Happy Thanksgiving! PLUS: Playful polar bears & Sarah Palin's bizarre Thanksgiving message & "Show Me The Place" by Leonard Cohen

By Patrick

Happy Thanksgiving, everybody!

On this quiet day, let's turn our attention to a beautiful, uplifting story - polar bears and dogs, living in harmony:







Here is a beautiful video clip explaining this "special relationship" between the polar bears and the dogs shown in the pictures above:

(h/t to Maddie's Mom)

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Let's turn to some great music - the "Guardian" reports:

Leonard Cohen has released his first new song since 2004, taken from his forthcoming album Old Ideas. Show Me the Place is one of 10 tracks that will appear on the LP, due 31 January.

It seems Cohen has not traded in his famous blue raincoat. Show Me the Place shows all the hallmarks of his latest music, especially 2004's Dear Heather: synth strings, keening backing vocals, Cohen's baritone moan. It's a religious song typical of "[Cohen's] most overtly spiritual" record, according to a press release. "The album's 10 songs poetically address some of the most profound quandaries of human existence – the relationship to a transcendent being, love, sexuality, loss and death."

Click here to listen to Leonard Cohen's new song:

Show Me The Place

Kathleen and I are big fans of Leonard Cohen, whom we had the pleasure to see live in 2008 in Frankfurt, and we are very much looking forward to his new album!

(h/t Silver Desert)

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Last but not least, one of our Alaskan friends sent us the following photo of Sarah Palin with her two BFF's, Judy Patrick and Kristan Cole. The photo was recently taken at the wedding of Kristan Cole's daughter. Kathleen had her own thoughts about how the photo should be titled, but in the end, we decided it would be best if the readers should come up with suggestions. ;-)

(click to enlarge)

UPDATE - We received a new picture:

(click to enlarge)

Any ideas for captions...?

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UPDATE:

Mother Kristan Cole, Sarah Palin's BFF (and also one of the key figures in the ongoing "Dairygate" scandal) and daughter Kristi at her wedding:

In addition, we now know that the photos were taken on November 19, 2011.

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Sarah Palin herself released a truly bizarre Thanksgiving message - excerpts:

This need for selflessness - and the blessings that come with it - sharpened for me almost four years ago when I was given the gift of broader horizons, clarified priorities, and more commitment to justice and compassion for my fellow man who faces challenges and fears. I was granted this through a gift that arrived in a tiny, six-pound, awe-inspiring bundle. We named him Trig.

I know America's potential for goodness, thus greatness, because I see it every day through my son. Nothing makes me happier or prouder than to see America's good heart when someone smiles at my Trig. I notice it happens often in airports. Often a traveler passing by does a double-take when they see him, perhaps curious about the curious look on his face; perhaps my son momentarily exercises an uncontrollable motion that takes the passerby by surprise. Perhaps, as an innocent and candid child announced when she first met Trig, they think "he's awkward." But when that traveler pauses to look again and smile, and maybe tells me what a handsome boy I have, I swell with American pride. I am so thankful for their good heart. They represent the best in our country and their kindness shows the real hope we need today.

I am thankful that, as in so many areas of life, the bitter people who say bitter things about someone facing challenges are so outnumbered. There have been stinging criticisms, even from people still screaming that Trig should never have been born, but we know those critics may be the loudest and most malicious, but they're not the majority.

So it's the return of Trig, who magically "arrived in a tiny, six-pound, awe-inspiring bundle." And then there are the "loud" and "malicious" critics who wished he would have never been born (wherever they might be, I cannot find them, maybe you can).

As I said before, I sometimes wished I had never heard of Sarah Palin. But that's not really true, of course. We made many fascinating experiences and made so many great friends in the course of blogging about Sarah and researching her many scandals, and inspired other people to become and active and creative. I wouldn't want to have missed all of that!

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OK, some more. This cartoon is in honour of all our readers who have to put up with right-wing relatives at Thanksgiving:

OWS have their own Thanksgiving celebration in New York:

Their main website occupywallst.org reports:

This Thanksgiving, Occupy Wall Street is celebrating unity and community with an open feast at Liberty Square. From 2 to 6 p.m. at Liberty Square (Zuccotti Park) we will meet to share food, stories and inspiration. All members of our global community are invited to break bread with us.

"This is all about supporting the 99%,” said Megan Hayes, an organizer with the #OWS Kitchen working group, and a former high end chef. “So many people have given up so much to come and be a part of the movement because there is really that much dire need for community. We decided to take this holiday opportunity to provide just that – community."

More than three thousand individually wrapped plates will be distributed on Thursday in accordance with New York State Health Code. People in the community have opened their homes to cook meals. Roger Fox in New Jersey will be making 250 meals, Mia Valh and Alia Gee are also making large numbers of meals. A lot of community organizations are involved and Liberty Cafe in East NY donates space for the #OWS Kitchen working group.

Locally owned family business, Texas BBQ will be providing 2,000 of the meals. They are being purchased with donated funds and will be served along with the home-cooked meals from supporters and food from the People’s Kitchen at Occupy Wall Street. The Owners of Texas BBQ are Egyptian and are supporters of the Occupy Movement.

Indigenous voices, religious leaders, food justice activists and leaders from peoples’ movements around the world are speaking on Thursday at Liberty Square. Occupy Thanksgiving is a celebration for the entire New York community. All are invited.

There will also be a can food drive. Donations of cans will go to local food banks and pantries throughout NYC.

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UPDATE:

Here is a special Thanksgiving video - with some spicy OWS-mix at the end:

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UPDATE 2:

The ultimate 2011 Thanksgiving video with Megyn "It's a food product, essentially" Kelly!

Megyn Kelly Pepper Spray Thanksgiving - watch more funny videos

(h/t sunnyjane)

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UPDATE 3:

It's Thanksgiving, dinner is over, he/she is stuffed, so let's relax and have some more fun.

About one million parody pictures (almost!) with Lt. Pepper Spray Pike - this clip went just up on youtube:

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UPDATE 4:

I know that the novelty starts to wear off a little bit, but still, we don't want to miss the view of the Taiwanese on pepper spray - after all, the Chinese are having it for dinner, apparently!