Voting

Tool for voters

Check out this site: voteeasy.org.  It's a very cool tool, but the fact that candidates are measured on their stance on a small number of key issues is a bit troubling for me.  This is not to say I have a better way to match voters with their best candidate match.  However, it does seem that sometimes you want to vote for who someone is rather than what they'll automatically vote for.  Example: I don't want anyone in office, liberal or conservative or moderate, who would accept bribes for votes.  I don't even want that person in office if they are voting for the issues that are important to me.

The other thing I realized is that I am often matched with a non-Democrat.  Not a Republican, mind you, but a non-Democrat.  I have no problem voting for a non-Democrat who can win. However, I still blame the people who voted for Ralph Nader for the election of Bush the first time around. In my view, voting for someone who has absolutely no chance of winning is essentially throwing away my vote. 

Nonetheless, I think more information is a good thing.  Information presented in a clean, easily accessible and fast way can only be a good thing.  Well done, Portland firm.  Who knew other people who love data as much as I do are located here in Portland?

Tradition

Few things anger me more than when people stand behind tradition or culture when defending something that is wrong.  Cruelty to animals is wrong. Fattening up a pig so much that it can't even move is wrong.  Saying you continue to do it because of tradition is wrong.  For the record, I cannot handle looking at any pictures with animals being abused or read any graphic details of abuse, so the link that I've added above is relatively mild.

Picture day

Today is Avery's first ever picture day at school.  Granted, it's at junior preschool, but still, it's a sort of school.  Hopefully she cooperates with the photographer. 

Mexico schedule

D and I decided that we are going to set a schedule for Avery-care in advance.  While we don't butt heads that often at home about whose turn it is to do what, it does tend to happen on vacation.  This is especially true in Mexico, where we don't do much sightseeing or many activities. I think because we both want to be completely on vacation and that never happens when you have a toddler (or should I call her a junior preschooler?)

I've come up with a general schedule and color coded it.  We also agreed that, realistically, Avery will end up watching 2 hours or so of TV each day.  It's just the way it is on vacation down there, so I included that time in the family time sections.  Obviously we'll do things other than just TV.  I should also note that this doesn't mean we won't go to the pool or beach as a family.  It just that the person who is not "on" during that shift has no obligation to go, or, if he/she does go, he/she doesn't have to do the bulk of the work in terms of watching Avery.

Anyway, all this is a long way to say, see those yellow boxes?  Most of those are four hour time chunks that I need to fill with Avery fun.  This is where you, my dear readers, come in.  I'm open to any and all suggestions for what Avery and I can do during our time chunks together.  Christie & Mom, you two will have the best idea of what there is to do since you've been there, but I'm also open to craft suggestions and games.  I can load up on supplies before heading down.  Let the suggesting begin!  Here, I'll get you started (see comments).