmcq|Dmcq]] ([[User talk:Dmcq|talk]]) 07:04, 13 October 2008 (UTC)

== Nazi Germany map, confused ==

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/c/c1/Nazi_Germany.png

I am having trouble knowing what the bottom orange portion is, under Austria. What was that land before the Germans took it? How did they?

[[Special:Contributions/96.226.229.124|96.226.229.124]] ([[User talk:96.226.229.124|talk]]) 20:46, 11 October 2008 (UTC) Dave

: I believe that's the [[Prealpine Operations Zone]]. -- [[User:Finlay McWalter|Finlay McWalter]] | [[User talk:Finlay McWalter|Talk]] 20:50, 11 October 2008 (UTC)

:: Although why that map doesn't also reflect [[Operational Zone Adriatic Coast]] as well, a comparable region of the same period, I don't know. -- [[User:Finlay McWalter|Finlay McWalter]] | [[User talk:Finlay McWalter|Talk]] 20:53, 11 October 2008 (UTC)

:::It can´t be the Prealpine Operations Zone, as this was located in South Tyrol / Northern Italy. These are areas of [[Carinthia (state)| Carinthia]] and [[Arnold Schwarzenegger|Styria]] which (both prior and after the 3rd Reich) were / are within the borders of todays Slovenia. These areas had been part of the Austro-Hungarian empire until 1918, when the Empire was disolved. Slovenia itself was partitioned between the [[Axis powers]], the various parts being ascribed to Italy, Germany and Hungary. The [[Operational Zone Adriatic Coast]], mentioned above, was a puppet construct to the West of these areas around [[Trieste]] and, de jure, not part of the Third Reich. The [[Prealpine Operations Zone]] would have been, again, to the West of that, around [[Bolzano]]. --[[User:Cookatoo.ergo.ZooM|Cookatoo.ergo.ZooM]] ([[User talk:Cookatoo.ergo.ZooM|talk]]) 21:52, 11 October 2008 (UTC)

It is indeed those parts of Slovenia occupied and later annexed by Germany after the collapse of Yugoslavia in 1941. Do be careful with that map, though. It gives the impression that both the [[Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia]] and the [[General Government]] were incorporated into Grossdeutschland. They were not. The Wikipedia pages are quite confused on this issue. [[User:Emma Dashwood|Emma Dashwood]] ([[User talk:Emma Dashwood|talk]]) 22:26, 11 October 2008 (UTC)

::Can the Wikipedia pages concerned be edited to show the facts correctly?--[[User:Wetman|Wetman]] ([[User talk:Wetman|talk]]) 18:09, 12 October 2008 (UTC)

:::What else are you here for, my friend, but to edit Wikipedia pages? If you have a concern with a page, feel quite free to edit it! --[[User:Alinnisawest|Alinnisawest]],<sup>[[Special:Contributions/Alinnisawest|<font color="black">'''Dalek Empress'''</font>]]</sup> ([[User talk:Alinnisawest|<font color="#cf0021">'''extermination requests here]]'''</font>) 21:31, 12 October 2008 (UTC)

= October 12 =

== Michigan online high schools ==

Are there any completely free online high schools that meet Michigan's requiremets? <span style="font-size: smaller;" class="autosigned">—Preceding [[Wikipedia:Signatures|unsigned]] comment added by [[Special:Contributions/64.119.61.7|64.119.61.7]] ([[User talk:64.119.61.7|talk]]) 15:15, 12 October 2008 (UTC)</span><!-- Template:UnsignedIP --> <!--Autosigned by SineBot-->
:A quick google search turned up this: [http://www.mivhs.org/ Michigan Virtual High School]. I have '''no idea''' what the requirements or quality of this program are, but it may give you a start. --[[User:Jayron32|Jayron32]].[[User talk:Jayron32|<small>talk</small>]].[[Special:Contributions/Jayron32|<small>contribs</small>]] 17:07, 12 October 2008 (UTC)

== Titanic ==

I have a few questions about the titanic.

:1. How could the ship have been considered to be "practically unsinkable" by shipbuilder magazine if the bulkheads didn't seal fully?

:2. Why did the funnels buckle so easily, were they really only held up with cables?

:3. Which company built the original fore Grand Staircase? Would it have been Harland and Wolff's fitting out section?

Thanks guys, [[User:Hadseys|Hadseys]] <span style="font-size: smaller;" class="autosigned">—Preceding [[Wikipedia:Signatures|unsigned]] comment added by [[Special:Contributions/82.46.192.59|82.46.192.59]] ([[User talk:82.46.192.59|talk]]) 21:48, 12 October 2008 (UTC)</span><!-- Template:UnsignedIP --> <!--Autosigned by SineBot-->

:Did the engineers ever say the ship was unsinkable or was that just the marketing people? The ship was designed to stay afloat with 4 compartments flooded, the collision resulted in 5 compartments flooding, so it sank. Sounds to me like it performed within expected parameters. And did the funnels buckle easily? As I understand it, the boat was at a significant angle before they fell. Once it reached that angle sinking was probably inevitable so there was little point designing the funnels to survive it. I can't help you with the grand staircase, though, sorry! --[[User:Tango|Tango]] ([[User talk:Tango|talk]]) 23:11, 12 October 2008 (UTC)

::Actually it was any 2 compartments or the 4 front compartments, not any 4. And the reason why at least some people thought that was sufficient was simply that they did not imagine an accident that would open more compartments than that. The worst case (they thought) was a heavy impact between the ship and an obstacle or another ship. If the Titanic hit something head-on, it might bash in not one or two, but as many as three or four compartments at the front; if another ship smashed into the Titanic's side, it might breach as many as two compartments. Nobody considered that a light, glancing collision might open five or more compartments. It was worse than what was thought to be the worst case that could be "practically" expected. Now we know better. --Anonymous, 03:51 UTC, October 13, 2008.

:::So the mistake was in trying to avoid the iceberg? Had they just kept going they would have survived... oops... --[[User:Tango|Tango]] ([[User talk:Tango|talk]]) 11:01, 13 October 2008 (UTC)

::::The main mistake was in proceeding into a known icefield at almost full speed at night. And if they had crashed into the thing head-on, people might have been killed in the collision. But, yes, if the damage was confined to the front of the ship as the designers expected, it is quite possible that it would not have sunk. --Anonymous, 11:40 UTC (Yeep! The time of the collision was 11:40 pm ship's time), October 13, 2008.

:::::The funnels of passenger liners at the time were remarkably tall and were stronger at the bottom than at the top. They were designed to remain upright and not for the eventuality of the vessel moving from a horizontal to a vertical position. (We can notice in passing that one of Titanic's four funnels was a dummy, but it seems to have been less of a dummy than the master, Captain Smith.) [[User:Strawless|Strawless]] ([[User talk:Strawless|talk]]) 12:11, 13 October 2008 (UTC)

= October 13 =
==UK Citizenship==
::<small>'''Section title added by [[User:Grsz11]]'''</small>
Hello ,I want to know that how can a international worker obtain Nationality in UK <span style="font-size: smaller;" class="autosigned">—Preceding [[Wikipedia:Signatures|unsigned]] comment added by [[Special:Contributions/119.154.11.136|119.154.11.136]] ([[User talk:119.154.11.136|talk]]) 02:41, 13 October 2008 (UTC)</span><!-- Template:UnsignedIP --> <!--Autosigned by SineBot-->
:[http://www.bia.homeoffice.gov.uk/britishcitizenship/eligibility/naturalisation/standardrequirements/ Here] are the official rules. See also [[British nationality law]]. [[User:Tevildo|Tevildo]] ([[User talk:Tevildo|talk]]) 06:42, 13 October 2008 (UTC)

== What does a 0.5% lowering of interest mean? ==

The world over, interests have been lowered by 0.5% last week. How much money does that represent? Is that 0.5% of the world's assets? And how much would that be then? A rough guess is one quadrillion euro. So 0.5% would represent an effective injection of 5 trillion euro into the world economy? Note that I barely know what I am talking about. :) [[User:Amrad|Amrad]] ([[User talk:Amrad|talk]]) 06:50, 13 October 2008 (UTC)

:Have a look at [[Bank base rate]], [[interest rate]] - it should explain it a little more. The 0.5% drop is not an amount of money of itself, it is a change in the rate payable on borrowing. My (also limited) understanding is that the lowering of the base-rate will help spur back into action the housing-market (such a change will filter through to consumers by way of lower mortgage interest rates), but it will also help because it will make it cheaper for banks to lend money from central-banks (and other banks too?). [[Special:Contributions/194.221.133.226|194.221.133.226]] ([[User talk:194.221.133.226|talk]]) 08:47, 13 October 2008 (UTC)

:Ordinary companies need constant lines of credit from banks to go about their usual business (examples: [[bridge financing]] and [[Working capital#Working capital management|working capital management]]). In order to do this, banks require lines of credit from other banks in the [[money market]]. In times of high risk aversion, it becomes harder for anyone to borrow because banks are unwilling to lend (or only willing to lend at higher (unaffordable) spreads to the base rate - see [[credit spread]]) so lowering the base rate lowers the rate that banks borrow from each other and therefore lowers the rate at which banks lend to everyone else. [[Special:Contributions/Zain Ebrahim111|Zain Ebrahim]] ([[User talk:Zain Ebrahim111|talk]]) 09:31, 13 October 2008 (UTC)
::You missed a step: It lowers the rate central banks lend to banks which, hopefully, will lower the rate banks lend to each other. That last step usually works perfectly and we don't think about it, but in the present climate [[LIBOR]] seems almost completely disconnected from base rates. --[[User:Tango|Tango]] ([[User talk:Tango|talk]]) 11:03, 13 October 2008 (UTC)

== Modern use of pirate flag (Jolly Roger) ==

At summer I saw a ship with a big [[Jolly Roger]] pirate flag (and no national flag), at harbor of [[Turku]], [[Finland]]. That was very propably a joke, because authorities did not react, but still some people said it is somehow illegal or "bad habit" and authorities ''should have'' reacted. My questions are:
-Is jolly roger somehow illegal or "bad habit" in Finnish or other nations waters or international waters? How will authorities usually react?
-What are you allowed to do if you encounter ship with a pirate flag at international waters? Is such ship under no legal protection? Can you attack such ship?
[[Special:Contributions/193.65.112.51|193.65.112.51]] ([[User talk:193.65.112.51|talk]]) 10:41, 13 October 2008 (UTC)

:Our article that you link to describes various militaries using the flag, so it's clearly not absolutely illegal under any international law. There may be some restrictions on its use, but I don't know of any. If you are attacked at sea then you can defend yourself, but I doubt a pre-emptive strike on a ship just for flying the Jolly Roger would be tolerated. --[[User:Tango|Tango]] ([[User talk:Tango|talk]]) 11:22, 13 October 2008 (UTC)

::There are still real pirates on the high seas, but alas! nowadays they are too devious to announce themselves to other shipping in the traditional way. If the Jolly Roger is used ''correctly'', in the course of piracy, then flying it should surely be encouraged and not made an offense in itself. On the other hand, if the flag is used ''incorrectly'' by non-pirates, then it must be at best irregular. [[User:Strawless|Strawless]] ([[User talk:Strawless|talk]]) 12:00, 13 October 2008 (UTC)
:::''If the Jolly Roger is used ''correctly'', in the course of piracy ...''. Isn't expecting pirates to do ''anything'' according to the rules a bit of a contradiction in terms? -- [[User:JackofOz|JackofOz]] ([[User talk:JackofOz|talk]]) 20:53, 13 October 2008 (UTC)

== Alchemical Image Query? ==

Does anyone have a better copy of the image linked below, as well as a reference (Title/Artist/Publication)? Cheers.

http://www.sacred-texts.com/eso/beyond.gif <small><span class="autosigned">—Preceding [[Wikipedia:Signatures|unsigned]] comment added by [[User:Sheldon Bartleby|Sheldon Bartleby]] ([[User talk:Sheldon Bartleby|talk]] • [[Special:Contributions/Sheldon Bartleby|contribs]]) 11:08, 13 October 2008 (UTC)</span></small><!-- Template:Unsigned --> <!--Autosigned by SineBot-->
:"Anyone" in that case would be Wikipedia itself, see [[Flammarion woodcut]] -- [[User:Ferkelparade|Ferkelparade]] [[User_talk:Ferkelparade|&pi;]] 12:06, 13 October 2008 (UTC)

== Does the term Neo-Hinduism have any consistant meaning? ==

I have heard the term Neo-Hinduism used to describe vastly different things, from things like the [[Ramakrishna Math]] and [[International Society for Krishna Consciousness|ISKCON]] (which is actually quite conservative) to new-agers who use a few Hindu terms like [[Karma]] and [[Chakra]]. Is there any recognised definition on this? Wikipedia has articles on
*[[Neo-Confucianism]]
*[[Neo Christian]] (a redirect)
*[[Neopaganism]]
Which makes me wonder should it be '''Neo-Hinduism''', '''Neo Hinduism''', or '''Neohinduism'''? I am thinking about writing a stub article but the fact that I can't find out what it means or even how to write it seems to be a bit of an obstacle! -- [[User:Q Chris|Q Chris]] ([[User talk:Q Chris|talk]]) 13:45, 13 October 2008 (UTC)

:I would say that any form of Hinduism or Hindu-influenced religiosity which accepts individual non-Hindu converts is pretty much "neo-Hindu" by definition -- since in traditional Hinduism, such individual conversion of outsiders was basically impossible (the only way that people could usually enter into Hinduism was by whole groups slowly collectively assimilating, and being assigned a caste status, generally near the bottom of the hierarchy). [[User:AnonMoos|AnonMoos]] ([[User talk:AnonMoos|talk]]) 15:23, 13 October 2008 (UTC)
::there is [[Hindu revivalism]], which groups all "neo-Hindu" movements, but I don't think it is commonly called "Neo-Hinduism". --[[User:Dbachmann|dab]] <small>[[User_talk:Dbachmann|(𒁳)]]</small> 21:02, 13 October 2008 (UTC)


= October 14 =

== Building of the Parthenon ==

In the wikipedia article on the [[Parthenon]], it says that the Old Parthenon was destroyed in 480 BC by the Persians, and that the Parthenon we know now was built in its place. However, the article says that the new Parthenon began being built in 490 BC, and was finished in 488 BC. Doesn't that mean that the New Parthenon was built before the Old Parthenon was destroyed? Or is it a mistake?[[Special:Contributions/72.65.101.51|72.65.101.51]] ([[User talk:72.65.101.51|talk]]) 00:41, 14 October 2008 (UTC)

: I read it as saying that the ''Old'' Parthenon was begun circa 490-488 and (maybe) destroyed in 480. —[[User:Tamfang|Tamfang]] ([[User talk:Tamfang|talk]]) 00:51, 14 October 2008 (UTC)

Revision as of 01:15, 14 October 2008

File:Mtp-75-logo---low-res.jpg
The logo for the 75th Anniversary of the McDonald's Thanksgiving Parade

The Chicago Thanksgiving Parade, currently named the McDonald's Thanksgiving Parade (see below), is an annual parade produced and presented by the Chicago Festival Association (CFA). Held in downtown Chicago, the three hour event begins each year at 8:00a.m. CT on Thanksgiving Day. Those looking to watch the holiday-spirit filled event can make their way down to State Street in downtown Chicago, or watch live on WGN, WGN-HD or WGN America.

History

In 1934, the United States had been in the Great Depression for five years. Many leaders in Chicago searched for ways to boost the economy as well as public spirit. Walter Gregory, President of Chicago's State Street Council, proposed a Christmas parade to Chicago Mayor Edward Kelly in the hopes that it would improve the moods of Chicago residents. The Mayor agreed to the parade, being primarily interested in its potential to improve Chicago's economy.

Chicago's first Christmas Parade was on Chicago's State Street on December 7, 1934. Many residents, including Walter Gregory, referred to the holiday event not so much as a "parade", but rather as a caravan. Gregory and a costumed Santa Claus led the caravan, which was filled with toys and various merchandise from State Street businesses. As the the city's government officials had hoped, the parade contributed to desirable growth in the local economy and 1934 held the city's largest holiday buying period since 1927. This was both exciting and surprising for the entire city. Not only was it the Great Depression, but that day held dangerously low temperatures throughout the entire state. Some areas of Illinois were as low as fourteen degrees below zero (fahrenheit).[1]

In 1935, the city was in even worse financial status as a result of the depression. The city could not afford the expensive floats that were used the year before. However, the event had been so successful in the previous year that The State Street Council and the City of Chicago agreed to use an old trolley to pull the floats, as there were trolley tracks on State Street at the time.

Evolution of the Parade

  • 1934: Christmas Caravan

On State Street from Wacker Drive to Congress Parkway

  • 1935-1983: State Street Christmas Parade
  • 1984: McDonald's Children's Charity Parade

parade route changed as well, now on Michigan Avenue From Balbo Avenue to Wacker Drive

  • 1990: The Brach's Holiday Parade (Brach's Confections)
  • 1996: The Brach's Kids Holiday Parade
  • 1998: The Field's Jingle Elf Parade (sponsored by Marshall Field's)
  • 1999: The Field's Jingle Elf Parade Presented by Target & Marshall Field's

parade route and date changed as well, now on Thanksgiving Day and back on State Street, moving north from Congress Parkway to Randolph Street

  • 2002: Target Thanksgiving Parade (Target Corporation)
  • 2003: State Street Thanksgiving Parade
  • 2006: McDonald's Thanksgiving Parade[2]

Groups

Every year, more than 100 different groups, otherwise known as units, walk down the parade route. These units are made up of Giant Inflatables, Specialty Units, Equestrian Units, Marching Bands, and Floats.

Balloons

File:2007 Bear.jpg
Bear in the Big Blue House

The McDonald's Thanksgiving Parade uses primarily helium balloons, which have the benefit of floating in the air. In recent years, a helium shortage has caused several parades to cut down or cease their helium use altogether. However, The producers of this parade have yet to express any plans to move to cold air balloons; only one or two cold air balloons are used every year. Chicago's Thanksgiving Parade is the city's only event that features inflatable balloons every year.

Parade School

Every year, the producers of the parade (see below) hold a parade training school to ensure sufficient preparation in several of the volunteers. For many years the Chicago Festival Association, the parade's producers, have been partnered with the Museum of Science & Industry in Chicago, and hold the day's proceedings there. Although almost 300 volunteers come to the event, the main attraction and section of the school is for the balloon handlers, a name given to the volunteers who balance the giant inflatables as they go down the parade route.[3]

Dynamic Displays, a giant inflatables company based out of Detroit, brings all of their tools to the school, including one of the balloons to be used in the parade as well as hundreds of pounds of helium. After the balloon is filled, groups of balloon handlers circle through the outside lawn of the museum until all volunteers are sufficiently ready for the parade.

Although the producers of the parade organize and run the Parade School primarily as a means to train the volunteers so they're ready on the day of the parade, they have started to see a consistent and alternative pattern. A great number of veteran volunteers return to the training every year because of their enjoyment of the Parade School itself, forcing the parade organizers to have more preparations at the ready.

McDonald's, the parade's current title sponsor, provides resources and representatives as well. Although drinks are mainly provided by The Coca-Cola Company, McDonald's brings the coffee and food to the museum. And along with McDonald's volunteers, the company also brings Ronald McDonald. After Ronald's speech, which kicks off the Parade School, he visits various volunteers, taking pictures and helping the organizers whenever possible. He has even made television appearances, as the majority of television news stations in Chicago are usually present covering the day's activities.

Balloon Inflation

The balloons for the parade begin the inflation process before sunrise to the south of the beginning of the parade route. It takes several people to fill each balloon with helium or cold air.

Featured Balloons

2007[4] 2006[5]
Tom Turkey (cold air) Tom Turkey (cold air)
The Cookie Monster (new) Humpty Dumpty
Elmo Hickory Dickory Dock (cold air)
Strawberry Shortcake The Gingerbread Man
Bear in the Big Blue House Bear in the Big Blue House
The Nutcracker The Nutcracker
Pink Panther (new) Frosty the Snowman
Kermit Kermit
Big Bird Bert & Ernie
Popeye (new) T. rex
Animal Veggie Tales' Bob & Larry
Rudolph Rudolph

Specialty Units

File:Boliviamanta Dacne Ensemble.JPG
The Boliviamanta Dance Ensemble, new to the parade in 2007

"Specialty units" is a general category and refers to groups with unique skills or routines in the parade, such as international dance groups and sports teams. If they can easily fall into another category first, they will no longer be defined as a specialty unit. For example, if the grouped danced but also featured horses, they would be defined as an Equestrian Unit (see below) instead.

To viewers, specialty units are often considered some of the most anticipated and greatly enjoyed additions to the yearly parade. As such, the search for potential specialty units generally occurs on a year-round basis. Unlike most other parades, the producers of this Chicago parade search for new members in more ways than the standard browsing of electronic and media sources. Representatives from the Chicago Festival Association travel around the country on a regular basis to recruit new acts.

Equestrian Units

Equestrian Units are groups, or units, which feature horses as part of their performance. This is a unique addition to various parades, and the Chicago Festival Association pays special attention to potential Equestrian Units to add to the parade every year. In 2007 alone, the producers added three new Equestrian Units to the parade. The new units included the Children's Fantasy Theatre Orchard, Illinois Junior Miss Emily Boker, and Southern Ohio Ladies Aside. Since the Chicago Festival Association was given rights to produce the parade, they have made great efforts to bring in Equestrian Units from some of the most popular theater productions in Chicago. For example, in 2007, the Chicago Festival Association welcomed back the Goodman Theatre and the horses and actors from their world renowned production, A Christmas Carol.[6]

Marching Bands

Marching Bands come to the McDonald's Thanksgiving Parade from all over the country every year, and are mainly recruited by Bowl Games of America. Approximately twenty-four of many of the nation's top high school marching bands appear in the parade from year to year, including the 150 member Bartlett High School Marching Band, which made its first appearance in 2004.[7] Altogether, approximately 3000 high school band members play in the parade.

Floats

"The Candy Train" presented by Bortz Entertainment Group

Floats are decorated platforms, which are either built on a vehicle or towed behind one. These creations give groups and organizations a unique opportunity to present themselves to the viewers of the parade. In the 2007 McDonald's Thanksgiving Parade, nineteen organizations and groups created floats to present to those watching.

The Parade Today

In 2000, the Chicago Festival Association was given the rights to produce the Field's Jingle Elf Parade by the City of Chicago.[8] Before that time, the parade had been produced for several years by the Chicago Christmas Parade Association. [9] In 1999 the Chicago Christmas Parade Association's last year brought a significant change, as they reverted the parade route back to State Street.[10] The parade had previously been on Michigan Avenue (see above).

Many followers took a great deal of pride that the parade had returned to State Street. However, because of the positive effect that the Michigan Avenue parade route had on the city's economy--bringing many potential holiday shoppers into the many world-famous stores on Michigan Avenue--many individuals voiced great criticism. After all, the Greater State Street Council had made it very clear that no State Street businesses would be open for business on Thanksgiving Day.[11] The Chicago Festival Association responded that although the parade was originally created to stimulate economic growth, the parade now primarily exists as a community celebration.[12] In any case, as the parade has made powerful and surprising growth in only a few short years, Chicago's economy is continuing to see the parade's growing benefits. Hence, criticism about its location change has long-since passed.

File:CFALogo.jpg

Since that time, the organization has made many more significant changes, and today the parade is capturing much more attention. In 2002, the Chicago Festival Association changed the parade format from a Christmas or often broadly-labeled holiday parade to the Thanksgiving parade that it is today. In only a few years, the number of spectators on the streets have increased by hundreds of thousands. The parade is also given a live national broadcast. This is generally considered expedient growth, as the parade was available in no more than a handful of cities only two years ago.

Since 2006, McDonald's has been partnered with the Chicago Festival Association as the the parade's title sponsor. Although it isn't publicly known how long McDonald's plans to be the parade's title sponsor, they have frequently and publicly expressed great excitement to sponsor such a quickly growing and greatly loved event.

In 2007, the Chicago Festival Association recruited the pop rock group Plain White T's to perform in the parade. In the last couple of years, the band had reached great success and their single Hey There Delilah had been number one on the Billboard Charts for two weeks. Despite the unseasonably cold temperatures, the Plain White T's agreed to do a free performance in the parade, which was no doubt greatly because of the parade's quickly growing ratings along with the event's first ever national broadcast.

In 2008, the parade will be in its 75th year. This year's parade will be broadcast for three hours, from 8 am to 11 am CST on WGN-TV9 and WGN-DT9.1 in Chicago, and WGN America nationwide. This makes the McDonald's Thanksgiving Parade one of only three parades to be broadcast in its entirety to a nationwide audience.

Recent partnerships

WGN-TV

In 2007, the Chicago Festival Association signed a contract with Chicago's WGN-TV. Although the parade was in its 74th consecutive year, it was the first to feature a live national broadcast. With WGN-TV partnership, the 2007 McDonald's Thanksgiving Parade became available in approximately 72 million homes across the United States through WGN's superstation simulcast, Superstation WGN (now known as WGN America).[13]

Toastmasters International

In 2006, Toastmasters International partnered with the Chicago Festival Association and Toastmasters' speakers became the first ever on-street commentators for the parade. Because of the impressive enhancement, the spectators on State Street are essentially able to know everything that a person knows at home as they watch the live parade on television.[14]

Northern Illinois University

File:NIU Logo.jpg
NIU art student painting the parade's logo on State Street

In 2006, several art students from Northern Illinois University were brought into downtown Chicago the night before the parade to paint the parade's new logo. After the main block of the parade route was closed off by the Chicago Police Department, the students began painting the image. The NIU art students completed the logo in approximately 2.5 hours and ended up using over seventeen gallons of paint.[15]

The logo was painted on what most call the Television Zone of the parade, otherwise known as the block where television and news crews are allowed to cover the parade. As such, the 30 by 50 foot logo was seen on WLS-TV throughout its entire broadcast.

The positive feedback forged a longer relationship between the Chicago Festival Association and the NIU art department, and plans were made to return to paint the logo in 2007. However, poor weather prevented this possibility.

Movie Coverage

In the movie The Weather Man, Nicolas Cage plays the role of David Spritz, a middle-age Chicago weather man who finds that he is losing confidence in various aspects of his life. He is also greatly troubled by the low level of respect he is given by residents of Chicago. However, the end of the movie brings a different story, and Spritz (Cage) finally gains a new sense of confidence and stability. The culmination of this positive change is when he is shown on top of a float in the State Street Thanksgiving Parade, waiving at all of the excited spectators. This acts as a symbol of his confidence and success. By being on this float, Spritz is shown as a prized public icon.

To achieve this scene, Paramount Pictures was granted permission by the Chicago Festival Association to film the float as it went down State Street in the 2004 parade. Using Visual Effects, Cage was then digitally added to the picture.

References

  1. ^ Ledermann, Robert (2004). Chicago’s State Street Christmas Parade (IL) (Images of America). Arcadia Publishing. ISBN 07-38-53273-8.
  2. ^ Ledermann, Robert (2004). Chicago’s State Street Christmas Parade (IL) (Images of America). Arcadia Publishing. ISBN 07-38-53273-8. {{cite book}}: Text "page: 12" ignored (help)
  3. ^ "Parade Balloon School Is in Session". Miller-Pear Public Relations. 2005-11-18. Retrieved 2008-02-27.
  4. ^ "McDonald's Thanksgiving Parade Drums up Excitment" (PDF). Miller-Pear Public Relations. Retrieved 2008-02-27.
  5. ^ "Balloons for the 2006 McDonald's Thanksgiving Parade". Chicago Festival Association.
  6. ^ "2007 McDonald's Thanksgiving Parade" (PDF). Chicago Festival Association. Retrieved 2008-02-28.
  7. ^ Malone, Tara (2004-11-24). "Bartlett High band to join Chicago parade". Chicago Daily Herald. pp. 6 - News. {{cite news}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
  8. ^ Busk, Celeste (2000-11-18). "Miles of Smiles". Chicago Sun-Times. pp. 3 - Weekend Plan. {{cite news}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
  9. ^ "MARSHALL FIELD'S HOSTS CHICAGO'S ANNUAL HOLIDAY PARADE" (Press release). Global News Wire. 1998-10-19. {{cite press release}}: |access-date= requires |url= (help)
  10. ^ Busk, Celeste (1999-11-24). "Turkey Day Treat". Chicago Sun-Times. pp. 39 - Features. {{cite news}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
  11. ^ Granger, Bill (1999-11-23). "Leave the city how you found it". Chicago Daily Herald. pp. 11 - Chicago Diary. {{cite news}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
  12. ^ "Downtown stores out of step with Christmas Parade". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. 2000-11-03. pp. 01D - Business.
  13. ^ "Parade Info". Phil Purevich. Retrieved 2008-02-26.
  14. ^ "Chicago Parade to Feature Announcers" (Press release). PR Newswire Public Interest Services. 2006-11-15.
  15. ^ "Art education students return to Chicago to paint Thanksgiving parade's street logo". Mark McGowan. Retrieved 2008-02-26.

External links

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