I imagine that most of us have been pulled over by a police officer at some point while behind the wheel of our car. Maybe that speed limit suddenly changed after you crossed into the limits of a small town in which traffic tickets pay for the mayor's salary. Or, you could have been driving with a broken tail light and not even been aware that you were not signaling when making a turn. But,...
Details »
In better economic times, the latest business news was usually relegated to the tenth page of the third section in your local newspaper. Today, the unfortunate news related to businesses across our country is making front page headlines on a daily basis. As I have reported on this blog before, Texas (in particular Austin, Houston and San Antonio) has been faring well economically in comparison with most other states in the nation. But, make no...
Details »
On the occasion that you catch yourself in a compromising situation, I don't know if the first thought to enter your mind is, "What would my elected officials do?" However, in the case of deciding whether or not to take a breathalyzer test when pulled over on suspicion of drunk driving, otherwise known as DWI or DUI, we know now the answer. More than a dozen elected officials in Texas have been stopped in recent...
Details »
There are several ways that you can enjoy the income that is earned by a successful attorney. First, there is the obvious route of completing law school and passing the bar exam. Or, you could follow your mother's advice and "marry a doctor or a lawyer." Unfortunately, there is a third method that is increasingly becoming the attempted avenue for those who want to share in the profit of a law firm ... embezzlement. While...
Details »
Families with a large number of children have received a great deal of media attention recently. Two of the most popular shows on The Learning Channel are Jon and Kate Plus 8 and 17 Kids and Counting , both of which (as is obvious from the titles) deal with a dinner table that is crowded with offspring. Television viewers are fascinated by parents who choose to have a house overflowing with kids. However, one mother...
Details »
America's economy seems to being taking a continuing freefall, including new home foreclosures and layoffs that are reported by the media every day. With this unfriendly economic environment, there should be no surprise in learning that Chapter 7 bankruptcy, Chapter 13 bankruptcy, and Chapter 11 bankruptcy filings are also increasing throughout the country, particularly in Austin, San Antonio and Houston. People are finding themselves stuck with homes on which they owe more than the structure...
Details »
We read in the news almost every day about a well-known national business or corporation having to trim its budget by laying off workers. Large companies like Google and Pfizer have announced thousands of layoffs in recent months, and stores like Circuit City and Macy's are closing locations altogether. One of the latest companies that has been forced to make this unpleasant decision is Clear Channel Communications, Inc., which is based out here in San...
Details »
Issues surrounding immigration policy in our country have been the source of countless debates and political fights over the past several years. Just look at the strong reaction to the bipartisan immigration reform proposed by Congress and supported by President Bush in 2007. Undoubtedly, President-elect Obama will face the immigration issue once again soon after taking his seat in the Oval Office. With Texas being on the front lines of all issues related to immigrants,...
Details »
There is no doubt that our servicemen and women who are serving in Afghanistan and Iraq, as well as other locations around the world, are performing a service that can never be measured or repaid. I have the greatest appreciation for these brave heroes. Unfortunately, we know the battles that members of the armed forces face do not end when they leave enemy territory. Depression, post traumatic stress disorder, long separations and readjustment to civilian...
Details »
We will be inaugurating a new president a week from tomorrow. And without a doubt, President-elect Obama will have plenty of issues that require his attention from the first moment he steps into the Oval Office. There is the ongoing crisis in the Middle East, the decision on troop levels in Iraq and Afghanistan and, most pressing on the domestic front, the rising unemployment rates and poor economy suffered across the country. The U.S. jobless...
Details »