cheap shots

My name is janettabas, and I'm a political junkie. I've been too swamped with studies to post my thoughts frequently on xanga, but today I'm going to let loose. I cannot hold back my disdain for McCain and Palin's meaningless and low-blow attacks on Obama. First of all, my respect for McCain is diminishing by the nano-second. McCain and Palin are linking Obama to a 60's radical Bill Aires and making the slippery slope argument that because Obama associated with Aires (whom they deem a domestic terrorist) in the past, he lacks the judgment to lead this country in the future. Unfortunately, Hillary made a similar move against Obama when she called into question his relationship with his pastor Jeremiah Wright, but that's for another day. Palin, McCain's distrubingly simplistic bulldog dared to say on three separate ocassions that Obama "is someone who sees America, it seems, as being so imperfect, imperfect enough, that he's palling around with terrorists who would target their own country." This is complete nonsense. By the way Palin's folksy, I'm-one-of-you, common women, broad-generalizing approach to politics reminds me of someone we know (i.e. George W. Bush!). At a recent event, McCain asked rhetorically, "Who is the real Barack Obama?" and someone in the crowd shouted "a terrorist!" McCain said nothing in response. What is that? How could McCain have let that one slide when it was so clearly an ignorant, racist smear against his running mate?  I'm appalled. 

Okay, now that I've got that off my chest, I must get back to Greek.

don't forget!

This Tuesday is the deadline for registering to vote in the November 2008 presidential election. Please register, if you haven't done so already!

when a mommy needs a mommy

This has been a rough week. Martin has been sick, Ricky just got super sick, and I too am sick. It's not a time for self-pity--I need to stay strong as my two favorite dudes are feeling so bad--but I can't help but wish that my mommy could be here to help take care of me!

good design

Good design makes a big difference--design that balances form and function and that makes use of more effecient energy sources. We went to MoMA on Saturday to check out the special prefab exhibit. It was really cool to walk through four actual prefabs (sans original inhabitants, furniture, etc.) and also to see blueprints for a whole mess of other prefab designs. As much as we'd love to live in a prefabricated home, I realize that a world of prefabs would be pretty drab. I personally dig modern design, but I think that it is most beautiful when juxtaposed to more traditional or less minimal design. When I imagine a street filled with just one style of architecture, it's just not as beautiful as a street with more diversity. The same goes for people. We are who we are, and we have preferences, but diversity is what makes who we are that much more special. The thing with diversity is that it has to be intentional. Diversity doesn't just happen. People need to desire and value it. Otherwise, we can't help but gravitate to those who think, look, eat, and roll like us. Anyhow, these are just a few thoughts after a great time in the city.

  a

 This is a view from the fourth floor of the "Cellophane House." Check out this link for more on this prefab and the two above.

doubletake

(that's a bruise on our bruiser)

  fun times

clammy

I'm an extrovert. Anyone who knows me knows this fact. Yet lately, I've been feeling kinda funky, kinda clammy. I find it hard to open up and get personal, and I don't know quite why. This is not to say that I don't enjoy being around people and talking with them/hearing from them. It's funny, though, how easy it is to talk and not share that much. Of course we share according to context and person, but still, I don't want this clamminess to become a habit.