We volunteered our asses off Saturday in Bayou Vista, Texas and shot what we saw. Keep an eye out for more posts, photos, video, and details from the weekend's trip to BV and Galveston Island, over the next few days. (Or, if you are seeing this on Chronic or Gay Place, click over to our In Case of Emergency blog for much more.) We had no intention of making a film, but then we met Dee Dee and couldn't have stopped if we tried. We hope we did our subjects justice. This is dedicated to them. [video-1] This Is Not Kansas is a film by Kate X Messer and Dacia Saenz. The principal characters in this baby doc are Dee Dee, Pookie, their neighbors, some onlookers, the filmmakers, the town of Bayou Vista, TX, and the remnants of Hurricane Ike. The music is Kaki King's "Doing the Wrong Thing" (permission pending).

It's Sunday afternoon and we feel like we got punched by a donkey. On a boat. Teeming with beered-up Aussies and Spaniards and Chiléans and Brits and, yes, more than a few Yanks and locals. We blame Fantastic Fest sponsor Foster's "It's Australian for Goddam My Head Hurts" Lager®. Which just serves to prove our theory: Fantastic Fest is has come into its own a mere four years since Harry Knowles, Tim McCanlies, Paul Alvarado Dykstra, and Alamo Drafthouse founder/overlord Tim League dared to dream it. And it's not even half over as we type this. Good on ya, mate. Our Highlights Thus Far: There's good news for everyone who ever wished the Alamo would open up a permanent outdoor drive-in-esque location (other than the Rolling Roadshow, natch). During Friday's outdoor screening of Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior, League announced that the official fire lane which currently separates the Alamo South Lamar's front and rear parking areas will become, post-fest, a permanent outdoor venue, complete with -- presumably -- honest-to-goodness green-grass sod laid over the existing, butt-unfriendly blacktop. League has already set the plan in motion and met with representatives from the Austin Fire Department and City of Austin zoning officials, which means by this time next year you won't have to worry about getting gravel in your trousers because you forgot to bring a folding chair, or what that weird red stain on the pavement to your right is. Sweet.

Is it just us or does Austin now have more film festivals per capita than Smurfville had little blue not-so-meanies? Here we are with aGLIFF barely behind us, Fantastic Fest is currently, gloriously redefining the limits of our imaginations (and livers), and as of yesterday the Austin Film Festival, which this year runs Oct. 16-23, has just announced their initial lineup of films, filmmakers, and a handful of the many events that continue to make it one of best fests in the country. So who's coming and what will they be screening? Two words: Danny Boyle.

Leave it to the inimitable Kevin Smith to slip the word, if not an actual skin flick, into the grand lady of Austin theatrical venues: the Paramount Theatre. A screening of his new film Zack and Miri Make a Porno was the opening film at the fourth annual Fantastic Fest. Smith's simultaneously sweet and unsavory new comedy stars box-office king Seth Rogen and delightful Elizabeth Banks (who is soon to appear as Laura Bush in Oliver Stone's W.

When Ahman Green went down on the first offensive play from scrimmage in the first preseason game (untouched, at that) I knew this was gonna a be tough year for the Texans. Things haven't gotten any better since. Matt Schaub and pretty much every Texan not named Andre, DeMeco, or Mario had a horrible showing in Houston's first-week 38-17 drubbing by the Pittsburgh Steelers; but there was one glimmer of hope in the Texans difficult early schedule with a second-week home game against the seemingly mediocre Baltimore Ravens. Well, thanks to Hurricane Ike that game was postponed and the roof at Reliant has as many holes as the Texans' offensive line. A win this week against the VY-less Titans on the road can go a long way toward getting the Texans and their fans back on track; or it can leave them at 0-2 without a bye week and with a rough schedule ahead in one of the toughest divisions in football. The Texans backfield is so banged-up that rookie Steve Slaton will be getting the start this week. Slaton is listed as 5 feet, 10 inches, 185 pounds. Can he take the pounding of an every-down running back? Probably not. Can he do enough to set the Texans up for the play-action pass and help Schaub get the ball in the hands of playmaker Andre Johnson? Let's hope so. My prediction: With Vince Young out the Texans' young and impressive defensive line led by Mario Williams will have a chance to hurt Kerry Collins and hopefully shut down rookie back Chris Johnson. But with the Titans' lock-down D, home-field advantage, and the Texans still reeling from Hurricane Ike, I'm looking for the Titans to cover the spread and beat the Texans by 7. Here's hoping I'm wrong. Click here for more of Mike Peterson's Texans photos.

Former Austin Chef Roberto Santibanez will be in Austin in early October for the opening of Maria Maria Cantina (415 Colorado, 687-6800;www.mariamariarestaurants.com). Many Austinites became fans of Santibanez' subtle, sophisticated interpretation of classic Interior Mexican cuisine when he was Executive Chef at Fonda San Miguel from 1997 to 2001. Santibanez left Austin for New York City where he was culinary director for the upscale Rosa Mexicana restaurant chain and wrote a highly-acclaimed cookbook entitled Rosa's New Mexican Table that came out last year. In 2007, he became culinary director of the Maria Maria Cantina chain, owned by legendary musician Carlos Santana. The new Austin eatery will be the fourth outlet in the chain and is scheduled to open October 4th in the Warehouse District. Blackberry Mole lovers - this place will be one you don't want to miss!

A sneak preview of some of the young volunteers gettin' pumped up before the MLF weekend relief trip and a sneak peek clip of our upcoming video (look for it over the next few days).

Like a well-oiled ant hill (hey, it's early… cut me some metaphor slack), the Mobile Loaves & Fishes commissary served as the staging point for an early morning roll out. Like last week's trip, the NGO has loaded up catering trucks, trailers full of ice, water, and fuel, but this time, the size of the caravan is monster truck. We are rolling out with 10 vehicles and 40 or so eager volunteers ready to spread the gospel of MLF's "happiness business," supplying sustenance and emotional substance for the folks affected by Hurricane Ike. Currently, we are cooking on Hwy 36 just south off the Sealy exit off I-10. And that pretty picture up there, of one of Austin's favorite daughters? Well, that's there, because Ms. Sandra Bullock is a major supporter of the group's relief effort. "Just like during Hurricane Katrina, Sandra has tremendous compassion for the many people whose lives were turned upside down by these catastrophic events. She has a servant's heart," according to Alan Graham, MLF founder and Santa-in-charge. More pictures, dispatches, and video soon.

What's a good Texan do when he's down and wants to feel better? Why, play the blues, son. Houston-by-way-of-Austin slide guitar man Alan Haynes will headline a Hurricane Ike Benefit Concert, Mon., Sept. 29, 7-10pm at Hills Cafe on S. Congress. Daniel Moore and Bo Porter join the bill. Bring a donation of a canned food, some baby diapers, or formula or a cash donation for the Red Cross.