Cogito Ergo Sum: Texas' Independence Day

On the eve of Texas' independence day, I thought of memorializing some interesting facts about Texas.

On this day, 171 years ago (in 1836), Texas declared its independence from Mexico, and existed as the independent Republic of Texas for nearly a decade. In 1845, it joined the United States as the 28th state. Austin is the Capital of Texas. Texas is popularly known as the "Lone Star State"

The state's name derives from a word in the Caddoan language of the Hasinai meaning "those who are friends," "friends," or "allies." With an area of 268,581 square miles (695,622 km²) and a population of 23.5 million in 254 counties, the state is second-largest in both area and population—behind Alaska and California, respectively. Texas is larger than France.

Texas boasts that "Six Flags" have flown over its soil: the Fleur-de-lis of France, the national flags of Spain, Mexico, the Republic of Texas, the Confederate States of America, and the United States of America.

Texas is one of the top film making states in the United States, just after California and New York. Austin, Texas is now one of the leading film making locations in the country. Between 1195 and 2004, more than $2.75 billion has been spent in Texas for film and television production. If Texas were a nation, its economy would rank as the eighth largest in the world, according to the Comptroller's Fall 2004 Texas Economic Update. Dr Pepper was invented in Waco, Texas in 1885. There is no period after the Dr in Dr Pepper.

As of 2004, the state has 3.5 million foreign-born residents (15.6% of the state population), of which an estimated 1.2 million are illegal immigrants (illegal immigrants account for more than one-third of the foreign-born population in Texas and 5.4 percent of the total state population).

Texas has a vibrant live music scene in Austin boasting more music venues per capita than any other U.S. city, befitting the city's official slogan as The Live Music Capital of the World. Austin's music revolves around the many nightclubs on 6th Street and an annual film, music, and multimedia festival known as South by Southwest. The longest-running concert music program on American television, Austin City Limits, is videotaped on The University of Texas at Austin campus or Zilker Park. Austin City Limits and Waterloo Records run the Austin City Limits Music Festival, an annual music and art festival held at Zilker Park in Austin.
Texas is home to many of the tallest skyscrapers in the United States. The Houston skyline has been ranked fourth-most impressive in the United States when ranked primarily by height, being the country's third-tallest skyline (after Chicago and New York City) and one of the top 10 in the world; however, because it is spread over a few miles, most pictures of the city show only the main downtown area. Houston has a system of tunnels and skywalks linking buildings in downtown. The tunnel system also includes shops, restaurants, and convenience stores.