Americans may know that their Thanksgiving turkeys have to die before they can reach the family table. But most are loathe to watch it happen. Sarah Palin may have unwittingly opened many of our eyes to how our turkeys are harvested; ironically, minutes after "pardoning" another turkey named "Thanksgiving" at Triple D Farms in Wasilla, Alaska.

After having pardoned the turkey, Palin gives an interview in front of the slaughtering area (two cone-shaped contraptions into which turkeys are placed, upside down, so their heads can be severed and blood drained). A farm worker is inserting a turkey as the interview begins; he keeps looking over, and takes the turkey out at one point, evidently uncomfortable with chopping the bird's head off on-camera. But he's eager to get going and puts the bird back, holding its head at the bottom of the cone while it struggles and Palin says "certainly we'll probably invite criticism for even doing this too, but at least this is fun!"

As someone who's interested in "slow food" and sustainable farming practices, I wasn't horrified; I think it's probably a good thing for Americans to become more knowledgeable about what happens to animals before they're brought to the table. But this may be a rather harsh way of opening our eyes. The video interview is after the jump, complete with struggling bird and awkward farmer.

Radio, TV, infomercials, and phone calls--stop already. This election has been the longest one I can remember; it has gone on and on. At this point, hasn't everyone made up their mind? I made mine up shortly after the primaries. Will another ad or two make a difference?

Apparently the candidates think so. Obama spent a fortune last week renting time on every major station for his infomercial. He plans to release another ad today showing McCain's ties to Cheney. McCain, who doesn't have the war chest of money like Obama, went on Saturday Night Live to increase his reach. By far, the best part of the McCain campaign is Tina Fey's rendition of Sarah Palin.

The ads are endless. That is all you see on TV and if you try to escape in your car, they are on the radio. I try to hide in the house, but folks are coming to the door and calling me on the phone. At this point, I will vote for anyone who doesn't call me with a recorded message.

It raises the question whether this is the best way to do things. With so many folks struggling in this bleak economy, couldn't the political money be put to use helping people? It would be an interesting campaign if every dollar spent had to be matched with a charitable donation. Just think how many folks this could help.

I could enjoy the ads then, knowing that every dollar spent actually helped someone else. I would give more to the campaigns knowing that the money was put to good use. I can't wait until Tuesday is over.

Barbara Bartlein is the People Pro. For her FREE e-mail newsletter, please visit: The People Pro.

Last week I watched Sarah Palin struggling to find names and professions that had the same traction as Joe the Plumber. In the spirit of helpfulness, I offer these candidates:

1. Paradise, the prostitute
2. Klinton, the crack dealer
3. Wendell, the wife-beater
4. Uberdingle, the rapper
5. Miss Daunonyanees, the Dominatrix
6. Karl, the Marxist
7. Dagwood, the office grunt
8. Stan, the DMV clerk
9. Lynndie, the torturer
10. Michael, the documentary maker

I'd pay to watch the look on Michael Moore's face if she used the last one!

On a more serious note, I found this analysis of the upcoming election consistent with my view of past elections.

When John McCain picked Alaska Governor Sarah Palin, wildlife lovers cringed for two reasons. The first is that she seems like just the kind of smart, young leader who has battled corruption and government waste that could get not so environmentally friendly Republicans elected. The second is that Palin herself has been on the side of hunters instead of wildlife watchers--even when the fiscal numbers are not on hunting's side.

Palin--in addition to vowing to sue to stop the listing Polar Bears as an endangered species--has put the weight of the state behind defeating a ballot measure that would have limited the aerial shooting of wolves. Nationwide aerial hunting has been banned since 1972's Airborne Hunting Act, but Alaska gets around that by saying the hunters are working for the state to control predators. The idea is to produce more moose and caribou to hunt.

The Alaska Fish and Game Department has been allowing aerial wolf hunting--even though voters said no to it twice--for since 2003. (The legislature later overturned the voters' decision.) But this time Alaskans voted 92,781 to 74,124 to allow it.