Anita Perry announces a fund (not yet non-profit) to raise money for mansion restoration. Man related to feet found at Lake Travis has been identified. Oklahoma paper to sue UT staffer for his fake news story. Sen. Cornyn far outpacing Democratic candidate Noriega as far as campaign money goes. Texas Public Utilities Commission deciding how much more money to invest in wind energy. Sunset Advisory Commission suggests that public (instead of the governor) should choose head of TxDOT....

A toy rocket was close to nailing a Continental flight over Houston. Just In Time For The 4th of July! Watermelon and Viagra contain similar makeup! Chemical used in production of plasma screen TVs is said to be extremely harmful and contributes to increased global warming. Police are turning towards text messages to help fight crime. Yes, it's gotten that bad: Prayer vigils at gas stations. $144 a barrel--exactly what Bin Laden wanted. 12th......

U.S. Supreme Court rules in favor of the 2nd Amendment. San Francisco in the process of naming it's sewage treatment plant after George W. Bush. Hundreds of people arrested, and over twenty children rescued, in 5-day bust of child prostitution rings in 16 American cities. 'Bad economy' to blame for no 4th of July celebration in Florida city. 24-year old woman caught speeding 22 times in 45 days. Obama adviser calls McCain too fat.......

After the opposition party leader dropped out of the "run-off" in Zimbabwe, the party's headquarters were targeted and the leader is trying to seek refuge at the Dutch embassy. UN finally acknowledges rape as a war crime. EU imposing financial sanctions on Iran. Ferry from the Phillipines carrying 800 passengers overturns in a typhoon. Obama has campaign advisors with strong ties to the ethanol industry. The national economy may be headed downhill, but Houston's......

Last night, Clinton and Obama had a quiet meeting at Sen. Feinstein's home. Mother to Son: 'Obama Proved Me Wrong' Increase in unemployment rate is the highest since 1986. Senate Republicans filibuster a global warming bill that McCain says he would support. The news from Zimbabwe is not improving: now police have stopped the opposition candidate from campaigning. Coco Wang's comic strips on the earthquake's damage to China. The rain in Spain stays mainly......

At least two are killed in Manhattan crane collapse. Chinese battle against time to drain quake lake. Vatican sends threat over women priests. Dollar gains on US growth data, easing oil prices. Special needs child voted out of kindergarten class. Isolated tribe spotted in Brazil. Merry Clinton knocks back whiskey on campaign plane.......

Chinese officials may bend the one-child rule for those who lost a kid in the quake. Mexico's government is giving $$ for food to its poorest citizens. More accusations out today that some international aid workers abuse those they are trying to help. Pot crops may be worth $14 billion to California's economy. Police and FBI are in the process of infiltrating Minnesota potlucks RIGHT NOW. Actor/director Sydney Pollack, of "Tootsie" and "Out of......

South African mob violence leads to the deaths of 22 immigrants. Here's a nice piece on Bush's current efforts to lower oil prices before the the U.S. Presidential election. U.S. soldier is refusing to serve in America's "illegal war." The latest science on sexual orgasms. Those of who commute on I-35 each day, take note. Lots of delays planned. UT just approved a new student activity center with a $69 million pricetag. That whole......

Texas Insurance Council estimates Wednesday night's storms caused $25 million worth of damage. During the storm, someone broke into a South Austin public storage facility. Job growth for our area lower than it was last year. Texas Border Coalition suing to stop construction of Bush's border fence....

Junta allowing aid supplies to slowly come into Burma. Chinese team takes the Olympic torch up Everest. Oklahoma hit by severe storms. Campaign official basically admits that Clinton will be out of the race by June 15. American women waiting later and later in life to have their first babies. Vote for the best character on TV: c'mon, Olive Snook (or Liz Lemon)! What happens when gas costs over $7 per gallon?......

Employers cut fewer jobs in April. Hooray for April! Stocks jump after employment report. Barbara Walters had an affair with U.S. senator and I just threw up a little in my mouth. Bush wants $70 billion for war fund for 2009. Look at the size of this bridge! Texas gas prices continue upward trajectory. Madonna has some issues.......

Obama "outraged" by ex-pastor's "ridiculous propositions" US troop deaths hit 7-month high in Iraq What recession? Economy grows slightly in first quarter Albert Hofmann, father of drug LSD, dies in Switzerland Happy 75th birthday, Willie Nelson Paula Abdul gets confused on "American Idol" Spurs eliminate Suns to advance in NBA playoffs......

The economy "shed" 80,000 jobs in March. Hillary denies denial after "mishearing." 81% of Americans polled think the nation is heading in the wrong direction. How many Romans thought Rome was heading in the wrong direction? The Round Rock officers who shot and killed a naked man have been identified. What the hell is a WAG and why do they all seem cracked out? Formula One motor racing chief Max Mosley has sick Nazi......

Bill Richardson, the governor of New Mexico (and former presidential candidate), endorses Obama. A few people from the State Department peered into Obama's passport file. Soon there will be a horror movie about sting rays. Consumers are not getting the benefit of the recent Federal Reserve rate cuts. Bank of America customers look out! Judge Orders Starbucks to Pay More Than $100 Million in Back Tips. Man admits to having group sex with former......

The Wall Street Journal dogs the SXSW Conference. According to speculators on Wall Street, Tuesday is a "make-or-break" day for the U.S. economy... Yikes: Apparently there's a growing concern over hackers being able to hack into pacemakers and other implanted devices. Tibetan protests against the Chinese government have recently intensified. The Dalai Lama fears imminent bloodshed on a large scale...while the Chinese government has blocked YouTube viewing of the Tibetan protests. Many community gardens throughout Austin are at risk of being bulldozed for the sake of urban growth....

In Intimidad, documentarians Ashley Sabin and David Redmon follow the lives of Cecy and Camilo, a young couple living in Reynosa, Mexico. Cecy and Camilo both work for minimum wage in maquiladoras, trying to save money to buy land, build themselves a house, and bring their daughter Loida back to live with them....

Six missing after refinery explosion in Georgia. Economic stimulus package ready for president's signature. Checks should start arriving in May. Border-control activists not fans of McCain's rise. Does this guy creep anyone else out?...

Hillary and Obama play nice. Microsoft offers to buy Yahoo. Drug resistant flu virus on the rise. U.S. Economy loses 17,000 jobs in January....

More talk of the coming recession: "The question is not whether we will have a recession, but how deep and prolonged it will be." Meanwhile, Austin's economy may be uniquely positioned among the nation's cities to withstand a potential recession....

According to Microsoft, Santa likes to talk about oral sex. The space shuttle heads to the International Space Station this Saturday. The CIA destroyed vidoetaped evidence of their interrogations of two top terror suspects in 2002. Rest assured, this is probably an isolated incident. A positive sign for our economy. GOP presidential candidate Mitt Romney is a mormon and nobody cares. The U.S. House sends kickass energy bill to Senate. City ordered to put......

The first U.S. troop cutback in Iraq has officially begun. The tentative working title for this one is "Operation Mistake Acknowledgment." Human rights organization takes the Kenyan police force to task on allegations of mass murder. In order to prevent the "destruction of culture," the French government has outlawed certain forms of P2P downloading. Event is referred to as a "victory" for the recording industry. Oh reeeeally? Economist suggests that we could soon know......

Senator Barack Obama delivered a rousing speech to thousands of die-hard supporters this past Saturday at the Backyard, touching on just about every hot issue at the core of next year's election debates. Pledging to shut down Guantanamo, restore habeas corpus, and renew the hunt for Al Qaeda, Obama stressed the need for a stronger international agenda and quoted Kennedy's famous inaugural address—"Let us never negotiate out of fear, but let us never fear......

The Waller Creek Tunnel project here in Austin is gaining ground. Major scientific breakthrough shows that cloning embryos is much easier than anticipated... U.S. clean energy stocks are doing better than the U.S. economy as a whole. Is classical music on the comeback? Norman Mailer dies in Manhattan at the age of 84. Writers Guild of America strike in Hollywood goes into week two... We will all have less privacy in the future, says......

I-35 frontage road shut down in south Austin due to accident. Judge rules in city's favor in Wal-Mart dispute. Ben S. Bernanke predicts the U.S. economy to grow more slowly in the coming months. Merck settles Vioxx suits for $4.85B. Congress hands Bush the first veto override of his presidency. Pakistani police backed by armored vehicles keep unarmed woman at bay. German Chancellor Angela Merkel to visit Bush at his ranch.......

strataTX is a non-profit organization looking to bring together young professionals to support creativity in the arts, culture, and economy. Photos courtesy of Keith Gaddis. If you can't view the Flash slideshow above, an alternate version appears after the jump.......

The SMART car, one of Europe's most eye-catching two-seaters, is finally coming to the states next year. If you can't wait to get behind the wheel of this fuel-sipping sub-$12k urban commuter, head over to Bookpeople post-haste. As part of its pre-US-launch promotional push, SMART is taking the European version of its "fortwo" vehicle on a 50-city road show. Austin is the final leg in its Central Tour, which started in Minneapolis back in June.......

Nearly 1 million people have been displaced by the California wildfires. Heckuva job: Former FEMA director Michael Brown is making himself available for interviews about the wildfires. Home sales went down 8% in September. Russia's "Chessboard killer" found guilty of 48 murders. Turkish planes attacked Kurdish positions in Turkey today, just outside the Iraq border. It may be more beneficial to the environment to be a carnivore who eats locally-made meat than to be......

The University of Texas raised $26 million in athletic donations in 2006, putting it 16th among all U.S. universities. A study by The Chronicle of Higher Education found that money for athletics accounts for more than one-quarter of all contributions to some universities. The Chronicle survey reported that the country's largest athletic departments and booster clubs raised more than $1.2 billion in 2006 and 2007. The University of Texas wasn't the top athletic fund-raiser in......

There will always be chatter about Austin's changing landscape, much as there will always be supporters for both developers and the environment. We want the privilege of taking a dip in a glistening spring-fed pool, but we also want to have a robust economy that allows us to continue working and living in this city. Some would argue that the two desires aren't mutually exclusive, but we all know that it's a sticky subject.......

Next week, the City of Austin will officially unveil Town Lake Park, the latest chunk of land to join the already expansive family of city parks. Austin Parks and Recreation are responsible for some 206 parks, 26 greenbelts and 12 nature preserves, totaling a whopping 16,682 acres. Add 20 acres to that total on August 29, when the city officially celebrates the opening of Town Lake Park. Where is this all coming from, you ask?......