Photo of Divali celebration courtesy of Kokeshi President Bush visits wounded soldiers at Brooke Army Medical Center, demonstrates how to "shoot the bad guys" in Iraq--on a computer game, that is A 160-pound chimp attempts a daring escape from the M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, prompting a sweep of the entire 381-acre campus. He was later found; authorities were careful to point out that "Jake" wasn't carrying any diseases, and was merely there for "behavioral science"... more ›

Fun Fun Fun Fest 2007 Recap from Super!Alright! on Vimeo. Editor's Note: The kind folks at Super!Alright! helped us put together this video recap of last weekend's Fun Fun Fun Fest. Also viewable here, in HD.... more ›

"Tales Of Mere Existence" By Levni R. Yilmaz Esq more ›

Poster image from Wikipedia Starship TroopersFriday, November 9th / Saturday, November 10thAlamo Drafthouse Lake Creek (17329 Research Blvd)Midnight, $8.25[info] | [tickets]It takes a certain type of movie to make it to midnight-movie cult status, and on first glance the big-budget gloss of Starship Troopers would seem to preclude such distinction. When was the last time Con Air or Timecop played to a packed house of screaming fans in the middle of the night? But hang... more ›

If you can't view the Flash slideshow above, an alternate version appears after the jump.... more ›

Photo of Diplo courtesy Annie RayFun Fun Fun Fest lived up to its name in spades last weekend, showcasing local and not-so local bands of all genres on three stages in two short days. Day two was a waiting game of sorts for a lot of festival-goers, and judging by the crowd at Mohawk the night before, many people had only had a taste of Murder City Devils, and were craving more. Stage three was... more ›

Photo from the Casserole Queens WebsiteCasserole Queens (Home-delivery Comfort Food) Phone: (512) 905-6967 or (512) 905-6986 [Website] Casserole Queens, the brainchild of chef Sandy Pollock and business partner Crystal Oakes, is a casserole delivery outfit servicing south, central, and north Austin with hearty throw-back fare. Great for busy working families or anyone looking for a little bit of oven-y comfort food, the Casserole Queens fill a food delivery niche with a kicky, campy retro feel.... more ›

Image from Citysearch The Peacock Lounge (Vintage Cocktails) Location: 515 Pedernales [map] Phone: (512) 276-8979 Cost: Specialty Sips ($6-$8) Atmosphere: Don’t be fooled by its somewhat dingy exterior. From the outside, the Peacock Lounge is an innocuous East-side building, but the interior is a funky-glam surprise. Retro white leather club chairs, stately teal walls and Cinderella chandeliers make the Peacock a perfect place to sip and be scene. As in scenester.... more ›

Poster by City On Fire Stitch AfterpartySaturday, November 10thThe Mohawk (912 Red River)10 pm, $5[info] If you attend The Stitch Fashion Show and Guerrilla Craft Bazaar at the Austin Convention Center you're gonna leave with a bellyful of terrific Austin homemade couture. You're also gonna be sad that it's over. To extend the experience, sometime tomorrow around 10pm you should find your way over to the Mohawk for the afterparty. DJ Abominatron (Indirect/Blue Noise) and... more ›

Ed Note: Austinist and Prototype Vintage hosted the media tent at this year's Fun Fun Fun Fest. Throughout the weekend, we invited festival artists and audience members alike to come and have their portraits taken—what you see above is the result of two days' worth of impromptu photo shoots, featuring everyone from Of Montreal and Final Fantasy to the good people of APD and the friendly backstage security guard, Dylan. Photos courtesy of Austinist... more ›

Photo by Fort Cloudy on flickr StitchSaturday, November 10Austin Convention Center (500 E Cesar Chavez Street)Doors at 4pm, Fashion show 9:30pm, Tickets $10[info] | [tickets]We figured we'd end our Stitch Preview series by interviewing Matthew Stinchcomb, who does PR for Etsy. We learned that the online store is kind of a big deal in the DIY world. Several Stitch vendors sell their homemade wares on the site so it'll be a treat to meet the... more ›

Photo from City of Austin Tree Planting CeremonySaturday, November 10Zilker Park Rock Gardens (2100 Barton Springs Road)(9am, Volunteers Welcome)[info]In observance of Veterans Day, the City of Austin's Parks and Recreation Department is getting together tomorrow morning to plant 57 trees at the Zilker Park Rock Gardens: A special ceremony will honor the dedication and sacrifice of men and women who have fought to preserve our nation's liberty. Following the ceremony, volunteers organized by Tree Folks... more ›

Photos courtesy of Austinist contributors Steve Hopson, Eric Uhlir, Zach Ground, Keith Gaddis, Briana Purser, Erin Hanson, Patrick Dentler, Davis Ayer, Nash Cook, and Chad Wadsworth. If you can't view the Flash slideshow above, an alternate version appears after the jump.... more ›

Silicon Wafer by kjetilv on stock.xchng Austin-based chip company Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) has once again found itself in hot water, and this time it's over something far more visible than damaging the Edwards Aquifer. According to a lawsuit filed with the Travis County District Court on Wednesday, the company is responsible for multiple birth defects in at least one child of a former AMD employee who worked in the manufacturing "clean room." Austin resident... more ›

unattributed press photoSo there’s this band. They’re called Battles, and they’re getting pretty damn big pretty damn fast. The reason for this burgeoning bigness is at least three-fold: their critically-adored debut album Mirrored, the YouTube sensation known as the “Atlas” video (watch it after the jump), and, not least of all, their ferociously energetic live show. While there's no doubting that their music can be a bit challenging, and isn’t for the faint of heart,... more ›

Roky Erickson of the 13th Floor Elevators. If you missed your chance at tickets to his ACL taping, you can catch him, along with bassist Benny Thurman, drummer John Ike Walton, and producer Walt Andrus at BookPeople this Saturday. Image from Southern Records Paul Drummond and Roky Erickson present Eye MindSaturday, November 10th BookPeople (603 N. Lamar)Free, at 7pm[info] There are plenty of routes to fame in the world of music, and talent certainly plays... more ›

Image from Dischord Records’ website The EvensSunday, November 11The Compound (1300 E 4th St)$5, 7:30 p.m.[info]A legend will grace east side venue The Compound for a very special early show this Sunday night. Ian MacKaye (of Minor Threat and Fugazi fame) teamed up with Amy Farina (The Warmers) to form The Evens in 2001. Their self-titled debut record was released in 2005 on MacKaye’s Dischord Records and Get Evens dropped the year after. The Evens’... more ›

Image from Myspace Matthew Zapruder and Jeff TietzFriday, November 9Follett's Intellectual Property (2402 Guadalupe)Free, 5:30pm[info]Matthew Zapruder’s new collection of poetry is called The Pajamaist. We’re still not sure if this one of those cosmic coincidences, or if Zapruder meant to sing the lyrical praises of all things “IST.” In any case, the collection is excellent, as is his previous work, and we will be out in our most stylish PJs to watch him read at... more ›

Photo by Ken Mau on flickr#15 Texas (8-2) vs. Texas Tech (7-3) Time: 2:30 pm, Saturday, Nov. 10 Location: Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium TV: ABC Radio: KVET (98.1 FM, 1300 AM) Critics complained early in the season that the Texas Longhorns had no "identity". Were they a passing team that threw it all over the field? A run-first team that ground you into the dirt? A blitzing, hard-hitting defense? Over the last two games,... more ›

Image from Ringo Deathstarr’s MySpace It’s no secret that Austin is home to one of the most prolific artistic scenes in the country, Live Music Capital of the World or not. Any weekend in the city promises a number of day time occurences and a plethora of evening events. A quick browse through this weekend’s notifications leads one to fun activities for the kids at The Flying Theater Machine’s Wang Dang Doodle Hour or a... more ›

• I-35 frontage road shut down in south Austin due to accident.
• Judge rules in city's favor in Wal-Mart dispute.
• Ben S. Bernanke predicts the U.S. economy to grow more slowly in the coming months.

Photo by debaird on flickr Austin City Council met today; they passed the LCRA water deal and unanimously approved the red-light camera contract. Councilmember Leffingwell wants to lighten the SOS ordinance to allow for redevelopment of older buildings. Two women are dead after a church van drove off IH35 in Round Rock this morning. Travis County sheriffs are keeping an eye out for shoulder-passers on Loop 360. Round Rock cops pepper-sprayed a student for taking... more ›

Photo courtesy Ornamental Things StitchSaturday, November 10Austin Convention Center (500 E Cesar Chavez Street)Doors at 4pm, Fashion show 9:30pm, Tickets $10[info] | [tickets]Austinite Natalie Tischler's reworked vintage jewelry, Ornamental Things, has a strong magnetic pull on us every time we walk into Parts and Labour. It's always hard to decide what's cooler, the button rings or the dangle-y earring and necklaces she creates from things found at flea markets. Natalie's bringing her beautiful pieces to... more ›

Poster by Jagmo Roky Erickson ACL TapingMonday, November 12Austin City Limits Studios (26th and Guadalupe St)8pm, General Admission and Space-Available Tickets Only[info]Austin psych-rock legend Roky Erickson will be featured on the next taping of KLRU's Austin City Limits show. Enter below for your chance to win a pair of guaranteed admission tickets—first 20 entrants get 'em! Update: thanks, folks! If you'd like space-available tickets, tune in to to KGSR on Friday evening for the giveaway... more ›

Photo by Nash Cook on FlickrFun Fun Fun Fest lived up to its name in spades last weekend, showcasing local and not-so local bands of all genres on three stages in two short days. Day 2 was teeming with talent and intrigue as local acts like I Love You But I've Chosen Darkness, Riverboat Gamblers, Car Stereo (Wars) and Moth!Fight! did their thing, laying the groundwork for an out of town lineup any festival would... more ›

Photo by Will Pate on flickrInteractive + ScreenBurn The preliminary list of Interactive panels has been released, and includes topics like "The Great Debate: Is Web 2.0 Bulls#!t?", "The Porn Police: Know the Rules," and "The Suxorz: The Worst Ten Social Media Ad Campaigns of 2007." [Preliminary List] Additional, several panels for the gaming-centric ScreenBurn fest have been revealed. These include "The Future Virtual World Game Development: Rise of the Indies," "You Are Here: Gaming... more ›

Flyer distributed by Pangaea AustinFor better or worse, Austin's new safari-themed nightclub in the Warehouse District will host its (doubtlessly) over-the-top grand opening next Friday, November 16. Pangaea, a so-called "ultra-lounge," takes over the former Alamo Drafthouse space. It was originally scheduled to open on Halloween, but evidently the tribal accoutrements didn't show up in time. Here's what you guys had to say when we first posted about it: "I think they want to go... more ›

Logo from Austin Jewish Book Fair Keynote Lecture: "Iraq, Al Qaeda, and the Future of Israel" with Jeffrey Goldberg and Lawrence WrightSunday, November 11Jewish Community Association of Austin (7300 Hart Lane)7:30pm, $12 Gen Ad, $10 Students/Seniors/JCC Members[info] | [tickets] Austin Graphics and Comics Night with Paul Benjamin and Terry and Patty LaBanThursday, November 8Barnes and Noble Westlake (701 S. Capital of Texas)7:30pm, Free[info]Less than four days are left in the 2007 Austin Jewish Book Fair,... more ›

Image from Austin City Connection. Waller Creek Design Workshop9 a.m. to noon Saturday, Nov. 17, 2007Austin City Hall (301 W. 2nd St.)[info] City Council Member Sheryl Cole and the Waller Creek Citizen Advisory Committee are asking the public for input regarding the Waller Creek corridor at a design workshop 9 a.m. to noon Saturday, Nov. 17, 2007, at Austin City Hall. Displays from the joint venture engineering team will be, uh, displayed. Silly ideas like... more ›

strataTX is a non-profit organization looking to bring together young professionals to support creativity in the arts, culture, and economy. Photos courtesy of Keith Gaddis. If you can't view the Flash slideshow above, an alternate version appears after the jump.... more ›

Photo from myspace Roky Erickson ACL TapingMonday, November 12Austin City Limits Studios (26th and Guadalupe St)8pm, General Admission and Space-Available Tickets Only[info]Austin psych-rock legend Roky Erickson will be featured on the next taping of KLRU's Austin City Limits show. If you'd like space-available tickets, tune in to to KGSR on Friday for the giveaway announcement—we're not sure exactly what time they'll announce the details. On the other hand, if you'd like a chance to score... more ›

Photo from olganza.comIf all goes as planned, Austinites may soon be able to get out of the country for less than the cost of a cab ride to the airport. Mexico's no-frills airline, vivaAerobus, was recently granted access out of Austin Bergstrom International Airport by the U.S. Department of Transportation. The carrier, which seems to be the Mexican equivalent of UK's wildly popular Ryan Air, claims that it'll begin offering one-way tickets for as low... more ›

On October 17, a UT student committed suicide in the Gregory Gym pool. Austin unveiled Texas' first hybrid school bus yesterday. Those helicopters flying over Austin yesterday were "supposedly" practicing for this weekend's football festivities. New study finds that most Texas High School graduates are not prepared for college. Clever: Give inmates jobs. Borderline: Give them jobs cleaning cars. Not-so Clever: Leaving the keys in the ignition. Even more proof that in this day... more ›

Photo by hamron on flickr Austin City Council is pretty much ready to sign a contract setting up red-light cameras at 15 intersections (to start with). Big Brother - er, APD - is watching your energy usage. And Austin Energy is cool with that! Southeast Austin standoff this morning ends with cop shooting the suspect. Round Rock police on the lookout for a suspected stalker. Local company under Neil Bush (Dubya's bro) is being investigated... more ›

Photo by Lex in the City on FlickrSouth south Austin (we're talking Brodie and 290 South) is home to big box stores and mega-outlets, so when we heard about a new chain restaurant going in called BJ's Brewhouse, we weren't exactly vibrating with excitement. But the thing is, the food is surprisingly good, and if you can ignore the Cheesecake Factory vibe and the Disney-fication of America (and that's a BIG if), you can enjoy... more ›

Photo of Madball courtesy Keith GaddisFun Fun Fun Fest lived up to its name in spades last weekend, showcasing local and not-so local bands of all genres on three stages in two short days. Day one included local acts Okkervil River, Explosions in the Sky, and Brothers and Sisters, as well as touring acts like the New Pornographers, of Montreal and Youth Brigade. To read what else we had to say about day one, click... more ›

Overheard in Austin is back! If you've heard anything worthy of repeating, or good for a laugh, send your quotes to overheard@austinist.com and we'll publish the best ones. Girl eating brunch across from a guy:Try this. Guy:It’s okay. Girl:You don’t know how to taste food right. You know why? It’s because you leave a little bit of food in your mouth from your last bite. (Pause) You know what I mean. Photographer at Fun Fest,... more ›

Photo courtesy 31 Corn Lane StitchSaturday, November 10Austin Convention Center (500 E Cesar Chavez Street)Doors at 4pm, Fashion show 9:30pm, Tickets $10[info] | [tickets]31 Corn Lane is all about girls wanting to have fun. It's the brainchild of three sisters—Teeter (the youngest), Amy and Heather Sperber (the latter two are identical twins who rock out with The Boxes). We've loved their pony necklaces, novelty totes and bright floral print belts ever since we saw them... more ›

Image from the Pipettes MySpace. the Pipettes with Nicole Atkins and the SeaWednesday, November 7The Parish Room (214 East Sixth Street)$12 in advance, All Ages, Door at 8 p.m.[info] | [tickets]Get your 1960s retro fix with the Pipettes, headlining tonight at the Parish Room. The self-aware manufactured 1960s girl group vibe is somehow much more fun than it sounds, and the Pipettes won our hearts when they put out that deadpan Beyond the Valley of... more ›

Image from MySpace Homegrown LiveWednesday, November 7The Mohawk (912 Red River)$5, Doors at 9 p.m.[info] This Wednesday at the Mohawk, catch some local talent on the rise as part of 101X’s Homegrown Live concert series. Featuring Peel, Corto Maltese, Yellow Fever and DJ:/Rubix, it’s an excellent opportunity to see some of Austin’s best young acts. Peel have already established themselves as one of Austin’s most promising bands, both with last year’s self-titled release on Peek-A-Boo... more ›

Image courtesy of Tegan and Sara’s MySpace Tegan and SaraWednesday, November 7Stubbs (801 Red River)$18 (Advance) / $20 (Day Of Show), 7 p.m.[info] | [tickets]It’s not the middle of SxSW, it’s not the weekend of Austin City Limits Music Festival, heck it’s not even Fun Fun Fun Fest anymore, but November 7th might just be one of those evenings where the stars align to bring our city a number of ridiculously appealing concerts. Symphonic rock... more ›

Photos of MIA and Cool Kids from Saturday night's perfomance at Hogg Auditorium. Photos courtesy of Briana Purser. If you can't view the Flash slideshow above, an alternate version appears after the jump.... more ›

Blazing Saddles Quote-Along & Bar-B-Que RunQuote-Along: Thursday, Nov. 8th @ 7:00pm, Saturday, Nov. 10th and Thursday, Nov. 15th @ 7:15pm / BBQ Run: Saturday, Nov. 10th @ NoonAlamo Drafthouse Downtown (320 E 6th Street)Quote-Along: $10 / Quote-Along & BBQ Run: $75[info] | [tickets]Hey you! Yeah, YOU! Quit yer lollygaggin'! Don't you know that we're rounding up cutthroats, murderers, bounty hunters, desperados, mugs, pugs, thugs, nitwits, halfwits, dimwits, vipers, snipers, con men, Indian agents, Mexican... more ›

CASA QBsTonight, Nov. 7thDog and Duck Pub (406 West 17th St.)5pm - 7pm[info]CASA of Travis County is looking for a few good men. Facing an unfortunate shortage of male volunteers to match up with a growing number of boys in need, they'd like to present their case over a pint or two and complimentary snacks tonight at The Dog and Duck Pub. A brief primer if you're not familiar with CASA's work: according to... more ›

Photo from Clap!Clap! Clap!Clap! with Silver Pines, The Word AssociationFriday, December 7Lucys on the Square (141 E. Hopkins)$5, 9pm[info] Clap!Clap! with The Always Already, Prayer For Animals, Haunting Oboe Music, Car Stereo (Wars), and DJs from Team FabricationSaturday, December 8Emos (603 Red River St)$5, 9pm[info]San Marcos/Austin's indie pop team, Clap!Clap!, today announced that the group has gone the way of Sound Team, and will be disbanding before the end of the year: From the band:... more ›

Image from Austin Asian Film Fest official site Austin Asian Film FestivalThursday November 8 - Sunday November 11Various VenuesAll access badge $30, Individual films $7 / $5 students, AFS, TAA[info]Austin has a mind-blowing number of film festivals. In the last six weeks alone we've had the Austin Film Festival, Fantastic Fest, aGLIFF, The Austin Polish Film Festival and the Dismember the Alamo Zombie Film Fest--all of which were awesome. And beginning tomorrow, we'll have another... more ›

Image from Arthouse Stealth Fighter Piñata BashSunday, November 11Arthouse (700 Congress Ave)3pm[info]We thought Houston artist Bill Davenport was joking earlier this fall when he mentioned that his giant B2-bomber-shaped piñata would be bashed at the end of the Arthouse Texas Prize exhibit. But he wasn’t. On Sunday, folks can take a swing at the 24-foot-wide art piece, titled Stealth Fighter Piñata. An organist will also be there to provide some appropriate piñata bashing tunes. Once... more ›

Photos courtesy of Austinist contributors Eric Uhlir, Keith Gaddis, Briana Purser, Erin Hanson, Patrick Dentler and Davis Ayer. If you can't view the Flash slideshow above, an alternate version appears after the jump.... more ›

There are reports of an armed man on the roof of a downtown building, near Guadalupe and 14th St. A nearby preschool has been evacuated. Police have blocked off the area around the building. 10:45 update: A witness had spied a man in all black fatigues, perhaps holding a gun, in a parking garage, and called it in earlier this morning. But now police have stopped the search for the armed man, thinking that he... more ›

Photo of Girl Talk by Davis AyersGregg Gillis didn't have a chance to stop by and say hello during Fun Fun Fun Fest, but he was kind enough to get in touch yesterday and share his thoughts on the weekend in general. As expected, he was happy with his crowd, the stage and his set, despite his previous experiences at festivals. Before his set, the eager crowd was already teeming with nervous excitement, perhaps recalling... more ›

All state constitutional amendments passed in the election yesterday. Famed architect Frank Gehry is being sued by MIT for the design for the Stata Center. "Product of a judicial system dominated by men": According to the Board of immigration appeals, genital cutting isn't enough to grant asylum, but forced sterilization is. Anti-Musharraf protesters angry about emergency rule were beaten by police in Pakistan today. Surgery to remove 4 extra limbs from an Indian girl... more ›

Power lines by Frenzied Vole on flickr"Texans have shown little interest in nine billion dollars worth of initiatives." Have you voted yet? Sorry, Ice Bats. Cedar Park has another team in mind for their arena-to-be. Upcoming 2008 state anti-pollution law is causing problems already; if TCEQ is too lax on coal/power plants, cities and school districts stand to lose a lot of money. Fed Chairman gave speech in San Antonio today. This morning a suspect... more ›

Image from MySpaceBONAPARTE What's the Deal: Chances are slim to none at the moment if you are in the United States and you want to see this odd rock and roll force that's catchy, boisterous and riddled with pop culture references. Bonaparte is the name taken by the project’s mastermind and frontman who is from unknown international origins. His MySpace says he hails from Berlin, but it also claims St. Helena as well as saying... more ›

Photo courtesy Fossum Studios L Style G Style, a new gay and lesbian lifestyle magazine, hit the streets of Austin yesterday. Executed in a “two magazines in one” format, the print pub is flip-able, like the old Spiegel catalogs from back-in-the-day, with the "L" side tailored to ladies and the "G" side for the guys. “Our goal with the magazine is to offer the public a different view of the gay and lesbian community,” said... more ›

Skeletor playing drums, found on Joystiq.comLast night's town hall meeting on the proposed noise ordinance changes drew a record turnout at Momo's, bringing out a crowd that consisted mostly of local venue owners, musicians, and longtime residents. As we mentioned yesterday, the meeting was held to discuss a proposal put forth by the Austin City Planning Commission that would basically lower the decibel (dB) rating for music venues from the current limit, 85 dB, to... more ›

unattributed press photo Regina Spektor at Stubb’sTuesday, November 6thStubbs [map]$22.50 SOLD OUT, doors at 7[venue info][Regina Spektor Website][MySpace]Tonight, Russian import and all-around cutie Regina Spektor will deliver her charming sense of humor and attitudinous tunes to Stubb’s. And if it feels like she was just here, it’s because she pretty much was, with an evening position at the Austin City Limits Festival followed up by an intimate performance for her ACL show taping—both of these... more ›

BookWoman has relocated and been in dire financial straits in the past, but soon when they take their sign down, it might stay down. Photo by tpacific on stock.xchngBookWoman, Texas's only femenist bookstore, is in trouble and in it fifty-large deep. If the store is unable to raise $50,000 by mid-December, they will likely close their doors for good. Austin will lose another independent business to that nebulous mantra of "progress and growth." The road... more ›

Photo by CAVE CANEM on flickrToday's the day to cast your vote in the statewide Constitutional Amendment Election. If you're unfamiliar with the sixteen propositions appearing on the ballot, we've reprinted them after the jump. Austinist is officially recommending that you vote "NO" on Prop 12, which would authorize the Texas Transportation Commission to issue up to $5 billion in bonds for so-called "highway improvement projects"—read about it here. We're also recommending a wholehearted "YES"... more ›

Image from Coldtowne Official Site 3-2-1 Kill!Tuesday, November 6Alamo Drafthouse Downtown (320 E 6th St)9:45pm, $9 / $7 Student, AFS[info] | [tickets]3-2-1 Kill! was one of the last live shows to play at the Alamo Drafthouse before it shut its doors in June. The format-bending improvised movie extravaganza, starring members of the improv troupes Coldtowne, The Frank Mills, and Parallelogramophonograph and produced by the Coldtowne Theater, debuts at the new Alamo Ritz tonight at 9:45pm.... more ›

Photo from SpikeG.com Spike Gillespie presents Quilty As ChargedTuesday, November 6BookPeople (603 N. Lamar)7pm, Free[info]Local raconteur Spike Gillespie has been a favorite of ours for a long time. Easily the hardest writing writer in Austin, the moxie-mad Gillespie stole our hearts with the annual Kick Ass Awards ceremony she holds on her birthday. She isn't one to hold anything back or censor herself. Her "dot-novel", a completely free book, opens with the phrase "donkey-cock," and... more ›

Boubacar Joseph Ndiaye & Youssou N’Dour at the Maison des Esclaves AFS Presents Return to GoréeTuesday, November 6thAlamo Drafthouse South Lamar (1120 S. Lamar)$4 / Free for AFS members, 7pm[info]The place where my fathers died, return to the land of Gorée, the place where my mothers cried, return to the land of Gorée. – Harmony Harmoneers We'll admit it: our jazz knowledge consists of a couple of Miles Davis and John Coltrane albums mixed with... more ›

Photo of Girl Talk by Davisayer on FlickrFun Fun Fun Fest lived up to its name in spades last weekend, showcasing local and not-so local bands of all genres on three stages in two short days. Day one included local acts White Denim, Brothers and Sisters and Okkervil River, as well as touring acts like Neurosis, Final Fantasy, of Montreal and Girl Talk. Last year's event was a success, albeit overshadowed by too-cool temperatures and... more ›

Zookeeper Becoming All Things (Belle City Pop) Chris Simpson (formerly Gloria Record, Mineral), has completed his first full-length under the moniker Zookeeper, and old pal Brian Malone has released it on his Belle City Pop record label. The album careens between honky tonk dissonance and dissolving harmony ("Trumpets" sounds like the closing tune in your favorite dive bar) against whimsical banjo, organ and horns. Simpson's voice plays well with the Wilco-ish (Being There era)... more ›

Most Americans think waterboarding is torture...but some still think we should go ahead and do it. Whaaaa? No more booze on the beach in San Diego for one year. Buzzkill. Big mudslide hits Chiapas. Portland solidifies position as Bike City, USA. Please, take us with you! Newest trendy food ingredients: chemicals. Vermont is now the nation's healthiest (yuppiest) state. Hollywood writers go on strike - will other Tinseltown workers support them? Barack Obama will.... more ›

How is it possibly November already? Time flies we suppose, when you're out there putting it on the line to make your way in this world today. And to be honest, it takes everything ya' got. So wouldn't you like to take a break, from all your worries?! We certainly would, it sure would help a lot, but unfortunately we have to keep gathering the best of last week's Missed Connections so that you... more ›

Photo by Matt Wright on flickr Sunday morning, a Cap Metro passenger was stabbed by another rider with a screwdriver. Gas line break off of Riverside this afternoon is being repaired. Cold front on its way tonight? Habitat for Humanity of Williamson County is starting its first Women Build in February. Even though Tejano music is popular among locals, it has been overtaken on the airwaves by Norteño. Shady fliers telling people to vote this... more ›

I thought I might give you a little taste of the strange and peculiar experience of moving to a new place. Not just moving to a foreign land, but also enjoying its idiosyncrasies while also attempting to replicate some of your favorite experiences in the place you loved but fatuously left. more ›

Soon, you too could be like these dudesDabblers in diabolical death-ray design and general gadget geeks will soon have another outlet—as though Maker Faire and Dorkbot weren't enough—to satiate their craving for homemade mechanical wizardry. Hailed as a "paradise for tech tinkerers" and created by one of the brains behind MythBusters, TechShop launched in the Silicon Valley a little over a year ago, and now has plans to open a franchise in Austin. The open-access... more ›

Former Longhorn Shaun Rogers made the NFL highlight reel this week when he intercepted a pass and showed the world what it looks like for a 340-pound man to run 66 yards while being chased by other large humans. more ›

Photo by Ray Soto $2 Music Mondays: Punk’s Not DeadMonday, November 5thAlamo Drafthouse Downtown [map]9:45pm, $2[info] | [tickets]After a painful four month hiatus, the Music Mondays film series has finally returned to the Alamo Drafthouse! Huzzah! The series will no longer be curated/hosted by Kier-La Janisse (who has left Austin to return to the wilds of Canada), but the first batch of programming looks strong, beginning tonight with Susan Dynner's Punk's Not Dead, a documentary... more ›

Image from RCIS.org Solar Austin Happy HourTuesday, November 6Artz Rib House [map]6:30-8:30pm[info]Solar Austin gathers for their monthly happy hour Tuesday at Artz Rib House. Renowned science fiction author and founder of Viridian Design Movement, Bruce Sterling, will be the featured and the topic will be Future Trends in Solar. Best known for his eight science fiction novels, Mr. Sterling is also a contributing editor of WIRED magazine and a columnist for MAKE magazine. He has... more ›

Photo by Sandstep on flickr Austin Music Commission MeetingMonday, November 5, 2007, 6 p.m.Momos [map][info]Austin's future as Rock Capital of the Universe or whatever hangs in the balance at tonight's meeting of the Austin Music Commission. The Commission will be discussing a proposed ordinance that would change the requirements for obtaining an outdoor music permit, prohibiting music within 100 feet of a residence and lowering the decibel limit from 85 to 75 or 70 depending... more ›

Album cover of McLemore Avenue, Booker T. & The MG’s The hilarious kids of ColdTowne bring their audience-driven film/music/improv spectacle, 3, 2, 1 Kill!, to the new downtown Drafthouse digs Austin Music Commission hosts a very important town hall meeting tonight at Momo's on the resurrected sound ordinance proposal, which could dramatically transform our city's live music landscape -- and not in a good way Stitch, Austin's ultimate gathering of D-I-Y fashion and design, takes... more ›

Photo by johnkoetsier on flickr Utter Reading SeriesMonday, Nov 5BookPeople [map]7pm, Free[info]This month’s Utter Reading Series features two standouts from a couple hours south on I-35. Both teach at Trinity University in San Antonio, and both are long-overdue candidates for the Utter Series, which spotlights hot Texas-based writers. One has just won a national award for his short stories, and the other is an Austin-bred recent graduate of the Michener Center at UT. After the... more ›

Photo courtesy Jessica Plymate StitchSaturday, November 10Austin Convention Center [map]Doors at 4pm, Fashion show 9:30pm, Tickets $10[info] | [tickets]Jessica Plymate revives the art of appliqué in super rockin' way with Aorta Designs. Gone are the days of mom's innocent poodles sewn on skirts. Jessica's animals are hardcore; drinking wine and smoking cigarettes. What is your design/art background? This is where I have to confess I have no formal training in design, art or anything. I've... more ›

Image from Brackenridge Field Laboratory Development StudyMembers of the Integrative Biology section of the School of Biological Sciences at the University of Texas have come forward with their own plan (large pdf) for the portion of the Brackenridge Tract currently containing the Brackenridge Field Laboratory. UT's Brackenridge Tract Tack Force recently recommended that the University hire an outside master planner to propose redevelopment for the entire tract, including the field laboratory. The biologists' plan contemplates... more ›

Londonist: Photo by ChloeLondonist got the big scoop of the week with what may be the first images of notorious street artist Banksy in action. They also got on a runaway train without an operator provoking a response from the transport authorities. Elsewhere, London's answer to Central Station is about to open for business, and Londonist got a sneak preview. Meanwhile, spooky goings-on beneath London Bridge, where a cache of skeletons provided an apt story... more ›

Chinese petroleum company PetroGas set to become world's largest company by market value, surpassing ExxonMobil. Interesting gender-bender story from the Middle East... Mac users now entering the cross-hairs of the computer virus world...at least, the naughty Mac users (for shame!). Canadian study: P2P-file sharing actually INCREASES music purchasing? But how can this be?? Most Earthlings are ready to make sacrifices for the planet's environment, BBC study says. Is the next American economic recession on... more ›