It’s been a long 3 weeks, BC! Here are some of the top stories while you were out on winter break.
Chris Christie Scandal
The headlines of every newspaper this week have been about the Chris Christie George Washington Bridge scandal. Though the details of what happened are still being processed, here are the basics of what we know so far. In early September, high-level officials and members of Port Authority closed two of the three lanes of the George Washington Bridge for a “traffic check.” The George Washington Bridge is one of the most heavily used roadways for commuters in the country, and the closing of these lanes brought traffic to a stand still. This resulted in parents not being able to bring their children to school on time, and ambulances being stopped on the bridge.
So where is the scandal? Emails from Christie’s aides have surfaced and in one, an aide directed Port Authority to mess up traffic for the New Jersey town of Fort Lee. Fort Lee was targeted because their mayor did not support Christie in his reelection campaign. It is not conclusive whether Christie had knowledge of what his aides were doing or their motivations, and this story will surely be in the news for a while to come.
Ringing in the New Year Around the World
Every year it seems like New Year’s Eve celebrations get more and more extravagant, and 2014 was no different. In New York, the New Year was celebrated with the classic ball drop and a host of celebrity appearances, but the celebrations around the world got a little more creative. In London, edible confetti fell from the sky, in peach, banana, and orange flavors. Dubai broke the world record on the largest fireworks display with their 30-minute show. In less extravagant celebrations, people around the world celebrated through resolutions, prayer, parties, and in Colorado, buying legalized marijuana for the first time.
College Football Bowl Season
Bowl season was a bit of a disappointment from an Eagles perspective, with BC falling to Arizona in the AdvoCare V100 Bowl. There were, however, many exciting games and shocking finishes to keep football fans entertained throughout the break. In the BCS Championship game, Florida State triumphed over Auburn 34-31. In one of the biggest upsets of the year, Oklahoma beat Alabama by 2 touchdowns in the Orange Bowl. Finally, in the oldest bowl in the country, Michigan State defeated Stanford to win the Rose Bowl.
Sources:
http://espn.go.com/college-football/bowls
http://www.cbc.ca/news/world/new-year-s-eve-celebrations-around-the-world-usher-in-2014-1.2479872
http://gawker.com/what-the-hell-is-this-chris-christie-bridge-scandal-an-1499317392
The New York Times
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