>>> Photobombing
In case you haven't noticed, people have been taking a lot more pictures since the invention of the smartphone. As a result, countless individuals go out of their way to make chance encounters as memorable as possible-for themselves. The word photobombing, meaning popping up in a photo uninvited, first appeared online in 2008 and was enshrined in the Merriam-Webster Dictionary in 2015.
The oldest known example of this odd behavior took place in the early 1850s, when a woman named Sally sat alongside a Mrs. Reed for a photographic portrait by Mary Dillwyn. We know these details because they were written on the picture, which we still have in the National Library of Wales. The ladies are dressed fashionably: high collars, dark dresses, and shawls and bonnets that look as if they once belonged to Whistler's mother. What we don't know is why the smug young girl with the grinning face in the top-left corner peering around a screen decided to upstage their portrait.
>>> Reboots
Stop us if this sounds familiar: "Hollywood frequently digs up old plots, remaking successful movies of the past ... and inevitably watering them down. This sterile rehashing and stealing of stories... is significant." If you think that comes from an angry critic reviewing the latest iteration of Planet of the Apes, think again. Social critic Trent Hutter wrote that complaint in the 1950s.
This story is from the October 2024 edition of Reader's Digest US.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the October 2024 edition of Reader's Digest US.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
Election Day Memories - Stories about voting by the people, for the people
A Convincing Argument When my boyfriend and I were finally old enough to vote in our first presidential election, we spent months debating with one another about our chosen candidates. We were quite persuasive, as we discovered when we got home from the polls and learned that we'd both voted for the other's initial choice.―SHERRY FOX Appleton, WI
A New Way to Monitor Blood Sugar
Who can benefit from this wearable technology
A Flag for Dad
An old sailor made a last wish. His son was determined to see that it came true.
Sisterhood to Last a Lifetime
These college pals teach a master class in how to maintain a friendship for 50-plus years
...TO DIE ON A HOCKEY RINK
ONE MINUTE I WAS PLAYING IN MY BEER LEAGUE, THE NEXT I WAS IN THE HOSPITAL
Yes, There's a Museum for That!
These collections are wacky, wonderful and worth a visit
Town Meeting Is Called!
Once a year, the people of Elmore, Vermont, gather to practice a cherished right: democracy
Just Tight
Broken, battered and trapped in a ravine for days, a desperate driver wonders, \"Will anyone find me?\"
WHY OUR BODIES DON'T DIG DAYLIGHT SAVING TIME
Twice a year, when we spring ahead and fall back, we're more prone to sleepiness, depression and accidents
MONEYSAVING DO'S AND DON'TS
The run-up to the holidays doesn't have to bah-humbug your budget. A shopping expert shares strategies for saving big now and all year round.
