In this task, you are given news articles and you need to generate a highlight, i.e., a short summary, with a maximum length of 10 lines.

NEW YORK (CNN) -- Most New Yorkers and visitors to Times Square know of The Naked Cowboy. The Naked Cowboy is part of the scenery at New York City's Times Square. For the past 10 years, he's the guy you've seen on the sidewalk, with the great body, strumming his guitar and singing, dressed in a cowboy hat, cowboy boots and underwear -- and nothing else, even in the dead of winter. As a native New Yorker, I will admit that at times, it has been my guilty pleasure to walk or drive by The Cowboy to see if he can bear the elements. To my amazement, he's always there and pretty naked -- in rain, sleet, snow, heat or bitter cold. I've even taken pictures.  Watch The Naked Cowboy in his natural habitat » . Well, it seems that Mars Inc., the makers of M&Ms, also knows about Robert Burck (The Cowboy's real name). Burck sued Mars this week for $6 million in federal court in New York. The allegations: trademark infringement under the Lanham Act and violation of his right of publicity under New York Civil Rights Law §51, arising from a video billboard for M&Ms. The video ad depicts an M&M frolicking around New York, in what kind of looks like Times Square, in what kind of looks like The Naked Cowboy's outfit -- briefs and nothing more than a smile. There have been plenty of jokes about the lawsuit, and I'm especially fond of the ones found on The Wall Street Journal Law Blog on Thursday, such as: . All jokes aside, I think he may have a case. In order for him to show trademark infringement, The Naked Cowboy has to be trademarked; has to prove that Mars, without his consent, infringed upon the trademark; and has to show there's a "likelihood of confusion" between his trademark and the allegedly infringing mark -- in this case the naked M&M. To state a claim under New York's civil rights law, Burck has to show that Mars used his name, portrait or picture for purposes of trade or advertising, and without his written consent. Surprising to some -- at least to me -- The Naked Cowboy's name and likeness are in fact registered trademarks owned by Burck. According to the complaint, Burck has licensed The Naked Cowboy name and/or likeness to companies for the purposes of advertising and endorsement. Mars, Inc., had no immediate comment. His character is part of the USA Network's "Characters Welcome" campaign; he appeared in a music video for the song "Rockstar" by the multiplatinum artist Nickelback; and he's featured singing in the video game "True Crime: New York City at Times Square." He also has appeared in several movies and television programs, including "Starship Dave," "Survive This," "Mulva: Zombie A** Kicker," "Steve Harvey's Big Time," "New York Minute," "Creature Feature," "Lonely Planet," "Troma's Edge," "American Icon" and "The Howard Stern Show." He even appeared in a Chevrolet commercial that debuted during Super Bowl XLI. And this isn't the first time a pseudo-celebrity (sorry Cowboy) has sued and won. Remember Vanna White? She was awarded $403,000 when Samsung used a robot, wearing a blond wig, jewelry and a dress, that turned letters on a game board similar to White's role on "Wheel of Fortune," the TV game show. Still laughing? I'm not. At the end of the day, this lawsuit may be the end of the era of the "naked" cowboy. I predict he will be able to afford some very nice duds. E-mail to a friend .
The Naked Cowboy, aka Robert Burck, registered his trademark .
He has filed a federal lawsuit against Mars Inc., the maker of M&Ms .
His suit seeks $6 million .

An 11-year-old boy's rendition of the national anthem at Game 3 of the NBA finals brought the usual appreciative applause Tuesday, but outside AT&T Center in San Antonio, his performance brought a darker reaction from some posters on social media -- and eventually an online backlash against their racist comments. See the performance by Sebastien De La Cruz . Here's a sampling of some of the unkind tweets that went flying around the Internet about Sebastien de la Cruz: . -- "Why they got a Mexican kid singing the national anthem -___-" from Daniel Gilmore. -- "How you singing the national anthem looking like an illegal immigrant" from Andre Lacey, proud father and firefighter from Augusta, Georgia. -- "Why is a foreigner singing the national anthem. I realize that's San Antonio but that still ain't Mexico" from Lewie Groh. -- "Who let this illegal alien sing our national anthem?" from Matt Cyrus. And the list went on and on. As for Sebastien, he said the racist comments have not fazed him. "For those that said something bad about me, I understand it's your opinion," said Sebastien to CNN. "I'm a proud American and live in a free country. It's not hurting me. It's just your opinion." Sebastien has been singing since he was 5 but gained fame in 2012 after being on NBC's "America's Got Talent" for singing his mariachi ballads with hopes of winning to help his younger brother get surgery for his hearing problem. Juan de la Cruz, Sebastien's father, hasn't taken the negative comments personally at all. "When he was on 'America's Got Talent,' he faced racism there, too. You can't satisfy everyone," said de la Cruz to CNN. "I think people reacted the way they did because Sebastien was wearing his mariachi outfit," said de la Cruz, "But, it doesn't make sense to listen to those people when most of the feedback we have gotten is positive. San Antonio supports Sebastien." A collection of the negative tweets was posted on Public Shaming, a Tumblr blog dedicated to outing and shaming racists' social media  posts. Other media outlets used that post as the foundation for the story, and the story took off from there. The blog highlighted 28 tweets from NBA fans who came off as offended and ashamed that the Spurs would allow the boy, who happened to have been born and raised in San Antonio, to sing the nation's anthem. However, Public Shaming must have suspected what would happen once the racist tweets were posted because most of the Twitter handles have been deactivated or the tweet has been removed. The blog posted screen shots of the tweets so it could continue to display the public microbloggers' rants. After the harsh reaction spread across the Internet, tweets supporting and defending Sebastien and vociferously denouncing his critics started to take over: . -- "That little 10 year old mariachi National Anthem singer has more talent and grace than the combined racist pig idiots on Twitter," from Mexican-American cartoonist Lalo Alcaraz . -- "Racist scumbag says Chicano kid singing nat'l anthem just "snuck into the country." This idiot's apparently of color too. @A2daO," from Laura Gonzalez, a Chicana Santa Rosa City Schools board member and middle school teacher. -- "Why are ppl so upset over a Hispanic singing the national anthem. He's probably got more roots in here than most 'Americans'," said Amanda Aguirre on Twitter. -- And, from the American Latino Museum, "We're proud of the 11-year old San Anto-native Sebastien de la Cruz for his amazing performance last night!" San Antonio is a multicultural city with more than 55% of the population being Hispanic and 90% of those people identifying themselves as Mexican according to the Pew Hispanic Center. For some Mexican-Americans, the incident was just the latest sign of a persistent problem they face: being treated as outsiders in their own country. "To see people acting this way doesn't make sense anymore. It's a demographic fact that the country is changing and Latinos are going to be behind that economic push that moves everyone forward," said Chon Noriega, director of the UCLA Chicano Studies Research Center, to CNN. "Cities like San Antonio are defining a trend of a nation." That the word "Mexican" is being used as a derogatory term is part of the problem, said Noriega, "It's become the N-word of Mexican descent. Yet it's also the name of a group of people in a neighboring country." It will take a lot more than some racist tweets to bring Sebastien down. The "boy with the golden voice" tweeted earlier today: "Please do not pay attention to the negative people. I am an American living the American Dream. This is part of the American life." Sebastien said today was like any other day, but he's always grateful to wake up to yet another day able to sing. He said he owes his positive outlook to his parents, family and everyone in San Antonio. See how Sebastien is handling the reaction . Follow Cindy Y. Rodriguez on Twitter .
Sebastien de la Cruz, 11, sang the national anthem at NBA finals on Tuesday .
Racists comments spread via Twitter after the Mexican-American boy's performance .
Sebastien stands resilient: "I'm a proud American and live in a free country. It's not hurting me."
Father says he isn't "taken the comments personally, can't satisfy everyone"

(CNN) -- "It's the most wonderful time of the year." That's what Andy Williams sang 50 years ago, and for some, the song rings true. For others, left cold by carols and gift wrap, urgings to "be of good cheer" can be devilishly hard to escape. Hard, that is, if you stick to your holiday routine. But what if you leave it all behind? Plenty of small-group escorted tours are still taking bookings for December, and if you're a solo traveler it's especially easy to snap up an available spot. Whether you're constitutionally immune to the holiday spirit, or just not feeling it this year, a few new faces and jingle-bell-free surroundings are bound to give you a boost. Here's a sampling of tours with open spaces for 2013, as of this writing -- some with last-minute deals for travel in the coming weeks. Around Turkey in 12 days . The real St. Nick hailed from Anatolia, the Asian portion of modern-day Turkey, which is nothing at all like the North Pole. The Christmas Turkey tour drops in on the saint's home town as well as some of the country's biggest draws, including the Blue Mosque in Istanbul, the "fairy chimneys" of Cappadocia and the shores of Gallipoli. From $1,899, not including international airfare, visa, entrance fees, and tips. December 18-29; 1-866-377-6147. Sand, Sea and Souks . Here, where the Sahara meets the Atlantic, you'll trade bargain-hunting in a crowded mall for haggling at a busy souk (marketplace). The Best of Morocco tour visits the exotic cities of Fez and Marrakech, as well as Roman ruins at Volubilis. It will also have you trekking by camel to stay in a Berber desert camp and admiring the ocean in Essaouira. From $1,279, not including international airfare, visa, departure transfer, most lunches and dinners, and tips. December 23-January 6;1-855-444-9110. Rivers and temples . Ready for a change of pace? You'll find it in more ways than one on the Laos & Cambodia Explorer tour floating slowly down the Mekong River. Witness daily life in Laos' Luang Prabang, a UNESCO World Heritage Site that blends traditional Lao and colonial French architecture; fly on to Cambodia to tour the legendary Angkor temples. $2,874 with promo code (given on website); does not include international flights, visa, meals other than breakfast, or tips. December 21-January 3; 1-800-663-5132. Mayan Mystique . This tour of the Yucatán Peninsula starts and ends in Cancún, but its focus lies in culture, not cabanas. In addition to exploring Mayan ruins at Uxmal and Chichén Itzá, your agenda includes the museums of Mérida and a once-functioning hacienda. You'll also hit the beaches in Tulúm and Playa del Carmen. From $1,799; does not include international flights, dinners, some lunches, or tips. December 21-30; 1-888-800-4100. Wonders of the West . The American West boasts majestic scenery and remarkable cities. Why choose between these experiences? Instead take a tour that meanders from San Francisco's Coit Tower to the towering sequoias of Yosemite; from the bright lights of Las Vegas to the shimmering sunsets of the Grand Canyon. $2,999; does not include transport to California, most meals, or tips. December 21-January 4; 1-888-800-4100. New Year's on ice . The Harbin Ice Festival in northeast China gives this tour a dazzling, color-saturated twist. After taking in sights like the Great Wall, Beijing's Forbidden City and the terra-cotta warriors of Xi'an, you'll fly to Harbin and ring in 2014 with a view of the festival's gorgeous ice sculptures, illuminated with a rainbow of lights and traditional paper lanterns. The next day, try the ice luge or other amusements at Ice and Snow World, the festival's theme park. From $2,299, not including international airfare, visa, entrance fees and tips. December 23-January 2; 1-866-377-6147. Ski the Tyrol . This Alpine ski and snowboarding getaway run by Topdeck Travel, which specializes in tours for adults under 40, lets you learn some downhill skills or practice those you've got. Get cozy in the Austrian village of Kirchdorf, where the day's outdoor activities end with the tradition of après-ski, also known as nightlife. During Christmas week, day trips to the Christmas markets of Salzburg and Innsbruck are optional at additional cost. $749; does not include international airfare, transfers from airport, ski pass, equipment rental, or meals other than breakfast and two dinners. December 21-28 or December 28-January 4; 1-800-607-1399. Costa Rica on the go . You might not need a New Year's gym membership after this active tropical getaway. Hit the ground -- or rather, rapids -- running with a whitewater rafting trip, followed up by rainforest hikes and kayaking through mangroves. Then enjoy well-earned relaxation in hot springs and mud baths. $2098; does not include international airfare, some meals, or tips. December 28-January 4; 1-800-488-8483. Climb Kilimanjaro . For a truly epic voyage, splurge on the Snows of Kilimanjaro tour, an ascent of the highest peak in Africa. Your first day will be spent acclimatizing in Arusha National Park; from there it's four to six hours of hiking a day, with arrival at the summit timed for sunrise where possible. Though the climb is tough, groups have often included septuagenarians, and tour operators boast a 97% summit success rate. Plus you'll travel in relative comfort with private igloos and porters to carry all but your day pack. $6,495; does not include international flights, some tips or a sleeping bag, which is recommended. December 19-28; 1-800-554-7016. Trekking in Patagonia . Snow-capped mountains, glaciers and sparkling lakes: Patagonia is a breathtaking wilderness at the southern tip of the world. And with some serious hiking involved, this trip may leave you breathless in more ways than one -- it's recommended for the physically fit. Your outdoors time is bookended with stays in Santiago, Chile, and Buenos Aires, and the trip mixes basic camping with hotel stays. $3,863; does not include international airfare, some lunches and dinners, or tips. December 22-31; 1- 800-970-7299. If you could go anywhere this December holiday season, where would you go and why? Please share your thoughts in the comments section below.

Visit the real St. Nick's hometown in Anatolia, Turkey .
Trek the national parks of the Western United States .
Spend your Christmas holiday hiking up Mount Kilimanjaro .
Ring in the New Year at the Harbin Ice Festival in Northeast China .