In an interview with Amy Wong Mok, one of the three tri-chairs on the Austin Independent School District citizens 2008 bond advisory committee (check out next week's issue for the skinny on the next proposed AISD bond election), one moment stood out. Born in Hong Kong, Mok has since become an American citizen and taken time out of her schedule to help shape the infrastructure future of Austin schools. On the holiday where we're supposed to consider the foundations and precepts of the United States, this comment from this migrant struck Chronic as quite apropos.

"Everyone is willing to come in early, roll up their sleeves, and work. It's so American, and it takes time to establish and cultivate this culture, this idea of open government and volunteering.”

Just thought we'd share. Now go grab a turkey leg. Or, if you're vegan, tofurkey.

On Tuesday, Nov. 20, our president pardoned "May" and "Flower," two turkeys supposedly spared the carving blade this Thanksgiving.

However, Bush doesn't have an especially good track record with these types of things. As Jordan Smith wrote back in 2005:

While governor, Bush presided over 152 executions and erred on the side of life only one time, in June 1998, when he commuted the death sentence of confessed serial killer Henry Lee Lucas. (Lucas died of natural causes in 2001.) More egregiously, in a 1999 interview with the now-defunct Talk magazine, Bush mocked executed killer Karla Faye Tucker, who he claimed pleaded for his mercy during a television interview with Larry King. "Please, don't kill me," Bush said she'd begged, although Tucker never made that plea.

Since then, Bush's become more acquainted with the pardon pen; this year, he pardoned Scooter Libby for his role in outing undercover nuke-nonproliferation spy Valerie Plame; as Richard Whittaker points out below, according to Scott McClellan's new bio, the prez himself was in on the bazboozlement. (Update: No, Scotty was just bullshitting. Lovely!)

Happy Thanksgiving.

That has the been the question for the last two weeks. To Trot, or Not To Trot, of course this refers to the Thunder Cloud Turkey Trot (Texas Largest 5 mile run - over 10,000 particiapants expected).

Now, this could be a healthy, beneficial and some may say "fun" way to celebrate Thanksgiving. I debated long and hard on the issue, and seeing as how it is now Wednesday night and I didn't quite get around to sining up, I don't think I will be joining in the "fun."

I have a hang up about paying to be in a "race." I mean, it just seems strange to me to want to pay good money to do something you can do for free. I can understand the world series of poker, a design competition or even a nascar race. The winner of all of these events gets a return on his or her investment. But in a race . . . granted you get a T-shirt and a few extra goodies. And if that's what your in it for then more power to ya! I mean, the entry cost of the Turkey Trot is minimal, I'm sure you could easily end up paying twice that for a T-shirt in The Domain.

I understand that some might be in it to aid the benefiting party (foundations, charities, shelters etc.) But the idea of just wanting to run in an organized race for the heck of it . . . But at the end of the day, I guess there are worse things that you could be spending your money on. Right Mr. Haggard (Ted Haggard - Minister caught with a Male prostitte and a trunk full of crystal meth . . . You remember don't you?)

So I decided I would just run by my lonesome in honor of those running in the Turkey Trot. I hope none of this had dissuaded anyone thinking of running in the Trail of Lights. I heard the Shirts are Long Sleeved and the runners are the first ones that get to see the Trail of Lights in all its glory. Thats gotta be worth something right!?

Happy Thanksgiving to all and please take a moment this weekend to think about those celebrating this holiday in far off lands. Right or wrong, they are away from loved ones this holiday season.
drew

It's gonna be a good month for garage rock. Hot on the heels of Beerland's upcoming Ground Zero Texas Fest (Dec. 6-9), Houston holds its own with the Texas Gone Garage Showcase Friday-Sunday, Dec. 14-16, at Rudyard's. Most notable is the reformation of Houston's the Mirrors, Greg Ashley's band before the Gris Gris. Go here for more info.

During the second hottest solar flair-up of the evening last night at the AT&T Center in San Antonio, during the second song of the encore, “So Lonely,” Sting sang “Welcome to the Andy Summers show” into the 1978 sound-off. The Police frontman threw in the same line about drummer Stewart Copeland two minutes later, but as Summers’ Telecaster blaze went from molten to nuclear, the show’s scorecard clearly had the shorter, stouter guitarist in the lead. Considering the two tall egomaniacs yin and yanging the UK trio on either side of him for the past 30 years, Sting’s initial Police bulletin rang truest.

Not that the former Gordon Sumner – whose spitting-image son, Joe (in looks, in voice, on bass in a UK trio), had opened the concert winningly with his band Fiction Plane – wasn’t in perfectly fine fettle. Wearing a supremely satisfied grin throughout, Sting kept his throat vaporized with spray and spray he did: 17 of his gilded compositions in 100 minutes. On the final date of the Police’s North American tour, the novelty of the reunion had clearly worn off, but the musical love/hate triangle found its live sweet spots and enjoyed them thoroughly. “So Lonely,” a debut album chestnut, tuned Summers to the key of rip and shred – rend – but it wasn’t the only deliberately jagged edge to the Police 20 years after their disbanding.

For anyone reading about Chris Bell's decision to sue Texans for Rick Perry and the Republican Governors Association over an alleged campaign finance violation, there may be one question pending. Why didn't the former U.S. rep take this to the Texas Ethics Commission, the body that is supposed to be responsible for investigating such electoral violations?

According to Bell's attorney, longtime campaign finance expert Buck Wood, it wouldn't have been worth filing the paperwork. "The Ethics Commission is in such bad hands that I don't even deal with 'em any more," he said. "They ran off every long-term professional over there and replaced 'em with people who don't know what they're doing and give out ridiculous answers.

So what exactly is the commission spending its time doing? According to Wood, "They spend all their time investigating people who frankly started to run for office and didn't hardly have the money for the filing fee. Anyone with any connections to the Republican leadership, they won't do anything."

The holidays are here, my friend - and if you're anything like me, you're pulling the covers over your head and wishing for spring. (Though not before cursing at the television, which is airing that Zales commercial for, like the 40th time.)

Luckily for us, the shopping part of the season can be accomplished entirely online. You don't need my help with that, but if you have a special graphic designer in your life, I have a few ideas for you - all sure to delight lovers of type and wielders of the mouse.

Last week, the Texas School for the Deaf Rangers came from behind to beat Beaumont Legacy Christian Academy, 20-18. They're now into the second round of the state playoffs, hosting the Regent Knights Saturday, Nov. 24, 7pm, 1102 S. Congress. $6 adults, $4 students. The Rangers are 10-2 on the season, having won four straight, and are 6-1 at home. For more on the Rangers please see the Nov. 16 "Playing Through."

It appears New Jersey is poised to abolish the death penalty. The state has eight men on death row but has not executed an inmate since 1963, reports The New York Times.

A bill that would abolish capital punishment was approved by the state Senate Judiciary Committee in the spring and the state assembly is scheduled to consider a nearly identical measure on Dec. 6. Gov. Jon Corzine, a death penalty foe, has said he will sign the measure into law if it reaches his desk. “It would be a historic measure,” Richard Dieter, executive director of the Death Penalty Information Center, told the Times. “I think it is part of this bigger picture where the death penalty is on the defensive.”