Community Matters

(Community Matters) RISE is a free conference for entrepreneurs of all types, providing a forum where you can connect and exchange ideas that inspire the entrepreneurial spirit.  It was founded by my good friends Roy, Bertrand & Suzi Sosa. Because RISE is designed for entrepreneurs, by entrepreneurs, the format is hands on, high energy and free flowing. RISE sessions are independently organized by hosts, each of whom chooses his/her own topic and session location. These peer-led forums are limited to 25 participants and take place all over Austin.

There’s an outstanding social entrepreneurship track at the conference – social entrepreneurship track here

(Community Matters) McCallum High School is performing Evita through March 7.  My godson Ben is involved in their theater program.  His good friend Avery Martin has a lead.  Gonna see it tonight.  (photo by Betty Reichman.  Avery Martin & Sarah Miller-Crews)

(Community Matters) The Economist on yesterday’s bipartisan healthcare summit:

That points to the biggest reason to think the summit was not a waste of time: it made clear that Mr Obama, after months of sitting on the sidelines, now has steel in his spine. If Republicans do not come up with a reasonable set of compromise measures over the next few weeks to add to his plan, he says that he intends to forge ahead anyway. The final verdict, he insisted, will come from the voters: “We’ve got to go ahead and make some decisions, and then that’s what elections are for.”

good conclusion.   If the GOP doesn’t offer up any willingness to participate, the President should see healthcare reform passed through reconciliation without adding any of the improvements the GOP suggests to the Senate bill. Of course, more inclusive if they’ll participate.  No way start over – it’s an obstructionist strategy.H

(Community Matters) I just read Steven Tomlinson’s play – conversations, analogies & metaphors.  The  meaning of Wall Street? A single-minded race for wealth? Or an MBA affliction?   dates & ticket information here

(Community Matters) Very sad to hear our friend Myra McDaniel, former Secretary of the State of Texas under Governor White, passed away this morning.  News per St. James Episcopal bulletin.  Condolences to her husband, Professor Ruben McDaniel and their children.

(Community Matters) Seriously, what kind of planet are we on? I recommend this video (hat tip: Towleroad)

Vodpod videos no longer available.

(Community Matters) Denham Fouts, I’d never heard of him – evidently a most popular hustler of the 30s and 40s.

Hat Tip: Towleroad

(Community Matters) A reporter films the streets one month later

Vodpod videos no longer available.

(Community Matters) That time of the year again, Ernst & Young’s Entrepreneurs of the Year awards.  We had an advisory board lunch meeting today.   Nominations are due by March 19.  Business entrepreneur nominations here and by emailing Courtney.Story AT ey DOT com.  More information on the Silverton Foundation sponsored Social Entrepreneur of the Year award here. The latter’s nonprofit will receive a $100,000 grant from the Silverton Foundation.

(Community Matters) Our friend Rachel Feferman pointed this one out.

Vodpod videos no longer available.

(Community Matters) Marfa Public Radio Spring Rendezvous on March 20 – it’s a bash at the Capri featuring entertainment by Webb Wilder, proceeds benefit the West Texas NPR affiliate.  Marfa wouldn’t be the same without ’em. I’ve agreed to go on their board at a meeting that weekend.

Join Steven and me –  great road trip! 

tickets and more information here

(Community Matters) So, I’m trying to understand the fundamentals of Twitter stats.  At Ross Garber’s insistence, I’ve now been tweeting for five weeks.  Feel like a total slacker with only 199 followers to date, though relative to my tweets (124%), maybe I’m not doing so bad.  I do, however, have a really high percentage following to followers (93%) which I’m told is important to building up followers – not to metion informative, ie., the purpose, right?

I crunched some numbers (totally unscientific since not randomly selected nor a valid sample size) – nevertheless, among many of the most active tweeters in Austin, the average following to followers is 56% and average [corrected] followers to tweets is 56%.  I segregated new media journalists – their numbers 27% and 159%, respectively.  And, the super stars (in this case: Barack Obama, Lance Armstrong and Doug Ulman) yield 9% and over 200k%, respectively – the President in the mid 6 figure range, Lance & Doug in the low and medium five figure range on followers to tweets.

Wanna help me out – follow me here 🙂

@EugeneAustin