[ConservativeMind]

Austin has become quite the ugly city. We spent the night there a year ago and were shocked at all the stores, restaurants, and even our hotel having bars on windows, signs saying “leave belongings in your vehicle at your own risk,” “gate requires parking pass,” etc. Even the McDonalds’s drive-in had extra security.

There are large expanses of out-of-commission overpasses that are partly dismembered, from an older highway. You have to drive under them and you wonder if falling concrete will hit you.

Some streets are similarly broken up and unavailable for travel.

I am not sure how businesses were making it when you have to hire armed guards.

[old curmudgeon]

The bottom line question is:

If Texas can’t handle criminals, what will happen to the rest of the nation mostly governed by wimps?

[bgill]

It’s not just the outside but inside office buildings, too. We were there on business about 5 years ago and the city was oozing commie vibes. We had to either be escorted to offices or call ahead to arrange for some sort of entrance code and then had to guess where to go because there were no lobby directories or names on doors. When we found the right doors they were locked so we again had to call or knock to be let in. Even then everyone would peek out the door and act scared to let us in.

That experience was everywhere we went. You can’t pay me enough to ever go back.