Category Archives: Uncategorized

(Community Matters) Several years ago at an AMOA gala, Steven and Diane bid on and won an original composition by Graham Reynolds. Well, all three have been pretty distracted over the years, but last night over dinner, drinks and dessert, Graham played the pieces he’s composed – inspired by their art, and especially the doors (harvested from Mexico). A terrific evening

(Community Matters) Met with friends at NPR yesterday and loved touring their soon to be occupied offices. Photo touring with Maury Schlesinger and Chris Howie

Can’t believe I failed to have my picture taken at Bob Boilen’s new tiny desk where they produce the Tiny Desk Concerts

Tiny Desk Concerts – Thrift Shop

(Community Matters)  Yesterday’s GOP counterproposal changes the probabilities. I now think there’s a higher probability they could avoid the fiscal cliff.

The numbers Republicans proposed are much closer than expected – closer to 1:1 revenues and cuts. The reliability of the tax code reform revenues and the willingness to accept some rate increase appear to be the defining provisions in negotiations.

(Community Matters) The Statesman’s editorial calling for a better deal for Austin residents going forward in corporate relocation incentives isn’t off the mark. Kudos to the Chamber, especially it’s Opportunity Austin – and, the game is changing. Taxpayers are demanding fewer and better returns for giving away tax dollars – not always where Ds and Rs come together but we ought to celebrate it.

(Community Matters) didn’t throw a shadow during my short stay in Austin but did get to see lots of friends at the LBJ Museum’s 50th anniversary celebration and spend a nightwith my husband.

In Washington DC for a night with the Cohen-Cramers, Mon dinner with Brent-Noah & a few friends, then a round of NPR meetings on Tuesday.

(Community Matters) Story doesn’t reconcile to election night CNN reporting that Romney campaign’s internal Ohio poll had them down 5 pts – nevertheless, a good read

From Politico’s Playbook:  GREAT EXPECTATIONS — “The Internal Polls That Made Mitt Romney Think He’d Win,” by The New Republic’s Noam Scheiber: “[A] Romney aide has provided the campaign’s final internal polling numbers for six key states, … which the aide obtained from the campaign’s chief pollster, Neil Newhouse. … The numbers include internal polls conducted on Saturday, November 3, and Sunday, November 4, for Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, Minnesota, Iowa, Colorado, and New Hampshire. According to Newhouse, the campaign polled daily, then combined the results into two-day averages. … New Hampshire and Colorado are pretty far off the mark. In New Hampshire, the final internal polling average has Romney up 3.5 points, whereas he lost by 5.6. In Colorado, the final internal polling average has Romney up 2.5 points; he lost by 5.4. ‘I’m not sure what the answer is,’ Newhouse told me, explaining that his polls were a lot more accurate in most of the other swing states. ‘The only ones we had that really seemed to be off were Colorado-a state that even Obama’s people tweeted they thought it was going to be one of their closest states-and the New Hampshire numbers, which seemed to bounce a lot during the campaign.’ …

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(Community Matters) Michael Barnes’ super profile on an Austin legend

(Community Matters) Arrived yesterday for a quarterly KDK-Harman Foundation board meeting; we’re staying at Jo & Jon Ivestor’s extraordinary beach abode.

On Friday night, I’m a guest of artists Christopher Rincón and Michael Tracy, touring their Trevino Uribe Rancho in the San Ygnacio National Register District. Through the River Place Foundation, they are restoring the properties with a “Save America’s Treasures” award. Sandi & Bob Tomlinson are joining me on Friday. Back to Austin on Saturday in time for the LBJ Presidential Museum’s State Dinner w/ my hubbie who’s currently in Traverse City.

(Community Matters) Steven and I were blown away. Probably the best movie of the decade, certainly the year.

The poetry is pure Kushner. The lessons about the moral compass are quite complex – isn’t like LIncoln didn’t cut corners, strike morally questionable deals, lie & cheat for the greater good.

(Community Matters) Texas secessionists would be mightily disappointed without Austin, Houston, Dallas, San Antonio, El Paso & Marfa since all 6 metropolitan areas vote blue. Course, I’d miss Midland-Odessa-Big Spring so hope they don’t go. They can have Vidor & Beaumont

update: someone pointed out that Orange County (Beaumont) voted blue too this presidential election, so maybe just Vidor

(Community Matters) As we’re giving thanks today, we might reflect on government investments and opportunities which allowed our grandparents, parents and selves to achieve what successes we enjoy.  And, we should recommit to providing these opportunities for others.

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(Community Matters) NYTimes on truce between Hamas & Israel – the President stepped up and his pragmatism might have saved us from even further escalation.

I say this w/ mixed feelings. With the Gaza border now open at Egypt and Syrian & Iranian missiles being smuggled in, the risks to Israelis is much heightened. The new sort of rockets cannot be left in their hands