Pry off a few Texas stars and our convention center could be in Tallahassee or Toronto. Our airport could be anywhere in the world except for a few Texasy accoutrements tacked on to the structure and some local restaurants plopped inside. Ditto for our downtown, restaurants, shopping malls, and freeways clogged with traffic. But our endless and mostly tacky suburbs full of residents afraid of the evils of central Austin and city schools could be Anywhere, USA. Yes, we have Barton Springs, Town Lake, the bats, Hippie Hollow, the Sixth Street pseudo-Bourbon Street mess, overpriced musical events, the Capitol building, and the University of Texas. Unfortunately, no longer is Austin really that unique. In its place is a fast-paced city where money and meanness too often rule. The old Austin spirit is gone forever and one must mourn it and move on. Regarding your depressing 'Lost Austin' issue, it is all too easy to see what is 'lost' about Austin.
