Community Matters

(Community Matters) Another little red book, this one from a 93-yo French resistance hero, has created quite a sensation.

Indignez vous! (Cry out!) , a slim pamphlet by a wartime French resistance hero, Stéphane Hessel, is smashing all publishing records in France. The book urges the French, and everyone else, to recapture the wartime spirit of resistance to the Nazis by rejecting the “insolent, selfish” power of money and markets and by defending the social “values of modern democracy”.

“It’s true that reasons to cry out can seem less obvious today. The world appears too complex. But in this world, there are things we should not tolerate… I say to the young, look around you a little and you will find them. The worst of all attitudes is indifference…”  The Independent

Hat Tip: AmericaBlog

(Community Matters) a thoughtful essay on how the LGBT community should prepare for next steps

(Community Matters) Continuing on our quest to better understand fine spirits and wines, Graham Reynolds & I met at Vino Vino last night to try some Italians.

Neither Jeff nor Jerry were on site but we were ably led through the regions by a woman whose name I failed to write down.

After 6 or 7 whites, we settled on Palazzone as our favorite – my subsequent online research shows widely considered one of the best Brunellos in the region; also a tiny vineyard established by Richard Parsons (as in former CEO of Time Warner). Graham also especially liked the Coenobium for its outrageous herbs & spices (reminded him of a vermouth).

hmm, tried even more reds, though I’m not sure the best Italy had to offer. Might have to set up another Italian date to further explore. Of those we tried, Azienda Agricola Paitin ( a Langhe Nebbiolo Piedmont) won as the favorite. Kinda interesting, I’m just realizing whether gins, tequilas, mescals or Italians, we seem to arrive at consensus.

(Community Matters) Upitty women! S Ct Justice Scalia, a conservative icon, says hold on, you aren’t included in the definition of “citizens” in the 14th amendment’s equal protection clause. Chattel, that’s it, back to the days . . . .

(Community Matters) The Happy Marriage Is the ‘Me’ Marriage, in today’s NYTimes.

Interesting study about how couples who help sculpt each other in ways that help each attain their valued goals – the Michelangelo effect. I’ve often spoken about how choosing a mate is in part a selfish process. Yeah, yeah, of course the titillation of sexual & physical attraction, whit and chemistry but that doesn’t always signal sustainability. Knowing that you will help “complete” each other, foster, encourage and enable each others’ personal goals & aspirations . . . I’ve believed that’s what makes for sustainability. This article supports and better describes this concept.

I still remember a straight friend once saying her husband was a little jealous of us, kinda wanted to be a gay man, because who wouldn’t want to be an affluent gay couple with no kids, spending every day self actualizing.

(Community Matters) this AAS story about Cleigh’s house burning down and he and his cousin being rushed to the hospital. We spoke with a mutual friend just a bit ago who reached Cleigh and his care taker. Evidently Cleigh and his cousin mostly suffered smoke inhalation and expect to be released from the San Antonio hospital later today. House in uninhabitable but Cleigh’s evidently received many offers for help and places to stay.

(Community Matters) Haiti Suffers Year of Crisis with Nobody in Charge, from the Huff Post

I’m looking forward to seeing Anne Hastings, CEO of Fonkoze who has lived in Haiti for 16+ years, next week in NY as well as another friend who’s soon relocating to Haiti to oversee finances & development for an international NGO. Thinking I may schedule another trip to survey progress (or lack thereof) since July – perhaps in March or April, definitely after the chaos of their presidential election.

(Community Matters) from Joe.My.God, though in fact I think social networking can boost productivity and efficacy. And, I admit it can be a worthless time sink.

I Love Charts

(Community Matters) Super article on the progress being made in Del Valle schools. I’ve witnessed first hand on site visits to agencies we fund through the KDK-Harman Foundation. Especially noteworthy: how the district is outperforming other schools with similar demographics – 80% low income Hispanic. Love that they haven’t set their success metrics relative to that challenging demographic but that they are working toward enviable achievement, graduation and college forward by any standard.

(Community Matters) My “word” for this year – Let’s Play.

My word last year was “Less,” & I failed miserably at that – except my weight since I’m down 17 lbs! Whether it was spending time with friends, w/ family, politics, fundraising, charitable giving, work, travel, socializing . . . all were up and it was really a great year.  So, I’m gonna embrace all that and just spend more time programming fun for those who join me or whom I join. Gotta admit, I rarely do anything I don’t consider fun – but I’m not sure I spend enough time ensuring it’s also fun for others.  Let’s Play

We did start the year playfully by inviting over many of our friends and a few new ones for new years eve. A lot of dear ones out of town; nevertheless, must have been 60 – 70 at one point.  Not crowded – except for a few times around the fire pit in the courtyard. It was pot luck and folks really stepped up. Yum and thanks – and if anyone needs left overs – especially – divine sweets, just shout.

Credit to Bijoy Goswami for this concept of how to best engage adults, then to Steven for bringing it up in conversation yesterday.

Let’s play

(Community Matters) Interesting posting by David Mixner

The LGBT community must acknowledge that this generation of LGBT baby boomers is getting old in a time with few services to meet their needs as LGBT seniors. Often they are in smaller and smaller living units, scraping by with little food, limited access to healthcare and almost no living facilities to share with other senior LGBT citizens. The few gay men that are still alive after the AIDS onslaught have few or no peers to share their senior years since the disease wiped out so many of their friends. Like it or not, what remains from the pandemic is an epidemic of loneliness among our seniors.

sparks a thought that we should make friends with older gays & lesbians living alone

(Community Matters) big delta between $140mm & $500mm – Facebook lawsuit continues

nyt