Still giving thanks on this holiday weekend

I'm just returning from a long Thanksgiving weekend up north, where the temps actually dipped to 8 one morning. But the warmth of friends and family made that impossible to believe as we celebrated the holiday. And you know, pulling out the heavy sweaters and mittens only added to the festive spirit. (Sure, it probably helped knowing that mid-70s awaited here in Bradenton, but...)

Before we gear up for end-of-the-month reports, the traffic jams as work on Manatee Avenue drags on (check out this photo gallery by Grant Jefferies), and a full week after that blessed holiday break, there's still plenty of time to revel in the joys of Thanksgiving.

As features writer Wade Tatangelo reflects in his column today, being home for the holidays -- whether it's immediate or extended family, new or old friends -- is an unparalleled joy. And if you didn't make it home -- especially for the men and women serving our country overseas -- thoughts and prayers of thanks were sent to embrace you.

-- Joan

Free tickets to check out Harry Potter

What does Draco Malfoy name his son?

The trivia question was posted yesterday on Bradenton Herald's Facebook, and Will Hefner was the first to list the right answer (Scorpius Hyperion Malfoy). He scored himself two Carmike Cinemas tickets for the latest movie craze, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1.

Every day this week, we'll be posting a Potter trivia question. And usually the first Facebook pal to answer correctly will win another deuce of tickets. "Like us" on Facebook, get the right answer and you might find yourself with a date to the theater.

What's in the stars for you today

We noticed that many of our viewers are searching for 'horoscope' -- yes, we study those SEO lists religiously.

But we didn't make it easy for you to find. Now, thanks to Bradenton.com Web Developer William Winter, you can click to our daily horoscope page from the home page's dropdown menu, or from Bradenton.com/horoscope.

A glance back at Friday: I should have read mine way sooner!

-- Joan

Salute our Veterans with photos, tributes

A friend recently sent me a must-read opinion piece about the defeat of U.S. Sen. Russ Feingold, the Wisconsin Democrat who often was labeled the Senate's conscience for the past 17 years.

Whether you agree or not isn't why I point you there. The column launches by taking you back to the days after 9-11, when patriotism was fierce throughout America.

Bring yourself back, if you can bear it, to October, 2001. Remember flags ubiquitous, tears irrepressible. There were a good many of us who declared at the time that we were afraid not only of the threat of violence from abroad but also of the domestic danger that our liberties would be revoked in the name of security.

I thought again about this as I read our 1A tease today for Veterans Day events. The list is long, but the patriotic trumpets don't sound as loud. We hope our advance stories stir more reverence for all our veterans. We've launched a photo tribute page here at www.bradenton.com/veteransphotos. And on Thursday, your Bradenton Herald will include a full-page American Flag for your windows and bulletin boards.
A salute to veterans like Hurb Thompson, who took the story behind his Purple Heart to Braden River middle-schoolers yesterday.
Photo by Grant Jefferies