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How Punxsutawney Phil’s Groundhog Day rival was KILLED after being dropped by mayor in front of horrified crowd
WATCH the moment one of Punxsutawney Phil’s Groundhog Day rivals was killed after being dropped by a “Butterfingers” mayor in front of a screaming crowd.
Phil, the prophetic groundhog, made his much-anticipated prediction on Sunday to a raucous, record-sized crown at Gobbler’s Knob, Pennsylvania.
The all-seeing rodent was carefully cradled by his “inner circle” as he used his meteorological powers to reveal “six more weeks of winter” to come.
But not all groundhogs have been treated with such dignity – and there is a dark chapter in the tradition’s past.
Phil’s Staten Island rival died after tumbling from the grip of then-Mayor Bill “Butterfingers” de Blasio in 2014.
Jaw-dropping footage shows the furry forecaster squirm from the gloves of the 6’5″ giant, plummeting head-first towards the ground.
Screams of horror pour from the crowd as back-up handlers scrabble to catch hold of the hog.
With such a long way down, the Staten Island Chuck didn’t stand a chance.
The rodent was found dead in its enclosure just days later, having succumbed to its “acute internal injuries” – and the zoo tried to cover it up.
Keepers found the lifeless chuck on February 9 – just days after the ceremony – but told only a close inner circle about the loss.
Even then, they claimed that natural causes had put the hog in the ground.
The scandal deepened when it emerged the doomed hog had actually been a replacement called Charlotte.
The real Staten Chuck had been secretly swapped out after he famously nibbled on then-Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s hand at the 2009 ceremony.
Staten Island Zoo sources told the New York Post the decoy had been kept under-wraps to preserve the sacred “groundhog brand”.
“Butterfingers” de Blasio claimed ignorance, insisting at the time: “I found out as all of you found out – I had no idea previously.”
The following year Staten Island Zoo adapted its Groundhog Day procedure to rule-out further fatal fumbles.
“Butterfingers” de Blasio was made to observe the ceremony from a safe distance and behind a protective screen.
No Mayor has ever returned to perform the duty on the island.
Staten Island Chuck is the most reliable groundhog in the country, with a staggering 85 percent accuracy rate according to stats from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
Phil, on the other hand, languishes at 35 percent – rated third-worst of the 19 animals analysed.
Despite his dubious record, Phil remains the authority on predicting when winter will end.
His prophecy this year, communicated via one of his inner circle, went:
“It’s groundhog day, and maybe life is on a loop. But I miss my burrow and I miss my coop.
“So I’m headed back down, there’s a shadow up here. Get ready for six more weeks of winter this year.”
If Phil hadn’t spotted his shadow, then an early spring would have been forecast.
The woodchuck’s weather forecast is an annual ritual that dates back more than a century in western Pennsylvania, with far older roots in European folklore.
It was Bill Murray’s 1993 Groundhog Day movie that transformed the event into what it is today, with tens of thousands of revellers at the scene and imitators scattered around the US and beyond.
Groundhog league table
NOT all groundhogs are created equal, and some have more of a penchant for predictions that others.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has collected data on the key forecasting hogs in the country, and ranked them according to their accuracy.
Here is the list:
- Staten Island Chuck Groundhog, NY – 85%
- General Beauregard Lee Groundhog, GA – 80%
- Lander Lil Prairie Dog Statue, WY – 75%
- Concord Charlie Never Seen (presumed groundhog), WV – 65%
- Gertie the Groundhog Groundhog, IL – 65%
- Jimmy the Groundhog Groundhog, WI – 60%
- Woodstock Willie Groundhog, IL – 60%
- Buckeye Chuck Groundhog, OH – 55%
- French Creek Freddie Groundhog, WV – 55%
- Malverne Mel Groundhog, NY – 55%
- Octoraro Orphie Groundhog, PA – 52.63%
- Dunkirk Dave Groundhog, NY – 50
- Holtsville Hal Groundhog, NY – 50%
- Poor Richard Taxidermied Groundhog, PA – 50%
- Uni the Groundhog Taxidermied Groundhog, PA – 47.37%
- Schnogadahl Sammi Taxidermied Groundhog, PA – 38.89%
- Punxsatawney Phil Groundhog, PA – 35%
- Woodie the Woodchuck Groundhog, MI – 35%
- Mojave Max Tortoise, NV – 25%
We were baffled by our two-year-old daughter’s ear infections – now she’s got just DAYS to live
THE parents of a two-year-old girl have been left heartbroken after discovering the truth behind their daughter’s ear infection and now she has just days to live.
Florence Prideaux-Godwin was a seemingly happy and healthy toddler who looked to be suffering from a severe ear infection last May.
Tragically, tests have since confirmed that the tot’s painful earache was caused by an untreatable cancer.
The family from Ilfracombe experienced their child’s shocking diagnosis of stage three rhabdomyosarcoma.
Doctors tried to treat the rare type of soft tissue cancer with chemotherapy and radiotherapy but earlier this month a scan confirmed the worst.
Her parents, Dan Godwin, 40, and Rebecca Prideaux, 32, received the news that a tumour in the two-year-old’s ear had spread to her brain.
They’ve been told to make as many memories as they can together with the cancer believed to be untreatable.
With medical approval, the parents who have a five-year-old daughter and twin three-year-old boys have arranged a trip to Butlins, Minehead.
Dan, a dad-of-five, said: “She is starting to get a bit shaky and lose her balance a little bit now and again, but she is still laughing, smiling and playing. Our plan is to spend as much time as possible with her.”
Florence was born two months premature and spent the first two months of her life in hospital.
However, since then she has enjoyed a healthy and happy life up until developing earache last May.
Dan recalled: “We noticed she had a temperature and she was playing with her ears. We took her to A&E at North Devon District Hospital and it was confirmed she had an ear infection. She was prescribed antibiotics and we came away happy.”
A few days later, the parents noticed Florence playing with her ears again.
She pulled out something that Dan could “only describe as looking like a skin tag” and rushed her straight back to A&E.
After his daughter was prescribed stronger antibiotics, the pair were happy to return home.
But a few days later, Rebecca noticed her child’s face looking “different” as her left side “started drooping” like she had suffered a “stroke.
Returning to A&E, Florence was transferred to an ENT specialist at the Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital where a procedure was carried out to drain most of the fluid.
Polyps found in her ear were sent off for testing.
A week later she returned home but a day later she became unwell again and the decision was made to drain the remaining fluid from her ear. At the beginning of June she was able to go home and seemed fine until the end of the month when her health deteriorated.
Dan said: “We were back at the RD&E and doctors said to us, ‘to be honest, it’s a mystery’, as they weren’t sure what was going on. The next day, on July 1, the results from the polyps in her ear came back as cancerous.
“We were told she had a tumour in her left ear. Initially they thought it had spread to one of her lymph nodes, but then we were told that wasn’t the case. Pretty much straight away she was started on chemotherapy.”
The treatment plan for Florence was nine courses of chemotherapy lasting around three weeks each. She received alternating cycles of standard and then a trial chemotherapy.
Scans in September showed the treatment was working and the tumour was shrinking. In October, she spent eight weeks at the University College Hospital in London for proton beam therapy, a type of radiotherapy.
Florence finished her last course of chemotherapy at the beginning of January and was given another progress scan. However, this time it was not good news.
Dan, who has remained at home with their other children while Rebecca has stayed by Florence’s bedside in hospital, said: “We had been very positive and upbeat as she had done really well and had been brilliant throughout it all.
“Florence had the obvious side effects of chemotherapy such as losing her hair and she was a bit up and down, but on the whole she was amazing and was still playing and laughing.
“To look at her, apart from not having hair, you would not have been able to tell anything was wrong with her. But then we were told the cancer had spread from her left ear to the back of her brain and that her cancer was now incurable.
“Initially we were told there were a couple of options such as chemotherapy to prolong her life a little bit. Then a week later, last Thursday, we had another meeting with doctors and they said they were unable to do anything else for her and that she had days or up to weeks to live. I can’t describe how it felt being told that news. It was probably one of the lowest low points of my life.”
Florence is now back home with her family and is still full of smiles as usual.
Dan said: “We have been told to spend as much time as we can with her making memories. We have been to look at children’s hospice Little Bridge House in Fremington where we will spend a few days the week after our visit to Butlins.
“We usually go there every May for our childrens’ birthdays. Our team of doctors have pre-warned Musgrove Park Hospital in Taunton about Florence in case we need to go there while we are away.”
They are being helped to enjoy precious last moments with Florence thanks to an online fundraiser that has been set up by family friend Callie Courtney Baxendale. It has so far raised just over £7,000.
Florence is said to be still happy and enjoying playing, but her little body is now showing signs of the effects of her cancer. The online fundraiser set up for the family is hoped to help them do more fun things with Florence while she is able to.
It is the second fundraiser that has been organised for them. The first, which raised just over £2,000, helped them financially after having to stop work to care for Florence.
Dan said: “When we found out the news that Florence was terminal, another fundraiser was set up to help us make as many memories as possible. The support we have had is unbelievable. We have been blown away by it.
“We would also like to thank the staff at both Barnstaple and Exeter hospitals; they have been fantastic, as have the community nurses.”
What is Rhabdomyosarcoma?
Rhabdomyosarcoma is a rare form of soft tissue cancer that is most common in children under 10-years-old.
It is more common in boys than girls with more children surviving childhood cancer than ever before.
The type of tumour is the most common soft tissue sarcoma in children.
They can develop from muscle or fibrous tissue and can grow in any part of the body.
Symptoms include:
Typically, it is diagnosed by testing the exact size of the tumour and whether it has spread to other parts of the body.
Treatment can vary but could include chemotherapy, surgery or radiotherapy.
Source: NHS
Love Island All Stars’ Gabby Allen poses topless in denim hot pants in sizzling snaps before entering villa
LOVE Island beauty Gabby Allen has delighted fans with sexy topless snaps showing her posing in denim hotpants.
The All Stars contestant, 32, ditched her bra in her latest set of images, which saw her flashing her cleavage while wrapped in a matching jacket.
Gabby‘s second sizzling image saw her ditch her mid-wash coat completely, instead posing side-profile as she covered her bare chest with her hands.
The ITV2 personality piled her blonde hair into a messy bun and sported a glowing tan.
She kept her make-up bronzed and equally glowing, with orange hued eyeshadow, a caramel lip gloss and black eyeliner.
In her caption – written by her loved ones during her stint in the Love Island All Stars villa – they penned: “Baring it all: always double denim, never double standards.
“Gabby’s making us proud and proving that confidence isn’t just about what you wear; it’s about how you feel.
“From building relationships to building strength, she’s all about pushing limits and owning every moment.
“Who’s setting their sights high and smashing their goals this year?”
One fan was quick to remark: “Stunning xx”
Another posted: “Incredible Beauty as always!”
A third then put: “Ooooo get ‘em,” while one surmised: “Gabbs is too much.”
ON SCREEN
Gabby first starred on Love Island back in 2017.
After coming face to face with cheating ex Marcel Somerville in the spin-off villa last month, she has been happily coupled up with Casey O’Gorman.
Casey’s best pal Tom Clare told of the real reason his BFF was attracted to the fitness influencer and instructor.
Tom insisted to The Sun Casey wants to find his forever person on All Stars – just like he did with Molly Smith, 30, last year.
Love Island All Stars 2025 official line-up
Love Island All Stars is back on TV for season 2.
Here we take you through the line-up of all the Islanders who are in the villa so far.
- Scott Thomas – season 2 (2016)
- Marcel Somerville – season 3 (2017) – OUT
- India Reynolds – season 2 (2017) – OUT
- Gabby Allen – season 3 (2017)
- Elma Pazar – season 5 (2019)
- Curtis Pritchard – season 5 (2019)
- Kaz Crossley – season 5 (2019) – OUT
- Olivia Hawkins – season 10 (2023) – OUT
- Nas Majeed – season 6 (2020) – OUT
- Luca Bish – season 8 (2022)
- Catherine Agbaje – season 10 (2023)
- Ronnie Vint – season 11 (2024)
Bombshells
Each series brings with it a string of hot single bombshells making their epic entrance into the villa.
Here’s who has joined the villa so far:
- Ekin-Su Cülcüloğlu – season 8 (2022)
- Casey O’Gorman – season 9 (2023) and All Stars (2024)
- Ron Hall – season 9 (2023)
- Tina Stinnes – season 2 (2016)
- Grace Jackson – season 11 (2024)
- Harriet Blackmore – season 11 (2024)
- Montel McKenzie – season 10 (2023) – OUT
- Sammy Root – season 10 (2023)
- Danielle Sellers – season 3 (2017)
Tom told us: “I want everyone to have the love that me and Molly have – and Casey wants that too,” said Tom, who won All Stars with his girlfriend last year.
“Casey had mixed feelings towards going back in for a third time, but he’s single, and on the outside, he hasn’t met anyone that he’s wanted to settle down with.
“The first two times he was on the show he came in quite late so didn’t really get to show his full potential.
“I think now he’s gone in early doors, then he’s got a really good chance of meeting someone and kind of growing and having that connection with someone.”
Gabby – who’s four years older than Casey – could be the mature woman he needs, says Tom, who is five years younger than Molly.
He added: “Gabby’s a little bit older than him, which I think he probably needs. So yeah, I’m rooting for them.”
Meanwhile, All Stars viewers are convinced Gabby and Casey have already slept together after a steamy night in The Hideaway.
Major boost for thousands as €125 social welfare boost due to hit bank accounts this month
A NEW social welfare boost is set to become available this month, providing support for thousands of homeowners as cost of living crisis continues.
The energy credit will be paid in two instalments of €125 for every Irish home.
The first payment was made between November 1 and December 31 last year, and the second credit will be made available between January 1 and February 28.
The date when you received your energy credit depends on the date that your supplier normally sends your bill.
It depends on your particular billing cycle whether the credit shows up on your initial bill during specific payment periods.
However, the suppliers have information on their websites about the dates the credit is shown on customers’ bills.
On the bill, you will see a ‘credit line’ for €114.68, which is the instalment of €125 excluding the VAT.
Depending on your supplier, it may be called “Government Electricity Credit 1 or 2″ or a shorter form (such as Govt. Credit).
“Government,” “Govt,” or “Gov” must be included, and “1” or “2” must be used to indicate which installment you are receiving.
If you plan on switching electricity suppliers, you will not receive the credit twice.
All home power accounts that are not low-usage accounts are eligible for the credit.
This implies that if you have household electricity accounts in several residences in Ireland, you will receive credit for each account as long as it is not a low-usage account.
PSTB REDUCED MORTAGE RATES & CASHBACK
However, that is not the only boost that Irish homeowners can take advantage of as PTSB has announced new mortgage rates, which came into effect from January 17.
And it’s available to both new and existing personal customers.
Since December 2023, PTSB has announced four cuts to fixed-rate mortgages and the reduced rates are now:
- 2-year fixed rates were reduced by up to 0.55 per cent
- 3-year fixed rates were reduced by up to 0.30 per cent
- 4-year fixed rates were reduced by up to 0.65 per cent
- 5-year fixed rates were reduced by up to 0.95 per cent
- 7-year fixed rates were reduced by up to .95 per cent
And PTSB is also offering 2 per cent cashback on monthly mortgage repayments to existing mortgage customers.
According to the bank, the customer’s monthly payback amount determines how much cashback they receive, meaning that with a €1,500 monthly mortgage repayment, customers might get €30 back monthly.
PTSB mortgage customers must make their monthly mortgage payments by direct debit from a PTSB Explore Current Account to be eligible for the cashback.
The cashback offer is available for qualifying customers until at least the end of 2030, meaning customers can save money for up to six years.
‘My mind is blown’ – Identical Bournemouth misses from different games have fans convinced ‘we live in the Truman Show’
FANS have been left convinced they are living in a simulation after seeing Bournemouth produce identical misses.
The Cherries fell to a 2-0 defeat to Liverpool on Saturday, courtesy of a Mohamed Salah brace.
However, Andoni Iraola’s side were left to rue controversial refereeing and a number of missed chances at the Vitality Stadium.
One of these chances saw Marcus Tavernier curl a shot onto the inside of the post from outside the box.
The ball then cannoned back out to the right side of the penalty area where Justin Kluivert had made an overlapping run.
The in-form star had the perfect chance to score, but mistimed his shot and sliced the effort wide.
But eagle-eyed fans spotted an uncanny resemblance to another missed chance which played out in almost exactly the same way.
During a match against Manchester City at home earlier this season, Tavernier received the ball on the edge of the area before curling a shot onto the inside of the post from outside the box.
The ball then cannoned back out to the right side of the penalty area where Adam Smith had made an overlapping run.
But the defender fluffed his effort and sent the ball well over the bar.
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A fan online posted a video showing the two chances in a side by side comparison, which left fans in disbelief.
Reacting to the videos, one fan said: “We live in a sim.”
A second said: “Wow, exact same buildup, too. Straight from the training ground. That’s what coaching does, I guess.”
A third added: “Ain’t no way… it’s the exact same sequence and outcome.”
Another said: “I am mind blown.”
A fifth said: “We are living in a matrix.”
A sixth said: “Actors. We all live in a Truman show world.”
The main difference from the two games, was the outcome of the game.
Whereas Bournemouth lost against Liverpool yesterday, they managed to beat Man City 2-1 during the November clash.
Bournemouth’s defeat to Arne Slot’s league leaders was their first defeat in 12 matches since November.
The impressive run has propelled them up to seventh in the division and just one point outside the Champions League qualification places.
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Ракетний удар по Полтаві: кількість загиблих збільшилась до 12, серед них 2 дітей (фото)
Фото: Telegram / Полтавська ОВА | Збільшилась кількість загиблих в результаті ракетного обстрілу в Полтаві Правоохоронці повідомили, що зросла й кількість постраждалих. Наразі відомо про 17 осіб, серед яких четверо дітей. Вранці суботи, 1 лютого, російська армія завдала ракетного удару по цивільній та енергетичній інфраструктурі України. Росіяни поцілили ракетою у під’їзд п’ятиповерхівки в Полтаві. […]Запас ходу 800 км і 2,8 с до сотні: у Києві помітили перший електромобіль Xiaomi
Фото: Topcars UA | Xiaomi SU7 — перше авто в історії компанії Новий Xiaomi SU7 у версії Max оснащений 673-сильною установкою. Електромобіль здатен розігнатися до 100 км/год за 2,8 с та проїхати до 800 км без підзарядки. В Україну завозять електромобілі Xiaomi SU7. Один із седанів помітили в Києві, а його фото опублікували на […]I slept with a hot older woman at 19 – I found out she’s my girlfriend’s MUM years later when we came face to face
WHAT would you do if you found out your partner had had a fling with your parent?
Taking to Reddit to share his story, the post was titled: “I slept with my girlfriend’s mum two years ago. I can’t tell her because I know she’ll dump me and it’ll probably end her parent’s marriage.”
The worried young land explained how the situation was “eating [him] alive”.
Picture this: a couple of years back, aged 19 he “met a woman whilst working as a personal trainer”.
The lady in question was in her 40s, but “looked like a 25 year old”.
She “took an interest” in the young lad and “invited [him] out a number of times”. They also “had sex a few times”.
But, after one meet-up, the older woman said “it was wrong for someone of her age to be with” someone younger and decided to leave the gym and exercise elsewhere.
Fast forward to the present day, and the young lad has been enjoying a year-long relationship with an “amazing” girl with whom he “loves very much”.
But when he met her family for the time time, he was “shocked”.
He said: “She took me to the house where I had hooked up with a woman and I felt like I was being pranked.
“Before I see her mum, it hits me.
“I have a type and they both fit that type so it make sense – I’ve been hooking up with a single mum and I’m now with her daughter.”
But that wasn’t the reality, the “single mum” he thought he had enjoyed a fling with a few years back – was in fact married.
“Then her mum and dad pop out and we both almost s**t ourselves,” he remarked.
“I meet her [is girlfriend’s] parents, [and get told] they’ve been married for 20 years.
“I realise I had been a married woman’s toy boy, I feel incredibly ashamed.”
After a very awkward encounter, it isn’t until later in the week when he has a conversation with the older woman – his girlfriend’s mother.
She gets hold of his number and tells him they cannot speak of their fling.
“She says that my girlfriend will hate me forever because I’ll be the one who broke up her parents. So now I’m stuck keeping this secret,” the Reddit post continued.
To make matters worse, the young lad was then invited to spend Thanksgiving with his girlfriend’s family, and since his own family live 1000 miles away, he doesn’t have an excuse not to go.
I realise I had been a married woman’s toy boy, I feel incredibly ashamed.
Redditor
He said: “I [had] to sit there at a table and enjoy Thanksgiving dinner with the woman I had an affair with, her husband, and her daughter whom I am now in love with.”
The OP got lots of comments, with some useful advice.
One replied: “Damn. The mother is certainly projecting and deflecting her guilt into you. Not your fault my dude. The guilt isn’t yours to shoulder.”
Someone replied to this comment with: “Agreed. Your gf would be upset w her mom more than anything.”
Another remarked: “She’ll [your girlfriend] be more pissed with you if this comes out years from now…
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“I don’t know, but if you’re serious about the girl, she might need to know before too long.”
Someone else had similar thoughts: “GF will notice the awkwardness between you and her mom and for no reason in her eyes and she’ll dig and dig until it comes out and then, my friend, is where it’ll become really bad because you were holding out on telling her.
“Whatever you did before her is not her concern and you didn’t know the mom was married, so do not let the mom control the rest of your relationship with GF because believe me, it will get a lot worse.
“I’d talk to GF and tell her what happened now because that relationship IS OVER.
“Might as well finish it now before there’s more feelings or even a child together and then s**t hits the fan.
“And you never know, maybe GF will not blame you at all.
“But definitely tell her my friend. You have done nothing wrong here so why should you carry that tremendous amount of guilt.”
What advice would you give to a friend in this situation? Or if you were the girlfriend, would you want to know?
The exact tactics one shopper used to nab SS24 Chloé handbag discounted by 93% – but it’s sparked controversy online
A SAVVY shopper has shared exactly how she nabbed a designer saddle bag for nearly 93% cheaper than full price.
Ambie Hambie nabbed Chloé’s Mate S Hobo leather crossbody bag for an eye-watering £1,345 less than it was priced by the French fashion house.
She bought it in cedar brown lambskin, and it is complete with a braided edge, drawstring fastening and adjustable shoulder strap.
Style bible Vogue declared the handbag style as “back” in August last year.
And just six months later, Ambie found it priced at £108 in TK Maxx as part of the store’s yellow sticker sale.
She took to Facebook group Extreme Couponing and Bargains UK to shout about the style steal.
“I only posted to make people aware that the designer stuff was being heavily reduced,” she said.
“This was at the Edinburgh store.
“There were two other similar designs there at the time.”
The key to nabbing ultra-reduced designer pieces in TK Maxx is shopping in stores, as items online sell out almost instantly when dropped by over 90%.
Experienced bargain hunters will find the shelves and areas of the stores dedicated to yellow sticker bargains and hunt through.
You won’t always find something, but you can sometimes nab a deal as good as Ambie’s Chloé’ bag.
Her purchase caused a bit of a stir on Facebook.
Arm chair fashion critics implied that she is a “sheep” and claimed that the designer piece was “nothing special”.
“£108 to be a sheep,” Gemma Clarke wrote.
“I wouldn’t pay a tenner for it,” Angela Kidman chimed in.
How Does TK Maxx Flog Designer for Cheap?
- TK Maxx follows an off-price business model to get designer products for cheap
- It buys merchandise from various brands and designers at a discount and then sells it to customers at lower prices than traditional retail stores
- The selection at its outlets often includes overstocked items, last season’s styles and goods from cancelled orders.
- The Gold Label is a premium collection of designer and luxury products offered by TK Maxx.
- If you love designer clothes, this is the tag you want to look out for on pieces.
It wasn’t all negative, though.
Some people felt like Ambie had “won the lottery” with her 93% off steal.
Emma Palmer beamed: “Oh my God, bet you’re buzzing! Amazing find!”
Tasha Lou added: “That is a super bargain.”