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Happy Thanksgiving!

"I think of myself ... as a troubadour, a village storyteller, the guy in the shadows of the campfire," (Louis L'Amour) once said. "That's the way I'd like to be remembered."

"He always felt that if he could get an education in public libraries," Kathy L'Amour says, "it is possible for anyone."

Education is manditory, school is optional. I wish L'Amour could have joined us for Socrates Cafe. http://socratescafe.meetup.com/82

Maybe if we'd met around a campfire...

(Yes, mandatory is misspelled above. Emerson said, “a foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds.” I’ve always put standard spelling in that category. Catagory? Maybe it’s time for me to spend a little more time in the library!)

The first Thanksgiving

The following account of the first harvest and thanksgiving observance at Plymouth colony in 1621 is from writings of two of the settlers, Gov. William Bradford and Edward Winslow, as compiled for 'The Pilgrim Reader' by George F. Willison. The spelling is that of the original manuscripts.

YOU will understand that in this little time that a few of us have been here, we have builte seven dwelling houses, and four for the use of the Plantation, and have made preparation for divers others.

We set last spring some twentie acres of Indian corne and sowed some six acres of barley and peas. And according to ye manner of the Indians, we manured our ground with herrings, or rather shads (or rather, alewives), which we have in great abundance and take with great ease at our doors.

Our corne did prove well and - God be praised! - we had a good increase of Indian corne, and our barley indifferent good. But our peas not worth the gathering, for we feared they were too late sown. They came up very well and blossomed, but the sun parched them in the blossom…

And although it be not always so plentifull as it was at this time with us, yet, by the goodness of God, we are so farr from wante that we often wish you partakers of our plentie.


(Today) there are LOTS of (GOP) folks still on the sidelines, including Iowa's Chuck Grassley, who appears happy staying unaffiliated. Jeb Bush would be a big get but one gets the sense he, too, wants to stay out of the fray. Ditto with his presidential brother and father. Is Arnold Schwarzenegger more interested in supporting Michael Bloomberg more than the eventual GOP nominee? The Doles, as a couple, could be a good one-day story for someone should they decide to pick a candidate. The NRA, if they truly put their political muscle behind someone, would a real difference maker. Like the Doles, Nancy Reagan would be a nice story for a candidate, particularly if she decided NOT to endorse John McCain. But since the Reagan library is hosting another GOP debate in January, she'll likely be on the sidelines. Frankly, the biggest "gets" will be when the two eventual frontrunners (whoever they may be) start fighting over the big-time dropouts.

ACROSS THE NATION: Primary calendar
November 21, 2007
GANNETT NEWS SERVICE
Jan. 3: Iowa caucuses
Jan. 5: Wyoming GOP caucuses
Jan. 8: New Hampshire primary
Jan. 15: Michigan primary
Jan. 19: Nevada caucuses, South Carolina GOP primary
Jan. 26: South Carolina Democratic primary
Jan. 29: Florida primary
Feb. 1: Maine Republican caucuses
Feb. 5: Alabama primary, Alaska caucuses, Arizona primary, Arkansas primary, California primary, Colorado caucuses, Connecticut primary, Delaware primary, Georgia primary, Idaho Democratic caucuses, Illinois primary, Kansas Democratic caucuses, Minnesota caucuses, Missouri primary, New Jersey primary, New Mexico Democratic caucuses, New York primary, North Dakota caucuses, Oklahoma primary, Tennessee primary, Utah primary
Feb. 9: Kansas Republican caucuses, Louisiana primary
Feb. 10: Maine Democratic caucuses
Feb. 12: District of Columbia primary, Maryland primary, Virginia primary
Feb. 19: Hawaii Democratic caucuses (Hawaii Republicans will have no primary or caucus.), Washington primary, Wisconsin primary
March 4: Massachusetts primary, Ohio primary, Rhode Island primary, Texas primary, Vermont primary
March 8: Wyoming Democratic caucuses
March 11: Mississippi primary
April 22: Pennsylvania primary
May 6: Indiana primary, North Carolina primary.
May 13: Nebraska primary, West Virginia primary
May 20: Kentucky primary, Oregon primary
May 27: Idaho Republican primary
June 3: Montana primary, New Mexico GOP caucuses, South Dakota primary


In today's Denver Post:

Rodgers (detective paid to dig up dirt on Ritter) was not working for the Colorado GOP, as had been alleged, but was paid $750 by Trailhead, a political group founded by former Gov. Bill Owens, oilman Bruce Benson and beer baron Pete Coors. Rodgers, the former chief investigator for the Harris County DA's office, declined to name his friend, but said he was retired and possibly under a criminal investigation.

Here's my comment on this disclosure, which I posted on the above article:

GOP Gang

It’s widely acknowledged that the state of Colorado has turned blue because of it’s powerful leaders, the four big financial contributors.

Where were our GOP leaders? Our Three Stooges, Owens, Coors, and Benson, were stabbing Bob Schaeffer in the back, supporting C and D, supporting A thru I, and conducting back-ally attack politics. Is it any wonder that it’s almost impossible to find GOP volunteers in Denver right now? Or that phone calls to GOP county headquarters don’t get returned? Why would anyone in Denver want to be a Republican for this election cycle?

December 5 is the deadline for changing affiliation to vote in the Republican or Democratic neighborhood caucus that will be held February 5.

We have a lot to be thankful for today, but that does not include the GOP in Denver. Do we rebuild or abandon ship?