Reasons for Hope

1. Scientists at Duke have created an invisibility cloak, thus exponentially increasing my chances of being able to scarf my daughter's Halloween candy without being seen.

2. Evangelical Christians are joining with Democrats to fight for action on issues like global warming and Dafur. Too bad many of their leaders view this as important because of their "image", as opposed to being important because it's the right thing to do.

3. Approval of Republicans is at an all-time low. God Bless America.

4. More than two thirds of people world wide disapprove of torture, even in the face of terrorism. Interesting that the BBC headlined this as "One Third Support Some Torture". Such a glass half full, optimist kind of gal I am.

5. Studies about eating fish continue to give us contradictory advice about the wisdom of doing so. Good thing, because then I have an excuse to not cook, serve or eat fish, which I really despise even though I have been cooking, serving and eating it because it's supposed to be good for my coronarily compromised husband.

6. If I spend the big bucks and buy only fair trade chocolate, I can eat it worry-free, as opposed to all of you who are eating Big Name chocolate bars and guilt tripping on the fact that little children are used as slaves to produce it. Now, if only I could figure out how to make my chocolate splurge calorie-free . . . .

7. Solar energy could soon be more economically viable than oil, despite all the crap you read and hear from the oil industry. Good day, Sunshine!

8. The leaves on my geraniums are almost as pink as the few blossoms left clinging to life. Maybe dying won't be so bad?

9. There are always new mystery authors to discover. This month's picks: Colin Cotterill and Garry Disher. I need a fascinating protagonist and an interesting locale.

10. The gubernatorial race in Illinois will soon be over and I'll never have to listen to Blago and Barr snipe at each other again. Too bad we won't have a good governor after having to listen to so much crap election talk, no matter who wins. They say (good old they) that you get the representation that you deserve. We in Illinois must have really been bad boys and girls.

Liz