Thanksgiving has become a day of food and sports bacchanalia for many Americans. It is too often forgotten that only half of the passengers of the Mayflower lived through the first winter in Plymouth harbor. Ironically, it is probably closest to its historical roots, a day of gratitude for surviving brutal conditions, for those who are enduring physical or financial hardships but manage to get some respite and personal cheer today.
Excerpt from a longer post. Smith's blog Naked Capitalism offers cogent analysis and indispensable daily counter-spin on the economic news front--highly recommended for Turkey or any other day.