By my lights, one of the high points of the year in Austin is the Texas Book Festival. Held on and around the Capitol grounds, the fest attracts more than 40,000 attendees and more than 200 authors.
TV or not TV? Sure, but which TV; that is the question 3
Liz and I just bought a new TV and all I can say is, thank god that’s over. What a huge pain in the ass.
What’s a six-letter word for “uh-uhh-uhhh-OH SWEET JESUS DON’T STOP”? 3
I love crossword puzzles. My father got me started when I was a teenager and I’ve been working them ever since. Not only are they fun, they’re also supposedly good for your gray matter. But according to an article I just read, I may have been wasting my time. If this article is to be believed, orgasms give our brains a better workout than working crosswords. More…
A palabra to the wise: Al viajar en el extranjero, no seas cabron 1
Travel-guide books are a dime a dozen (and sometimes even cheaper on Amazon). Some are good, and some are not so good. But in my opinion, far too many are aimed at the high-dollar traveler and concentrate on really esoteric crap like finding the best unicorn sushi, or where to go to get your chakras balanced and aligned. More…
Fellow Boomers, today’s bud is not for you 8
Last week, I read an article on Slate.com about how today’s marijuana is too good. According to this piece, Baby Boomers who used to smoke pot back in the day, and who would like to return to the habit now that their kids are gone, are finding that today’s super-hybridized ganja is too powerful for them. They’d like to smoke something a little more akin to the Mexican brick weed they smoked in their dorm rooms (only, perhaps not from a pipe made out of a cardboard toilet-paper tube and a piece of aluminum foil).
A brief guide to SXSW 4
South by Southwest (aka: SXSW; South By; You’re Blocking My Driveway, Asshole) the nation’s biggest music, film and interactive conference and festival just kicked off. For us Austinistas, that means parties, music and – perhaps most significantly – a week of eating at IHOP because all the good restaurants are infested with badge-wearing hipsters in white sunglasses and girl jeans. More…
Jeff Carmack 