Highbrow Magazine - new year's https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/new-years en Reflecting on the Holidays: A Friendship Forged by a Future Train Set https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/23232-reflecting-holidays-friendship-forged-future-train-set <div class="field field-name-field-cat field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/news-features" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">News &amp; Features</a></div></div></div><span class="submitted-by">Submitted by tara on Wed, 01/11/2023 - 15:20</span><div class="field field-name-field-image field-type-image field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" rel="og:image rdfs:seeAlso" resource="https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/field/image/1trainset.jpg?itok=NjIPsara"><img typeof="foaf:Image" src="https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/field/image/1trainset.jpg?itok=NjIPsara" width="480" height="320" alt="" /></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" property="content:encoded"><p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">The upcoming event made me apprehensive.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">Five of my wife’s relatives were coming to stay with us after Christmas Day. Only for one night. But we live in a small apartment and enjoy a quiet, simple life, and even one night with so many people would be more than I’m accustomed to dealing with.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">But they were family, so I had to accept it. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">Not to sound melodramatic, but I’m a rather solitary figure, so when I got married at the advanced age of 49, I wondered how having another person around would affect my previous single persona. But we’ve been married for 25 years and I’ve come to treasure our life together. But adding five more people to the equation, even if transitory, I wondered how that would work.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">Those staying with us would include a 5-year-old boy and 8-year-old girl, and since this was the Christmas and New Year’s holiday season, I felt in a giving mood. I told my wife, who was shopping at Macy’s for presents, to buy a train set for the boy, since kids are supposed to like trains, and something appropriate for the girl as well.</span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><img alt="" src="https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/sites/default/files/2trainset.jpg" style="height:435px; width:652px" typeof="foaf:Image" /></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">My wife wasn’t fooled by my request. She knew that the 74-year-old kid she had married wanted to play with the train set himself, even if the 5-year-old would take it home with him. But when she saw the expensive price at the store, she passed on it, to my great disappointment.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">As D-Day arrived that morning, I lay in bed wondering how we would accommodate all our guests. I heard them step through the front door and immediately my pulse rate quickened, and my stomach tightened, not knowing what to expect from this dramatic change in our daily routine.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">Eventually, I stumbled into the living room to greet them. They had driven all night with only a few rest stops, over 700 miles, to get here, and from their blurry-eyed expressions, you could tell they had gotten little or no sleep. I felt for them.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">My wife showed the parents and their two children to our bedroom where they would all sleep in one bed; my wife’s niece would sleep on a mattress on the floor; while my wife and I would find sleeping quarters elsewhere in our place.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">The 8-year-old girl in the group gave me a shy glance and quickly looked away. The boy, less inhibited and more outgoing, surprisingly greeted me by my name, since I didn’t expect him to remember who I was. For some reason, his recognition of me lightened my spirits, made me glad to see him, like this wouldn’t be so bad after all. It even inspired me to make the whole family a breakfast of my special silver-dollar pancakes and bacon, never mind if that wasn’t the healthiest meal in the world, but they all seemed to savor it. Again, I was surprised at how I wanted to make them feel at home.</span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><img alt="" src="https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/sites/default/files/3trainset.jpg" style="height:435px; width:652px" typeof="foaf:Image" /></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">Even if I still felt ill at ease, I told myself to stop making such a big deal of crowded surroundings. Lots of people have little or no privacy where they live, such as my wife, one of 12 siblings who grew up in an extremely poor family where she slept three or four in a bed with her sisters in their small room.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">I praise the giving and heroic families who take in refugees from war-torn countries even if it means overcrowded conditions in their homes. In my wife’s case, it was her family’s tradition to have them stay in her home and not a hotel. In my tradition, it was the reverse; I stay in hotels. But for my wife’s family, their hotel would be our small apartment.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">This situation reminded me of that old TV sitcom, <em>Eight Is Enough</em>, but that show had a large family living together on a permanent basis. We would be hosting this family for only a night, and then they would be off to their next destination, staying with another family somewhere far away.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">That’s when I heard the little boy was in distress. Apparently, he might have been allergic to the egg and the almond milk I had put in my recipe to make silver-dollar pancakes for the family. I had unintentionally made him sick. He quickly recovered, thank goodness, but I still wanted to make it up to him.</span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><img alt="" src="https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/sites/default/files/4trainset.jpg" style="height:652px; width:435px" typeof="foaf:Image" /></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">That’s when the well-behaved and polite boy said he’d like some cereal, but not the Cheerios or the Raisin Brand I offered him. No, he wanted something called Fruity Pebbles, and I drove to the grocery store to buy that and regular homogenized milk for him and his sister. It was the least I could do, and I enjoyed watching them devour the cereal after I drove back from the store. Having no kids myself, I had never experienced the satisfaction of watching your children get real pleasure from the simplest things. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">It became time for our guests to leave. As they left, I said: Come back anytime. And I sincerely meant it.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">Now about that little train set I wanted my wife to buy for our 5-year-old nephew. She assured me as soon as the holidays ended, she’d go back to Macy’s to see if it was on sale. Maybe soon we’d do the 700-mile trip down to where the boy’s family lived so I could present it to him in person. Meanwhile, perhaps my wife could buy me my own train set as well?</span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif"><strong>Author Bio:</strong></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif"><em><strong>Eric Green, a Highbrow Magazine contributor, is a former newspaper reporter, U.S. congressional press aide, English-as-a-second-language teacher, and now a freelance writer in the Washington D.C. area. His articles have appeared in various newspapers and websites, including the </strong></em><strong>Washington Post</strong><em><strong> and </strong></em><strong>Baltimore Sun.</strong></span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif"><strong>For Highbrow Magazine</strong></span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif"><strong>Image Sources:</strong></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif"><em>--</em><a href="https://www.pexels.com/photo/shallow-focus-photography-on-gray-train-plastic-toy-717987/" style="color:#0563c1; text-decoration:underline"><em>Pexels</em></a><em> (Creative Commons)</em></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif"><em>--Victoria Akvarel (<a href="https://www.pexels.com/photo/twp-boys-playing-toy-train-14618449/" style="color:#0563c1; text-decoration:underline">Pexels</a>, Creative Commons)</em></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif"><em>--Nicole Michalou (<a href="https://www.pexels.com/photo/family-celebrating-christmas-dinner-while-taking-selfie-5778899/" style="color:#0563c1; text-decoration:underline">Pexels</a>, Creative Commons)</em></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif"><em>--Cottonbro Studio (<a href="https://www.pexels.com/photo/man-holding-frying-pan-and-pouring-milk-3692859/" style="color:#0563c1; text-decoration:underline">Pexels</a>, Creative Commons)</em></span></span></p> <p> </p> </div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-tags field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Tags:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/holidays" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">the holidays</a></div><div class="field-item odd" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/christmas-0" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">christmas</a></div><div class="field-item even" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/new-years" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">new year&#039;s</a></div><div class="field-item odd" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/family" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">family</a></div><div class="field-item even" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/spending-holidays-family" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">spending the holidays with family</a></div><div class="field-item odd" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/family-bonding" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">family bonding</a></div><div class="field-item even" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/toy-train" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">toy train</a></div><div class="field-item odd" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/train-set" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">train set</a></div><div class="field-item even" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/holiday-shopping" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">holiday shopping</a></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-author field-type-text field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">Eric Green</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-pop field-type-list-boolean field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Popular:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">not popular</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-bot field-type-list-boolean field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Bottom Slider:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">In Slider</div></div></div> Wed, 11 Jan 2023 20:20:21 +0000 tara 11589 at https://www.highbrowmagazine.com https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/23232-reflecting-holidays-friendship-forged-future-train-set#comments How to Green Your Table (and Your Wine Glass) This Holiday Season https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/11127-how-green-your-table-and-your-wine-glass-holiday-season <div class="field field-name-field-cat field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/food" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Food</a></div></div></div><span class="submitted-by">Submitted by tara on Fri, 12/25/2020 - 11:20</span><div class="field field-name-field-image field-type-image field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" rel="og:image rdfs:seeAlso" resource="https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/field/image/3foodandwine_brandpoint.jpg?itok=Lk0r6X6D"><img typeof="foaf:Image" src="https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/field/image/3foodandwine_brandpoint.jpg?itok=Lk0r6X6D" width="480" height="315" alt="" /></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" property="content:encoded"><p> </p> <p>Gathering around the holiday table looks a lot different this year. From virtual toasts to strategically separated seating, winter’s hottest entertaining trend is the socially distanced dinner. But a little distance needn’t dim the glow of socializing, nor the eco-minded sensibility of sustainable choices.</p> <p> </p> <p>The coziest of gatherings are still centered around the joys of great company, delicious food and wine, and beautiful décor — no matter how far apart everyone sits. And, a virtual meal can still pull together stylish and sustainable elements that lessen the impact on the earth, while exuding grace and warmth.</p> <p> </p> <p><strong>Set the table, set the tone</strong></p> <p> </p> <p>A table that is equal parts welcoming and sustainable starts from the reclaimed wood up. It’s easy to green your winter table with simple eco-chic touches like an organic cotton runner or an upcycled centerpiece. Thoughtful elements made from sustainable materials, like reusable bamboo dinnerware or jute napkin rings, create a pleasing, neutral palette. And if you’re using recycled glass for your stemware, why not fill it with earth-friendly wine?</p> <p> </p> <p><img alt="" src="https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/sites/default/files/2foodandwine_holgi-pixabay-needpix.jpg" style="height:515px; width:600px" /></p> <p> </p> <p><strong>Swirl and sip sustainably</strong></p> <p> </p> <p>Thanks to eco-conscious wineries that value sustainably grown fruit, what you pour may be the greenest element of your winter table. Here are three labels leading the sustainability charge, from California to Chile:</p> <p> </p> <p><a href="https://www.bonterra.com/our-commitments/" style="color:#0563c1; text-decoration:underline"><strong>Bonterra Organic Vineyards</strong></a> — American organic winery Bonterra began farming organically in 1987, decades before organic products became a mainstay of modern life. The team, led by Vineyard Director Joseph Brinkley, focuses on nurturing biodiversity, soil health and balance in the vineyards, all in the name of pure organic flavor in the glass. Instead of tractors, sheep mow the cover crops around Bonterra’s organically farmed vines in Mendocino County, California.</p> <p> </p> <p><a href="https://fetzer.com/about/" style="color:#0563c1; text-decoration:underline"><strong>Fetzer</strong></a> — An early pioneer of sustainable farming, Barney Fetzer founded his eponymous winery in 1968 and helped shape the quality and environmental consciousness of California wine. More than 50 years later, Fetzer is synonymous with classic American wines rooted in an abiding commitment to people and the planet. Much of the fruit that goes into a bottle of Fetzer wine is sourced from certified sustainable vineyards throughout California.</p> <p> </p> <p><a href="https://www.conosur.com/en/sustentabilidad/" style="color:#0563c1; text-decoration:underline"><strong>Cono Sur</strong></a> — Half a world away, Chile’s Cono Sur is an emblem of sustainable farming and winemaking in the Southern Hemisphere, with a dozen certified sustainable vineyards that dot the country’s vast north-south expanse. Nestled amid the first-ever Pinot Noir vines planted in Chile more than 50 years ago, Cono Sur is globally recognized for its Pinot Noir offerings.</p> <p> </p> <p>Here are some top picks for winter wines that check all the boxes: sustainably sourced, delightful on the palate and suited for hearty, cold-weather fare.</p> <p> </p> <p><img alt="" src="https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/sites/default/files/winegrapes_pxhere.jpg" style="height:400px; width:600px" /></p> <p> </p> <p><strong>Bonterra 2019 Chardonnay, California</strong></p> <p> </p> <p>Bright stone fruit and citrus zest are framed by subtle notes of toasted oak and crème brûlée in this organically farmed California Chardonnay. A rich and creamy palate is balanced by uplifted acidity and clean minerality. A go-to white for roasted game.</p> <p> </p> <p><strong>Fetzer 2019 Shaly Loam Gewürztraminer, Monterey County</strong></p> <p> </p> <p>America’s #1 Gewürztraminer lives up to its reputation with exotic notes of melon, rosewater, candied ginger and a touch of warm cinnamon spice. This sustainably sourced and fragrant white from the cool-climate vineyards of Monterey County is equally suited for a turkey feast or spicy pad Thai.</p> <p> </p> <p><strong>Cono Sur 2018 Organico Pinot Noir, Chile</strong></p> <p> </p> <p>Crafted from organically farmed, estate-grown fruit in Colchagua Valley and San Antonio Valley, this medium-bodied Pinot Noir delivers intense wild fruit aromas of cherry and raspberry, layered over nuanced notes of toasted oak. Sip this elegant red with poached salmon, roasted duck or a nutty Gruyère cheese.</p> <p> </p> <p><strong>Bonterra 2018 Merlot, California</strong></p> <p> </p> <p>Ripe fruit notes of strawberry and pomegranate are framed by a subtle suggestion of dried herbs. Elegant tannins and a smooth finish make this organically farmed, robust red a winter favorite. Pour it alongside braised meat or tomato pasta.</p> <p> </p> <p><strong>This article was originally published by</strong> <a href="https://www.brandpointcontent.com/article/36829/how-to-green-your-table-(and-your-wine-glass)-this-winter" style="color:#0563c1; text-decoration:underline"><strong>Brandpoint Content</strong></a><strong>. It’s republished with permission.</strong></p> <p> </p> <p><strong>Highbrow Magazine</strong></p> <p> </p> <p><strong>Images:</strong></p> <p><em>--Brandpoint</em></p> <p><em>--Holgi (Pixabay, <a href="https://www.needpix.com/photo/38903/food-wine-salmon-potato-plate-meal" style="color:#0563c1; text-decoration:underline">Needpix</a>, Creative Commons)</em></p> <p><em><a href="https://pxhere.com/en/photo/981913" style="color:#0563c1; text-decoration:underline">--Pxhere</a> (Creative Commons)</em></p> <p> </p> </div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-tags field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Tags:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/bontera" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">bontera</a></div><div class="field-item odd" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/cono-sur" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">cono sur</a></div><div class="field-item even" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/fetzer" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">fetzer</a></div><div class="field-item odd" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/green-wines" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">green wines</a></div><div class="field-item even" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/being-green" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">being green</a></div><div class="field-item odd" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/sustainable-foods" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">sustainable foods</a></div><div class="field-item even" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/drinking-wine" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">drinking wine</a></div><div class="field-item odd" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/vineyards" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">vineyards</a></div><div class="field-item even" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/christmas-0" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">christmas</a></div><div class="field-item odd" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/new-years" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">new year&#039;s</a></div><div class="field-item even" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/holiday-parties" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">holiday parties</a></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-author field-type-text field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">BPT</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-pop field-type-list-boolean field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Popular:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">not popular</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-bot field-type-list-boolean field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Bottom Slider:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">Out Slider</div></div></div> Fri, 25 Dec 2020 16:20:12 +0000 tara 10075 at https://www.highbrowmagazine.com https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/11127-how-green-your-table-and-your-wine-glass-holiday-season#comments 5 Viral Hoaxes We Fell for in 2013 https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/3402-viral-hoaxes-we-fell <div class="field field-name-field-cat field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/news-features" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">News &amp; Features</a></div></div></div><span class="submitted-by">Submitted by tara on Sun, 12/29/2013 - 16:35</span><div class="field field-name-field-image field-type-image field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" rel="og:image rdfs:seeAlso" resource="https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/field/image/1hoax.jpg?itok=oO1eDfK9"><img typeof="foaf:Image" src="https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/field/image/1hoax.jpg?itok=oO1eDfK9" width="480" height="325" alt="" /></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" property="content:encoded"><p> </p> <p>From Loop 21 and our content partner New America Media:</p> <p> </p> <p>You never know what's true these days thanks to the Internet and people who have too much time on their hands. You saw the outraged "SMH"'s alongside shared stories of the stiffed NJ Waitress and the Thanksgiving "plane fight" on Facebook or Twitter. Some of you might have shared these made-up stories yourself. Here are some of the best (or worst) Internet hoaxes we fell for in 2013.</p> <p> </p> <p><strong>Manti Te'o Catfishing Hoax</strong></p> <p>Everyone now knows what catfishing is thanks to Notre Dame linebacker Manti Te’o's online-dating hoax involving his "dead" "girlfriend." Early 2013, Deadspin broke the news that Te'o's longtime online love who allegedly died never existed in the first place. The elaborate hoax was carried out by his friend Ronaiah Tuiasosopo, who apologized and said he was in love with the linebacker.</p> <p><img alt="" src="/sites/default/files/2hoax.jpg" style="height:450px; width:600px" /></p> <p><strong>Jimmy Kimmel's "Worst Twerk Fail EVER - Girl Catches Fire" Prank  </strong></p> <p> </p> <p>Back in September, late night host Jimmy Kimmel pulled off an epic prank on America that featured a video of a girl twerking upside down, falling and catching on fire. The first video was posted on YouTube and quickly went viral with 9 million views in one week. Some called it "the world's worst twerking fail" and others blamed Miley Cyrus for injecting twerking into the mainstream. Turns out it was all a FAKE -- the talking head orchestrated the whole thing with a stunt woman.</p> <p> </p> <p><img alt="" src="/sites/default/files/3hoax.jpg" style="height:600px; width:450px" /></p> <p> </p> <p><strong>NJ Waitress Denied Tip</strong></p> <p> </p> <p>Social media was outraged in November when they found out the story of former marine Dayna Morales, a New Jersey waitress who claimed she received an anti-gay note instead of a tip. The alleged note on the receipt said, "Sorry, I cannot tip because I do not agree with your lifestyle and the way you live your life." Morales' story spilled over nationally and she even received thousands of dollars from kind, sympathetic people all over. Turns out Morales forged the note. Morales' unidentified diner came out to reporters and said they actually left her a handsome $18 tip on top of the $93.55 tab. They also never scrawled anything about Morales' sexuality on the receipt. Unsurprisingly, Morales is</p> <p>now out of a job. Also, some donors said their money was  returned.</p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p><strong>Thanksgiving plane fight between "Diane" and Elan Gale</strong></p> <p> </p> <p>It was probably a slow news day when we breathlessly followed along the live-tweeted fight between "The Bachelor" producer Elan Gale and "Diane," a nasty airplane passenger in seat 7A who caused a scene for being delayed on her Thanksgiving flight. Because we've all met "Dianes" in real life, the Internet applauded Gale for sending the offending woman handwritten notes that chastised her unruly, self-absorbed behavior. As you know by this list, he punked us all...even actor Alec Baldwin. "So many questions unanswered about Diane. In 15 minutes I will post the photo and hopefully we can resolve all this," he wrote on Twitter. He then tweeted a picture of an  empty chair and this message: "I conclude by saying hopefully a few people got a few laughs over a slow Thanksgiving weekend."</p> <p> </p> <p><img alt="" src="/sites/default/files/4hoax.jpg" style="height:600px; width:463px" /></p> <p> </p> <p><strong>Kid's letter to Santa with HTML link</strong></p> <p>Mashable posted a squiggly, crayoned letter from an adorable tyke who wrote a letter to Santa containing an Amazon link to the gift he wanted. Our hearts melted into a puddle of snow until we found out that the letter was actually posted by Twitter user @Gequeoman. Also, as it turns out, a comedian posted it to the blog The Inclusive in 2011.</p> <p> </p> </div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-tags field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Tags:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/hoax" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">hoax</a></div><div class="field-item odd" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/hoaxes" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">hoaxes</a></div><div class="field-item even" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/2013" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">2013</a></div><div class="field-item odd" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/new-years" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">new year&#039;s</a></div><div class="field-item even" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/internet-0" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">the internet</a></div><div class="field-item odd" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/internet-hoax" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">internet hoax</a></div><div class="field-item even" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/jimmy-kimmel" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">jimmy kimmel</a></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-author field-type-text field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">Lorraine Chow </div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-pop field-type-list-boolean field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Popular:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">not popular</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-bot field-type-list-boolean field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Bottom Slider:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">Out Slider</div></div></div> Sun, 29 Dec 2013 21:35:35 +0000 tara 4039 at https://www.highbrowmagazine.com https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/3402-viral-hoaxes-we-fell#comments When Did Christmas Become So Commercial? https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/3396-when-did-christmas-become-so-commercial <div class="field field-name-field-cat field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/news-features" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">News &amp; Features</a></div></div></div><span class="submitted-by">Submitted by tara on Thu, 12/26/2013 - 09:48</span><div class="field field-name-field-image field-type-image field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" rel="og:image rdfs:seeAlso" resource="https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/field/image/1christmas%20%28tool%20Flickr%29.jpg?itok=07B6lWBO"><img typeof="foaf:Image" src="https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/field/image/1christmas%20%28tool%20Flickr%29.jpg?itok=07B6lWBO" width="480" height="320" alt="" /></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" property="content:encoded"><p> </p> <p>From <a href="http://www.loop21.com/culture/christmas-becoming-too-commercial">Loop21</a> and our content partner New America Media:</p> <p> </p> <p>Is Christianity losing its grip on Christmas? For many, Christmas is more cultural than religious.</p> <p> </p> <p>A new poll from the Pew Research Center surveyed how Americans celebrate the season and found that more than any other winter holiday, Christmas reigns supreme. According to Pew, 90 percent of Americans celebrate Christmas, including 80 percent of non-Christians.</p> <p> </p> <p>So do the Fox News pundits have a point with this "war" on Christmas narrative? The big takeaway from the Pew poll is this: Only half of Americans still view Christmas as a religious holiday.</p> <p> </p> <p><strong>The religious meaning of Christmas is getting lost</strong></p> <p> </p> <p>According to Pew, a third of Americans actually see Christmas as more of a cultural holiday, while others said it was both, or gave no opinion. Even the “religiously unaffiliated” get in the spirit: among atheists or agnostics 87 percent say they still celebrate Christmas. The country is also aging out of the religious aspects. Younger adults were the least likely to see Christmas as a religious holiday, at 39 percent, compared with 66 percent of those aged 65 or older.</p> <p> </p> <p><strong>Still, Jesus is polling better than Santa</strong></p> <p> </p> <p>The poll found that a total of 66 percent of adults between 18 and 29 believe that Jesus was born of a virgin, as do 76 percent of all other adults. However, the Red Man in the Suit is losing his grip. Even though 72 percent of adults had Santa in their homes as a kid, only 31 percent of those adults will perpetuate the Santa story in their own homes.</p> <p> </p> <p><strong>Christmas traditions are fading</strong></p> <p> </p> <p>Besides aging out of St. Nick, other childhood Christmas traditions are falling. Eighty-six percent said they would attend a gathering with family or friends on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day, down slightly from 91 percent who said they did this as children. About 86 percent planned to exchange gifts, a 3 percent drop from the 89 percent who said they did so as children. Other traditions such as sending holiday or Christmas cards, going caroling and attending religious services have dipped as well. 54 percent of Americans plan to attend Christmas services this year, compared with 69 percent who said they did it as children.</p> <p><img alt="" src="/sites/default/files/2christmas%20%28alliecreative%20Flickr%29.jpg" style="height:469px; width:625px" /></p> <p><strong>"Happy holidays" vs. "Merry Christmas"</strong></p> <p> </p> <p>Even though most of us celebrate Christmas, we're getting much more PC around this time of the year so as not to offend those celebrating Hanukkah, Kwanza, or nothing at all. As the Huffington Post writes, "The Public Religion Research Institute survey also found Americans largely prefer businesses to use the phrase 'happy holidays' or 'season's greetings' instead of 'Merry Christmas.' Most religious 'nones' said they preferred a non-religious greeting during the holidays, while two out of three evangelicals opted for 'Merry Christmas.'"</p> <p> </p> <p><strong>Christmas: likes and dislikes</strong></p> <p> </p> <p>The vast majority of Americans, at 69 percent, said spending time with family and friends was the best part of Christmas. Asked what they liked least, one-third cited commercialism, while 22 percent said the season was too expensive.</p> <p> </p> <p>The Pew Research Center interviewed 2,001 U.S. adults between December 3 and 8, by landline and cell phone. The margin of error was plus or minus 2.6 percentage points.</p> <p> </p> <p><a href="http://www.loop21.com/culture/christmas-becoming-too-commercial">Loop21</a></p> </div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-tags field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Tags:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/christma" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">christma</a></div><div class="field-item odd" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/santa-clause" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">santa clause</a></div><div class="field-item even" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/pew-research" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">pew research</a></div><div class="field-item odd" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/religious-holidays" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">religious holidays</a></div><div class="field-item even" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/celebrating-holidays" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">celebrating the holidays</a></div><div class="field-item odd" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/new-years" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">new year&#039;s</a></div><div class="field-item even" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/christmas-time" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">christmas time</a></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-author field-type-text field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">Lorraine Chow </div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-pop field-type-list-boolean field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Popular:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">not popular</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-photographer field-type-text field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Photographer:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">tool (Flickr); alliecreative (Flickr)</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-bot field-type-list-boolean field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Bottom Slider:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">Out Slider</div></div></div> Thu, 26 Dec 2013 14:48:41 +0000 tara 4022 at https://www.highbrowmagazine.com https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/3396-when-did-christmas-become-so-commercial#comments