Sometimes, There Is a Bad Apple...

MacBook Pro, Ready to be Shipped Back to Apple.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Sketch of Wm. B. Travis

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

Commandancy of the The Alamo

Bejar, Feby. 24th. 1836

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

Fellow Citizens & compatriots—

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

William Barrett Travis.

Lt.  Col. comdt.

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

Texas History: Texas Declaration of Independence

Image of the Texas Declaration of Independence

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


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

Food: Lucky J's

Chicken and Waffle Wrap

Apparently, some things are meant to be together:  chocolate and peanut butter; Trinidad and Tobago; the Captain and Tennille; and now I have learned... fried chicken and waffles.  Thankfully, Lucky J's is in Austin to take care of fulfilling this magical culinary niche which (to my knowledge) was hitherto ignored in our fine city. 



Lucky J's has been around for a couple of years, but the Burnet Road location I visited is relatively recent.  They've taken over the former location of The Sandwich Joint.  I was called there by my friend Scott, who was concerned that I'd never experienced the magic of chicken and waffles together.  His concerned was well placed, as it was a delicious combination.  Moreover, the addition of Swiss cheese and bacon really pushed the meal over the top.  It was very good.  I'll be back (but, in deference to my new found interest in healthier eating, I won't be back for a week or so). 


It seemed like this would be an important post to follow the last one.   The suspension of "Floyd-Style" recommendations doesn't mean that my diet has become bland and uninspiring.  Moreover, it doesn't mean that I've given up on formerly beloved foods (and new combination of them) as much as I've added them into a more comprehensive portfolio of edible items.  And besides, Lucky J's has plenty of benefits.  As Scott says: "chicken for strength, waffles for speed!"  Go there, have a chicken and waffle wrap, and then try Scott's combo of syrup and hot sauce in order to add a little boost of flavor.

Meta: Suspension of "Floyd Style" Food Recs

Bacon, cheese, and chili-burger. 

Magically Delicious Frito Pie @ The McDonald Obersavatory

So... I'm going to have to stop recommending things be ordered "Floyd Style" (for a while, anyway).  You see, a few weeks ago I joined Pure Austin gym and decided to splurge on a consultation with a nutritionist.  I just wanted to know what to eat in order to fuel my new found love of cycling and my training for some upcoming mountain trips. 

I highly recommend Laura the nutritionist.  She keeps winning awards for being a top nutritionist in Austin, I thought she was full of good advice.  Unfortunately, much of that advice seemed to frown upon my love of bacon, cheese, and red meat all on the same plate.  My love of chili-cheese enhancements also seemed to run counter to her advice.   And, since most "Floyd Style" recommendations consisted of replacing vegetables with bacon, mayo, queso, and/or chili, my use of said recommendations has been thrown into a quandary: i.e. there is no healthy version of "Floyd Style" and the old version appeared to be charting a course for an early grave (ok, that's overly dramatic, but it was causing me to hurl and/or run out of energy when trying to really push myself on one of my bikes).   Thus, you now see the reason for the suspension of the use of the term as it has traditionally been applied.

But, there is an upside.  It turns out that amping up the fruits, lean proteins, and healthy carbs has indeed resulted in me having an abundance of energy (which is what I've been looking for in order to fuel endurance for business and working out).  And, what's really nice about my new food scheme is that it involves eating all day.  The downside is that my monthly grocery trips have turned into weekly (or more) frequent errands.  Moreover, the late night trips to HEB have been replaced with trips to Whole Foods (which is much closer, but not open at crowd avoidance hours).

Events: Catalyst 8's Mad Hatter Tea Party

It's almost here.  I can't wait.


Tomorrow night is the 2nd Annual Catalyst 8 Mad Hatter Tea Party: 7:30-10:30 @ The Allan House.  There will be food, signature drinks, models doing some fashion stuff, and burlesque.  It's going to be awesome. 


I don't think I've mentioned it before on this site, but I am one of the event chairs.  Ergo, I have a pretty good idea of what's in store for tomorrow and I'm pretty excited about it.   I met with the dancers last week, and their planned routine seemed ever better than the YouTube preview.   Also, a couple of personal friends are bartending and I know they'll add to the fun of the event.


Drinks are being provided by our friends at Maker's Mark, Tito's Vodka, and Independence Brewery.   J. Black's will be passing around some tasty snacks, and there will be other food to enjoy.  There will also be a photo booth and some live sketch artists.  I will most likely be the MC of the event, and there's a good chance that when I'm not introducing folks I'll be roaming around with some cameras looking for guests having an exceptional amount of fun.

Tickets to the Mad Hatter Tea Party are free to Catalyst 8 members, and $35 for non-members (if they are still available). Catalyst Members must RSPV in advance in order to receive said free admission. Funds raised by this event go to support Catalyst 8's Boost Program. 

ABOUT CATALYST 8

The mission of Catalyst 8 is to spread awareness about the Long Center for the Performing Arts and arts in Austin, to provide opportunities for social and professional access and involvement, and to develop leaders for our community. Funds raised through membership and events fund Catalyst 8’s Boost Program. which provides rental subsidies to Austin-based emerging and underserved arts groups. Catalyst 8’s goal is to expand the diversity of programming and audiences at The Long Center for the Performing Arts while giving area artists a needed "boost" in exposure.

Texas Politics: Regarding Budget Cuts, Poll Shows Mixed Signals from Texans

UT/Texas Tribune Poll: Mixed Signals on Budget Cuts

by Ross Ramsey, The Texas Tribune

17 hours ago

By a margin of more than 2 to 1, Texas voters believe that lawmakers should solve the state's massive shortfall by cutting the budget, according to the latest University of Texas/Texas Tribune poll, but their enthusiasm dissipates when asked if they support specific cuts.
"We really want to slash the budget, but not anything in it," says pollster Daron Shaw, a professor of government at UT.
On a sliding scale of 0-10, poll respondents were asked whether they would prefer to balance the state's next budget through budget cuts, by raising revenues, or something in between. Only 4 percent proposed doing it all with new revenue, while 17 percent would do it all with budget cuts. Another 22 percent landed right in the middle. But the rest leaned more toward cuts than toward raising new money for the state government.
Still, when asked specifically what should be cut, voters were more divided. Given a list of things that could be cut to balance the budget and asked to check each that they'd consider, the voters were protective of state programs, and overwhelmingly so. They oppose cuts to public education, 82 percent; pre-kindergarten, 62 percent; state grants to college students, 73 percent; state contributions to teacher and state employee retirement programs, 69 percent; the Children's Health Insurance Program, 87 percent; to state environmental regulation that could be picked up by the federal government, 65 percent; cuts to Medicaid providers like doctors and hospitals, 86 percent; state funding for nursing home care, 90 percent; prisons for adults or for juveniles, both 67 percent; new highway construction, 63 percent; border security, 85 percent; or for closing four community colleges, 77 percent.

Many of the items on that list are among the prime cuts made in proposed budgets from the House, the Senate and the governor.
"Frankly, if you're assuming the results of the last election mean you should cut and that people meant government should completely go away, you're overreaching," says pollster Jim Henson, who teaches government and runs the Texas Politics Project at UT.
Republicans and independents were more likely than Democrats to prefer spending cuts over revenue increases. Men were more likely than women, and whites more likely than blacks and Hispanics, to lean toward cuts. Those trends were evident in the questions about specific cuts, too, but with only a few exceptions, each of those subgroups was against the specific cuts in the poll. Those who identified themselves as "strong Republicans" and "lean Republican" support cuts to pre-K classes, as do voters over 65. Republican-leaning independents would narrowly support cuts in public employee retirement plans. But the overwhelming result is the same in all groups: Support for specific cuts is dramatically lower than the general support for a smaller state government.
The poll explored some ways to raise money for state government and with a couple of exceptions, they're not popular, either. A majority — 61 percent — would support legalizing and taxing casinos. A smaller majority — 52 percent — would support higher taxes on alcoholic beverages.

Then there's the list of things they don't like, along with the percentages of the opposition: surcharges on gas-guzzlers, 80 percent; banning cell phone use by drivers and fining the violators, 54 percent; legalizing and taxing marijuana, 61 percent; eliminating August sales tax holidays if the outlook doesn't improve, 61 percent; increasing state sales tax rates, 86 percent; or imposing a state income tax, 94 percent.
The state will have $9.4 billion available in its Rainy Day Fund, according to Comptroller Susan Combs. Only 9 percent would use all of that money, and 24 percent would use none of it. Most — 55 percent — would spend some, but not all of it to avoid budget cuts.
"If you're a purely craven and political weasel, you have to pay some lip service to cutting and then take a strong look at gambling and other options," Shaw says. "What it says, basically, is that if you are interested in cutting, you have to either ignore or lead on public opinion.
"If you want [to shrink government], you have to make it about cutting the deficit. If you don't want it, you talk about specific programs," he says.
Both pollsters say state leaders will have to pick a way through the public's split opinion — cut government but don't cut anything dear — to stay out of trouble in the next political season. Henson says the numbers don't offer a road map to anyone looking for a way out of the state's budget swamp.
"It's no surprise that people talk about wanting a better outcome without having a well-developed idea about how to get there," he says. "It's interesting to see the legislators and the voters both in a state of muddling."
This latest University of Texas/Texas Tribune poll is an internet survey of 800 registered voters conducted Feb. 11-17 and has a margin of error of +/- 3.46 percent.

This article originally appeared in The Texas Tribune at http://trib.it/gVAZf7.

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Coming Soon: DIVE Bar

[photo (by WDFloyd): NE Corner of Guadalupe and 17th, the Future Home of DIVE Bar]

It's mid-February, and I'm excited about a lot of things. First of all, I can't wait for the Catalyst 8 Mad Hatter Tea Party on 2/22. Second (and only because of the chronology), I can't wait for the opening of DIVE Bar at Guadalupe and 17th (across from the Dog & Duck, right next to the D. Berman Gallery.

DIVE will feature a full bar in a neighborly setting. Located near the Capitol Complex, the Texas Attorney General's office, and the Wells Fargo Tower, DIVE will a great place to walk for cocktails. A couple of my good friends will be taking some shifts behind the bar, and I hear rumors of some pretty awesome entertainment which is currently being lined up. And, DIVE is owned by some good folks who do a lot of good things for the community.

Last time I checked, DIVE will be opening right around SXSW. I plan to be there, giddy about SXSW Interactive.

Drinks: Gin With Old School Tonic

[photo (by WDFloyd): my stock cocktail photo, as Haddington's was too dark for my iPhone camera]

by WDFloyd


Last night, I was on the loose after the Austin Habitat Young Professionals' Build the Love fundraiser. I drove a couple of friends (who were highly amused that I drive a Passat as opposed to 4x4 truck) over to the West 6th area for a pit stop at Haddington's.

Although this was my first stop in Haddington's, I'd already heard many good things about the place from reputable sources (e.g., one of my company's employees is a foodie and he loves Haddington's). I didn't have time to eat, but I did have time for a cocktail. And that's when I discovered the Haddington's house version of the gin & tonic.

What makes Haddington's G&T special is that the tonic water is mixed on site and it includes a healthy dose of the traditional ingredient quinine. The gin & tonic has an interesting history which combines the twin needs of 19th century British colonialists to: (1) prevent malaria, and (2) get hammered. Quinine was an anti-malaria drug administered via tonic water, and the concoction was quite bitter. Enter gin, once about as reputable as crack cocaine but refined and then rebooted as "medicinal" thanks to its infusion of tasty "botanicals" with good old fashioned booze. Moreover, sweet and delicious gin (plus a lime, of course) counteracted the unpleasant bitterness of 19th century tonic water. Plus, I'm sure the alcohol helped the British cope with the stress of living in constant fear of malaria, cobras, tigers, angry colonials, and so forth.

Since quinine's flavor is kind of overpoweringly bitter, and because in the United States we aren't very concerned about malaria, most brands of tonic water contain only a token amount of the medicinal ingredient. Thus, you can see the novelty of Haddington's gin & tonic, which is about as close to the original cocktail as one can get while on West 6th. I recommend trying a Haddington's gin & tonic. It is very different from what I've always enjoyed (and yes, a lot more bitter and somewhat more salty). I liked it, although I will say that the intense flavor required some rather slow sipping. If you are trying to power drink to forget your personal problems, stick to the Jager bombs and so forth. But, if you're in the mood for some tasty and interesting cocktails, swing by Haddington's next time you are on West 6th.

Photos: I've Put a Few Up

[photo (by Sara): me in front of Elvis' jet, The Lisa Marie]

Since buying the bikes, I've been doing a fair amount of riding and not much photography. Well, that and I've been busy with planning the Catalyst 8 Mad Hatter Tea Party and working on strategic/tactical/operations plans for Prism Risk Management (but unfortunately, not much on the Prism Risk Management blog). And, I read a lot of legislation these days.

However, I totally love photography and thus I finally made some time to add a few shots to the wdfloyd Flickr page (you can access it through the Flickr widget on this blog's sidebar). Mostly, it's more stuff from my trips to Marfa, the coast, and then my road trip (with the gf) from Illinois which included a fantastic layover at Graceland. I won't say any of this is my best stuff, but I think a lot of the shots are entertaining, somewhat interesting, and/or representative of the subject matter.

Meta-info:

If you are curious about my camera equipment: most of the shots posted on this blog are done with my Nikon D90. The cheap Nikon 18-55mm f3.5-5.6G AF-S VR II zoom lens is my workhorse, although I do own some swankier stuff.

Events: HYP Build the Love

I'd write something original, but the e-mail I received from Austin Habitat Young Professionals says everything which needs to be said:

Featuring a delicious menu of Moonshine's favorite dishes, a great selection of wines, and live music by Lucas Cook, Build the Love is the tastiest - and easiest - way to make a difference!

February 16, 2011 -- 6:00pm to 9:00pm
Moonshine - 303 Red River Street
$25 Members/$35 Non-members
Buy Tickets Now

Each year, HYP commits to raising funds and volunteering on-site to build a home with Austin Habitat for Humanity. Thanks to HYP's efforts in 2009, another family is now living in a safe, secure neighborhood in a home they can afford. It was an awesome feeling to see how thankful and gracious the Arellano family was when we dedicated their home! You should have seen the smiles that day!

This year mark’s HYP’s 5th anniversary and we are striving to raise more than ever before. We've set a goal of $100,000 in 2011. This will fully fund one Habitat house and provide Austin Habitat for Humanity with some additional funds to put towards another home.

Virtually all funds raised by HYP are generated through events like Build the Love, and we couldn't do it without you!

Services: The Atypical Mechanic

[photo (by WDFloyd's iPhone): Jeremy, The Atypical Mechanic, at work on my car]














Let's say the Check Engine light comes on in your car. You'd like to get this looked at and fixed. You'd also like it fixed by a good mechanic who changes reasonable prices and comes to your home or office. Wishful thinking? Not at all. I submit to you: The Atypical Mechanic.

I've known Jeremy, owner of The Atypical Mechanic, for quite a while. I already knew he was a good guy, just from personal experience and from watching him work above and beyond the call of duty as the Volunteer Chair for Austin Habitat Young Professionals. Thus, when my Check Engine light turned on and my car began to exhibit a noticeably rough idle, I contacted The Atypical Mechanic immediately.

Jeremy did indeed come to my building, check out my car, and do some research into what turned out to be kind of an obscure problem. He then returned and replaced the part while I took a break from working in my home office. And, he did all of this on site for less dinero than I anticipated. The result: my car is back to normal and I have spare cash to blow on bike parts. And, as I bonus, he let me watch him work on the car and he answered all of my questions about the engine.

If you're looking for quality auto mechanic services done at your home or office for a reasonable price, then contact: The Atypical Mechanic

Events: The Return of the Catalyst 8 Mad Hatter Tea Party

Brace yourself for the return of Catalyst 8's Mad Hatter Tea Party. On February 22, 2011 from 7:30 to 10:30p, we will again turn the Allan House into an Austin version of "Wonderland." By that I mean the good kind of wonderland, which will feature signature drinks to consume while you enjoy entertainment throughout the event from cabaret artists Starlite and Shi Feticcio (with her twin sister Ze-Boi making a special guest appearance)... as opposed to the bad kind of Wonderland, which features a homicidal, moody monarch and a rabbit with glandular issues. But don't worry, at our event there will also be models dressed up as Alice in Wonderland characters. They will just be better looking and nicer than the characters described in the Lewis Carroll book.

In addition to our excellent line up of cabaret performers, Austin’s own Dub Academy will DJ the event. Drinks will be provided by our friends from Maker’s Mark, Tito’s Vodka, and Independence Brewery. And, a special thanks to the support from our sponsors Moreland Properties and Hay Compere, PLLC, as well as our media sponsor Tribeza.

Tickets to the Mad Hatter Tea Party are free to Catalyst 8 members, and $35 for non-members. Catalyst Members must RSPV in advance in order to receive said free admission. Funds raised by this event go to support Catalyst 8's Boost Program.

ABOUT CATALYST 8

The mission of Catalyst 8 is to spread awareness about the Long Center for the Performing Arts and arts in Austin, to provide opportunities for social and professional access and involvement, and to develop leaders for our community. Funds raised through membership and events fund Catalyst 8’s Boost Program. which provides rental subsidies to Austin-based emerging and underserved arts groups. Catalyst 8’s goal is to expand the diversity of programming and audiences at The Long Center for the Performing Arts while giving area artists a needed "boost" in exposure.

Texas Legislature: "Complete Streets" Bill is Filed

Lawmakers File "Complete Streets" Bill

by Becca Aaronson, The Texas Tribune

18 hours ago

Lawmakers today filed a bill they hope will help drivers, cyclists and pedestrians safely share the roads.

State Rep. Linda Harper-Brown, R-Irving, and Sen. Rodney Ellis, D-Houston, filed so-called “Complete Streets” legislation, which would require the Texas Department of Transportation to “recognize that bicycle, pedestrian, and transit modes are integral elements of the transportation system,” and develop safer streets for people to walk, bike or drive.

"If more Texans have the option to use alternative forms of transportation, we could be healthier and safer, our streets could be less congested and cleaner, and our local and regional economies would benefit from increased activity," Ellis said in a statement.

Making safe routes for children to walk or bike to school could help reduce childhood obesity, say Marcia G. Ory and Deanna Hoelscher, leaders of the Texas Childhood Obesity Prevention Policy Evaluation. Only 13 percent of children walked or biked to school in 2009, compared to 42 percent who did 40 years ago. Their research found students were more likely to walk or bike to school if streets were designed to protect them and parents were confident in their safety.

“We were in an area doing these environmental audits, and the next week an eighth-grader had an accident, a critical injury in the street,” said Ory. “That’s because there’s a crosswalk, but the cars don’t stop and she got hit.”

Designating distinct spaces for cyclists, pedestrians and cars creates safe environments for everyone on the road, says Gil Peñalosa, an expert on urban transportation and executive director of 8-80 Cities.

For most people, Peñalosa says, the decision about whether to bike depends on how safe they feel.

“Cycling is not just something men 20 to 50 in spandex will do,” said Peñalosa.

This article originally appeared in The Texas Tribune at http://trib.it/gPBuCf.

Cycling: Map My Ride

[photo (by WDFloyd): my Gary Fisher 29er hardtail, parked along Shoal Creek]

From the age of 8 until about the age of 16, I biked a lot. Then I got a car. Mysteriously, the biking stopped. Then, in November, I decided I should work out more. I bought a Gary Fisher (or more accurately, Gary Fisher collection from Trek) hardtail mountain bike from the good folks at the Bicycle Sport Shop on South Lamar. Featuring 29" tires and Fisher's Genesis 2 ("G2") aluminum frame, this bike seemed to handle well and be capable of rolling over all sorts of obstacles. Biking resumed.

My Fisher mountain bike is a lot of fun to ride both on and off road. However, I recently found myself riding on paved surfaces quite a lot. A road bike seemed liked a good idea. Thus, I bought a Trek from the good folks at Mellow Johnny's. And I love it.

I rode it around downtown a few times and around Barton Hills. Then, on Monday night, after going to a reception adjacent to the TASA Midwinter Conference, I took the Trek for a night ride. It ended up being very long. And that is when I became curious about distance, which led to the discovery of Map My Ride.

Map My Ride classic allows you to set points on a Google street map with simple mouse clicks. You just drop and drop your route onto the screen, and instantly you know how far your ride was. While a cycle computer can tell you how far you've gone, this application does more by letting you map out prospective rides to find one which fits into the distance and area of town you want. The program will even figure out elevation. You can then save these routes for future reference.

Anyway, while the "classic" version is cool, and the new (Beta) version looks like it has a lot more tools for recording your progress with workouts, rides, training programs, and things of that nature. If you like to share, there are forums. Moreover, there is a mobile interface as well, so you can work with Map My Ride while you're out in the wild.

Check out either version if you're curious about distances of prospective routes, keeping logs of your rides, or you just tend to be obsessive about such things.

Events: Raise the Bar Happy Hour

[photo (by WDFloyd): Habitat for Humanity House Build at Devonshire Block, Nov. 2009]


On February 24 the Austin Bar Association will be hosting their Raise the Bar Happy Hour at Roial from 5:30-8:30p. This event will raise funds for the Austin Bar Association's Legal Build for Habitat for Humanity. Legal Build has made a lot of progress this year, and they had a very successful fundraising drive at this year's Austin Bar Gala, but they still need funds to cover the cost of building the Legal Build sponsored house. So, come down to Roial, meet some fun lawyers, and help make the dream of home ownership a reality for the recipient of the Austin Bar's Legal Build Habitat for Humanity house.

Texas History: Secession and Robert E. Lee

Sam Houston, Texas Secession — and Robert E. Lee

by Kate Galbraith, The Texas Tribune

10 hours ago

No secession ball will mark the day. Nor, it appears, are any other commemorative events planned by Texas, which would rather boast of its time as an independent country. But 150 years ago today, shortly after 11 a.m. on Feb. 1, 1861, a state convention voted overwhelmingly to secede from the Union.

In Austin, on the second floor of the old Texas statehouse just south of the current Capitol building (near the present-day Alamo and Texas Rangers monuments), cheering delegates to the special convention approved a short document declaring that the federal government was becoming "a weapon with which to strike down the interests and prosperity of the people of Texas and her Sister slaveholding States." Texas, they stated, was henceforth a "separate Sovereign state ... absolved from all allegiance to the United States." (An even more explicit "declaration of causes" followed a day later; it's well worth a read.)

For one aging veteran in the hall, this was the blackest of days. Sam Houston, the 67-year-old governor of Texas (who had twice served as president of the Republic of Texas), had for years almost single-handedly kept secessionist sentiment in the state at bay, despite being a slaveholder himself. Nearly three decades earlier, Houston had fought for Texan independence from Mexico and guided the fledgling Republic into the Union. He did not want to lose his life's work. "Mark me, the day that produces a dissolution of this [Union] will be written in the blood of humanity," Houston, then a U.S. senator, told Congress in 1854 as he defied Southern predilections to vote against the Kansas-Nebraska Act.

Of himself, he had said: "I wish no prouder epitaph to mark the board or slab that may lie on my tomb than this: 'He loved his country, he was a patriot; he was devoted to the Union.'"

As secessionist fever swept Texas, Houston was denounced as a "traitor-knave" for his Unionist views. Always, though, when the grand old man — who still hobbled from a wound sustained at San Jacinto in 1836 — took the stage, he had been able to quell his rivals. But as the year 1860 drew to a close, with Abraham Lincoln's election causing South Carolina to secede and other states to teeter on the brink, Houston, despite being governor, could no longer hold back the tide.

He tried. When secessionists began clamoring for a special legislative session in anticipation of secession, Houston stalled. Soon, however, a secession convention at the end of January 1861 appeared inevitable. Houston convened a special session of the Legislature just before the convention, hoping that he could somehow persuade lawmakers to rein in the proceedings.

It was not to be. The delegates — chosen in a hastily organized election in early January — convened in Austin on Jan. 28, 1861, and quickly penned a document that would sever Texas' ties to the federal government. Houston was invited to the roll call on Feb. 1. He sat "grim and motionless," writes his biographer M.K. Wisehart. One man called him a traitor to his face, though Houston's allies swiftly demanded (and received) an apology. The delegates approved the secession ordinance, 166-8.

The governor won a few concessions, however. He had said he would swallow secession if the people ratified it — so it was put to a vote on Feb. 23, 1861, and the people affirmed it, 44,317 to 13,020. Houston tried to argue that Texas voters had merely approved secession, rather than latching onto the Confederacy. This was technically true, but the governor, who preferred that Texas should return to its old status as an independent country, had lost his sway. In March, Texas became the last state to join the Confederacy in the "first wave," before hostilities broke out at Fort Sumter.

A defiant Houston would swear no oath to the Confederacy, and he was finished as governor. "Fellow citizens, in the name of your rights and liberties, which I believe have been trampled upon, I refuse to take this oath," he declared on March 16, 1861. "In the name of the nationality of Texas, I refuse to take this oath. …" Nor would he live to see the end of the war he tried so hard to avert; he died in 1863, a year after the Battle of Shiloh, in which his son, Sam Jr., a Confederate soldier, was wounded and held prisoner for months. Texas, in fact, would become the site of the last battle of the Civil War, in May 1865. It was also the last rebel state readmitted to the Union, on March 30, 1870, subject to several conditions.

There is another peculiar post-script to the secessionist drama of 1861.

Oddly enough, one Robert E. Lee was living in Texas at that time. Lee had been stationed in Texas on and off for several years, commanding the Second United States Cavalry in frontier skirmishes against Comanches and Mexicans. He didn't seem too fond of the frontier life; he wrote to his wife of living of a "desert of dullness."

With war approaching, Lee received orders summoning him back to Washington, so he departed Fort Mason, in Mason County, on Feb. 13, 1861, for the journey east. But in San Antonio, Lee was waylaid. A federal general from Georgia, who had taken over Lee's Texas responsibilities, had just cheerfully surrendered his men and supplies to Texas rebels who had ridden out to San Antonio (Sam Houston had dispatched the Texas Rangers to try to prevent this, but they did not arrive in time). So Lee, as a federal army officer, was potentially a prisoner in a state (or country) that was preparing for war with the federal government.

Lee donned civilian garb, reminded the Texans he was a Virginian, and was ultimately allowed to proceed (though he was apparently quite provoked by the Texans, who tried unsuccessfully to get him to declare allegiance to the South then and there). He got back to his home in Arlington on March 1 — and little more than a month later, took a command in the Confederate army.

This article originally appeared in The Texas Tribune at http://trib.it/hILnPe.

Events: KLRU Next Launch Party

[photo by WDFloyd: the W Hotel in downtown Austin, under construction in Nov 2009]


This Tuesday, join us for the KLRU Next Launch Party at the new W Hotel downtown. KLRU Next is the active young professionals group affiliated with Austin's public television station, KLRU. And, of course, KLRU is the parent of Austin City Limits.

I'm a founding member of KLRU Next, and I'll be leading one of the tours of the almost completed Moody Theater, the new home of Austin City Limits. Come by for that... and, if you join KLRU Next by 7p on 1/25, then you'll be entered in a drawing to win tickets to the upcoming KLRU Opening Night Party (featuring the Steve Miller Band), which will celebrate the opening of the new Moody Theater's Austin City Limits Stage.

Events: Catalyst 8's 2011 Preview @ La Sombra

This Wednesday, we've got the Catalyst 8 2011 Preview at La Sombra. The good folks at La Sombra are hooking us up with some tasty South American snacks as well as happy hour prices all night long. Catalyst 8 had an amazing year in 2010, and we're planning to take it to another level in 2011. Join us we celebrate the successes of 2010 and as we discuss some great upcoming events, including: the return of the Mad Hatter Tea Party at the Allan House, a beer tasting event at Independence Brewery, a happy hour in the soon to be opened DIVE Bar, and our plans for another stellar Summer of Catalyst 8. I can't yet share what the plans are for Bash 2011, but if we do what I think we are going to do it will be a groundbreaking event for Austin.

About Catalyst 8:

Catalyst 8 supports the Boost Program, which provides rental subsidies to qualifying emerging and underserved performing arts groups in Austin. Said subsidies pay for all or part of the rental fees said groups are required to pay in order to use the Long Center's Rollins Theater.

Texas Energy: Wind Energy Transmission

Texas OKs New Wind Power Transmission Lines

by Kate Galbraith, The Texas Tribune
January 21, 2011

Texas is in the midst of a wind-power boom, and at the heart of it lies a conundrum: While plenty of ranchers are eager to host wind turbines, few want the unsightly high-voltage transmission lines needed to carry the power to distant cities running through their property.

The lack of transmission lines — and the relatively low price of natural gas — has thwarted the ambitions of wind-power advocates to expand the use of this alternative energy source in Texas. The oilman T. Boone Pickens, for example, bet heavily on wind a couple of years ago, ordering hundreds of turbines and announcing plans to build the world’s largest wind farm in the Panhandle at a cost of up to $12 billion. He later scaled back, canceling some of the turbine orders, giving up his land lease and saying he was looking elsewhere to build.

To encourage others, the state is moving forward on a contentious project to erect $5 billion worth of transmission wires to connect the turbines to the cities that need power. On Thursday, state regulators met in Austin and approved the route of a controversial line that will run about 140 miles through the Hill Country, one of the state’s most scenic regions.

Construction of the line — a project of the Lower Colorado River Authority that will run from Schleicher County to a substation near Comfort — should start next year. Last year, vigorous opposition by landowners, both wealthy newcomers and old-time families, succeeded in derailing plans for another line that the state had wanted to build through the area. Instead, the existing electric infrastructure will be upgraded to carry a greater load. The Public Utility Commission, which is overseeing the process, has also canceled plans for an additional segment of the Hill Country line discussed at the meeting Thursday.

“All Texans love their land,” Barry Smitherman, the commission chairman, said in an interview a few days ago. During the process of planning the routes for transmission lines, Smitherman said, “we didn’t please everyone, but I think with each of these we really tried to work hard to make it as acceptable as possible for the landowners.”

Texas embarked on the transmission line project, known as Competitive Renewable Energy Zones, several years ago. The need was clear: in West Texas, home to the vast majority of the state’s wind farms, so many turbines have been built over the past decade that some must be shut down during windy periods because there are not enough wires to transport the power. Texas is the leading wind-power state by far, with nearly three times as much capacity as the next-closest state, Iowa. Once built, the new lines are expected to span more than 2,300 miles.

The Hill Country is not the only part of Texas where resistance to new power lines has been fierce. Landowners near Palo Duro Canyon State Park in the Panhandle also put up vigorous opposition. Their arguments against one of the proposed lines prevailed, so it will be built elsewhere and not cross the dramatic canyon landscape. Nonetheless, another line could still go across the canyon. Residents of Denton County, north of Fort Worth, worry that a proposed line could cross landmarks like a park area called the Greenbelt or a Girl Scout camp.

The utilities building the lines can take the land by eminent domain as a last resort, if they and property owners cannot agree on a price for an easement on the land. That would probably be a very unpopular move. Gov. Rick Perry, who appoints the commissioners, just declared that strengthening private property rights was a “legislative emergency” for state lawmakers to take up as soon as possible.

Catherine Frazier, a spokeswoman for the governor, said in an e-mail that Perry “supports efforts to build the necessary transmission network” to aid wind power's development.

“He expects utilities to use existing rights of way when possible and look at options to minimize impacts to private landowners,” Frazier said.

The utility commission has completed its work on many of the routes, Smitherman said, and all of them should be decided this spring.

The process of choosing routes for the various lines has been a minefield for the three commissioners. Besides landowners’ concerns, the commissioners hear testimony about endangered species habitats, airports, military bases, rivers and many other topographical or cultural features that could pose conflicts. Their task is to devise routes that will do the least damage and contain costs, which will be passed on to Texas ratepayers.

Once all the lines are built, they will nearly double the amount of wind-energy capacity in Texas. Last year, wind supplied the Texas power grid with nearly 8 percent of its electricity. The rest of the country averages about 2 percent.

This article originally appeared in The Texas Tribune at http://trib.it/h1WTHG.

Lucy's Retired Surfer Bar Re-opens in Joe's Old Location

I was just down on West 6th for an early HH at J. Black's. On my way back to the car, I noticed the the Lucy's Retired Surfer Bar (which has been built in the former site of Joe's) is set to open on Friday. This is the second iteration of this bar in Austin, the former site of Lucy's now being the current site of the Chuggin' Monkey. I remember going to the Lucy's on east 6th back in college. Appropriately, the new location is being opened in the area in which I now like to hang out.

Reckless Kelly is playing at Lucy's on Friday night.

Cycling: Austin Bike Map

[photo (by WDFloyd):]


After my very long hiatus from cycling, I realized that I had virtually no idea about all of the various bike lanes and safe bike routes around Austin. Fortunately, the good folks at Mellow Johnny's are providing a download-able bike map of Austin. Route difficulty is indicated by color code and off-road trails are marked. Also marked are barriers to bicycling.

I've been riding about half of the time on trails, such as the Barton Creek Greenbelt and the Shoal Creek Hike & Bike, and about half of the time on streets in West Austin and in the downtown area. I've used the bike map to find some good street routes and to plan out some prospective rides combining streets and trails.