• A New York judge rules that sending a MySpace "friend request" to a person who has a restraining order against you is illegal.
• Cold War conspiracy! Russia believes America's announced plan to shoot down one of its broken spy satellites is, in reality, a test its of its anti-missile defense system's capability. At any rate, it looks like the satellite is going to crash to Earth pretty soon, so keep your head on a swivel.
• Citizens of Planet Earth, welcome your newest country: Kosovo officially declares independence from Serbia.

Brownout! kick off their tour this week but not before supplying the Beauty Bar with diverse concoctions comprised of Latin funk, Afro-beats, soul and R&B. Following their Tuesday night gig in Austin, the eight-piece plays one more show in the Lone Star State, at Zeppelin’s Pub in El Paso before leaving for California. more ›

• Scientologists' lawyers are threatening a huge lawsuit against the author of this week's controversial new biography of Tom Cruise, which also exposes many of the sect's most embarrassing secrets.
• Facebook has been asked to remove the Scrabulous game from its website by the makers of Scrabble.
• Although there's been quite a bit of hype about all the changes this year, which promise singers playing real! live! instruments! and fewer guest coaches, the first Idol episode offered only business as usual.

AngelouEconomics will host the annual Economic & Technology Forecast next Thursday, January 24, at the Austin Convention Center. The Economic & Technology Forecast is billed as the largest business event in Austin, with attendees including public officials, educators, media, economic analysts and business executives from Central Texas’ technology, legal, real estate and services industries. Speakers include Angelos Angelou, the Founder and CEO of AngelouEconomics, and Zanny Minton Beddoes, the US economics editor for The Economist. more ›

For the third time in two years, community based public radio station KOOP 91.7 fm has suffered a studio fire that has put a halt to programming. more ›

Andy Langer is Austin's nearly ubiquitous multimedia music journalist. In the past, he's worked for both The Austin Chronicle and KUT. He now hosts music news segments on News 8 Austin, writes a column for Esquire magazine, and appears on both KSGR and KROX radio on Thursday mornings. Now, after twelve years of (also) hosting 101X's Sunday new music program The Next Big Thing, Langer is migrating to a prime weekday evening spot at KGSR. His show will air Monday-Friday from 6 to 10pm, immediately following Jody Denberg's drive-time broadcast. Though KSGR's format is pretty flexible for AAA, it's a big change for the guy who's been playing lots of loud indie, Britrock, electronica, and lo-fi material at KROX. We spoke with Langer yesterday about the changes to his radio job, and he had a lot to tell us more ›

Image from MySpace Clipd Beaks, iKiLLCaRS & Daniel Francis DoyleFriday, December 7Emos (603 Red River St)Inside, Doors at 8pm, Show at 10pm[info] | [iKiLLCaRS MySpace] | [Clipd Beaks MySpace] | [Daniel Francis Doyle MySpace]iKiLLCaRS At Ease With Your Haste In case the name embodying misplaced aggression spelled in an unorthodox fashion that says, “You know what, I don’t have to follow your stupid rules of capitalization!” coupled with members' pseudonyms like Johnny Law didn’t clue... more ›

Photo by lilapants ln flickrPatrol car video footage that documents the final, pleading calls of police shooting victim Kevin Alexander Brown was made public by the city of Austin yesterday according to The Austin American-Statesman. "Please turn me over," Brown asks repeatedly from the distant background of the grainy video. His last request falls on deaf ears. "I'm gonna die," he says to the officer who shot him. The cop in question, Sgt. Michael Olsen,... more ›

Photo by mirsasha on flickr In June an APD officer sped 139 miles/hour through a funeral procession on Mopac; he resigned in November. Ford recalling over a million trucks and SUVs because of a faulty engine sensor. The Austin Energy Alt-Car Expo is coming next October. Texas Legislative Conference (who?) names Lt. Gov. Dewhurst as Texan of the Year. New state law set to go into effect January 1 charges $5 per each strip club... more ›

The Austin Symphony Orchestra and Chorus Austin: Handel’s MessiahDecember 4, 2007 at 8:00 p.m.4214 N. Capitol of Texas Highway (4214 N. Capitol of Texas Highway)Riverbend Centre[info] | [tickets] Sir Thomas Beecham wrote of Handel in his memoirs, "Since his time mankind has heard no music written for voices which can even feebly rival his for grandeur of build and tone, nobility and tenderness of melody, scholastic skill and ingenuity and inexhaustible variety of effect…Handel…is... more ›

Image from Scion's websiteSo you’re all set for an afternoon with the family and/or friends, tons of food on the horizon, be it Turkey or Tofurkey. Still, you need to scratch that live music itch before heading home. Well, fear not oh lovely residents of Austin, the city has a solid night of gigs on the 21st in store for the common layperson. If you’re not already planning on hitting up the Benko and The... more ›

A new academic study suggests that the appeal of curvy women is based on more than the purely physical. Homophobic Surgeon General nominee to be recess appointed by Bush? The 2008 Austin Firefighters Calendar is on sale, and we're thinking about next summer's dry spell already. WTF: Jump-roping dogs. The Austin Independent School District just started an outreach program that’s meant to enroll more African American students into its gifted and talented programs. In... more ›

Image from Austin Asian Film Fest official site Austin Asian Film FestivalThursday November 8 - Sunday November 11Various VenuesAll access badge $30, Individual films $7 / $5 students, AFS, TAA[info]Austin has a mind-blowing number of film festivals. In the last six weeks alone we've had the Austin Film Festival, Fantastic Fest, aGLIFF, The Austin Polish Film Festival and the Dismember the Alamo Zombie Film Fest--all of which were awesome. And beginning tomorrow, we'll have another... more ›

As reported in a heartfelt eulogy on Michael Barnes' blog, Austin lost one its treasures yesterday. Karen Kuykendall passed away at the age of 69 from complications from cancer of the lungs and spine. Ms. Kuykendall was so many things: funny, kind, amazingly talented, beautiful, friendly, bright...the list goes on and on. We met her a handful of times; she was always warm and truly delightful. And of course legions of Austinites will remember her... more ›

The Austin Contrarian did a nice post yesterday on the Design Commission's Density Bonus Recommendations. A "density bonus" isn't quite what it sounds like - developers don't get a bonus for building more density. Instead, developers pay the city (generally to provide money for parks, affordable housing or mass transit) in exchange for the right to build more density. Parks, affordable housing and mass transit are all good things, but density is also a good... more ›

Art Alliance Austin is still accepting visual artists' application for participation in its highly anticipated annual art fair, Art City Austin, to be held next April 12-13 - but not for long! If you're an artist with the right stuff, submit your application here (and non-refundable $30 jury fee) by midnight, October 31, or risk turning back into a black velvet paint-by-number pumpkin. The competitive jury process draws thousands of applicants from around the... more ›

Smarter than Tyler Florence and cuter than Mario Batali, the thinking foodie's older man crush — Anthony Bourdain — chatted with a sold out audience at the Paramount last Saturday. At once charming and challenging, cynical and optimistic about the state of food and travel, the audience was walked through "The World According to Tony Bourdain" for an hour an a half - and he didn't disappoint. Bourdain on stage is no different than his... more ›

Austin SWAT has been deployed outside a North Austin home where a man has barricaded himself. According to the Statesman, the incident was precipitated by APD attempting to serve an arrest warrant. The Austin school district has asked the parents of Walnut Creek Elementary School students who live in the Longbranch Apartments at 304 Masterson Pass to make arrangements to pick up their children from school today. Students who ride the Austin school buses, Rabbit,... more ›

An industrial crane toppled this morning in the 900 block of Red River Street. No one was hurt when the crane fell, police said. Red River Street between 9th and 10th was shut for about two hours but reopened shortly after 11 a.m. The site under construction is near the Sheraton Hotel and is a four-story apartment building. Update: (10:40am) The Austin American Statesman has reported that the crane is not one of the giant... more ›

Lions held their own recently amidst a who’s who of Texas talent at the 2007 Wall Of Sound Festival. The Austin act was one of the few to make sense of the commotion that was Stage 3, generating incessant guitar riffs supplemented by vocalist Matt Drenik’s energy and howls to successfully satisfy a somewhat disgruntled crowd. The no-nonsense rock n’ roll band brings its brand new album, No Generation (produced at The Bubble Studio), and... more ›

The Austin Gay and Lesbian International Film Festival (aGLIFF) is all grown up in its 20th year and it shows in tonight’s kickoff festivities. Not only is the inaugural film—Call Me Troy—a world premiere, it is also the first documentary in the festival’s history to serve as an opening night film. The schedule continues to entice with another noteworthy first: the Sapphire MojitoMartini. You can down this “aGLIFF 20 Signature Cocktail” and chat up... more ›

The Austin Museum of Digital Art (AMODA) is bringing back its monthly Digital Showcase tomorrow night at Club DeVille, and, as usual, they've managed to assemble an impressive roster of electronic musicians and visual artists. Saturday's headliner is New York City's DJ /rupture, aka Jace Clayton. A gifted musician and producer, Rupture has enjoyed a prolific career that's run the gamut from releasing mix albums and performing with the Barcelona Symphony Orchestra (as a turntable... more ›

If you can't view the Flash slideshow above, an alternate version appears after the jump. Less than a week after the Austin City Limits Music Festival packed up its gear for another year, La Grave Field in Fort Worth hosted the 2007 Wall Of Sound Festival. Presented by Spune and co-sponsored by Coors Light, the Fort Worth Weekly, and yours truly (among others), the event kicked off bright n' early on the 22nd of... more ›

Today marks the 150th anniversary of the founding of the Austin Fire Department, which was started on Sept. 25, 1857 by ex-New York fireman and Austin grocer John Bremond Sr.* John Bremond Sr.What began as the volunteer-based Hook and Ladder Fire Company No. 1—operating under the motto of "Always Ready!"—eventually blossomed into one of the largest departments in the country. AFD now employes over 1,000 people, with 44 fire stations throughout the city. To... more ›

Maybe it’s an aftereffect of the heat and shoulder-to-shoulder swaying at ACL, but we’re feeling particularly groovy today. The Austin Cinematheque understands, as it’s all peace, love, and Brigitte Bardot in tonight’s screening of Contempt at the Texas Union Theatre. Okay, so not so much with the peace. Director Jean-Luc Godard takes on the shady world of filmmaking and the lengths one must go through to see an artistic vision through to the bitter... more ›

We know you're coming to ACL Fest for the amazing live music, not the culinary delights. That said, you're going to need to keep your blood sugar up to withstand three days of dirty heat and canned beer. The Austin Chronicle has helpfully detailed the food vendors and their offerings at the park grounds as well as the restaurants near Zilker within walking distance should you decide to venture out. Gourmet foodies may want to... more ›

From his beginnings in youth flicks like Explorers and Dead Poets Society to his modern-day gigs with Rick Linklater and Sidney Lumet, Austin native Ethan Hawke has done his fair share of acting. Now he's jumped behind the camera to direct an adaptation of his novel The Hottest State, a story most believe is based on Hawke's 90's fling with singer Lisa Loeb. Regardless of the truth of that rumor, the story centers around... more ›

The Austin City Store hasn't been open for a year yet and has already seen its share of controversy. Besides the charges of nepotism involving the shop, the larger problem the store is having is that it is not making a profit. Perhaps because of the disappointing range of items available for sale? Whatever the reason, current projections show that the shop wouldn't be able to cover its own costs until 2013. more ›

The name ‘Benko’ has been associated with a Hungarian chess grandmaster, a U.S. Olympic gold medal-winning freestyle swimmer, a young Hungarian canoe champion, a Croatian football striker, and one half of a Slovenian electro-pop duo. But Wednesday night, at Mohawk, it will be synonymous with vibraphone-lead indie pop. The Austin trio’s vibes-instead-of-guitars sound furthers their melodic tendencies and echoes their jazz leanings. It’s likely due in part to their unconventional rock instrumentation that Benko... more ›

If there was a memo about sporting black-tie attire to the Runway to Heaven fashion show, we didn't get it. We dressed way down (think just-got-out-of-the-pool-and-threw-on-some-jeans) compared to the high-heeled and coiffed attendees—so we jokingly told the charming and stylish gawkers sitting next to us in the "media" seats that we were with Vice Magazine. Friday's event at the UT Alumni Center showcased creations from emerging local designers and raised money for charity at... more ›