Monthly Archives: September 2010

(Community Matters) It appears Lilly Archuletta has come out and revealed herself.  Glad to see she’s back posting; her blog, inkydinkyparlezvous is one of my favorites. And, if I were one of her children, I’d petition for the alias, but hey, her children are my godchildren and probably feel the same about Community Matters.

(Community Matters) Politico: Former campaign manager David Plouffe said as long as Democrats focus on making each election a choice between candidates on a local level and get Democratic voters to the polls, the majority party will stay that way.

(Community Matters) I like Michel Blue’s guest editorial in this week’s Austin Business Journal

(Community Matters)

Happy Birthday, Cameron

(Community Matters) After reading this article and seeing this portrait, I so want to be in either Madrid or Marfa. http://travel.nytimes.com/2010/09/05/travel/05Heads.html?ref=travel

(Community Matters) I agree with today’s AAS editorial and am glad this program is being reevaluated. Its intent is sound and there’s too much potential for abuse.  For instance, it’s increasingly used to prevent homeowners’ demolition plans – and sometimes (thankfully) unscrupulous developers’ plans, though that was not its intent.

We should reassess the ordinance’s original intentions, modify or redefine ambitions, and implement new historical preservation incentives – likely with tax break limitations which appropriately compensate homeowners while protecting municipalities’ tax bases.

City staff, the historical commission and the planning commission should be challenged to recommend new, more fair, best of class practices.  Council members might spend more time balancing their appointees to these bodies, even recruiting broader perspectives, rather than agreeing to appoint/reappoint.

Neighborhood associations also have a responsibility to better manage their involvement and representation. In the North University Neighborhood Association, we have elected new leaders and are reevaluating our practices and bylaws.

(Community Matters)

checking out the cool roof top penthouse in today’s AAS homes, I learned about the Commodore Perry – who knew it’d been a hotel?  And, I didn’t know Hugo Keuhne had been the architect – he designed our house.

(Community Matters) Sunday, Sept 19, fundraiser supporting Congressman Doggett’s reelection campaign – hosted by Diane Land & Steve Adler. Who’s who  host committee – including the Ausleys, Barnes, Aimee Boone, all the Garriotts, Kleins, Hogg-Garza, Amb McLelland, Nelands, the fabo politico women, Senator & Liz, Wellands, Melba & Ted, Calendar Club moguls . . . . an event not to be missed.

or, simply contribute here

(Community Matters) Mazel Tov

(Community Matters) Reminds me of Steven’s scene in American Fiesta

(Community Matters) Powerful – Michael Luongo’s blog postings on his return to gay Baghdad.

This visit would be full of stark contrasts. It was as if there were two different Baghdads — at least. I would interview men from Sadr City, one of the poorest, most dangerous districts, who talked about friends killed by sprays of bullets in drive-by shootings, their gathering places firebombed, their names posted on lists, others raped and disappeared by militia-infested police squadrons at checkpoints.

I would see a hospital where the bodies of gay men had been dumped, their anuses closed shut from a heavy glue used to torture them. I would visit a safe house, chatting with gay men and transgender Iraqis who hid for safety, yet at the same time were welcoming and life-affirming, teaching me gay Arabic slang and joking about sex with gay Saddam-look-alikes.

And I would meet other men from different parts of Baghdad, young, fashionable, masculine, with far less to fear, who did in fact cruise along the colorful banks of the Tigris on Abu Nuwaz Street and spend their evenings at fashionable cafés popular among gays in West Baghdad, flirting with men they met through the website Manjam as they sat back in comfortable seats visible from the street.

Hat Tip: JMG

(Community Matters)

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