Restaurants, Penguins, and Dogs!

Restaurant Rules

Do you think dogs should be able to go into restaurants with their owners?  In Los Angeles, dogs were banned from all parts of a restaurant.  This included inside seats and outside seats.  Some people thought this was not a good rule.  They thought that dogs should be able to stay with their owner if the owner ate outside.  This week, the rule was changed.  Now dogs can stay with their owner if the owner eats outside.  But, not all restaurants will offer this new feature.  Each restaurant can decide if they want to allow dogs in outside eating areas.

Big Penguins

Can you imagine a penguin that is as tall as a person?  This week, scientists made a model of a penguin that lived 25 million years ago.  The model was made using fossils of the bones of the penguin.  A model of each bone was made and then they were put together like a puzzle.  When the whole model of the penguin was complete, it was over 4 feet tall.  It is estimated to have weighed 130 pounds.  It is the biggest penguin species ever discovered.  It lived on the Island of New Zealand.  The biggest penguin that lives today is the Emperor penguin which is about 3 feet tall and about 80 pounds.

Favorite Dogs

Many people love to have dogs for pets.  Dogs are smart.  Dogs are loyal.  Dogs are fun.  There are so many different kinds of dogs for people to choose from!  Some people like large dogs and some people like small dogs.  Some people like playful dogs.  Some people like calm dogs.  So, what are the most popular breeds of dogs?  In 2011, the most popular dogs were the Labrador Retriever, German Shepherd, Beagle, Golden Retriever, and Yorkshires Terrier.  This list shows that more and more people want big dogs as pets.  The Labrador Retriever has been the most popular dog for 21 years in a row!

Movies, Toys, and Pancakes!

Hugo
Do you like movies? Many people do. There are so many good movies that now there is a competition to find the best movies each year. The competition is called the Oscars. The Oscars have been around for 84 years! This weekend was the Oscar awards for 2012. One very special movie won five awards. The move is Hugo. Hugo is based on a great book called The Invention of Hugo Caberet. The book has really great pictures drawn with a pencil. It is great that a movie made from a book won so many Oscars!

Toy Fair
Have you ever wondered where stores find the great toys that they put on their shelves? Well, some stores go to the Toy Fair each year to see all of the new toys that have been created. Then, they can choose which toys they want to have in their store. Last week was the Toy Fair for 2012. There were more than 1,000 companies showing their toys. There were more than 10,000 visitors looking at the toys. Most of these visitors own or work at a store. The most popular toys this year had an online computer game that went with the toy. That sounds fun!

Free Pancakes
Get ready to eat some pancakes! Tuesday is National Pancake Day. This is a whole day just to celebrate pancakes. One restaurant has a very special deal on National Pancake day. The International House of Pancakes gives free pancakes to all customers on this day! Pancakes can be topped with your favored toppings: syrup, butter, fruit, or whipped cream. Yum! Yum!