Have a great Thanksgiving!

What is George W. Bush doing up there?

Are you not thankful he is gone?

This is a nice Thanksgiving scene.

The title at the bottom of the picture says–”Home To Thanksgiving.”

Is your life like this scene?

Don’t worry—Life was not really like that for the people in the drawing.

I wonder how many hours of work it took the woman in the drawing to prepare the Thanksgiving dinner.

Big shopping day ahead the day after Thanksgiving?

Scramble for those discounts before we all discount each other out of work as the rich get richer.

Here we have another image of Thanksgiving that does not ring so true.

People know it is not true.

We can’t forget what has been done in the past, though we should also be mindful of advances in human rights and human dignity in our history.

It is good that we can know the past and still seek to move ahead.

At least if you are not a Native American.

There are all types of pilgrims in the world.

People are looking to understand the world and to find the best way to live.

Please have a good Thanksgiving.

Use the day both to relax and to give some thought to life.

Thursday is Thanksgiving Day.

I hope you have a good Thanksgiving however you spend the holiday.

You don’t have to spend the day with family.

Maybe you don’t have family.

All people matter and the circumstances of your life have meaning and are of equal value to how others are living.

I take Thanksgiving Day seriously.

It is a day we can use to reflect.

I’m thankful that each new day is a new chance to do our best in a difficult world.

I’m thankful for complexity, contradiction and clarity.

I’m thankful for the capacity to think, learn and create.

I’m thankful for the ability to communicate.

I’m thankful for the people in my life.

I’m thankful I have ancestors who were Massachusetts Puritans and other ancestors who were from Southern Italy.

I’m thankful that the lives of other people have value.

I’m thankful for the ability to see and do right as I see right.

I’m thankful for the Earth and all existence that allows us to live. I’m thankful for the Earth in its natural state and for how we use the Earth so that we can live.

Please have a good Thanksgiving.

With Thanksgiving Day almost here, it is time to consider the voyage of the Mayflower and the impact of that voyage on history.

In the picture above, I have sought to recreate what it must have been like for a Puritan ready to board the Mayflower.

Such a person would have packed a bag, put on his Pilgrim hat, left home and headed over to the port for the long voyage ahead.

I feel the picture above shows exactly what that departure must have looked like back in the 17th century.

It is as if you were there.

A book I’ve not yet read but that is on my reading list, is Nathaniel Philbrick’s Mayflower. It was very well-reviewed. The link is to an interview with the author.

When the Pilgrims reached Cape Cod, the Mayflower Compact was signed to provide a framework and guidelines for the task ahead.

At the bottom of this post is the text of the Mayflower Compact.

As is well-known, the arrival of the Mayflower was not good news for the native population.

As well-known as this fact is, it always merits repeating. Where we live today was quite possible land once occupied by someone who did not wish to leave.

As our day-to-day lives go on, it easy to forget the larger context in which we exist.

Here is the link the excellent C-Span broadcasts about Mayflower Compact author William Bradford. If you click the video archives link on the left of the screen, you’ll be able to learn about Mr. Bradford and what it was like to live in Plymouth after the arrival of the Mayflower.

Here is an essay from the Memorial Hall Museum in Deerfield, Massachusetts about relations between Europeans and the native population of New England.

If you know history, you will have a better understanding of who you are and why the world is as it is.

The Mayflower Compact—-

In the name of God, Amen. We whose names are underwritten, the loyal subjects of our dread Sovereign Lord King James, by the Grace of God of Great Britain, France and Ireland, King,Defender of the Faith, etc.

Having undertaken, for the Glory of God and advancement of the Christian Faith and Honour of our King and Country, a Voyage to plant the First Colony in the Northern Parts of Virginia, do by these presents solemnly and mutually in the presence of God and one of another, Covenant and Combine ourselves together into a Civil Body Politic, for our better ordering and preservation and furtherance of the ends aforesaid; and by virtue hereof to enact, constitute and frame such just and equal Laws, Ordinances, Acts, Constitutions and Offices, from time to time, as shall be thought most meet and convenient for the general good of the Colony, unto which we promise all due submission and obedience. In witness whereof we have hereunder subscribed our names at Cape Cod, the 11th of November, in the year of the reign of our Sovereign Lord King James, of England, France and Ireland the eighteenth, and of Scotland the fifty-fourth. Anno Domini 1620

Houston Mayoral candidate Gene Locke puts his campaign signs everywhere.

Above are some that have popped up like mushrooms.

( Here is a link to a U. of Illinois horticulturist writing about how the limit the spread of mushrooms on your lawn. Gene Locke could stop of the spread of his signs by simply being a good citizen of our community.)

The signs in the picture may well be legally-placed. However ,the Locke campaign has signs on highway overpasses all over the city.

I saw such signs last week on 45 South headed to Galveston.

I saw them again today on 45 North headed to the airport.

I wish I had a picture of the highway signs, but it did not seem a good idea to take pictures while driving on the highway.

Though if you have been on our highways in Houston, maybe you have seen these signs.

Such signs are illegal and will cost taxpayer dollars to remove.

It is not just that Mr. Locke has campaign signs where they should not be, it is also that he consorts with gay bashers.

My fellow Houston blogger, David Ortez, found that anti-gay activist Dave Wilson has given $2000 to the Locke campaign.

Mr. Locke very much wants the support of local gay-bashers.

Is there anything decent and hopeful about the Locke campaign?

If there is, Mr. Locke has kept it well-hidden.

If only he would keep his campaign signs well-hidden.

Here is the weekly round-up of the Texas Progressive Alliance. The Texas Progressive Alliance is a confederation of the best political bloggers in Texas.

With the round-up this week are links to some Texas-specific Thanksgiving recipes. With these links, you can make up a Texas Thanksgiving menu for you and yours—Wherever you live!

(Above—Texans enjoy celebrating Thanksgiving. I’m sure Disqo Disco at the Fallout Lounge in Dallas is a hopping place.)

Here is a Tex-Mex Thanksgiving lineup from the Dallas Morning News.

Southwest Flair Magazine offers up a so-called Texas-sized Thanksgiving menu. As you might suspect, this menu is quite inclusive.

Texas Cooking.com tells you how to cook a turkey. I imagine that one would cook a turkey much the same way everywhere, but maybe there is a special Texas touch. If so, here is your chance to learn this touch.

Texas Cooking.com also has instructions for a stuffing made with Texas oysters. Regular readers of this blog will know that the Texas coast is my favorite part of the state. I would indeed enjoy some oyster stuffing.

I suppose a proper Texas Thanksgiving would offer up a pecan pie. I have maybe one or two slices of pecan pie each year. But I’m not a native. Maybe native Texans eat pecan pie with every meal. A blog called Homesick Texan has a pecan pie recipe.

There you have it folks–All you need to know for a fine Texas Thanksgiving.

The round-up—

TXsharon continues to follow the abuses of Aruba Petroleum in a Barnett Shale backyard and Wednesday the Wise County Messenger picked up the story. It’s all on Bluedaze: DRILLING REFORM FOR TEXAS.

CouldBeTrue of South Texas Chisme is really p*ssed that some South Texas Democrats voted against women’s health care.

WhosPlayin posted an interview with Neil Durrance, the Democratic candidate seeking to unseat Michael Burgess in Congressional District 26.

A guest post from the ReEnergize Texas blog is the pick of the week over at Texas Vox, where we were quite disappointed that the Georgetown city council snubbed students over nuclear power.

WCNews at Eye On Williamson posts on some of the talk this past week about raising the statewide gas tax. All that being said there are only two options to pay for transportation in Texas. Which will we choose: taxes or tolls?.

McBlogger takes a look at Sen. Hutchison’s decision not to resign from her Senate seat.

Off the Kuff looks at a threatened outbreak of homophobic behavior in the Houston mayor’s race.

The War on Christmas starts early at The Texas Cloverleaf, complete with a beach landing at Walmart.

Sue Schechter announced for Harris County Clerk last week and PDiddie atBrains and Eggs caught the press release.

With Thanksgiving almost here, Neil at Texas Liberal ran a picture of a sultry pilgrim holding a turkey, and included in this post information about the status of women in colonial New England.

I got the Swine Flu nasal vaccine today.

This even though the Swine Flu is simply a plot hatched by labor unions and Mexican drug cartels.

Did the Swine Flu nasal vaccine shoot nanochips into my blood?

I might be programmed like a Cylon!

Well—If it is a plot under the orders of President Obama, I’m already a Godless Socialist.

I would have never gotten the vaccine under President Bush. His version of the vaccine would have turned me into a right-wing nut.

This is from the link above about the nanochips—

“I am not an expert in biophysics by any means, but someone who is qualified in this field proposed the idea that a nanochip in a “swine flu” vaccine could interact with heavy metals such as mercury and aluminium, also in that same vaccine in large quantities, to turn your body into a type of receiver for electromagnetic waves….These electromagnetic waves sent at certain frequencies from various points (HAARP facilities?) could activate the heavy metals inside your body, influence biochemical and physical components and alter your emotions.”

Swine Flu may have peaked in many parts of the nation, but this may only be a prelude to a another wave of the affliction later this winter.

I don’t want you to get the flu.  I want you to wash your hands. Here are some tips on proper hand washing from the Centers for Disease Control—

When washing hands with soap and water:

• Wet your hands with clean running water and apply soap. Use warm water if it is available.
• Rub hands together to make a lather and scrub all surfaces.
• Continue rubbing hands for 20 seconds. Need a timer? Imagine singing “Happy Birthday” twice through to a friend!
• Rinse hands well under running water
• Dry your hands using a paper towel or air dryer. If possible, use your paper towel to turn off the faucet

There are many good hand washing web sites if you look the subject up.

The Swine Flu may seem to be abating wherever it is you live, but it is very possible it may come back.

Please take steps to avoid the Swine Flu so that you do not get sick.

Thanksgiving Day is almost here and you need to know when to thaw your turkey.

Though you do have the option of a vegetarian Thanksgiving.

The folks at PETA would like you to consider a veggie Thanksgiving.

( Please click here for my other sultry Pilgrim post this Thanksgiving.)

VegCooking. com has meat-free Thanksgiving recipes.

As for me. I’ll be having turkey and I would like the turkey to thawed correctly.

These turkeys below are thawed, but they seem not quite ready for the table.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture has some guidelines for thawing a turkey.

Follow these guidelines so you do not poison your family and guests.

Should your guests be poisoned, think of how better we would be with a government option for health insurance and universal coverage so that all the guests you’ve made sick could get good care.

From the USDA instructions—

Fresh or Frozen?

Fresh Turkeys

• Allow 1 pound of turkey per person.
• Buy your turkey only 1 to 2 days before you plan to cook it.
• Keep it stored in the refrigerator until you’re ready to cook it. Place it on a tray or in a pan to catch any juices that may leak.
• Do not buy fresh pre-stuffed turkeys. If not handled properly, any harmful bacteria that may be in the stuffing can multiply very quickly.

Frozen Turkeys

• Allow 1 pound of turkey per person.
• Keep frozen until you’re ready to thaw it.
• Turkeys can be kept frozen in the freezer indefinitely; however, cook within 1 year for best quality.

Do not play around with this stuff. Do not make others sick.

Here is more of what the USDA suggests—

Thawing Your Turkey

There are three ways to thaw your turkey safely — in the refrigerator, in cold water, or in the microwave oven.

Keep the turkey in its original wrapper. Place it on a tray or in a pan to catch any juices that may leak. A thawed turkey can remain in the refrigerator for 1 to 2 days. If necessary, a turkey that has been properly thawed in the refrigerator may be refrozen.

Wrap your turkey securely, making sure the water is not able to leak through the wrapping. Submerge your wrapped turkey in cold tap water. Change the water every 30 minutes. Cook the turkey immediately after it is thawed. Do not refreeze.

In the Microwave Oven

• Check your owner’s manual for the size turkey that will fit in your microwave oven, the minutes per pound, and power level to use for thawing.
• Remove all outside wrapping.
• Place on a microwave-safe dish to catch any juices that may leak.
• Cook your turkey immediately. Do not refreeze or refrigerate your turkey after thawing in the microwave oven.

I was unable to convince these seagulls that I meant no harm while walking on the beach in Galveston three days ago.

It is not that I talked to them or sought to reason with them.

Though I would try if I thought it would help.

They just flew away from me because I was within 10 feet of where they were walking around on the beach.

Signals get crossed or people are not willing to listen—- And good, or at least neutral, intentions make no difference.

I went to the Annise Parker web page today to see if she had moved ideologically to the left in her campaign for Mayor now that she has released a poll saying she has a 13 point lead on Gene Locke in the Mayoral runoff election.

I thought that maybe being ahead in the polls would free her up to speak a little more truth than she has so far in the campaign.

Ms. Parker’s campaign has been touting Ms. Parker, a Democrat, as a so-called “fiscal conservative.”

It is obnoxious and disheartening that a Democrat is making this claim in a majority Democratic city.

If I want a so-called fiscal conservative, I’ll vote for a Republican.  Given the absence of a Republican in the runoff in our majority-Democratic City of Houston, maybe what folks in Houston want is a government that helps people and that has a place in people’s lives.

While visiting Ms. Parker’s web home, I checked out the list of supporters her campaign team has complied.

Below is the link to that list. (You’ll have to cut and paste it–Sorry. I’ve got this new Apple computer and it is giving me fits. I can’t get links inserted into the blog that you don’t have to cut and paste. I’m sure I’ll figure it all out with time. Maybe.)

http://www.anniseparker.com/supporters/

My blog is on the list!

I have indeed endorsed Ms. Parker. It is correct to put my blog on this list.

Though if you read the post, it was not a fully flattering endorsement.

http://texasliberal.wordpress.com/2009/10/28/with-hestiancy-im-voting-for-annise-parker-for-mayor-of-houston/

Nor is this more recent post 100% supportive of Ms. Parker–

http://texasliberal.wordpress.com/2009/11/15/gene-locke-willing-to-tell-bigger-lies-than-annise-parker-to-win-right-wing-voters/

The comment beneath the 11/15 post is one of my fellow Houston progressive bloggers suggesting that I was smoking weed while writing the post.

Ha!–Nope. Maybe just drinking some carrot juice.

I give the Parker people credit for putting my blog on the list of supporters.

Maybe they are thick-skinned—That is a good trait to have.

Maybe —To paraphrase the 1964 Barry Goldwater campaign—in their hearts they know I’m right.

Maybe it is a small joke on me. You can’t click though to my blog from the Parker site. So as far as anybody knows, I’m 100% on-board.

I hope it is to some extent a joke at my expense.

Better than playing a joke on others, is a joke at one’s own expense.

All the world is a stage.

I just hope that Ms. Parker recalls I was a supporter even before the first round of voting two weeks ago.

I’m looking for an appointment as city alligator commissioner. I’m hoping the city will give me a boat to cruise up and down the bayous and a net to catch the gators.

A few days back, I mailed a letter for the first time in at least 3 or 4 years.

Below you see my notecard, envelope, dictionary and pen.

I mailed the letter to someone I know in Amsterdam.

I’m thinking that I may start to write a letter each week.

I bet there is somebody in the world who would be happy to get a letter from you.

People should slow down and reflect and keep in touch with others.

If you don’t, you’ll always be rushed and out of touch. Who wants to live like that?

Here is a picture of a staircase that leads to the ocean. I took this picture yesterday.

The staircase extends from the Galveston Seawall to the Gulf of Mexico.

The oceans are all connected and occupy a great deal of the Earth’s surface. Though you would not get very far into all that connectedness if you were to walk down this staircase.

There is a path to feeling connected to more of our world. The most obvious and visible route may not be the route to that feeling of connection.

It is always good to read a book with lunch or with any meal.

Find some time by yourself and use that time to read and think.

With my seafood platter in Galveston today, I read Names On The Land—A Historical Account Of Place-Naming In The United States. This book, written by George Stewart, was first published in 1945 and revised in 1957 and 1967.

As you might guess from the title, this book discusses how place names orginated in the U.S.

For example—Wheeling, as on Wheeling, West Virginia, comes from a Native American word that means ” place of the head.”

This is the name of Wheeling becuase the city was founded at a place where these native people had killed a captive of some sort and stuck his head on a sharp pole.

This morning there was no sun at all in Houston and Galveston. As you can see by the picture, there is at least some sun now in Galveston and the Gulf of Mexico.

Things are looking up.

Though clouds or sun, it is always a good day to take a walk in Galveston.

Gene Locke, a Democrat running for Mayor of Houston, has apparently entered into a coalition or agreement of some kind with local far-right conservatives.

Mr. Locke’s rival for Mayor, City Controller Annise Parker, is a lesbian. These conservatives don’t want a gay Mayor. Mr. Locke, a black man, seems willing to use these prejudices to help get elected.

Ms. Parker has also sought the support of Republicans and conservatives in this election. The Mayor’s race has not featured a credible Republican candidate, so Democrats Locke and Parker have in essence lied to convey the idea that they are acceptable to Republicans.

( Does Ms. Parker think that Republicans here in Houston, Texas who might vote for her are enlightened in some fashion? Could she please point us to the enlightened wing of the Republican Party in Texas?)

Mr. Locke has no known history of bias towards gay folks. It’s clear enough that he’ll do pretty much anything to win.

Ms. Parker will not do anything to win. She would likely lose a “lie-off” with Mr. Locke. I doubt she’ll fake hating black folks to win that segment of the hate vote.

Another thing Ms. Parker hasn’t done to win is energize the Democratic base in our majority-Democratic city of Houston with a consistent focus on social and economic justice and fair play.

Mr. Locke is a wrongdoer. Decent folks in our city would be crazy to vote this guy.

As for Ms. Parker—I can offer my enthusiastic support of the clear fact that she is at least not Gene Locke.

An Islamic person is the alleged shooter in the Fort Hood massacre earlier this week.

There is a mosque that has connections to Houston that is under federal investigation for links to Iran—but nothing yet has been established as certain.

Muslim individauls are seen by many in our nation as guilty by defintion for acts of terrorism.

But the fact is that there are hundreds of millions of Muslims in the world, and very few of them want trouble.

They want satellite television and Coca-Cola and porn and soccer and they want their kids to be able to come to America and get high SAT math scores.

It is possible that many Muslims could be complicent by silence to bad acts. Though this is a charge that could be brought against people all around the world.

It is often the simplest stuff that needs to be repeated the most.

Even decent people can fall into a mental habit of seeing people for something other than what they truly are in life.

There are hundreds of millions of Muslim folks in the world and very few of them want any trouble.