Monthly Archives: August 2008

(Community Matters) The AAS reported earlier this month on rising crime in Central Austin. According to the North University Neighborhood listserve, last week, a man assaulted a woman inside the HEB on Hancock, trying to grab her purse from her grocery cart. He was tackled by staff and other customers, managed to get away and ran outside & into a waiting car with two others. There was also a mid-morning rape in Hyde Park just last month. Crime in Austin seems out of control. Steven and I are hosting Chief Acevedo for dinner next month; you bet this is my planned line of conversation.

(Community Matters) Yesterday afternoon’s nap has been extended. I’ve been in bed since. High fevers and chills, hopefully just the 24 hour type ST had earlier this week. Major bummed this leaves us out of Philip Berber’s 50th Birthday Bash. No doubt promises to be one of THE parties.

(Community Matters) A good Economist piece on the race here

(Community Matters) Last night was a terrific event benefiting Care Communities and honoring Joyce Christian, Clarke Heidrick and Flynt Sparks. There were so many people there Steven and I love (I didn’t steal this line from Clarke who used in it his speech. In fact I’d said the same thing just an hour prior).

Of course we love all three of the honorees and Joyce is an especially dear/close friend. She gave an extraordinary acceptance speech. Lucky us we were placed at the table with Joyce, her family and her care team members.

Literally, so many dear friends and others we admire that I’m not going to list because I’d forget someone very dear and important and because I’m going to take another nap now 🙂

(Community Matters) Made a super meeting this am with Amanda (EF), Ken Gladish (ACF), Ann Staford (Spansion), Chelsea McCullough (NPower & RISE), Matt Kouri (Greenlights) about Corporate Social Responsibility Opportunity Conference we’re planning for 2009. I love meeting with people smarter than I am!

Alas . . . I’ve slowed down significantly through the day. Tried to avoid Steven’s ailment but now I’m feverish and achy. Gonna beat this pup by Monday!

(Community Matters) Every quarter the Entrepreneurs Foundation hosts a breakfast where entrepreneurs can chat with bankers about a published topic. This quarter’s presenters were friends from Square One Bank, Susan Casey & Tommy Deavenport.

Joining us included: Gary Sabins, Jeff Frizell, Jordan Herman, Gerry Bula, Dale Misczynski, Russell Reeder, Matt Marino, Jayne Walters, Mark McClain, Kent Fuka, Corey Blahuta and others I’m forgetting 😦

(Community Matters) from Saturday night’s opening of Acton’s new campus. Michael Barnes took much better ones at Out & About.

(Community Matters) I don’t know Robert Arena’s work, but trust the recommendation of John Aravosis who runs Americablog.

He’s saying 1) the polls show the race in a dead heat, 2) McCain has solidified 87% of the Republican vote, Obama just 82% of the Democratic vote, with 18% of former Hillary supporters supporting McCain, 3) personal abilities and experience cited as worrisome for Barack, 4) 46% of independent voters indicate they could switch between candidates, and 5) voters are concerned aobut McCain’s stand on the economy and foreign policy but as well about Barack’s experience. This all from a Pew Poll of registered voters (i.e., not likely) and methodology adopted to account for non-land line registered voters. His assessment is that GOP has been very effective at making Democratic candidates for president look weak and that’s what we have to overcome. Full posting here.

(Community Matters) I was under the impression that candidates generally gave each other a pass during the week of each convention. Now we’re hearing McCain will announce his VP pick the day after Obama’s acceptance (we’re also hearing his first three choices were vetoed by the national GOP). No doubt intended to blunt any bounce, just another sign of deteriorating civility in American politics. Since gentlemanly tradition appears off, I suggest Obama consider announcing cabinet nominees on Sept 5. He could start with Hillary Clinton as his nominee for Secretary of State.

During the next eight weeks until the election, he could announce others including General Colin Powell as Secretary of Defense, Madeline Albright as National Security Advisor, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger as Secretary of Homeland Security, Robert Rubin as Secretary of the Treasury, Gov. Kathleen Sebelius as Secretary of Commerce, Senator Chuck Hagel as the Attorney General and Bill Richardson as Ambassador to the United Nations.

(Community Matters) I’ve been lucky to work with super local leaders (Kirk Rudy, Alexa Wesner, John Thornton and Juan Sepulveda working with the campaign’s Adrienne Donato) in our Obama fundraising. They and so many friends/Obama supporters have made it possible for me to exceed my $100,000 original commitment as a National Leadership Council member. Surprised and honored to have received an invite today from Penny Pritzker to join Obama’s National Finance Committee. So, I’m signed on and now challenged to raise $300k.

(Community Matters) “George Bush’s record as a student, military man, businessman and leader of the free world is one of constant failure. And the part that troubles me most is he seems content with himself. He will leave office with the country $10 trillion in debt, fighting two wars, our international reputation in shambles, our government cloaked in secrecy and suspicion that his entire presidency has been a litany of broken laws and promises, our citizens’ faith in our own country ripped to shreds. Yet Bush goes bumbling along, grinning and spewing moronic one-liners, as though nobody understands what a colossal failure he has been.

I fear to the depth of my being that John McCain is just like him,” – Jack Cafferty, CNN.

Hat Tip: Andrew Sullivan

(Community Matters) After lamenting with a friend how someone we were discussing was, unfortunately, stingy sharing credit and agreeing how this was holding her back, in a later conversation I admitted to another friend that it’s easy to be generous with credit and praise when we ourselves feel appropriately acknowledged and appreciated. so, first revelation was, wow, she must not be feeling enough acknowledgment or credit. Then of course is the bad side, acknowledgment, appreciation and recognition are like sugar, they can become addictive and one’s appetite keeps increasing.

Completely different thought, nevertheless in line with my belief that a sense of power should be added to Maslow’s hierarchy of needs: In trying to understand senseless violence and apparently random rudeness, I’ve come to see these acts within the context of understanding (no, not excusing) how some go to drastic lengths to feel some sense of power, especially in completely disempowering worlds.