The approval that developers East Avenue were seeking for their dense redevelopment of the Concordia campus along I-35 in Central Austin has proved so contentious, they negotiated with neighborhood stakeholders right down to the wire – and they may not even be done yet.

At yesterday's City Council meeting, an agreement over the planned utility district zoning East Avenue sought was penned just minutes prior to the hearing. So council took the rather unconventional step of not ending the meeting but technically recessing until 1:30pm this afternoon. With Concordia's acquisition of new campus lands dependent on the old campus' sale, they're saying they need final approval today in order for everything to go smoothly. But if the neighborhood groups around Concordia and the city legal department still feel the proposal isn't adequately vetted, approval could be put off until Tuesday of next week.

Real edge-of-your-seat action, to be sure.

We had a letter in this week's issue from one Stephanie Webb, and although it was not the main thrust of the letter, one line caught my eye: "I applaud Capital Metro for continuing to function despite lack of ridership," she wrote.

So I thought it is high time to address a phrase that I often hear critics of Capital Metro employ: "empty buses." It is a phrase that is based, I believe, on purely anecdotal observation and is misleading if not flat-out inaccurate. I'd love to lay this erroneous notion of empty Capital Metro buses to rest once and for all (although I doubt John Kelso will let that happen since it continues to provide him with easy jokes).

ACT UP founder Larry Kramer delivered this speech in New York on the occasion of the 20th anniversary of the multichaptered, affiliated, spun-off phenomenon of an activist "organization."

"God we were so creative while we were dying…"

"It is very wearying to witness our carrying-on so passively year after year, particularly now that all of us, all of us have been given the gift of life. I know that young gays don't think this way, but many of us died to give you this gift of staying alive. You are alive because of us. I wish you would see this, and we all owe it to the dead as well as to ourselves to continue a fight that we have stopped fighting."

"Democracy does not protect us. Unity does."



Not to trivialize the impact of that which Larry speaks (the video speaks for itself) but… What the hell is he wearing? A quilt? A flak jacket? A missionary's robe?

Kidding aside, play the whole damn (one-hourlong) thing. Contextualize this mess. Learn (y)our history.

Meanwhile, anyone know what's up with the local chapter?

Hmmmmmmm. Nice disclaimer.

Mandy at Project Transitions sez they'll be shooting a PSA for Texas Swing on Sunday, March 25, at Rainbow Cattle Co. at 11am.

And they need you as an extra.

We know you gots some gay cowboy in ya. C'mon. Food and coffee will be provided.

Direct all questions to Mandy: 454-8646.

UPDATE
The Equality Ride indeed met and enjoyed fellowship (see related post: March 20) with students on the Baylor campus in Waco.

However, the hospitable cuddly bear atmosphere turned creepy when plainclothes cops arrested a number of riders along with a Baylor student while the group was chalking messages on a school sidewalk.

Chalking seems to be an acceptable mode of public communication on the conservative campus, so these arrests are curious, and the bail set at $2,000 (ex-SQUEEeeeeze me???) is outrageous.

A number of photos of the chalking and arrests (click through to the last few photos) have been posted by Eq-Rider/blogger Adam Britt.

… is our mother, too. Mother Earth: this big, bluish, floating ball of life with its limited natural resources and a bunch of Americans chugging black smoke clouds of SUV and Mickey-D, littering the land with all that damn packaging, while those gray-hairs on the Hill are too weak-in-their-Depends to face global warming and its implications on our life and our society.

Then, along came Gore with his planet-hugging movie in the mainstream, this former-Veep leading the eco-charge for clean livin' and sustainability. Hooyah!

Yesterday, Mr. Gore marched right into Congress armed with 500,000-plus signatures from concerned American citizens (like me and you) who support immediate government action in taking on the climate crisis here and now! Watch the video of his hearing to see how it went.

To show his gratitude for the great deal of support throughout this challenge, Gore is saving a block of Live Earth (a 24-hour concert scheduled for July 7, 2007) tickets for those who signed their name online. Check out that sample line-up: Pharrell, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Foo Fighters, Snoop Dogg, Lenny Kravitz, Snow Patrol, Black Eyed Peas, Kelly Clarkson, Melissa Etheridge, Bloc Party … the list goes on.

The David Carr era is officially over. It's hard to hate a guy of upstanding character like Carr, but he's been given more than enough time to prove he's a winner, failed at that, and now it's time for a change. That change comes in the form of three-year NFLer Matt Schaub whom the Texans acquired in a trade with the Atlanta Falcons and signed to six-year deal – once again rolling the dice on a multi-year deal for a QB who has yet to prove himself in the NFL. Schaub has started three NFL games to date. But with Jake Plummer retiring and Jeff Garcia signing with the Bucs, as soon as Schaub was available the Texans moved in. The Texans obviously felt Schaub was worth it and went back on their previous stance of not trading their much-needed draft picks. They swapped first-round positions in the upcoming draft giving the Falcons their eighth pick and dropping to Atlanta's No. 10 spot. Not a huge deal, but, they also traded a No. 2 pick in the '07 draft and a No. 2 in 2008. They painted themselves in a corner by signing Carr to a three-year deal last year, thereby passing on Vince Young. Oh yeah, they also snubbed USC phenom Reggie Bush. Hopefully a healthy Mario Williams will help the Texans' front office save a little face on this questionable move. Can't accuse the Texans of pandering to their fan base. Sage Rosenfels and Bradlee Van Pelt will back up Schaub next season with Rosenfels most likely being Houston's No. 2.

"Beside the Point"'s topic this week – Paul Robbins' quest to get City Hall chambers open to the public at all times, when not being used – is before the dais right now. Former Council Member Jackie Goodman just spoke. She was her silky, polite self, noting, "My horoscope this morning said, 'Try not to annoy others with the force of your convictions.'"

Paul Robbins is making the case right now, reading a letter signed with several prominent names of support. Below the fold, the letter, and all its signatories.

"Oh my God. Let's get some shoes."
My friends tell me I am months late [almost a year … – ed.] in finding this online gem. Better late than never, I say. Brave the intro.