Good/useful/interesting articles and blogs

Creative ways to use Thanksgiving leftovers, by Mark Bittman: here. Let's hear it for Elizabeth Warren, my new lady-hero: here.

Have you seen this blog, Superbug? Interesting!

Two other good blogs about food politics: Food Politics and Politics of the Plate.

A fun, adventurous blog about sustainable living and eating: The Perennial Plate.

With full awareness that PETA and other animal welfare organizations are not always objective and can be dramatic, it is nonetheless crucial to try and find out what we can about how the animals that feed us are treated, during life and slaughter, and I appreciate the work these groups do. As you might know from reading Em-i-lis, animal welfare is a hugely important moral issue to me, and I use my purchasing power to vote in favor of animals treated with kindness, dignity and respect. If you're planning to cook a turkey for your Thanksgiving meal, please consider buying one raised in a humane fashion. If you're on the fence about this, consider watching and reading the following: PETA/turkeys, The Humane Society of America/Report on Chickens and Turkeys, The Sustainable Table's piece on Thanksgiving turkeys.

Sobering article about modern day slavery

If this doesn't absolutely revolt and stun you, I don't know what to say. I have such admiration for Somaly Mam and such vehement disregard for those who traffic for, run and solicit these brothels. A six year old? If you're interested in reading more about Somaly, visit her foundation's site.

Em-i-lis is snark-tastic, current affairs aren't helping

I am in such a cross, foul mood that there is nothing to do but own and go with it. Don't you hate days like these? I do. Every minor (or not) irritation feels amplified- why are people who shouldn't have been given a driver's license riddling the roads? Why is the gal in customer service pissy when you give a compliment to the store, as if it's an affront (rather than her job) to wait while you fill out the feedback form she asked you to complete? Why does Pottery Barn refuse to take me off their catalog list even though I've both Catalog Choice'd them and called twice to request? And why in god's name did Jerry Sandusky call in to Bob Costas' interview with his (Sandusky's) lawyer and then proceed to neither deny nor sound remotely contrite about what he's accused of having done? Seriously, did y'all see that interview? Bob Costas looked like he was going to pass out, the lawyer (who as at turns out committed statutory rape and fathered a child with a former teen client- wha!?) sat there blank-faced and then said he would certainly allow his children to play with Sandusky, and Sandusky went on and on about how much he loves young children, horsed around with them in showers, etc. It was absolutely surreal. Tom and I were rendered absolutely speechless.

Newt is going on about how Freddie Mac folks should be put in jail, but of course it turns out that he was paid $1.7 mill by them to lobby on their behalf, and Herman Stupid Cain forgets his talking points about Libya and blames it on having too many things swirling around in his head (this was another holy shit interview to watch). Rick Perry is probably sending Cain a big amen right now for taking the focus off his "I would close three departments but can only remember two" gaffe. What has this country come to in that any of these folks have any sort of following or credibility as presidential contenders? I wouldn't hire them for much of anything, much less something important that required multitasking, knowledge, curiosity and real opinions of their own.

At least Pilates was fabulous- it was endurance day, and I tell you, sometimes it is awesome to work your fanny off. Maybe I should attend another class this evening.