Daily Archives: 10/09/2008

(Community Matters) Several years ago a group of community leaders were in Colorado as guests of Applied Materials’ Charitech initiative. We were challenged to think up a new initiative for our city. Our group created the East Austin Economic Forum. Lots of meaningful observations there, the most memorable for me was that the psychological barriers to economic success for East Austin were at least as ingrained within East Austinites, if not more so.

The next year, Cloteal and I were both receiving the usual flurry of emails reminding us about the upcoming Anglo Angelous Economic Forecast presentation. We were at breakfast with Margo Weisz and wondered aloud, why isn’t there as substantive an economic presentation about East Austin and how the broader region’s and nation’s economic forecast will present challenges and opportunities for East Austin entrepreneurs. Voila . . . The East Austin Economic Summit.

This event has become one of THE economic summit presentations in Austin. Regret that I’m away and unable to be there this Saturday.

(Community Matters) Small world, when Steven and I arrived at his favorite guest house (really a small hotel at the edge of Noe Valley and the Mision District, overlooking Delores Park) last night, as we were fumbling for the keys to the property, a gentleman called down from the courtyard that he’d let us in.   Austinite Anton Nel.  And, he too is an early riser so we’ve enjoyed a a morning chat and cups of coffee.  He’s playing here on Sunday afternoon and in Austin with the Symphony next weekend.  I may take our nieces (Hilary, 16yo & Hanah, 15yo) who fly in on Friday for a weekend visit. We’re solo until Steven returns (where from, I have no idea.  NY?) on Saturday.  

(Community Matters) I’ve said for weeks now the election is Barack’s to lose or have stolen. And, I’m saying bullshit that this doesn’t represent deliberate attempts to suppress votes.

But for every voter added to the rolls in the past two months in some states, election officials have removed two, a review of the records shows.

On Monday, the Ohio Republican Party filed a motion in federal court against the secretary of state to get the list of all names that have been flagged by the Social Security database since Jan. 1 [which by law should be the database of last resort “because using the federal database is less reliable than the state lists, and is more likely to incorrectly flag applications as invalid”] . The motion seeks to require that any voter who does not clear up a discrepancy be required to vote using a provisional ballot.

Republicans said in the motion that it is central to American democracy that nonqualified voters be forbidden from voting.

The Ohio secretary of state, Jennifer Brunner, a Democrat, said in court papers that she believes the Republicans are seeking grounds to challenge voters and get them removed from the rolls.

Considering that in the past year the state received nearly 290,000 nonmatches, such a plan could have significant impact at the polls.

(Community Matters)
I did dial into the call with my favorite bankers. Not great news. Expect the deepest post war recession with unemployment growing to. 8% through 2009. But they don’t believe we are looking at a depression. Housing prices should stabalize after another 15% decline. Inflation no longer a concern, nor are they seriously worried about deflation. Fed’s liquidity measures: short term lending markets very disfunctional. Banks won’t lend to each other so the Fed is taking on that role, even lending unsecured for very first time to public companies, commercial paper market. Sharp increases in Fed balance sheet – was $900B in early Sept, $1.5T last week, and growing. More may still be needed to stabalize the markets. Posted from my blackberry

(Community Matters)
Steven and I are really on the airplane on our way to San Francisco for a long romantic weekend. Until this morning I wasn’t sure it would happen. So much going on, not the least the EF Fall Service Day on Friday – over 400 volunteers from Austin’s entrepreneurial communities to transform Govalle Elementary school’s campus. Amanda Chiampi a total rock star and insisted I go forward with our delayed and shortened summer vacation.

Now, if you’ll just sign up for Tuesday’s Obama briefing at Headliners from senior advisors Valerie Jarrett and PaulTewes or for the Obama debate watch party at our house on Wed, I won’t have to make so many calls from SF! 🙂
Posted from my blackberry

Oct 14 briefing here

Oct 15 debate watch here