Thanksgiving giving

Happy Thanksgiving. Or day after Thanksgiving to be accurate. It was a relaxing time for me. No big commute. All about cooking and eating. After eating the conversation was uncharacteristically subdued. My very Republican mother somehow had little to say about the new political environment. My politician hating sort of blue-dog Democrat father (my words not his) didn't say much either on the subject. He probably knew better than to rile up my mom. He stuck to safer fare, "Everything costs more these days regardless of what the Government tells you" he says. Some felt sympathy for the indignant Romanian villagers and said they will boycott Borat the movie. Wii and Zume and PS3 are a huge deal for those who care about that sort of thing. It was unanimous that the least favorite person to trade shoes with this Thanksgiving was Michael Richards. Maybe his wacky Seinfeld part wasn't such a stretch after all.
Thanksgiving is kind of a warm up holiday before the big league winter holidays, not complicated by gift giving or religious rituals. Simply celebrate the harvest by eating some of it. There is a lot to be said for keeping things simple and for that, Thanksgiving is my favorite.
The one who had by far the nicest things said about them was Warren Buffett. He was just featured in a CNBC special. I caught it and I have to say that he is a treasure. The 2nd richest man in the world recently gives 31billion to charity, lives a humble lifestyle by a simple set of moral rules. No one would ever believe this today without proof.
I think his greatest gift to society is that he keeps the ethical path open for others. Hacking back an ever encroaching jungle of the unprincipled. If good people succeed, people want to be good.
He's also a keeper of old fashion virtues. The ones that developed when people relied more on each other. It was the pact they built to fairly and effectively conduct their affairs and it gave them an unshakable personal commitment to integrity. I'm giving thanks to Mr. Buffett this year (and the butterball hot line.)