Answer of the Day
When was the first Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade? Eighty-five years ago, on November 27, 1924, a quarter of a million people lined a two-mile stretch of Broadway, from Central Park West to Herald Square, to watch the first Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. Floats carried Macy's employees dressed up as cowboys and sheiks, clowns and knights; there were live animals that had been loaned from the Central Park Zoo and marching bands. The huge parade was a hit and it became an annual event. In 1927, the first of the trademark balloons — one of Felix the Cat — floated down the parade route. This year, the route has been changed: it will begin on 77th Street and Central Park West and avoid Broadway entirely as it makes its way past Herald Square to 7th Avenue. Some of the stars participating in this year's parade will include Jimmy Fallon, Jane Krakowski, Tiffany Thornton, Andrea Bocelli, the cast of Sesame Street and Carly Simon. Happy Thanksgiving and enjoy the parade!

Quote
"What we're really talking about is a wonderful day set aside on the fourth Thursday of November when no one diets. I mean, why else would they call it Thanksgiving?" — Erma Bombeck

King Tut's Sarcophagus

Today in History

• Kappa Alpha Society: Union College student society became the first college fraternity in the US (1825)
• Alice in Wonderland: pseudonymous author Lewis Carroll gave an illustrated manuscript of the tale to the eponymous Alice as an early Christmas gift (1864)
• King Tut's tomb: the burial site of King Tutankhamen was entered for the first time in over 3,000 years, by archeologist Howard Carter and George Herbert, 5th Earl of Carnarvon (1922)
• Casablanca: film set in wartime Morocco premiered in New York City (1942)
• Diamant-A: rocket launched France's space program with the Astérix-1 satellite, which blasted off from Hammaguir, Algeria (1965)

Tina Turner

Today's Birthdays

• John Harvard (1607-1638): founder of Harvard College
• Norbert Wiener (1894-1964): mathematician and educator
• Eugene Ionesco (1912-1994): playwright of theater of the absurd; plus, writers William Cowper (1731-1800) and Eric Sevareid (1912-1992)
• Charles Schulz (1922-2000): creator of Charlie Brown and Peanuts
• Rich Little (71): impressionist famous for his take-off on every US president from 1960 to 2002
• Tina Turner (70): rock singer, What's Love Got to Do With It?"; other musicians born on this date include Robert Goulet (1933-2007), John McVie (64), Bernard Allison (44), Natasha Bedingfield (28) and Lil' Fizz (24)
• Peter Facinelli (36): Carlisle Cullen in Twilight

Word of the Day
 echt
(ekht)

adjective
Authentic; typical.

Etymology
From German echt (genuine, typical)

Usage
"Costume and prop man Pete Rush has provided echt polyester '70s garb for Miles and weathered denim for the farmers." — Barbara Adams; Farm Life Not So Simple in Stellar 'Drawer Boy'; The Ithaca Journal (New York); Oct 28, 2004.
  (© Wordsmith.org)

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