My Thanksgiving Wish For All

Few artists could touch our hearts with with a brush more than Norman Rockwell. Be thankful we still have these "Four Freedoms" and as the caption says - they are ours to fight for.

Franken (Non)Sense And Mirth Or Mini Ha Ha?

Oh my, the old pun machine is really cranked up today! The subject matter isn't quite as amusing to me, however.

Just think about the state (small "s" on purpose) of Minnesota. It nurtured some stalwarts of the political world in days past. Hubert Humphrey, Walter Mondale and Paul Wellstone. Whether or not you agreed with their politics, they all left an indelible mark. Then came Jesse Ventura and now Al Franken. Explain to me, please, what qualifies an alum of Saturday Night Live and a rather poor excuse of a talk show on Air America for the United States Senate?

It's no wonder Minnesota's best known small town is called Lake Wobegon! It's hard to grasp it's actually a fictitious place.

Let's get back to Mr. Franken. He is in a tight race against incumbent Republican Senator Norm Coleman. The race was so close a recount was automatic. I understand each wanting to win, I really do. I wonder, however, when scores of lawyers are being employed by both sides whether the ultimate victor will really be the "winner".

It seems like everything under the sun is being challenged. It has even been taken to the point where if a ballot has no mark for either candidate, it goes to "intent". Mr. Franken is demanding to know the names of those voters so they can personally be questioned. A judge has ruled that the candidates are entitled to those names.

Secret ballot elections are a fundamental American right. They ensure that everyone can vote their choice without peer pressure or harassment and that the choice of the majority prevails. That’s why we use private ballots to elect the president and members of Congress.

The concept has long been under assault by Unions; it should not be dismissed lightly. It's why the likes of Saddam Hussein can be elected with 100% of voters voting and 100% voting for him. It is a right we should fight for, not relinquish.

I leave categories blank on my ballots often. Sometimes I don't have enough knowledge to make an educated decision. Leave it blank. Sometimes I just plain don't like either candidate. I don't have "none of the above" to check off so leave it blank. How dare anyone, especially one of the candidates, question my "intent"! If I slipped up, it's my fault and the ballot should not be counted. Period.

I think the judge has set a dangerous precedent. Ill will is bound to follow, no matter how this sorry story ends. I can't put in print what I'd tell either camp if I were contacted with such a question.

The premise of the secret ballot makes ultimate sense. And it is no laughing matter.

This Goose Isn't Cooked!

Back in 1621 when the Plymouth colonists and the Wampanoag Indians first celebrated Thanksgiving it isn't know for sure that turkey was even on the menu. More likely there would have been venison, duck and even lobster, cod and eel. Plus the yield from their fields. So just how is it that the poor turkey got pegged for the job of being sacrificed as Sarah Palin touted a pardon?

One story has it that the 16th century version of Queen Elizabeth was feasting on roast goose during harvest time when word came that the Spanish Armada had been sunk thus thwarting an attack on dear old England. The Queen was so pleased she ordered up a second goose and from that time forward it became a favorite during harvest time.

Fast forward to the new world. The Pilgrims, so it goes, wanted to maintain the tradition but found wild turkeys to be abundantly available compared to the goose.

Not to mention that geese can actually fly and can be down right nasty if provoked. Wild turkeys, though they can be intimidating because of their size, aren't built for fast flight. I was witness to this often when we lived in Rochester NY and had a backyard full of them on a daily basis eating the leftovers from the bird feeders. That which the deer would spill after the birds that it was intended for were tucked away for the long cold nights. I can remember them coming onto our deck looking for food and peering into the kitchen if I hadn't filled the feeders on a particular day.

We didn't have a lot of Canadian geese among the foragers. They probably hung out closer to the lake. If the Pilgrims had had more geese, however, would we have ever had Mother Goose? I figure the expression "your goose is cooked" must have British origins. Of course there is also the goose that laid the golden egg. Rich history, those geese! Not to mention as a food stuff they are rife with fat and goose liver foie gras is cholesterol heaven.

So the poor old turkey falls prey every year. Other than the fact Ben Franklin wanted the wild turkey to be our national bird, what do they have to offer? Certainly not goose down comforters or parkas. All that comes to mind is turkey in the straw and what good is that?

Oh, yes, there is also turkey stuffing, turkey gravey, turkey sandwiches and turkey leftovers! It's really a blessing they are not very smart. Hopefully they are dispatched humanely. The one in the Palin video was probably struggling not so much because he realized his time was about up but that he had to listen to her try to put together a cohesive sentence!

"Yoga" Your Way, I'll go Mine!

There are times I am so glad I live in the good ole USA where freedom from religion is still allowed! Not that I am condemning the beliefs of others but at times they seem a little far reaching. The Christian conservative movement is an example in our country. In Malaysia it would seem to be the Muslims.

According to the BBC Islamic authorities have issued a fatwa telling the country's Muslims to avoid practicing yoga because of it's Hindu roots and because of that it may corrupt their thinking. Wow.

Here's my problem with that ruling. You see my "fat" wa-t-ever-you-want-to-call-it needs all the help it can get. Be it hip, pelvis, back or some combination of all three, the prescribed exercise routine I follow each and every day is all yoga based. So far it has been the only thing that has actually helped, even if only minimally. Nothing else has come close.

I really don't care if it's Hindu based, or even Muslim based, if it helps I'll take my chances. Just how deep breathing, gentle stretching and holding is going to corrupt my thinking is beyond my ability to understand. I guess though, it's the meditation part they find worrisome. You know, the part where you hold a position and meditate. Or think. That must be the part that potentially could corrupt. I usually lose myself in listening to my timer tick away the minutes. For some reason I rather enjoy the mindlessness of it and find it relaxing.

If I do meditate or think, like this morning, it was about whether or not I should write this post. I found that to be far more stressful than listening to the ticks. Stress is counterproductive but sometimes my mind does wander into thought. No matter how ill advised.

In explanation of Islam thinking, this was said, "Islam is a complete way of life. Islam is able to cater to the needs of Muslims; spiritual needs, intellectual needs and other needs, material needs. So there is no need to bring in elements from outside."

Just don't develop a bad back.

"Crap" Game

There has been much written about the reading Obama has done, studying past administrations, and what he has learned about successful governing. Engaging the opposition in a meaningful way seems to lead to success. I hope his roll of the dice with former opponent Hillary Clinton doesn't "crap" out. It would seem he has promised her everything but the kitchen sink and that too may also be in the mix. I hope there is more behind his choice than appeasing Hillery supporters.

Among the things promised to get her "yes" is direct access to him and being allowed to select her own staff. There are some ingredients that seem to be missing, however. Where will she stand in relation to Joe Biden, chosen for his foreign policy expertise, and the yet unnamed National Security advisor? She's not used to standing in line nor taking orders.

Speaking of Joe Biden for a minute, where is he? He hasn't been making headlines since his dinner with the Cheney's at the Vice President's residence. Is he already secured in the infamous "undisclosed location"? How does he feel about the choice of Hillary?

Okay. Hillary is smart, able and disciplined but her foreign policy experience is no more weighty than Obama's. I'm a little leery of on the job training when dealing with a multitude of nations that don't much care for us. Obama seems satisfied that Bill will toe the line. He's far more trusting than I would be. He's far more trusting, too, that Hillary won't use the very visible position as a platform to unseat him if his first term is shaky. I worry about that because I don't see a Tiger changing its stripes and it has always been about the Clinton's - together and individually.

One thing that hasn't been mentioned during all the hype, is that the biggest problem spots with which she will have to deal are country's that do not have a very high regard for women. I'm not sure a woman in the position of Secretary of State is the most prudent choice the President-elect could have made.

Of course Hillary is throwing the dice too. The expectations for her in this position are as high as those for Obama as President. Should she be less than successful her political career could be over.

It is a huge gamble for both - and for the country. If neither does as well as we would like, we're all going to be in trouble. As is our nature, we'll throw the bums out. Just like this year. Then we'll be looking at the Republicans again. Huckabee has already stated his interest in running again and of course Sarah Palin is still talking turkey.

Now that's a roll of the dice I can do without!