Category Archives: Uncategorized

(Community Matters) Much fun with the girls last night. We enjoyed the symphony, especially Anton’s performance. And, they were impressed with our new performing arts center, immediately noting how cool for a dance party on the City Terrace.

After, we stopped in to see the indie band, Ethos for which my young friend James Marshall plays the drums. The girls seemed to enjoy the scene. Ethos’ first CD is due out any day. They had a warm following of young 20-something fans/friends.

This morning, the Farmer’s Market, 2nd St and Jo’s where we ran into Lisa, Xchel & Langston. They’re off with Uncle Steven for S. Congress, 1st St & the Drag shopping (who knew Urban Outfitters and American something were the rage?), then we’ll hit Torchy’s and Zach’s Caroline or Change this evening.
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Rolling Stone

(Community Matters) One of my favorite regular readers who I affectionately acknowledge in hat tips as stud muffin sent me a note suggesting I read the Rolling Stone article on McCain before continuing with my acknowledgement of him as a former hero. Earlier this morning, I stopped by a neighborhood store and the clerk had saved a Rolling Stone for me and wanted me to read the article. So, I’m headed out to the pool house with the hard copy and a cigar to get caught up. Nieces still doing homework, then I think we’ll check out the HBO movie (Gabby
Villarreal’s Temple Grandin starring Claire Danes)
being filmed (at least partially) in our neighborhood.


Nieces

(Community Matters) Our nieces arrived this afternoon from Tulsa. First time they’ve flown by themselves. They did great, not a bit rattled. Hilary is 16; Hanah is 14. We toured just a bit on way from airport. They’re catching up on homework now so we can play rest of the weekend. Headed to the Long Center tonight to hear Anton Nel play and the Austin Symphony – at the girls’ request. They’re both gifted musically. Uncle Steven not home from Toronto until tomorrow. I’m sure we’ll get some shopping in prior.

Campaign

(Community Matters) Conference call with the campaign this morning. We’ve registered over 1,700,000 new voters since the primary. Consider 252 electoral states solidly ours (former Kerry states) and another 12 quite confident (New Mexico & Iowa). We feel very good about Florida, Georgia, Colorado and Nevada, though statistically tied in the latter two. Also tied in Indiana and North Carolina. Early voting started yesterday in Georgia and voters lined up, wrapping around the block in Atlanta.

Unfortunately, McCain’s campaign, RNCs and 527s have launched the ugliest attack we’ll ever see. Print, telephone, field and media distorting all known truth and lying about Barack’s relationship with Ayers and his faith, and intended to scare voters. Canvasers acosting people in early voting lines. Mailers in West Virginia like voters haven’t seen in a decade, the worst of Jesse Helms style.
Barack held an all hands conference call with staff today. Message (paraphrasing): I know it feels good right now but remember New Hampshire.

East Austin Economic Summit

(Community Matters) Steven and I were out of town so unable to attend the East Austin Economic Summit this weekend. Fortunately, Capital One Bank sponsored a mini-presentation yesterday over lunch in the Long Center’s Kodosky Lounge.

The presentation was focused on East Austin and made note of the rapid demographic changes underway in that community.  Housing prices in parts of East Austin increased 60% in 2007. The area is hardly affordable for longtime, traditionally low income residents.  Given the concentration of low skill workers, many of these folks are most vulnerable during today’s economic challenges. Of Austin’s 3,960 small businesses, about 35% are located in East Austin.  
Our conversation expanded to discuss the current economic challenges faced by and to be faced by all Austin businesses.  Some thought as to whether PeopleFund should consider expanding its target base to include all businesses with less than $1mm in revenues.  Agreement that we must be counseling our clients to prepare for an even more serious and sustained downturn in business and recognition that many businesses will not survive the downtown.
I’m noticing that Matt Kouri and Greenlights are planning a townhall meeting for nonprofits to discuss the economy and what it means for nonprofits.  ABJ article here; Greenlight’s website here. 

John McCain on Voting with Bush

(Community Matters)



(Community Matters) Wow, did I really miss a day of blogging.  Well, it was another busy day.  Hosted a fun fundraiser at our home last night, the Obama Debate Watch Party. Tuesday’s and last night’s events brought in a total +or- $200k.  Not a bad take for our very last round of fundraisers.  

Many thanks to Marion Birch Cimbala for partnering in the fundraiser and our co-hosts, Michel D’Eath, Henrik Johansson, Lynn & Tommie Meredith, Bev Reeves, Amy & Kirk Rudy, Nav Sooch, Julie & John Thornton, Liz & Kirk Watson, Alexa & Blaine Wesner and Judy Willcott & Laurence Miller.
Missed texting through the debate with Jeff Browning as has become our norm.  He and Penny were here but tucked in a corner in the library.  I spent most of my time watching the debate from the pool house, though popped into the living room and library off and on too.
Fabo Marla Smith was on hand helping make everything happen.  We had 60ish folks here.  
I thought Obama won handily on style, poise and looking presidential.  He won over even more independents.  Content, everyone probably thinks their guy did best.  Look (the most important since I’m told you should turn off the volume while watching if want to know how most voters are going to perceive performance): good gosh, Obama blew him away.  McCain looks a little crazed, certainly angry & mean.  Thought his head might pop off.  
There’s no joy in the shrinking of John McCain in front of Americans’ eyes.  For a very long time, he’s been an American hero.  And, of course, there are always faults; he was a hero and a human. Unfortunately, under the klieg lights, the legend hasn’t held up.  He needs to come out of this with his dignity and integrity and those are, regrettably, hanging by a thread.

Big Day

(Community Matters) Big day in Austin. Barack’s senior adviser and very close friend, Valerie Jarret plus Paul Tewes, DNC General Election Campaign Director, were in for 3 fundraisers this afternoon. About 60 supporters gathered at the Headliners for an extended campaign update. A brief happy hour for Generation Obama and Texans for Obama with Paul. Then, a dinner for 30ish with Valerie & Paul at Kirk & Amy Rudy’s home.

I had a few chances to talk with Valerie and Paul separately. Most memorable conversation with Valerie about how extraordinarily bright Barack is and how Warren Buffet, Robert Rubin, Paul Volcker and other economic heavy weights have all confided in her astonishment with Barack’s ability to grasp the facts and help them assimilate their, sometimes, competing ideas on how to address current economic challenges.

With Paul, discussed his recent visits to battle ground states, especially his observation of unstoppable momentum in Florida, where he spent the last week.

It’s late. Trying to wait up for Steven who’s returning from Phoenix and flying to Toronto in the morning. Busy morning of EF meetings, then getting ready for our debate watch fundraiser. good night,

oh yeah, several emails from folks praising my forthrightness with Mike Levy and acknowledging concurrence that he’d be a disaster as mayor. One went on to note that they’d followed Levy in a line at Central Market, “I heard two young women at the Central Market check-out counter Sunday talking about how he screams at them if they hand him his coffee wrong at the coffee shop…despite his claim to care for the workers he appears to abuse everyone in his path…”

Violence #3

(Community Matters) Scary stuff still going on out there. Directly from JMG:

“Terrorists are Committed to Kill Anyone Not Like Them. America Must be Committed to Defeating Evil. As AL-Qaeda continues to attack innocent victims around the world, only one party has pledged to pursue terrorists until Islamic radicalism is defeated. Republicans have proven they will never retreat under pressure from terrorists or the nations who harbor them. While Democrats have called for surrender in the fight against Al-Qaeda in Iraq, they have also pledged to meet unconditionally with dictators and tyrants. Keep America safe. Vote Republican.” – From a Florida voter mailer endorsed by Gov. Charlie “Closet Case” Crist.


And then we’ve got this even more chilling image from pro-McCain blogger. The image has been removed but Washington Scandal did a screencap and asks, ‘Where is the FBI and the Secret Service?” I’d say this blogger is for a world of trouble.

Job Creation Tax Credit

(Community Matters) I’m not sure I understand the $3,000 credit per job created. I’m sure there’s literature on efficacy of this, just need to find it.

Catholic Bishops Damn Obama Voters

(Community Matters) Incredible really. Our dearest friend Charles sent this note from his friend in Dallas:

This email is to let you know that I was interviewed for tonight’s 10 o’clock news on CBS (Channel 11). Unfortunately, it is not for a real happy reason.

As a lifelong Catholic it hurt to do this, but I think that people should know that the bishops of Dallas and Ft Worth (and probably across the country) are having Catholic priests read an incendiary statement to their congregations. They are telling people that, if they vote for a Barack Obama, they will go to hell. Read it yourself! The full text of their statement is on line at: http://www.cathdal.org/img/Flash/EngFarrellVann.pdf

Mark and I could not believe our ears. We got up in the middle of the sermon and walked out in protest on Sunday morning. Tens of visibly shaken people followed us. Regardless of how anyone feels about the issues raised in the letter, a religious organization that enjoys tax exempt status should not get involved in political campaigning as they are doing here.

This extraordinary document claims primacy of abortion, same sex marriage and destructive stem cell research issue. “The decisions we make on these political and moral issues . . . may affect each individual’s salvation.”

The Bradley Effect II

(Community Matters) Nate Silver on the Bradley Effect here

Probably a good place to insert an unsettling fact discussed during a campaign conference call yesterday. In 2004, Kerry found himself with similar leads in several of the battleground states. GWB came up from behind and won despite the 3 week lead. We musn’t rest or become complacent.