Noticing a lot of local negativity...am i wrong? (Austin: houses, school)

[eepstein]

Much of what you hear about Austin is because of the city media marketing campaign. Few cities pour as much tax dollars into "advertising" themselves than Austin does.

Yes, I would agree that Las Vegas is not a very good place to raise kids. As a father of 2, I have to really struggle to come up with a WORSE place to raise kids than Austin. Many Dallas or Houston suburbs offer far more to the family with kids.

Austin is a horribly overrated, congested college town and always will be. Dallas and Houston are the backbones of the state financially and from a business aspect as well. It has a horrible year round climate, almost in a constant drought, and some of the most arrogant, self centered people on the planet.

The problem with this board is that most people wear Orange (pee wee football shirts) and consider Austin to be the "utopia" the marketing campaigns makes it out to be. So they dont want to hear anything negative about their fair city despite it's shortcomings in nearly every catagory.

I can certainly admit that some people like it here which is fine. But trying to compare Austin to world class cities such as Dallas, Houston, or even Smell A (like another thread I saw) is simply nuts.

Originally Posted by jlukelv

Looking at moving my family to Austin (looking at south lake travis or river bend area of lake Austin), I have noticed what seems to be a growing sense of local negativity. We are leaving Las Vegas and had heard that Austin was green and beautiful, a great place for families with great schools. Is this still the case? Perhaps locals are a little bummed out as a result of the current drought, which I am told Is one of the worst in history...

[rickc007]

Originally Posted by eepstein

Much of what you hear about Austin is because of the city media marketing campaign. Few cities pour as much tax dollars into "advertising" themselves than Austin does.

Yes, I would agree that Las Vegas is not a very good place to raise kids. As a father of 2, I have to really struggle to come up with a WORSE place to raise kids than Austin. Many Dallas or Houston suburbs offer far more to the family with kids.

Austin is a horribly overrated, congested college town and always will be. Dallas and Houston are the backbones of the state financially and from a business aspect as well. It has a horrible year round climate, almost in a constant drought, and some of the most arrogant, self centered people on the planet.

The problem with this board is that most people wear Orange (pee wee football shirts) and consider Austin to be the "utopia" the marketing campaigns makes it out to be. So they dont want to hear anything negative about their fair city despite it's shortcomings in nearly every catagory.

I can certainly admit that some people like it here which is fine. But trying to compare Austin to world class cities such as Dallas, Houston, or even Smell A (like another thread I saw) is simply nuts.

Well ... you asked for negativity ...

jlukelv, meet eepstein
epstein ... meet jluke

[Paulmmm]

Originally Posted by eepstein

Much of what you hear about Austin is because of the city media marketing campaign. Few cities pour as much tax dollars into "advertising" themselves than Austin does.

I know that what you say is a FACT, Dr. Eepstein, but could you please provide a link to prove this FACT to the others who never leave Austin and need to OPEN THEIR EYES?

Originally Posted by eepstein

Yes, I would agree that Las Vegas is not a very good place to raise kids. As a father of 2, I have to really struggle to come up with a WORSE place to raise kids than Austin. Many Dallas or Houston suburbs offer far more to the family with kids.

And I, for one, want to congratulate you for not only choosing to live here for over 8 years, but also choosing to raise your kids in a city that is well below the standards under which you and they deserve to live! And I know that you are raising them with not a moment of exposure to any negativity about their horrible, overrated, ignorant, drunken, hillbilly surroundings and, for that, you are a commendable Dad!

Originally Posted by eepstein

Austin is a horribly overrated, congested college town and always will be. Dallas and Houston are the backbones of the state financially and from a business aspect as well. It has a horrible year round climate, almost in a constant drought, and some of the most arrogant, self centered people on the planet.

I agree. You should post the story about the arrogant guy who waters his lawn 3 times a week even in the drought, and the self-centered guy who said that he hoped the wildfires would keep burning when some people were dying in them and others were losing everything they owned.

Originally Posted by eepstein

The problem with this board is that most people wear Orange (pee wee football shirts) and consider Austin to be the "utopia" the marketing campaigns makes it out to be. So they dont want to hear anything negative about their fair city despite it's shortcomings in nearly every catagory.

I also agree with this. It is an obvious FACT that over 50% of the posters here consider Austin to be "utopia". And probably at least twice that many posters "wear Orange (pee wee football shirts)".

Originally Posted by eepstein

I can certainly admit that some people like it here which is fine. But trying to compare Austin to world class cities such as Dallas, Houston, or even Smell A (like another thread I saw) is simply nuts.

"Smell A"! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! What a zinger!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! You should come up with one like that for Austin, like "Austink" but something even wittier!

[CptnRn]

Originally Posted by eepstein

Much of what you hear about Austin is because of the city media marketing campaign. Few cities pour as much tax dollars into "advertising" themselves than Austin does.

I have asked you repeatedly to provide any evidence of this multi million dollar marketing campaign that you have claimed exists. And you have never yet come back with anything to substantiate your cliams. Where is it? Show us any evidence that it exists. Where is all the advertising? And what proof do you have that if it exists at all, it is anything more then any other City does.

[rickc007]

The most disturbing thing isn't his psychotic claims about Austin ... he is "father of 2"

I now focus my attention to praying for these kids....

[slim2none]

I have asked you repeatedly to provide any evidence of this multi million dollar marketing campaign that you have claimed exists. And you have never yet come back with anything to substantiate your cliams. Where is it? Show us any evidence that it exists. Where is all the advertising? And what proof do you have that if it exists at all, it is anything more then any other City does.

City of Austin -

According to Volume one, pg 495 of Fiscal Year 2010-2011 Approved budget, the top goal of Communications and Public Information division is to "Foster positive relationships with local and national media, and provide timely, proactive, and responsive information to media inquiries."

[hoffdano]

Originally Posted by slim2none

City of Austin -

According to Volume one, pg 495 of Fiscal Year 2010-2011 Approved budget, the top goal of Communications and Public Information division is to "Foster positive relationships with local and national media, and provide timely, proactive, and responsive information to media inquiries."

A noble mission statement, and probably about the same as any growing city of similar size.

Interestingly enough, the budget for the "external communication" portion of that department is about $437,000. The single largest line item in the communications budget is Channel 6/electronic media services, which is targeted for local audiences.

Where is the multi-million dollar spending to falsely represent Austin to those in faraway places? Is national media so gullible that they would blindly write great things about Austin without sending their own writers to our city?

[hoffdano]

Originally Posted by eepstein

Much of what you hear about Austin is because of the city media marketing campaign. Few cities pour as much tax dollars into "advertising" themselves than Austin does.

Yes, I would agree that Las Vegas is not a very good place to raise kids. As a father of 2, I have to really struggle to come up with a WORSE place to raise kids than Austin. Many Dallas or Houston suburbs offer far more to the family with kids.

Austin is a horribly overrated, congested college town and always will be. Dallas and Houston are the backbones of the state financially and from a business aspect as well. It has a horrible year round climate, almost in a constant drought, and some of the most arrogant, self centered people on the planet.

The problem with this board is that most people wear Orange (pee wee football shirts) and consider Austin to be the "utopia" the marketing campaigns makes it out to be. So they dont want to hear anything negative about their fair city despite it's shortcomings in nearly every catagory.

I can certainly admit that some people like it here which is fine. But trying to compare Austin to world class cities such as Dallas, Houston, or even Smell A (like another thread I saw) is simply nuts.

Since you seem to come and go here, how do you know what most people on this board think? I don't think anyone here considers Austin utopia. I like it here, but it certainly isn't utopia. I'd rather live in Hawaii, maybe on North Shore, and surf everyday. But I can't do that for lots of reasons. So Austin is a great place to live overall, and has been a terrific place to raise my family from birth through high school.

[eepstein]

Luckily i am in the suburbs, although heavily redneck, it is a better place to raise kids than Austin. The city of Austin is an absolute mess and I wouldn't wish ANYONE's kids within the school system there.

Originally Posted by hoffdano

Since you seem to come and go here, how do you know what most people on this board think? I don't think anyone here considers Austin utopia. I like it here, but it certainly isn't utopia. I'd rather live in Hawaii, maybe on North Shore, and surf everyday. But I can't do that for lots of reasons. So Austin is a great place to live overall, and has been a terrific place to raise my family from birth through high school.

[rickc007]

Originally Posted by eepstein

Luckily i am in the suburbs, although heavily redneck, it is a better place to raise kids than Austin. The city of Austin is an absolute mess and I wouldn't wish ANYONE's kids within the school system there.

Avery Ranch "heavily redneck" LOL

For clarification, Avery Ranch is about
80% Professional IT workers
15% other Professional careers
4.999 % service industry ...

And one VERY DISGRUNTLED Bus Driver