One of the most popular tourist destinations in Central Texas is Hill Country, a scenic region with amazing natural attractions, quaint country towns and lovely hills and valleys. Austin is the gateway to this fantastic recreational area steeped in history and Southern charm. The Texas Hill Country welcomes more than 5 million tourists each year, and the clear rivers, towering forests and abundant wildflowers are just a few of the reasons they return again and again. From water sports and outdoor activities to shopping and golfing, Texas Hill Country provides a wealth of activities for all ages and interests.

The Texas Hill Country, just minutes from Austin, is full of natural attractions that provide the outdoor enthusiast with many chances to admire the scenery and recreate in Mother Nature’s playground. One of the top attractions is Enchanted Rock, a large natural rock formation more than 400 feet tall. Also top of the list is the Longhorn Caverns, where tours recall the days when outlaws, Native Americans and soldiers used them as shelter. Cool off at Barton Spring Swimming Hole and check out the wildlife at the Natural Bridge Wildlife Ranch.

Quaint Southern Texas towns provide a glimpse into the rural heritage of the Texas Hill Country. Villages such as Wimberley, San Marcos, Buda, Burnet and Johnson City are all nestled in the rolling hills and provide tourists with shops brimming with handicrafts and antiques and fine dining in restaurants overlooking the natural beauty of the region. Enjoy Texas history at several museums that instruct and educate visitors on everything from early Native American life to cowboys and ranchers. Visit the towns of Bandera, Dripping Springs and Taylor for true historical attractions.

When folks are looking to get out of Austin for a few hours, they head to Hill Country and participate in just a few of the many things to do in the area. There are lakes and rivers that are perfect for swimming, fishing, sailing, boating or tubing. Staying in a bed and breakfast is a wonderful way to get away for a day or a weekend. Check out historically important architecture in any of the Main Streets in the smaller cities in Hill Country, or hike, bike and camp in any of the national and state parks in the area. Visitors to the area can even take wine tours, guided ranch tours and art gallery tours if that is the kind of recreation they enjoy.

While Hill Country is located in the center of Texas, it’s easy to see why the area is considered the heart of this great state. The lush abundance of natural resources and Southern hospitality creates a unique combination of relaxation and rejuvenation. Using Austin as a base to explore this amazing region is a wonderful idea for those seeking to maximize their time in Texas Hill Country.

Author Bio:
Eric Bramlett is the broker & co-owner of One Source Realty in Austin, Texas. Eric currently manages his Lake Travis Real Estate website, his Austin real estate company's website, & his Austin real estate blog.

The presidential primary March 4th in Texas may decide which Democrat faces the likely Republican Party nominee, Senator John McCain of Arizona. Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama, the final two Democrats left, face off in a tough, high-profile showdown in the Lone Star State.

The Democratic candidates are almost in a dead heat in the state, according to a Houston Chronicle poll. Texas voters in the Democratic Party primary are diverse, with just more than half either Hispanic or African-American. The 228 delegates will be split according to vote totals in the 31 state senate districts, with precinct conventions and a state caucus deciding the rest. Also, voter participation in the 2004 and 2006 elections for each district decides how delegates each senate district receives. For example, a heavily Hispanic district in south Texas with low voter turnout in the last two statewide elections could receive 7 delegates, while a high-turnout district in Houston gets 10 delegates, according to Chronicle. This complicated system of choosing delegates has some Democrats unhappy and calling for a change.

The estimated cost to campaign in Texas’ diverse markets is an expensive million dollars a week, and Senator Obama has been raising that much per day, collecting $32 million in January, while Senator Clinton just loaned her campaign $5 million, and some of her senior aides are working without salaries this month. After raising $13.5 million in January, Clinton announced Feb. 7th that her campaign raised $7.5 million in just one week; Obama’s campaign then went out and raised that much in 36 hours. That’s why Mrs. Clinton wants to debate Senator Obama once a week on television, since such publicity is free. So far, Mr. Obama has agreed to only one debate, and that’s in Cleveland, Ohio, February 26th on NBC. There’s also talk about one Texas debate.

Former White House Senior Advisor Karl Rove proclaimed on Fox News Feb. 7th that the Democratic nominee will come out of the Texas Primary, and that may be the case.
If Senator Obama momentum continues and he wins the most of the contests  Feb. 19th, as polling suggests, he will come into Texas ahead of Mrs. Clinton. Already in big trouble, if Hillary then loses Texas,  she would come into the Democratic Convention an underdog, if not outright loser.  If Obama loses in Texas, Hillary may still win the nomination. With Ohio also voting March 4th, Texas may decide which Democrat faces Mr. McCain November 4th.

 Eric Bramlett is the broker & co-owner of One Source Realty in Austin, Texas. Eric currently manages his Austin Real Estate website, his Austin condos website, & his Austin welder website.

The business world is rumbling over Dell’s recent purchase of MessageOne.  The reason?  MessageOne just happens to be owned by Michael Dell’s little brother, Adam.  In addition, through a whole mess of investment funds, Dell’s parents and Adam’s wife and children are also part owners of MessageOne. 

Knowing the ownership of MessageOne makes it a little easier to understand why some people in the business world are scratching their heads about the $155,000,000 buyout.  Was this really a smart business move on behalf of Dell, or was it simply a scheme to keep all the money in the family?

On the surface, it seems that the transaction was all on the up and up.  Adam Dell wasn’t involved in the acquisition and he only stands to make close to $1 million on the buyout.  Dell’s parents will be making around half a million dollars, and the $12 million that is going to the personal family trust is being donated to charity.  Nonetheless, in a day and age when business executives seem to be routinely bending and twisting laws and regulations to suit their needs, it is understandable why so many are wondering if this transaction was really as innocent as it seems.

Perhaps the biggest question mark associated with the transaction is the fact that the purchase doesn’t really seem like a necessary one.  Most business analysts are having a difficult time understanding how MessageOne, which is a provider of email management services, really fits into the Dell business scheme. 

Still, MessageOne does report that it made somewhere around $40 million last year and Dell certainly has the marketing power to take the service to a whole new level.  And, let’s not forget that it is not unusual for successful companies in the technology field to branch off into other areas.  After all, Google recently coughed up $600 million to purchase Postini, which provides email filtering services.

Whether or not it was truly a clean deal will remain to be seem.  As the CEO of corporate ethics consulting firm Corpedia, Alex Brigham, put it “You would think [Dell’s] parents might have [also donated the proceeds to charity].  And Adam, too.  Then the deal would have been much cleaner and smelled much better.”

Author Bio: 

 Eric Bramlett is the broker & co-owner of One Source Realty in Austin, Texas. Eric currently manages his Austin Real Estate website, his Austin Texas real estate company's website, & his Austin Lofts website.