Sunday, July 24, 2016

Dear Hilton Corporation:

Why is it, that at least one Doubletree, you have set the systems running the televisions (according to the repairperson I met yesterday) to change, at random times, from the channel that I want to watch to the Movie Promo channel, thereby interrupting my viewing preferences?  The repairman told me that he is powerless to prevent the channel-changing.  Did you set this channel-priority-programming in place because:
  • You believe that your guests have no idea that they can rent movies in your hotel rooms?
  • You dislike the fact that I prefer news in the morning to the repeated loop of Mario Lopez (who was, in fact, a very good dancer-contestant on Dancing With The Stars, so I have nothing against the guy) touting movies that I will be able to get later on Netflix or Hulu or Amazon?
  • You think that I am too old for Adult Swim at night?
  • Movie Promo channel is the sole source of your profitability?
  • You bought too many batteries at one time for your remotes and want to make sure that you use them all before they expire, and therefore you've decided to encourage your guests to use their remotes more--by making sure that they keep switching back to what they wanted to watch and away from the dreaded Movie Promo channel?
  • You have stock in the Movie Promo channel?  Lots of stock?  The amount of stock that requires you to file something with the SEC if you sell it all at once?
  • You've seen Gaslight and think it's an extraordinary movie (which, really, it is)?
Whatever it is, let's just say that you're winning the social science wars here.

Last-minute advice for bar exam takers.

On one of our other blogs (here).

Monday, July 11, 2016

Why I quit LVAC and switched to Lifetime Fitness, and why I'm really happy about the switch.

There's nothing wrong with LVAC.  It's a nice gym, and it's reasonably priced.  But I love Lifetime Fitness, even though there's a huge price differential.  So why did I switch?

The fundamental reason has to do with my chosen sport, which is ballroom dancing.  When I started at LVAC, I practiced in empty racquetball courts, until people outside the courts complained that my movement was distracting them.  (I offered to pay for the court time, and I wore shoes that wouldn't scuff the floors, but the management said no.)  Then I practiced in the hallway downstairs.  That was fine, but I had to keep starting the walls of my routine over and over, because of the restricted space.  So I started getting up early to use the empty group classrooms.  One day, though, the front desk said that I couldn't practice there, even when the rooms were unoccupied.  I felt like Milton in Office Space.  And I went off to tour Lifetime Fitness in Henderson.

Yes, it's pricey.  It's the cost of two dance lessons a month.  But:
  • The staff members are very, very friendly.  Some of them even ask me how my dance practices are going.
  • There are dance rooms, including one with a ballet barre wall.
  • If the dance rooms are locked, the front desk will get someone to unlock a room for me so that I can practice my routines.
  • The facility is immaculate.
  • I never have to wait for cardio machines, and the machines have some fun bells and whistles.
  • Bottom line:  Lifetime Fitness recognizes that dance is an athletic activity, and it has fulfilled each of the promises that it made to me when I signed up.  I'm very happy that I switched.
I'm in the process of healing fully from my foot surgery in January.  Thanks to the talent of Dr. Michael Monroe, this weekend I was able to do a small Smooth competition (Viva Las Vegas--World Promotions) to test-drive my stamina and my ability to use my right foot.  (Yes, someone at the Lifetime Fitness front desk wished me luck last week.)  I owe most of my thanks to my teacher, Sergei Shapoval, and my coaches, especially Mariusz Olszewski, who's been working with me on a regular basis.  But I owe more than a little to Lifetime Fitness.  (And I came in first in a 7-couple straight-to-final Open B Smooth Scholarship event.)


Now, I'm off to the gym to prepare for USDC.  Thanks, Lifetime Fitness!

Why I quit LVAC and switched to Lifetime Fitness, and why I'm really happy about the switch.

There's nothing wrong with LVAC.  It's a nice gym, and it's reasonably priced.  But I love Lifetime Fitness, even though there's a huge price differential.  So why did I switch?

The fundamental reason has to do with my chosen sport, which is ballroom dancing.  When I started at LVAC, I practiced in empty racquetball courts, until people outside the courts complained that my movement was distracting them.  (I offered to pay for the court time, and I wore shoes that wouldn't scuff the floors, but the management said no.)  Then I practiced in the hallway downstairs.  That was fine, but I had to keep starting the walls of my routine over and over, because of the restricted space.  So I started getting up early to use the empty group classrooms.  One day, though, the front desk said that I couldn't practice there, even when the rooms were unoccupied.  I felt like Milton in Office Space.  And I went off to tour Lifetime Fitness in Henderson.

Yes, it's pricey.  It's the cost of two dance lessons a month.  But:
  • The staff members are very, very friendly.  Some of them even ask me how my dance practices are going.
  • There are dance rooms, including one with a ballet barre wall.
  • If the dance rooms are locked, the front desk will get someone to unlock a room for me so that I can practice my routines.
  • The facility is immaculate.
  • I never have to wait for cardio machines, and the machines have some fun bells and whistles.
  • Bottom line:  Lifetime Fitness recognizes that dance is an athletic activity, and it has fulfilled each of the promises that it made to me when I signed up.  I'm very happy that I switched.
I'm in the process of healing fully from my foot surgery in January, and this weekend, I did a small Smooth competition (Viva Las Vegas--World Promotions) to test-drive my stamina and my ability to use my right foot.  (Yes, someone at the Lifetime Fitness front desk wished me luck last week.)  I owe most of my thanks to my teacher, Sergei Shapoval, and my coaches, especially Mariusz Olszewski, who's been working with me on a regular basis.  But I owe more than a little to Lifetime Fitness.  (And I came in first in a 7-couple straight-to-final Open B Smooth Scholarship event.)


Now, I'm off to the gym to prepare for USDC.  Thanks, Lifetime Fitness!

Sunday, July 10, 2016

R.I.P., Steve Zamora

Steve passed away suddenly, and my heart goes out to his family.  Steve was the dean at UH Law Center immediately before I came on board, and his graciousness and kindness showed what a mensch he was.  Always willing to pitch in and help in any way possible, he created a legacy in terms of international law that took advantage of Houston's own international flavor.  R.I.P., my friend.