Daily Archives: 07/30/2009

(Community Matters) It’s in today’s print edition of AAS but couldn’t find it there online. Why Obama could relate to Gates

One white guy I know recounts his own experience — cop barged into his home at 3 a.m., rousting him from bed, demanding I.D. — and says: “this [expletive] happens all over the place and it has nothing to do with race.”

And I say:

I’ll see your 3 a.m. roust and raise you Tony, jacked up on a street in Harlem, Bill, with a cop’s gun to his head, Bryan, pulled over for an air freshener on his rear view mirror, James, ordered to pull down his pants and lie on the curb, Robert, threatened with injury for drinking beer in the parking lot with friends after work. And that’s just among guys I know, including three preachers.

Now, broaden it to include the bridegroom shot to death on his wedding day, the African immigrant killed while reaching for his wallet, the Maryland man beaten senseless as he lay in bed, the Miami man beaten to death for speeding, the dozens of men jailed on manufactured evidence in Los Angeles and manufactured police testimony in Tulia, Texas, the man sodomized with a broomstick in New York. Are we supposed to believe it coincidence that the men this happens to always happen to be black?

(Community Matters) Off to Dallas this morning – Steven’s working there this afternoon/evening and tomorrow morning, then we’re off to Oklahoma to celebrate Carol & Phil’s 50th anniversary. Dinner tonight with Charles Santos & Rick Bond; I think we’re driving to Ft. Worth to catch up with the Christie women – Tana, Leigh, Lily & Ivy are doing the Texas cowgirl rodeo and museum tour.

(Community Matters) I’m hoping musings on prices at Austin Famers’ Markets align with interests of entrepeneurs in corporate social responsibility. I can’t articulate the connection but feel it there. A New Office Space

Amanda Chiampi and Shobie Partos have posted on how to and examples of employee volunteer programs.

(Community Matters) Just read on John Thornton’s Insomniative that Houston/San Antonio dailies & news networks once deployed 19 staff reporters, now only 3.

(Community Matters) Wow, I’m honored – hadn’t seen.

(Community Matters) After an attack on athletes, bombs thrown onto the track. but, hey, no need for hate crimes legislation – people don’t really attack the LGBT community

(Community Matters) I mentioned unexpectedly running into Tom Doyal at the Rino Pizzi event on Sunday. Well, heck, more than running into Tom, since I literally thought he had died years ago. I know this doesn’t sound very respectful but it’s true and I’m just so damn happy he is alive!

So today, I receive in the mail a copy of Mambo Panties and Other Stories of Hulsey County, Texas. Tom’s stories, I haven’t yet listened but looking forward to doing so. I’m about to transfer the CD to my iPod. thank you, Tom

(Community Matters) In my earlier post, I questioned the reasonableness of a 23% annualized return on taxpayers $10 billion TARP equity investment in Goldman Sachs. Stated then that we should be earning the same return as Warren Buffet for his $5 billion preferred stock investment in the company. Guess what . . . the American taxpayer got screwed. Warren earned a 111% annualized return – which sounds appropriate given the risk taken.

Congress should hold hearings on how the hell Treasury settled on $1.1B for its warrants (which when added to the $318mm in preferred stock dividends totaled a paltry 23% for an equity injection of last resort). By my calculations, Goldman Sachs owes US taxpayers $5.4 billion.