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Today, we are striking against censorship.

Join the largest online protest in history: tell Congress to stop this bill now!

The video above discusses the Senate version of the House’s Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA). In the Senate the bill is called the PROTECT IP Act (PIPA). SOPA has gotten more attention than PIPA because it was moving faster in the legislative process. But PIPA is just as dangerous, and now it is moving faster.

PIPA would give the government new powers to block Americans’ access websites that corporations don’t like. The bill lets corporations and the US government censor entire websites and cut sites off from advertising, payments and donations.

This legislation will stifle free speech and innovation, and even threaten popular web services like Twitter, YouTube, and Facebook (and West Campus Living of course).

The bill is scheduled for a test vote in the Senate on Jan. 24th: We need to act now to let our lawmakers know just how terrible it is.

According to the Congressional Budget Office, this bill would cost us $47 million tax dollars a year — that’s for a fix that won’t work, disrupts the internet, stifles innovation, shuts out diverse voices, and censors the internet. This bill is bad for creativity and does not protect your rights.

Will you fill out the 30 second form to ask your lawmakers to oppose the legislation and support a filibuster?

]]> http://www.westcampusliving.com/blog/news/web-goes-on-strike-university-of-texas-austin/feed 0 http://www.westcampusliving.com/blog/news/just-eat-it http://www.westcampusliving.com/blog/news/just-eat-it#comments Fri, 02 Dec 2011 20:02:39 +0000 Gus Rojo http://www.westcampusliving.com/blog/?p=328 December 2, 2011 = last class day for UT students (Fall 2011). For most of you, this means dead days and finals. Our advice? Eat breakfast. Can't cook? No problem. This guy shows you how. Continue reading →]]>

December 2, 2011 is the last class day for UT students (Fall 2011).

For most of you, this means dead days and finals. Our advice?  Eat breakfast.

Can’t cook? No problem. This guy raps you instructions.

According to Dr.WebMD, your mother was right:

Breakfast really is the most important meal of the day. Not only does it give you energy to start a new day, but breakfast is linked to many health benefits, including weight control and improved performance.

Studies show that eating a healthy breakfast (as opposed to the kind containing doughnuts) can help give you:

• A more nutritionally complete diet, higher in nutrients, vitamins and minerals.
• Improved concentration and performance in the classroom or the bathroom.
• More strength and endurance to engage in physical activity (hint hint).

Win or loose, they still booze, but it’s all for charity.

The All ‘Bout Texas Tailgaters started in 2008 with a few friends and since then they have grown to become the biggest and baddest tailgate at UT with over 500+ peeps at their home tailgates.

“We do it big, we do it loud, and we do it proud – all day.” – Steven Kalil, a 2008 alumnus and co-founder.

This Saturday the Longhorns take on Kansas St. at 7PM. If you haven’t been to a UT tailgate, you’re missing out.

Life’s short. Tailgate.

To past, present and future Veterans, we salute you.

A special salute goes out to a fallen American hero and old personal friend of mine, Army Sgt. Rudy Rodriguez, a 26-year-old from Weslaco, TX who was killed in Afghanistan Wednesday, September 14, 2011 during his fourth tour in the Middle East. He is survived by his wife, Melissa and their two children.

“His mentality was ‘I want to fight for my country.’ That’s what he went in to do, and he went out doing it.” – A.J. Vasquez, Rodriguez’s cousin.

Rudy, what you have done exceeds the service any American can render to our nation. You will be missed my friend.

The Veterans Day National Ceremony is held each year on November 11th at Arlington National Cemetery . The ceremony commences precisely at 11:00 a.m. with a wreath laying at the Tomb of the Unknowns and continues inside the Memorial Amphitheater with a parade of colors by veterans’ organizations and remarks from dignitaries. The ceremony is intended to honor and thank all who served in the United States Armed Forces.

On the bright side, the premiere episode of Game Changers (2:30pm), featuring the ever so popular UT Professor John Daly, will be speaking about the power of advocacy and selling ideas. Perhaps Daly can convince ESPN that broadcasting The Longhorn Network to their Texas fan base is a good idea.

Free online coverage begins at 9 a.m. on Friday, November 11, and ends Sunday, November 13, at midnight.

In case you’ve been living under a rock, The Longhorn Network failed to launch. Full story here.

Austin police say it was a crime scene at least four times over the weekend, between Friday and Monday.

They say that four people were robbed at gunpoint, and that each of them had their iPhone stolen.

In three of the cases, victims said they thought were meeting a buyer who had seen their ad on Craigslist.

In the fourth case, a person was responding to an iPhone wanted ad, which was believed to be put out by the person who later robbed them.

Police say no one was hurt. They are still not sure why the corner was picked.

“He might have scoped the area and found out there are no cameras,” said Lt. Michael Eveleth, with the Austin Police Department. “He is comfortable with that area.”

Lt. Eveleth said that APD is working with Craigslist to try to find the criminal. Victims describe him as black, 22 to 26 years of age, and about six feet tall.

He apparently wore distinctive green shoes and a gray hooded sweatshirt.

Police say the armed robberies happened as early as 5 a.m. and as late as midnight.

They would like to hear from anyone who may have more information on the crime. If you have information, you are asked to call their tip line at 512-974-5092. You can also call Crime Stoppers at 512-472-TIPS.

Click here for the article.

The West Campus Living team wanted to take the time and wish everyone a happy and safe Memorial Day!

As we spend time with family and friends, let’s not forget the thousands of brave service men and women who sacrificed their lives to help fight for our freedom.  They put their lives on the line, sacrificed time from their families, missed their children growing up, and sacrificed their own lives so we can have freedom in this great country. A special shout out to our own West Campus Living team member, Dave Thompson, who proudly served his country.

Those who have sacrificed their lives for our country are the reason why we have the freedom to spend this weekend with family and friends.

To all those brave service men and women who have lost their lives fighting for our freedom ….. THANK YOU!

P.S. Great tribute to our fallen soldiers…

Welcome to our new and improved website! Our goal since day one has been to provide our clients with the most information about properties for rent (and sale) around The University of Texas at Austin, period.

Some of the cool NEW features on westcampusliving.com include:

* Celebrity endorsement - The man himself explains how our FREE service works. Check it out on YouTube: How West Campus Living Works
* Online Chat – we know you sometimes prefer to chat, not talk, so we’re online day and night. Yes, this is a real person (not a robot) that connects you with our Realtors.

* Search – ability to search by property name (by typing it in) and search by criteria in West Campus, North Campus, and Downtown Austin. This gives you pricing, floor plans, pictures and a list of features and amenities.
* Resources – simple and helpful information about how our service works and listing your property for lease.
* Blog – last but not least, our blog. Every question, concern, and answer about renting, buying, selling will be available. If it’s not, call us and we’ll make it happen.

Also, since opening our doors in 2008 we’ve done some pretty cool stuff:

1. Moved from a one-bedroom apartment to our new office on 504 W 24th St (one block from UT campus).

2. Hired over 40 Realtors that specialize in the UT campus area (started with 4 Realtors in 2008).

3. Voted the Most Innovate Startup awarded by Startup Nation in 2008.

4. Voted the number one real estate company 4 times in a row by UT students in the Daily Texan.

5. Oh yea, we’ve also help thousands (yes, thousands) of UT students find a place to live and parents buy investment properties.

At the end of the day, nothing of this would of been possible without our Realtors, our Management staff, Board of Advisors, and most importantly you, our customer!

So if you’re just starting your apartment, condo, or house search, or you’re looking to move-out and find something new to lease or purchase, don’t be shy and give us a call, we’re here to help.

Cheers,
Gus Rojo

About West Campus Living

West Campus Living specializes in leasing and selling UT apartments, UT condos, and UT homes around The University of Texas at Austin. Started by UT Alumni in 2008, West Campus Living has become the leading expert in off-campus housing for UT Austin students, investors, and has been voted the #1 realty company 4 years in a row.

Overview

It’s been called the live music capitol of the world, the greatest city in Texas, the 3rd most recession proof city in America, and the “Best Place to Live” in America, but no matter what you call it, Austin is an entity all it’s own. Austin is cosmopolitan, yet unpretentious; vibrant, but relaxed; high-tech, but low key; big city, but college town; comfortable, but refined. This quirky city hasn’t lost touch with it’s small-town roots, and there’s a certain casual quality that attracts more and more people to Austin each year.

Austin is the capital of Texas and the seat of Travis County. The fourth largest city in Texas and the 16th in the United States, Austin’s population has now grown to exceed 1.5 million and shows no signs of stopping. Rapid growth, thousands of new jobs, and an incredible new push for downtown development make Austin the city in which to invest in the United States.

Neighborhood Overview

But it isn’t just the property values that make Austin such a great pick – it’s the people. University professors, blue collar workers, musicians, students, government employees, high-tech workers, politicians, and artists are just a few of the groups represented in Austin’s diverse population. The most populous central areas are marked by an incredible diversity of people and activities, as Austinites of every persuasion work, shop, and play in the city they love. The unofficial slogan “Keep Austin Weird” speaks volumes about the eclectic and progressive people and unique local businesses that make Austin such an exciting place to live.

Austin is home to the University of Texas at Austin, the fifth largest university in the country. A student population of over 55,000 makes for a bustling central city, with real-estate development struggling to keep pace with the influx of new students, faculty, and staff as the university continues to grow. The student-oriented North and West Campus areas blend in seamlessly with the surrounding residential neighborhoods such as Hyde Park and Old Enfield.

Though the tech-industry took a serious hit in the late 1990s, Austin’s high-tech class has bounced back, and the thriving tech industry and large population of high-tech workers has earned the city the nickname “Silicon Hills.” With much lower housing costs than Silicon Valley, Austin attracts tech business of all types. Some of the major players include Dell, IBM, Freescale Semiconductor, 3M, Motorola, eBay/Paypal, Intel, National Instruments, Samsung, and Apple, Inc. These companies, and the thousands of workers employed by them, have served as the primary impetus for rapid growth North, South, and East of Central Austin. But large corporations aren’t the only businesses thriving in Austin – Austinites, and the Austin Independent Business Alliance, are committed to making sure that local businesses have a chance to make it along side national companies. Restaurants, boutiques, advertising firms, tech-startups, and art galleries dot the Austin landscape, supported by loyal locals determined to hang on to their favorites. Many of these businesses have gathered incredible momentum, growing in size with the support of their local fan-base. From successful local chains such as Taco Shack or Chuy’s to national corporations with Austin roots such as Whole Foods, Austin is a breeding ground for creative entrepreneurs.

Though the official slogan for Austin is “The Live Music capital of the World,” music is just one element of Austin’s vibrant arts scene. Austin has more music venues per capita than any other city in the US, with the heaviest concentrations around the Downtown area. In particular, the world famous Sixth Street District is bursting with activity almost every night of the week, and on your average weekend, there are literally hundreds of shows going on simultaneously throughout Austin. During festivals such as the South by Southwest Music Festival or the Austin City Limits Music Festival, the town literally explodes, with restaurants, coffee shops, and outdoor spaces serving as temporary venues to accommodate the huge influx of artists from around the world. Other art interests include an exciting theater and dance scene and a huge community of artists, galleries, and studios. Some famous theaters include the Zachary Scott Theater, Salvage Vanguard Theater, Hyde Park Theater, and Esther’s Follies, which hosts a hilarious live-action comedy show year-round. There’s also the Paramount Theater, which has been around since 1915 and hosts film screenings, movie premiers, classic films, live music, and more. Ballet Austin is one of the largest ballet academies in the country, and Austin Lyric Opera hosts incredible performances year-round as well.

Austin may be the largest city in the United States without an NFL, NBA, MLB, or NHL team, but that doesn’t mean Austinites aren’t serious about sports, particularly UT Longhorn football. The University of Texas football, basketball, swimming, track, volleyball, and basketball teams have all had numerous national titles, and in 2005 and 2006 coach Mack Brown lead the football team to the national championship. There’s also the Austin Ice Bats, a popular local hockey team, and the Round Rock Express, the always-popular minor league baseball team whose home turf is the beautiful Dell Diamond in Round Rock.

Sports and the outdoors are extremely popular in Austin, including cycling, rock-climbing, swimming, and running. Austin hosts countless high-profile bike and foot races, including the Captiol 10,000, the largest 10K race in Texas and one of the largest in the United States. Health and environmental concerns drive the enormous community of cyclists and runners that flock each day to Austin’s beautiful outdoor spaces, such as the hike-and-bike trail near Town Lake or the oldest man-made pool in Texas, Deep Eddy.

Austin has countless tourist attractions including famous museums, the Texas State Capitol, and more, but perhaps the most unusual is the largest urban bat population in the world, which resides underneath the Ann W. Richards Congress Avenue Bridge. The population of 1.5 million Mexican free-tailed bats comes out every evening around sunset, greeted by over 100,000 locals and tourists every year.

Some famous Austinites include athletes Lance Armstrong and Andy Roddick actors Matthew McConaughey, Sandra Bullock, Owen Wilson, Dennis Quaid, and Kevin Costner; filmmakers Richard Linklater, Robert Rodriguez, and Wes Anderson; musicians Marcia Ball, Eric Johnson, Janis Joplin, Stevie Ray Vaughan and Willie Nelson; business mogul Michael Dell, and President George W. Bush.

Why live here?

There’s no better place in Texas, and few better in the United States, to live – period. Austin TX is home to a diverse and passionate population who value the integrity of their city and will go to great lengths to preserve the architecture, history, culture, and neighborhoods that have made Austin what it is today. With all the opportunities of a large urban environment combined with the close-knit community, environmental awareness, and progressive spirit of a small Texas town, Austin is a great place to go to school, raise a family, or just hang out.

Quick Facts

Median Household Income

$47,442

Median Home Value

$312,500

Median Gross Rent

$740

Median Home Year Built

1981

Appreciation (2007)

3.78%

Median Home Age

24

Job Growth Rate

2.70%

Population Growth since 2000

8.12%

Median Household Size

2.87

Single Population

53.67%