Public Notice
It’s Up to You Not to Heed the Call-Up You don’t hear much about “Conscientious Objectors” these days. They’re kind of like the hole in the roof that doesn’t get much attention ’til it rains. American Friends Service Committee and Nonmilitary Options for Youth think about that hole in our collective soul a lot and…
Roll Camera
On Labor Day, the Austin Film Society announced the names of the grant recipients of this year’s Texas Filmmakers’ Production Fund. In only its second year of existence, the TFPF awarded $50,000 to 21 makers of film and video, up from last year’s inaugural figure of $30,000. The grants are funded through a combination of…
Articulations
If you thought that the major change-ups in Austin’s arts institutions were over, think again. There’s just been another. In addition to the departures of General Manager Paul Kaine from Ballet Austin, Chief Executive Officer Sid Mallory from Austin Museum of Art, Artistic Director Alice Wilson from the Zachary Scott Theatre Center, and Managing Director…
Mister Smarty Pants Knows
Elephantine Road in Egypt is the world’s oldest known highway. Male rats are among the most notorious animals for quickies — an average three seconds or less. According to one rat owner, they spend a great deal more time cleaning their genitals immediately after sex than they do performing the act. The Continental Congress paid…
Tv-eye
Tough week for the fourth estate. Usually the worst thing we get charged with is assassination of character, not homicide. And a princess, no less. Yes, the chauffeur’s blood-alcohol tests are still being checked, but the seeds are already planted: The same media machine that made Princess Diana an icon hounded her quite literally to…
Entrances & Exits
by Adrienne Martini and Robert Faires Alice Wilson photograph by Todd J. Wolfson They come and go. On the stage, that’s what characters do. A figure will step in from the wings, make some contribution to whatever Grand Drama is unfolding under the lights, then depart. The time they spend in the light may vary,…
Chinese � la Carts
photograph by John Anderson On most mornings, I prefer my breakfast simple and stationary. A few coffees, a little bread — maybe a decadent omelet out — and I’m good to go. The most effort I want to put into the average morning meal is deciding between rye toast or tortillas. But on certain weekends,…
Roll Camera
On Labor Day, the Austin Film Society announced the names of the grant recipients of this year’s Texas Filmmakers’ Production Fund. In only its second year of existence, the TFPF awarded $50,000 to 21 makers of film and video, up from last year’s inaugural figure of $30,000. The grants are funded through a combination of…
The Classmate: Jim Grigsby
Jim Grigsby, Director of Facilities Management for the Texas Department of Transportation based in Austin, went to school with Charles Whitman. “I met Charlie through a mutual friend, Don McCrary, at Summer school at UT in 1966. We had two classes together. Don knew Charlie from previous semesters. “We often studied together, the three of…
Dim Summing it Up: Tips for Beginners
Travel in Trios — Most dim sum portions are arranged around the number three (three cakes, three dumplings, etc.) according to Cantonese “lucky number” customs. Dim sum expeditions, then, are best mounted by groups of three or multiples of three. Parties of four or two should be prepared to haggle over the more popular dishes.…
Scanlines
(“Scanlines” wishes to thank Encore Movies & Music, I Luv Video, and Vulcan Video for their help in providing videos and laser discs.) (l-r) River Phoenix, Robert Redford, Dan Aykroyd and Sidney Poitier turn to a computer for help in finding their way around San Francisco. Just kidding, folks – obviously they are engaged in…
Exhibitionism
ACA Gallery@ArtPlex, through September 13 From Mona Lisa’s pillowy-white fingers to the razor-sharp talons in Picasso’s Dora Maar Seated, the human hand has long been a common muse for artists. With their seemingly limitless gestures and pantomimes, hands are innately dramatic. An artist can personify a wide range of emotions by depicting just a few…
Food-O-File
With the annual infusion of student dollars into the local economy, the fall always seems like a good time for dining debuts. This fall, a handful of new dining options could provide some new ethnic flavors for curious Austin palates. Take a look at the Fresh Planet Cafe (601 N. Lamar, 476-0902), the new concept…
Shortcuts
So many film-related things are kicking into gear this week that there’s only space for quick mentions and some signposts for further info. This weekend, Sept. 5-7 at the Dobie Theatre, the Chicano/Latino Film Forum presents the El Teatro Campesino Film Festival, which will feature all the film and video works ever created by the…
My Slammer Vacation
illustration by Jason Stout Let 144 poets loose in a sleepy Connecticut town, give them the impetus of a scored competition and the added incentive of throwing out great work in order to impress and inspire each other: This is how we spent our summer vacation. And we wouldn’t have it any other way. As…
Dancing About Architecture
ACL on the Record or: Heard But Not Seen With the Labor Day weekend just passed, the calender flips from August to September, and suddenly retail stores are gearing up for the Christmas season — long, long before you even want to think about winter holidays. Around these parts, the still-blistering heat tends to make…
The Real Deal
Paul Stekler photograph by John Anderson Say what you will about Austin-at-large — one thing the capital city will never lack is innovative film programming. Alongside the various festivals and competitions, and the screenings and premieres, cinephiles can expect to see a new series — the Texas Documentary Tour — curated by Paul Stekler, the…
Postscripts
Mod Books Switch gears this week from reading books to take some time out to judge a book by its cover at the Harry Ransom Hxumanities Research Center’s new exhibit entitled Modern American Book Arts at the Ransom Center, held at UT’s Leeds Gallery, on the fourth floor of the Flawn Academic Center, from September…
Live Shots
Nathan and the Zydeco Cha Cha’s at Generation Tex in Waterloo Park, August 31 photograph by John Carrico CHEAP TRICK Stubb’s, August 23 It was as if the Eighties never happened. The only thing missing was some guy with a banner reading, “We Forgive You for `The Flame!'” Indie-fed youth and mature AOR brethren stood…
The Way to a Fan’s Heart
illustration by Roy Tompkins In Austin, Texas, the Live Music Capital of the World, it’s tough to throw a stick without hitting a musician. Some of these musicians go through their daily routines relatively unscathed by the surrounding populace. Some are recognized every now and again by an admiring fan. Some, whose bands have hit…
Boom Boom… Out Go the Lights
illustration by Roy Tompkins Imagine: It’s a sunny Monday, the first of August, 1966 — and there you are, Young American, complete with your Homecoming King, or Queen. The most advanced nutritional system on the planet generates the protein-rich essence which flushes a rosy glow the pair of you radiate as you languidly stroll hand-in-hand…
Catching On
It was one of the few South by Southwest parties where the official conference laminates were meaningless and the bedhead look was mandatory. Despite the lack of industry Power Rangers, it was crowded. The line to use the unisex bathroom inside was painfully long, and outside, navigation was pretty much shoulder-to-shoulder slow. On a small…
Psychic Friends
photograph by Bruce Dye Despite what might charitably be referred to as a theologically conservative upbringing, I spent some time as a youth trying various forms of esoteric divination with the express intentions of: a) sluing around impending exams; b) figuring out if she did, indeed, love me after all; and the time-honored c) turning…
The Eyewitness: Gail Douglas
Gail Douglas, an insurance agent based in DeSoto, Texas, was a business major at UT at the time of the shootings. He recalls the campus prior to the debacle as “a delightful place to go to school. There was a safe feeling, a typical college town. “There was the beginning of a great deal of…
Recommended
edited by Christopher Gray RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE, ATARI TEENAGE RIOT Southpark Meadows, Saturday 6 “Well I’m rollin’ down 620 with a shotgun…” Good thing Austin got all those new cops recently — this’ll give ’em something to do besides bust jaywalkers and mall duty. Bet they’ll see lots of familiar faces in the Mecca-long…
LaToya Jackson Psychic Network
LaToya Jackson. The very name conjures up images of ornately gilded crap. If you’ve followed The Other Jackson’s career much — the psychosexual snake photospreads, the insane marriage to her obese, whiteboy manager, the tantrums, the plastic surgery that has slowly, steadily turned a once pretty girl into a walking Roswell refugee, the godawful career…
About AIDS
Pets provide such wonderful positive and non-judgmental support to people living with long-term chronic illness. To help with pets, Animal Companions is one of the many volunteer-driven services AIDS Services of Austin offers to its clients. It is our mission to help people keep their pets at home, well-fed, groomed, and healthy. We can offer…
Road Shows
SEPTEMBER FRI 5 Kelley Deal 6000, Dakota, Emo’s FRI 5 Sammy Hagar, Austin Music Hall FRI 5 Jesse Dayton, Continental Club SAT 6 Rage Against the Machine, Atari Teenage Riot, Southpark Meadows SAT 6 Whiskeytown, Volebeats, Electric Lounge SAT 6 Caroline’s Spine, Babes SUN 7 Shitjackerz, Emo’s MON 8 George Clinton & the P-Funk All-Stars,…
Central Texas Parapsychology Association
According to Karen Marie Williams, president of the Central Texas Psychic Association, “The biggest thing we do now is promote psychic fairs. At the fairs are psychic readers of all different types, vendors, and then we have lectures and workshops for those people interested in learning more about parapsychology.” I’ve always wondered why so many…
hearth & soul
Oh sure, discovering radium and polonium was pretty cool, but I’d rather have figured out how to get rid of mildew stains. — Marie Curie after a couple of anisettes, as overheard at the 1903 Nobel Awards Banquet Dear Suzy, Please help! The ravages of mildew and fungus are blackening my concrete floor! I know…
No Expectations
photograph by Marina Chavez Last week, Ryan Adams shipped all his belongings to Austin. Later this fall, when his band Whiskeytown isn’t touring as much, Adams will join his record collection and those few odd boxes, and move here as well. “I just know people too well in Raleigh… or not well enough, actually,” says…
Benefits
SAT 6 Putt-Putt for Tots to benefit CEDEN Family Resource Center, at Putt Putt Golf and Games, 6700 Burnet, 9am. Cost is $300 per team. 477-1130. SUN 7 “Here Comes the Bride” Bridal Show to benefit Austin Metropolitan Ministries, at Doubletree Hotel, 12:30pm-4pm. Cost is $8. 472-7627. SAT 13 St. Thomas Anniversary Fashion Show to…
Not by the Book
The Fenton Avenue Charter School in Los Angeles as documented in “Education’s Big Gamble: Charter Schools” on PBS this month. It seems to be one of the only points about education on which some conservatives and progressives can agree: Charter schools could represent a way for educators to do their jobs more effectively. Some 600…
Coach’s Corner
Sports Illustrated thinks, judging from this week’s cover, that this division is the hot, new home of the quarterback. Maybe my eyes are going bad, too, but I see one possibly great one, for all intents and purposes, two rookies, one journeyman, and a maybe good one. 1) Jacksonville: Two good things — Brunell will…
Naked City
Edited by Amy Smith, with contributions this week from Nate Blakeslee, Robert Bryce, Kevin Fullerton, Leslie Hill, and John Spong. Off the Desk: A new grassroots initiative is afoot — Our City, Our Choice — which seeks to impose regulations requiring voter approval on water and wastewater facilities proposed outside the city limits. The idea…
Day Trips
Bigger than many states and several countries, the Hill Country is marked on most highway maps as a big brown patch in the center of a state best known for prairies and flatland. It was here that some of Texas’ most unique and overlooked history was made. One of the stories often left out of…
From The Peacemaker to The Rainmaker… and Everything In Between
Burt Reynolds in Boogie Nights After the summer’s deluge of slam-bang movie spectacles, fall is traditionally the season earmarked for more contemplative and dramatic fare. For the most part, that remains true, although the primary characteristic of this upcoming fall season may well be its diversity. The variety of movies to choose from is extensive.…
Triangle Property Design Contest
Got an idea for what you think ought to be done with this controversial tract of land adjoining Hyde Park? Here�s your chance to put your drafting skills where your mouth is. The Chronicle will bestow modest prizes and fame, of course, when we print the winners. But don�t expect the developer to chuck its…
Death of the Neighborhood Library?
illustration by Doug Potter Like any other library, Austin’s Riverside Drive branch has dizzying stores of information, but there’s one fact you can’t readily obtain there: Come October 1, the library is set to shut its doors. Policy, and no doubt the wishes of city management, prevent the Austin Public Library from posting a notice…
Page Two
Sixteen years ago this week, we published the first issue of the Austin Chronicle. It was, in significant ways, a disaster. It didn’t matter. Two weeks later we published another issue, and another one after that, on and on for seven years. Then we went weekly. It started badly. We recovered. It has never stopped.…
Open and Shut Case
illustration by Doug Potter A groundbreaking open records decision from Attorney General Dan Morales was barely in circulation before it played a strange and short-lived cameo in the 1998 election season. Morales’ Open Records Decision No. 657, issued July 24, held that the judiciary’s records are subject to public scrutiny under the state Public Information…
