As a rule, we are not big fans of beauty pageants (call them "scholarship pageants" if that makes you feel better). Be that as it may, there is some bright news from the pageant scene. Over the weekend, Shilah Phillips, from the ever-growing metropolis of Frisco, was crowned Miss Texas. Ms. Phillips will now be the first African-American woman to represent our state in the Miss America pageant. You know, that pageant that will... more ›

• Now we know they were just slowly trying to make us dumber on the way to class as if we needed more help. Diesel exhaust proves to be an issue on the big yellow bus.
• Former Iraqui leader Saddam Hussein and his cohorts are faced with new charges; they are accused of and wlll be tried for genocide for the over 5000 killings in Halabja.
• Ex-Lieutenant Colonel Yousef al-Suwaileh won the Kuwaiti election on Tuesday for the final seat in the Municipal Court. Many had hoped that a woman would win the election in a state where women were allowed to vote for the first time.
• Wisconsin now has four Senators who support gay marriage. The state is proposing a Constitutional Amendment to ban gay marriage which will be on the a ballot in November.
• A really busy hurricane season is predicted for the year. William Gray is predicting at least five with winds over 110 mph.
• Brian Doyle, a Department of Homeland Security Press Secretary, had trouble keeping his little habit a secret. He was arrested for attempting to seduce a child over the internet.
• Ex-Microsoft exec Charles Simonyi has decided to take a less traditional vacation and venture in to space. If you've got billions of dollars what else are you going to do?
• If the gas prices and availability were to get to an unreasonable state, Austin would fare relatively well without the stuff.
• As if there wasn't enough reality TV wasting your time, the Miss America Pageant is slated to become a new reality series. Oh yay. more ›

• It's my Park! day is April 22. Volunteer now to clean up, rebuild and revitalize your favorite Austin-Area park!
• Keep up with all the redevelopment and construction going on Downtown. The city has a great website detailing most of the projects in Austin.
• UT is well-endowed.
• Miss Texas, Morgan Matlock, didn't win the Miss America Beauty Pagent, but she shure is purty.
• We are disgusted. The Islamic Center in North Austin was vandalized this weekend.
• A little rain and everyone freaks out! Austinites have a hard time knowing what to do when the roads get slick, apparently. more ›