Yesterday I was in Austin for a hearing of the House Regulated Industries Committee. I testified along with eleven others including Grande Communications CEO Bill Morrow, Texas PUC Chairman Paul Hudson and former U.S. House Majority Leader Dick Armey. Today, Ray Gifford is in Sante Fe speaking at an annual regulatory conference at New Mexico State University. Hyperlinks as well as more color commentary about what was seen and heard at these meetings to follow.

Travel is not all it is cracked up to be in those airline magazines, but getting into the capitals has its own rewards. Take for example what happened yesterday: the ranking minority member of the committee took photographs - not unlike a tourist - of Armey as the former legislator addressed the committee. I guess that even wonkish hearings can have celebrity witnesses.