City counsel members from Farmers Branch, a suburb of Dallas, unanimously approved fines for landlords who rent to illegal immigrants, making English the city's official language and allowing local authorities to screen suspects in police custody to check their immigration status. Mexico's largest airline, Aeroméxico, will launch the only nonstop international service from Austin, with four weekly flights starting Dec. 15. Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani has made the first step in... more ›

FronteraFest, Austin’s annual fringe performance festival, breeds all kinds of odd experimentation, leaps of theatrical faith, and – this past year – a political satire with kitchen appliances as puppets. Puppet Government, written by Steve Barney and directed Chris Humphrey, has grown beyond its Frontera beginnings, and is now re-tooled, re-worked, and heading for the New York International Fringe Festival. Before they set sail for the Apple, the company is holding a fundraiser at... more ›

We are saddened by the report that goober candidate Carole Cougar Keeton Strayhorn has decided to relinquish her fight to get her nickname on the Nov. ballot. Mrs. Cougar will always be a "grandma" in our eyes and probably in the eyes of her grandchildren. In other goober news: Democratic candidate Chris Bell is calling UberGoober Rick Perry out on his lack of efforts to fund our state parks. Texas ranks near the bottom... more ›

With all this talk about extreme weather conditions as a result of Global Warming, some governments have good timing. The City of Austin and Travis County are about to release the latest update of flood plains and low-lying areas that could be affected by serious flooding. Homeowners should take a serious look because it could certainly affect home-values and insurance rates. Prime Minister Tony Blair gave a speech regarding the worldwide battle of values... more ›

Where in the world is Carmen San Diego Rick Perry? Well, apparently the governor, in the midst of his television ad barrage extolling the virtues of the great state of Texas, has gone on a covert mission overseas in support of the troops. Along with Perry is possible presidential hopeful Governor Mike Huckabee of Arkansas as well as Govs. Dave Freudenthal (WY) and Jim Doyle (WI), both Democrats. The governors will visit Kuwait, Tikrit and possibly Afghanistan and Pakistan. more ›