Monthly Archives: August 2012

(Community Matters)

Where conventional grocers work with an average of 65 local farmers and food producers, food co-ops work with an average of 157. Likewise, locally sourced products make up an average of 20 percent of co-op sales compared to 6 percent at conventional stores.

Years after creating the market for organic foods, co-ops are still the place to find them. Of produce sales at food co-ops, 82 percent are organic, compared to 12 percent for conventional grocers. And, organics make up 48 percent of grocery sales in food co-ops, compared to just 2 percent in conventional grocers.

http://strongertogether.coop/food-coops/food-co-op-impact-study/

(Community Matters) nationalist violence in Israel – it’s horrific and condemnable from either side.

“Where on earth does a bar-mitzvah-age child find so much evil in himself?” The article said parents should be held responsible.

But on Channel 1 news Monday night, Nimrod Aloni, the head of the Institute for Educational Thought at a Tel Aviv teachers college, said, “this cannot just be an expression of something he has heard at home.”

“This is directly tied to national fundamentalism that is the same as the rhetoric of neo-Nazis, Taliban and K.K.K.,” Mr. Aloni said. “This comes from an entire culture that has been escalating toward an open and blunt language based on us being the chosen people who are allowed to do whatever we like.” NYT article

(Community Matters) Of course reading the e-book today while Robert drives us back to Austin

(Community Matters) College students, nope . . . GOP Freshmen on a “fact-finding” trip to the Holy Land. To be determined but the loss of confidence w/ integrity of new class could be substantial, especially among evangelicals and others – this at time there’s real question about turning over the House

(Community Matters) from Playbook:

“Still, swing-state voters are not convinced they would be better off in four years under Romney. Forty-four percent predict they would be better off four years from now if Romney wins and 49% say they would not be better off. Those figures are roughly the same when voters are asked to predict their situation … if Obama is re-elected — 42% say they would be better off and 52% say they would not … Obama’s re-election prospects remain uncertain. Gallup Daily tracking finds Romney with a slight edge over Obama in recent days.” http://bit.ly/Py62mH

Gallup polls historically over sample GOP

Nate still gives a 70% probability of reelection and  299 electoral vote forecast

(Community Matters) According to Krugman

(Community Matters) loving

His party . . . included many for whom purity mattered more than victory

(Community Matters) my apologies to Abby Meredith for poaching this pic off her facebook but I just couldn’t help it. One of my favorite wedding pics of all time. Happy 40th Lynn & Tommie.

ordinarily I would seek permission before using a family pic like this. Hoping allowed. xxoo

(Community Matters) Wow, talk about relative:

Playbook: BIRTHDAYS: Secretary Geithner is 51 … Jason Furman … Austan Goolsbee … Rosalynn Carter is 85 … ABC’s Bob Woodruff is 51 … Turner Broadcasting’s Kristi Slafka Brannan … House COS Connie Hair (hat tip: Patrick Gavin) … Roman Polanski is 79 … Vincent Bugliosi is 78 … Rafer Johnson is 77 … Robert Redford is 76 … Martin Mull is 69 … Felipe Calderon, president of Mexico, is 50 … Edward Norton is 43 … SNL’s Andy Samberg is 34 (h/ts AP)

(Community Matters) I’m glad Steven’s having fun too. Master Beekeeper Mason Dutton gives him & Micah King lessons.

update: David Chappel gave me the idea of renaming our hive, Gay Bees

(Community Matters) Robert joined me for this trip to Marfa. Unfortunately, Steven’s work wouldn’t let him get away.

Dinner last night with Tom Jacobs at Cochineal; courtyard visit with the dearest Caitlyn Murray and Tim Johnson.  Didn’t realize we’d be having dinner there again tonight with David & Ann Chappel, but that’s okay – we love the place

Prayers and good vibes to Cochineal owners Toshi Sakihara and Tom Rapp. Have been in contact with them today – chins up and Toshi’s feeling better.

Marfa Public Radio meetings this morning and afternoon – a board meeting tomorrow. Lunch with Jessie Browning and her three fabulous daughters, Charlotte, Bixby and Farah. Tomorrow night w/ Julie & Fran; Sunday with a few other friends. Wish Michael Mitchell could have joined us.

(Community Matters) “Austin is the most desirable city in the fastest growing state in the nation” In yesterday’s NYT: In Texas’s Capital, Construction on Many Corners

“Austin is the most desirable city in the fastest growing state in the nation,” Mr. Paul said. “Demand is outpacing supply for nearly every asset type downtown.” . . . said Mr. Paul, whose company recently bought several Austin properties including the former Katz’s Deli building at 618 West Sixth Street.

Hat Tip: ABJ