Community Matters

(Community Matters) I’m not thrilled with the compromise reportedly coming out of the Senate Finance committee – no public option. There’s talk of a nonprofit cooperative option. Not sure how that’s any different. For instance, I just enrolled a new enterprise into Blue Cross, Blue Shield. Evidently that’s a coop, though I was forced to sign a document stating that I wouldn’t ever try to vote my shares. hmm, I’d like to know where the dividends go and what their executive compensation looks like.

(Community Matters) Rupert Everett on gay adoption, Graydon Carter and . . .

Or am I slightly ahead of the curve? It has to change. These awful middle-class queens—which is what the gay movement has become—are so tiresome. It’s all Abercrombie & Fitch and strollers. Everybody has the right to do what they want to do, but still… .

The next day I went down to breakfast and Graydon came in and I thought to myself, well, now I understand why you are always acting so entitled and walking on air even though you’re rather fat. It’s because grazing the grass between your legs is this appendage of yours. I did rather politely tell him that morning that I thought he was a very good f . . . .

(Community Matters) The Beast suggests that the red-brick townhouse known as C Street and which housed John Ensign, Mark Sandford and Chip Pickering is a whole lot more than just religious cover for congressmen and their sexual hypocrisy.

Such obvious religion-and-sex hypocrisy, however, obscures the fact that C Street House is a whole lot more than a love shack. I’ve chronicled the Family over the past seven years, but it’s only in the past few weeks that I’ve seen how it acts like a lobby, even as it does not register as one. It reaches out to congressmen, providing below-market housing at the C Street House for half a dozen at a time and hosting many more for prayer and policy sessions. It also funds their travel around the world, makes matches with businessmen backers cont’d

(Community Matters) the Sustainable Food Center responding to an earlier posting

Price comparisons between conventional foods from supermarkets and locally and sustainably produced foods from farmers markets abound, with mixed results. Many have found that locally produced, direct marketed foods are the same price or cheaper. Other studies, of course, do indicate that fresh local foods may carry a bigger price tag. The comparisons are confounded when product quality, production methods, and externalized environmental and social costs are considered (factory farming versus small family farms, farm worker wages, etc). Plus there’s the broader issue of the prices of unhealthy foods compared to a nutritious diet, including the long- and short-term costs to individual, community, and public health.

I was amazed to read a previous blog post that cited three particular food items from a local farmers market which were found to be double the price when compared with the same or similar product at an independent food co-op. There was obviously no need to adjust for source, quality or growing method since the tomatoes, at least, were from the exact same farm. Having become familiar with other price comparison studies, I certainly had an interest in seeing a description of the methodology and the documentation of the research that yielded this “double the price” finding.

Upon reading this more recent post, my next and potentially more productive inclination, was to offer support from SFC to design a more scientific comparison study that can truly capture accurate data about pricing disparities between supermarkets and farmers markets, with multiple data samples gathered over a period of time. Further, SFC is willing to recruit and train community volunteers to assist with this study. SFC also encourages additional input from those familiar with farmers markets about pricing and, more importantly, about the real costs and value that they perceive in their choices to buy directly from local farmers at direct markets.

-Andrew W. Smiley
Farm Direct Projects Director
Sustainable Food Center

(Community Matters) David Barboza for the NYTimes writing about Apple and their Chinese manufacturer – the employment practices which allegedly included beating an employee accused of losing an iPhone prototype. The employee committing suicide, or did he?

(Community Matters) Emily Little hosted a book launch for Austin artist, Rino Pizzi in her extraordinary Guadalupe neighborhood home this evening.

Rino Pizzi, Graham Reynolds & Deborah Hay

Rino is an accomplished photographer and has published a book of photographs of Austinites featuring one important object of theirs. Graham Reynolds – ok, readers already know he’s my favorite composer & Austin musician. Deborah Hay, the internationally acclaimed dance choreographer. Loved catching up with Deborah who mentioned a recent performance and workshop in Fresno.

Graham mentioned that Shawn Sides is in rehearsals in NYC. She’s directing a site specific piece which includes a Bronx tour – definitely checking it out. He thinks it opens mid-Sept. I’m pissed I missed Graham’s concert last night.

Emily Little & Andrew Long

Emily’s restoration work is quite well known in Austin. She’s an architect with ClaytonLevyLittle. Emily is featured in Rino’s new book, along with a vase of her grandmother. Dancer/photographer/painter Andrew Long. We have so many mutual friends and have never spent enough time together. I plan to follow up.

Ann Clark

Legendary foodie, Ann Clark, just back from a southern France adventure. I LOVED running into her this evening. I was thinking about her earlier today when I was focused on the new Julia Childs movie. Perfect! We’re going to cook an abundant French meal, all from Julia’s cookbooks, on the eve of Julie & Julia.

Tom Doyal

Tom – I saw his picture on the wall and asked about it. How could Tom be in Rino’s book. I thought Tom died years ago. Someone answered and pointed him out across the room. Tom Doyal is one of the godfathers of Austin’s gay community – an attorney and author, Tom helped usher in LGBT equality in Austin and certainly helped build Austin’s AIDS/HIV continuum of care & support. I was estatic to see and visit with Tom. He’s been mostly out of sight since 1999 – obviously I thought more permanently so.

Margaret Keys & Meg Schwartz

Margaret Keys also featured in Rino’s book. Her object the art studio on her Clarksville compound. Meg is the delicious private chef responsible for Friday night’s iconic meal – check out Dishalicious from where she also delivers food.

Mark Holzbach

Zebra Imaging’s founder & Rude Mech’s board chair Mark Holzbach’s object is a family photograph. He and Dana recently back from the annual Maine pilgrimage. Soon, off to New Orleans, then Japan.

Nancy Scanlon & Art House’s Sue Graze

I can’t remember Nancy’s object but the photo of her is gorgeous. Nancy’s off to Sante Fe for the rest of the summer. She wasn’t mad at anyone. I had just introduced her to Andrew Long to whom she was making some enthusiastic point.

Dana Friis-Hansen & Michael Long

Dana Friis-Hansen’s object was his iPod, his write up noting he’s always been a fan of pop music. Michael is new to Austin; he’s a photographer and the brother of Andrew Long

Carrie Fountain & Kirk Lynn

Carrie & Kirk way dear. Grrl Action just wrapped up at the Off Center yesterday. We talked about their work, work spaces and how Steven and I aren’t the only ones who email each other from across the house.

Richard & Gail

Richard & Gail in from San Miguel and confirmed they aren’t fleeing.

(Community Matters) St. James Day today, i.e., in honor of James the Greater, the apostle for whom our church is named.
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Austin’s own Joe Morales (from our 6pm service) on the sax at today’s combined service

Michael Murray (center) organized today’s luncheon

the choir rocked, performing a new piece written by Joe

50 yr+ St James member, Larry Jackson accompanied by his grandson, Jeremy

the Tina & Frank Fernandez Family & Nancy Johnson (right)

I’m embarrassed to say I don’t know this brood of fun kiddos
I think they are new

Chike Okpara, Keith Braithwaite Jr & Matt Harr’iger

Marci & Louis Henna & Ora Houston

Steven & Keith Braithwaite

Andrew Green & Johann Williams

Joyce Christian, Chester Beattie & Judge Lora Livingston

We’re a multicultural, inclusive community – ethnically, socio/economically, gender identification and sexual orientation. St. James Episcopal was founded in 1941 by Huston Tillotson faculty members & friends who weren’t allowed to worship at St. David’s Episcopal because of race discrimination.

(Community Matters) I’ll regret this posting but I kinda gotta meet this chick.

(Community Matters) Leonard Pitts, Jr. on Prof. Louis Gates, Jr and Officer Crowley

Because sometimes, they just don’t see you. It’s one of the most frustrating verities of African American life. Sometimes you simply know: They are looking your way but seeing their fears, their preconceptions, their stereotypes, that other black guy who did them wrong — everything except the one and only you.

(Community Matters) I am still listening, learning, trying to figure this out.

I’m informed by certain realities.

One: a very dear African American friend in the last year told me she still reminds her son, who lives out of town, to watch himself when he comes to Austin. She tells him to only say yes Sir and no Sir to the police and warns him they shoot black men in Austin, Tx. This woman is serious; it’s how she feels. She is a well-educated, respected community leader.

Two: Maureen Dowd makes a good point this morning: “the strong guy with the gun has more control than the weak guy with the cane”. . . . “he should not have been arrested once Sergeant Crowley ascertained that the Harvard professor was in his own home.”

Three: I’m beginning to not understand the procedure resulting in Gates’ arrest as much as I don’t understand the procedures that result in elderly women being tasered by 20- & 30-something police officers.

Four: Being a police officer is a dangerous & not-well-enough compensated job. It isn’t incomprehensible that default reactions veer to self-defense and overly physical. Though, these over reactions seem more understandable when an officer feels physically in danger. I am trying to understand how Sergeant Crowley might have felt in physical danger.

Question: Would a white man know to be more polite and agreeable or would a white man not have to be more polite and agreeable?

(Community Matters) I’m post-posting this to capture in my “on-line” journal. NYTimes article on minorities encouraged into elite schools during the 60s and 70s now joining the majority in positions of power.

(Community Matters) Julie & Julia – in Austin August 7

Can’t believe I overlooked the special screen ticket giveaways at yesterday’s Farmers’ Market – rats