AUSTIN | Misc. Discussions - No Politics - Page 43

lzppjb · #**841** Posted **Jul 17, 2016, 12:36 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by clubtokyo

Yeah and I was just looking at the site overall, and I dont really see the credibility. The article is pretty vague.

He's probably right about some of it, though. We'll definitely face some trials with all the people moving here.

Tech House · #**842** Posted **Jul 17, 2016, 5:51 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by clubtokyo

Thoughts? I am not a Texas native, so i dont have much to say about it.

http://www.strongtowns.org/journal/2...t-it-wont-last

"So Texas is now the golden child – for the moment. But it won’t last. Texas isn’t different. Texas is just a generation behind the curve. It’s on the same trajectory as California whether it knows it or not."

He writes as though California has collapsed in ruins, when in fact it's still leading the nation, economically and on every other level. He writes as though Texas has the same set of circumstances as California, which it absolutely does not. He's spot on about the problems with horizontal sprawl and the limits of infrastructure, but he seems to miss the fact that California has always been a vastly different place from Texas, both in terms of its natural assets and its inhabitants. Texas is land as far as the eye can see, without a whole lot for anyone to get all uppity about preserving. California is spectacular and varied, and most of its land is priceless in terms of natural beauty and/or resources. It's much easier to develop Texas, not only because of natural conditions, but also because there's not much of a constituency for preventing growth and/or preserving natural beauty here.

I grew up in Santa Barbara and was an environmental activist by the time I was 14. I founded an environmental group for teens in that year (1970) and we had weekly meetings with guest speakers, our most famous being Paul Ehrlich. California is the kind of place that inspires a 14 year old to found an environmental group. Had I grown up in Texas, I'd have probably been more focused on turning down the damned humidity. Anyone figure out where that knob is yet?

nixcity · #**843** Posted **Jul 17, 2016, 5:52 PM**

Great points, and yes the Santa Barbara area is beautiful. Driving along the coast on Highway 1 was the best drive of my life.

clubtokyo · #**844** Posted **Jul 23, 2016, 2:21 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tech House

"So Texas is now the golden child – for the moment. But it won’t last. Texas isn’t different. Texas is just a generation behind the curve. It’s on the same trajectory as California whether it knows it or not."

He writes as though California has collapsed in ruins, when in fact it's still leading the nation, economically and on every other level. He writes as though Texas has the same set of circumstances as California, which it absolutely does not. He's spot on about the problems with horizontal sprawl and the limits of infrastructure, but he seems to miss the fact that California has always been a vastly different place from Texas, both in terms of its natural assets and its inhabitants. Texas is land as far as the eye can see, without a whole lot for anyone to get all uppity about preserving. California is spectacular and varied, and most of its land is priceless in terms of natural beauty and/or resources. It's much easier to develop Texas, not only because of natural conditions, but also because there's not much of a constituency for preventing growth and/or preserving natural beauty here.

I grew up in Santa Barbara and was an environmental activist by the time I was 14. I founded an environmental group for teens in that year (1970) and we had weekly meetings with guest speakers, our most famous being Paul Ehrlich. California is the kind of place that inspires a 14 year old to found an environmental group. Had I grown up in Texas, I'd have probably been more focused on turning down the damned humidity. Anyone figure out where that knob is yet?

Nice read! Thank you for sharing. Cali is beautiful and I appreciate the beauty of Texas also. If I had to choose between Texas and Cali, I would choose Cali, but then the cost of living hits me. I would love to live in San Fran, but its so darn expensive. :/ Austin is the next best thing for me, since my career is technology.

urbancore · #**845** Posted **Jul 24, 2016, 2:58 PM**

I am curious how you all feel about this.

http://mobile.nytimes.com/2016/07/19...?_r=0&referer=

Let's discuss the great Le Stinkpot, errrr I mean Le Corbusier.

the Genral · #**846** Posted **Aug 7, 2016, 2:57 AM**

Where am I?

The ATX · #**847** Posted **Aug 7, 2016, 3:30 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by the Genral

Where am I?

Round Rock?

East7thStreet · #**848** Posted **Aug 7, 2016, 4:59 AM**

Sao Paulo?

We vs us · #**849** Posted **Aug 7, 2016, 5:18 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by the Genral

Where am I?

Pyonyang?

N90 · #**850** Posted **Aug 7, 2016, 6:40 AM**

None of those building have blue glass facades, so its definitely not ATX

the Genral · #**851** Posted **Aug 7, 2016, 1:38 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by We vs us

Pyonyang?

You are correct!

the Genral · #**852** Posted **Aug 7, 2016, 1:40 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by The ATX

Round Rock?

Haha, physically.

We vs us · #**853** Posted **Aug 7, 2016, 3:29 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by the Genral

You are correct!

Something about the view screamed "Korean!" and "authoritarian regime!" simultaneously.

KevinFromTexas · #**854** Posted **Aug 11, 2016, 10:27 PM**

A pane of glass fell today from the 48th floor of the Austonian.

http://www.statesman.com/news/news/l...stins-t/nsDrN/

the Genral · #**855** Posted **Aug 12, 2016, 12:07 AM**

I don't think the Austonian looks like a giant USB stick. That's a pedestrian nightmare. Glad no one was hurt. Perhaps the hot temperatures kept people inside, perhaps a defect in the window pane finally succumbed to the heat. Perhaps a bird did fly into the window, disoriented from suffering heat stroke, fell 48 floors into the back of a pickup truck, intact up to that point unbeknownst to the driver who just kept driving. Perhaps it was heat related. Perhaps we'll never know unless it happens again. Perhaps I'll reconsider walking below tall buildings with windows.

Jdawgboy · #**856** Posted **Aug 12, 2016, 7:58 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by the Genral

I don't think the Austonian looks like a giant USB stick. That's a pedestrian nightmare. Glad no one was hurt. Perhaps the hot temperatures kept people inside, perhaps a defect in the window pane finally succumbed to the heat. Perhaps a bird did fly into the window, disoriented from suffering heat stroke, fell 48 floors into the back of a pickup truck, intact up to that point unbeknownst to the driver who just kept driving. Perhaps it was heat related. Perhaps we'll never know unless it happens again. Perhaps I'll reconsider walking below tall buildings with windows.

First, I have to ask. Where you really in Pyongyang???

Regarding the Austonian, it may have had to do with a defect but that's only an amateurish guess. My curiousity is more focused on the fact that it fell from an unocupied condo. How much of the Austonian is occupied? Why are there still whole sections empty after all these years?? I don't understand why the current most prominent residential tower in Austin is not at least nearly filled up. Does it have to do with the their prices?

Tech House · #**857** Posted **Aug 12, 2016, 10:15 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by We vs us

Something about the view screamed "Korean!" and "authoritarian regime!" simultaneously.

Well done! I didn't get the Korean at all, I was only thinking "authoritarian regime" and so I thought it might have been a rendering of some sort of Soviet utopia. Putingrad? In other words, a prison. I'm horrified to learn that it's a photograph of an actual place on earth, and not some kind of Orwellian nightmare. Oh, right...

Major change of subject: what do forum members think about Marc Ott moving on from his position as Austin city manager? Over the years, I've read enough negative articles about him to leave a negative impression, but I don't really know how much influence a city manager has on the city's operations. I know there's a "buck stops here" mentality that makes us want to fire the coach and yell about the president, but the buck actually gets distributed across a vast and complex web of people interacting according to all sorts of rules, so I don't know whether to pop the cork and celebrate Ott's departure, or might a yawn be more appropriate? I mean, will this actually change anything IRL? http://www.bizjournals.com/austin/ne...other-job.html

the Genral · #**858** Posted **Aug 13, 2016, 12:34 AM**

[QUOTE=Jdawgboy;7529276]First, I have to ask. Where you really in Pyongyang???/QUOTE]

Naw, perhaps the lead in was misleading, but one night I took a sudden interest in North Korea and stumbled across a ton of photos and thought I'd challenge you guys on your skyline prowess. Since the photo did not include their 105 story pyramid tower, I didn't think anyone would get it without clues. Hats off to we vs us.
Might try this again with another where am I, but apparently you guys are skyline saavy so its going to be tougher.

The ATX · #**859** Posted **Aug 13, 2016, 5:40 AM**

I don't remember this huge downtown casino plan in 2003. It was one of several failed proposals for the Waller Park Place site:

http://www.statesman.com/news/news/l...r-led-a/nqmzk/

The locations:

KevinFromTexas · #**860** Posted **Aug 13, 2016, 5:18 PM**

Driving through the belly of the beast last night. Pro-tip, if you take US 59/I-69S around downtown, then exit I-45N to I-10E, you can drive all the way around downtown. We have to go back either this Monday or the next and I'll try to get a video during the day.

• Video Link