(Community Matters) Two events unfolding really may change the world as we currently know it – the deterioration of American relations with Afghan president Hamid Karzai and the Vatican’s bumbling handling of pedophile scandal now directly implicating Pope Benedict.

Karzai really expects us to continue funding a war and placing Americans in harms way while he entertains Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad?  Does the Vatican believe their defense should include the fact that families never contacted the police for 20 years?

(Community Matters) We continue to raise and grant money for HelpHaiti – we’ve raised $1.3mm and have now granted nearly $1mm.  It’s not easy – there are so many organizations doing such good work, yet so many people still not being reached.

Telephone conference calls & online research today including Can-Do.org founder Eric Klein who is over-the-top aggravated by the slow pace of recovery.  And, Leigh Carter, Fonkoze’s US-based ED about the needs of 45,000 women enrolled in Fonkoze’s programs, about the malnourishment of their children and how most have lost everything.  Leigh herself was in Haiti during the earthquake and fell from a second story floor, breaking her back.  Fonkoze lost 2 Haitian employees and over 160 lost their homes.  We’re talking about the possibility of stipends for their workers who did lose their homes.  We’ve already funded continued training for 2,000 women on business practices and disaster recovery (mitigating risks).  The HelpHaiti grants committee intends to invest a portion of monies raised in helping Haitians in economic recovery (as well as physical).

(Community Matters) We joined Amy & Kirk Rudy and lots of their family and friends for Seder last night.  What a wonderful tradition.  Loved seeing Kirk’s mom & step dad (Janice & Jim).  Sorry his dad & stepmom weren’t able to make it after all (Alan & Stephanie).  Special treat that Sam extended his spring break from Colorado U.  Many family & friends.  A wonderful way to celebrate the holiday.

(Community Matters)

Happy Passover

(Community Matters) Inkydinkyparlezvous, the blog of my very dear friend Lilly Archuletta.  She’s a cerebral and manic sorta friend – the kinda friend that excites creativity, smoking and drinking.  She’s also a very good cook. . . oh, and she’s very well read. . .  and she’s bred some fine off-spring.

update: Lily just wrote to remind me, her father is Raul Archuletta from St. Petersburg, Russia.  Her mother is Rose Quintanilla from Claunch, New Mexico

(Community Matters) Regrettably, we’re almost sure to see the loss of blood before some of these people accept a multi-cultural USA, where power is shared with minorities, women, non-Christians, LGBT and foreign-born Americans - the blood of patriots indeed.  Frank Rich’s column

“A threat to the very essence of our basic system” and a “usurpation” of states’ rights that’ll “destroy the free enterprise system.” “A federal dictatorship.” “Take our country back!”

“The Republicans haven’t had a single African-American in the Senate or the House since 2003 and have had only three in total since 1935…. Their anxieties about a rapidly changing America are well-groomed.”

(Community Matters) Nice press in THE paper of record

Once a sleepy state-government and university town, Austin is now a cultural and technological hub as well. . . . There is a notion, made famous by Richard Florida, that cities can prosper by putting in bicycle lanes and nightlife districts and the rest. These amenities attract the savvy young knowledge workers of the creative class, who in turn attract business. But perhaps the causal connection runs in the other direction. If a city has enough engineers in its tax base, the bike mechanics can scrape together a living alongside them. Either way, Austin has pulled it off.

(Community Matters) Last night we agreed to launch a new dinner club (The Lake Dinner Club) after the stunning meal prepared by Penny Wilson & Jeff Browning and enjoyed with Kim & Kyle Hughes. They cooked Indian out of Vij’s cookbook. And, we had the best time with four very dear friends.

they have 5 rescue dogs, all some form of bull dog – each precious as hell (with plenty of property to roam)

the view from Browning Bend

Not to mention Jeff’s & Penny’s new home – omg – meticulously conceived, carefully engineered, dark wood, natural light and radio controlled.  In the heart is a kitchen (plus an outdoor kitchen) in which twelve people can comfortably create. I no longer have ambition to return to Las Brisas in Alcapulco, I’m just going to Jeff’s & Penny’s for a long weekend! An incredibly wonderful evening.

(Community Matters) Just won an eBay auction benefiting this year’s Twestival for Charity : Water’s Scott Harrison – well for him for lunch with 5 friends that is. Met Scott this week at breakfast with Ross Garber and through Doug Ulman. In 3.5 years, they’ve raised almost $14mm and brought water to over 1mm people. Scott’s plans are to raise $2B in ten years, bringing water to 100mm, or 10% of those suffering from lack or reliable, clean water. Their Haiti program in video below:

(Community Matters) YES WE CAN!

(Community Matters) The school superintendent allowed him to bring his boyfriend to the prom – but his parents kicked him out of his home.

Gay Teen in Georgia Kicked Out by Parents Over Bringing Boyfriend to Prom

www.bilerico.com

(Community Matters) Can’t describe how proud I am to be married to Steven Tomlinson, to be together, work together in this life.

(Community Matters) I’m not sure what’s up with this – I know a really smart, successful, fit and good looking 45-year old professional woman who ought to be booked on dates every night. Today she told me she hasn’t been on a date in a while. Totally overlooked. 35 – 55 eligible bachelors interested? email me.

My facebook posting about this suggests it’s not an anomaly in Austin.  What’s with that?  is there a gender inbalance?

(Community Matters) Quick trip to Houston yesterday for a couple of meetings with DNC Chair, former Virginian Governor Tim Kaine.  A cocktail event hosted at one home where I enjoyed chats with many including former Gov. Mark White – especially his fond stories of Lowell Lebermann.  After, a much more intimate dinner at a good friend’s.  Casual, candid and lively chat with Gov Kaine and good friends.  We’re all in agreement that Texas is in play and that Mayor White is a very promising candidate.  Kirk Rudy and I drove back last night – it’d been too long since we’d had such a block of time together.

(Community Matters) A friend sent today:

(From my favorite blog this morning. There’s already too much inflammatory shit out there, and I didn’t want to add to it by just posting this willy nilly. But this is sort of how I feel, because I’m so seriously puzzled by some of this reaction.)

You didn’t get mad when the Supreme Court stopped a legal recount and appointed a President.

You didn’t get mad when Cheney allowed Energy companies to dictate energy policy.

You didn’t get mad when a covert CIA operative got outed.

You didn’t get mad when we illegally invaded a country that posed no threat to us.

You didn’t get mad when we spent over 600 billion (and counting) on said illegal war.

You didn’t get mad when over 10 billion dollars just disappeared in Iraq.

You didn’t get mad when you saw the Abu Grahib photos.

You didn’t get mad when you found out we were torturing people.

You didn’t get mad when you found out the government was illegally wiretapping Americans.

You didn’t get mad when we didn’t catch Bin Laden.

You didn’t get mad when you saw the horrible conditions at Walter Reed.

You didn’t get mad when we let a major U.S. city drown.

You didn’t get mad when the deficit hit the trillion dollar mark.

You finally got mad when… when… wait for it… when the government decided that people in America deserved the right to see a doctor if they are sick and not lose their homes or life savings.

Yes, illegal wars, lies, corruption, torture, stealing your tax dollars to make the rich richer, are all OK with you, but helping other Americans… well fuck that.

That about right?