Thanks Giving

Welcome to the week of Thanksgiving. Our designated day for giving thanks for all we have. It's also the day before Christmas, if you know what I mean and I'm sure you do. (Actually, it used to be the day before Christmas. Now it seems that Halloween serves that purpose.) Regardless, it's a quintessential American holiday, one we should take better advantage of. More about that in a minute.

Thanks to the many readers who appreciated the iPhone apps suggestions offered last week. While I'm still awaiting that call from Steve Jobs (must have been a busy week for him), your cards and letters were terrific. Several of you forwarded ideas about the need for an app for bad drivers. Not to disappoint, I present to you:

• It's the FAST Lane, Idiot! (Icon: Cha Sa-Soon, above, the 68-year-old South Korean woman who passed her country's written driver's-license exam on her 950th attempt) App allows user to photograph the license plate of any car impeding user's progress. Using the iPhone's GPS, app calculates speed and location of targeted car. If below the legal speed limit, app automatically sends license plate photo to local Highway Patrol office which, in turn, forwards a citation to car's owner. Version 2.0 (expected late 2010) will inform user's auto insurance company of user's concern for safety, resulting in an immediate lowering of user's premiums.

That was a bit wordy, but you get the point. And, hey, who wouldn't want that app?

Speaking of Cha Sa-Soon, she finally scored the 60% required after taking the exam nearly every day since April 2005. You might call that persistence. I call that lunacy! It took 950 tries to get 60% right? (Of course this made me wonder how often someone can take the exam to become a licensed surgeon, but let's not go there.) And they gave her a license to drive a car? On public streets? You say that she lives in South Korea, but think of her the next time you're in this. You know there's someone up ahead driving too slowly in the fast lane. Gotta develop that app. And soon.

In the meantime, let's consider the true purpose of Thanksgiving. A day to give thanks, to take a slow, soothing breath, taking in the joy of family and friends. It's also a day to appreciate the many things that make life grand. So, as a public service, I offer the following partial list of just some of the people and things that deserve our thanks:

• Those who are finally getting our attention about the urgency of global warming

• All who are working to feed the underfed here and abroad

• The possibility that everyone in this country will have access to health care

• The freedom to debate (Republican Party, take note: Holding formal discussions on a particular topic in a public meeting or legislative assembly, in which opposing arguments are put forward, is a basic tenet of democracy. You might inform Rush, Bill and Glenn and their Fox News colleagues. They appear to have forgotten.)

• Any teacher who inspires even one child to dream

• Our willingness to give beyond our means in times of natural disaster (This does not include George W and his administration's criminal unresponsiveness to the victims of Katrina.)

• The technology that allows us to stay close to family and friends wherever they live on this ever-shrinking (and ever-warming) planet
  

• Authors, playwrights, screenplay writers who make us consider new alternatives

• Investigative journalists, a quickly dying breed, who reveal truth (check out one of my favorites: Matt Taibbi of Rolling Stone)

• Anyone who creates music and other forms of art

• Researchers working namelessly in search of cures for disease

• All whose primary job duty is to keep us safe
  

• And, of course, those who take the time to read these rants
  

Like I said, it's only a partial list. But it's a start. Add yours below or forward them to me. I love hearing from you.

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving. And, please, do take the time to give thanks.