Tomorrow, April 22, is a very important day. Most importantly, they all relate to my mother:

1. My mother's birthday: happy birthday, Mom—my inspiration.

2. Earth Day: everyone must love their mother earth. It always falls on my mom's birthday. Green is my mom's favorite color, "verdant" her favorite word.

3. The Pennsylvania primary: go Hillary!!  Strong women are unafraid and never back down.  Hillary, like my mom, was an active feminist of the 60s and 70s.

4. Equal Pay Day: this is the day this year on which women's wages catch up to men's wages in 2007. This is so because, lest you forget, women are still paid less than men for the same work they do. As of 2007, women earn only $0.77 for every $1 a man makes (for black women, it's just $0.68, and for Latinas, just $0.57). Who says women and feminism have come far enough?

That all these things are happening on my mom's birthday is no mere coincidence.  It is a tribute to her, so Happy Birthday, Mom (although you are vacationing in Europe right now and likely won't read this for another week)!

And go Hillary—here's hoping the people of Pennsylvania—which include most of my father's side of the family—are as smart as the people in places like Massachusetts, where most of my wife's family lives.

And Jay Cost—keep writing your brilliant, insightful pieces.