(Community Matters) I was late migrating to Explorer 7.0 and have encountered nothing but grief & slow responses ever since. Okay, now a late train supporter of Firefox.

(Community Matters) Their new album coming out in June. The new single available free here.

(Community Matters) The best of all worlds, Steven and I celebrate 3 anniversaries – our first successful date (4/30/99), commitment ceremony (5/6/00) and Canadian wedding (7/24/04). Hard now to believe we couldn’t stand each other on our first date (about a month prior). He was aloof and thought I was a player. Hmm . . . .

Can’t imagine life being any better. Steven, happy anniversary. I love you.

(Community Matters)

The press report:

My mother-in-law called yesterday, outraged at Rev. Wright.

What Andrew Sullivan had to say:

[commenting on Rev. Sharpton attacks on Obama too] I think that is part of Jeremiah Wright’s view of Obama as well: he will never forgive him for winning so many white votes, and breaking the pattern and ideology of victimhood and marginalization that forged Wright’s identity. This dynamic is very powerful in minority circles. In the gay world, for example, the younger generation faced enormous hostility at first in their desire for civil marriage. We were regarded as sell-outs, heterosexists, patriarchal fascists. I will never forget having a bookstore picketed by gay activists on a book tour for “Virtually Normal.” As integration deepens, the generation whose identity was created by separation can feel left behind, betrayed, and lash out … at other members of the minority.
Obama is a nice, and empathetic guy. He may have moved beyond the old racial politics, but he understands the pain that brought African-Americans there. He is not inclined to condemn those people or cut them off (within the gay world, I’ve always been far less politic). But there comes a point at which the old school’s attacks on him merit a response that can remind many what Obama’s candidacy still represents. I hope open-minded conservatives can see this: between the cynicism of Clinton and the polarization of Sharpton, Obama’s vision is a great one for his party and his country. He mustn’t be sacrificed to the wolves of the past.

What Rush Limbaugh had to say:

I watched some of Reverend Wright this morning at the National Press Club. It seems obvious to me that he’s doing everything he can to wipe out Obama’s candidacy, and I’ll tell you why I think it is. I think that people like Reverend Wright — and I think there are a lot of other race business hustlers out there, by the way, who think this — really upset that if a black candidate is elected president, that they’re going to be somehow diminished in their task, at keeping everybody in their flocks all revved up and angry about the ages old sin of slavery and the ongoing discrimination.
So it appears to me, if you look at Reverend Wright, listen to what he says and analyze it from the context or perspective of what’s best for him, which is clearly all he’s interested in, what’s best for him is that if Obama loses, because then it’s easy for him to say, “See, the white power structure doesn’t want a black man to rise to the pinnacle of power in the United States of America.”

(Community Matters) I didn’t know about the Rick Culleton ads supporting Jason Meeker and Randi Shade while attacking Lee Leffingwell and Jennifer Kim. Obviously, I was behind when I emailed Randi yesterday. Evidently, some dirty politics coming out of the Meeker campaign. His campaign manager and campaign treasurer evidently have teamed up – they resigned their Meeker positions – and are running an independent campaign. Randi has condemned the ads and I confirmed knew nothing about them. She hasn’t even ever met Culleton who also took out an ad in the Austin Chronicle. More on the story at AusChron.

(Community Matters) On North Carolina Gov. Mike Easley use of the term pansy while announcing his endorsement of Hillary, so what. It’s an innocuous term as he used it. “This lady right here makes Rocky Balboa look like a pansy. There’s nothing I love more than a strong powerful woman.” Obviously I’m an Obama supporter and I couldn’t care less about the term . . . . about the endorsement yes, about the term, not an iotta.

(Community Matters) Etiquette, one of the Fuse Box art pieces is an interactive installation created by Rotozaza and located at Cafe Mundi on E. 5th street. Steven and I performed the piece yesterday. Loved it. Recommend it.

Fuse Box creator and producer, Ron Berry, stopped by knowing we were trying this piece at 4. Great audiences for all the performances so far. He and his team very pleased and very overworked.

(Community Matters) From the perspective of Obama’s campaign, I fear the risk of Rev. Wright on the speakers circuit. Of course, he doesn’t represent Senator Obama nor his campaign.

I believe Rev. Wright is speaking out to defend African American religious tradition – much as Rev Joe Parker and his colleagues did in Austin - and to clarify the manipulative sound bites publicized by Hillary Clinton’s campaign on uTube. How many who watched understood the Reverend to be quoting the former US Ambassador to Iraq when he spoke of “chickens were coming home to roost”?

As Rev. Wright is reminding America, there still exists anger and disillusionment among segments of the African American community (I’m walking on ice here since I don’t know if it is some, most or all). Will this impact swing voters? I hope not. Obviously we still have far to go. Let’s discuss it, deal with it and strengthen our country.

Hope for conversation, for a new style of leadership, for reconciliation . . . . this is the magic of Obama’s campaign. I don’t suggest there isn’t conversation needed and disappointments to be addressed from many American constituencies today. We’ve spent the last 15 years divided. Time to come together.

(Community Matters) Our extraordinary former intern during her break before medical school.

(Community Matters) Heath Riddle and J.J. Lara announcing the launch of OutCast, a public radio program for & about Austin’s LGBT Community. Premieres Sunday, May 4 on KOOP 91.7 FM from 6 – 6:30pm. Streaming at http://www.koop.org/. Should be good; Heath’s a hoot.

(Community Matters) Randi Shade & Lee Leffingwell have been endorsed in their Austin City Council races by the Austin American Statesman. Laura Morrison was not endorsed by the AAS for Place 4, though she’s the better of the candidates in that race. AAS endorsements here I’ve endorsed Randi, Lee & Laura.

(Community Matters) Way fun last night at our place for dinner with Rosa & Juan Miro, Elisa & Miguel Rivera, Amy & Kirk Rudy, Ivan Buendar and Armando Miguelez. Plus our roost of younger ones, Nico, Diego, Daniella, Ellie & Ellie’s friend.

Ivan is producing Thursday night’s evening of poetry, fashion, discussion and performance art at the Mexican American Cultural Center. Armando’s installation is up at Salvage Vanguard and he’s collaborated with Lauren Tietz to create a performance piece which will show on Saturday at Big Medium Gallery. Ivan and Armando are from Mexico City.

(Community Matters) Since 2000, Lynne Skinner has produced the Austin Cup, an event which brings together many of Austin high-tech companies to raise money for the Center for Child Protection.

Austin Ventures partner Jeff Browning has served as event chair for all but one year. They’ve raised nearly $300,000 (perhaps over that after yesterday) for the Center for Child Protection.

Companies contribute to CCP to play plus most raise other monies through auctions, bake sales, executive sales & personal solicitations. It’s always a fun day, sorta a reunion/homecoming as so many folks have worked together at a previous start up.

Bazaarvoice

Cisco Systems

Daisy (Lynne & Brian’s daughter) advertising the E&Y sponsored kids’ lanes

hmm, my brain is losing this one

Home Away

Net Q

Max & David Yelaskel representing Pluck

Powered

QuickArrow

Reachforce

Justin Kirkland w/ Reachforce

Sailpoint

Jeff, Chris & Kathy

fearless leader, Lynne Skinner

Other companies that participated yesterday include Pervassive Softward, NetStreams, Augmentix, LifeSize, Troux Technologies, ClearCube, Lombardi Software, Boxx Technologies, Zarlink, Grande Communications, Tipping Point, Dresser Wayne, Entorian Technologies, Alterpoint, Affiniscape, 360training.com, MPower Labs and PulseWaveRF. Prizes for top scores, best costumes, spiriti awards and culture cup. And, all for a very good cause.

Please email P&G’s Chairman (A.G. Lafley) or call their direct line, 513-983-1100 to let them know the AFA doesn’t represent everyone.