Category Archives: Uncategorized

(Community Matters) The James Beard Society has announced award nominees. Uchi’s Tyson Cole nominated as Best Chef in the Southwest.  well deserved

(Community Matters) Reading this morning I was wondering about the economics in our mayoral race.  Decided probably a winner, though illegal here.  Probably best since Carole’s the one bold enough to do it.  here

(Community Matters) Go see it. 

(Community Matters) What a boost for Central Texas – Rep Strama chairing Technology, Economic Development & Workforce.  Rep Rodriguez joining Mark on this important committee. Eddie also on Public Safety.  Mark also on Energy Resources.  

(Community Matters) Today’s a big day in the House.  Am especially anxious to hear where our local delegation will land and who chairs the most important committees.

(Community Matters) I have long wanted to see Stephen Mill’s Hamlet. We’ve been out of town every time it’s been performed in by Ballet Austin. It’s wildly considered Stephen’s best work, a brilliant piece.

And, again – though luckily, we’re attending tonight’s dress rehearsal.

(Community Matters) Wondering what Ken Starr has been up to? He’s petitioning the courts to invalidate the marriages of 18,000 same sex couples married in CA prior to Prop 8.

“Fidelity”: Don’t Divorce… from Courage Campaign on Vimeo.

(Community Matters) Was there a Monday? Of course there was. It included Robert Torian’s birthday. Happy Birthday, Robert.

I was sequestered all day, preparing the board packet for today’s Entrepreneurs Foundation board meeting. We don’t have tons of financial transactions so I keep the foundation’s books with the regular assistance of Virtual CFO and annual assistance of E&Y (audit & tax). It’s quite illuminating reconciling investment and bank accounts for the quarter, generating financial statements, highlighting performance against plan, cash flows and other financial metrics. Not to mention the tactical metrics around equity grants, grants to nonprofits, volunteer mobilization, CSR conferences, affiliate meetings and the upcoming annual membership meeting. Plus, in addition to testing and creating a new business model, we now have a new project, the Lemonade Project. We’re promising to engage at least 2,000 children in its entrepreneurial curriculum – borrowing money, planning and operating a successful stand, repaying their loans, donating to charity and wisely spending profits – I have to resist pushing Marion to beat Houston’s second year record of 11,600. Anyhow, a full day’s immersion in metric review and planning is extraordinarily beneficial, albeit grueling. Looking forward to being with our fantastic board members, my good friends this afternoon.

Obama’s press conference. One of only two breaks I took between 5am and 9pm yesterday was 30 minutes to eat dinner and watch President Obama. I continue to think he’s an extraordinary man. His focus, articulateness and command of the issues is refreshing. I’ve been back and forth on facebook with an acquaintance who is very put out that BHO is even trying with the Republicans. Though, first, they do have 40 Senate votes, so we have to. Second, though there are some parts of the stimulus plan I’m don’t like, most I do like. And, no one knows with any certainty what will or won’t work. Valerie Jarrett told me one of President Obama’s gifts is the ability to discern the most valuable advice from competing positions and to integrate these into a single plan. She cited a story involving Paul Volcker, Warren Buffett, Robert Rubin and Larry Summers simultaneously adivising then-candidate BHO. I’m glad we have a man with these gifts as our president.

And, as relates to his seeking to do business a new way in Washington (aside from the 60 vote issue), first, DC is the black hole from reality. We’ve got to keep BHO traveling outside the beltway and in communication with real people. Second, this has always been a priority with him. He said it all along the campaign trail. Though, admittedly, everyone does and I think most folks took this as a throw away line. It isn’t with him. It’s important. And, it could be one of his legacies which help restore civility to our public square, not to mention to our image abroad and even among ourselves. Expect President Obama to continue reaching out and including the GOP even though it upsets his base. I know I’ve said it so many times it’s becoming a cliche; nevertheless, I expect BHO’s supporters will be disappointed in him more often than those who didn’t vote for him – because I believe they will be pleasantly surprised.

So, the second break I took yesterday was to drop my car off at Flamingo Automotive. So, who knew I have an “angle gear module” and that it will cost $2.2k to replace the damn thing. Not that I care so much about the 4-wheel drive but I can’t really abide the clucking noise it made Saturday. Of course my warranty expired just a few months ago. And, an unbudgeted $2.2k comes from somewhere, which, regrettably, probably means one less contribution to some really good cause. grrrrr

(Community Matters) Last night at our dinner party, one of the conversations in a nook off the kitchen was about executive pay caps for bailed out firms. A very smart friend felt the caps were a disappointing capitulation to populism by President Obama. My position is that they are the direct result of irresponsible & blatant flaunting of greedy capitalism by bankers, even after accepting billions in bailout.

I doubt the caps are the favored choice of the administration; they’re not mine. And, as Frank Rich writes in his column, I’m hoping President Obama’s administration has realized the mob of popular disgust will leave BHO in its wake if the President doesn’t circle back and out front. I’m not citing a revolution but think we risk provoking an insurrection.

Let’s not forget, the movement known as Obama for America was more about Hope and Ideas than about a single man. The movement and calls for Change aren’t stoppable.

(Community Matters) Alberta Phillips at her most vulnerably candid on discrimination by skin tone in the Black community.

(Community Matters) hmm, occurs to me that our own Congressman, Lloyd Doggett, might have had more insight into the failures of the first bailout legislation than I’ve given him credit for. Am looking forward to a better process this go around.

(Community Matters) I’m surprised to read the Bentzin’s still identifying as Republicans. Ben & Joanie both seem so open and accepting of gays & lesbians, I had assumed they now support domestic partner benefits (if not marriage), reversal of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell and reversal of other LGBT inequalities. I’ll have to talk with them about these. Maybe it’s becoming so that Texas Republicans are for LGBT equality. That would be nice to learn.