Keep Austin Weird (But only a little)

Well, despite her greatest efforts--but not her first effort, and probably not her last--Jennifer Gale wasn't able to snag Place 4 on the Austin City Council. Gale pulled in 5,315 votes (9%) and came in third place. Perhaps badly kempt hair, singing at the podium, and overall bespectacled frumpiness just hasn't yet won all of the hearts of even the weirdest of Austinites.

But fret not. Gale has run for U.S. Representative, Austin Mayor, and Austin City Council Member. So, judging by the consistent narrowing and focusing of political campaigns, you're sure to see her running for town Dog Catcher soon enough.

• In related news, Place 3 candidate Gregg Knaupe wasn't able to win, despite last ditch efforts to be young or trendy by creating a group on thefacebook.com.
  
• I just discovered that Jennifer Gale was transgendered. The stylist must've done a bang up job or I maybe I'm naive. But I think it was because the grainy campaign videos on Austin's cable netherworld (Channels 10-20 on TimeWarner) didn't do any of the candidates much justice. [Candidate videos available here]
  
• Smokers are no longer safe to bathe in their own concentrated toxicity, forced to move out into cold, rain, and traffic. The ban goes into effect September 1. That is unless opposers continue their Sisyphusian efforts to keep it from happening. Soon, establishments considerate enough to quarantine their smoking sections after last year's ban (e.g. Trudy's), will probably tear down their glass partitions to make shiny new tables for the gluttons they serve. But gluttons, of course, affect no one but themselves. Unless you're paying for their medical bills, that is. Keep an nose out for the underground smoke-easy's that are bound to pop up.