Ummm....as someone who has spent years in the NW and years in Texas - I just want to not let this nasty rumor spread that Austin has great public transport. ESPECIALLY when compared to that of Portland. Not to knock the city, I love it there, I really do - I'm currently living in a small town in Texas and try to escape to Austin quite frequently. However, I could never imagine the words "great public transport" falling from the lips of anyone I know who has spent semi/substantial amounts of time in the city. Bus lines cover only a portion of the city, they are far far far from on time, and when they are on time a good deal of stops are serviced only once an hour.
Portland, on the other hand, I feel, has been a shining example of good public transport. It might not be perfected, but in my travels across the country, they do seem to have set rather enviable standard in that regard.

this is one the best-executed exposes on SxSW that I've seen th is year...I've never been, but somehow this is exactly how I imagined it.