Deep Fried Turkey Can Be Dangerous If You're An Idiot.

For quite a few years now, the act of deep frying a Thanksgiving turkey instead of cooking it in an oven has become quite common. Deep fried turkey is flavorful, juicy and offers a delectable twist to the traditional method of roasting. I can attest to this notion -- I had deep fried turkey yesterday and it was delicious!

Unfortunately, not everyone employs common sense when deep frying a turkey.

Based upon data collected by the National Fire Protection Association, there are approximately five deaths and over sixty serious injuries across America annually from incorrectly deep fried turkeys. Over nine-hundred homes also catch fire and are damaged from the ensuing flames. In total, this causes a minimum of $15 Million in damages. That's a mighty costly set of repeated errors!

State Farm Insurance publishes an annual list of which states have the most Thanksgiving-related deep fried turkey accidents, based upon filed claims. Leading the pack is Texas, followed by Illinois, Pennsylvania, Ohio, New York, South Carolina and Georgia.

Data provided by the U.S. Fire Administration shows that the rate of house fires and fire-related accidents doubles on Thanksgiving, with upwards of 4,300 or more. That's more than twice the national average on any other day. Considering the amount of cooking that's going on, it's easy to see why. Throwing the element of deep fried turkey into the mix certainly hasn't helped the situation.

All this being said, any reasonable person with an ounce of common sense can correctly deep fry a turkey without incident. Here's some tips.

- Make sure you're using the right amount of oil.

• Place the turkey in your frying pot.
• Fill the pot with water until the turkey is covered by 1/2 inch.
• Remove and dry the turkey thoroughly.
• Mark the water level. Dump the water, dry the pot very well, then fill with oil to the marked level.

- Completely thaw your frozen turkey. Deep frying a fully or partially frozen turkey is like a time bomb waiting to explode. I would even go so far as to recommend a fresh, never frozen turkey for deep frying.

- Use the deep fryer in an open, well-ventilated location away from your home.

- For goodness sake, do not deep fry a turkey inside your house.

- Wear protective clothing. Don't deep fry your turkey without a shirt on.

- Check your oil temperature regularly and keep it consistent!

- Don't make any sudden movements around your deep fryer. Raise and lower the turkey carefully.

- If a fire does occur, DO NOT SPRAY IT WITH WATER! Grease fires are only made worse with water. Keep a pile of sand or dirt nearby instead. Even better, make sure you have a working fire extinguisher.

Follow these steps and you're sure to have a tasty deep fried turkey meal without any damage to your property or yourself.

Now watch these idiots nearly kill themselves.

In Gratitude This Thanksgiving.

Another Thanksgiving is about to wrap up and I've had quite the day. Having just arrived home to North Carolina after traveling all throughout Virginia has left me quite tired. As I prepare to kick my shoes off and locate a cup of tea, I can't help but show my appreciation for the friends and family in my life.

I come from nothing, to be quite honest. I've never been easy to love or simple to understand. Making friends has never been something I've done terribly well -- I have lived inside my own head for far too long. To call me awkward or different would be a massive understatement. Yet, I have all of these wonderful people filling my life. Some of these people I share blood with. Some welcomed me as one of their own. Either way, I'm damn lucky to call each and every one of you family.

I've always said that you can pick and choose your family. Family isn't about genetics; it's about whom you share a bond of love and compassion with. In that, I'm extremely lucky to have been chosen by so many smart, talented and caring human beings.

If I'm grateful for anything this Thanksgiving Day, it's for these fine folks. Thank you for being a part of my journey. Thank you for pointing me in the right direction when I got a little lost. Thank you for putting a roof over my head and food in my stomach. Thank you for somehow finding a way to decipher the puzzle that is me. I'll never be able to completely repay your gratitude in full, but I'll sure as hell try my best.

Thanksgiving Eve On The Road.

Here I am, leaning over a set of drums and watching some family members play billiards. I just scarfed down some tasty, farm-raised turkey. Even better -- I'm somewhat inebriated after quite a few beers and three glasses of wine. Life is certainly good.

Writing from the road is always a blessing and a curse. Sure, I'm on vacation, but it's difficult to publish a blog from your smart phone. I'm an old school writer; I like the feel of a keyboard sitting in front of me. But, the trade off is worth it at times. Spending time with the folks I love is valuable; I wouldn't trade it for anything.

I have learned a few valuable bits of info just now. I'm still terrible at pool and being drunk doesn't improve my gameplay ability. Alas, I guess I'll just keep drinking.

On the verge of this year's Thanksgiving, I want to reiterate the importance of the holiday. Stay home with the ones you love. Don't spend your valuable hours waiting in line at a department store. No television, no video game console, no diamond bracelet is worth the time you could be spending with your family and friends.

The most valuable things in life can't be bought or sold. They can only be shared freely in the spirit of love and selflessness.

Look to the person beside you, no matter who they are, and give them a hug. Say "I love you." It'll be worth it, I promise.

Video Shows Laquan McDonald Murdered By Chicago Police Officer.

Just within the past hour, dash cam footage of the altercation leading to the death of seventeen year old Laquan McDonald was released by court order. Below is the police video of that incident. Warning -- this is not for children to watch. The altercation begins in this video around the 5:20 mark.

On October 20, 2014, Chicago police officers responded to McDonald, whom was reportedly stealing radios. While I certainly don't believe McDonald to have been innocent in the matter (he had a knife in his possession), his execution certainly was not called for. McDonald deserved his day in court before a jury of his peers, just like any other American, whether guilty or innocent. His death was not necessary, nor do the police possess the right to administer capital punishment.

Officer Jason Van Dyke initially fired a shot which put McDonald on the ground, incapacitated. For the next thirteen seconds, Van Dyke continued to fire into McDonald's lifeless body, without any threat of bodily harm whatsoever. A fellow officer on the scene finally convinced Van Dyke to not continue reloading his weapon and resume firing. Van Dyke claimed that McDonald lunged at him with a knife, causing him to feel threatened and fire his weapon. As you can see from the video, this simply is not the case.

I ask that you watch this video and form your own opinion on the matter, free from the influence of outside sources, your friends or family. THINK FOR YOURSELF. Upon doing so, I believe you'll agree that the police are clearly capable of murder. The police are not always in the right one-hundred percent of the time. The police can and do exercise unnecessary force, not just in the case of McDonald, but all across this country.

Again, let me reiterate. I'm not saying McDonald was innocent, but he didn't deserve to be put down like a dog in the street. There could have been a more peaceful solution which didn't end in blood.

Why are moments like this important for the public to process and understand?

We have to prevent such barbaric behavior from becoming commonplace for the police. As much as the police serve and protect the common good, they must also remember that they work for the public. The police are not our prison guards. They are not our shepherds. Most importantly, they are not our executioners. If we give the police an inch on this matter, then I fear we teeter on the verge of fascism.

To protect the rights of the innocent, we must also protect the rights of the guilty. Otherwise, the police will be coming for you and I next.

I hope this Thanksgiving holiday is peaceful for the city of Chicago, but I fear for the worst.

What's The Difference Between Sweet Potatoes And Yams?

Some folks call them yams. Other folks call them sweet potatoes. Around Thanksgiving, this can become especially confusing. Yet, there's no need to fear... I'm here to set the record straight.

In almost all instances, there is no difference between a yam and a sweet potato. In fact, they're all sweet potatoes! A true yam is a totally different root vegetable which comes from the Caribbean. True yams generally have white flesh with a brown, scaly exterior. Conversely, sweet potatoes come in many different color combinations. They can have orange, purple or white flesh. Their exterior is typically orange or bronze.

Americans began referring to sweet potatoes by the yam nickname thanks to food-based corporations in the mid-Twentieth Century. As a marketing ploy, various producers started labeling their canned sweet potatoes as yams. The name yam was derived from the West African word nyami, which means to eat. Those sneaky devils! Decades later, the nickname yam has somehow managed to stick.

So there you have it. Yams and sweet potatoes are the same thing. I prefer calling them sweet potatoes, but that's all a matter of personal preference. Call them what you will -- just make sure you eat them!

Today Was Stressful.

Stress has been ever present in my life today. Seems like I have been stressed out since I woke up this morning. Not sure why, but it sure did snowball as the day went along. Today was just one of those days --nothing seemed to go right and everything annoyed me in one way or another.

I dealt with terrible drivers, which is a persistent problem in North Carolina. Folks are absolutely frightening here, with the lack of turn signals, running red lights, cutting other drivers off without warning and swerving from lane to lane. Road rage really boils my anger over at times. This is highly unfortunate, considering I enjoy driving. Being in a car and just moving down the road is therapeutic... but only if I'm not being assaulted by other dumb-ass drivers.

Leave it to a poorly-designed game disc to piss me off. I just purchased a brand new Playstation 3 with a copy of LEGO Batman 3: Beyond Gotham. I've barely had it for a month and of course the game started to act up. After going through a few too many tedious troubleshooting steps, I determined that a single, tiny smudge on the edge of the game disc was to blame.

Grocery shopping, as discussed in my article from a few days ago, has become troublesome. Retailers are raising their prices unnaturally, thereby causing me more stress in trying to locate better deals. I can usually find what I'm looking for, but damn if grocery stores aren't pulling the wool over most consumers' eyes.

Apparently, the local Burlington City Christmas parade is just ten days away on November 21. When I heard the news, I became enraged. Though, I have little reason to be pissed off about this. It's not as if I'm even going to attend the parade. Parades themselves send me into fits of anger. Yet, having a Christmas parade a week before Thanksgiving really grinds my gears. What about celebrating Thanksgiving, eh? Why not have your parade within the month of December? Don't feed me crap about it being a scheduling issue -- those in charge of setting the date are just aloof nitwits.

I yelled at Crystal this morning because she made the point that I don't always fully consider her special dietary requirements when planning out meals. She was right; I had no reason to get upset. I take criticism poorly. I was also in the wrong for yelling. The sore throat serves me right, I suppose. Even though I'm not the angry man I once was, I can still have my moments when I'm stressed out. Doesn't make it right, but I've learned to identify when I am most likely to get angry.

Here I am, writing about myself for a change. Yet, I sat before my keyboard for an hour without any inspiration as to what to write about. As I've grown as a writer and tried to expand my content, sometimes I forget that this blog began as a means to soothe my inner beast. Writing about my feelings and getting out my anger was the best therapy I ever went through. When times get stressful, I shouldn't be afraid to speak from the heart. Getting out my feelings is perhaps the best thing I can do to feel better.

I have a difficult time processing stress and letting things go. It's just in my nature to hold onto the things that trigger my rage. While it's almost certainly related to my upbringing, I'm an adult now. Releasing the things that perturb me is fully within my capability. Finding a sense of calmness and balance is more important, especially on days like today.

The War On Thanksgiving Has Begun.

I visited my local JCPenney retail store in Burlington, North Carolina today. In my possession were a few decent coupons and I wanted to see what clothing I could purchase at a substantial discount. Lo and behold, the horrors I found as walked through their entrance.

Tinsel...
Wreaths...
Holiday Trees...
Christmas Carols!

WHAT IN THE HELL IS GOING ON HERE?!

That's right, ladies and gentlemen. JCPenney has already decorated for Christmas by the first week of November. Forget that we just finished Halloween. Forget that we still have THREE FRICKIN' WEEKS until Thanksgiving. Nope... they've just leap-frogged right into Christmas, the most wonderful time of the year!

EAT. MY. SCHWEDDY. BALLS.

I understand that the holidays are the most profitable retail season of the year. Hell, I'm a retailer myself. But... can we not celebrate each season in its own time? Thanksgiving is my most favorite holiday, yet retailers can't wait to forget about it because it doesn't drive sales. Who wants to buy new suede shoes and cashmere sweaters when they're trying to be thankful for what they already have?

Alarmingly, Thanksgiving has become nothing more than a pre-game ritual for Christmas. Folks often have their Christmas Tree and decorations already out for display by Thanksgiving. Thanksgiving has morphed into Christmas Light, just without the exchanging of gifts. Retail stores are no different. They want you to celebrate Christmas early and often. It's all about the War on Thanksgiving... and many of you have blood on your hands.

So to JCPenney, I say SCREW YOU.

Screw you for cheapening Christmas.
Screw you for dismissing Thanksgiving.
Screw you for changing the seasons to suit your own selfish whims.

I'm sure there are other large retailers that have already set up for Christmas. Undoubtedly, JCPenney is probably not the only guilty party. Yet, they're the first example I've encountered... no less than FIVE days into November. Good grief!

Losing Their Luster.

The 2014 holiday season has called it quits. The trees are going away (took mine down tonight). All the pretty bulbs are being rolled up for storage. Wrapping paper and bows have been returned to their dark prison in the bedroom closet.

Fin.

I noticed today while shopping that department stores and retailers of virtually all sizes aren't waiting to push Valentine's Day upon us. While passing Nature's Emporium, a local pet and garden center here in Burlington, NC, their electronic billboard was already touting the upcoming holiday. In bright letters, it said...

"GET YOUR VALENTINES' DAY FLAGS HERE!"

I thought to myself... wow! Not a week ago you were telling me how important Christmas was. Now, it's as if you've completely forgotten the holiday. I haven't even popped a bottle of champagne for New Years yet and you want me to confess my undying love via a garden flag?! Do you have amnesia? Then it hit me. This isn't just an isolated incident. Perhaps my thoughts about amnesia were spot on. What if nearly all retailers in today's modern age have HOLIDAY RETAILER AMNESIA?

Certainly, I can understand the imperative of a retailer to make a dollar. I'm a retailer myself. The holiday season between Thanksgiving and New Years is when I turn the highest profit of the year. But what's the difference between them and I? I don't forget to respect the holidays in their own time. I give each and every benchmark holiday on the calendar a chance to breath and stretch its legs, so to speak.

In essence, my point is this... and it relates to my previous articles about Thanksgiving being over-run by Christmas.

Give every holiday it's due time in the spotlight. If we stretch every single holiday out from one to the next, then those special days lose their luster.

Every day can't be a holiday, otherwise there would be no holidays.

The Sad Truth Behind Black Friday.

I had a monumental thought this morning while eating breakfast.

I wish Americans were as eager for Election Day as they were for Black Friday.

Shoppers crammed into Macy's of New York City for Black Friday.

Just imagine if the same people whom showed up for Black Friday this year actually turned out to vote? Early estimates of Black Friday 2014 show that more than 140 Million citizens turned out for the post-Thanksgiving sales rush. Compare that to the voter turnout this year - a paltry 115 Million (roughly 36.4% of eligible voters). This year's voter turn-out was the lowest since World War II!

Americans have no excuse for their lack of interest in their government. If they can get out in the freezing cold and wait in line hours (in some cases days) on end for deals on televisions, Playstations and toaster ovens, then they can get in line to vote. The aforementioned numbers don't even begin to include those whom skipped out on their Thanksgiving holiday and waited in line for deals! How utterly pathetic is that?! There is no excuse for the voter turn-out in this country. If you can get in line at 4 AM the day after Thanksgiving for a bargain, then you can spend an extra ten minutes on your drive to work to vote.

An empty polling location in Manhattan.

Photo Credit - Craig Warga, New York Daily News

Yet, some will say "my vote doesn't matter" or "nothing will change". With an attitude like that, nothing will change. Just imagine the lines that show up for Black Friday, except they're dangling out of polling locations. What if Americans were as enthusiastic to protect their liberty? Perhaps some real hope and change would take place. Instead, we have the government we deserve -- hollow, out of touch, polarized, bought and paid for by those with deep pockets.

The simple fact is that many Americans will not exercise their Constitutionally-protected rights because they're not getting anything in return...

Except they are... life, liberty, the pursuit of happiness, the freedom of speech. What more do you have to receive in order to vote? Short of a mandate that requires all eligible citizens to vote (as it is in Australia), I don't see the situation improving. Why?

Because Americans have become apathetic, lazy, misguided and greedy. Don't like hearing the truth? Then do something to fix it. Otherwise, go back to your couch, watch some more Real Housewives and continue to ruin our civilization.

The Black Friday Power Sword Debacle.

Tonight's blog is being written live from the road. I'm currently cruising along Interstate 85 southbound towards home. I am riding shotgun and Crystal is driving. Tonight, I was lucky enough to enjoy a fantastic Vietnamese dinner with my brother Joshua and his wonderful better half Niki. Today has been a day for the record books. From here on, it shall forever be known as THE BLACK FRIDAY POWER SWORD DEBACLE!

Many months ago, I tracked down an elusive birthday gift for Josh. As a child, one of his favorite toys was the He-Man Power Sword. It's electronic with flashing lights, sounds and a motion-sensitive blade. I wanted to find Josh one to replace it and bring back some of that childhood fun! Thankfully, I found a really nice one earlier in the year with the original box. It worked perfectly!

Jump to today. I was to meet Josh for a post-Thanksgiving meal, to which I was also going to give him his birthday gift. I tested the Power Sword this morning before wrapping it... and the electronics failed to work! I was totally heartbroken, to say the least.

I immediately scoured eBay for a replacement Power Sword. Luckily enough, I found one in Apex, North Carolina. I made a detour through Apex on my way to Richmond to visit Joshua. There was one small catch, though. The Power Sword I'd found in Apex had a corroded battery compartment. With Crystal driving, I did my best to clean the corrosion whilst headed north to Richmond.

Long story short, the impossible was accomplished. A replacement He-Man Power Sword was acquired in the nick of time and the gift was complete. All this was done while going down the highway and working under high pressure. Admittedly, I got extremely lucky finding a replacement in Apex. The He-Man Power Sword is a tough vintage toy to locate. But, all the hard work was worth it to see my brother smile. I love him to death.

Such a boss.

Also, a big thanks to Crystal, whom guaranteed the success of today's mission. Without her, I surely would have failed.

I hope you enjoy the sword Josh. BY THE POWER OF GRAYSKULL!

Please Pass the Cranberry Sauce!

A great big hello to everyone on this fine Thanksgiving Day! Hopefully, you have sat down on your couch, unbuckled your pants and are beginning to relax. It's been a long day! Now that the big feast is over with, I thought I'd quickly discuss one aspect of our annual Thanksgiving meal that might be easily overlooked...

the jellied cranberry sauce.

Back in the 1930's, newly developed technology allowed for cranberries to be harvested in a wet manner versus the traditional dry picking method. Bogs which held the cranberry bushes could be flooded, then easily harvested for the tart berries. Because of this, the life span of the cranberry was extended late into the fall. By canning the cranberries, they could be enjoyed a greater deal of time beyond their peak season. Hence, cranberry sauce became a fixture at the Thanksgiving meal all due to two simple factors - availability and marketing.

The Ocean Spray cooperative, which famously operates to this day by the same name, was founded around the same time as wet harvesting began to see use. With cranberries being available much later in the year, they put a crack marketing team to work and made sure folks knew to serve their jellied cranberry sauce at their next holiday meal.

How does the gelatinous cranberry sauce become jellied, you ask? Well, pectin is a naturally occurring component in cranberries. The cans are filled with a liquid cranberry slurry while still hot, which then turns to jelly as the mixture cools. That's why cranberry sauce molds itself to the shape of the can!

Having trouble getting cranberry sauce out of its can? Use a blunt butter knife! Insert it at the edge of the jelly where it meets the can and release the vacuum seal. It should then shake right out.

Cranberry sauce - some people love it, some people hate it. Either way, it's a marvel of Twentieth Century food science!

Angels Among Us.

'Elijah Fed by an Angel' by Ferdinand Bol (painted between 1660 - 1663)

I often hear on television and in the news folks talking about angels. Whether as guardian spirits, protectors or holy interveners, angels exist as heavenly beings of pure joy that look out for our well being. They stop someone from dying, or losing a valuable possession. Perhaps they keep a child from being injured... or worse.

For those of you that know me well, you might be asking yourself...

"Why is Jared talking about angels? He's not even religious!"

You'd be correct in your query. I'm not religious. Normally, I wouldn't discuss a matter such as angels, but an event from today compels me to break from the norm.

While taking care of a business-related matter today, I crossed paths with an old, helpless woman. She called out to me from her dilapidated vehicle. "Sir... Sir... Can you help me?" She spoke with a tinge of desperation. I approached and asked what I could do to assist her. Apparently, her vehicle would not start and she hadn't been able to get someone to help her for a while. I raised her car's hood and could immediately see the issue -- her battery was covered with acid corrosion and the engine wasn't getting enough electricity to turn over. Thankfully, she had a soda pop in her car, which I used to clean the corrosion off. From that point, I pushed her car into a position where I could link my battery to her's and try to jump-start it. After a long bout of pushing her boat of a vehicle (a Grand Marquis to be exact) and giving her steering directions, we got things worked out just right. A few minutes later, her engine was running and she was ready to go.

Before she could pull off, she profusely thanked me and offered up $5 for my help. No matter how much I said no, she wouldn't take the money back.

"Young man, God put you here today for a reason. You were my angel."

With that, I smiled, wished her Happy Thanksgiving and she pulled away.

She didn't know anything about me, even my name. Nor did I catch her name. She didn't know where I came from or what my personal convictions were. Yet, her words got me to thinking.

What if angels are real?

Now, I don't mean that in a feathery wings and halos sort of way. But... what if angels walk among us all the time? What if they're sitting next to us on the subway, or standing in line behind us at the checkout register? What if we're the angels we've been looking for?

We can be good to our fellow man. Our actions reflect how we view ourselves and others. We can choose to value each other as equals and provide a hand when asked. We can choose to be the angels we seek, whether you're a Christian, Muslim, Jew, atheist... or anything on the spectrum of personal belief.

As we enter into the Thanksgiving holiday (my most favorite of all), I want to take a moment and show my gratitude to the nameless woman I met today. She taught me an unexpected lesson...

Within each of us is the power to be an angel. We just have to hear the call when asked to be one.

One of Those Days.

Today has just been one of those days. There simply isn't enough time in the day. Seems like one thing after another just goes wrong. And look at me... my blood pressure goes up, I get testy and yell. GAH!

Between trying to do double-time on my business inventory and get it prepped for sale in time for the Black Friday / Cyber Monday sales rush... managing a sick dog, cooking, cleaning... it just gets to be too much.

I wanted to cook pork ribs for dinner. Of course, I open the package and they're spoiled. The rotten odor hit me as soon as I peeled the plastic back and incurred a gurgle in my gut. Food Lion will be hearing from me!

Mellow's bum leg is unfortunately not improving, so an unexpected visit to the vet in an already busy week will be attempted tomorrow.

I still have to clean and prepare for dinner guests this week. I'm happy to host Thanksgiving visitors for once, but I am grossly unprepared and not accustomed to such a daunting task.

Of course, when I get aggravated, I inappropriately yell and argue with Crystal. She's under just as much stress in trying to prepare for the holiday... probably more so than I. What do two bull-headed, domineering people do in a relationship when things get tense? They argue. BLAH! I hate the thought of fussing... really makes me feel like a piece of crap. I always vent and say things I don't mean.

Either way, I've got work to do. Tomorrow's blog post may be reported from an asylum.