Room mates, snap elections and lots of babies

I share a flat with two other students. We're not actually room mates, because we all have our own room, but I'm not sure whether "flat mates" is a real word. One of my flat mates finished her studies (medicine) and will move out in August. So, we had to find a new flat mate and the fourth person who came to look at the room was really nice and likeable. She said that she's interested in renting the room, which means that we now have found our new flat mate! I'm really happy that this worked out so well and that we didn't have to wait for too long for someone nice to want to move in with us. She's from Germany, so now we have a really international flat: a German/Italian/Austrian flat.

It looks like we'll have elections in September in Austria. Not even two years ago in October (I think), the last elections were held and the legislative period would be 4 years, but it seems our politicians can't work together anymore. I'm frustrated and annoyed by the political landscape right now and honestly, I don't know who I should vote for if we had elections on Sunday. I take my civic duty seriously, therefore not voting is not an option to me. However, none of the 5 parties in Austria impress me with their manifestos. I can easily rule out three of the five parties, leaving two with whom I partly agree. Right now, I would just love to show my irritation and lack of respect for them by voting invalidate. If enough voters did that, then the politicians might get the message. But I'm not sure that they care. So, this is a frustrating situation for me, because not much has happened in the two years since the last election and until we have a new administration, nothing will happen. No new laws will be passed and this inactivity bothers me. One of my favourite quotes about politics, by Winston Churchill:

Democracy is the worst form of government except for all those other forms that have been tried from time to time.

'Nuff said.

Congratulations to Thomas Beatie and his wife Nancy, who became parents of a little baby girl two weeks ago! I wish them all the luck in the world and that their child does not have to face all the discrimination they had to face. Just because it might be hard to wrap the idea of a pregnant man around our collective head, doesn't make it wrong.

Congratulations also to Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban, who also welcomed a little baby girl into this world today. The girl is called Sunday Rose Kidman Urban and was born in Nashville this morning. (People magazine reports)