Every now and then some good environmental news about our backyard comes along. It turns out that Austin, Texas is the number one city in America for clean technology industries according to SustainLane (“the premier online sustainability best practices knowledge base”), a recent Time Magazine article, and others.
There are a number of exciting advances in green technology happening in Austin.
Chief among them is the Pecan Street Project, the country’s largest urban ‘smart grid’ network. A smart grid allows utility companies to gain real time feedback from individual consumers across their entire network and should provide great increases in efficiency, reliability of service, and even enhanced security.
Austin recently opened the largest solar farm in Texas, a 30 megawatt facility in Webberville. The Webberville Solar Project is but one step in reaching the city’s goal of getting at least 35% of its energy from renewables by 2020. Other steps in this direction include the sale of the Fayette Coal Plant, a notorious polluter.
Clean tech companies like Joule Unlimited (a biofuels producer), HelioVolt (a thin film solar panel manufacturer), SolarBridge (which makes AC modules for solar panels), and many others make Austin a creative hot spot for the industry.
This great environment for the clean technology industry did not just appear out of thin air. A strong partnership between our local (city owned) utility (Austin Energy), the University of Texas’s Clean Energy Incubator (a program which provides venture capital funding and laboratory space to new businesses), Austin’s forward thinking city council, and state and federal funding sources provides the unique conditions for the clean tech sector to flourish. The Pecan Street Project, for instance, was partially funded through a large grant from the 2009 Federal Stimulus.
This year’s elections will have very real consequences for the burgeoning clean technology industry in Austin. While I’m sure Brigid Shea (a former councilwoman and Save Our Springs director) would be a stalwart environmental defender, Lee Leffingwell has some very real accomplishments he can point to. The partnership between public utility, university, private enterprise, and city council works in Austin in a way it doesn’t work anywhere else. I would be very cautious about making major changes here.
The air inside the Gearing lecture hall on the University of Texas campus buzzed with youthful exuberance Wednesday evening as the University of Texas Democrats held their first forum to give the current field of Democratic candidates a chance to introduce themselves to this active and influential group of students.
The UDems are a cornerstone of any locally run campaign due to the power of their primary endorsements and their enthusiastic pool of campaign volunteers. The fresh-faced progressives and veteran Yellow Dogs chattered optimistically about the upcoming contest with a level of excitement that was undoubtedly stimulated by the copious amount of free ice cream that was being consumed.
Candidates and staffers circulated among the assembled crowd and eagerly tried to get their bona fides across in densley packed micro-bursts of campaign rhetoric. Those with opponents in the room attempted to assert, in as diplomatic a way as possible, their supremacy over their esteemed colleagues. The fervor was beginning reach crescendo when Paul Sadler took the floor to list the motivations,credentials and experience that he thinks make him an ideal candidate to occupy the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by Kay Bailey Hutchison.
Former State Representative Paul Sadler began his speech by bemoaning a media culture that chose, over the winter break, to over-report the death of a tyrannical despot, Kim Jong-il, to the detriment of Václav Havel, a playwright, president, a Nobel Peace Prize nominee who had passed away with barely a notice outside the Czech Republic. He extolled the merits of Havel's seminal work, The Art of the Impossible, and explained that the book had been given to him by a Republican house member with whom he had worked on various projects. He went on to lay out his reasons for going into political life and for, temporarily, leaving it behind. He explained that his overriding determination to see all Texans properly educated brought him into the House of Representatives in 1991 and the necessity to turn his full attention to the needs of his son, who had been injured in a serious car accident, that took him out of it in 2003. His son has since made a full recovery and is now a junior at the University of Mississippi.
Sadler focused the core of his speech on his efforts in the field of education reform during his time at the Texas House, centering on his tenure as Chairman of the Public Education Committee. It was in that position that he orchestrated the complete re-write of the 1,200 page Texas Education Code in 1995 as well as providing teachers with state-sponsored public employee health insurance for the first time in the state's 160 year history. He ended with a brief Q & A that, as one might expect, concentrated on what he might do about rising tuition and plummeting university budgets if he were to be elected.
The UDems sent him off on his crusade with ebullient applause and dutifully remained seated to hear the full round of potential constables and court judges plead their cases before departing en masse to Player's for burgers and boosterism.
Yesterday, University of Texas College Republicans embarrassed the whole Longhorn community with a "joke" on Twitter stating, "Y'all as tempting as it may be, don't shoot Obama. We need him to go down in history as the WORST president we've EVER had! #2012." Yesterday Ben Sherman editorialized here on BOR about what a shameful statement that was for Pierce to make. Today, the University Democrats issued a statement to Burnt Orange Report condemning the statement by Pierce:
"It doesn't matter whether or not you agree with the President, saying anything related to shooting the President is tasteless, even if it was meant to be a joke. Although it was from her personal Twitter account, she is a leader at UT and in turn, it reflects negatively on our school. It's important to watch what you say on social media sites like Twitter because it is such a public arena where a 140-character statement carries a huge weight. As a leader, she has a duty to be careful with her statements because it not only reflects badly on her but those associated with her as well. She did apologize on Twitter, but that statement shouldn't have been made in the first place." -- Janette Martinez, UDEMS President
"For a UT student to joke about killing the president being 'tempting', is nothing short of disgraceful. What one individual might see as a joke, another may take as a challenge. Regardless of our politics, we, as Texans, have a responsibility to condemn these threats of violence. It is important to stress that our voices in this country are heard through the ballot and not the bullet." -- Cameron Miculka, UDEMS Vice President
"An attempted assassination of any citizen of the United States is not a joking matter--but when it is the president of the United States, an attempted assassination is not only meant to take the life of a person, but also to undo the will of the nation that elected him. The only right response for an American when they hear about an assassination attempt on the president is to condemn it, and then to thank God that it failed." -- Holly Heinrich, UDEMS PR Director
The statement of the UDEMS -- and, I would imagine, most of the UT undergraduate body -- shows that assassination jokes aren't what the University of Texas stands for. It's shameful that Pierce would bring such national embarrassment to UT. As the news story has been picked up around the world, it's sad to think of people confirming the negative stereotypes of our state that were perpetuated by George W. Bush and other Texas Republicans.
Pierce's "joke" is a disgusting comment at any time. Coming just days after the inspiring and painful 20/20 interview that aired with Rep. Gabby Giffords -- detailing her long, difficult recovery from a brain injury she received when a constituent shot her in the head at point-blank range -- the statement shows further how ignorant Pierce is to even joke about such violence. Sadly, this isn't the first example of such callous behavior from the UT College Republicans President, whose Facebook page for her Student Government campaign included a pledge to "kill the drag rats," i.e. the homeless kids who populate Guadalupe. Rhetoric like that of Pierce's -- and the cavalier attitude she displays towards human life -- is what leads to unhinged individuals bringing guns to Congressional district visits, wounding dozens, and killing their fellow citizens.
Pierce has embarrassed her campus, her organization, and her family. These are not UT values. These should not be Republican values, either. I am glad to see the University Democrats speak out against Pierce's wink-nudge comments that utterly fail to condemn actual political violence, and encourage other student and UT groups to do likewise.
Update, 1:57 p.m.: Apparently Pierce has been receiving death threats, which is pretty sick. That's only going to further our culture of violence. This young student obviously made a huge mistake and should seek help regarding her seeming history of violent rhetoric and outbursts on social media. However, death threats (or threats of violence) of any kind are never OK.
UDEMS President Janette Martinez released the following statement condemning these death threats:
"Although Lauren's comments were inappropriate, we do not believe that threats to her well-being were the right response. Threats of violence of any kind have no place in political dialogue, and University Democrats will move forward and continue to work for the issues most pertinent to students and progressive values, and most importantly, to create an environment that fosters fair, honest, and open political dialogue."
Join the University of Texas at Austin Campus Environmental Center in opposing the Keystone XL Pipeline:
September 28, 2011
State Department holds hearing on Keystone Pipeline
Time: 3:30-8 p.m.
Description:
State Department holds hearing on Keystone pipeline
The State Department holds a hearing on the proposed and controversial Keystone XL pipeline, which would bring tar sand oil from Alberta, Canada, to the Texas Gulf Coast. Join the Campus Environmental Center in opposing this pipeline.
The extraction process would destroy pristine boreal forest the size of England. The pipeline is expected to average 91 spills over the next 50 years. The refinement of this oil would further pollute Texas' most polluted city, Houston. Finally, the project would raise the oil and gas industry's total greenhouse gas emissions by one-third.
For more information about this pipeline, this hearing or to find out what you can do to help go to:
(Tremendous initiative by State Senator Kirk Watson. - promoted by Katherine Haenschen)
Earlier today, I delivered a speech declaring that it’s time for a medical school, teaching hospital and research institute in Austin. I also outlined the process I’m proposing to finally get it done after all these years, as well as the group I’ve put together to lead the effort.
Below, you'll see the text of the first part of the speech, along with links to other sections of it (for a full version, go here).
This is going to be a long effort involving a whole lot of people. But the economic and quality-of-life payoff, for Austin and all of Central Texas, would be enormous. I hope you’ll keep an eye on it, help with it, and join this community effort to make this long-sought vision a reality.
The short list to fill the vacancy on the Supreme Court includes one name with a close Texas connection: Judge Diane Wood of the federal court of appeals seventh circuit in Chicago.
A New Jersey native, Wood moved to Houston during high school and went on to become Westchester High School's valedictorian. She later moved on to Austin, where she would complete both her undergraduate and law degrees at the University of Texas.
The Statesman had a story about her and, as you might expect, her former colleagues, professors and classmates describe someone who would appear to be a good fit for the nation's highest court.
"She was a terrific student, not only bright but cooperative and modest," recalled David Anderson, a UT law professor who taught Wood. "Some bright students are full of their brightness. She was not like that at all — she was very down to earth."
Of course, it is her Chicago connection that may help her in this particular instance. Wood became the third woman to ever teach at the University of Chicago Law School. Ten years later she was joined on the faculty by a recent Harvard Law graduate named Barack Obama. Perhaps in part due to their past, Wood was the first person President Obama interviewed last year for the vacancy caused by the retirement of Justice David Souter.
No one, aside from the President and his closest advisors, really knows where Diane Wood stands on the list. However, on a court filled with justices who learned the law in Cambridge and New Haven, it would be something of a change (and perhaps add a different perspective) to have a Supreme Court Justice who was educated in Austin, Texas.
One of the powers of being Governor is the ability to appoint individuals to key agencies, commissions, and institutions with little say from the legislature. Rick Perry has appointed a lot of people since taking control of the Governor's mansion in 2000. According to Texans for Public Justice (TPJ), he has made it a lucrative practice for his campaign.
According to TPJ's new report, "No Donor Left Behind: Gov. Perry Reaps $6 Million from Regent Appointees", Rick Perry has collected almost $6.1 million from the 155 people whom he has appointed to be non-student regents since becoming governor in late 2000. Over the past decade, 97 regent appointees gave to Perry's campaign-or 63 percent of Perry's regent appointees.
The average Perry-appointed regent overseeing a public university contributed $39,251 to the campaign of the Regent-In-Chief. Regents at the elite University of Texas and A&M University contributed average amounts approaching $100,000. Just the regents whom Perry appointed to UT, A&M and Texas Tech dumped $4.1 million into Perry's campaign coffers. At the other end of the spectrum, Texas Woman's University regents contributed an average of $234 to Perry's campaign.
Complaints about politicized regent appointments surfaced last fall after two Texas Tech appointees told the Austin American-Statesman that Perry campaign intermediaries pressured them to resign their posts after they endorsed Kay Bailey Hutchison's campaign to unseat the governor. Ex-Texas Tech Regents Mark Griffin and Windy Sitton previously had contributed to Perry's campaign, though their donations fell well below the average Texas Tech regent contribution of $88,092.2
Michele "Mica" Mosbacher was the top overall regent donor. This appointee to the University of Houston Board of Regents has contributed $440,400 to Governor Perry's campaigns. Paul Foster, vice chair of the University of Texas System Board of Regents, contributed $370,157. There are 21 regent appointees who contributed more than $100,000 apiece to Perry's campaign.
Looking at the TPJ report, it is terrifying to see Regent Appointees from the University of Texas, A&M University, Texas Tech University, University of Houston, and Texas State University all had more than 80% of the regents donate to the Perry campaign between 2001 and February 2010.
The totals from these schools range from ~$250,000 to over $1.5 million.
Perry is using institutions of higher education and the power of appointment to pressure individuals to donate to his campaign.
To see the full report and a complete list of who donated visit the TPJ website.
This year, The Daily Texan asked every candidate in the University of Texas student elections for his or her position on the issue of guns in classrooms.
The NRA has worked hard to make keeping schools free of guns appear to be a partisan issue, but the Texan's fearlessness in asking about the issue in its endorsements demonstrates that student leaders aren't buying it. More tellingly, only two candidates are listed as "in favor" of guns in classrooms.
This time last year, there were two bills in the Texas Legislature that would have allowed students to carry guns in classrooms. Both bills were ultimately caught in the Texas House, after one (SB 1164) passed the Senate, in part because of the time and energy spent by student leaders on the issue.
Although Students for Gun-Free Schools was created as a response to such bills, the organization pursues other strategies for preventing campus violence as well. "Our focuses are access to mental health, and various measures which can keep at-risk students from falling through the cracks," said SGFS's Southwestern University chapter president.
The organization's statewide director, John Woods, had this to say: "There's not a lot of violence on college campuses, and we'd like to keep it that way. But over thirty thousand people are killed every year by guns -- that's more than terrorism worldwide most years. We have a responsibility to make students aware of these issues."
Volunteers with SGFS have also put together resolutions against guns in classrooms and in favor of closing the gun show loophole. They plan to introduce these at some precinct meetings Tuesday, in an attempt to unify the Texas Democratic Party around common sense public safety issues.
"Our biggest obstacle right now is getting the word out about our organization," said Woods. "There are so many troubling things happening in Texas that sometimes keeping our classrooms safe gets pushed to the back of the line. Students know about what we're doing, but parents generally don't."
Campus-wide elections begin Tuesday at 9 AM and end Wednesday at 5 PM. Voting may be done online at utsg.org, or at computers on campus.
(Reporting on the Burnt Orange... - promoted by Karl-Thomas Musselman)
With one merciless swipe of the pen, the Cactus Cafe was crossed out from the ledgers of the University of Texas and music forever. Or at least that's what UT President William C. Powers, UT Student Government President Liam O'Rourke, and Texas Union Executive Director Andy Smith wished happened.
I'm Zach Bidner, I'm a UT senior, and I want to tell you about the Cactus Cafe.
The Cactus Cafe is located in the Texas Union on the UT campus, and it is the only bar on campus. Moreover, the Cactus Cafe is the mecca of musical fulfillment for UT students, UT alumni, and Austinites for generations over. It is the place where nascent musicians are born and the old hands recharge themselves. Texas favorites like Lyle Lovett have cut their teeth on the Cactus stage, and as stars, they get lured back by the special intimacy of the place.
When I walk through the Union after class, I cross the monotone desert of Starbucks, Wendy's, and Taco Bell before I reach the Cactus Cafe, my oasis for authenticity. At the Cactus, singer-songwriter Butch Hancock has performed at such a personal level, that I could have sworn it was just the two of us in the room. I've also sung-a-long with the band Jackopierce and 150 fellow fans at the show.
On Friday, January 29th, the Texas Union Board, including SG President O'Rourke and Union Director Smith, recommended to President Powers that the Cactus Cafe should be shut down to reduce the Union budget. At a town hall meeting the following Tuesday, President Powers was beseeched by hordes of students, alumni, and Austinites to save the Cactus Cafe, some even offering donations to fill the budget gap. He repeatedly removed himself from responsibility by attributing the decision to the Union Board. Make no mistake, the onus is on President Powers. The board is merely advisory, and President Powers has the authority to accept or reject any of its recommendations.
Shortly after the meeting, O'Rourke issued a statement defending the cuts. He wrote that he understands the importance of the Cactus Cafe, but that compared to other options to reduce the Union budget, his priorities lie with maintaining operating hours and continuing to fund the Student Events Center. The Student Events Center is a branch of the Union whose website proudly announces events like movie nights, such as the Time Traveler's Wife, and open helium tank usage for campus groups!
On Saturday February 6th, a large group of concerned citizens, including many students like myself, formed an organization to restore the Cactus Cafe (our website is www.savethecactuscafe.org). Sensing our momentum, O'Rourke is already eating his words. Interviewed by KTBC on Saturday, he explained that his statement was misunderstood: the Cactus will not be closing; instead, students will replace the current, professional management. This is by no means a victory. I'm a student but I sure don't trust my peers to book quality acts.
Our organization has outlined a plan to save the Cactus Cafe while increasing student involvement. A non-profit support organization will be formed to raise funds and provide long-term financial support for the Cactus Cafe. An initiative will provide students with funded internships in the business and technical areas of club operation, working under the wing of the current, knowledgeable club staff. A Student-Artists in Residence program will also fund a number of students to play at the Cactus. Our organization is eager to cooperate with UT leadership, but so far UT leadership has ignored us.
Powers, O'Rourke, and Smith thought they could write this one off the books, but shutting down the Cactus is not like closing the doors of just any campus recital hall-especially without consulting the UT student body or general public before making the decision. The Cactus Cafe is too historic, too intimate, and too genuine a place to let go of.
In posting some of the various endorsements in the ongoing UT Student Government election, I forgot to link to the election website since all voting takes place online. In fact, it will be all night tonight and through tomorrow until 5pm. I remember bringing up that point in SG like 4 years ago in asking why an online voting system would have to close at 5pm one day and restart at 8am the next. That's actually not an insignificant issue as it can push GOTV and organizing into dorms and frats whose community is much stronger in the afterhours, though the dorms are considerably larger.
The most exciting thing for me about the new elections is how campaigns are forced to campaign differently. With excessively low spending limits and the dissolution of tickets with online extended voting hours, evening voting and email pushes can be much more powerful. I actually got a vote reminder from 'executive alliance' likely to come in 2nd place via email which appears to have come from a string of emails from the UT directory.
Phillip Tau and Sarah-Michelle have an interesting website: www.pstelleveryone.com and have posted this rather funny video.
I'm curious to see tomorrow night how things sort out and what trends we can see in the results. I'm almost halfway expecting no great increase in turnout unless the sheer number of candidates running are each activating more smaller social networks which could counter the drop I'd expect from the lack of "ticket hoopla". Then again, maybe all the ticket based hoopla acted as a suppressant to other voters. I'd expect that lacking tickets, more voters might be keen to vote the Texan endorsement which would increase the media's power in that regard. And there is the possibility that large organizational endorsements like UDems could have a more pronounced effect.
A reminder, there won't be runoffs in any of the downticket races, just the presidential (so far as I remember).
Update: How could I forget to post on Zak Kinnaird's campaign of humor. Two videos, the first models after "Morning in America" somewhat.
