HB3, the controversial Education Funding Bill, has passed a second vote in the House by a margin of one vote; 73 to 72, though apparently there were a few shenanigans surrounding last night's count and verification. Some of the notable aspects of this bill are: The state sales tax could increase from 6.25 percent to 7.25 percent which would be the highest sales tax rate in the nation. -- Remember that local taxing agencies... [continue]

3100 South Congress avenue, previously the Trek Motel, has been recently converted into a cute collection of retail storefronts. Located directly across from St. Edward's University, it is a pretty bold move by the developers who are attempting to extend southward the eclectic and trendy SoCo ambiance. So far, only two businesses have taken up residency; Crown Clothing and Amy's Ice Cream's self dubbed "Super South" store. When the Austinist went to check things... [continue]

The Unemployed Democrats Company, Inc., formally The 2 Unemployed Democrats, have a new name and a new home. Located only a couple blocks from their previous South Austin shop, the new store still offers a wide selection of very blue (and oft potentially offensive) schwag. Everything from "Ohio Sucks!" bumper stickers to "Jesus would slap the shit out of you." T-shirts to those 'little red circle with a slash' decals to stick over the... [continue]

The Texas cheerleading reform bill which was passed by the House of Representatives and sent to the State Senate on May 3rd is getting precisely the amount of time and consideration from the Education Committee that it deserves. None. This Bill, authored by Rep. Al Edwards, D-Houston, attempted to give the State and school districts more power to punish cheerleading and drill teams for performing sexually explicit routines and dressing too provocatively. Al Edwards... [continue]

The University of Texas at Austin's own robot soccer team, Austin Villa, has returned home from Atlanta where they placed third in the RoboCup US Open 2005. RoboCup is a relatively new project aimed at promoting research in AI, robotics, computational perception and related fields. The first US Open was held at Carnegie Mellon in 2003. During the competition, the Austin Villas (not to be confused with the Aston Villas from whence UT derived... [continue]

Election results are in and Austin has let its true voice be heard. The overwhelming response to the polarizing and contentious debate over the smoking ban, three city council seats, education funding, and municipal elections was a resounding, "Meh, who cares?" According to the unofficial results released by Travis County, a whopping 14.29 percent of the electorate felt the urge to exercise their civic rights and participate in our little experiment called democracy. Just over...... [continue]

We here at the Austinist just wanted to remind you that, if you didn't exercise your civic duty during the early voting window, tomorrow is the day to make your voice heard. Make sure you haul yourself out to your local polling location and cast your vote. In case you haven't been following along, this election includes: 1) Three City Council spots (all are at large, so everyone has a stake in this) 2)... [continue]

The Texas House and Senate may be arguing over the best way to offset revenue shortfalls due to property tax relief, but they do agree on one thing: Boozers and Smokers need to pay higher taxes! HB 3 attempts to generate more money for public education while reducing property tax by $6 Billion over the next two years. To gather the extra cash both legislative bodies agree we need to increase taxes on cigarettes (from... [continue]

Think you have to leave town to to get your fix of High Culture? Think again. Our little hamlet is one of a select number of US cities that boasts an Art Museum, a Ballet, a Symphony Orchestra, as well as an Opera! Starting today and running through this Monday, May 2, Austin Lyric Opera is putting on a production of The Marriage of Figaro at the Bass Concert Hall. Your choice of showtime and...... [continue]

In an incredibly dissapointing vote of 101 to 29, Texas House lawmakers have passed a constitutional ammendment to ban gay marriage. HJR 6, the Defence of Marriage Act, basically states the following: Sec. 32. (a) Marriage in this state shall consist only of the union of one man and one woman. (b) This state or a political subdivision of this state may not create or recognize any legal status identical or similar to marriage. So,...... [continue]

Joseph Ratzinger, a conservative German Cardinal, has been elected in Rome by the Conclave of Cardinals to be the 265th pontiff. Ratzinger, now 78 years old, will take the papal name of Benedict XVI. His Holiness Benedict XVI is something of a controversial choice as the head of the largest religious group in the world. (Catholics account for approximately 18% of the world's population counting 1.1 Billion members.) As quoted in this article at... [continue]

Or was that the Senate? Anyways... John Kerry will be in town touting his 'Kids First' bill this Saturday. Yes, that's tomorrow.This proposed Act would extend healthcare to cover the currently 11 Million uninsured American children and save states about $6 Billion a year. The Town Hall Meeting will be held at the UT Recreational Sports Center, 2100 San Jacinto Blvd.  Doors open at 9:30 a.m. The event actually begins around 10:00 a.m. and is... [continue]

Thinking of taking quick jont down to mexico for a little border town shopping? Or maybe you just want to fly up north to visit our friendly Canadian neighbors. If you do, you had better start dusting off your passport. The Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative, to be phased in by 2008 in three proposed stages, will require travelers to Canada, Mexico, Bermuda, and the Caribbean to present passports to gain admittance back into the United... [continue]

If you ever have the urge to get in your car and drive the 79 miles south to San Antonio to enjoy a nice meal at The Tower of the Americas, take our advice. Don't. We are not saying don't go check the place out, we just suggest you give the restaurant a pass. The 750 foot tall tower offers a nice panoramic view of San Antonio and surrounding area, and the external glass-walled elevators... [continue]

In the mood to get a little exercise but don't want ride amongst cars or dodge people and pets? We have the perfect spot for you. The Veloway, located on more than 100 acres of parkland in the Slaughter Creek Metropolitan Park, is a 3.1 mile paved loop winding through Austin's hill country. Use is reserved exclusively for bicycles and inline skaters. No cars, joggers, walkers, pets, or skateboards. The 23 foot wide course is...... [continue]

Want to see what the House of the Future will look like? You're in luck! Our very own UT Austin is home to one of 18 teams that are competing in the Solar Decathlon; a competition sponsored by the US Department of Energy's "Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy." The goal of this competition is to design, build, and operate the most attractive, effective, and energy-efficient solar-powered house. Our local contingent is the UT... [continue]

If you didn't purchase your tickets to Burning Flipside 2005 (Austin's Burning Man inspired regional art and music festival and experiment in temporary community building), you are a sad monkey. All 600 tickets sold out during the 3 day official sales window between February 28 and March 2. All is not lost though. You can still make yourself over to Bob's List and submit a request for tickets. Try not to dally.... notBob maintains a... [continue]

We mean that literally. According to this article by KXAN 36 Austin, the section of town between 34th and 45th street is adopting the moniker of "Midtown" as part of a public relations campaign to draw attention to the area, give them an identity, and allow them to compete with the more established hot spots. "We need to heighten the awareness of Central Austin, and we're calling it Midtown," Eddie Bernal, owner of Santa Rita... [continue]

We all know we need to use less petroleum products, get more exercise, and generally live a more active lifestyle; but how often do you get a chance to do all three at the same time? Electric bicycles are one. Electric bicycles come in many flavors but all share a basic design philosophy. Build a vehicle that can be ridden exactly like a traditional bicycle, but add an electric motor and battery pack so the... [continue]

Unless you are on the list. And it rocks. And it is hosted in someone's house, sponsored by serious magazines, subsidised by booze companies, laden with live bands, and still alive and kicking when the sun has lit the sky. There are few places on this god forsaken planet where an event like this is more than possible, beyond probable, but actual. Man, Austin rules.... [continue]