Community Matters

(Community Matters) Who the heck is UT Professor Jeremi Suri and why did the NYT give him so many column inches?

“The solution is simple; set clear priorities . . . three international goals . . . And reduce other commitments”

Really, ignore Afghanistan, Iraq, Israel, Palestine, all the Arab spring uprisings, Mexican drug violence and everything other than your list of three? Of course I realize the philosophical correctness of this but our government is dealing in the real world and doesn’t have the luxury of the ivory tower. Reduce our priorities and tighten our objectives? Certainly. And, it looks to me like we’re doing this every real chance we get.

Good gosh, Texas has had enough visible fumbles on the international stage the last few years. Posted from my blackberry

(Community Matters) I’m assuming it was a bureaucratic decision, while probably unintentional, it was a bad decision – closing the City Hall outdoor public space for “cleaning” during the middle of Occupy Wall Street/Occupy Austin demonstrations sends the wrong message.

I started writing this before I left Austin for DC. Likely city council has already overridden the bad decision.

(Community Matters) from Politico:

(Community Matters) Sorry dude, you swim in the swamp you’re gonna get slimmed by snakes. We know this play all too well in Texas – just look at the anti-non-Christian campaign played against our Tx House Speaker (not to mention Perry’s “Christian” prayer event in Houston)

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(Community Matters) I missed the debate but just watched these highlights.

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(Community Matters) from my friends Marcia, Susan & Mike

Raise $25,000 for the SETON BREAST CANCER CENTER.  Between now and Friday, visit www.pinkwell.org and vote for The Seton Fund – Seton Breast Cancer Center for the PinkWell Ellen DeGeneres Award. The Lester & Sue Smith Foundation (Pinkwell Challenge) has joined forces with Ellen DeGeneres to provide $25,000 to the organization that garners the most votes from now until Friday, October 14, at midnight. Each voter can vote up to 10 times!   The Seton Fund – Seton Breast Cancer Center will be listed among 150 breast cancer initiatives across the nation that are eligible for this award. Help bring this money to Austin to support the fight against breast cancer in Austin – Seton Breast Cancer Center

Voters can sign in to Facebook or Twitter to vote, or register an e-mail at www.pinkwell.org  All votes will be tracked. The organization with the most votes will be announced on Saturday, October 15, and be awarded $25,000.  Please help us win by voting 10 times for The Seton Fund – Seton Breast Cancer Center by Friday!! 

(Community Matters) Lloyd’s just released his numbers. Not even counting the $40k seed money Joaquin loaned his campaign, Joaquin Castro outraised 16-year incumbent Congressman Lloyd Doggett by $100k.

(Community Matters) I keep thinking about this NY Times article questioning whether we are led by the right metrics of US success .

I’m also thinking about Steven’s sermon, If money were your God, how would you know? Would you worship it? Would you lay awake at night thinking about it?  Would you forsake friends for it?

Has money become our God?

(Community Matters) Sorry Steven couldn’t join us (he’s now in Pennsylvania), still . . . nice ending a great weekend sharing a meal at the house with family – Tana & Joe Christie and Cameron Lockley & Trey Alford

(Community Matters) The Obama campaign is kicking off Strong Start, a campaign to launch field operations in battle ground states.  We believe that the field operation, perhaps more than any other component of the campaign, will be the competitive advantage that propels the President to his reelection. Continue reading →

(Community Matters) “The young are heated by Nature as drunken men by wine.”

National Geographic article about the teenage brain:

Continue reading →

(Community Matters) so enjoyed being with our dinner guests. It wasn’t intentional but we seemed to have ignored politics in last night’s conversations – upon reflection, rather refreshing. Steve Adler & Diane Land flew in directly from UT/OU game (& lots of state fair tastings), Joyce Christian & Rudy Green, Terry & Joe Long, and Shawn Sides & Graham Reynolds. It would have been a birthday dinner for Michael Barnes but his job doesn’t allow for many free Saturday evenings.