Monthly Archives: May 2011

(Community Matters) Shortest presidential campaign ever?

Mike Allen’s Playbook: THE PERSON YOU DON’T WANT TO BE TODAY: Newt Gingrich, who yesterday had to apologize to Paul Ryan for dissing his Medicare plan on “Meet the Press,” fend off questions about a Tiffany’s debt, and endure repeated airing of a video of an Iowa voter saying: “Get out now before you make a bigger fool of yourself.”

–Rich Galen, the veteran strategist and former Gingrich aide, says the campaign is “close to being functionally over” unless “adult supervision” is brought in: “This is what people in Washington knew would be the great weakness of a Newt presidential campaign: that he would say whatever came into his head, the moment it came into his head.” The telephoned apology has not solved his problems. A top House GOP aide emails: “The response and eventual apology proved how unprepared he is for a 21st-century political campaign.” http://bit.ly/mypuwh

–Team Gingrich thinks the crisis is serious but survivable. He held two conference calls with tea-party leaders, and one with conservative bloggers. Rick Tyler: “We’ve tried to correct the record and admit it could have been done better. Newt will get up to bat again, and he’ll hit a home run. This is just one event. I don’t think it’s a defining event.” http://bit.ly/lhP2XY

(Community Matters) “When you’re successful, all you can say to haters is ‘Hi, I’m winning and you’re not.'”

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(Community Matters) Steven and I are looking forward to this summer – which started this weekend by the way. Our cousin Brent Huggins moved in on Friday. By birth Steven’s cousin, Brent just finished his junior year at Northeast Oklahoma State University. He’s here for an internship under Matt Glazier at Progress Texas. An, Hilary Tomlinson joins us in a couple of weeks. She’ll intern at Thinkwell. Now if I could only convince Shaun Holifield to intern with us this summer as well . . .

(Community Matters) Steven & I attended the reading of Michael Mitchell’s Yugoslavia last night at Austin Script Works.

Austin Script Works is both a playwright-driven service organization and a theatrical producing company. We exist to support dramatic writers by providing opportunities at all stages in the writing process — from inception through production. Austin Script Works supports the whole writer, not just an isolated project, and dedicates itself to career advancement as well as artistic growth

From the comments after the reading, the script’s a big win. I loved it. I didn’t offer feedback for a while because I was trying to identify Michael’s voice in the play – somewhere between Tennessee Williams and Tony Kushner, and complicated with Martin McDonagh (Pillowman) twists. I argued against the comments seeking greater clarity and definition – I like Michael’s fog of ambiguity that engages audience imagination. It could be a defining and compelling voice if that’s where he settles for a while.

Michael’s blog – Squirrels in the Attic – where he’s been known to drop creative nuggets from time to time

(Community Matters)

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(Community Matters) love it – Thank you, MN State Rep. Steve Simon.

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Hat tip: Steve Adler

(Community Matters) Congratulations to our dear friends Tony & Carli Martinez. Tony was elected Mayor of Brownsville yesterday.

(Community Matters)  Congratulations to Chris Riley & Laura Morrison. Expected Randi Shade’s runoff, even though not the margin.

(Community Matters)

Today is City Council election day. Polls opened at 7am. Please vote to reelect Randi Shade.

When I spoke to judges on the last day of early voting – their turnout had been very low. Turnout will likely be less than 7% of eligible voters. As we’ve recently been reminded in Donna Howard’s race (which she won by 4 votes) every vote counts.

Why Randi? She’s the best. Seriously, the former UT Student Body President, Harvard Business School grad, high-tech startup entrepreneur, wife, and mom of two young children weighs all perspectives & opinions and makes her decisions based on what’s best for Austin’s long term interests balanced with today’s needs. Randi (and her wife, Dell executive Kayla Shell) is active in their Clarksville neighborhood association and she’s first-hand aware of the need to balance neighborhood and economic development interests. I was especially proud of the balance she struck in supporting the water treatment plant which ensures adequate drinking water for our next 50 years – she simultaneously required substantive progress, metrics and timelines for enhanced water conservation plans.

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(Community Matters) from our friend Evan Loomis at Treehouse

we’re in the market for good people at TreeHouse.  As you know, TreeHouse is a first-of-its kind store that sells smart building materials, while providing education on how these products can save customers money, create healthy living spaces, and are better for the environment.  Once opened in Austin, customers and contractors will have easy access to smart building products, turn-key solutions, and guidance.

Please let me know if you know anyone that might be interested in a the following openings:

• Store Manager and Assistant Store Manager
• Outside Sales Manager
• Department Managers with expertise in smart home technology, kitchens/bath, lighting, hardware, building materials, and flooring.

job descriptions

Evan is launching a well-funded green equivalent to Home Depot/Lowes. They are opening their first store and he’s looking for the best and brightest. Steven and I believe Evan, his investors and his employees will be very successful.

(Community Matters) Mike Bennett hosted tonight’s E&Y Entrepreneur of the Year Finalists Reception at his home in the hills of Tuscany, I mean West Austin – seriously, what an abode.

This year’s finalists: Hemi Thaker (Anue Systems, Inc), Gabriel Krajicek (BancVue), Don Shafer (BancVue), Glenn Garland (CLEAResult), Allen Lassiter Gilmer (Drilling Info Inc), Christopher Lavigne (LDR Spine), Hossein Hagigholam (Mamacita’s Restaurant & Cantinc Inc), Phil Miner (Miner Holding Company), Mark McLain & Kevin Cunningham (SailPoint). Social finalists: Lisa Fielder (College Forward), Frank Fernandez (Green Doors), Joyce McDonald (Frameworks Comm Develop) & Suzanne Santos (Sustainable Food Center). The winner of the social entrepreneur award receives a $100,000 grant for their nonprofit – thanks to the Silverton Foundation.

Heaps of friends, fellow judges & former winners in attendance including: Jack McDonald, Paul Hurdlow, Brett Hurt, Laura Kilcrease, Ed Taylor, Bill Morrow, Susan McDowell, Sam Goodner, Margo Weisz, Clayton Christopher, Tina Fernandez, Amy Warnke, Mike Blue, Ricky Richter & Teri Steffek.

The Awards Gala is June 9 at the Austin Hilton.

(Community Matters) I didn’t realize how significant an economic driver a Formula One race track could be.

Last week while presenting on an economic development panel, a colleague discussed its likely economic impact. First, it would draw a lot more races than just Formula One races. Second, many representatives from separate industry clusters have already expressed an unsolicited interest in investing and creating jobs in Austin if we develop this track. And, I was reminded how many corporate relocations follow visits by CEOs, investors and financiers.

Separately, I’ve heard conversations about potential green initiatives being built into the track and its programs. I believe there are serious, substantial initiatives which could further improve Austin’s competitiveness as a regional site for alternative energy startups and investment.

I oppose the cultural opposition to a Formula One track – seriously guys, just because it’s not a attractive past time for some of us, it’s huge for other Central Texans. I haven’t understood the green opposition – emissions from races have gotta be minuscule in comparison to flying all around the world for Audubon excursions – plus I’m told many advances in automobile technology have been fueled by Formula One race car development. As to the investment of State and county monies into infrastructure development – in light of the economic development potential being cited by people I trust, there appears to be a real ROI.