I was born into a cult.
Read all about it on:
Aesthetic Realism is a cult.
As heard on NPR and seen in Newsweek and everywhere else. Tons of quantifiable tips and nifty calculators show you exactly how much you can save. Doesn't just save money, prevents pollution, too. (As high as #1 in Google for "save electricity".)
Free 35-page online guide tells you everything you need to know about buying a house in the U.S. Takes you through the process step-by-step, in a truly understandable way. Calculators show you how much you can expect to pay each month. (As high as #1 in Google for "how to buy a house".)
Rechargeable or disposable? Alkaline or Lithium or NiMH? Which brand is best? How soon should you recharge batteries? All your questions answered here. (As high as #1 in Google for "types of batteries".)
The most popular guide to bike safety around. Published as a cover story in Car Busters and Australian Cyclist magazines, translated by fans into several languages, and reprinted widely around the world. (As high as #1 in Google for "bicycle safety".)
I actually hope you don't fly, because flying causes climate change, but this website is how I can get your attention on that subject. If you're going to fly anyway, this site will give you the lowdown on exactly how to find cheap airfare on the Internet. (As high as #5 in Google for "cheapest airfare".)
Compelling reasons for going vegetarian, and resources to help you get started. I've been vegetarian for over 25 years, and it was one of the best decisions I ever made. (As high as #2 in Google for "be vegetarian".)
This is not your father's Vegas & gambling website. The topic gets my special treatment, meaning it's packed with useful information and tools not available anywhere else, explained in a way that's easy to understand. (As high as #1 in Google for "blackjack lessons" and "list of vegas casinos", and #3 for "vegas tips".)
The former is a guide to biking for transportation in Austin, Texas, and won a Best of Austin award from the Austin Chronicle. I sold the latter site in June 2017, but the new owner kept much of my content (it's mine if I'm in the byline), including the "Bicycling Wastes Gas?" article referenced by the NY Times. (As high as #1 in Google for "texas bicycle laws" and "special bicycles".)
How to get your site to the top of Google, how to keep spambots from stealing email addresses off your web pages, putting video on your site, and lots more. If you have a website, something on here will be helpful to you. (As high as #1 in Google for "website design tips".)
My list of companies doing good things, or at least not doing bad things. Bicycle, solar, organic, and other businesses are listed here. Badly outdated, I hope I have time to dust off the cobwebs someday. (As high as #1 in Google for "socially responsible stocks".)
A collection of websites are horribly broken or just way too annoying to use, with the goal of helping aspiring webmasters see what kinds of problems are out there, so they can see what to avoid when building their own sites. Rather dated at present... (As high as #1 in Google for "problem websites".)
2024 Presidential Election Tracker. The only page I know of that shows who's ahead based on polling in each state.
Form 941, Line 7. The first clear explanation on the web about how to deal with "current quarter's adjustment for fractions of cents".
Carbon Footprint Calculator. Honestly, my carbon calculator is the very best one available on the whole Internet.
Bicycling Wastes Gas. This controversial article got traction when mentioned by a New York Times columnist. Come see what all the fuss is about.
Thwarting Spambots. Don't put email addresses on websites! This article shows you how to thwart the spambots that steal email addresses from websites.
Whole Foods Market scandals. What's good and what's bad about Whole Foods. Some surprising stuff.
Women Grandmasters in Chess. I was surprised to find that no one had compiled a list for the Internet, so I did it.
Don't forward email petitions. Find out what's wrong with them.
Bitcoin explained in simple terms. No other explainer is as satisfying as this one.
Housing Co-ops. Helpful articles for those helping to run housing cooperatives (usually student-owned).
Austin Mini-Guide. A quick
mini-guide to Austin, Texas. Hopelessly incomplete and
outdated.
Club Whatever
(early 90's music show)
Ben Folds Five. My fan site about one of my favorite bands.
Amy Babich for City Council (5/00)
King Cheese (my old band)
My "about me" page.
My photos.
Who is Jim Holt? A musical in which I played the title character.
Bike Trips. Travelogues of my bicycle treks across Texas and Louisiana.