Interesting morning

As usual, I woke up to the sounds of Wisconsin Public Radio (tres bourgeois, I know, but WPR is one of the few things I miss when I'm not in Wisconsin) and heard two compelling guests. The first was Jane Mayer discussing her article in the current New Yorker, Outsourcing Torture, which you can read here if you're not a subscriber. The NY Times also has an op-ed by Bob Herbert commenting on her article, which you can read here.

The second guest was a Canadian immigration lawyer from Vancouver. I already know that I have enough points on their scale to move, but at the behest of several people I am listening to my idealist better angels and trying to change the system from the inside for now. The callers were as interesting as the guest, though a bit depressing. Most sounded sad, hopeless and occasionally scared about the current state of the U.S. It's hard for me to ask people in that position to stay here. Both programs should be available at WPR.org later today (make sure to select Feb. 11th in the drop-down).

Reading Herbert's piece in the Times, I also saw Paul Krugman's piece about Bush's budget and how it is systematically screwing the poor (read it here). Of course, the reasoning is self-evident to most of the left, but it's nice to see it written up.

I am out of here for the next week and a half, travelling to Skandia, MI for my cousin's baby shower, and then on to South Lyon, MI to visit more family. I'm lugging my laptop, and will be posting if I can find wi-fi access.