Naked City

Mo Jamal addresses friends at a going-away party for him and his family at Stubb's Bar-B-Q Monday night. Despite years of living in Austin and contributing to its arts community -- and hundreds of letters from supporters -- the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service refused the Iranian family's request for asylum. Musicians, artists, and friends threw the party at Stubb's to raise money to help the Jamals relocate to Canada, which agreed to accept them. (Photo By John Anderson)

Quote of the Week: "It [requires] segregated high schools in order to work. The Texas high school system is in fact segregated. It doesn't work elsewhere." -- Former University of Michigan President Lee Bollinger, quoted in The New York Times on the "Texas 10%" plan touted by President Bush as an alternative to Michigan's affirmative-action admissions system. This week, the indefatigable Rep. Ron Wilson, D-Houston, filed a bill to extend the 10% system to graduate schools.

The invasion and conquest of Iraq appears imminent. We don't know why. If memory serves, when Saddam Hussein invaded and conquered another country, it was a bad thing. Plus, the U.S. has "not ruled out" using weapons of mass destruction -- including nuclear weapons -- against Iraq, which leaves us even more confused.

All charges have been dropped against Maurice Pierce, the third defendant awaiting trial in the 1991 yogurt-shop murders. Pierce, who had been in custody since 1999, was released from the county jail in Del Valle Tuesday afternoon. See "Maurice Pierce: A Free Man".

Barton Springs remains closed as city officials, enviro-scientists, and the Statesman all agree on one thing: If the hillside over the creek is as polluted as it seems to be, it will require a cleanup. Coming next week: agreement on the color of the sky. On Tuesday, the city and state announced that new tests indicate (again) that the springs are safe. See "Impaired Judgement".

Wham! Pow! Ouch! Not an old Batman episode, but the sounds made by city, state, and AISD leaders when they think about their budgets. See "Capitol Chronicle" and "Austin@Large."

Today at the City Council: music (the proposed noise ordinance), music (a potential do-or-die vote on the Austin Music Network), and music (Mayor Garcia's effort to tighten Austin's indoor-smoking rules, already harshly opposed by club owners.)