The day the clown cried

Associated Press: "Ringling Brothers circus to close after 146 years."

After 146 years, the curtain is coming down on "The Greatest Show on Earth." The owner of the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus told The Associated Press that the show will close forever in May.

The iconic American spectacle was felled by a variety of factors, company executives say. Declining attendance combined with high operating costs, along with changing public tastes and prolonged battles with animal rights groups all contributed to its demise.

Wow, that's sad.  My folks took me to Madison Square Garden when I was a kid.  I guess the circus was a kind of throwback to a time when, if you wanted to see exotic animals and live shows, the circus coming to town was a cause for excitement.  Now it's all on YouTube, I suppose.