With the promise of receiving many gifts in return, this headlong rush into the temples of consumer culture hardly looks like the selfless goodwill to all mankind, but a few bookstores around Austin are offering the opportunity to participate in the truly noble exercise of helping the needy and downtrodden this season....

Photo courtesy austinsantaspeedorun.com Santa Speedo Run at Trail of Lights 5kSaturday, December 8Zilker Park6pm[info]During next weekend's Trail of Lights 5k Run, Zilker Park's festive arrangement of lighted scenes won't be the only eye candy on display. Some steely individuals will get together to participate in Austin's first annual Santa Speedo Run, wearing, as you might have guessed, nothing but the trademark Lycra swim briefs. It's all in the name of good fun, while (informally) fundraising......

Image from Tom Brosseau’s MySpace Nickel Creek & Tom BrosseauSaturday, November 17Stubbs (801 Red River)$25 Advance; Doors 7 p.m.[info] | [tickets] Singer-songwriter Tom Brosseau brings heartfelt lyricism and mellow melodies to Stubb’s on Saturday. Hailing from Grand Forks, North Dakota, Brosseau’s high pitched voice and gentle guitar complement his sincere storytelling perfectly, and has found him at least one fan in a certain Natalie Portman. Portman picked Brosseau’s “Plaid Lined Jacket” (along with tracks by......

Photo by deJong MortifiedNovember 16th, 2007Coldtowne Theatre (4803 Airport Blvd.)[info] | [tickets]An obsession with Huey Lewis. The detailed diaries of a nerd molester. A girl's small town love of Nicholas Nickelby. True tales...ripped from the pages of diaries everywhere. Featuring a distinct lineup of local performers reading their own humiliating teenage journal entries, rap lyrics, philosophical musings and fictional shorts, Mortified makes its Austin debut this Friday night. Hailed as a "cultural phenomenon" by Newsweek......

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The Health Alliance For Austin Musicians (or HAAM) provides local artists with low-cost health care and other related services. This year’s HAAM Benefit Day is here (today), and the organization is presenting numerous shows all over town this evening, along with a Telethon on ME Television. One can offer their assistance in funds by donating online as well. The HAAM Benefit Day is presented with support from a number of entities, including Whole Foods......

When Will Stewart of Austin bought a ticket in the outfield seats for the Chicago White Sox-LA Angels game on Sunday, he had no idea he was about to become a part of history. But he was in the right place at the right time as Jim Thome's game-winning home run bounced off the rows behind Stewart and into his hands. It was Thome's 500th career home run, a mark that only 23 players in......

Formed from the ashes of Split Enz, Crowded House may well have been the best pure pop-rock group of their era. Twenty-two years after their beginnings in Melbourne, Australia, Neil Finn and Nick Seymour have brought back Crowded House's classic songwriting and effortless melodies via a new album and tour. The group disbanded in 1996 and has weathered the shocking suicide of founding member Paul Hester, the disconnect of distance (Finn lives in Auckland,......

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......

The fourth annual Texas 4000 for Cancer bike ride will kick off this weekend. Actually, it's less of a "ride" and more of a "trek." The 44-member cycling team, mostly made up of UT students, will cycle from Austin all the way to Anchorage, Alaska (that's 4,500 miles!) to raise money for the American Cancer Society. It's the longest annual charity bicycle ride in the world, and it kicks off this afternoon from the UT......

Mark Falkin, Austin writer of the novel Days Of Grace, sat down with us recently for a chat or two. It’s actually been a couple of months since we first started this interview process. Christmas time... And that long expanse had nothing to do with the diligent and understanding efforts of Mark Falkin himself. Oh no. The blame for such a delayed display falls squarely on the interviewer himself. Because he simply can’t be trusted.......

The Austin Tennis Club (ATC) will be hosting its Fifth Annual Heart of Texas Classic—or HOT5—this weekend, March 10-12 at UT Intramural Courts and the South Austin Tennis Center. This year, the organization has designated Out Youth as their charity of choice. Out Youth, long a staple in the Austin lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning (LGBTQ) community, is the only organization for LGBTQ youth ages 12-19 in Central Texas. Out Youth services include counseling,......

For some of you, SXSW is an obsession. For others...not so much. While we're rather immersed in the whole SXSW experience at Austinist, we know that many of you just want to take in a free or cheap event or two during the festival to experience the thing. No problem. Here's a list of events featuring local merchants, community organizations, and radio stations that will allow you to casually dip a toe in the......

Valentine’s Day may be over, but that doesn’t mean the love has to end. If you’re looking for a special way to celebrate with a partner/friend/whoever – and benefit Amnesty International while you’re at it – may we suggest attending the next Burlesque for Peace event this Saturday, February 17th? This year’s theme is “Black Tie Burlesque,” and prizes will be awarded for the best James Bond, Bond girl, and Bond villain costumes. The......

Andy Roddick, the world’s sixth-ranked men’s tennis player and part-time Austin resident, was in town last weekend for his Second Annual Andy Roddick Foundation Charity Gala. Founded in 2001, the Andy Roddick Foundation raises money to benefit organizations that aid in the development of at-risk children and families, including those that have been abused, abandoned and neglected. The Foundation’s goal is to improve the quality of life and enhance educational and economic opportunities for all......

Twas the week before Christmas, when all through the web... As a holiday special, we're bringing you one of the best Missed Connection's from last week. Enjoy, and have a happy holidays... Need i need a love affair i need a triple-dog dare i need some hot sex that AIN'T from an ex i need a moment of clarity and i need charity not for me, but in me and i need parity and......

The self-proclaimed live music capital of the world will be the site for some music-themed public art starting Tuesday. Much like the now-heavily merchandised Cow Parade event, "Guitartown" will feature oversized six strings all been decked out by Texas artists, and, when the display ends next fall, the modified musical instruments will be auctioned off to benefit charity. KVUE reports that the display will include 35 artworks, which will be placed at local landmarks......

Straight from their Pumpkin Festival headquarters, or wherever Pumpkin Festivals are coordinated - Newland Communities (the developer of Teravista and Falcon Pointe [Pflugerville]) in conjunction with the Teravista Community Association, Falcon Pointe Community Association, and Life is good® will be hosting their first annual Pumpkin Festival on October 21, 2006 from 4:00pm to 8:00pm at both locations to raise money for Camp Sunshine. Camp Sunshine is a retreat that provides respite for families with......

Apparently football is big in Texas. And if you don’t believe us, just take a look at online ticket prices for the game between #1 Ohio State and #2 UT this Saturday evening. If you don’t have a ticket already, chances are there is not enough blood or semen in your body to procure one. Unless you have the ability to fork over $500 - $2,000 for a ticket, you might as well fire up......

While gathering in the conference room to watch DVDs about your esteemed corporate founder or practicing falling off of chairs and into each other's arms as part of a trust exercise have always been a great way to spend an hour or two not surfing the internets at work away from your cubicle, the Writers' League of Texas has introduced a new program that will make you not dread the email from Human Resources,......

THURSDAY [24] music • Brother Will (Brothers & Sisters) and Friends, Lomita, and Sean Ohno (The Arm) at Beauty Bar (10pm, Free, Drink tickets to first 150 guests) ® music • Fiction, Gulf of Mexico, Bello Ragazzo at 912 Red River (10pm) ® party/fashion • DJ Ian Orth aka Learning Secrets spins at Bettysport's cocktail party celebrating the new silhouettes and colors of the Stella Mccartney fall/winter collection for Adidas at Bettysport (5-8pm, Free)......

It’s already a sold-out show for the endurance portion (regular tix should be still be available though). It’s the most eccentric cause we’ve ever come across. It’s the absolute strangest attempt at providing for that eccentric cause that we’ve ever heard of. And it’s wrapped around what will likely be the shittiest intentional, scripted movie ever made. And that includes that bullshit Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles rip-off you and your half-retarded friend made back in......

If you love women who know good wine, or know women who love good wine, tonight just may be your night. From 7-9pm at Cork & Company, Austin wine-ista Miss Jane Nickles will host “Miss Jane’s Zinposium” – a Zinfandel class and tasting at Cork and Company. In Miss Jane’s words, “Rich, spicy, dark red Zinfandel is one of life's greatest pleasures. Many people are confused by Zinfandel, from its mysterious past as ‘California's......

Two days ago, Austinites David Broyles and Rush Vann successfully completed a 12.5-mile swim across the Strait of Gibralter, from the Spanish coast to Morocco. The extraordinary feat took just under five hours. In the days leading up to the final crossing, the two were unsure as to whether water and weather conditions would hinder their attempt -- a July 15th journal entry on the official site tells of formidable wind and waves, the former......

Torontoist immediately wins our heart by using the word "Jackass" in a headline. In fact, we love their use of it so much that we're going to use it as much as possible throughout this post. For example, it looks like there are Toronto-area jackasses besides those who misuse the sidewalk: look at the crap on sale on Toronto's craigslist. But it looks like Toronto doesn't contain the kind of jackasses who pee in public......

*Update: We guess we were slightly short-sighted and admit we see your point about eBay having to be concerned about charitable auctions, but does that mean I couln't say I'm selling my baseball card collection in order to put my newphew through preschool? Anywho...Harold has moved the piece in question to his site. He is selling it for $250. All proceeds will go to Tamara Hoover.* Remember how we told you about that lovely......

Starting this Friday, Austinist has yet another perfect excuse for getting out of the city for a day and enjoying the nearby hill country: Clifford's Original Wine Bar is opening its doors. [Visit Clifford's Website] Built in a clearing on the rolling hills of Wimberley, just minutes from Wimberley Square (roughly 40 minutes from Travis Heights), Clifford's Original stocks a fabulous selection of wines both domestic and international, with a well-represented assortment of reds and......

A patient at South Austin Hospital started a fire in his room with a lighter yesterday. Charges may be filed if he survives the severe burn damage he suffered as a result of the fire. Our fair city is among those that the music industry is focusing on for their investigation into CD piracy. Public school students will have to find a new way to get their caffeine/sugar fix. The AP reports that coke/soda/pop......

MONDAY [1] [music] Islands, Why?, Cadence Weapon, Wilderneess, Year Future, Parts & Labor at Emo's (info) [art] Opening reception for hovel jumbles, with works by Paul Gigliotti at End of an Ear (Free, 6pm) (info) [music] Richard Buckner with Doug Gillard (Guided by Voices) at Cactus Café ($12, 8pm) (info) [film] The Boys of Baraka at Alamo Downtown (7pm) (info) [film] The Wild Angels at Alamo Downtown (9:45pm , $1) (info) [film] Anime Movie Monday......

Change in Austin/Round Rock unemployment rate from February to March, according to the Texas Workforce Commission : -.1% [reference] Combined wattage of new solar panels installed at Austin's St. Gabriel's Catholic School: 21,000 [reference] Equivalent pollution reduction this represents, in number of cars per year: 6 Amount hoped to be raised by Austin resident-slash-actor Dennis Quaid at his annual Charity Weekend in May : $500,000 [reference] Number of pounds Quaid thinks he lost back......