Monthly Archives: August 2009

(Community Matters) Spoke with Harry Davis (circulation manager for AAS) yesterday. He corrected me, it’s been 16 months since a rate increase for subscribers. I explained I would continue to subscribe but don’t feel good about the increase while content has decreased so severely.

(Community Matters) I can’t believe I’m receiving a notice in today’s mail that my AAS subscription rate is going up again. Seriously, just this morning when I picked up my Statesman from the sidewalk, I thought, good gosh, there’s hardly anything here – they should offer to lower the subscription cost.

Now . . . to receive a notice that the cost is going up – while the quantity of news continues to decline, substantially. I’ve forever been a fan of the Statesman, but I am feeling taken advantage of.

(Community Matters) I shouldn’t post because . . . . well, what’s funny is that some will believe it

here

(Community Matters)

I’m not usually susceptible, but how could I say no? here

(Community Matters)

What a delightful article and an issue I’ve given lots of thought to – article here

for the record, I will always ask hosts if I may blog about their event, and if I can take pictures. And, I never ever mind when someone proactively asks me not to blog about or otherwise mention something – a la Kirk Rudy who routinely prohibits most mentions, ie., there would be tons more if not.

(Community Matters) I can hardly stand it. The call to Marfa is strong and getting stronger. MM wrote on my wall

Ran into Jill at El Chilito… we wanted to be sitting on the rooftop patio of Rock Hudson suite, watching the moon come up, sipping wine with you, clearing our heads. Seems like we’re on the same page.

Margaret Keys @ Chinati Aug ’07

(Community Matters) what a treat – from Sunday’s AAS

(Community Matters) It is wonderful to receive compliments for a dinner made with love (not to mention lots of time and attention). It is beyond wonderful for someone to notice a nuance which quietly delights you as you’re preparing the meal for friends.

Dearest friend Bill Adams on the way into church yesterday mentioned how he’d thought about all those little potatoes I’d peeled. Funny, while I was doing it, I was thinking – ha, no one will notice but I love doing this for my friends.

Reminds me what I’ve learned from artists – either Stephen Mills or Miguel Rivera told me this. Artists appreciate compliments after a performance. They are especially delighted by a compliment citing something specific, especially when it’s something specifically programmed as special.

(Community Matters) I never did complete my pricing comparison launched two weeks ago. The Sustainable Food Center wrote to tell me they’d launch a study in the fall. And, their executive director, Ronda Rutledge sent me a link to this Seattle price comparison analysis. I responded that the author used strange, averaging methodology to arrive at the conclusion and failed to note that in 6 of 10 instances the same products at the local coop were less expensive.

Katie Pitre (owner of Tecolote Farms) and I have been in conversation about the pricing issues. I first met Katie when I subscribed to her weekly basket delivery 7 or 8 years ago. Now, we also attend the same church. Katie points out that local, organic farms have higher costs than large national growers – especially because of the Texas weather and paying a living wage rather than migrant farm wages.

Nevertheless, I will note that I paid $4.00 per pound for local green beans at the market yesterday and found organic green beans at Wheatsville for $1.99 per pound. Katie, David & their family are on vacation and didn’t have a booth at yesterday’s farmer’s market. Only one other vendor had tomatoes for sale and I didn’t like the offering. So, I purchased another local farmer’s product at Wheatsville for $1.99 per pound. Tecolote’s were also offered at $3.50ish per pound.

I want to clarify – I shop at the farmers’ markets to support local growers and don’t mind paying often significantly marked up prices (though I’d like transparency about this). If we (the SFC) are providing local farmers two profitable forums (downtown on Saturday & the triangle on Wed), we shouldn’t be subsidizing their markets. Perhaps they should be generating enough income so that the SFC can offer produce and/or programs to those who can’t otherwise afford the healthiest food. Just a thought . . . .

(Community Matters) Occurs to me that protests against President Obama’s pressure on both sides in Middle East negotiations have failed to acknowledge 1) that the PLO does recognize the right of Israel’s existence and 2) substantial progress is being made by the Palestinians in demands they police themselves – see Thomas Friedman’s column today about progress with Palestinian National Security Forces trained in Jordan and financed by the US. The progress is real and confirmed by Israeli generals’ dismantling of check points.

(Community Matters) Kirk & I stopped by Luke Hayes’ all day session for his team, bringing lunch (did yesterday too, with Bev Reeves). What an outstanding bunch, 12 or 14 field organizers spread across the state helping mobilize supporters of the President’s agenda.

(Community Matters) A common theme I’m catching in the blogosphere is the frustration and rage of the right. There’s a very vocal minority of lower & middle class white voters who just can’t believe they & theirs are no longer in control. They now have a Black president, Democrats control the White House, Senate & House. A Bronx Puerto Rican female was just elevated to the Supreme Court. A Black man who’s bold enough to call America coward re: discussing race is the US Attorney General. Lower income, less educated whites (have you seen a single person of color on the videos of healtcare protests or tea baggers?) are being fed malicious, fearmongering lies about health care by radio and tv pundits who I don’t believe really give a damn – it’s show biz for most of them. They are earning millions

Sure, there are folks with legitimate financial and procedural questions. And there are those with philosophical objections to a government’s even providing health care, who even philosophically disagree with the existence of medicare and medicaid but have figured out how to leverage the insecurities of those relying on these programs. We’ve been answering their questions and should continue to do so, but not stopping the legislative process until they are satisfed. Give me a break, rewind 8 years ago, the Republicans didn’t even discuss legislation with their Democratic colleagues before voting in committee – we’re doing a hell of a lot more in committee and conference.

But the mobs . . . . I believe a large portion are most frustrated by the realization of the inevitability: our country is changing. White male privilege is on the way out, fairness and multiculturalism are on the way in. No one ever gives up power and privilege without a fight. I fear we’re in for a long one, could be a nasty one – suppose it already is.