Thoughts & Deeds

It’s not easy to describe how it felt when California passed Proposition 8 – banning same-sex marriages – last week. The same happened in Oregon four years ago. We search for words to express how it feels to know that secretly (and openly) 52% of people hate us. We rage and we cry and we feel empty. We try to forgive, to keep hope alive, to move forward despite this setback. … more

Mine is a pretty cynical generation. Most of us in our 30s have spent the majority of our lives in a recession, in a war over oil, facing climate change, and enduring political parties that fail to inspire much less to lead us to a better tomorrow. We’ve lacked hope that things will get better, that people are good and decent, and that we can somehow change our situation. … more

Whatever you do today, wherever you are, get out there and vote! If you’re in a vote-by-mail state like me, then go hand in your ballot if you haven’t already. This is it, folks, this is your single chance to express your most precious right as an American. I don’t care what your politics are, but I do care if you don’t vote. People in other countries die fighting for the right to possibly vote some day in a less oppressive future, so don’t do them a disservice and express your selfish ignorance by not voting.

Get off your ass and VOTE.

How often have you heard someone say “Well, I need room to haul stuff…” when contemplating a new car purchase? This mythical “stuff” becomes the rationalization for buying an SUV or station wagon with enough room to haul around large objects. People poo-poo the Prius or similar sized cars as not having enough room for people, “stuff”, pets, etc. The only solution to this “stuff” problem is clearly to get a larger vehicle! … more

I sent this email to the Obama/Biden campaign earlier today after reading Obama’s stance on Proposition 8 in California, same-sex marriage, and his Faith & Family tour. … more

When I think of coal used for energy, I think of China, filthy air, dire situations, under-developed nations, the iron-grip of Communism. Coal is the fuel of Tolstoy and World War I and the Eastern Block, a phantom from the early 20th century, a black spot on our environmental history. Coal is up there with nuclear energy and reliance on oil; something shameful that we’re trying to give up. … more

Gas, as we know, is becoming ridiculously expensive. Add that to what we now know about global warming and we see many people clamoring to ditch their old cars to buy new hybids. I know I sure did it, trading my Mazda 3 hatchback in for a Prius last year when my Mazda lease ran out. Now that I’m used to getting 40-55 MPG, I know I’ll never buy another full-gasoline vehicle again. … more

These are trying times. The economy is in a downturn, the war in Iraq lingers on, gas costs over $4 a gallon, and large businesses in America are losing money. At times like this, I think back to WWII and the efforts of the government and businesses to bolster the economy, how they encouraged thrift, recycling, reusing old materials, growing Victory gardens, tightening the belt a little. (Of course, the flip side to this was a series of posters villianizing Germans and Japanese.) I think of the heroic posters that helped shape graphic design as a profession and of the designers who created these posters. … more

In the last week I’ve driven my car 53 miles, ridden my bike 31 miles, and walked roughly 10 miles. I drove to work once, to Lake Oswego for a meeting, to Powell Butte for a hike, and to Hillsboro for softball games. That’s a lot more driving than I usually do, so I’ll have to go on a serious car diet for the next few weeks. I rode my bike to work three times and took my dog, Josie, for four bike rides. I took Josie for eight walks. … more

I know it might be hard to believe, but for about a year or so back in 1999 I stopped believing in global warming. I caught myself saying things like, “How do we know the Ice Age is really done? Maybe the warming is totally natural.”

Woah. How could I go from living with Earth First!ers to espousing weird theories that would make Rush Limbaugh proud? What kind of socially-liberal, bus-riding, gay vegetarian had I become? Shameful. … more