Shout Out Louds Our Ill Wills (Merge) 2005's Howl Howl, Gaff Gaff produced a moderate buzz for the Stockholm-based Shout Out Louds, dropping a snappier, poppier version of garage rock on our tightly belted laps. The record, equal parts Johnny Marr and Rivers Cuomo, pondered the woes of hipster heartbreak, dumb-luck sadness and singer Adam Olenius' distinctive croon simply oozed with longing and hope. That being said, Howl Howl is not at all a......

-The Washington Post's Terry M. Neal speculates on Miers' failed bid for the Supreme Court -The latest move in Google's quest to take over the internet: crushing eBay? -Janet Jackson has a secret kid! (Maybe) -2,000 international firms have been accused by the United Nations of paying off Saddam Hussein's regime -MSNBC explains the whole hubbub over the CIA leak story -Charles and Camilla, desperately trying to stay relevant -Another luxury condo's going up......

Our parents sent us Steve Martin's book Shopgirl in paperpack a few years back and we tore through it quickly, enjoying each page, but we were not exactly blown away or anything. We liked it. We found it to be a well written novella*. We found it funny and sweet and insightful and smart, though not exactly transcendent. When we learned that a movie was being made from the book we wondered how it......

Jason Schwartzman (our favorite private school dropout) and Claire Danes (our favorite former depressed teenager) are supposed to be at tonight's Austin advance screening of Steve Martin's Shopgirl. Also in attendance will be the director, Anand Tucker. We enjoyed Martin's novella, Shopgirl--a bittersweet portrait of finding one's identity in La La Land (aka Los Angeles), and so we are looking forward to the adaptation. Shopgirl shows tonight (Oct. 20th) at the Paramount at 7:50.......