Daily Archives: 07/19/2009

(Community Matters) rats, I thought he was home the rest of the summer. Well, just gone for a few days. Luke & I might just have to throw a party

(Community Matters) just occuring to me . . . . why didn’t Clinton’s defense uncover the hypocrisy of Newt Gingrich and Henry Hyde and use it to sway public opinion, to better frame hypocrisy of house prosecutors?

(Community Matters) I’m still puzzled and bothered by this. One online shoppers’ source

Come to the market with a flexible palate. Often it is the case that common items (e.g. carrots, potatoes, and onions) are more expensive at the market than at conventional grocery stores. However, seasonal and specialty products that are outside of mainstream consumption (ethnic, heirloom, or rare vegetables, for example) can be purchased far below those prices demanded at the local supermarket. A flexible palate will not only introduce you to foods you never knew existed; you’ll also enjoy big savings. source

Occurs to me that Downtown Farmers’ Market pricing was very standardized – not a sense of competition. I know it’s not collusion but still rather extraordinary.

Noticing NYTimes article on Famers’ Markets and seeing reference to carrots at $2/bunch, yesterday’s available carrots were smaller lots and $3/bunch.

(Community Matters) Washington Post article in today’s AAS on why oil prices up when demand down and supply up – specualation? references to commodities speculation a la Rolling Stone.

(Community Matters) Twice in the last week I’ve blanched at headlines suggesting BHO is using GWB language.

In today’s Politico.com story, the headline reads, “President Barack Obama: Don’t bet against me on health care.”

There was another instance this week where the headlines suggested the President was using language similar to GWB’s “bring ’em on” response to terrorists. I can’t find it online, though I did find the Reuters headline suggesting such language in February’s budget fight.

so, what have I found? I’ve found that headline writers risk crossing the lines of integrity by falsely suggesting BHO is walking the Bush swagger. When I’ve read beyond the headlines, read the actual quotes, his statements are not even close to the flippant arrogance of the original GWB lines. I suppose we should all police our headlines a bit more carefully.

(Community Matters) Princeton Associate Professor of Politics & African American Studies, Melissa Harris-Lacewell on Judge Sotomayor’s confirmation in the Nation

The hearing was a performance of a broader set of social rules that govern race and gender interactions in American politics. Women, and most especially black and brown women, have to prove their fitness for public life by demonstrating the ability to endure harsh brutality without openly fighting back. The ability to bear up under public degradation is a test of worth. America’s favorite black woman heroine is Rosa Parks, a woman who is remembered as silently enduring the humiliation of being ejected from a public bus for refusing to comply with segregated seating.

It was painful to witness (though, admittedly I only did so ex post facto). It was almost funny to hear the white conservative men ridicule and taunt Sotomayor for acknowledging that her diversity would bring a helpful perspective to the court. Then, I remember it’s all about power and privilege and no group gives up either willingly.

(Community Matters) Immigration reform to include same-sex couples.

(Community Matters) I’ve written to United Way’s Interim President and CPO Debbie Bresette and am hoping to hear back. I’m concerned that they’ve named their newsletter Community Matters and am hoping they’ll respect the franchise of this blog and my use of the name since Sept 12, 2006.

(Community Matters) My earlier post noted Cameron and I shopped at the Downtown Farmers’ Market this morning. As we purchased just a few items – some tomatoes, onions, garlic, squash, watermelon and goat cheese – I was startled by the prices. We discussed this and I acknowledged wanting to help sustain local farms, and I don’t want to be gouged.

Once we returned home, popped over to Wheatsville to compare prices. Three organic tomatoes of very similar weight from the same local, organic farm cost twice as much at the Farmers’ Market as they would have cost *retail* at Wheatsville. The watermelon, not the same farm but another organic, local producer, again double Wheatsville retail price at the Farmers’ Market. The onion – also double.

I’m not sure exactly what’s going on here. Doesn’t feel right paying double the retail cost. Doesn’t speak well of Farmers’ Market ambition to bring healthy, local produce to most Austinites. As a new advisory council member for the Sustainable Food Center, I feel compelled to pursue these questions with the organization (they run the Farmers’ Market). Appreciate any thoughts readers might have on the topic.