Angry Stanek

I really enjoyed this article about families adding on to their urban residences, especially as a contrast to suburban McMansions. Sure, the square footage of these places (2400-3000 sq ft) is probably more than I’ll ever see, and it cost shitloads of money to do this. Yes. But the three families — especially the L.A. and NYC families — emphasized common areas when designing and adding on. It was a refreshing change from reading about 4000 sq ft McMansions where everyone retreats to a separate wing of the house.

Last I checked, there was a Democratic majority in the Senate. And the last I checked, one of the reasons that the Democrats had an overwhelming victory in 2006 was as a response to the Bush administration’s abuse of executive privilege and abuse* of detainees. So what are the Democrats doing with a nominee for Attorney General who refuses to categorize waterboarding as torture? Oh, they’re sending him on to the floor for a vote.

Great, everyone, just great. I’m tired of Schumer’s excuses that “Judge Mukasey is not [his] ideal choice.” Well, if he’s not your ideal choice, than don’t vote for him. The Democrats have control of the Senate, and they could make a stand for human rights and the rule of law and vote down every single fucking nominee who refuses to do the same. They could spend the next twelve months voting down a string of pro-torture nominees, and force a debate over what it is that our country is doing. But they won’t, so we won’t, and so nothing is going to change.

* Check out the zeugma!

I also sent an angry note to the DNC:

I am very disappointed to hear that the DNC has decided to ignore the state of Michigan in the upcoming primaries, and force the candidates to not campaign here. Michigan happens to be hit by a perfect storm related to the economy, the war, gas prices, coddling of big business, and is the perfect example of how everything has gone wrong during the Bush administration. The candidates should be clamoring to come here and say how we’ve been done wrong by Bush, and how they’re going to fix things in a way that will positively benefit the state. Instead, it’s another six months of them kissing babies in Iowa and eating pancakes in New Hampshire.

I volunteered with the Kerry campaign in Michigan in 2004; I guess now I don’t have to find time in my schedule for any of the Democrats in 2008.

I admit I will probably work on a campaign in California. But if I was in Michigan this winter, I would totally register as a Republican and vote for Ron Paul.

In the run-up to the 2008 election, I’ve been paying more attention to the news, and oh, it’s gotten me angry again. More on civil liberties later — in the meantime, I’m really pissed that some Democrats have pulled out of the Michigan primary. (I’m also annoyed at Michigan moving around the primary, but I’m more annoyed about this untouchable aura that New Hampshire, Iowa, South Carolina, and Nevada seem to have.) So here’s the comment I left on Barack Obama’s website:

As an Obama supporter and a Michigan resident, I am extremely disappointed to hear that Barack Obama has withdrawn from the Michigan primary. The state of Michigan is in economically dire straits right now, and winning the support of Michigan residents could mean that you win the support of economically disadvantaged citizens everywhere. I’m very disappointed that you are casting the Michigan voters aside in favor of feting the voters of the same old select states.

In 2004, I volunteered with the Kerry campaign in Michigan. I guess I don’t have to worry about finding time for the Obama campaign in 2008.

I will probably still volunteer with the Obama campaign once I’m out in California. But way to just hand the state to Hillary Clinton.

Moron.

Apparently the move to improve evolution education among Catholics isn’t working, if a new poll indicates that 41% of Catholics agree that “God created humans in their present form within the last 10,000 years”.

Great, guys, just great. Let’s be just like the evangelicals! Social justice? Rigorous academics? Who needs that when suddenly fucking Bill Donohue has become the loudest Catholic voice out there?

On another note, I wonder if the American disbelief in evolution is related to the popularity of a wide range of anti-bacterial products. After all, if you don’t believe in evolution, then you must not accept that bacteria can evolve and become resistant to antibiotics. Is there some sort of group category in the Darwin Awards if we all get wiped out by a superbug?

I’ve been working on a furious letter to Debbie Stabenow over her yea vote on the detainee rights bill. I’ve volunteered on campaigns in Michigan before, and I was planning on volunteering with the Michigan Coordinated Campaign again this fall. But now? Ugh. She may as well be a Republican, and I’m going to tell her that.

(Nevermind that the Democrats could have gained support from the old-school conservatives and civil libertarians who are gravely concerned about this direction. But a rant about the Democratic leadership deserves its own post.)

However, then today I saw that DeVos, the Republican gubernatorial candidate, is advocating teaching intelligent design. Aaaaargh. But working for Granholm means that I’m tangentially working for Stabenow, and I am nauseated by the implications of the Senate bill.

I’m not sure how to balance this.

Right, this little blog here has been sadly neglected due to work, wedding planning, and outrage fatigue. But never fear, I plan to return this fall, ready to blabber on about the 2006 elections (or, “Just how much of a dick is Ken Blackwell?”).

I was delighted to see a mention of Arizona Governor Janet Napolitano in an article about potential presidential candidates fundraising in California. I have wanted her to run for president for a long time now.

And hey, there are already bumper stickers available! So I can’t be the only crazy person out there who’s hoping she’ll run in 2008.

Three years ago, when I lived alone in an apartment outside of town, my total footprint was 18 acres, according to the ecological footprint quiz on Earthday Network. It was a 6 mile bus ride each way to work, and I had to take the bus or drive nearly everywhere. I wasn’t taking many exciting trips yet, because I was broke and it was too early to travel to conferences and collaboration meetings.

Nowadays, I live in a house near downtown, and it’s fairly big for only two people. I rarely drive, as work and downtown are easily accessible by foot, bike, or bus. But I am traveling by plane much more often for work and for pleasure, so even after cutting back my driving, my traveling and home push me up to 23 acres. Because I can now afford to travel and share a house — because I’ve become more privileged — I am automatically using more resources. I hadn’t really given that any thought, and I admit that I’m not sure how much I want to change my current lifestyle.

And summertime approaches, which means that the grass must be cut . . .