Community Matters

(Community Matters) newest addition to my recommended reading list: Rachel Feferman’s blog on cooking: Sick Delicious

(Community Matters) Spent a bit of time yesterday with Lawrence Wright’s New Yorker piece on Scientology – it’s thorough, apparently well-researched and personalized.  I’d imagine it’s a contender to earn Austinite Lawrence Wright a Pulitzer.

This morning noticed a related tweet from Marty Rahbun’s blog (he’s a high profile defector referenced in the New Yorker) – Scientology Inc Threatens Revenge on Paul Haggis

(Community Matters) from Mike Allen’s Playbook – on author, political consultant and communication strategist Frank Luntz

Dr. Frank I. Luntz’s “11 phrases for 2011: the phrases that you should or would be hearing if the political and business leaders really were listening to America” – excerpted from the 80 specific words and phrases in his new book, “Win: The Key Principles to Take Your Business From Ordinary to Extraordinary,” to be unveiled Tuesday on the “Today” show. The book is the third (and last) installment in Luntz’s best-selling series exploring the language of America. $14.21 on Amazon http://amzn.to/hMFPIU

LUNTZ’S 11 for ’11:

–‘Imagine’ is still the most powerful word in the English language because it is inspiring, motivating, and has a unique definition for each person.

–‘No excuses.’ Of all the messages used by America’s business and political elite, no phrase better conveys accountability, responsibility and transparency.

–‘I get it.’ This explains not only a complete understanding of the situation but also a willingness to solve or resolve the situation. It’s short, sweet and effective.

–‘If you remember only one thing…’ is the surest way to guarantee that voters will remember the one point that matters most to you. This is essential in complicated situations like the upcoming debt ceiling vote.

–‘Uncompromising integrity.’ Of all the truthiness words, none is as powerful as ‘integrity,’ but in today’s cynical environment, even that’s not enough. People also need to feel that your integrity is absolute.

–‘The simple truth’ comes straight from billionaire businessman Steve Wynn, and it sets the context for a straightforward discussion that might otherwise be confusing or contentious.

–‘Believe in better’ comes from BSkyB, the satellite television provider owned in part by Rupert Murdoch’s News Corp. empire. Of all the corporate mission statements of the Fortune 100, ‘believe in better’ is the second-most popular — and it applies to politics as well.

–‘Real-time.’ This is not a pitch for Bill Maher. Many Americans were furious that they couldn’t get the details of the health-care legislation in a timely fashion. ‘Real-time’ communicates receiving information at the speed of life.

–‘You decide.’ No, this is not paying homage to Fox News. The lesson of 2010 is that Americans want control of their lives back and they don’t want Washington or Wall Street making their decisions for them.

–‘You deserve.’ This comes from DNC Chairman Tim Kaine and it was first employed by him in his highly praised 2006 SOTU response. It tells voters exactly what they should expect from their politicians and their government.

— ‘Let’s get to work’ was employed by Florida Governor Rick Scott (R) in his successful campaign. No other end-of-speech rallying cry is more motivational to voters.

(Community Matters) Tonight at Central Presbyterian Church, Mother Falcon concert (CD release). Added bonus, Graham Reynolds opening. Steven, I, Lily & Yigal Saad, Diane Land & Steve Adler will be there. Join us – you will love, love, love the show. http://www.motherfalconmusic.com/

Vodpod videos no longer available.

(Community Matters) I appreciate that ADL and Abe Foxman called out Glenn Beck on his most recent racists, antisemetic remarks – comparing Reform Judism to “radicalized Islam.”

I don’t, however, appreciate that after a single apology (totally lame – homework?) Abe Foxman and ADL would consider the matter closed. ADL stands for all of us faced with intolerance and hate. Just because Glenn Beck (aka a grade school bully) picked on the wrong “kid” this time, all should not be forgiven. We should look into all the “kids” he’s picked on prior and the threat he represents to others in our communities. He should be “expelled,” he’s a bully and a threat to civil society.

(Community Matters) Can we all just agree Alan Keys is an idiot and an embarrassment?

“Government doesn’t endow people with the ability to procreate the species. The Creator takes care of that. Like all unalienable rights, those associated with the natural family exist in consequence of this endowment. A couple that cannot, by nature, procreate has no claim to those rights. Nor can government grant them a semblance of it without impairing the claims of one or both of the parents biologically implicated in the physical conception of the child. The DOMA simply makes more explicit the government’s obligation to secure the Creator-endowed unalienable rights of the natural family. This obligation precludes government from fabricating other rights that impair them. In this respect, granting homosexuals the right to marry is like granting plantation owners the right to own slaves.”

(Community Matters) I’m loving how the barriers between what might have been considered gay have broken down among college students, enlisted personnel and other young people

Vodpod videos no longer available.

(Community Matters) Entrepreneurs Foundation’s Conference on Corporate Citizenship. Bringing together best in class companies to learn from corporate citizenship experts, share best practices, and facilitate meaningful dialogue & connections that make a difference in our companies & communities. Underwriter: National Instruments. Sponsors: AMD & Deloitte

Austin, TX – March 31, 2011

Panels include GE Foundation, Seventh Generation, Silicon Labs, uShip, Adlucent, Sailpoint, Business Earth and more

additional information

registration

(Community Matters) Nothing but pride in our president

NYTimes

(Community Matters) I’ve thought more about the East Side Memorial High School challenge. Assuming Southwest Key charter school’s poor academic performance reported in AAS comments is accurate, why not turn Eastside Memorial over to KIPP. They have an unambiguously positive track record. The deal would have to include auto admissions which could be challenging. Jill?

original post here

(Community Matters) Reprinted with permission from Stratfor

While the so-called Jasmine protests of Feb. 20 did not manifest significant force or a high degree of cohesion, they could have been an attempt to start a broad-based movement in China. If so, it will be important to monitor if and how such a movement might evolve nationwide. The social and economic change that China has experienced in the recent past and will no doubt see in the coming years could unify the masses, regardless of respective grievances, and could lead to larger, more disruptive events.

Continue reading →

(Community Matters) AAS on proposal from SW Keys to take over Eastside Memorial High School

An in-district charter would have been my first expectation but we should be open to all viable proposals. If SW Key can demonstrate a viable and sustainably funded business model for this school and  a history of success running charters, trustees should consider the proposal. AISD has tried everything. Friends and I even launched a Johnson H.S. Foundation many years ago in the middle of principal musical chairs. Any deal should have clear performance metrics – failure to achieve these objectives should allow AISD trustees a quick exit to try other options. A 99-year lease seems rather overly ambitious.

this posting updated after an AAS comment: “EACP was well below the state average in Reading/ELA (74% vs. 90%), mathematics (67% vs. 84%) and all tests taken (58% vs 77%) for the only grade the taught last year — grade 6. Not very impressive numbers considering they only taught 22 sixth graders within their whole system.You can research the numbers using this site: http://tiny.cc/336zf

Why does anyone think Southwest Key would do a better job than AISD? The scant evidence that exists does not inspire. The dirty little secret that no one seems to want to acknowledge is that overall, charter school performance is poor — much worse than public school performance. Southwest Key shows no signs of being one of the charter school exceptions that get all the media attention (e.g., KIPP).”

I’ve previously expressed reservations about SWKeys. Of course, my endorsement is conditioned on transparency and assumes their board and management has corrected any conflicts of interest. This should be a point of discovery, negotiations and approval of any deal