William Pate

Going where? South America? Uruguay? Why? As we watch housing costs continue to rise across the country and especially in Austin, we worry about our ability to maintain a satisfying life when our rental agreement ends at the end of this summer.…

We adopted Jeff from Austin’s Town Lake Animal Center in early 2008. I don’t know what month he was born in 2007, but he’s definitely nearing in on 15. When people ask his age, I just tell them 15 now. He’s earned it. We sent in saliva samples to get…

The problem is over-extension. I’ve given myself too many things to do. I’ve explored too many rabbit holes and become interested and involved with too many matters far outside my already highly circumscribed areas of also always already limited…

In late-2019, I submitted an open records request to the Texas Department of Transportation (TXDoT) seeking an explanation for why they halted highway cleanups in the Austin area. I requested documents relating to the decision to discover why — of…

A couple of important notes on the upcoming elections that I haven’t seen elsewhere need to be made during this highly irregular electoral season: 1. Republican U.S. Representative Roger Williams spent six figures (maybe the money he took from the…

Aside from the fact I find it very hard to start writing, there’s always the danger that, once I start, I won’t stop. Given all the craziness in the world, there’s plenty to discuss. I. When COVID-19 first landed in the U.S., I remember seeing the…

As expected, the all-Republican Texas Supreme Court yesterday agreed with indicted Attorney General Ken Paxton that “lack of immunity to COVID-19 is not itself a ‘physical condition’ that renders a voter eligible to vote by mail” under Texas law.…

Now available for pre-order! We’re very happy/relieved to announce that the order for the print proof of San Antonio Review’s third issue was placed Friday afternoon. While we wait for it to arrive, our editor and publisher will finally write the…

I remember my mom watching me riffle through papers in my backpack in sixth grade and saying, “You sure do like paper. You better become a lawyer or something when you grow up.” She’s right — I do love paper. My house, currently littered with books…

Quick resource to share for Texas voting-by-mail: is.gd/TXVBM First thing this morning after finishing Peter Berard’s 2017 birthday reflections and curating Texas Freedom Network’s Daily News Clips, I created is.gd/TXVBM to serve as a quick resource…

First thing this morning after finishing Peter Berard’s 2017 birthday reflections and curating Texas Freedom Network’s Daily News Clips, I created is.gd/TXVBM to serve as a quick resource for Texans seeking to apply for their absentee ballots in…

Fellow Texans may have noticed TV ads like the one by The Hull Firm in Austin warning that criminal penalties for certain crimes are automatically increased by a degree when the state is under a disaster declaration. I warned this would happen. Back…

When large companies started sending people to work from home and then the stay-at-home orders began being issued, I immediately asked, “What changed?” “I’m about to turn 40, maybe I’m too young, but I don’t remember this ever happening before, do…

Rabbits Holes — A Start Rabbit holes. That’s what I’ve come to call them. It happens to me constantly. The easiest examples are app-based: The Wish app, for example. The way you visit to check the shipping status of an order and end up spending $25…

I’ve long considered myself a curator of items (musical artists, books, articles, etc.) I find useful or interesting. I guess I use “curator” instead of “collector” because I’ve always focused less on any sort of ownership and more on sharing these…

Fellow Texans may be subject to TV ads like the one by The Hull Firm in Austin warning that criminal penalties for certain crimes are automatically increased by a degree when the state is under a disaster declaration. I warned this would happen. Back…

The ACLU of Texas responded to Attorney General Ken Paxton’s letter: Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton today issued a letter with his own opinion on Texas’ vote by mail laws. His non-legally binding letter goes against a Texas District Court’s ruling…

While the rest of the world focuses on surviving the novel coronavirus pandemic, Texas Republicans skipped and skimped on planning and preparation for the emergency and protecting Texans once it hit. Instead, they’ve spent their time “planning” to…