Category Archives: Uncategorized

(Community Matters) This is so bad, so I won’t say who sent it to me.

City officials just announced the Houston hurricane evacuation plan:

Cajuns use I-10 to Lafayette.

Hispanics use I-10 to San Antonio.

Rednecks use 59 north to East Texas.

Republicans fly Continental first class to Washington D.C.

Yankees and Democrats use 45 South to Galveston.

Longhorns use 290 West to Austin.

Aggies use the 610 Loop.

(Community Matters) So, OldSquid challenged me to write a positive blog about why I’m supporting Obama

First, where our country finds itself: 1) in economic distress – a) likely the largest economic chasm between haves and have nots since the Great Depression, b) unsound economic fundamentals, led by a ridiculous reliance on foreign capital and c) longtime underinvestment in societal and physical infrastructure; 2) Bush’s squandering of America’s good standing in this world built over the previous 60 years, 3) unsustainable wars which threaten to break our troops and risk national security, and 4) demoralized citizens who overwhelmingly believe America is headed in the wrong direction and increasingly distrust government and politicians.

Why would I first list our circumstances prior to promoting Barack Obama? Because the times and challenges made a huge difference in who I decided to support and why.

I stated our situation in a list prioritized in today’s climate. But, when I finally decided to support Barack Obama, it was 2007, and I would have prioritized the situation as 1) national security, 2) world standing, 3) economic, 4) demoralized electorate.

Barack Obama represents a new generation and a new way of governing. His candidacy signals the inclusion of millions and millions of previously disenfranchised or less included people into the political process – African Americans, multi-ethnic/multi-cultural, all people of color and a reminder that smart, hard working young men and women from low/moderate income backgrounds can still achieve the highest office (as opposed to dynasties, whether political or military). Barack’s ascendancy represents a message to the world that Americans recognize the folly of our decisions in the last two races, and that we’re not only unhappy with our leaders but changing direction 180 degrees. I believe this message will do more to further diplomacy and provide an opportunity to restrengthen our national security than any military initiative. And yet I understand that it’s a hard world with some very mean people, so we will have to engage our military at times.

Despite successfully selling the message of economic stewardship to 50+% of Americans, Republicans have screwed up our economy every time they’ve had control in the last 20 years. Obama will focus on matching revenues and expenses. He will lower taxes for 95% of Americans. Though our family will pay higher taxes, we’re willing to do so in exchange for rebalancing the budget and investing in physical and societal infrastructure. I dislike that the capital gains tax rate will be raised – consider it counterproductive. And, I understand that many professions have figured out how to recategorize earnings as capital gains and have avoided paying their fair share. How many executives pay a lower percentage of their income in taxes than their administrative assistants? Too many.

Nevertheless, I’m heartened by a promise not to raise rates (income tax and capital gains) beyond the levels of the Clinton years, and I’m counting on promises in how they’ll invest these monies. The appointment of Furman, Rubin, Summers and Goolsbee to the economic A-team as well as Paul Volker’s and Warren Buffett’s support reinforces my faith.

There’s a lot about free markets (which I support) and their imperfection which require regulation (mostly to force the cost of externalities and to limit the US economic guarantees – implied, explicit or defacto in practice [redundancy acknowledged]); educational initiatives such as merit pay for teachers, investment in curriculum, increased site-based management and accountability; health care reform; and watching who Barack hires and how he enforces team work & consensus rather than deploying or even tolerating byzantine management practices, all further influence my decision to support & enthusiasm for Barack Obama.

Last said, before the debate party in Austin, I was just an enthusiastic supporter. It was watching my 9yo and 10yo god children – their enthusiasm for Barack and hearing them talk about what they’d learned on-line on their own initiative – and the turn out of youth and African Americans that made me call up friends and agree to become a fundraiser for the campaign

Enough for now, I’ll post more in the days ahead about why Barack Obama. Thanks OldSquid.

(Community Matters) Sept 11, 2001.  My cell phone went off, it was a private call but I didn’t answer it.  The waiter at Las Manitas called out to the restaurant that a plane had struck the World Trade Center.  Margo Weisz, Kirk Rudy, John Dirvin and I kept meeting and eating, not really believing what the waiter had said.  Another cell phone call from a private number.  The waiter then calls out that another plane had struck another tower.  Oh rats, that private number.  Our mutual friend works in the tower.  I called.  Yes I’d heard.  Okay coming over.  No one had heard from our friend.   Arrived at home of private number.  She’d heard from our friend.  He wasn’t in the tower but on subway over.  He was now at base of tower looking for his employees.  On tv, we see first tower collapse. Can’t reach our friend.  About an hour later he calls, he’d run with hundreds of others as the tower was collapsing, finally settling somewhere in midtown.  Had found all employees but not the artist who was staying in the apartment in the 91st floor.  We subsequently learned he’d died.  We pray for all those lost and we thank God for those who survived. 

(Community Matters) Will someone please help me understand why so many good, honorable people who identify more with the Republican Party than with independents or Democrats aren’t as outraged by misleading statements and lies as I am?  Of course, those in the news just now and which I’ll cite in a minute are from the campaign.  But, it’s a continuation of Bush/Cheney statements about weapons of mass destruction, about wiretapping or not wiretapping, about politicizing the DOJ while saying we’re not politicizing the DOJ.

The two most recent comments are Palin’s.  She said “and when the deal was struck, we began a nearly $40 billion natural gas pipeline to help lead America to energy independence.  That pipeline, when the last section is laid and its valves are opened, will lead . . .”  So, the problem is, NOT ONE section of pipe has been laid.  The pipeline hasn’t received even federal approval.  It may never get built.  Second, the bridge to nowhere.  Palin’s comments that she told the federal government no thanks.  Come on, we’ve now all read that she did so only after first embracing, defending, even campaigning on the bridge.  So, I don’t get this.  Why no similar outrage from those who support McCain or Palin.  Or is there outrage but its drowned out by others?

(Community Matters) The Annual Out & Equal Summit underway in Austin. Major sponsors include Dell, Deloitte, HP, Accenture, Citi and many others. Hundreds of reps from Fortune 500 companies and others gathering in Austin to discuss equality in the workplace, best practices and to network.

Equality Texas’ Paul Scott & hubby, Scott Simons, hosted a reception tonight welcoming some attendees and introducing Tony Broaddus of the Equality Federation. Nice gathering and good conversations. Equality Federation also an important organization.

(Community Matters) If I’m reading Nate Silver correctly, the increased sampling of Republicans in this week’s polls may be simply the tally of those polled rather than a deliberate weighting. Certainly would be the case with Gallup and SurveyUSA which do not force the samples. Rasmussen weighs samples for party id according to a three week average.

More disturbing is imagining that average 9-ish point increase in sample would be a bounce or a shift from convention.

(Community Matters) Obama’s education plan is informed by his real experience overseeing a $150 million philanthropic investment in Chicago schools.

Expanding early childhood education, supporting charter schools, closing failing schools and focus on teacher quality, these are some of the quite well-informed positions Barack is promoting in his education policy initiatives.

(Community Matters) Hosted dinner and a reading of Michael Mitchell’s two plays, Highway Home and Them, which ABPorter.org is producing at the Salvage Vanguard Theatre in Nov/December. Award-winning Katie Pearl is directing. Natalie George is the production manager. Yvonne Boudreaux has joined us as set and costume designer. And, a terrific cast: Jude Hickey, Gina Houston, Garry Peters and Douglas Taylor.

(Community Matters) Regret that I missed the opening of Sante Ventures offices yesterday evening. I have to send something today in celebration of their milestone. Kudos to managing directors Kevin Lalande, Doug French and Joe Cunningham – super duper group of guys.

Sante: a new venture capital firm with deep healthcare investment experience. Our founding premise is simple: we partner with exceptional entrepreneurs and executives to build uncommonly valuable healthcare companies. In addition to capital, we provide healthcare domain expertise, an extensive network of contacts and singular industry focus. Santé invests exclusively in early-stage medical technology, healthcare services and healthcare IT companies.

(Community Matters) Nate told us to anticipate even more bounce today, but nothing like the 20 point lead in North Carolina. He caution that it’s probably an outlier, yet still, even if it is 10pts. Polls also showing some negative movement in New Jersey. Perhaps NC not in play after all but other battleground states remain. posting here

(Community Matters) This article explains the up to 9pt shift in polling methodology over the last week which is likely to account for a big swing in the polls (on top of the GOP convention bounce

Emory University political scientist Alan Abramowitz is highly skeptical of the new Gallup, USA Today and CBS polls. About the latter, which showed a statistically insignificant two point lead for McCain, Abramowitz said: “One reason for the dramatic difference between the two recent CBS polls is that the two samples differed fairly dramatically in terms of partisan composition. The first sample was 35.2% Democratic, 26.2 percent Republicans, and 38.6 percent independent. The second sample was 34.9% Democratic, 31.1% Republican, and 34.0% independent. That’s a change from a 9 point Democratic advantage to a 3.8 point Democratic advantage. That alone would probably explain about half of the difference in candidate preferences between the two [CBS] polls.” full article here

(Community Matters) Good gosh. They spend entire days and nights at stations. Who the heck cares if they watch porn? In fact, I move that council pass a resolution specifically exempting any personnel required to serve overnight on standby at city facilities from internet policies and procedures – requiring, of course that they abide by all state & federal laws. AAS story Watch, someone’s going to try to outlaw masturbation in the dorms next.