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Akiko Fujimoto is the assistant director of the San Antonio Symphony and her duties include giving pre-concert talks, knowing the repertory just in case (called cover conductor), conducting educational and pops concerts, and this year leading a new series of baroque concerts with musicians of the San Antonio Symphony. All of that happens to overlap this week with performances of the Nutcracker.

The new Texas State Highway 130 toll road extension is now open and charging motorists to enjoy it’s privatized asphalt while pushing their speedometers to 85 mph. It’s the fastest stretch of legal driving in the nation.

Also known as the Pickle Parkway, it’s the first public-private partnership highway in Texas, but according to opponents the partnership allows the private company to shoulder very little risk, and instead puts taxpayers on the line to pay for such risks as uncollected tolls.

Pro Toll Road:

Black Friday is right after Thanksgiving - even starting Thursday night at some stores - and then soon after comes Cyber Monday, a multi-Billion dollar day of sales over the Internet; that one day is also a big opportunity for cyber thieves to take advantage of weak links in online security.

You may be focused on turkey and football games, but a quick lesson in cyber security will give you and the family something different to talk about over dinner other than politics.

Last week, we played Wagner's Parsifal, which is often referred to as an Opera-Oratorio. This week, for the beginning of the holiday season, it's Johann Sebastian Bach's St. Matthew Passion; in its turn, the work is often called a Concertante Opera. If ever there was an oratorio that called out to be dramatized, the St. Matthew Passion is it. While living in New York, I met many scenographers who dreamed of the day they'd have a shot at the cosmic drama. Also termed, "The most monumental musical drama before the Ring," Bach's passion has it all.

Badu Boye was born in Senegal, but is now based in Paris, France. In the 1990's he and his brother, Pape Armand Boye introduced a new sound into the Senegalese music scene. Very different from the electronic mbalax music of the day, the brothers played acoustic guitars. Badu's style today sounds very similar, on his eponymously titled CD, the songs are uplifting and inspirational, albeit with a touch of home sickness. A cello,violin and harmonica sprinkled throughout the album are very attractive additions and add an extra texture to the acoustic sound.

We love Top Ten lists just as much as the next guy, so here goes our Thanksgiving Edition! (click on the title to hear an example!)

#10. Leonard Bernstein: Turkey Trot (Divertimento)

#9. Trad, arr Carmen: Turkey in the Straw

Thirty percent of the rescued animals in San Antonio have health issues or injuries. Because of this, medical fosters are a growing need on the road to San Antonio’s “No-Kill” objective.

At the City’s Animal Care Services facility that are used by San Antonio Pets Alive! to pull dogs off the kill list, Lynn Walker points to a dozen or so kennels. 

"Every dog you see here has been on the euthanasia list," she says.