On Hotels and Hostels

I am by no means a world traveler but I get around. I have been to at least a dozen countries and lots of places around the U.S. In my travels I am always looking to save money. In Europe and Mexico that translated into staying in hostels and various budget accommodations. Some were clean and comfortable, others not so much.
I can still remember the small 7 room motel me and a friend stayed in our first night in Mexico. The bathroom was on the other side of the courtyard and the beds were rock hard. But it was pretty clean- although in the morning we discovered ants all over our stuff. Of course we just laughed it off, because it was part of the "experience". In fact I have stayed in a lot of odd places in the name of savings and experience.
But I only attempt such daring sleeping arrangements when I am out of America. While visiting L.A. a few months back I was surprised to see a hostel on Hollywood Blvd. When searching for a hotel I hadn't even considered a hostel. Instead I had used my Priceline ninja skills to get a deal at a nearby Marriott. And to be honest even that was a little overpriced.
Now I am road triping across the U.S. with no real plan for each stop (which sidelines my Priceline skills). The cheap person in me refuses to pay more than I have too, so I have been trying my luck at less expensive options.
The last two nights my choices have been clean, cheap, and loud. No different from many of the places I have stayed overseas. However I have not been relishing in the "experience". To be honest, I have been a little scared. Part of it is being single and alone. Part of it is having a car full of my earthly possessions. But I believe the biggest issue are my own prejudices.
I somehow equate cheap with seedy. I imagine that the people here must be dangerous for some reason. That people that have less money to spend on a hotel are somehow dishonest. I question where I picked up these ideas. I know many honest and poor people. I know for a fact that my Grandpa stayed in similar hotels all his life. Despite logically knowing all this I can't stop myself from double locking my doors.
Perhaps this says more about my own fears then the hotels themselves?

Remembering President Bush

Matt Lauer just interviewed President George W. Bush. Remember him? He was president of the United States for 8 years. Kinda controversial... ring a bell? Well if it is a bit hard for you to remember don't feel bad. According to this article in Slate, despite President Bush's epically low approval ratings, the Bush legacy did not make an impact on the recent election.
Since he left office in 2008 President Bush has fallen off the American radar but this week he is back. First with an interview with Matt Lauer and later this week with the release of his memoir "Decision Points".
I "grew up" with the Bush presidency. Many of the events from the aughts define my generation. Everything else about President Bush aside, I am really interested to see if this will be a change in how he handles his public relations. I always felt that Bush suffered from an inability to explain his reasoning to the American people. I also felt that it was a mistake that he never admitted to making mistakes. So I am very interested to see if the memoir is an honest reflection or just a bid to establish the "right" storyline in history.
I haven't seen the entire interview but here is the first 8 minutes