AUSTIN | Misc. Discussions - No Politics

[H2O]

Originally Posted by Urbannizer

I read this report in July regarding Google bringing a self-driving car to Austin. Tonight, I spotted two outside of University Park (not in action unfortunately)! I didn't find it too surprising they're resting here, as Google has employees in the building. I expect to see them again so I will try to catch them in motion. Sorry for the blur. Has anyone else spotted them?

They drive around Mueller all day, everyday.

[airwx]

There are several of them in town. I've been seeing one 3 or 4 times a week in the Crestview area for the past 3 or so weeks. Interesting to watch them negotiate a four way stop with cars and/or bicycles coming from each direction.

[drummer]

That sounds a little scary, actually. I know it's coming and the technology is there, but I like being in control of the car I'm in...or at least another human being (who is trained and alert, of course).

[JoninATX]

Who gets the ticket if it gets pulled over? Lol... I would die laughing if I ever saw one get stopped.

[The ATX]

Originally Posted by JoninATX

Who gets the ticket if it gets pulled over? Lol... I would die laughing if I ever saw one get stopped.

I would think in some jurisdictions it would be against the law for nobody to be driving.

[the Genral]

Just a perspective photo. We have traffic issues???

[The ATX]

Originally Posted by the Genral

Just a perspective photo. We have traffic issues???

FYI...

That photo has been posted in other threads and has been pointed out as a fake because of repeated vehicle patterns - the white van with the big back window is evidence of that.

[the Genral]

Oops, thanks for pointing that out...first time I've seen it, and I suspected as much, that's why I posted it here on off topic.

[KevinFromTexas]

Hey, I was watching Saturday Night Live. It's the episode with Jim Carrey, and there's a skit where he's at a costume party and dancing around. Anyway, they're in some room and behind them are some windows. Through the windows you can clearly see that it's downtown Austin. Through one window it shows the One American Center, and another view seems to be looking out from the One American Center showing 700 Lavaca and The Monarch with Spring poking up behind it.

That's funny because that's also the episode where Jim Carrey does the Lincoln Matthew Mcconaughey parody which Lincoln shot in Austin.

Here's a clip. You can pause it to see.

• Video Link

[The ATX]

Originally Posted by KevinFromTexas

Hey, I was watching Saturday Night Live. It's the episode with Jim Carrey, and there's a skit where he's at a costume party and dancing around. Anyway, they're in some room and behind them are some windows. Through the windows you can clearly see that it's downtown Austin. Through one window it shows the One American Center, and another view seems to be looking out from the One American Center showing 700 Lavaca and The Monarch with Spring poking up behind it.

That's funny because that's also the episode where Jim Carrey does the Lincoln Matthew Mcconaughey parody which Lincoln shot in Austin.

Here's a clip. You can pause it to see.

• Video Link

That's a damn good eye you got there. I had to watch it twice to see it, even though I know it was coming.

[KevinFromTexas]

I saw it from like 10 feet away. haha It was the One American Center view that caught my eye. If it hadn't been for that I probably wouldn't have noticed.

[jngreenlee]

In this video, Council Member Delia Garza argues that downtown density is better for congestion than suburban sprawl, and Council Member Don Zimmerman argues the opposite.

[...]

But even if downtown residents stay downtown and people on the fringes stay on the fringes, the dense development pattern downtown results in less distance spent on the roads. I spent the last weekend up on the edge of Austin, in CM Zimmerman’s district. When I stay at home downtown, there are dozens, maybe hundreds of restaurants within two miles of where I live. When I stay in District 6, traveling 10 miles for a simple night out seems normal and 2.5 miles is super close. This isn’t only about coming into downtown; even staying within the suburbs, trips are longer. [...]

https://austinonyourfeet.wordpress.com/2015/08/10/delia-garza-and-don-zimmerman-debate-density-vs-sprawl/

• Video Link

[nixcity]

Further evidence that this guy is a blabbering idiot.....

[SkyPie]

Originally Posted by nixcity

Further evidence that this guy is a blabbering idiot.....

Not that further evidence was needed, but totally agree.

[lzppjb]

Circuit of the Americas comes in 2nd in poll of NASCAR owners, drivers, crew members and media of whether or not they should add a road course to the Chase.

Please please please please please let this happen. I would go every year.

http://nascartalk.nbcsports.com/2015...chase/related/

[the Genral]

Originally Posted by lzppjb

Circuit of the Americas comes in 2nd in poll of NASCAR owners, drivers, crew members and media of whether or not they should add a road course to the Chase.

Please please please please please let this happen. I would go every year.

http://nascartalk.nbcsports.com/2015...chase/related/

I would buy tickets tomorrow.

[Tech House]

Don Zimmerman is the Laura Pressley of actually-elected Council members.

[KevinFromTexas]

This is pretty neat. This is video showing the tuned mass damper of Taipei 101 in Taipei, Taiwan swaying as the city is being hit by Typhoon Soudelor.

• Video Link

This is a diagram that SomeFormOfHuman drew of Taipei 101 showing where the mass damper is located.


Someformofhuman - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tuned_...ass_Damper.png

[the Genral]

As we wind down the current wave of construction and begin the next wave, I think these 6 buildings will have more impact on the skyline then the last wave, of course, open to debate;
Independent, 70 Rainey, 5th and West, Aloft/Element, Fairmont, Proper.
That's collectively 231 floors / 2923 feet, or avg. 38.5 floors, 487.17 feet between the big six. By this time next year, we should be getting a jaw dropping idea of how these six are going to be one of the best, if not THE best wave of construction we have seen. At some point, we will have at least 5 cranes at over 400ft at the same time downtown and one at about 350, Element, and the highest over 700'. ( I included the shorter Element because of its location on Congress.) I don't think this has ever happened before and maybe never again. I'm hoping the following wave will finally give us the signature commercial tower we've been waiting for...say around 2019 - 2020, 800 - 900 ft.

[KevinFromTexas]

^Agreed. It's going to be incredible watching that stuff happen. Both sides of downtown have so much planned it's mind blowing.

This was a cool read with lots of interesting links.

http://austin.blog.statesman.com/201...ebook_2014_sfp

What’s wrong with the City of Austin’s flag?
August 25, 2015 | Filed in: around the web.

In 1915, a man named Ray F. Coyle won the $50 grand prize when he came up with the city of Austin’s first flag (see right).

100 years later, some consider his design a little outdated.

One of these critics, Austin-based graphic designer Michael Kriegshauser, recently pointed out that the flag violates more than a few modern flag design principles.

“If we are on the way to being a true international city, it’s time that we graduate from provincial flag to international flag status,” Kriegshauser wrote in an essay on Medium.com, while also noting that Austin’s flag violates nearly all of the principles of designs laid out by the North American Vexillogical Association (an organization dedicated to the study of flags).