Foreclosures went up like crazy in January as mortgages readjusted. China, with Olympics looming in the background, is now willing to talk about human rights. More Americans now jump around from religion to religion, survey says. Teenage drivers are lagging in getting licenses....

The coalition is a community of Florida farmworkers from various immigrant backgrounds who strive for fair wages and fair treatment and work to end modern-day slavery. One of the activists from this Coalition, Lucas Benitez, will be delivering the opening address at UT's 28th Annual Student Conference on Latin America tonight. ...

In an effort to put to rest the debate over whether Austin has an actual gay and lesbian community, eight prominent LGBT organizations today announced the formation of the Pride Coalition. The unifying entity is, in many ways, largely an effort to eliminate some of the petty squabbling over resources and public attention that many of these groups often found themselves caught up in. It also hopes to better promote the various community volunteer efforts that take place throughout the year....

This weekend human rights activists protested against the family immigration detention center in Taylor. Body left for San Antonio medical examiner after traffic accident wasn't dead yet. McKinney man caught after following UPS trucks and stealing packages left outside homes. Was Jessica Simpson's appearance at the Cowboys game yesterday the reason they lost? If not, can we blame her anyway?...

Sign of global warming? Two butterflies make their first appearance in the Valley; they haven't ventured this far North before. Austin lawyer forged judges' signatures on personal bonds. KXAN shows how an Austin couple's startup is making it simple to buy from Shanghai (see video at right). GOP Presidential hopeful Huckabee was in town fund-raising last night. Operation Blue Santa needs volunteers. And so does the Human Rights Commission! State Rep. Mike Krusee won't......

Have you ever found yourself yearning to be lost in the sea of lesbians that is the Dinah Shore Weekend in Palm Springs, but you can’t seem to get away? Do you want to have a night off from struggling to figure out where all the lesbians go in Austin and why the full-fledged lesbian bars in town can't keep from closing? More importantly, have you been patiently waiting since the year 1930 to attend......

The Human Rights Campaign has unveiled the 2007 edition of the Best Places to Work for GLBT Equality. Companies are evaluated based on factors including non-discrimination policies and partner benefits availability. Among the employers recognized are Austin-based companies Dell Inc. (well, Round Rock-based, but close enough) and Freescale Semiconductor Inc. Both companies have non-discrimination policies covering sexual orientation and gender identity and offer benefits for same-sex partners. Way to be progressive, Dell and Freescale.......

Cine Las Americas is hosting a special screening of the critically acclaimed Letters from the Other Side. The documentary on Mexican immigration was directed by Austinite Heather Courtney. The free screening at the George Washington Carver Museum is open to the public and will feature a Q&A with women featured in the film, with a reception to follow. Beyond just a screening, the evening is a celebration of sorts, as the women from the......

This Sunday two local interfaith events will take place. The first and largest gathering of the two is the Annual Interreligious Thanksgiving Service. This service is sponsored by Austin Area Interreligious Ministries and has been held for 22 years now. It is an amazing opportunity to see all the diverse faiths of our city represented under one roof. Our favorite part of the service is the call to worship, which has in the past......

The producers of Brokeback Mountain are auctioning off the film's entire wardrobe to raise money for the Human Rights Campaign, a nonprof working to promote equality for GLBT citizens. From now through October 20th, you can bid on tons of bonafide outfits, each sweated upon by your favorite Brokeback cowboys! [Brokeback Mountain Auction on Ebay]......

Starting at 9am this morning (yes, we know it's already started) the Rapoport Center for Human Rights and Justice at UT School of Law will be taking part in a national webcast on "Guantánamo: How Should We Respond". All day long, panelists (including released detainees, clergy, military officers and more) based in Seton Hall will be discussing the detentions at Guantánamo and litigation strategies. The webcast will allow 200 schools across the nation to......

This weekend, Jovita’s will play host to a night of Texas blues and rock, featuring Jimmy LaFave, Troy Campbell and Seth Walker. The event will benefit the Texas Civil Rights Project (TCRP). “We are honored to build a fundraiser around such a great evening of music and such terrific musicians. Folks can support civil rights and have fun doing it,” said Jim Harrington, TCRP Director. In its 16th year, TCRP is among the nation’s most......

If you don't speak Yiddish, or never watched SNL's Coffee Talk, then it may be helpful to know that a shonde is a term used to envelop the many dimensions of shame: pity, disgrace, embarassment, etc. The Shondes are a New York based quartet that proudly boasts that -according to orthodox belief or even conventional society- they are in fact a bunch of shondes. Standing up for human rights, giving voice to radical queer......

Trish Abbott of the Fellowship for Reconciliation will be on hand at Monkey Wrench Books this evening for a presentation and slide show about the current human rights situation in Colombia and the role of the US in said. Since the early 90s, Colombia has received more than $1 billion in US military aid. This money goes to a military that is the worst human rights abuser in the hemisphere and has been implicated in......

As smart as we think we are, we can barely remember the names of the people were introduced to yesterday. Dolphins have us beat, damn brilliant creatures. The energy-producing windmills that are supposed to be uber-environmentally-friendly have some bird lovers in a tizzy. Is anyone else eerily bothered by the Grackles? We're thinking we need some of those windmills scattered around town. Incidentally- Grackles are known for imitating human speech better than parrots. C.R.E.E.P.Y.......

Yesterday Texas became the 19th state with a constitutional amendment banning gay marriage. Prop 2 passed with an overwhelming majority across the state, Travis County being the only one to reject the proposition. Quite frankly, none of us are surprised by the results. Disappointed? Absolutely. Said Human Rights Campaign President Joe Solmonese [from Gayapolis] "Education is a long-term effort that cynical politics can never stop...These amendments are part of a long-standing effort by the......

: : FRIDAY : : [art] Coy Poage and William K. Stidham Art Exhibit benefiting the National Ovarian Cancer Coalition of Austin, 7pm-10pm @ Barocca Studios - $15 donation [music] Mae Shi @ Elysium [film] New Films! @ Your Local Theaters [music] Andy Rourke of The Smiths @ The Parish [music] Loxsly, 8pm @ Red Fez [music] AM Syndicate with Casiotone for the Painfully Alone, Cue and Dear Nora, 8pm @ Beerland [books] Douglas......

T U E S D A Y [27] film · Scion presents their weekly screening + Q&A at the Drafthouse South Lamar. This week: Adam Bhala Lough's "Bomb the System", with music provided by DJ Mel. (RSVP, 6:30pm)music · Zookeeper, Goldrush and Hopewell at Stubb's music · The Black Angels, The Black and Lalaland at Emo's books/pop-culture · UT Professor S. Craig Watkins discusses his latest book, Hip Hop Matters: Politics, Popular Culture, and the......