news
War Made Easy
New echoes of Vietnam: 'Withdrawal would cripple U.S.
credibility'
BY NORMAN SOLOMON
Supreme Court: Football or Fluff?
Supreme Court hears arguments in state's appeal of previous ruling that faulted Texas' method of funding schools
BY AMY SMITH
AISD: Low-Budget Wrassling Resumes
Budgeting for public education always involves struggles between competing needs, but these days the competition is particularly fierce
BY RACHEL PROCTOR MAY
More Summer Fireworks at ACTV
A half-year after a city-led investigation began into missing money at ACTV, no answers are forthcoming. In the manner of many of the colorful programs and personalities that populate the public access airwaves, conspiracy theories abound – and not solely over the missing funds.
BY WELLS DUNBAR
Naked City
Headlines and happenings from Austin and beyond
BY LEE NICHOLS AND CHERYL SMITH
Point Austin: Squeezing the Schools
Failing all its courses, the Lege sends a love note to Highland Park
BY MICHAEL KING
Point Austin: Playing the Numbers
A farewell to faitful servants, and a preliminary look at the city's priorities
BY MICHAEL KING
On the Lege
Instead of businesses, consumers and working stiffs will shoulder much of the property tax cut approved by the Senate.
BY AMY SMITH
The Hightower Report
Even W wonders; and Bush's hatchet man thrives on attacking 'political enemies'
BY JIM HIGHTOWER
food
In Aspen, an Austin-Flavored Celebration of the Chef
A weekend at the 'Food & Wine' Classic
BY WES MARSHALL
On the Road to the Right Recipe
Austin chefs tour area farms
BY MM PACK
Food and Wine With Altitude
The Colorado scene capitalizes on climate.
BY WES MARSHALL
Food-o-file
An exclusive glimpse into the potluck party of a food editor; plus, Austin in Oregon and this week's Event Menu
BY VIRGINIA B. WOOD
music
MY EDUCATION
Above the Fold
Getting healthy, getting high, and getting shot
BY CHRISTOPHER GRAY
Phases and Stages
Jeff Klein
The Hustler
Sparkwood
Jalopy Pop
Poi Dog Pondering
The Best of the Austin Years
the Total Foxes
Retirement Community
the Golden Boys
Scorpion Stomp #2
Ghostland Observatory
Delete. Delete. I. Eat. Meat.
At the Drive-In
This Station Is Non-Operational
Two Tons of Steel
Vegas
Terry Allen
The Silent Majority
Robyn Ludwick, Pamela Ryder, Abi Tapia, The Sapphires
For So Long, Clean, One Foot Out the Door, The Sapphires
Demon City Wreckers, the Koffin Katz, the Rocketz, various artists, various artists
Inner Demons, Inhumane, Rise of the Undead, Kicked Out of Purgatory, Dear Johnny, A Tribute to Cash
The Addictions, Back Porch Vipers, Los Hispanos U.K., Shrapnel, Zero Skills Inc
The Addictions, Light Up (We Never Have Too Much Fun), Borracho at 3 in the Morning, Revolution in Progress, Cornstalked Her Tractor Down Andy Kilter
Jade Day, David Newbould, Forrest Jourdan, Jay Thomas, Brian Keane
Chimera, Demos, Live & Headaches, The Family Farm, Cloquet, I Ain't Even Lonely
screens
Layers of Connection
Miranda July's crazy, shiny lovefest
BY AUDRA SCHROEDER
The Archivist in Austin
Dennis Nyback shows it all to you
BY MARC SAVLOV
SXSWClick Gets Current
Multimedia contest selects finalists
Bad News Bears
TV Eye
There's only one other way to receive a second chance in this country: Get yourself a reality show
BY BELINDA ACOSTA
Screens Reviews
Unfaithfully Yours
Had Hollywood not balked for nearly a decade in letting its first screenwriting superstar direct one of his stories, 'Unfaithfully Yours' might today be recorded as Sturges' directorial debut from 1932 / 33. Instead, it remains the modern Moliere's final treasure.
Film Reviews
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
Burton and Depp's screen version of Roald Dahl’s classic children’s book is truer to the source material and generally splendid, artful, and often sinister, yet it doesn't completely displace the earlier screen version.
Dark Water
Despite a dream cast, this Hollywood remake of a Japanese horror classic is all wet.
Funny Ha Ha
In his microbudget debut, writer/director Bujalski shows a superb knack for capturing real moments (the stuff that happens between all the big moments) and the residue of our half-fulfilled inclinations.
Heights
This intersecting story that follows a half-dozen New Yorkers over the course of one long day and night is intellectually engaging and genuinely surprising, although not terribly risky.
March of the Penguins
The nature photography is so intimate, and the story of the penguins' mating is so carefully crafted into a sustained and satisfying narrative, that they become epic heroes: brave, if not fearless, and stalwart fools for love.
Me and You and Everyone We Know
Performance artist Miranda July's feature-length debut is packed with arresting images, moments, and single lines of dialogue – enough to earn the film top awards at Sundance and Cannes.
Wedding Crashers
The film’s sour tone, unremarkable direction, and bewildering characterizations of sexuality and race will probably not not hurt the comedy's charm at the box office.
arts & culture
A Double Life
Napoleon Beazley was executed by the state of Texas, but he lives again in a new play
BY BARRY PINEO
Ramsey's King
How an unknown law student became this year's Funniest Person in Austin
BY WAYNE ALAN BRENNER
To Be Continued!
Something about 'hOle,' a new live theatrical serial in nine episodes, is bringing folks back to the Vortex every Tuesday night of this long, hot summer
BY ROBERT FAIRES
Dance Ambassadors
Ballet Austin makes a summer jaunt to Europe at the invitation of the State Department
BY ROBERT FAIRES
Homeward the Cellist
For one member of the Jupiter String Quartet, the ensemble's residency at the 2005 Austin Chamber Music Festival is a homecoming
BY ROBERT FAIRES
Arts Reviews
The Flu Season
'The Flu Season' is difficult, jumping off in many different directions while focusing on love, time, memory, storytelling, and the nature of the real, but in mounting it here the Championship Theatre Group deserves its name
'Green Wave'
Virgina Fleck's 8,000-shopping bag mandala, 'Laguna Gyra,' swirls in imitation of a significant environmental disaster and sends an urgent, powerful message about the need for environmental restoration
columns
Page Two
Never mind the consipracy theorists, the death of
literacy, and the Democrats' chronic foot-shooting
– 'Page Two' needs a break.
BY LOUIS BLACK
Postmarks
Our readers talk back.
After a Fashion
Good news? There are a ton of cool Austin style events going on this week. Bad news? Bears. You heard it here.
BY STEPHEN MACMILLAN MOSER
Mr. Smarty Pants Knows
BY MR. SMARTY PANTS
Day Trips
At the Moravia Store, the beer is cold and the polka music fills the air even when there isn't a band playing in the dance hall
BY GERALD E. MCLEOD
To Your Health
There are several causes of water retention or edema, which research suggests may contribute to high blood pressure and other health complications
BY JAMES HEFFLEY, PH.D.
The Common Law
Buying on eBay – caveat emptor
BY LUKE ELLIS, MEGAN LONERGAN AND CHLOË LOVE
About AIDS
"Dormant" and "Incubation" Not About Testing
BY SANDY BARTLETT
Feedback
Letters to the editor, published daily
sports
Soccer Watch
Hurricane keeps Lightning grounded in Big Easy
