• Japan: Cooling efforts stepped up at Fukushima Daiichi plant
• U.S. to citizens, 'Leave Japan'
• Pakistan CIA operative released on $1 million 'blood money'

• One wonders if that Def Leppard tribute band in Dallas has found their one-armed drummer yet?
• Maybe it’s time to go to Dallas and try this “Hollandaise sauce, which tasted as if it had been lovingly crafted out of first kisses, hilarious Internet cat videos and freedom.”
• You can stream Austin City Limit’s Monsters of Folk show.

• Keep an eye out for "claws" and "antlers" among Texas Rangers fans during the World Series.
• If you find antlers that an animal has shed at a public park, you should be able to keep them!
• Texas Rangers fans sometimes live outside of Texas.

• Friends and family remember the life of Colton Tooley, a mathematics sophomore at UT. Tooley was responsible for the shooting that closed down the University on Tuesday.
• The UT shooting made the news all over the world.
• Mad Men era hotel in Houston to be torn down soon.

• $900 million government plan to stem “dropout crisis” unveiled
• President Obama: sooooo busted!
• SCOTUS to consider gun rights vs. states’ rights

• Eight years after Taliban, Afghanistan death toll nears 1,000
• Alleged Colorado school shooter had history of violence
• New political poll: 100% of Americans thoroughly confused

House passes proposal allowing concealed, loaded handguns in national parks. Rail = jobs. Minnesota parent and cancer-stricken son on the run. American Idol results: we're still totally stunned anyone cares. Making his party proud. OpenAustin: crowdsourcing the unemployed for the city's new website. The Uber-Rich meet about "philanthropy." more ›

Tomorrow, April 16, is the two-year anniversary of the Virginia Tech shootings. To commemorate the day, as well as to protest proposed state laws allowing guns on campus, a walk-out has been announced at UT. The plan was sent out to UT staff, faculty and students through a student announcement email this morning. Students and faculty are asked to leave their classes at 11:30am and meet up at noon on the South Steps of the Capitol to hear from state legislators and victims of campus violence, among others, on the issue of firearms on campus. more ›

Some folks are up in arms, so to speak, over the Texas Senate today approving a bill that allows employees to carry firearms and ammunition in their vehicles when going to work. The bill specifies that both would need to remain "out of sight" and the vehicles locked. more ›

On his Maker Faire profile, Peter Ruck, creator of mousetrap catapult guns, states: “With a broken back from a train-hopping incident over 7 years ago, I need ways to stay busy and avoid the pain. Teaching after school and creating is what I do for that.” So he splits his time up volunteering at the YMCA and Make-a-Wish Foundation and “building random things.” The guns he makes are “powered by mousetraps and bungee cords [and are] ready for action. They are generally made of found objects and store-bought goods.” The guns can shoot all sorts of “ammo”—pencils, for example. They’re customized, too—“Some even have a beer opener.” Others incorporate forks and spoons. more ›

Image courtesy Rude Mechs The Method GunThru 12/15, Th/Fr/Sa at 8pmThe Off Center (map)[info] | [tickets] The Dick Monologues12/16 at 2pmHyde Park Theatre (map)12/12 at 7pm (sold out)[info] | [tickets]In this season of family-friendly fare, we're pleased to highlight a bit of naughty-naughty for your holiday pleasure. Admittedly it's something of an intellectually flavored naughty-naughty, but hey, that's how we like it. Rude Mechanicals' current show The Method Gun contains nudity! Whee! Nude Rudes!! Which... more ›

Image from MySpaceMICE AND RIFLES What’s the Deal: It’s impossible to hear a band name like this one from this Austin sextet and not be curious enough to give it a listen. If you do, you’ll find an alt. country group making the most of pedal steel, acoustic guitar and a singer with a unique and brawny voice. The group may have a classic country sound found in between the twang and Great Depression subject... more ›

Photo of Z. Bechtol from statesman.com Man found dead under car at a Round Rock Walgreens. Zenobia Bechtol, 14, has been missing since last night around 10pm. More than half of the state's school districts pass on the teacher merit pay plan. Smoking ban started today at some Central Texas hospitals. The two suspects who broke into McBrides earlier this week weren't after guns. State Rep. Dawnna Dukes receives a $10,000 donation from Bob Perry's... more ›

The SWAT Team has been busy this week. After waiting 9 hours at McBrides Guns yesterday for a man who wasn't there, the team was called out to 12th Street and Webberville this afternoon. APD was in the area to hand out warrants when a man barricaded himself in. Sims Elementary has been placed on lockdown. Hopefully, like yesterday, there will be a peaceful resolution to the situation. [Statesman]... more ›

Before dawn this morning, someone broke into McBride's Guns on San Gabriel, and they are thought to still be there, surrounded by ammunition and weapons. Schools in the area have been put on lockdown, and a SWAT team has surrounded the store. It seems to be unknown whether there is someone still actually there in the store, but the security company contracted by McBride's detected movement earlier this morning. Streets in the area (Lamar between... more ›

Photo by hamron on flickr Austin City Council is pretty much ready to sign a contract setting up red-light cameras at 15 intersections (to start with). Big Brother - er, APD - is watching your energy usage. And Austin Energy is cool with that! Southeast Austin standoff this morning ends with cop shooting the suspect. Round Rock police on the lookout for a suspected stalker. Local company under Neil Bush (Dubya's bro) is being investigated... more ›

Pump Up the Volume was so much more than a proto-Jock Jams house anthem by M/A/R/R/S. It was the youthful, telegenic angst of 1990, distilled and splashed against an awesome soundtrack. It was a young and (remember?) hot Christian Slater playing a high-school pirate radio DJ named Happy Harry Hard-On. It was Samantha Mathis playing a way ballsier and like, more articulate precursor to Angela Chase. And, like any teen dramedy worth its salt, it... more ›

Four suspects have been arrested for the Wachovia Bank robbery yesterday. Probable murder-suicide in San Marcos; the couple was found by their teenage daughter last night. Student group at Texas State wants the right to carry guns around campus and to classes. This evening KEYE becomes the first Austin TV station to show local news in hi-def. It will still look the same on our old-school TV. Johns Hopkins calls Johnston High School (and... more ›

Travis County has requested an injunction against the developers of the Ranches at Hamilton Pool to force them to stop construction unless they start doing more to keep runoff from their site out of Hamilton Pool. Although they presumably have an interest in keeping their namesake pool clean enough for residents to enjoy, an independent consultant hired by Travis County has determined that the development is responsible for a majority, if not all, of the... more ›

Houston native and current Baltimore resident Jana Hunter was once just as equally known for her solo material as she was for the musical associates with whom she kept company - take Ray Raposa of Castanets and Devendra Banhart, just to name a couple. But 2007 has been an ambitious year for Hunter, who has made her mark not only with recording projects like her well-received sophomore album There’s No Home, but also with the... more ›

Eleven Hundred Springs specialize in a pure brand of country that should provide a perfect anti-dote for fans of that genre amidst the variety of pop, rock and electronic acts at the 2007 Wall Of Sound Festival. Lead by Matt Hillyer and Steve Berg, the band has put out a number of records on labels such as 13 Recordings and Palo Duro Records. Besides their upcoming gig at the Wall Of Sound festival, Eleven Hundred... more ›

With the 2007 Austin City Limits Music Festival set to take over the town shortly, it’s worthwhile to note that the music will naturally not be restricted to the fenced confines of Zilker Park. "Official" ACL-Fest after shows and sexy time aside, downtown should be bumping with a plethora of quality events. The wonderful folk from FactoryPeople and DFA Records present one such extravaganza on Friday at Red 7. The Outdoor Stage will feature quality... more ›

Every fall, Austin looks forward to ACL Fest, and each year, there's always a point where two of your favorite bands are playing on different sides of the park at the exact same time. ACL Band Clash is a weekly series in which Austinist scribes Paige Maguire and Tom Thornton examine the worst ACL scheduling clashes, and try to provide good advice on finding a resolution. Well, good advice might be a stretch, but... more ›

California’s Novice headlines a cracking pop bill this Wednesday at Room 710. Future Warped Tour candidates, the band expertly combines catchy melodies, energetic power pop, and mall-punk production. Novice’s discography includes A Day Out In The Sun EP (2003), Interrupting The Scenery (2004), and Forgive The Silence (2006), along with this year’s self titled EP. On the road, they have played with the likes of Less Than Jake and Shiny Toy Guns. The Most,... more ›

Once in a while, we like to take some time to introduce you to bands -- both local otherwise -- that we think you'd enjoy. Le Diamont Brut aims to showcase those MySpace gems we hope to see shine. Recommend your local suggestions by emailing music@austinist.com. THE UNFORTUNATE HEADS What’s the Deal: The Austin indie folk fivesome has just released their sophomore disc, Come Be Light. Featuring multi-instrumentation by the likes of banjo, keyboards, upright... 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 ›

Three rescue workers killed and six others injured in attempt to save trapped miners. The sleeping giant and his laughing poodle play with guns. Former "enemy combatant" Jose Padilla convicted on all counts. Two of Michael Vick's co-defendants plead guilty to federal dogfighting conspiracy charges. A Federal Judge will not block Whole Foods take over of Wild Oats Market. Markets rebound after Feds cut interest rate. Dutch men arrested for adding maggots to meat.... more ›

Rush Hour 3: Don't Jackie Chan and Chris Tucker look dismayed to find themselves in the third installment of their never-ending Rush Hour franchise? If you find it hilarious to watch a BLACK GUY and an ASIAN GUY fighting crime--together!--then look out, because now they're fighting crime in France, the funniest place in the world! Which one of them do you think will be eye-rolling and making fish-out-of-water quips while dangling from the Eiffel Tower... more ›

Nowhere to go this Tuesday night? No worries because Emo’s presents a bill of (pre) historic proportions. New York’s Pterodactyl headline in support of their debut full-length, titled either Blue Jay or simply Pterodactyl, depending on where you purchase it. Out on two labels (Brah Records and Cardboard Records), the album contains energetic post-punk full of throbbing start-stop guitar rock and pulsating harmonies. Local outfit When Dinosaurs Ruled The Earth precede Pterodactyl in support of... more ›