While you're composing your letters to Congress

Here is a picture of a snake I found in my front yard.

Federalcheese attempts to become something more

In an attempt to move away from topics like how gay is my cat and how long does it take me to build a fence, I am starting the process of moving Federalcheese to a more meaningful community resource.

Some may know that the first major challenge to abortion rights since a conservative majority took over the Supreme Court came recently and the result was not so good. In a 5-4 decision, the Court voted to uphold the federal ban on intact dilation and extraction (“d&e”) abortions. Those on the right may know this method as “partial birth abortion.” Justices Roberts, Scalia, Thomas, Kennedy and Alito made up the majority opinion. Scalia and Thomas going so far as to write, “Roe v. Wade has no constitutional basis.” Justice Ginsberg, writing for the dissenting opinion said, “The Court’s opinion tolerates, indeed applauds, federal intervention to ban nationwide a procedure found necessary and proper in certain cases by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. For the first time since Roe, the Court blesses a prohibition with no exception protecting a woman’s health.” We are beginning to head down a slippery slope. If more abortion procedures become illegal, the better the chances that doctors will be frightened away from offering safe abortion options due to fear of prosecution.

But here is the good news. This is a federal law that the Supreme Court upheld. Congress passed this law. Congress can pass a law reversing it. The ban on d&e abortions was twice sent to former President Bill Clinton who twice vetoed it. President Bush signed it into law. I urge all Federalcheese readers to write their members of Congress and urge them to support legislation reversing the ban. Yes, Bush will veto it, but it will bring this issue to the nation’s attention. We must force a national dialog because I believe most Americans do not think the way the President and the five members of the Supreme Court feel. I have included a link to Congress’ website here. It’s time we make the new Democratic majority start reversing the limits on our liberties imposed by the conservative government during the past seven years.

A chapter from my life thus far

I am almost ready to leave for work. I see that my cat, Pancho, is staring at me through the front door. This means he wants in. I open the door to find Pancho in the grip of the neighbor's cat. I am alarmed at first, chasing off the invading cat, but realize immediately that I am wrong to assume malicious intent. The cat is just lonely and doesn't want his "friend" to leave. He is not trying to hurt Pancho, but instead is merely trying to drag Pancho away from the door and from going inside.

I was telling my wife about this when she mentioned that the neighbor's cat was not fixed, that he had "big balls" and maybe Pancho was gay. I dismissed this idea immediately, but it has been bouncing around my brain ever since.

Pancho doesn't ever date. He doesn't even talk about other cats, instead he spends most of his days sleeping (depression?). When he is not sleeping he is indulging in vanity. He cleans himself about 25 times a day. He doesn't even enjoy watching baseball with me like he once did. I will accept Pancho no matter what lifestyle he chooses, but I just want to know.

Pancho giving me a look that makes me feel a bit uncomfortable