Because I Said So

Use quercetin to avoid the niacin flush

2012-01-21T08:46:00.000-06:00

If you're taking niacin (or Niaspan™ extended release niacin) for cholesterol, you may have already noticed the famed "niacin flush." It literally feels as though you are sunburned and itchy from the inside... intense heat and redness, followed by itching. It disappears in time, but it's miserable.

It's primarily a prostaglandin response, which means antihistamines don't work. Most doctors recommend taking aspirin about 30 minutes prior to taking your niacin which does work — it reduces or eliminates the flush about 30 percent of the time.

I discovered a more effective anti-flushing agent. Meet quercetin, a naturally-occurring bioflavonoid that acts as an anti-inflammatory. Found in citrus fruits and in apple peels, this chemical blocks the niacin flush about 90 percent of the time! And I say this as having been someone who tried it and is happy with it.

You can buy quercetin at any health food store, or even online. I take 1000mg right before my Niaspan dose of 1500mg at night.

Read the medical research abstract here.

Why USPS will continue to fail, and how banks can survive

2012-01-20T21:58:00.000-06:00

I want to root for the United States Postal Service. I truly do.

Who (over the age of 18) doesn't remember getting a long-awaited letter in the mail? Who hasn't smiled as a postcard from a far-away locale? Mail is part of our collective memories.

For me, it goes even further — I've known several people who work for USPS.

But after this week, I'm going to commit to using USPS as little as possible. I've got e-mail, a fax line and FedEx at my disposal. Don't mail me; I might not reply.

I needed to send a check overnight to my bank, which has a P.O. box., so I used the USPS's online "Click-N-Ship" online service to print a label. For $18, my postage printed, and all I had to do was drop it off.

I printed out the label on Monday, Jan. 16, a holiday. I swung by my local post office on Tuesday morning around 9 a.m. and dropped the Express Mail envelope in the clearly-marked Express Mail drop box outside. Cut-off time was 5 p.m.; I had made it with several hours.

So I was a little pissed when I looked the next morning to find that my package hadn't even been scanned yet. I was busy with work, so I checked later that day to find out that it was scanned around 1 p.m. that day — still here in Austin. more than 24 hours had gone by and the package hadn't moved!

I called the USPS toll-free number, which is akin to one of those hedge mazes, talked to four different people (one of whom admitted she had no idea what she was doing), until finally being told to print out a screenshot and take it to my local post office for a refund.

So I did that, only to be told that they can't give a refund for non-delivery until the item delivers. Chew on that for a second.

The next day, Thursday, Jan. 19, now 48 hours after I mailed the package, it arrived at the PO box in Phoenix. I went for my refund. This time I was told that the initial scan was on Jan. 18, so the package had indeed made it overnight.

I explained that I had dropped the letter off on Tuesday, so it was a day late, then I was asked for something with a postmark. Huh? Apparently, unless you go to the counter and get a receipt for your drop-off, they won't guarantee overnight delivery, although they're happy to collect the $18.

So, my question to the USPS is "Why do you encourage people to go online and then place drop-off boxes if you really don't want people doing that?"

Anyway, I got screwed out of $18. Fast forward to the actual package itself. It was a check — a very large one — that I needed deposited into my checking account. I use Charles Schwab Bank, which has only one branch in Nevada. For all intents and purposes, it's an online bank with some awesome features. Normally I could just take a photo (seriously) of the check for a deposit, but over a certain amount, they need the physical check. So I overnighted it to them.

Unfortunately, they couldn't find it, so Friday morning, the deposit still wasn't there. I made a call the Schwab, and a banker answered on the second ring. An actual human. Who listened to me and understood the situation. He promised to contact the appropriate people to find the check and deposit it... in fact, he would waive the normal hold on large checks and deposit the entire thing for immediate withdrawal. I didn't ask for that, but it was an example of great customer service that goes above and beyond.

It was an incredibly stark contrast to the Postal Service. One might try to make some sort of "government agency" joke, but this is really just human errors compounded by laziness. They didn't try to make it right; they didn't care. Schwab on the other hand, didn't really do anything wrong, but still went out of their way to make me feel that they valued me as a customer.

And for that, I'd like to talk to Chuck. And thank him. And remind him to never, ever use the post office again.

P.S. This same afternoon, Continental Airlines called to thank ME for sending in a compliment about one of their flight attendants. An actual person called me to thank me for thanking them. Amazing! Such wonderful customer service. United — please don't kill that.

How cable news killed American journalism

2011-12-28T09:38:00.001-06:00

I remember being a journalism student in high school and college, thinking I would be part of this great tradition of the Walter Cronkites of the world.

I would speak truth to power, I thought, and I would always strive to be accurate, probing and diligent.

Some 15 years later, I'm not working in the journalism field, and I'm disillusioned with the field. I still love it, but I'm watching it die at the hands of a million murderers — ruthless corporate ownership and social media at the forefront.

But I'm also watching American journalism commit a suicide on the institution. In the past 20 years I've watched the transition from Cronkite to Hannity, and it's weighing heavy mind.

Journalism is (or should be) in the business of delivering facts. If the governor's mansion burned down, that needs to be covered. If someone is leading in an election, that's news. When a figure is assassinated, that story should be tackled.

The business of delivering facts seems simple enough, right? However, in 2011, American journalism has veered from this in an effort to out-do the competition. American journalism is no longer about "just the facts, ma'am"; it's about the he-said/she-said battles.

I blame cable news for this. Somewhere along the way, cable news got in the business of "analysis," where people were paid to tell you what they thought (and, therefore, what you should think) about the facts. A plane crashes. Instead of just reporting what is known, cable news needed to fill airwaves, so talking heads came on to offer their own theories on why, what would happen, who it would affect, etc. Today on any given cable news network, virtually the entire prime-time lineup is filled with people who talk at you, telling you what they think about the world, and often bringing in other people to discuss the very same topics.

Newspaper reporters, God love 'em, who have grown up in this culture have adopted a similar mindset. There's no longer just a fact-based approach. In 2011, every story must have a he-said/she-said angle.

This really resonated with me this past month when I was watching a report on Gov. Rick Perry's presidential bid, and a statement he made about the Texas economy. He cited some figures that were provably false. Perry lied at the debate, something that anyone could prove with little difficulty.

The coverage that evening consisted mostly of people from the left and right battling it out over whether Perry was right, or if he was taken out of context, or if he was misstating, or if he was committing the ultimate gaffe.

Folks, if the sky is blue, I don't need a panel of pundits to tell me that it's red, no it's blue, no it might be green, no its blue, sky color is a Communist plot. I need the news industry to just tell me — get this radical idea — the news.

A fact is a fact is a fact. It's either true or it's not. It's not helpful in any form to have people debate if the fact is a good idea or a bad idea. It simply is. Those discussions may have a point in shaping the next round of facts, but news outlets shouldn't be in the news-shaping business. Just tell me what happened and carry on.

I'm all for the marketplace of ideas. Social media has only made that more feasible, with anyone with an Internet connection able to post their thoughts. And I love it — it's what the First Amendment is all about. (Although, I say that with a firm reminder that everyone may be entitled to their own opinions, but they are not entitled to their own facts.)

But I think it is incumbent on our media industry to get back to the gold standard of reporting — providing facts to the audience and letting the readers and viewers draw their own conclusions. Until then, it feels like a thousand paper cuts attacking the industry I love, and it hurts.

Happy Holidays, dammit!

2011-12-05T10:47:00.000-06:00

It's that time of year — when the right decides to gin up fake outrage at a fake "war on Christmas."

You'll hear it on Fox News or on random chain e-mails and the obligatory Facebook wall "Please share!" posts. People somehow are getting the idea that Christmas is being taken from them. And that truly mystifies me.

Is someone preventing YOU from having a merry Christmas? is there some sort of grinch who is stopping you from going to church or celebrating what you want, how you want? If so, let me know so I can expose them.

For some reason, "Happy Holidays" strikes a nerve — actually, it's not for "some reason." it's because people have been led to believe it's a evil plot. If you are anything like me, you have friends from all walks of life. From the people you work with, to the people you encounter on the street. And you know that not everyone spends their Christmas the exact same way you do; if you don't believe me, check out what they serve at their meals and see if it mirrors yours.

I know that there are people who celebrate Hanukah instead; I know others who are Muslim and celebrate neither. And I know others who celebrate Christmas in the most everyday way.

So when I tell people to "have a great holiday," it's just out of respect to everyone, not some sort of subversive attempt to kill Jesus (again) or whatever it is Fox says I'm supposedly doing.

And as for the part about being "oppressed," I have to agree with Jon Stewart on this one: I hope that Christians can overcome their oppression, which is clearly so evident. Maybe one of them will even get to be president someday — or maybe 44 times in a row.

Happy holidays,
B.

Thanks, UC Davis

2011-11-22T17:45:00.001-06:00

Congrats, UC Davis — You've managed to do what no one yet had been able to do.

Your police department has managed to take "abuse of force" and make it into a tangible, visible icon.

That photo of Lt. John Pike pepper-spraying non-violent, seated people on the ground — at point blank range — not only shocked the conscience; it was so blatant that people have begun using it as an example of its absurdity. The photos at right give you an idea of how bizarre this action was.

But I have to thank you for bringing it into the spotlight.

You see, in recent decades law enforcement everywhere has hailed "non-lethal weapons" as the Second Coming. The common wisdom is that they provide an alternative to things like bullets and death. The thinking is that these weapons are much better and prevent use of force.

The problem is, as we've seen, is that it doesn't replace the use of deadly force — it merely increases the likelihood of the use of force.

Are we to believe that this 84-year-old woman in Seattle who was pepper sprayed — are we to believe that without pepper spray, this woman would have been shot?

Are we to believe that without the pepper spray Lt. Pike would have shot the protesters?

The rubber bullets we saw flying around at non-violent protesters in New York — are we to believe that if rubber bullets didn't exist, NYPD would have used real ones instead?

New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg tried his best to do the unthinkable with his stormtrooper attacks on people exercising their First Amendment rights, but he failed. He failed in that America wasn't shocked by the images they saw.

You, UC Davis — you have succeeded where even New York failed. You were so blatant in your abuse of power that not only has it become an Internet meme, but people are beginning to question both authority and the rationale behind "non-lethal weapons."

And more importantly, you were so blatant that people who aren't part of the movement are waking up.

Look at Vietnam. It took massacres on TV before the nation had enough and demanded a chance. Kent State was an extremely visual wake-up call to the nation about what unchecked power can do. And now, forever written in the annals of American history, will be Lt. Pike and UC Davis.

Congratulations, and thanks for motivating thousands, if not millions of others, to join in their own versions of "occupations" nationwide.

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Doogie, you're making me panic

2011-11-18T13:49:00.001-06:00

Sometimes I blog because I want to share something fun.

Other times, it's because I'm really passionate about the topic and I want to throw my two cents in. Today, though, I'm writing because I'm frustrated. Today is the latter.

I'm caught in between two doctors' offices and it's increasing my anxiety. (You'll see below why that's ironic.)

For years, I've had panic disorder. I was lucky enough to find an outstanding psychiatrist in the Houston area, where I lived, who has been treating it ever since. This doctor (we'll call him Dr. S.) has been nothing short of amazing; he is published and well-regarded in his profession. He has seen me every three months (at least) since 2001. And in that time, he has gotten to know me as a person. More importantly, he's been able to tailor my treatment to me, not just a random patient.

So I was more than a little disappointed when I learned this summer that he had hired a physician's assistant to basically take over his practice. Dr. S. had been asked to be the director of a mental health facility, which is a great thing for him, but not so good for me.

You see, in the intervening years, I left Houston and have been commuting every 90 days to his office in Houston just for a 15-minute visit with him to make sure my medications were on track. While the P.A. would continue writing the prescription, I missed the interaction and the specific knowledge Dr. S. has about me.

I returned to Austin after my last visit with a reluctant determination to find a new psychiatrist. My insurance carrier has about 20 psychiatrists listed, but most of them (16 or 17) are all in the same office. A search of reviews for an outstanding physician led to a short list of people who got glowing feedback but who didn't take insurance. So, in an act of bravery and desperation, I set an appointment at the mega-office that accepted my insurance.

I should have known I was going to have an interesting ride when I Googled the new doctor. Turns out he graduated medical school last year. Of course, everyone deserves a shot, but I really didn't savor the idea of going from a seasoned leader in his field, to Doogie who was still in residency.

When I got there, my worst fears were realized. Although Dr. S's office had sent over my diagnosis, medication list and medical history, the new doctor (we'll call him Doogie just for grins) insisted in doing everything by the book. My 15-minute appointment became a 90-minute interview where he asked about any and everything. He asked if I had ever heard my toaster or my TV talk to me; if I had ever been homicidal; if I had ever been in legal trouble. I understand the need for a work-up, but I really didn't need a complete re-diagnosis. That's why I had the existing paperwork sent over.

Doogie ended the interview by telling me that he wanted to change my medication.

You see, I have been on the same regimen, more or less, for 10 years. I take 10 mg of Lexapro a day, and 2 mg of clonazepam three times a day. (Note: This is a high dosage, but it's what Dr. S. and I carefully worked up to and decided would work best for me. Also, you should know that clonazepam is chemically related to Xanax, but is also used for treatment of seizures aside from panic disorder. Recommended max dosage for panic is 4 mg a day, and for seizures, 20 mg a day.)

I was pretty firm that I had found a combination of medication that suited me and treated me effectively. Doogie left the room and returned with more resolve. He told me — in a combination of resolve, tact and intensity — that my dosage of clonazepam was entirely too high. Clonazepam, he said, has a max dosage of 4 mg, so the level I am at is entirely unsafe, and that missing a dose could lead to seizures or death. His plan was to remove the clonazepam (over time) and double the Lexapro dosage.

After telling him that I was aware of any dangers associated with clonazepam and had accepted them after 10 years, he still kept on and wrote a prescription for 20 mg of Lexapro and a "temporary" 30-day supply of 2 mg. clonazepam pills.

I had barely hit the outside of the building before I was on the phone setting an appointment with Dr. S's P.A. back in Houston.

I respect physicians (even new ones), and I know that psychiatric treatment can be subjective. I also know that Doogie was just practicing what he had learned in class and from the book; I know because I have the same Merck manual.

Where I feel disappointed and frustrated is that he didn't even take my specific, individual case into account. He simply was doing what the book told him to, and quite frankly, a computer could have done that.

Now I am forced to make the trip to another city to see a P.A. because a new provider won't listen to me.

At some point, I'll try another local physician, but now I'm scared that I'll end up dealing with the same situation. And that will make me panic.

Day Of The Dead means remembering the lives

2011-11-01T10:07:00.002-05:00

Today is Day Of The Dead, a long tradition in Mexican (and now most Hispanic) culture. The idea is to celebrate the lives of the dead, to honor them. In that spirit (ha!), I wanted to recognize some people who have passed, but who have made a mark in me in the meantime.

First, MM, my grandmother. This is probably the first time I've written about Grandma in print. She was my primary caretaker when I was first born, while my mother worked around the clock. She cooked me the food that I know call "Mexican food" and was always unbelievably kind to and patient with me. I look back at the kid I was, always active. Living in her modest home, I had no idea of the poverty she was in, living on a fixed income. I remember taking crayons and writing on the walls of her kitchen. It's still there to this day. She never got angry with me.

Even when I took one of her favorite records -- I think it may have been her wedding song even -- got frustrated with her over something and colored over the vinyl with my evil crayon. I don't remember her ever raising her voice with me.

As I grew up, she was always there to give me a warm smile, a fragile hug and sometimes $5 on my birthday -- when she clearly didn't need to. I miss going to see her, learning about family history and just being around her positive energy. I think of her regularly, and she is constantly watching over me, I have been told.

The next person I want to mention is JC, my high school journalism teacher. We all have a favorite teacher, but he was more like a personal friend. He took me under his wing early on, recognizing my love of writing, and helped me to turn that into scholarships, awards and even travel. He made me realize the school newspaper was more than just a collection of items about bake sales, but an entire world of ethics and mission.

Thanks to the contests he had me enter, I got to visit Austin for the first time, which shaped my collegiate future. I got to travel to New York for a convention, igniting the travel bug for me. And most of all, he taught me about life. He was a Vietnam war veteran, drafted into a war he didn't believe in. He carried that bitterness but allowed it to transform into wisdom. He made sure to try to shape my life as much as he could while we spent four years in the same classroom.

Later, I became a journalism teacher as well, dedicating my first yearbook to him. It would never have been possible without him.

There are others in my life who have passed, but those are always in my thoughts, always reflected in the decisions I make and the manner in which I interact with people.

So, on this Day Of The Dead, my tribute is cyber in nature, but just as real in every other way. Here's to those you love as well.

Finding The Words

2011-10-30T23:24:00.000-05:00

You probably thought I forgot about this blog thing.

It's been here, quietly growing weeds and gathering dust while I found other things to occupy my time. But some recent events and some compelling writing from some great people made me realize that I needed to knock at least a little dust off.

Anything happen since I've been gone? Dictator deposed? Oakland occupied? I guess life goes on.

In my world, it definitely does.

I started a new job not long ago with some amazing folks in a small tech company in far, far, far northwest Austin (25 miles from home). It's been years since I've had a commute to an "office," so it's been a major readjustment on my part. I certainly don't want to bitch about it — after all, I am definitely sympathetic to the point they I actually have a job — unlike around 9 percent of the rest of the country. But it is still a sea change for me; I'm flummoxed by traffic now, wondering why we can't just keep going; why traffic suddenly comes to a stop for no reason and mysteriously picks up five miles later. If everyone just drove 80, we'd all be there in no time, right?

Well, maybe. I just finished my third defensive driving course in under a year. I'm known for speeding, but this last time, I was doing 65 in a 55, nabbed a few yards from where the sign dropped to 55 from 70. It was within 10 miles of my home, the beginning of a drive to Houston to see my family. Was I speeding? Technically — if you consider 65 in a 55 a misdemeanor offense. (I, on the other hand, thought that my doing 90 later on in the wide open roads of SH 71 was much more offensive.)

I just opened a new checking account with Charles Schwab, and it seems as though it's going to rock. My old bank has been good to me for many years, but with this debit fee nonsense, I started to look at my financial picture more closely and decided that I would be better off with a national online presence and some money in credit unions. (Daddy's gonna need a car in a year or two, so those interest rates are gonna look pretty sweet, I hope!)

Money came into sharper focus after a trip to Las Vegas to see my parents take their first flight and gamble to celebrate their 35th wedding anniversary. My sister and her husband arranged the trip, and it was so much fun in all the right ways: my playing blackjack semi-successfully; allowing myself to be a tourist for an hour or two, watching my parents' smile — a smile that I have grown to cherish since I was a kid, but have missed in recent years. It was a great time, except for the expense of it. Oh, Lady Luck, why do you hate me so?

But most jarring was an emergency surgery this past week. I woke up bright and early Monday for the dreaded commute after a return from Las Vegas Sunday. When I woke up I noticed a dull pain in the lower right of my abdomen. "It's probably nothing. It'll go away," I told myself. Stupidest words in the English language, by the way, but I couldn't figure out why I would have pain there. My liver isn't there, I have no gallbladder, my heart isn't there, so who knows?

It was as I was making the long drive to work that the pain got more intense and I felt waves of nausea. I pulled over and made some calls to friends, nurses and finally my own doctor. They all said to go in for an exam. My most excellent doctor suspected appendicitis (so that's where it is!) and a blood test confirmed an infection. A CT scan later, and it was definite: I was going to spend my afternoon in the operating room in surgery getting the appendix removed.

I spent the night in the hospital (which I had never done, barring a sleep study) and found myself surrounded with nothing but love. And I guess that's why I came back by here to check on the weeds and the words.

Too often as life goes by, you take things for granted. We don't worry about our health. We don't think about our friends. We just assume that tomorrow is a given.

I didn't have a near-death experience or anything that melodramatic, but the trip and the surgery opened my eyes to all that I had around me. I had the love of everyone close to me for a weekend, making a trek down The Strip in the heat worth every step; I had friends show up at the hospital unannounced, making the trip across town when they didn't have to. I had someone take care of me and make me promise to return after the surgery. In fact, two days from now we'll celebrate our own seventh anniversary — something I would have never imagined a decade ago.

I'm a lucky guy. My wish as we close this year is that you look around for the luck you have in your life as well too.

Et tu, Wells Fargo?

2011-10-20T08:23:00.000-05:00

I love Wells Fargo. I really do.

So when the whole "Occupy ____" thing started, I was a little mixed about my own bank. B of A? Sure — they're greedy asses who deserve to go bankrupt. I had my first bank account with them ever in 1992 when they had just bought NCNB... and I left them after four years because they wanted to charge me all sorts of ridiculous fees, including one to talk to a teller. Seriously.

But Wells Fargo? They've been really good to me. (Full disclosure: Long after I opened my account, my sister worked for them for about three years(?), and her mother-in-law was a banker for them as well, so I always had great access to anything I needed.)

Wells Fargo had a strong network in most of the states I traveled to (especially after taking over Wachovia). Checking was basically free to me because I had direct deposit attached to my checking account. Sure, I had a savings account that drew about 2¢ a month in interest, but it was free. I opened up a business checking account in around 2001 or so, and it came with a fee... I just bit the bullet on that one.

With this movement, Wells Fargo's intent on testing out a fee for using a debit card (don't you have enough profit?) and some internet research on other alternatives, I've decided to make the jump. I opened up a very free-use-any-ATM-for-free and get-interest-on-checking account at Schwab (which is where I have my brokerage, and I briefly worked for a year). I already put money into savings accounts at two credit unions a few years ago to help my plight the next time I need, say, a car loan.

But my disappointment comes with my last run into a lobby to simply deposit a check.

The process should have taken all of about two minutes; it was my first stop on my lunch break, and I was hungry. The line inside was shorter than the drive-through.

The teller helpfully let me know that there was a credit card I was "pre-approved" for (I hate that word) and it had 0 percent APR for the first year, including balance transfers. (Oddly enough, I had been looking into a balance transfer opportunity, because I have a gas card and one old B of A (!) card that have some truly heinous interest rates.) So, I told her that it sounded good. She dashed over to a phone to summon a "personal banker."

The banker, who we'll call "Ben" was young, fresh out of college (he reminded me of his college about 13 times), and eager to explain all the benefits of the card. I let him know that I was on my lunch break and didn't have much time. He was good about hurrying things through, and had most of the info in the computer in a matter of minutes to find out if I was truly "approved."

The problem comes in not with the branch (who really shouldn't put quotas for selling products on their tellers), but with the credit card application process. To ascertain if I was "approved" or not, "Ben" told me he needed to do a quick credit check for $1. Turns out that Wells Fargo has a partnership with a company called Trilegiant. They get scores from all three credit-rating companies, including FICO scores. Not a bad deal, considering it got me a credit card almost instantly and I walked out with a copy of my credit history from all three agencies.

I should have known something was up when "Ben" advised me to call Trilegiant the very next day and cancel. Cancel what? Well, with that $1, I had just signed up for monthly "identity theft monitoring," and there would be a monthly reoccurring charge (around $15) for their "service." I had to call and cancel. Great. Thanks, Wells Fargo.

So the very next day, I first went to the website that "Ben" had helpfully given me and selected "cancel." The screen said I had canceled. Still, I felt uneasy. So I called later that afternoon and was met with an oh-so-eager agent who told me that canceling online was impossible, and that I had to do it over the phone. I knew I was in for a ride.

Why was I canceling? (I don't need it. Please just cancel it.) Do you have another identity theft protection plan? (Yes. I just want to cancel.) Does theirs do X? (Yes. Please just cancel this.) What if we lower your monthly fee? (No. Just cancel!) Finally, reluctantly and defeated, the agent agreed to cancel my "service."

So... I'm really unhappy with Wells Fargo's unholy alliance with this company, Trliegiant. It's unnecessary, shady, and complicates a simple, happy relationship I've had. And to top things off, a quick search of Trilegiant brings up all sorts of complaints. Check here and here.

So, Wells, thanks for the credit card... but you've cemented my decision to move on. It's been fun, and you've been good. I'll miss the stagecoach, but I have finally found solutions that make more sense. And knock it off with the Trilegiant stuff.

I'm dreading the day I go in there and officially close my checking and savings accounts. I know I'll be saying, "I just want to quit the gym!"

Apple And Me

2011-10-05T20:23:00.001-05:00

Steve Jobs died today.

It's a little more personal for me than for most. I'm not related to him, and I wasn't a friend, but he touched my life every day. I've been having an emotional reaction as though a part of my family has passed. Upon reflection I've realized that, yes, that's what happened.

Apple and Steve are in my blood. From the earliest days of computers in elementary school using an Apple IIe, I was drawn to the little beige boxes. My inner geek loved being able to make things happen with ease.

But it was in 1989, as a freshman in high school, when my life really took a turn with Apple. I was exposed to a Macintosh — this small box with a tiny black-and-white screen, and graphics — lots of graphics! I was instantly hooked. I saw it in my journalism class; you see, I had always been into journalism, starting my own newspaper in the first grade. But I had never seen a machine like this until that fall day in 1989. I was in the introduction class, but I kept turning around to stare at the tiny screen. I knew it could do everything I saw in my head.

And it could. I learned the ins and outs of that box and began mastering desktop publishing, a new concept in those years. I became a devout supporter. When I went off to college, my campus bought some of the newer, color machines. I was on them every chance I got. A new thing called the "Internet" was catching on; I was on there using Mosaic on a PowerMac exploring the concepts of e-mail and web sites.

I got my teaching certificate and college degree and began advising my own journalism classes where I got to design my own Mac lab. I lovingly networked them (at first with AppleTalk) and named each computer after a city in Houston so I could ID them easily on the network. I found students very quickly catching on to the concept of the Mac.

Sometime around 2001 or so, Apple released iTunes and the iPod shortly thereafter. I was one of the first to download iTunes, playing my music at work, and I got a 4GB iPod for $400 (!) to use for music on the go. People were jealous; I was just in love.

In 2005, I got the opportunity to go to work for Apple; it was a dream come true. I worked in the retail division, which was a great way to "spread the gospel" and show others how cool the Macs were. Ever seen something so cool that you're almost shaking with excitement because you want to say, "Look! Look at how cooooool this is!"? That's how every day was for me, helping people see that technology could be simple and fun to use.

Since that time, I'm on my fifth or sixth Mac, my second iPhone, my third or fourth iPod — and there's even an iPad in the house.

It's not about devices. After all, I have Sony products, Samsung, GE, etc. It's about a way of thinking and integrating easily into my life. It's about making my life so easy that I seek them out.

So although I never got to meet Steve — although I did walk in front of him twice (a no-no, btw) — I am forever indebted. He has changed and shaped my life with his vision.

The Apple motto is to "surprise and delight customers with innovative and easy-to-use technology."

Steve, you always delighted me. And I'm better for it.

Best,
Brian

P.S. Pics here.

Sept. 13 — Never Forget.

2011-09-13T14:34:00.000-05:00

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart

Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c

Coming Soon - The Daily Show Remembers 9/13/2001

www.thedailyshow.com

Daily Show Full Episodes

Political Humor & Satire Blog

The Daily Show on Facebook

Commenting Conspiracy

2011-09-08T21:46:00.002-05:00

Not me. The population of the Austin, Texas, area.

The local paper, the Austin American-Statesman, has begun a transition from one commenting system to another. Like most online newspapers, each story usually has an area where readers can sign up and comment on the story. And like on most websites, it usually devolves very quickly into name-calling and political low blows.

But the Statesman has been pretty transparent with their change, preemptively explaining the change, and notifying readers that commenting would be down until the news servers and system were installed. You'd think that would be the right thing.

Apparently not.

Already, the original blog post (blogs use a different system and continue to allow commenting) are full of all sorts of black-helicopter paranoid delusions of why the Statesman is "really" putting commenting on hold.

"Where is the transparency Austin American[sic]? Do you really think we beleive [sic] it is the reason. [sic] Your reporters dont [sic] want their bosses to read the comments while they can spew out their biased stories or comments like why did this reporter just rehash the press release that the politician sent them. [sic sic sic] Get real and tell us the real reason for this change."

"I bet Soros is behind this."

You can read the rest of the tripe here. Just know that the Statesman's parent company, Cox Media Group, is implementing a number of changes at the local level, and that the paper is simply upgrading technologies. It's not rocket science.

But when you're dealing with people who don't believe in science, then it becomes a huge conspiracy.

I see ya!

2011-09-08T19:50:00.001-05:00

Pretty sweet!

I just checked out some stats on the blog, after an absence, and I saw some cool data.

First, I've got some global readers. That's always cool... I'd love to hear more from ya if you're outside the U.S.

Most excitingly, most viewers are on Macs! As a Mac guy, I'm pretty happy about that. Hope you're all enjoying Lion as much as I am.

Finally, it looks like Firefox and Safari are dominating the browser wars. This makes me smile, as I cannot stand Internet Explorer. However, I've noticed Firefox being sluggish, even in its newer builds. I'd say, to those of you on Firefox (or especially IE), give Google Chrome a shot! It's blazingly fast and very customizable with extensions and so forth. I'm running it on the Mac as the default browser, and if I have to use a Windows machine, it it definitely the go-to choice.

Thanks for visiting!

From the mouth of a Republican...

2011-09-05T09:04:00.000-05:00

He says it, not me:

To those millions of Americans who have finally begun paying attention to politics and watched with exasperation the tragicomedy of the debt ceiling extension, it may have come as a shock that the Republican Party is so full of lunatics. To be sure, the party, like any political party on earth, has always had its share of crackpots ... but the crackpot outliers of two decades ago have become the vital center today: Steve King, Michele Bachman (now a leading presidential candidate as well), Paul Broun, Patrick McHenry, Virginia Foxx, Louie Gohmert, Allen West. The Congressional directory now reads like a casebook of lunacy.

Even more on Florida and welfare

2011-08-24T23:15:00.000-05:00

Never take me at my word, folks. Always do the research for yourself.

When I started posting about the idea of states requiring drug testing for welfare recipients, it was more of a gripe about blind Facebook chain-posting than about the issue itself. But the issue has been a hot topic, and it's come up again, this time directly from Florida.

The Tampa Tribune is reporting that, after Florida's testing requirement a whopping 2 percent (TWO) of welfare applicants have tested positive. Some 96 percent were drug-free, leaving the state (and therefore the taxpayers) on the hook for paying for those tests. Some cost savings, eh?

Meanwhile, a 2008 study by the Office of National Drug Control Policy showed that 8.13 percent of all Floridians age 12 and up use illegal drugs.

So... we can conclude logically that this whole mess has been an exercise in political posturing, waste and scapegoating. But why be logical, right?

Read the entire story here.

Martina performs songs from her new album

2011-08-24T21:20:00.001-05:00

The new album, "Eleven," hits stores Oct. 11. In advance, Martina gave a short concert to CMT.com, where she performed new songs, one old one and a surprise cover.

Good stuff.

An outside view of the Tea Party

2011-08-23T08:27:00.003-05:00

I'm loving this column where the Tea Party is explained plainly and simply:

But in all seriousness the Tea Party, as we know them today, sprang forth soon after Barack Obama took office, and suddenly started protesting our terrible tax burden and seemed to believe that they had something in common with the colonists of 1773. Some even dressed in period costume; a sure sign they had a valid point.

Unfortunately, facts really aren’t on the side of the Tea Party. Recent widely reported figures actually show that in real terms the tax revenue collected from Americans is actually the lowest it has been since Truman was in office. Yep, the job killing, socialist, Marxist, Kenyan, radical, do-too-much, do nothing, Muslim president is actually in office during a time when our tax burden is lower than during George W. Bush! Furthermore, unlike the Brit hating tea tossers of 1773, the average Tea Bagger in America does in fact have full democratic representation in exchange for their tax dollars.

George covers Rihanna, Winehouse in new European tour

2011-08-23T08:15:00.002-05:00

The incredible George Michael covers an unexpected Rihanna song, then pays tribute to Amy Winehouse. This show in Prague from Monday night is the first in his "Symphonica" tour performed with a full symphony orchestra.

Such a great voice, adept at capturing both moods.

Perry: It's not the heat; it's the stupidity

2011-08-22T13:26:00.000-05:00

Holy Jesus,

Gov. Rick Perry's transcripts got leaked, and they're now online.

Is this for real? Dude only got two A's ever and got a C in P.E.? You couldn't even get a job as a Walmart manager with those grades, much less be the leader of the free world.

Rick Perry's Texas A&M Transcript

The Google Miracle

2011-08-22T12:35:00.000-05:00

Oh Lordy,

What a weekend it's been! When I posted Friday, I didn't think I needed to even think about responses to my thoughts on the Facebook "welfare/drug test" posts, because who the hell reads my little blog anyways? I know I have a few friends that do (thank you, by the way), but other than that, it's usually kids looking for pictures of Lady Gaga or something.

Apparently this is a rather hot topic from the Freeper/Glenn Beck/Fox set, because I have had two people already come from Googleland to tell me how wrong I am. A guy from south Texas and a guy camped out in a Dunkin Donuts in New Jersey have both found the blog and commented on basically what a wrong-headed liberal I am.

I actually love it — I love comments, or else I would have disabled them long ago. I like debate, especially political debate. The best kind of debate is from people who actually know their stuff.

It is more than a bit annoying when that whole Tea Party mentality comes out — the whole "China is invading us tomorrow!!!!!" mindset where people feel like they can just make up a sentence and have it be true. That's kinda creepy. In fact, I named this blog "Because I Said So" because I thought it was a cute take on what a little kid would say when putting his opinion out there, not because I expected right-wingers to actually make shit up. But, there you are.

Still, I do enjoy the civilized debate. I have yet to not approve a comment, because I truly do enjoy the interactivity of the blog. It makes it more than just a journal. But if they keep going in the "trolling" direction, then I might start.

Basically, if you want to comment, please do. I want to hear from you! But if you're going to challenge what I say, bring your "A game." Prove me wrong. I'm man enough to answer and not get into name-calling.

This country was founded on good debate and a strong sense of factual accuracy (hence, freedom of the press and civil libel laws). I'd like to continue that debate. Let's be more Madison/Jefferson and less Hannity/O'Reilly.

Being poor can be illegal

2011-08-19T16:06:00.000-05:00

From the amazing folks over at the ACLU, a new report that shows a disturbing trend: cities are looking for new sources of revenue, and finding them in an illegal maneuver of putting debtors in prison.

From the ACLU's summer newsletter comes these harrowing tales:

It's no crime to be poor. But don't tell that to Edwina Nowlin. In 2010, this struggling Michigander, laid off from her job, homeless and working part time, was sent to jail for 30 days — because she couldn't pay the $104 fee she was charged for her 16-year-old son's lodging at government expense, in juvenile detention.

Released for one day in order to work, Nowlin picked up her $179 paycheck, believing she could pay off her debt and be set free. Imagine her surprise when the sheriff forced her to sign over her check to cover a new $120 assessment for her own jailhouse room and board, plus $22 for her drug test (which came back negative), and also a "jail booking fee."
Caught in a vicious cycle, Nowlin was sent back to jail because she still coudn't pay the original $104 fee — and meanwhile new charges kept piling up.

If that doesn't bother you, try this one:

Gregory White, a New Orleans homeless man, was arrested for stealing $39 worth of food from a local grocery store. He was assessed $339 in fines and fees and then was imprisoned 198 days because he could not pay — at a cost of more than $3,500 to taxpayers.

If you're not outraged, regardless of where you lie on the political spectrum, check for signs of life. Aside from the moral wrongness of this, there's a needless cost to taxpayers — and that's before we talk about the toll on these people's lives.

The most infuriating thing about these examples is that they are blatantly illegal. According to a 1970 U.S. Supreme Court decision, poor people can't be held in jail longer than whose who are able to fines or court costs. And in a 1983 ruling, the Court said that a defendant's probation cannot be revoked (and he cannot be imprisoned) for failing to pay a fine he is unable to pay.

So while you hear people talking about the top 2 percent or the bottom 50 percent, remember that these aren't just numbers; they're real people who are at times suffering under a criminal justice system that just constantly be monitored. Desperate times, it seems, makes governments do desperate things.

Ten words you need to stop misspelling...

2011-08-18T13:37:00.000-05:00

Special ed student raped, forced to apologize to rapist, then raped again — at school

2011-08-18T09:50:00.000-05:00

One of the saddest, most infuriating things I've read. I cannot understand how any educator (and I've known some truly awful ones) could allow something even close to this to happen.

The Republic School District of southwestern Missouri expelled a 7th-grade special education student because they didn't believe her when she told adults at her school that a classmate raped her. School officials forced her to apologize to him, then kicked her out of school for lying. She was allowed back to school the following year, and the same boy raped her again in the school library, according to a lawsuit filed on her behalf.

Know someone who's 'done' Gov. Perry?

2011-08-18T09:13:00.002-05:00

Of welfare and drug testing

2011-08-18T09:09:00.000-05:00

If you're on Facebook, chances are by now you've seen someone re-post something like this:

Thank you Florida, Kentucky, and Missouri, which are the first states that will require drug testing when applying for welfare. Some people are crying and calling this unconstitutional. How is this unconstitutional? It's OK to drug test people who work for their money but not those who don't?… Re-post this if you'd like to see this done in all 50 states.

The chain-mail aspects of it aside, it's irritating to read because it's wrong.

I don't mean morally or ethically wrong, but factually wrong. Incorrect. Not accurate.

Snopes.com does an excellent job of laying it out; for example, Kentucky has merely introduced a bill, not passed it.

The re-post the goes on to cry out how it's OK to test people who work, but not people who apply for financial assistance.

Of course, that's a false equivalency; when you are employed, you also receive things like a 401(k), a much greater salary, and other considerations. Most employers only require a pre-employment screen, not ongoing. And of course, not everyone even requires a test. In fact, in my 16 years of employment I've only been required to have a drug screen once — for a job at a newspaper. Even when I was a teacher, no one required it.

My biggest question, though, for all of those eager to jump aboard the drug test bandwagon, is "Who will pay for the drug tests?" Usually the conversation goes silent, but the one answer I've heard that was the most cogent was "Take it out of their first check." That's still taxpayer-funded. Multiply the cost of a drug screen times the number of people who require assistance. Not a pretty number.

Finally, the most annoying thing about Facebook is the propensity of people to simply re-post something without even checking the facts. It used to be that I would get an e-mail from a co-worker about how Sally is dying of cancer, and her wish was for this e-mail to go around the world, and if I break the chain, I'll go to hell (or something similar). These days, it's "click like if you agree!" or "Re-post this if you have a heart."

If I wanted this kind of annoyance, I'd put my phone number up for telemarketers to have a field day with me. Folks, I'll post what I want without being pushed to do so. And you can bet your ass that I'll check it out first.

----------

UPDATE: See the following post that goes into this further after some interesting comments.

----------

FURTHER UDPATE: Even more here.

Dear America... we're sorry

2011-08-17T22:34:00.002-05:00

Slow Safari

2011-08-16T14:03:00.000-05:00

Apple, you know I love you. You could make the iTurd and I'd buy it.

So I'm kinda disappointed in the crappy incarnation of Safari 5.1.

It's ridiculously slow, even on my brand-new 17" i7 MBP. WIth my running Lion, you'd thing the native browser would fly. Sadly, no. It thinks about running, like a sad, depressed (but svelte) Internet Explorer.

I've flown from Safari to Chrome, which is an awesome browser anyway. I wanted to love Safari, but this new browser is just nicer to me and knows what I want.

It's not me; it's you.

Maybe one day we'll meet again when you get your browser speed back together again. Until then, be safe and take care of yourself.

xoxo,
B.

The Texas Unmiracle

2011-08-16T11:06:00.000-05:00

Here's a take on Perry's undoing of Texas by the inimitable Paul Krugman.

As expected, Rick Perry, the governor of Texas, has announced that he is running for president. And we already know what his campaign will be about: faith in miracles ... you need to know is that the Texas miracle is a myth, and more broadly that Texan experience offers no useful lessons on how to restore national full employment.

More here.

Clinton 'tickled' to see Perry enter race

2011-08-15T20:25:00.001-05:00

I miss Bill :-)

Happy Birthday, Hitch

2011-08-13T22:11:00.000-05:00

In celebration of Alfred Hitchock's birthday, here's a glimpse at the Master of Suspense's death scenes.

Karma For Douches

2011-08-13T22:07:00.003-05:00

How To Fold A Fitted Sheet

2011-08-13T22:05:00.000-05:00

It's funny how the seemingly simplest things can be so tough. Here's a way to make at least one thing simpler.

Here He Comes

2011-08-13T22:03:00.000-05:00

God help you if you vote for Rick Perry, America. He has destroyed Texas.

You have been warned.

The Sacramento Bee published some of Molly Ivin's old columns today, in recognition of Gov. Goodhair's presidential candidacy announcement. I loved Ivins, and her writing is just as relevant today as it was then, as in this nugget from October 2006:

I sacrificed an hour Friday evening to watch the Texas gubernatorial debate on your behalf, since I knew none of you would do it. … The Coiffure was in his usual form. As one opponent after another attacked his record, Gov. Rick Perry stood there proudly behind that rabid following he has so richly earned – hey, a whole 35 percent of Texans want him re-elected – and simply disagreed. The Coiffure seemed to consider blanket denials a fully sufficient and adequate response.

Moves Like Jagger

2011-08-11T17:22:00.000-05:00

How to create jobs AND expose the GOP at the same time

2011-08-11T10:15:00.001-05:00

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

I want to sign them

2011-08-10T20:32:00.002-05:00

But especially her!

These soldiers put on an amazing performance of Adele's "Rolling In The Deep." America's got talent, indeed :-)

London brawling

2011-08-10T13:37:00.003-05:00

My thoughts go out to all my British friends. Here's hoping the madness will end soon. It's auch an incredible country, and it shouldn't have to be sullied by all this hooliganism.

Blogging is, like, way hard

2011-08-10T13:35:00.001-05:00

With Twitter, Facebook and now Google+ (which I highly recommend), finding time to blog is tough! (I know — first-world problem, right?)

I've been failing at my goal of blogging daily, but I'm still thinking I might be able to get to 365 posts in 365 days; I just may have to do two-a-days (see below).

Have you joined Google+ yet? Why not? If you have, send me an e-mail so I can put you in my list of people to watch..

Heat exhaustion easier in high school than the NFL

2011-08-03T11:06:00.000-05:00

Right now, it's easier to become a casualty of the record-breaking heat if you're involved in high school sports than if you play sorts for a living.

The NFL has announced an end to "two-a-days," or twice-daily practice sessions.

In the world of Texas high school football, there's no such ban. School districts are free to determine what they think is safe.

Right now, the districts I have seen are "exercising caution" and allowing coaches to determine what's safe. If you think that's effective, go Google "football death" — even a coach died recently.

Where's the sanity in high school athletics and personal safety?

Oh yeah — this is Texas.

Challenge Obama in 2012

2011-08-02T18:27:00.000-05:00

Bernie Sanders said it yesterday, but I've been thinking it for quite a while: President Obama needs a primary challenger in 2012.

Initially, I wanted a challenger just to bring him back to the left. After the debt ceiling debacle, I'm more convinced than ever that Obama is simply powerless and ineffectual — and that's coming from someone who is so far to the left that I'm practically a Sandinista.

Obama has shown that he is more interested than being a nice guy and "compromise" than in getting things done and sticking to core principles. And frankly, the Democrats deserve better.

I would suggest Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont, who is always outspoken and clear on what needs getting done. Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) and former Sen. Russ Feingold (D-Wisc.) are two others that leap to the forefront, although my money is more on Feingold for being reliable. Schumer is solid, but he was kind of intertwined in this "compromise."

It's not time for Hillary to run again, although that's certainly my dream: I voted for her at every opportunity until it was simply impossible. Now, I'd settle for a Gov. Brian Schweitzer (D-Mont.). If only not for an erroneous Tweet, I'd wish for Anthony Weiner. He's still a hell of a Democrat.

The president gets extorted -- and likes it

2011-08-01T19:35:00.000-05:00

One of my favorite columnists, the esteemed Paul Krugman from the New York Times, nailed it on the head -- this debt ceiling agreement was blackmail, pure and simple. And Obama fell for it.

In fact, Republicans will surely be emboldened by the way Mr. Obama keeps folding in the face of their threats. He surrendered last December, extending all the Bush tax cuts; he surrendered in the spring when they threatened to shut down the government; and he has now surrendered on a grand scale to raw extortion over the debt ceiling. Maybe it’s just me, but I see a pattern here.

Read the full post here.

It's not an "it;" it's a "they"

2011-07-31T19:17:00.000-05:00

With the discussions revolving around debt ceiling negotiations, I've noticed one common theme that is far-reaching. And it's not only wrong, but disastrous to our political process.

People are talking about "the government" as an entity; ABC News even has a segment daily called "Tell Washington."

The rub is that Washington is not Borg; it's not an all-unified entity that can be approached as if it were a collective. That has been highlighted by the week's events.

Instead of people's complaining about "Washington," something I trace back to campaigning politicians who want to be portrayed as "outsiders," they need to focus on the individual people they sent there.

It's easy for me to see this: the people "representing" me in Washington couldn't be more different. Living in Austin, Texas, as I do, I have wildly different people in Congress. Sens. Kay Bailey Hutchison and John Cornyn are center-right and far-right, respectively, and treat my e-mails with disdain. They are diametrically opposite of how I think and what I want from my leaders.

My representative in Congress is Lloyd Doggett, one of the most salt-of-the-earth people I've ever had the pleasure to vote for. He's smart, experienced, and understands the plights of everyday people he represents.

And of course, the president is Barack Obama. I voted for Obama, but under a bit of duress; I was an early and faithful Clinton supporter, working on her campaign and being saddened when she conceded at the nominating convention.

In my eyes, Obama's great failure has been the lack of a spine. He is all too eager to compromise, but he's a horrible negotiator. He gives the store away just for the sake of being able to say he compromised. And sometimes politics is a contact sport where a spine of steel is required (c.f. Bill Clinton and Newt Gingrich) to ultimately do what's best and what you were elected to do. Leadership is not always rainbows and puppies, but for Obama, they always seem to be within reach.

Back to my original point -- When people talk about "Washington," they have to remember that they are speaking about different people. Tom DeMint and Bernie Sanders could not be more different; neither could Sheila Jackson-Lee and Ted Poe. You can't "tell Washington" anything and expect a different response than you could ask your family what they wanted for Christmas and expect one answer.

People need to get involved in the electoral process. I don't even mean the voting part here; I mean knowing who speaks for you in D.C. Who is your rep? How has he or she voted? What about your senators?

Until then, the people in D.C. can hide anonymously behind the "Washington" label that Americans are all too happy to use. And unfortunately, the good guys get lumped in with the bad.

All the fountain you can take

2011-07-30T17:54:00.000-05:00

Behold Barcelona's beloved "Font Mágica," a fountain outside the Royal Palace. It's a free nightly music-and-light show that delights everyone around. The night I was there, a Friday evening, there were literally thousands of people camped around to see it, from countries all over.

It's an amazing sight to see.

What can I add?

2011-07-29T17:32:00.000-05:00

You're probably tiring about hearing about the debt ceiling. And you should be -- this has gone on far longer than it ever should have.

The debt ceiling has been raised dozens of times in the past 10 years without any fanfare. Suddenly, we have a truly global crisis.

There's not a lot for little ol' me to add. There are professionals who get paid to speculate and analyze about this.

But I will say this: This Congress is full of the odious teabaggers, people who are interested in being as reactionary as possible. Because so many are inexperienced, they probably had no idea what a "debt ceiling" was before they got into office; this is what happens when you don't vet your candidates.

Now, they insist on not raising the debt ceiling under any circumstances, American people be damned. I am all for principle; I am not for blind ideology to the point of harm.

They claim to want to save money, yet not raising the debt ceiling will increase interest rates, costing everyone more.

They came into office on the promise of creating jobs. Have you seen them propose one jobs bill? No -- they're too busy restricting abortion and trying to prevent people from voting.

There's not much about the situation that you don't already know. You don't need me to explain it to you; the sites listed on the right will offer much better insight.

But the one thing I have to do is call out those people who would rather gum up the works for political gain instead of representing the hopes of the American electorate. And those enemies are from within.

Back again

2011-07-28T14:39:00.001-05:00

So I'm back from a long absence (in blogworld), and so much has happened...

I visited Europe for the first time
I fell in love with Barcelona
I fell in love with jamón iberico
The GOP dumbasses are still hellbent on crashing the world economy
I am now running Mac OS X Lion
My cable is missing one HD channel, which means another visit from Time Warner Cable today
I can now speak Spanish better than I could before, but still not great.

I hope to begin writing here very soon. Just been slow on the uptake as I focus on personal matters.

Hope you're all staying cool...

Vacation!

2011-07-18T02:07:00.004-05:00

I probably won't get a chance to post this week. It's just after 2 a.m., and I have to get up at 3 a.m.... I can't sleep, because I'm headed to Barcelona!

I'll be in Spain all week.

Expect more words when I return on Monday, July 25.

Ever seen a river catch fire? You might soon

2011-07-17T22:04:00.000-05:00

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Why the GOP wants to keep you from voting (and how they're doing it)

2011-07-16T09:22:00.000-05:00

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Transition

2011-07-15T21:15:00.000-05:00

Today was my last day at work. It was one of those bittersweet moments that defies description if you haven't been there.

Most people have jobs they hate and dream of being able to one day just storm out of there and exact revenge. That wasn't the case here.

In my former employ, I worked with some amazing people. True, the work was often challenging and detailed, and made for some long days (and nights), but I didn't leave because I was bitter. Instead, I wanted to pursue something a little different, and a little more in line with what I want to do.

After having been working for 15 years now, I look back and realize that the greatest times of my life were when (a) I was working with awesome people that made everything else worthwhile, and, more importantly, (b) I was happy.

It is crucial — so important — that you wake up every morning and *want* to go to work. You must do what you love.

You may not ever get rich, but you will find riches in your happiness. Maybe it's the teacher in me, but I never entered the workforce to make millions; I became a teacher because it was my calling and it made me happy.

So my Friday message to do is to do what makes yourself happy, and be grateful for any experience or friends you make along the way.

Google Plus

2011-07-14T17:37:00.001-05:00

I'm addicted. If you're not using Google Plus by now, then what are you waiting for?

Still busy

2011-07-13T17:36:00.001-05:00

Yup, today has been running errands, like the library, haircut, bank (to buy euros!) and more final work stuff.

Nothing pithy from this end today. Just wondering what else Rupert Murdoch has done. There's a special place in Hell reserved for him.

Busy week ahead

2011-07-12T17:35:00.001-05:00

Just a heads-up! I'm switching jobs, and this is my last week with my current employer. As such, I'm really busy tying up loose ends.

I'll probably be silent this week and next... because next week I'll be in Barcelona for vacation!

¡Viva España!

Bachmann, meet Goldberg

2011-07-11T12:05:00.001-05:00

Michele Bachmann, Whoopi Goldberg has has enough of your shit. (Hell, even that shrew Hasselbeck is over it!)

Cool Pool

2011-07-10T23:52:00.000-05:00

Had an awesome evening with a group of buddies — new and old — hanging out at a friend's pool and eating some food off the grill. I tend to forget sometimes how relaxing just being yourself around friends can be the best medicine ever.

Google Plus adds what we need

2011-07-09T13:53:00.002-05:00

It with so much excitement — almost an audible squeal — that I got my official Google+ invitation yesterday. And already, I'm hating Facebook more and more.

While simply visiting the Google+ website will give you an idea of how it works, know this: It holds privacy supreme.

I can now separate my friends, family, coworkers, etc., into different circles and share thoughts, pictures, or whatever with a certain group or individual at a time. Try that in Facebook: it becomes necessary to either send something as an e-mail or to create a completely separate account.

Wired.com makes a great case about how Facebook has "gone rogue":

This spring Facebook took that even further. All the items you list as things you like must become public and linked to public profile pages. If you don’t want them linked and made public, then you don’t get them — though Facebook nicely hangs onto them in its database in order to let advertisers target you.

This includes your music preferences, employment information, reading preferences, schools, etc. All the things that make up your profile. They all must be public — and linked to public pages for each of those bits of info — or you don’t get them at all. That’s hardly a choice, and the whole system is maddeningly complex.

Google+ is the perfect antidote. Hopefully you'll get to join if you haven't, and you'll learn to love it. And if you do, get in touch with me to add me!

Hounding Fox

2011-07-08T10:55:00.000-05:00

As the New Corp. empire shakes, the King decides to shutter the newspaper that got the limelight.

He's shuttering the News Of The World over actions sanctioned by the editor, who still keeps her job. Meanwhile, hundreds of journalists who were not involved whatsoever are going to be unemployed. These are just digits on a spreadsheet to him; human consequences be damned.

Could this happen here?

Dare to Believe

2011-07-07T17:55:00.001-05:00

I was in Little Rock, Ark., today and found myself with some time to spare.

I had never really been, so I took the opportunity to stop by Little Rock Central High School, the site of the famed 1950s integration standoff. It's a massive building still in use today; there's an official visitor;s center across the street. It's moving simply being there and trying to think how far we've come and how far we haven't.

I also drove by the Governor's Mansion, a nice property in the middle of a residential area. It's almost hidden... so pretty.

But most powerful for me, and the most moving, was the Clinton Presidential Library.

I live in Austin, where we have the LBJ Library, but this was special. Bill Clinton was the first president I was old enough to vote for. In fact, I can admit this now long after the fact, but I began college in September 1992 and almost sabotaged it from the get-go. In fact, my very first class was on the day that Bill Clinton and Al Gore stopped by The University of Texas for a campaign visit. Their visit was scheduled at the exact same time as my first class ever.

What do to? Skip class, of course!

A wise friend once told me, about college, "Don't let classes get in the way of your education." He was right. I took my chances and got to hear stirring speeches, and nearly got to shake hands. I had already been politically active, but this became the first campaign that I actively worked on. Phone banks, flyers, etc... I did it all. And my candidate won.

Looking at the museum, it was like going back in time where the world was simpler, I initially thought. Then at looking at the world events, I realized it was just as complex, but Clinton was just as complex and capable. Twice the Republicans forced a government shutdown after Clinton vetoed their budget with deep cuts to social programs. On the third try, they admitted that they had underestimated Clinton's resolve in staying true to his ideals. Although I am a Democrat, I don't see that kind of backbone in Obama.

Clinton took us from a budget deficit to a budget surplus without balancing it on the backs of the working poor. He attempted universal health care; he held peace talks between Israel and Palestine; he brought about Internet legislation and acknowledged a new century was coming. He made me proud and excited about being an American.

The library itself has an interesting design. The northern edge dangles ever so slightly over the Arkansas River. This is intentional, I learned, as a nod to Clinton's desire to build a bridge to the 21st century.

It's now the 21st century and when I went to the Oval Office replica on the third floor, I found myself near tears. Is this what he envisioned? He was certainly no stranger to extreme partisanism and epithets. He faced a GOP that tried to defeat him at any costs. But did he ever think it would get to the point it is now? Congress is threatening to bankrupt the United States. We are in the midst of two wars of our choosing, and the poor are getting poor while the rich keep getting richer. This is not my America; is it his?

If you ever get the chance, visit. You don't have to be the enormous fan that I am, but you owe it yourself to revisit that time in our nation from a fresh perspective. It reaffirmed my resolve to do the right thing despite the circumstances.

It's what he did.

First-world problem of the week

2011-07-06T17:35:00.001-05:00

It sucks to have airport restaurants who only serve fountain drinks. A person needs a bottle to take on the plane; paper cups make for messes. At least give us the option. I end up constantly having to buy my food in one place, and my drink in another. A pox on those places!

Nancy is a disgrace to journalism

2011-07-05T21:27:00.033-05:00

Time was, a person in the news industry had a code of ethics they had to remain true to. And it wasn't even a matter of compulsion; journalists upheld them with pride.

I hesitate to call Nancy Grace a "journalist" — she's really the white, screechy equivalent of Star Jones, a lawyer/commentator/loud voice who does nothing but pass judgments non-stop.

Still, for weeks, Nancy Grace has been calling Casey Anthony "guilty" on the air on HLN, a "news" channel run by CNN and owned by Time Warner.

Casey Anthony has been found not guilty, and that makes the situation for Grace all the more damning. It's not only ethics this time — it's the potential for libel.

In this country, to prove libel, you must do three things: (1) identify, (2) defame and (3) publish. Grace clearly identified Anthony — in fact, I'd go so far as to say she made this case into what it is. Girls get killed daily — why was this case so different?

By calling a person guilty when she isn't is pretty much defamatory on its face. I can't go around and say that Grace is a child-killer, or that she is a prostitute or that she embezzles money. I'm accusing her of crimes she didn't commit; that's defamatory. I can, however, say that I can't stand her. That's just my opinion. There's a clear difference that courts have agreed upon.

And of course, by working on a national TV show, Grace definitely published her accusations.

The final test is if the offender intentionally set out to harm, or if she had a "reckless disregard for the truth" (c.f. "New York Times v. Sullivan"). I can't say with certainty that Grace set out with intent to harm (though it does seem that way), but she was most certainly reckless with her language and her accusations. In fact, that's her trademark. CNN has even embraced that, by giving her a second show called "Swift Justice."

So now the problem remains for CNN, her employer: Now that Anthony has been found "not guilty," what lies ahead for Grace?

The first thing is that CNN should promptly discipline her as a matter of principle and journalistic integrity. Will that happen? Likely not, as she is a cash cow for them. (Ironically, Grace blasted Anthony for being able to make money off of book deals, TV movies, etc. Meanwhile, Grace is earning a sizable living just off "covering" the case.)

The second thing is that Anthony should sue. Regardless of your beliefs about Anthony, in America you are innocent until proven guilty — unless, apparently, Nancy Grace thinks otherwise and blares it on national TV. Allowing Grace to go unscathed (and worse — CNN) sets a dangerous precedent for the media in this country. It's already a circus. Now, it's potentially criminal.

Grace and Co. shouldn't be allowed to flount the laws. Anthony should sue.

Freedom to be free?

2011-07-04T08:29:00.000-05:00

Happy 4th of July! Time for the fireworks and barbeque, the flags and the celebration.

I am one of the people who was lucky enough to be born in this country, where I am guaranteed rights that others continue to fight and die for. I have freedom of speech, freedom to worship (or not) as I choose, freedom to criticize and question my government.

Sadly, in the past year or two, it's gotten murkier. We're still not truly free.

When we can travel anywhere we like, then we'll be free.

When we can make decisions to carry or terminate a pregnancy, then we'll be free.

When we can marry anyone we choose, then we'll be free.

When we can vote without restriction, then we'll be free.

When we can go to a college campus, a bar or a church without fear of being shot, then we'll be free.

Until then, we have reason to be proud, but the fight isn't over. Let's keep working to make a "more perfect union."

Happy Independence Day.

You've been warned

2011-07-03T12:09:00.001-05:00

Never go to Walmart on a Saturday night. It ain't pretty.

Turtle lulz

2011-07-02T15:50:00.002-05:00

Happy Canada Day, eh?

2011-07-01T17:48:00.000-05:00

Photo from the National Post.

Some want the economy to collapse

2011-06-30T12:28:00.000-05:00

Yeah, I'm a cynic. But I'm also a lifelong observer of politics.

And when I see blatant politicking in the midst of what could be a very real crisis, I recognize it for what it is.

By now, you're all familiar with the looming deadline for Congress to raise the U.S. debt ceiling. Aug. 2 will be the date that America will begin to default on its debts.

The GOP is playing a game of chicken, holding the debt ceiling hostage to their agenda, refusing to even consider increasing revenue.

My theory is simple: I think they want the economy to tank.

Make no mistake: If the United States defaults on its debts, we will have a global economic meltdown, he likes of which we have never seen. But since the GOP doesn't see past these borders, they're not worried about that; they're interested in how badly the economy does.

Why? Because it's a campaign season. You see, if the economy does collapse, they can point fingers and say it happened under Obama's watch. Never mind that they caused it; it's all about scoring political points on the backs of the people who can least afford to survive it.

It's shameful, disgusting and frightening as all hell.

The answer to Politifact

2011-06-29T10:41:00.000-05:00

FactCheck.org

Changing education one character at a time

2011-06-28T21:17:00.000-05:00

I am currently intrigued by the "140 Conference," (or "#140Conf" for short).

Held in New York, this conference will explore the state of education and the impact of social media on schools as we know them. Speakers range from entrepreneurs to educators who have used social media to effect change.

Some topics from the conference that get my interest piqued:

Do we need grades?
Can schools efficiently ban students from using social media during school time and pretend it doesn´t exist?
Using Twitter to bring the world to rural schools
Why college is overrated: The pinnacle of education should revolve around learning and gaining knowledge

Regardless of your positions on these topics, you've got to admit, there are some interesting thoughts here. Wish I could attend.

Michele Bachmann's Holy War

2011-06-27T21:03:00.001-05:00

Rolling Stone magazine just published the most scathing piece about Rep. Bachmann (R-Minn.), and it's frightening and illuminating.

Most importantly, it's very well-written.

Bachmann is a religious zealot whose brain is a raging electrical storm of divine visions and paranoid delusions. She believes that the Chinese are plotting to replace the dollar bill, that light bulbs are killing our dogs and cats, and that God personally chose her to become both an IRS attorney who would spend years hounding taxpayers and a raging anti-tax Tea Party crusader against big government. She kicked off her unofficial presidential campaign in New Hampshire, by mistakenly declaring it the birthplace of the American Revolution. "It's your state that fired the shot that was heard around the world!" she gushed. "You are the state of Lexington and Concord, you started the battle for liberty right here in your backyard."

Read the entire piece here.

'Mostly pregnant'

2011-06-26T10:53:00.001-05:00

Have you ever heard the adage about things being concrete? You can't be half-pregnant; you're either pregnant or you're not. There's no wiggle room.

Sadly, this is lost on Politifact, a project of the St. Petersburg Times, that seeks to test the veracity of statements made by political leaders.

Politifact does a through research job on statements made both nationally and at the state level, employing great standards to ascertain the context and exact wording of a statement. This is always a great function of journalism that makes me proud; if journalists don't keep people honest and accountable, who will?

So it's with much confusion, frustration and sadness that I often read a Politifact "verdict," and find it puzzling. Their ratings tend to veer towards "Mostly true," or "mostly false," something that makes no sense to me, and it largely out of step with the way everything else in America works.

Here's a breakdown of Politifact's own ratings scale, taken from its website:

TRUE – The statement is accurate and there’s nothing significant missing.

MOSTLY TRUE – The statement is accurate but needs clarification or additional information.

HALF TRUE – The statement is partially accurate but leaves out important details or takes things out of context.

BARELY TRUE – The statement contains an element of truth but ignores critical facts that would give a different impression.

FALSE – The statement is not accurate.

PANTS ON FIRE – The statement is not accurate and makes a ridiculous claim.

Howe can a statement of fact be "half true?" It's either true or it's not. JFK is either dead, or he's not. Taxes have either gone up, or they haven't. You're either pregnant, or you're not.

In the world of Politifact, the researching seems to cloud over the most basic principles of journalism and even American democracy — innocence or guilt. I can understand how delving into so many facts can lead to discovery of nuance or variations on a statement, but that loses sight of the real question: "Is what this person said true?"

Every day across this country, everyday Americans serve on juries. (I served on one myself just last year.) They are asked if a man is guilty, or if he's not guilty. Do you find for the defendant, or the plaintiff? There's no such thing as "Mostly guilty."

"Well, Your Honor, he kinda murdered her, but not really. He's half-guilty." Lovely.

It's absurd there, and it's absurd in journalism, where we depend on journalists to give us facts — not abstractions or analysis so detailed it could be a dissertation. Readers just need to know if something is true — or not.

Perry ain't scary

2011-06-25T18:01:00.000-05:00

Watch as Bill Maher takes Texas Gov. Rick Perry down a peg or three.

Short and sassy

2011-06-24T12:20:00.000-05:00

I think I like this look on Shakira! (And yes, I know it's a wig.)

Airportly

2011-06-23T15:09:00.000-05:00

I travel a LOT for work, and this has compounded my already bad fitness level.

I have a weakness for good food, and I can't say I hate fast food, so in addition to an SSRI I take for panic attacks, I have gained quite a bit of weight in the past decade.

My doctor has found that I have high triglycerides and low HDL, although the rest of my lipids are fine. This is a combination of genetics and my laziness; I sit, stand or sleep whenever possible. I used to drive past a gym five times a week.

So the problem is that I'm always in airports nowadays. And if you've flown anytime recently, you know that food options are limited. You can find something quick, but rarely good or cheap, and almost never anything healthy.

I have found one place in one airport: Flatbreadz in LAS. They serve some cool sandwiches on flatbread.

But my question is this: When I'm up at 5:30 a.m. to catch a flight to Buzzard Gut, Ark., what can I do to eat healthy? Even once I leave the airport, small towns aren't known for organic, low-fat foods. The McDonald's may be the only business in town. I could try to take food with me, but I can't imagine taking whole meals in my carry-on and keeping them fresh. And I can't really cook on the road...

*sigh*

Rain, rain come and stay

2011-06-22T23:21:00.001-05:00

I'm told we're getting rain in Austin. Right now I'm in Georgia, which is also getting rain.

We neeeeed this rain back in Texas. While I'm not willing to "pray for rain," as our illustrious governor seems wont to do, I definitely know the urgency.

We've been in the longest drought I can remember, with temperatures in the 100s and wildfires raging all across the state.

Climate change is real, folks.

Jon Stewart calls Fox News 'insane'

2011-06-21T20:19:00.002-05:00

Jon Stewart is better than Xanax and ice cream.

His brilliance is only highlighted more by Chris Wallace's attempt so silence him with nonsense. Wallace tried to compare Fox News to Comedy Central. WTF?

Watch Jon take the foxxer down here.

Welcome back, Keith

2011-06-20T20:14:00.000-05:00

It's good to have Mr. Olberman back on TV. Check out how the first day back went here.

Sit!

2011-06-19T19:58:00.001-05:00

Hey, Atlanta!

Your giant Hartsfield-Jackson-Smith-Jones-Johnson Atlanta Intergalactic Airport has a beautiful atrium.

Why don't you put more than 20 seats in it?

Especially since it's the busiest airport in the world and all. #justsayin.

Bachmann praised government pork in letter to Obama administration

2011-06-18T20:03:00.001-05:00

Thank goodness for reporters, including the good folks over at The Huffington Post.

Check out this gem about U.S. Rep Michele Bachmann, now a (serious?) candidate for president:

When it comes to the agriculture industry, however, Bachmann's record doesn't match the fiscal conservative hype. A Freedom of Information Act request for communications the Minnesota Republican has had with the Department of Agriculture shows that she leaned heavily on federal officials for help -- never more so than when it came to aiding the pork and dairy producers in her state.

On Oct. 5, 2009, Bachmann wrote Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack praising him for injecting money into the pork industry through the form of direct government purchases. She went on to request additional assistance.

Check out more here.

Democrats don't need GOP enemies; they're perfectly capable of suicide

2011-06-17T10:29:00.000-05:00

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

What about David Vitter?

2011-06-16T21:32:00.002-05:00

How Weiner can end this

2011-06-15T23:38:00.000-05:00

I have to give it up again to the ridiculously brilliant Dan Savage, who put all the pieces together in his blog.

If Rep. Anthony Weiner does decide to resign (and he shouldn't), here is a foolproof way to ensure the right things happen.

Some days...

2011-06-14T11:50:00.000-05:00

Some days, it's just best to keep your mouth shut.

The Spanish language has a beautiful expression for this: "En la boca cerrada, no entran moscas." (Translation: "Flies don't enter a closed mouth.")

I heart TiVo

2011-06-13T11:45:00.000-05:00

I knew you were waiting with bated breath to hear about my new TiVo experience. ( /sarcasm )

Just wanted to say that I'm going on eight years of being a raving TiVo fan. The interface is so intuitive and user0friendly that the DVR boxes look like DOS in comparison.

I just bought a TiVo Premiere, which gives me full 1080i HD viewing. I didn't realize just how great the pictures looked until this box. The TiVo HD box I had prior was capable of passing on 720p, so it was actually shortchanging me on the picture quality of some channels.

The Premiere is worth every penny of it's $99 price... Just wanted to say that.

Dog days aren't over

2011-06-12T23:41:00.000-05:00

After getting back from New Orleans, I find myself completely exhausted. I've been invited to a pool party this afternoon, but I just can't bear the thought of spending more time outside in the heat.

Which is a shame, because I know it would have been a good time with great people. but for some reason, I still feel warm and tired. The AC is at the right temperature, but the house just seems warmer than usual.

Can NOLA really take that much out of you?

And to think, when I was younger, I would brave the Labor Day heat there in a jeans, boots and a cowboy hat.

Perry? OMG

2011-06-11T20:24:00.001-05:00

Yeah, America — another Texas governor is thinking of running. And trust me — you don't want this one. He's worse than the other one, if you can believe it.

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Hot damn, NOLA!

2011-06-10T20:21:00.000-05:00

I'm in New Orleans today for the weekend, combining work and pleasure.

I didn't choose the June work day; I am not a fan of summer heat. However, if you haven't been to New Orleans in the summer, then you know the phrase "summer heat" isn't even scratching the surface.

The humidity is suffocating, combining with the heat to quickly envelop you and overtake you with what feels like continual heatstroke. I grew up in Houston, a city with its own humidity/heat combination, but New Orleans is an entire new level.

I'm dying, and I'm unsure how people can consume all this alcohol without dehydrating and turning into dust right in front of me.

Do YOU have a David Vitter problem?

2011-06-09T09:25:00.002-05:00

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

CableCARDS and Shania Twain

2011-06-08T22:13:00.001-05:00

They're not exactly related, except that they bookended my day.

Time Warner Cable finally sent a tech out (actually, three total) to fix my CableCARD. It only took a few hours. In the end, it just took one phone call. I actually made that phone call on Sunday, but the person on the other end of the line didn't finish the job correctly.

Tonight I'm enjoying not only high definition beauty, but the slickness of the TiVo interface. I did find out from the final tech who visited (and fixed the problem) that CableCARDs are no longer being made. This is a problem if mine goes out, because TiVo depends on them. It's the only way TiVo works with Time Warner cable. Other cable companies (e.g. Comcast) have developed specialized TiVo boxes that have the tuning adapter and and cable tuner inside.

On to more fun stuff: one program I decided to watch on TiVo was the 2011 CMT Video Music Awards. And near the end, Shania Twain walked out to present an award. What happened still have me giggling like a schoolgirl every time I see it:

Weinergate? Gimme a break.

2011-06-07T12:46:00.000-05:00

As AlterNet blogger Amanda Marcotte writes re: "Weinergate," there's no actual scandal here; that anyone's talking resignation is insane.

Read the outstanding blog post here.

The pictures just got smaller

2011-06-06T23:14:00.000-05:00

With one TiVo temporarily out of commmission until TWC can send a tech to make some phone calls from my house, I'm relegated to watching live TV (or TiVoed TV) in the bedroom. The TV there is from the late '90s.

It's a 27" Sharp CRT that I sometimes bitch about when I'm in motels that need some serious renovation.

I got to watch two of my favorite shows ("Jerseylicious" and "United States of Tara") on the small screen last night, in bed. It's a far cry from sitting on a sectional watching a 52" plasma, lemme tell you.

The only joy I found was that things are cute in miniature, like the TiVo screen text. It was quite amusing.

I really wish TWC would hurry up, though. I wanted to see "The Voice" in HD tomorrow. Looks like I'll be catching it on the small screen instead.

TWC And Me: An abusive relationship

2011-06-05T22:28:00.000-05:00

I love Time Warner Cable. They've always got the latest and greatest, blazing fast internet speeds, excellent hi-def channels, attractive pricing... it's like being in "like" with someone.

Then they give me a sharp blow to the stomach with their customer service. Every. Single. Time.

This weekend, I upgraded my awesome TiVo HD box to a new TiVo Premiere box. I called TWC ahead of time to find out if I needed to do anything special, because a CableCARD is involved, and historically, the tuning adapter/CableCARD setup has been responsible for roughly 99 percent of my tech support issues.

"You'll be fine!" said the woman from TWC tech support, in unnerving sunniness.

So I switched out the TiVos today and got the dreaded black screen of death: "The CableCARD is not authorized... please contact your cable provider..."

#@%^$&#@%^$

So I called and got a man whose mother tongue is not English. I doubt he understood me, but told me that I would have to have a technician come out (something about CableCARDs really scares them. I think they must have been scared by one as a baby corporate entity.) I passed, and tried again.

I got some different screens, but basically the same BSOD, so I called TWC back. This time I got a brilliant tech who understood immediately. She authorized the CARD right away, and that was it.

Except is wasn't. I was still getting the BSOD popping up.

I called TiVo, who ran some tests... they were very clear and helpful. The tech diagnosed the problem instantly (the CARD needed to be re-paired with the new TiVo), and said that TWC could do it in five minutes with a quick phone call. Awesomeness.

So I called and got another non-English speaker (WTF, TWC?) whose brain wiring I could hear sizzle when I spoke of "pairing the CableCARD"... he put me on hole like four times, and came back with "You need a technician to come out."

"What... the... F... ever...

"Our next appointment is Friday or Saturday." Today is Sunday.

"Seriously? I can't watch TV until then?"

"You can always call back tomorrow to see if new appointments open up."

Excellent... one more way to start my Monday. This should be fun.

Houston's hot!

2011-06-04T23:34:00.000-05:00

Ridiculously hot.

That's the only way I can describe Houston, where I found myself today. Lots of stops, only to come back to a car that was baking inside.

I went inside a Walmart for 15 minutes. Before I left, the car had been cooled to a nice, air-conditioned 69 or so. I came back and the steering wheel was too hot to touch.

I stopped to visit my family and forgot my cell phone in the car. When I got back in and felt the steam of the car, I just knew. I grabbed the phone, turned it on and got the dreaded "temperature" warning.

That, coupled with a lack of rain, makes Houston even more miserable than normal. It's the people and sense of being home that make it worthwhile.

Hiding in plain sight?

2011-06-03T18:46:00.000-05:00

Leadfoot.

Speed Racer.

Speed demon.

I've been called all of these things, and I have to admit, there's a little bit of truth -- maybe more than a little. I'm known for having a "heavy foot," usually speeding when I drive. It's not something I consciously do (usually), but it's a habit I've developed in 20 years of driving.

I took my first defensive driving course in 1994 for doing 49 in a 35, where an Austin police officer was hiding behind a sign at the bottom of a small hill.

Since then, I've probably taken defensive driving six or seven times (not bad for 20 years, when you think of it), and I've only had one ticket actually appear on my citation. Again, a state trooper was hiding at the bottom of a hill in a notorious speed trap (speedtrap.org) in Maryland, and that state wouldn't allow ticket dismissal. The ticket transferred to Texas.

I've resigned that, although I will try to slow down, I need to budget the cost of court fees and defensive driving courses yearly.

Which brings me to today, where I drove about 200 miles today through Southeast Texas. I forgot my radar detector at home (in fact, I left one entire bag at home, which is another problem and another post), so I was winging it. And I found at least three police officers hiding in their cars behind obstructions so they could "nail" a speeding driver.

So my question is this: If, as law enforcement agencies maintain, that enforcement of speeding laws is about safety, and the whole idea is to "deter" speeders and get them to slow down, why hide? If I were a LEO, and I were truly interested in getting people to be safer by driving more slowly, I'd put my car in plain sight. Anyone who sees that car would know to slow down or else risk a ticket.

The real reason is revenue, plain and simple. With government budgets everywhere in trouble, I've seen more and more cars parked, waiting for their next source of revenue. In Texas, where you can have a ticket dismissed (as I have), you still have to pay more than $100 for the privilege.

I'm all for safety, although my lead foot doesn't always reflect that. But every time I saw a police vehicle today in the distance, I instinctively slowed down. THAT, my friends, was a deterrent. Had I received a ticket, it would have done nothing except plump up a jurisdiction's coffers, and made me put off my new TiVo purchase for another month.

Here's what a Palin supporter sounds like

2011-06-02T12:30:00.001-05:00

From the inimitable Randi Rhodes...

THIS is photojournalism

2011-06-01T22:15:00.000-05:00

Back in my other life, I tried to teach my students the difference between photography and photojournalism. And yes, folks, there's a huge difference.

Back then, I tried doing it with photos from other high school newspapers and yearbooks, which in hindsight, was a bit like running in circles.

The photos on this website are a stark but simple visual reminder of the devastation of New Orleans told through the lens of a photojournalist at an abandoned amusement park.

He is able to tell the story with pictures, not just illustrate. If you're like me, the photos communicate directly to you, moving you and bringing up feelings in a way that simple words cannot.

And that, folks, is photojournalism.

WBC foiled by bikers

2011-05-31T23:55:00.000-05:00

This story couldn't get any cooler.

Infamous hate group/cult Westboro Baptist Church was headed to protest during a memorial service for the victims of the Joplin tornado. More than 300 bikers found out and formed a barrier so the protest could be blocked.

Amazeballs.

More here.

Here, little squirrel...

2011-05-31T19:15:00.000-05:00

I love squirrels. Really, I do.

But not when I look out to find them hanging upside down from my "squirrel-proof" bird feeder, munching at the sunflower seeds meant for the array of bluejays and cardinals.

Especially not when I put out "squirrel food" and raw peanuts on the ground for them to consume, and they ignore it.

I'm tired enough of seeing them raid the birds' food that my only recourse is taking a SuperSoaker™ to that squirrel ass.

I finally got one of them today (barely), and for whatever reason, he has not returned. I didn't even think he got wet, but he must have gotten the message. If nothing else, he'll get the word out.

That's Hot

2011-05-31T17:17:00.003-05:00

It is ridiculously hot outside today. It's not even June yet, and it's nearing 100°F. Unacceptable.

That is all.

Who fought for my blog?

2011-05-30T13:57:00.001-05:00

Today is Memorial Day.

My Facebook feed is full of people urging me to remember those who have lost their lives protecting my freedoms. A few have changed their avatars to things like flags and crosses; the local newspaper has a dozen web features related to soldiers who lost their lives in combat.

And I honestly am not that interested.

Let's get one thing straight: I applaud anyone — anyone — who serves in the military, because they are braver than I will ever be. I cannot imagine myself in any kind of combat situation, and I appreciate their service, not to even mention those who have lost their lives in the call of duty.

However, I take a huge issue with the jingoistic revisionist ass-kissing that goes on twice a year in this country.

As I mentioned earlier, I always read or hear about someone fighting for my freedoms as an American. Let's examine this, shall we?

Major U.S combat operations in the last 100 years:
• World War I: The U.S. intervened to protect people on foreign soil
• World War II: The U.S. intervened to protect people on foreign soil
• Korean War: The U.S. intervened to protect people on foreign soil
• Vietnam War: The U.S. intervened to protect people on foreign soil
• Gulf War I: The U.S. intervened to protect people on foreign soil
• Iraq: The U.S. invaded in a foreign country to kill a dictator for reasons not ever fully explained
• Afghanistan: The U.S. invaded a foreign country to kill "terrorism"

(Please note: I am not including other smaller conflicts like Grenada, Somalia, Bosnia or Libya, but I could.)

My freedoms are listed in the Bill of Rights: They include freedom of speech, press, religion, assembly and petition.

If someone can explain how freeing France from the Nazis "protected my freedoms," I'd truly be interested to hear it.

By my count, the last time a foreign enemy invaded the United States, it would have been during the War of 1812. (Pearl Harbor and 9/11 were both hit-and-run attacks; the former resulted in an intervention in an ongoing world war, and the latter resulted in two military operations thousands of miles from home.

So yes, I applaud the service of anyone who chooses to serve, and especially those who were drafted against their will. But I refuse to toe the party line that these people died for me, like so many thousands of drab-olive mini-Jesuses.

Let the hate mail commence.

Sieg heil, Herr Acevedo

2011-05-30T13:30:00.001-05:00

In Austin, Texas, home of homeless transvsestite mayoral candidates and "Keep Austin Weird" T-shirts, you can be arrested for DWI when you are below the legal limit.

And on holiday weekends such as this one, it goes into overdrive, with Chief Art Acevedo's Austin Police Ddpartment leading "No Refusal" weekends, where blood is forcibly taken from Austinites.

That's one outrage. It's compounded by the fact that out of all of those blood draws, there's close to a 100 percent arrest rate, but a dismal conviction rate. Logical conclusions here? There are a few:
(a) APD arrests anyone it likes,
(b) The arrests aren't valid,
(c) It doesn't matter to the police officer what your actual BAC is, as long an an arrest gets made.

In a KVUE News/Austin American-Statesman joint special assignment, Tyler Sieswerda and Tony Plohetski asked why Travis County leads the state in DWI cases that can't be prosecuted.

So has APD turned Austin literally into a "police state"? Watch and decide.

Click here for the complete story.

P.S. At least one attorney can clear it up for you.

Happy (?) Memorial Day

2011-05-30T13:11:00.000-05:00

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