OK, What's the Scoop on Bats Flying around Downtown?

[parkk]

Originally Posted by tdrew

You guys are too funny!

I found this forum by accident while goggling for some weather information this summer. I look at this forum almost everyday only to see what stupid things people post about, I only look at Austin.
I guess I'm out in left field or something, but the things that people worry or have concerns about on this forum are ridiculous. I was born and raised in Lockhart but I avoid Austin, it has turned into one of the biggest nanny city's in the U.S.
I live in Travis county and have jury duty this month and of course will have to go to down town Austin, this will be living hell for me. The hearing probably has something to do with a someone smoking in a non-smoking area or taking someone's photo without his or her permission.
Anyway, happy new year and congratulations on keeping Austin weird, everyone has done a great job!

[love roses]

Did you fall out of the wrong side of the bed this morning? I've lived in other Cities and towns in Texas and in Denver. Those kinds of things happen there as well. Sometimes I don't understand what all of the to-do is about either such as with the red light cameras, dwi checkpoints, toll roads (well, somewhat anyway). These are all things that are in other cities and Austin is the first place I've ever heard so much comment against any of those. In Colorado, you just learned where they liked to have the checkpoints and then learn the backways around them so you don't have to sit through them. Don't run a red light then you don't get your picture taken for a ticket, and don't like toll roads don't drive them...save them for those of us who do like them and their light traffic. That's my 2 cents, but I don't fault others for having different opinions since that is mostly what reactions to these things are anyway.

[Jennibc]

Originally Posted by parkk

I was born and raised in Lockhart but I avoid Austin, it has turned into one of the biggest nanny city's in the U.S.

You're not even close. Chicago, Seattle and NYC tip the scales in terms of worst record. You really have no idea how good you got it.
reason magazine wrote the following last July:
"To find the best and worst cities for exercising personal freedom, reason ranked the 35 most populous municipalities in the United States in eight areas: alcohol, tobacco, sex, guns, gambling, drugs, freedom of movement, and a catch-all category of food and “other.” Within each category, we looked at criteria ranging from helmet laws to restrictions on alcohol sales to how aggressively police target recreational activities such as drug use, prostitution, and gambling." What's the Matter With Chicago?: and Seattle and New York and Boston...? - Reason Magazine

Austin was actually the 13th BEST place for personal freedom out of the 35 largest metropolitan areas. The only large city in TX that was better was San Antonio.

[TexasHorseLady]

However, as the population changes, Austin HAS been trying to emulate the more "nannified" of the cities/states. For reasons that defy understanding - why on EARTH would we want to go there?

I suspect the only thing that's saved it is being in Texas.

I agree that New York and Chicago have totally embarrassed themselves with their regulations regarding the kind of oil that can be used in cooking, among other things. One does wonder what country they think they're in.

[momojojo]

Originally Posted by love roses

The bats are a big attraction around here. There's even a batfest. The bats are all around Texas, you can't escape them, but they aren't big scary ones, like vampire bats or anything. They don't usually fly into homes and are amazing exterminators in and of themselves. Mosquitos are a big problem down here and bats eat them.

I knew I was made for Texas.