Chicago II - or "Americans love their dogs"

My first host in Chicago, who I met through Servas, and I went today to a park in the north of the city to... enter her dog into a dog fancy dress competition.

Leaving aside the fact that I am really quite scared of dogs, and being held in a small enclosed park with 60 of them, all off their leashes, for 2 hours is close to my room 101, it was quite an experience.

Joey was our entrant - as Elvis. She ended up winning 3rd prize in the home made costume category:

Other highlights included geisha, police dog, wonderwoman and a pirate:

It was certainly unlike anything I have ever, or would ever, do under my own steam, but then, that's part of the point of this adventure. Only, adventurous in a direction I wouldn't necessarily have expected.

Signs of the times

Sign in a bakery in Seattle
Sign on a suburban street in Boulder - click on it to enlarge, I think it's worth it (it's a public response to a rather angry letter from a neighbour accusing the poster's author of conspiring to murder a bear, calling him septic scum and suggesting he goes "back east").
Protest advert in central San Francisco.

Minot, North Dakota - the final presidential debate

I took a lot of notes, but to be honest, it was pretty boring. Same old same old most of the time - the same stats, the same responses, in a lot of cases even the exact same phrases that have been used in previous debates. This is depressing given the huge amount of material they could potentially discuss - they seem stuck on a few topics.

Listening to it, rather than watching it, made me notice the difference between the candidates' voices - Obama's is deep, soft and rather mellow; McCain's slightly scratchy, higher and certainly less pleasant. But I thought both of them sounded tired, and at times Obama sounded bored of the whole thing. They probably are, but it seems a shame when this may be the last time some people hear them setting out their vision and plans for America.

I feel like I am constantly bemoaning the fact that neither candidate is setting out a compelling vision. I wonder if this is because I am a consultant - and if actually this is the last thing the electorate wants. But still, I can't help thinking that only a vision can really get people excited about this election. I think Obama has succeeded in setting one out for his foot soldiers, but it hasn't made it out to us, (or indeed Joe the plumber), the ordinary observers.

A couple of details took me by surprise. Both candidates plan to end all imports of oil from the Middle East (and Venezuela) within 10 years. Does anyone have any idea what this would do to those countries if it actually happened? It also sound completely unrealistic.

Obama mentioned the story of a woman whose equal pay for equal work claim was dismissed and McCain did not support her case (or perhaps her appeal - I missed some key moments). Does this mean there is no federal equal pay legislation in America?

McCain seems to be accusing Obama of wanting to "spread the wealth around" - when I first heard this I thought that was supposed to be a good thing, but apparently not.

Finally, all this talk about health care is getting me down. Even laying aside (or taking as read - and in need of change) the inequity of the American system, it is stupendously expensive (America spends twice as much of its GDP on health - 16% - as the average for developed countries). Both candidates were asked if they were interesting in containing costs, and of course both said they were. But their strategies for doing so are likely to have minimal impact - making medical records available electronically, tackling obesity and opening more walk in clinics are all good ideas, but they won't save 8% of GDP.

A couple of weeks ago the New Yorker had an ad publicising a request from more than 500 doctors for the candidates to go further and advocate establishing a single payer system, which is something that could dramatically reduce costs. But even with healthcare so high on so many voters' lists of priorities, it looks like neither candidate sees this kind of radical solution as palatable to the electorate.

Thank goodness for North Dakota public radio

I did a very stupid thing, which was to book myself to be on a train during the third, and final, presidential debate. I spent a while wondering what could be done - and was seriously tempted just to plagirise Oliver Burkeman because I have enjoyed his coverage so much.

Instead, I resurrected my radio and after repeatedly finding nothing but static and some unexpected tribal drumming, I managed to find Prairie Public Radio which was running a rather too kind interview with a local politician in run up to the debate.

I had visions of gathering a crowd of politically minded train travellers to the loungue car, and even got permission from the attendant (who sang to us over the intercom five times a day to remind us of the treats she had available) to set up a listen party in her car, but reception was poor and no one had come along to join me so I headed back to my cabin.

On the way back I ran into Rebecca, who had been keen, and Nandan, who she'd met over dinner, and the two of them came back to my (extremely small) cabin, where we cradled and cajoled the radio to try to get better reception. It was maddening until we came into Stanley and transmission got strong enough to be able to hear anything properly. Towards the end of the debate, Rebecca went to get some fresh air when we stopped at Minot, and Betsy came and took her place.

So, we listened hard and in theory I should be able to tell you all about it. But this story is a lot more interesting than the debate was, I'm afraid.

"Empire Builder" - Seattle to Chicago

Though no one specifically asked for it, I think I promised you a tale of train food in the form of photo story. I have attempted this below!

On the first evening everyone at my table chose the four cheese ravioli, which were more appetising than they look! And not too filling, leaving room for the chocolate and raspberry torte which was delicious.

For breakfast the next day, french toast. Accompanied by a series of uncomfortable silences (single travellers are allocated to spare seats with strangers - which can be good and can be really, really awkward).

Lunch was a "garden burger" served with crisps and half a gherkin. And I'm afraid I forgot to take a picture of the key lime pie, but it wasn't what I expected (i.e. a lime green version of lemon meringue pie) - more like a lime flavoured cheesecake with a bit of crumble, or crumbly pie, topping.

Dinner on the second night was identical to the first, except the conversation was notably worse (lunch and dinner only have one vegetarian option each). Oh, except followed by chocolate icecream.

Breakfast I also forgot to photograph (sorry!) but it was rice crispies, a strawberry yoghurt, two wedges of orange and a "biscuit" (dry, savoury scone). And they'd run out of tea!!! Not impressed. Also not impressed to be sat opposite a silent (literally) minister of the church (another table mate informed me) who was the spitting image of Steve Buschemi, and with two rather rabid republicans whose best case against Obama was that he had initially not worn an American flag lapel badge.

Lunch was only available in the dining car between 11 and 12 which seemed just too soon after breakfast for me, so I got another garden burger (this time no relish) from the lounge car - incredible fpod item - vacuum packed for long life, bunged (whole - bun and all) in the microwave for 2 minutes and then it counts as edible. Actually, it did the bun a lot of good: apart from being a bit soggy on the outside (from the condensation) it was nicely chewy and sweet.

Seattle III

Quite a lot of people have asked me to write about Sarah Palin. It sounds like troopergate and Palin in general are generating a lot of interest and excitement in the UK.

But not so here, or at least as far as I can tell. It has, of course, been reported, but it's not a story which is running and running. I don't know why this is. I wondered if it was because the Obama campaign is on a winning streak, feeling positive and like it is winning the arguments, and therefore doesn't feel the need to dwell on negative stories about the other side in order to gain political advantage.

On the other hand, Pierre thinks it's such a minor case of abuse of power, especially compared to what other Alaskan politicians get up to (not to mention Clinton when he was in power) that it is in no one's interest to keep bringing it up.

Nevertheless, Palin doesn't need troopergate to turn people against her. My sense is that a lot of swing voters could see McCain as president but are totally turned off by Palin's extreme views - and this seems to get to the heart of McCain's problem... or even the main problem of democratic politics in general. He is the candidate for a party some of whose views he has long shared (principally, its fiscal ideology), but he is uncomfortable with others, especially the social conservatism of many Republicans. Likewise, social conservatives are suspicious of him, believing (rightly, I think) that he does not share their views on key issues such as abortion.

This may be what has led him to behave really rather respectably in recent days - criticising people at his rallies who shouted abuse about Obama, and conducting similar restraint to the Democrats over Obama's connection with Ayers et al as the Democrats have done over troopergate.

But this restraint, and apparently chivalrous behaviour, is politics too - the CNN response trackers during the debates consistently showed the lowest approval when the candidates attacked each another, and the highest when they set out a vision for how they would restore America to greatness. Both Obama and McCain know where they need to focus in order to impress the electorate.

Seattle II

Walking home last night I began crossing the road, even though it wasn't my right of way. The only traffic was a parked bus, and when it pulled out I ran the rest of the crossing in order not to get in its way.

As I continued along the street, the bus pulled up beside me, driving very slowly and the driver opened the front doors. He was speaking to me but I had my headphones in playing loud Beirut and I couldn't hear what he was saying. But I feared the worst - remembering warnings when I was a child that in some states jaywalking (crossing when it's not your right of way) is illegal...

I finally got close enough, sans headphones, to hear him. He said "I'm sorry I pulled away - were you hoping to get on this bus?"