Thanksgiving controversies

Whew! Still frustrated over the "Ninth Circuit East" (thanks to the court packing) that overturned our state's Constitution in favour of allowing the DC area to push sin acceptance when 78% of our state didn't allow it.

And to consider there's a Stampeder secondary from Manning, just up the road via US 301 and Interstate 95, crossing Lake Marion, in Clarendon County (DB Fred Bennett), I believe there is rooting interest in my neck of the woods in the Grey Cup for Calgary, though too there is for Hamilton (DE Eric Norwood) in the area.  All the derby match talk over this weekend, then the next day is Grey Cup with interest with a popular defensive lineman!

And this before I can discuss the report on the news that too many stores are open Thanksgiving Day Thursday, with complaints that regular workers at department stores are opening on the day itself, not even a "Carrie hasn't hated herself for loving you," as I said last year, as stores are working to avoid the Krzyzewskiville effects that a close friend understands, to start sales during the day, even when many of us are running on Thanksgiving (I am pondering either a 5km or a 8km road race -- haven't made my decision as of this time, but the longer race is enticing because of a Thanksgiving day class at a fitness studio with friends).

Thanksgiving work days were originally designed for sporting goods stores because of their organising of timing and scoring for the numerous running events -- last year, 870,000 crossed finish lines for running events on Thanksgiving Day, including someone that may be very well known in Tulsa, taking show.    Many events support local charities, and as the Wall Street Journal notes, Thanksgiving has become the day for fitness, and considering I don't have an appetite after a hard run.  Twelve Turkey Trots later, I am pondering returning to a 8km race because the challenge of the short race is too easy at times, and with 16 days before a marathon, it might be better to go longer.

As for working on Thanksgiving, families are becoming busier and have less time to cook.  Many grocery stores have full delicatessens and bakeries, often producing rotisserie chickens for families to pick up after work for dinner or before work for lunch.  That, along with many families coming from long distances and stress, along with the long hours required to make Thanksgiving dinners, has them unable to have time for Thanksgiving dinners, so grocers adopted the home improvement stores' DIFM model (Do It For Me) for home improvement projects (as compared to DIY, Do It Yourself -- the terms DIY and DIFM are listed in a major home improvement chain's shareholder documents I receive annually as a shareholder) for their Thanksgiving menu options.  Grocers' business in the DIFM market has become an increasing source of revenue, and adding Thanksgiving hours for picking up DIFM dinners, department stores located next to grocers decided to open in order to take advantage of DIFM dinners being picked up by families.  Some restaurants (Bojangles' and Maurice's) have added fuel to the fire by adding DIFM meal pickups.  But it was the exploiting of the next-door grocers' DIFM dinners that led to the department stores opening earlier also.

The question I ask after watching commentary of Thanksgiving Day sales:  Has the rise of the DIFM Thanksgiving dinner market resulted in more stores opening for Thanksgiving specials in order to give those who are there to pick up the DIFM dinners at the grocer that is often next door to start shopping now, especially if the DIFM dinner is picked up Thanksgiving morning?