Bloggers Talk Jay-Z and Beyonce Going Vegan, Getting Rid of Black Friday

Every day on Patch, locals share their opinions on a variety of subjects. 

Here are some of the most interesting blogs from the past week:

• Jay Z and Beyonce Going Vegan for 22 Days: Beyonce and Jay Z are the latest celebrities  to announce that they are adopting a vegan diet, according to a recent report.
• Giving Thanks on Thanksgiving — Get Rid of Black Friday: Last Thursday was Thanksgiving. Last Friday was Black Friday. It’s been this way for as long as I can remember. But really? Come on, America.
  
• Homecoming Photograph, 1946: It was, I suspect, a dearly treasured possession of my late father. The photograph of my father, uncle, and grandmother was taken in Brooklyn early in 1946 when the two boys - young men, really - returned from the Second World War.
  
• Tax Changes 2014: Dozens of tax laws are set to expire at the end of 2013. Many of these provisions are quite popular and likely will be extended by Congress. Exactly when or how lawmakers will get around to doing this is unclear.
  
• The Kindness of Strangers: Wise Men (not the original three) say many things.   One of their pieces of wisdom that I have followed for most of my life was, "Never travel on a holiday."
  
• The New Outbreak of Pertussis in Babies: Over the past decade, there has been a large increase in the incidence of pertussis (whooping cough) in the United States, with over 40,000 cases being reported in 2012.