Community Matters

(Community Matters) Police believe they solved the crime – the murder and suicide were both just blocks from our neighborhood

(Community Matters) Pondering the significance of this Politico posting:

“Davos elite confronts crisis of Western capitalism,” by AFP’s Dave Clark: “Leaders of the global business elite were confronted on Wednesday with the fear that the Western model of capitalism has failed and is about to be shoved aside by emerging powers. Over four decades, the annual World Economic Forum in the Swiss ski resort of Davos has become an emblem of the triumphant market but this year delegates admitted that state capitalism on the Chinese model is in the ascendant. … Four days of public debate and private networking kicked off with a stark warning from a panel of experts that the historic motors of the 20th century global economy will have to reform or die.”

(Community Matters) Have spent a fair amount of time this week reviewing investments performance and imagining the outlook for 2012. Lunch with my friend Eric Price (Price Wealth Management) yesterday where we discussed 2011 relative to 2008 and then more normal years of market performance. Emails yesterday with another investment-smart friend who told me to buy more Apple stock last fall – of course I didn’t but he told me yesterday I still should – and I will.

2011 was a very strange year. The risk of Europe unraveling threatened everyone and everything.

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(Community Matters) Senator Kirk Watson has organized a committee to coordinate the expansion of medical services, education and research in Central Texas. This afternoon, a group of us who have been discussing the quality and comprehensiveness of cancer care in Central Texas agreed to serve as the working group studying and recommending on oncology.

Our first order of business (which we were prepared to do last year but held off until understanding more about the Senator’s initiative) is an environmental assessment.We know there are good assets already here. We don’t know if they are configured optimally nor if we have all that would ensure comprehensive cancer care for Central Texans.

Good overview from Kirk about the initiative. I hadn’t realized how significant a problem we already have re: too few physicians – about 600 fewer than we need to serve the amount of people already here (ie., about 15% fewer than the 3,600 estimated already operating here). This problem will escalate as more people have access to primary care through health care reform.

(Community Matters) Wall Street Journal – Hill Top Views in Austin

(Community Matters)  In a 2010 Pew survey: roughly a third of Americans get their news online, another third from radio and slightly less from daily newspapers. Online jumps to 44% when cell phones, email, social networks and podcasts are added in. Radio and tv have declined precipitously since 1991 (when they accounted for 54% and 56%, respectively). Three quarters of Americans followed the news. Rather than replacing sources, Americans have integrated. More than half of those in their 30s rely on digital platforms for their news.

For some news audiences, such as regular NPR listeners, no single reason [ *]stands out as to why people watch, read or listen: 28% of regular NPR listeners cite several, or all, of the reasons listed, while nearly as many say they listen for the latest news (21%) or for in-depth reporting (20%).

* latest headlines, in-depth news, views & opinions, entertainment, mixed and all

When it comes to radio, Democrats (14%) and independents (14%) are more likely than Republicans (6%) to say they regularly listen to NPR. Nearly a quarter of liberal Democrats (23%) regularly get news from NPR, compared with 10% of conservative and moderate Democrats, 8% of moderate and liberal Republicans and 6% of conservative Republicans. [ the big news here is that 6% of Rs regularly listen to NPR - as opposed to only 14% of Ds and 14% of Independents - thus, Rs are a big demographic of NPR listeners]

Sources: Pew Research Center

(Community Matters) David Armbrust’s son John has launched an East Austin charter school. John’s impressive story in a Duke University newsletter.

(Community Matters) Nate Silver’s blog

I’m not endorsing or publicly showing favortism, and it’s important stuff

(Community Matters) Keeping up to date on Marfa and Big Bend Region

Sentinel on line

Marfa Public Radio live streaming

(Community Matters) A NYTimes blog series. The title is theirs, not mine. I’d have another list but this one is fun too

(Community Matters) I didn’t recall the name Russian Sergei Prokofiev – good gosh, a 20th century master – composer, pianist and conductor. His most well-known works include the ballet Romeo & Juliet and the children’s story, Peter & the Wolf.  Last night’s Golden Hornet concert was a marvelous evening. It was rowdy, an exuberant adaptation, a complete jazz fantasy of Prokofiev’s Vision Fugitives. Part concert, part comedy – the evening gave the audience an inside look at the heart of the relationship between Graham Reynolds & Peter Stopschinski.

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(Community Matters) Super profile on our friend Todd Canon in this month’s L Style G Style – & his partner Perry Heitman too

(Community Matters) Love more hostels

(Community Matters) I’m sure a fun activity and it never hurts to play at this.  Likely participants don’t appear broad enough to fully represent the city however – beyond the bakery block, that is

(Community Matters) What do all 100 of this year’s Fortune 100 Best Companies to Work For have in common?

nondiscrimination policies covering sexual orientation

listing

Hat Tip: Shakespearessister

Hat Tip: Towelroad