Elect Obama -- I need a break

I started this post a while ago, and decided to hold it until shortly before the election. So here you go:

I was having a small political exchange with a friend, and she came up with the slogan that furnishes this post title. It perfectly expresses how I feel after so many years of "43" in the White House. We need a break from the war in Iraq. We need a break from the handouts, favors and tax breaks for big business. But most of all, we need a break from the endless attacks on our freedoms and rights - the right to choose, the rights of gays, the right to privacy, etc. We need someone in the White House who does not believe that torture is a valid interrogation technique, or that 9/11 justifies random intrusions into our privacy. And we need someone who will appoint Supreme Court Justices who will uphold those rights far beyond a White House term or two.

I also find it interesting that Senator Obama, in the prime of life, chose a running mate who has knowledge and experience, while Senator McCain, a cancer patient past retirement age, chose someone who is basically window dressing. The idea of Sarah Palin a heartbeat away from the White House scares me senseless. And the idea that some women see this as a reason to vote for the Republican ticket horrifies me.

Some of the best articles I have seen on this election are on the website of Elizabeth George, one of my favorite authors. She has written a series on various topics that are well-thought-out and thoroughly researched. I read the first few some time ago, and just read her article on being Pro-Life, which was excellent. (A definition of Pro-Life that I can support, as opposed to those people who call themselves Pro-Life, but are actually Anti-Choice.) I look forward to reading the rest of them. She is far more eloquent than I could ever be - I think you will enjoy the articles, and would be glad to hear your comments on them.

Eva

I am reading a very intriguing book called Eva, by Peter Dickinson. I found it via a booklist that is posted on Robin McKinley's blog. (Peter Dickinson is Robin McKinley's husband.) Robin and her blog readers have all posted to this booklist. WARNING: if you like fantasy, you are liable to find hundreds of books to interest you on this list. You may never dig yourself out of the pile of books-to-be-read...

Anyway, back to the book, which was written in 1988. It is set in the future, when the world is grossly overpopulated, and there are very few animals left. Eva is very badly injured in an automobile accident, and to save her, they implant her consciousness into the body of a chimpanzee.

I haven't gotten very far in the book, but there are a wide variety of themes here: the definition of "self"; ethics of medical experimentation, especially on animals; corporate sponsorship and exploitation (yep, that's how they paid for her treatment); etc. I'm looking forward to finding out how these themes develop.

We interrupt this blog for a political message

Yes, I voted in the primary yesterday. I can't say that I am truly excited about Al Franken, and I'm not exactly sure why not. So I guess I need to learn more about his stance on issues.

In the meantime, however, I have to plug my district's terrific candidate for the House, Ashwin Madia. Yes, he's a lawyer, a Marine, and a former Republican. BUT he saw the light on the party issue, and while in the military, he successfully defended a homosexual man against discrimination. He has served in Iraq. He's a fiscal conservative and a social liberal. He's pro-choice and supports full GLBT rights including marriage. His top issues:

• End the Iraq war responsibly
• Create and implement solutions to global warming
• Balance the budget
• Expand access to health care
• Renew federal commitment to education
• Safeguard our fundamental freedoms

That might not be the order I'd put them in, but I can't argue with those goals. I'm looking forward to voting for him in November, and I'm really hoping we can move this district back to the Blue side.

You may not be able to vote for him in the general election, but you can vote for him now:

J-Street PAC is having an online contest. People can visit a website and vote for their favorite house challenger. The candidate who receives the most votes will receive a check for FIVE THOUSAND DOLLARS. Please click this link and vote for Ash. Then send the link to some of your friends and ask them to vote for Ash.

Bravo's latest obsession

Bravo is now obsessed with tomatoes. I discovered this one day when I realized he'd been out for quite some time while I played on the computer, and he hadn't yet appeared on the deck asking to come back in. Usually this takes only a couple of minutes - 5 at the most. So I went out to look for him and found him digging at the fence line. Apparently, a squirrel had been eating a tomato and left it in full view on the other side of the fence. Fortunately, our neighbors had installed edging, so the only damage was a little depression on our side.

A couple of days later, we found he was digging a little to one side of the first location. Yes, there was another tomato looking very tantalizing on the other side of the fence. And then yesterday, he had a new location and I realized that the neighbor's tomato plant is right next to the fence. It seems Bravo didn't really notice them until they turned bright red. Though since he is supposed to be color-blind, perhaps it is their scent as they ripen that he notices, rather than the color. In any event, it is driving him crazy to see (smell) them practically touching the fence, and the spaces in the chain link are too small for him to bite them.

The neighbors came to sell gift wrap for the school tonight, and the mom said that Bravo could have the tomatoes. I'm not sure that's a good idea. Russ doesn't think he'll like them, but I'm not so sure.

So now I watch him when I let him out. He always goes directly to the fence, and if he appears too intent, I bang on the door or make my "admonishing" sound. He stops immediately. Though he usually moves behind the tree, then, and I can't tell if he's digging or not. If he is, it can't be much, because I don't let him stay out too long. OOPS, he's still out - I'd better go let him in!