KVUE tipped us off to the upcoming launch of the Kenguru, a small car designed specifically for people in wheelchairs. Stacy Zoern, the CEO of the Pflugerville branch for production, has worked tirelessly with the Hungarian developers to bring the game-changing vehicle to the U.S. Next Thursday, she'll have a grand opening at Community Cars. more ›

Police have filed computer intrusion charges against 20-year-old Omar Ramos-Lopez after he used a web-based vehicle-immobilization system to disable more than 100 cars in the Austin area. more ›

• Car collector dies… in a car accident.
• Be careful whom you shoot when they are coming into your condo!
• Skip class=find true love.

The AltCar Expo and Conference, taking place at Palmer Events Center today and tomorrow, is being touted as the region's "largest collection of alternative fuel vehicles and technologies," with over one hundred autos to be showcased. Alternative fuel vehicles are everything from electric cars and trucks (considered "zero emission," electricity generation notwithstanding) to those powered by natural gas, propane, biodiesel and ethanol. more ›

Every weekday morning we'll be featuring a photo (or two) from our readers. Please feel free to submit your photos (min 600px width) by adding them to the Austinist Flickr Group. more ›

This year's Maker Faire will feature many exhibits that focus on sustainability and green technology. Do-it-yourselfers of all backgrounds will be at the event to show off their eco-friendly creations. Intrigued tree huggers should start at The Green, Cost-Effective, DIY Extravaganza where attendees can learn how to make a solar oven, build a low-cost graywater system, make a pedicab, or set up an indoor garden. Visitors can also explore and talk to the makers of a hand built earthen oven and a solar powered water distilling device. more ›

Honda Motors announced the roll out of its second foray into fully electric cars, the FCX Clarity, a car that is fully powered by the hydrogen fuel cell. Other competitors include recent start-ups like Tesla Motors and several from the big guys. ZENN Motor Company, a Canadian operation, features Austin/Cedar Park's own secretive company, EEEstor, and claims to have a "super-capacitor" in the works that they say has a range of 400+ miles per 4 hour charge. more ›

To quote the poetry oft-spewed by Tim's Molson Gold-swilling step-dad, we were "Young, dumb, and full of come." more ›

While high-end luxury transportation may not always be associated with sustainability, a new limo service is rolling into town to change all that. Clean Air Limo is Austin's first eco-luxury private car service. Traditionally, most limousine companies in Central Texas use Lincoln Town Cars which could serve as one of the many contributing factors to why Texas leads the nation carbon emissions. Clean Air Limo uses only eco-friendly vehicles in their fleet. more ›

Photo by Payton Chung on flickr
• 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.

Andrew Bird (5:30pm): After this set, one Austinist staffer remarked: "This guy just beamed in from planet music." And with a stage full of spinning gramophones, violins, finger cymbals, and glockenspiels, it was hard to dispute that quip. Bird took the stage slightly late due to a tardy finish by Blue October, which had the crowd snarling over their shoulders at the lengthy drum and guitar codas coming off the main stage. But when... more ›

Pseudosix Pseudosix (Sonic Boom) Pseudosix began as Tim Perry's solo project, but quickly became a group effort with Emil Amos (Grails, Dolorean), Joe Kelly, and a handful of other local, talented friends. The band has written and recorded with pals from Joggers, Decemberists and The Standard in their relatively short existence, but the impetus has been barreling towards this release since back in the day when Perry wrestled with the nerve to perform live,... more ›

If you missed out on the initial deadline to participate in this year's inaugural Maker Faire Austin festival, you're in luck! The event organizers have set a new deadline of Thursday, September 6, thereby affording you a comfortable two and a half weeks to come up with your very own zany creation. For an idea of what to expect, the MAKE blog highlights some of the inventions recently previewed at Austin Children's Museum, including hyperbolic... more ›

Maker Faire, the annual Bay Area festival that revels in Do-It-Yourself (DIY) ingenuity, is expanding to Austin this year. The two-day, family-friendly event will showcase some of the coolest shit—arts, crafts, wickedly geeky science projects—you've never seen in your life; think Dorkbot but hulked out. What else would you expect from a festival organized by the staffs of Make and Craft magazines? If you're a "Maker" and are interested in showing off your zany (or... more ›

United Abominations – MegadethMegadeth (AKA Dave Mustaine) follows up 2004’s politically charged The System Has Failed with, well, the politically charged United Abominations. Due to contractual obligations, TSHF had to be released as Megadeth, although it was primarily a Mustaine project. No report indicating why the new album also falls under the Megadeth moniker, but it does contain all the staples of a typical Megadeth record: Mustaine’s trademark vocals, soaring six-string solos, and insistent drums,... more ›

Chris Adams (of Hood) puts forth his first solo effort in the form of Bracken’s We Know About The Need, out now on Anticon. Featuring plenty of lo-fi, down-tempo beats, the album is a montage of assorted sounds, ranging from dub-step to drum n’ bass, mixed and produced every which way. We Know About The Need is equal parts coherence (“Heathens”) and cacophony (“Evil Teeth”), while leaving room for some “normal” standards (“Back On The Calder Line”) at the end. Bracken has arrived at a futuristic, electronic bliss, comprised of intricately arranged textures; organs, horns, keys are all used appropriately to augment his laptop output. Adams evokes a wide range of relevant acts - there are traces of Tortoise, the Postal Service, AIR, maybe even later Radiohead (or Thom Yorke) in his work but his ingenuity separates his style from any of those. The result is a one of its kind, ethereal post-something-or-the-other album that clatters, drones, almost rocks n’ rolls. more ›

We drive by their lot on a daily basis, and for a while just assumed that they were selling clown cars. Those funny-looking vehicles parked at South Lamar dealership Shock Value are, in fact, the latest batch of electric cars produced by California-based ZAP Power Systems. And soon, you'll be able to own one yourself. Last fall, the dealership announced that it had signed an exclusive license agreement to bring the pint-sized "city cars" to... more ›

Anyone who's recently purchased a vehicle from Central Austin's Century Motor Car might want to give those folks a call: your personal information is probably strewn along Burnet Road for all to see. Employees at the car lot were relocating to an adjacent building when they, in their haste, decided to toss their clients' paperwork in the trash without first shredding it. The dumpster used turned out to be busted, and winds scattered the... more ›

As 2006 ends and 2007 begins, the -ists look back not at the past week, but at the past year. So here it is, your Best of 2006 Spectacular. And from all of us at the -ists, happy New Year! Austinist was all about controversy as new construction to increase urban density ran rampant in 2006, as did threats to the city's image from gigantic corporations looking to set up shop in town, leading... more ›

After spending the long weekend with Aunt Pearl and her magical inflatable cat, you're probably aching to get back into the overwhelming world of hipsterdom. Here's what's new this week (not much): Mark Kozelek Little Drummer Live (Caldoverde) Our favorite Red House Painter is offering a 2 disc collection of songs mostly recorded directly to CDR during his European and North American tour this year. Kozelek's varied influences, favorites and fetishes all come into... more ›

Traffic. more ›

FRIDAY [15] music • Ghostland Observatory and Thee Emergency at The Mohawk (912 Red River) ® party • Earthdance at NiaSpace (7:30pm-10pm, $15) party • Eastside City Limits party with Pink Nasty, Tnlons Fort, I Kill Cars, Missing Tapes, Brothesr and Sisters, Til We're Blue or Destroy, The Black at Red Scoot Inn and Old Austin Daze Compound (9pm-4am, FREE) ® party • Teleport Door presents the Pop Yo Colla' party with DJs Daniel... more ›

THURSDAY [27] [music] Diplo, CSS, Blonde de Role at The Parish Room LINK [fashion] Summer party with cocktails and music for Austin designer Mark Joiner, maker of some decidedly fabulous belt buckles and mod housewares at Eliza Page (7-10pm) LINK [theatre] "Petra's Cuento" at Dougherty Arts Center (8pm) LINK [theatre] "In On It" at Off Center (8pm, $17) LINK [theatre] Edward Albee's "The Play About the Baby" at play! Theatre (8pm, $10) LINK [theatre] "Radio:... more ›

In this hot season, when you finally get your car at a constant cool temperature, you start thinking strategically. If you're only just dropping in somewhere to grab something quick, wouldn't it just be easier on your car and your body heat to leave the car running while you run in? Well, besides the fact that such an action is illegal, if you did so, your car could very easily be stolen. more ›

It's pretty slim-pickins this week folks. Might we suggest getting out and enjoying some live music and one of our many swimming holes? more ›

MONDAY [10][karaoke] Monday Karaoke at Beerland (Free, 9pm) (link) [film] Monday Movies al fresco, with 'Heavenly Creatures" and "Welcome to the Dollhouse" at Sidebar (link) [comedy/books] David Sedaris at Bass Concert Hall (8pm) (link) [music] Elizabeth McQueen at Theadgill's (Free, 8pm) (link) [film/drinking] FUSEBOX Happy Hour at Blue Theater (6pm, $5, screening of short films by Austin's Zellner Brothers as part of the ongoing FUSEBOX Festival) (link) [theatre] "Durang/Durang" at Mary Mood Northern Theatre (8pm,... more ›

Back in the day, rollerskating was the shit. Every Friday night involved some four-wheeled, toe-braking action to the sounds of ZZ Top, The Bangles, Pseudo Echo, [insert ubiquitous 80s country/western singer/band for “slow skate”] and The Cars. Young kids flocked to the rinks for a night of profiling, chili-dog eating, and hoping no one would see them fall on their ass. Mustachioed post-high school goons set up shop in the parking lot to blast... more ›

M O N D AY [ 31 ] music/party · The White Ghost Shivers' Halloween Ball at American Legion Hall! Burlesque, Independence Brew, apple bobbing with the TX Roller Girls, Tarot card readings, a kissing booth and more. The White Ghost Shivers will also be performing a live soundtrack to accompany Buster Keaton's "Cops." ($25, 9pm) music · Galactic, Mofro and New Monsoon at Stubb's music · Halloween Show at Emo's with Flametrick Subs, Satans... more ›

The Bill Jerram Band will rock the Saxon Pub this Saturday night at 9PM for the release of their new self-titled cd. For the uninitiated, singer-songwriter Jerram and his band meld a raucous mixture of country, roots-pop, Americana rock and soul. Jerram’s guitar playing and powerhouse vocals are supported excellently by keyboardist Will Cornforth, bassist Marty Hobratschk and drummer Slade Crabtree. The band’s solid sound reminds Austinist of an amalgam of The Band, The Cars, Elvis Costello and Lenny Kravitz, if you can imagine that. But trust us, it will get your feet a-tappin and will probably inspire you to have a drink or four. In honor of the release, the new cd will be available Saturday night for the one-time cost of $5. Guy Forsyth will follow the boys with a set of his own. more ›