Your Honor Student Isn't Better Than Anyone Else...

Things That Pissed Me Off Last Week
A Requiem For The Post Cereal Dream
by Robert

1) The people who ask me, "What the hell is this crap that you're listening to?"

Simply put, the world is not all about Hip Hop, kids. Look, I'll be quite honest with you. I hate hip hop. No, I absolutely loathe hip hop. I find a problem with music that requires the artist to not only have their name utilized as background harmony in a majority of their catalogue, but also the issue that they either have to constantly "feature" another artist or at least feature another artist's music within their own without having the courtesy of making such a acknowledgment.

I don't have as much of an issue with the few hip hop artists that actually have a message and demonstrate true originality and talent in their work. I can respect those types of artists for their work, even if I just can't go along with the groove.

Quite honestly, hip hop drives me up the wall. I tolerate it and I won't tell you to stop playing it (as long as it's at a reasonable volume for the time of day or night).

I'll listen to something neutral, but otherwise if I have to hear your music at an unreasonable volume in your car, you can listen to my music at a completely reasonable volume in mine. Just be sure to shut your gob about it if all the constructive commentary that you have to offer is, "what the hell is this crap? Your music sucks!" It's my music and I do not give a damn if you've never heard of the band, the song or if there is a different sound than the usual *thump thump thump thump* that you're accustomed to.

Remember that in my car, you are cargo.

2) Faceless Landlords

While I'm making friends today, let me take a moment to fire a shot across the bow of those who rent out property, give a lot of customer no-service and raise the gorram rent above and beyond what decent, low-earning type folk can pay.

Yes, you are in a business. Yes, a good capitalist realizes the value of profit and makes steps toward that end.

But...

That doesn't give one license to treat one's tenants like they are a cash cow nor does it give one the right to neglect the tenant's maintenance requests until the place is literally falling apart. Treat your tenants like customers not inmates.

What gets me is the poor general level of customer service here in Austin. I can spin many yarns of the slumlord mentality and I know full well that Austin isn't alone in this phenomenon.

Look, it's this simple. If someone pays their rent on time, in full, every month and doesn't turn the apartment/house/condo into a complete and utter biochemical wasteland, why treat them like something you scraped off your shoe after riding the NYC subway?

If you treat good standing tenants like garbage, you have no business being a landlord. Period.

3) Toll Roads.

It appears that the Trans-Texas Horroridor is on hold for the moment. It seems that the Lege finally got the hint that they hadn't exactly thought the Governor's cunning plan all the way through.

Let's hope to Franklin Delano Roosevelt that they scrap the plan altogether in the next session and push for better accountability in regards to the funds that are supposed to go to highway improvements instead of being diverted to other areas of the budget. Double tax roadways make baby Lucifer squeal in delight.