Hindsight Is 10/10

Austin, Texas' compassion is as defining a city trait as bluebonnets in the springtime, musicians on street corners, and yeller dawgs in the statehouse. We're known for our generosity as well as our innovative and bizarre fundraising schemes. Looking back on '95, Austin's public service community is odd but healthy. Graciously, S. Emerson Moffat accepted our invitation to rekindle those memories of Public Notices Past.

Top Ten P.N. 1995

1. Hallmark Remains Silent

Single Mother's Appreciation Day -- observed on Dan Quayle's birthday, Feb. 4. (Feb. 3, p. 12)

2. Omigod, We Married One

UFO Experiencer's Support Group Meeting for those who feel they've encountered intelligences of unknown origin. (Feb. 10, p. 12)

3. They Don't Load Carbos, They Are Carbos
Fifth Annual Couch Potato 10,000 -- Mail-in marathon for non-athletes benefiting Community Partnership for the Homeless (469-9130) (Mar. 17, p. 22)

4. Try Rental Children First

Big Couple Program -- Big Brother/Big Sister (472-KIDS) organizations offers married heteros a free test drive of the parentmobile, a.k.a. as the surest form of birth control. (June 30, p. 14).

5. Cherry, Baby

Center for Battered Women's Center Truck Raffle (385-5181). Winner scores a fully restored `58 Chevy. (Aug. 25, p. 14)

6. It's Who You Know

Rosie Flores' Sickbay Show at Antone's snags year's best benefit lineup: Joe Ely, Alejandro Escovedo, Kelly Willis, Jimmy LaFave, Ted Roddy, Lisa Morales, Carol Howell, and Dale Watson. (Feb. 10, p. 12)

7. Worst Call

Artist Jim Campbell looks for 48,000 folks to paint by number. Objective: Guinness entry as "Largest Number of People to Participate in Painting a Single Picture." (Feb. 24, p. 14)

8. The Mouse That Roared

John Henry Faulk Conference on the First Amendment Online garners raves as best freebie thought-provoker. Whoever dreamed public communication would become so... public?

9. Mas Queso, Por Favor

Viva Las Vegas, an ASA funder/gamblefest (406-6114), out-Velveetas them all. Celebrants get "married" by the King in the Love Me Tender wedding chapel, then file for a quickie annulment next door. (Apr. 28, p. 14)

10. Talk About Sales Incentive

Bikes Not Bombs' regular monthly sale takes on new urgency when it's revealed the group's last delivery crew is still stranded south of the border without the cash to make it home. Move those Schwinns ASAP. ( July 28, p. 10)

Forward, March! 1996? Hmmmm. Well, despite Austin's progressive reputation, lipservice to the homeless will continue to not put roofs over heads, the economic boom will surge and continue to tax our delicate environment, and the right wing will up its offensive offensive against gays and other flavor-of-the-month outsiders. The good news is, despite these discouraging realities, folks continue to fight the good fight. Maybe this is the year you'll become part of it. Cheers for an active new year. Now, on to this year's business... Treecycle, ReDirect, Reuse Trees, phone books, holiday cards... what a pile of garbage. It's trash, actually, which means all of these items can be recycled. Just do it.

*Christmas trees: 15 locations around Travis Co., including a point near the playscape at Zilker, through Sun., Jan. 7. 499-2111.

*Phone books: Bins located at area Randall's and HEBs, through Sat., Jan. 6. 476-7696.

*Holiday cards: Mail card fronts to: St. Jude's Ranch for Children, 100 St. Jude's St., Boulder City, NV 89005.