Let's be honest: everyone loves SXSW week, but when it ends, you are secretly very ready to move on. Before we do, let's take a look at some of the isolated, crazy, and wonderful moments that make SXSW such an over-the-top sensory experience. – The dude at Girl Talk dancing with a broken pinata on his head. Then passing said pinata to someone else to dance with. – Isaac Hayes talking in his famous......

SXSW has truly built a strong reputation around the world, and every year various countries send their top-notch artists to Austin to display their nation’s talent. Scandinavia is one such area with a booming music scene. Danish band Mew and Sverige’s own Loney, Dear (Emil Svanängen) will bring their best to the festival this year. Finland, too, is doing its bit, with the Finnish Moosic Tour. Featuring punk rock from Disco Ensemble and electro-pop from......

Are you ready for football, world? The American Football World Cup will take place in one of football’s hottest of beds, Japan. The event, in its third year, is organized by the International Federation of American Football (IFAF), which is based in another hotbed for American football, France. IFAF consists of 45 member nations, including good ol’ USA Football. The American entry to the cup will consist of players who have exhausted their college eligibility......

NY's Charles Schumer promises Dems they've got the Senate nailed down. Better not be lying to us, Chuck. Meanwhile, eighteen Palestinians were killed by Israeli artillery. Israel says this was a "technical mistake." Come on, not even Rummy could get away with that one... The World Cup was peaceful because female fans—the ultimate wet blankets—were plentiful. Chris Walken possibly to lend his haunted, schizo gravitas to Ozzy biopic? K-Fed wants the kids. No word......

Fútbol in the United States has had its share of peaks and valleys. From the heyday of the North American Soccer League (NASL) to the quarter final run of the national team in the 2002 FIFA World Cup , there have been quite a few success stories in a country that is supposedly averse to the sport. Austin, too, has had its share of hits and misses. The Austin Lone Stars, Austin Lightning, and the......

It's common knowledge. You don't talk about a guy's mom or his sister. Unless, of course, you're playing the dozens with Truecraig on a street corner after a night of heavy drinking. And, coming from the most mamma-lovin country around, Italian soccer player Marco Materazzi shoulda known better, as well. Apparently, during the World Cup final, after Zinedine Zidane taunted him by saying that he would give the Italian his jersey (on which Materazzi was......

While it arrives in Austin too late to capitalize on World Cup fever, the new documentary Once In A Lifetime tells a surprising and all but forgotten story. In the late 1970's, some brilliant businessmen sold the city of New York on soccer as a stadium event and planted the seed for a huge new pro sports league...only to watch their dream fall to pieces. The most entertaining thing here is to realize that......

Searching for a great way to celebrate Bastille Day? Austinist has been tipped to what will certainly be a célébration magnifique. Although not the national holiday it is in France, you can still celebrate Saturday at the Texas Culinary Academy's Bastille Day Celebration. Bastille Day celebrates the storming of the Bastille, a prison and symbol of tyranny, that signaled the beginning of the French Revolution. A holiday for some, and an excuse to party......

In honor of the World Cup-winning Italian futbol team, we’ve assembled our own team of Italian delicacies to be had right here on the third coast. Mangia! • Meatball Sandwich and Macarpone Cheesecake at Enoteca Vespaio This sandwich with crusty white bread, juicy and spicy meatballs, warm melted cheese and sweet tomato sauce provides a very intricate marriage of flavors for something so, well, simple. Pair with something from an obscenely large collection of......

LOCAL: The NAACP of Austin and the Texas Civil Rights project have sued the state and Travis County over electronic voting machines. They claim that E-Slate voting machines violate the state election code because they don't provide a paper record of the vote transaction. STATE: A federal judge has ruled that former U.S. Rep. Tom DeLay must remain on the ballot for the 22nd Congressional District race. It seems DeLay's little scheme to temporarily......

*This post comes from Austinist Special World Cup Correspondent Ben Gardner, Co-Host of KOOP’s SoccerMad, who is in Germany for this year’s Cup.* “Monsieur, would you like the Chocolate Croissant or the Brie and Grapes?” As you blow smoke rings and sip on your café au lait, you answer that a snifter of brandy will be all you need. As the waiter smiles and walks away, a warm breeze blows off the ocean as if......

Sometimes you need to clean yourself up, get serious, and move in with daddie for a few months before you head to Latin America for a new gig. The District bid's Jenna Bush adios. D.C.-based television shows have an elderly audience and DCist has some suggestions to fix that. They're also throwing Butterstick the panda bear a birthday bash. Yeah, we may have a few issues with our World Cup broadcasters here, but this guy......

*This post comes from Austinist Special World Cup Correspondent Ben Gardner, Co-Host of KOOP’s SoccerMad, who is in Germany for this year’s Cup.* Three weeks in to the tournament and there are many storylines. The favorites are succeeding, while the Asian and African countries were sent packing, not to mention North America, which saw three of its four representatives finish bottom of their groups. From these three continents, only Mexico and Ghana made the cut,......

Sampaist is on the scene in São Paulo beginning this week, becomin the only Ist south of the Equator. Editor Leandro M. Pinto leads the paulistanos down there. You can protest someone at his office, sure, but when the whistle blows at the end of the day can you follow him home? D.C. has sports fans, apparently, and elephants aren't really cut out for zoos. There's this trick where you can read information from a......

Local: The Austin City Council has decided to reduce the speed limit in three Austin neighborhoods from 30 miles to 25. In addition, they have given the green light to require Austin residents to reduce their water consumption by 1% for the next 10 years. State: Texas Secretary of State Roger Williams has until September to decide whether Carole Cougar Mellencamp can use the nickname, "Grandma," on the ballot in November. We are happy......

*This post comes from Austinist Special World Cup Correspondent Ben Gardner, Co-Host of KOOP’s SoccerMad, who is in Germany for this year’s Cup.* The world cup is incredible! Here in Deutschland, everyone is sick with cup fever. The VeltMeisterShaft is on every television, in every bar, and the German flag hangs in every window. Now is the time when the tournament really gets going. As we begin the final round of group matches, every match......

MONDAY [19] [film] Tickets on Sale Now for Superman Returns, opening June 27th @ Alamo at Alamo South (Multiple Shows, $8) (more) [sports] World Cup Matches at Alamo Village (Daily, Various) (more) [film] State vs. Reed (funds from screening benefit Rodney Reed's family) at Alamo Downtown (7pm) (more) [film] Casino at Austin Java (8pm, FREE) (more) [film] The Fearless Freaks at Café Mundi (8pm, FREE) (more) [film] Fela Kuti: Music is the Weapon at Alamo......

Texas artist and sculptor Luis Jimenez was killed in a studio accident (read: squished by a massive horse) on Tuesday leaving behind quite a legacy. You may recognize his firefighter piece currently at the Blanton. The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents says playgrounds need to be more exciting for children otherwise they'll go play on the railroad tracks. We wonder what the Royal Society of Amtrak has to say about this. Combining......

*This post comes from Austinist Special World Cup Correspondent Ben Gardner, Co-Host of KOOP’s SoccerMad, who is in Germany for this year’s Cup.* One week gone and all the teams have taken the pitch. The Americans are awful and Ecuador is one of the few surprises thus far. I just returned from the streets of Munich, where the party is on. Oliver Neuville´s last minute goal to beat Poland has, in all likelihood, sent the......

MONDAY [12] [sports] World Cup Games at Alamo Village (Through 16th, 11am & 2pm) (link) [film] Labrynth at Alamo South (Through 16th, 1pm, Free) (link) [film] Baby Doll at Paramount Theatre (7pm) (link) [film] Gram Parsons: Fallen Angel at Alamo Downtown (7pm, $10) (link) [film] Blue Velvet at Rounders Pizzeria (8pm, Free) (link) [film] GoodFellas at Austin Java (8pm, Free) (link) [film] Rolling Roadshow: Nanny McPhee at San Marcos (8pm, Free) (link) [film] Stunt Rock......

LAist is flashing a sad peace out to their editor Carolyn Kellogg with one hand and bumping knuckles with their new head typist L.A. blogger king Tony Pierce with the other. Where do ist editors go when they hang up the 'editorial we'? They take on MySpace, apparently. At least Ben Brown does. Austinist reminds us of the just rewards of less savory careers this week and then they witness the Arctic Monkeys and We......

FRIDAY [9] [music] Shellac, The New Year at Emo's (link) [music] Twilight Singers w. Mark Lanegan, Afterhours, Jeff Klein at The Parish Room (link) [music] The Late Fees at End of an Ear (6pm) (link) [music] Sons of Hercules, Jesus Christ Superfly (15th Anniversary!) at Beerland (link) [music/danceparty] Waxploitation! at Red's Scoot Inn (9:30pm) (link) [music] The Beer Garden Series presents South Austin Jug Band at Threadgill's World HQ (link) [dance] A Place to Land......

A professor at UC Davis was awarded a grant to study the relationship between music and emotion. For instance- why do some people get turned on by R. Kelly while it makes us other people want to vomit? Every kid's dream came true for 6-year-old Michael James Emanuel Jr. who was left behind at a Chuck E. Cheese on his birthday. His 23-year-old mother didn't even realize Junior was missing until the following morning.......

The greatest sporting event in the world begins tomorrow, so it’s time to think about where to watch all of this year’s World Cup games. Contacting a friend with a high definition television is a good idea, as all 64 games will be shown live in HD. If you don’t have HD, not to worry, as all the games will also be shown live on ESPN, ESPN2, and ABC. The opening match, between Germany and......

*This post comes from Austinist Special World Cup Correspondent Ben Gardner, Co-Host of KOOP’s SoccerMad, who is in Germany for this year’s Cup.* World Cup 2006 will be the final stage for one of the greatest players of all time. After a brilliant career, in which he has won everything possible, Frenchman Zinedine Zidane has decided to call it a day. For nearly twenty years Zidane has dominated the center of midfield with his perfect......

*This post comes from Austinist Special World Cup Correspondent Ben Gardner, Co-Host of KOOP’s SoccerMad, who will be traveling to Germany for this year’s Cup.* You sip your caipirinha as the warm breeze brings you the sound of samba. The drums beat and you are numbed by waves and beautiful bodies that move in perfect rhythm. Your eyes close and visions of green and gold appear. First it’s Zico, then Socrates, now Romario. Your heart......

*This post comes from Austinist Special World Cup Correspondent Ben Gardner, Co-Host of KOOP’s SoccerMad, who will be traveling to Germany for this year’s Cup.* No longer under the radar, a strong United States team heads to Germany, looking to prove that their quarterfinal finish at the 2002 World Cup was no fluke. Their draw is brutal, as they will have to get past at least one of the two best teams in the world:......

*This post comes from Austinist Special World Cup Correspondent Ben Gardner, Co-Host of KOOP’s SoccerMad, who will be traveling to Germany for this year’s Cup.* World Cup 2006’s Group D boasts nations from four different continents. Mexico, Iran, Portugal, and Angola make up a group that is filled with high scoring teams and political storylines. El Tricolor, as the Mexicans are known, finished world cup qualifying as the highest scoring team in the world, with......

*This post comes from Austinist Special World Cup Correspondent Ben Gardner, Co-Host of KOOP’s SoccerMad, who will be traveling to Germany for this year’s Cup.* Group C at World Cup 2006 has been billed as the Group of Death, the term given to the toughest group in the tournament. Two-time world cup champions, Argentina, are the favorites, along with European powerhouse, Holland. Joining them in the group are the Ivory Coast, or Cote d’Ivoire, and......

The whole world is at your fingertips. Check it out... Shanghaiist probably knows a little more about China than the Chicago Sun-Times. Giving them the benefit of the doubt on that one. The city does too have a music scene. Don't even front like they don't. They also have Dorito bananas and white guys shopping for wives. What they don't have is any more tolerance for jaywalkers. Bostonist sees Boston and Somerville each whip out......