http://simple.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thanksgiving


http://pilgrims.net/plymouth/thanksgiving.htm


On this Thursday we in the US are celebrating a holiday which brings extended
families and friends together to share a big meal. It's a big deal here, and
many will be watching the football games on TV with partisans of the other
teams, sort of a way to work out our differences.


One thing that we know about the Pilgrims who had come to America and who first
celebrated this end of their harvest season is that they felt that they have a
special covenant with God, that they were the new Israel. This feeling of a
special covenant with God has continued to this day, and continues to cause
trouble for all of us.


An interesting factoid for hang glider pilots is that Northeastern states like
Vermont used to be 90% farm lands, but as agriculture died out in these marginal
areas, Vermont turned to 90% forested. Really cuts down on the landing areas.