The Democratic party of Williamson County didn't order enough ballots; some precincts had used half of their ballots before the afternoon and evening rush. Today is the day of judgment for some of Craddick's Democratic supporters. Austin's Pluck purchased by Demand Media. Alfonso Royal, aide to Gov. Perry, named as chief of staff for TYC. The man who tried to steal copper from an East Austin electrical substation last week has died. ...

Today's Mega News Bits by Patrick Dentler and Rebecca Onion Asian markets fall; the Fed is really, really worried. Not convinced Giuliani's a dangerous, power-mad nutcase? Read this. The Great iPhone Heist! Tom Brady limps through the streets of New York with a walking boot on his foot. (The question is, what the hell was he doing in enemy territory in the first place?) Unhappy news for pregnant ladies, those who must inhabit the......

Photo by Patrick Dentler Barack Obama "Texas Countdown to Change"Saturday, November 17The Backyard (13101 W Highway 71)$25 General, $15 Students, 3pm[info] | [tickets]Democratic presidential hopeful Barack Obama dazzled over 20,000 Austinites last February at his Auditorium Shores rally, and this weekend he aims to do the same. Tickets to this Saturday's "Texas Countdown to Change" rally at the Backyard are still available for $25, and even cheaper ($15) if you're a student. Still, if you......

Photos courtesy of Austinist contributors Steve Hopson, Eric Uhlir, Zach Ground, Keith Gaddis, Briana Purser, Erin Hanson, Patrick Dentler, Davis Ayer, Nash Cook, and Chad Wadsworth. If you can't view the Flash slideshow above, an alternate version appears after the jump.......

Photos courtesy of Austinist contributors Eric Uhlir, Keith Gaddis, Briana Purser, Erin Hanson, Patrick Dentler and Davis Ayer. If you can't view the Flash slideshow above, an alternate version appears after the jump.......

M.I.A.'s Friday ACL performance felt so seductive because it was both spicy and sweet; but what else can you expect from a girl who salts and peppers her mango? She burst onto stage wearing pink pedal-pushers, white trainers, wrap-around glasses and war paint, all the while shimmying her heart out to Kala's "Bamboo Banga." Her dancing seemed confounded by tentative limb placement, and it marked her as one extremely sexy dork. (Hawt!) It's this......

ACL Previews Interview: Ghostland Observatory Previews: The Broken West, Big Sam’s Funky Nation & Rose Hill Drive Previews: Billy Joe Shaver and Fionn Regan Previews: Brandon Rhyder and Ocote Soul Sounds Interview: The Broken West Previews: Sylvia St. James, Jeffrey Steele, and Amy Cook Interview: Bloc Party ACL Fest Updates: Google Mashup, Contests, Eco-Chic Previews: Augustana, Amos Lee Interview: Peter, Bjorn, and John ACL Band Clash, Round 3: Wilco Vs My Morning Jacket Travis......

We've developed a very quick survey to check in with our readers. We hope to use the information to improve the site, from developing our content areas to picking promotional and advertising partners. If you have a few minutes (it's very short!), we'd appreciate it if you could answer. Thanks! Update: Thanks for the tremendous number of responses, folks! Photo by Patrick Dentler on flickr......

THURSDAY [24] theatre • Rubber Repertory presents A Thought in Three Parts at The Vortex (8pm) music • Emissions From the Monolith Fest at Emo's music • Small Stars, Sounds Under Radio at Stubb's music • DJ Qbert, DJ Craze, DJ Klever, Table Manners Crew at The Parish music • Winovino, Bourbon Legends, Jett Mullens, Jaime Thomas at Beerland music • Morrissey Pre-Party with Andy Rourke! at The Mohawk music • Gulf of Mexico,......

Austin has a love/hate relationship with bikes. Love Lance. Hate the Lance-wannabes cruising FM-1826, slowing down the burnt-orange pickups on their way to the Salt Lick. Love biking the Hike-and-Bike trail. Hate slaloming between kids and dogs on a busy Saturday. Love the idea of bike lanes and bike commuting. Hate actual bikers slowing down traffic and swerving into the street because of cars parked in the bike lanes. Love reducing traffic and pollution......

Photo by Patrick Dentler on flickr......

We all know that Austin is a great city for kids looking to date around or have a drink, but according to a new study, it's also among the top ten job markets for college grads. Bizjournals, the national publisher of metropolitan business newspapers with branches in over forty cities, reports that current economic conditions couldn't be better for the million-plus college seniors entering the workforce this year. "The outlook this year is very good,"......

SXSW co-creator Louis Black (left) looks on as folks wait anxiously in line at Waterloo Records for SXSW Music wristbands earlier this afternoon. First 2,000 are $130 and the next 2,000 shoot up to $160--nearly twice as much as they were five years ago, when the first round of wristbands were $85. Lines stretched around the block, with eager Austinites showing up in increasing numbers even as we left at 1:30pm. In '05, the......

MONDAY [12] benefit • Everychild House Party 2007 at Stubb's ($25/$10 Adults/Children) books • Quincy Troupe presents The Architecture of Language at BookPeople (7:00pm) film • Texas Music Museum presents "JAZZ," a six-part film/discussion series with Dr James Polk at Austin Public Library, Carver Branch (7pm) film • Darkon: The Movie at Alamo Drafthouse Downtown film • Half-Cocked at Alamo Drafthouse Downtown food • Central Market Cooking Class with Chef Vance Ely: Gentlemen Entertain:......

Here's a round-up of our favorite posts for late January/first days of February: Last week, the Chronic pointed out the irony that the town's famous vegan firefighters are down the street from Bert's Bar-B-Q (where the fire took place a couple weeks ago). We're sure the vegans would have come to the rescue of the Austin institution if their dispatcher had told them in time. . . but that's a whole other post. The......

Please direct any inquiries to 512-474-9944. Photo by Patrick Dentler on flickr......

MONDAY [22] books • The Ludicrous Speed Book Club discusses The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula K. LeGuin at BookPeople (7:00pm) film • The Glamorous Life of Sachiko Hanai at Alamo Drafthouse Downtown film • Cold Hearts: Icelandic Music Shorts at Alamo Drafthouse Downtown film • "24" at Alamo Drafthouse Village film • "Heroes" at Alamo Drafthouse Village film • St. Edwards University Paper Project at St. Edwards ® indicates a recommended event.......

Just hours after a bunch of road flares were mistaken for dynamite in Williamson County, authorities have converged upon 10th and West Lynn, where a suspicious package is sitting in a car. From reader Matt: [2:08pm] There is either a giant donut being cooked up over at the Galaxy Cafe on West Lynn, or something all the more serious. I counted eight squad cars, a hazmat truck, the bomb squad outfitted and ready to go......