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Turkey Tradition an Example of Technology in Everyday Life

"I also thank everybody who voted online to choose the names for our guests of honor."

President Bush and May the Pardoned Thanksgiving Turkey

This week, as people across the nation fill the roads and airports bound for family gatherings for Thanksgiving, we are reminded again how much technology is a part of everyday life. From paperless airline tickets to GPS navigation systems, technology is inescapable. Even our American tradition of pardoning a Thanksgiving turkey has taken on a tech edge.

As in recent years, people were asked to vote online for the names of this year's official turkey (and runner up) on the president's Web site. This morning, speaking from the rose garden, complete with streaming video, audio and RSS feed, President Bush announced the winning names of the lucky birds.

"I also thank everybody who voted online to choose the names for our guests of honor. And I'm pleased to announce the winning names. They are 'May' and 'Flower.' They're certainly better than the names the Vice President suggested, which was 'Lunch' and 'Dinner.'"

While this wasn't the first time the public used the Internet to vote for the turkeys' names, it is a small reminder of how big a part the Internet, and technology in general, plays in society today. We can keep our traditions but modify them for the times.