SIMPLE TRIPLE STANDARD is Historical Fiction gnawing the gut of local radio news reporter Bryant L Herman in a close-knit community rife with extrapolated double standards that garner deadly impact. This story is about how every day we are affected by standards, whether we perceive their presence or not.

"The Real Official, Almost True Backstory for Modern Commercial Radio" is fiction with a lot of truth hiding in the wings. If you've ever lived in a small town or close-knit community, you know about double standards. How much more complicated can a triple standard be, right?

Clearly we need standards; but double standards often come with the stigma of being something corrupt or evil. Frankly double standards often are wicked, distorted, or dishonest; but for the most part, double standards aren't always rooted in bad policy. Consider: love & hate, black & white, heart & mind, body & soul ... Without context, double standards appear to be just opposite ends of a spectrum like north and south, just opposites with no malicious intent.

The old adage, "For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction" tells us that because we have standards, double standards are inevitable. Take art for example; one single standard for art just won't do. One person's concept of art is another person's notion of bad taste. Imagine only one standard for making barbecue ... or beer. To a pit-master or brewer, the concept of one recipe for all of the craftsmanship in their work is completely absurd.

Likewise, if ale tasted the same as lager, the saying, "variety is the spice of life" would lose all relative meaning in culture. After all, the keys to culture are the distinctions between how things are done and celebrated. So double standards exist, and for good reason.

Austin music celebrities, and behind the scenes radio personalities embody Bryant Herman's epic tale in genuine 1970s Texas-style nostalgia. "When I was young and impressionable I saw some things that permanently changed me, changed my mind, and altered life even as I live it today. Things that are defined by standards are often that impactful. The world would surely be a terrible place without them though--standards I mean; you've got to have them! Too much of a good thing on the other hand is also impacting. Relative to where you stand, the impact can be deadly."