Monthly Archives: October 2011

(Community Matters) I keep thinking about this NY Times article questioning whether we are led by the right metrics of US success .

I’m also thinking about Steven’s sermon, If money were your God, how would you know? Would you worship it? Would you lay awake at night thinking about it?  Would you forsake friends for it?

Has money become our God?

(Community Matters) Sorry Steven couldn’t join us (he’s now in Pennsylvania), still . . . nice ending a great weekend sharing a meal at the house with family – Tana & Joe Christie and Cameron Lockley & Trey Alford

(Community Matters) The Obama campaign is kicking off Strong Start, a campaign to launch field operations in battle ground states.  We believe that the field operation, perhaps more than any other component of the campaign, will be the competitive advantage that propels the President to his reelection. Continue reading →

(Community Matters) “The young are heated by Nature as drunken men by wine.”

National Geographic article about the teenage brain:

Continue reading →

(Community Matters) so enjoyed being with our dinner guests. It wasn’t intentional but we seemed to have ignored politics in last night’s conversations – upon reflection, rather refreshing. Steve Adler & Diane Land flew in directly from UT/OU game (& lots of state fair tastings), Joyce Christian & Rudy Green, Terry & Joe Long, and Shawn Sides & Graham Reynolds. It would have been a birthday dinner for Michael Barnes but his job doesn’t allow for many free Saturday evenings.

(Community Matters) An important political, economic and foreign policy discussion between Tom Daschle, William Cohen and George Mitchell at the DLA Global Real Estate Summit. Interesting – “search for the common ground.”

video here

(Community Matters) Tana shared with Michael who posted on Squirrels and now . . . .

Vodpod videos no longer available.

(Community Matters) from Politico’s Playbook:

FIRST LOOK : House Democratic leader NANCY PELOSI, to CHRISTIANE AMANPOUR, for ABC’s “This Week,” on whether she supports the Occupy Wall Street protests: “Well, I support the message to the establishment — whether it’s Wall Street or the political establishment and the rest — that change has to happen. … Continue reading →

(Community Matters) If I’d been in New York, I would have attended the Occupy Wall Street protest, but I am reluctant to participate in Occupy Austin.

Continue reading →

(Community Matters) from Politico

HUDDLE EXCLUSIVE: DOGG-GONE?: TEXAS REP’S PRIMARY OPPONENT RAISES HALF A MILLION — Joaquin Castro will announce a $500,000-plus third quarter fundraising haul this morning, according to his campaign, a number that should run a shiver down the spine of Rep. Lloyd Doggett (D-Texas). Continue reading →

(Community Matters) I keep hearing that the City Charter rules, that council members of course support November elections and greater voter participation but that their hands are tied by the rules.

If I believed this rationalization, I’d have to believe that they’d have had me and Steven arrested prior to Lawrence v Texas  which stuck down Texas constitutional laws outlawing relationships between same sex Texans. And, if they are that strict in interpreting rules, I’m not sure how a devout Christian reconciles today’s lifestyles with the rules laid out in Leviticus. Continue reading →

(Community Matters) An acquaintance has tried to convince me against moving City of Austin elections to November – arguing that it could increase Republican influence. If Texas GOP motives for Voter ID were intended to suppress Democrat participation and that wasn’t good, keeping elections in May to ensure less GOP influence isn’t good either.

More participation by citizens is good.