Friday Odds & Sods Was Up at Four Today for a PS4

As another celebration of Black Friday winds to an end, one hopes that the great gods of commerce have had their thirst slaked for another year.  Despite the cynical displays of consumption soon to grace the evening news, may I be allowed to admit that I still harbour some affection for the notion of giving thanks itself?  In our days of continuous wanting and continuous dissatisfaction, it is always nice to acknowledge how much that we do have and just how little it is one needs to be happy.  In that spirit, then, accept the following as a Thanksgiving helping of Friday Odds & Sods

• To begin, two articles to provide some context on the recent festivities, an overview of the political machinations of the Pequot and how Thanksgiving became a national holiday.
• In articles of the non-holiday nature, an account of the failure of international development to actually develop and an elegy for a fallen retail empire, and a mysterious Texas self-immolation.
• Finally, a song about the pleasure of both arriving to your destination and departing: