I’ve run across stories of interest but my family is more interested in making certain I don’t slab the turkey; and, so, like Sop, I’ve got cooking at the top of my agenda.
I’ll start with one still up on my screen and hope others will add items of interest or comments.
Left out of the Bailout: The Poor
As the roster of corporations and financial institutions in line for government bailouts seems to grow, some public-policy advocates in Washington are calling on policymakers to focus more efforts on the nation’s poorest. The ranks of the destitute are growing quietly but alarmingly as much of the world focuses on troubles surrounding Wall Street. “Recent data show poverty is already rising quite substantially,” says Robert Greenstein, executive director of the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. “There is a strong potential for more hardship and destitution than we have seen in this country in a number of decades.”
…Signs of the recession’s impact on America’s impoverished are increasingly apparent, Greenstein says, pointing to a dramatic rise in food-stamp caseloads in recent months. The number of people using food stamps has risen 9.6%, or roughly 2.6 million people, from August 2007 to August 2008, the last period for which data are available. Food banks around the country are reporting longer lines even as donations are falling….
A reminder on the eve of a day of Thanksgiving that Main Street is not the only street in town.
Rolling Stones Exile On Mainstreet Blues
Exile on Mainstreet, it’s a strange street to walk down
Exile on Mainstreet, it’s a strange street to walk down
[All down the Line]
Mmm heard the diesel drumming all down the line
Mmm heard the wires a-humming all down the line
Oh, yeah heard the women sighing all down the line
Oh, yeah heard the children crying all down the line
All down the line we’ll be watching out for trouble, yeah
[Tumbling Dice]
Women think I’m tasty
But they’re always trying to waste me
And make me burn the candle right down
But baby, baby I don’t need no jewels in my frown
‘Cause all you women is low down gamblers
Cheating like I don’t know how
But baby there’s a fever in the funk house now
This low down bitchings got my poor feet a-itching
Do you know the deuce is still wild
Baby can’t stay, you got to roll me
And call me the tumbling dice
[Intro]
Exile on Mainstreet, it’s a strange street to walk down
Now let it loose, now come on, let it all hang down
Eh round up those people, move them out of town
Gimmie little drink from your loving cup
Now shake your hip mama, keep me all shook up
Feeling so doggone happy like a natural child
Oh help me do the boogie all down the line
Come on Virginia, let’s shoot some dice
My sweet black angel, shine a light
[Shine A Light]
Saw you stretched out in room ten o nine
With a smile on your face and a tear right in your eye
Couldn’t see to get a line on you, my sweet honey love
Berber, jewelry jangling down the street
making bloodshot eyes at every woman that you meet
Come out baby to get a high on you, my sweet honey love
May the good Lord shine a light on you
Make every song you sing your favorite tune
May the good Lord shine a light on you
Warm like the evening sun.
Well you’re drunk in the alley baby…
[Happy]
Never kept a dollar past sunset
It always burned a hole in my pants
Never made a school mama happy,
never blew a second chance
I need a love to keep me happy,
I need a love to keep me happy
Baby baby keep me happy,
Baby keep me happy
Always took candy from strangers,
Didn’t want to get me no trade
Never want to be like papa,
Working for the boss every night and day
I need a love to keep me happy,
I need a love to keep me happy
Baby baby keep me happy,
Baby baby keep me happy
[Outro]
Exile on Mainstreet, it’s a strange street to walk down
Exile on Mainstreet, it’s a low down dirty ground