HJR 6 Delayed

So HJR 6, the anti-gay Texas Marriage Amendment, was supposed to be opened for public testimony today. But it didn't happen. Sources on the scene say that the hearing will be pushed back to this Thursday. Shucks! Now everyone will just have to wait to see the Lege demonstrate its unconditional, bosom-embracing love for all Texans.

TrafficFest 2005 to Coincide with ACL Fest

For those who miss the 24 hour IH-35 gridlocks that strangely coincided with South by Southwest or the Texas Relays, fear not: the Austin City Limits festival grows nigh. Austinites will once again be able to experience the sheer, sublime bliss of interstate highway efficiency just in time for the new school year next September.

But the extended lineup released by ACL today truly makes up for any peripheral annoyances. Bands who made an impression at SXSW pepper the lineup alongside veteran favorites.

Just a few:

• Coldplay
• Oasis
• Wilco
• Thievery Corporation
• Death Cab
• The Doves
• M83
• Aqualung
• Kasabian
• Franz Ferdinand
• Spoon
• The Bravery
• Asleep at the Wheel
  

Aren't they Precious!

Meet the Cast

Originally uploaded by Matt1225.

Real World: Doesn't Have to Go Home, Can't Stay Here

The cast of Real World Austin is packing up after about three and a half months on 3rd and San Jacinto. The tapes will probably hit the air sometime after the repackaged Real World/Road Rules "Inferno" crap ends it's product placement extravaganza (remember when foul-tempered Karamo shamlessly, and in a manner totally out-of-character, said: "Hold on guys, we're getting a message on our T-Mobile Sidekick II?")

You're bibulous friends probably weren't lying when they said they saw the cast on Sixth Street, so naturally, expect a season filled with drunken, overly dramatic mayhem.

"Welcome to the Real World" [Austin-American Statesman]

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.
  

Well, shit.

Ambivalent feelings about the smoking ban abound, but at least it's over.

Final tallies:

• Smoking Ban (FOR): 52%/48%
• Place 1 (Lee Leffingwell): ~64%
• Place 3 (Margot Clarke): ~40%
• Place 4 (Betty Dunkerley): ~63%
  

The Votes Are In (Kinda)

The race is still on for Places [1], [3], and [4] of the Austin City Council.

The results thus far (9:12 PM Eastern):

• Place 1: Lee Leffingwell with an overwhelming percentage of the vote (62%)

• Place 3: Margot Clarke with 40%

• Place 4: Incumbent Betty Dunkerly with an overwhelming percentage of the vote (62%)

The heated smoking ban ordinance is close at 51%/48% For/Against.

About 177 of 256 precincts have reported (69%)

Live updates [KXAN.com]

What a sadomasochistic hottie!

annblack

I Heart Ann Coulter

For the record: my immune system has never been able to fully fight the venom that frequently spews from Ann Coulter's pearly white fangs. And, by and large, I've never agreed with anything she has said.

Also for the record: I love this woman.

It's so difficult to get millions of people to love you. So, knowing this, Coulter decided to get everyone to hate her, which isn't necessarily an ignoble goal. She sends college kids into a frenzy, leaves some of them crying, and then laughs about it the whole way. If you're a big fan of pure evil, as most of us are on some level at some point in our lives, Ann Coulter is for you.

At Coulter's speech Tuesday night at the LBJ Auditorium, one student understood the game completely. Ajai Raj reportedly came to to the microphone and asked, "You say that you believe in the sanctity of marriage...How do you feel about marriages when the man does nothing but fuck his wife up the ass?" Raj was soon arrested by campus police.

Brilliant move. With one question, Raj was able to accomplish exactly what Coulter accomplishes with likewise acerbity. Now, he too has become a media insta-whore, with his own mugshot amongst the thesmokinggun.com's pantheon.

Three cheers for those to the far left and right of crazy for bringing entertainment to us all.

My deepest regret is that I wasn't able to attend the beautiful disaster.

[DrudgeReport]
Update on the Fate of Ajai Raj [BurntOrangeReport]