Yesterday, Austin media outlets covered the sad closing of downtown fixture Las Manitas. A reader recommended we check out KXAN's story on the closing of the restaurant; towards the end of the on-location story, as the reporter reads from the sign in the door about the soul of Austin being lost, another woman joins in the fun. It's at about the 2:37 mark. [KXAN video]......

In this video of a small press gaggle earlier today at the RNC in St. Paul, Hutchison defends McCain's choice of Gov. Sarah Palin as running-mate. When asked why she didn't want to be vice-president, she says, "I didn't want to spend the next four years in Washington, and I really don't. And I really have decided I'm going to go in a different direction." Her "different direction"? Veering towards the governor's mansion . . ....

In this clip, he discusses his new book (The Big Sort: Why the Clustering of Like-Minded America Is Tearing Us Apart), Texans buying more guns, and strange Austin lawn art: "My wife and I moved to Austin . . . we'd drive around and see neighbors with bowling ball art . . ." Jon Stewart tells Bishop at the end of the interview, "You live in a f*cked up neighborhood."...

GOOD is asking readers to create a video tour promoting their hometown. GOOD asks that in your video you answer the question, "What is it that would make someone want to travel to where you are?" The creator of the best entry nets two round-trip domestic tickets to anywhere JetBlue flies....

When the Dallas Cowboys move into their new stadium for the 2009 season, fans will enjoy the action on the biggest high-definition screen in the world....

SXSW Music kicks off on Wednesday the 12th, as always with the Annual Austin Music Awards at Austin Music Hall, but it has become clear over the last few years that the music really starts the night before. Just thinking back to last year, we remember walking up and down Red River, watching bands like Golden Bear, White Denim and Broken Teeth at venues such as Beauty Bar, Emo’s and Red 7, and congratulating ourselves for getting started early....

Austin eco-friendly designerRené Geneva will show her hemp and organic wool designs at Fashion Week in Los Angeles with support from Austin's own EcoClean and Kendra Scott jewelery....

“Ever wanted to be a space ship pilot in an 8-bit Nintendo game?” With that subject title, the latest press release from local synth-pop outfit Built By Snow grabbed our attention well before we even ventured into deep space. The “rad dudes” rescue a princess in the brilliant video for “Underneath”, the first song on their debut EP Noise, eventually scoring cheeseburgers for their troubles. The video incorporates plenty of eye catching imagery and retro animation and the result is a hilarious conglomeration of pop culture influences....

No survivors in Venezuela plane crash. Protesters set fire to U.S. embassy in Belgrade. "Whatever happens, we're going to be fine." Republican Rep. Rick Renzi has been indicted for extortion, wire fraud and money laundering. McCain manages to dodge "improper relationship" political bullet. ...

SXSW Film Passes went on sale at Waterloo Video this weekend. At $70 a pop, they're a nice alternative if the film badges are a bit too costly for your liking. These will get you into just about every one of the 113 feature films being screened in March, after all badge holders have procured their seat. Call ahead (512-474-2525) to make sure they're still available -- these will invariably sell out, so act......

Hillary Clinton's win last night in New Hampshire shows that as much as the media hates to admit it, the Democratic candidacy is still up in the air. And McCain beat Romney in New Hampshire's GOP primary. That both party's nominations are still so unsure gives possible campaign donors pause. Video: Obama campaign workers appear paranoid in this Guardian story. The situation in Kenya post-election isn't improving. Stolen paintings, including a Picasso, recovered in......

As Christmas approaches, good shows tend to get sporadic and good friends tend to leave town, but the promise of Emo’s Free Week will carry us into the empty canvas that is 2008. Still, we have ten days or so to find that one last good moment of 2007....

101X FM presents this year’s final installment of their Homegrown Live series on Wednesday at Emo’s Lounge. Homegrown Live has featured a broad array of local hotshots this year including Born To Lose and Black Before Red, staying true to their mantra of “showcasing promising local artists and the kick-ass live music venues in Austin.”...

This weekend human rights activists protested against the family immigration detention center in Taylor. Body left for San Antonio medical examiner after traffic accident wasn't dead yet. McKinney man caught after following UPS trucks and stealing packages left outside homes. Was Jessica Simpson's appearance at the Cowboys game yesterday the reason they lost? If not, can we blame her anyway?...

The 6th annual Indie Music Video Festival rolls into town tonight at the downtown Alamo Drafthouse....

Photo of Perry filing Giuliani’s ballot paperwork by christopherleonard on flickrCurrent Travis County DA Ronnie Earle will retire when his term is up. Now-removed YouTube video showed Perry dissing Dubya and contrasting him with Giuliani. Is nothing sacred? State Rep. Dawnna Dukes caught playing hooky in Vegas. Some parents braved the icky weather this morning for a wristband to get them in line tomorrow for Hannah Montana tix. Pimp C's memorial service was held yesterday.......

The Beauty Bar hosts the fascinating Gil Mantera’s Party Dream this Saturday. Hailing from Ohio originally, the duo consists of Gil Mantera and Ultimate Donny, two brothers who combine thumping dance beats and traditional rock music to create an electric smorgasbord of synth-pop that will keep you on the dance floor all night long. The hodgepodge of beats and sounds is as exhilarating as it is intriguing; always entertaining, sometimes cheesy. The duo’s live show seems to be quite a spectacle and a DVD (Live Video Archive [Vol. 01]) showcasing all the glory is also available. Gil Mantera’s Party Dream self-released two records before 2005’s bloodsongs on Audio Eagle Records. ...

The Holiday season is in full swing in NYC, with holiday lights in Brooklyn, a giant snow globe in Bryan Park and Chanukah specials for ham. One citizen decided to go vigilante on annoying car alarms, a murder suspect used a fake Asian accent on the stand and a video of a man being beaten up by teenage girls on a subway shocked the city. And we interviewed soon-to-be-leaving-Gawker editor Choire Sicha, who said,......

Image from Clap!Clap!’s MySpace Clap!Clap! final showSaturday, December 8Emos (603 Red River St)$5 | Doors 8 p.m. | Outside[info]Local act Clap!Clap! has furnished enough dance parties around town with their brand of energetic electro-pop to command endearment and respect alike. However, last month they surprised a good amount of us with news of their demise. Needless to say we were fairly intrigued about the reasons for this culmination and also their plans for the future.......

No. 5 Jose Gonzalez - "Time to Send Someone Away" from Retread Sessions on Vimeo. If you missed Jose Gonzalez at the Parish last week, you missed one of the most intimate, gorgeously performed sets in a long while. All is not lost, though! KUT 90.5 FM's video series called Retread Sessions spent some time with Gonzalez in the America/Americas gallery at the Blanton Museum on campus, and filmed two songs in the process.......

Production still courtesy of Troma Poultrygeist: Night of the Chicken Dead w/ Lloyd Kaufman Live! Friday, December 7thAlamo Drafthouse Lake Creek (17329 Research Blvd)(7:30pm, $10)[info] | [tickets]Over the course of the last thirty-three years, Lloyd Kaufman's Troma Entertainment has produced hundreds of films, attracted legions of devoted fans, and influenced the likes of Peter Jackson, Quentin Tarantino, Trey Parker, Eli Roth and Takashi Miike. In fact, by Kaufman's estimation, the studio now owns more than......

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,......

Young guy, wearing sunglasses inside of Quack's Bakery in the middle of the night, talking to a girl sitting near him:Do you reside here frequently? At I Luv Video on Airport Blvd., a female customer holding a DVD case: Is Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle any good? Dreadlocked Male Employee:Uh, that depends. Do you smoke weed? Female customer: I guess I could make a stop on the way home. DME: There's a......

Image by LuiSFher Gallo via Cafe Tacvba’s MySpace Cafe TacvbaThursday, December 6La Zona Rosa (612 W. 4th Street)$40, Doors at 7pm, Show at 8pm[info] | [tickets]Pop quiz: name a band that has won multiple Grammys, performed on MTV Unplugged, been compared favorably to Radiohead, played three encores at a recent Lollapalooza, and headlined to 170,000 people at Mexico City's Palacio de los Deportes. If you're thinking U2 or Coldplay, we couldn't blame you. But the......

Promo still from Jaman.com AFS Essentials: Le Vent de la NuitTuesday, December 4thAlamo Drafthouse Downtown (320 E 6th Street)FREE for AFS members, $4 non-members; 7pm[info] | [tickets]Tonight, AFS continues their amazing Phillipe Garrel retrospective with 1999's La Vent de La Nuit (The Wind of the Night), starring the timeless Catherine Deneuve as Hélene, a hot (duh) rich lady driven to distraction by her much younger art-student lover, Paul. Does he really love her for who......

Photo of Rick Noriega by Matt Wright on flickr After the muggy weekend, some Central Texas counties (not Travis) are under freeze warnings tonight. Today Rick Noriega officially launched his campaign against Cornyn for the Senate seat. Cedar Park police going after drivers who skip out on paying 183A tolls. House State Affairs Committee to review TxDOT's "Keep Texas Moving" ad campaign. Gov. Perry is now heading up the Republican Governor's Association. AT&T is leaving......

Back in November, we caught the brief, free run of A Mystical Quest To Slay Normalcy at Southwestern University in Georgetown. We enjoyed this remarkable, site-specific work so much that we have to talk about it, and share rehearsal / promotion video. Described as “exploring disability,” the performance by Southwestern's Department of Theatre and the Theatre For Social Justice started off at the Jones Theater on campus. The show then mocked the fact that wheelchair......

Image via Big Hassle PR The Straylight Run w/ The Color FredMonday, December 3The Parish Room (214 East Sixth Street)$15, Doors at 7pm[info] | [tickets]Formed from the ashes of Taking Back Sunday, the Long Island group Straylight Run plays a blend of indie rock and chamber pop. Formed in 2003 by ex-TBS members Shaun Cooper and John Nolan, the duo left behind most of their emo influences when switching groups and recruited both Will Noon......

Photo by my favorite yarn on flickr Sgt. Michael Olsen is appealing his firing by APD. While the housing market everywhere else is on the decline, Austin still a place to buy, according to real estate expert. David Letterman in Austin for a Habitat build. Someone is going door-to-door claiming to be raising money for Big Brothers/Big Sisters. Video: Bobby Knight's neighbor isn't happy about how close Knight is shooting to his property. New, more......

image from rriiccee.com RIICCEE feat. Vincent Gallo and Eric ErlandsonMonday, Dec. 3rdAlamo Drafthouse Downtown (320 E 6th Street)9:45, $20.00[info] | [tickets]Oh, Vincent Gallo, how do we love thee? Let us count the ways: a.) You slept with Paris Hilton years before she was famous. Proof. [don't worry, it's not porn.] b.) You made Buffalo 66, one of the very few late-90s "cult classic" flicks that is actually any good. c.) You offered samples of your,......