Monthly Archives: August 2009

(Community Matters) A dear friend suggests Elliott Abrams’ WSJ editorial is more enlightened than Thomas Friedman’s.

In the Israel Policy Forum, M.J. Rosenberg, its Director of Policy Analysis, suggests greater American Jewish support for Pres. Obama’s position and pressure on Israel as well as Arabs. He also notes Prime Minister Netanyahu’s courting of Christian Zionists and suggests that is a zero sum strategy.

Finally, I’m reminded that the Prime Minister Netanyahu has appointed Ehud Barak as Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defense. Mr. Barak was Prime Minister during the Camp David negotiations with Yasser Arafat hosted by President Clinton. At these negotiations, PM Barak made historically unprecedented offers to achieve peace, and he negotiated the pullout of southern Lebanon.

(Community Matters) Thomas Friedman’s column in today’s NYT one of the most insightful I’ve enjoyed in a long time.

I regularly engage in an “email conversation” with two well-informed friends on the issue of Obama Administration Middle East Peace leadership, as well as less regularly with more partisan friends representing both sides. Friedman correctly notes that Pres Obama’s pressing for settlements freeze reflects broader US sentiments. I have long detected and voiced a concern that Israeli lobby successes were not forever sustainable nor was blind acquiesence in anyone’s interest.

Wish Friedman had mentioned that Pres Obama is simultaneously pressing Arab states (Saudi Arabia, Egypt & Syria) for concessions and Israeli security guarantees while insisting that the Palestinians curb violence and rhetoric which begats violence. Thankful for Friedman’s reminder that Israel often gets rockets in exchange for pullbacks (Lebanon in addition to Gaza).

I think Pres Obama’s leadership in Middle East peace negotiations merits the most optimism in a very long time. posted from my blackberry

(Community Matters) Celebrated Carol & Phillip Tomlinson’s 50th wedding anniversary yesterday in Shawnee, Oklahoma at the Mabee-Gerrer Museum of Art. It was a super evening, well attended by family & friends.

Craig, Phil, Carol & Steven Tomlinson

Craig, Christy & Chris Doering

Carol’s people: the Huggins
from 6:00 clockwise: Uncle Bud, Uncle Jack, Addy Lou, Aunt Vivian, Ethyl, Uncle Clarence, Aunt Ann (Carol’s twin), Uncle Warren Dean (Aunt Sara strolling & not pictured)

David & Bob Tomlinson

Steven & Beth

Hanah & Hilary singing for the event

Karen Stalcup & Sid Tomlinson

can’t believe didn’t get a picture of my sister-in-law Delise Tomlinson – she did 99.9% of the work for this event – and a fabulous job!

(Community Matters) a few pics from Dallas

Charles Santos

One of my best friends in the world & definitely the meanest! We trade barbs ruthlessly, though the real fear is when we gang up on another with practical jokes. oh my. karma worries me here

Charles runs TITAS in Dallas and is taking over programming at the new Dallas Center for the Performing Arts, the new multi-property, $354 million performing arts complex.

Ricky Bond

OMG, Ricky is the funniest, chattiest person in the entire world, also one of my best friends and Charles’ husband. Ricky really is the original Chelsea boy, which is where Charles first met him. Rick still had his antique shop in Rockefeller Center, flitted between Fire Island, Chelsea, the Jersey Shore and his parents home in Main Line Philadelphia. Ricky has uncountable degrees (seriously, several masters) and is today completing a doctorate in art history. He’s also a fabulous art teacher at an innercity school.

Kidrobot

There was a line three blocks long awaiting the opening of the Mockingbird station Kidrobot , the “planet Earth’s premier creator & retailer of limited edition toys, clothing, artwork & books.”

(Community Matters)
Deep in the heart of another red state. The invites for my in-law’s 50th anniversary include my name along their son’s just as our sister-in-law’s is included as a host along side her husband’s. And even though probably more than half the attendees at today’s celebration held at the museum are fundamentalist, conservative Christians who probably question our president’s nationality & religuous affiliation, I couldn’t be an iota more graciously accepted as a legitimate member of this family, as the spouse of the prodigal nephew, cousin, son of the governor’s cabinet member. If we insisted on a legal term, the discussion wouldn’t go well. But, it otherwise goes extraordinarily well. And, though there might have been a few years of growing pains, I couldn’t be any more proud & honored to be a family member. Happy 50th Anniversary Carol & Phillip Tomlinson. Posted from my blackberry. .

(Community Matters)

You can yell at a cop in America. This is not Iran. And if some people don’t like what you’re saying, too bad. You can even be wrong in what you are saying. There is no law against that. It is not an offense for which you are supposed to be arrested.

(Community Matters)

marvelous

(Community Matters) State Education Commissioner Robert Scott makes some good points.

(Community Matters)
Insightful perspective http://mobile.nytimes.com/art/408324/28?sub=Columnist

I do not think this pertains to the sale of Goldman warrants. The price was arrived at just weeks ago. (A friend commented that amidst the crisis, we may have gladly accepted a 23% return – heck even just a gurantee of return of principal.) The 23% return wasn’t negotiated during the meltdown; it was negotiated a few weeks ago. Plans had called for an auction. Instead we settled for less than one fifth of Buffett’s rate. Posted from my blackberry