Monthly Archives: July 2010

(Community Matters) on Mel Gibson (the village idiot)

(Community Matters) Hard to believe this still happens. Innocent or not, we shouldn’t let it slide by.  Thanks for sharing, Karen.

(Community Matters) Great lectures and updates. Dean Mary Ann Rankin on how handling the 2% budget cuts (plus internally mandated 2% incr in salaries). Now being told to prepare for addt’l 10% cuts. UT-Austin admin insulating a great deal & absorbing much. Nevertheless, $3.8mm tough to find. Higher teacher to faculty ratios (which are already quite high).

Dr Sally Dodson-Robinson’s presentation on 3 species of planets. Dr Sean Couch on how cows & supernovae are both nonspherical and magnetic.

Elliott Naishtat has great legs. Posted from my blackberry.

(Community Matters) Steve, Tana, Joe & I (along with about 300 others) attended the kickoff dinner for the McDonald Observatory board of visitors meeting. Lots of friends also there including Joel Barna, Bill Nowlin, Jeff Kodosky, Corky Hillard, Sarale Tiede, Mark Holzbach & Dana Friis-Hansen, Rep. Elliott Naishtat,  Karen Aakers & Bob Armstrong, and  Eric & Keri Strumberg. Funny moment – I was in line to refill my tea, a guy reached over to help; I looked up to say thanks, it was Karl Rove.  Funny because of several Headliners moments recently.

Immediately after, Steve Bickerstaff & Charlotte Carter hosted a Bill White fundraiser at their off-the-grid home in the Davis Mountains.  I had a chance to chat briefly with the Mayor about his race and a few state happenings.  Enjoyed meeting his daughter, Elena, who I’m told gave an outstanding introduction of her dad at the Texas Democratic Convention. Lots from the BOV meeting at the fundraiser plus Karen Bernstein, David Beebe, Dick & Janie Deguerin, Lt Gov Hobby, Dean Mary Ann Rankin, Rep. Patrick Rose, and lots of others

(Community Matters) Really, $550mm fine to Goldman Sachs?  I still contend they owe us $5.4 billion

The ridiculously low fine amounts to around a week’s worth of trading

(Community Matters) President Obama is coming back to Austin on August 9.

(Community Matters) Financial regulatory reform

and I’m all for Elizabeth Warren

(Community Matters) out of here – going shopping

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Ardee, please don’t forget to feed my gay fish

(Community Matters) I’d like to register my complaint that Lilly Archuletta hasn’t been writing.  I know she’s not too busy at work.  Get back to writing please! 🙂

(Community Matters) I’ve spoken with Eric Klein and like his organization. Unfortunately, the HelpHaiti Fund is not able to support CanDo.org since they don’t have the financial infrastructure to meet reporting requirements. Nevertheless, Steven and I have made personal contributions. I believe he is doing great work.

Vodpod videos no longer available.

(Community Matters) I attended the Texas Freedom Network briefing on the results of the poll commissioned with Greenberg Quinlan Rosner Research – Culture Wars in the Classroom. Texas Voters Call for a Cease-Fire.

Key findings:

• Texas voters believe the public school curriculum should be set by teachers & scholars, not politicians
• Because they are not following this issue closely, a plurality of voters are undecided about whether they support or oppose the new curriculum standards
• Voters who are closely following the curriculum process are more likely to oppose the standards than those following the proceedings less closely (including Republicans and “conservatives”) or not at all
• Despite the fact that a majority of Texas voters believe the separation of church and state is a key principle of the Constitution, nearly half of voters think religion should play a larger role in schools
• After hearing a description of the curriculum adoption process, a strong majority of Texans oppose the curriculum changes
• Opposition is focused on a politicized process that leaves out core concepts and puts a quality education for Texas students at risk

Thanks to Dave Glassco for hosting.  I enjoyed catching up/seeing with many, including TFN ED Kathy Miller, Robbie Ausley, Janice & Joe Pinnelli, Rebecca Leal, Yaël Ouzillou, Dan Quinn and Ryan Valentine.

Texans have got to become engaged with the issue of politicization of our schools. It’s absurd that we are creating a new theopolitical order, acknowledged as completely politically driven, which risks quality of education and career opportunities.

(Community Matters)

Happy Day Against Homophobia

NYC declares