(Community Matters) Evidently buzzing the blogosphere: Austin-based Jeffrey Brewster’s photos of local soccer player and student Alexander.

I even cropped this one a bit for PG audiences.

Hat Tip: Man of Austin

(Community Matters) Good guy/Rude Mechs’ Kirk Lynn is putting together a Charades benefit (but this one a “celebrity” benefit) including local actors to raise $1,400 for hearing aids for a cleaning guy he met who hasn’t been able to hear but who would with this assistance. So, a fun, charity event on July 6 from 3pm until (who knows) at Bossa Nova Coffeehouse at 2121 E. 6th Street. What a good cause. Won’t be deductible since it’s for a specific person, but so what. Great way to share. If you’re interested in donating, contact me directly for Kirk’s email and address. $25, $50 or $100 perfect for this great cause.

(Community Matters) Steven & I were off early this morning to pick up the best Texas BBQ for a dinner party tonight – best per Texas Monthly as well as what Michael Barnes and I could smell last week – only smell since they ran out of everything by 9:30 last Saturday while while we were in line.

I’d placed my order early in the week. It was easy to just show up, pick up and pay. Kerry is cooking 1,100 lbs of meat today. Before the Tx Monthly article, he was cooking 300 lbs each Saturday.

checking out with daughter, Lorissa, and owner/dad, Kerry

What the heck, had to try some of it all – brisket, pork roast, pork ribs, chicken & sausage plus their potato salad & cole slaw.

packing 15#s brisket & Snow’s bbq sauce for San Francisco

While in line last week, I met 3 entrepreneurs who’d flown in from San Francisco specifically to try Snow’s brisket. They were out of luck too. Steven and I already drop shipped their order for overnight FedEx delivery.

Bastrop farmer’s market

On our way from Lexington to Lockhart, we picked up salad fixins at Bastrop’s Farmer’s Market.

Ordering at Kreuz’s

Of course the best BBQ requires the best potato salad, beans and sour kraut, and these are definitely at Kreuz’s. While I was there, occurred to me that it’s unlikely for anyone’s pork ribs to beat Kreuz’s so some of these too.

(Community Matters) for insurance companies and the people who design their customer complaints and appeals process. here

(Community Matters) I believe the most watched uTube of all time

(Community Matters) Michael & I toured the two finalist theatres for the winter’s production of Highway Home – actually, the evening will probably be called Two Fountains featuring two Michael Mitchell plays, Highway Home and Them. Imagine we’ll arrive at a decision on which theatre this weekend. Without even launching our fundraising, we’ve raised $14k of the $25k.

Can’t wait to get started with Michael Mitchell (writer) and Katie Pearl (director) – moi producing. Definitely have our eyes on our favorite production/technical manager – Natalie, are you available?!?

Michael’s been writing about this – and obviously much more – on our blog, SquirrelsInTheAttic.info

(Community Matters) by the way, it sucks. Let’s hope we can count on the Senate (not holding my breath) to stand up to the telecom lobbyists. Why has the D party completely caved?

Glenn Greenwald:

This scandal began by revelations that the President broke the law — committed felonies — when spying on our calls and emails without warrants, because he believes he has the power to break the law. The scandal all but concluded yesterday, with the Democratic Congress (a) protecting the President, (b) permanently blocking the lawsuits which would have revealed what he did and would have ruled that he broke the law, and (c) legalizing the very illegal spying regime that he secretly ordered in 2001. Only in the twisted world of Washington can that be described as a “compromise.”

(Community Matters) This is a helpful one here

(Community Matters) A Tech Crunch posting – interesting in its context, albeit widely dissed in comments, especially Citi analyst’s recommendations:

A decade ago, the leading Internet companies were AOL, Amazon, eBay, and Yahoo. With the exception of Amazon, which is experiencing a renewal as it embraces digital distribution and cloud computing, they all fell by the wayside because they failed to adapt to a major market transition. For AOL, it was the transition to broadband. For eBay, it was the rise of search as the primary way to find goods to buy online. And even Amazon had its dark days.

The question for Google, the current Internet market leader, is whether it too will miss the next major market/platform shift. Or will it somehow be able to get ahead of it and maintain its leadership position (and stock market premium). Some long term platform shifts that are just now beginning include the rise of the mobile Web and the shift to cloud computing—both areas where Google is putting a lot of resources.

here

(Community Matters) Chris Earthman (Aragona Foundation), Ken Gladish (Austin Community Foundation) and I wrapped up the week over drinks at Headliners discussing opportunities to incubate earned income opportunities at Austin nonprofits. Greenlight’s Matt Kouri would have been part of this conversation but on a drive out of town. Amanda Chiampi and Marion Cimbala have been majorly involved in the ongoing conversation with me & Chris. Social venture capital funds, incubation funds, curriculum, mentoring, consultants . . . all part of the conversation. Good stuff