Dinner Party Ideas

On April Fool’s Day, It’s No Joke: A New Survey Reveals that Americans are 12% More Foolish than Last Year

New York (PRWEB) March 31, 2005

Feeling a bit foolish today? That’s no surprise.

A new survey released in advance of the April Fool’s Day holiday says that Americans are 12% more foolish than they were just one year ago.

The results come as part of the Sixth Annual April Fool’s Day Survey commissioned each year by New York-based public relations consultant Jeff Barge. The telephone survey of 1030 U.S. households is conducted with the assistance of Opinion Research Corp. of Princeton, New Jersey, and has a margin of error of 3%.

According to the survey, 57% of Americans polled last year for the survey said they had “done something foolish” in the past year. This year, that foolishness quotient jumped to 64% — an increase of 12% in a single year.

“Nothing like this has ever happened in the six year history of this survey,” said Mr. Barge, whose clients include authors, appraisers, pen companies, dieticians, and even a Buddhist lama. “It is a totally surprising result. According to the survey, what this means is that the average American now considers himself or herself more foolish than either Paris Hilton or Martha Stewart. And that’s just plain alarming.”

Specifically, the survey shows spikes in foolishness in several separate groups.

Among those are:

1. Americans making over $ 75,000 a year: This is the highest income group in the study, and 70% of this group said they had “done something foolish” this year.

2. Americans Aged 34-44: According to the survey results, 72% of people in this age group admitted to having done something foolish this past year. “And this is a group that is still sexually active,” notes Mr. Barge.

3. Non-metro/suburban people: 69% of suburban and rural residents admit to having done something foolish in the past year.

“It would appear to be wealthy, middle-aged suburbanites that are causing this dramatic spike in the nation’s level of foolishness,” says Mr. Barge. “Faith Popcorn would call this ‘cocooning.’ But I call it ‘monkey business.’”

Recent advances in technology have also facilitated an increase in foolish activity, notes Mr. Barge.

Additionally, the study notes that while 66% of white Americans had done something foolish in the past year, only 56% of Black Americans had, and only 50% of Hispanics. “This will come as no surprise to most black and Hispanic people in America,” notes Mr. Barge.

Spike Has Experts Puzzled: Is Reality TV to Blame?

Experts are puzzled by the sudden spike in American foolishness, lead as it is by the 34-45 year old wealthy suburbanites.

“On the face of it, this is the ‘Desperate Housewives’ demographic who are suddenly becoming more foolish,” says Mr. Barge, who has a degree in history from a prestigious Midwest university. “This is a group with a number of defining features: they are still sexually active, and at the same time, they watch approximately 43 hours of television a week, which is equivalent to a full-time job.”

Sexuality has fed foolishness throughout the ages, Mr. Barge notes, and the advent of modern technology such as the hand-held video camera has only increased that trend.

But a number of recent studies indicated that television watching may also be a contributing factor to foolishness. In the case of an increase in foolishness, one only need look at the high percentage of reality television shows that are sending lifestyle ideas to today’s Americans, says Mr. Barge.

“The FCC has been closely monitoring the amount of sex on television, yet there is no indication that Americans are becoming sexier,” says Mr. Barge. “There is now, however, evidence that we are becoming more foolish, and at the same time that our nation’s television programming is promoting foolishness.”

It may be time for the FCC to shift its emphasis, says Mr. Barge.

Past Studies Show Cause for Alarm

Can television viewing change a whole society? A number of newspapers reported in 2002 that people who watched the television show Oprah were reporting extremely high levels of stress, even as Oprah’s programming focused on shows such as “Why Men Kill Their Wives,” with graphic personal accounts of crimes that would understandably make Oprah’s mostly-female viewing feel stressed.

Additionally, a recent study on British celebrity cooking shows such as “Nigella Lawson” and “The Naked Chef” (Jamie Oliver) found that — far from promoting fine cuisine — fewer people were throwing dinner parties due to the overwhelmingly high standards set by the shows. David Warburton, professor of psychology at the University of Reading, sent questionnaires to more than 1,000 people asking them about their attitudes to entertaining at home. More than half of those asked (54%) felt pressure to serve dishes as divine as those created by celebrity chefs. As a result 68% admitted they held fewer dinner parties than before.

Professor Warburton concluded that some people suffered from a disorder similar to social anxiety or social phobia. The British press dubbed the affliction “Kitchen Performance Anxiety.”

Similarly, when MTV imported the British stunt show “Jackass” to the U.S., teenage viewers in the U.S. famously responded not just by laughing at the dangerous stunts — but by mimicking them, often with disastrous results.

Australian researchers have noted that by the time the average child finishes primary school, he or she will have watched 8,000 murders and 100,000 other acts of violence on television, and that overexposure to television violence causes children to display symptoms similar to post-traumatic stress syndrome and could be a factor in the development of Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder. A 1994 article in the British Medical Journal reported that post-traumatic stress disorder was diagnosed in two children after they watched a television program on Halloween 1992 entitled “Ghostwatch.” Symptoms included psychic numbing and intrusive flashbacks.

According to University of Wisconsin psychologist Joanne Cantor, who has been studying the effects of media on children for 15 years, scares caused by television or movies can leave scars that last for years. Research produced by Cantor and others showed 26 percent of college students surveyed said they were still bothered by something they saw as children. Television and film are the single biggest preventable cause of nightmares and anxiety in children, according to this study.

“Research clearly shows that prolonged exposure to television can cause viewers to incorporate themes of the programming being shown,” notes Mr. Barge. “We should be fearful that the same is happening with the outpouring of foolishness on TV.”

Barge: Jury is Still Out

Still, Mr. Barge notes, the jury is still out. In the end, a spiking rate of foolishness may just be something that every society may experience from time to time.

As the renowned Taoist philosopher Lao-Tsu wrote in approximately 400 B.C.

“When rich speculators prosper

while farmers lose their land;

When government officials spend money

On weapons instead of cures;

When the upper class is extravagant and irresponsible

While the poor have nowhere to turn –

All is robbery and chaos.

It is not in keeping with the Tao.”

Results of the study can be obtained by e-mailing to Jeff Barge at BargeJ@aol.com. To verify the survey, the survey company, Opinion Research Corp., may be contacted directly at 609 452-5464.

###

©Copyright 1997-

, Vocus PRW Holdings, LLC.
Vocus, PRWeb, and Publicity Wire are trademarks or registered trademarks of Vocus, Inc. or Vocus PRW Holdings, LLC.

Find More Dinner Pary Ideas Press Releases

On April Fool’s Day, It’s No Joke: A New Survey Reveals that Americans are 12% More Foolish than Last Year

New York (PRWEB) March 31, 2005

Feeling a bit foolish today? That’s no surprise.

A new survey released in advance of the April Fool’s Day holiday says that Americans are 12% more foolish than they were just one year ago.

The results come as part of the Sixth Annual April Fool’s Day Survey commissioned each year by New York-based public relations consultant Jeff Barge. The telephone survey of 1030 U.S. households is conducted with the assistance of Opinion Research Corp. of Princeton, New Jersey, and has a margin of error of 3%.

According to the survey, 57% of Americans polled last year for the survey said they had “done something foolish” in the past year. This year, that foolishness quotient jumped to 64% — an increase of 12% in a single year.

“Nothing like this has ever happened in the six year history of this survey,” said Mr. Barge, whose clients include authors, appraisers, pen companies, dieticians, and even a Buddhist lama. “It is a totally surprising result. According to the survey, what this means is that the average American now considers himself or herself more foolish than either Paris Hilton or Martha Stewart. And that’s just plain alarming.”

Specifically, the survey shows spikes in foolishness in several separate groups.

Among those are:

1. Americans making over $ 75,000 a year: This is the highest income group in the study, and 70% of this group said they had “done something foolish” this year.

2. Americans Aged 34-44: According to the survey results, 72% of people in this age group admitted to having done something foolish this past year. “And this is a group that is still sexually active,” notes Mr. Barge.

3. Non-metro/suburban people: 69% of suburban and rural residents admit to having done something foolish in the past year.

“It would appear to be wealthy, middle-aged suburbanites that are causing this dramatic spike in the nation’s level of foolishness,” says Mr. Barge. “Faith Popcorn would call this ‘cocooning.’ But I call it ‘monkey business.’”

Recent advances in technology have also facilitated an increase in foolish activity, notes Mr. Barge.

Additionally, the study notes that while 66% of white Americans had done something foolish in the past year, only 56% of Black Americans had, and only 50% of Hispanics. “This will come as no surprise to most black and Hispanic people in America,” notes Mr. Barge.

Spike Has Experts Puzzled: Is Reality TV to Blame?

Experts are puzzled by the sudden spike in American foolishness, lead as it is by the 34-45 year old wealthy suburbanites.

“On the face of it, this is the ‘Desperate Housewives’ demographic who are suddenly becoming more foolish,” says Mr. Barge, who has a degree in history from a prestigious Midwest university. “This is a group with a number of defining features: they are still sexually active, and at the same time, they watch approximately 43 hours of television a week, which is equivalent to a full-time job.”

Sexuality has fed foolishness throughout the ages, Mr. Barge notes, and the advent of modern technology such as the hand-held video camera has only increased that trend.

But a number of recent studies indicated that television watching may also be a contributing factor to foolishness. In the case of an increase in foolishness, one only need look at the high percentage of reality television shows that are sending lifestyle ideas to today’s Americans, says Mr. Barge.

“The FCC has been closely monitoring the amount of sex on television, yet there is no indication that Americans are becoming sexier,” says Mr. Barge. “There is now, however, evidence that we are becoming more foolish, and at the same time that our nation’s television programming is promoting foolishness.”

It may be time for the FCC to shift its emphasis, says Mr. Barge.

Past Studies Show Cause for Alarm

Can television viewing change a whole society? A number of newspapers reported in 2002 that people who watched the television show Oprah were reporting extremely high levels of stress, even as Oprah’s programming focused on shows such as “Why Men Kill Their Wives,” with graphic personal accounts of crimes that would understandably make Oprah’s mostly-female viewing feel stressed.

Additionally, a recent study on British celebrity cooking shows such as “Nigella Lawson” and “The Naked Chef” (Jamie Oliver) found that — far from promoting fine cuisine — fewer people were throwing dinner parties due to the overwhelmingly high standards set by the shows. David Warburton, professor of psychology at the University of Reading, sent questionnaires to more than 1,000 people asking them about their attitudes to entertaining at home. More than half of those asked (54%) felt pressure to serve dishes as divine as those created by celebrity chefs. As a result 68% admitted they held fewer dinner parties than before.

Professor Warburton concluded that some people suffered from a disorder similar to social anxiety or social phobia. The British press dubbed the affliction “Kitchen Performance Anxiety.”

Similarly, when MTV imported the British stunt show “Jackass” to the U.S., teenage viewers in the U.S. famously responded not just by laughing at the dangerous stunts — but by mimicking them, often with disastrous results.

Australian researchers have noted that by the time the average child finishes primary school, he or she will have watched 8,000 murders and 100,000 other acts of violence on television, and that overexposure to television violence causes children to display symptoms similar to post-traumatic stress syndrome and could be a factor in the development of Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder. A 1994 article in the British Medical Journal reported that post-traumatic stress disorder was diagnosed in two children after they watched a television program on Halloween 1992 entitled “Ghostwatch.” Symptoms included psychic numbing and intrusive flashbacks.

According to University of Wisconsin psychologist Joanne Cantor, who has been studying the effects of media on children for 15 years, scares caused by television or movies can leave scars that last for years. Research produced by Cantor and others showed 26 percent of college students surveyed said they were still bothered by something they saw as children. Television and film are the single biggest preventable cause of nightmares and anxiety in children, according to this study.

“Research clearly shows that prolonged exposure to television can cause viewers to incorporate themes of the programming being shown,” notes Mr. Barge. “We should be fearful that the same is happening with the outpouring of foolishness on TV.”

Barge: Jury is Still Out

Still, Mr. Barge notes, the jury is still out. In the end, a spiking rate of foolishness may just be something that every society may experience from time to time.

As the renowned Taoist philosopher Lao-Tsu wrote in approximately 400 B.C.

“When rich speculators prosper

while farmers lose their land;

When government officials spend money

On weapons instead of cures;

When the upper class is extravagant and irresponsible

While the poor have nowhere to turn –

All is robbery and chaos.

It is not in keeping with the Tao.”

Results of the study can be obtained by e-mailing to Jeff Barge at BargeJ@aol.com. To verify the survey, the survey company, Opinion Research Corp., may be contacted directly at 609 452-5464.

###

©Copyright 1997-

, Vocus PRW Holdings, LLC.
Vocus, PRWeb, and Publicity Wire are trademarks or registered trademarks of Vocus, Inc. or Vocus PRW Holdings, LLC.

Find More Dinner Pary Ideas Press Releases

Gary Goldie Named Chef of the Year at Scottish Hotel Awards 2011

(PRWeb UK) March 30, 2011

Gary Goldie has spent the last thirteen years at Ardanaiseig honing his skills to become a world class chef with an international reputation for excellence. A former Medaille D’Or winner, and recent recipient of a 3rd AA rosette, Gary’s latest accolade is testament to his boundless talent and hard-earned popularity with customers and industry peers.

In response to the award, Gary Goldie commented “I am delighted to have received this award and would like to thank everybody in the kitchen at Ardanaiseig, particularly my Sous Chef Cornel Uys and Pastry Chef Kenny Whittle. Cooking is my passion. I think about ingredients and menus almost every minute of the day. When I am not in the kitchen, I am foraging for fresh ingredients or travelling to some of the best restaurants in the world. Although I often use international techniques in my cooking, I believe strongly in using fresh local ingredients wherever possible. Scotland’s countryside has so much great food to offer and I never tire of what’s out there and experimenting with how it can be prepared”

According to Hotel Manager, Peter Webster, “We are extremely proud of Gary and have long believed that he is deserving of this accolade. I would like to take this opportunity to thank Gary for his unrelenting dedication and passion– and our wonderful customers and industry colleagues for their votes and support.”

A seven-course taster menu at Ardanaiseig costs £50 per person. An overnight dinner, bed and breakfast stay at Ardanaiseig costs from £119. A one-on-one ‘Eat in Season’ cookery class with Gary costs from £85.

For further information, please visit http://www.ardanaiseig.com or http://www.scottishhotelsoftheyear.com.

Notes to Editors

ABOUT ARDANAISEIG

Ardanaiseig is a mysterious, baronial-style, 4* country house hotel that rests at the foot of Ben Cruachan, on the shores of Loch Awe in the Scottish Highlands. Its tranquil setting makes for an ideal romantic escape or relaxing retreat. The consistently high level of service under award-winning Manager Peter Webster draws people back to the hotel time and time again.

As well as being a delight to behold, Ardanaiseig is firmly established as a food-lovers hotel. The five-course gourmet meals never fail to impress, thanks to the unique culinary flair of Head Chef and Medaille d’Or winner Gary Goldie and his use of the very finest local and international ingredients. During the course of twelve years at Ardanaiseig, Gary’s reputation has gone from strength to strength as he continues to draw upon new inspirations and an endless resource of passion and creativity.

The ground, sky and waters around Ardanaiseig offer up an abundance of delightful ingredients. Gary regularly incorporates local produce into his recipes and can often be seen foraging or hunting for ingredients himself. The hotel as a year-round license to shoot roe deer and the Loch offers up a fine assortment of fish. In the grounds, garlic, wild leek, hogweed, purple clover, wood sorrel, meadowsweet, land cress, nettles, elderflower, elder berries, raspberries, blackberries and rowan berries, to name but a few, are in plentiful supply.

Whilst for some, Ardanaiseig is the perfect place to unwind or find creative inspiration, for others it is the resting place after a day of outdoor adventure. A number of activities can be arranged as part of a stay at Ardanaiseig – from horse riding, flying, sailing and climbing, to deer stalking, fishing, clay pigeon shooting and foraging.

Ardanaiseig can be hired for exclusive use and is particularly popular for weddings and celebrations. Ardanaiseig also offers gift vouchers for a number of special events an packages at the hotel, from murder mystery weekends and pamper packages to mushroom forages and wildlife photography breaks.

Ardanaiseig’s recent awards include Chef of the Year, AA 3 rosettes, AA 3 red stars, Intimate Wedding Venue of the Year, Gold Medal for Management Excellence, Gold Medal for Housekeeping and Romantic Hotel Restaurant of the Year.

About Gary

As a young boy, Gary spent several summers travelling across France in his father’s HGV. These trips had a huge influence, introducing new tastes, textures and culinary experiences. Gary vividly recalls a particular restaurant in which the guests, waiters and kitchen staff all sat together at a single table, tucking into course after course of fish, meats, potatoes and vegetables, each served on platters for all to share. France continued to have a significant influence on Gary thereafter, drawing him back time and time again for both work and pleasure. Eating in Michelin starred restaurants in Paris, Brittany, Bordeaux, and – most especially – Strasbourg, became a favourite pastime.

At sixteen, Gary began his career at the Hospitality Inn with Joe Queen in his home town of Irvine. He had went on to work under Ralph Porciani at the Craigendarroch in Ballater, followed by Bill Costly at Lochgreen house in Troon, then with Pat McDonald at the Michelin starred Epicurean in Cheltenham. After a stint as Head Chef in Tomintoul, Gary finally came to Ardanaiseig in 1997. Within a year Gary was promoted from Sous-Chef to Head Chef and has never looked back.

Gary’s Inspirations

During his time at Ardanaiseig, in addition to regular visits to London’s finest restaurants , Gary has accepted ‘Stages’ in a number of very successful London kitchens, including the Square with Phil Howard and The Restaurant with Marco Pierre White. The latter is of particular significance…..

Gary sites his biggest inspiration as Marco Pierre White. “Growing up in the kitchens when I did, he changed everything, including what we wore. Of course, it wasn’t just the butcher’s aprons- Marco was the one who made Michelin stars so important to us all”.

Gary has also been inspired by the likes of Nico, Hilary Brown, Ramsey, Robuchon, Ducasse, Bernard Loiseau and more recently Heston, Jason Atherton, David Everitt-Matthias. “I especially love what Paul Kitching is doing at 21212”.

Today, Gary simply wants to keep producing wonderful food. Every waking minute is spend thinking of new culinary ideas, experimenting with new ingredients, trialling new cooking methods and creating new menus.

###

©Copyright 1997-

, Vocus PRW Holdings, LLC.
Vocus, PRWeb, and Publicity Wire are trademarks or registered trademarks of Vocus, Inc. or Vocus PRW Holdings, LLC.

Gary Goldie Named Chef of the Year at Scottish Hotel Awards 2011

(PRWeb UK) March 30, 2011

Gary Goldie has spent the last thirteen years at Ardanaiseig honing his skills to become a world class chef with an international reputation for excellence. A former Medaille D’Or winner, and recent recipient of a 3rd AA rosette, Gary’s latest accolade is testament to his boundless talent and hard-earned popularity with customers and industry peers.

In response to the award, Gary Goldie commented “I am delighted to have received this award and would like to thank everybody in the kitchen at Ardanaiseig, particularly my Sous Chef Cornel Uys and Pastry Chef Kenny Whittle. Cooking is my passion. I think about ingredients and menus almost every minute of the day. When I am not in the kitchen, I am foraging for fresh ingredients or travelling to some of the best restaurants in the world. Although I often use international techniques in my cooking, I believe strongly in using fresh local ingredients wherever possible. Scotland’s countryside has so much great food to offer and I never tire of what’s out there and experimenting with how it can be prepared”

According to Hotel Manager, Peter Webster, “We are extremely proud of Gary and have long believed that he is deserving of this accolade. I would like to take this opportunity to thank Gary for his unrelenting dedication and passion– and our wonderful customers and industry colleagues for their votes and support.”

A seven-course taster menu at Ardanaiseig costs £50 per person. An overnight dinner, bed and breakfast stay at Ardanaiseig costs from £119. A one-on-one ‘Eat in Season’ cookery class with Gary costs from £85.

For further information, please visit http://www.ardanaiseig.com or http://www.scottishhotelsoftheyear.com.

Notes to Editors

ABOUT ARDANAISEIG

Ardanaiseig is a mysterious, baronial-style, 4* country house hotel that rests at the foot of Ben Cruachan, on the shores of Loch Awe in the Scottish Highlands. Its tranquil setting makes for an ideal romantic escape or relaxing retreat. The consistently high level of service under award-winning Manager Peter Webster draws people back to the hotel time and time again.

As well as being a delight to behold, Ardanaiseig is firmly established as a food-lovers hotel. The five-course gourmet meals never fail to impress, thanks to the unique culinary flair of Head Chef and Medaille d’Or winner Gary Goldie and his use of the very finest local and international ingredients. During the course of twelve years at Ardanaiseig, Gary’s reputation has gone from strength to strength as he continues to draw upon new inspirations and an endless resource of passion and creativity.

The ground, sky and waters around Ardanaiseig offer up an abundance of delightful ingredients. Gary regularly incorporates local produce into his recipes and can often be seen foraging or hunting for ingredients himself. The hotel as a year-round license to shoot roe deer and the Loch offers up a fine assortment of fish. In the grounds, garlic, wild leek, hogweed, purple clover, wood sorrel, meadowsweet, land cress, nettles, elderflower, elder berries, raspberries, blackberries and rowan berries, to name but a few, are in plentiful supply.

Whilst for some, Ardanaiseig is the perfect place to unwind or find creative inspiration, for others it is the resting place after a day of outdoor adventure. A number of activities can be arranged as part of a stay at Ardanaiseig – from horse riding, flying, sailing and climbing, to deer stalking, fishing, clay pigeon shooting and foraging.

Ardanaiseig can be hired for exclusive use and is particularly popular for weddings and celebrations. Ardanaiseig also offers gift vouchers for a number of special events an packages at the hotel, from murder mystery weekends and pamper packages to mushroom forages and wildlife photography breaks.

Ardanaiseig’s recent awards include Chef of the Year, AA 3 rosettes, AA 3 red stars, Intimate Wedding Venue of the Year, Gold Medal for Management Excellence, Gold Medal for Housekeeping and Romantic Hotel Restaurant of the Year.

About Gary

As a young boy, Gary spent several summers travelling across France in his father’s HGV. These trips had a huge influence, introducing new tastes, textures and culinary experiences. Gary vividly recalls a particular restaurant in which the guests, waiters and kitchen staff all sat together at a single table, tucking into course after course of fish, meats, potatoes and vegetables, each served on platters for all to share. France continued to have a significant influence on Gary thereafter, drawing him back time and time again for both work and pleasure. Eating in Michelin starred restaurants in Paris, Brittany, Bordeaux, and – most especially – Strasbourg, became a favourite pastime.

At sixteen, Gary began his career at the Hospitality Inn with Joe Queen in his home town of Irvine. He had went on to work under Ralph Porciani at the Craigendarroch in Ballater, followed by Bill Costly at Lochgreen house in Troon, then with Pat McDonald at the Michelin starred Epicurean in Cheltenham. After a stint as Head Chef in Tomintoul, Gary finally came to Ardanaiseig in 1997. Within a year Gary was promoted from Sous-Chef to Head Chef and has never looked back.

Gary’s Inspirations

During his time at Ardanaiseig, in addition to regular visits to London’s finest restaurants , Gary has accepted ‘Stages’ in a number of very successful London kitchens, including the Square with Phil Howard and The Restaurant with Marco Pierre White. The latter is of particular significance…..

Gary sites his biggest inspiration as Marco Pierre White. “Growing up in the kitchens when I did, he changed everything, including what we wore. Of course, it wasn’t just the butcher’s aprons- Marco was the one who made Michelin stars so important to us all”.

Gary has also been inspired by the likes of Nico, Hilary Brown, Ramsey, Robuchon, Ducasse, Bernard Loiseau and more recently Heston, Jason Atherton, David Everitt-Matthias. “I especially love what Paul Kitching is doing at 21212”.

Today, Gary simply wants to keep producing wonderful food. Every waking minute is spend thinking of new culinary ideas, experimenting with new ingredients, trialling new cooking methods and creating new menus.

###

©Copyright 1997-

, Vocus PRW Holdings, LLC.
Vocus, PRWeb, and Publicity Wire are trademarks or registered trademarks of Vocus, Inc. or Vocus PRW Holdings, LLC.