2010 Clarinda Lighted Christmas Parade

The Clarinda Lighted Christmas Parade commerates the Page County Courthouse fire, which was put out saving the historic courthouse with help from the volunteer fire departments of several neighboring communities. The pararde is held in Clarinda, Iowa annually on the Friday after Thanksgiving, this year November 26, 2010.

Thanksgiving Sunset over Clarinda, Iowa

Pac Man Pumpkin Pie

Red Berries at Nodaway Valley Park

Britain's Prince William to Marry the Girl Next Door

Prince William gets nine of ten points in our book for his engagement to Kate Middleton, which was announced Tuesday.

(1) Kate along with several other students was one of William's housemates in college, so she very literally was the girl next door.

(2) William is beginning to lose his blond hair, so he showed good judgment by waiting until that was apparent so as to give Kate ample opportunity to dump him before he proposed.

(3) Kate has long brown hair, supporting our long held view that blonds may have more fun but brunettes are more beautiful.

(4) Both William and Kate turned age 29 in 2011 and are rumored to be fulfilling a pact to get married before they turn age 30. Yes, a marriage pact.

(5) Kate proved at the press engagement announcement that she knows how to wear a blue dress.

(6) The blue saphire engagement ring William gave Kate may break the diamond engagement ring racket, and reusing the ring your father gave your mother could break the new jewelry racket altogether.

(7) William's full name and title is Prince William Arthur Philip Louis of Wales and he is actually living in Wales with Kate where he serves as a search and rescue helicopter pilot.

(8) Kate is no member of royalty or even nobility. Her parents are entrepreneurs who started a mail order firm selling stuff for children's parties (not a .com but a .uk). They are, very literally, in trade. There was a time when that wouldn't do for a royal.

(9) Kate's full first name is Catherine, the name of one of my sisters. Of course, there may not be room in this world for two Queen Catherines and my sister had the title first.

There is one point we can't award yet:

(10) The thing that would make their marriage perfect is if Prince William abdicates in favor of a republic. That, however, probably has to wait until his grandmother Queen Elizabeth II and father Prince Charles have passed away.

And why do we care whether Great Britain is a kingdom or a republic? Well, our neigbor Canada is a monarchy too, and shares the same sovereign. As a neighbor, we have the right to butt into the succession. At least that is how it always worked in Europe. No monarchies is in the Americas, that's our policy. And yes, we do have our eye on the Netherlands too.

In the meantime, we will observe that William and Kate may not become King and Queen of the United Kingdom for 20 to 30 or even 40 years. Plenty of time for a royal wedding and a tea party or two.

Is Our Friend Aleister at American Glob Running for President in 2010?

We are waiting for comment from Aleister at American Glob.

Just What Are They Growing at the Harvard Community Garden?

The Harvard Community Garden, this is what it has come to at Harvard University during the greatest recession since the Great Depression. It's all about sustainability.

That's lettuce. That's right, Harvard students are growing their own lettuce.

We don't know what this is, but we can identify the hay bales leaning against a Harvard building in the background. We didn't see any haymaking on the Harvard grounds this summer, so we have to remark that this is not sustainable.

We also see that the garden is all in raised boxes, so we wonder where Harvard got the soil for those boxes. Home Depot is our guess.

It's good to see the Harvard students getting some dirt under their fingernails, but I remember my grandmother's vegetable garden and the Harvard Community garden is small in comparison. And I'll bet they don't do any canning or freezing. Harvard still has a thing or two to learn about sustainability.