Mobile: Mophie Juice Pack Air

Until SXSW, I had never before owned an iPhone case.  I thought they were silly, and that they added needless bulk to the phone.  Then, while watching A Place to Bury Strangers, my friend Emily demonstrated the virtues of the Mophie Juice Pack Air: an iPhone case with an integrated battery.  Considering that I'd been on foot much of the day and concerned about conserving my iPhone's battery power, said case seemed like an exceptionally good idea.  I bought one at the SXSW trade show the next day.

After using the Mophie for a battery boost the following day: I like it!

The Mophie Juice Pack Air doesn't add much size to your iPhone (and it actually makes the iPhone easier to hold), and when your iPhone is low on power you simply flip the Mophie's switch and let it's integrated battery recharge the one in your iPhone.  Furthermore, you can directly charge and/or sync the iPhone while it's in the Mophie.  I'm not sure about charging the Mobile while in your car (you'd need a charger with a micro-USB head), but this is kind of a moot point for me considering that I only use the Mophie when I'm going to be away from a car or wall charger for a while.

While the Mophie was great for SXSW, I've also found it quite useful for cycling.  I've been recording my cycling routes through the Map My Ride mobile app.  As you can imagine, the constant GPS location signals sap power from my iPhone 3Gs.  And, I don't particularly want to end up with a dead phone while out on one of my night rides.   The reserve power of the Mophie is a welcome addition to my collection of cycling gadgets.   And, of course, I'm sure the Mophie will be great for long days of air travel.

You can get a Mophie Juice Pack Air for $50 (iPhone 3G and 3Gs) or $80 (iPhone 4G).  There are some other models available, which you can check out at the aforelisted link.

Mobile: Motorola Bluetooth Headset

I've owned several Bluetooth headsets during the past few years (I'm prone to losing them), and the one which has consistently been my favorite has been the Motorola H710.  The reasons I like this model are:

1. It uses an earhook, as opposed to having to be actually stuck into your ear. 
2. The volume cranks up to high levels.  This is good, if your car is loud like my Passat.
3. You turn it on my opening the little microphone boom.  This makes for a very unambigious on/off switch.
4. People whom I've called can understand what I'm saying.

Anyway, I was in Best Buy over the weekend and I picked up a new headset.  Apparently, the H710 has been replaced by the H720 (which looks exactly the same).  Moveover, when I looked on the back of the box, Motorola listed these features as indicative of the H720's superiority:

1. Power Flip (see #3 above)
2. Lasting Comfort (see #1 above)
3. No Need to Shout: Echo canceling and noise reduction... (see #4 above)

And, as a bonus (at least at the Best Buy @ 290/71 and MoPac), the Motorola H720 is on sale for $49.

Bars: One Week of DIVE Bar & Lounge

Late Night @ DIVE

[photo (by WDFloyd): Door to DIVE Bar & Lounge... taken after a long but fun day of SXSW shenanigans]

Last night marked the week anniversary of the soft opening of DIVE Bar & Lounge.  I've been by four times during the past week, and it's quickly become a favorite hangout amongst a group of my friends.

The highlight of my visits to DIVE would have to be the Saturday night visit, when I sang an angry version of Devo's "Jerkin' Back and Forth" thanks to Karaoke Underground.

Furthermore, DIVE is joining the ranks of House Wine and The Tavern as one of my favorite meeting spots.  I stopped in a couple of nights ago to discuss progress of and plans for the project which is in the works from the leadership of the former Catalyst 8 organization.   I'm hoping to make DIVE into one of our Bar & Grill planning group's meeting places as well.  

DIVE is already cultivating a clientele.  I've noticed lawyers, lobbyists, and folks who look affiliated with the Capitol hanging out there on various nights.   Being a lawyer (and registered lobbyist) myself, I can't help but think of this as a positive development.  :)

Note: Speaking of Devo... I have tickets to see them on Sunday night at their ACL Presents performance.

KLRU Studio 6A: The Original Home of ACL

The Trim onstage at the Original Home of ACL

Studio 6B, future home of The Longhorn Network

[photos: by WDFloyd] 


Last night I went over to the UT campus for a KLRU Next event at the legendary KLRU Studio 6A (which is now being called "The Original Home of Austin City Limits").   I wasn't exactly sure what to expect, but what unfolded turned out to be quite interesting.  ACL's executive producer, Terry Lickona, treated us to an extended talk about his experiences with the ACL program.   Highlights included some very cool anecdotes about musicians who had performed on the original ACL stage, including one about Johnny Cash (appropriately, I later shared this story at The Mean Eyed Cat).

After Terry's chat with the KLRU Next group, we then went on a tour of the studio.  Highlights of that included an up-close look at the signature backdrop (it's got a couple of interesting quirks) and a little history on the crane from which ACL's famous opening was shot (turns out the crane was used on the sets of Gone With the Wind and The Wizard of Oz before making its way to Austin).   As a bonus, we were able to head down to the area where the musicians would hang out before a show, and I got a chance to read some of the hilarious messages they'd left behind on one of the walls. 

Studio 6A is a a very intimate space for a television performance.   The audience is close to the stage, and the stage is out in on the floor of the studio (with a rise of only 18").   Musicians frequently mentioned that the proximity to the audience allowed them to feel their energy and enthusiasm, thus resulting in what many performers considered to be some of their best television performances.   The crowds were known to be friendly and enthusiastic (originally 900 people shoved into 10K square feet, but later lowered to 500 and then 300).   The excitement of being very close to the performance was a huge part of this (and something that ACL has strived to replicate in the new Moody Theater at the W)... and the free beer from Lone Star helped. 

In case you're curious as to what the future of Studio 6A has in store, it's going to be cool.  The plan is to return to ACL's roots as a showcase for local and emerging talent with a show called Satellite Sets (which will be available via the internet).

Note: Studio 6B, across the hall from 6A and formerly the home of KLRU pledge drives, is set to become the home of The Longhorn Network as of August 1st.

Events: HYP's Upcoming Happy Hour and Gala

 

Here are the details for the next two Habitat Young Professionals events (I just copied them from an email):

Happy Hour

Wednesday, March 30 — 6:00pm to 8:00pm
Union Park
Come mix and mingle with other fun, ambitious, and energetic Austinites who are making positive changes in the community!
HYP is Austin’s most engaged, active young professionals organization, offering area professionals the opportunity to make a tangible contribution to Austin Habitat’s vision of eliminating poverty housing through the power of home ownership.
For more information, please contact HYP Membership Chair, Melissa Olszewski at membership@austinhyp.org.

Build the HYP Gala

Saturday, May 14 — 6:30pm to 11:00pm
The Marchesa
Early Bird Tickets: $50 Members/$60 Non-members (until April 1st)
Break out your zoot suit and get ready to have a swingin' good time at HYP's fifth annual Build the HYP Gala featuring Cherry Poppin' Daddies, the band that brought you Zoot Suit Riot. This year we are shaking things up with live music from Cherry Poppin' Daddies; great food from Moonshine and other Austin restaurants; drinks from Thirsty Planet, Cruz Tequila and Tito's Vodka; and our famous "Raise the Roof" shingle prizes.
Learn More

Austin's MetroRail: Doing Well After One Year

Austin's MetroRail is doing quite well as it hit's it's one year anniversary.  Apparently, it has become popular enough that seats can be scarce at times.  Moreover, Capital Metro has been offering special extended weekend service throughout the month of March. 

The current MetroRail doesn't go anywhere I usually need to go; however, I've read that plans for an airport line and other line extensions are in the works.  Furthermore, I'm all for the expansion of commuter and transit rail in Austin.  People like it, and it's a key element of building a more walkable, livable city.

If you're curious about Capital Metro's plans for extending rail service, there is a webinar scheduled for noon tomorrow.  

In Case You Were Wondering....

Parking Spots, Right by the Entrance to the Escalator

[photo by WDFloyd's iPhone]


The downtown Whole Foods has parking places specifically for Car2Go.  They're the best spots in the garage (excepting the handicapped spots).

Also, I bought some whole bean coffee at Whole Foods earlier tonight.  Apparently, there is a coffee card.  Thus, after you have bought 5 pounds of coffee you can then redeem your card for 1 free pound.  Coffee prices I noticed ranged from $8-$13 per pound.

I picked up a pound of medium roast Sumatra Blue Batak for $13.   That's what I usually pay for a kilo (2.2 lbs) of Ruta Maya (which is organic shade grown coffee from Mexico) Dark or Med Roast when I buy it at Costco.

Bars: DIVE Bar & Lounge Is Now Open

DIVE Bar & Lounge, located at 1703 Guadalupe (ZIP: 78701) , is now open.  I stopped by last night and it's looking great.  The folks behind the bar are awesome and the crowd was very good.  Also,  if you check out the wall by the bathrooms, you can see the results of my mad primer painting skills. 

If you're on Gowalla, be sure to check in at DIVE in order to check out the totally sweet stamp they have.

Make Sushi, Help Japan

Red Snapper, In Pre-Sushi Form.

[photo (by WDFloyd)]








If you're looking for a fun and culinarily informative way to help raise funds for disaster relief in Japan, then check out the upcoming Sushi Roll-a-Thon sponsored by the Austin Asian American Chamber of Commerce.  Here are the details I received via email (from a friend from my 2010 Leadership Austin Essential Class):

SUSHI ROLL-A-THON TO BENEFIT JAPAN DISASTER RELIEF

The greater Austin community comes together to offer a sushi rolling class to benefit victims of the recent earthquake and tsunami in Japan.

This Sushi Roll-a-thon event teaches the art of rolling sushi, while raising funds to help the Japanese community.  Special thanks to all the people involved in making this fundraiser happen quickly.   

What:                    Sushi Roll-a-thon for Japan Disaster Relief

Learn to roll with two of Austin’s Top Sushi Chefs

·                     Chef Kayo Asazu, Owner of Sushi A-Go-Go

·                      Chef Take Asazu

Live music and dance performances:

·                     Trio Jazz performance by Masumi & the Gentlemen

·                      Japanese Dance by Hanabirakai

When:                    Wednesday, March 23, 2011,

6:00 PM – 8:30 PM

Where:                  National Instruments

Building C, Conference Rm. 1S13

11500 North Mopac Expwy

Austin, Texas 78750

Parking Info:  Upon entering National Instruments, please take the first right after driving through the double gates. Visitor Parking is in the surface lot and parking garage across from Building C (Free).

Cost:                      $55 per person (includes sushi rolls and appetizers)

All proceeds go to the American Red Cross to support the Japan disaster relief.  For details, go to www.austinaacc.org.

To purchase tickets click here.

If sushi isn't your bag, there are plenty of other ways to help.  The situation in Japan is still quite dire.

Travel: Free WiFi at HOU Hobby

[photo: by WDFloyd]

Normally, my posts about airports have to do with bar hours (usually their restrictive nature).  Last night I was stuck at Houston Hobby from about 5:45-10pm.  Finding a bar was not a problem, however free WiFi wasn't as abundant.   According to my questioning and subsequent experience, free WiFi is available at:

1. Buffalo Wild Wings
2. Pappas Burgers*

Otherwise, you are stuck with payed WiFi via Boingo.  Not only is Boingo not free, but in my experience it has left annoying program stubs on my Windows based systems.  It is, however, available throughout the Hobby terminal. 

Of course, one can argue that the WiFi at one of the above referenced establishments isn't free because you buy food or drink in order to justify your stay there.  While this is arguably true, it's kind of moot to me as I'd be in a bar if I were stuck in an airport regardless.  If you're going to be crammed into a flying tube with 120 strangers, it helps to prepare with a pre-flight cocktail.  


*Note: the free WiFi worked when I arrived, but was cut off at some point after 9:30.

More Reflections on Catalyst 8 and Philanthropy...

The Long Center for the Performing Arts- Austin, TX

[photo (by WDFloyd): The Long Center  I took this photo right after seeing the screening of The Big Bends, a short film which received a Boost subsidy to be shown in the Rollins Theater and which was in Sundance.] 








 In my previous post, I made a reference to the 3M matching grant offered to Catalyst 8 last year.   I've copied the text of the press release (issue last spring), which reads as follows:

The Long Center is pleased to announce that 3M has awarded the Long Center’s Catalyst 8 a $20,000 membership matching grant. The membership challenge begins immediately with the goal of 65 new members in just 8 months!

In an effort to promote young professionals supporting the arts, 3M will match all membership gifts to Catalyst 8 dollar-for-dollar until December 31st, 2010, up to $20,000. 3M has been very impressed with the growth and impact of Catalyst 8 and wanted to reward the good work the group does through the “Boost” Rental Subsidy fund, which is where the funds will be applied.

“Cultivating younger donors helps ensure that we will continue to have a vibrant arts community in Austin for years to come,” says Russell Bridges, 3M Government & Community Affairs Manager. “3M congratulates Catalyst 8 on their past successes, and we are excited to be partnering with them to benefit the Long Center and to assist emerging arts groups to have access to its world class facilities.”
Join today and double the impact of your gift!

More about Catalyst 8

Who are we?
A group committed to “making it happen” by spreading awareness about the Long Center and the arts, providing opportunities for social access and involvement, and developing future leaders in the community.

What do we do?
100% of funds raised by Catalyst 8 fuel the Boost Program. Boost awards rental subsidies to Austin area emergent and underserved arts groups. Boost offsets costs so that a wider diversity of performances and audiences can experience The Long Center’s world class stages. Since its inception in 2007, Boost has awarded 24 arts groups more than $40,000 in rental subsidies.

I think you can see why we were very excited about meeting and then exceeding the challenge of recruiting 65 members.  Moreover, it was a lot of fun working to meet the goal, and I ended up learning a few interesting lessons about membership recruiting during the process. 


What impresses me most from 3M's statements is the awareness of the importance of engaging younger Austinites in arts philanthropy, and the importance of said engagement as a foundation for the future of Austin's arts and culture (which I would argue directly impact the larger issues of quality of life and economic development).  Of course, I think the appeal of Catalyst 8 was that it was an active donor group which provided opportunities for real engagement with The Long Center, artists, community members interested in supporting the arts, and peers who shared common interests in helping to build up elements of the Austin art ecosystem.   I think these engagement and participatory opportunities provided a lot of appeal to members (I did a lot of recruiting as membership chair, and this was a major point of attraction).   YMBL and HYP, which offer a tremendous amount of engagement opportunities, are some additional examples of groups which have been very popular and successful (and have done a lot of good work).   I think that they both have the strength of letting members get their hands dirty helping out with the very projects which the members support via fundraising efforts. 

Community and civic engagement is an area in which I have a lot of interest, and I'm working on more postings about the importance I see in fostering opportunities for people to become directly involved with charities, non-profits, and philanthropy in general.   Important not just as a fundraising tool, but also as a mechanism for building communities and the community in general.  Thus, you have my intense interest working on the new arts project to which I alluded in the last post.  

I'd write more, but I'm a little fried from a couple of days of intense lawyering, and I'm very ready to head downtown for SXSW Interactive shenanigans.

Events: Catalyst 8's Mad Hatter Tea Party

Hat Dipping Station from 2010 Mad Hatter

[photo: by WDFloyd's iPhone] 


by WDFloyd


After writing a few times about the then impending 2nd Annual Catalyst 8 Mad Hatter Tea Party fundraiser, I figured that it needed some follow up.

The event was quite successful all around.  We exceeded fundraising levels set last year, signed up several new members, and generally got a lot of compliments on the event.   I was one of the event's chairs, and also the main MC (a duty I thoroughly enjoy).  Photographic evidence from Clarksville Studios' photo booth and the American-Statesman's A-List (which incorrectly located the Mad Hatter event at the Long Center; it was at The Allan House) suggests that people had a lot of fun.  Thanks to everyone who came out and thanks to our awesome sponsors, including:

• Hay Compere PLLC
• Moreland Properties
• Makers Mark
• Tito's Vodka
• Independence Brewery
• Clarksville Studios
• Dub Academy

There were many others, especially in the fashion arena, who were very generous (but I can't find the list from the event).  Even my company, Prism Risk Management, jumped in at the last minute as a liquor sponsor (hedging against the risk of leaving guests thirsty).

Anyway, it was a fun event and it capped off a great year for Catalyst 8.   The organization had more than doubled in size since February 2010, fulfilled a matching grant challenge from 3M for member recruiting (which meant a lot to me, as membership chair).  We had surpassed the goal of funding 100 nights of Boost subsidized performances in the Long Center's Rollins Theater.  Mad Hatter, however, turned out to be our last event.  I was informed via e-mail on Friday 2/26 that the Long Center had chosen to shut down Catalyst 8 as part of the strategic plan approved on 2/23 (and, I've been told, they have generally chosen to discontinue donor support groups at this time as part of their new strategic plan).  Thus, unbenownst to us at the time, Mad Hatter was a pretty bad ass send off for Catalyst 8.

The demise of Catalyst 8 has actually presented those of us who were its leaders with some very exciting new projects.  I mention the successes above because those of us who have worked had for several years to build Catalyst 8 into a "model young professional organization" (not my term, but actually one I heard repeatedly at Au40 and other events when informing friends about the abrupt end of Catalyst 8) are working a bigger, bolder, and ultimately more important project.   I am very excited to be a part of it.

And, since I am a compulsive writer, I'll post about the new developments once I have something cool to discuss.



Notes: 

• I also gave a few details about the end of Catalyst 8 for context.  I thought it might weird for my Catalyst 8 postings (at the time of this post, "Catalyst 8" is the biggest term in this blog's tag cloud) to suddenly stop and some new topics to suddenly pop up.

• I had to put up a photo from last year's event, as I was too occupied as an event chair to actually take my own photos.  I'll add video evidence as well (the gf was kind enough to take about 35 min of video from the event, but I haven't had time to edit it).

Software: Aperture 3, A Good Deal From The Mac App Store

At the Home Office

Now that I'm back in business with my new MacBook Pro, I've been reinstalling and adding software to the system.  One Mac specific app I've been wanting to try is Aperture 3.  

Since I've started biking, I haven't been as active with photography.  Thus, it will probably be after SXSW and my quickie trip to Florida (I have some night photography planned) before I do much photo importing and editing to the MacBook.  At that point I'll be able to comment on using Aperture (which, from what I have read, is a photo management and light editing system similar to Picasa or Adobe's Lightroom).

In the mean time, I decided to toss up this post to mention that while the full version of Aperture is $199 at a retail establishment, it is only $79 as a download from the Mac App Store.   Not a bad deal, thus I went ahead and downloaded it. 

This is by far the most compelling deal I've seen at the Mac App Store.

Another Bite at Apple

2011 MacBook Pro

Apple's "Magic Mouse"

My extreme displeasure with Apple's online store was followed by a further deepening of annoyance this morning.  Apparently, despite telling me that a new MacBook would be shipped to me upon my deliverance of the defective MacBook to FedEx, I was informed this morning that not only had my replacement MacBook not shipped... but it had yet to be configured and assembled.   This was the situation described by the online store, despite the fact that the store reps assured me during the set-up of the return that I'd have a replacement MacBook in time for SXSW Interactive and a business trip scheduled for the weekend.  [note: the Dell Lattitude E5400 pictured with the new MacBook cannot travel, as it's power inverter for the screen is blown and thus the display doesn't function; this part broke right after the 1 year warranty had expired]

I expressed my irritation to the folks at the online Apple store.  They decided to refund the purchase so that I could go and buy a new MacBook at the Barton Creek retail store (and, we'll see how easy getting the refund turns out to be).  This actually turns out to be a bonus for me, considering that Apple introduced it's 2011 line of MacBooks just two days after I received my defective unit (it had the i5 processor and a 320GB hard drive) Thus detached from my connection to the online store, I drove over to the Apple retail store in Barton Creek mall.  Unfortunately, the retail store does not stock a 15" MacBook Pro with the glossy, high res screen.  However, the new model of MacBook comes with an Intel i7 quad core processor standard, along with a 500GB hard drive and a fairly cool graphics chip.  I ended up paying less for the new MacBook than I had for the defective one.   While I kind of miss the high res screen, the screen on the new unit is still very nice.

I've had the new MacBook for an afternoon and I can already tell that it's a better machine than the one it replaced.   It is charging without any problems.  The WiFi is working well.  Also, the Apple "Magic Mouse" is working well and I'm taking as a sign that the Bluetooth is functioning better on this machine than the defective one.  On the defective MacBook, it was so slow that it was basically unusable (and this was unfortunately, as I couldn't find another mouse which connected directly into a laptop via Bluetooth, without the need for some kind of USB receiver).   It turns out that a functioning Magic Mouse is actually kind of cool, thus I'm glad its working with the new system.   

So, at a minimum I can say that a new 2011 MacBook Pro is better than a defective 2010 model.  It remains to be seen whether I take to Mac OS or default back to Windows 7 (which, having been a Windows user for about 16 years, I find fairly easy to operate). 

Sometimes, There Is a Bad Apple...

MacBook Pro, Ready to be Shipped Back to Apple.

I've been a little surprised by my recent experience with Apple.  In an episode I would have expected following the purchase of a Dell product (I've had some ridiculous things go wrong with my last two Dell laptops), the 15" MacBook Pro I purchased in mid-February has already been shipped back to Apple owing to a hardware problem (with the power system, although I suspect that there is something wrong with its WiFi hardware as well).

I discovered the problem with the power system first because the charging cable LED would only light up if the charging plug was attached in a certain direction, and second because shortly thereafter I noticed "not charging" message fairly often after plugging the computer into the power cable.  As for the WiFi, it worked at home and in my office.  Last Friday, it worked at The Tavern.  However, I took the MacBook to Epoch on Monday night and it wouldn't connect (despite the fact that about 10 other patrons in my general area appeared to be happily using the internet on Apple products).  A return trip to The Tavern also produced some frustrating results.   This is certainly not what I was expecting from a computer with a hefty price tag and from a line of products which generally gets rave reviews from friends.

I took my MacBook over to the Barton Creek Apple Store yesterday.  The guys at the Genius Bar were quite helpful, and I didn't have to wait long for an appointment.  They were pretty eager to swap the defective laptop on the spot... until they realized that I had purchased it online.  That is when things got annoying, as I had to leave the accessible and eager to help folks at the retail store in order to call Apple directly to sort things out over the phone.   I had to work through Apple's automated system, and then go up through three levels of live humans on the phone line before the problem could be resolved (and no, the transfer of information about my computer's issue did not travel instantly from the Barton Creek store to Apple's central system).  I was transferred to a fourth person to facilitate the product return.  At this time, I asked if I could go ahead and pay to upgrade a couple of things (which I thought was a reasonable request, considering that this whole return thing was a hassle for me, interruption for my business, and a new computer was going to be shipped anyway).  The answer was: no, the only way to change configuration was to return my replacement MacBook once I received it and then to reorder.  My response: no thanks, I'll have Pivot Networks drop in a new hard drive and more RAM.

So, the take-away I'm hoping to impart here is: if possible, buy an Apple computer from the Apple Store.  Dealing with the folks at Barton Creek was easy and pleasant.  Moreover, had I purchased my computer from a retail store, I would already have a replacement.  And, since I was required to remove all of my data and applications myself and drop off the bum MacBook at FedEx before Apple would send me a new one, it's a good thing that I have other functioning computers on hand to house my files and to use while the replacement is in transit. 

I'm not upset with Apple per se for sending me a bum computer.  Shit happens, and even the best companies build some lemons.  What is important in these situations is how they remedy the problem.  Thus, I am a little annoyed with Apple because of the process of getting a replacement from the online store. Some companies, like REI will handle at retail locations product returns and replacements from online purchases.  In turn, I'm quite comforatble buying something expensive from REI because I know that dealing with potential problems will be easy.   You would think that Apple would use its retail presence to its advantage over vendors like Dell in terms of product return and replacement, but apparently not.   Furthermore, it seems kind of petty to force me to ship a defective computer back to Apple before they will send me a new unit.  The defective computer was still usable, and it would have been nice to have had it over the weekend in order to work on some video editing (my office Dell doesn't have video editing software).  I could have then done a file transfer upon receipt of the new unit and promptly shipped the defective until back.   You would think that someone willing to drop $1899 on a computer (whose home and business addresses you know, and whose American Express account information you possess) could be trusted to ship back a laptop in a timely manner... esp. when it was technically your fault for selling a defective good.

Don't get my wrong... I generally like Apple and Apple products.  It's just that my recent experience with the product return reminded me more of the John Hodgman PC character than the purported cool Mac character from the PC v Mac ad campaign.

Texas History: Travis' "Victory or Death" Letter from The Alamo

Sketch of Wm. B. Travis

In the spirit of observing exciting dates in Texas History, here's the text of
Wm. B. Travis' "Victory or Death" letter from within the Alamo (note my favorite part, which is the P.S.):

Commandancy of the The Alamo

Bejar, Feby. 24th. 1836

To the People of Texas & All Americans in the World—

Fellow Citizens & compatriots—

     I am besieged, by a thousand or more of the Mexicans under Santa Anna — I have sustained a continual Bombardment & cannonade for 24 hours & have not lost a man — The enemy has demanded a surrender at discretion, otherwise, the garrison are to be put to the sword, if the fort is taken — I have answered the demand with a cannon shot, & our flag still waves proudly from the walls — I shall never surrender or retreat.  Then, I call on you in the name of Liberty, of patriotism & everything dear to the American character, to come to our aid, with all dispatch — The enemy is receieving reinforcements daily & will no doubt increase to three or four thousand in four or five days.  If this call is neglected, I am determined to sustain myself as long as possible & die like a soldier who never forgets what is due to his own honor & that of his country — Victory or Death.

William Barrett Travis.

Lt.  Col. comdt.

P. S.  The Lord is on our side — When the enemy appeared in sight we had not three bushels of corn — We have since found in deserted houses 80 or 90 bushels and got into the walls 20 or 30 head of Beeves.  Travis

Texas History: Texas Declaration of Independence

Image of the Texas Declaration of Independence

In observance of Texas Independence Day, I submit to you the Texas Declaration of Independence, which was adopted on March 2, 1836, at Washington-on-the-Brazos:


The Unanimous
Declaration of Independence
made by the
Delegates of the People of Texas
in General Convention
at the town of Washington
on the 2nd day of March 1836.
When a government has ceased to protect the lives, liberty and property of the people, from whom its legitimate powers are derived, and for the advancement of whose happiness it was instituted, and so far from being a guarantee for the enjoyment of those inestimable and inalienable rights, becomes an instrument in the hands of evil rulers for their oppression.
When the Federal Republican Constitution of their country, which they have sworn to support, no longer has a substantial existence, and the whole nature of their government has been forcibly changed, without their consent, from a restricted federative republic, composed of sovereign states, to a consolidated central military despotism, in which every interest is disregarded but that of the army and the priesthood, both the eternal enemies of civil liberty, the everready minions of power, and the usual instruments of tyrants.
When, long after the spirit of the constitution has departed, moderation is at length so far lost by those in power, that even the semblance of freedom is removed, and the forms themselves of the constitution discontinued, and so far from their petitions and remonstrances being regarded, the agents who bear them are thrown into dungeons, and mercenary armies sent forth to force a new government upon them at the point of the bayonet.
When, in consequence of such acts of malfeasance and abdication on the part of the government, anarchy prevails, and civil society is dissolved into its original elements. In such a crisis, the first law of nature, the right of self-preservation, the inherent and inalienable rights of the people to appeal to first principles, and take their political affairs into their own hands in extreme cases, enjoins it as a right towards themselves, and a sacred obligation to their posterity, to abolish such government, and create another in its stead, calculated to rescue them from impending dangers, and to secure their future welfare and happiness.
Nations, as well as individuals, are amenable for their acts to the public opinion of mankind. A statement of a part of our grievances is therefore submitted to an impartial world, in justification of the hazardous but unavoidable step now taken, of severing our political connection with the Mexican people, and assuming an independent attitude among the nations of the earth.
The Mexican government, by its colonization laws, invited and induced the Anglo-American population of Texas to colonize its wilderness under the pledged faith of a written constitution, that they should continue to enjoy that constitutional liberty and republican government to which they had been habituated in the land of their birth, the United States of America.
In this expectation they have been cruelly disappointed, inasmuch as the Mexican nation has acquiesced in the late changes made in the government by General Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna, who having overturned the constitution of his country, now offers us the cruel alternative, either to abandon our homes, acquired by so many privations, or submit to the most intolerable of all tyranny, the combined despotism of the sword and the priesthood.
It has sacrificed our welfare to the state of Coahuila, by which our interests have been continually depressed through a jealous and partial course of legislation, carried on at a far distant seat of government, by a hostile majority, in an unknown tongue, and this too, notwithstanding we have petitioned in the humblest terms for the establishment of a separate state government, and have, in accordance with the provisions of the national constitution, presented to the general Congress a republican constitution, which was, without just cause, contemptuously rejected.
It incarcerated in a dungeon, for a long time, one of our citizens, for no other cause but a zealous endeavor to procure the acceptance of our constitution, and the establishment of a state government.
It has failed and refused to secure, on a firm basis, the right of trial by jury, that palladium of civil liberty, and only safe guarantee for the life, liberty, and property of the citizen.
It has failed to establish any public system of education, although possessed of almost boundless resources, (the public domain,) and although it is an axiom in political science, that unless a people are educated and enlightened, it is idle to expect the continuance of civil liberty, or the capacity for self government.
It has suffered the military commandants, stationed among us, to exercise arbitrary acts of oppression and tyrrany, thus trampling upon the most sacred rights of the citizens, and rendering the military superior to the civil power.
It has dissolved, by force of arms, the state Congress of Coahuila and Texas, and obliged our representatives to fly for their lives from the seat of government, thus depriving us of the fundamental political right of representation.
It has demanded the surrender of a number of our citizens, and ordered military detachments to seize and carry them into the Interior for trial, in contempt of the civil authorities, and in defiance of the laws and the constitution.
It has made piratical attacks upon our commerce, by commissioning foreign desperadoes, and authorizing them to seize our vessels, and convey the property of our citizens to far distant ports for confiscation.
It denies us the right of worshipping the Almighty according to the dictates of our own conscience, by the support of a national religion, calculated to promote the temporal interest of its human functionaries, rather than the glory of the true and living God.
It has demanded us to deliver up our arms, which are essential to our defence, the rightful property of freemen, and formidable only to tyrannical governments.
It has invaded our country both by sea and by land, with intent to lay waste our territory, and drive us from our homes; and has now a large mercenary army advancing, to carry on against us a war of extermination.
It has, through its emissaries, incited the merciless savage, with the tomahawk and scalping knife, to massacre the inhabitants of our defenseless frontiers.
It hath been, during the whole time of our connection with it, the contemptible sport and victim of successive military revolutions, and hath continually exhibited every characteristic of a weak, corrupt, and tyrranical government.
These, and other grievances, were patiently borne by the people of Texas, untill they reached that point at which forbearance ceases to be a virtue. We then took up arms in defence of the national constitution. We appealed to our Mexican brethren for assistance. Our appeal has been made in vain. Though months have elapsed, no sympathetic response has yet been heard from the Interior. We are, therefore, forced to the melancholy conclusion, that the Mexican people have acquiesced in the destruction of their liberty, and the substitution therfor of a military government; that they are unfit to be free, and incapable of self government.
The necessity of self-preservation, therefore, now decrees our eternal political separation.
We, therefore, the delegates with plenary powers of the people of Texas, in solemn convention assembled, appealing to a candid world for the necessities of our condition, do hereby resolve and declare, that our political connection with the Mexican nation has forever ended, and that the people of Texas do now constitute a free, Sovereign, and independent republic, and are fully invested with all the rights and attributes which properly belong to independent nations; and, conscious of the rectitude of our intentions, we fearlessly and confidently commit the issue to the decision of the Supreme arbiter of the destinies of nations.