Daily Archives: 11/24/2010

(Community Matters) Another set of friends announced their engagement today . . .

(Community Matters) Interestingly enough, at breakfast this morning I suggested that most of the uproar was likely from folks who don’t even travel by air. You can’t help but appreciate the tradeoffs of convenience/privacy for security if you fly regularly

Gallup.com: ‘The large majority (71%) of air travelers who have flown at least twice in the past year say any potential loss of personal privacy from the full-body scans and pat-downs is worth it as a means of preventing acts of terrorism.’ http://bit.ly/eVVLvI

(Community Matters) Eerily like the stories we heard of how Palestinians are being evicted even from East Jerusalem. If Israel subsequently begins enforcing a safety perimeter, evicting other Palestinians from the only area of Palestine where they are allowed to live, then it’ll be full on the story we were told while touring the West Bank with a Christian Palestinian.

Reminds me that the vast area of West Bank annexed into Jerusalem is not cited by Israel when they talk about occupied lands or percentage of West Bank to be returned

NYT story

(Community Matters)

(Community Matters) Matthew Hinsley’s book is out – Creativity to Community: Arts Nonprofit Success One Coffee at a Time. Matthew is a very successful, Austin-based arts administrator who has grown the Austin Classic Guitar Society to the largest of its kind in America.  Over the years, we’ve enjoyed sharing meals, stories and earned income strategies with Matthew (& his wife Glenda).  I’m looking forward to reading this book.

order here

(Community Matters) Mark Smith (Flatbed Press) & Dana Friis-Hansen (AMOA) have collaborated on a new exhibit opening this weekend at the Austin Museum of Art.

Steven and I are tickled to lend Julie Speed’s Adrift to the exhibit (being hung in the photo above).

(Community Matters) It’s become a ritual that we share a “Thanksgiving” meal & spend a night with two of our very best friends, Charles Santos & Rickie Bond, on our way to Shawnee, OK for Thanksgiving with family.  This year Garfield Lemonius joined us (in from Pittsburgh where he teaches modern dance at Point Park University).

Rickie & Steven decided to stay home, eat healthy, catch up, laugh and cry.  There are two people with whom Steven regularly laughs so hard he cries – Rickie & Kip Keller. Charles, Garfield and I out to Jorge’s at the Dallas Arts Complex where Charles presents music and dance.

On the drive up, had to stop in West to pick up kolaches and rolls for the tribes.  Joe & Tana’s long time friend, Mimi Irwin, was at her shop (Village Bakery).  Nice seeing her again and introducing her to Steven.  We loaded up.

For folks who like picking up kolaches while barreling I-35 down from or to Dallas/FW, well worth the extra 2 minute drive to leave the highway and drive a mile into town.  Mimi’s father established West’s first Czech bakery in 1952. Fresh ingredients, no preservatives – plenty of everything hot & ready to eat, or frozen, ready to be taken home and baked.

(Community Matters) Michael Willard’s guest editorial

Steven and I love the work Habitat does – especially Austin Habitat for Humanity under Michael’s leadership

(Community Matters) I’ve been thinking about a conversation – instead of looking at the widening economic chasm in the US, look at the shrinking economic chasm worldwide – millions of people lifted out of poverty into a middle class during the last 10, 20 and 30 years.

Declining jobs or wages in US – reflective of competition from abroad.  Instead of protectionism, retool, higher value added, even relocate as managers or virtual management.  Taxes imposed on corporations – a competitive characteristic they’ll assess in selecting where to build.

I’m not buying, promoting or embracing any of these concepts yet – they are informing and testing my positions