Monthly Archives: January 2013

(Community Matters) isn’t that an interesting thought. Evidently a new book about Scientology and Tom Cruise intimates a certain relationship with the global chairman of Scientology, David Miscavige.

(Community Matters) Gosh knows I’m not shy for fights (I could stand to be a bit more); nevertheless, increasingly, I’m sensing that we should build more national consensus before imposing anything beyond a ban on large volume magazines and semiautomatics. It’s feeling like we’re wedged over a drum of explosives. Unreal or simply conspiracy stories, it’s hard for many of us to imagine the fear I’m sensing among otherwise logical, sensible neighbors.

I’m reminded, we must stop and listen, demonstrate we’re at least listening and trying to understand if we’re to have any chance of persuading.

(Community Matters) Stumbled across Austin Monthly’s Thirty Somethings Rock article featuring Shea Little (pictured herein), Christal Cureington-Sims, Polly Chandler, Dan Graham, Nick Goggans, Hayden Briggle, Nina Godiwalla, Paul Dalglish, Courtney Clark, Emily Marks, Lauren Larson, Homero Gil de Zuniga, Natalie Madeira Cofield, Jeff Nichols, Plinio Sandalio, C.K. Chin, Simone Wicha, David J. Neff, Wes Hurt and Paige Hill. Have to say, I haven’t read Austin Monthly in a while; impressed with the magazine. We should read it regularly.

(Community Matters) Many individual parishes do much good, certainly many of the Catholic Relief Organizations do; and, growing up Catholic, I knew many priests who I adored.. The hierarchy of this vulnerable institution, however, and some of the various sects – there’s obviously a disconnect from the world’s reality and there’s a lack of any accountability.

Bishop Bernard Fellay, head of the traditionalist Society of St. Pius X, declared Jews “enemies of the Church,” during a talk that aired on a Canadian radio station, the Catholic News Agency recently reported. Fellay’s remarks took place on Dec. 28 at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Chapel in New Hamburg, Ontario.

(Community Matters) My dinner club met at our house last night. Dinner topic, everyone’s words: Joene Grissom, EXPLORE; Sandi Tomlinson, GROWTH; Marianne Rochelle, WILLING; Mark Salmanson, PATIENCE; Christopher Kennedy, PACE. Cookie Ruiz wasn’t able to make this one, though we did discuss her word earlier in the day.

updated: Willing from Willingness

(Community Matters) Connecticut State Rep Debra Lee Hovey’s comment to former Congressman Gabrielle Giffords who visited the families of victims in Newton, Conn, “Gabby Giffords stay out of my towns!!!”

(Community Matters) Guest editorial from an out, career foreign service officer on the Hagel nomination.

Hagel opposed the nomination on grounds that Hormel is “aggressively gay” — for which Hagel has since apologized. Hormel has accepted that apology and seems willing to move on.

Why, then, should any of us freeze-frame Hagel’s comments 15 years ago — even as many of us, gay and straight, gladly acknowledge that America’s understanding of, and attitudes toward, sexual orientation and gender identity are changing rapidly?

update: reading how he achieved low scores from HRC, the Leadership Conference on Civil Rights, League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC), League of Conservation Voters, and American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees (AFSCME). These are a concern. Agree he ought to be more thoroughly vetted on these issues during hearings – definitely need for a deep dive by our friends: Levin, Gillibrand, Brumenthal and Kaine.

(Community Matters) Not sure how I got on their mailing list but received this email from Patriot@USA.com

People talk of the one-percent elite who are out to own and control everything in the world. Let’s put a name on one of them: Dianne Goldman Feinstein (D-Calif.). This powerful U.S. Congresswoman is the 9th richest on Capitol Hill, according to reports about the b/millionaires in Congress. Feinstein’s first major attempt at gun control occurred when she ordained a citywide handgun ban as mayor of San Diego, Calif., in 1984, where an attempt at recall failed.

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(Community Matters) A weak second party doesn’t serve our long term national interests but it could help us avoid the fringe objectives of their party. I don’t know about minting platinum coins but a 14th amendment solution might be critical to avoiding global economic calamity in the face of rabid, blood thirst for revenge and affirmation of relevance.

Politico’s Playbook: REPUBLICAN REBOOT — L.A. Times A1, ” Republican divide is increasingly a matter of region: Split between party’s Southern base and the rest of the country seems to be widening,” by Paul West: “That regional split became evident when members of the House of Representatives cast votes last week on a budget deal designed to avoid massive tax hikes and spending cuts: Almost 90% of Southern Republicans voted against the ‘fiscal-cliff’ compromise. At the same time, a majority of Republican representatives from outside the South supported the deal … The GOP’s geographic schisms burst anew after House Speaker John A. Boehner (R-Ohio) canceled an expected vote on a $60-billion disaster relief package for victims of Superstorm Sandy. … [T]he South’s preeminence could pose challenges to national GOP efforts to broaden the party’s appeal on social and cultural issues …

“‘An increasing challenge for Northeastern Republicans , and West Coast Republicans, … is the growing perception among their constituents that the Republican Party is predominantly a Southern and rural party,’ said Dan Schnur, a former GOP campaign strategist who directs the Jesse M. Unruh Institute of Politics at USC. … [T]oday’s Republican majority in the House is centered in the states of the old Confederacy. The GOP enjoys a 57-seat advantage across the 11-state region that stretches from Texas to Virginia. … As a result of reapportionment and the 2012 election, the GOP no longer controls a majority of non-Southern congressional districts. In the last Congress, Republicans held a slim, two-district majority in non-Southern states; now Democrats have a 24-seat edge. Still, the Republicans have a comfortable 33-seat overall majority in the House – two seats are vacant – and only the most optimistic Democrats believe that Republicans will lose control of the chamber in 2014.” http://lat.ms/UsBAKy

(Community Matters) Dinner at Julio’s w/ our godson, Nico Selby, 9 days before he turns 14.

(Community Matters) I hate to admit it but increasingly I avoid reading the AAS. While I take home delivery, I’m usually traveling and the online pages are becoming just too cute – too many small pop up windows, folding ads, expanding ads. This is aggravating and pisses me off. I am a paying subscriber, shouldn’t be subjected to this advertising torture.

(CommunityMatters) now that he’s apologized to Amb Jim Hormel and Jim’s accepted and the Pres says he’s good on LGBT equality, I’m good w/ the lgbt equality question. And, I think the objections because he called out a powerful Jewish lobby are silly – no one doubts the Jewish lobby on Capitol Hill is powerful. Republican Senate objections feel personal and childish. They denied the Pres his choice for Secr of State. That’s enough. Fight it out w/ or w/o nuclear filibuster reform.

From Politico’s Playbook: **A message from The Bipartisan Group: The Bipartisan Group recently wrote President Obama to express strong support for Senator Hagel, who reportedly is under consideration for nomination as Secretary of Defense. In these polarized times America needs leaders with the kind of independence of conscience and mind Chuck Hagel’s service to our country has exemplified.

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