We know we’re a few days late in telling you this, but just to remind you, The New York Times has decided to allow all readers free access to the NYT Select section. The offer runs through this Sunday and gives you the opportunity to read Select columns, such as Maureen Dowd’s – today she has a great piece about how, after watching little W. fuck up so badly over the past few years, Papa... more ›

*Update: The show will air "live" today at 4pm C.S.T. Game on! Did we mention there is a taped piece featuring a stern reprimand from Maureen Dowd. God what we wouldn't give for a stern reprimand from that woman. But we digress.* We all discussed James Frey's Million Little Lies last week in this space. Some were hurt, some were saddened, some could care less. Some were pissed. But apparently none were as pissed... more ›

In case you have not paid close attention, we like Maureen Dowd. Quite a bit. A few weeks ago we were fortunate enough to be in the studio audience at KLRU for a taping of Texas Monthly Talks. The program has a new format that includes a live studio audience. We arrived a little early and were fortunate enough to show Ms. Dowd to the studio and get a few minutes of alone time with her. NO we didn’t ask her to marry us or ask for her Myspace username. But we did flirt. Feebly. (Although she did give us a cute moniker we won’t share here.) more ›

Tired of bumping around town in your luxury ride, trying desperately to find the closest Rudy’s barbeque or Thundercloud Subs and having to listen to that generic female voice on your GPS? Don’t you wish you could have Burt Reynolds or Mr. T give you directions with the requisite sass? Yea, us too. Well, the wait is over, apparently. Navtones car navigation system produced by Los Angeles-based Wanderlust Media and digital map and location content provider Tele Atlas have combined to bring you celebrity-voiced navigation systems. Single celebrity voices will cost about $10 to download online, while unique character-themed voices — think of a generic surfer dude, or a cowboy — will cost about $5 each. more ›

M O N D A Y [ 1 4 ] music · Dios (Malos), Pilotdrift and Steeltrain at Stubb's music · The Lemurs and Tarantula A.D. at the Parish Room film · Spiderhouse Cafe screens "Walmart: The High Cost of Low Price" (RSVP, Free, 10pm) (Thanks, Kate!) shopping · Austin Museum of Art's Tax-Free Day music · Piebald, Hot Rod Circuit, Hit the Light and Valient Thorr at Emo's music · Nic Armstrong and the... more ›

**Well, well...thanks for the head's up Jooley. Apparently KUT is carrying Iggy Pop and Tim Curry. But we are listening to "today's" Fresh Air on their website. Quite confusing indeed. This is a first. (The discrepancy of the programming, not us being wrong)** more ›

: : 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... more ›

The very smart and very sexy columnist for the New York Times - Maureen Dowd, not Bill Saffire - is coming to Austin in November. Dowd will deliver the Mary Alice Davis Distinguished Lecture in Journalism at 6 p.m. on Wednesday the 16th at the LBJ Library Auditorium, at 2313 Red River. The lecture is free and open to the public. No tickets are required. Free parking is available at the library, which is... more ›

As you are probably well aware by now, the New York Times has made parts of their online edition available only to those who wish to pay for it. Since we are broke, that demographic does not include us, so we have been missing out on the NYT Select pieces online. That means no David Brooks, no Maureen Dowd, etc. However, we have found a way to get around all the rigamarole. You will need an Austin Public Library card, which you should have by now anyhow, and a computer, obviously. more ›