h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Well, not many. When I told my friends in the UK that I was moving to Austin, a surprisingly large number of them said that they'd been there and that it's a really cool place. "Ring-fenced against rednecks" was one of the comments, and I have to say that as far as I can tell, that must be true. Austin calls itself 'The Live Music Capital of the World'. They might be blowing their own trumpet just a bit too hard there, but for for a town this size, there is an awful lot of good music to see. When I got here and began exploring the place, my initial impression was that it's a bit like LA, but without the beach, the traffic, and the drive-by-shootings. It's a little area of liberalism (a dirty word in America, I believe) in a state of conservatives. How ironic that it should be the state capital, and home to George W.

You must not hve traveled much in texas, at least not n the north. You can't go very far outside the cities in nort texas without running into a redneck, even sometimes encountering them inside the cities.
Austin Rocks

I hadn't, when I wrote that - I'd only been in Texas a year I still haven't travelled that much, and it's mostly been to the south of Austin - San Antonio (many many many times) and Corpus (once).

Well then, you certainly need to hit the Dall/Fort Worth region before you move out of the state!

The redneck population is still thriving and is a wonderful sight to behold year-round, though the best time for redneck-watchers (and hunters) is during the summer, when their natural habitats are in the most disrepair and the lawn chairs are out in force.

Also, you might try actually confronting a redneck (an activity growing in popularity and soon to be added to the X-Games), and asking them about the strange native concoction known as, "sweetee".

being born in san angelo (west texas) and living in the state until the age of five, moving to georgia (metro-atlanta area) (kennesaw if anyone knows of the place) and living there until the age of fourteen, then moving back to texas (victoria, gulf coast) where i (sadly) currently preside (it has been nearly five years now) i can with quite a deal of insight and confidance tell you that sweet tea or "sweetee" is not of gastronomical improtance in texas. it is more central in the lives of those natiave to the south eastern US esp the states of south carolina and georgia. sugar is quite important in that region. where as lard and other central american influences find a second home in texas. (maybe not in north texas, but thats kind of oklahoma annyway).
so please, pay more attn. to your travels and less to television.
thanks.
jmh

True, Texas does have it's fair share of Rednecks (part of my family being among them...) but it's not quite as prevalent as you'd think. There will always be those people with huge, mud-splattered trucks blaring country music for all to hear, but most people, especially in the cities, aren't like that. By the way, yes, I love "sweetee" and any restaurant in Texas that doesn't serve it should be closed down!
I think you should have mentioned some of the other famous people from Texas, besides Lyndon B. Johnson. For instance, Dan Rather, George Strait, and Don Henly(who is definitely NOT a redneck!), or even the infamous Leslie of Austin, who is worth an entire entry himself!
The Branch Davidians and the Kennedy conspiracy hardly show the best side of the state!
Keep Austin Weird!

If you want to talk about famous Texans, you need to mention Stevie Ray Vaughan.

And Chuck Norris.

When Chuck Norris jumps in water, he doesn't get wet. The water gets Chuck Norris.