"Presidents don't have power; their job is to draw attention away from it." Ford Prefect

The primaries are dominating the news here in the US. I’m not taking the ultra-left position (for a change), that elections are totally irrelevant and we should not vote as a matter of principal: although with alarming regularity I say to myself that we should refuse to collude in what ultimately becomes an organisation supporting multi-national business interest and generally failing in its responsibilties to vast swathes of its population. Obviously I wouldn't truly condone not voting: at certain times and in certain circumstances even a small difference between two parties or leaders may be a matter of life and death - people died for this right. But in this case, there are some candidates who are somewhat better than others, but is it really going to make any real difference? All sense of proportion seems to be lost in an election madness-frenzy.

Would I support one candidate against another in this election race? Of course - I always do - but only for the two seconds it would take to make my cross. What I really wish is that we had some real democracy - you know - the kind that demands direct action by people who take to the streets because of things they believe in (or perhaps City Hall - can you be a revolutionary pacifist?). If any of you are interested in the Presidential race here, I was sent this link to a quiz which assesses which candidate's views most represent your own: I thought it was interesting. click here

And for your perusal, a couple of snaps of SF: the view from Buena Vista, the grounds of the Palace of the Legion of Honor, sea lions at Fisherman's Wharf and the compulsory photo of Emma the lurcher.