Let's see how long the creators can keep this up...will #WHENINAUSTIN enjoy a funny but short-lived time in public consciousness, or will this be the next blog-to-book deal?
#WHENINAUSTIN Tumblr is All Gags, GIFS
Thou Shall Craigslist
Thinking of spending your Sunday browsing for some Craigslist gems? Your job just got a little easier, thanks to Thou Shall Craigslist. Every day, the blog showcases a handful of incredible finds on our local list, including pictures and prices on some incredible stuff. Mid-century credenzas, $20 storage options, Eames chairs being sold by people who don't know what they have ($375), and much more. Bookmark it now and check daily - there's no doubt that you'll have some competition for some of the juiciest discoveries.
Austin Bleet-Up and Austin Blogger Awards Set for Friday
If you mixed together the things that make Austin great - music, food, crafts, and tech - you might get something close to the Bleet-Up.
SXSW Interactive: From Blog to Book Deal
There's good news if you're looking to turn your blog into a book like Stephanie Klein, Guy Kawasaki, or Hugh MacLeod have done. Heck, they're even happy to help you. All you have to do is make something great.
Extra Extra: Like the Weather
Two men kidnapped a woman at a Bastrop Whataburger this morning. Mayor Wynn apologizes to city after assault charge, says he is in anger counseling. Winter weather leads to more than 200 flights being cancelled at DFW. On election day, APD arrested two members of the Mexican Mafia. With 41% of Texas precincts reporting, Obama is in the lead for caucus delegates. An agreement set up today between the City of Austin and TxDOT means that your vehicle registration could be denied if you don't pay your traffic fines. After losing the race for Tax Assessor-Collector, Maxey endorses Nelda Wells-Spears and says he is going to help the Obama campaign.
Extra Extra: Children, Children, Future, Future!
Reason the power was out in East Austin Wednesday afternoon: a copper theft gone seriously wrong. The Cowboy Breakfast this morning kicked off the rodeo in town by providing a free breakfast to everyone there at 6am. Slightly reminiscent of "Daisy": Obama campaign unhappy with Hillary's new "Children" campaign ad. Clinton attends funeral of Dallas cop who died while serving in her motorcade. Huckabee makes campaign stop in Waco today. Show your voter registration card and ride the bus for free on election day.
Extra Extra: Tomorrow Is the Last Day of Early Voting
Brian Thompson seeking an injunction against Dawnna Dukes; her campaign ads say he's never voted. New KXAN statewide poll of Democratic voters has Obama with 50%, Clinton with 47% and 3% undecided. McCain will hold a town hall meeting with Dell employees tomorrow in Round Rock. New City Manager Ott made two appointments today. Someone at Liberty Hill ISD hasn't heard of a shredder.
It's Town Hall Meeting Time!
Today both the Clinton and Obama campaigns announced upcoming town hall meetings. Obama's will take place tomorrow at the Austin Convention Center, while Hillary's sounds like more of a "virtual" town hall meeting - on TV the Monday before election day.
Extra Extra: Perry's Thoughts on Liberals
Another interview with our governor: he tells the Washington Post, "just because you're a liberal doesn't mean that you can't be loyal, trustworthy and kind and obedient." Good to know. Federal judge decides to suspend the law preventing groups from raising funds to lobby for the ouster of the Texas Speaker. Is Craddick soon to be outta here? Dukes campaign manager complains about Thompson's big donors; Dukes herself has received a chunk of change from GOP donor Bob Perry. Double homicide on East Sixth Street early this morning. Firefighters fighting garage fire in Northwest Austin this morning find a body inside.
Extra Extra: Using Egg Salad Forcefully
Travis County DA candidates debate tonight at Dell Jewish Community Center. On Friday when a Secret Service agent wouldn't let a Capitol employee into the building, she got upset and . . . threw a bowl of egg salad at the agent. Man who sold candy to kids at his Austin apartment complex accused of raping two girls 8 years ago. "Scouting ought to be about building character, not about sex": Our own Gov. Perry interviewed in this weekend's NY Times magazine.
Extra Extra: Post-Debate Edition
Red light camera locations announced this afternoon. New TYC conservator rules out the use of pepper spray in youth prisons, except for in emergency cases. Dallas cop serving in Hillary's motorcade this morning killed after his bike hit a retaining wall. Little Walnut Creek library location is opening tomorrow after almost a year of renovation.
Extra Extra: Wherein We Don't Mention the Event Tonight
Michael Olsen could get his job back with APD on a technicality. Man's body found near North Campus area; police say he fell off the roof. Obama's rally tomorrow night will close down roads downtown, so don't say we didn't warn you. Hillary trying to nab the Longhorn vote by wearing burnt orange today?
Extra Extra: Running Down a Dream
AT&T Marathon this Sunday morning; watch out for street closures. Early voting starts next week, but you can't vote at Northcross! Bill Clinton will visit Hillary's new Austin campaign headquarters on Saturday night. Ack! 26,000 people so far have entered the raffle for the 100 seats at next week's debate. UT Associate Athletic Director Douglas George Wilson being investigated by Travis County and UT for possible theft of $60,000.
Extra Extra: No Valentines Here
After taking statements and checking evidence, APD thinks that Tevin Park-Flowers' death at NYOS was accidental. 3-year-old rescued from meth lab home in South Austin. Fire in neighboring building that damaged the Austin NAACP's office last night ruled to be arson. Flame-themed bar coming to E. Sixth Street, brought to you by the 36-year-old owner of Qua and Vicci. Catholic church leaders angry at St. Mary's University in San Antonio for housing a Clinton rally last night.
Extra Extra: Uno!
Poet and Austin fixture Raúl Salinas died yesterday morning."Ponytail bandit" caught in Thailand! Her bank-robber husband is still on the loose. Uno, whose handler used to live in Austin, is first beagle to win Westminster Dog Show. A tale of dog rustling: in which the mayor of Alice lied to her neighbors about the health and whereabouts of their Shih Tzu. Over the protestations of most El Pasoans, TCEQ renews smelter's air quality permit.
Extra Extra: And the Winner Is. . .
- We're hoping for Soledad O'Brien as moderator: Obama and Hillary to appear next Thursday the 21st in CNN/Univision-sponsored debate in Austin.
- Bloggers can moderate debates, too: Eileen Smith from In the Pink Texas (and Texas Monthly) and Karen Brooks from the DMN will moderate the Democratic Senate debate between candidates Noriega and McMurrey in Austin this Wednesday, Feb. 13.
- 4 men arrested for the kidnapping last week of Adrian Jaimes; one of them is his father's cousin.
Extra Extra: Your Vote Matters
Super Tuesday's results mean our state's primary actually has an impact on the Presidential nomination this year. Anyone remember the last time that happened? SxSW founder on unofficial SxSW parties: "Knowing that our continued existence is far from guaranteed makes us willing to fight (when we can) what we see as damaging to SXSW." Name of boy who died at Austin charter school has been released by his family; Tevin Park-Flowers was seven-years-old when he died on Friday. Update on a fall post: Parents who left their babies in the car while they enjoyed margaritas in Hutto have been sentenced to one year in jail.
Extra Extra
- The oil that spilled onto Sixth Street and into Waller Creek last week came from a 100-year-old underground tank.
- Jennifer Kim on the Northcross WalMart: "It's going to be a freaking disaster."
- Celebration Church in Georgetown has its own Starbucks and 5,000 attendees. Sayeth the pastor: "You can't do church without money."
Extra Extra
- Two remaining candidates for City Manager: Jelynne Burley of San Antonio and Mike Ott of Ft. Worth.
- City Council approved McCracken's downtown parking proposal at today's meeting.
- Cars who park in marked bike lanes can now be ticketed by a few workers from the Public Works Department Bicycle and Pedestrian Program.
Extra Extra
Body found in Lady Bird Lake this morning by the hike-and-bike trail. Fire started in Southeast Travis County, about 6 miles from the airport, by a man with a cutting torch. AISD teacher fingerprinting kicked off today. Whoop?
Extra Extra
Austin aiming for zero landfill waste. Our fair city ranks #23 on the list of America's Most Literate Cities, beating out New York but not Portland. Brush fires in Hays County lead to home evacuations.
Extra Extra
TEA will start teacher criminal background checks; AISD will be the first to require fingerprinting. 3 airlines aren't happy with the city for building a low-cost terminal at ABIA. Light pollution starting to invade the skies near the McDonald Observatory.
Triller: Eulogizing Pimp C
It’s been two weeks since Pimp C’s death. Last Thursday he was buried in Port Arthur. Reading through all of the eulogies and obituaries that have poured out of the local papers, the blogs, the national media, and the rap community since December 4th, you obviously will see trends. Everyone immediately identifies Pimp C by his drawl and how he rhymed through his vowels, and it seems as though this – his voice - will be a big part of his legacy, along with his production and his pioneer-status as an early and consistent member of the Texas rap scene.
Austinist Movie Review: Juno
Full disclosure: we wanted to like Juno, long before it was released. We knew we would like it from the very first stirrings of online teaser previews. The cast alone was enough to make us giddy.
Austinist SXSW 2008 Rumors Update
It's not even Christmas yet, and we're still talking about Murder City Devils at Fun Fun Fun Fest, but that won't stop us from gearing up to begin bringing you the latest rumors and confirmations regarding 2008's SXSW music festival. It's right around the corner, and we're not the only ones with our minds set towards March: plenty of bands have already announced their intentions to be here for the week.

