What Makes Austin?

"A new report on the 100 biggest economic centers in the country illustrates the factors that drive economic growth in Austin and make the city stand out as a center of innovation and intellectual capital. The report, by the Brookings Institution, focused on America's cities as engines of prosperity for the country. The 100 largest metro areas have 65 percent of the population, generate 75 percent of the nation's gross domestic product and account for 76 percent of its high-tech and other knowledge-economy jobs. Austin-area gross domestic product was $65.8 billion, a half-percent of the U.S. total and 6.7 percent of the Texas total. The local gross domestic product per job was $89,826, slightly above the U.S. average, slightly below the Texas average. As far as innovation is concerned, 110.8 patents were granted per 100,000 people, more than four times the U.S. average. Per-capita funding from the National Science Foundation and National Institutes of Health was $191, slightly above the U.S. average. Venture investing per capita was $409, 4.6 times the U.S. average. There were 4.9 research and development workers per capita in Austin, 119.5 percent of the U.S. average. In Austin, 39.1 percent of adults have bachelor's degrees, almost 1.5 times the U.S. average. Coming in at 130 percent of the U.S. average, were adults with graduate degrees, which account for 13 percent of Austin's population. Newcomers with bachelor's degrees totaled 41.7 percent, which was 110.6 percent of the U.S. average. Average annual wage in Austin was $43,083, 107.3 percent of the U.S. average. In Austin, there were 732,676 total metro-area jobs. Austin ranked 39th among the 100 cities studies in number of total metro-area jobs. The employment rate in Austin was 73.2 percent, 104.5 percent of the U.S. average. Finally, there were 2.5 airplane boardings per capita, right at the U.S. average. The report detailed proposals to promote metropolitan growth on a national scale. For the full report, go to www.brookings.edu/events/2007/1106blueprint.aspx. Most data is from 2005 Source: Brookings Institution Metropolitan Policy Program."
[from the Austin American-Statesman]

Mapping

I really love listening to This American Life on Sundays. For a special treat I go to the local coffee shop and grab a chai and a Sunday New York Times. Today I'm catching up on the radio show, and am loving the October 19th episode about mapping; what maps are made up of, what information is allowed, and what is left out. Maps are quite focused, and give the viewer only select items to see. Or in the case of one of the radio pieces, even hear. Anyways, its a good show to check out and listen to while doing something else.

Plastic, plastic everywhere, and not a drop to drink

This is gross. One of the things we have brought home from living in Munich is their wonderful use of canvas bags for everything - from groceries to clothes to whatever. So much so that the last time Kyle went, he brought back 4 more. They're reusable and washable, if you do happen to bust open something by accident.

Wurstfest '07

and the end to a great festival

Rice virtuoso

Check this out. The piano virtuoso the catalog mentions is apparently a Rice '05 grad - pretty amazing, huh?