For every specialty showcase presided over by SXSW and its strict badge-holders only policy, about fifteen other events are taking place on the east side and elsewhere, featuring many of the same bands and oftentimes featuring free libations. Both the official and unofficial sides of SXSW have notable advantages and disadvantages, which make for a good chunk of casual conversation during the festival (the rest is taken up with where to find the best and most free beer). What we've compiled here is a list of some of our most worthy hopes for a non-sanctioned SXSW blast during the days and occasionally nights of the coming week. more ›

It's a tribute to the quality of Jonathan Franzen's The Corrections that the book was able to rise above the shite-storm of controversy that surrounded the author's decision to play hard to get with the most powerful woman in the world. Nine or so years later, Franzen is back with an even more aggressively confrontational (and hilarious and moving, we're betting) book called Freedom. more ›

You may not realize this, but in 1492 when George Washington wrote the Constitution, the entire world was watching on closed circuit television. It was like we were the baby Jesus in that barn, with England and France as our virgin parent-handlers, and the rest of the infinite universe as the sheep being watched over by Germany, Earth's kindliest human shepherds. more ›